bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paleocene oceanic-island basalt–type magmatism in the Lhasa Block attests to decoupled mantle-crust deformation during Indian-Asian collision
Authors: Zeng Yun-Chuan , Xu Ji-Feng , Chen Jian-Lin , Wang Bao-Di , Huang Feng , Yu Hong-Xia
Published: December 2023

The post-collisional evolution of the Tibetan lithosphere is of paramount significance to our understanding of collisional orogeny. It is generally postulated that the Lhasa lithospheric mantle was horizontally shortened and thickened coherently with the overlying crust to form a physical barrier, preventing Indian subduction beneath Tibet until the thickened mantle root was foundered during the Miocene. This study first identifies post-collisional oceanic-island basalt (OIB)-type magmatism in the Lhasa Block (LB), as attested by zircon U-Pb age (ca. 58 Ma) and geochemistry—positive Nb-Ta anomalies, high La/Yb, and depleted bulk-rock Sr-Nd and zircon Hf isotopes, of diabase in the northern (inboard relative to Indus Suture) part of this block. Coupled with extensive early Paleogene arc-type magmatism in the southern-central LB and thermodynamic modeling, we suggest that these diabases were formed by partially molten upwelling asthenosphere near the base of continental crust, where much of the underlying lithospheric mantle had been removed due to Neo-Tethyan slab rollback and lithospheric delamination. Compared to OIB-type magmatism worldwide, the diabases investigated here were emplaced peculiarly in a region where the continental crust was under horizontal compression and shortening by coeval thrusting. Our study thus implies a decoupled deformation between the crust and mantle of the LB during the early Indian-Asian collision.
Structure, Kinematics, and Prototyping of a Parallel Manipulator with a Remote Center of Rotation
Authors: Glazunov V. A. , Laryushkin P. A. , Shalyukhin K. A.
Published: December 2023

A mechanism with a remote center of rotation, intended for use in medicine, and in particular, minimally invasive operations, is discussed. The basic mechanism consists of two parallelograms with common links, which allows the surgical instrument to duplicate the movement of the drive link of the mechanism. To ensure greater rigidity of the mechanism, it is proposed to introduce drive redundancy through the use of an additional RRR dyad with a drive pair. The position problem has been solved for the resulting mechanism. A 3D model and a prototype of the mechanism have been also presented.
A very low carbohydrate diet for minimising blood glucose excursions during ultra-endurance open-water swimming in type 1 diabetes: a case report
Authors: Smee Shania N. , Johnson Rebecca , Rush Amy , Davey Raymond J.
Published: December 2023

Carbohydrate-restricted diets are used by people with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to help manage their condition. However, the impact of this strategy on blood glucose responses to exercise is unknown. This study describes the nutritional strategies of an athlete with T1D, who follows a very low carbohydrate diet to manage her condition during an ultra-endurance open-water swimming event. The athlete completed the 19.7 km distance in 6 h 43 min. She experienced minimal disruptions to glycaemia, reduced need for supplemental carbohydrate, and no episodes of symptomatic hypoglycaemia. This case report will hopefully encourage further experimental studies that inform and expand current clinical practice guidelines.
Impact of dietary zinc and copper levels on ileal and total apparent nutrient digestibility in growing pigs
Authors: Ketata Mohamed Ali , Létourneau-Montminy Marie-Pierre , Guay Frédéric
Published: December 2023

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) levels on their apparent ileal digestibility (AID) and total tract digestibility (ATTD) and that of calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), phosphorus (P), and fiber in pigs. The experiment was carried out with six individuals fitted with a T-cannula. Pigs received one of four diets with two levels of Zn (100 [low] and 500 [high] mg/kg) and Cu (40 [low] and 80 [high] mg/kg). High Zn increased AID of Zn and Mn, but decreased that of Ca ( p < 0.05). High Cu tended to improve AID of Cu, but only when high Zn was used (Interaction Zn × Cu, p = 0.051). ATTD of Zn, Cu, Mn, and P was greater in high Zn ( p < 0.05). High Cu also increased ATTD of Cu, but reduced that of Ca ( p < 0.05) as it likely did for ATTD of P in low Zn (Interaction Zn × Cu, p = 0.065). There was an improving trend for ATTD of NDF (Interaction Zn × Cu, p = 0.069), and ATTD of ADF was increased with a combination of high Zn and high Cu (Interaction Zn × Cu, p < 0.05). This research showed that the levels of Cu and Zn modified the digestibility of minerals but also the degradability of fiber.
A fast and time-efficient machine learning approach to dark matter searches in compressed mass scenario
Authors: Celik Ali
Published: December 2023

Various analyses for searching for the signature of SUSY or exotic particles have been carried out by the experiments at CERN. These analyses made use of traditional cut and count methods. While this method has yielded promising results, it has been challenging in the region where the mass difference between SUSY particles is small. Deep learning is currently widely employed in most data analysis tasks, including high energy physics, and has made significant advances in almost all fields for collecting and interpreting huge data samples. In this paper, a fast and time-efficient classification technique is proposed, utilizing machine learning algorithms to distinguish dark matter signal from SM background in compressed mass spectra scenarios at a center-of-mass energy of 14 TeV. A classification model was built in a short amount of time using 2D histograms produced with less amount of data, effectively reducing computational costs through the transfer learning of pre-trained deep models while maintaining a high level of classification accuracy.
Searching for a dark matter particle with anti-protonic atoms
Authors: Doser Michael , Farrar Glennys , Kornakov Georgy
Published: December 2023

A wide range of dark matter candidates have been proposed and are actively being searched for in a large number of experiments, both at high (TeV) and low (sub meV) energies. One dark matter candidate, a deeply bound uuddss sexaquark, $$S$$
S
, with mass $$\sim 2$$

∼
2

GeV (having the same quark content as the hypothesized H-dibaryon, but long lived) is particularly difficult to explore experimentally. In this paper, we propose a scheme in which such a state could be produced at rest through the formation of $$\bar{p}$$

p

¯

–$$^3$$

3

He antiprotonic atoms and their annihilation into $$S$$
S
+ $$K^+K^+\pi ^-$$

K
+

K
+

π
-

, identified both through the unique tag of a $$S=+2, Q=+1$$

S
=
+
2
,
Q
=
+
1

final state, as well as through full kinematic reconstruction of the final state recoiling against it.
Human-network regions as effective geographic units for disease mitigation
Authors: Andris Clio , Koylu Caglar , Porter Mason A.
Published: December 2023

Susceptibility to infectious diseases such as COVID-19 depends on how those diseases spread. Many studies have examined the decrease in COVID-19 spread due to reduction in travel. However, less is known about how much functional geographic regions, which capture natural movements and social interactions, limit the spread of COVID-19. To determine boundaries between functional regions, we apply community-detection algorithms to large networks of mobility and social-media connections to construct geographic regions that reflect natural human movement and relationships at the county level in the coterminous United States. We measure COVID-19 case counts, case rates, and case-rate variations across adjacent counties and examine how often COVID-19 crosses the boundaries of these functional regions. We find that regions that we construct using GPS-trace networks and especially commute networks have the lowest COVID-19 case rates along the boundaries, so these regions may reflect natural partitions in COVID-19 transmission. Conversely, regions that we construct from geolocated Facebook friendships and Twitter connections yield less effective partitions. Our analysis reveals that regions that are derived from movement flows are more appropriate geographic units than states for making policy decisions about opening areas for activity, assessing vulnerability of populations, and allocating resources. Our insights are also relevant for policy decisions and public messaging in future emergency situations.
Independence Saturation and Strong Independent Saturation in Probabilistic Neural Networks
Authors: Berberler Zeynep Nihan
Published: December 2023

The independence saturation number [Formula: see text] of a graph [Formula: see text] is defined as [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the maximum cardinality of an independent set that contains [Formula: see text]. The strong independent saturation number [Formula: see text] of a graph [Formula: see text] is defined as [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the maximum cardinality of a minimal strong independent dominating set of [Formula: see text] that contains [Formula: see text]. This paper is devoted to the computation of independence saturation and strong independent saturation numbers of 3- and 4-layered probabilistic neural networks.
Distributed Event-Triggered Algorithms for Multi-Objective Resource Allocation Problem
Authors: Zhao Xuesi , Zhang Kunpeng , Xu Lei , Gao Weinan , Yang Tao
Published: December 2023

This paper considers a multi-objective resource allocation problem for a multi-agent network where each agent has multiple local objective functions. The goal is to obtain the Pareto optimum by exchanging information between agents. To this end, first, we introduce the weighted [Formula: see text] preference index to reformulate this problem into a single-objective resource allocation problem, in which the weighting factor of each objective depends on its relative importance. Moreover, in order to reduce the communication burden, we propose distributed event-triggered algorithms to solve the reformulated problem. When local objective functions are strongly convex and have Lipschitz gradients, we prove that the proposed algorithms are free of Zeno behavior and achieve exponential convergence. Finally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms by a microgrid network example.
Defense for Advanced Persistent Threat with Inadvertent and Malicious Insider Threats
Authors: Chen Ziqin , Chen Guanpu , Hong Yiguang
Published: December 2023

In this paper, we propose a game theory framework to solve advanced persistent threat problems, especially considering two types of insider threats: malicious and inadvertent. Within this framework, we establish a unified three-player game model and derive Nash equilibria in response to different types of insider threats. By analyzing these Nash equilibria, we provide quantitative solutions to advanced persistent threat problems pertaining to insider threats. Furthermore, we have conducted a comparative assessment of the optimal defense strategy and corresponding defender’s costs between two types of insider threats. Interestingly, our findings advocate a more proactive defense strategy against inadvertent insider threats in contrast to malicious ones, despite the latter imposing a higher burden on the defender. Our theoretical results are substantiated by numerical results, which additionally include a detailed exploration of the conditions under which different insiders adopt risky strategies. These conditions can serve as guiding indicators for the defender when calibrating their monitoring intensities and devising defensive strategies.
UAV Trajectory Optimization for Maximum Soaring in Windy Environment
Authors: Haghighi Hassan , Delahaye Daniel , Moschetta Jean-Marc , asadi Davood
Published: December 2023

Optimal trajectory planning in a windy environment is a complex problem when airplane performance characteristics are considered. This paper introduces a novel form of Legendre pseudospectral optimization to solve boundary value problems in UAV trajectory planning. The proposed architecture applies Legendre–Gauss–Lobatto and Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equations to generate candidate pieces of trajectories with respect to the UAV dynamic constraints. Analytical performance-based solutions are also developed for sample cases to achieve an optimal criterion in trajectory planning. Moreover, the notion of wind soaring is exploited to use the beneficial effects of tailwind velocities in trajectory planning. Integral cost functions are handled by Gauss-type quadrature rules. Simulations demonstrate the efficiency of the pseudospectral method compared with other solvers, in eliminating the difficulties of boundary value problems by employing the boundary points in the interpolation equation. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated through dynamic simulations.
Assessment of public opinion on the use of herbal medicine for the treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in accra
Authors: Kwasikumah Frank , Osisiogu Emmanuel U. , Asumang Philip , Collins Amponsah
Published: December 2023

The use of herbal medicine for treating sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is increasing, especially in developing countries like Ghana. However, little is known about public knowledge and attitudes towards using herbs for STIs. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess awareness of STIs and confidence in herbal medicines for treating STIs among the public in Accra, Ghana. Questionnaires were administered to 383 randomly selected respondents aged 15–49 years. Most respondents first learned about STIs in school and had good knowledge about the causes (bacteria, viruses, etc.), modes of transmission (sexual contact, mother-to-child), and body parts affected (sex organs) by STIs. However, under half of respondents had used herbs to treat STIs in the past 12 months, with over half unable to recall which specific herbs they had taken. Herbal medicine was commonly recommended by friends and family rather than healthcare professionals. Despite limited endorsement from medical practitioners, respondents expressed high confidence in herbal medicine, agreeing that herbs are effective for treating STIs and have the advantage of being low cost. Of respondents who had used herbs for STIs, two-fifths reported being cured, although a small proportion noted long treatment times, persistence of symptoms after treatment, or side effects. Statistical analysis revealed a strong positive correlation between confidence in herbal medicine and its use, but no association between knowledge of STIs and use of herbs for treatment. In summary, while respondents were knowledgeable about STIs, this knowledge did not translate into greater use of herbal medicine. However, user confidence in the effectiveness, safety, affordability, and convenience of herbs for treating STIs was high. More nationwide research is warranted to further understand public attitudes and behaviors towards herbal medicines for STIs in order to inform healthcare policies and educational strategies.
Relevance Feedback with Brain Signals
Authors: Ye Ziyi , Xie Xiaohui , Ai Qingyao , Liu Yiqun , Wang Zhihong , Su Weihang , Zhang Min
Published: December 2023

The Relevance Feedback (RF) process relies on accurate and real-time relevance estimation of feedback documents to improve retrieval performance. Since collecting explicit relevance annotations imposes an extra burden on the user, extensive studies have explored using pseudo-relevance signals and implicit feedback signals as substitutes. However, such signals are indirect indicators of relevance and suffer from complex search scenarios where user interactions are absent or biased.

Recently, the advances in portable and high-precision brain-computer interface (BCI) devices have shown the possibility to monitor user’s brain activities during search process. Brain signals can directly reflect user’s psychological responses to search results and thus it can act as additional and unbiased RF signals. To explore the effectiveness of brain signals in the context of RF, we propose a novel RF framework that combines BCI-based RF with pseudo-relevance signals and implicit signals to improve the performance of document re-ranking. The experimental results on the user study dataset show that incorporating brain signals leads to significant performance improvement in our RF framework. Besides, we observe that brain signals perform particularly well in several hard search scenarios, especially when implicit signals as feedback are missing or noisy. This reveals when and how to exploit brain signals in the context of RF.
Biological, Diagnostic, and Therapeutic Insights from (Epi)Genomic Profiling of Pediatric Brain Tumors
Authors: De Cola Antonella , Foss Amelia , Gilbertson Richard , Pathania Manav
Published: December 2023

Pediatric brain tumors comprise a diverse set of diseases. (Epi)genomic analyses have provided insights into the biology of these tumors, stratifying them into distinct subtypes with different oncogenic driver mechanisms and developmental origins. A feature shared by these tumors is their initiation within neural stem or progenitor cells that undergo stalled differentiation in unique, niche-dependent ways. In this review, we provide an overview of how (epi)genomic characterization has revealed pediatric brain tumor origins and underlying biology. We focus on the best characterized tumor types—gliomas, ependymomas, medulloblastomas—as well as select rarer types such as embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors, and choroid plexus carcinomas in which new insights have been made. The discovery of diverse developmental origins of these tumors and their defining molecular characteristics has led to a better understanding of their etiologies, with important implications for diagnostics, future therapy development, and clinical trial design.
Relationships Between Regeneration, Wound Healing, and Cancer
Authors: Maggiore Gianna , Zhu Hao
Published: December 2023

Regeneration and cancer share genetic mechanisms and cellular processes. While highly regenerative cells are often the source of cancer, persistent injury or imperfect regeneration in the form of wound healing can lead to degenerative conditions that favor cancer development. Thus, the causal interplay between regeneration and cancer is complex. This article focuses on understanding how functional variation in regeneration and wound healing might influence the risk of cancer. Variation in regenerative capacity might create trade-offs or adaptations that significantly alter cancer risk. From this perspective, we probe the causal relationships between regeneration, wound healing, and cancer.
Evaluation of the Diagnostic Sensitivity of the VIASURE Leishmania Real-Time PCR Detection Kit Prototype for the Diagnosis of Cutaneous and Visceral Leishmaniasis
Authors: Arnau Albert , Abras Alba , Ballart Cristina , Fernández-Arévalo Anna , Torrico Mary Cruz , Tebar Silvia , Llovet Teresa , Gállego Montserrat , Muñoz Carmen
Published: December 2023

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease with clinical presentations that vary from asymptomatic infection to cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceral disease. Global change, with migratory movements and travels, among others, has had an impact on the presentation of the clinical forms of leishmaniasis in a given area, hindering its diagnosis. The traditional parasitological techniques have limited sensitivity, and currently, there is no reference or gold-standard molecular diagnostic method. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectivity of the VIASURE Leishmania Real-Time PCR Detection Kit prototype (CerTest Biotec, Zaragoza, Spain) for the diagnosis of autochthonous and imported leishmaniasis in comparison with two other commercialized molecular kits: STAT-NAT® Leishmania spp. (Sentinel, Milano, Italy) and Leishmania spp. Real-TM PCR Kit (Sacace Biotechnologies, Como, Italy). Four species of Leishmania, L. infantum, L. major, L. braziliensis, and L. panamensis, were targeted to assess analytical sensitivity, whereas diagnostic sensitivity was evaluated by studying a panel of 49 DNA samples from patients with suspected or confirmed Leishmania infection. The prototype could detect all the New and Old World species studied and achieved a limit of detection of 5 × 10−5 ng DNA/μL in all species. Also, it allowed the diagnosis of autochthonous and imported cases of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Diagnostic sensitivity was 81.8% for the prototype and 100% for the Sacace kit (27 and 33 positive samples detected, respectively). The STAT-NAT® kit failed to detect Vianna species. The VIASURE Leishmania Real-Time PCR Detection Kit prototype was found to have good analytical and diagnostic sensitivity. Using a simple protocol and ready-to-use reagents, results are obtained quickly and are easy to interpret. The evaluation results indicate that the test is a promising candidate for routine diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis and VL in endemic countries, but more studies are necessary to address its sensitivity and specificity.
Blockchain-Based Inventory System considering Uncertain Carbon Footprints and Pandemic Effects
Authors: Mala P. , Palanivel M. , Priyan S.
Published: December 2023

The global supply chain has been severely impacted with the outbreak of COVID-19. The continuous supply of essential products in the post-COVID-19 world is a truly effective and strategic contest. The security and useability of inventory management are a main burden for industries along with the pressure from the government to fulfil the targets of net-zero economy in an uncertain circumstance. One of the most potential keys to these issues is an accurate demand forecasting process by blockchain technology. This article addresses a basic outline for blockchain-based supply chain (SC) and reveals how blockchain technology (BCT) can aid policymakers to cut carbon footprint during and postpandemic time in a fuzzy environment. This study fuzzifies all the carbon factors as intuitionistic triangular fuzzy numbers and uses a signed distance method to defuzzify the model. We consider that the retailer can embrace BCT to enhance demand forecasting. The planned scenario is modeled as an optimization problem to maximize the profit with low carbon emissions and suggest a solution method to solve it. A numerical example is also given to validate the model. We compare the optimal decisions of the SC with and without BCT. We discover that the pandemic and BCT have considerable influences on the optimal results. The study also shows that practitioners should exercise caution when developing operational strategies for maximizing profit with the least amount of carbon emissions during and postpandemic time.
Immune-Related Colitis Is Associated with Fecal Microbial Dysbiosis and Can Be Mitigated by Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
Authors: Elkrief Arielle , Waters Nicholas R. , Smith Natalie , Dai Angel , Slingerland John , Aleynick Nathan , Febles Binita , Gogia Pooja , Socci Nicholas D. , Lumish Melissa , Giardina Paul A. , Chaft Jamie E. , Eng Juliana , Motzer Robert J. , Mendelsohn Robin B. , Markey Kate A. , Zhuang Mingqiang , Li Yanyun , Yang Zhifan , Hollmann Travis J. , Rudin Charles M. , van den Brink Marcel R.M. , Shia Jinru , DeWolf Susan , Schoenfeld Adam J. , Hellmann Matthew D. , Babady N. Esther , Faleck David M. , Peled Jonathan U.
Published: December 2023

Colitis induced by treatment with immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), termed irColitis, is a substantial cause of morbidity complicating cancer treatment. We hypothesized that abnormal fecal microbiome features would be present at the time of irColitis onset and that restoring the microbiome with fecal transplant from a healthy donor would mitigate disease severity. Herein, we present fecal microbiota profiles from 18 patients with irColitis from a single center, 5 of whom were treated with healthy-donor fecal microbial transplantation (FMT). Although fecal samples collected at onset of irColitis had comparable α-diversity to that of comparator groups with gastrointestinal symptoms, irColitis was characterized by fecal microbial dysbiosis. Abundances of Proteobacteria were associated with irColitis in multivariable analyses. Five patients with irColitis refractory to steroids and biologic anti-inflammatory agents received healthy-donor FMT, with initial clinical improvement in irColitis symptoms observed in four of five patients. Two subsequently exhibited recurrence of irColitis symptoms following courses of antibiotics. Both received a second “salvage” FMT that was, again, followed by clinical improvement of irColitis. In summary, we observed distinct microbial community changes that were present at the time of irColitis onset. FMT was followed by clinical improvements in several cases of steroid- and biologic-agent-refractory irColitis. Strategies to restore or prevent microbiome dysbiosis in the context of immunotherapy toxicities should be further explored in prospective clinical trials.
Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction in Patients With Heart Failure: Characterization of Patterns in HFrEF Versus HFpEF
Authors: Paolisso Pasquale , Gallinoro Emanuele , Belmonte Marta , Bertolone Dario Tino , Bermpeis Konstantinos , De Colle Cristina , Shumkova Monika , Leone Attilio , Caglioni Serena , Esposito Giuseppe , Fabbricatore Davide , Moya Ana , Delrue Leen , Penicka Martin , De Bruyne Bernard , Barbato Emanuele , Bartunek Jozef , Vanderheyden Marc
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND:

Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is involved in heart failure (HF) onset and progression, independently of HF phenotype and obstructive coronary artery disease. Invasive assessment of CMD might provide insights into phenotyping and prognosis of patients with HF. We aimed to assess absolute coronary flow, absolute microvascular resistance, myocardial perfusion, coronary flow reserve, and microvascular resistance reserve in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

METHODS:

Single-center, prospective study of 56 consecutive patients with de novo HF with nonobstructive coronary artery disease divided into HF with preserved ejection fraction (n=21) and HFrEF (n=35). CMD was invasively assessed by continuous intracoronary thermodilution and defined as coronary flow reserve <2.5. Left ventricular and left anterior descending artery–related myocardial mass was quantified by echocardiography and coronary computed tomography angiography. Myocardial perfusion (mL/min per g) was calculated as the ratio between absolute coronary flow and left anterior descending artery–related mass.

RESULTS:

Patients with HFrEF showed a higher left ventricular and left anterior descending artery–related myocardial mass compared with HF with preserved ejection fraction (
P
<0.010). Overall, 52% of the study population had CMD, with a similar prevalence between the 2 groups. In HFrEF, CMD was characterized by lower absolute microvascular resistance and higher absolute coronary flow at rest (functional CMD;
P
=0.002). CMD was an independent predictor of a lower rate of left ventricular reverse remodeling at follow-up. In patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction, CMD was mainly due to higher absolute microvascular resistance and lower absolute coronary flow during hyperemia (structural CMD;
P
≤0.030).

CONCLUSIONS:

Continuous intracoronary thermodilution allows the definition and characterization of patterns with distinct CMD in patients with HF and could identify patients with HFrEF with a higher rate of left ventricular reverse remodeling at follow-up.
Unraveling Potential Sex‐Specific Effects of Cardiovascular Medications on Longevity Using Mendelian Randomization
Authors: Kwok Man Ki , Schooling C. Mary
Published: December 2023

Background

Establishing the sex‐specific efficacy of cardiovascular medications is pivotal to evidence‐based clinical practice, potentially closing the gender gap in longevity. Trials large enough to establish sex differences are unavailable. This study evaluated sex‐specific effects of commonly prescribed cardiovascular medications on lifespan.

Methods and Results

In a two‐sample Mendelian randomization study, established genetic variants mimicking effects of lipid‐lowering drugs, antihypertensives, and diabetes drugs were applied to genetic associations with lifespan proxied by UK Biobank maternal (n=412 937) and paternal (n=415 311) attained age. Estimates were obtained using inverse variance weighting, with sensitivity analyses where possible. For lipid‐lowering drugs, genetically mimicked PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) inhibitors were associated with longer lifespan, particularly in men (2.39 years per SD low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction [95% CI, 0.42–4.36], 
P
for interaction=0.14). Genetically mimicked treatments targeting
APOC3
,
LPL
, or possibly
LDLR
were associated with longer lifespan in both sexes. For antihypertensives, genetically mimicked β‐blockers and calcium channel blockers were associated with longer lifespan, particularly in men (
P
for interaction=0.17 for β‐blockers and 0.31 for calcium channel blockers). For diabetes drugs, genetically mimicked metformin was associated with longer lifespan in both sexes. No associations were found for genetically mimicked statins, ezetimibe, or angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors.

Conclusions

PCSK9 inhibitors, β‐blockers, and calcium channel blockers may prolong lifespan in the general population, particularly men. Treatments targeting
APOC3
,
LPL
, or
LDLR
and metformin may be relevant to both sexes. Whether other null findings are attributable to lack of efficacy requires investigation. Further investigation of repurposing should be conducted.
Prognostic Value of Nighttime Double Product in Nondialysis Chronic Kidney Disease With Hypertension
Authors: Jiang Xinying , Li Xuehong , Peng Hui , Li Man , Wang Cheng
Published: December 2023

Background

Both nighttime systolic blood pressure and pulse rate are associated with adverse outcomes in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, nighttime double product (DP), which is the product of nighttime systolic blood pressure and pulse rate, has not yet been investigated in this context. The present study aimed to explore the prognostic value of nighttime DP for adverse outcomes in patients with CKD and hypertension.

Methods and Results

This retrospective cohort study included a total of 1434 patients with nondialysis CKD complicated by hypertension. The patients were enrolled in Zhuhai and Guangzhou, China, with a median follow‐up of 23.8 months. Patient enrollment for the high or low nighttime DP group was performed on the basis of the cutoff value determined by time‐dependent receiver operator characteristic curve analysis. The primary end point was a composite of major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, and the secondary end point was all‐cause death and composite renal end point. The 24‐hour circadian DP rhythm was established via multiple‐component cosinor analysis. Cox regression was used to explore the association between nighttime DP and adverse outcomes. The DP of nondialysis patients with CKD and hypertension showed a diurnal rhythm, which varied with renal function. After adjustment, high nighttime DP was associated with a higher risk for major cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (hazard ratio [HR], 5.823 [95% CI, 2.382–14.233]), all‐cause death (HR, 4.978 [95% CI, 2.205–11.240]), and composite renal event (HR, 1.661 [95% CI, 1.128–2.447]), compared with low nighttime DP. These associations were independent of nighttime systolic blood pressure and PR.

Conclusions

The present cohort study demonstrated that DP had diurnal fluctuations and nighttime DP was an important prognostic factor in nondialysis patients with CKD and hypertension, outperforming traditional risk factors, including systolic blood pressure and pulse rate.
A new species of the rare Gabritini (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Coelidiinae) from Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões, Northeastern Brazil
Authors: BARBOSA JULIANNA FREIRES , GONÇALVES CLAYTON CORRÊA , TAKIYA DANIELA MAEDA
Published: December 2023

A new species of the genus Gabrita Walker, 1858 is described, from Parque Nacional Serra das Confusões, Piauí, representing the first record of Gabritini for the Northeastern Region of Brazil. Gabrita confusa sp. nov. is easily recognized by the long process arising on the shaft of the aedeagus, absent in other species of the genus. A distribution map and a key to the six known species of Gabrita are provided.
Morphological and molecular characterization of Desmicola ryukyuensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Oxyuridomorpha: Thelastomatidae) from the wood-feeding cockroach Panesthia angustipennis yayeyamensis Asahina, 1988 (Blattaria: Blaberidae) in the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan
Authors: MORFFE JANS , GARCÍA NAYLA , HASEGAWA KOICHI
Published: December 2023

Desmicola ryukyuensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Oxyuridomorpha: Thelastomatidae) is described from the wood-feeding cockroach Panesthia angustipennis yayeyamensis Asahina, 1988 (Blattaria: Blaberidae) in Iriomote Island, Japan. The males of D. ryukyuensis n. sp. are similar to D. lamdongensis Sokolova, 2019 but differ by the length of the spicule and the extension of the lateral alae. The females of D. ryukyuensis n. sp. resemble those of D. ornata Jex, Schneider, Rose & Cribb, 2005, but can be differentiated by the shape of the sensilla in the interlabial space and the presence of lateral alae in D. ryukyuensis n. sp. that are absent in D. ornata. The females of D. ryukyuensis n. sp. are similar to D. lamdongensis. However, they differ in the morphology of the lips and the size of the eggs. The phylogeny of D. ryukyuensis n. sp. is inferred by the D2-D3 domains of the 28S rDNA. The new species forms a clade with another sequence of an unidentified Desmicola species from a Vietnamese wood-feeding cockroach.
Two new sponge inhabiting leucothoid amphipod species from the Western Atlantic
Authors: CUMMINGS VICTORIA M. , WHITE KRISTINE N. , THOMAS JAMES DARWIN
Published: December 2023

Two new leucothoid amphipod species are described from the Western Atlantic Ocean. Leucothoe mucifibrosa sp. nov., collected from Belize, may represent a member of the “Paraleucothoe” group with a specific sponge host preference. Leucothoe darthvaderi sp. nov., collected from South Florida, is part of the Leucothoe spinicarpa species complex and has demonstrated a shift in host preference over time, possibly associated with environmental perturbances.
A new distinct, disjunct giant millipede of the genus Spirostreptus Brandt, 1833, from Tanzania, and a solution for orphaned Spirostreptus species (Diplopoda, Spirostreptida, Spirostreptidae)
Authors: ENGHOFF HENRIK
Published: December 2023

Spirostreptus digitus sp. nov. is described based on specimens from Tanzania, and the genus Spirostreptus Brandt, 1833 is discussed, as is the higher classification of the family Spirostreptidae. Gonopod illustrations of S. heros Porat, 1872, and S. tripartitus Cook & Collins, 1893, are provided for comparison with the new, morphologically very distinct species. Analocostreptus Silvestri, 1910, is suggested as the valid genus name for the species currently being placed in Spirostreptus sensu auctorum, nec Brandt, 1833, and 32 nominal species of Spirostreptus are placed in new combinations with Analocostreptus, viz., Analocostreptus amandus (Attems, 1914), comb. nov., Analocostreptus biconus (Attems, 1934), comb. nov., Analocostreptus bonifatius (Attems, 1914), comb. nov., Analocostreptus castaneus (Attems, 1934), comb. nov., Analocostreptus cornutus (Attems, 1934), comb. nov., Analocostreptus damasus (Attems, 1953), comb. nov., Analocostreptus dartevellei (Attems, 1953), comb. nov., Analocostreptus dentiger (Attems, 1953), comb. nov., Analocostreptus garambanus (Chamberlin, 1927), comb. nov., Analocostreptus gregorius (Attems, 1914), comb. nov., Analocostreptus ineptus (Kraus, 1958), comb. nov., Analocostreptus informis (Attems, 1938), comb. nov., Analocostreptus makarius (Attems, 1914), comb. nov., Analocostreptus manyemanus (Attems, 1927), comb. nov., Analocostreptus manyemanus biserialis (Attems, 1938), comb. nov., Analocostreptus medjensis (Chamberlin, 1927), comb. nov., Analocostreptus micromelas (Saussure & Zehntner, 1902), comb. nov., Analocostreptus missionarius (Attems, 1953), comb. nov., Analocostreptus montivagus (Karsch, 1881), comb. nov., Analocostreptus multisulcatus (Demange, 1957), comb. nov., Analocostreptus pancratius (Attems, 1914), comb. nov., Analocostreptus pavani (Demange, 1981), comb. nov., Analocostreptus phthisicus (Saussure & Zehntner, 1902), comb. nov., Analocostreptus pictus (Saussure & Zehntner, 1902), comb. nov., Analocostreptus rolini (Silvestri, 1897), comb. nov., Analocostreptus sculptus (Saussure & Zehntner, 1902), comb. nov., Analocostreptus semilunaris (Peters, 1855), comb. nov., Analocostreptus servatius (Attems, 1914), comb. nov., Analocostreptus tetricus (Attems, 1934), comb. nov., Analocostreptus tiburtius (Attems, 1953), comb. nov., Analocostreptus triangulicollis (Attems, 1934), comb. nov., Analocostreptus versicolor (Saussure & Zehntner, 1902), comb. nov. and Analocostreptus yambatanus (Attems, 1934), comb. nov. Illustrations of the gonopods of A. ibanda (Silvestri, 1907), type-species of Analocostreptus, are provided, and the species is recorded as new for Kenya.
Uncertainty in the Past and Future Changes of Tropical Pacific SST Zonal Gradient: Internal Variability versus Model Spread
Authors: Wang Zheng , Dong Lu , Song Fengfei , Zhou Tianjun , Chen Xiaolong
Published: December 2023

The zonal sea surface temperature (SST) gradient across the tropical Pacific is a pacemaker of the variable rates of global warming. In both historical simulations and future projections, the current state-of-the-art climate models show evident spread in the changes of zonal SST gradient, but the reasons remain unknown. Here, we quantify the contributions of internal variability and model spread to the uncertainty of zonal SST gradient changes by analyzing 342 realizations from CMIP5 and CMIP6 models and several sets of large-ensemble simulations. We found that the internal variability dominates the total uncertainty at multidecadal time scales (∼31-yr trends). Although the ratio of internal uncertainty to the total uncertainty declines along with higher emission of greenhouse gases under global warming, it is still over 80% at the multidecadal time scales in the future. The Pacific decadal oscillation is identified as the key internal mode responsible for the multidecadal uncertainty. For the future projections at centurial time scales, the uncertainty of zonal SST gradient changes is mainly from the intermodel spread in response to external forcing, accounting for about 70% of the uncertainty based on the difference between 2070–99 and 1970–99. The model spread in the cloud–shortwave radiation–SST feedback over the tropical Pacific is important in the uncertainty of zonal SST gradient changes. In particular, the intensity of negative convective cloud feedback in the western Pacific dominates the spread in CMIP5 models, while the intensity of stratocumulus cloud feedback over the southeastern Pacific is the primary process influencing the uncertainty in CMIP6 models.
Long-Term Effects of a Real-World Multi-Skill Intervention on Older Adults’ Growth Mindset
Authors: Kyeong Yena , Kürüm Esra , Ferguson Leah , Sheffler Pamela , Rebok George W. , Wu Rachel
Published: December 2023

Although there have been interventions to increase growth mindset, little is known about their effectiveness over a longer period, especially for older adults. This study with older adults investigated the long-term effects of a learning intervention that included growth mindset lectures and discussions on growth mindset. In Study 1 ( n = 27), participants were tracked for one year after a 12-week intervention. We found that an increased growth mindset did not last beyond the intervention. In Study 2 ( n = 71), the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the intervention after only two months. Participants were followed up for two years, and their growth mindset at one year was greater than at the pretest (Week 0) but declined from the 1- to 2-year follow-up. Taken together, interventions incorporating growth mindset messages can increase growth mindset in the short term but may require booster sessions to retain effects, especially during disruptive life events.
Factors affecting learning outcomes achievement of public administration bachelor students in Ethiopia
Authors: Angaw Kiflie Worku , Debela Bacha Kebede , Brans Marleen
Published: December 2023

Public administration education is a key instrument to address emerging public administration challenges. Ethiopia started public administration education in the 1950s, and currently, 13 public universities are offering bachelor programs in public administration. Nevertheless, PA program learning outcome achievements are not been studied, and comparative studies are absent. By relying on the resource dependency theory and survey data collected from PA Bachelor students ( n = 91) and faculty members ( n = 28) in three PA-teaching public universities, this article tries to fill these gaps. Significant differences were found between students and faculty members, and between universities with regard to PA learning outcome achievements. The variation between universities in terms of access to resources and student support is also substantial. The difference between students and faculty members, and between universities on the PA faculty quality and the quality of the teaching-learning method proved insignificant. The study confirms public administration faculty members, access to resources, and student support services positively influence PA learning outcomes. The article contributes to PA education literature and PA program evaluation.
Percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary artery by-pass grafting in premature coronary artery disease: What is the evidence? -A narrative review
Authors: Goulden Christopher J
Published: December 2023

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains one of the leading causes of death globally. In the United States of America, in 2016, 19% of all patients under the age of 65 died of cardiovascular disease despite improvements in primary prevention. The premature clinical onset of symptoms in the young population (<60 years) is much more aggressive than in the older population, and the overall long-term prognosis is poor. CAD appears to have a rapidly progressive form in those under the age of 60 due to genetic predisposition, smoking, and substance abuse, however, the ideal management strategy is still yet to be established. The two primary methods of establishing coronary revascularization are percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Despite the increasing prevalence of CAD in the young population, they are consistently underrepresented in major randomized clinical trials of each revascularization strategy. Both CABG and PCI are known to have similar survival rates, but PCI is associated with higher repeat revascularization rate. Many argue this may be due to the progressive nature of CAD combined with the vessel patency time required in a patient under 60 with potentially another 20-30 years of life. There is little in literature regarding the outcomes of these various revascularization strategies in populations under 60 years with CAD. This review summarises the current evidence for each revascularisation strategy in patients under the age of 60 and suggests future avenues of research for this unique age group.
Drawing out perceptions: Using drawing as a method to understand public perceptions of homelessness and crime
Authors: Long Fiona Catherine
Published: December 2023

This article considers the ways in which we as a society see victims of crime, particularly those who fall into Miers’ category of ‘delinquent victims’. Focusing on homelessness in the United Kingdom, the article is critical of the ‘victim’ label, which is arguably at odds with real crime victims, yet produces the victims we do see as well as those we do not. While those experiencing homelessness suffer from heightened levels of victimisation, they are also less likely to attain victim status. The following discussion seeks to rationalise this paradox by suggesting that being seen as homeless is somehow incompatible with being seen as a victim. Given the importance of the visual, drawing is employed as a research method to understand public perceptions of homelessness and crime. The resulting visual representations are unanticipated, yet significant, and often omit the crime component entirely, instead focusing on stereotypical representations of homelessness. The article concludes by emphasising the importance of seeing and suggests directions for future research.
RoboCraft: Learning to see, simulate, and shape elasto-plastic objects in 3D with graph networks
Authors: Shi Haochen , Xu Huazhe , Huang Zhiao , Li Yunzhu , Wu Jiajun
Published: December 2023

Modeling and manipulating elasto-plastic objects are essential capabilities for robots to perform complex industrial and household interaction tasks (e.g., stuffing dumplings, rolling sushi, and making pottery). However, due to the high degrees of freedom of elasto-plastic objects, significant challenges exist in virtually every aspect of the robotic manipulation pipeline, for example, representing the states, modeling the dynamics, and synthesizing the control signals. We propose to tackle these challenges by employing a particle-based representation for elasto-plastic objects in a model-based planning framework. Our system, RoboCraft, only assumes access to raw RGBD visual observations. It transforms the sensory data into particles and learns a particle-based dynamics model using graph neural networks (GNNs) to capture the structure of the underlying system. The learned model can then be coupled with model predictive control (MPC) algorithms to plan the robot’s behavior. We show through experiments that with just 10 min of real-world robot interaction data, our robot can learn a dynamics model that can be used to synthesize control signals to deform elasto-plastic objects into various complex target shapes, including shapes that the robot has never encountered before. We perform systematic evaluations in both simulation and the real world to demonstrate the robot’s manipulation capabilities.
Exploring Factors Associated With Resilience and Physical Activity in Older Men and Women Post-Hip Fracture
Authors: Seong Hohyun , Resnick Barbara , Holmes Sarah , Galik Elizabeth , Breman Rachel Blankstein , Fortinsky Richard H. , Zhu Shijun
Published: December 2023

This study aimed to test a model of factors associated with resilience and physical activity post-hip fracture and compare model fit between men and women. We used data from the seventh Baltimore Hip Study that included 339 participants. Model testing indicated that health status (men: β = .237, p = .002; women: β = .265, p = <.001), depression (men: β = −.245, p = .001; women: β = −.241, p = <.001), and optimism (men: β = .320, p = <.001; women: β = .282, p = <.001) were associated with resilience in men and women, but resilience was only associated with physical activity in men (β = .203, p = .038) and not in women. Social interaction was related to physical activity only among women (β = .206, p = .044). This study provides support for the relationship between resilience and physical activity at least among men.