bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of daily thermal fluctuations on the Atlantic silverside, a fish with temperature‐dependent sex determination
Authors: Hancock Grace M. , Sancho Gorka , Munch Stephan B. , Salinas Santiago
Published: March 2023

Temperature‐dependent sex determination (TSD) occurs when the temperature during development affects gonad determination. Historically, most work on TSD in fishes was conducted under constant temperatures, yet daily fluctuating temperatures can significantly alter fish physiology and life history. Thus, we subjected the Atlantic silverside, Menidia menidia (a TSD species), to 28, 28 ± 2 and 28 ± 4°C (a high, masculinizing temperature) and quantified sex ratios and length. We found that the percentage of females increased by 60%–70% when the fish were exposed to daily fluctuating temperatures (from 10% to 16% and 17% under fluctuations).
Age, growth and maturity of the yellow stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis), a biannually reproductive tropical batoid
Authors: Schieber Jessica J. , Fahy Daniel P. , Carlson John K. , Kerstetter David W.
Published: March 2023

Urobatis jamaicensis is a coastal batoid species affected by habitat loss and small‐scale exploitation from fisheries and the aquarium trade, yet the life‐history information available is limited. This is the first study to assess the vertebral centra from 195 stingrays to estimate age and growth patterns, and compare them with the biannual reproductive pattern previously reported for this species. Age‐at‐size data were compared using five different growth models and found a two‐parameter von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF), the Gompertz model and a modified VBGF fit best for males, females and sexes combined, respectively. Maturity was achieved before 1 year. However, growth did not cease with the onset of maturity, but instead slowed down. Results from marginal increment analysis and edge analysis indicated a nonannual somatic growth pattern with influences from the biannual reproduction cycle where peaks in resource allocation may be focused on ovulation rather than growth during March when larger brood sizes are present, while resources may be allocated more towards growth during August and September when brood sizes are generally smaller. These results may be used as a proxy for species with similar reproductive patterns or for those that lack annual or seasonal growth patterns.
The role of starter diets in the development of skeletal abnormalities in zebrafish Danio rerio (Hamilton, 1822)
Authors: Antinero Ariel , Printzi Alice , Kourkouta Chara , Fragkoulis Stefanos , Mazurais David , Zambonino‐Infante Jose Luis , Koumoundouros George
Published: March 2023

Fish skeletal development has long been correlated with nutritional factors. Lack of zebrafish nutritional standardization, especially during the early stages, decreases the reproducibility of the conducted research. The present study represents an evaluation of four commercial (A, D, zebrafish specific; B, generic for freshwater larvae; C, specific for marine fish larvae) and one experimental (Ctrl) early diets on zebrafish skeletal development. Skeletal abnormalities rates in the different experimental groups were assessed at the end of the larval period (20 days post‐fertilization, dpf) and after a swimming challenge test (SCT, 20–24 dpf). At 20 dpf, results revealed a significant effect of diet on the rate of caudal‐peduncle scoliosis and gill‐cover abnormalities, which were relatively elevated in B and C groups. SCT results focused on swimming‐induced lordosis, which was comparatively elevated in diets C and D (83% ± 7% and 75% ± 10%, respectively, vs. 52% ± 18% in diet A). No significant effects of dry diets were observed on the survival and growth rate of zebrafish. Results are discussed with respect to the deferential diet composition between the groups and the species requirements. A potential nutritional control of haemal lordosis in finfish aquaculture is suggested.
Disparities in 30‐day readmission rates among Medicare enrollees with dementia
Authors: Gilmore‐Bykovskyi Andrea , Zuelsdorff Megan , Block Laura , Golden Blair , Kaiksow Farah , Sheehy Ann M. , Bartels Christie M. , Kind Amy J. H. , Powell W. Ryan
Published: March 2023

Background

Readmissions contribute to excessive care costs and burden for people living with dementia. Assessments of racial disparities in readmissions among dementia populations are lacking, and the role of social and geographic risk factors such as individual‐level exposure to greater neighborhood disadvantage is poorly understood. We examined the association between race and 30‐day readmissions in a nationally representative sample of Black and non‐Hispanic White individuals with dementia diagnoses.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study used 100% Medicare fee‐for‐service claims from all 2014 hospitalizations nationwide among Medicare enrollees with dementia diagnosis linked to patient, stay, and hospital factors. The sample consisted of 1,523,142 hospital stays among 945,481 beneficiaries. The relationship between all cause 30‐day readmissions and the explanatory variable of self‐reported race (Black, non‐Hispanic White) was examined via generalized estimating equations approach adjusting for patient, stay, and hospital‐level characteristics to model 30‐day readmission odds.

Results

Black Medicare beneficiaries had 37% higher readmission odds compared to White beneficiaries (unadjusted OR 1.37, CI 1.35–1.39). This heightened readmission risk persisted after adjusting for geographic factors (OR 1.33, CI 1.31–1.34), social factors (OR 1.25, CI 1.23–1.27), hospital characteristics (OR 1.24, CI 1.23–1.26), stay‐level factors (OR 1.22, CI 1.21–1.24), demographics (OR 1.21, CI 1.19–1.23), and comorbidities (OR 1.16, CI 1.14–1.17), suggesting racially‐patterned disparities in care account for a portion of observed differences. Associations varied by individual‐level exposure to neighborhood disadvantage such that the protective effect of living in a less disadvantaged neighborhood was associated with reduced readmissions for White but not Black beneficiaries. Conversely, among White beneficiaries, exposure to the most disadvantaged neighborhoods associated with greater readmission rates compared to White beneficiaries residing in less disadvantaged contexts.

Conclusions

There are significant racial and geographic disparities in 30‐day readmission rates among Medicare beneficiaries with dementia diagnoses. Findings suggest distinct mechanisms underlying observed disparities differentially influence various subpopulations.
Shade match comparison of CAD–CAM single crowns to a lithium disilicate crown
Authors: Li Rui , Lin Yu‐Chun , Sadid‐Zadeh Ramtin
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To assess the shade match ability of four varieties of all‐ceramic crowns to a neighboring bilayered lithium disilicate crown.

Material and methods

A dentiform was used to fabricate a bilayered lithium disilicate crown on the maxillary right central incisor, following the anatomy and shade of a selected natural tooth. Two crowns (one full‐contour, one cutback) were then designed on a prepared maxillary left central incisor, following the contour of the neighboring crown. The designed crowns were used to manufacture monolithic lithium disilicate, bilayered lithium disilicate, bilayered zirconia, and monolithic zirconia crowns, 10 each. An intraoral scanner and a spectrophotometer were used to assess the frequency of matched shades and to calculate the color difference (ΔE) between the two central incisors at the incisal, middle, and cervical thirds. Kruskal–Wallis and two‐way ANOVA were used to compare the frequency of matched shades and ΔE values, respectively (α = 0.05).

Results

There was no significant (p > 0.05) difference in frequencies of matched shades for each group at the three sites; except bilayered lithium disilicate crowns. Bilayered lithium disilicate crowns had significantly (p < 0.05) higher match frequency than monolithic zirconia at the middle third. The ΔE value was not significantly (p > 0.05) different among the groups at the cervical third. However, monolithic zirconia had significantly (p < 0.05) higher ΔE values than bilayered lithium disilicate and zirconia at the incisal and middle thirds.

Conclusions

Bilayered lithium disilicate and zirconia appeared to most closely match the shade of an existing bilayered lithium disilicate crown.
Improving efficiency of methods for hatchery production of the limpet Patella candei (Patellogastropoda: Patellidae)
Authors: Castejón Diego , García Loreto , Nogueira Natacha , Andrade Carlos A. P.
Published: March 2023

Patella candei d'Orbigny, 1840 is a valuable resource from the European Macaronesia. Limpet aquaculture is a recent research field that could contribute to reducing anthropogenic impact and developing appropriate restocking technologies. This study presents the results of 14 assays performed under laboratory culture conditions aimed at: (1) improving the larval production methodologies for limpets through the optimization of the artificial maturation of the oocytes and the sperm density required for fertilization and incubation, (2) validating a larviculture protocol for P. candei, and (3) evaluating rearing density effect on larvae performance until the pediveliger stage. Results obtained in the present study indicate that NH4OH is more efficient than KOH and NaOH to enhance the artificial maturation of the oocytes. The optimal combination was NH4OH at pH 9.0 for a duration of 20–30 min. The optimal sperm density was approximately 105 sperm cells mL−1 as in other limpet species. The larviculture method described hereby demonstrated to be efficient to obtain viable pediveligers, that is, the larval survival was high, and the artificial maturation did not influence negatively the posterior larval development. The rearing density, within a range from 2.5 to 30 larvae mL−1, showed minimal influence on survival and development.
Seeing plants as never before
Authors: Borisjuk Ljudmilla , Horn Patrick , Chapman Kent , Jakob Peter M. , Gündel Andre , Rolletschek Hardy
Published: March 2023

Imaging has long supported our ability to understand the inner life of plants, their development, and response to a dynamic environment. While optical microscopy remains the core tool for imaging, a suite of novel technologies is now beginning to make a significant contribution to visualize plant metabolism. The purpose of this review was to provide the scientific community with an overview of current imaging methods, which rely variously on either nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), mass spectrometry (MS) or infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and to present some examples of their application in order to illustrate their utility. In addition to providing a description of the basic principles underlying these technologies, the review discusses their various advantages and limitations, reveals the current state of the art, and suggests their potential application to experimental practice. Finally, a view is presented as to how the technologies will likely develop, how these developments may encourage the formulation of novel experimental strategies, and how the enormous potential of these technologies can contribute to progress in plant science.
Myopia control in Mendelian forms of myopia
Authors: van der Sande Emilie , Polling Jan Roelof , Tideman J. Willem L. , Meester‐Smoor Magda A. , Thiadens Alberta A. H. J. , Tan Emily , De Zeeuw Chris I. , Hamelink Ralph , Willuhn Ingo , Verhoeven Virginie J. M. , Winkelman Beerend H. J. , Klaver Caroline C. W.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To study the effectiveness of high‐dose atropine for reducing eye growth in Mendelian myopia in children and mice.

Methods

We studied the effect of high‐dose atropine in children with progressive myopia with and without a monogenetic cause. Children were matched for age and axial length (AL) in their first year of treatment. We considered annual AL progression rate as the outcome and compared rates with percentile charts of an untreated general population.

We treated C57BL/6J mice featuring the myopic phenotype of Donnai–Barrow syndrome by selective inactivation of Lrp2 knock out (KO) and control mice (CTRL) daily with 1% atropine in the left eye and saline in the right eye, from postnatal days 30–56. Ocular biometry was measured using spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography. Retinal dopamine (DA) and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) were measured using high‐performance liquid chromatography.

Results

Children with a Mendelian form of myopia had average baseline spherical equivalent (SE) –7.6 ± 2.5D and AL 25.8 ± 0.3 mm; children with non‐Mendelian myopia had average SE −7.3 ± 2.9 D and AL 25.6 ± 0.9 mm. During atropine treatment, the annual AL progression rate was 0.37 ± 0.08 and 0.39 ± 0.05 mm in the Mendelian myopes and non‐Mendelian myopes, respectively. Compared with progression rates of untreated general population (0.47 mm/year), atropine reduced AL progression with 27% in Mendelian myopes and 23% in non‐Mendelian myopes.

Atropine significantly reduced AL growth in both KO and CTRL mice (male, KO: −40 ± 15; CTRL: −42 ± 10; female, KO: −53 ± 15; CTRL: −62 ± 3 μm). The DA and DOPAC levels 2 and 24 h after atropine treatment were slightly, albeit non‐significantly, elevated.

Conclusions

High‐dose atropine had the same effect on AL in high myopic children with and without a known monogenetic cause. In mice featuring a severe form of Mendelian myopia, atropine reduced AL progression. This suggests that atropine can reduce myopia progression even in the presence of a strong monogenic driver.
Participant perspectives on the impact of receiving medically tailored meals on post‐hospitalization
Authors: Kelly Cheryl , Gleason Kathy , Drace Melanie , Steiner John F. , Schwartz Pam , Robinson Rachael , Boxer Rebecca S.
Published: March 2023

Objective

The objective of this program evaluation was to measure the impact of a medically tailored meals (MTM) intervention on participants’ self‐reported recovery and satisfaction while recovering from a recent hospitalization.

Design

A qualitative design was employed using a brief survey among all participants at the end of the intervention and phone interviews with a subset of participants.

Sample

Participants in this study were recently discharged from the hospital and were members of (redacted for review) who had received 2–4 weeks of MTM.

Measurements

The survey assessed overall satisfaction with the meals and perceived impact on their recovery after hospitalization (81% response rate). Interview questions asked how they felt the meals may have helped while recovering (e.g., helped them financially or with their ability to remain independent).

Results

Among survey participants, 65% were extremely or very satisfied with their meals. Reasons that MTM were helpful while they were recovering included having sufficient food to eat, having healthy food to eat, the convenience of the meals, and ease of preparing the meals.

Conclusions

Participants receiving MTM were generally very satisfied with the program. Including nutrition education and more flexibility in quantity and frequency of food may improve satisfaction and consumption of food.
A hospital‐based oral health education program impacts in pediatric cancer patients—A pilot study
Authors: Sampaio Maria Eduarda Alves , Bezerra Paula Maria Maracajá , Santos Fabio Gomes dos , Ribeiro Isabella Lima Arrais , Sousa Simone Alves de , Santiago Bianca Marques , Valença Ana Maria Gondim
Published: March 2023

Objectives

To assess the impact of an oral health education and preventive program (OHEPP) for pediatric cancer patients.

Methods

This was a single‐arm study with 27 children and adolescents undergoing antineoplastic treatments. Patients were followed up for 10 weeks, and their oral health conditions were evaluated using the Modified Gingival Index (MGI), Visible Plaque Index (VPI), and the modified Oral Assessment Guide (OAG). Audiovisual resources, storytelling, and ludic instruments were used to provide oral health education to patients and parents/caregivers.

Results

The patients’ mean age was 9.41 (±4.49) years, and acute lymphoblastic leukemia was the most prevalent diagnosis (22.2%). Mean MGI and VPI values were 0.82 (±0.59) and 54.11% (±19.92%) at baseline and 0.33 (±0.29) and 19.83% (± 11.47%) after 10 weeks, respectively (p < .05). The mean OAG score was 9.51 (±2.54) and 36 cases (19.8%) of severe oral mucositis (SOM) were documented. Patients with higher MGI were more likely to develop SOM.

Conclusion

The OHEPP had a positive impact on pediatric patients undergoing cancer therapy by improving their periodontal health, reducing biofilm accumulation, and preventing the development of OM lesions.
A new reproducing kernel‐based nonlinear dimension reduction method for survival data
Authors: Cui Wenquan , Xu Jianjun , Wu Yuehua
Published: March 2023

Based on the theories of sliced inverse regression (SIR) and reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS), a new approach RDSIR (RKHS‐based Double SIR) to nonlinear dimension reduction for survival data is proposed. An isometric isomorphism is constructed based on the RKHS property, then the nonlinear function in the RKHS can be represented by the inner product of two elements that reside in the isomorphic feature space. Due to the censorship of survival data, double slicing is used to estimate the weight function to adjust for the censoring bias. The nonlinear sufficient dimension reduction (SDR) subspace is estimated by a generalized eigen‐decomposition problem. The asymptotic property of the estimator is established based on the perturbation theory. Finally, the performance of RDSIR is illustrated on simulated and real data. The numerical results show that RDSIR is comparable with the linear SDR method. Most importantly, RDSIR can also effectively extract nonlinearity from survival data.
Direct and indirect impact of low energy availability on sports performance
Authors: Melin Anna K. , Areta José L. , Heikura Ida A. , Stellingwerff Trent , Torstveit Monica Klungland , Hackney Anthony C.
Published: March 2023

Low energy availability (LEA) occurs inadvertently and purposefully in many athletes across numerous sports; and well planned, supervised periods with moderate LEA can improve body composition and power to weight ratio possibly enhancing performance in some sports. LEA however has the potential to have negative effects on a multitude of physiological and psychological systems in female and male athletes. Systems such as the endocrine, cardiovascular, metabolism, reproductive, immune, mental perception, and motivation as well as behaviors can all be impacted by severe (serious and/or prolonged or chronic) LEA. Such widely diverse effects can influence the health status, training adaptation, and performance outcomes of athletes leading to both direct changes (e.g., decreased strength and endurance) as well as indirect changes (e.g., reduced training response, increased risk of injury) in performance. To date, performance implications have not been well examined relative to LEA. Therefore, the intent of this narrative review is to characterize the effects of short‐, medium‐, and long‐term exposure to LEA on direct and indirect sports performance outcomes. In doing so we have focused both on laboratory settings as well as descriptive athletic case‐study‐type experiential evidence.
Peer assessment of professionalism attributes
Authors: Vivekananda‐Schmidt Pirashanthie , Oldale Fran , Russell Jean , Sandars John
Published: March 2023

Background

Peer assessment can support the development of professionalism by providing feedback that enables learners to reflect on their professional behavioural attributes.

Approach

We developed and implemented an innovative online peer assessment and feedback tool. Students were encouraged to nominate 12 peer assessors to anonymously conduct their assessment. Assessors were presented with a list of 32 adjectives that described professional behavioural attributes within four domains (integrity, conscientiousness, agreeableness and resilience) and asked to rate the student by selecting a minimum of two adjectives in each domain and to provide free‐text comments. The feedback was presented as a collated word cloud and free‐text comments. All students had the opportunity to discuss their profiles with a staff member.

Evaluation

Our mixed‐methods evaluation found that all students participated, and they valued the peer assessment and feedback process. Although the assessment was formative and confidential, students were reluctant to provide negative comments about their peers. ‘Disengaged’, ‘aloof’ and ‘argumentative’ were the most likely negative adjectives that indicated students with low‐level professionalism concerns.

Implications

Future development will focus on introducing students who can act as peer champions for the process and repeating the peer assessment over time to identify the change in professionalism development.
Financializing Through Crisis? Student Housing and Studentification During the Covid‐19 Pandemic and Beyond
Authors: Revington Nick , Benhocine Celia
Published: March 2023

The emergence of purpose‐built student accommodation (PBSA) as a ‘global’ asset class has physically and socially transformed university cities through ‘new‐build studentification’ implicated in the financialization of urban space. Yet, the COVID‐19 pandemic has exposed the risk inherent in this asset's reliance on a narrow submarket, as students' domestic and international mobilities were temporarily disrupted. We interrogate PBSA providers' response to the pandemic through the analysis of real estate consultancy reports, firms' annual reports and other investor‐facing documents, in Africa, Australia, Europe and North America, demonstrating how the financialization of this niche sector is sustained through crisis. Tactics include building goodwill to expand market share, temporarily reorienting towards domestic students and operational strategies to cut costs and increase revenues. Despite the sector's optimism, these approaches amplify existing trends of finance‐driven new‐build studentification in university cities, characterized by uneven development, the privatization of student housing and deepening class and age segregation.
On a geometric combination of functions related to Prékopa–Leindler inequality
Authors: Crasta Graziano , Fragalà Ilaria
Published: March 2023

We introduce a new operation between nonnegative integrable functions on , that we call geometric combination; it is obtained via a mass transportation approach, playing with inverse distribution functions. The main feature of this operation is that the Lebesgue integral of the geometric combination equals the geometric mean of the two separate integrals; as a natural consequence, we derive a new functional inequality of Prékopa–Leindler type. When applied to the characteristic functions of two measurable sets, their geometric combination provides a set whose volume equals the geometric mean of the two separate volumes. In the framework of convex bodies, by comparing the geometric combination with the 0‐sum, we get an alternative proof of the log‐Brunn–Minkowski inequality for unconditional convex bodies and for convex bodies with n symmetries.
Hybrid Message-Passing Interface-Open Multiprocessing Accelerated Euler–Lagrange Simulations of Microbubble Enhanced HIFU for Tumor Ablation
Authors: Ma Jingsen , Deng Xiaolong , Hsiao Chao-Tsung , Chahine Georges L.
Published: March 2023

Microbubble enhanced high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is of great interest to tissue ablation for solid tumor treatments such as in liver and brain cancers, in which contrast agents/microbubbles are injected into the targeted region to promote heating and reduce prefocal tissue damage. A compressible Euler–Lagrange coupled model has been developed to accurately characterize the acoustic and thermal fields during this process. This employs a compressible Navier–Stokes solver for the ultrasound acoustic field and a discrete singularities model for bubble dynamics. To address the demanding computational cost relevant to practical medical applications, a multilevel hybrid message-passing interface (MPI)-open multiprocessing (OpenMP) parallelization scheme is developed to take advantage of both scalability of MPI and load balancing of OpenMP. At the first level, the Eulerian computational domain is divided into multiple subdomains and the bubbles are subdivided into groups based on which subdomain they fall into. At the next level, in each subdomain containing bubbles, multiple OpenMP threads are activated to speed up the computations of the bubble dynamics. For improved throughput, the OpenMP threads are more heavily distributed to subdomains where the bubbles are clustered. By doing this, MPI load imbalance issue due to uneven bubble distribution is mitigated by OpenMP speedup locally for those subdomains hosting more bubbles than others. The hybrid MPI-OpenMP Euler–Lagrange solver is used to conduct simulations and physical studies of bubble-enhanced HIFU problems containing a large number of microbubbles. The phenomenon of acoustic shadowing caused by the bubble cloud is then analyzed and discussed. Efficiency tests on two different machines with 48 processors are conducted and indicate 2–3 times speedup with the same hardware by introducing an OpenMP parallelization in combination with the MPI parallelization.
Light-Weight Design of Five-Degree-of-Freedom Hybrid Robot for Assembling in the Cabin
Authors: Lian Binbin , Feng Pan , Wu Jin , Ma Jintao , Zhang Yuan , Song Yimin
Published: March 2023

Interior assembling inside the cabin of an aircraft requires assembling robot to be light-weight and able to carry heavy payload. This paper proposed a hybrid robot and carried out its optimal design and experiments. The robot consists of a 1T2R parallel module and a 2T serial module. In the parallel module, the first limb is composed of a slider crank mechanism and a RS link. The other two limbs are PRS limbs. Herein, R, S, P are revolute, spherical, and actuated prismatic joints. Optimization of the robot concerns motion/force transmissibility, total mass, and stiffness. Hence, kinematic, stiffness, and mass modeling are implemented, and then the Pareto-based multi-objective optimization. Objective arrangements are discussed by concerning (1) the conflicting relation between mass and the minimal linear stiffness along z-axis and (2) the overall stiffness performance. After comparing six multi-objective optimizations, it is found that simultaneously regarding mass and minimal linear stiffness along z-axis as objectives is beneficial for obtaining large payload-to-mass ratio, moreover having overall stiffness as objectives would lower the values of motion/force transmissibility and payload-to-mass ratio. Finally, optimization model having motion/force transmissibility, total mass, and minimal linear stiffness along z-axis as objectives is selected. The optimal payload-to-mass ratio is up to 13.2837. The five degrees-of-freedom hybrid robot is machined and assembled. Experiments on the workspace, repeatability, and load carrying capacity confirm the performances of the designed robot.
Numerical and Experimental Analyses of a Partially Water-Filled Inclined Floating Body
Authors: Ji Song , Huang Heng , Chen Xujun , Liu Junyi , Chen Xi
Published: March 2023

Floating bodies are widely used in the field of offshore engineering. Existing studies show that the motion responses of a floating body in waves will change with the internal water in the cabins, and it is essential to analyze its hydrodynamic performance under various potential operating conditions. However, most of the research only considers the interaction between the floating body and the internal water in the upright position, and there has been little research on the inclined floating body caused by water partially filled in the broadside. In this study, a floating body with a plurality of longitudinal and transverse cabins was designed. The regular wave model test was carried out in a wave basin, and the numerical results were compared with the experimental results, which verified the accuracy of the model. The effects of wave direction, wave frequency, water-filling depth, and cabin division on the motion responses of the floating body are analyzed. The results show that the water inside the cabins has a significant impact on the roll motion. With the increase of the water-filling depth, the natural frequency of the roll motion decreases. Special attention should be paid to the impact on the wave direction and cabin division on the partially water-filled inclined floating body.
Developing Elastic–Plastic Material Models for Pressure Measurement Films in a Steel–Steel Contact for Smooth and Rough Surfaces
Authors: Stratmann Ina , Goersch Jannik , Neuser Moritz , Schindler Christian , Stratmann Tanja
Published: March 2023

The contact zone between two steel components can be identified by utilizing a pressure measurement film in the contact between them. To reduce the number of necessary experiments, it is possible to simulate the contact situation using “finite element analysis.” This analysis requires material models for the contact partners and for the pressure measurement films. It is known that the pressure measurement film deforms not only elastically but also plastically. Taking this plastic deformation into account requires an appropriate material model such as the Drucker–Prager model. Based on published data of experiments with pressure measurement films that had been inserted between smooth and rough Hertzian bodies, we developed material models for three pressure measurement films. The roughness of a Hertzian body was studied by determining multiple pressure–clearance curves for three different surface roughnesses and for three different pressure measurement films. These curves were developed with micromodels, which represented a small section of the rough contact surface. An average curve for each material was then implemented in the macromodel for each roughness representing the contact situation. Subsequently, the resulting contact areas were compared with the published experimental data. This comparison showed that the material model for the smooth contact was able to emulate the experimentally determined contact areas. Including the pressure–clearance curves in the material model allowed the simulation of the rough contact situation. However, the deviation between the simulated and the experimental data was slightly larger for the rough surface than for the smooth surface.
Bioconjugation of COL1 protein on liquid-like solid surfaces to study tumor invasion dynamics
Authors: Nguyen D. T. , Pedro D. I. , Pepe A. , Rosa J. G. , Bowman J. I. , Trachsel L. , Golde G. R. , Suzuki I. , Lavrador J. M. , Nguyen N. T. Y. , Kis M. A. , Smolchek R. A. , Diodati N. , Liu R. , Phillpot S. R. , Webber A. R. , Castillo P. , Sayour E. J. , Sumerlin B. S. , Sawyer W. G.
Published: March 2023

Tumor invasion is likely driven by the product of intrinsic and extrinsic stresses, reduced intercellular adhesion, and reciprocal interactions between the cancer cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM). The ECM is a dynamic material system that is continuously evolving with the tumor microenvironment. Although it is widely reported that cancer cells degrade the ECM to create paths for migration using membrane-bound and soluble enzymes, other nonenzymatic mechanisms of invasion are less studied and not clearly understood. To explore tumor invasion that is independent of enzymatic degradation, we have created an open three-dimensional (3D) microchannel network using a novel bioconjugated liquid-like solid (LLS) medium to mimic both the tortuosity and the permeability of a loose capillary-like network. The LLS is made from an ensemble of soft granular microgels, which provides an accessible platform to investigate the 3D invasion of glioblastoma (GBM) tumor spheroids using in situ scanning confocal microscopy. The surface conjugation of the LLS microgels with type 1 collagen (COL1-LLS) enables cell adhesion and migration. In this model, invasive fronts of the GBM microtumor protruded into the proximal interstitial space and may have locally reorganized the surrounding COL1-LLS. Characterization of the invasive paths revealed a super-diffusive behavior of these fronts. Numerical simulations suggest that the interstitial space guided tumor invasion by restricting available paths, and this physical restriction is responsible for the super-diffusive behavior. This study also presents evidence that cancer cells utilize anchorage-dependent migration to explore their surroundings, and geometrical cues guide 3D tumor invasion along the accessible paths independent of proteolytic ability.
A Methodological Checklist for Studies of Pleasure and Enjoyment Responses to High-Intensity Interval Training: Part I. Participants and Measures
Authors: Ekkekakis Panteleimon , Hartman Mark E. , Ladwig Matthew A.
Published: March 2023

For decades, the exercise psychology research literature echoed the conclusion that exercise makes most people feel better, with no clear evidence that this “feel-better effect” is moderated by intensity. An overhaul of the methodological approach subsequently showed that high-intensity exercise is experienced as unpleasant, and the “feel-better effect,” although possible, is conditional and therefore not as robust or prevalent as initially thought. Recently, several studies investigating high-intensity interval training (HIIT) have concluded that HIIT is pleasant and enjoyable, despite the high intensity. Considering that HIIT is emerging as an option in physical activity recommendations and exercise prescription guidelines, in part due to these claims, a methodological checklist is presented to aid researchers, peer reviewers, editors, and other readers in critically appraising studies examining the effects of HIIT on affect and enjoyment. This first part addresses the characteristics and number of participants, as well as the selection of measures of affect and enjoyment.
Biomimetic oxidative copolymerization of hydroxystilbenes and monolignols
Authors: Kim Hoon , Rencoret Jorge , Elder Thomas J. , del Río José C. , Ralph John
Published: March 2023

Hydroxystilbenes are a class of polyphenolic compounds that behave as lignin monomers participating in radical coupling reactions during the lignification. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of various artificial copolymers of monolignols and hydroxystilbenes, as well as low-molecular-mass compounds, to obtain the mechanistic insights into their incorporation into the lignin polymer. Integrating the hydroxystilbenes, resveratrol and piceatannol, into monolignol polymerization in vitro, using horseradish peroxidase to generate phenolic radicals, produced synthetic lignins [dehydrogenation polymers (DHPs)]. Copolymerization of hydroxystilbenes with monolignols, especially sinapyl alcohol, by in vitro peroxidases notably improved the reactivity of monolignols and resulted in substantial yields of synthetic lignin polymers. The resulting DHPs were analyzed using two-dimensional NMR and 19 synthesized model compounds to confirm the presence of hydroxystilbene structures in the lignin polymer. The cross-coupled DHPs confirmed both resveratrol and piceatannol as authentic monomers participating in the oxidative radical coupling reactions during polymerization.
Ampicillin-controlled glucose metabolism manipulates the transition from tolerance to resistance in bacteria
Authors: Jiang Ming , Su Yu-bin , Ye Jin-zhou , Li Hui , Kuang Su-fang , Wu Jia-han , Li Shao-hua , Peng Xuan-xian , Peng Bo
Published: March 2023

The mechanism(s) of how bacteria acquire tolerance and then resistance to antibiotics remains poorly understood. Here, we show that glucose abundance decreases progressively as ampicillin-sensitive strains acquire resistance to ampicillin. The mechanism involves that ampicillin initiates this event via targeting
pts
promoter and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) to promote glucose transport and inhibit glycolysis, respectively. Thus, glucose fluxes into pentose phosphate pathway to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) causing genetic mutations. Meanwhile, PDH activity is gradually restored due to the competitive binding of accumulated pyruvate and ampicillin, which lowers glucose level, and activates cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/cAMP receptor protein (CRP) complex. cAMP/CRP negatively regulates glucose transport and ROS but enhances DNA repair, leading to ampicillin resistance. Glucose and Mn
2+
delay the acquisition, providing an effective approach to control the resistance. The same effect is also determined in the intracellular pathogen
Edwardsiella tarda.
Thus, glucose metabolism represents a promising target to stop/delay the transition of tolerance to resistance.
An XBP1s–PIM-2 positive feedback loop controls IL-15–mediated survival of natural killer cells
Authors: Ma Shoubao , Han Jingjing , Li Zhenlong , Xiao Sai , Zhang Jianying , Yan Jiazhuo , Tang Tingting , Barr Tasha , Kraft Andrew S. , Caligiuri Michael A. , Yu Jianhua
Published: March 2023

Spliced X-box–binding protein 1 (XBP1s) is an essential transcription factor downstream of interleukin-15 (IL-15) and AKT signaling, which controls cell survival and effector functions of human natural killer (NK) cells. However, the precise mechanisms, especially the downstream targets of XBP1s, remain unknown. In this study, by using XBP1 conditional knockout mice, we found that XBP1s is critical for IL-15–mediated NK cell survival but not proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, XBP1s regulates homeostatic NK cell survival by targeting PIM-2, a critical anti-apoptotic gene, which in turn stabilizes XBP1s protein by phosphorylating it at Thr
58
. In addition, XBP1s enhances the effector functions and antitumor immunity of NK cells by recruiting T-bet to the promoter region of
Ifng
. Collectively, our findings identify a previously unknown mechanism by which IL-15–XBP1s signaling regulates the survival and effector functions of NK cells.
Sensitive detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms by conjugated polymers for personalized treatment of hypertension
Authors: Shen Qi , Zhang Honghong , Huang Yiming , Li Mingyu , Zhao Hao , Yang Zhiwen , Zhao Haijing , Liu Qi , Fu Zihao , Di Yufei , Liu Libing , Bai Haotian , Lv Fengting , Chen Yundai , Liu Yuqi , Wang Shu
Published: March 2023

Genetic variants among individuals have been associated with ineffective control of hypertension. Previous work has shown that hypertension has a polygenic nature, and interactions between these loci have been associated with variations in drug response. Rapid detection of multiple genetic loci with high sensitivity and specificity is needed for the effective implementation of personalized medicine for the treatment of hypertension. Here, we used a cationic conjugated polymer (CCP)–based multistep fluorescence resonance energy transfer (MS-FRET) technique to qualitatively analyze DNA genotypes associated with hypertension in the Chinese population. Assessment of 10 genetic loci using this technique successfully identified known hypertensive risk alleles in a retrospective study of whole-blood samples from 150 patients hospitalized with hypertension. We then applied our detection method in a prospective clinical trial of 100 patients with essential hypertension and found that personalized treatment of patients with hypertension based on results from the MS-FRET technique could effectively improve blood pressure control rate (94.0% versus 54.0%) and shorten the time duration to controlling blood pressure (4.06 ± 2.10 versus 5.82 ± 1.84 days) as compared with conventional treatment. These results suggest that CCP-based MS-FRET genetic variant detection may assist clinicians in rapid and accurate classification of risk in patients with hypertension and improve treatment outcomes.
Low yield from imaging after non-E. coliurine tract infections in children treated in primary care and emergency department
Authors: Tse Yincent , Pickles Charlie , Owens Stephen , Malina Michal , Peace Richard , Gopal Milan
Published: March 2023

Background

Imaging is recommended for selected children following urinary tract infections (UTIs) to look for actionable structural abnormalities. Non-E. coliis considered high risk in many national guidelines, but evidence is mainly drawn from small cohorts from tertiary centres.

Objective

To ascertain imaging yield from infants and children <12 years diagnosed with their first confirmed UTI (pure single growth >100 000 cfu per ml) in primary care or an emergency department without admission stratified by bacteria type.

Design, setting, patients

Data were collected from an administrative database of a UK citywide direct access UTI service between 2000 and 2021. Imaging policy mandated renal tract ultrasound and Technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid scans in all children, plus micturating cystourethrogram in infants <12 months.

Results

7730 children (79% girls, 16% aged <1 year, 55% 1–4 years) underwent imaging after first UTI diagnosed by primary care (81%) or emergency department without admission (13%).E. coliUTI yielded abnormal kidney imaging in 8.9% (566/6384).Enterococcusand KPP (Klebsiella,Proteus,Pseudomonas) yielded 5.6% (42/749) and 5.0% (24/483) with relative risks 0.63 (95% CI 0.47 to 0.86) and 0.56 (0.38 to 0.83)), respectively. No difference was found when stratified by age banding or imaging modality.

Conclusion

In this largest published group of infants and children diagnosed in primary and emergency care not requiring admission, non-E. coliUTI was not associated with a higher yield from renal tract imaging.
Centile reference chart for resting metabolic rate through the life course
Authors: Watson Laura , Cole Tim J , Lyons Greta , Georgiou Christopher , Worsley Jieniean , Carr Katherine , Murgatroyd Peter , Moran Carla , Chatterjee Krishna , Venables Michelle
Published: March 2023

Objective

Reference centile charts are widely used for the assessment of growth and have progressed from describing height and weight to include body composition variables such as fat and lean mass. Here, we present centile charts for an index of resting energy expenditure (REE) or metabolic rate, adjusted for lean mass versus age, including both children and adults across the life course.

Design, participants and intervention

Measurements of REE by indirect calorimetry and body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were made in 411 healthy children and adults (age range 6–64 years) and serially in a patient with resistance to thyroid hormone α (RTHα) between age 15 and 21 years during thyroxine therapy.

Setting

NIHR Cambridge Clinical Research Facility, UK.

Results

The centile chart indicates substantial variability, with the REE index ranging between 0.41 and 0.59 units at age 6 years, and 0.28 and 0.40 units at age 25 years (2nd and 98th centile, respectively). The 50th centile of the index ranged from 0.49 units (age 6 years) to 0.34 units (age 25 years). Over 6 years, the REE index of the patient with RTHα varied from 0.35 units (25th centile) to 0.28 units (<2nd centile), depending on changes in lean mass and adherence to treatment.

Conclusion

We have developed a reference centile chart for an index of resting metabolic rate in childhood and adults, and shown its clinical utility in assessing response to therapy of an endocrine disorder during a patient’s transition from childhood to adult.
High index of suspicion: diagnosing a carotid-cavernous fistula
Authors: Sarkis Yara , Worden Astin , Schreiber Torsten , Lapitz Alvaro
Published: March 2023

A woman in her 70s presented with acute bilateral retro-orbital headache, diplopia, chemosis and eye swelling. Ophthalmology and neurology were consulted after detailed physical examination and diagnostic workup including laboratory analysis, imaging and lumbar puncture. The patient was diagnosed with non-specific orbital inflammation and was started on methylprednisolone and dorzolamide–timolol for intraocular hypertension. The patient’s condition improved slightly, but a week later, she developed subconjunctival haemorrhage in the right eye, which prompted investigation for a low-flow carotid-cavernous fistula. Digital subtraction angiography showed bilateral indirect carotid-cavernous fistula (Barrow type D). The patient underwent bilateral carotid-cavernous fistula embolisation. Her swelling improved considerably on day 1 after the procedure and her diplopia improved over the following weeks.
Accurate detection and grading of pterygium through smartphone by a fusion training model
Authors: Liu Yuwen , Xu Changsheng , Wang Shaopan , Chen Yuguang , Lin Xiang , Guo Shujia , Liu Zhaolin , Wang Yuqian , Zhang Houjian , Guo Yuli , Huang Caihong , Wu Huping , Li Ying , Chen Qian , Hu Jiaoyue , Luo Zhiming , Liu Zuguo
Published: March 2023

Background/aims

To improve the accuracy of pterygium screening and detection through smartphones, we established a fusion training model by blending a large number of slit-lamp image data with a small proportion of smartphone data.

Method

Two datasets were used, a slit-lamp image dataset containing 20 987 images and a smartphone-based image dataset containing 1094 images. The RFRC (Faster RCNN based on ResNet101) model for the detection model. The SRU-Net (U-Net based on SE-ResNeXt50) for the segmentation models. The open-cv algorithm measured the width, length and area of pterygium in the cornea.

Results

The detection model (trained by slit-lamp images) obtained the mean accuracy of 95.24%. The fusion segmentation model (trained by smartphone and slit-lamp images) achieved a microaverage F1score of 0.8981, sensitivity of 0.8709, specificity of 0.9668 and area under the curve (AUC) of 0.9295. Compared with the same group of patients’ smartphone and slit-lamp images, the fusion model performance in smartphone-based images (F1score of 0.9313, sensitivity of 0.9360, specificity of 0.9613, AUC of 0.9426, accuracy of 92.38%) is close to the model (trained by slit-lamp images) in slit-lamp images (F1score of 0.9448, sensitivity of 0.9165, specificity of 0.9689, AUC of 0.9569 and accuracy of 94.29%).

Conclusion

Our fusion model method got high pterygium detection and grading accuracy in insufficient smartphone data, and its performance is comparable to experienced ophthalmologists and works well in different smartphone brands.