bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape by colleagues in the surgical workforce, and how women and men are living different realities: observational study using NHS population-derived weights
Authors: Begeny Christopher T , Arshad Homa , Cuming Tamzin , Dhariwal Daljit K , Fisher Rebecca A , Franklin Marieta D , Jackson Philippa C , McLachlan Greta M , Searle Rosalind H , Newlands Carrie
Published: September 2023

Background

This observational study, paired with National Health Service (NHS) workforce population data, examined gender differences in surgical workforce members’ experiences with sexual misconduct (sexual harassment, sexual assault, rape) among colleagues in the past 5 years, and their views of the adequacy of accountable organizations in dealing with this issue.

Methods

This was a survey of UK surgical workforce members, recruited via surgical organizations.

Results

Some 1704 individuals participated, with 1434 (51.5 per cent women) eligible for primary unweighted analyses. Weighted analyses, grounded in NHS England surgical workforce population data, used 756 NHS England participants. Weighted and unweighted analyses showed that, compared with men, women were significantly more likely to report witnessing, and be a target of, sexual misconduct. Among women, 63.3 per cent reported being the target of sexual harassment versus 23.7 per cent of men (89.5 per cent witnessing versus 81.0 per cent of men). Additionally, 29.9 per cent of women had been sexually assaulted versus 6.9 per cent of men (35.9 per cent witnessing versus 17.1 per cent of men), with 10.9 per cent of women experiencing forced physical contact for career opportunities (a form of sexual assault) versus 0.7 per cent of men. Being raped by a colleague was reported by 0.8 per cent of women versus 0.1 per cent of men (1.9 per cent witnessing versus 0.6 per cent of men). Evaluations of organizations’ adequacy in handling sexual misconduct were significantly lower among women than men, ranging from a low of 15.1 per cent for the General Medical Council to a high of 31.1 per cent for the Royal Colleges (men’s evaluations: 48.6 and 60.2 per cent respectively).

Conclusion

Sexual misconduct in the past 5 years has been experienced widely, with women affected disproportionately. Accountable organizations are not regarded as dealing adequately with this issue.
Why focusing on our strengths matters: reflections on leaving a volunteer role I actually liked
Authors: Lyons Kristen
Published: September 2023

In this article I describe the recent process of leaving a volunteer role that had, over a number of years, brought me much joy and satisfaction. This process of leaving gave me the opportunity to reflect on the kinds of organisational cultures that may work best in supporting volunteers and paid staff, as well as organisations themselves, to flourish. Through my journey of leaving, I describe the value of asset based approaches, and caring for people for who they are, not de-valuing them for who they are not, as part of creating constructive and positive outcome oriented organisations.
Hypoxia inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors: what a meta-analysis could tell us
Authors: Locatelli Francesco , Zoccali Carmine
Published: September 2023

Meta-analyses offer an estimate of the overall effect size and help address the inconsistency in findings across studies. The risk is the overemphasis on statistical significance while underrepresenting or misinterpreting clinical significance. There's also a lack of standardized methods for quantifying and reporting clinical significance and these measures are often missing or inconsistently reported in many meta-analyses, making it difficult for readers to determine the clinical relevance of the findings. A major merit of Minutolo's meta-analysis is to formally evaluate efficacy and safety of Hypoxia Inducible Factor Prolyl Hydroxylase Inhibitors (HIF-PHI) as class and as single agents in comparison with ESA, by selecting from only phase-3 randomised clinical trials (RCTs) that compared HIF-PHIs with erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) in dialysis and non-dialysis patients. From a clinical perspective, the primary evaluation in this meta-analysis should have been the percentage of patients able to reach and maintain the target haemoglobin (Hb) levels throughout the trials but only a few RCTs selected this primary end point. Any claimed superiority of one drug over another should consider the selected doses. The amount of iron administered to patients, their iron stores and level of inflammation are important confounding factors that affect the reliability of any comparison.
Prognostic assessment of lung adenocarcinoma patients with early-staging diseases: a nomogram based on coagulation-related factors
Authors: Wu Lei-Lei , Lin Wei-Kang , Qian Jia-Yi , Ma Shang-Shang , Li Ming-Jun , Li Kun , Li Zhi-Xin , Lan Gang , Xie Dong
Published: September 2023

OBJECTIVES

Early-stage lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) has a great heterogeneity in prognosis that is difficult to evaluate effectively. Thus, we developed and validated an effective nomogram prognostic model based on the clinical and laboratory characteristics of stage I–IIA ADC.

METHODS

We included 1585 patients with pathologically diagnosed stage I–IIA ADC who underwent surgery at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. The nomogram was constructed based on the peripheral blood test and coagulation test indicators and evaluated using Calibration plots, concordance index, decision curve analysis and the X-tile software. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox proportional hazard regression model. The primary end point of this study was RFS.

RESULTS

Thrombin time and 4 clinical indicators for RFS were integrated into nomograms. A favourable agreement between the nomogram prediction and validation was observed in the calibration curves for RFS probabilities. The concordance index of the nomogram to predict RFS was 0.736 (95% confidence interval, 0.717–0.755). Moreover, significant differences were shown between the high-risk and low-risk groups in RFS and OS (P < 0.001) after effective cut-off values of risk points were found based on the nomogram.

CONCLUSIONS

We established and validated a prognostic nomogram including thrombin time to predict RFS and OS of stage I–IIA ADC patients. This nomogram provided an effective prediction ability for the prognosis of stage I–IIA ADC patients.
The gut microbiome of the healthy population in Kolkata, India, is a reservoir of antimicrobial resistance genes emphasizing the need of enforcing antimicrobial stewardship
Authors: De Rituparna , Kanungo Suman , Mukhopadhyay Asish Kumar , Dutta Shanta
Published: September 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) alleviation warrants antimicrobial stewardship (AS) entailing the indispensability of epidemiological surveillance. We undertook a small-scale surveillance in Kolkata to detect the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the healthy gut microbiome. We found that it was a reservoir of ARGs against common antibiotics. A targeted Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing-based ARGs detection against tetracyclines, macrolides, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, aminoglycosides, amphenicol, and mobile genetic element (MGE) markers were deployed in 25 fecal samples. Relative abundance and frequency of ARGs were calculated. We detected markers against all these classes of antibiotics. 100% samples carried aminoglycoside resistance marker and int1U. A comparison with our previously published diarrheal resistome from the same spatial and temporal frame revealed that a higher diversity of ARGs were detected in the community and a higher rate of isolation of tetC, msrA, tmp, and sul-2 was found. The presence of common markers in the two cohorts proves that the gut microbiome has been contaminated with ARGs and which are being disseminated among different ecosystems. This is an issue of discerning concern for public health. The study raises an alarming picture of the AMR crisis in low-middle and emergent economies. It emphasizes the strict enforcement of AS in the community.
Reproducibility of human landmark identification in morphological mandible prototypes: major parameters for a 3D CBCT approach
Authors: Fontes Rebeca Menezes Vaz Queiroz , de Carvalho Nunes Tiago Alves , dos Santos Machado Ricardo Filipe , Ribeiro Patricia Miranda Leite , Marques Jeidson Antônio Morais , Corte-Real Ana
Published: September 2023

The establishment of anthropometric measurements is of fundamental importance for the correct identification of human bodies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of two-dimensional craniometric landmarks obtained from three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography reconstructions for forensic identification of humans. Computed tomography images with voxel sizes of 0.25, 0.3, and 0.4 mm were obtained using i-CAT® three-dimensional equipment. Ten landmarks were randomly selected, and 10 measurements were demarcated in the three-dimensional reconstruction to evaluate the mandibular condyle, ramus, and body. This study demonstrated that protocols with voxels of 0.3 mm should be preferentially indicated for the evaluation of linear and angular measurements. Implementing our methodology using prototypes for clinical and forensic simulations allows comparisons with human databases in identification issues.
A comparative analysis of stably expressed genes across diverse angiosperms exposes flexibility in underlying promoter architecture
Authors: Yang Eric J Y , Maranas Cassandra J , Nemhauser Jennifer L
Published: September 2023

Promoters regulate both the amplitude and pattern of gene expression—key factors needed for optimization of many synthetic biology applications. Previous work in Arabidopsis found that promoters that contain a TATA-box element tend to be expressed only under specific conditions or in particular tissues, while promoters that lack any known promoter elements, thus designated as Coreless, tend to be expressed more uniformly. To test whether this trend represents a conserved promoter design rule, we identified stably expressed genes across multiple angiosperm species using publicly available RNA-seq data. Comparisons between core promoter architectures and gene expression stability revealed differences in core promoter usage in monocots and eudicots. Furthermore, when tracing the evolution of a given promoter across species, we found that core promoter type was not a strong predictor of expression pattern. Our analysis suggests that core promoter types are correlative rather than causative in promoter expression patterns and highlights the challenges in finding or building constitutive promoters that will work across diverse plant species.
Association of food intake with a risk of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Huang Xian-Hua , Peng He-Wei , Huang Jing-Ru , Yu Rong , Hu Zhi-Jian , Peng Xian-E
Published: September 2023

Background

Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common liver disease, the risk of which can be increased by poor diet. The objective of this study was to evaluate the associations between food items and MAFLD, and to propose reasonable dietary recommendations for the prevention of MAFLD.

Methods

Physical examination data were collected from April 2015 through August 2017 at Nanping First Hospital (n = 3,563). Dietary intakes were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. The association between food intake and the risk of MAFLD was assessed by using the inverse probability weighted propensity score.

Results

Beverages (soft drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages) and instant noodles were positively associated with MAFLD risk, adjusting for smoking, drinking, tea intake, and weekly hours of physical activity [adjusted odds ratio (ORadjusted): 1.568; P = 0.044; ORadjusted: 4.363; P = 0.001]. Milk, tubers, and vegetables were negatively associated with MAFLD risk (ORadjusted: 0.912; P = 0.002; ORadjusted: 0.633; P = 0.007; ORadjusted: 0.962; P = 0.028). In subgroup analysis, the results showed that women [odds ratio (OR): 0.341, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.172–0.676] had a significantly lower risk of MAFLD through consuming more tubers than men (OR: 0.732, 95% CI: 0.564–0.951).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that reducing consumption of beverages (soft drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages) and instant noodles, and consuming more milk, vegetables, and tubers may reduce the risk of MAFLD.
Kodaira Dimension of Fibrations Over Abelian Varieties
Authors: Meng Fanjun , Popa Mihnea
Published: September 2023

We prove an additivity result for the log Kodaira dimension of algebraic fiber spaces over abelian varieties, a superadditivity result for fiber spaces over varieties of maximal Albanese dimension, as well as a subadditivity result for log pairs.
Green HPLC Method for Simultaneous Analysis of Three Natural Antioxidants by Analytical Quality by Design
Authors: Jonnalagadda Ramya , Rathinam Seetharaman , Nagappan Krishnaveni , Chandrasekar Vinodhini
Published: September 2023

Background

Glutathione, silybin, and curcumin are well-known potential antioxidants that are recommended as adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment.

Objective

Based on the principles of Analytical Quality by Design (AQbD) and green analytical chemistry, a simple, robust, and environmentally benign HPLC method for the simultaneous estimation of glutathione, silybin, and curcumin in bulk and formulation was performed.

Method

Elution was achieved by an Agilent Eclipse XDB C18 (150 mm × 4.6 mm id, 3.5 μm) column using a gradient mobile phase composed of ethanol–water pH 6.7 (with 0.1%, v/v orthophosphoric acid) and 1.07 mL/min flow rate with PDA detection at 215 nm. Critical method variables were identified by risk assessment using an Ishikawa diagram, and multivariate optimization of the experimental conditions for the HPLC technique was accomplished by central composite design using design of experiments (DoE) software.

Results

The separation was achieved within 15 min, where the retention time of glutathione, silybin, and curcumin were 3.3, 4.9, and 7.3 min, respectively. The standard curve was linear in the range of 3.75–26.25 µg/mL for glutathione, 62.50–437.50 µg/mL for silybin, and 12.5–87.50 µg/mL for curcumin. The developed method was validated as per ICH guidelines Q2 (R1), and all the parameters are within specified limits.

Conclusions

The proposed method is simple, precise, and robust, which can be employed for routine analysis and also concluded to be a greener approach according to AGREE, Green Analytical Procedure Index, and analytical eco-scale tools.

Highlights

The chosen antioxidants were evaluated for the very first time simultaneously using the chromatographic technique in bulk and dosage forms employing green solvents. The peak purity of all three compounds was studied using a PDA detector. Wastage was reduced in terms of time, cost, and solvents by employing AQbD elements and tools. Complete application of environmentally sustainable safe solvents were employed.
Prevalence of ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid in workplace drug testing
Authors: Vikingsson Svante , Hart E. Dale , Winecker Ruth E , Cone Edward J , Kuntz David J , Clark Michael , Jacques Martin , Hayes Eugene D , Flegel Ronald R
Published: September 2023

∆8-Tetrahydrocannabinol (∆8-THC) recently became widely available as an alternative to cannabis. ∆8-THC is likely impairing and poses a threat to workplace and traffic safety. In the present study, the prevalence of ∆8-THC in workplace drug testing was investigated by analyzing 1,504 urine specimens with a positive immunoassay cannabinoid initial test using a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS-MS) method quantifying 15 cannabinoid analytes after hydrolysis. ∆8-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid (∆8-THC-COOH) was detected in 378 urine specimens (15 ng/mL cutoff), compared to 1,144 specimens containing ∆9-THC-COOH. The data could be divided into three general groups. There were 964 (76%) ∆9-THC-COOH-dominant (<10% ∆8-THC-COOH) and 139 (11%) ∆8-THC-COOH-dominant (>90% ∆8-THC-COOH) specimens, with the remaining 164 (13%) specimens showing a mixture of both analytes (>90% ∆8-THC-COOH). Similar concentrations of ∆9-THC-COOH (median 187 ng/mL) and ∆8-THC-COOH (150 ng/mL) as the dominant species support the use of similar cutoffs and decision rules for both analytes. Apart from the carboxylic acid metabolites, 11-hydroxy-∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (11-OH-∆9-THC, n = 1,282), ∆9-tetrahydrocannabivarin-9-carboxylic acid (∆9-THCV-COOH, n = 1,058), ∆9-THC (n = 746) and 7-hydroxy-cannabidiol (7-OH-CBD, n = 506) were the most prevalent analytes. Two specimens (0.13%) contained ≥140 ng/mL ∆9-THC without ∆9-THC-COOH, which could be due to genetic variability in the drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP2C9 or an adulterant targeting ∆9-THC-COOH. The cannabinoid immunoassay was repeated, and five specimens (0.33%) generated negative initial tests despite ∆9-THC-COOH concentrations of 54–1,000 ng/mL, potentially indicative of adulteration. The use of ∆8-THC is widespread in the US population, and all forensic laboratories should consider adding ∆8-THC and/or ∆8-THC-COOH to their scope of testing. Similar urinary concentrations were observed for both analytes, indicating that the decision rules used for ∆9-THC-COOH are also appropriate for ∆8-THC-COOH.
Interpretative problems due to the presence of chloromethcathinone isomers in the biological material from postmortem cases
Authors: Romańczuk Agnieszka , Rojek Sebastian , Synowiec Kamil , Maciów-Głąb Martyna , Kula Karol
Published: September 2023

While many new psychoactive substances often disappear from the drug market rather quickly, some, such as synthetic cathinones (SCs), still remain due to their popularity among users. The current knowledge of SC concentrations in blood samples is based mainly on the published case reports of intoxications or fatalities caused by SC intake. The aim of the present study was to present and interpret the obtained toxicological analysis results of these cases, in which it was possible to determine or detect the presence of one of the isomers of chloromethcathinone (CMC) along with its intake biomarker—dihydro-CMC. These cases include 27 deaths reported at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Kraków in 2016–2022. CMC constitutes a major toxicological opinion challenge, in terms of toxicological evaluation of poisonings. As presented in this paper, a significant problem is its stability in the biological material and practices in the reporting of the obtained data. It is therefore important to monitor potential intake biomarkers that may show greater stability in the biological material than the parent drug. In the case of CMC isomers, the good biomarker of intake is the dihydro-CMC metabolite, which was detected in the blood sample in every case presented, even with the absence of the parent substance. Interpretation of the results obtained for CMC in terms of assessing their toxicity and possible cause of death is difficult. However, it should be taken into account that in cases of new psychoactive substance poisoning, an in-depth risk assessment is mandatory and the opinion of the unpredictability of the effects is taken as a principle.
Evaluation of the long-term stability of select phenylacetylindole, cycloalkylindole, quinolinyl, and carboxamide synthetic cannabinoids using LC–MS-MS
Authors: Phung Erika , Lee Daniel , Swart Cassandra , Ke Yiling , Moore-Bollinger Katherine , Bynum Nichole , Grabenauer Megan , Botch-Jones Sabra
Published: September 2023

Forensic toxicology laboratories often encounter casework backlogs, which raise concerns for drug stability that can be affected by long storage times, temperature and preservatives, or the lack thereof. The focus of this research was to evaluate the impact of these factors on the stability of 17 synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) in human whole blood and 10 associated metabolites in human urine. The fortified biological specimens were stored under room temperature (20°C), refrigerator (4°C) and freezer (–20°C) conditions for a period of 52 weeks. Preservatives included potassium oxalate, sodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and sodium fluoride. Extraction of analytes was conducted using supported liquid extraction and analyzed using a liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometer. Under all three storage conditions, the majority of urine metabolites were stable up to 9 weeks. All analytes in frozen sodium fluoride–preserved blood were stable at 21–52 weeks with the exception of APP-PICA. Analytes in the blood that were stable up to 52 weeks in the freezer generally had a core structure of a carbonyl substituent on a pyrazole or pyrrole with surrounding nonpolar groups. In contrast, compounds with two adjacent polar carbonyl functional groups experienced degradation at ≤1 week under ambient temperature and refrigeration. 5-Fluoropentyl analogs, XLR11 and 5-fluoro ADB-PINACA, in comparison to their counterpart analytes, UR144 and ADB-PINACA, were unstable at earlier time points under all temperatures. Based on these data, forensic blood evidence suggesting the presence of SC compounds is recommended to be frozen with sodium fluoride and potassium oxalate preservatives for optimal quantitative results.
Applications of electron microscopic observations to electrochemistry in liquid electrolytes for batteries
Authors: Yoshida Kaname , Sasaki Yuki , Kuwabara Akihide , Ikuhara Yuichi
Published: September 2023

Herein, we review notable points from observations of electrochemical reactions in a liquid electrolyte by liquid-phase electron microscopy. In situ microscopic observations of electrochemical reactions are urgently required, particularly to solve various battery issues. Battery performance is evaluated by various electrochemical measurements of bulk samples. However, it is necessary to understand the physical/chemical phenomena occurring in batteries to elucidate the reaction mechanisms. Thus, in situ microscopic observation is effective for understanding the reactions that occur in batteries. Herein, we focus on two methods, of the liquid phase (scanning) transmission electron microscopy and liquid phase scanning electron microscopy, and summarize the advantages and disadvantages of both methods.
Jetting and shock wave during oblique hypervelocity impact of spherical projectile
Authors: Liu Xin , Deng Yongjun , Wen Ken , Yao Yong
Published: September 2023

Space debris impacts on whipped shields are dominantly non-vertical. During the initial impact stage of a projectile on a target, wave propagation and evolution occur in their interior with co-dominant material fragmentation. In this study, the effects of the impact conditions (impact velocity and attack angle) on the critical conditions for jet generation were examined based on the asymmetric jetting theory. In the geometric propagation model (GPM), the effect of the attack angle was considered, and a wave front deflection angle parameter was introduced. The modified GPM could describe the geometric features and position of a wave front during an oblique impact. Combined with smoothed particle hydrodynamics numerical simulations, the interior of projectiles, fragmentation features and pressure attenuation were studied. It was found that in large attack angle cases, the projectile material is more likely to reach the critical conditions for jet generation. The modified GPM is an oblique elliptic equation that is a function of the equivalent speed, impact velocity, attack angle, time and deflection angle. It may be applicable to hypervelocity events involving any monolithic material as long as the equivalent speed and deflection angle can be provided from numerical simulations. The impact conditions exhibit a quantitative relationship with the pressure attenuation in a projectile, among which the impact velocity has a more significant effect. This study established a quantitative analysis method for the initial impact stage of the oblique hypervelocity impact of a spherical projectile on a flat plate.
On the Acoustics of Emphasis in Central Mount Lebanon Lebanese
Authors: Sakr Georges
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a study of emphasis in an attempt to determine its acoustic correlates in Central Mount Lebanon Lebanese Arabic (CMLL), an urban colloquial variety of Arabic spoken in Lebanon. Several analyses of emphasis exist in the literature, which largely focus on neighbouring vowels and either investigate, or make use of, a link between F2 lowering and emphasis. This study, based on acoustic data from 11 speakers, considers various possible consonantal as well as vocalic correlates. The vocalic analyses make use of statistical modelling in linear mixed effects, and generalised additive mixed modelling. This study finds significant F2 lowering in vowels preceding the emphatic voiceless sibilant /ṣ/. It argues that, in terms of the acoustics, emphasis is a vocalic rather than consonantal phenomenon, and that, in CMLL, the phonological feature ‘emphasis’ is consonantal, but is realized phonetically as a colouration of the adjacent vowels.
Incorporating Adaptive Survey Design in a Two-Stage National Web or Mail Mixed-Mode Survey: An Experiment in the American Family Health Study
Authors: Zhang Shiyu , West Brady T , Wagner James , Gatward Rebecca
Published: September 2023

This article presents the results of an adaptive design experiment in the recruitment of households and individuals for a two-stage national probability web or mail mixed-mode survey, the American Family Health Study (AFHS). In the screening stage, we based the adaptive design’s subgroup differentiation on Esri Tapestry segmentation. We used tailored invitation materials for a subsample where a high proportion of the population was Hispanic and added a paper questionnaire to the initial mailing for a subsample with rural and older families. In the main-survey stage, the adaptive design targeted the households where a member other than the screening respondent was selected for the survey. The adaptations included emailing and/or texting, an additional prepaid incentive, and seeking screening respondents’ help to remind the selected individuals. The main research questions are (i) whether the adaptive design improved survey production outcomes and (ii) whether combining adaptive design and postsurvey weighting adjustments improved survey estimates compared to performing postsurvey adjustments alone. Unfortunately, the adaptive designs did not improve the survey production outcomes. We found that the weighted AFHS estimates closely resemble those of a benchmark national face-to-face survey, the National Survey of Family Growth, although the adaptive design did not additionally change survey estimates beyond the weighting adjustments. Nonetheless, our experiment yields useful insights about the implementation of adaptive design in a self-administered mail-recruit web or mail survey. We were able to identify subgroups with potentially lower response rates and distinctive characteristics, but it was challenging to develop effective protocol adaptations for these subgroups under the constraints of the two primary survey modes and the operational budget of the AFHS. In addition, for self-administered within-household selection, it was difficult to obtain contact information from, reach, and recruit selected household members that did not respond to the screening interview.
Predicting reliable H2 column density maps from molecular line data using machine learning
Authors: Shimajiri Yoshito , Kawanishi Yasutomo , Fujita Shinji , Miyamoto Yusuke , Ito Atsushi M , Arzoumanian Doris , André Philippe , Nishimura Atsushi , Tokuda Kazuki , Kaneko Hiroyuki , Takekawa Shunya , Ueda Shota , Onishi Toshikazu , Inoue Tsuyoshi , Nishimoto Shimpei , Yoneda Ryuki
Published: September 2023

The total mass estimate of molecular clouds suffers from the uncertainty in the H2-CO conversion factor, the so-called XCO factor, which is used to convert the 12CO (1–0) integrated intensity to the H2 column density. We demonstrate the machine learning’s ability to predict the H2 column density from the 12CO, 13CO, and C18O (1–0) data set of four star-forming molecular clouds: Orion A, Orion B, Aquila, and M17. When the training is performed on a subset of each cloud, the overall distribution of the predicted column density is consistent with that of the Herschel column density. The total column density predicted and observed is consistent within 10 per cent, suggesting that the machine learning prediction provides a reasonable total mass estimate of each cloud. However, the distribution of the column density for values >∼2 × 1022 cm−2, which corresponds to the dense gas, could not be predicted well. This indicates that molecular line observations tracing the dense gas are required for the training. We also found a significant difference between the predicted and observed column density when we created the model after training the data on different clouds. This highlights the presence of different XCO factors between the clouds, and further training in various clouds is required to correct for these variations. We also demonstrated that this method could predict the column density towards the area not observed by Herschel if the molecular line and column density maps are available for the small portion, and the molecular line data are available for the larger areas.
Partition function approach to non-Gaussian likelihoods: physically motivated convergence criteria for Markov chains
Authors: Röver Lennart , von Campe Heinrich , Herzog Maximilian Philipp , Kuntz Rebecca Maria , Schäfer Björn Malte
Published: September 2023

Non-Gaussian distributions in cosmology are commonly evaluated with Monte Carlo Markov chain methods, as the Fisher matrix formalism is restricted to the Gaussian case. The Metropolis–Hastings algorithm will provide samples from the posterior distribution after a burn-in period, and the corresponding convergence is usually quantified with the Gelman–Rubin criterion. In this paper, we investigate the convergence of the Metropolis–Hastings algorithm by drawing analogies to statistical Hamiltonian systems in thermal equilibrium for which a canonical partition sum exists. Specifically, we quantify virialization, equipartition, and thermalization of Hamiltonian Monte Carlo Markov chains for a toy model and for the likelihood evaluation for a simple dark energy model constructed from supernova data. We follow the convergence of these criteria to the values expected in thermal equilibrium, in comparison to the Gelman–Rubin criterion. We find that there is a much larger class of physically motivated convergence criteria with clearly defined target values indicating convergence. As a numerical tool, we employ physics-informed neural networks for speeding up the sampling process.
Magnetorotational instability in a swirling partially ionized gas
Authors: Secunda Amy , Donnel Peter , Ji Hantao , Goodman Jeremy
Published: September 2023

The magnetorotational instability (MRI) has been proposed as the method of angular momentum transport that enables accretion in astrophysical discs. However, for weakly ionized discs, such as protoplanetary discs, it remains unclear whether the combined non-ideal magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects of Ohmic resistivity, ambipolar diffusion, and the Hall effect make these discs MRI stable. While much effort has been made to simulate non-ideal MHD MRI, these simulations make simplifying assumptions and are not always in agreement with each other. Furthermore, it is difficult to directly observe the MRI astrophysically because it occurs on small scales. Here, we propose the concept of a swirling gas experiment of weakly ionized argon gas between two concentric cylinders threaded with an axial magnetic field that can be used to study non-ideal MHD MRI. For our proposed experiment, we derive the hydrodynamic equilibrium flow and a dispersion relation for MRI that includes the three non-ideal effects. We solve this dispersion relation numerically for the parameters of our proposed experiment. We find it should be possible to produce a non-ideal MRI in such an experiment because of the Hall effect, which increases the MRI growth rate when the vertical magnetic field is anti-aligned with the rotation axis. As a proof of concept, we also present experimental results for a hydrodynamic flow in an unmagnetized prototype. We find that our prototype has a small, but non-negligible, α-parameter that could serve as a baseline for comparison to our proposed magnetized experiment, which could be subject to additional turbulence from the MRI.
Diffusive shock acceleration at EeV and associated multimessenger flux from ultra-fast outflows driven by active galactic nuclei
Authors: Peretti Enrico , Lamastra Alessandra , Saturni Francesco Gabriele , Ahlers Markus , Blasi Pasquale , Morlino Giovanni , Cristofari Pierre
Published: September 2023

Active galactic nuclei (AGN) can launch and sustain powerful winds featuring mildly relativistic velocity and wide opening angle. Such winds, known as ultra-fast outflows (UFOs), can develop a bubble structure characterized by a forward shock expanding in the host galaxy and a wind termination shock separating the fast, cool wind from the hot shocked wind. In this work, we explore whether diffusive shock acceleration can take place efficiently at the wind termination shock of UFOs. We calculate the spectrum of accelerated particles and find that protons can be energized up to the EeV range promoting UFOs to promising candidates for accelerating ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). We also compute the associated gamma-ray and neutrino fluxes and compare them with available data in the literature. We observe that high-energy (HE) neutrinos are efficiently produced up to hundreds of PeV while the associated gamma rays could be efficiently absorbed beyond a few tens of GeV by the optical-ultraviolet AGN photon field. By assuming a typical source density of non-jetted AGN, we expect that UFOs could play a dominant role as diffuse sources of UHECRs and HE neutrinos. We finally apply our model to the recently observed NGC1068 and we find out that under specific parametric conditions an obscured UFO could provide a sizeable contribution to the observed gamma-ray flux while only contributing up to ∼10 per cent to the associated neutrino flux.
On the impact of runaway stars on dwarf galaxies with resolved interstellar medium
Authors: Steinwandel Ulrich P , Bryan Greg L , Somerville Rachel S , Hayward Christopher C , Burkhart Blakesley
Published: September 2023

‘Runaway stars’ might play a role in driving galactic outflows and enriching the circumgalactic medium with metals. To study this effect, we carry out high-resolution dwarf galaxy simulations that include velocity ‘kicks’ to massive stars above eigth solar masses. We consider two scenarios, one that adopts a power law velocity distribution for kick velocities, resulting in more stars with high-velocity kicks, and a more moderate scenario with a Maxwellian velocity distribution. We explicitly resolve the multiphase interstellar medium (ISM) and include non-equilibrium cooling and chemistry. We sample individual massive stars from an IMF and follow their radiation input and SN feedback (core-collapse) channel at the end of their lifetime. In the simulations with runaway stars, we add additional (natal) velocity kicks that mimic two- and three-body interactions that cannot be fully resolved in our simulations. We find that including runaway or ‘walkaway’ star scenarios impacts mass, metal, momentum, and energy outflows as well as the corresponding loading factors. The effect on the mass loading factor is small, but we find an increase in the metal loading by a factor of 1.5 to 2. The momentum loading increases by a factor of 1.5–2. The energy loading increases by roughly a factor of 5 when runaway stars are included. Additionally, we find that the overall level of star formation is increased in the models that include runaway stars. We conclude that the inclusion of runaway stars could have an impact on the global star formation and subsequent outflow properties of dwarf galaxies.
Brain tumor-related epilepsy management: A Society for Neuro-oncology (SNO) consensus review on current management
Authors: Avila Edward K , Tobochnik Steven , Inati Sara K , Koekkoek Johan A F , McKhann Guy M , Riviello James J , Rudà Roberta , Schiff David , Tatum William O , Templer Jessica W , Weller Michael , Wen Patrick Y
Published: September 2023

Tumor-related epilepsy (TRE) is a frequent and major consequence of brain tumors. Management of TRE is required throughout the course of disease and a deep understanding of diagnosis and treatment is key to improving quality of life. Gross total resection is favored from both an oncologic and epilepsy perspective. Shared mechanisms of tumor growth and epilepsy exist, and emerging data will provide better targeted therapy options. Initial treatment with antiseizure medications (ASM) in conjunction with surgery and/or chemoradiotherapy is typical. The first choice of ASM is critical to optimize seizure control and tolerability considering the effects of the tumor itself. These agents carry a potential for drug–drug interactions and therefore knowledge of mechanisms of action and interactions is needed. A review of adverse effects is necessary to guide ASM adjustments and decision-making. This review highlights the essential aspects of diagnosis and treatment of TRE with ASMs, surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy while indicating areas of uncertainty. Future studies should consider the use of a standardized method of seizure tracking and incorporating seizure outcomes as a primary endpoint of tumor treatment trials.
Photoexcitation-induced passivation of SnO2 thin film for efficient perovskite solar cells
Authors: Chai Nianyao , Chen Xiangyu , Zeng Zhongle , Yu Ruohan , Yue Yunfan , Mai Bo , Wu Jinsong , Mai Liqiang , Cheng Yi-Bing , Wang Xuewen
Published: September 2023

A high-quality tin oxide electron transport layer (ETL) is a key common factor to achieve high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the conventional annealing technique to prepare high-quality ETLs by continuous heating under near-equilibrium conditions requires high temperatures and a long fabrication time. Alternatively, we present a non-equilibrium, photoexcitation-induced passivation technique that uses multiple ultrashort laser pulses. The ultrafast photoexcitation and following electron–electron and electron–phonon scattering processes induce ultrafast annealing to efficiently passivate surface and bulk defects, and improve the crystallinity of SnO2, resulting in suppressing the carrier recombination and facilitating the charge transport between the ETL and perovskite interface. By rapidly scanning the laser beam, the annealing time is reduced to several minutes, which is much more efficient compared with conventional thermal annealing. To demonstrate the university and scalability of this technique, typical antisolvent and antisolvent-free processed hybrid organic–inorganic metal halide PSCs have been fabricated and achieved the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.14% and 22.75% respectively, and a 12-square-centimeter module antisolvent-free processed perovskite solar module achieves a PCE of 20.26%, with significantly enhanced performance both in PCE and stability. This study establishes a new approach towards the commercialization of efficient low-temperature manufacturing of PSCs.
Vitamin E supplementation (alone or with other antioxidants) and stroke: a meta-analysis
Authors: Maggio Enrico , Bocchini Valeria Proietti , Carnevale Roberto , Pignatelli Pasquale , Violi Francesco , Loffredo Lorenzo
Published: September 2023

Context

A previous study showed that vitamin E is effective in reducing the incidence of myocardial infarction only when it is taken in the absence of other antioxidants. It is unclear if it also reduces the incidence of stroke.

Objective

The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the effect of vitamin E supplementation alone or combined with other antioxidants on the incidence of stroke.

Data Sources

A search was performed in the following databases: PubMed, ISI Web of Science, SCOPUS, and Cochrane Library.

Data Extraction

Sixteen randomized controlled trials were selected to evaluate the effect of vitamin E supplementation on stroke.

Data Analysis

The range of vitamin E doses used was 33–800 IU. The follow-up period ranged from 6 months to 9.4 years. Compared with controls, when vitamin E was given alone it did not reduce the incidence of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Conversely, compared with controls, supplementation of vitamin E with other antioxidants reduced ischemic stroke (random effects, RR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.84–0.99; P = 0.02) but with a significant increase in hemorrhagic stroke (random effects, RR: 1.22; 95% CI: 1.0–1.48; P = 0.04).

Conclusions

Supplementation with vitamin E alone is not associated with stroke reduction. Instead, supplementation of vitamin E with other antioxidants reduces the incidence of ischemic stroke but increases the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, cancelling any beneficial effect derived. Thus, vitamin E is not recommended in stroke prevention.

Systematic Review Registration

PROSPERO registration no. CRD42022258259.
Seeing Red and Blue: Assessing How Americans Understand Geographic Polarization, Secession, and the Value of Federalism
Authors: Jacobs Nicholas F
Published: September 2023

This article examines how public perceptions about the divide between blue and red states shape attitudes about secession in the United States. Through a nationally representative survey of the adult American population, I measure how individuals perceive political differences between states, and demonstrate that as perceptions of political differences increase, so too does support for secession. Measured through multiple questions and an experimental design, these findings demonstrate a previously underexplored dynamic of the country’s partisan divisions. Both Democrats and Republicans are more likely to support secession as their awareness of the “red” and “blue” divide increases—an attitude that is statistically independent from other beliefs that motivate partisan animosity in the contemporary United States, such as populism, racial resentment, affective polarization, and ideology. While talk of an impending “civil war” may be exaggerated, the widespread prevalence of secessionist beliefs shows that the legitimacy of the country’s federal bargain is challenged by political nationalization.
Biomaterials combined with ADSCs for bone tissue engineering: current advances and applications
Authors: Song Yiping , Wang Ning , Shi Huixin , Zhang Dan , Wang Qiang , Guo Shu , Yang Shude , Ma Jia
Published: September 2023

In recent decades, bone tissue engineering, which is supported by scaffold, seed cells and bioactive molecules (BMs), has provided new hope and direction for treating bone defects. In terms of seed cells, compared to bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, which were widely utilized in previous years, adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are becoming increasingly favored by researchers due to their abundant sources, easy availability and multi-differentiation potentials. However, there is no systematic theoretical basis for selecting appropriate biomaterials loaded with ADSCs. In this review, the regulatory effects of various biomaterials on the behavior of ADSCs are summarized from four perspectives, including biocompatibility, inflammation regulation, angiogenesis and osteogenesis, to illustrate the potential of combining various materials with ADSCs for the treatment of bone defects. In addition, we conclude the influence of additional application of various BMs on the bone repair effect of ADSCs, in order to provide more evidences and support for the selection or preparation of suitable biomaterials and BMs to work with ADSCs. More importantly, the associated clinical case reports and experiments are generalized to provide additional ideas for the clinical transformation and application of bone tissue engineering loaded with ADSCs.
Indigenous Populations of a Biological Control Agent in Agricultural Field Soils Predicted Suppression of a Plant Pathogen
Authors: Becker Jennifer Smith , Ruegger Paul M. , Borneman James , Becker J. Ole
Published: September 2023

The nematophagous fungus Hyalorbilia oviparasitica and relatives ( Hyalorbilia spp.) are known to parasitize several endoparasitic nematodes. In this project, we hypothesized that indigenous populations of this fungus could be used to predict nematode suppression in agricultural field soils. We quantified Hyalorbilia spp. in soil samples from 44 different sugar beet fields in the Imperial Valley of California. Seven soils harboring Hyalorbilia spp. and two that tested negative for the fungi were examined for nematode suppressive activity. Untreated and autoclaved portions of each soil were planted with cabbage and infested with sugar beet cyst nematode ( Heterodera schachtii) juveniles. Females and cysts of H. schachtii were enumerated after 12 weeks. In the seven soils harboring Hyalorbilia spp., females and cysts in the untreated soils were reduced by 61 to 82% compared with the autoclaved controls. Soils with no detectable Hyalorbilia spp. exhibited no nematode suppression. Two novel Hyalorbilia strains, HsImV25 and HsImV27, were isolated from H. schachtii females reared in field soil using an enrichment and double-baiting cultivation technique. Both strains suppressed H. schachtii populations by more than 80% in soil-based assays, confirming that Hyalorbilia spp. are the likely causal agents of the nematode suppression in these soils. This study demonstrated that indigenous populations of a hyperparasite ( Hyalorbilia spp.) in agricultural field soils predicted suppressive activity against a soilborne plant pathogen ( H. schachtii). To our knowledge, this is the first report to demonstrate this capability. We anticipate that this research will provide a blueprint for other similar studies, thereby advancing the field of soilborne biological control.
Use of Psychedelics for Pain: A Scoping Review
Authors: Goel Akash , Rai Yeshith , Sivadas Shayan , Diep Calvin , Clarke Hance , Shanthanna Harsha , Ladha Karim S.
Published: September 2023

Chronic pain is a public health concern that affects approximately 1.5 billion people globally. Conventional therapeutic agents including opioid and non-opioid analgesics have been associated with adverse side effects, issues with addiction, and ineffective analgesia. Novel agents repurposed to treat pain via different mechanisms are needed to fill the therapeutic gap in chronic pain management. Psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide and psilocybin (the active ingredient in psychedelic mushrooms) are thought to alter pain perception through direct serotonin receptor agonism, anti-inflammatory effects, and synaptic remodeling. This scoping review was conducted to identify human studies in which psychedelic agents were used for the treatment of pain. Twenty-one articles that assessed the effects of psychedelics in treating various pain states were included. The present scarcity of clinical trials and small sample sizes limit their application for clinical use. Overall, psychedelics appear to show promise for analgesia in patients with certain headache disorders and cancer pain diagnoses. Future studies must aim to examine the combined effects of psychotherapy and psychedelics on chronic pain.