bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The cascade of care in testing and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection in liver transplant candidates
Authors: Foppiano Palacios Carlo , Medvedeva Natalia , Cheung Harry , Cohen Elizabeth , Azar Marwan M. , Malinis Maricar
Published: December 2022

Background

Testing and treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) can mitigate risk of active tuberculosis (TB) post‐liver transplant (LT). Testing and treatment completion rates have been reported low in this population. Our study aims to quantify the proportion of LT candidates who completed LTBI care cascade in our center.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted on LT candidates from 2012 to 2021. Primary outcome was the proportion of patients who completed each cascade stage. Secondary outcome was an analysis of factors associated with positive and indeterminate LTBI testing.

Results

Of the 273 LT candidates, 265 (97.1%) were referred to transplant infectious disease (TID), 264 (96.7%) had orders for interferon‐gamma release assay (IGRA), 262 (96%) underwent TID evaluation, and 259 (94.9%) completed IGRA. Twenty had LTBI, and 18 were treatment naïve and recommended for treatment. Of the 18, 15 (83.3%) agreed to therapy, 14 (77.8%) initiated treatment, and 12 (66.7%) completed treatment. No posttransplant TB reactivation occurred.

Patients born in Asia, previous incarceration, past military service, and granuloma findings on chest imaging were likely to have positive IGRA (p < .05). Older age and travel to TB‐endemic countries were likely to have indeterminate IGRA (p < .05). Indeterminate IGRAs were more common in QuantiFERON (QTF)‐Gold Plus TB (15.3%) versus QTF‐Gold TB (9.3%, p < .001).

Conclusions

High rates of LTBI testing and treatment initiation and completion can be attributed to a standardized process that includes TID evaluation. Future studies in larger cohort are needed to better understand factors that can optimize the completion rates of LTBI treatment in LT candidates.

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Placental adaptations supporting fetal growth during normal and adverse gestational environments
Authors: Sferruzzi‐Perri Amanda Nancy , Lopez‐Tello Jorge , Salazar‐Petres Esteban
Published: December 2022

The placenta is vital for mammalian development and a key determinant of life‐long health. It is the interface between the mother and fetus and is responsible for transporting the nutrients and oxygen a fetus needs to develop and grow. Alterations in placental formation and function, therefore, have consequences for fetal growth and birthweight, which in turn determine perinatal survival and risk of non‐communicable diseases for the offspring in later postnatal life. However, the placenta is not a static organ. As this review summarizes, research from multiple species has demonstrated that placental formation and function alter developmentally to the needs of the fetus for substrates for growth during normal gestation, as well as when there is greater competition for substrates in polytocous species and monotocous species with multiple gestations. The placenta also adapts in response to the gestational environment, integrating information about the ability of the mother to provide nutrients and oxygen with the needs of the fetus in that prevailing environment. In particular, placental structure (e.g. vascularity, surface area, blood flow, diffusion distance) and transport capacity (e.g. nutrient transporter levels and activity) respond to suboptimal gestational environments, namely malnutrition, obesity, hypoxia and maternal ageing. Mechanisms mediating developmentally and environmentally induced homeostatic responses of the placenta that help support normal fetal growth include imprinted genes, signalling pathways, subcellular constituents and fetal sexomes. Identification of these placental strategies may inform the development of therapies for complicated human pregnancies and advance understanding of the pathways underlying poor fetal outcomes and their consequences for health and disease risk.
NARF is a hypoxia-induced coactivator for OCT4-mediated breast cancer stem cell specification
Authors: Yang Yongkang , Chen Chelsey , Zuo Qiaozhu , Lu Haiquan , Salman Shaima , Lyu Yajing , Huang Tina Yi-Ting , Wicks Elizabeth E. , Jackson Walter , Datan Emmanuel , Wang Ru , Wang Yufeng , Le Nguyet , Zhu Yayun , Qin Wenxin , Semenza Gregg L.
Published: December 2022

Hypoxia is a key characteristic of the breast cancer microenvironment that promotes expression of the transcriptional activator hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) and is associated with poor patient outcome. HIF-1 increases the expression or activity of stem cell pluripotency factors, which control breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) specification and are required for cancer metastasis. Here, we identify nuclear prelamin A recognition factor (
NARF
) as a hypoxia-inducible, HIF-1 target gene in human breast cancer cells. NARF functions as an essential coactivator by recruiting the histone demethylase KDM6A to OCT4 bound to genes encoding the pluripotency factors NANOG, KLF4, and SOX2, leading to demethylation of histone H3 trimethylated at lysine-27 (H3K27me3), thereby increasing the expression of NANOG, KLF4, and SOX2, which, together with OCT4, mediate BCSC specification. Knockdown of NARF significantly decreased the BCSC population in vitro and markedly impaired tumor initiation capacity and lung metastasis in orthotopic mouse models.
Endoreplication mediates cell size control via mechanochemical signaling from cell wall
Authors: Ma Yuan , Jonsson Kristoffer , Aryal Bibek , De Veylder Lieven , Hamant Olivier , Bhalerao Rishikesh P.
Published: December 2022

Endoreplication is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for increasing nuclear DNA content (ploidy). Ploidy frequently scales with final cell and organ size, suggesting a key role for endoreplication in these processes. However, exceptions exist, and, consequently, the endoreplication-size nexus remains enigmatic. Here, we show that prolonged tissue folding at the apical hook in Arabidopsis requires endoreplication asymmetry under the control of an auxin gradient. We identify a molecular pathway linking endoreplication levels to cell size through cell wall remodeling and stiffness modulation. We find that endoreplication is not only permissive for growth: Endoreplication reduction enhances wall stiffening, actively reducing cell size. The cell wall integrity kinase THESEUS plays a key role in this feedback loop. Our data thus explain the nonlinearity between ploidy levels and size while also providing a molecular mechanism linking mechanochemical signaling with endoreplication-mediated dynamic control of cell growth.
Biochemical and structural insights into SARS-CoV-2 polyprotein processing by Mpro
Authors: Yadav Ruchi , Courouble Valentine V. , Dey Sanjay K. , Harrison Jerry Joe E. K. , Timm Jennifer , Hopkins Jesse B. , Slack Ryan L. , Sarafianos Stefan G. , Ruiz Francesc X. , Griffin Patrick R. , Arnold Eddy
Published: December 2022

SARS-CoV-2, a human coronavirus, is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its genome is translated into two large polyproteins subsequently cleaved by viral papain-like protease and main protease (Mpro). Polyprotein processing is essential yet incompletely understood. We studied Mpro-mediated processing of the nsp7-11 polyprotein, whose mature products include cofactors of the viral replicase, and identified the order of cleavages. Integrative modeling based on mass spectrometry (including hydrogen-deuterium exchange and cross-linking) and x-ray scattering yielded a nsp7-11 structural ensemble, demonstrating shared secondary structural elements with individual nsps. The pattern of cross-links and HDX footprint of the C145A Mpro and nsp7-11 complex demonstrate preferential binding of the enzyme active site to the polyprotein junction sites and additional transient contacts to help orient the enzyme on its substrate for cleavage. Last, proteolysis assays were used to characterize the effect of inhibitors/binders on Mpro processing/inhibition using the nsp7-11 polyprotein as substrate.
Autoinhibition and activation mechanisms revealed by the triangular-shaped structure of myosin Va
Authors: Niu Fengfeng , Liu Yong , Sun Kang , Xu Shun , Dong Jiayuan , Yu Cong , Yan Kaige , Wei Zhiyi
Published: December 2022

As the prototype of unconventional myosin motor family, myosin Va (MyoVa) transport cellular cargos along actin filaments in diverse cellular processes. The off-duty MyoVa adopts a closed and autoinhibited state, which can be relieved by cargo binding. The molecular mechanisms governing the autoinhibition and activation of MyoVa remain unclear. Here, we report the cryo–electron microscopy structure of the two full-length, closed MyoVa heavy chains in complex with 12 calmodulin light chains at 4.78-Å resolution. The MyoVa adopts a triangular structure with multiple intra- and interpolypeptide chain interactions in establishing the closed state with cargo binding and adenosine triphosphatase activity inhibited. Structural, biochemical, and cellular analyses uncover an asymmetric autoinhibition mechanism, in which the cargo-binding sites in the two MyoVa heavy chains are differently protected. Thus, specific and efficient MyoVa activation requires coincident binding of multiple cargo adaptors, revealing an intricate and elegant activity regulation of the motor in response to cargos.
Urbanization affects spatial variation and species similarity of bird diversity distribution
Authors: Sun Bin , Lu Yonglong , Yang Yifu , Yu Mingzhao , Yuan Jingjing , Yu Ran , Bullock James M. , Stenseth Nils Chr. , Li Xia , Cao Zhiwei , Lei Haojie , Li Jialong
Published: December 2022

Although cities are human-dominated systems, they provide habitat for many other species. Because of the lack of long-term observation data, it is challenging to assess the impacts of rapid urbanization on biodiversity in Global South countries. Using multisource data, we provided the first analysis of the impacts of urbanization on bird distribution at the continental scale and found that the distributional hot spots of threatened birds overlapped greatly with urbanized areas, with only 3.90% of the threatened birds’ preferred land cover type in urban built-up areas. Bird ranges are being reshaped differently because of their different adaptations to urbanization. While green infrastructure can improve local bird diversity, the homogeneous urban environment also leads to species compositions being more similar across regions. More attention should be paid to narrow-range species for the formulation of biodiversity conservation strategies, and conservation actions should be further coordinated among cities from a global perspective.
Thresholds for surfactant use in preterm neonates: a network meta-analysis
Authors: Branagan Aoife , Yu Ivan , Gurusamy Kurinchi , Miletin Jan
Published: December 2022

Objective

To perform a network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of different surfactant treatment strategies for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) to assess if a certain fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) is optimal for selective surfactant therapy.

Design

Systematic review and network meta-analysis using Bayesian analysis of randomised trials of prophylactic versus selective surfactant for RDS.

Setting

Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, Embase and Science Citation Index Expanded.

Patients

Randomised trials including infants under 32 weeks of gestational age.

Interventions

Intratracheal surfactant, irrespective of type or dose.

Main outcome measures

Our primary outcome was neonatal mortality, compared between groups treated with selective surfactant therapy at different thresholds of FiO2. Secondary outcomes included respiratory morbidity and major complications of prematurity.

Results

Of 4643 identified references, 14 studies involving 5298 participants were included. We found no statistically significant differences between 30%, 40% and 50% FiO2thresholds. A sensitivity analysis of infants treated in the era of high antenatal steroid use and nasal continuous positive airway pressure as initial mode of respiratory support showed no difference in mortality, RDS or intraventricular haemorrhage alone but suggested an increase in the combined outcome of major morbidities in the 60% threshold.

Conclusion

Our results do not show a clear benefit of surfactant treatment at any threshold of FiO2. The 60% threshold was suggestive of increased morbidity. There was no advantage seen with prophylactic treatment. Randomised trials of different thresholds for surfactant delivery are urgently needed to guide clinicians and provide robust evidence.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42020166620.
Delayed presentation of fat embolism syndrome following elective total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Mullins Jeannette , Stone John , Chopra Amit
Published: December 2022

Fat embolism syndrome (FES) is a rare complication of long bone fractures with an incidence of 0.3%–1.3%. FES most commonly presents within 72 hours of injury but may develop as late as 10 days following a fracture. FES is rarely associated with elective orthopaedic procedures. In this case report, we describe a patient who developed FES 9 days after an elective left total hip arthroplasty. Presentation far outside of the typical 72-hour window for FES, the diagnosis was initially missed. The patient initially presented to our emergency room on postoperative day 14 with 5 days of dyspnoea and was diagnosed with pneumonia and sent home on antibiotics. Sixteen days following this ED admission and on postoperative day 30, she remained dyspneic and was found to be hypoxic to 74% on room air. CT angiography at this time found bilateral diffuse ground glass opacities. Bronchoalveolar lavage was notable for lipid-laden macrophages, and FES was subsequently diagnosed.
Invasive rhinosinusitis due toPenicillium chrysogenumin an adolescent man with new-onset leukaemia: a diagnostic dilemma
Authors: Bhavsar Sejal , Sheikh Alina , Dekio Fumiko , Noor Asif
Published: December 2022

An adolescent boy with newly diagnosed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia developed right eye and facial pain, and a 1 cm × 2 cm area of black eschar over his hard palate. Initial differential diagnosis included rhinocerebral mucormycosis and aspergillosis, and he was started on liposomal amphotericin B. Later, he underwent nine surgical debridements of his sinus cavities, resection of a third of his palate and right orbital exenteration. While histological specimens exhibited features of bothAspergillusandMucor, a PCR assay detectedPenicillium chrysogenum. He was successfully treated with amphotericin B and Posaconazole.P. chrysogenumhas been reported in a rare case of endocarditis, a case of post-traumatic endophthalmitis, disseminated infection in a child with Henoch-Schonlein syndrome, and one fatal adult case of invasive rhinosinusitis. While infection fromPenicilliumspecies is rare, it should be considered as a cause of invasive rhinosinusitis in cases of unclear histopathology.
Effects of lifestyle interventions on cardiovascular risk factors in South Asians: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Limbachia Jayneel , Ajmeri Mohitkumar , Keating Benjamin J , de Souza Russell J , Anand Sonia S
Published: December 2022

Background

The cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden among South Asians is high. Lifestyle interventions have been effective in the primary prevention of CVD, but this has not been replicated, through a synthesis of randomised trials, in South Asians.

Methods

Four electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL and CINAHL), two clinical trial registries and references of included articles were searched through June 2022 (featuring ≥90% South Asian participants). Random-effects pairwise meta-analyses were performed, and heterogeneity was quantified with the I2statistic. The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework was used to report on the quality of evidence (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews registration (PROSPERO).

Results

Thirty-five studies were included. Twelve tested diet and physical activity interventions; 18 tested diet alone; and 5 tested physical activity alone. All reported effects of the intervention(s) on at least one established risk factor for CVD, including blood pressure (systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and blood lipids (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) or triglycerides). No trials reported clinical CVD. There is moderate-quality evidence that diet and physical activity interventions improve SBP (mean difference (MD) −2.72 mm Hg, 95% CI −4.11 to –1.33) and DBP (MD −1.53 mm Hg, 95% CI −2.57 to –0.48); high-quality to moderate-quality evidence that diet-only interventions improve DBP (MD −2.05 mm Hg, 95% CI −2.93 to −1.16) and blood lipids (triglycerides (MD −0.10 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.14 to −0.06) and LDLc (MD −0.19 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.32 to −0.06)); and moderate-quality evidence that physical activity-only interventions improve SBP (MD −9.7 mm Hg, 95% CI −11.05 to −8.35), DBP (MD −7.29 mm Hg, 95% CI −8.42 to −6.16) and HDLc (MD 0.08 mmol/L, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.11) compared with usual care.

Conclusions

Lifestyle interventions improve blood pressure and blood lipid profiles in adult South Asians at risk of CVD. Tailored interventions should be used to modify cardiovascular risk factors in this at-risk group.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42018090419.
Standardised treatment and monitoring protocol to assess safety and tolerability of bacteriophage therapy for adult and paediatric patients (STAMP study): protocol for an open-label, single-arm trial
Authors: Khatami Ameneh , Foley David A , Warner Morgyn S , Barnes Elizabeth H , Peleg Anton Y , Li Jian , Stick Stephen , Burke Nettie , Lin Ruby C Y , Warning Julia , Snelling Thomas L , Tong Steven Y C , Iredell Jonathan
Published: December 2022

Introduction

There has been renewed interest in the therapeutic use of bacteriophages (phages); however, standardised therapeutic protocols are lacking, and there is a paucity of rigorous clinical trial data assessing efficacy.

Methods and analysis

We propose an open-label, single-arm trial investigating a standardised treatment and monitoring protocol for phage therapy. Patients included will have exhausted other therapeutic options for control of their infection and phage therapy will be administered under Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration Special Access Scheme. A phage product with highin vitroactivity against the targeted pathogen(s) must be available in line with relevant regulatory requirements. We aim to recruit 50–100 patients over 5 years, from any public or private hospitals in Australia. The standardised protocol will specify clinical assessments and biological sampling at scheduled time points. The primary outcome is safety at day 29, assessed by the frequency of adverse events, and overseen by an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board. Secondary outcomes include long-term safety (frequency of adverse events until at least 6 months following phage therapy), and feasibility, measured as the proportion of participants with>80% of minimum data available for analysis. Additional endpoints assessed include clinical response, patient/guardian reported quality of life measures, phage pharmacokinetics, human host immune responses and microbiome analysis. All trial outcomes will be summarised and presented using standard descriptive statistics.

Ethics and dissemination

Participant inclusion will be dependent on obtaining written informed consent from the patient or guardian. The trial protocol was approved by the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network Human Research Ethics Committee in December 2021 (Reference 2021/ETH11861). In addition to publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal, a lay summary of study outcomes will be made available for participants and the public on the Phage Australia website (https://www.phageaustralia.org/).

Trial registration number

Registered on ANZCTR, 10 November 2021 (ACTRN12621001526864; WHO Universal Trial Number: U1111-1269-6000).
Evaluation of vaccination strategies for the metropolitan area of Madrid via agent-based simulation
Authors: Singh David E , Olmedo Luceron Carmen , Limia Sanchez Aurora , Guzman Merino Miguel , Duran Gonzalez Christian , Delgado-Sanz Concepcion , Gomez-Barroso Diana , Carretero Jesus , Marinescu Maria-Cristina
Published: December 2022

Objective

We analyse the impact of different vaccination strategies on the propagation of COVID-19 within the Madrid metropolitan area, starting on 27 December 2020 and ending in Summer of 2021.

Materials and methods

The predictions are based on simulation using EpiGraph, an agent-based COVID-19 simulator. We first summarise the different models implemented in the simulator, then provide a comprehensive description of the vaccination model and define different vaccination strategies. The simulator—including the vaccination model—is validated by comparing its results with real data from the metropolitan area of Madrid during the third COVID-19 wave. This work considers different COVID-19 propagation scenarios for a simulated population of about 5 million.

Results

The main result shows that the best strategy is to vaccinate first the elderly with the two doses spaced 56 days apart; this approach reduces the final infection rate by an additional 6% and the number of deaths by an additional 3% with respect to vaccinating first the elderly at the interval recommended by the vaccine producer. The reason is the increase in the number of vaccinated individuals at any time during the simulation.

Conclusion

The existing level of detail and maturity of EpiGraph allowed us to evaluate complex scenarios and thus use it successfully to help guide the strategy for the COVID-19 vaccination campaign of the Spanish health authorities.
Rapid-acting antidepressants targeting modulation of the glutamatergic system: clinical and preclinical evidence and mechanisms
Authors: Wang Shikai , Tang Sufang , Huang Jintao , Chen Huanxin
Published: December 2022

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a devastating mental illness that affects approximately 20% of the world’s population. It is a major disease that leads to disability and suicide, causing a severe burden among communities. Currently available medications for treating MDD target the monoaminergic systems. The most prescribed medications include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. However, these medications have serious drawbacks, such as a delayed onset requiring weeks or months to reach efficacy and drug resistance, as one-third of patients are unresponsive to the medications. Therefore, it is imperative to develop novel therapies with rapid action, high efficacy and few adverse effects. The discovery of the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine has triggered tremendous enthusiasm for studying new antidepressants that target the glutamatergic system in the central nervous system. Many agents that directly or indirectly modulate the glutamatergic system have been shown to provide rapid and lasting antidepressant action. Among these agents, ketamine, an antagonist of metabotropic glutamate 2/3 receptors, and scopolamine, an unspecific muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, have been extensively studied. In this review, we discuss the clinical and preclinical evidence supporting the antidepressant efficacy of these agents and the current understanding of the underlying mechanisms.
Facility upgrade for superheavy-element research at RIKEN
Authors: Sakai Hideyuki , Haba Hiromitsu , Morimoto Kouji , Sakamoto Naruhiko
Published: December 2022

The RIKEN Nishina Center (RNC) executed an accelerator upgrade project for the heavy-ion linac (called RILAC). A superconducting RIKEN linear accelerator (SRILAC) and a new superconducting electron-cyclotron-resonance ion source (SC-ECRIS) to boost the final energy and intensity were constructed, aimed at synthesizing a new superheavy element, 119, through a hot fusion reaction. The project included the construction of a gas-filled recoil ion separator (GARIS-III) suitable for detecting the residues of the hot-fusion reaction. To avoid research interruption during the SRILAC construction period (2017–2019) and gain experience in hot-fusion reaction processes, GARIS-II located in the GARIS experimental hall in LINAC building was moved to the E6 experimental hall in Nishina building. Certain exploratory measurements were performed employing the beams accelerated by RILAC2 and the RIKEN ring cyclotron (RRC), which is a part of the existing accelerator complex of the radioactive isotope beam factory (RIBF). Further, commissioning experiments with the upgraded facility (SRILAC and GARIS-III) were performed. The upgrade project and its commissioning results are chronologically described in this article.
Measurements of the ionization efficiency of protons in methane
Authors: Balogh L. , Beaufort C. , Brossard A. , Caron J.-F. , Chapellier M. , Coquillat J.-M. , Corcoran E. C. , Crawford S. , Dastgheibi-Fard A. , Deng Y. , Dering K. , Durnford D. , Garrah C. , Gerbier G. , Giomataris I. , Giroux G. , Gorel P. , Gros M. , Gros P. , Guillaudin O. , Hoppe E. W. , Katsioulas I. , Kelly F. , Knights P. , Langrock S. , Lautridou P. , Manthos I. , Martin R. D. , Matthews J. , Mols J.-P. , Muraz J.-F. , Neep T. , Nikolopoulos K. , O’Brien P. , Piro M.-C. , Santos D. , Savvidis G. , Savvidis I. , Vazquez de Sola Fernandez F. A. , Vidal M. , Ward R. , Zampaolo M. ,   NEWS-G Collaboration
Published: December 2022

The amount of energy released by a nuclear recoil ionizing the atoms of the active volume of detection appears “quenched” compared to an electron of the same kinetic energy. This different behavior in ionization between electrons and nuclei is described by the Ionization Quenching Factor (IQF) and it plays a crucial role in direct dark matter searches. For low kinetic energies (below $$50~\textrm{keV}$$

50

keV

), IQF measurements deviate significantly from common models used for theoretical predictions and simulations. We report measurements of the IQF for proton, an appropriate target for searches of Dark Matter candidates with a mass of approximately $$1~\textrm{GeV}$$

1

GeV

, with kinetic energies in between $$2~\textrm{keV}$$

2

keV

and $$13~\textrm{keV}$$

13

keV

in $$100~\textrm{mbar}$$

100

mbar

of methane. We used the Comimac facility in order to produce the motion of nuclei and electrons of controlled kinetic energy in the active volume, and a NEWS-G SPC to measure the deposited energy. The Comimac electrons are used as a reference to calibrate the detector with 7 energy points. A detailed study of systematic effects led to the final results well fitted by $$\textrm{IQF}~(E_K)= E_K^\alpha ~/~(\beta + E_K^\alpha )$$

IQF

(

E
K

)

=

E
K
α

/

(
β
+

E
K
α

)

with $$\alpha = 0.70\pm 0.08$$

α
=
0.70
±
0.08

and $$\beta = 1.32\pm 0.17$$

β
=
1.32
±
0.17

. In agreement with some previous works in other gas mixtures, we measured less ionization energy than predicted from simulations, the difference reaching $$33\%$$

33
%

at $$2~\textrm{keV}$$

2

keV

.
Compact star coupled with dark energy in the background of Tolman–Kuchowicz spacetime
Authors: Saklany Shweta , Pandey Brajesh , Pant Neeraj
Published: December 2022

This paper provides a simplified description for simulating the coupling of dark energy with baryonic matter by considering a super-dense pulsar PSRJ1614-2230 as the model star. The starting equation of state for modeling the dark energy is motivated by the MIT Bag model for spherically confined hadrons and the observational evidences of its repulsive nature. Einstein field equations are solved in the stellar interior using the generalized framework of Tolman–Kuchowicz spacetime metric. The solutions are then analyzed for various physical parameters such as metric potential, pressure, density, energy conditions, etc. The physical analysis of multiple parameters indicates stable star formation. The proposed stellar model is free from all singularities and also meets the requisite stability criteria. The numerical results obtained for relativistic adiabatic index indicate that the model star is stiff and stable against radially induced adiabatic perturbations.
Open packing subdivision number of graphs
Authors: Gayathri C. , Karuppasamy K. , Saravanakumar S.
Published: December 2022

A nonempty set [Formula: see text] of a graph [Formula: see text] is an open packing set of [Formula: see text] if no two vertices of [Formula: see text] have a common neighbor in [Formula: see text]. The maximum cardinality of an open packing set is called the open packing number of [Formula: see text] and is denoted by [Formula: see text]. The open packing subdivision number [Formula: see text] is the minimum number of edges in [Formula: see text] that must be subdivided (each edge in [Formula: see text] can be subdivided at most once) in order to increase the open packing number. In this paper, we initiate a study on this parameter.
Localized Surface Magnon Modes in Cubic Ferromagnetic Lattices
Authors: Challali Rebiha , Sait Smail , Bourahla Boualem , Ferrah Leila
Published: December 2022

A theoretical formalism for calculating the bulk and surface spin modes in Heisenberg semi-infinite lattices is presented on a ferromagnetic cubic network of spins, coupled via nearest and next-nearest neighbors exchange interactions. The magnetic surface can be considered as semi-infinite slabs at the end of the bulk structures. The breakdown of translation symmetry, in the normal direction of the surface, gives rise to localized spin wave modes in its neighborhood. The localized magnon spectrum is derived as elements of a Landauer-type scattering matrix, in the three cubic lattices sc, bcc and fcc. The magnon properties are simulated and determined numerically for each cubic lattice by using the matching technique. The observed fluctuations in the numerical results demonstrate the interference magnon effects between scattered spinwaves and the localized magnon states, generated by the surface region with characteristic Fano resonances. In cubic leads, the localized surface spin states are sensitive to the local magnetic coupling and the incident direction in the surface boundary. In this contribution, the normalized energy of spinwaves arising from the absence of translation symmetry is analyzed for each cubic system as a function of the exchange integral parameters. This addresses the dependence of the surface magnon on the different possibilities of the of the exchange parameters variation from softening to hardening in the neighborhood of the surface region.
Automating Lexical Complexity Measurement in Chinese with WeCLECA
Authors: Ai Haiyang
Published: December 2022

Lexical complexity, generally understood as a multidimensional construct consisting of lexical density, sophistication, and diversity, has been recognized as an important construct in first language acquisition and second language acquisition. A large variety of lexical complexity measures have been proposed by researchers to study its relationship to second language learners’ writing and/or speaking proficiency. While this line of research has generated fruitful results for languages such as English and other Indo-European languages, less is known about how it may be applicable to a typologically distance language such as Chinese. In this paper, we report the design of a computational tool for automating the measurement of lexical complexity with 25 indices. The Batch Mode of the software supports analyses of a large number of .txt files and outputs results to a .CSV file suitable for importation into statistical packages for further analyses. In an example application, we analyzed 87 texts from three distinct registers (academic prose, fiction, and press reportage) from the Lancaster Corpus of Mandarin Chinese (McEnery and Xiao, The Lancaster Corpus of Mandarin Chinese: A corpus for monolingual and contrastive language study, in Proc. Fourth Int. Conf. Language Resources and Evaluation, eds. M. Lino, M. Xavier, F. Ferreira, R. Costa and R. Silva, (European Language Resources Association, Paris, 2014), pp. 1175–1178) and explored how register variation may manifest in lexical complexity. The ANOVA analyses showed linear increase in multiple lexical sophistication and diversity measures across academic prose, fiction and press reportage. The results showed that press reportage has lower lexical density, but higher lexical sophistication and diversity than academic prose; fiction also has higher lexical diversity than academic prose. This paper concluded with discussions of potential pedagogical applications for Chinese language teaching and learning.
Geochemical and radiogenic isotope records of the Weissert Event in south Tethyan sediments
Authors: Shmeit M. , Chauvel C. , Giraud F. , Jaillard E. , Reboulet S. , Masrour M. , Spangenberg J. E. , El-Samrani A.
Published: December 2022

The Cretaceous marine sedimentary record is characterized by time intervals rich in organic matter correlating with positive carbon isotope excursions, often called oceanic anoxic events. The Weissert Event corresponds to the first such event in the Cretaceous during the Valanginian stage. The associated palaeoenvironmental perturbations, which include increasing marine surface water primary productivity, are hypothesized to have been triggered by volcanic activity from large igneous provinces, and the source of nutrients is not well constrained (continental runoff v. oceanic upwelling). We present isotope ratios of Pb, Sr and Nd, together with concentrations of major and trace elements, for sediments from the central Moroccan margin to test these hypotheses. We demonstrate that the nutrient input was dominated by continental weathering. The source of sedimentary material remained stable during the Valanginian interval and originated from an old source, probably the African Sahara region. The radiogenic isotope signatures do not show a significant contribution of volcanic products from any known Valanginian large igneous province to the geochemical budget of sediments deposited on the central Moroccan margin. Although this does not preclude an impact of volcanic activity on the composition of seawater, it demonstrates that the erupted volumes were not sufficient to affect the deposited sediments.

Supplementary material:
The Supplementary Table contains three sheets: (1) Central Moroccan Margin, the analytical data generated and analysed during this study; (2) Fig. 8 data, large igneous provinces, the data of known Valanginian large igneous provinces used for comparison; and (3) Fig. 9 and S5 data, source areas, the data of potential surrounding source areas used for comparison, available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6333040
.
A synopsis of the Ordovician System in its birthplace – Britain and Ireland
Authors: Molyneux Stewart G. , Harper David A. T. , Cooper Mark R. , Philip Hollis Steven , Raine Robert J. , Rushton Adrian W. A. , Smith M. Paul , Stone Philip , Williams Mark , Woodcock Nigel H. , Zalasiewicz Jan A.
Published: December 2022

Rock successions in Britain and Ireland, and more especially those in Wales, were instrumental in the founding and naming of the Ordovician System, and the Anglo-Welsh series established both initially and subsequently were used widely as a standard for Ordovician chronostratigraphy. Although now largely superseded in the global scheme of series and stages, they retain their local and regional importance. The Ordovician System in Britain and Ireland documents the history of a segment of the Earth's crust that incorporated opposing peri-Gondwanan and peri-Laurentian/Laurentian margins of the Iapetus Ocean during its closure, and is accordingly complex. The complexity arises from the volcanic and tectonic processes that accompanied oceanic closure coupled with the effects of eustatic sea-level changes, including the far-field effects of the Late Ordovician glaciation. For the past three decades, Ordovician successions in Britain and Ireland have been discussed in terms of terranes. Here we review Ordovician successions in each terrane, incorporating the results of recent research and correlating those successions via biostratigraphical schemes and radiometric dates to the global Ordovician series and stages.
A short history of the Ordovician System: from overlapping unit stratotypes to global stratotype sections and points
Authors: Harper David A. T. , Meidla Tõnu , Servais Thomas
Published: December 2022

The Ordovician System was introduced by Charles Lapworth as a solution to the overlapping unit stratotypes loosely defined by Adam Sedgwick, for the Cambrian, and Roderick Murchison, for the Silurian. The Ordovician has emerged as one of the longest and most significant of the geological periods. Following an interval of intensive research of all the key regions of the globe, unit stratotypes in the type areas of England and Wales have been replaced by seven global stages and three series based on Global Stratotype Sections and Points (GSSPs), enhancing the definition of these chronostratigraphic units and facilitating global correlation. As a consequence, the biological and geological events during the period can be recognized and the magnitude and significance of biotic originations and extinctions understood with some confidence.
Forty years of investigation into the thermo-hydromechanical behaviour of Boom Clay in the HADES URL
Authors: Li Xiangling , Dizier Arnaud , Chen Guangjing , Verstricht Jan , Levasseur Séverine
Published: December 2022

The heat generated by high-level waste or spent fuel will create disturbances around a deep geological repository (DGR) containing these wastes. Since the 1990s, SCK CEN, EIG EURIDICE and ONDRAF/NIRAS have been characterizing the thermo-hydromechanical (THM) behaviour of Boom Clay and assessing the impact of the thermal disturbances. This research has included laboratory tests as well as
in situ
experiments in the HADES Underground Research Laboratory. The two types of tests have been complementary. Laboratory tests have allowed understanding of the THM behaviour and determination of associated values of the THM parameters of the clay under well-controlled boundary conditions and loading paths. This knowledge and the parameters were then validated and even improved by
in situ
tests which allowed investigation of the effects of temperature on the Boom Clay behaviour at large scales. This paper gives an overview of this research and presents the main findings. It also explains how the knowledge gained supports the design of a possible future DGR and contributes to assessing the extent and impact of the THM disturbances in the Boom Clay around a DGR.
Balancing Security and Privacy in Genomic Range Queries
Authors: Hwang Seoyeon , Ozturk Ercan , Tsudik Gene
Published: December 2022

Exciting recent advances in genome sequencing, coupled with greatly reduced storage and computation costs, make genomic testing increasingly accessible to individuals. Already today, one’s digitized DNA can be easily obtained from a sequencing lab and later used to conduct numerous tests by engaging with a testing facility. Due to the inherent sensitivity of genetic material and the often-proprietary nature of genomic tests, privacy is a natural and crucial issue. While genomic privacy received a great deal of attention within and outside the research community, genomic security has not been sufficiently studied. This is surprising since the usage of fake or altered genomes can have grave consequences, such as erroneous drug prescriptions and genetic test outcomes.

Unfortunately, in the genomic domain, privacy and security (as often happens) are at odds with each other. In this article, we attempt to reconcile security with privacy in genomic testing by designing a novel technique for a secure and private genomic range query protocol between a genomic testing facility and an individual user. The proposed technique ensures
authenticity
and
completeness
of user-supplied genomic material while maintaining its
privacy
by releasing only the minimum thereof. To confirm its broad usability, we show how to apply the proposed technique to a previously proposed genomic private substring matching protocol. Experiments show that the proposed technique offers good performance and is quite practical. Furthermore, we generalize the genomic range query problem to sparse integer sets and discuss potential use cases.
Labor Induction with Intravaginal Misoprostol versus Spontaneous Labor: Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes
Authors: Ozbasli Esra , Canturk Melis , Aygun Elif Ganime , Ozaltin Selin , Gungor Mete
Published: December 2022

Purpose. To compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes of pregnant women who had labor induction with intravaginal misoprostol or had spontaneous labor in our clinic. Material-Method. The records of 213 pregnant women, who were followed up in Acibadem Maslak University Hospital for vaginal delivery between June 2021 and December 2021, were retrospectively evaluated. The pregnant women, who gave birth, were divided into 3 groups as follows: spontaneous labor (SL), those induced by a single dose of misoprostol (SDM), and those induced by multiple doses of misoprostol (MDM). The groups were compared in terms of delivery type, the vaginal birth rate within 12 hours, need for intervention, duration of the second stage of labor, cesarean section ratio due to fetal distress, time from the last dose to delivery, and 1st and 5th minute APGAR scores. Results. Among the primiparous pregnant women, 84.7% of SL group, 65.2% of SDM group, and 37% MDM group delivered vaginally within 12 hours (p < 0.05). The time from the last misoprostol dose to delivery was also statistically significantly shorter in pregnant women, who received a single dose of misoprostol (483 vs. 720 min, respectively). When the hospitalization time was evaluated, in the SDM group, the MDM group, and the SL group, it was found to be 611, 831, and 379 min, respectively. In multiparous pregnant women, the hospitalization time was 735 min in the SDM group, 494 min in the MDM group, and 261.5 min in the SL group (p < 0.05). Other than the hospitalization time, when the aforementioned variables were studied in multiparous pregnant women, no statistically significant difference among groups was observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion. Intravaginal misoprostol seems to be a promising medical agent for labor induction due to its high delivery rates within 12 hours and the absence of negative fetal outcomes, its ease of storage, and affordable cost.
Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) as a Novel Postoperative Prognostic Marker in Breast Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Zhu Mengliu , Chen Li , Kong Xiangyi , Wang Xiangyu , Ren Yingpeng , Liu Qiang , Li Xingrui , Fang Yi , Wang Jing
Published: December 2022

Purpose. This investigation seeks to elucidate the potential prognostic significance as well as the clinical utility of the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in breast cancer patients. Methods. Breast cancer patients managed in our center between January 2010 and December 2016 were recruited for our study. They comprised 187 patients who did not undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 194 who did. A receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was utilized in identifying the ideal cut‐off CONUT value. This cut‐off score was then used to reclassify patients into those with high CONUT scores (≥1) and low CONUT scores (<1). The outcomes were analyzed by statistical methods. Results. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression survival analyses revealed that a CONUT score cut‐off of 1 was able to significantly predict duration of disease‐free survival (DFS) (p < 0.001; hazard ratio [HR]: 3.184; 95% CI: 1.786‐5.677; and p < 0.001; HR: 2.465; 95% CI: 1.642‐3.700) and overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001; HR: 2.326; 95% CI: 1.578‐3.429; and p < 0.001; HR: 2.775; 95% CI: 1.791‐4.300). The mean DFS and OS in those with lower CONUT scores were 41.59 (95% CI: 37.66‐45.51 months) and 77.34 months (95% CI: 71.79‐82.90 months), respectively. On the other hand, the average DFS and OS for all individuals in the raised CONUT score group were 39.18 (95% CI: 34.41‐43.95 months) and 71.30 months (95% CI: 65.47‐77.12 months), respectively. Moreover, Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis revealed that those in the raised CONUT score cohort had remarkably worse DFS and OS survival rates compared to individuals in the low CONUT score cohort (Log‐rank test, DFS: χ2 = 12.900, p = 0.0003, and OS: χ2 = 16.270, p < 0.0001). Conclusion. The survival times of breast cancer patients may be reliably predicted using the CONUT score. This score is an easy, convenient, readily accessible, and clinically significant means of prognosticating patients with breast cancer.
Molar-Incisor Hypomineralization: Prevalence Comparative Study in 6 Years of Interval
Authors: Damares Lago Jéssica , Restrepo Manuel , Girotto Bussaneli Diego , Patrícia Cavalheiro Jéssica , Feltrin de Souza Juliana , Santos-Pinto Lourdes , de Cássia Loiola Cordeiro Rita , Jeremias Fabiano
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence evolution rate of MIH (molar-incisor hypomineralization) after a 6-year period in Araraquara/SP, Brazil. This population-based study evaluated MIH in 545 schoolchildren (6–12 years of age) and other associated alterations, dental caries and dental fluorosis (DF). A semistructured questionnaire was sent to the schoolchildren’s parents/guardians with the purpose of identifying the socioeconomic profile. Associations between MIH and the clinical characteristics were analyzed by the Poisson analysis of regression with robust variance, estimating the RPc (crude prevalence ratio) with CI 95%. The level of significance of 5% was adopted. The MIH prevalence in Araraquara/SP in 2016 was 14.3% (n = 78), and at this time, an increase of 2% was observed, in comparison with the data of the first prevalence study conducted in 2010 (12.3%). The mild degree compromise was the most prevalent diagnosis in the affected teeth (82.0%). Among children with MIH, the mean number of affected teeth was 2.78. Of the total number of children with MIH, 32.0% presented alterations in both first permanent molars and permanent incisors. There is no significant association between MIH and dental caries experience on permanent dentition (PRc = 1.141; CI 95% 0.709–1.835) or on primary dentition (PRc = 1.132; CI 95% 0.749–1.709). Children with MIH presented significantly less prevalence of dental fluorosis (PRc = 0.505; CI 95% 0.268–0.950). There is no association between MIH and monthly Brazilian minimal wage income (PRc = 1.130; CI 95% 0.655–1.949). It was concluded that the number of MIH cases had increased, revealing a greater need for defining the etiological factors and establishing a correct diagnosis to make it possible to institute early intervention.