bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of the spin Hall angle by the inverse spin Hall effect, device level ferromagnetic resonance, and spin torque ferromagnetic resonance: A comparison of methods
Authors: Ben-Shalom Ranen , Bernstein Nirel , Parkin Stuart S. P. , Yang See-Hun , Capua Amir
Published: July 2021

The spin torque ferromagnetic resonance (STFMR) is one of the popular methods for measurement of the spin Hall angle, θSH. However, in order to accurately determine θSH from STFMR measurements, the acquired data must be carefully analyzed. The resonance linewidth should be determined to an accuracy of a fraction of an Oe, while the dynamical interaction leading to the measured response consists of the conventional field-induced ferromagnetic resonance (FMR), the spin-torque induced FMR, and the inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE). Additionally, the signal often deteriorates when DC is passed through the device. In this work, we compare the STFMR method with two other FMR-based methods that are used to extract θSH. The first is a device-level FMR, and the second is based on the ISHE. We identify artifacts that are caused by the noise floor of the instrumentation that make the measurement of θSH illusive even when the signal to noise ratio seems to be reasonable. Additionally, we estimate a 10% error in θSH that results from neglecting the magnetic anisotropies as in conventional measurements. Overall, we find the STFMR to be the most robust of the three methods despite the complexity of the interaction taking place therein. The conclusions of our work lead to a more accurate determination of θSH and will assist in the search of novel materials for energy efficient spin-based applications.
Viscoelastic behavior of suspensions of reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles in epoxy
Authors: Majidian M. , Magrez A. , Forró L. , Leterrier Y.
Published: July 2021

The viscoelastic behavior of dilute suspensions of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanoparticles in a liquid SU8 epoxy dissolved in gamma butyrolactone was investigated at RGO concentrations in the range from 0.16 to 1.07 vol. %. Our results revealed that the addition of only 1 vol. % of RGO can increase the complex viscosity of the composites by up to 3 orders of magnitude, which is crucial for processing purposes. A marked shear thinning behavior with a yield stress was, moreover, found to emerge at low RGO concentrations for sonicated homogenized suspensions. This behavior was attributed to the partial polymerization of the epoxy and bonding between the epoxy rings and the residual functional groups on the RGO induced by the energy intensive ultrasound process that is key to achieve a good dispersion of the nanoparticles, in combination with the formation of a gel-like, percolated nanocomposite network. The percolation threshold and the aspect ratio of the RGO particles were derived from the analysis of the elastic shear modulus of the suspensions and found to be equal to 9 × 10−4 and 500, respectively. We attribute this extremely with low percolation threshold to the restriction of the polymer chain mobility within the well dispersed, high aspect ratio RGO network.
The ferroelectric photo ground state of SrTiO
3
: Cavity materials engineering
Authors: Latini Simone , Shin Dongbin , Sato Shunsuke A. , Schäfer Christian , De Giovannini Umberto , Hübener Hannes , Rubio Angel
Published: July 2021

Significance

Controlling collective phenomena in quantum materials is a promising route toward engineering material properties on demand. Strong THz lasers have been successful at inducing ferroelectricity in

S
r
T
i
O

3

. Here we demonstrate, from atomistic calculations, that cavity quantum vacuum fluctuations induce a change in the collective phase of

S
r
T
i
O

3

in the strong light–matter coupling regime. Under these conditions, the ferroelectric phase is stabilized as the ground state, instead of the quantum paraelectric one. We conceptualize this light–matter hybrid state as a material photo ground state: Fundamental properties such as crystal structure, phonon frequencies, and the collective phase of a material are determined by the quantum light–matter coupling in equilibrium conditions. Cavity-coupling adds a new dimension to the phase diagram of

S
r
T
i
O

3

.
Styles, standards and meaning
Authors: Meyerhoff Miriam , Abtahian Maya Ravindranath , Gafter Roey J. , Horesh Uri , Kasstan Jonathan R. , Keegan Peter , King Jeanette
Published: July 2021

Style, in the study of variation and change, is intimately linked with broader questions about linguistic innovation and change, standards, social norms, and individual speakers’ stances. This article examines style when applied to lesser-studied languages. Style is both (i) the product of speakers’ choices among variants, and (ii) something reflexively produced through the association of variants and the social position of the users of those variants. In the context of the languages considered here, we ask “What questions do we have about variation in this language and what notion(s) of style will answer them?” We highlight methodological, conceptual and analytical challenges for the notion of style as it is usually operationalised in variationist sociolinguistics. We demonstrate that style is a useful research heuristic which – when marshalled alongside locally-oriented accounts of, or proxies for “standard” and “prestige”, in apparent time – allows us to describe language and explore change. It is also a means for exploring social meaning, which speakers may have more or less conscious control over.
Modelling stylistic variation in threatened and under-documented languages
Authors: Kasstan Jonathan R.
Published: July 2021

The centrality of style is uncontested in sociolinguistics: it is an essential construct in the study of linguistic variation and change in the speech community. This is not the case in the language-obsolescence literature, where stylistic variation among endangered-language speakers is described as an ephemeral, or “marginal” resource, and where speakers exhibiting “stylistic shrinkage” become “monostylistic”. This argument is invoked in variationist theory too, where “monostylism” is presented as support for the tenets of Audience Design (Bell 1984). This article reports on a study that adopts variationist methods in a context of severe language endangerment. Evidence from two linguistic variables in Francoprovençal demonstrates the presence of socially meaningful stylistic variation among the last generation of fluent speakers, offering counter-evidence to classic claims. This evidence is used to argue that accounts of stylistic variation in language obsolescence are not sufficiently nuanced and should be reconsidered in light of recent research.
Concept-based instruction for applied L2 acquisition
Authors: Zakhia Doueihi Julien , François Thomas
Published: July 2021

This study’s objective is to present an overview of experimental applications of Concept-Based Instruction (CBI)
for Second Language Acquisition. CBI aims to describe complex grammatical notions in a thorough manner in order to facilitate
their acquisition. Even though CBI is still considered as a recent domain in language teaching, the growing body of research makes
it timely to present a systematic review, which is currently lacking. In the present paper, we will first describe the theoretical
background upon which CBI is grounded. Then, we will carry out an analysis of 29 CBI studies in which a classroom experiment was
performed, with the objective of considering the strengths and limits of this teaching method.
The linguocultural concept based on word frequency: correlation, differentiation, and cross-cultural comparison
Authors: Ge Yanlei
Published: July 2021

This paper proposes (1) to develop mixed research framework for linguocultural concept analysis by integrating word frequency analysis using Google Books Ngram Viewer with Pearson correlation, word collocation, integrating qualitative analysis; and (2) to determine its feasibility and effectiveness with regards to correlation, cross-cultural comparison, and differentiation of linguocultural concepts. Findings suggest that war may be one of the contributing factors to the religious consciousness of the Russian people ( r = 0.471, p < 0.001). The results of the collocation analysis suggest that ‘freedom’ has boundaries, whilst the ‘will’ has none. A cross-cultural study of Chinese and American cultures revealed that the consciousness of sacrifice was stronger than that of obedience. In addition, frequencies of conceptual words show that China has a stronger collectivist culture as compared to the United States. However, it is difficult to obtain a correct and credible statement of conceptual differences only by relying on word frequency.
Marginating transitional B cells modulate neutrophils in the lung during inflammation and pneumonia
Authors: Podstawka John , Sinha Sarthak , Hiroki Carlos H. , Sarden Nicole , Granton Elise , Labit Elodie , Kim Jung Hwan , Andonegui Graciela , Lou Yuefei , Snarr Brendan D. , Sheppard Donald C. , Rosin Nicole L. , Biernaskie Jeff , Yipp Bryan G.
Published: July 2021

Pulmonary innate immunity is required for host defense; however, excessive neutrophil inflammation can cause life-threatening acute lung injury. B lymphocytes can be regulatory, yet little is known about peripheral transitional IgM+ B cells in terms of regulatory properties. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, we discovered eight IgM+ B cell subsets with unique gene regulatory networks in the lung circulation dominated by transitional type 1 B and type 2 B (T2B) cells. Lung intravital confocal microscopy revealed that T2B cells marginate in the pulmonary capillaries via CD49e and require CXCL13 and CXCR5. During lung inflammation, marginated T2B cells dampened excessive neutrophil vascular inflammation via the specialized proresolving molecule lipoxin A4 (LXA4). Exogenous CXCL13 dampened excessive neutrophilic inflammation by increasing marginated B cells, and LXA4 recapitulated neutrophil regulation in B cell–deficient mice during inflammation and fungal pneumonia. Thus, the lung microvasculature is enriched in multiple IgM+ B cell subsets with marginating capillary T2B cells that dampen neutrophil responses.
Translation from bats to humans beyond infectious diseases
Authors: Ahn Matae , Wang Lin-Fa
Published: July 2021

Bats are attracting the greatest attention recently as a putative reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. However, less known to the public, bats also have several unique traits of high value to human health. The lessons we learn from bats can potentially help us fight many human diseases, including infection, aging, and cancer.
Robustness of the cosmological constant damping mechanism through matter eras
Authors: Evnin Oleg , Massart Victor , Nguyen Kévin
Published: July 2021

A dynamical resolution to the cosmological constant fine-tuning problem has been previously put forward, based on a gravitational scalar–tensor theory possessing de Sitter attractor solutions characterized by a small Hubble expansion rate, irrespective of an initially large vacuum energy. We show that a technically natural subregion of the parameter space yields a cosmological evolution through radiation- and matter-dominated eras that is essentially indistinguishable from that predicted by general relativity. Similarly, the proposed model automatically satisfies the observational constraints on a fifth force mediated by the new scalar degree of freedom.
Weak second Bianchi identity for static, spherically symmetric spacetimes with timelike singularities
Authors: Burtscher Annegret , Kiessling Michael K-H , Tahvildar-Zadeh A Shadi
Published: July 2021

The (twice-contracted) second Bianchi identity is a differential curvature identity that holds on any smooth manifold with a metric. In the case when such a metric is Lorentzian and solves Einstein’s equations with an (in this case inevitably smooth) energy–momentum–stress tensor of a ‘matter field’ as the source of spacetime curvature, this identity implies the physical laws of energy and momentum conservation for the ‘matter field’. The present work inquires into whether such a Bianchi identity can still hold in a weak sense for spacetimes with curvature singularities associated with timelike singularities in the ‘matter field’. Sufficient conditions that establish a distributional version of the twice-contracted second Bianchi identity are found. In our main theorem, a large class of spherically symmetric static Lorentzian metrics with timelike one-dimensional singularities is identified, for which this identity holds. As an important first application we show that the well-known Reissner–Weyl–Nordström spacetime of a point charge does not belong to this class, but that Hoffmann’s spacetime of a point charge with negative bare mass in the Born–Infeld electromagnetic vacuum does.
Transmission x-ray microscopy and its applications in battery material research—a short review
Authors: Spence Stephanie , Lee Wah-Keat , Lin Feng , Xiao Xianghui
Published: July 2021

Transmission x-ray microscopy (TXM), which can provide morphological and chemical structural information inside of battery component materials at tens of nanometer scale, has become a powerful tool in battery research. This article presents a short review of the TXM, including its instrumentation, battery research applications, and the practical sample preparation and data analysis in the TXM applications. A brief discussion on the challenges and opportunities in the TXM applications is presented at the end.
Optimal time decay of the compressible Navier–Stokes equations for a reacting mixture
Authors: Feng Zefu , Hong Guangyi , Zhu Changjiang
Published: July 2021

In this paper, we are concerned with the large-time behavior of solutions to the Cauchy problem on the compressible Navier–Stokes equations for ideal reacting gases. The asymptotic stability of the constant equilibrium state with strictly positive constant density, temperature and the vanishing velocity, mass fraction of the reactant is established under suitable small initial perturbation in

H

N

(

R

3

)

(

N
⩾
3

)

. Precisely, we show the convergence of the density, velocity and temperature towards the corresponding equilibrium state with the optimal rate

(

1
+
t

)

−

3

4

in L
2-norm as well as the convergence of the mass fraction to the equilibrium state with the optimal rate

e

−
ϕ

(

1

)

t

(

1
+
t

)

−

3

4

in L
2-norm. Furthermore, the optimal decay rates for the spatial-derivatives of the solution are also obtained. The proof is based on the time-weighted energy estimate and continuation argument.
The classical compact groups and Gaussian multiplicative chaos
Authors: Forkel Johannes , Keating Jonathan P
Published: July 2021

We consider powers of the absolute value of the characteristic polynomial of Haar distributed random orthogonal or symplectic matrices, as well as powers of the exponential of its argument, as a random measure on the unit circle. We also consider the case where these measures are restricted to the unit circle minus small neighborhoods around ±1. We show that for small enough powers and under suitable normalization, as the matrix size goes to infinity, these random measures converge in distribution to a Gaussian multiplicative chaos (GMC) measure. Our result is analogous to one relating to unitary matrices previously established by Christian Webb (2015 Electron. J. Probab.
20). We thus complete the connection between the classical compact groups and GMC. To prove this convergence when excluding small neighborhoods around ±1 we establish appropriate asymptotic formulae for Toeplitz and Toeplitz + Hankel determinants with merging singularities. Using a recent formula due to Claeys et al (2021 Int. Math. Res. Not. rnaa354), we are able to prove convergence on the whole of the unit circle.
Compact 1 × N power splitters with arbitrary power ratio for integrated multimode photonics
Authors: Franz Yohann , Guasoni Massimiliano
Published: July 2021

We introduce a 1 × N integrated power splitter for the multimode photonics platform. The device converts an input laser beam into a higher-order mode beam, which afterwards is split. The core of this setup is represented by a non-uniform array of N waveguides that allows achieving arbitrary power splitting. The system exhibits high modal purity and is tested against wavelength variations and fabrication errors. The possibility to include a multi-input port configuration, leading to various power ratios via a single device, provides further flexibility. Our analysis is validated by finite-element-method simulations. At the best of our knowledge, this represents the first design of a device for arbitrary 1 × N power splitting of higher-order modes.
Image simulation in high resolution transmission electron microscopy considering atom as an electrostatic interferometer
Authors: Bhat Usha , Datta Ranjan
Published: July 2021

An alternative approach to image simulation in high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) is introduced after a comparative analysis of the existing image simulation methods. The alternative method is based on considering the atom center as an electrostatic interferometer akin to the conventional off-axis electron biprism within few nanometers of focus variation. Simulation results are compared with the experimental images of 2D materials of MoS2, BN recorded under the optimum combination of third order spherical aberrationCs=−35μm and defocusΔf=1, 4, and 8 nm and are found to be in good agreement.
Implementation and Effectiveness of a Completely Virtual Pathology Rotation for Visiting Medical Students
Authors: Koch Lisa K , Correll-Buss Allison , Chang Oliver H
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) upended in-person medical education, relocating many activities online. We designed a completely virtual pathology rotation to replace our traditional visiting rotation.

Methods

The virtual away rotation was listed in the Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS) and advertised on social media as well as various medical student mailing lists. Nine students were selected to participate in three month-long rotations. The virtual curriculum mirrored our typical in-person clerkship with didactic lectures and daily signout but also included activities exclusive to the virtual rotation such as digitally scanned slide trays and small-group problem-based learning. Anonymous surveys were conducted in which both participants and instructors rated their experiences.

Results

Postrotation feedback was overwhelmingly positive from both participants and instructors. Students considered virtual slide sessions as the most effective teaching tool and did not feel hindered overall by lack of in-person experiences. Volunteer trainee instructors indicated the experience improved their teaching and diagnostic skills and expressed interest in teaching future virtual courses.

Conclusions

The success of the virtual away rotation raises consideration for applications beyond the pandemic era and may provide a more level playing field for medical students from underrepresented groups.
Choice of nest attributes as a frontline defense against brood parasitism
Authors: Moreras Angela , Tolvanen Jere , Morosinotto Chiara , Bussiere Elsa , Forsman Jukka , Thomson Robert L
Published: July 2021

Breeding- and nest-site choice is a behavioral strategy often used to counter negative interactions. Site choices before breeding prevent costs of predation and competition but have been neglected in the context of brood parasitism. For hosts of brood parasites, the earlier brood parasitism is prevented in the breeding cycle the lower the future costs. Suitable nest-sites for cavity-nesting common redstarts (Phoenicurus phoenicurus), a host of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), are a limited resource, but their cavity-nesting strategy could potentially deter predators and brood parasites. We altered the entrance size of breeding cavities and investigated redstart nest-site choice and its consequences to nest predation and brood parasitism risk, although accounting for potential interspecific competition for nest sites. We set-up paired nest-boxes and let redstarts choose between 7 cm and 5 cm entrance sizes. Additionally, we monitored occupancy rates in nest-boxes with 3 cm, 5 cm, and 7 cm entrance sizes and recorded brood parasitism and predation events. We found that redstarts preferred to breed in 5 cm entrance size cavities, where brood parasitism was eliminated but nest predation rates were comparable to 7 cm entrance size cavities. Only in 3 cm cavities both, brood parasitism and predation rates were reduced. In contrast to the other cavity-nesting species, redstart settlement was lowest in 3 cm entrance size cavities, potentially suggesting interspecific competition for small entrance size cavities. Nest-site choice based on entrance size could be a frontline defense strategy that redstarts use to reduce brood parasitism.
Identifying and classifying goals for scientific knowledge
Authors: Boguslav Mayla R , Salem Nourah M , White Elizabeth K , Leach Sonia M , Hunter Lawrence E
Published: July 2021

Motivation

Science progresses by posing good questions, yet work in biomedical text mining has not focused on them much. We propose a novel idea for biomedical natural language processing: identifying and characterizing the questions stated in the biomedical literature. Formally, the task is to identify and characterize statements of ignorance, statements where scientific knowledge is missing or incomplete. The creation of such technology could have many significant impacts, from the training of PhD students to ranking publications and prioritizing funding based on particular questions of interest. The work presented here is intended as the first step towards these goals.

Results

We present a novel ignorance taxonomy driven by the role statements of ignorance play in research, identifying specific goals for future scientific knowledge. Using this taxonomy and reliable annotation guidelines (inter-annotator agreement above 80%), we created a gold standard ignorance corpus of 60 full-text documents from the prenatal nutrition literature with over 10 000 annotations and used it to train classifiers that achieved over 0.80 F1 scores.

Availability and implementation

Corpus and source code freely available for download at https://github.com/UCDenver-ccp/Ignorance-Question-Work. The source code is implemented in Python.
ACEs, Places and Inequality: Understanding the Effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences and Poverty on Offending in Childhood
Authors: Jahanshahi Babak , Murray Kath , McVie Susan
Published: July 2021

Over the last three decades, an extensive body of research evidence has emerged on the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and a range of negative outcomes, including offending. Using data from a Scottish child cohort study, this article seeks to better understand how both ACEs and material deprivation influence childhood offending. We show that while the number of ACEs is a strong predictor of childhood offending, certain types of childhood adversity are of greater importance than others. We also find that living in persistent poverty at the neighbourhood level remains a key predictor of childhood offending, but there are complex interactions between poverty and ACEs that should be considered in developing policy responses.
Dynamic Time Warping Identifies Functionally Distinct fMRI Resting State Cortical Networks Specific to VTA and SNc: A Proof of Concept
Authors: Philips Ryan T , Torrisi Salvatore J , Gorka Adam X , Grillon Christian , Ernst Monique
Published: July 2021

Functional connectivity (FC) is determined by similarity between functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals from distinct brain regions. However, traditional FC analyses ignore temporal phase differences. Here, we addressed this limitation, using dynamic time warping (DTW) within a machine-learning framework, to study cortical FC patterns of 2 spatially adjacent but functionally distinct subcortical regions, namely Substantia Nigra Pars Compacta (SNc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA). We evaluate: 1) the influence of pair of brain regions considered, 2) the influence of warping window sizes, 3) the classification efficacy of DTW, and 4) the uniqueness of features identified. Whole brain 7 Tesla resting state fMRI scans from 81 healthy participants were used. FC between 2 subcortical regions of interests (ROIs) and 360 cortical parcels were computed using: 1) Pearson correlations (PCs), 2) dynamic time-warped PCs (DTW-PC). The separability of SNc-cortical and VTA-cortical network was validated on 40 participants and tested on the remaining 41, using a support vector machine (SVM). The SVM separated the SNc-cortical versus VTA-cortical network with 74.39 and 97.56% test accuracy using PC and DTW-PC, respectively. SVM–recursive feature elimination yielded 20 DTW-PC features that most strongly contributed to the separation of the networks and revealed novel VTA versus SNc preferential connections (P < 0.05, Bonferroni–Holm corrected).
Digital Chest Radiography Enhances Screening Efficiency for Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Primary Health Clinics in South Africa
Authors: Moodley Nishila , Velen Kavindhran , Saimen Amashnee , Zakhura Noor , Churchyard Gavin , Charalambous Salome
Published: July 2021

Background

Optimized tuberculosis (TB) screening in high burden settings is essential for case finding. We evaluated digital chest X-ray with computer-aided detection (CAD) software (d-CXR) for identifying undiagnosed TB in three primary health clinics in South Africa.

Methods

The cross-sectional study consented adults who were sequentially screened for TB using the World Health Organization (WHO) 4 symptom questionnaire and d-CXR. Participants reporting ≥1 TB symptom and/or CAD score ≥60 (suggestive of TB) provided 2 spot sputum for Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra) and liquid culture testing, respectively. TB yield (proportion of screened tested positive) and number needed to test (NNT; no of tests to identify one TB patient) were calculated. Risk factors for microbiologically confirmed or presumed (on radiological grounds) were determined.

Results

Among 3041 participants, 45% (1356 of 3041) screened positive on either d-CXR or symptoms. TB yield was 2.3% (71 of 3041) using Xpert Ultra and 2.7% (82 of 3041) using Xpert Ultra plus culture. Modelled TB yield (identified by Xpert Ultra) by screening approach was: 1.9% (59 of 3041) for d-CXR alone, 2.0% (62 of 3041) for symptoms alone and 2.3% (71 of 3041) for both. The NNT was 9.7 for d-CXR, 17.8 for symptoms and 19.1 for d-CXR and/or symptom. Males, those with previous TB, untreated HIV or unknown HIV status, and acute illness were at higher risk of developing TB.

Conclusion

d-CXR screening identified a similar yield of undiagnosed TB compared to symptom-based screening, however required fewer diagnostic tests. Due to its objective nature, d-CXR screening may improve case detection in clinics.
Management of acute cardiovascular complications in pregnancy
Authors: Egidy Assenza Gabriele , Dimopoulos Konstantinos , Budts Werner , Donti Andrea , Economy Katherine E , Gargiulo Gaetano Domenico , Gatzoulis Michael , Landzberg Michael Job , Valente Anne Marie , Roos-Hesselink Jolien
Published: July 2021

The growing population of women with heart disease of reproductive age has been associated with an increasing number of high-risk pregnancies. Pregnant women with heart disease are a very heterogeneous population, with different risks for maternal cardiovascular, obstetric, and foetal complications. Adverse cardiovascular events during pregnancy pose significant clinical challenges, with uncertainties regarding diagnostic and therapeutic approaches potentially compromising maternal and foetal health. This review summarizes best practice for the treatment of common cardiovascular complications during pregnancy, based on expert opinion, current guidelines, and available evidence. Topics covered include heart failure (HF), arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, aortic and thromboembolic events, and the management of mechanical heart valves during pregnancy. Cardiovascular pathology is the leading cause of non-obstetric morbidity and mortality during pregnancy in developed countries. For women with pre-existing cardiac conditions, preconception counselling and structured follow-up during pregnancy are important measures for reducing the risk of acute cardiovascular complications during gestation and at the time of delivery. However, many women do not receive pre-pregnancy counselling often due to gaps in what should be lifelong care, and physicians are increasingly encountering pregnant women who present acutely with cardiac complications, including HF, arrhythmias, aortic events, coronary syndromes, and bleeding or thrombotic events. This review provides a summary of recommendations on the management of acute cardiovascular complication during pregnancy, based on available literature and expert opinion. This article covers the diagnosis, risk stratification, and therapy and is organized according to the clinical presentation and the type of complication, providing a reference for the practicing cardiologist, obstetrician, and acute medicine specialist, while highlighting areas of need and potential future research.
Aspirin for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in individuals with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pallikadavath Susil , Ashton Leah , Brunskill Nigel J , Burton James O , Gray Laura J , Major Rupert W
Published: July 2021

Aims

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the major cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study assessed the risks and benefits of aspirin in the primary prevention of CVD in individuals with CKD.

Methods and results

Ovid MEDLINE was searched from 2015 to 15th of September 2020 to include randomized controlled trials that assessed aspirin versus placebo in adults with non-end stage CKD without a previous diagnosis of CVD. A pre-specified protocol was registered with PROSPERO (identification number CRD42014008860). A random effects model was used to calculate a pooled hazard ratio (HR), pooled risk difference, and the number needed to treat or harm (NNT/NNH). The primary endpoint was CVD. Secondary endpoints included: all-cause mortality; coronary heart disease; stroke; and major and minor bleeding events. Five trials were identified (n = 7852 total, n = 3935 aspirin, n = 3917 placebo). Overall, 434 CVD events occurred. There was no statistically significant reduction in CVD events (HR 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54–1.08; P = 0.13, I2 = 63%), all-cause mortality (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.74–1.19; P = 0.60, I2 = 21%), coronary heart disease events (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.27–1.63; P = 0.37, I2 = 64%) or stroke (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.6–1.27; P = 0.48, I2 = 24%) from aspirin therapy. The risk of major bleeding events were increased by approximately 50% (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.13–2.05; P = 0.01, I2 = 0%) and minor bleeding events were more than doubled (HR 2.64, 95% CI 1.64–4.23; P < 0.01, I2 = 0%).

Conclusions

Aspirin cannot be routinely recommended for the primary prevention of CVD in individuals with CKD as there is no evidence for its benefit but there is an increased risk of bleeding.
Aspartic acid racemization and repair in the survival and recovery of hyperthermophiles after prolonged starvation at high temperature
Authors: Liang Renxing , Robb Frank T , Onstott Tullis C
Published: July 2021

Long-term survivability is well-known for microorganisms in nutrient-depleted environments, but the damage accrued by proteins and the associated repair processes during the starvation and recovery phase of microbial life still remain enigmatic. We focused on aspartic acid (Asp) racemization and repair in the survival of Pyrococcus furiosus and Thermococcus litoralis under starvation conditions at high temperature. Despite the dramatic decrease of viability over time, 0.002% of P. furiosus cells (2.1×103 cells/mL) and 0.23% of T. litoralis cells (2.3×105 cells/mL) remained viable after 25 and 50 days, respectively. The D/L Asp ratio in the starved cells was approximately half of those from the autoclaved cells, suggesting that the starving cells were capable of partially repairing racemized Asp. Transcriptomic analyses of the recovered cells of T. litoralis indicated that the gene encoding Protein-L-isoaspartate (D-aspartate) O-methyltransferase (PIMT) might be involved in the repair of damaged proteins by converting D-Asp back to L-Asp during the resuscitation of starved cells. Collectively, our results provided evidence that Asp underwent racemization in the surviving hyperthermophilic cells under starved conditions and PIMT played a critical role in the repair of abnormal aspartyl residues during the initial recovery of starved, yet still viable, cells.
Meat juice contributes to the stability of ethanol adaptation in Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis
Authors: He Shoukui , Fong Karen , Wang Siyun , Shi Xianming
Published: July 2021

Stability assessment of observed tolerance phenotypes is integral in understanding stress adaptation in food-borne pathogens. Therefore, the current work was carried out to determine whether ethanol adaptation induced by exposure to 5 per cent ethanol for 60 min is a stable phenomenon in Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. The capacity of Salmonella Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) to maintain the acquired ethanol adaptation in the absence of sublethal ethanol stress was investigated at 37 °C, 25 °C or 4 °C in Luria–Bertani broth and two types of meat juice. It was found that ethanol adaptation was completely reversed within 40 min at 37 °C or within 60 min at 25 °C, but was stable at 4 °C for at least 48 h in the broth assay. Ethanol adaptation was retained in chicken juice during 60-min incubation at 25 °C or 48-h incubation at 4 °C. Moreover, exposure to pork juice stored at either 25 °C or 4 °C significantly (P<0.05) increased the ethanol tolerance of ethanol-adapted cells. Collectively, these findings suggest that ethanol adaptation stability in S. Enteritidis under cold conditions and in meat juices should be taken into account when conducting a comprehensive risk analysis during food processing.
Impact of the 2008 Recession on Wealth-Adjusted Income and Inequality for U.S. Cohorts
Authors: Zewde Naomi , Crystal Stephen
Published: July 2021

Objective

To examine the distributional effects of the 2008 recession and subsequent recovery across generational cohorts.

Methods

Using data from the Survey of Consumer Finances (2007–2016), we constructed a measure of economic well-being accounting for income, household size, and annuitized value of assets. We examine trajectories of adjusted income and inequality, using Gini coefficients and income shares by decile, for the overall population and by cohort during the recession and recovery.

Results

Inequality declined temporarily during the recession, but reached new highs during the recovery. During recovery, population-level increases in economic resources were not reflected among below-median households, as the more concentrated financial assets rose while broader-based home equity and employment fell or remained stagnant. Inequality measures increased for cohorts in their primary working years (Generation-X and Baby Boomers), but not among the younger Millennials, who were at early stages of education, workforce entry, and household formation.

Discussion

The study illustrates an integrative approach to analyzing cumulative dis/advantage by considering interactions between historically consistent macrolevel events, such as economic shocks or policy choices affecting all cohorts, and the persistent life-course processes that tend to increase heterogeneity and inequality as cohorts age over time. Although recovery policies led to rapid recovery of financial asset values, they did not proportionately reach those below the median or their economic resource types. Results suggest that in a high-inequality environment, recovery policies from economic shocks may need tailoring to all levels of resources in order to achieve more equitable recovery outcomes and prevent exacerbating cohort inequality trajectories.
Traversing the Aging Research and Health Equity Divide: Toward Intersectional Frameworks of Research Justice and Participation
Authors: Gilmore-Bykovskyi Andrea , Croff Raina , Glover Crystal M , Jackson Jonathan D , Resendez Jason , Perez Adriana , Zuelsdorff Megan , Green-Harris Gina , Manly Jennifer J
Published: July 2021

Meaningful reductions in racial and ethnic inequities in chronic diseases of aging remain unlikely without major advancements in the inclusion of minoritized populations in aging research. While sparse, studies investigating research participation disparities have predominantly focused on individual-level factors and behavioral change, overlooking the influence of study design, structural factors, and social determinants of health on participation. This is also reflected in conventional practices that consistently fail to address established participation barriers, such as study requirements that impose financial, transportation, linguistic, and/or logistical barriers that disproportionately burden participants belonging to minoritized populations. These shortcomings not only risk exacerbating distrust toward research and researchers, but also introduce significant selection biases, diminishing our ability to detect differential mechanisms of risk, resilience, and response to interventions across subpopulations. This forum article examines the intersecting factors that drive both health inequities in aging and disparate participation in aging research among minoritized populations. Using an intersectional, social justice, and emancipatory lens, we characterize the role of social determinants, historical contexts, and contemporaneous structures in shaping research accessibility and inclusion. We also introduce frameworks to accelerate transformative theoretical approaches to fostering equitable inclusion of minoritized populations in aging research.
Full waveform inversion in fractured media based on velocity–stress wave equations in the time domain
Authors: Wang Kang , Peng Suping , Lu Yongxu , Cui Xiaoqin
Published: July 2021

In the process of seismic wave propagation, the presence of fractures will cause a seismic wave response associated with fracture compliance. Full waveform inversion (FWI) is an effective way to quantitatively obtain fracture compliance values, which can simulate seismic wave propagation in a fractured medium and compute the gradient expression of the fracture compliance parameters. To obtain the fracture compliance parameters quantitatively, a new technique based on FWI needs to be proposed. Based on linear slip theory, a new finite-difference scheme using a rotated grid has been developed to simulate the propagation of seismic waves in fractured media. The corresponding adjoint equation for FWI and the gradient of fracture parameter expression are presented. The crosstalk between normal compliance and tangential compliance is analysed in a homogeneous background medium. Numerical simulations in double-layer media show that the new gradient equation is effective.
Big data analytics and COVID-19: investigating the relationship between government policies and cases in Poland, Turkey and South Korea
Authors: Sözen Mert Erkan , Sarıyer Görkem , Ataman Mustafa Gökalp
Published: July 2021

We used big data analytics for exploring the relationship between government response policies, human mobility trends and numbers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases comparatively in Poland, Turkey and South Korea. We collected daily mobility data of retail and recreation, grocery and pharmacy, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential areas. For quantifying the actions taken by governments and making a fairness comparison between these countries, we used stringency index values measured with the ‘Oxford COVID-19 government response tracker’. For the Turkey case, we also developed a model by implementing the multilayer perceptron algorithm for predicting numbers of cases based on the mobility data. We finally created scenarios based on the descriptive statistics of the mobility data of these countries and generated predictions on the numbers of cases by using the developed model. Based on the descriptive analysis, we pointed out that while Poland and Turkey had relatively closer values and distributions on the study variables, South Korea had more stable data compared to Poland and Turkey. We mainly showed that while the stringency index of the current day was associated with mobility data of the same day, the current day’s mobility was associated with the numbers of cases 1 month later. By obtaining 89.3% prediction accuracy, we also concluded that the use of mobility data and implementation of big data analytics technique may enable decision-making in managing uncertain environments created by outbreak situations. We finally proposed implications for policymakers for deciding on the targeted levels of mobility to maintain numbers of cases in a manageable range based on the results of created scenarios.
Uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) survey of walleye pollock, Gadus chalcogrammus, in response to the cancellation of ship-based surveys
Authors: De Robertis Alex , Levine Mike , Lauffenburger Nathan , Honkalehto Taina , Ianelli James , Monnahan Cole C , Towler Rick , Jones Darin , Stienessen Sarah , McKelvey Denise
Published: July 2021

In 2020, the developing COVID-19 pandemic disrupted fisheries surveys to an unprecedented extent. Many surveys were cancelled, including those for walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in the eastern Bering Sea (EBS), the largest fishery in the United States. To partially mitigate the loss of survey information, we deployed three uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) equipped with echosounders to extend the ship-based acoustic-trawl time series of pollock abundance. Trawling was not possible from USVs, so an empirical relationship between pollock backscatter and biomass established from previous surveys was developed to convert USV backscatter observations into pollock abundance. The EBS is well suited for this approach since pollock dominate midwater fishes in the survey area. Acoustic data from the USVs were combined with historical surveys to provide a consistent fishery-independent index in 2020. This application demonstrates the unique capabilities of USVs and how they could be rapidly deployed to collect information on pollock abundance and distribution when a ship-based survey was not feasible. We note the limitations of this approach (e.g. higher uncertainty relative to previous ship-based surveys), but found the USV survey to be useful in informing the stock assessment in a situation where ship-based surveys were not possible.
Gestational diabetes and risk of breast cancer before age 55 years
Authors: Bertrand Kimberly A , O’Brien Katie M , Wright Lauren B , Palmer Julie R , Blot William J , Eliassen A Heather , Rosenberg Lynn , Sandin Sven , Tobias Deirdre , Weiderpass Elisabete , Zheng Wei , Swerdlow Anthony J , Schoemaker Minouk J , Nichols Hazel B , Sandler Dale P
Published: July 2021

Background

The history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been associated with breast cancer risk in some studies, particularly in young women, but results of cohort studies are conflicting.

Methods

We pooled data from 257 290 young (age <55 years) women from five cohorts. We used multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between GDM history and risk of breast cancer, overall and by oestrogen receptor (ER) status, before age 55 years, adjusted for established breast cancer risk factors.

Results

Five percent of women reported a history of GDM and 6842 women reported an incident breast-cancer diagnosis (median follow-up = 16 years; maximum = 24 years). Compared with parous women without GDM, women with a history of GDM were not at increased risk of young-onset breast cancer overall (HR = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.78, 1.03) or by ER status (HR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.16 for ER-positive; HR = 1.07; 95% CI: 0.78, 1.47 for ER-negative). Compared with nulliparous women, parous women with a history of GDM had a lower risk of breast cancer overall (HR = 0.79; 95% CI: 0.68, 0.91) and of ER-positive (HR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.66, 1.02) but not ER-negative (HR = 1.09; 95% CI: 0.76, 1.54) invasive breast cancer. These results were consistent with the HRs comparing parous women without GDM to nulliparous women.

Conclusions

Results of this analysis do not support the hypothesis that GDM is a risk factor for breast cancer in young women. Our findings suggest that the well-established protective effect of parity on risk of ER-positive breast cancer persists even for pregnancies complicated by GDM.
Point of care testing for infectious disease: ownership and quality
Authors: Lisby Jan Gorm , Schneider Uffe Vest
Published: July 2021

Traditionally, diagnosis of acute infections has been organism-growth based, which makes timely and actionable infection diagnosis a major challenge. In addition, traditional microbial detection methods, including direct microscopy, are not suited for outsourcing to clinical, non-laboratory-educated personnel. Optimal management of patients with known or suspected clinical infections, such as targeted (or no) antimicrobial treatment and correct use of single room contact isolation facilities, requires rapid identification of the causative infectious microorganism. We are now facing a new disruptive paradigm shift in diagnostic microbiology. The availability of small-footprint robust instruments with easy-to-use assay kits allows non-laboratory-trained nurses and physicians to perform high-quality molecular diagnostics in a near-patient setting with results available in <30 minutes. This technology is currently breaking the centralized laboratory monopoly on the delivery of gold-standard clinical microbiology diagnostics. There is clear potential for huge positive impacts on clinical patient management and antibiotic stewardship, especially in settings where access to timely laboratory test results is not possible, but there are also potentially huge risks. Moving diagnostic testing away from the controlled diagnostic laboratory environment will lead to risks such as increased risk of inappropriate use of the diagnostic tests, insufficient training of staff performing the tests, incorrect interpretation of the test results, lack of quality control procedures, failure to capture test results in electronic patient records and compromised local as well as national surveillance. To reap the upside and avoid the downside of point-of-care infectious disease testing, the diagnostic laboratory needs to maintain oversight, and each institution must have a clear strategy for implementation and execution. If we fail, the risks could outweigh the benefits.