bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurement, calibration, and verification on the critical ignition temperature of hot bridge wire electro-explosive device
Authors: Lyu Xuxu , Wei Guanghui , Lu Xinfu , Du Xue , Sun Jiangning , Zhao Hongze
Published: September 2023

To address the problem of the difference in temperature between the exposed and amorce-filled state of the bridge wire in the fiber optic thermometry, this paper proceeds from a mathematical model of the temperature rise of the hot bridge wire electro-explosive device (EED), the relationship between the critical ignition temperature and the current of hot bridge wire EED is discussed. Combining thermal ignition theory, the technique of measurement and calibration the critical ignition temperature of hot bridge wire EED is proposed, and the technique is validated by injection versus radiation. The results show that the critical ignition temperature of the tested hot bridge wire EED obtained by testing and calibration is 337.53 °C. The 50% ignition field strength of the hot bridge wire EED under radiation conditions obtained by the up-and-down method test is 1271 V m−1, while the equivalent ignition field strength determined from the critical ignition temperature under the same radiation conditions is 1345 V m−1, the error between the two is only 0.49 dB, which demonstrates the high accuracy of the proposed measurement and calibration technique.
Comment on ‘Limitations in evaluating COVID-19 protective face masks using open circuit spirometry systems: respiratory measurement mask introduces bias in breathing pressure and perceived respiratory effort’
Authors: Marek Eike Maximilian , van Kampen Vera , Jettkant Birger , Hoffmeyer Frank , Bünger Jürgen
Published: September 2023

We comment on the paper by Seibt and coworkers (Seibt et al 2023) which investigates whether wearing an additional respiratory measurement mask during open-circuit spirometry assessments (respirometry mask) shows any effect on breathing pressure and perceived respiratory effort when wearing protective face masks commonly worn during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Double-pulse streamer simulations for varying interpulse times in air
Authors: Malla H , Martinez A , Ebert U , Teunissen J
Published: September 2023

In this paper, we study how streamer discharges are influenced by a previous voltage pulse using an axisymmetric fluid model. We simulate double-pulse positive streamers in N2–O2 mixtures containing 20% and 10% O2 at 1 bar. By varying the time between the pulses between 5 ns and 10 µs, we observe three regimes during the second pulse: streamer continuation, inhibited growth and streamer repetition. In the streamer continuation regime, a new streamer emerges from the tip of the previous one. In the inhibited regime, the previous channel is partially re-ionized, but there is considerably less field enhancement and almost no light emission. Finally, for the longest interpulse times, a new streamer forms that is similar to the first one. The remaining electron densities at which we observe streamer continuation agree with earlier experimental work. We introduce an estimate which relates streamer continuation to the dielectric relaxation time, the background field and the pulse duration. Furthermore, we show that for interpulse times above 100 ns several electron detachment reactions significantly slow down the decay of the electron density.
Tunable caging of excitation in decorated Lieb-ladder geometry with long-range connectivity
Authors: Nandy Atanu
Published: September 2023

Controlled Aharonov–Bohm caging of wave train is reported in a quasi-one-dimensional version of Lieb geometry with next-nearest-neighbor hopping integral within the tight-binding framework. This longer-wavelength fluctuation is considered by incorporating periodic, quasi-periodic or fractal kind of geometry inside the skeleton of the original network. This invites exotic eigenspectrum displaying a distribution of flat band states. Also a subtle modulation of external magnetic flux leads to a comprehensive control over those non-resonant modes. Real space renormalization group method provides us an exact analytical prescription for the study of such tunable imprisonment of excitation. The non-trivial tunability of external agent is important as well as challenging in the context of experimental perspective.
Coexistence of antiferromagnetism and unconventional superconductivity in a quasi-one-dimensional flat-band system: Creutz lattice
Authors: Xu 徐 Feng 峰 , Zhang 张 Lei 磊
Published: September 2023

We study the coexistence of antiferromagnetism and unconventional superconductivity on the Creutz lattice which shows strictly flat bands in the noninteracting regime. The famous renormalized mean-field theory is used to deal with strong electron–electron repulsive Hubbard interaction in the effective low-energy t–J model, the superfluid weight of the unconventional superconducting state has been calculated via the linear response theory. An unconventional superconducting state with both spin-singlet and staggered spin-triplet pairs emerges beyond a critical antiferromagnetic coupling interaction, while antiferromagnetism accompanies this state. The superconducting state with only spin-singlet pairs is dominant with paramagnetic phase. The A phase is analogous to the pseudogap phase, which shows that electrons go to form pairs but do not cause a supercurrent. We also show the superfluid behavior of the unconventional superconducting state and its critical temperature. It is proven directly that the flat band can effectively raise the critical temperature of superconductivity. It is implementable to simulate and control strongly-correlated electrons’ behavior on the Creutz lattice in the ultracold atoms experiment or other artificial structures. Our results may help the understanding of the interplay between unconventional superconductivity and magnetism.
A combined magnetic field stabilization system for improving the stability of 40Ca+ optical clock
Authors: Zeng 曾 Mengyan 孟彦 , Ma 马 Zixiao 子晓 , Hu 胡 Ruming 如明 , Zhang 张 Baolin 宝林 , Hao 郝 Yanmei 艳梅 , Zhang 张 Huaqing 华青 , Huang 黄 Yao 垚 , Guan 管 Hua 桦 , Gao 高 Kelin 克林
Published: September 2023

Future applications of portable 40Ca+ optical clocks require reliable magnetic field stabilization to improve frequency stability, which can be achieved by implementing an active and passive magnetic field noise suppression system. On the one hand, we have optimized the magnetic shielding performance of the portable optical clock by reducing its apertures and optimizing its geometry; on the other hand, we have introduced an active magnetic field noise suppression system to further suppress the magnetic field noise experienced by the ions. These efforts reduced the ambient magnetic field noise by about 10000 times, significantly reduced the linewidth of the clock transition spectrum, improved the stability of the portable 40Ca+ optical clock, and created the conditions for using portable optical clocks in non-laboratory magnetic field environments. This active magnetic field suppression scheme has the advantages of simple installation and wide applicability.
Oscillator strength and cross section study of the valence-shell excitations of NO2 by fast electron scattering
Authors: Sun 孙 Qiang 强 , Chen 陈 Jin-Feng 锦峰 , Nie 聂 Zhi-Wei 智伟 , Zhu 朱 Jian-Hui 剑辉 , Zhu 朱 Lin-Fan 林繁
Published: September 2023

Oscillator strengths and cross sections of the valence-shell excitations in NO2 are of great significance in testing the theoretical calculations and monitoring the state of the ozone layer in the earth’s atmosphere. In the present work, the generalized oscillator strengths of the valence-shell excitations in NO2 were obtained based on the fast electron scattering technique at an incident electron energy of 1.5 keV and an energy resolution of about 70 meV. By extrapolating the generalized oscillator strengths to the limit of a zero squared momentum transfer, the optical oscillator strengths for the dipole-allowed transitions have been obtained, which provide an independent cross check to the previous experimental results. Based on the BE-scaling method, the corresponding integral cross sections have also been derived systematically from the excitation threshold to 5000 eV. The present dynamic parameters can provide the fundamental spectroscopic data of NO2 and have important applications in the studies of atmospheric science. The datasets presented in this paper, including the GOSs, OOSs and ICSs, are openly available at https://doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.j00113.00156.
Attention-based Image Captioning Assisted Visual Question Answering
Authors: Xu Hantao , Ye Xia , Yang Zhangping , Zhao Pujie
Published: September 2023

Visual question answering has received increasing attention as a multimodal task whose goal is to be able to answer natural language-related questions by reasoning about a given picture. The SOTA model in the current mainstream visual question answering usually uses language bias in the training data to predict the question, resulting in the VQA model often lacking an image foundation. Based on the attention mechanism, this paper designs a method to use image description to assist the training of a visual question-answering model. The model is problem-oriented and encodes images and image descriptions based on a collaborative attention mechanism, which enhances the feature representation of the model and the ability to learn image information, making the model more robust and generalizable. The experimental results show that the accuracy of this method on the dataset VQA v2 has increased by 3.89% compared with the baseline, which proves that the method is effective.
Design of an Unordered Gripping System Based on 3D Vision
Authors: Chen Shunqiang , Bai Junbo , Xu Liao , Zhen Luo , Wang Feitong , Bo Li , Bai Junjie
Published: September 2023

For the current mainstream 2D vision-guided robotic arm gripping system in industrial production, the vision part is seriously affected by the lighting environment, camera imaging distance, and other factors. It cannot provide more comprehensive 6DOF position information on the target workpiece and complete the gripping of mutually scattered and stacked workpieces. This paper designs a disordered grasping system based on the 3D vision to solve the above problems. In addition, the traditional Euclidean clustering algorithm and fast point feature histogram algorithm are improved to enhance the segmentation and feature recognition efficiency of the point cloud. The accuracy of the system is 94.3 % without stacking and 88.2 % with stacking, which is 5.2 % higher than the average accuracy of the system before the algorithm improvement and more than 2s higher than the time. The accuracy and speed of the system meet the requirements of general industrial production for a robotic arm grasping system, which has certain practical application value.
Machine Vision-based Integrated Inspection System for Beverage Bottles with Multiple Defects
Authors: Wang Jia , Kang Jingxin , Li Fangjun , Zhang Aijun
Published: September 2023

Currently, in the beverage filling production line, the corresponding detection device is usually installed after each production process to detect whether the beverage is defective. This method of installing testing devices in different working positions can classify and eliminate defects of defective products, but it needs to manufacture multiple sets of different types of defective testing machines, which has problems such as high resource consumption and waste of installation space. In order to solve these problems, an expandable multi-functional integrated inspection system has been designed in this paper, which can synchronize defects detection in different processes. The system includes a multitasking detection network based on multi-class decoders. By jointly training the detection network with the collected data set, the results of beverage bottle label segmentation, region of interest (ROI) detection, and code recognition can be obtained simultaneously, thus the system can effectively realize the synchronous detection of different defects such as label and spray code missing, inversion and so on. The system also provides an expandable multitasking interface, which can be extended according to the other actual requirements of the production line. Experimental results show that the system achieves 96% detection accuracy, 18000 bottles/h detection speed and good robustness.
An Image Feature Matching Algorithm with Clustering Constraints
Authors: Ding Guoqiang , Zhao Pengpeng , Li Tao , Zhao Hongmei , Lou Taishan
Published: September 2023

Aiming at the problem that the traditional ORB feature matching algorithm has many mismatches and poor robustness, a feature matching optimization algorithm with clustering constraints is proposed. Firstly, the K-means++ algorithm is used to assign classification labels to the feature points obtained in the current image, and the clustering region is redivided. Secondly, the corresponding clustering region is found in the next picture, and the feature points in the region are also assigned classification labels. Then, the classification labels of feature points in the two images were compared during matching, and the inconsistent matching point pairs were removed. Finally, the RANSAC algorithm is used to optimize the matching results, and the results are verified. The results show that the proposed algorithm can effectively eliminate the false matching points, and the running speed is greatly improved.
Cultural relic reconstruction device based on ORB-SLAM
Authors: Yang Guoyu , Yang Yiyuan , Sun Daohe , Li Peng
Published: September 2023

ORB-SLAM, an advanced visual SLAM technology, has excellent positioning and mapping capabilities [1]. In the reconstruction of cultural relics, ORB-SLAM technology can achieve autonomous perception and modeling of the surrounding environment of cultural relics by fusing and analyzing the images of monocular depth cameras, thereby reconstructing the 3D model of cultural relics, providing new possibilities for the protection and inheritance of cultural relics. Point cloud images are a digital technology used for 3D modeling, which can save point data on object surfaces and their relationships as 3D point clouds [2]. In terms of cultural relic reconstruction, point cloud images can restore and reconstruct the shape, size, texture, and other features of cultural relics by processing the collected point data on the surface of cultural relics into a 3D model. The purpose of this device is to reconstruct cultural relics by generating point cloud images based on ORB-SLAM technology. Combined with the designed handheld pan tilt device, it can achieve multi-angle point cloud mapping of cultural relics scenes in complex terrain. This paper will introduce the handheld gimbal design of the device, the realization of point cloud mapping based on the ORB-SLAM3 algorithm [3], and the application of point cloud scenes. Through the research in this article, it is expected to provide a new and efficient method for cultural relic reconstruction in the field of cultural relic protection and make contributions to the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage.
Defending against Adversarial Attacks using Digital Image Processing
Authors: Xiao Yuyang , Deng Xiaoyan , Yu Zhuliang
Published: September 2023

The rapidly maturing deep neural networks are used in self-driving cars, facial recognition payment, security, and other aspects, and are crucial to how we conduct our daily lives. However, past research has shown that adversarial attacks pose a significant danger to deep learning. This paper proposes a defense based on digital image processing to protect the handwritten digit recognition model from adversarial attacks. This method can defend against adversarial attacks simply and effectively using spatial filtering and thresholding for image pre-processing to remove adversarial perturbations. The experimental findings on the MNIST data set show that this technique can increase the average accuracy of the model against adversarial samples to 91.20%.
Theory and Verification of Projection Phase Profile Measurement in Strong Salt and Pepper Noise Environment
Authors: Liu Tianxiang , Zhang Changyao , Wang Haixia , Zhong Zhenquan , Ou Weixian , Xu Huailin , Zhou Lingshu , Hu Zhong , Xu Weichao , Zhou Yanzhou
Published: September 2023

In recent years, 3D profile measurement has been widely used in the high-precision manufacturing industry. However, the unavoidable salt and pepper noise will greatly reduce the accuracy of the measurement system. To measure the surface profile with variable curvature more accurately, a 3D measurement system is built based on fringe projection technology and Spearman Correlation Analysis. Experimental results show that the error caused by pepper and salt noise is low and the system performance is good.
Enhanced Q-factor and effective length silicon photonics filter utilizing nested ring resonators
Authors: Selim Mahmoud A , Anwar Momen
Published: September 2023

In this study, we investigate a novel design of an on-chip nested coupled ring resonator to enhance the quality factor and the effective length of the resonator. The configuration consists of an open ring and racetrack resonator, with lengths of 340 μm and 184.4 μm, respectively, with a coupling ratio of 97/3. In this regard, the proposed nested cavity has been experimentally characterized and compared with a single cavity ring resonator. Our results show a significant improvement in the quality factor by a factor of four. This improvement in performance opens up exciting new possibilities for state-of-the-art applications, such as compact optical sensors and delay lines. Our proposed design represents a significant advancement in the field of integrated optics, and we believe that it has the potential to enable a broad range of applications in the future.
Tofacitinib Versus Oral Prednisolone for Induction of Remission in Moderately Active Ulcerative Colitis [ORCHID]: A Prospective, Open-Label, Randomized, Pilot Study
Authors: Singh Arshdeep , Midha Vandana , Kaur Kirandeep , Mahajan Ramit , Singh Dharmatma , Kaur Ramandeep , Kohli Aditya , Chawla Avantika , Sood Kriti , Bansal Namita , Sood Ajit
Published: September 2023

Background

Oral corticosteroids are first-line agents to induce remission in moderately active ulcerative colitis [UC], but are associated with adverse effects. We compared the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib and prednisolone for induction of remission in moderately active UC.

Methods

This was a single-centre, prospective, open-label, randomized, active-controlled pilot study. Eligible patients [aged ≥18 years] had moderately active UC. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either prednisolone [40 mg daily, tapered by 5 mg every week] or tofacitinib [10 mg twice daily] for 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was composite remission [defined as total Mayo clinic score ≤2, with endoscopic sub-score of 0 and faecal calprotectin <100 µg/g] at 8 weeks.

Results

Seventy-eight patients were randomly assigned to either of the treatment groups. At week 8, the proportion of patients achieving composite remission in the tofacitinib [7/43, 16.28%] and prednisolone groups [3/35, 8.57%] were not significantly different (odds ratio [OR] 2.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49–8.70; p = 0.31). The time to achieve symptomatic remission [normal stool frequency with absence of rectal bleeding] was similar (10 days, interquartile range [IQR 7–18.75] and 10 days [IQR 5–12.5] for tofacitinib and prednisolone, respectively; p = 0.25) in the two groups. One patient each in the tofacitinib and prednisolone group discontinued treatment due to development of pulmonary tuberculosis and pustular acne, respectively. One patient receiving tofacitinib developed herpes zoster, but did not require cessation of therapy. No serious adverse events or major adverse cardiovascular events were observed.

Conclusion

In patients with moderately active UC, there was no difference in the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib and oral prednisolone for induction of remission at 8 weeks.

Trail Registration

Clinical Trials Registry of India [CTRI/2021/10/037641]
Rapid decline of prenatal maternal effects with age is independent of postnatal environment in a precocial bird
Authors: Vedder Oscar , Tschirren Barbara , Postma Erik , Moiron Maria
Published: September 2023

Maternal effects are an important source of phenotypic variation with potentially large fitness consequences, but how their importance varies with the quality of the environment across an individual’s ontogeny is poorly understood. We bred Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) of known pedigree and experimentally manipulated the quality of the offspring diet, to estimate the importance of prenatal maternal effects in shaping variation in body mass from hatching to adulthood. Maternal genetic effects on body mass at hatching were strong, and largely caused by variation in egg mass, but their importance rapidly declined with age. Whereas there was a large effect of diet on growth, this did not affect the decline of maternal effects variance. The importance of additive genetic and residual variance increased with age, with the latter being considerably larger in the poor diet treatment. Hence, we found no evidence for prenatal maternal effect by postnatal environment interactions and that prenatal maternal effects are rapidly replaced by direct additive genetic and residual effects when offspring start to develop outside the egg. Thereby these results shed new light on the dynamics of the role of maternal versus offspring genes across ontogeny and environments.
Pineapple SWEET10 is a glucose transporter
Authors: Fakher Beenish , Ashraf M Arif , Wang Lulu , Wang Xiaomei , Zheng Ping , Aslam Mohammad , Qin Yuan
Published: September 2023

SWEET transporters are a unique class of sugar transporters that play vital roles in various developmental and physiological processes in plants. While the functions of SWEETs have been well established in model plants such as Arabidopsis, their functions in economically important fruit crops like pineapple have not been well studied. Here we aimed to investigate the substrate specificity of pineapple SWEETs by comparing the protein sequences of known glucose and sucrose transporters in Arabidopsis with those in pineapple. Our genome-wide approach and 3D structure comparison showed that the Arabidopsis SWEET8 homolog in pineapple, AcSWEET10, shares similar sequences and protein properties responsible for glucose transport. To determine the functional conservation of AcSWEET10, we tested its ability to complement glucose transport mutants in yeast and analyzed its expression in stamens and impact on the microspore phenotype and seed set in transgenic Arabidopsis. The results showed that AcSWEET10 is functionally equivalent to AtSWEET8 and plays a critical role in regulating microspore formation through the regulation of the Callose synthase5 (CalS5), which highlights the importance of SWEET transporters in pineapple. This information could have important implications for improving fruit crop yield and quality by manipulating SWEET transporter activity.
The development of indicators to measure the quality of care in geriatric rehabilitation
Authors: Veneberg Bram , Tijsen Lian M J , Wirtz Maarten J , Zevenhuizen Viola , Buijck Bianca I
Published: September 2023

Quality of care is an essential aspect of geriatric rehabilitation. Usually, there are national standards for the quality of care or indicators to measure the quality of care. However, this is not the case for geriatric rehabilitation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop structure, process, and outcome indicators to measure the quality of geriatric rehabilitation.

To develop quality indicators for geriatric rehabilitation, a literature search was performed to identify indicators for all types of rehabilitation that can also be suitable for geriatric rehabilitation. Thereafter, in the qualitative phase, different stakeholders were inte. Indicators from the literature and indicators developed based on the interviews were merged and processed in a questionnaire. Through this questionnaire, elderly care physicians and managers of geriatric rehabilitation facilities were asked to rate the indicators on relevance and feasibility. Indicators that were considered relevant and feasible by the respondents were included in the final quality indicator set for geriatric rehabilitation.

Thirty-six indicators suitable for geriatric rehabilitation were identified from the literature. Additionally, 55 quality indicators were developed based on the interviews. Merging the indicators and omitting duplicates resulted in 69 quality indicators. Analysis of the data from the questionnaires resulted in a final set of 27 quality indicators for geriatric rehabilitation that consists of 17 structure, 8 process, and 2 outcome indicators.

This study contributes to the quality of geriatric rehabilitation by providing a first set of quality indicators ready to use in practice. Follow-up research is recommended and may include an assessment of the applicability, reliability, and validity of the developed indicator set.
Robust seismic attenuation compensation based on generalized minimax concave penalty sparse representation
Authors: Duan Chengxiang , Zhang Fanchang
Published: September 2023

Deep hydrocarbon resources have become more and more important nowadays. However, owing to the affection of long-distance propagation and stratigraphic absorption, seismic data coming from deep beds generally suffer from weak energy, low resolution, and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which seriously influence the reliability of seismic interpretation. Generally, inverse Q (quality factor) filtering (IQF) is used for absorption compensation, but it may amplify noise at the same time. Although compensation methods based on inversion overcomes the instability, it is still difficult to obtain high-SNR results. To address this issue, under the framework of sparse representation theory, we proposed a single-channel attenuation compensation method constrained by generalized minimax concave (GMC) penalty function. It takes the modified Kolsky model to describe seismic absorption and combines sparse representation theory to create objective function. Furthermore, a GMC penalty function is utilized to promote sparsity. It allows more accurate estimates of sparse coefficients from noise-contaminated seismic data. Although the GMC penalty itself is concave, the objective function remains strictly convex. Therefore, globally optimal sparse solutions can be obtained through an operator-splitting algorithm. Even in the presence of noise, this method can obtain stable and accurate compensation results through reconstruction. Synthetic data tests and field seismic data application showed that this method has high robustness to noise. It can stably and effectively compensate for the energy loss of seismic data, as well as maintain high SNR.
Sixty-years of community-science data suggest earlier fall migration and short-stopping of waterfowl in North America
Authors: Cox Amelia R , Frei Barbara , Gutowsky Sarah E , Baldwin Frank B , Bianchini Kristin , Roy Christian
Published: September 2023

Worldwide, migratory phenology and movement of many bird species is shifting in response to anthropogenic climate and habitat changes. However, due to variation among species and a shortage of analyses, changes in waterfowl migration, particularly in the fall, are not well understood. Fall migration phenology and movement patterns dictate waterfowl hunting success and satisfaction, with cascading implications on economies and support for habitat management and securement. Using 60 years of band recovery data for waterfowl banded in the Canadian Prairie Pothole Region (PPR), we evaluated whether fall migration timing and/or distribution changed in Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Northern Pintail (A. acuta), and Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors) between 1960 and 2019. We found that in the Midcontinent Flyways, Mallards and Blue-winged Teal migrated faster in more recent time periods, whereas Northern Pintail began fall migration earlier. In the Pacific Flyway, Mallards began fall migration earlier. Both Mallards and Northern Pintails showed evidence of short-stopping in the Midcontinent Flyways. Indeed, the Mallard and Northern Pintail distribution of band recovery data shifted 180 and 226 km north, respectively, from 1960 to 2019. Conversely, Blue-winged Teal recovery distributions were consistent across years. Mallards and Northern Pintails also exhibited an increased proportion of band recoveries in the Pacific Flyway in recent decades. We provide clear evidence that the timing and routes of fall migration have shifted over the past 6 decades, but these phenological and spatial shifts differ among species. We suggest that using community-science data collected by hunters themselves to explain one of the group’s major concerns (changes in duck abundance at traditional hunting grounds), within the environmental lens of climate change, may help lead to further engagement and two-way dialogue to support effective waterfowl management for these culturally and ecologically important species.
Characterization of Coniella granati Isolates Causing Pomegranate Decline in Italy
Authors: Gerin Donato , Moncini Lorenzo , Faretra Francesco , Pollastro Stefania , Chimienti Nicola , Simone Gabriele , De Miccolis Angelini Rita Milvia
Published: September 2023

Coniella granati, the causal agent of pomegranate crown rot, twig blight, and fruit decay, is an emerging worldwide pathogen with a heavy impact on pomegranate cultivation. In this study, we report the rapid spread of the fungus in Italian pomegranate orchards associated with crown rot symptoms and provide new results on fungal development, baseline sensitivity to different fungicides, and intraspecific variability by analyzing 11 isolates, representative of populations of the pathogen from comparable pomegranate orchards in different regions of Italy. In vitro assays showed that 25 to 30°C was the optimal range for both colony growth and conidial germination, corroborating the results previously obtained for Californian and Greek isolates. According to the baseline sensitivity assay on the response of colony growth and conidial germination to 10 fungicides, fludioxonil, thiophanate-methyl, tebuconazole, and cyprodinil were the most effective. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis, carried out using fourteen 10-mer primers, showed very low intraspecific variability (similarity coefficient >0.95), probably as a result of the recent spread of the pathogen in Italy and the uncommon occurrence of the sexual process as a source of genetic variability. In summary, this study provides new knowledge on C. granati that will be helpful for improving pomegranate crown rot management.
Maternal Mortality in 8 European Countries With Enhanced Surveillance Systems: Descriptive Population-based Study
Authors: Diguisto C. , Saucedo M. , Kallianidis A. , Bloemenkamp K. , Bødker B. , Buoncristiano M. , Donati S. , Gissler M. , Johansen M. , Knight M. , Korbel M. , Kristufkova A. , Nyflot L.T. , Deneux-Tharaux C.
Published: September 2023

(BMJ. 2022;379:e070621)

Maternal mortality rate (MMR) helps indicate the quality of national maternal care, and international comparisons highlight maternal health disparities. While maternal mortality has historically been compared using vital statistics, recent studies have shown those to have limitations and lack validity. As a result, several European countries initiated an enhanced surveillance system for maternal mortality. The new approach standardizes and optimizes identification, documentation, classification, and data collection from every maternal death. The International Network of Obstetric Survey Systems (INOSS) has gathered and compared the population-based data. The aim of this study was to compare national maternal mortality patterns between European countries using data from the new enhanced maternal mortality surveillance systems.
Maternal Body Weight and Estimated Circulating Blood Volume: A Review and Practical Nonlinear Approach
Authors: Kennedy H. , Haynes S.L. , Shelton C.L.
Published: September 2023

(Br J Anaesth 2022;129:716e725)

Postpartum hemorrhage is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality. The volume of blood loss is an important measure in assessing the severity of hemorrhage and determining appropriate treatment. Maternal circulating blood volume (CBV) also requires accurate estimation to determine necessary interventions and management strategies. CBV does not increase at a proportional rate to body composition, yet linear calculations are utilized to estimate maternal CBV. While the current linear model can adequately estimate CBV for many patients, it can lead to miscalculations for patients with higher or lower body mass. The overestimation of CBV can result in inappropriate thresholds for intervention. This review describes physiological changes during pregnancy relevant to blood volume and proposes a tool for a more accurate estimation of CBV.
Maternal Pregnancy Outcomes in Women With Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Eggleton E.J. , McMurrugh K.J. , Aiken C.E.
Published: September 2023

(Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2022;227:582–592)

Pregnancy adds increased stress to the cardiovascular system of pregnant women. As a result, 1% to 4% of pregnancies are complicated by maternal cardiac disease, which increases the risk of adverse outcomes. Cardiac disease is a leading cause of indirect maternal mortality worldwide. Despite its prevalence and outcomes, a lack of systematic evidence exists that specify risks. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of cardiomyopathy on maternal pregnancy outcomes.
Trends of Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors in the United States, 2010-2018
Authors: Acun C. , Karnati S. , Padiyar S. , Puthuraya S. , Aly H. , Mohamed M.
Published: September 2023

(Am J Obstet Gynecol 2022;227:751e1–10)

Incidence of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is 1 to 3 in 1000 live births in developed countries, and ~10 times higher in resource-limited countries, making it one of the most common causes of infant morbidity and mortality. The overall mortality rate for HIE is 15% to 25%, and 40% to 50% of infants that survive develop long-term neurological disabilities. Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is currently the only effective treatment for infants with moderate to severe HIE shortly after birth, but up to 29% continue to experience poor outcomes related to HIE. Trends of HIE and its treatment, TH, have not been studied carefully at different gestational ages in the United States. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze trends of HIE prevalence, use of TH, mortality associated with HIE, and HIE-associated confounding variables in a US national dataset.
A Novel Ultrasound Software System for Lumbar Level Identification in Obstetric Patients
Authors: Hetherington J. , Brohan J. , Rohling R. , Gunka V. , Abolmaesumi P. , Albert A. , Chau A.
Published: September 2023

(Can J Anaesth. 2022;69:1211–1219)

Manual palpation is the primary method that obstetric anesthesiologists use to identify the optimal point of neuraxial anesthesia placement. As it is unreliable, especially when performed in patients with a higher body mass index (BMI), lumbar ultrasound (LUS) is an intriguing option. LUS for neuraxial labor anesthesia and analgesia has improved accuracy in lumbar vertebral level identification and improved first-pass success rate. Despite potential LUS benefits, many physicians continue using manual palpation because they are not proficient in the technical skills required to perform or interpret LUS images. To make LUS simpler and more user-friendly, automated ultrasound software known as Spine Level Identification (SLIDE) system was developed. SLIDE automatically identifies vertebral landmarks in real-time as the ultrasound transducer moves over the skin. This study aimed to determine whether SLIDE accurately identifies the L3-L4 intervertebral space in healthy term parturient women compared with the manual palpation method.
Cerebrospinal Fluid and Arterial Acid-base Equilibria in Spontaneously Breathing Third-trimester Pregnant Women
Authors: Zadek F. , Giudici G. , Fusarini C.F. , Ambrosini M.T. , di Modugno A. , Scaravilli V. , Zanella A. , Fumagalli R. , Stocchetti N. , Calderini E. , Langer T.
Published: September 2023

(Br J Anaesth. 2022;129:726–733)

The acid-base regulation of the choroid plexus is critical to spontaneous breathing. Minute ventilation while at rest is increased during the first trimester, which results in the development of hypocapnia and respiratory alkalosis. This study aimed to describe the acid-base status of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and arterial plasma in resting, spontaneously breathing third-trimester pregnant women. The study also aimed to discuss the physiological adaptations to hypocapnic alkalosis (HA) in pregnancy.
Intermediate-dose Versus Low-dose Low–molecular-weight Heparin in Pregnant and Postpartum Women With a History of Venous Thromboembolism (Highleow study): An Open-label, Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Bistervels I.M. , Buchmüller A. , Wiegers H.M.G. , Ní Áinle F. , Tardy B. , Donnelly J. , Verhamme P. , Jacobsen A.F. , Hansen A.T. , Rodger M.A. , DeSancho M.T. , Shmakov R.G. , van Es N. , Prins M.H. , Chauleur C. , Middeldorp S. ,   Highlow Block writing committee; Highlow Investigators
Published: September 2023

(Lancet. 2022;400:1777–1787)

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and subsequent major bleeding are leading causes of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the risk for recurrence increases for women with a history of VTE. Despite this, evidence-based research on thromboprophylaxis strategies is lacking and the optimal dose of low–molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) thromboprophylaxis during the peripartum and postpartum periods is uncertain. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of low-dose compared to intermediate-dose LMWH for pregnant women with past occurrences of VTE.
Labor Risk Factors for Fetal Heart Rate Abnormality After Combined Spinal-epidural Analgesia
Authors: Yamamoto Y. , Umehara N. , Yamashita Y. , Sato M. , Takehara K. , Sago H.
Published: September 2023

(Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2023;160:892–899)

Labor analgesia use is increasing in Japan, and combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSE) is a favored method due to its rapid pain relief. While fetal heart rate (FHR) monitoring is widely assessed during labor and delivery and well-studied, some aspects of FHR following CSE have not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to identify the association between obstetric outcomes and FHR abnormalities following CSE.
A Ketamine Package for Use in Emergency Cesarean Delivery When No Anesthetist is Available: An Analysis of 401 Consecutive OperationsAnesthesia and AnalgesiaAnesthesia and Analgesia
Authors: Burke T.F. , Mantena S. , Opondo K. , Orero S. , Rogo K.
Published: September 2023

(Int J Gynecol Obstet. 2022;158:377–384)

Average maternal mortality in low-income countries has been reported as 40 times higher than that of high-income countries. One contributing factor to this discrepancy is the shortage of surgical care either due to inaccessible resources or inaccessible clinicians such as anesthesiologists. There is a particularly noticeable gap in anesthesiology care, as most low-income countries do not have anesthesiology training programs, or the programs do not produce enough clinicians to fully staff what is needed. This study aimed to understand the implications of using ketamine as an anesthetic to support emergency surgical delivery if no anesthetist is available. Effectiveness and safety was evaluated through maternal and newborn outcomes. The primary outcome was maternal and infant survival, and the ability of ketamine to safely support cesarean deliveries (CD).
Associations Between Postpartum Pain Type, Pain Intensity and Opioid Use in Patients With and Without Opioid Use Disorder: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Lim G. , LaSorda K.R. , Krans E. , Rosario B.L. , Wong C.A. , Caritis S.
Published: September 2023

(British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2023;130:94e102)

Pain is a sensory, cognitive, and emotional experience and is affected by a number of biological, psychological, and social factors. Postpartum pain assessment and management remain limited to a one-size-fits-all approach, despite the wide range of pain experiences and types. Patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) may have more complex pain experiences and are at increased risk of severe post-traumatic pain, postoperative complications, readmission, and overdose than those without OUD. The over-prescribing of opioids for postpartum pain management is mitigated by recent efforts to promote shared-decision making. However, overly conservative prescribing practices or poorly managed pain can lead to negative outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the associations between pain type, pain intensity and opioid use during hospital stay, and examine the way pain type influences pain intensity and opioid use among people with and without OUD.
Use of Sensors for Fall Prediction in Older Persons
Authors: Koszalinski Rebecca , Tappen Ruth M. , Ghoraani Behnaz , Vieira Edgar Ramos , Marques Oge , Furht Borko
Published: September 2023

The application of technological advances and clear articulation of how they improve patient outcomes are not always well described in the literature. Our research team investigated the numerous ways to measure conditions and behaviors that precede patient events and could signal an important change in health through a scoping review. We searched for evidence of technology use in fall prediction in the population of older adults in any setting. The research question was described in the population-concept-context format: “What types of sensors are being used in the prediction of falls in older persons?” The purpose was to examine the numerous ways to obtain continuous measurement of conditions and behaviors that precede falls. This area of interest may be termed emerging knowledge. Implications for research include increased attention to human-centered design, need for robust research trials that clearly articulate study design and outcomes, larger sample sizes and randomization of subjects, consistent oversight of institutional review board processes, and elucidation of the human costs and benefits to health and science.
Virtual Nursing Education with Ignatian Pedagogy and Jesuit Charisms During a Pandemic
Authors: Wodwaski Nadine , Courtney Renee , Ruel Jennifer
Published: September 2023

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education faculty at a Jesuit university were compelled to adapt pedagogies that were immersive and learner-centered within a virtual learning environment. The Ignatian pedagogical paradigm presented in this article is based on a practical teaching context that values Ignatian principles and world views while promoting Jesuit education. This educational interventional study measured the transformation of nursing student online learners into active, caring, and compassionate participants as they developed their nursing knowledge in a maternal–child health course. With an Ignatian pedagogy as a structure for the online courses, students were challenged to embrace diverse ways of thinking, knowing, and learning.
Foot Plantar Pressure Profile Alteration after Microsurgical Great Toe-to-thumb Transfer
Authors: Tang Simon Fuk Tan , Tang Alice Chu Wen , Chen Chih Kuang , Wu Ho Mu , Wei Fu-Chan
Published: September 2023

Background:

Microsurgical great toe-to-thumb transfer (mGTT) is a widely used procedure when immediate replantation of thumb is not feasible. The aim of this study was to investigate the alteration of plantar pressure profile of the donor foot after mGTT.

Methods:

Twenty patients receiving microsurgical great toe-to-hand transfer between 1985 to 2014, and 16 healthy subjects were recruited. Group 1 consisted of 20 feet receiving mGTT, whereas group 2 consisted of 32 normal feet as control. The flap design in this study was to preserve 1 cm of the proximal phalanx to maintain the attachment of the plantar aponeurosis and intrinsic muscles. The Taiwan Chinese version of the Foot Function Index was used for patient-reported outcome measurement. A novel Emed-X system was used for dynamic plantar pressure measurement. A total of four parameters were collected, including peak pressure, contact area, contact time, and pressure–time integral.

Results:

In group 1, the peak pressure redistributed under the first metatarsal bone and was significantly higher than group 2 (P < 0.05). There was no significant change of the contact area between the midfoot region of group 1 and group 2 (P > 0.05). Furthermore, similar foot clearance efficiency was demonstrated in group 1 and group 2 (P > 0.05).

Conclusions:

The windlass effect of the foot will not be affected when performing mGTT with preservation of 1 cm of the proximal phalanx. Therefore, this surgical procedure is highly recommended for clinical application.
Use of Tranexamic Acid in Aesthetic Surgery: A Retrospective Comparative Study of Outcomes and Complications
Authors: Neel Omar Fouda , AlKhashan Raghad , AlFadhel Emad Abdulrahman , Al-Terkawi Reem Abdulmonem , Mortada Hatan
Published: September 2023

Background:

Bleeding is a potential complication of aesthetic surgery. Surgeons have adhered to the principle of minimizing blood loss. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic medication capable of reducing bleeding. This study aimed to investigate TXA and its effect on complications and overall outcomes in aesthetic surgery patients.

Methods:

This retrospective chart review of patients undergoing various aesthetic procedures between 2019 and 2022 was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin levels, blood transfusions, and complications were the primary outcomes. Furthermore, the predictors of giving TXA were studied.

Results:

In total, 435 patients were included in the study. TXA was administered to 181 patients (41.6%). Significantly higher proportions of patients who received TXA underwent trunk aesthetic surgery (P < 0.001), and those who received TXA underwent combined procedures more frequently than non-users (P < 0.001). The mean operative time and length of hospital stay were significantly longer among patients who did not receive TXA (P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). Most predictors for using TXA were significantly associated with performing liposuction (OR = 5.5), trunk aesthetic surgery (OR = 4.9), and undergoing combined procedures (OR = 2.7). No significant difference was noted in the rate of complications between the two cohorts.

Conclusions:

Although our data show improvement in patient outcomes in multiple aspects, the heterogeneity of our cohort makes us unable to draw definite conclusions to recommend the use of TXA in aesthetic surgery. Thus, a randomized controlled trial is necessary to support the findings of this study.