bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wood for guitars II : How the material properties of a spruce guitar top influence the tonal quality of the guitar
Authors: Olson David , Merchel Sebastian , Gore Trevor
Published: November 2023

Pacific Rim Tonewoods is the world’s largest supplier of spruce tonewood for the soundboard and bracing of the acoustic guitar. A previous study from our research group (JASA 2019) has demonstrated the importance of (1) longitudinal Young’s Modulus and (2) density of the spruce soundboard on the tonal quality of steel string guitars. This study used pairwise comparisons of listener preference to rank a particular guitar model (the Taylor 814ce). The present study updates this previous work, adding a third material property: internal friction (damping) of the soundboard, as measured by the logarithmic decrement of the resonating spruce billet. In addition, objective data on tonal quality were measured on guitars recorded in an anechoic chamber at the Technical University of Dresden, Germany. Spectral sequence analysis, transfer function, and tone decay were measured, and are correlated with the perceptual data. With these data, we can demonstrate the relative importance of the three material properties on the “performance factors” of guitar quality, such as volume, responsiveness, timbre, attack, and sustain. In doing so, we hope to provide the lutherie community with a predictable means of integrating tonewood material properties into their designs, in order to consistently produce their desired tonal outcomes.
Vibration mode analysis and estimation of sound power of source for acoustic tube driving by single reed
Authors: Shiono Nanako , Takahashi Yoshinori
Published: November 2023

Reproduction of wind instrument using additive manufacturing has been studied for the purpose of cultural property by Takahashi et al. It is known that the material of air reed instruments has little effect on sound quality, indicating the possibility of reproducing the Shakuhachi, a Japanese air reed instrument. On the other hand, in the case of the reproduction of classical oboe, a listening test using short musical phrases suggested the possibility of distinguishing the difference of the real instrument from that the reproduced instrument. Since the vibration of the tube caused by reed vibration is greater in reed instruments than in air reed instruments, it is considered that the sound power of the source caused by the vibration effective on the tone. In this study, a 3-D printer was used to create an acoustic tube driven by a single reed, and the sound power of the source generated by the vibration was estimated by analyzing the vibration modes generated in the acoustic tube.
Active sound transmission reduction across acoustic window
Authors: Chan Pak Yeung , Cheung Chi-Chung , Tang Shiu Keung , Mui Kwok Wai
Published: November 2023

In this study, the experimental method of transfer functions is employed to investigate the possibility of improving the sound transmission loss of acoustic windows using an active control technique. Twenty-five microphones, 20 of them located evenly over the acoustic window's indoor exit (provide error signals) and 5 fixed in the receiver room (capture the transmitted sound), and 19 small loudspeakers were used in the experiments. The loudspeakers acted as the canceling sources, and they were located along the window's interior perimeter (except the bottom part). The receiver room was made relatively “dead” using fiberglass linings. A loudspeaker array located in the source room acted as the primary sound source. The active control is implemented by minimizing the squared sound pressures at selected error microphones. Results show that the active noise control method can improve the sound transmission loss across acoustic window. The performance depends on the arrangement of the cancelling sources and the error microphone locations. It is found that an average of between 6 and 8 dB reduction of sound transmission within the frequency range from 100 to 1000 Hz can be achieved by an active control system with 4 or 6 error microphones and only three cancelling loudspeakers.
Estimation of input power to track energy propagation through a small air handling unit
Authors: Smither Matt , Neihguk David , Herrin David
Published: November 2023

Statistical energy analysis (SEA) is dependent on having accurate inputs. The inputs to an SEA model are structural and acoustic input powers. In this work, blocked force analysis is utilized to determine the structural and acoustic input powers to a small air handling unit (AHU). An electromagnetic shaker connected to a small stiff plate bolted to a panel of the AHU is used as an input force to the unit. The acoustic input consists of a calibrated volume velocity source placed inside the air handler. The inversely determined input powers are then used as inputs to the SEA model to track the structure-borne and airborne energy propagation through the small air handler. The results demonstrate that the inversely determined input powers can be used to reliably estimate inputs for the SEA model.
High-frequency source localization based on steered frequency-wavenumber analysis using sparse array
Authors: Choi Y. H. , Kim J. S. , Byun Gihoon
Published: November 2023

In this study, we address the problem of estimating the position of a nearby target emitting a high-frequency signal using sparse array. One of the representative localization techniques, Matched Field Processing (MFP), is known to demonstrate reliable performance below 1 kHz. However, at frequencies higher than the design frequency of the array sensor, the localization becomes challenging due to spatial aliasing. Nevertheless, Frequency-Difference Matched Field Processing (FDMFP) is a technique that successfully estimates the position of the target even in the presence of spatial aliasing. It performs signal processing in the low-frequency band using low-frequency components obtained from two high-frequency components. To ensure reliability, we compared and validated the results of this study with the results of FDMFP. In this research, we completed the algorithm by controlling the phenomenon of striation shifting caused by spatial aliasing in the conventional frequency-wavenumber(f-k) analysis through beam steering. We steered the received signal to the location of signal reception and identified the target's position using the f-k spectrum of the steered signal. The data used in the study is the sound of snapping shrimp from SAVEX15, with a frequency range of 5–24 kHz wideband impulse signals.
Deep learning for source localization and seabed classification under dynamic oceanographic environments using explosive sound signals
Authors: Escobar-Amado Christian D. , Badiey Mohsen
Published: November 2023

A deep-learning approach is proposed for simultaneous source localization and seabed classification of underwater signals generated by SUS (Signal, Underwater Sound) MK64 explosives. The charges were deployed in two separate shallow water acoustic experiments on the New England Mudpatch region in 2017 (SBCEX17) and 2022 (SBCEX22) conducted under different oceanographic conditions. The proposed approach uses a multitask learning (MTL) methodology, and convolutional neural networks (CNNs) trained on the spectrogram representation of SUS signals in the 10–199 Hz frequency band where the time-frequency modal dispersion curves exhibit distinct patterns. CNNs were trained on simulated data generated using the normal modes model, ORCA. This synthetic dataset is composed of several sound speed profiles measured in the water column in both experiments and representative seabeds ranging from muddy to sandy sediments. CNNs were tested on the signals measured in the two experiments where the source localization achieved a low mean squared error (0.35–0.8 km), and the seabed classification closely matched existing inversion results in the Mudpatch area. Notably, our method effectively handled oceanographic variations, showcasing the utilization of modal dispersion for training deep learning algorithms. [Work supported by ONR Grant N00014-21-1-2760.]
Theoretical investigation of sound propagation from a moving directional source in a shallow-water waveguide
Authors: He Tengjiao , Wang Bin , Nie Ruixin
Published: November 2023

Doppler phenomena resulting from a moving directional source can be complicated in shallow water environments. This study presents a semi-analytical method to calculate the Doppler-shifted field (DSF) caused by a directional source moving horizontally in a shallow-water waveguide. First, an improved normal-mode (NM) model is developed to comprehensively account for the Doppler-induced changing modal shapes, eigenvalue shifts, and the contribution of the branch cut integral. Next, an analytical, modal expression for the DSF is derived based on the principles of Huygens and Taylor series expansion. The solution is expressed as a sum over propagating eigenmodes, with the modal excitation determined by the source directivity depending upon the grazing angle of each pair of modal plane waves. This modal expression is applicable to any type of radiators moving in a shallow-water environment with an arbitrary sound speed profile. By employing the proposed theoretical model, we analyze the beam Doppler shift produced by a piston-like radiator moving in a two-layer waveguide. The simulation indicates that an apparent asymmetry arises in the DSF when the beam grazing angle sweeps over the critical angle of the seafloor. This finding confirms that the beam Doppler shift acts as the third mechanism causing significant differences between the field generated by a directional moving source and that by the same source at rest, which may have practical applications in underwater acoustic detection for moving sources.
Feature extraction and classification of deep-sea mobile underwater acoustic channels
Authors: Pan Chenyu , Liu Songzuo , Qing Xin , Qiao Gang
Published: November 2023

The reliable acoustic path (RAP) is one of the crucial channels for deep-sea sound propagation, which is affected weakly by the interface and has lower transmission loss, enabling long-distance communication. However, RAP-based deep-sea acoustic communication may face channel model mismatch issues. In order to analyze the dynamic characteristics of spatial-temporalvariability channels, deep-sea mobile underwater acoustic channel measurement experiments were conducted. This work proposes a deep learning method based on multi-dimensional properties to classify deep-sea channels. Specifically, the sound ray convergence zone leads to a complex multipath structure and severe delay spread in the RAP channel. The fuzzy c-means (FCM) algorithm is used for multipath clustering to extract accurate channel features, and then the Markov chain (MC) is introduced to track the evolution characteristics of multipath clusters. Finally, the coupling features of channel time-variant impulse response (TVIR) and multi-dimensionalstatistical properties are used as the input of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to obtain the quantitative evaluation index as the channel classification to build a channel feature dataset for underwater mobile platforms. This dataset can effectively assist in identifying deep-sea mobile channels and promote the development of adaptive underwater acoustic communication systems on mobile platforms.
Two-dimensional playability maps for single-reed woodwind instruments
Authors: Chatziioannou Vasileios , Hofmann Alex
Published: November 2023

One method to analyze musical instrument playability is by visualizing a two-dimensional subspace of the musician's control parameters. This hasbeen widely used in the form of Schelleng diagrams for bowed string instruments. There, it is possible to identify regions within the bow force—bowing position subspace where Helmholtz motion is achieved. Such diagrams may be populated either on the basis of experimental measurements, or via physical modeling. In fact, physical modeling is particularly suited to this task, since playing parameters can be directly controlled. It has been recently suggested (Woodhouse, in Proc. SMAC 2023) that similar diagrams may be used for analyzing wind instrument playability. This study aims at exploring this direction using a physical model which has been previously validated against experimental measurements. Initially, an informed decision is made on which parameters should be chosen for plotting an equivalent playability diagram. Subsequently, various diagram versions are generated, focusing on different aspects of the generated tones. As already pointed out by Woodhouse, similarities appear between the diagrams for bowed-string and woodwind instruments. It remains to examine how valuable information regarding woodwind playability may be extracted from such studies.
Recent findings regarding noise from tactical jet engines
Authors: Gee Kent L. , Christian Matthew A. , Pratt Hunter J. , Eggleston Michèle L.
Published: November 2023

This paper reviews the outcomes of several recent investigations into full-scale supersonic jet noise. First, concordance has been shown between a T-7A-installed GE F404 engine’s sound power and classical jet noise theory in both the subsonic and supersonic regimes [M. A. Christian et al., JASA Express Lett. 3, 073601 (2023)]. The results indicate approximate agreement between the “eighth-power” law for subsonic engine conditions and the “third-power” law for supersonic engine conditions, with a radiation efficiency of ∼0.5–0.6% at afterburner. However, a sudden jump in radiation efficiency in the jet’s transonic region is not presently explained. Second, normalized far field-derived sound power spectra for the F404 do not agree well with a curve found in NASA SP-8072 (Eldred, 1971), likely indicating differences between the importance of different Strouhal number regimes in military jet and rocket noise and, possibly, different radiation phenomena. Third, the maximum directivity angle for overall level appears to be primarily driven by the convective Mach number associated with Kelvin–Helmholtz instability waves (M. A. Christian et al., AIAA Paper 2023-3351). Together, these recent findings represent improved understanding of full-scale tactical jet noise phenomena. [Work supported by ONR.]
Objective tools in pediatric voice therapy: A path to improved outcomes
Authors: Patel Rita R.
Published: November 2023

This is an invited presentation in the Special Session titled, “Voice therapy: objective measurement science and clinical efficacy.” Pediatric dysphonia (hoarseness) is a common condition with prevalence estimates ranging from 1.4% to 23.9%. Dysphonia can be detrimental to children both psychologically and academically; hence, early identification and restoration of optimal vocal health is critical. Direct visualization of vocal fold vibratory patterns is fundamental for appropriate diagnosis and treatment of vocal fold pathology. Thus, evaluation of vocal fold structure and cycle-to-cycle vibratory motion through techniques of direct visualization of the vocal fold is essential for clinical assessment and measurement of treatment outcomes. This session will discuss the most recent advances in objective voice assessment and measurement of voice therapy outcomes in children. The focus will be on discussing an innovative approach that leverages high-speed videoendoscopy and a cutting-edge custom developed laser projection system for quantitative evaluation of lesion size and comprehensive evaluation of opening and closing phase dynamics of the glottal cycle before and after voice therapy in children with vocal fold nodules.
Behavioral responses of Chinook salmon to shipping noise in Cowichan Bay, British Columbia
Authors: Murchy Kelsie A. , Duguid Will , Atkinson Jamieson , Qualley Jessica , Innes Katie G. , Davies Hailey L. , Maher Bridget , Juanes Francis
Published: November 2023

The increase in human-generated noise over the last 60 years has led to concerns regarding the impacts of shipping noise on marine species. Two important species in the northeast Pacific are declining, southern resident killer whales and their main prey, Chinook salmon. We know that killer whales change their behavior in the presence of ships, but no work has been done on salmon. Acoustic receivers and underwater hydrophones were deployed in Cowichan Bay, British Columbia, Canada, to understand potential changes in behavior as salmon encounter shipping noise. Depth and acceleration of adult Chinook salmon were monitored using acoustic tags and were modeled against environmental conditions (e.g., currents) to understand general movement and behavior. Underwater sound pressure levels were then added to the model to assess potential responses to ship noise. Over 3 years, 53 Chinook salmon were tagged, resulting in 167,628 individual detections. Detections revealed spatial and temporal patterns in habitat use and behavior prior to river entry and provided the first data on Chinook salmon responses to anthropogenic noise. These data provide novel insights into the behavior of adult Chinook salmon and crucial information on the impacts of anthropogenic noise on this key species.
Improving hearing protection compliance by optimizing user Mission Effectiveness
Authors: Schrader Allan , Frost Brian , Zhang Kathy
Published: November 2023

Traditionally intra-aural (ear plugs) and Circum-aural (muff) style HPD’s are provided in elevated noise environments to provide additional noise protection. With proper training around insertion and wearing, these devices are used to provide compliance with safety standards for hearing exposure. It is well understood that the wearer’s ACTUAL protection, in their work/mission roles, are regularly eroded by misuse due to user isolation from “wanted” or “needed” sounds: Situational awareness for safety or mission needs, and Ambient and/or needed communications Alternative technologies can be applied to enhance the users Mission Effectiveness. With that, they “want to” wear devices. These can be customized/personalized to fit their mission while provide appropriate protection. While the overall protection might not reach the levels “possible” with a clinical HPD application, users wear the devices properly, gaining significant and consistent overall protection. This paper will explore additional technologies available, to incorporate into Muff-type HPD’s, that will enhance user productivity while also improving hearing protection: Active noise reduction (FB and FF), Active/personalized audio compensation and HPD effectiveness testing, Noise dosing information, and Customized alerts for preset thresholds covering hearing and environmental hazards.
Graduate Education From Physical Education to Kinesiology: Preparing the Next Generation
Authors: Gill Diane L.
Published: November 2023

In line with the 2023 conference theme, I first honor the past, then move to the present, and offer my views on embracing the future. In doing so, my theme is connection. That is, we need to hang together and connect with our professionals, our communities, and the public, as well as with each other. From our beginning in the late 1800s through much of our history, we were connected through physical education, but since the 1960s we have shifted away from physical education to disciplinary specializations and lost connections. Graduate programs, especially PhD programs, focus on preparing researchers in specialized areas. Although we no longer focus on physical education, we do have strong professional connections to the allied health areas. By strengthening our connections with our professionals and the public, we can make important contributions to the health and well-being of our communities and larger society and embrace the future.
Actin’ off: PD-1 suppresses F-actin rearrangement and degranulation at the immunological synapse
Authors: Acharya Sayanti , Kumari Sudha
Published: November 2023

Programmed cell death molecule 1 (PD-1) is a negative regulator of T cell activation; however, the mechanisms by which it acts are unclear. In this issue of
Science Signaling
, Paillon
et al
. show that PD-1 inhibits actin cytoskeletal rearrangements and associated effector responses in cytotoxic T cells.
Universal PCR for bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi: a 10-year retrospective review of clinical indications and patient outcomes
Authors: Kubiak Jeffrey , Morgan Alexandra , Kirmaier Andrea , Arnaout Ramy , Riedel Stefan
Published: November 2023

Universal PCR for bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi can aid in the diagnosis of occult infections, especially in the case of fastidious organisms or when prior antimicrobial treatment compromises culture growth. However, the limitations of this technology, including lack of specificity, high cost, long turnaround time, and lack of susceptibility data, may limit its effect on clinical outcomes. We performed a retrospective analysis of all specimens sent for universal PCR over a 10-year period from 2013 to 2022, focusing on clinical indications for test utilization and patient outcomes. All specimens required approval by a microbiology laboratory director prior to testing. A total of 708 specimens were sent from 638 patients. Of these specimens, 163 were positive, with an overall positivity rate of 23%. Pre-analytic factors associated with a positive universal PCR result were the presence of organisms on Gram stain or histology, the presence of neutrophils on Gram stain, and growth on culture. Positivity rates varied significantly by specimen type. A total of 20% of all organisms detected were deemed clinically irrelevant by the clinical services. A positive universal PCR led to a change in antibiotic management in 29% of cases. Positive fungal universal PCR results sent from hospitalized patients were associated with worse outcomes, including increased hospital mortality. Our findings suggest that factors such as the presence of organisms or neutrophils on Gram stain, specimen source/clinical context, and anticipated changes in management based on results should be strongly considered when making stewardship decisions regarding the appropriateness of this testing modality.

IMPORTANCE

Our work provides a retrospective analysis of universal PCR orders for bacteria, mycobacteria, and fungi across our institution across a 10-year period. We assessed the positivity rates for this diagnostic tool by test type and specimen type and, critically, studied whether and how the results influenced the outcomes from treatment change, to readmission, to death.
The transcription factor Rpn4 activates its own transcription and induces efflux pump expression to confer fluconazole resistance in
Candida auris
Authors: Chow Eve W. L. , Song Yabing , Chen Jinxin , Xu Xiaoli , Wang Jianbin , Chen Kun , Gao Jiaxin , Wang Yue
Published: November 2023

The emergence and nosocomial spread of the multidrug-resistant
Candida auris
pose a severe public health threat. Most
C. auris
clinical isolates are fluconazole resistant. In this study, we conduct transposon-mediated screens to profile genes whose inactivation causes fluconazole resistance in
C. auris
. We discover that mutation of genes encoding the Ubr2/Mub1 ubiquitin-ligase complex results in high fluconazole resistance by stabilizing the transcription activator, Rpn4. Global transcriptomic analysis, quantitative PCR, and combinatorial gene deletion reveal that Rpn4 causes fluconazole resistance by upregulating four efflux pump genes,
SNQ21
,
SNQ22
,
MDR1
, and
CDR1
, increasing efflux activity of the cell. Rpn4 autoactivates its own expression by binding to a PACE element in its promoter, forming a positive autoregulatory loop. Rpn4 also promotes
CDR1
expression by binding to a PACE element in the
CDR1
promoter. Furthermore, using the published genome sequence data of 304 clinical isolates, we identified a
UBR2
A316T mutation in isolates from clades I and III. Although complementation of the
ubr2
Δ mutant with the
UBR2
A316T
allele resulted in increased susceptibility to fluconazole, the
UBR2
A316T
mutant was still more resistant to fluconazole compared to wild type, suggesting that acquisition of the mutation is sufficient to confer an increase in fluconazole resistance. In conclusion, this study identifies Rpn4 as a critical transcription factor that regulates fluconazole resistance via the Rpn4-efflux pump axis in
C. auris
.

IMPORTANCE

Candida auris
is a recently emerged pathogenic fungus of grave concern globally due to its resistance to conventional antifungals. This study takes a whole-genome approach to explore how
C. auris
overcomes growth inhibition imposed by the common antifungal drug fluconazole. We focused on gene disruptions caused by a “jumping genetic element” called transposon, leading to fluconazole resistance. We identified mutations in two genes, each encoding a component of the Ubr2/Mub1 ubiquitin-ligase complex, which marks the transcription regulator Rpn4 for degradation. When either protein is absent, stable Rpn4 accumulates in the cell. We found that Rpn4 activates the expression of itself as well as the main drug efflux pump gene
CDR1
by binding to a PACE element in the promoter. Furthermore, we identified an amino acid change in Ubr2 in many resistant clinical isolates, contributing to Rpn4 stabilization and increased fluconazole resistance.
Draft genomes of two rhizosphere associated bacterial isolates from Tims Branch, a heavy metal contaminated wetland
Authors: Losey Nathaniel A. , Kuhne Wendy W. , Lin Peng , Kaplan Daniel I.
Published: November 2023

Two bacterial isolates were recovered from wetland sediments from Tims Branch, a heavy metal contaminated wetland located at the Savannah River Site. Draft genomes of the two recovered isolates,
Rhodoblastus
strain 17X3 and
Comamonas
strain 17RB, were generated from Illumina MiSeq sequencing data.
Formulation and evaluation of atovaquone-loaded macrophage-derived exosomes against
Toxoplasma gondii
:
in vitro
and
in vivo
assessment
Authors: Goudarzi Fatemeh , Jajarmi Vahid , Shojaee Saeedeh , Mohebali Mehdi , Keshavarz Hossein
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to prepare and assess atovaquone (ATQ)-loaded exosomes (EXO-ATQ) against
Toxoplasma gondii
to improve their therapeutic activities on acute and chronic phases of murine toxoplasmosis. Exosomes were isolated from a mouse macrophage cell line (J774A.1). The isolated exosomes were loaded with ATQ (EXO-ATQ), applying the co-incubation method.
In vitro
efficacy of EXO-ATQ against
T. gondii
infection was assessed in Vero cell culture. An
in vivo
experiment was carried out in BALB/c mice infected with RH (acute strain) and Tehran (chronic strain) of
T. gondii,
followed by treatment with EXO-ATQ. Their survival time and parasite load were compared with that in the suspension of ATQ (S-ATQ) as a positive control group. The
in vitro
study showed that exosomes improved the efficacy of ATQ, and EXO-ATQ significantly reduced intracellular proliferation of
T. gondii
tachyzoites compared to S-ATQ (
P
 ≤  0.05). In acute experimental toxoplasmosis, the mice treated with EXO-ATQ showed a significant reduction in tachyzoites count of the peritoneal cavity and a longer survival time (
P
 ≤  0.05). Furthermore, EXO-ATQ administration significantly decreased the mean number (97.3% cyst reduction) and the average size of the brain cysts of chronically infected mice with
T. gondii
, Tehran strain (
P
 ≤  0.05). Besides, the decrease in cyst numbers was confirmed by the down-regulation of
BAG1
using a real-time PCR assay. Our results implied that exosomes have the potential to be used as an efficient drug delivery system, and the loading of ATQ into the exosomes ameliorates the effect of ATQ against
T. gondii
. This study suggests a new strategy for improving the effectiveness of ATQ against acute and chronic phases of
T. gondii
.

IMPORTANCE

This study is the first of its kind that suggests exosomes as a nano-carrier loaded with atovaquone (ATQ), which could be considered as a new strategy for improving the effectiveness of ATQ against acute and chronic phases of
Toxoplasma gondii
.
Role of DEAD-box RNA helicases in low-temperature adapted growth of Antarctic
Pseudomonas syringae
Lz4W
Authors: Hussain Ashaq , Ray Malay Kumar
Published: November 2023

Pseudomonas syringae
possesses genes for all five major DEAD-box RNA helicases,
rhlE
,
srmB
,
csdA
,
dbpA
, and
rhlB
, that are found in γ-proteobacteria. Bioinformatic analysis of the RNA helicase genes provided detailed insights into their genomic organization, promoter characteristics, regulatory 3′ regions, and sequence similarity. Disruption of
rhlB
and
rhlE
genes did not have any effect on growth of the
P. syringae
mutants at optimum (22°C) or at low (4°C) temperatures. On the other hand, disruption of
srmB
and
dbpA
genes caused a slow-growing phenotype in the mutants at low temperature (4°C). In comparison to the above-mentioned helicases, deletion of
csdA
gene caused the mutant (Δ
csdA
) to be totally incapable of growing at 4°C while marginally affecting the growth (resulting in slow growth) at the optimum temperature (22°C). Functional complementation studies revealed that RNA helicases are functionally non-redundant, as the roles performed by different helicases are individual and specific.

IMPORTANCE

RNA metabolism is important as RNA acts as a link between genomic information and functional biomolecules, thereby playing a critical role in cellular response to environment. We investigated the role of DEAD-box RNA helicases in low-temperature adapted growth of
P. syringae
, as this group of enzymes play an essential role in modulation of RNA secondary structures. This is the first report on the assessment of all major DEAD-box RNA helicases in any Antarctic bacterium. Of the five RNA helicases, three (
srmB
,
csdA
, and
dbpA
) are important for the growth of the Antarctic
P. syringae
at low temperature. However, the requisite role of
dbpA
and the indispensable requirement of
csdA
for low-temperature adapted growth are a novel finding of this study. Growth analysis of combinatorial deletion strains was performed to understand the functional interaction among helicase genes. Similarly, genetic complementation of RNA helicase mutants was conducted for identification of gene redundancy in
P. syringae
.
Retinal detachment risk in the fellow eyes of patients presenting with retinal tears in more than two quadrants
Authors: Li Xiaoman , Poulson Arabella V , Snead Martin P
Published: November 2023

Literature discussing fellow eye risk in patients with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment secondary to posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is limited, particularly in subgroups where this risk may be greater than the general population. In this retrospective consecutive case series with 107 study patients, the risk of retinal tears in fellow eyes of patients with horseshoe tears in three or more quadrants of their presenting eye, secondary to PVD, was 81%. The fellow eye risk is high in this subgroup of patients, and it is important to inform them to seek prompt attention when symptoms of PVD develop in their fellow eye.
Implementation of a high sensitivity cardiac troponin I assay and risk of myocardial infarction or death at five years: observational analysis of a stepped wedge, cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: Lee Kuan Ken , Doudesis Dimitrios , Ferry Amy V , Chapman Andrew R , Kimenai Dorien M , Fujisawa Takeshi , Bularga Anda , Lowry Matthew T H , Taggart Caelan , Schulberg Stacey , Wereski Ryan , Tuck Chris , Strachan Fiona E , Newby David E , Anand Atul , Shah Anoop S V , Mills Nicholas L
Published: November 2023

Objective

To evaluate the impact of implementing a high sensitivity assay for cardiac troponin I on long term outcomes in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome.

Design

Secondary observational analysis of a stepped wedge, cluster randomised controlled trial.

Setting

10 secondary and tertiary care centres in Scotland, UK.

Participants

48 282 consecutive patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. Myocardial injury was defined as any high sensitivity assay result for cardiac troponin I >99th centile of 16 ng/L in women and 34 ng/L in men.

Intervention

Hospital sites were randomly allocated to either early (n=5 hospitals) or late (n=5 hospitals) implementation of a high sensitivity cardiac troponin I assay with sex specific diagnostic thresholds.

Main outcome measure

The main outcome was myocardial infarction or death at five years.

Results

10 360 patients had cardiac troponin concentrations greater than the 99th centile, of whom 1771 (17.1%) were reclassified by the high sensitivity assay. The five year incidence of subsequent myocardial infarction or death before and after implementation of the high sensitivity assay was 29.4% (5588/18 978)
v
25.9% (7591/29 304), respectively, in all patients (adjusted hazard ratio 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.93 to 1.01), and 63.0% (456/720)
v
53.9% (567/1051), respectively, in those reclassified by the high sensitivity assay (0.82, 0.72 to 0.94). After implementation of the high sensitivity assay, a reduction in subsequent myocardial infarction or death was observed in patients with non-ischaemic myocardial injury (0.83, 0.75 to 0.91) but not in those with type 1 or type 2 myocardial infarction (0.92, 0.83 to 1.01 and 0.98, 0.84 to 1.14).

Conclusions

Implementation of a high sensitivity cardiac troponin I assay in the assessment of patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome was associated with a reduced risk of subsequent myocardial infarction or death at five years in those reclassified by the high sensitivity assay. Improvements in outcome were greatest in patients with non-ischaemic myocardial injury, suggesting a broader benefit beyond the identification of myocardial infarction.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov
NCT01852123
.
Effectiveness of a government-led, multiarm intervention on early childhood development and caregiver mental health: a study protocol for a factorial cluster-randomised trial in rural China
Authors: Jiang Qi , Wang Boya , Qian Yiwei , Emmers Dorien , Li Shanshan , Pappas Lucy , Tsai Eleanor , Sun Letao , Singh Manpreet , Fernald Lia , Rozelle Scott
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The high incidences of both the developmental delay among young children and the mental health problems of their caregivers are major threats topublic healthin low-income and middle-income countries. Parental training interventions during early childhood have been shown to benefit early development, yet evidence on strategies to promote caregiver mental health remains limited. In addition, evidence on the optimal design of scalable interventions that integrate early child development and maternal mental health components is scarce.

Methods and analysis

We design a single-blind, factorial, cluster-randomised controlled, superiority trial that will be delivered and supervised by local agents of the All China Women’s Federation (ACWF), the nationwide, government-sponsored social protection organisation that aims to safeguard the rights and interests of women and children. We randomise 125 villages in rural China into four arms: (1) a parenting stimulation arm; (2) a caregiver mental health arm; (3) a combined parenting stimulation and caregiver mental health arm and (4) a pure control arm. Caregivers and their children (aged 6–24 months at the time of baseline data collection) are selected and invited to participate in the 12-month-long study. The parenting stimulation intervention consists of weekly, one-on-one training sessions that follow a loose adaptation of the Reach Up and Learn curriculum. The caregiver mental health intervention is comprised of fortnightly group activities based on an adaptation of the Thinking Healthy curriculum from the WHO. Primary outcomes include measures of child development and caregiver mental health. Secondary outcomes include a comprehensive set of physical, psychological and behavioural outcomes. This protocol describes the design and evaluation plan for this programme.

Ethics and dissemination

This study received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Stanford University (IRB Protocol #63680) and the Institutional Review Board of the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. Informed oral consent will be obtained from all caregivers for their own and their child’s participation in the study. The full protocol will be publicly available in an open-access format. The study findings will be published in economics, medical and public health journals, as well as Chinese or English policy briefs.

Trial registration number

AEA RCT Registry (AEARCTR-0010078) and ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN84864201).
Association of living condition using urbanisation level and neighbourhood deprivation with loneliness and social isolation during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study of the nationwide data in Japan
Authors: Sasaki Natsu , Tabuchi Takahiro , Okubo Ryo , Nishi Daisuke
Published: November 2023

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of living condition (deprivation and urbanisation level) with loneliness and social isolation.

Study design

Cross-sectional study.

Methods

Data were retrieved from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey, a nationwide online cohort study, conducted from September to October 2021. Area Deprivation Index and Densely Inhabited District data were used as indicators of living condition. The Japanese version of the University of California, Los Angeles Loneliness Scale and Lubben Social Network Scale-6 were used to assess loneliness and social isolation, respectively. Analysis of covariance was performed to compare the difference in outcome variables by living conditions (four categories), adjusting for gender, age, educational attainment, income, marital status, people living with, work status and subjective health status.

Results

A total of 27 520 community dwelling people were included in this study. For loneliness, living condition did not show a significant difference in the adjusted model, while deprived area had a tendency to show high loneliness. For social isolation, there was a significant group difference in the adjusted model (p<0.001), and living in a higher urbanisation level and lower deprivation showed the highest score for social isolation.

Conclusion

Overall, the effects of the living condition on loneliness and social isolation were small. Further study is needed to explore more comprehensive environment factors affecting loneliness and social isolation.
Exploring the knowledge and practices on road safety measures among motorbikers in Dhaka, Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Das Sadhan Kumar , Tamannur Tahazid , Nesa Arifatun , Noman Abdullah Al , Dey Piue , Kundu Shuvojit Kumar , Sultana Hafiza , Riaz Baizid Khoorshid , Islam ANM Shamsul , Sharower Golam , Dhar Bablu Kumar , Rahman Mohammad Meshbahur
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Road traffic injuries (RTIs), particularly motorbike injuries, are one of the leading causes of death worldwide and have been a serious concern in low- and middle-income countries like Bangladesh. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and practices on road safety measures among motorbikers in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2022 to December 2022 among 350 motorbikers of Dhaka city via a series of face-to-face interviews. Motorbikers who regularly ride a motorcycle were interviewed about their road safety knowledge and practices through a two-stage cluster sampling technique. Frequency distribution, independent sample t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were performed in data analysis.

Results

Out of the 350 motorbikers, only 54.6% had good knowledge and 16.9% had poor knowledge on the signs and safety regulations of roads. Moreover, only 50.6% of respondents followed good practices while 23.4% followed poor practices of road safety measures. One-way ANOVA analysis demonstrates that the average knowledge score was significantly (p<0.05) higher among higher-educated, unmarried and non-smokers. Additionally, higher education level, non-smoking status and being Muslim were significantly (p<0.05) associated with good road safety practices.

Conclusions

The overall good knowledge level and practices of road safety measures among the motorbikers was not satisfactory although the majority of them knew individual signs and regulations. Therefore, this study suggests that education and strict enforcement of traffic rules may increase their knowledge and practice behaviour regarding road safety which in turn would minimise traffic injuries and fatalities.
Does the Duty of Rescue support a moral obligation to vaccinate? Seasonal influenza and the Institutional Duty of Rescue
Authors: Harmer Abigail Sophie
Published: November 2023

Seasonal influenza poses a significant public health risk in many countries worldwide. Lower immunity and less influenza virus circulating during the pandemic has resulted in a significant increase in cases since the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in 2022. The seasonal influenza vaccine offers effective protection and is safe for use in large numbers of the population. This article asserts that a moral obligation to vaccinate against influenza can be understood as an Institutional Duty of Rescue. The traditional understanding of the Duty of Rescue encounters issues with force and scope, making it difficult to apply to rescue cases in general, as well as being overdemanding for the individual agent. An Institutional view of the Duty of Rescue addresses these difficulties, looks at the wider context of rescue and leaves room for discussion on collective, preventative rescue measures. This makes the concept well suited to supporting a moral obligation to vaccinate against influenza as part of a collective effort on the part of institutional organisations.
Rescue angioplasty and/or stenting after mechanical thrombectomy: who can benefit?
Authors: Jia BaiXue , Zhang Longhui , Pan Yuesong , Tong Xu , Zhang Xuelei , Mo Dapeng , Ma Ning , Luo Gang , Song Ligang , Li Xiaoqing , Wang Bo , Nguyen Thanh N , Gao Feng , Miao Zhongrong
Published: November 2023

Background

Angioplasty and/or stenting is a rescue therapy for mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in acute intracranial large vessel occlusion. This study was undertaken to determine whether rescue angioplasty and/or stenting improves the outcome after MT and to investigate whether outcomes differ by subgroup of rescue indication.

Methods

We performed propensity score matching (PSM) with data from a prospective multicenter registry of patients with acute large vessel occlusion receiving endovascular treatment. Patients were divided into the MT alone group and the MT with rescue therapy group. The primary outcome was functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score of 0–2) at 90 days. PSM was also performed in the failed MT (modified Thrombolysis In Cerebral Infarction (mTICI) 0–2a) and the residual severe stenosis (mTICI 2b–3) subgroups, respectively.

Results

326 patients of mean±SD age 62.7±12.0 years (90 women, 27.6%) were matched from 1274 patients. In the matched cohort, functional independence at 90 days was higher in the rescue therapy group than in the MT alone group (44.2% vs 29.5%; OR 1.90, 95% CI 1.18 to 3.06, P=0.008). In the failed MT subgroup with 66 matched pairs, more patients had functional independence in the rescue therapy group than in the MT alone group (39.0% vs 17.0%; OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.29 to 7.59, P=0.01). In the residual stenosis subgroup with 63 matched pairs, functional independence rates were similar in the rescue therapy and the MT alone groups (51.6% vs 55.7%; OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.42 to 1.72, P=0.65).

Conclusion

Rescue angioplasty and/or stenting could improve the clinical outcome in patients with acute large vessel occlusion with failed MT, while no benefit was seen in those with residual severe stenosis but substantial reperfusion.
Vector invariants of permutation groups in characteristic zero
Authors: Reimers Fabian , sezer Müfit
Published: November 2023

We consider a finite permutation group acting naturally on a vector space [Formula: see text] over a field [Formula: see text]. A well-known theorem of Göbel asserts that the corresponding ring of invariants [Formula: see text] is generated by the invariants of degree at most [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we show that if the characteristic of [Formula: see text] is zero, then the top degree of vector coinvariants [Formula: see text] is also bounded above by [Formula: see text], which implies the degree bound [Formula: see text] for the ring of vector invariants [Formula: see text]. So, Göbel’s bound almost holds for vector invariants in characteristic zero as well.
First-principles study on the adsorption of divalent heavy metal ions by black phosphorus in water
Authors: Wang Ying , Wang Haining , Liu Guili , Wei Lin , Zhang Guoying
Published: November 2023

With the rapid development of electronics, the application and research of two-dimensional materials have been at the forefront of the world’s scientific research. Black phosphorus (BP) has the advantages of large specific surface area, anisotropy, band tunability, high electrical conductivity and high theoretical specific capacity, which make it very promising for research in the fields of medicine, aerospace and electrochemistry. This paper calculates the electronic structure and adsorption properties of BP in water for different heavy metal ions of Pb[Formula: see text], Hg[Formula: see text] and Cd[Formula: see text], including adsorption energy, bandgap, electron density and Mulliken population analysis, based on the first-principles approach of density generalized theory. First principles are quantum mechanical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT), which is a dominant well-developed method in the field of materials simulations, with low errors and high efficiency, especially in systems containing metallic particles. The results showed that the Pb[Formula: see text] adsorption system in water was more stable than the Hg[Formula: see text] adsorption system and the Cd[Formula: see text] adsorption system. The bandgap values of 0.617, 0.785 and 0.715[Formula: see text]eV of BP after adsorption of Pb[Formula: see text], Hg[Formula: see text] and Cd[Formula: see text] in water are smaller compared to 0.891[Formula: see text]eV of intrinsic BP, and its properties change from direct bandgap semiconductor to indirect bandgap semiconductor. The higher the stability of a system for the adsorption of different heavy metal ions by BP, the higher the internal electron activity of the adsorption system and the amount of electron transfer. Meanwhile, it is concluded that the electrons mainly transfer from P to heavy metal ions in all the adsorption systems.

The electron transfer of the BP-Pb[Formula: see text], Hg[Formula: see text], and Cd[Formula: see text] adsorption system occurs mainly in the p, s, and s/p orbitals, respectively. The above content investigated the electronic structure changes and internal electron transfer of heavy metal ions adsorbed by black phosphorus in water, expecting to provide a new reference basis for the detection of heavy metal ions in industrial wastewater using black phosphorus.