bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post‐traumatic stress, prevalence of temporomandibular disorders in war veterans: Systematic review with meta‐analysis
Authors: Minervini Giuseppe , Franco Rocco , Marrapodi Maria Maddalena , Fiorillo Luca , Cervino Gabriele , Cicciù Marco
Published: June 2023

Introduction

The physical and psychological effects of war are not always easy to detect, but they can be far‐reaching and long‐lasting. One of the physical effects that may result from war stress is temporomandibular disorder (TMD).

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence of TMD sign and symptoms among war veterans diagnosed with PTSD.

Methods

We systematically searched in Web of Science, PubMed and Lilacs for articles published from the inception until 30 December 2022. All documents were assessed for eligibility based on the following Population, Exposure, Comparator and Outcomes (PECO) model: (P) Participants consisted of human subjects. (E) The Exposure consisted of exposition to war. (C) The Comparison was between war veterans (subjects exposed to war) and subjects not exposed to war. (O) The Outcome consisted of presence of temporomandibular disorders sign or symptoms (we considered pain to muscle palpation in war veterans).

Results

Forty studies were identified at the end of the research. We chose only four study to draw up the present systematic study. The included subjects were 596. Among them, 274 were exposed to war, whereas the remaining 322 were not exposed to war stress. Among those exposed to war, 154 presented sign/symptoms of TMD (56.2%) whereas only 65 of those not exposed to war (20.18%). The overall effect revealed that subjects exposed to war and diagnosed with PTSD had a higher prevalence of TMD signs (pain at muscle palpation) than controls (RR 2.21; 95% CI: 1.13–4.34), showing an association PTSD war‐related and TMD.

Conclusions

War can cause lasting physical and psychological damage that can lead to chronic diseases. Our results clearly demonstrated that war exposure, directly or indirectly, increases the risk of developing TMJ dysfunction and TMD sign/symptoms.
Where digital meets physical innovation: Reverse salients and the unrealized dreams of3Dprinting
Authors: Rayna Thierry , West Joel
Published: June 2023

For more than three decades, enthusiasts have predicted that direct manufacturing enabled by 3D printing would inevitably supplant traditional manufacturing methods. Alas, for nearly as long, these utopian predictions have failed to materialize. One reason is a flawed assumption that hybrid digital‐physical systems such as 3D printing would advance as rapidly as purely digital innovations enabled by Moore's law. Instead, like other examples of cyber‐physical systems (CPSs), technological progress in 3D printing faces inherent limitations that are emblematic of the differences between CPSs and purely digital innovations. As with any complex CPS, improved performance of a 3D printing system has been limited by that of its key components—the sort of limiting problem previously defined as a reverse salient. Unlike previously studied technologies, several reverse salients for 3D printing performance have neither resolved nor signs of resolving soon. Here we analyze these key reverse salients, and show how they have hampered the suitability of 3D printing for direct manufacturing and other predicted applications. We contrast predicted versus actual capabilities for 3D printing‐enabled transformation in six key areas: product innovation, mass customization, home fabrication, distributed manufacturing, supply chain optimization and business model innovation. From this, we suggest opportunities for greater realism in future 3D printing research, as well as broader implications for our understanding of CPSs and reverse salients.
Video brochures in a mailed fecal immunochemical test outreach program provide cancer screening information in a user‐friendly format for rural Appalachian community members
Authors: Katz Mira L. , Shoben Abigail B. , Newell Sabrina , Hall Christina , Emerson Brent , Gray Darrell M. , Chakraborty Subhankar , Reiter Paul L.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is recommended for average‐risk adults, yet many adults are not up‐to‐date with screening. One recommended CRC screening approach is the annual completion of a fecal immunochemical test (FIT). However, usually, fewer than half of mailed FIT tests are returned.

Methods

To address barriers to FIT return, a video brochure was developed providing targeted CRC screening information and step‐by‐step FIT instructions as a component in a mailed FIT program. This pilot study occurred in 2021‐2022 and partnered with a federally qualified health center in Appalachian Ohio to send a FIT to patients who were 50‐64 years old, of average risk, and not up‐to‐date on CRC screening. Patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups that differed on materials sent with the FIT: usual care (manufacturer's instructions), a video brochure (video instructions, disposable gloves, disposable stool collection device), or an audio brochure (audio instructions, disposable gloves, disposable stool collection device).

Findings

Overall, 16 of 94 patients (17%) returned the FIT, and return was higher among those sent the video brochure (28%) compared to the other 2 groups (OR: 3.1; 95% CI: 1.02, 9.2;P= .046). Two patients had positive tests and were referred for colonoscopy. Patients sent the video brochure reported the content was important, relevant, and made them think about completing the FIT.

Conclusions

Using a video brochure to provide understandable information in a mailed FIT kit is a promising strategy to improve CRC screening outreach programs in rural regions.
Connecting the complex chemistry of space in medical education
Authors: Gupta Shalini , Howden Stella , Moffat Mandy , Pope Lindsey , Kennedy Cate
Published: June 2023

In the latest Medical Education Connections piece, Gupta et al. juxtapose four recent articles to outline the complex chemistry of space in medical education.
A feature extraction and deep learning approach for network traffic volume prediction considering detector reliability
Authors: Zou Xiexin , Chung Edward , Zhou Yue , Long Meng , Lam William H. K.
Published: June 2023

Accurate traffic volume prediction plays a crucial role in urban traffic control by relieving congestion through improved regulation of traffic volume. Network‐level traffic volume prediction and detector failure have rarely been considered in the literature. This paper proposes a framework based on long short‐term memory and the multilayer perceptron that can predict network‐level traffic volumes even with detector failure. A profile model learns the profile of the detector's signature (traffic pattern). Detectors with similar profiles are considered to have similar traffic patterns and are grouped into a cluster. Failed detectors can obtain reference information from similar detectors in the same cluster without additional information. A predictive model is developed for each cluster. The proposed method is validated using Japan Road Traffic Information Center data for three cities. The computational results indicate that the proposed method performs well both on typical days and atypical days (the COVID‐19 lockdown period and the 2021 Tokyo Olympics). Further, it considers detector reliability: the increase in mean absolute error is less than 1 veh/5 min when the probability of detector failure increases to 20%.
Evaluation of effects of brackets and orthodontic wires on intraoral scans: A prospective in‐vivo study
Authors: Palone Mario , Bellavia Marco , Floris Matteo , Rombolà Andrea , Cremonini Francesca , Albertini Paolo , Lombardo Luca
Published: June 2023

Objective

To evaluate any distortion produced by multibracket fixed orthodontic appliances on digital models obtained from intraoral scans (IOS), considering the presence of both brackets only and brackets/archwire combination.

Setting/Sample

The IOS data of the arches of 20 patients (12 females and 8 males; mean age = 15.55 ± 2.84 years) were acquired using the CS3600 intraoral scanner (Carestream Dental, Atlanta, USA), without any appliances (model A), with vestibular brackets alone (model B) and then with brackets and orthodontic archwire fitted (model C).

Materials and Methods

Data were acquired between the months of January and October 2021 at the moment of indirect bonding phase. On each model, five intra‐arch linear measurements were obtained (inter‐canine, inter‐premolar 1 and 2, inter‐molar and arch depth), and after digital matching between model A and B (match 1) and A and C (match 2), the linear discrepancies were evaluated at 20 points (10 occlusal and 10 gingivolingual) previous identified on the reference model A. All measurements were performed using Geomagic Control X software (3D Systems, Morrisville, USA), and any dimensional variations and distortions were evaluated by the linear regression analysis and two‐sample t‐test (P ≤ .05).

Results

The results show an almost perfect correlation between both models B and C and the reference model A, both as regards the intra‐arch linear measurements and the linear discrepancies found at the 20 identified points.

Conclusions

Multibracket fixed orthodontic appliances do not produce any relevant distortions in digital models obtained via intraoral scanning. Therefore, the removal of archwire is not mandatory before IOS.
Pediatric anesthetic for tracheobronchial foreign body extraction: A survey of practice in France
Authors: Loreau Chine , Caruselli Marco , Roncin César , Salvi Nadège , Lenoire Alexandre , Allary Chloé , De Queiroz Mathilde , Belghiti‐Alaoui Myriem , Michel Fabrice ,   Association des Anesthésistes Réanimateurs Pédiatriques d'Expression Française (ADARPEF)
Published: June 2023

Background

Tracheobronchial foreign body aspiration is a classic pediatric emergency, and its associated morbidity particularly depends on the anesthetic management, which differs according to the center and the practitioner.

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate the different anesthetic practices for tracheobronchial foreign body extraction.

Methods

A survey was sent via email to the member physicians of the Association des Anesthésistes Réanimateurs Pédiatriques d'Expression Française (ADARPEF). The survey included 28 questions about the organizational and anesthetic management of an evolving clinical case.

Results

A total of 151 physicians responded to the survey. Only 13.2% of the respondents reported that their institution had a management protocol, and 21.7% required a computerized tomography scan before the procedure was performed for children who were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic during the night. There were 56.3% of the respondents who reported that extraction with a rigid bronchoscope is the only procedure usually performed in their institution. Regarding rigid bronchoscopy, 47.0% used combined intravenous‐inhalation anesthesia. The objective was to maintain the child on spontaneous ventilation for 63.6% of the respondents, but anesthesia management differed according to the physician's experience.

Conclusions

Our study confirms the diversity of practices concerning anesthetic for tracheobronchial foreign body extraction and found reveal differences in practice according to physician experience.
Outcomes for 41 260 pediatric surgical patients with opioid‐free anesthesia: One center's experience
Authors: Martin Lynn D. , Franz Amber M. , Rampersad Sally E. , Ojo Bukola , Low Daniel K. , Martin Lizabeth D. , Hunyady Agnes I. , Flack Sean H. , Geiduschek Jeremy M.
Published: June 2023

Background

Opioid use is common and associated with side effects and risks. Consequently, analgesic strategies to reduce opioid utilization have been developed. Regional anesthesia and multimodal strategies are central tenets of enhanced recovery pathways and facilitate reduced perioperative opioid use. Opioid‐free anesthesia (OFA) protocols eliminate all intraoperative opioids, reserving opioids for postoperative rescue treatment. Systematic reviews show variable results for OFA.

Methods

In a series of Quality Improvement (QI) projects, multidisciplinary teams developed interventions to test and spread OFA first in our ambulatory surgery center (ASC) and then in our hospital. Outcome measures were tracked using statistical process control charts to increase the adoption of OFA.

Results

Between January 1, 2016, and September 30, 2022, 19 872 of 28 574 ASC patients received OFA, increasing from 30% to 98%. Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) maximum pain score, opioid‐rescue rate, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) treatment all decreased concomitantly. The use of OFA now represents our ambulatory standard practice. Over the same timeframe, the spread of this practice to our hospital led to 21 388 of 64 859 patients undergoing select procedures with OFA, increasing from 15% to 60%. Opioid rescue rate and PONV treatment in PACU decreased while hospital maximum pain scores and length of stay were stable. Two procedural examples with OFA benefits were identified. The use of OFA allowed relaxation of adenotonsillectomy admission criteria, resulting in 52 hospital patient days saved. Transition to OFA for laparoscopic appendectomy occurred concomitantly with a decrease in the mean hospital length of stay from 2.9 to 1.4 days, representing a savings of >500 hospital patient days/year.

Conclusions

These QI projects demonstrated that most pediatric ambulatory and select inpatient surgeries are amenable to OFA techniques which may reduce PONV without worsening pain.
Judge me on my losers: Do robo‐advisors outperform human investors during the COVID‐19 financial market crash?
Authors: Liu Che‐Wei , Yang Mochen , Wen Ming‐Hui
Published: June 2023

As financial institutions increasingly offer robo‐advisors (RAs) as a service, the empirical evidence on their performance, particularly during market downturns, remains limited. We study the impact of using RAs on investment performance during the 2020 financial crisis caused by the COVID‐19 global pandemic. We obtain daily portfolio and transaction data of investors on an online investment platform. Besides making investment decisions by themselves, investors can also leverage an RA system offered by the platform. We match RA users with other investors who did not use the RA with similar investor and portfolio characteristics before the market crash, then compare their portfolio returns after the crash. We find that RA users experienced significantly fewer losses during the market downturn, and this performance advantage came from the RA‐managed assets (rather than assets managed by RA users themselves). We further show that the RA system adjusted its portfolios to hold less risky funds, whereas human investors stayed with their status quo and did not reduce the risk of their portfolios, which partly accounted for the performance discrepancy. Importantly, the RA’s superior performance was not simply a continuation of its performance in a normal market; in fact, we find RA users to have similar portfolio returns as non‐RA investors during normal markets, and the benefits of RA's risk‐reduction trading strategy only manifested during the financial crisis. Our work offers an empirical assessment of RAs’ performance under different market conditions and advances the understanding of algorithmic decision making in financial markets.
Implementing trade‐in programs in the presence of resale platforms: Mode selection and pricing
Authors: Bai Xuanming , Choi Tsan‐Ming , Li Yongjian , Sun Xiaochen
Published: June 2023

Resale platforms such as Swappa and ThredUP, which provide a channel for product‐holders to sell used products, have become common. Interestingly, in the presence of resale platforms, some firms, such as Apple, set lower rebates for the trade‐in‐for‐upgrade (TU) mode instead of implementing the trade‐in‐for‐upgrade‐and‐cash (TUC) mode as Huawei does. In this paper, we build game‐theoretical models to explore how a firm should adjust its trade‐in strategy (e.g., choose pricing and mode selection between TU and TUC) in reaction to the emergence of third‐party resale platforms. We derive several insights. First, we find that using the TU mode helps to encourage consumer repurchases, whereas the TUC mode may have a greater promotion effect on consumers’ first purchases. Second, we show that in the TUC mode, the amount of the trade‐in rebate is not affected by the presence of the resale platform. Differently, in the TU mode, whether the firm should provide a more generous trade‐in rebate depends on the unit product cost when the resale platform is present. Third, in response to the resale platform, the firm should choose the TU mode to take advantage of the platform's promotion effect if the unit product cost is high and choose the TUC mode to avoid the platform's cannibalization effect if the unit product cost is low. To verify the robustness of our findings, we consider the effects of reduced consumer uncertainty and the dynamic pricing mechanism in the extended models. Our main findings concerning trade‐in rebate and mode selection remain valid.
Red or green: Overprinting of the climatic signal in Miocene sediments, South China Sea (IODP Expedition 368, Site U1502)
Authors: Ferré E. C. , Satolli S. , Wu H. , Persaud P. , Çukur D. , Bowden S. A.
Published: June 2023

Sedimentary beds of alternating red and green colour are commonly interpreted to reflect orbitally‐forced cyclic climatic, syn‐depositional conditions, although colour changes caused by post‐depositional fluids are also documented. Results from IODP Hole U1502A marine sediments in the South China Sea exemplify post‐depositional reducing fluid–rock interactions that locally changed the sediment colour from red to green. Petrographic, rock magnetic and paleomagnetic data on cores show that the red colouration originates from an early, basin‐wide, pervasive diagenetic oxidation event (forming haematite), whereas the green colouration results from subsequent fluid‐driven reduction (forming pyrrhotite‐magnetite). The dense sulfidic stockwork in the basaltic basement underlying these sediments was the likely source of reducing fluids. Drilling deep holes into marine basin basements can thus provide useful information on fluid transfer from the basement to the overlying sedimentary layers.
Menopause and mental health
Authors: Swaminathan Ajay , Lepping Peter , Kumar Geeta
Published: June 2023

Key content

Studies reveal a high prevalence of mental health issues around the menopause transition.

Menopausal symptoms are influenced by personal and environmental factors.

Beneficial effects of estrogen for menopausal depression have been reported.

An integrated care model for the management of mental health symptoms is recommended.

Evidence‐based management options include considering the impact of lifestyle changes, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and cognitive behavioural therapy.

Learning objectives

To understand the assessment and management of mental health issues in menopause

To understand the role of lifestyle modifications, HRT and alternatives to HRT in the management of menopause‐related mental health issues
Computed tomographic features of double aortic arch in six dogs
Authors: Shua‐Haim Tomer , Vilaplana Grosso Federico R. , Suarez Fuentes David , Giglio Robson Fortes , Balsa Ingrid , Case J. Brad
Published: June 2023

Double aortic arch (DAA) is a rare, congenital anomaly in small animals, resulting in a complete vascular ring encircling the esophagus and trachea, and subsequent compression of these organs. Few studies have reported utilizing CT angiography (CTA) for diagnosing DAA in dogs; thus, the imaging features are currently lacking in the literature. The objectives of this retrospective, multicenter, descriptive case series were to report the clinical and CTA characteristics of DAA in surgically treated cases. Medical records and CTA images were reviewed. Six juvenile dogs met the inclusion criteria (median age: 4.2 months; range: 2–5 months). The most common clinical signs included chronic regurgitation (100%), decreased body condition (67%), and coughing (50%). Common CTA features of DAA included a dominant left aortic arch (median diameter: 8.1 mm) and minor right aortic arch (median diameter: 4.3 mm; 83%), an aberrant right subclavian artery arising directly from the right aortic arch (83%), segmental esophageal constriction (100%), and variable degrees of dilation cranial to the heart base, and marked tracheal luminal compression (median percent change: –55%; 100%) and leftward curvature of the trachea at the level of the bifurcation of the aortic arches (100%). All dogs underwent successful surgical correction with only minor postoperative complications. Due to the similarity of clinical and imaging characteristics described to that of other forms of vascular ring anomalies (VRA), CTA is vital for the specific diagnosis of DAA in dogs.
Evaluation of the median nerve by shear wave elastography in patients with Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A
Authors: Huang Diandian , Meng Lingchao , Jiang Liu , Wang Zhaoxia , Chen Luzeng , Yuan Yun
Published: June 2023

Aims: Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) is characterized by enlargement and stiffness of peripheral nerves due to edema with large numbers of “onion bulbs” in the endoneurium. Ultrasound elastography seems to be an ideal method to detect this condition. The aim of this study was to analyze the shear wave elastography (SWE) features of peripheral nerves in patients with CMT1A. Material and methods: We included 24 CMT1A patients with a mean age of 28 years, along with 24 age- and gender-matched controls. All patients presented with mutations of the PMP22 gene and showed length-dependent polyneuropathy. The motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) of the median nerve ranged from 5.2 to 37.4 m/s. SWE and cross-sectional area (CSA) were used to evaluate the bilateral median nerves at predefined sites in both patients and con-trols. Results: The average elastography value (EV) of the median nerve was 73.5±11.7 kPa in patients with CMT1A and 37.5±6.1 kPa in control subjects. The difference between the two groups was statistically significant (P<0.05). In CMT1A pa-tients, the average EV at the proximal and distal parts of the median nerve were 81.4±9.4 kPa and 65.2±8.1 kPa, respectively. The average CSAs at the proximal and distal parts of the median nerve were 0.29±0.06 cm2 and 0.20±0.05 cm2, respectively. The EV on SWE was positively correlated with CSA (p< 0.01) and negatively correlated with MNCV in the median nerve (p< 0.01). Conclusions: Peripheral nerve stiffness dramatically increases in CMT1A and is correlated with the severity of nerve involvement.
Repurposing High-Throughput Screening Identifies Unconventional Drugs with Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities against Pseudomonas aeruginosa under Experimental Conditions Relevant to Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Di Bonaventura Giovanni , Lupetti Veronica , Di Giulio Andrea , Muzzi Maurizio , Piccirilli Alessandra , Cariani Lisa , Pompilio Arianna
Published: June 2023

Antibiotic resistance makes it urgent to design new strategies for treating pulmonary infections in CF patients. The repurposing approach accelerates drug discovery and development, as the drugs’ general pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological properties are already well known.
Climate Change Causes Salinity To Become Determinant in Shaping the Microeukaryotic Spatial Distribution among the Lakes of the Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang Plateau
Authors: Liu Changqing , Wu Fan , Jiang Xingyu , Hu Yang , Shao Keqiang , Tang Xiangming , Qin Boqiang , Gao Guang
Published: June 2023

Our findings have important implications for understanding the distribution patterns and the driving mechanisms of microeukaryotic communities among the lakes of the Inner Mongolia-Xinjiang Plateau and whether and how climate change directly or indirectly affects microeukaryotic communities. Our study also establishes the groundwork to use the lake microbiome for the assessment of aquatic ecological health and climate change, which is critical for ecosystem management and for projecting the ecological consequences of future climate warming.
Endovascular thrombectomy with or without thrombolysis bridging in patients with acute ischaemic stroke: protocol for a systematic review, meta-analysis of randomised trials and cost-effectiveness analysis
Authors: Morsi Rami Z , Zhang Yuan , Carrión-Penagos Julián , Desai Harsh , Tannous Elie , Kothari Sachin , Khamis Assem M , Darzi Andrea J , Tarabichi Ammar , Bastin Reena , Hneiny Layal , Thind Sonam , Coleman Elisheva , Brorson James R , Mendelson Scott , Mansour Ali , Prabhakaran Shyam , Kass-Hout Tareq
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Current published guidelines and meta-analyses comparing endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) alone versus EVT with bridging intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) suggest that EVT alone is non-inferior to EVT with bridging thrombolysis in achieving favourable functional outcome. Because of this controversy, we aimed to systematically update the evidence and meta-analyse data from randomised trials comparing EVT alone versus EVT with bridging thrombolysis, and performed an economic evaluation comparing both strategies.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a systematic review of randomised controlled trials comparing EVT with or without bridging thrombolysis in patients presenting with large vessel occlusions. We will identify eligible studies by systematically searching the following databases from inception without any language restrictions: MEDLINE (through Ovid), Embase and the Cochrane Library. The following criteria will be used to assess eligibility for inclusion: (1) adult patients ≥18 years old; (2) randomised patients to EVT alone or to EVT with IVT; and (3) measured outcomes, including functional outcomes, at least 90 days after randomisation. Pairs of reviewers will independently screen the identified articles, extract information and assess the risk of bias of eligible studies. We will use the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool to evaluate risk of bias. We will also use the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach to assess the certainty in evidence for each outcome. We will then perform an economic evaluation based on the extracted data.

Ethics and dissemination

This systematic review will not require a research ethics approval because no confidential patient data will be used. We will disseminate our findings by publishing the results in a peer-reviewed journal and via presentation at conferences.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022315608.
Clinical characteristics of carbapenem-resistantKlebsiella pneumoniaeinfection/colonisation in the intensive care unit: a 9-year retrospective study
Authors: Wang Fei , Zou Xiaocui , Zhou Boting , Yin Tao , Wang Ping
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Carbapenem-resistantKlebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP) infection/colonisation has been reported in hospitals. The clinical characteristics of CRKP infection/colonisation in the intensive care unit (ICU) have received little attention. This study aims to investigate the epidemiology and extent ofK. pneumoniae(KP) resistance to carbapenems, the sources of CRKP patients and CRKP isolates, and the risk factors for CRKP infection/colonisation.

Design

Retrospective single-centre study.

Data source

Clinical data were obtained from electronic medical records.

Participants

Patients isolated with KP in the ICU from January 2012 to December 2020.

Main outcome measures

The prevalence and changing trend of CRKP were determined. The extent of KP isolates resistance to carbapenems, the specimen types of KP isolates, and the sources of CRKP patients and CRKP isolates were all examined. The risk factors for CRKP infection/colonisation were also assessed.

Results

The rate of CRKP in KP isolates raised from 11.11% in 2012 to 48.92% in 2020. CRKP isolates were detected in one site in 266 patients (70.56%). The percentage of CRKP isolates not susceptible to imipenem increased from 42.86% in 2012 to 98.53% in 2020. The percentage of CRKP patients from general wards in our hospital and other hospitals gradually converged in 2020 (47.06% vs 52.94%). CRKP isolates were mainly acquired in our ICU (59.68%). Younger age (p=0.018), previous admission (p=0.018), previous ICU stay (p=0.008), prior use of surgical drainage (p=0.012) and gastric tube (p=0.001), and use of carbapenems (p=0.000), tigecycline (p=0.005), β-lactams/β-lactamase inhibitors (p=0.000), fluoroquinolones (p=0.033), and antifungal drugs (p=0.011) within the prior 3 months were independent risk factors for CRKP infection/colonisation.

Conclusions

Overall, the rate of KP isolates resistance to carbapenems increased, and the severity of this resistance significantly increased. Intensive and local infection/colonisation control measures are necessary for ICU patients, especially those with risk factors for CRKP infection/colonisation.
SARS-CoV-2 cross-sectional seroprevalence study among public school staff in Metro Vancouver after the first Omicron wave in British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Watts Allison W , Mâsse Louise C , Goldfarb David M , Irvine Mike A , Hutchison Sarah M , Muttucomaroe Lauren , Poon Bethany , Barakauskas Vilte E , O’Reilly Collette , Bosman Else , Reicherz Frederic , Coombs Daniel , Pitblado Mark , O’Brien Sheila F , Lavoie Pascal M
Published: June 2023

Objective

To determine the SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among school workers within the Greater Vancouver area, British Columbia, Canada, after the first Omicron wave.

Design

Cross-sectional study by online questionnaire, with blood serology testing.

Setting

Three main school districts (Vancouver, Richmond and Delta) in the Vancouver metropolitan area.

Participants

Active school staff enrolled from January to April 2022, with serology testing between 27 January and 8 April 2022. Seroprevalence estimates were compared with data obtained from Canadian blood donors weighted over the same sampling period, age, sex and postal code distribution.

Primary and secondary outcomes

SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antibody testing results adjusted for test sensitivity and specificity, and regional variation across school districts using Bayesian models.

Results

Of 1850 school staff enrolled, 65.8% (1214/1845) reported close contact with a COVID-19 case outside the household. Of those close contacts, 51.5% (625/1214) were a student and 54.9% (666/1214) were a coworker. Cumulative incidence of COVID-19 positive testing by self-reported nucleic acid or rapid antigen testing since the beginning of the pandemic was 15.8% (291/1845). In a representative sample of 1620 school staff who completed serology testing (87.6%), the adjusted seroprevalence was 26.5% (95% CrI 23.9% to 29.3%), compared with 32.4% (95% CrI 30.6% to 34.5%) among 7164 blood donors.

Conclusion

Despite frequent COVID-19 exposures reported, SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among school staff in this setting remained no greater than the community reference group. Results are consistent with the premise that many infections were acquired outside the school setting, even with Omicron.
A critical node identification approach for complex networks combining self-attention and ResNet
Authors: Lu Pengli , Luo Yue , Zhang Teng
Published: June 2023

Identifying critical nodes in complex networks is a challenging topic. There are already various crucial node identification methods based on deep learning. However, these methods ignore the interactions between nodes and neighbors when learning node representations, which result in node features learnt insufficient. To solve this problem, we propose a critical node identification model that combines self-attention and ResNet. First, we take degree centrality, closeness centrality, betweenness centrality and clustering coefficient as the features of nodes and use a novel neighbor feature polymerization approach to generate a feature matrix for each node. Then, the susceptible infection recovery (SIR) model is used to simulate the propagation ability of the nodes, and the nodes are categorized based on their propagation ability to acquire their labels. Finally, the feature matrix and labels of the nodes are used as inputs to the model to learn the hidden representation of the nodes. We evaluate the model with accuracy, precision, recall, the F1 index, the ROC curve, and the PR curve in five real networks. The results show that the method outperforms benchmark methods and can effectively identify critical nodes in complex networks.
Minimizing Total Weighted Late Work in a Proportionate Flow Shop with Job Rejection
Authors: Chen Ren-Xia , Li Shi-Sheng , Feng Qi
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we investigate a scheduling problem with optional job rejection in a proportionate flow shop setting, where the job processing times are machine independent. A solution to our problem is characterized by (i) partitioning the set of jobs into a set of accepted jobs and a set of rejected jobs, and (ii) scheduling the accepted jobs in a proportionate flow shop setting. The aim is to find a solution to minimize the sum of total weighted late work of the accepted jobs and total rejection cost of the rejected jobs. When all jobs share a common due date, we show that the single-machine case is [Formula: see text]-hard by reduction from the Subset Sum problem. When the operations of all jobs have equal processing times, we solve the case in [Formula: see text] time by reducing it into a linear assignment problem. For the general problem, we first provide a pseudo-polynomial-time algorithm via the dynamic programming method, then we convert it into a fully polynomial time approximation scheme. As a byproduct, we also resolve an open question in the literature.
Cosmological collider signals of non-Gaussianity from higgs boson in GUT
Authors: Maru Nobuhito , Okawa Akira
Published: June 2023

Cosmological Collider Physics gives us the opportunity to probe high-energy physics from observing the space–time fluctuations generated during inflation imprinted on the cosmic microwave background. In other words, it is a method to investigate physics on energy scales that cannot be reached by terrestrial accelerators by means of precise observations of the universe. In this paper, we focus on the case where the GUT scale is close to the energy scale of inflation, and calculate three-point function of inflaton by exchanging the Higgs boson in GUT at tree level. The results are found to be consistent with the current observed restrictions on non-Gaussianity without a drastic fine-tuning of parameters, and it might be possible to detect the signature of the Higgs boson in GUT by 21 cm spectrum, future LSS and future CMB depending on our model parameters.
Development of the microstructure of 2D graphene sheets in the molecular dynamics simulation of irradiation damage cascades
Authors: Wang Weilu , Wang Ke , Wenjuan Deng
Published: June 2023

Two-dimensional graphene is widely used in the nuclear industry, computer simulation of the physical process of graphene irradiation damage can assist the study of microscopic dynamic processes that cannot be directly observed in irradiation experiments. The irradiation-induced microstructural change of 2D graphene sheets was studied using molecular dynamics simulations with a maximum primary knock-on atoms (PKA) energy of 180[Formula: see text]keV. The results show that using direct observation, the defects generated during the cascade collision process can be divided into three types according to the generation mechanism: defects by PKA damage (DPD), instantaneous defects by shock wave rippling (DSR), and permanent defects by shock wave overlapping (DSO). The atomic configuration of the final stage consists of various topological polygons; in general, octagons and polygons with fewer than eight sides are bulged, while polygons with more than eight sides are depressed. The largest topological polygon found by the simulation is a 13-sided polygon. In addition to atoms with a coordination number of 3 (originating from the perfect lattice structure of graphene), atoms with coordination numbers of 2 and 4 are produced. Atoms with a coordination number of 4 are generally enclosed by four polygons that have no more than six sides, while atoms with a coordination number of 2 are generally located between two polygons that have at least six sides.
A New Adaptive Biased Voltage Differencing Transconductance Amplifier
Authors: Gupta Priyanka , Surbhi  , Aggarwal Yashika , Singh Utkarsh , Arya Shruti
Published: June 2023

An adaptive biased architecture of voltage differencing transconductance amplifier (AB-VDTA) with high transconductance gain is proposed in this paper. The proposed AB-VDTA is very efficient in terms of power. The structure proposed involves of two units namely two transconductance amplifiers (TAs) and two squarer. The bias current of the TA is made to vary with a square relation of the differential input voltage. Therefore, the proposed structure provides tunable gain depending on the input differential voltage. The proposed AB-VDTA exhibits improved transconductance gain, transient characteristics, reduced standby power dissipation and linearity for large range of inputs. The mathematical formulation has been presented to establish the characteristics of the proposed AB-VDTA. The proposed structure of AB-VDTA is validated through SPICE simulations using 180[Formula: see text]nm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The proposed scheme has an edge over the existing ones as the outlined methods enhance the transconductance gain by increasing the bias current. The [Formula: see text] values are observed to be 2.3 and 1.4[Formula: see text]mS for proposed AB-VDTA and conventional VDTA, respectively, with the corresponding 3[Formula: see text]dB frequencies 620 and 348[Formula: see text]MHz. Therefore, 64% improvement in transconductance gain is recorded for same value of bias currents. The linear input range of TA1 is observed to be [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mV and the overall linear range of the VDTA is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mV for the proposed AB-VDTA. The PVT analysis is carried out to show the effect of process corners. To check the robustness of the proposed VDTA, Monte Carlo analysis is performed, and results have been included in the form of histograms. As an application example, a current mode (CM) universal single input multiple output (SIMO) biquad filter is also designed using the proposed VDTA to show its usefulness, and a 2.7 times higher pole frequency is obtained at equal bias current.
A IETI-DP method for discontinuous Galerkin discretizations in isogeometric analysis with inexact local solvers
Authors: Montardini Monica , Sangalli Giancarlo , Schneckenleitner Rainer , Takacs Stefan , Tani Mattia
Published: June 2023

We construct solvers for an isogeometric multi-patch discretization, where the patches are coupled via a discontinuous Galerkin approach, which allows for the consideration of discretizations that do not match on the interfaces. We solve the resulting linear system using a Dual-Primal IsogEometric Tearing and Interconnecting (IETI-DP) method. We are interested in solving the arising patch-local problems using iterative solvers since this allows for the reduction of the memory footprint. We solve the patch-local problems approximately using the Fast Diagonalization method, which is known to be robust in the grid size and the spline degree. To obtain the tensor structure needed for the application of the Fast Diagonalization method, we introduce an orthogonal splitting of the local function spaces. We present a convergence theory for two-dimensional problems that confirms that the condition number of the preconditioned system only grows poly-logarithmically with the grid size. The numerical experiments confirm this finding. Moreover, they show that the convergence of the overall solver only mildly depends on the spline degree. We observe a mild reduction of the computational times and a significant reduction of the memory requirements in comparison to standard IETI-DP solvers using sparse direct solvers for the local subproblems. Furthermore, the experiments indicate good scaling behavior on distributed memory machines. Additionally, we present an extension of the solver to three-dimensional problems and provide numerical experiments assessing good performance also in that setting.
Constraining the bounce realization with holographic background and analytical exploration of the consequences in a modified gravity framework
Authors: Ghosh Moli , Chattopadhyay Surajit
Published: June 2023

The work reported in this paper explores holographic bounce. In the first phase of the study, we chose a non-singular bouncing scale factor. Then we reconstructed [Formula: see text] gravity and analytically derived constraints on the bouncing parameter [Formula: see text]. These constraints helped us understand the scale factor’s quintessence or phantom behavior. Furthermore, we also explored the statefinder parameters for reconstructed [Formula: see text] and observed the attainment of [Formula: see text]CDM fixed point. Next, we considered the multiplicative bouncing scale factor inspired by S. D. Odintsov and V. K. Oikonomou Phys. Rev. D 94, (2016) 064022. For this choice, we discussed the types of singularities realizable for different cases. Through the Talyor series expansion, we analytically presented cases and subcases for different ranges of [Formula: see text] of the scale factor. In the last phase of the study, we demonstrated holographic bounce with the choice of the multiplicative scale factor. In this case, we considered holographic Ricci dark energy and Barrow holographic dark energy. We concluded that it is possible to generate constraints on the bouncing parameter for its feasibility for the EoS parameter. We concluded that the realization of holographic bounce is possible, and different suitable constraints can be derived for this multiplicative bouncing scale factor focusing on the realization of cosmic bounce.
Stochastic quantization of laser propagation models
Authors: Sritharan Sivaguru S. , Mudaliar Saba
Published: June 2023

This paper identifies certain interesting mathematical problems of stochastic quantization type in the modeling of Laser propagation through turbulent media. In some of the typical physical contexts, the problem reduces to stochastic Schrödinger equation with space–time white noise of Gaussian or Poisson or Lévy type. We identify their mathematical resolution via stochastic quantization. Nonlinear phenomena such as Kerr effect can be modeled by a stochastic nonlinear Schrödinger equation in the focusing case with space–time white noise. A treatment of stochastic transport equation, the Korteweg–De Vries equation as well as a number of other nonlinear wave equations with space–time white noise is also given. The main technique is the S-transform (we will actually use the closely related Hermite transform) which converts the stochastic partial differential equation (PDE) with space–time white noise to a deterministic PDE defined on the Hida–Kondratiev white noise distribution space. We then utilize the inverse S-transform/Hermite transform known as the characterization theorem combined with the infinite-dimensional implicit function theorem for analytic maps to establish local existence and uniqueness theorems for path-wise solutions of this class of problems. The particular focus of this paper on singular white noise distributions is motivated by practical situations where the refractive index fluctuations in the propagation medium in space and time are intense due to turbulence, ionospheric plasma turbulence, marine-layer fluctuations, etc. Since a large class of PDEs, that arise in nonlinear wave propagation, have polynomial-type nonlinearities, white noise distribution theory is an effective tool in studying these problems subject to different types of white noises.
Best-Response Dynamics for Evolutionary Stochastic Games
Authors: Murali Divya , Shaiju A. J.
Published: June 2023

We introduce a version of best-response (BR) dynamics for stochastic games using the framework of evolutionary stochastic games proposed in [Flesch, J., Parthasarathy, T., Thuijsman, F. and Uyttendaele, P. [2013] Evolutionary stochastic games, Dyn. Games Appl. 3, 207–219]. This dynamics is defined on the simplex of all population distributions, as in classical evolutionary games. In this BR dynamics, it is shown that the set of all population distributions inducing Nash equilibria is globally asymptotically stable, for stable stochastic games. Also, if we transform the BR dynamics into the space of stationary strategies, the set of all Nash Equilibria is asymptotically stable. Another version of BR dynamics is defined in the space of stationary strategies for zero-sum stochastic games by [Leslie, D. S., Perkins, S. and Xu, Z. [2020] Best-response dynamics in zero-sum stochastic games, J. Econ. Theory 189, 105095]. To compare both versions of BR dynamics, we extend the evolutionary stochastic games model to asymmetric stochastic games and employ an equivalent definition of Nash equilibria. This comparison is illustrated using examples and it is observed that the trajectories of both versions of BR dynamics do converge to the same Nash equilibrium. The BR dynamics proposed in this paper has the advantage of being valid for nonzero sum stochastic games and conforms to both classical game dynamics and the dynamics of stationary strategies in stochastic games.
Steiner and tube formulae in 3D contact sub-Riemannian geometry
Authors: Barilari Davide , Bossio Tania
Published: June 2023

We prove a Steiner formula for regular surfaces with no characteristic points in 3D contact sub-Riemannian manifolds endowed with an arbitrary smooth volume. The formula we obtain, which is equivalent to a half-tube formula, is of local nature. It can thus be applied to any surface in a region not containing characteristic points. We provide a geometrical interpretation of the coefficients appearing in the expansion, and compute them on some relevant examples in three-dimensional sub-Riemannian model spaces. These results generalize those obtained in [Z. M. Balogh, F. Ferrari, B. Franchi, E. Vecchi and K. Wildrick, Steiner’s formula in the Heisenberg group, Nonlinear Anal. 126 (2015) 201–217; M. Ritoré, Tubular neighborhoods in the sub-Riemannian Heisenberg groups, Adv. Calc. Var. 14(1) (2021) 1–36] for the Heisenberg group.
Patch Loading Design Recommendations for Titanium–Clad Bimetallic Steel Plate Girder
Authors: Zhou Xuhong , Luo Zeqiao , Shi Yu , Xue Xuanyi
Published: June 2023

For steel structures service in corrosive environments, corrosion reduces the mechanical properties and effective thickness of the structural steel, which has a significant effect on the durability of steel structures. Titanium–clad bimetallic steel (TCBS), a bimetallic material composed of titanium alloy and carbon steel with excellent corrosion resistance has been suggested to solve the corrosion issue. The TCBS consisting of the TA1 titanium cladding and Q235 carbon steel substrate was introduced in the plate girder as the web to improve durability in this study. The stress–strain properties and failure performance of TCBS and Q235 carbon steel were discussed. Notably, the separation between the cladding and the substrate in the TCBS was observed during the necking stage in the tensile coupon test. Welding method between TCBS web and Q235 carbon steel flange was suggested for processing the plate girder, which was validated to be appropriate according to the experimental results. No crack in welding and TCBS web of plate girder was observed during the patch loading test. A numerical parametric study on the ultimate resistance of TCBS plate girder subjected to patch loading was conducted using the finite element software ABAQUS, in which three different key parameters were included. A comparison between the numerical and predicted results indicated that the design equations suggested in EN 1993–1–5 were too conservative to be directly used for predicting the ultimate resistance of the TCBS plate girder under patch loading, which was caused by the strain–hardening effect and yield plateau of the structural steel. The current design equations were modified to effectively predict the resistance properties of TCBS plate girders.