bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Static breakdown threshold modeling of quasi-uniform gas gaps with a focus on the PDIV of contacting enameled wire pairs
Authors: Färber R , Lu Y , Balmelli M , Sefl O , Franck C M
Published: July 2023

This paper provides a theoretical and conceptual framework for the determination of static breakdown inception thresholds in quasi-uniform gas gaps bounded by dielectric layers of thickness s and relative permittivity

ε

r

′

. The special case of uncoated metallic electrodes is included in the limit

s

/

ε

r

′

→
0

. Moreover, a review of breakdown mechanisms and the underlying physical processes in quasi-uniform gas gaps is provided, and the applicability of the associated breakdown criteria is discussed. The results include a parametrization of the partial discharge inception voltage of wedge-shaped air gaps at atmospheric pressure as a function of the reduced coating thickness

s

/

ε

r

′

. The predicted results for this prototypical insulation geometry agree well with a broad array of literature data and own measurements. Finally, a physically motivated parametrization of the ionization threshold K(d) is suggested for atmospheric pressure air in terms of secondary electron feedback by energetic photons and ion-enhanced field emission. This contrasts with the ad hoc introduction of modified ‘streamer constants’ often found in literature to explain breakdown voltages that deviate from the predictions of the classical Raether–Meek–Loeb criterion.
Early fault diagnosis for DC/DC converters based on digital twins and transfer learning
Authors: Xia Qian , Yue Jiguang , Chen Jichang , Cui Zhexin , Lyu Feng
Published: July 2023

DC/DC converters are widely used as power supplies in various power supply systems. Their faults can lead to improper system operation. Building intelligent fault diagnosis models for ‘highly reliable and long-life’ DC/DC converters is challenging due to the high data acquisition costs and insufficient fault data. In this paper, the digital twin (DT) technique is utilized to provide extensive and reliable data to address the issue of insufficient data for diagnosing DC/DC converter faults. However, establishing multidisciplinary, multi-physical quantity, multi-scale, and multi-probability virtual models (VMs) can be challenging. Thus, a cloud model-based interpretable transfer model is designed to overcome the limitations of VMs in fully deducing the full-state output properties. The proposed method effectively diagnoses DC/DC converters based on DT technology by providing a more comprehensive and uniformly distributed source domain data to suit the samples in the target domain. Comparison with other algorithms shows the effectiveness of the proposed method. It has the potential to provide accurate and real-time diagnosis for DC/DC converter faults and enable timely maintenance strategies for power monitoring in equipment, such as submarine observation networks and space power supply systems.
RGB-D SLAM in indoor dynamic environments with two channels based on scenario classification
Authors: Zhou Yao , Tao Fazhan , Fu Zhumu , Chen Qihong , Zhu Longlong
Published: July 2023

In visual simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) systems, the limitations of the assumption of scene rigidity are usually broken by using learning-based or geometry-based methods. However, learning-based methods usually have a high time cost, and geometry-based methods usually do not result in clean maps which are useful for advanced robotic applications. In this paper, an RGB-D SLAM in indoor dynamic environments with two channels that classifies frames as slightly and highly dynamic scenarios based on matching accuracy is proposed. And a geometric constraint based on Hamming distance is proposed to improve the effectiveness of matching accuracy as a basis for scenario classification. Dynamic features are detected by affine consistency constraint and semantic method. The semantic method is only used for highly dynamic scenarios to reduce the time cost of dynamic feature detection and provide a basis for mapping. Furthermore, an improved adaptive threshold algorithm is proposed to improve the robustness of feature matching. The proposed method is evaluated in the TUM RGB-D dataset and a real scenario. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves highly accurate tracking with appreciable time cost in both slightly and highly indoor dynamic environments while obtaining effective maps.
A fault diagnosis method based on hybrid sampling algorithm with energy entropy under unbalanced conditions
Authors: Zhao Huimin , Liu Dunke , Chen Huayue , Deng Wu
Published: July 2023

For the degraded performance of the fault diagnosis model caused by massive normal samples and scarce fault samples under unbalanced conditions, a new fault diagnosis method based on a hybrid sampling algorithm and energy entropy, namely HSEEFD is proposed in this paper. In the proposed method, Empirical Modal Decomposition is employed to decompose the vibration signals into Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs), and the energy entropy feature of each IMF component is extracted to construct a feature vector matrix. Then, a new hybrid sampling algorithm using Tomek’s Links algorithm, Euclidean distance, K-means algorithm, and synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE), namely TSHSA is designed to balance the extracted features. Tomek’s Links algorithm is used to identify and remove the confusable majority class samples at the boundary. Euclidean distance is applied to find the suspected noise points in minority class samples and remove them. The k-means algorithm is employed to cluster the minority class samples and SMOTE is used to deal with each cluster according to the density of the clusters to synthesize new features. Finally, the support vector machine is applied to classify faults and realize fault diagnosis. The experiment results on the actual imbalanced data show that the proposed HSEEFD method can effectively improve the accuracy (AUC) of the fault diagnosis under unbalanced conditions by increasing the AUC value by more than 2.1%, and the AUC and G-mean by more than 0.7%, 2.1%, respectively.
MDI quantum protocol for anonymous countable veto voting
Authors: Yu Hui , Shi Run-hua , Ke Weiyang
Published: July 2023

In order to construct unconditionally secure anonymous countable veto protocol, we proposed a measurement-device-independent quantum secure multiparty authenticated summation protocol. This protocol adopts perfect quantum encryption and one-time pad to achieve unconditional security. In addition, the protocol uses the weak coherent pulses of the BB84 state as the quantum resource, and only needs to perform Bell state identification to complete the calculation. Combined with the idea of grouping, it is applied to the quantum anonymous veto voting scenario, which ensures the anonymity of the protocol. Under the semi-honest model, the security of the designed protocol is proved. It can satisfy the correctness, security and relatively complete voting attributes. Finally, IBM Qiskit is used to carry out simulation experiments, and the experimental results verify the correctness and feasibility of the protocol.
Time-optimal transport of a harmonic oscillator: analytic solution
Authors: Hegerfeldt Gerhard C
Published: July 2023

Motivated by the experimental transport of a trap with a quantum mechanical system modeled as a harmonic oscillator (h.o.) the corresponding classical problem is investigated. Protocols for the fastest possible transport of a classical h.o. in a wagon over a distance d are derived where both initially and finally the wagon is at rest and the h.o. is in its equilibrium position and also at rest. The acceleration of the wagon is assumed to be bounded. For fixed oscillator frequency Ω it is shown that there are in general three switches in the acceleration and for special values of Ω only one switch. In the latter case the optimal transport time is T
abs, that of a wagon without oscillator. The optimal transport time and the switch times are determined. It is shown that in some cases it is advantageous to go backwards for a while. In addition a time-dependent Ω(t), bounded by Ω±, is allowed. In this case the behavior depends sensitively on Ω± and is spelled out in detail. In particular, depending on Ω±, T
abs may be obtained in continuously many ways.
Impact of light polarization on angle-resolved light scattering from gloss scale
Authors: Gozhyk I , Turbil C , Garcia E , Obein G
Published: July 2023

The gloss scale is a set of coated paper samples with different surface roughness allowing for appearance variation from high gloss to mat. Nowadays, the gloss scale is widely used as a reference on visual appearance of glossy and mat surfaces. This work provides for angle resolved analysis of light scattering from gloss scales as well as the analysis of the surface topography parameters relevant for the analysis of light-scattering experiments: RMS-roughness σ, auto-correlation function and power spectrum density, correlation length ℓ
c and surface slopes. The angle–resolved measurements of light scattered in reflection within the half–space are performed at 4 angles of incidence, while measurements within the incidence plane are made at 17 angles of incidence and under non–polarized, s–and p–polarized illumination. The polarization of incident light has a significant impact on both the specular and the diffused components of scattered light. Brewster scattering angle is especially well observed for black mat surfaces. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of measured scattered light is made with Rayleigh-Rice and Kirchhoff models applied to statistically representative analysis of surface topography.
Modulated Kepler-Ermakov triads. Integrable Hamiltonian structure and parametrisation
Authors: Rogers Colin
Published: July 2023

A hybrid Kepler-Ermakov system modulated by means of a classical nonlinear superposition principle is reduced via a class of involutory transformations to its unmodulated counterpart. In the case of certain underlying Hamiltonian-type and dual associated structure, parametric representations are applied which allow systematic integration on application of admitted invariants.
One-step implementation of multiqubit controlled–controlled-Z gates with Rydberg atoms
Authors: Li Yan , Lin Zhe-Ping , Zhao Xin-Yu , Chen Ye-Hong , Xia Yan
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we propose a one-step scheme for generating a multiqubit controlled–controlled-Z(CCZ) gate based on Rydberg atoms where an amplitude-modulated field is employed to induce Rydberg antiblockade. The Rydberg atoms can form a Rabi oscillation between the ground state and the collective excited state effectively, so a one-step three-qubitCCZgate can be easily achieved through a Rabi cycle. Numerical simulation results show that the scheme has a high fidelity and robustness against errors which are caused by parameter errors, intrinsic errors, and atomic decays. Therefore, we hope that this scheme will enable fast and robust quantum computing in the near future.
Anomalous Transport of Energetic Particles Interacting with Dynamic Small-Scale Magnetic Flux Rope Structures
Authors: le Roux Jakobus A
Published: July 2023

le Roux and Zank [25] showed previously how one can derive from first principles a pitch-angle dependent fractional diffusion-advection kinetic equation to model the anomalous diffusion of energetic particles interacting with small-scale magnetic flux ropes (SMFRs) in the inner heliosphere on the basis of the standard focused transport equation. This equation has the following limitations: (1) The asymptotic power law of a Lévy distribution was specified to model the non-Gaussian statistics of the disturbed energetic particle trajectories generated during energetic particle interaction with numerous SMFRs. The second moment (variance) and higher moments of the Lévy distribution are infinite, indicating over-efficient non-local transport that is scale-free. (2) The theory does not naturally allow for a transition of anomalous transport to normal diffusion, or to a different anomalous diffusion state. An outline of a derivation is presented in which an exponentially truncated Lévy distribution was specified instead, resulting in a tempered fractional diffusion-advection kinetic equation that addresses these two concerns.
On the Causality Problem in Focused Particle Transport
Authors: Strauss R D , van den Berg J P , Engelbrecht N E , Wijsen N
Published: July 2023

When perpendicular diffusion is included into the focused transport equation, certain assumptions of the perpendicular diffusion coefficient (including the well-known fieldline random walk limit) clearly lead to faster-than-light motion for relativistic particles, and transport that does not preserve causality in general. In this work we show that this discrepancy can be solved by including the effect of turbulence on particle drifts, especially the streaming term present in the focused transport equation, leading to a so-called drift reduction factor. We discuss this drift reduction factor, how it solves the above-mentioned causality problem, and its general implications for particle transport. Under certain simplifying assumptions we show the interplay between particle streaming (as a drift process) and perpendicular diffusion, and how these processes can be consistently coupled through the turbulent magnetic field.
Transmission of magnetic island modes across interplanetary shocks: comparison of theory and observations
Authors: Pitna A , Zank G P , Nakanotani M , Zhao L-L , Adhikari L , Safrankova J , Nemecek Z
Published: July 2023

Interplanetary shock waves are observed frequently in turbulent solar wind. They naturally enhance the temperature/entropy of the plasma through which they propagate. Moreover, many studies have shown that they also act as an amplifier of the fluctuations incident on the shock front. Solar wind turbulent fluctuations can be well described as the superposition of quasi-2D and slab components, the former being energetically dominant. In this paper, we address the interaction of fast forward shocks observed by the Wind spacecraft at 1 AU and quasi-2D turbulent fluctuations in the framework of the Zank et al. (2021) transmission model and we compare model predictions with observations. Our statistical study includes 378 shocks with varying upstream conditions and Mach numbers. We estimate the average ratio of the downstream observed and theoretically predicted power spectra within the inertial range of turbulence. We find that the distributions of this ratio for the whole set and for the subset of shocks that met the assumptions of the model, are remarkably close. We argue that a large statistical spread of the distributions of this ratio is governed by the inherent variation of the upstream conditions. Our findings suggest that the model predicts the downstream fluctuations with a good accuracy and that it may be adopted for a wider class of shocks than it was originally meant for.
UNMF: a unified nonnegative matrix factorization for multi-dimensional omics data
Authors: Abe Ko , Shimamura Teppei
Published: July 2023

Factor analysis, ranging from principal component analysis to nonnegative matrix factorization, represents a foremost approach in analyzing multi-dimensional data to extract valuable patterns, and is increasingly being applied in the context of multi-dimensional omics datasets represented in tensor form. However, traditional analytical methods are heavily dependent on the format and structure of the data itself, and if these change even slightly, the analyst must change their data analysis strategy and techniques and spend a considerable amount of time on data preprocessing. Additionally, many traditional methods cannot be applied as-is in the presence of missing values in the data. We present a new statistical framework, unified nonnegative matrix factorization (UNMF), for finding informative patterns in messy biological data sets. UNMF is designed for tidy data format and structure, making data analysis easier and simplifying the development of data analysis tools. UNMF can handle a wide range of data structures and formats, and works seamlessly with tensor data including missing observations and repeated measurements. The usefulness of UNMF is demonstrated through its application to several multi-dimensional omics data, offering user-friendly and unified features for analysis and integration. Its application holds great potential for the life science community. UNMF is implemented with R and is available from GitHub (https://github.com/abikoushi/moltenNMF).
The power to act: dissecting distinctive elements of power and ownership in community organizing in England and Wales
Authors: Wood Jason
Published: July 2023

This paper considers the continuing evolution in England and Wales of the Alinsky tradition of broad-based community organizing, a process that seeks to build permanent and powerful alliances of local civil society institutions. The paper introduces some of the tenets of the Alinsky model of broad-based organizing and how this has been adapted to the UK context. Drawing on a leading charity that has pioneered this work, Citizens UK, the paper identifies five distinctive enablers of power and ownership found in community organizing: leadership, relationships, money, democratic behaviours, and actions. Taken together, broad-based community organizing offers an interesting alternative proposition for building community power and is a model that requires further academic, policy, and practitioner attention in the field of community development.
Circulating Cell-Free SEPT9 DNA Methylation in Blood Is a Biomarker for Minimal Residual Disease Detection in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients
Authors: Dietrich Dimo , Weider Simone , de Vos Luka , Vogt Timo Jakob , Färber Moritz , Zarbl Romina , Hunecke Alina , Glosch Ann-Kathrin , Gabrielpillai Jennis , Bootz Friedrich , Bauernfeind Franz-Georg , Kramer Franz-Josef , Kristiansen Glen , Brossart Peter , Strieth Sebastian , Franzen Alina
Published: July 2023

Background

Tumorous SEPT9 (septin 9, SEPTIN9) circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) methylation in blood plasma is a powerful biomarker for diagnosis, molecular staging, prognosis, and recurrence monitoring in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical performance of SEPT9 ccfDNA methylation to detect post-surgical minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with localized or locally advanced HNSCC treated with curative intent.

Methods

We applied quasi-digital methylation-specific real-time PCR to quantify SEPT9 ccfDNA methylation levels 2 to 30 days post-surgically in plasma from n = 219 prospectively enrolled HNSCC patients. We tested the associations of SEPT9 ccfDNA methylation with clinicopathological parameters and used Kaplan–Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses for univariate, pairwise bivariate, and multivariate analyses of disease-free survival.

Results

Of 219 patients, 26.5% (58/219) were post-surgically SEPT9 ccfDNA methylation positive. SEPT9 ccfDNA methylation positivity was significantly associated with tumor site, American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control (AJCC/UICC; 8th edition) tumor stage, nodal category and extracapsular extension, lymphatic and vascular invasion, and surgical margin. Bivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis proved post-surgical SEPT9 ccfDNA methylation positivity to be an independent prognostic factor tested together with AJCC/UICC tumor stage (SEPT9: hazard ratio [HR] = 2.43, 95% CI, 1.37–4.30, P = 0.002; AJCC/UICC stage: HR = 1.48, 95% CI, 1.11–1.98, P = 0.008).

Conclusions

Post-surgical SEPT9 ccfDNA methylation may aid to identify high-risk HNSCC patients who could benefit from an intensified adjuvant treatment and surveillance.
Niclosamide Enema for Active Distal Ulcerative Colitis: A Phase 1, Open-Label Study
Authors: Marafini Irene , De Cristofaro Elena , Salvatori Silvia , Calabrese Emma , Lolli Elisabetta , Monteleone Ivan , Franchi Luigi , Ciccocioppo Rachele , Glick Gary , Opipari Anthony , Monteleone Giovanni
Published: July 2023

Background

Oral and rectal formulations of 5-aminosalicylic acid are the first-line therapy for mild-to-moderate, distal ulcerative colitis (UC), but such a treatment is not effective in one-third of patients. Niclosamide is a small molecule, developed and approved as an orally administered drug to treat helminthic infections, with an excellent safety profile. Preclinical work showed that niclosamide is an anti-inflammatory agent, thereby providing the rationale to explore its safety and efficacy in patients with UC. This phase 1, open-label trial was aimed at assessing the safety of niclosamide formulated as an enema in patients with mild-to-moderate, distal UC, who relapsed on maintenance therapy with oral and/or rectal 5-aminosalicylic acid.

Methods

Seventeen patients with active UC received niclosamide enema (150 mg/60 mL) twice a day for 6 weeks. The primary endpoint was the safety of niclosamide treatment. Secondary endpoints included clinical remission and improvements in endoscopic Mayo/histologic scores. Endoscopic remission percentages exclude participants meeting criteria at baseline for endoscopic remission.

Results

Niclosamide was well tolerated by all 17 patients that were enrolled and treated. No serious adverse event was registered. Fifteen mild adverse events were registered in 6 patients and considered to be unrelated to the treatment. Clinical remission was achieved in 10 (59%) of 17 patients. Improvements of endoscopic Mayo score and histologic Geboes score were seen in 7 (58%) of 12 and 7 (41.2%) of 17 patients, respectively.

Conclusions

Niclosamide enema treatment is safe and well tolerated. Niclosamide improves clinical symptoms and endoscopic/histologic signs of UC; however, appropriately designed placebo-controlled clinical trials are required to confirm efficacy.
The identification of diurnal variations on circulating immune cells by finger prick blood sampling in small sample sizes: a pilot study
Authors: Bushell Dayna , Tan Jonathan Kah Huat , Smith Jessica , Moro Christian
Published: July 2023

Objective

There are well-described impacts of biological rhythms on human physiology. With the increasing push for routine blood tests for preventative medical care and clinical and physiological research, optimizing effectiveness is paramount. This study aimed to determine whether it is feasible to assess diurnal variations of peripheral lymphocyte prevalence using finger prick blood in a small sample size.

Methods

Using polychromatic flow cytometry, the prevalence of lymphocytes was assessed using 25 µL fingertip blood samples at 8 AM and 5 PM from 8 participants.

Results

TH cells and B cells showed significantly higher percentages in the 5 PM samples, whereas NK cells demonstrated a significantly higher morning percentage. T cells, leukocytes, and cytotoxic T cells showed no significant changes.

Conclusion

The detection of diurnal variations demonstrates that small blood volumes can be used to detect lymphocyte variations. The lower blood volume required provides a new testing method for clinical and research settings.
The luminous, hard state can’t be MAD
Authors: Fragile P Chris , Chatterjee Koushik , Ingram Adam , Middleton Matthew
Published: July 2023

We present a straightforward argument for why the luminous, hard state of black hole X-ray binaries (BHXRBs) cannot always be associated with a magnetically arrested accretion disc (MAD). It relies on three core premises: (1) that the type-C quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) is best explained by Lense–Thirring (LT) precession of a tilted, inner, hot flow; (2) that observed optical and infrared (IR) QPOs with the same or lower frequency as the type-C QPO suggest the jet, too, must precess in these systems; and (3) that numerical simulations of MADs show that their strong magnetic fields promote alignment of the disc with the black hole and, thereby, suppress LT precession. If all three premises hold true, then, at least whenever the optical and IR QPOs are observed alongside the type-C QPO, these systems cannot be in the MAD state. Extending the argument further, if the type-C QPO is always associated with LT precession, then it would rule out MADs anytime this timing feature is seen, which covers nearly all BHXRBs when they are in the luminous, hard and hard-intermediate states.
Comparative Analysis of 2D and 3D Metrics for Evaluation of Postoperative Outcomes Following Endoscopic Suturectomy for Sagittal Craniosynostosis
Authors: Medina Mauricio P. , Imahiyerobo Thomas , Odigie Eseosa , Guadix Sergio W. , De Silva Neranjan , Buontempo Michelle , Souweidane Mark M. , Hoffman Caitlin E.
Published: July 2023

To assess whether 3-dimensional (3D) volumetrics can be used to track and evaluate postoperative course of patients treated with endoscopic suturectomy for nonsyndromic sagittal synostosis, we compared changes in 2-dimensional (2D) measurements along with 3D volumetric correlates throughout the period of helmet therapy. Forty-six patients treated at our institution with endoscopic suturectomy for sagittal synostosis were retrospectively reviewed. Head circumference (HC), cephalic index (CI), and total cranial volumes (TCVs) were measured at 3 timepoints following surgery using optical surface scans obtained for helmet orthotics. All measurements showed significant differences between timepoints on the analysis of variance (P<0.001). There was a significant correlation between CI and TCV (r=0.35, P=0.004) and between HC and TCV (r=0.81, P<0.001). The normalized rate of change over the course of treatment was significantly higher for TCV (36.7%) than for CI (8.8%) and HC (8.4%, P<0.001), with no difference between HC and CI. The authors conclude that 3D metrics were able to reliably follow the course of postoperative 2D metrics. There was a direct and linear correlation between HC and CI with TCV. Total cranial volumes showed the highest rate of sustained change at every timepoint. Although CI and HC plateau after the first measurement, TCV continues to adapt over the course of treatment. These results demonstrate the feasibility and value of volumetrics from 3D imaging to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of postoperative surgical outcomes than traditional 2D metrics without the ionizing radiation traditionally utilized for CT to obtain 3D metrics.
The Difference in Functions of the Upper Extremity Between Elderly and Young Adult
Authors: Punyanirun Numpung , Sanguanpong Rungpetch
Published: July 2023

To compare functions of the upper extremity between the elderly and young adults, 72 participants were recruited into the study. All participants were divided into 4 groups: aged 25 to 35 years, 60 to 69 years, 70 to 79 years, and 80 years and older. Participants were tested on the ability to perform activities with their upper limb by using the upper extremity performance test for the elderly (TEMPA [Test D'évaluation Des Membres Supérieurs Des Personnes Âgées]). A Kruskal-Wallis test with post hoc Bonferroni test was also used in this study to compare the results between groups. The results show that the ability to perform activities with the upper limb in young adults is significantly different from that of the elderly. Also, the study illustrates that there is a notable difference in unilateral hand function and bilateral hand function. The difference in upper extremity function has statistical significance between the elderly and young adults.
Maculopathies Referred to Neuro-Ophthalmology Clinic as Optic Neuropathies: A Case Series
Authors: Vosoughi Amir R. , Donaldson Laura , Micieli Jonathan A. , Margolin Edward A.
Published: July 2023

Background:

The clinical features of maculopathies and optic neuropathies often overlap: Both present with decreased visual acuity and variable loss of color vision; thus, maculopathy can be misdiagnosed as optic neuropathy, leading to patient harm. We aimed to determine what findings and/or tests were most helpful in differentiating between optic neuropathy and maculopathy.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review of consecutive patients over 4.5 years who were referred to neuro-ophthalmology clinics with the diagnosis of optic neuropathy but whose final diagnosis was maculopathy. Patient demographics, mode of presentation, clinical profile, complete ophthalmological examination, results of all ancillary testing, and final diagnosis were recorded.

Results:

A total of 47 patients (27 women) were included. The median age was 55 years (range, 18–85). Most referrals were by ophthalmologists (72.3%) and optometrists (12.8%). The diagnosis of maculopathy was made in 51.1% of patients at the time of first neuro-ophthalmic consultation. Only 6.4% patients (3) had relative afferent pupillary defect. Benign disc anomalies (tilted, myopic, small, or anomalous discs) were present in 34.0%, and 21.3% had pathologic disc changes unrelated or secondary to maculopathy. Macular ocular coherence tomography (OCT) was abnormal in 84.4% (with outer retinal pathology in 42.2% and inner retina pathology in 17.8%). Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was normal in 82.6% of patients.

Conclusions:

Macular OCT is a high-yield test in differentiating between optic neuropathy and maculopathy and should be obtained in patients with suspected optic neuropathies who have normal RNFL thickness. Macular dystrophies, particularly cone dystrophies, unspecified retinal disorders, and macular degeneration were the most common mimics of optic neuropathy. The diagnosis was often present on OCT of the macula. The presence of coexistent benign and pathological disc anomalies may lead to maculopathy being misdiagnosed as optic neuropathy.
Induction of antiviral gene expression by cyclosporine A, but not inhibition of cyclophilin A or B, contributes to its restriction of human coronavirus 229E infection in a lung epithelial cell line
Authors: Mamatis John E. , Gallardo-Flores Carla E. , Walsh Taylor , Sangwan Ujjwal , Colpitts Che C.
Published: July 2023

The development of antivirals with an extended spectrum of activity is an attractive possibility to protect against future emerging coronaviruses (CoVs). Cyclosporine A (CsA), a clinically approved immunosuppressive drug, has established antiviral activity against diverse unrelated viruses, including several CoVs. However, its antiviral mechanisms of action against CoV infection have remained elusive, precluding the rational design of non-immunosuppressive derivatives with improved antiviral activities. In this study, we evaluated the mechanisms of CsA against HCoV-229E infection in a human lung epithelial cell line. We demonstrate that the antiviral activity of CsA against HCoV-229E is independent of classical CsA target proteins, cyclophilin A or B, which are not required host factors for HCoV-229E in A549 cells. Instead, CsA treatment induces expression of antiviral genes in a manner dependent on interferon regulatory factor 1, but independent of classical interferon responses, which contributes to its inhibitory effect against HCoV-229E infection. Our results also point to a role for the HCoV-229E nucleoprotein in antagonizing activation of type I interferon, but we show that CsA treatment does not affect evasion of innate immune signaling pathways by HCoV-229E. Overall, our findings further the understanding of the antiviral mechanisms of CsA against CoV infection and highlight a novel immunomodulatory strategy to inhibit CoV infection that may inform future drug development efforts.
N-Acylethanolamine is a Source of Ethanolamine for Phosphatidylethanolamine Synthesis inTrypanosoma brucei
Authors: Jenni Aurelio , Bütikofer Peter
Published: July 2023

The Kennedy pathway is essential for survival ofTrypanosoma bruceiprocyclic and bloodstream form parasites in culture and provides the bulk of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine for membrane biogenesis. The CDP-ethanolamine branch of the Kennedy pathway depends on a steady supply of ethanolamine to be functional. We now show that degradation of N-acylethanolamines, mediated at least in part byT. bruceifatty acid amide hydrolase (TbFAAH), represents an additional reaction to provide ethanolamine for phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis. Although TbFAAH is not essential for growth ofT. bruceiprocyclic forms in normal culture medium, it may be essential for ethanolamine production under conditions of limited availability of free ethanolamine in the environment, or in the insect vector or mammalian host.
How risk and ambiguity affect accounting conservatism
Authors: Fuad Fuad , Rohman Abdul , Yuyetta Etna Nur Afri , Zulaikha Zulaikha
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the diametrically opposite effects of probabilistic (risk) and nonprobabilistic uncertainty (ambiguity) on accounting conservatism.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses panel regression models with year and industry-fixed effects. It uses financial and market data from the communication and energy sectors of 24 countries, encompassing 1,946 firms and 5,838 firm-year observations.

Findings

The study reveals that conservatism is a rational response to risk. However, in the presence of higher ambiguity where uncertainty exceeds firm control and outcomes become unpredictable, management reduces conservative accounting practices. Robustness tests support the validity of these findings across different institutional frameworks, agency risks, sample selection and heterogeneity.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the existing literature by exploring the contrasting effects of risk and ambiguity on accounting conservatism. It enhances the understanding of how various institutional factors influence the asymmetric recognition of bad news compared to good news under conditions of uncertainty.

Practical implications

By understanding the role of accounting conservatism in responding to uncertainties, regulators can develop more informed and effective policies that align with the dynamic nature of business environments.

Originality/value

This research provides novel and original ideas suggesting that the change in accounting conservatism is contingent upon the firms’ ambiguity or risk.
Does technological progress make OECD countries greener? New evidence from panel CS-ARDL
Authors: Nghiem Xuan-Hoa , Bakry Walid , Al-Malkawi Husam-Aldin N. , Farouk Sherine
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the impact of information and telecommunication technologies (ICT-proxied by mobile phone subscription and Internet usage) on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries from 1990 to 2018.

Design/methodology/approach

The Cross-section Autoregressive Distributed Lag (CS-ARDL) model is employed to address the potential cross-section dependence problem. Common Correlated Effects Mean Group (CCEMG) and Augmented Mean Group (AMG) estimators are used to test for robustness of results.

Findings

Results reveal contrasting effects of mobile phone subscription and Internet usage on CO2 emissions. While mobile phone penetration helps mitigate CO2 emissions, Internet usage tends to increase the emissions. Findings show that renewable energy is beneficial to the environment while economic growth is harmful to the environment. The effects of financial development and trade openness seem negligible.

Practical implications

This study offers practical implications for policymakers. As different proxies of ICT could have contradictory impact on CO2, governments should be cautious against utilizing ICT to mitigate CO2. Findings point to the benefits of renewable energy in alleviating CO2 emissions. Therefore, governments are strongly advised to implement policies facilitating renewable energy consumption.

Originality/value

Previous studies ignored the problem of cross-section dependence which could lead to biased results and cause misleading inferences. This study aims to fill this void in the literature.
Translational or translationable? A call for ethno‐immersion in (empirical) bioethics research
Authors: Parsons Jordan A. , Johal Harleen Kaur , Parker Joshua , Romanis Elizabeth Chloe
Published: July 2023

The shift towards "empirical bioethics" was largely triggered by a recognition that stakeholders' views and experiences are vital in ethical analysis where one hopes to produce practicable recommendations. Such perspectives can provide a rich resource in bioethics scholarship, perhaps challenging the researcher's perspective. However, overreliance on a picture painted by a group of research participants—or on pre‐existing literature in that field—can lead to a biased view of a given context, as the subjectivity of data generated in these ways cannot (and should not wholly) be escaped. In response, we propose the implementation of a complementary approach of ethno‐immersion in bioethics research. By positioning oneself in the context being researched, the researcher can better understand the realities of that context. The researcher's understanding will, naturally, be subjective too. However, it will act as a better developed and more informed outsider view, when considering the picture painted by participants and previous studies, thus enabling the researcher to introduce more nuance when analysing data. We introduce this approach after examining what we call the context detachment problem, whereby some bioethics scholarship—empirical or otherwise—fails to reflect the reality of the healthcare setting it concerns. Our proposed ethno‐immersion (which differs from formal ethnography) is then explored as a response, highlighting its benefits, and answering the question of timing within a research project. Finally, we reflect on the applicability of our proposal to non‐empirical bioethics scholarship, concluding that it remains important but may require some adjustments.
What has Kant got to say about conscientious objection to reproductive health in South Africa?
Authors: Lekunze Fritz E.
Published: July 2023

A woman's right to a safe legal abortion in South Africa conflicts with a health care professional's freedom of conscience. Conscientious objection or treatment refusal on the basis of conscience may be protected by the constitution but its morality has not been explored. This study uses Kantian Deontology to elucidate the ethical duties of health care professionals based on the Physician's Pledge. It concludes that conscience is morally empty and that health care professionals have a duty to treat all patients equally irrespective of the condition they present. Drawing on Kantian promise keeping, the study also concludes that health care professionals should place patients health and wellbeing above all other considerations. Using the categorical imperative, the study shows that health care professionals have a perfect duty not to refuse treatment. The study recommends that conscientious objection be rejected in all circumstances except where the psychological wellbeing of the health care professional will be affected. This can be achieved through legislative and professional body regulation of conscientious objection.
Dynamic Contracting with Intermediation: Operational, Governance, and Financial Engineering
Authors: GRYGLEWICZ SEBASTIAN , MAYER SIMON
Published: July 2023

Private equity funds intermediate investment and affect portfolio firm performance by actively engaging in operational, governance, and financial engineering. We study this type of intermediation in a dynamic agency model in which an active intermediary raises funds from outside investors and invests in a firm run by an agent. Optimal contracting addresses moral hazard at the intermediary and firm levels. The intermediary's incentives to affect firm performance are strongest after poor performance, while the agent's incentives are strongest after good performance. We also show how financial engineering, that is, financial contracting with outside investors, interacts with operational and governance engineering.
Consistency of inconsistency in long‐COVID‐19 pain symptoms persistency: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Kerzhner Oleg , Berla Einat , Har‐Even Meirav , Ratmansky Motti , Goor‐Aryeh Itay
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Individuals recovering from acute COVID‐19 episodes may continue to suffer from various ongoing symptoms, collectively referred to as Long‐COVID. Long‐term pain symptoms are amongst the most common and clinically significant symptoms to be reported for this post‐COVID‐19 syndrome.

Objectives

This systematic review and meta‐analysis aimed to evaluate the proportions of persisting pain symptoms experienced by individuals past the acute phase of COVID‐19 and to identify their associated functional consequences and inflammatory correlates.

Methods

Two online databases were systematically searched from their inception until 31 March 2022. We searched primary research articles in English, which evaluated individuals after laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 acute phase resolution and specifically reported on pain symptoms and their inflammatory and/or functional outcomes.

Results

Of the 611 identified articles, 26 were included, used for data extraction, and assessed for their methodological quality and risk of bias by two independent reviewers. Pain symptoms were grouped under one of six major pain domains, serving as our primary co‐outcomes. Proportional meta‐analyses of pooled logit‐transformed values of single proportions were performed using the random‐effects‐restricted maximum‐likelihood model. An estimated 8%, 6%, 18%, 18%, 17%, and 12% of individuals continued to report the persistence of chest, gastrointestinal, musculoskeletal joint, musculoskeletal muscle, general body, and nervous system‐related pain symptoms, respectively, for up to one year after acute phase resolution of COVID‐19. Considerable levels of heterogeneity were demonstrated across all results. Functional and quality‐of‐life impairments and some inflammatory biomarker elevations were associated with the persistence of long‐COVID pain symptoms.

Conclusion

This study's findings suggest that although not well characterized, long‐COVID pain symptoms are being experienced by non‐negligible proportions of those recovering from acute COVID‐19 episodes, thus highlighting the importance of future research efforts to focus on this aspect.
Conditional probability as found in nature: Facilitated diffusion
Authors: Hachmo Ori , Amir Ariel
Published: July 2023

Search processes are ubiquitous in physical and biological phenomena, often involving the random motion of molecules. In particular, transcription factors (TFs) are proteins that regulate gene expression and need to find their DNA targets quickly—which is difficult to achieve with random motion alone. Nature came up with a remarkable solution known as facilitated diffusion, combining 1D diffusion along the DNA and “excursions” of diffusion in 3D that help the TF to quickly arrive at distant parts of the DNA. In this paper, we show that this process can be analyzed naturally using the concept of conditional probability, providing an alternative intuition to the effectiveness of this mechanism.
Periplasmic biomineralization for semi-artificial photosynthesis
Authors: Lin Yiliang , Shi Jiuyun , Feng Wei , Yue Jiping , Luo Yanqi , Chen Si , Yang Bin , Jiang Yuanwen , Hu Huicheng , Zhou Chenkun , Shi Fengyuan , Prominski Aleksander , Talapin Dmitri V. , Xiong Wei , Gao Xiang , Tian Bozhi
Published: July 2023

Semiconductor-based biointerfaces are typically established either on the surface of the plasma membrane or within the cytoplasm. In Gram-negative bacteria, the periplasmic space, characterized by its confinement and the presence of numerous enzymes and peptidoglycans, offers additional opportunities for biomineralization, allowing for nongenetic modulation interfaces. We demonstrate semiconductor nanocluster precipitation containing single- and multiple-metal elements within the periplasm, as observed through various electron- and x-ray-based imaging techniques. The periplasmic semiconductors are metastable and display defect-dominant fluorescent properties. Unexpectedly, the defect-rich (i.e., the low-grade) semiconductor nanoclusters produced in situ can still increase adenosine triphosphate levels and malate production when coupled with photosensitization. We expand the sustainability levels of the biohybrid system to include reducing heavy metals at the primary level, building living bioreactors at the secondary level, and creating semi-artificial photosynthesis at the tertiary level. The biomineralization-enabled periplasmic biohybrids have the potential to serve as defect-tolerant platforms for diverse sustainable applications.
Localization of Epileptic Brain Responses to Single-Pulse Electrical Stimulation by Developing an Adaptive Iterative Linearly Constrained Minimum Variance Beamformer
Authors: Shirani Sepehr , Valentin Antonio , Abdi-Sargezeh Bahman , Alarcon Gonzalo , Sanei Saeid
Published: July 2023

Delayed responses (DRs) to single pulse electrical stimulation (SPES) in patients with severe refractory epilepsy, from their intracranial recordings, can help to identify regions associated with epileptogenicity. Automatic DR localization is a large step in speeding up the identification of epileptogenic focus. Here, for the first time, an adaptive iterative linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer (AI-LCMV) is developed and employed to localize the DR sources from intracranial electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded using subdural electrodes. The prime objective here is to accurately localize the regions for the corresponding DRs using an adaptive localization method that exploits the morphology of DRs as the desired sources. The traditional closed-form linearly constrained minimum variance (CF-LCMV) solution is meant for tracking the sources with dominating power. Here, by incorporating the morphology of DRs, as a constraint, to an iterative linearly constrained minimum variance (LCMV) solution, the array of subdural electrodes is used to localize the low-power DRs, some not even visible in any of the electrode signals. The results from the cases included in this study also indicate more distinctive locations compared to those achievable by conventional beamformers. Most importantly, the proposed AI-LCMV is able to localize the DRs invisible over other electrodes.
Propagation Delay and Power Dissipation Analysis for a 2-Bit SRAM Using Multi-State SWS Inverter
Authors: Husawi A. , Gudlavalleti R. H. , Saman B. , Almalki A. , Chandy J. , Heller E. , Jain F. C.
Published: July 2023

This paper presents a study on the propagation delay and power dissipation of a 2-bit static random-access memory (SRAM) with two cross-coupled multi-state spatial wave function switching (SWS) CMOS inverters. The proposed SRAM design utilizes the advantages of the CMOS-SWS inverter, such as its small area, low power consumption, and high speed. The 2-bit SRAM circuit simulations were carried out in Cadence to analyze the power dissipation and propagation delay. An Analog Behavioral Model (ABM) and the Berkeley Short-channel IGFET Model (BSIM4.6) in 0.18-μm technology were combined to create this model. The analysis of the propagation delay shows that the multi-state CMOS-SWS SRAM significantly reduces the delay compared to other multi-state 6T SRAM memories. Additionally, the analysis of the power dissipation shows that the multi-state SWS-SRAM is comparable to conventional SRAMs. These results demonstrate the potential of multi-state SWS-SRAM for improving the performance of memory circuits and provide valuable insights for future design optimization.
Global boundedness and asymptotic behavior in a fully parabolic attraction-repulsion chemotaxis model with logistic source
Authors: Liu Chao , Liu Bin
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we consider a fully parabolic attraction-repulsion chemotaxis model with logistic source. First of all, we obtain an explicit formula [Formula: see text] for the logistic damping rate [Formula: see text] such that the model has no blow-up when [Formula: see text]. In addition, the asymptotic behavior of the solutions is studied. Our results partially generalize and improve some results in the literature, and partially results are new.