bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of PRE‐DELIRIC and E‐PRE‐DELIRIC in a Danish population of intensive care unit patients—A prospective observational multicenter study
Authors: Anton Joseph Neeliya , Poulsen Lone Musaeus , Maagaard Mathias , Tholander Simon , Pedersen Helle Birgitte Scharling , Georgi‐Jensen Charlotte , Mathiesen Ole , Andersen‐Ranberg Nina C.
Published: November 2023

Background

Delirium is a clinical condition characterized by an acute change in brain function and is frequently observed in critically ill patients. The condition has been associated with negative outcomes, making it crucial to identify patients who are at risk. Two recent prediction models have been developed to estimate the risk of delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients; the prediction model for delirium (PRE‐DELIRIC) and the early prediction model for delirium (E‐PRE‐DELIRIC). We aimed to perform an external validation of these models in a Danish cohort of critically ill patients.

Methods

We conducted a prospective, observational multicenter study to validate the PRE‐DELIRIC and E‐PRE‐DELIRIC models in a population of patients admitted to four general ICUs in the Zealand Region of Denmark. From January 2022 to January 2023 all adult patients acutely admitted to the participating ICUs were assessed for eligibility. Patients had to be admitted to the ICU for >24 h to be included in the study. Included patients were screened with E‐PRE‐DELIRIC upon ICU admission and PRE‐DELIRIC after 24 h of admission and followed throughout their ICU stay with CAM‐ICU delirium assessments. Our primary outcomes were the prognostic accuracy measured by Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristics (AUROC) and the calibration plot for the E‐PRE‐DELIRIC and PRE‐DELIRIC prediction models.

Results

We included 660 patients, of whom 660 were assessed with E‐PRE‐DELIRIC, and 622 were assessed with PRE‐DELIRIC. PRE‐DELIRIC showed acceptable discrimination with AUROC of 0.70 (95% CI 0.66 to 0.74) and good calibration. E‐PRE‐DELIRIC had inadequate discrimination AUROC of 0.63 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.67) and poor calibration.

Conclusion

In a Danish cohort, we found that the PRE‐DELIRIC model demonstrated acceptable performance and E‐PRE‐DELIRIC demonstrated poor performance. In critically ill adult patients PRE‐DELIRIC may be useful in identifying patients at high risk of delirium.
SIRT2 transgenic over‐expression does not impact lifespan in mice
Authors: Wu Lindsay E. , Fiveash Corrine E. , Bentley Nicholas L. , Kang Myung‐Jin , Govindaraju Hemna , Barbour Jayne A. , Wilkins Brendan P. , Hancock Sarah E. , Madawala Romanthi , Das Abhijit , Massudi Hassina , Li Catherine , Kim Lynn‐Jee , Wong Ashley S. A. , Marinova Maria B. , Sultani Ghazal , Das Abhirup , Youngson Neil A. , Le Couteur David G. , Sinclair David A. , Turner Nigel
Published: November 2023

The NAD+‐dependent deacylase family of sirtuin enzymes have been implicated in biological ageing, late‐life health and overall lifespan, though of these members, a role for sirtuin‐2 (SIRT2) is less clear. Transgenic overexpression of SIRT2 in the BubR1 hypomorph model of progeria can rescue many aspects of health and increase overall lifespan, due to a specific interaction between SIRT2 and BubR1 that improves the stability of this protein. It is less clear whether SIRT2 is relevant to biological ageing outside of a model where BubR1 is under‐expressed. Here, we sought to test whether SIRT2 over‐expression would impact the overall health and lifespan of mice on a nonprogeroid, wild‐type background. While we previously found that SIRT2 transgenic overexpression prolonged female fertility, here, we did not observe any additional impact on health or lifespan, which was measured in both male and female mice on standard chow diets, and in males challenged with a high‐fat diet. At the biochemical level, NMR studies revealed an increase in total levels of a number of metabolites in the brain of SIRT2‐Tg animals, pointing to a potential impact in cell composition; however, this did not translate into functional differences. Overall, we conclude that strategies to enhance SIRT2 protein levels may not lead to increased longevity.
Stock market liquidity during crisis periods: Australian evidence
Authors: Smales Lee A.
Published: November 2023

Liquidity is an important characteristic of financial markets, affecting portfolio decisions and priced risk. During periods of market turmoil, such as occurs during financial crisis, investors have an elevated need for cash and so understanding how liquidity differs during those periods is important. We examine how stock market liquidity was impacted by two crises with distinct origins, the global financial crisis (GFC) and the COVID‐pandemic. Our sample includes the S&P/ASX200 constituents for the period January 2005–December 2020. We find that the Australian stock market is less liquid during both crisis periods; spreads are wider, depth is lower, and price impact is larger (stock prices move a lot in response to small amounts of volume). Although the magnitude of the liquidity change is greater at the onset of COVID, the duration of the impact is longer during the GFC, resulting in a larger average effect. While trading volume declines during the GFC, it increases during COVID. Our results are robust to alternate liquidity proxies, methodologies and crisis period identification, and generally applicable across stock sectors.
Dynamics of food demand during political instability: Evidence from Kyrgyzstan
Authors: Kimsanova Barchynai , Sanaev Golib , Herzfeld Thomas
Published: November 2023

This study assesses the impact of two revolutions—the Tulip Revolution in 2005 and the Melon Revolution in 2010—on household food demand in Kyrgyzstan. Different categories within food products witnessed distinct adjustments in consumer demand. Employing a complete demand system and seemingly unrelated regressions with nationally representative panel data, we find that household food demand fluctuates based on pre‐conflict expectations. Despite declining total food expenditure during the first revolution and increasing in the second, the expenditure shares for staples and luxuries display heterogeneous trajectories. Food preferences shifted toward luxuries during the first revolution and staples during the second. Our findings underscore the necessity of a disaggregated perspective in understanding conflict‐induced shocks on food demand.
A phase 2 open‐label extension study of prekallikrein inhibition with donidalorsen for hereditary angioedema
Authors: Petersen Remy S. , Bordone Laura , Riedl Marc A. , Tachdjian Raffi , Craig Timothy J. , Lumry William R. , Manning Michael E. , Bernstein Jonathan A. , Raasch Jason , Zuraw Bruce L. , Deng Yiwen , Newman Kenneth B. , Alexander Veronica J. , Lui Cindy , Schneider Eugene , Cohn Danny M.
Published: November 2023

Background

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a potentially fatal disease characterized by unpredictable, recurrent, often disabling swelling attacks. In a randomized phase 2 study, donidalorsen reduced HAE attack frequency and improved patient quality‐of‐life (ISIS721744‐CS2, NCT04030598). We report the 2‐year interim analysis of the phase 2 open‐label extension (OLE) study (ISIS 721744‐CS3, NCT04307381).

Methods

In the OLE, the on‐treatment study period consisted of fixed (weeks 1–13, donidalorsen 80 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks [Q4W]) and flexible (weeks 17–105, donidalorsen 80 mg Q4W, 80 mg every 8 weeks [Q8W], or 100 mg Q4W) dosing periods. The primary outcome was incidence and severity of treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs). The secondary outcomes included efficacy, pharmacodynamic, and quality‐of‐life assessments.

Results

Seventeen patients continued in the OLE study. No serious TEAEs or TEAEs leading to treatment discontinuation were reported. Mean monthly HAE attack rate was 96% lower than the study run‐in baseline rate (mean, 0.06/month; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02–0.10; median, 0.04 on‐treatment vs. mean, 2.70/month; 95% CI, 1.94–3.46; median, 2.29 at baseline). Mean monthly attack rate for Q8W dosing (n = 8) was 0.29 (range, 0.0–1.7; 95% CI, −0.21 to 0.79; median, 0.00). Mean plasma prekallikrein and D‐dimer concentrations decreased, and Angioedema Quality of Life Questionnaire total score improved from baseline to week 105 with donidalorsen.

Conclusion

The 2‐year interim results of this phase 2 OLE study of donidalorsen in patients with HAE demonstrated no new safety signals; donidalorsen was well tolerated. There was durable efficacy with a 96% reduction in HAE attacks.
The ATR inhibitor elimusertib exhibits anti‐lymphoma activity and synergizes with the PI3K inhibitor copanlisib
Authors: Sartori Giulio , Tarantelli Chiara , Spriano Filippo , Gaudio Eugenio , Cascione Luciano , Mascia Michele , Barreca Marilia , Arribas Alberto J. , Licenziato Luca , Golino Gaetanina , Ferragamo Adele , Pileri Stefano , Damia Giovanna , Zucca Emanuele , Stathis Anastasios , Politz Oliver , Wengner Antje M. , Bertoni Francesco
Published: November 2023

The DNA damage response (DDR) is the cellular process of preserving an intact genome and is often deregulated in lymphoma cells. The ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3‐related (ATR) kinase is a crucial factor of DDR in the response to DNA single‐strand breaks. ATR inhibitors are agents that have shown considerable clinical potential in this context. We characterized the activity of the ATR inhibitor elimusertib (BAY 1895344) in a large panel of lymphoma cell lines. Furthermore, we evaluated its activity combined with the clinically approved PI3K inhibitor copanlisib in vitro and in vivo. Elimusertib exhibits potent anti‐tumour activity across various lymphoma subtypes, which is associated with the expression of genes related to replication stress, cell cycle regulation and, as also sustained by CRISPR Cas9 experiments, CDKN2A loss. In several tumour models, elimusertib demonstrated widespread anti‐tumour activity stronger than ceralasertib, another ATR inhibitor. This activity is present in both DDR‐proficient and DDR‐deficient lymphoma models. Furthermore, a combination of ATR and PI3K inhibition by treatment with elimusertib and copanlisib has in vitro and in vivo anti‐tumour activity, providing a potential new treatment option for lymphoma patients.
Incorporating soil knowledge into machine‐learning prediction of soil properties from soil spectra
Authors: Ma Yuxin , Minasny Budiman , Demattê José A. M. , McBratney Alex B.
Published: November 2023

Various machine‐learning models have been extensively applied to predict soil properties using infrared spectroscopy. Beyond the interpretability and transparency of these models, there is an ongoing discussion on the reliability of the prediction of soil properties generated from soil spectra. In this review, we contribute to this discussion by advocating for the integration of soil knowledge into machine‐learning models. By doing so, researchers can delve deeper into the underlying soil constituents, ultimately enhancing prediction accuracy. Our review explores the soil information present in spectral data, the fallacy of model interpretability, methods to incorporate soil knowledge into machine‐learning techniques, and the ways in which machine learning and soil spectroscopy can assist soil science. The combination of machine learning and domain knowledge is recommended to develop more meaningful models for predicting soil properties within the field of soil science.
Na+/H+ exchanger NHE1 is active at cell–cell contacts and facilitates cell dissemination during collective migration of melanoma cells
Authors: Koch Alexander , Hofschröer Verena , Schwab Albrecht
Published: November 2023

Tumour cell detachment from the primary tumour is an early and crucial step of the metastatic cascade. At the single cell level, it was already shown that migrating melanoma cells establish both intra‐ and extracellular pH gradients and that the Na+/H+ exchanger NHE1 accumulates at the leading edges to strengthen cell‐matrix interactions. However, less is known about the role of NHE1 in collective cell migration and the specific pH microenvironment at tumour cell–cell contacts. We used MV3 melanoma cells transfected with a NHE1‐expressing vector or a control vector. NHE1 localization at cell–cell contacts was assessed via immunofluorescence imaging. Collective migration was analysed by live‐cell imaging. The NHE1 activity and the perimembranous pH were measured both intra‐ and extracellularly by ratiometric fluorescence microscopy. NHE1 clearly localizes at cell–cell contacts. Its overexpression further increases migratory speed and translocation in multidirectional pathway analyses. NHE1 overexpressing MV3 cells also move further away from their neighbouring cells during wound closure assays. pH measurements revealed that the NHE1 is highly active at cell–cell contacts of melanoma cells. NHE1‐mediated pH dynamics at such contact sites are more prominent in NHE1‐overexpressing melanoma cells. Our findings highlight the contribution of the NHE1 towards modulation and plasticity of melanoma cell–cell contacts. We propose that its localization and functional activity at cell–cell contacts promotes evasion of single melanoma cells from the primary tumour.
Leucine zipper protein 1 (LUZP1) regulates the constriction velocity of the contractile ring during cytokinesis
Authors: Hyodo Toshinori , Asano‐Inami Eri , Ito Satoko , Sugiyama Mai , Nawa Akihiro , Rahman Md Lutfur , Hasan Muhammad Nazmul , Mihara Yuko , Lam Vu Quang , Karnan Sivasundaram , Ota Akinobu , Tsuzuki Shinobu , Hamaguchi Michinari , Hosokawa Yoshitaka , Konishi Hiroyuki
Published: November 2023

There has been a great deal of research on cell division and its mechanisms; however, its processes still have many unknowns. To find novel proteins that regulate cell division, we performed the screening using siRNAs and/or the expression plasmid of the target genes and identified leucine zipper protein 1 (LUZP1). Recent studies have shown that LUZP1 interacts with various proteins and stabilizes the actin cytoskeleton; however, the function of LUZP1 in mitosis is not known. In this study, we found that LUZP1 colocalized with the chromosomal passenger complex (CPC) at the centromere in metaphase and at the central spindle in anaphase and that these LUZP1 localizations were regulated by CPC activity and kinesin family member 20A (KIF20A). Mass spectrometry analysis identified that LUZP1 interacted with death‐associated protein kinase 3 (DAPK3), one regulator of the cleavage furrow ingression in cytokinesis. In addition, we found that LUZP1 also interacted with myosin light chain 9 (MYL9), a substrate of DAPK3, and comprehensively inhibited MYL9 phosphorylation by DAPK3. In line with a known role for MYL9 in the actin‐myosin contraction, LUZP1 suppression accelerated the constriction velocity at the division plane in our time‐lapse analysis. Our study indicates that LUZP1 is a novel regulator for cytokinesis that regulates the constriction velocity of the contractile ring.
The association between Helicobacter pylori and gastrointestinal disorders during pregnancy: A Multicenter retrospective study
Authors: Feng Yun , Huang Qing , Luo Miaosha , Wei Jia , Gao Tiantian , Chu Dake , Jia Ai , Li Yingchao , He Shuixiang , Duan Tianjiao
Published: November 2023

Background

Some gastrointestinal disorders may be associated with Helicobacter pylori infection, which not only affect maternal health, but may also lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes. We aim to explore the association between H. pylori and gastrointestinal disorders in pregnant women.

Materials and Methods

In total, 503 patients were retrospectively analyzed and divided into the H. pylori‐uninfected group, the H. pylori‐infected group, or the H. pylori‐eradicated group. We analyzed the influence of H. pylori on gastrointestinal diseases during pregnancy among the groups, as well as the severity, symptoms, laboratory tests of the H. pylori‐related diseases.

Results

Pregnant women with H. pylori infection had higher risk of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) (p < 0.001), severe NVP(p = 0.012), hyperemesis gravidarum (p = 0.027), hematemesis (p = 0.018), hyponatremia (p = 0.033), as well as functional dyspepsia symptoms including epigastric pain (p = 0.004), bloating (p = 0.024), and feeling full quickly in a meal (p = 0.031) compared with those without H. pylori infection. While the prevalence of NVP (p = 0.024), severe NVP (p = 0.009), epigastric pain (p = 0.037), and bloating (p = 0.032) were lower in H. pylori‐eradicated pregnant women than in H. pylori‐infected women. In addition, pregnant women with H. pylori infection had higher risk of spontaneous preterm birth than whom without H. pylori infection (p = 0.033).

Conclusions

Helicobacter pylori infection was associated with higher risks of NVP, severe NVP, hyperemesis gravidarum, functional dyspepsia, and spontaneous preterm birth in pregnant women.
Evaluation of technological, nutritional, and probiotic survival in gluten‐free composite synbiotic vermicelli
Authors: Poshadri A. , Deshpande H.W.
Published: November 2023

The demand to produce non‐dairy, thermostable synbiotic food has been rising dramatically. The food industry is promoting shelf‐stable, non‐dairy and gluten‐free alternatives while providing health products containing synbiotics, probiotics and prebiotics to cater to the vegan, lactose and gluten‐intolerant populations. This study was aimed at investigating the physicochemical and sensory attributes of dry and cooked gluten‐free vermicelli produced from a composite blend of pseudocereals (amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa) compared to wheat vermicelli. Further, B. coagulans IS2 spores were added to sample T2 (a blend of 50% amaranth, 30% buckwheat, and 20% quinoa) to produce synbiotic vermicelli. The order of quality of gluten‐free composite pseudocereal vermicelli samples in terms of technological and functional characteristics was T3 > T2 > T1. Further, T2 and control samples were highly preferred through sensory evaluation. The prebiotic properties of pseudocereals and psyllium husk were successfully utilised in the development of gluten‐free synbiotic vermicelli with potential health benefits to withstand probiotic B. coagulans spores in cooked vermicelli. The probiotic B. coagulans IS2 spores survived during the vermicelli production and cooking processes, and their survival count in cooked pasta was approximately 7.0 log10 CFU g−1 (9.0 log10 CFU/serving size of 50 g), which would be considered adequate to have beneficial effects on consumers.
The perspectives of hospital doctors about end‐of‐life care in people with mental illness: an observational pilot study
Authors: Dunn Magdalen , Peisah Carmelle , Wand Anne P.
Published: November 2023

Background

Negative attitudes towards people living with mental illness (PLWMI), defined here as mentalism, are a major contribution to health care inequity, which may extend into end‐of‐life care. There is a clear need for investigation of the attitudes of doctors towards PLWMI at the end of life as doctors may lead processes of care that contribute to this inequity.

Aims

The aim of this pilot study is to examine the perspectives of hospital‐based doctors regarding end‐of‐life care and medical decision‐making in PLWMI.

Methods

A survey was created to explore whether mentalism is present in the perspectives of hospital doctors regarding end‐of‐life care for PLWMI. The survey included demographic characteristics of participants and questions comprising statements and vignettes that required agree/disagree responses. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise responses, and chi‐square tests examined associations with demographic variables.

Results

The survey was commenced by 48 hospital‐based doctors and completed by 45. Descriptive statistics indicated that mentalism is present in the attitudes of hospital doctors regarding end‐of‐life care of PWLMI, with 47 of 48 participants (98%) endorsing at least one mentalist response. One significant association found that psychiatrists and psychiatry trainees were less likely to endorse a stereotype response in one vignette.

Conclusions

This preliminary study addresses a gap within the literature on the potential contribution of mentalist attitudes in doctors to the poorer end‐of‐life care outcomes for PLWMI. The findings highlight the need for further study of this topic and suggest a role for targeted medical education in the pursuit of health care equality for PLWMI.
The causal effects of atopic dermatitis on the risk of skin cancers: A two‐sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Luo Min , Zheng Yaxuan , Zhuo Qianwei , Lin Lihang , Han Yue
Published: November 2023

Background

Observational and epidemiological studies show conflicting results on the relationship between atopic dermatitis and skin cancer. Additionally, observational studies are susceptible to the reverse causation and confounders, thus, may not interpret true causal relationships. The causal effects of atopic dermatitis on the risk of skin cancers remains unclear.

Objectives

To investigate the causal relationship between atopic dermatitis and skin cancer including cutaneous malignant melanoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis.

Methods

We performed a two‐sample Mendelian randomization analysis based on summary datasets of public genome‐wide association studies of European ancestry. The inverse variance‐weighted approach was applied as the main analysis. MR–Egger and weighted median methods were used to complement the inverse variance‐weighted results. A series of sensitivity analyses were used to ensure the robustness of the causality estimates.

Results

Inverse variance‐weighted method showed that genetically predicted dermatitis patients were significantly associated with an increased incidence of basal cell carcinoma (OR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.10–1.31; p = 4.07E‐05) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (OR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.10–1.19; p = 1.05E‐11). However, we did not find a significant causality for atopic dermatitis on melanoma neither did we find actinic keratosis. Subsequent sensitive analyses supported these results.

Conclusions

Our study identified the causality between atopic dermatitis basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Accordingly, regular skin cancer screening is recommended for patients with atopic dermatitis.
Saint Martin de Porres “The Black Saint of the Afro‐descendant community in Quito‐Ecuador”: Between segregation, racism, and black resistance
Authors: Vera Santos Rocío
Published: November 2023

In the neighbourhood Caminos a la Libertad, located in the north‐western part of Quito, every November, a group of Afro‐Ecuadorian women called the Community of Saint Martin & The Martinas pay tribute to Saint Martin de Porres “the Black saint of the Afro‐descendant community.” This celebration is relevant in a context in which the Afro‐Ecuadorian inhabitants of the neighbourhood suffer segregation, racism, and discrimination. What happens in the microcosm of Caminos a la Libertad is, in part, a reflection of the experience of the whole Afro‐descendant population in the capital: A city which has historically created an image of itself as white‐mestizo, and where the presence of Afro‐descendants has been systematically rejected. Based on ethnographic work, participant observation and semi‐structured interviews, in this article I analyse how this community uses the image of Saint Martin de Porres and his celebration to combat racism, promote social cohesion and ethnic and gender empowerment in the neighbourhood, by creating “places of enunciation” and “spiritual citizenship.”
Comprehensive lifestyle modification interventions for metabolic syndrome: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Park Sungwon , Lee Jiwon , Seok Jo Woon , Park Chang Gi , Jun Jin
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Previous systematic reviews and meta‐analyses have mainly focused on improvements in the number of metabolic syndrome risk factors and individual changes in each risk factor, making it challenging to examine the impact of comprehensive lifestyle modification interventions on adherence to recommended health behaviors. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic and meta‐analysis aimed at identifying clinical parameter levels associated with lifestyle modification outcomes and adherence to recommended health behaviors for individuals with metabolic syndrome.

Methods

A total of seven studies retrieved from four databases (CINAHL, Medline via PubMed, American Psychological Association PsycINFO, and Embase) were included in the review. The selected studies, which demonstrated improvements in health behaviors, all included diet and exercise as main factors of comprehensive lifestyle modification in home settings.

Results

Our findings suggest that a 6‐month comprehensive intervention including diet and exercise can be effective in decreasing glucose levels and systolic blood pressure. However, given the limited available data, further studies investigating the efficacy of interventions of varying durations are needed.

Discussion

Although our review included a small number of studies, comprehensive lifestyle modifications consisting of at least two components (primarily diet and exercise) can improve health behaviors and some clinical parameters among individuals with metabolic syndrome. Future studies are needed to investigate the long‐term effects of lifestyle modifications on health behavior adherence and explore effective interventions to address certain clinical parameters, such as high‐density lipoprotein levels. Also, we recommend using objective and quantifiable measure to compare adherence to recommended lifestyle modifications across studies.

Clinical Relevance

This research provides empirical evidence of the effectiveness of comprehensive lifestyle modification and emphasizes the need to develop long‐term nursing strategies in public health that can be used to effectively manage metabolic syndrome.
Within‐development density and housing prices in Singapore
Authors: Fesselmeyer Eric , Liu Haoming , Poco Louisa
Published: November 2023

This paper measures how much more households pay for less density in their immediate surroundings. Using transaction and administrative data and exploiting the introduction of a regulation that restricted the number of housing units for certain land lots, we find that households discount density: a 10% increase in within‐development density decreases the price per square meter by 5%. Further, the mean price per square meter of the average development increased by 1%–3% after the regulation was introduced, while the amount of built‐up space remained constant. The increase in total revenue suggests developers may underestimate the externality caused by density.
A rapid molecular diagnostic tool to discriminate alleles of avirulence genes and haplotypes of Phytophthora sojae using high‐resolution melting analysis
Authors: Santhanam Parthasarathy , Labbé Caroline , Tremblay Vanessa , Bélanger Richard R.
Published: November 2023

Effectors encoded by avirulence genes (Avr) interact with the Phytophthora sojae resistance gene (Rps) products to generate incompatible interactions. The virulence profile of P. sojae is rapidly evolving as a result of the large‐scale deployment of Rps genes in soybean. For a successful exploitation of Rps genes, it is recommended that soybean growers use cultivars containing the Rps genes corresponding to Avr genes present in P. sojae populations present in their fields. Determination of the virulence profile of P. sojae isolates is critical for the selection of soybean cultivars. High‐resolution melting curve (HRM) analysis is a powerful tool, first applied in medicine, for detecting mutations with potential applications in different biological fields. Here, we report the development of an HRM protocol, as an original approach to discriminate effectors, to differentiate P. sojae haplotypes for six Avr genes. An HRM assay was performed on 24 P. sojae isolates with different haplotypes collected from soybean fields across Canada. The results clearly confirmed that the HRM assay discriminated different virulence genotypes. Moreover, the HRM assay was able to differentiate multiple haplotypes representing small allelic variations. HRM‐based prediction was validated by phenotyping assays. This HRM assay provides a unique, cost‐effective and efficient tool to predict virulence pathotypes associated with six different Avr (1b, 1c, 1d, 1k, 3a and 6) genes from P. sojae, which can be applied in the deployment of appropriate Rps genes in soybean fields.
Automated artificial intelligence‐based three‐dimensional comparison of orthodontic treatment outcomes with and without piezocision surgery
Authors: Gurgel Marcela , Alvarez Maria Antonia , Aristizabal Juan Fernando , Baquero Baptiste , Gillot Maxime , Al Turkestani Najla , Miranda Felicia , Castillo Aron Aliaga‐Del , Bianchi Jonas , de Oliveira Ruellas Antonio Carlos , Ioshida Marcos , Yatabe Marilia , Rey Diego , Prieto Juan , Cevidanes Lucia
Published: November 2023

Objective(s)

This study aims to evaluate the influence of the piezocision surgery in the orthodontic biomechanics, as well as in the magnitude and direction of tooth movement in the mandibular arch using novel artificial intelligence (AI)‐automated tools.

Materials and Methods

Nineteen patients, who had piezocision performed in the lower arch at the beginning of treatment with the goal of accelerating tooth movement, were compared to 19 patients who did not receive piezocision. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) and intraoral scans (IOS) were acquired before and after orthodontic treatment. AI‐automated dental tools were used to segment and locate landmarks in dental crowns from IOS and root canals from CBCT scans to quantify 3D tooth movement. Differences in mesial‐distal, buccolingual, intrusion and extrusion linear movements, as well as tooth long axis angulation and rotation were compared.

Results

The treatment time for the control and experimental groups were 13.2 ± 5.06 and 13 ± 5.52 months respectively (P = .176). Overall, anterior and posterior tooth movement presented similar 3D linear and angular changes in the groups. The piezocision group demonstrated greater (P = .01) mesial long axis angulation of lower right first premolar (4.4 ± 6°) compared with control group (0.02 ± 4.9°), while the mesial rotation was significantly smaller (P = .008) in the experimental group (0.5 ± 7.8°) than in the control (8.5 ± 9.8°) considering the same tooth.

Conclusion

The open source‐automated dental tools facilitated the clinicians' assessment of piezocision treatment outcomes. The piezocision surgery prior to the orthodontic treatment did not decrease the treatment time and did not influence in the orthodontic biomechanics, leading to similar tooth movements compared to conventional treatment.
From preschool wheezing to asthma: Environmental determinants
Authors: Xing Yuhan , Leung Agnes Sze‐Yin , Wong Gary Wing‐Kin
Published: November 2023

Wheezing is common among preschool children, representing a group of highly heterogeneous conditions with varying natural history. Several phenotypes of wheezing have been proposed to facilitate the identification of young children who are at risk of subsequent development of asthma. Epidemiological and immunological studies across different populations have revealed the key role of environmental factors in influencing the progression from preschool wheezing to childhood asthma. Significant risk factors include severe respiratory infections, allergic sensitization, and exposure to tobacco smoke. In contrast, a farming/rural environment has been linked to asthma protection in both human and animal studies. Early and intense exposures to microorganisms and microbial metabolites have been demonstrated to alter host immune responses to allergens and viruses, thereby driving the trajectory away from wheezing illness and asthma. Ongoing clinical trials of candidate microbes and microbial products have shown promise in shaping the immune function to reduce episodes of viral‐induced wheezing. Moreover, restoring immune training may be especially important for young children who had reduced microbial exposure due to pandemic restrictions. A comprehensive understanding of the role of modifiable environmental factors will pave the way for developing targeted prevention strategies for preschool wheezing and asthma.
African economic integration and trade
Authors: Stack Marie M. , Amissah Emmanuel B. , Bliss Martin
Published: November 2023

Economic integration ranks as one of the leading development strategies in Africa. The newly created African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and the proposed Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) linking three major regional blocks offer a new impetus to studying trade policy effects. Using a structural gravity model of bilateral manufacturing trade between the African Union member states and all countries in the world, the trade effects of African economic integration agreements (EIAs) are assessed. The findings suggest that economic integration, in aggregate, enhances total African exports. Disaggregating the effects by type of agreement and by subgroups of countries, free trade agreements (FTAs) and partial scope agreements (PSAs) are found to increase extra‐African exports, but have no effects on intra‐African exports. A positive and significant effect on intra‐African exports is introduced when the FTA dummy is combined with AfCFTA in contrast to a neutral effect stemming from the joint FTA‐TFTA dummy. The findings suggest that a continent‐wide FTA yields greater benefits when compared with integrating the subregions.
Aligning Translation Curricula with Technological Advancements; Insights from Artificial Intelligence Researchers and Language Educators
Authors: Zaghlool Zuhair Dawood Mohammad , Khasawneh Mohamad Ahmad Saleem
Published: November 2023

This study expounded on methods, approaches, and strategies for aligning translation curricula with technological enhancements in the effort to train translators who are good to function in the AI-driven translation industry. The study sample consisted of 83 university lecturers in translation studies and 151 artificial intelligence experts from ten Jordanian universities. The study was carried out during the academic year 2022-2023. Moreover, the study design is a survey approach, and the strategy of the research is quantitative. Data was collected using a questionnaire and analysis was conducted using relevant descriptive statistics tools, including the percentile values of the Likert scale, the mean, and the standard deviation. In addition, the findings generally indicate that task-based approach, team-based strategy, blended learning, and reflective system are the main pedagogical strategies and teaching techniques that work optimally for incorporating AI-based translation technologies into translation curricula. Similarly, the findings generated from the data analysis further suggest that the main strategies to ensure alignment of translation curriculum with technological advancements are careful designing of specific lessons for technology in translation, formation of partnerships between industry players (translation industry leaders and AI experts), and translation curriculum designers, continuous review of the curriculum, and inclusion of creativity and critical thinking for the students. Finally, it is concluded that translation curriculum designers must always review the translation curriculum, partner with translation industry leaders and AI experts, and integrate critical thinking and creativity into the translation curriculum system. This is to ensure that the trained translators can function effectively in the AI-driven translation industry.
Aerosol Characterization During Heating and Mechanical Cutting of Simulated Uranium Containing Debris: the URASOL Project in the Framework of Fukushima Daiichi Fuel Debris Removal
Authors: Porcheron Emmanuel , Journeau Christophe , Delacroix Jules , Berlemont Romain , Bouland Antonin , Lallot Yvan , Tsubota Youichi , Ikeda-Ohno Atsushi , Mitsugi Takeshi
Published: November 2023

One of the important challenges for the decommissioning of the damaged reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (1F) is the fuel debris retrieval. The generation and dispersion of radioactive aerosols during the cutting operations of fuel debris pose a significant radiation and health risk during the decommissioning process. Quantitative assessments of potential contamination with radioactive aerosols are fundamental to the development of a safety case for the decommissioning of 1F. Detailed studies on the generation of aerosols during cutting processes of inactive fuel debris simulants by various tools have been performed [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], underlining the influence of each cutting tool and its operating conditions, the chemical composition of cut materials, and the environmental conditions of the dismantling, such as in air for dry or wet conditions and underwater conditions. The size distribution, morphology and composition of particles released during cutting are equally significant when predicting their transport and deposition behavior through numerical simulations and assessing their radioactivity. Furthermore, quantitative characterization of radioactive aerosols is essential to develop and optimize technologies to capture and mitigate particulate contaminants dissemination.

In this context, the URASOL project (abbreviation for “Particle generation test using simulated uranium containing debris”, a word coined from URAnium and aeroSOL), which is undertaken by a French consortium consisting of ONET Technologies, CEA, and IRSN for JAEA/CLADS, is dedicated to acquire basic scientific data on the generation and characteristics of radioactive aerosols from the thermal or mechanical processing of fuel debris simulant [6]. Heating process undertaken in the VITAE (acronym for VITi-AErosols) facility simulates some representative conditions of thermal cutting by laser [7]. For mechanical cutting, the core boring technique is implemented in the FUJISAN facility. Fuel debris simulants have been developed for inactive and active trials [8].

The aerosols are characterized in terms of mass concentration, real time number concentration, mass size distribution, morphology, and chemical properties. The chemical characterization aims at identifying potential radioactive particles released and the associated size distribution, both of which are important information for assessing possible safety and radioprotection measures during the fuel debris retrieval operations at 1F.
Explainable Machine Learning Approach to Yield and Quality Improvements Using Deep Topological Data Analytics
Authors: Giri Janhavi , Lengyel Attila
Published: November 2023

In wafer fabrication, data is collected and analyzed to prevent process deviations that could affect product quality and wafer yield. However, the high-dimensional, sparse, and imbalanced nature of the data poses significant challenges to yield and quality root cause analysis. Deep Topological Data Analysis (DTDA) is an unsupervised machine learning method that clusters and models the data in the form of geometric objects such as graphs and their higher-dimensional versions. This method reduces the multidimensional dataset to two-dimensional networks or graphs, where each node represents a cluster of samples with similar characteristics, and an edge represents the presence of overlapping characteristics between the connecting nodes. DTDA provides insights into the necessary data elements required to conduct accurate analysis and helps engineers identify the features contributing to yield and quality issues, enabling corrective actions. Moreover, the approach prevents the waste of engineering resources and mitigates the impact on final manufacturing cost.
Computational Analysis of Thermal Performance of Water-Cooled Cold Plate for Chips With Hotspots
Authors: Farahikia Mahdi , Wang Ping-Chuan
Published: November 2023

A numerical analysis of the effects of water-cooled cold plate designs and the coolant inlet velocity on the thermal management of computer chips with hotspots is presented. With the increasing demand for computational capabilities of highperformance computing, non-uniform temperature distribution across the chip becomes a significant thermal management problem. Localized high temperature regions on the chip surface, known as hotspots, contribute to this non-uniform temperature distribution and may increase the chip temperatures to dangerous levels. Also, the resulting temperature gradient has detrimental impact on various reliability mechanisms of electronic devices. Available research suggests that conventional methods of thermal management, such as air-cooled heat sinks, have reached their optimal limit. Therefore, novel and more efficient thermal management of the computer chips is needed to improve their reliability and performance. Thanks to the advancement of additive manufacturing, it is possible to investigate the heat-removal efficiency of various cold plate designs that are not achievable using conventional manufacturing. In this study, several water-cooled cold plate designs involving different pin fin and mini channel configurations are analyzed for a typical CPU with a hotspot using COMSOL, commercial finite element analysis program. Conjugate heat transfer physics corresponding to heat transfer in solids and laminar flow was used. Various velocities of inlet water are studied as well, while maintaining a laminar flow inside the cold plate. The inlet temperature of water was chosen to be room temperature. Chip temperature uniformity, thermal resistance of the cold plate, maximum and minimum temperatures at the chip level, pressure drop, and pump power were calculated. These response parameters were used to compare the thermal performance of each of the cold plate designs and the inlet velocities. The results from this study suggest that a cold plate with pin fins located on the hotspot performs better than one with only channels in mitigating the hotspot. It is also observed that a quasi-uniform temperature distribution may be achieved if overcooling of the background region is avoided.
Sustainable Silver Ink Flexible Circuits Fabrication Using Direct Write Additive Manufacturing Techniques
Authors: Lall Pradeep , Musa Fatahi , Soni Ved , Miller Scott
Published: November 2023

Conventional inorganic inks used to fabricate additive circuits pose a significant environmental challenge due to their toxic nature and non-biodegradable properties. There is a need for a more sustainable alternative for the realization of additively printed electronics. Water-based inks, made from renewable and biodegradable materials, have emerged as a promising solution. The study presented in this paper focuses on examining process-performance interactions for direct-write printed circuits and the attachment of surface-mount components. The authors investigate the ability of direct-write methods to create functional circuits while also exploring the effects of process parameters on the manufactured properties. Process recipes have been developed on a water-based sustainable silver ink applied to two different substrates (PET and Polyimide), and the impact of varying print parameters was compared among the substrates. The findings reveal the influence of print parameters on the mechanical and electrical properties of the printed traces, as well as demonstrate the additive printing of circuits and the attachment of surface-mount components using the optimal process parameters. Furthermore, the performance of a printed Active Lowpass Filter was evaluated using LTspice software. This research aims to demonstrate the viability of direct-write technology as a sustainable and viable alternative for the manufacture of traditional electronic circuits by successfully attaching surface-mount components to printed pads.
Parametric Multi-Objective Optimization of Cold Plate for Single-Phase Immersion Cooling
Authors: Simon Vibin Shalom , Joseph Geevarghese , Barigala Anto , Saini Satyam , Shahi Pardeep , Chinthaparthy Lochan Sai Reddy , Bansode Pratik Vithoba , Agonafer Dereje
Published: November 2023

The increasing demand for high-performance computing in applications such as the Internet of Things, Deep Learning, Big data for crypto-mining, virtual reality, healthcare research on genomic sequencing, cancer treatment, etc. have led to the growth of hyperscale data centers. To meet the cooling energy demands of HPC datacenters efficient cooling technologies must be adopted. Traditional air cooling, direct-to-chip liquid cooling, and immersion are some of those methods. Among all, Liquid cooling is superior compared to various air-cooling methods in terms of energy consumption. Direct on-chip cooling using cold plate technology is one such method used in removing heat from high-power electronic components such as CPUs and GPUs in a broader sense. Over the years Thermal Design Power (TDP) is rapidly increasing and will continue to increase in the coming years for not only CPUs and GPUs but also associated electronic components like DRAMs, Platform Control Hub (PCH), and other I/O chipsets on a typical server board. Therefore, unlike air hybrid cooling which uses liquid for cold plates and air as the secondary medium of cooling the associated electronics, we foresee using immersion-based fluids to cool the rest of the electronics in the server. The broader focus of this research is to study the effects of adopting immersion cooling, with integrated cold plates for high-performance systems. Although there are several other factors involved in the study, the focus of this paper will be the optimization of cold plate microchannels for immersion-based fluids in an immersion-cooled environment. Since immersion fluids are dielectric and the fluids used in cold plates are conductive, it exposes us to a major risk of leakage into the tank and short-circuiting the electronics. Therefore, we propose using the immersed fluid to pump into the cold plate. However, it leads to a suspicion of poor thermal performance and associated pumping power due to the difference in viscosity and other fluid properties. To address the thermal and flow performance, the objective is to optimize the cold plate microchannel fin parameters based on thermal and flow performance by evaluating thermal resistance and pressure drop across the cold plate. The detailed CFD model and optimization of the cold plate were done using Ansys Icepak and Ansys OptiSLang respectively.
Assessment of Propensity for Pad Cratering at the Board Resin-Glass Interface Under Assembly and Rework
Authors: Lall Pradeep , Choudhury Padmanava , Pandurangan Aathi Raja Ram
Published: November 2023

Reliability requirements for harsh environment electronic packages are increasing with the use of electronics in automotive underhood. The underhood includes various safety and critical functions such as automated locking systems, electronic fuel injection systems, engine control units, and anti-lock braking systems. Pad cratering manifests with initiation and propagation of micro-cracks beneath the BGA packages in the organic printed circuit boards. Major factors of these cracks formed with the combination of thermal cycling, shocks, vibrations, incorrect design or material selection, and manufacturing defects. In this investigation, the problem of pad cratering has been systematically approached by analyzing the bulk behavior of the resins using a tensile dogbone specimen and then moving forward with a bent specimen for the glass-resin interfaces. The first bulk study consists of 12 different resin formulations in which material property changes were studied under two and six reflow cycles. In the second part, a four-point bend interface specimen was used. The effect of reflow cycles was investigated by reporting perc-change in the Mode-I stress intensity factor and using this metric to rank the interfaces. In the end, an effort was made to create a predictive regression model with predictors being material properties of the samples such as elastic modulus, toughness, UTS, elongation of the resins, glass transition temperatures, and environmental conditions such as reflow cycles.