bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Implementation of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) for Transgender and Gender Diverse Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Julian Jamie M. , Held Jordan I. , Hixson Karen , Conn Bridgid M.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

There is limited information available regarding the use of trauma modalities within the transgender and gender diverse community (TGD) to address gender-based trauma, including discrimination and invalidation, particularly for adolescents and young adults (AYA). The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel treatment approach to addressing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms within TGD AYA, inclusive of gender-based trauma.

Methods

Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) was implemented as a brief intervention for TGD AYA who had a positive screening for PTSD symptomatology. Measures were used to assess PTSD symptoms, as well as changes in self-perceived resilience and positive well-being. Two case vignettes are provided to demonstrate the adaptations made to be responsive to the unique needs of TGD AYA for trauma processing.

Results

Preliminary outcomes from two case studies indicate the strength of NET when working with TGD AYA who face multiple traumatic events and continue to experience invalidation.

Conclusion

NET shows promise as an effective brief intervention to reduce PTSD symptomology and increase resiliency in TGD AYA.
Simulation-Based Method for the Calculation of Passenger Flow Distribution in an Urban Rail Transit Network Under Interruption
Authors: Su Guanghui , Si Bingfeng , Zhi Kun , Zhao Ben , Zheng Xuanchuan
Published: March 2023

In the extensive urban rail transit network, interruptions will lead to service delays on the current line and spread to other lines, forcing many passengers to wait, detour, or even give up their trips. This paper proposes an event-driven simulation method to evaluate the impact of interruptions on passenger flow distribution. With this method, passengers are regarded as individual agents who can obtain complete information about the current traffic situation, and the impact of the occurrence, duration, and recovery of interruption events on passengers’ travel decisions is analyzed in detail. Then, two modes are used to assign passenger paths: experience-based pre-trip mode and response-based entrap mode. In the simulation process, the train is regarded as an individual agent with a fixed capacity. With the advance of the simulation clock, the network loading is completed through the interaction of the three agents of passengers, platforms, and trains. Interruption events are considered triggers, affecting other agents by affecting network topology and train schedules. Finally, taking Chongqing Metro as an example, the accuracy and effectiveness of the model are analyzed and verified. And the impact of interruption on passenger flow distribution indicators such as inbound volume, outbound volume, and transfer volume is studied from both the individual and overall dimensions. The results show that this study provides an effective method for calculating the passenger flow distribution of an extensive urban rail transit network in the case of interruption.
An assessment of whistlers generated from tree-like gigantic jets
Authors: Wang Kaiti , Chang Shu-Chun
Published: March 2023

The characteristics of whistlers generated from an observed gigantic jet (GJ) are assessed and possible locations to detect these waves are deduced. Modeling is based on disturbances in the electric field, as measured by NCKU ELF/VLF station, associated with a tree-like GJ event over typhoon Lionrock. The power spectrum of GJ differs from that of common cloud-to-ground lightning; therefore, this study also investigates differences between GJ-generated signals and common lightning-generated whistlers. Detectability is evaluated by considering the absorption of amplitudes resulted from collisional damping associated with the propagation of generated waves. Our results show that in the ionosphere the waves are subject to greater attenuation as the frequency increases; however, a reversal occurs at lower frequencies of a few hundred Hz. The calculated waveforms show that the whistlers generated by the tree-like GJs are preceded by small fluctuations at high frequencies generated by the initiating lightning. Overall, the amplitudes increase with the passage of time; however, they are more randomly-distributed over time for whistlers generated from common lightning. The amplitudes decrease again when lower-frequency components below a few hundred Hz arrive. The amplitudes drop to the order of 1 mV/m as the waves propagate in the ionosphere, which puts them within a range detectable by the instruments on most satellites. Based on the locations of tree-like GJ events observed by ISUAL (Imager of Sprites and Upper Atmospheric Lightning), regions of the western and southeastern Pacific Ocean, as well as northern Africa region are the most likely locations to detect these whistlers.
Public Interest in Myocarditis during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic
Authors: Perkins Del , Wilkins Rachel , Kerr Randi , Greiner Benjamin , Hartwell Micah
Published: March 2023

Objective:

Public interest in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines has been rising with regard to associated myocarditis. Thus, the objective of our study was to assess trends in public interest in myocarditis during the course of the pandemic and the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine rollout in the United States.

Methods:

We conducted a longitudinal assessment of public interest in myocarditis, and its association with actual coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) -related myocarditis during the first wave of the pandemic and SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-related myocarditis following vaccine rollout. To complete this objective, we used data from 3 sources: a report from the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting database, and from Google Trends.

Results:

Results show that Relative Search Interest (RSI) was low before and during the initial phase of the pandemic and peaked in April 2021, during the initial vaccine push. The ratio of myocarditis related to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines was considerably lower than the ratio of myocarditis from natural infection.

Conclusions:

Search interest in myocarditis was low until SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were rolled out, in which media coverage intensely focused on a relatively small number of cases. This study highlights both the benefits of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and the impact of the media on public interest
Identifying patients at high risk for multidrug-resistant organisms after hospitalization abroad
Authors: Bopp Tamara C , Marchesi Martina , Zihlmann Reto , Sax Hugo , Wolfensberger Aline
Published: March 2023

Objectives:

We quantified the percentage of multidrug-resistant organism (MDRO) carriers among repatriated patients. We identified factors associated with MDRO carriage, and we evaluated the yield of MDRO detection per screened body site.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

A tertiary-care center in Switzerland.

Patients:

Adult patients after a stay in a healthcare institution abroad.

Methods:

Patients were screened for MDRO carriage. Standard sites, including nose and throat, groins, and (since mid-2018) rectum, and risk-based sites (wounds, urine, tracheal secretion) were sampled. MDROs were defined as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)– and carbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales (CPE), multidrug-resistant (MDR) Enterobacterales, and MDR nonfermenting gram-negative rods. Risk factors for MDRO carriage were assessed using multivariate logistic regression.

Results:

Between May 2017 and April 2019, 438 patients were screened and 107 (24.4%) tested positive for an MDRO, predominantly ESBL-producing and MDR Enterobacterales. Risk factors for MDRO colonization were the length of stay in hospital abroad, antibiotic treatment with ‘Watch’ and ‘Reserve’ antibiotics, and region of hospitalization abroad. Rectal swabs had the highest yield for detecting patients with MDR intestinal bacteria, but nose/throat and groins, or wound samples were more sensitive for MRSA or nonfermenting gram-negative organisms, respectively.

Conclusions:

We identified risk factors for MDRO carriage and body sites with the highest yield for a specific MDRO, which might help to target screening and isolation and reduce screening costs.
The High Road to the Near North: Origins and Development of Sinology in Australia
Authors: Sima William
Published: March 2023

The development of Sinology in Australia was contingent upon, and serves as a lens through which to view, a number of transformations to Australian society in the middle decades of the twentieth century, as the country sought independence from the “Mother Country,” Great Britain, and reoriented itself towards Asia. These include Australia's first forays into independent international diplomacy and the introduction of the Ph.D. degree and postgraduate research in the university system—culminating in the first Australian postgraduate work on China in the 1950s. While government support has always been crucial to the enterprise, from the early years until today scholars have defended the Chinese humanities against the utilitarian “national interest” proclivities of governments. Adopting a broad definition of Sinology, one which encompasses post-war trends in “Chinese Studies,” this article surveys the universities that have been important to Sinology, the scholars who worked in them and the ongoing challenges to the discipline.
The nutritional profile of commercial complementary foods in Japan: comparison between low- and high-price products
Authors: Sugimoto Minami , Yuan Xiaoyi , Uechi Ken , Sasaki Satoshi
Published: March 2023

Despite the increasing market share of commercial complementary foods, their nutritional characteristics and those associated with the price of products are still unknown in Japan. We compared the nutritional characteristics of commercially available complementary foods of different price levels in Japan. Data were obtained from the websites of Japanese brands of infant and young children’s food. Nutrient profiles (unit/100 g), ingredients and food additives were compared between low- and high-priced products by product type. Sixty-three dry meals, 425 soft meals, 187 snacks and sweets, and 60 drinks were analysed. One-fifth of meals and snacks exceeded the CODEX-defined limit (200 mg Na/100 g). Most products lacked content information on nutrients non-mandated to be indicated. High-priced soft meals contained more protein (2·5 v. 1·9 g/100 g) and less Na (0·18 v. 0·46 g/100 g), less frequently used ≥ 1 added sugar (23 % v. 82 %), and less frequently used food additives than low-priced products; however, they had a lower variety of ingredients. The prevalence of products containing ≥ 1 added sugar was higher in low-priced snacks and sweets (91 % v. 77 %) but lower in drinks (48 % v. 84 %) than in their high-priced counterparts. High Na content is a concern among commercial complementary foods in Japan. Nonetheless, the relationship between the price and nutritional profile of these foods differs by product type. High-priced soft meals might be more favourable regarding nutrient content but not the variety of ingredients than low-priced counterparts. These findings elucidate the nutritional characteristics of commercial complementary foods in Japan.
The use of path analysis to determine effects of environmental factors on the adult seasonality ofCulicoides(Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) vector species in Spain
Authors: Barceló Carlos , Searle Kate R. , Estrada Rosa , Lucientes Javier , Miranda Miguel Á. , Purse Bethan V.
Published: March 2023

Culicoidesbiting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are the main vectors of livestock diseases such as bluetongue (BT) which mainly affect sheep and cattle. In Spain, bluetongue virus (BTV) is transmitted by severalCulicoidestaxa, includingCulicoides imicola, Obsoletus complex,Culicoides newsteadiandCulicoides pulicaristhat vary in seasonality and distribution, affecting the distribution and dynamics of BT outbreaks. Path analysis is useful for separating direct and indirect, biotic and abiotic determinants of species' population performance and is ideal for understanding the sensitivity of adultCulicoidesdynamics to multiple environmental drivers. Start, end of season and length of overwintering of adultCulicoideswere analysed across 329 sites in Spain sampled from 2005 to 2010 during the National Entomosurveillance Program for BTV with path analysis, to determine the direct and indirect effects of land use, climate and host factor variables.Culicoidestaxa had species-specific responses to environmental variables. While the seasonality of adultC. imicolawas strongly affected by topography, temperature, cover of agro-forestry and sclerophyllous vegetation, rainfall, livestock density, photoperiod in autumn and the abundance ofCulicoidesfemales, Obsoletus complex species seasonality was affected by land-use variables such as cover of natural grassland and broad-leaved forest.Culicoidesfemale abundance was the most explanatory variable for the seasonality ofC. newsteadi, whileC. pulicarisshowed that temperature during winter and the photoperiod in November had a strong effect on the start of the season and the length of overwinter period of this species. These results indicate that the seasonal vector-free period (SVFP) in Spain will vary between competent vector taxa and geographic locations, dependent on the different responses of each taxa to environmental conditions.
HORACE AND VIRGIL ON A FEW ACRES LEFT BEHIND (CARMINA2.15 AND 3.16, ANDGEORGICS4.125–48)
Authors: Roche Paul
Published: March 2023

This article proposes and interprets a previously undiscussed connection between Horace'sCarmen2.15 and the description of the Corycian gardener at Virgil'sGeorgics4.125–48. It argues that this allusion to Virgil sharpens the moral pessimism of Horace's ode. It first considers the circumstantial, general and formal elements connecting these two poems; it then considers how the model of the Corycian gardener brings further point and nuance to the moralizing message ofCarmen2.15 and the way in which this allusion is meaningfully echoed atCarmen3.16.
Hausdorff dimension of sets defined by almost convergent binary expansion sequences
Authors: Song Qing-Yao
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we study the Hausdorff dimension of sets defined by almost convergent binary expansion sequences. More precisely, the Hausdorff dimension of the following set
\begin{align*} \bigg\{x\in[0,1)\;:\;\frac{1}{n}\sum_{k=a}^{a+n-1}x_{k}\longrightarrow\alpha\textrm{ uniformly in }a\in\mathbb{N}\textrm{ as }n\rightarrow\infty\bigg\} \end{align*}
is determined for any
$ \alpha\in[0,1] $
. This completes a question considered by Usachev [Glasg. Math. J.64 (2022), 691–697] where only the dimension for rational
$ \alpha $
is given.
Massed v. standard prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD in military personnel and veterans: 12-month follow-up of a non-inferiority randomised controlled trial
Authors: Dell Lisa , Sbisa Alyssa M. , Forbes Andrew , O'Donnell Meaghan , Bryant Richard , Hodson Stephanie , Morton David , Battersby Malcolm , Tuerk Peter W. , Elliott Peter , Wallace Duncan , Forbes David
Published: March 2023

Background

The utilisation of massed therapy for treating posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is gaining strength, especially prolonged exposure. However, it is unknown whether massed prolonged exposure (MPE) is non-inferior to standard prolonged exposure (SPE) protocols in the long term. The current study aimed to assess whether MPE was non-inferior to SPE at 12 months post-treatment, and to ascertain changes in secondary measure outcomes.

Methods

A multi-site non-inferiority randomised controlled trial (RCT) compared SPE with MPE in 12 clinics. The primary outcome was PTSD symptom severity (CAPS-5) at 12 months post-treatment commencement. Secondary outcome measures included symptoms of depression, anxiety, anger, disability, and quality of life at 12 weeks and 12 months post-treatment commencement. Outcome assessors were blinded to treatment allocation. The intention-to-treat sample included 138 Australian military members and veterans and data were analysed for 134 participants (SPE = 71, MPE = 63).

Results

Reductions in PTSD severity were maintained at 12 months and MPE remained non-inferior to SPE. Both treatment groups experienced a reduction in depression, anxiety, anger, and improvements in quality of life at 12 weeks and 12 months post-treatment commencement. Treatment effects for self-reported disability in the SPE group at 12 weeks were not maintained, with neither group registering significant effects at 12 months.

Conclusions

The emergence of massed protocols for PTSD is an important advancement. The current study provides RCT evidence for the longevity of MPE treatment gains at 12 months post-treatment commencement and demonstrated non-inferiority to SPE. Promisingly, both treatments also significantly reduced the severity of comorbid symptoms commonly occurring alongside PTSD.
Advancing Value Pluralist Approaches to Social Policy Controversies: A Case Study of Welfare Conditionality
Authors: Watts-Cobbe Beth , Fitzpatrick Suzanne
Published: March 2023

‘Value pluralism’ is a strand of analytical philosophy that posits the plurality of morally significant values. By enabling systematic mapping of the diversity of moral registers within which social policy concerns might legitimately be considered, we contend that value pluralist-inspired analysis can aid constructive policy dialogue. Our argument is founded on four claims: first, as a matter of normative principle, value pluralism represents a defensible ethical standpoint; second, as a matter of fact, people are attracted to a plurality of moral values; third, as a matter of democratic legitimacy, pluralism offers a means of (partially) reconciling rival moral claims; fourth, as a matter of political strategy, pluralism offers a pragmatic approach that can engage protagonists on their own terms. To demonstrate its efficacy, we apply this pluralist approach to the vexed question of welfare conditionality, which we interrogate via six normative perspectives (rights, utilitarianism, contractualism, communitarianism, paternalism and social justice).
Social Policy Expansion and Retrenchment in Latin America: Causal Paths to Successful Reform
Authors: Niedzwiecki Sara , Pribble Jennifer
Published: March 2023

The literature on social policy expansion and retrenchment in Latin America is vast, but scholars differ in how they explain outcomes, arriving at different conclusions about the role of democracy, left parties, favorable economic conditions, and social movements. What can welfare state developments since the end of the commodity boom teach us about the theoretical power of these arguments? This paper engages this question, seeking to explain recent incidents of successful social policy reform in 10 presidential administrations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay. Using a combination of crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis (csQCA) and case studies, we identify multiple paths toward successful social policy expansion and retrenchment. The QCA results highlight two key findings. First, social policy expansion was generally carried out by programmatic parties (often, though not always, from the left). Second, retrenchment is most likely when nonprogrammatic right parties face fiscal constraints. The case studies affirm these findings and show that differences in electoral competition, social movement pressure, and policy legacies shape the contexts in which expansion and retrenchment is feasible. The results provide new insight into social policy reform, underscoring the relevance of complex forms of causality.
A few-shot semantic segmentation method based on adaptively mining correlation network
Authors: Huang Zhifu , Jiang Bin , Liu Yu
Published: March 2023

The goal of few-shot semantic segmentation is to learn a segmentation model that can segment novel classes in queries when only a few annotated support examples are available. Due to large intra-class variations, the building of accurate semantic correlation remains a challenging job. Current methods typically use 4D kernels to learn the semantic correlation of feature maps. However, they still face the challenge of reducing the consumption of computation and memory while keeping the availability of correlations mined by their methods. In this paper, we propose the adaptively mining correlation network (AMCNet) to alleviate the aforementioned issues. The key points of AMCNet are the proposed adaptive separable 4D kernel and the learnable pyramid correlation module, which form the basic block for correlation encoder and provide a learnable concatenation operation over pyramid correlation tensors, respectively. Experiments on the PASCAL VOC 2012 dataset show that our AMCNet surpasses the state-of-the-art method by
$0.7\%$
and
$2.2\%$
on 1-shot and 5-shot segmentation scenarios, respectively.
Time-optimal path following for non-redundant serial manipulators using an adaptive path-discretization
Authors: Marauli Tobias , Gattringer Hubert , Müller Andreas
Published: March 2023

The time-optimal path following (OPF) problem is to find a time evolution along a prescribed path in task space with shortest time duration. Numerical solution algorithms rely on an algorithm-specific (usually equidistant) sampling of the path parameter. This does not account for the dynamics in joint space, that is, the actual motion of the robot, however. Moreover, a well-known problem is that large joint velocities are obtained when approaching singularities, even for slow task space motions. This can be avoided by a sampling in joint space, where the path parameter is replaced by the arc length. Such discretization in task space leads to an adaptive refinement according to the nonlinear forward kinematics and guarantees bounded joint velocities. The adaptive refinement is also beneficial for the numerical solution of the problem. It is shown that this yields trajectories with improved continuity compared to an equidistant sampling. The OPF is reformulated as a second-order cone programming and solved numerically. The approach is demonstrated for a 6-DOF industrial robot following various paths in task space.
Combining observational and experimental approaches to the development of language and communication in rural samples: Opportunities and challenges
Authors: CRISTIA Alejandrina , FOUSHEE Ruthe , ARAVENA-BRAVO Paulina , CYCHOSZ Margaret , SCAFF Camila , CASILLAS Marisa
Published: March 2023

Multiple approaches – including observational and experimental – are necessary to articulate powerful theories of learning. Our field’s key questions, which rely on these varied methods, are still open. How do children perceive and produce language? What do they encounter in their linguistic input? What does the learner bring to the task of acquisition? Considerable progress has been made for the development of spoken English (especially by North American learners). Yet there is still a great deal to discover about how children in other populations proceed, especially populations in rural settings. To examine language learning in these populations, we need a multi-method approach. However, adapting and integrating methods, particularly experimental ones, to new settings can present immense challenges. In this paper, we discuss the opportunities and challenges facing researchers who aim to use a multimethodological approach in rural samples, and what the field of language acquisition can do to promote such work.
Assessing the effectiveness of machine translation in the Chinese EFL writing context: A replication of Lee (2020)
Authors: Yang Yanxia , Wei Xiangqing , Li Ping , Zhai Xuesong
Published: March 2023

With the dramatic improvement in quality, machine translation has emerged as a tool widely adopted by language learners. Its use, however, has been a divisive issue in language education. We conducted an approximate replication of Lee (2020) about the impact of machine translation on EFL writing. This study used a mixed-methods approach with automatic text analyzer Coh-Metrix and human ratings, supplemented with questionnaires, interviews, and screen recordings. The findings obtained support most of the original work, suggesting that machine translation can help language learners improve their EFL writing proficiency, specifically in strengthening lexical expressions. Students generally hold positive attitudes towards machine translation, despite some skeptical views regarding the values of machine translation. Most students express a strong wish to learn how to effectively use machine translation. Machine translation literacy instruction is therefore suggested for incorporation into the curriculum for language students.
Distribution and habitat assessment of an Endangered hummingbird: the Grey-bellied Comet Taphrolesbia griseiventris
Authors: Cuadros Sandra , Angulo Fernando
Published: March 2023

The Grey-bellied Comet (Taphrolesbia griseiventris) is a hummingbird species endemic to northern Peru and listed as Endangered by IUCN due to its small and fragmented population. Despite this, little has been attempted to increase knowledge of its natural history and ecology to provide current information and better evaluate its conservation status. Here, we used known curated records of the species from the literature to generate a model of its potential distribution using MaxEnt, and we then validated the model in the field through direct observation in selected areas. Where the species was confirmed, we conducted a habitat characterisation with field data, and a threat assessment of the landscape using secondary data in ArcGIS. We found five new records of the species in the department of La Libertad at two different sites, confirming a new population. The habitat mostly comprised Andean scrub (17.6%) throughout its distribution, and the main threat in the habitat was human-induced fires for agricultural purposes and as a means of waste disposal. Our findings revealed new information on the distribution of the species with a potential habitat occupancy of 4–6% within its range. Furthermore, areas that were previously reported to harbour a population of the species no longer showed records despite intensive searches in the field. Finally, we discuss the implications for its conservation. Our results indicated that conservation measures to protect the Grey-bellied Comet are urgently needed, especially the declaration of a reserve in La Libertad, which might be the only area where the species is reliably present with good quality habitat.
Creating, Implementing, and Experiencing Research Opportunities: A Focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Authors: Duncan Natasha T. , Balcazar Pablo , Gonzalez Daniella , Tamene Meron , Clawson Rosalee A.
Published: March 2023

High-impact educational practices benefit undergraduate students in a variety of ways. These opportunities include student–faculty research, study-abroad and study-away programs, and internships, among others. This study focuses on one type of these high-impact practices: research. Research experiences foster student engagement and success, and they especially matter for marginalized and minoritized students, who all too often are underrepresented in these experiences. This article discusses creating, implementing, and experiencing equity-minded research opportunities for students from three perspectives: department head, faculty mentor, and undergraduate participants.
Signs of prehistory. A Peircian semiotic approach to lithics
Authors: Guibert Justin , Pérez-Balarezo Antonio , Forestier Hubert
Published: March 2023

How can we understand prehistoric lithic objects? What meaning should we give them and what view should we adopt to claim access to their significance? How can we reduce and clarify our biases? This article is a proposal to introduce Peircian semiotics to review lithic objects. For a long time, these were apprehended as types, sometimes within evolutionary lineages; however, in this research, knapped stone objects will be perceived through a semio-pragmatic grid and reviewed as signs. The proposed approach is a new way of accessing the fields of technical phenomena of prehistoric communities. This new perception aims at a quest for objectivity, by clarifying the affective, analytical and interpretative a priori as an answer to the sometimes very personal view of the prehistorian on lithic objects. Charles Sanders Peirce’s logical theory of signs or semiotics is contextualized within an ‘artisanal’ reading of prehistoric tools as initiated by Éric Boëda and further developed by Michel Lepot. Through this phaneroscopic/phenomenological vision, the technical object, now a sign-object, is placed in action (semiosis) within a system of signs. This new trajectory is positioned both as a methodological tool and as an innovative milestone in the construction of a more logical episteme in Prehistory, taking lithics both as signs of past human activity and of archaeological representations.
A Monte Carlo study of the dose enhancement effects of high-z foils in proton therapy
Authors: Duke Kristen , Ahmad Salahuddin , Lau Andy
Published: March 2023

Background:

This investigation quantifies the dose enhancement effect and dose distribution modifications due to the presence of high-z nanospheres in a proton beam.

Methods:

Various proton pencil beams of therapeutic energies (60–226 MeV) and spatial distribution of 2·7 mm spot size diameter were simulated onto a water phantom utilising the TOPAS Monte Carlo toolkit version 3.6.1. The simulation modelled either water or nanospheres of high-z materials (gold, silver or platinum) at the location of the Bragg Peak (BP) to compare the differences of the resulting dose distributions.

Results:

The introduction of the nanospheres increases the maximum dose, narrows the BP and shifts the BP location upstream compared to the water phantom with no nanospheres.

Conclusions:

This work shows that the local dose can be enhanced with the use of high-z nanoparticles in proton therapy, thereby increasing patient safety and decreasing side effects with the same amount of delivered radiation.
Giuseppe Verdi's Jérusalem between Adaptation and Self-Borrowing
Authors: Izzo Francesco
Published: March 2023

Giuseppe Verdi's first French opera, Jérusalem (1847), has often been described as a French version of his fourth opera, I lombardi alla prima crociata (1843). It is hardly a straightforward translation, however; the process of adapting the source to the French stage involved substantial rewriting of the libretto, thoroughly recasting the storyline and therefore requiring numerous changes in the music. Thus, Verdi not only provided several entirely new sections for the score of Jérusalem, but also reused material from I lombardi in radically different dramatic settings.

The purpose of this article is to review changing attitudes toward Jérusalem through the twentieth century, and to assert that it may be perceived both as a reworking of the earlier opera and as a new work in which Verdi, under unique circumstances, deployed strategies of self-borrowing. The first part addresses the historiography of Jérusalem, tracing changing attitudes of commentators gradually recognizing the importance and worth of the French work, and the second part examines in detail the transfer of selected passages that Verdi borrowed from I lombardi and adapted to vastly changed contexts.
Delayed cover-crop termination and reduced herbicide inputs produce trade-offs in soybean phase of US Northeast forage-grain rotation
Authors: Ficks Teala S. , Karsten Heather D. , Wallace John M.
Published: March 2023

Region- and system-specific research is needed to understand the viability of delayed cover-crop termination (i.e., planting green) as an integrated weed management (IWM) tactic in no-till soybean. In a 3-yr field experiment, we evaluated the potential for planting green to facilitate elimination of soil-applied, preemergence residual herbicides within a soybean phase of a 6-yr grain–forage cropping systems experiment in Pennsylvania. This IWM tactic was contrasted with a Standard treatment, which included 14 to 21 d pre-plant termination of cereal rye and a two-pass herbicide program with preemergence herbicides. A 63% increase in cereal rye biomass production was observed within the IWM treatment in 2019, but only a 22% and 33% increase in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In 2020, significantly lower volumetric water content (%VWC) was observed within the IWM treatment in dates closest to planting and greater %VWC at multiple dates in June and July compared to the Standard treatment. No differences occurred in soybean populations, but soybean biomass at the V4 growth stage was reduced in the Standard treatment compared to the IWM treatment, which we attribute to injury from preemergence applications. The Standard treatment resulted in greater soybean yield (2,590 kg ha–1) than the IWM treatment (1,870 kg ha–1) in 2020, but yields were similar in other years. The IWM treatment resulted in 58% fewer herbicide inputs, as measured by the number of active ingredients applied, compared to the Standard over the 3-yr study. Yet, peak weed biomass did not differ between treatments. However, the IWM treatment resulted in greater total horseweed density and the number of horseweed plants that exceeded recommended size-based height thresholds (10 cm) compared to the Standard treatment just prior to postemergence applications (35–42 d after planting) in 2020 and 2021, underscoring the importance of integrating surface mulch residues with effective herbicide sites of action.
On the Seed Population of Solar Energetic Particles in the Inner Heliosphere
Authors: Wijsen N. , Li G. , Ding Z. , Lario D. , Poedts S. , Filwett R. J. , Allen R. C. , Dayeh M. A.
Published: March 2023

Particles measured in large gradual solar energetic particle events are believed to be predominantly accelerated at shocks driven by coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Ion charge state and composition analyses suggest that the origin of the seed particle population for the mechanisms of particle acceleration at CME‐driven shocks is not the bulk solar wind thermal material, but rather a suprathermal population present in the solar wind. This suprathermal population could result from remnant material accelerated in prior solar flares and/or preceding CME‐driven shocks. In this work, we examine the distribution of this suprathermal particle population in the inner heliosphere by combining a magnetohydrodynamic simulation of the solar wind and a Monte Carlo simulation of particle acceleration and transport. Assuming that the seed particles are uniformly distributed near the Sun by solar flares of various magnitudes, we study the longitudinal distribution of the seed population at multiple heliocentric distances. We consider a nonuniform background solar wind, consisting of fast and slow streams that lead to compression and rarefaction regions within the solar wind. Our simulations show that the seed population at a particular location (e.g., 1 au) is strongly modulated by the underlying solar wind configuration. Corotating interaction regions and merged interactions regions can strongly alter the energy spectra of the seed particle populations. In addition, cross‐field diffusion plays an important role in mitigating strong variations of the seed population in both space and energy.
Pressure Solution Grain Boundary Sliding as a Large Strain Mechanism of Superplastic Flow in the Upper Crust
Authors: Gratier Jean‐Pierre , Menegon Luca , Renard François
Published: March 2023

A mechanism accommodating large strain in superplastic flow with elongation of 100%–300%, is described for fine‐grained calcareous shales deformed at temperature of 200–335°C and depths of 5–8 km up to slate schists in the Oisans massif, Western Alps, France. Using electron microscopy techniques on thin sections parallel to the principal finite strain axes, we show that the shape ratios of the slightly elongated grains (1.4–1.6), mainly calcite and quartz, do not match the finite strains recorded by the markers of the deformation (truncated belemnites, folded veins) in the maximum elongation and shortening plane (ratio 6.7) or in the maximum and minimum elongations plane (ratio 2.4). Consequently, a grain boundary sliding mechanism is required to explain the measured large finite strains. The most soluble minerals (quartz, calcite, dolomite, and albite), which represent about 95% of the rock, accommodate deformation by pressure solution grain boundary sliding whereas the least soluble minerals (muscovite, chlorite, Fe‐Ti oxides) act as indenters or are passively reoriented. Pressure solution is especially efficient in polymineralic rocks. Soluble minerals, which have been healed together in veins or fossils, are much more resistant to deformation and act as rigid objects. Models with idealized tessellation of hexagonal grains and creep laws derived from pressure solution indentation experiments provide deformation maps. We discuss the main parameters of this ductile deformation in the upper crust (thermodynamic conditions, strain rate, stress, distance of mass transfer) and show possible drastic decrease of mass transfer efficiency with decrease of stress and strain rate.
Design and experimental study on pruning machine of Yunnan edible rose
Authors: Zhu Huibin , Zhang Xu , Qian Cheng , An Ran , Zhao Haoran , Ma Shiao , Bai Lizhen
Published: March 2023

Edible rose is one of the main cash crops in Yunnan, China. Due to the high degree of lignification of rose stalks which is difficult to cut, and roses can only be pruned by hand after picking. Most of Yunnan Province is hilly landscape. Therefore, it is necessary to design an efficient small rose pruner for hills. Based on the experimental results of the physical and mechanical properties of rose stems, a simulation experiment of three different cutting methods was conducted to determine the optimal scheme. The results showed that single disc cutter is the best cutting method. An improved disc cutter with variable sliding angle is designed. In order to study the effects of the different structure parameters on the performance of the pruning machine and get the optimal combination of parameters, the orthogonal test was conducted. Forward speed, rotational speed of cutter, number of blades, cutting angle and knife-edge angle as factors, and the quality of pruning was selected as the evaluation index. The experiment results indicated that the working performance of machine was the highest when the number of blades was 6, rotational speed of cutter was 2000 rpm, cutting angle was 20°, knife-edge angle was 10°, forward speed was 0.5 m s−1. The average quality of pruning index, miss cutting index and tearing index were 90.6%, 5.68% and 3.72%, respectively. The designed machine can meet the agronomic requirements of Yunnan edible rose pruning operation. The research provides a reference for the design and extending of the pruning machine for edible rose.
Fast calculation of hydrogen-bond strengths and free energy of hydration of small molecules
Authors: Ghiandoni Gian Marco , Caldeweyher Eike
Published: March 2023

Hydrogen bonding is an interaction of great importance in drug discovery and development as it may significantly affect chemical and biological processes including the interaction of small molecules with other molecules, proteins, and membranes. In particular, hydrogen bonding can impact drug-like properties such as target affinity and oral availability which are critical to developing effective pharmaceuticals, and therefore, numerous methods for the calculation of properties such as hydrogen-bond strengths, free energy of hydration, or water solubility have been proposed over time. However, the accessibility to efficient methods for the predictions of such properties is still limited. Here, we present the development of Jazzy, an open-source tool for the prediction of hydrogen-bond strengths and free energies of hydration of small molecules. Jazzy also allows the visualisation of hydrogen-bond strengths with atomistic resolution to support the design of compounds with desired properties and the interpretation of existing data. The tool is described in its implementation, parameter fitting, and validation against two data sets of experimental hydration free energies. Jazzy is also applied against two chemical series of bioactive compounds to show that hydrogen-bond strengths can be used to understand their structure–activity relationships. Results from the validations highlight the strengths and limitations of Jazzy, and suggest its suitability for interactive design, screening, and machine-learning featurisation.
Progressive daily hopping exercise improves running economy in amateur runners: a randomized and controlled trial
Authors: Engeroff Tobias , Kalo Kristin , Merrifield Ryan , Groneberg David , Wilke Jan
Published: March 2023

This study investigated the effects of a daily plyometric hopping intervention on running economy (RE) in amateur runners. In a randomized, controlled trial, thirty-four amateur runners (29 ± 7 years, 27 males) were allocated to a control or a hopping exercise group. During the six-week study, the exercise group performed 5 min of double-legged hopping exercise daily. To progressively increase loading, the number of hopping bouts (10 s each) was steadily increased while break duration between sets was decreased. Pre- and post-intervention, RE, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were measured during 4-min stages at three running speeds (10, 12, and 14 km/h). ANCOVAs with baseline values and potential cofounders as cofactors were performed to identify differences between groups. ANCOVA revealed an effect of hopping on RE at 12 km/h (df = 1; F = 4.35; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.072) and 14 km/h (df = 1; F = 6.72; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.098), but not at 10 km/h (p > 0.05). Exercise did not affect VO2peak (p > 0.05), but increased RER at 12 km/h (df = 1; F = 4.26; p < 0.05; η2 = 0.059) and 14 km/h (df = 1; F = 36.73; p < 0.001; η2 = 0.520). No difference in RER was observed at 10 km/h (p > 0.05). Daily hopping exercise is effective in improving RE at high running speeds in amateurs and thus can be considered a feasible complementary training program.

Clinical trial registration German Register of Clinical Trials (DRKS00017373).
Gecko-inspired self-adhesive packaging for strain-free temperature sensing based on optical fibre Bragg gratings
Authors: Liu Shuochao , Zhu Pingyu , Xie Fumin , Soto Marcelo A.
Published: March 2023

The large development of fibre Bragg gratings (FBGs) over decades has made this kind of structures one of the most mature optical fibre sensing technologies existing today, demonstrating key features for a very wide range of applications. FBG sensors are fragile and must be normally protected for real-field applications, although challenging packaging designs are required to mitigate temperature-strain cross-sensitivity issues. Here, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) packaging with a microarray structure that provides gecko-inspired dry adhesion is proposed for strain-free FBG-based temperature sensing. Besides offering protection, the PDMS packaging with an embedded polyamide capillary damps the mechanical strain transferred to the optical fibre, providing FBG-based temperature sensing with a negligible impact of strain. In addition, the microarray structure imprinted on one surface of the packaging provides gecko-inspired dry adhesion based on van der Waals forces. This feature enables the packaged optical fibre sensor to be attached and detached dynamically to nearly any kind of smooth surface, leaving no residuals in the monitored structure. Experimental results verify a fast and accurate temperature response of the sensor with highly mitigated impact of residual strain. The proposed packaged sensor can be used in application where glue is not allowed nor recommendable to be used.
Systematic review of NTRK 1/2/3 fusion prevalence pan-cancer and across solid tumours
Authors: O’Haire Sophie , Franchini Fanny , Kang Yoon-Jung , Steinberg Julia , Canfell Karen , Desai Jayesh , Fox Stephen , IJzerman Maarten
Published: March 2023

NTRK gene fusions are rare somatic mutations found across cancer types with promising targeted therapies emerging. Healthcare systems face significant challenges in integrating these treatments, with uncertainty in prevalence and optimal testing methods to identify eligible patients. We performed a systematic review of NTRK fusion prevalence to inform efficient diagnostic screening and scale of therapeutic uptake. We searched Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases on 31/03/2021. Inclusion criteria were studies reporting fusion rates in solid tumours, English language, post-2010 publication and minimum sample size. Critical appraisal was performed using a custom 11-item checklist. Rates were collated by cancer type and pooled if additional synthesis criteria were met. 160 studies were included, with estimates for 15 pan-cancer and 429 specific cancer types (63 paediatric). Adult pan-cancer estimates ranged 0.03–0.70%, with higher rates found in RNA-based assays. In common cancers, rates were consistently below 0.5%. Rare morphological subtypes, colorectal microsatellite instability, and driver mutation exclusion cancers had higher rates. Only 35.6% of extracted estimates used appropriate methods and sample size to identify NTRK fusions. NTRK fusion-positive cancers are rare and widely distributed across solid tumours. Small-scale, heterogeneous data confound prevalence prediction. Further large-scale, standardised genomic data are needed to characterise NTRK fusion epidemiology.
Transcranial focused ultrasound-mediated unbinding of phenytoin from plasma proteins for suppression of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy in a rodent model
Authors: Kim Evgenii , Kim Hyun-Chul , Van Reet Jared , Böhlke Mark , Yoo Seung-Schik , Lee Wonhye
Published: March 2023

The efficacy of many anti-epileptic drugs, including phenytoin (PHT), is reduced by plasma protein binding (PPB) that sequesters therapeutically active drug molecules within the bloodstream. An increase in systemic dose elevates the risk of drug side effects, which demands an alternative technique to increase the unbound concentration of PHT in a region-specific manner. We present a low-intensity focused ultrasound (FUS) technique that locally enhances the efficacy of PHT by transiently disrupting its binding to albumin. We first identified the acoustic parameters that yielded the highest PHT unbinding from albumin among evaluated parameter sets using equilibrium dialysis. Then, rats with chronic mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) received four sessions of PHT injection, each followed by 30 min of FUS delivered to the ictal region, across 2 weeks. Two additional groups of mTLE rats underwent the same procedure, but without receiving PHT or FUS. Assessment of electrographic seizure activities revealed that FUS accompanying administration of PHT effectively reduced the number and mean duration of ictal events compared to other conditions, without damaging brain tissue or the blood–brain barrier. Our results demonstrated that the FUS technique enhanced the anti-epileptic efficacy of PHT in a chronic mTLE rodent model by region-specific PPB disruption.