bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Myocardial mechanics of percutaneous intramyocardial septal radiofrequency ablation
Authors: Li Jing , Zhang Juan , Shi Yu , Sievert Horst , Taub Cynthia C , Bertog Stefan , Ta Shengjun , Changhui Lei , Senser Ethan , Wang Jing , Hu Rui , Huang Junzhe , Ruan Fangqi , Han Yupeng , Li Xiaojuan , Wang Bo , Zhao Xueli , Liu Jiao , Hsi David H , Liu Liwen
Published: October 2022

Objective

Echocardiography-guided Percutaneous IntraMyocardial Septal Radiofrequency Ablation (PIMSRA, Liwen procedure) is a novel treatment option for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). The impact of PIMSRA on myocardial mechanics is unknown.

Methods

Between October 2016 and June 2019, PIMSRA and 3-dimentional speckle tracking echocardiography were performed in 82 patients. Echocardiographic imaging, qualitative and quantitative clinical assessment were completed at baseline, immediately postprocedure and 1-year follow-up.

Results

There was a significant reduction in the peak left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradients immediately following PIMSRA and at 1-year follow-up (resting gradients: from 83.50 (61.25) to 23.00 (41.75) mm Hg, p<0.001 and 13.50 (21.75) mm Hg, p<0.001, respectively; stress-induced gradients: from 118.25 (96.02) to 47.00 (74.50) mm Hg (1 year), p<0.001). There was an improvement in exercise time on stress echocardiography (p<0.001) and distance by 6 min walk test (p=0.034). Immediately after PIMSRA, there was a significant reduction in radial and circumferential strain in the ablated segments (p<0.001), with no change of longitudinal strain. At 1-year follow-up, the radial and circumferential strain recovered in the ablated segments. Meanwhile, left ventricular regional and global longitudinal strain had improved significantly (p<0.05).

Conclusions

PIMSRA is an effective treatment for symptomatic HOCM that resulted in a sustained improvement in exercise capacity, a persistent decrease in LVOT gradient, and a measurable increase in myocardial contractile function.

Trial registration number

NCT04777188.
Thyroid autoantibodies
Authors: Dwivedi Shivangi Nikhil , Kalaria Tejas , Buch Harit
Published: October 2022

Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor antibody (TSH-R-Ab or TRAb) testing plays a pivotal role in arriving at the aetiological diagnosis in patients with thyrotoxicosis. A positive test establishes the diagnosis of Graves’ disease (GD) while a negative result in conjunction with imaging studies supports other possible aetiologies. In patients with GD, TRAb levels at diagnosis and at the time of withdrawal of antithyroid drugs can identify patients who are unlikely to achieve remission and guide clinical management decisions. We provide an algorithm that incorporates TRAb in the decision-making process for the management of thyrotoxicosis. The utility of TRAb in predicting the risk of fetal and neonatal thyroid dysfunction is established and widely accepted in guidelines. TRAb may also help in the diagnosis of Graves’ orbitopathy, especially in euthyroid or hypothyroid patients and its role in guiding its management is evolving as a useful adjunct to the clinical parameters used in making therapeutic decisions.

Anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and anti-thyroglobulin antibodies (TgAb) indicate thyroid autoimmunity. The most common use of TPOAb is to identify patients at a higher risk of progression to treatment-requiring hypothyroidism. They also aid the diagnosis of immune thyroiditis and Hashimoto’s encephalopathy. Thyroglobulin measurement is used to help guide differentiated thyroid cancer treatment. TgAb is used as an accompanying test with thyroglobulin measurement as its presence can interfere with the thyroglobulin assay. A negative TgAb result reduces the likelihood of, but does not exclude, interference with thyroglobulin assay.
Tumor MHC class I expression alters cancer-associated myelopoiesis driven by host NK cells
Authors: Neo Shi Yong , Jing Xu , Tong Le , Tong Dongmei , Gao Juan , Chen Ziqing , De Los Santos Mireia Cruz , Burduli Nutsa , De Souza Ferreira Sabrina , Wagner Arnika Kathleen , Alici Evren , Rolny Charlotte , Cao Yihai , Lundqvist Andreas
Published: October 2022

Downregulation of MHC class I (MHCI) molecules on tumor cells is recognized as a resistance mechanism of cancer immunotherapy. Given that MHCI molecules are potent regulators of immune responses, we postulated that the expression of MHCI by tumor cells influences systemic immune responses. Accordingly, mice-bearing MHCI-deficient tumor cells showed reduced tumor-associated extramedullary myelopoiesis in the spleen. Depletion of natural killer (NK) cells abrogated these differences, suggesting an integral role of immune-regulatory NK cells during tumor progression. Cytokine-profiling revealed an upregulation of TNF-α by NK cells in tumors and spleen in mice-bearing MHCI expressing tumors, and inhibition of TNF-α enhanced host myelopoiesis in mice receiving adoptive transfer of tumor-experienced NK cells. Our study highlights a critical role of NK cells beyond its identity as a killer lymphocyte and more importantly, the potential host responses to a localized tumor as determined by its MHCI expression.
Quantification of physiological and mental workloads of faster and slower finishers of a long-distance military training activity
Authors: Chatterjee Tirthankar , Bhattacharyya D , Yadav A , Pal M
Published: October 2022

Background

Long-distance runs with equipment are practised in military training establishments to develop physical stamina and prepare for battles. A study was planned to quantify and compare the physiological and mental workloads of the early and late finishers of a military endurance run through the jungle terrain of north-eastern India in hot and humid conditions.

Methods

Twenty-five soldiers of the Indian Army completed a 15 km run through a rural and jungle track with 6.5 kg of equipment. Twelve participants who finished the race before 130 min were categorised as ‘early finishers’, and 13 were categorised as ‘late finishers’ who finished the race after 130 min. Physiological parameters, viz., heart rate (HR), breathing rate (BR), estimated core temperature (ECT), peak acceleration (PAC), and physiological intensity (PHYI) and mechanical intensity (MECHI) were recorded using BioHarness V.3 (Zephyr Technologies, USA) and NASA Task Load Index scores were obtained to assess mental workload. Mann-Whitney U test was applied to assess the level of significance at a p value of <0.05.

Results

HR, ECT and PAC were significantly higher (167.9 and 156.0 beats/min, 39.0℃ and 38.4℃, and 1.1 and 1.0 g, respectively) for the first group compared with the second group. The second group expressed higher BR and subjective responses (‘total scores’ were 76.5 and 82.5, respectively) than the first. The PHYI was significantly higher (from 7.2 to 6.3) for the first group, whereas the MECHI was similar in both groups.

Conclusion

The successful completion by the first group can be attributed to their motivation to continue heavy work in an adverse environment, and their ability to negotiate with natural obstacles was reflected through controlled subjective responses. Adoption of a possible safe and stable approach to the same task might have led the second group to take a longer duration, exert higher mental effort and demand lower physiological cost.
Ever and cumulative occupational exposure and lung function decline in longitudinal population-based studies: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Rabbani Golam , Nimmi Naima , Benke Geza P , Dharmage Shyamali C , Bui Dinh , Sim Malcolm R , Abramson Michael J , Alif Sheikh M
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Adverse occupational exposures can accelerate age-related lung function decline. Some longitudinal population-based studies have investigated this association. This study aims to examine this association using findings reported by longitudinal population-based studies.

Methods

Ovid Medline, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched using keywords and text words related to occupational exposures and lung function and 12 longitudinal population-based studies were identified using predefined inclusion criteria. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Lung function decline was defined as annual loss of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) or the ratio (FEV1/FVC). Fixed and random-effects meta-analyses were conducted to calculate pooled estimates for ever and cumulative exposures. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2test, and publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots.

Results

Ever exposures to gases/fumes, vapours, gases, dusts, fumes (VGDF) and aromatic solvents were significantly associated with FEV1decline in meta-analyses. Cumulative exposures for these three occupational agents observed a similar trend of FEV1decline. Ever exposures to fungicides and cumulative exposures to biological dust, fungicides and insecticides were associated with FEV1decline in fixed-effect models only. No statistically significant association was observed between mineral dust, herbicides and metals and FEV1decline in meta-analyses.

Conclusion

Pooled estimates from the longitudinal population-based studies have provided evidence that occupational exposures are associated with FEV1decline. Specific exposure control and respiratory health surveillance are required to protect the lung health of the workers.
Do different job demands interact as predictors of long-term sickness absence? A register-based follow-up on 55 467 Danish workers
Authors: Clausen Thomas , Sørensen Jeppe Karl , Dalsager Louise , Karlsen Iben Louise , Kristiansen Jesper
Published: October 2022

Objectives

To assess interactions between combinations of quantitative demands, emotional demands, unclear and contradictory demands, and violence/threats of violence in the prospective association with risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA).

Methods

We included 55 467 employees from the 2012, 2014 and 2016 waves of the Work Environment and Health in Denmark (WEHD) survey. We measured the four independent variables in the WEHD survey and assessed risk of LTSA in a national register during 12 months of follow-up. Using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for age, sex, educational attainment and job group, we estimated risk of LTSA and assessed deviation from additivity using relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI).

Results

For combinations of high emotional demands and high quantitative demands (HR 1.50; 95% CI 1.33 to 1.70; RERI 0.06; 95% CI −0.15 o 0.26) and high emotional demands and violence/threats of violence (HR 1.76; 95% CI 1.53 to 2.02; RERI 0.12; 95% CI −0.43 to 0.66) we found no indications of deviations from additive effects in predicting LTSA. For combinations of violence/threats of violence and high quantitative demands (HR 1.90; 95% CI 1.64 to 2.20; RERI 0.36; 95% CI 0.01 to 0.71) and unclear and contradictory demands and high quantitative demands (HR 1.46; 95% CI 1.31 to 1.62; RERI 0.23; 95% CI 0.04 to 0.42) the results indicated an excess risk of LTSA above additivity (ie, superadditivity).

Conclusions

Participants reporting high quantitative demands combined with either violence/threats of violence or unclear and contradictory demands showed a higher risk of LTSA than expected, indicating superadditivity. Results have implications for preventing negative health effects related to adverse psychosocial working conditions.
Worse long-term renal outcome of lupus nephritis patients of African descent living in Europe
Authors: Enfrein Antoine , Pirson Valérie , Le Guern Véronique , Karras Adexandre , Tamirou Farah , Costedoat-Chalumeau Nathalie , Houssiau Frederic
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Prognosis of lupus nephritis (LN) among patients of African descent living in Europe has been understudied.

Methods

In a retrospective study performed in two European university hospitals, we compared the prognosis of LN in patients of African descent or Caucasians. Remission was defined as a urine protein to creatinine (uP/C) ratio<0.5 g/g and a serum creatinine value<120% of baseline. Renal relapse was defined as the reappearance of a uP/C>1 g/g, leading to a repeat kidney biopsy and/or immunosuppressive treatment change. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate≤60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Adherence was retrospectively assessed through medical files and/or hydroxychloroquine level measurements.

Results

52 patients of African descent and 85 Caucasian patients were included in this analysis. Class III and isolated class V LN were more common among patients of African descent. Time to first renal remission did not differ between ethnic subgroups. By contrast, patients of African descent suffered from earlier renal flares, CKD was more common and time to CKD was shorter after a flare. In a multivariate analysis, African ancestry was an independent risk factor for progression to CKD. We observed no significant difference in non-adherence to treatment between the two groups.

Conclusion

LN patients of African descent have worse renal outcomes, mainly explained by a higher rate of renal flare.
Respiratory distress symptom intervention for non-pharmacological management of the lung cancer breathlessness–cough–fatigue symptom cluster: randomised controlled trial
Authors: Yorke Janelle , Johnson Miriam J , Punnett Grant , Smith Jaclyn , Blackhall Fiona , Lloyd Williams Mari , Mackereth Peter , Haines Jemma , Ryder David , Krishan Ashma , Davies Linda , Khan Aysha , Molassiotis Alex
Published: October 2022

Objectives

In lung cancer, three prominent symptoms, such as breathlessness, cough and fatigue, are closely related with each other forming a ‘respiratory distress symptom cluster’. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the respiratory distress symptom intervention (RDSI) for the management of this symptom cluster in people with lung cancer.

Methods

A single blind, pragmatic, randomised controlled trial conducted in eight centres in England, UK. A total of 263 patients with lung cancer were randomised, including 132 who received RDSI and 131 who received standard care. To be eligible, participants self-reported adverse impact in daily life from at least two of the three symptoms, in any combination. Outcomes were change at 12 weeks for each symptom within the cluster, including Dyspnoea-12 (D-12), Manchester Cough in Lung Cancer (MCLC) and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness-Fatigue.

Results

At baseline, nearly 60% of participants reported all three symptoms. At trial completion the total trial attrition was 109 (41.4%). Compared with the control group, the RDSI group demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in D-12 (p=0.007) and MCLC (p<0.001). The minimal clinically important difference MCID) was achieved for each outcome: D-12 –4.13 (MCID >3), MCLC −5.49 (MCID >3) and FACIT-F 4.91 (MCID >4).

Conclusion

RDSI is a clinically effective, low-risk intervention to support the management of the respiratory distress symptom cluster in lung cancer. However, the study did experience high attrition, which needs to be taken onto consideration when interpreting these results.

Trial registration number

NCT03223805.
Standard smokeless tobacco packaging: potential impact on perceived attractiveness, warning label visibility and harm perceptions among adults in Bangladesh
Authors: Czaplicki Lauren , Saraf Sejal , Kroart Laura , Rasheduzzaman A B M , Islam M Shamimul , Cohen Joanna E
Published: October 2022

Background

In Bangladesh, smokeless tobacco (SLT) is available in a variety of pack shapes and sizes. Lack of standard packaging could limit compliance with pictorial health warning label (HWL) requirements. We explored Bangladeshi SLT users’ and non-users’ perceptions of a proposed standard pack shape forgul(tobacco powder) andzordha(chewing tobacco), including the role that HWL placement plays on harm perceptions.

Methods

We conducted 28 focus groups across three regions of Bangladesh: Dhaka, Sylhet and Khulna. Groups were stratified equally by urban/rural residence, gender and SLT use. Trained facilitators used a standardised guide to discuss perceived attractiveness, noticeability of HWLs and perceived harm of current versus standard packs.

Results

Most groups found bright colours, ‘brand owner’ portrait imagery, and strong, sturdy pack material of current packs attractive. Many of the same features increased perceived attractiveness of the standard packs. Pictorial HWLs on the standard packs appeared larger and increased the visibility and noticeability of HWLs compared with current packs. Lack of HWLs or limited visibility of HWL due to discolouration contributed to lower levels of perceived harm of the current packs. In contrast, HWL prominence and placement on both sides of the standard pack increased perceived harm of standard packs.

Conclusion

The findings suggest a standard shape and size for SLT sold in Bangladesh, coupled with proper implementation of HWLs per the law, could improve HWL noticeability and increase harm perceptions. Additional plain packaging policies that also standardise pack colour may be required to reduce attractive colours and branding.
Frequency and severity of respiratory infections prior to COPD diagnosis and risk of subsequent postdiagnosis COPD exacerbations and mortality: EXACOS-UK health care data study
Authors: Whittaker Hannah , Nordon Clementine , Rubino Annalisa , Morris Tamsin , Xu Yang , De Nigris Enrico , Müllerová Hana , Quint Jennifer K
Published: October 2022

Objective

Little is known about how lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) before chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with future exacerbations and mortality. We investigated this association in patients with COPD in England.

Methods

Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum, Hospital Episode Statistics and Office of National Statistics data were used. Start of follow-up was patient’s first ever COPD diagnosis date and a 1-year baseline period prior to start of follow-up was used to find mild LRTIs (general practice (GP) events/no antibiotics), moderate LRTIs (GP events+antibiotics) and severe LRTIs (hospitalised). Patients were categorised as having: none, 1 mild only, 2+ mild only, 1 moderate, 2+ moderate and 1+ severe. Negative binomial regression modelled the association between baseline LRTIs and subsequent COPD exacerbations and Cox proportional hazard regression was used to investigate mortality.

Results

In 215 234 patients with COPD, increasing frequency and severity of mild and moderate LRTIs were associated with increased rates of subsequent exacerbations compared with no recorded LRTIs (1 mild adjusted IRR 1.16, 95% CI 1.14 to 1.18, 2+ mild IRR 1.51, 95% CI 1.46 to 1.55, 1 moderate IRR 1.81, 95% CI 1.78 to 1.85, 2+ moderate IRR 2.55, 95% CI 2.48 to 2.63). Patients with 1+ severe LRTI (vs no baseline LRTIs) also showed an increased rate of future exacerbations (adjusted IRR 1.75, 95% CI, 1.70 to 1.80). This pattern of association was similar for risk of all-cause and COPD-related mortality; however, patients with 1+ severe LRTIs had the highest risk of all-cause and COPD mortality.

Conclusion

Increasing frequency and severity of LRTIs prior to COPD diagnosis were associated with increasing rates of subsequent exacerbations, and increasing risk of all-cause and COPD-related mortality.
Antibiotic prophylaxis for tube thoracostomy placement in trauma: a practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma
Authors: Freeman Jennifer J , Asfaw Sofya H , Vatsaas Cory J , Yorkgitis Brian K , Haines Krista L , Burns J Bracken , Kim Dennis , Loomis Erica A , Kerwin Andy J , McDonald Amy , Agarwal, Suresh , Fox Nicole , Haut Elliott R , Crandall Marie L , Como John J , Kasotakis George
Published: October 2022

Background

Antibiotic prophylaxis is routinely administered for most operative procedures, but their utility for certain bedside procedures remains controversial. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis and developed evidence-based recommendations on whether trauma patients receiving tube thoracostomy (TT) for traumatic hemothorax or pneumothorax should receive antibiotic prophylaxis.

Methods

Published literature was searched through MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase (via Elsevier), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (via Wiley), Web of Science and ClinicalTrials.gov databases by a professional librarian. The date ranges for our literature search were January 1900 to March 2020. A systematic review and meta-analysis of currently available evidence were performed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology.

Results

Fourteen relevant studies were identified and analyzed. All but one were prospective, with eight being prospective randomized control studies. Antibiotic prophylaxis protocols ranged from a single dose at insertion to 48 hours post-TT removal. The pooled data showed that patients who received antibiotic prophylaxis were significantly less likely to develop empyema (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.86, p=0.01). The benefit was greater in patients with penetrating injuries (penetrating OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.59, p=0.002, vs blunt OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.06 to 1.12, p=0.07). Administration of antibiotic prophylaxis did not significantly affect pneumonia incidence or mortality.

Discussion

In adult trauma patients who require TT insertion, we conditionally recommend antibiotic prophylaxis be given at the time of insertion to reduce incidence of empyema.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018088759.
Activation of the Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway enhances oxidative stress-induced autophagy and alleviates brain damage in a rat model of ischemic stroke
Authors: Deng Aiqing , Ma Limin , Ji Qiuhong , Xing Jiajun , Qin Jianxin , Zhou Xueli , Wang Xin , Wang Shouyan , Wu Jianjun , Chen Xia
Published: October 2022

Autophagy has been implicated in stroke. Our previous study showed that the FoxO3 transcription factor promotes autophagy after transient cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). However, whether the Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway plays a regulatory role in autophagy in cerebral I/R-induced oxidative stress injury is still unclear. The present study aims to investigate the effects of the Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway on autophagy activation and neuronal injury in vitro and in vivo. By employing LY294002 or insulin to regulate the Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway, we found that insulin pretreatment increased cell viability, decreased reactive oxygen species production, and enhanced the expression of antiapoptotic and autophagy-related proteins following H2O2 injury in HT22 cells. In addition, insulin significantly decreased neurological deficit scores and infarct volume and increased the expression of antiapoptotic and autophagy-related proteins following I/R injury in rats. However, LY294002 showed the opposite effects under these conditions. Altogether, these results indicate that Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway activation inhibited oxidative stress-mediated cell death through activation of autophagy. Our study supports a critical role for the Akt/FoxO3 signaling pathway in autophagy activation in stroke.
Search strategy for gluinos at the LHC with a Higgs boson decaying into tau leptons
Authors: Arganda Ernesto , Delgado Antonio , Morales Roberto A. , Quirós Mariano
Published: October 2022

The possibility in supersymmetric scenarios that the dark matter candidate is a Higgsino-like neutralino means that its production can be associated with Higgs bosons. Taking advantage of this fact, we propose a LHC search strategy for gluinos with $$\tau $$
τ
leptons in the final state, coming from the decay of a Higgs boson. We consider the strong production of a pair of gluinos, one of which decays into the Higgsino plus jets while the other decays into the bino plus jets. In turn, this bino decays into the Higgsino plus a Higgs boson which finally decays into a $$\tau $$
τ
-lepton pair. Therefore, the experimental signature under study consists of 4 jets, 2 $$\tau $$
τ
leptons, and a large amount of missing transverse energy. This work represents a proof of principle of a search that is sensitive to a spectrum such that the gluino does not directly decay to the dark matter candidate but to an intermediate electroweakino that then produces Higgs bosons in its subsequent decay. Our cut-based search strategy allows us to reach, for a LHC center-of-mass energy of 14 TeV and a total integrated luminosity of 1 ab$$^{-1}$$

-
1

, significances of up to 2 standard deviations, considering systematic uncertainties in the SM background of 30%. The projections for 3 ab$$^{-1}$$

-
1

are encouraging, with significances at the evidence level, which in more optimistic experimental scenarios could exceed 4 standard deviations.
Prorogation of waves in shallow water through unidirectional Dullin–Gottwald–Holm model; computational simulations
Authors: Khater Mostafa M. A.
Published: October 2022

This paper investigates novel solitary wave solutions of the unidirectional Dullin–Gottwald–Holm model and employs the modified Khater (MKhat) method for studying the dynamical characterization of the prorogation of waves in shallow water. There are various solution types obtained such as kink, periodic, cone, anti-kink, etc. The accuracy of these solutions is checked by implementing He’s variational iteration technique. The analytical and numerical solutions are numerically simulated through 3D, 2D and contour plots for a visual explanation of the shallow water waves’ propagation and the match between both kinds of solutions. Additionally, the interaction between solutions is explained by some stream plots to show the local direction of the vector field at each point and a roughly uniform density throughout the property, which indicates no background scalar field. The novelty of the study’s solutions is explained by comparing it with the previously published articles.
Between an n-ary and an n + 1-ary near-unanimity term
Authors: Lipparini Paolo
Published: October 2022

We devise a condition strictly between the existence of an n-ary and an n + 1-ary near-unanimity term. We evaluate exactly the distributivity and modularity levels implied by such a condition.
Biomedical Evaluation of Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles byJasminum Sambac(L.) Aiton Against Breast Cancer Cell Line, and Both Bacterial Strains Colonies
Authors: Bidan Ali Kadhum , Al-Ali Zainab Shakir Abdullah
Published: October 2022

The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was conducted using the Iraqi Jasminum sambac (L.) Aiton leaves having substantial bioreduction and capping properties. The aqueous extract has been characterized using FTIR to observe changes in functional groups of extract compared to extract-AgNPs. GC-MS understands the mechanism synthesis of AgNPs based on the aqueous extract of J. sambac through identification of aqueous extracted. The synthesized AgNPs were characterized using UV–Vis at 455[Formula: see text]nm, XRD broad chart owing to size of AgNPs and TEM (AgNPs average size less than 10[Formula: see text]nm). FESEM-EDX was carried out to observe the nearly spherical shape with elemental composition. DLS was appointed with hydrodynamic radius as 105.9[Formula: see text]nm and also had a good polydispersity at 0.357, and [Formula: see text]-potential at [Formula: see text]23.1. AgNPs have antibacterial gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli), cytotoxicity MTT assay against breast cancer MCF-7 cell line IC50 at 222.6[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]g/mL, genotoxicity fragmented DNA of MCF-7 by comet assay, emphasized apoptosis cells through cell cycle flow cytometry. Overall, safe, cost-effective, and scalable biogenic nano-formulation of Jasminum sambac-AgNPs possesses antibacterial and anticancer therapeutic applications.
MANAGERIAL PRACTICES WITHIN MULTILATERAL AND PUBLIC-FUNDED R&D COLLABORATIONS
Authors: KHERRAZI SOUFIANE , SAÏD KARIM
Published: October 2022

This paper addresses the issue of managerial practices within multilateral R&D collaborations subject to public sponsorship. The aim is to design a model of organisational, economic and social-based practices to manage public-funded consortia, while taking into account the interaction among these practices as well as the moderating effects of relational risks. Relying on a sample of 232 firms involved in European public-funded consortia, our findings show that the selected managerial practices improve the consortium’s performance. However, the influence of public sponsorship influences the occurrence of relational risks and thereby the benefits of each practice. The implications of these findings are then discussed.
An Analysis of Chinese Cities’ Pathways towards Carbon Peaking under the Carbon Neutrality Goal
Authors: WANG Ke , XING Baiying , JIANG Yuhe
Published: October 2022

Now, China has made it clear that it will strive to have CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060 (the “dual carbon” goals), based on the logic that carbon peaking is a prerequisite for carbon neutrality. The year 2021 is the first year of China’s 14th Five-Year Plan period. As the main battlefields to achieve the “dual carbon” goals, cities are also required to build on their pathways towards such goals under new conditions. Based on the progress China has made with pilot cities for low-carbon development and the discussion on 60 cities by category, this paper identifies the commonalities and differences between Chinese cities’ pathways towards carbon peaking, and concludes that Chinese cities need to peak their carbon emissions in an organized and step-wise way on the basis of classification and according to their own development level and emission characteristics. In light of the above conclusion, this paper provides feasible suggestions for Chinese cities’ carbon peaking.
Definitions of Esports: A Systematic Review and Thematic Analysis
Authors: Formosa Jessica , O'Donnell Nicholas , Horton Ella M. , Türkay Selen , Mandryk Regan L. , Hawks Michael , Johnson Daniel
Published: October 2022

The esports market has been growing exponentially has been growing exponentially with much interest from industry and academia. Perhaps because of this growth, there is a lack of agreement on what esports actually encompasses. We conducted a systematic review of 461 peer reviewed, full papers that provide a definition of esports. Findings highlighted the growth of the esports field across different domains, and increasing global interest in esports, but a lack of consensus regarding definition of the term. Through thematic analysis we identified nine dimensions across esports definitions. We critically assess these dimensions in terms of their representativeness and utility in describing the multifaceted nature of esports. Our work may help create a shared understanding of what esports is- and is not-capturing a diversity of experiences within organized competitive gaming and supporting continued research growth in this increasingly important domain.
Enhanced Esports: Community Perspectives on Performance Enhancers in Competitive Gaming
Authors: Friehs Maximilian A. , Klarkowski Madison , Frommel Julian , Phillips Cody , Mandryk Regan L.
Published: October 2022

This work explores perceptions of performance enhancer usage in esports. Specifically, we explored the perception of: food and food supplements; non-medical use of prescription drugs; drugs with some social acceptance (e.g. alcohol, nicotine, cannabis); drugs with lower social acceptance (e.g., psychedelics, opioids); and non-invasive brain stimulation (e.g. transcranial direct current stimulation). A mixed-methods approach was used to triangulate findings around three data sets, including both prompted and unprompted online forum comments, as well as survey data. The studies evidence that players are willing to use or are already using enhancers to increase their in-game performance, and that players are generally concerned about the use of enhancers in professional esports contexts. Furthermore, the community perceives that a substantial number of e-athletes use enhancers. The core contribution of this work is a comprehensive investigation into perspectives of esports performance enhancement, which highlights the urgent need for further research, as well as regulation by esports leagues.
Everywhere but Nowhere: Development Experiences of the International Game Developers in Finland during the Covid-19 Pandemic and Remote Work
Authors: Park Solip , Kultima Annakaisa , Lehtonen Miikka J. , Krath Jeanine
Published: October 2022

The Covid-19 pandemic has influenced people's views on work, and a significant portion of the global game industry converted to remote work during the pandemic. To explore the status of game development in this pivotal moment, we have conducted semi-structured interviews with 27 immigrant/expatriate game developers ("game expats") in Finland analyzing their migration push and pull on societal, industrial, social, and individual factors. The results indicate societal and industrial factors simultaneously influencing game expats' migration intention, but with an increasing influence of game corporation's role on developers' both on-the-job and off-the-job embeddedness due to an absence of (local) community activities during the pandemic. The data also reveals that game developers are valuing the physical workspace for face-to-face interactions, despite the industrial norm of digital tools and seamless transition to remote work. Furthermore, an alarming stratification and hierarchization within the game industry were identified, which game developers self-dividing in-house versus outsourced workforce even if they were both required to work remotely. This paper contributes to game studies on game developers' experiences as an attempt to investigate the local context of game development. It is also one of the first snapshots of game work practices in Finland during the Covid-19 era.
Exploring the Player Experiences of Wearable Gaming Interfaces: A User Elicitation Study
Authors: Xiao Ruowei , Jung Sangwon , Buruk Oguz 'Oz' , Hamari Juho
Published: October 2022

The design and development of playful wearable devices is a challenging and complicated problem. It entails not only multidisciplinary expertise but also a comprehensive understanding of player experience. There is a scarcity of evidence-based studies in current state-of-art literature that investigate general design practices and provide pragmatic design implications and suggestions based on solid user-centered research. To bridge the gap, we developed five experience prototypes based on the speculative design concepts from previous studies, and a Wizard of Oz experiment was conducted to elicit end users' feedback regarding general gaming experience as well as specific design themes in different gaming scenarios. The user experiment results were analyzed qualitatively following a rigorous thematic analysis, generating five major design implications as output. We believe this study will offer forward-looking insights to designers, developers and the research community, facilitating future work in this field.
miniPXI: Development and Validation of an Eleven-Item Measure of the Player Experience Inventory
Authors: Haider Aqeel , Harteveld Casper , Johnson Daniel , Birk Max V. , Mandryk Regan L. , Seif El-Nasr Magy , Nacke Lennart E. , Gerling Kathrin , Vanden Abeele Vero
Published: October 2022

Questionnaires are vital in games user research (GUR) to assess player experience (PX). However, having too many questions in surveys prevents wider uptake among GUR professionals because of games' rapid production cycles. To address this issue, we present the miniPXI---an eleven-item measure of the popular Player Experience Inventory (PXI)---providing single items for each of its eleven constructs. To develop the scale and examine its reliability and validity, we present three studies, conducted with 15 experts and 628 digital game players across continents. In the first survey study (n=366, 15 experts), single items were selected. In a second survey study (n=232), we explored reliability and validity of the single-item scale. Participants completed both full and single-item (SI) variants in three days. In the last study (n=30), we established the validity and sensitivity via an experimental evaluation of two games. The results are nuanced; SI reliability estimates for PXI constructs range from .51 to .83 with an average of .68, we could confirm the validity for nine constructs. We conclude that the miniPXI can be a valuable tool for PX evaluations where a longer measure is not feasible, and provide practical considerations for its use.
Shoulder-to-Shoulder: How Pinball Supports Men's Wellbeing
Authors: Johnson Daniel , Wiley Katelyn , Passmore Cale , Horton Ella M. , Altizer Roger , Mandryk Regan L.
Published: October 2022

When facing mental health concerns, men seek help less, confront greater stigma in accessing treatment, and experience more severe consequences. Interventions targeted at men are often grounded in activity and situated in appealing contexts, such as sporting or gaming spaces. In this paper, we question how pinball---a social tangible and digital leisure activity---can support men's mental health and wellbeing, through thematic analysis of in-depth semi-structured interviews (n=15) with male pinball enthusiasts. Our contribution is threefold: first, we evidence pinball as a context that provides incidental benefits to mental health directly, and indirectly through social connectedness; second, that enthusiasts actively enhance their social lives and resulting wellbeing via pinball; and third, that pinball contexts are suited for designing interventions that provide mental health supports within subcultures that appeal to men. We situate our findings in theories of wellbeing, activity-based communication, shoulder-to shoulder self-disclosure, and the importance of third-spaces for social wellness.
First-class names for effect handlers
Authors: Xie Ningning , Cong Youyou , Ikemori Kazuki , Leijen Daan
Published: October 2022

Algebraic effects and handlers are a promising technique for incorporating composable computational effects into functional programming languages. Effect handlers enable concisely programming with different effects, but they do not offer a convenient way to program with different instances of the same effect. As a solution to this inconvenience, previous studies have introduced _named effect handlers_, which allow the programmer to distinguish among different effect instances. However, existing formalizations of named handlers are both involved and restrictive, as they employ non-standard mechanisms to prevent the escaping of handler names.

In this paper, we propose a simple and flexible design of named handlers. Specifically, we treat handler names as first-class values, and prevent their escaping while staying within the ordinary λ-calculus. Such a design is enabled by combining named handlers with _scoped effects_, a novel variation of effects that maintain a scope via rank-2 polymorphism. We formalize two combinations of named handlers and scoped effects, and implement them in the Koka programming language. We also present practical applications of named handlers, including a neural network and a unification algorithm.
Parsing randomness
Authors: Goldstein Harrison , Pierce Benjamin C.
Published: October 2022

Random data generators can be thought of as parsers of streams of randomness. This perspective on generators for random data structures is established folklore in the programming languages community, but it has never been formalized, nor have its consequences been deeply explored.

We build on the idea of freer monads to develop free generators, which unify parsing and generation using a common structure that makes the relationship between the two concepts precise. Free generators lead naturally to a proof that a monadic generator can be factored into a parser plus a distribution over choice sequences. Free generators also support a notion of derivative, analogous to the familiar Brzozowski derivatives of formal languages, allowing analysis tools to "preview" the effect of a particular generator choice. This gives rise to a novel algorithm for generating data structures satisfying user-specified preconditions.
Tower: data structures in Quantum superposition
Authors: Yuan Charles , Carbin Michael
Published: October 2022

Emerging quantum algorithms for problems such as element distinctness, subset sum, and closest pair demonstrate computational advantages by relying on abstract data structures. Practically realizing such an algorithm as a program for a quantum computer requires an efficient implementation of the data structure whose operations correspond to unitary operators that manipulate quantum superpositions of data.

To correctly operate in superposition, an implementation must satisfy three properties --- reversibility, history independence, and bounded-time execution. Standard implementations, such as the representation of an abstract set as a hash table, fail these properties, calling for tools to develop specialized implementations.

In this work, we present Core Tower, the first language for quantum programming with random-access memory. Core Tower enables the developer to implement data structures as pointer-based, linked data. It features a reversible semantics enabling every valid program to be translated to a unitary quantum circuit.

We present Boson, the first memory allocator that supports reversible, history-independent, and constant-time dynamic memory allocation in quantum superposition.
We also present Tower, a language for quantum programming with recursively defined data structures. Tower features a type system that bounds all recursion using classical parameters as is necessary for a program to execute on a quantum computer.

Using Tower, we implement Ground, the first quantum library of data structures, including lists, stacks, queues, strings, and sets. We provide the first executable implementation of sets that satisfies all three mandated properties of reversibility, history independence, and bounded-time execution.
Bridging the semantic gap between qualitative and quantitative models of distributed systems
Authors: Liu Si , Meseguer Jose , Ölveczky Peter Csaba , Zhang Min , Basin David
Published: October 2022

Today’s distributed systems must satisfy bothqualitativeandquantitativeproperties. These properties are analyzed using very different formal frameworks: expressive untimed and non-probabilistic frameworks, such as TLA+ and Hoare/separation logics, for qualitative properties; and timed/probabilistic-automaton-based ones, such as Uppaal and Prism, for quantitative ones. This requires developing two quite different models of the same system, without guarantees of semantic consistency between them. Furthermore, it is very hard or impossible torepresentintrinsic features of distributed object systems—such as unbounded data structures, dynamic object creation, and an unbounded number of messages—using finite automata.

In this paper we bridge this semantic gap, overcome the problem of manually having to develop two different models of a system, and solve the representation problem by: (i) defining a transformation from a very general class of distributed systems (a generalization of Agha’s actor model) that maps an untimed non-probabilistic distributed system model suitable for qualitative analysis to a probabilistic timed model suitable for quantitative analysis; and (ii) proving the two models semantically consistent. We formalize our models in rewriting logic, and can therefore use the Maude tool to analyze qualitative properties, and statistical model checking with PVeStA to analyze quantitative properties. We have automated this transformation and integrated it, together with the PVeStA statistical model checker, into theActors2PMaudetool. We illustrate the expressiveness of our framework and our tool’s ease of use by automatically transforming untimed, qualitative models of numerous distributed system designs—including an industrial data store and a state-of-the-art transaction system—into quantitative models to analyze and compare the performance of different designs.
Overwatch: learning patterns in code edit sequences
Authors: Zhang Yuhao , Bajpai Yasharth , Gupta Priyanshu , Ketkar Ameya , Allamanis Miltiadis , Barik Titus , Gulwani Sumit , Radhakrishna Arjun , Raza Mohammad , Soares Gustavo , Tiwari Ashish
Published: October 2022

Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) provide tool support to automate many source code editing tasks. Traditionally, IDEs use only the spatial context, i.e., the location where the developer is editing, to generate candidate edit recommendations. However, spatial context alone is often not sufficient to confidently predict the developer’s next edit, and thus IDEs generate many suggestions at a location. Therefore, IDEs generally do not actively offer suggestions and instead, the developer is usually required to click on a specific
icon or menu and then select from a large list of potential suggestions. As a consequence, developers often miss the opportunity to use the tool support because they are not aware it exists or forget to use it.
To better understand common patterns in developer behavior and produce better edit recommendations, we can additionally use the temporal context, i.e., the edits that a developer was recently performing. To enable edit recommendations based on temporal context, we present Overwatch, a novel technique for learning edit sequence patterns from traces of developers’ edits performed in an IDE. Our experiments show that Overwatch has 78% precision and that Overwatch not only completed edits when developers missed the
opportunity to use the IDE tool support but also predicted new edits that have no tool support in the IDE.
Highly illogical, Kirk: spotting type mismatches in the large despite broken contracts, unsound types, and too many linters
Authors: Hoeflich Joshua , Findler Robert Bruce , Serrano Manuel
Published: October 2022

The DefinitelyTyped repository hosts type declarations for thousands of JavaScript libraries. Given the lack of formal connection between the types and the corresponding code, a natural question is
are the types right?
An equally important question, as DefinitelyTyped and the libraries it supports change over time, is
how can we keep the types from becoming wrong?
In this paper we offer Scotty, a tool that detects mismatches between the types and code in the Definitely-Typed repository. More specifically, Scotty checks each package by converting its types into contracts and installing the contracts on the boundary between the library and its test suite. Running the test suite in this environment can reveal mismatches between the types and the JavaScript code. As automation and generality are both essential if such a tool is going to remain useful in the long term, we focus on techniques that sacrifice completeness, instead preferring to avoid false positives. Scotty currently handles about 26% of the 8006 packages on DefinitelyTyped (61% of the packages whose code is available and whose test suite passes).

Perhaps unsurprisingly, running the tests with these contracts in place revealed many errors in Definitely-Typed. More surprisingly, despite the inherent limitations of the techniques we use, this exercise led to one hundred accepted pull requests that fix errors in DefinitelyTyped, demonstrating the value of this approach for the long-term maintenance of DefinitelyTyped. It also revealed a number of lessons about working in the JavaScript ecosystem and how details beyond the semantics of the language can be surprisingly important. Best of all, it also revealed a few places where programmers preferred incorrect types, suggesting some avenues of research to improve TypeScript.