bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Initial studies on the implanting sites of high and low ventricular septa using leadless cardiac pacemakers
Authors: Li Qiao‐yuan , Dong Jian‐zeng , Guo Cheng‐jun , Fang Dong‐ping , Liu Xu , Dai Wen‐long
Published: June 2023

Objective

To study the safety and electrical characteristics of various implanting sites of the Micra pacemaker.

Method

A total of 15 patients from Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, were included, who were implanted with Micra leadless pacemakers and allocated to either the high ventricular septum group (eight patients) or the low ventricular septum group (seven patients) based on their individual patient factors and clinical conditions. The baseline of the patients, the implanting area, the electrocardiogram change after implantation, the implantation data, the threshold, R wave, impedance, and the date of the 1‐month follow‐up were then analyzed. With all of the data, the characteristics of different implantation sites of the Micra pacemaker were determined.

Results

Overall, the thresholds were low at implantation and remained stable over the 1‐, 3‐, 6‐month, 1‐, 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐year follow‐ups. On comparing the two groups, there was no difference in QRS duration at pacing (140.00 [40.00] ms vs. 179.00 [50.00] ms), threshold at implantation (0.38 [0.22] mV vs. 0.63 [1.00] mV), R wave at implantation ([10.85 ± 4.71] V vs. [7.26 ± 2.98] V), or impedance at implantation ([906.25 ± 162.39] Ω vs. [750.00 ± 173.40] Ω). While the difference in QRS duration between the two groups was not significant, the QRS duration of the high ventricular septum group exhibited a reduced tendency compared with that of the low ventricular group. The corrected QT interval during pacing exhibited a significant difference (440.00 [80.00] ms vs. 520.00 [100.00] ms; p < .05). For the 1‐, 3‐, 6‐month, 1‐, 2‐, 3‐, and 4‐year follow‐ups, there was no difference between the threshold of the high ventricular septum group and that of the low ventricular septum group (p > .05).

Conclusion

High ventricular septum pacing appears to be a safe site for implantation of the Micra pacemaker. It could entail a shorter QRS duration at pacing and could be more physiological than low ventricular septum pacing.
Clinical outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with esophageal varices: Multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Toya Yosuke , Hatta Waku , Shimada Tomohiro , Matsuhashi Tamotsu , Shiroki Takeharu , Sasaki Yu , Tatsuta Tetsuya , Nakamura Jun , Hanabata Norihiro , Horikawa Yohei , Nagino Ko , Koike Tomoyuki , Masamune Atsushi , Harada Yoshihiro , Ohira Tetsuya , Iijima Katsunori , Abe Yasuhiko , Hikichi Takuto , Igarashi Shohei , Fushimi Saki , Takeda Hiroaki , Fukuda Shinsaku , Matsumoto Takayuki ,   Tohoku GI Endoscopy Group
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Clinical outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) with esophageal varices (EVs) are obscure. We aimed to elucidate the clinical outcomes of ESD for ESCC with EVs in a multicenter, retrospective study.

Methods

We established a retrospective cohort of 30 patients with ESCC complicating EVs, who underwent ESD at 11 Japanese institutions. Rates of en bloc resection and R0 resection, procedure time, and adverse events were evaluated as indicators of the feasibility and safety of ESD. Additional treatment, recurrence, and metastasis of the lesions were evaluated as indicators of the long‐term efficacy of ESD.

Results

Portal hypertension was caused by cirrhosis, of which alcohol was the most common cause. En bloc resection was achieved in 93.3% and R0 resection in 80.0% of the patients. The median procedure time was 92 min. Adverse events included a case of uncontrolled intraoperative bleeding leading to discontinuation of ESD and a case of esophageal stricture due to extensive resection. During the follow‐up period of a median for 42 months, a patient with local recurrence and another patient with liver metastasis were observed. One patient died of liver failure after receiving chemoradiotherapy as an additional treatment after ESD. No patient died of ESCC.

Conclusion

This multicenter, retrospective cohort study demonstrated the safety and efficacy of ESD for ESCC with EVs. Further studies are needed to establish appropriate treatment methods for EVs before ESD and additional treatments for patients with insufficient ESD.
Exploration versus exploitation: A laboratory test of the single‐agent exponential bandit model
Authors: Hudja Stanton , Woods Daniel
Published: June 2023

This paper analyzes how individuals resolve an exploration versus exploitation trade‐off in a laboratory experiment. The experiment implements the single‐agent exponential bandit model. We analyze how subjects respond to changes in the prior belief, safe action, and discount factor. We find that subjects respond in the predicted direction to these changes. However, we find that subjects under‐respond to the prior belief, under‐respond to the safe action, and typically explore less than predicted. Our results suggest that neither risk aversion nor the random termination probability are driving under‐experimentation. Our results are consistent with subjects having incorrect beliefs about exploration.
Historical Approach in Understanding Hadith
Authors: Hasanah Uswatun
Published: June 2023

It is not an easy thing to be able to draw a line of understanding between the social situation that gave birth to the hadith and the life of the people when they want to apply the hadith. It is not enough just to understand the hadith as it is written in the text. It is also not possible to add the text of the hadith because the Prophet as the only source on which the hadith can be relied upon has died. Even more wrong, if you throw away the text of the hadith because it is considered not in accordance with the times. This article aims to complete the lack of existing literature, especially regarding efforts to understand hadith through a historical approach in the modern era. The methodology used in this research is qualitative, through literature and field studies. Beginning with a literature study, then reading about the social situation and cultural background prevailing in the community. Two hadith themes, through two channels of transmission were chosen as research samples, namely the hadith narrated by Abu Dawud number 570, about the virtue of praying a woman in her room and the hadith narrated by al-Nasa’i number 1773, about the command to read more prayers. The contextual side of hadith information has a temporal historical nature that requires adjustment to the conditions of society in every era. Contextual understanding of hadith is not something new, let alone taboo. Because the Prophet and his companions have used a contextual method in understanding the verses of the Qur'an and also the hadith. Hadith spirituality in the form of understanding and its application is carried out by continuing to read hadith texts and then contextually studied through various scientific approaches including historical approaches
The Application of al-Intiqal (the transition) on Synthetically Modified Organisms (SMOs): An Analysis from Shariah and Science Approaches
Authors: Ramli Siti Nur Hamizah , Jamaludin Mohammad Aizat , Nordin Noor Faizul Hadry , Abdullah Sani Muhamad Shirwan
Published: June 2023

Synthetic biology, or SynBio, is a fast-growing technology, that combines biology, chemistry, computer science, and engineering, producing synthetically modified organisms (SMOs), in which organisms for which a large part or the entire genome has been designed using computer-aided design tool and chemically synthesized. Concern arises when (deoxyribonucleic acid) DNA constructs are made up of impure (najs) substances in Shariah as raw material, like transfer of engineered pig cells with modified genomes. One of alternative verification methods of Shariah law, namely al-Intiqal (the transition), can assist Muslim jurists in determining legal rulings on particular Halal contemporary issues, as there is no explicit information about genetic modified technology in the Qur’an or Hadith. This study aims to determine the theory of al-Intiqal (the transition) from Shariah and science approaches and apply the structure and division of al-Intiqal (the transition) on SMOs productions, like synthetic spider silk and humanized pig organ. Qualitative methods were applied including library research, fiqh adaptation (al-takyif al-fiqhi), and semi structured in-depth interview. Study shows that two divisions of al-Intiqal (the transition) can be applied within SMOs productions, which are al-Intiqal al-sahih (the accepted transition) and al-Intiqal al-fasid (the damaged transition). Study concludes that DNA synthesizer as conversion agent within SMOs production process can be considered permissible (Halal), while synthetic spider silk is also permissible (Halal) as the raw material is considered pure and its transition process had completely occurred in Shariah, nonetheless humanized pig organ is impermissible (Haram) as the raw material and its recipient organism are impermissible (Haram) and its transition process had not completely occurred in Shariah, except for emergency (darurah) case with some provisions.
Tafsir Tematik Konsep Isrāf Dalam Pengambilan Makanan Menurut Perspektif Al-Quran (Thematic Interpretation Of The Concept Of Excess (Isrāf) In Eating Behaviour Based On Qur'anic Perspective)
Authors: Mohd Robiatul Adawiyah , Mohd Ghazali Norzulali , Fauzi Nurulwahidah , Muhammad Yusuff Muhammad Fawwaz , Mohammad Zaini Nurul Saadah
Published: June 2023

Humans need food to ensure survival in the world. For that purpose, Allah SWT bestows various sources of food for human beings such as fruits, grains, vegetables, plants, livestock and ocean products. Even so, this food source should not be used excessively or isrāf because it violates the guidelines of the Qur'an and the sunnah of the Prophet SAW. However, what is happening in the society today is the opposite. There is an increase in the statistics of patients with genetic diseases due to isrāf attitude in food intake. This is in stark contrast to the teachings of Islam which calls for moderation, especially in food consumption as well as prohibition of excessive wastegee. This article aims to study and analyze the concept of isrāf in food intake according to the perspective of the Qur'an by using a thematic tafsir approach. This study employ qualitative method through content analysis of the text of the Qur'an and books of tafsir on the concept of isrāf in food intake. The results of the study show that isrāf in food intake refers to seven key themes that refer to certain aspects of instruction and prohibition in food intake. In conclusion, this article helps to understand the concept of isrāf in food intake according to the nature that has been set by Allah SWT. It is also seen to be able to educate the community in reducing health problems caused by the practice of isrāf, as well as able to change a person's genetics for the better from one generation to the next. This is because health is a wasilah for human beings to carry out their role as caliphs and ‘servants of Allah perfectly on this earth.
Maqasid Al-Syariah dan Hubungkaitannya dengan Hak Kebebasan Beragama Di Malaysia (Maqasid Al-Syariah and its Relation with Freedom of Religion in Malaysia)
Authors: Abdullah Ahmad Syauqi , Ahmad Nisar Mohammad
Published: June 2023

Malaysia is a country of various races and religions under the same supreme law, the Federal Constitution. Even so, the Federal Constitution has set out several provisions that give privileges to the Malays and Muslims. Article 11 provides for the right to freedom of religion for every citizen, but this right is not absolute for Muslims as it restricts the spread of non -Muslim religions among Muslims. This clearly shows that the right to freedom of religion in the Federal Constitution is in line with the principles of Maqasid Al-Syariah, which is to preserve religion. Thus, the objective of this study is to analyze the extent to which the provision of the right to freedom of religion in the Federal Constitution meets the principles of Maqasid Al-Syariah. This study is a qualitative study that uses the library method followed by content analysis. The findings of this study have proven that there is a relationship between Maqasid Al-Syariah and the right to freedom of religion in the Federal Constitution thereby enhance the community's understanding of the interpretation of the right to freedom of religion and its relationship with Maqasid Al-Syariah.
Kontrak Pintar; Analisis Syariah dan Parameter (Smart Contract; Shariah Analysis and Parameter)
Authors: Mohamed Shaarani Ahmad Zakirullah , Muhammad Fidlizan , Mohd Noor Azman , Osman Mohd Farihal
Published: June 2023

Smart Contract is one of the new technological developments related to the Industrial Revolution 4.0 which emphasizes on the execution of contracts between two parties automatically based on the terms and conditions that have been agreed before. This concept minimizes the role of intermediaries that exist in traditionally executed contracts thus leading to positive effects such as cost reduction, saving time and money, less cases of fraud, manipulation and so on. Looking at the philosophy of smart contracts, it is in line with the Maqasid / Objectives of Syariah. However, the nature of this concept which relies on automation which means lack of human intervention in executing the content of the contract raises questions about shariah compliancy in the operationalization of this system especially regarding the function and eligibility of the computer system as a contracting parties rather that human, as well as what is fiqh adaptation for such concept, in addition to what is parameters and dawābit that is required to ensure that each product based on smart contracts is Shariah compliant in terms of its content, shariah monitoring process once the contract is executed, and other related issues. This study is based on a full library research where the concept of smart contracts is analyzed based on the framework of Shariah law in Muamalat, in addition to the latest technological developments related to it. The results of the study found that smart contract is an acceptable concept in Islam, but it needs some guidance and improvement to ensure it really coincides with the parameters required by Shariah, namely full compliance with the pillars and conditions of the contract, must also be in line with Maqasid al-Shariah and current applicable law, the existence of elements of compassion, consideration, tolerance/Tasāmuh and others.
“Freedom is a treasure that only those who lose it can know”: a spatiotemporal exploration of 22 Iraqi women’s interlegalities
Authors: Gadd Katri , Ubeis Faleha
Published: June 2023

In this article, we discuss the spatiotemporal interlegalities of 22 women living in Iraq, understood as an emerging legal landscape characterised by legal and normative entanglements rather than parallel systems of laws and morals. Iraqi women are situated at the intersections of the coexisting legal spaces and stratifications of various scales and multiple normative orders that have been deeply embedded in Iraqi religious and tribal traditions throughout time. It is at these intersections that experiences of non-freedom and struggles for freedom are intimately felt and possible contradictions among the multiple legal spaces and normative orders encountered. Herein, we assess women’s opportunities to negotiate the boundaries of their spaces, their abilities to govern those spaces, and the constraints they encounter on their routes to freedom. We used a map metaphor to elucidate the women’s processes for finding their way. Women’s freedom in the Iraqi context is complex, indicative of multi-layered processes of negotiation within the legally pluralistic landscape. The concept of interlegalities is a useful tool for conceptualising the multifaceted interconnections in the legal landscape of Iraqi women. The Middle East legal geography has not been widely examined, but the special characteristics of the Iraqi context regarding the interplay among legal spaces and normative orders are essential for contributing to legal geography discussions, as some theoretical premises are unsuitable for application to contexts with pluralist legal systems that lack democratic traditions.
Hydropowering sustainability transformation: policy frames on river use and restoration in Finland
Authors: Albrecht Eerika , Lukkarinen Jani , Hakkarainen Miikka , Soininen Niko
Published: June 2023

Hydropower, as a flexible energy source, has sparked renewed interest in the ongoing decarbonisation of the society. Simultaneously, a wider transformation of the socio-ecological system towards more sustainable practices of energy production is required. Our paper draws from the sustainable transformation theory and the concepts of transformability, hydro-social cycle, and aquatic regime to study a system of water governance and regulation in Finland. Our case study data consists of 16 semi-structured interviews and 207 news articles from Yle national broadcast company. We studied the policy frames to reveal how the water governance actors understand, view and make sense of future river use and restoration, and how they utilise the frames for strategic purposes. Results demonstrate that the future river use and restoration were framed by four modes of thinking: 1) hydropower as a ‘cultural trauma’, 2) restoring rivers and dam removal after hydropower construction and operation to improve ecological flows in rivers, 3) improving the social acceptance of hydropower and dam removal, and 4) improving the efficiency of the hydropower regime as a flexible source of power. Our paper shows that to enable pathways for socio-ecological-technical transformations of aquatic ecosystems further scientific scrutiny should be focused on reconciliation of the interest of river restoration, recreational uses of aquatic environments and the flexible energy function of hydropower in energy transition. Removal of migration barriers and small-scale hydropower plants and building fishways and bypasses are part of this transformation. Furthermore, the river regulation needed to give impoundment facilities the flexibility, causes changes in water levels which may be a potential source of conflict between riparian residents and hydropower operators. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on water governance that recognises the local dynamics and interactions within the social-ecological systems.
Becoming part of the city: local emplacement after forced displacement
Authors: Van Liempt Ilse
Published: June 2023

For refugees, arriving in a new place is inherently emotional – fraught with experiences of disorientation and fear of the unknown – but it can also be liberating and result in new connections. This article explores a series of questions around how forced displacement is experienced and turned into local emplacement. It is argued that it is important to recognize that global migration is grounded through attention to the ways in which such processes are locally lived and produced. I acknowledge that, on arrival, forced migrants become entangled in an infrastructure – laid out for them as a special category of migrants – that is directing them towards certain institutions and places; however, at the same time, I argue that this is not the only infrastructure which they use and explore. Starting from the issue of how refugees themselves try to build connections and find their way in a new city enables the exploration of potential overlaps, gaps and tensions between the official response to arrival and the everyday lived experiences of refugees. The city as a whole is explicitly taken as the unit of analysis in this article, without limitations to specific places dedicated to refugees or specific neighbourhoods where it is known that refugees arrive and/or are housed. It is argued that a focus on public and semi-public spaces is important as it allows an exploration of spaces that are meaningful to refugees and might result in new insights on connections or disconnections with already existing infrastructures. This approach offers more room for the unexpected – but also the mundane and the everyday – which all play an important part in the production of a counter-narrative against the formal and institutionalized way of framing the arrival of refugees in which refugees’ own experiences are the more central focus.
Towards more locally aware resource governance? – commentary to Albrecht and colleagues
Authors: Lempinen Hanna
Published: June 2023

This text grew out as a commentary on the article “Hydropowering sustainability transformation: policy frames on river use and restoration in Finland” (Albrecht et al. 2023) during the manuscript review process. While the article itself is a timely contribution to expanding our understanding on how rivers are framed and related to in a national context where the history of coercive ‘modernization’ meets an urgent demand to decarbonize, the authors’ observations also invite discussion beyond the explicit scope of water governance. Considering the range of extractive and renewable resource projects that are expected to unfold across the country in response to the demands of the ‘green transition’, I make use of this text as an opportunity to discuss Albrecht and colleagues’ (2023, 58) conclusion that “more emphasis should be placed on […] governance that recognises the local dynamics and interactions within the social-ecological systems”. I take a focus on the inseparably political, affective and situated nature of all resource-related developments and debates, which all pose their unique challenges for translating the idea(l)s of locally aware environmental and resource governance frameworks into practice.
Freeform Bending Tool Design for Rectangular Profiles and Its Influence on the Process
Authors: Werner Matthias Konrad , Scandola Lorenzo , Maier Daniel , Volk Wolfram
Published: June 2023

Freeform bending offers a wide range of possibilities in terms of component geometries, material grades, and profile cross sections. In the field of circular solid and hollow profiles, the circular shape of the profile used determines the design of the tool. When using rectangular profiles, the cross section of the tool cannot be easily obtained by an offset of the profile cross section. The large tolerance ranges of the profile standards like wide ranges of corner radii or material thickness require compromises with regard to the shape and tolerances of the tool. Currently, there are no design guidelines for freeform bending tools and no approaches as to whether universal tool approaches or specialized tool approaches should be used for freeform bending of rectangular profiles. This concerns both the geometric dimensions regarding clearances and the functional design of the tools, for example, rollers or sliding tools. Tests have shown that the design of the tool has a great influence on the quality of the component. Clearances that are too wide to accommodate the tolerances can result in larger wrinkling and buckling. Clearances that are too tight can lead to increased scrap because parts of a batch may not fit into the tool. Furthermore, the trade-off in the tool design can lead to tool shapes, which encourage further defects. These are mainly wrinkling, cross-sectional deformations, and strongly deformed profile corners, which in some cases form cracks in the material. In this article, the influences of the tool design on the bending of rectangular profiles and the resulting defects of the profiles are investigated. For this purpose, experiments were carried out utilizing several tool designs with different variants and four combinations of the movable die and the fixed die. Each configuration was used with the same calibrated kinematics to investigate several different radii and compare the results. The experiments show that the design of the tool has a direct influence on the bending result and also an influence on the development of bending defects. The hypothesis that the effect of increasing defects is caused by increasing friction is shown experimentally, explained theoretically and confirmed with an additionally built simulation model.
Large herbivore diversity slows sea ice–associated decline in arctic tundra diversity
Authors: Post Eric , Kaarlejärvi Elina , Macias-Fauria Marc , Watts David A. , Bøving Pernille Sporon , Cahoon Sean M. P. , Higgins R. Conor , John Christian , Kerby Jeffrey T. , Pedersen Christian , Post Mason , Sullivan Patrick F.
Published: June 2023

Biodiversity is declining globally in response to multiple human stressors, including climate forcing. Nonetheless, local diversity trends are inconsistent in some taxa, obscuring contributions of local processes to global patterns. Arctic tundra diversity, including plants, fungi, and lichens, declined during a 15-year experiment that combined warming with exclusion of large herbivores known to influence tundra vegetation composition. Tundra diversity declined regardless of experimental treatment, as background growing season temperatures rose with sea ice loss. However, diversity declined slower with large herbivores than without them. This difference was associated with an increase in effective diversity of large herbivores as formerly abundant caribou declined and muskoxen increased. Efforts that promote herbivore diversity, such as rewilding, may help mitigate impacts of warming on tundra diversity.
Hunting for Majoranas
Authors: Yazdani Ali , von Oppen Felix , Halperin Bertrand I. , Yacoby Amir
Published: June 2023

Over the past decade, there have been considerable efforts to observe non-abelian quasiparticles in novel quantum materials and devices. These efforts are motivated by the goals of demonstrating quantum statistics of quasiparticles beyond those of fermions and bosons and of establishing the underlying science for the creation of topologically protected quantum bits. In this Review, we focus on efforts to create topological superconducting phases that host Majorana zero modes. We consider the lessons learned from existing experimental efforts, which are motivating both improvements to present platforms and the exploration of new approaches. Although the experimental detection of non-abelian quasiparticles remains challenging, the knowledge gained thus far and the opportunities ahead offer high potential for discovery and advances in this exciting area of quantum physics.
WAPL functions as a rheostat of Protocadherin isoform diversity that controls neural wiring
Authors: Kiefer Lea , Chiosso Anna , Langen Jennifer , Buckley Alex , Gaudin Simon , Rajkumar Sandy M. , Servito Gabrielle Isabelle F. , Cha Elizabeth S. , Vijay Akshara , Yeung Albert , Horta Adan , Mui Michael H. , Canzio Daniele
Published: June 2023

Neural type–specific expression of clustered Protocadherin (Pcdh) proteins is essential for the establishment of connectivity patterns during brain development. In mammals, deterministic expression of the same Pcdh isoform promotes minimal overlap of tiled projections of serotonergic neuron axons throughout the brain, while stochastic expression of Pcdh genes allows for convergence of tightly packed, overlapping olfactory sensory neuron axons into targeted structures. How can the same gene locus generate opposite transcriptional programs that orchestrate distinct spatial arrangements of axonal patterns? Here, we reveal that cell type–specific Pcdh expression and axonal behavior depend on the activity of cohesin and its unloader, WAPL (wings apart–like protein homolog). While cohesin erases genomic-distance biases in Pcdh choice, WAPL functions as a rheostat of cohesin processivity that determines Pcdh isoform diversity.
How AI can distort human beliefs
Authors: Kidd Celeste , Birhane Abeba
Published: June 2023

Models can convey biases and false information to users
Human stem cells turned into detailed lab replicas of embryos
Authors: Leslie Mitch
Published: June 2023

Mock embryos created by multiple groups recapitulate developmental events beyond implantation
Infrastructure woes could slow South Pole experiments
Authors: Cho Adrian
Published: June 2023

New telescopes and neutrino detectors must wait for work on polar facilities
Could chatbots help devise the next pandemic virus?
Authors: Service Robert F.
Published: June 2023

An MIT class exercise suggests AI tools can be used to order a bioweapon, but some are skeptical
Identification and Preliminary Characterization of Novel Type III Secreted Effector Proteins in Chlamydia trachomatis
Authors: McCaslin Paige N. , Andersen Shelby E. , Icardi Carolina M. , Faris Robert , Steiert Brianna , Smith Parker , Haider Jawad , Weber Mary M.
Published: June 2023

Chlamydia trachomatis
is an obligate intracellular pathogen that replicates in a host-derived vacuole termed the inclusion. Central to pathogenesis is a type III secretion system that translocates effector proteins into the host cell, which are predicted to play major roles in host cell invasion, nutrient acquisition, and immune evasion.
BLINCAR: a reusable bioluminescent and Cas9-based genetic toolset for repeatedly modifying wild-type
Scheffersomyces stipitis
Authors: Reichard Walter D. , Smith Serenah E. , Robertson J. Brian
Published: June 2023

Scheffersomyces stipitis
is a yeast that robustly ferments the 5-carbon sugar xylose, making the yeast a valuable candidate for lignocellulosic ethanol fermentation. However, the non-canonical codon usage of
S. stipitis
is an obstacle for implementing molecular tools that were developed for other yeast species, thereby limiting the molecular toolset available for
S. stipitis
. Here, we developed a series of molecular tools for
S. stipitis
including BLINCAR, a Bio-Luminescent Indicator that is Nullified by Cas9-Actuated Recombination, which can be used repeatedly to add different exogenous DNA payloads to the wild-type
S. stipitis
genome or used repeatedly to remove multiple native
S. stipitis
genes from the wild-type genome. Through the use of BLINCAR tools, one first produces antibiotic-resistant, bioluminescent colonies of
S. stipitis
whose bioluminescence highlights those clones that have been genetically modified; then second, once candidate clones have been confirmed, one uses a transient Cas9-producing plasmid to nullify the antibiotic resistance and bioluminescent markers from the prior introduction, thereby producing non-bioluminescent colonies that highlight those clones which have been re-sensitized to the antibiotic and are therefore susceptible to another round of BLINCAR implementation.

IMPORTANCE

Cellulose and hemicellulose that comprise a large portion of sawdust, leaves, and grass can be valuable sources of fermentable sugars for ethanol production. However, some of the sugars liberated from hemicellulose (like xylose) are not easily fermented using conventional glucose-fermenting yeast like
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, so engineering robust xylose-fermenting yeast that is not inhibited by other components liberated from cellulose/hemicellulose will be important for maximizing yield and making lignocellulosic ethanol fermentation cost efficient. The yeast
Scheffersomyces stipitis
is one such yeast that can ferment xylose; however, it possesses several barriers to genetic manipulation. It is difficult to transform, has only a few antibiotic resistance markers, and uses an alternative genetic code from most other organisms. We developed a genetic toolset for
S. stipitis
that lowers these barriers and allows a user to deliver and/or delete multiple genetic elements to/from the wild-type genome, thereby expanding
S. stipitis’s
potential.
Longitudinal Variations in the
tprK
Gene of Treponema pallidum in an Amoy Strain-Infected Rabbit Model
Authors: Liu Dan , Chen Rui , He Yun , Wang Yong-jing , Lin Li-Rong , Liu Li-Li , Yang Tian-Ci , Tong Man-Li
Published: June 2023

The
tprK
variations are an important factor in persistent
T. pallidum
infection. A nearly clonal isolate has been used previously to investigate the mechanism of
tprK
gene variations; however, clinical
T. pallidum
isolates in infected humans exhibit multiple heterogeneous
tprK
sequences.
Evaluation of Ortho VITROS and Roche Elecsys S and NC Immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2 Serosurveillance Applications
Authors: Sulaeman Hasan , Grebe Eduard , Dave Honey , McCann Lily , Di Germanio Clara , Sanghavi Aditi , Sclar Victoria , Bougie Daniel W. , Chatelain Garrick , Biggerstaff Brad J. , Jones Jefferson M. , Thornburg Natalie J. , Kleinman Steve , Stone Mars , Busch Michael P.
Published: June 2023

Seroprevalence studies like the U.S. Nationwide Blood Donor Seroprevalence Study (NBDS) have been critical in monitoring SARS-CoV-2 epidemic activity.
Runge–Lenz Operator in the Momentum Space
Authors: Efimov S. P.
Published: June 2023

The fundamental quantum Coulomb problem in the momentum space is considered. A differential equation with SO(4) symmetry has been obtained in the momentum space instead of the integral Fock equation. The corresponding equation in the coordinate space is the sum of the squares of the angular momentum and Runge–Lenz operators. This approach is unknown in the momentum space where the Runge–Lenz operator is not applied. The Runge–Lenz operator obtained in the momentum space is simpler than that in the coordinate space and allows one to effectively consider the Coulomb problem in the momentum space. A relation of new operator to the infinitesimal rotation operator of the three-dimensional Fock sphere has been determined.
Spin–Orbit Interaction in ZnO/MgxZn1 – xO Heterojunctions Probed by Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy
Authors: Khisameeva A. R. , Shchepetilnikov A. V. , Dremin A. A. , Kukushkin I. V.
Published: June 2023

The spin–orbit interaction in a series of ZnO/MgxZn1 – xO heterojunctions containing a two-dimensional electron system with a wurtzite structure has been studied in detail. The spin–orbit coupling constants have been determined from the analysis of the modification of the single-particle g-factor caused by the spin–orbit interaction in the quantum Hall effect regime. The g-factor has been measured with high accuracy by the electron paramagnetic resonance technique in wide ranges of magnetic fields and electromagnetic frequencies. The spin–orbit coupling constants have been determined for a series of samples with different Mg concentrations, which has allowed us to obtain the dependence of the spin–orbit coupling constant on the two-dimensional electron density n. The measured spin–orbit coupling constant is in the range of 0.5–0.8 meV Å and quite weakly depends on n. The coefficients specifying the linear and cubic contributions to the spin–orbit interaction determined from the approximation of the experimental data are α0 = 0.48 meV Å and γ = 0.12 eV Å3, respectively. These values are correlated with results obtained by other research groups.
Excitonic Order in Strongly Correlated Systems with the Spin Crossover
Authors: Orlov Yu. S. , Nikolaev S. V. , Ovchinnikov S. G.
Published: June 2023

Features of the formation of the magnetic structure and the exciton Bose–Einstein condensate phase of magnetic excitons in strongly correlated systems near the spin crossover have been considered with the effective Hamiltonian obtained from the two-band Hubbard–Kanamori model. The coexistence of antiferromagnetism and exciton condensate, as well as the appearance of the long-range excitonic antiferromagnetic order even in the absence of the interatomic exchange interaction, has been revealed. The role of the electron–phonon coupling has been considered.
On the Possibility of Converting Linearly Polarized Attosecond Pulses of High Harmonics into Circularly Polarized Pulses with an Increase in the Energy in an Optically Modulated Neon-Like Active Medium of an X-Ray Plasma Laser
Authors: Khairulin I. R. , Antonov V. A. , Ryabikin M. Yu.
Published: June 2023

A method is proposed for converting linearly polarized radiation of a single harmonic or a combination of high-order harmonics of an optical field, which form a train of subfemto-/attosecond pulses, into elliptically and, in particular, circularly polarized radiation in an optically modulated neon-like active medium of an X‑ray plasma laser. It is shown that this method can provide a high energy efficiency of radiation conversion due to the amplification of the harmonic field, and is also insensitive to changes in the number of high harmonics that form the amplified pulses. The possibility of experimental implementation of the method is considered on the example of an active plasma of neon-like Ti12+ ions with an unperturbed inverted transition wavelength of 32.6 nm.
Monitoring litter on Arctic and subarctic shorelines: current status and next steps for monitoring programs
Authors: Pollet Ingrid L. , Baak Julia E. , Feld Louise , Grøsvik Bjørn E. , Liboiron Max , Mallory Mark L. , Provencher Jennifer F. , Strand Jakob
Published: June 2023

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous, and the Arctic is no exception. One important step to understand the extent of the problem, and to monitor its impact is to have repeatable, comparable, and relevant measures across time and space that allow for the detection of marine litter trends. Arctic shorelines are a critical part of monitoring efforts. Pan-Arctic monitoring of litter on shorelines is also an essential component to examine global trends. Based on previous work examining litter in some regions of the Arctic, we suggest steps towards more harmonized protocols that include community-based monitoring, crowdsourced science programs, and science team-based surveys that are specific for the Arctic. Specifically, we recommend that shoreline survey sites for long-term monitoring be established where possible and be at least 50 m and surveys carried out at regular intervals of at least twice a year by any type of research team. Criteria for the selection of sites should be grounded in Indigenous and other local community and regional priorities, and should result in representation of both remote shorelines impacted by distant-source marine litter and shorelines impacted by more local sources. Results of any Arctic shoreline litter surveys should be made regularly available either through publications which include data sets, and/or accessible databases to promote regional comparisons and trend analysis across the pan-Arctic.
Multi-type solitary wave solutions of Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation
Authors: Waheed Asif , Inc Mustafa , Bibi Nimra , Javeed Shumaila , Zeb Muhammad , Zafar Zain Ul Abadin
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we explore how to generate solitary, peakon, periodic, cuspon and kink wave solution of the well-known partial differential equation Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) by using exp-function and modified exp-function methods. The presented methods construct more efficiently almost all types of soliton solution of KdV equation that can be rarely seen in the history. These methods appear to be straightforward and symbolic calculations are used to solve the problem. All resulting answers are verified for accuracy using the symbolic computation program with [Formula: see text]. To show the physical appearance of the model, 3D plots of all the generated solutions are then displayed. The obtained solutions revealed the compatibility of the proposed techniques which provide the general solution with some free parameters. This is the key benefit of these methods over the other methods.
Lost in Afghanistan: Can the World Take ICT4D Seriously?
Authors: Zaman Tariq
Published: June 2023

Seeking to maximize the value of information and communication technologies for development research.
Unleashing the Power of Deep Learning
Authors: Sze Vivienne
Published: June 2023

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The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Vivienne Sze on how to take greatest advantage of deep learning systems.
Accelerating Optical Communications with AI
Authors: Edwards Chris
Published: June 2023

Communications efficiency helps bring photonics to artificial intelligence.
Offline and Online Algorithms for SSD Management
Authors: Lange Tomer , Naor Joseph (Seffi) , Yadgar Gala
Published: June 2023

Flash-based solid-state drives (SSDs) are a key component in most computer systems, thanks to their ability to support parallel I/O at sub-millisecond latency and consistently high throughput. At the same time, due to the limitations of the flash media, they perform writes out-of-place, often incurring a high internal overhead which is referred to as write amplification. Minimizing this overhead has been the focus of numerous studies by the systems research community for more than two decades. The abundance of system-level optimizations for reducing SSD write amplification, which is typically based on experimental evaluation, stands in stark contrast to the lack of theoretical algorithmic results in this problem domain. To bridge this gap, we explore the problem of reducing write amplification from an algorithmic perspective, considering it in both offline and online settings. In the offline setting, we present a near-optimal algorithm. In the online setting, we first consider algorithms that have no prior knowledge about the input and show that in this case, the greedy algorithm is optimal. Then, we design an online algorithm that uses predictions about the input. We show that when predictions are relatively accurate, our algorithm significantly improves over the greedy algorithm. We complement our theoretical findings with an empirical evaluation of our algorithms, comparing them with the state-of-the-art scheme. The results confirm that our algorithms exhibit an improved performance for a wide range of input traces.
Learning to Live with Privacy-Preserving Analytics
Authors: Acquisti Alessandro , Steed Ryan
Published: June 2023

Seeking to close the gap between research and real-world applications of PPAs.
Identification of cell division cycle protein 20 in various forms of acute and chronic kidney injury in mice
Authors: Swanson Mallory , Yun Jiyoung , Collier Daniel M. , Seif Connor , Yang Chao-Yie , Regner Kevin R. , Park Frank
Published: June 2023

To our knowledge, this is the first study to characterize the expression and localization of cell division cycle 20 protein (CDC20) in normal and acute, and chronically injured kidneys. Tubular epithelial cell damage was markedly reduced through the administration of a selective inhibitor of CDC20, Apcin. This study provides new evidence that CDC20 can be induced in damaged kidney cells and negatively impact the recovery of the kidney following acute kidney injury.
Blood flow restriction training activates the muscle metaboreflex during low-intensity sustained exercise
Authors: Mannozzi Joseph , Al-Hassan Mohamed-Hussein , Kaur Jasdeep , Lessanework Beruk , Alvarez Alberto , Massoud Louis , Aoun Kamel , Spranger Marty , O’Leary Donal S.
Published: June 2023

Blood flow restriction training (BFRT) increases muscle mass, strength, and endurance. There has been minimal consideration of the reflex cardiovascular responses that could be elicited during BFRT sessions. We showed that during low-intensity exercise BFRT may trigger large reflex increases in blood pressure and sympathetic activity due to muscle metaboreflex activation. Thus, we urge caution when employing BFRT, especially in patients in whom exaggerated cardiovascular responses may occur that could cause sudden, adverse cardiovascular events.
Diagnosis and Management of Polyorchidism: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Kanbar Anthony , Dabal Charbel , El Khoury Joey , Halabi Rami , Assaf Serge , Mina Anthony , Breidi Sabine , Abdessater Maher , El Khoury Raghid
Published: June 2023

Polyorchidism, or supernumerary testis, is a rare congenital abnormality of the genitourinary system. In this paper, we present the case of triorchidism in a seven-year-old asymptomatic child with a suspect left scrotal mass detected on routine physical examination. Imaging studies revealed a third testicle in the left hemiscrotum, with comparable dimensions, signal intensity on MRI, and Doppler flow on ultrasound with the ipsilateral testis. We also discuss the clinical presentations, classifications, and current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of this condition.
The Leakage Identification and Location of Ship Pipeline System Based on Vibration Signal Processing
Authors: Su Pan , Wu JieChang , Chang Guanghui , Liu Shuyong , Feng Xuejiao
Published: June 2023

The leakage of the ship’s pipeline system will bring great risks to the engine equipment and seriously threaten the vitality of the ship. In this paper, the pipeline leakage detection and localization research are carried out based on the vibration signal generated by pipeline leakage. First, the finite element model of the pipeline is constructed to obtain the variation law of the vibration signal when the pipeline leaks are carried out. Second, the vibration signal is processed based on the variational mode decomposition (VMD) and radial basis function (RBF) neural networks. The wavelet packet threshold noise reduction is conducted before signal decomposition to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. Then, the denoised signal is decomposed by VMD. The effective component is identified by analyzing the correlation coefficient between the component and the denoised signal. The center frequency and energy of the effective component are used as feature vector to train the RBF neural network to identify and locate leakage. Finally, a pipeline leakage test platform is built under laboratory conditions. After processing the data samples collected from the test, the RBF neural network is trained to identify and locate leaks. The test sample identification results show that the leak identification and localization method based on VMD-RBF has a high accuracy.
Supplemental Figure 3 from Trimodality Therapy Improves Disease Control in Radiation-Associated Angiosarcoma of the Breast
Authors: Degnim Amy C. , Siontis Brittany L. , Ahmed Safia K. , Hoskin Tanya L. , Hieken Tina J. , Jakub James W. , Baum Christian L. , Day Courtney , Schrup Sarah E. , Smith Lauren , Carter Jodi M. , Sae Kho Tiffany M. , Glazebrook Katrina N. , Vijayasekaran Aparna , Okuno Scott H. , Petersen Ivy A.
Published: June 2023

Supplemental Figure 3. Kaplan Meier survival curve of distant recurrence free survival (DRFS).
Supplementary Figure 5 from Granulocyte–Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Influence on Soluble and Membrane-Bound ICOS in Combination with Immune Checkpoint Blockade
Authors: Li Xiaoyu , Li Jingjing , Zheng Yue , Lee Sandra J. , Zhou Jun , Giobbie-Hurder Anita , Butterfield Lisa H. , Dranoff Glenn , Hodi F. Stephen
Published: June 2023

Supplementary figure 5
Supplementary Table 2 from Systemic Alterations in Type-2 Conventional Dendritic Cells Lead to Impaired Tumor Immunity in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: James C. Alston , Baer John M. , Zou Chong , Panni Usman Y. , Knolhoff Brett L. , Hogg Graham D. , Kingston Natalie L. , Kang Liang-I. , Lander Varintra E. , Luo Jingqin , Tao Yu , Watson Mark A. , Aft Rebecca , Fields Ryan C. , Hawkins William G. , DeNardo David G.
Published: June 2023

Supplementary Table 2
Supplementary Figure 2 from Granulocyte–Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Influence on Soluble and Membrane-Bound ICOS in Combination with Immune Checkpoint Blockade
Authors: Li Xiaoyu , Li Jingjing , Zheng Yue , Lee Sandra J. , Zhou Jun , Giobbie-Hurder Anita , Butterfield Lisa H. , Dranoff Glenn , Hodi F. Stephen
Published: June 2023

Supplementary figure 2