bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delving deep into the draft genome of Mangrovibacter sp. SLW1, isolated from Sundarbans mangrove
Authors: Roy Arindam , Ghosh Anwesha , Bhadury Punyasloke
Published: August 2024

Mangrovibacter sp. SLW1, a Gram-negative, aerobic, motile bacterium, was isolated from mangrove litterfall in Sundarbans mangrove. The draft genome is 5.5 Mbp in size with 49.45 mol% guanine-cytosine (GC) content. The linear chromosome of the bacterium consists of 27 contigs with 7339 coding sequences. The detailed in silico analyses of the genome of Mangrovibacter sp. SLW1 provide information on ecological adaptation. The genome is a reservoir for multiple heavy metals and metalloid resistance gene clusters as well as exhibit metabolic capabilities for utilization of a wide range of carbohydrates. It also encodes for tris-catecholate siderophore and can regulate uptake of iron thereby may influence plant growth such as mangrove vegetation.
Dolosigranulum savutiense sp. nov., isolated from human upper respiratory samples collected in Botswana
Authors: Popowitch Elena B. , Boiditswe Sefelani C. , Patel Mohamed Z. , Aquino Jhoanna N. , Sozat A. Kuzey , Caiazzo Adrian J. , Maldonado-Barragán Antonio , Hurst Jillian H. , Steenhoff Andrew P. , Kelly Matthew S.
Published: August 2024

Four strains (MSK211, MSK294T, MSK312, MSK433) of a novel Dolosigranulum species were cultured from nasopharyngeal swabs collected from mother–infant dyads in southern Botswana. These strains grew optimally on tryptic soy agar with 5% sheep blood solid medium and in fastidious bacteria broth. Colonies on tryptic soy agar with 5% sheep blood agar appeared grey or white with a flat, smooth surface and variable alpha haemolysis. Cells were Gram-positive, non-spore-forming, non-motile cocci that lacked catalase or oxidase activity. Major fatty acids were C16 : 0 (palmitic acid), C18 : 1 ω9c (oleic acid), and C18 : 0 (stearic acid). Analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences identified these strains as belonging to the genus Dolosigranulum (family Carnobacteriaceae), which currently contains only a single validly published species (Dolosigranulum pigrum). Whole-genome sequencing revealed that the genomes of these strains are 1.98–2.07 Mbp in size and have a G+C content of 39.6–39.9 mol%. Comparisons of these genomes to publicly available genomes of D. pigrum yielded average nucleotide identities and in silico DNA–DNA hybridization values of 92.3–92.9% and 49.1–51.4%, respectively. These results indicate that these strains represent a novel species of Dolosigranulum, for which we propose the name Dolosigranulum savutiense sp. nov., with the type strain MSK294T (=DSM 117171T=JCM 36673T).
Molluscum contagiosum virus protein MC089 inhibits interferon regulatory factor 3 activation
Authors: Al Hamrashdi Mariya , Sanchez Perez Carla , Haas Darya A. , Vishwakarma Jyoti , Pichlmair Andreas , Bowie Andrew G. , Brady Gareth
Published: August 2024

Molluscum contagiosum virus (MCV) is a human-specific poxvirus that causes a highly common but mild infection characterized by distinctive and persistent papular skin lesions. These lesions can persist for long periods without an effective clearance response from the host. MCV, like all poxviruses, encodes multiple known immunosuppressive proteins which target innate immune signalling pathways involved in viral nucleic acid sensing, interferon production and inflammation which should trigger antiviral immunity leading to clearance. Two major families of transcription factors responsible for driving the immune response to viruses are the NF-κB and the interferon regulatory factor (IRF) families. While NF-κB broadly drives pro-inflammatory gene expression and IRFs chiefly drive interferon induction, both collaborate in transactivating many of the same genes in a concerted immune response to viral infection. Here, we report that the MCV protein MC089 specifically inhibits IRF activation from both DNA- and RNA-sensing pathways, making it the first characterized MCV inhibitor to selectively target IRF activation to date. MC089 interacts with proteins required for IRF activation, namely IKKε, TBKBP1 and NAP1. Additionally, MC089 targets RNA sensing by associating with the RNA-sensing adaptor protein mitochondrial antiviral-signalling protein on mitochondria. MC089 displays specificity in its inhibition of IRF3 activation by suppressing immunostimulatory nucleic acid-induced serine 396 phosphorylation without affecting the phosphorylation of serine 386. The selective interaction of MC089 with IRF-regulatory proteins and site-specific inhibition of IRF3 phosphorylation may offer a tool to provide novel insights into the biology of IRF3 regulation.
High-performance multiqubit system with double-transmon couplers: Toward scalable superconducting quantum computers
Authors: Kubo Kentaro , Ho Yinghao , Goto Hayato
Published: August 2024

Tunable couplers in superconducting quantum computers have enabled fast and accurate two-qubit gates, with reported high fidelities over 99% in various architectures and gate-implementation schemes. However, there are few tunable couplers whose performance in multiqubit systems is clarified, except for the most widely used one: single-transmon coupler (STC). Achieving similar accuracy to isolated two-qubit systems remains challenging due to various undesirable couplings but is necessary for scalability. In this work, we numerically analyze a system of three fixed-frequency qubits coupled via two double-transmon couplers (DTCs) where nearest-neighbor qubits are highly detuned and also next-nearest-neighbor ones are nearly resonant. The DTC is a recently proposed tunable coupler, which consists of two fixed-frequency transmons coupled through a common loop with an additional Josephson junction. We find that the DTC cannot only reduce undesired residual couplings sufficiently, as well as in isolated two-qubit systems, but also enables implementations of 30-ns CZ gates and individual and simultaneous 10-ns π/2 pulses with fidelities over 99.99%. For comparison, we also investigate the system where the DTCs are replaced by the STCs. The results show that the DTC outperforms the STC in terms of both residual coupling suppression and gate accuracy in the above systems. From these results, we expect that the DTC architecture is promising for realizing high-performance, scalable superconducting quantum computers.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Systematic investigation of trace anomaly contribution in nucleon mass
Authors: Wang Xiao-Yun , Bu Jingxuan
Published: August 2024

In this work, under the framework of the vector meson dominance model, the trace anomaly contribution value inside neutrons is extracted for the first time based on vector meson photoproduction data. Furthermore, we systematically compare and analyze the trace anomaly contributions of protons and neutrons. The results show that the trace anomaly contributions of protons and neutrons are close, which indirectly confirms that their internal structures and dynamic properties may have certain similarities. In addition, the main factors affecting the extraction of the trace anomaly contribution of nucleons are discussed in detail. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for us to better understand the source of nucleon mass but also makes a useful exploration and discussion on how to extract the trace anomaly contribution of nucleons more accurately in the future.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Longitudinal kinematic imbalances in neutrino and antineutrino interactions for improved measurements of neutrino energy and the axial vector form factor
Authors: Baudis N. , Dolan S. , Sgalaberna D. , Bolognesi S. , Munteanu L. , Dieminger T.
Published: August 2024

Current and future accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments require an improved understanding of nuclear effects in neutrino-nucleus interactions. One important systematic uncertainty is introduced by the collective impact of nuclear effects which bias the reconstruction of the neutrino energy, such as the nuclear removal energy. In this manuscript, we introduce a novel observable for accelerator neutrino oscillation experiments, the visible longitudinal momentum imbalance, reconstructed in charged-current quasielastic interactions from the outgoing charged lepton and nucleon. We demonstrate it to be minimally dependent on the neutrino energy and sensitive to sources of bias in neutrino energy reconstruction. Furthermore, we show how the use of the longitudinal imbalance in antineutrino interactions in a target containing hydrogen allows for an improved, high-purity selection of the interactions on hydrogen. This approach offers the potential for precise measurements of the nuclear axial vector form factor as well as of the antineutrino flux.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Study of
B(s)
meson decays to
D0*(2300)
,
Ds0*(2317)
,
Ds1(2460)
and
Ds1(2536)
within the covariant light-front approach
Authors: Yang You-Ya , Zhang Zhi-Qing , Yang Hao , Sun Zhi-Jie , Xie Ming-Xuan
Published: August 2024

In this work, we investigate the form factors of the transitions B(s)→D0*(2300),Ds0*(2317), Ds1(2460), and Ds1(2536) in the covariant light-front quark model (CLFQM), where these final states are considered as P-wave excited charmed mesons. In order to obtain the form factors for the physical transition processes, we extend these form factors from the spacelike region to the timelike region. The q2-dependence for each transition form factor is also plotted. Then, combined with those form factors, the branching ratios of the two-body nonleptonic decays B(s)→D(s)0*(2300,2317)M, Ds1(2460,2536)M with M being a light pseudoscalar (vector) meson or a charmed meson are calculated by considering the quantum chromodynamics (QCD) radiative corrections to the hadronic matrix elements within the QCD factorization approach. Most of our predictions are comparable to the results given by other theoretical approaches and the present available data.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Emergence of Koba-Nielsen-Olsen scaling in multiplicity distributions in jets produced at the LHC
Authors: Germano G. R. , Navarra F. S. , Wilk G. , Wlodarczyk Z.
Published: August 2024

In this work we study the multiplicity distributions (MDs) of charged particles within jets in proton-proton collisions, which were measured by the ATLAS Collaboration in 2011, 2016 and 2019. The first dataset refers to jets with smaller transverse momenta (4<pT<40  GeV) whereas the other two refer to higher pT jets (0.1<pT<2.5  TeV). We find that the lower pT set shows no sign of KNO scaling and that the higher pT sets gradually approach the scaling limit. For the lower pT set the mean multiplicity as a function of pT can be well-described by expressions derived from QCD with different approximation schemes. For higher (>500  GeV) values of pT these expressions significantly overshoot the data. We show that the behavior of the MDs can be well-represented by a sub-Poisson distribution with energy dependent parameters. In the range 40<pT<100  GeV there is a transition from sub to super Poissonian behavior and the MD evolves to a geometric distribution, which shows KNO scaling. In this way we fit the MDs in all transverse momentum intervals with one single expression. We discuss the implications of this phenomenological finding.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Stability constraint for spin equation of state
Authors: Daher Asaad , Florkowski Wojciech , Ryblewski Radoslaw
Published: August 2024

A generalized Frenkel condition is proposed for use in spin hydrodynamics to relate the spin density and spin polarization (or spin chemical potential) tensors. It allows for independent treatment of electriclike and magneticlike components of the spin density tensor, which helps to fulfill the stability conditions recently derived in the literature. The generalized Frenkel condition extrapolates between the original Frenkel condition, where only the magneticlike part of the spin tensor is present, and the case where the spin density tensor is directly proportional to the spin polarization tensor. We also demonstrate that our approach is supported by the result of a microscopic calculation.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Intrinsic geometry of collider observations and forman Ricci curvature
Authors: Beuria Jyotiranjan
Published: August 2024

We study the global and local topological properties of multilepton patterns reconstructed at the detectors. We investigate the sensitivity of Forman Ricci curvature distributions and persistent homology features to kinematic cuts, integrated luminosity, and scales of maximum filtration. We find that these topological properties are efficient enough in discriminating the beyond Standard Model (BSM) scenarios from the SM background, when the BSM scenarios possess a massive invisible particle. We also find that the topological properties exhibit a scaling behavior with integrated luminosity. This exploratory study suggests that the topological features can potentially supplement the traditional cut-and-count analyses in search of new physics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
One-loop contributions to
WWZ
from a seesaw variant with radiatively induced light neutrino masses
Authors: Novales-Sánchez Héctor , Salinas Mónica , Vázquez-Castro Humberto
Published: August 2024

The experimental confirmation of neutrino mass and mixing disagrees with the picture of the Standard Model, and thus provides a good motivation to look for unknown physics. A seesaw variant in which neutrino masses are radiatively generated, with neutrinos characterized by Majorana fields and where a set of three hypothetical neutral heavy leptons are present, has been considered in the present work. We have calculated, estimated, and analyzed the contributions from virtual light and heavy neutrinos to the gauge vertex WWZ, in the context of a future electron-positron collider. We have found that contributions to both CP-even and CP-odd anomalous couplings are generated. Our estimations indicate that contributions as large as 10−3 can be achieved in both cases. This is particularly interesting for the CP-odd effects, which are expected to appear in the framework of the Standard Model since the three-loop order, thus being quite suppressed. By considering the expected sensitivity of the International Linear Collider to this gauge vertex, we conclude that these new-physics effects would be within its reach for e+e− collisions taking place at a center-of-mass energy of 800 GeV.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Everlasting interaction: Polarization summation without a Landau pole
Authors: Evans Stefan , Rafelski Johann
Published: August 2024

We propose an external field approach to evaluating effective action allowing the interaction to act everywhere at all times (everlasting). Requiring that the asymptotic gauge fields are always interacting, we implement displacement fields encoding polarization corrections into the derivation of effective action. The result is a novel polarization summation for one-cut reducible loop diagrams, which can be applied to two cases: transient quasiconstant electromagnetic fields and everlasting interactions. In the first case, a perturbative expansion of our result recovers the Schwinger-Dyson reducible diagram series with a Landau pole. The everlasting summation evaluated in nonperturbative fashion removes the Landau pole, providing a new avenue for modeling strongly interacting theories.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Black hole scattering near the transition to plunge: Self-force and resummation of post-Minkowskian theory
Authors: Long Oliver , Whittall Christopher , Barack Leor
Published: August 2024

Geodesic scattering of a test particle off a Schwarzschild black hole can be parametrized by the speed-at-infinity v and the impact parameter b, with a “separatrix,” b=bc(v), marking the threshold between scattering and plunge. Near the separatrix, the scattering angle diverges as ∼log(b−bc). The self-force correction to the scattering angle (at fixed v, b) diverges even faster, like ∼A1(v)bc/(b−bc). Here we numerically calculate the divergence coefficient A1(v) in a scalar-charge toy model. We then use our knowledge of A1(v) to inform a resummation of the post-Minkowskian expansion for the scattering angle, and demonstrate that the resummed series agrees remarkably well with numerical self-force results even in the strong-field regime. We propose that a similar resummation technique, applied to a mass particle subject to a gravitational self-force, can significantly enhance the utility and regime of validity of post-Minkowskian calculations for black-hole scattering.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
All holographic systems have scar states
Authors: Milekhin Alexey , Sukhov Nikolay
Published: August 2024

Scar states are special finite-energy density, but nonthermal states of chaotic Hamiltonians. We argue that all holographic quantum field theories, including N=4 super Yang-Mills, have scar states. Their presence is tied to the existence of nontopological, horizonless soliton solutions in gravity; oscillons and a novel family of excited boson stars. We demonstrate that these solutions have periodic oscillations in the correlation functions and posses low-entanglement entropy as expected for scar states. Also we find that they can be very easily prepared with Euclidean path integral.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Axion Minicluster Streams in the Solar Neighborhood
Authors: O’Hare Ciaran A. J. , Pierobon Giovanni , Redondo Javier
Published: August 2024

A consequence of QCD axion dark matter being born after inflation is the emergence of small-scale substructures known as miniclusters. Although miniclusters merge to form minihalos, this intrinsic granularity is expected to remain imprinted on small scales in our galaxy, leading to potentially damaging consequences for the campaign to detect axions directly on Earth. This picture, however, is modified when one takes into account the fact that encounters with stars will tidally strip mass from the miniclusters, creating pc-long tidal streams that act to refill the dark matter distribution. Here we ask whether or not this stripping rescues experimental prospects from the worst-case scenario in which the majority of axions remain bound up in unobservably small miniclusters. We find that the density sampled by terrestrial experiment on mpc scales will be, on average, around 70%–90% of the average local DM density, and at a typical point in the solar neighborhood, we expect most of the dark matter to be comprised of debris from O(102–103) overlapping streams. If haloscopes can measure the axion signal with high-enough frequency resolution, then these streams are revealed in the form of an intrinsically spiky line shape, in stark contrast with the standard assumption of a smooth, featureless Maxwellian distribution—a unique prediction that constitutes a way for experiments to distinguish between pre- and postinflationary axion cosmologies.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Pareto Optimization and Tuning of a Laser Wakefield Accelerator
Authors: Irshad F. , Eberle C. , Foerster F. M. , Grafenstein K. v. , Haberstroh F. , Travac E. , Weisse N. , Karsch S. , Döpp A.
Published: August 2024

Optimization of accelerator performance parameters is limited by numerous trade-offs, and finding the appropriate balance between optimization goals for an unknown system is challenging to achieve. Here, we show that multiobjective Bayesian optimization can map the solution space of a laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA) in a very sample-efficient way. We observe that there exists a wide range of Pareto-optimal solutions that trade beam energy versus charge at similar laser-to-beam efficiency. Moreover, many applications such as light sources require particle beams at certain target energies. We demonstrate accurate energy tuning of the LWFA from 150 to 400 MeV via the simultaneous adjustment of eight parameters. To further advance this use case, we propose an inverse model that allows a user to specify desired beam parameters. Trained on the forward Gaussian process model, the inverse model generates input parameter value ranges within which the desired setting is likely to be reached. The method reveals different strategies for accelerator tuning and is expected to drastically facilitate the operation of LWFAs in the near future.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Bulk-entanglement spectrum correspondence in
PT
- and
PC
-symmetric topological insulators and superconductors
Authors: Takahashi Ryo , Ozawa Tomoki
Published: August 2024

In this study, we discuss a type of bulk-boundary correspondence, which holds for topological insulators and superconductors when the parity-time (PT) and/or parity-particle-hole (PC) symmetry are present. In these systems, even when the bulk topology is nontrivial, the edge spectrum is generally gapped, and thus the conventional bulk-boundary correspondence does not hold. We find that, instead of the edge spectrum, the single-particle entanglement spectrum becomes gapless when the bulk topology is nontrivial: i.e., the holds in PT- and/or PC-symmetric topological insulators and superconductors. After showing the correspondence using K-theoretic approach, we provide concrete models for each symmetry class up to three dimensions where nontrivial topology because of PT and/or PC is expected. An implication of our results is that, when the bulk topology under PT and/or PC symmetry is nontrivial, the noninteracting many-body entanglement spectrum is multiply degenerate in one dimension and is gapless in two or higher dimensions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Learning energy-based representations of quantum many-body states
Authors: Jayakumar Abhijith , Vuffray Marc , Lokhov Andrey Y.
Published: August 2024

Efficient representation of quantum many-body states on classical computers is a problem of practical importance. An ideal representation of a quantum state combines a succinct characterization informed by the structure and symmetries of the system along with the ability to predict the physical observables of interest. Several machine-learning approaches have been recently used to construct such classical representations, which enable predictions of observables and account for physical symmetries. However, the structure of a quantum state typically gets lost unless a specialized is employed based on prior knowledge of the system. Moreover, most such approaches give no information about what states are easier to learn in comparison with others. Here, we propose a generative energy-based representation of quantum many-body states derived from Gibbs distributions used for modeling the thermal states of classical spin systems. Based on the prior information on a family of quantum states, the energy function can be specified by a small number of parameters using an explicit low-degree polynomial or a generic parametric family such as neural nets and can naturally include the known symmetries of the system. Our results show that such a representation can be efficiently learned from data using exact algorithms in a form that enables the prediction of expectation values of physical observables. Importantly, the structure of the learned energy function provides a natural explanation for the difficulty of learning an energy-based representation of a given class of quantum states when measured in a certain basis.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Inferring general links between energetics and information with unknown environment
Authors: Liu Junjie , Lu Jincheng , Wang Chen , Jiang Jian-Hua
Published: August 2024

Identifying general links between energetics and information in realistic open quantum systems is a long-standing problem in quantum thermodynamics and quantum information processing. However, the generality of existing efforts is often impeded by their specific assumptions about environments. Here we address the problem by developing a trajectory-level thermodynamic inference theory to establish general links using just the knowledge of the system, enabling a single framework applicable to a diverse range of environments. Underpinning the framework is a notion of excess energy introduced for inferring the net energy gain of the system after completing an information processing trajectory. We show that fluctuation behaviors of the excess energy encode general links between energetics and information with a conceptual advantage that they completely avoid assumptions about environments and system-environment coupling forms. Crucially, we obtain a single thermodynamic inequality that integrates upper bounds on heat dissipation and extracted work in terms of system's information content change, providing complementary constraints that greatly expand the context of existing well-adopted results based on the second law of thermodynamics. We also uncover lower bounds on the precision of the fluctuating system's energy and information content changes in terms of their Fano factors and a correlation function between them. By extending relations between energetics and information to higher-order fluctuations, we thus reveal a trade-off that a more precise inference of energy or information content changes requires a looser energetic-information link. We showcase the implications of these general links in a number of quantum information and thermodynamic tasks of application relevance. Our framework provides a toolkit for analyzing the interplay between energetics and information from the trajectory level in generic quantum systems, thereby adding an indispensable structure to the thermodynamics of information.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Nursing interventions for the proposed nursing diagnosis of puerperal fatigue: An integrative review
Authors: Zuchatti Bruna Valentina , Ferreira Raisa Camilo , Ribeiro Elaine , Correia Marisa Dibbern Lopes , Duran Erika Christiane Marocco
Published: August 2024

Introduction

The postpartum period is considered a phase of many physiological and hormonal changes that affect the individual. Fatigue is something present and can influence the postpartum woman in a negative way. In this way, the nurse has an essential role, and the nursing process can be used to establish an efficient care plan.

Objective

To present the main nursing interventions and activities of the nursing diagnosis (ND) fatigue (00093) in individuals/people in the immediate postpartum period obtained through an integrative literature review and correlate with the proposed ND puerperal fatigue/excessive burden of fatigue in the postpartum period.

Methods

Integrative literature review, carried out in the databases Cochrane, Scopus and Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Web of Science (WoS), Virtual Health Library (VHL), and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), following rigorous methodological standards.

Results

Six articles were included that identified the main nursing interventions related to the proposed ND puerperal fatigue.

Conclusions

The integrative review highlighted the main nursing interventions and activities, and this study will be the basis for the next stages of the validation process for the ND puerperal fatigue/excessive fatigue in the postpartum period.

Implications for nursing practice

This work can help nurses in clinical practice establish an efficient care plan through the most accurate nursing interventions and thus improve the quality of nursing services.
The relationship between serum α‐Klotho with all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality
Authors: Sadr Nargiza , Avila Cynthia J. , Chung Hannah , Siddiqui Simrah , Basith Ayeman , Kassabo Waleed , Qayyum Rehan
Published: August 2024

Aims

The relationship between α‐Klotho (αK) and mortality is controversial and has not been examined in a large, diverse cohort. We investigated the association between serum αK protein levels with all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality in a cohort representative of the US population.

Methods

We used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007 to 2016. A nonlinear association between mortality and αK levels as a quadratic variable were examined using Cox proportional hazard models and competing risk models. Multivariable models were adjusted for age, gender, race, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), serum cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate, highest educational status attained and family income to poverty threshold ratio.

Results

Of the 13 749 participants, 1569 (11%) died, 7092 (52%) were female, and 5918 (43%) were Caucasian. The mean (SD) of age was 58 (11) years, BMI 29.7 (6.7) kg/m2, and αK was 0.85 (0.31) ng/mL. In the adjusted Cox proportional hazards model with quadratic αK, we found a U‐shaped relationship between all‐cause mortality and αK levels (continuous αK hazard ratio [HR] = 0.56, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.37, 0.85; P = .007; squared‐αK HR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.41; P < 0.001). A similar U‐shaped relationship was noted between αK and cancer mortality in the adjusted Cox proportional hazards model (continuous αK HR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.19, 1.06; P = 0.07; squared αK HR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.61; P = 0.009). No relationship was present with cardiovascular or other‐cause mortality.

Conclusions

In this large diverse cohort, we report a U‐shaped relationship between αK with all‐cause and cancer mortality. Further research to elucidate the underlying biological mechanism of these relationships is needed.
The effect of manager's profile on the social innovation in Cameroonian industrial companies
Authors: Seini Hamza , Mazra Math , Abdouraman Boubakari
Published: August 2024

The aim of this research is to highlight the role of manager's profile in the adoption of social innovation in industrial companies. It has used a quantitative methodology, with a questionnaire administered to 176 managers of Cameroonian industrial companies. The results of the hypotheses tests were derived from the multifactorial ANOVA and multiple linear regression analyses. The results show that among the sociodemographic profile variables, only the level of education and experience of the managers have a significant effect on social innovation, unlike gender and age which have no effect. In addition, the manager's personal values contribute to the adoption of social innovation through his ethical values and community ownership. The study therefore offers relevant implications for managers and owners of industrial companies who aspire to consider social innovation in their offerings to meet profitability objectives and create positive social impact.
For Amber waves of grain: Commodity booms and structural transformation in 19th century America
Authors: Chan Jeff
Published: August 2024

This paper examines the effect that the export boom in wheat had on US counties from 1870 to 1900. I find that increased exports in wheat, exogenously driven by declines in British wheat production, led to an unequal effect on wheat production across counties. Specifically, counties that were less well‐suited to wheat production increased their wheat output relative to more productive counties. These low‐yield counties also reduced their urban population share and increased the amount of agricultural activity occurring within their borders. Taken together, my results suggest that the wheat boom in 19th century America led to more wheat production in counties which were less well‐suited for growing it, which slowed these counties' transition from rural to urban.
Obesogenic Medication Use in End‐Stage Kidney Disease and Association With Transplant Listing
Authors: Orandi Babak J. , Li Yiting , Seckin Timur , Bae Sunjae , Lonze Bonnie E. , Ren‐Fielding Christine J. , Lofton Holly , Gujral Akash , Segev Dorry L. , McAdams‐DeMarco Mara
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Obesogenic medications are a putative contributor to the obesity epidemic. While 20% of adults take ≥1 obesogenic medication, the proportion in the end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD) population—a group enriched for cardiometabolic complications—is unknown. Obesogenic medications may contribute to obesity and hamper weight loss efforts to achieve transplant listing.

Methods

Using 2017–2020 USRDS and Medicare claims, patients were identified as taking obesogenic medications if prescribed anticonvulsants, antidepressants, antidiabetics, anti‐inflammatories, antipsychotics, and/or antihypertensives known to cause weight gain for ≥30 days in their first hemodialysis year. Ordinal logistic and Cox regression with inverse probability of treatment weighting were used to quantify obesogenic medications’ association with body mass index (BMI) and listing, respectively.

Results

Among 271 401 hemodialysis initiates, 63.5% took ≥1 obesogenic medication. For those in underweight, normal weight, overweight, and class I, II, and III categories, 54.3%, 58.4%, 63.1%, 66.5%, 68.6%, and 68.8% took ≥1, respectively. Number of obesogenic medications was associated with increased BMI; use of one was associated with 13% increased odds of higher BMI (aOR [adjusted odds ratio] 1.14; 95%CI: 1.13–1.16; p < 0.001), use of three was associated with a 55% increase (aOR 1.55; 95%CI: 1.53–1.57; p < 0.001). Any use was associated with 6% lower odds of transplant listing (aHR [adjusted hazard ratio] 0.94; 95%CI: 0.92–0.96; p < 0.001). Within each BMI category, obesogenic medication use was associated with lower listing likelihood.

Conclusions

Obesogenic medication use is common in ESKD patients—particularly those with obesity—and is associated with lower listing likelihood. Whenever possible, non‐obesogenic alternatives should be chosen for ESKD patients attempting weight loss to achieve transplant listing.
Efficacy and Safety of Perioperative Angiotensin II Versus Phenylephrine as a First‐Line Continuous Infusion Vasopressor in Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Beltran Lyra P. , Benken Jamie , Jou Jonathan , Benedetti Enrico , Nishioka Hokuto , Alamreia Enas , Belcher Rachel M. , Benken Scott T.
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Angiotensin II (ATII) maintains blood pressure via RAAS with a beneficial adverse effect profile versus catecholamines and phenylephrine. Head‐to‐head data comparing ATII to phenylephrine are lacking regarding renal allograft function, hemodynamic efficacy, and safety within the perioperative period of kidney transplantation.

Methods

This single‐center, retrospective study included adult kidney transplant recipients who received continuous infusions of ATII or phenylephrine within a 24‐h perioperative period as a first‐line vasopressor according to an institutional algorithm. The primary endpoint was allograft function. Secondary endpoints were hemodynamic efficacy and adverse effects.

Results

Among 105 patients, there was no significant difference in IGF (p = 0.545), SGF (p = 0.557), or DGF (p = 0.878) between patient cohorts. In the 34 patients with cold ischemia time (CIT) > 14‐h, IGF was higher (p = 0.013) and DGF (p = 0.045) was lower in the ATII cohort versus phenylephrine. In all patients, ATII was associated with a decreased need for additional vasopressor agents (p < 0.001). Adverse effect profiles were similar between cohorts (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Among kidney transplant recipients, ATII may be a suitable first‐line alternative compared with phenylephrine in the perioperative period for hypotension management with a reduced need for additional vasopressor support. Allograft benefits were observed in patients with prolonged CIT.
Unique Lessons From the Natural Progression of Rejection in Human Uterine Allografts
Authors: Johannesson Liza , Wood‐Trageser Michelle A. , Lesniak Drew , Punar Metin , Klingman Lynne , Naziruddin Bashoo , Askar Medhat , Demetris Anthony J. , Testa Giuliano
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Uterus transplantation (UTx) is a novel treatment for absolute uterine infertility. Acute T cell–mediated rejection (TCMR) can be monitored only through serial cervical biopsies.

Methods

This study, the first of its kind in human transplantation, evaluated clinical, serological, and pathophysiological manifestations of allograft rejection from immunosuppression withdrawal (ISW) to graft hysterectomy (Hx).

Results

Following live birth, immunosuppression was abruptly withdrawn from six living‐donor UTx recipients. ISW occurred at a median of 7.4 weeks before graft Hx. Post‐ISW signs of rejection included: (1) discoloration of the cervix; (2) increased uterine size compared to day of ISW; (3) serological evidence of eosinophilia and progressive development of donor‐specific antibodies (DSA) or child‐specific antibodies (CSA); (4) histopathological evidence of TCMR in cervical biopsies preceding the development of antibodies in serum; and (5) C4d deposition in tissue before formation of DSA or CSA in all but two recipients. At graft Hx, endometrial glands were preferentially targeted for destruction over stroma while parametrial arteries displayed variable arteritis and fibrointimal hyperplasia.

Conclusion

Recognition of the progression of uterine allograft rejection may be important for other human organ recipients and drive research on modulation of immunosuppression and the paradoxical relationship between adaptive cellular and humoral immunity in natural pregnancies.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02656550
Mapping opportunities and barriers for coexistence between people and pumas in the Argentine Dry Chaco
Authors: Nanni A. Sofía , Ghoddousi Arash , Romero‐Muñoz Alfredo , Baumann Matthias , Burton Jamie , Camino Micaela , Decarre Julieta , Martello Felipe , Regolin André Luis , Kuemmerle Tobias
Published: August 2024

Aim

The persistence of large carnivore populations depends on their survival outside protected areas, where they often impact local livelihoods through livestock depredation. Understanding the impacts of human behaviour on large carnivores in shared landscapes is thus important but is often overlooked in habitat assessments or conservation planning. We employed an integrated approach that considers human behaviour and landscape structure metrics to assess the potential for human‐puma (Puma concolor) coexistence in the Chaco region, a global deforestation and defaunation hotspot.

Location

Argentine Dry Chaco (~490,000 km2).

Methods

We identified suitable puma habitat patches and movement areas using occupancy modelling and combined it with a spatial human‐puma conflict risk model based on interview data to identify ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ habitat patches. We then used resistance surfaces to identify ‘safe’ and ‘unsafe’ movement areas, as well as ‘severed’ movement areas where anthropogenic land conversion inhibits movement.

Results

Safe puma habitat patches (i.e., suitable and safe) covered 29% of the region, whereas attractive sinks (i.e., suitable but risky) represented 12%. Movement areas corresponded to 60% of the region, while conflict risk and high landscape resistance undermined connectivity: unsafe and severed movement areas covered 10% and 11% of the region, respectively. Nearly 98% of safe habitat and movement areas occurred outside protected areas.

Main Conclusions

We provide an integrated conceptual framework and spatial explicit template for a three‐pronged conservation strategy to (1) protect safe habitat and movement areas, (2) mitigate livestock depredation in attractive sinks and unsafe movement areas and (3) restore landscape in severed and matrix areas to improve ecological connectivity. This would allow pumas to maintain viable populations while reducing negative impacts on local people. More generally, we show how integrating habitat and conflict risk models can reveal opportunities and challenges for human‐carnivore coexistence beyond protected areas.
Bidirectional association between type 2 diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome: A large‐scale prospective cohort study
Authors: Zhou Yesheng , Liu Si , Zhang Qian , Zhang Shutian , Wu Shanshan , Zhu Shengtao
Published: August 2024

Aim

To examine the bidirectional association between type 2 diabetes (T2D) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in a large prospective population cohort.

Methods

Participants free of IBS at baseline in the UK Biobank were included in the analysis of T2D and incident IBS (cohort 1), with 11 140 T2D patients and 413 979 non‐T2D patients. Similarly, those free of T2D at baseline were included in the analysis of IBS and incident T2D (cohort 2), with 21 944 IBS patients and 413 979 non‐IBS patients. Diagnoses of T2D and IBS were based on International Classification of Disease‐10 codes. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs).

Results

In cohort 1, 8984 IBS cases were identified during a median 14.5‐year follow‐up. Compared with non‐T2D, T2D patients had a 39.0% increased risk of incident IBS (HR = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23‐1.56, P < .001), with a higher IBS risk in those with higher fasting blood glucose levels (HR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.19‐1.72, P < .001) or longer T2D duration (HR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.23‐1.74, P < .001). In cohort 2, 29 563 incident T2D cases were identified. IBS patients had an 18.0% higher risk of developing T2D versus non‐IBS patients (HR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.12‐1.24, P < .001). A similar excess T2D risk was observed in IBS patients with a duration of either less than 10 years, or of 10 years or longer. Further sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis indicated consistent findings.

Conclusions

T2D and IBS exhibit a bidirectional association, with an increased risk of co‐morbidity. Awareness of this association may improve the prevention and management of both diseases.
Association of Life's Essential 8 with abdominal aortic calcification and mortality among middle‐aged and older individuals
Authors: Ni Gehui , Jia Qinfeng , Li Ying , Cheang Iokfai , Zhu Xu , Zhang Haifeng , Li Xinli
Published: August 2024

Aim

To assess the association of Life's Essential 8 (LE8) and the presence of abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) with mortality among middle‐aged and older individuals.

Methods

Participants aged older than 40 years were enrolled from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013‐2014. AAC was assessed using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. Mortality data were ascertained through linkage with the National Death Index until 31 December 2019. The LE8 score incorporates eight components: diet, physical activity, nicotine exposure, sleep health, body mass index, blood lipids, blood glucose and blood pressure. The total LE8 score, an unweighted average of all components, was categorized into low (0‐49), medium (50‐79) and high (80‐100) scores.

Results

This study included 2567 individuals, with a mean LE8 score of 67.28 ± 0.48 and an AAC prevalence of 28.28%. Participants with low LE8 scores showed a significantly higher prevalence of AAC (odds ratio = 2.12 [1.12‐4.19]) compared with those with high LE8 scores. Over a median 6‐year follow‐up, there were 222 all‐cause deaths, and 55 cardiovascular deaths occurred. Participants with AAC had an increased risk of all‐cause (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.17 [1.60‐2.95]) and cardiovascular (HR = 2.35 [1.40‐3.93]) mortality. Moreover, individuals with AAC and low or medium LE8 scores exhibited a 137% (HR = 2.37 [1.58‐3.54]) and 119% (HR = 2.19 [1.61‐2.99]) higher risk of all‐cause mortality, as well as a 224% (HR = 3.24 [1.73‐6.04]) and 125% (HR = 2.25 [1.24‐4.09]) increased risk of cardiovascular mortality, respectively.

Conclusions

The LE8 score correlates with AAC prevalence in middle‐aged and older individuals and serves as a valuable tool for evaluating the risk of all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality in individuals with AAC.
Dynamic optical coherence tomography for imaging acute wound healing
Authors: Schuh Sandra , Berger Maximilian , Schiele Stefan , Rubeck Anna , Müller Gernot , González Jennifer Jahel Vélez , Holmes Jon , Welzel Julia
Published: August 2024

The aim of this study was to investigate acute wound healing with dynamic optical coherence tomography (D‐OCT). From 22 patients with 23 split skin graft donor sites, vessels at four wound edges, the wound bed, and adjacent and unaffected skin of the contralateral leg were measured by D‐OCT at six time points from surgery to 4 weeks of healing. Changes in vessel orientation, density, diameter, morphology and pattern in horizontal, vertical and 3D images were analysed for wound healing and re‐epithelialization. At 300 μm depth, there were significant differences of blobs and serpiginous vessels between normal and wounded skin. The wound had significantly more vertically oriented vessels, a higher degree of branching, vessel density and diameter compared with healthy skin. 3D images showed increased angiogenesis from healthy skin towards the wound centre, significantly higher vessel density at the wound than at normal skin and the highest at the interface. During wound healing blobs, coils and serpiginous vessels occurred significantly more frequently in lesional than healthy skin. Vessel density was greatest at the beginning, decreased and then increased by 4 weeks post‐surgery. D‐OCT helps to evaluate acute wound healing by visualizing and quantifying blood vessel growth in addition to re‐epithelialization.
First report of blast disease on Oplismenopsis najada caused by Pyricularia oryzae in Argentina
Authors: Bastida Lisandro Martín , Gutierrez Susana Alejandra , Bich Gustavo Angel , Castrillo María Lorena , Quiroga Joaquín Augusto , Carmona Marcelo Aníbal , Cardozo Téllez Lourdes , Chávez Alice Rocío
Published: August 2024

In 2022, Pyricularia blast‐like symptoms were observed in Oplismenopsis najada plants in Argentina. P. oryzae was identified based on its cultural and morphometric characteristics, nucleotide sequencing of ITS1‐5.8S‐ITS2 amplicons, complemented with phylogenetic analyses, and PCR with Pot2 marker. Koch's postulates were confirmed on O. najada and the Guri INTA CL variety of Oryza sativa. The obtained sequences were deposited in GenBank (ITS: OR741772). The PCR reaction amplified the Pot2 marker, confirming that it is P. oryzae. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of O. najada as new host of P. oryzae worldwide.
Declarative and Automatized Phonological Vocabulary Knowledge: Recognition, Recall, Lexicosemantic Judgment, and Listening‐Focused Employability of Second Language Words
Authors: Uchihara Takumi , Saito Kazuya , Kurokawa Satsuki , Takizawa Kotaro , Suzukida Yui
Published: August 2024

This study revisits the roles of different aspects of phonological vocabulary knowledge in second language (L2) listening. Japanese learners of English (n = 114) completed the TOEIC Listening test and three phonological vocabulary tests assessing (a) ability to recognize the meanings of aural forms (meaning recognition), (b) ability to recall the meanings of aural forms (meaning recall), and (c) ability to spontaneously judge the appropriate use of word meanings in sentential contexts (lexicosemantic judgment task [LJT]). Among the three measures, the LJT best predicted the participants’ ability to access the target words during real‐life L2 listening comprehension of monologues and conversations (measured via TOEIC). Structural equation modeling demonstrated that the LJT was distinct from both meaning recognition and recall and revealed their different associations with listening comprehension scores. In line with the skill acquisition theory, we propose that the LJT reflects automatized knowledge, whereas meaning recognition and recall represent declarative knowledge.