bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study of attached gingiva space color according to gender and age in Caucasian population
Authors: Naranjo María J. , Gómez‐Polo Miguel , Gómez‐Polo Cristina , Celemin‐Viñuela Alicia
Published: March 2023

Objective

To describe the color of the healthy attached gingiva adjacent to the maxillary incisors and to evaluate the effect of age and gender on CIELAB color coordinates.

Materials and Methods

The study included 216 Caucasian individuals (129 females and 87 males) divided into three age groups. A SpectroShade Micro spectrophotometer was used to register color coordinates at 2.5 mm apical of the zenith of the upper central incisors. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed.

Results

The minimum and maximum coordinates in which the CIELAB natural gingival space is delimited are: L* minimum 40.4 ‐ L* maximum 61.2; a* minimum 17.0 ‐ a* maximum 30.2; b* minimum 9.8 ‐ and b* maximum 21.9. There are statistically significant differences between males and females for coordinates L*, a* and b* in the attached gingival area selected. Age had a significant effect on coordinate b* (p = 0.000).

Conclusions

Statistically significant differences were found between the L*, a* and b* color coordinates of the attached gingiva between men and women, although the color difference is below the clinical acceptance threshold. The attached gingiva takes on a bluish color as the patients get older, which means that the b* coordinate decreases.

Clinical Significance

With a prosthodontic approach, knowledge of the CIELAB natural attached gingival coordinates based on the patient's age and gender will facilitate the clinician's work in selecting the appropriate color. The CIELAB system values found can be used as a gingival shade guide reference.
Using social exchange theory to examine relationship processes in asexual‐allosexual couples
Authors: Clark Alyssa N.
Published: March 2023

I use social exchange theory to contextualize relationship processes associated with relationship stability in asexual‐allosexual couples and to propose directions for future research. Social exchange theory suggests that asexual‐allosexual couples might experience varied relationship exchanges compared to other relationship types based on costs/benefits, equity, and available alternatives. These exchanges may also be influenced by differences in relationship commitment and power. I review literature on sexual desire, sexual frequency, willingness to engage in sexual behavior, asexual identity acceptance, and extradyadic behavior to examine how these relationship processes are associated with relationship maintenance for asexual‐allosexual couples. Such relationship processes are not necessarily unique to asexual‐allosexual couples, but partner expectations may be particularly different in asexual‐allosexual couples, thus altering their relationship exchanges. Further research may provide a nuanced understanding of asexual‐allosexual relationship maintenance, and recommendations for how to promote healthy interactions and relationship satisfaction in asexual‐allosexual couples.
Protecting seriously ill populations during pragmatic clinical trials
Authors: Teno Joan M. , Hanson Laura C. , Lima Julie C. , Saliba Debra
Published: March 2023

Pragmatic clinical trials (PCTs) emphasize real‐world effectiveness methodology to address the limitations of results from explanatory randomized clinical trials (RCTs), which often fail to translate to real‐world medical practice. An inherent tension in the conduct of PCTs is that the research must impose a minimal burden on patients and health care institutions. PCTs prioritize outcome measures from existing data sources to minimize data collection burden; however, a lack of patient‐reported outcomes may result in gaps in safety for vulnerable populations, such as those with serious illnesses. One proposed standard for judging the readiness of a study for a pragmatic trial is a ranking system that assigns PCTs a lower rank if they impose additional data collection burdens. However, this results in the wide use of measures of health care utilization and costs while patient experience measures, which could capture adverse unintended consequences, are omitted. In this article, we make the case for a risk‐based approach to imposing additional data collection in PCTs to capture potential safety and patient experience outcomes, using examples from “real life” implemented interventions to improve end‐of‐life care through the Liverpool Pathway and through the implementation of Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST) in Oregon.
Long‐term follow‐up outcomes of laser‐treated port wine stain patients: A double‐blinded retrospective study
Authors: Lekwuttikarn Ramrada , Pimsiri Anansiripun , Somsak Tanrattanakorn
Published: March 2023

Background

Port wine stains (PWS) can be effectively treated with lasers. However, complete clearance is rarely observed, and data from long‐term studies are limited. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and complications of long‐term laser treatment in patients with PWS.

Methods

We performed a 25‐year double‐blinded retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with PWS who underwent laser treatment at Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand, between June 1995 and June 2021. The scores for improvement and color were independently evaluated by two dermatologists.

Results

A total of 129 patients were included. Most patients were male (70.54%). A total of 4141 laser treatment sessions were reviewed, with a median of 49 (interquartile range, 27–66) sessions per patient. A total of 1070 photographic records were reviewed. Overall, 53% of the patients achieved statistically significant (50%) improvement, after six treatment sessions. However, none of these patients achieved complete clearance. Due to the nonuniform treatments, we could not evaluate the efficacy of each laser type. However, this study illustrates the outcomes of a real‐world setting in which various laser types were selected specifically for each patient to obtain the best result.

Conclusions

Vascular lasers are a promising treatment for PWS. Although laser treatment is applicable to most patients, multiple treatment sessions are required to achieve excellent results.
Classic heat stroke in a desert climate: A systematic review of 2632 cases
Authors: Yezli Saber , Yassin Yara , Ghallab Sujoud , Abdullah Mashan , Abuyassin Bisher , Vishwakarma Ramesh , Bouchama Abderrezak
Published: March 2023

Background

Although classic heat stroke (HS) is one of the most ancient conditions known to humans, the description of its early clinical manifestations, natural course, and complications remains uncertain.

Objectives

A systematic review of the demographics, clinical characteristics, biomarkers, therapy, and outcomes of HS during the Muslim (Hajj) pilgrimage in the desert climate of Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Methods

We searched the MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection, SCOPUS, and CINAHL databases from inception to April 2022. We summarized the data from eligible studies and synthesized them in narrative form using pooled descriptive statistics.

Results

Forty‐four studies, including 2632 patients with HS, met the inclusion criteria. Overweight or obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease were prevalent among cases of HS. Evidence suggests that extreme hyperthermia (pooled mean = 42.0°C [95% confidence interval (CI): 41.9, 42.1], range 40–44.8°C) with hot and dry skin (>99% of cases) and severe loss of consciousness (mean Glasgow Coma Scale <8 in 53.8% of cases) were the dominant clinical characteristics of classic HS. Hypotension, tachypnea, vomiting, diarrhea, and biochemical biomarkers indicating mild‐to‐moderate rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney, liver, heart injury, and coagulopathy were frequent at the onset. Concomitantly, stress hormones (cortisol and catecholamines) and biomarkers of systemic inflammation and coagulation activation were increased. HS was fatal in 1 in 18 cases (pooled case fatality rate = 5.6% [95%CI: 4.6, 6.5]).

Conclusions

The findings of this review suggest that HS induces an early multiorgan injury that can progress rapidly to organ failure, culminating in death, if it is not recognized and treated promptly.
Expression of neurotransmitters, vasculogenesis markers and myosin heavy chain isoforms in the masseter muscle of senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 mice
Authors: Nakamura Chiaki , Sato Iwao , Ueda Yoko , Kawata Shinichi , Nagahori Kenta , Omotehara Takuya , Yakura Tomiko , Natsuyama Yutaro , Li Zhong‐Lian , Itoh Masahiro
Published: March 2023

Background

Learning and memory deficits and pathologic changes in the hippocampus caused by toothlessness and soft diet feeding are related to reduced masseter muscle (MM) function.

Objective

Myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform expression in the MM also changes under different chewing conditions. The neurotransmitter calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A) are involved in MM formation. However, the relationship between CGRP, VEGF‐A and MyHC isoforms in the MM in the senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) strain, a model of learning and memory deficits, remains unclear.

Methods

Changes in CGRP, VEGF‐A, vasculogenesis marker and MyHC isoform mRNA expression in the MMs of ageing SAMP8 and senescence‐accelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice was investigated through quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT–PCR) and in situ hybridization.

Results

qRT–PCR revealed obviously high CGRP levels in the SAMP8 mouse MM (p < .001). MyHC‐IId/x mRNA expression in the MM was higher in 24‐week‐old SAMP8 mice than 24‐week‐old SAMR1 mice (p < .001) but lower in slow‐MyHC SAMP8 mice than SAMR1 mice (p < .001). CGRP mRNA was observed on the muscle fibres of the SAMP8 mouse MM but not the SAMR1 mouse MM through in situ hybridization. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed strong positive contributions of SAMP8‐MyHC‐IId/x, SAMP8‐CGRP, SAMR1‐MyHC‐emb, SAMR1‐CGRP, SAMR1‐VEGF‐A, SAMR1‐CD31, SAMP8‐VEGF‐A, and SAMP8‐CD31 in the MM at 12 and 24 weeks.

Conclusion

Calcitonin gene‐related peptide is also key for the MyHC‐IId/x and slow‐MyHC patterns in the MMs of SAMP8 mice.
Rehabilitation of pediatric retinoblastoma patients with ocular prostheses and their subsequent modifications: A 15‐year retrospective study
Authors: Legg Lydia R. , Ahmed Zain Uddin , Solano Armand K. , Seier Kenneth , O'Hara Bridget F. , Kapetanakos Melani , Huryn Joseph M. , Randazzo Joseph D.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Enucleation is a common treatment modality performed for pediatric retinoblastoma patients, and the resultant defects are reconstructed using an ocular prosthesis. The prostheses are modified or replaced periodically, as the child develops due to orbital growth and patient‐error. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the replacement frequency of prostheses in the pediatric oncologic population.

Methods

A retrospective review was completed by the two senior research investigators, of patients that had ocular prostheses fabricated following enucleation of their retinoblastoma from 2005 to 2019 (n = 90). Data collected from the medical records of the patient included the pathology, date of surgery, date of prosthesis delivery, and the replacement schedule of the ocular prosthesis.

Results

During the 15‐year study period, 78 enucleated observations (ocular prosthesis fabricated) were included for analysis. The median age of the patients at the time of delivery of their first ocular prosthesis was calculated to be 2.6 years (range 0.3–18 years). The median time to the first modification of the prosthesis was calculated to be 6 months. The time to modification of the ocular prosthesis was further stratified by age.

Conclusion

Pediatric patients require modification of their ocular prostheses throughout their growth and development period. Ocular prostheses are reliable prostheses with predictable outcomes. This data is helpful to set an expectation among the patient, parent, and provider.
Clinicopathologic and gastrointestinal effects of administration of prednisone, prednisone with omeprazole, or prednisone with probiotics to dogs: A double‐blind randomized trial
Authors: Rak Mariola B. , Moyers Tamberlyn D. , Price Joshua M. , Whittemore Jacqueline C.
Published: March 2023

Background

The efffect of administering of probiotics or twice‐daily omeprazole on glucocorticoid‐induced gastric bleeding in dogs is unknown.

Hypothesis

Compare gastrointestinal bleeding among dogs administered placebo, prednisone (2 mg/kg q24h), prednisone with omeprazole (1 mg/kg q12h), or prednisone with probiotics (Visbiome, 11.2‐22.5 billion CFU/kg q24h) for 28 days.

Animals

Twenty‐four healthy research dogs.

Methods

Double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled randomized trial. Clinical signs and endoscopic gastrointestinal mucosal lesion scores at baseline (t1), day 14 (t2), and day 28 (t3) were compared using split‐plot repeated‐measures mixed‐model ANOVAs.

Results

Fecal score differed by treatment‐by‐time (F[6,40] = 2.65,P < .03), with higher scores in groups receiving prednisone att3thant1. Nineteen of thirty‐three episodes of diarrhea occurred in the prednisone with omeprazole group. Gastric mucosal lesion scores differed by treatment‐by‐time (F[6,60] = 2.86,P = .05), among treatment groups (F[3,60] = 4.9,P = .004), and over time (F[2,60] = 16.5,P < .001). Post hoc analysis revealed lesion scores increased over time for all groups receiving prednisone. Att3, scores for the prednisone (8.7 ± 4.9) and prednisone with probiotics (8.7 ± 4.9) groups differed significantly from placebo (1.8 ± 1.8;P ≤ .04), whereas scores for the prednisone with omeprazole (6.5 ± 5.5) group did not differ from placebo (P = .7). Ulcers occurred only in dogs receiving prednisone.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Prednisone‐induced gastric bleeding. Co‐administration of omeprazole partially mitigated bleeding, but a similar protective benefit was not demonstrated by co‐administration of the evaluated probiotic.
Circulating neutrophil extracellular traps in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and cardiogenic arterial thromboembolism
Authors: Li Ronald H. L. , Fabella Arianne , Nguyen Nghi , Kaplan Joanna L. , Ontiveros Eric , Stern Joshua A.
Published: March 2023

Background

Cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are at risk of cardiogenic arterial thromboembolism (CATE). Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) may be a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for cardiomyopathy in cats.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Characterize NETs in cats with HCM or CATE. We hypothesized that circulating NETs assessed in the form of cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) and citrullinated histone H3 (citH3) are increased in cats with HCM and CATE and associated with reported predisposing factors for thrombus formation.

Animals

Eighty‐five cats including client‐owned cats with HCM and CATE and staff‐ and student‐owned clinically healthy cats without HCM.

Methods

After echocardiographic evaluations, NETs were measured as cfDNA and citH3.

Results

Cats with CATE had significant increases in cfDNA (11.2 ng/μL; interquartile range [IQR], 8.1 to 29.6) compared to those without HCM (8.2 ng/μL; IQR, 5.7 to 11.7 μL;P = .01) and were responsible for 75% to 83% of cases with cfDNA fragments sized 100 to 2000 base pairs. Citrullinated histone 3, detected in 52% of cats with HCM (31.1 ng/mL; IQR, 16.9 to 29.8), was significantly lower than in those with CATE (48.2 ng/mL; IQR, 34.2 to 60.2;P = .007). The citH3 concentrations correlated significantly with reported risk factors of CATE, such as left atrial auricular velocity.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Neutrophil extracellualr traps, especially citH3, are increased in cats with HCM and CATE. They may serve as a novel therapeutic target and biomarker of thrombosis in cats with HCM.
Fluid balance in pediatric postoperative liver transplant recipients
Authors: Winters Jessica M. , Brocks Rebecca , Chapin Catherine A. , Lemoine Caroline P. , Superina Riccardo , Brandt Katherine A. , Sanchez‐Pinto L. Nelson , Barhight Matthew F.
Published: March 2023

Background

Positive fluid balance (FB) is associated with poor outcomes in critically ill children but has not been studied in pediatric liver transplant (LT) recipients. Our goal is to investigate the relationship between postoperative FB and outcomes in pediatric LT recipients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study of first‐time pediatric LT recipients at a quaternary care children's hospital. Patients were stratified into three groups based on their FB in the first 72 h postoperatively: <10%, 10–20%, and > 20%. Outcomes were pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and hospital length of stay, ventilator‐free days (VFD) at 28 days, day 3 severe acute kidney injury, and postoperative complications. Multivariate analyses were adjusted for age, preoperative admission status, and Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM)‐III score.

Results

We included 129 patients with median PRISM‐III score of 9 (interquartile range, IQR 7–15) and calculated Pediatric End‐stage Liver Disease score of 15 (IQR 2–23). A total of 37 patients (28.7%) had 10–20% FB, and 26 (20.2%) had >20% FB. Greater than 20% FB was associated with an increased likelihood of an additional PICU day (adjusted incident rate ratio [aIRR] 1.62, 95% CI: 1.18–2.24), an additional hospital day (aIRR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.10–1.77), and lower likelihood of a VFD at 28 days (aIRR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.74–0.97). There were no differences between groups in the likelihood of postoperative complications.

Conclusions

In pediatric LT recipients, >20% FB at 72 h postoperatively is associated with increased morbidities, independent of age and severity of illness. Additional studies are needed to explore the impact of fluid management strategies on outcomes.
Combining the advocacy coalition framework and argumentative discourse analysis: The case of the “energy efficiency first” principle in EU energy and climate policy
Authors: von Malmborg Fredrik
Published: March 2023

This article combines, in a complementary way, the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF) with argumentative discourse analysis to analyze the politics of the “energy efficiency first” (EE1) principle as a new legal institute in European Union energy and climate policy. Two different discourses and storylines were identified. The first is where the meaning of energy efficiency policy is to fulfill multiple benefits. It is associated with a strong regulation of EE1. The second is where the purpose of energy efficiency policy is primarily to contribute to mitigating climate change. It is associated with weak regulation of EE1. Four advocacy coalitions with different secondary beliefs regarding the EE1 principle were identified. Analyzing the inter‐discursive communication between different coalitions provides insights to the policy‐oriented learning taking place. It is concluded that studies using the ACF could merit from focusing more on narratives and communication between belief systems.

Related Articles

Kanol, Direnç. 2022. “Narrative Strategies for Emerging Disruptive Technologies: A Case Study of Blockchain for Europe.” Politics & Policy 50(5): 952–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12492.

Nowlin, Matthew C., Maren Trochmann, and Thomas M. Rabovsky. 2022. “Advocacy Coalitions and Political Control.” Politics & Policy 50(2): 201–24. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12458.

O'Donovan, Kristin T. 2018. “Does the Narrative Policy Framework Apply to Local Policy Issues?” Politics & Policy 46(4): 532–70. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12265.
The relationship between personality, social capital, and life satisfaction of elderly Koreans
Authors: Oh Eun‐A , Bae Sung‐Man
Published: March 2023

Background

There are very few studies that explain the life satisfaction of the elderly by considering both internal factors such as personality and social capital. Therefore, this study analyzed the relationship between personality, social capital, and life satisfaction among elderly Koreans.

Methods

This study analyzed the survey data on Koreans' happiness and quality of life 2019. Participants included a total of 1280 elderly adults aged 60–79 years.

Results

A multiple hierarchical regression analysis indicated that higher health status was related to higher life satisfaction, while neuroticism was negatively related to life satisfaction. Of particular note, increased structural and cognitive social capital were associated with higher life satisfaction. However, income, financial problems, and extraversion were not related to life satisfaction. The total explanatory amount of the regression model was 38.5%.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that researchers and clinicians should consider a combination of factors associated with both personality and social capital when aiming to improve life satisfaction for the elderly.
A global review of protected species interactions with marine aquaculture
Authors: Bath Gretchen E. , Price Carol A. , Riley Kenneth L. , Morris James A.
Published: March 2023

As marine aquaculture expands around the world, there is increased concern for impacts to protected species. Documented cases of marine mammal, sea turtle, seabird, and shark interactions with aquaculture installations do exist but are challenging to find. This extensive review summarises the state of knowledge of protected species interactions with marine fish and shellfish aquaculture installations. Although seaweed aquaculture was beyond the scope of this review, some of the findings for shellfish and finfish aquaculture may be relevant. The potential impacts of farms including habitat exclusion, entanglement, entrapment, collisions, and behavioural modifications are the primary risks posed to protected species by marine aquaculture facilities and operations. In addition, indirect effects from habitat impacts of farm operations may be of concern in some areas as well as the cumulative impacts of multiple small or large farms in the same general vicinity. Decades of farm innovations and best management practices have been driven by industry, natural resource managers, conservation organisations, and international conservation agreements. This review is useful for informing industry planning and permitting to develop aquaculture in the open ocean. This work will help advance the science of conservation by synthesising the state of knowledge and provide managers and industry with more insight to protect the most vulnerable species.
Oral health issues of late Baby Boomers (1956–1964)
Authors: Chávez Elisa M.
Published: March 2023

Objective

To examine the issues and forces on the oral health of late Baby Boomers born in 1956–1964 that have shaped their oral health status and the opportunities and disparities in oral health care that this generational cohort has experienced.

Methods

Past and current literature on the oral health status of this cohort was reviewed in light of concurrent social, political, and economic climates in order to better understand current and future needs in oral health care for this generation.

Results

The majority of late Baby Boomers have not yet had their 65th birthday. They have benefitted from more opportunities for education, preventive health care, and technological advances in dentistry and medicine than any other prior generation, including their big brothers and sisters—the early Baby Boomers. Yet they have had fewer economic advantages than the early Boomers. Age prevalent diseases, conditions, and medications common to older adults will pose new risks to oral health. Discrete, longitudinal data on oral health status and needs by generational cohort—such as for the late Baby Boomer cohort—is lacking.

Conclusions

Despite retaining more of their dentition than any other generation, it also evident that over the course of their lifetime, poverty, racism, and limited education have been unrelenting barriers to oral healthcare and undermine outcomes of care.
The Swedish version of EMPATHIC‐30 translation and initial psychometric evaluation
Authors: Terp Karina , Jakobsson Ulf , Weis Janne , Lundqvist Pia
Published: March 2023

Background

One way to measure quality of care is by measuring satisfaction of provided care among patients and their families. EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care 30 (EMPATHIC‐30) is a self‐reported questionnaire grounded on the principles of FCC aiming to measure parents' satisfaction with paediatric intensive care. There is lack of Swedish questionnaires measuring satisfaction with paediatric intensive care based on family‐centered care principles.

Aim

The aim was to translate the instrument EMpowerment of PArents in THe Intensive Care 30 (EMPATHIC‐30) into the Swedish language and evaluate psychometrically the Swedish version in a paediatric intensive care context.

Methods

The instrument EMPATHIC‐30 was translated and adapted to Swedish context, thereafter, assessed by expert panels consisting of nurses (panel one; n = 4; panel two; n = 24) and parents (n = 8) with experience in paediatric intensive care. Construct validity, item characteristics and reliability were tested in a cohort of 97 parents whose child had been treated for at least 48 h at two out of four Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICUs) in Sweden. Parents whose child died during hospitalisation were excluded.

Results

The Swedish version of EMPATHIC‐30 showed an acceptable internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the total scale 0.925. Cronbach's alpha on the domain level varied between 0.548–0.792 with the lowest coefficient in the domain Organisation. Inter‐scale correlation revealed acceptable correlations for both subscales (0.440–0.743) and between total scale and subscales (0.623–0.805), which demonstrated good homogeneity for the instrument in its entirety. One problem regarding the domain Organisation and especially the item “It was easy to contact the pediatric intensive care unit by telephone” was revealed, which indicated that the item needs to be reformulated or that the factor structure needs to be further evaluated.

Conclusion

The findings from the current study indicated that the Swedish version of EMPATHIC‐30 has acceptable psychometric properties and can be used in Swedish PICUs. Using EMPATHIC‐30 in clinical practice can give an indication of the overall quality of family‐centered care at the PICU.
Daisee: Adaptive importance sampling by balancing exploration and exploitation
Authors: Lu Xiaoyu , Rainforth Tom , Teh Yee Whye
Published: March 2023

We study adaptive importance sampling (AIS) as an online learning problem and argue for the importance of the trade‐off between exploration and exploitation in this adaptation. Borrowing ideas from the online learning literature, we propose Daisee, a partition‐based AIS algorithm. We further introduce a notion of regret for AIS and show that Daisee has cumulative pseudo‐regret, where is the number of iterations. We then extend Daisee to adaptively learn a hierarchical partitioning of the sample space for more efficient sampling and confirm the performance of both algorithms empirically.
Next‐generation sequencing reveals a novel HLA‐C allele, HLA‐C*15:255
Authors: Rakhmanov Mirzokhid , Bernheiden Martin , Verboom Murielle , Emmerich Florian
Published: March 2023

HLA‐C*15:255 differs from HLA‐C*15:02:01 by five nucleotide substitutions located in exons 4 and 5.
Artificial Neural Network Models for Octane Number and Octane Sensitivity: A Quantitative Structure Property Relationship Approach to Fuel Design
Authors: SubLaban Amina , Kessler Travis J. , Van Dam Noah , Mack J. Hunter
Published: March 2023

Octane sensitivity (OS), defined as the research octane number (RON) minus the motor octane number (MON) of a fuel, has gained interest among researchers due to its effect on knocking conditions in internal combustion engines. Compounds with a high OS enable higher efficiencies, especially within advanced compression ignition engines. RON/MON must be experimentally tested to determine OS, requiring time, funding, and specialized equipment. Thus, predictive models trained with existing experimental data and molecular descriptors (via quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPRs)) would allow for the preemptive screening of compounds prior to performing these experiments. The present work proposes two methods for predicting the OS of a given compound: using artificial neural networks (ANNs) trained with QSPR descriptors to predict RON and MON individually to compute OS (derived octane sensitivity (dOS)), and using ANNs trained with QSPR descriptors to directly predict OS. Twenty-five ANNs were trained for both RON and MON and their test sets achieved an overall 6.4% and 5.2% error, respectively. Twenty-five additional ANNs were trained for both dOS and OS; dOS calculations were found to have 15.3% error while predicting OS directly resulted in 9.9% error. A chemical analysis of the top QSPR descriptors for RON/MON and OS is conducted, highlighting desirable structural features for high-performing molecules and offering insight into the inner mathematical workings of ANNs; such chemical interpretations study the interconnections between structural features, descriptors, and fuel performance showing that connectivity, structural diversity, and atomic hybridization consistently drive fuel performance.
Projectile motion with quadratic drag
Authors: Bradshaw John L.
Published: March 2023

Two-dimensional coupled nonlinear equations of projectile motion with air resistance in the form of quadratic drag are often treated as inseparable and solvable only numerically. However, when they are recast in terms of the angle between the projectile velocity and the horizontal, they become completely uncoupled and possess analytic solutions for projectile velocities as a function of that angle. The equations relating the time and position coordinates to this angle are not integrable in terms of elementary functions but are easy to integrate numerically. Additionally, energy equations explicitly including dissipation terms can be developed as integrals of the equations of motion. One-dimensional numerical integrations can be treated in a pedagogically straightforward way using numerical analysis software or even within a spreadsheet, making this topic accessible to undergraduates. We present this approach with sample numerical results for velocity components, trajectories, and energy-balance of a baseball-sized projectile.
Fundamental properties of beamsplitters in classical and quantum optics
Authors: Mansuripur Masud , Wright Ewan M.
Published: March 2023

A lossless beamsplitter has certain (complex-valued) probability amplitudes for sending an incoming photon into one of two possible directions. We use elementary laws of classical and quantum optics to obtain general relations among the magnitudes and phases of these probability amplitudes. Proceeding to examine a pair of (nearly) single-mode wavepackets in the number-states n1 and n2 that simultaneously arrive at the splitter's input ports, we find the distribution of photon-number states at the output ports using an argument inspired by Feynman's scattering analysis of indistinguishable Bose particles. The result thus obtained coincides with that of the standard quantum-optical treatment of beamsplitters via annihilation and creation operators â and â†. A simple application of the Feynman method provides a form of justification for the Bose enhancement implicit in the well-known formulas ân=nn−1 and â†n=n+1n+1.
An easier-to-align Hong–Ou–Mandel interference demonstration
Authors: DiBrita Nicholas S. , Galvez Enrique J.
Published: March 2023

The Hong–Ou–Mandel interference experiment is a fundamental demonstration of nonclassical interference and a basis for many investigations of quantum information. This experiment involves the interference of two photons reaching a symmetric beamsplitter. When the photons are made indistinguishable in all possible ways, an interference of quantum amplitudes results in both photons always leaving the same beamsplitter output port. Thus, a scan of distinguishable parameters, such as the arrival time difference of the photons reaching the beamsplitter, produces a dip in the coincidences measured at the outputs of the beamsplitter. The main challenge for its implementation as an undergraduate laboratory is the alignment of the photon paths at the beamsplitter. We overcome this difficulty by using a pre-aligned commercial fiber-coupled beamsplitter. In addition, we use waveplates to vary the distinguishability of the photons by their state of polarization. We present a theoretical description at the introductory quantum mechanics level of the two types of experiments, plus a discussion of the apparatus alignment and list of parts needed.
An economical smoke chamber and light-sheet microscope system for experiments in fluid dynamics and electrostatics
Authors: Stephan Karl D.
Published: March 2023

A smoke chamber and light-sheet video microscope setup is relatively easy to construct and provides opportunities for undergraduates to participate in a variety of advanced experiments, including the demonstration of Brownian motion and the interaction of induced electrostatic dipoles in aerosol particle agglomeration. We present results of these experiments along with information to allow replication of the setup in undergraduate physics laboratories. A theoretical model of the rate of aerosol agglomeration of long dipole chains as a function of electric field agrees with experiments at field strengths up to 200 kV m−1.
Visualizing the atomic-scale origin of metallic behavior in Kondo insulators
Authors: Pirie Harris , Mascot Eric , Matt Christian E. , Liu Yu , Chen Pengcheng , Hamidian M. H. , Saha Shanta , Wang Xiangfeng , Paglione Johnpierre , Luke Graeme , Goldhaber-Gordon David , Hirjibehedin Cyrus F. , Davis J. C. Séamus , Morr Dirk K. , Hoffman Jennifer E.
Published: March 2023

A Kondo lattice is often electrically insulating at low temperatures. However, several recent experiments have detected signatures of bulk metallicity within this Kondo insulating phase. In this study, we visualized the real-space charge landscape within a Kondo lattice with atomic resolution using a scanning tunneling microscope. We discovered nanometer-scale puddles of metallic conduction electrons centered around uranium-site substitutions in the heavy-fermion compound uranium ruthenium silicide (URu
2
Si
2
) and around samarium-site defects in the topological Kondo insulator samarium hexaboride (SmB
6
). These defects disturbed the Kondo screening cloud, leaving behind a fingerprint of the metallic parent state. Our results suggest that the three-dimensional quantum oscillations measured in SmB
6
arise from Kondo-lattice defects, although we cannot exclude other explanations. Our imaging technique could enable the development of atomic-scale charge sensors using heavy-fermion probes.
Direct synthesis and chemical vapor deposition of 2D carbide and nitride MXenes
Authors: Wang Di , Zhou Chenkun , Filatov Alexander S. , Cho Wooje , Lagunas Francisco , Wang Mingzhan , Vaikuntanathan Suriyanarayanan , Liu Chong , Klie Robert F. , Talapin Dmitri V.
Published: March 2023

Two-dimensional transition-metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes) are a large family of materials actively studied for various applications, especially in the field of energy storage. MXenes are commonly synthesized by etching the layered ternary compounds, called MAX phases. We demonstrate a direct synthetic route for scalable and atom-economic synthesis of MXenes, including compounds that have not been synthesized from MAX phases, by the reactions of metals and metal halides with graphite, methane, or nitrogen. The direct synthesis enables chemical vapor deposition growth of MXene carpets and complex spherulite-like morphologies that form through buckling and release of MXene carpet to expose fresh surface for further reaction. The directly synthesized MXenes showed excellent energy storage capacity for lithium-ion intercalation.
The evolution of white-tailed jackrabbit camouflage in response to past and future seasonal climates
Authors: Ferreira Mafalda S. , Thurman Timothy J. , Jones Matthew R. , Farelo Liliana , Kumar Alexander V. , Mortimer Sebastian M. E. , Demboski John R. , Mills L. Scott , Alves Paulo C. , Melo-Ferreira José , Good Jeffrey M.
Published: March 2023

The genetic basis of adaptive traits has rarely been used to predict future vulnerability of populations to climate change. We show that light versus dark seasonal pelage in white-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) tracks snow cover and is primarily determined by genetic variation at endothelin receptor type B (EDNRB), corin serine peptidase (CORIN), and agouti signaling protein (ASIP). Winter color variation was associated with deeply divergent alleles at these genes, reflecting selection on both ancestral and introgressed variation. Forecasted reductions in snow cover are likely to induce widespread camouflage mismatch. However, simulated populations with variation for darker winter pelage are predicted to adapt rapidly, providing a trait-based genetic framework to facilitate evolutionary rescue. These discoveries demonstrate how the genetic basis of climate change adaptation can inform conservation.
A Gγ protein regulates alkaline sensitivity in crops
Authors: Zhang Huili , Yu Feifei , Xie Peng , Sun Shengyuan , Qiao Xinhua , Tang Sanyuan , Chen Chengxuan , Yang Sen , Mei Cuo , Yang Dekai , Wu Yaorong , Xia Ran , Li Xu , Lu Jun , Liu Yuxi , Xie Xiaowei , Ma Dongmei , Xu Xing , Liang Zhengwei , Feng Zhonghui , Huang Xiahe , Yu Hong , Liu Guifu , Wang Yingchun , Li Jiayang , Zhang Qifa , Chen Chang , Ouyang Yidan , Xie Qi
Published: March 2023

The use of alkaline salt lands for crop production is hindered by a scarcity of knowledge and breeding efforts for plant alkaline tolerance. Through genome association analysis of sorghum, a naturally high-alkaline–tolerant crop, we detected a major locus,
Alkaline Tolerance 1
(
AT1
), specifically related to alkaline-salinity sensitivity. An
at1
allele with a carboxyl-terminal truncation increased sensitivity, whereas knockout of
AT1
increased tolerance to alkalinity in sorghum, millet, rice, and maize.
AT1
encodes an atypical G protein γ subunit that affects the phosphorylation of aquaporins to modulate the distribution of hydrogen peroxide (H
2
O
2
)
.
These processes appear to protect plants against oxidative stress by alkali. Designing knockouts of
AT1
homologs or selecting its natural nonfunctional alleles could improve crop productivity in sodic lands.
Seeing fast and thinking slow
The Border Between Seeing and Thinking
Ned Block
Oxford University Press, 2023. 560 pp.
Authors: Firestone Chaz , Phillips Ian
Published: March 2023

A philosopher explores perception and cognition
Eroding trust and collaboration
Authors: Thorp H. Holden
Published: March 2023

It wasn’t that long ago when scientific collaboration between the United States and China was enthusiastically encouraged as a means to accomplish the best science. American universities established campuses in China, set up exchange programs for students and trainees, and hired highly productive Chinese researchers. That all changed in 2018, when then-President Trump launched the China Initiative to rid US academia of Chinese spies. As reporter Jeffrey Mervis describes in this issue of
Science
, the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the largest federal funder of biomedical research—vigorously responded to this charge. The agency’s allegations and investigations have not only destroyed careers but also eroded trust in the agency and federal government across the scientific community.
A call for change at storied physics lab
Authors: Cho Adrian
Published: March 2023

Energy department opens new competition to run struggling Fermilab
HDAC6 Triggers the ATM-Dependent DNA Damage Response To Promote PRV Replication
Authors: Xu Weiyin , Yan Ping , Zhou Ziyan , Yao Jingting , Pan Haochun , Jiang Luyao , Bo Zongyi , Ni Bo , Sun Mingxia , Gao Song , Huan Changchao
Published: March 2023

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a member of the subfamily
Alphaherpesvirinae
of the family
Herpesviridae
. PRV infection in swine can lead to high morbidity and mortality of swine, causing huge economic losses.
Heavy Metal Pollution Impacts Soil Bacterial Community Structure and Antimicrobial Resistance at the Birmingham 35th Avenue Superfund Site
Authors: Goswami Anuradha , Adkins-Jablonsky Sarah J. , Barreto Filho Marcelo Malisano , Shilling Michelle D. , Dawson Alex , Heiser Sabrina , O’Connor Aisha , Walker Melissa , Roberts Qutia , Morris J. Jeffrey
Published: March 2023

Heavy metals cross-select for antimicrobial resistance in laboratory experiments, but few studies have documented this effect in polluted soils. Moreover, despite decades of awareness of heavy metal contamination at the EPA Superfund site in North Birmingham, Alabama, this is the first analysis of the impact of this pollution on the soil microbiome.
The COVID-19 Pandemic Sparked Off a Large-Scale Outbreak of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii from the Endemic Strains at an Italian Hospital
Authors: Petazzoni Greta , Bellinzona Greta , Merla Cristina , Corbella Marta , Monzillo Vincenzina , Samuelsen Ørjan , Corander Jukka , Sassera Davide , Gaiarsa Stefano , Cambieri Patrizia
Published: March 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic, especially during the first wave, posed a great challenge to the hospital management and generally promoted nosocomial pathogen dissemination. MDR
A. baumannii
can easily spread and persist for a long time on surfaces, causing outbreaks in health care settings.
Strain-Level Dynamics Reveal Regulatory Roles in Atopic Eczema by Gut Bacterial Phages
Authors: Chu Yanan , Meng Qingren , Yu Jun , Zhang Juan , Chen Jing , Kang Yu
Published: March 2023

The vast populations of viruses or bacteriophages in human gut flora remain mysterious. However, poor annotation and abundance estimation remain obstacles to strain-level analysis and clarification of their roles in microbiome ecology and metabolism associated with human health and diseases.
Relationships between early postnatal cranial ultrasonography linear measures and neurodevelopment at 2 years in infants born at <30 weeks’ gestational age without major brain injury
Authors: Cuzzilla Rocco , Cowan Frances M , Rogerson Sheryle , Anderson Peter J , Doyle Lex W , Cheong Jeanie Ling Yoong , Spittle Alicia
Published: March 2023

Objective

To explore relationships of early postnatal cranial ultrasonography (cUS) linear measures of brain size and brain growth with neurodevelopment at 2 years in infants born <30 weeks’ gestational age (GA) and free of major brain injury.

Design

Prospective observational cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary neonatal intensive care unit.

Patients

139 infants born <30 weeks’ GA, free of major brain injury on neonatal cUS and without congenital or chromosomal anomalies known to affect neurodevelopment.

Intervention

Linear measures of brain tissue and fluid spaces made from cUS at 1-week, 1-month and 2-months’ postnatal age.

Main outcome measures

Cognitive, language and motor scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition at 2 years’ corrected age.

Results

313 scans were evaluated from the 131 children who were assessed at 2 years. Larger measures of the corpus callosum at 1 week, 1 month and 2 months, cerebellum and vermis at 2 months and faster positive growth of the cerebellum and vermis between 1 month and 2 months, were related to higher cognitive and language scores at 2 years. No relation between tissue measures and motor scores was found. Larger measures, and faster rate of increase, of fluid spaces within the first weeks after birth were related to better cognitive, language and motor outcomes at 2 years.

Conclusions

Early postnatal cUS linear measures of brain tissue were related to cognitive and language development at 2 years in infants born <30 weeks’ GA without major brain injury. Relationships between cUS linear measures of fluid spaces in the early postnatal period and later neurodevelopment warrant further exploration.
Estimated impact from the withdrawal of primary care financial incentives on selected indicators of quality of care in Scotland: controlled interrupted time series analysis
Authors: Morales Daniel R , Minchin Mark , Kontopantelis Evangelos , Roland Martin , Sutton Matt , Guthrie Bruce
Published: March 2023

Objective

To determine whether the withdrawal of the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) scheme in primary care in Scotland in 2016 had an impact on selected recorded quality of care, compared with England where the scheme continued.

Design

Controlled interrupted time series regression analysis.

Setting

General practices in Scotland and England.

Participants

979 practices with 5 599 171 registered patients in Scotland, and 7921 practices with 56 270 628 registered patients in England in 2013-14, decreasing to 864 practices in Scotland and 6873 in England in 2018-19, mainly due to practice mergers.

Main outcome measures

Changes in quality of care at one year and three years after withdrawal of QOF financial incentives in Scotland at the end of the 2015-16 financial year for 16 indicators (two complex processes, nine intermediate outcomes, and five treatments) measured annually for financial years from 2013-14 to 2018-19.

Results

A significant decrease in performance was observed for 12 of the 16 quality of care indicators in Scotland one year after QOF was abolished and for 10 of the 16 indicators three years after QOF was abolished, compared with England. At three years, the absolute percentage point difference between Scotland and England was largest for recording (by tick box) of mental health care planning (−40.2 percentage points, 95% confidence interval −45.5 to −35.0) and diabetic foot screening (−22.8, −33.9 to −11.7). Substantial reductions were, however, also observed for intermediate outcomes, including blood pressure control in patients with peripheral arterial disease (−18.5, −22.1 to −14.9), stroke or transient ischaemic attack (−16.6, −20.6 to −12.7), hypertension (−13.7, −19.4 to −7.9), diabetes (−12.7, −15.0 to −12.4), or coronary heart disease (−12.8, −14.9 to −10.8), and for glycated haemoglobin control in people with HbA
1c
levels ≤75 mmol/mol (−5.0, −8.4 to −1.5). No significant differences were observed between Scotland and England for influenza immunisation and antiplatelet or anticoagulant treatment for coronary heart disease three years after withdrawal of incentives.

Conclusion

The abolition of financial incentives in Scotland was associated with reductions in recorded quality of care for most performance indicators. Changes to pay for performance should be carefully designed and implemented to monitor and respond to any reductions in care quality.