bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of pulse current on surface properties of aluminum oxide coating containing graphite
Authors: Md. Ghazazi Nur Afieqah , Liza Shahira , Ishimatsu Jun , Mat Tahir Noor Ayuma , Zulkifli Nur Aszreen , Yaakob Yazid
Published: July 2023

Anodizing is widely used as a surface treatment for aluminum alloy to improve its surface properties by increasing the thickness of the oxide layer. Generally, conventional anodizing by direct current (DC) produced high porosity and micro‐cracks. Utilizing pulse current (PC) as a power source and graphite particles as reinforcement for the oxide layer may solve these problems. Therefore, the present work aims to study the effect of the combination approaches on coating growth and the surface characteristics of the oxide coating. The graphite‐incorporated composite oxide coating on the AA2017‐T4 Al alloy was developed by DC and PC hard anodizing process. The surface morphology, topography, chemical composition, and surface hardness were evaluated. In PC anodizing, the growth rate of oxide layer was slower (0.59 μm/min) than DC anodizing (1.08 μm/min). The surface pores start to develop at the 30th minute compared to DC, which is the 20th minute. At 60 min, the formation of porous composite oxide coating is complete with pore dimension (width: 46.74 ± 19.96 μm and depth: 7.11 ± 2.57 μm) and thickness of 35.20 ± 8.90 μm for PC, whereas for DC pore dimension (width: 81.03 ± 21.60 μm and depth: 17.16 ± 4.31 μm) and thickness of 64.80 ± 23.69 μm. Surface roughness and hardness of composite oxide coating by PC were measured at about 1.90 ± 0.04 μm and 379.10 ± 4.37 HV, respectively. Meanwhile, the DC reveals a significant increase in roughness (4.28 ± 0.25 μm) and a decrease in hardness (302.75 ± 1.09 HV). The introduction of graphite particles with PC anodizing reduces the surface porosity, microcracks and enhances the surface hardness of oxide coating.
Single Nanovesicles Tracking Reveals Their Heterogeneous Extracellular Adsorptions
Authors: Sun Hua , Qi Huibo , Hu Wanting , Guan Liandi , Xue Jianfeng , Ai Yongjian , Wang Yu , Ding Mingyu , Liang Qionglin
Published: July 2023

The vigorous nanomedicine offers significant possibilities for effective therapeutics of various diseases, and nanovesicles (NVs) represented by artificial liposomes and natural exosomes and cytomembranes especially show great potential. However, their complex interactions with cells, particularly the heterogeneous extracellular adsorptions, are difficult to analyze spatiotemporally due to the transient dynamics. In this study, by single NVs tracking, the extracellular NVs adsorptions are directly observed and their heterogeneous characteristics are revealed. Briefly, plenty of NVs adsorbed on HCT116 cells are tracked and classified, and it is discovered that they exhibit various diffusion properties from different extracellular regions: stable adsorptions on the rear surface and restricted adsorptions on the front protrusion. After the hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid in the extracellular matrix by hyaluronidase, the restricted adsorptions are further weakened and manifested as dissociative adsorptions, which demonstrated reduced total NVs adsorptions from a single‐cell and single‐particle perspective. Compared with traditional static analysis, the spatiotemporal tracking and heterogeneous results not only reveal the extracellular NVs‐cell interactions but also inspire a wide variety of nanomedicine and their nano‐investigations.
Plasma‐Induced Formation of Pt Nanoparticles with Optimized Surface Oxidation States for Methanol Oxidation and Oxygen Reduction Reactions to Achieve High‐Performance DMFCs
Authors: Hu Tingting , Chen Weiheng , Liu Yubing , Gong Longxiang , Jiang Zhongqing , Bhalothia Dinesh , Maiyalagan Thandavarayan , Jiang Zhong‐Jie
Published: July 2023

Plasma treatment and reduction are used to synthesize Pt nanoparticles (NPs) on nitrogen‐doped carbon nanotubes (p‐Pt/p‐NCNT) with a low Pt content. In particular, the plasma treatment is used to treat the NCNT to give it with more surface defects, facilitating a better growth of the Pt NPs, while the plasma reduction produces the Pt NPs with a reduced fraction of the surface atoms at the high oxidation states, increasing the catalytic activities of the p‐Pt@p‐NCNT. Even at the low Pt content (7.8 wt.%), the p‐Pt@p‐NCNT shows superior catalytic activities and good stabilities for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the defects generated in the plasma treatment can help the growth of the Pt NPs on the NCNTs, leading to the stronger electronic coupling between Pt and NCNT and the increased stability of the catalyst. The plasma reduction can give the Pt NPs with optimized surface oxidation states, decreasing the energy barriers of the rate‐determining steps for MOR and ORR. When used as the anode and cathode catalysts for the direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), the p‐Pt@p‐NCNT exhibits a higher maximum power density of 81.9 mW cm−2 at 80 °C and shows good durability.
Non-equilibrium large deviations and parabolic-hyperbolic PDE with irregular drift
Authors: Fehrman Benjamin , Gess Benjamin
Published: July 2023

Large deviations of conservative interacting particle systems, such as the zero range process, about their hydrodynamic limit and their respective rate functions lead to the analysis of the skeleton equation; a degenerate parabolic-hyperbolic PDE with irregular drift. We develop a robust well-posedness theory for such PDEs in energy-critical spaces based on concepts of renormalized solutions and the equation’s kinetic form. We establish these properties by proving that renormalized solutions are equivalent to classical weak solutions, extending concepts of (DiPerna and Lions in Invent. Math. 98(3):511–547, 1989; Ambrosio in Invent. Math. 158(2):227–260, 2004) to the nonlinear setting.

The relevance of the results toward large deviations in interacting particle systems is demonstrated by applications to the identification of l.s.c. envelopes of restricted rate functions, to zero noise large deviations for conservative SPDE, and to the $\Gamma $
Γ
-convergence of rate functions. The first of these solves a long-standing open problem in the large deviations for zero range processes. The second makes rigorous an informal link between the non-equilibrium statistical mechanics approaches of macroscopic fluctuation theory and fluctuating hydrodynamics.
System for automated monitoring of local soil removal during cleaning in closed food processing lines with a quartz crystal sensor
Authors: Gottschall S. , Murcek R. , Städtler S. , Mauermann M.
Published: July 2023

Using quartz crystal microbalances (QCM) to monitor cleaning processes creates new opportunities towards efficient and need-based cleaning processes. A first study with starch as food model soiling showed the suitability of a QCM-based sensor concept to detect swellable substances and monitor the cleaning process [1]. The results of a follow-up study will be presented in this manuscript. Cleaning tests were conducted at 40 and 55 °C while monitoring a range of characteristics (peak height, attenuation, integral, tangent incline, turning point) in the sensor signal course. An optical sensor, monitoring the cleaning process was used as a reference. Based on this, the most promising parameters (peak height, attenuation, tangent incline) were selected to develop an evaluation algorithm counteracting the sensor cross-sensitivity towards process parameters such as temperature and influences of the cleaning fluid. The algorithm can determine whether the sensor surface is clean or soiled. Cleaning tests with tomato paste and milk proved the sensor’s ability to detect industrial food products with an average deviation of 68,0 s (tomato paste) and 43,8 s (milk) from the reference sensor.
Consumption of ultra-processed products is associated with vitamin D deficiency in Brazilian adults and elderly
Authors: Nascimento Larisse Monteles , Lavôr Layanne Cristina de Carvalho , Sousa Paulo Víctor de Lima , Luzia Liania Alves , Viola Poliana Cristina de Almeida Fonseca , Paiva Adriana de Azevedo , Rondó Patricia Helen de Carvalho , Frota Karoline de Macedo Gonçalves
Published: July 2023

Although studies show that the intake of ultra-processed products (UPP) has a negative impact on health, diet quality and dietary vitamin D, its influence on serum concentrations of this vitamin remains unknown; therefore, it is essential to verify the association between the UPP consumption and vitamin D deficiency. This is a cross-sectional, household, population-based study, carried out with 229 individuals aged 20 years or older, residents of the city of Teresina, Piauí, Brazil. Socio-demographic, lifestyle, food consumption and anthropometric data were collected. Food consumption was obtained using a 24-h food recall, and foods were grouped according to the NOVA classification. Plasma concentrations of calcidiol–25 (OH) D3 were determined by HPLC. Crude and adjusted binary logistic regression was applied to estimate the association between UPP consumption and vitamin D deficiency. Most individuals aged 20–39 years were vitamin D deficient (52·1 %). UPP contributed 19·9 % to the energetic intake of the participant’s diet. This contribution was higher for individuals with vitamin D deficiency (22·5 %, P = 0·04). In addition, a high intake of UPP was associated with twice the risk of vitamin D deficiency in comparison with low consumption of UPP (OR: 2·05; CI 1·06, 4·50; P: 0·04). Our results suggest that the consumption of UPP may have a negative impact on serum concentrations of vitamin D; more studies are needed.
Arctic science diplomacy in new geopolitical conditions: From “soft” power to “hard” dialogue?
Authors: Zaika Yulia , Lagutina Maria
Published: July 2023

Recent years have shown that international science dialogue exists at the edge of turbulence and is disturbed by different geopolitical events. The notion of science diplomacy has taken the critical discourse to different levels of actors. Such a discourse exposes the epistemological ambivalence and methodological imbalance of both science and diplomacy in this phenomenon. Current geopolitical conditions have revealed new edges of science diplomacy instruments that spread from “soft” to “hard” practices. Different levels of dialogue and cooperation have shown different examples of resilience and adaptability (or the opposite) to the external turbulence. The phenomenon of regionalisation in science diplomacy is facing criticism from the science community while the current geopolitical situation has dramatically influenced the Arctic science dialogue, as well as governance practices. This commentary discusses particular examples of existing Arctic science diplomacy practices in current geopolitical conditions which are reflected in the Arctic theoretical and practical discourse.
Controlled trial of a workplace sales ban on sugar-sweetened beverages
Authors: Schmidt Jamey M , Epel Elissa S , Jacobs Laurie M , Mason Ashley E , Parrett Bethany , Pickett Amanda M , Mousli Leyla M , Schmidt Laura A
Published: July 2023

Objective:

To examine the effectiveness of a workplace sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) sales ban on reducing SSB consumption in employees, including those with cardiometabolic disease risk factors.

Design:

A controlled trial of ethnically diverse, full-time employees who consumed SSB heavily (sales ban n 315; control n 342). Outcomes included standardised measures of change in SSB consumption in the workplace (primary) and at home between baseline and 6 months post-sales ban.

Setting:

Sutter Health, a large non-profit healthcare delivery system in Northern California.

Participants:

Full-time employees at Sutter Health screened for heavy SSB consumption.

Results:

Participants were 66·1 % non-White. On average, participants consumed 34·7 ounces (about 1 litre) of SSB per d, and the majority had an elevated baseline BMI (mean = 29·5). In adjusted regression analyses, those exposed to a workplace SSB sales ban for 6 months consumed 2·7 (95 % CI –4·9, –0·5) fewer ounces of SSB per d while at work, and 4·3 (95 % CI –8·4, –0·2) fewer total ounces per d, compared to controls. Sales ban participants with an elevated BMI or waist circumference had greater post-intervention reductions in workplace SSB consumption.

Conclusions:

Workplace sales bans can reduce SSB consumption in ethnically diverse employee populations, including those at higher risk for cardiometabolic disease.
Composable security of CV-MDI-QKD with secret key rate and data processing
Authors: Papanastasiou Panagiotis , Mountogiannakis Alexander G. , Pirandola Stefano
Published: July 2023

We provide a rigorous security proof of continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution which incorporates finite-size effects and composable terms. In order to use realistic and optimized parameters and be able to derive results close to experimental expectations, we run protocol simulations supported by a Python library, including all the protocol operations, from simulating the quantum communication till the extraction of the final key.
Juxtaposing Sub-Sahara Africa’s energy poverty and renewable energy potential
Authors: Mukhtar Mustapha , Adun Humphrey , Cai Dongsheng , Obiora Sandra , Taiwo Michael , Ni Ting , Ozsahin Dilber Uzun , Bamisile Olusola
Published: July 2023

Recently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released a comprehensive roadmap for the global energy sector to achieve net-zero emission by 2050. Considering the sizeable share of (Sub-Sahara) Africa in the global population, the attainment of global energy sector net-zero emission is practically impossible without a commitment from African countries. Therefore, it is important to study and analyze feasible/sustainable ways to solve the energy/electricity poverty in Africa. In this paper, the energy poverty in Africa and the high renewable energy (RE) potential are reviewed. Beyond this, the generation of electricity from the abundant RE potential in this region is analyzed in hourly timestep. This study is novel as it proposes a Sub-Sahara Africa (SSA) central grid as one of the fastest/feasible solutions to the energy poverty problem in this region. The integration of a sizeable share of electric vehicles with the proposed central grid is also analyzed. This study aims to determine the RE electricity generation capacities, economic costs, and supply strategies required to balance the projected future electricity demand in SSA. The analysis presented in this study is done considering 2030 and 2040 as the targeted years of implementation. EnergyPLAN simulation program is used to simulate/analyze the generation of electricity for the central grid. The review of the energy poverty in SSA showed that the electricity access of all the countries in this region is less than 100%. The analysis of the proposed central RE grid system is a viable and sustainable option, however, it requires strategic financial planning for its implementation. The cheapest investment cost from all the case scenarios in this study is $298 billion. Considering the use of a single RE technology, wind power systems implementation by 2030 and 2040 are the most feasible options as they have the least economic costs. Overall, the integration of the existing/fossil-fueled power systems with RE technologies for the proposed central grid will be the cheapest/easiest pathway as it requires the least economic costs. While this does not require the integration of storage systems, it will help the SSA countries reduce their electricity sector carbon emission by 56.6% and 61.8% by 2030 and 2040 respectively.
Investigation of intake air temperature effect on co-combustion characteristics of NH3/gasoline in naturally aspirated high compression ratio engine with sub-chamber
Authors: Yilmaz Emir , Ichiyanagi Mitsuhisa , Zheng Qinyue , Guo Bin , Aratake Narumi , Kodaka Masashi , Shiraishi Hikaru , Okada Takanobu , Suzuki Takashi
Published: July 2023

Recently, ammonia (NH3), which has a higher energy density than hydrogen, has gained attention for zero-carbon emission goals in the transportation sector. However, in a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE), NH3 combustion mechanism is still under investigation. In this paper, to further expand the knowledge on the adoption of NH3 in ICEs, authors conducted NH3/gasoline co-combustion experiments in a modified, 17.7:1 compression ratio, naturally aspirated spark-assisted CI engine with sub-chamber. The sub-chamber was chosen in order to enhance the combustion speed of NH3. In addition, the sub-chamber was equipped with glow and spark plugs to overcome the high auto-ignition temperature of NH3. Engine performance and NOX emissions were studied under three different intake air temperatures. During the experiments, NH3 content was increased gradually where the engine was run under lean conditions. Although higher NH3 content was achieved compared to our previous work, increasing the intake air temperature resulted in decreased charging efficiency. In addition, corrosion was found on the piston ring after 120 h of operation, negatively affecting the engine performance. Furthermore, NH3/gasoline co-combustion duration was shortened drastically with the influence of the sub-chamber, where the longest combustion duration under the present conditions was found to be 17°CA.
Comprehensive analysis of the prognosis and immune infiltration of TMC family members in renal clear cell carcinoma
Authors: Tang Wenbin , Shi Zhiyuan , Zhu Yasheng , Shan Zhengda , Jiang Aimin , Wang Anbang , Chen Ming , Bao Yi , Ju Guanqun , Xu Weidong , Wang Junkai
Published: July 2023

Renal cancer is a common malignancy of the urinary system, and renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC) is the most common pathological type. Transmembrane channel-like (TMC) protein is an evolutionarily conserved gene family containing 8 members, however there is still a lack of comprehensive analysis about TMC family members in RCCC. In this study, we analyzed the expression of TMC family members in RCCC from TCGA and investigated the prognosis values and immune infiltration of TMC family members in RCCC. We found that TMC2, TMC3, TMC5, TMC7 and TMC8 were significantly related with overall survival (OS) of RCCC patients. TMC3, TMC6, and TMC8 was positively correlated with the degree of immune infiltration in RCCC. TMC2, TMC6, TMC7, and TMC8 were positively correlated with immune checkpoint genes, whereas TMC4 was negative. According to KEGG and GO analysis, almost all TMCs except TMC4 were involved in the immune response. Thus, we may regard the TMC family members as novel biomarkers to predict potential prognosis and immunotherapeutic response in RCCC patients.
Two-layer accumulated quantized compression for communication-efficient federated learning: TLAQC
Authors: Ren Yaoyao , Cao Yu , Ye Chengyin , Cheng Xu
Published: July 2023

Federated learning enables multiple nodes to perform local computations and collaborate to complete machine learning tasks without centralizing private data of nodes. However, the frequent model gradients upload/download operations required by the framework result in high communication costs, which have become the main bottleneck for federated learning as deep models scale up, hindering its performance. In this paper, we propose a two-layer accumulated quantized compression algorithm (TLAQC) that effectively reduces the communication cost of federated learning. TLAQC achieves this by reducing both the cost of individual communication and the number of global communication rounds. TLAQC introduces a revised quantization method called RQSGD, which employs zero-value correction to mitigate ineffective quantization phenomena and minimize average quantization errors. Additionally, TLAQC reduces the frequency of gradient information uploads through an adaptive threshold and parameter self-inspection mechanism, further reducing communication costs. It also accumulates quantization errors and retained weight deltas to compensate for gradient knowledge loss. Through quantization correction and two-layer accumulation, TLAQC significantly reduces precision loss caused by communication compression. Experimental results demonstrate that RQSGD achieves an incidence of ineffective quantization as low as 0.003% and reduces the average quantization error to 1.6 × $${10}^{-5}$$

10

-
5

. Compared to full-precision FedAVG, TLAQC compresses uploaded traffic to only 6.73% while increasing accuracy by 1.25%.
A binary composite La(OH)3@Ni(OH)2 nanomaterial on carboxyl graphene for an efficient hybrid supercapacitor electrode
Authors: Zheng Dianyuan , Sun Chengxiang , Yao Rongbin , Li Jinli , Zheng Yuhang , Zhu Jianhong , Liu Cheng
Published: July 2023

The La@Ni/CG double hydroxides (LDHs) were obtained by a electrodeposition method. The synergistic effect of the active species in La@Ni/CG, which can be attributed to the improved electrochemical performance of the composite.
First-principles study on the structure and electronic properties of M2CSx (M = Sc, Ti, Y, Zr and Hf, x = 1, 2)
Authors: Zhu Huaijin , Qiu Nianxiang , Fang Gang , Du Shiyu
Published: July 2023

S-functionalized MXenes have attracted extensive attention as electrode materials for potential metal ion batteries. The M2CS is stronger than that of the M2CS2 due to the stronger p–d hybridization between the M-d state and the C/S-p state.
Constraints on the variable nature of the slow solar wind with the Wide-Field Imager on board the Parker Solar Probe
Authors: Patsourakos S. , Vourlidas A. , Nindos A.
Published: July 2023

Context. The formation of the slow solar wind remains unclear as we lack a complete understanding of its transient outflows.

Aims. In a previous work we analysed the white-light coronal brightness as a function of elongation and time from Wide-Field Imager (WISPR) observations on board the Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission when PSP reached a minimum heliocentric distance of ≈28 R⊙. We found 4–5 transient outflows per day over a narrow wedge in the PSP orbital plane, which is close to the solar equatorial plane. However, the elongation versus time map (J-map) analysis supplied only lower limits on the number of released density structures due to the small spatial-scales of the transient outflows and line-of-sight integration effects. In this work we place constraints on the properties of slow solar wind transient mass release from the entire solar equatorial plane.

Methods. We simulated the release and propagation of transient density structures in the solar equatorial plane for four scenarios: (1) periodic release in time and longitude with random speeds; (2) corotating release in longitude, periodic release in time with random speeds; (3) random release in longitude, periodic release in time and speed; and (4) random release in longitude, time, and speed.

Results. The simulations were used in the construction of synthetic J-maps, which are similar to the observed J-map. The scenarios with periodic spatial and temporal releases are consistent with the observations for periods spanning 3°–45°longitude and 1–25 h. The four considered scenarios have similar ranges (35–45 for the minimum values and 96–127 for the maximum values) of released density structures per day from the solar equatorial plane and consequently from the streamer belt, given its proximity to the solar equatorial plane during the WISPR observation. Our results also predict that density structures with sizes in the range 2–8 R⊙ covering 1–20% of the perihelion could have been detectable by PSP in situ observations during that interval.

Conclusions. Our estimates of the release rates of density structures from the streamer belt represent a first major step towards assessing their contribution to the slow solar wind mass budget and their potential connection with in situ detections of density structures by PSP.
Funktion und Dysfunktion des weiblichen Beckenbodens
Authors: Klostermann Anneke
Published: July 2023

Obwohl schon junge Athletinnen an Inkontinenz leiden, wissen sie wenig bis nichts
über ihre Beckenbodenmuskulatur und deren
Trainingsmöglichkeiten. Dabei stehen
Präventionsmaßnahmen und Therapieoptionen zur Verfügung.
Physiotherapeut*innen können wesentlich dazu beitragen, dass das
Wissen über den Beckenboden größer und die damit
verbundene Tabuisierung geringer wird.
Development of a multimodal kidney age prediction based on automatic segmentation CT image in patients with normal renal function
Authors: Hou Zuoxian , Zhang Gumuyang , Ma Yixin , Xia Peng , Shi Xiaoxiao , She Wenlong , Zhao Tianzuo , Sun Hao , Chen Zhengguang , Chen Limeng
Published: July 2023

Background

For decades, description of renal function has been of interest to clinicians and researchers. Serum creatinine (Scr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) are familiar but also limited in many circumstances. Meanwhile, the physiological volumes of the kidney cortex and medulla are presumed to change with age and have been proven to change with decreasing kidney function.

Methods

We recruited 182 patients with normal Scr levels between October 2021 and February 2022 in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) with demographic and clinical data. A 3D U-Net architecture is used for both cortex and medullary separation, and volume calculation. In addition, we included patients with the same inclusion criteria but with diabetes (PUMCH-DM test set) and diabetic nephropathy (PUMCH-DN test set) for internal comparison to verify the possible clinical value of “kidney age” (K-AGE).

Results

The PUMCH training set included 146 participants with a mean age of 47.5 ± 7.4 years and mean Scr 63.5 ± 12.3 μmol/L. The PUMCH test set included 36 participants with a mean age of 47.1 ± 7.9 years and mean Scr 66.9 ± 13.0 μmol/L. The multimodal method predicted K-AGE approximately close to the patient’s actual physiological age, with 92% prediction within the 95% confidential interval. The mean absolute error increases with disease progression (PUMCH 5.00, PUMCH-DM 6.99, PUMCH-DN 9.32).

Conclusion

We established a machine learning model for predicting the K-AGE, which offered the possibility of evaluating the whole kidney health in normal kidney aging and in disease conditions.
Minimax detection of localized signals in statistical inverse problems
Authors: Pohlmann Markus , Werner Frank , Munk Axel
Published: July 2023

We investigate minimax testing for detecting local signals or linear combinations of such signals when only indirect data are available. Naturally, in the presence of noise, signals that are too small cannot be reliably detected. In a Gaussian white noise model, we discuss upper and lower bounds for the minimal size of the signal such that testing with small error probabilities is possible. In certain situations we are able to characterize the asymptotic minimax detection boundary. Our results are applied to inverse problems such as numerical differentiation, deconvolution and the inversion of the Radon transform.
The German and the Liechtenstein family foundation after the German foundation law reform
Authors: Meinecke Peter
Published: July 2023

The structure of private wealth in Germany is approaching that of many other countries, such as England, the USA and Switzerland: it is becoming intergenerational. As more and more and also substantial assets are inherited, the need for instruments to preserve and increase this wealth is growing. It is therefore not surprising that family foundations are enjoying growing demand in Germany. But the Liechtenstein foundation is also becoming increasingly popular—especially for German citizens. The article compares the two legal institutions.
The effects of statin therapy on brain tumors, particularly glioma: a review
Authors: Alrosan Amjad Z. , Heilat Ghaith B. , Al Subeh Zeinab Y. , Alrosan Khaled , Alrousan Alaa F. , Abu-Safieh Amro K. , Alabdallat Nuwar S.
Published: July 2023

Brain tumors account for less than 2% of all malignancies. However, they are associated with the highest morbidity and mortality rates among all solid tumors. The most common malignant primary brain tumors are glioma or glioblastoma (GBM), which have a median survival time of about 14 months, often suffer from recurrence after a few months following treatment, and pose a therapeutic challenge. Despite recent therapeutic advances, the prognosis for glioma patients is poor when treated with modern therapies, including chemotherapy, surgery, radiation, or a combination of these. Therefore, discovering a new target to treat brain tumors, particularly glioma, might be advantageous in raising progression-free survival and overall survival (OS) rates. Statins, also known as competitive HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, are effective medications for reducing cholesterol and cardiovascular risk. The use of statins prior to and during other cancer treatments appears to enhance patient outcomes according to preclinical studies. After surgical resection followed by concurrent radiation and treatment, OS for patients with GBM is only about a year. Statins have recently emerged as potential adjuvant medications for treating GBM due to their ability to inhibit cell growth, survival, migration, metastasis, inflammation, angiogenesis, and increase apoptosis in-vitro and in-vivo studies. Whether statins enhance clinical outcomes, such as patient survival in GBM, is still debatable. This study aimed to explore the effects of statin therapy in the context of cancer treatment, with a particular focus on GBM.
Routes to Rural Readiness: Enhancing Clinical Training Experiences for Physician Assistants
Authors: Larson Eric H. , Oster Natalia V. , Jopson Andrew D. , Andrilla C. Holly A. , Pollack Samantha W. , Patterson Davis G.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe practices and experiences of rurally oriented physician assistant (PA) training programs in providing rural clinical training to PA students.

Methods

A survey of PA program directors (PDs) included questions about program characteristics, student and clinical preceptor (CP) recruitment in rural areas, and barriers to, and facilitators of, rural clinical training. Programs that considered rural training “very important” to their goals were identified. We interviewed PDs from rurally oriented programs about their rural clinical training and rural CPs about their experiences training PA students for rural practice. We identified key themes through content analysis.

Results

Of 178 programs surveyed, 113 (63.5%) responded, 61 (54.0%) of which were rurally oriented and more likely than other programs to recruit rural students or those with rural practice interests and to address rural issues in didactic curriculum. The 13 PDs interviewed linked successful rural training to finding and supporting rural preceptors who enjoy teaching and helping students understand rural communities. The 13 rural CPs identified enthusiastic and rurally interested students as key elements to successful rural training. Interviewees identified systemic barriers to rural training, including student housing, decreased productivity, competition for training slots, and administrative burden.

Conclusions

Physician assistant students can be coached to capitalize on their rural clinical experiences. Knowing how to “jump in” to rotations and having genuine interest in the community are particularly important. Student housing, competition for training slots, and lack of financial incentives are major system-level challenges for sustaining and increasing the availability of PA rural clinical training.
Effects of chlorthalidone plus amiloride compared with amlodipine on short-term blood pressure variability in individuals with hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lucca Marcelo B. , Jorge Juliano A. , Cichelero Fabio T. , Martinez Denis , Borges Rogério B. , Hirakata Vania N. , Fuchs Flavio D. , Fuchs Sandra C.
Published: July 2023

Objective

To compare the effects of chlortalidone plus amiloride and amlodipine on blood pressure (BP) variability in patients with hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA).

Methods

A randomized, controlled, double-blind trial enrolled men and women aged 40 years or older with a diagnosis of OSA (apnea-hypopnea index 10–40 apneas/h of sleep) confirmed by overnight laboratory polysomnography and systolic BP 140–159 mmHg or diastolic BP 90–99 mmHg. Participants were randomized to receive chlortalidone 25 mg plus amiloride 5 mg daily or amlodipine 10 mg daily for 8 weeks. BP variability was calculated from 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring at baseline and follow-up using the following indices: SD, coefficient of variation, average real variability (ARV), time-rate index, and variability independent of the mean (VIM).

Results

The study included 65 patients, with 33 assigned to the chlortalidone plus amiloride group and 32 to the amlodipine group. Participants in both groups had similar baseline characteristics. Short-term BP variability decreased within groups for SD and ARV indexes for 24-hour systolic BP and daytime systolic BP, but statistically significant time*group interactions were found for sleep systolic SD and VIM, with greater reduction in patients treated with amlodipine.

Conclusion

In brief, our study has shown that the use of chlorthalidone in combination with amiloride and amlodipine produces comparable effects on short-term BP variability in patients with hypertension and OSA. Therefore, our findings suggest that BP variability may not be a significant factor when choosing between these medications for the treatment of hypertension and OSA.
Heterogeneous ATP patterns in microvascular networks
Authors: Gou Zhe , Zhang Hengdi , Misbah Chaouqi
Published: July 2023

ATP is not only an energy carrier but also serves as an important signalling molecule in many physiological processes. Abnormal ATP level in blood vessel is known to be related to several pathologies, such as inflammation, hypoxia and atherosclerosis. Using advanced numerical methods, we analysed ATP released by red blood cells (RBCs) and its degradation by endothelial cells (ECs) in a cat mesentery-inspired vascular network, accounting for RBC mutual interaction and interactions with vascular walls. Our analysis revealed a heterogeneous ATP distribution in the network, with higher concentrations in the cell-free layer, concentration peaks around bifurcations and heterogeneity among vessels of the same level. These patterns arise from the spatio-temporal organization of RBCs induced by the network geometry. It is further shown that an alteration of hematocrit and flow strength significantly affects ATP level as well as heterogeneity in the network. These findings constitute a first building block to elucidate the intricate nature of ATP patterns in vascular networks and the far reaching consequences for other biochemical signalling, such as calcium, by ECs.
Conserved allomorphs of MR1 drive specificity of MR1-restricted TCRs
Authors: Cornforth Terri V , Moyo Nathifa , Cole Suzanne , Lam Emily , Lobry Tatiana , Wolchinsky Ron , Lloyd Angharad , Ward Katarzyna , Denham Eleanor M , Besra Gurdyal S , Veerapen Natacha , Illing Patricia T , Vivian Julian P , Raynes Jeremy M , Le Nours Jérôme , Purcell Anthony W , Kundu Samit , Silk Jonathan D , Williams Luke , Papa Sophie , Rossjohn Jamie , Howie Duncan , Dukes Joseph
Published: July 2023

Major histocompatibility complex class-1-related protein (MR1), unlike human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class-1, has until recently been reported to be monomorphic. Tumor cell-specific MR1 restricted T cell receptors (TCRs) have been described, offering potential therapeutic application for cancer treatment. We show that human T cells expressing a TCR derived from an MR1-restricted T cell clone, termed MC.7.G5 (7G5.TCRT), retain MR1-directed cytotoxicity. However, activity is not pan-cancer, as initially reported with the clone MC.7.G5. Recognition is restricted by an allelic variant of MR1 (MR1*04) which is present at approximately 1% of the population at the heterozygote level. The 7G5 TCR is not cancer specific, as 7G5.TCRT and 7G5.TCRT-like TCRs react to both cancer and healthy cells expressing MR1*04 alleles. These data demonstrate that healthy individuals can harbor T cells reactive to an MR1 variant displaying self-ligands expressed in cancer and benign tissues. Targeting MR1 in cancer will require identification of cancer-specific presented ligands, and careful confirmation of cancer specificity of TCRs. MR1*04 may behave as an alloantigen warranting further study.
Culturally Universal Temporal Dynamics of Statistical Learning in Children’s Song Contributes to Phase Entrainment and Production of Novel Information
Authors: Daikoku Tatsuya
Published: July 2023

Statistical learning is intimately linked to brain development. For example, statistical learning of language and music starts at an early age and is shown to play a significant role in acquiring the delta-band rhythm that is essential for language and music learning. However, it remains unclear how auditory cultural differences affect the statistical learning process and the resulting probabilistic and acoustic knowledge acquired through it.

This study examined how children’s songs are acquired through statistical learning. This study used a Hierarchical Bayesian Statistical Learning (HBSL) model, mimicking the statistical learning processes of the brain. Using this model, we conducted a simulation experiment to visualize the temporal dynamics of perception and production processes through statistical learning among different cultures. The model learns the children’s songs (MIDI files) including English, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Korean songs as the training data. This study investigated how the model transforms the internal model over 15 trials of learning in each song. Furthermore, using the probability distribution of each model over 15 trials of learning each song, new songs were probabilistically generated.

The results suggest that, in learning processes, chunking and hierarchical knowledge increased gradually through 15 rounds of statistical learning for each piece of children’s songs. In production processes, statistical learning leads to the gradual increase of delta-band rhythm (1-3 Hz). Furthermore, by combining the acquired chunks and hierarchy through statistical learning, new music can be generated gradually in comparison to the original songs (i.e., the training songs). These findings were observed consistently, irrespective of culture.

The present study indicates that the innate statistical learning capacity of the brain, irrespective of cultural background, contributes to the acquisition and generation of delta-band rhythm, which is critical for acquiring language and music. It is suggested that cultural differences may not significantly modulate the statistical learning effects since statistical learning and slower rhythm processing is both essential functions in the human brain across cultures. Furthermore, statistical learning of children’s songs leads to the acquisition of hierarchical knowledge and the ability to generate novel music. This study provides a novel perspective on the developmental origins of creativity and the importance of statistical learning through early development.
Perturbations of glutathione and sphingosine metabolites in Port Wine Birthmark patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells
Authors: Nguyen Vi , Kravitz Jacob , Gao Chao , Hochman Marcelo L. , Meng Dehao , Chen Dongbao , Wang Yunguan , Jegga Anil G. , Nelson J Stuart , Tan Wenbin
Published: July 2023

Port Wine Birthmark (PWB) is a congenital vascular malformation in the skin, occurring in 1-3 per 1,000 live births. We recently generated PWB-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) as clinically relevant disease models. The metabolites associated with the pathological phenotypes of PWB-derived iPSCs are unknown, which we aimed to explore in this study. Metabolites were separated by ultra-performance liquid chromatography and were screened with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis, multivariate and univariate analysis were used to identify differential metabolites (DMs). KEGG analysis was used for the enrichment of metabolic pathways. A total of 339 metabolites were identified. There were 22 DMs confirmed with 9 downregulated DMs including sphingosine and 13 upregulated DMs including glutathione in PWB iPSCs as compared to controls. Pathway enrichment analysis confirmed the upregulation of glutathione and downregulation of sphingolipid metabolism in PWB-derived iPSCs as compared to normal ones. We next examined the expression patterns of the key factors associated with glutathione metabolism in PWB lesions. We found that hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α), glutathione S-transferase Pi 1 (GSTP1), γ-glutamyl transferase 7 (GGT7), and glutamate cysteine ligase modulatory subunit (GCLM) were upregulated in PWB vasculatures as compared to blood vessels in normal skins. Our data demonstrate that there are perturbations in sphingolipid and cellular redox homeostasis in the PWB vasculature, which may facilitate cell survival and pathological progression. Our data imply that upregulation of glutathione may contribute to laser-resistant phenotypes in the PWB vasculature.
Weak genetic draft and the Lewontin’s paradox
Authors: Achaz G , Schertzer E
Published: July 2023

1

Neutral theory assumes that in a population of sizeN, diversity results from an equilibrium between new mutations arising at rateμand genetic drift that purge them at rate 1/N, predicting an equilibrium value proportional toNμ. The difference between this expectation and the much lower observed molecular diversity is known as the Lewontin’s paradox of variation. Here, we investigate the effect of genetic draft, a regime of evolution where recurrent sparse selective sweeps entirely drive the diversity of surrounding loci. More specifically, we focus on the neglected distant effect of selective sweeps on remote neutral loci, where the effect of a single sweep is almost negligible. We derived novel mathematical approximations of this underexplored regime and show that underweak genetic draft, diversity at neutral loci is a power law of the population size:, forA <0.5, whereAis the ratio between recombination rate and coefficient of selection (A=c/s). Interestingly the Site Frequency Spectrum at neutral loci is identical to the one produced by genetic drift, as the underlying coalescent tree is ann-Kingman coalescent. In brief, weak genetic draft produces patterns of diversity that look entirely neutral, while being drastically reduced in magnitude. Ultimately, our study points to the need to explore evolutionary models for which diversity looks neutral but does not scale linearly with population size.
Invisibility and diagnosis stigma: disabling factors for female adults with myalgia encephalomyelitis (ME)/chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in a small-scale qualitative study in England
Authors: Khalafbeigi Mitra , Yazdani Farzaneh , Genis Florence , Hess Ka Yan , Kirve Samita
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Female adults diagnosed with myalgia encephalomyelitis (ME) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) often are marginalised because their condition is not fully recognised by medical and health-care systems. The purpose of this small-scale study was to explore the lived experiences of adult females with ME/CFS in England in relation to contributing factors that impact their occupational participation.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study design using semi-structured interviews was used with nine female adult participants who were selected using a purposive sampling method. A Thematic Networks tool was used to analyse data.

Findings

Four organising themes were identified: impairment-, person-, environment- and society-related factors. Two global themes, invisibility and diagnosis stigma, were identified as the overarching issues that female adults with ME/CFS face in occupational participation.

Originality/value

Many of the issues that contribute to lack of participation by this population are associated with environmental factors which are secondary to their illness.
Exploring the relationship between car brands and risky driving
Authors: Tapp Alan , Ursachi George Marian , Campsall Dan
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Critical social marketing can play a vital role in countering the consequences of behaviours toxified by commercial marketing. This paper aims to hypothesise that auto sector brand activities may be associated with riskier driving.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors hypothesised that auto sector brand activities may be associated with riskier driving. UK collision data was examined, focusing on collisions that occurred because of an “injudicious action” (risky or aggressive driving manoeuvres) and analysing this data set by comparing the incidence of vehicle brands involved.

Findings

After allowing for other effects, a gradient graph illustrated differing associations between vehicle brands and collision rates.

Practical implications

A discussion was offered, adopting the position that if such a problem exists the solutions cannot be left to the sector itself, and that socially responsible interventions may be required. A number of social marketing strategies are proposed including regulatory support, “Truth Campaign” style exposure of commercial damage, and counter-marketing that promotes safe driver behaviour.

Originality/value

This work provides valuable empirical support to the concerns raised by previous workers about the possible effects of automotive sector advertising on driving behaviour. The paper offers a concise discussion of ways forward, concluding with the novel possibility of regulating individual brands as an alternative to sector-wide regulation.