bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing consumer behavior towards the purchase decision of instant megono of Anglur Selur production Pekalongan City
Authors: Riskiana Irma , Wahyuningsih Sri , Awami Shofia Nur , Subekti Endah , Widiyani Aniya
Published: June 2023

Pekalongan City is an area that has a variety of traditional culinary, one of which is megono. Instant megono is a megono product that is preserved and produced by CV Anglur Selur Pekalongan City. This study aims to find out the factors that influence consumer behavior towards instant megono purchasing decisions. This study uses data analysis methods in the form of qualitative descriptive and quantitative analysis. Determination of the location of the study using the purposive sampling method while the determination of the sample of respondents used the accidental sampling method with 100 respondents. Data analysis uses multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the t-test show consumer habits (X1), family / friends / relatives as a reference (X2), income level (X3), lifestyle (X4), product price (X5), product availability (X6), self-confidence (X7), and self-encouragement (X8) significantly influenced the purchase decision of instant megono.
Effect of storage temperatures treatment of coconut flesh (Cocos nucifera L.) based on the quality of coconut milk
Authors: Alfian R N , Choirunnisa N I , Susilo B , Sandra
Published: June 2023

Coconut plant (Cocos nucifera) is one of the potential industrial plants and has an important role both in terms of nutrition and in terms of economy in Indonesia. The number of coconut plants in Indonesia is used by the community, one of which is as a raw material for making coconut milk. Coconut milk is obtained from the extract of old coconut flesh that has been grated, either with the addition or without water, this white coconut milk liquid is an emulsion of oil and water. Coconut milk contains 230 kilocalories and consists of 67.5% water, 23.8% total fat, 5.54% carbohydrates, 2.29% protein and 0.70% ash. During production, coconut milk needs to undergo pretreatment homogeneous high-speed shear. Generally, this type of pretreatment can improve the emulsion stability in coconut milk. This needs to be done because the coconut milk emulsion system is very easily unstable after thawing. Temperature pretreatmentin coconut flesh is the main factor that influences the quality of the coconut milk produced. This study was conducted to analyze changes in the quality of coconut milk after it was done pretreatment storage of coconut flesh before being grated and squeezed into coconut milk and knowing the temperature pretreatment the most appropriate method to obtain the best quality coconut milk by using the Multiple Attribute Zeleny. The research was carried out in stages including the preparation of tools and materials, making coconut milk starting with cleaning the coconut, then giving pretreatment coconut flesh with 3 storage treatments using cold temperatures (6°C ± 2°C) and freezing temperatures (-16°C ± 2°C) stored for 24 hours and room temperature (27°C ± 2°C) without storage time. Then the coconut flesh is grated and the coconut milk is squeezed and continued with testing the quality parameters of coconut milk. The best treatment in the manufacture of coconut milk is to use pretreatment at freezing temperatures (-16°C ± 2°C) which is stored for 24 hours with the quality of coconut milk in the form of 22% yield, 30.59% water content, pH 6.27, and Viscosity 86.70 cP.
Excited-state properties of 6-methoxyflavone in the presence of halide ions in aqueous media
Authors: Fatma Nisha , Pant Sanjay , Pandey Nupur , Mehata Mohan Singh
Published: June 2023

The present work investigated the influence of different halides on the excited state dynamics of 6-methoxyflavone (6MF) in an aqueous solution with steady-state and time-resolved techniques. On successive addition of I− and Br− ions, the fluorescence of 6MF quenched significantly, whereas the respective ions do not change the maximum fluorescence band. Fluorescence of 6MF was quenched 66% by I− ions and 34% by Br− ions. In a pure aqueous medium, both the H-bonded: CT and protonated species of 6MF participate in the quenching of fluorescence. The quenching process was categorized by Stern–Volmer (S–V) and Lehrer equations. Quenching parameters such as KSV, KSV-L and kq were higher for I− ions than Br− ions. The decrease in fluorescence intensity and a reduction in fluorescence lifetime suggested the dynamic nature of quenching by I− ions following the electron transfer mechanism. Fluorescence quenching of 6MF has also been observed in the acidic medium in the presence of different halides. Thus, the study reveals that 6MF is responsive towards I− ions in a wide range of pH, specifically in a purely aqueous environment (pH∼7), hence important for sensing/detection applications.
Real-time correction of chromatic aberration in optical fluorescence microscopy
Authors: López Ana Cayuela , Conesa Pablo , Oña Blanco Ana María , Gómez-Pedrero José Antonio , Sorzano Carlos Oscar S
Published: June 2023

Multi-color fluorescence imaging is a powerful tool for studying the spatial relationships and interactions among sub-cellular structures in biological specimens. However, if improperly corrected, geometrical distortions caused by mechanical drift, refractive index mismatch, or chromatic aberration can lead to lower image resolution. In this paper, we present an extension of the image processing framework of Scipion by integrating a protocol called OFM Corrector, which corrects geometrical distortions in real-time using a B-spline-based elastic continuous registration technique. Our proposal provides a simple strategy to overcome chromatic aberration by digitally re-aligning color channels in multi-color fluorescence microscopy images, even in 3D or time. Our method relies on a geometrical calibration, which we do with fluorescent beads excited by different wavelengths of light and subsequently registered to get the elastic warp as a reference to correct chromatic shift. Our software is freely available with a user-friendly GUI and can be broadly used for various biological imaging problems. The paper presents a valuable tool for researchers working in light microscopy facilities.
Rutile, anatase, brookite and titania thin film from Hubbard corrected and hybrid DFT
Authors: Badalov S V , Bocchini A , Wilhelm R , Kozub A L , Gerstmann U , Schmidt W G
Published: June 2023

As a benchmark, the structural, electronic and optical properties of the three main phases of TiO2 crystals have been calculated using Hubbard U correction and hybrid functional methods in density-functional theory. These calculations are compared concerning the available experimental observations on pristine TiO2 crystals. Modified hybrid functionals, particularly the PBE0 functional with 11.4% fraction of exact exchange, are shown to provide highly accurate atomic structures and also accurate electronic structure data, including optical excitation energies. With DFT + U, accurate optical spectra are also possible, but only if the Hubbard U is applied on the O 2p electrons exclusively. Furthermore, both methods, the 11.4%-PBE0 hybrid functional and the DFT + U
p
scheme have been used to study TiO2 amorphous ultra-thin films, confirming the agreement of the two methods even with respect to small details of the optical spectra. Our results show that the proposed DFT + U
p
methodology is computationally efficient, but still accurate. It can be applied to well-ordered TiO2 polymorphs as well as to amorphous TiO2 and will allow for the calculations of complex titania-based structures.
Flexible layered reduced graphene oxide/aramid nanofiber composite membrane with high thermal conductivity and mechanical properties
Authors: Dong Dandan , Gu Xinwang , Lu Shengjun , Fan Haosen
Published: June 2023

Aramid nanofiber films have shown great potential for high-performance batteries and flexible electronics due to their lightweight and excellent formability. However, aramid nanofibers’ inherent low thermal conductivity severely limits their further applications in high-power electronic devices. Therefore, we attempted to prepare ANF-based composites with excellent thermal conductivity by using reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a thermally conductive filler for ANF. In this work, we prepared rGO/ANF composite films with horizontal laminar structures by chemical reduction, vacuum-assisted filtration, and hot-press drying. Compared with the pure ANF film (λ, 0.52 W mK−1), the thermal conductivity of the rGO/ANF composite film was greatly improved, and the thermal conductivity increased with increasing rGO content. 50 wt% rGO/ANF composite film achieved an in-plane thermal conductivity of 7.45 W mK−1, 1182.7% higher than the ANF film, and the tensile strength reached 81.7 MPa. Overall, our prepared rGO/ANF composite film exhibits excellent thermal conductivity and good mechanical strength, which helps to explore the potential and development of aramid nanofibres applications in electronic devices.
Study on continuous crystallization and purification of bismuth from Pb-Bi alloy
Authors: Zhou Shengan , Zhang Huan , Li Yifu , Ma Jinping , Yang Bin , Xu Baoqiang
Published: June 2023

The crude bismuth obtained from the smelting of bismuth concentrate and bismuth-containing by-products contains 5%∼20% lead, which needs to be removed during the refining of crude bismuth. Due to the similar physical and chemical properties and metallurgical behavior of lead and bismuth, it is not easy to perform the separation by conventional methods. Although the conventional process of chlorinating crude bismuth to remove lead can meet the requirements of the refining process, the amount of chlorinated slag produced is large, and the safety of chlorine gas is difficult to control, making it difficult to achieve clean production. In this paper, single-factor experiments and semi-industrial experiments for the separation and purification of bismuth from Pb-Bi alloy were carried out by the continuous crystallization method, and the results showed that the bismuth content of Pb-Bi alloy increased from 90.24% to 98.98%, the direct yield of bismuth was 87.37%, the metal recovery rate was 99.84%, and the slag production rate was 0.62%. In comparison with existing processes and studies, the method is low-cost, clean, and efficient, has a wide treatment range, can be operated continuously, and can be easily industrialized and promoted. Theoretically, this method, combined with the process of vacuum distillation to treat Pb-Bi binary alloys with greater than 55.5% bismuth content, results in a 99.99% bismuth product.
Preparation and optoelectronic properties of multi-color high-efficiency CH3NH3Pb(BrxI1-x)3 perovskite light-emitting diodes
Authors: Cai Xiangcheng , Tu Peng , Ai Yansong , He Hongshen , Shen Peng , Zhou Yuanming , Mei Fei
Published: June 2023

Multi-color light-emitting materials are essential lighting and displays. In this study, mixed halide system was applied to precisely tune the bandgap of CH3NH3Pb(Br
x
I1-x
)3, thus regulating the emission wavelength. PEABr was employed to change the phase structure and morphology of CH3NH3Pb(Br
x
I1-x
)3 perovskite thin films and improve the performance of multi-color perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). Theoretical simulations through first-principles calculations and experiments demonstrate that multi-color PeLEDs can be achieved by adjusting the ratio of bromine (Br) and iodine (I) atoms in the CH3NH3Pb(Br
x
I1-x
)3 perovskite. The maximum luminance of PEABr-modified green PeLEDs reached 7108 cd m−2, with a maximum current efficiency of 8.25 cd A−1 and a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 1.62%, which were greatly improved compared to the reference device without PEABr. In addition, the luminance of orange-yellow and red mixed-halide PeLEDs both exceed 100 cd m−2. The results demonstrate that the use of PEABr additive can effectively control the morphology of CH3NH3Pb(Br
x
I1-x
)3 crystals, and high-performance multi-color light-emitting devices can be achieved by combining with mixed halide system. The electroluminescence spectra showed that the emission range of the devices covered the wavelength region of 520–720 nm, demonstrating their good application prospects in the field of multi-color displays.
Integration of CRISPR/Cas with functional nucleic acids as versatile toolbox for non-nucleic acid target diagnostics: a review
Authors: Zhang Wenxian , Chen Zhenzhen , Shi Yang , Wang Jiaqi , Zhang Jingjing
Published: June 2023

Non-nucleic acid targets, consisting primarily of metal ions, organic small molecules and proteins. They act as important biomolecules or cell surface markers, supplying integrated and comprehensive bio-diagnostic information for the early diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Meanwhile, the analysis of non-nucleic acid targets also offers the foundation for individualized medicine and precision therapy. Therefore, a versatile platform for non-nucleic acid targets requires development. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) systems is driving a revolution in medical diagnostics due to high base-resolution and isothermal signal amplification. Nevertheless, the majority of CRISPR/Cas settings reported currently are targeted for nucleic acids, leaving restricted usage to non-nucleic acid targets. This is owing to the lack of suitable signal recognition transduction elements for connecting CRISPR to non-nucleic acid targets. Functional nucleic acids (FNAs), comprising aptamers and nucleic acid enzymes, are of great concern to the biological and medical professions because of their specific target recognition and catalytic properties. As appropriate, functional recognition elements, FNAs can be integrated into CRISPR/Cas systems to exploit the powerful capabilities of both. This review emphasizes the technical tricks of integrating CRISPR/Cas systems and FNAs for non-nucleic acid targeting diagnostic applications. We first offer a general overview and the current state of research in diagnostics for CRISPR/Cas and FNAs, respectively, highlighting strengths and shortcomings. A categorical summary of non-nucleic acid-targeted diagnostics is provided, with a key emphasis on fundamental insights into the versatile non-nucleic acid-targeted diagnostic toolbox. We then review emerging diagnostic strategies based on CRISPR/Cas systems and FNAs that are fast, accurate and efficient in detecting non-nucleic acid targets. Finally, we identify the challenges that remain in this emerging field and look to the future of the field, expanding to the integration of nanomaterials, development of wearable devices and point-of-care testing.
IsoAnalytics: a single-cell proteomics web server
Authors: Palmer Suzette N , Koh Andrew Y , Zhan Xiaowei
Published: June 2023

Motivation

Single-cell proteomics provide unprecedented resolution to examine biological processes. Customized data analysis and facile data visualization are crucial for scientific discovery. Further, user-friendly data analysis and visualization software that is easily accessible for the general scientific community is essential.

Results

We have created a web server, IsoAnalytics, that gives users without computational or bioinformatics background the ability to directly analyze and interactively visualize data obtained from the Isoplexis single cell technology platform. We envision this open-sourced web server will increase research productivity and serve as a free, competitive alternative for single-cell proteomics research.

Availability and implementation

IsoAnalytics is free and available at: https://cdc.biohpc.swmed.edu/isoplexis/ and is implemented in Python, with all major browsers supported. Code for IsoAnalytics is free and available at: https://github.com/zhanxw/Isoplexis_Data_Analysis.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
Ethical perspectives on surgical video recording for patients, surgeons and society: systematic review
Authors: Walsh Ross , Kearns Emma C , Moynihan Alice , Gerke Sara , Duffourc Mindy , Corrales Compagnucci Marcelo , Minssen Timo , Cahill Ronan A
Published: June 2023

Background

Operating-room audiovisual recording is increasingly proposed, although its ethical implications need elucidation. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the published literature on ethical aspects regarding operating-room recording.

Methods

MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane databases were systematically searched for articles describing ethical aspects regarding surgical (both intracorporeal and operating room) recording from database inception to the present (the last search was undertaken in July 2022). Medical subject headings used in the search included ‘operating room’, ‘surgery’, ‘video recording’, ‘black box’, ‘ethics’, ‘consent’, ‘confidentiality’, ‘privacy’, and more. Title, abstract, and full-text screening determined relevance. The quality of studies was assessed using Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine grading and no formal assessment of risk of bias was attempted given the theoretical nature of the data collected.

Results

From 1048 citations, 22 publications met the inclusion criteria, with three more added from their references. There was evident geographical (21 were from North America/Europe) and recency (all published since 2010) bias and an exclusive patient/clinician perspective (25 of 25). The varied methodology (including ten descriptive reviews, seven opinion pieces, five surveys, two case reports, and one RCT) and evidence level (14 level V and 10 level III/IV) prevented meaningful systematic grading/meta-analysis. Publications were narratively analysed for ethical thematic content (mainly education, performance, privacy, consent, and ownership) that was then grouped by the four principles of biomedical ethics of Beauchamp and Childress, accounting for 63 distinct considerations concerning beneficence (22 of 63; 35 per cent), non-maleficence (17 of 63; 27 per cent), justice (14 of 63; 22 per cent), and autonomy (10 of 63; 16 per cent). From this, a set of proposed guidelines on the use of operative data is presented.

Conclusion

For a surgical video to be a truly valuable resource, its potential benefits must be more fully weighed against its potential disadvantages, so that any derived instruments have a solid ethical foundation. Universal, ethical, best-practice guidelines are needed to protect clinicians, patients, and society.
Validation and Application of UPLC-MS/MS Method to Analysis of Glyphosate and its Metabolites in Water
Authors: de J. Bastidas-Bastidas Pedro , Cabrera Rosina , Valenzuela-Quintanar Ana I , Olmeda-Rubio Claudia , González-Mendoza Victor M , Perea-Domínguez Xiomara P , González-Márquez Luis C , del C. Salvatierra-Stamp Vilma , Leyva-Morales José B
Published: June 2023

A method was developed to determine glyphosate and their metabolites in water. The widespread use of this herbicide in agricultural activities worldwide, despite the reported adverse effects on both the environment and health, is a cause for concern and makes it necessary to monitor its presence through a method that guarantees the determination at trace levels. A direct extraction of the analytes with phosphate buffer was performed with subsequent derivatization with 9-fluorenylmethyl chloroformate. The quantification was determined by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer. The method was validated through the following parameters: selectivity, detection and quantification limits, linearity, accuracy, precision and uncertainty. The average recoveries ranged between 94.08 and 103.31%. Additionally, detection limits from 0.396 to 0.433 μg/L, and the quantification limit was 5.0 μg/L for all the analytes evaluated. In terms of linearity and precision, the results obtained were in the ranges considered adequate (R2 ≥ 0.99 and CV ≤ 20%), the estimated expanded uncertainty was 12.95, 11.15 and 13.83% for glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid and glufosinate, respectively. This method was successfully applied for the determination of the target analytes in irrigation water samples, detecting concentrations of aminomethylphosphonic acid over limit detection for some sampling sites.
A cosine rule-based discrete sectional curvature for graphs
Authors: Du Plessis J F , Arsiwalla Xerxes D
Published: June 2023

How does one generalize differential geometric constructs such as curvature of a manifold to the discrete world of graphs and other combinatorial structures? This problem carries significant importance for analysing models of discrete spacetime in quantum gravity; inferring network geometry in network science; and manifold learning in data science. The key contribution of this article is to introduce and validate a new estimator of discrete sectional curvature for random graphs with low metric-distortion. The latter are constructed via a specific graph sprinkling method on different manifolds with constant sectional curvature. We define a notion of metric distortion, which quantifies how well the graph metric approximates the metric of the underlying manifold. We show how graph sprinkling algorithms can be refined to produce hard annulus random geometric graphs with minimal metric distortion. We construct random geometric graphs for spheres, hyperbolic and Euclidean planes; upon which we validate our curvature estimator. Numerical analysis reveals that the error of the estimated curvature diminishes as the mean metric distortion goes to zero, thus demonstrating convergence of the estimate. We also perform comparisons to other existing discrete curvature measures. Finally, we demonstrate two practical applications: (i) estimation of the earth’s radius using geographical data; and (ii) sectional curvature distributions of self-similar fractals.
Growth in marine mammals: a review of growth patterns, composition and energy investment
Authors: Adamczak Stephanie K , McHuron Elizabeth A , Christiansen Fredrik , Dunkin Robin , McMahon Clive R , Noren Shawn , Pirotta Enrico , Rosen David , Sumich James , Costa Daniel P
Published: June 2023

Growth of structural mass and energy reserves influences individual survival, reproductive success, population and species life history. Metrics of structural growth and energy storage of individuals are often used to assess population health and reproductive potential, which can inform conservation. However, the energetic costs of tissue deposition for structural growth and energy stores and their prioritization within bioenergetic budgets are poorly documented. This is particularly true across marine mammal species as resources are accumulated at sea, limiting the ability to measure energy allocation and prioritization. We reviewed the literature on marine mammal growth to summarize growth patterns, explore their tissue compositions, assess the energetic costs of depositing these tissues and explore the tradeoffs associated with growth. Generally, marine mammals exhibit logarithmic growth. This means that the energetic costs related to growth and tissue deposition are high for early postnatal animals, but small compared to the total energy budget as animals get older. Growth patterns can also change in response to resource availability, habitat and other energy demands, such that they can serve as an indicator of individual and population health. Composition of tissues remained consistent with respect to protein and water content across species; however, there was a high degree of variability in the lipid content of both muscle (0.1–74.3%) and blubber (0.4–97.9%) due to the use of lipids as energy storage. We found that relatively few well-studied species dominate the literature, leaving data gaps for entire taxa, such as beaked whales. The purpose of this review was to identify such gaps, to inform future research priorities and to improve our understanding of how marine mammals grow and the associated energetic costs.
Testing human ability to detect ‘deepfake’ images of human faces
Authors: Bray Sergi D , Johnson Shane D , Kleinberg Bennett
Published: June 2023

‘Deepfakes’ are computationally created entities that falsely represent reality. They can take image, video, and audio modalities, and pose a threat to many areas of systems and societies, comprising a topic of interest to various aspects of cybersecurity and cybersafety. In 2020, a workshop consulting AI experts from academia, policing, government, the private sector, and state security agencies ranked deepfakes as the most serious AI threat. These experts noted that since fake material can propagate through many uncontrolled routes, changes in citizen behaviour may be the only effective defence. This study aims to assess human ability to identify image deepfakes of human faces (these being uncurated output from the StyleGAN2 algorithm as trained on the FFHQ dataset) from a pool of non-deepfake images (these being random selection of images from the FFHQ dataset), and to assess the effectiveness of some simple interventions intended to improve detection accuracy. Using an online survey, participants (N = 280) were randomly allocated to one of four groups: a control group, and three assistance interventions. Each participant was shown a sequence of 20 images randomly selected from a pool of 50 deepfake images of human faces and 50 images of real human faces. Participants were asked whether each image was AI-generated or not, to report their confidence, and to describe the reasoning behind each response. Overall detection accuracy was only just above chance and none of the interventions significantly improved this. Of equal concern was the fact that participants’ confidence in their answers was high and unrelated to accuracy. Assessing the results on a per-image basis reveals that participants consistently found certain images easy to label correctly and certain images difficult, but reported similarly high confidence regardless of the image. Thus, although participant accuracy was 62% overall, this accuracy across images ranged quite evenly between 85 and 30%, with an accuracy of below 50% for one in every five images. We interpret the findings as suggesting that there is a need for an urgent call to action to address this threat.
Single-cell RNA sequencing of human lung innate lymphoid cells in the vascular and tissue niche reveals molecular features of tissue adaptation
Authors: Alisjahbana Arlisa , Mohammad Imran , Gao Yu , Evren Elza , Willinger Tim
Published: June 2023

Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are sentinels of healthy organ function, yet it is unknown how ILCs adapt to distinct anatomical niches within tissues. Here, we used a unique humanized mouse model, MISTRG mice transplanted with human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), to define the gene signatures of human ILCs in the vascular versus the tissue (extravascular) compartment of the lung. Single-cell RNA sequencing in combination with intravascular cell labeling demonstrated that heterogeneous populations of human ILCs and natural killer (NK) cells occupied the vascular and tissue niches in the lung of HSPC-engrafted MISTRG mice. Moreover, we discovered that niche-specific cues shape the molecular programs of human ILCs in the distinct sub-anatomical compartments of the lung. Specifically, extravasation of ILCs into the lung tissue was associated with the upregulation of genes involved in the acquisition of tissue residency, cell positioning within the lung, sensing of tissue-derived signals, cellular stress responses, nutrient uptake, and interaction with other tissue-resident immune cells. We also defined a core tissue signature shared between human ILCs and NK cells in the extravascular space of the lung, consistent with imprinting by signals from the local microenvironment. The molecular characterization of human ILCs and NK cells in the vascular and tissue niches of the lung provides new knowledge on the mechanisms of ILC tissue adaptation and represents a resource for further studies.
Bentall versus valve-sparing aortic root replacement for root pathology with moderate-to-severe aortic insufficiency: a propensity-matched analysis
Authors: Norton Elizabeth L , Patel Parth M , Levine Dov , Wei Jane W , Binongo Jose N , Leshnower Bradley G , Takayama Hiroo , Chen Edward P
Published: June 2023

OBJECTIVES

To examine short- and long-term outcomes of patients with moderate-to-severe aortic insufficiency (AI) undergoing either a Bentall aortic root replacement (ARR) or valve-sparing root replacement (VSRR).

METHODS

A two-centre retrospective database of patients undergoing ARR from 2004 to 2021 was reviewed. Patients <18 years old were excluded. A total of 1527 adult patients underwent Bentall ARR (n = 1150, 75%) or VSRR (n = 377, 25%). Propensity score matching based on preoperative comorbidities was used and 195 matched pairs were identified. Perioperative outcomes, reoperation rates, recurrence of AI and long-term survival were evaluated.

RESULTS

ARR patients had more concomitant ascending aortic replacement (35% vs 20%, P = 0.002) and shorter cardiopulmonary bypass (189 vs 233 min, P < 0.0001) and aortic cross-clamp (170 vs 204 min, P < 0.0001) times than the VSRR group. Postoperatively, outcomes were similar between groups, including stroke (3% vs 2%) and in-hospital mortality (1.5% vs 2.1%), all P > 0.05. Indications for and rates of reoperation (4% vs 5%, P = 0.62) of the aortic valve and proximal aorta were similar between ARR and VSRR groups with reoperations occurring a mean of 3.2 years after initial root replacement. The ARR group had less moderate-to-severe AI than the VSRR group (1.6% vs 14%, P = 0.002) a mean of 3 years after surgery. Ten-year survival was similar between ARR (84%) and VSRR (82%) (P = 0.69) groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Both ARR and VSRR can be performed with acceptable short- and long-term outcomes in patients with moderate-to-severe AI.
Product appeal, sensory perception and consumer demand
Authors: Roosen Jutta , Neubig Christina M , Staudigel Matthias , Agovi Herdis
Published: June 2023

Research has highlighted the need for drastic shifts in eating patterns towards healthy and sustainable diets. One element would be the successful introduction of new or reformulated products. This paper discusses the opportunities for studying the role of sensory properties in determining food choices. We illustrate the methodology with the example of mueslis in Germany. We span the sensory space using the check-all-that-apply method and analyse consumer demand in a discrete choice experiment. We identify two sizable segments with a preference for less sweet mueslis. Future research avenues for the combination of economic and sensory studies are discussed.
Multiple environmental factors, but not nutrient addition, directly affect wet grassland soil microbial community structure: a mesocosm study
Authors: Edwards Keith R , Bárta Jiří , Mastný Jiří , Picek Tomáš
Published: June 2023

Nutrient addition may change soil microbial community structure, but soil microbes must simultaneously contend with other, interacting factors. We studied the effect of soil type (peat, mineral), water level (low, high), and nutrient addition (unfertilized, fertilized) on wet grassland soil microbial community structure in both vegetated and un-vegetated soils after five years of treatment application in a mesocosm, using Illumina sequencing of the bacterial V4 region of the small ribosomal sub-units. Soil type, water level, and plant presence significantly affected the soil microbial structure, both singly and interactively. Nutrient addition did not directly impact microbiome structure, but acted indirectly by increasing plant biomass. The abundance of possible plant growth promoting bacteria and heterotrophic bacteria indicates the importance of bacteria that promote plant growth. Based on our results, a drier and warmer future would result in nutrient-richer conditions and changes to microbial community structure and total microbial biomass and/or abundances, with wet grasslands likely switching from areas acting as C sinks to C sources.
Aquaporin 9 is involved in CRC metastasis through DVL2-dependent Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation
Authors: Liu Yiting , Gao Qianling , Feng Xingzhi , Chen Guanxing , Jiang Xuefei , Chen Daici , Yang Zihuan
Published: June 2023

Background

Aquaporin 9 (AQP9) is permeable to water or other small molecules, and plays an important role in various cancers. We previously found that AQP9 was related to the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). This study aimed to identify the role and regulatory mechanism of AQP9 in CRC metastasis.

Methods

The clinical significance of AQP9 was analysed by using bioinformatics and tissue microarray. Transcriptome sequencing, Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assay, Biacore, and co-immunoprecipitation were employed to demonstrate the regulatory mechanism of AQP9 in CRC. The relationship between AQP9 and CRC metastasis was verified in vitro and in vivo by using real-time cell analysis assay, high content screening, and liver metastasis models of nude mice.

Results

We found that AQP9 was highly expressed in metastatic CRC. AQP9 overexpression reduced cell roundness and enhanced cell motility in CRC. We further showed that AQP9 interacted with Dishevelled 2 (DVL2) via the C-terminal SVIM motif, resulting in DVL2 stabilization and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation. Additionally, we identified the E3 ligase neural precursor cell expressed developmentally downregulated 4-like (NEDD4L) as a modulator regulating the ubiquitination and degradation of AQP9.

Conclusions

Collectively, our study revealed the important role of AQP9 in regulating DVL2 stabilization and Wnt/β-catenin signaling to promote CRC metastasis. Targeting the NEDD4L–AQP9–DVL2 axis might have therapeutic usefulness in metastatic CRC treatment.
Reduced health care utilization among young children of immigrants after Donald Trump's election and proposed public charge rule
Authors: Ettinger de Cuba Stephanie , Miller Daniel P , Raifman Julia , Cutts Diana B , Bovell-Ammon Allison , Frank Deborah A , Jones David K
Published: June 2023

Widespread fear among immigrants from hostile 2016 presidential campaign rhetoric decreased social and health care service enrollment (chilling effect). Health care utilization effects among immigrant families with young children are unknown. We examined whether former President Trump's election had chilling effects on well-child visit (WCV) schedule adherence, hospitalizations, and emergency department (ED) visits among children of immigrant vs US-born mothers in 3 US cities. Cross-sectional surveys of children <4 years receiving care in hospitals were linked to 2015–2018 electronic health records. We applied difference-in-difference analysis with a 12-month pre/post-election study period. Trump's election was associated with a 5-percentage-point decrease (−0.05; 95% CI: −0.08, −0.02) in WCV adherence for children of immigrant vs US-born mothers with no difference in hospitalizations or ED visits. Secondary analyses extending the treatment period to a leaked draft of proposed changes to public charge rules also showed significantly decreased WCV adherence among children of immigrant vs US-born mothers. Findings indicate likely missed opportunities for American Academy of Pediatrics–recommended early childhood vaccinations, health and developmental screenings, and family support. Policies and rhetoric promoting immigrant inclusion create a more just and equitable society for all US children.
Communication via Biotremors in the Veiled Chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus): Part II—Social Contexts
Authors: Denny Kathryn L , Huskey Steve , Anderson Christopher V , Smith Michael E
Published: June 2023

Synopsis

This study extends recent research demonstrating that the veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus) can produce and detect biotremors. Chameleons were paired in various social contexts: dominance (male–male; female–female C. calyptratus); courtship (male–female C. calyptratus); heterospecific (C. calyptratus + C. gracilis); and inter-size class dominance (adult + juvenile C. calyptratus). Simultaneous video and accelerometer recordings were used to monitor their behavior and record a total of 398 biotremors. Chamaeleo calyptratus produced biotremors primarily in conspecific dominance and courtship contexts, accounting for 84.7% of the total biotremors recorded, with biotremor production varying greatly between individuals. Biotremors were elicited by visual contact with another conspecific or heterospecific, and trials in which chameleons exhibited visual displays and aggressive behaviors were more likely to record biotremors. Three classes of biotremor were identified—hoots, mini-hoots, and rumbles, which differed significantly in fundamental frequency, duration, and relative intensity. Biotremor frequency decreased with increasing signal duration, and frequency modulation was evident, especially in hoots. Overall, the data show that C. calyptratus utilizes substrate-borne vibrational communication during conspecific and possibly heterospecific interactions.
Australian community pharmacists’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Kanaani Eman , Salahudeen Mohammed S , Curtain Colin
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Community pharmacists have played an important role in providing services for their community during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, the purpose is to present the attitudes and experiences of Australian pharmacists regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

A qualitative semi-structured interview explored community pharmacist experiences during the initial COVID-19 lockdown. Thematic analysis of transcribed interviews was conducted to investigate the experiences of pharmacists.

Key Findings

Interviews were conducted with 15 pharmacists from different regional areas and states of Australia. In the study, five main themes were developed: COVID-19 practice complications; pharmacy practice changes; difficult patient interactions; worsened mental well-being and coping strategies; and career dissatisfaction. Pharmacists stated that an increase in workload, shortage of supplies and frequent COVID-19 management updates increased pressure on their duties. The negative customer interactions during COVID-19 lockdown adversely affected some pharmacists’ mental health and career satisfaction.

Conclusions

Community pharmacists are subject to multiple factors affecting their practice, impairing their mental well-being and triggering them to reconsider their career choice. It is important to provide support to community pharmacists to help improve their well-being and workplace satisfaction.
Error analysis of time-discrete random batch method for interacting particle systems and associated mean-field limits
Authors: Ye Xuda , Zhou Zhennan
Published: June 2023

The random batch method provides an efficient algorithm for computing statistical properties of a canonical ensemble of interacting particles. In this work, we study the error estimates of the fully discrete random batch method, especially in terms of approximating the invariant distribution. The triangle inequality framework employed in this paper is a convenient approach to estimate the long-time sampling error of the numerical methods. Using the triangle inequality framework, we show that the long-time error of the discrete random batch method is $O(\sqrt {\tau } + e^{-\lambda t})$, where $\tau $ is the time step and $\lambda $ is the convergence rate, which does not depend on the time step $\tau $ or the number of particles $N$. Our results also apply to the McKean–Vlasov process, which is the mean-field limit of the interacting particle system as the number of particles $N\rightarrow \infty $.
Parabolic Frequency for the Mean Curvature Flow
Authors: Baldauf Julius , Ho Pak Tung , Lee Tang-Kai
Published: June 2023

This paper defines a parabolic frequency for solutions of the heat equation along homothetically shrinking mean curvature flows (MCFs) and proves its monotonicity along such flows. As a corollary, frequency monotonicity provides a proof of backwards uniqueness. Additionally, for solutions of more general parabolic equations on MCF shrinkers, this paper provides bounds on the derivative of the frequency, which similarly imply backwards uniqueness.
Cloning and functional characterization of a TMC-like channel gene and protein in the crayfish Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) (Decapoda: Astacidea: Astacidae)
Authors: Arslan Kaan , Saglam Berk , Beyatli Nazli Coskun , Taskiran Ekim Z , Bastug Turgut , Purali Nuhan
Published: June 2023

Ion channels gated selectively by mechanical stimulus are the key elements of mechanosensation. Several genes have been associated with putative mechanosensitive ion channels or mechanosensitive channel complexes. Transmembrane channel (TMC)-like protein is one of those candidate proteins that have been explored in mammals and several invertebrates. The presence and possible function of TMC related genes has not been investigated yet in crustaceans. In the present work an mRNA coding TMC-like protein was firstly cloned in Astacus leptodactylus (Eschscholtz, 1823) (Decapoda: Astacidea: Astacidae) and expressed in HEK293T cells. Three-dimensional structural calculations of the protein predicted a channel. Functional studies, however, indicated that the mechanosensitivity of the transfected HEK293T cells is similar to that in the control cells. It was concluded that a TMC-like protein is present in the crayfish but future studies are necessary to define its function.
Damage visualization and vulnerability assessment of surface ship considering the 3D multihit location of air-explosion threat
Authors: Kim Kwang Sik , Lee Jang Hyun , Yoon Joon Young
Published: June 2023

The purpose of this study is to propose a method for rapidly assessing the hit locations and extent of damage to a naval ship attacked by threatening weapons. An integrated method is presented for assessing the vulnerability to the hull and systems caused by the blast or penetrating effects of a weapon at multiple possible impact locations. The proposed method enables the assessment of vulnerability changes for design alternatives during the early design phase of naval vessels. To predict the extent of damage and to visualize the damaged hull and equipment, it is first assumed that a weapon has multiple hit locations. It is shown that a set of possible hit locations was generated by assuming the trajectory for air-explosion (AIREX) weapons by dividing the trajectory into an air-to-ship trajectory and a ship-to-ship trajectory. To account for the non-deterministic nature of weapon hits, a probability distribution approach was used to generate random multiple hit locations for each trajectory while the hit locations of AIREX in all directions were predicted using a multivariate probability distribution that generates three-dimensional random hit points. The extent of damage was then calculated, taking into account the topology of the hull structure and the equipment installed within the hull compartment, along with the damage volume associated with the weapon at each hit point. To identify the damage volume, axis-aligned bounding box (AABB) components were used, which provide a simplified representation of the ship’s geometry, as well as the relative position and dimensions of the hull structure and installed equipment. The damage compartment was defined as the portion of the hull that overlapped the damaged volume. While AABB’s overlap detection algorithm was applied to the damaged hull compartments, the algorithm identified the equipment that overlapped the damaged volume of the hull. Finally, the geometric modeling module, the probabilistic multiple hit location prediction module, and the damage analysis module were developed for damage visualization and vulnerability assessment.
Numerical responses of the predatory mites,Cheyletus eruditus(Trombidiformes: Cheyletidae) andCheyletus malaccensis, toLiposcelis decolor(Psocodea: Liposcelididae)
Authors: Danso James K , Opit George P , Giles Kristopher L , Noden Bruce H
Published: June 2023

Predatory mites display diverse ecological mechanisms to suppress pest population density below certain thresholds known to cause economic loss. The current study explored the numerical responses of the predatory mites, Cheyletus eruditus (Schrank) (Trombidiformes: Cheyletidae) and Cheyletus malaccensis Oudemans, to Liposcelis decolor (Pearman) (Psocodea: Liposcelididae). The numerical responses of these 2 cheyletid mites to nymphs, adult males, and adult females of L. decolor were determined under laboratory conditions at 24 ± 1 °C, 85 ± 5 RH, and 0:24 (L:D) photoperiod. Oviposition rate, oviposition efficiency, and efficiency of conversion of ingested (ECI) food resources were the key numerical response parameters assessed. The present study revealed a general trend of a strong negative and positive correlation between oviposition rates and increase in prey densities (number of prey per 16.98 cm2) for C. eruditus and C. malaccensis, respectively. The oviposition efficiency was mostly similar for both predatory mites and was inversely related to prey density. Generally, ECI (%) decreased considerably with increasing prey density across different prey types for both predators, however, C. malaccensis was more efficient than C. eruditus in utilizing prey biomass. Given the relatively weak numerical responses, we recommended further assessment of these predatory mites before recommending their use for managing stored-product insect pests in the United States.