bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum irisin levels and osteoporosis in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease and renal transplant recipients
Authors: Demir Canan , Dursun Ali Doğan , Sarıyıldız Gülçin Türkmen , Arslan Aykut İlker
Published: February 2023

Aim

To elucidate the association of serum irisin levels with bone mineral density (BMD) and calcium–phosphorus metabolism parameters in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and renal transplant recipients (RTRs).

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study involving CKD patients and RTRs. Healthy volunteers served as controls. Age, gender, and dialysis vintage were recorded. Serum irisin, creatinine, glucose, calcium, albumin, 25(OH) vitamin D, ferritin, C-reactive protein, A1C, and lipid profile were studied in all participants. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), corrected calcium, and body mass index (BMI) were calculated.

Results

Overall, 49 patients (23 hemodialysis, 26 RTRs) and 25 control subjects were included. In hemodialysis (HD) group, 8 patients (34.8%) had osteoporosis, and 12 patients (52.2%) had osteopenia. In RTR group, 3 patients (11.5%) had osteoporosis, while 15 patients (57.7%) had osteopenia. Among controls, one had osteoporosis, and 7 had osteopenia. There was no significant difference between HD and RTRs; however, osteoporosis rate was significantly lower in control subjects. BMD measurements (femur and lumbar T- and Z-scores) were comparable between HD and RTR groups. Control group DEXA values were similar to RTRs; however, they were significantly higher compared to HD group. 25(OH) vitamin D levels were comparable between the HD and RTR groups, and these were significantly lower compared to values of the control group. Mean serum irisin level was 426.6 ± 191.2 pg/mL in hemodialysis group, 342.6 ± 174.8 in the RTR group, and 208.0 ± 186.1 in controls. Serum irisin levels were similar in RTR and HD groups, but their values were significantly higher compared to controls. When we compared serum irisin levels between patients with and without osteoporosis in the whole cohort and hemodialysis and RTR groups, there was no difference. Serum irisin was positively correlated with lumbar T-score both in hemodialysis and RTR groups.

Conclusion

Our study is the first in the literature revealing the positive correlation of serum irisin level with femur T-score in RTRs. Serum irisin level was also positively correlated with femur T-scores in hemodialysis patients.
From Revolutionary to Stakeholder: Looking at Identity Discourses to Understand the 2016 Short-term Change in China’s North Korea Policy
Authors: Olczak Nicholas
Published: February 2023

During 2016 China’s policies towards North Korea appeared to undergo considerable short-term change, increasingly distancing itself from its neighbour and instead supporting the international community’s response. Existing research has focused on long-term policy change and given little importance to short-term changes in policy, or has drawn on realist and constructivist theories which expect consistency and struggle to account for these changes. This article took an identity discourse approach to understanding the 2016 short-term changes in China’s North Korea policy. It used quantitative computer assisted text analysis methods to measure changes in the dominance of different identity discourses related to North Korea that are produced on the Chinese Internet. It found that around 2015–2016, a previously more dominant “revolutionary” identity discourse lost dominance to a “stakeholder” identity discourse. The article argues that this change made possible the shift in approach to North Korea at the start of 2016 and indicates ways the short-term policy changes at this time may contribute to longer-term change in China’s behaviour.
Creating a Comprehensive Pandemic Response to Decrease Hospitalist Burnout During COVID-19: Intervention vs Control Results in 2 Comparable Hospitals (HOSP-CPR)
Authors: James Tricia T , Hudon Robert , Merrick Todd , Olson Lisa , Hanes Douglas , Scanlan James M.
Published: February 2023

Background

Physician burnout increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of a multimodal workplace intervention designed to reduce hospitalist burnout.

Design

Participants and setting: Our intervention group was composed of internal medicine hospitalists at Providence Portland Medical Center (64 providers including 58 physicians and 6 nurse practitioners). Our control was composed of internal medicine hospitalists at Providence St Vincent’s Hospital (59 physicians and 6 nurse practitioners). Measurements: Two surveys were given during, before, and after a 12-month intervention period (October 2020 and again in October 2021). Surveys included demographics, job satisfaction, the Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Pandemic Experiences Survey, and 2 questions about leaving the job. Interventions: Three hospitalists designated as wellness warriors created weekly COVID group meetings, providing up-to-date information about COVID-19 infection rates, treatments, and work-flow changes. Discussions included coping and vaccine hesitancy, difficult case debriefs, and intensive care unit updates. Individual coaching was also offered. Meeting minutes were taken and sessions were recorded for asynchronous access.

Results

No site differences in burnout or job satisfaction were evident pre-intervention. Post-intervention, the intervention group reported 32% burnout while controls reported 56% (p = .024). Forty-eight percent of the intervention group reported high wellness support vs. 0% of the controls (< .001). Intervention participants attributed 44% of wellness support to Providence alone, vs. controls at 12% (< .001). Regressions controlling sex, work hours, experience, race, and children in the home showed the intervention’s positive effects on burnout and job satisfaction remained significant (all p < .02).

Limitations

For privacy reasons, all survey responses were anonymous, meaning that individual pre-post changes could not be tracked.

Conclusion

We believe the intervention resulted in substantial burnout prevention and is feasible for adoption in most hospitals and clinics.
The urban–rural height gap: evidence from late nineteenth-century Catalonia
Authors: Ramon-Muñoz Ramon , Ramon-Muñoz Josep-Maria
Published: February 2023

This paper aims to establish whether there was a gap in biological living standards between urban and rural areas in late nineteenth-century Catalonia, and if so, to determine its extent. The study makes use of a large new dataset based on military records for the cohort of males born in the year 1890 and enlisted in the year 1911. By combining individual heights with information at municipal level, we conclude that the 1890 cohort of conscripts living in rural areas were shorter than those that resided in towns and cities with populations of more than 20,000 people. We also hypothesise about the reasons why urban dwellers in late nineteenth-century Catalonia were taller than their rural counterparts by considering the potential role of rural–urban migration, improvements in public sanitation and health care, and progresses in the quantity and quality of food availability for urban dwellers.
Management of coastal dunes affected by shrub encroachment: are rabbits an ally or an enemy of restoration?
Authors: García-de-Lomas Juan , Fernández Laura , Martín Ildefonso , Saavedra Concepción , Rodríguez-Hiraldo Carmen , Gallego-Fernández Juan B.
Published: February 2023

In coastal dunes, shrub encroachment disrupts natural disturbance, and reduces habitat heterogeneity and species composition. In this paper, we implemented a pilot scale trial aimed at restoring coastal dunes affected by the encroachment by the shrub Retama monosperma (hereinafter Retama) as well as strengthening the populations of Thymus carnosus (regionally cataloged as ‘Critically Endangered’). A total 3 ha of Retama shrub was clearcut in two sites with different Retama cover (54 and 72%). The effect of rabbits on vegetation recovery was assessed by placing exclosures both in treated and untreated plots in Spring, 2015. Plant composition, species richness and diversity were evaluated two years after treatments (with and without Retama clearing, and with and without rabbit exclusion). Retama clearing alone did not allow the recovery of plant composition typical of gray dunes two-years after treatments, but resulted in a biodiversity loss within the Retama understorey when rabbits were present. However, Retama clearing resulted in a significant vigor improvement of T. carnosus in the site with the highest density of Retama. Rabbit exclusion significantly increased species richness and Shannon-Wiener diversity index, and allowed the recovery of plant composition typical of gray dunes. The results suggest that shrub encroachment caused by Retama has a long-lasting negative impact on dune vegetation and that periodic clearing should be combined with rabbit exclusion at least during early restoration stages of dune vegetation. To recover the population of T. carnosus, Retama should be prevented from reaching high cover and periodic clearing without rabbit exclusion is suggested.
Preregistration and Registered Reports in Sociology: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Other Considerations
Authors: Manago Bianca
Published: February 2023

Both within and outside of sociology, there are conversations about methods to reduce error and improve research quality—one such method is preregistration and its counterpart, registered reports. Preregistration is the process of detailing research questions, variables, analysis plans, etc. before conducting research. Registered reports take this one step further, with a paper being reviewed on the merit of these plans, not its findings. In this manuscript, I detail preregistration’s and registered reports’ strengths and weaknesses for improving the quality of sociological research. I conclude by considering the implications of a structural-level adoption of preregistration and registered reports. Importantly, I do not recommend that all sociologists use preregistration and registered reports for all studies. Rather, I discuss the potential benefits and genuine limitations of preregistration and registered reports for the individual sociologist and the discipline.
Predictors of concussion reporting intentions in adolescent hockey players
Authors: Macdonald Natalie D. , Baumann Oliver
Published: February 2023

Young athletes who do not report a concussion injury are at greater risk for a prolonged recovery time and further neurocognitive impairments. Despite the seriousness of the issue and the scale of the problem, not enough is known about the behavioural underpinnings of concussion underreporting in minor athletes. This paper aims to apply the Knowledge, Attitude, and Behaviour (KAB) framework to the issue of injury reporting in adolescents, with the specific purpose of exploring to which degree concussion knowledge, concussion attitudes, and gender affect concussion reporting intentions of both male and female athletes. We recruited 97 young athletes between the ages of 14 and 19 (M = 16.22, SD = 11.06) from the Okanagan Hockey Academy (Canada) and employed a self-administered supervised survey approach to measuring the target variables. A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted, and consistent with the prior literature, females were more likely to report a sport-related concussion than males. It was further found that attitudes around concussions (i.e., taking concussions seriously) were significant predictors of concussion reporting intention. At the same time, there was no significant relationship between concussion knowledge and concussion reporting intention. These results highlight that knowledge about concussion symptoms is insufficient to warrant proper injury reporting. It will therefore be essential to work on changing the attitudes of young athletes regarding the significance of concussions to achieve meaningful behavioural change.
Expansion of large granular lymphocytes after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Yoshida Mina , Matsuda Kensuke , Taoka Kazuki , Honda Akira , Maki Hiroaki , Masamoto Yosuke , Jona Masahiro , Nishikawa Masako , Yatomi Yutaka , Kurokawa Mineo
Published: February 2023

Expansion of large granular lymphocytes (LGLs) is sometimes observed in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) recipients, and is reported to be associated with a favorable transplant outcome. LGLs are also observed after autologous HSCT, but their clinical implications have not been well investigated. We retrospectively reviewed peripheral blood smears of consecutive autologous HSCT recipients. LGL lymphocytosis was defined as the observation of LGLs in the peripheral blood (> 20% white blood cells) in at least two consecutive blood tests. We evaluated the clinical impact of LGL lymphocytosis on autologous HSCT recipients. LGL lymphocytosis was observed in 18 of 197 patients (9.1%) who received autologous HSCT, at a median of 49 days after transplantation, with a median duration of 120.5 days. Incidence of cytomegalovirus reactivation was significantly higher in patients with LGL lymphocytosis than those without (16.7% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.038). No significant difference in survival rates was observed between groups (3 year OS 90.9% vs. 90.5%, p = 0.793 for lymphoma; 100 vs. 92.4%, p = 0.328 for myeloma). LGL lymphocytosis was observed in almost 10% of autologous HSCT recipients. In contrast to allogeneic HSCT, the duration of LGL was shorter and no significant improvement in survival was observed.
Calcium carbonate-enriched pumpkin affects calcium status in ovariectomized rats
Authors: Wawrzyniak Natalia , Gramza-Michałowska Anna , Kurzawa Paweł , Kołodziejski Paweł , Suliburska Joanna
Published: February 2023

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3)-enriched pumpkin may serve as a good source of calcium for patients diagnosed with osteoporosis. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of CaCO3-enriched pumpkin on Ca status in ovariectomized rats. The study included 40 female Wistar rats divided into five groups (n = 8). One group was fed with a standard diet (control group), while the other four groups were ovariectomized and received a standard diet (control ovariectomized group), or a diet containing CaCO3-enriched pumpkin, alendronate, or both. The nutritional intervention lasted 12 weeks, and then the rats were euthanized. Tissue and blood samples were collected and assessed for the levels of total Ca, estradiol, parathyroid hormone, and procollagen type I N propeptide. In addition, a histological analysis was performed on femurs. The results of the study suggest that CaCO3-enriched pumpkin can increase Ca content in femurs and improve bone recovery in ovariectomized rats. Furthermore, enriched pumpkin contributes to Ca accumulation in the kidneys, and this effect is more pronounced in combination with alendronate.
A novel reduced order model for drone impacts with aircraft structures
Authors: Franke Florian , Burger Uli , Hühne Christian
Published: February 2023

Small unmanned aerial vehicles are a threat for manned aviation. Their increased use by hobby pilots and within the commercial sector has been accompanied by an increase in incidents involving manned aircraft. The problem is that current aircraft structures are designed to resist collisions with birds. They are not designed to withstand drone impacts. The composition of drones differs significantly from previously known load cases. Drones consist of several components with various materials. This means, that there is no analytic model to determine the impact force of such drone strikes with aircraft structures. Within this work, a novel reduced order model for drone impacts is developed. It is validated with high velocity impact test data and explicit finite element simulations. The impact of fragmenting components of the drone are modelled with the aircraft impact model. The impact of non-fragmenting components like motors are described with a spring-mass model. The results show that the approach of superimposing a spring-mass model with the aircraft impact model leads to good results. In case of a rigid target only minor deviations occur within the validity range of the model. Damage and degradation of the target is not included in the model what leads to larger deviations in case of an impact with deformable structures. Nevertheless, the model is very well suited for rapid load estimation and can qualitatively reproduce contact force curves. It can be used for preliminary design of aircraft structures without conducting time and cost intensive tests and simulations.
Keyhole-in-keyhole formation by adding a coaxially superimposed single-mode laser beam in disk laser deep penetration welding
Authors: Möbus M. , Woizeschke P.
Published: February 2023

Laser deep penetration welding is characterized by the formation of a vapor capillary (keyhole) and a high overall absorption (coupling rate) of the laser radiation in comparison to heat conduction welding. Due to multiple reflexions within the highly dynamic keyhole, the absorption mechanisms are very complex. The questions, how a laser beam interacts with the existing keyhole, and, if shadowing effects occur, are a matter of concern for several researchers. In this study, the hypothesis that the beam of a laser source can be transmitted to a significant extent through an existing keyhole and acts predominantly at the keyhole bottom was investigated. Experiments were carried out on mild steel and technical pure aluminum, using a specially designed optical system, which allows to coaxially combine two laser beams and to adjust their settings like the energy and the focal plane individually. A combination of a disk laser with a focal diameter of 390 µm and a single-mode fiber laser with a focal diameter of 30 µm was used. Weld depths and seam shapes were analyzed in cross and longitudinal sections. Based on the results, it is shown that the much smaller focal diameter of the single-mode laser beam acted at the bottom of the keyhole and caused a kind of “keyhole-in-keyhole formation” in the form of a local maximum in weld depth whose expression depended on the focal plane of the single-mode laser beam.
Tribological behaviour of Ti3C2Tx nano-sheets: Substrate-dependent tribo-chemical reactions
Authors: Rota Alberto , Bellina Nicolas , Wang Bo , Rosenkranz Andreas
Published: February 2023

MXenes, a newly emerging class of layered two dimensional (2D) materials, are promising solid lubricants due to their 2D structure consisting of weakly-bonded layers with a low shear strength and ability to form beneficial tribo-layers. This work aims at evaluating for the first time MXenes lubrication performance and tribofilm formation ability on different metallic substrates (mirror-lapped Fe and Cu discs). After depositing MXenes via ethanol (1 wt%) on the substrates, pronounced differences in the resulting substrate-dependent frictional evolution are observed. While MXenes are capable to reduce friction for both substrates after the full evaporation of ethanol, MXenes lubricating effect on Cu is long-lasting, with a 35-fold increased lifetime compared to Fe. Raman spectra acquired in the wear-tracks of the substrates and counter-bodies reveal notable differences in the friction-induced chemical changes depending on the substrate material. In case of Fe, the progressive failure of MXenes lubrication generates different Fe oxides on both the substrate and the ball, resulting in continuously increasing friction and a poor lubrication effect. For Cu, sliding induces the formation of a Ti3C2-based tribofilm on both rubbing surfaces, enabling a long-lasting lubricating effect. This work boosts further experimental and theoretical work on MXenes involved tribo-chemical processes.
Mutual Self-Regulation of d-Electrons of Single Atoms and Adjacent Nanoparticles for Bifunctional Oxygen Electrocatalysis and Rechargeable Zinc-Air Batteries
Authors: Chandrasekaran Sundaram , Hu Rong , Yao Lei , Sui Lijun , Liu Yongping , Abdelkader Amor , Li Yongliang , Ren Xiangzhong , Deng Libo
Published: February 2023

Rechargeable zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are a promising energy conversion device, which rely critically on electrocatalysts to accelerate their rate-determining reactions such as oxygen reduction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reactions (OER). Herein, we fabricate a range of bifunctional M–N–C (metal-nitrogen-carbon) catalysts containing M–Nx coordination sites and M/MxC nanoparticles (M = Co, Fe, and Cu) using a new class of γ-cyclodextrin (CD) based metal–organic framework as the precursor. With the two types of active sites interacting with each other in the catalysts, the obtained Fe@C-FeNC and Co@C-CoNC display superior alkaline ORR activity in terms of low half-wave (E1/2) potential (~ 0.917 and 0.906 V, respectively), which are higher than Cu@C-CuNC (~ 0.829 V) and the commercial Pt/C (~ 0.861 V). As a bifunctional electrocatalyst, the Co@C-CoNC exhibits the best performance, showing a bifunctional ORR/OER overpotential (ΔE) of ~ 0.732 V, which is much lower than that of Fe@C-FeNC (~ 0.831 V) and Cu@C-CuNC (~ 1.411 V), as well as most of the robust bifunctional electrocatalysts reported to date. Synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy and density functional theory simulations reveal that the strong electronic correlation between metallic Co nanoparticles and the atomic Co-N4 sites in the Co@C-CoNC catalyst can increase the d-electron density near the Fermi level and thus effectively optimize the adsorption/desorption of intermediates in ORR/OER, resulting in an enhanced bifunctional electrocatalytic performance. The Co@C-CoNC-based rechargeable ZAB exhibited a maximum power density of 162.80 mW cm−2 at 270.30 mA cm−2, higher than the combination of commercial Pt/C + RuO2 (~ 158.90 mW cm−2 at 265.80 mA cm−2) catalysts. During the galvanostatic discharge at 10 mA cm−2, the ZAB delivered an almost stable discharge voltage of 1.2 V for ~ 140 h, signifying the virtue of excellent bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalytic activity.
Analysis of the Local Functional Evolution in NiTi Shape Memory Alloys by Multicycle Nanoindentations
Authors: Furgiuele Franco , Greco Alessia , Magarò Pietro , Sgambitterra Emanuele
Published: February 2023

In this work, NiTi pseudoelastic alloy was studied to investigate the local functional response using nanoindentation. Two different experiments were carried out to analyze the recovery capability and stiffness evolution: single indentation tests in depth control mode, for maximum penetration depth ranging from 500 to 3000 nm and multicycle indentations, which consist in indenting the same point multiple times. For both cases, a sharp (Berkovich) and a blunt (spherical) tip were used. For a better interpretation of the results, microstructural analysis and finite element simulations were also carried out. A stiffer response and a lower recovery capability of the material are recorded for Berkovich indentations compared to the spherical ones. In multicycle tests, it was observed a first relative quick functional degradation of the material response, in terms of recovery capability, and a subsequent stabilization that typically occurs after 100–150 cycles. Furthermore, for both tips, it was observed that the material stiffness tends to decrease with the number of indentation cycles and by increasing the penetration depth. These results are attributed to the different strain maps induced by the different geometries of the tips, the evolution of the martensitic region in the process zone, and the interactions with the microstructure.
How Well Do High-Achieving Undergraduate Students Understand School Algebra?
Authors: Hyland Diarmaid , O’Shea Ann
Published: February 2023

The aim of this research is to investigate how well high-achieving students entering tertiary-level education in Ireland understand school algebra. As part of a larger project, a 31-item test was developed to assess first-year undergraduate students’ understanding of basic algebraic concepts. The test was administered online to students studying at least one mathematics module at tertiary level and received 327 responses. In this article, we study how the subset of high-achieving undergraduates in our sample performed on the test. The results demonstrated a very high level of understanding among students, as befits their level of study and prior achievement relative to the difficulty of the test. However, one subsection of the test stood out as being disproportionately difficult for these students. The section focused on valid solutions of equations and inequalities. The items in question are described in detail in this article as is the associated data. Our analysis shows that this topic is an area of concern even for high-achieving undergraduates and so deserves further attention. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of this research and details of the larger project.
Semantic segmentation model for land cover classification from satellite images in Gambella National Park, Ethiopia
Authors: Lilay Mulugeta Yikuno , Taye Gizatie Desalegn
Published: February 2023

This work uses machine learning approaches to present semantic segmentation for land cover classification in Gambella National Park (GNP). Land cover classification has become more accurate due to developments in remote sensing data. Land cover classification from satellite images has been studied, but the methodologies and satellite data employed so far are not suitable for research regions with the possibility to find heterogeneous land cover classes within small areas. Previous studies found issues with the satellite images coarser spatial resolution, the use of standard statistical methods as classifiers, and the difficulty in optimal patch size selection when patch-based classification is used. To address these issues, we suggested a deep learning-based semantic segmentation model that could be utilized as a pixel-level land cover classification technique. The suggested technique employed high-resolution Sentinel-2 satellite images of our study area (GNP) as a dataset and constructed and assessed pixel-level classification models. As a deep learning-based classification model, we have used the Link-Net architecture and its encoder part was modified further to incorporate the state-of-the-art architecture called ResNet34. The developed models, support vector machine with CNN features (CNN–SVM), random forest with CNN features (CNN-RF), LinkNet model with ResNet-34 as encoder (LinkNet-ResNet34), attain average F1-Score values of 81%,82%, and 87.4% respectively.
SMMO-CoFS: Synthetic Multi-minority Oversampling with Collaborative Feature Selection for Network Intrusion Detection System
Authors: Damtew Yeshalem Gezahegn , Chen Hongmei
Published: February 2023

Researchers publish various studies to improve the performance of network intrusion detection systems. However, there is still a high false alarm rate and missing intrusions due to class imbalance in the multi-class dataset. This imbalanced distribution of classes results in low detection accuracy for the minority classes. This paper proposes a Synthetic Multi-minority Oversampling (SMMO) framework by integrating with a collaborative feature selection (CoFS) approach in network intrusion detection systems. Our framework aims to increase the detection accuracy of the extreme minority classes (i.e., user-to-root and remote-to-local attacks) by improving the dataset’s class distribution and selecting relevant features. In our framework, SMMO generates synthetic data and iteratively over-samples multi-minority classes. And the collaboration of correlation-based feature selection with an evolutionary algorithm selects essential features. We evaluate our framework with a random forest, J48, BayesNet, and AdaBoostM1. In a multi-class NSL-KDD dataset, the experimental results show that the proposed framework significantly improves the detection accuracy of the extreme minority classes compared with other approaches.
Leokadiya Kashperova
Authors: Griffiths Graham
Published: February 2023

Leokadiya Kashperova's romantic compositions were highly regarded by Rimsky-Korsakov, César Cui, and by Balakirev whose works she premiered and recorded. In 1907, Kashperova performed her own compositions to critical acclaim in Leipzig, Berlin and London. After the 1917 Revolution following her death in 1940, her name joined her fine music in historical anonymity and oblivion. This Element is the result of twenty years' research culminating in eight study-visits by the author to St Petersburg, Moscow and the Yaroslavl/Kostroma region. The Biography (section 1) is the first ever written about this composer. Kashperova's Memoirs (section 2) and her Recollections of Anton Rubinstein (section 3) are made available in translation for the first time. Together with a new edition of her compositions (Boosey & Hawkes, London) this Element aims to support the restoration of Kashperova to her rightful place in music history as Russia's foremost female composer of the early twentieth century.
Quantum Mechanics
Authors: McIntyre David H.
Published: February 2023

This popular undergraduate quantum mechanics textbook is now available in a more affordable printing from Cambridge University Press. Unlike many other books on quantum mechanics, this text begins by examining experimental quantum phenomena such as the Stern-Gerlach experiment and spin measurements, using them as the basis for developing the theoretical principles of quantum mechanics. Dirac notation is developed from the outset, offering an intuitive and powerful mathematical toolset for calculation, and familiarizing students with this important notational system. This non-traditional approach is designed to deepen students' conceptual understanding of the subject, and has been extensively class tested. Suitable for undergraduate physics students, worked examples are included throughout and end of chapter problems act to reinforce and extend important concepts. Additional activities for students are provided online, including interactive simulations of Stern-Gerlach experiments, and a fully worked solutions manual is available for instructors.
Burma's Pop Music Industry
Authors: MacLachlan Heather
Published: February 2023

Drawing on extensive fieldwork, explores the contemporary pop music scene in this little understood Southeast Asian country.
The Fante and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
Authors: Shumway Rebecca
Published: February 2023

Examines the history of the Fante people of southern Ghana during the transatlantic slave trade, 1700 to 1807.
Lies and Epiphanies
Authors: Walton Chris
Published: February 2023

Presents case studies of 'inspiration' in five composers - Wagner, Mahler, Furtwängler, R. Strauss, and Berg - examining how the supposedly extrarational world of creative inspiration intersects with the highly rational world of money and politics.
An analytical model for ACSR approach to vibration reduction in a helicopter rotor-flexible fuselage system
Authors: Chiu T. , Friedmann P. P.
Published: February 2023

This paper describes the development of a coupled rotor-flexible fuselage model which is suitable for simulating vibration reduction based on the active control of structural response (ACSR) approach. The rotor is an Nb-bladed aeroelastic model, with coupled flap-lag-torsional dynamics for each blade. Moderate blade deflections are included, together with complete coupling between rotor and fuselage dynamics. This aeroelastic response model is combined with a control algorithm based on an internal model principle. The control scheme effectively reduces vibrations to 0·05g levels or lower, using reasonable actuator forces. The baseline vibration levels in the fuselage are relatively high. This is due to the lack of damping modelling in the fuselage. With the actuators engaged, the hub loads remain virtually unchanged and therefore this control approach has no influence on vehicle airworthiness.
Effect of Standing Water on Formation of Fan‐Shaped Sedimentary Deposits at Hypanis Valles, Mars
Authors: Limaye Ajay B. , Adler Jacob B. , Moodie Andrew J. , Whipple Kelin X. , Howard Alan D.
Published: February 2023

Fan‐shaped sedimentary deposits are key indicators of paleoclimate on Mars. The largest example, a multi‐lobed deposit (>1,000 km2) at the outlet of Hypanis Valles, may have formed either subaerially or at the edge of a water body. We used a numerical model to test whether these contrasting basin boundary conditions would cause deposit geometries that are diagnostic and distinguishable from orbit. We compared depositional scenarios with either (a) fully subaerial conditions, (b) a constant water level, or (c) a falling water level. In the model, standing water generates deposits that are thicker, less extensive, and increase in dip angle from proximal to distal locations. Nonetheless, deposit geometries for all scenarios are consistent with orbital observations, which are inconclusive regarding a topset‐foreset break that would indicate standing water. Thus, it is possible that the Hypanis deposits formed subaerially, without a water body onlapping the Mars dichotomy boundary.
An Intensity and Size Phase Space for Tropical Cyclone Structure and Evolution
Authors: Casas Eleanor G. , Tao Dandan , Bell Michael M.
Published: February 2023

Intensity and size are important to characterize a tropical cyclone (TC), but there are a wide variety of ways that both metrics are defined. TC intensity can refer to either a maximum sustained wind speed at some height level or central surface pressure minimum, and TC size may refer to the radius of maximum wind, the radius of gale force wind, or be based on other criteria. While different definitions of TC intensity and size have useful applications, there are varying amounts of redundant information and covariations between some size and intensity variables that make investigating physical relationships more challenging. In this study, we use aircraft observations and Best Track information to calculate an empirical orthogonal function analysis that yields new, orthogonal metrics of TC intensity and size. The new, linearly independent metrics reduce a seven‐dimensional space of co‐varying parameters into a simplified, two‐dimensional phase space in which key TC structural changes can be visualized and historically contextualized. Additionally, our analysis introduces a new parameter that is a simplified measure of the wind decay outside the radius of maximum tangential velocity. We show that this decay parameter is nearly orthogonal to the new intensity and size metrics and is useful for identifying TC maturity. We demonstrate the utility of the new phase space by first comparing the structural evolution of the large Hurricane Rita (2005) and small Hurricane Charley (2004) using observations, as well as comparing two modeling simulations of Hurricane Rita with different initial conditions in the phase space.
UV Radiation Contributed to Earth’s Biggest Mass Extinction
Authors: Fritts Rachel
Published: February 2023

To find the first direct evidence of heightened UV radiation during the end-Permian mass extinction, researchers turned to chemical evidence preserved in pollen grains.
The mechanical phenotypic plasticity of melanoma cell: an emerging driver of therapy cross-resistance
Authors: Diazzi Serena , Tartare-Deckert Sophie , Deckert Marcel
Published: February 2023

Advanced cutaneous melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer and one of the most aggressive human cancers. Targeted therapies (TT) against BRAF mutated melanoma and immune checkpoints blockade therapies (ICB) have been a breakthrough in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. However, therapy-driven resistance remains a major hurdle in the clinical management of the metastatic disease. Besides shaping the tumor microenvironment, current treatments impact transition states to promote melanoma cell phenotypic plasticity and intratumor heterogeneity, which compromise treatment efficacy and clinical outcomes. In this context, mesenchymal-like dedifferentiated melanoma cells exhibit a remarkable ability to autonomously assemble their own extracellular matrix (ECM) and to biomechanically adapt in response to therapeutic insults, thereby fueling tumor relapse. Here, we review recent studies that highlight mechanical phenotypic plasticity of melanoma cells as a hallmark of adaptive and non-genetic resistance to treatment and emerging driver in cross-resistance to TT and ICB. We also discuss how targeting BRAF-mutant dedifferentiated cells and ECM-based mechanotransduction pathways may overcome melanoma cross-resistance.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neuroimaging in pediatric patients with sickle cell disease
Authors: Mahmoud Asmaa A. , Abd El Naby Sameh A. , Abdelgawad Ahmed S. , Rizq Marwa Sabry , Abd El Hady Nahla M. S.
Published: February 2023

Background

The risk of neurological complications is increased in children with sickle cell disease (SCD), such as silent cerebral infarction (SCI) and stroke. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) is a nerve growth factor associated with elevated transcranial Doppler (TCD) velocities and increased risk of stroke in SCD patients. So, we assessed the BDNF level in children with SCD and its relation to neurological complication as silent stroke.

Methods

A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted on 40 patients with SCD, recruited from the Hematology Unit, Pediatric Department, Menoufia University Hospital, and 40 healthy children as controls. Laboratory investigations including BDNF were done. TCD was done for all patients and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was done on high-risk patients.

Results

BDNF levels were significantly higher in children with SCD than in controls with a significant relation to TCD findings. There was a statistically significant diagnostic ability of BDNF in the prediction of SCD complications as its sensitivity was 89.5%, specificity (95% CI) was 80% with a cut-off point >0.69, AUC = 0.702, andp = 0.004).

Conclusion

Serum BDNF levels were higher in sickle disease patients who had abnormal transcranial Doppler. BDNF had a significant diagnostic ability in the detection of SCD complications.

Impact

Silent stroke is a very serious complication in children with sickle cell disease, so regular follow up should be every six months.

BDNF is considered a potential biomarker for stroke risk prediction in patients unable to receive TCD.
Active predation, phylogenetic diversity, and global prevalence of myxobacteria in wastewater treatment plants
Authors: Zhang Lu , Huang Xinyu , Zhou Jizhong , Ju Feng
Published: February 2023

The operation of modern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is driven by activated sludge microbiota, a complex assemblage of trophically interacting microorganisms. Microbial predation is crucial to fundamental understanding of how biological interactions drive microbiome structuring and functioning of WWTPs. However, predatory bacteria have received little attention regarding their diversity, activity, and ecological function in activated sludge, limiting the exploitation of food web interactions for wastewater microbiome engineering. Here, by using rRNA-stable isotope probing of activated sludge microbiota with 13C-labeled prey bacteria, we uncovered diverse as-yet-uncultivated putative predatory bacteria that actively incorporated 13C-biomass. Myxobacteria, especially Haliangium and the mle1-27 clade, were found as the dominant active predators, refreshing conventional views based on a few predatory isolates of Bdellovibrionota from WWTPs. The identified predatory bacteria showed more selective predation on prey compared with the protists dominated by ciliates, providing in situ evidence for inter-domain predation behavior divergence in activated sludge. Putative predatory bacteria were tracked over a two-year microbiome monitoring effort at a local WWTP, revealing the predominance of Myxococcota (6.5 ± 1.3%) over Bdellovibrionota (1.0 ± 0.2%) lineages. Phylogenetic analysis unveiled highly diverse myxobacteria inhabiting activated sludge and suggested a habitat filtering effect in global WWTPs. Further mining of a global activated sludge microbiome dataset revealed the prevalence of Myxococcota (5.4 ± 0.1%) species and potential impacts of myxobacterial predation on process performance. Collectively, our findings provided unique insights into the predating activity, diversity, and prevalence of Myxococcota species in activated sludge, highlighting their links with wastewater treatment processes via trophic regulation of enteric and functional bacteria.
Genomic patterns linked to gray matter alterations underlying working memory deficits in adults and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Duan Kuaikuai , Chen Jiayu , Calhoun Vince D. , Jiang Wenhao , Rootes-Murdy Kelly , Schoenmacker Gido , Silva Rogers F. , Franke Barbara , Buitelaar Jan K. , Hoogman Martine , Oosterlaan Jaap , Hoekstra Pieter J. , Heslenfeld Dirk , Hartman Catharina A. , Sprooten Emma , Arias-Vasquez Alejandro , Turner Jessica A. , Liu Jingyu
Published: February 2023

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorder, with onset in childhood and a considerable likelihood to persist into adulthood. Our previous work has identified that across adults and adolescents with ADHD, gray matter volume (GMV) alteration in the frontal cortex was consistently associated with working memory underperformance, and GMV alteration in the cerebellum was associated with inattention. Recent knowledge regarding ADHD genetic risk loci makes it feasible to investigate genomic factors underlying these persistent GMV alterations, potentially illuminating the pathology of ADHD persistence. Based on this, we applied a sparsity-constrained multivariate data fusion approach, sparse parallel independent component analysis, to GMV variations in the frontal and cerebellum regions and candidate risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) data from 341 unrelated adult participants, including 167 individuals with ADHD, 47 unaffected siblings, and 127 healthy controls. We identified one SNP component significantly associated with one GMV component in superior/middle frontal regions and replicated this association in 317 adolescents from ADHD families. The association was stronger in individuals with ADHD than in controls, and stronger in adults and older adolescents than in younger ones. The SNP component highlights 93 SNPs in long non-coding RNAs mainly in chromosome 5 and 21 protein-coding genes that are significantly enriched in human neuron cells. Eighteen identified SNPs have regulation effects on gene expression, transcript expression, isoform percentage, or methylation level in frontal regions. Identified genes highlight MEF2C, CADM2, and CADPS2, which are relevant for modulating neuronal substrates underlying high-level cognition in ADHD, and their causality effects on ADHD persistence await further investigations. Overall, through a multivariate analysis, we have revealed a genomic pattern underpinning the frontal gray matter variation related to working memory deficit in ADHD.
RIPK3 controls MAIT cell accumulation during development but not during infection
Authors: Patton Timothy , Zhao Zhe , Lim Xin Yi , Eddy Eleanor , Wang Huimeng , Nelson Adam G. , Ennis Bronte , Eckle Sidonia B. G. , Souter Michael N. T. , Pediongco Troi J. , Koay Hui-Fern , Zhang Jian-Guo , Djajawi Tirta M. , Louis Cynthia , Lalaoui Najoua , Jacquelot Nicolas , Lew Andrew M. , Pellicci Daniel G. , McCluskey James , Zhan Yifan , Chen Zhenjun , Lawlor Kate E. , Corbett Alexandra J.
Published: February 2023

Cell death mechanisms in T lymphocytes vary according to their developmental stage, cell subset and activation status. The cell death control mechanisms of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, a specialized T cell population, are largely unknown. Here we report that MAIT cells express key necroptotic machinery; receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) and mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) protein, in abundance. Despite this, we discovered that the loss of RIPK3, but not necroptotic effector MLKL or apoptotic caspase-8, specifically increased MAIT cell abundance at steady-state in the thymus, spleen, liver and lungs, in a cell-intrinsic manner. In contrast, over the course of infection with Francisella tularensis, RIPK3 deficiency did not impact the magnitude of the expansion nor contraction of MAIT cell pools. These findings suggest that, distinct from conventional T cells, the accumulation of MAIT cells is restrained by RIPK3 signalling, likely prior to thymic egress, in a manner independent of canonical apoptotic and necroptotic cell death pathways.
Coupling of autophagy and the mitochondrial intrinsic apoptosis pathway modulates proteostasis and ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Ploumi Christina , Kyriakakis Emmanouil , Tavernarakis Nektarios
Published: February 2023

Mitochondria preserve metabolic homeostasis and integrate stress signals, to trigger cytoprotective, or cell death pathways. Mitochondrial homeostasis and function decline with age. The mechanisms underlying the deterioration of mitochondrial homeostasis during ageing, or in age-associated pathologies, remain unclear. Here, we show that CISD-1, a mitochondrial iron-sulfur cluster binding protein, implicated in the pathogenesis of Wolfram neurodegenerative syndrome type 2, modulates longevity in the nematodeCaenorhabditis elegansby engaging autophagy and the mitochondrial intrinsic apoptosis pathway. The anti-apoptotic protein CED-9 is the downstream effector that mediates CISD-1-dependent effects on proteostasis, neuronal integrity and lifespan. Moreover, intracellular iron abundance is critical for CISD-1 function, since mild iron supplementation is sufficient to decelerate ageing and partly ameliorate the disturbed mitochondrial bioenergetics and proteostasis of CISD-1 deficient animals. Our findings reveal that CISD-1 serves as a mechanistic link between autophagy and the apoptotic pathway in mitochondria to differentially modulate organismal proteostasis and ageing, and suggest novel approaches which could facilitate the treatment of Wolfram Syndrome or related diseases.
Copper homeostasis and copper-induced cell death in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and therapeutic strategies
Authors: Chen Xinyue , Cai Qi , Liang Ruikai , Zhang Deju , Liu Xiao , Zhang Meiying , Xiong Yan , Xu Minxuan , Liu Qi , Li Pengyang , Yu Peng , Shi Ao
Published: February 2023

Copper is a vital mineral, and an optimal amount of copper is required to support normal physiologic processes in various systems, including the cardiovascular system. Over the past few decades, copper-induced cell death, named cuproptosis, has become increasingly recognized as an important process mediating the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including atherosclerosis, stroke, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and heart failure. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of cuproptosis in CVD may be useful for improving CVD management. Here, we review the relationship between copper homeostasis and cuproptosis-related pathways in CVD, as well as therapeutic strategies addressing copper-induced cell death in CVD.
CDK5RAP2 is a Wnt target gene and promotes stemness and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Shen Yuehong , Chen Yuling , Lin Yuntao , Li Yicun , Liu Pengfei , Zhang Biru , Wang Yufan , Chan King-Chi , Mak Nai-Ki , Kahn Michael , Qi Robert Z. , Yang Hongyu
Published: February 2023

In oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), a highly aggressive and frequently lethal malignancy, the role and action mechanism of the microtubule regulatory protein CDK5RAP2 have not been fully understood. Here, we show that CDK5RAP2 is highly expressed in OSCC and its expression correlates with clinical stage and lymph node metastasis of the disease. The expression of CDK5RAP2 is regulated by the Wnt signaling pathway. Depletion of CDK5RAP2 inhibits the tumorigenesis and migration of OSCC cells and alters the OSCC cancer stem (-like) cell (CSC) signature. Notably, suppression of CDK5RAP2 expression disrupts spindle orientation during mitosis. Collectively, these results identify CDK5RAP2 as a potential CSC marker and reveal a mechanism that controls the CSC population in OSCC.