bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Esthetic and Functional Rehabilitation: Retreatment of Anterior Fixed Dental Prothesis With Biologically Oriented Preparation Technique and Digital Workflow
Authors: Morón‐Conejo Belén , Gil Alfonso , Bonfanti‐Gris Mónica , Salido Maria Paz , Martínez‐Rus Francisco
Published: December 2024

Objective

This clinical case describes a multidisciplinary retreatment of a patient with anterior fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) using minimally invasive restorations and a biologically oriented preparation technique (BOPT).

Clinical Considerations

A 56‐year‐old female patient, treated 30 years ago with a metal‐ceramic FDP due to dental agenesis, presented a misfit prosthesis at the gingival margin, black spaces, and food retention at the pontics. Notably, tooth number 2.6 was absent, and she exhibited a left crossbite. Her chief complaint was the compromised esthetics of her restorations. Given her coagulation disorder, von Willebrand disease, she declined mucogingival surgery. A diagnostic wax‐up and mock‐up was performed to establish treatment goals. The initial phase involved periodontal, orthodontic, and implant treatment. The orthodontic treatment with aligners to correct the crossbite. Subsequently, bleaching and a second mock‐up were conducted to guide prosthetic treatment. In the prosthodontic treatment, the abutment teeth were prepared using a vertical BOPT to remodel the gingival tissues, achieving the esthetic goal of repositioning the gingival margin without surgery. The provisional phase was critical for soft tissue remodeling and ensured clinical success. After stabilization of the soft tissues, a monolithic zirconia FDP was delivered, with a follow‐up of 2 years.

Conclusions

A multidisciplinary treatment plan, utilizing a digital workflow, resulted in stable clinical and esthetic outcomes at the two‐year follow‐up, effectively retreating an anterior bridge using BOPT in a patient with a coagulation disorder that contraindicated complex surgical interventions.
FGF20 Secreted From Dermal Papilla Cells Regulate the Proliferation and Differentiation of Hair Follicle Stem Cells in Fine‐Wool Sheep
Authors: Song Yali , Li Yuhang , Lu Zengkui , Yue Lin , Xiao Tong , Yang Bohui , Liu Jianbin , Yuan Chao , Guo Tingting
Published: December 2024

Wool traits determine the market value of fine‐wool sheep, and wool fibre‐breaking elongation (fibres can be stretched or elongated before they break) is one of the important wool traits. The interaction between hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) and dermal papilla cells (DPCs) determines hair follicle development in fine wool sheep, thereby directly influencing wool traits. A genome‐wide association study based on pre‐sequencing data identified FGF20, which was significantly associated with wool fibre‐breaking elongation. The study reveals that the regulatory mechanism of FGF20 secreted from DPCs affects the proliferation and differentiation of HFSCs through a co‐culture system, to provide a new perspective for fine‐wool sheep breeding. After knocking down FGF20 expression in DPCs, the results showed that the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) and fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) in DPCs and HFSCs was significantly decreased (p < 0.05), the number of EdU‐positive cells and cell viability was significantly decreased (p < 0.01), and the apoptosis rate was significantly increased (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the differentiation markers of SOX9, NOTCH1 and β‐Catenin in HFSCs were also significantly reduced (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that FGF20‐knockdown in DPCs of fine‐wool sheep inhibits the proliferation and differentiation of HFSCs in the co‐culture system, providing a theoretical basis for elucidating the regulatory mechanism of hair follicle self‐renewal and differentiation of fine‐wool sheep and providing a co‐culture system for regenerative medicine.
Multistage aqueous alteration in CeC 022 and other nakhlites
Authors: Krämer Ruggiu L. , Devouard B. , Gattacceca J. , Bonal L. , Piani L. , Leroux H. , Grauby O.
Published: December 2024

We studied Caleta el Cobre 022, a nakhlite showing a high abundance of aqueous alteration products, commonly called “iddingsite” and compared it to eight other nakhlites, in order to constrain the composition and the history of the aqueous alteration of nakhlites. Olivine grains in nakhlites display planes of secondary fluid inclusions, composed of pyroxene, magnetite, and a void potentially filled by a fluid. They were formed by a first fluid alteration event, previous to the iddingsite alteration event, probably from a late magmatic fluid circulation. We observed magnetite–pyroxene symplectites in olivine grains in most nakhlites, related to the same fluid‐assisted tardi‐magmatic event as the crystallization of the secondary inclusion planes. Those secondary inclusions and symplectites can be observed at the center of iddingsite veins, inside the most altered nakhlites, and are thus interpreted as being weakness planes, easing the circulation of the fluid forming the iddingsite inside the olivine grains. In every nakhlite, the alteration veins show at least two types of iddingsite: a coarse iddingsite with crystals around 50 nm, up to 200 nm, and a fine iddingsite with a nanocrystalline to amorphous texture with crystalline domains <10 nm. Both iddingsite types are composed mainly of Si, Mg, and Fe, with anticorrelated Si and Fe contents. The coarse iddingsite is composed of a mixture of phyllosilicates, with Fe‐oxyhydroxides and minor siderite, and the fine iddingsite has a composition close to saponite. Organic matter located in coarse iddingsite is detected by Raman spectroscopy in the iddingsite of many nakhlites and was confirmed by the TEM study of NWA 10153. In addition, the TEM study of NWA 10153 displays complex chemical zoning in the fine iddingsite of Mg, Ca, Mn, S, P, and Al, suggesting at least two stages of circulations. Both the compositions and textures of the two types of iddingsite are suggestive of a progressive evolution of the alteration fluid, enriched in elements from basaltic mineral dissolution, with crystallization mainly by filling of existing fractures, and selective dissolution of host olivine. We also observe pyrrhotite–magnetite veinlets at the center of iddingsite veins and cross‐cutting iddingsite veins and silicates, which are interpreted as the result of another later fluid circulation.
“I'm in the Care Orbit”: Unveiling the Enabling Context of the HIV Care Continuum in People Living With HIV
Authors: Kim Gwang Suk , Shim Mi‐So , Jin Juhye , Lee Youngjin , Lee SangA
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to explore the enabling context of the HIV care continuum as perceived by people living with HIV and healthcare professionals. This qualitative study involved in‐depth individual interviews with eight people living with HIV and group interviews with seven nurses and physicians. These interviews took place between March 5, 2021, and July 13, 2022. Thematic analysis was conducted. The main themes that emerged included “network of support and systems,” “personal gains from the care continuum,” “continuity and practicality of healthcare services,” “presence of significant other(s),” and “social belonging.” These themes were structured within the five levels of the socio‐ecological model (system, individual, organizational, interpersonal, and community levels), and 10 subthemes were identified. With the integration of themes, the enabling context was compared to a “care orbit,” indicating that people diagnosed with HIV start treatment at the system level and continue HIV care at other levels. In addition to primary support at the system level, the enabling context also includes individual commitment to care and regular health habits, hospital services, support from significant others, and community culture. Together, the context helps guide people living with HIV into the “orbit” of the care system.
Transcriptional Reprogramming and Allelic Variation in Pleiotropic QTL Regulates Days to Flowering and Growth Habit in Pigeonpea
Authors: Kumar Kuldeep , Durgesh Kumar , Anjoy Priyanka , Srivastava Harsha , Tribhuvan Kishor U. , Sevanthi Amitha Mithra , Singh Anupam , Prabha Ratna , Sharma Sandhya , Joshi Rekha , Jain Pradeep Kumar , Singh Nagendra Kumar , Gaikwad Kishor
Published: December 2024

The present study investigated the linkage between days to flowering (DTF) and growth habit (GH) in pigeonpea using QTL mapping, QTL‐seq, and GWAS approaches. The linkage map developed here is the largest to date, spanning 1825.56 cM with 7987 SNP markers. In total, eight and four QTLs were mapped for DTF and GH, respectively, harbouring 78 pigeonpea orthologs of Arabidopsis flowering time genes. Corroboratively, QTL‐seq analysis identified a single linked QTL for both traits on chromosome 3, possessing 15 genes bearing genic variants. Together, these 91 genes were clustered primarily into autonomous, photoperiod, and epigenetic pathways. Further, we identified 39 associations for DTF and 111 associations for GH through GWAS in the QTL regions. Of these, nine associations were consistent and constituted nine haplotypes (five late, two early, one each for super‐early and medium duration). The involvement of multiple genes explained the range of allelic effects and the presence of multiple LD blocks. Further, the linked QTL on chromosome 3 was fine‐mapped to the 0.24‐Mb region with an LOD score of 8.56, explaining 36.47% of the phenotypic variance. We identified a 10‐bp deletion in the first exon of TFL1 gene of the ICPL 20338 variety, which may affect its interaction with the Apetala1 and Leafy genes, resulting in determinate GH and early flowering. Further, the genic marker developed for the deletion in the TFL1 gene could be utilized as a foreground marker in marker‐assisted breeding programmes to develop early‐flowering pigeonpea varieties.
Prevalence and Risk Factors of Poststroke Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Ma Yuxia , Yang Yifang , Wang Xinyu , Huang Yanan , Nan Jinhan , Feng Juanjuan , Yan Fanghong , Han Lin
Published: December 2024

Background

Stroke is a common disease that poses a significant threat to human health. Approximately one‐third of stroke patients experience poststroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), which severely impacts their quality of life and survival time. Although the prevalence and risk factors for PSCI have been widely reported, these results have not been synthesized.

Objectives

This systematic review was conducted to explore the prevalence and risk factors of PSCI.

Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were comprehensively searched for studies exploring the prevalence and risk factors of PSCI from inception to July 5, 2022.

Results

A total of 49 articles were included for meta‐analysis. It was found that the combined prevalence of PSCI was 39%–47%. Risk factors for PSCI include female gender, age, education level less than 7 years, atrial fibrillation, diabetes, smoking, drinking, hypertension, coronary artery disease, carotid artery plaque, admission NIHSS score ≥ 5, unemployment, and homocysteine.

Conclusions

This systematic review has revealed a combined prevalence of PSCI is ranging from 39% to 47% and identified several risk factors for PSCI. These findings indicate a high incidence of the condition and underscore the need for increased public awareness. Future investigations should prioritize the identification of PSCI risk factors, providing a theoretical basis for nursing professionals to effectively manage and treat PSCI patients.
Roles of osteoclasts in pathological conditions
Authors: Kitazawa Sohei , Haraguchi Ryuma , Kitazawa Riko
Published: December 2024

Bone is a unique organ crucial for locomotion, mineral metabolism, and hematopoiesis. It maintains homeostasis through a balance between bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts, which is regulated by the basic multicellular unit (BMU). Abnormal bone metabolism arises from an imbalance in the BMU. Osteoclasts, derived from the monocyte‐macrophage lineage, are regulated by the RANKL‐RANK‐OPG system, which is a key factor in osteoclast differentiation. RANKL activates osteoclasts through its receptor RANK, while OPG acts as a decoy receptor that inhibits RANKL. In trabecular bone, high turnover involves rapid bone formation and resorption, influenced by conditions such as malignancy and inflammatory cytokines that increase RANKL expression. Cortical bone remodeling, regulated by aged osteocytes expressing RANKL, is less understood, despite ongoing research into how Rett syndrome, characterized by MeCP2 abnormalities, affects RANKL expression. Balancing trabecular and cortical bone involves mechanisms that preserve cortical bone, despite overall bone mass reduction due to aging or oxidative stress. Research into genes like sFRP4, which modulates bone mass, highlights the complex regulation by BMUs. The roles of the RANKL‐RANK‐OPG system extend beyond bone, affecting processes such as aortic valve formation and temperature regulation, which highlight the interconnected nature of biological research.
Population structure and pathogenicity tests of Pyricularia oryzae on wild and cultivated rice in Mali
Authors: Diagne Diariatou , Adreit Henri , Milazzo Joëlle , Koita Ousmane , Tharreau Didier
Published: December 2024

Blast is a devastating disease of rice caused by the fungus Pyricularia oryzae. The role of infected straw and seed as sources of primary inoculum in blast disease epidemics is well known. The role of alternative hosts is yet to be confirmed. The current study sought to assess if wild rice is a major source of inoculum for cultivated rice by comparing the genetic structure of P. oryzae populations from both hosts. Two hundred and eighty‐two strains were genotyped with 12 simple‐sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Cross infectivity of 20 P. oryzae isolates was also assessed using pathogenicity tests. Samples were collected from cultivated and wild rice organs with blast symptoms in irrigated and lowland areas of Mali in Koulikoro, Sikasso and Ségou regions. Under controlled conditions, P. oryzae isolates from Oryza longistaminata wild rice were pathogenic to cultivated rice and had a similar range of cultivar compatibility to isolates from cultivated rice. Results of pathogenicity tests suggest that P. oryzae isolates from wild rice (O. longistaminata and Oryza barthii) have the potential to attack cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) in the field. However, populations of P. oryzae on cultivated and wild rice were genetically differentiated. A very large fraction (94.4%) of the multilocus genotypes identified were specific to one host species or the other. Thus, although physically close, each rice species hosts a different population of the pathogen, and our results support the hypothesis that wild rice is not a major source of blast inoculum for cultivated rice.
Determination of Fracture Parameters From Numerical Isochromatic Plots Using Multiparameter Approach
Authors: Ramaswamy Ganesh , Verma Naman , Ramesh K.
Published: December 2024

Fracture parameters such as stress intensity factors (SIFs) and T‐stress are fundamental metrics for analysing material failure. Of late, there has been increased use of both experimental and numerical methods in analysing and validating the solutions for complex problems. Both domains can benefit from exploring methods developed in either of them to effect meaningful comparisons and solve certain new problems. Consequently, developing alternative methods for evaluating SIFs from numerical models is desirable in fracture mechanics. In this paper, a novel method is developed that involves post‐processing numerical results to evaluate and plot (σ1–σ2) stress contours (isochromatics) towards fracture parameter evaluation. The isochromatic plots serve as a qualitative tool for assessing mode dominance, mode mixities and facilitate easy comparison with experiments to validate numerical modelling. Fracture parameters are determined by over‐deterministic least squares approach from the isochromatics plotted, based on photoelastic literature. The method is initially validated for standard cases by comparing the values obtained with handbook solutions which show a good match within 3.6% and are consistent with FE results. This is followed by application of the method to problems having interaction of crack‐tip with contact stress fields in the vicinity. Usually, finite element method facilitates direct evaluation of fracture parameters only for sharp cracks. The methodology developed is also shown to be useful to get SIFs for cracks having a finite root radius after validating the isochromatics from numerical models using photoelastic experiments.
RMCVI: A Refined Urban Vitality Perception Index Considering Mountain Characteristics
Authors: Zhou Lianjie , Zhao Zunya , He Qinglin , Du Jiakuan , Mu Fengyun , Ma Wei , Guan Dongjie , Zhang Xiang
Published: December 2024

With the acceleration of mountain city urbanization in China, the emphasis on high‐speed development while neglecting high‐quality development has led to severe urban centralization and unreasonable spatial distribution. Urban Vitality (UV) can help identify and address these issues, help promoting sustainable development of cities. At present, research on the vitality of mountain cities is still limited. So, the study takes the main area of Chongqing as an example. Slope data is extracted as a parameter to propose an accurate UV indicator for mountain cities based on the characteristics of mountain cities. By analyzing the correlation between the general UV using POI and the proposed UV index, and comparing the results with population density and station density. It can be found that applying refined mountain UV index to three cities with different geographical features, Chongqing, Singapore, and Los Angeles, the research results show that its performance is significantly better than general UV index. Not only proposes an accurate refined mountain UV index, this study but also emphasizes the importance of rational urban development to enhance UV through empirical research on the main city of Chongqing. In addition, the study can provide a reference for the urban planning and development of other mountain cities, and provide new ideas and methods for understanding mountain city.
Associahedra as moment polytopes
Authors: Gekhtman Michael , Thomas Hugh
Published: December 2024

Generalized associahedra are a well‐studied family of polytopes associated with a finite‐type cluster algebra and a choice of starting cluster. We show that the generalized associahedra constructed by Padrol, Palu, Pilaud, and Plamondon, building on ideas from Arkani‐Hamed, Bai, He, and Yan, can be naturally viewed as moment polytopes for an open patch of the quotient of the cluster ‐variety with universal coefficients by its maximal natural torus action. We prove our result by showing that the construction of Padrol, Palu, Pilaud, and Plamondon can be understood on the basis of the way that moment polytopes behave under symplectic reduction.
Central limit theorem for smooth statistics of one‐dimensional free fermions
Authors: Deleporte Alix , Lambert Gaultier
Published: December 2024

We consider the determinantal point processes associated with the spectral projectors of a Schrödinger operator on , with a smooth confining potential. In the semiclassical limit, where the number of particles tends to infinity, we obtain a Szegő‐type central limit theorem for the fluctuations of smooth linear statistics. More precisely, the Laplace transform of any statistic converges without renormalisation to a Gaussian limit with a ‐type variance, which depends on the potential. In the one‐well (one‐cut) case, using the quantum action‐angle theorem and additional micro‐local tools, we reduce the problem to the asymptotics of Fredholm determinants of certain approximately Toeplitz operators. In the multi‐cut case, we show that for generic potentials, a similar result holds and the contributions of the different wells are independent in the limit.
The Poincaré‐extended ab$\mathbf {a}\mathbf {b}$‐index
Authors: Dorpalen‐Barry Galen , Maglione Joshua , Stump Christian
Published: December 2024

Motivated by a conjecture concerning Igusa local zeta functions for intersection posets of hyperplane arrangements, we introduce and study the Poincaré‐extended ‐index, which generalizes both the ‐index and the Poincaré polynomial. For posets admitting ‐labelings, we give a combinatorial description of the coefficients of the extended ‐index, proving their nonnegativity. In the case of intersection posets of hyperplane arrangements, we prove the above conjecture of the second author and Voll as well as another conjecture of the second author and Kühne. We also define the pullback ‐index, generalizing the ‐index of face posets for oriented matroids. Our results recover, generalize, and unify results from Billera–Ehrenborg–Readdy, Bergeron–Mykytiuk–Sottile–van Willigenburg, Saliola–Thomas, and Ehrenborg. This connection allows us to translate our results into the language of quasisymmetric functions, and — in the special case of symmetric functions — pose a conjecture about Schur positivity. This conjecture was strengthened and proved by Ricky Liu, and the proof appears as an appendix.
The Ekström–Persson conjecture regarding random covering sets
Authors: Järvenpää Esa , Järvenpää Maarit , Myllyoja Markus , Stenflo Örjan
Published: December 2024

We consider the Hausdorff dimension of random covering sets formed by balls with centres chosen independently at random according to an arbitrary Borel probability measure on and radii given by a deterministic sequence tending to zero. We prove, for a certain parameter range, the conjecture by Ekström and Persson concerning the exact value of the dimension in the special case of radii . For balls with an arbitrary sequence of radii, we find sharp bounds for the dimension and show that the natural extension of the Ekström–Persson conjecture is not true in this case. Finally, we construct examples demonstrating that there does not exist a dimension formula involving only the lower and upper local dimensions of the measure and a critical parameter determined by the sequence of radii.
One minute of light‐intensity stair‐stepping decreases postprandial glycaemia in the evening in non‐diabetic adults: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Morales Austin , Wong William , Moore Jeff , Kressler Jochen
Published: December 2024

Prior studies have investigated the efficacy of a single 1 min bout of stair‐stepping on reducing postprandial blood glucose (BG) in the morning, but none have investigated this effect in the evening when glycaemic responses are larger due to circadian regulation and β‐cell responsiveness. This work investigated the efficacy of a 1 min bout of self‐selected, low‐intensity stair‐stepping performed in the evening on reducing the change from baseline to the 60 min time point postprandial BG. Thirty people (43% male, 29 (10) years) participated in a randomized crossover‐controlled trial. Participants completed two separate evening trials following an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) (75 g of dextrose dissolved in water): (a) 0 min of stair‐stepping seated control condition, and (b) 1 min of stair‐stepping condition. One minute of stair‐stepping attenuated the change from baseline to 60 min postprandial BG versus control condition (2.5 (2.8) vs. 4.3 (2.3) mmol/L (P < 0.001). Area under the curve (AUC) and incremental area under the curve (iAUC) were lower for the 1 min condition versus control (mean difference = −0.4,95% CI: 0.1–0.8 (P = 0.023) and (mean difference = −0.6, 95% CI 0.1–1.1 mmol/L−1 min−1 (P = 0.043), respectively. The modified BORG rate of perceived exertion scale showed participants perceived the exercise as light intensity (1.9 (1.1)). A single, 1 min bout of low‐intensity stair stepping at a self‐selected pace reduced evening postprandial BG levels following an OGTT in young non‐diabetic adults.
Coherencia y relevancia del programa de atención psicosocial, desde la perspectiva de operadores y víctimas, Santiago de Cali 2012-2015
Authors: POTES MORALES LINA YURANY
Published: December 2024

Objetivo: Evaluar la coherencia y relevancia del Programa de Atención Psicosocial a Víctimas del Conflicto Armado (PAPSIVI) desde la perspectiva de los operadores y las víctimas. Material y métodos: Se realizó una investigación evaluativa de proceso con enfoque narrativo, siguiendo el modelo de evaluación de programas de promoción de Potvin. Para ello, se llevaron a cabo 11 entrevistas semiestructuradas con víctimas y profesionales responsables de la implementación del programa. Resultados: En relación con el componente de coherencia, se evidenció un bajo nivel. Los entrevistados mostraron desconocimiento del objetivo del programa, discontinuidad en su aplicación, y un proceso marcado por la georreferenciación de la población. Además, se encontró una relevancia parcial, dado que el componente psicosocial no es reconocido como un eje fundamental. Discusión: Superar la brecha que separa los imaginarios comunitarios de los institucionales requiere acciones en los siguientes aspectos clave: el reconocimiento de la política como eje central de los procesos de atención y reconciliación, la evaluación del proceso de implementación de las políticas, y el análisis del papel protagónico que desempeñan los profesionales en el área psicosocial. Conclusiones: El esfuerzo por implementar el PAPSIVI resulta insuficiente, lo que plantea la necesidad de desarrollar estrategias integradas y contextualizadas más eficientes, tanto para los operadores como para las víctimas.
Factores asociados a la realización de pruebas de VIH en Hombres que tienen Sexo con Hombres, en tres ciudades colombianas
Authors: Bedoya Mejia Sebastian , Cardona Arango Doris , Agudelo Cifuentes Maite Catalina , Ramos Jaraba Sara Milena , Segura Cardona Angela María , Berbesí Fernaández Dedsy Yajaira
Published: December 2024

Objetivo: explorar los factores asociados a la realización de pruebas de VIH en Hombres que tienen Sexo con Hombres de tres ciudades de Colombia. Métodos: se realizó un estudio transversal, utilizando el muestreo dirigido por encuestados, en el que participaron 1314 Hombres que tienen Sexo con Hombres de Bogotá, Medellín y Cali en 2019. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos, asociaciones bivariadas prueba estadística chicuadrado de independencia y razones de prevalencia con sus respectivos intervalos de confianza y una regresión log binomial, estimador robusto. Resultados: el 50,8% de los HSH se realizó la prueba de VIH en los últimos 12 meses. La realización de la prueba de VIH en el último año fue dos veces más probable en los HSH menores de 30 años, un 51% más probable en los que reportaron haber tenido relaciones sexuales penetrativas en el último año con más de 10 personas y un 59% mayor en los que se percibieron discriminados. Conclusión: los factores asociados a la realización de pruebas de VIH en HSH en el país tienen que ver con la edad, el nivel educativo, el número de parejas sexuales en el último año, el acceso a servicios de salud, la discriminación percibida.
Nusselt and Friction Factor Correlations for Gasketed Plate Heat Exchangers in Variable Inlet Conditions
Authors: dos Santos F. J. , Oliveira Jorge L. G. , de Paiva Kleber V. , Possamai Talita S.
Published: December 2024

Gasketed plate heat exchangers (GPHEs) are essential equipment in many industries due to their efficiency and compact design. They are particularly valued owing to their versatility, but GPHE designing and sizing are challenging due to divergences in Nusselt number and friction factor correlations. In addition to the influence of Reynolds and Prandtl numbers on the abovementioned correlations, recent studies have shown that GPHE performance is also affected by geometrical plate features, GPHE assembly accuracy quantified by the tightening distance, and inlet conditions in the branches. Despite the noticeable effort in the literature to develop more accurate GPHE correlations, no study to date has presented correlations affected by the plate thickness, tightening distance, and branches' inlet conditions (differences in the inlet pressures). Therefore, new correlations were created that filled this gap, including the influences of the chevron angle and the corrugation aspect ratio. With the aid of multiple linear regressions, the trends and large variations of our experimental databases were satisfactorily reproduced. The results have been compared to relevant literature.
Thermal Performance Enhancement With Melting Effect of Nickel Foam and MXene Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Material Composite-Based Thermal Energy Storages
Authors: Srivastava Utkarsh , Sahoo Rashmi Rekha
Published: December 2024

This research explores the numerical investigation of melting processes in duplex and triplex tube latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) systems utilizing phase change material (PCM) enhanced with nickel foam and MXene nanoparticles. By incorporating a nickel foam/PCM/MXene (5% v/v) composite, the research scrutinizes the effects on melting characteristics, Stefan and Fourier numbers, and thermal behavior of both duplex tube thermal energy storage (DuT-TES) and triplex tube thermal energy storage (TrT-TES) configurations. A comprehensive analysis encompassing liquid fraction, melting temperature contours across varying melting durations, exergy destruction, exergetic efficiency, system efficiency, and the stored energy is conducted. The findings indicate that systems employing nickel foam/PCM–MXene composite exhibit superior performance compared to those utilizing nickel foam/PCM or pure PCM, resulting in a notable reduction in melting time. Furthermore, it is observed that the stored exergy of nickel foam/PCM composite surpasses that of pure cetyl alcohol PCM. In TrT-TES systems, melting with nickel foam/PCM composite occurs 58.82% faster than in DuT-TES systems. The stored energy of TrT-TES employing nickel foam/PCM and nickel foam/PCM/MXene composite is 4.55% and 3.69% greater, respectively, than that of DuT-TES systems. DuT-TES with nickel foam/PCM/MXene also achieves a 44.86% higher system efficiency at 90 s than nickel foam/PCM. Notably, the melting process with nickel foam/PCM/MXene in TrT-TES occurs 60.26% faster than in DuT-TES. Consequently, TrT-TES systems employing nickel foam/PCM/MXene composite demonstrate superior potential for latent heat thermal storage compared to DuT-TES systems.
Fully Nonlinear Interaction of Water Waves and a Submerged Cylinder With Wave Breaking Detection and Suppression
Authors: Wu Qihao , Chen Yujing , Zhang Min , Shao Yanlin
Published: December 2024

In this paper, the nonlinear interaction of regular water waves propagating over a fixed and submerged circular cylinder is numerically studied. At the structure’s lee side, the free surface profile experiences strong nonlinear deformation where the superharmonic free wave generated can be significant and is superposed on the transmitted wave. The wave profile then becomes asymmetric and skewed and may eventually reach the point of physical wave breaking. The governing equation and boundary conditions of this wave–structure interaction problem are formulated using both the fully nonlinear and the weak-scatterer theory. The corresponding boundary value problem is numerically solved by the immersed-boundary adaptive harmonic polynomial cell solver. In this study, a pragmatic wave-breaking suppression model is incorporated into the original solver. Both the harmonic free wave amplitudes at the structure’s lee side and the harmonic vertical forces on the cylinder are studied. The simulated harmonic wave amplitudes are compared to other published experiments and theoretical data. In general, good agreement is achieved. The effects of the incorporated wave-breaking suppression model on the simulated results are discussed. In our study, the incorporation of the pragmatic wave-breaking suppression model successfully extends the capabilities of the original fully nonlinear immersed-boundary adaptive harmonic polynomial cell solver.
Transmission loss of surface-reflected ray arrivals underneath seasonally varying sea ice in the Canada Basin during 2016–2017
Authors: Worcester Peter F. , Dzieciuch Matthew A. , Colosi John A. , Krishfield Richard A. , Vazquez Heriberto J. , Kemp John N.
Published: December 2024

During the 2016–2017 Canada Basin Acoustic Propagation Experiment, an ocean acoustic tomography array with a radius of 150 km measured the impulse responses of the ocean every 4 hr at a variety of ranges and bearings using broadband signals with center frequencies from 172.5 to 275 Hz. Ice-profiling sonar data showed a gradual increase in ice draft over the winter with daily median ice drafts reaching maxima of about 1.5 m and daily standard deviations reaching maxima of about 1.2 m. The travel-time variability of early, resolved arrivals from refracted-surface-reflected rays with lower turning depths below 500 m was reported in a previous paper [Worcester et al. (2023). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 153, 2621–2636]. Here, the transmission loss of these same ray arrivals is analyzed. The transmission loss was lowest when open water was present and increased as the ice draft increased. The excess transmission loss per surface reflection, defined as the increase in transmission loss relative to open water conditions, increased with center frequency and surface grazing angle. The combination of transmission loss measurements for resolved ray arrivals and ice drafts from the ice-profiling sonars provides an excellent dataset for testing ice-scattering models.
Useful and Useless Misnomers in Motor Control
Authors: Latash Mark L.
Published: December 2024

This article addresses the issue of using terms and concepts in motor control that are ill-defined, undefined, and/or imported from nonbiological fields. In many of such cases, the discourse turns nonscientific and unproductive. Some of such terms are potentially useful but need to be properly and exactly defined. Other terms seem to be misleading and nonfixable. There is also an intermediate group with terms that may or may not be useful if defined properly. The paper presents three examples per group: “reflex,” “synergy,” and “posture” versus “motor program,” “efference copy,” and “internal model” versus “muscle tone,” “stiffness and impedance,” and “redundancy.” These terms are analyzed assuming that motor control is a branch of natural science, which must be analyzed using laws of nature, not a subfield of the control theory. In the discussion, we also accept the framework of the theory of movement control with spatial referent coordinates as the only example built on laws of nature with clearly formulated physical and physiological nature of the control parameters.
Utility of digital images captured after 4 h of incubation on a microbiology laboratory automation system in guiding the work-up of subcultures from positive blood cultures
Authors: Cintrón Melvilí , Clark Brenden , Miranda Edwin , Babady N. Esther
Published: December 2024

Initial workup [e.g., identification (ID) and/or antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST)] of bacterial growth on solid media traditionally occurs 16–24 h after sub-culturing of positive blood cultures (BC). Early ID and AST can be facilitated by reviewing digital images captured using a Microbiology Laboratory Automation (MLA) system. The goal of this study was to evaluate the utility of images captured at 4 h on the WASPLab MLA system for rapid bacterial ID and AST. Retrospective review of all positive BCs results between 1 January 2021 and 31 July 2022 was performed. WASPLab App data were extracted to determine the decision (e.g., perform ID and/or AST or re-incubate plates) made from the 4 h image. Culture results were extracted from the laboratory information system (LIS). A total of 6,845 BCs flagged positive during the study period. The 4 h images for 1,476 cultures (21.6%) were reviewed: 1,200 cultures were re-incubated due to insufficient growth and 276 cultures (4.0%) were sent for ID and/or AST. ID by mass spectrometry was in 100% agreement with that of the molecular BC identification panels. Overall categorical agreement between AST results from the 4 h and overnight growth was 98%. The 4 h images for the remaining 5,369 cultures (78.4%) were not available for review during the day shift. Implementing early reading times for BCs on MLA allows for rapid and accurate ID and AST results. However, optimization of the reading schedule to align with the laboratory’s operation schedule is key to realizing the full potential of early reading times.

IMPORTANCE

In recent years, an increasing number of clinical microbiology laboratories have adopted laboratory automation for processing and incubation of specimens submitted for bacterial culture. At our institution, we implemented the Copan WASPLab in 2018 for all cultures, including positive blood cultures. Given that positive blood cultures start with a higher biomass of organisms, the first image capture was set up to occur after 4 h of incubation. In this study, we investigated the utility of this early 4 h image by capturing and calculating the percentage of useful actions taken based on growth identified on the image and the yield of both new identification by MALDI-TOF MS and valid and accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results. We found that while the 4-hour time point provided accurate, early identification and AST results, the overall yield was minimal. From a practical standpoint, this review prompted us to discontinue capture and review of this time point. While our staffing model is likely responsible for this low yield, we hope that our experience would help other laboratories decide how to implement WASPLab workflow for positive blood cultures. Thus, we believe that this information will be of interest to the readers of JCM.
Structural basis of different neutralization capabilities of monoclonal antibodies against H7N9 virus
Authors: Zhao Bingbing , Sun Zhenzhao , Wang Shida , Shi Zhibin , Jiang Yongping , Wang Xiurong , Deng Guohua , Jiao Peirong , Chen Hualan , Wang Jingfei
Published: December 2024

Neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) are important for the treatment of emerging viral diseases and for effective vaccine development. In this study, we generated and evaluated three nAbs (1H9, 2D7, and C4H4) against H7N9 influenza viruses and found that they differ in their ability to inhibit viral attachment, membrane fusion, and egress. We resolved the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of H7N9 hemagglutinin (HA) alone and in complex with the nAb antigen-binding fragments (Fabs) and identified the HA head-located epitope for each nAb, thereby revealing the molecular basis and key residues that determine the differences in these nAbs in neutralizing H7N9 viruses. Moreover, we found that the humanized nAb CC4H4 provided complete protection in mice against death caused by a lethal H7N9 virus infection, even when nAb was given 3 days after the mice were infected. These findings provide new insights into the neutralizing mechanism and structural basis for the rational design of H7N9 virus vaccines and therapeutics.

IMPORTANCE

H7N9 viruses have caused severe infections in both birds and humans since their emergence in early 2013 in China. Their persistent presence and variation in avian populations pose a significant threat to both poultry and humans. There are no treatments for human infections. In this study, we thoroughly investigated the neutralization mechanisms, structural basis, and therapeutic effects of three nAbs (1H9, 2D7, and C4H4) against H7N9 viruses. We revealed the molecular determinants underlying the varied performances of the three nAbs in neutralizing H7N9 viruses and protecting H7N9-infected mice. These insights provide a solid foundation for the rational design of vaccines and therapeutics against H7N9 viruses.
Mono-allelic epigenetic regulation of polycistronic transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II in
Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Kieft Rudo , Cliffe Laura , Yan Haidong , Schmitz Robert J. , Hajduk Stephen L. , Sabatini Robert
Published: December 2024

Unique for a eukaryote, protein-coding genes in trypanosomes are arranged in polycistronic transcription units (PTUs). This genome arrangement has led to a model where Pol II transcription of PTUs is unregulated and changes in gene expression are entirely post-transcriptional.
Trypanosoma brucei brucei
is unable to infect humans because of its susceptibility to an innate immune complex, trypanosome lytic factor (TLF) in the circulation of humans. The initial step in TLF-mediated lysis of
T.b.brucei
requires high affinity haptoglobin/hemoglobin receptor (HpHbR) binding. Here, we demonstrate that by
in vitro
selection with TLF, resistance is obtained in a stepwise process correlating with loss of HpHbR expression at an allelic level. RNA-seq, Pol II ChIP, and run-on analysis indicate HpHbR silencing is at the transcriptional level, where loss of Pol II binding at the promoter region specifically shuts down transcription of the HpHbR-containing gene cluster and the adjacent opposing gene cluster. Reversible transcriptional silencing of the divergent PTUs correlates with DNA base J modification of the shared promoter region. Base J function in establishing transcriptional silencing, rather than maintenance, is suggested by the maintenance of PTU silencing following the inhibition of J-biosynthesis and subsequent loss of the modified DNA base. Therefore, we show that epigenetic mechanisms exist to regulate gene expression via Pol II transcription initiation of gene clusters in a mono-allelic fashion. These findings suggest epigenetic chromatin-based regulation of gene expression is deeply conserved among eukaryotes, including early divergent eukaryotes that rely on polycistronic transcription.

IMPORTANCE

The single-cell parasite
Trypanosoma brucei
causes lethal diseases in both humans and livestock.
T. brucei
undergoes multiple developmental changes to adapt in different environments during its digenetic life cycle. With protein-coding genes organized as polycistronic transcription and apparent absence of promoter-mediated regulation of transcription initiation, it is believed that developmental gene regulation in trypanosomes is essentially post-transcriptional. In this study, we found reversible Pol II transcriptional silencing of two adjacent polycistronic gene arrays that correlate with the novel DNA base J modification of the shared promoter region. Our findings support epigenetic regulation of Pol II transcription initiation as a viable mechanism of gene expression control in
T. brucei
. This has implications for our understanding how trypanosomes utilize polycistronic genome organization to regulate gene expression during its life cycle.
Heme alters biofilm formation in
Mycobacterium abscessus
Authors: Aftab Hadia , Samudio Jessica , Wang Grace , Le Lily , Soni Rajesh K. , Donegan Rebecca K.
Published: December 2024

Mycobacterium abscessus
(Mabs) is commonly found in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung. During infection, Mabs can form biofilms in the lung which reduce both the ability of the immune response to clear infection and the effectiveness of antibiotic therapy. In the CF lung, heme and hemoglobin levels are increased and may provide both iron and heme to Mabs cells. In this work, we show that exogenous heme altered Mabs biofilm formation and measured the effects of exogenous heme on protein level and metabolism in Mabs. Our findings suggest that heme impacts iron homeostasis in Mabs and affects other aspects of its metabolism, highlighting the potential role of heme as a critical nutrient for Mabs growth and biofilm formation.

IMPORTANCE

Mycobacterium abscessus
(Mabs) is commonly found in the cystic fibrosis (CF) lung, where Mabs can form biofilms that can reduce the efficacy of antibiotics. During infection, the CF lung can have more than 10 times the extracellular heme than that of a healthy lung. We have found that extracellular heme can change the way Mabs cells grow and form biofilms, which may have implications for pathogenesis.
Ethical considerations for referral partnerships in clinical research
Authors: Li Isabella , Langford Aisha T , Grady Christine , Rid Annette
Published: December 2024

Recruitment challenges in clinical research are widespread, particularly for traditionally under-represented groups. Referral relationships—in which research partners and clinical partners agree to collaborate on selected research studies or programmes, with the expectation that the clinical partners refer appropriate patients as potential participants—may help alleviate these challenges. Referral relationships allow research partners access to expanded and more diverse pools of participants by increasing the engagement of medical providers, leveraging providers’ connections with patients and providing structural support for study participation. Clinical partners can also benefit from the resources offered by research involvement, and patients may benefit from improved access to studies. Yet despite their potential, referral relationships can raise ethical concerns. Here, we discuss ethical considerations for referral relationships in clinical research to address these concerns. When establishing relationships, fair participant selection should guide the sites and studies involved. When defining the terms of a relationship, partners should build trust and respect, collaborating so that health centres or hospitals and communities benefit from their research involvement with the mitigation of associated burdens. When implemented, referral relationships should continue to honour fair participant selection, reduce misunderstanding or miscommunication about research and protect patients’ privacy and confidentiality. Overall, when conducted ethically, referral relationships can help address study recruitment challenges and promote fair access to research opportunities.
Scaffolding informed consent
Authors: Wilkinson Dominic , Levy Neil
Published: December 2024

The principle of respecting patient autonomy underpins the concept and practice of informed consent. Yet current approaches to consent often ignore the ways in which the exercise of autonomy is deeply epistemically dependent.

In this paper, we draw on philosophical descriptions of autonomy ‘scaffolding’ and apply them to informed consent in medicine. We examine how this relates to other models of the doctor–patient relationship and other theories (eg, the notion of relational autonomy). A focus on scaffolding autonomy reframes the justification for existing ways of supporting decisions. In other cases, it suggests a need to rethink how, when and where professionals obtain consent. It may highlight the benefit of technology for supporting decisions.

Finally, we consider the implications for some high-stakes decisions where autonomy is thought to be critical, for example, termination of pregnancy. We argue that such decisions should not be free from all sources of influence—rather they should be protected from undesired influence.
Searching for dark torsion signatures at LIGO in Nieh–Yan teleparallel chiral gravitational waves and Chern–Simons invariants
Authors: Andrade L. C. Garcia de
Published: December 2024

Romano has recently found that frequency modulation of gravitational waves (GWs) could be used as a dark matter probe. Many candidates for dark matter (DM) of various sources have been proposed in the literature. In this work, we use a teleparallel modified GW model to obtain DM dark torsion from LIGO data, where frequency modulation and frequency bands from various sources of GWs are investigated with regard to their suitability for DM dark torsion detection. In particular, nonhomogeneous and nonuniform chiral chemical potential generates GWs and dark torsion from primordial magnetic fields. It is shown that pulsar sources for GWs bathing the surface of the Earth on a contortion background of

$$10^{-15}\,\textrm{s}^{-1}$$

10

-
15

s

-
1

possess amplitudes well within the parameters of LIGO capabilities of amplitudes on the order of

$$10^{-22}$$

10

-
22

. GWs are also investigated in the context of having been produced by a primordial magnetic field and inhomogeneity on the chiral chemical potential. The torsion signatures at LIGO correspond to the amplitude dependence of massive torsion by GWs.