bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cold‐inducible promoter‐driven knockdown of Brachypodium antifreeze proteins confers freezing and phytopathogen susceptibility
Authors: Juurakko Collin L. , Bredow Melissa , diCenzo George C. , Walker Virginia K.
Published: September 2022

The model forage crop, Brachypodium distachyon, has a cluster of ice recrystallization inhibition (BdIRI) genes, which encode antifreeze proteins that function by adsorbing to ice crystals and inhibiting their growth. The genes were targeted for knockdown using a cold‐induced promoter from rice (prOsMYB1R35) to drive miRNA. The transgenic lines showed no apparent pleiotropic developmental defects but had reduced antifreeze activity as assessed by assays for ice‐recrystallization inhibition, thermal hysteresis, electrolyte leakage, and leaf infrared thermography. Strikingly, the number of cold‐acclimated transgenic plants that survived freezing at −8°C was reduced by half or killed entirely, depending on the line, compared with cold‐acclimated wild type plants. In addition, more leaf damage was apparent at subzero temperatures in knockdowns after infection with an ice nucleating pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae. Although antifreeze proteins have been studied for almost 60 years, this is the first unequivocal demonstration of their function by knockdown in any organism, and their dual contribution to freeze protection as well as pathogen susceptibility, independent of obvious developmental defects. These proteins are thus of potential interest in a wide range of biotechnological applications from cryopreservation, to frozen product additives, to the engineering of transgenic crops with enhanced pathogen and freezing tolerance.
Integrated proteome and acetylome analyses unveil protein features of gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia
Authors: Hu Biying , Li Dandan , Tang Donge , Shangguan Yu , Cao Yuzhi , Guo Ruonan , Luan Shaodong , Yun Chen , Morgera Stanislao , Hocher Berthold , Krämer Bernhard K. , Wang Yinglan , Yin Lianghong , Dai Yong
Published: September 2022

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and preeclampsia (PE) are associated with maternal and infant health. Although the pathogenesis of PE and GDM remains controversial, oxidative stress is involved in the underlying pathology of GDM and PE. Protein lysine acetylation (Kac) plays an important regulatory role in biological processes. There is little data regarding the association of the maternal acetylome with GDM and PE. This study aimed to assess the potential value of the proteome and acetylome for GDM and PE. In our study, we included placental tissues from healthy individuals (n = 6), GDM patients (n = 6), and PE patients (n = 6) to perform 4D‐label free quantification proteomics analysis and PRM analysis. We identified 22 significantly regulated proteins and 192 significantly regulated acetylated proteins between the GDM and PE groups. Furthermore, 192 significantly regulated acetylated proteins were mainly enriched in endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and ferroptosis pathways. Seventeen acetylated sites in these two pathways were verified by PRM analysis. Our comprehensive analysis revealed key features of GDM/PE‐significantly regulated acetylated proteins in the placentas from GDM and PE. The results of signaling pathway analysis focused on ERS and ferroptosis. These findings may help explore the underlying pathology, new biomarkers, and therapeutic targets of GDM and PE.
The role of partner support for health behaviours in people living with and beyond cancer: A qualitative study
Authors: Gil Natalie , Fisher Abigail , Beeken Rebecca J. , Pini Simon , Miller Natalie , Buck Caroline , Lally Phillippa , Conway Rana
Published: September 2022

Objective

This study aimed to qualitatively explore how partner support for health behaviours is perceived, received, and utilised in people living with and beyond cancer (LWBC).

Methods

Semi‐structured audio interviews were conducted with 24 participants, 15 men and nine women, living with and beyond breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer. Inductive and deductive Thematic Analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results

Three key themes with six subthemes were identified relating to partner support for health behaviours: (1) Interdependence (Reciprocity, Overt Control, Influence & Motivation) (2) Concordance (Shared Attitudes & Health Beliefs, Shared Health Behaviour) and (3) Communal Coping (Communal Orientation towards Health and Decision Making, Co‐operative Action in Health Behaviour).

Conclusions

Partner support plays a unique and significant role in the health behaviours of people LWBC. Partners play a collaborative role in managing health and facilitating health behaviours, while the high level of concordance in couples may represent a potential barrier to change via the reinforcement of maladaptive health beliefs and behaviours.

Implications for Cancer Survivors

Overall, findings demonstrate that partners should be considered and included where possible when designing future behaviour change interventions for people LWBC.
Asthma admission among children in Hong Kong during the first year of the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Wong K. L. , Wong Wilfred H. S. , Yau Y. S. , Lee S. L. , Chiu Susan S. S.
Published: September 2022

Background

Multiple nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) had been introduced in Hong Kong during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. The impact on asthma admission, which was closely related to viral infection, was of concern.

Objective

The study aimed to identify the impact of NPIs on pediatric asthma admissions and their association with respiratory viruses.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective observational study to compare the difference in pediatric asthma hospital admission rates between pre‐COVID‐19 and COVID‐19 periods. Information on demographics, nasopharyngeal specimen results, ventilatory support, intensive care admission, hospital stay duration, asthma control therapy, and previous admission episodes was collected. Weather parameters including temperature, rainfall, humidity, and air quality data that was reflected by the air quality health index were recorded.

Results

A total of 1808 pediatric asthma admissions were recorded during the pre‐COVID‐19 period while there were 62 admissions during COVID‐19 period, among which 54 admissions from the pre‐COVID‐19 period and 4 admissions from COVID‐19 period were excluded. Weekly pediatric asthma admissions per total pediatric admissions during COVID‐19 was one‐third of that during the pre‐COVID‐19 period (0.3% vs. 0.9%, p < 0.001). During COVID‐19 period, a significantly lower percentage of respiratory virus isolates was noted (58.6% vs. 72.6%, p = 0.019). Poisson regression analysis showed that the COVID‐19 period (odds ratio [OR] = 0.202, 95% confidence interval  [CI, 0.16–0.26]; p ≤ 0.001), summer vacation period (OR = 0.512, 95% CI [0.43–0.62]; p ≤ 0.001), and humidity (OR = 0.99, 95% CI [0.98–1.00]; p = 0.004) were independent protective factors for asthma admission.

Conclusions

There was a significant reduction in pediatric asthma hospitalizations and respiratory virus isolates in the first year of COVID‐19 pandemic in Hong Kong with the implementation of NPIs. Rhinovirus remained the key respiratory virus isolate. Incorporation of appropriate NPIs in long run could reduce virus infection‐related pediatric asthma admission.
Beyond redundant kill: A fundamental explanation of how insecticide mixtures work for resistance management
Authors: Madgwick Philip G. , Kanitz Ricardo
Published: September 2022

The use of insecticide mixtures for resistance management has been a controversial topic for many decades. Here, we provide a reassessment of the fundamental theory of insecticide mixtures. First, we examine how mixtures differ from other strategies. We suggest that the fundamental strategy concept of a mixture is defined by the simultaneous use of insecticides and their overlapping exposure. Second, we provide a simple, illustrative model to show how mixtures affect resistance evolution. Following the existing literature, we identify a role for ‘redundant kill’ acting against resistant individuals, which we link to the overlapping exposure of insecticides. We also identify the occurrence of ‘additional kill’ acting against susceptible individuals, which is the immediate consequence of the simultaneous use of insecticides. Third, we take a basic approach to the comparison of mixtures and other strategies using a simple model. We find that a common comparison of the time to resistance alone leaves the effects of additional kill unaccounted for. Moreover, we demonstrate that different approaches to comparison can lead to different results because of biases that are introduced in the comparison setup. Fourth, still using the same model, we showcase a more sophisticated approach to comparison using optimised strategies. We find that optimised mixtures always perform better than other strategies due to the combination of redundant and additional kill. We suggest that the comparison of optimised strategies is unbiased because each strategy is performing the best that it can. On this basis, in theory (but not necessarily practice), we believe that mixtures are better than other strategies and, through the steps of our argument, we can tie this success back to the fundamental properties (of simultaneous use and overlapping exposure) that distinguish mixtures from other strategy concepts. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Abrocitinib for the treatment of atopic dermatitis
Authors: Chaplin Steve
Published: September 2022

Abrocitinib (Cibinqo) is a new janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in adults and adolescents. This article reviews its properties and place in therapy.
Simulating a Mediterranean heavy‐precipitating event with parametrized convection: Role of subgrid‐scale topography
Authors: Mazoyer Marie , Roehrig Romain , Duffourg Fanny , Nuissier Olivier
Published: September 2022

Getting the right precipitation probability density function in the Mediterranean area is a challenge for most global and regional climate models with parametrized convection. Over land in particular, the intensity of heavy‐precipitating events is often underestimated. In the present study, we provide a process‐based analysis of the representation by the CNRM‐ALADIN63 regional climate model of one of these events, which occurred in the southeast of France on November 1–2, 2008. The CNRM‐ALADIN63 model, when run in a configuration where the large‐scale dynamics is nudged towards that of the ERA‐Interim reanalysis, is first shown to capture the location and intensity of the heavy‐precipitating event appropriately. Then, using a reference convection‐permitting simulation of the same event and a conditional sampling approach to identify and characterize convective updraughts, the ability of the model convection parametrization to capture further convective details is assessed. The model misses the occurrence of the updraught mass flux largest values, despite a significant and systematic overestimation of the updraught vertical velocity. The area covered by the convective updraught is in fact found to be severely underestimated, suggesting an inappropriate approach for convective closure: the event occurred along the foothills of the Massif Central, where the subgrid‐scale features of the topography interact strongly with the impinging large‐scale flow and thereby drive the position and large area fractions of convective updraughts, at least during the mature phase of the event. A preliminary topography‐based convective closure is proposed and implemented in the model to assess this hypothesis further. The results confirm that the parametrization deficiencies can be significantly reduced with a proper inclusion of subgrid‐scale topographic features.
The characterization and impact of Aeolus wind profile observations in NOAA's regional tropical cyclone model (HWRF)
Authors: Marinescu Peter J. , Cucurull Lidia , Apodaca Karina , Bucci Lisa , Genkova Iliana
Published: September 2022

Observation system experiments (OSEs) are conducted to assess the potential impacts of horizontal line‐of‐sight wind profile observations from the Aeolus satellite on tropical cyclone (TC) forecasting. The OSEs utilize the operational Hurricane Weather and Research Forecasting (HWRF) model. The OSEs include 226 forecasts from seven TC cases in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins. Comparisons between Aeolus and model background winds show that winds from Aeolus are consistently stronger than those from HWRF. Data assimilation statistics also demonstrate that the greatest potential impacts from the assimilation of Aeolus observations are likely to occur in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere and within approximately 500 km from the TC centre. For TC forecasting applications, the assimilation of Aeolus observations improves TC intensity and size forecasts in the Eastern Pacific basin, while the results for track forecasts and results from the Atlantic basin are mixed. However, in both basins, the largest and most statistically significant, positive impacts from the assimilation of Aeolus observations occur when reconnaissance flight data are unavailable and during the early stages of TC development. The traditionally used forecast assessments of TC intensity, track and size are rooted in surface‐based metrics, and an additional investigation above the surface demonstrated larger improvements from assimilating Aeolus observations on TC wind structure above 400 hPa as compared to the lower troposphere. Several, different assessments throughout this study demonstrate higher uncertainty and the need for special consideration associated with assimilation techniques within 500 km from the TC centre.
Additional studies on nicotine exposure in horses: Accurate quantification and elimination profiles of potential biomarkers in plasma and urine
Authors: Ishii Hideaki , Shibuya Mariko , Leung Gary Ngai‐Wa , Yamashita Shozo , Nagata Shun‐ichi , Kushiro Asuka , Sakai Satoshi , Toju Kota , Okada Jun , Kawasaki Kazumi , Kusano Kanichi , Kijima‐Suda Isao
Published: September 2022

Rationale

For the purpose of doping control, this is the first report of accurate quantification of four critical structural isomers of nicotine metabolites (trans‐3′‐hydroxycotinine, cis‐3′‐hydroxycotinine, 5′‐hydroxycotinine, and N′‐hydroxymethylnorcotinine) in equine plasma and urine for the establishment of their elimination profiles. Besides, the pharmacokinetic studies of trans‐3′‐hydroxycotinine and N′‐hydroxymethylnorcotinine in equine plasma and urine are also presented for the first time.

Methods

The accurate quantification methods of the aforementioned four structural isomers in horse plasma and urine were successfully developed and validated using the solid‐phase extractions followed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Baseline chromatographic separation was achieved to completely differentiate these isomers, which shared the same selected reaction monitoring transition. Such methods were applied to post‐administration samples obtained from the nicotine and tobacco leaf administration studies for the establishment of pharmacokinetic profiles.

Results

N′‐Hydroxymethylnorcotinine could be quantified for the longest period, ranging from 48 to 72 h in plasma and 96 h in urine after a single administration of 250 mg of nicotine and an equivalent amount of nicotine in tobacco leaves. In terms of detection, both N′‐hydroxymethylnorcotinine and trans‐3′‐hydroxycotinine could be detected up to the last sample collection time point (96 h), indicating that they are the most appropriate biomarkers for nicotine exposure.

Conclusions

N′‐Hydroxymethylnorcotinine and trans‐3′‐hydroxycotinine were detected longest in plasma and urine samples after both nicotine and tobacco leaf administrations, and N′‐hydroxymethylnorcotinine was deemed most appropriate as a monitoring target due to its relatively higher abundance and slower elimination rate. These two biomarkers could also be used to differentiate sample contamination by tobacco products and genuine nicotine exposure to horse regardless of intentionality.
Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy in hospitalised adult COVID‐19 patients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Marcec Robert , Dodig Vinko Michael , Radanovic Igor , Likic Robert
Published: September 2022

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy has been suggested as a potential treatment option for hospitalised COVID‐19 patients. The aim of this systematic review and meta‐analysis was to investigate the potential impact of IVIg on mortality and length of hospitalisation in adult COVID‐19 patients. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and medRxiv were searched in the week of 20.12.2021 for English language, prospective trials, and retrospective studies with control groups, reporting on the use of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in adult hospitalised COVID‐19 patients. Exclusion criteria were: studies evaluating the use of IVIg in paediatric COVID‐19 cases, trials using convalescent anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 plasma or immunoglobulins derived from convalescent anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 plasma. A random effects meta‐analysis with subgroup analyses regarding study design and patient disease severity according to WHO criteria was also performed. A total of 13 studies were included, of which 6 were prospective, on a total of 2313 (IVIg = 1104, control = 1209) patient outcomes. Meta‐analysis results indicated that IVIg therapy had no statistically significant effect on mortality (RR 0.91 [0.59; 1.39], p = 0.65, I2 = 69% [46%; 83%]) or length of hospital stay (MD 0.51 [−2.80; 3.81], p = 0.76, I2 = 96% [94%; 98%]). Subgroup analyses indicated no statistically significant impact on either outcome, but prospective studies' results suggested that IVIg may increase the length of hospitalisation in the severe COVID‐19 patient group (MD 2.66 [1.43; 3.90], p < 0.01, I2 = 0% [0%; >90%]). The results of this meta‐analysis do not support use of IVIg in hospitalised adult COVID‐19 patients.
Short‐term effects of organic matter and compaction manipulations on soil temperature, moisture, and soil respiration for 2 years in the Oregon Cascades
Authors: Gallo Adrian C. , Holub Scott M. , Littke Kim , Lajtha Kate , Maguire Doug , Hatten Jeff A.
Published: September 2022

Understanding the factors controlling nutrient dynamics can help guide forest management plans to promote their long‐term productivity. We used experimental treatments with three levels of biomass removals and two levels of compaction to monitor the impacts to soil biophysical characteristics in an intensively managed forest. Soil temperature, moisture, and respiration observations began 6 mo after treatment installation completion and continued for 2 yr. Compaction had few consistent significant effects on measured variables, and there were negligible differences in volumetric soil water content between whole tree (WT) and bole only (BO) harvesting. Compared with BO, the 10‐cm average and maximum growing season temperatures in WT significantly increased by 1.2 and 2.5 °C, respectively. The effects of WT removals resulted in whole profile (10–100 cm) increases in the average and maximum growing season soil temperatures. The WT removals resulted in an increase of 1.4 times more soil growing degree days (SGDD) at 10 cm and 1.6 times more at 100 cm compared with BO. Despite favorable temperature and moisture conditions, differences in soil respiration could not be explained by biomass or compaction treatments. The uncut reference forest was consistently cooler and drier, but respired more CO2 throughout both years of observation compared with treated areas. The large physical disturbance of forest harvesting on the site likely masked any incremental treatment differences by homogenizing the microbial response in the ensuing 2‐yr study period. Future research should continue to investigate whether these soil biophysical changes influence site productivity or more sensitive indices of soil C dynamics.
Lq‐based robust analytics on ultrahigh and high dimensional data
Authors: Chen Jiachen , Bie Ruofan , Qin Yichen , Li Yang , Ma Shuangge
Published: September 2022

Ultrahigh and high dimensional data are common in regression analysis for various fields, such as omics data, finance, and biological engineering. In addition to the problem of dimension, the data might also be contaminated. There are two main types of contamination: outliers and model misspecification. We develop an unique method that takes into account the ultrahigh or high dimensional issues and both types of contamination. In this article, we propose a framework for feature screening and selection based on the minimum Lq‐likelihood estimation (MLqE), which accounts for the model misspecification contamination issue and has also been shown to be robust to outliers. In numerical analysis, we explore the robustness of this framework under different outliers and model misspecification scenarios. To examine the performance of this framework, we conduct real data analysis using the skin cutaneous melanoma data. When comparing with traditional screening and feature selection methods, the proposed method shows superiority in both variable identification effectiveness and parameter estimation accuracy.
Community detection in attributed collaboration network for statisticians
Authors: Zhang Yan , Pan Rui , Wang Hansheng , Su Haibo
Published: September 2022

Scientific collaboration helps to promote the dissemination of knowledge and is essential in breeding innovation. Collaboration network analysis is a useful tool to study researchers' collaborations. In this work, we collect papers published between 2001 and 2018 in 43 statistical journals and investigate the collaborative trends and patterns. We find that more and more researchers take part in statistical research, and cooperation among them is strengthening. We further construct an attributed collaboration network and extract its core. Community detection is conducted on the core network by using the edge cross‐validation (ECV) method and the attributed network clustering algorithm (ANCA). In particular, we extend the ANCA to deal with networks having both categorical and continuous attributes. Influential researchers are identified in each community. Furthermore, two kinds of homophily are revealed in our collaboration network: research topic homophily and spatial proximity homophily. Based on the homophily and transitivity, we can make recommendations for researchers. Finally, we compare ANCA with the other three methods and confirm that the combination of nodal attributes and network structure improves the quality of community detection. Our studies show the features of the collaboration among statisticians and present a new perspective to explore researchers.
How to Balance Individual and Collective Values After COVID-19? Ethical Reflections on Crowd Management at Dutch Train Stations
Authors: Dameski Andrej , Spahn Andreas , Pouw Caspar A. S. , Corbetta Alessandro , Toschi Federico , Bombaerts Gunter
Published: September 2022

This chapter explores the shift in the balance of individual versus collective values instigated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The incredible viral spread rate among the population and its relatively high fatality rate has initially resulted in an assertion of the primacy of collective values (such as collective safety, collective responsibility, conformism). In contrast, individual rights and values (such as the individual counterparts of autonomy, freedom, responsibility, and privacy) took a ‘back seat’ for the good of the collective. However, as the pandemic extended over the months, there emerged a pressure to reject the primacy of collective values and restore the importance of individual values. If we are to return to a healthy and prosperous living within a well-functioning society, this balance shift between collective and individual values will have to be re-negotiated and resolved to reach a societally acceptable balance position.

We conduct this ethical exploration, first, by following the ethico-philosophical discussion on the balance between individual and collective values generally, as well as in times of crisis, with special focus on the COVID-19 crisis. Second, we explore this topic through the lens of recent changes to how particular technologies were and are used before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. More precisely, we identify and explore broad trends we see relevant to ethics – with a particular focus on crowd management and nudging and on the balance shift between individual and collective values. Finally, by exploring findings from a sociophysics case study dealing with crowd management of people before and during the pandemic, we argue that some sociophysical phenomena can be used as proxies for ethical principles. Here, distance is used as a conceptual proxy for individual and collective responsibility, having in mind COVID-19 distancing rules and recommendation.

With all the above, we identify several broad trends that have been instigated by the pandemic that are relevant to ethics. These changes relate to future crowd management, nudging, and control; individual (per-person) tracking; insistence on the importance of collective values in times of crisis, and the rejection of this infringement upon individual rights. In this regard, we assert that such value changes are an opportunity to rethink and (re)set balance points between individual and collective rights for each particular society.
Rhetorics of Resilience and Extended Crises: Reasoning in the Moral Situation of Our Post-Pandemic World
Authors: Copeland Samantha , Cañizares-Gaztelu Jose C.
Published: September 2022

This chapter looks closely at the use of resilience as a value in pandemic discourses, and particularly at how it reflects the moral complexity of the situation the pandemic presents: an extended crisis where shocks and stressors interact and have an uncertain end. We review key aspects of how resilience has been conceptualised, generally speaking, focusing on its normative implications. Insofar as resilience is suggested as a goal, or used to evaluate individuals, groups and systems, the rhetorical use of resilience in the pandemic has moral implications that we unpack. Asking questions such as resilience to what, of what, and for whom, drives our analysis of the multiple scales at which morally relevant factors must be considered, in terms of distance and certainty, and across space and over time. Further, we highlight the importance of particularly challenging, intersecting scales both within and beyond the pandemic, such as the interaction between other- and self-regarding concerns and the tension between transformation and conservation, as we consider when to take up opportunities for improving ourselves, our society and our systems, in times of extended crises and radical change. Given that a ‘return to normal’ is neither universally desirable nor likely, we recommend in this chapter ways to address resilience as a value that can shape approaches to policy and behaviour while also being explicit about the normative—evaluative and also prescriptive—implications of its use.
Contact Tracing Apps for the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Responsible Innovation Perspective
Authors: Ogoh George , Akintoye Simisola , Eke Damian Okaibedi , Leach Tonii , Ochang Paschal , Owoseni Adebowale , Oyeniji Oluyinka , Stahl Bernd Carsten
Published: September 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about the first real opportunity to test the efficacy of the Responsible Research and Innovation framework or RRI in a global health crisis. This is in view of the bold new approaches to health research and innovation that the pandemic has paved the way for. One such approach is the digital contact tracing application (CTA). Although contact tracing has been a fundamental part of infectious disease control for decades, this is the first time this technique has been used in mobile applications. Based on a Multivocal Literature Review, the development of CTAs in four countries – France, Germany, Spain, and the UK – was assessed to understand what dimensions of RRI can be identified in the governments’ response to COVID-19. This chapter shows that although from 2011, RRI has been promoted as a governance approach for increasing societal desirability of the processes and products of science and technology, very little is known about how the framework may be applied in a health crisis. Notwithstanding that RRI was not explicitly referenced during the development of CTAs in France, the UK, Spain, and Germany, the analysis has identified some interesting linkage to this framework. It shows that while no RRI approach was explicitly embraced by these governments, some key components were present – even though inadequately. It also indicates that, while it is challenging to apply RRI in crises, there is value in using it as an analytical tool for techno-social responses in situations, like those created by the COVID-19 health crisis.
The Accident
Authors: Jinnah Zaheera
Published: September 2022

In this chapter, I use a case study of an underground accident to illustrate the pervasive forms of exclusion that the urban poor face. It follows the story of Florence, the wife of a miner who has been injured underground, and subsequently arrested, as she and others like her interface with the criminal justice and public health care sectors. Through these engagements, the chapter constructs an argument of the informalisation of governance in South Africa and its dangers.
The Future
Authors: Jinnah Zaheera
Published: September 2022

In this chapter, the arguments and evidence from proceeding chapters are woven together to discuss how informality can lead to an erosion in democracy. Additional political analysis from 2021–2022 help frame the argument of a precarious future for the country’s political stability. At the same time, the book ends on a note of hope by returning to the voice of the Zama Zama, and how they construct agency and meaning in the face of ontological insecurity.
Quantum nucleation of topological solitons
Authors: Eto Minoru , Nitta Muneto
Published: September 2022

Abstract

The chiral soliton lattice is an array of topological solitons realized as ground states of QCD at finite density under strong magnetic fields or rapid rotation, and chiral magnets with an easy-plane anisotropy. In such cases, topological solitons have negative energy due to topological terms originating from the chiral magnetic or vortical effect and the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction, respectively. We study quantum nucleation of topological solitons in the vacuum through quantum tunneling in 2 + 1 and 3 + 1 dimensions, by using a complexϕ4(or the axion) model with a topological term proportional to an external field, which is a simplification of low-energy theories of the above systems. In 2 + 1 dimensions, a pair of a vortex and an anti-vortex is connected by a linear soliton, while in 3 + 1 dimensions, a vortex is string-like, a soliton is wall-like, and a disk of a soliton wall is bounded by a string loop. Since the tension of solitons can be effectively negative due to the topological term, such a composite configuration of a finite size is created by quantum tunneling and subsequently grows rapidly. We estimate the nucleation probability analytically in the thin-defect approximation and fully calculate it numerically using the relaxation (gradient flow) method. The nucleation probability is maximized when the direction of the soliton is perpendicular to the external field. We find a good agreement between the thin-defect approximation and direct numerical simulation in 2 + 1 dimensions if we read the vortex tension from the numerics, while we find a difference between them at short distances interpreted as a remnant energy in 3 + 1 dimensions.
Gravity factorized
Authors: Blommaert Andreas , Iliesiu Luca V. , Kruthoff Jorrit
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We find models of two dimensional gravity that resolve the factorization puzzle and have a discrete spectrum, whilst retaining a semiclassical description. A novelty of these models is that they contain non-trivially correlated spacetime branes or, equivalently, nonlocal interactions in their action. Such nonlocal correlations are motivated in the low-energy gravity theory by integrating out UV degrees of freedom. Demanding factorization fixes almost all brane correlators, and the exact geometric expansion of the partition function collapses to only two terms: the black hole saddle and a subleading “half-wormhole” geometry, whose sum yields the desired discrete spectrum. By mapping the insertion of correlated branes to a certain double-trace deformation in the dual matrix integral, we show that factorization and discreteness also persist non-perturbatively. While in our model all wormholes completely cancel, they are still computationally relevant: self-averaging quantities, like the Page curve, computed in the original theory with wormholes, accurately approximate observables in our theory, which accounts for UV corrections. Our models emphasize the importance of correlations between different disconnected components of spacetime, providing a possible resolution to the factorization puzzle in any number of dimensions.
Metric approach to a $$ \mathrm{T}\overline{\mathrm{T}} $$-like deformation in arbitrary dimensions
Authors: Conti Riccardo , Romano Jacopo , Tateo Roberto
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We consider a one-parameter family of composite fields — bi-linear in the components of the stress-energy tensor — which generalise the $$ \mathrm{T}\overline{\mathrm{T}} $$
T

T
¯

operator to arbitrary space-time dimension d ≥ 2. We show that they induce a deformation of the classical action which is equivalent — at the level of the dynamics — to a field-dependent modification of the background metric tensor according to a specific flow equation. Even though the starting point is the flat space, the deformed metric is generally curved for any d > 2, thus implying that the corresponding deformation can not be interpreted as a coordinate transformation. The central part of the paper is devoted to the development of a recursive algorithm to compute the coefficients of the power series expansion of the solution to the metric flow equation. We show that, under some quite restrictive assumptions on the stress-energy tensor, the power series yields an exact solution. Finally, we consider a class of theories in d = 4 whose stress-energy tensor fulfils the assumptions above mentioned, namely the family of abelian gauge theories in d = 4. For such theories, we obtain the exact expression of the deformed metric and the vierbein. In particular, the latter result implies that ModMax theory in a specific curved space is dynamically equivalent to its Born-Infeld-like extension in flat space. We also discuss a dimensional reduction of the latter theories from d = 4 to d = 2 in which an interesting marginal deformation of d = 2 field theories emerges.
Pulsatile lavage systems and their potential to penetrate soft tissue
Authors: Knappe Kevin , Lunz Andre , Bülhoff Matthias , Schonhoff Mareike , Renkawitz Tobias , Kretzer Jan Philippe , Jaeger Sebastian
Published: September 2022

Background

In orthopedic and trauma surgery, pulsatile lavage systems are used to clean soft tissue. This may be necessary in septic surgeries or in case of contaminated wounds after trauma. Positive features such as reduction of bacterial contamination and removal of foreign particles are counterbalanced by negative aspects such as bacterial seeding in deeper tissue layers, damage to various tissues and even cases of air embolism.

Purpose

The aim of this prospective experimental in vitro study was to compare impact pressure and flow rate in three different pulsatile lavage systems and to determine, whether these parameters alter their ability to reach deeper soft tissue layers.

Methods

To test the penetration of soft tissue, the muscle tissue was flushed with contrast medium instead of saline fluid and afterwards scanned by computed tomography.

Results

Impact pressure and flow rate showed significant differences between the different systems. There were no significant differences between the three devices in terms of total penetration volume, but there were significant differences in penetration depth.

Conclusion

In this study, we found that higher impact pressure leads to deeper penetration and therefore bacteria are likely to be transferred to deeper tissue layers.
A radiological index that influences the outcome following patellofemoral joint arthroplasty: the anterior trochlea offset ratio
Authors: Aweid Osama , Ahearn Nathanael , Metcalfe Andrew J. , Eldridge Jonathan , Porteous Andrew , Murray James R. ,   The Bristol Knee Group, Porteous Andrew , Eldridge Jonathon , Robinson James , Murray James , Davies Hywel , Howells Nick , Clark Damian , Putnis Sven , Hassaballa Mo , Bray Rachel , Negrut Corina , MacDonald Karen , Miller Suzanne
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Although largely successful, patellofemoral joint arthroplasty (PFA) has a less than satisfactory outcome in some patients. It was hypothesized that certain factors can be identified on radiological review that correlate with poor patient reported outcomes following PFA.

Methods

A retrospective cohort review of 369 patients undergoing PFA at our institution between 2005 and 2018 identified 43 “poor outcome” patients with an Oxford Knee Score (OKS) of less than 20 at 2 years follow up. These cases were matched by sex and age with 43 “good outcome” patients who had an OKS above 40 at 2 years post-op. Multiple radiological measurements were performed including anterior trochlea offset ratio (ATOR), component flexion/extension, component varus/valgus, component to bone width ratio and retinacular index. The OKS PROM was the primary outcome of the study. Stepwise logistic regression was performed to analyze the differences in radiological indices between the two groups.

Results

Intraclass correlation coefficients for inter-observer and intra-observer reliability were 0.90–0.98 for all indices measured. The only index demonstrating statistical significance between the groups was the ATOR (p = 0.003). The good outcome group had a mean ATOR of 0.19 whereas the poor outcome group had a mean ATOR of 0.24.

Conclusions

Lower ATOR on radiological review was strongly associated with improved outcomes following PFA. The surgeon should therefore take particular care to prevent increasing the anterior offset of the trochlea component when performing PFA.

Level of evidence

Retrospective cohort study, Level III.
Fractional (p, q)-Schrödinger Equations with Critical and Supercritical Growth
Authors: Ambrosio Vincenzo
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we complete the study started in Ambrosio and Rădulescu (J Math Pures Appl (9) 142:101–145, 2020) on the concentration phenomena for a class of fractional (p, q)-Schrödinger equations involving the fractional critical Sobolev exponent. More precisely, we focus our attention on the following class of fractional (p, q)-Laplacian problems:$$\begin{aligned} \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} (-\Delta )^{s}_{p}u+(-\Delta )^{s}_{q}u + V(\varepsilon x) (u^{p-1} + u^{q-1})= f(u)+u^{q^{*}_{s}-1} \, \text{ in } \mathbb {R}^{N}, \\ u\in W^{s, p}(\mathbb {R}^{N})\cap W^{s,q}(\mathbb {R}^{N}), \, u>0 \text{ in } \mathbb {R}^{N}, \end{array} \right. \end{aligned}$$(-Δ)psu+(-Δ)qsu+V(εx)(up-1+uq-1)=f(u)+uqs∗-1inRN,u∈Ws,p(RN)∩Ws,q(RN),u>0inRN,where$$\varepsilon >0$$ε>0is a small parameter,$$s\in (0, 1)$$s∈(0,1),$$1
\inf _{\Lambda } V$$inf∂ΛV>infΛVfor some bounded open set$$\Lambda \subset \mathbb {R}^{N}$$Λ⊂RN, and$$f:\mathbb {R}\rightarrow \mathbb {R}$$f:R→Ris a continuous nonlinearity with subcritical growth. With the aid of minimax theorems and the Ljusternik–Schnirelmann category theory, we obtain multiple solutions by employing the topological construction of the set where the potentialVattains its minimum. We also establish a multiplicity result when$$f(t)=t^{\gamma -1}+\mu t^{\tau -1}$$f(t)=tγ-1+μtτ-1, with$$1< p<q<\gamma<q^{*}_{s}<\tau $$1
0$$μ>0sufficiently small, by combining a truncation argument with a Moser-type iteration.
Nutritional state variations in a tropical seabird throughout its breeding season
Authors: Lerma Miriam , Dehnhard Nina , Castillo-Guerrero José Alfredo , Fernández Guillermo
Published: September 2022

Individual body condition is frequently used to explain differences in foraging and breeding ecology in seabirds. However, little is known about the covariations of body mass with the nutritional state of animals as measured through plasma metabolites and how these different measures vary between and within individuals during breeding. Here, we assessed intra-individual variations of plasma metabolites (triglycerides, cholesterol, protein, and ß-hydroxybutyrate concentrations) and in body mass of Blue-footed boobies (Sula nebouxii) throughout their breeding season 2011–2012 in Isla El Rancho, Mexico. We found breeding-stage and sex-specific variations in individuals’ plasma metabolite concentrations, but these did not mirror variations in body mass. Before egg-laying, females had higher triglycerides, cholesterol, and protein concentrations than males. In contrast, males used their nutritional reserves (higher ß-hydroxybutyrate concentrations) more than females during the breeding season (except for early chick-rearing). At the individual level, males gained weight during the breeding season, whereas females lost weight. We also found that between-individual differences in plasma metabolite concentrations and changes in body mass were not consistent throughout the breeding season, while individual body mass was significantly repeatable. This study contributes to a better understanding of seabird breeding ecology and physiology by showing that sex-specific breeding roles might highly influence the nutritional state. Similar patterns might occur in other seabird species, helping to explain why we can find stage- and sex-specific foraging behaviors even in monomorphic species.
Wearable sensors for prediction of intraamniotic infection in women with preterm premature rupture of membranes: a prospective proof of principle study
Authors: Brun Romana , Girsberger Julia , Rothenbühler Martina , Argyle Catrin , Hutmacher Juliane , Haslinger Christian , Leeners Brigitte
Published: September 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the use of wearable sensors for prediction of intraamniotic infection in pregnant women with PPROM.

Materials and methods

In a prospective proof of principle study, we included 50 patients diagnosed with PPROM at the University Hospital Zurich between November 2017 and May 2020. Patients were instructed to wear a bracelet during the night, which measures physiological parameters including wrist skin temperature, heart rate, heart rate variability, and breathing rate. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed to evaluate the difference over time of both the wearable device measured parameters and standard clinical monitoring values, such as body temperature, pulse, leucocytes, and C-reactive protein, between women with and without intraamniotic infection.

Results

Altogether, 23 patients (46%) were diagnosed with intraamniotic infection. Regarding the physiological parameters measured with the bracelet, we observed a significant difference in breathing rate (19 vs 16 per min,P < .01) and heart rate (72 vs 67 beats per min,P = .03) in women with intraamniotic infection compared to those without during the 3 days prior to birth.

In parallel to these changes standard clinical monitoring values were significantly different in the intraamniotic infection group compared to women without infection in the 3 days preceding birth.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that wearable sensors are a promising, noninvasive, patient friendly approach to support the early detection of intraamniotic infection in women with PPROM. However, confirmation of our findings in larger studies is required before implementing this technique in standard clinical management.
Off-axis vibration-elimination system of eccentric rotors with use of multiple automatic ball balancers
Authors: Pakuła Sebastian
Published: September 2022

An automatic ball balancer (ABB) is a device that is used to automatically balance eccentric rotors. The main principle of working such a device is based on the self-synchronization phenomenon. It is typically used in rotary machines with unknown or variable imbalances. The automatic balancing process requires an ABB unit be installed on an eccentric rotor axis; thus, its application is very limited and usually comes with a redesign of the rotary machine. This paper presents a new method to eliminate the vibration of rotary machines by the use of multiple ABBs mounted away from rotor axis. The ABB, unlike the commonly used vibrator with the fixed eccentricity, has ability to adjust eccentricity during the operation. That ability allows to achieve dynamic equilibrium by the use of only two ABBs. The article introduces theoretical bases of dynamic equilibrium in the steady state of a rotary machine system with multi ABBs and proves the existence of a dynamic equilibrium with the use of only two ABBs. It also contains the optimization results of a system with the use of up to five ABBs. The objective function was defined as to minimize the size of ABBs. The smaller size of such ABBs allows us to significantly extend the range of their application.
Tarsal attachment structures of the biting midge Forcipomyia paludis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae), a specialized ectoparasite of Odonata imagines
Authors: Gorb Stanislav N. , Wildermuth Hansruedi , Kohl Stefan , Büsse Sebastian
Published: September 2022

The female of the biting midge Forcipomyia paludis is a dipteran ectoparasite of West Palaearctic damselflies and dragonflies, sucking haemolymph mainly from wing veins of their hosts. This tiny midge remains firmly attached to the wings even during fast flight and aerial fight maneuvers as shown in the present paper by field studies of the large dragonfly, Cordulegaster boltonii. Since individuals of F. paludis firmly attach themselves to the challenging wing surface of their host and can successfully withstand drag and vibrations during flight, we assume that this midge species has specific microstructural adaptations on its legs for attaching to the wing surface. In our morphological study, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), to study the structure of F. paludis tarsi, as well as the micro morphology of the wing surfaces of their host. Additionally, for the first time, we were able to show attachment devices of the midges dried out in contact with the host’s surface. The spatulae of the plantar setae and especially the empodial setae, are capable of replicating nanoscale wax crystals of the super hydrophobic wing coverage of the dragonfly wing membrane, in order to increase an effective contact area and therefore adhesion. This ability requires extremely soft materials of the spatula, which seems to be rather unique even in comparison to the leg attachment devices of other dipterans and other insect taxa in general.