bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Polariton vortex Chern insulator [Invited]
Authors: Harrison S. L. , Nalitov A. , Lagoudakis P. G. , Sigurðsson H.
Published: August 2023

We propose a vortex Chern insulator, motivated by recent experimental demonstrations on programmable arrangements of cavity polariton vortices by [S. Alyatkin et al., arXiv, ArXiv:2207.01850 (2022)10.48550/arXiv.2207.01850 ] and [J. Wang et al, Natl. Sci. Rev. 10, Nwac096 (2022)10.1093/nsr/nwac096]. In the absence of any external fields, time-reversal symmetry is spontaneously broken through polariton condensation into structured arrangements of localized co-rotating vortices. We characterize the response of the rotating condensate lattice by calculating the spectrum of Bogoliubov elementary excitations and observe the crossing of edge-states, of opposite vorticity, connecting bands with opposite Chern numbers. The emergent topologically nontrivial energy gap stems from inherent vortex anisotropic polariton-polariton interactions and does not require any spin-orbit coupling, external magnetic fields, or elliptically polarized pump fields.
Harnessing exciton-polaritons for digital computing, neuromorphic computing, and optimization [Invited]
Authors: Opala Andrzej , Matuszewski Michał
Published: August 2023

Polaritons are quasiparticles resulting from the strong quantum coupling of light and matter. Peculiar properties of polaritons are a mixture of physics usually restricted to one of these realms, making them interesting for study not only from the fundamental point of view but also for applications. In recent years, many studies have been devoted to the potential use of exciton-polaritons for computing. Very recently, it has been shown experimentally that they can be harnessed not only for digital computing but also for optical neural networks and for optimization related to hard computational problems. Here, we provide a brief review of recent studies and the most important results in this area. We focus our attention, in particular, on the emerging concepts of non-von-Neumann computing schemes and their realizations in exciton-polariton systems.
Restoration of energy homeostasis under oxidative stress: Duo synergistic AMPK pathways regulating arginine kinases
Authors: Zhang Nan , Meng Xiangkun , Jiang Heng , Ge Huichen , Qian Kun , Zheng Yang , Park Yoonseong , Wang Jianjun
Published: August 2023

Rapid depletion of cellular ATP can occur by oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Maintaining energy homeostasis requires the key molecular components AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and arginine kinase (AK), an invertebrate orthologue of the mammalian creatine kinase (CK). Here, we deciphered two independent and synergistic pathways of AMPK acting on AK by using the beetle Tribolium castaneum as a model system. First, AMPK acts on transcriptional factor forkhead box O (FOXO) leading to phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of the FOXO. The phospho-FOXO directly promotes the expression of AK upon oxidative stress. Concomitantly, AMPK directly phosphorylates the AK to switch the direction of enzymatic catalysis for rapid production of ATP from the phosphoarginine-arginine pool. Further in vitro assays revealed that Sf9 cells expressing phospho-deficient AK mutants displayed the lower ATP/ADP ratio and cell viability under paraquat-induced oxidative stress conditions when compared with Sf9 cells expressing wild-type AKs. Additionally, the AMPK-FOXO-CK pathway is also involved in the restoration of ATP homeostasis under oxidative stress in mammalian HEK293 cells. Overall, we provide evidence that two distinct AMPK-AK pathways, transcriptional and post-translational regulations, are coherent responders to acute oxidative stresses and distinguished from classical AMPK-mediated long-term metabolic adaptations to energy challenge.
Epilepsy and nodding syndrome in association with an Onchocerca volvulus infection drive distinct immune profile patterns
Authors: Arndts Kathrin , Kegele Josua , Massarani Alain S. , Ritter Manuel , Wagner Thomas , Pfarr Kenneth , Lämmer Christine , Dörmann Peter , Peisker Helga , Menche Dirk , Al-Bahra Mazen , Prazeres da Costa Clarissa , Schmutzhard Erich , Matuja William , Hoerauf Achim , Layland-Heni Laura E. , Winkler Andrea S.
Published: August 2023

Previous studies have described the association of onchocerciasis (caused by Onchocerca volvulus) with epilepsy, including nodding syndrome, although a clear etiological link is still missing. Cases are found in different African countries (Tanzania, South Sudan, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic and Cameroon). In our study we investigated immunological parameters (cytokine, chemokine, immunoglobulin levels) in individuals from the Mahenge area, Tanzania, presenting with either epilepsy or nodding syndrome with or without O. volvulus infection and compared them to O. volvulus negative individuals from the same endemic area lacking neurological disorders. Additionally, cell differentiation was performed using blood smears and systemic levels of neurodegeneration markers, leiomodin-1 and N-acetyltyramine-O, β-glucuronide (NATOG) were determined. Our findings revealed that cytokines, most chemokines and neurodegeneration markers were comparable between both groups presenting with epilepsy or nodding syndrome. However, we observed elevated eosinophil percentages within the O. volvulus positive epilepsy/nodding syndrome patients accompanied with increased eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and antigen-specific IgG levels in comparison to those without an O. volvulus infection. Furthermore, highest levels of NATOG were found in O. volvulus positive nodding syndrome patients. These findings highlight that the detection of distinct biomarkers might be useful for a differential diagnosis of epilepsy and nodding syndrome in O. volvulus endemic areas.

Trial-registration: NCT03653975.
Reduction of aerosol dissemination in a dental area generated by high-speed and scaler ultrasonic devices employing the “Prime Protector”
Authors: Guzmán-Flores Esthelvia Carolina , Fuentes-Ayala Amparo Rocío , Martínez-Martínez Alicia Consuelo , Aguayo-Félix Daniela Estefanía , Arellano-Osorio Margarita Valeria , Campuzano-Donoso Martín , Román-Galeano Náthaly Mercedes , Llerena-Velásquez Melanie , Vásquez-Tenorio Yajaira
Published: August 2023

The use of an external dome aerosol containment device (Prime Protector) is proposed to reduce the spread of particles within the dental office. Hence, the aim of our study was to compare the spread of bioaerosols generated by a High-speed Handpiece (HH) and an Ultrasonic Prophylaxis Device (UPD), with and without the Prime Protector dome (PP) by counting Colony Forming Units (CFU) of Lactobacillus casei Shirota, at different distances on the x and y axis. The PP was located considering the parallelism between the base of the dome and the frontal plane of the simulator, aligning the center of the mouth with the center of the dome. The PP dome measurements are 560.0mm x 255.0mm x 5mm. Petri dishes were placed at 0.5 m, 1 m and 1.5 m respectively. Aerosol generation in the laboratory environment was done three times with the following experimental groups 1) HH, 2) HH-PP, 3) UPD, 4) UPD-PP. Each dental device activation (HH and UPD) had a time frame of 2 minutes on the upper anterior teeth of the dental phantom with a liquid suspension containing Lactobacillus casei Shirota (YAKULT 0836A 0123; 1027F 0407). Air pressure and ventilation were parameterized. No separate high-volume evacuation used, nor was there any air removal attached to the dome. Results showed no significant difference between distance and axis in the CFU count. When means for devices and distances were compared between each of them all showed significant differences except for UPD and UPD-PP (p <0,004). In conclusion, external devices like Prime Protector could help decrease aerosol diffusion during high-speed handpiece activation. However, this dome does not replace the use of PPE inside dental clinics.
How important are concurrent vehicle control groups in (sub)chronic non-human primate toxicity studies conducted in pharmaceutical development? An opportunity to reduce animal numbers
Authors: Mecklenburg Lars , Lenz Sarah , Hempel Georg
Published: August 2023

Safety assessment of human pharmaceuticals demands extensive animal experiments before a compound can be tested in patients or released on the market. Such experiments typically include concurrent vehicle control groups. Reconsidering the need for concurrent controls could support the strive to reduce the use of animals for scientific purposes. We reviewed reports from 20 (sub)chronic toxicity studies that were conducted in non-human primates (NHP) to characterize hazards of novel human pharmaceuticals. Firstly, we determined the toxicological endpoints that were identified to characterize the hazard. Secondly, we evaluated if the hazard could have been identified without reference to the concurrent controls. Thirdly, we employed an alternative statistical method to test for any significant change related to dose level or time. We found that toxicologically relevant hazards were identifiable without reference to concurrent controls, because individual measurements could be compared with pre-dosing values or because individual measurements could be compared to historical reference data. Effects that could not be evaluated without reference to concurrent controls were clinical observations and organ weights for which appropriate historical reference data was not available, or immune responses that could not be compared to pre-dosing measurements because their magnitude would change over time. Our investigation indicates that concurrent control groups in (sub)chronic NHP toxicity studies are of limited relevance for reaching the study objective. Under certain conditions, regulatory (sub)chronic NHP toxicity studies represent a good starting point to implement virtual control groups rather than concurrent control groups in nonclinical safety testing.
Reproductive Coercion by Intimate Partners: Prevalence and Correlates in Canadian Individuals with the Capacity to be Pregnant
Authors: Lévesque Sylvie , Rousseau Catherine , Jean-Thorn Arianne , Lapierre Simon , Fernet Mylène , Cousineau Marie-Marthe
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Despite the large body of research on violence against women, violence that specifically targets women’s reproductive autonomy and control over their reproductive health, called reproductive coercion (RC), is poorly documented in Canada. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of RC behaviors in an adult Canadian community sample and to explore associated factors.

Study design

A self-report online questionnaire was administered from September 2020 to April 2021 in Quebec and Ontario, Canada. Participants were recruited via social media, sexual and reproductive health clinics, community-based anti-violence organizations, and the project’s partner organizations. The questionnaire contained validated RC questionnaire items and new items drawn from previous qualitative work. The sample comprised 427 participants, mostly self-identified as women (92%), aged 18 to 55 years (M = 29.01; SD = 6.64). Descriptive analyses and binary logistic regressions were conducted using SPSS 27.

Results

The results of this study show that 63.9% of participants reported at least one lifetime experience of RC. According to our data, contraceptive sabotage was the most common form (62.8%). Of the participants who had been pregnant, 9.8% reported control of pregnancy outcomes. Each RC category shows a different pattern of correlates. The findings also reveal that intimate partner violence (IPV) increases the likelihood of contraceptive sabotage. Moreover, the study suggests that low education level and IPV increase the risk for control of pregnancy outcomes.

Conclusion

These findings underscore the importance of RC in the lives of many Canadian individuals with the capacity to be pregnant, and they highlight certain factors that place individuals at greater risk for RC. This knowledge can inform the development of prevention efforts and clinical interventions.
Effect of automaticity induced by treadmill walking on prefrontal cortex activation and dual-task performance in older adults
Authors: Baek Chang Yoon , Kim Hyeong Dong , Yoo Dong Yup , Kang Kyoung Yee , Woo Lee Jang
Published: August 2023

As individuals age, they may experience a decline in gait automaticity, which requires increased attentional resources for the control of gait. This age-related decline in gait automaticity has been shown to contribute to higher prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation and lower dual-task performance during dual-task walking in older adults. This study is to investigate the effect of treadmill walking on PFC activation and dual-task performance in older adults. A total of 20 older adults (mean age, 64.35 ± 2.74 years) and 20 younger adults (mean age, 30.00 ± 3.15 years) performed single- and dual-task walking in overground and treadmill conditions. A wearable functional near-infrared spectroscopy and gait analyzer were used to analyze PFC activation and dual-task performance, respectively. To determine the dual-task (gait and cognitive) performance, the dual-task cost (DTC) was calculated using the following formula: (single-task − dual-task)/single-task × 100. In both groups, dual-task treadmill walking led to reduced PFC activation and reduced DTC compared to dual-task overground walking. Furthermore, despite a higher DTC in gait variability, correct response, total response, response index and a higher error score in older adults than in younger adults during overground walking, there was no difference in treadmill walking. The difference in PFC activation between single- and dual-tasks was also observed only in overground walking. Performing dual-task walking on a treadmill compared to overground walking results in different levels of dual-task performance and PFC activity. Specifically, older adults are able to maintain similar levels of dual-task performance as younger adults while walking on a treadmill, with reduced PFC activation due to the automaticity induced by the treadmill. Therefore, older adults who exhibit low dual-task performance during overground walking may be able to improve their performance while walking on a treadmill with fewer attentional resources.
Knee joint biomechanics and cartilage damage prediction during landing: A hybrid MD-FE-musculoskeletal modeling
Authors: Adouni Malek , Alkhatib Fadi , Gouissem Afif , Faisal Tanvir R.
Published: August 2023

Understanding the mechanics behind knee joint injuries and providing appropriate treatment is crucial for improving physical function, quality of life, and employability. In this study, we used a hybrid molecular dynamics-finite element-musculoskeletal model to determine the level of loads the knee can withstand when landing from different heights (20, 40, 60 cm), including the height at which cartilage damage occurs. The model was driven by kinematics–kinetics data of asymptomatic subjects at the peak loading instance of drop landing. Our analysis revealed that as landing height increased, the forces on the knee joint also increased, particularly in the vastus muscles and medial gastrocnemius. The patellar tendon experienced more stress than other ligaments, and the medial plateau supported most of the tibial cartilage contact forces and stresses. The load was mostly transmitted through cartilage-cartilage interaction and increased with landing height. The critical height of 126 cm, at which cartilage damage was initiated, was determined by extrapolating the collected data using an iterative approach. Damage initiation and propagation were mainly located in the superficial layers of the tibiofemoral and patellofemoral cartilage. Finally, this study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of landing-associated cartilage damage and could help limit joint injuries and improve training programs.
The effect of adjuvant radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery in elderly women with T1-2N0 estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer
Authors: Chen Can , Wang Runlu , Wang Bing , Wu Yue , Jiang Jingting
Published: August 2023

Purpose

To evaluate whether adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) following breast-conserving surgery (BCS) results in better survival among women ≥ 70 years with T1-2N0 estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, we included patients who met the inclusion criteria between 2010 and 2015 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program. Univariate and Multivariate Cox proportional analysis were used to identify the risk factors for overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare the prognosis of patients with or without adjuvant RT. Propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to perform a 1:1 matched case-control analysis.

Results

A total of 4201 women were included in this study, with a median follow-up time of 64 months (range: 0–107 months). Of these patients, 2811 (66.9%) received adjuvant RT, while 1390 (33.1%) did not. Patients who did not receive adjuvant RT were more likely to be aged ≥ 80 years old, have a single marital status, larger tumors, and HER2-positive status (p < 0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional analysis indicated that receiving adjuvant RT was an independent factor associated with better OS and BCSS before and after PSM (P < 0.001). The survival curves before and after PSM showed that patients achieved an improved OS and BCSS from adjuvant RT (P < 0.005). In the subgroup analysis, there was no survival benefit trend from adjuvant RT in patients who were ≥ 80 years, or those with T1mic+T1a, T1b tumors.

Conclusions

The use of RT following BCS in older women with T1-2N0 ER-negative breast cancer is associated with improve OS and BCSS. However, the potential benefit may be relatively limited for patients ≥ 80 years, or those with T1mic+T1a, T1b tumors.
Copper homeostasis-associated gene PRNP regulates ferroptosis and immune infiltration in breast cancer
Authors: Lin Changwei , He Jiaqing , Tong Xiaopei , Song Liying
Published: August 2023

Breast cancer (BRCA) is one of the most common cancers in women. Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element implicated in many physiological processes and human diseases, including BRCA. In this study, we performed bioinformatics analysis and experiments to determine differentially expressed copper homeostasis-associated genes in BRCA. Based on two Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, the copper homeostasis-associated gene, prion protein (PRNP), a highly conserved ubiquitous glycoprotein, was significantly down-regulated in BRCA compared to normal tissues. Moreover, PRNP expression predicted a better prognosis in BRCA patients. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated that PRNP was potentially linked with several cancer-associated signaling pathways, including regulation of inflammatory response and oxidative phosphorylation. To validate the biological functions of PRNP, we overexpressed PRNP in BRCA cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and BT-549. CCK8 assay showed that PRNP overexpression significantly increased the sensitivity of gefitinib in BRCA cells. Overexpression of PRNP resulted in increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production upon gefitinib treatment and ferroptosis selective inhibitor, ferrostatin-1 attenuated the enhanced ROS production effect of PRNP in BRCA cells. PRNP expression was positively correlated with macrophages, Th1 cells, neutrophils, and B cells, while negatively correlated with NK CD56 bright cells and Th17 cells in BRCA. Single-cell analysis showed that PRNP was highly expressed in M1 phenotype macrophages, essential tumor-suppressing cells in the tumor stroma. Therefore, our findings suggest that PRNP may participate in ROS-mediated ferroptosis and is a potential novel therapeutic target of chemotherapy and immunotherapy in BRCA.
Unsupervised anomaly appraisal of cleft faces using a StyleGAN2-based model adaptation technique
Authors: Hayajneh Abdullah , Shaqfeh Mohammad , Serpedin Erchin , Stotland Mitchell A.
Published: August 2023

A novel machine learning framework that is able to consistently detect, localize, and measure the severity of human congenital cleft lip anomalies is introduced. The ultimate goal is to fill an important clinical void: to provide an objective and clinically feasible method of gauging baseline facial deformity and the change obtained through reconstructive surgical intervention. The proposed method first employs the StyleGAN2 generative adversarial network with model adaptation to produce a normalized transformation of 125 faces, and then uses a pixel-wise subtraction approach to assess the difference between all baseline images and their normalized counterparts (a proxy for severity of deformity). The pipeline of the proposed framework consists of the following steps: image preprocessing, face normalization, color transformation, heat-map generation, morphological erosion, and abnormality scoring. Heatmaps that finely discern anatomic anomalies visually corroborate the generated scores. The proposed framework is validated through computer simulations as well as by comparison of machine-generated versus human ratings of facial images. The anomaly scores yielded by the proposed computer model correlate closely with human ratings, with a calculated Pearson’s r score of 0.89. The proposed pixel-wise measurement technique is shown to more closely mirror human ratings of cleft faces than two other existing, state-of-the-art image quality metrics (Learned Perceptual Image Patch Similarity and Structural Similarity Index). The proposed model may represent a new standard for objective, automated, and real-time clinical measurement of faces affected by congenital cleft deformity.
Dynamic spillovers and portfolio implication between green cryptocurrencies and fossil fuels
Authors: Umar Zaghum , Choi Sun-Yong , Teplova Tamara , Sokolova Tatiana
Published: August 2023

Are green investments decoupled from the dirty investment such as the fossil fuel markets? We address this issue by extending the literature on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) assets by examining the dynamic relationship between fossil fuels and digital ESG assets proxied by green cryptocurrencies using the TVP-VAR(Time-varying parameter vector auto regression) spillover framework. Furthermore, we analyze the hedging attributes of green cryptocurrencies and fossil fuels in a minimum connectedness framework. The main findings are as follows: First, green cryptocurrencies are the main shock transmitters in all asset systems. Second, the dynamic connectedness between green cryptocurrencies and fossil fuels increased during the COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine conflicts. Third, green cryptocurrencies have shown considerable hedging effectiveness against the fossil fuels. Our study has important implications for investors, regulators, and policy makers, such as shifting to green cryptocurrencies, regulation of carbon footprint, and promoting eco-friendly assets.
Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards COVID-19: Community survey in southern Ethiopia
Authors: Endriyas Misganu , Shibru Endashaw , Hussen Mamush , Melka Mintesinot , Lemango Fiseha , Kibru Seyife , Taye Degu , Tadele Alelign
Published: August 2023

Background

Being well informed about the pandemic and how the virus spreads help to prevent and control the pandemic. Health authorities should monitor community practice to prevent the pandemic to identify gaps and minimize risks. This study was, therefore, designed to assess community knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) related to COVID-19 prevention and its associated factors in urban settings.

Methods

Community based cross-sectional study was conducted in southern Ethiopia. Twelve towns with high population density and mobility and 1162 participants were included in the study using multi-stage sampling. Semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Mask use was assessed by observation while social distancing and handwashing were assessed by interview. Good practice was defined as wearing face mask, keeping social distance and handwashing. Data was collected by health professionals who have BSc and above (in nursing and public health) and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression at 95% confidence level were performed.

Results

From 1162 respondents, about three fifths, 714 (61.4%), were females and 829 (64.2%) were married. The mean knowledge score was 69.7 (SD±17.87) while mean score for attitude was 80.6 (SD±6.29). Only about one third, 380 (32.7%), had good practice. Occupation, age and overall knowledge about COVID-19 and its prevention were associated with good COVID-19 prevention measures.

Conclusion

Knowledge and attitude related to COVID-19 prevention and control were moderate while practice was low. The risk communication strategy should be strengthened using precautionary advocacy.
Feasibility of a pragmatic randomized adaptive clinical trial to evaluate a brief negotiational interview for harmful and hazardous alcohol use in Moshi, Tanzania
Authors: Staton Catherine A. , Friedman Kaitlyn , Phillips Ashley J. , Minnig Mary Catherine , Sakita Francis M. , Ngowi Kennedy M. , Suffoletto Brian , Hirshon Jon Mark , Swahn Monica , Mmbaga Blandina T. , Vissoci Joao Ricardo Nickenig
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Low-resourced settings often lack personnel and infrastructure for alcohol use disorder treatment. We culturally adapted a Brief Negotiational Interview (BNI) for Emergency Department injury patients, the “Punguza Pombe Kwa Afya Yako (PPKAY)” (“Reduce Alcohol For Your Health”) in Tanzania. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of a pragmatic randomized adaptive controlled trial of the PPKAY intervention.

Materials and methods

This feasibility trial piloted a single-blind, parallel, adaptive, and multi-stage, block-randomized controlled trial, which will subsequently be used to determine the most effective intervention, with or without text message booster, to reduce alcohol use among injury patients. We reported our feasibility pilot study using theReach,Effectiveness,Adoption,Implementation,Maintenance(RE-AIM) framework, with recruitment and retention rates being our primary and secondary outcomes. We enrolled adult patients seeking care for an acute injury at the Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center in Tanzania if they (1) exhibited an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) ≥8, (2) disclosed alcohol use prior to injury, or (3) had a breathalyzer ≥0.0 on arrival.Interventionarms were usual care (UC), PPKAY, PPKAY with standard text booster, or a PPKAY with a personalized text booster.

Results

Overall, 181 patients were screened and 75 enrolled with 80% 6-week, 82.7% 3-month and 84% 6-month follow-up rates showing appropriateReachand retention.Adoptionmeasures showed an overwhelmingly positive patient acceptance with 100% of patients perceiving a positive impact on their behavior. TheImplementationand trial processes were performed with high rates of PPKAY fidelity (76%) and SMS delivery (74%). Intervention nurses believedMaintenanceand sustainability of this 30-minute, low-cost intervention and adaptive clinical trial were feasible.

Conclusions

Our intervention and trial design are feasible and acceptable, have evidence of good fidelity, and did not show problematic deviations in protocol. Results suggest support for undertaking a full trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the PPKAY, a nurse-driven BNI in a low-income country.

Trial registration

Trial registration numberNCT02828267.https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02828267.
Exploring the application of machine learning to expert evaluation of research impact
Authors: Williams Kate , Michalska Sandra , Cohen Eliel , Szomszor Martin , Grant Jonathan
Published: August 2023

The objective of this study is to investigate the application of machine learning techniques to the large-scale human expert evaluation of the impact of academic research. Using publicly available impact case study data from the UK’s Research Excellence Framework (2014), we trained five machine learning models on a range of qualitative and quantitative features, including institution, discipline, narrative style (explicit and implicit), and bibliometric and policy indicators. Our work makes two key contributions. Based on the accuracy metric in predicting high- and low-scoring impact case studies, it shows that machine learning models are able to process information to make decisions that resemble those of expert evaluators. It also provides insights into the characteristics of impact case studies that would be favoured if a machine learning approach was applied for their automated assessment. The results of the experiments showed strong influence of institutional context, selected metrics of narrative style, as well as the uptake of research by policy and academic audiences. Overall, the study demonstrates promise for a shift from descriptive to predictive analysis, but suggests caution around the use of machine learning for the assessment of impact case studies.
Cluster synchronization for controlled nodes via the dynamics of edges in complex dynamical networks
Authors: Liu Lizhi , Chen Cao , Gao Zilin , Cheng Bo
Published: August 2023

An appropriate dynamic coupling form between nodes and edges’ state can effectively promote the emergence of desired network function (phenomenon), but the existing literatures have not conducted in-depth research on the coupling mechanism. This paper mainly focuses on the coupling auxiliary mechanism of dynamic edges for the emergence of cluster phenomenon of nodes, explores the essential relation between structure and function in complex dynamical networks (CDNs). Firstly, a novel model of CDNs has dynamic systems attached on not only nodes but also edges is proposed from the viewpoint of large-scale system. Secondly, a feedback nodes controller is synthesized associate with the designed linear and adaptive dynamics of edges. Via the appropriate dynamic behaviors of the edges system, the controlled nodes can realize cluster synchronized. Finally, the validity of the proposed approaches is verified by a given numerical example.
The effect of sex and age on facial shape directional asymmetry in adults: A 3D landmarks-based method study
Authors: Harnádková Katarína , Kočandrlová Karolina , Kožejová Jaklová Lenka , Dupej Ján , Velemínská Jana
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Facial directional asymmetry research, including age-related changes, is crucial for the evaluation of treatment of craniofacial malformations/trauma in orthodontics, facial surgery and forensic sciences. The aim was to describe facial directional asymmetry (DA) in different age categories of adults using 3D methods. According to our hypothesis, facialshape DA(1) depends on sex; (2) differs among age groups; and (3) has wider variability in older age.

Material and methods

A cross-sectional sample of healthy Czech adults without craniofacial trauma or anomalies consisted of 300 3D facial models (151 females). The age-range in the study was between 20–80 years. The shape asymmetry of 28 3D landmarks was evaluated using geometric morphometrics and multivariate statistics.

Results

The manifestation of DA was similar in both sexes and in each age category; however, there were some statistical differences. In contrast to the ideal symmetrical face, the mean asymmetrical faces tended to create a slightly bent “C” shape of the midline. Therefore, the upper face was rotated slightly clockwise and the lower face counter-clockwise. The right eye was located slightly higher, with the nasal tip and mandibular region tilting to the left. Sex differences in facial DA were significant before the age of 40. DA was more significant in the youngest males than in the oldest, while the women’s DA did not change.

Conclusions

The DA patterns were similar in both sexes and in all age categories (a slightly bent C shape of the midline); however, some significant local differences between male age groups were found. A significantly more pronounced asymmetry compared to other age groups was found only in the youngest males from 20 to 40 years. Moreover, significant sexual dimorphism of DA rapidly decreased after middle age, likely caused by the same age-related changes of the face during aging.
An approach to difficult airway in infants: Comparison of GlideScope® Spectrum LoPro, GlideScope® Spectrum Miller and conventional Macintosh and Miller blades in a simulated Pierre Robin sequence performed by 90 anesthesiologists
Authors: Irouschek Andrea , Moritz Andreas , Kremer Sven , Fuchte Tobias , Danzl Anja , Schmidt Joachim , Golditz Tobias
Published: August 2023

Background

Airway management can be challenging in neonates and infants. The Pierre Robin sequence (PRS) is a condition characterized by micrognathia, glossoptosis and airway obstruction. The airway management of these patients poses great challenges for anesthesiologists and pediatricians alike. To date, there has been no direct comparison of the hyperangulated GlideScope® Spectrum LoPro (GLP), the straight GlideScope® Spectrum Miller (GSM), a conventional Macintosh (MC) and a conventional Miller blade (ML) in patients with PRS.

Methods

For this purpose, 90 anesthesiologists (43 with limited experience, 47 with extensive experience) performed orotracheal intubation on an Air-Sim® Pierre Robin X manikin using GLP, GSM, MC and ML in randomized order. ‘Time-to-vocal-cords’, ‘time-to-intubate’, ‘time-to-ventilate’, the severity of oral-soft-tissue-trauma and the subjective evaluation of each device were recorded.

Results

A significantly faster and better view of the vocal cords and lower oral-soft-tissue-trauma was achieved using the GLP (p<0.001). Though, there were no significant differences in the ‘time-to-intubate’ or ‘time-to-ventilate’. The highest intubation success rate was found with GSM and the lowest with GLP (GSM 100%, ML 97.8%, MC 96.7%, GLP 93.3%). When using the videolaryngoscopes, there were no undetected esophageal intubations but in six cases prolonged attempts of intubation (>120s) with the GLP. In the sub-group with extensive experience, we found significantly shorter intubation times for the GSM and ML. The GLP was the tool of choice for most participants, while the conventional MC received the lowest rating.

Conclusions

Videolaryngoscopy leads to increased safety for the prevention of undetected esophageal intubation in the airway management in a PRS manikin. Hyperangulated blades may ensure a good and fast view of the vocal cords and low oral-soft-tissue-trauma but pose a challenge during the placement of the tube. Specific skills and handling seem to be necessary to ensure a safe tube placement with this sort of blades.
Point-of-care PCR testing of SARS-CoV-2 in the emergency department: Influence on workflow and efficiency
Authors: Fistera David , Kikull Katja , Risse Joachim , Herrmann Anke , Brachmann Matthias , Kill Clemens
Published: August 2023

Problem

Regarding transmissible viral diseases such as those caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, one of the key challenges is isolation management until final diagnosis.

This study investigates the influence of SARS-CoV-2 point-of-care (POC) PCR on workflow and efficiency in an emergency department (ED) of a tertiary university hospital.

Method

An analysis of 17,875 ED patients receiving either SARS-CoV-2 POC PCR (rapid PCR, 11,686 patients) or conventional laboratory SARS-CoV-2 PCR (conventional PCR, 6,189 patients) was performed. The pathways for both groups were mapped and compared, and process times from admission to diagnosis were measured. Effects on resource management within the ED were quantified. Direct costs due to isolation, loss of capacities, and revenues were calculated for inpatients.

Results

The mean time from admission to result was 1.62 h with rapid PCR and 16.08 h with conventional PCR (p < 0.01), reducing the isolation time by 14.46 h. In the first 2 h after testing, test results were available for > 75% of the rapid PCR group and none of the conventional PCR group. Ninety percent of the results were available within 3 h for the rapid PCR and within 21 h for the conventional PCR group. For the conventional PCR group, an increase in direct costs of €35.74 and lost revenues of €421.06 for each inpatient case was detected.

Conclusion

Rapid PCR significantly reduces the time-to-results and time for isolation relative to conventional PCR. Although testing costs for rapid PCR are higher, it benefits workflow, reduces total costs, and frees up ward capacity.
Corporate social responsibility and firm performance nexus: Moderating role of CEO chair duality
Authors: Nasir Wasim , Hassan Arshad , Khan Mushtaq Hussain
Published: August 2023

This study aims to explore the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm performance in the presence of the moderating role of CEO chair duality. It is widely believed that CSR initiatives and firm performance are largely influenced by psychological factors and the behavior of the decision maker (manager/CEO). Hence, CEO chair duality may play an instrumental role in shaping CSR initiatives to enhance firm performance. For empirical investigation, the study used the dynamic panel data method with generalized method of moment (GMM) parameters. The study considered 131 firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), yielding 1508 firm-year observations, over the period 2006 to 2020. Our results reveal that the impact of CSR on book-based and market-based measures differs due to the asymmetry of information in the market. The market discounts CEO chair duality due to the concentration of power and translates it into negative impact of CSR on firm performance. Thus, firms should not only improve CSR activities but also take steps to reduce asymmetry in markets because the impact on book-based measures and market-based measures of performance are not consistent. Society should also play a role to convince firms in a better way to take CSR initiatives. The perception of transparency should also be improved as CEO chair duality is being negatively seen by the market.
Effect of veterinary feed directive rule changes on tetracycline-resistant and erythromycin-resistant bacteria (Salmonella, Escherichia, and Campylobacter) in retail meats in the United States
Authors: Sarkar Shamim , Okafor Chika
Published: August 2023

Background

Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are a growing public health threat. In 2017 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration implemented Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) rules changes to limit medically important antimicrobial use in food-producing animals, combating antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. The effect of the VFD rule changes on the occurrence of bacteria resistant to medically-important antimicrobials in retail meats is yet to be investigated in the U.S. This study investigates whether the VFD rule changes affected the occurrence of tetracycline-resistant and erythromycin-resistant bacteria (Salmonella, Escherichia, and Campylobacter) in retail meats in the U.S.

Methods

Multivariable mixed effect logistic regression models were used to analyze 2002–2019 retail meats surveillance data from the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) in the U.S. Variables included VFD rule changes, meat type, quarter of year, and raising claims. A potential association between these variables and the occurrence of tetracycline-resistant and erythromycin-resistant bacteria (Salmonella, Escherichia, and Campylobacter) in retail meats was estimated.

Results

Analysis included data regarding tetracycline-resistant Salmonella (n = 8,501), Escherichia (n = 20, 283), Campylobacter (n = 9,682), and erythromycin-resistant Campylobacter (n = 10,446) in retail meats. The odds of detecting tetracycline-resistant Escherichia (OR = 0.60), Campylobacter (OR = 0.89), and erythromycin-resistant Campylobacter (OR = 0.43) in chicken breast significantly decreased after the VFD rule changes, compared to the pre-VFD rule change period. The odds of detecting tetracycline-resistant Salmonella (0.66), Escherichia (OR = 0.56), and Campylobacter (OR = 0.33) in ground turkey also significantly decreased. However, the odds of detecting tetracycline-resistant Salmonella (OR = 1.49) in chicken breast and erythromycin-resistant Campylobacter (OR = 4.63) in ground turkey significantly increased. There was no significant change in the odds of detecting tetracycline-resistant Salmonella and Escherichia in ground beef or pork chops.

Conclusions

The implementation of VFD rule changes had a beneficial effect by reducing the occurrence of tetracycline-resistant and erythromycin-resistant bacteria in chicken and ground turkey. Ongoing surveillance of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use could complement the implementation of stewardship such as VFD rule in food-producing animals in the U.S.
Learning from small data: Classifying sex from retinal images via deep learning
Authors: Berk Aaron , Ozturan Gulcenur , Delavari Parsa , Maberley David , Yılmaz Özgür , Oruc Ipek
Published: August 2023

Deep learning (DL) techniques have seen tremendous interest in medical imaging, particularly in the use of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for the development of automated diagnostic tools. The facility of its non-invasive acquisition makes retinal fundus imaging particularly amenable to such automated approaches. Recent work in the analysis of fundus images using CNNs relies on access to massive datasets for training and validation, composed of hundreds of thousands of images. However, data residency and data privacy restrictions stymie the applicability of this approach in medical settings where patient confidentiality is a mandate. Here, we showcase results for the performance of DL on small datasets to classify patient sex from fundus images—a trait thought not to be present or quantifiable in fundus images until recently. Specifically, we fine-tune a Resnet-152 model whose last layer has been modified to a fully-connected layer for binary classification. We carried out several experiments to assess performance in the small dataset context using one private (DOVS) and one public (ODIR) data source. Our models, developed using approximately 2500 fundus images, achieved test AUC scores of up to 0.72 (95% CI: [0.67, 0.77]). This corresponds to a mere 25% decrease in performance despite a nearly 1000-fold decrease in the dataset size compared to prior results in the literature. Our results show that binary classification, even with a hard task such as sex categorization from retinal fundus images, is possible with very small datasets. Our domain adaptation results show that models trained with one distribution of images may generalize well to an independent external source, as in the case of models trained on DOVS and tested on ODIR. Our results also show that eliminating poor quality images may hamper training of the CNN due to reducing the already small dataset size even further. Nevertheless, using high quality images may be an important factor as evidenced by superior generalizability of results in the domain adaptation experiments. Finally, our work shows that ensembling is an important tool in maximizing performance of deep CNNs in the context of small development datasets.
Exploring the evolution and function of Canoe’s intrinsically disordered region in linking cell-cell junctions to the cytoskeleton during embryonic morphogenesis
Authors: Gurley Noah J. , Szymanski Rachel A. , Dowen Robert H. , Butcher T. Amber , Ishiyama Noboru , Peifer Mark
Published: August 2023

One central question for cell and developmental biologists is defining how epithelial cells can change shape and move during embryonic development without tearing tissues apart. This requires robust yet dynamic connections of cells to one another, via the cell-cell adherens junction, and of junctions to the actin and myosin cytoskeleton, which generates force. The last decade revealed that these connections involve a multivalent network of proteins, rather than a simple linear pathway. We focus onDrosophilaCanoe, homolog of mammalian Afadin, as a model for defining the underlying mechanisms. Canoe and Afadin are complex, multidomain proteins that share multiple domains with defined and undefined binding partners. Both also share a long carboxy-terminal intrinsically disordered region (IDR), whose function is less well defined. IDRs are found in many proteins assembled into large multiprotein complexes. We have combined bioinformatic analysis and the use of a series ofcanoemutants with early stop codons to explore the evolution and function of the IDR. Our bioinformatic analysis reveals that the IDRs of Canoe and Afadin differ dramatically in sequence and sequence properties. When we looked over shorter evolutionary time scales, we identified multiple conserved motifs. Some of these are predicted by AlphaFold to be alpha-helical, and two correspond to known protein interaction sites for alpha-catenin and F-actin. We next identified the lesions in a series of eighteencanoemutants, which have early stop codons across the entire protein coding sequence. Analysis of their phenotypes are consistent with the idea that the IDR, including the conserved motifs in the IDR, are critical for protein function. These data provide the foundation for further analysis of IDR function.
Venous congestion affects neuromuscular changes in pigs in terms of muscle electrical activity and muscle stiffness
Authors: Kim Keun-Tae , Gemechu Duguma T. , Seo Eunyoung , Lee Taehoon , Park Jong Woong , Youn Inchan , Kang Jong Woo , Lee Song Joo
Published: August 2023

Early detection of venous congestion (VC)-related diseases such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is important to prevent irreversible or serious pathological conditions. However, the current way of diagnosing DVT is only possible after recognizing advanced DVT symptoms such as swelling, pain, and tightness in affected extremities, which may be due to the lack of information on neuromechanical changes following VC. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate acute neuromechanical changes in muscle electrical activity and muscle stiffness when VC was induced. The eight pigs were selected and the change of muscle stiffness from the acceleration and muscle activity in terms of integral electromyography (IEMG) was investigated in three VC stages. Consequently, we discovered a significant increase in the change in muscle stiffness and IEMG from the baseline to the VC stages (p< 0.05). Our results and approach can enable early detection of pathological conditions associated with VC, which can be a basis for further developing early diagnostic tools for detecting VC-related diseases.