bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental research of the damping characteristics of the fatigue stand caused by changes in material properties
Authors: Pawliczek R , Lagoda T , Kurek M , Robak G
Published: June 2022

The paper presents the results of research on changes in the damping characteristics of the MZGS100 fatigue test stand. The work of the stand is influenced by the type of material of the tested samples, where different properties affect the dynamic characteristics of the stand. It is important to assess the impact of changes in properties during the test on the work of the test stand. Fatigue tests were carried out for three materials: S355J0 steel 2017A-T4 aluminium alloy and CuZn40Pb2 brass. The tests were carried out under fatigue bending loads for the number of failure cycles in the low-cycle range. During the investigation, the test was interrupted and the impulse response of the stand at various stages was recorded and the change in system response was assessed. It was observed that in the case of brass, the damping curve of the system changed continuously, and the damping factor of the system increased by 23%. In the case of steel, practically no changes were noticed, while the aluminium alloy showed changes of 9%. In the final stage of the test for steel and aluminium alloy, a change in the frequency of natural vibrations was observed, which indicates a decrease in the system stiffness caused by the weakening of the specimen's cross-section. This effect was not noticed for brass samples, which together with the change of the damping coefficient indicates a cyclical change of the material properties.
CFD simulation of heat transfer and airflows in an open refrigerated display cabinet
Authors: Vengalis Tadas , Mokšin Vadim
Published: June 2022

This paper uses CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) method to study the efficiency of the airflow curtain in an empty and full open refrigerated display cabinet. Numerical simulation results show that changing of the angle of the honeycomb can reduce the infiltration of warm ambient air into the refrigerator. It was established that the average intake air temperature in modified design decreased by 0.6 °C compared to the original design. The CFD model presented in the paper can be used to study airflows inside and to design and develop open-type refrigerated cabinets.
Gold nanoparticle-based biofuel cell catalytic efficiency reliance on medium pH
Authors: Zinovicius Antanas , Rozene Juste , Sataite Vakare Guoba , Merkelis Timas , Juska Joris , Morkvenaite-Vilkonciene Inga
Published: June 2022

Over the past several decades, biology, chemistry, and medicine took advantage of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for their fascinating characteristics. Today these nanomaterials can be synthesized in various methods from biosynthesis, when particles are made by microbial culture, to physical. Using the fast scan cyclic voltammetry, AuNPs can be electrodeposited from chloroauric acid (HAuCl4) directly onto the surface of a graphite electrode. This method provides high reproducibility and allows to control the size of the nanoparticles (from 4 to 75 nm) and electrode coverage by changing HAuCl4 concentration, scan speed, and a number of applied cycles. Gold nanoparticles are known to express comparable catalytic activity to natural enzymes such as glucose oxidase or horseradish peroxidase. Despite the advantages over natural enzymes, inorganic enzyme mimicking catalysts exhibit limited catalytical efficiency and selectivity. To increase efficiency, we used low size AuNPs which increase reactivity; the lack of selectivity in a biofuel cell is advantageous since AuNPs can reduce/oxidize several substrates in the medium. Biofuel cell based on AuNP’s has a superior life span, as the main active part of the system is inorganic, and thus it is not affected by oxygen stress, where typical microbial biofuel cells are struggling. The observed catalytic activity had a minimal dependency on temperature change. pH was changed from 4 to 10 with the smallest synthesized AuNPs. However, pH has an impact on the reaction speed. Results showed that biofuel cell is suitable for raw wastewater as it usually deviates from pH 7, and usable current can be generated.
In vitro circulation model driven by tissue-engineered dome-shaped cardiac tissue
Authors: Kikuchi Tetsutaro , Matsuura Katsuhisa , Shimizu Tatsuya
Published: June 2022

The heart is an essential organ for animals and humans. With the increased availability of pluripotent stem cells, the use of three-dimensional cardiac tissues consisting of cultured cardiomyocytes in in vitro drug evaluation has been widely studied. Several models have been proposed for the realization of the pump function, which is the original function of the heart. However, there are no models that simulate the human circulatory system using cultured cardiac tissue. This study shows that a dome-shaped cardiac tissue fabricated using the cell sheet stacking technique can achieve a heart-like pump function and circulate culture medium, there by mimicking the human circulatory system. Firstly, human induced pluripotent stem cells were differentiated into autonomously beating cardiomyocytes, and cardiomyocyte cell sheets were created using temperature-responsive culture dishes. A cardiomyocyte sheet and a human dermal fibroblast sheet were stacked using a cell sheet manipulator. This two-layered cell sheet was then inflated to create a dome-shaped cardiac tissue with a base diameter of 8 mm. The volume of the dome-shaped cardiac tissue changed according to the autonomous beating. The stroke volume increased with the culture period and reached 21 ± 8.9 μl (n = 6) on day 21. It also responded to β-stimulant and extracellular calcium concentrations. Internal pressure fluctuations were also recorded under isovolumetric conditions by dedicated culture devices. The peak heights of pulsatile pressure were 0.33 ± 0.048 mmHg (n = 3) under a basal pressure of 0.5 mmHg on day 19. When the tissue was connected to a flow path that had check valves applied, it drove a directional flow with an average flow rate of approximately 1 μl s−1. Furthermore, pressure–volume (P–V) diagrams were created from the simultaneous measurement of changes in pressure and volume under three conditions of fluidic resistance. In conclusion, this cardiac model can potentially be used for biological pumps that drive multi-organ chips and for more accurate in vitro drug evaluation using P–V diagrams.
fast.adonis: a computationally efficient non-parametric multivariate analysis of microbiome data for large-scale studies
Authors: Li Shilan , Vogtmann Emily , Graubard Barry I , Gail Mitchell H , Abnet Christian C , Shi Jianxin
Published: June 2022

Motivation

Nonparametric multivariate analysis has been widely used to identify variables associated with a dissimilarity matrix and to quantify their contribution. For very large studies (n≥5000) and many explanatory variables, existing software packages (e.g. adonis and adonis2 in vegan) are computationally intensive when conducting sequential multivariate analysis with permutations or bootstrapping. Moreover, for subjects from a complex sampling design, we need to adjust for sampling weights to derive an unbiased estimate.

Results

We implemented an R function fast.adonis to overcome these computational challenges in large-scale studies. fast.adonis generates results consistent with adonis/adonis2 but much faster. For complex sampling studies, fast.adonis integrates sampling weights algebraically to mimic the source population; thus, analysis can be completed very fast without requiring a large amount of memory.

Availability and implementation

fast.adonis is implemented using R and is publicly available at https://github.com/jennylsl/fast.adonis.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics Advances online.
Political Selection and Economic Policy
Authors: Meriläinen Jaakko
Published: June 2022

Does political selection matter for policy in representative governments? I use administrative data on local politicians in Finland and exploit exogenous variation generated by close elections to show that electing more high-income, incumbent and competent politicians (who earn more than observably similar politicians) improves fiscal sustainability outcomes, but does not decrease the size of the public sector. I also provide suggestive evidence that electing more university-educated local councillors leads to more public spending without adverse effects on fiscal sustainability. I reconcile these findings with survey data on candidate ideology and demonstrate that different qualities are differentially associated with economic ideology.
Limited resection for stage IA radiologically invasive lung cancer: a real-world nationwide database study
Authors: Soh Junichi , Toyooka Shinichi , Shintani Yasushi , Okami Jiro , Ito Hiroyuki , Ohtsuka Takashi , Mori Takeshi , Watanabe Shun-Ichi , Asamura Hisao , Chida Masayuki , Endo Shunsuke , Nakanishi Ryoichi , Kadokura Mitsutaka , Suzuki Hidemi , Miyaoka Etsuo , Yoshino Ichiro , Date Hiroshi ,   Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry, Toyooka Shinichi , Shintani Yasushi , Okami Jiro , Ito Hiroyuki , Ohtsuka Takashi , Mori Takeshi , Watanabe Shun-Ichi , Asamura Hisao , Chida Masayuki , Endo Shunsuke , Nakanishi Ryoichi , Kadokura Mitsutaka , Suzuki Hidemi , Date Hiroshi
Published: June 2022

OBJECTIVES

Radiologically invasive non-small-cell lung cancer, defined as consolidation size to maximum tumour diameter ratio of over 0.5, is associated with pathological invasiveness and worse prognosis. However, there are no real-world, nationwide database studies on limited resections that consider radiological invasiveness. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic validity of limited resection, such as segmentectomy and wedge resection, in cStage IA (TNM 8th edition) radiologically invasive lung cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent complete resection according to the Japanese Joint Committee of Lung Cancer Registry Database. The relationship between surgical procedures and prognosis was examined using stratification by cT factor and radiological invasiveness.

RESULTS

Among the 5,692 patients enrolled, lobectomy, segmentectomy and wedge resection were performed in 4,323 (80.0%), 657 (11.5%) and 712 (12.5%) patients, respectively. Multivariable analysis with or without propensity score matching indicated that older age, poor performance status and wedge resection were significantly associated with worse prognosis and that patients who underwent segmentectomy showed an equivalent prognosis to those who underwent lobectomy. Subset analyses revealed that segmentectomy showed an equivalent prognosis to lobectomy in patients with cT1b or less, but not in those with cT1c, especially for non-pure radiological invasive cT1c; 5-year overall survival rates were 91.4% vs 90.4% in cT1b with non-pure radiological invasiveness and 80.0% vs 83.8% in cT1b with pure radiological invasiveness, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Segmentectomy can be an alternative to lobectomy in patients with radiologically invasive lung cancer with cT1b or less but not in those with cT1c.
Variation in gut microbiome structure across the annual hibernation cycle in a wild primate
Authors: Greene Lydia K , Andriambeloson Jean-Basile , Rasoanaivo Hoby A , Yoder Anne D , Blanco Marina B
Published: June 2022

The gut microbiome can mediate host metabolism, including facilitating energy-saving strategies like hibernation. The dwarf lemurs of Madagascar (Cheirogaleus spp.) are the only obligate hibernators among primates. They also hibernate in the subtropics, and unlike temperate hibernators, fatten by converting fruit sugars to lipid deposits, torpor at relatively warm temperatures, and forage for a generalized diet after emergence. Despite these ecological differences, we might expect hibernation to shape the gut microbiome in similar ways across mammals. We, therefore, compare gut microbiome profiles, determined by amplicon sequencing of rectal swabs, in wild furry-eared dwarf lemurs (C. crossleyi) during fattening, hibernation, and after emergence. The dwarf lemurs exhibited reduced gut microbial diversity during fattening, intermediate diversity and increased community homogenization during hibernation, and greatest diversity after emergence. The Mycoplasma genus was enriched during fattening, whereas the Aerococcaceae and Actinomycetaceae families, and not Akkermansia, bloomed during hibernation. As expected, the dwarf lemurs showed seasonal reconfigurations of the gut microbiome; however, the patterns of microbial diversity diverged from temperate hibernators, and better resembled the shifts associated with dietary fruits and sugars in primates and model organisms. Our results thus highlight the potential for dwarf lemurs to probe microbiome-mediated metabolism in primates under contrasting conditions.
Complex mutation profiles in mismatch repair and ribonucleotide reductase mutants reveal novel repair substrate specificity of MutS homolog (MSH) complexes
Authors: Lamb Natalie A , Bard Jonathan E , Loll-Krippleber Raphael , Brown Grant W , Surtees Jennifer A
Published: June 2022

Determining mutation signatures is standard for understanding the etiology of human tumors and informing cancer treatment. Multiple determinants of DNA replication fidelity prevent mutagenesis that leads to carcinogenesis, including the regulation of free deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools by ribonucleotide reductase and repair of replication errors by the mismatch repair system. We identified genetic interactions between rnr1 alleles that skew and/or elevate deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate levels and mismatch repair gene deletions. These defects indicate that the rnr1 alleles lead to increased mutation loads that are normally acted upon by mismatch repair. We then utilized a targeted deep-sequencing approach to determine mutational profiles associated with mismatch repair pathway defects. By combining rnr1 and msh mutations to alter and/or increase deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate levels and alter the mutational load, we uncovered previously unreported specificities of Msh2–Msh3 and Msh2–Msh6. Msh2–Msh3 is uniquely able to direct the repair of G/C single-base deletions in GC runs, while Msh2–Msh6 specifically directs the repair of substitutions that occur at G/C dinucleotides. We also identified broader sequence contexts that influence variant profiles in different genetic backgrounds. Finally, we observed that the mutation profiles in double mutants were not necessarily an additive relationship of mutation profiles in single mutants. Our results have implications for interpreting mutation signatures from human tumors, particularly when mismatch repair is defective.
Natural History Trajectories of Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Japanese Adults
Authors: Tange Chikako , Nishita Yukiko , Tomida Makiko , Otsuka Rei , Ando Fujiko , Shimokata Hiroshi , Arai Hidenori
Published: June 2022

Background

The gap between the average life expectancy and healthy life expectancy remains wide. Understanding the natural history of frailty development is necessary to prevent and treat frailty to overcome this gap. This study elucidated the trajectories of 5 frailty assessment components using group-based multitrajectory modeling.

Methods

Overall, 845 community-dwelling older adults (aged 65–91 years; 433 males and 412 females) who underwent longitudinal frailty assessments at least 3 times were included in the analysis. The mean follow-up period (±SD, range) was 7.1 (±2.3, 3.8–11.3) years. In each wave, the physical frailty was assessed for the following 5 partially modified components of the Cardiovascular Health Study criteria: shrinking, weakness, exhaustion, slowness, and low activity. Using group-based multitrajectory modeling, we identified subgroups that followed distinctive trajectories regarding the 5 frailty components.

Results

Five frailty trajectory groups were identified: weakness-focused frail progression group (Group 1 [G1]; 10.9%), robust maintenance group (Group 2 [G2]; 43.7%), exhaustion-focused prefrail group (Group 3 [G3]; 24.3%), frail progression group (Group 4 [G4]; 6.7%), and low activity–focused prefrail group (Group 5 [G5]; 14.4%). The Cox proportional hazards model analysis showed that G1, G4, and G5 had significantly higher mortality risks after adjusting for sex and age (G2 was the reference group).

Conclusion

Based on the natural history of frailty, the 5 distinctive trajectory groups showed that some individuals remained robust, while others remained predominantly prefrail or progressed primarily owing to physical mobility decline. Therefore, identifying individuals belonging to these progressive frailty groups and providing interventions according to the characteristics of each group may be beneficial.
Perceived Support Protects Against Negative Affective Experiences of Momentary Solitude: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study
Authors: Fang Boye , Li Danyu , Chen Beizhuo , Huang Jiaojiao , Hou Yanyan , Liu Huiying
Published: June 2022

Objectives

Momentary solitude (the objective state of being alone) has a strong association with negative affective experiences in older people, but little is known about how the role of social relationship characteristics on relationship between momentary solitude and affect. We examined the momentary association between momentary solitude and negative affect (NA), and whether such association was moderated by the structural and functional aspects of social relationships.

Methods

A sample of 153 late-middle-aged and older adults were recruited and provided a total of 6,742 ecological momentary assessment surveys, of which momentary solitudes were reported for 1,885 (28%) surveys. Hierarchical linear model was used to examine how social networks and social support moderated the association of momentary solitude with NA experiences.

Results

The association of momentary solitude with NA experiences was significant among middle-aged and older adults (b = 0.025, SE = 0.008, p < .01). Family networks had the main effect on NA. Perceived social support buffered against increased NA in momentary solitude: Individuals with a higher level of perceived support reported fewer increases in NA during momentary solitude than those perceiving a lower level of support.

Discussion

Momentary solitude was experienced less negatively for middle-aged and older persons embedded in a context of higher levels of perceived social support. Practitioners need to pay more attention to the promotion of social resources when delivering programs to improve the subjective well-being of late-middle-aged and older adults.
Dual-Task Zumba Gold for Improving the Cognition of People With Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Parial Laurence Lloyd , Kor Patrick Pui Kin , Sumile Earl Francis , Leung Angela Yee Man
Published: June 2022

Background and Objectives

Integrating mental activities with physical exercises (e.g., dual-tasking) may potentially improve cognition in older adults and people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). This study investigated the preliminary efficacy of a new intervention called dual-task Zumba Gold (DTZ) on people with MCI to guide an adequately-powered full-scale trial.

Research Design and Methods

This is a 2-arm pilot randomized controlled trial with 60 people with MCI assigned to a 12-week DTZ intervention or control group (health education). We hypothesized that DTZ would facilitate significant improvements in global cognition (primary outcome) and other psychological/physical measures at postintervention (T1) and 6-week follow-up (T2). Generalized estimating equations with an intention-to-treat approach were used to evaluate intervention effects. Postintervention qualitative interviews explored the participants’ program perceptions.

Results

Fifty-one participants completed the study, with no adverse events reported. DTZ participants showed significant improvements in global cognition (p < .001, d = 0.75–0.78), executive function (p < .001, d = 0.28–0.33), immediate recall (p < .001, d = 0.50–0.54), delayed recall (p = .003, d = 0.66–0.71), quality of life (p = .027, d = 0.59–0.63), and mobility (p = .005, d = 0.53–0.56) at T1 and T2. There were nonsignificant changes in working memory, depressive symptoms, blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference. Participants conveyed intervention acceptability, including challenges/barriers, enablers, and future recommendations.

Discussion and Implications

DTZ is a potentially feasible intervention for people with MCI that may improve cognition, quality of life, and mobility. A full-scale trial is recommended for confirmatory evaluation.

Clinical Trial Registration Number

NCT04788238
Tensor-based reconstruction applied to regularized time-lapse data
Authors: Popa Jonathan , Minkoff Susan E , Lou Yifei
Published: June 2022

Repeatedly recording seismic data over a period of months or years is one way to identify trapped oil and gas and to monitor CO2 injection in underground storage reservoirs and saline aquifers. This process of recording data over time and then differencing the images assumes the recording of the data over a particular subsurface region is repeatable. In other words, the hope is that one can recover changes in the Earth when the survey parameters are held fixed between data collection times. Unfortunately, perfect experimental repeatability almost never occurs. Acquisition inconsistencies such as changes in weather (currents, wind) for marine seismic data are inevitable, resulting in source and receiver location differences between surveys at the very least. Thus, data processing aimed at improving repeatability between baseline and monitor surveys is extremely useful. One such processing tool is regularization (or binning) that aligns multiple surveys with different source or receiver configurations onto a common grid. Data binned onto a regular grid can be stored in a high-dimensional data structure called a tensor with, for example, x and y receiver coordinates and time as indices of the tensor. Such a higher-order data structure describing a subsection of the Earth often exhibits redundancies which one can exploit to fill in gaps caused by sampling the surveys onto the common grid. In fact, since data gaps and noise increase the rank of the tensor, seeking to recover the original data by reducing the rank (low-rank tensor-based completion) successfully fills in gaps caused by binning. The tensor nuclear norm (TNN) is defined by the tensor singular value decomposition (tSVD) which generalizes the matrix SVD. In this work we complete missing time-lapse data caused by binning using the alternating direction method of multipliers (or ADMM) to minimize the TNN. For a synthetic experiment with three parabolic events in which the time-lapse difference involves an amplitude increase in one of these events between baseline and monitor data sets, the binning and reconstruction algorithm (TNN-ADMM) correctly recovers this time-lapse change. We also apply this workflow of binning and TNN-ADMM reconstruction to a real marine survey from offshore Western Australia in which the binning onto a regular grid results in significant data gaps. The data after reconstruction varies continuously without the large gaps caused by the binning process.
DNA Metabarcoding Across Disciplines: Sequencing Our Way to Greater Understanding Across Scales of Biological Organization
Authors: Forsman Anna M , Savage Anna E , Hoenig Brandon D , Gaither Michelle R
Published: June 2022

DNA metabarcoding describes the use of targeted DNA (i.e., amplicon) sequencing to identify community constituents from a complex sample containing genetic material from multiple organisms, such as water, soil, gut contents, microbiomes, or biofilms. This molecular approach for characterizing mixed DNA samples relies on the development of “universal primers” that allow for effective amplification of target sequences across a broad range of taxa. Armed with optimized lab protocols and rigorous bioinformatics tools, DNA metabarcoding can produce a wealth of information about the hidden biodiversity of various sample types by probing for organisms’ molecular footprints. DNA metabarcoding has received considerable popular press over the last few years because of gut microbiome studies in humans and beyond. However, there are many other applications that are continually integrating molecular biology with other fields of study to address questions that have previously been unanswerable, for both prokaryotic and eukaryotic targets. For example, we can now sample mostly digested gut contents from virtually any organism to learn about ontogeny and foraging ecology. Water samples collected from different locations can be filtered to extract eDNA (i.e., environmental DNA), revealing the biodiversity of fish and other taxa targeted by carefully selected primer sets. This universal primer metabarcoding approach has even been extended to looking at diverse gene families within single species, which is particularly useful for complex immune system genetics. The purpose of this SICB symposium was to bring together researchers using DNA metabarcoding approaches to (a) showcase the diversity of applications of this technique for addressing questions spanning ecology, evolution, and physiology, and (b) to spark connections among investigators from different fields that are utilizing similar approaches to facilitate optimization and standardization of metabarcoding methods and analyses. The resulting manuscripts from this symposium represent a great diversity of metabarcoding applications and taxonomic groups of interest.
Timing of Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Quinn M K , Williams Paige L , Muhihi Alfa , Duggan Christopher P , Ulenga Nzovu , Alwy Al-Beity Fadhlun M , Perumal Nandita , Aboud Said , Fawzi Wafaie W , Manji Karim P , Sudfeld Christopher R
Published: June 2022

Background

Combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) initiation during pregnancy reduces the risk of perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission; however, studies have suggested that there may be unintended adverse consequences on birth outcomes for selected cART regimens.

Methods

We analyzed adverse birth outcomes among a prospective cohort of 1307 pregnant women with HIV in Dar es Salaam who initiated cART during the first or second trimester of a singleton pregnancy. Our primary analysis compared birth outcomes by gestational age at cART initiation among these women initiating cART in pregnancy.

Results

Among women who initiated cART in pregnancy, there was no relationship of gestational age at cART initiation with the risk of fetal death or stillbirth. However, women who initiated cART before 20 weeks of gestation compared with after 20 weeks had increased risk of preterm birth (risk ratio [RR], 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03–1.67) but decreased risk of small-for-gestational age birth (RR, 0.71; 95% CI, .55–.93).

Conclusions

With increasing use of cART preconception and early in pregnancy, clinicians should be aware of the benefits and potential risks of cART regimens to optimize birth outcomes.
Clonal relationship of tet(X4)-positive Escherichia coli ST761 isolates between animals and humans
Authors: Zhai Weishuai , Wang Tao , Yang Dawei , Zhang Qidi , Liang Xiao , Liu Zhihai , Sun Chengtao , Wu Congming , Liu Dejun , Wang Yang
Published: June 2022

Objectives

To characterize the relationship of tet(X4)-positive isolates from different hosts and environments.

Methods

PCR and MALDI-TOF MS were used to identify the tet(X4)-positive isolates. The MICs of 13 antimicrobial agents were determined by broth microdilution. Illumina technology was used to sequence all of the isolates. One isolate was randomly selected from Escherichia coli ST761 clones for long-read sequencing to obtain plasmid sequences. Bioinformatics analysis was used to determine the phylogeny of 46 tet(X4)-positive E. coli ST761 strains.

Results

A total of 12 tet(X4)-positive isolates, 8 E. coli and 4 Aeromonas simiae, were obtained from six lairages of a slaughterhouse. These isolates exhibited resistance to at least three classes of antimicrobials, including tigecycline. The majority of them, seven E. coli and three A. simiae, represent separate clonal groups. Notably, the seven E. coli isolates belonged to ST761, a common ST carrying the tet(X4) gene that has been identified in 39 isolates from animals, meat, wastewater and humans from seven Chinese provinces. All 46 tet(X4)-positive E. coli ST761 strains from various sources have a close phylogenetic relationship (0–72 SNPs), with a high nucleotide sequence similarity of resistance genes and the tet(X4)-carrying IncX1-IncFIA(HI1)-IncFIB(K) hybrid plasmid, indicating a clonal relationship of tet(X4)-positive E. coli ST761 among animals, food, the environment and humans.

Conclusions

The clonal relationship of tet(X4)-positive E. coli ST761 between humans and animals poses a previously underestimated threat to public health. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of tet(X4)-positive A. simiae.
Dalbavancin in Gram-positive periprosthetic joint infections
Authors: Simon Sebastian , Frank Bernhard J H , Hartmann Susana , Hinterhuber Laetitia , Reitsamer Michael , Aichmair Alexander , Dominkus Martin , Söderquist Bo , Hofstaetter Jochen G
Published: June 2022

Objectives

The unique properties of dalbavancin (DAL) emphasize the need to explore its clinical benefits to treat periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs). The present study aimed to compare the treatment outcome of dalbavancin with Standard of Care (SoC) in hip and knee PJIs.

Methods

Eighty-nine patients were selected for each group of this study based on our prospectively maintained PJI database. A 1:1 propensity score-matching was performed between patients who received at least two doses of dalbavancin and those who received SoC. Patients were matched based on demographics, joint, patient risk factors, Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria, surgical management and type of infection. Treatment outcome was evaluated considering re-infection and re-revision rates, safety and tolerability of dalbavancin after a minimum of 1 year follow-up.

Results

Infection eradication was achieved in 69 (77.5%) and 66 (74.2%) patients of the DAL and SoC groups, respectively. Thirteen (14.6%) patients in the DAL group and 12 (13.5%) patients in the SoC group had an infection-related re-revision. The most prevalent microorganisms among the two groups were Staphylococcus epidermidis (32.3%), Staphylococcus aureus (13.8%) and Cutibacterium spp. (11.3%). There were significantly less Gram-positive bacteria (P = 0.03) detected in patients who received dalbavancin (17.4%) treatment compared with those treated with SoC (48.0%) in culture-positive re-revisions.

Conclusions

Dalbavancin treatment for Gram-positive PJIs resulted in a similar outcome to SoC, with excellent safety and low rate of adverse effects. Dalbavancin seems to be a promising antimicrobial against PJIs by reducing the risk of Gram-positive re-infections and allowing a less frequent dosage with potential outpatient IV treatment.
Two new species of freshwater crabs of the genera Huananpotamon Dai & Ng, 1994 and Minpotamon Dai & Türkay, 1997 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Potamidae) from eastern China
Authors: Wang Ru-Xiao , Pan Da , Sun Hong-Ying
Published: June 2022

Two new Chinese species of potamid freshwater crabs, Huananpotamon shangyouensesp. nov. and Minpotamon auritumsp. nov., are described from Fujian and Jiangxi, eastern China, respectively. The two new species can be distinguished from their closest congeners by carapace features and structures of the male first gonopods. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial 16S rDNA sequences support the establishment of the two new species.
Policy Entrepreneurship and the Drafting of Refugee Law in a Non-Signatory Country: The Case of Thailand’s National Screening Mechanism
Authors: Jittiang Bhanubhatra
Published: June 2022

This study explores the creation of the National Screening Mechanism (NSM) to classify forcibly displaced persons in Thailand, a non-signatory state to the 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol. It argues that the drafting of the NSM as Thailand’s first refugee law resulted from policy entrepreneurship by officials in the Department of International Organizations (DIO), who promoted innovations in urban refugee management. The global refugee events of 2016 provided windows of opportunity for DIO officials to structure the need for creating the NSM and convince ruling generals to commit to new policy directions. However, bureaucrats in other agencies, who endorsed the status quo, leveraged their power to amend the initial conceptualization of the NSM and made it less progressive. Policy entrepreneurship offers another perspective for exploring changes in non-signatory states’ refugee policies that can also be applied more broadly to the context of signatory countries.
Physiological Demands and Characteristics of Movement During Simulated Combat
Authors: Larsson Jonas , Olsson M Charlotte , Bremander Ann , Dencker Magnus
Published: June 2022

Introduction

Military tasks place considerable physiological demands on the soldier. It is therefore important to know the energy expenditure of soldiers while solving tasks in different environments. The purpose of this study was to describe the cardiorespiratory demands of certain movements and activities on ground combat soldiers during military field operations using body sensors and simulated combat.

Materials and Methods

Movement characteristics and cardiorespiratory responses were assessed in 42 soldiers (three women) in the Swedish Army. The different posts assessed were commander, combat engineer, driver, and gunner. The military field exercises examined were urban operations and retrograde operations in rough terrain. Measurements included (1) body mass, (2) heart rate (HR) including maximal (HRmax), (3) velocity, (4) accelerations/decelerations, and (5) distance moved. Maximal aerobic capacity (V̇O2peak, mL·kg−1·min−1) was tested in a laboratory setting when wearing combat gear and body armor.

Results

There was a weak positive correlation (r = 0.41 and 0.28, both P < .05) between VO2peak and percentage of time over 40% and 50% of maximal aerobic capacity during simulated combat. No differences were found for the different posts in time spent over 40% or 50% of maximal aerobic capacity and 76% of their HRmax (P > .05). Wearing combat gear and additional load while solving tasks resulted in mean HR varying between 98 and 111 beats·min−1, corresponding with 50-57% of the soldiers HRmax. Studying all exercises, mean HR was 105 ± 11 beats min−1, 54 ± 5% of HRmax corresponding to light work intensity. Soldiers performed between 2.8 and 4.9 accelerations/min in the different exercises. A significant correlation between V̇O2peak (mL kg−1 min−1) and acceleration and m/min were found, implying that soldiers with good aerobic capacity were able to cope better with tasks requiring quick movements.

Conclusion

Conducting military operations in urban terrain and retrograde operations in rough terrain strains ground combat soldiers’ cardiorespiratory system, with work intensities close to 40% of maximal aerobic capacity in 15-33% of mission time. Tasks with external load carriage include change of direction, accelerations, bounds, and jumping over obstacles, and physical fitness tests should replicate this. Findings in this study also add objective data to the physiological demands of work performed by combat soldiers while conducting urban operations and retrograde operations in rough terrain. These findings could be used to develop a model for classifying work demands for ground combat forces.
On survival of dust grains in the sublimation zone of cold white dwarfs
Authors: Shestakova Lyubov I , Kenzhebekova Akmaral I , Serebryanskiy Aleksander V
Published: June 2022

We consider a mechanism for the deposition of dust grains on to the surface of cold white dwarfs (WDs). Calculations show that grains can fall on to a cold WD directly, without reaching the phase of complete evaporation, if the parent bodies and the grains orbit on elongated, close to parabolic, orbits. To this end, we calculated the dynamics of evaporating silicate and graphite dust grains moving in circular and parabolic orbits around the white dwarf WD J1644−0449 with Teff ≈ 3830 K and M⋆ = 0.45 M⊙. The calculations accounted for the influence of radiation pressure and Poynting–Robertson drag on the grain dynamics. The results show that silicate grains of all sizes considered that leave the parent bodies on circular orbits evaporate completely at a distance of ∼3 stellar radii (R⋆) from the star. The boundary of the dust-free zone for graphite grains is closer to the star, ∼1.5R⋆, and is represented confidently only for larger grains with radius > 0.5 ${\mu m}$. We determined the lower limits of the radius for grains capable of reaching the stellar surface. For comparison, we analysed the dependences of lower size limits for infalling silicate grains for a set of WDs within the temperature range 3000–5000 K. We conclude that silicate grains with an initial size ≥ 300 ${\mu m}$ can reach the surface of WD J1644−0449. For stars with temperatures in the range 3000–5000 K, the corresponding grain size range is 0.016 μm–5 cm.
Perspective on research–policy interface as a partnership: The study of best practices in CREATE
Authors: Banozic-Tang Adriana , Taeihagh Araz
Published: June 2022

This article serves as a blueprint and proof-of-concept of Singapore’s Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE) programmes in establishing effective collaborations with governmental partners. CREATE is a research consortium between Singapore’s public universities and international research institutions. The effective partnership of CREATE partners with government stakeholders is part of its mission to help government agencies solve complex issues in areas that reflect Singapore’s national interest. Projects are developed in consultation with stakeholders, and challenges are addressed on a scale that enables significant impact and provides solutions for Singapore and internationally. The article discusses the lessons learnt, highlighting that while research–policy partnerships are widespread, they are seldom documented. Moreover, effective communication proved to be a foundation for an effective partnership where policy and research partners were more likely to provide formal and informal feedback. Engaging policy partners early in the research co-development process was beneficial in establishing effective partnerships.
Constructions of Care in EU Economic, Social, and Gender Equality Policy: Care Providers and Care Recipients versus the Needs of the Economy?
Authors: Zacharenko Elena , Elomäki Anna
Published: June 2022

The European Union is facing a crisis of care due to demographic shifts, policies aimed at driving up women’s employment while cutting state care expenditures, and marketizing public care provisions. This article combines feminist political economy approaches to reproductive labor as an essential part of the economy with theories of care ethics to explore the European Union’s role in deepening this crisis. It concludes that the European Union fails to recognize the importance of care or address it holistically and is more preoccupied with the potential impact on public finances than finding a solution to the care crisis.
Paradox or Mitigation? Childless and Parent Gender Gaps across British, Finnish, and German Wage Distributions
Authors: Cooke Lynn Prince , Hägglund Anna Erika , Icardi Rossella
Published: June 2022

Part of the welfare paradox is that generous family policies increase private sector employer discrimination particularly against higher-wage women. We argue instead that bundles of generous policies mitigate gender productivity differences among parents, and in turn the discrimination also affecting childless women. We test these assertions by estimating the two gaps across the British, Finnish, and German private sector wage distributions using 2000–2018 panel data and unconditional quantile regression. Because of smaller motherhood penalties below the median, parenthood gaps are smallest in Finland and Germany. In contrast, fatherhood premiums constitute most of the parenthood gap for high-wage German and British women, whereas high-wage British women are disadvantaged by motherhood penalties and fatherhood premiums. The childless gap is also smaller across the bottom of the Finnish and German wage distributions. Overall, our advanced modeling strategy finds strong support for the mitigating effects of generous family policies on gender wage gaps.
Changes of Barley Stripe Rust Populations in the United States from 1993 to 2017
Authors: Bai Qing , Liu Tinglan , Wan Anmin , Wang Meinan , See Deven R. , Chen Xianming
Published: June 2022

Barley stripe rust is a relatively new disease in the United States. The pathogen, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. hordei ( Psh), was first observed in Texas in 1991 and has spread north and westwards and mainly caused epidemics in the western United States. A total of 447 isolates collected from 1993 to 2017 were identified as 382 multilocus genotypes (MLGs) using 14 simple sequence repeat markers. The MLGs were clustered into six molecular groups (MGs) using the discriminant analysis of principal components and the hierarchical cluster analysis, and the MGs had significant differences in frequency in different years. MG1 was present in the population prior to the year 2000. MG2, MG3, and MG4 became predominate after 2000. MG5 was detected in all 24 years but more frequent from 2010 to 2017. MG6 was the most recent group detected mainly from 2011 to 2017 and had the highest correlation coefficient with the virulence phenotypes among the MGs. The heterozygosity and genotypic diversity of the Psh populations increased from 2000 to 2017, even more from 2010 to 2017. The results indicate rapid genetic changes from year to year, with major molecular group changes around 2000 and 2010. The possible mechanisms underlying the population changes are discussed.
Evaluating the Impact of Smartphones on Nursing Workflow: Lessons Learned
Authors: Baharaeen Kathlyn , Godwin Eryn M. , Mullen Tiffany A. , Hamacher McKenzie , Fouquet Sarah
Published: June 2022

Although smartphone use in the workplace by physicians has been well documented, such use by nurses warrants further examination. In particular, there is a lack of research regarding the effects of smartphone use on nursing efficiency and workflow satisfaction. Our organization developed a pilot program to introduce the use of hospital-issued smartphones by direct care nurses in the pediatric ICU (PICU) and a satellite ED and created an implementation team to carry this out. Our research team thought it important to measure and evaluate nursing efficiency and workflow both before and after these phones were issued. The original plan included three primary measures: pre- and postimplementation surveys (both units), time-on-task studies (both units), and interruption observations (PICU only). Because of technical difficulties, the PICU pilot arm was abandoned after the smartphones were introduced. The ED arm completed the postimplementation time-on-task studies and the postimplementation survey nine months after implementation. The postimplementation survey results showed that nurses preferred other methods of communication over smartphones, and smartphones were scored lower than all other forms of communication for ease of integration into the workflow. Time-on-task results indicated texting was faster with smartphones than it was when using T9 texting (predictive texting) with the wireless Ascom phones in the PICU. Making calls with the smartphone took ED nurses significantly longer, and many preferred their traditional communication methods. Further research is needed to determine whether smartphones can be optimized to enhance nursing workflow, increase efficiency, and improve patient outcomes. This article provides vital information for nurses and others considering a transition to the use of smartphones or similar devices in the workplace.
Somatosensory Profiles Differentiate Pain and Psychophysiological Symptoms Among Young Adults With Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Chen Jie , Zhang Yiming , Barandouzi Zahra A. , Xu Wanli , Feng Bin , Chon Ki , Santos Melissa , Starkweather Angela , Cong Xiaomei
Published: June 2022

Objective:

The aim of this study was to investigate if somatosensory profiles can differentiate pain and psychophysiological symptoms among young adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Methods:

We performed a cluster analysis of data collected from a randomized clinical trial of 80 IBS patients and 21 age-matched healthy controls (HCs) to stratify pain and symptoms among young adults with IBS by their peripheral sensory profiles. Data of quantitative sensory testing and IBS-related pain and symptoms were collected at baseline and 6-week and 12-week follow-ups.

Results:

Using the K-means method, IBS patients were classified into 2 clusters, the “IBS normal threshold” (IBS-NT) and the “IBS increased threshold” (IBS-IT). The IBS-NT cluster had a similar pain threshold as the HCs, and the IBS-IT cluster had an increased threshold of somatic pain perception (lower cold pain threshold, higher heat pain threshold, and higher pressure pain threshold, all P<0.001) than HCs. Compared with the IBS-NT cluster, the IBS-IT cluster reported higher levels of IBS-related pain intensity, anxiety, fatigue, and sleep disturbance over the 3 visits (all P<0.05).

Discussion:

Young adults with IBS fell into 2 clusters, one with a similar sensory threshold as the HCs and another with an increased pain threshold, who reported higher pain intensity and more severe symptoms. Somatic sensory profiles should be integrated into further personalized self-management intervention among patients with IBS.
Hospital Discharge Summaries Are Insufficient Following ICU Stays: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Hauschildt Katrina E. , Hechtman Rachel K. , Prescott Hallie C. , Iwashyna Theodore J.
Published: June 2022

OBJECTIVES:

Primary care providers (PCPs) receive limited information about their patients’ ICU stays; we sought to understand what additional information PCPs desire to support patients’ recovery following critical illness.

DESIGN:

Semistructured interviews with PCPs conducted between September 2020 and April 2021.

SETTING:

Academic health system with central quaternary-care hospital and associated Veterans Affairs medical center.

SUBJECTS:

Fourteen attending internal medicine or family medicine physicians working in seven clinics across Southeast Michigan (median, 10.5 yr in practice).

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES:

We analyzed using a modified Rigorous and Accelerated Data Reduction (RADaR) technique to identify gaps in current discharge summaries for patients with ICU stays, impacts of these gaps, and desired ICU-specific information. We employed RADaR to efficiently consolidate data in Excel Microsoft (Redmond, WA) tables across multiple formats (lists, themes, etc.).

RESULTS:

PCPs reported receiving limited ICU-specific information in hospital discharge summaries. PCPs often spent significant time reading inpatient records for additional information. Information desired included life-support interventions provided and duration (mechanical ventilation, dialysis, etc.), reasons for treatment decisions (code status changes, medication changes, etc.), and potential complications (delirium, dysphagia, postintensive care syndrome, etc.). Pervasive discharge gaps (ongoing needs, incidental findings, etc.) were described as worse among patients with ICU stays due to more complex illness and required interventions. Insufficient information was felt to lead to incomplete follow-up on critical issues, PCP frustration, and patient harm. PCPs stated that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated gaps due to decreased staffing, limited visitation policies, and reliance on telehealth follow-up visits.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE:

Our results identified key data elements sought by PCPs about patients’ ICU stays and suggest opportunities to improve care through developing tools/templates to provide PCPs with ICU-specific information for outpatient follow-up.