bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analogous cortical reorganization accompanies entry into states of reduced consciousness during anesthesia and sleep
Authors: Krause Bryan M , Campbell Declan I , Kovach Christopher K , Mueller Rashmi N , Kawasaki Hiroto , Nourski Kirill V , Banks Matthew I
Published: July 2023

Theories of consciousness suggest that brain mechanisms underlying transitions into and out of unconsciousness are conserved no matter the context or precipitating conditions. We compared signatures of these mechanisms using intracranial electroencephalography in neurosurgical patients during propofol anesthesia and overnight sleep and found strikingly similar reorganization of human cortical networks. We computed the “effective dimensionality” of the normalized resting state functional connectivity matrix to quantify network complexity. Effective dimensionality decreased during stages of reduced consciousness (anesthesia unresponsiveness, N2 and N3 sleep). These changes were not region-specific, suggesting global network reorganization. When connectivity data were embedded into a low-dimensional space in which proximity represents functional similarity, we observed greater distances between brain regions during stages of reduced consciousness, and individual recording sites became closer to their nearest neighbors. These changes corresponded to decreased differentiation and functional integration and correlated with decreases in effective dimensionality. This network reorganization constitutes a neural signature of states of reduced consciousness that is common to anesthesia and sleep. These results establish a framework for understanding the neural correlates of consciousness and for practical evaluation of loss and recovery of consciousness.
Global Landscape of Encephalitis: Key Priorities to Reduce Future Disease Burden
Authors: Granerod Julia , Huang Yun , Davies Nicholas W S , Sequeira Patricia C , Mwapasa Victor , Rupali Priscilla , Michael Benedict D , Solomon Tom , Easton Ava
Published: July 2023

Encephalitis affects people across the lifespan, has high rates of mortality and morbidity, and results in significant neurological sequelae with long-term consequences to quality of life and wider society. The true incidence is currently unknown due to inaccurate reporting systems. The disease burden of encephalitis is unequally distributed across the globe being highest in low- and middle-income countries where resources are limited. Here countries often lack diagnostic testing, with poor access to essential treatments and neurological services, and limited surveillance and vaccination programs. Many types of encephalitis are vaccine preventable, whereas others are treatable with early diagnosis and appropriate management. In this viewpoint, we provide a narrative review of key aspects of diagnosis, surveillance, treatment, and prevention of encephalitis and highlight priorities for public health, clinical management, and research, to reduce the disease burden.
Economic and Clinical Burden of Herpes Zoster Among Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the United States
Authors: Singer David , Thompson-Leduc Philippe , Gupta Deepshekhar , Poston Sara , Cheng Wendy Y , Ma Siyu , Pawlowski John E , Duh Mei Sheng , Devine Francesca , Banatwala Azeem , Bernstein Emma , Farraye Francis A
Published: July 2023

Background

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn’s disease (CD) are at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ); however, relevant cost and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) data are limited.

Methods

We estimated HCRU (hospitalization, emergency department [ED], and outpatient visits) and costs in patients with UC or CD, with and without HZ, using administrative claims data (October 2015–February 2020). HCRU and costs (2020 US dollars) were compared at 1 month, 1 quarter, and 1 year after the index date, using propensity score adjustment and generalized linear models.

Results

In total, 20 948 patients were included: UC+/HZ+ (n = 431), UC+/HZ– (n = 10 285), CD+/HZ+ (n = 435), and CD+/HZ– (n = 9797). Patients with HZ had higher all-cause HCRU rates and all-cause total healthcare costs relative to those without HZ. In the first month, adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRRs) for hospitalizations and ED visits for patients with UC and HZ compared with UC alone were 2.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.93–4.27) and 2.66 (95% CI,1.74–4.05), respectively; for those with CD and HZ, aIRRs were 3.34 (95% CI, 2.38–4.70) and 3.31 (95% CI, 2.32–4.71), respectively, compared with CD alone (all P < .001). Adjusted cost differences in UC and CD cohorts with HZ over the first month were $2189 and $3774, respectively, chiefly driven by higher inpatient costs. The incremental impact on HCRU and costs in cohorts with HZ predominantly occurred during the first quarter following diagnosis.

Conclusions

HZ is associated with increased HCRU and costs in patients with UC and CD, especially shortly after diagnosis.
The public sphere and contemporary lifeworld: reconstruction in the context of systemic crises
Authors: Friedland Lewis A , Kunelius Risto
Published: July 2023

For the Habermasian theory of the “public sphere” to make sense in the 2020s, it must be able to address the modern tendency toward global systemic crises. To examine the relevance of the Habermasian public sphere to today’s deeply interconnected digital world, this article provides a selective reading of Habermas’ writings on the public sphere, examining how he developed the concept from its conceptual core (1962) through his Legitimation Crisis (LC; 1973) and The Theory of Communicative Action (TCA; vol. 1 [1981] 1984, vol. 2 [1981] 1987). Working from the perspective of the “differentiated lifeworld,” we show here that the theory’s background assumptions about reality (truth), solidarity (justice), personality (authenticity) are now being exposed and destabilized by current crisis tendencies and imaginaries. Here, we examine three exemplary (and interconnected) global disruptions that expose these assumptions: the climate crisis, the intensification of financial inequality in the Global North, and the rapid push toward datafication. Through our examination of whether the public sphere as Habermas conceived of it can exist in today’s world, we provide a more expansive form of criticism of the public sphere (which is usually critiqued on the narrow grounds of the rational bias of communicative rationality). Here, we underscore the fundamental importance of addressing the complex system-lifeworld dynamics that are today re-conceptualizing and re-contextualizing the “public sphere” in this era of contemporary global crises.
Orbital atherectomy to facilitate transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation in patients with calcified iliofemoral arteries: a case series
Authors: Quagliana Angelo , Montarello Nicholas J , Vanhaverbeke Maarten , Willemen Yannick , Campens Laurence , Sondergaard Lars , De Backer Ole
Published: July 2023

Background

The transfemoral (TF) approach drives most of the advantages of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) over surgical aortic valve replacement. Alternative accesses for TAVI are associated with higher complication rates, but are still considered in ∼5% of cases due to peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty can still allow TF-TAVI in selected cases with severe calcific PAD; however, ancillary techniques for calcium management are often needed.

Case Summary

Orbital atherectomy was selected to facilitate TF-TAVI in two patients with different degrees and aspects of calcific PAD. Pre-procedural computed tomography analysis was key to choose the most appropriate technique for calcium management. We describe our experience with a step-by-step procedural approach to orbital atherectomy-assisted TF-TAVI.

Discussion

PAD is not uncommon in patients affected by severe symptomatic aortic valve stenosis. Orbital atherectomy can still allow TF-TAVI in selected cases with severe calcific PAD. A meticulous patient selection and a standardized, step-wise procedural execution are mandatory to optimize outcomes.
Cognitive function during 3 years of growth hormone in previously growth hormone-treated young adults with Prader–Willi syndrome
Authors: Trueba - Timmermans Demi J , Grootjen Lionne N , Juriaans Alicia F , Mahabier Eva F , Kerkhof Gerthe F , Rings Edmond H H M , Hokken-Koelega Anita C S
Published: July 2023

Context

Most patients with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) have mild to moderate cognitive impairment. Growth hormone (GH) treatment has positive short- and long-term effects on cognition in children with PWS. Few studies, however, have investigated the effects of GH on cognitive functioning in adults with PWS.

Objective

To investigate the effects of 3 years of GH treatment on cognitive functioning and behavior in young adults with PWS who were treated with GH during childhood.

Design

Open-label, prospective study.

Setting

Dutch PWS Reference Center.

Methods

Patients were treated with 0.33 mg GH/m²/day (∼0.012 mg/kg/day; 33% of childhood dose). Cognitive functioning was measured by Wechsler Adult Intelligence (WAIS) tests. Behavior was studied by a developmental behavior checklist—parents/caregivers (DBC-P).

Results

Forty-six young adults with PWS with a median age of 19 (IQR 17-21) years were investigated. Estimated mean (95% CI) total, verbal, and performance IQ remained stable during 3 years of GH-treatment. Total IQ being 66 (63-69) at the start and 67 (64-71) after 3 years (P = .30); Verbal IQ being 65 (62-68) and 66 (62-70), respectively (P = .31) and performance IQ being 67 (63-70) and 67 (63-72) resp. (P = .42). Estimated mean Total DBC score did not significantly change during 3 years of GH-treatment, being 36.3 at start and 36.5 after 3 years (P = .94) (P50).

Conclusions

Three years of GH-treatment in young adults with PWS with 33% of the pediatric dose, maintains total, verbal, and performance IQ. The emotional and behavioral disturbances remained stable and were similar compared to peers with other intellectual disabilities.
In host evolution of Exophiala dermatitidis in cystic fibrosis lung micro-environment
Authors: Kurbessoian Tania , Murante Daniel , Crocker Alex , Hogan Deborah A , Stajich Jason E
Published: July 2023

Individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) are susceptible to chronic lung infections that lead to inflammation and irreversible lung damage. While most respiratory infections that occur in CF are caused by bacteria, some are dominated by fungi such as the slow-growing black yeast Exophiala dermatitidis. Here, we analyze isolates of E. dermatitidis cultured from two samples, collected from a single subject 2 years apart. One isolate genome was sequenced using long-read Nanopore technology as an in-population reference to use in comparative single nucleotide polymorphism and insertion–deletion variant analyses of 23 isolates. We then used population genomics and phylo-genomics to compare the isolates to each other as well as the reference genome strain E. dermatitidis NIH/UT8656. Within the CF lung population, three E. dermatitidis clades were detected, each with varying mutation rates. Overall, the isolates were highly similar suggesting that they were recently diverged. All isolates were MAT 1-1, which was consistent with their high relatedness and the absence of evidence for mating or recombination between isolates. Phylogenetic analysis grouped sets of isolates into clades that contained isolates from both early and late time points indicating there are multiple persistent lineages. Functional assessment of variants unique to each clade identified alleles in genes that encode transporters, cytochrome P450 oxidoreductases, iron acquisition, and DNA repair processes. Consistent with the genomic heterogeneity, isolates showed some stable phenotype heterogeneity in melanin production, subtle differences in antifungal minimum inhibitory concentrations, and growth on different substrates. The persistent population heterogeneity identified in lung-derived isolates is an important factor to consider in the study of chronic fungal infections, and the analysis of changes in fungal pathogens over time may provide important insights into the physiology of black yeasts and other slow-growing fungi in vivo.
Insights from a chum salmon (Oncorhynchus keta) genome assembly regarding whole-genome duplication and nucleotide variation influencing gene function
Authors: Rondeau Eric B , Christensen Kris A , Johnson Hollie A , Sakhrani Dionne , Biagi Carlo A , Wetklo Mike , Despins Cody A , Leggatt Rosalind A , Minkley David R , Withler Ruth E , Beacham Terry D , Koop Ben F , Devlin Robert H
Published: July 2023

Chum salmon are ecologically important to Pacific Ocean ecosystems and commercially important to fisheries. To improve the genetic resources available for this species, we sequenced and assembled the genome of a male chum salmon using Oxford Nanopore read technology and the Flye genome assembly software (contig N50: ∼2 Mbp, complete BUSCOs: ∼98.1%). We also resequenced the genomes of 59 chum salmon from hatchery sources to better characterize the genome assembly and the diversity of nucleotide variants impacting phenotype variation. With genomic sequences from a doubled haploid individual, we were able to identify regions of the genome assembly that have been collapsed due to high sequence similarity between homeologous (duplicated) chromosomes. The homeologous chromosomes are relics of an ancient salmonid-specific genome duplication. These regions were enriched with genes whose functions are related to the immune system and responses to toxins. From analyzing nucleotide variant annotations of the resequenced genomes, we were also able to identify genes that have increased levels of variants thought to moderately impact gene function. Genes related to the immune system and the detection of chemical stimuli (olfaction) had increased levels of these variants based on a gene ontology enrichment analysis. The tandem organization of many of the enriched genes raises the question of why they have this organization.
Functional Duplication of the Short-Wavelength-Sensitive Opsin in Sea Snakes: Evidence for Reexpanded Color Sensitivity Following Ancestral Regression
Authors: Rossetto Isaac H , Sanders Kate L , Simões Bruno F , Van Cao Nguyen , Ludington Alastair J
Published: July 2023

Color vision is mediated by ancient and spectrally distinct cone opsins. Yet, while there have been multiple losses of opsin genes during the evolution of tetrapods, evidence for opsin gains via functional duplication is extremely scarce. Previous studies have shown that some secondarily marine elapid snakes have acquired expanded “UV–blue” sensitivity via changes at key spectral tuning amino acid sites of the Short-Wavelength Opsin 1 (SWS1) gene. Here, we use elapid reference genomes to show that the molecular origin of this adaptation involved repeated, proximal duplications of the SWS1 gene in the fully marine Hydrophis cyanocinctus. This species possesses four intact SWS1 genes; two of these genes have the ancestral UV sensitivity, and two have a derived sensitivity to the longer wavelengths that dominate marine habitats. We suggest that this remarkable expansion of the opsin repertoire of sea snakes functionally compensates for the ancestral losses of two middle-wavelength opsins in the earliest (dim-light adapted) snakes. This provides a striking contrast to the evolution of opsins during ecological transitions in mammals. Like snakes, early mammals lost two cone photopigments; however, lineages such as bats and cetaceans underwent further opsin losses during their adaptation to dim-light environments.
3-[[(3S)-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-Carbonyl]Amino]Propanoic Acid (THICAPA) Is Protective Against Aβ42-Induced Toxicity In Vitro and in an Alzheimer’s DiseaseDrosophila
Authors: Tan Florence Hui Ping , Ting Andrew Chung Jie , Najimudin Nazalan , Watanabe Nobumoto , Shamsuddin Shaharum , Zainuddin Azalina , Osada Hiroyuki , Azzam Ghows
Published: July 2023

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent type of dementia globally. The accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aβ) extracellular senile plaques in the brain is one of the hallmark mechanisms found in AD. Aβ42 is the most damaging and aggressively aggregating Aβ isomer produced in the brain. Although Aβ42 has been extensively researched as a crucial peptide connected to the development of the characteristic amyloid fibrils in AD, the specifics of its pathophysiology are still unknown. Therefore, the main objective was to identify novel compounds that could potentially mitigate the negative effects of Aβ42. 3-[[(3S)-1,2,3,4-Tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carbonyl]amino]propanoic acid (THICAPA) was identified as a ligand for Aβ42 and for reducing fibrillary Aβ42 aggregation. THICAPA also improved cell viability when administered to PC12 neuronal cells that were exposed to Aβ42. Additionally, this compound diminished Aβ42 toxicity in the current AD Drosophila model by rescuing the rough eye phenotype, prolonging the life span, and enhancing motor functions. Through next-generation RNA-sequencing, immune response pathways were downregulated in response to THICAPA treatment. Thus, this study suggests THICAPA as a possible disease-modifying treatment for AD.
Enduring Bonds: Duration and Contact in Close Relationships in Late Life
Authors: Fingerman Karen L , Zhou Zexi , Huo Meng , Luong Gloria , Birditt Kira S
Published: July 2023

Background and Objectives

Older adults maintain ties to long-duration social partners, some with whom have regular contact and some with whom have little contact. We asked whether these ties with little contact still offer a sense of connection and security, and buffer the effects of interpersonal stress in daily life. Helping older adults foster these ties may improve their mental health.

Research Design and Methods

Participants (n = 313) aged 65+ completed a baseline interview reporting duration and contact frequency of their closest ties. Then, participants completed ecological momentary assessments every 3 hr for 5–6 days, reporting their social encounters and mood.

Results

We classified ties according to duration (10+ years = long vs shorter duration) and frequency of contact (at least once a month = active vs dormant). Throughout the day, participants were more likely to have stressful encounters with long-duration active ties. Encounters with active ties were associated with more positive mood (regardless of duration) and encounters with long-duration dormant ties with more negative mood. Having more active ties buffered effects of interpersonal stress on mood, but more long-duration dormant ties exacerbated these effects.

Discussion and Implications

Supporting social integration theory, ties with frequent contact were associated with positive mood. Surprisingly, long-duration ties with infrequent contact exacerbated effects of interpersonal stress on mood. Older adults who lack contact with long-duration social partners may be more sensitive to interpersonal stress. Future interventions might focus on phone or electronic media to increase contact with long-duration social partners.
The “Angry (Digital) Silver” in South Korea: The Rhetoric Around Older Adults’ Digital Media Literacy
Authors: Oh June
Published: July 2023

Naïve yet threatening is how the South Korean news media have characterized some older adults who have taken to social media to air their political views. Labeled as “angry (digital) silver,” these older adults using YouTube and other social media platforms for political activity are portrayed as digitally illiterate and aggressive. This paper examines the rhetoric surrounding older adults’ digital media literacy in scholarship and popular news media with a focus on the news media’s portrayal of older adults’ digital political activity. By analyzing the use of language and various rhetorical strategies, I argue that specific rhetoric of caution, which warns against older adults’ so-called lower digital media literacy, is used to invalidate their digital political activity. I draw upon the case of the “Taegukgi squad”—a political group mainly composed of older adults in South Korea—and the evolution of their digital presence. Addressing the media’s biased portrayal of older adults’ digital media literacy, this paper further invites reflection on controversies around the role of age in digital political activities around the globe.
Effects of Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Gender on Ageist Attitudes, Aging Anxiety, and Emotional Reactions to Older Adults
Authors: Caskie Grace I L , Bashian Hannah M , Voelkner Abigail R
Published: July 2023

Background and Objectives

We investigated whether ageist attitudes, aging anxiety, and emotional reactions to older adults differ based on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis, older adult gender, and participant gender, as well as their interactions.

Research Design and Methods

Using an experimental design, 291 participants (176 men, 115 women; 19–55 years) were randomly assigned to read 1 of 4 descriptions of an older adult that varied cognitive health and gender. Measures of ageist attitudes, aging anxiety, and emotional reactions to the older adult were completed online.

Results

Relative to a cognitively intact older adult, an older adult with AD evoked less ageist attitudes, less aging anxiety, more compassion, and less emotional distance. A significant interaction between older adult gender and participant gender indicated women felt greater emotional distance from an older adult man than an older adult woman, while men showed no significant difference.

Discussion and Implications

The more positive emotions and less ageist responses to an older adult with AD could present as paternalistic and diminish older adults’ agency. Women may prioritize shared gender identity over age, which has implications for caregivers and health professionals working with older adults.
Race/Ethnicity, Nativity, and Gender Disparities in Unmet Care Needs Among Older Adults in the United States
Authors: Lin Zhiyong , Liu Hui
Published: July 2023

Background and Objectives

Although disparities in disability and the unequal distribution of care resources are widely discussed in the literature, there has been less research on disparities in experiencing unmet care needs among older adults. This study aims to investigate how unmet care needs are unevenly distributed across social groups with various intersecting identities, such as race/ethnicity, nativity, and gender, although considering their care needs and care networks, drawing on the conceptual framework of the pathway to unmet needs.

Research Design and Methods

The data for this study came from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (2011–2018), and the study sample consisted of 7,061 Medicare beneficiaries who needed assistance with daily activities. Questions about unmet care needs were in the form of consequences related to difficulty or lack of help with daily activities. Mixed-effects negative binomial regression models were used to predict rates of unmet needs.

Results

Older adults of color, especially women, experienced higher rates of unmet care needs compared with their White and male counterparts. Although Black–White and gender differences in unmet needs were mostly explained by unequal exposures to care needs and differential care networks, Hispanic women and foreign-born Hispanic men were still at a disadvantage even after adjusting for these covariates.

Discussion and Implications

These results emphasize the importance of adopting an intersectional approach to enhance the quality of long-term services and support for older adults facing social disadvantages.
Older Adults’ Process of Collaborating With a Support Team During Transitions From Hospital to Home: A Grounded Theory Study
Authors: Liebzeit Daniel , Geiger Olivia , Jaboob Saida , Bjornson Samantha , Strayer Andrea , Buck Harleah , Werner Nicole E
Published: July 2023

Background and Objectives

Little is known about how older adults engage with multiple sources of support and resources during transitions from hospital to home, a period of high vulnerability. This study aims to describe how older adults identify and collaborate with a support team, including unpaid/family caregivers, health care providers, and professional and social networks, during the transition.

Research Design and Methods

This study utilized grounded theory methodology. One-on-one interviews were conducted with adults aged 60 and older following their discharge from a medical/surgical inpatient unit in a large midwestern teaching hospital. Data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding.

Results

Participants (N = 25) ranged from 60 to 82 years of age, 11 were female, and all participants were White, non-Hispanic. They described a process of identifying a support team and collaborating with that team to manage at home and progress their health, mobility, and engagement. Support teams varied, but included collaborations between the older person, unpaid/family caregiver(s), and their health care providers. Their collaboration was impacted by the participant’s professional and social networks.

Discussion and Implications

Older adults collaborate with multiple sources of support and this collaboration is a dynamic process that varies across phases of their transition from hospital to home. Findings reveal opportunities for assessing individual’s support and social networks, in addition to health and functional status, to determine needs and leverage resources during transitions in care.
Swarms and mainshock–aftershocks sequences are both triggered by fluids in the Ubaye Region (Western Alps)
Authors: Baques Marion , De Barros Louis , Godano Maxime , Duverger Clara , Jomard Hervé
Published: July 2023

The Ubaye Region (French Western Alps) is one of the most seismically active regions in France. It is regularly struck by mainshock–aftershocks sequences like in 1959 (ML 5.3), seismic swarms (2003–2004), and complex sequences (2012–2015) characterized by successive mainshocks clustered in time and space. This diversity of seismic behaviour highlights the complex processes at play in this area. To improve our understanding of these processes, in this study, we compile a regional catalogue of existing focal mechanisms, completed by 100 new calculated focal mechanisms of aftershocks following the 07/04/2014 mainshock (ML 5.1). The oriented stress-state we reconstruct for different periods and subareas are similar to each other and to previous published values focusing on swarm periods. We then calculate fluid pressure required to trigger the earthquakes. Most of the events (65 per cent) need fluid overpressure between 15 and 40 MPa (17 to 40 per cent of the hydrostatic pressure) with a median value of 24 per cent. Moreover, even the largest events, like the mainshocks in the 2012–2015 sequence, appear to be triggered by fluid pressure, similarly as events within swarm sequences. However, while fluid overpressure decreases with time in an aftershock sequence, it varies randomly at high levels during a swarm sequence. Therefore, based on a fault-valve model, we propose that: (1) the fluids trapped in the fault plane tend toward lithostatic pressure and trigger the mainshock rupture and (2) part of the aftershocks are induced by the diffusing fluid pressure. On the contrary, swarms need external, likely deep, fluid pressure feedings. Fluid pressure is likely to be a common triggering mechanism of the seismicity in the Ubaye Region, even if the involved processes should differ to explain the different types of seismic sequences.
Path-averaged delay times for seismic tomography
Authors: Nolet Guust
Published: July 2023

The delay times reported for 427 17 476 mantle and core phases in the ISC-EHB Bulletins for the years 1964–2018 are averaged into 120 41 671 summary rays. For each summary ray, I estimate the standard variance of the mean delay and an upper bound for use in tomographic inversion. The trade-off between model norm and the fit to mantle P-wave data shows that the regularized tomographic problem for these data is well posed, with data adequately fit between their error bounds.
Dispersion curves of acoustoelastic borehole waves: the perturbation method with the correct formulation of the stresses around the borehole
Authors: Zeng Fuqiang , Zhang Wenbo , Li Chao , Li Huayang
Published: July 2023

The acoustoelastic model has been widely used to investigate the influence of formation stresses on the dispersion curves of borehole waves. The analytical perturbation method (PM), the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) and the semi-analytical finite element (SAFE) are three common-used methods to calculate the dispersion curves. However, due to different interpretations of the PM and plane strain assumptions, the obtained dispersion curves are incompatible among existing PMs, which may misguide the interpretation of formation stresses. It is therefore necessary to untangle the applicability and limitations of PM. Considering that the conventional PMs are usually inaccurate at the low frequency or inconsistent with Hamilton’s principle, we develop a revised PM to obtain the dispersion curves of borehole waves propagating along a borehole surrounded by the triaxially stressed formation assumed as a monoclinic medium. The revised PM is more accurate, reasonable and logical than existing PMs. When the formation is subjected to low stresses, our finding is of great benefit for quickly computing dispersion curves, since the revised PM is much more efficient than the FDTD method; and there are small discrepancies between the flexural dispersions obtained by the revised PM and those obtained by the FDTD method. Nevertheless, the revised PM has two limitations. The first limitation is that the revised PM cannot be used to compute the Stoneley dispersion curves, which have been validated by comparison with SAFE and FDTD methods. The second limitation is that flexural dispersion curves show significant discrepancies in the high-frequency domain when the low-stress assumption does not hold, as compared to those obtained by the FDTD method.
Quantification of orally administered chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides in human plasma and urine
Authors: Mizuta Hiroko , Kawahara Shota , Tsutsumi Naonobu , Miyamoto Nobuyuki
Published: July 2023

Chondroitin sulfate has been widely administered orally to improve knee osteoarthritis. Chondroitin sulfate also has various biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-oxidative, and antitumor activity. However, chondroitin sulfate absorption in the digestive system and bioavailability remains controversial owing to its large molecular weight. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the absorption of chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides, depolymerized chondroitin sulfate with low molecular weight, in oral administration to humans. Four types of chondroitin sulfate with varying molecular weight [chondroitin sulfate tetrasaccharide (MW. 980), CSOS-1 (MW. 1,500), CSOS-2 (MW. 2,800), and HMWCS (MW. 70,000)] were orally administered and quantified in plasma and urine. Exogenous chondroitin sulfate in these samples was quantified using a high-performance liquid chromatography system equipped with a fluorescence detector. Quantitative changes of administered chondroitin sulfate tetrasaccharide showed similar patterns in plasma and urine, therefore it was presumed that the amount of exogenous chondroitin sulfate excreted in urine reflects its quantitative profile in blood. Considering urinary exogenous chondroitin sulfate as a parameter of intestinal chondroitin sulfate absorption, urinary contents of orally administered chondroitin sulfate with varying molecular weight were compared. Consequently, the amount of urinary exogenous chondroitin sulfate in 24 h after administration was higher in the chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides group than that in the high molecular weight chondroitin sulfate group. Additionally, in the molecular weight distribution, urinary exogenous chondroitin sulfate after chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides administration showed a lower content of chondroitin sulfate oligosaccharides with a higher molecular weight than that observed before administration. In summary, our results demonstrated for the first time that lower molecular weight of chondroitin sulfate is more efficiently absorbed through the digestive tract in human, and the improvement of its bioavailability is expected.
Deception detection and question effects: testing truth-default theory predictions in South Korea
Authors: Levine Timothy R
Published: July 2023

Meta-analysis has shown that people are only slightly better than chance at distinguishing truths from lies in deception detection experiments. Truth-default theory (TDT), however, specifies multiple paths to lowering and increasing accuracy. The current experiment (n = 81) tested truth-default theory’s proposition 13 and diagnostic questioning module with a student sample from South Korea. The proposition and module predict that how an interviewee is questioned can affect deception detection in both directions, improving or reducing accuracy. Consistent with the original findings, questioning was found to significantly enhance (65%) and reduce (30%) deception-detection accuracy relative to the results of meta-analysis (54%). The current findings provide additional evidence consistent with TDT and replicate prior findings documenting substantial question effect on deception-detection accuracy. The implications of question effects for non-native speakers and intercultural lie detection are discussed.
Mucosal α4β7+ Lymphocytes and MAdCAM+ Venules Predict Response to Vedolizumab in Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Roosenboom Britt , Wahab Peter J , Smids Carolijn , Meijer Jos , Kemperman Larissa G J M , Groenen Marcel J M , van Lochem Ellen G , Horjus Talabur Horje Carmen S
Published: July 2023

Background

Therapeutic strategies for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are based on patient- and disease-related factors in combination with drug characteristics but fail to predict success in individual patients. A considerable proportion of UC patients do not respond to the biological vedolizumab. Therefore, pretreatment biomarkers for therapeutic efficacy are urgently needed. Mucosal markers related to the integrin-dependent T lymphocyte homing could be potent predictors.

Methods

We prospectively included 21 biological- and steroid-naive UC patients with moderate-to-severe disease activity planned to escalate therapy to vedolizumab. At week 0, before initiating treatment, colonic biopsy specimens were obtained for immunophenotyping and immunohistochemistry. Clinical and endoscopic disease activity were determined at week 16 after 4 infusions of vedolizumab. In addition, we retrospectively included 5 UC patients who were first treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor α before receiving vedolizumab to compare with biological-naive patients.

Results

Abundance of α4β7 on more than 8% of all CD3+ T lymphocytes in colonic biopsies at baseline was predictive for responsiveness to vedolizumab (sensitivity 100%, specificity 100%). The threshold for the proportion of MAdCAM-1+ and PNAd+ of all venules in the biopsies predictive for responsiveness to vedolizumab was ≥2.59% (sensitivity 89%, specificity 100%) and ≥2.41% (sensitivity 61%, specificity 50%), respectively. At week 16, a significant decrease of α4β7+CD3+T lymphocytes was demonstrated in responders (18% [12%-24%] to 8% [3%-9%]; P = .002), while no difference was seen in nonresponders (4% [3%-6%] to 3%; P = .59).

Conclusions

UC responders to vedolizumab have a higher percentage of α4β7+CD3+ T lymphocytes and a higher proportion of MAdCAM-1+ venules in colonic biopsies than nonresponders before initiating therapy. Both analyses could be promising predictive biomarkers for therapeutic response and may lead to more patient tailored treatment in the future.
Overview of shared-bike repositioning optimization with artificial intelligence
Authors: Tu Wenwen , Xiao Feng
Published: July 2023

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence (AI) present unprecedented opportunities to enhance the operational and management performance of shared bikes. heuristic algorithms, supervised algorithms, unsupervised algorithms, and reinforcement learning (RL) in AI technologies enable the consideration of more possibilities in the bike repositioning problem (BRP), including addressing challenges such as large-scale bike sharing, real-time dynamic repositioning, and dynamic policy interaction with the environment. This paper provides an overview of research on bike-sharing repositioning utilizing AI techniques. The applications of Heuristic Search methods and Machine Learning, including RL for docked and dock-less shared bikes, are summarized based on dynamic and static environments, respectively. We provide a comprehensive analysis of the advanced development in AI-based BRP and review the application of AI technologies in obtaining scientifically repositioning strategies that effectively balance supply and demand conflicts. Moreover, this study delves into the constraints and potential advancements of AI methods for shared bike reallocation, offering valuable recommendations for future research.
Methods used to evaluate usability of mobile clinical decision support systems for healthcare emergencies: a systematic review and qualitative synthesis
Authors: Wohlgemut Jared M , Pisirir Erhan , Kyrimi Evangelia , Stoner Rebecca S , Marsh William , Perkins Zane B , Tai Nigel R M
Published: July 2023

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the methods and metrics used to evaluate the usability of mobile application Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSSs) used in healthcare emergencies. Secondary aims were to describe the characteristics and usability of evaluated CDSSs.

Materials and Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted using Pubmed/Medline, Embase, Scopus, and IEEE Xplore databases. Quantitative data were descriptively analyzed, and qualitative data were described and synthesized using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Twenty-three studies were included in the analysis. The usability metrics most frequently evaluated were efficiency and usefulness, followed by user errors, satisfaction, learnability, effectiveness, and memorability. Methods used to assess usability included questionnaires in 20 (87%) studies, user trials in 17 (74%), interviews in 6 (26%), and heuristic evaluations in 3 (13%). Most CDSS inputs consisted of manual input (18, 78%) rather than automatic input (2, 9%). Most CDSS outputs comprised a recommendation (18, 78%), with a minority advising a specific treatment (6, 26%), or a score, risk level or likelihood of diagnosis (6, 26%). Interviews and heuristic evaluations identified more usability-related barriers and facilitators to adoption than did questionnaires and user testing studies.

Discussion

A wide range of metrics and methods are used to evaluate the usability of mobile CDSS in medical emergencies. Input of information into CDSS was predominantly manual, impeding usability. Studies employing both qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate usability yielded more thorough results.

Conclusion

When planning CDSS projects, developers should consider multiple methods to comprehensively evaluate usability.
Quantitative Determination of Organophosphorus, Pyrethroid, and Dithiolane Pesticide Residues in Brown Rice Using Supercritical Fluid Extraction and Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Nakamura Keisuke , Otake Takamitsu , Hanari Nobuyasu
Published: July 2023

Background

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is a fast, versatile, and solvent-efficient automatic extraction method. Despite its advantages, the results of our proficiency tests imply that the applicability assessments of SFE for pesticide residues were insufficient.

Objective

In this study, as analytical method using SFE was optimized and validated by testing the incurred and fortified brown rice samples with organophosphorus (OP), pyrethroid (PYR), and dithiolane (DIT) pesticides.

Method

A validation study using the incurred sample with etofenprox, fenitrothion, and isoprothiolane was performed by comparing the analytical results obtained using the SFE and solid-liquid extraction with homogenization (SLE), which is a well-validated official multi-residue extraction method. The tests on the fortified samples were also performed for seven pesticide residues, chlorpyrifos, diazinon, O-ethyl O-4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate (EPN), etofenprox, fenitrothion, isoxathion, and isoprothiolane, at three fortification levels, 0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 mg/kg.

Results

In the test on the incurred samples, optimized SFE-to-SLE analytical values (CSFE/CSLE) were 99.2–100.1%, with RSD lower than 3%. In contrast, the analytical-to-spiked concentrations in the tests on the fortified samples were 96.4–105.0%, with RSD lower than 8.8%.

Conclusions

These results indicate that the proposed SFE method, which is well validated with the incurred brown rice sample, is useful for determining OP, PYR, and DIT pesticide residues in brown rice.

Highlights

The proposed SFE method satisfies EU and Japanese maximum residue limits (MRLs). The consumption of solvent can be reduced to one-fourth of that of SLE using the proposed SFE method.
The Lady in the Overall: First World War Patriotism, Respectability, and Workwear of Upper-Class Munitionettes
Authors: Richardson Jenny
Published: July 2023

This article offers new insights into the national market for utilitarian garments worn by British upper-class Munitionettes in the pursuit of essential First World War munition manufacture. There has been a resurgence in recent years in the interest of women’s workwear, but little dress historical research has been undertaken into the manufacture and consumption of these garments by upper-class women, which this article seeks to address. The numbers of women involved in munition production peaked in 1917 at almost 1,000,000 meaning the circulation of workwear in this industry alone, was in the millions. Workwear worn by upper-class women represents discourses of wealth, femininity, respectability, and patriotism. That such expensive and high-quality garments exist speaks to the cultural significance the women themselves recognized in these utilitarian garments. This workwear symbolized their contribution to the war effort, the political ambitions for suffrage and personal achievement. These garments were not worn outside the workplace as the fabric would have been contaminated with chemicals, thus would not have been pleasant to preserve. Crucially, it is through the material cultural analysis of rare extant high-end garments worn by upper-class women, that the extent of the market for workwear has been revealed.
“They Perished in the Cause of Science”: Justus von Liebig’s Food for Infants
Authors: Lieffers Caroline
Published: July 2023

In 1867, controversy erupted when Jean-Anne-Henri Depaul, a Paris accoucheur, tested Justus von Liebig’s new “food for infants” on four newborns, all of whom died within days. This paper examines the origins of Liebig’s food, the debates in the French Academy of Medicine after Depaul’s experiment, and how the events were discussed in the medical and popular presses. I argue that the controversy was shaped by a number of interconnected concerns, including the product’s impracticality, disagreements within the field of chemistry, the riskiness of Depaul’s experimentation, Liebig’s problematic celebrity, the potential hubris of trying to emulate a natural product, and national tensions between France and Germany. Infant feeding was an emotionally charged and highly politicized site where multiple interests, anxieties, and ways of knowing collided. Although commercial infant foods, many of which made reference to Liebig in their advertising, would ultimately find popularity in the last decades of the nineteenth century, close attention to the first years of Liebig’s product demonstrates that its credibility as a “scientific” mode of infant feeding was far from assured. Rather, Liebig’s milk illustrates the early challenges of constructing and enforcing knowledge and trust at the intersection between food, science, and infant life, in both professional and popular arenas.
Returning the Home State to the Global Anti-Corruption Campaign
Authors: Yan Yueming
Published: July 2023

International investment law is facing significant challenges in combating corruption in investment activities. The existing scholarly discussions are mostly centred upon the triangular relationship between the foreign investor, the host State and the investment arbitration tribunal. The role of another important body—the home State—has been under-examined, which seems to be better placed to implement measures to effectively govern investors’ (mis)conduct and ensure responsible investments. After identifying the low rate of substantiated corrupt acts in investment arbitration and the lack of a robust corruption prevention system in investment treaties, this article argues that participation of home States in arbitration proceedings can help mitigate those arduous evidentiary challenges and facilitate the fact-finding process. Home States should also impose obligations of delivering periodic corruption risk assessments on investors through domestic legislation and investment treaties.
Clockwise evolution in the hardness–intensity diagram of the black hole X-ray binary Swift J1910.2−0546
Authors: Saikia Payaswini , Russell David M , Pirbhoy Saarah F , Baglio M C , Bramich D M , Alabarta Kevin , Lewis Fraser , Charles Phil
Published: July 2023

We present a detailed study of optical data from the 2012 outburst of the candidate black hole X-ray binary Swift J1910.2−0546 using the Faulkes Telescope and Las Cumbres Observatory (LCO). We analyse the peculiar spectral state changes of Swift J1910.2−0546 in different energy bands, and characterize how the optical and UV emission correlates with the unusual spectral state evolution. Using various diagnostic tools like the optical/X-ray correlation and spectral energy distributions, we disentangle the different emission processes contributing towards the optical flux of the system. When Swift J1910.2−0546 transitions to the pure hard state, we find significant optical brightening of the source along with a dramatic change in the optical colour due to the onset of a jet during the spectral state transition. For the rest of the spectral states, the optical/UV emission is mostly dominated by an X-ray irradiated disc. From our high cadence optical study, we have discovered a putative modulation. Assuming that this modulation arises from a superhump, we suggest Swift J1910.2−0546 to have an orbital period of 2.25–2.47 h, which would make it the shortest orbital period black hole X-ray binary known to date. Finally, from the state transition luminosity of the source, we find that the distance to the source is likely to be ∼4.5–20.8 kpc, which is also supported by the comparative position of the source in the global optical/X-ray correlation of a large sample of black hole and neutron star X-ray binaries.