bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting Matrix Exopolysaccharides to Disrupt Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms in Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Chung Jonathan , Eisha Shafinaz , Park Subin , Morris Amanda , Martin Isaac
Published: February 2023

In cystic fibrosis (CF), pulmonary infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a cause of increased morbidity and mortality, especially in patients for whom infection becomes chronic and there is reliance on long-term suppressive therapies. Current antimicrobials, though varied mechanistically and by mode of delivery, are inadequate not only due to eradication failure in many cases, but also because they do not halt the progression of lung function decline over time. One of the reasons for this failure is thought to be the biofilm mode of growth of P. aeruginosa, wherein self-secreted exopolysaccharides (EPSs) provide physical protection against antibiotics and an array of niches with resulting metabolic and phenotypic heterogeneity. Targeting the three EPSs secreted by P. aeruginosa (alginate, Psl and Pel) is currently under investigation as a way of disrupting the biofilm extracellular matrix to potentiate the action of antibiotics. In this review, we look at each EPS as a potential therapeutic target for combatting pulmonary infection with P. aeruginosa in CF, with a particular focus on the current evidence for these emerging therapies and barriers to bringing these therapies into clinic.
Vitamin K and the Visual System: A Narrative Review
Authors: Mong Michael A.
Published: February 2023

Vitamin K occupies a unique and often obscured place among its fellow fat-soluble vitamins. Evidence is mounting however, that vitamin K (VK) may play an important role in the visual system apart from the hepatic carboxylation of hemostatic related proteins. However, to our knowledge, no review covering the topic has appeared in the medical literature. Recent studies have confirmed that matrix Gla protein (MGP), a vitamin K-dependent protein (VKDP), is essential for the regulation of intraocular pressure in the mouse. The PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea) study, a randomized trial involving 5860 adults at risk for cardiovascular disease, demonstrated a 29% reduction in the risk of cataract surgery in participants with the highest tertile of dietary vitamin K1 (PK) intake compared with the lowest tertile. However, the specific requirements of the eye and visual system (EVS) for VK, and what might constitute an optimized VK status, is currently unknown and largely unexplored. It is the intention therefore of this narrative review to provide an introduction concerning VK and the visual system, review ocular VK biology, and to provide some historical context to recent discoveries. Potential opportunities and gaps in current research efforts will be touched upon, in the hope of raising awareness, and encouraging continued VK related investigations in this important and highly specialized sensory system.
Traumatic Bifocal Luxatio Erecta Femoris and Ipsilateral Posterior Knee Dislocation
Authors: LaRoque Michael C. , Zeni Ferras , Cole Peter A.
Published: February 2023

Update

This article was updated on July 7, 2023, because of a previous error. The title was incorrect. The correct title is “Traumatic Bifocal Luxatio Erecta Femoris and Ipsilateral Posterior Knee Dislocation: A Case Report.”

An erratum (JBJS Case Connect. 2023;13[3]:e22.00408ER) has been published for this article.

Case:

A 19-year-old man sustained combined, ipsilateral inferior hip and posterior knee fracture-dislocations secondary to a motor vehicle collision. He underwent immediate closed reduction of the knee and delayed open reduction internal fixation but required emergent open hip reduction for an irreducible femoral head incarcerated on a pubic root fracture. At the 1-year follow-up, he demonstrated excellent functional outcome with painless and full hip and knee range of motion.

Conclusion:

Irreducible inferior femoral head dislocation in combination with a knee dislocation requires thoughtful staging and treatment but can result in satisfactory outcomes.
Effect of Faculty Diversity on Minority Student Populations Matching into Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programs
Authors: Levy Kenneth H. , Gupta Arjun , Murdock Christopher J. , Marrache Majd , Beebe Kathleen S. , Laporte Dawn M. , Oni Julius K. , Aiyer Amiethab A.
Published: February 2023

Background:

Greater faculty diversity within orthopaedic residency programs has been associated with an increased application rate from students of similarly diverse demographic backgrounds. It is unknown whether these underrepresented student populations have an equitable likelihood of being highly ranked and matching at these programs. Thus, we sought to evaluate the relationship between faculty and resident diversity, with a specific focus on sex, racial/ethnic groups that are underrepresented in medicine (URiM), and international medical graduates (IMGs).

Methods:

The American Orthopaedic Association's Orthopaedic Residency Information Network database was used to collect demographic data on 172 US residency programs. Linear regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship between the proportion of female or URiM attendings at a program and the proportion of female, URiM, or IMG residents or top-ranked applicants (≥25 rank). URiM was defined as “racial and ethnic populations that are underrepresented in the medical profession relative to their numbers in the general population.”

Results:

A mean of 13.55% of attendings were female and 14.14% were URiM. A larger fraction of female attendings was a positive predictor of female residents (p < 0.001). Similarly, a larger percentage of URiM attendings was a positive predictor of URiM residents (p < 0.001), as well as of URiM (p < 0.001) and IMG (p < 0.01) students being ranked highly. There was no significant association between URiM attendings and female residents/overall top-ranked applicants, or vice versa.

Conclusions:

Residency programs with more female attendings were more likely to match female residents, and programs with more URiM attendings were more likely to highly rank URiM and IMG applicants as well as match URiM residents. Our findings indicate that orthopaedic surgery residencies may be more likely to rank and match female or URiM students at similar proportions to that of their faculty. This may reflect minority students preferentially applying to programs with more diverse faculty because they feel a better sense of fit and are likely to benefit from a stronger support system.

Level of Evidence:

III.
Making Room for Post-Authentic Domesticity
Authors: Hernández Antonia
Published: February 2023

This creative response interrogates the persona that seems to inhabit sex webcam platforms, online services where people can stream and monetize amateur sexual performances (Henry & Farvid 2017; Jones 2020). If the perception of authenticity has been a crucial feature of camming since its inception (Senft 2008), this impression is no longer conveyed only through amateur signifiers (Hernández 2019). Domesticity on the sexcam platform oscillates between two poles. One of them is incarnated by the professional webcam studio, where uninhabited rooms are presented as private yet generic spaces (Korody 2019). The other pole is the personal space, staged for its transmission through the platform. Decorative trends and habits crossover between these extremes, creating a new type of domesticity with no other purpose than the sexual spectacle. The product of this mutual influence is referred to as ‘post-authentic domesticity’ in this article. Drawing upon literary studies, post-authenticity implies a fiction that engages with an ‘authentic’ referent but does not aim to replicate it (Gefter Wondrich 2020). As such, domesticity in the sexcam platform is both a second-hand reference and a space where its online persona unfolds.The exploration of this post-authentic domesticity is conveyed by means of a website that replicates some of the graphic conventions of sexcam performers’ profiles. The website is divided into different pages that address distinct aspects in the form of short poems. The images accompanying the texts, created by the author, were made using ASCII characters and they reference empty webcam rooms observed in the sexcam platform Chaturbate during 2022. The abstract character of the images aims to emphasize the role of the audience in the construction of online intimacy and meaning.
Domesticity and Persona
Authors: Barbour Kim , Humphrey Michael
Published: February 2023

Because personas are performances of identity, strategically enacted for an immediate or imagined audience, the study of personas to date has concentrated on the public realm of life. Professional personas enacted in workplaces have taken up much attention, whether for artists, comedians, scientists, actors, musicians, or politicians. Similarly (and often overlapping the professional persona), the performance of self online that is constituted in and through social media has proven a generative space for research. Mediatised personas generally open up a space for understanding persona performances, while the non-human, the institutional, the collectively constituted persona come as a logical extension of the theorisation of persona as strategic identity display.
Insights on enhancing affordability and profit in a global non-cooperative coordinated pediatric vaccine market
Authors: Alves-Maciel Bruno , Proano Ruben A
Published: February 2023

This study considers a hypothetical global pediatric vaccine market where multiple coordinating entities make optimal procurement decisions on behalf of countries with different purchasing power. Each entity aims to improve affordability for its countries while maintaining a profitable market for vaccine producers. This study analyzes the effect of several factors on affordability and profitability: the number of non-cooperative coordinating entities making procuring decisions, the number of market segments in which countries are grouped for tiered pricing purposes, how producers recover fixed production costs, and the procuring order of the coordinating entities.

The study relies on a framework where entities negotiate sequentially with vaccine producers using a three-stage optimization process that solves an MIP and two LP problems to determine the optimal procurement plans and prices per dose that maximize savings for the entities' countries and profit for the vaccine producers. The study's results challenge current vaccine market dynamics and contribute with novel alternative strategies to orchestrate the interaction of buyers, producers, and coordinating entities for enhancing affordability in a non-cooperative market. Key results show that the order in which the coordinating entities negotiate with vaccine producers and how the latter recuperate their fixed cost investments can significantly affect profitability and affordability. Furthermore, low-income countries can procure vaccines more affordably while satisfying their demand by negotiating through entities handling a higher number of market segments, each with a smaller group of countries. In contrast, upper-middle and high-income countries increase their affordability by procuring through entities with fewer and more extensive market segments. A procurement order that follows entities based on the descending income level of their countries offers higher opportunities to increase affordability and profit if producers offer volume discounts.
Mitochondrial genome of ‘spotted numbfish’ Narcine timlei (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) and phylogenetic relationships among order Torpediniformes
Authors: Kumar Amit , Prakash S.
Published: February 2023

In this study, we report, for the first time, mitochondrial genome of Narcine timlei (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) and its phylogenetic relationships within the order Torpediniformes. Narcine timlei is a medium-sized ray that occurs in nearshore waters of the Indo-Pacific, classified as a ‘vulnerable’ category on the IUCN Red List. The mitogenome is assembled from short Illumina reads (150 bp paired-end reads). It is 17,964 bp long and includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, and 2 rRNA genes. The gene order, size, and nucleotide composition are largely consistent with mitogenomic characteristics of previously reported other Narcine spp. The slightly larger mitogenome length of N. timlei than other Narcine spp. may be due to the presence of a putative control region of 1,916 bp with three tandem repeats. Phylogenetic reconstruction using concatenated PCGs (n=13) of 9 Torpediniformes based on maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analysis revealed identical topologies. The tree showed two main clades, one clade containing members of the family Narcinidae, and the second sister clade consisting of the families Narkidae and Torpedinidae. Our result supports the monophyletic nature of Narcinidae based on mtDNA. The information obtained in this study will contribute to a better understanding of the population genetics, phylogenetic analysis, conservation, and evolutionary biology research of N. timlei.
Photometric Search for variable stars in the field of two Northern open clusters, DOLIDGE 14 and NGC 1960
Authors: Joshi Gireesh C.
Published: February 2023

The aim of present work is extract and analyses the light curves of the stars in the fields of two clusters, NGC 1960 and DOLIDZE 14. The photometric extraction is performed by comprehensive methodology of SSM via standard transformation and differential photometry using two comparison stars per candidate variable target. The resultant light curves for each possible variable star are displayed and their period analysis are performed via two different methods. The period and classification of 18 discovered short periodic type variable stars of NGC 1960 are discussed, which consist of four known variable stars and fourteen new variable stars. In the case of DOLIDZE 14, four discovered variables consist of one miscellaneous, one rotational, two binary type variable stars. In the case of NGC 1960, the 12 selected comparison stars seems to be possible candidate for long periodic variability and 4 stars may be standard stars. The variation in brightness of other twenty comparison stars is non-pulsating with irregular pattern. Membership analysis of variable stars are performed by using their distance, kinematic probability and location in (U−B) vs (B−V ) TCD. C-M diagrams were constructed to confirm the evolutionary state of the new variable stars.
An Oddity in the Human Development Index
Authors: Urzúa Carlos , Vilbert Jean
Published: February 2023

The Human Development Index is a summary measure of a country’s achievement in key dimensions of human progress. It is estimated using three indicators: life expectancy at birth, average years of schooling, and national income per capita. The aggregate index is calculated, after certain transformations, using their geometric mean to decrease the level of substitutability among those three dimensions. However, the indicator of education is estimated by simply averaging the mean of years of schooling received by adults and the expected years of education for children entering school. This paper shows that the latter variable is often overestimated and fluctuates widely across countries that are similar otherwise. This may distort the HDI by unintendedly magnifying the index in numerous instances, and by making countries with comparable levels of development to be ranked away from each other due to different schooling expectations. To ameliorate that distortion, we propose to estimate the indicator for education using 20-year windows to build a weighted geometric mean that captures countries’ factual advances in schooling two decades later. This paper shows that such a methodological improvement enhances the HDI’s consistency in identifying the levels of human development across countries.
JEL codes: I25, I28, I31, O15
Vasopressin induces apoptosis but does not enhance the antiproliferative effect of Dynamin 2 or PI3K/Akt inhibition in luminal A breast cancer cells
Authors: Alkafas Samar samy Mohamed , Loutfy Samah , Diab Thoria , Hessien Mohamed
Published: February 2023

Breast cancer cells abnormally express vasopressin (AVP) and its receptors. The effect of AVP is largely orchestrated through its downstream signaling and by receptor mediated endocytosis (RME), in which Dynamin 2 (Dyn2) plays an integral role in vesicle closure. In this work, luminal A breast cancer cells were treated with AVP, and then Dynasore (DYN) was employed to inhibit Dyn2 to explore the combined effect of AVP and Dyn2 inhibition on the survival of breast cancer cells. The results revealed that DYN alone demonstrated a concentration dependent cytotoxic effect in AVP untreated cells. Apoptosis developed in 29.7% and 30.3% of cells treated with AVP or AVP+DYN, respectively, compared to 32.5% in cells treated with Wortmannin (Wort, a selective PI3K pathway inhibitor). More apoptosis was observed when cells were treated with DYN+Wort in presence or absence of exogenous AVP. Besides, 2 or 4- fold increases in the expression of Bax and Caspase-3, were observed in cells exposed to AVP in absence or presence of DYN, respectively. This was associated with higher levels of the autophagy marker (LC3II protein). Meanwhile, the activation of Akt protein, sequentially decreased in the same pattern. Cell’s invasion decreased when they were exposed to AVP alone or combined with DYN or/and Wort. Conclusively, although many reports suggested the proliferative effect of AVP, the results predict the antiproliferative and antimetastatic effects of 100 nM AVP in luminal A breast cancer cells. However, the hormone did not enhance the cytotoxic effect of Dyn 2 or PI3K pathway inhibition.
Harmonised culture procedures minimise but not eliminate mesenchymal stromal cell donor and tissue variability in a decentralized multicentre manufacturing approach
Authors: Calcat-i-Cervera Sandra , Rendra Erika , Scaccia Eleonora , Amadeo Francesco , Hanson Vivien , Wilm Bettina , Murray Patricia , O'Brien Timothy , Taylor Arthur , Bieback Karen
Published: February 2023

Background: Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), commonly sourced from adipose tissue, bone marrow and umbilical cord, have been widely used in many medical conditions due to their therapeutic potential. Yet, the still limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms of action hampers clinical translation. Clinical potency can vary considerably depending on tissue source, donor attributes, but importantly, also culture conditions. Lack of standard procedures hinders inter-study comparability and delays the progression of the field. The aim of this study was A- to assess the impact on MSC characteristics when different laboratories, performed analysis on the same MSC material using harmonised culture conditions and B- to understand source-specific differences.
Methods: Three independent institutions performed a head-to-head comparison of human-derived adipose (A-), bone marrow (BM-), and umbilical cord (UC-) MSCs using harmonised culture conditions. In each centre, cells from one specific tissue source were isolated and later distributed across the network to assess their biological properties, including cell expansion, immune phenotype, and tri-lineage differentiation (part A). To assess tissue specific function, angiogenic and immunomodulatory properties and the in vivo biodistribution were compared in one expert lab (part B).
Results: By implementing a harmonised manufacturing workflow, we obtained largely reproducible results across three independent laboratories in part A of our study. Unique growth patterns and differentiation potential were observed for each tissue source, with similar trends observed between centres. Immune phenotyping verified expression of typical MSC surface markers and absence of contaminating surface markers. Depending on the established protocols in the different laboratories, quantitative data varied slightly. Functional experiments in part B concluded that conditioned media from BM-MSCs significantly enhanced tubulogenesis and endothelial migration in vitro. In contrast, immunomodulatory studies reported superior immunosuppressive abilities for A-MSCs. Biodistribution studies in healthy mice showed lung entrapment after administration of all three types of MSCs, with a significantly faster clearance of BM-MSCs.
Conclusion: These results show the heterogeneous behaviour and regenerative properties of MSCs as a reflection of intrinsic tissue-origin properties while providing evidence that the use of harmonised culture procedures can reduce but not eliminate inter-lab and operator differences.
Metabolic mechanism of astaxanthin biosynthesis in Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous in response to sodium citrate treatment
Authors: Pan Xueshan , Li Tonggang , Wang Baobei , Qi Shuhua , Yang Dandan , Huang Zheng , Gao Renfei , Li Jingyan , Ling Xueping , Lu Yinghua
Published: February 2023

Astaxanthin is an important ketocarotenoid widely used in industries, but the application of astaxanthin is limited due to its low yield. Sodium citrate (Na-citrate), one of the major carbon sources for the microorganism, can promote cell growth and product accumulation. The basidiomycetous red yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous was chosen to study the effect of Na-citrate on cell growth and astaxanthin synthesis. The highest biomass and astaxanthin yield (6.04 g/L and 22.53 mg/L) were obtained in Shake-flask when adding 3 g/L Na-citrate at 24 h, which were 1.8 and 2.0 times higher than those of the control group, respectively. Furthermore, metabolomics and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis were conducted to study the metabolic pathways of X. dendrorhousin response to Na-citrate, which revealed that Na-citrate facilitated glucose consumption, promoted the metabolic flux from glycolysis, and regulated the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, providing more energy and substrates for the synthesis of astaxanthin. The gene analysis presented that adding Na-citrate significantly upregulated the expression of six key genes (ICL, HMGS, crtE, crtYB, crtI and crtS) involved in pathways related to astaxanthin biosynthesis. These results provided the potential valuable strategy to stimulate astaxanthin production by exogenous Na-citrate in X. dendrorhous.
Heads-on skyrmion collisions
Authors: Corte-León Héctor , Khanjani Mehran Vafaee , Jakob Gerhard , Kläui Mathias , Garcia-Sanchez Felipe , Barton Craig , Kazakova Olga
Published: February 2023

Magnetic textures known as skyrmions have captured the attention of the scientific community working on magnetism for a large part of the last decade due to their potential application in novel neuromorphic devices to carry information and perform computational operations[1, 2]. This is due to the ease of manipulation with electrical currents, and the stability of individual skyrmions against interactions with defects or other skyrmions. Now, while there are plenty of reports on skyrmion manipulation using electrical currents, there are very few studies of skyrmion-to-skyrmion interactions (i.e. skyrmion collisions). While there have recently been studies on skyrmion lattices to extract the interaction potential[3, 4], a more direct approach is to manipulate individual skyrmions directly, which however has been challenging so far. The reason for that is that very few tools allow for manipulating skyrmions individually and with enough precision to cause collisions in a controllable and repeatable way. In here, we show how using magnetic force microscopy (MFM), and the field gradient produced by MFM probes, it is possible to visualize skyrmions, manipulate them, and create skyrmion collisions to study skyrmion-to-skyrmion interactions or investigate the role of pinning at material defects.
Feasibility Study Protocol: Investigating Family Reported Outcome Measures (FROMs) in the Estimation of Societal Value of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs)
Authors: Brilliant Charles
Published: February 2023

Background

Advance Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) are a novel class of therapeutics that target chronic and severe conditions, which can have an impact beyond the patient themselves; impacting the lives of partners and other family members. This impact is a major secondary burden of disease that in the past has often been ignored. The Family-Reported Outcome Measure (FROM-16) is the first generic questionnaire designed to measure the impact of any disease on the quality of life of family members of patients with any health condition.
We seek to validate the FROM-16 as an instrument for assessing family impact of patients receiving ATMPs and demonstrate a potential mechanism for measuring this impact.

Methods

Up to 30 patients of any age who are preparing for ATMP treatment, or who have received an ATMP treatment, and their family members aged 18 years or older, attending ATMP provider sites within the Midland-Wales Advanced Therapy Treatment Centre will be recruited into this study.
Family members will be asked to complete the FROM-16 and Global Health Score questionnaires, provide basic demographic information and complete a short semi-structured interview conducted by a member of the study team. The interview will provide data to contextualise the FROM-16 responses and allow construct and content validity to be assessed. Themes of experience will be identified from interview transcripts.
The FROM-16 responses will be evaluated with respect to total score, domain score, and individual item score. Reliability of responses between and within domains will be assessed by intraclass correlation.

Discussion

Collecting FROM data from families can be important for demonstrating the wider impact of disease. This study, if successful, will demonstrate that collecting family-reported outcomes using the FROM-16 is a valid mechanism for demonstrating this impact within the population of ATMP patients and their families, and will provide evidence of the overall quality of life impact experienced by partners and family members of such patients, and the specific impacts as identified from the two domains and 16 questions within FROM-16.

Trial Registration

This trial has been adopted onto the NIHR portfolio (I.D. 51376) and registered with https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05141318 (#NCT05141318) in December 2021.
Towards interpretable speech biomarkers: explaining MFCC2
Authors: Tracey Brian , Volfson Dmitri , Glass James , Haulcy R'mani , Kostrzebski Melissa , Adams Jamie , Kangarloo Tairmae , Brodtmann Amy , Dorsey E. , Vogel Adam
Published: February 2023

Speech biomarkers of disease have attracted increased clinical interest in recent years, but interpretation of clinical features derived from signal processing or machine learning approaches remains challenging. As an example, the second Mel frequency cepstral coefficient (MFCC2) has been identified in several studies as a useful marker of disease, but continues to be treated as uninterpretable. Here we show that MFCC2 can be interpreted as a weighted ratio of low- to high-frequency energy, a concept which has been previously linked to disease-induced increases in aspiration noise caused by incomplete vocal fold closure, and also show how its sensitivity to disease can be increased by adjusting computation parameters.
Upregulation of rhodopsin gene in regenerated retina followed by adipose-derived stem cell therapy in a rat model
Authors: shojaee Hanieh habibzadeh , Sabbaghian Marjan , Yaghmaei Parichehreh , Nourani Mohamad Reza
Published: February 2023

Background:
Retinal degenerative diseases, including age-related macular degeneration, Stargardt disease, and retinitis pigmentosa are phenotypically diverse and lead to photoreceptor cell death and downregulation of rhodopsin gene expression.
Retinal degeneration is difficult to treat; therefore, artificial devices, autologous grafts, and the retinal donation should be used to replace damaged tissues or organs.
Methods:
In this study, the photoreceptor layer of the retinal tissue of rats was damaged by intravitreal sodium iodate (NaIO3) administration. Following the confirmation of retinal damage, intravitreal injections of adipose stem cells with a hydrogel scaffold were implanted into the intravitreal space’s retinas of rats.
The process of retinal regeneration was assessed by histopathology, and RT-PCR analyzed the expression of the rhodopsin gene.
Results:
Histopathological examination demonstrated that injecting a suitable biomaterial hydrogel and mesenchymal stem cells improved tissue regeneration. In addition, the data showed that the expression of the rhodopsin gene was upregulated in repaired retinal tissue compared to damaged tissue.
Conclusion:
NaIO3 injection into the intravitreal space of rats’ results in severe retina injury. The application of mesenchymal stem cells is suggested as competent cells to cure degenerative retinal defects. This model could be a valuable tool for seeking and evaluating novel therapeutic modalities for the treatment of retinal degeneration.
in situ Tracking Water Oxidation Generated Lattice Strain Effects in Layered Double Hydroxides Nanosheets
Authors: Wang Yuqing , chen Chao , Xiong Xuya , Skaanvik Sebastian , Wang Zegao , Bøjesen Espen , Liu Wei , Dong Mingdong
Published: February 2023

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been identified as a potential catalyst for water oxidation, and it is recognized that they exhibit a dynamic and heterogeneous evolution of their lattice structure during their operation. In this study, we investigate the dynamic and heterogeneous evolution of LDHs during operation as a water oxidation catalyst usingin situelectrochemical atomic force microscopy. Our results demonstrate that the lattice strain in LDHs triggers its heterogeneous structural dynamics at the nanoscale and has implications for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) performance. The NiCo LDHs transforms to catalytically active NiCoOx(OH)2−xphase during operation, which produces compressive lattice strain and reversible tensile strain. The compressive strain along active edge sites of the nanosheets results in structural collapse and long-term degradation. Additionally, nanobubbles nucleate and grow at the electrocatalytic interfaces, leading to surface blockage and deterioration of catalytic efficiency. By engineering defects, we can precisely tune the strain and gas behavior during operation, leading to improved OER activity and stability among LDHs-based catalysts
Evaluation of genetic diversity of figs (Ficus carica L.) in Sulaymaniyah governorate using morphological, pomological and specific molecular markers
Authors: Ahmad Faraidun Karim , Noori Ibrahim Maaroof
Published: February 2023

The fig (Ficus carica L.) is a fruit tree that is important in the Mediterranean region, and thus genetic improvement has become an important field of research for better crops, with information on this species, particularly its genetic variability correlate to morphological traits of fig, cultivars and wild types distributed in Sulaymaniyah province were being done. Samples from 66 fig accessions were collected, 15 primers for each ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeat) and SCoT (Start Codon Targeted Polymorphism) markers were used to describe genetic variation, with 12 morphological traits. Analysis of variance recorded highly significant differences concerning plant morphological, pomological traits and genetic diversity. The highest values for shoot length (79.959 cm), internode diameter (15.563 mm), leaf length (28.183 cm), leaf width (28.480 cm), leaf petiole length (13.397 cm) and leaf petiole diameter (18.360 mm) recorded in AC17, AC41, AC20, AC20, AC17 and AC24, respectively. However, the lowest values (11.120 cm, 4.340 mm, 10.910 cm, 9.813 cm, 3.987 cm and 2.323 mm) for the mentioned traits were recorded in AC14, AC12, AC12, AC12, AC37 and AC52, respectively. The highest values for fruit weight (63.447 g), fruit length (46.960 mm), fruit thickness (60.420 mm), fruit stalk length (29.887 mm), fruit stalk diameter (10.433 mm) and ostiole diameter (8.717 mm) were given in AC03, AC22, AC54, AC58, AC58 and AC14, successively. Whereas the lowest values (4.483 g, 14.770 mm, 18.497 mm, 2.373 mm, 2.533 mm and 2.557 mm) were observed in AC37, AC37, AC12, AC08, AC25 and AC30, successively. The two first principal components analysis (PCA) described 49.15% of the total quality variance. Both ISSR and SCoT markers produced 197 and 232 polymorphic bands. The genetic diversities ranged as (0.883 to 0.980) and (0.742 to 0.983), and polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged as (0.878 to 0.979) and (0.737 to 0.983), respectively, with 100% polymorphism levels.
The results indicated that natural fig populations in this region provide a rich genetic resource for fig germplasms, and significant genetic variation across accessions originating from different populations, as well as both markers were informative for genetic variability detection in the collections.. The findings of this study could support in the conservation and further utilization of fig germplasm.
Identifying and alleviating the durability challenges in membrane-electrode-assembly devices for high-rate CO electrolysis
Authors: Xu Qiucheng , Garg Sahil , Moss Asger , Mirolo Marta , Chorkendorff Ib , Drnec Jakub , Seger Brian
Published: February 2023

CO electrolysis (COE) has emerged as an important alternative technology to couple with other sustainable techniques for transitioning towards a carbon-neutral future. A large challenge for the deployment of high-rate COE is the limited durability of the membrane-electrode-assembly (MEA). In this work, by utilizing an operando wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) technique and monitoring the change of electrolyte, we identified several degradation mechanisms of the MEA during high-rate COE. Cathodic gas diffusion electrode (GDE) flooding and metal contaminants (crossover from anode) are two major issues causing excessive HER, which can be partly alleviated by increasing the PTFE content in the GDEs and using an alkaline stable Ni-based anode. When analyzing MEA’s long-term stability, the dynamic evolution of anolyte became the major issue: the pH would continuously drop due to cathodic acetate formation and anodic ethanol oxidation. By compensating for this issue, we maintained a Faradaic Efficiency (FE) of C2+ products to be over 70% during a 136-h testing period. Our findings provide clear guidelines to circumvent the durability challenges for high-rate CO/CO2 electrolysis.
Understanding geriatric models of care for older adults living with HIV: A Scoping Review and Qualitative Analysis
Authors: Kokorelias Kristina Marie , Grosse Anna , Zhabokritsky Alice , Sirisegaram Luxey
Published: February 2023

Background
Advances in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) treatment have reduced mortality rates and consequently increased the number of individuals with HIV living into older age. Despite this, people aged 50 years and older have been left behind in recent HIV treatment and prevention campaigns, and a gold-standard model of care for this population has not yet been defined. Developing evidence-based geriatric HIV models of care can support an accessible, equitable, and sustainable HIV health care system that ensures older adults have access to care that meets their needs now and in the future.
Methods
Guided by Arksey & O’Malley (2005), a scoping review was conducted to determine the key components of, identify gaps in the literature about, and provide recommendations for future research into geriatric models of care for individuals with HIV. Five databases and the grey literature were systematically searched. The titles, abstracts and full texts of the search results were screened independently in duplicate. Data were analyzed using a qualitative case study and key component analysis approach to identify necessary model components.
Results
5702 studies underwent title and abstract screening, with 154 entering full-text review. 13 peer-reviewed and 0 grey literature sources were included. Most articles were from North America. We identified three primary model of care components that may improve the successful delivery of geriatric care to people living with HIV: Collaboration and Integration; Organization of Geriatric Care; and Pillars of Holistic Care. Most articles included some aspects of all three components.
Conclusion
To provide effective geriatric care to older persons living with HIV, health services and systems are encouraged to use an evidence-based framework and should consider incorporating the distinct model of care characteristics that we have identified in the literature. However, there is limited data about models in developing countries and long-term care settings, and limited knowledge of the role of family, friends and peers in supporting the geriatric care of individuals living with HIV. Future evaluative research is encouraged to determine the impact of optimal components of geriatric models of care on patient outcomes.
Expert Opinion in the Design of a Motor Neurone Disease Diagnostic Study
Authors: Williams Cameron J. , Wilson Kevin J. , Jaiser Stephan R. , Wilson Nina , Williams Timothy L. , Baker Mark R.
Published: February 2023

Background

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a rapidly progressing and rare neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive weakness, muscle wasting, and death from respiratory failure within 36 months of symptom onset. To date, clinical trials in MND have failed to identify therapeutic interventions that halt disease progression, possibly because the majority of patients are recruited to trials too late in the disease course. To recruit patients earlier, diagnostic criteria for MND now include evidence of subclinical disease in unaffected muscles, as assessed by needle electromyography (EMG). Whilst other electrodiagnostic tests of subclinical disease could be incorporated into these criteria alongside needle EMG, it is unclear whether this would provide additional diagnostic accuracy/certainty. Here we use beta-band intermuscular (EMG-EMG) coherence (BIMC) as an example of how this issue can be addressed with statistical confidence in future studies.

Methods

Using the BIMC test as a case study, we provide a statistical framework for the incorporation of expert knowledge into the choice of sample size using expert elicitation and Bayesian assurance calculations. Probability distributions were elicited from seven clinical experts and aggregated to form group consensus distributions.

Results

The Bayesian assurance calculations led to a smaller required sample size than traditional statistical power calculations. The quantification and incorporation of clinical expert knowledge and uncertainty in sample size calculations can provide better calibrated predictions of study outcomes and ensure the most appropriate sample size is chosen.
Clinical experts reported the sensitivity of the Awaji criteria in line with previous studies, providing evidence of the validity of the results. We note that multiple experts understated estimates of specificity compared to the literature, though this may be due to the format of the questions or the design of the case study.

Conclusions

Bayesian assurance can be used alongside expert elicitation to design diagnostic accuracy studies. While we focus on the BIMC test case study, the methods presented are relevant and can be applied to other emerging tests relevant to MND.
The Gap in the Unifying View Closed
Authors: Gofen Alexander
Published: February 2023

In 2009 a new theory in the Complex analysis, unifying the old concept of elementary functions with Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs), Automatic Differentiation (AD), and analytic continuation, was presented [1]. In it, two competing definitions of the vector elementary vs. scalar (or stand-alone) elementary functions were introduced, so that the question about their equivalency immediately surfaced up. The gap in the Unifying View was the Conjecture, claiming that a system of m first-order explicit polynomial ODEs may be converted into one n-order rational ODE with a nonzero denominator at the given point. Also earlier, in 2007 the similar question emerged in connection with a new type of special points where the function is holomorphic, but its scalar elementariness is violated [2]. Such a function can satisfy no rational n-order ODE regular at this point. Is the similar statement true also for systems of rational ODEs? This question reduced to the same Conjecture, posed in both papers, remaining unsolved since 2008. Finally, in this paper the Conjecture is proved closing the gap in the Unifying View and finalizing this theory. The Conjecture was proved thanks to its reformulation into terms of algebra, and collaboration with algebraists George Bergman and Alexander Givental, exemplifying a case of a successful interdisciplinary synergy.
Mathematics Subject Classification. 34A09; 34A34; 34A12.
Robust output tracking, disturbance attenuation and synchronization for a class of Lur’e systems: a high-gain, fractional-order control approach
Authors: D'Alfonso Luigi , Fedele Giuseppe , Pugliese Paolo
Published: February 2023

This paper addresses the problem of output tracking and unknown disturbances attenuation for a class of nonlinear systems. The class consists of a forward path, containing a linear, time-invariant element, and a feedback path containing a sector-bounded nonlinearity. Under some hypotheses on the frequency response of the linear part of the plant, a high-gain fractional-order controller is proposed that guarantees the absolute stability of the system and the fulfilment of the requested performance. The proposed approach is then used to address the problem of output synchronization for chaotic systems.
Current clinical presentations of AIDS dementia in a tropical environment: study of twenty-six (26) observations in the Neurology department of the University Hospital of Conakry.
Authors: Touré¹ Mohamed Lamine , Sakadi² Foksouna , Keita⁵ Mamady Mory , Othon¹ Guelngar Carlos , Diallo¹ Souleymane M'bara , Baldé³ Thierno Hamidou , Kassa¹ Francois Dago , Diallo¹ Bademba , Hinima¹ Mandandi , Diallo¹ Mariama Boubacar , Aminou Sanny Yaya , Camara¹ Namory , Kadji¹ Juste Milman , Konaté⁴  , Cissé¹ Fodé Abass , Cissé¹ Amara
Published: February 2023

Introduction-In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the clinical and progressive diagnostic certainty of AIDS dementia is difficult to establish due to under-medicalization and delays in consultation and especially the diversity of etiologies of demented states. Material and methods: We carried out a retrospective study of 196 patients hospitalized for dementia syndrome between 2016 and 2021 in the neurology department of the University Hospital of Conakry. The criteria labeled in this study are those retained by the DSM-IV and the classification of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) developed in accordance with the WHO. Results- The HIV etiology was retained in patients aged 44 to 67 (17 women and 19 men). The clinical picture is dominated by severe cognitive disorders, slowing of ideation, memory disorders, reduced motor skills associated with personality change. Neurological examination revealed dysphoric disorders in most patients, sphincter abnormalities in 13 cases and tremor of the labio-lingual region in 11 cases. The diagnosis was based on the positivity of the serological reactions with detection of HIV1 and 2 antibodies by the Elisa and Western Blot technique and the presence of CSF with a discreet hypercellularity. Magnetic resonance imaging contributed to the diagnosis by showing diffuse abnormalities of the white matter in the form of hypersignals on T2- or Flair-weighted sequences. Conclusion-This study shows a non-stereotype clinical picture of AIDS dementia requiring a differential diagnosis with other infectious dementias. These results are important for the therapeutic and prognostic discussion.
High-resolution mapping and evolution of steel stocks and waste in civil buildings: A case study of Changsha, China
Authors: Chen Youlliang , Gong Qu , Shi Yan , Deng Min
Published: February 2023

Systematic estimation of steel stocks and waste in urban areas and analysis of its historical evolution pattern is crucial for urban buildings steel recycling and environmental sustainability. However, it is a challenging task to collect big data from different sources and estimate accurately with high resolution. In this study, we proposed a novel hybrid approach (GMB model) to estimate building steel stocks and the annual waste rate through combining Geographic Information System, Material Flow Analysis, and Big Data Mining techniques. We estimated the civil-building steel stocks and amount of waste in Changsha urban area from 1985 to 2020 based on the GMB model, and analyzed the historical evolution pattern of steel stocks by using standard deviation ellipse and kernel density. The results showed that the cumulative steel stock in civil buildings grew from 0.66 million tons in 1985 to 8.26 million tons in 2020. The amount of waste increased by 2557 times. The spatiotemporal analysis showed variations in distribution of the steel stocks are mainly concentrated in the central city, indicating a "central-peripheral" distribution, with a southward trend in the standard deviation ellipse and a southeast-northwest direction in the center of gravity of the steel stocks. There is low-high and high-low spatial aggregation patterns. We also compared the experimental results with the observed data to determine the feasibility of the GMB model. Our study can promote the management of steel resources recycling and aid to achieve the green and low-carbon goals in sustainable development policies.
Detection of Exon 10 Mutation (rs6020) in Factor V Gene in Sudanese patients with Deep Vein Thrombosis
Authors: Bkheit Amel I. , Abdalla Abdalla M. , Elsayid Mohieldin , Altayeb Hisham N. , Alla Ahmed Bakheet Abd
Published: February 2023

Background:
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a subgroup of venous thromboembolism (VTE), is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality globally, accounting for 60,000-100,000 fatalities per year. It affects around 0.1 percent of the population each year. In Sudanese patients with DVT, this study looked for probable harmful single nucleotide polymorphisms in exon 10 of the factor V gene.
Method:
Thirty blood samples were obtained from previously diagnosed DVT patients at Omdurman teaching hospital throughout the period of 16 August to 25 October 2018, as part of a descriptive cross-sectional research in Khartoum state. Exon 10 was amplified by PCR using sequence-specific primers after DNA was extracted using the guanidine chloride procedure. The fifteen best bands' PCR products were sequenced in both directions (BGI Company). Bioinformatics techniques were used to examine the sequences (Finch TV, BLAST, and Codon Code alignment).
Result:
The presence of a missense mutation (rs6020) in the factor V Leiden gene was discovered in 40% (6/15) of the patients in this investigation. In five cases, this mutation was heterozygous, whereas in one patient, it was homozygous. In the other nine cases, no mutations were found.
Conclusion:
rs6020 is more prevalent in the Sudanese population than other types of mutations. rs6020 polymorphism has a strong association with deep vein thrombosis in the Sudanese population. Further investigation of this mutation amongst larger Sudanese population is required in order to support this finding as well as to understand its clinical significance.