bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Repair of Complex Esophageal Atresia with Tracheobronchial Remnant using Special Magnets
Authors: Reich Charlotte , Weigl Elena , Holler Anne-Sophie , Lee William , Harrison Michael , Muensterer Oliver J.
Published: February 2024

Esophageal atresia (EA) repair can be complicated by associated malformations such as a tracheobronchial remnant in the distal esophagus. We describe our experience with a patient found to have long-gap EA with a distal cartilaginous ring who was managed using a combination of esophageal lengthening and magnetic compression anastomosis. A 5-month-old girl was referred to us from an outside hospital with type C EA including a very high upper pouch. She had undergone a prior thoracotomy with fistula ligation during which a clip was placed on the lower esophagus, leaving a 2-cm diverticulum on the trachea and a short lower esophageal pouch. Upon endoscopic evaluation at our center, we found a tracheobronchial remnant in the lower esophagus between the clip and the carina. An open thoracotomy was performed to approximate the esophageal pouches and a magnet anchor (Connect EA, Myka Laboratories, San Francisco, California, United States) was placed retrograde through the distal esophageal cartilaginous ring into the lower pouch. On postoperative day 8, after adequate growth and decreased pouch tension, a second magnetic anchor was placed endoscopically to the upper pouch to mate with the previously placed lower pouch anchor. The anastomosis formed within 14 days. Due to the tracheobronchial remnant, the device did not pass distally and was removed endoscopically. On postoperative day 8, balloon dilation of the anastomosis and tracheobronchial remnant was performed. Subsequently, the patient required a total of 6 dilations in an 18-month follow-up. This case report illustrates the utility of using magnets to create an esophageal anastomosis in complex cases of EA with concomitant esophageal malformations. The parents of the patient gave their written consent to publish this technical report.
Price optimization for manufacturers in a competitive retail market: imported products and online crowdfunding option
Authors: Parvasi Seyed Parsa , Taleizadeh Ata Allah , Thaichon Park
Published: February 2024

This study explores how manufacturers in the competitive supply chain can set prices and secure funding effectively. We use game theory to look at how competition between domestic and foreign manufacturers affects pricing decisions. Our research investigates how a domestic manufacturer can improve its market share by addressing financial challenges through modern financing methods. In this scenario, a domestic manufacturer competes with a foreign one to attract a retailer’s market share and profits. The retailer decides what products to buy and how to price them based on bid prices and demand. We also consider that the domestic manufacturer will use online crowdfunding platforms to tackle its financial problem. Hence, our study sets up a supply chain where competition revolves around both operational and financial decisions. Mathematical models are developed to analyze how costs, finances, market potential, and price sensitivity impact various parts of the supply chain. The results reveal that decisions made on the crowdfunding platform significantly influence other supply chain decisions. Manufacturers and retailers need to pay attention to the financial decisions made on this platform to maximize profits. Also, domestic and foreign manufacturers should consider customer preferences for their products when setting prices. Finally, the results demonstrate that a domestic manufacturer can gain a competitive edge in the retail market by carefully considering both product pricing and financial decisions, including those made on the lending platform.
Does intellectual capital impact the financial performance of Indian public sector banks? An empirical analysis using GMM
Authors: Barak Monika , Sharma Rakesh Kumar
Published: February 2024

This study examines the impact of intellectual capital (IC) on the financial performance (FP) of Indian public sector banks (IPSBs) between 2010 and 2021. This paper utilizes the modified value-added intellectual coefficient (MVAIC) approach to measure IC. It employs a panel data estimation approach, specifically the generalized method of moments (GMM), to investigate the connection between IC and the FP of public sector banks in India. The findings indicate that IC, along with its sub-elements of human capital (HC), capital employed (CE), structural capital (SC), and Relational capital (RC) have a notable positive or negative influence on various FP indicators, including return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE), return on capital employed (ROCE), earnings per share (EPS), and market performance (Tobin’s Q). Furthermore, the combined IC, as evaluated through the modified value-added intellectual coefficient (MVAIC), has a notable and favorable impact on ROA and ROE. The leverage variable exhibits a negative and significant impact on the financial indicators, indicating that an increase in debt leads to a decrease in the bank’s value. This study aims to assist stakeholders and policymakers in identifying the key elements of IC and determining an appropriate distribution among them to achieve sustainable FP and value generation in Indian IPSBs.
AI chatbots contribute to global conservation injustices
Authors: Urzedo Danilo , Sworna Zarrin Tasnim , Hoskins Andrew J. , Robinson Cathy J.
Published: February 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven language models (chatbots) progressively accelerate the collection and translation of environmental evidence that could be used to inform planetary conservation plans and strategies. Yet, the consequences of chatbot-generated conservation content have never been globally assessed. Drawing on distributive, recognition, procedural, and epistemic dimensions of environmental justice, we interviewed and analysed 30,000 responses from ChatGPT on ecological restoration expertise, stakeholder engagements, and techniques. Our results show that more than two-thirds of the chatbot’s answers rely on the expertise of male academics working at universities in the United States, while largely ignoring evidence from low- and lower-middle-income countries (7%) and Indigenous and community restoration experiences (2%). A focus on planting and reforestation techniques (69%) underpins optimistic environmental outcomes (60%), neglecting holistic technical approaches that consider non-forest ecosystems (25%) and non-tree species (8%). This analysis highlights how biases in AI-driven knowledge production can reinforce Western science, overlooking diverse sources of expertise and perspectives regarding conservation research and practices. In the fast-paced domain of generative AI, safeguard mechanisms are needed to ensure that these expanding chatbot developments can incorporate just principles in addressing the pace and scale of the worldwide environmental crisis.
Wasta in business management: a critical review of recent developments and future trends in the tourism sector
Authors: Khalfan Shaikha
Published: February 2024

Wasta is a concept that is widespread across the Middle East, and practiced as a common and acceptable culture in most Middle East based business organizations. While the wasta practice is common and is followed as part of the usual organizational culture in the Middle East, yet, its implications are not all positive for the overall employee and organizational performance, which will be highlighted in the current paper in detail. It encourages interpersonal connections and networking of individuals to be used in order to obtain jobs, based on personnel connection rather than merit, which has huge negative impacts on the business. This paper, therefore, presents a detailed discussion on wasta and its implications considering business organizations across the Middle East. The tourism sector will be the area of the focus for the present work. The impacts of such activities on the tourism sector are significant on recruitment, teamwork, training, reward system, and overall HRM practices, which raise questions on whether this concept should indeed be as common in practice as it is currently. This paper studied the phenomena of wasta in the Middle East in details and proposed framework for Wasta-free Management. Also, recommendation for practice for tourism sector in the middle East along with suggestions for further research are presented.
Alexander Hamilton on Executive Authority
Authors: Wurman Ilan
Published: February 2024

The ‘residuum’ theory of executive power maintains that Article II’s Vesting Clause grants to the president of the United States a residuum of royal prerogative powers that have not been assigned to other departments of the national government or otherwise limited elsewhere in the text of the Constitution. This theory is often traced to Alexander Hamilton’s Pacificus essay, in which he defended President Washington’s proclamation of neutrality with a version of that theory. Two years earlier, however, in his opinion on the constitutionality of the Bank of the United States, Hamilton appears to have rejected the residuum theory; at a minimum, he had incentive to propound that theory but did not do so. Although not the only possible way to interpret Hamilton’s opinion, scholars of executive power must contend with this possibility before concluding that Hamilton believed in a residual vesting of prerogative powers.
The Path of the Prerogatives
Authors: Mikhail John
Published: February 2024

The path of the prerogatives refers to the process by which the royal prerogative powers outlined in Blackstone’s Commentaries entered into American constitutional law. In 1953, Professor William Crosskey opened up a new window into the Constitution when he pointed out that many of Congress’s enumerated powers had been prerogatives of the British Crown. In The President Who Would Not Be King: Executive Power under the Constitution, Professor Michael McConnell takes Crosskey’s observation as a starting point of his own more systematic analysis of how the Committee of Detail divided these prerogative powers between Congress and the President. Yet neither Crosskey nor McConnell focuses much attention on the fact that many of these powers were already delegated to the United States by the Articles of Confederation. Nor do they ask whether the founders conceived of these powers primarily as legislative or executive powers, on the one hand, or government powers, on the other—a critical distinction reflected in the text of the Constitution by the Necessary and Proper Clause. This article investigates these topics by tracing the path of the prerogatives from 1774 to 1776 in the writings of James Wilson, Benjamin Franklin, John Dickinson, and Thomas Jefferson, highlighting the crucial role played by these powers in Wilson’s 1774 essay on the legislative authority of Parliament, the Articles of Confederation, and the Declaration of Independence. The article also discusses two further issues that any adequate theory of presidential powers must confront: the distinction between government powers and executive powers, and the status of the United States as a legal corporation, in which implied powers are vested without needing to be enumerated. Finally, the article points to new evidence indicating that Jefferson borrowed specific language and ideas from Wilson when drafting the Declaration of Independence.
Movement on Removal: An Emerging Consensus about The First Congress and Presidential Power
Authors: Shugerman Jed H
Published: February 2024

What did the “Decision of 1789” decide about presidential removal power, if anything? It turns out that an emerging consensus of scholars agrees about the First Congress’s lack of consensus. The unitary executive theory posits that a president has exclusive and “indefeasible” executive powers (i.e., powers beyond congressional and judicial checks and balances). This panel was an opportunity for unitary executive theorists and their critics to debate recent historical research questioning the unitary theory’s claims (e.g., Jonathan Gienapp’s The Second Creation and my article. “The Indecisions of 1789: Inconstant Originalism and Strategic Ambiguity.” Unitary theorists conceded problems with the claims of a “decision.” Most pivoted away from the traditional account that, based on the legislative debates, a majority of the First Congress endorsed an interpretation that Article II established a presidential removal power. Instead, they shifted to new claims: that the endorsement of even a minority faction was still substantial; that it was the quality of the argument, not the quantity of supporters, that counts (a subjective claim that contradicts the theory of original public meaning); or perhaps it is the quality or historical importance of the speakers that counts (nevermind that Madison, Hamilton, and Marshall also rejected presidential removal). None of these pivots rescue the “Decision” myth. Unitary theorists turned to later evidence: practices and debates further and further away from the Founding and Ratification. To their credit, they demonstrated a willingness to leave behind standard originalist methods and engaged in methods more consistent with common law constitutionalism and living constistutionalism. The challenge is whether they will acknowledge that they have to choose between originalism and the unitary theory. The broader significance of this debate is the questions it raises about the practice of originalism as a reliable method of interpretation.
Asymptotically constant risk estimator of the time-average variance constant
Authors: Chan K W , Yau C Y
Published: February 2024

Estimation of the time-average variance constant is important for statistical analyses involving dependent data. This problem is difficult as it relies on a bandwidth parameter. Specifically, the optimal choices of the bandwidths of all existing estimators depend on the estimand itself and another unknown parameter that is very difficult to estimate. Thus, optimal variance estimation is unachievable. In this paper, we introduce a concept of converging flat-top kernels for constructing variance estimators whose optimal bandwidths are free of unknown parameters asymptotically and hence can be computed easily. We prove that the new estimator has an asymptotically constant risk and is locally asymptotically minimax.
Influence of scar age, laser type and laser treatment intervals on paediatric burn scars: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Ma Yangmyung , Barnes Sabrina P , Chen Yung-Yi , Moiemen Naiem , Lord Janet M , Sardeli Amanda V
Published: February 2024

Background

Laser therapy has emerged to play a valuable role in the treatment of paediatric burn scars; however, there is heterogeneity in the literature, particularly concerning optimal timing for initiation of laser therapy. This study aims to investigate the effect of factors such as scar age, type of laser and laser treatment interval on burn scar outcomes in children by meta-analysis of previous studies.

Methods

A literature search was conducted across seven databases in May 2022 to understand the effects of laser therapy on burn scar outcomes in paediatric patients by metanalysis of standardized mean difference (SMD) between pre- and post-laser intervention. Meta-analyses were performed using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software version 4.0. Fixed models were selected when there was no significant heterogeneity, and the random effects model was selected for analysis when significant heterogeneity was identified. For all analyses, a p-value < 0.05 was considered significant.

Results

Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis with a total of 467 patients. Laser therapy significantly improved Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS)/Total Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (Total POSAS), vascularity, pliability, pigmentation and scar height of burn scars. Significant heterogeneity was found between the studies and thus subgroup analyses were performed. Early laser therapy (<12 months post-injury) significantly improved VSS/POSAS scores compared to latent therapy (>12 months post-injury) {SMD −1.97 [95% confidence interval (CI) = −3.08; −0.87], p < 0.001 vs −0.59 [95%CI = −1.10; −0.07], p = 0.03} as well as vascularity {SMD −3.95 [95%CI = −4.38; −3.53], p < 0.001 vs −0.48 [95%CI = −0.66; −0.30], p < 0.001}. Non-ablative laser was most effective, significantly reducing VSS/POSAS, vascularity, pliability and scar height outcomes compared to ablative, pulse dye laser and a combination of ablative and pulse dye laser. Shorter treatment intervals of <4 weeks significantly reduced VSS/POSAS and scar height outcomes compared to intervals of 4 to 6 weeks.

Conclusions

Efficacy of laser therapy in the paediatric population is influenced by scar age, type of laser and interval between laser therapy application. The result of this study particularly challenges the currently accepted initiation time for laser treatment. Significant heterogeneity was observed within the studies, which suggests the need to explore other confounding factors influencing burn scar outcomes after laser therapy.
No increased risk of postoperative adverse events in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa following a total joint replacement
Authors: Cornman Hannah L , Kambala Anusha , Nandi Tina R , Kwatra Shawn G , Nandi Sumon
Published: February 2024

There is concern for increased risk of adverse events, particularly periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), following total joint replacement (TJR) in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) because of a compromised skin barrier and bacterial colonization of lesions. We used the TriNetX health research database to identify patients who had undergone TJR with (n = 1760) and without (n = 1760) HS matched by age, sex, ethnicity, race and risk factors for PJI. Multivariate analysis was performed and revealed that 90-day risk of PJI, reoperation, wound dehiscence, delayed wound healing, emergency room visits and readmission were not increased among patients with HS who underwent TJR. Given these findings, dermatologists and orthopaedists should not defer TJR access for patients with HS, as risk of postoperative complications is not prohibitive.
Advances in treatment for lipoid proteinosis (Urbach–Wiethe disease): a case report and systematic review
Authors: Bueno-Molina Rocío C , Hernández-Rodríguez Juan-Carlos , Cabrera-Fuentes Raquel , Cabrera-Pérez Rocío , Conejo-Mir Sánchez Julián , Pereyra-Rodríguez José-Juan
Published: February 2024

Background

Lipoid proteinosis (LP), also known as Urbach–Wiethe disease, is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis, caused by mutations in the ECM1 gene. This results in the deposition of periodic acid–Schiff (PAS)-positive, hyaline-like material on the skin, mucosae and internal organs.

Objectives

To present a case report of LP and a systematic review to synthesize the scientific literature on the management of this uncommon and frequently missed diagnosis.

Methods

We present a case report of a 48-year-old man with LP who exhibited significant improvement after oral acitretin therapy. To address the lack of large case–control studies on LP treatment, we performed a systematic review of the literature following the PRISMA 2020 criteria. The search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane and Scopus databases from inception until June 2023. To assess the methodological quality of case reports and case series, we used the Joanna Briggs Collaboration critical appraisal tool.

Results

We included 25 studies that met eligibility criteria. Data from 44 patients with a histopathologically confirmed diagnosis were analysed. Treatment ranged from systemic therapies (acitretin, etretinate, dimethyl sulfoxide, corticosteroids, penicillamine) to surgical or laser procedures. Regarding methodological quality, the main discrepancies arose in the reporting of participant characteristics and treatment interventions.

Conclusions

Low-dose oral acitretin could have potential in managing LP, exhibiting fewer side-effects compared with other therapeutic agents. Further research is needed to establish more comprehensive and evidence-based treatment guidelines.
Community-Acquired Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia Among People Who Inject Drugs: A National Cohort Study in England, 2017–2020
Authors: McGuire Emma , Collin Simon M , Brown Colin S , Saito Makoto
Published: February 2024

Background

People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk of community-acquired Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia (CA-SAB), but little is known about clinical outcomes of CA-SAB in PWID compared with the wider population of patients with CA-SAB.

Methods

Three national datasets were linked to provide clinical and mortality data on patients hospitalized with CA-SAB in England between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2020. PWID were identified using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision code for “mental health and behavioral disorder due to opioid use” (F11). Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for associations of PWID with 30-day all-cause mortality and 90-day hospital readmission.

Results

In 10 045 cases of CA-SAB, 1612 (16.0%) were PWID. Overall, 796 (7.9%) patients died within 30 days of CA-SAB admission and 1189 (11.8%) patients were readmitted to hospital within 90 days of CA-SAB. In those without infective endocarditis, there was strong evidence of lower odds of mortality among PWID compared with non-PWID (aOR, 0.47 [95% confidence interval {CI}: .33–.68]; P < .001), whereas there was no association in CA-SAB case fatality with endocarditis (aOR, 1.40 [95% CI: .87–2.25]; P = .163). PWID were less likely to be readmitted within 90 days of CA-SAB (aOR, 0.79 [95% CI: .65–.95]; P = .011).

Conclusions

In this large cohort study of patients with CA-SAB in England, PWID had lower odds of death in the absence of endocarditis and lower odds of readmission within 90 days compared to non-PWID patients. This study highlights the overrepresentation of PWID among patients with CA-SAB nationally.
LiteMixer: Cauliflower Disease Diagnosis based on a Novel Lightweight Neural Network
Authors: Zhong Yi , Teng Zihan , Tong Mengjun
Published: February 2024

Cauliflower, a globally cultivated and nutritionally rich crop, confronts significant challenges in quality and yield due to the rising prevalence of diseases. Traditional manual detection methods, suitable for empiricists or plant pathologists, prove inefficient. Furthermore, existing automated disease identification methods in cauliflower often neglect crucial computational performance metrics within computer vision algorithms, such as complexity, inference speed and training time. This study introduces LiteMixer, a novel lightweight model designed to address these challenges. The Lightweight Mixed-Domain Feature Extraction module (LMFE) meticulously captures global image features, followed by a maximum pooling layer that downscales the resulting multidimensional feature matrix. The Plug-and-Play Multi-Scale Lightweight Convolutional Attention Fusion module (MLCAF) integrates multichannel spatial features, connecting to fully connected layers for the final classification. Ablation experiments highlight the effectiveness of the LMFE module coupled with the MLCAF module. Comparative analyses against state-of-the-art and other lightweight models demonstrate LiteMixer achieving the highest accuracy in identifying cauliflower diseases at 99.86%. Notably, LiteMixer exhibits optimal computational performance, featuring minimal storage costs (4.02M) and the lowest parameter count, resulting in cost-effective computational expenses (16.78M). LiteMixer also boasts the fastest inference time (4.69 ms) and the shortest training time (865 s). This study positions LiteMixer as an advanced solution for diagnosing cauliflower leaf diseases in agricultural settings, underscoring its efficacy and practicality in overcoming the unique challenges associated with cauliflower disease detection within the realm of computer vision algorithms.
Experimental Evidence on Four Policies to Increase Learning at Scale
Authors: Duflo Annie , Kiessel Jessica , Lucas Adrienne M
Published: February 2024

We partnered with the Ghanaian government to simultaneously test four methods of increasing achievement—assistant-led remedial pull-out lessons, remedial after-school lessons, smaller class sizes and teacher-implemented partial day tracking—in schools with low and heterogeneous student achievement. The interventions increased student learning by about 0.1 standard deviations, rising to 0.4 standard deviations when adjusting for imperfect implementation, with no effects on attendance, grade repetition or drop-out. Test score increases were larger for girls. Test score gains persisted after the program ended. Assistants implemented the program with higher fidelity than teachers, although their fidelity decreased over time while teacher fidelity marginally improved.
Area-weighted unipolar voltage to predict heart failure outcomes in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy and ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Rademaker Robert , Kimura Yoshi , de Riva Silva Marta , Beukers Hans C , Piers Sebastiaan R D , Wijnmaalen Adrianus P , Dekkers Olaf M , Zeppenfeld Katja
Published: February 2024

Aims

Patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) referred for catheter ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) are at risk for end-stage heart failure (HF) due to adverse remodelling. Local unipolar voltages (UV) decrease with loss of viable myocardium. A UV parameter reflecting global viable myocardium may predict prognosis. We evaluate if a newly proposed parameter, area-weighted unipolar voltage (awUV), can predict HF-related outcomes [HFO; HF death/left ventricular (LV) assist device/heart transplant] in ICM.

Methods and results

From endocardial voltage maps of consecutive patients with ICM referred for VT ablation, awUV was calculated by weighted interpolation of local UV. Associations between clinical and mapping parameters and HFO were evaluated and validated in a second cohort. The derivation cohort consisted of 90 patients [age 68 ±8 years; LV ejection fraction (LVEF) 35% interquartile range (IQR) (24–40)] and validation cohort of 60 patients [age 67 ± 9, LVEF 39% IQR (29–45)]. In the derivation cohort, during a median follow-up of 45 months [IQR (34–83)], 36 (43%) patients died and 23 (26%) had HFO. Patients with HFO had lower awUV [4.51 IQR (3.69–5.31) vs. 7.03 IQR (6.08–9.2), P < 0.001]. A reduction in awUV [optimal awUV (5.58) cut-off determined by receiver operating characteristics analysis] was a strong predictor of HFO (3-year HFO survival 97% vs. 57%). The cut-off value was confirmed in the validation cohort (2-year HFO-free survival 96% vs. 60%).

Conclusion

The newly proposed parameter awUV, easily available from routine voltage mapping, may be useful at identifying ICM patients at high risk for HFO.
Short-term pectin-enriched smoothie consumption has beneficial effects on the gut microbiota of low-fiber consumers
Authors: Pihelgas Susan , Ehala-Aleksejev Kristel , Kuldjärv Rain , Jõeleht Ann , Kazantseva Jekaterina , Adamberg Kaarel
Published: February 2024

Adequate consumption of fiber has a positive effect on health. The crossover study examined the effect of a pectin-enriched smoothie on gut microbiota and health parameters. During 3 weeks, 31 adults consumed two smoothies (11.6 or 4.8 g of fiber/day), alternating with washout periods in different order. At the end of each period, weekly food diaries, blood samples, and stool microbiota were collected. Changes in the microbiota during smoothie consumption were associated with baseline fiber intake. A greater proportion of up- (Lachnospira, Colidextribacter, and Bacteroides) or down-shifts (Streptococcus, Holdemanella) was observed in low-fiber (n = 22) compared to high-fiber consumers (n = 9). In both groups, the pectin-enriched smoothie reduced the number of the Ruminococcus torques group bacteria. Our results showed that the short-term approach is effective to estimate relationships between food components and gut bacteria.
Genome-wide identification of bHLH transcription factors and functional analysis in salt gland development of the recretohalophyte sea lavender (Limonium bicolor)
Authors: Wang Xi , Wang Baoshan , Yuan Fang
Published: February 2024

Transcription factors with basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) structures regulate plant growth, epidermal structure development, metabolic processes, and responses to stress extensively. Sea lavender (Limonium bicolor) is a recretohalophyte with unique salt glands in the epidermis that make it highly resistant to salt stress, contributing to the improvement of saline lands. However, the features of the bHLH transcription factor family in L. bicolor are largely unknown. Here, we systematically analyzed the characteristics, localization, and phylogenetic relationships of 187 identified bHLH family genes throughout the L. bicolor genome, as well as their cis-regulatory promoter elements, expression patterns, and key roles in salt gland development or salt tolerance by genetic analysis. Nine verified L. bicolor bHLH genes are expressed and the encoded proteins function in the nucleus, among which the proteins encoded by Lb2G14060 and Lb1G07934 also localize to salt glands. Analysis of CRISPR-Cas9-generated knockout mutants and overexpression lines indicated that the protein encoded by Lb1G07934 is involved in the formation of salt glands, salt secretion, and salt resistance, indicating that bHLH genes strongly influence epidermal structure development and stress responses. The current study lays the foundation for further investigation of the effects and functional mechanisms of bHLH genes in L. bicolor and paves the way for selecting salt-tolerance genes that will enhance salt resistance in crops and for the improvement of saline soils.
Identifying the Importance of UX Dimensions for Different Software Product Categories
Authors: Mortazavi Ehsan , Doyon-Poulin Philippe , Imbeau Daniel , Robert Jean-Marc
Published: February 2024

Billions of users around the world use mobile applications and computer software to achieve their professional and personal goals. This situation drives User Experience (UX) researchers and practitioners to assess the importance of UX dimensions across different products, to facilitate the design, development and evaluation of new products. To that end, this study surveyed a group of 200 end users and 8 UX experts from Canada to document the importance of 21 UX dimensions for 15 software product categories. The results confirmed that the importance of UX dimensions varies between product categories. Comparing the findings to those of similar studies conducted in Germany and Indonesia revealed that, while culture influences the rating of UX dimensions, the importance of UX dimensions is still determined by the product category. Comparisons between the importance ratings of UX dimensions between end users and experts and within end users were not significant in 77% and 97% of cases, respectively. Results showed that task-based product categories rely more on pragmatic dimensions (i.e. functionality and usability) while leisure-based products value hedonic dimensions (i.e. pleasure) as well. This study benefits researchers and practitioners by enabling them to select the most important UX dimensions for evaluating their products.

CCS CONCEPTS: • Human-centered computing • Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) • HCI design and evaluation methods.

Additional Keywords and Phrases: User experience, UX dimension, UX evaluation, culture.
Utilization of electronic health record sex and gender demographic fields: a metadata and mixed methods analysis
Authors: Foer Dinah , Rubins David M , Nguyen Vi , McDowell Alex , Quint Meg , Kellaway Mitchell , Reisner Sari L , Zhou Li , Bates David W
Published: February 2024

Objectives

Despite federally mandated collection of sex and gender demographics in the electronic health record (EHR), longitudinal assessments are lacking. We assessed sex and gender demographic field utilization using EHR metadata.

Materials and methods

Patients ≥18 years of age in the Mass General Brigham health system with a first Legal Sex entry (registration requirement) between January 8, 2018 and January 1, 2022 were included in this retrospective study. Metadata for all sex and gender fields (Legal Sex, Sex Assigned at Birth [SAAB], Gender Identity) were quantified by completion rates, user types, and longitudinal change. A nested qualitative study of providers from specialties with high and low field use identified themes related to utilization.

Results

1 576 120 patients met inclusion criteria: 100% had a Legal Sex, 20% a Gender Identity, and 19% a SAAB; 321 185 patients had field changes other than initial Legal Sex entry. About 2% of patients had a subsequent Legal Sex change, and 25% of those had ≥2 changes; 20% of patients had ≥1 update to Gender Identity and 19% to SAAB. Excluding the first Legal Sex entry, administrators made most changes (67%) across all fields, followed by patients (25%), providers (7.2%), and automated Health Level-7 (HL7) interface messages (0.7%). Provider utilization varied by subspecialty; themes related to systems barriers and personal perceptions were identified.

Discussion

Sex and gender demographic fields are primarily used by administrators and raise concern about data accuracy; provider use is heterogenous and lacking. Provider awareness of field availability and variable workflows may impede use.

Conclusion

EHR metadata highlights areas for improvement of sex and gender field utilization.
GPCR signaling bias: an emerging framework for opioid drug development
Authors: Kise Ryoji , Inoue Asuka
Published: February 2024

Biased signaling, also known as functional selectivity, has emerged as an important concept in drug development targeting G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Drugs that provoke biased signaling are expected to offer an opportunity for enhanced therapeutic effectiveness with minimized side effects. Opioid analgesics, whilst exerting potent pain-relieving effects, have become a social problem owing to their serious side effects. For the development of safer pain medications, there has been extensive exploration of agonists with a distinct balance of G-protein and β-arrestin (βarr) signaling. Recently, several approaches based on protein–protein interactions have been developed to precisely evaluate individual signal pathways, paving the way for the comprehensive analysis of biased signals. In this review, we describe an overview of bias signaling in opioid receptors, especially the μ-opioid receptor (MOR), and how to evaluate signaling bias in the GPCR field. We also discuss future directions for rational drug development through the integration of diverse signal datasets.
Defining the key clinician skills and attributes for competency in managing patients with osteoporosis and fragility fractures
Authors: Jackson Lesley E , Saag Kenneth G , Johnson Sindhu R , Danila Maria I
Published: February 2024

Osteoporosis and fragility fractures are managed by clinicians across many medical specialties. The key competencies of clinicians delivering bone health care have not been systematically established. We aimed to develop a decision rule to define the threshold of adequate skills and attributes associated with clinical competency in bone health for a clinician serving as a referral source for bone health care.

Using a modified-Delphi method, we invited clinicians with expertise in treating osteoporosis and representatives of patient advocacy groups focused on bone health to create a list of desirable characteristics of a clinician with bone health competency. Characteristics were defined as “attributes” with “levels” within each attribute. Participants prioritized levels by perceived importance. To identify the cut points for defining adequate competency, participants next ranked 20 hypothetical clinicians defined by various levels of attributes from highest to lowest likelihood of having adequate bone health competency. Lastly, we conducted a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to generate a weighted score for each attribute/level. The threshold for competency was a priori determined as the total weighted score at which ≥70% of participants agreed a clinician had adequate bone health competency.

Thirteen participants generated lists of desirable characteristics, and 30 participants ranked hypothetical scenarios and participated in the DCE. The modified-Delphi exercise generated 108 characteristics, which were reduced to 8 categories with 20 levels with associated points. The maximum possible score was 25 points. A summed threshold score of >12 points classified a clinician as having adequate bone health competency.

We developed a numeric additive decision rule to define clinicians across multiple specialties as having adequate competency in managing bone health/osteoporosis. Our data provide a rigorously defined criteria for a clinician with competency in bone health and can be used to quantitate the skills of clinicians participating in bone health research and clinical care.
Social conditions facilitate water conservation in a solitary bee
Authors: Ostwald Madeleine M , Venegas Valentina A , Seltmann Katja C
Published: February 2024

Climatic stressors are important drivers in the evolution of social behavior. Social animals tend to thrive in harsh and unpredictable environments, yet the precise benefits driving these patterns are often unclear. Here, we explore water conservation in forced associations of a solitary bee (Melissodes tepidus timberlakei Cockerell, 1926) to test the hypothesis that grouping can generate synergistic physiological benefits in an incipient social context. Paired bees displayed mutual tolerance and experienced reduced water loss relative to singleton bees when exposed to acute low-humidity stress, with no change in activity levels. While the mechanism underlying these benefits remains unknown, social advantages like these can facilitate the evolution of cooperation among nonrelatives and offer important insights into the social consequences of climate change.
Semi-parametric tensor factor analysis by iteratively projected singular value decomposition
Authors: Chen Elynn Y , Xia Dong , Cai Chencheng , Fan Jianqing
Published: February 2024

This paper introduces a general framework of Semi-parametric TEnsor Factor Analysis (STEFA) that focuses on the methodology and theory of low-rank tensor decomposition with auxiliary covariates. Semi-parametric TEnsor Factor Analysis models extend tensor factor models by incorporating auxiliary covariates in the loading matrices. We propose an algorithm of iteratively projected singular value decomposition (IP-SVD) for the semi-parametric estimation. It iteratively projects tensor data onto the linear space spanned by the basis functions of covariates and applies singular value decomposition on matricized tensors over each mode. We establish the convergence rates of the loading matrices and the core tensor factor. The theoretical results only require a sub-exponential noise distribution, which is weaker than the assumption of sub-Gaussian tail of noise in the literature. Compared with the Tucker decomposition, IP-SVD yields more accurate estimators with a faster convergence rate. Besides estimation, we propose several prediction methods with new covariates based on the STEFA model. On both synthetic and real tensor data, we demonstrate the efficacy of the STEFA model and the IP-SVD algorithm on both the estimation and prediction tasks.
Molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of vaginal Candida glabrata isolates in Namibia
Authors: Dunaiski Cara M , Kock Marleen M , Chan Wai Yin , Ismail Arshad , Peters Remco P H
Published: February 2024

Candida glabrata is the most common non-albicans Candida species that causes vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Given the intrinsically low susceptibility of C. glabrata to azole drugs, investigations into C. glabrata prevalence, fungal susceptibility profile, and molecular epidemiology are necessary to optimise the treatment of VVC. This molecular epidemiological study was conducted to determine antifungal drug profile, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with phenotypic antifungal resistance and epidemic diversity of C. glabrata isolates from women with VVC in Namibia. Candida glabrata isolates were identified using phenotypic and molecular methods. Antifungal susceptibility of strains was determined for fluconazole, itraconazole, amphotericin B, and anidulafungin. Whole genome sequencing was used to determine SNPs in antifungal resistance genes and sequence type (ST) allocation. Among C. glabrata isolates, all (20/20; 100%) exhibited phenotypic resistance to the azole class antifungal drug, (fluconazole), and phenotypic susceptibility to the polyene class (amphotericin B), and the echinocandins (anidulafungin). Non-synonymous SNPs were identified in antifungal resistance genes of all fluconazole-resistant C. glabrata isolates including ERG6 (15%), ERG7 (15%), CgCDR1 (25%), CgPDR1 (60%), SNQ2 (10%), FKS1 (5.0%), FKS2 (5.0%), CgFPS1 (5.0%), and MSH2 (15%). ST15 (n = 8/20, 40%) was predominant. This study provides important insight into phenotypic and genotypic antifungal resistance across C. glabrata isolates from women with VVC in Namibia. In this study, azole resistance is determined by an extensive range of SNPs, while the observed polyene and echinocandin resistance-associated SNPs despite phenotypic susceptibility require further investigation.
The RATT PARROT: serendipitous discovery of a peculiarly scintillating pulsar in MeerKAT imaging observations of the Great Saturn – Jupiter Conjunction of 2020. I. Dynamic imaging and data analysis
Authors: Smirnov O M , Stappers B W , Tasse C , Bester H L , Bignall H , Walker M A , Caleb M , Rajwade K M , Buchner S , Woudt P , Ivchenko M , Roth L , Noordam J E , Camilo F
Published: February 2024

We report on a radiopolarimetric observation of the Saturn–Jupiter Great Conjunction of 2020 using the MeerKAT L-band system, initially carried out for science verification purposes, which yielded a serendipitous discovery of a pulsar. The radiation belts of Jupiter are very bright and time variable: coupled with the sensitivity of MeerKAT, this necessitated development of dynamic imaging techniques, reported on in this work. We present a deep radio ‘movie’ revealing Jupiter’s rotating magnetosphere, a radio detection of Callisto, and numerous background radio galaxies. We also detect a bright radio transient in close vicinity to Saturn, lasting approximately 45 min. Follow-up deep imaging observations confirmed this as a faint compact variable radio source, and yielded detections of pulsed emission by the commensal MeerTRAP search engine, establishing the object’s nature as a radio emitting neutron star, designated PSR J2009−2026. A further observation combining deep imaging with the PTUSE pulsar backend measured detailed dynamic spectra for the object. While qualitatively consistent with scintillation, the magnitude of the magnification events and the characteristic time–scales are odd. We are tentatively designating this object a pulsar with anomalous refraction recurring on odd time-scales (PARROT). As part of this investigation, we present a pipeline for detection of variable sources in imaging data, with dynamic spectra and light curves as the products, and compare dynamic spectra obtained from visibility data with those yielded by PTUSE. We discuss MeerKAT’s capabilities and prospects for detecting more of such transients and variables.
Detection of an intranight optical hard lag with colour variability in blazar PKS 0735+178
Authors: McCall Callum , Jermak Helen E , Steele Iain A , Kobayashi Shiho , Knapen Johan H , Sánchez-Alarcón Pablo M
Published: February 2024

Blazars are a highly variable subclass of active galactic nuclei that have been observed to vary significantly during a single night. This intranight variability remains a debated phenomenon, with various mechanisms proposed to explain the behaviour including jet energy density evolution or system geometric changes. We present the results of an intranight optical monitoring campaign of four blazars: TXS 0506+056, OJ287, PKS 0735+178, and OJ248 using the Carlos Sánchez Telescope. We detect significant but colourless behaviour in OJ287 and both bluer- and redder-when-brighter colour trends in PKS 0735+178. Additionally, the g band shows a lag of $\sim 10\, \mathrm{min}$ with respect to the r, i, zs bands for PKS 0735+178 on 2023 January 17. This unexpected hard lag in PKS 0735+178 is not in accordance with the standard synchrotron shock cooling model (which would predict a soft lag) and instead suggests the variability may be a result of changes in the jet’s electron energy density distribution, with energy injection from Fermi acceleration processes into a post-shocked medium.
Research on establishing a joint time-scale of pulsar time and atomic time based on a wavelet analysis method
Authors: Zhu Xingzhi , Zhang Zhehao , Zhao Chengshi , Li Bian , Tong Minglei , Gao Yuping , Yang Tinggao
Published: February 2024

Pulsar time has different physical mechanisms from atomic time, and these two time-scales are complementary in terms of stability performance. The joint timekeeping of pulsar and atomic time is currently an important application direction. Our research utilizes a wavelet analysis method to perform multiscale analysis of time signals in both the time and frequency domains, and assigns corresponding weights to different frequency bands for synthesis, which solves the problem of balancing long- and short-term stability in unified weighted synthesis. In this paper, a joint time-scale APT (atomic pulsar time) is obtained by a fusion of pulsar ensemble time (EPT) and atomic time TA(NTSC) (AT) based on wavelet analysis. The results show that APT effectively integrates the stability advantages of both EPT and AT, and the short-term stability of APT at 0.4 yr is consistent with that of AT, reaching 5.6 × 10−15 as evaluated by σz variance. The stability of APT remains consistent with EPT after 3.2 yr, and the long-term stability at 13.1 yr is close to 1.3 × 10−16, perfectly retaining the excellent long-term stability characteristics of pulsar time. The root mean square of APT’s clock difference relative to TT(BIPM) is much lower than that of TA(NTSC). Moreover, we propose ways to improve the stability of APT through experimental comparisons. The results indicate that APT has the potential to serve as a reference for steering UTC(NTSC) in the future, improving the long-term timekeeping capability of local atomic time in China, thereby comprehensively improving the stability and reliability of China’s time reference.
Prospects for detecting neutron star–white dwarf mergers with decihertz gravitational-wave observatories
Authors: Kang Yacheng , Liu Chang , Zhu Jin-Ping , Gao Yong , Shao Lijing , Zhang Bing , Sun Hui , Yin Yi-Han Iris , Zhang Bin-Bin
Published: February 2024

Based on different neutron star–white dwarf (NS–WD) population models, we investigate the prospects of gravitational-wave (GW) detections for NS–WD mergers, with the help of early warnings from two space-borne decihertz GW observatories, DO-Optimal and DECIGO. We not only give quick assessments of the GW detection rates for NS–WD mergers with the two decihertz GW detectors, but also report systematic analyses on the characteristics of GW-detectable merger events using the method of Fisher matrix. With a sufficient 1-d early-warning time, the yearly GW detection number for DO-Optimal is in the range of (1.5–1.9) × 103, while it is (3.3–4.6) × 104 for DECIGO. More importantly, our results show that most NS–WD mergers can be localized with an uncertainty of $\mathcal {O}(10^{-2})\, \mathrm{deg}^2$. Given the NS–WD merger as a possible origin for a peculiar long-duration gamma-ray burst, GRB 211211A, followed with kilonova-like emissions, we further suggest that the GW early-warning detection would allow future electromagnetic telescopes to get prepared to follow up transients after some special NS–WD mergers. Based on our analyses, we emphasize that such a feasible ‘wait-for’ pattern can help to firmly identify the origin of GRB 211211A-like events in the future and bring excellent opportunities for the multimessenger astronomy.