bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indigenous forest edges increase habitat complexity and refuge opportunities for grassland butterflies
Authors: Gaigher René , Pryke James S. , Samways Michael J.
Published: September 2023

Heterogeneity at local and landscape scales can promote insect diversity and moderate insect declines that stem from global change. Determining how species respond to different landscape components provides insight into the role of heterogeneity in landscapes undergoing change. We examine how indigenous forest-grassland edges are used by butterflies. We assessed butterfly diversity and behaviour at forest edges and adjoining grassland, and tested whether these patterns are influenced by differing weather conditions between seasons. Forest edges supported a species rich butterfly assemblage. Forest specialists were more diverse at forest edges than in grassland, whereas grassland specialists and habitat generalists were as diverse at forest edges as in grassland. All butterfly groups showed more inter- and intra-specific interactions and more patrolling behaviour at forest edges, but more feeding and transient behaviour in grassland. Occurrence and behavioural patterns were not mediated by season, suggesting that the influence of forests does not change with varying environmental conditions. Nonetheless, certain species preferentially utilized forest edges in the hot and windy season, indicating that shelter provided by forest edges influences butterfly habitat use. We found no evidence that complementary nectar sources influence butterfly distribution patterns.

Implications for insect conservation: The diverse butterfly assemblages and range of behaviours supported by indigenous forest edges indicate that forest patches are an important habitat component for butterflies. Conserving forest patches in these coastal grasslands may help buffer butterfly populations against global change.
Tax-benefit systems and the gender gap in income
Authors: Doorley Karina , Keane Claire
Published: September 2023

The gender wage gap and the gender work gap are sizable, persistent and well documented for many countries. The result of the gender wage and gender work gap combined is an income gap between men and women. A small literature has begun to examine how the tax-benefit system contributes to closing gender income gaps by redistributing between men and women. In this paper, we study the effect of tax-benefit policy on gender differences in income in the EU27 countries and the UK. We use microsimulation models linked to survey data to estimate gender gaps in market income (before taxes and transfers) and disposable income (after taxes and transfers) for each country. We then decompose the difference between the gender gap in market income and the gender gap in disposable income into the relative contribution of taxes and benefits in each country. We also isolate the relative contributions of the gender wage gap and the gender work gap to the overall gap in income between men and women in two of these countries.
Landscape homogenisation and simplified butterfly community structure go on par across Northern Austria
Authors: Habel Jan Christian , Schmitt Thomas , Ulrich Werner , Gros Patrick , Salcher Bernhard , Teucher Mike
Published: September 2023

Context

Agricultural intensification has led to strong homogenization of landscapes. Field copses have become larger, the boundaries between habitats became sharper, and land plots have been cultivated more intensively. In parallel, most field copses, ruderal areas and hedgerows were removed. As a result, ecotones and rarely used microhabitats largely disappeared. In consequence, many suitable habitats for species such as butterflies vanished and the permeability of the landscape decreased, with negative effects on biodiversity.

Objective

In this study we analyse land-use and habitat configuration, and butterfly diversity for the years 1953 and 2018 for northern Austria.

Methods

We assessed land cover and landscape configuration for the years 1953 and 2018 on a field-by-field basis across northern Austria, based on aerial and satellite images. We studied butterfly diversity for these two identical periods of time.

Results

Our data show a decrease of the number of field copses over the past decades and a reduction in landscape complexity. The expected number of butterflies per sample unit of an assumed species decreased significantly. Particularly sedentary specialists decreased, while the proportion of mobile generalists increased.

Conclusions

Our study underlines the general trend of landscape and faunal homogenization, which specifically leads to the vanishing of extensively used micro-habitats and the loss of sedentary specialist species.
Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths in Namibia, 2018–2019: A Local Approach to Strengthen the Review Process and a Description of Review Findings and Recommendations
Authors: Heemelaar Steffie , Callard Beatrix , Shikwambi Hilma , Ellmies Jana , Kafitha Wilhelmina , Stekelenburg Jelle , van den Akker Thomas , Mackenzie Shonag
Published: September 2023

Objectives

First objective was to strengthen the national maternal death review, by addressing local challenges with each step of the review cycle. Second objective was to describe review findings and compare these with available findings of previous reviews.

Methods

Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths methodology was used to review maternal deaths. To improve reporting, the national committee focussed on addressing fear of blame among healthcare providers. Second focus was on dissemination of findings and acting on recommendations forthcoming the review. Reviewed were reported maternal deaths, that occurred between 1 April 2018 and 31 March 2019.

Results

Seventy maternal deaths were reported; for 69 (98.6%) medical records were available, compared to 80/119 (67.2%) in 2012–2015. Reported maternal mortality ratio increased with 48% (92/100,000 live births compared to 62/100,000 in 2012–2015). Obstetric haemorrhage was leading cause of death in the past three reviews. The “no name, no blame” policy, aiming to identify health system failures, rather than mistakes of individuals, was repeatedly explained to healthcare providers during facility visits. Recommendations based on findings of the review, such as retaining experienced staff, continuous in-service training and guidance, were shared with decision makers at regional and national levels. Healthcare providers received training based on review findings, which resulted in improved management of similar cases.

Conclusions for Practice

Enhanced implementation of Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths was possible after addressing local challenges. Focussing on obtaining trust of healthcare providers and feeding back findings, resulted in better reporting and prevention of potential maternal deaths.
Abnormal grey matter structural changes in patients with end-stage kidney disease and mild cognitive impairment: correlations with clinical features
Authors: Yuan Huijie , Luo Zhaoyao , Gu Wen , Ma Shaohui , Li Guangyu , Ding Dun , Ma Xueying , Li Peng , Yang Jing , Xu Xiaoling , Mu Junya , Zhang Ming
Published: September 2023

End-stage kidney disease and mild cognitive impairment (ESKD-MCI) affect the quality of life and long-term treatment outcomes of patients affected by these diseases. Clarifying the morphological changes from brain injuries in ESKD-MCI and their relationship with clinical features is helpful for the early identification and intervention of MCI before it progresses to irreversible dementia. This study gathered data from 23 patients with ESKD-MCI, 24 patients with ESKD and non-cognitive impairment (NCI), and 27 health controls (HCs). Structural magnetic resonance studies, cognitive assessments, and general clinical data were collected from all participants. Voxel-based morphometry analysis was performed to compare grey matter (GM) volume differences between the groups. The patients’ GM maps and clinical features were subjected to univariate regression to check for possible correlations. Patients with ESKD-MCI displayed significantly more impairments in multiple cognitive domains, including global cognition, visuospatial and executive function, and memory, compared to patients with ESKD-NCI. Using a more liberal threshold (P < 0.001, uncorrected), we found that compared to patients with ESKD-NCI, patients with ESKD-MCI exhibited clusters of regions with lower GM volumes, including the right hippocampus (HIP), parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), Rolandic operculum, and supramarginal gyrus. The volumes of the right HIP and PHG were negatively correlated with serum calcium levels. ESKD-MCI was associated with a subtle volume reduction of GM in several brain areas known to be involved in memory, language, and auditory information processing. We speculate that these slight morphometric impairments may be associated with disturbed calcium metabolism.
Continuum of Trauma: Fear and Mistrust of Institutions in Communities of Color During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Vázquez Evelyn , Juturu Preeti , Burroughs Michelle , McMullin Juliet , Cheney Ann M.
Published: September 2023

Historical, cultural, and social trauma, along with social determinants of health (SDOH), shape health outcomes, attitudes toward medicine, government, and health behaviors among communities of color in the United States (U.S.). This study explores how trauma and fear influence COVID-19 testing and vaccination among Black/African American, Latinx/Indigenous Latin American, and Native American/Indigenous communities. Leveraging community-based participatory research methods, we conducted 11 virtual focus groups from January to March of 2021 with Black/African American (n = 4), Latinx/Indigenous Latin American (n = 4), and Native American/Indigenous (n = 3) identifying community members in Inland Southern California. Our team employed rapid analytic approaches (e.g., template and matrix analysis) to summarize data and identify themes across focus groups and used theories of intersectionality and trauma to meaningfully interpret study findings. Historical, cultural, and social trauma induce fear and mistrust in public health and medical institutions influencing COVID-19 testing and vaccination decisions in communities of color in Inland Southern California. This work showcases the need for culturally and structurally sensitive community-based health interventions that attend to the historical, cultural, and social traumas unique to racial/ethnic minority populations in the U.S. that underlie fear and mistrust of medical, scientific, and governmental institutions.
Boundary corrections on multi-dimensional PDEs
Authors: González-Pinto S. , Hernández-Abreu D. , Pérez-Rodríguez S.
Published: September 2023

Two new boundary correction techniques are proposed in order to mitigate the order reduction phenomenon associated with the numerical solution of initial boundary value problems for parabolic partial differential equations in arbitrary spatial dimensions with time-dependent Dirichlet boundary conditions. The new techniques are based on the idea of discretizing the PDE problem at the boundary points as similar as possible to that of the interior points of the domain. These new techniques are considered for the time integration with W-methods based on approximate matrix factorization. By suitably modifying the internal stages of the methods on the boundary points, it is illustrated by numerical testing with time-dependent boundary conditions that the new boundary correction techniques are able to keep the same accuracy and order of convergence that the method reaches in the case of homogeneous boundary conditions.
Evidence, reasons, and knowledge in the reasons-first program
Authors: Silva Paul , Bernecker Sven
Published: September 2023

Mark Schroeder’s Reasons First is admirable in its scope and execution, deftly demonstrating the theoretical promise of extending the reasons-first approach from ethics to epistemology. In what follows we explore how (not) to account for the evidence-that relation within the reasons-first program, we explain how factive content views of evidence can be resilient in the face of Schroeder’s criticisms, and we explain how knowledge from falsehood threatens Schroeder’s view of knowledge. Along the way we sketch a reliabilist account of the reasons-for relation (inspired by Alston) and show how it limits the applicability of Schroeder’s arguments.
Relationship between multimorbidity, functional limitation, and quality of life among middle-aged and older adults: findings from the longitudinal analysis of the 2013–2020 Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE)
Authors: Wilk Piotr , Ruiz-Castell Maria , Stranges Saverio , Bohn Torsten , Fagherazzi Guy , Nicholson Kathryn , Moran Valérie , Makovski Tatjana T. , Pi Alperin Maria Noel , Zeegers Maurice P. , Samouda Hanen
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The increased burden of multimorbidity is restricting individuals’ ability to live autonomously, leading to a poorer quality of life. This study estimated trajectories of functional limitation and quality of life among middle-aged (ages 50 to 64 years) and older (aged 65 years and older) individuals with and without multimorbidity. We also assessed differences in the relationship between these two trajectories by multimorbidity status and separately for each age cohort.

Methods

Data originated from the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). In Luxembourg, data were obtained between 2013 and 2020, involving 1,585 respondents ≥ 50 years of age. Multimorbidity was defined as a self-reported diagnosis of two or more out of 16 chronic conditions; functional limitation was assessed by a combined (Instrumental) Activities of Daily Living (ADL/IADLI) scale; and to measure quality of life, we used the Control, Autonomy, Self-Realization, and Pleasure (CASP-12) scale. Latent growth curve modelling techniques were used to conduct the analysis where repeated measures of quality of life and functional limitation were treated as continuous and zero-inflated count variables, respectively. The model was assessed separately in each age cohort, controlling for the baseline covariates, and the estimates from the two cohorts were presented as components of a synthetic cohort covering the life course from the age of 50.

Results

Middle-aged and older adults living with multimorbidity experienced poorer quality of life throughout the life course and were at a higher risk of functional limitation than those without multimorbidity. At baseline, functional limitation had a negative impact on quality of life. Furthermore, among middle-aged adults without multimorbidity and older adults with multimorbidity, an increase in the number of functional limitations led to a decline in quality of life. These results imply that the impact of multimorbidity on functional limitation and quality of life may vary across the life course.

Conclusion

Using novel methodological techniques, this study contributes to a better understanding of the longitudinal relationship between functional limitation and quality of life among individuals with and without multimorbidity and how this relationship changes across the life course. Our findings suggest that lowering the risk of having multimorbidity can decrease functional limitation and increase quality of life.
Implied volatility surfaces: a comprehensive analysis using half a billion option prices
Authors: Ulrich Maxim , Zimmer Lukas , Merbecks Constantin
Published: September 2023

This study delves into the critical aspect of accurately estimating single stock volatility surfaces, a task indispensable for option pricing, risk management, and empirical asset pricing. Utilizing a comprehensive dataset consisting of half a billion daily price observations for options on 499 US individual stocks and the S&P 500, the research investigates the accuracy of diverse methods for constructing volatility surfaces. The comparative evaluation of the three-dimensional kernel smoother by OptionMetrics (IvyDB US file and data reference manual, version 5.2, Rev. 01/27/2022, Computer software manual, New York, 2022), the semi-parametric spline by Figlewski (in: Robert F. Engle (ed) Estimating the implied risk neutral density. Volatility and time series econometrics: Essays in honor, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2008), and a refined one-dimensional kernel smoother reveals the distinct superiority of the latter. This method consistently outperforms its counterparts across all moneyness, maturity, and liquidity categories, with markedly lower error metrics. The study further uncovers significant distortions in the extraction of Bakshi et al. (Rev Financ Stud 16:101–143, 2003) moments and skewness spanning induced by the noise-infused three-dimensional kernel smoother, which could potentially mislead derivative pricing and trading decisions. The findings offer valuable insights to traders, risk managers, investors, and researchers, suggesting a robust, one-size-fits-all method for crafting more accurate and less noisy volatility predictions. The research advances our understanding of option-implied information, its extraction, and broader implications for financial markets.
National Culture and Financial Capability: A Global Perspective
Authors: Bialowolski Piotr , Xiao Jing Jian , Weziak-Bialowolska Dorota
Published: September 2023

The origins of financial capability assessed at the country level can be traced back to the socio-economic and quality of life factors. However, the role of national culture should be considered equally important. Hence, differences in national culture are hypothesized to correlate with average financial capability levels at the country level. This study attempts to answer an important question: What is the relationship between culture and financial capability at the country level? The data for this study originate from four diverse sources provided by the World Bank (two datasets), United Nations, and Hofstede Insights. The final dataset includes data from 137 countries. As a measure of financial capability, we use an aggregate index combining financial behavior (account ownership) and financial knowledge. Culture is measured using six dimensions of national cultures from Hofstede Insights: Power Distance, Masculinity, Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism, Long-Term Orientation, and Indulgence. The results show that certain dimensions of culture are strongly correlated with financial capabilities at the country level even after controlling for the level of economic development. Positive relationships between financial capability and three cultural factors—Individualism, Long-Term Orientation, and Indulgence—are noted. In addition, Uncertainty Avoidance is negatively associated with financial capabilities. The observed relationships are non-linear. Specifically, Individualism and Long-Term Orientation are positive correlates of financial capability up to a certain level (the score of 75 and 50, respectively, on the scale 0–100), Individualism is a positive correlate starting at the score of 25, while Uncertainty Avoidance is a negative correlate up to the score of 75.
Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments
Authors: Khalil Elias L.
Published: September 2023

This review identifies at least six different kinds of fellow-feeling in Adam Smith’sTheory of Moral Sentiments.The six kinds are (i) the mirroring of emotions; (ii) altruism; (iii) judgment of pitch of emotions/actions; (iv) judgment of merit of emotions/actions; (v) friendship-and-love; and (vi) aspiration that leads to admiration. Smith does not list them side-by-side. This side-by-side listing promises to help thinkers to see how to assemble them to construct a coherent and systematic framework on how to amalgamate three moments of behavior: the emotional, the rational, and the moral.
Seroprevalence and detection of bovine leukosis virus in semen from breeding bulls in Costa Rica
Authors: Chacón Jorge , Leiva Roberto , Romero-Zuñiga Juan José , Navarro Leonel , Dolz Gaby
Published: September 2023

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) causes enzootic bovine leukosis, a persistent infection and the most important neoplastic disease in cattle. It is spread primarily by transferring infected lymphocytes through blood from carriers to healthy animals. The present study is aimed at determining the seropositivity of BLV in breeding bulls from Costa Rica and at detecting for the first time in the country BLV DNA in bull semen. Between May 2011 and August 2018, 379 blood and 133 semen samples were collected from bulls distributed in 118 farms. The serum was analyzed by an enzymatic immunoassay and the semen by polymerase chain reaction and sequencing. BLV seropositivity was 43.5% (165/379), while 64.4% (76/118) of the farms had positive reactors. Holstein (75.7%) and Jersey (73.0%) breeds showed the highest seropositivity. In addition, Bos taurus bulls (68.1%), older than seven years (50.0%), and those belonging to dairy farms (75.5%) had higher seropositivity compared to Bos indicus (17.7%), younger than seven years (42.2%), and those from beef farms (15.5%), respectively. Moreover, Bos taurus bulls had a higher risk of being seropositive than Bos indicus (OR = 3.4; 95% CI: 1.7–6.8). BLV DNA was found in one semen sample (2.5%; 1/40) from a seropositive bull. The importance of serum and molecular BLV screening in semen samples and the potential role of some risk factors associated with the disease, such as the bull’s age, genotype, and type of livestock productive system, is argued in the present report.
Moving Evidence-Based Mental Health Interventions into Practice: Implementation of Digital Mental Health Interventions
Authors: Liu Michelle , Schueller Stephen M.
Published: October 2023

Opinion statement

Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) offer a modern solution to increase access to mental health services, by supporting existing services or providing new services to those who are not as accessible to traditional mental healthcare. DMHIs, however, often face challenges transitioning from research to practice. Implementation science aims to enhance and establish frameworks to help identify barriers and facilitators towards implementing DMHIs in different communities. We analyze the barriers and facilitators towards successful implementation using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) domains and summarize the implementation strategies used to enhance the adoption, implementation, and sustainment of DMHIs. Finally, we address the ethical and safety principles that should be followed to protect the consumers/patients. With the growing amount of evidence supporting the effectiveness of DMHIs, this paper provides an overview of implementation considerations for DMHIs and its role in improving mental healthcare delivery. However, the role of DMHIs and their implementation need to be better defined in various settings. Implementation science and its frameworks can offer us a better understanding of determinants to better identify, create, and evaluate implementation strategies.
Face deblurring based on regularized structure and enhanced texture information
Authors: Shi Canghong , Zhang Xian , Li Xiaojie , Mumtaz Imran , Lv Jiancheng
Published: October 2023

Image deblurring is an essential problem in computer vision. Due to highly structured and special facial components (e.g. eyes), most general image deblurring methods and face deblurring methods failed to yield more explicit structure and facial details, resulting in too smooth, uncoordinated and distorted face structure. Considering the unique face texture and sufficient facial details, we present an effective face deblurring network by exploiting more regularized structure and enhanced texture information (RSETNet). We first incorporate the face parsing network with fine-tuning to obtain more accurate face structure, and we present the feature adaptive denormalization (FAD) to regularize the facial structure as a condition of auxiliary to generate more harmonious and undistorted face structure. Meanwhile, to improve the generated facial texture information, we propose a new Laplace depth-wise separable convolution (LDConv) and multi-patch discriminator. Compared with existing methods, our face deblurring method could restore face structure more accurately and with more facial details. Experiments on two public face datasets have demonstrated the effectiveness of our proposed methods in terms of qualitative and quantitative indicators.
Experimental investigation of desiccant dehumidification with four different combinations of silica gel desiccant wheel on indoor air quality
Authors: Rambhad Kishor S. , Walke Pramod V. , Kalbande Vednath P. , Kumbhalkar Manoj A. , Khond Vivek W. , Nandanwar Yogesh , Mohan Man , Jibhakate Rahul
Published: October 2023

Indoor air quality (IAQ) describes the air quality within buildings and other structures, particularly concerning how it affects the health and comfort of building inhabitants. Your likelihood of experiencing indoor health issues can be decreased by being aware of and controlling common indoor contaminants. In addition to maintaining indoor relative humidity at or below 65%, The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends temperatures between 21 and 26 °C in the summer and 20–24 °C in the winter. The EPA advises using humidity levels between 30 and 60% to stop mold from growing. Silica gel, lithium chloride, and molecular sieves 5A are excellent for dehumidification due to their strong moisture adsorption capability and potential for regeneration. Choosing the right desiccant depends on factors like adsorption capacity, pore size, and chemical compatibility, which are crucial for dehumidification applications and environments. This study compares the performance of silica gel desiccant wheels with three additional composite materials for air dehumidification, which is unusual in this work because very few studies of these combinations have been provided. For all desiccant wheels, the various operating parameters of the needed dehumidification process have been investigated and compared. For adsorption and regeneration rate, the performance of three different composite desiccant wheels was examined and compared experimentally. This experimental evaluation reveals that the composite desiccant wheel (silica gel-lithium chloride-molecular sieve 5A) has a higher adsorption and regeneration rate than others. When a composite desiccant wheel made from silica gel-lithium chloride, silica gel-molecular sieve 5A, and silica gel-lithium chloride-molecular sieve 5A was compared to the performance of a silica gel desiccant wheel, the percentage improvements in adsorption rate were 34.99%, 43.58%, and 85.5%, and the percentage increases in regeneration rate were 5.65%, 7.08%, and 14%.
How AGU Publications is Supporting the Next Generation of Reviewers
Authors: Dedej Sarah , Ramil Meghan , Sophie Hanson Sophie Hanson , Ricci Mia
Published: September 2023

In recognition of 2023’s Peer Review Week’s theme “Peer Review and The Future of Publishing”, AGU Publications is excited to share some of our recent initiatives to support early career researchers.
Factors that determine first intubation attempt success in high-risk neonates
Authors: Chen Donna Y. , Devsam Bianca , Sett Arun , Perkins Elizabeth J. , Johnson Mitchell D. , Tingay David G.
Published: September 2023

Background

Approximately 50% of all neonatal endotracheal intubation attempts are unsuccessful and associated with airway injury and cardiorespiratory instability. The aim of this study was to describe intubation practice at a high-risk Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and identify factors associated with successful intubation at the first attempt.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of all infants requiring intubation within the Royal Children’s Hospital NICU over three years. Data was collected from the National Emergency Airway Registry for Neonates (NEAR4NEOS). Outcomes were number of attempts, level of operator training, equipment used, difficult airway grade, and clinical factors. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to determine factors independently associated with first attempt success.

Results

Three hundred and sixty intubation courses, with 538 attempts, were identified. Two hundred and twenty-five (62.5%) were successful on first attempt, with similar rates at subsequent attempts. On multivariate analysis, increasing operator seniority increased the chance of first attempt success. Higher glottic airway grades were associated with lower chance of first attempt success, but neither a known difficult airway nor use of a stylet were associated with first attempt success.

Conclusion

In a NICU with a high rate of difficult airways, operator experience rather than equipment was the greatest determinant of intubation success.

Impact

Neonatal intubation is a high-risk lifesaving procedure, and this is the first report of intubation practices at a quaternary surgical NICU that provides regional referral services for complex medical and surgical admissions.

Our results showed that increasing operator seniority and lower glottic airway grades were associated with increased first attempt intubation success rates, while factors such as gestational age, weight, stylet use, and known history of difficult airway were not.

Operator factors rather than equipment factors were the greatest determinants of first attempt success, highlighting the importance of team selection for neonatal intubations in a high-risk cohort of infants.
Evaluation of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes in luminal breast cancer using artificial intelligence
Authors: Makhlouf Shorouk , Wahab Noorul , Toss Michael , Ibrahim Asmaa , Lashen Ayat G. , Atallah Nehal M. , Ghannam Suzan , Jahanifar Mostafa , Lu Wenqi , Graham Simon , Mongan Nigel P. , Bilal Mohsin , Bhalerao Abhir , Snead David , Minhas Fayyaz , Raza Shan E. Ahmed , Rajpoot Nasir , Rakha Emad
Published: September 2023

Background

Tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are a prognostic parameter in triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer (BC). However, their role in luminal (oestrogen receptor positive and HER2 negative (ER + /HER2-)) BC remains unclear. In this study, we used artificial intelligence (AI) to assess the prognostic significance of TILs in a large well-characterised cohort of luminal BC.

Methods

Supervised deep learning model analysis of Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)-stained whole slide images (WSI) was applied to a cohort of 2231 luminal early-stage BC patients with long-term follow-up. Stromal TILs (sTILs) and intratumoural TILs (tTILs) were quantified and their spatial distribution within tumour tissue, as well as the proportion of stroma involved by sTILs were assessed. The association of TILs with clinicopathological parameters and patient outcome was determined.

Results

A strong positive linear correlation was observed between sTILs and tTILs. High sTILs and tTILs counts, as well as their proximity to stromal and tumour cells (co-occurrence) were associated with poor clinical outcomes and unfavourable clinicopathological parameters including high tumour grade, lymph node metastasis, large tumour size, and young age. AI-based assessment of the proportion of stroma composed of sTILs (as assessed visually in routine practice) was not predictive of patient outcome. tTILs was an independent predictor of worse patient outcome in multivariate Cox Regression analysis.

Conclusion

AI-based detection of TILs counts, and their spatial distribution provides prognostic value in luminal early-stage BC patients. The utilisation of AI algorithms could provide a comprehensive assessment of TILs as a morphological variable in WSIs beyond eyeballing assessment.
Efficient signed-rank based EWMA and HWMA repetitive control charts for monitoring process mean with and without auxiliary information
Authors: Shafqat Ambreen , Zhensheng Huang , Aslam Muhammad
Published: September 2023

Control charts are powerful tools to observe the presentation of the manufacturing process. Mostly, when the data in industries come from the process may follow non-normal or unknown distributions. So, the distribution-free control charts are useful in practice when the possibility model of the process productivity is unknown. In such situations, the correct selection of the sampling mechanism is beneficial for process examination. This paper proposes a nonparametric exponentially weighted moving average signed-rank (EWMA-SR) and also proposed a homogeneously weighted moving average Signed-Rank (HWMA-SR) control charts for examining the small shift in process with the help of an auxiliary variable (in the form of a regression estimator) by using an efficient plan, namely, a repetitive sampling plan. The proposal’s presentation is evaluated and matched with its complements for different symmetric distributions by using some famous run length properties including average run length, median run length, and standard deviation of run length.
High-energy storage capacity of cellulose nanofiber supercapacitors using bound water
Authors: Fukuhara Mikio , Yokotsuka Tomonori , Takashina Takuya , Fujima Nobuhisa , Morita Masahiro , Ito Tatsunori , Nakatani Takeshi , Hashida Toshiyuki
Published: October 2023

The performance of electric double-layer capacitors and lithium-ion batteries deteriorates with increasing humidity. The desirable effect of bound water on the energy-storage properties of physically dry cellulose nanofiber (Na-ACF) supercapacitors with sodium (Na) carboxylate radicals was investigated using infrared and near-infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, alternating current impedance analyses, and first-principles calculations. The storage capacity decreased gradually upon heating to 423 K and reached zero upon exceeding 483 K, accompanied by increasing electrical resistance, forming a distorted semicircle in Nyquist diagram and drawing the phase angle to zero in Bode diagram. This is attributed to the water in the hydration gel bound to the Na+-ions that cross-link the cellulose chains, evaporating as the temperature increases, and finally becoming Na2O. The increased band-gap energy from the increase in bound water prevents leakage from the supercapacitor. In contrast to ordinary batteries, bound water is necessary for developing Na-ACF supercapacitors.
Mechanistic insights on Bi-potentiodynamic control towards atomistic synthesis of electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Srivastava Rohit Ranjan , Gautam Divyansh , Sahu Rajib , Shukla P. K. , Mukherjee Bratindranath , Srivastava Anchal
Published: September 2023

Herein, electrochemically assisted dissolution-deposition (EADD) is utilized over a three-electrode assembly to prepare an electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Cyclic voltammetry is performed to yield atomistic loading of platinum (Pt) over SnS2 nanostructures via Pt dissolution from the counter electrode (CE). Astonishingly, the working electrode (WE) swept at 50 mV/s is found to compel Pt CE to experience 1000–3000 mV/s. The effect of different potential scan rates at the WE have provided insight into the change in Pt dissolution and its deposition behaviour over SnS2 in three electrode assembly. However, uncontrolled overpotentials at CE in a three-electrode assembly made Pt dissolution-deposition behavior complex. Here, for the first time, we have demonstrated bi-potentiodynamic control for dissolution deposition of Pt in four-electrode assembly over Nickel (Ni) foam. The dual cyclic voltammetry is applied to achieve better control and efficiency of the EADD process, engendering it as a pragmatically versatile and scalable synthesis technique.
Association of reduced glutathione levels with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Kotepui Manas , Kotepui Kwuntida , Mahittikorn Aongart , Majima Hideyuki J. , Tangpong Jitbanjong , Yen Hsiu-Chuan
Published: September 2023

Reduced glutathione (GSH) is a crucial antioxidant with recognized roles in malaria pathogenesis and host response. Despite its importance, reports on the association of GSH with malaria are inconsistent. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the differences in GSH levels in relation toPlasmodiuminfection. A comprehensive literature search of six electronic databases (Embase, MEDLINE, Ovid, PubMed, Scopus, and ProQuest) was conducted. Of the 2158 initially identified records, 18 met the eligibility criteria. The majority of studies reported a significant decrease in GSH levels in malaria patients compared with uninfected controls, and this was confirmed by meta-analysis (P < 0.01, Hedges g: − 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] − 2.48 to − 0.46,I2: 99.12%, 17 studies). Additionally, there was no significant difference in GSH levels betweenPlasmodium falciparummalaria andP. vivaxmalaria (P = 0.80, Hedges g:  0.11, 95% CI − 0.76 to 0.98,I2: 93.23%, three studies). Similarly, no significant variation was observed between symptomatic and asymptomatic malaria cases (P = 0.78, Hedges g: 0.06, 95% CI − 0.34 to 0.46,I2: 48.07%, two studies). In conclusion, although GSH levels appear to be generally lower in malaria patients, further detailed studies are necessary to fully elucidate this complex relationship.
Quantifying the heterogeneous impact of lockdown policies on different socioeconomic classes during the first COVID-19 wave in Colombia
Authors: Valgañón Pablo , Useche Andrés F. , Soriano-Paños David , Ghoshal Gourab , Gómez-Gardeñes Jesús
Published: September 2023

In the absence of vaccines, the most widespread reaction to curb the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide was the implementation of lockdowns or stay-at-home policies. Despite the reported usefulness of such policies, their efficiency was highly constrained by socioeconomic factors determining their feasibility and their associated outcome in terms of mobility reduction and the subsequent limitation of social activity. Here we investigate the impact of lockdown policies on the mobility patterns of different socioeconomic classes in the three major cities of Colombia during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. In global terms, we find a consistent positive correlation between the reduction in mobility levels and the socioeconomic stratum of the population in the three cities, implying that those with lower incomes were less capable of adopting the aforementioned policies. Our analysis also suggests a strong restructuring of the mobility network of lowest socioeconomic strata during COVID-19 lockdown, increasing their endogenous mixing while hampering their connections with wealthiest areas due to a sharp reduction in long-distance trips.
Dual-attention-based recurrent neural network for hand-foot-mouth disease prediction in Korea
Authors: Lee Sieun , Kim Sangil
Published: October 2023

Hand–foot–mouth disease (HFMD) is a viral disease that occurs primarily in children. Meteorological factors have a significant impact on its popularity annually in Korea. This study proposes a new HFMD prediction model using a dual-attention-based recurrent neural network (DA-RNN) and important weather factors for HFMD in Korea. First, suspected cases of HFMD in each state were predicted using meteorological factors from the DA-RNN. Second, the weather factors were divided into six categories: temperature, wind, rainfall, day length, humidity, and air pollution to conduct sensitivity analysis. Because of this prediction, the proposed model showed the best performance in predicting the number of suspected HFMD cases in a week compared with other RNN methods. Sensitivity analysis showed that air pollution and rainfall play an important role in HFMD in Korea. This model provides information for HFMD prevention and control and can be extended to predict other infectious diseases.
Multidrug resistance plasmids underlie clonal expansions and international spread of Salmonella enterica serotype 1,4,[5],12:i:- ST34 in Southeast Asia
Authors: Chung The Hao , Pham Phuong , Ha Thanh Tuyen , Phuong Linh Vo Kim , Yen Nguyen Phuong , Le Son-Nam H. , Vu Thuy Duong , Chau Tran Thi Hong , Le Phuc Hoang , Ngoc Nguyen Minh , Vi Lu Lan , Mather Alison E. , Thwaites Guy E. , Thomson Nicholas R. , Baker Stephen , Pham Duy Thanh
Published: October 2023

Salmonella enterica serotype 1,4,[5],12:i:- (Typhimurium monophasic variant) of sequence type (ST) 34 has emerged as the predominant pandemic genotype in recent decades. Despite increasing reports of resistance to antimicrobials in Southeast Asia, Salmonella ST34 population structure and evolution remained understudied in the region. Here we performed detailed genomic investigations on 454 ST34 genomes collected from Vietnam and diverse geographical sources to elucidate the pathogen’s epidemiology, evolution and antimicrobial resistance. We showed that ST34 has been introduced into Vietnam in at least nine occasions since 2000, forming five co-circulating major clones responsible for paediatric diarrhoea and bloodstream infection. Most expansion events were associated with acquisitions of large multidrug resistance plasmids of IncHI2 or IncA/C2. Particularly, the self-conjugative IncA/C2 pST34VN2 (co-transferring blaCTX-M-55, mcr-3.1, and qnrS1) underlies local expansion and intercontinental spread in two separate ST34 clones. At the global scale, Southeast Asia was identified as a potential hub for the emergence and dissemination of multidrug resistant Salmonella ST34, and mutation analysis suggests of selection in antimicrobial responses and key virulence factors.
Multiple unconventional charge density wave transitions in LaPt2Si2 superconductor clarified with high-energy X-ray diffraction
Authors: Nocerino Elisabetta , Sanlorenzo Irene , Papadopoulos Konstantinos , Medarde Marisa , Lyu Jike , Klein Yannick Maximilian , Minelli Arianna , Hossain Zakir , Thamizhavel Arumugam , Lefmann Kim , Ivashko Oleh , von Zimmermann Martin , Sassa Yasmine , Månsson Martin
Published: September 2023

The quasi-2D platinum-based rare earth intermetallic LaPt2Si2 has attracted attention as it exhibits strong interplay between charge density wave order and superconductivity. However, most of the results reported on this material come from theoretical calculations, preliminary bulk investigations and powder samples, which makes it difficult to uniquely determine the temperature evolution of its crystal structure and, consequently, of its charge density wave transition. Therefore, the published literature around LaPt2Si2 is often controversial. Here, by means of high-resolution synchrotron X-ray diffraction data, we clarify some of the poorly or partially understood aspects of the physics of LaPt2Si2. In particular, we resolve the complex evolution of its crystal structure and superstructures, identifying the temperature dependence of multiple density wave transitions in good quality LaPt2Si2 single crystals. According to our findings, on cooling from room temperature LaPt2Si2 undergoes a series of subtle structural transitions which can be summarised as follows: second order commensurate tetragonal (P4/nmm)-to-incommensurate structure followed by a first order incommensurate-to-commensurate orthorhombic (Pmmn) transition and then a first order commensurate orthorhombic (Pmmn)-to-commensurate tetragonal (P4/nmm). The structural transitions are accompanied by both incommensurate and commensurate superstructural distortions of the lattice. The observed behavior is compatible with discommensuration of the CDW in this material.
Ubiquitous, B12-dependent virioplankton utilizing ribonucleotide-triphosphate reductase demonstrate interseasonal dynamics and associate with a diverse range of bacterial hosts in the pelagic ocean
Authors: Wu Ling-Yi , Piedade Gonçalo J , Moore Ryan M , Harrison Amelia O , Martins Ana M , Bidle Kay D , Polson Shawn W , Sakowski Eric G , Nissimov Jozef I , Dums Jacob T , Ferrell Barbra D , Wommack K Eric
Published: October 2023

Through infection and lysis of their coexisting bacterial hosts, viruses impact the biogeochemical cycles sustaining globally significant pelagic oceanic ecosystems. Currently, little is known of the ecological interactions between lytic viruses and their bacterial hosts underlying these biogeochemical impacts at ecosystem scales. This study focused on populations of lytic viruses carrying the B12-dependent Class II monomeric ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) gene, ribonucleotide-triphosphate reductase (Class II RTPR), documenting seasonal changes in pelagic virioplankton and bacterioplankton using amplicon sequences of Class II RTPR and the 16S rRNA gene, respectively. Amplicon sequence libraries were analyzed using compositional data analysis tools that account for the compositional nature of these data. Both virio- and bacterioplankton communities responded to environmental changes typically seen across seasonal cycles as well as shorter term upwelling–downwelling events. Defining Class II RTPR-carrying viral populations according to major phylogenetic clades proved a more robust means of exploring virioplankton ecology than operational taxonomic units defined by percent sequence homology. Virioplankton Class II RTPR populations showed positive associations with a broad phylogenetic diversity of bacterioplankton including dominant taxa within pelagic oceanic ecosystems such as Prochlorococcus and SAR11. Temporal changes in Class II RTPR virioplankton, occurring as both free viruses and within infected cells, indicated possible viral–host pairs undergoing sustained infection and lysis cycles throughout the seasonal study. Phylogenetic relationships inferred from Class II RTPR sequences mirrored ecological patterns in virio- and bacterioplankton populations demonstrating possible genome to phenome associations for an essential viral replication gene.
Structural, energetic and dynamic investigation of poly(ethylene oxide) in imidazolium-based ionic liquids with different cationic structures
Authors: Dan Yongjie , Luo Huan , Gong Pengjian , Yan Dadong , Niu Yanhua , Li Guangxian
Published: September 2023

The competition of physical crosslinking and plasticizing effect of different imidazolium-based ionic liquids on the polymer chain dynamics was clarified.
Strong spin–orbital coupling induced tunable electronic structures and enhanced visible-light absorption in one-dimensional RhTe6I3 systems
Authors: Gao Wenjiang , Yu Meiyang , Wang Bing , Yin Huabing
Published: September 2023

We predicted unexplored 1D RhTe6I3 systems with high electron mobility, excellent visible-light absorption, and strong spin–orbital coupling.
Excellent 5f-electron magnet of actinide atom decorated gh-C3N4 monolayer
Authors: Xiong Tao , Chen Yaqing , Qiu Ruizhi , Yuan Hongkuan
Published: September 2023

The adsorptions of the 5f-electron actinide series (An = Ac–Am) on porous graphene-like carbon-nitride (gh-C3N4) layers are explored using theoretical calculations to determine their structural stabilities, electronic nature and magnetic properties.
Digitisation of a modular plug and play 3D printed continuous flow system for chemical synthesis
Authors: Montaner Mireia Benito , Penny Matthew R. , Hilton Stephen T.
Published: October 2023

We describe the development of a digital modular 3D printed continuous flow system to carry out both classical and photochemical synthesis that uses a novel PC based software interface for communication.
Double–single-atom MoCu-embedded porous carbons boost the electrocatalytic N2 reduction reaction
Authors: Han Zhiya , Lu Chenbao , Huang Senhe , Chai Xinyu , Chen Zhenying , Li Xintong , Wang Jilong , Zhang Jingshun , Feng Boxu , Han Sheng , Li Rongbin
Published: September 2023

A double–single-atom MoCu-embedded porous carbon material prepared by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) boosts eNRR capabilities.
KRb2(NO3)2Cl: a new birefringent crystal exhibiting a perovskite-related framework and a short cutoff edge
Authors: Zhang Zhiyuan , Xu Die , Wu Zhencheng , Hu Mei , Su Xin , Huang Yineng
Published: September 2023

The combination of π-conjugated groups [NO3] and Cl-centered polyhedra generates a new birefringent crystal with a perovskite-related framework, KRb2(NO3)2Cl, which is the first alkali metal nitrate chloride synthesized.