bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An algorithm for solution of the Sylvester s‐conjugate linear equation for the commutative elliptic octonions
Authors: Sürekçi Arzu , Ali Güngör Mehmet
Published: July 2023

In this study, firstly, algebraic properties for commutative elliptic octonions are studied. Then the definition and theorems related to similarity, consimilarity, semisimilarity, and consemisimilarity are given. The matrix algebra for commutative elliptic octonions is established. The Sylvester 7‐conjugate equation is solved in the commutative elliptic octonion space through an isomorphism established between the set of matrices and the set of commutative elliptic octonions. Additionally, an example is provided to support this solution. Finally, an algorithm is written for solving the Sylvester 7‐conjugate equation.
On a nonlinear transmission eigenvalue problem with a Neumann–Robin boundary condition
Authors: Barbu Luminiţa , Burlacu Andreea , Moroşanu Gheorghe
Published: July 2023

Let
be a bounded domain in
with smooth boundary
and let
be a subdomain of
with smooth boundary
such that
. Denote
Consider the transmission eigenvalue problem

where
is a real parameter,
and

a.e. on
Under additional suitable assumptions on
, we prove the existence of a sequence of eigenvalues
The proof is based on Lusternik–Schnirelmann theory on
‐manifolds.
A simple procedure to improve the performance of Klein's 2‐of‐2 run rule in the Shewhart X¯$\bar{X}$ control chart
Authors: Quinino Víctor Brito , Ho Linda L. , Cruz Frederico R. B. , Quinino Roberto C.
Published: July 2023

Supplementary run‐rules have been used since the 1950s to improve the performance of the basic Shewhart control chart. A procedure known as Klein's 2‐of‐2, a simple and efficient supplementary rule, signals that the process is out‐of‐control only when two sequential sample averages are observed above the upper control limit (UCL) or below the lower control limit (LCL). The use of this rule results in a substantial reduction of the average run length (ARL) in detecting small process shifts when compared to the traditional control chart. However, it presents a poor performance of the out‐of‐control ARL for moderate to large process shifts (the converges to 2 for large shifts in the mean). In order to minimize this issue, some authors introduce additional control limits to delimit decision zones in relation to deciding whether the process is in control or out‐of‐control. Despite a better performance for moderate‐to‐large process shifts, the process complexity is also higher. In this paper, we include a simple procedure (with no additional control limits) in relation to the 2‐of‐2 rule by examining if all values of each unit of the sample are beyond the control limits whenever its average is beyond the control limits. The new procedure has a similar performance in terms of ARL for small shifts in the mean and a better performance for moderate‐to‐large shifts (the now converges to 1) when compared to the standard 2‐of‐2 rule (where the converges to 2).
Linear Kalman Filtering with Persistence Predictive Model for Vehicle Slip Angle Estimation Based on Inverse Trigonometric Function
Authors: Suzuki Motoya
Published: July 2023

Slip angle estimation is extensively employed in mobile robotics. Specifically, the estimation method predicated on the acceleration sensor can compute the slip angle without the necessity for a dynamical model and integration calculations. However, wave distortion of the estimated slip angle emerges due to the inclusion of the inverse trigonometric function in the estimation computation. In this study, we utilized a linear Kalman filter predicated on a persistent predictive model for slip angle estimation. The proposed method modulates the Kalman gain according to the Mahalanobis distance, thereby eliminating the wave distortion of the estimated slip angle. The efficacy of the proposed method is corroborated by a nonlinear vehicle simulation. © 2023 Institute of Electrical Engineer of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
On a mission to eliminate rabies
Authors: Jarvis Suzanne
Published: July 2023

Mission Rabies launched its latest vaccination campaign in Cambodia in May. Vet Record editor in chief Suzanne Jarvis travelled with the charity and here describes her first‐hand experience of the importance of teamwork and collaboration in tackling a classic One Health challenge.
Denise Elizabeth Allsop
Authors: Seal Victoria
Published: July 2023

A wonderful soul who had time and care for everyone and every animal she met.
Learning what makes clients tick… a new business in behavioural science is born
Authors: Maher Rebecca
Published: July 2023

Rebecca Maher's career followed a ‘squiggly path’ through practice, industry, marketing and on to her next challenge – applying consumer psychology to veterinary businesses through her own startup company
Phase retrieval and system identification in dynamical sampling via Prony’s method
Authors: Beinert Robert , Hasannasab Marzieh
Published: July 2023

Phase retrieval in dynamical sampling is a novel research direction, where an unknown signal has to be recovered from the phaseless measurements with respect to a dynamical frame, i.e., a sequence of sampling vectors constructed by the repeated action of an operator. The loss of the phase here turns the well-posed dynamical sampling into a severe ill-posed inverse problem. In the existing literature, the involved operator is usually completely known. In this paper, we combine phase retrieval in dynamical sampling with the identification of the system. For instance, if the dynamical frame is based on a repeated convolution, then we want to recover the unknown convolution kernel in advance. Using Prony’s method, we establish several recovery guarantees for signal and system, whose proofs are constructive and yield algebraic recovery methods. The required assumptions are satisfied by almost all signals, operators, and sampling vectors. Studying the sensitivity of the recovery procedures, we establish error bounds for the approximate Prony method with respect to complex exponential sums.
Presenting Quotient Locales
Authors: Manuell Graham
Published: July 2023

It is often useful to be able to deal with locales in terms of presentations of their underlying frames, or equivalently, the geometric theories which they classify. Given a presentation for a locale, presentations for its sublocales can be obtained by simply appending additional relations, but the case of quotient locales is more subtle. We provide simple procedures for obtaining presentations of open quotients, proper quotients or general triquotients from presentations of the parent locale. The results are proved with the help of the suplattice, preframe and dcpo coverage theorems and applied to obtain presentations of the circle from ones for $$\mathbb {R}$$
R
and [0, 1].
The levelling-off and recent rapid decline in population density of the highly prolific invasive lionfish on the Saba Bank, Eastern Caribbean
Authors: Debrot Adolphe O. , Brunel Thomas , Izioka Ayumi Kuramae
Published: July 2023

Since its introduction in the Western Atlantic more than 30 years ago, the lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) has spread throughout the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and the Western Tropical Atlantic, with massive and unprecedented ecological impacts. This invasion is among the most studied marine fish invasions but very little is still really known about the population dynamics of the species and the factors ultimately governing its abundance. The species was first documented on the Saba Bank in 2010 and rapidly increased in abundance till the end of 2014. In this note we document its rise and subsequent decline in density and thereby describe the species’ third apparent local population boom-bust event for the Greater Caribbean. We also document gradual increases in the mean size of lionfish of the Eastern Caribbean Saba Bank that coincided with the increase and subsequent decline in abundance. Contrary to the previously documented epizootic disease outbreak associated with the population crash observed in the Gulf of Mexico we were unable to find any signs of the occurrence of epizootic disease. We suggest that the population decline on the Saba Bank might have been due to non-local causes. Boom-bust dynamics are often witnessed in biological invasions and have critical implications for both understanding and managing invasive species. While the underlying cause for the boom-bust event we document remains unknown, our work suggests that in the region, ecological feedback mechanisms are gradually developing that can help level-off deleterious population excesses of this invasive species.
The impact of geriatric characteristics and comorbidities on distant metastases and other cause mortality in older women with non-metastatic breast cancer treated with primary endocrine therapy
Authors: Waaijer M. E.C. , Lemij A. A. , de Boer A. Z. , Bastiaannet E. , van den Bos F. , Derks M. G.M. , Kroep J. R. , Liefers G. J. , Portielje J. E.A. , de Glas N. A.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

In recent years, primary surgical treatment of older women with non-metastatic breast cancer has decreased in favor of primary endocrine therapy (PET). PET can be considered in women with a remaining life expectancy of less than five years. The aim of this study was to (1) assess the risk of distant metastases and other cause mortality over ten years in women aged 65 and older with stage I-III breast cancer treated with PET, (2) whether this was associated with geriatric characteristics and comorbidities and to (3) describe the reasons on which the choice for PET was made.

Methods

Women were included from the retrospective FOCUS cohort, which comprises all incident women diagnosed with breast cancer aged 65 or older between January 1997 and December 2004 in the Comprehensive Cancer Center Region West in the Netherlands. We selected women (N = 257) with stage I-III breast cancer and treated with PET from this cohort. Patient characteristics (including comorbidity, polypharmacy, walking, cognitive and sensory impairment), treatment and tumor characteristics were retrospectively extracted from charts. Outcomes were distant metastasis and other cause mortality. Cumulative incidences were calculated using the Cumulative Incidence for Competing Risks method (CICR); and subdistribution hazard ratios (SHR) were tested between groups based on age, geriatric characteristics and comorbidity with the Fine and Gray model.

Results

Women treated with PET were on average 84 years old and 41% had one or more geriatric characteristics. Other cause mortality exceeded the cumulative incidence of distant metastasis over ten years (83 versus 5.6%). The risk of dying from another cause further increased in women with geriatric characteristics (SHR 2.06, p < 0.001) or two or more comorbidities (SHR 1.72, p < 0.001). Often the reason for omitting surgery was not recorded (52.9%), but if recorded surgery was omitted mainly at the patient’s request (18.7%).

Discussion

This study shows that the cumulative incidence of distant metastasis is much lower than other cause mortality in older women with breast cancer treated with PET, especially in the presence of geriatric characteristics or comorbidities. This confirms the importance of assessment of geriatric characteristics to aid counseling of older women.
From Caterpillar to Butterfly: Social Media Engagement of the Socially Excluded Third-Gender People in Bangladesh
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Alamgir , Akter Shahriar , Ahsan Md. Fosiul , Ahmed Jashim Uddin , Khan Shahadat
Published: July 2023

This paper focuses on the effects of gender diversity – in terms of binary- and third-gender – on social media engagement (SMEn). Specifically, we examine the extent to which SMEn's antecedents and outcomes vary between binary- and third-gender people. Based on theuses and gratification theory (UGT), we develop and validate a model using two cross-sectional studies. Data have been collected from heterosexual and third-gender people (TGP) separately, and analysed with the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique. Our results show that the incentives and outcomes of SMEn are not identical across different gender groups; rather, socially excluded TGP take advantage of social media differently than their heterosexual counterpart. More specifically,habitis the strongest predictor of SMEn for the heterosexual group, which isemotional reassurancefor the TGP. Interestingly,identity managementis an important determinant of SMEnonlyfor TGP, whilesocial interactionis important for both groups. We further find that SMEn enhances both groups' quality of life and social self-esteem but more for TGP. This study advances knowledge by applying UGT in a new research setting within information systems. The findings provide guidelines to social media architects and policymakers on engaging socially disadvantaged people with social media and enhancing their social wellbeing.
Automatic highlight detection in videos of martial arts tricking
Authors: Rodrigo Marcos , Cuevas Carlos , Berjón Daniel , García Narciso
Published: July 2023

We propose a novel strategy for the automatic detection of highlight events in user-generated tricking videos, to the best of our knowledge, the first one specifically tailored for this complex sport. Most current methods for related sports leverage high-level semantics such as predefined camera angles or common editing practices, or rely on depth cameras to achieve automatic detection. However, our approach only relies on the contents (themselves) in the frames of a given video, and consists in a four stage pipeline. The first stage identifies foreground key points of interest along with an estimation of their motion in the video frames. In the second stage, these points are grouped into regions of interest based on their proximity and motion. Their behavior over time is evaluated in the third stage to generate an attention map indicating the regions participating in the most relevant events. The fourth and final stage provides the extracted video sequences where highlights have been identified. Experimental results attest to the effectiveness of our approach, which shows high recall and precision values at frame level, with detections that fit well the ground truth events.
Machine learning-based state maps for complex dynamical systems: applications to friction-excited brake system vibrations
Authors: Geier Charlotte , Hamdi Saïd , Chancelier Thierry , Dufrénoy Philippe , Hoffmann Norbert , Stender Merten
Published: July 2023

In this work, a purely data-driven approach to mapping out the state of a dynamical system over a set of chosen parameters is presented and demonstrated along a case study using real-world experimental data from a friction brake system. Complex engineering systems often exhibit a rich bifurcation behavior with respect to one or several parameters, which is difficult to grasp using experimental approaches or numerical simulations. At the same time, the growing need for energy-efficient machines that can operate under varying or extreme environmental conditions also calls for a better understanding of these systems to avoid critical transitions. The proposed method combines machine learning techniques with synthetic data augmentation to create a complete state map for a dynamical system. First, a machine learning model is trained on experimental data, picking up hidden mechanisms and complex parametric relations of the underlying dynamical system. The model is then exploited to assess the state of the system for a set of synthetically generated data to obtain a state map over the complete space spanned by the chosen parameters. In addition, an extension of the concept to a probability state map is introduced. The results indicate that the proposed method can uncover hidden variables which drive dynamical transitions between different states of a system that were previously inaccessible.
Infant and childhood death in the medical profession. Evidence from nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Netherlands
Authors: van Poppel Frans , Ekamper Peter
Published: July 2023

This paper shows the effect that the medical expertise of medical practitioners had on the life chances of their children. We focus on infant and early childhood mortality. We reconstructed the life histories of the offspring of a group of around 2800 medical practitioners who were practicing in a high-mortality region in the Netherlands between 1850 and 1922, the period during which infant and child mortality in the Netherlands underwent the largest changes. The survival of their offspring is compared with that of a random sample of children from the Historical Sample of the Netherlands. Multilevel hazard analysis, using Cox proportional hazards models with shared frailty, is applied to study the effect of belonging to the medical profession on survival, in relation to the level of infant mortality in the regions where children were born. Within the group of medical practitioners, attention is paid to differences in children’s survival according to the level of medical knowledge of the fathers. Our statistical analyses show that the offspring of medical practitioners as a whole did have better survival prospects than children born to families without a father with a medical background. When medical practitioners had effective medical knowledge, measured by the period of graduation and the highest level of medical training reached, the positive effects on the survival of their children were even stronger.
20 Years of Biogeosciences Research: Looking Back to Forge Ahead
Authors: Xenopoulos Marguerite , Bohrer Gil , Chen Jing , Crill Patrick , Niu Shuli , Sahagian Dork , Tank Suzanne
Published: July 2023

A new special collection invites review papers to mark the 20th anniversary of the Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences with a focus on what we have learned and what is still unknown.
Investigating causal relationships between obesity and skin barrier function in a multi-ethnic Asian general population cohort
Authors: Yew Yik Weng , Mina Theresia , Ng Hong Kiat , Lam Benjamin Chih Chiang , Riboli Elio , Lee Eng Sing , Lee Jimmy , Ngeow Joanne , Elliott Paul , Thng Steven Tien Guan , Chambers John C. , Loh Marie
Published: July 2023

Background

Skin diseases impact significantly on the quality of life and psychology of patients. Obesity has been observed as a risk factor for skin diseases. Skin epidermal barrier dysfunctions are typical manifestations across several dermatological disturbances.

Objectives

We aim to establish the association between obesity and skin physiology measurements and investigate whether obesity may play a possible causal role on skin barrier dysfunction.

Methods

We investigated the relationship of obesity with skin physiology measurements, namely transepidermal water loss (TEWL), skin surface moisture and skin pH in an Asian population cohort (n = 9990). To assess for a possible causal association between body mass index (BMI) and skin physiology measurements, we performed Mendelian Randomization (MR), along with subsequent additional analyses to assess the potential causal impact of known socioeconomic and comorbidities of obesity on TEWL.

Results

Every 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI was associated with a 0.221% (95%CI: 0.144–0.298) increase in TEWL (P = 2.82E–08), a 0.336% (95%CI: 0.148–0.524) decrease in skin moisture (P = 4.66E–04) and a 0.184% (95%CI: 0.144–0.224) decrease in pH (P = 1.36E–19), adjusting for age, gender, and ethnicity. Relationships for both TEWL and pH with BMI remained strong (Beta 0.354; 95%CI: 0.189–0.520 and Beta –0.170; 95%CI: –0.253 to –0.087, respectively) even after adjusting for known confounders, with MR experiments further supporting BMI’s possible causal relationship with TEWL. Based on additional MR performed, none of the socioeconomic and comorbidities of obesity investigated are likely to have possible causal relationships with TEWL.

Conclusion

We establish strong association of BMI with TEWL and skin pH, with MR results suggestive of a possible causal relationship of obesity with TEWL. It emphasizes the potential impact of obesity on skin barrier function and therefore opportunity for primary prevention.
Oxo transition metal anchored on C3N4 with constructing a high-activity bifunctional electrocatalyst for rechargeable metal–air batteries
Authors: Li Yahui , Zhao Xiuyun , Chen Xin
Published: July 2023

Screening of excellent bifunctional catalysts and finding the activity factors affecting catalysts.
Photocatalytic defluorocarboxylation using formate salts as both a reductant and a carbon dioxide source
Authors: Min Shi-Yun , Song He-Xin , Yan Si-Shun , Yuan Rong , Ye Jian-Heng , Wang Bi-Qin , Gui Yong-Yuan , Yu Da-Gang
Published: July 2023

Herein, we report a photocatalytic defluorocarboxylation of benzylic C(sp3)–F bonds using formate salts as both a reductant and a carbon dioxide source.
SnSe2/Ag2Se heterostructures with an accumulation layer for rapid and sensitive detection of NO2
Authors: Mao Junpeng , Yin Dongmin , Lu Wen , Wang You , Zhou Zhenze , Hao Weixun , Chen Xiangqun , Hao Juanyuan
Published: July 2023

The SnSe2/Ag2Se heterostructure is potential for rapid detection of NO2owing to the synergistic effect of increased adsorption sites and the enhanced charge transfer.
SUFU promotes GLI activity in a Hedgehog-independent manner in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Paradise Brooke D. , Gainullin Vladimir G. , Almada Luciana L. , Sigafoos Ashley N. , Sen Sandhya , Vera Renzo E. , Raja Arul Glancis Luzeena , Toruner Murat , Pease David R. , Gonzalez Alina L. , Mentucci Fatima M. , Grasso Daniel H. , Fernandez-Zapico Martin E.
Published: July 2023

Aberrant activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, through which the GLI family of transcription factors (TF) is stimulated, is commonly observed in cancer cells. One well-established mechanism of this increased activity is through the inactivation of Suppressor of Fused (SUFU), a negative regulator of the Hh pathway. Relief from negative regulation by SUFU facilitates GLI activity and induction of target gene expression. Here, we demonstrate a novel role for SUFU as a promoter of GLI activity in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). In non-ciliated PDAC cells unresponsive to Smoothened agonism, SUFU overexpression increases GLI transcriptional activity. Conversely, knockdown (KD) of SUFU reduces the activity of GLI in PDAC cells. Through array PCR analysis of GLI target genes, we identified B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) among the top candidates down-regulated by SUFU KD. We demonstrate that SUFU KD results in reduced PDAC cell viability, and overexpression of BCL2 partially rescues the effect of reduced cell viability by SUFU KD. Further analysis using as a model GLI1, a major TF activator of the GLI family in PDAC cells, shows the interaction of SUFU and GLI1 in the nucleus through previously characterized domains. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay shows the binding of both SUFU and GLI1 at the promoter of BCL2 in PDAC cells. Finally, we demonstrate that SUFU promotes GLI1 activity without affecting its protein stability. Through our findings, we propose a novel role of SUFU as a positive regulator of GLI1 in PDAC, adding a new mechanism of Hh/GLI signaling pathway regulation in cancer cells.
Sustainability and Future Energy Contours
Authors: Basnukaev Isa , Markaryan Varvara , Musostov Zelimhan
Published: July 2023

The key factor for sustainable development is the transformation of the energy sector through the growth of investments in environmentally friendly electricity. Its consumption in emerging market and developing countries will grow about three times faster than in advanced economies, and the low cost of wind and solar power should make them the preferred technologies to meet growing demand if the infrastructure and regulatory frameworks are put in place. base. Also important are investments in digital electricity grids, energy efficiency and electrification, which will provide the largest share of emission reductions. An important component of transformations in the electric power industry are the mechanisms of international support for the refurbishment or decommissioning of obsolete generation facilities.
Biotechnology in the Context of Sustainable Development
Authors: Dokhtukaeva A. M. , Plieva A. M. , Dzarmotova Z. I.
Published: July 2023

Humanity has used the biological processes of microorganisms for over 6,000 years to produce wholesome foods such as bread, cheese, and dairy products. Throughout most of the 20th century, the term “biotechnology” continued to be widely used in reference to various technologies, from fermentation processes to selective plant breeding. Currently, the term “biotechnology” includes the targeted use of molecular biology and genetic engineering methods. Modern biotechnology is based on the targeted use of 5 microorganisms and their metabolic products, cell and tissue cultures of plant and animal origin. An important feature of biotechnology is its interdisciplinary nature, since many modern technologies represent the effective integration of various disciplines.
Geoecological Functions of Green Infrastructure in the Largest Cities of Russia
Authors: Murtazova Kheda , Babich Anna
Published: July 2023

Intensive and diverse human activity in large cities and their environs leads to a significant change in the environment: the relief, hydrographic network changes, natural vegetation is destroyed or replaced by urbophytocenoses, the soil cover is greatly transformed, climatic characteristics change, i.e. a specific type of urban microclimate is formed. In large cities, the anthropogenic impact becomes predominant over the natural factors of soil formation, which leads to the formation of specific soils and soil-like bodies (formations). In this case, the type of land use is the determining factor of the soil cover. Adverse environmental impacts lead to soil degradation, resulting in the destruction of vegetation. All this together leads to a deterioration in the chemical composition of the air and the general environmental situation that affects people’s health. Unfavorable ecological processes significantly impede (prevent) the fulfillment by soils of the ecological functions assigned to them. A significant part of the territories of large cities is located in the zone of action of negative processes that affect the ecological state of the soil cover and soil functions. Ecologists predict that these impacts will intensify.
Neonatal Cardiopulmonary Bypass Circuit Blood Prime Quality Analysis
Authors: Hendrix Barbara B. , Reagor James A. , Tweddell James S.
Published: July 2023

Blood-primed cardiopulmonary bypass circuits are frequently necessary to achieve safe support during pediatric open-heart surgery. Literature is lacking regarding suitable prime constituents or methods for achieving a physiologically appropriate blood-primed circuit. We examined the chemistry and hematology of neonatal blood-primed circuits from the conclusion of the priming procedure until the initiation of bypass. Base deficit/excess, pH, pO2, pCO2, HCO3, glucose, sodium, potassium, calcium, hematocrit, lactate, and osmolality were analyzed. Any deviation over time from the original prime value was compared for significance. Statistically significant changes were found between T0 and all time points for all parameters, except for pH and pO2out to 1 hour. Among all parameters, various rates of change were observed. Although most changes in the parameters were found to be statistically significant, those changes may not be clinically significant based on clinician interpretation. Attention to the prime quality beyond the immediate post-priming period may be beneficial. Should the time period between validation of the prime quality and initiation of bypass be extended, it may be advisable to reevaluate the prime quality.
A Survey of Women in the Perfusion Workforce: 2021
Authors: Mongero Linda B. , Rosenthal Tami M. , Walczak Ashley B.
Published: July 2023

A diverse and equitable working environment is desirable. In 2011, a survey was distributed to all female perfusionists in the United States. This survey suggested that the female perfusionists share the same difficulties as women in the labor force. The role of women in society in general is clearly changing. Female perfusionists have been part of that evolution. Promoting equality and respecting diversity are central to life today. A follow-up survey was distributed to evaluate the status and the change in gender stereotypes in the field of perfusion over the past 10 years. Women make up nearly half of the U.S. labor force and 35.7% of the present perfusion workforce in North America (1,077 certified women). Women make 82 cents for every dollar that men earn and this disparity widens for women with more education. The purpose of this survey was to poll women in perfusion to evaluate concerns and opinions in their careers and to compare to the 2011 survey results. In December 2021, a 39-question survey (surveymonkey.com, San Mateo, CA) was made available to all female perfusionists in North American via social media websites (Facebook.com, Perfusion.com, LinkedIn.com, Perflist, Perfmail, and FPP Listserv). There were 384 responses to the 2021 survey compared to the 538 responses in 2011. About 32.1% of the survey participants have been used in perfusion for more than 20 years; 37.6% have earned a master’s degree compared to 2011, where 18.3% had master’s level education; 72.5% are the financial providers for their family with 44.2% earning $101–150,000.00 and 40.3% greater than $200,000.00, which is a significant change from 2011; 61.5% consider themselves under moderate stress compared to 63.0% in 2011; 94.3% take call on a regular basis; and 74.1% feel they miss essential family functions because of their schedules. Similarly, 62.8% felt discriminated against because of gender compared to 50.9% in 2011. This survey suggests that the female perfusionists have shown to be assertive (72% are the primary financial supporter of their families) and competent in the field of cardiovascular perfusion (nearly 40% have masters degrees). Further analysis is needed to discern whether female perfusionists are treated with comparable respect as their male colleagues when 50.0% report some discrimination or harassment in their workplace.
The Heparin-Antithrombin Product: A Novel Value for Pediatric Extracorporeal Anticoagulation
Authors: Rogerson Colin M. , Hobson Michael J.
Published: July 2023

Hematologic complications are a source of morbidity and mortality for patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. There is no consensus strategy for monitoring anticoagulation for children supported with ECMO. This study evaluated a novel measurement of anticoagulation for children on ECMO. This was a single-center observational study of children supported with ECMO from 2015 to 2020. Each patient’s current unfractionated heparin dose was multiplied by the current antithrombin III (AT) level to obtain a novel anticoagulation value, the heparin-antithrombin product (HAP). This value was compared with the heparin dose, AT, and activated clotting time (ACT) to predict anti-Xa value using linear correlation and decision tree methods. Data were obtained from 128 patients supported with ECMO. The HAP value was more highly correlated with anti-Xa level than heparin dose, AT level, and ACT. This correlation was highest in the neonatal population (r = .7). The variable importance metrics from the regression tree and random forest models both identified the HAP value as the most influential predictor variable for anti-Xa value. The HAP value is more highly correlated with the anti-Xa level than heparin dose, AT level, or ACT. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the HAP value as a measurement of anticoagulation for children on ECMO.
Effects of Sodium Lactate Infusion in Two Girls with Glucose Transporter 1 Deficiency Syndrome
Authors: van Gemert Loes A. , van Alfen Nens , van Gaal Lizzy , Wortmann Saskia , Willemsen Michèl A.
Published: July 2023

Background Glucose is an important fuel for the brain. In glucose transporter 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1DS), the transport of glucose across the blood–brain barrier is limited. Most individuals with GLUT1DS present with developmental problems, epilepsy, and (paroxysmal) movement disorders, and respond favorably to the ketogenic diet. Similar to ketones, lactate is an alternative energy source for the brain. The aim of this study is to investigate whether intravenous infusion of sodium lactate in children with GLUT1DS has beneficial effects on their epilepsy.

Methods We performed a proof of principle study with two subjects with GLUT1DS who were not on a ketogenic diet and suffered from absence epilepsy. After overnight fasting, sodium lactate (600 mmol/L) was infused during 120 minutes, under video electroencephalographic (EEG) recording and monitoring of serum lactate, glucose, electrolytes, and pH. Furthermore, the EEGs were compared with pre-/postprandial EEGs of both subjects, obtained shortly before the study.

Results Fasting EEGs of both subjects showed frequent bilateral, frontocentral polyspike and wave complexes. In one subject, no more epileptic discharges were seen postprandially and after the start of lactate infusion. The EEG of the other subject did not change, neither postprandially nor after lactate infusion. Serum pH, lactate, and sodium changed temporarily during the study.

Conclusion This study suggests that sodium lactate infusion is possible in individuals with GLUT1DS, and may have potential therapeutic effects. Cellular abnormalities, beyond neuronal energy failure, may contribute to the underlying disease mechanisms of GLUT1DS, explaining why not all individuals respond to the supplementation of alternative energy sources.
Brittle to ductile transition during compression of glassy nanoparticles studied in molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Akl Marx , Huang Liping , Shi Yunfeng
Published: July 2023

Understanding how nanoparticles deform under compression not only is of scientific importance but also has practical significance in various applications such as tribology, nanoparticle-based probes, and the dry grinding of raw materials. In this study, we conducted compression tests on model brittle glassy nanoparticles using molecular dynamics simulations. We found that during the early stages of plastic deformation, shear bands formed in a similar pattern regardless of the nanoparticle size. However, as the deformation continued, dominant cracks emerged in large nanoparticles while being suppressed in smaller ones. This size-dependent brittle-to-ductile transition can be explained by a simple model based on Griffith's theory. We also investigated the effect of the surface stress state on fracture using thermally tempered nanoparticles. We observed that the presence of compressive surface stress strengthened the nanoparticle by suppressing crack formation, even when a pre-notch was present. On the other hand, tensile surface stress had the opposite effect. Interestingly, nanoparticles with both tensile and compressive surface stress promoted shear deformation, which could potentially compromise the mechanical performance of tempered glass despite delayed crack formation.
Structural properties of hard-disk fluids under single-file confinement
Authors: Montero Ana M. , Santos Andrés
Published: July 2023

The structural properties of confined single-file hard-disk fluids are studied analytically by means of a mapping of the original system onto a one-dimensional mixture of non-additive hard rods, the mapping being exact in the polydisperse limit. Standard statistical-mechanical results are used as a starting point to derive thermodynamic and structural properties of the one-dimensional mixture, where the condition that all particles have the same chemical potential must be taken into account. Analytical results are then provided for the nth neighbor probability distribution function, the radial distribution function, and the structure factor, a very good agreement being observed upon comparison with simulation data from the literature. Moreover, we have analyzed the scaling form for the disappearance of defects in the zigzag configuration for high pressure and have obtained the translational correlation length and the structural crossover in the oscillation frequency for asymptotically large distances.
Accelerated ­Rule-Out of acute Myocardial Infarction using prehospital copeptin and in-hospital troponin: The AROMI study
Authors: Pedersen Claus Kjær , Stengaard Carsten , Bøtker Morten Thingemann , Søndergaard Hanne Maare , Dodt Karen Kaae , Terkelsen Christian Juhl
Published: July 2023

Aims

The present acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rule-out strategies are challenged by the late temporal release of cardiac troponin. Copeptin is a non-specific biomarker of endogenous stress and rises early in AMI, covering the early period where troponin is still normal. An accelerated dual-marker rule-out strategy combining prehospital copeptin and in-hospital high-sensitivity troponin T could reduce length of hospital stay and thus the burden on the health care systems worldwide. The AROMI trial aimed to evaluate if the accelerated dual-marker rule-out strategy could safely reduce length of stay in patients discharged after early rule-out of AMI.

Methods and results

Patients with suspected AMI transported to hospital by ambulance were randomized 1:1 to either accelerated rule-out using copeptin measured in a prehospital blood sample and high-sensitivity troponin T measured at arrival to hospital or to standard rule-out using a 0 h/3 h rule-out strategy. The AROMI study included 4351 patients with suspected AMI. The accelerated dual-marker rule-out strategy reduced mean length of stay by 0.9 h (95% confidence interval 0.7–1.1 h) in patients discharged after rule-out of AMI and was non-inferior regarding 30-day major adverse cardiac events when compared to standard rule-out (absolute risk difference −0.4%, 95% confidence interval −2.5 to 1.7; P-value for non-inferiority = 0.013).

Conclusion

Accelerated dual marker rule-out of AMI, using a combination of prehospital copeptin and first in-hospital high-sensitivity troponin T, reduces length of hospital stay without increasing the rate of 30-day major adverse cardiac events as compared to using a 0 h/3 h rule-out strategy.
Biot-consistent framework for wave propagation with macroscopic fluid and thermal effects
Authors: Deng Wubing , Fu Li-Yun , Wang Zhiwei , Hou Wanting , Han Tongcheng
Published: July 2023

In principle, wave propagation in porous media can simultaneously trigger macroscopic fluid flow and thermal flow, which can be described by Biot's poroelasticity and Lord–Shulman thermoelasticity, respectively. The physical processes of those effects are significantly different, but phenomenologically, they can lead to identical wave attenuation and dispersion and are hard to be distinguished. By using Biot's virtual concept entropy flow, the Biot-consistent General Linear Solid (the GLS) framework and matrix notation, a rigorous and convenient tool is provided to reveal the similarities and disparities between poroelasticity and thermoelasticity. By using the same framework, a Biot-consistent thermo-poroelastic model is proposed to consider macroscopic effects of fluid and thermal flows simultaneously in an elegant way. These similarities allow us to directly translate many of the available results in poroelasticity to thermoelasticity and vice versa by a simple change of notation. The disparities indicate a fundamental difference in physical mechanisms. Plane-wave analysis shows that the primary P-wave modes of thermoelasticity and poroelasticity are all GSLS-equivalent (Generalized Standard Linear Solid) and can be identical if the model parameters are selected properly. However, the corresponding slow-wave modes have significantly different phase velocity dispersion although the attenuation spectra of which are identical. Such a surprising result can be explained by the GSLS non-equivalence of the slow-wave modes and the fundamentally different mechanisms. As expected, the thermo-poroelastic model predicts four wave modes, which are the fast- and slow-P, temperature (T wave) and S waves. Two attenuation peaks due to, respectively, the thermal- and fluid-flow effects are predicted for the fast-P wave. The slow-P wave mode due to fluid flow is influenced by the thermal effects, but the T wave seems unaffected by the fluid flow. The thermo-poroelastic model is then applied to laboratory observations at 200–106 Hz for the brine-saturated tight sandstone under 35 MPa effective pressure. The unified model provides a convenient framework for studying geothermal exploration, thermal-enhanced oil recovery and other applications involving temperature variations within the porous rock.
Atypical Ebola Virus Disease in a Rhesus Macaque
Authors: Marzi Andrea , Hanley Patrick W , Furuyama Wakako , Haddock Elaine , Martens Craig A , Scott Dana P , Feldmann Heinz
Published: July 2023

Ebola virus (EBOV)–Makona infected more than 30 000 people from 2013 to 2016 in West Africa, among them many health care workers including foreign nationals. Most of the infected foreign nationals were evacuated and treated in their respective home countries, resulting in detailed reports of the acute disease following EBOV infection as well as descriptions of symptoms now known as post-Ebola syndrome, which occurred months after the infection. Symptoms associated with this syndrome include uveitis and neurological manifestations. In 1 of our EBOV-Makona nonhuman primate (NHP) studies, 1 NHP was euthanized on day 28 after infection having completely recovered from the acute disease. During convalescence, this NHP developed neurological signs and acute respiratory distress requiring euthanasia. The organ tropism had changed with high virus titers in lungs, brain, eye, and reproductive organs but no virus in the typical target organs for acute EBOV infection. This in part reflects sequelae described for EBOV survivors albeit developing quicker after recovery from acute disease.
Titanium coated with 2-decenoic analogs reduces bacterial and fungal biofilms
Authors: Harrison Zoe L , Montgomery Emily C , Hoffman Brian , Perez Felio , Bush Joshua R , Bumgardner Joel D , Fujiwara Tomoko , Baker Daniel L , Jennings Jessica Amber
Published: July 2023

Aims

Due to antibiotic tolerance of microbes within biofilm, non-antibiotic methods for prevention and treatment of implant-related infections are preferable. The goal of this work is to evaluate a facile loading strategy for medium-chain fatty-acid signaling molecules 2-heptycyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (2CP), cis-2-decenoic acid (C2DA), and trans-2-decenoic acid, which all act as diffusible signaling factors (DSFs), onto titanium surfaces for comparison of their antimicrobial efficacy.

Methods and results

Titanium coupons were drop-coated with 0.75 mg of DSF in ethanol and dried. Surface characteristics and the presence of DSF were confirmed with Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and water contact angle. Antimicrobial assays analyzing biofilm and planktonic Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, or Candida albicans viability showed that planktonic growth was reduced after 24-h incubation but only sustained through 72 h for S. aureus and C. albicans. Biofilm formation on the titanium coupons was also reduced for all strains at the 24-h time point, but not through 72 h for E. coli. Although ∼60% of the loaded DSF was released within the first 2 days, enough remained on the surface after 4 days of elution to significantly inhibit E. coli and C. albicans biofilm. Cytocompatibility evaluations with a fibroblast cell line showed that none of the DSF-loaded groups decreased viability, while C2DA and 2CP increased viability by up to 50%.

Conclusions

In this study, we found that DSF-loaded titanium coupons can inhibit planktonic microbes and prevent biofilm attachment, without toxicity to mammalian cells.
Superhero Pretense, Superhero Identification, and Risk-Taking in Preschool-Aged Children
Authors: Morgan Casie H , Schwebel David C
Published: July 2023

Objective

The preschool years represent a stage of rapid human development, hallmarked by exploring the environment through gross and fine motor movement and imaginative pretend play. This exploration is developmentally appropriate but also presents risks for injury, the leading cause of death for preschool-aged children. Common injuries reflect exploration and risk-taking exhibited during play, and play may be particularly risky when children imitate risky models like superheroes. Frequent exposure and subsequent identification with superheroes are concerning because the media glorifies superheroes, creating social learning effects on children and promoting play situations where children may attempt superhuman abilities and hurt themselves. This study examined the relations between pretend play, superhero identification, and children’s risk-taking.

Methods

One hundred five children aged 4–5 years old were randomly assigned to either a superhero- or school-themed, story-based protocol. In both conditions, children engaged in three identical behavioral tasks to assess risk-taking. Identification with superheroes was measured using parent-report questionnaires and child interviews.

Results

Pretending to be a superhero was not associated with increased risk-taking behavior acutely, but identification with superheroes was associated in some analyses with preschool children’s broader risk-taking behavior. Across risk-taking behavior tasks, children with high superhero identification pretending to be superheroes tended to take the most risks.

Conclusions

Given the popularity of superhero media and the present results suggesting superhero identification may relate to injury-risk situations during play, prevention efforts should consider ways to reduce young children’s exposure to superheroes and/or mitigate injury risk during active pretend play.
Small area estimation of inequality measures using mixtures of Beta
Authors: De Nicolò Silvia , Ferrante Maria Rosaria , Pacei Silvia
Published: July 2023

Economic inequalities referring to specific regions are crucial in deepening spatial heterogeneity. Income surveys are generally planned to produce reliable estimates at countries or macroregion levels, thus we implement a small area model for a set of inequality measures (Gini, Relative Theil, and Atkinson indexes) to obtain reliable microregion estimates. Considering that inequality estimators are unit-interval defined with skewed and heavy-tailed distributions, we propose a Bayesian hierarchical model at the area level involving a Beta mixture. An application on EU-SILC data is carried out and a design-based simulation is performed. Our model outperforms in terms of bias, coverage, and error the standard Beta regression model. Moreover, we extend the analysis of inequality estimators by deriving their approximate variance functions.