bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A modified model for predicting mortality after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: A multicentre study
Authors: Zhao Yujie , Yang Yang , Lv Weifu , Zhu Siyu , Chen Xiaoqiong , Wang Tao , Huang Mingsheng , An Taixue , Duan Chongyang , Yu Xiangrong , Li Qiyang , Chen Jinqiang , Luo Junyang , Zhou Shuoling , Lu Ligong , Huang Meiyan , Fu Sirui
Published: November 2023

Background and Aims

The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt has controversial survival benefits; thus, patient screening should be performed preoperatively. In this study, we aimed to develop a model to predict post‐transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt mortality to aid clinical decision making.

Methods

A total of 811 patients undergoing transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt from five hospitals were divided into the training and external validation data sets. A modified prediction model of post‐transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt mortality (ModelMT) was built after performing logistic regression. To verify the improved performance of ModelMT, we compared it with seven previous models, both in discrimination and calibration. Furthermore, patients were stratified into low‐, medium‐, high‐ and extremely high‐risk subgroups.

Results

ModelMT demonstrated a satisfying predictive efficiency in both discrimination and calibration, with an area under the curve of .875 in the training set and .852 in the validation set. Compared to previous models (ALBI, BILI‐PLT, MELD‐Na, MOTS, FIPS, MELD, CLIF‐C AD), ModelMT showed superior performance in discrimination by statistical difference in the Delong test, net reclassification improvement and integrated discrimination improvement (all p < .050). Similar results were observed in calibration. Low‐, medium‐, high‐ and extremely high‐risk groups were defined by scores of ≤160, 160–180, 180–200 and >200, respectively. To facilitate future clinical application, we also built an applet for ModelMT.

Conclusions

We successfully developed a predictive model with improved performance to assist in decision making for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt according to survival benefits.
HBV reactivation in HBsAg−/HBcAb+ rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving biologic/targeted synthetic DMARDs
Authors: Kuo Meng Hsuan , Tseng Chih‐Wei , Ko Ping‐Hung , Wang Sz‐Tsan , Lu Ming‐Chi , Tung Chien‐Hsueh , Tseng Kuo‐Chih , Huang Kuang‐Yung , Lee Chi‐Hui , Lai Ning‐Sheng
Published: November 2023

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients seropositive for hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) and negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) are at risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation when treated with biologic or targeted synthetic (b/ts) disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The study aims to investigate the risk in this population.

Methods

From January 2004 through December 2020, 1068 RA patients undergoing b/tsDMARDs therapy and 416 patients with HBsAg−/HBcAb+ were enrolled. Factors associated with HBV reactivation were analysed.

Results

During 2845 person‐years of follow‐up, 27 of 416 (6.5%,9.5 per 1000 person‐years) patients developed HBV reactivation, with a cumulative rate of HBV reactivation of 3.5% at 5 years, 6.1% at 10 years and 24.2% at 17 years. The median interval from beginning b/tsDMARDs to HBV reactivation was 85 months (range: 9–186 months). The risk of HBV reactivation varied by type of b/tsDMARD, with rituximab having the highest risk (incidence rate: 48.3 per 1000 person‐years), followed by abatacept (incidence rate: 24.0 per 1000 person‐years). In multivariate analysis, rituximab (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 15.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.12–60.32, p = .001), abatacept (aHR: 9.30, 1.83–47.19, p = .007), adalimumab (aHR: 3.86, 1.05–14.26, p = .04) and negative baseline HBV surface antibody (anti‐HBs, <10 mIU/mL) (aHR: 3.89, 1.70–8.92, p < .001) were independent risk factors for HBV reactivation.

Conclusion

HBsAg−/HBcAb+ RA patients are susceptible to HBV reactivation during b/tsDMARD therapy. Those with negative baseline anti‐HBs and those on certain b/tsDMARDs, such as rituximab, abatacept and adalimumab, have high reactivation risks. Risk stratification and management should be based on the patient's baseline anti‐HBs titre and type of therapy.
Repositioning of centromere‐associated repeats during karyotype evolution in Oryzias fishes
Authors: Ansai Satoshi , Toyoda Atsushi , Yoshida Kohta , Kitano Jun
Published: November 2023

The karyotype, which is the number and shape of chromosomes, is a fundamental characteristic of all eukaryotes. Karyotypic changes play an important role in many aspects of evolutionary processes, including speciation. In organisms with monocentric chromosomes, it was previously thought that chromosome number changes were mainly caused by centric fusions and fissions, whereas chromosome shape changes, that is, changes in arm numbers, were mainly due to pericentric inversions. However, recent genomic and cytogenetic studies have revealed examples of alternative cases, such as tandem fusions and centromere repositioning, found in the karyotypic changes within and between species. Here, we employed comparative genomic approaches to investigate whether centromere repositioning occurred during karyotype evolution in medaka fishes. In the medaka family (Adrianichthyidae), the three phylogenetic groups differed substantially in their karyotypes. The Oryzias latipes species group has larger numbers of chromosome arms than the other groups, with most chromosomes being metacentric. The O. javanicus species group has similar numbers of chromosomes to the O. latipes species group, but smaller arm numbers, with most chromosomes being acrocentric. The O. celebensis species group has fewer chromosomes than the other two groups and several large metacentric chromosomes that were likely formed by chromosomal fusions. By comparing the genome assemblies of O. latipes, O. javanicus, and O. celebensis, we found that repositioning of centromere‐associated repeats might be more common than simple pericentric inversion. Our results demonstrated that centromere repositioning may play a more important role in karyotype evolution than previously appreciated.
Metaphysics and Poetics
Authors: Pickstock C.J.C.
Published: November 2023

Metaphysics concerns the whole of reality, including the human spiritual response to reality. Pre‐reflectively we do not divide these two, but reality includes the moment of reflection. For this reason, metaphysics and poetry are identical, and yet also distinguished. As distinguished, metaphysics must treat all as found, including the poetic, and link individual monads to the single infinite entirety. Conversely, poetry must treat all as made through its own continuation of the making process; it must seek to express the infinite in its own monadic instances. Yet both activities look towards a re‐unification and second innocence. In this regard, poetry assumes participatively the entire burden of creation, judgement and redemption, while knowing that it is fallible, and may demonically fail. Equivalently, metaphysics must hermeneutically track all of the particular in its varied positivity, all the monadic makings and arrivals of unique events. The poetic is only secure in the poetic event of the Incarnation, and metaphysics only complete in conceiving of the divine thought as itself Trinitarian poetic emergence, and all finite reality as participation in that emergence, only sealed by the arrival of the God‐Man.
Diazotrophic nitrogen fixation through aerial roots occurs in Avicennia marina: implications for adaptation of mangrove plant growth to low‐nitrogen tidal flats
Authors: Inoue Tomomi , Kohzu Ayato , Akaji Yasuaki , Miura Shingo , Baba Shigeyuki
Published: November 2023

Nitrogen limitation of primary production is common in coastal ecosystems. Mangrove trees maintain high levels of nitrogen fixation around their roots. The interior aerial space of mangrove roots, in which atmospheric gas is supplied through lenticels, could be efficient sites for nitrogen fixation.

We measured tidal variations of partial pressure of N2 in root aerenchyma and conducted field experiments using 15N2 as a tracer to track N2 movement through aerial roots of Avicennia marina. We used the acetylene reduction assay to identify the root parts harboring diazotrophs.

The nitrogenase activity and estimated nitrogen fixation through aerenchyma were higher in pneumatophores and absorbing roots than in cable roots. Positive correlations between root nitrogen contents and turnover rates of root nitrogen derived from N2 through aerenchyma suggested that the internal supply of N2 to diazotrophs could be the main source for nitrogen assimilation by A. marina roots.

Our results confirmed that N2 is supplied to diazotrophs through aerial roots and that nitrogen fixation occurs in A. marina roots. The aerial root structures, which occur across families of mangrove plants, could be an adaptation to survival in not only low‐oxygen environments but also tidal flats with little plant‐available nitrogen.
A visionary platform for decolonization: The Red Deal
Authors: Al‐Chami Mohamad H. , Gifford Wendy , Coburn Veldon
Published: November 2023

In this study, we discuss the colonial project as an eliminatory structure of indigenous ways of knowing and doing that is built into Canadian social and health institutions. We elaborate on the role nursing plays in maintaining systemic racism, marginalization and discrimination of Indigenous Peoples. Based on historical practices and present‐day circumstances, we argue that changing language in research and school curriculums turns decolonization into what Tuck and Yang call a ‘metaphor’. Rather, we propose decolonization as a political project where nurses acknowledge their involvement in colonial harms and disrupt the assumptions that continue to shape how nurses interact with Indigenous people, including knowledge systems that perpetuate colonial interests and privilege. Decolonization requires nurses to understand the colonial practices that led to dispossession of land, erasure of knowledge, culture and identity, while upholding indigenous ways of knowing and doing in health, healing and living. As a political manifesto that liberates indigenous life from oppressive structures of colonialism and capitalism, The Red Deal is presented as a visionary platform for decolonization. The aim of this study is to articulate three dimensions of caretaking within The Red Deal as a framework to decolonize nursing knowledge development and practice. Based on the philosophical dimension embedded in The Red Deal that revoke norms and knowledge assumptions of capitalism that destroy indigenous ways of knowing and doing, we underscore an approach toward decolonizing nursing. Our approach rejects the apolitical nature of nursing as well as the unilateral western scientific knowledge approach to knowledge development and recognition. A critical emancipatory approach that addresses the socio‐political and historical context of health care, recognizes dispossession of land and adopts a ‘multilogical’ vision of knowledge that gives space for representation and voice is needed for true decolonization of nursing.
The place of philosophy in nursing
Authors: Tembo Agness C.
Published: November 2023

Philosophy adds humanness to nursing and facilitates holistic care. Philosophies like Ubuntu which purports that a person is only a person through other people and emphasises community cohesion and caring for each other can add humanness to nursing. Because Ubuntu validates subjective experience and its meaning in the lifeworld, it exemplifies the basis of holistic and individualised caring in nursing. Although nurses can make their own philosophy through critical reflexivity, the convergent point is the goal of meaningful caring that is, sustaining health and the well‐being of patients and significant others. Philosophy transcends job description, it encompasses visceral experience, personal beliefs and goals, resulting in purpose and deeper meaning to the nursing profession of caring as emulated by Florence Nightingale. While contemporary philosophy has been met with criticism as being detached from human concern, narrowly focussed and technical, it evokes critical thinking and promotes sociality in nursing practice. The Covid‐19 pandemic vividly brought philosophy to the fore as nurses sacrificially and vulnerably rose to the challenge of caring not only for the sick, but also for families who through infection control measures were deprived of sociality. This paper argues that philosophy adds humanness and substance to nursing in the context of COVID‐19.
Odontogenic sinusitis: A literature review
Authors: George Michael , Noor Anthony , Thorpe Andrew Raymond Darren Scott , Sritharan Niranjan , Riffat Faruque
Published: November 2023

Aim

To present the most recent evidence about odontogenic sinusitis.

Materials and methods

An electronic search was conducted in MEDLINE via OVID, Embase via OVID and PubMed for odontogenic sinusitis.

Results

Odontogenic sinusitis originates from pathology of the dentition and surrounding structures. This disease differs from sinusitis of other causes in pathophysiology, diagnosis, microbiology and management. Symptoms of unilateral nasal obstruction and purulent discharge are highly suggestive of the disease. Computed tomography is considered the gold standard in assessing the relationship between dental conditions and sinus disease. Failure to eliminate the dental source of infection will often result in treatment failures. Collaboration and multidisciplinary management between dental surgeons and otolaryngologists is imperative for the successful identification and treatment of the disease, as either treatment in isolation may be inadequate leading to poor patient outcomes. Primary dental treatment may be effective in patients with lower sinonasal disease burden and similarly, patients suffering from minimal dental disease may recover from sinus surgery alone. Combined dental and sinus surgery results in disease resolution in 90%–100% of patients; however, controversy remains regarding the optimal sequence of interventions.

Conclusion

This review describes the aetiological, microbiological, clinical findings and diagnostic methods, as well as clinical and patient factors influencing treatment modalities of odontogenic sinusitis. Furthermore, a management decision tree is provided.
The Quality of Life of the Patients with Thoracic Ossification of the Ligamentum Flavum after Surgery Using EQ‐5D‐5L
Authors: Li Junhu , Deng Zhipeng , Wang Linnan , Wang Lei , Yang Hailing , Yang Xi , Song Yuemin
Published: November 2023

Objective

There is a lack of studies on the quality of life (QoL) after posterior laminectomy in patients with thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum (TOLF), and risk factors associated with poor prognosis remain controversial. Therefore, the present study was conducted to illustrate the QoL for TOLF patients after surgery and determine its relationship with their demographic, surgery‐related, clinical characteristics and imaging data.

Methods

One hundred and eighteen patients diagnosed with thoracic myelopathy because of TOLF were enrolled in this retrospective study. They all underwent posterior decompressive laminectomy from August 2010 to January 2022. The QoL was evaluated based on the EQ‐5D‐5L. Collecting gender, age, number of operations, compressed segments, Frankel grade, complications, body mass index (BMI), symptoms and duration, modified Japanese Orthopaedic Association (mJOA) score (preoperative), follow‐up time and type of ossification, increased signal on Sagittal T2‐weighted Images (ISST2I), occupancy rate and analyzing by Mann–Whitney U‐test, Kruskal–Wallis test, the χ2‐test, and logistic regression tests.

Results

Average follow‐up 70.8 months (18–149), the mean age was 59.74 ± 9.81 years and the mean score for the QoL based on the EQ‐5D‐5 L and visual analogue scale (VAS) score were 0.71 ± 0.28 and 78.88 ± 10.21 at the final follow‐up. Moderate and severe problems were found in the pain/discomfort in 22.0% of the patients. These mobility and usual activities numbers were slightly higher (24.6% and 30.4%, respectively). The mean scores for QoL and VAS were significantly higher in patients with mild and moderate neurological impairment, normal BMI, <60 years of age, no dural tears, symptom relief at hospital discharge, unilateral and bilateral ossification on axial CT scan, ≤ 50% spinal canal occupancy on CT and MRI, and none or fuzzy on ISST2I.

Conclusion

QoL after posterior laminectomy in TOLF patients is generally satisfactory compared to preoperative levels. Preoperative mJOA score, Age, comorbid diabetes, the major symptom is activity limitation, BMI, ISST2I, Intraoperative dural tears and spinal canal occupancy rate correlate significantly with the corresponding dimensions and are predictive. Age, spinal canal occupancy rate, ISST2I, preoperative mJOA score, BMI are significantly associated with and have predictive value for overall postoperative QoL.
Bone Healing and Clinical Outcome Following Medial Opening‐wedge High Tibial Osteotomy Using Wedge‐Shaped Cancellous Allograft
Authors: Chen Jinlun , Li Jiahao , Zhang Haitao , Feng Wenjun , Ye Pengcheng , Qi Xinyu , Li Jie , Deng Peng , Li Yijin , Huang Yiwei , Zeng Jianchun , Zeng Yirong
Published: November 2023

Objective

Medial opening‐wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) is considered to be an effective treatment for symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (KOA) of isolated the medial compartment with varus alignment of the lower extremity. However, the choice of material to fill the void remains controversial. This study aims to evaluate the bone union of the osteotomy gap using a novel wedge‐shaped cancellous allograft after MOWHTO and its effect on clinical outcomes.

Methods

All patients who underwent MOWHTO using a novel wedge‐shaped cancellous allograft combined with TomoFix locking compression plate (LCP) fixation between January 2016 and July 2020 were enrolled. The radiographic parameters including hip‐knee‐ankle angle (HKAA), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), femorotibial angle (FTA) and posterior tibial slope angle (PTSA) were measured between pre‐operative and post‐operative radiographs. Knee Society score (KSS) and range of motion (ROM) were assessed preoperatively and at last follow‐up. Patients included in this study were divided into two groups according to the correction angle: small correction group (< 10°; SC group) and large correction group (≥ 10°; LC group). The modified Radiographic Union score for tibial fractures (mRUST) was used to assess the difference in bone healing between the two groups at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively and at the final follow‐up. A paired student's t test was conducted for comparison of differences of the relevant data pre‐operatively and post‐operatively.

Results

A total of 82 patients (88 knees) were included in this study. The HKAA, MPTA, FTA and PTSA increased from −6.4° ± 3.0°, 85.1° ± 2.6°, 180.1° ± 3.2° and 7.7° ± 4.4° preoperatively to 1.2° ± 4.3° (p < 0.001), 94.4° ± 3.3° (p < 0.001), 171.0° ± 2.8° and 11.8° ± 5.8° (p < 0.001) immediately postoperatively, respectively. However, no significant statistic difference was found in above‐mentioned parameters at last follow‐up compared to immediate postoperative data (p > 0.05). All patients in this study achieved good bone healing at the final follow‐up and no significant differences in mRUST scores were seen between the SC group and LC group. The KSS‐Knee score and KSS‐Function score improved significantly from 55.4 ± 3.7 and 63.3 ± 4.6 preoperatively to 86.4 ± 2.8 (p < 0.001) and 89.6 ± 2.9 (p < 0.001) at last follow‐up, respectively. Nevertheless, there was no significant difference in ROM between pre‐operation and last follow‐up (p > 0.05).

Conclusion

For MOWHTO, the wedge‐shaped cancellous allograft was a reliable choice for providing good bone healing and clinical outcomes.
Predicting Union, Osteomyelitis, and Amputation Outcomes of Gustilo IIIC Open Tibial Fractures: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Chen Shih‐Heng , Lien Po‐Hao , Lan Ching‐Yu , Hsu Chung‐Cheng , Lin Cheng‐Hung , Lin Yu‐Te , Lin Chih‐Hung , Yu Yi‐Hsun
Published: November 2023

Objective

Open tibial fractures are frequently encountered in high‐energy traumas and can result in significant complications such as nonunion, osteomyelitis, and even amputation. Among open tibial fractures, Gustilo type IIIC cases are particularly challenging due to the concomitant occurrence of neurovascular injuries and soft tissue defects. This study aimed to assess factors that affect union time and complications in Gustilo IIIC tibial fractures.

Methods

Patients who presented at our center with IIIC open tibial fractures from January 2000 to October 2020 were eligible for this retrospective analysis. Patient demographics, fracture characteristics, and the timing, number, and type of surgical intervention were documented. Outcomes of interest included union time, occurrence of osteomyelitis, and amputation. We performed univariate analyses including chi‐squared test, Fischer's exact test, analysis of variance, and Kruskal–Wallis test based on the normality of the data and multivariate analyses including Cox proportional hazards model and logistic regression analyses.

Results

Fifty‐eight patients were enrolled and grouped by fracture healing time; eight had timely union (13.8%); 27 had late union (46.6%); eight had delayed union (13.8%); three had nonunion (5.2%); and 12 underwent amputation (20.7%). Nine fractures (15.5%) were complicated by osteomyelitis. Union time was prolonged in cases of triple arterial injury, distal third fractures, multiple trauma with injury severity score (ISS) ≥ 16 points, and increased bone defect length. Additionally, a bone gap >50 mm, diabetes mellitus, low body mass index, and triple arterial injury in the lower leg were significant risk factors for amputation. A time from injury to definitive soft tissue coverage of more than 22 days was the major risk factor for osteomyelitis. A scoring system to predict union time was devised and the predicted probability of union within 2 years was stratified based on this score.

Conclusion

IIIC tibial fractures involving the distal third of the tibia, fractures with bone defects, triple arterial injury, and multiple trauma with ISS ≥16 points demonstrated delayed union, and an effective prediction system for union time was introduced in this study. Early soft tissue coverage can reduce the risk of osteomyelitis. Finally, diabetes and severe bone and soft tissue defects pose a higher risk of amputation.
Targeted knockout of early nodulin‐like 3 (MusaENODL3) gene in banana reveals its function in resistance to Xanthomonas wilt disease
Authors: Ntui Valentine Otang , Tripathi Jaindra Nath , Shah Trushar , Tripathi Leena
Published: November 2023

Nodulins and nodulin‐like proteins play an essential role in the symbiotic associations between legumes and Rhizobium bacteria. Their role extends beyond the leguminous species, as numerous nodulin‐like proteins, including early nodulin‐like proteins (ENODL), have been identified in various non‐leguminous plants, implying their involvement in functions beyond nodulation, such as nutrient transport and growth modulation. Some ENODL proteins have been associated with plant defense against pathogens, as evident in banana infected with Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum (Xcm) causing banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) disease. Nonetheless, the specific role of ENODL in plant defense remains to be fully elucidated. The MusaENODL3 gene was found to be repressed in BXW‐resistant banana progenitor ‘Musa balbisiana’ and 20‐fold upregulated in BXW‐susceptible cultivar ‘Gonja Manjaya’ upon early infection with Xcm. To further unravel the role of the ENODL gene in disease resistance, the CRISPR/Cas9 system was employed to disrupt the MusaENODL3 gene in ‘Gonja Manjaya’ precisely. Analysis of the enodl3 edited events confirmed the accurate manipulation of the MusaENODL3 gene. Disease resistance and gene expression analysis demonstrated that editing the MusaENODL3 gene resulted in resistance to BXW disease, with 50% of the edited plants remaining asymptomatic. The identification and manipulation of the MusaENODL3 gene highlight its potential as a critical player in plant‐pathogen interactions, offering new opportunities for enhancing disease resistance in crops like banana, an important staple food crop and source of income for resource‐poor farmers in the tropics. This study provides the first evidence of the direct role of the ENODL3 gene in developing disease‐resistant plants.
Self‐perceived problems in daily activities and strategy building in people with different stages of dementia
Authors: Ross Sabrina D. , Kreß Jennifer , Rodriguez Francisca S.
Published: November 2023

Background

People with dementia experience severe problems in their daily lives. However, little is known about self‐perceived problems in the course of dementia. The aim of our study was to assess self‐perceived problems with daily activities as well as individually developed strategies of older people of different cognitive status.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 25 participants (mean age 67.6 years, 56% female, 24% healthy, 28% mild dementia, 48% severe dementia). Questions addressed problems in daily activities, their occurrence and the behaviour toward them, and their developed strategies. Information was summarized quantitatively and evaluated using the chi‐squared and Kruskal–Wallis tests.

Results

Self‐perceived problems included awareness of physical and cognitive deficits in managing daily life, disturbing factors, and lost autonomy. Increased cognitive impairment was associated with more problems in daily life, even though people with severe dementia seemed not to recognize them. The most frequently reported strategies included orderliness, doing things immediately, and the use of external aids. While healthy people and those with mild dementia developed strategies, those with severe dementia reported only few strategies.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that self‐perceived problems in daily life and strategy development are strongest in mild dementia, while people with more severe dementia tend to perceive no problems at all while correctly reflecting their current state of dependency. Importantly, despite memory loss during early stages of dementia, strategies are still being developed. Accordingly, strategies for daily living should be taught in early dementia to sustain an independent lifestyle.
Multivariate pattern analysis of EEG reveals nuanced impact of negation on sentence processing in the N400 and later time windows
Authors: He Yifei , Sommer Johanna , Hansen‐Schirra Silvia , Nagels Arne
Published: November 2023

The neurocognitive mechanism underlying negation processing remains controversial. While negation is suggested to modulate the access of word meaning, no such evidence has been observed in the event‐related potential (ERP) literature on sentence processing. In the current study, we applied both univariate ERP and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) methods to examine the processing of sentence negation. We investigated two types of negative congruent/incongruent sentence pairs with truth‐value evaluation (e.g., “A robin is a/not a bird”) and without (e.g., “The woman reads a/no book”). In the N400 time window, ERPs consistently showed increased negativity for negative and incongruent conditions. MVPA, on the other hand, revealed nuanced interactions between polarity and congruency. In the later P600 time window, MVPA but not the ERPs revealed an effect of congruency, which may be functionally distinct from the N400 window. We further used cross‐decoding to show that the cognitive processes underlying the N400 window for both affirmative and negative sentences are comparable, whereas in the P600 window, only for the truth sentences, negative sentences showed a distinct pattern from their affirmative counterparts. Our results thus speak for a more interactive, but nevertheless serial and biphasic, and potentially construction‐specific processing account of negation. We also discuss the advantage of applying MVPA in addition to the classical univariate methods for a better understanding of the neurobiology of negation processing and language comprehension alike.
Motility, oxidative status and morphology of frozen‐thawed bovine semen are not impacted by fatty acid exposure in vitro
Authors: Vieira Camila Cupper , Missio Daniele , Brum Daniela dos Santos , Menezes Rafaela Dalmolin , Cibin Francielli Weber Santos , Mesquita Fernando Silveira , Gonçalves Paulo Bayard Dias , Ferreira Rogério
Published: November 2023

While sperm migrate within the reproductive tract of cows experiencing negative energy balance (NEB), they come into contact with elevated concentrations of non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFA). For this reason, this study aimed to investigate the effects of three different NEFA – palmitic acid (PA), stearic acid (SA), and oleic acid (OA) – on bovine sperm motility, kinetic parameters, oxidative status, and morphology. Frozen thawed semen samples from Bos taurus bulls were incubated with varying concentrations of each fatty acid, and the sperm's characteristics were analysed at different time points. Computer‐Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) was employed to assess sperm motility and kinetic parameters. Concurrently, the production of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and total antioxidant capacity were measured to determine the oxidative status. Additionally, sperm morphology was evaluated. In Experiment 1, different concentrations of PA did not show significant effects on total motility, progressive motility, or any kinetic parameters analysed. Similarly, PA did not have a significant impact on the oxidative status or sperm morphology. In Experiment 2, SA at various concentrations did not lead to significant changes in total motility, progressive motility, or any kinetic parameters evaluated. Furthermore, SA did not affect oxidative status or sperm morphology. In Experiment 3, the concentrations of OA used did not result in significant changes in total motility, progressive motility, or any kinetic parameters studied. Likewise, OA did not induce any alterations in oxidative status or sperm morphology. Overall, the results from all three experiments indicate that PA, SA and OA, at the in vitro conditions and tested concentrations, do not exert detrimental effects on bovine sperm function and morphology. These results provide insights that contribute to our understanding of how fatty acids can impact the reduction of fertility rates in cows facing NEB. This, in turn, lays the foundation for additional critical investigations in this area. Further studies are necessary to validate these findings in vivo.
Is it all about the government's early response? A configurational analysis of 27 cases in governing COVID‐19 in China
Authors: Tan Haibo , Li Yanwei , Huang Jiachen , Liu Xiaozhou
Published: November 2023

Governance and policy authors are concerned with the effectiveness of crisis management. In this study, the effectiveness of 27 Chinese provinces in addressing COVID‐19 is examined using the QCA approach. The contribution identifies four pathways for explaining effective crisis management and two for explaining ineffective crisis management. Strong analytical capacity is a relatively critical condition for achieving effective crisis management. This study contributes to the existing governance and policy literature through uncovering the mechanisms underlying effective crisis management.
Regulatory noncompliance among unlicensed care homes: Evidence from Poland
Authors: Łuczak Paweł , Ławrynowicz Maciej
Published: November 2023

The development of markets for private for‐profit care homes often raises concerns about the quality of services provided by these care homes. To address the fundamental needs of their residents, governments introduce quality regulations and, through mandatory licensing, allow private care homes to enter the market. However, in some countries, evidence reveals that many private care homes operate without a mandatory licence; information about the basic characteristics of these unlicensed care homes (UCHs) and their operations is often unavailable because they try to remain ‘invisible’; they have also received little research attention. This article fills this gap using the case of Poland. The study employs a unique dataset combining inspection reports produced during public monitoring of UCHs and in‐depth interviews with owners of such care homes. This article explores how the regulation of markets for private care homes does not lead to the comprehensive licensing of such care homes. The findings show that the regulation enabled UCHs to remain ‘partially visible’ to many parties, including public sector entities. The findings contribute to a wider debate about the marketisation of long‐term care, particularly regarding the noncompliance of private providers.
Does the unemployment trap still exist? The case of the Italian minimum income scheme
Authors: Busilacchi Gianluca , Fabbri Alessandro
Published: November 2023

The question of whether welfare benefits imprison recipients in unemployment traps has been at the centre of academic and political debates in recent decades. Empirical evidence at the micro level supports the existence of work disincentive effects of welfare benefits, although of a small magnitude. However, the question of whether this translates into lower aggregate employment remains unsettled. This study innovates the existing literature by providing an estimation of the impact of the monetary component of the Italian minimum income scheme (MIS) on the employment rate. Isolating this impact from the spurious pro‐work effects of the Active Labour Market Policies embedded in every contemporary MIS is possible because in the Italian case, in the first quarters of implementation of the policy, the activation side was not operating. We adopt a difference‐in‐differences method and find that the impact of the monetary component of the Italian MIS on the employment rate is not statistically significant. The finding is robust to different treatment definitions, different specification models and weighted and unweighted econometric analysis. We then carry out a heterogeneous analysis and find that the impact, despite being indistinguishable from zero on average, is significant and negative for provinces with weak labour demand.
Perennial soil characteristics are the main factor driving in vitro inhibition of the wheat fungal pathogen Fusarium graminearum in a French case study
Authors: Simon Lena , Langin Thierry , Nowak Benjamin , Marliac Gaëlle
Published: November 2023

Soils are termed ‘suppressive’ when they can limit the emergence and propagation of plant diseases. However, little is known regarding what factors determine suppressiveness and whether they could be improved for a given soil. Agricultural practices, such as tillage systems, influence the properties of the soil, and could be a lever to improve soil suppression of pathogens. In this study, we investigated the impact of soil type and crop management practices on soil suppressiveness towards Fusarium graminearum, a major winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) pathogen. As it is transmitted via crop residues left on soil, F. graminearum is susceptible to soil suppression. Soil suppressiveness has been evaluated in more than a 100 sampled fields in the Limagne plain (Puy‐de‐Dôme, France), to represent a great diversity of soil types (either calcisol, vertisol or fluvisol) and cropping systems (organic, reduced tillage or intensive cropping systems). The physicochemical composition of the sampled soils and crop management practices, identified through farmer surveys, were included in a generalized linear mixed‐effect model to explain soil fungistasis. A fungistasis test was performed by putting a plug of PDA‐agar inoculated with Fusarium in contact with the soil and measuring the area of fungal growth. This test revealed a wide variety of soil fungistatic properties, ranging from conducive soils (22% of soil covered by fungal growth) to very suppressive soils (1% of soil covered). Suppressiveness was related to soil perennial properties (p‐value <.001) rather than practices. Overall, these results show that soil type and composition play a key role in fungistasis, and that soil suppressiveness is a complex, multifactorial process.
Potential passive acoustic tool for reef fish monitoring: A learning-based method
Authors: Lessa Aléxia A. , Barroso Viviane , Ferreira Carlos , Xavier Fábio
Published: November 2023

Visual non destructive methods are widely used for assessing marine biodiversity, but a logistically simpler approach is combining passive acoustic techniques with artificial intelligence (AI). Here, we classified sounds of fish on subtropical rocky reefs in Arraial do Cabo (22°57'S, 41°01'W), RJ, Brazil, using supervised machine learning algorithms. Sound detection and feature extraction were performed manually by inspecting spectrograms using Raven Pro 1.6 software. Five supervised algorithms were implemented for classification: naive Bayes, support vector machine, random forest, decision tree, and multilayer perceptron. A representative subset of samples for each sound class was used to train the supervised algorithms. The accuracy of the algorithms was between 67% and 97%. Four classes of sounds were recognized, consisting of sequences of pulses. In general, temporal features were more important, however high frequency was the most important feature of all. Understanding the contribution of each feature is crucial for sound classification, however it is at an early stage for fishes. The classifier showed promising results, highlighting the effectiveness of applying AI to passive acoustics as a tool for monitoring of fish assemblages.
Reduced order modelling of thickness effects on a cantilevered hydrofoil in homogeneous isotropic turbulence
Authors: Tsigklifis Konstantinos , Dylejko Paul , Karimi Mahmoud , Wong Marcus , Skvortsov Alex
Published: November 2023

The response of a cantilevered hydrofoil excited by honeycomb-generated turbulence is studied with a reduced order analytical model that considers the thickness effects of NACA sections. This is achieved by extending a gust response model of the unsteady lift to include realistic 2D sections instead of using a flat plate assumption. The general chordwise thickness profiles are included in the model using the generalized Joukowski transformation. The problem is cast into a constrained optimization problem which is solved with the use of the Lagrange multiplier method. The frequency response function (FRF) of NACA sections with the same maximum thickness to chord ratio but with different leading-edge thickness profiles are calculated to investigate the effect of the hydrofoil leading edge thickness on the high frequency response. This FRF is combined with the Uncorrelated Wall Plane Wave (UWPW) technique to simulate the pressure jump amplitude on the hydrofoil due to the turbulence interaction which excites the hydrofoil in heaving and pitching motion according to Theodorsen’s hydroelastic theory. Finaly, the structural velocity spectra are compared with available experimental results of the turbulence ingestion and the effect of the different leading edge thickness profiles on the vibration response is demonstrated for various NACA sections.
Undergraduate engineering education with hands-on experimental acoustic field work
Authors: Foeller Jeff , Vecchiotti Andrea , Turo Diego , Vignola Joseph , Ryan Teresa J.
Published: November 2023

Offering undergraduate students access to technician-level work experience early in their academic career has successfully promoted subsequent interest in and pursuit of independent inquiry in acoustics. Over the past 9 years, approximately 70 undergraduate students have been affiliated with the East Carolina University Department of Engineering’s acoustics and vibrations laboratory. Of those 70, 30 have pursued independent inquiry, 11 have attended a professional meeting, 7 have presented at a professional meeting, and 7 have pursued additional study or secured positions in a relevant field. The student work has spanned several topical areas in acoustics and vibrations. The primary effort has been collecting synchronized atmospheric and acoustic data over long ranges in littoral environments. This work presents the best practices the investigators have cultivated for training, recruiting, and retaining quality undergraduate research assistants. Both paid research positions and unpaid work done for course credit are included in the discussion.
Validation of a railway rolling noise model on a system with slab track and resilient wheels
Authors: Croft Briony E. , Watry Luke , Rajaram Shankar
Published: November 2023

This study investigates rolling noise emissions using an analytical model of the Seattle Sound Transit Light Rail system developed using Train Noise Expert (TNE) software. Measurements of track frequency response, decay rate, rail and wheel roughness were used to determine model input parameters. Wheel modal test results were used to characterize the wheels. Wayside noise and track vibration measurements during revenue service train passbys were used to experimentally validate the model. The average difference between measured and predicted overall passby LAeq noise at a position immediately adjacent to the track was 0.1 dBA (average from four scenarios, i.e. two surface track sites with two train types). Inspection of the predicted versus measured noise spectra indicates the model does not exactly match the measured spectrum in every frequency band, however the correlation with overall spectrum shape is good in the frequency bands that contribute most to the overall A-weighted level. It is concluded that the model provides an accurate representation of the most relevant physical rolling noise factors and is reliable with resilient wheels and light rail vehicles on ballast and slab track.
Defect detection and imaging in elastic materials with complex geometries
Authors: Hayashi Takahiro
Published: November 2023

Additive manufacturing has made it possible to easily create parts with complex shapes, even out of metal materials. However, in order to guarantee the quality of such parts, there is a need to establish a nondestructive inspection technique that is feasible for such complex structures. In this presentation, I will introduce a technology that can visualize internal damage even in complex objects by utilizing the ultrasonic field generated and diffused inside the object with non-contact manner. Ultrasonic waves generated by laser irradiation resonate with the natural frequency of defects such as delamination near the surface of an object. By scanning the laser beam for generating ultrasonic waves and detecting vibrations at a fixed position on the surface of the object, an image of defects in the vicinity of the surface can be obtained as a distribution of vibration energy. The distribution of vibration energy does not depend on reflected or scattered waves from the object's wall, but only on information from the point where the laser is irradiated. This technique is expected to be especially useful for in-situ inspections of the additive manufacturing objects.
Correction of scanning laser Doppler vibrometer measurements when subjected to six degree-of-freedom base motion
Authors: Halkon Benjamin J. , Darwish Abdel , Rothberg Steve , Mohammadi Mahdi , Oberst Sebastian
Published: November 2023

Scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV) measurements are affected by sensor head vibrations as though they are vibrations of the target surface itself. Previous work has established a fully general theoretical analysis which shows that the only measurement required for measurement correction is of the vibration velocity at the incident point on the final steering mirror in the direction of the outgoing laser beam. Two practical—but not quite perfect—options for measurement correction were presented (one more suitable to manufacturer implementation, one more applicable to the vibration engineer end user). In both cases, placement of the correction transducer is critical with correction working for totally arbitrary instrument vibration and scan angle. Experimental validation, employing frequency-domain based processing, has been completed for one degree-of-freedom, on-axis vibration. Simultaneously, advancements in the data processing approach have realised improved correction in practice, especially for lower frequencies and for transient, as opposed to statistically stationary, vibration. In this paper, extension of the experimental validation to six degree-of-freedom instrument vibration is presented for the first time. In combination with the latest data processing approaches, reductions in the measurement error of 29.4 and 28.2 dB for the frequency- and time-domain processing techniques, respectively, are realised.
Efficient parabolic equation based travel time computation
Authors: Heaney Kevin D.
Published: November 2023

In this paper an efficient method for computing the travel time of an acoustic wave as a function of range using the parabolic equation model. The frequency derivative of the acoustic phase is the differential travel time associated with a propagation in range. By taking this difference across closely spaced frequencies (0.02 f0) and integrating in range, this method computes the travel time of the dominant acoustic arrival. The method compares well with other travel time methods for four different cases, including deep water (shallow source, axial source), upslope and shallow water, and a global 3D propagation environment.
Biomechanical and microstructural changes in posterior myopic Guinea pig
Authors: Dutta Sayantan , McFadden Sally , Hoang Quan V. , Mamou Jonathan
Published: November 2023

The biomechanical and microstructural properties of the posterior sclera are drivers of myopia progression to high/pathologic myopia, a leading cause of blindness, affecting over 2.3 billion people worldwide. We investigated the effect of myopia on mechanical properties of the posterior sclera in guinea-pig (GP) eyes using scanning-acoustic-microscopy (SAM) with 3-μm spatial resolution. Form-deprivation (FD) was used to induce myopia in the right eyes of six GPs between 4 and 12 days of age, and 6-μm-thick scleral cryosections were scanned using a custom-made SAM. Bulk modulus (K) parameter-maps were estimated from SAM radiofrequency echo signals. We studied the effects of myopia on SAM maps in the nasal versus temporal regions of the posterior sclera. In the induced myopia eyes, K-values in the nasal region were 0.126 GPa lower than that in the temporal region (p = 0.009), whereas in the control eye, K did not significantly differ between regions (p > 0.07). Scleral biomechanical properties changed depending on eye region and induced myopia level. These results demonstrate that SAM-maps are important to elucidate myopia pathogenesis, providing insight to the location and timing of scleral stiffness reduction, as reflected in lower K-values in myopic eyes. [Work supported by the NIH grant R01GM143388 (J.M.), UON grant G2100649 (S.M.), and NMRC CIRG19nov-0030 (Q.V.H.).]