bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of pre-rolling deformation on distribution characteristics of T1 precipitate in artificially aged Al–Cu–Li alloy
Authors: Duan Shuwei , Guo Fuqiang , Ma Wenting , Liu Zhongli , Yi Xiaoyang , Matsuda Kenji , Li Yue , Zou Yong
Published: July 2024

The predeformation prior to artificial aging plays an important role in enhancing the properties of Al–Cu–Li based alloys. This study focused on investigating the impact of a large amount of prerolling (20%) on the orientation variation and distribution characteristics of T1 precipitates in a rolled Al–Cu–Li alloy. The results revealed that T1 phases precipitated in the same orientation were not strictly parallel within a grain, a small angle existed between different phases in the same direction due to the orientation fluctuation of the matrix induced by prerolling. The misorientation degree of the T1 precipitates presented a slight expend tendency with increasing the aging time. Furthermore, the connection between this orientation distortion of the T1 phases and the tensile properties was discussed. Additionally, it was found that the T1 variants along different orientations were heterogeneously distributed, possibly due to the activation of different slip systems during the prerolling process and the variation in the number of nucleation sites among the nonparallel habit planes.
Correlation inference attacks against machine learning models
Authors: Creţu Ana-Maria , Guépin Florent , de Montjoye Yves-Alexandre
Published: July 2024

Despite machine learning models being widely used today, the relationship between a model and its training dataset is not well understood. We explore correlation inference attacks, whether and when a model leaks information about the correlations between the input variables of its training dataset. We first propose a model-less attack, where an adversary exploits the spherical parameterization of correlation matrices alone to make an informed guess. Second, we propose a model-based attack, where an adversary exploits black-box model access to infer the correlations using minimal and realistic assumptions. Third, we evaluate our attacks against logistic regression and multilayer perceptron models on three tabular datasets and show the models to leak correlations. We lastly show how extracted correlations can be used as building blocks for attribute inference attacks and enable weaker adversaries. Our results raise fundamental questions on what a model does and should remember from its training set.
Pulmonary osteoclast-like cells in silica induced pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Hasegawa Yoshihiro , Franks Jennifer M. , Tanaka Yusuke , Uehara Yasuaki , Read David F. , Williams Claire , Srivatsan Sanjay , Pitstick Lori B. , Nikolaidis Nikolaos M. , Shaver Ciara M. , Kropski Jonathan , Ware Lorraine B. , Taylor Chase J. , Banovich Nicholas E. , Wu Huixing , Gardner Jason C. , Osterburg Andrew R. , Yu Jane J. , Kopras Elizabeth J. , Teitelbaum Steven L. , Wikenheiser-Brokamp Kathryn A. , Trapnell Cole , McCormack Francis X.
Published: July 2024

The pathophysiology of silicosis is poorly understood, limiting development of therapies for those who have been exposed to the respirable particle. We explored mechanisms of silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis in human lung samples collected from patients with occupational exposure to silica and in a longitudinal mouse model of silicosis using multiple modalities including whole-lung single-cell RNA sequencing and histological, biochemical, and physiologic assessments. In addition to pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis, intratracheal silica challenge induced osteoclast-like differentiation of alveolar macrophages and recruited monocytes, driven by induction of the osteoclastogenic cytokine, receptor activator of nuclear factor κΒ ligand (RANKL) in pulmonary lymphocytes, and alveolar type II cells. Anti-RANKL monoclonal antibody treatment suppressed silica-induced osteoclast-like differentiation in the lung and attenuated pulmonary fibrosis. We conclude that silica induces differentiation of pulmonary osteoclast-like cells leading to progressive lung injury, likely due to sustained elaboration of bone-resorbing proteases and hydrochloric acid. Interrupting osteoclast-like differentiation may therefore constitute a promising avenue for moderating lung damage in silicosis.
Acceleration of phosphorus weathering under warm climates
Authors: Guo Licheng , Xiong Shangfa , Mills Benjamin J. W. , Isson Terry , Yang Shiling , Cui Jingyi , Wang Yongda , Jiang Lei , Xu Zhifang , Cai Chunfang , Deng Yinan , Wei Guangyi , Zhao Mingyu
Published: July 2024

The release of phosphorous (P) via chemical weathering is a vital process that regulates the global cycling of numerous key elements and shapes the size of the Earth’s biosphere. It has long been postulated that global climate should theoretically play a prominent role in governing P weathering rates. Yet, there is currently a lack of direct evidence for this relationship based on empirical data at the global scale. Here, using a compilation of temperature and P content data of global surface soils (0 to 30 cm), we demonstrate that P release does enhance at high mean annual surface temperatures. We propose that this amplification of nutrient supply with warming is a critical component of Earth’s natural thermostat, and that this relationship likely caused expanded oceanic anoxia during past climate warming events. The potential acceleration of phosphorus loss from soils due to anthropogenic climate warming may pose threats to agricultural production, terrestrial and marine ecosystems, and alter marine redox landscapes.
Thermodynamic profiles for cotranslational trigger factor substrate recognition
Authors: Herling Therese W. , Cassaignau Anaïs M. E. , Wentink Anne S. , Peter Quentin A. E. , Kumar Pavan C. , Kartanas Tadas , Schneider Matthias M. , Cabrita Lisa D. , Christodoulou John , Knowles Tuomas P. J.
Published: July 2024

Molecular chaperones are central to the maintenance of proteostasis in living cells. A key member of this protein family is trigger factor (TF), which acts throughout the protein life cycle and has a ubiquitous role as the first chaperone encountered by proteins during synthesis. However, our understanding of how TF achieves favorable interactions with such a diverse substrate base remains limited. Here, we use microfluidics to reveal the thermodynamic determinants of this process. We find that TF binding to empty 70S ribosomes is enthalpy-driven, with micromolar affinity, while nanomolar affinity is achieved through a favorable entropic contribution for both intrinsically disordered and folding-competent nascent chains. These findings suggest a general mechanism for cotranslational TF function, which relies on occupation of the exposed TF-substrate binding groove rather than specific complementarity between chaperone and nascent chain. These insights add to our wider understanding of how proteins can achieve broad substrate specificity.
Co-exposure to polyethylene fiber and
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium alters microbiome and metabolome of
in vitro
chicken cecal mesocosms
Authors: Chatman Chamia C. , Olson Elena G. , Freedman Allison J. , Dittoe Dana K. , Ricke Steven C. , Majumder Erica L-W.
Published: July 2024

Humans and animals encounter a summation of exposures during their lifetime (the exposome). In recent years, the scope of the exposome has begun to include microplastics. Microplastics (MPs) have increasingly been found in locations, including in animal gastrointestinal tracts, where there could be an interaction with
Salmonella enterica serovar
Typhimurium, one of the commonly isolated serovars from processed chicken. However, there is limited knowledge on how gut microbiomes are affected by microplastics and if an effect would be exacerbated by the presence of a pathogen. In this study, we aimed to determine if acute exposure to microplastics
in vitro
altered the gut microbiome membership and activity. The microbiota response to a 24 h co-exposure to
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium and/or low-density polyethylene (PE) microplastics in an
in vitro
broiler cecal model was determined using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing (Illumina) and untargeted metabolomics. Community sequencing results indicated that PE fiber with and without
S
. Typhimurium yielded a lower
Firmicutes/Bacteroides
ratio compared with other treatment groups, which is associated with poor gut health, and overall had greater changes to the cecal microbial community composition. However, changes in the total metabolome were primarily driven by the presence of
S
. Typhimurium. Additionally, the co-exposure to PE fiber and
S
. Typhimurium caused greater cecal microbial community and metabolome changes than either exposure alone. Our results indicate that polymer shape is an important factor in effects resulting from exposure. It also demonstrates that microplastic-pathogen interactions cause metabolic alterations to the chicken cecal microbiome in an
in vitro
chicken cecal mesocosm.

IMPORTANCE

Researching the exposome, a summation of exposure to one’s lifespan, will aid in determining the environmental factors that contribute to disease states. There is an emerging concern that microplastic-pathogen interactions in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens may lead to an increase in
Salmonella
infection across flocks and eventually increased incidence of human salmonellosis cases. In this research article, we elucidated the effects of acute co-exposure to polyethylene microplastics and
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium on the ceca microbial community
in vitro
.
Salmonella
presence caused strong shifts in the cecal metabolome but not the microbiome. The inverse was true for polyethylene fiber. Polyethylene powder had almost no effect. The co-exposure had worse effects than either alone. This demonstrates that exposure effects to the gut microbial community are contaminant-specific. When combined, the interactions between exposures exacerbate changes to the gut environment, necessitating future experiments studying low-dose chronic exposure effects with
in vivo
model systems.
Exploring communication preferences and risk thresholds of clinicians and parents of febrile infants under 90 days presenting to the emergency department: a qualitative study
Authors: Wilson Kathryn , Umana Etimbuk , McCleary David , Waterfield Thomas , Woolfall Kerry
Published: July 2024

Background

Febrile infants under 3 months of age are at higher risk of invasive bacterial illness (IBI) when compared with older children. Increasingly sequential assessment based on age, clinical appearance and biomarkers is used to determine the risk of IBI, and appropriateness of invasive procedures such as lumbar puncture. The purpose of this qualitative study is to report parents and clinicians’ opinions on communication of risks and benefits of sequential assessment and tailored treatment.

Methods

18 parents enrolled in the Febrile Infant Diagnostic Assessment and Outcomes study and seven clinicians from England, Wales and Northern Ireland were purposively selected to participate in virtual qualitative interviews. Data were analysed thematically.

Results

Tailored treatment plans were widely supported. Confidence in the clinician was central to parents’ attitude towards management recommendations. Parents’ decision-making preferences change throughout their child’s clinical journey, with an initial preference for clinician-led decisions evolving towards collaborative decision-making as their stress and anxiety reduce. There were widespread differences in preferences for how risk was discussed. Parents self-reported poor retention of information and felt communication adjuncts helped their understanding. Clinicians were generally positive about the use of clinical decision aids as a communication tool, rather than relying on them for decision-making.

Discussion

Parents want to feel informed, but their desire to be involved in shared decision-making evolves over time.

Clinicians appear to use their clinical judgement to provide individualised information, evolving their communication in response to perceived parental needs.

Poor information retention highlights the need for repetition of information and use of communication adjuncts.

Trial registration number

NCT05259683.
Growth and respiratory status at 3 years of age after moderate preterm, late preterm and early term births: the Japan Environment and Children’s Study
Authors: Hirata Katsuya , Ueda Kimiko , Ikehara Satoyo , Tanigawa Kanami , Wada Kazuko , Kimura Tadashi , Ozono Keiichi , Sobue Tomotaka , Iso Hiroyasu
Published: July 2024

Objective

To assess the association between gestational age at birth and the risk of growth failure and respiratory symptoms at 3 years of age.

Design

Cohort study using the Japan Environment and Children’s Study database.

Patients

A total of 86 158 singleton infants born without physical abnormalities at 32–41 weeks of gestation were enrolled between January 2011 and March 2014.

Main outcome measures

Growth failure (weight <10th percentile and height <10th percentile) and respiratory symptoms (asthma and wheezing) at 3 years of age.

Methods

Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk of growth failure and respiratory symptoms in the moderately preterm, late preterm and early term groups compared with the full-term group after adjusting for socioeconomic and perinatal factors. Multiple imputation was used to reduce the attrition bias related to missing data.

Results

The respective adjusted ORs (95% CI) of growth failure and respiratory symptoms for the moderate preterm, late preterm and early term groups compared with the full-term group were as follows: weight <10th percentile, 2.29 (1.48–3.54), 1.43 (1.24–1.71) and 1.20 (1.12–1.28); height <10th percentile, 2.34 (1.59–3.45), 1.42 (1.25–1.60) and 1.15 (1.09–1.22); asthma, 1.63 (1.06–2.50), 1.21 (1.04–1.41) and 1.16 (1.09–1.23); and wheezing, 1.39 (1.02–1.90), 1.37 (1.25–1.51) and 1.11 (1.06–1.17).

Conclusion

Moderate preterm, late preterm and early term births were associated with a higher risk of growth failure and respiratory symptoms at 3 years of age than full-term births, with an inverse dose-response pattern.
Birth defects in a rural province in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Toti Anna , Vetuna Beryl , Kalit Veronica , Duke Trevor
Published: July 2024

Background

Globally, birth defects are the fourth most common cause of neonatal mortality. They cause substantial morbidity, and often long-term disability. Despite this, the impact of birth defects on public health has received little attention in low- and middle-income countries.

Aims

To report the types, incidence and geographic distribution of birth defects in the East New Britain Province of Papua New Guinea.

Methods

Data were collected over 3 years on newborns with birth defects seen at Rabaul Hospital, born anywhere in the province. Each affected newborn was examined, the anomaly diagnosed and classified. The exact home location was recorded to understand geospatial distribution. To calculate incidence, data were collected on all newborns with a congenital anomaly in a cohort of 2000 consecutive live births at Rabaul Hospital in 2019.

Results

Over 3 years, 2018–2020, 137 newborns with birth defects were identified, born in any part of the province. Congenital heart defects, hydrocephalus, microcephaly, craniofacial anomalies, imperforate anus, trachea-oesophageal fistula and diaphragmatic hernia were the most common anomalies. Eight cases of Down syndrome and other chromosomal anomalies were identified. The incidence in 2019 was 14 per 1000 live births. Geographic mapping showed the highest number of cases in the region on the Gazelle Peninsula, the area around the active volcanos.

Conclusions

This study provides insights into the incidence and types of birth defects in a rural island province and showed it was possible to map geospatial distribution to further explore epidemiology.
Evaluation of the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in pain and dysfunction for knee osteoarthritis: a double-blind, randomised controlled trial protocol
Authors: Chen Tingxi , He Yu , Xia Shenglin , Zhou Fenghua , Yuan Xiangnan , Liu Xueyong
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder among musculoskeletal conditions. Non-surgical treatment is the standard therapy for knee OA (KOA). Ultrasound therapy is recommended for alleviating pain and dysfunction from OA, but high-quality scientific evidence for its effectiveness in OA treatment is still lacking.Therefore, we want to analyse whether combining conventional physical therapy with low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) can enhance the efficacy of conventional therapy, thus improving symptoms in patients with KOA.

Methods and analysis

This randomised controlled trial aims to recruit 200 patients diagnosed with KOA, aged 38 years or above, who meet the clinical diagnostic criteria for KOA. Patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either a LIPUS treatment group or a sham ultrasound treatment control group. The 2-week treatment will consist of five sessions per week and evaluations will take place at baseline, on the day of the last intervention and 1 month post intervention. The main outcome measures will be the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities’ scores. Secondary outcome indicators will be the Numerical Pain Rating Scale, the Lequesne scale, the time up and go test and the range of motion of the knee. An intention-to-treat analysis will be performed for dropouts and missing data.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the ethics committee of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University (2023PS592K). Findings will be disseminated to participants and made available to peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

The trial was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry platform (chictr.org.cn) on 22 March 2023, with the registration ID ChiCTR2300069643.
Associations of hypertension, diabetes and heart disease risk with body mass index in older Chinese adults: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Lin Haoxiang , Xiao Nan , Lin Shujun , Liu Meng , Liu Gordon G
Published: July 2024

Objective

Obesity is a well-established risk factor for disease. Controversy exists regarding the relative risk of morbidity and mortality in individuals who are overweight or underweight compared with individuals with a normal body mass index (BMI). In this study, we investigated the associations between BMI and three non-communicable diseases (hypertension, diabetes and heart disease) in older adults.

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

This study used data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. The baseline survey was carried out in 2011, and follow-up surveys were conducted in 2013, 2015 and 2018.

Participants

Participants who reported having no doctor-diagnosed chronic disease at baseline were included in this study.

Main outcome measures

We analysed the association between baseline BMI and disease incidence using Cox proportional hazards models. Disease information included self-reported diagnosed conditions. BMI was categorised according to the standard Chinese criteria: underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), normal body weight (18.5–23.9 kg/m2), overweight (24.0–27.9 kg/m2) and obese (≥28.0 kg/m2).

Results

A total of 5605 participants were included at baseline. Based on the Kaplan-Meier estimation, the participants who were obese had the highest incidence of all three diseases. Compared with normal weight participants, overweight participants had a greater disease incidence (log-rank tests are p<0.01). Cox regression models showed that with increasing BMI, the HRs of diseases increased accordingly (eg, for hypertension, compared with the BMI group <18.5 kg/m2, the HRs for the BMI groups 18.5–23.9, 24.0–27.9 and ≥28.0 were 1.43 (95% CI 1.00 to 2.05), 2.19 (95% CI 1.51 to 3.18) and 2.89 (95% CI 1.91 to 4.36), respectively).

Conclusion

A higher BMI was associated with an increased risk of hypertension, diabetes and heart disease in the population aged 45 years and older. Even within normal BMI ranges, a higher BMI was associated with an increased risk of disease. Actions are urgently needed at the population level to address the growing public health challenge of excess weight in the context of an ageing population.
Comparison of brace to observation in stable, radiological developmental dysplasia of the hip: a protocol for a global multicentre non-inferiority randomised trial
Authors: Zomar Bryn O , Bone Jeffrey N , Nguyen Vuong , Mulpuri Kishore , Kelley Simon ,   GHD Study Group, Schaeffer Emily K
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Brace treatment is common to address radiological dysplasia in infants with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH); however, it is unclear whether bracing provides significant benefit above careful observation by ultrasound. If observation alone is non-inferior to bracing for radiological dysplasia, unnecessary treatment may be avoided. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine whether observation is non-inferior to bracing for infants with radiological dysplasia.

Methods and analysis

This will be a multicentre, global, randomised, non-inferiority trial performed under the auspices of a global prospective registry for infants and children diagnosed with DDH. Patients will be included if they present with radiological dysplasia (centred hip, alpha angle 43–60°, percent femoral head coverage greater than 35% measured on ultrasound) of a clinically stable hip under 3 months old. Patients will be excluded if they present with clinical hip instability, have received prior treatment or have known/suspected neuromuscular, collagen, chromosomal or lower-extremity congenital abnormalities or syndromic-associated hip abnormalities. Patients will be enrolled and randomised to undergo observation alone or brace treatment with a Pavlik harness for a minimum of 6 weeks. Follow-up visits will occur at 6 weeks, 1 year and 2 years post-enrolment. The primary outcome will be the norm-referenced acetabular index measured on the 2-year radiograph with a 3° non-inferiority margin. A total of 514 patients will be included.

The study is anticipated to start in April 2024 and end in September 2028.

The primary outcome will be compared between arms with a mixed-effects model with a random intercept for study centre, and a single covariate for the treatment group. If the lower bound of the 95% CI lies within 3° of the mean, we will treat this as evidence for non-inferiority.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval has been obtained from the lead site’s ethics board (University of British Columbia, Children’s and Women’s Research Ethics Board). Ethics approval will be obtained from the local ethics committees or institutional review boards at each institution prior to patient enrolment. It is intended that the results of this study shall be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at suitable conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT05869851
.
Dual-wavelength dye laser combined with betamethasone injection for treatment of keloids: protocol of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Wen Junxian , Li Zhijin , Liu Weida , Yu Nanze , Wang Xiaojun
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Keloids, benign fibroproliferative tumours characterised by excessive fibroblast proliferation and over-deposition of extracellular matrix, pose a therapeutic challenge with high recurrence rates. Betamethasone (diprospan) injection (BI) is one of the most common non-invasive therapies for keloids. Pulsed dye laser (PDL) has the function of closing microvessels, which may become one of the auxiliary treatment methods of BI and may enhance its curative effect. Some studies suggest that the combination of a dual-wavelength dye laser (DWL) and BI may offer superior efficacy. This randomised controlled trial aims to evaluate whether the combined therapy of DWL+BI outperforms BI alone in treating keloids.

Methods and analysis

This single-centre, parallel positive control, randomised trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of DWL (585 nm PDL+1064 nm neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet) combined with BI for keloid treatment. Enrolling 66 adult patients, participants are randomised into DWL+BI or BI groups in a 1:1 ratio. Over 12 weeks, each group undergoes four treatment sessions, ensuring blinding for outcome assessors. Data collection occurs at multiple time points (4, 12, 24 and 52 weeks), with primary outcomes assessing the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) improvement rate 24 weeks after the last intervention. Secondary outcomes include VSS improvement rates, changes in keloid volume, changes in relative perfusion index measured by laser speckle contrast imaging, Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale results and patient satisfaction. Safety assessments include vital signs, laboratory tests, pregnancy tests and self-reports of adverse reactions.

Ethics and dissemination

The results will be presented in peer-reviewed journals and at international conferences. This study is approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences.

Trial registration number

Chinese Clinical Trial Register (ChiCTR2400080148).
Attitude of Jordanians towards a new enactment for an opt-out organ donation system: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Aboghazleh Refat , Boyajian Silvia D , Almomani Ensaf Y , Al-Omari Laila , Awamleh Hala , Ismail Abeer , Abadi Wejdan , Hiary Fatima , Hyari Leen , Al-Saba’a Tamara , Nsour Zaid , Nsour Mouiad , Al-Shatanawi Tariq N , Nadi Mustafa , Alneweiri Anwar
Published: July 2024

Background

Organ donation entails saving or transforming lives through the provision of organs, either from living donors or deceased individuals. In Jordan, low donation rates are attributed to religious misconceptions, limited education and insufficient awareness of the burden on patients with organ failure.

Objectives

To investigate the attitudes of the Jordanian population towards the practicality and effectiveness of introducing an opt-out organ donation system through legislative measures, with the aim of increasing donation rates.

Design

This cross-sectional study used a designed self-administered questionnaire. Data were subsequently analysed using IBM SPSS software.

Setting

The study encompassed all 12 cities located in Jordan.

Participants

Data were collected from 1146 Jordanian participants, excluding individuals under the age of 18.

Results

Approximately 36.6% reported organ or blood donation while 18.9% participated in awareness campaigns. Many (75.7%) perceived insufficient awareness about the importance of organ donation, and 67.1% noted a scarcity of online donor registration platforms. Only 12.0% of participants discussed organ donation with healthcare providers. As anticipated, only 9.0% were registered donors while 67.7% expressed acceptance of organ donation, with 55.3% willing to enrol in donor programmes. Religion influenced 54.2% of organ donation decisions. There are associations between agreement for a new enactment and prior organ or blood donation or discussions with healthcare providers. However, religion affected willingness to donate organs. Most importantly, refusal to be a donor after death was associated with religion, occupation and awareness levels.

Conclusion

Despite the population’s understanding and support for the concept of organ donation, the willingness towards donating their own organs is limited. To boost organ donation rates and acceptance of the new enactment, we recommend conducting educational campaigns, improving online registration platforms, enhancing healthcare provider engagement, collaborating with religious communities and advocating for supportive policies.
Sleep, Health Outcomes and Body Weight (SHOW) study: a measurement burst design study on sleep and risk factors for obesity in black emerging adults in North Carolina, USA
Authors: McNeil Jessica , Clark Krista G , Adams William M , Pickett Stephanie , Propper Cathi B , McCoy Thomas P , Edwards Kathleen E , Exford TJ , Hemphill Michael A , Wideman Laurie
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Black emerging adults (18–28 years) have the highest risk of short sleep duration and obesity. This increased risk may be partly explained by greater stress levels, which may result from race-related stress (racial discrimination and heightened race-related vigilance) or living in more disadvantaged home and neighbourhood environments. Insufficient sleep may also impact obesity risk via several weight-related mechanisms including energy balance, appetite and food reward, cortisol profiles and hydration status. This paper describes the rationale, design and methods for the Sleep, Health Outcomes and Body Weight (SHOW) study. This study aims to prospectively assess the effects of sleep, race-related stress and home/neighbourhood environments on weight-related mechanisms and obesity markers (body weight, waist circumference and fat mass) in 150 black emerging adults.

Methods and analysis

The SHOW study follows a measurement burst design that includes 3, 7-day data collection bursts (baseline, 6-month and 12-month follow-ups). Sleep is measured with three methods: sleep diary, actigraphy and polysomnography. Energy balance over 7 days is based on resting and postprandial energy expenditure measured via indirect calorimetry, physical activity via accelerometry and self-reported and ad libitum energy intake methods. Self-reported methods and blood biomarkers assess fasting and postprandial appetite profiles and a behavioural-choice task measures food reward. Cortisol awakening response and diurnal cortisol profiles over 3 days are assessed via saliva samples and chronic cortisol exposure via a hair sample. Hydration markers are assessed with 24-hour urine collection over 3 days and fasting blood biomarkers. Race-related stress is self-reported over 7 days. Home and neighbourhood environments (via the Windshield Survey) is observer assessed.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was granted by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s Institutional Review Board. Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, presentations at scientific meetings and reports, briefs/infographics for lay and community audiences.
‘We did not even know it was tuberculosis’: a qualitative evaluation of integrating tuberculosis services into paediatric entry points in the CaP-TB programme in Cameroon and Kenya
Authors: Katirayi Leila , Masaba Rose , Tchounga Boris , Ndimbii James , Mbunka Muhammed , Ouma Millicent , Olughu Kelia , Siehien Jenna , Petnga Saint Just , Casenghi Martina , Okomo Gordon , Zoung-Kanyi Bissek Anne-Cecile , Tiam Appolinaire , Denoeud-Ndam Lise
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Paediatric tuberculosis (TB) is often undiagnosed and under-reported. The Catalysing Paediatric TB (CaP-TB) programme provided integrated and decentralised TB screening and diagnosis services through multiple paediatric care entry points. This qualitative evaluation explores acceptability of the CaP-TB programme and existing knowledge and perceptions of paediatric TB.

Methods

A descriptive qualitative study was conducted in four sites in Kenya and six sites in Cameron. 54 in-depth interviews were conducted with caregivers, community workers (CWs) and CaP-TB programme managers, and 7 focus group discussions with healthcare workers (HCWs) and CWs. Thematic analysis identified emerging recurrent themes across participants’ responses. Data were coded by using MAXQDA V.12. Data were collected during March–September 2021.

Results

Caregivers were often not aware that children were at risk for TB. HCWs reported limited knowledge about paediatric TB prior to CaP-TB. Sometimes caregivers refused to have their children tested for paediatric TB, and this was often related to a lack of awareness of paediatric TB and free services, concerns about the testing procedure and treatment and fear of stigma. TB was referred to as disease of ‘shame,’ associated with poverty and poor hygiene. The CaP-TB programme increased HCWs knowledge about symptoms of paediatric TB and motivation to investigate children with clinical presentations consistent with possible TB. Adding screening at all entry points was perceived to be beneficial to caregivers who would not have felt comfortable bringing their child to a TB unit. HCWs also discussed the increased workload with CaP-TB, challenges with medication stock-outs and a need for additional training.

Conclusions

CaP-TB illustrated the positive impact of decentralised paediatric TB services, including addressing the awareness and knowledge gap among caregivers and HCWs. Multiple entry points increased opportunities for identification of paediatric TB and increased caregiver comfortability with their child being tested for TB.

Trial registration number

NCT03862261
.
Hypothesis: the generation of T cells directed against neoepitopes employing immune-mediating agents other than neoepitope vaccines
Authors: Schlom Jeffrey , Donahue Renee N , Palena Claudia , Gameiro Sofia R , Hodge James W , Hamilton Duane H , Gulley James L
Published: July 2024

The development of vaccines, especially RNA-based, directed against patient-specific tumor neoepitopes is an active and productive area of cancer immunotherapy. Promising clinical results in melanoma and other solid tumor types are emerging. As with all cancer therapy modalities, neoepitope vaccine development and delivery also has some drawbacks, including the level of effort to develop a patient-specific product, accuracy of algorithms to predict neoepitopes, and with the exception of melanoma and some other tumor types, biopsies of metastatic lesions of solid tumors are often not available. We hypothesize that in some circumstances the use of rationally designed combinations of “off-the-shelf” agents may prove an additional path to enable the patient to produce his/her own “neoepitope vaccine” in situ. These combination therapies may consist of agents to activate a tumor-associated T-cell response, potentiate that response, reduce or eliminate immunosuppressive entities in the tumor microenvironment, and/or alter the phenotype of tumor cells to render them more susceptible to immune-mediated lysis. Examples are provided in both preclinical and clinical studies in which combinations of “off-the-shelf” agents lead to the generation of T cells directed against tumor-derived neoepitopes with consequent antitumor activity.
Deterministic One-Way Simulation of Two-Way Deterministic Finite Automata Over Small Alphabets
Authors: Geffert Viliam , Okhotin Alexander
Published: July 2024

It is shown that a two-way deterministic finite automaton (2DFA) with [Formula: see text] states over an alphabet [Formula: see text] can be transformed to an equivalent one-way automaton (1DFA) with [Formula: see text] states, where [Formula: see text]. This reflects the fact that, by keeping the last processed symbol [Formula: see text] in memory, the simulating 1DFA can remember one of [Formula: see text] states in which the automaton moves by [Formula: see text] to the right, and a function that maps [Formula: see text] states moving to the left to [Formula: see text] states moving to the right; cf. ca. [Formula: see text] functions in the classical construction. A close lower bound of [Formula: see text] states is established using a 2-symbol alphabet, with witness languages defined by direction-determinate 2DFA. The same lower bound is also achieved with witness languages defined by sweeping 2DFA, at the expense of using a 5-symbol alphabet. In addition, the complexity of transforming a sweeping or a direction-determinate 2DFA to a 1DFA is shown to be exactly [Formula: see text].
Dynamic performance evaluation of a magnetorheological damper-based sting support in wind tunnel tests
Authors: Li Wang , Huang Zhen , Zhong Can , Fu Jie , Yu Miao
Published: July 2024

The sting support faces an issue of being prone to resonance due to its low-damping characteristics, which will compromise the accuracy of test data in wind tunnel experiments. Magnetorheological damper (MRD)-based tail support (MRSS) features varying stiffness and damping abilities, enabling it to suppress the vibration with random, time-variation characteristics in a self-adaptive way, and it also exhibits excellent fail–safe properties. This work aims to validate its controllability and fail–safe property in a wind tunnel environment. First, the natural frequency, root mean square (RMS), and power spectral density (PSD) of the designed MRSS’ response for random excitation were theoretically analyzed. Then, wind tunnel experiments were conducted to test the response under different attack angles, wind speeds, and test currents. Subsequently, the controllability and fail–safe property were demonstrated by analyzing the aircraft model response. Also, the variable stiffness and damping properties of MRD behind the observed phenomena were revealed based on the theoretical analysis. Results demonstrate that as the input current increases and the MRD’s stiffness continues to increase, the damping initially increases and then decreases. Increasing wind speed leads to a decrease in the MRD’s stiffness. Additionally, approximately 50% reduction in RMS and a multi-modal response attenuation was achieved.
Listening to quantum gravity?
Authors: Krauss Lawrence M. , Marino Francesco , Braunstein Samuel L. , Faizal Mir , Shah Naveed A.
Published: July 2024

Recent experimental progresses in controlling classical and quantum fluids have made it possible to realize acoustic analogs of gravitational black holes, where a flowing fluid provides an effective spacetime on which sound waves propagate, demonstrating Hawking-like radiation and superradiance. We propose the exciting possibility that new hydrodynamic systems might provide insights to help resolve mysteries associated with quantum gravity, including the black hole information-loss paradox and the removal of spacetime singularities.
Systematization of β+-decaying atomic nuclei: Interrelation between half-life, mass, energy and size
Authors: Yarman Tolga , Yarman Ozan , Zaim Nimet , Kholmetskii Alexander , Arik Metin
Published: July 2024

We propose a novel systematization of positron-decaying atomic nuclei, for which we first focus on determining the kinetic energy of the most energetic positron at the moment it is emitted from the nucleus. We find that this energy is inversely proportional to the number of nucleons A making up the nucleus. Further on, for [Formula: see text], we figure out that the measured kinetic energy of positrons detected in the laboratory turns out to be substantially less than what one would classically expect based on the electrical interaction between the nucleus and the positron, starting from the moment the latter gets emitted. We particularly disclose that the initial kinetic energy of the positron escaping from the nucleus can be formally negative at [Formula: see text], which indicates that the positron in question is not released from the classically conceived nuclear surface, but from much above the said surface. This requires the need to involve the quantum mechanical properties of the system composed of “the nucleus and the positron”. Finally, we show how the half-life, mass, kinetic energy and size involved in positron-decay are interrelated in a way already established through Yarman’s approach (YA) for polyatomic molecules and [Formula: see text]-decaying nuclei.
Probing the effect of background fields on coupling constants in ultraperipheral heavy ion collisions
Authors: Li Cong , Li Wenlong
Published: July 2024

In this paper, we propose to measure the effect of the background field on the coupling constant through the process of photon annihilation into lepton pairs and a real photon in ultraperipheral collisions of relativistic heavy ion. In our study, the coupling constant after being corrected by background field has a significant impact on cross-section compared to the uncorrected one.
Linearly sofic Lie algebras: Extensions and embeddings
Authors: Cinel Cameron
Published: July 2024

We prove that any countable sofic (respectively, weakly sofic, hyperlinear, linearly sofic) group can be embedded into a finitely generated sofic (respectively, weakly sofic, hyperlinear, linearly sofic) group. We also prove an analogous result that any countable dimensional linearly sofic Lie algebra can be embedded into a finitely generated linearly sofic Lie algebra. In the course of proving this result, we prove that, over a field of characteristic 0, every extension of a linearly sofic Lie algebra by a Lie algebra with amenable universal enveloping algebra is linearly sofic.
Applications of the freezing operators on cluster algebras
Authors: Qin Fan
Published: July 2024

We apply freezing operators to relate different (quantum) upper cluster algebras. We prove that these operators send localized (quantum) cluster monomials to localized (quantum) cluster monomials. They also send bases to bases in many cases. In addition, the bases constructed via freezing coincide with those constructed via localization.
FLAShadow: A Flash-based Shadow Stack for Low-end Embedded Systems
Authors: Grisafi Michele , Ammar Mahmoud , Roveri Marco , Crispo Bruno
Published: July 2024

Runtime attacks are a rising threat to both low- and high-end systems with the spread of techniques such as Return-Oriented Programming (ROP), which aims at hijacking the control flow of vulnerable applications. Although several control flow integrity schemes have been proposed by both academia and the industry, the vast majority of them are not compatible with low-end embedded devices, especially the ones that lack hardware security features.

In this article, we propose

\(\sf {\textsc {FLAShadow}}\)

, a secure shadow stack design and implementation for low-end embedded systems, relying on zero hardware security features. The key idea is to leverage a software-based memory isolation mechanism to establish an integrity-protected memory area on the Flash of the target device, where

\(\sf {\textsc {FLAShadow}}\)

can be securely maintained.

\(\sf {\textsc {FLAShadow}}\)

exclusively reserves a register for maintaining the integrity of the stack pointer and also depends on a minimal trusted runtime component to avoid trusting the compiler toolchain. We evaluate an open-source implementation of

\(\sf {\textsc {FLAShadow}}\)

for the MSP430 architecture, showing an average performance and memory overhead of 168.58% and 25.91%, respectively. While the average performance overhead is considered high, we show that it is application dependent and incurs less than 5% for some applications.
A Logical Approach to Type Soundness
Authors: Timany Amin , Krebbers Robbert , Dreyer Derek , Birkedal Lars
Published: July 2024

Type soundness, which asserts that “well-typed programs cannot go wrong,” is widely viewed as the canonical theorem one must prove to establish that a type system is doing its job. It is commonly proved using the so-called
syntactic approach
(also known as
progress and preservation
), which has had a huge impact on the study and teaching of programming language foundations. Unfortunately, syntactic type soundness is a rather weak theorem. It only applies to programs that are well typed in their entirety and thus tells us nothing about the many programs written in “safe” languages that make use of “unsafe” language features. Even worse, it tells us nothing about whether type systems achieve one of their main goals: enforcement of data abstraction. One can easily define a language that enjoys syntactic type soundness and yet fails to support even the most basic modular reasoning principles for abstraction mechanisms like closures, objects, and abstract data types.

Given these concerns, we argue that programming languages researchers should no longer be satisfied with proving syntactic type soundness and should instead start proving
semantic type soundness
, a more useful theorem that captures more accurately what type systems are actually good for. Semantic type soundness is an old idea—Milner’s original account of type soundness from 1978 was semantic—but it fell out of favor in the 1990s due to limitations and complexities of denotational models. In the succeeding decades, thanks to a series of technical advances—notably,
step-indexed Kripke logical relations
constructed over operational semantics and
higher-order concurrent separation logic
as consolidated in the
Iris
framework in Coq—we can now build (machine-checked) semantic soundness proofs at a much higher level of abstraction than was previously possible.

The resulting “logical” approach to semantic type soundness has already been employed to great effect in a number of recent papers, but those papers typically (a) concern advanced problem scenarios that complicate the presentation, (b) assume significant prior knowledge of the reader, and (c) suppress many details of the proofs. Here, we aim to provide a gentler, more pedagogically motivated introduction to logical type soundness, targeted at a broader audience that may or may not be familiar with logical relations and Iris. As a bonus, we also show how logical type soundness proofs can easily be generalized to establish an even stronger
relational
property—
representation independence
—for realistic type systems.
A Power Optimization Approach for Large-scale RM-TB Dual Logic Circuits Based on an Adaptive Multi-Task Intelligent Algorithm
Authors: Wu Xiaoqian , Liu Huaxiao , Wang Peng , Liu Lei , He Zhenxue
Published: July 2024

Logic synthesis is a crucial step in integrated circuit design, and power optimization is an indispensable part of this process. However, power optimization for large-scale Mixed Polarity Reed-Muller (MPRM) logic circuits is an NP-hard problem. In this article, we divide Boolean circuits into small-scale circuits based on the idea of divide and conquer using the proposed Dynamic Adaptive Grouping Strategy (DAGS) and the proposed circuit decomposition model (CDM). Each small-scale Boolean circuit is transformed into an MPRM logic circuit by a polarity transformation algorithm. Based on the gate-level integration, we integrate small-scale circuits into an MPRM and Boolean Dual Logic (RBDL) circuit. Furthermore, the power optimization problem of RBDL circuits is a multi-task, multi-extremal, high-dimensional combinatorial optimization problem, for which we propose an Adaptive Multi-task Intelligent Algorithm (AMIA), which includes global task optimization, population reproduction, valuable knowledge transfer (VKT), and local exploration to search for the lowest power for RBDL circuits. Moreover, based on the proposed Fast Power Decomposition Algorithm (FPDA), we proposed a Power Optimization Approach (POA) for an RBDL circuit with the lowest power using the AMIA. Experimental results based on Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC) Benchmark test circuits demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of the POA compared to state-of-the-art POAes.
Evolution of Sensory Receptors
Authors: Valencia-Montoya Wendy A. , Pierce Naomi E. , Bellono Nicholas W.
Published: July 2024

Sensory receptors are at the interface between an organism and its environment and thus represent key sites for biological innovation. Here, we survey major sensory receptor families to uncover emerging evolutionary patterns. Receptors for touch, temperature, and light constitute part of the ancestral sensory toolkit of animals, often predating the evolution of multicellularity and the nervous system. In contrast, chemoreceptors exhibit a dynamic history of lineage-specific expansions and contractions correlated with the disparate complexity of chemical environments. A recurring theme includes independent transitions from neurotransmitter receptors to sensory receptors of diverse stimuli from the outside world. We then provide an overview of the evolutionary mechanisms underlying sensory receptor diversification and highlight examples where signatures of natural selection are used to identify novel sensory adaptations. Finally, we discuss sensory receptors as evolutionary hotspots driving reproductive isolation and speciation, thereby contributing to the stunning diversity of animals.