bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
John Henry Newman: Bernard Lonergan's ‘Fundamental Mentor and Guide’
Authors: Scordino Anthony J.
Published: August 2023

Abstract: Reason has reasons of which ‘reason’ knows nothing. It was this essential insight, along with the methodological prioritisation of a phenomenology of cognition and the recognition of the epistemological distinctiveness of judgment, that a young Bernard Lonergan gleaned from his study of John Henry Newman's Grammar of Assent. Given that the ‘later’, post‐Insight (1953) Lonergan enacted a more explicit transposition of his thought into a hermeneutical and existential framework, one might be tempted to assume that this coincided with a drift away from his tutelage under the nineteenth‐century Englishman. Indeed, an examination of the secondary literature detailing their relationship would suggest as much. Yet, in the hope of contributing to the regrettably sparse Newman‐Lonergan scholarship and proposing a modest recalibration therein, I argue that the more existential, hermeneutical, and committed to the philosophical turn to concrete socio‐historical subjectivity Lonergan grew, the more fruit his early Newmanian formation bore. By analysing Newman's proto‐Lonerganian anticipations in the areas of self‐appropriation, conversion, the relationship of subjectivity to objectivity, and the hermeneutical nature of consciousness, I will contend that Newman—a presciently continental mind writing as one untimely born into an analytical milieu—was the wellspring from which Lonergan never ceased to draw.
Use of sisal industrial waste (Agave sisalana Perrine) in sustainable and multifunctional cosmetic products
Authors: Daher Cláudia Cecílio , Barreto Stella Maria Andrade Gomes , de Brito Damasceno Gabriel Azevedo , de Santana Oliveira Artur , Leite Pedro Ivo Palacio , Reginaldo Fernanda Priscila Santos , Escudeiro Cassiano Carlos , Ostrosky Elissa Arantes , Giordani Raquel Brandt , Ferrari Márcio
Published: August 2023

Objective

Sisal is a common stiff fibre produced around the world, corresponding to approximately 70% of the commercial production of all fibres of this type. The fibres are extracted from the leaves of Agave sisalana, from which approximately 4% of their weight is obtained, with the remaining 96% considered to be residues from the process of the sisal industry. The objective of this work was to obtain a polyphenol‐enriched extract from the A. sisalana residue by ultrasonically assisted extraction, characterize it chemically, evaluate in vitro antioxidant activity, and develop safe and stable photoprotective formulations for future application in cosmetic preparations.

Methods

Ultrasonic extraction of solid plant material was performed using 50% ethanol/water (v/v). The extract was chemically characterized by high‐performance liquid chromatography equipment associated with classical molecular networking and evaluated for in vitro antioxidant activity by different methodologies. Ten formulations were prepared, varying the component concentrations and the shear time. The 1.0% sisal extract was incorporated into the most stable formulations, and preliminary and accelerated stability were evaluated. The emulsions were investigated for safety by assessment of primary accumulated dermal irritability and sensitization and a dermatological clinical study of phototoxicity and photosensitization. The photoprotective formulations containing or not containing the extract that were stable after 90 days had their in vivo sun protection factor (SPF), UVA protection factor, critical wavelength, and protection against visible and blue light determined.

Results

Ultrasound extraction using 50% ethanol/water (EH 50) as an extractor vehicle showed the best yield. The extract exhibited a concentration of phenolic compounds (77.93 mg of equivalent to the standard gallic acid/g) and showed in vitro antioxidant activity. Emulsions without and with 1.0% sisal extract remained stable and safe. The addition of the extract to the photoprotective formulation statistically increased the SPF when compared to the formulation without the extract and offered protection against UVA radiation, critical wavelengths, and absorption of visible and blue light.

Conclusion

Based on the findings, the solid residue of A. sisalana may be indicated as a component of photoprotective and antioxidant cosmetic formulations.
Experimental and theoretical studies on NIR luminescence of titanate‐germanate glasses doped with Pr3+ and Tm3+ ions
Authors: Kuwik Marta , Kowalska Karolina , Pisarska Joanna , Pisarski Wojciech A.
Published: August 2023

Near‐infrared (NIR) luminescence of Pr3+ and Tm3+ ions in titanate‐germanate glasses has been studied for laser and fiber amplifier applications. The effect of the molar ratio GeO2:TiO2 (from 5:1 to 1:5) on spectroscopic properties of glass systems was studied by absorption, luminescence measurements, and theoretical calculations using the Judd–Ofelt theory. It was found that independent of the TiO2 concentration, intense NIR emissions at 1.5 and 1.8 μm were observed for glasses doped with Pr3+ and Tm3+ ions, respectively. Moreover, several spectroscopic and NIR laser parameters for Pr3+ and Tm3+ ions, such as emission bandwidth, stimulated emission cross‐section, quantum efficiency, gain bandwidth, and figure of merit, were determined. The results were discussed in detail and compared to the different laser glasses. Systematic investigations indicate that Pr3+‐doped system with GeO2:TiO2 = 2:1 and Tm3+‐doped glass with GeO2:TiO2 = 1:2 present profit laser parameters and could be successfully applied to NIR lasers and broadband optical amplifiers.
Life cycle assessment of in‐person, virtual, and hybrid academic conferences: New evidence and perspectives
Authors: Cavallin Toscani Antonio , Atasu Atalay , Van Wassenhove Luk N. , Vinelli Andrea
Published: August 2023

This study contributes to the debate on the environmental impacts of academic conferences by comparing the life cycle impacts of a sample of real‐world in‐person, virtual, and hybrid conferences with different features and organizers. Results show that virtual formats reduce impacts by two to three orders of magnitude across all impact categories (for global warming, averagely from 941.9 to 1.0 kg CO2eq per person). The hybrid case study, with a share of 69% virtual attendees, displays an average 60% reduction in indicator results, less than ideal cases where the farthest attendees join online. The cross‐conference comparison allowed identifying several drivers of impact variation. For in‐person conferences, some never addressed drivers were uncovered, including the energy sources and systems used to supply the venue or the number of non‐local staff members and exhibitors. For virtual conferences, the main impact driver is the average time spent online by delegates, surprisingly more related to virtual experience design (e.g., synchronous vs. asynchronous presentations) than conference duration. The study further summarizes mitigation options from the literature and proposes new ones, such as selecting a venue supplied by a biomass‐fueled district heating system or with a green electricity contract (around −41 and −1.9 kg CO2eq per person, respectively). Lastly, our work highlights some inconsistencies that affect current conference assessments and proposes new research avenues, advocating the need to shift the focus from optimizing single conferences to considering the optimal portfolio of conferences and other activities for academic societies to meet their members’ needs while minimizing environmental impacts.
The Global Diet Quality Score is associated with nutrient adequacy and depression among Vietnamese youths
Authors: Nguyen Phuong Hong , Tran Lan Mai , Hoang Nga Thu , Deitchler Megan , Moursi Mourad , Bergeron Gilles
Published: August 2023

The Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) has been recommended as a simple diet quality metric that is reflective of both nutrient adequacy and noncommunicable disease outcomes. It has been validated among women of reproductive age (15–49 years) in diverse settings but not specifically among younger women. This paper examines the relationship between the GDQS and nutrient adequacy, anthropometric outcomes, and depressive symptoms among 1001 Vietnamese young women aged 16–22 years. In energy‐adjusted models, the GDQS was significantly (p< 0.05) and positively correlated with intakes of protein (ρ= 0.23), total fat (ρ= 0.06), nine micronutrients (calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin C, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin A) (ρ= 0.12–0.35), and the mean probability of adequacy of micronutrients (ρ= 0.28). Compared to young women with optimal GDQS, those with low and very low GDQS were two to five times more likely to have a mean probability of nutrient adequacy less than 50% and showed two to three times higher odds for depression. No association was observed for GDQS and anthropometric outcomes. In conclusion, the GDQS performed well in capturing nutrient adequacy and depressive symptoms among Vietnamese young women. Further research is warranted to explore the relationship between diet quality and depression in other settings.
Nordic authoritarianism: Child‐rearing values and political behavior in a multiparty context
Authors: Helminen Vilja , Wass Hanna , Kantola Anu , Elovainio Marko
Published: August 2023

This article explores how authoritarianism as a factor in child‐rearing values (CRV) is associated with political orientation, party support, and policy preferences among voters and societal elites in the Nordic context, which is characterized by social trust and solidarity, feelings of affinity, and a modest degree of ideological polarization. Based on a representative citizen survey conducted in 2018 (n = 4,076) and an elite survey conducted in 2020 (n = 948) among Finnish political, administrative, advocacy, business, and influence elites, our findings suggest that authoritarianism in Finland mostly relates to culturally conservative, and less to economically conservative, political orientations. While authoritarianism is connected to policy preferences and political orientations on both cultural and economic dimensions, it has more relevance for preferences regarding cultural issues than economic ones. Our findings support the notion that authoritarianism plays a role in political orientation mainly in the cultural realm. Overall, our study indicates that authoritarianism as captured by the CRV scale might be a politically important underpinning among both citizens and societal elites also outside the U.S.
Neither an offender nor a ‘free’ person: Drug supervision and desistance in Singapore
Authors: Ganapathy Narayanan , Too Jillian Hui Li
Published: August 2023

In 2019, the Misuse of Dugs Act, the main legislative instrument in combatting drug offences in Singapore, underwent a landmark amendment where it strove to strike a balance between subjecting persistent drug offenders to long‐term imprisonment and enhancing the reintegration potential of those offenders whom the state considered as ‘pure abusers’ without a penal charge. While this risk‐differentiated approach could be seen as progressive and moving away from the harsh response that has had traditionally characterised the Singapore state's treatment of persistent drug abusers, this article contends that extending the maximum period of drug supervision from two to 5 years, which the amendments called for, of even pure abusers upon their completion of the detention order, hinder efforts at desistance. This article focuses specifically on the contradictions of the urine testing regime post‐release and seeks to contextualise its counter effects on the various dimensions of desistance among recovering drug abusers.
Lower bounds for negative moments of ζ′(ρ)$\zeta ^{\prime }(\rho )$
Authors: Gao Peng , Zhao Liangyi
Published: August 2023

We establish lower bounds for the discrete 2kth moment of the derivative of the Riemann zeta function at nontrivial zeros for all under the Riemann hypothesis and the assumption that all zeros of are simple.
Loss and recovery of myocardial mitochondria in mice under different tail suspension time: Apoptosis and mitochondrial fission, fusion and autophagy
Authors: Wang Zhe , Wang Xing‐Chen , Chen Ya‐Fei , Wang Chuan‐Li , Chen Le , Jiang Ming‐Yue , Liu Xi‐Wei , Zhang Xiao‐Xuan , Feng Yong‐Zhen , Xu Jin‐Hui
Published: August 2023

Long‐term weightlessness in animals can cause changes in myocardial structure and function, in which mitochondria play an important role. Here, a tail suspension (TS) Kunming mouse (Mus musculus) model was used to simulate the effects of weightlessness on the heart. We investigated the effects of 2 and 4 weeks of TS (TS2 and TS4) on myocardial mitochondrial ultrastructure and oxidative respiratory function and on the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and mitochondrial fission, autophagy and fusion‐related signalling. Our study revealed significant changes in the ultrastructural features of cardiomyocytes in response to TS. The results showed: (1) mitochondrial swelling and disruption of cristae in TS2, but mitochondrial recovery and denser cristae in TS4; (2) an increase in the total number of mitochondria and number of sub‐mitochondria in TS4; (3) no significant changes in the nuclear ultrastructure or DNA fragmentation among the two TS groups and the control group; (4) an increase in the bax/bcl‐2 protein levels in the two TS groups, indicating increased activation of the bax‐mediated apoptosis pathway; (5) no change in the phosphorylation ratio of dynamin‐related protein 1 in the two TS groups; (6) an increase in the protein levels of optic atrophy 1 and mitofusin 2 in the two TS groups; and (7) in comparison to the TS2 group, an increase in the phosphorylation ratio of parkin and the ratio of LC3II to LC3I in TS4, suggesting an increase in autophagy. Taken together, these findings suggest that mitochondrial autophagy and fusion levels increased after 4 weeks of TS, leading to a restoration of the bax‐mediated myocardial apoptosis pathway observed after 2 weeks of TS.
An Aggregate Sternal Force-Deflection Model
Authors: Sargent Brandon , Bolanos Diana , Garcia Victor , Howell Larry
Published: August 2023

Understanding the force-deflection behavior of the sternum is an important element in designing devices for implants for chest wall deformity repair. Human growth and variability makes a single measure of the stiffness difficult to determine. This work takes empirical data from the literature to develop aggregate sternal force-deflection models. Statistical methods were used to determine possible groupings based on patient age and the effect of gender. It was found that three age groups could be used, representing childhood (4–10 years), adolescence (11–19 years), and adulthood (26–53 years). Gender was found to have a statistical p-value of 0.068, 0.0611, and 0.012, respectively, in the proposed age groups. Jittering of the data was used to account for human variability and assumptions made in data comparisons. The jittered results followed that of the initial dataset. Childhood force-deflection behavior follows a relatively constant stiffness, adolescence experiences a growth period of increasing stiffness, and adulthood stiffnesses again begin to stabilize around a relatively constant value.
Combined Effect of Bubble Size and Gas Volume Fraction on Natural Convective Heat Transfer Enhancement in Homogeneous Bubbly Flow: Eulerian–Eulerian Numerical Simulations
Authors: Law Deify , Selvamani Arun Sriniwas , Nava Luis
Published: August 2023

Natural convective heat transfer can be enhanced through either fins or riblets, wall roughness elements, or the injection of bubbles in the flow. Bubble injections in a quiescent (pseudo-turbulent) liquid phase or an already turbulent liquid phase had been shown to enhance the natural convective heat transfer from literature. However, study of the combined effect of bubble size and gas volume fraction rather than individual effect on natural convective heat transfer enhancement for homogeneous bubbly flow is lacking. The present work intends to fill in that data gap through conducting numerical simulations to study the combined effect of bubble size and gas volume fraction on natural convective heat transfer enhancement. The present numerical work employs the validated interphase force models and the Eulerian–Eulerian model. ansysfluent is used to simulate a bubbly flow in a three-dimensional rectangular channel with a natural convective heat transfer. Bubbles ranging from microto millimeter diameter with inlet gas volume fraction varied in the range of 0.351–3.725% are injected upward to a quiescent liquid phase in a rectangular channel with a heated left wall and a cooled right wall. The flow regime is homogeneous without bubble coalescence and breakup effect. Validated computational models are employed to study the combined effect of bubble size and gas volume fraction on heat transfer enhancement. A relation between Nusselt number, bubble Reynolds number, Rayleigh number, nondimensional bubble size, and inlet gas volume fraction is constructed using the power regression method.
Dynamics of an Evaporating Drop Migrating in a Poiseuille Flow
Authors: Dubey Anubhav , Sahu Kirti Chandra , Biswas Gautam
Published: August 2023

The evaporation of a liquid drop of initial diameter (Ddrop) migrating in a tube of diameter (D0) is investigated using the coupled level set and volume of fluid method focusing on determining the heat and mass transfer coefficients for a deforming drop. A robust phase change model is developed using an embedded boundary method under a finite difference framework to handle vaporizing flows. The model is extensively validated through simulations of benchmark problems such as arbitrary evaporation of a static drop and reproduction of psychrometric data. The results show that the Sherwood number and the Nusselt number reach a steady value after an initial transient period for the drop subjected to Hagen-Poiseuille flow. A parametric study is conducted to investigate the effect of drop deformation on the rate of evaporation. It is observed that Stefan flow due to evaporation has a negligible impact on the drop deformation dynamics. We also observed that, for different values of Ddrop/D0, the Sherwood number follows a linear correlation with Re1/2Sc1/3.
Attenuation of Rayleigh waves due to three-dimensional surface roughness: A comprehensive numerical evaluation
Authors: Sarris Georgios , Haslinger Stewart G. , Huthwaite Peter , Nagy Peter B. , Lowe Michael J. S.
Published: August 2023

The phenomenon of Rayleigh wave attenuation due to surface roughness has been well studied theoretically in the literature. Three scattering regimes describing it have been identified—the Rayleigh (long wavelength), stochastic (medium wavelength), and geometric (short wavelength)—with the attenuation coefficient exhibiting a different behavior in each. Here, in an extension to our previous work, we gain further insight with regard to the existing theory, in three dimensions, using finite element (FE) modeling, under a unified approach, where the same FE modeling techniques are used regardless of the scattering regime. We demonstrate good agreement between our FE results and the theory in all scattering regimes. Additionally, following this demonstration, we extend the results to cases that lie outside the limits of validity of the theory.
Sound attenuation enhancement of acoustic meta-atoms via coupling
Authors: Kronowetter Felix , Pretsch Lisa , Chiang Yan Kei , Melnikov Anton , Sepehrirahnama Shahrokh , Oberst Sebastian , Powell David A. , Marburg Steffen
Published: August 2023

Arrangements of acoustic meta-atoms, better known as acoustic metamaterials, are commonly applied in acoustic cloaking, for the attenuation of acoustic fields or for acoustic focusing. A precise design of single meta-atoms is required for these purposes. Understanding the details of their interaction allows improvement of the collective performance of the meta-atoms as a system, for example, in sound attenuation. Destructive interference of their scattered fields, for example, can be mitigated by adjusting the coupling or tuning of individual meta-atoms. Comprehensive numerical studies of various configurations of a resonator pair show that the coupling can lead to degenerate modes at periodic distances between the resonators. We show how the resonators' separation and relative orientation influence the coupling and thereby tunes the sound attenuation. The simulation results are supported by experiments using a two-dimensional parallel-plate waveguide. It is shown that coupling parameters like distance, orientation, detuning, and radiation loss provide additional degrees of freedom for efficient acoustic meta-atom tuning to achieve unprecedented interactions with excellent sound attenuation properties.
A Systematic Review on the Physical, Physiological, Perceptual, and Technical–Tactical Demands of Official 3 × 3 Basketball Games
Authors: Sansone Pierpaolo , Conte Daniele , Tessitore Antonio , Rampinini Ermanno , Ferioli Davide
Published: August 2023

Purpose: To systematically review the physical, physiological, perceptual, and technical–tactical demands of official 3 × 3 basketball games. Methods: The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines were followed. Three electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were systematically searched to identify studies assessing physical, physiological, perceptual, and technical–tactical demands of 3 × 3 games. Data were also coded according to player sex and tournament phase. Quality assessment of the included studies was performed using a modified Downs and Black checklist. Results: Thirteen articles were finally included, with a mean quality of 8.6 (1.1) out of 11. Three-by-three basketball games have an intermittent profile (1:1 work–rest ratio), with a duration of ∼15 minutes, and are characterized by short (6–8 s) ball possessions and considerable physical (17–33 accelerations, 24–44 decelerations, 62–94 changes of directions, and 17–24 jumps per game) and physiological (lactate: ∼6.2 mmol·L−1) demands. Overall, the game performance profile is similar in males and females, with minor changes happening across tournament phases. Several key technical–tactical indicators were identified as discriminating winning and losing teams, such as better shooting and defensive efficiency, low number of turnovers, and implementing tactical actions involving more players, passing first, and ending possessions with shots from outside of the arch from the top of the key. Conclusions: Three-by-three basketball is an intermittent, physically demanding sport characterized by quick plays and specific tactical constraints. This review provides information that should be considered by performance staff to improve training prescription, game tactical plans, and for player selection and talent identification.
A Resource-Based View of Organizational Sustainability in Sport for Development
Authors: Choi Wonjun , Chung Mi Ryoung , Lee Wonju , Jones Gareth J. , Svensson Per G.
Published: August 2023

A growing number of sport-for-development (SFD) organizations have emerged in the nonprofit sector to leverage sport for social change, yet many organizations struggle with chronic resource deficiencies that inhibit their long-term viability and highlight a pressing need to examine the sustainability of SFD organizations through resource-based perspectives. This study analyzed secondary financial and administrative data from SFD organizations in the United States to examine changes in key resources during early organizational life stages. Latent profile analysis was utilized to classify organizations based on their level of resources, and multilevel growth modeling revealed significant changes in key resources over the first 5 years of operation, as well as significant differences based on initial resource levels and rates of change. The results provide theoretical insight into the key resources associated with organizational sustainability in the SFD field and offer practical implications for resource procurement, prioritization, and management.
Deeply nonlinear excitation of self-normalized short spin waves
Authors: Wang Qi , Verba Roman , Heinz Björn , Schneider Michael , Wojewoda Ondřej , Davídková Kristýna , Levchenko Khrystyna , Dubs Carsten , Mauser Norbert J. , Urbánek Michal , Pirro Philipp , Chumak Andrii V.
Published: August 2023

Spin waves are ideal candidates for wave-based computing, but the construction of magnetic circuits is blocked by a lack of an efficient mechanism to excite long-running exchange spin waves with normalized amplitudes. Here, we solve the challenge by exploiting a deeply nonlinear phenomenon for forward volume spin waves in 200-nm-wide nanoscale waveguides and validate our concept using microfocused Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy. An unprecedented nonlinear frequency shift of more than 2 GHz is achieved, corresponding to a magnetization precession angle of 55° and enabling the excitation of spin waves with wavelengths down to 200 nm. The amplitude of the excited spin waves is constant and independent of the input microwave power due to the self-locking nonlinear shift, enabling robust adjustment of the spin-wave amplitudes in future on-chip magnonic integrated circuits.
Emergent mechanical control of vascular morphogenesis
Authors: Whisler Jordan , Shahreza Somayeh , Schlegelmilch Karin , Ege Nil , Javanmardi Yousef , Malandrino Andrea , Agrawal Ayushi , Fantin Alessandro , Serwinski Bianca , Azizgolshani Hesham , Park Clara , Shone Victoria , Demuren Olukunle O. , Del Rosario Amanda , Butty Vincent L. , Holroyd Natalie , Domart Marie-Charlotte , Hooper Steven , Szita Nicolas , Boyer Laurie A. , Walker-Samuel Simon , Djordjevic Boris , Sheridan Graham K. , Collinson Lucy , Calvo Fernando , Ruhrberg Christiana , Sahai Erik , Kamm Roger , Moeendarbary Emad
Published: August 2023

Vascularization is driven by morphogen signals and mechanical cues that coordinately regulate cellular force generation, migration, and shape change to sculpt the developing vascular network. However, it remains unclear whether developing vasculature actively regulates its own mechanical properties to achieve effective vascularization. We engineered tissue constructs containing endothelial cells and fibroblasts to investigate the mechanics of vascularization. Tissue stiffness increases during vascular morphogenesis resulting from emergent interactions between endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and ECM and correlates with enhanced vascular function. Contractile cellular forces are key to emergent tissue stiffening and synergize with ECM mechanical properties to modulate the mechanics of vascularization. Emergent tissue stiffening and vascular function rely on mechanotransduction signaling within fibroblasts, mediated by YAP1. Mouse embryos lacking YAP1 in fibroblasts exhibit both reduced tissue stiffness and develop lethal vascular defects. Translating our findings through biology-inspired vascular tissue engineering approaches will have substantial implications in regenerative medicine.
Quantitative magnetic resonance mapping of the myelin bilayer reflects pathology in multiple sclerosis brain tissue
Authors: Baadsvik Emily Louise , Weiger Markus , Froidevaux Romain , Faigle Wolfgang , Ineichen Benjamin V. , Pruessmann Klaas P.
Published: August 2023

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neuroinflammatory disease characterized by loss of myelin (demyelination) and, to a certain extent, subsequent myelin repair (remyelination). To better understand the pathomechanisms underlying de- and remyelination and to monitor the efficacy of treatments aimed at regenerating myelin, techniques offering noninvasive visualizations of myelin are warranted. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has long been at the forefront of efforts to visualize myelin, but it has only recently become feasible to access the rapidly decaying resonance signals stemming from the myelin lipid-protein bilayer itself. Here, we show that direct MR mapping of the bilayer yields highly specific myelin maps in brain tissue from patients with MS. Furthermore, examination of the bilayer signal behavior is found to reveal pathological alterations in normal-appearing white and gray matter. These results indicate promise for in vivo implementations of the myelin bilayer mapping technique, with prospective applications in basic research, diagnostics, disease monitoring, and drug development.
Lung microenvironments harbor
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
phenotypes with distinct treatment responses
Authors: Walter Nicholas D. , Ernest Jackie P. , Dide-Agossou Christian , Bauman Allison A. , Ramey Michelle E. , Rossmassler Karen , Massoudi Lisa M. , Pauly Samantha , Al Mubarak Reem , Voskuil Martin I. , Kaya Firat , Sarathy Jansy P. , Zimmerman Matthew D. , Dartois Véronique , Podell Brendan K. , Savic Radojka M. , Robertson Gregory T.
Published: August 2023

Tuberculosis lung lesions are complex and harbor heterogeneous microenvironments that influence antibiotic effectiveness. Major strides have been made recently in understanding drug pharmacokinetics in pulmonary lesions, but the bacterial phenotypes that arise under these conditions and their contribution to drug tolerance are poorly understood. A pharmacodynamic marker called the RS ratio
®
quantifies ongoing rRNA synthesis based on the abundance of newly synthesized precursor rRNA relative to mature structural rRNA. Application of the RS ratio in the C3HeB/FeJ mouse model demonstrated that
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
populations residing in different tissue microenvironments are phenotypically distinct and respond differently to drug treatment with rifampin, isoniazid, or bedaquiline. This work provides a foundational basis required to address how anatomic and pathologic microenvironmental niches may contribute to long treatment duration and drug tolerance during the treatment of human tuberculosis.
Unrecognized risk of perfluorooctane sulfonate in promoting conjugative transfers of bacterial antibiotic resistance genes
Authors: Yin Lichun , Wang Xiaolong , Xu Han , Yin Bo , Wang Xingshuo , Zhang Yulin , Li Xinyao , Luo Yi , Chen Zeyou
Published: August 2023

Antibiotic resistance is a major global health crisis facing humanity, with horizontal gene transfer (HGT) as a principal dissemination mechanism in the natural and clinical environments. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are emerging contaminants of global concern due to their high persistence in the environment and adverse effects on humans. However, it is unknown whether PFASs affect the HGT of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Using a genetically engineered
Escherichia coli
MG1655 as the donor of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs),
E. coli
J53 and soil bacterial community as two different recipients, this study demonstrated that the conjugation frequency of ARGs between two
E. coli
strains was (1.45 ± 0.17) × 10
−5
and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at environmentally relevant concentrations (2–50 μg L
−1
) increased conjugation transfer between
E. coli
strains by up to 3.25-fold. Increases in reactive oxygen species production, cell membrane permeability, biofilm formation capacity, and cell contact in two
E. coli
strains were proposed as major promotion mechanisms from PFOS exposure. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis of transcriptome data identified a series of candidate genes whose expression changes could contribute to the increase in conjugation transfer induced by PFOS. Furthermore, PFOS also generally increased the ARG transfer into the studied soil bacterial community, although the uptake ability of different community members of the plasmid either increased or decreased upon PFOS exposure depending on specific bacterial taxa. Overall, this study reveals an unrecognized risk of PFOS in accelerating the dissemination of antibiotic resistance.

IMPORTANCE

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are emerging contaminants of global concern due to their high persistence in the environment and adverse health effects. Although the influence of environmental pollutants on the spread of antibiotic resistance, one of the biggest threats to global health, has attracted increasing attention in recent years, it is unknown whether environmental residues of PFASs affect the dissemination of bacterial antibiotic resistance. Considering PFASs, often called “forever” compounds, have significantly higher environmental persistence than most emerging organic contaminants, exploring the effect of PFASs on the spread of antibiotic resistance is more environmentally relevant and has essential ecological and health significance. By systematically examining the influence of perfluorooctane sulfonate on the antibiotic resistance gene conjugative transfer, not only at the single-strain level but also at the community level, this study has uncovered an unrecognized risk of PFASs in promoting conjugative transfers of bacterial antibiotic resistance genes, which could be incorporated into the risk assessment framework of PFASs.
Evaluation of telepsychiatry during the COVID-19 pandemic across service users, carers and clinicians: an international mixed-methods study
Authors: Sheriff Rebecca , Hong James S W , Henshall Catherine , D'Agostino Armando , Tomassi Simona , Stein Hans–Christian , Cerveri Giancarlo , Cibra Chiara , Bonora Stefano , Giordano Barbara , Smith Tanya , Phiri Peter , Asher Carolyn , Elliot Kathryn , Zangani Caroline , Ede Roger , Saad Fathi , Smith Katharine Alison , Cipriani Andrea
Published: August 2023

Background

Worldwide uptake of telepsychiatry accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objective

To conduct an evaluation of the opinions, preferences and attitudes to telepsychiatry from service users, carers and clinicians in order to understand how telepsychiatry can be best used in the peri/post-COVID-19 era.

Methods

This mixed-methods, multicentre, international study of telepsychiatry was set in two sites in England and two in Italy. Survey questionnaires and focus group topic guides were co-produced for each participant group (service users, carers and clinicians).

Findings

In the UK, 906 service users, 117 carers and 483 clinicians, and in Italy, 164 service users, 56 carers and 72 clinicians completed the surveys. In all, 17 service users/carers and 14 clinicians participated in focus groups. Overall, telepsychiatry was seen as convenient in follow-ups with a specific purpose such as medication reviews; however, it was perceived as less effective for establishing a therapeutic relationship or for assessing acutely disturbed mental states. In contrast to clinicians, most service users and carers indicated that telepsychiatry had not improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most service users and carers reported that the choice of appointment modality was most often determined by the service or clinician.

Conclusion and relevance

There were circumstances in which telepsychiatry was seen as more suitable than others and clear differences in clinician, carer and service user perspectives on telepsychiatry.

Clinical implications

All stakeholders should be actively engaged in determining a hybrid model of care according to clinical features and service user and carer preferences. Clinicians should be engaged in training programmes on telepsychiatry.
How has the tobacco industry passed tax changes through to consumers in 12 sub-Saharan African countries?
Authors: Sheikh Zaineb Danish , Branston J Robert , van der Zee Kirsten , Gilmore Anna B
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Tobacco taxation is only effective in reducing consumption when it is translated into higher prices. This study aims to investigate to what extent the tobacco industry (TI) passes tax increases over to consumers by increasing the retail price of cigarettes in 12 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.

Methods

African Cigarette Prices Project and WHO’s Global Tobacco Epidemic Reports data were used to calculate the rate of tax pass-through by decomposing the retail price of cigarettes into tax and net prices between 2016 and 2020. Percentage change in net price was used to identify industry pricing behaviour, in both packs and single-stick sales. TI pricing strategies were examined by country, producer type, producers, and cigarette price segment.

Results

There were mixed TI strategies, with taxes primarily overshifted (Botswana, Madagascar, Tanzania, Zimbabwe), undershifted (Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia) or a mix of both (Malawi, Nigeria). The detail varied between countries, over time, and between the different brands/segments offered. Patterns for single-stick sales were broadly similar to that of packs but with some differences observed in particular countries/years. Pricing strategies for the various transnational tobacco companies and domestic producers were similar but the changes in net price for the latter were larger. The country tax level/type and the size of tax change did not seem to be an obvious influence.

Conclusion

This paper provides an overview of TI pricing strategies in response to tax increases in SSA. Governments must monitor how the TI responds to tax changes to ensure that tax increases are effective in impacting price.
Beyond visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) drone operations for environmental and infrastructure monitoring: a case study in northwestern Canada
Authors: van der Sluijs Jurjen , Saiet Eyal , Bakelaar Carolyn N. , Wentworth Andrew , Fraser Robert H. , Kokelj Steven V.
Published: August 2023

Aerial drones typically operate over small geographic areas (<5 km2), yet environmental and infrastructure monitoring applications often require the collection of data over larger areas. Challenges to drone deployments in areas with people and frequent air traffic include aviation regulations that require missions to adhere to within-visual-line-of-sight (VLOS) conditions, thereby limiting mission extents. The performance and fuel consumption of longer drone missions could justify investment to advance future beyond-VLOS (BVLOS) data acquisitions. This work summarizes airspace deconfliction techniques that allowed testing of BVLOS capabilities in relatively busy airspace in northwestern Canada. Drone missions were conducted with a Griffon SeaHunter, capturing high-resolution imagery covering more than 550 km2 along 6200 km of flight lines, increasing conventional drone data coverage by two orders of magnitude. BVLOS hourly endurance was nearly double that of light aviation mapping aircraft, providing a suitable range for extended monitoring operations (1000–1200 km). Fuel consumption (L/100 km) also differed substantially; SeaHunter used 9%–16% of the fuel consumed by conventional mapping aircraft (84%–91% savings). Finally, we summarize lessons learned to further stimulate BVLOS adoption internationally. Opportunities will arise as BVLOS drones will increasingly be operated within a global context of transitions toward low-carbon emission economies.
Solutions with exponential singularity for (3 + 1)-D Protter problems
Authors: Popivanov Nedyu , Popov Todor , Witt Ingo
Published: August 2023

In the 1950s, Protter proposed multi-dimensional analogues of the classical Guderley–Morawetz problem for mixed-type hyperbolic-elliptic equations on the plane that models transonic flows in fluid dynamics. The multi-dimensional variants turn out to be different from the two-dimensional case and the situation there is still not clear. Here, we study Protter problems in the hyperbolic part of the domain. Unlike the planar analogues, the four-dimensional variant is not well-posed for classical solutions. The problem is not Fredholm — there is an infinite number of necessary conditions for classical solvability. Alternatively, the notion of a generalized solution that may have singularities was introduced. It is known that for smooth right-hand sides, the uniquely determined generalized solution may have a power-type growth at one boundary point. The singularity is isolated at the vertex of the boundary characteristic light cone and does not propagate along the cone. Here, we construct a new singular solution with an exponential growth at the point where the singularity appears.
Report on the Workshop on Factorized Databases
Authors: Olteanu Dan
Published: August 2023

The workshop took place in Zurich and online from August 2 to 4, 2022. It was attended by researchers from 17 academic institutions and industry labs, including Microsoft Gray Systems Lab, Omics Data Automation, Oracle Labs Zurich, RelationalAI, and TigerGraph. It featured 18 talks and plenty of opportunities for discussions. The vast majority of participants attended in person.
The Effect of Electric Fields on the Structure of Water/Acetonitrile Mixtures
Authors: Sourpis Anastasios I. , Forero-Martinez Nancy C. , Schmid Friederike
Published: August 2023

We study the effect of macroscopic electric fields on the structure of water/acetonitrile mixtures at high acetonitrile content by molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the linear response regime extends up to roughly 0.1 V nm−1 in these mixtures, then nonlinear behavior sets in. The most pronounced nonlinear effect of an electric field is a change of relative orientations of neighboring acetonitrile molecules, from predominantly antiparallel to predominantly parallel. Nevertheless, the hydrogen bond network topology remains remarkably stable and conserves its overall properties in the whole range of considered applied fields up to 0.5 V nm−1, which is far beyond the dielectric breakdown limit of pure water. Additionally, we report on a comparison of simulation results at zero field with experimental results and available ab-initio data using four different recently proposed acetonitrile force fields, where we find that the force field by Kowsari and Tohidifar [J. Comput. Chemistry 39, 1843, 2018] performs best. Furthermore, we demonstrate that analyzing the hydrogen bond network can be a useful tool in investigating the formation and structure of water nanodomains and their confinement by an acetonitrile matrix in water/acetonitrile mixtures.
Effect of the Profit and Teaching Status of Hospitals on the Patterns and Outcomes of Abdominal Aorta and Inferior Vena Cava Injuries after Severe Abdominal Trauma
Authors: Alzerwi Nasser A. N.
Published: August 2023

Background. The inferior vena cava (IVC) and the abdominal aorta (AA) are two important blood vessels located in the abdomen. The outcomes of such injuries rely heavily on the experience, expertise, and resources available at the hospital where the patient is treated. However, our current understanding of the potential impact of the hospital profit and teaching status on surgical outcomes in the context of traumatic injuries to the IVC and AA remains limited, making it important to investigate the potential association between these hospital characteristics and patient outcomes to enhance the quality of care and optimize treatment strategies. Objective. This study aimed to compare demographics, trauma characteristics, and outcomes between nonprofit status (NPSH) and for-profit hospital status (FPSH), as well as among community hospitals (CHs), nonteaching hospitals (NTHs), and university hospitals (UHs), in patients with severe abdominal trauma and abdominal aorta injury (AAI), inferior vena cava injury (IVCI), and both (AAI + IVCI). Methods. Demographics, trauma, and outcome measures associated with AAI, IVCI, and AAI + IVCI were compared between the different profit and teaching status groups using NTDB. Multivariate regression was used to identify independent factors associated with death under care (DUC). Results. In the 2017 NTDB-RDS, 1,479 patients met the inclusion criteria, resulting in an overall incidence of 0.17% for AAI, IVCI, and AAI + IVCI after severe abdominal trauma. More patients died under care in the FPSH group than in the NPSH group (nonprofit vs. for-profit: 60.3% vs. 47.2%;

P
<
0.001

). The results indicated that FPSH independently affected DUC. NTH had no significant effect on DUC; although the in-hospital complication rate varied with NTH, no independent association was observed. Conclusions. The study findings demonstrated that in patients with severe abdominal trauma, including injuries to AAI, IVCI, or both (AAI + IVCI), the profit status of hospitals, rather than the teaching status, had a substantial influence on DUC. Future studies should examine differences in the volume of cases and levels of trauma centers to better understand how to improve patient outcomes in FPSH.
The Effects of the Widths on the One-Loop Electroweak Corrections to the
pp
⟶
W
W
Process
Authors: Abdi N. Bekheddouma , Bouamrane R. , Khelifa-Kerfa K.
Published: August 2023

In this paper, we study the effects of the widths of unstable particles on the one-loop electroweak corrections for the

pp
⟶
WW

process at the TeV scale within the framework of the complex mass scheme. We also investigate, for this same process, the unitarity of the theory at high energies.
Spontaneous Recovery of Paraplegia in a Polytrauma Patient following Spinal Cord Ischemia due to Type B Traumatic Aortic Dissection
Authors: Jurado Pedro Ramos , Aragón Fernando Hernández , González Víctor Aaron Miranda , Silva Jesús Antonio Loya , Gutiérrez Edgar Azael Pérez , Ortiz Nadia Karina Portillo , Vázquez Adriana Cristina Quintana , Venzor Luisa Fernanda Trujillo , Aponte Eduardo Enrique Gámez , Madrid Arturo Aguirre , Nafarrate Edmundo Berumen
Published: August 2023

Aortic dissection is a life-threatening acute condition characterized by the separation of the aortic wall’s layers. It is caused by a tear in the internal vascular wall (intimal layer and middle layer), which results in bleeding between the layers and causes abrupt and excruciating pain. The appropriate consideration must be given to the condition’s dynamic nature, and variations in clinical presentation, without neglecting the urgency for intervention. In this case study, a 65-year-old male engaged in a car accident is admitted to urgent care with a traumatic aortic dissection diagnosis that included the aortic arch, a segmental exposed fracture of 1/3 distal of the right femur AO 32C3k, and an intertrochanteric fracture AO 31A1.3. The patient developed transient paraplegia as the initial manifestation of acute aortic dissection, which represents a high mortality and morbidity entity without adequate and prompt treatment, and prompt diagnosis and management were critical. A patient with severe thoracic and abdominal trauma caused by high-energy injury should be properly evaluated for the possibility of traumatic aortic dissection. The endovascular aortic repair was performed, resulting in a positive clinical evolution due to the important participation of the multidisciplinary trauma team involved in patient management and prompted decision-making.