bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of inpatient outcomes of COVID‐19 infection in patients with cirrhosis in the early pandemic phase: A nationwide survey
Authors: Sohail Abdullah , Naseem Khadija , Khan Ahmad , Adhami Talal , Brown Kyle
Published: November 2023

Background and Aim

Previous studies conducted at single centers have suggested that patients with cirrhosis are at a greater risk for worse outcomes with COVID‐19. However, there is limited data on a national level in the United States. We aimed to study hospital‐related outcomes and identify the predictors of poor outcomes in patients with cirrhosis and concurrent COVID‐19.

Methods

We queried 2020 National Inpatient and Readmission databases to identify all hospitalizations due to cirrhosis in adults with a diagnosis of COVID‐19. Primary outcomes included inpatient mortality, mechanical ventilation (MV), and intensive care unit (ICU) utilization. Secondary outcomes included mean length of stay (LOS) and mean hospitalization costs. We classified cirrhosis into compensated (CC) and decompensated (DC) groups.

Results

We identified 25194 hospitalizations of adult patients due to cirrhosis with a concurrent diagnosis of COVID‐19. These patients had higher mortality (19.50% vs 6.19%, P ≤ 0.01), MV (11.7% vs 2.8%, P ≤ 0.01), ICU utilization (17.3% vs 8.1%, P ≤ 0.01), LOS (8.89 days vs 6.16 days, P ≤ 0.01), and total hospitalization costs ($24 817 vs $18 505, P ≤ 0.01) than those without COVID‐19. On subgroup analysis, patients in the DC group had higher mortality, LOS, and hospitalization costs compared to those in the CC group. On multivariate analysis, we also found that COVID‐19 infection, age, Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥3, acute kidney injury, end‐stage renal disease, septic shock, acute respiratory failure, MV, and ICU status were independent predictors for mortality.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that COVID‐19 infection is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with cirrhosis, with threefold higher mortality and increased resource utilization. Early intervention through immunizations and advanced COVID‐19 therapies can help improve these outcomes.
Association Between MRI Radiomics and Intratumoral Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma and Its Prognostic Significance
Authors: Xu Ying , Li Zhuo , Yang Yi , Zhang Yuwei , Li Lu , Zhou Yanzhao , Ouyang Jingzhong , Huang Zhen , Wang Sicong , Xie Lizhi , Ye Feng , Zhou Jinxue , Ying Jianming , Zhao Hong , Zhao Xinming
Published: November 2023

Background

Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) have prognostic value in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) patients. Noninvasive tool to preoperatively evaluate TLSs is still lacking.

Purpose

To explore the association between TLSs status of ICC and preoperative MRI radiomics analysis.

Study Type

Retrospective.

Subjects

One hundred and ninety‐two patients with ICC, divided into training (T = 105), internal validation groups (V1 = 46), and external validation group (V2 = 41).

Sequence

Coronal and axial single‐shot fast spin‐echo T2‐weighted, diffusion‐weighted imaging, T1‐weighted, and T1WI fat‐suppressed spoiled gradient‐recall echo LAVA sequence at 3.0 T.

Assessment

The VOIs were drawn manually within the visible borders of the tumors using ITK‐SNAP version 3.8.0 software in the axial T2WI, DWI, and portal vein phase sequences. Radiomics features were subjected to least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression to select the associated features of TLSs and construct the radiomics model. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify the clinical radiological variables associated with TLSs. The performances were evaluated by the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC).

Statistical Tests

Logistic regression analysis, ROC and AUC, Hosmer–Lemeshow test, Kaplan–Meier method with the log‐rank test, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The AUCs of arterial phase diffuse hyperenhancement were 0.59 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50–0.67), 0.52 (95% CI, 0.43–0.61), and 0.66 (95% CI, 0.52–0.80) in the T, V1, and V2 cohorts. The AUCs of Rad‐score were 0.85 (95% CI, 0.77–0.92), 0.81 (95% CI, 0.67–0.94), and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.71–0.96) in the T, V1, and V2 cohorts, respectively. In cohort T, low‐risk group showed significantly better median recurrence‐free survival (RFS) than that of the high‐risk group, which was also confirmed in cohort V1 and V2.

Data Conclusion

A preoperative MRI radiomics signature is associated with the intratumoral TLSs status of ICC patients and correlate significantly with RFS.

Level of Evidence

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
Metabolomics of natural samples: A tutorial review on the latest technologies
Authors: Eshawu Ali Baba , Ghalsasi Vihang Vivek
Published: November 2023

Metabolomics is the study of metabolites present in a living system. It is a rapidly growing field aimed at discovering novel compounds, studying biological processes, diagnosing diseases, and ensuring the quality of food products. Recently, the analysis of natural samples has become important to explore novel bioactive compounds and to study how environment and genetics affect living systems. Various metabolomics techniques, databases, and data analysis tools are available for natural sample metabolomics. However, choosing the right method can be a daunting exercise because natural samples are heterogeneous and require untargeted approaches. This tutorial review aims to compile the latest technologies to guide an early‐career scientist on natural sample metabolomics. First, different extraction methods and their pros and cons are reviewed. Second, currently available metabolomics databases and data analysis tools are summarized. Next, recent research on metabolomics of milk, honey, and microbial samples is reviewed. Finally, after reviewing the latest trends in technologies, a checklist is presented to guide an early‐career researcher on how to design a metabolomics project. In conclusion, this review is a comprehensive resource for a researcher planning to conduct their first metabolomics analysis. It is also useful for experienced researchers to update themselves on the latest trends in metabolomics.
Chitosan Oligosaccharide Based Waterborne Polyurethane with UV Resistance and Oxidation Resistance for Functional Fabric
Authors: Chen Xin , Ye Ting , Liu Hao , Han Weiyi , Wang Chaoxia
Published: November 2023

Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) is an abundant polysaccharide in nature, which has various functions such as antioxidant and antibacterial. The possibilities of using COS can be extended by applying it to polyurethane materials. Herein, Chitosan oligosaccharide‐based waterborne polyurethane (CWPU) with intramolecular crosslinking network is prepared by using COS as chain extender. The mechanical properties of CWPU are improved, with tensile strength and elongation at break reaching 14.83 MPa and 449.63%, respectively. The DPPH free radical scavenging rate of CWPU increases from 8.43% to 70.98%, indicating that CWPU has favorable antioxidant performance. The tensile strength of the CWPU‐treated fabrics obtained by the padding method improve from 542.77 to 605.33N and there is no significant change in the whiteness of the fabric. Furthermore, the CWPU‐treated fabrics, with the UV protection factor of 30.39 and the UVA transmittance below 3%, can be used as UV‐protective fabrics. This work introduces COS into the molecular structure of polyurethanes to obtain functional PUs, expanding the application of COS in polyurethanes.
Dual polarized optical multi‐input multi‐output transmission over 7‐core few‐mode fiber using adaptive recursive least squares constant modulus algorithm
Authors: Khalid Hafiz A. , Ullah Sibghat
Published: November 2023

We describe a system with multi‐input multi‐output (MIMO) transmission over 7‐core few‐mode fiber (FMF) by incorporating polarization division multiplexing and mode division multiplexing. Three optical modes with x and y polarizations were used for 42 × 42 MIMO transmission over 7‐core FMF. We simulate the optical MIMO transmission at 20 Gbps with quadrature phase‐shift keying signals. By using the adaptive recursive least squares constant modulus algorithm (RLSCMA) at the receiver side, transmission data is successfully recovered by mitigating the effects of modal delay and mode coupling of received signals. The simulation results show that adaptive RLSCMA can improve the system performance of optical MIMO transmission systems.
Presentation Rates for Acute Pharyngitis in the Emergency Room Are Influenced by Extreme Weather Events
Authors: Haas Markus , Lucic Mateo , Pichler Franziska , Brkic Faris F. , Parzefall Thomas , Riss Dominik , Liu David T.
Published: November 2023

Objective

Extreme weather events are becoming more prevalent with the increasing pace of climate change. These events negatively impact human health and put considerable strain on health care resources, including emergency departments. Within otolaryngology, acute pharyngitis is a common reason for emergency room visits (ERV). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact of extreme meteorological conditions on ERV rates related to acute pharyngitis.

Study Design

Retrospective time‐series study.

Setting

ERVs related to acute pharyngitis (n = 1511) were identified at a tertiary care hospital in Vienna, Austria, between 2015 and 2018.

Methods

The effects of single‐day and prolonged (3‐day) extreme weather events on ERVs were analyzed using a distributed lag nonlinear model. Relative risk (RR) and cumulative relative risk (cRR) were calculated over a lag period of 14 days. RR refers to the risk for pharyngitis‐related ERV at extreme conditions (1st, 5th, 95th, or 99th percentile) compared to the risk at median conditions.

Results

Same‐day RR (lag0) was elevated more than 3‐fold after prolonged extremely low mean temperatures (P = .028). Furthermore, same‐day RR after single‐day and prolonged extremely high relative humidity was elevated by 51% (P = .024) and 46% (P = .036), respectively. Significant delayed effects on cRR were observed for extreme mean temperatures, relative humidity, and mean wind speeds within 8 days and for extreme atmospheric pressure within 14 days.

Conclusion

Extreme weather events impact ERV rates for acute pharyngitis. Extremely low temperatures, high relative humidity, high atmospheric pressure, and low and high wind speeds were risk‐promoting factors.
Empathy and cooperation vary with gender in Chinese junior high school adolescents
Authors: Wu Qin , Bu Weiwei , Lin Dong , Cui Liying , Wu Aruna , Zou Hehui , Gu Chen
Published: November 2023

Previous research on the relationship between empathy and subcategories of prosocial behavior, specifically cooperation, has shown inconsistent findings. It has also paid limited attention to gender differences in the impact of empathy. Therefore, this study examined the relationship between empathy and cooperation in Chinese junior high school adolescents, and the gender differences, through three studies. In Study 1, 448 eighth‐grade adolescents (age = 12–15 years, 55.1% males) completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index and Cooperative Propensity Rating Scale; the results showed that adolescent empathy was positively associated with cooperative propensity, and this association was significantly higher for males than for females. Study 2 used longitudinal data from 246 eighth‐grade adolescents (age = 12–15 years, 54.5% males) to further support the positive association between empathy and cooperation propensity and the gender differences found in Study 1. Study 3 employed the public goods dilemma to examine the effects of empathic states on the cooperative behavior of 157 eighth‐grade adolescents (age = 13–16 years, 48% males) by evoking empathy. Using different research methods, this study revealed a facilitative relationship between empathy and cooperation and demonstrated that empathy was more predictive of cooperation among male than among female adolescents.
Genes ingenuity pathway analysis unveils smoothelin‐like 1 (SMTNL1) as a key regulatory protein involved in sodium pentobarbital‐induced growth inhibition in breast cancer
Authors: Li Bingwei , Zhang Xiaoyan , Liu Xueting , Li Ailing , Han Jianqun
Published: November 2023

We previously reported that sodium pentobarbital inhibited the growth of the breast cancer associated with the normalization of microcirculatory hemodynamics and oxygenation. Here, we aimed to screen the key regulatory proteins involved in pentobarbital‐induced normalization of microcirculatory hemodynamics in the breast cancer tissues. A nude mice model of xenograft was established using triple negative breast cancer cell line MDA‐MB‐231. After tumor cell implantation, the mice were subcutaneously injected with 50 mg/kg/day of sodium pentobarbital or an equal volume of solvent adjacent to the tumor for 14 days. Liquid chromatography linked to tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was used to analyze the difference in protein expression profile between the two groups. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) was used to perform the canonical pathway analysis, upstream regulators analysis, and protein–protein interaction networks analysis. Screened proteins were confirmed by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT–qPCR) and Western blot analysis. A total of 101 differentially expressed proteins were revealed between groups. Canonical pathway analysis suggested that acute phase response signaling (z = 1, p = .00208), dilated cardiomyopathy signaling pathway (z = −2, p = .00671), and ILK signaling (z = 1, p = .0172) were key pathways with highlight associations. The mRNA and protein expressions of SMTNL1 were found significantly decreased in pentobarbital‐treated tumor tissues compared with those in controls (both p < .01). Nine important protein–protein interaction networks were identified, and of which, two contained multiple downstream regulatory proteins of SMTNL1. In conclusion, SMTNL1 is revealed as a key protein involved in pentobarbital‐induced growth inhibition signaling in breast cancer. SMTNL1 may become a new potential target for tumor microcirculation research.
Methyl eugenol aromatherapy: a delivery system facilitating the simultaneous application of male annihilation and sterile insect technique against the peach fruit fly
Authors: Rasool Awais , Fatima Sehar , Shah Said Hussain , Munis Muhammad Farooq Hussain , Irshad Afshan , Shelly Todd E. , Haq Ihsan ul
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND

The peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata (Saunders) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is an economically important polyphagous, quarantine pest endemic to South and South‐East Asia. The male annihilation technique (MAT) and the sterile insect technique (SIT) are environmentally benign techniques used to suppress fruit fly populations on an area‐wide basis. The MAT and SIT are typically used sequentially to avoid killing released sterile males; however, MAT and SIT potentially could be used simultaneously and thereby increase the overall efficiency of control programmes. Mating competitiveness of sterile males against wild counterparts is critical for the success of the SIT. Feeding on a semiochemical, methyl eugenol (ME) has been reported to enhance the male mating performance of many Bactrocera spp., including B. zonata, but its use in SIT operational programmes is limited owing to the absence of a viable delivery system.

RESULTS

In the present study, we demonstrated that ME aromatherapy, a practical method for large‐scale delivery of ME olfactorily, enhances the mating success of treated B. zonata males. ME aromatherapy application to 5‐day‐old immature males for a duration of 5 h resulted in increased mating success of males tested when sexually mature, compared to untreated males. The ME‐aromatized males also exhibited reduced attraction to ME‐lure.

CONCLUSION

A practical delivery system for applying ME by aromatherapy to mass‐reared males was developed. ME‐aromatherapy enhanced male mating success and suppressed their subsequent attraction to ME, thus enabling the application of MAT and SIT at the same time. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
An illness–death multistate model to implement delta adjustment and reference‐based imputation with time‐to‐event endpoints
Authors: García‐Hernandez Alberto , Pérez Teresa , del Carmen Pardo María , Rizopoulos Dimitris
Published: November 2023

With a treatment policy strategy, therapies are evaluated regardless of the disturbance caused by intercurrent events (ICEs). Implementing this estimand is challenging if subjects are not followed up after the ICE. This circumstance can be dealt with using delta adjustment (DA) or reference‐based (RB) imputation. In the survival field, DA and RB imputation have been researched so far using multiple imputation (MI). Here, we present a fully analytical solution. We use the illness–death multistate model with the following transitions: (a) from the initial state to the event of interest, (b) from the initial state to the ICE, and (c) from the ICE to the event. We estimate the intensity function of transitions (a) and (b) using flexible parametric survival models. Transition (c) is assumed unobserved but identifiable using DA or RB imputation assumptions. Various rules have been considered: no ICE effect, DA under proportional hazards (PH) or additive hazards (AH), jump to reference (J2R), and (either PH or AH) copy increment from reference. We obtain the marginal survival curve of interest by calculating, via numerical integration, the probability of transitioning from the initial state to the event of interest regardless of having passed or not by the ICE state. We use the delta method to obtain standard errors (SEs). Finally, we quantify the performance of the proposed estimator through simulations and compare it against MI. Our analytical solution is more efficient than MI and avoids SE misestimation—a known phenomenon associated with Rubin's variance equation.
Effect of estimation error on the conditional false alarm rate design of the EWMA chart
Authors: Haq Abdul , Woodall William H.
Published: November 2023

In this article, we study the effect of estimation error on the conditional false alarm rate (CFAR) of the exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) chart based on the estimated dynamic probability control limits (EDPCLs). It is found that the effect is large, but with an increase in the Phase‐I sample size, the effect of estimation error may be reduced. In addition, an alternative approach is suggested for determining the EDPCLs for the EWMA chart that may help reduce the effect of estimation error on the CFAR profiles.
Nussbaum gain adaptive control for full‐state constrained cyber‐physical system under network attacks and actuator failures
Authors: Miao Baoling , Li Shu , Liu Lei
Published: November 2023

In this article, an adaptive security control scheme is proposed for a class of nonlinear time‐varying full‐state constrained cyber‐physical system with false data injection attacks and actuator failures. Aiming at the problem of sensor network attack, the influence of sensor network attack is reduced by backstepping technique and Nussbaum function. In the control design process, the time‐varying barrier Lyapunov function is used to constrain the system states. In addition, adaptive laws are designed to eliminate the influence of actuator faults (effectiveness loss and bias fault). And the developed controller ensures that the state constraints will not be violated when sensor attacks and actuator faults occur simultaneously. Finally, the simulation result verify the effectiveness of the scheme.
Sustainable development: Driving force from the relationship between finance inclusion, green finance and green growth
Authors: Oanh Tran Thi Kim
Published: November 2023

This paper studies sustainable development and its driving force—the linkage between financial inclusion, green finance and green growth in 14 low financial development countries (LFDCs) and 11 high financial development countries (HFDCs) from 2005 to 2019. Bayesian regression results show that when green finance is not taken into account, the probabilities that green GDP growth positively impacts sustainable development in HFDCs and LFDCs are 58.31% and 61.06%, respectively. The probability that financial inclusion positively impacts sustainable development in HFDCs is 88.34% and it is 100% in LFDCs. The interaction between green finance and financial inclusion positively impacts sustainable development in both groups of countries. In addition, this article also provides evidence that the rate of urbanization and trade openness positively affect sustainable development. In contrast, the rate of inflation and the population growth rate impact sustainable development negatively.
Fluorescent Carbon Dots from Snake Plant for Applications as Probe for Optical and Electrochemical Sensing of Hg2+ and Fe3+ and Bio‐Imaging Agent
Authors: Sharma Ankita , Kirti  , Kumari Alka , Srivastava Divesh N. , Paul Parimal
Published: November 2023

Fluorescent carbon dots (CD) have been synthesized from Dracaena trifasciata (snake plant) following a one‐step hydro‐thermal method and have been characterized on the basis of elemental analysis, XPS, PXRD, TGA, IR, Raman, UV–vis, fluorescence, AFM and HRTEM analysis. The performance of the CDs as probe for the metal ion(s) using optical and electrochemical techniques has been investigated. The fluorescence study suggested that these CDs selectively detect Hg2+ and Fe3+ with detection limits of 13 nM (2.6 ppb) and 12 nM (0.71 ppb), respectively. The electrochemical sensing of Hg2+ and Fe3+ has also been done using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), respectively, using CD coated Glassy Carbon Electrode (GCE) and the LoD value found for Hg2+ is 8 nM (0.45 ppb). The cytotoxicity test revealed that these CDs are non‐toxic and the bio‐imaging study exhibited that it penetrates into the bacterial and microalgal cell membrane showing good fluorescent image.
Recent Developments in Rongalite Chemistry: A Critical Review
Authors: Ali Rashid
Published: November 2023

Rongalite whose chemical structure was discovered in 1905, is an inexpensive, easily assessable, and copious industrial product, which has significantly been used for a long time in rubber, dye, and veterinary industries. Moreover, it has also been used as an antidote against several heavy metals poisoning, in addition to its applications in the photographic developer and veterinary medicines. Gratifyingly, Rongalite has also shown its uses as the fungicidal, bactericidal and antioxidant in pharmaceutical formulation. Besides, it has also been used in material sciences, and also as a viable cosmetic hair‐dye‐color removers. Interestingly, in past decade, it has shown its high‐impact in the arena of synthetic organic chemistry serving as SO22− equivalent, C1 synthon donor, reducing agent/radical initiator or proton source ‐ to assemble diverse intricate organic molecules under operationally simple yet efficient conditions. However, the services of multiple features of Rongalite in synthetic chemistry are still at the research stage, and needs to be sophisticated to a higher level in many years to come. Considering the synthetic importance of this valued reagent, this review article presents the advancement made in the field of Rongalite chemistry in the past three years. This review article will update the researchers working in this arena about the advancement of Rongalite in the synthetic organic transformations as well as it will help readers wishing to deal with this easy‐to handle and eco‐friendly low‐cost commodity chemical. This review article updating the rongalite chemistry will be useful to the chemical community in general and synthetic chemists in particular.
Does leader‐member exchange ambivalence hinder employee well‐being? Exploring relations with work engagement and emotional exhaustion
Authors: Han Yu , Sears Greg J.
Published: November 2023

Recent research has introduced the concept of leader‐member exchange (LMX) ambivalence and has shown that it can be detrimental to employee task performance. Drawing on self‐determination theory and models of LMX development, this research investigates whether LMX ambivalence may also negatively influence employee well‐being. In a two‐wave field study with 278 employees in a large police organisation, we found that LMX ambivalence was significantly associated with two focal measures of work‐related well‐being: work engagement and emotional exhaustion, through its influence on psychological need fulfilment. Perceived positive meaning in work was found to buffer the negative effects of LMX ambivalence on psychological need fulfilment and well‐being. Overall, these results contribute to the occupational health literature by demonstrating that psychological need fulfilment helps explain why LMX ambivalence negatively affects work related well‐being outcomes and underscores the important role of positive meaning in work as a buffer for these relationships.
Untethered Microgrippers for Precision Medicine
Authors: Zhou Huaijuan , Zhang Shengchang , Liu Zijian , Chi Bowen , Li Jinhua , Wang Yilong
Published: November 2023

Microgrippers, a branch of micro/nanorobots, refer to motile miniaturized machines that are of a size in the range of several to hundreds of micrometers. Compared with tethered grippers or other microscopic diagnostic and surgical equipment, untethered microgrippers play an indispensable role in biomedical applications because of their characteristics such as miniaturized size, dexterous shape tranformation, and  controllable motion, which enables the microgrippers to enter hard‐to‐reach regions to execute specific medical tasks for disease diagnosis and treatment. To date, numerous medical microgrippers are developed, and their potential in cell manipulation, targeted drug delivery, biopsy, and minimally invasive surgery  are explored. To achieve controlled locomotion and efficient target‐oriented actions, the materials, size, microarchitecture, and morphology of microgrippers shall be deliberately designed. In this review, the authors summarizes the latest progress in untethered micrometer‐scale grippers. The working mechanisms of shape‐morphing and actuation methods for effective movement are first introduced. Then, the design principle and state‐of‐the‐art fabrication techniques of microgrippers are discussed. Finally, their applications in the precise medicine are highlighted, followed by offering future perspectives for the development of untethered medical microgrippers.
Ba4B14O25: A Deep Ultraviolet Transparent Nonlinear Optical Crystal with Strong Second Harmonic Generation Response Achieved by a Boron‐Rich Closed‐Loop Strategy
Authors: Xie Wei‐Jie , Tang Ru‐Ling , Yan Sheng‐Nan , Ma Nan , Hu Chun‐Li , Mao Jiang‐Gao
Published: November 2023

Discovering new deep ultraviolet (DUV) nonlinear optical (NLO) materials is the current research hotspot. However, how to perfectly integrate several stringent performances into a crystal is a great challenge because of the natural incompatibility among them, particularly wide band gap and large NLO coefficient. To tackle the challenge, a boron‐rich closed‐loop strategy is supposed, based on which a new barium borate, Ba4B14O25, is designed and synthesized successfully via the high‐temperature solid‐state melting method. It features a highly polymeric 3D geometry with the closed‐loop anionic framework [B14O25]8− constructed by the fundamental building blocks [B14O33]24−. The high‐density π‐conjugated [BO3]3− groups and the fully closed‐loop B–O–B connections make Ba4B14O25 possess excellent NLO properties, including short UV cutoff edge (<200 nm), large second harmonic generation response (3.0 × KDP) and phase‐matching capability, being a promising DUV‐transparent NLO candidate material. The work provides a creative design strategy for the exploration of DUV NLO crystals.
Change‐aware model checking for evolving concurrent programs based on Program Dependence Net
Authors: Li Shuo , Chen Cheng , Huang Zheng , Ding Zhijun
Published: November 2023

Concurrent software needs to be maintained over time, and the differences between continuous versions tend to be localized. The expense that simply reapplying standard model checking techniques to the new version as they evolve may be infeasible. The existing methods reuse partial state‐space to reduce the scope. However, it is obviously costly to analyze on the explosive interleaving space of the evolving concurrent programs. The conservative change‐impact analysis methods without considering the specific property and leveraging the verified result from the prior version often results in exploring redundant state‐space irrelevant to this property. Moreover, the impact of the deleted elements needs to be analyzed on old version, and their impact needs to be mapped to new version, bringing some dispensable costs. In this paper, we propose a change‐aware model checking method based on program dependence net (PDNet) for linear temporal logic (LTL). We first propose an incremental modeling method to construct a PDNet of new version by modification rules. Then, we propose a reuse checking algorithm to judge whether the verified result can be reused based on the PDNet slice. Finally, we implement change‐aware model checking tool (DAMER) and validate the advantages of our methods.
Behind Johannesburg: Plants and Possible Futures in an Industrialized Hinterland
Authors: Sacks Ruth
Published: November 2023

This chapter explores two ubiquitous edible plants of Johannesburg’s hinterland by way of their cultivation: maize (a staple crop) and blackjack (an invasive species). Traversing wholescale maize production in the most industrialized hinterland in Africa, to the informal farming initiatives from inner city Johannesburg to its surrounds, how crops are grown and invasives are treated in different spaces point to toxic apartheid and colonial legacies. These include the stigmas attached to different categories of plants and how marginalized communities are forced to grow their own food and forage. Thinking with Johannesburg’s hinterland, and its ancient role of providing food for the city, maize and blackjack provide a way into considering possible food futures in the face of shortages and the climate crisis.
Pulling at the Thread
Authors: Jerolleman Alessandra , Marino Elizabeth , Jessee Nathan , Koslov Liz , Comardelle Chantel , Villarreal Melissa , de Vries Daniel , Manda Simon
Published: November 2023

Over the last twenty years, the authors of this book have been enmeshed in conversations about how difficult it is to support communities as they plan relocations and resettlements as an adaptive response to climate change-related flooding. Twenty years ago in Alaska, relocation challenges seemed born of state ignorance and neglect.
Precarious Possessors and “the Right to (Rebuilding) the City”
Authors: Jerolleman Alessandra , Marino Elizabeth , Jessee Nathan , Koslov Liz , Comardelle Chantel , Villarreal Melissa , de Vries Daniel , Manda Simon
Published: November 2023

This chapter focuses on communities, groups, neighborhoods, individuals, classes of individuals, and families who have a precarious relationship with property. Here, we discuss the ways in which that relationship structures rights to imagine, access, and rebuild infrastructure and social life after a disaster and during processes of relocation as an adaptation to climate change—rights we collectively describe as “the right to rebuilding the city.”
Relations between scaling exponents in unimodular random graphs
Authors: Lee James R.
Published: November 2023

We investigate the validity of the “Einstein relations” in the general setting of unimodular random networks. These are equalities relating scaling exponents: $$\begin{aligned} d_{w} &= d_{f} + \tilde{\zeta }, \\ d_{s} &= 2 d_{f}/d_{w}, \end{aligned}$$ where dw is the walk dimension, df is the fractal dimension, ds is the spectral dimension, and $\tilde{\zeta }$ is the resistance exponent. Roughly speaking, this relates the mean displacement and return probability of a random walker to the density and conductivity of the underlying medium. We show that if df and $\tilde{\zeta } \geqslant 0$ exist, then dw and ds exist, and the aforementioned equalities hold. Moreover, our primary new estimate $d_{w} \geqslant d_{f} + \tilde{\zeta }$ is established for all $\tilde{\zeta } \in \mathbb{R}$.

For the uniform infinite planar triangulation (UIPT), this yields the consequence dw=4 using df=4 (Angel in Geom. Funct. Anal. 13(5):935–974, 2003) and $\tilde{\zeta }=0$ (established here as a consequence of the Liouville Quantum Gravity theory, following Gwynne-Miller 2020 and (Ding and Gwynne in Commun. Math. Phys. 374(3):1877–1934, 2020)). The conclusion dw=4 had been previously established by Gwynne and Hutchcroft (2018) using more elaborate methods. A new consequence is that dw=df for the uniform infinite Schnyder-wood decorated triangulation, implying that the simple random walk is subdiffusive, since df>2.
An exploratory analysis of incentive packages and managerial performance
Authors: Alves Iryna , Lourenço Sofia M.
Published: November 2023

This study explores the interplay among different types of incentives (monetary incentives, non-monetary incentives, and benefits) and managerial performance. We collect data via a questionnaire and use qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) to analyze them. Using data from 614 managers, we identify multiple incentive packages that are consistently related to high managerial performance. Specifically, our analyses reveal that non-monetary incentives in the form of autonomy and development opportunities are as related to high performance in isolation as their combination with recognition. High performance can also be achieved with the combination of traditional tangible benefits with (1) social support benefits and recognition or with (2) monetary incentives. Finally, our findings suggest that monetary incentives, social benefits, and autonomy and development opportunities are more important for the success of CFOs than to non-CFOs. Conversely, tangible benefits are particularly relevant for the high performance of non-CFOs but not for CFOs. Our findings contribute to the incentives literature by showing successful incentive packages that companies are using in practice and how they relate to different theories such as agency theory, self-determination theory, and human capital theory.
Recurrent Colorectal Liver Metastases: Upfront Local Treatment versus Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy Followed by Local Treatment (COLLISION RELAPSE): Study Protocol of a Phase III Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Dijkstra Madelon , Kuiper Babette I. , Schulz Hannah H. , van der Lei Susan , Puijk Robbert S. , Vos Danielle J. W. , Timmer Florentine E. F. , Scheffer Hester J. , Buffart Tineke E. , van den Tol M. Petrousjka , Lissenberg-Witte Birgit I. , Swijnenburg Rutger-Jan , Versteeg Kathelijn S. , Meijerink Martijn R. ,   COLLISION Trial Group
Published: November 2023

Purpose

The objective of the COLLISION RELAPSE trial is to prove or disprove superiority of neoadjuvant systemic therapy followed by repeat local treatment (either thermal ablation and/or surgical resection), compared to repeat local treatment alone, in patients with at least one recurrent locally treatable CRLM within one year and no extrahepatic disease.

Methods

A total of 360 patients will be included in this phase III, multicentre randomized controlled trial. The primary endpoint is overall survival. Secondary endpoints are distant progression-free survival, local tumour progression-free survival analysed per patient and per tumour, systemic therapy-related toxicity, procedural morbidity and mortality, length of hospital stay, pain assessment and quality of life, cost-effectiveness ratio and quality-adjusted life years.

Discussion

If the addition of neoadjuvant systemic therapy to repeat local treatment of CRLM proves to be superior compared to repeat local treatment alone, this may lead to a prolonged life expectancy and increased disease-free survival at the cost of possible systemic therapy-related side effects.

Level of Evidence

Level 1, phase III randomized controlled trial.

Trial Registration

NCT05861505. May 17, 2023.

Graphical Abstract
Voxel-based morphometry in single subjects without a scanner-specific normal database using a convolutional neural network
Authors: Krüger Julia , Opfer Roland , Spies Lothar , Hedderich Dennis , Buchert Ralph
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Reliable detection of disease-specific atrophy in individual T1w-MRI by voxel-based morphometry (VBM) requires scanner-specific normal databases (NDB), which often are not available. The aim of this retrospective study was to design, train, and test a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) for single-subject VBM without the need for a NDB (CNN-VBM).

Materials and methods

The training dataset comprised 8945 T1w scans from 65 different scanners. The gold standard VBM maps were obtained by conventional VBM with a scanner-specific NDB for each of the 65 scanners. CNN-VBM was tested in an independent dataset comprising healthy controls (n = 37) and subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD, n = 51) or frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD, n = 30). A scanner-specific NDB for the generation of the gold standard VBM maps was available also for the test set. The technical performance of CNN-VBM was characterized by the Dice coefficient of CNN-VBM maps relative to VBM maps from scanner-specific VBM. For clinical testing, VBM maps were categorized visually according to the clinical diagnoses in the test set by two independent readers, separately for both VBM methods.

Results

The VBM maps from CNN-VBM were similar to the scanner-specific VBM maps (median Dice coefficient 0.85, interquartile range [0.81, 0.90]). Overall accuracy of the visual categorization of the VBM maps for the detection of AD or FTLD was 89.8% for CNN-VBM and 89.0% for scanner-specific VBM.

Conclusion

CNN-VBM without NDB provides a similar performance in the detection of AD- and FTLD-specific atrophy as conventional VBM.

Clinical relevance statement

A deep convolutional neural network for voxel-based morphometry eliminates the need of scanner-specific normal databases without relevant performance loss and, therefore, could pave the way for the widespread clinical use of voxel-based morphometry to support the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.

Key Points

• The need of normal databases is a barrier for widespread use of voxel-based brain morphometry.

• A convolutional neural network achieved a similar performance for detection of atrophy than conventional voxel-based morphometry.

• Convolutional neural networks can pave the way for widespread clinical use of voxel-based morphometry.

Graphical abstract
Spatial and temporal patterns of nutrients and their environmental impacts from the agriculture sector in India
Authors: Bode Lilian , Beusen Arthur H. W. , Dekker Stefan C. , Bouwman Alexander F.
Published: November 2023

Since the launch of the Green Revolution (GR) in Indian agriculture in the 1960s, Indian food production has successfully become self-sufficient but this has also led to increasing soil nitrogen (N) surpluses and various negative environmental impacts, such as NH3 emissions. Using the IMAGE Global Nutrient Model, this study explores the development of food production, soil N surpluses and associated NH3 emissions in India during the GR; the use of subnational data for compiling spatially explicit maps of N inputs (N fertilizers, manure N, biological N fixation, atmospheric deposition) and outputs (crop harvest, grazing) was compared with results using country-scale data. The results show that in the period 1960–2010 food production growth was dramatic (374%), particularly in the region of the GR states (Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh). This production increase was primarily based on spectacular increases in crop yields and N inputs. However, due to slowly changing nutrient use efficiency, N surpluses and associated NH3 emissions increased rapidly, with hotspots especially in the GR states. Maps using data at subnational scale yield a better representation of spatial heterogeneities of the soil N surpluses, emissions and environmental impacts than maps based on country data. This is beneficial for effect calculations, as the location of negative environmental side effects strongly depends on the location of soil N and P surpluses.
An efficient eco-friendly, simple, and green synthesis of some new spiro-N-(4-sulfamoyl-phenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-carboxamide derivatives as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 proteases: drug-likeness, pharmacophore, molecular docking, and DFT exploration
Authors: El-Saghier Ahmed M. , Enaili Souhaila S. , Abdou Aly , Kadry Asmaa M.
Published: November 2023

Introduction

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global health crisis. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly contagious virus that can cause severe respiratory illness. There is no specific treatment for COVID-19, and the development of new drugs is urgently needed.

Problem statement

The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) enzyme is a critical viral enzyme that plays a vital role in viral replication. The inhibition of Mpro enzyme can be an effective strategy for developing new COVID-19 drugs.

Methodology

An efficient operationally simple and convenient green synthesis method had been done towards a series of novel spiro-N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)-2-carboxamide derivatives, in ethanol at room temperature in green conditions, up to 90% yield. The molecular structures of the synthesized compounds were verified using spectroscopic methods.The title compounds were subjected to in silico analysis, including Lipinski’s rule and ADMET prediction, in addition to pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking against the active site of SARS-CoV-2 target main protease (Mpro) enzyme (6LU7). Furthermore, both of the top-ranked compounds (5 and 6) and the standard Nirmatrelvir were subjected to DFT analysis.

Findings

The synthesized compounds exhibited good binding affinity to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro enzyme, with binding energy scores ranging from − 7.33 kcal/mol (compound 6) and − 7.22kcal/mol (compound 5) to − 6.54 kcal/mol (compounds 8 and 9). The top-ranked compounds (5 and 6) had lower HOMO–LUMO energy difference (ΔE) than the standard drug Nirmatrelvir. This highlights the potential and relevance of charge transfer at the molecular level.

Recommendation

These findings suggest that the synthesized spiro-N-(4-sulfamoylphenyl)-2-carboxamide derivatives could be potential candidates for COVID-19 drug development. To confirm these drugs' antiviral efficacy in vivo, more research is required. With very little possibility of failure, this proven method could aid in the search for the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic's desperately needed medications.

Graphical abstract
Murine cartilage microbial DNA deposition occurs rapidly following the introduction of a gut microbiome and changes with obesity, aging, and knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Izda Vladislav , Schlupp Leoni , Prinz Emmaline , Dyson Gabby , Barrett Montana , Dunn Christopher M. , Nguyen Emily , Sturdy Cassandra , Jeffries Matlock A.
Published: November 2023

Cartilage microbial DNA patterns have been recently characterized in osteoarthritis (OA). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the gut origins of cartilage microbial DNA, to characterize cartilage microbial changes with age, obesity, and OA in mice, and correlate these to gut microbiome changes. We used 16S rRNA sequencing performed longitudinally on articular knee cartilage from germ-free (GF) mice following oral microbiome inoculation and cartilage and cecal samples from young and old wild-type mice with/without high-fat diet-induced obesity (HFD) and with/without OA induced by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) to evaluate gut and cartilage microbiota. Microbial diversity was assessed, groups compared, and functional metagenomic profiles reconstructed. Findings were confirmed in an independent cohort by clade-specific qPCR. We found that cartilage microbial patterns developed at 48 h and later timepoints following oral microbiome inoculation of GF mice. Alpha diversity was increased in SPF mouse cartilage samples with age (P = 0.013), HFD (P = 5.6E-4), and OA (P = 0.029) but decreased in cecal samples with age (P = 0.014) and HFD (P = 1.5E-9). Numerous clades were altered with aging, HFD, and OA, including increases in Verrucomicrobia in both cartilage and cecal samples. Functional analysis suggested changes in dihydroorotase, glutamate-5-semialdehyde dehydrogenase, glutamate-5-kinase, and phosphoribosylamine-glycine ligase, in both cecum and cartilage, with aging, HFD, and OA. In conclusion, cartilage microbial DNA patterns develop rapidly after the introduction of a gut microbiome and change in concert with the gut microbiome during aging, HFD, and OA in mice. DMM-induced OA causes shifts in both cartilage and cecal microbiome patterns independent of other factors.
Digital RMB vs. Dollar Hegemony? Friendly Foes in China-US Currency Competition
Authors: Zhang Falin , Cui Yang , Campbell-Verduyn Malcolm
Published: November 2023

Digital transformations are impacting inter-state currency politics in strategically important ways. This article contributes to growing debates over the nature of US-China competition as the Chinese RMB rapidly digitizes in ways said to challenge the hegemony of a slower digitizing greenback. We categorize existing views of currency competition in the digital age into two categories: ‘conventional transformation’ and ‘transformative continuity’. Both these presently dominant perspectives, we argue, are overly techno-deterministic and stand in contrast to a third perspective we propose called ‘probabilistic flux’. Emphasizing the unanticipated and error-prone nature of technological change through Social Construction of Technology theory and informed by the IPE of monetary relations, we provide a more nuanced assessment of digital RMB’s challenges to dollar dominance stressing the functions, benefits and powers of international currency hegemony. Our conclusions are three-fold. First, wider digital currency alternatives to both the dollar and RMB have enriched the international currency functions of the former over the latter. Second, this broader array of digital currency alternatives combines with Chinese RMB digitization to gradually erode the functional base and benefits of dollar dominance position, as well as diminish the US’s international monetary power in both Asia and beyond. Third, what we see as largely friendly digital currency competition focused on domestic imperatives currently remains unpredictable. These findings pose present possibilities for greater international cooperation but equally for less friendly competition and flux particularly as US dollar digitization also unfolds in ways that are difficult to anticipate.