bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Agrotechnical indicators of working bodies for tillage of fallow fields in summer
Authors: Kambulov S I , Rykov V B , Bozhko I V , Podlesniy D S , Chikrizova V B , Ivanova T A
Published: March 2023

The article discusses the options of working bodies for tillage of steam fields in the summer. These studies are aimed at obtaining agrotechnical indicators of the technological process of tillage of steam fields. In particular, the design of the working body in the form of a flat one-sided paw is proposed. Laboratory and field studies were carried out to determine the qualitative indicators of the technological process of fine tillage, with all variants of working bodies. During the research, such indicators were established as: the optimal (recommended) speed of the unit, the depth of tillage by working bodies, the width of the unit (working), the average square deviation in the depth of processing and the width of the grip. The aggregate composition of the soil was assessed by fractions, the content of erosive-hazardous particles before and after the passage of the unit, pruning or destruction of weeds and the ridge of the field surface after the passage of the unit. Data on the dynamics of soil moisture after several treatments of steam fields with various variants of working bodies were obtained. As a result of the research, it was found that the working body in the form of a flat one-sided paw, in comparison with the working body of a serial steam cultivator, allows to reduce the depth of processing by 1.6 cm (up to 5.2 cm), to reduce the value of the combiness of the treated surface by 2.4-3.4 cm, while ensuring complete pruning of weeds both annual and perennial. The variants of working bodies considered in the article for processing steam fields in the summer and the studies carried out to determine their quality indicators will allow creating machine-technological units for promising mechanized technologies of tillage in arid agriculture.
On the role of wind direction in the thermal bar dynamics in autumn: A numerical study
Authors: Tsydenov B O
Published: March 2023

The effect of wind direction on the dynamics of the thermal bar in autumn was studied in Barguzin Bay of Lake Baikal by numerical modeling. An analysis of the temperature fields simulated showed that wind direction was essential to thermal bar development and temperature distribution. Easterly wind, in contrast to westerly wind, contributed to increased speed of the surface propagation of the thermal bar toward the open lake. The results presented here also demonstrate that autumnal cooling of Barguzin Bay was faster during easterly wind activity.
The influence of the level of Lake Tenis on the flooding and underflooding of agricultural land in the adjacent territory
Authors: Tusupbekov J A , Nadtochy V S
Published: March 2023

The processes of flooding and underflooding, observed during the overflow of closed reservoirs located in the conditions of a flat-depression flat terrain, may be the result of natural causes, when the incoming part of the water balance exceeds the outgoing part. In the case when the reservoir is flowing, the level rise is often associated with anthropogenic influence. In most cases, flooding processes are the result of a combination of causes, which in the general case can be natural and man-made. The correct choice of dewatering systems is possible only if the causes of waterlogging are precisely established. The article considers the consequences of flooding and underflooding of agricultural land (hayfields, pastures) of the “Tracts of Koshara” in the Tyukalinsky district, which is presumably associated with an increase in the level of Lake Saltaim - Tenis, regulated by a dam at the outlet of the Osha River (Ust-Logatka village) in Krutinsky area. In this regard, the purpose of the study is to determine the causes of flooding and the position of the boundaries of the zone of flooding of agricultural land in the Tyukalinsky district under conditions of an increase in the level of Lake Tenis.
Towards a Large-Scale “Green Energy”: Multifunctional Protective Coatings for Nuclear Engineering Structural Materials
Authors: Okunev V S
Published: March 2023

The main task of the research is to analyze the possibility of using tungsten protective coatings in fast nuclear power reactors cooled by a lead. The author uses computational and optimization research methods. A comprehensive analysis of the properties of tungsten, including the properties of thin tungsten coatings, has been carried out. The results obtained make it possible to consider tungsten coatings of structural materials as multifunctional protective coatings. They perform the functions of protecting against corrosion and erosion of structural materials in liquid lead. They increase the thermal conductivity of fuel claddings and contribute to a decrease in the maximum fuel temperature in the nominal and emergency operating modes of the reactor. The only disadvantage of tungsten when used in nuclear technology is associated with a high neutron absorption cross section. This disadvantage can be an advantage in minimizing the void reactivity effect. The necessary neutron balance is ensured by using a coolant based on lead thorium ores and innovative ceramic fuel with the addition of uranium metal nanopowder. The significance of research is determined by the possibility of the transition of nuclear energy to the status of “green” environmentally acceptable and safe energy in the near future.
Pleistocene gaps in the areas of birds of Eastern Siberia and their filling in the modern period of climate warming
Authors: Mel’nikov Yu I
Published: March 2023

Based on long-term studies (1968-2022), materials are presented on the change in the areas of birds in Eastern Siberia, caused by pronounced climate warming in the second half of the 20th - early 21st centuries. During the period of the last strong Pleistocene cooling, this territory was characterized by mountain-valley icing. As a result, the common areas of many bird species were torn apart. Subsequently, in isolated groups, evolution followed different paths, which led to the emergence of new closely related species. At present, due to the strong warming of the climate in Eastern Siberia (1.9°/100 years on average) and the change in the area boundaries of many bird species, the former gaps in their areas are being filled. For many bird species, secondary contact has been recorded with the formation of vast transitional zones in which their areas overlap to some extent. So far, there are relatively few of them, but the general trend towards overlapping areas of a number of bird species can be seen quite clearly. Among the species with area gaps without further speciation, shorebirds sharply predominate. However, among the species whose area gap ended in speciation, their number is significantly reduced. The current period of sharp climate warming and a significant change in the areas of birds in Eastern Siberia is characterized by a sharp increase in their biodiversity. However, it is combined with the low population density of many species, especially those new to the ecosystems of the region. Such a situation requires increased attention to the existing structure of the bird population and its dynamics, since it is observed extremely rarely - the shortest duration of the known centuries-old climate cycle is about 2000 years.
The use of regionalized agricultural raw materials of plant origin in the production of the base for enriched combined liver pates
Authors: Borisova V L , Stefanova I L , Sazonova E A , Vernigor A V , Kulikova M G
Published: March 2023

This article presents an overview of materials on the nutritional value of functional foodstuffs in demand in the diet of a modern person, enriched with oil flax seeds and gymnosperm pumpkin pulp. The article presents the results of a study of the quality and nutritional value of seeds of oil flax “Uralsky” and pumpkin gymnosperms grown on the territory of the experimental field of the FSBEI HE “Smolensk State Agricultural Academy”. The method determined the amount of input enriching raw materials for chicken liver bases.The ratio of proteins and fats in chicken liver and this ratio in the combined basis was studied.Improved this ratio and greater compliance with the requirements of a balanced diet.
Mining tools and patent analytics: new capabilities
Authors: Nikitenko S M , Korolev M K
Published: March 2023

The paper discusses feasibility of analyzing promising design solutions using the Patent Landscape analysis even before starting construction of new mining machines in terms of the mining tools. The authors suppose that the purpose-oriented adaptation of the patent analytics tools can help develop methodology of forecasting and substantiation of mining machine performance.
Changes in the stream discharge in the forest-steppe zone in the XXI century under the environmental regime (based on the research of the dynamics of the length of the channel network of elementary watercourses on the territory of the “Sengileevskie Mountains” National Park Ulyanovsk region, Russia))
Authors: Astashin A E , Badin M M , Vatina O E , Podkovyrina V M , Harutyunyan G E
Published: March 2023

The article presents the results of researching changes in the stream discharge in the forest-steppe zone in the XXI century in the conditions of the environmental regime. Due to the lack of data on the stream discharge within the researched area in previous years, the length of the channel network is considered as an indicator of water content – an indicator that generally correlates with the value of the length of the channel network. Elementary watercourses are taken as the object of research, since in short periods they are able to show high variability under the influence of external conditions, especially if it is necessary to establish the influence of specific local factors. The research was conducted on the territory of the “Sengileevskie Mountains” National Park, which lies within the Volga landscape region and the Low Volga region in the forest-steppe zone. This territory exists in the conditions of the nature protection regime and has a high forest cover. The research was based on the materials of the expedition work carried out in the summer of 2022. and the results of geoinformation analysis of topographic maps reflecting the position of the sources of elementary watercourses in 2001. As a result of the expedition work, the length of the channels of elementary watercourses as of 2022 has been established, the indicator of the change in the length of their channels in the XXI century – from 2001 to 2022 has been calculated. The fact of the multidirectional dynamics of the length of the channel network of elementary watercourses is established. In the conditions of the nature protection regime established at the beginning of the XXI century, against the background of the restoration of the landscapes of the researched territory, there is an increase in the length of the channel network of elementary watercourses, which has a correlation with the areal indicators of the restoration of natural plant communities – forests and meadows.
Investigation of ice accretion effect on the aerodynamic characteristics of a wind turbine blade tip after a short icing event
Authors: Kangash A I , Pankratov E V , Kosarev I A , Maryandyshev P A , Virk M S
Published: March 2023

The paper investigates the flow behavior near the NACA 64-618 airfoil profile of the blade tip section of a wind turbine for electric power production after a short icing event. The flow simulation considering the rotation speed of the wind turbine blade is performed to assess the effect of icing on the aerodynamic characteristics. Degradation of aerodynamic characteristics affects the electrical energy production of the wind turbine. The aerodynamic lift and drag coefficients are calculated for different angles of attack. The flow velocity fields near the airfoil are analyzed. The pressure coefficient distributions along the profile surface are obtained. The points of flow stall and changes of aerodynamic characteristics at different angles of attack are determined.
Hausdorff operators on Fock spaces and a coefficient multiplier problem
Authors: Galanopoulos P. , Stylogiannis G.
Published: March 2023

Let

μ
\mu

be a positive Borel measure on the positive real axis. We study the integral operator
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="script upper H Subscript mu Baseline left-parenthesis f right-parenthesis left-parenthesis z right-parenthesis equals integral Underscript left-parenthesis 0 comma normal infinity right-parenthesis Endscripts StartFraction 1 Over t EndFraction f left-parenthesis StartFraction z Over t EndFraction right-parenthesis d mu left-parenthesis t right-parenthesis comma z element-of double-struck upper C comma">

H

μ

(
f
)
(
z
)
=

∫

(
0
,
∞
)

1
t

f

(

z
t

)

d
μ
(
t
)
,

z
∈

C

,

\begin{equation*} \mathcal {H}_{\mu }(f)(z)=\int _{(0,\infty )}\frac {1}{t}f\left (\frac {z}{t}\right ) d\mu (t),\quad z\in \mathbb {C}, \end{equation*}

acting on the Fock spaces

F

α

p

F^{p}_{\alpha }

,

p
∈
[
1
,
∞
]
,
α
>
0

p\in [1,\infty ],\alpha >0

. Its action is easily seen to be a coefficient multiplication operator by the moment sequence

μ
n

=

∫

[
1
,
∞
)

1

t

n
+
1

d
μ
(
t
)
.

\begin{equation*} \mu _n= \int _{[1,\infty )}\frac {1}{t^{n+1}} d\mu (t). \end{equation*}

We prove that
<mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" alttext="double-vertical-bar script upper H Subscript mu Baseline double-vertical-bar Subscript upper F Sub Subscript alpha Sub Superscript p Subscript right-arrow upper F Sub Subscript alpha Sub Superscript p Subscript Baseline equals integral Underscript left-bracket 1 comma normal infinity right-parenthesis Endscripts StartFraction 1 Over t EndFraction d mu left-parenthesis t right-parenthesis comma 1 less-than-or-equal-to p less-than-or-equal-to normal infinity period">

‖

H

μ

‖

F

α

p

→

F

α

p

=

∫

[
1
,
∞
)

1
t

d
μ
(
t
)
,

1
≤
p
≤
∞
.

\begin{equation*} \|\mathcal {H}_{\mu }\|_{F^{p}_{\alpha }\to F^{p}_{\alpha }}=\int _{[1,\infty )}\frac {1}{t} d\mu (t),\quad 1\leq p\leq \infty . \end{equation*}

It turns out that

H

μ

\mathcal {H}_{\mu }

is compact on

F

α

p

,
p
∈
(
1
,
∞
)

F^{p}_{\alpha },p\in (1,\infty )

if and only if

μ
(
{
1
}
)
=
0

\mu (\{1\})=0

. In addition, we completely characterize the Schatten class membership of

H

μ

\mathcal {H}_{\mu }

.
Exploring the Multidimensional Relationship Between Medication Beliefs and Adherence to Medications Among Older Adults Living With Multimorbidity Using Polynomial Regression: An Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Foley Louise , Doherty Ann S , Wallace Emma , Boland Fiona , Hynes Lisa , Murphy Andrew W , Molloy Gerard J
Published: March 2023

Background

People living with multimorbidity may hold complex beliefs about medicines, potentially influencing adherence. Polynomial regression offers a novel approach to examining the multidimensional relationship between medication beliefs and adherence, overcoming limitations associated with difference scores.

Purpose

To explore the multidimensional relationship between medication beliefs and adherence among people living with multimorbidity.

Methods

Secondary analysis was conducted using observational data from a cohort of older adults living with ≥2 chronic conditions, recruited from 15 family practices in Ireland in 2010 (n = 812) and followed up in 2012 (n = 515). Medication beliefs were measured with the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire-Specific. Adherence was assessed with the medication possession ratio using prescription data from the national primary care reimbursement service. Polynomial regression was used to explore the best-fitting multidimensional models for the relationship between (i) beliefs and adherence at baseline, and (ii) beliefs at baseline and adherence at follow-up.

Results

Confirmatory polynomial regression rejected the difference-score model, and exploratory polynomial regression indicated quadratic models for both analyses. Reciprocal effects were present in both analyses (slope [Analysis 1]: β = 0.08, p = .007; slope [Analysis 2]: β = 0.07, p = .044), indicating that adherence was higher when necessity beliefs were high and concern beliefs were low. Nonreciprocal effects were also present in both analyses (slope [Analysis 1]: β = 0.05, p = .006; slope [Analysis 2]: β = 0.04, p = .043), indicating that adherence was higher when both necessity and concern beliefs were high.

Conclusions

Among people living with multimorbidity, there is evidence that the relationship between medication beliefs and adherence is multidimensional. Attempts to support adherence should consider the combined role of necessity and concern beliefs.
Agnotology in Palestine/Israel
Authors: Fahoum Basma , Dubnov Arie M
Published: March 2023

This essay, a product of a reflection and dialogue between a Palestinian and a Jewish Israeli, revisits the so-called "Teddy Katz Affair," a heated debate that erupted first in 2000 but resurfaced recently due to a new documentary. The Affair was triggered by a newspaper article reporting about a master’s thesis, which relied heavily on oral testimonies, that concluded that war crimes against Palestinians were committed during the 1948 War in the village of Tantura. After chronicling briefly the sequence of events — which included a libel suit, a public debate, and retraction of the thesis by the university — this article assesses its broader impact on the historiography of Palestine/Israel. Finally, it proposes to employ the term “agnotology” to describe the mechanisms that were developed to distort and silence Palestinian narratives in Israel. Agnotology, it is suggested, is a concept that better captures the hierarchies of knowledge that were used to distinguish Jewish testimonials from Palestinian memories and the process by which they were absorbed and codified by academic historians following the Affair.
III—Sympathy, Empathy, and Twitter: Reflections on Social Media Inspired by an Eighteenth-Century Debate
Authors: Herzog Lisa
Published: March 2023

How can the harm caused by waves of fake news or derogatory speech on social media be minimized without unduly limiting freedom of expression? I draw on an eighteenth-century debate for thinking about this problem: Hume and Smith present two different models of the transmission of emotions and ideas. Empathetic processes are causal, almost automatic processes; sympathy, in contrast, means putting oneself into the other person’s position and critically evaluating how one should react. I use this distinction to argue that the architectural logic of social media should be improved to prevent cumulative harms and to facilitate sympathetic processes.
Cooperative driver pathways discovery by multiplex network embedding
Authors: Wang Jun , Chen Xi , Wu Zhengtian , Guo Maozu , Yu Guoxian
Published: March 2023

Cooperative driver pathways discovery helps researchers to study the pathogenesis of cancer. However, most discovery methods mainly focus on genomics data, and neglect the known pathway information and other related multi-omics data; thus they cannot faithfully decipher the carcinogenic process. We propose CDPMiner (Cooperative Driver Pathways Miner) to discover cooperative driver pathways by multiplex network embedding, which can jointly model relational and attribute information of multi-type molecules. CDPMiner first uses the pathway topology to quantify the weight of genes in different pathways, and optimizes the relations between genes and pathways. Then it constructs an attributed multiplex network consisting of micro RNAs, long noncoding RNAs, genes and pathways, embeds the network through deep joint matrix factorization to mine more essential information for pathway-level analysis and reconstructs the pathway interaction network. Finally, CDPMiner leverages the reconstructed network and mutation data to define the driver weight between pathways to discover cooperative driver pathways. Experimental results on Breast invasive carcinoma and Stomach adenocarcinoma datasets show that CDPMiner can effectively fuse multi-omics data to discover more driver pathways, which indeed cooperatively trigger cancers and are valuable for carcinogenesis analysis. Ablation study justifies CDPMiner for a more comprehensive analysis of cancer by fusing multi-omics data.
A review of the International Seabed Authority database DeepData from a biological perspective: challenges and opportunities in the UN Ocean Decade
Authors: Rabone M , Horton T , Jones D O B , Simon-Lledó E , Glover A G
Published: March 2023

There is an urgent need for high-quality biodiversity data in the context of rapid environmental change. Nowhere is this need more urgent than in the deep ocean, with the possibility of seabed mining moving from exploration to exploitation, but where vast knowledge gaps persist. Regions of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction, managed by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), are undergoing intensive mining exploration, including the Clarion–Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the Central Pacific. In 2019, the ISA launched its database ‘DeepData’, publishing environmental (including biological) data. Here, we explore how DeepData could support biological research and environmental policy development in the CCZ (and wider ocean regions) and whether data are findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR). Given the direct connection of DeepData with the regulator of a rapidly developing potential industry, this review is particularly timely. We found evidence of extensive duplication of datasets; an absence of unique record identifiers and significant taxonomic data–quality issues, compromising FAIRness of the data. The publication of DeepData records on the OBIS ISA node in 2021 has led to large-scale improvements in data quality and accessibility. However, limitations in the usage of identifiers and issues with taxonomic information were also evident in datasets published on the node, stemming from mismapping of data from the ISA environmental data template to the data standard Darwin Core prior to data harvesting by OBIS. While notable data-quality issues remain, these changes signal a rapid evolution for the database and significant movement towards integrating with global systems, through the usage of data standards and publication on the global data aggregator OBIS. This is exactly what has been needed for biological datasets held by the ISA. We provide recommendations for the future development of the database to support this evolution towards FAIR.

Database URL https://data.isa.org.jm/isa/map
Clinical outcomes in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions later than 48 h after symptom onset
Authors: Rohla Miklos , Temperli Fabrice , Siontis George C M , Klingenberg Roland , Gencer Baris , Rodondi Nicolas , Bär Sarah , Nanchen David , Mach Francois , Häner Jonas D , Pilgrim Thomas , Muller Olivier , Matter Christian M , Lüscher Thomas , Roffi Marco , Heg Dik , Windecker Stephan , Räber Lorenz
Published: March 2023

Aims

Routine revascularization in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) presenting >48 h after symptom onset is not recommended.

Methods and results

We compared outcomes of STEMI patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) according to total ischaemic time. Patients included in the Bern-PCI registry and the Multicenter Special Program University Medicine ACS (SPUM-ACS) between 2009 and 2019 were analysed. Based on symptom-to-balloon-time, patients were categorized as early (<12 h), late (12–48 h), or very late presenters (>48 h). Co-primary endpoints were all-cause mortality and target lesion failure (TLF), a composite of cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and target lesion revascularization at 1 year. Of 6589 STEMI patients undergoing PCI, 73.9% were early, 17.2% late, and 8.9% very late presenters. The mean age was 63.4 years, and 22% were female. At 1 year, all-cause mortality occurred more frequently in late vs. early [5.8 vs. 4.4%, hazard ratio (HR) 1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.78, P = 0.04] and very late (6.8%) vs. early presenters (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.12–2.25, P < 0.01). There was no excess in mortality comparing very late and late presenters (HR 1.18, 95% CI 0.79–1.77, P = 0.42). Target lesion failure was more frequent in late vs. early (8.3 vs. 6.5%, HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.02–1.63, P = 0.04) and very late (9.4%) vs. early presenters (HR 1.47, 95% CI 1.09–1.97, P = 0.01), and similar between very late and late presenters (HR 1.14, 95% CI 0.81–1.60, P = 0.46). Following adjustment, heart failure, impaired renal function, and previous gastrointestinal bleeding, but not treatment delay, were the main drivers of outcomes.

Conclusion

PCI >12 h after symptom onset was associated with less favourable outcomes, but very late vs. late presenters did not have an excess in events. While benefits seem uncertain, (very) late PCI appeared safe.
The association between sodium intake and coronary and carotid atherosclerosis in the general Swedish population
Authors: Wuopio Jonas , Lin Yi-Ting , Orho-Melander Marju , Engström Gunnar , Ärnlöv Johan
Published: March 2023

Aims

A high intake of salt raises blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have reported on the association between salt intake and carotid stenosis, but the association with coronary atherosclerosis has not been reported. Therefore, this project aimed at studying the association between salt intake and both carotid and coronary atherosclerosis in a contemporary community-based cohort.

Methods and results

Estimated 24-h sodium excretion (est24hNa) was calculated by the Kawasaki formula for participants of two sites (Uppsala and Malmö) of the Swedish Cardiopulmonary bioImage Study, who underwent a coronary computed tomography (n = 9623) and measurement of coronary artery calcium score (CACS, n = 10 289). Carotid ultrasound was used to detect carotid plaques (n = 10 700). Ordered logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) per 1000 mg increase in est24hNa. We also investigated potential J-formed associations using quintiles of est24hNa. Increased est24hNa was associated with increased occurrence of carotid plaques [OR: 1.09, P < 0.001, confidence interval (CI): 1.06–1.12], higher CACS (OR: 1.16, P < 0.001, CI: 1.12–1.19), and coronary artery stenosis (OR: 1.17, P < 0.001, CI: 1.13–1.20) in minimal adjusted models. Associations were abolished when adjusting for blood pressure. When adjusting for established cardiovascular risk factors (not including blood pressure), associations remained for carotid plaques but not for coronary atherosclerosis. There was no evidence of J-formed associations.

Conclusion

Higher est24hNa was associated with both coronary and carotid atherosclerosis in minimal adjusted models. The association seemed mainly mediated by blood pressure but to some degree also influenced by other established cardiovascular risk factors.
The frequency and differential pleiotropy of phenotypic nonspecificity in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Percival-Smith Anthony , Cheng Sheng , Ouellette Kassie
Published: March 2023

The regulation of the initiation of transcription by transcription factors is often assumed to be dependent on specific recognition of DNA-binding sites and nonredundant. However, the redundant induction or rescue of a phenotype by transcription factors, phenotypic nonspecificity, challenges these assumptions. To assess the frequency of phenotypic nonspecificity in the rescue of transcription factor phenotypes, seven transcription factor phenotypes (labial, Deformed, Sex combs reduced, Ultrabithorax, fruitless, doublesex, and apterous) were screened for rescue by the expression of 12, or more, nonresident transcription factors. From 308 assessments of rescue by nonresident transcription factors, 18 rescues were identified across 6 of the 7 transcription factor phenotypes. Seventeen of the 18 rescues were with transcription factors that recognize distinct DNA-binding sites relative to the resident transcription factors. All rescues were nonuniform across pleiotropic transcription factor phenotypes suggesting extensive differential pleiotropy of the rescue. Primarily using RNAi to knockdown expression, and with the exceptions of the requirement of Bric a Brac 1 for female abdominal pigmentation and Myb oncogene-like for wing development, no evidence was found for a role of the other 16 nonresident transcription factor in the transcription factor phenotypes assessed. Therefore, these 16 rescues are likely due to functional complementation and not due to the expression of an epistatic function in the developmental/behavioral pathway. Phenotypic nonspecificity is both differentially pleiotropic and frequent, as on average 1 in 10–20 nonresident transcription factors rescue a phenotype. These observations will be important in future considerations of transcription factors function.
Inverse problems for a model of biofilm growth
Authors: Brander Tommi , Lesnic Daniel , Cao Kai
Published: March 2023

A bacterial biofilm is an aggregate of micro-organisms growing fixed onto a solid surface, rather than floating freely in a liquid. Biofilms play a major role in various practical situations such as surgical infections and water treatment. We consider a non-linear partial differential equation (PDE) model of biofilm growth subject to initial and Dirichlet boundary conditions, and the inverse coefficient problem of recovering the unknown parameters in the model from extra measurements of quantities related to the biofilm and substrate. By addressing and analysing this inverse problem, we provide reliable and robust reconstructions of the primary physical quantities of interest represented by the diffusion coefficients of substrate and biofilm, the biomass spreading parameters, the maximum specific consumption and growth rates, the biofilm decay rate and the half saturation constant. We give particular attention to the constant coefficients involved in the leading-part non-linearity, and present a uniqueness proof and some numerical results. In the course of the numerical investigation, we have identified extra data information that enables improving the reconstruction of the eight-parameter set of physical quantities associated to the model of biofilm growth.
Combination CD200R/PD-1 blockade in a humanised mouse model
Authors: Fellermeyer Martin , Anzilotti Consuelo , Paluch Christopher , Cornall Richard J , Davis Simon J , Gileadi Uzi
Published: March 2023

There is an increasing number of immune-checkpoint inhibitors being developed and approved for cancer immunotherapy. Most of the new therapies aim to reactivate tumour-infiltrating T cells, which are responsible for tumour killing. However, in many tumours, the most abundant infiltrating immune cells are macrophages and myeloid cells, which can be tumour-promoting as well as tumouricidal. CD200R was initially identified as a myeloid-restricted, inhibitory immune receptor, but was subsequently also found to be expressed within the lymphoid lineage. Using a mouse model humanised for CD200R and PD-1, we investigated the potential of a combination therapy comprising nivolumab, a clinically approved PD-1 blocking antibody, and OX108, a CD200R antagonist. We produced nivolumab as a murine IgG1 antibody and validated its binding activity in vitro as well as ex vivo. We then tested the combination therapy in the immunogenic colorectal cancer model MC38 as well as the PD-1 blockade-resistant lung cancer model LLC1, which is characterised by a large number of infiltrating myeloid cells, making it an attractive target for CD200R blockade. No significant improvement of overall survival was found in either model, compared to nivolumab mIgG1 monotherapy. There was a trend for more complete responses in the MC38 model, but investigation of the infiltrating immune cells failed to account for this. Importantly, MC38 cells expressed low levels of CD200, whereas LLC1 cells were CD200-negative. Further investigation of CD200R-blocking antibodies in tumours expressing high levels of CD200 could be warranted.
Finite-Dimensional Approximations and Semigroup Coactions for Operator Algebras
Authors: Clouâtre Raphaël , Dor-On Adam
Published: March 2023

The residual finite-dimensionality of a ${\textrm{C}}^{\ast }$-algebra is known to be encoded in a topological property of its space of representations, stating that finite-dimensional representations should be dense therein. We extend this paradigm to general (possibly non-self-adjoint) operator algebras. While numerous subtleties emerge in this greater generality, we exhibit novel tools for constructing finite-dimensional approximations. One such tool is a notion of a residually finite-dimensional coaction of a semigroup on an operator algebra, which allows us to construct finite-dimensional approximations for operator algebras of functions and operator algebras of semigroups. Our investigation is intimately related to the question of when residual finite-dimensionality of an operator algebra is inherited by its maximal ${\textrm{C}}^{\ast }$-cover, which we establish in many cases of interest.
Behavior as a rapid indicator of reintroduction and translocation success for a cryptic mammal, the New England Cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis)
Authors: Eline Drew V , Cohen Jonathan B , McGreevy Thomas J , Whipps Christopher M , Cheeseman Amanda E
Published: March 2023

Interactions between animals and their environments are reflected in behavior, which is an indicator of perceived risk and habitat quality. Behavioral studies can therefore provide a rapid assessment of conservation actions. We evaluated the behavior of reintroduced and translocated New England cottontails (Sylvilagus transitionalis)– a species for which the benefits of habitat management, reintroductions, and translocations have been difficult to demonstrate via demographic studies. We first used a random forests model to create a behavioral library for the species using triaxial accelerometers deployed on captive animals that were also monitored with video. We then applied our library to compare time-activity budgets among wild catch-and-release rabbits, wild-caught translocated rabbits, and rabbits introduced into the wild from a captive population. Our library included six behaviors (feeding, grooming, vigilant, movement, resting, and investigating) with an overall classification accuracy of 96.63% and class error rates <14%. For all three groups of rabbits, resting, vigilance, and grooming were the most frequent behaviors; however, captive-bred and translocated rabbits spent significantly more time vigilant and moving than did catch-and-release rabbits. The results raise concern that time spent exploring a new environment may make reintroduced and translocated New England cottontails more vulnerable to predation than local wild rabbits and contribute to low survival rates in reintroduction programs. Our approach shows promise for developing behavioral studies as a rapid indicator of response to conservation efforts for cryptic mammals.
Facilitators and barriers to telepharmacy use among community pharmacists in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam
Authors: De Tran Van , Tran Ba Kien , Huynh Duyen Thi My , Nguyen Thanh Yen , Nguyen Thi My Thao , Pham Thi My Tien , Vo Quang Loc Duyen , Dorofeeva Valeria Valeryevna , Dewey Rebecca Susan , Pham Duy Toan
Published: March 2023

Objectives

Recent years have seen the development and advancement of pharmaceutical care services using telecommunications, termed telepharmacy, in a variety of countries and settings. This study investigated the motivations/facilitators and barriers to pharmacists implementing telepharmacy at pharmacies/drugstores in the Mekong Delta region, Vietnam.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional online survey was conducted from March to May 2022, on 747 pharmacists, at pharmacies in all 13 cities/provinces in the Mekong Delta area, Vietnam.

Key findings

Of the 747 respondents, 74% participants had experience of using telepharmacy. Having a university degree in pharmacy (aOR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.11–3.12; P = 0.018) and a monthly income >8.4 million VND (~357 USD) (aOR = 2.00; 95%CI = 1.16–3.42; P = 0.012) were factors positively associated with telepharmacy use. The factor reported as most greatly motivating telepharmacy use was its ability to provide healthcare services to people in remote/rural areas and those unable to travel (82.3%). The main barrier to telepharmacy use was cited as a lack of policies and regulations on the implementation, application and support of telepharmacy practice (76.8%). More than 75% of those without telepharmacy experience reported that they would like to use it in the future.

Conclusions

Telepharmacy use in Vietnam is familiar with the community pharmacists, although the use of telecommunications in pharmacy was only recently adopted in this country. Vietnamese government bodies and policy-makers must issue detailed regulations and instructions governing telepharmacy practice to support these advancements to the healthcare system in Vietnam.
Eurovision voting: a game of two halves
Authors: Gustar Andrew
Published: March 2023

As Liverpool prepares to host this year’s Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of last year’s winner, Ukraine, Andrew Gustar investigates the statistics of the competition’s scoring system
No comprendo: Will we ever understand how foreign language skills are lost?
Authors: Schmid Monika S
Published: March 2023

The way we acquire a second language is fairly well understood. But how we lose our language skills - after leaving school, for example - is more of a mystery. Here, linguist Monika S. Schmid describes some of the problems encountered in quantitative investigations of second language attrition
Calling the shots: using a statistical model to rank archers
Authors: Lo Sherman
Published: March 2023

Sherman Lo takes aim at ranking systems in archery, and offers a fairer alternative
Temporal analysis of hospital network data by hierarchical Bayesian p2 models with covariates
Authors: Bartolucci Francesco , Li Donni Paolo , Mira Antonietta
Published: March 2023

Motivated by an application about interhospital connections, we propose a modelling approach for data referred to a temporal network. The approach may be seen as an extension of the one recently proposed in Bianchi et al. (2020) and, in turn, of the popular p1 and p2 models by Holland and Leinhardt (1981) and van Duijn et al. (2004), on which the latter is built. The proposed extension consists in the introduction of covariates and in the adoption of a hierarchical Bayesian inferential approach that shows advantages in the specific application. For Bayesian inference we rely on a Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm that produces samples from the posterior distribution of the model parameters. The application is based on original data on patient referral relations among 127 hospitals serving a large regional community of patients in Italy from 2014 to 2018. Results indicate that interhospital collaborative behaviours are primarily local and that collaborative attitudes vary at different time occasions of the considered period and in accordance with the level of competition faced by hospital organisations.
Here We Go Again
Authors: Bowman Jason K.
Published: March 2023

In the United States and globally, the need for subspecialty palliative care is high and increasing. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough palliative clinicians, and even in medical systems fortunate enough to have some, they aren’t always available. Given this reality, it is vitally important for all clinicians to be trained in primary care skills, such as interdisciplinary approaches to communication, symptom management, models of care, relevant ethical and legal issues, and prognostication. Not having these skills leads to clinician distress and burnout, as well as avoidable patient suffering and care that are discordant with patient and family goals. The emergency department presents additional challenges to caring for and talking with patients facing potentially life-limiting illnesses (and their families). Yet visits to an emergency department often represent a critical point in patients’ illness trajectories. Best practices in the care of these patients require that clinicians have the ability to expertly navigate challenging conversations while also managing symptoms and/or stabilizing the patient. Successfully employing primary palliative skills in the care of emergency department patients can help avoid unnecessary physical and emotional suffering, and lead to more compassionate, holistic, and patient-aligned emergency medicine care.
Time Waits for No One
Authors: Zametkin Emily , Ouchi Kei
Published: March 2023

Prognostication in the emergency department is a skill necessary for medical decision-making. Serious, life-limiting diseases (incurable, with less than a 12-month predicted survival) have varying trajectories with distinct long-term survival estimates. Emergency medicine providers are in a unique position to shape the course of hospitalization and must anticipate illness trajectory when planning dispositions. Effectively communicating prognosis empowers patients and their families to make medical decisions that are consistent with their values. Tools to aid providers in both prognostication and communication are readily available. Trajectories for common serious illnesses, resources to support prognostication, and the benefits of transparent communication about survival relevant to the practice of emergency medicine are examined.
From What to How
Authors: Tan Audrey , Stansky Danielle
Published: March 2023

Three models of implementation that are currently described in the literature—developing generalist-level palliative care knowledge for emergency providers; facilitating consultation to a specialist palliative care service; and facilitating consultation to a dedicated palliative care service in the emergency department—are explored in this chapter. Each model is discussed in greater detail along with demonstration programs and outcomes. Palliative care and emergency medicine innovators looking for a framework onto which to develop their own programs and initiatives can adapt and implement models based on their specific resources and emergency department characteristics.
Psychedelics as Psychiatric Medications
Authors: Nutt David , Castle David
Published: March 2023

There is substantial contemporary interest in psychedelic agents as medicines for maladies of the mind. This follows research in the 1950s and 1960s exploring the use of LSD and other psychedelics to treat a range of psychiatric illnesses as well as addictions. This research was shut down after prohibition of these drugs; however, the last decade has seen a major renewal of interest in the therapeutic use of psychedelics and related drugs in psychiatry. Part of the Oxford Psychiatry Library series, this book provides an overview of this hugely exciting field, covering the history of psychedelics, clinical aspects, risks and side effects, precautions, and processes. Psilocybin (found in ‘magic mushrooms’) has been used effectively for amelioration of distress in people with depression and anxiety in the context of potentially life-ending cancers. MDMA (‘ecstasy’) has shown efficacy for severe posttraumatic stress disorder, with enduring benefit. Other psychedelics, both plant-derived (e.g. ayahuasca) and synthetically produced (e.g. LSD) are also being investigated for their potential therapeutic value. These agents not only herald a new neurobiology but also allow an integration of psychotherapy with biological compounds that is truly novel and that challenges established psychiatric practice. Further, the action of these agents on the brain allows an exploration of how the brain works to ‘open up’ to psychotherapeutic healing. This book will appeal to clinicians in mental health and addictions, policy makers and neuroscientists; to pharmacists and pharmacologists; and to the general public.
MDMA
Authors: Mithoefer Michael C. , Presti David E.
Published: March 2023

MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) was originally synthesized and patented by the Merck chemical company in 1914. It was not explored for human use until the 1970–80s when there were published reports that it could be a useful catalyst to psychotherapy, in part because it often produced reduced anxiety and increased emotional openness. In 1985, in response to media attention to the recreational use of MDMA in the dance scene, the United States government placed MDMA in Schedule 1, making it illegal and declared unavailable for medical use. MDMA has complex pharmacological effects, including synaptic release of serotonin and other monoamines and triggering increased levels of oxytocin and other hormones. Research into the effects of MDMA is a rapidly evolving field, and the relationship between the physiological effects of MDMA and the range of experiences reported during MDMA sessions remains speculative. Controlled clinical trials of MDMA as a catalyst to psychotherapy have been under way since 2004, and most have been focused on posttraumatic stress disorder as a possible indication. After a series of international Phase 2 trials, results of the first Phase 3 trial were published in 2021 showing very robust improvements in posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (measured by CAPS 5, the primary outcome measure), improvements in disability and depression scores, and a good safety record. A relatively nondirective method of therapy has been used in clinical trials that allows for each person’s unique therapeutic process to unfold in its own way without a pre-existing agenda.
Ayahuasca
Authors: Perkins Daniel , Ruffell Simon G. D. , Sarris Jerome
Published: March 2023

Ayahuasca is a psychedelic plant brew originating in the Amazon basin. It is typically made from two basic components: the ayahuasca vine (Banisteriopsis caapi), containing various harmala alkaloids, and the leaves of a plant containing the potent psychedelic dimethyltryptamine (DMT), such as the chacruna plant (Psychotria viridis). Evidence suggests the brew has been used for at least hundreds of years, primarily by indigenous tribes for a range of purposes including psychological and physical healing. The components of the brew exert a range of neurochemical effects, with recent research suggesting it may be effective in treating depression, anxiety, and addiction. The harmala alkaloids found in the vine are monoamine oxidase-A enzyme inhibitors (MAOIs). These compounds prevent the deamination of DMT as well as exerting their own psychotropic effects. DMT is known to modulate the signalling of serotonin and dopamine via serotonin and dopamine receptor agonism, as well as sigma-1 agonism. Interest in the plant brew has increased dramatically in recent years, with large numbers of ‘ayahuasca tourists’ visiting the Amazon basin to partake in ceremonies with the intention of treating a range of different conditions. Similarly, research into ayahuasca has increased, both in naturalistic and clinical settings, with potential medicalization giving rise to complex ethical issues that must be carefully considered.
Ketamine
Authors: Di Vincenzo Joshua D. , Rosenblat Joshua D. , McIntyre Roger S.
Published: March 2023

Chapter 9 examines the history, clinical evidence, and proposed mechanisms of action of ketamine formulations as treatments for mood disorders such as treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and suicidality associated with major depressive disorder (MDD) and/or bipolar disorder (BD). It reviews ketamine’s history as a drug originally developed for anaesthesia, to its subsequent repurposing and approval for psychiatric indications. Additionally, it reviews mechanisms of action by which ketamine is hypothesized to ameliorate depressive and suicidal symptoms, as well as some of the neurological processes thought to underlie mood disorders like MDD and BD. It also discusses some of the most commonly observed treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) associated with ketamine in psychiatry, including tips for clinicians and prescribers on how to mitigate these TEAEs and optimize outcomes.