bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The West China Hospital radiographic classification for fibrous dysplasia in femur and adjacent bones: A retrospective analysis of 205 patients
Authors: Wang Yitian , Luo Yi , Min Li , Zhou Yong , Wang Jie , Zhang Yuqi , Lu Minxun , Duan Hong , Tu Chongqi
Published: August 2022

Objective

This study aims to investigate the reliability and clinical outcome of a newly developed classification system for patients with fibrous dysplasia (FD) of the femur and adjacent bones, optimizing its evaluation and management.

Methods

A total of 205 patients (121 female and 84 male) with FD in the femur and adjacent bones were included in this retrospective study. All affected femurs were measured and treated based on this classification at our institution between 2009 and 2019. Based on previous studies and extensive clinical follow‐up, we cautiously proposed the West China Hospital radiographic classification for FD in femur and adjacent bones following corresponding treatment options. There are five types with five radiographic features, including proximal femur bone loss, coxa vara, femoral shaft deformity, genu valgum, and hip arthritis. The intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility of this classification was assessed by four observers using the Cohen kappa statistic. The clinical outcome was evaluated using the criteria of Guille.

Results

At a median follow‐up of 60 months (range 6–120), 205 patients (median 34.8 years old, range 18–73 years old) were categorized into the following five types: Type I 31.7%, Type II 30.2%, Type III 20.5%, Type IV 10.2%, and Type V 7.3%. The mean interobserver and intraobserver kappa scores were 0.85 (range 0.77–0.89) and 0.85 (range 0.79–0.92), respectively. For clinical outcomes, there was no significant difference in the postoperative Guille score for Type I patients (mean 9.01 ± 1.22). There was a significant increase in the postoperative Guille score in Type II, III, IV, and V, compared to the preoperative values (P < 0.01). For complications, two Type III patients reported pain, and one Type III patient had mild‐to‐moderate Trendelenburg gait. One Type IV patient had a mild Trendelenburg gait. And two Type V patients still had mild limping.

Conclusion

This classification is reproducible and serves as a tool for evaluating and treating FD in the femur and adjacent bones. Therefore, we recommend this classification for the diagnosis and treatment of FD‐related deformities in the femur and adjacent bones.
Predictive Indicators for Complications of Proximal Humerus Fractures Treated with Locking Plate or Intramedullary Nail Fixation
Authors: Wang Hanzhou , Liu Yang , Wang Dong , He Yuanming , Yao Peifeng , Lu Tianchao , Zhou Junlin
Published: August 2022

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the best placement of calcar screws in proximal humerus fracture surgeries.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included clinical and radiographic outcomes of 98 patients treated with proximal humerus fracture surgeries between January 2017 and June 2020. Demographic data of patients were obtained from medical records. The surgical and radiographic results were also collected: operation time, blood loss, time to surgery, fibular allograft, disruption of medial region hinge, Neer classification, and recovery of medial support. Patients were allocated into two groups: the locking plate group (n = 65) and the intramedullary nail group (n = 33). In this study, we proposed new predictive indicators, named horizontal ratio (HR) and vertical ratio (VR), to quantify the placement of calcar screws in these two groups. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to display the accuracy of these indicators. Shoulder activity, visual scale analog (VAS) score, and Constant score were performed to evaluate postoperative clinical outcomes at 1 year follow‐up.

Results

In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, only time to surgery and effective medial support were considered statistically significant factors of postoperative complications (p < 0.05). Significant differences were observed between medial support and postoperative complications both in the locking plate group and the intramedullary nail group (p < 0.05). Only the vertical ratio of locking plate (VRLP) was a statistically significant predictor of postoperative complications (p < 0.05). The area under curve was calculated to assess the predictive value of VRLP, which came to 0.84. In addition, a ROC analysis found quantifiable thresholds of the VR was 0.1713 as measures to avoid postoperative complications in the locking plate fixation.

Conclusion

In locking plate fixation, the incidence of postoperative complications increased significantly when the VR of calcar screws greater than 0.1713, which was beneficial to surgeons to place calcar screws.
Epidemiological and immunological gains from solar water disinfection: Fact or wishful thinking?
Authors: Chaúque Beni Jequicene Mussengue , Benetti Antônio Domingues , Rott Marilise Brittes
Published: August 2022

Objective

There is still no consensus on the impact of using solar disinfection (SODIS) to reduce the prevalence of waterborne gastrointestinal diseases. The reported reduction in diarrhoea prevalence among SODIS users has been attributed to the consumption of water free of viable pathogens. However, it has also been suggested that ingestion of SODIS‐inactivated pathogens may induce protective immunological changes that may also contribute to a reduction in the frequency of diarrhoea. The present study aimed to critically review the epidemiological and immunological gains of using SODIS.

Methods

We critically reviewed 22 articles published in English, selected from 2118 records systematically retrieved from the databases.

Results

All trials (except one) reported a significant reduction in diarrhoea prevalence among children using SODIS, but some of the data from trials report contrary findings. All in vitro and in vivo assays indicate that SODIS‐inactivated pathogenic bacteria have the potential to induce immunological alterations that may result in protective immunological effects. Studies with a low risk of bias are still awaited to confirm the ability to use SODIS to reduce the prevalence of diarrhoea.

Conclusion

Reducing the prevalence of diarrhoea depends on the success of SODIS delivery strategies in inducing behavioural changes in communities that result in the production of SODIS‐compliant outcomes. The results of trials reporting a reduction in the prevalence of diarrhoea due to the use of SODIS seem to support the hypothesis of the contribution of the protective immunological effect against diarrhoea in SODIS users.
Optimization of human platelet lysate production and pathogen reduction in a public blood transfusion center
Authors: González María Bermejo , Cuerva Rafael Campos , Muñoz Beatriz Fernández , Rosell‐Valle Cristina , López María Martín , Arribas Blanca Arribas , Montiel Migue Ángel , Sánchez Gloria Carmona , González Mónica Santos
Published: August 2022

Background

Human platelet lysate (HPL) has been proposed as a safe and efficient xeno‐free alternative to fetal bovine serum (FBS) for large‐scale culturing of cell‐based medicinal products. However, the use of blood derivatives poses a potential risk of pathogen transmission. To mitigate this risk, different pathogen reduction treatment (PRT) practices can be applied on starting materials or on final products, but these methods might modify the final composition and the quality of the products.

Study Design and Methods

We evaluated the impact of applying a PRT based on riboflavin and ultraviolet irradiation on the raw materials used to manufacture an improved Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)‐grade HPL product in a public blood center. Growth promotion and the levels of growth factors and proteins were compared between an inactivated product (HPL4‐i) and a non‐inactivated product (HPL4). Stability studies were performed at 4°C, −20°C, and −80°C.

Results

The application of a PRT on the starting materials significantly altered the protein composition of HPL4‐i as compared with HPL4. Despite this, the growth promoting rates were unaffected when compared with FBS used as a control. While all products were stable at −20°C and −80°C for 24 months, a significant decrease in the activity of HPL4‐i was observed when stored at 4°C.

Conclusion

Our results show that the application of a PRT based on riboflavin and ultraviolet light on starting materials used in the manufacture of HPL modifies the final composition of the product, yet its cell growth promoting activity is maintained at levels similar to those of non‐inactivated products.
EBP education and skills building for leaders: An RCT to promote EBP infrastructure, process and implementation in a comprehensive cancer center
Authors: Tucker Sharon , McNett Molly , O'Leary Colleen , Rosselet Robin , Mu Jinjian , Thomas Bindu , Gallagher‐Ford Lynn , Melnyk Bernadette Mazurek
Published: August 2022

Background

Implementation of evidence‐based practice (EBP) in healthcare remains challenging. The influence of leadership has been recognized. However, few randomized trials have tested effects of an educational and skills building intervention for leaders in clinical settings.

Aims

Test effects of an EBP leadership immersion intervention on EBP attributes over time among two cohorts of leaders at a national comprehensive cancer center.

Methods

A stratified, randomized, wait‐list group, controlled design was conducted. Participants received the evidence‐based intervention one year apart (2020, n = 36; 2021, n = 30) with EBP knowledge, beliefs, competencies, implementation self‐efficacy, implementation behaviors, and organizational readiness measured at pre‐ and post‐intervention, and one‐ and two‐year follow‐ups. Participants applied learnings to a specific clinical or organization priority topic.

Results

Baseline outcomes variables and demographics did not differ between cohorts except for age and years of experience. Both cohorts demonstrated significant changes in EBP attributes (except organizational readiness) post‐intervention. Mixed linear modeling revealed group by time effects at 3‐months for all EBP attributes except implementation behaviors and organizational readiness after the first intervention, favoring cohort 2020, with retained effects for EBP beliefs and competencies at one year. Following Cohort 2021 intervention, at 12‐weeks post‐intervention, implementation behaviors were significantly higher for cohort 2021.

Linking Evidence to Action

An intensive EBP intervention can increase healthcare leaders' EBP knowledge and competencies. Aligning EBP projects with organizational priorities is strategic. Follow‐up with participants to retain motivation, knowledge and competencies is essential. Future research must demonstrate effects on clinical outcomes.
Criterio para determinar el tamaño de muestra en procesos de simulación estocástica
Authors: Molina-Muñoz Juan Daniel , Christen José Andrés
Published: August 2022

Objetivo: Proponer un criterio para determinar el tamaño de muestra en simulaciones estocásticas de MC (Monte Carlo) y MCMC (Markov chain Monte Carlo), garantizando una determinada precisión en la estimación de parámetros. Se busca que la precisión se garantice de forma adimensional. Materiales y métodos: El presente artículo propone un criterio buscando cumplir con el objetivo planteado. Además, de una metodología para la aplicación del mismo. Resultados y discusión: Se presenta la aplicación de la metodología en 3 contextos diferentes: Simulación de MC en que la muestra de interés presenta variabilidad moderada, simulación de MC en que la muestra de interés presenta variabilidad excesiva y simulación de MCMC. En todos los casos se obtienen adecuadas estimaciones del número de corridas MC y MCMC a partir de muestras relativamente pequeñas. Además, la aplicación de la metodología representa únicamente un costo computacional adicional marginal. Conclusiones: El criterio presentado en este artículo permite determinar el tamaño de muestra en simulaciones estocásticas, garantizando precisión adimensional en la estimación de parámetros.
Preliminary Design of the Landing Gear for a CESTOL Aircraft FAR 23
Authors: Durán-Giraldo Diego Andrés , González-Sierra Carlos Santiago , Merchán-Rincón Fabio Alejandro
Published: August 2022

Objective: Design the landing gear for a CESTOL type aircraft according to FAR 23 using: (i) the conceptual designs of the nose and main gear and (ii) evaluate the structural strength of the design by means of finite element analysis at a stage of landing. Materials and methods: The initial requirements for the theoretical development of a preliminary landing gear design are used as a case study. The aircraft’s structure is taken as a base for the different design stages. This analysis is according to a static and level landing condition selected on each gear with a side and supplementary load. Additionally, calculations of geometric parameters and mechanical resistance with preselecting materials for the component analysis to determine and compare theoretical results with finite elements to evaluate the reliability of the design approach. Results and discussion: It is determined to move the main landing gear backward near the cargo area. That allows for better aircraft performance, placing the GC in front of the main gear and avoiding an overturn. However, this load percentage changes in proportion to the longitudinal stability criterion, where it generates an increase in the contribution to the mechanical stress in the structure of the gear. Conclusions: Results obtained about stability, controllability, and structural analysis are acceptable for the regulations of FAA Part 23 with standards associated with airworthiness, being corroborated with theoretical analysis and combined loads.
Al final se hizo justicia. El seguro de vida ley
Authors: Núñez del Prado Simons Alonso
Published: August 2022

El autor hace una exhaustiva revisión del denominado seguro de Vida Ley en el Perú desde el plano histórico-legal, revisando sus modificaciones, llegando a la última realizada el 2021 que devuelve los derechos conculcados a los cesantes y jubilados por una ley inconstitucional del 2010.
Análisis de los productos de inversión basados en seguros (IBIPs) como una forma alternativa de inversión y/o ahorro para la jubilación
Authors: Pérez Fructuoso María José
Published: August 2022

En este trabajo se analizan y desarrollan determinados contratos de seguros de vida-ahorro con componente de inversión denominados productos de inversión basados en seguros o IBIPs, en los que puede invertir el tomador del seguro, y que presentan una serie de ventajas y/o desventajas actuariales, financieras y fiscales respecto a los productos aseguradores y financieros tradicionales.
La modificación del estado del riesgo en el contrato de seguro. Su ‘agravación’ y su ‘disminución’. Tendencias, e incidencia del ‘criterio de la razonabilidad
Authors: Jaramillo J. Carlos Igancio
Published: August 2022

El propósito del presente artículo, se encamina al estudio de la temática referente a la modificación del estado del riesgo, sin duda una de las más emblemáticas demostraciones de que el contrato, entendido como un ser jurídico ‘vivo’, como tal, sujeto a potenciales cambios y mutaciones en su discurrir, no es pétreo e inmóvil, menos tratándose del seguro, en el que la alteración de las bases que primigeniamente se tornaron determinantes para su celebración, no es infrecuente, simbólica, o teórica.

Muy por el contrario, el negocio jurídico aseguraticio, precisamente por estar cimentado en el riesgo, que por naturaleza es volátil, casi inflamable, suele registrar alteraciones durante la fase de su ejecución, unas más incidentes y resonantes que otras, en cuyo caso puede suscitarse una agravación del estado del riesgo asegurado, pero también una disminución.

Y ello es así, lo reiteramos, habida cuenta que el riesgo, ‘materia prima’ del seguro, su epicentro, su corazón, por excelencia es rítmico y, por ende, activo, vigoroso y dinámico, y no de piedra, rígido, plano, gélido, inamovible, siempre estable, invariable, inmutable, lineal y sostenido, motivo por el cual, en atención a un cúmulo de razones y circunstancias de tiempo, modo y lugar, puede cambiar apreciable y profundamente, como en ocasiones sucede, con las consecuencias jurídico-económicas que se describen y examinan en este escrito.
El rol del corredor de seguros y el derecho a la comisión. Análisis Jurisprudencial
Authors: Tabares Cortes Felipe
Published: August 2022

En una jurisprudencia de 2022, la Sala Civil de la Corte Suprema de Justicia colombiana aclaró la noción de corretaje de seguros. Basándose en el precedente jurisprudencial existente, la Corte recordó los elementos esenciales de esta institución jurídica, haciendo énfasis en el momento específico de su intervención en los procesos de distribución de seguros. A través de esta caracterización jurídica, la Sala Civil distinguió los eventos en los cuales no puede considerarse que el corredor intervino en la celebración del negocio de seguro y dedujo entonces la inexistencia del derecho a la comisión. A través de este artículo, se analiza la Sentencia SC1253 de 26 de abril de 2022 y se verifica, en derecho comparado, cuál es la posición actual frente al tema de la remuneración del corredor de seguros en la jurisdicción francesa.
Fit As a Diagnostic Tool: An Analytic Review of Approaches to Measure Correspondence Between Technical and Organizational Architectures
Authors: Gralla Erica , Joseph Nikolai , Szajnfarber Zoe
Published: August 2022

Standardized design approaches such as those embodied by concurrent design facilities have many benefits, such as increased efficiency of the design process, but may also have hidden costs. Specifically, when their standardized organizational decomposition is a poor fit for the particular design problem, important design trades might be missed or poor decisions made. Before we can understand how this lack of fit impacts the design process, we must be able to empirically observe and measure it. To that end, this paper identifies measures of “fit” from the literature along with attributes likely to impact design process performance, then evaluates the measures to determine how well the measures can detect and diagnose potential issues. The results provide comparative insights into the capabilities of existing fit measures, and also build guidance for how the systems engineering and design community can use insights from the “fit” literature to inform process improvement.
Experimental Investigation of a Thermally Responsive Actuator Based on Metallic Molybdenum Disulfide: A Conceptual Analysis
Authors: Li Haowen , Yang Huachao , Xu Chenxuan , Cheng Xiangnan , Yan Jianhua , Cen Kefa , Bo Zheng , Ostrikov Kostya (Ken)
Published: August 2022

Actuators that convert external stimuli to mechanical energy have aroused strong attention for emerging applications in robotics, artificial muscles, and other fields. However, their limited performance under harsh operating conditions evidenced by the low cycle life and hysteresis has restricted their practical applications. Here, a thermal-driven actuator based on layered metallic molybdenum disulfide (1T MoS2) nanosheets is demonstrated. The active actuator film exhibits fully reversible and highly stable (>99.296% in 2700 cycles) thermal-mechanical conversion over a wide temperature window (from −60 °C to 80 °C). Importantly, 1T MoS2 film shows a fast response with the bending rate and the recovery rate of >1.090 rad s−1 and >0.978 rad s−1, respectively. The assembled actuator can lift 20 times its weight over several centimeters for more than 200 cycles. This work, for the first time, demonstrates the thermoresponsive characteristics of 1T MoS2 in developing the thermal actuator, which may open new opportunities for various applications, such as robotics, artificial muscles, and human assist devices.
Experimental Investigations on the Effect of Ultrasonic Field in External Pool Boiling Under Various Operating Pressures
Authors: Swarnkar Abhishek , Lakhera Vikas J.
Published: August 2022

The augmentation of boiling heat transfer has been a dynamic domain of research for the past several decades due to a wide range of energy intensive applications and, in line, many active and passive methods have been developed. The present study discusses the effect of ultrasonic field of 31 kHz and 40 kHz on the saturated pool boiling of R141b over plain Cu surface at different operating pressures. It was found that the ultrasonic field is more effective at higher operating pressures. The surface superheat reduced by a maximum value of 2.6 °C with the application of 31 kHz ultrasonic field in comparison to the pool boiling without ultrasonic field application for +30 kPa(g) operating pressure at lower heat flux level of 113 kW/m2. The maximum augmentation in heat transfer coefficient was calculated as 37.1% and 11.4% for frequency of 31 kHz and 40 kHz, respectively, with respect to the no ultrasonic field condition at +30 kPa(g) for lower heat flux level of 113 kW/m2. The Nusselt number was found to be increasing in the sub-atmospheric as well as the pressurized operating pressure range. In comparison to the boiling without application of ultrasonic field, the maximum improvement in Nusselt number was noted as 25.3% at 31 kHz frequency of ultrasonic field and +30 kPa(g) operating conditions. This study suggests the use of lower frequency range of ultrasonic field in the presence of higher operating pressures for higher augmentation in saturated pool boiling.
Modeling and Verification for a Three-Degree-of-Freedom Flexure-Based Planar Parallel Micro Manipulator
Authors: Lin Jianfeng , Qi Chenkun , Gao Feng , Yue Yi , Hu Yan , Wei Baochen
Published: August 2022

Micro positioning systems are popular devices to achieve ultrahigh precision motion. In this paper, a three-degree-of-freedom (3-DOF) flexure-based planar parallel micro manipulator is presented. The existing literature focusing on the modeling of micro manipulator is difficult to fully reflect the real internal physical characteristic in the relationship between the input voltage and output pose. A new comprehensive nonlinear model for a three-DOF flexure-based planar parallel micro manipulator considering the errors of compliant joint in multiple non-functional directions, inherent force, moment, and nonlinear properties of the piezoelectric actuator is proposed. The ideal kinematic model and stiffness model are derived for comparison to verify the comprehensive nonlinear model. The simulation results show that the accuracy of the comprehensive nonlinear model is higher than that of other two models. Finally, the experimental results demonstrate that the average accuracy of the proposed modeling method in the translational direction is 26.35% better than that of the ideal kinematic model. The average accuracy in the rotational direction is 27.49% better than that of the ideal kinematic model. The proposed comprehensive nonlinear model can improve the modeling accuracy. It can be applied to other types of flexure-based micro manipulator.
Motion Control of Autonomous Vehicles Based on Offset Free Model Predictive Control Methods
Authors: Ge Linhe , Zhao Yang , Zhong Shouren , Shan Zitong , Ma Fangwu , Guo Konghui , Han Zhiwu
Published: August 2022

Model predictive control (MPC) is the mainstream method in the motion control of autonomous vehicles. However, due to the complex and changeable driving environment, the perturbation of vehicle parameters will cause the steady-state error problem, which will lead to the degradation of controller performance. In this paper, the offset-free MPC control method is proposed to solve the steady-state error problem systematically. The core idea of this method is to model the model mismatch, control input offset, and external disturbances as disturbance terms, then use filters to observe these disturbances and finally eliminate the influence of these disturbances on the steady-state error in the MPC solution stage. This paper uses the Kalman filter as an observer, which is integrated into our latest designed MPC solver. Based on state-of-the-art sparse quadratic programming (QP) solver operator splitting solver for quadratic programs (OSQP), an offset free model predictive control (OF-MPC) framework based on disturbance observation and MPC is formed. The proposed OF-MPC solver can efficiently deal with common model mismatch problems such as tire stiffness mismatch, steering angle offset, lateral slope disturbance, and so on. This framework is very efficient and completes all calculations in less than 7 ms when the horizon length is 50. The efficiency and robustness of the algorithm are verified on our newly designed robot operating system (ROS)-Unreal4-carsim real-time cosimulation platform and real vehicle experiments.
An Analytic Solution to the Inverse Dynamics of an Energy Harvesting Tethered Kite
Authors: Bhattacharjee Debapriya , Tiburcio Miguel Alvarez , Opila Daniel F. , Vermillion Christopher , Fathy Hosam K.
Published: August 2022

This paper solves the inverse dynamics of a tethered kite analytically. Specifically, the paper presents a procedure for determining the angle of attack, induced roll angle, and tether tension magnitude needed to achieve a desired combination of translational kite position, velocity, and acceleration. The focus of the paper is on energy harvesting kites. However, the underlying approach is applicable to other kite systems, such as kites for propulsion (e.g., SkySails, Hamburg, Germany). Solving inverse kite dynamics analytically is valuable for trajectory optimization, online state estimation, and the analysis of fundamental limitations on kite maneuvers. Previous work in the literature presents several models of kite dynamics, with varying degrees of fidelity and complexity. However, the nonlinearity of these models often makes them difficult to use for optimization, estimation, and control. The paper shows that, under reasonable assumptions, inverse kite dynamics can be solved in terms of the roots of a fourth-order polynomial function of angle of attack. This function has a geometric interpretation, providing insight into the multiplicity of resulting solutions. Moreover, for special cases including a kite with noncambered wings, these solutions can be computed analytically. A simulation validates the success of the proposed approach in computing inverse kite dynamics for a cross-current trajectory.
Study on Tribological Properties of Oxygen-Doped High-Entropy Alloy Coating Against Brush Wires at High Temperatures
Authors: Wang Guohua , Liu Xuesong , Fan Jun , Pu Jibin
Published: August 2022

The lubricating coating with good wear resistance at high temperatures is a critical challenge for the protective coatings of aerospace engine rotor. High-entropy alloy coatings show a potential to deal with that. The impacts of various oxygen contents in VAlTiCrW high-entropy alloy coatings on the mechanical properties at room temperature and tribological properties at 700 °C were studied systematically. When the oxygen flow increased from 0 sccm to 10 sccm, the hardness of the coatings increased from 3.3 GPa to 11.9 GPa, and the elastic modulus increased from 79.92 GPa to 181.7 GPa. Meanwhile, the coating featured the lowest coefficient of friction (COF, 0.17) and the lowest wear-rate of 3.38 × 10−5 mm3/Nm. The Magnéli phase V2O5 in the coating was the key to reducing the COF, while the hard oxide phase such as WO3 and AlVO4 reduced the wear-rate of the coatings.
Evaluation of the Golf&Natur Environmental Certificate From an Ecological-Economic Perspective
Authors:   Sport Governance and Event Management, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany, Huth Christopher
Published: August 2022

Outdoor sport is often criticized by the general public for misusing nature for its own purposes. In response to this criticism, the German Golf Association has implemented an environmental certificate called Golf&Natur to force the issue of environmental and nature conservation in golf clubs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the ecological and economic benefits of the Golf&Natur certificate from golf clubs’ point of view. The primary empirical study explores whether and to what extent Golf&Natur certified and non-certified golf clubs differ from one another. The results show that certified clubs rated the importance of the Golf&Natur certificate for all selected club objectives higher than non-certified clubs did. Overall, it can be stated that an environmental certificate can create value, and therefore, similar initiatives should be even more strongly considered in other golf markets, in other outdoor sports and in the context of mega events.
“Horrible—But Worth It”: Exploring Weight Cutting Practices, Eating Behaviors, and Experiences of Competitive Female Taekwon-Do Athletes. A Mixed Methods Study
Authors: Smith Karen A. , Naughton Robert J. , Langan-Evans Carl , Lewis Kiara
Published: August 2022

This mixed methods study aimed to investigate weight cutting practices of female taekwon-do athletes internationally and explore their experiences of “making weight.” A survey of weight loss practices and eating behaviors was completed by 103 taekwon-do athletes from 12 countries, which illustrated that 72.5% of athletes engage in both acute and chronic weight loss practices prior to competition and that there were higher levels of disordered eating within this athletic population than nonweight cutting athletes. Semistructured interviews were conducted with five international-level competitors; thematic analysis of the interviews identified that the women in general felt weight cutting was “horrible—but worth it” and the women believed that (a) weight cutting is unpleasant, difficult, and challenging; and (b) weight cutting provides a competitive advantage. The implications of this study are that weight cutting is widespread among high-level competitive female taekwon-do athletes and this is unlikely to change given the perceived advantages. Efforts are needed to make sure that the women are knowledgeable of the risks and are provided with safe and effective means of making weight.
Meiotic exit in
Arabidopsis
is driven by P-body–mediated inhibition of translation
Authors: Cairo Albert , Vargova Anna , Shukla Neha , Capitao Claudio , Mikulkova Pavlina , Valuchova Sona , Pecinkova Jana , Bulankova Petra , Riha Karel
Published: August 2022

Meiosis, at the transition between diploid and haploid life cycle phases, is accompanied by reprograming of cell division machinery and followed by a transition back to mitosis. We show that, in
Arabidopsis
, this transition is driven by inhibition of translation, achieved by a mechanism that involves processing bodies (P-bodies). During the second meiotic division, the meiosis-specific protein THREE-DIVISION MUTANT 1 (TDM1) is incorporated into P-bodies through interaction with SUPPRESSOR WITH MORPHOGENETIC EFFECTS ON GENITALIA 7 (SMG7). TDM1 attracts eIF4F, the main translation initiation complex, temporarily sequestering it in P-bodies and inhibiting translation. The failure of
tdm1
mutants to terminate meiosis can be overcome by chemical inhibition of translation. We propose that TDM1-containing P-bodies down-regulate expression of meiotic transcripts to facilitate transition of cell fates to postmeiotic gametophyte differentiation.
Grassland soil carbon sequestration: Current understanding, challenges, and solutions
Authors: Bai Yongfei , Cotrufo M. Francesca
Published: August 2022

Grasslands store approximately one third of the global terrestrial carbon stocks and can act as an important soil carbon sink. Recent studies show that plant diversity increases soil organic carbon (SOC) storage by elevating carbon inputs to belowground biomass and promoting microbial necromass contribution to SOC storage. Climate change affects grassland SOC storage by modifying the processes of plant carbon inputs and microbial catabolism and anabolism. Improved grazing management and biodiversity restoration can provide low-cost and/or high-carbon-gain options for natural climate solutions in global grasslands. The achievable SOC sequestration potential in global grasslands is 2.3 to 7.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year (CO
2
e year
−1
) for biodiversity restoration, 148 to 699 megatons of CO
2
e year
−1
for improved grazing management, and 147 megatons of CO
2
e year
−1
for sown legumes in pasturelands.
Comment on “Pushing the frontiers of density functionals by solving the fractional electron problem”
Authors: Gerasimov Igor S. , Losev Timofey V. , Epifanov Evgeny Yu. , Rudenko Irina , Bushmarinov Ivan S. , Ryabov Alexander A. , Zhilyaev Petr A. , Medvedev Michael G.
Published: August 2022

Kirkpatrick
et al
. (Reports, 9 December 2021, p. 1385) trained a neural network–based DFT functional, DM21, on fractional-charge (FC) and fractional-spin (FS) systems, and they claim that it has outstanding accuracy for chemical systems exhibiting strong correlation. Here, we show that the ability of DM21 to generalize the behavior of such systems does not follow from the published results and requires revisiting.
Genome-Scale Metabolic Modeling Combined with Transcriptome Profiling Provides Mechanistic Understanding of Streptococcus thermophilus CH8 Metabolism
Authors: Rau Martin H. , Gaspar Paula , Jensen Maiken Lund , Geppel Asger , Neves Ana Rute , Zeidan Ahmad A.
Published: August 2022

Streptococcus thermophilus
is one the main organisms involved in the fermentation of milk and, increasingly, also in the fermentation of plant-based foods. The construction of a functional high-quality genome-scale metabolic model, in conjunction with in-depth transcriptome profiling with a focus on metabolism, provides a valuable resource for the improved understanding of
S. thermophilus
physiology.
Proteolytic Processing of the Coronavirus Replicase Nonstructural Protein 14 Exonuclease Is Not Required for Virus Replication but Alters RNA Synthesis and Viral Fitness
Authors: Anderson-Daniels Jordan , Gribble Jennifer , Denison Mark
Published: August 2022

Coronavirus replication requires proteolytic maturation of the nonstructural replicase proteins to form the replication-transcription complex. Coronavirus replication-transcription complex models assume mature subunits; however, mechanisms of coronavirus maturation and replicase complex formation have yet to be defined.
Complete Genome Sequence of Providencia stuartii CMC-4104, Isolated from a Human Splenic Abscess, Containing Multiple Copies of NDM-1 and PER-1 Carbapenem Resistance Genes
Authors: Rao Jayasimha , Stornelli Nicholas K. , Everson Nathan A. , McDaniel Lauren F. , Gomez De La Espriella Mariana , Faulhaber Jason R. , Todd S. Michelle , Lahmers Kevin K. , Jensen Roderick V.
Published: August 2022

We report the complete genome sequence of a clinical isolate of
Providencia stuartii
strain CMC-4104, isolated from a splenic abscess. Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) and Illumina sequencing reads were assembled using Geneious to generate a 4,504,925-bp circular chromosome containing multiple copies of the NDM-1 and PER-1 genes in a genomic resistance island.
Exploiting Violet-Blue Light to Kill
Campylobacter jejuni
: Analysis of Global Responses, Modeling of Transcription Factor Activities, and Identification of Protein Targets
Authors: Walker Peter , Taylor Aidan J. , Hitchcock Andrew , Webb Joseph P. , Green Jeffrey , Weinstein Julia , Kelly David J.
Published: August 2022

Campylobacteriosis caused by
C. jejuni
is one of the most widespread zoonotic enteric diseases worldwide and represents an enormous human health and economic burden, compounded by the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. New interventions are urgently needed to reduce food-chain contamination.
Supplemental Material: Geological architecture and history of the Antigua volcano and carbonate platform: Was there an Oligo–Miocene lull in Lesser Antilles arc magmatism?
Authors: Montheil Leny , et al.
Published: August 2022

Supplemental Material 1: Description of the sections, ages and depositional settings. Supplemental Material 2: Microfacies and larger benthic foraminifera content. Supplemental Material 3: Description of the seismic profiles 508 and 510. Supplemental Material 4: Structural measurements collected in the field. Supplemental Material 5: Detail of Ar/Ar step-heating analyses.
Efficacy of a new day surgery management mode based on WeChat: a study protocol for randomised controlled trials
Authors: Shi Yun , Yan Junyu , Wang Shuangwen , Li Yifan , Deng Xiaoqian
Published: August 2022

Introduction

There is an enormous imbalance between the rapid development of day surgery and the current conventional medical services. Hence, an effective day surgery management mode should be developed that can be used to constantly follow up on patients both preoperatively and postoperatively. In this study, WeChat was chosen as the platform. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of a new day surgery management mode.

Methods and analysis

This randomised controlled study investigated the efficacy of a new day surgery management mode based on WeChat. The target number of participants was 1000 per group. The application (app) will send personalised information based on the medical history of the patient and the type of surgery at different time points preoperatively and postoperatively. The healthcare worker can follow up the patient and acquire clinical data by simply signing into the app. The patient and the healthcare worker can also engage in video or voice chats using the app when necessary. Multiple departments, including anaesthesiology, internal medicine, surgery, nursing and psychology, will participate in this new mode.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval was obtained from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University Biomedical Research Ethics Committee. Results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.

Trial registration number

ChiCTR2100050793.
Coworkers are more likely than patients to transmit SARS-CoV-2 infection to healthcare personnel
Authors: Farah Wigdan , Breeher Laura , Shah Vishal , Wang Zhen , Hainy Caitlin , Swift Melanie
Published: August 2022

Objectives

To compare the impact of occupational exposures to SARS-CoV-2 positive patients and SARS-CoV-2 positive coworkers, by comparing the frequency of occupational exposure incidents and the rate of healthcare personnel (HCP) who developed a positive PCR test for SARS-COV-2 after occupational exposure to the two different types of infectious individuals.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of all confirmed higher risk occupational exposure incidents that occurred in HCP from 20 March 2020 to 31 December 2020 at a large multisite US academic medical centre. Comparisons between groups for source type were performed using unpaired Student’s t-test for continuous variables and the χ2test for categorical variables, regression analysis was conducted to assess the associations between source type and risk of positive COVID-19 test after occupational exposure.

Results

In total, 2253 confirmed medium or high-risk occupational exposures occurred during the study period. 57% were exposures from coworker sources. Each source individual exposed a mean of 2.6 (95% CI 2.3 to 2.9) HCP; during postexposure surveillance, 4.5% of exposed HCP tested positive within 14 days. A coworker source on average exposed 2.2 (95% CI 2.01 to 2.4) other HCP and infected 0.14 (95% CI 0.1 to 0.17) HCP, while patient sources exposed a mean of 3.4 (95% CI 2.6 to 4.2) HCP but only infected 0.07 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.11) HCP. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that exposure to a coworker source carried a higher risk of testing positive compared with exposure to a patient source (OR 3.22; 95% CI 1.72 to 6.04).

Conclusion

Occupational exposures to coworker sources were not only more frequent but also associated with triple the risk of developing COVID-19 infection, compared with exposures to patient sources.
Spatial variability of bacterial community compositions in the Mariana Trench
Authors: Wang Wei , Sun Jingjing , Hao Jianhua
Published: August 2022

Hadal microorganisms play an important role in the biogeochemical processes in marine ecosystems and act as a valuable resource for industrial applications. This paper presents the bacterial community analysis of samples taken from the Challenger Deep within the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest site in the ocean. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was used to reveal that the vertically sampled bacterial populations at eight stations varied at the surface to 10 km depth. The surface water samples harbored a distinct bacterial assemblage, while the mesopelagic and bathyal samples manifested different bacterial community composition, which was not consistent with previous studies. Gammaproteobacteria was the most abundant bacteria in the bathyal and hadal waters. The hadal bacterial community consisted mostly of Alteromonadales and Oceanospirillales. The former was widely spread in the water column, which might suggest habitat partitioning at the genus and operational taxonomic unit levels, while the latter might represent hadal-enriched hydrocarbon degraders. The present work complements the current knowledge and understanding of the bathyal and hadal bacterial communities of the Mariana Trench.
Diversity of fungal assemblages in rhizosphere and endosphere of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) under field conditions revealed by culturing and culture-independent molecular methods
Authors: Dong Mei , Wang Bowei , Tian Youwen , Chen Li , Li Yadong , Sun Haiyue
Published: August 2022

Mycorrhizae are important to plants in improving nutrient absorption and stress resistance. To study mycorrhizal fungal diversity in blueberry, we combined culture method and culture-independent molecular method to analyze the root endosphere and rhizosphere fungi in three different cultivars. We obtained 212 isolates with a culture method and classified them into 40 types according to their morphological characteristics. Then, we amplified the internal transcribed spacer sequence and found rich species diversity. With high-throughput sequencing, 561 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were annotated based on a 97% similarity level cutoff. The alpha diversity index revealed that the fungal abundance and diversity in the rhizosphere were higher than those in the endosphere. The dominant phyla were Ascomycota and Basidiomycota and the dominant genus was Oidiodendron. We also constructed the plant–fungus symbiotic system by inoculating in vitro stock shoots, which lays a theoretical foundation for further research to develop and utilize the dominant mycorrhizal fungi of blueberry.
Deep Learning-Based Extraction of Concepts: A Comparative Study and Application on Medical Data
Authors: Ben Lamine Sana Ben Abdallah , Dachraoui Mohamed Aziz , Baazaoui-Zghal Hajer
Published: August 2022

With the exponential increase of data on the web, the manual acquisition of ontology has become a time-consuming and tedious task. Thus, switching to ontology learning enables the ontologies’ acquisition automation. In this paper, we deal with the phase of concepts’ extraction. Our motivation is to capitalise on the confirmed advantages of deep learning (DL) models and word embedding techniques to automatically extract relevant concepts from large amounts of textual data. A four phases approach is proposed where different models and techniques are applied and a comparative study is achieved: the preprocessing phase, the classification phase, based on DL models, the terms filtering phase, where we experimented and compared three methods to extract the relevant terms, and the semantic enrichment phase experimenting and comparing word embedding techniques to semantically enrich the discovered concepts. The approach is implemented and evaluated on different medical datasets. The obtained results proved the suitability of the experimented models and techniques for the concepts’ extraction.
The Interaction of Human Capital and Carbon Emission with Diminishing Economic Growth
Authors: Niu Guangli , Oskenbayev Yessengali , Zupiruly Galymzhan
Published: August 2022

This paper investigates the relationships between carbon emissions, health outcomes, and economic growth. It has been argued that carbon emissions negatively affect health outcomes, which influences the aggregate productivity of countries. A general equilibrium model is constructed, with health and educational outcomes presented as inputs of human capital. The empirical part assesses the impact of health on economic development using carbon emissions and employs the IV model (2SLS) to avoid potential endogeneity. The analysis uses the data of 178 worldwide countries from 2010 to 2016. The findings suggest substantial effects of health as an input of human capital on per capita income. The results form the basis of important policy recommendations for policy- and decision-makers to increase the stock of human capital and sustainable economic growth.
Crowdsourcing Crisis Management and Democratic Legitimacy
Authors: Martí José
Published: August 2022

In situations of crisis, governments must make decisions under a great uncertainty, complexity, urgency, high social pressure, and great scarcity of resources. We need to maximize the quality of decisions and ensure that we find practical and effective solutions for our problems. The stakes are simply too high. The risk, however, is to give up democratic legitimacy for, in the best case, some form of output legitimacy or technocracy. On the other hand, decisions made in times of emergency are tremendously consequential for our citizens, affecting their fundamental rights and welfare, and it is for decisions like this that democratic legitimacy seems to be crucial. We may be in the apparent dilemma of having to choose between the quality of public decision-making and its democratic legitimacy. This article claims that this is a false dilemma, at least if we take it as an either/or choice. Rather than choosing one value or the other, what we need is to find a proper balance between them on a case-by-case basis. And the article argues that one very promising way to do it is by applying the ideas of crowdlaw and crowdsourcing crisis management based on the potential of collective intelligence, which in turn grounds an ideal of participatory, deliberative, and collaborative democracy.
Heterogeneous Cluster Application Communication Optimization and Computer Big Data Management
Authors: Wang Hongyan
Published: August 2022

In order to adapt to the constantly updated heterogeneous hardware and super-large-scale parallel computing environment and solve the problems of low programming level and difficult development, modification, and debugging of commonly used solutions, the author proposes a method for application communication optimization and computer big data management based on heterogeneous clusters. A new language mechanism is introduced to describe the multidimensional rule structure, arrangement, and communication mode of data and threads; and a software migration and optimization method between different types of heterogeneous systems based on the new language mechanism is proposed. And take direct method turbulence simulation as an example. Experimental results show that based on the Parray mechanism, it took only one week to complete the rapid migration of turbulence simulation applications on the Tianhe 1A system, and it was successfully run on a scale of 8192 cubic meters. Conclusion. The method realizes communication optimization and fast porting in different heterogeneous systems.