bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward Standardised Vocabularies for Norwegian Archaeology
Authors:   University of Oslo, Uleberg Espen , Matsumoto Mieko , Pantos George Alexis , Bonelli Letizia
Published: November 2023

The Museum of Cultural History (MCH) at the University of Oslo, Norway, has undertaken a series of infrastructure projects with the aim of improving the standardisation of archaeological data and increasing data integration at both a national and international level. This builds on decades of earlier work and includes a revision of shared National database systems (unimus), integration of previously disparate data types and spatial data (ADED), and more recently the development of a 3D publishing platform (BItFROST). These projects feed into broader aims of large-scale data integration as part of the European-wide ARIADNE Research Infrastructure. This article provides an overview of the history and development of these systems in Norway and takes a look at some of the roads still ahead.
The Aggregation of ROAD Data in the ARIADNE Pipeline: pitfalls and successes
Authors:   University of Tübingen, Kandel Andrew W. , Haidle Miriam N. ,   ROCEEH, Hochschild Volker , Sommer Christian , Kanaeva Zara
Published: November 2023

In this article we describe an online database about human evolution, called the ROCEEH Out of Africa Database (ROAD), and discuss our experience in aggregating Palaeolithic data from ROAD in the ARIADNE data processing pipeline. As of April 2023, ROAD contains more than 2400 localities in Africa and Eurasia dating between three million and 20,000 years ago. The database is transdisciplinary by nature and includes cultural artefacts, human and animal fossils, and plant remains. These finds are stored in a relational database, which is part of a structured, web-based, geographic information system. The process of preparing ROAD data for integration with ARIADNE taught us lessons about our own dataset, which we share here.
Exploring Machine Learning and Machine Vision in Femtosecond Laser Machining
Authors: Hoskins Julia K. , Hu Han , Zou Min
Published: November 2023

To achieve optimal results, femtosecond laser machining requires precise control of system variables such as Regenerative Amplifier Divider, Frequency, and Laser Power. To this end, two regression models, multi-layer perceptron (MLP) regression and Gaussian process regression (GPR) were used to define the complex relationships between these parameters of the laser system and the resulting diameter of a dimple fabricated on a 304 stainless-steel substrate by a 0.2-second laser pulse. In order to quantify dimple diameter accurately and quickly, machine vision was implemented as a processing step while incorporating minimal error. Both regression models were investigated by training with datasets containing 300, 600, 900, and 1210 data points to assess the effect of the dataset size on the training time and accuracy. Results showed that the GPR was approximately six times faster than the MLP model for all of the datasets evaluated. The GPR model accuracy stabilized at approximately 20% error when using more than 300 data points and training times of less than 5 s. In contrast, the MLP model accuracy stabilized at roughly 33% error when using more than 900 data points and training times ranging from 30 to 40 s. It was concluded that GPR performed much faster and more accurately than MLP regression and is more suitable for work with femtosecond laser machining.
Cellular Chaos: Statistically Self-Similar Structures Based on Chaos Game
Authors: Hill Noah , Ebert Matt , Maurice Mena , Krishnamurthy Vinayak
Published: November 2023

We present a novel methodology to generate mechanical structures based on fractal geometry using the chaos game, which generates self-similar point-sets within a polygon. Using the Voronoi decomposition of these points, we are able to generate groups of self-similar structures that can be related back to their chaos game parameters, namely, the polygonal domain, fractional distance, and number of samples. Our approach explores the use of forward design of generative structures, which in some cases can be easier to use for designing than inverse generative design techniques. To this end, the central hypothesis of our work is that structures generated using the chaos game can generate families of self-similar structures that, while not identical, exhibit similar mechanical behavior in a statistical sense. We present a systematic study of these self-similar structures through modal analysis and tensile loading and demonstrate a preliminary confirmation of our hypothesis.
Shale Oil–Water Two-Phase Flow Simulation Based on Pore Network Modeling
Authors: Zhang Guoqing , Zhou Zhijun , Cui Chunxue , Zhang Jian , Wang Jingyi
Published: November 2023

With the growing significance of shale oil in the realm of oil and gas resources, there has been a heightened focus on the impact of the indeterminate oil–water two-phase flow behavior in shale reservoirs on the effective exploitation of shale oil. The utilization of FIB–SEM scanning on shale samples enables the establishment of the real pore network structure and facilitates the analysis of pore type, pore throat size and connectivity of shale reservoirs through the implementation of two-dimensional slices. Subsequently, the gridded connectivity-based pore network model is utilized to conduct oil–water two-phase flow simulation, wherein the L–S and N–S mathematical models are incorporated to quantitatively examine the correlation between the displacement pressure and wettability and the recovery degree and remaining oil, as well as the impact of throat size on pressure loss. The research findings indicate the emergence of five distinctive pore types in shale reservoirs, namely intergranular pores, dissolution pores, intercrystalline pores, intracrystalline pores, and microfractures. In shale reservoirs with poor connectivity, a significant quantity of nanometer-scale pores are generated, wherein the seepage capacity is primarily influenced by the size and connectivity of pore throats. The smaller the throat size is, the greater the displacement pressure will be and the greater the pressure drop will be after the throat is passed through. To prevent fingering and excessive pressure drop, it is necessary to maintain reasonable control over the displacement pressure. The displacement efficiency is optimal when the wall surface is in a water-wet state. Therefore, enhancing the wettability of the surface can facilitate the efficient recovery of the remaining oil in the microscopic pore throats. The research findings offer valuable theoretical insights for the efficient exploitation of shale oil resources.
Fetal “gallstones” are still an unsolved mystery. Case series.
Authors: Boitor Borza Dan , Rotar Cristina Ioana , Oancea Mihaela , Muresan Daniel
Published: November 2023

Background. Echogenic content in the fetal gallbladder is rather an incidental finding during third-trimester ultrasonography. The etiology, clinical course, and prognosis of this condition are still unclear. We highlight the demographic, clinical and ultrasound characteristics of our patients with echogenic content in the fetal gallbladder.Methods. This is a retrospective single-center study conducted at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, Romania, between March 2022 and April 2023. All pregnant patients who were admitted to the hospital and had echogenic content in the fetal gallbladder detected by ultrasound were identified. The clinical and ultrasonography parameters were obtained from the databases of the ultrasound units and the medical records of the patients.Results. Four patients were found to have echogenic content in the fetal gallbladder. The mean maternal age at diagnosis was 27.5 years (range 25–31). All patients had singleton pregnancies. The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 36.5 weeks (range 35–40). In all cases, the predominant aspect of echogenic content on ultrasound was multiple hyperechogenic foci; additionally, in one case, sludge was also observed. The mean maximal length of the hyperechogenic foci was 3.375 mm (range 1.6–5.4). All fetuses were delivered at full term, either vaginally or by cesarean section. The mean weight at birth was 3082.5 g (range 2800–3450). In all four cases, the EC disappeared spontaneously at birth. Neither of the four newborns displayed digestive symptoms or complications during the follow-up.Conclusion. The EC is still a medical mystery since little is known about its etiology and long-term outcome. Many cases are likely to be undetected until after birth; therefore, fetal gallbladder examination should be included in the US routine. The condition appears to be benign, and usually, it improves naturally after birth. Consecutively, asymptomatic newborns with EC can be managed through a wait-and-see approach.
Examining How High School Athletic Directors Leverage Communication With Key Stakeholder Groups to Inform Performance Appraisals of Head Coaches
Authors: Ratts Tyler
Published: November 2023

To ensure that head coaches are effective in leading athletic programs, interscholastic athletic directors engage in a performance appraisal process that reviews coaching efforts. Given the demands of the athletic director role, these leaders are reliant on stakeholders to provide insight that informs the coaching evaluation. Therefore, using the tenets of stakeholder theory, the purpose of this study was to analyze the role that stakeholder feedback plays as athletic directors develop the full picture of coaching performance during an evaluation. Participants (N = 25) featured high school athletic directors represented across school classification (i.e., 1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A) and school type (i.e., public and private). Through semistructured interviews and a subsequent thematic analysis, saturation was achieved at this sample size. Two main themes (i.e., main stakeholder groups and leveraging stakeholder feedback) emerged and demonstrate how key stakeholders should be considered as important sources of information guiding interscholastic athletic directors when leading coaching evaluations.
Reaching macs-imum potential
Authors: Trezise Stephanie , Anthony Robert M.
Published: November 2023

Single-cell profiling of prenatal samples reveals multiple macrophage types and states, including microglia-like cells in non-neuronal tissues.
Inflammation plays a critical role in damage to the bronchiolar epithelium induced by
Trueperella pyogenes in vitro
and
in vivo
Authors: Qin Lei , Meng Fandan , He Haijuan , Li Siqi , Zhang Hongliang , Sun Yuan , Zhang Wenlong , An Tongqing , Cai Xuehui , Wang Shujie
Published: November 2023

Trueperella pyogenes
can cause severe pulmonary disease in swine, but the mechanism of pathogenesis is not well defined.
T. pyogenes-
induced damage to porcine bronchial epithelial cells (PBECs), porcine precision-cut lung slices (PCLS), and respiratory epithelium of mice remains unknown. In this study, we used
T. pyogenes
20121 to infect PBECs in air-liquid interface conditions and porcine PCLS.
T. pyogenes
could adhere to, colonize, and induce cytotoxic effect on PBECs and the luminal surface of bronchi in PCLS, which damaged the bronchiolar epithelium. Moreover, bronchiolar epithelial cells showed extensive degeneration in the lungs of infected mice. Furthermore, western blot showed that the NOD-like receptor (NLR)/C-terminal caspase recruitment domain (ASC)/caspase-1 axis and nuclear factor-kappa B pathway were involved in inflammation in PCLS and lungs of mice, which also confirms that porcine PCLS provide a platform to analyze the pulmonary immune response. Meanwhile, the levels of p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase, and p-protein kinase B (AKT) were increased significantly, which indicated the mitogen-activated protein kinase and Akt pathways were also involved in inflammation in
T. pyogenes-
infected mice. In addition, we used
T. pyogenes
20121 to infect tumor necrosis factor-alpha (tnf-α
-/-
) mice, and the results indicated that apoptosis and injury in respiratory epithelium of infected tnf-α
-/-
mice were alleviated. Thus, the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α played a role in apoptosis and the respiratory epithelium injury in mouse lungs. Collectively, our study provides insight into the inflammatory injury induced by
T. pyogenes
and suggests that blocking NLR may be a potential therapeutic strategy against
T. pyogenes
infection.
Hepatitis B doubly spliced protein (HBDSP) promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell apoptosis via ETS1/GATA2/YY1-mediated p53 transcription
Authors: Xu Xiazhen , Zhang Lu , Ye Guiying , Shi Jiajian , Peng Yibin , Xin Fan , Lin Yi , Wu Qiong , Lin Xu , Chen Wannan
Published: November 2023

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection represents an important global public health concern. The spliced variants generated by RNA splicing from 3.5-kb HBV pre-genomic RNA are involved in chronic hepatitis B pathogenicity and associated with hepatocellular carcinoma development. Although the HBV spliced variants with a length of 2.2 kb have been widely detected, their roles in the development of HBV-associated liver diseases remain unknown. In the present study, the pro-apoptotic effects of hepatitis B doubly spliced protein (HBDSP) encoded by 2.2-kb doubly spliced variants of HBV in wild-type
p53
(wt
-p53
) hepatocytes were determined. We primarily found that HBDSP promoted the apoptosis of HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells with wt
-p53
. The role of wt-
p53
in HBDSP-induced apoptosis was further investigated. It was demonstrated that HBDSP upregulated p53 and phospho-p53 (Ser15) expression and herein stimulated the
p53
-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway. Mechanistically, HBDSP indirectly transactivated the
p53
promoter in an ETS1-, GATA2-, and YY1-dependent manner, in which HBDSP increased the nuclear translocation of ETS1, GATA2, and YY1. Besides, it was demonstrated that HBDSP could promote cellular apoptosis and activate
p53
-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway, resulting in increased secretion of HBV DNA, HBsAg, and HBeAg in HepG2.2.15 cells and HBV-infected HepG2-NTCP cells. Taken together, our results reveal a novel mechanism by which HBDSP promotes ETS1/GATA2/YY1-dependent
p53
gene transcription and induces apoptosis in wt-
p53
cells, and increases the production of HBV progeny and viral antigens. These findings may provide novel insight into the pathogenesis of HBDSP involved in HBV-associated liver diseases.

IMPORTANCE

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) spliced variants are associated with viral persistence or pathogenicity. Hepatitis B doubly spliced protein (HBDSP), which has been previously reported as a pleiotropic transactivator protein, can potentially serve as an HBV virulence factor. However, the underlying mechanisms of HBDSP in HBV-associated liver diseases remain to be elucidated. In this study, we revealed that HBDSP promotes cellular apoptosis and induces wt-
p53
-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway in wt-
p53
hepatocellular cells by transactivating p53 transcription, and increases the release of HBV progeny. Therefore, HBDSP may promote the HBV particles release through wt-
p53
-dependent hepatocellular apoptosis. Our findings suggest that blocking HBDSP-induced wt-
p53
-dependent apoptosis might have therapeutic values for chronic hepatitis B.
Genomic analysis of penicillin-binding proteins and recombination events in an emerging amoxicillin- and meropenem-resistant PMEN3 (Spain
9V
-3, ST156) variant in Taiwan and comparison with global descendants of this lineage
Authors: Chen Yi-Yin , Chi Hsin , Liao Wei-Chao , Li Shiao-Wen , Yang Yu-Ching , Lin Ho-Chen , Chang Hsiao-Pei , Pan Yi-Jiun , Chiang Ruei-Lin , Hsieh Yu-Chia
Published: November 2023

From 2008 to 2020, the Taiwan National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System database demonstrated that the incidence of non-vaccine serotype 23A invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) approximately doubled. In this study, 276 non-repetitive pneumococcal clinical isolates were collected from two medical centers in Taiwan between 2019 and 2021. Of these 267 pneumococci, 60 were serotype 23A. Among them, 50 (83%) of serotype 23A isolates belonged to the sequence type (ST) 166 variant of the Spain
9V
-3 clone. Pneumococcal 23A-ST166 isolates were collected to assess their evolutionary relationships using whole-genome sequencing. All 23A-ST166 isolates were resistant to amoxicillin and meropenem, and 96% harbored a novel combination of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) (1a:2b:2x):15:11:299, the newly identified PBP2x-299 in Taiwan. Transformation of the
pbp1a
,
pbp2b
, and
pbp2x
alleles into the β-lactam-susceptible R6 strain revealed that PBP2x-299 and PBP2b-11 increased the MIC of ceftriaxone and meropenem by 16-fold, respectively. Prediction analysis of recombination sites in PMEN3 descendants (23A-ST166 in Taiwan, 35B-ST156 in the United States, and 11A-ST838/ST6521 in Europe) showed that adaptive evolution involved repeated, selectively favored convergent recombination in the capsular polysaccharide synthesis region, PBPs,
murM
, and
folP
genome sites. In the late 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era, PMEN3 continuously displayed an evolutionary capacity for global dissemination and persistence, increasing IPD incidence, leading to an offset in the decrease of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine serotype-related diseases, and contributing to high antibiotic resistance.

A clonal shift with a highly β-lactam-resistant non-vaccine serotype 23A, from ST338 to ST166, increased in Taiwan. ST166 is a single-locus variant of the Spain
9V
-3 clone, which is also called the PMEN3 lineage. All 23A-ST166 isolates, in this study, were resistant to amoxicillin and meropenem, and 96% harbored a novel combination of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) (1a:2b:2x):15:11:299. PBP2x-299 and PBP2b-11 contributed to the increasing MIC of ceftriaxone and meropenem, respectively. Prediction analysis of recombination sites in PMEN3 descendants showed that adaptive evolution involved repeated, selectively favored convergent recombination in the capsular polysaccharide synthesis region, PBPs,
murM
, and
folP
genome sites. In the late 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine era, PMEN3 continuously displays the evolutionary capacity for dissemination, leading to an offset in the decrease of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine serotype-related diseases and contributing to high antibiotic resistance.
Alternative oxidase promotes high iron tolerance in
Candida albicans
Authors: Sharma Rishabh , Gibb Andrew A. , Barnts Kelcie , Elrod John W. , Puri Sumant
Published: November 2023

Although crucial for cellular functioning, iron is toxic when present in excess. Iron overload can create a labile iron pool (LIP) that harms the mitochondrion, resulting in disruption of oxidative respiration. Fungal pathogen
C. albicans
possesses an unconventional terminal oxidase [alternative oxidase (AOX)] that can disrupt the electron transport chain to remove excess electrons, generated from various stressors, to shield the respiratory apparatus. Here, we identify a novel role for AOX under high iron, whereby it works as “safety valve” to protect the mitochondrion from high iron-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS).
C. albicans
showed pronounced metabolic flexibility to environmental iron, ranging from 1 to 500 µM. High iron significantly increased intracellular iron, LIP, and levels of cellular ROS. Expression of both
AOX1/2
was induced by iron, and cells lacking Aox1/2 showed high levels of mitochondrial ROS as well as significant growth defect under high iron. Thus, Aox1/2 helps mitigate the negative effects of iron. Furthermore, iron-induced expression of
AOX1/2
was intermittent, thus preventing ATP loss despite AOX being non-proton motive. Mitochondrial oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was significantly higher (62.8%) under high iron conditions. Contribution of Aox1/2 was greater toward this high OCR, compared to their contribution in low iron conditions. Lastly, enhanced virulence of
C. albicans
that is observed for wild-type cells under high iron was lost when fungal cells lacking
AOX1/2
were used for murine infection. Thus, AOX is crucial for preserving mitochondrial function for survival in a high iron host.

IMPORTANCE

The yeast
C. albicans
exhibits metabolic flexibility for adaptability to host niches with varying availability of nutrients including essential metals like iron. For example, blood is iron deplete, while the oral cavity and the intestinal lumen are considered iron replete. We show here that
C. albicans
can tolerate very high levels of environmental iron, despite an increase in high iron-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) that it mitigates with the help of a unique oxidase, known as alternative oxidase (AOX). High iron induces
AOX1/2
that limits mitochondrial accumulation of ROS. Genetic elimination of
AOX1/2
resulted in diminished virulence during oropharyngeal candidiasis in high iron mice. Since human mitochondria lack AOX protein, it represents a unique target for treatment of fungal infections.
The neutrophil oxidant hypothiocyanous acid causes a thiol-specific stress response and an oxidative shift of the bacillithiol redox potential in
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Loi Vu Van , Busche Tobias , Schnaufer Franziska , Kalinowski Jörn , Antelmann Haike
Published: November 2023

During infections,
Staphylococcus aureus
is exposed to hypochlorous acid (HOCl) and hypothiocyanous acid (HOSCN), which are produced by the neutrophil myeloperoxidase as potent antimicrobial killing agents. In this work, we applied RNAseq transcriptomics, Brx-roGFP2 biosensor measurements, and phenotype analyses to investigate the stress responses and defense mechanisms of
S. aureus
COL toward HOSCN stress. Based on the RNAseq transcriptome profile, HOSCN exerts strong thiol-specific oxidative, electrophile, and metal stress responses as well as protein damage in
S. aureus
, which is indicated by the strong induction of the HypR, TetR1, PerR, QsrR, MhqR, CstR, CsoR, CzrA, AgrA, HrcA, and CtsR regulons. Phenotype analyses of various mutants in HOSCN-responsive genes revealed that the HOSCN reductase MerA conferred the highest resistance toward HOSCN stress in
S. aureus
COL, whereas the QsrR and MhqR electrophile stress regulons do not contribute to protection. Brx-roGFP2 biosensor measurements and bacillithiol (BSH)-specific Western blot analyses revealed a strong oxidative shift of the bacillithiol redox potential (
E
BSH
) and increased
S
-bacillithiolations in
S. aureus
, indicating that BSH is oxidized to bacillithiol disulfide (BSSB) under HOSCN stress. While the Δ
merA
mutant was delayed in recovery of the reduced
E
BSH
, overproduction of MerA in the Δ
hypR
mutant enabled faster recovery of
E
BSH
due to efficient HOSCN detoxification. Moreover, both MerA and BSH were shown to contribute to HOSCN resistance in growth assays. In summary, HOSCN provokes a thiol-specific oxidative, electrophile, and metal stress response, an oxidative shift in
E
BSH
and increased
S
-bacillithiolation in
S. aureus
.

IMPORTANCE

Staphylococcus aureus
colonizes the skin and the airways but can also lead to life-threatening systemic and chronic infections. During colonization and phagocytosis by immune cells,
S. aureus
encounters the thiol-reactive oxidant HOSCN. The understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of
S. aureus
toward HOSCN stress is important to identify novel drug targets to combat multi-resistant
S. aureus
isolates. As a defense mechanism,
S. aureus
uses the flavin disulfide reductase MerA, which functions as HOSCN reductase and protects against HOSCN stress. Moreover, MerA homologs have conserved functions in HOSCN detoxification in other bacteria, including intestinal and respiratory pathogens. In this work, we studied the comprehensive thiol-reactive mode of action of HOSCN and its effect on the reversible shift of the
E
BSH
to discover new defense mechanisms against the neutrophil oxidant. These findings provide new leads for future drug design to fight the pathogen at the sites of colonization and infections.
Performance of ChatGPT and Bard on the official part 1 FRCOphth practice questions
Authors: Fowler Thomas , Pullen Simon , Birkett Liam
Published: November 2023

Background

Chat Generative Pre-trained Transformer (ChatGPT), a large language model by OpenAI, and Bard, Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, have been evaluated in various contexts. This study aims to assess these models’ proficiency in the part 1 Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (FRCOphth) Multiple Choice Question (MCQ) examination, highlighting their potential in medical education.

Methods

Both models were tested on a sample question bank for the part 1 FRCOphth MCQ exam. Their performances were compared with historical human performance on the exam, focusing on the ability to comprehend, retain and apply information related to ophthalmology. We also tested it on the book ‘MCQs for FRCOpth part 1’, and assessed its performance across subjects.

Results

ChatGPT demonstrated a strong performance, surpassing historical human pass marks and examination performance, while Bard underperformed. The comparison indicates the potential of certain AI models to match, and even exceed, human standards in such tasks.

Conclusion

The results demonstrate the potential of AI models, such as ChatGPT, in processing and applying medical knowledge at a postgraduate level. However, performance varied among different models, highlighting the importance of appropriate AI selection. The study underlines the potential for AI applications in medical education and the necessity for further investigation into their strengths and limitations.
Cohort profile: the longitudinal National Growth and Health Study (NGHS) of black and white girls from Northern California tracking how behavioural and psychosocial risk factors predict cardiovascular risk and biological ageing in midlife and in offspring
Authors: Laraia Barbara , Brownell Kristy , Friebur Robin , Perera Rachel , Brown Erika , Mayer Stefanie E , Feng Ingrid , Clermont Sabrina , Ritchie Lorrene D , Epel Elissa
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study (NGHS) prospectively collected anthropometric, biospecimens, clinical, health behaviour and psychosocial measures associated with cardiovascular disease from childhood to young adulthood. The aim of the current study was to assess the impact of stress, dysregulated eating and social genomic biomarkers on cardiometabolic risk factors among the original participants now in midlife and their children.

Participants

Beginning in 1987–1988, NGHS recruited black and white girls (age 9–10 years) from socioeconomically diverse backgrounds from from three sites: Cincinnati, Ohio; Washington, DC; and Western Contra Costa County, California (N=2379) and followed them for 10 years. The study maintained an 89% retention rate. The current study is 30 years after the start of the original study and focused on the participants of California (n=887) and their children aged 2–17 years. We re-enrolled 624 of 852 eligible participants (73%): 49.2% black and 50.8% white. The mean age was 39.5 years. Among the 645 eligible biological children, 553 were enrolled; 49% black and 51% white, with 51.5% girls and 48.5% boys. The mean age was 9.3 years.

Findings to date

Longitudinal analysis of adolescent drive for thinness predicted higher scores for drive for thinness during midlife, which was indirectly associated with greater adult body mass index through adult drive for thinness. Latent trajectory modelling of adolescent growth over 10 years found that women with persistently high weight trajectory had twice the odds of having children who met the definition for obesity compared with the persistently normal group, adjusting for adult weight.

Future plans

New studies on neighbourhood socioeconomic status, food insecurity and additional biomarkers of chronic stress, microbiome and accelerated ageing (ie, telomere length and epigenetic clock) are underway. We are developing a 10-year follow-up to understand changes in ageing biomarkers of the participants and their children.

Trial registration number

NCT00005132.
Supporting and retaining competent primary care workforce in low-resource settings: lessons learned from a prospective cohort study
Authors: Li Mingyue , Tang Haoqing , Zheng Huixian , Tian Yiran , Cheng Xiaoran , Cheng Haozhe , Zhang Xiaotian , Hu Dan , Liu Xiaoyun
Published: November 2023

Objective

Assess whether local health facilities can adequately support the performance of general practitioners (GPs) trained by China’s national compulsory services programme (CSP).

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Health facilities in middle and western rural areas in China, 2015–2022.

Participants

Cohorts of CSP graduates from 2015 to 2019 in four major medical universities.

Main outcomes

Job performance measured by a 12-item Job Performance Scale; productivity measured by outpatient volume per day; turnover measured by ever changing jobs within the past year.

Results

91.2%, 92.0% and 90.5% GPs working in township health centres reported inadequate medication, equipment and external assistance from higher level hospitals, while CSP graduates working in secondary or tertiary hospitals reported a lower rate of less than 60%. The top three tests reported as lacking were blood gases (67.7%), microbiology (61.6%) and cancer biomarkers (49.7%); the top three lacked procedures were CT scan (64.8%), MRI scan (58.1%) and ambulatory BP monitoring (55.8%); and the top three lacked drugs were drugs for cardiovascular diseases (23.3%), systematic hormonal preparations (17.7%) and traditional Chinese medicines (13.0%). Multivariable analysis showed that facility support was positively associated with job performance—adequate medication increased job performance by 2.2 points (95% CI 0.7 to 3.8), and adequate external assistance increased job performance by 3.3 points (95% CI 1.8 to 4.8). Facility support was also positively associated with productivity—adequate medication increased outpatients seen per day by 20% (95% CI 0.1 to 0.3), and adequate equipment increased outpatients seen per day by 12% (95% CI 0.0 to 0.2). Facility support did not have significant impact on turnover, but GPs who changed jobs in the past year were 1.9–2.3 times more likely to report adequate facility support.

Conclusion

GPs in township health centres experienced a high prevalence of shortage in facility support. The identification of a positive association between facility support and performance and productivity has implications for future research and resources deployment in primary healthcare.
Cognitive behavioural therapy for neurologists
Authors: Stanton Biba , Chalder Trudie , Carvalho Carolina
Published: November 2023

In neurological practice, we take pride in accurate diagnosis and using neuroscience to develop novel disease-modifying therapies, but we sometimes neglect symptom management and the treatment of distress. Most patients with neurological disorders report that their mental health needs are not being met. Of the many forms of psychological therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most likely to be available to our patients. This article sets out to answer the following questions: (1) What is CBT? (2) What will patients experience if they have CBT? (3) Is CBT effective for people with neurological disorders? (4) Who is most suitable for CBT? (5) How and where can a neurologist refer their patients for CBT? (6) Can we as neurologists use aspects of the CBT model in our own consultations?
An evaluation of the effects of dietary mixed-species direct-fed microbial (probiotic) on growth performance, gas emissions, meat quality, nutrient digestibility, and fecal score in finishing pigs
Authors: Wahid Sumaya Tanzin , Kim In Ho
Published: November 2023

This study examined the effects of mixed-species direct-fed microbial (DFM) on growth performance, gas emissions, meat quality, nutrient digestibility, and the fecal score of finishing pigs. A total of 100 crossbred finishing pigs ((Yorkshire × Landrace) × Duroc) weighing 58.97 ± 3.12 kg were randomly assigned to one of two diets (5 pigs per pen (2 barrows and 3 gilts); 50 pigs per treatment) in an 8-week trial. Dietary treatments comprised of the basal diet without probiotics control or basal diet + (0.1%) mixed probiotics (DFM). Mixed DFM supplementation showed a tendency to increase ( P = 0.093) the body weight of finishing pigs during day 56. Comparing mixed DFM with the control diet, mixed probiotics significantly improved average daily gain (ADG) during weeks 5–8 ( P = 0.024) and overall ( P = 0.013). DFM-supplemented diets reduced the emission of CH4 and NH3 significantly at weeks 4 and 8 compared with control. DFM supplementation did not affect H2S, methyl mercaptans, acetic acid, or CO2 emissions. Mixed DFM supplementation showed a tendency to increase ( P = 0.07) nitrogen digestibility. Pigs receiving mixed DFM had improved ADG and reduced NH3 and CH4 emissions without affecting meat quality, nutrient digestibility, intestinal microbes, and fecal score.
Production of antihydrogen atoms by 6 keV antiprotons through a positronium cloud
Authors: Adrich P. , Blumer P. , Caratsch G. , Chung M. , Cladé P. , Comini P. , Crivelli P. , Dalkarov O. , Debu P. , Douillet A. , Drapier D. , Froelich P. , Garroum N. , Guellati-Khelifa S. , Guyomard J. , Hervieux P.-A. , Hilico L. , Indelicato P. , Jonsell S. , Karr J.-P. , Kim B. , Kim S. , Kim E.-S. , Ko Y. J. , Kosinski T. , Kuroda N. , Latacz B. M. , Lee B. , Lee H. , Lee J. , Lim E. , Liszkay L. , Lunney D. , Manfredi G. , Mansoulié B. , Matusiak M. , Nesvizhevsky V. , Nez F. , Niang S. , Ohayon B. , Park K. , Paul N. , Pérez P. , Regenfus C. , Reynaud S. , Roumegou C. , Roussé J.-Y. , Sacquin Y. , Sadowski G. , Sarkisyan J. , Sato M. , Schmidt-Kaler F. , Staszczak M. , Szymczyk K. , Tanaka T. A. , Tuchming B. , Vallage B. , Voronin A. , van der Werf D. P. , Welker A. , Won D. , Wronka S. , Yamazaki Y. , Yoo K.-H. , Yzombard P.
Published: November 2023

We report on the first production of an antihydrogen beam by charge exchange of 6.1 keV antiprotons with a cloud of positronium in the GBAR experiment at CERN. The 100 keV antiproton beam delivered by the AD/ELENA facility was further decelerated with a pulsed drift tube. A 9 MeV electron beam from a linear accelerator produced a low energy positron beam. The positrons were accumulated in a set of two Penning–Malmberg traps. The positronium target cloud resulted from the conversion of the positrons extracted from the traps. The antiproton beam was steered onto this positronium cloud to produce the antiatoms. We observe an excess over background indicating antihydrogen production with a significance of 3–4 standard deviations.
Coptisine, the Characteristic Constituent from Coptis chinensis, Exhibits Significant Therapeutic Potential in Treating Cancers, Metabolic and Inflammatory Diseases
Authors: Lu Qiang , Tang Ying , Luo Shuang , Gong Qihai , Li Cailan
Published: November 2023

Naturally derived alkaloids belong to a class of quite significant organic compounds. Coptisine, a benzyl tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid, is one of the major bioactive constituents in Coptis chinensis Franch., which is a famous traditional Chinese medicine. C. chinensis possesses many kinds of functions, including the ability to eliminate heat, expel dampness, purge fire, and remove noxious substances. In Asian countries, C. chinensis is traditionally employed to treat carbuncle and furuncle, diabetes, jaundice, stomach and intestinal disorders, red eyes, toothache, and skin disorders. Up to now, there has been plenty of research of coptisine with respect to its pharmacology. Nevertheless, a comprehensive review of coptisine-associated research is urgently needed. This paper was designed to summarize in detail the progress in the research of the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, safety, and formulation of coptisine. The related studies included in this paper were retrieved from the following academic databases: The Web of Science, PubMed, Google scholar, Elsevier, and CNKI. The cutoff date was January 2023. Coptisine manifests various pharmacological actions, including anticancer, antimetabolic disease, anti-inflammatory disease, and antigastrointestinal disease effects, among others. Based on its pharmacokinetics, the primary metabolic site of coptisine is the liver. Coptisine is poorly absorbed in the gastrointestinal system, and most of it is expelled in the form of its prototype through feces. Regarding safety, coptisine displayed potential hepatotoxicity. Some novel formulations, including the [Formula: see text]-cyclodextrin-based inclusion complex and nanocarriers, could effectively enhance the bioavailability of coptisine. The traditional use of C. chinensis is closely connected with the pharmacological actions of coptisine. Although there are some disadvantages, including poor solubility, low bioavailability, and possible hepatotoxicity, coptisine is still a prospective naturally derived drug candidate, especially in the treatment of tumors as well as metabolic and inflammatory diseases. Further investigation of coptisine is necessary to facilitate the application of coptisine-based drugs in clinical practice.
Analysis of energy dissipation characteristics and numerical simulation of surrounding rock control for backfill combinations with different ash/sand ratios
Authors: Zhao Kang , Huang Qizheng , Wu Jun , Yan Yajing , Yang Jian , Ning Fujin , Tian Xiangqing , Liu Lang , Ji Yongbo
Published: November 2023

To reduce the economic cost of backfilling a mine, layers of cemented materials with different ash sand ratios are often used to backfill the void. In this study, we explored the damage evolution mechanism from the energy consumption point of view for backfill and rock combination with different ash sand ratios, and introduced the strength dissipation rate, damage value parameter and elastic strain energy rate to achieve the definition of damage in the specimens, as well as the characterization of the energy accumulation effect. In addition, the layered backfilling of the assemblage was simulated using FLAC
3D
software. The results show that: (1) the elastic strain energy rate can reflect the accumulation ability of the strain energy of the specimen; the larger the strain energy rate, the stronger the accumulation ability; (2) the damage evolution of the backfill–backfill combination is divided into stages: initial damage repair stage, damage stable development stage, damage accelerated development stage and residual damage stage; and (3) the top layer with an ash/sand ratio of 1:4, the middle layer with an ash/sand ratio of 1:8 and the bottom layer with an ash/sand ratio of 1:10 is the optimal backfilling scheme. This study can provide a theoretical reference for the backfilling of a hollow area.
Reconstructing an early Albian (Cretaceous) marine food web by employing macrofossil δ
13
C
carb
data
Authors: Mutterlose Jörg , Ohnemus Bernhard
Published: November 2023

Stable isotope data (δ
13
C, δ
18
O,
87
Sr/
86
Sr) from fossil carbonate shells are widely used throughout the Phanerozoic for stratigraphic dating and palaeoenvironmental reconstructions. The incorporation of δ
13
C carbonate (δ
13
C
carb
) is controlled by various factors, making its interpretation ambiguous. The analysis of co-occurring pristine carbonate-shelled organisms, which occupied different ecological niches during their lifetimes, will help to better understand the effect of biological parameters (food sources, biofractionation) on the carbonate composition.

We have studied the geochemistry (elements, δ
13
C
carb
, δ
18
O
carb
,
87
Sr/
86
Sr) of eight well-preserved macrofossils (corals, oysters, gastropod, ammonite, belemnites) of earliest Albian age (112 Ma). The up to 5‰ variation in δ
13
C
carb
values from the aragonitic and calcitic skeletons of these organisms with different feeding strategies (primary, secondary, tertiary consumers) was used to reconstruct a food-chain. The exceptional low δ
13
C
carb
values of belemnites are explained by the incorporation of larger amounts of metabolic carbon into the skeletons of these active predators. The findings suggest that the δ
13
C
carb
signal of the different organisms is controlled by (1) their food source and (2) subsequent biofractionation. The here discussed approach to interpreting δ
13
C
carb
data may help in the future to reconstruct past food-webs.
Deep Is Better? An Empirical Comparison of Information Retrieval and Deep Learning Approaches to Code Summarization
Authors: Zhu Tingwei , Li Zhong , Pan Minxue , Shi Chaoxuan , Zhang Tian , Pei Yu , Li Xuandong
Published: November 2023

Code summarization aims to generate short functional descriptions for source code to facilitate code comprehension. While Information Retrieval (IR) approaches that leverage similar code snippets and corresponding summaries have led the early research, Deep Learning (DL) approaches that use neural models to capture statistical properties between code and summaries are now mainstream. Although some preliminary studies suggest that IR approaches are more effective in some cases, it is currently unclear how effective the existing approaches can be in general, where and why IR/DL approaches perform better, and whether the integration of IR and DL can achieve better performance. Consequently, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive study of the IR and DL code summarization approaches to provide guidance for future development in this area. This article presents the first large-scale empirical study of 18 IR, DL, and hybrid code summarization approaches on five benchmark datasets. We extensively compare different types of approaches using automatic metrics, we conduct quantitative and qualitative analyses of where and why IR and DL approaches perform better, respectively, and we also study hybrid approaches for assessing the effectiveness of integrating IR and DL. The study shows that the performance of IR approaches should not be underestimated, that while DL models perform better in predicting tokens from method signatures and capturing structural similarities in code, simple IR approaches tend to perform better in the presence of code with high similarity or long reference summaries, and that existing hybrid approaches do not perform as well as individual approaches in their respective areas of strength. Based on our findings, we discuss future research directions for better code summarization.
Microenvironmental stress drives tumor cell maladaptation and malignancy through regulation of mitochondrial and nuclear cytochrome c oxidase subunits
Authors: Gnocchi Davide , Nikolic Dragana , Castellaneta Francesca , Paparella Rita R. , Sabbà Carlo , Mazzocca Antonio
Published: November 2023

How microenvironmental stress (hypoxia, acidity, and high glucose) supports tumor growth has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we demonstrated that these stressors promote malignancy by controlling the expression of cytochrome c oxidase I (COX I), and COX IV-1 and COX IV-2 based on the “energy phenotype” of cancer cells (OXPHOS vs. fermentation). Our results uncover a novel process by which the “energy phenotype” of cancer cells drives the adaptive response to microenvironment stress.
Rapid and Accurate Identification of Grass Seedlings in Agricultural Fields Based on Optimized YOLOX Model
Authors: Kang Jie , Gu Yi , Wang Zhi Yuan , Lu Xing Yu
Published: November 2023

Traditional agricultural cultivation is labor‐intensive and vulnerable to natural climate conditions, such as heavy rainfall and drought. Concerns over food safety have also brought attention to the growth of weeds and the misuse of agricultural chemicals, which can have a serious negative impact on crop growth and safety. We investigated the feasibility of the YoloX model in the field of agricultural weed identification to address the problem of weed handling in growing crops. In order to overcome the effects of climate and environment, we chose a purchased weed model for our study. We used a binocular vision camera for image acquisition and created a database containing 6,000 samples and enhanced the original database of 1,000 samples with data. In order to address the complex background of the weed images, the changing lighting environment of the binocular camera‐acquired images, and the noise interference, we performed histogram equalization, image denoising, and background processing on the dataset. These processing measures aim to improve the overall learning efficiency of the model in order to improve the accuracy of deep learning on weeds. Target detection platforms based on the TensorFlow and PyTorch frameworks were established, respectively, and the mainstream target detection models Faster R‐CNN and YoloX series target detection models were trained with the same dataset for comparative analysis using the longitudinal comparison method. The results show that the training under the PyTorch framework yields better models than the training under the TensorFlow framework. YoloX‐x has higher recognition accuracy, faster recognition speed, and more stable compared to the Faster R‐CNN model, with an average recognition rate of 97.07% and an average recognition time of 0.062 s. Moreover, the optimization of YoloX by incorporating an attention‐focusing mechanism resulted in an improved accuracy rate with a decrease in recognition time, with an average recognition rate of 97.70% and an average recognition time of 0.029 s.
A Method for Enhancing the Acoustic Scattering Characteristics of Underwater Acoustic Corner Reflectors in Vacuum Cavities
Authors: Zhang Jingzhuo , Xiao Dawei , Xie Taotao
Published: November 2023

To alleviate the problem of unsatisfactory target strength and scattering stability of an underwater corner reflector, a method to enhance the acoustic scattering characteristics using a vacuum cavity as an acoustic reflecting layer is proposed. According to the principle of acoustic impedance mismatch of a water-reflecting layer, a vacuum cavity corner reflector is designed to take advantage of the property that sound waves cannot propagate under vacuum conditions. The acoustic vacuum reflecting layer has a theoretical acoustic reflecting coefficient of one. Comparative analyses are carried out with the single-layer metal corner reflector in terms of frequency and angle of incidence. For the concave structure of the underwater corner reflector, the structural finite element software ANSYS combined with the acoustic analysis software SYSNOISE is used to simulate and analyse the acoustic scattering characteristics, and the consistency of the simulation calculations and experimental data is verified through the pool experiments for typical cases. The results show that under the same reflection area, the vacuum cavity underwater corner reflector has large scattering intensity, good antiacoustic performance, no obvious frequency characteristics, and good decoupling effects. The target echo intensity value can be increased by 2 dB for better scattering stability. The overall weight is reduced by about 20 kg, with considerable engineering practicality, proving that the true cavity corner reflector is an ideal underwater acoustic counter-acoustic device.