bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Side-by-side Comparative Study of the Immunogenicity of the Intramuscular and Intradermal Rabies Post-exposure Prophylaxis Regimens in a Cohort of Suspected Rabies Virus Exposed Individuals
Authors: Auerswald Heidi , Maestri Alvino , Touch Sothy , In Saraden , Ya Nisa , Heng Borita , Bosch-Castells Valérie , Augard Christele , Petit Céline , Dussart Philippe , Peng Yiksing , Cantaert Tineke , Ly Sowath
Published: June 2023

All World Health Organization (WHO) pre-qualified rabies vaccines for humans are inactivated tissue culture rabies virus formulations produced for intramuscular (IM) administration. Due to costs and vaccine shortage, dose-saving intradermal (ID) administration of rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is encouraged by WHO. This study compared the immunogenicity of the ID 2-site, 3-visit Institut Pasteur Cambodge (IPC) PEP regimen to the IM 1-site, 4-visit 4-dose Essen regimen using Verorab vaccine (Sanofi). The development of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) and T cell response was assessed in 210 patients with a category II or III animal exposure in a rabies-endemic country. At day 28, all participants developed nAbs (≥0.5 IU/mL), irrespective of PEP scheme, age, or administration of rabies immunoglobulin. T cell response and nAb titers were similar for both PEP schemes. This study demonstrated that the 1-week ID IPC regimen is as effective as the 2-week IM 4-dose Essen regimen in inducing an anti-rabies immune response under real-life PEP.
A Toolbox for Migrating the Blockchain-Based Application From Ethereum to Hyperledger Fabric
Authors: Zhai Zhonghao , Shen Subin , Mao Yanqin
Published: June 2023

The low transaction capacity, high transaction cost and long-term privacy concerns of the current Ethereum platform are notorious. Developers are seeking alternative blockchain platforms to migrate their blockchain-based applications to reduce their applications’ use-cost and improve their applications’ user experience. The Hyperledger Fabric (HLF) platform with resiliency, flexibility, scalability and confidentiality is preferred for developers to migrate their Ethereum blockchain-based applications. However, it is laborious for developers to migrate blockchain-based applications from the Ethereum platform to the HLF platform. In this paper, we first propose a complete and secure migration solution to ease the migration process. The main idea of our solution is to design a toolbox to help developers automatically eliminate the adverse effects that the differences between Ethereum and HLF may bring to the migrated application. Developers with the toolbox can migrate the application with little time and minimal modification. It is theoretically proved that the migrated application with the toolbox is secure. Besides, a prototype of the toolbox is implemented. The extensive experiments demonstrate that the time for the migration process is acceptable, and the toolbox has little impact on the migrated application’s performance.
From “the” public sphere to a network of publics: towards an empirically founded model of contemporary public communication spaces
Authors: Bruns Axel
Published: June 2023

“The” public sphere is now irretrievably fractured into a multiplicity of online and offline, larger and smaller, more or less public spaces that frequently (and often serendipitously) overlap and intersect with one another. This diverse array of what have been described variously as public spheres, public spherules, platform publics, issue publics, or personal publics nonetheless serves many of the same functions that were postulated for the public sphere itself. However, while the communicative structures, functions, and dynamics of many such spaces have been studied in isolation, we still lack a more comprehensive model that connects such case studies in pursuit of an overarching perspective. This article sets out a fundamental toolkit for the development of such an empirically founded model of the contemporary spaces for public communication. It identifies the crucial conceptual building blocks and empirical approaches that may be combined to produce genuinely new insights into how the network of such spaces is structured, and in turn structures our everyday experience of public communication.
Blue orchard bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae) origin and orchard growing region affect female retention at artificial nest sites in cherry orchards
Authors: Scalici Morgan B , McCabe Lindsie M , Alston Diane G , Peterson Stephen S , Yost Matt , Pitts-Singer Theresa L
Published: June 2023

The blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria Say (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), is a solitary, cavity-nesting species used for pollinating spring blooming crops. Commercial stocks are sourced from a few locations in the western United States but are sold across the country. However, the existence of local adaptations of these bees is unknown, such as the propensity to nest in nearby provided materials or to disperse broadly beyond release sites. In spring 2019, California- and Utah-sourced blue orchard bees were introduced into cherry orchards in both source and reciprocal states. Nest boxes were placed near (within 78 m) and far (500 m–1 km) from central bee release points. Paint-marked bees were released when floral resources were available. Observations of marked bees at nest boxes were used to evaluate female retention and dispersal pattern. Nesting bee counts in March-blooming California orchards revealed a significant difference in female retention by population source; over twice as many UT bees established nests than did CA bees. Few females were found at far nest sites. In May-blooming Utah orchards, counts of CA and UT bees were similar at near and far nest sites; neither female retention nor dispersal was significantly affected by bee origin. It is concerning that CA females were less likely to be retained in California orchards because the demand for commercial pollination is high for early-blooming California almond and cherry. Our results highlight the need to understand potential consequences of bee origin and their management on pollinator performance and reproduction in target crops.
State of the art post-cardiac arrest care: evolution and future of post cardiac arrest care
Authors: Grand Johannes , Hassager Christian
Published: June 2023

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is a leading cause of mortality. In the pre-hospital setting, bystander response with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of publicly available automated external defibrillators have been associated with improved survival. Early in-hospital treatment still focuses on emergency coronary angiography for selected patients. For patients remaining comatose, temperature control to avoid fever is still recommended, but former hypothermic targets have been abandoned. For patients without spontaneous awakening, the use of a multimodal prognostication model is key. After discharge, follow-up with screening for cognitive and emotional disabilities is recommended. There has been an incredible evolution of research on cardiac arrest. Two decades ago, the largest trials include a few hundred patients. Today, undergoing studies are planning to include 10–20 times as many patients, with improved methodology. This article describes the evolution and perspectives for the future in post-cardiac arrest care.
Triglycerides revisited: is hypertriglyceridaemia a necessary therapeutic target in cardiovascular disease?
Authors: Drexel Heinz , Tamargo Juan , Kaski Juan Carlos , Lewis Basil S , Saely Christoph H , Fraunberger Peter , Dobrev Dobromir , Komiyama Maki , Plattner Thomas , Agewall Stefan , Hasegawa Koji
Published: June 2023

Despite the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk reduction achieved by low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering therapy, residual ASCVD risk still exists. Previous epidemiological studies have suggested high plasma triglyceride (TG) levels as a risk factor or risk marker for ASCVD independent of LDL-C levels. In this review, we highlighted the underlying pathophysiology of hypertriglyceridaemia, the mechanistic action of therapeutic agents, the interpretation of conflicting results on recent clinical trials, and the present options for primary and secondary prevention. The benefits of fibrates-induced reduction in TG and increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol might outweigh the disadvantages of increasing LDL-C levels in primary prevention. In secondary CVD prevention, using eicosapentaenoic acid without docosahexaenoic acid, in addition to statins, will be beneficial. This comprehensive review may prove useful for the development of novel approaches that target hypertriglyceridaemia in future.
Organ ischaemia after thoracic endovascular aortic repair
Authors: Franchin Marco , Mauri Francesca , Fontana Federico , Piacentino Filippo , Guzzetti Luca , Jubouri Matti , Bashir Mohamad , Piffaretti Gabriele
Published: June 2023

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and outcomes of ischaemic organ complications after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).

METHODS

This is a multicentre, retrospective, observational cohort study. We analysed data from patients treated with TEVAR between 22 June 2001 and 10 December 2022. Primary outcomes were postoperative overall organ ischaemic complications and early (≤30 days) survival. Secondary outcomes were long-term survival and freedom from aorta-related mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 255 patients were included in this study. We performed 233 (91.4%) isolated TEVARs, 14 (5.5%) fenestrated or branched TEVARs and 8 (3.1%) TEVARs in combination with normal infrarenal stent graft. Overall, 31 organ ischaemic complications were detected in 29 (11.4%) cases, out of which 8 (3.1%) complications were cerebrovascular, 8 (3.1%) spinal cord, 6 (2.3%) visceral, 4 (1.6%) renal, 2 (0.8%) peripheral and 3 (1.2%) myocardial. Binary logistic regression analysis identified grade III–IV aortic arch atheroma [odds ratio (OR): 6.6, P = 0.001; 95% confidence interval: 2.9–14.9] and shaggy aorta (OR: 12.1, P = 0.003; 95% confidence interval: 2.3–64.1) to be associated with the development of organ ischaemic complications. In patients with organ ischaemia, we observed higher early (≤30 days) mortality (20.7% vs 6.2%; OR: 3.6, P = 0.016), prolonged hospitalization (P = 0.001) and inferior estimated survival (log-rank, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Aortic arch atherosclerotic overload as well as the presence of shaggy aorta are predictors of organ ischaemic complications following TEVAR. They are neither uncommon nor negligible and are associated with perioperative mortality, prolonged hospitalization and a negative impact on long-term survival.
Epigenetic effects of short-chain fatty acids from the large intestine on host cells
Authors: Stein Richard A , Riber Leise
Published: June 2023

Adult humans harbor at least as many microbial cells as eukaryotic ones. The largest compartment of this diverse microbial population, the gut microbiota, encompasses the collection of bacteria, archaea, viruses, and eukaryotic organisms that populate the gastrointestinal tract, and represents a complex and dynamic ecosystem that has been increasingly implicated in health and disease. The gut microbiota carries ∼100-to-150-times more genes than the human genome and is intimately involved in development, homeostasis, and disease. Of the several microbial metabolites that have been studied, short-chain fatty acids emerge as a group of molecules that shape gene expression in several types of eukaryotic cells by multiple mechanisms, which include DNA methylation changes, histone post-translational modifications, and microRNA-mediated gene silencing. Butyric acid, one of the most extensively studied short-chain fatty acids, reaches higher concentrations in the colonic lumen, where it provides a source of energy for healthy colonocytes, and its concentrations decrease towards the bottom of the colonic crypts, where stem cells reside. The lower butyric acid concentration in the colonic crypts allows undifferentiated cells, such as stem cells, to progress through the cell cycle, pointing towards the importance of the crypts in providing them with a protective niche. In cancerous colonocytes, which metabolize relatively little butyric acid and mostly rely on glycolysis, butyric acid preferentially acts as a histone deacetylase inhibitor, leading to decreased cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. A better understanding of the interface between the gut microbiota metabolites and epigenetic changes in eukaryotic cells promises to unravel in more detail processes that occur physiologically and as part of disease, help develop novel biomarkers, and identify new therapeutic modalities.
Gendering the Material Renaissance: Women, Industriousness and the Female Body at the Court of Württemberg
Authors: Hanß Stefan
Published: June 2023

Focusing on almost 9,000 receipts issued by the ducal chancery of Friedrich I and Johann Friedrich of Württemberg between 1593 and 1628, this article charts the industriousness and material creativity of female makers and consumers in Protestant Württemberg. It provides a detailed discussion of craftswomen’s lives, materials, networks, artefacts and earnings and relates them to the duchesses’ strategies of consumption. The article examines women’s embodied creative material engagement in an increasingly diversified consumerist world, more specifically the material practices, communities and regimes of female industriousness at the court of Württemberg. By conceptualizing female industriousness in bodily, material and gendered terms and in regard to the overlapping worlds of production and consumption, this article charts women’s entrepreneurial role in shaping material lives at this Lutheran court around 1600.
Characterizing the porosity structure and gas hydrate distribution at the southern Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand from offshore electromagnetic data
Authors: Chesley Christine , Naif Samer , Key Kerry
Published: June 2023

The dynamics of accretionary prisms and the processes that take place along subduction interfaces are controlled, in part, by the porosity and fluid overpressure of both the forearc wedge and the sediments transported to the system by the subducting plate. The Hikurangi Margin, located offshore the North Island of New Zealand, is a particularly relevant area to investigate the interplay between the consolidation state of incoming plate sediments, dewatering and fluid flow in the accretionary wedge and observed geodetic coupling and megathrust slip behaviour along the plate interface. In its short geographic extent, the margin hosts a diversity of properties that impact subduction processes and that transition from north to south. Its southernmost limit is characterized by frontal accretion, thick sediment subduction, the absence of seafloor roughness, strong interseismic coupling and deep slow slip events. Here we use seafloor magnetotelluric (MT) and controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) data collected along a profile through the southern Hikurangi Margin to image the electrical resistivity of the forearc and incoming plate. Resistive anomalies in the shallow forearc likely indicate the presence of gas hydrates, and we relate deeper forerarc resistors to thrust faulting imaged in colocated seismic reflection data. Because MT and CSEM data are highly sensitive to fluid phases in the pore spaces of seafloor sediments and oceanic crust, we convert resistivity to porosity to obtain a representation of fluid distribution along the profile. We show that porosity predicted by the resistivity data can be well fit by an exponential sediment compaction model. By removing this compaction trend from the porosity model, we are able to evaluate the second-order, lateral changes in porosity, an approach that can be applied to EM data sets from other sedimentary basins. Using this porosity anomaly model, we examine the consolidation state of the incoming plate and accretionary wedge sediments. A decrease in porosity observed in the sediments approaching the trench suggests that a protothrust zone is developing ∼25 km seaward of the frontal thrust. Our data also imply that sediments deeper in the accretionary wedge are slightly underconsolidated, which may indicate incomplete drainage and elevated fluid overpressures of the deep wedge.
Deep Earth rotational seismology
Authors: Abreu Rafael , Durand Stephanie , Rost Sebastian , Thomas Christine
Published: June 2023

Rotational seismology opens a new avenue to study the deep interior of the Earth. Using data from the Wettzell Observatorium, Germany, where a ring laser gyroscope and a 3-component translational broadband seismometer are co-located, we report the presence of clear S, ScS and SdS signals on both rotational and translational seismograms. Using S wave arrivals, we propose a new methodology to extract information on velocity changes in the Earth mantle and we show that, by combining both translational and rotational data, we are able to solve the well known velocity-depth ambiguity inherent to classical inverse problems. The methodology is validated using ray theory and 2.5-D finite-difference synthetics. We provide a proof-of-concept showing that future studies of the Earth’s deep interior can be improved by combining translational and rotational records.
Induced polarization of volcanic rocks – 6: relationships with other petrophysical properties
Authors: Zhang K , Chibati N , Revil A , Richard J , Gresse M , Xue Y , Géraud Y
Published: June 2023

The petrophysical properties of 41 volcanic samples from La Soufrière volcanoe (Guadeloupe Island, Eastern Caribbean, France) are investigated. We first measure the complex conductivity spectra of these rock samples at 4 salinities (NaCl) at laboratory conditions (∼20 °C). For each rock sample, we determine the (intrinsic) formation factor, the surface conductivity and the Cole–Cole normalized chargeability. We also measure the compressional wave velocity (dry and saturated), the shear wave velocity in saturated conditions, the (dry and saturated) thermal conductivity, the dry specific heat capacity and the permeability of the rock samples as well as their cation exchange capacity (CEC) and connected porosity. The formation factor versus porosity obeys Archie's law with a cementation exponent of 2.16 ± 0.10. The surface conductivity and the normalized chargeability are proportional to each other and to the CEC divided by the tortuosity of the material (product of the formation factor by the connected porosity) as predicted by the dynamic Stern layer model. Permeability can be predicted from the normalized chargeability and the formation factor inside one order of magnitude. The thermal conductivity and the seismic properties can be evaluated from the connected porosity of the core samples formation factors. A non-linear relationship is established between the shear wave velocity and the compressional wave velocity for the present data set and other data from the literature. Finally, we show on a specific example, how to convert an induced polarization survey on a stratovolcano into a seismic velocity model (P- and S-waves velocity distributions). We perform a specific application to Papandayan Volcano, a stratovolcano located in Java Island (Indonesia). This work paves the way to the joint inversion problem of seismic and induced polarization surveys for volcanic unrest monitoring.
Rare and Opportunistic Use of Torpor in Mammals—An Echo from the Past?
Authors: Nowack Julia , Stawski Clare , Geiser Fritz , Levesque Danielle L
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

Torpor was traditionally seen as a winter survival mechanism employed by animals living in cold and highly seasonal habitats. Although we now know that torpor is also used by tropical and subtropical species, and in response to a variety of triggers, torpor is still largely viewed as a highly controlled, seasonal mechanism shown by Northern hemisphere species. To scrutinize this view, we report data from a macroanalysis in which we characterized the type and seasonality of torpor use from mammal species currently known to use torpor. Our findings suggest that predictable, seasonal torpor patterns reported for Northern temperate and polar species are highly derived forms of torpor expression, whereas the more opportunistic and variable forms of torpor that we see in tropical and subtropical species are likely closer to the patterns expressed by ancestral mammals. Our data emphasize that the torpor patterns observed in the tropics and subtropics should be considered the norm and not the exception.
Development of REDCap-based architecture for a clinical decision support tool linked to the electronic health record for assessment of medication appropriateness
Authors: Charpentier Peter A , Mecca Marcia C , Brandt Cynthia , Fried Terri R
Published: June 2023

Objective

To develop the architecture for a clinical decision support system (CDSS) linked to the electronic health record (EHR) using the tools provided by Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) to assess medication appropriateness in older adults with polypharmacy.

Materials and Methods

The tools available in REDCap were used to create the architecture for replicating a previously developed stand-alone system while overcoming its limitations.

Results

The architecture consists of data input forms, drug- and disease-mapper, rules engine, and report generator. The input forms integrate medication and health condition data from the EHR with patient assessment data. The rules engine evaluates medication appropriateness through rules built through a series of drop-down menus. The rules generate output, which are a set of recommendations to the clinician.

Discussion and conclusion

This architecture successfully replicates the stand-alone CDSS while addressing its limitations. It is compatible with several EHRs, easily shared among the large community using REDCap, and readily modifiable.
Selecting goats for juniper consumption did not improve their liver Phase I detoxification
Authors: Walker John W , Shoemake Brian M , Quadros Danilo G , Thorne Jacob W , Cahill Noah C
Published: June 2023

A sodium pentobarbital-induced sleep time study was conducted on 15 adult intact male Boer × Spanish goats selected for high (J+, n = 7) or low (J−, n = 8) juniper consumption (estimated breeding values of 13.1 ± 1.0 and −14.3 ± 0.8, respectively; mean ± standard deviation). Pentobarbital sleep time is an in vivo assay of Phase I hepatic metabolism that can be induced by exposure to barbiturates and monoterpenes. Monoterpenes and pentobarbital are initially oxidized by this pathway; thus, we hypothesized that J+ goats would have shorter sleep times than J− goats. Time to the righting reflex after pentobarbital-induced sleep was measured in all goats following a minimum period of 21 d on three different diets: 1) grazing juniper-infested rangeland (JIR), 2) forage diet with no monoterpenes (M0), and 3) forage diet with 8 g/kg added monoterpenes from camphor, sabinene, and α-pinene in a w/w ratio of 5:4:1 (M+). Fecal samples from the JIR diet were analyzed with near-infrared spectroscopy for the percentage of juniper in the diet. Fecal samples from the JIR and M+ diets were analyzed for camphor and sabinene concentrations. The percentage of juniper in the diet of J+ goats grazing rangelands was greater (P = 0.001) than J− goats (31.1% and 18.6%, respectively). Sleep time did not differ between selection lines (P = 0.36). However, the sleep time of the goats fed M+ diet was 26 min shorter (P < 0.001) than JIR or M0 diets, which were equal. The concentration of camphor and sabinene in the feces was higher (P < 0.001) for goats on the M+ diet than on the JIR diet. There were no differences between selection lines in the serum enzymes indicative of liver disease (aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, gamma-glutamyl transferase, and glutamate dehydrogenase; P > 0.12), and all treatment means were within the reference interval. Selecting goats for juniper consumption did not affect the Phase I detoxification system, and several alternative hypotheses for differences in juniper consumption between J+ and J− goats are discussed.
Presumptive identification of nitrite by Griess reagent test strips—Case reports of fatal poisoning with sodium nitrite
Authors: Zhang Man , Truver Michael T , Hoyer Jennifer L , Chronister Chris W , Goldberger Bruce A
Published: June 2023

The intentional ingestion of sodium nitrite causes toxicity by inducing methemoglobinemia, which can lead to cyanosis, hypotension and death. The number of reported suicide cases has significantly increased in the past 10 years as sodium nitrite is readily available online. The traditional tests for nitrite and nitrate require specialized detection methods which are not typically available in a postmortem toxicology laboratory. This rise in sodium nitrite overdose cases indicates the need for a simple, quick test for suspected nitrite toxicity. In this study, a common Griess reagent color test (MQuant™ Nitrite Test Strips) was used as a presumptive method in cases where the ingestion of sodium nitrite was suspected. The test results were consistent between specimens in all cases, and vitreous humor was identified as a reliable matrix to be used in the cases of suspected sodium nitrite poisonings. Case reports of five patients who died of suicide by sodium nitrite in a 6-month span are presented.
In vitro production of gamma-hydroxybutyrate in antemortem blood under various storage conditions
Authors: Currie Zachary , Kolodij Stephanie
Published: June 2023

gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is an endogenous compound and central nervous system depressant drug used recreationally for its intoxicating effects. In a medico-legal context, the interpretation of blood GHB concentrations can be complicated by its endogenous nature and potential for formation during storage. In Canada, the per se limit for GHB in blood is 5 mg/L. Endogenous GHB concentrations in blood are typically well below 5 mg/L; however, there is a paucity of literature regarding the potential production of GHB in antemortem blood during storage. Changes in GHB concentrations were evaluated over the course of 306 days in preserved and unpreserved antemortem blood stored at 4°C and 21°C. Results were compared to 22 impaired driving cases in Ontario between 2019 and 2022 where GHB was detected in antemortem blood by toxicological analysis at the Centre of Forensic Sciences. Preservative was effective at minimizing GHB production (< 2.5 mg/L) regardless of storage temperature, whereas significant in vitro production of GHB occurred in unpreserved antemortem blood. GHB production occurred rapidly in unpreserved blood stored at 21°C; a significant increase was detected after 5 days. The rate of GHB production in unpreserved blood stored at 4°C occurred more gradually but increased significantly by day 30 and reached a maximum concentration of 10 mg/L at 114 days. In unpreserved blood, GHB concentrations were significantly lower at 4°C compared to 21°C for the first 44 days; however, refrigeration had no significant effect then onward. Blood concentrations of GHB detected in the majority of impaired driving cases were markedly higher than the maximum concentration of 10 mg/L detected in the study; however, in 4 of the 22 cases, concentrations were below 10 mg/L. The results demonstrate that concentrations of GHB less than 10 mg/L in blood collected for the purposes of a drug-impaired driving investigation should be carefully interpreted.
Temperature as main driver of the growth of an endemic Philippine freshwater copepod (Copepoda: Calanoida: Diaptomidae)
Authors: de Leon Justine R , Tordesillas Dino T , Souissi Sami , Cuadrasal Grei Angelo , Guinto Shea Kathleen P , Rizo Eric Zeus C , Papa Rey Donne S
Published: June 2023

We conducted a preliminary analysis on the effects of various physical and chemical parameters on the morphometry and reproductive capacity of the calanoid copepod Filipinodiaptomus insulanus (Wright, 1928), endemic to the Philippines, by proxying clutch size (CS). Specimens and water quality readings were obtained between October 2019 and February 2020 from four sites in northern Philippines. Only the sizes of adult males and non-ovigerous adult females showed significant differences (P < 0.05) among populations. Non-eutrophic, temporary shallow waters were the predominant habitat type of F. insulanus, corroborating earlier observations that it is mainly found in relatively pristine environments. Correlation analysis showed a significant indirect relationship (P < 0.001) between the size of individuals and temperature, a potential adaptive response to its environment. Such observations may be valuable in preventing the disappearance of this species from parts of its previously known range.
Diversity and prevalence of nuisance arthropods detected by sticky traps in apartments in New Jersey
Authors: Wang Changlu , Abbar Salehe , Pan Xiaodan , Ranabhat Sabita , Cooper Richard
Published: June 2023

Many nuisance arthropods occur in homes. In this study, nuisance arthropods are defined as any arthropod other than cockroaches and bed bugs. We examined nuisance arthropods found on sticky traps in 1,581 low-income apartments in four cities in New Jersey during 2018–2019 as part of a study for monitoring cockroach infestations. Four sticky traps (three in the kitchen, one in the bathroom) were placed in each apartment for approximately two weeks. Forty two percent of the apartments had nuisance arthropods on sticky traps. The relative abundance of different groups of arthropods were flies—36%, beetles—23%, spiders—14%, ants—10%, booklice—5%, and others—12%. The flies were further grouped into the following subgroups and their relative abundance were fungus gnats—42%, phorid flies—18%, moth flies—17%, fruit flies—10%, midges—8%, and others—5%. Among the beetles, 82% were stored product beetles (including spider beetles). Summer months (May–July) had a much higher frequency of nuisance arthropods occurrence than winter months (November–January). In addition to installing sticky traps, we also conducted interviews with 1,020 residents. Only 13% of the interviewed residents indicated sightings of nuisance arthropods. Resident interviews revealed a much higher relative frequency of sightings for flies (58%), much lower frequency for beetles (4%), and much higher frequency for mosquitoes compared to those captured on sticky traps. We conclude that sticky traps provide much more accurate information on indoor nuisance arthropod abundance and diversity than resident interviews and are a valuable tool for monitoring indoor nuisance arthropods.
Is Death Irreversible?
Authors: Gligorov Nada
Published: June 2023

There are currently two legally established criteria for death: the irreversible cessation of circulation and respiration and the irreversible cessation of neurologic function. Recently, there have been technological developments that could undermine the irreversibility requirement. In this paper, I focus both on whether death should be identified as an irreversible state and on the proper scope of irreversibility in the biological definition of death. In this paper, I tackle the distinction between the commonsense definition of death and the biological definition of death to show that even the commonsense concept of death is specified by biological facts. Resting on this argument, I argue that any definition of death is a posteriori. Thus, irreversibility is part of any definition of death because the actual phenomenon of death is irreversible. In addition, I show that the proper domain of irreversibility in a definition of death is circumscribed by physical possibilities and that irreversibility in the definition of death refers to current possibilities for the reversal of relevant biological processes. I conclude that, despite recent technological advancements, death is still irreversible.
Estimating the Incidence of First RSV Hospitalization in Children Born in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Buchan Sarah A , Chung Hannah , To Teresa , Daneman Nick , Guttmann Astrid , Kwong Jeffrey C , Murti Michelle , Aryal Garima , Campigotto Aaron , Chakraborty Pranesh , Gubbay Jonathan , Karnauchow Timothy , Katz Kevin , McGeer Allison J , Dayre McNally J , Mubareka Samira , Richardson David , Richardson Susan E , Smieja Marek , Zahariadis George , Deeks Shelley L
Published: June 2023

Background

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) contributes significantly to morbidity in children, placing substantial burdens on health systems, thus RSV vaccine development and program implementation are a public health priority. More data on burden are needed by policymakers to identify priority populations and formulate prevention strategies as vaccines are developed and licensed.

Methods

Using health administrative data, we calculated incidence rates of RSV hospitalization in a population-based birth cohort of all children born over a six-year period (May 2009 to June 2015) in Ontario, Canada. Children were followed until their first RSV hospitalization, death, 5th birthday, or the end of the study period (June 2016). RSV hospitalizations were identified using a validated algorithm based on International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, and/or laboratory-confirmed outcomes. We calculated hospitalization rates by various characteristics of interest, including calendar month, age groups, sex, comorbidities, and gestational age.

Results

The overall RSV hospitalization rate for children <5 years was 4.2 per 1000 person-years (PY) with a wide range across age groups (from 29.6 to 0.52 per 1000 PY in children aged 1 month and 36–59 months, respectively). Rates were higher in children born at a younger gestational age (23.2 per 1000 PY for those born at <28 weeks versus 3.9 per 1000 PY born at ≥37 weeks); this increased risk persisted as age increased. While the majority of children in our study had no comorbidities, rates were higher in children with comorbidities. For all age groups, rates were highest between December and March.

Conclusions

Our results confirm the high burden of RSV hospitalization and highlight young infants are at additional risk, namely premature infants. These results can inform prevention efforts.
Submental liposuction with VASER complicated with hidradenitis suppurativa in neck area: a case report
Authors: Alhusain Abdullah M , Almosa Abdulaziz S , Alqirnas Muhannad Q , Alissa Sami I
Published: June 2023

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that is characterized by deep-seated painful nodules, classically in the intertriginous skin and apocrine gland-rich areas of the body such as the anogenital, axillary, inframammary and inguinal regions. This is a case of a 35-year-old female, who is known to have gluteal HS, she underwent neck liposuction procedure that was then complicated by anterior neck HS, which is considered as an atypical location. The patient received medical treatment with antibiotics and showed huge improvement. In addition, in patients who do not show response to medical therapy, surgical treatment is usually carried out by incising the area affected and leaving the wound open to be healed by secondary intention or covering it with a skin graft if the area is extensive.
MOBSTER – VII. Using light curves to infer magnetic and rotational properties of stars with centrifugal magnetospheres
Authors: Berry I D , Shultz M E , Owocki S P , ud-Doula A
Published: June 2023

Early-type B stars with strong magnetic fields and rapid rotation form centrifugal magnetospheres (CMs), as the relatively weak stellar wind becomes magnetically confined and centrifugally supported above the Kepler co-rotation radius. CM plasma is concentrated at and above the Kepler co-rotation radius at the intersection between the rotation and magnetic field axis. Stellar rotation can cause these clouds of material to intersect the viewer’s line of sight, leading to photometric eclipses. However, for stars with strong ($\sim 10\, {\rm kG}$) magnetic fields and rapid rotation, CMs can become optically thick enough for emission to occur via electron scattering. Using high-precision space photometry from a sample of stars with strong H α emission, we apply simulated light curves from the rigidly rotating magnetosphere model to directly infer magnetic and rotational properties of these stars. By comparing the values inferred from photometric modelling to those independently determined by spectropolarimetry, we find that magnetic obliquity angle β, viewer inclination i, and critical rotation fraction W can be approximately recovered for three of the four stars studied here. However, there are large discrepancies between the optical depth at the Kepler radius τK expected from magnetometry, and the values required to match the observations. We show that τK of order unity is needed to reasonably match the light-curve morphology of our sample stars.
The evolution of HCO+ in molecular clouds using a novel chemical post-processing algorithm
Authors: Panessa M , Seifried D , Walch S , Gaches B , Barnes A T , Bigiel F , Neumann L
Published: June 2023

Modelling the chemistry of molecular clouds is critical to accurately simulating their evolution. To reduce computational cost, 3D simulations generally restrict their chemistry to species with strong heating and cooling effects. Time-dependent information about the evolution of other species is therefore often neglected. We address this gap by post-processing tracer particles in the SILCC-Zoom molecular cloud simulations. Using a chemical network of 39 species and 301 reactions (including freeze-out of CO and H2O) and a novel algorithm to reconstruct a density grid from sparse tracer particle data, we produce time-dependent density distributions for various species. We focus upon the evolution of HCO+, which is a critical formation reactant of CO but is not typically modelled on the fly. We find that ∼ 90 per cent of the HCO+ content of the cold molecular gas forms in situ around nHCO+ ∼ 103–104 cm−3, over a time-scale of approximately 1 Myr. The remaining ∼ 10 per cent forms at high extinction sites, with minimal turbulent mixing out into the less dense gas. We further show that the dominant HCO+ formation pathway is dependent on the visual extinction, with the reaction H3+ + CO contributing 90 per cent of the total HCO+ production above AV, 3D = 3. We produce the very first maps of the HCO+ column density, N(HCO+), and show that it reaches values as high as 1015 cm−2. We find that 50 per cent of the HCO+ mass is located within AV ∼ 10–30 in a density range of 103.5–104.5 cm−3. Our maps of N(HCO+) are shown to be in good agreement with recent observations of the W49A star-forming region.
The OH Megamaser emission in Arp 220: the rest of the story
Authors: Baan Willem A , Aditya J N H S , An Tao , Klöckner Hans-Rainer
Published: June 2023

The OH Megamaser emission in the merging galaxy Arp 220 has been re-observed with the Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) and the European VLBI Network (EVN). Imaging results of the OH line emission at the two nuclei are found to be consistent with earlier observations and confirm additional extended emission structures surrounding the nuclei. Detailed information about the distributed emission components around the two nuclei has been obtained using a concatenated MERLIN and EVN database with intermediate (40 mas) spatial resolution. Continuum imaging shows a relatively compact West nucleus and a more extended East nucleus in addition to an extended continuum ridge stretching below and beyond the two nuclei. Spectral line imaging show extended emission regions at both nuclei together with compact components and additional weaker components north and south of the West nucleus. Spectral line analysis indicates that the dominant OH line emission originates in foreground molecular material that is part of a large-scale molecular structure that engulfs the whole nuclear region. Compact OH components are representative of star formation regions within the two nearly edge-on nuclei and define the systemic velocities of East and West as 5425 and 5360 km s−1. The foreground material at East and West has a 100 km s−1 lower velocity at 5314 and 5254 km s−1. These emission results confirm a maser amplification scenario where the background continuum and the line emission of the star formation regions are amplified by foreground masering material that is excited by the far-infrared radiation field originating in the two nuclear regions.
SALT spectroscopy of the HMXB associated with the LMC supernova remnant MCSNR J0513−6724
Authors: Gvaramadze V V , Kniazev A Y , Castro N , Katkov I Y
Published: June 2023

We report the results of optical échelle spectroscopy with the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) of the mass donor star BSDL923 in the neutron star (NS) high-mass X-ray binary XMMU J051342.6−672412 associated with the LMC supernova remnant (SNR) MCSNR J0513−6724. We found that BSDL923 is a B0.7 III star with double peaked emission lines originating in a circumbinary disc-like structure. Modelling with the stellar atmosphere code fastwind was used to derive Teff = 27 000 K, log g = 3.22, $v\sin i\approx 100\, {\rm \, km\, s^{-1}}$ and $\log (L_*/\rm \, L_\odot)=5.46$ of BSDL923, as well as to show that the surface of this star is polluted with α-elements from the supernova ejecta. We found also that the NS is orbiting BSDL923 in an eccentric orbit with the orbital period of 1.280 d and the semimajor axis of $17\pm 3 \,R_\odot$, which is less than or equal to the radius of BSDL923 of $25\pm 5 \,R_\odot$. We speculate that the NS is embedded in the atmosphere of BSDL923 either because it was kicked at birth towards this star or because of inflation of BSDL923 caused by the energy input from the supernova blast wave. Using long-slit spectroscopy with SALT, we searched for possible signs of the SNR shell in the 2D spectrum, but did not find them. This lack of detection is consistent with the young age of this SNR, implying that it is still in the adiabatic phase.
Measurement of the scaling slope of compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence by synchrotron radiation statistics
Authors: Zhang Xue-Wen , Zhang Jian-Fu , Wang Ru-Yue , Xiang Fu-Yuan
Published: June 2023

Based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence simulations, we generate synthetic synchrotron observations to explore the scaling slope of the underlying MHD turbulence. We propose the new Q-U cross-intensity X and cross-correlation intensity Y to measure the spectral properties of magnetic turbulence, together with statistics of the traditional synchrotron I and polarization PI intensities. By exploring the statistical behaviour of these diagnostics, we find that the new statistics X and Y can extend the inertial range of turbulence to improve measurement reliability. When focusing on different Alfvénic and sonic turbulence regimes, our results show that the diagnostics proposed in this paper not only reveal the spectral properties of the magnetic turbulence but also gain insight into the individual plasma modes of compressible MHD turbulence. The synergy of multiple statistical methods can extract more reliable turbulence information from the huge amount of observation data from the Low-Frequency Array for radio astronomy and the Square Kilometer Array.
On the formation of GW190521-like binary black hole merger systems
Authors: Cui Zhe , Li Xiang-Dong
Published: June 2023

GW190521 is the most massive merging binary black hole (BBH) system detected so far. At least one of the component BHs was measured to lie within the pair-instability supernova (PISN) mass gap (∼50–135 M⊙), making its formation a mystery. However, the transient observed signal allows alternative posterior distributions. There was suggestion that GW190521 could be an intermediate-mass ratio inspiral, with the component masses m1 ∼ 170 M⊙ and m2 ∼ 16 M⊙, happening to straddle the PISN mass gap. Under this framework, we perform binary population synthesis to explore the formation of GW190521-like systems via isolated binary evolution. We numerically calculate the binding energy parameter for massive stars at different metallicities, and employ them in our calculation for common envelope evolution. Our results prefer that the progenitor binaries formed in metal-poor environment with $\rm Z\le 0.0016$. The predicted merger rate density within redshift z = 1.1 is ${\sim} 4\times 10^{-5}{\text {--}}5\times 10^{-2} \, \rm Gpc^{-3}yr^{-1}$. We expect that such events are potentially observable by upcoming both space and ground-based gravitational wave detectors.
A general framework for removing point-spread function additive systematics in cosmological weak lensing analysis
Authors: Zhang Tianqing , Li Xiangchong , Dalal Roohi , Mandelbaum Rachel , Strauss Michael A , Kannawadi Arun , Miyatake Hironao , Nicola Andrina , Malagón Andrés A Plazas , Shirasaki Masato , Sugiyama Sunao , Takada Masahiro , More Surhud
Published: June 2023

Cosmological weak lensing measurements rely on a precise measurement of the shear two-point correlation function (2PCF) along with a deep understanding of systematics that affect it. In this work, we demonstrate a general framework for detecting and modelling the impact of PSF systematics on the cosmic shear 2PCF and mitigating its impact on cosmological analysis. Our framework can detect PSF leakage and modelling error from all spin-2 quantities contributed by the PSF second and higher moments, rather than just the second moments, using the cross-correlations between galaxy shapes and PSF moments. We interpret null tests using the HSC Year 3 (Y3) catalogs with this formalism and find that leakage from the spin-2 combination of PSF fourth moments is the leading contributor to additive shear systematics, with total contamination that is an order-of-magnitude higher than that contributed by PSF second moments alone. We conducted a mock cosmic shear analysis for HSC Y3 and find that, if uncorrected, PSF systematics can bias the cosmological parameters Ωm and S8 by ∼0.3σ. The traditional second moment-based model can only correct for a 0.1σ bias, leaving the contamination largely uncorrected. We conclude it is necessary to model both PSF second and fourth moment contaminations for HSC Y3 cosmic shear analysis. We also reanalyse the HSC Y1 cosmic shear analysis with our updated systematics model and identify a 0.07σ bias on Ωm when using the more restricted second moment model from the original analysis. We demonstrate how to self-consistently use the method in both real space and Fourier space, assess shear systematics in tomographic bins, and test for PSF model overfitting.
Modelling force-free neutron star magnetospheres using physics-informed neural networks
Authors: Urbán Jorge F , Stefanou Petros , Dehman Clara , Pons José A
Published: June 2023

Using physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) to solve a specific boundary value problem is becoming more popular as an alternative to traditional methods. However, depending on the specific problem, they could be computationally expensive and potentially less accurate. The functionality of PINNs for real-world physical problems can significantly improve if they become more flexible and adaptable. To address this, our work explores the idea of training a PINN for general boundary conditions and source terms expressed through a limited number of coefficients, introduced as additional inputs in the network. Although this process increases the dimensionality and is computationally costly, using the trained network to evaluate new general solutions is much faster. Our results indicate that PINN solutions are relatively accurate, reliable, and well behaved. We applied this idea to the astrophysical scenario of the magnetic field evolution in the interior of a neutron star connected to a force-free magnetosphere. Solving this problem through a global simulation in the entire domain is expensive due to the elliptic solver’s needs for the exterior solution. The computational cost with a PINN was more than an order of magnitude lower than the similar case solved with a finite difference scheme, arguably at the cost of accuracy. These results pave the way for the future extension to three-dimensional of this (or a similar) problem, where generalized boundary conditions are very costly to implement.