bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aspects of long range spin–triplet correlations in superconductor/ferromagnet hetero-structures
Authors: Bhatia Ekta , Senapati Kartik
Published: July 2022

The notion of competing ferromagnetic (F) and superconducting (S) orders in F/S hybrid structures was transformed by the first realization of ferromagnetic Josephson π-junctions and the almost simultaneous prediction of a possibility of spin–triplet correlations in such structures, almost two decades back. Such hybrid structures in various configurations are now studied as rich sources of emergent states and new effects. Unlike the spin singlet Cooper pairs, the spin triplet Cooper pairs are much less affected by the exchange field of a ferromagnet and, therefore, immediately finds interest in the field of spintronics. Theoretically, it has been shown that the basic protocol for spin–singlet to spin–triplet supercurrent conversion is the presence of magnetic non-collinearity at the superconductor–ferromagnet interface. Therefore, almost all experiments in this direction have utilized transport measurements on F/S systems with artificial magnetic non-collinearity formed by combination of several ferromagnetic layers next to the superconducting layer. Here we highlight two aspects of studying these heterostructures. Firstly we show that natural magnetic inhomogeneities, found in domain walls of ferromagnets, can also be used to achieve singlet–triplet conversion, instead of artificial magnetic inhomoheneities. This possibility was explored via transport measurements in nano-scale planar Nb–Ni–Nb junctions and nano-SQUIDs, where a domain wall was pinned at the Josephson junction barrier. By this method we were able to show Josephson coupling across about 70 nm of strong ferromagnetic planar barrier. Secondly we show that spin–triplet correlations at the F/S interface are robust enough to be probed by the diamagnetic screening currents at the interface. This was probed by studying the change in sperconducting transition temperature of Nb/Co/Py/Nb multilayers in presence of small in-plane magnetic field. The Co/Py combination, which is a soft-hard type magnetic exchange spring, worked as magnetic inhomogeneity for triplet generation at the interface of the superconducting Nb. These observations may promote new experiments in the field of superconducting-spintronics.
Quantum readout error mitigation via deep learning
Authors: Kim Jihye , Oh Byungdu , Chong Yonuk , Hwang Euyheon , Park Daniel K
Published: July 2022

Quantum computing devices are inevitably subject to errors. To leverage quantum technologies for computational benefits in practical applications, quantum algorithms and protocols must be implemented reliably under noise and imperfections. Since noise and imperfections limit the size of quantum circuits that can be realized on a quantum device, developing quantum error mitigation techniques that do not require extra qubits and gates is of critical importance. In this work, we present a deep learning-based protocol for reducing readout errors on quantum hardware. Our technique is based on training an artificial neural network (NN) with the measurement results obtained from experiments with simple quantum circuits consisting of singe-qubit gates only. With the NN and deep learning, non-linear noise can be corrected, which is not possible with the existing linear inversion methods. The advantage of our method against the existing methods is demonstrated through quantum readout error mitigation experiments performed on IBM five-qubit quantum devices.
Influence of ion structure and solvent electric dipole on ultrananoporous supercapacitor: a lattice model study
Authors: Zhou S , Zhou R
Published: July 2022

A five-state modified BEG model is proposed for describing electrolyte in polar solvent in cylindrical electrode pore in which only one row of particles can be stationed. Two properties the closest to the actual situation of the aqueous electrolyte are integrated into the model: cation is dimer comprised of two tangentially tethered hard spheres of different diameters: one is charged, while the other is neutral, and polar solvent is modeled as neutral hard sphere with an electric dipole. The system partition function is obtained by numerically solving maximum real root of characteristic equation of

25
×
25

Kramers-Wannier transfer matrix. The model is used to investigate effects of ion structure and electric valence, solvent electric dipole, and cylindrical pore radius on specific differential capacitance

C

d

and specific energy storage

E

of the resulting supercapacitor. Main findings are briefly described below. (i) The dimer counter-ion electric valence does not exert obvious influence on the saturation value

E

s
a
t

of the

E
,

but reduces the threshold electrode potential strength

U

s
a
t

,

beyond which the

E

s
a
t

value is just reached. (ii) Whether the dimer counter-ion is monovalent or bivalent, the

C

d

peak height and the

E

s
a
t

value tend to rise with the dimer neutral site size

d

+
0

decreasing, but influence of the

d

+
0

value on the

U

s
a
t

value is very small. Only when the

d

+
0

value is small enough, the

U

s
a
t

value rises a little with decrease of the

d

+
0

value. (iii) Increase of solvent electric dipole moment (whether by increasing the dipole charge or dipole length) always raises the

E

s
a
t

value, and enlarges width of the pure solvent domain or zero

C

d

and zero

E

domain around the zero electrode potential, but does not change the

U

s
a
t

value obviously. (iv) With the pore size increasing, the

E

s
a
t

value reduces and the

U

s
a
t

value increases. So, using small size pore is favorable to improve the supercapacitor performance from the perspective of energy storage and electrode potential applied. (v) The three parameters:

d

+
0

,

dipole charge, and dipole length, are cooperative in influencing the

E

s
a
t

value.
Decision thresholding on fMRI activation maps using the Hilbert–Huang transform
Authors: Kuo Po-Chih , Liou Michelle
Published: July 2022

Objective. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) requires thresholds by which to identify brain regions with significant activation, particularly for experiments involving real-life paradigms. One conventional non-parametric approach to generating surrogate data involves decomposition of the original fMRI time series using the Fourier transform, after which the phase is randomized without altering the magnitude of individual frequency components. However, it has been reported that spontaneous brain signals could be non-stationary, which, if true, could lead to false-positive results. Approach. This paper introduces a randomization procedure based on the Hilbert–Huang transform by which to account for non-stationarity in fMRI time series derived from two fMRI datasets (stationary or non-stationary). The significance of individual voxels was determined by comparing the distribution of empirical data versus a surrogate distribution. Main results. In a comparison with conventional phase-randomization and wavelet-based permutation methods, the proposed method proved highly effective in generating activation maps indicating essential brain regions, while filtering out noise in the white matter. Significance. This work demonstrated the importance of considering the non-stationary nature of fMRI time series when selecting resampling methods by which to probe brain activity or identify functional networks in real-life fMRI experiments. We propose a statistical testing method to deal with the non-stationarity of continuous brain signals.
Artificial Intelligence for imaging Cherenkov detectors at the EIC
Authors: Fanelli C. , Mahmood A.
Published: July 2022

Imaging Cherenkov detectors form the backbone of particle identification (PID) at the future Electron Ion Collider (EIC). Currently all the designs for the first EIC detector proposal use a dual Ring Imaging CHerenkov (dRICH) detector in the hadron endcap, a Detector for Internally Reflected Cherenkov (DIRC) light in the barrel, and a modular RICH (mRICH) in the electron endcap. These detectors involve optical processes with many photons that need to be tracked through complex surfaces at the simulation level, while for reconstruction they rely on pattern recognition of ring images. This proceeding summarizes ongoing efforts and possible applications of AI for imaging Cherenkov detectors at EIC. In particular we will provide the example of the dRICH for the AI-assisted design and of the DIRC for simulation and particle identification from complex patterns and discuss possible advantages of using AI.
Some error analysis for the quantum phase estimation algorithms
Authors: Li Xiantao
Published: July 2022

This paper is concerned with the phase estimation algorithm in quantum computing, especially the scenarios where (1) the input vector is not an eigenvector; (2) the unitary operator is approximated by Trotter or Taylor expansion methods; (3) random approximations are used for the unitary operator. We characterize the probability of computing the phase values in terms of the consistency error, including the residual error, Trotter splitting error, or statistical mean-square error. In the first two cases, we show that in order to obtain the phase value with error less or equal to 2−n
and probability at least 1 − ϵ, the required number of qubits is

t
⩾
n
+
log

2
+

δ

2

2
ϵ
Δ

E

2

. The parameter δ quantifies the error associated with the inexact eigenvector and/or the unitary operator, and ΔE characterizes the spectral gap, i.e., the separation from the rest of the phase values. This analysis generalizes the standard result (Cleve et al 1998 Phys. Rev X 11 011020; Nielsen and Chuang 2002 Quantum Computation and Quantum Information) by including these effects. More importantly, it shows that when δ < ΔE, the complexity remains the same. For the third case, we found a similar estimate, but the number of random steps has to be sufficiently large.
Combining surface textures and MXene coatings—towards enhanced wear-resistance and durability
Authors: Rosenkranz Andreas , Marian Max
Published: July 2022

Surface texturing has gained significant attention over the last 30 years to tailor friction and wear under various tribological conditions in fundamental and applied tribological systems. Under dry conditions, surface textures help to improve friction or wear by reducing adhesion and the real area of contact as well as trapping wear particles. However, especially under high load conditions, surface textures rapidly wear away, thus losing their friction- and wear-reducing capability. A potential strategy to improve their durability under more severe conditions is the combination with protective solid lubricant coatings. In this regard, MXene nano-sheets are the most recent success story related to 2D materials as solid lubricant coatings. They appear particularly interesting due to their ability to generate low-friction and wear-resistant tribo-films thus providing an excellent durability and wear resistance. This aspect makes the combination of MXene solid lubricant coatings and surface textures highly prospective. Therefore, this perspective aims at summarizing and analyzing the existing state-of-the art related to the combined use of surface textures and MXene coatings.
Combustion process for magnetic copper–cobalt ferrite and its Congo red adsorption property
Authors: Liu Shuxin , Ouyang Hezhong , Wang Zhou
Published: July 2022

A rapid combustion process was introduced for the preparation of magnetic copper–cobalt ferrite, which was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller techniques (BET). The prepared magnetic copper–cobalt ferrite showed a large specific surface area (104.6 cm2 g−1) and nanoscale particle size (55.4 nm), with a saturation magnetization of 19.6 Am2 kg−1. The nanoparticles were used to adsorb and remove Congo red (CR) from dyestuff wastewater, and the adsorption mechanism was revealed. Compared with the pseudo-first-order kinetic model and intraparticle diffusion kinetic model, the pseudo-second-order kinetic model was better at describing the CR adsorption process on the Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles, while the Temkin isotherm best fitted the CR adherence on the Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles. All data suggested that the adsorption of CR on the Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles followed the mono-multilayer hybrid chemisorption mechanism. In addition, as the pH increased from 2 to 10, the adsorption capacity of the Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles for CR decreased, indicating that an acidic environment was beneficial for the adsorption of CR on the Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles. When recycling the Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles after adsorbing CR, the relative adsorption rate was still 62.5% of the initial adsorption capacity after five cycles, revealing the reusability and promising applicability of Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles in sewage treatment.
Safety of arterial shear wave elastography–ex–vivo assessment of induced strain and strain rates
Authors: Nordenfur Tim , Caidahl Kenneth , Grishenkov Dmitry , Maksuti Elira , Marlevi David , Urban Matthew W , Larsson Matilda
Published: July 2022

Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a promising technique for characterizing carotid plaques and assessing local arterial stiffness. The mechanical stress to which the tissue is subjected during SWE using acoustic radiation force (ARF), leading to strain at a certain strain rate, is still relatively unknown. Because SWE is increasingly used for arterial applications where the mechanical stress could potentially lead to significant consequences, it is important to understand the risks of SWE-induced strain and strain rate. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of SWE in terms of induced arterial strain and strain rate ex-vivo and in a human carotid artery in-vivo. SWE was performed on six porcine aortae as a model of the human carotid artery using different combinations of ARF push parameters (push voltage: 60/90 V, aperture width: f/1.0/1.5, push length: 100/150/200 μs) and distance to push position. The largest induced strain and strain rate were 1.46% and 54 s−1 (90 V, f/1.0, 200 μs), respectively. Moreover, the SWE-induced strains and strain rates increased with increasing push voltage, aperture, push length, and decreasing distance between the region of interest and the push. In the human carotid artery, the SWE-induced maximum strain was 0.06% and the maximum strain rate was 1.58 s−1, compared with the maximum absolute strain and strain rate of 12.61% and 5.12 s−1, respectively, induced by blood pressure variations in the cardiac cycle. Our results indicate that ex-vivo arterial SWE does not expose the artery to higher strain rate than normal blood pressure variations, and to strain one order of magnitude higher than normal blood pressure variations, at the push settings and distances from the region of interest used in this study.
On the type of the von Neumann algebra of an open subgroup of the Neretin group
Authors: Arimoto Ryoya
Published: July 2022

The Neretin group

N

d
,
k

\mathcal {N}_{d, k}

is the totally disconnected locally compact group consisting of almost automorphisms of the tree

T

d
,
k

\mathcal {T}_{d, k}

. This group has a distinguished open subgroup

O

d
,
k

\mathcal {O}_{d, k}

. We prove that this open subgroup is not of type I. This gives an alternative proof of the recent result of P.-E. Caprace, A. Le Boudec and N. Matte Bon which states that the Neretin group is not of type I, and answers their question whether

O

d
,
k

\mathcal {O}_{d, k}

is of type I or not.
Community-based exercise enhanced by a self-management programme to promote independent living in older adults: a pragmatic randomised controlled trial
Authors: Olsen Pia Øllgaard , Tully Mark A , Del Pozo Cruz Borja , Wegner Manfred , Caserotti Paolo
Published: July 2022

Background

older adults face several modifiable barriers for engaging in physical activity (PA) programmes such as incontinence, loneliness and fear of falling. Enhancing PA programmes with behavioural components to support self-management of such barriers may increase the effectiveness to preserve functional capacity and independent living.

Objective

this study aimed at assessing the effects of a complex active lifestyle intervention (CALSTI) on objective and self-report measures of functional capacity and disability in community-dwelling older adults.

Subjects and Methods

about 215 older adults (79.9 ± 0.4 years) at increased risk of functional decline were randomly allocated to (i) CALSTI consisting of 12-weeks progressive explosive resistance training (24 sessions) enhanced by a 24-week multi-factorial self-management programme (8 sessions), or (ii) an extended version of the self-management intervention (SEMAI; 12 sessions) to reflect a reinforcement of usual care. The interventions were embedded in a nationally regulated preventive care pathway. Blinded assessors collected primary (the Short Physical Performance Battery; SPPB) and secondary outcome data (self-reported difficulty in activities of daily living, the short version of the Late-Life Function and Disability Index, and the EQ-health VAS scale) at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks.

Results

after 24 weeks, CALSTI led to a clinically superior increase in SPPB compared with SEMAI (+0.77 points, P < 0.01), and the CALSTI group also demonstrated improvements in selected self-reported outcomes.

Conclusions

a novel complex exercise and multi-factorial self-management intervention embedded in preventive care practice had large and clinically meaningful effects on a key measure of functional capacity and predictor of disability.
Provision of a comprehensive medicines review is associated with lower mortality risk for residents of aged care facilities: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Sluggett Janet K , Caughey Gillian E , Air Tracy , Moldovan Max , Lang Catherine , Martin Grant , Carter Stephen R , Jackson Shane , Stafford Andrew C , Wesselingh Steve L , Inacio Maria C
Published: July 2022

Background

no studies have examined the impact of residential medication management review (RMMR, a 24-year government subsidised comprehensive medicines review program) in Australian residential aged care facilities (RACFs) on hospitalisation or mortality.

Objective

to examine associations between RMMR provision in the 6–12 months after RACF entry and the 12-month risk of hospitalisation and mortality among older Australians in RACFs.

Design

retrospective cohort study.

Subjects

individuals aged 65–105 years taking at least one medicine, who entered an RACF in three Australian states between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2015 and spent at least 6 months in the RACF (n = 57,719).

Methods

Cox regression models estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between RMMR provision and mortality. Adjusted subdistribution hazard ratios were estimated for associations between RMMR provision and next (i) emergency department (ED) presentation or unplanned hospitalisation or (ii) fall-related ED presentation or hospitalisation.

Results

there were 12,603 (21.8%) individuals who received an RMMR within 6–12 months of RACF entry, of whom 22.2% (95%CI 21.4–22.9) died during follow-up, compared with 23.3% (95%CI 22.9–23.7) of unexposed individuals. RMMR provision was associated with a lower risk of death due to any cause over 12-months (aHR 0.96, 95%CI 0.91–0.99), but was not associated with ED presentations or hospitalisations for unplanned events or falls.

Conclusions

provision of an RMMR in the 6–12 months after RACF entry is associated with a 4.4% lower mortality risk over 12-months but was not associated with changes in hospitalisations for unplanned events or falls.
Barriers and facilitators to mobility of patients hospitalised on an acute medical ward: a systematic review
Authors: Mani Hugo , Möri Charlotte , Mattmann Martina , Liechti Fabian , Inauen Jennifer , Aujesky Drahomir , Donzé Jacques , Aubert Carole E
Published: July 2022

Background

low patient mobility is common during hospitalisation and is associated with adverse outcomes. To change practice, interventions should address barriers and facilitators to mobility. Our aim was to systematically review the literature to provide a synthesised overview of patient-, health care professional (HCP)- and environment-/system-related barriers and facilitators to mobility of patients hospitalised on an acute care medical ward.

Methods

we searched Medline, Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science Core Collection, Cochrane CENTRAL, CINHAHL and Google Scholar (inception to 18 October 2021) to identify studies reporting barriers and/or facilitators to mobility of adults hospitalised on an acute medical ward. We applied a deductive and inductive thematic analysis to classify barriers and facilitators into themes and subthemes relevant for clinical practice.

Results

among 26 studies (16 qualitative, 7 quantitative and 3 mixed methods), barriers and facilitators were categorised into 10 themes: patient situation, knowledge, beliefs, experiences, intentions, emotions, social influences, role/identity, implementation/organisation and environment/resources. Barriers included patient characteristics (e.g. impaired cognitive/physical status) and symptoms, HCPs prioritising other tasks over mobility, HCPs labelling patients as ‘too sick’, fear of injury, lack of time, lack of clarity about responsibility, patient medical devices and non-encouraging environment. Facilitators included knowledge of mobility importance, HCP skills, interdisciplinarity, documentation and unit expectations, encouraging staff, goal individualisation, activity programme, family/visitor/volunteer support and availability of equipment.

Conclusion

this synthesised overview of patient-, HCP- and environment-/system-related barriers and facilitators to mobility of adults hospitalised on an acute medical ward can help researchers and clinicians focus on what can realistically be influenced to improve mobility.

Systematic review registration

PROSPERO, CRD42021285954.
FL-DTD: an integrated pipeline to predict the drug interacting targets by feedback loop-based network analysis
Authors: Lu Dong , Pan Rongrong , Wu Wenxuan , Zhang Yanyan , Li Shensuo , Xu Hong , Huang Jialan , Xia Jianhua , Wang Qun , Luan Xin , Lv Chao , Zhang Weidong , Meng Guofeng
Published: July 2022

Drug target discovery is an essential step to reveal the mechanism of action (MoA) underlying drug therapeutic effects and/or side effects. Most of the approaches are usually labor-intensive while unable to identify the tissue-specific interacting targets, especially the targets with weaker drug binding affinity. In this work, we proposed an integrated pipeline, FL-DTD, to predict the drug interacting targets of novel compounds in a tissue-specific manner. This method was built based on a hypothesis that cells under a status of homeostasis would take responses to drug perturbation by activating feedback loops. Therefore, the drug interacting targets can be predicted by analyzing the network responses after drug perturbation. We evaluated this method using the expression data of estrogen stimulation, gene manipulation and drug perturbation and validated its good performance to identify the annotated drug targets. Using STAT3 as a target protein, we applied this method to drug perturbation data of 500 natural compounds and predicted five compounds with STAT3 interacting activities. Experimental assay validated the STAT3-interacting activities of four compounds. Overall, our evaluation suggests that FL-DTD predicts the drug interacting targets with good accuracy and can be used for drug target discovery.
Word-Level Instruction for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Students: An Observation Study
Authors: Kang Ki Young , Lederberg Amy R , Scott Jessica A
Published: July 2022

Despite the fact that children’s word reading and spelling skills are crucial for developing text-level comprehension and composition, little is known about what teachers do in classrooms to promote deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) students’ learning of word reading and spelling. This observational study examined strategies teachers of DHH students used when teaching word reading and spelling to DHH students who used spoken English. One day of language arts instruction in 23 kindergartens through second-grade classrooms was observed. Teachers’ word-level instruction was coded. Results indicated that teachers spent substantially more time on word-level instruction during decoding and encoding contexts than they did during text reading and writing contexts. In addition, differences were found in teachers’ use of strategies depending on the instructional contexts. Teachers utilized phonological strategies considerably more frequently than any other strategy in their word-level instruction.
Association of acute increases in serum creatinine with subsequent outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor or dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor
Authors: Chan Yi-Hsin , Chao Tze-Fan , Chen Shao-Wei , Kao Yi-Wei , Huang Chien-Ying , Chu Pao-Hsien
Published: July 2022

Aims

The frequency of an acute increase in serum creatinine (sCr) of >30%, following treatment of sodium–glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) and its clinical implications in patients with type 2 diabetes remains unclear.

Methods and results

We used medical data from a multicentre health care provider in Taiwan and recruited 11 657 and 8117 diabetic patients with baseline/follow-up sCr data available within 12 weeks of SGLT2i and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i) treatment from 1 June 2016 to 31 December 2018. Participants receiving SGLT2i or DPP4i were categorized by initial sCr change into three groups: >30% sCr increase, 0–30% increase, or no-sCr increase. Participants receiving SGLT2i were associated with a higher proportion of sCr increase of 0–30% (52.7 vs. 42.6%) but a lower proportion of sCr increase of >30% (5.9 vs. 9.6%) when compared with DPP4i. In contrast to DPP4i, the mean estimated glomerular filtration rate over time became stable after 24 weeks in three categories of sCr increase following SGLT2i initiation. Compared with no sCr increase, an initial sCr increase of >30% was associated with a higher risk of major adverse cardiovascular events {adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 2.91, [95% confidence interval (95% CI):1.37–6.17]}, heart failure hospitalization (HHF) [aHR:1.91, (95% CI:1.08–3.40)], and composite renal outcome [aHR:1.53, (95% CI:1.05–2.25)] in the SGLT2i group; an initial sCr increase of >30% associated with a higher risk of HHF and composite renal outcome in the DPP4i group after multivariate adjustment. Overall, participants receiving SGLT2i were associated with a lower risk of HHF [aHR:0.64, (95% CI:0.48–0.85)] and composite renal outcomes [aHR:0.40, (95% CI:0.34–0.48)] compared with DPP4i after multivariate adjustment, and the treatment benefit was persistent across three categories of sCr increase (P interaction > 0.05).

Conclusion

A modest increase in serum creatinine (<30%) was common following SGLT2i initiation, and was not associated with worse clinical outcomes, therefore should not stop therapy prematurely, but a larger increase in creatinine following drug therapy was not typical and should raise concern and review of the patient.
Dynamics of Trade Credit in China
Authors: Cun Wukuang , Quadrini Vincenzo , Sun Qi , Xia Junjie
Published: July 2022

We use Chinese manufacturing data to show that upstream manufacturing industries received higher credit during the monetary expansion of 2005–11. However, the higher credit received by upstream industries did not generate a similar increase in ‘trade lending’ to downstream industries, which limited the transmission of the credit expansion to the whole manufacturing sector. We develop a model that formalises some of the key features of the Chinese economy, and show why a credit expansion tilted toward the upstream sector may not fully cascade to the whole economy.
Evaluation of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) during surgically-assisted acceleration of orthodontic treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Mousa Mudar Mohammad , Hajeer Mohammad Y , Burhan Ahmad S , Almahdi Wael H
Published: July 2022

Background

With the widespread of surgically-assisted orthodontic acceleration, the analysis of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) has become very important to assure patient acceptance and satisfaction before adopting any acceleration procedure.

Objective

This review aimed to critically appraise the available evidence regarding the levels of pain, discomfort, functional impairments, and other patient-reported outcome measures during surgically-assisted acceleration of orthodontic treatment compared with the traditional non-accelerated treatment.

Search methods

Eight electronic bibliographic databases were searched from January 1990 till May 2022. A manual search of the selected orthodontic journals was also undertaken.

Selection criteria

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included in this systematic review on patients undergoing orthodontic treatment with one group subjected to an acceleration procedure.

Data collection and analysis

Cochrane’s risk of bias tool (RoB2 tool) was used to assess the risk of bias of the included RCTs. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) guidelines were used to assess the overall quality of the evidence.

Results

Thirteen RCTs were included in this review (333 patients), and only minimally invasive surgically-assisted acceleration studies were included. Two RCTs were included in the quantitative synthesis of data. After the first day of surgical intervention, the levels of pain and discomfort ranged from mild to moderate in the surgical groups (mean values ranged from 0.8 to 6.8), while it was mild in the control groups. However, on the seventh day after the surgical intervention, the levels of pain, discomfort, swelling, and functional impairments were almost similar between groups. According to the GRADE, the quality of evidence supporting these findings ranged from low to very low.

Conclusions

All surgical interventions were minimally invasive. There was very low to low evidence that acceleration caused mild to moderate pain and discomfort on the first day after the surgical intervention and disappeared completely at one week following surgery. Functional impairments were found within acceptable limits immediately and in the short-term follow-up. More high-quality randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to establish good evidence in this field.

Registration

The protocol of this systematic review was registered in PROSPERO database (CRD42021274481) during the first stages of this review.
Characterization and functional of four mutants of hydroxy fatty acid dehydrogenase from Lactobacillus plantarump-8
Authors: Zhao Wei , Liu Meiqi , Qin Yali , Han Bing , Zhang Feng , Zhao Guofen
Published: July 2022

In this study, the hydroxy fatty acid dehydrogenase CLA-DH from Lactobacillus plantarump-8 and its four mutant variants were expressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta (DE3). UV spectrophotometry was employed to verify the catalytic power of the purified CLA-DH to convert ricinoleic acid into 12-oxo-cis-9-octadecenoic acid in the presence of oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). The optimum reaction temperature for CLA-DH was 45°C, with a maintained stability between 20°C and 40°C. The optimal pH for CLA-DH catalytic activity was 6.0–7.0, with a maintained stability at a pH range of 6.0–8.0. In addition, Fe3+ promoted enzyme activity, whereas Cu2+, Zn2+, and Fe2+ inhibited enzyme activity (P < 0.05). The Km, Vmax, Kcat, and Kcat/Km of CLA-DH were determined as 2.19 ± 0.34 μM, 2.06 ± 0.28 μM min−1, 2.00 ± 0.27 min−1, and 0.92 ± 0.02 min−1μM−1, respectively. Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that both Tyr156 and Ser143 residues play significant roles in the catalysis of CLA-DH, and its solubility is affected by Lys160 and Asp63. Moreover, Gas chromatography determined that recombinant CLA-DH could be successfully applied to Conjugated linoleic acids production.
“Living Well” Trajectories Among Family Caregivers of People With Mild-to-Moderate Dementia in the IDEAL Cohort
Authors: Clare Linda , Gamble Laura D , Martyr Anthony , Sabatini Serena , Nelis Sharon M , Quinn Catherine , Pentecost Claire , Victor Christina , Jones Roy W , Jones Ian R , Knapp Martin , Litherland Rachael , Morris Robin G , Rusted Jennifer M , Thom Jeanette M , Collins Rachel , Henderson Catherine , Matthews Fiona E
Published: July 2022

Objectives

Understanding whether and how caregivers’ capability to “live well” changes over time, and the factors associated with change, could help target effective caregiver support.

Methods

We analyzed 3 time points (12 months apart) of Improving the experience of Dementia and Enhancing Active Life (IDEAL) cohort data from coresident spouse caregivers of community-dwelling individuals who had mild-to-moderate dementia at baseline, using latent growth and growth mixture models. Capability to “live well” was derived from measures of quality of life, well-being, and satisfaction with life.

Results

Data from 995 spouse caregivers at Time 1, 780 at Time 2, and 601 at Time 3 were included. The mean “living well” score decreased slightly over time. We identified 3 classes of caregivers: one with higher baseline scores declining slightly over time (Stable; 66.8%), one with low baseline scores remaining stable (Lower Stable; 26.0%), and one with higher baseline scores showing marked decline (Declining; 7.2%). Scores on baseline measures differentiated the Lower Stable, but not the Declining, from the Stable class. Longitudinally, the Declining class was associated with care recipient cognitive decline and increasing hours providing care, as well as caregiver stress and depression. Findings were similar when caregivers with other kin relationships were included.

Discussion

The findings indicate the importance of prompt identification of, and support for, caregivers at risk of the declining capability to “live well” and may assist in identifying those caregivers who could benefit most from targeted support.
Mouse models of NADK2 deficiency analyzed for metabolic and gene expression changes to elucidate pathophysiology
Authors: Murray G C , Bais P , Hatton C L , Tadenev A L D , Hoffmann B R , Stodola T J , Morelli K H , Pratt S L , Schroeder D , Doty R , Fiehn O , John S W M , Bult C J , Cox G A , Burgess R W
Published: July 2022

NADK2 encodes the mitochondrial form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) kinase, which phosphorylates NAD. Rare recessive mutations in human NADK2 are associated with a syndromic neurological mitochondrial disease that includes metabolic changes, such as hyperlysinemia and 2,4 dienoyl CoA reductase (DECR) deficiency. However, the full pathophysiology resulting from NADK2 deficiency is not known. Here, we describe two chemically induced mouse mutations in Nadk2—S326L and S330P—which cause severe neuromuscular disease and shorten lifespan. The S330P allele was characterized in detail and shown to have marked denervation of neuromuscular junctions by 5 weeks of age and muscle atrophy by 11 weeks of age. Cerebellar Purkinje cells also showed progressive degeneration in this model. Transcriptome profiling on brain and muscle was performed at early and late disease stages. In addition, metabolomic profiling was performed on the brain, muscle, liver and spinal cord at the same ages and on plasma at 5 weeks. Combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses identified hyperlysinemia, DECR deficiency and generalized metabolic dysfunction in Nadk2 mutant mice, indicating relevance to the human disease. We compared findings from the Nadk model to equivalent RNA sequencing and metabolomic datasets from a mouse model of infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy, caused by recessive mutations in Pla2g6. This enabled us to identify disrupted biological processes that are common between these mouse models of neurological disease, as well as those processes that are gene-specific. These findings improve our understanding of the pathophysiology of neuromuscular diseases and describe mouse models that will be useful for future preclinical studies.
The impact of fatty acids biosynthesis on the risk of cardiovascular diseases in Europeans and East Asians: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Borges Maria-Carolina , Haycock Phillip , Zheng Jie , Hemani Gibran , Howe Laurence J , Schmidt A Floriaan , Staley James R , Lumbers R Thomas , Henry Albert , Lemaitre Rozenn N , Gaunt Tom R , Holmes Michael V , Davey Smith George , Hingorani Aroon D , Lawlor Deborah A
Published: July 2022

Despite early interest, the evidence linking fatty acids to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remains controversial. We used Mendelian randomization to explore the involvement of polyunsaturated (PUFA) and monounsaturated (MUFA) fatty acids biosynthesis in the etiology of several CVD endpoints in up to 1 153 768 European (maximum 123 668 cases) and 212 453 East Asian (maximum 29 319 cases) ancestry individuals. As instruments, we selected single nucleotide polymorphisms mapping to genes with well-known roles in PUFA (i.e. FADS1/2 and ELOVL2) and MUFA (i.e. SCD) biosynthesis. Our findings suggest that higher PUFA biosynthesis rate (proxied by rs174576 near FADS1/2) is related to higher odds of multiple CVDs, particularly ischemic stroke, peripheral artery disease and venous thromboembolism, whereas higher MUFA biosynthesis rate (proxied by rs603424 near SCD) is related to lower odds of coronary artery disease among Europeans. Results were unclear for East Asians as most effect estimates were imprecise. By triangulating multiple approaches (i.e. uni-/multi-variable Mendelian randomization, a phenome-wide scan, genetic colocalization and within-sibling analyses), our results are compatible with higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (and possibly glucose) being a downstream effect of higher PUFA biosynthesis rate. Our findings indicate that PUFA and MUFA biosynthesis are involved in the etiology of CVDs and suggest LDL cholesterol as a potential mediating trait between PUFA biosynthesis and CVDs risk.
Evolution and Morphology of Genitalia in Female Amniotes
Authors: Brennan Patricia L R
Published: July 2022

Despite their evolutionary and biomedical importance, studies of the morphology and function of female genitalia have continued to lag behind those of male genitalia. While studying female genitalia can be difficult because of their soft, deformable and internal nature, recent advances in imaging, geometric analyses of shape and mechanical testing have been made, allowing for a much greater understanding of the incredible diversity of form and function of female genitalia. Here, we summarize some of these methods, as well as discuss some big questions in the field that are beginning to be examined now, and will continue to benefit from further work, especially a comparative approach. Topics of further research include examination of the morphology of female genitalia in situ, in-depth anatomical work in many more species, studies of the interplay between natural and sexual selection in influencing features of vaginal morphology, how these diverse functions influence the mechanical properties of tissues, and studies of clitoris morphology and function across amniotes. Many other research topics related to female genitalia remain largely unexplored, and we hope that the papers in this issue will continue to inspire further research on female genitalia.
Fast global spectral methods for three-dimensional partial differential equations
Authors: Strössner Christoph , Kressner Daniel
Published: July 2022

Global spectral methods offer the potential to compute solutions of partial differential equations numerically to very high accuracy. In this work, we develop a novel global spectral method for linear partial differential equations on cubes by extending the ideas of Chebop2 (Townsend, A. & Olver, S. (2015) The automatic solution of partial differential equations using a global spectral method. J. Comput. Phys., 299, 106–123) to the three-dimensional setting utilizing expansions in tensorized polynomial bases. Solving the discretized partial differential equation involves a linear system that can be recast as a linear tensor equation. Under suitable additional assumptions, the structure of these equations admits an efficient solution via the blocked recursive solver (Chen, M. & Kressner, D. (2020) Recursive blocked algorithms for linear systems with Kronecker product structure. Numer. Algorithms, 84, 1199–1216). In the general case, when these assumptions are not satisfied, this solver is used as a preconditioner to speed up computations.
Single-Dose Vaccination Among Infants and Toddlers Provides Modest Protection Against Influenza Illness, Which Wanes After 5 Months
Authors: Wagner Abram L , Sanchez Nery , Kubale John , Kuan Guillermina , Gresh Lionel , Lopez Roger , Ojeda Sergio , Azziz-Baumgartner Eduardo , Balmaseda Angel , Gordon Aubree
Published: July 2022

In their first season of vaccination, young children are recommended 2 doses of influenza vaccine, but a 2-dose schedule might be difficult to implement in many countries. Within a cohort study of 742 children aged 6 to <24 months in Managua, Nicaragua, this study estimated effectiveness of partial vaccination from 3 to 9 months postvaccination. Vaccine effectiveness was 74% (95% confidence interval [CI], 24%–91%) within 3 months and 55% (95% CI, 10%–77%) within 4 months. There was not significant protection beyond 5 months. Partial vaccination might confer some benefits but should be followed by a second dose.
The Dream of Formality: Racialization Otherwise and International Economic Law
Authors: Alessandrini Donatella , Cortes-Nieto Johanna del Pilar , Eslava Luis , Yilmaz Vastardis Anil
Published: July 2022

This article explores the central role of formalization in the history and functioning of international economic law. International economic law, in constituting and managing a ‘modern’ world economy, has relied on what we call ‘the dream of formality’. This dream gives a sense of internal coherence and future totality to international economic law. It enables international economic law to claim awareness and progressive inclusion of socio-economic and legal relations outside the ‘formal’ modern economy while enabling a regime of differentiation of the so-called ‘surplus’—often racialized—population. In a world where ‘informality’ is the norm and ‘formality’ is the exception, formalization’s colonial origins have evolved into a fully-fledged regime of social management and value extraction. This regime has embedded itself in international labour law and human rights, as well as in areas of international economic law such as Aid for Trade and Global Value Chains. Building on contemporary debates on racial and post-colonial capitalism, we focus on Colombia’s informal economy to illustrate the elusiveness of the dream of formality, and how current exercises of othering underpin today’s practices of ‘racialization otherwise’. Our question, then, is: what would international economic law look like if it did not follow the dream of formality but instead embraced the challenge of sustaining life?
Anthropometrics Impact Army Combat Fitness Test Performance in Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets
Authors: Agostinelli Philip J , Linder Braxton A , Frick Katherine A , Sefton JoEllen M
Published: July 2022

Introduction

Fitness is a vital component in military success. The Army is in the process of implementing a new assessment for soldier fitness, the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT). Success on the assessment is a major factor in job assignments and promotional opportunities. This generates questions related to modifiable (i.e., fitness and body composition) and non-modifiable (i.e., limb length and testing equipment) factors impacting performance. Currently, anthropometrics differences in ACFT performance have not been investigated. Thus, this study aimed to assess the impact of anthropometrics on ACFT performance in Reserve Officer Training Corps Cadets.

Materials and Methods

Anthropometric measures and ACFT scores were collected from Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets (n = 105, age: 20.4 ± 2.4 years, body mass index: 25.0 ± 2.8 kg/m2, and M/F = 84/21). All ACFT events were evaluated by certified graders. Measurement locations were based on established anthropometric assessment standards and previous research (hand, lower arm, upper arm, upper leg, lower leg, and torso lengths). The study was approved by the Auburn University Institutional Review Board (protocol code #21-410).

Results

There were weak correlations between hand length and three-repetition maximum deadlift [0.393; P ≤ .001], standing power throw [0.399; P ≤ .001], sprint-drag-carry [−0.315; P = .002], and ACFT score [0.212; P = .035]. The lower leg had weak correlations with standing power throw [0.249; P = .013], sprint-drag-carry [−0.215; P = .033], and ACFT score [0.213; P = .034]. Hand and lower leg length impacted individual event performances when comparing shortest and longest limb lengths [all P values <.05].

Conclusions

Hand and lower leg length significantly impact ACFT performance. These results present practical information to individuals responsible for developing protocols and scoring for the ACFT. Reassessment of events and the equipment utilized are warranted to assure that event performance is not hindered by a non-modifiable factor that is not representative of fitness or occupational demands. Future work should investigate how different trap-bar and kettlebell handle sizes, as well as medicine ball sizes, impact performance on the ACFT.
Non-LTE abundances of zinc in different spectral type stars and the Galactic [Zn/Fe] trend based on quantum-mechanical data on inelastic processes in zinc-hydrogen collisions
Authors: Sitnova T M , Yakovleva S A , Belyaev A K , Mashonkina L I
Published: July 2022

We present a new model atom of Zn i-Zn ii based on the most up-to-date photoionization cross-sections, electron-impact excitation rates, and rate coefficients for the Zn i  + H i and Zn ii  + H− collisions. The latter were calculated using the multichannel quantum asymptotic treatment based on the Born–Oppenheimer approach. Non-LTE analysis was performed for the first time for lines of Zn i and Zn ii in the ultraviolet (UV) spectra of two very metal-poor reference stars: HD 84937 and HD 140283. We found consistent non-LTE abundance from the resonance Zn i 2138 Å line, the subordinate lines, and the lines of Zn ii. In both stars, non-LTE leads to 0.17 dex higher average abundance from Zn i, while, for Zn ii lines, non-LTE corrections are minor and do not exceed 0.06 dex. Using lines of Zn i in the high-resolution spectra, we determined the non-LTE abundances for a sample of 80 stars in the −2.5 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ 0.2 metallicity range. The [Zn/Fe] versus [Fe/H] diagram reveals a dip, with [Zn/Fe] ≃ 0.3 in the most metal-poor stars, a close-to-solar value for [Fe/H] ∼−1.2, and increasing [Zn/Fe] up to 0.3 in the thick disc stars. The close-to-solar metallicity stars have subsolar [Zn/H] ≃ −0.1, on average. Non-LTE abundances of zinc were derived for the first time for seven reference F- to B-type stars. We provide a grid of the non-LTE abundance corrections.