bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neural activity of retinal ganglion cells under continuous, dynamically-modulated high frequency electrical stimulation
Authors: Muralidharan Madhuvanthi , Guo Tianruo , Tsai David , Lee Jae-Ik , Fried Shelley , Dokos Socrates , Morley John W , Lovell Nigel H , Shivdasani Mohit N
Published: January 2024

Objective. Current retinal prosthetics are limited in their ability to precisely control firing patterns of functionally distinct retinal ganglion cell (RGC) types. The aim of this study was to characterise RGC responses to continuous, kilohertz-frequency-varying stimulation to assess its utility in controlling RGC activity. Approach. We used in vitro patch-clamp experiments to assess electrically-evoked ON and OFF RGC responses to frequency-varying pulse train sequences. In each sequence, the stimulation amplitude was kept constant while the stimulation frequency (0.5–10 kHz) was changed every 40 ms, in either a linearly increasing, linearly decreasing or randomised manner. The stimulation amplitude across sequences was increased from 10 to 300 µA. Main results. We found that continuous stimulation without rest periods caused complex and irreproducible stimulus-response relationships, primarily due to strong stimulus-induced response adaptation and influence of the preceding stimulus frequency on the response to a subsequent stimulus. In addition, ON and OFF populations showed different sensitivities to continuous, frequency-varying pulse trains, with OFF cells generally exhibiting more dependency on frequency changes within a sequence. Finally, the ability to maintain spiking behaviour to continuous stimulation in RGCs significantly reduced over longer stimulation durations irrespective of the frequency order. Significance. This study represents an important step in advancing and understanding the utility of continuous frequency modulation in controlling functionally distinct RGCs. Our results indicate that continuous, kHz-frequency-varying stimulation sequences provide very limited control of RGC firing patterns due to inter-dependency between adjacent frequencies and generally, different RGC types do not display different frequency preferences under such stimulation conditions. For future stimulation strategies using kHz frequencies, careful consideration must be given to design appropriate pauses in stimulation, stimulation frequency order and the length of continuous stimulation duration.
A high frequency radiation hardened DC/DC-converter with low volume air core inductor
Authors: Kampkötter J. , Karagounis M. , Kokozinski R.
Published: January 2024

The hfrh-buck (high frequency radiation hardened-buck) is a radiation hardened DC/DC-converter operating at a high switching frequency of 100 MHz with a small air core inductor of 22 nH. To ensure a high radiation dose, the circuit is designed with core transistors of a 65 nm TSMC technology. By stacking the transistors of the power stage, the converter can be supplied with a voltage of up to 4.8 V. Stable operation can be achieved at an output voltage of 1.2 V with a maximum load current of 1 A. The prototype demonstrates the ability to power parallel connected hybrid-pixel modules in the innermost layers.
Magnetic resilience studies for power supplies
Authors: Giordano F. , Guatteri A. , Selmi S. , Landi C.
Published: January 2024

It is well understood that modern physics experiments often require more Low Voltage
power to be delivered to front-end electronics than was needed in past, and that the most
effective and efficient means of delivering this LV power requires that the power supplies be
placed as close as possible to the detector. Unfortunately, this means that the LV power supplies
must be more robust and tolerant to radiation and magnetic fields typically present in such an
environment.

Designing a power supply capable of operating in such an environment is not a trivial task. It is first necessary to fully assess and understand these special conditions before one can begin to identify the power supply typology and components to be used. In this manuscript we will illustrate the design process of the CAEN EASY BRIC1 (B & Rad tolerant Intermediate Converter), an intermediate converter utilized to power the front-end electronics (12 V to 300 V) of the ATLAS-NSW experiment. The complete process is described, from design choice, to component selection, to circuit testing from B=0 to 1 T, and finally deployment and testing the complete power supply in an operational environment.
Injectable hydrogel with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties for postoperative tumor wound care
Authors: Li Xinyun , Xing Dandan , Bai Yangjing , Du Yangrui , Lang Shiying , Li Kaijun , Xiang Jun , Liu Gongyan , Liu Shan
Published: January 2024

Clinically, tumor removal surgery leaves irregularly shaped wounds that are susceptible to bacterial infection and further lead to excessive inflammation. Injectable hydrogel dressings with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties have been recognized as an effective strategy to care for postoperative tumor wounds and prevent recurrence in recent years. In this work, we constructed a hydrogel network by ionic bonding interactions between quaternized chitosan (QCS) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG)-Zn complexes which were coordinated by EGCG and zinc ions. Because of the synergistic effect of QCS and EGCG-Zn, the hydrogel exhibited outstanding antimicrobial capacity (>99.9% inhibition), which could prevent infections caused by Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. In addition, the hydrogel was able to inhibit the growth of mice breast cancer cells (56.81% survival rate within 72 h) and reduce inflammation, which was attributed to the sustained release of EGCG. The results showed that the hydrogel was effective in inhibiting tumor recurrence and accelerating wound closure when applied to the postoperative tumor wounds. This study provided a simple and reliable strategy for postoperative tumor wound care using antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory injectable dressings, confirming their great potential in the field of postoperative wound dressings.
Micromechanics of fibrous scaffolds and their stiffness sensing by cells
Authors: Jyoti Mech Dhruba , Suhail Rizvi Mohd
Published: January 2024

Mechanical properties of the tissue engineering scaffolds are known to play a crucial role in cell response. Therefore, an understanding of the cell-scaffold interactions is of high importance. Here, we have utilized discrete fiber network model to quantitatively study the micromechanics of fibrous scaffolds with different fiber arrangements and cross-linking densities. We observe that localized forces on the scaffold result in its anisotropic deformation even for isotropic fiber arrangements. We also see an exponential decay of the displacement field with distance from the location of applied force. This nature of the decay allows us to estimate the characteristic length for force transmission in fibrous scaffolds. Furthermore, we also looked at the stiffness sensing of fibrous scaffolds by individual cells and its dependence on the cellular sensing mechanism. For this, we considered two conditions- stress-controlled, and strain-controlled application of forces by a cell. With fixed strain, we find that the stiffness sensed by a cell is proportional to the scaffold’s ‘macroscopic’ elastic modulus. However, under fixed stress application by the cell, the stiffness sensed by the cell also depends on the cell’s own stiffness. In fact, the stiffness values for the same scaffold sensed by the stiff and soft cells can differ from each other by an order of magnitude. The insights from this work will help in designing tissue engineering scaffolds for applications where mechanical stimuli are a critical factor.
Vaccination, asymptomatics and public health information in COVID-19
Authors: Grinfeld Michael , Mulheran Paul A
Published: January 2024

The dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic is greatly influenced by vaccine quality, as well as by vaccination rates and the behaviour of infected individuals, both of which reflect public health policies. We develop a model for the dynamics of relevant cohorts within a fixed population, taking extreme care to model the reduced social contact of infected individuals in a rigorous self-consistent manner. The basic reproduction number R
0 is then derived in terms of the parameters of the model. Analysis of R
0 reveals two interesting possibilities, both of which are plausible based on known characteristics of COVID-19. Firstly, if the population in general moderates social contact, while infected individuals who display clinical symptoms tend not to isolate, then increased vaccination can drive the epidemic towards a disease-free equilibrium (DFE). However, if the reverse is true, then increased vaccination can destabilise the DFE and yield an endemic state. This surprising result is due to the fact that the vaccines are leaky, and can lead to an increase in asymptomatic individuals who unknowingly spread the disease. Therefore, this work shows that public policy regarding the monitoring and release of health data should be combined judiciously with modeling-informed vaccination policy to control COVID-19.
Global density equations for a population of actively switching particles
Authors: Bressloff Paul C
Published: January 2024

There are many processes in cell biology that can be modelled in terms of an actively switching particle. The continuous degrees of freedom of the particle evolve according to a hybrid stochastic differential equation whose drift term depends on a discrete internal or environmental state that switches according to a continuous time Markov chain. Examples include Brownian motion in a randomly switching environment, membrane voltage fluctuations in neurons, protein synthesis in gene networks, bacterial run-and-tumble motion, and motor-driven intracellular transport. In this paper we derive generalized Dean–Kawasaki (DK) equations for a population of actively switching particles, either independently switching or subject to a common randomly switching environment. In the case of a random environment, we show that the global particle density evolves according to a hybrid DK equation. Averaging with respect to the Gaussian noise processes in the absence of particle interactions yields a hybrid partial differential equation for the one-particle density. We use this to show how a randomly switching environment induces statistical correlations between the particles. We also discuss methods for handling the moment closure problem for interacting particles, including dynamical density functional theory and mean field theory. We then develop the analogous constructions for independently switching particles. In order to derive a DK equation, we introduce a discrete set of global densities that are indexed by the single-particle internal states, and take expectations with respect to the switching process. However, the resulting DK equation is no longer closed when particle interactions are included. We conclude by deriving Martin–Siggia–Rose–Janssen–de Dominicis path integrals for the global density equations in the absence of interactions, and relate this to recent field theoretic studies of Brownian gases and run-and-tumble particles.
3D printing in space: from mechanical structures to living tissues
Authors: Mao Mao , Meng Zijie , Huang Xinxin , Zhu Hui , Wang Lei , Tian Xiaoyong , He Jiankang , Li Dichen , Lu Bingheng
Published: January 2024

Highlights

3D printing offers unprecedented on-demand and rapid manufacturing capabilities in space.

Space 3D printing has demonstrated potential in applications such as tool manufacturing, biomedicine, electronics repair, food production, and resource utilization.

3D printing of polymers, metals, and cell-laden substances has been achieved in space.

Challenges of 3D printing in extreme space environments include microgravity, high levels of vacuum, significant temperature differentials, and the impact of cosmic and solar radiation.
Circumventing data imbalance in magnetic ground state data for magnetic moment predictions
Authors: Sanspeur Rohan Yuri , Kitchin John R
Published: January 2024

Magnetic materials play a crucial role in the transition to more sustainable forms of energy and electric vehicles. There is an anticipated shortage in magnetic materials in the future, and as a result there is an urgent need to discover and design new magnetic materials. Computational magnetic material design using density functional theory is daunting because of the challenge in identifying magnetic ground states from a combinatorially large set of possibilities. Machine learning offers a path forward by enabling efficient surrogate models that can more readily enumerate these states, but there is a dearth of training data available, and what is available tends to be imbalanced with too much non-magnetic data. In this work we show that the discrete and previously tackled data imbalance that exists at the level of the magnetic ordering leads to an imbalanced continuous distribution with many zeros when the data is unraveled at the atomic magnetic moment level, which subsequently leads to models with low accuracy for magnetic properties. We mitigate this by using a two-part model framework. Our scheme is able to classify atoms into magnetic and non-magnetic with an F1 score and Matthew’s correlation coefficient (MCC) of ~91% and then to provide an implicit embedding representation that maps directly onto the magnitude of the magnetic moment with a mean absolute error of 0.1

μ

B

. Beyond screening for new magnetic materials, we demonstrate an additional practical use case of our scheme: the provision of good initial guesses for magnetic moments in first-principles electronic relaxations. Such initialization is shown to lead to faster convergence to configurations that lie closer to the ground state.
Preventing Bacterial Contamination of Breast Implants Using Infection Mitigation Techniques: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Chow Oliver , Hu Helen , Lajevardi Sepehr Seyed , Deva Anand K , Atkinson Richard L
Published: January 2024

Background

Bacterial contamination of implants has been linked to biofilm formation and subsequent infection, capsular contracture, and breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Reducing contamination during implant insertion should therefore reduce biofilm formation disease sequelae.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to compare levels of contamination between preventative techniques.

Methods

A model to simulate the passage of implants through a skin incision was designed that utilized a sterile textured polyvinyl plastic sheet contaminated with Staphylococcus epidermidis. In the first stage of the polyvinyl contamination model, implants were subject to infection-mitigation techniques and passed through the incision, then placed onto horse blood agar plates and incubated for 24 hours. In the second stage of the study the same contamination was applied to human abdominal wall specimens. A 5 cm incision was made through skin and fat, then implants were passed through and levels of contamination were measured as described.

Results

Smooth implants grew a mean of 95 colony-forming units (CFUs; approximately 1 CFU/cm2) and textured implants grew 86 CFUs (also approximately 1 CFU/cm2). CFU counts were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U-test which showed no significant difference between implant types (P < .05); independent-sample t-tests showed a significant difference. The dependent-variable techniques were then compared as groups by one-way analysis of variance, which also showed a significant reduction compared with the control group (P < .01).

Conclusions

This in vitro study has shown the effectiveness of antiseptic rinse and skin/implant barrier techniques for reducing bacterial contamination of breast implants at the time of insertion.
The Superior Effect of Radiofrequency With Targeted Ultrasound for Facial Rejuvenation by Inducing Hyaluronic Acid Synthesis: A Pilot Preclinical Study
Authors: Duncan Diane , Bernardy Jan , Hodkovicova Nikola , Masek Josef , Prochazkova Marketa , Jarosova Rea
Published: January 2024

Background

The level of dermal hyaluronic acid (HA) can be depleted by 75% at age 70. HA provides dermal hydration, volume, and thickness, making it a major component of the extracellular matrix. Restoration of dermal and epidermal HA can be achieved by combining radiofrequency (RF) energy and targeted ultrasound (TUS). The monopolar RF generates heat, with the TUS stimulating HA production. The heat induces a regenerative response in the skin, increasing the fibroblast activity and producing various extracellular matrix compounds, including HA.

Objectives

To investigate the effect of the simultaneous application of RF + TUS or RF + US on the stimulation of HA production.

Methods

Twelve animals underwent 4 treatments. Six were treated with transcutaneous RF + TUS and 6 with the combination RF + US. The opposite untreated side served as a control. Punch biopsies of the skin were taken at baseline, immediately posttreatment, 1 month, and 2 months posttreatment. The tissue was evaluated with real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), matrix-assisted laser desorption (MALDI) and time of flight (TOF), and confocal microscopy.

Results

The RT-qPCR focused on assessing the production of has1 and has2, enzymes responsible for HA synthesis. RT-qPCR results of the RF + TUS group revealed a +98% and +45% increase in hyaluronic synthetase (HAS) 1 and HAS2 production after the treatments, respectively. The MALDI–TOF revealed a +224% increase in measured HA 2 months after the treatments. The changes were also visible in the confocal microscopy. The control group showed no significant (P > .05) results in either of the evaluation methods.

Conclusions

Concurrent application of RF and TUS significantly enhances the natural regenerative processes in skin tissue.

Level of Evidence: 5
The relationship between genetic diversity, function, and stability in marine foundation species
Authors: Konefal Anastasia , Kirkland Amanda , Gilpin Rebecca , Wyssmann Kathryn , Anthony Nicola M , Cebrian Just , Cox T Erin
Published: January 2024

Seagrasses, corals, marsh plants, kelps, and mangroves support valuable coastal ecosystems but are threatened by environmental stressors. The need to manage these foundation taxa has spurred more than a decade of study on the relationship between genetic diversity and function or stability. We synthesized this literature base (129 relevant publications) and found more reported instances of neutral to positive relationships between genetic diversity and function than negative. However, much of the scientific understanding is based on the response of three genera and from unreplicated observational studies that correlate genetic diversity to measured response variables. When a disturbance was present, the studies often lacked controls or baseline data. Only 5.5% of the studies robustly tested for stability. These shortcomings preclude a rigorous evaluation of whether more genetically diverse foundation populations increase stability and hinder the use of genetics-based conservation strategies. Future studies should be focused on diverse species and ecosystem-level impacts using manipulative designs.
Molecular analyses support revision of species diversity of the moss genus Bryum in Antarctica
Authors: Cannone N , Vanetti I , Convey P , Sancho L G , Zaccara S
Published: January 2024

Bryum is a moss genus that is widely distributed across the planet. Many of its species are characterized by large phenotypic and morphological plasticity, generating uncertainty in species identification exclusively based on morphological characteristics. In Antarctica, the extreme and harsh environmental conditions are further likely to promote intra-specific morphological variation, leading to complexity in the taxonomic attribution of Bryum species. In this study, we apply molecular phylogenetic analyses to assist in developing accurate species identification of B. pseudotriquetrum and two other relatively abundant Bryum species (B. archangelicum and B. pallescens) currently reported as Antarctic species.

A total of 51 Bryum samples collected in Antarctica (22) and from all other continents (29) were sequenced for ITS nrDNA and rps4 cpDNA regions, using markers widely used in moss phylogenetic studies. Phylogenetic trees were constructed including ITS (23) and rps4 (34) sequences representing the three more frequent of the seven Bryum species currently reported from Antarctica as well as several other Bryum species and related genera, incorporating all sequence data available in the literature and accessible databases. The molecular analyses provide strong support for a match between morphological and molecular attribution of specimens identified as B. pseudotriquetrum. The data also provide evidence of currently unrecognized Bryum diversity in Antarctica, with the identification of one individual of B. uliginosum. However, the analyses suggest that all Antarctic specimens currently assigned to other Bryum species are morphological variants of B. pseudotriquetrum. The integration of molecular and morphological analyses supports the presence of B. pseudotriquetrum as the most widely distributed species of the genus in Antarctica and of B. uliginosum with a much more restricted distribution (South Sandwich Islands). Our data suggest that further investigation is required of B. archangelicum and B. pallescens in other continents globally, as the identity of none of the herbarium specimens examined in this study could be confirmed with molecular data.
Dissociation of reading and naming in ventral occipitotemporal cortex
Authors: Woolnough Oscar , Tandon Nitin
Published: January 2024

Lesions in the language-dominant ventral occipitotemporal cortex (vOTC) can result in selective impairment of either reading or naming, resulting in alexia or anomia. Yet, functional imaging studies that show differential activation for naming and reading do not reveal activity exclusively tuned to one of these inputs.

To resolve this dissonance in the functional architecture of the vOTC, we used focused stimulation to the vOTC in 49 adult patients during reading and naming, and generated a population-level, probabilistic map to evaluate if reading and naming are clearly dissociable within individuals. Language mapping (50 Hz, 2829 stimulations) was performed during passage reading (216 positive sites) and visual naming (304 positive sites).

Within the vOTC, we isolated sites that selectively disrupted reading (24 sites in 11 patients) or naming (27 sites in 12 patients), and those that disrupted both processes (75 sites in 21 patients). The anteromedial vOTC had a higher probability of producing naming disruption, while posterolateral regions resulted in greater reading-specific disruption. Between them lay a multi-modal region where stimulation disrupted both reading and naming.

This work provides a comprehensive view of vOTC organization—the existence of a heteromodal cortex critical to both reading and naming, along with a causally dissociable unimodal naming cortex, and a reading-specific visual word form area in the vOTC. Their distinct roles as associative regions may thus relate to their connectivity within the broader language network that is disrupted by stimulation, more than to highly selective tuning properties. Our work also implies that pre-surgical mapping of both reading and naming is essential for patients requiring vOTC resections, as these functions are not co-localized, and such mapping may prevent the occurrence of unexpected deficits.
Trophic niche segregation in a guild of top predators within the Mediterranean Basin
Authors: Ramellini Samuele , Crepet Emanuele , Lapadula Stefano , Romano Andrea
Published: January 2024

Niche theory predicts that closely related and ecologically similar species with overlapping distribution ranges can coexist through resource partitioning that limits interspecific competition. However, studies examining the mechanisms promoting coexistence of top predators at a large geographical scale are still scant. Here, we describe the foraging ecology of 3 sympatric owl species (Northern long-eared owl [Asio otus], Tawny owl [Strix aluco], Eurasian eagle owl [Bubo bubo]) in the Mediterranean Basin. We review 160 studies reporting diet information (212,236 vertebrate preys) and investigate among-species differences in diet metrics (diversity, evenness, prey size, and proportion of mammals) and their variation along geographical and environmental gradients. Moreover, we test whether diet metrics differ in presence or absence of the other predators. All the 3 species mainly rely on small mammals, but they significantly differ in diet metrics. The smallest predator (i.e., long-eared owl) shows a higher level of specialism on small mammals (highest proportion but lowest diversity of mammals in the diet) compared to the larger ones. In addition, mean prey size significantly increases with predator body size (long-eared owl < tawny owl < eagle owl). Finally, interspecific competition results in an increase of diet diversity and evenness in the long-eared owl, and species’ diet also varies in response to environmental factors. The 3 species thus segregate along several dietary niche axes over a large spatial scale and according to both morphological characteristics (i.e., body size) and environmental variables. Such dietary niche segregation may adaptively buffer interspecific competition costs, ultimately allowing coexistence.
Severe diastolic dysfunction as a clue to the cause of stroke: a case report
Authors: Maalouf Maya , Mandel William J , Pollick Charles
Published: January 2024

Background

The echocardiographic determination of cardiac causes of stroke focuses on the presence of left ventricular thrombus, valvular vegetations, and patent foramen ovale. Transoesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is indicated when the transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) is inconclusive or when there is clinical suspicion of cardiac causes that may have been missed by TTE. The presence of severe diastolic dysfunction on TTE in the absence of any other cardiac abnormality or cardiac history is not usually considered a clue to the cause of stroke.

Case summary

This is a case of a 52-year-old woman who presented with a stroke. Transthoracic echocardiogram was inconclusive for source of embolus. Transoesophageal echocardiogram revealed left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus and severely hypokinetic LAA, despite the patient being in normal sinus rhythm (NSR). Retrospective analysis of diastolic function on the prior TTE revealed severe restrictive diastolic dysfunction with evidence of elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. While technetium pyrophosphate scan was negative, magnetic resonance imaging was consistent with cardiac amyloid and further testing revealed multiple myeloma as the cause of the amyloid light chain amyloidosis. This case highlights the importance of scrutinizing diastolic function in patients with a source of embolus and careful assessment for LAA thrombus on TEE, despite NSR.

Discussion

We present a patient with stroke with inconclusive TTE findings and eventual diagnosis of restrictive cardiomyopathy secondary to cardiac amyloidosis from an undiagnosed multiple myeloma. Severe restrictive diastolic function on TTE may be a clue to the discovery of LAA thrombus on TEE.
Protected high risk percutaneous coronary intervention—Impella 5.0 as a single-access technique: a case report
Authors: Medina Marta , Wenzel Philip , Fathallah Bilel , Ruf Tobias , Oezkur Mehmet
Published: January 2024

Background

Patients requiring coronary intervention after acute myocardial infarction, with decompensated heart failure and multiple co-morbidities, present a challenging clinical scenario. Addressing such high-risk cases has been a marked increase in the simultaneous support using microaxial flow pump devices, providing a crucial haemodynamic support during procedures.

Case summary

We report the case of a 58-year-old man, with a non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in the context of a peripheral vascular surgery. Echocardiography revealed severely reduced left ventricular function and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated transmural scars in all but left anterior descending artery area. The patient was of extreme high surgical risk due to the multiple co-morbidities, acute decompensation heart failure, and peripheral artery disease, and, therefore, the heart team preferred protected percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) over coronary artery bypass graft for revascularization. The peripheral artery disease included severely calcified ascending aorta, occlusions of both femoral arteries, the left subclavian artery, and the right radial artery. Taken together, the heart team agreed on a hybrid approach with surgical implantation of Impella 5.0 via the left subclavian artery, by a single-access technique. Following the intervention procedure, haemostasis of the vascular prosthesis was achieved by an angio-seal technique without complications. The patient recovered satisfactorily, with improved left ventricular function, and discharged 10 days post-procedure.

Discussion

The single-access high-risk PCI technique offers a standardized approach for microaxial flow pump devices such as Impella 5.0 and PCI. The subclavian artery as a single-access route for high-risk PCI has demonstrated safety and efficacy.
Late acquired coronary aneurysm and restenosis after bioresorbable vascular scaffold implantation: a case report
Authors: Micari Antonino , Dimartino Angelo , Donato Rocco , Vizzari Giampiero , Andò Giuseppe
Published: January 2024

Background

Although the technology of bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) aroused the peak of interest a few years ago and currently remains available only as part of experimental research, patients who have had BVS implanted should be still carefully monitored to detect possible long-term complications.

Case summary

We present the case of a 47-year-old man who had received BVS implantation for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Six years later, computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) demonstrated in-segment restenosis in between two newly formed coronary aneurysms at the site of the implanted BVS. The patient received successful optical coherence tomography–guided percutaneous intervention with a new metallic drug-eluting stent implantation.

Discussion

Our case demonstrates that coronary aneurysms can be well characterized with CTCA and are often incidentally discovered as they cause no symptoms. The incidence of coronary aneurysm at the site of a previously implanted BVS is not defined, and little is known about the pathophysiology and evolution of these lesions. Therefore, the decision to proceed with conservative management or intervention must be tailored to the clinical conditions of the patient, the anatomy, the rapidity of growth, and the possible thrombotic burden.
‘A Wall of Defence unto this Realm’: William Cecil, Conformity and the Protestant State in Early Elizabethan England
Authors: Gajda Alexandra
Published: January 2024

This article reassesses conceptions of the religious conformity required of public magistrates in the 1560s through the prism of William Cecil’s schemes for reformation of the state. Scholars have argued that ‘the Crown’s’ aims in defining the conformity of subjects were ‘political’ rather than ‘evangelical’ and primarily focused on securing obedience. This article argues instead that leading Protestants, clerical and lay, viewed the creation of the Christian commonwealth as a joint enterprise of minister and magistrate. In private memoranda, Cecil insisted that the security of the polity was dependent on magistrates who possessed ‘inward’ Protestantism ‘of the hart’. Cecil’s earliest scheme for an ‘Instrument of Association’ binding the Protestant elite, was devised in this period, fuelled by his vision of the Protestant polity not as ‘monarchical republic’ of virtuous citizens, but a ‘confessional state’ governed by a network of officials bound by loyalty to Crown and church. The article concludes by analysing the Privy Council’s attempts to secure the closer conformity of the magistracy to the religious settlement by subscription. In November 1569, local officials across the realm were compelled to subscribe to the Act of Uniformity and to promise to take the eucharist on a regular basis, a sacramental requirement not required of officials by statute law until the Restoration. The aspiration of the Protestant regime to require stricter religious conformity of its public officials indicates that ‘conformity’ itself was a nebulous concept, which could be imposed on targeted groups at different times and places and through variant means.
The technical and economic effects of biodiversity standards on wheat production
Authors: Lassalas Marie , Duvaleix Sabine , Latruffe Laure
Published: January 2024

Our paper assesses the technical and economic effects of adopting environmental standards aimed at favouring biodiversity on wheat production. We consider two standards with different levels of environmental stringency. We use data on French wheat production at the plot level from the period 2014–2020. We implement an endogenous switching regression model taking into account two sources of endogeneity, environmental standards adoption and inputs quantity use. Our results indicate that adopting the more stringent standard slightly decreases wheat yield and quality. In contrast, it induces a low increase in wheat price. The price premium of the more stringent environmental standard merely compensates for the negative effect of the standard’s adoption on quality.
Meeting Summary of The NYO3 5th NO-Age/AD Meeting and the 1st Norway–UK Joint Meeting on Aging and Dementia: Recent Progress on the Mechanisms and Interventional Strategies
Authors: Wang He-Ling , Siow Richard , Schmauck-Medina Tomas , Zhang Jianying , Sandset Per Morten , Filshie Clare , Lund Øystein , Partridge Linda , Bergersen Linda Hildegard , Juel Rasmussen Lene , Palikaras Konstantinos , Sotiropoulos Ioannis , Storm-Mathisen Jon , Rubinsztein David C , Spillantini Maria Grazia , De Zeeuw Chris I , Watne Leiv Otto , Vyhnalek Martin , Veverova Katerina , Liang Kristina Xiao , Tavernarakis Nektarios , Bohr Vilhelm A , Yokote Koutaro , Saarela Janna , Nilsen Hilde , Gonos Efstathios S , Scheibye-Knudsen Morten , Chen Guobing , Kato Hisaya , Selbæk Geir , Fladby Tormod , Nilsson Per , Simonsen Anne , Aarsland Dag , Lautrup Sofie , Ottersen Ole Petter , Cox Lynne S , Fang Evandro F
Published: January 2024

Unhealthy aging poses a global challenge with profound healthcare and socioeconomic implications. Slowing down the aging process offers a promising approach to reduce the burden of a number of age-related diseases, such as dementia, and promoting healthy longevity in the old population. In response to the challenge of the aging population and with a view to the future, Norway and the United Kingdom are fostering collaborations, supported by a “Money Follows Cooperation agreement” between the 2 nations. The inaugural Norway–UK joint meeting on aging and dementia gathered leading experts on aging and dementia from the 2 nations to share their latest discoveries in related fields. Since aging is an international challenge, and to foster collaborations, we also invited leading scholars from 11 additional countries to join this event. This report provides a summary of the conference, highlighting recent progress on molecular aging mechanisms, genetic risk factors, DNA damage and repair, mitophagy, autophagy, as well as progress on a series of clinical trials (eg, using NAD+ precursors). The meeting facilitated dialogue among policymakers, administrative leaders, researchers, and clinical experts, aiming to promote international research collaborations and to translate findings into clinical applications and interventions to advance healthy aging.
A before–after study to evaluate the effect of pharmacy workflow redesign to improve pharmacy waiting time and reduce medication near misses in Malaysia
Authors: Liew Jerry Ee Siung , Chong Cheng Yew , Tai Nyet Ling , Pereira Angeline , Manivannan Vinoth , Khoo Siok Luan , Wong Woei Kheen , Lim Huey Kuen , Ong Shi Jing , Khairudin Nadia Bin Mohd , Lee Kristine Sheh Fuen , Loh Benjamin Chuan Ching , Chong Kai Loon , Lee Yee Leng
Published: January 2024

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of workflow redesign (eaST system) on pharmacy waiting time and near-missed events. We also investigated other factors that may potentially affect these study outcomes.

Methods

A quasi-experimental (before–after) study design was adopted. Pre-intervention data were collected over 7 months (January–July 2017). Subsequently, the workflow redesign (eaST system) was implemented and the effect of the intervention (August 2017–February 2018) was evaluated. Univariate analysis was used to compare the differences between pre-intervention and post-intervention of pharmacy waiting time and near-missed events. Significant factors affecting study outcomes were analysed using linear regression analysis.

Key findings

A total of 210,530 prescriptions were analysed. The eaST system significantly increases the percentage of prescriptions dispensed within 30 min per day (median = 68 (interquartile range (IQR) = 41) vs. median = 93 (IQR = 33), P < 0.001) and reduced the mean percentage of near-missed events (mean = 50.71 (standard deviation (SD) = 23.95) vs. mean = 27.87 (SD = 12.23), P < 0.001). However, the eaST system’s effects on related outcomes were conditional on a three-way interaction effect. The eaST system’s effects on pharmacy waiting time were influenced by the number of prescriptions received and the number of PhIS server disruptions. Conversely, the eaST system’s effects on near-missed events were influenced by the number of pharmacy personnel and number of controlled medications.

Conclusions

Overall, the eaST system improved the pharmacy waiting time and reduced near-missed events.
God’s Magical Womb: Pregnancy, Power, and the Feminized Divine in Jewish Ritual Texts
Authors: Segol Marla
Published: January 2024

This article explores the ritual functions of medical and mythical embryologies in Jewish ritual texts from late antiquity to the present. Together these sources tell three stories that show the development of participatory models of ritual efficacy. The first is the integration of medical embryologies into Jewish ritual practice. The second is that of a growing collaboration between human and divine in reproduction, and in prayer, through shared experience, shared embodiment and affect, and mutual mimesis that together constitute a powerful methexis. These in turn grant increased access to power. The third story is the growing maternalization of the divine, which in turn amplifies human-divine collaboration and inter-embodied participation in pregnancy. Thus from the period of late antiquity to early modernity, we see the ritualization of embryologies, remythologized to articulate an emerging theology of divine maternity and of inter-embodied human-divine participation in reproduction.
Loss of PA28γ exacerbates imbalanced differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells during bone formation and bone healing in mice
Authors: Chen Qian , Wu ZuPing , Shi YuJie , Li ZaiYe , Yang JiaKang , Qu MoYuan , Zhang ShiYu , Wang Zheng , Ji Ning , Li Jing , Shen YingQiang , Xie Liang , Chen Qianming
Published: January 2024

Proteasome activator subunit 3 (PA28γ) is a member of the proteasome activator family, which mainly regulates the degradation and stability of proteins. Studies have shown that it plays crucial roles in lipid formation, stemness maintenance, and blood vessel formation. However, few studies have clarified the association between PA28γ and bone diseases. Herein, we identified PA28γ as a previously unknown regulator of bone homeostasis that coordinates bone formation and lipid accumulation. PA28γ-knockout mice presented with the characteristics of low bone mass and accumulation of lipids. Suppressed expression of PA28γ restrained the osteogenic differentiation and enhanced the adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs). Overexpression of PA28γ promoted osteogenic differentiation and inhibited adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs. Mechanistically, PA28γ interacted with Wnt5α, and the two interactors appeared to be positively correlated. PA28γ mainly activated the downstream Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which affects BMSCs differentiation homeostasis. Deletion of Wnt5α significantly delayed the promotion of osteogenic differentiation and partially alleviated the inhibitory effect of adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs in the PA28γ-overexpressing group. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PA28γ-knockout mice had an inhibited rate of bone healing in a drill-hole femoral bone defect model in vivo. Therefore, our results confirm the effects of PA28γ on bone formation and bone defect repair, indicating that PA28γ mainly interacts with Wnt5α to activate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway regulating BMSCs differentiation homeostasis. Our results reveal the function of PA28γ in bone diseases and provide a new theoretical basis for expanding the treatment of bone diseases.
Computational analysis of magnetized bio-convective partially ionized flow of second-order fluid on a bidirectional porous stretching sheet with Cattaneo–Christov theory
Authors: Khan Muhammad Naveed , Khan Aamir Abbas , Alhowaity Awatif , Masmoudi Atef , Daradkeh Yousef Ibrahim , Afikuzzaman Mohammad
Published: January 2024

After applying a magnetic field, the behavior of the partly ionized liquids is completely different from that of the ordinary fluids. In this study, we concentrated on the Cattaneo–Christov heat flux model-based three-dimensional partly ionized bio-convective flow of a second-order fluid on a bidirectional permeable stretching surface. The development of the thermal and solutal flow models takes into account the impacts of non-uniform sources and sinks, Ohmic viscous dissipation, and chemical reactions. In addition, the surface boundary effects of electron and ion collisions with convective boundary conditions are seen. The mathematical flow model is transformed appropriately to create an ordinary differential equations, which is then numerically solved with MATLAB’s BVP4C approach. To demonstrate the physical relevance of the flow field along various developing parameters, graphical and tabular results are created. It is noteworthy to note that while fluid temperature decreases with stronger values of the second-order fluid parameter, fluid velocity improves in both directions. In addition, it is shown that raising the thermal and concentration relaxation parameters, respectively, causes a drop in the fluid temperature and nanoparticle concentration.
The mitochondrial genome and life history of Tomostethus sinofraxini (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae), an emerging pest of Fraxinus chinensis
Authors: Wang Qinghua , Wu Yunfei , Merchant Austin , Li Enjie , Wei Meicai , Zhang Yongan , Zhou Xuguo
Published: January 2024

Tomostethus sinofraxini Wang & Wei (a new name is proposed for Tomostethus fraxini Niu & Wei, 2022: Tomostethus sinofraxini Wang & Wei, nom. nov.), an emerging sawfly pest of the Chinese ash, Fraxinus chinensis, is now endemic to Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong provinces. Given the severity of its infestation and the speed of its range expansion, we studied the phylogenetic relationship of T. sinofraxini with other sawfly species and its life history to be better informed for the management strategies. The nearly complete T. sinofraxini mitogenome is 16,169 bp in length and encodes 2 ribosomal RNAs (rrnL and rrnS), 22 transfer RNAs (tRNAs), and 13 protein-coding genes. The nucleotide composition is biased toward adenine and thymine (A + T = 81.7%). In comparison to the architecture of the ancestral insect mitogenome, 2 transposition events occur on the IQM tRNA cluster, rearranging it from IQM to MQI. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that T. sinofraxini belongs to a group composed of paraphyletic subfamilies Blennocampinae and Heterarthrinae. In addition, to document its life history, we observed T. sinofraxini development at 2 geographical locations in Beijing, China, with different altitudes. At Jiulong Mountain, with a higher altitude and a lower average temperature, the developmental time of egg, larval, and adult stages was 19%–31% longer than that observed at the Chinese Academy of Forestry. A basic understanding of biological traits and molecular signatures is the critical first step to develop an integrated pest management framework for this emerging pest of the Chinese ash.
Who Acts When Autonomous Weapons Strike?
Authors: Gaeta Paola
Published: January 2024

This essay examines the theories according to which ‘actions’ carried out by autonomous weapon systems enabled by strong artificial intelligence in detecting, tracking and engaging with the target (‘intelligent AWS’) may be seen as an ‘act’ of the weapon system for the purpose of legal responsibility. The essay focuses on the material act required for the commission of war crimes related to prohibited attacks in warfare. After briefly presenting the various conceptions of the act as an essential component of the material element of criminal offences, it argues that the material act of war crimes related to prohibited attacks is invariably carried out by the user of an ‘intelligent AWS’. This also holds true in the case of so-called ‘unintended engagements’ during the course of a military attack carried out with an intelligent AWS. The essay moves on to examine the question of whether, in the case of the use of intelligent AWS by the armed forces of a state, the ‘actions’ of intelligent AWS — including those not intended by the user — are attributable to the state. It demonstrates that under a correct understanding of the concept of ‘act of state’ for the purpose of attributing state responsibility under international law, such attribution is unquestionable. It underlines that, suggesting otherwise, would bring to a breaking point the possibility of establishing violations by states of international humanitarian law in the conduct of hostilities.
Labelled proof systems for existential reasoning
Authors: Ramos Jaime , Rasga João , Sernadas Cristina
Published: January 2024

Usually in logic, proof systems are defined having in mind proving properties like validity and semantic consequence. It seems worthwhile to address the problem of having proof systems where satisfiability is a primitive notion in the sense that a formal derivation means that a finite set of formulas is satisfiable. Moreover, it would be useful to cover within the same framework as many logics as possible. We consider Kripke semantics where the properties of the constructors are provided by valuation constraints as the common ground of those logics. This includes for instance intuitionistic logic, paraconsistent Nelson’s logic ${\textsf{N4}}$, paraconsistent logic ${\textsf{imbC}}$ and modal logics among others. After specifying a logic by those valuation constraints, we show how to induce automatically and from scratch an existential proof system for that logic. The rules of the proof system are shown to be invertible. General results of soundness and completeness are proved and then applied to the logics at hand.