bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimization of fast neutron and X-ray pulse shape discrimination (PSD) using an EJ276G scintillator in high radiation mixed conditions
Authors: Song G. , Lee S. , Park J. , Kim W. , Ko K. , Kim H. , Cho G.
Published: March 2022

Organic crystalline, liquid, and plastic scintillators with low Z-number materials are commonly used in fast neutron detectors. Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) is used to distinguish neutrons from X-rays because these detectors are affected by X-rays due to Compton scattering during fast neutron measurement. PSD was performed with a 1 × 1 × 3 cm3 EJ276G plastic scintillator, SiPM, and DAQ (10-bit resolution, 400 MHz) using the charge comparison method, which compares the total charge (Q
body) and the delayed charge (Q
tail) from the peak. Most studies have been conducted under laboratory conditions, such as with 252Cf or 241Am-Be sources. This study will perform PSD in a 15 MeV electron accelerator with a total flux of 6.72 × 1014 #/sec and an X-ray-to-neutron ratio of up to 4071:1. The PSD was optimized before the measurement in high flux conditions because it was difficult to perform PSD due to the pile-up effect in these conditions. Optimization focused on the figure of merit (FoM), which is an index of PSD performance. To distinguish neutrons from X-rays under these conditions, lead shielding is necessary to reduce the X-ray-to-neutron ratio. We performed Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP6) simulations to determine the optimal shielding thickness. Fast neutrons interact with lead due to its high density, which results in small neutron energy loss and direction changes by scattering. This effect can affect other pixels as noise. We plan to evaluate the neutron images under high X-ray flux conditions by comparing the images of the MCNP6 simulation results and the measurement results.
Landscape Structure’ Influence on the Source of Livelihood of the Population: The Case of Narra, Palawan Philippines
Authors: Acero Liwayway H.
Published: March 2022

Landscape structure is composed of the different patterns of land, vegetation, bodies of water, man-made structures like highways. This study describes the slope, climate, labour force, landscape structure, and source of livelihood of the population in Narra Palawan, Philippines, utilizing landscape maps: [watershed, water and land use, soil, road network, environmentally critical area network map (ECAN)], using the patch-corridor-matrix model (PCMM). The human-environment interaction models that exist in the livelihood of the population were also disclosed. Narra has been known as the “rice granary of Palawan” and is strategically situated in Southern Palawan, ninety-six (96) kilometers from Puerto Princesa City. Land use map and soil map of Narra Palawan indicate more areas for agriculture and fishery as source of livelihood of its population. Road map of Narra Palawan shows that all villages is accessible, that favours marketing of agricultural products. The controlled, traditional, and multiple use zones in ECAN map, favours agricultural production. The human-environment interaction model that prevails in their livelihood are; environmental determinism wherein the sources of livelihood depended on the resources in the environment. Ecosystem-based model is express in farming system among settler-farmers. Cultural ecology is practiced by Tagbanua and, Palaw’an wherein Swidden farming is their farming system. The use of categorical maps revealed that it influenced the livelihood sources of the population dominantly on agriculture. It attested to the fact that Narra is an agriculture-based municipality.
Influence of Atmospheric Pressure Surges on the Level of Suprapermafrost Waters and the Flow of Small Rivers (Anadyr Lowland, Chukotka)
Authors: Tregubov O. D. , Gartsman B.I. , Shamov V. V. , Lebedeva L.S. , Tarbeeva A. M.
Published: March 2022

It is known that atmospheric pressure surges affect the discharge of underground water sources in large artesian basins. In southern latitudes, the groundwater tables change insignificantly following the diurnal variations of atmospheric pressure. There is no information on the influence of rapid changes in atmospheric pressure on the position of the surface of the suprapermafrost waters and river flow in the Arctic region. The study of the diurnal course of the level of underground suprapermafrost and surface waters was carried out to identify the links of river flow with atmospheric phenomena and cryogenic processes. It was found that the daily atmospheric pressure drop with an amplitude of 1.2 kPa in the area of the small Ugolnaya-Dionisia river, located in the Anadyr lowland in Chukotka, led to a simultaneous decrease and then an increase in the level of suprapermafrost underground and surface river basin waters by 2.5-7.8 cm. This corresponds to a short-term decrease and then an increase in the river water discharge by more than 3.5 times. To clarify the factors that determine the mechanism of the influence of atmospheric pressure on the water level and river flow, a consideration of the hydrophysical properties of aquifer-containing peat soils was carried out. Compression tests revealed that the elasticity of the peat soils horizon remains within the range of 0-15 kPa, which contributes to a dynamic change in porosity even with a slight change in the external load. This means that the atmospheric pressure changes during weather development are sufficient to modify the water capacity of peat soils and deposit them, and then discharge a part of the suprapermafrost flow. The discovered pressure impact in the tundra soils of the permafrost zone is a unique mechanism for providing plants with moisture during droughts and reducing the risk of tundra fires. As part of the further study of the pressure impact, it is planned to conduct laboratory experiments to determine the quantitative parameters of the change in the peat soils moisture capacity under pressure drops in the atmosphere. Mathematical modeling of the capillary moisture capacity of peat soils will be performed under conditions of ambient load changes. The results of experiments and theoretical studies are assumed to be useful for predicting the flow of bogged-up river basins, design of reclamation, and irrigation of areas of peat soils distribution.
Generation of pulse trains with nonconventional temporal correlation properties
Authors: Talukder Ria , Halder Atri , Koivurova Matias , Ding Chaoliang , Setälä Tero , Turunen Jari , Friberg Ari T
Published: March 2022

We apply time dependent spectral phase modulation to generate pulse trains that are spectrally and temporally partially coherent in an ensemble averaged sense. We consider, in particular, quadratic spectral phase modulation of Gaussian pulses, and demonstrate two particular types of nonuniformly correlated pulse trains. The controlled partial temporal coherence of the nonstationary fields is generated using a pulse compressor and experimentally verified with frequency resolved optical gating (FROG). We show that the correlation characteristics of such pulse trains can be retrieved directly from the FROG spectrograms provided one has certain a priori knowledge of the pulse train. Our results open a pathway for experimental confirmation of several correlation induced effects in the temporal domain.
Experimental investigation on the flexural response of epoxy composites filled with environmental pollutant crump rubber
Authors: Alblalaihid Khalid , Shahapurkar Kiran , Chennarayan Venkatesh , Beyecha Hailu , Tirth Vineet , Algahtani Ali , Soudagar Manzoore Elahi M , Talugeri Vinayak
Published: March 2022

Flexural response of crump rubber filled epoxy composites is reported in the present work. Composites are fabricated using open mold casting technique and test specimens are evaluated at normal strain rate. Stress strain profiles of all the specimens reveal brittle mode of fracture. Modulus of crump rubber composites increase with increasing crump rubber content owing to good bonding of constituents and higher elasticity induced by crump rubber particles. Neat epoxy specimens reveal lower modulus than all the composites filled with crump rubber. Strength of all the composites are higher as compared with neat epoxy and increase as the crump rubber content is increased. Composites filled with 30 vol% of crump rubber reveals highest modulus (24%) and strength (22%) in comparison with neat epoxy and all other compositions. Scanning electron microscopy of specimens are analyzed to study the structure property correlations. Mapping of results from the current work and existing ones are compared using property chart.
Assessing the correlated electronic structure of lanthanum nickelates
Authors: Lechermann Frank
Published: March 2022

The series of nickel-oxide compounds LaNiO3 (formal Ni(d
7)), La2NiO4 (formal Ni(d
8)) and LaNiO2 (formal Ni(d
9)) is investigated by first-principles many-body theory, using a combination of density functional theory, self-interaction correction and dynamical mean-field theory. The characteristics of these different nickelates, in good agreement with available experimental data, is revealed by employing a compound-independent choice for the local Coulomb interactions. The dichotomy within the low-energy dominant Ni-e

g
sector of

{

d

z

2

,

d

x

2

−

y

2

}

kind is rising with growing Ni(3d) filling across the series. An intermediate-coupling scheme for spin-polarized calculations is introduced, which leads to very weak Ni ordered moments for the infinite-layer compound LaNiO2 in contrast to the robust-moment system La2NiO4.
Altered vigilant maintenance and reorganization of rich-clubs in functional brain networks after total sleep deprivation
Authors: Pan Leyao , Mai Zifeng , Wang Jinhui , Ma Ning
Published: March 2022

Background

Sleep deprivation strongly deteriorates the stability of vigilant maintenance. In previous neuroimaging studies of large-scale networks, neural variations in the resting state after sleep deprivation have been well documented, highlighting that large-scale networks implement efficient cognitive functions and attention regulation in a spatially hierarchical organization. However, alterations of neural networks during cognitive tasks have rarely been investigated.

Methods and purposes

The present study used a within-participant design of 35 healthy right-handed adults and used task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the neural mechanism of attentional decline after sleep deprivation from the perspective of rich-club architecture during a psychomotor vigilance task.

Results

We found that a significant decline in the hub disruption index was related to impaired vigilance due to sleep loss. The hierarchical rich-club architectures were reconstructed after sleep deprivation, especially in the default mode network and sensorimotor network. Notably, the relatively fast alert response compensation was correlated with the feeder organizational hierarchy that connects core (rich-club) and peripheral nodes.

Significances

Our findings provide novel insights into understanding the relationship of alterations in vigilance and the hierarchical architectures of the human brain after sleep deprivation, emphasizing the significance of optimal collaboration between different functional hierarchies for regular attention maintenance.
Morphological patterns and spatial probability maps of the superior parietal sulcus in the human brain
Authors: Drudik Kristina , Zlatkina Veronika , Petrides Michael
Published: March 2022

The superior parietal sulcus (SPS) is the defining sulcus within the superior parietal lobule (SPL). The morphological variability of the SPS was examined in individual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the human brain that were registered to the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) standard stereotaxic space. Two primary morphological patterns were consistently identified across hemispheres: (i) the SPS was identified as a single sulcus, separating the anterior from the posterior part of the SPL and (ii) the SPS was found as a complex of multiple sulcal segments. These morphological patterns were subdivided based on whether the SPS or SPS complex remained distinct or merged with surrounding parietal sulci. The morphological variability and spatial extent of the SPS were quantified using volumetric and surface spatial probabilistic mapping. The current investigation established consistent morphological patterns in a common anatomical space, the MNI stereotaxic space, to facilitate structural and functional analyses within the SPL.
Enteric Infections in Men Who Have Sex With Men
Authors: McNeil Candice J , Kirkcaldy Robert D , Workowski Kimberly
Published: March 2022

Background

Enteric pathogens are often associated with exposure to food, water, animals, and feces from infected individuals. However, in sexual networks of men who have sex with men (MSM), transmission of enteric pathogens may occur during direct or indirect oral–anal contact.

Methods

We performed a scoping review of the literature for studies prior to July 2019 with key terms for gastrointestinal syndromes (“proctitis,” “enteritis,” “proctocolitis”), enteric pathogens or sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and outbreaks using multiple electronic databases.

Results

We identified 5861 records through database searches, bibliography reviews, and keyword searches, of which 117 references were included in the pathogen-specific reviews.

Conclusions

The strength of observational data describing enteric pathogens in MSM and possible sexual transmission of enteric pathogens varies by pathogen; however, a robust body of literature describes the sexual transmission of Campylobacter, Giardia lamblia, and Shigella (particularly antimicrobial-resistant strains) in sexual networks of MSM. Providers are encouraged to consider enteritis or proctocolitis in MSM as possibly having been sexually transmitted and encourage targeted STI testing. Risk/harm reduction and prevention messages should also be incorporated, though there is an acknowledged paucity of evidence with regards to effective strategies. Further research is needed to understand the transmission and prevention of enteric pathogens in MSM.
Scale-free degree distributions, homophily and the glass ceiling effect in directed networks
Authors: Nettasinghe Buddhika , Alipourfard Nazanin , Iota Stephen , Krishnamurthy Vikram , Lerman Kristina
Published: March 2022

Preferential attachment, homophily, and their consequences such as scale-free (i.e. power-law) degree distributions, the glass ceiling effect (the unseen, yet unbreakable barrier that keeps minorities and women from rising to the upper rungs of the corporate ladder, regardless of their qualifications or achievements) and perception bias are well-studied in undirected networks. However, such consequences and the factors that lead to their emergence in directed networks (e.g. author–citation graphs, Twitter) are yet to be coherently explained in an intuitive, theoretically tractable manner using a single dynamical model. To this end, we present a theoretical and numerical analysis of the novel Directed Mixed Preferential Attachment model in order to explain the emergence of scale-free degree distributions and the glass ceiling effect in directed networks with two groups (minority and majority). Specifically, we first derive closed-form expressions for the power-law exponents of the in-degree and out-degree distributions of each of the two groups and then compare the derived exponents with each other to obtain useful insights. These insights include answers to questions such as: when does the minority group have an out-degree (or in-degree) distribution with a heavier tail compared to the majority group? what factors cause the tail of the out-degree distribution of a group to be heavier than the tail of its own in-degree distribution? what effect does frequent addition of edges between existing nodes have on the in-degree and out-degree distributions of the majority and minority groups? Answers to these questions shed light on the interplay between structure (i.e. the in-degree and out-degree distributions of the two groups) and dynamics (characterized collectively by the homophily, preferential attachment, group sizes and growth dynamics) of various real-world directed networks. We also provide a novel definition of the glass ceiling faced by a group via the number of individuals with large out-degree (i.e. those with many followers) normalized by the number of individuals with large in-degree (i.e. those who follow many others) and then use it to characterize the conditions that cause the glass ceiling effect to emerge in a directed network. Our analytical results are supported by detailed numerical experiments. The DMPA model and its theoretical and numerical analysis provided in this article are useful for analysing various phenomena on directed networks in fields such as network science and computational social science.
Pervasive Endosymbiont Arsenophonus Plays a Key Role in the Transmission of Cotton Leaf Curl Virus Vectored by Asia II-1 Genetic Group of Bemisia tabaci
Authors: Kaur Ramandeep , Singh Satnam , Joshi Neelam
Published: March 2022

Insects often coevolved with their mutualistic partners such as gut endosymbionts, which play a key in the physiology of host. Studies on such interactions between Bemisia tabaci and its primary and secondary endosymbionts have gained importance due to their indispensable roles in the biology of this insect. Present study reports the predominance of two secondary endosymbionts, Arsenophonus and Cardinium in the Asia II-1 genetic group of whitefly and elucidates their role in the transmission of its vectored Cotton leaf curl virus. Selective elimination of endosymbionts was optimized using serial concentration of ampicillin, chloramphenicol, kanamycin, tetracycline, and rifampicin administered to viruliferous whiteflies through sucrose diet. Primary endosymbiont, Portiera was unresponsive to all the antibiotics, however, rifampicin and tetracycline at 90 μg/ml selectively eliminated Arsenophonus from the whitefly. Elimination of Arsenophonus resulted in significant decrease in virus titer from viruliferous whitefly, further the CLCuV transmission efficiency of these whiteflies was significantly reduced compared to the control flies. Secondary endosymbiont, Cardinium could not be eliminated completely even with higher concentrations of antibiotics. Based on the findings, Arsenophonus plays a key role in the retention and transmission of CLCuV in the Asia II-1 genetic group of B. tabaci, while the role of Cardinium could not be established due to its unresponsiveness to antibiotics.
Inefficient Collective Households: Cooperation and Consumption
Authors: Lewbel Arthur , Pendakur Krishna
Published: March 2022

We propose a model of consumption inefficiency in collective households. Inefficiency depends on a ‘cooperation factor’, which can also affect both the allocation of resources within a household and the utility of household members. Households are conditionally efficient, conditioning on the value of the cooperation factor. This lets us exploit convenient modelling features of efficient households (like not needing to specify the bargaining process), while still accounting for, and measuring the dollar cost of, inefficient levels of cooperation.
Predictors of survival in paediatric mitral valve surgery: the impact of age at operation at late follow-up
Authors: Brancaccio Gianluca , Trezzi Matteo , Croci Ileana , Guerra Giulia , Chinali Marcello , Grandinetti Maria , Perri Gianluigi , D’Anna Carolina , Iodice Francesca , Giorni Chiara , Iacobelli Roberta , Galletti Lorenzo
Published: March 2022

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to elucidate predictors of death and reintervention after mitral valve (MV) surgery in children.

METHODS

A single-centre retrospective study was performed enrolling 142 patients younger than 18 years who underwent primary index surgical mitral repair or replacement at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome from July 1982 to April 2020. Patients with complete, transitional or partial atrioventricular septal defect and patients with single ventricle physiology were excluded. Patients were stratified according to the age group: group 1 (<1 year old), group 2 (1–5 years old) and group 3 (>5 years old). The composite primary outcome was freedom from death or transplant. The secondary outcome was freedom from redo MV surgery.

RESULTS

Transplant-free survival was 89% at 5 years and 88% at 10 years. Stratified by age, group 1 had poorer outcome in comparison with other groups (log-rank test P = 0.105). Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed that age <1 year was a significant risk factor for death or transplant (P = 0.044). Age <1 year was associated with increased risk of reoperation (aHR = 3.38, P = 0.009), while the presence of genetic syndrome (aHR = 0.22) and preoperative EF% (aHR = 0.97) were protective factors for reoperation.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall survival and freedom from reoperation in children undergoing MV surgery still need improvements. Younger age was a significant risk factor for death and reintervention both after repair and replacement of the MV. In particular, infants and neonates have a three-fold risk for death compared to children.
Data standards for heart failure: the European Unified Registries for Heart Care Evaluation and Randomized Trials (EuroHeart)
Authors: Aktaa Suleman , Batra Gorav , Cleland John G F , Coats Andrew , Lund Lars H , McDonagh Theresa , Rosano Giuseppe , Seferovic Petar , Vasko Peter , Wallentin Lars , Maggioni Aldo P , Casadei Barbara , Gale Chris P ,   In Collaboration with the Heart Failure Association of the European Society of Cardiology
Published: March 2022

Standardized data definitions are essential for assessing the quality of care and patient outcomes in observational studies and randomized controlled trials. The European Unified Registries for Heart Care Evaluation and Randomized Trials (EuroHeart) project of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) aims to create contemporary pan-European data standards for cardiovascular diseases, including heart failure (HF). We followed the EuroHeart methodology for cardiovascular data standard development. A Working Group including experts in HF registries, representatives from the Heart Failure Association of the ESC, and the EuroHeart was formed. Using Embase and Medline (2016–21), we conducted a systematic review of the literature on data standards, registries, and trials to identify variables pertinent to HF. A modified Delphi method was used to reach a consensus on the final set of variables. For each variable, the Working Group developed data definitions and agreed on whether it was mandatory (Level 1) or additional (Level 2). In total, 84 Level 1 and 79 Level 2 variables were selected for nine domains of HF care. These variables were reviewed by an international Reference Group with the Level 1 variables providing the dataset for registration of patients with HF on the EuroHeart IT platform. By means of a structured process and interaction with international stakeholders, harmonized data standards for HF have been developed. In the context of the EuroHeart, this will facilitate quality improvement, international observational research, registry-based randomized trials, and post-marketing surveillance of devices and pharmacotherapies across Europe.
Fit for Purpose Assessment: A New Direction for IACUCs
Authors: Kinter Lewis B , Johnson David K , Weichbrod Robert H , Prentice Ernest D , Simmonds Richard C , Houghton Paul W , Whitney Jr Robert A , DeGeorge Joseph , DeHaven W Ron , Kramer Klaas , DeTolla Louis
Published: March 2022

The organization and function of the institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC) is the key component of government regulation and oversight of necessary scientific research using live animals and of AAALAC - International accreditation of animal care and use programs in the United States. The regulations, roles, and responsibilities of IACUCs have evolved since their inception 35 years ago from a limited focus on animal welfare and specific animal procedures to embracing scientific quality, data reproducibility and translation, and animal welfare as inextricably interdependent and critical components of generation of new scientific knowledge and medical treatments. A current challenge for IACUCs is in evaluating whether benefits to be derived (eg, new knowledge or treatments) justify any unavoidable pain, stress, or injury associated with proposed research protocols, because the former are long-term and at best speculative outcomes, whereas the latter are immediate and tangible for the study animals. Scientific consensus is that research most likely to generate significant new knowledge and medical treatments is that conducted to high scientific, technical, and quality standards and reported with full transparency to facilitate reproducibility. As an alternative to current benefits evaluations included in risk benefit and harm benefit constructs, the authors propose that IACUCs assess the proposed research for scientific quality and alignment of study elements with the study purpose (e.g., Fit for Purpose [FfP]), including justifications for study design components, selection of primary endpoints and technologies, rationale for data and statistical analyses, and research communication plans. Fit for Purpose endpoints are objective, immediate, and impactful as are the potential risks for study animals, and at the same time they are the best predictors for achievement of longer-term benefits. We propose that IACUCs and any revision of The ILAR Guide consider FfP concepts in place of traditional benefits assessment to accelerate the generation of new knowledge and treatments benefiting medical and veterinary patients and the environment through better science and animal welfare rather than to continue to rely on speculative future outcomes.
Disproof of a Conjecture of Erdős and Simonovits on the Turán Number of Graphs with Minimum Degree 3
Authors: Janzer Oliver
Published: March 2022

In 1981, Erdős and Simonovits conjectured that for any bipartite graph $H$, we have $\textrm {ex}(n,H)=O(n^{3/2})$ if and only if $H$ is $2$-degenerate. Later, Erdős offered $250 for a proof and $500 for a counterexample. In this paper, we disprove the conjecture by finding, for any $\varepsilon>0$, a $3$-regular bipartite graph $H$ with $\textrm {ex}(n,H)=O(n^{4/3+\varepsilon })$.
Conceptualizing the Effects of Polarization for US Foreign Policy Behavior in International Negotiations: Revisiting the Two-Level Game
Authors: Friedrichs Gordon M
Published: March 2022

Polarization has been a prevalent phenomenon in US politics, yet its foreign policy implications remain understudied. A common assumption is that polarization undermines the utilization of United States’ material power via a coherent grand strategy. In this article, I argue that polarization does not make the United States incapable of enacting a foreign policy per se but instead affects US foreign policy conduct, power, and strategy toward international negotiations. The effects of domestic polarization for US foreign policy behavior in international negotiations are best understood via an advanced application of the “two-level game” model, which conceptualizes a state's domestic politics as a determinant factor for the executive branch's approach toward foreign affairs. I identify three effects polarization has on US foreign policy: (1) a sorting effect, which produces homogenous partisan coalitions with divergent foreign policy preferences and inclines the executive to pursue an obstinate international negotiation conduct; (2) a partisan conflict effect, which weakens Congress as a veto player and reduces United States’ bargaining power; and, finally, (3) an institutional corrosion effect, which inclines the executive branch to manipulate domestic support and to politicize international negotiations at home. In sum, domestic polarization increases the opportunity costs for US foreign policy toward international negotiations and contributes to global instability. Anecdotal evidence from US foreign policy over the last decade offers support for these effects, but further empirical research is needed to better understand when they are most impactful and in which combination these effects appear.
Assessment of Comorbidity in Bariatric Patients through a Biomarker-Based Model—A Multicenter Validation of the Metabolic Health Index
Authors: Gensen Carmen , van Loon Saskia L M , van Riel Natal A , Nienhuijs Simon , Triepels Ralf , Kos Snježana , Mulder Alide H L , Pouw Nadine , Scharnhorst Volkher , Boer Arjen Kars
Published: March 2022

Background

The metabolic health index (MHI) is a biomarker-based model that objectively assesses the cumulative impact of comorbidities type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia on the health state of bariatric patients. The MHI was developed on a single-center cohort using a fully laboratory data-driven approach, resulting in a MHI score on a range from 1 to 6. To show universal applicability in clinical care, the MHI was validated externally and potential laboratory-related shortcomings were evaluated.

Methods

Retrospective laboratory and national bariatric quality registry data were collected from five Dutch renowned bariatric centers (n = 11 501). MHI imprecision was derived from the cumulative effect of biological and analytical variance of the individual input variables of the MHI model. The performance of the MHI (model) was assessed in terms of discrimination and calibration.

Results

The cumulative imprecision in MHI was 0.25 MHI points. Calibration of the MHI model diverged over the different centers but was accounted for by misregistration of comorbidity after cross-checking the data. Discriminative performance of the MHI model was consistent across the different centers.

Conclusions

The MHI model can be applied in clinical practice of bariatric centers, regardless of patient mix and analytical platform. Because the MHI is based on objective parameters, it is insensitive to diverging clinical definitions of comorbidities. Therefore, the MHI can be used to objectify severity of metabolic comorbidities in bariatric patients. The MHI can support the patient-selection process for surgery and objectively assessing the effect of surgery on the metabolic health state.
Target-biased informed trees: sampling-based method for optimal motion planning in complex environments
Authors: Wang Xianpeng , Ma Xinglu , Li Xiaoxu , Ma Xiaoyu , Li Chunxu
Published: March 2022

Aiming at the problem that the progressively optimized Rapidly-exploring Random Trees Star (RRT*) algorithm generates a large number of redundant nodes, which causes slow convergence and low search efficiency in high-dimensional and complex environments. In this paper we present Target-biased Informed Trees (TBIT*), an improved RRT* path planning algorithm based on target-biased sampling strategy and heuristic optimization strategy. The algorithm adopts a combined target bias strategy in the search phase of finding the initial path to guide the random tree to grow rapidly toward the target direction, thereby reducing the generation of redundant nodes and improving the search efficiency of the algorithm; after the initial path is searched, heuristic sampling is used to optimize the initial path instead of optimizing the random tree, which can benefit from reducing useless calculations, and improve the convergence capability of the algorithm. The experimental results show that the algorithm proposed in this article changes the randomness of the algorithm to a certain extent, and the search efficiency and convergence capability in complex environments have been significantly improved, indicating that the improved algorithm is feasible and efficient.
A DNA Extraction Method for Insects From Sticky Traps: Targeting a Low Abundance Pest, Phthorimaea absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), in Mixed Species Communities
Authors: Butterwort V , Dansby H , Zink F A , Tembrock L R , Gilligan T M , Godoy A , Braswell W E , Kawahara A Y
Published: March 2022

Invasive insects can cause catastrophic damage to ecosystems and cost billions of dollars each year due to management expenses and lost revenue. Rapid detection is an important step to prevent invasive insects from spreading, but improvements in detection capabilities are needed for bulk collections like those from sticky traps. Here we present a bulk DNA extraction method designed for the detection of Phthorimaea absoluta Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), an invasive moth that can decimate tomato crops. We test the extraction method for insect specimens on sticky traps, subjected to different temperature and humidity conditions, and among mock insect communities left in the field for up to 21 d. We find that the extraction method yielded high success (>92%) in recovering target DNA across field and lab trials, without a decline in recovery after three weeks, across all treatments. These results may have a large impact on tomato growing regions where P. absoluta is in the early stages of invasion or not yet present. The extraction method can also be used to improve detection capabilities for other bulk insect collections, especially those using sticky traps, to the benefit of pest surveys and biodiversity studies.
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular events associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients
Authors: Tajiri Kazuko , Sekine Ikuo
Published: March 2022

Immune checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated significant clinical benefits in many cancers, and the use of these drugs is rapidly expanding. Unfortunately, these agents can induce a wide range of immune-related adverse events through the activation of immune responses in non-target organs, including the cardiovascular system. Among cardiovascular immune-related adverse events, myocarditis is the most established and biologically plausible cardiac complication of immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy with immune-related pathophysiology. In contrast, atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases, such as myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke, were not previously recognized as a part of the immune-related adverse event spectrum. However, there is now increasing preclinical and clinical evidence that suggests a possible correlation between immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy and atherosclerotic cardiovascular events, and cardiovascular disease is increasingly recognized as a toxicity of ICIs. Results from animal studies suggest that the blockade of the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 or programmed cell death protein 1 pathway plays a relevant role in promoting the progression of atherosclerotic lesions. Several clinical studies have reported an increased incidence of atherosclerotic vascular events after immune checkpoint inhibitor administration. Our findings suggest that clinicians should (i) recognize that immune checkpoint inhibitors can exacerbate atherosclerosis, (ii) consider the management of cardiovascular risk factors and (iii) perform periodic screening in patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.
The molecular regulation of autophagy in antimicrobial immunity
Authors: Qin Chuan , Lu Yalan , Bai Lin , Wang Kewei
Published: March 2022

Autophagy is a catabolic process that can degrade worn-out organelles and invading pathogens. The activation of autophagy regulates innate and adaptive immunity, playing a key role in the response to microbial invasion. Microbial infection may cause different consequences such as the elimination of invaders through autophagy or xenophagy, host cell death, and symbiotic relationships. Pathogens adapt to the autophagy mechanism and further relieve intracellular stress, which is conducive to host cell survival and microbial growth. The regulation of autophagy forms a complex network through which host immunity is modulated, resulting in a variety of pathophysiological manifestations. Modification of the autophagic pathway is an essential target for the development of antimicrobial drugs.
Coping With Imaginative Resistance
Authors: Altshuler Daniel , Maier Emar
Published: March 2022

We propose to characterize imaginative resistance as the failure or unwillingness of the reader to take a fictional description of a deviant reality at face value. The goal of the paper is to explore how readers deal with such a breakdown of the default Face Value interpretation strategy. We posit two distinct interpretative ‘coping’ strategies which help the reader engage with the resistance-inducing fiction by attributing the offending content to one of the fictional characters. We present novel empirical evidence that shows that actual readers use these strategies and we flesh out the exact workings of these strategies by integrating them into a general formal semantic framework for interpreting fiction.
Dimorphism-dependent transgenerational effects facilitate divergence of drought tolerance in Synedrella nodiflora
Authors: Gan Qian , Liu Jingyu , Liao Huixuan , Peng Shaolin
Published: March 2022

Transgenerational effects in plants incur opposing effects on the adaptation to predictable vs. unpredictable environments. While seed-dimorphic plants can produce dimorphic offspring with different adaptive strategies, it remains unclear whether the transgenerational effects and seed dimorphism may interact to dictate offspring adaptation. This study aimed to explore whether and how seed-dimorphic maternal plants impart different transgenerational effects to dimorphic offspring. Synedrella nodiflora was chosen as a study species, which is adaptive to a wide soil water gradient and produces two distinctive types of seeds (light disc vs. heavy ray seeds). In a greenhouse, S. nodiflora was grown for two generations under drought stress to test whether the transgenerational effects on offspring performance and mortality depend on maternal (MS) or offspring seed morph (OS). The potential regulatory mechanisms were explored by measuring seed provisioning and chemical regulators of maternal plants and related reproductive processes. The transgenerational effects depended on both MS and OS. Drought stress induced the maternal plants originated from ray seeds to increase the relative proportion of ray- vs. disc-seed offspring and transmit stronger adaptive transgenerational effects to the former, whereas its effects on the maternal plants originated from disc seeds were exactly opposite. These different effects on offspring corresponded with different seed abscisic acid and soluble sugar contents but not seed provisioning. Dimorphism-dependent transgenerational effects allow large divergence of drought tolerance among offspring, which may be an important but under-explored mechanism to balance the needs of population maintenance and range expansion in seed-dimorphic species.
Measuring PROMIS® Global Health in Early Childhood
Authors: Kallen Michael A , Lai Jin-Shei , Blackwell Courtney K , Schuchard Julia R , Forrest Christopher B , Wakschlag Lauren S , Cella David
Published: March 2022

Objective

Assessing general (“global”) health is important to clinicians caring for patients, researchers studying patient subgroups, and epidemiologists tracking population trends. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) introduced an adult self-report Global Health measure (ages 18+) in 2009 and pediatric versions (ages 5–17 years) in 2014. Our aim was to extend global health assessment to 1–5-year olds.

Methods

We used the PROMIS mixed-methods approach to develop PROMIS Early Childhood (EC) Global Health, emphasizing qualitative measure development guidance utilizing input from experts and parents. Quantitatively, we conducted two data collection waves with parents of 1–5-year olds and applied state-of-the-science measure development methods, including exploratory, confirmatory, and bi-factor analytics, particularly regarding potentially multi-dimensional Global Health item content. We conducted a series of hypothesis-based across-domain association analyses, which were more exploratory in nature, and known-groups validity analyses.

Results

Experts emphasized the physical, mental, and social facets of global health, and parents described the broader, overarching construct. Using Waves 1 (N = 1,400) and 2 (N = 1,057) data, we retained six items directly sourced from the age 5–17 version and two new items. The resulting 8-item PROMIS EC Global Health was sufficiently unidimensional, so we fit item responses to the graded response model for parameter estimation. This produced an 8-item scale with one total score. Across-domain associations and known-groups validity analyses largely supported our hypotheses.

Conclusions

We achieved our aim to extend global health assessment to 1–5-year olds and to thereby expand the range of PROMIS life course global health assessment from children aged 1–17 years, to adults of all ages.
Seroconversion and antibody persistence after yellow fever vaccination in people living with HIV: impact of baseline HIV viral load and yellow fever seropositivity
Authors: Martin Charlotte , Florence Eric , Domingo Cristina , Delforge Marc , De Wit Stéphane , Dauby Nicolas
Published: March 2022

Background

Data on seroconversion rates following yellow fever (YF) vaccine and effect of revaccination in people living with HIV (PLWH) are scarce. We aimed at determining key factors for seroconversion after YF vaccine in PLWH and the role of preexisting neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) at vaccination.

Methods

A retrospective cross-sectional study at several timepoints in two Belgian AIDS Reference Center. For each individual, plasma samples from three timepoints were selected: Timepoint 0 (TP0) in the year before administration of the YF vaccine, Timepoint 1 (TP1) in the year following the YF vaccine, Timepoint 2 (TP2) >1 year after the YF vaccine. Plasma samples were analysed for YF NAbs by plaque reduction neutralization test. The primary endpoint was the number of patients with protective levels of NAbs ≥ 1/10. A boosted immune response was defined as a 4-fold increase in serologic titres following revaccination.

Results

Of the 160 PLWH included, protective levels of NAbs were present in 36%, 87% and 72% of subjects at baseline, at a median of 12 months and a median of 96 months after YF vaccination, respectively. Among vaccine recipients negative for YF NAbs at baseline (n = 102), 83% seroconverted. PLWH with undetectable HIV viral load (VL) at baseline were more likely to seroconvert (P < 0·01). A booster response was observed in only 17% of subjects with baseline seropositivity (n = 10 out of 58). In multivariate analysis, undetectable HIV VL at vaccination and baseline YF seropositivity were associated with persistent levels of protective NAbs at a median of 8 years after YF vaccination.

Conclusion

Undetectable HIV VL at baseline is associated with high rates of seroconversion. YF seropositivity before revaccination is associated with low rates of booster effect but a higher chance of long term persistent NAbs response, suggesting a benefit of revaccination in PLWH.
Richard Pynson’s Property in St Clement Danes, 1491–1500
Authors: Payne M T W
Published: March 2022

This bibliographical note explores a previously unknown lease to the printer Richard Pynson by the Knights of St John of property in St Clement Danes, to the west of the City of London, in 1495. As well as providing further evidence for the location of Pynson’s first press, it also suggests that the date of his first lease of the same property, and hence of his setting up of one of the earliest printing presses in London, was during the summer of 1491.
Kinematic footprint of the Milky Way spiral arms in Gaia EDR3
Authors: Martinez-Medina Luis , Pérez-Villegas Angeles , Peimbert Antonio
Published: March 2022

The Milky Way spiral arms are well established from star counts as well as from the locus of molecular clouds and other young objects; however, they have only recently started to be observed from a kinematics point of view. Using the kinematics of thin disc stars in Gaia EDR3 around the extended solar neighbourhood, we create x–y projections coloured by the radial, residual rotational, and vertical Galactocentric velocities (U, ΔV, W). The maps are rich in substructures and reveal the perturbed state of the Galactic disc. We find that local differences between rotational velocity and the azimuthally averaged velocity, ΔV, display at least five large-scale kinematic spirals; two of them closely follow the locus of the Sagittarius-Carina and Perseus spiral arms, with pitch angles of 9.12° and 7.76°, and vertical thickness of ∼400 pc and ∼600 pc, respectively. Another kinematic spiral is located behind the Perseus arm and appears as a distortion in rotation velocities left by this massive arm but with no known counterpart in gas or stars overdensity. A weaker signal close to the Sun’s position is present in our three velocity maps, and appears to be associated with the Local arm. Our analysis of the stellar velocities in the Galactic disc shows kinematic differences between arms and interarms that are in favour of Milky Way spiral arms that do not corotate with the disc. Moreover, we show that the kinematic spirals are clumpy and flocculent, revealing the underlying nature of the Milky Way spiral arms.
Cold and hot gas distribution around the Milky-Way – M31 system in the HESTIA simulations
Authors: Damle Mitali , Sparre Martin , Richter Philipp , Hani Maan H , Nuza Sebastián E , Pfrommer Christoph , Grand Robert J J , Hoffman Yehuda , Libeskind Noam , Sorce Jenny G , Steinmetz Matthias , Tempel Elmo , Vogelsberger Mark , Wang Peng
Published: March 2022

Recent observations have revealed remarkable insights into the gas reservoir in the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of galaxy haloes. In this paper, we characterize the gas in the vicinity of Milky Way and Andromeda analogues in the hestia (High resolution Environmental Simulations of The Immediate Area) suite of constrained Local Group (LG) simulations. The hestia suite comprise of a set of three high-resolution arepo-based simulations of the LG, run using the Auriga galaxy formation model. For this paper, we focus only on the z = 0 simulation data sets and generate mock skymaps along with a power spectrum analysis to show that the distributions of ions tracing low-temperature gas (H i and Si iii) are more clumpy in comparison to warmer gas tracers (O vi, O vii, and O viii). We compare to the spectroscopic CGM observations of M31 and low-redshift galaxies. hestia underproduces the column densities of the M31 observations, but the simulations are consistent with the observations of low-redshift galaxies. A possible explanation for these findings is that the spectroscopic observations of M31 are contaminated by gas residing in the CGM of the Milky Way.
Major and minor flares on Cygnus X-3 revisited
Authors: Spencer Ralph E , Garrett Michael , Bray Justin D , Green David A
Published: March 2022

Intense flares at cm wavelengths reaching levels of tens of Jy have been observed from Cygnus X-3 for many years. This active high-mass X-ray binary also has periods of quenching before major outbursts, and has minor flares at levels of a few hundred mJy. In this paper, we show that the minor flares have much shorter rise times and durations suggesting more rapid expansion of the synchrotron radiation emitting material than in the strong flares. They also appear closer to the binary, whereas the large flares form a more developed jet. Calculations of physical conditions show that the minor outbursts have lower minimum power but have larger magnetic fields and energy densities than the major flares. Minor flares can occur while a major flare is in progress, suggesting an indirect coupling between them. The spectral evolution of the minor flares can be explained by either an expanding synchrotron source or a shock model. The possibility that there is a brightening zone as in SS433 is explored.