bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Care models for patients with heart failure at home: A systematic review
Authors: Zhao Xuetong , Wu Shuang , Luo Nan , Lin Qiuxia , Zhao Xinyi , Li Kun
Published: January 2024

Aims

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relative merits of various heart failure models of care with regard to a variety of outcomes.

Design

Systematic review.

Data Sources

Five databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, Embase and Science Direct were searched from the inception date of databases to August 20, 2022.

Review Methods

This review used the Cochrane Collaboration's ‘Risk of Bias’ tool to assess quality. Only randomised controlled trails were included in this review that assessed all care models in the management of adults with heart failure. A categorical summary of the pattern of the papers was found, followed by extraction of outcome indicators.

Results

Twenty articles (19 studies) were included. Seven examined nurse‐led care, two examined multidisciplinary specialist care, nine (10 articles) examined patient self‐management, and one examined nurse and physiotherapist co‐led care. Regarding outcomes, this review examined how well the four models performed with regard to quality of life, health services use, HF self‐care, and anxiety and depression for heart failure patients. The model of patient self‐management showed more beneficial results than nurse‐led care, multidisciplinary specialist care, and nurse and physiotherapist co‐led care in reducing hospital days, improving symptoms, promoting self‐care behaviours of HF patients, enhancing the quality of life, and strengthening self‐care ability.

Conclusions

This systematic review synthesises the different care models and their relative effectiveness. Four different models of care were summarised. Of these models, the self‐management model demonstrated better outcomes.

Impact

The self‐management model is more effective in increasing self‐management behaviours and self‐management abilities, lowering the risk of hospitalisation and death, improving quality of life, and relieving anxiety and depression than other models.

No Patient or Public Contribution

There was no funding to remunerate a patient/member of the public for this review.
“All animals are conscious”: Shifting the null hypothesis in consciousness science
Authors: Andrews Kristin
Published: January 2024

The marker approach is taken as best practice for answering the distribution question: Which animals are conscious? However, the methodology can be used to increase confidence in animals many presume to be unconscious, including C. elegans, leading to a trilemma: accept the worms as conscious; reject the specific markers; or reject the marker methodology for answering the distribution question. I defend the third option and argue that answering the distribution question requires a secure theory of consciousness. Accepting the hypothesis all animals are conscious will promote research leading to secure theory, which is needed to create reliable consciousness tests for animals and AIs. Rather than asking the distribution question, we should shift to the dimensions question: How are animals conscious?
Pilotins are mobile T3SS components involved in assembly and substrate specificity of the bacterial type III secretion system
Authors: Wimmi Stephan , Fleck Moritz , Helbig Carlos , Brianceau Corentin , Langenfeld Katja , Szymanski Witold G. , Angelidou Georgia , Glatter Timo , Diepold Andreas
Published: January 2024

In animal pathogens, assembly of the type III secretion system injectisome requires the presence of so‐called pilotins, small lipoproteins that assist the formation of the secretin ring in the outer membrane. Using a combination of functional assays, interaction studies, proteomics, and live‐cell microscopy, we determined the contribution of the pilotin to the assembly, function, and substrate selectivity of the T3SS and identified potential new downstream roles of pilotin proteins. In absence of its pilotin SctG, Yersinia enterocolitica forms few, largely polar injectisome sorting platforms and needles. Accordingly, most export apparatus subcomplexes are mobile in these strains, suggesting the absence of fully assembled injectisomes. Remarkably, while absence of the pilotin all but prevents export of early T3SS substrates, such as the needle subunits, it has little effect on secretion of late T3SS substrates, including the virulence effectors. We found that although pilotins interact with other injectisome components such as the secretin in the outer membrane, they mostly localize in transient mobile clusters in the bacterial membrane. Together, these findings provide a new view on the role of pilotins in the assembly and function of type III secretion injectisomes.
DNA methylation remodeled amino acids biosynthesis regulates flower senescence in carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus)
Authors: Feng Shan , Jiang Xinyu , Huang Zhiheng , Li Fan , Wang Ruiming , Yuan Xinyi , Sun Zheng , Tan Hualiang , Zhong Linlin , Li Shenchong , Cheng Yunjiang , Bao Manzhu , Qiao Hong , Song Qingxin , Wang Jihua , Zhang Fan
Published: January 2024

Dynamic DNA methylation regulatory networks are involved in many biological processes. However, how DNA methylation patterns change during flower senescence and their relevance with gene expression and related molecular mechanism remain largely unknown.

Here, we used whole genome bisulfite sequencing to reveal a significant increase of DNA methylation in the promoter region of genes during natural and ethylene‐induced flower senescence in carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.), which was correlated with decreased expression of DNA demethylase gene DcROS1. Silencing of DcROS1 accelerated while overexpression of DcROS1 delayed carnation flower senescence.

Moreover, among the hypermethylated differentially expressed genes during flower senescence, we identified two amino acid biosynthesis genes, DcCARA and DcDHAD, with increased DNA methylation and reduced expression in DcROS1 silenced petals, and decreased DNA methylation and increased expression in DcROS1 overexpression petals, accompanied by decreased or increased amino acids content. Silencing of DcCARA and DcDHAD accelerates carnation flower senescence. We further showed that adding corresponding amino acids could largely rescue the senescence phenotype of DcROS1, DcCARA and DcDHAD silenced plants.

Our study not only demonstrates an essential role of DcROS1‐mediated remodeling of DNA methylation in flower senescence but also unravels a novel epigenetic regulatory mechanism underlying DNA methylation and amino acid biosynthesis during flower senescence.
Unveiling what makes the reactive oxygen species burst transient: the role of PB1CP in plant immunity
Authors: Torres Miguel‐Ángel
Published: January 2024

This article is a Commentary on Goto et al. (2024), 241: 1763–1779.
The age and primary reason for the first dental visit in children with special health care needs
Authors: Collie Amanda Dickerson , Jayaraman Jayakumar , Carrico Caroline , Upshur Conway , Bortell Elizabeth
Published: January 2024

Aim

To evaluate the average age and primary reason for the first dental visit among patients with special health care needs (SHCN) as well as to examine barriers related to accessing care for children with special health care needs.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional survey that was distributed to caregivers of children with special health care needs (CSHCN).  Study data was collected through REDCap, a secure web‐based survey application.

Results

A total of 75 caregivers participated in the survey.  Only 13% of caregivers reported that their child was less than 1 by the time of their first dental visit.  Nearly all reported seeing a pediatric dentist for their first visit (89%) and that it was for a routine exam and cleaning (83%).  About one‐third of guardians reported an experience where a dentist was unable to care for their child due to their SHCN (36%).

Discussion

It appears that caregivers of CSHCN that participated in this survey have established routine care with a pediatric dentist at an early age. It is important to continue to educate caregivers on the importance of routine care as well as support general dentists in their role of caring for patients with SHCN.
Therapeutic efficacy and safety of pathogen‐reduced platelet components: Results of a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Cid Joan , Charry Paola , Lozano Miquel
Published: January 2024

Background and Objectives

Clinical efficacy and safety of pathogen‐reduced platelet concentrates (PR‐PCs) concerning bleeding prevention are still debated despite conclusive real‐world data from multiple countries where PR‐PCs are transfused routinely. We performed a meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the clinical efficacy and safety of conventional platelet components (PCs) and PR‐PCs prepared with the amotosalen/ultraviolet A light (INTERCEPT platelet concentrate [I‐PC]) or riboflavin/ultraviolet light (Mirasol platelet concentrate [M‐PC]) technologies, transfused in thrombocytopenic adult patients.

Materials and Methods

A literature search was conducted, and 10 RCTs met the criteria for inclusion in this meta‐analysis. Summary odds ratios (ORs) of clinically significant bleeding (World Health Organization [WHO] bleeding grade ≥2), severe bleeding (WHO bleeding score ≥3) and all‐cause mortality were calculated.

Results

The use of I‐PC was not associated with an increase in the OR of clinically significant bleeding when compared to non‐treated PCs (OR, 1.12; 95% CI: 0.89–1.41; p = 0.33), whereas transfusions with M‐PC showed an increase in clinically significant bleeding (OR, 1.34; 95% CI: 1.03–1.75; p = 0.03). The OR of severe bleeding did not increase with either I‐PC or M‐PC (OR 0.88; 95% CI: 0.59–1.31; p = 0.52 for I‐PC; OR 1.25; 95% CI: 0.66–2.37; p = 0.49 for M‐PC). In the case of all‐cause mortality, compared to non‐treated PC, I‐PC showed an OR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.36–1.04; p = 0.07), and M‐PC showed an OR of 3.04 (95% CI: 0.81–11.47; p = 0.1).

Conclusion

No differences were observed concerning the clinical efficacy and safety of overall PR‐PCs when compared to non‐treated PCs. However, differences are evident when analysing platelets prepared with the two PR technologies independently.
Comparative Study of Malaysian Affordable Housing Policy Initiatives
Authors: Francis Jennifer , Lee Reanee , Saimy Intan Sazrina , Mohamed Yusof Nor Ashikin , Ismail Fadillah , Zamri Abdul Muhaimin
Published: January 2024

The Malaysian government has implemented and coordinated affordable housing development initiatives to many targeted groups with the aim to spearhead liveable affordable housing and establish an effective regulatory on affordable housing. In order to focus on the direction as well as formulating guidelines for the development of affordable houses, the National Affordable Housing Policy (NAHP) had taken into account the problems and issues faced by the public especially on the inability to own a house at the market rates. Through this policy, several government initiatives were implemented, including Perumahan Penjawat Awam Malaysia (PPAM), Rumah Wilayah Persekutuan (RUMAWIP) and Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR). This study was to identify which initiative among those three that offers the best housing needs alongside its goal of implementation, adequate and good quality of home with conducive amenities and environment, affordability and sustainability. The survey questionnaire that was developed was validated and provided to the general public to gain insight and feedback on the effectiveness of the PPAM, RUMAWIP and PPR initiatives. Therefore, the results were summarized according to the public's satisfaction that may be useful in the housing industry and the government for continuous and improvements to ensure continuity in future studies. Results showed that the favourite housing initiative is PPR however many improvements still need to be improved such as pricing, size, facilities and maintenance. Overall, this study is in line with the targeted Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) 3 of Good Health and Wellbeing as well as Goal 11 of Sustainable Cities and Communities and others which will benefit all.
Differential splenic responses to hyperoxic breathing at high altitude in Sherpa and lowlanders
Authors: Holmström Pontus K. , Harman Taylor S. , Kalker Anne , Steiner Bethany , Hawkins Ella , Jorgensen Kelsey C. , Zhu Kimberly T. , Kunwar Ajaya J. , Thakur Nilam , Dhungel Sunil , Sherpa Nima , Day Trevor A. , Schagatay Erika K. , Bigham Abigail W. , Brutsaert Tom D.
Published: January 2024

The human spleen contracts in response to stress‐induced catecholamine secretion, resulting in a temporary rise in haemoglobin concentration ([Hb]). Recent findings highlighted enhanced splenic response to exercise at high altitude in Sherpa, possibly due to a blunted splenic response to hypoxia. To explore the potential blunted splenic contraction in Sherpas at high altitude, we examined changes in spleen volume during hyperoxic breathing, comparing acclimatized Sherpa with acclimatized individuals of lowland ancestry. Our study included 14 non‐Sherpa (7 female) residing at altitude for a mean continuous duration of 3 months and 46 Sherpa (24 female) with an average of 4 years altitude exposure. Participants underwent a hyperoxic breathing test at altitude (4300 m; barrometric pressure = ∼430 torr;  = ∼90 torr). Throughout the test, we measured spleen volume using ultrasonography and monitored oxygen saturation (). During rest, Sherpa exhibited larger spleens (226 ± 70 mL) compared to non‐Sherpa (165 ± 34 mL;P < 0.001; effect size (ES) = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.3–1.6). In response to hyperoxia, non‐Sherpa demonstrated 22 ± 12% increase in spleen size (35 ± 17 mL, 95% CI: 20.7–48.9;P < 0.001; ES = 1.8, 95% CI: 0.93–2.66), while spleen size remained unchanged in Sherpa (−2 ± 13 mL, 95% CI: −2.4 to 7.3;P = 0.640; ES = 0.18, 95% CI: −0.10 to 0.47). Our findings suggest that Sherpa and non‐Sherpas of lowland ancestry exhibit distinct variations in spleen volume during hyperoxia at high altitude, potentially indicating two distinct splenic functions. In Sherpa, this phenomenon may signify a diminished splenic response to altitude‐related hypoxia at rest, potentially contributing to enhanced splenic contractions during physical stress. Conversely, non‐Sherpa experienced a transient increase in spleen size during hyperoxia, indicating an active tonic contraction, which may influence early altitude acclimatization in lowlanders by raising [Hb].
Beatriz Moncó In Memoriam
Authors: Sanmartín Ricardo
Published: January 2024

Quienes escribimos libros y artículos por nuestra profesión universitaria, se supone que estamos acostumbrados a hacerlo. Encaramos un problema y buscamos comprenderlo al intentar plasmarlo con palabras. Pero cuando queremos rendir homenaje a una compañera con quien hemos compartido todos los aspectos de la profesión durante, prácticamente, toda la vida, nos sorprende este quedarnos sin palabras. Nos invade una torpeza desconocida que va más allá de las emociones. El dolor por la pérdida de una amiga -de todo amigo- cuesta concretarlo en una descripción. Perdemos un trozo de nosotros mismos y eso nos enfrenta, de repente, con un problema humano mayor. No es solo que, a partir de la pérdida, cambiamos y ya no somos los mismos, sino que al hecho de perder una parte se suma una larga serie de cuestiones que sentimos como un reto.
A checklist and a key to Typhlodromus Scheuten of Syria (Acari: Phytoseiidae), with a new species record
Authors: Dayoub Ahmad M. , Ueckermann Eddie A. , Döker Ismail
Published: January 2024

This study presents a checklist and a key encompassing 11 species of Typhlodromus Scheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae) from Syria, derived from materials collected in this study as well as previous reports. A brief redescription, including setal measurements and some other important characters used to discriminate phytoseiid species, is provided for each species examined. Notably, the species Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) intercalaris Livshitz & Kuznetsov is reported for the first time in Syria, and redescribed based on adult specimens collected from Quercus cerris L. and Quercus infectoria G. Olivier (Fagaceae) trees in Latakia governorate. The examined specimens of this species demonstrated variation in the presence or absence of preanal pores: (1) absent on both sides; (2) present on both sides; (3) present on the left side; and (4) present on the right side. This species was considered a junior synonym of T. (A.) invectus Chant in an earlier study without examination of their type materials. We tried to find the holotype T. (A.) invectus without success. However, according to their original description, T. (A.) intercalaris is distinguishable from T. (A.) invectus by having two pairs of setae on the sternal shield, as opposed to three pairs in the latter species. Therefore, the reason for the redescription provided here is to improve diagnosis and minimize any confusion regarding the species status of the Syrian specimens. This discovery holds significant implications for understanding the biodiversity of phytoseiids in the country.
A bioengineered artificial interstitium supports long-term islet xenograft survival in nonhuman primates without immunosuppression
Authors: Oppler Scott H. , Hocum Stone Laura L. , Leishman David J. , Janecek Jody L. , Moore Meghan E. G. , Rangarajan Parthasarathy , Willenberg Bradley J. , O’Brien Timothy D. , Modiano Jaime , Pheil Natan , Dalton Jordan , Dalton Michael , Ramachandran Sabarinathan , Graham Melanie L.
Published: January 2024

Cell-based therapies hold promise for many chronic conditions; however, the continued need for immunosuppression along with challenges in replacing cells to improve durability or retrieving cells for safety are major obstacles. We subcutaneously implanted a device engineered to exploit the innate transcapillary hydrostatic and colloid osmotic pressure generating ultrafiltrate to mimic interstitium. Long-term stable accumulation of ultrafiltrate was achieved in both rodents and nonhuman primates (NHPs) that was chemically similar to serum and achieved capillary blood oxygen concentration. The majority of adult pig islet grafts transplanted in non-immunosuppressed NHPs resulted in xenograft survival >100 days. Stable cytokine levels, normal neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio, and a lack of immune cell infiltration demonstrated successful immunoprotection and averted typical systemic changes related to xenograft transplant, especially inflammation. This approach eliminates the need for immunosuppression and permits percutaneous access for loading, reloading, biopsy, and recovery to de-risk the use of “unlimited” xenogeneic cell sources to realize widespread clinical translation of cell-based therapies.
Toxin:antitoxin ratio sensing autoregulation of the
Vibrio cholerae parDE2
module
Authors: Garcia-Rodriguez Gabriela , Girardin Yana , Kumar Singh Ranjan , Volkov Alexander N. , Van Dyck Jeroen , Muruganandam Gopinath , Sobott Frank , Charlier Daniel , Loris Remy
Published: January 2024

The
parDE
family of toxin-antitoxin (TA) operons is ubiquitous in bacterial genomes and, in
Vibrio cholerae
, is an essential component to maintain the presence of chromosome II. Here, we show that transcription of the
V. cholerae parDE2
(Vc
parDE
) operon is regulated in a toxin:antitoxin ratio–dependent manner using a molecular mechanism distinct from other type II TA systems. The repressor of the operon is identified as an assembly with a 6:2 stoichiometry with three interacting ParD2 dimers bridged by two ParE2 monomers. This assembly docks to a three-site operator containing 5′- GGTA-3′ motifs. Saturation of this TA complex with ParE2 toxin results in disruption of the interface between ParD2 dimers and the formation of a TA complex of 2:2 stoichiometry. The latter is operator binding–incompetent as it is incompatible with the required spacing of the ParD2 dimers on the operator.
A dynamic atlas of immunocyte migration from the gut
Authors: Galván-Peña Silvia , Zhu Yangyang , Hanna Bola S. , Mathis Diane , Benoist Christophe
Published: January 2024

Dysbiosis in the gut microbiota affects several systemic diseases, possibly by driving the migration of perturbed intestinal immunocytes to extraintestinal tissues. Combining Kaede photoconvertible mice and single-cell genomics, we generated a detailed map of migratory trajectories from the colon, at baseline, and in several models of intestinal and extraintestinal inflammation. All lineages emigrated from the colon in an S1P-dependent manner. B lymphocytes represented the largest contingent, with the unexpected circulation of nonexperienced follicular B cells, which carried a gut-imprinted transcriptomic signature. T cell emigration included distinct groups of RORγ
+
and IEL-like CD160
+
subsets. Gut inflammation curtailed emigration, except for dendritic cells disseminating to lymph nodes. Colon-emigrating cells distributed differentially to distinct sites of extraintestinal models of inflammation (psoriasis-like skin, arthritic synovium, and tumors). Thus, specific cellular trails originating in the gut and influenced by microbiota may shape peripheral immunity in varied ways.
Evolution and separation of actinobacterial pyranose and
C
-glycoside-3-oxidases
Authors: Kostelac Anja , Taborda André , Martins Lígia O. , Haltrich Dietmar
Published: January 2024

FAD-dependent pyranose oxidase (POx) and
C
-glycoside-3-oxidase (CGOx) are both members of the glucose-methanol-choline superfamily of oxidoreductases and belong to the same sequence space. Pyranose oxidases had been studied for their oxidation of monosaccharides such as D-glucose, but recently, a bacterial
C
-glycoside-3-oxidase that is phylogenetically related to POx and that reacts with
C
-glycosides such as carminic acid, mangiferin or puerarin has been described. Since these actinobacterial CGOx enzymes belong to the same sequence space as bacterial POx, they must have evolved from the same ancestor. Here, we performed a phylogenetic analysis of actinobacterial sequences and resurrected seven ancestral enzymes of the POx/CGOx sequence space to study the evolutionary trajectory of substrate preferences for monosaccharides and
C
-glycosides. Clade I, with its dimeric member POx from
Kitasatospora aureofaciens
, shows strict preference for monosaccharides (D-glucose and D-xylose) and does not react with any of the glycosides tested. No extant member of clade II has been studied to date. The two extant members of clades III and IV, monomeric POx/CGOx from
Pseudoarthrobacter siccitolerans
and
Streptomyces canus
, oxidized both monosaccharides as well as various
C
-glycosides (homoorientin, isovitexin, mangiferin, and puerarin). Steady-state kinetic parameters of several clades III and IV ancestral enzymes indicate that the generalist ancestor N35 slowly evolved to present-day enzymes with a much higher preference for
C
-glycosides than monosaccharides. Based on structural predictions of ancestors, we hypothesize that the strict specificity of bacterial clade I POx (and also fungal POx) is the result of oligomerization, which in turn results from the evolution of protein segments that were shown to be important for oligomerization, the arm, and the head domain.

IMPORTANCE

C
-Glycosides often form active compounds in various plants. Breakage of the C-C bond in these glycosides to release the aglycone is challenging and proceeds via a two-step reaction, the oxidation of the sugar and subsequent cleavage of the C-C bond. Recently, an enzyme from a soil bacterium, FAD-dependent
C
-glycoside-3-oxidase (CGOx), was shown to catalyze the initial oxidation reaction. Here, we show that CGOx belongs to the same sequence space as pyranose oxidase (POx), and that an actinobacterial ancestor of the POx/CGOx family evolved into four clades, two of which show a high preference for
C
-glycosides.
Antibody inhibition of influenza A virus assembly and release
Authors: He Yuanyuan , Guo Zijian , Subiaur Sofie , Benegal Ananya , Vahey Michael D.
Published: January 2024

Antibodies against influenza A virus provide multifaceted protection against infection. Although sensitive and quantitative assays are widely used to measure inhibition of viral attachment and entry, the ability of diverse antibodies to inhibit viral egress is less clear. We address this challenge by developing an imaging-based approach to measure antibody inhibition of virus release across a panel of monoclonal antibodies targeting the influenza A virus surface proteins. Using this approach, we find that inhibition of viral egress is common and can have similar potency to the ability of an antibody to inhibit viral entry. Insights into this understudied aspect of antibody function may help guide the development of improved countermeasures.
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus triggers Golgi apparatus fragmentation-mediated autophagy to facilitate viral self-replication
Authors: Zhao Shuang-shuang , Qian Qisheng , Chen Xin-xin , Lu Qingxia , Xing Guangxu , Qiao Songlin , Li Rui , Zhang Gaiping
Published: January 2024

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection results in a serious swine disease affecting pig farming worldwide. Despite that numerous studies have shown that PRRSV triggers autophagy for its self-replication, how PRRSV induces autophagy is incompletely understood. Here, we identify that PRRSV Nsp2 degrades GRASP65 to induce GA fragmentation, which dissociates RAB2 from GM130 and activates RAB2-ULK1-mediated autophagy to enhance viral replication. This work expands our understanding of PRRSV-induced autophagy and PRRSV replication, which is beneficial for anti-viral drug development.
Net evolution of subglacial sediment transport in the Quebec–Labrador sector of the Laurentide Ice Sheet
Authors: Rice Jessey M. , Ross Martin , Campbell Heather E. , Paulen Roger C. , McClenaghan M. Beth
Published: January 2024

The Laurentide Ice Sheet's (LIS) interior had a dynamic polythermal base, but the spatiotemporal variations of subglacial processes related to ice divide migration and other transient changes remain largely unknown, limiting our understanding of regional glacial dynamics. Previous studies focused on the regional glacial landform record, while ice sheet models lacked detailed parameterization within these regions, leading to an overestimation of cold-based subglacial conditions' extent and duration. In this study, glacial sediment dispersal patterns as identified by heavy minerals, clasts, and multivariate statistics of till matrix geochemistry were used to assess ice sheet dynamics within the Quebec–Labrador sector of the LIS. The earliest ice-flow phase produced and transported till across the study area (>175 km). However, major oxide data from till matrix geochemistry show a correlation with underlying bedrock, and this relationship is relatively common in areas of thin till cover and resistant bedrock lithologies. These results suggest a switch from an early phase of widespread erosion and long, sustained sediment transport to one of more limited erosion, perhaps abrasion dominant and shorter transport. Till compositional data and related dispersal patterns add supporting evidence to earlier ice sheet reconstructions based on ice-flow indicators and10Be data together suggesting a transition from widespread uniform warm-based conditions during the earliest ice flow, followed by the development of an ice divide, its migration, and more sporadic warm-based conditions. Consequently, a thorough understanding of ice-flow history is essential for ice sheet modelling and future mineral exploration programs in inner ice sheet regions of the LIS.
Extension of the Schwarzschild black hole solution in f(R) gravitational theory and its physical properties
Authors: Nashed G. G. L.
Published: January 2024

The successes of f(R) gravitational theory as a logical extension of Einstein’s theory of general relativity (GR) encourage us to delve deep into this theory and continue our study to attempt to derive an extension of the Schwarzschild black hole (BH) solution. In this study, in order to solve the output nonlinear differential equation, we closed the form of the system by assuming the derivative of f(R) with respect to the scalar curvature R to have the form $$F(r)=\frac{\textrm{d}f(R(r))}{\textrm{d}R(r)}=1- \frac{\alpha }{r^4}$$

F

(
r
)

=

d
f
(
R
(
r
)
)

d
R
(
r
)

=
1
-

α

r
4

, where $$\alpha $$
α
is a dimensional constant. Our study shows that when $$\alpha \rightarrow 0$$

α
→
0

, we obtain the Schwarzschild BH solution of GR assuming some constraints on the constant of integration, and if these constraints are bounded, we obtain the anti-de Sitter (AdS)/de Sitter (dS) spacetime. For the general case, i.e., when $$\alpha \ne 0$$

α
≠
0

, we obtain a BH solution that tends asymptotically to AdS/dS spacetime. Moreover, we derive the timelike and null particle geodesics of the BH solution studied in this article. The equation of motion and effective potential of test particles are calculated to study the stability of radial orbits (trajectories). The energy and angular momentum are calculated to study the circular motion and stability of circular orbits. We also derive the stability condition using the geodesic deviation. Moreover, we discuss the physics of the output BH solutions through calculation of the thermodynamic quantities including entropy, the Hawking temperature, and Gibbs free energy. Finally, we check the validity of the first law of thermodynamics applied to the BH of this study. Although we can derive a Schwarzschild black hole solution in the lower order of f(R), specifically when $$f(R)=R$$

f
(
R
)
=
R

, where the gravitational mass is generated from the source of gravity, we demonstrate that in the higher orders of f(R), when $$f(R)\ne R$$

f
(
R
)
≠
R

, the source of gravity is attributed primarily to higher-order corrections, and the source of gravity that was originally derived from the Schwarzschild black hole has ceased to be dominant.
WOMEN’S ENTREPRENEURIAL SUCCESS IN MOROCCO: BETWEEN TRANSITION AND PATRIARCHAL RESISTANCE
Authors: ELOTMANI SAFAE , EL BOURY MALAK
Published: January 2024

This study explores entrepreneurial success among female entrepreneurs, a topic that is poorly investigated in the global South. After a literature review on the concept of women’s entrepreneurial success and on the institutional, economic socio-cultural and familial context of Moroccan female entrepreneurs, results of a qualitative study involving female entrepreneurs based in urban areas, working across diverse industries, are described. Findings indicate that entrepreneurial success is defined by Moroccan female entrepreneurs through four different viewpoints: (1) entrepreneurial success through a company’s financial standing, (2) self-assessed entrepreneurial achievements, (3) societal recognition of entrepreneurial success and (4) the evaluation of entrepreneurial success based on the benefits provided to others. The definition of entrepreneurial success is explored in line with the evolution of women’s priorities and the evolution of Moroccan society. The findings and implications provide policy makers, practitioners and academics with a better understanding of female entrepreneurship and on how to enhance and support these entrepreneurs to increase economic growth.
Accounting quality and countries institutional characteristics: Evidence from multinational firms
Authors: Berrim Nizar , Ghadhab Imen , Nizar Hamza
Published: January 2024

This paper investigates the dynamics of cross-listing in the US and accounting quality. Using an unbalanced panel of 11,780 observations for the period 2000–2019, we show that cross-listing improves accounting quality (in terms of conservatism, earnings management and informational relevance). This result holds for both types of cross-listing (i.e., exchange and OTC listing). Moreover, taking institutional variables into account leads to the conclusion that companies from countries with a weak legal and informational environment have better accounting quality following compliance with the strict standards of shareholder protection and disclosure of information imposed by US authorities. Finally, a complementary analysis shows us that companies listed in the US benefit from a better accounting quality record and less investment inefficiency. This explains why cross-listing in the US reduces the inefficiency of investments thanks to better accounting quality.
An Iris Instance for Verifying CompCert C Programs
Authors: Mansky William , Du Ke
Published: January 2024

Iris is a generic separation logic framework that has been instantiated to reason about a wide range of programming languages and language features. Most Iris instances are defined on simple core calculi, but by connecting Iris to new or existing formal semantics for practical languages, we can also use it to reason about real programs. In this paper we develop an Iris instance based on CompCert, the verified C compiler, allowing us to prove correctness of C programs under the same semantics we use to compile and run them. We take inspiration from the Verified Software Toolchain (VST), a prior separation logic for CompCert C, and reimplement the program logic of VST in Iris. Unlike most Iris instances, this involves both a new model of resources for CompCert memories, and a new definition of weakest preconditions/Hoare triples, as the Iris defaults for both of these cannot be applied to CompCert as is. Ultimately, we obtain a complete program logic for CompCert C within Iris, and we reconstruct enough of VST's top-level automation to prove correctness of simple C programs.
Calculational Design of [In]Correctness Transformational Program Logics by Abstract Interpretation
Authors: Cousot Patrick
Published: January 2024

We study transformational program logics for correctness and incorrectness that we extend to explicitly handle both termination and nontermination. We show that the logics are abstract interpretations of the right image transformer for a natural relational semantics covering both finite and infinite executions. This understanding of logics as abstractions of a semantics facilitates their comparisons through their respective abstractions of the semantics (rather that the much more difficult comparison through their formal proof systems). More importantly, the formalization provides a calculational method for constructively designing the sound and complete formal proof system by abstraction of the semantics. As an example, we extend Hoare logic to cover all possible behaviors of nondeterministic programs and design a new precondition (in)correctness logic.
DisLog: A Separation Logic for Disentanglement
Authors: Moine Alexandre , Westrick Sam , Balzer Stephanie
Published: January 2024

Disentanglement is a run-time property of parallel programs that
facilitates task-local reasoning about the memory footprint of
parallel tasks. In particular, it ensures that a task does not access
any memory locations allocated by another concurrently executing task.
Disentanglement can be exploited, for example, to implement a
high-performance parallel memory manager, such as in the MPL (MaPLe)
compiler for Parallel ML. Prior research on disentanglement has
focused on the design of optimizations, either trusting the programmer
to provide a disentangled program or relying on runtime
instrumentation for detecting and managing entanglement. This paper
provides the first static approach to verify that a program is
disentangled: it contributes DisLog, a concurrent separation logic for
disentanglement. DisLog enriches concurrent separation logic with the
notions necessary for reasoning about the fork-join structure of
parallel programs, allowing the verification that memory accesses are
effectively disentangled. A large class of programs, including
race-free programs, exhibit memory access patterns that are
disentangled "by construction". To reason about these patterns, the
paper distills from DisLog an almost standard concurrent separation
logic, called DisLog+. In this high-level logic, no specific
reasoning about memory accesses is needed: functional correctness
proofs entail disentanglement. The paper illustrates the use of
DisLog and DisLog+ on a range of case studies, including two different
implementations of parallel deduplication via concurrent hashing. All
our results are mechanized in the Coq proof assistant using Iris.
An Axiomatic Basis for Computer Programming on the Relaxed Arm-A Architecture: The AxSL Logic
Authors: Hammond Angus , Liu Zongyuan , Pérami Thibaut , Sewell Peter , Birkedal Lars , Pichon-Pharabod Jean
Published: January 2024

Very relaxed concurrency memory models, like those of the Arm-A, RISC-V, and IBM Power hardware architectures, underpin much of computing but break a fundamental intuition about programs, namely that syntactic program order and the reads-from relation always both induce order in the execution. Instead, out-of-order execution is allowed except where prevented by certain pairwise dependencies, barriers, or other synchronisation. This means that there is no notion of the 'current' state of the program, making it challenging to design (and prove sound) syntax-directed, modular reasoning methods like Hoare logics, as usable resources cannot implicitly flow from one program point to the next.

We present AxSL, a separation logic for the relaxed memory model of Arm-A, that captures the fine-grained reasoning underpinning the low-overhead synchronisation mechanisms used by high-performance systems code. In particular, AxSL allows transferring arbitrary resources using relaxed reads and writes when they induce inter-thread ordering. We mechanise AxSL in the Iris separation logic framework, illustrate it on key examples, and prove it sound with respect to the axiomatic memory model of Arm-A. Our approach is largely generic in the axiomatic model and in the instruction-set semantics, offering a potential way forward for compositional reasoning for other similar models, and for the combination of production concurrency models and full-scale ISAs.
Strong Invariants Are Hard: On the Hardness of Strongest Polynomial Invariants for (Probabilistic) Programs
Authors: Müllner Julian , Moosbrugger Marcel , Kovács Laura
Published: January 2024

We show that computing the strongest polynomial invariant for single-path loops with polynomial assignments is at least as hard as the Skolem problem, a famous problem whose decidability has been open for almost a century. While the strongest polynomial invariants are computable for
affine loops
, for polynomial loops the problem remained wide open. As an intermediate result of independent interest, we prove that reachability for discrete polynomial dynamical systems is Skolem-hard as well. Furthermore, we generalize the notion of invariant ideals and introduce
moment invariant ideals
for probabilistic programs. With this tool, we further show that the strongest polynomial moment invariant is (i) uncomputable, for probabilistic loops with branching statements, and (ii) Skolem-hard to compute for polynomial probabilistic loops without branching statements. Finally, we identify a class of probabilistic loops for which the strongest polynomial moment invariant is computable and provide an algorithm for it.
An Infinite Needle in a Finite Haystack: Finding Infinite Counter-Models in Deductive Verification
Authors: Elad Neta , Padon Oded , Shoham Sharon
Published: January 2024

First-order logic, and quantifiers in particular, are widely used in deductive verification of
programs and systems. Quantifiers are essential for describing systems with unbounded domains,
but prove difficult for automated solvers. Significant effort has been dedicated to finding quantifier
instantiations that establish unsatisfiability of quantified formulas, thus ensuring validity of a
system’s verification conditions. However, in many cases the formulas are satisfiable—this is
often the case in intermediate steps of the verification process, e.g., when an invariant is not yet
inductive. For such cases, existing tools are limited to finding finite models as counterexamples.
Yet, some quantified formulas are satisfiable but only have infinite models, which current solvers
are unable to find. Such infinite counter-models are especially typical when first-order logic is used
to approximate the natural numbers, the integers, or other inductive definitions such as linked lists,
which is common in deductive verification. The inability of solvers to find infinite models makes
them diverge in these cases, providing little feedback to the user as they try to make progress in
their verification attempts.
In this paper, we tackle the problem of finding such infinite models, specifically, finite representations thereof that can be presented to the user of a deductive verification tool. These models give
insight into the verification failure, and allow the user to identify and fix bugs in the modeling of
the system and its properties. Our approach consists of three parts. First, we introduce symbolic
structures as a way to represent certain infinite models, and show they admit an efficient model
checking procedure. Second, we describe an effective model finding procedure that symbolically
explores a given (possibly infinite) family of symbolic structures in search of an infinite model for
a given formula. Finally, we identify a new decidable fragment of first-order logic that extends
and subsumes the many-sorted variant of EPR, where satisfiable formulas always have a model
representable by a symbolic structure within a known family, making our model finding procedure
a decision procedure for that fragment.
We evaluate our approach on examples from the domains of distributed consensus protocols
and of heap-manipulating programs (specifically, linked lists). Our implementation quickly finds
infinite counter-models that demonstrate the source of verification failures in a simple way, while
state-of-the-art SMT solvers and theorem provers such as Z3, cvc5, and Vampire diverge or return
“unknown”.
Mostly Automated Verification of Liveness Properties for Distributed Protocols with Ranking Functions
Authors: Yao Jianan , Tao Runzhou , Gu Ronghui , Nieh Jason
Published: January 2024

Distributed protocols have long been formulated in terms of their safety and liveness properties. Much recent work has focused on automatically verifying the safety properties of distributed protocols, but doing so for liveness properties has remained a challenging, unsolved problem. We present LVR, the first framework that can mostly automatically verify liveness properties for distributed protocols. Our key insight is that most liveness properties for distributed protocols can be reduced to a set of safety properties with the help of ranking functions. Such ranking functions for practical distributed protocols have certain properties that make them straightforward to synthesize, contrary to conventional wisdom. We prove that verifying a liveness property can then be reduced to a simpler problem of verifying a set of safety properties, namely that the ranking function is strictly decreasing and nonnegative for any protocol state transition, and there is no deadlock. LVR automatically synthesizes ranking functions by formulating a parameterized function of integer protocol variables, statically analyzing the lower and upper bounds of the variables as well as how much they can change on each state transition, then feeding the constraints to an SMT solver to determine the coefficients of the ranking function. It then uses an off-the-shelf verification tool to find inductive invariants to verify safety properties for both ranking functions and deadlock freedom. We show that LVR can mostly automatically verify the liveness properties of several distributed protocols, including various versions of Paxos, with limited user guidance.
Positive Almost-Sure Termination: Complexity and Proof Rules
Authors: Majumdar Rupak , Sathiyanarayana V. R.
Published: January 2024

We study the recursion-theoretic complexity of Positive Almost-Sure Termination (
PAST
) in an imperative programming language with rational variables, bounded nondeterministic choice, and discrete probabilistic choice. A program terminates positive almost-surely if, for every scheduler, the program terminates almost-surely and the expected runtime to termination is finite. We show that
PAST
for our language is complete for the (lightface) co-analytic sets (Π
1
1
-complete). This is in contrast to the related notions of Almost-Sure Termination (
AST
) and Bounded Termination (
BAST
), both of which are arithmetical (Π
2
0
- and Σ
2
0
-complete respectively).

Our upper bound implies an effective procedure to reduce reasoning about probabilistic termination to non-probabilistic fair termination in a model with bounded nondeterminism, and to simple program termination in models with unbounded nondeterminism. Our lower bound shows the opposite: for every program with unbounded nondeterministic choice, there is an effectively computable probabilistic program with bounded choice such that the original program is terminating if, and only if, the transformed program is
PAST
.

We show that every program has an effectively computable normal form, in which each probabilistic choice either continues or terminates execution immediately, each with probability 1/2. For normal form programs, we provide a sound and complete proof rule for
PAST
. Our proof rule uses transfinite ordinals. We show that reasoning about
PAST
requires transfinite ordinals up to ω
1

CK

; thus, existing techniques for probabilistic termination based on ranking supermartingales that map program states to reals do not suffice to reason about
PAST
.
Unboxed Data Constructors: Or, How cpp Decides a Halting Problem
Authors: Chataing Nicolas , Dolan Stephen , Scherer Gabriel , Yallop Jeremy
Published: January 2024

We propose a new language feature for ML-family languages, the ability to selectively
unbox
certain data constructors, so that their runtime representation gets compiled away to just the identity on their argument. Unboxing must be statically rejected when it could introduce confusion, that is, distinct values with the same representation.

We discuss the use-case of big numbers, where unboxing allows to write code that is both efficient and safe, replacing either a safe but slow version or a fast but unsafe version. We explain the static analysis necessary to reject incorrect unboxing requests. We present our prototype implementation of this feature for the OCaml programming language, discuss several design choices and the interaction with advanced features such as Guarded Algebraic Datatypes.

Our static analysis requires expanding type definitions in type expressions, which is not necessarily normalizing in presence of recursive type definitions. In other words, we must decide normalization of terms in the first-order λ-calculus with recursion. We provide an algorithm to detect non-termination on-the-fly during reduction, with proofs of correctness and completeness. Our algorithm turns out to be closely related to the normalization strategy for macro expansion in the cpp preprocessor.