bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Favorable outcomes in Hispanic recipients receiving simultaneous pancreas kidney transplantation
Authors: Budhiraja Pooja , Reddy Kunam S. , Heilman Raymond L. , Jadlowiec Caroline C. , Khamash Hassan , Reddy Swetha , Katariya Nitin , Chakkera Harini A.
Published: June 2023

The objective of this study was to compare the long‐term outcomes of Hispanic versus white recipients who underwent simultaneous pancreas kidney transplantation (SPKT). This single‐center study, conducted from 2003 to 2022, had a median follow‐up of 7.5 years. The study included 91 Hispanic and 202 white SPKT recipients. The mean age (44 vs. 46 years), percentage of males (67% vs. 58%), and body mass index (BMI) (25.6 vs. 25.3 kg/m2) were similar between the Hispanic and white groups. The Hispanic group had more recipients with type 2 diabetes (38%) compared to the white group (5%, p < .001). The duration of dialysis was longer in Hispanics (640 vs. 473 days, p = .02), and fewer patients received preemptive transplants (10% vs. 29%, p < .01) compared to whites. Hospital length of stay, rates of BK Viremia, and acute rejection episodes within 1 year were similar between the groups. The estimated 5‐year kidney, pancreas, and patient survival rates were also similar between the groups, 94%, 81%, and 95% in Hispanics, compared to 90%, 79%, and 90% in whites. Increasing age and longer duration of dialysis were risk factors for death. Although Hispanic recipients had a longer duration on dialysis and fewer preemptive transplants, the survival rates were similar to those of white recipients. However, referring providers and many transplant centers continue to overlook pancreas transplants for appropriately selected patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly among minority populations. As a transplant community, it is crucial that we make efforts to comprehend and tackle these obstacles to transplantation.
Effects of evolutionary history on assembly of flowering plants in regions across Africa
Authors: Qian Hong , Zhang Jian , Jin Yi , Deng Tao
Published: June 2023

The global cooling beginning in the Eocene has caused the coverage of tropical forests to contract from covering nearly all of Africa during the early Tertiary to about one tenth of Africa at the present time. Accompanying the climate cooling and drying was the evolution of traits tolerating cold and drought, particularly extreme drought in the Sahara. Here, we analyze a comprehensive data set of angiosperms to determine the effects of evolutionary history on assembly of angiosperms in regional floras in Africa. In particular, using phylogenetic metrics accounting for different depths of evolutionary history, we assess whether drought has caused stronger phylogenetic clustering relative to cold. We divided Africa into 27 regions, and collated species lists of angiosperms for each region. We used different phylogenetic metrics (tip‐ vs basal‐weighted) reflecting different evolutionary depths to quantify phylogenetic structure, and related phylogenetic structure metrics to climatic variables representing average, extreme and seasonality conditions of climate. Variations of phylogenetic structure across Africa were well explained by climate, with R2values being ~ 0.84 for each phylogenetic metric when all climatic variables used in this study were considered. Angiosperm assemblages with the strongest phylogenetic clustering are located in temperate regions, rather than in tropical desert regions of Africa. Minimum temperature explained much more variation in phylogenetic metrics than did minimum precipitation, suggesting that evolution of traits conferring cold tolerance is more phylogenetically constrained compared to those conferring drought tolerance. Temperature seasonality also explained much more variation in phylogenetic metrics than did precipitation seasonality. When mean annual temperature and precipitation are considered or when all temperature‐related variables and all precipitation‐related variables are considered, temperature variables are more important than precipitation variables in driving tip‐weighted phylogenetic structure of angiosperms in Africa but the pattern is reversed when basal‐weighted phylogenetic structure is considered.
Effects of stress contagion on anxiogenic‐ and orofacial inflammatory pain‐like behaviors with brain activation in mice
Authors: Piriyaprasath Kajita , Hasegawa Mana , Kakihara Yoshito , Iwamoto Yuya , Kamimura Rantaro , Saito Isao , Fujii Noritaka , Yamamura Kensuke , Okamoto Keiichiro
Published: June 2023

The conditions of stress contagion are induced in bystanders without direct experiences of stressful events. This study determined the effects of stress contagion on masseter muscle nociception in mice. Stress contagion was developed in the bystanders after cohabitating with a conspecific mouse subjected to social defeat stress for 10 days. On Day 11, stress contagion increased anxiety‐ and orofacial inflammatory pain‐like behaviors. The c‐Fos and FosB immunoreactivities evoked by masseter muscle stimulation were increased in the upper cervical spinal cord, while c‐Fos expressions were increased in the rostral ventromedial medulla, including the lateral paragigantocellular reticular nucleus and nucleus raphe magnus in stress contagion mice. The level of serotonin in the rostral ventromedial medulla was increased under stress contagion, while the number of serotonin positive cells was increased in the lateral paragigantocellular reticular nucleus. Stress contagion increased c‐Fos and FosB expressions in the anterior cingulate cortex and insular cortex, both of which were positively correlated with orofacial inflammatory pain‐like behaviors. The level of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor was increased in the insular cortex under stress contagion. These results indicate that stress contagion can cause neural changes in the brain, resulting in increased masseter muscle nociception, as seen in social defeat stress mice.
Association of neighborhood deprivation with white matter connectome abnormalities in temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Chu Daniel Y. , Adluru Nagesh , Nair Veena A. , Choi Timothy , Adluru Anusha , Garcia‐Ramos Camille , Dabbs Kevin , Mathis Jedidiah , Nencka Andrew S. , Gundlach Carson , Conant Lisa , Binder Jeffrey R. , Meyerand Mary E. , Alexander Andrew L. , Struck Aaron F. , Hermann Bruce , Prabhakaran Vivek
Published: June 2023

Objective

Social determinants of health, including the effects of neighborhood disadvantage, impact epilepsy prevalence, treatment, and outcomes. This study characterized the association between aberrant white matter connectivity in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and disadvantage using a US census‐based neighborhood disadvantage metric, the Area Deprivation Index (ADI), derived from measures of income, education, employment, and housing quality.

Methods

Participants including 74 TLE patients (47 male, mean age = 39.2 years) and 45 healthy controls (27 male, mean age = 31.9 years) from the Epilepsy Connectome Project were classified into ADI‐defined low and high disadvantage groups. Graph theoretic metrics were applied to multishell connectome diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) measurements to derive 162 × 162 structural connectivity matrices (SCMs). The SCMs were harmonized using neuroCombat to account for interscanner differences. Threshold‐free network‐based statistics were used for analysis, and findings were correlated with ADI quintile metrics. A decrease in cross‐sectional area (CSA) indicates reduced white matter integrity.

Results

Sex‐ and age‐adjusted CSA in TLE groups was significantly reduced compared to controls regardless of disadvantage status, revealing discrete aberrant white matter tract connectivity abnormalities in addition to apparent differences in graph measures of connectivity and network‐based statistics. When comparing broadly defined disadvantaged TLE groups, differences were at trend level. Sensitivity analyses of ADI quintile extremes revealed significantly lower CSA in the most compared to least disadvantaged TLE group.

Significance

Our findings demonstrate (1) the general impact of TLE on DWI connectome status is larger than the association with neighborhood disadvantage; however, (2) neighborhood disadvantage, indexed by ADI, revealed modest relationships with white matter structure and integrity on sensitivity analysis in TLE. Further studies are needed to explore this relationship and determine whether the white matter relationship with ADI is driven by social drift or environmental influences on brain development. Understanding the etiology and course of the disadvantage–brain integrity relationship may serve to inform care, management, and policy for patients.
Composition, architecture and biomechanical properties of articular cartilage in differently loaded areas of the equine stifle
Authors: Fugazzola Maria , Nissinen Mikko T. , Jäntti Jiri , Tuppurainen Juuso , Plomp Saskia , Te Moller Nikae , Mäkelä Janne T. A. , van Weeren Rene
Published: June 2023

Background

Strategies for articular cartilage repair need to take into account topographical differences in tissue composition and architecture to achieve durable functional outcome. These have not yet been investigated in the equine stifle.

Objectives

To analyse the biochemical composition and architecture of three differently loaded areas of the equine stifle. We hypothesise that site differences correlate with the biomechanical characteristics of the cartilage.

Study design

Ex vivo study.

Methods

Thirty osteochondral plugs per location were harvested from the lateral trochlear ridge (LTR), the distal intertrochlear groove (DITG) and the medial femoral condyle (MFC). These underwent biochemical, biomechanical and structural analysis. A linear mixed model with location as a fixed factor and horse as a random factor was applied, followed by pair‐wise comparisons of estimated means with false discovery rate correction, to test for differences between locations. Correlations between biochemical and biomechanical parameters were tested using Spearman's correlation coefficient.

Results

Glycosaminoglycan content was different between all sites (estimated mean [95% confidence interval (CI)] for LTR 75.4 [64.5, 88.2], for intercondylar notch (ICN) 37.3 [31.9, 43.6], for MFC 93.7 [80.1109.6] μg/mg dry weight), as were equilibrium modulus (LTR2.20 [1.96, 2.46], ICN0.48 [0.37, 0.6], MFC1.36 [1.17, 1.56] MPa), dynamic modulus (LTR7.33 [6.54, 8.17], ICN4.38 [3.77, 5.03], MFC5.62 [4.93, 6.36] MPa) and viscosity (LTR7.49 [6.76, 8.26], ICN16.99 [15.88, 18.14], MFC8.7 [7.91,9.5]°). The two weightbearing areas (LTR and MCF) and the non‐weightbearing area (ICN) differed in collagen content (LTR 139 [127, 152], ICN176[162, 191], MFC 127[115, 139] μg/mg dry weight), parallelism index and angle of collagen fibres. The strongest correlations were between proteoglycan content and equilibrium modulus (r: 0.642; p: 0.001), dynamic modulus (r: 0.554; p < 0.001) and phase shift (r: −0.675; p < 0.001), and between collagen orientation angle and equilibrium modulus (r: −0.612; p < 0.001), dynamic modulus (r: −0.424; p < 0.001) and phase shift (r: 0.609; p < 0.001).

Main limitations

Only a single sample per location was analysed.

Conclusions

There were significant differences in cartilage biochemical composition, biomechanics and architecture between the three differently loaded sites. The biochemical and structural composition correlated with the mechanical characteristics. These differences need to be acknowledged by designing cartilage repair strategies.
Topical application of a novel anti‐interleukin‐17A antibody fragment penetrates psoriatic skin: Results of a randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled Phase Ib study
Authors: Sinclair Rodney , Sharifeh Sammy , Thackwray Susan , Lickliter Jason , Wu Junlong , Li Jing , Qi Bei , Bland‐Ward Philip , Reinhart Harald
Published: June 2023

Interleukin (IL)‐17A underlies the pathogenesis of chronic plaque psoriasis (CPP). Well‐tolerated, effective IL‐17A inhibitors for mild‐to‐moderate CPP are needed. ZL‐1102 is a novel antibody fragment targeting IL‐17A. To assess the safety, tolerability, preliminary efficacy and skin penetration of a topical 1% ZL‐1102 hydrogel in patients with mild‐to‐moderate CPP, a two‐part, Phase Ib study was conducted. Open‐label Part A: six patients received a single topical application of ZL‐1102 onto a psoriatic plaque; double‐blind Part B: 53 patients were randomised 1:1 to twice‐daily ZL‐1102 or vehicle for 4 weeks. Key primary endpoints included treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs), tolerability and changes in local psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). TEAEs occurred in two (33.3%) patients in Part A and in 16 (59.3%) and 13 (50.0%) patients in the ZL‐1102 and vehicle arms, respectively, in Part B. No grade ≥3 TEAEs were seen with ZL‐1102. ZL‐1102 led to numerically greater changes in local PASI versus vehicle (−28.8% vs. −17.2%), with good local tolerability. The trend towards local PASI improvement was accompanied by biomarker changes based on RNA sequencing, indicative of ZL‐1102 penetration into psoriatic plaques. Topical ZL‐1102 showed good safety, local tolerability and a trend towards improved local PASI; skin penetration was observed without measurable systemic exposure. ACTRN12620000700932.
BCKDHA contributes to melanoma progression by promoting the expressions of lipogenic enzymes FASN and ACLY
Authors: Tian Yangzi , Ma Jingjing , Wang Mengru , Yi Xiuli , Guo Sen , Wang Hao , Zhang Hengxiang , Wang Huina , Yang Yuqi , Zhang Baolu , Du Juan , Shi Qiong , Gao Tianwen , Li Chunying , Guo Weinan
Published: June 2023

The dysregulation of branched‐chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism and related enzymes has been greatly implicated in the progression of multiple types of cancer, whereas remains far from understood in melanoma. Here, we explored the role of the BCAA metabolism enzyme BCKDHA in melanoma pathogenesis and elucidated the underlying mechanisms. In vitro cell biology experiments and in vivo pre‐clinical mice model experiments were performed to investigate the role of BCKDHA in melanoma progression. RNA sequencing, immunohistochemical/immunofluorescence staining and bioinformatics analysis were used to examine the underlying mechanism. BCKDHA expression was prominently increased in both melanoma tissues and cell lines. The up‐regulation of BCKDHA promoted long‐term tumour cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vitro and tumour growth in vivo. Through RNA‐sequencing technology, it was found that BCKDHA regulated the expressions of lipogenic fatty acid synthase (FASN) and ATP‐citrate lyase (ACLY), which was thereafter proved to mediate the oncogenic role of BCKDHA in melanoma. Our results demonstrate that BCKDHA promotes melanoma progression by regulating FASN and ACLY expressions. Targeting BCKDHA could be exploited as a promising strategy to restrain tumour progression in melanoma.
Hindi podcast genre prediction using support vector classifier
Authors: Jain Mudeet , Mahrishi Mehul , Sharma Girish , Hosseini Samira
Published: June 2023

India experienced a 23% rise in podcast listening after the Covid‐19 pandemic. The pandemic and screen fatigue led people to seek their favourite old audio podcasts. Podcast genre classification allows listeners to compile a playlist of their favourite tracks; it also helps podcast streaming services provide recommendations to users based on the genre of the podcasts they enjoy. Since the COVID‐19 pandemic, the need for educational content in all forms, including podcasts, has skyrocketed, making it even more crucial to anticipate the genre of educational podcasts. Educational podcasts are a sub‐genre of the broader education genre and typically involve audio recordings of discussions, lectures, or interviews on educational topics. Education podcast genre prediction is required to efficiently classify and arrange educational content and make it simpler for listeners to access and absorb pertinent information. This study focuses on Podcast Genre Prediction, specifically for the Hindi language. In this study, our developed PodGen dataset was used, which consists of 550 five‐minute podcasts with 26,867 sentences, where every podcast was manually annotated into one of the four genre categories (Horror, Motivational, Crime, and Romance). The performance comparison of state‐of‐the‐art machine learning techniques on the PodGen dataset was used to demonstrate accuracy. The best performance on testing data was observed in the Support Vector Classifier model with balanced accuracy: 82.42%, precision (weighted): 83.09%, recall (weighted): 82.42%, and F1 score (weighted): 82.39%.
The impact of ecological restoration on ecosystem services change modulated by drought and rising CO2
Authors: Huang Binbin , Lu Fei , Wang Xiaoke , Wu Xing , Zheng Hua , Su Yuebo , Yuan Yafei , Ouyang Zhiyun
Published: June 2023

Ecological restoration projects (ERPs) are an indispensable component of natural climate solutions and have proven to be very important for reversing environmental degradation in vulnerable regions and enhancing ecosystem services. However, the level of enhancement would be inevitably influenced by global drought and rising CO2, which remain less investigated. In this study, we took the Beijing‐Tianjin sand source region (which has experienced long‐term ERPs), China, as an example and combined the process‐based Biome‐BGCMuSo model to set multiple scenarios to address this issue. We found ERP‐induced carbon sequestration (CS), water retention (WR), soil retention (SR), and sandstorm prevention (SP) increased by 22.21%, 2.87%, 2.35%, and 28.77%, respectively. Moreover, the ecosystem services promotion from afforestation was greater than that from grassland planting. Approximately 91.41%, 98.13%, and 64.51% of the increased CS, SR, and SP were contributed by afforestation. However, afforestation also caused the WR to decline. Although rising CO2 amplified ecosystem services contributed by ERPs, it was almost totally offset by drought. The contribution of ERPs to CS, WR, SR, and SP was reduced by 5.74%, 32.62%, 11.74%, and 14.86%, respectively, under combined drought and rising CO2. Our results confirmed the importance of ERPs in strengthening ecosystem services provision. Furthermore, we provide a quantitative way to understand the influence rate of drought and rising CO2 on ERP‐induced ecosystem service dynamics. In addition, the considerable negative climate change impact implied that restoration strategies should be optimized to improve ecosystem resilience to better combat negative climate change impacts.
Hydric effects on thermal tolerances influence climate vulnerability in a high‐latitude beetle
Authors: Riddell Eric A. , Mutanen Marko , Ghalambor Cameron K.
Published: June 2023

Species' thermal tolerances are used to estimate climate vulnerability, but few studies consider the role of the hydric environment in shaping thermal tolerances. As environments become hotter and drier, organisms often respond by limiting water loss to lower the risk of desiccation; however, reducing water loss may produce trade‐offs that lower thermal tolerances if respiration becomes inhibited. Here, we measured the sensitivity of water loss rate and critical thermal maximum (CTmax) to precipitation in nature and laboratory experiments that exposed click beetles (Coleoptera: Elateridae) to acute‐ and long‐term humidity treatments. We also took advantage of their unique clicking behavior to characterize subcritical thermal tolerances. We found higher water loss rates in the dry acclimation treatment compared to the humid, and water loss rates were 3.2‐fold higher for individuals that had experienced a recent precipitation event compared to individuals that had not. Acute humidity treatments did not affect CTmax, but precipitation indirectly affected CTmax through its effect on water loss rates. Contrary to our prediction, we found that CTmax was negatively associated with water loss rate, such that individuals with high water loss rate exhibited a lower CTmax. We then incorporated the observed variation of CTmax into a mechanistic niche model that coupled leaf and click beetle temperatures to predict climate vulnerability. The simulations indicated that indices of climate vulnerability can be sensitive to the effects of water loss physiology on thermal tolerances; moreover, exposure to temperatures above subcritical thermal thresholds is expected to increase by as much as 3.3‐fold under future warming scenarios. The correlation between water loss rate and CTmax identifies the need to study thermal tolerances from a “whole‐organism” perspective that considers relationships between physiological traits, and the population‐level variation in CTmax driven by water loss rate complicates using this metric as a straightforward proxy of climate vulnerability.
Effects of professional toothbrushing among patients with gingivitis
Authors: Noh Mi‐kyoung , Kim Eun‐Kyong , Sakong Joon , Park Eun Young
Published: June 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the biological and clinical effect of professional toothbrushing on the periodontal health of patients with gingivitis.

Methods

We enrolled 21 university students with gingivitis in Jinju City in this study between April 24 and October 28, 2014. A dental hygienist performed a professional toothbrushing routine on the participants twice, once at baseline and after 3 months. Oral examinations were performed at baseline, 3, and 6 months to assess the periodontal health. The patient hygiene performance index, gingival bleeding rate, periodontal pocket depth, amount of gingival sulcus fluid, and number of bacterial colonies in the gingival sulcus (CFU/mL) were evaluated during the oral examination.

Results

The patient hygiene performance index, gingival bleeding rate, pocket depth, amount of gingival sulcus fluid, and CFU/mL within the gingival sulcus significantly decreased after professional toothbrushing (p < 0.05), indicating an improvement in the periodontal health. The patient hygiene performance index, gingival bleeding rate, pocket depth, amount of gingival sulcus fluid, and CFU/mL within the gingival sulcus decreased more among those whose pocket depth was 4–5 mm than among those whose PD was ≤3 mm (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Professional toothbrushing improved the periodontal health in patients with gingivitis in respect of both biological and clinical results.
Rational design of moldable calcium chloride ceramic‐like material with supramolecular structure
Authors: Chen Lingqing , Huang Xingyu , Zhong Yidan , Yan Ming , Tian Chaochao , Lu Hailong , Zhou Xiaofan
Published: June 2023

Calcium chloride is widely used in various fields of society because of its good chemical stability and non‐toxic properties. As an inorganic salt with low ductility at low temperature, it is never used to prepare bulk materials but is usually used to prepare energy storage materials. The work in this paper presents the first synthesis of a moldable calcium chloride ceramic‐like material (flexural strength up to 32 MPa) using calcium chloride. The process results in occurring ion‐dipole interactions between calcium chloride and glycerol by means of direct heating and forms supramolecular structure. Due to the presence of dynamic and reversible non‐covalent bonds, the bonds break upon heating bringing good flowability; the re‐established bonds upon cooling allow the formation of rigid materials. The preparation is also a green and recyclable process, as the molded material can be reshaped by heating. Such a brilliant moldable property reveals the potential of this new approach for the design and production of calcium chloride materials with adjustable shapes.
Observing, ‘doing’ and ‘making’ gender in Dutch paediatric type 1 diabetes care, at home and in the clinic: Multiple‐stakeholder perspectives
Authors: Liu Yosheng , Verdonk Petra , de Wit Maartje , Nefs Giesje , Dedding Christine
Published: June 2023

Aim

To investigate the perspectives of Dutch care professionals, parents and experts by experience on gender dynamics in paediatric type 1 diabetes care.

Design

Qualitative research design.

Methods

Fifteen semi‐structured interviews were held with care professionals, supplemented by two focus groups with parents of children with diabetes (n = 12 parents) and three semi‐structured interviews with two experts by experience and a mother. Two respondent validation interviews were conducted, one with two care professionals and one with an expert by experience. Participant observations were conducted at three clinics, a diabetes sports day, weekend for young people and their families, and a high‐school. An inductive framework analysis was done, informed by relational theory on gender.

Results

Care professionals ‘did’ and ‘made’ gender differences together with young people, manifesting as communicative difficulties, in particular between female care professionals and young boys. Boys were considered less skilled in articulating their needs compared to girls. At home, care professionals and parents observed, ‘did’ and ‘made’ gender differences by perpetuating gendered divisions of labour. As traditional caretakers, mothers risk focusing excessively on the diabetes of their child whilst fathers remained more at a distance.

Conclusion

Gender patterns have negative implications on those involved in paediatric type 1 diabetes. Leaving tacit the gendered communicative issues across child–parent and child‐care professional dyads, can sustain invisible friction in a care system that normatively expects verbal participation and increased self‐management.

Implications for the Profession and Patient Care

Findings may encourage care professionals and parents to engage with the potential impact of gender dynamics on diabetes practices. Incorporating these dynamics as conversational tools would contribute to improving type 1 diabetes care for young people.
Exploring the impact of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), early adequate feeding and access to health care on urban–rural disparities of child malnutrition in China
Authors: Lin Junjie , Feng Xing Lin
Published: June 2023

To explore the effects of UNICEF‐suggested modifiable factors, that is, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), early adequate feeding and health care on child malnutrition, and to examine the extent to which each factor contributes to urban–rural disparities of child malnutrition in China. Pooling two waves of regionally representative survey data from Jilin, China, in 2013 and 2018, we report on urban–rural relative risks (RRs) in the prevalence of child stunting, wasting and overweight. We employ Poisson regression to examine the effects of urban–rural setting and the three modifiable factors on the prevalence of each malnutrition outcome, that is, stunting, wasting and overweight. We perform mediation analyses to estimate the extent to which each modifiable factor could explain the urban–rural disparities in each malnutrition outcome. The prevalence of stunting, wasting and overweight were 10.9%, 6.3% and 24.7% in urban, and 27.9%, 8.2% and 35.9% in rural Jilin, respectively. The rural to urban crude RR was 2.55 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.92–3.39) for stunting, while the corresponding RRs for wasting and overweight were 1.31 (95% CI: 0.84–2.03) and 1.45 (95% CI: 1.20–1.76), respectively. The rural to urban RR for stunting reduced to 2.01 (95% CI: 1.44–2.79) after adjusting for WASH. The mediation analyses show that WASH could mediate 23.96% (95% CI: 4.34–43.58%) of the urban–rural disparities for stunting, while early adequate feeding and health care had no effects. To close the persistent urban–rural gap in child malnutrition, the specific context of rural China suggests that a multi‐sectoral approach is warranted that focuses on the sanitation environment and other wider social determinants of health.
Multiple segment spectacle lenses for myopia control. Part 1: Optics
Authors: Radhakrishnan Hema , Lam Carly Siu Yin , Charman W. Neil
Published: June 2023

Purpose

To understand and compare the optics of two multiple segment (MS) spectacle lenses (Hoya MiyoSmart and Essilor Stellest) designed to inhibit myopia progression in children.

Methods

The optics of the two designs are presented, together with geometrical optics‐based calculations to understand the impact of the lenses on the optics of the eye. Lenses were evaluated with three techniques: surface images, Twyman–Green interferometry and focimetry. The carrier lens powers and the spatial distribution, powers and forms of the lenslets were measured.

Results

MS lenses as manufactured were found to match most of the design specifications provided by their manufacturers, although some apparent small discrepancies were found. The focimeter‐measured power of the lenslets was approximately +3.50 D for the MiyoSmart and +4.00 D for the highly aspheric lenslets of the Stellest design. For both lens designs, image contrast would be expected to become modestly reduced in the focal planes of the distance‐correcting carrier lenses. Images become much more degraded in the combined carrier‐lenslet focal plane, due to the generation of multiple laterally displaced images formed by adjacent lenslets within the effective pupil. The exact effects observed depended on the effective pupil size and its location with respect to the lenslets, as well as the power and arrangement of the lenslets.

Conclusion

Wearing either of these lenses will produce broadly similar effects on retinal imagery.
Outcomes of adjunct posterior wall isolation in atrial fibrillation patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices
Authors: Aryana Arash , Thiemann Anna M. , Pujara Deep K. , Cossette Laura L. , Allen Shelley L. , Vierra Eleanor C. , Bowers Mark R. , Gandhavadi Maheer , Heath Russell , Trivedi Amar D. , O'Neill Padraig Gearoid , Ellis Ethan R. , d'Avila André
Published: June 2023

Background

Although pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) remains the cornerstone of catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF), several studies have illustrated clinical benefits associated with PVI with posterior wall isolation (PWI).

Methods

This retrospective study investigated the outcomes of PVI alone versus PVI+PWI performed using the cryoballoon in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and paroxysmal AF (PAF) or persistent AF (PersAF).

Results

Acute PVI was achieved in all patients using cryoballoon ablation. Compared to PVI alone, PVI+PWI was associated with longer cryoablation, fluoroscopy, and total procedure times. Adjunct radiofrequency was required to complete PWI in 29/77 patients (37.7%). Adverse events were similar with PVI alone versus PVI+PWI. But at 24 ± 7 months of follow‐up, not only cryoballoon PVI+PWI was associated with improved freedom from recurrent AF (74.3% vs. 46.0%, P = .007) and all atrial tachyarrhythmias (71.4% vs. 38.1%, P = .001) in patients with PersAF, cryoballoon PVI+PWI also yielded greater freedom from AF (88.1% vs. 63.7%, P = .003) and all atrial tachyarrhythmias (83.3% vs. 60.8%, P = .008) in those with PAF. Additionally, PVI+PWI was associated with higher reductions in atrial tachyarrhythmia burden (97.9% vs. 91.6%, P < .001), need for cardioversion (5.2% vs. 23.6%, P < .001) and repeat catheter ablation (10.4% vs. 26.1%, P = .005), and a longer time‐to‐arrhythmia recurrence (16 ± 6 months vs. 8 ± 5 months, P < .001) in both PersAF and PAF patients.

Conclusion

In CIED patients with PersAF or PAF, cryoballoon PVI+PWI is associated with a greater freedom from recurrent AF and atrial tachyarrhythmias, as compared to PVI alone during long‐term follow‐up.
Putting the constructive ambiguity of climate change loss and damage into practice: The early work of the UNFCCC WIM ExCom
Authors: Vanhala Lisa
Published: June 2023

The establishment within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change of the Warsaw International Mechanism on Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (L&D) resulted from a loose consensus that emerged based on a constructively ambiguous understanding of what climate change loss and damage is and how to best address this policy problem. Different actors have understood and advocated for divergent conceptualizations of L&D: some frame it through the lens of risk and see comprehensive disaster risk management strategies, insurance schemes and post hoc humanitarian approaches as most appropriate. Others understand it through the lens of climate justice, emphasizing the harms that arise because of climate change losses and damages and advocate for compensation as an appropriate policy response. How does this ambiguity embedded within the climate regime translate into practice during the implementation stage? This research shows that ideational contestation over L&D has specific implications for institutional development, including: (i) the composition and expertise of the governing Executive Committee (ExCom); and (ii) the practices of agenda‐setting and the development of the ExCom's workplan. Drawing on multi‐sited ethnographic data and interviews with key stakeholders, this analysis identifies some of the ways in which constructive ambiguity can become embodied and institutionalized in L&D governance. It also points to a paradox in international climate governance—that the very ambiguity that allowed for the institutional embedding of L&D is also the driver of continued contestation, facilitates the re‐negotiating of issues already agreed and explains institutional delays in effectively grappling with the losses and damages that are already taking place.
Policy reinvention in diffusion: Evidence from municipal solid waste classification policy in China
Authors: Zhang Qingzhi , Luo Dan , Xie Aiwen
Published: June 2023

While research on policy diffusion has gained significant interest among scholars worldwide, little attention has been given to policy reinvention in diffusion. This study aims to investigate the influencing factors and combination paths of policy reinvention in the Municipal Solid Waste Classification Policy (MSWCP). To achieve this, a theoretical framework encompassing internal factors, intergovernmental relations, and external influence has been constructed. Empirical analysis has been conducted on the MSWCP of 31 large‐ and medium‐sized cities in China using Qualitative Comparative Analysis. Through this analysis, several combination paths that prompted local governments to reinvent policies have been identified. Furthermore, the study has clarified the various roles of six conditions—financial resources, government attention, policy experience, peer competition, organizational learning, and social demand—in achieving policy reinvention. These findings are expected to provide new theoretical and practical insights into the field of policy reinvention research.
Being black and non‐citizen in South Africa: Intersecting race, white privilege and afrophobic violence in contemporary South Africa
Authors: Angu Pineteh
Published: June 2023

Post‐apartheid South Africa is characterized by growing feelings of pain, anger and frustration amongst black communities triggered by pervasive social inequalities. This has given birth to a new form of political and social activism shaped by crude violence, vandalism, destruction, brutal killings of women and children as well as thuggery in different black communities. It has also led to an upsurge in violence particularly on Africans from other parts of the continent. In this article, I attempt to examine how racial politics and resilient white privilege intersect to trigger afrophobic violence in South Africa. I draw on existing literature on broad conceptions of race and xenophobia to make a set of assertions about racial valuations, the resilience of white supremacy and black on black violence. In the article, I argue that black South Africans' pain, anger and the performance of violence on African migrants are on one level a consequence of resilient structural racism and racial practices, which continue to marginalize, emasculate and dispossess blacks. These racial practices force black South Africans to look elsewhere to express their anger, pains and frustrations.
Age‐related decline in anti‐HBV antibodies in vaccinated kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Dadhania Darshana M. , Cravedi Paolo , Blumberg Emily , Stryniak Gabriel , Montez‐Rath Maria E. , Maltzman Jonathan S.
Published: June 2023

Background

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination is indicated for all end stage kidney disease patients, including all solid organ transplant candidates. Maintenance of adequate immunity is especially important for immunosuppressed solid organ recipients who are at increased risk for donor or community acquired HBV. The impact of age and immunosuppression on long‐term maintenance of HBV immunity postvaccination has not been fully investigated.

Methods

We performed a single‐center retrospective study of 96 kidney transplant recipients, transplanted between July 2012 and December 2020, who had Hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) levels measured pretransplantation and 1‐year posttransplantation. We compared the change in HBsAb levels stratified by patient's age (<45, 45–60, and >60) and by whether or not the patient received lymphocyte depleting induction therapy.

Results

Our results demonstrate that HBsAb IgG levels vary by age group, decreased significantly at 1‐year posttransplant (p < .0001) and were significantly lower in the older cohort (p = .03). Among recipients who received rabbit anti‐thymocyte globulin induction (rATG), the log HbsAb levels were significantly lower in the older age group (2.15 in age <45, 1.75 in age 45–60 and 1.47 in age >60, p = .01). Age group (p = .004), recipient HBcAb status (p = .002), and rATG (p = .048) were independently associated with >20% reduction in log HBsAb levels posttransplant.

Conclusion

Significant declines in HBsAb levels occur postkidney transplantation, especially in older individuals, thus placing exposed older kidney transplant recipients at greater risk of HBV infection and associated complications.

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Rational points close to non‐singular algebraic curves
Authors: Adiceam Faustin , Marmon Oscar
Published: June 2023

We study the density of solutions to Diophantine inequalities involving non‐singular ternary forms, or equivalently, the density of rational points close to non‐singular plane algebraic curves.
Performance Study of Photovoltaic/Thermal Collector System for Cold Production by Adsorption in a Mediterranean Climate: Foodstuffs Preservation
Authors: Nedjar Achraf , Chaker Abla , Absi Rafik , Lahmer Yousra , Bennacer Rachid
Published: June 2023

This work presents a numerical study on the performance of a stand-alone adsorption cooling system based on the silica gel/water couple driven by hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PVT) collectors. This system is intended for the conservation of perishable agricultural products which require air-conditioned premises to preserve them. The weather conditions are those of North Africa (Algiers). Considering the above, this paper aims at analyzing the PVT-Adsorption system with energy storage to guarantee a stabilized production and increase the solar coverage. trnsys was used to simulate the system taking into account hourly series of irradiation and ambient temperature covering one year. The performance study reveals that the DualSun PVT hybrid collectors used provide optimal annual production and that the adsorption cooling system offers more reliable production during summer. The temperature difference between the inside and outside of the cooled enclosure balances supply and demand. The loss analysis of the storage device indicates that losses depend, on the one hand, on the interior/exterior temperature difference of the storage tank with more significant values during the summer season. On the other hand, the losses also depend on the volume of the storage tank which was optimized in order to limit the heat exchange with the surroundings.
A new species of cave-dwelling Neocarus (Opilioacaridae) from Brazil with highly modified dimorphic characters in males
Authors: Ferreira de Oliveira Bernardi Leopoldo , De Araújo Marcel Santos , Lopes Ferreira Rodrigo
Published: June 2023

A new species of Neocarus is described from adult female and male specimens collected from an epigean and hypogean ferruginous geosystem located in southeast Brazil. The new species, Neocarus congado sp. nov., is an atypical species with the male expressing dimorphic characters in the chelicera, palp and dorsal shield, through setae with different shapes and often in clusters with a dense set of setae.
Imaging beyond the surface region: Probing hidden materials via atomic force microscopy
Authors: Farokh Payam Amir , Passian Ali
Published: June 2023

Probing material properties at surfaces down to the single-particle scale of atoms and molecules has been achieved, but high-resolution subsurface imaging remains a nanometrology challenge due to electromagnetic and acoustic dispersion and diffraction. The atomically sharp probe used in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has broken these limits at surfaces. Subsurface imaging is possible under certain physical, chemical, electrical, and thermal gradients present in the material. Of all the SPM techniques, atomic force microscopy has entertained unique opportunities for nondestructive and label-free measurements. Here, we explore the physics of the subsurface imaging problem and the emerging solutions that offer exceptional potential for visualization. We discuss materials science, electronics, biology, polymer and composite sciences, and emerging quantum sensing and quantum bio-imaging applications. The perspectives and prospects of subsurface techniques are presented to stimulate further work toward enabling noninvasive high spatial and spectral resolution investigation of materials including meta- and quantum materials.
Atomically dispersed Ni activates adjacent Ce sites for enhanced electrocatalytic oxygen evolution activity
Authors: Pei Zhihao , Zhang Huabin , Wu Zhi-Peng , Lu Xue Feng , Luan Deyan , Lou Xiong Wen (David)
Published: June 2023

Manipulating the intrinsic activity of heterogeneous catalysts at the atomic level is an effective strategy to improve the electrocatalytic performances but remains challenging. Here, atomically dispersed Ni anchored on CeO
2
particles entrenched on peanut-shaped hollow nitrogen-doped carbon structures (
a
-Ni/CeO
2
@NC) is rationally designed and synthesized. The as-prepared
a
-Ni/CeO
2
@NC catalyst exhibits substantially boosted intrinsic activity and greatly reduced overpotential for the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction. Experimental and theoretical results demonstrate that the decoration of isolated Ni species over the CeO
2
induces electronic coupling and redistribution, thus resulting in the activation of the adjacent Ce sites around Ni atoms and greatly accelerated oxygen evolution kinetics. This work provides a promising strategy to explore the electronic regulation and intrinsic activity improvement at the atomic level, thereby improving the electrocatalytic activity.
Mars robots meet bounded rationality
Authors: Murphy Robin R.
Published: June 2023

A new sci-fi novel,
The Strange
, is set in a counterfactual Mars where an alien mineral increases the intelligence of robots.
Targeting CCR7-PI3Kγ overcomes resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in ALK-rearranged lymphoma
Authors: Mastini Cristina , Campisi Marco , Patrucco Enrico , Mura Giulia , Ferreira Antonio , Costa Carlotta , Ambrogio Chiara , Germena Giulia , Martinengo Cinzia , Peola Silvia , Mota Ines , Vissio Elena , Molinaro Luca , Arigoni Maddalena , Olivero Martina , Calogero Raffaele , Prokoph Nina , Tabbò Fabrizio , Shoji Brent , Brugieres Laurence , Geoerger Birgit , Turner Suzanne D. , Cuesta-Mateos Carlos , D’Aliberti Deborah , Mologni Luca , Piazza Rocco , Gambacorti-Passerini Carlo , Inghirami Giorgio G. , Chiono Valeria , Kamm Roger D. , Hirsch Emilio , Koch Raphael , Weinstock David M. , Aster Jon C. , Voena Claudia , Chiarle Roberto
Published: June 2023

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) show potent efficacy in several ALK-driven tumors, but the development of resistance limits their long-term clinical impact. Although resistance mechanisms have been studied extensively in ALK-driven non–small cell lung cancer, they are poorly understood in ALK-driven anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). Here, we identify a survival pathway supported by the tumor microenvironment that activates phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase γ (PI3K-γ) signaling through the C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7). We found increased PI3K signaling in patients and ALCL cell lines resistant to ALK TKIs. PI3Kγ expression was predictive of a lack of response to ALK TKI in patients with ALCL. Expression of CCR7, PI3Kγ, and PI3Kδ were up-regulated during ALK or STAT3 inhibition or degradation and a constitutively active PI3Kγ isoform cooperated with oncogenic ALK to accelerate lymphomagenesis in mice. In a three-dimensional microfluidic chip, endothelial cells that produce the CCR7 ligands CCL19/CCL21 protected ALCL cells from apoptosis induced by crizotinib. The PI3Kγ/δ inhibitor duvelisib potentiated crizotinib activity against ALCL lines and patient-derived xenografts. Furthermore, genetic deletion of CCR7 blocked the central nervous system dissemination and perivascular growth of ALCL in mice treated with crizotinib. Thus, blockade of PI3Kγ or CCR7 signaling together with ALK TKI treatment reduces primary resistance and the survival of persister lymphoma cells in ALCL.