bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Individual growth rates and size at metamorphosis increase with watershed area in a stream salamander
Authors: Cochrane Madaline M. , Addis Brett R. , Swartz Leah K. , Lowe Winsor H.
Published: December 2023

A fundamental goal of ecology is to understand how the physical environment influences intraspecific variability in life history and, consequently, fitness. In streams, discharge and associated habitat conditions change along a continuum from intermittency to permanence: Headwater streams typically have smaller watersheds and are thus more prone to drying than higher‐order streams with larger watersheds and more consistent discharge. However, few empirical studies have assessed life history and associated population responses to this continuum in aquatic organisms. We tested the prediction that individual growth, rate of development, and population growth increase with watershed area in the long‐lived stream salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus, where we use watershed area as a proxy for hydrologic intermittence. To address this hypothesis, we used 8 years of mark–recapture data from 53 reaches across 10 headwater streams in New Hampshire, USA. Individual growth rates and mean size at metamorphosis increased with watershed area for watersheds from 0.12 to 1.66 km2. Population growth rates increased with watershed area; however, this result was not statistically significant at our sample size. Mean age of metamorphosis did not vary across watershed areas. Lower individual growth rates and smaller sizes at metamorphosis likely contributed to reduced lifetime fecundity and population growth in reaches with the smallest watershed areas and highest vulnerability to drought. These responses suggest that as droughts increase due to climate change, headwater specialists in hydrologically intermittent environments will experience a reduction in fitness due to smaller body sizes or other growth‐related mechanisms.
Wood warbler population dynamics in response to mast seeding regimes in Europe
Authors: Maag Nino , Korner‐Nievergelt Fränzi , Szymkowiak Jakub , Hałas Natalia , Maziarz Marta , Neubauer Grzegorz , Luepold Shannon Buckley , Carlotti Sandro , Schaub Michael , Flade Martin , Scherrer Daniel , Grendelmeier Alex , Riess Michael , Stelbrink Pablo , Pasinelli Gilberto
Published: December 2023

Mast seeding is the episodic, massive production of plant seeds synchronized over large areas. The resulting superabundance of seeds represents a resource pulse that can profoundly affect animal populations across trophic levels. Following years of high seed production, the abundance of both seed consumers and their predators increase. Higher predator abundance leads to increased predation pressure across the trophic web, impacting nonseed consumers such as the wood warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix through increased nest predation after tree mast years. Over the past 30 years, the frequency of tree seed masts has increased, while wood warbler populations have declined in several regions of Europe. We hypothesized that increasing mast frequencies may have contributed to the observed population declines by creating suboptimal breeding conditions in years after masting. We measured reproductive output in four study areas in central Europe, which was between 0.61 and 1.24 fledglings lower in the years following masting than nonmasting. For each study area, we used matrix population models to predict population trends based on the estimated reproductive output and the local mast frequencies. We then compared the predicted with the observed population trends to assess if the frequency of mast years had contributed to the population dynamics. In Wielkopolska National Park (PL) and Hessen (DE), masting occurred on average only every 4 years and populations were stable or nearly so, whereas in Jura (CH) and Białowieża National Park (PL), masting occurred every 2 and 2.5 years, respectively, and populations were declining. The simple matrix population models predicted the relative difference among local population trends over the past 10–20 years well, suggesting that the masting frequency may partly explain regional variation in population trends. Simulations suggest that further increases in mast frequency will lead to further declines in wood warbler populations. We show that changes in a natural process, such as mast seeding, may contribute to the decline in animal populations through cascading effects.
A Hybrid Technique for Optimal Placement of Fast‐Charging Stations of Electric Vehicles for the Reliability of Distribution Network
Authors: Ranjith Kumar K. , Vallimurugan E.
Published: December 2023

Proper planning for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, as well as the necessary network development, is critical for the continued growth of EVs and conventional loads. This article proposes a hybrid method for the allocation of fast‐charging stations (FCSs) and photovoltaic (PV) with battery energy storage (BES) and scheduling. The proposed hybrid technique is the wrapper of golden jackal optimization (GJO) and random forest algorithms (RFA), commonly named the GJO–RFA technique. Using the GJO approach, the allocation and EV assignment problems are resolved. RFA is used to address EV, traffic flow, and PV‐related uncertainties. The objective of the proposed approach is to minimize the loss of energy, investments, index of voltage deviation, and operation and maintenance costs of FCS, PV, and BES. The associated important factors are also assessed, including the number of charging ports, FCS capacity, and EV flow caught using a FCS. As a test example, a 33‐node radial distribution network with the appropriate traffic network is used. For the final problem, the proposed approach to minimal energy loss is 2622.7270 kWh. By then, the performance of the proposed approach is executed in MATLAB, and it is contrasted with other existing techniques. The result shows that the proposed method‐related energy loss is less than existing approaches.
Investigating earthquake legacy effect on hillslope deformation using InSAR‐derived time series
Authors: He Kun , Lombardo Luigi , Chang Ling , Sadhasivam Nitheshnirmal , Hu Xiewen , Fang Zhice , Dahal Ashok , Fadel Islam , Luo Gang , Tanyas Hakan
Published: December 2023

Mountainous landscapes affected by strong earthquakes typically exhibit higher landslide susceptibility in post‐seismic periods compared to pre‐seismic conditions. This concept is referred to as the earthquake legacy effect, which needs to be better understood to develop an accurate post‐seismic landslide hazard assessment. The earthquake legacy effect is mainly assessed by monitoring either rapid landslide occurrences or slow‐moving landslides over time. However, landslide inventories provide discrete information both in spatial and temporal domains, whereas monitoring only selected slow‐moving landslides discards the response of hillslopes exposed to a given earthquake. Therefore, to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the concept, this research focuses on post‐seismic hillslope evolution by examining the deformation time series generated from the Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar technique over the area affected by the 2017 Mw 6.4 Nyingchi earthquake, China. We also analyse factors controlling these InSAR‐derived hillslope deformations. Our results show a high coherence between hydrologic conditions (i.e., precipitation and terrestrial water storage) and surface deformation in pre‐ and post‐seismic periods. The earthquake disturbs this strong correlation for a while (~2 years) right after the seismic tremor, and then, a seasonal deformation pattern depending on hydrologic conditions appears again. Our findings show that the average post‐seismic hillslope deformation is still higher than its pre‐seismic counterpart approximately four and a half years after the earthquake. These findings trigger further research questions regarding whether hillslopes could fully recover after a major earthquake or gain a new level of hillslope susceptibility caused by intense ground shaking.
Secure smart city application using webservice model and mayfly optimization‐based lightweight CNN
Authors: Sheeba Adlin , Rajalakshmi R. , Maheswari B. Uma , Ebenezer A. Shamila
Published: December 2023

IoT infrastructures and web services have primarily been deployed in sustainable smart cities and societies. Users are highly attracted to the personalized web services by the IoT infrastructure due to the improved quality of service (QoS) it offers. To acquire service personalization, the complex distribution systems (smart cities) collect users' sensitive data leading to different privacy issues such as unauthorized user access. The heavy security schemes designed for complex architectures cannot be directly implemented in resource‐constrained IoT devices. The existing models designed cannot offer customization to user privacy where the user has little or no control over their data. However, there are other issues in such a system, including centralization, security, privacy, scalability, and communication latency. To overcome these issues, in this paper, we proposed a web service‐based adaptive optimal lightweight CNN (AOLCNN) for a secure smart city. The use of a lightweight convolutional neural network (LCNN) combined with the mayfly optimization (MO) method improves the production process in the smart industry. The MO algorithm not only optimizes the LCNN weights but also enhances the model's performance by selecting the appropriate web service parameters for the user to get rid of irrelevant web services, resulting in increased smart industrial productivity. Blockchain technology is incorporated to enhance the security, privacy, and transparency of IoT systems and also help them to create and verify web services. The built‐in key store system particularly intended for Android smartphones is used in the proposed security‐based web service application. The NIST Curve P‐256 is used to generate key pairs and verify them using the elliptic curve digital signature algorithm (ECDSA). The performance evaluation of the smart web service‐based AOLCNN model in terms of security, privacy, latency, and memory usage shows our proposed model offers significant performance when compared to the conventional techniques. The experimental findings suggest that the AOLCNN satisfies the needs of scalable IoT applications and the security scheme incorporated also helps the device to safeguard it from malicious entities and unauthorized user access.
Simultaneous quantitative and qualitative analysis of three kinds of Jigucao related pharmaceuticals by ultra‐high performance liquid chromatography combined with chemometrics method
Authors: Yang Zhuo Ling , Li Ze Ying , Qiu Dian , Li Xin Kang , Feng Na , Li Bao Qiong
Published: December 2023

Abri Herba (Jigucao) and Abri mollis Herba (Maojigucao) are derived from dried plants ofAbrus cantoniensisHance (Leguminosae) and Abrus mollis without pods. Abri Herba is commonly used in Jigucao tablets; Abri mollis Herba is usually used in Jigucao capsules and FufangJigucao capsules. Surprising, there are few reports focused on the quantitative control of these mentioned Jigucao related pharmaceuticals. This research endeavour has harnessed the formidable power of cutting‐edge ACQUITY UPLC technology to formulate a groundbreaking methodology for the simultaneous quantification of 10 target compounds in Jigucao capsules, Jigucao tablets and FufangJigucao capsules. The primary aim is to bolster quality control and precise identification within the realm of these pharmaceutical products. Separation was performed on an ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 Column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.8 μm), gradient elution was performed with 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile. A column temperature of 40°C acts as our guiding compass, and DAD detection scans the spectral landscape in the wavelength range of 210–400 nm. The concentrations of the 10 target components can be used to identify Jigucao tablets, Jigucao capsules and FufangJigucao capsules through the art of chemometrics. The results showed that the established method for determination of 10 target compounds was accurate and reliable with good linearity (r ≥ .9948) and satisfactory recoveries (82.91%–108.6%). The identification of the three Jigucao related pharmaceuticals can be performed using chemometrics based on the 10 target compounds. Thus, our study not only showcases a pioneering analytical approach but also unveils a new dimension in the identification of these pharmaceutical treasures.
Bootstrap method for characterizing statistical uncertainty in bivariate shear strength parameters and its application to reliability‐based design of slopes
Authors: Tang Xiao‐Song , Hu Bo , Zang Hang‐Hang , Liu Yong , Du Wenqi
Published: December 2023

This study characterizes the statistical uncertainties in the bivariate distribution of friction angle and cohesion of soils using bootstrap method and explores its application to the reliability‐based design of slopes. First, the bivariate distribution of friction angle and cohesion is modelled using the copula approach based on limited test data. Then, the statistical uncertainties in the derived bivariate distribution of friction angle and cohesion are characterized by the bootstrap method. Finally, an infinite slope is employed to investigate the impact of the statistical uncertainties in friction angle and cohesion on slope reliability. The reliability‐based designs of slopes based on the point and interval estimate of reliability index are compared. The results indicate that the bivariate distribution of friction angle and cohesion derived from limited test data exhibits large statistical uncertainties. The reliability index of the infinite slope shows visible variation because of the large statistical uncertainties in friction angle and cohesion. The reliability index of slopes considering the statistical uncertainties in friction angle and cohesion is presented as a confidence interval. The interval estimate of reliability index gives a more comprehensive description of slope reliability than the point estimate of reliability index. Furthermore, the reliability‐based design of slopes based on the interval estimate of reliability index can reflect the effect of the amount of test data on the design and link the site investigation efforts and investments on shear tests to final design savings.
Trauma‐informed care within residential aged care settings: A systematic scoping review
Authors: MacRae Ann , Berkovic Danielle , Ryan Joanne , Hatzikiriakidis Kostas , Ayton Darshini
Published: December 2023

Objectives

The importance of trauma‐informed care (TIC) within residential aged care (RAC) settings has been increasingly recognised. TIC would ensure that older people who have experienced trauma over their lifetime have their needs better understood and accommodated. This scoping review examined the extent to which TIC has been applied within RAC settings.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted according to Cochrane recommendations and the PRISMA‐ScR checklist. A systematic search of six databases (Embase, Emcare, CENTRAL, CINAHL, PsychInfo and Medline) was performed in July 2022 and March 2023 and peer‐reviewed primary research, in English and involved RAC staff or residents (aged 65 years and over) providing or receiving TIC were eligible for inclusion. Studies focused on trauma intervention, assessment, screening, or treatment were excluded. Thematic synthesis was performed to extract themes relating to trauma‐informed practice, barriers and enablers to TIC, and outcomes from the application of TIC approaches.

Results

Five articles were included. There was little evidence of the implementation of TIC interventions in RAC settings. Only one study examined the application of a TIC framework in a RAC setting. However, there was some evidence that approaches that consider resident's experience of trauma have emerged from practice experience and been used in RAC as an extension of person‐centred care.

Conclusions

Whilst trauma‐informed approaches to resident care are emerging through practice experience, and despite policy recommendations to do so, there is little evidence that formal TIC interventions or frameworks have been applied to RAC internationally. This study highlights a gap in research and practice and makes several recommendations for further research and implementation of TIC in RAC.
Does eating with others promote happiness among older adults living alone? A 3‐year longitudinal study of the Japan gerontological evaluation study
Authors: Wang Hequn , Tsuji Taishi , Ide Kazushige , Nakagomi Atsushi , Ling Ling , Kondo Katsunori
Published: December 2023

Objective

Living a happy life is an essential issue for old adults. However, how eating with others contributes to happiness and whether this association is different by living arrangements or not is unknown. The current study examined the relationship between the frequency of eating with others and happiness among older adults according to their living arrangements using 3‐year longitudinal data.

Methods

The analyzed sample comprised 18,727 people (10,920 males and 7807 females) with low happiness (0–7 points on score of 0–10 points) from Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) in 2016. Our exposure was the frequency of eating with others: rarely, a few times a year, a few times a month, and a few times a week or more. We performed Modified Poisson Regression to examine the association between the frequency of eating with others and high happiness (8–10 points) in 2019 stratified by living arrangement (living alone/with others).

Results

A total of 4352 (23.2%) people showed high happiness in 2019. After adjusting for age, sex, marital status, education, household income, social participation, illnesses under treatment, and depressive symptoms in 2016, the cumulative incidence ratio (CIR) for high happiness in 2019 among people living alone was more significant, that is, 1.28 (95% confidence intervals: 0.88–1.87), 1.50 (1.05–2.14), and 1.82 (1.26–2.63), than 1.28 (1.11–1.48), 1.30 (1.12–1.50), and 1.33 (1.16–1.52) among people living with others for those who ate with others a few times a year, a few times a month, and a few times a week or more compared to those who rarely ate with others, respectively. The interaction between the frequency of eating with others and living arrangements was statistically significant. The trend test showed that higher frequency of eating with others was significantly associated with high happiness.

Conclusions

Eating with others was associated with improved happiness among older adults, with such an association being stronger among people living alone.
Effects of glyphosate on earthworms: From fears to facts
Authors: de Lima e Silva Claudia , Pelosi Céline
Published: December 2023

Glyphosate is the most widely applied herbicide worldwide, contaminating water, soils, and living organisms. Earthworms are emblematic soil organisms used as indicators of soil quality, but knowledge about the impacts of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) on these key soil organisms is scattered. Here, we examine this knowledge in detail to answer four questions: (1) Which endpoint is the most sensitive when assessing the effects of glyphosate or GBH in earthworms? (2) Which is most toxic to earthworms: glyphosate or GBH? (3) Are glyphosate and GBH harmful to earthworms when used at the recommended application dose? (4) What are the interactions between glyphosate or GBH and other chemicals in earthworms? The results indicate that a weak legislation led to improper assessment of the ecotoxicity of glyphosate during the last renewal in 2017. Our findings also highlighted that negative effects can occur in earthworms at the recommended application rate, although not after only a single application or when considering only the mortality of adult individuals. However, under more realistic conditions, that is, when assessing sensitive endpoints (e.g., reproduction, growth) and using species present in the field, after several applications per year, the negative effects of glyphosate or GBH on earthworms were observed at the subindividual, individual, population, and community levels, as well as on earthworm-mediated functions. Our recommendations are as follows: (i) competent agencies should collect more information on the toxicity of these compounds to earthworms before the next renewal deadline, with emphasis on the use of the updated legislation on the topic, and (ii) scientists should increase research on the effects of these herbicides on soil invertebrate species, with emphasis on earthworms, using guideline tests and obtain data from long-term field testing. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1330–1336. © 2023 SETAC

Key Points

A weak legislation led to improper assessment of the ecotoxicity of glyphosate during the last renewal in 2017. Negative effects of glyphosate or glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) on earthworms were observed at the subindividual, individual, population, and community levels, as well as on earthworm-mediated functions. We urgently recommend more research on glyphosate and GBH in the laboratory and in the field, using several applications at the recommended application dose, at time intervals that are normally used by farmers, and in research of more than one year.
Digital divides among microenterprises: Evidence from sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Girollet Damien
Published: December 2023

This paper investigates digital inequalities in usage within African informal sectors. In particular, we examine whether the uneven digital diffusion is embedded in pre‐existing socio‐economic inequalities. After identifying three segments of informal firms, we rely on multivariate and decomposition analyses to identify predictors of usage of digital technologies for business purposes and explain usage gaps between segments. Our findings suggest that digital inequalities are rooted in the vertical heterogeneity of informal sectors, with some firm characteristics significantly predicting professional use of digital technologies. In addition, we find that there are both common and segment‐specific levers for addressing digital inequalities between informal firms.
A comparison of health‐related quality of life in chronic intestinal failure and end‐stage kidney disease: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Eliasson Johanna , Antonsen Louise B. , Molsted Stig , Liem Ylian S. , Eidemak Inge , Sille Larsen , Sjøgren Per , Kurita Geana P. , Jeppesen Palle B.
Published: December 2023

Background

There is inequal access to treatment and scarce evidence on how the disease burden in chronic intestinal failure (CIF) compares to other chronic nonmalignant types of organ failure. Therefore, we compared the health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) of people with CIF with that of people with end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD) receiving hemodialysis (HD). These groups were selected for comparison as they have similar treatment characteristics. We hypothesized that people treated with HD and people with CIF had similarly poor HRQOL.

Methods

HRQOL was evaluated and compared in a cross‐sectional study of adult people with CIF and people with ESKD HD at a tertiary hospital in Denmark, using the Short‐Form 36 (SF‐36).

Results

One hundred forty‐one people with CIF and 131 people with ESKD receiving HD were included in the analysis. Both groups reported low scores (<50) for HRQOL on general health, vitality, and role limitation—physical. People with ESKD receiving HD had significantly lower scores than people with CIF regarding physical functioning, general health, and vitality when adjusted for sex and age. No significant difference was found for any other SF‐36 domain.

Conclusion

HRQOL was similarly and significantly reduced in people with CIF and in people with ESKD receiving HD. People with ESKD receiving HD had significantly poorer HRQOL than people with CIF in some aspects of physical and mental health. Access to home parenteral support treatment varies among countries that typically provide HD, suggesting an inequality in healthcare based on the type of organ failure.
Feasibility of gold nanocones for collocated tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscope imaging
Authors: McCourt Luke R. , Routley Ben S. , Ruppert Michael G. , Fleming Andrew J.
Published: December 2023

Microcantilever probes for tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) have a grainy metal coating that may exhibit multiple plasmon hotspots near the tip apex, which may compromise spatial resolution and introduce imaging artefacts. It is also possible that the optical hotspot may not occur at the mechanical apex, which introduces an offset between TERS and atomic force microscope maps. In this article, a gold nanocone TERS probe is designed and fabricated for 638 nm excitation. The imaging performance is compared to grainy probes by analysing high‐resolution TERS cross‐sections of single‐walled carbon nanotubes. Compared to the tested conventional TERS probes, the nanocone probe exhibited a narrow spot diameter, comparable optical contrast, artefact‐free images, and collocation of TERS and atomic force microscope topographic maps. The 1/ spot diameter was 12.5 nm and 19 nm with 638 nm and 785 nm excitation, respectively. These results were acquired using a single gold nanocone probe to experimentally confirm feasibility. Future work will include automating the fabrication process and statistical analysis of many probes.
Combining adhesive and nonadhesive injectable hydrogels for intervertebral disc repair in an ovine discectomy model
Authors: Panebianco Christopher J. , Constant Caroline , Vernengo Andrea J. , Nehrbass Dirk , Gehweiler Dominic , DiStefano Tyler J. , Martin Jesse , Alpert David J. , Chaudhary Saad B. , Hecht Andrew C. , Seifert Alan C. , Nicoll Steven B. , Grad Sibylle , Zeiter Stephan , Iatridis James C.
Published: December 2023

Background

Intervertebral disc (IVD) disorders (e.g., herniation) directly contribute to back pain, which is a leading cause of global disability. Next‐generation treatments for IVD herniation need advanced preclinical testing to evaluate their ability to repair large defects, prevent reherniation, and limit progressive degeneration. This study tested whether experimental, injectable, and nonbioactive biomaterials could slow IVD degeneration in an ovine discectomy model.

Methods

Ten skeletally mature sheep (4–5.5 years) experienced partial discectomy injury with cruciate‐style annulus fibrosus (AF) defects and 0.1 g nucleus pulposus (NP) removal in the L1–L2, L2–L3, and L3–L4 lumbar IVDs. L4–L5 IVDs were Intact controls. IVD injury levels received: (1) no treatment (Injury), (2) poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA), (3) genipin‐crosslinked fibrin (FibGen), (4) carboxymethylcellulose–methylcellulose (C‐MC), or (5) C‐MC and FibGen (FibGen + C‐MC). Animals healed for 12 weeks, then IVDs were assessed using computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, and histopathology.

Results

All repaired IVDs retained ~90% of their preoperative disc height and showed minor degenerative changes by Pfirrmann grading. All repairs had similar disc height loss and Pfirrmann grade as Injury IVDs. Adhesive AF sealants (i.e., PEGDA and FibGen) did not herniate, although repair caused local endplate (EP) changes and inflammation. NP repair biomaterials (i.e., C‐MC) and combination repair (i.e., FibGen + C‐MC) exhibited lower levels of degeneration, less EP damage, and less severe inflammation; however, C‐MC showed signs of herniation via biomaterial expulsion.

Conclusions

All repair IVDs were noninferior to Injury IVDs by IVD height loss and Pfirrmann grade. C‐MC and FibGen + C‐MC IVDs had the best outcomes, and may be appropriate for enhancement with bioactive factors (e.g., cells, growth factors, and miRNAs). Such bioactive factors appear to be necessary to prevent injury‐induced IVD degeneration. Application of AF sealants alone (i.e., PEGDA and FibGen) resulted in EP damage and inflammation, particularly for PEGDA IVDs, suggesting further material refinements are needed.
Crucial role of rare taxa in preserving bacterial community stability
Authors: Ma Li , Niu Wenquan , Li Guochun , Du Yadan , Sun Jun , Zhang Qian , Siddique Kadambot H. M.
Published: December 2023

Stable bacterial communities are essential for maintaining soil functions. However, the role of abundant and rare bacterial taxa in maintaining bacterial community stability remains controversial. To explore the relationship between abundant and rare taxa and bacterial community stability, we used high‐throughput sequencing technology and molecular ecological networks to characterize the distribution of abundant and rare bacterial taxa under different nitrogen (N) fertilization rates (0, 150, 200, and 250 kg N hm−2). Our findings revealed that rare taxa had much higher Simpson's diversity index values than abundant taxa. Moreover, rare taxa Simpson's diversity decreased with increasing N application, while bacterial community differences (Bray–Curtis distance dissimilarity) increased (i.e., bacterial community stability decreased with increasing N application). The network topology showed that rare sub‐communities had higher modularity and a greater proportion of positive links than abundant taxa. The rare bacterial Simpson's diversity was significantly and negatively correlated with bacterial community differences, no correlation occurred between abundant bacterial Simpson's diversity and bacterial community differences. This study underscores the importance of rare species in maintaining bacterial community stability. Consequently, when optimizing agricultural management practices to ensure the stability of bacterial communities and soil functions, it is crucial not only to concentrate consider the roles of abundant species involved in nutrient cycling but also to give greater consideration to the role of rare taxa.
Analysis of lithotripsy efficiency and stone retropulsion displacement according to pulse characteristics of Ho: YAG laser with Moses effect
Authors: Kim Kanghae , Seo Young‐Seok , Chung Phil‐Sang , Eom Joo Beom
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives

Compared to the conventional Ho: YAG laser, a Ho: YAG laser device has been reported that has a Moses effect to reduce stone retropulsion and increase lithotripsy efficiency. The principle of this equipment is to convert a single laser pulse into two pulses. Most studies on such lasers are limited to lithotripsy efficiency and the prevention of stone retropulsion; studies according to each pulse condition have not been performed. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to quantify the bubble shape, lithotripsy efficiency, and stone retropulsion displacement in a ureteral phantom according to the modulation of the first pulse characteristics of the Moses effect laser under conditions that maintained the total energy and repetition rate.

Material and Methods

In this study, a Ho: YAG laser system (Holinwon Pro, Wontech Inc., Korea) with an emission wavelength of 2.10 μm and a Moses effect was used. To verify the Moses effect based on the changes in the pulse, a water tank was fabricated, and the ureteral phantom was manufactured in a structure that could be easily installed in the water tank. Additionally, a spherical artificial stone in the ureteral phantom was prepared by mixing calcined gypsum (Cacinated Gypsum) and water at a ratio of 3:1. In the ureteral phantom, a high‐speed camera (FASTCAM NOVA S12, Photron Inc.) and visible light were used to record pulse‐dependent image analysis of bubbles and stone retropulsion.

Result

After mounting the artificial stone in the ureteral phantom, the pulse duration and energy of the first pulse of the Moses effect laser were varied; 30 laser shots for 3 s at a repetition rate of 10 Hz were applied to quantify the lithotripsy efficiency and stone retropulsion displacement, and the experimental values were compared. The fragmentation efficiency was confirmed by measuring the mass before and after the laser pulse application, the original position of the stone retropulsion displacement, and the distance moved. The minimum value of stone retropulsion displacement appeared when the pulse duration of the first pulse was 300 μs, the pulse energy was 100 mJ, and the value was approximately 0.28 mm. The highest fragmentation efficiency was observed under the same conditions, and the mass loss of the artificial stone at that time was approximately 3.7 mg.

Conclusion

Quantitative indices, such as lithotripsy efficiency and stone retropulsion displacement, were confirmed using ultrahigh‐speed cameras to determine the effect of the first pulse energy and duration of the Ho: YAG laser with the Moses effect on stone removal. It was confirmed that the longer the duration of the primary pulse and the lower the energy, the higher the fragmentation efficiency. In this study, the possibility of manufacturing a laser with an optimal stone‐removal effect was confirmed according to the first‐pulse condition of the laser with the Moses effect.
Genetic screening of 15 hearing loss variants in 77,647 neonates with clinical follow‐up
Authors: Kun Lin , Jiexiang Huang , Hua Lin , Junlin Han , Yijun Ruan , Lixian Zhang , Mingqiao Chen
Published: December 2023

Background

To analyze the genotype distribution and frequency of hearing loss genes in newborn population and evaluate the clinical value of genetic screening policy in China.

Methods

Genetic screening for hearing loss was offered to 84,029 neonates between March 2019 and December 2021, of whom 77,647 newborns accepted the screening program with one‐year follow‐up. The genotyping of 15 hot spot variants in GJB2, GJB3, SLC26A4, and MT‐RNR1 was performed on microarray platform.

Results

A total of 3.05% (2369/77,647) newborns carried at least one genetic hearing loss‐associated variant, indicated for early preventive management. The carrier frequency of GJB2 gene was the highest, at 1.48% (1147/77,647), followed by SLC26A4 gene at 1.07% (831/77,647), and GJB3 gene at 0.23% (181/77,647). GJB2 c.235delC variant and SLC26A4 IVS7‐2A>G variant were the most common allelic variants with allele frequency of 0.6304% (979/155,294) and 0.3992% (620/155,294), respectively. 10 children are identified as homozygous or compound heterozygous for pathogenic variants (4 in GJB2, 6 in SLC26A4), and 7 of these infants had passed the hearing screening. Following up of the genetically screened newborns revealed that genetic screening detected more hearing‐impaired infants than hearing screening alone. Genetic screening helped identify the infants who had passed the initial hearing screening, and reduced time for diagnosis and intervention of hearing aid. In addition, we identified 234 newborns (0.30%, 234/77,647) susceptible to preventable aminoglycoside antibiotic ototoxicity undetectable by hearing screening.

Conclusion

We performed the largest‐scale neonatal carrier screening for hearing loss genes in Southeast China. Our results indicated that genetic screening is an important complementation to conventional hearing screening. Our practice and experience may facilitate the application and development of neonatal genetic screening policy in mainland China.
Electrodiagnostic findings in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Variation with region of onset and utility of thoracic paraspinal muscle examination
Authors: Sanghani Nirav , Claytor Benjamin , Li Yuebing
Published: December 2023

Introduction/Aims

Limited data exist regarding variation of electrodiagnostic (EDX) findings in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with different onset regions and specificity of thoracic paraspinal muscle (TPSP) examination for confirming a diagnosis of ALS. We aimed to demonstrate the variation of EDX features and characterize the utility of TPSP muscle examination in the electrodiagnosis of ALS.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of a large cohort of ALS patients who had a comprehensive EDX evaluation.

Results

The study included 448 patients; all fulfilled the Gold Coast criteria for ALS. The average age at the time of EDX study was 64 years, and 41.1% were women. The onset region was identified as follows: bulbar (N = 149), cervical (N = 127), lumbosacral (N = 162), and other (N = 10). In contrast to limb onset, bulbar‐onset patients more frequently demonstrated a pattern of normal or near normal needle electromyography (EMG) (p < .0001) and less frequently had abnormalities on EMG of TPSP (p = .002). Clinical or EDX diagnosis of sensory polyneuropathy was present in 12.6% patients, more frequently in the lumbosacral onset subgroup (p < .03). EMG showed active denervation in 9.6% and chronic denervation in 59% of craniobulbar muscles examined, without observed difference among different onset regions. TPSP showed higher frequencies of active and chronic denervation in ALS than a group of patients with non‐ALS neuromuscular disorders.

Discussion

EDX features may differ among ALS patients of different onset regions. TPSP EMG is highly useful in differentiating ALS from non‐ALS neuromuscular disorders while the yield of craniobulbar muscles, especially for active denervation, is low.
Evaluation of diagnostic yield of the 2021 European Academy of Neurology/Peripheral Nerve Society diagnostic criteria for CIDP
Authors: Kanbayashi Takamichi , Hokkoku Keiichi , Tachiyama Keisuke , Hatanaka Yuki , Sonoo Masahiro
Published: December 2023

Introduction/Aims

It is unclear whether the revised European Academy of Neurology/Peripheral Nerve Society diagnostic criteria (EAN/PNS 2021 criteria) improved the diagnostic yield for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) compared with the previous version. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the sensitivity and specificity of the EAN/PNS 2021 criteria and the European Federation of Neurological Societies/Peripheral Nerve Society 2010 diagnostic criteria (EFNS/PNS 2010 criteria), with a specific focus on the electrodiagnostic criteria.

Methods

Data of patients with clinically suspected CIDP who exhibited objective treatment response, and of those with chronic axonal neuropathies, obtained between 2009 and 2021, were extracted retrospectively from our database. Patients who underwent nerve conduction studies in at least unilateral upper and lower extremities were enrolled. We compared the sensitivity and specificity of the EAN/PNS 2021 and EFNS/PNS 2010 criteria.

Results

In total, 55 patients with clinically suspected CIDP and 36 patients with chronic axonal neuropathies were enrolled. When considering the “possible CIDP” category, the EAN/PNS 2021 criteria showed lower sensitivity than the EFNS/PNS 2010 criteria (78% vs. 93%, p < .05), whereas its specificity was higher (78% vs. 61%, p < .05). The lower sensitivity was caused mainly by the failure to fulfill the sensory nerve conduction criteria. The revised definition of abnormal temporal dispersion of the tibial nerve contributed markedly to the improved specificity.

Discussion

To improve the sensitivity of the EAN/PNS 2021 criteria, increasing the number of tested sensory nerves may be necessary.
Exploring the relationship between plural values of nature, human well‐being, and conservation and development intervention: Why it matters and how to do it?
Authors: Carmenta Rachel , Zaehringer J. G. , Balvanera P. , Betley E. , Dawson N. M. , Estrada‐Carmona N. , Forster J. , Hoelle J. , Lliso B. , Llopis J. C. , Menon A. , Moeliono M. , Mustin K. , Pascual U. , Rai N. D. , Schleicher J. , Shelton C. , Sigouin A. , Sterling E. J. , Steward A. M. , Tauro A. , White C. , Woodhouse E. , Yuliani E.L.
Published: December 2023

Globally, land and seascapes across the bioculturally diverse tropics are in transition. Impacted by the demands of distant consumers, the processes of global environmental change and numerous interventions seeking climate, conservation and development goals, these transitions have the potential to impact the relationships and plurality of values held between people and place.

This paper is a Synthesis of seven empirical studies within the Special Feature (SF): ‘What is lost in transition? Capturing the impacts of conservation and development interventions on relational values and human wellbeing in the tropics’. Through two Open Forum workshops, and critical review, contributing authors explored emergent properties across the papers of the SF. Six core themes were identified and are subsumed within broad categories of: (i) the problem of reconciling scale and complexity, (ii) key challenges to be overcome for more plural understanding of social dimensions of landscape change and (iii) ways forward: the potential of an environmental justice framework, and a practical overview of methods available to do so.

The Synthesis interprets disparate fields and complex academic work on relational values, human well‐being and de‐colonial approaches in impact appraisal. It offers a practical and actionable catalogue of methods for plural valuation in the field, and reflects on their combinations, strengths and weaknesses.

The research contribution is policy relevant because it builds the case for why a more plural approach in intervention design and evaluation is essential for achieving more just and sustainable futures, and highlights some of the key actions points deemed necessary to achieve such a transition to conventional practice.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Primary care use and depression screening among young adults with sickle cell disease during their final year of pediatric hematology care
Authors: Bangudi Suzy , Stanek Charis , Shankar Divya , Hart Laura , Nahata Leena , Cronin Robert M. , Creary Susan E.
Published: December 2023

Depression may contribute to transition risk among young adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). It is unclear if they receive depression screening because primary care providers (PCPs) routinely perform this screening, but PCP use declines with age. This retrospective study of young adults with SCD during their final year of pediatric hematology care identified 51 (91%) had PCPs. Among those with hospital system PCPs, 20% saw their PCP and 50% of those were screened for depression by the PCP. This suggests young adults with SCD may not receive depression screening or see PCPs, leading to potential missed opportunities for intervention.
Experimental and numerical crashworthiness investigation of 3D printing carbon fiber reinforced nylon origami tubes
Authors: Jiang Zhiyu , Zhao Jian , Chen Weidong , Lv Huanlin
Published: December 2023

In this article, the crashworthiness performance of 3D printed origami tubes with variable thickness and different printing angles are investigated. First, experimental results showed that, compared with the traditional equal thickness origami tubes, the initial peak crushing force of variable thickness origami tubes (VTOT) was reduced by 41% and the specific energy absorption (SEA) had an improvement of 22%. Then, the energy absorption (EA) capacity of 3D printed origami tubes at different printing angles was measured and analyzed experimentally. It can be concluded that smaller print angles provide better EA, and the larger print angles result in a significant increase in layer‐to‐layer shear under quasi‐static axial loads, which makes the component more susceptible to buckling and cracking. Finally, the finite element method was constructed through Abaqus/Explicit to study the crashworthiness of VTOT under different mean thickness and the thickness difference in detail. As the mean thickness increases, the load‐carrying capacity and EA capacity increase during the crushing process, but the VTOT with a mean thickness of 1.2 mm has the highest SEA and CLE. The larger thickness differences can significantly improve the EA properties of the VTOT through the changing of the deformation mode.

Highlights

Both experimental and numerical methods were used to study origami tubes with varying thicknesses.

Origami tubes printed at 0° have a higher energy absorption capacity.

Variable thickness origami tubes improve the crashworthiness of traditional origami tubes.
Identification and preliminary characterization of conserved uncharacterized proteins from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Setaria viridis
Authors: Knoshaug Eric P. , Sun Peipei , Nag Ambarish , Nguyen Huong , Mattoon Erin M. , Zhang Ningning , Liu Jian , Chen Chen , Cheng Jianlin , Zhang Ru , St. John Peter , Umen James
Published: December 2023

The rapid accumulation of sequenced plant genomes in the past decade has outpaced the still difficult problem of genome‐wide protein‐coding gene annotation. A substantial fraction of protein‐coding genes in all plant genomes are poorly annotated or unannotated and remain functionally uncharacterized. We identified unannotated proteins in three model organisms representing distinct branches of the green lineage (Viridiplantae): Arabidopsis thaliana (eudicot), Setaria viridis (monocot), and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Chlorophyte alga). Using similarity searching, we identified a subset of unannotated proteins that were conserved between these species and defined them as Deep Green proteins. Bioinformatic, genomic, and structural predictions were performed to begin classifying Deep Green genes and proteins. Compared to whole proteomes for each species, the Deep Green set was enriched for proteins with predicted chloroplast targeting signals predictive of photosynthetic or plastid functions, a result that was consistent with enrichment for daylight phase diurnal expression patterning. Structural predictions using AlphaFold and comparisons to known structures showed that a significant proportion of Deep Green proteins may possess novel folds. Though only available for three organisms, the Deep Green genes and proteins provide a starting resource of high‐value targets for further investigation of potentially new protein structures and functions conserved across the green lineage.
Rehabilitation in the intensive care unit: How amount of physical and occupational therapy affects patients' function and hospital length of stay
Authors: Jenkins Anna S. , Isha Shahin , Hanson Abby J. , Kunze Katie L. , Johnson Patrick W. , Sura Lydia , Cornelius Patrick J. , Hightower Jenna , Heise Katherine J. , Davis Olivia , Satashia Parthkumar H. , Hasan Mohammed Mustafa , Esterov Dmitry , Worsowicz Gregory M. , Sanghavi Devang K.
Published: December 2023

Background

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) often experience extended periods of immobility. Following hospital discharge, many face impaired mobility and never return to their baseline function. Although the benefits of physical and occupational rehabilitation are well established in non‐ICU patients, a paucity of work describes effective practices to alleviate ICU‐related declines in mobility.

Objective

To assess how rehabilitation with physical and occupational therapy (PT‐OT) during ICU stays affects patients' mobility, self‐care, and length of hospital stay.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Inpatient ICU.

Participants

A total of 6628 adult patients who received physical rehabilitation across multiple sites (Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) of a single institution between January 2018 and December 2021.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Descriptive statistics, linear regression models, and gradient boosting machine methods were used to determine the relationship between the amount of PT‐OT received and outcomes of hospital length of stay (LOS), Activity Measure for Post‐Acute Care Daily Activity and Basic Mobility scores.

Results

The 6628 patients who met inclusion criteria received an average (median) of 23 (range: 1‐89) minutes of PT‐OT per day. Regression analyses showed each additional 10 minutes of PT‐OT per day was associated with a 1.0% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.41–1.66, p < .001) higher final Basic Mobility score, a 1.8% (95% CI: 1.30%–2.34%, p < .001) higher final Daily Activity score, and a 1.2‐day (95% CI: −1.28 to −1.09, p < .001) lower hospital LOS. One‐dimensional partial dependence plots revealed an exponential decrease in predicted LOS as minutes of PT‐OT received increased.

Conclusion

Higher rehabilitation minutes provided to patients in the ICU may reduce the LOS and improve patients' functional outcomes at discharge. The benefits of rehabilitation increased with increasing amounts of time of therapy received.