bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
All about power after all? A multi‐level analysis of employers’ organization membership in Europe
Authors: Lehr Alex , Jansen Giedo , Brandl Bernd
Published: April 2023

Employers’ organizations (EOs) are the voice of business interests in social partnership and socio‐economic policy making. Their legitimacy depends on the willingness of employers to join them as members. We examine the role of two types of power that EOs confer onto their members as drivers of EO membership: countervailing power against labour and organizational power. By analysing large‐scale micro‐level data on more than 30,000 business establishments across 27 EU countries in 2013 and 2019, we find that at the micro‐level, company size, workplace unionization and the presence of trade unions and works councils are positively associated with membership, as is union density at the macro‐level. These findings suggest that, in contrast to contemporary arguments in the EO literature, countering the collective power of labour remains an important motivation for EO membership. The positive impact of company size also suggests that organizational power, that is the ability to influence public policies and collective agreements through EOs, dominates the services provided by EOs to their members as a selective incentive for EO membership. Further tests of this argument, however, yield inconclusive results.
Upregulation of the ZNF148/PTX3 axis promotes malignant transformation of dendritic cells in glioma stem‐like cells microenvironment
Authors: Cheng Shan , Liu Liang , Wang Delin , Li Yongdong , Li Suwen , Yuan Jiaqi , Huang Shilu , Xu Zhipeng , Jia Bin , Li Zhe , Dong Jun
Published: April 2023

Background

The recent development of dendritic cell (DC)‐based immunotherapy has resulted in advances in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment. However, the cell fate of DCs in the GBM microenvironment, especially in microenvironments in which glioma stem cell (GSCs)‐mediated remodeling has resulted in highly immunosuppressive conditions, has not yet been fully investigated.

Methods

Observed the interaction between GSCs and primary cultured DCs in a dual‐color tracing model, monoclonal and continuously passaged highly proliferative DCs, and named transformed DCs (t‐DCs). The expression of DC‐specific surface markers was analyzed using RT‐PCR, chromosome karyotype, and flow cytometry. The expression of long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) and its transcription factor zinc finger protein 148 (ZNF148) in t‐DCs was detected using qRT‐PCR and western blot. CCK8 and transwell assays were conducted to assess the effect of ZNF148 and PTX3 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of t‐DCs. Bioinformatics analysis, dual‐luciferase reporter assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)‐qPCR assay were used to explore the relation between ZNF148 and PTX3.

Results

Transformed DCs (t‐DCs) still expressed DC‐specific surface markers, namely, CD80 and CD11c, and immune‐related costimulatory molecules, namely, CD80, CD86, CD40, and ICAM‐1. However, the expression levels of these molecules in t‐DCs decreased moderately compared to those in naive DCs. Stable overexpression of PTX3 further promoted the proliferation and migration of t‐DCs in vitro, decreased the expression of costimulatory molecules, and increased the tumorigenicity of t‐DCs in vivo. The transcription factor zinc finger protein 148 (ZNF148) was directly bound to the PTX3 promoter region and enhanced PTX3 expression. Downregulation of ZNF148 significantly decreased PTX3 expression and reduced the proliferation and migration of t‐DCs. Overexpression of ZNF148 significantly increased PTX3 expression and promoted the proliferation and migration of t‐DCs, achieving the same biological effects as PTX3 overexpression in t‐DCs. Simultaneously, the downregulation of ZNF148 partially reversed the effect of PTX3 overexpression in t‐DCs.

Conclusion

The ZNF148/PTX3 axis played an important role in regulating the malignant transformation of DCs after cross‐talk with GSCs, and this axis may serve as a new target for sensitizing GBM to DC‐based immunotherapy.
Consciousness, Exascale Computational Power, Probabilistic Outcomes, and Energetic Efficiency
Authors: Stoll Elizabeth A.
Published: April 2023

A central problem in the cognitive sciences is identifying the link between consciousness and neural computation. The key features of consciousness—including the emergence of representative information content and the initiation of volitional action—are correlated with neural activity in the cerebral cortex, but not computational processes in spinal reflex circuits or classical computing architecture. To take a new approach toward considering the problem of consciousness, it may be worth re‐examining some outstanding puzzles in neuroscience, focusing on differences between the cerebral cortex and spinal reflex circuits. First, the mammalian cerebral cortex exhibits exascale computational power, a feature that is not strictly correlated with the number of binary computational units; second, individual computational units engage in noisy coding, allowing random electrical events to gate signaling outcomes; third, this noisy coding results in the synchronous firing of statistically random populations of cells across the neural network, at a range of nested frequencies; fourth, the system grows into a more ordered state over time, as it encodes the predictive value gained through observation; and finally, the cerebral cortex is extraordinarily energy efficient, with very little free energy lost to entropy during the work of information processing. Here, I argue that each of these five key features suggest the mammalian brain engages in probabilistic computation. Indeed, by modeling the physical mechanisms of probabilistic computation, we may find a better way to explain the unique emergent features arising from cortical neural networks.
RETRACTED: An improved differential bond energy algorithm with fuzzy merging method to improve the document clustering for information mining
Authors: Tejasree S. , Chandra Mohan B.
Published: April 2023

The vast and diversified text materials on the internet in recent years have drastically increased the importance of information mining. By organizing documents into cohesive groupings, a document clustering method is a suitable tool for dealing with massive amounts of documents. Text documents, on the other hand, include sparse and uninformative features like noise, unrelated, and unneeded features, which reduce the efficiency of the document clustering methods. For noise removal, this work employs the hyperclique pattern‐based data cleaner pre‐processing approach. Then, differential bond energy algorithm (DBEA) is combined with a fuzzy merging approach and termed improved differential bond energy algorithm with fuzzy merging (IDBEFM) to handle the issues present in text document clustering. It seeks to discover and display natural variable clusters among large amounts of data. IDBEFM clusters are documented in three steps: in the first step, a cluster similarity matrix is instantiated by applying the DBEA. The second step develops an innovative technique for automatically dividing the cluster matrix into compact cohesive clusters, and in the third step, a fuzzy merging approach is used for combining identical clusters by the correlations and interrelationships between the resultant clusters. The test findings demonstrated that the accomplishment of the proposed technique is much superior to standard clustering algorithms.
Classification of brain tumour based on texture and deep features of magnetic resonance images
Authors: Mishra Hare Krishna , Kaur Manpreet
Published: April 2023

According to the world health organization report, brain cancer has the highest death rate. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting brain tumours is adopted these days due to several advantages over other detection techniques. This paper presents a novel methodology to classify MR images based on texture and deep features, z‐score normalization, and, Comprehensive learning elephant herding optimization (CLEHO) based feature optimization and classification. Deep features of brain MR images have been extracted through DenseNet121 convolutional neural network and texture features have been extracted by using the Gabor 2D filter, Haralick texture feature, edge continuity texture feature, first order statistical texture feature, local binary pattern feature, difference theoretic texture feature, and spectral texture feature techniques. Normalization has been done using three normalization techniques that is, z score, mean median absolute deviation (MMAD), and Tanh‐based after aggregating the features extracted from the previous step. z‐score normalization has been suggested for feature normalization after comparing the results attained from the three techniques. Lastly, binary CLEHO has been proposed for selecting an optimal feature set and also optimizing the ‘k’ value of the k‐NN classifier. The outcome of this proposed work is compared with other state‐of‐the‐art methods for a publicly available magnetic resonance image Fighshare dataset of 3064 slices from 233 patients. The proposed work has a brain tumour average classification accuracy of 98.97%, which is better than the other state‐of‐the‐art methods. The proposed work can be used to assist the radiologist in the screening of multi‐class brain tumours.
Experimental warming and browning influence autumnal pelagic and benthic invertebrate biomass and community structure
Authors: Koizumi Shuntaro , Hamdan Mohammed , Puts Isolde Callisto , Bergström Ann‐Kristin , Karlsson Jan , Byström Pär
Published: April 2023

Globally, lakes are warming and browning with ongoing climate change. These changes significantly impact a lake's biogeochemical properties and all organisms, including invertebrate consumers. The effects of these changes are essential to understand, especially during critical periods after and before the growing season, that is, autumn and spring, which can determine the composition of the invertebrate consumer community.

In this study, we used a large‐scale experimental pond system to test the combined effect of warming (+3°C) and increased input of terrestrial and coloured dissolved organic carbon (gradient of 1.6–8.8 mg/L in the ambient and 1.6–9.3 mg/L in the warm)—which causes browning—on zooplankton and benthic macroinvertebrate biomass and composition during the autumn and the following spring.

Total zooplankton biomass decreased with warming and increased with browning, while total zoobenthos did not respond to either treatment. Warming and browning throughout the autumn had no overall interactive effects on zooplankton or zoobenthos. Autumnal warming decreased total pelagic consumer biomass, caused by a decrease in both Rotifera and Copepoda. In contrast, there was no effect on overall benthic consumer biomass, with only Asellus sp. biomass showing a negative response to warming. An autumnal increase in dissolved organic carbon led to increased total pelagic consumer biomass, which was related to increases in Daphnia sp. biomass but did not affect zoobenthos biomass. While we expected zooplankton and zoobenthos biomass to follow responses in primary and bacterial production to treatments, we did not find any relationship between consumer groups and these estimates of resource production.

Our results suggest that consumer responses to warming and browning during autumn may lead to less overarching general changes in consumer biomass, and responses are mostly taxon‐specific.

This study gives novel insights into the effects of warming and browning on consumer biomass during autumn and spring and increases the understanding of the effects of climate change on invertebrate community biomass in the different habitats.
The recent natural history of human papillomavirus cervical infection in women living with HIV: A scoping review of meta‐analyses and systematic reviews and the construction of a hypothetical model
Authors: Gilles Christine , Konopnicki Déborah , Rozenberg Serge
Published: April 2023

Background

Women with HIV are more often infected with human papillomavirus (HPV) and are more prone to develop precancerous cervical lesions (squamous intraepithelial lesions, SIL) and invasive cervical cancer (ICC) than HIV‐negative women.

Objective

This scoping‐review analyses the impact of HIV on HPV prevalence, incidence and evolution to SIL and ICC.

Methods

We selected all PubMed systematic reviews and meta‐analyses published between January 2000 and July 2021 reporting data about HPV, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), SIL and ICC prevalence, incidence and evolution in women with HIV. A hypothetical model comparing the history of HPV infection in HIV‐negative, combined antiretroviral therapy (cART)‐treated and ‐untreated women with HIV was built.

Results

Data from 11 meta‐analyses and 10 systematic reviews were selected, which included between 770 and 236 127 women with HIV. Women with HIV have a 3 to 6 times higher risk of being infected by HPV, of progression to high‐grade SIL (HSIL) and to ICC. These risks are exacerbated when the CD4 cell counts are low and when they are not using cART, whereas these risks are reduced by 20%–30% when they are optimally treated with cART and have had a suppressed HIV viral load for at least 2 years. In our model, we illustrated that optimal HIV treatment and preventing HIV reduce the number of ICC cases by 2.5 and 6 times, respectively.

Conclusions

Optimal treatment and care of HIV patients are essential to reduce their prevalence of ICC, as are preventive strategies which include HPV vaccination, cervical cancer screening strategies and treatment of HSIL.
Development and application of pH‐indicator film based on freeze‐dried purple‐fleshed sweet potato, starch, and CMC
Authors: Silva Mariá Toledo de Carvalho , Cunha Júnior Paulo Cezar da , Miranda Cristiane Grella , Sato Ana Carla Kawazoe , Machado Mariana Teixeira da Costa , Ferreira Elisa Helena da Rocha
Published: April 2023

Smart packaging is an emergent solution commonly used to indicate the current quality and freshness of the food. In this study, a pH indicator film without an anthocyanin‐extraction step was developed, based on purple‐fleshed sweet potato powder (SPP) prepared by freeze drying process, with starch or starch and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The colour of the powder and the films changed from pink to green with the pH change from 1 to 11. The effectiveness of the indicator films was assessed by the ground beef spoilage trial, which resulted in a colour change from purple to green when the pH of the meat raised from 5.54 to 7.92. The microbiological growth and the sensory changes of the meat confirmed the deterioration process. Therefore, developed indicator films could successfully indicate the spoilage of packaged ground beef.
Australian recommendations on perioperative use of disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs in people with inflammatory arthritis undergoing elective surgery
Authors: Buchbinder Rachelle , Glennon Vanessa , Johnston Renea V. , Brennan Sue E. , Fong Chris , Edward May Suzie , O'Neill Sean , Smitham Peter , Trevena Lyndal , Whittaker Glen , Wluka Anita , Whittle Samuel L.
Published: April 2023

Disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are effective treatments for inflammatory arthritis but carry an increased risk of infection. For patients undergoing surgery, there is a need to consider the trade‐off between a theoretical increased risk of infection with continuation of DMARDs perioperatively versus an increased risk of disease flare if they are temporarily withheld. We used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation methodology to develop recommendations for perioperative use of DMARDs for people with inflammatory arthritis undergoing elective surgery. The recommendations form part of the National Health and Medical Research Council‐endorsed Australian Living Guideline for the Pharmacological Management of Inflammatory Arthritis. Conditional recommendations were made against routinely discontinuing conventional synthetic and biologic (b) DMARDs in the perioperative period but to consider temporary discontinuation of bDMARDs in individuals with a high risk of infection or where the impact of infection would be severe. A conditional recommendation was made in favour of temporary discontinuation of targeted synthetic DMARDs in the perioperative period.
Influences of the COVID‐19 pandemic on admissions and clinical outcomes in mental health disorders and self‐poisoning: Age‐ and sex‐specific analysis
Authors: Fluck David , Fry Christopher H. , Robin Jonathan , Bull Ellen , Lewis Andrea , Rees Jacqui , Jones Gareth , Taylor Liz , Han Thang S.
Published: April 2023

We measured rates of hospital admissions for mental health disorders and self‐poisoning during the pandemic in patients without COVID‐19, compared to those admitted before the pandemic. Data were collected from 01/04/2019 to 31/03/2021, including the pandemic period from 01/03/2020. There were 10 173 (47.7% men) from the pre‐pandemic and 11 019 (47.5% men) from the pandemic periods; mean age = 68.3 year. During the pandemic, admission rates for mental health disorders and self‐poisoning were higher for any given age and sex. Self‐poisoning was increased with toxic substances, sedatives and psychotropic drugs, but reduced with nonopioid analgesics. Patients admitted with mental health disorders had lower readmission rates within 28 days during the pandemic, but did not differ in other outcomes. Outcomes from self‐poisoning did not change between the two study periods.
Genomic surveillance of SARS‐CoV‐2 strains circulating in Iran during six waves of the pandemic
Authors: Sadeghi Kaveh , Zadheidar Sevrin , Zebardast Arghavan , Nejati Ahmad , Faraji Marziyeh , Ghavami Nastaran , Kalantari Shirin , Salimi Vahid , Yavarian Jila , Abedi Adel , Jandaghi Nazanin Zahra Shafiei , Mokhtari‐Azad Talat
Published: April 2023

Background

SARS‐CoV‐2 genomic surveillance is necessary for the detection, monitoring, and evaluation of virus variants, which can have increased transmissibility, disease severity, or other adverse effects. We sequenced 330 SARS‐CoV‐2 genomes during the sixth wave of the COVID pandemic in Iran and compared them with five previous waves, for identifying SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, the genomic behavior of the virus, and understanding its characteristics.

Methods

After viral RNA extraction from clinical samples collected during the COVID‐19 pandemic, next generation sequencing was performed using the Nextseq and Nanopore platforms. The sequencing data were analyzed and compared with reference sequences.

Results

In Iran during the first wave, V and L clades were detected. The second wave was recognized by G, GH, and GR clades. Circulating clades during the third wave were GH and GR. In the fourth wave, GRY (alpha variant), GK (delta variant), and one GH clade (beta variant) were detected. All viruses in the fifth wave were in GK clade (delta variant). In the sixth wave, Omicron variant (GRA clade) was circulating.

Conclusions

Genome sequencing, a key strategy in genomic surveillance systems, helps to detect and monitor the prevalence of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, monitor the viral evolution of SARS‐CoV‐2, identify new variants for disease prevention, control, and treatment, and also provide information for and conduct public health measures in this area. With this system, Iran could be ready for surveillance of other respiratory virus diseases besides influenza and SARS‐CoV‐2.
Is age of onset and duration of stimulant therapy for ADHD associated with cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription stimulant misuse?
Authors: McCabe Sean Esteban , Figueroa Olivia , McCabe Vita V. , Schepis Ty S. , Schulenberg John E. , Veliz Philip T. , Werner Kennedy S. , Wilens Timothy E.
Published: April 2023

Background

To assess whether age of onset and duration of stimulant therapy for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are associated with cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription stimulant misuse during adolescence.

Methods

Nationally representative samples of US 10th and 12th grade students (N = 150,395) from the Monitoring the Future study were surveyed via self‐administered questionnaires from 16 annual surveys (2005–2020).

Results

An estimated 8.2% of youth received stimulant therapy for ADHD during their lifetime (n = 10,937). More than one in 10 of all youth reported past‐year prescription stimulant misuse (10.4%)—past‐year cocaine (4.4%) and methamphetamine (2.0%) use were less prevalent. Youth who initiated early stimulant therapy for ADHD (≤9 years old) and for long duration (≥6 years) did not have significantly increased adjusted odds of cocaine or methamphetamine use relative to population controls (ie, non‐ADHD and unmedicated ADHD youth). Youth who initiated late stimulant therapy for ADHD (≥10 years old) and for short duration (<1 year) had significantly higher odds of past‐year cocaine or prescription stimulant misuse in adolescence than those initiating early stimulant therapy for ADHD (≤9 years old) and for long duration (≥6 years). Youth who initiated late stimulant therapy for ADHD (≥10 years) for short duration (<1 year) had significantly higher odds of past‐year cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription stimulant misuse versus population controls during adolescence. No differences in past‐year cocaine, methamphetamine, and prescription stimulant misuse were found between individuals who only used non‐stimulant therapy for ADHD relative to youth who initiated early stimulant therapy (≤9 years old) and for long duration (≥6 years).

Conclusions

An inverse relationship was found between years of stimulant therapy and illicit and prescription stimulant misuse. Adolescents with later initiation and/or shorter duration of stimulant treatment for ADHD should be monitored for potential illicit and prescription stimulant misuse.
Deep ultraviolet fluorescence sensing with multispectral imaging to detect and monitor food‐borne pathogens on the leafy green phyllosphere
Authors: Johnson Nick , Kniel Kalmia , Bais Harsh , Ragone Anthony
Published: April 2023

Demand for sustainable and safe raw agricultural commodities is growing rapidly worldwide. Reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses associated with fresh produce is a task which the industry and academic researchers have been struggling with for many years. There is an immediate need to devise a non‐invasive optical detection system to monitor the food‐borne pathogens on the leaf surface. The detection of foodborne pathogens on leafy produce is performed often too late because of the invasive techniques used to evaluate the pathogen colonization. Use of deep ultraviolet fluorescence (DUVF) sensing and visible–near infrared multispectral imaging (MSI) has previously been used to monitor plant interactions against both biotic and abiotic stress regimes. Using the patho‐system that we developed to monitor Salmonella sp. and Listeria sp. ingression in leafy greens such as lettuce/spinach, we show that plant response in terms of fluctuation of chlorophyll pigments post‐Salmonella/Listeria treatment is rapid. We also show that the mode of application of Salmonella/Listeria via foliar or root supplementation changes the ChlA response. Our data also reveals that the plant sentinel response in terms of early photosynthetic response may be critical to detect food‐borne pathogens on leafy greens. MSI demonstrated that plant stress was detectable and proportional to the bacterial inoculation rate on plants. Our research may lead to implementation of better strategies and technology to increase yield and reduce risks associated with contamination of foodborne bacterial pathogens.
Sexually differentiated microglia and CA1 hippocampal synaptic connectivity
Authors: Prengel Tim M. , Brunne Bianka , Habiballa Moataz , Rune Gabriele M.
Published: April 2023

Microglia have been shown to sculpt postnatal circuitry from birth up to adulthood due to their role in both synapse formation, synaptic pruning, and the elimination of weak, redundant synapses. Microglia are differentiated in a sex‐dependent manner. In this study, we tested whether sexual differentiation of microglia results in sex‐dependent postnatal reorganization of CA1 synaptic connectivity in the hippocampus. The stereological counting of synapses in mice using electron microscopy showed a continuous rise in synapse density until the fourth week, followed by a plateau phase and loss of synapses from the eighth week onwards, with no difference between sexes. This course of alteration in synapse numbers did not differ between sexes. However, selectively, on postnatal day (P) 14 the density of synapses was significantly higher in the female than in the male hippocampus. Higher synapse density in females was paralleled by higher activity of microglia, as indicated by morphological changes, CD68 expression, and proximity of microglia to synaptic sites. In Thy1‐GFP mice, consistent with increased synapse numbers, bouton density was also clearly increased in females at P14. At this time point, CD47 expression, the “don't eat me” signal of neurons, was similar in males and females. The decrease in bouton density thereafter in conjunction with increased synapse numbers argues for a role of microglia in the formation of multispine boutons (MSB). Our data in females at P14 support the regulatory role of microglia in synapse density. Sexual differentiation of microglia, however, does not substantially affect long‐term synaptic reorganization in the hippocampus.
Big Five personality traits predict small but robust differences in civic engagement
Authors: Stahlmann Alexander G. , Hopwood Christopher J. , Bleidorn Wiebke
Published: April 2023

Objective

This preregistered study provides robust estimates of the links between Big Five personality traits and civic engagement across different samples and life stages.

Methods

We recruited two samples from the United States and United Kingdom (total N = 1593) and measured Big Five domains, Big Five aspects, and six civic engagement indicators: volunteerism, charitable giving, donating blood, posthumous organ donation, political voting, and vaccination. We compared the links between these measures across samples and tested moderation across life stages and several sociodemographic variables. We explored whether these links replicate between self‐ and peer‐reports.

Results

We found small but robust effects. Agreeable, extraverted, and open/intellectual participants reported more civic engagement, especially volunteerism and charitable giving. Neurotic and conscientious participants mainly reported less civic engagement, especially blood and organ donations. One of the two Big Five aspects often drove these links, such as Compassion in the link between Agreeableness and volunteerism. We found some differences between younger and middle‐aged adults.

Conclusions

Big Five personality traits predict civic engagement modestly but consistently, with adequate study power being critical to detecting these links. Lower‐order traits, such as Big Five aspects, clarify the relationships between traits and engagement. Life stages and sociodemographic variables have limited effects.
Rapid but narrow – Evolutionary adaptation and transcriptional response of Drosophila melanogaster to toxic mould
Authors: Trienens Monika , Kurtz Joachim , Wertheim Bregje
Published: April 2023

Insects have adapted to a multitude of environmental conditions, including the presence of xenobiotic noxious substances. Environmental microorganisms, particularly rich on ephemeral resources, employ these noxious chemicals in a chemical warfare against predators and competitors, driving co‐evolutionary adaptations. In order to analyse how environmental microbes may be driving such evolutionary adaptations, we experimentally evolved Drosophila melanogaster populations by exposing larvae to the toxin‐producing mould Aspergillus nidulans that infests the flies' breeding substrate. To disentangle the effects of the mycotoxin Sterigmatocystin from other substrate modifications inflicted by the mould, we used the following four selection regimes: (i) control without fungus, (ii) A. nidulans wild type, (iii) a mutant of A. nidulans ΔlaeA with impaired toxin production, (iv) synthetic Sterigmatocystin. Experimental evolution was carried out in five independent D. melanogaster populations each, for a total of 11 generations. We further combined our evolution experiment with transcriptome analysis to identify evolutionary shifts in gene expression due to the selection regimes and mould confrontation. Populations that evolved in presence of the toxin‐producing mould or the pure mycotoxin rapidly adapted to the respective conditions and showed higher viability in subsequent confrontations. Yet, mycotoxin‐selected populations had no advantage in A. nidulans wild type confrontation. Moreover, distinctive changes in gene expression related to the selection‐regime contrast were only associated with the toxin‐producing‐fungus regime and comprised a narrow set of genes. Thus, it needs the specific conditions of the selection agent to enable adaptation to the fungus.
Understanding immunoactinopathies: A decade of research on WAS gene defects
Authors: Vieira Rhaissa Calixto , Pinho Lia Goncalves , Westerberg Lisa S.
Published: April 2023

Immunoactinopathies caused by mutations in actin‐related proteins are a growing group of inborn errors of immunity (IEI). Immunoactinopathies are caused by a dysregulated actin cytoskeleton and affect hematopoietic cells especially because of their unique capacity to survey the body for invading pathogens and altered self, such as cancer cells. These cell motility and cell‐to‐cell interaction properties depend on the dynamic nature of the actin cytoskeleton. Wiskott‐Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is the archetypical immunoactinopathy and the first described. WAS is caused by loss‐of‐function and gain‐of‐function mutations in the actin regulator WASp, uniquely expressed in hematopoietic cells. Mutations in WAS cause a profound disturbance of actin cytoskeleton regulation of hematopoietic cells. Studies during the last 10 years have shed light on the specific effects on different hematopoietic cells, revealing that they are not affected equally by mutations in the WAS gene. Moreover, the mechanistic understanding of how WASp controls nuclear and cytoplasmatic activities may help to find therapeutic alternatives according to the site of the mutation and clinical phenotypes. In this review, we summarize recent findings that have added to the complexity and increased our understanding of WAS‐related diseases and immunoactinopathies.
A survey of pain physicians: Needlesticks injuries
Authors: Moheimani Roya , Arastoo Sara , Lowder Ryan , Reddy Rajiv , Kim Hyung , Chen Allen , Pangarkar Sanjog
Published: April 2023

Objective

To investigate and characterize the incidence of needlestick injuries (NSI) in a sample of practicing pain medicine physicians, with the ultimate goal of aiding to prevent these injuries by raising awareness of their prevalence.

Design

A cross‐sectional research survey.

Setting

A REDCap survey was emailed to physicians who had membership to the American Academy of Pain Medicine.

Subjects

Eligibility criteria included physicians who were actively practicing and identified as pain physicians who participated in procedures with needlesticks or sharps.

Methods

Basic demographics without identifiers were collected, including practice setting, years in practice, and training type. Respondents were asked to estimate the number of sharps‐involved procedure days per week and per day. They were then asked to estimate the number of NSIs they sustained since completing training and in the past year.

Results

A total of 430 surveys were opened by email by potential participants, of which 124 responded (response rate 29%). Data from a total of 109 respondents that met inclusion criteria were included. Roughly 60% of respondents reported at least one NSI since completing training and approximately one‐third had sustained more than three NSIs. In the last year, roughly 19% of providers reported at least one needlestick injury. The number of NSIs reported by providers since completing training was not significantly associated with practice setting, the number of procedure days per week, or the number of sharps‐involved procedures per day. There was a significant relationship between years post‐training and number of NSIs since completing training, with providers with more years post‐training reporting higher incidences of NSIs (p < 0.0005). The number of NSIs since completing training and the number of NSIs were also associated, with providers that had sustained a greater number of total NSIs reporting a higher incidence of NSIs within the last year (p < 0.0005).

Conclusions

This study characterizes NSIs in a population of pain medicine physicians. These data warrant caution and will hopefully raise awareness amongst providers.
The effect of rumination and elder abuse level on successful aging in elderly individuals: Analysis with a machine learning approach
Authors: Yıldız Metin , Varol Ela , Yildirim Mehmet Salih , Elkoca Ayşe , Sarpdağı Yakup
Published: April 2023

Background

This study aimed to determine the effect of rumination and elder abuse levels on successful aging in elderly individuals.

Methods

This descriptive‐correlational study was conducted with older individuals (n = 297) in Ağrı, Turkey, between October 2021 and May 2022. SPSS‐22 and R v.4.1.3 were used in the study. Analysis was done with machine learning and artificial neural networks.

Results

In the study, the mean age of the older individuals was 67.49 ± 3.04. Statistical estimates showed the regression model to be significant and usable, F(2,294) = 116.659, P = 0.001. Elder abuse and ruminative thought levels together explained 43.9% of the total variance (R2 = 0.439) of successful aging. The regression model indicated that increases in both the elder abuse level (t = −3.672, P < 0.001) and the ruminative thought level (t = −12.771, P < 0.001) of participants caused a statistically significant decrease in the successful aging level. The combined elder abuse and ruminative thought levels had a greater effect on successful aging (Model 1: F = 45.321, Model 2: F = 116.659, R2 Change = 0.309). The R2 value of the Random Forest regression model was 0.529, showing that the independent variables could explain 52.92% of the variation in the dependent variable. According to the SHapley Additive exPlanation values, which show the contribution or importance of each variable in the estimation of the model, it was determined that the most important variables for estimating the Successful Aging Scale variable were ruminative thought style and elder abuse screening.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that a decrease in the levels of rumination and elder abuse could lead to improvement in successful aging. Longitudinal studies on successful aging in older individuals are recommended.
The effect of color lightness on nonheteronormative‐themed advertising evaluation
Authors: Jeon Eunmi , Nam Myungwoo , Yan Jinzhe
Published: April 2023

Objective

: This research examined the effects of color lightness on evaluating advertisements featuring nonheteronormativity‐themed images.

Methods

: An increasing number of brands feature nonheteronormative couples in advertisement campaigns to target nonheteronormative consumers and position brands as socially progressive. Four studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that nonheteronormativity‐themed advertising that uses lighter images would receive more favorable evaluations than darker images.

Results

: The color lightness effect influenced attitudes toward the ad, product evaluations, and purchase intentions. Individuals with political conservatism exhibited a preference for lighter colored ads than darker colored ads. Furthermore, the effects of color lightness type on attitude toward ads were moderated by political conservatism, and this effect was mediated by disgust.

Conclusion

: The current study suggests that a carefully designed advertising campaign featuring nonheteronormativity(gay) couples, which considers design elements can be used to target consumers and signal progressive values supported by sponsoring brands.
A rapid ABO and RhD test demonstrates high fidelity to blood bank testing for RhD typing
Authors: Younes Reem , Spinella Philip C. , Shea Susan M. , Bailey‐Kroll Lilith , Neal Matthew D. , Leeper Christine , Yazer Mark H.
Published: April 2023

Background

The rapid provision of blood products is life‐saving for patients with massive hemorrhage. Ideally, RhD‐negative blood products would be supplied to a woman of childbearing potential whose Rh type is unknown due to the risk of D‐alloimmunization and the potential for hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn to occur if RhD‐positive blood products are transfused. Therefore, there is a need for a test that rapidly determines her RhD type. This study compared the RhD type determined using a rapid ABO and RhD test to the RhD type determined by an immunohematology reference laboratory.

Methods

After receiving ethics review board approval, 200 random, unique, deidentified patient samples that had undergone routine pretransfusion testing in an immunohematology reference laboratory using column agglutination technology were collected and tested using a rapid ABO and RhD test (Eldoncard Home kit 2511). The RhD typing results from these two methods were compared to determine the accuracy of the rapid ABO and RhD test.

Results

The rapid ABO and RhD test produced results that were concordant with the transfusion service's results in 199/200 (99.5%) of cases, with a negative predictive value of 98.2% and 99.3% sensitivity. The single outlier was likely an RhD variant due to its serological characteristics.

Discussion

These data indicate that this rapid ABO and RhD test could be used for the rapid determination of a patient's RhD type, perhaps even in the emergency department, which could guide the selection of blood products provided during their resuscitation.
Forced Vibrations With Non-Linear Spring Constants
Authors: Den Hartog J. P. , Mikina Stanley J.
Published: April 2023

In many technical applications, couplings are used which have springs in them with an initial set. In this paper an exact theory of the forced vibrations of a system with such a coupling is given. Conclusions concerning the shift in critical speed with the amount of initial set are made. The solution obtained is compared with the existing approximate solution. The more general case of a coupling with stops is solved in an appendix.
Compression of Rectangular Blocks, and the Bending of Beams by Non-Linear Distributions of Bending Forces
Authors: Goodier J. N.
Published: April 2023

An existing method for the approximate analysis of two-dimensional stress distributions is extended in scope and applied to two examples of some practical interest. The first is a rectangular plate or block compressed by forces applied centrally to two opposite sides, as by knife edges. Tensions of considerable magnitude are developed across the middle plane through the knife edges. These tensions are determined, and illustration given of their dependence on the extent of spreading of the load over the bearing area.

The second is intended as quantitative example of Saint-Venant’s principle in the bending of beams. The stresses due to a non-linear distribution of bending forces on the ends are investigated in order to estimate how far from the end one must go to find the linear distribution assumed in the elementary theory of flexure. Conclusions are given in the paper proper and the mathematical analyses from which they are drawn are given in appendices.
Thermal Stresses in Spheres and Cylinders Produced by Temperatures Varying With Time
Authors: Kent Clarence H.
Published: April 2023

In this paper solutions are given of the problem of stress distribution in spheres and cylinders of elastic material for cases in which the temperature is a function of both the radial coordinate and the time. Two types of temperature variation are included; that due to sudden cooling, as in quenching, and that due to linear surface heating, as in furnace heating. These are applied both to the solid and hollow sphere and cylinder. Examples are included of the temperature and stress distribution in a long solid forging of 30 in. diameter and in a cylindrical drum of 50 in. diameter when each is heated by raising the temperature of its convex surface at a uniform rate.
Optimum Conditions in Journal Bearings
Authors: Kingsbury Albert
Published: April 2023

This paper presents in practical, serviceable form the most important results obtainable from the hydrodynamic theory of the oil film. The general theoretical treatment is supplemented by numerical evaluations whereby the conditions for the maximum load and for the minimum friction are determined for the ideal bearing; and these results are reduced to apply to practical cases by means of approximate methods. Tables and graphs are given, by means of which the loads, the losses by friction, and other characteristics of specified bearing forms may be determined, and special consideration is given to the optimum conditions for more or less arbitrary bearing proportions.
Studies in the Design of Local Exhaust Hoods
Authors: Dallavalle Joseph M. , Hatch Theodore
Published: April 2023

The failure of many local exhaust systems properly to control industrial dust hazards may be attributed, in part, to the lack of sufficient knowledge of the factors governing the collection efficiency of various types of hoods. The present study was undertaken in an effort to obtain data on the aerodynamic characteristics of simple geometric suction openings which may serve as a basis for future studies of the problem of design of local exhaust systems. Round, square, and rectangular openings were investigated and their aerodynamic characteristics are expressed by means of velocity contours or lines of equal velocity.

Contour lines were found not to be influenced by the total airflow through the hood. They did not differ in their chief characteristics with the geometric shape of the opening, although rectangular openings exhibited a flattening of their contours that varied with the ratio of the sides. An increase in the area was found to cause a displacement of contour lines at right angles to the axis of the opening. Along the axis, however, velocities coincided at distances of 6 in. or more from the face of the hood.

Gross characteristics of suction openings, it was found, could be expressed by means of center-line velocity curves. These curves, which are obtained with less labor than are the velocity contours, may be compared graphically and also mathematically. Simple charts are presented and mathematical equations were obtained for the three types of openings that may be used within the zone of hood influence.
On Problems in the Theory of Fluid-Film Lubrication, With an Experimental Method of Solution
Authors: Kingsbury Albert
Published: April 2023

Analytical treatment of problems in perfect film lubrication is in general very difficult; solutions have thus far been obtained only in a few relatively simple cases. The paper describes methods by which fairly accurate solutions of any stated cases may be obtained experimentally, through the analogy between electrical potential and current flow in a conductor and pressure and volume flow in the lubricating film. Electrical measurements are made upon enlarged models of the lubricating films, the models being bodies of conducting fluid contained in wooden boxes having forms determined by theory. Pressures at points in a film having been deduced from the electrical data, graphical or other means of integration are used to determine the total load, the friction, and the quantities of oil flow at the edges of the film. The method is not limited as regards the shape of the film or variation of viscosity within the film. Solutions are given for a number of cases of plane bearing surfaces and journal bearings, showing close agreement with analytical solutions in cases where the latter have been obtained.
Recent Advances in Photoelasticity: And an Investigation of the Stress Distribution in Square Blocks Subjected to Diagonal Compression
Authors: Frocht Max M.
Published: April 2023

After discussing the principle of optical equivalence of stressed isotropic bodies, the author deals respectively with current methods to determine (P − Q); the fringe method; annealing of bakelite; fringe photographs of various models; membrane method to determine (P + Q); the photoelastic investigation of stress distribution in square plates subjected to diagonal compression; isoclinics; trajectories; (P − Q) from fringe method; P and Q by graphical integration. He then summarizes the approximate theoretical analysis by the strain-energy method, gives comparative curves, discusses results, describes new equipment, and in conclusion, derives fundamental equations for the evaluation of P and Q by graphical integration.
The Yield Point of Mild Steel
Authors: MacGregor C. W.
Published: April 2023

This paper is a review of some of the more important investigations made concerning the yield point, together with the effect of certain conditions on the yielding of mild steel. Recent investigations concerning the yield point are also described. The pronounced effect on the yield stress of grooves inclined at 45 deg. to the axis of the test piece is discussed. In addition, tests are included to show the effect of notches in the test piece on the yield stress.
Longitudinal Shrinkage of Wood
Authors: Koehler Arthur
Published: April 2023

Longitudinal shrinkage of wood ordinarily is so small as to be considered negligible, and no allowance is made for it for most uses. There are uses, however, for which even the small longitudinal shrinkage of normal wood is an important factor, and others in which the shrinkage along the grain of abnormal wood is so large as to be a serious handicap. This paper gives information on the shrinkage of wood along the grain about which very little has been published.
Calorimetry of a Fluid
Authors: Osborne Nathan S.
Published: April 2023

A rigorous analysis of the thermal processes involved in the change of state of a saturated fluid shows that four types of calorimetric processes each yield values of a characteristic thermal property of the fluid. This group of calorimetric properties may be used to formulate the thermal behavior of the fluid in terms of familiar and convenient properties within the range of the experimental possibilities.

The principles of a calorimetric method of determining the thermodynamic characteristics of a fluid are outlined. The method has been developed at the Bureau of Standards and used in the determinations of the properties of saturated water and steam, published simultaneously with this paper. This paper supplements that report and furnishes the theoretical groundwork for the experimental work.

The results of the analysis have been used as a guide in developing a systematic experimental project which has resulted in the determination of an important group of properties of saturated steam.