bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
9.1 µW keyword spotting processor based on optimized MFCC and small‐footprint TENet in 28‐nm CMOS
Authors: Yu Haohai , He Keyan , Liu Yang , Chen Dihu
Published: May 2024

This letter proposes a low‐power keyword spotting (KWS) architecture based on a modified temporal efficient neural network (TENet) and a simplified mel‐frequency cepstrum coefficient (MFCC) algorithm. The optimized MFCC algorithm reduces the computational load by 82% for multiplications and 66% for additions. An efficient hardware architecture and data flow for TENet have been designed, resulting in a 3.1× reduction in the operating cycle compared to similar work. The parameter count and computational load are reduced by 3.7× and 2.8×, respectively, and the accuracy reaches 95.36% for ten keywords in the Google Speech Command Dataset (GSCD). Operating at a frequency of 16 KHz for MFCC and 100 KHz for NN accelerator on a 28 nm process, the power consumption overhead is 9.1 µW.
Predicting transformer temperature field based on physics‐informed neural networks
Authors: Tang Pengfei , Zhang Zhonghao , Tong Jie , Long Tianhang , Huang Can , Qi Zihao
Published: May 2024

The safe operation of oil‐immersed transformers is critical to the safety and stability of the power grid. As the operating time increases, the failure rate of oil‐immersed transformers shows an increasing trend, posing serious challenges to safe operation. It is necessary to investigate the internal state of the oil‐immersed transformer to improve the digital degree and achieve digitalisation and intelligent operation and maintenance. A physics‐informed neural network (PINN) for oil‐immersed transformers was introduced to reconstruct the temperature distribution inside the transformer. According to the approach, the loss function of the network would be optimised by incorporating physical constraint loss terms including heat transfer equations, initial conditions and boundary conditions. The results show that the method proposed can be used to reconstruct and predict the temperature field of transformers in a few seconds with satisfactory accuracy. In conclusion, the PINN proposed outperforms deep neural networks in terms of accuracy, reliability and interpretability, especially in data‐poor cases.
Fighting wind with wind to improve high-speed train aerodynamics near mountains
Authors: Johnson-Groh Mara
Published: May 2024

A look at the acceleration effect of gale-force winds on high-speed trains reveals how mitigation efforts might be designed.
Manipulation of magnetic beads for actively capturing Vibrio parahaemolyticus and nucleic acid based on microfluidic system
Authors: Zhang Zhaoxuan , Deng Xue , Zhang Wenqiang , Chen Kehan , Su Yuan , Gao Chao , Gong De , Zhu Longjiao , Cai Jun
Published: May 2024

Rapid biological detection of pathogen micro-organisms has attracted much attention for practical biomedical applications. Despite the development in this field, it is still challenging to achieve simple and rapid biological detection using the microfluidic method. Herein, we propose a novel strategy of biological detection that combines precise detection control of the capillary microfluidic chip and versatile manipulation of magnetic beads. The microfluidic chip was fabricated via laser cutting, which utilized capillary pressure to realize rapid passive injection of liquid samples. Under an external magnetic field, the aptamer-modified magnetic beads were actuated to mix with Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) and its nucleic acid in the capillary microfluidic chip for rapid selective capture and detection, which could be achieved within 40 min. The experimental results demonstrated that V. parahaemolyticus could be captured using on-chip immunomagnetic beads with a high efficiency and significantly enhanced detection value. Due to these superior performances, the capillary microfluidic system, based on the manipulation of magnetic beads, demonstrated great potential for automatic biological detection.
Design and evaluation of a monostable symmetric piezoelectric energy harvester based on cantilever structure and magnetic excitation action
Authors: Wang Liang , Zhang Yaxun , Wang Tianqi
Published: May 2024

This work proposes a monostable symmetric piezoelectric energy harvester based on the cantilever structure and magnetic excitation action (M-PEH). The governing equations of M-PEH are derived based on its kinematic properties. The intrinsic frequency of the piezoelectric cantilever beam was obtained by modal simulation. It has been demonstrated that the mode of arrangement of the magnetic poles has a significant effect on the output voltage of the energy harvester. The proposed M-PEH has four driving magnets with a mass of 6 g and a radial driving distance of 15 mm for more efficient energy harvesting. The experimental results show that the maximum voltage of the M-PEH with the double U-type rotor was 31.2 V at 240 rpm and 110 kΩ external resistance. The average power of the PEH with the double U-type rotor was 16.562 mW at a speed of 240 rpm with an outer resistance of 20 kΩ. The energy harvester with a double U-type rotor can realize a voltage output of not less than 10 V in the range of 60–300 rpm when the same poles of the tip magnets are arranged outward. The M-PEH can also easily light up LEDs or miniature electronic watches with speeds of 120 rpm and 240 rpm. This further proves that the proposed piezoelectric energy harvester (M-PEH) has a better energy harvesting effect and great potential for practical applications.
Emergent two-band conduction at Ti delta-doped LaAlO3/KTaO3 (111) heterointerface
Authors: Fan Haiyang , Liu Jia , Ye Fei , Bao Mingrui , Zhang Ziheng , Li Zhuojun , Cheng Long , Zhai Xiaofang
Published: May 2024

Recently, several intriguing interfacial phenomena have been discovered at the KTaO3 (111)-based heterointerfaces, such as the two-dimensional electron gas, superconductivity, anisotropic conductivity, etc. However, the available techniques to systematically manipulate such interfacial states are quite limited. Here, we devise a delta-doping strategy by inserting a sub-nanometer Ti layer with distinct reducibilities to the LaAlO3/KTaO3 (111) interface. In the delta-doped samples, we observe an unforeseen two-band conduction, evidenced by the emergence of a new type of electron carrier with an order-of-magnitude enhancement of mobility (∼1800 cm2V−1s−1) than the original carriers. Moreover, the appearance of the high-mobility carriers causes a sharp transition between the non-Fermi-liquid superconducting state and the Fermi-liquid state with reduced spin–orbit scattering. Further evidence shows that the new type of carriers stems from another in-gap state with a shallower energy level compared to the original carriers. Our study broadens the spectrum of interfacial carrier manipulation by introducing an extra band/channel for carrier conduction, which not only opens up new possibilities in device applications but also shines a light on the underlying physics of interfacial superconductivity.
Wake-induced torsional oscillation of two tethered cylinders for energy harvesting
Authors: Yang Wenchao , Wen Zhijian , Liu Yang , Zhang Chen-an , Stremler Mark A.
Published: May 2024

When two cylinders submerged in a uniform flow are arranged in tandem, the downstream cylinder can oscillate in response to the wake from the upstream cylinder. In this investigation, the downstream cylinder is allowed to oscillate freely around the center of a fixed upstream cylinder, mimicking a pendulum-like motion. Our findings suggest that the wake stiffness concept, initially verified for relatively large cylinder spacing (ℓ≥4) and linear transverse cylinder motion, is also relevant for characterizing the wake-induced vibration (WIV) response observed for two tandem tethered cylinders situated in close proximity (2≤ℓ≤4) for Reynolds numbers in the range 1.0×104≲Re≲1.2×105, with tests conducted up to Re≈1.4×105. For small cylinder spacing (ℓ≤2.5), the downstream cylinder attains a maximum oscillation angle amplitude and exhibits consistent vibration, providing reliable potential for energy harvesting. We also explore hysteresis in the WIV response, which is observed to depend on the history of Reynolds number variation. Our findings reveal hysteresis at both the onset and termination of oscillation.
Kinetic energy dependence and potential energy surface of the spin-forbidden reaction Sm+ (8F) + N2O (1Σ+) → SmO+ (6Δ) + N2 (1Σg+)
Authors: Loertscher David H. , Stevenson Brandon C. , Armentrout P. B.
Published: May 2024

The kinetic energy dependence of the title reaction is examined using guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometry. Because this reaction is spin-forbidden, crossings between octet and sextet hypersurfaces presumably must occur. Furthermore, Sm+ must transition from a 4f66s1 configuration in the reactant to 4f55d2 in order to have the orbital occupancy required to form the triple bond in SmO+ (6Δ). Despite being strongly exothermic (∼4 eV), the reaction proceeds with low efficiency (18% ± 4%) via a barrierless process at low energies. Below ∼0.3 eV, the cross section follows a kinetic energy dependence that roughly parallels that of the collision rate for ion–dipole reactions. At higher collision energies, the reaction cross section increases until it follows the trajectory cross section closely from 3 to 5 eV, indicating that another pathway opens on the reaction hypersurface. Modeling this increase yields a threshold energy for this new pathway at 0.54 ± 0.05 eV. Theoretical potential energy surfaces that do not include spin–orbit interactions for the reaction show that there is a barrier of height 1.19 eV (MP2) or 0.49 eV [CCSD(T)] to insertion of Sm+ into the N2–O bond and that there are several places where octet and sextet surfaces can intersect and interact. By considering the distribution of spin–orbit states generated in the ion source, the internal energy of the N2O reactant, and the influence of coupling between electronic, orbital, and rotational angular momentum, the low-efficiency, exothermic behavior as well as the increase in efficiency at higher energies can plausibly be explained.
Diprotodon
Authors: Saunders Bronwyn , Plant Andrew
Published: May 2024

Follow in the giant footsteps of Diprotodon as he finds his place in the world. Explore his Ice Age environment, his encounters with other megafauna and the challenges he faces to survive.

Diprotodon: A Megafauna Journey features the largest marsupial that ever lived. Brought to life through fabulous illustrations, this story will captivate and enthral readers.

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 6 to 9.
Plasma-activated water’s potential contribution to ‘One Health’
Authors: Kolbe Bjoern H. , Coad Bryan , Richter Katharina
Published: May 2024

Foodborne pathogens cause a major burden to public health and the economy, costing A$2.44 billion, and causing 48,000 hospitalisations annually in Australia. With an increasing global impact of foodborne illnesses and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens, new decontamination technologies should consider the One Health approach to human, animal and environmental health. This review explores the application of plasma-activated water (PAW) as a novel sanitisation method. We discuss the implications of adopting PAW as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective sanitiser through a multidisciplinary One Health perspective. The findings underscore the promising role of PAW in mitigating foodborne pathogens, offering a holistic solution that aligns with the principles of One Health for enhanced food safety and public health.
Vegetation and inundation characteristics of waterbird breeding sites in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia
Authors: Brandis K. J. , Francis R. J. , Bino G.
Published: May 2024

Context The Murray–Darling Basin serves as a crucial habitat for aggregating waterbirds; however, decades of large-scale regulation of rivers and water resources have adversely affected waterbird breeding in the Basin. Aims To understand the characteristics of wetlands that attract and support aggregating waterbirds, focusing on identifying environmental conditions conducive to waterbird breeding. Methods In total, 52 wetland sites across the Murray–Darling Basin, with high waterbird abundances, were identified, of which 26 supported waterbird breeding. Classification models were developed using temporally static and dynamic environmental datasets to discern wetland characteristics associated with waterbird breeding. Key results Analyses showed that wetlands supporting waterbird breeding contained a maximum inundated area of ‘other shrublands’ exceeding 3.635 km2 and variation in normalised difference vegetation index, possibly reflective of a ‘boom and bust’ ecological response. Conclusions Understanding the habitat requirements of wetlands to prompt waterbird breeding is critical for effective environmental water management and conservation strategies. Implications Targeted wetland management and environmental water allocation to support waterbird breeding populations in the Murray–Darling Basin is essential for continued waterbird breeding. There is a need for continued research to refine management strategies and ensure the long-term sustainability of waterbird populations in the face of ongoing environmental challenges.
Binucleated human hepatocytes arise through late cytokinetic regression during endomitosis M phase
Authors: Darmasaputra Gabriella S. , Geerlings Cindy C. , Chuva de Sousa Lopes Susana M. , Clevers Hans , Galli Matilde
Published: May 2024

Binucleated polyploid cells are common in many animal tissues, where they arise by endomitosis, a non-canonical cell cycle in which cells enter M phase but do not undergo cytokinesis. Different steps of cytokinesis have been shown to be inhibited during endomitosis M phase in rodents, but it is currently unknown how human cells undergo endomitosis. In this study, we use fetal-derived human hepatocyte organoids (Hep-Orgs) to investigate how human hepatocytes initiate and execute endomitosis. We find that cells in endomitosis M phase have normal mitotic timings, but lose membrane anchorage to the midbody during cytokinesis, which is associated with the loss of four cortical anchoring proteins, RacGAP1, Anillin, SEPT9, and citron kinase (CIT-K). Moreover, reduction of WNT activity increases the percentage of binucleated cells in Hep-Orgs, an effect that is dependent on the atypical E2F proteins, E2F7 and E2F8. Together, we have elucidated how hepatocytes undergo endomitosis in human Hep-Orgs, providing new insights into the mechanisms of endomitosis in mammals.
A mutation that prevents myosin from overcoming its inhibitions
Authors: Short Ben
Published: May 2024

JGP study (Duno-Miranda et al. https://doi.org/10.1085/jgp.202313522) shows that a mutation linked to dilated cardiomyopathy stabilizes β-cardiac myosin in its autoinhibited, super-relaxed state.
Enhanced Spin–Orbit Torques in Graphene by Pt Adatoms Decoration
Authors: Wang 王 Yifei 怡飞 , Zhang 张 Qi 其 , Xu 徐 Haiming 海茗 , Guo 郭 Xi 玺 , Chang 常 Yuhan 宇晗 , Zhang 张 Jianrong 健荣 , He 和 Xiaodong 孝东 , Zuo 左 Yalu 亚路 , Cui 崔 Baoshan 宝山 , Xi 席 Li 力
Published: May 2024

Graphene (Gr) with widely acclaimed characteristics, such as exceptionally long spin diffusion length at room temperature, provides an outstanding platform for spintronics. However, its inherent weak spin–orbit coupling (SOC) has limited its efficiency for generating the spin currents in order to control the magnetization switching process for applications in spintronics memories. Following the theoretical prediction on the enhancement of SOC in Gr by heavy atoms adsorption, here we experimentally observe a sizeable spin–orbit torques (SOTs) in Gr by the decoration of its surface with Pt adatoms in Gr/Pt(t
Pt)/FeNi trilayers with the optimal damping-like SOT efficiency around 0.55 by 0.6-nm-thick Pt layer adsorption. The value is nearly four times larger than that of the Pt/FeNi sample without Gr and nearly twice the value of the Gr/FeNi sample without Pt adsorption. The efficiency of the enhanced SOT in Gr by Pt adatoms is also demonstrated by the field-free SOT magnetization switching process with a relatively low critical current density around 5.4 MA/cm2 in Gr/Pt/FeNi trilayers with the in-plane magnetic anisotropy. These findings pave the way for Gr spintronics applications, offering solutions for future low power consumption memories.
Reply to Comment on ‘Self-thinning forest understoreys reduce wildfire risk, even in a warming climate’
Authors: Zylstra Philip J , Lindenmayer David B , Bradshaw S Don
Published: May 2024

Our previous analysis of mapped records of forest fires in National Parks in Southwestern Australia showed that fires initiated a pulse in flammability (the likelihood of a point being burned by wildfire), but that flammability declined as forests matured (Zylstra et al 2022 Environ. Res. Lett.
17 044022). This reduction in flammability was contrary to that expected from modelling used by the West Australian Government to guide management, but consistent with expectations from peer-reviewed fire behaviour science and published ecological drivers of fire behaviour. Miller et al (2024 Environ. Res. Lett.) argued that our reported decline in flammability of long-unburnt forest is an artefact of poor data quality including flawed records kept by the West Australian Government, along with fewer and smaller sample sizes in long-unburnt forest. These problems, they claim, biased these age-classes toward values of zero flammability due to a rounding error. Critically, Miller et al (2024 Environ. Res. Lett.) did not test their hypothesis by repeating the analysis with these data removed. Here, we show that Miller et al’s (2024 Environ. Res. Lett.) concerns are dependent upon the mathematical fallacy that rounding errors only occur in one direction (rounding flammability down to zero), when they have an equal likelihood of rounding upward and elevating flammability. The effect of this is to introduce noise rather than bias. We tested their hypothesis by repeating the analysis of Zylstra et al (2022 Environ. Res. Lett.
17 044022) with a better suited statistical method on an improved and expanded dataset after removing the small patches that Miller et al (2024 Environ. Res. Lett.) proposed would bias the findings. Contrary to the objections of Miller et al (2024 Environ. Res.
Lett.), removing lower quality data revealed that the mature forests were even less flammable than expected, so that only annual prescribed burning could reduce bushfire likelihood below that in forests unburnt for 56 years or more. Our findings highlight the role of prescribed burning in creating a more flammable landscape.
Simultaneous polarization and wavelength merging for efficient fiber coupling system using a designed one-mirror prism
Authors: Liu Chang , Xue Lirui , Yan Ziyi , Cheng Liwen
Published: May 2024

The difference in beam quality between the fast-axis and slow-axis directions of semiconductor lasers limits its wide application. Conventional development methods for solving this problem require a large number of optical components. A one-mirror prism shaping scheme based on wavelength combination and polarization combination techniques is proposed to simultaneously halve the optical width in the slow-axis direction and fill in the dark region in the fast-axis direction to improve and equalize the beam quality. Compared with the traditional beam shaping scheme, the design does not use the cutting-translation-rearrangement of prism technology to avoid uneven spot distribution at the same time, the use of the design of a single prism can achieve several functions to improve the efficiency of prism utilization, to avoid the use of prism stacks, the whole system is simple and compact, easy to implement The design couples two laser stacks, both consisting of 10 cm-bars, into the target fiber with a fiber characteristic of 400 μm, 0.22. An output power of 1415.8 W is obtained from the output end of the fiber, and the coupling efficiency is calculated to be 88.5%.
Regularity properties of random wavelet series
Authors: Esser Céline , Jaffard Stéphane , Vedel Béatrice
Published: May 2024

We study the regularity properties of random wavelet series constructed by multiplying the coefficients of a deterministic wavelet series with unbounded I.I.D. random variables. In particular, we show that, at the opposite to what happens for Fourier series, the randomization of almost every continuous function gives an almost surely nowhere locally bounded function.
Non-adaptive estimation for degenerate diffusion processes
Authors: Gloter Arnaud , Yoshida Nakahiro
Published: May 2024

We consider a degenerate system of stochastic differential equations. The first component of the system has a parameter

θ
1

\theta _1

in a non-degenerate diffusion coefficient and a parameter

θ
2

\theta _2

in the drift term. The second component has a drift term with a parameter

θ
3

\theta _3

and no diffusion term. Parametric estimation of the degenerate diffusion system is discussed under a sampling scheme. We investigate the asymptotic behavior of the joint quasi-maximum likelihood estimator for

(

θ
1

,

θ
2

,

θ
3

)

(\theta _1,\theta _2,\theta _3)

. The estimation scheme is non-adaptive. The estimator incorporates information of the increments of both components, and under this construction, we show that the asymptotic variance of the estimator for

θ
1

\theta _1

is smaller than the one for standard estimator based on the first component only, and that the convergence of the estimator for

θ
3

\theta _3

is much faster than for the other parameters. By simulation studies, we compare the performance of the joint quasi-maximum likelihood estimator with the adaptive and one-step estimators investigated in Gloter and Yoshida [Electron. J. Statist 15 (2021), no. 1, 1424–1472].
Bounded in the mean and stationary solutions of second-order difference equations with operator coefficients
Authors: Horodnii M.
Published: May 2024

We study the question of the existence of a unique bounded in the mean solution for the second-order difference equation with piecewise constant operator coefficients and of the stationary solution of the corresponding difference equation with constant operator coefficients. The case is considered when the corresponding “algebraic” operator equations have separated roots.
Size Dimension Chart for Reference Cuff Validation and Limitations in Current Recommendations
Authors: Juraschek Stephen P
Published: May 2024

BACKGROUND

International standards used for device validation protocols require that the reference cuff conforms to a width and length that is 37 to 50% and 75 to 100% of the arm circumference, respectively. However, there is no published chart of appropriate width and length dimensions across the range of arm circumferences. The objective of this report was to create a chart that could be used to guide reference cuff selection and compare recommended dimensions with two common cuff systems.

METHODS

Arm circumferences, ranging from 22 to 52 cm were used to create a reference table for width and length requirements. Arm circumferences were grouped following the American Heart Association (AHA) recommendation for cuff sizes. Cuff dimension data was extracted from the website of a cuff system commonly used for validations (the Baum Corporation). Both the AHA recommendations and Baum sizes were compared with the recommended reference dimensions

RESULTS

There were discrepancies in size naming conventions between the Baum Corporation and the AHA cuff systems. Moreover, there were gaps in both systems where the cuff would not be recommended for validation (31–32 cm for Baum and 30–31 cm for the AHA). Neither system had cuffs that could be used for the largest arm circumferences.

CONCLUSIONS

This chart highlights the need for more than one cuff system in validation studies and the critical need for cuffs that could be used for validation among larger arm circumferences.
Mutational profiling of primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder does not resemble nodal peripheral T-cell lymphomas with a follicular helper T-cell phenotype
Authors: Rodríguez Marta , Rebollo-González Marcos , Díaz-Alejo Jesús Frutos , Manso Rebeca , Díaz de la Pinta Francisco Javier , Torre-Castro Juan , Rodríguez-Pinilla Socorro María
Published: May 2024

We performed targeted next-generation sequencing of 62 genes, previously described as being mutated in T-cell lymphomas, in 15 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples from patients with primary cutaneous CD4+ small/medium T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder.
CO-assisted partial oxidation of methane and selective C1 oxygenate formation using iridium-ZSM-5 catalyst
Authors: Moteki Takahiko , Tominaga Naoto , Ogura Masaru
Published: May 2024

The direct partial oxidation of methane to oxygenates remains challenging. Here, CO-assisted methane conversion was investigated using an Ir-ZSM-5 catalyst, and it achieved higher C1 selectivity compared with that achieved using a model Rh-ZSM-5 catalyst. A plausible reaction sequence is proposed via kinetic analysis, and the differences between the two catalysts were revealed.
Aperiodic components of local field potentials reflect inherent differences between cortical and subcortical activity
Authors: Bush Alan , Zou Jasmine F , Lipski Witold J , Kokkinos Vasileios , Richardson R Mark
Published: May 2024

Information flow in brain networks is reflected in local field potentials that have both periodic and aperiodic components. The 1/fχ aperiodic component of the power spectra tracks arousal and correlates with other physiological and pathophysiological states. Here we explored the aperiodic activity in the human thalamus and basal ganglia in relation to simultaneously recorded cortical activity. We elaborated on the parameterization of the aperiodic component implemented by specparam (formerly known as FOOOF) to avoid parameter unidentifiability and to obtain independent and more easily interpretable parameters. This allowed us to seamlessly fit spectra with and without an aperiodic knee, a parameter that captures a change in the slope of the aperiodic component. We found that the cortical aperiodic exponent χ, which reflects the decay of the aperiodic component with frequency, is correlated with Parkinson’s disease symptom severity. Interestingly, no aperiodic knee was detected from the thalamus, the pallidum, or the subthalamic nucleus, which exhibited an aperiodic exponent significantly lower than in cortex. These differences were replicated in epilepsy patients undergoing intracranial monitoring that included thalamic recordings. The consistently lower aperiodic exponent and lack of an aperiodic knee from all subcortical recordings may reflect cytoarchitectonic and/or functional differences.

Significance statement

The aperiodic component of local field potentials can be modeled to produce useful and reproducible indices of neural activity. Here we refined a widely used phenomenological model for extracting aperiodic parameters (namely the exponent, offset and knee), with which we fit cortical, basal ganglia, and thalamic intracranial local field potentials, recorded from unique cohorts of movement disorders and epilepsy patients. We found that the aperiodic exponent in motor cortex is higher in Parkinson's disease patients with more severe motor symptoms, suggesting that aperiodic features may have potential as electrophysiological biomarkers for movement disorders symptoms. Remarkably, we found conspicuous differences in the aperiodic parameters of basal ganglia and thalamic signals compared to those from neocortex.
Iodo-bridged dicopper(I) complex containing a benzothienobenzothiophene unit: structure, characterization, and crystal-packing effects on solid-state photoluminescence
Authors: Ikeda Takashi , Tahara Keishiro , Kadoya Tomofumi , Ozawa Yoshiki , Abe Masaaki
Published: May 2024

The title complex was newly synthesized by straightforward ligand substitution of a parent complex having a N2P2 set. The present complex had a deformed rhomboidal {Cu2I2} core with shortened Cu···Cu and prolonged I···I diagonals compared with those of the parent complex and formed one-dimensional channels filled with solvent molecules in crystals. The complex exhibited unusual red shift in solid-state photoluminescence assigned to halogen/metal-to-ligand charge transfer, indicating association of the unique crystal packing containing intramolecular electronic coupling between benzothienobenzothiophene moieties.
Open, endovascular or hybrid repair of aortic arch disease: narrative review of diverse strategies with diverse options
Authors: Takayama Hiroo , Hohri Yu , Brinster Derek R , Chen Edward P , El-Hamamsy Ismail , Elmously Adham , Derose Joseph J , Hisamoto Kazuhiro , Lau Christopher , Okita Yutaka , Peterson Mark D , Spielvogel David , Youdelman Benjamin A , Pacini Davide
Published: May 2024

OBJECTIVES

The management of aortic arch disease is complex. Open surgical management continues to evolve, and the introduction of endovascular repair is revolutionizing aortic arch surgery. Although these innovative techniques have generated the opportunity for better outcomes in select patients, they have also introduced confusion and uncertainty regarding best practices.

METHODS

In New York, we developed a collaborative group, the New York Aortic Consortium, as a means of cross-linking knowledge and working together to better understand and treat aortic disease. In our meeting in May 2023, regional aortic experts and invited international experts discussed the contemporary management of aortic arch disease, differences in interpretation of the available literature and the integration of endovascular technology into disease management. We summarized the current state of aortic arch surgery in this review article.

RESULTS

Approaches to aortic arch repair have evolved substantially, whether it be methods to reduce cerebral ischaemia, improve haemostasis, simplify future operations or expand options for high-risk patients with endovascular approaches. However, the transverse aortic arch remains challenging to repair. Among our collaborative group of cardiac/aortic surgeons, we discovered a wide disparity in our practice patterns and our management strategies of patients with aortic arch disease.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important to build unique institutional expertise in the context of complex and evolving management of aortic arch disease with open surgery, endovascular repair and hybrid approaches, tailored to the risk profiles and anatomical specifics of individual patients.
Same evidence different recommendations: a methodological assessment of transatlantic guidelines for the management of valvular heart disease
Authors: Milojevic Milan , Sousa-Uva Miguel , Marin-Cuartas Mateo , Kaul Sanjay , Nikolic Aleksandar , Mandrola John , Sádaba J Rafael , Myers Patrick O
Published: May 2024

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to identify methodological variations leading to varied recommendations between the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)/European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS) valvular heart disease guidelines and to suggest foundational steps towards standardizing guideline development.

METHODS

An in-depth analysis was conducted to evaluate the methodologies used in developing the transatlantic guidelines for managing valvular heart disease. The evaluation was benchmarked against the standards proposed by the Institute of Medicine.

RESULTS

Substantial discrepancies were noted in the methodologies utilized in development processes, including Writing Committee composition, evidence evaluation, conflict of interest management and voting processes. Furthermore, despite their mutual differences, both methodologies demonstrate notable deviations from the Institute of Medicine standards in several essential areas, including literature review and evidence grading. These dual variances likely influenced divergent treatment recommendations. For example, the ESC/EACTS recommends transcatheter edge-to-edge repair for patients with chronic severe mitral regurgitation ineligible for mitral valve surgery, while the ACC/AHA recommends transcatheter edge-to-edge repair based on anatomy, regardless of surgical risk. ESC/EACTS guidelines recommend a mechanical aortic prosthesis for patients under 60, while ACC/AHA guidelines recommend it for patients under 50. Notably, the ACC/AHA and ESC/EACTS guidelines have differing age cut-offs for surgical over transcatheter aortic valve replacement (<65 and <75 years, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Variations in methodologies for developing clinical practice guidelines have resulted in different treatment recommendations that may significantly impact global practice patterns. Standardization of essential processes is vital to increase the uniformity and credibility of clinical practice guidelines, ultimately improving healthcare quality, reducing variability and enhancing trust in modern medicine.
Effects of a culturally tailored low-glycaemic index dietary educational intervention on reducing cardiometabolic risk among Chinese adults with obesity: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Leung Lai Yin , Sit Janet Wing Hung , Gao Ruitong , Chair Sek Ying
Published: May 2024

Aims

An assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the effect of a culturally tailored low-glycaemic index (GI) dietary educational intervention on body mass index and cardiometabolic risks for Chinese people with obesity in Hong Kong.

Methods and results

A total of 166 Chinese adults in Hong Kong with obesity were randomized to the intervention group (n = 83) or the control group (n = 83). The intervention group received the culturally sensitive low-GI dietary educational intervention based on the health belief model, consisting of an educational booklet, one individual interactive educational session, and three follow-up telephone calls. The control group received general advice on a healthy diet, including a pamphlet, one individual education session, and three follow-up telephone calls. Outcome measures included body mass index, cardiometabolic risk factors, dietary intake variables, and sense of satiety. Data collection was conducted at baseline and post-intervention at 12 weeks. A generalized estimating equation model was used to compare the difference in changes in outcome variables between groups. Compared with the control group, the intervention group exhibited a significant reduction in dietary glycaemic load (β = −6.963, P = 0.026) at post-intervention. No significant effects were found on other outcomes.

Conclusion

A 12-week culturally tailored and health belief model-based low-GI dietary educational intervention significantly reduced the dietary glycaemic load and showed the feasibility of the low-GI dietary intervention in Chinese adults in Hong Kong with obesity. A longer intervention period and follow-up might be required to achieve improvements in reducing cardiometabolic risk factors in people with obesity.

Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04152213
Childhood and Midlife Cultural Awareness and Activity Engagement Among Korean Married Couples
Authors: Kim Bon , Kim Kyungmin , Burr Jeffrey A , Han Gyounghae
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Cultural reproduction theory posits that cultural resources are transmitted across generations, suggesting early parental influences on cultural experiences in adulthood. Further, cultural resources may be transferred within the same generation—through significant others, such as spouses. This study investigates cultural engagement among middle-aged adults, focusing on individual and spousal influences of childhood cultural engagement.

Methods

A sample of 1,271 couples (age 49–66) from the 2012 Korean Baby Boomer Panel Study and the Korean Forgotten Generation Study was analyzed. Each respondent reported the number of arts and cultural activities (e.g., paintings, literature, and classical music) and levels of perceived cultural engagement (i.e., cultural awareness) during childhood and at midlife. Actor–partner interdependence models (APIMs) were estimated to examine how spouses’ childhood and midlife cultural engagement were linked within couples.

Results

Findings showed that wives reported higher levels of activity participation and cultural awareness in childhood and midlife, compared to husbands. The APIM results indicated that beyond one’s own childhood cultural engagement, spouse’s childhood cultural awareness was associated with both levels of participation in arts and cultural activities (only for husbands) and cultural awareness (for both husbands and wives) at midlife.

Discussion

Cultural activities and awareness can be valuable assets to enhance overall well-being in later life. Given the cross-spousal associations in cultural engagement among Korean middle-aged couples, both spouses’ cultural resources need to be considered for the design of interventions and policies to cultivate cultural competence and promote cultural engagement in adulthood.
Pressure-dependent large-scale seismic anisotropy induced by non-Newtonian mantle flow
Authors: Magali J K , Ledoux E E , Thomas C , Capdeville Y , Merkel S
Published: May 2024

Observations of large-scale seismic anisotropy can be used as a marker for past and current deformation in the Earth’s mantle. Nonetheless, global features such as the decrease of the strength of anisotropy between ∼150 and 410 km in the upper mantle and weaker anisotropy observations in the transition zone remain ill-understood. Here, we report a proof of concept method that can help understand anisotropy observations by integrating pressure-dependent microscopic flow properties in mantle minerals particularly olivine and wadsleyite into geodynamic simulations. The model is built against a plate-driven semi-analytical corner flow solution underneath the oceanic plate in a subduction setting spanning down to 660 km depth with a non-Newtonian n = 3 rheology. We then compute the crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO) of olivine aggregates in the upper mantle (UM), and wadsleyite aggregates in the upper transition zone (UTZ) using a viscoplastic self-consistent (VPSC) method, with the lower transition zone (LTZ, below 520 km) assumed isotropic. Finally, we apply a tomographic filter that accounts for finite-frequency seismic data using a fast-Fourier homogenization algorithm, with the aim of providing mantle models comparable with seismic tomography observations. Our results show that anisotropy observations in the UM can be well understood by introducing gradual shifts in strain accommodation mechanism with increasing depths induced by a pressure-dependent plasticity model in olivine, in contrast with simple A-type olivine fabric that fails to reproduce the decrease in anisotropy strength observed in the UM. Across the UTZ, recent mineral physics studies highlight the strong effect of water content on both wadsleyite plastic and elastic properties. Both dry and hydrous wadsleyite models predict reasonably low anisotropy in the UTZ, in agreement with observations, with a slightly better match for the dry wadsleyite models. Our calculations show that, despite the relatively primitive geodynamic setup, models of plate-driven corner flows can be sufficient in explaining first-order observations of mantle seismic anisotropy. This requires, however, incorporating the effect of pressure on mineralogy and mineral plasticity models.
Financial assistance and payment plans for underinsured patients shopping for “shoppable” hospital services
Authors: Randall Samantha , Rohrer Josephine , Wong Nicholas , Nguyen Nina Linh , Trish Erin , Duffy Erin L
Published: May 2024

Recent price transparency laws are designed to better inform patients as they compare hospital options and “shop” for health care services. In addition to prices, underinsured patients seeking care need information on financial assistance, discounts, payment plans, and upfront payment requirements to compare the affordability of care across hospitals. Little is known about the availability of this information and the experience of prospective patients seeking it. We contacted a random sample of 10% of general short-term hospitals across the United States in this “secret shopper” telephone study to assess financial options and navigation challenges faced by underinsured patients in need of a non-emergency procedure. The administrative friction was substantial. Most hospitals have 3 siloed offices for (1) financial assistance, (2) payment plans and discounts, and (3) upfront payment requirements. All relevant offices were unreachable in 3 attempted calls at 18.1% of hospitals. Among hospitals with available information, the majority have financial options for patients: 86.7% of hospitals offer financial assistance and 97.0% of hospitals offer payment plans to underinsured patients for non-emergency care. The length and terms of payments plans varied widely for hospital-administered and third-party financing arrangements. Upfront payments were sometimes required, potentially posing barriers for patients without cash or credit access.
A combination of chlorzoxazone and folic acid improves recognition memory, anxiety and depression in SCA3-84Q mice
Authors: Marinina Ksenia S , Bezprozvanny Ilya B , Egorova Polina A
Published: May 2024

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3), also known as Machado-Joseph disease, is reported to be the most common type of autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia (ADCA). SCA3 patients suffer from a progressive decline in motor coordination and other disease-associated symptoms. Moreover, recent studies have reported that SCA3 patients also exhibit symptoms of cerebellar cognitive affective syndrome (CCAS). We previously observed signs of CCAS in mouse model of SCA3. Particularly, SCA3-84Q mice suffer from anxiety, recognition memory decline, and also exhibit signs of low mood and aversion to activity. Here we studied the effect of long-term injections of SK channels activator chlorzoxazone (CHZ) together and separately with the folic acid (FA) on the cerebellar Purkinje cell (PC) firing and histology, and also on the motor and cognitive functions as well as mood alterations in SCA3-84Q hemizygous transgenic mice. We realized that both CHZ and CHZ-FA combination had similar positive effect on pure cerebellum impairments including PC firing precision, PC histology, and motor performance in SCA3-84Q mice. However, only the CHZ-FA combination, but not CHZ, had significantly ameliorated the signs of anxiety and depression, and also noticeably improved recognition memory in SCA3-84Q mice. Our results suggest that the combination therapy for both ataxia and non-motor symptoms is required for the complex treatment of ADCA.
Contributing to ecosystem-based management: a personal scientific journey
Authors: Trenkel Verena M
Published: May 2024

After three decades of working as a research scientist, I am stepping back to consider the events, questions, and principles that have guided my scientific journey. Important questions and research objectives have been how to implement the ecosystem approach to fisheries management in practice, the development of new data uses, the application of new observation methods and models, and estimating and accounting for uncertainty. Stakeholder engagement—why and how—is a topic that has increased in importance over time. While our observation methods did not change much over many decades, they are now changing rapidly due to new technological developments, but also societal and environmental changes.
Ambient fine particulate matter and daily mortality: a comparative analysis of observed and estimated exposure in 347 cities
Authors: Yu Wenhua , Huang Wenzhong , Gasparrini Antonio , Sera Francesco , Schneider Alexandra , Breitner Susanne , Kyselý Jan , Schwartz Joel , Madureira Joana , Gaio Vânia , Guo Yue Leon , Xu Rongbin , Chen Gongbo , Yang Zhengyu , Wen Bo , Wu Yao , Zanobetti Antonella , Kan Haidong , Song Jiangning , Li Shanshan , Guo Yuming ,   Multi-City Multi-Country Collaborative Research Network, Tong Shilu , Pascal Mathilde , das Neves Pereira da Silva Susana , Tobias Aurelio , Íñiguez Carmen , Pan Shih-Chun , Urban Aleš , Jaakkola Jouni J K , Ryti Niilo , Ameling Caroline , Rao Shilpa , Forsberg Bertil , Scortichini Matteo , Stafoggia Massimo , Masselot Pierre
Published: May 2024

Background

Model-estimated air pollution exposure products have been widely used in epidemiological studies to assess the health risks of particulate matter with diameters of ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5). However, few studies have assessed the disparities in health effects between model-estimated and station-observed PM2.5 exposures.

Methods

We collected daily all-cause, respiratory and cardiovascular mortality data in 347 cities across 15 countries and regions worldwide based on the Multi-City Multi-Country collaborative research network. The station-observed PM2.5 data were obtained from official monitoring stations. The model-estimated global PM2.5 product was developed using a machine-learning approach. The associations between daily exposure to PM2.5 and mortality were evaluated using a two-stage analytical approach.

Results

We included 15.8 million all-cause, 1.5 million respiratory and 4.5 million cardiovascular deaths from 2000 to 2018. Short-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with a relative risk increase (RRI) of mortality from both station-observed and model-estimated exposures. Every 10-μg/m3 increase in the 2-day moving average PM2.5 was associated with overall RRIs of 0.67% (95% CI: 0.49 to 0.85), 0.68% (95% CI: –0.03 to 1.39) and 0.45% (95% CI: 0.08 to 0.82) for all-cause, respiratory, and cardiovascular mortality based on station-observed PM2.5 and RRIs of 0.87% (95% CI: 0.68 to 1.06), 0.81% (95% CI: 0.08 to 1.55) and 0.71% (95% CI: 0.32 to 1.09) based on model-estimated exposure, respectively.

Conclusions

Mortality risks associated with daily PM2.5 exposure were consistent for both station-observed and model-estimated exposures, suggesting the reliability and potential applicability of the global PM2.5 product in epidemiological studies.
The silent threat: investigating sleep disturbances in hospitalized patients
Authors: Adams Corey , Harrison Reema , Schembri Anthony , Junge Moira , Walpola Ramesh
Published: May 2024

Sleep disruptions in the hospital setting can have adverse effects on patient safety and well-being, leading to complications like delirium and prolonged recovery. This study aimed to comprehensively assess the factors influencing sleep disturbances in hospital wards, with a comparison of the sleep quality of patients staying in single rooms to those in shared rooms. A mixed-methods approach was used to examine patient-reported sleep quality and sleep disruption factors, in conjunction with objective noise measurements, across seven inpatient wards at an acute tertiary public hospital in Sydney, Australia. The most disruptive factor to sleep in the hospital was noise, ranked as ‘very disruptive’ by 20% of patients, followed by acute health conditions (11%) and nursing interventions (10%). Patients in shared rooms experienced the most disturbed sleep, with 51% reporting ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ sleep quality. In contrast, only 17% of the patients in single rooms reported the same. Notably, sound levels in shared rooms surpassed 100 dB, highlighting the potential for significant sleep disturbances in shared patient accommodation settings. The results of this study provide a comprehensive overview of the sleep-related challenges faced by patients in hospital, particularly those staying in shared rooms. The insights from this study offer guidance for targeted healthcare improvements to minimize disruptions and enhance the quality of sleep for hospitalized patients.