bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women’s Brain Health: Midlife Ovarian Removal Affects Associative Memory
Authors: Brown Alana , Gervais Nicole J. , Rieck Jenny , Almey Anne , Gravelsins Laura , Reuben Rebekah , Karkaby Laurice , Rajah M. Natasha , Grady Cheryl , Einstein Gillian
Published: July 2023

Women with early bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO; removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes) have greater Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk than women in spontaneous/natural menopause (SM), but early biomarkers of this risk are not well-characterized. Considering associative memory deficits may presage preclinical AD, we wondered if one of the earliest changes might be in associative memory and whether younger women with BSO had changes similar to those observed in SM. Women with BSO (with and without 17β-estradiol replacement therapy (ERT)), their age-matched premenopausal controls (AMC), and older women in SM completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging face-name associative memory task shown to predict early AD. Brain activation during encoding was compared between groups: AMC (n=25), BSO no ERT (BSO; n=15), BSO+ERT (n=16), and SM without hormone therapy (n=16). Region-of-interest analyses revealed AMC did not contribute to functional group differences. BSO+ERT had higher hippocampal activation than BSO and SM. This hippocampal activation correlated positively with urinary metabolite levels of 17β-estradiol. Multivariate partial least squares analyses showed BSO+ERT had a different network-level activation pattern than BSO and SM. Thus, despite being approximately 10 years younger, women with BSO without ERT had similar brain function to those with SM, suggesting early 17β-estradiol loss may lead to an altered functional brain phenotype which could influence late-life AD risk, making face-name encoding a potential biomarker for midlife women with increased AD risk. Despite similarities in activation, BSO and SM groups showed opposite within-hippocampus connectivity, suggesting menopause type is an important consideration when assessing brain function.
Possibility for Children with Medical Complexities to Reach a 3000-m Peak: A Report of 2 Cases
Authors: Miyatake Hirotomo , Onishi Toya , Kaneda Yudai , Ozaki Akihiko , Tanimoto Tetsuya , Beniya Hiroyuki
Published: July 2023

With the recent development of neonatal medicine, the number of children with medical complexities (CMCs) is increasing. Outdoor activities are important for their psychosocial development, and the principles of accessibility should be addressed. We report the experience of 2 CMCs’ high-altitude mountaineering with the necessary support. The participants were a 3-y-old girl with cerebral palsy, symptomatic epilepsy, and a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (Child A) and a 6-y-old girl who underwent bilateral Glenn operations at 11 mo for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (Child B). The support staff consisted of 4 doctors, 1 nurse, 5 nonmedical staff , 3 members from a mountaineering association, and 2 people from an oxygen company. The climbing schedule was 2 days. On the first day, we took a bus to a hut at an altitude of 2450 m and stayed overnight to acclimatize to the altitude. On the second day, we took the beginner’s route, which took 3 h to climb 500 m, and our team made an attempt on the summit. During the attempt, Child B panicked. Although her lung sounds did not raise suspicions of pulmonary edema, we decided to leave the mountain with her because her transcutaneous oxygen saturation decreased. Child A had no apparent health problems and made it to the summit. Although CMCs’ alpine climbing requires careful planning and staffing considering the risk of high-altitude sickness, our case suggests the feasibility of such activities with CMCs as part of accessibility.
A framework for future national pediatric pandemic respiratory disease severity triage: The HHS pediatric COVID-19 data challenge
Authors: Bergquist Timothy , Wax Marie , Bennett Tellen D. , Moffitt Richard A. , Gao Jifan , Chen Guanhua , Telenti Amalio , Maher M. Cyrus , Bartha Istvan , Walker Lorne , Orwoll Benjamin E. , Mishra Meenakshi , Alamgir Joy , Cragin Bruce L. , Ferguson Christopher H. , Wong Hui-Hsing , Deslattes Mays Anne , Misquitta Leonie , DeMarco Kerry A. , Sciarretta Kimberly L. , Patel Sandeep A.
Published: July 2023

Introduction:

With persistent incidence, incomplete vaccination rates, confounding respiratory illnesses, and few therapeutic interventions available, COVID-19 continues to be a burden on the pediatric population. During a surge, it is difficult for hospitals to direct limited healthcare resources effectively. While the overwhelming majority of pediatric infections are mild, there have been life-threatening exceptions that illuminated the need to proactively identify pediatric patients at risk of severe COVID-19 and other respiratory infectious diseases. However, a nationwide capability for developing validated computational tools to identify pediatric patients at risk using real-world data does not exist.

Methods:

HHS ASPR BARDA sought, through the power of competition in a challenge, to create computational models to address two clinically important questions using the National COVID Cohort Collaborative: (1) Of pediatric patients who test positive for COVID-19 in an outpatient setting, who are at risk for hospitalization? (2) Of pediatric patients who test positive for COVID-19 and are hospitalized, who are at risk for needing mechanical ventilation or cardiovascular interventions?

Results:

This challenge was the first, multi-agency, coordinated computational challenge carried out by the federal government as a response to a public health emergency. Fifty-five computational models were evaluated across both tasks and two winners and three honorable mentions were selected.

Conclusion:

This challenge serves as a framework for how the government, research communities, and large data repositories can be brought together to source solutions when resources are strapped during a pandemic.
State Violence, Party Formation, and Electoral Accountability: The Political Legacy of the Marikana Massacre
Authors: DE KADT DANIEL , JOHNSON-KANU ADA , SANDS MELISSA L.
Published: July 2023

Democratic governments sometimes use violence against their people, yet little is known about the electoral consequences of these events. Studying South Africa’s Marikana massacre, we document how a new opposition party formed as a direct result of violence, quantify significant electoral losses for the incumbent, and show that those losses were driven by voters switching from the incumbent to the new party. Three lessons emerge. First, incumbents who preside over state violence may be held electorally accountable by voters. Second, such accountability seemingly depends on the existence of credible opposition parties that can serve as a vector for disaffected voters. Where such parties do not exist, violence may create political cleavages that facilitate the formalization of opposition movements. Third, immediate proximity to violence is correlated with holding incumbents accountable.
Human Trafficking and Piracy in Early Modern East Asia: Maritime Challenges to the Ming Dynasty Economy, 1370–1565
Authors: Zurndorfer Harriet
Published: July 2023

This study asks how human trafficking in Ming China (1368–1644) became enveloped in the emerging global economy of the sixteenth century. Utilizing theoretical insights from the model of “slaving zones,” the essay examines recorded incidents of human trafficking along China’s littoral from 1370 to 1565 and contends that its presence and persistence were intertwined with the Ming court’s economic policies and problems. Here the history of human trafficking in early-to-mid-Ming China is viewed from the perspective of a series of challenges to the country’s economic well-being but also to its power to govern according to its own laws and norms. These challenges include the Ming regime’s efforts: to eradicate piracy and smuggling through their integration into the lawful framework of tribute trade; to support provincial requests for extra revenue to promote military security; to acquire Japanese silver but deny Japan mercantile access to China; to profit from Portugal’s Southeast Asian and Japanese commercial networks. This study argues that the increasing prevalence of human trafficking along China’s coastline was the result of competing forces anxious for power and riches that fused into the thrust of sixteenth-century China’s expanding economy, as well as the adaptability of those in authority to ignore the consequences of allowing safe havens for persons bartering and selling human beings. These factors turned the status of Ming China’s littoral from a “no slaving zone” into an “imperfect no slaving zone.”
Counting Kisses at the Movies: The Screen Kiss and the Cinematic Experience in Egypt
Authors: Elsaket Ifdal
Published: July 2023

In this article, I use the 1969 Egyptian film Abi fawq al-Shagara and the motif of the kiss as a launch pad to explore broader cinematic experiences and cultures in 1960s Egypt and beyond. I argue that the deployment and debates around screen kisses not only represented wider conflicting and shifting impulses around questions of audience tastes, sexuality, and the role of the cinema, but became central motifs through which audiences experienced the movies. Inspired by a historical approach to the study of cinema, one in which media texts and audiences are central, this article shifts the gaze away from the screen to consider the public lens through which films were appreciated, the broader global media landscape in which they existed, and the tensions between audiences and critics. I bring popular magazines, audience reactions and memories, and wider international cultural trends into the frames of analysis not only to nuance our understanding of Egyptian cinematic cultures, but to shed light on an often-neglected component of Egyptian history of the 1960s; the fun, the pleasures, and the anxieties of a quickly changing cultural and leisure landscape, and the wider cultural mood that helped shape a generation's experiences of the cinema.
Predictors of diagnostic conversion from major depression to bipolar disorder: a Swedish national longitudinal study
Authors: Rhee Sang Jin , Ohlsson Henrik , Sundquist Jan , Sundquist Kristina , Kendler Kenneth S.
Published: July 2023

Background

It is clinically important to predict the conversion of major depression (MD) to bipolar disorder (BD). Therefore, we sought to identify related conversion rates and risk factors.

Methods

This cohort study included the Swedish population born from 1941 onward. Data were collected from Swedish population-based registers. Potential risk factors, including family genetic risk scores (FGRS), which were calculated based on the phenotypes of relatives in the extended family and not molecular data, and demographic/clinical characteristics from these registers were retrieved. Those with first MD registrations from 2006 were followed up until 2018. The conversion rate to BD and related risk factors were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models. Additional analyses were performed for late converters and with stratification by sex.

Results

The cumulative incidence of conversion was 5.84% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 5.72–5.96] for 13 years. In the multivariable analysis, the strongest risk factors for conversion were high FGRS of BD [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.73, 95% CI 2.43–3.08], inpatient treatment settings (HR = 2.64, 95% CI 2.44–2.84), and psychotic depression (HR = 2.58, 95% CI 2.14–3.11). For late converters, the first registration of MD during the teenage years was a stronger risk factor when compared with the baseline model. When the interactions between risk factors and sex were significant, stratification by sex revealed that they were more predictive in females.

Conclusions

Family history of BD, inpatient treatment, and psychotic symptoms were the strongest predictors of conversion from MD to BD.
The Incoherence of Empire. Or, the Pitfalls of Ignoring Sovereignty in the History of the British Empire
Authors: Wilson Jon , Dilley Andrew
Published: July 2023

This article argues for an essentially political definition of empire with sovereignty at its core, which recognises that British assertions of sovereignty were multiple, mutually contradictory and thus, taken together, incoherent. Tracing the history of conflict between different archetypes of sovereign authority, we argue that imperial crises occurred when empire's different ideas were forced to speak to one another, during world war, for example. The emphasis here on sovereignty and incoherence contrasts with conceptions of the history of the British empire which assert to the contrary that empire was a coherent entity. Such coherence can, we argue, only be maintained by treating empire as a metaphor for broader conceptions of power and thus collapsing the history of empire into other totalising meta-concepts such as global capitalism or Western cultural dominance. Recognition of the incoherence of imperial sovereignty offers new, more nuanced, readings of central concerns in the literature such as imperial violence and the economics of empire.
Structure and acoustics of the speech of verbal autistic preschoolers
Authors: MAES Pauline , WEYLAND Marielle , KISSINE Mikhail
Published: July 2023

In this study, we report an extensive investigation of the structural language and acoustical specificities of the spontaneous speech of ten three- to five-year-old verbal autistic children. The autistic children were compared to a group of ten typically developing children matched pairwise on chronological age, nonverbal IQ and socioeconomic status, and groupwise on verbal IQ and gender on various measures of structural language (phonetic inventory, lexical diversity and morpho-syntactic complexity) and a series of acoustical measures of speech (mean and range fundamental frequency, a formant dispersion index, syllable duration, jitter and shimmer). Results showed that, overall, the structure and acoustics of the verbal autistic children’s speech were highly similar to those of the TD children. Few remaining atypicalities in the speech of autistic children lay in a restricted use of different vocabulary items, a somewhat diminished morpho-syntactic complexity, and a slightly exaggerated syllable duration.
The National New Area as an Infrastructure Space: Urbanization and the New Regime of Circulation in China
Authors: Oakes Tim
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes an infrastructure analytic for exploring the urbanizing landscapes of China's “national new areas.” In an effort to develop a less city-centred approach to the transformations underway in these spaces, I consider the new area as an “infrastructure space” in which the conventional distinctions between rural and urban have become increasingly meaningless. Such an approach draws our attention to the ways large-scale infrastructures of connectivity are driving a decentred form of urban development in which the livelihoods of residents are shaped by access to networks more than proximity to city centres. Based on case-study research of urbanizing villages and the rapid transformation of rural livelihoods in Gui'an New Area in Guizhou province, I suggest that an infrastructure analytic sheds light on the ways national new areas can be understood as particular events in an unfolding regime of circulation that has come to dominate urban forms worldwide.
Older Adults’ Quality of Life in Long-Term Care: A Cross-Sectional Comparison Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Cruise Danielle , Sinden Danielle , Jaana Mirou
Published: July 2023

This study aims to assess changes in long-term care (LTC) residents’ quality of life (QoL) before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A pre-test post-test study of 49 QoL measures, across four dimensions from the interRAI self-reported QoL survey, was conducted. Secondary data from 2019 (n = 116) and 2020 (n = 128) were analysed to assess the change in QoL. A significant decline in 12 measures was observed, indicating a change in QoL of LTC residents during the pandemic. Social life was the dimension mostly affected with residents reporting less opportunities to spend time with like-minded residents, explore new skills and interests, participate in meaningful religious activities, and have enjoyable things to do in the evenings. Several measures of personal control, staff responsiveness and care, and safety also demonstrated a significant change. The results can inform future strategies for pandemic and outbreak preparedness. Balancing the safety of residents with attention to their QoL should be a priority moving forward.
Incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated risk factors among staff and residents at homeless shelters in King County, Washington: an active surveillance study
Authors: Rogers Julia H. , Cox Sarah N. , Link Amy C. , Nwanne Gift , Han Peter D. , Pfau Brian , Chow Eric J. , Wolf Caitlin R. , Boeckh Michael , Hughes James P. , Halloran M. Elizabeth , Uyeki Timothy M. , Shim M. Mia , Duchin Jeffrey , Englund Janet A. , Mosites Emily , Rolfes Melissa A. , Starita Lea A. , Chu Helen Y.
Published: July 2023

Homeless shelter residents and staff may be at higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, SARS-CoV-2 infection estimates in this population have been reliant on cross-sectional or outbreak investigation data. We conducted routine surveillance and outbreak testing in 23 homeless shelters in King County, Washington, to estimate the occurrence of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection and risk factors during 1 January 2020–31 May 2021. Symptom surveys and nasal swabs were collected for SARS-CoV-2 testing by RT-PCR for residents aged ≥3 months and staff. We collected 12,915 specimens from 2,930 unique participants. We identified 4.74 (95% CI 4.00–5.58) SARS-CoV-2 infections per 100 individuals (residents: 4.96, 95% CI 4.12–5.91; staff: 3.86, 95% CI 2.43–5.79). Most infections were asymptomatic at the time of detection (74%) and detected during routine surveillance (73%). Outbreak testing yielded higher test positivity than routine surveillance (2.7% versus 0.9%). Among those infected, residents were less likely to report symptoms than staff. Participants who were vaccinated against seasonal influenza and were current smokers had lower odds of having an infection detected. Active surveillance that includes SARS-CoV-2 testing of all persons is essential in ascertaining the true burden of SARS-CoV-2 infections among residents and staff of congregate settings.
Explaining Partisan Gaps in Satisfaction with Democracy after Contentious Elections: Evidence from a US 2020 Election Panel Survey
Authors: Whitt Sam , Yanus Alixandra B. , Setzler Mark , McDonald Brian , Graeber John , Ballingrud Gordon , Kifer Martin
Published: July 2023

What effects do contentious elections have on partisan appraisals of democracy? We consider the case of the November 2020 US election, a highly polarized partisan contest but also an objectively free and fair election by credible accounting. We conducted a panel study embedded within two nationally representative surveys before and after the election. Results indicate a familiar but underexamined partisan gap, in which satisfaction with democracy decreases among Republicans and increases among Democrats relative to nonpartisans. We find that the gap is fully mediated by partisan shifts in satisfaction with elections and the news media that cover them. Our results underscore how eroding institutional confidence can undermine democratic legitimacy in hitherto consolidated democracies. To overcome partisan divisions following contentious elections, we highlight the need to bolster confidence in democratic institutions to reduce partisan fears and uncertainties—both rational and irrational—that electoral losses may trigger.
Thirsty? Choose Water! A regional perspective to promoting water consumption in secondary school students
Authors: Kajons Nicole , Gowland-Ella Justine , Batchelor Samantha , Kingon Nina , David Michael
Published: July 2023

Objective:

Adolescents are high consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), which contribute to overweight and obesity – a significant public health issue. Evidence suggests that replacing SSB with water and school-based interventions can reduce consumption. This study examines the acceptability of a previously trialled intervention (Thirsty? Choose Water!) in regional and remote secondary schools.

Design:

An open-label randomised controlled trial using a two-by-two factorial design tested the outcomes of a behavioural and/or environmental intervention on SSB and water consumption.

Setting:

Regional and remote secondary schools (public, catholic and independent) within the boundaries of two regional Local Health Districts within New South Wales.

Participants:

Twenty-four schools participated in the study. The target group was year 7 students (n 1640) – 72 % of eligible students completed baseline data. The study followed students into year 8 (n 1188) – 52 % of eligible students completed post-intervention data. Forty teachers undertook training to deliver the intervention.

Results:

Interventions showed high levels of acceptability. Students demonstrated changes in knowledge, attitudes and consumption behaviours. Multivariable ordinal logression analysis demonstrated that all interventions increased the odds of students increasing their water consumption (though not statistically significant). Conversely, the combined (OR: 0·75; 95 % CI: 0·59, 0·97) or environmental intervention (OR: 0·68; 95 % CI: 0·51, 0·90) had greater odds of reducing SSB consumption and was statistically significant.

Conclusions:

This study builds on recent Australian evidence regarding the impact of school-based interventions on water and SSB consumption. In this study, despite a minor intervention change, and the impacts of fires, floods and COVID-19 on study implementation, the interventions were highly regarded by the school communities with positive outcomes.
Neuro-Symbolic AI for Compliance Checking of Electrical Control Panels
Authors: BARBARA VITO , GUARASCIO MASSIMO , LEONE NICOLA , MANCO GIUSEPPE , QUARTA ALESSANDRO , RICCA FRANCESCO , RITACCO ETTORE
Published: July 2023

Artificial Intelligence plays a main role in supporting and improving smart manufacturing and Industry 4.0, by enabling the automation of different types of tasks manually performed by domain experts. In particular, assessing the compliance of a product with the relative schematic is a time-consuming and prone-to-error process. In this paper, we address this problem in a specific industrial scenario. In particular, we define a Neuro-Symbolic approach for automating the compliance verification of the electrical control panels. Our approach is based on the combination of Deep Learning techniques with Answer Set Programming (ASP), and allows for identifying possible anomalies and errors in the final product even when a very limited amount of training data is available. The experiments conducted on a real test case provided by an Italian Company operating in electrical control panel production demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Muslim Women Against Feminism: The Family Love Alliance (Aliansi Cinta Keluarga) and Its Impact on Women's and Sexual Rights in Contemporary Indonesia
Authors: Sya'rani Afifur Rochman
Published: July 2023

This article discusses how Islamic conservatism has affected public discourse and policymaking on gender and sexuality and its impact on the struggle for gender equality and sexual rights in contemporary Indonesia. It particularly seeks to examine and analyse how Muslim women in the Family Love Alliance produced a counter-discourse against feminism in their struggle to oppose the ratification of the sexual violence eradication bill. While research on Islam and gender in Indonesia has primarily focused on Islamic feminism, little research has addressed the counter-discourse against Islamic feminism produced by Muslim women and how this might influence ideas of and advocacy for women's rights and gender equality. Some scholars on Indonesian Islam have also argued that rising Islamism has turned the country more religiously conservative. However, scholarly understanding of the relationship between Islamic conservatism and gender remains limited. Drawing on my fieldwork in 2018 and 2019 and informed by social movement theory, this study captures how AILA women activists represent a conservative Islamic backlash against gender equality movements in contemporary Indonesia's public sphere.
First Light Demonstration of Red Solar Induced Fluorescence for Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring
Authors: Luis Kelly , Köhler Philipp , Frankenberg Christian , Gierach Michelle
Published: July 2023

The risks harmful algal blooms (HAB) pose to aquatic ecosystems, public health, and coastal economies necessitate supplementation of current observation strategies. Herein, we explore the use of red solar induced fluorescence (SIF) from the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), a remote sensing measurement retrievable in variable cloud conditions, for Karenia brevis detection. Along the West Florida Shelf from 2018 to 2020, we compare red SIF with normalized fluorescence line height (nFLH) from MODIS‐Aqua, a standard remote sensing HAB indicator limited to clear sky days. A strong positive linear relationship is found between nFLH and red SIF during severe bloom conditions in 2018 (N = 33,376, r‐value = 0.79, R2 = 0.63) permitting direct comparison. Red SIF provided nearly double the amount of spatiotemporal fluorescence information than nFLH. This work presents the first application of TROPOMI's red SIF for HAB monitoring and illuminates an approach for bolstering early warning systems for HABs beyond clear sky conditions.
Projected Changes in Hot, Dry, and Compound Hot‐Dry Extremes Over Global Land Regions
Authors: De Luca Paolo , Donat Markus G.
Published: July 2023

The impacts of hot, dry, and compound hot‐dry extremes are significant for societies, economies, and ecosystems worldwide. Such events therefore need to be assessed in the light of anthropogenic climate change so that suitable adaptation measures can be implemented by governments and stakeholders. Here we show a comprehensive analysis of hot, dry, and compound hot‐dry extremes over global land regions using 25 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 models and four future emissions scenarios from 1950 to 2100. Hot, dry, and compound hot‐dry extremes are projected to increase over large parts of the globe by the end of the 21st century. Hot and compound hot‐dry extremes show the most widespread increases and dry extreme changes are sensitive to the index used. Many regional changes depend on the strength of greenhouse‐gas forcing, which highlights the potential to limit the changes with strong mitigation efforts.
CO2 Consumption Rates in the Glacierized Himalayan Headwaters: The Importance of Sulfuric and Nitric Acid‐Mediated Chemical Weathering Reactions in Geologic Carbon Cycle
Authors: Roy Nita , Sen Indra S.
Published: July 2023

Silicate and carbonate weathering reactions consume atmospheric CO2 depending on the type of weathering agents, namely carbonic (H2CO3), sulfuric (H2SO4), and nitric acids (HNO3), and have potential climate implications. However, the importance of HNO3 in weathering processes in the Himalayan glacierized basins has not been examined yet but is critical to better constrain the concomitant short (<103 years) and long‐term (>106 years) variability in the carbon cycle as it can drive negative feedback to a climate. By analyzing time‐series hydro‐geochemical data of proglacial meltwater in the Ganga headwaters of Central Himalaya, we demonstrate that the weathering rate of carbonate minerals is increased 1.06 times when the role of HNO3 is considered together with H2CO3 and H2SO4 in comparison to the role of H2CO3 and H2SO4. However, we also observe that the CO2 drawdown rate decreases 1.13 times and 1.06 times when the role of all three acids is considered in silicate and carbonate weathering reactions, respectively, compared to the CO2 drawdown rates linked to the role of H2CO3 and H2SO4. Moreover, the involvement of HNO3 in chemical weathering can reduce the inorganic global carbon sink by releasing CO2 into the ocean‐atmosphere system. We conclude that HNO3‐mediated chemical weathering reactions are important processes that alter the geologic carbon cycle of high‐altitude glacierized Himalayan catchments as well as on a global scale.
Water Level in Observation Wells Simulated From Fracture and Matrix Water Heads Outputted by Dual‐Continuum Hydrogeological Models: POWeR‐FADS
Authors: Jeannot B. , Schaper L. , Habets F.
Published: July 2023

Do observation wells in fractured porous aquifers measure water head in the fracture network, water head in the matrix, or some combination of both? This question necessarily arises when calibrating dual‐continuum hydrogeological models against on‐field data. One can assume that observation wells measure fracture water head, because matrix permeability is negligible compared to fracture permeability. Nevertheless, this reasoning is invalid for wells poorly‐connected to the fractures. Yet, the possibility of such a poor connection at given depths has never been implemented in a physics‐based manner when comparing matrix and fracture water heads simulated by dual‐continuum models to on‐field data. To fill this knowledge gap, a physically based, easy to calibrate, open‐source postprocessing tool, POWeR‐FADS (Program for Observation Well Representation in Fractured Aquifer Dual‐continuum Simulations), available at https://github.com/BJeannot1/POWeR-FADS, has been developed. It introduces as parameters well geometry and the altitude of lowest interception of the fractures by the well. From these, POWeR‐FADS nonintrusively postprocesses time series of matrix and fracture water heads at the well, as simulated by any planar, bidimensional dual‐continuum hydrogeological model, to calculate water exchanges involving the observation well and thus the evolution of water level in the well. Synthetic test cases show that POWeR‐FADS makes it possible to simulate peculiar behaviors that are similar to patterns actually observed by the authors in on‐site observation wells of a fractured porous aquifer, like “floors” in observed water levels, delayed but sharp rises at the beginning of recharge events, or inflexion points accelerating the drawdown velocity during the recession phase.
Dense 4D nanoscale reconstruction of living brain tissue
Authors: Velicky Philipp , Miguel Eder , Michalska Julia M. , Lyudchik Julia , Wei Donglai , Lin Zudi , Watson Jake F. , Troidl Jakob , Beyer Johanna , Ben-Simon Yoav , Sommer Christoph , Jahr Wiebke , Cenameri Alban , Broichhagen Johannes , Grant Seth G. N. , Jonas Peter , Novarino Gaia , Pfister Hanspeter , Bickel Bernd , Danzl Johann G.
Published: July 2023

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction of living brain tissue down to an individual synapse level would create opportunities for decoding the dynamics and structure–function relationships of the brain’s complex and dense information processing network; however, this has been hindered by insufficient 3D resolution, inadequate signal-to-noise ratio and prohibitive light burden in optical imaging, whereas electron microscopy is inherently static. Here we solved these challenges by developing an integrated optical/machine-learning technology, LIONESS (live information-optimized nanoscopy enabling saturated segmentation). This leverages optical modifications to stimulated emission depletion microscopy in comprehensively, extracellularly labeled tissue and previous information on sample structure via machine learning to simultaneously achieve isotropic super-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio and compatibility with living tissue. This allows dense deep-learning-based instance segmentation and 3D reconstruction at a synapse level, incorporating molecular, activity and morphodynamic information. LIONESS opens up avenues for studying the dynamic functional (nano-)architecture of living brain tissue.
Personal protective equipment waste management behavior of undergraduates in Xi'an City based on extended theory of value-identity-personal norm model
Authors: Li Ting , Xu Ting , Liang Yan , Luo Wei , Zhang Jin
Published: July 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed people’s lives, with the most prominent change being the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). In this study, we used the extended Value-Identity-Personal (VIP) norm model to empirically analyze the influencing factors of Pro-Environmental Behavior (PEB) among college students in Xi 'an, China, while considering the usage of PPE as an example of PEB. We proposed nine hypothetical questions, and the VIP model was established through the SmartPLS software to test the valid questionnaires of 414 college students. The verification results indicated that all the nine hypotheses were supported statistically, with personal environmental social responsibility and personal norms showing the most significant direct impact on PEB; notably, personal norms were also strongly influenced by environmental personal social responsibility. Biosphere values affected PEB indirectly, through self-identity and individual norms. This study proposes viable countermeasures and suggestions for college students to improve PEB; our findings can serve as a reference for policymakers and stakeholders to ensure the effective waste management of personal safety equipment.
Efficacy of vitrectomy with air tamponade for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: a prospective study
Authors: Nishi Katsuhiro , Nakamura Madoka , Nishitsuka Koichi
Published: July 2023

Rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) causes a permanent decrease in visual acuity and visual field. During pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for RRD, long acting gas have been selected for tamponade because gas stays in the eye for a long time. Recently, several studies have showed the efficacy of air tamponade for RRD treatment. Few prospective studies have analyzed the efficacy of air tamponade. We registered 194 eyes from 190 patients who consented to a prospective study of PPV with air tamponade for RRD by a single surgeon from June 2019 to November 2022. These patients were all treated with air tamponade without silicone oil and were followed for > 3 months postoperatively. Primary success rates were 97.9% (190/194) in total cases, with no discernible difference between the uncomplicated (100%:87/87) and complicated (96.3%: 103/107) RRD groups (P = 0.13). There was no considerable difference in primary success rate between upper break (97.9%:143/146) and lower break cases (97.9%:47/48). Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) grade C was associated with initial failure by multivariate analysis (P = 0.00003). Air tamponade has a sufficient therapeutic effect in cases of RRD less than PVR grade C, regardless of the location of the retinal tear.
A deep convolutional neural network for efficient microglia detection
Authors: Suleymanova Ilida , Bychkov Dmitrii , Kopra Jaakko
Published: July 2023

Microglial cells are a type of glial cells that make up 10–15% of all brain cells, and they play a significant role in neurodegenerative disorders and cardiovascular diseases. Despite their vital role in these diseases, developing fully automated microglia counting methods from immunohistological images is challenging. Current image analysis methods are inefficient and lack accuracy in detecting microglia due to their morphological heterogeneity. This study presents development and validation of a fully automated and efficient microglia detection method using the YOLOv3 deep learning-based algorithm. We applied this method to analyse the number of microglia in different spinal cord and brain regions of rats exposed to opioid-induced hyperalgesia/tolerance. Our numerical tests showed that the proposed method outperforms existing computational and manual methods with high accuracy, achieving 94% precision, 91% recall, and 92% F1-score. Furthermore, our tool is freely available and adds value to exploring different disease models. Our findings demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our new tool in automated microglia detection, providing a valuable asset for researchers in neuroscience.
Influence of self-efficacy on male military pilots’ capability to handle special situations: a moderated mediation model
Authors: Qiu Rui , Gong Yue , Cao Yang , You Xuqun , Zhu Xia
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to explore the mediating and moderating effects of resilience and perseverance on pilots’ self-efficacy and capability of handling special situations. Using cluster sampling, 251 pilots’ self-efficacy, special flight situation handling capability, resilience and perseverance were assessed using standardized scales. Pilots with high self-efficacy can improve their resilience to enhance their capability to handle special situations. An analysis was performed that included perseverance in the mediation model, and results showed that the influence of self-efficacy on special situation handling through resilience was moderated by perseverance. The relations between self-efficacy and special flight situation handling capability present a moderated mediation model. A pilot’s capability of handling special situations, ensuring flight safety and combat capability may be enhanced by improving their self-efficacy, resilience, and perseverance.
Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery for deep infiltrating endometriosis based on retroperitoneal pelvic spaces anatomy: a retrospective study
Authors: Zhang Shoufeng , Yu Hongxia , Dong ZhiYong , Chen Yao , Shan Wulin , Zhang Wendi , Tang Huiming , Chen Mengyue , Wei Weiwei , Shi Ruxia , Xia Bairong , Chen Jiming
Published: July 2023

Transumbilical single-port laparoscopy is widely used in gynecological surgery. However, it is rarely used in the treatment of deep infiltrating endometriosis due to its own shortcomings and the complex condition of deep infiltrating endometriosis. The study aims to introduce a transumbilical single-port laparoscopic surgery based on retroperitoneal pelvic spaces anatomy, which can complete the operation of deep infiltrating endometriosis more easily. A retrospective analysis of 63 patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis treated by transumbilical single-port laparoscopy using this method was conducted. The operation duration was 120.00 (85.00 ± 170.00) (35–405) min, the estimated blood loss was 68.41 ± 39.35 ml, the postoperative hospital stay was 5.00 (4.00–6.00) days, and the incidence of postoperative complications was 4.76% (3/63). 1 patient was found to have intestinal injury during operation, 1 patient had ureteral injury after operation, and 1 patient had postoperative pelvic infection, with a recurrence rate of 9.52%. The postoperative scar score was 3.00 (3.00–4.00) and the postoperative satisfaction score was 9.00 (8.00–10.00). In summary, this study demonstrates the feasibility of transumbilical single-port laparoscopic surgery for deep infiltrating endometriosis based on retroperitoneal pelvic spaces anatomy. Hysterectomy, adenomyosis resection, etc. are also feasible with this method, boasting more obvious advantages. This method can make transumbilical single-port laparoscopy more widely used in deep infiltrating endometriosis.
Impaired biosynthesis of ergosterol confers resistance to complex sphingolipid biosynthesis inhibitor aureobasidin A in a PDR16-dependent manner
Authors: Fukuda Shizuka , Kono Yushi , Ishibashi Yohei , Tabuchi Mitsuaki , Tani Motohiro
Published: July 2023

Complex sphingolipids and sterols are coordinately involved in various cellular functions, e.g. the formation of lipid microdomains. Here we found that budding yeast exhibits resistance to an antifungal drug, aureobasidin A (AbA), an inhibitor of Aur1 catalyzing the synthesis of inositolphosphorylceramide, under impaired biosynthesis of ergosterol, which includes deletion of ERG6, ERG2, or ERG5 involved in the final stages of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway or miconazole; however, these defects of ergosterol biosynthesis did not confer resistance against repression of expression of AUR1 by a tetracycline-regulatable promoter. The deletion of ERG6, which confers strong resistance to AbA, results in suppression of a reduction in complex sphingolipids and accumulation of ceramides on AbA treatment, indicating that the deletion reduces the effectiveness of AbA against in vivo Aur1 activity. Previously, we reported that a similar effect to AbA sensitivity was observed when PDR16 or PDR17 was overexpressed. It was found that the effect of the impaired biosynthesis of ergosterol on the AbA sensitivity is completely abolished on deletion of PDR16. In addition, an increase in the expression level of Pdr16 was observed on the deletion of ERG6. These results suggested that abnormal ergosterol biosynthesis confers resistance to AbA in a PDR16-dependent manner, implying a novel functional relationship between complex sphingolipids and ergosterol.
The metabolomic profiling of total fat and fat distribution in a multi-cohort study of women and men
Authors: Zheng Rui , Michaëlsson Karl , Fall Tove , Elmståhl Sölve , Lind Lars
Published: July 2023

Currently studies aiming for the comprehensive metabolomics profiling of measured total fat (%) as well as fat distribution in both sexes are lacking. In this work, bioimpedance analysis was applied to measure total fat (%) and fat distribution (trunk to leg ratio). Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry-based untargeted metabolomics was employed to profile the metabolic signatures of total fat (%) and fat distribution in 3447 participants from three Swedish cohorts (EpiHealth, POEM and PIVUS) using a discovery-replication cross-sectional study design. Total fat (%) and fat distribution were associated with 387 and 120 metabolites in the replication cohort, respectively. Enriched metabolic pathways for both total fat (%) and fat distribution included protein synthesis, branched-chain amino acids biosynthesis and metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism and sphingolipid metabolism. Four metabolites were mainly related to fat distribution: glutarylcarnitine (C5-DC), 6-bromotryptophan, 1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl-GPI (18:0/18:1) and pseudouridine. Five metabolites showed different associations with fat distribution in men and women: quinolinate, (12Z)-9,10-dihydroxyoctadec-12-enoate (9,10-DiHOME), two sphingomyelins and metabolonic lactone sulfate. To conclude, total fat (%) and fat distribution were associated with a large number of metabolites, but only a few were exclusively associated with fat distribution and of those metabolites some were associated with sex*fat distribution. Whether these metabolites mediate the undesirable effects of obesity on health outcomes remains to be further investigated.
Vison transformer adapter-based hyperbolic embeddings for multi-lesion segmentation in diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Wang Zijian , Lu Haimei , Yan Haixin , Kan Hongxing , Jin Li
Published: July 2023

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is a major cause of blindness worldwide. Early detection and treatment are crucial to prevent vision loss, making accurate and timely diagnosis critical. Deep learning technology has shown promise in the automated diagnosis of DR, and in particular, multi-lesion segmentation tasks. In this paper, we propose a novel Transformer-based model for DR segmentation that incorporates hyperbolic embeddings and a spatial prior module. The proposed model is primarily built on a traditional Vision Transformer encoder and further enhanced by incorporating a spatial prior module for image convolution and feature continuity, followed by feature interaction processing using the spatial feature injector and extractor. Hyperbolic embeddings are used to classify feature matrices from the model at the pixel level. We evaluated the proposed model’s performance on the publicly available datasets and compared it with other widely used DR segmentation models. The results show that our model outperforms these widely used DR segmentation models. The incorporation of hyperbolic embeddings and a spatial prior module into the Vision Transformer-based model significantly improves the accuracy of DR segmentation. The hyperbolic embeddings enable us to better capture the underlying geometric structure of the feature matrices, which is important for accurate segmentation. The spatial prior module improves the continuity of the features and helps to better distinguish between lesions and normal tissues. Overall, our proposed model has potential for clinical use in automated DR diagnosis, improving accuracy and speed of diagnosis. Our study shows that the integration of hyperbolic embeddings and a spatial prior module with a Vision Transformer-based model improves the performance of DR segmentation models. Future research can explore the application of our model to other medical imaging tasks, as well as further optimization and validation in real-world clinical settings.
Synthesis and characterization of a new rare earth borate nonlinear optical crystal K7PbLu2B15O30
Authors: Liu Juhe , Chen Yuwei , Sun Mengran , Liu Wenhao , Meng Xianghe , Yao Jiyong
Published: July 2023

The substance exhibits phase-matchable behavior and has a strong powder second-harmonic generation response (1.1KDP). Moreover, K7PbLu2B15O30 presents a three-dimensional network structure made of KO6, KO8, PbO6, LuO6 polyhedra, and B5O10 units.
Synthesis of primary propargylic alcohols from terminal alkynes using rongalite as the C1 unit
Authors: Wang Miao , Jiang Shan , Lu Xin-Xin , Zhang Kun , Yuan Zi-Yi , Xu Rui-Li , Zhao Bang-Tun , Wu An-Xin
Published: July 2023

In this manuscript, an efficient leaving group-activated methylene alcohol strategy for the preparation of primary propargyl alcohols from terminal alkynes by employing the bulk industrial product rongalite as the C1 unit has been described.
From disks to channels: dynamics of active nematics confined to an annulus
Authors: Joshi Chaitanya , Zarei Zahra , Norton Michael M. , Fraden Seth , Baskaran Aparna , Hagan Michael F.
Published: July 2023

This work explores the interplay of boundary curvature and confinement by simulating active nematics confined to annulus geometries. A new steady state is found at low anchoring strengths, leading to a study of the boundary layer in active nematics.
Crystallization and melting of unentangled poly(ε-caprolactone) cycles containing pendants
Authors: Zhu Liuyong , Li Jingqing , Li Hongfei , Liu Binyuan , Chen Jizhong , Jiang Shichun
Published: July 2023

The chain dynamics of cyclic PCLs without entanglement is affected obviously, which leads to formation of banded spherulites during crystallization and slow dynamics during melting.
Ion-induced changes in DNA gels
Authors: Horkay Ferenc , Basser Peter J. , Geissler Erik
Published: July 2023

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements are reported for DNA gels under near physiological conditions in which the concentration of monovalent and divalent counter-ions and pH are varied.
Polymeric Janus nanorods via anodic aluminum oxide templating
Authors: Huang Xia , Mutlu Hatice , Dong Wenyuan , Theato Patrick
Published: July 2023

A method was reported for the fabrication of polymeric Janus nanorods from anodic aluminum oxide templates.