bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oxygen Vacancy Drives CoO Atomic Layers Directional Photoreduction of CO2 to CH4
Authors: Chen Kui , Wang Qiuping , Xie Hua , Yu Jing , Zhu Lixin , Wu Bingshan , Xu Xiaoliang
Published: April 2023

Plagued by the dual challenges of energy scarcity and environmental pollution, photocatalytic CO2 reduction has emerged as a vital engineering for collecting solar energy to convert CO2 into renewable fuels. Herein, the ultrathin CoO atomic layers with varying concentrations of oxygen vacancies are designed to photoreduce CO2 and explore the mechanism of oxygen vacancy for CO2 photoreduction. Density functional theory calculations illustrate that the oxygen vacancy not only enhances the available photoelectrons efficiency of CoO structures by improving the absorption of solar light and promoting the surface separation of electron–hole pairs, but decreases the highest occupied molecular orbital of CO2 and the potential barrier of *CO conversion to *CHO, driving the CO2 directed photoreduction toward CH4. Finally, the rich‐oxygen vacancies CoO atomic layers significantly enhance the effective photoelectrons efficiency with 136.3 μmol g−1 h−1 compared to 44.6 μmol g−1 h−1 for 2D‐CoO atomic layers. Moreover, the CH4 selectivity also rises from 39.4% to 72.4% through the regulation of oxygen vacancies. This work promotes the development of Co‐based semiconductors for CO2 photocatalytic reduction, and elucidates the mechanism of oxygen vacancy for CO2 photoreduction, which provides valuable insights for the design and optimization of similar photocatalysts in both experimental and theoretical domains.
Bioengineering approaches for nerve graft revascularization: Current concepts and future directions
Authors: Pereira Clifford , Lazar Sabrina Valentina , Wang Aijun
Published: April 2023

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is the most common neurological injury in civilian and military injuries, with over 360,000 PNI procedures performed in the US yearly. Segmental loss of nerve tissue results in a nerve gap precluding a tension‐free primary repair, and in these cases, interpositional autologous or acellular nerve allografts are used to bridge the gap. Graft ischemia time is a critical factor in achieving satisfactory nerve regeneration. Rapid nerve graft revascularization is essential in order to sustain Schwann cell growth which in turn is crucial for axonal regeneration. Currently, nerve autografts are considered the gold standard for segmental nerve gaps but are associated with several disadvantages such as limited supply of expendable donor tissue, increased operative time, and donor site morbidity. Hence, readily available, off‐the‐shelf nerve allografts or scaffolds are being investigated since they provide advantages such as a virtually limitless sourcing, a wide variety of sizes to match recipient nerves, and no donor site morbidity. New, exciting advances in tissue engineering to augment revascularization of nerve allografts or conduits have been investigated. Strategies include pro‐angiogenic mesenchymal stem cells, extracellular vesicles, functionalized scaffolds, bioactive peptides, and three‐dimensional bioprinting. This article discusses these bioengineering advances and future strategies aimed at enhancing nerve graft and scaffold revascularization.

This article is categorized under:

Neurological Diseases > Biomedical Engineering

Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology
A One Health approach to overcoming fungal disease and antifungal resistance
Authors: Woods Michael , McAlister Jason A. , Geddes‐McAlister Jennifer
Published: April 2023

The global burden of fungal disease poses a substantial threat to human, animal, and environmental health, endangering both human and livestock populations and creating vulnerabilities to food supplies world‐wide. Antifungal drugs provide essential therapies to humans and animals against infections, while fungicides provide protection in agriculture. However, a limited arsenal of antifungal agents results in cross‐use between agriculture and health, promoting the development of resistance, and drastically reducing our defenses against disease. Critically, antifungal resistant strains found ubiquitously within the natural environment demonstrate resistance to the same classes of antifungals used to treat human and animal infections, hindering effective treatment within the clinic. This interconnectivity supports the need for a One Health approach to combat fungal diseases and overcome antifungal resistance, ensuring that treatment and protection of a defined group does not inadvertently endanger or sacrifice other plants, animals, or humans. In this review, we present sources of antifungal resistance and discuss the integration of environmental and clinical resources to manage disease. Moreover, we explore opportunities for drug synergy and repurposing strategies, highlight fungal targets being investigated to overcome resistance, and propose technologies for the discovery of novel fungal targets.

This article is categorized under:

Infectious Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology
Numerical investigation for entropy‐based magneto nanofluid flow over non‐linear stretching surface with slip and convective boundary conditions
Authors: Babu Dondu Harish , Reddy Singamala Harinath , Naidu Kolla Kumaraswamy , Narayana Panyam Venkata Satya , Venkateswarlu Bhumarapu
Published: April 2023

The nanoliquid flows place a significant role in modern research due to the vast number of applications in the Food industry, manufacturing, thermal management, enhanced oil recovery, biomedical applications, and so on. This article presents the analysis of entropy generation on convective nanofluid flow in a three‐dimensional nonlinear stretching sheet with slip effects. Brownian motion and thermophoresis impacts are adopted by the nanoparticle concentration and temperature profiles. The PDEs are remodeled into ODEs by employing the appropriative simulated alternations, and the ODEs are solved by utilizing the R–K–F scheme along with the shooting technique. The main contributions of physical stream factors on the nanofluid concentration, heat, and speed profiles are displayed and explored via plots. Moreover, the rate of heat transfer and surface drag force are examined through tabular structures. In view of this, the nanofluids have more heat transfer capability and improve thermal properties. The slip factors are used in the boundary conditions of the velocity, and the limit conditions are utilized for the hotness and speed of the nanoparticles. The rate of heat transfer in a non‐linear stretching sheet is 1%–2% more than linear stretching sheet for varying values of Prandtl number Pr and Magnetic field M.
Spectral form factor in the τ-scaling limit
Authors: Okuyama Kazumi , Sakai Kazuhiro
Published: April 2023

Abstract

We study the spectral form factor (SFF) of general topological gravity in the limit of large time and fixed temperature. It has been observed recently that in this limit, called the tau-scaling limit, the genus expansion of the SFF can be summed up and the late-time behavior of the SFF such as the ramp-plateau transition can be studied analytically. In this paper we develop a technique for the systematic computation of the higher order corrections to the SFF in the strict tau-scaling limit. We obtain the first five corrections in a closed form for the general background of topological gravity. As concrete examples, we present the results for the Airy case and Jackiw-Teitelboim gravity. We find that the above higher order corrections are the Fourier transforms of the corrections to the sine-kernel approximation of the Christoffel-Darboux kernel in the dual double-scaled matrix integral, which naturally explains their structure. Along the way we also develop a technique for the systematic computation of the corrections to the sine-kernel formula, which have not been fully explored in the literature before.
High-resolution mapping of SrTm4, a recessive resistance gene to wheat stem rust
Authors: Li Hongna , Luo Jing , Zhang Wenjun , Hua Lei , Li Kun , Wang Jian , Xu Binyang , Yang Chen , Wang Guiping , Rouse Matthew N. , Dubcovsky Jorge , Chen Shisheng
Published: April 2023

Key message

The diploid wheat recessive stem rust resistance gene SrTm4 was fine-mapped to a 754-kb region on chromosome arm 2AmL and potential candidate genes were identified.

Race Ug99 of Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), the causal agent of wheat stem (or black) rust is one of the most serious threats to global wheat production. The identification, mapping, and deployment of effective stem rust resistance (Sr) genes are critical to reduce this threat. In this study, we generated SrTm4 monogenic lines and found that this gene confers resistance to North American and Chinese Pgt races. Using a large mapping population (9522 gametes), we mapped SrTm4 within a 0.06 cM interval flanked by marker loci CS4211 and 130K1519, which corresponds to a 1.0-Mb region in the Chinese Spring reference genome v2.1. A physical map of the SrTm4 region was constructed with 11 overlapping BACs from the resistant Triticum monococcum PI 306540. Comparison of the 754-kb physical map with the genomic sequence of Chinese Spring and a discontinuous BAC sequence of DV92 revealed a 593-kb chromosomal inversion in PI 306540. Within the candidate region, we identified an L-type lectin-domain containing receptor kinase (LLK1), which was disrupted by the proximal inversion breakpoint, as a potential candidate gene. Two diagnostic dominant markers were developed to detect the inversion breakpoints. In a survey of T. monococcum accessions, we identified 10 domesticated T. monococcum subsp. monococcum genotypes, mainly from the Balkans, carrying the inversion and showing similar mesothetic resistant infection types against Pgt races. The high-density map and tightly linked molecular markers developed in this study are useful tools to accelerate the deployment of SrTm4-mediated resistance in wheat breeding programs.
Using collaborative autoethnography to explore the teaching of qualitative research methods in medicine
Authors: Ibrahim Kinda , Weller Susie , Elvidge Elissa , Tavener Meredith
Published: April 2023

This article explores experiences of teaching qualitative research (QR) broadly, and qualitative methods (QM) more specifically in medicine, highlighting the challenges faced, and offering recommendations for overcoming them. Using collective online interviews, collaborative autoethnography (CAE) was employed to generate data comprising educator’s reflective accounts of teaching QM in medical schools across two continents. Three main themes were identified through collaborative thematic analysis: making meaningful contributions from a marginalized position; finding our pedagogical feet; and recognizing the translational applicability and value of QR. We reflected on the marginalized positioning of QM in medical curricula and the underestimation of the value of QR to understanding pressing health issues. Analysis of these reflections pointed to a lack of formal training for educators and curriculum space for qualitative approaches. Our teaching pedagogies, developed through our own research experiences, self-reflection and student feedback, were primarily student-centered employing a range of novel approaches designed to foster skills and interest in the craft of QR, and introduce a greater appreciation of the significance of QR approaches to medicine. CAE further allowed us to identify some key recommendations that could help medical educators plan for teaching QM and other research methods more effectively in medicine. Future curriculum development should consider the benefits of exposing learners to a range of methods and approaches from across the qualitative-quantitative spectrum.
Optimal Decision Rules for the Discursive Dilemma
Authors: Alabert Aureli , Farré Mercè , Montes Rubén
Published: April 2023

We consider the classical problem in truth-tracking judgment aggregation of a conjunctive agenda with two premisses and one conclusion. We study this problem from the point of view of finding the best decision rule according to a quantitative criterion, under very mild restrictions on the set of admissible rules. The members of the deciding committee are assumed to have a certain probability to assess correctly the truth or falsity of the premisses, and the best rule is the one that minimises a combination of the probabilities of false positives and false negatives on the conclusion.
Polyphenol-based targeted therapy for oral submucous fibrosis
Authors: Mehta Chetan Hasmukh , Paliwal Shivangi , Muttigi Manjunatha S. , Seetharam Raviraja N. , Prasad Alevoor Srinivas Bharath , Nayak Yogendra , Acharya Shruthi , Nayak Usha Yogendra
Published: April 2023

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chronic, progressive, and precancerous condition mainly caused by chewing areca nut. Currently, OSF therapy includes intralesional injection of corticosteroids with limited therapeutic success in disease management. Therefore, a combined approach of in silico, in vitro and in vivo drug development can be helpful. Polyphenols are relatively safer than other synthetic counterparts. We used selected polyphenols to shortlist the most suitable compound by in silico tools. Based on the in silico results, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), quercetin (QUR), resveratrol, and curcumin had higher affinity and stability with the selected protein targets, transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1), and lysyl oxidase (LOX). The efficacy of selected polyphenols was studied in primary buccal mucosal fibroblasts followed by in vivo areca nut extract induced rat OSF model. In in vitro studies, the induced fibroblast cells were treated with EGCG and QUR. EGCG was safer at higher concentrations and more efficient in reducing TGF-β1, collagen type-1A2 and type-3A1 mRNA expression than QUR. In vivo studies confirmed that the EGCG hydrogel was efficient in improving the disease conditions compared to the standard treatment betamethasone injection with significant reduction in TGF-β1 and collagen concentrations with increase in mouth opening. EGCG can be considered as a potential, safer and efficient phytomolecule for OSF therapy and its mucoadhesive topical formulation help in the improvement of patient compliance without any side effects.

Graphical abstract

Highlights

Potential polyphenols were shortlisted to treat oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) using in silico tools

Epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) significantly reduced TGF-β1 and collagen both in vitro and in vivo

EGCG hydrogel enhanced antioxidant defense, modulated inflammation by reducing TGF-β1 and improved mouth opening in OSF rat model.
The NLRP3 inflammasome: role in the pathobiology of chronic pain
Authors: Chen Chen , Smith Maree T.
Published: April 2023

Chronic pain is not only one of the most common health problems, it is often challenging to treat adequately. Chronic pain has a high prevalence globally, affecting approximately 20% of the adult population. Chronic inflammatory pain and neuropathic (nerve) pain conditions are areas of large unmet medical need because analgesic/adjuvant agents recommended for alleviation of these types of chronic pain often lack efficacy and/or they produce dose-limiting side effects. Recent work has implicated the NLRP3 (NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3) inflammasome in the pathobiology of chronic pain, especially neuropathic and inflammatory pain conditions. NLRP3 is activated by damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). This in turn leads to recruitment and activation of caspase-1 an enzyme that cleaves the inactive IL-1β and IL-18 precursors to their respective mature pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and IL-18) for release into the cellular milieu. Caspase-1 also cleaves the pyroptosis-inducing factor, gasdermin D, that leads to oligomerization of its N-terminal fragment to form pores in the host cell membrane. This then results in cellular swelling, lysis and release of cytoplasmic contents in an inflammatory form of cell death, termed pyroptosis. The ultimate outcome may lead to the development of neuropathic pain and/or chronic inflammatory pain. In this review, we address a role for NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the pathogenesis of various chronic pain conditions.
Atomic Ordering and Interfacial Interaction at Liquid-Mg/SiC{0 0 0 1} Interfaces: An Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics Study
Authors: Fang Changming , Fan Zhongyun
Published: April 2023

We present the results of ab initio molecular dynamics investigations on the atomic ordering and chemical interactions at the interfaces between liquid Mg and SiC{0 0 0 1} interfaces. The simulations reveal distinct borders between the SiC substrates and liquid Mg. The liquid Mg atoms adjacent to the substrates are bonded to the outmost C/Si atoms and are positively charged. The terminating Mg layers contain a variety of atomic vacancies, being topologically rough. The liquid Mg atoms adjacent to the substrates display unusual prenucleation phenomenon with strong layering but weak in-plane ordering. The obtained information here is helpful to get insight into the formation and interfacial interactions in the SiC joined nano-sized magnesium matrix composites and the role of SiC particles as potential nucleation sites during solidification, and further helps understand interfacial interactions at the grain boundaries in ceramic/metal composites and welded parts, etc. in general.
Effects of moxibustion on behaviors and tryptophan metabolism-related products in mice with irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Chen Jiayi , Zhu Xiaoji , Peng Yang , Liu Huirong , Wu Huangan , Zhou Cili
Published: April 2023

Objective

To observe the effect of moxibustion on behaviors and related products of tryptophan (Trp) metabolism in the colon of mice with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion in the IBS treatment.

Methods

Twenty-four mice were randomly divided into a normal group, a model group, a moxibustion group, and a probiotic group, with 6 mice in each group. The visceral pain model of IBS was established by enema with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) solution. Mice in the moxibustion group were treated with mild moxibustion at bilateral Zusanli (ST36), and those in the probiotic group were treated with probiotics such as Bifidobacterium by gavage. Abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) test, elevated plus-maze (EPM) test, and forced swimming test (FST) were performed after treatment. The expression levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1) in the colon were detected by immunofluorescence, and the expression levels of Trp, kynurenine (Kyn), and indole-2,3-oxygenase (IDO) in the colon were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Compared with the normal group, the AWR scores were increased significantly in the model group under different pressure values (P<0.01), the open-arm staying time and open-arm entries in the EPM test were decreased significantly (P<0.01, P<0.05), the motionless time in the FST was increased significantly (P<0.01), and the expression levels of colonic Trp, TPH1, IDO, 5-HT, and Kyn were increased significantly (P<0.01) in the models. Compared with the model group, the AWR scores were differently decreased (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the open-arm entries in the EPM test were increased (P<0.05), the motionless times in the FST were decreased (P<0.05), and the colonic expression levels of Trp, TPH1, IDO, and 5-HT were decreased (P<0.01 or P<0.05) in the moxibustion and probiotic groups; the open-arm staying time was significantly increased in the moxibustion group (P<0.01), and the colonic expression level of Kyn was significantly decreased in the probiotic group (P<0.01).

Conclusion

Moxibustion at Zusanli (ST36) improves visceral pain and pain mood and down-regulates the expression levels of colonic TPH1, IDO, Trp, 5-HT, and Kyn in IBS mice.
Empirical research on teacher competence in mathematics lesson planning: recent developments
Authors: Cevikbas Mustafa , König Johannes , Rothland Martin
Published: April 2023

Lesson planning is of central importance to the teaching of all subjects in school. However, despite its high relevance, there is still a substantial need for a comprehensive review of factors affecting lesson planning. Empirical evidence on how teachers’ competence in lesson planning can be developed, what challenges may be encountered during the lesson planning process, and successful lesson planning designs and practices should come to light on. To close this gap the current paper presents the results of a systematic review of 20 empirical research studies on teacher competence in mathematics lesson planning. For detailed insight into the most recent contributions of the reviewed studies on mathematics lesson planning, we analyzed studies conducted during the past decade, adapting the “process model of lesson planning” and the model of “competence as continuum” as a heuristic for approaching lesson planning. We present key results of the studies related to four major themes: (1) dispositions and their influence on developing and implementing lesson plans, (2) quality aspects of lesson plans and the development of lesson planning skills, (3) difficulties in lesson planning, and (4) the relationship between lesson planning skills and performance in implementation of lesson plans. The results of our literature review reveal that teachers (especially novice teachers) face difficulties in lesson planning and their overall competence (and knowledge) are not at an expert level. However, as the results of the examined studies pointed out, teachers can acquire such competence and knowledge through training within initial teacher education and professional development. Overall, teachers need support in planning mathematics lessons by delineating their lesson plan to improve their awareness of students’ thinking, possible learning trajectories, effective usage of the curriculum and teaching resources, and the potential of innovative pedagogies that incorporate new technology.
Molecular pathology of colorectal cancer
Authors: Noack Petar , Langer Rupert
Published: April 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a molecularly heterogeneous disease arising from gradual accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes. In the last decade, great efforts have been made to classify CRC according to molecular features. This has led to several proposals of molecular subtyping. Recently, consensus molecular subtypes (CMS) have been proposed based on the integration of previously existing categorizations and additional comprehensive molecular studies. Microsatellite instability (MSI) is a highly specific molecular feature in CRC with a therapeutic impact, for example for immunotherapy. MSI is recognized as a separate CMS subtype. Beyond MSI, molecular subtyping may also be helpful for further differentiating CRC into prognostically distinct groups and for identifying new treatment targets, particularly for CMS with more aggressive behavior and resistance to conventional systemic treatment. Molecular subtypes may also exhibit distinctive morphological features, which may open the horizon for morphomolecular diagnostics based on digital pathology and machine learning. This review article summarizes current aspects of the molecular pathology of CRC with a focus on molecular subtyping in the context of pathological features and therapeutic applications.
Intrauterine Device Complications and Their Management
Authors: Myo Melissa G. , Nguyen Brian T.
Published: April 2023

Purpose of Review

Individuals are using intrauterine devices (IUDs) increasingly more frequently not only for contraception and emergency contraception, but also, in the case of hormonal IUDs, for the management of heavy menstrual bleeding and endometrial hyperplasia. While IUD complications are rare, their increasing prevalence is inevitably linked to more patients requiring specialized care for these complications. This review summarizes the most common complications, inclusive of perforation, expulsion, concurrent pregnancy, and difficult IUD removal, as well as their management strategies.

Recent Findings

The two most recent, large-scale, multi-site cohort studies examining IUD complications were conducted in Europe (European Active Surveillance Study for Intrauterine Devices (EURAS-IUD)) and the USA (Association of Perforation and Expulsion of Intrauterine Devices (APEX-IUD)), confirming the rarity of perforations, occurring in less than 0.5% of individuals over 5 years of follow-up and primarily at the time of or soon after insertion. These studies both confirmed the independent and increased risk of perforation among individuals receiving an IUD in the postpartum state, as well as among breastfeeding individuals. In the APEX-IUD study, the risk of perforation was noted to be elevated even up to 52 weeks postpartum, even when controlling for breastfeeding status. The same study also noted that 10.7% of individuals receiving IUDs within 3 days postpartum expelled their IUDs; while this proportion was significantly elevated compared to those waiting several weeks to receive their IUD, it is remarkably lower than rates seen in previous studies of immediate postpartum IUD insertion. Breastfeeding was protective against IUD expulsion. Additional studies note the incidence of IUD fragmentation and possible differences for rates of fragmentation by device type.

Summary

IUD complications are generally rare but can become serious or burdensome for patients if their reproductive healthcare providers are not aware of the possible risks and presentation. Understanding the potential for IUDs to perforate the uterus, be expelled, fail to prevent pregnancy, or be difficult to remove, along with the various risk factors linked to these complications, can help providers improve their counseling and take appropriate precautions with IUD insertion to better avoid them, as well as manage them when they inevitably occur.
Global well-posedness of the two-dimensional stochastic viscous nonlinear wave equations
Authors: Liu Ruoyuan
Published: April 2023

We study well-posedness of viscous nonlinear wave equations (vNLW) on the two-dimensional torus with a stochastic forcing. In particular, we prove pathwise global well-posedness of the stochastic defocusing vNLW with an additive stochastic forcing $$D^\alpha \xi $$

D
α

ξ

, where $$\alpha < \frac{1}{2}$$

α
<

1
2

and $$\xi $$
ξ
denotes the space–time white noise.
Feature Equilibrium: An Adversarial Training Method to Improve Representation Learning
Authors: Liu Minghui , Yang Meiyi , Deng Jiali , Cheng Xuan , Xie Tianshu , Deng Pan , Gong Haigang , Liu Ming , Wang Xiaomin
Published: April 2023

Over-fitting is a significant threat to the integrity and reliability of deep neural networks with generous parameters. One problem is that the model learned more specific features than general features in the training process. To solve the problem, we propose an adversarial training method to assist the model in strengthening general representation learning. In this method, we make a classification model as a generatorGand introduce an unsupervised discriminatorDto distinguish the hidden feature of the classification model from real images to limit their spatial distance. Notably, theDwill fall into the trap of a perfect discriminator resulting in the gradient of confrontation loss of 0 after overtraining. To avoid this situation, we train theDwith a probability$$P_{c}$$Pc. Our proposed method is easy to incorporate into existing frameworks. It has been evaluated under various network architectures over different fields of datasets. Experiments show that this method, under low computational cost, outperforms the benchmark by 1.5–2 points on different datasets. For semantic segmentation on VOC, our proposed method achieves 2.2 points higher mAP.
The Value of MRI in the Diagnosis of Placenta Previa
Authors: Ding Jingcheng , Wang Guiqing , Ling Yingying
Published: April 2023

Objective To analyze the diagnostic value of MRI in placenta previa. Methods 100 pregnant women with placenta previa admitted to our hospital from January 2017 to January 2020 were selected as the research objects. They were randomly divided into groups by digital table. Group A (50 cases) carried out magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination, and Group B (50 cases) carried out Doppler ultrasound examination. The detection of disease types and diagnostic accuracy were compared, and the imaging manifestations of MRI in the diagnosis of placenta accreta and non placenta accreta were analyzed. Results The detection rate of central type, marginal type and partial type in group A was higher than that in group B (P < 0.05). With surgery and pathology as the gold standard, the diagnostic accuracy and sensitivity of group A were higher than that of group B, and the rate of missed diagnosis was lower than that of group B (P < 0.05). Among the 50 pregnant women in Group A, 9 had placenta implantation and 41 had no placenta implantation. There were differences in the imaging manifestations of the pregnant women, such as the uneven signal in the placenta, the increased/thickened blood vessels in the placenta, and the unclear boundary between the placenta and the uterus (P < 0.05). Conclusion MRI examination is an important way for clinical diagnosis of placenta previa, and it is worth popularizing.
Evaluation and Management of Toxicodendron Dermatitis in the Emergency Department: A Review of Current Practices
Authors: Argo Kenneth A. , Massey Rebecca C. , Luth Sadaf K. , Herrington James M. , Lane Aaron Q. , Murray Kelly A.
Published: April 2023

Toxicodendron dermatitis is an underappreciated disease seen in the emergency department. Although self-limiting, symptoms can be distressing and can last for weeks if untreated, particularly with re-exposure. Continuing research has improved our understanding of specific inflammatory markers that are associated with exposure to urushiol—the compound responsible for Toxicodendron dermatitis—although consensus for treatment remains varied and poorly supported. Owing to the lack of recent primary literature on the topic, many providers rely on historical precedent, expert opinion, and personal experience when treating this disease. This article provides a narrative review of the literature currently available on the effects of urushiol on key molecular and cellular functions and the prevention and treatment of Toxicodendron dermatitis.
Linear response analysis of supersonic turbulent channel flows with a large parameter space
Authors: Chen Xianliang , Cheng Cheng , Fu Lin , Gan Jianping
Published: April 2023

In this work, the linear responses of turbulent mean flow to both harmonic and stochastic forcing are investigated for supersonic channel flow. Well-established universal relations are utilized to obtain efficiently the mean profiles with a large parameter space, with the bulk Mach number up to 5 and the friction Reynolds number up to$10^4$, so a systematic parameter study is feasible. The most amplified structure takes the form of streamwise velocity and temperature streaks forced optimally by the streamwise vortices. The outer peak of the pre-multiplied energy amplification corresponds to the large-scale motion, whose spanwise wavelength ($\lambda _z^+$) is very insensitive to compressibility effects. In contrast, the classic inner peak representing small-scale near-wall motions disappears for the stochastic response with increasing Mach number. Meanwhile, the small-scale motions become much less coherent. A decomposition of the forcing identifies different effects of the incompressible counterpart and the thermodynamic components. Wall-cooling effects, arising with high Mach number, increase the spacing of the most amplified near-wall streaks; the spacing becomes nearly invariant with Mach number if expressed in semi-local units. Meanwhile, the coherence of stochastic response with$\lambda _z^+>90$is enhanced, but on the other hand, with$\lambda _z^+<90$it is decreased. The geometrical self-similarity of the response in the mid-$\lambda _z$range is still roughly satisfied, insensitive to Mach number. Finally, theoretical analyses of the perturbation equations are presented to help with understanding the scaling of energy amplification.
Effects of gravity on natural oscillations of sessile drops
Authors: Zhang Fei , Zhou Xinping , Ding Hang
Published: April 2023

Natural oscillations of sessile drops with a free or pinned contact line in different gravity environments are studied based on a linear inviscid irrotational theory. The inviscid Navier–Stokes equations and boundary conditions are reduced to a functional eigenvalue problem by the normal-mode decomposition. We develop a boundary element method model to numerically solve the eigenvalue problem for predicting the natural frequencies. Emphasis is placed on the frequency shifts of modes due to gravity for a wide range of contact angles

$\alpha$

and Bond numbers

$Bo$

. Three types of

$\alpha$

–

$Bo$

diagrams reflecting how gravity shifts the frequency are identified. Specifically, the frequency of zonal modes shifts downwards (upwards) when

$\alpha$

is smaller (larger) than a critical value, while the frequencies of most sectoral modes are shifted downwards regardless of

$\alpha$

. As a result, gravity can transform the lowest mode from a zonal mode to a sectoral mode. The spectral degeneracy of hemispherical drops inherited from the Rayleigh–Lamb spectrum is also broken by gravity. However, we discover that gravity has no effect on the mode associated with the horizontal motion of the centre of mass, whose frequency is always zero regardless of

$\alpha$

and

$Bo$

. This implies that the ‘walking’ drop instability reported in previous literature does not exist.
Pre-asymptotic dispersion of active particles through a vertical pipe: the origin of hydrodynamic focusing
Authors: Guan Mingyang , Jiang Weiquan , Wang Bohan , Zeng Li , Li Zhi , Chen Guoqian
Published: April 2023

When motile algal cells are exposed to gyrotactic torques, their swimming directions are guided to form radial accumulation, well known as hydrodynamic focusing. The origin of hydrodynamic focusing from the effects of active swimming, ambient flow and particle anisotropy is elucidated in the present study on the pre-asymptotic dispersion of active particles through a vertical pipe. With an extension of the Galerkin method to pipe flows, time-dependent solutions directly from the Smoluchowski equation in the position and orientation space are derived by series expansions of spherical harmonics and Bessel functions. Ballistic and diffusive scaling laws are examined with the predominance of self-propelled swimming, and computation is validated against an explicit benchmark solution and Lagrangian particle simulation. In the limit of extreme shear, the competitive roles of shear dispersion and Brownian rotation are reflected concretely in the pre-asymptotic phase of hydrodynamic focusing. For flows with various shear strengths, a concentration peak in near-wall regions with a smooth transition to hydrodynamic focusing is illustrated with richer phenomena in upwelling and downwelling flows. A newly observed regime through a vertical pipe, named transient effective trapping, is revealed as a transitional mode towards hydrodynamic focusing. The pre-asymptotic approach to hydrodynamic focusing is elaborated intensively through extensive solutions of concentration moments and macroscopic transport coefficients characterised by swimming and flow Péclet numbers. The unique findings for the origin of hydrodynamic focusing could provide insight into related micro-algae reactor technology and contribute to flow control and biomass transfer in confined environments.
The prohibition of forced or compulsory labour and conditional welfare under the United Kingdom's Universal Credit Scheme
Authors: Almutawa Ahmed , Almajed Bashayer
Published: April 2023

To address the issue of persistent unemployment, the UK Government implemented a conditional welfare scheme. Prompted by Mantouvalou's argument that the scheme forces people into exploitative work, this paper addresses the ‘pressing’ question of whether the scheme is compatible with the prohibition on ‘forced or compulsory labour’ under Article 4(2) of the European Convention on Human Rights. It is argued that, whether the scheme imposes the menace of a penalty, is involuntary, seriously exploitative or a normal civic obligation, ultimately depends on different understandings of the demands of distributive justice. Given the politically contested nature of those demands, Article 4(2) is a poor weapon to use when challenging the UK's conditional welfare scheme.
Sulfur-mediated chalcogen versus hydrogen bonds in proteins: a see-saw effect in the conformational space
Authors: Adhav Vishal Annasaheb , Shelke Sanket Satish , Balanarayan Pananghat , Saikrishnan Kayarat
Published: April 2023

Divalent sulfur (S) forms a chalcogen bond (Ch-bond) via its σ-holes and a hydrogen bond (H-bond) via its lone pairs. The relevance of these interactions and their interplay for protein structure and function is unclear. Based on the analyses of the crystal structures of small organic/organometallic molecules and proteins and their molecular electrostatic surface potential, we show that the reciprocity of the substituent-dependent strength of the σ-holes and lone pairs correlates with the formation of either Ch-bond or H-bond. In proteins, cystines preferentially form Ch-bonds, metal-chelated cysteines form H-bonds, while methionines form either of them with comparable frequencies. This has implications for the positioning of these residues and their role in protein structure and function. Computational analyses reveal that the S-mediated interactions stabilise protein secondary structures by mechanisms such as helix capping and protecting free β-sheet edges by negative design. The study highlights the importance of S-mediated Ch-bond and H-bond for understanding protein folding and function, the development of improved strategies for protein/peptide structure prediction and design and structure-based drug discovery.
Female Representation and Legitimacy: Evidence from a Harmonized Experiment in Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia
Authors: KAO KRISTEN , LUST ELLEN , SHALABY MARWA , WEISS CHAGAI M.
Published: April 2023

How does the gender composition of deliberative committees affect citizens’ evaluations of their decision-making processes? Do citizens perceive decisions made by gender-balanced, legislative bodies as more legitimate than those made by all-male bodies? Extant work on the link between women’s descriptive representation and perceptions of democratic legitimacy in advanced democracies finds the equal presence of women legitimizes decision-making. However, this relationship has not been tested in more patriarchal, less democratic settings. We employ survey experiments in Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia to investigate how citizens respond to gender representation in committees. We find that women’s presence promotes citizens’ perceptions of the legitimacy of committee processes and outcomes and, moreover, that pro-women decisions are associated with higher levels of perceived legitimacy. Thus, this study demonstrates the robustness of findings from the West regarding gender representation and contributes to the burgeoning literature on women and politics.
THE CHAPEL OF ST CATHERINE AT THE CISTERCIAN ABBEY OF SAVIGNY: ‘UNEARTHING’ AN ARCHITECTURAL ENIGMA
Authors: Allen Richard
Published: April 2023

This article explores the history of St Catherine’s chapel at the abbey of Savigny, head of Normandy’s only monastic congregation. Built in the twelfth century, the chapel was, at the time of its demolition in 1705, the oldest remaining part of the medieval monastic complex. It therefore appears fairly regularly in the written record and has attracted not an insignificant amount of attention as a result. That said, the near total destruction after 1789 of Savigny’s buildings, and the often contradictory nature of those written sources by which antiquarians and academics have attempted, in the absence of sustained archaeological work, to reconstruct their medieval layout, mean that a great deal remains uncertain. St Catherine’s is no exception to this rule. Its precise location and design have to date been matters of conjecture, while a great deal of what has been written about it is either inaccurate or inconsistent (or both). This article brings together for the first time all the available references to (and scholarly discussions of) the building. It combines the findings of recent archaeological work with a reassessment of the written sources to argue that the chapel’s location within Savigny’s monastic precinct was almost unique in the Cistercian world, with its closest parallels being found instead in the Cluniac one. These circumstances were born more of accident than design, but they nevertheless presented challenges for Savigny’s medieval community, the consequences of which help shed light on wider issues relating to the use and reuse of Cistercian monastic spaces.
Vlasov–Maxwell equations with spin effects
Authors: Crouseilles Nicolas , Hervieux Paul-Antoine , Hong Xue , Manfredi Giovanni
Published: April 2023

We present a numerical method to solve the Vlasov–Maxwell equations for spin-1/2 particles, in a semiclassical approximation where the orbital motion is treated classically while the spin variable is fully quantum. Unlike the spinless case, the phase-space distribution function is a

$2\times 2$

matrix, which can also be represented, in the Pauli basis, as one scalar function

$f_0$

and one three-component vector function

$\boldsymbol f$

. The relationship between this ‘vectorial’ representation and the fully scalar representation on an extended phase space first proposed by Brodin et al. (Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 101, 2008, p. 245002) is analysed in detail. By means of suitable approximations and symmetries, the vectorial spin-Vlasov–Maxwell model can be reduced to two-dimensions in the phase space, which is amenable to numerical solutions using a high-order grid-based Eulerian method. The vectorial model enjoys a Poisson structure that paves the way to accurate Hamiltonian split-time integrators. As an example, we study the stimulated Raman scattering of an electromagnetic wave interacting with an underdense plasma, and compare the results with those obtained earlier with the scalar spin-Vlasov–Maxwell model and a particle-in-cell code.
Activism in Isolation: The Tudeh party of Iran in British Left Discourse during the Long 1980s
Authors: Abdul Razak Rowena
Published: April 2023

In 1983, the arrest of Noureddin Kianouri, the first secretary of the Tudeh Party of Iran came as a shock to the international community. In a letter of condemnation, communist parties from Indonesia to Jamaica pledged solidarity with their Iranian comrades. The optimism initially brought by the 1979 revolution was severely reversed and the suppression of the Iranian Left by the Islamic government was regarded as an attack on the international Left. A significant voice of opposition came from Britain, with the Communist party of Great Britain (CPGB), the British Labor party, the trade unions and solidarity groups coming out in full support of the Tudeh and to take on the cause of Iran as their own. Although interest had existed since the 1940s, it was the 1979 revolution that firmly placed the Tudeh within the discourse of the British Left, energizing the movement and solidifying its internationalist credentials. Similarly, for the Tudeh, which had become side-lined in Iranian politics and had lost members to more radical strands of the Iranian Left, the attention it received helped renew its activism and sense of purpose.
Circulation and colonisation ofBlastocystissubtypes in schoolchildren of various ethnicities in rural northern Thailand
Authors: McCain Abby , Gruneck Lucsame , Popluechai Siam , Tsaousis Anastasios D. , Gentekaki Eleni
Published: April 2023

Blastocystisis a protist of controversial pathogenicity inhabiting the gut of humans and other animals. Despite a century of intense study, understanding of the epidemiology ofBlastocystisremains fragmentary. Here, we aimed to explore its prevalence, stability of colonisation and association with various factors in a rural elementary school in northern Thailand. One hundred and forty faecal samples were collected from 104 children at two time points (tp) 105 days apart. For tp2, samples were also obtained from 15 animals residing on campus and seven water locations. Prevalence in children was 67% at tp1 and 89% at tp2, 63% in chickens, 86% in pigs, and 57% in water. Ten STs were identified, two of which were shared between humans and animals, one between animals and water, and three between humans and water. Eighteen children (out of 36) carried the same ST over both time points, indicating stable colonisation. Presence ofBlastocystis(or ST) was not associated with body mass index, ethnicity, birth delivery mode, or milk source as an infant. This study advances understanding ofBlastocystisprevalence in an understudied age group, the role of the environment in transmission, and the ability of specific STs to stably colonise children.
A Descriptive Analysis of the Use of Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Weapons by Violent Non-State Actors and the Modern-Day Environment of Threat
Authors: Tin Derrick , Cheng Lenard , Shin Heejun , Hata Ryan , Granholm Fredrik , Braitberg George , Ciottone Gregory
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

The use of chemical, biological, radiation, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons is not new, and though rare, it is an issue of concern around the world due to their ability to cause large-scale mass-casualty events and their potential threat to global stability. The purpose of this study is to explore the use of CBRN weapons by non-state actors through analysis of the Violent Non-State Actor (VNSA) CBRN Event database, and aims to better inform health care systems of the potential risks and consequences of such events.

Methods:

Data collection was performed using a retrospective database search through the VNSA CBRN Event database.

Results:

A total of 565 events were recorded. Five hundred and five (505) events (89.4%) involved single agents while 60 events (10.6%) involved multiple agents. Fatalities numbered 965 for chemical agents, 19 for biological agents, and none for radiological and nuclear events. Injuries numbered 7,540 for chemical agents, 59 for biological agents, 50 for radiological events, and none for nuclear attacks. Fatality and injury per attack was 2.22 and 17.37, respectively, for chemical event agents and 0.15 and 0.48, respectively, for biological event agents.

Conclusion:

Violent Non-State Actors were responsible for 565 unique events around the world involving the use of CBRN weapons from 1990-2020. The United States (118), Russia (49), and Iraq (43) accounted for the top three countries where these events occurred. While CBRN events remain relatively rare, technological advances have the potential to facilitate the use of such weapons as part of a hybrid warfare strategy with significant repercussions for civilian health and health care systems.
Political Reasons and the Limits of Political Authority
Authors: Rosen Arie
Published: April 2023

Authority is a normative power to create duties in others. The most plausible accounts of this general power relate it to existing reasons the subjects of authority have with which authoritative directives can help them comply. Such accounts lead some theorists to ascribe a morally ambitious function to political institutions. This article argues against such theories. It defends political authority as a modest normative power, constrained by the type of reasons with which it can help its subjects comply. This modest account differs from other liberal views in the limits it imposes on the exercise of political authority. It casts doubt on familiar limits that protect an individual private sphere. Instead, it imposes a condition of moderation. It suggests that legitimate exercises of political authority should leave space for individuals to be motivated by reasons that political institutions do not and should not mediate for them.