bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unplanned costs and benefits: Gender and spousal spillover effects of retirement on health
Authors: Newmyer Lauren , Lowrey Kendal L. , Levchenko Yuliana
Published: June 2023

Objective

Our study assesses how women and men's health indicators are shaped by their spouse's retirement.

Background

The retirement process can reshape the health of a retiree, but these effects can also extend onto the health of spouses. Although past research has largely focused on how men's retirement might negatively shape their wife's health outcomes, it is possible that wives' retirement has detrimental effects on their husband's health as well.

Method

Using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we employ a fuzzy regression discontinuity design to identify the causal effects of spousal retirement on indicators of physical and mental health in married older adults.

Results

Our results suggested that men, not women, experience the most negative spousal spillover effects of retirement on their health outcomes. We found the most support for spillover effects on spouses' physical health outcomes. Additionally, men who are not working when their spouse retires experienced the most negative health effects.

Conclusion

Women and men's health is differentially affected by spousal retirement, where men might be the most negatively affected by their spouses' transition in the US context. These results contradict conventional wisdom that undergirds numerous untested assumptions underlying prior research on this significant life transition.
Top Manager Heuristics Under Knightian Uncertainty: Control Versus Prediction and the Moderating Impact of Framing
Authors: Smit Willem
Published: June 2023

In line with recent conceptual developments that take Knightian uncertainty seriously in the management literature, we investigate the heuristics employed by top managers confronted with an influx of uncertainty. Using an instrument specifically designed to examine heuristic transition from prediction to control in response to uncertainty, we gather data from 147 executive managers and obtain a counterintuitive result. Top managers persist in, and even increase the use of predictive heuristics as uncertainty mounts. But the effect is moderated. Framing uncertainty as a threat enhances the preference for prediction, while framing uncertainty as an opportunity enables managers to shift to control. Post‐hoc analyses indicate that experience may offer managers a stock of control heuristics that also facilitate a shift as they face uncertainty. Our research offers new insights into attribute substitution related to environmental framing and thereby aims to advance the conversation regarding top manager heuristics and biases and the management of uncertainty.
Coffee quality: Insights of Brazilian consumers from different sociodemographic levels combining modified Word Association and Maximum Difference Scaling (MaxDiff)
Authors: Soares Paula T. S. , Tavares Filho Elson R. , Pagani Mônica M. , Mársico Eliane T. , Cruz Adriano G. , Esmerino Erick A.
Published: June 2023

The coffee market is dynamic and offers several products (e.g., powder, capsule, instant, and grain) distributed in different quality categories, such as traditional, extra strong, special, gourmet, and premium. However, despite the diversity of products, there is little information about how consumers with different sociodemographic characteristics perceive and idealize high‐quality coffees. This study used a modified Word Association task (n = 142) to determine the attributes of high‐quality coffee and the Maximum Difference Scale (n = 330) to organize the attributes concerning their importance between groups of consumers from different sociodemographic levels. Consumers considered flavor, aroma, and intensity as the most important attributes of high‐quality coffees, regardless of gender or socioeconomic class. In addition, price and sweetness were important attributes for class C consumers, while temperature and roasting were more important for class A.

Practical Application

Knowing the specificities of coffee consumers allows the manufacturer to direct their products to different niches that perceive the product differently.
Clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome in 8 dogs and 2 cats with global hypoxic‐ischemic brain injury (2010‐2022)
Authors: Crawford Abbe Harper , Beltran Elsa , Danciu Cecilia‐Gabriella , Yaffy Dylan
Published: June 2023

Background

Global hypoxic‐ischemic brain injury (GHIBI) results in variable degrees of neurological dysfunction. Limited data exists to guide prognostication on likelihood of functional recovery.

Hypothesis

Prolonged duration of hypoxic‐ischemic insult and absence of neurological improvement in the first 72 hours are negative prognostic indicators.

Animals

Ten clinical cases with GHIBI.

Methods

Retrospective case series describing 8 dogs and 2 cats with GHIBI, including clinical signs, treatment, and outcome.

Results

Six dogs and 2 cats experienced cardiopulmonary arrest or anesthetic complication in a veterinary hospital and were promptly resuscitated. Seven showed progressive neurological improvement within 72 hours of the hypoxic‐ischemic insult. Four fully recovered and 3 had residual neurological deficits. One dog presented comatose after resuscitation at the primary care practice. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed diffuse cerebral cortical swelling and severe brainstem compression and the dog was euthanized.

Two dogs suffered out‐of‐hospital cardiopulmonary arrest, secondary to a road traffic accident in 1 and laryngeal obstruction in the other. The first dog was euthanized after MRI that identified diffuse cerebral cortical swelling with severe brainstem compression. In the other dog, spontaneous circulation was recovered after 22 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. However, the dog remained blind, disorientated, and ambulatory tetraparetic with vestibular ataxia and was euthanized 58 days after presentation. Histopathological examination of the brain confirmed severe diffuse cerebral and cerebellar cortical necrosis.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Duration of hypoxic‐ischemic insult, diffuse brainstem involvement, MRI features, and rate of neurological recovery could provide indications of the likelihood of functional recovery after GHIBI.
Clotted blood samples in the neonatal intensive care unit: A retrospective, observational study to evaluate interventions to reduce blood sample clotting
Authors: van Rens Matheus F. P. T. , Hugill Kevin , Francia Airene L. V. , Macaraig Abraham Victor , van Loon Fredericus H. J. , Spencer Timothy R. , Bayoumi Mohammad A. A.
Published: June 2023

Background

Blood draws for laboratory investigations are essential for patient management in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). When blood samples clot before analysis, they are rejected, which delays treatment decisions and necessitates repeated sampling.

Aim

To decrease the incidence of rejected blood samples taken for laboratory investigation as a result of clotted sample.

Study Design

This retrospective observational study used routine data on blood draws from preterm infants collected between January 2017 and June 2019 in a 112‐cot NICU in Qatar. Quality improvement interventions to reduce the rate of clotted blood samples included: awareness raising and safe sampling workshops with NICU staff, involvement of the neonatal vascular access team, development of a complete blood count (CBC) sample collection pathway, review of sample collection equipment, introducing the Tenderfoot® heel lance, establishment of benchmarks and provision of dedicated blood extraction equipment.

Results

First attempt blood draw occurred in 10 706 cases, representing a 96.2% success rate. In 427 (3.8%) cases, the samples were clotted requiring repeat collection. The overall rate of clotted specimens decreased from 4.8% in 2017 and 2018 to 2.4% in 2019, with odds ratios of 1.42 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13–1.78, p = .002), 1.46 (95% CI 1.17–1.81, p < .001) and 0.49 (95% CI 0.39–0.63, p < .001), respectively. The majority (87%–95%) of blood samples were by venepuncture using an intravenous (IV) catheter or the NeoSafe™ blood sampling device. Heel prick sampling was the second (2%–9%) most common method. Clotted samples were most frequently associated with needle use, 228 of 427 (53%), and IV cannula, 162 of 427 (38%), with odds ratios of 4.14 (95% CI 3.34–5.13, p < .001) and 3.11 (95% CI 2.51–3.86, p < .001), respectively.

Conclusions

Our interventions over 3 years were associated with reduced rates of sample rejection due to clotting, and this led to improved patient experience through fewer repeated samplings.

Relevance to Clinical Practice

The insights gained from this project can help to improve patient care. Interventions that reduce the rate of blood sample rejection by clinical laboratories can lead to economic savings, timelier diagnostic and treatment decisions, and contribute to an improved quality care experience for all critical care patients, irrespective of age, by reducing the need for repeated phlebotomy and the risk of related complications.
Alveolar bone morphology in patients with palatally‐displaced maxillary lateral incisors before and after orthodontic treatment: A cone‐beam computed tomography study
Authors: Tang Yao , Lu Wenhsuan , Wu Weiqiang , Sun Qiannan , Zhang Yunfan , Xu Tianmin , Chen Si , Liang Wei , Han Bing
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Palatal displacement of maxillary anterior teeth is common in clinical practice. Previous studies have reported that the labial bone around palatally‐displaced incisors is thinner than that around normally‐placed teeth. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate alveolar bone changes after alignment to guide orthodontic treatment. In this study, we investigated the alveolar bone changes around palatally‐displaced maxillary lateral incisors before and after treatment, and the effects of extraction and age using cone‐beam computed tomography.

Methods

In this retrospective study, 55 patients with unilateral palatally‐displaced maxillary lateral incisors were included. Three‐dimensional alveolar bone changes were measured at three levels (25%, 50% and 75% of the root length) using cone‐beam computed tomography. Group comparisons were made between displaced and control teeth, extraction and non‐extraction groups, and adult and minor groups.

Results

After orthodontic treatment, labiopalatal and palatal alveolar bone widths decreased at all measured levels. Labial alveolar bone width increased significantly at P25, but decreased at P75. Concavity decreased, while tooth‐axis angle, tooth length, B‐CEJ and P‐CEJ increased. Changes in LB and LP at P75, B‐CEJ and P‐CEJ were statistically significant. After treatment, the tooth‐axis angle on the PD side increased by 9.46°. The change in tooth‐axis angle on the PD side was significantly smaller, and LB and LP decreased more at P75, in the extraction group.

Conclusions

Compared to the control teeth, alveolar bone thickness and height for the displaced teeth decreased more significantly after treatment. Tooth extraction and age also influenced alveolar bone changes.
The use of ketamine infusion to dramatically reduce opioid requirements in a patient whose high‐dose intrathecal opioid pump was inadvertently cut during surgery
Authors: McDonald William M. , Wilkinson Michael M. , Jain Ankush , Cohen Steven P.
Published: June 2023

Background

Chronic opioid therapy may lead to high level tolerance development, hyperalgesia, and central sensitization, which further complicates long‐term therapeutic management of chronic pain patients. In this case, we encounter a patient who was receiving over 15,000 morphine milligram equivalents through their intrathecal pain pump. Unfortunately, the intrathecal pump was inadvertently cut during a spinal surgery. It was deemed unsafe to delivery IV equivalent opioid therapy in this case; instead, the patient was admitted to the ICU and given a four‐day ketamine infusion.

Method

The patient was started on a ketamine infusion at a rate of 0.5mg/kg/h, which was continued for three days. On the fourth day, the infusion rate was tapered over 12 h before being completely stopped. No coinciding opioid therapy was given during this time, which was only restarted in the outpatient setting.

Results

Despite chronic high levels of opioid therapy immediately prior to the ketamine infusion, the patient did not experience florid withdrawals during the infusion period. Additionally, the patient experienced remarkable improvement in their subjective pain rating, which decreased from 9 to 3–4 on an 11‐point Number Rating Scale, while simultaneously being managed on an MME <100. These results were sustained through a 6‐month follow‐up period.

Conclusion

Ketamine may play an important role in attenuating not only tolerance but also acute withdrawal in a setting where rapid or instant weaning from high dose chronic opioid therapy is needed.
Histological damage characteristics and quantitive analysis of porcine skin with non‐insulated microneedle radiofrequency
Authors: Feng Jiayi , Zhang Ling , Qi Jun , Huang Lvping
Published: June 2023

Objective

In recent years, the microneedle radiofrequency (MRF) has been widely used for skin rejuvenation, but histological studies on the immediate trauma caused by different parameters of non‐insulated RF microneedles

Methods

The skin of three pigs was treated with different needle depths, pulse widths and energy levels of non‐insulated microneedle RF. Samples were collected before, immediately, and 2 weeks after treatment. The immediate histological response of each group was assessed and quantified by hematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson staining and Victoria Blue staining.

Results

In the treatment of non‐insulated microneedle RF, different energy levels affected mainly the range of thermal damage (p = 0.044), and different needle depths affected mainly the depth of the cavity (p = 0.022). But the width of the coagulation zone width was determined by different factors. There was no significant difference in the histology of immediate damage caused by different pulse widths. Reepithelialization of the epidermis and basic wound repair can be completed within 2 weeks.

Conclusion

Non‐insulated RF microneedle therapy is an effective and safe treatment that can stimulate dermal wound healing with less thermal coagulation and a wide range of reversible thermal damage. However, it should be noted that the set needle depth may not correspond to the actual penetration depth, nor to the actual depth of histologic trauma.
Yap controls notochord formation and neural tube patterning by integrating mechanotransduction with
FoxA2
and
Shh
expression
Authors: Cheng Caiqi , Cong Qian , Liu Yuchen , Hu Yizhong , Liang Guoyan , Dioneda Kevin Marc Manquiquis , Yang Yingzi
Published: June 2023

Correct notochord and neural tube (NT) formation is crucial to the development of the central nervous system and midline structures. Integrated biochemical and biophysical signaling controls embryonic growth and patterning; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we took the opportunities of marked morphological changes during notochord and NT formation and identified both necessary and sufficient roles of Yap, a key mechanosensor and mechanotransducer, in biochemical signaling activation during formation of notochord and floor plate, the ventral signaling centers that pattern the dorsal-ventral axis of NT and the surrounding tissues. We showed that Yap activation by a gradient of mechanical stress and tissue stiffness in the notochord and ventral NT induces
FoxA2
and
Shh
expression. Hedgehog signaling activation rescued NT patterning defects caused by
Yap
deficiency, but not notochord formation. Therefore, mechanotransduction via Yap activation acts in feedforward mechanisms to induce
FoxA2
expression for notochord formation and activate
Shh
expression for floor plate induction by synergistically interacting with FoxA2.
In vivo mapping of pharmacologically induced functional reorganization onto the human brain’s neurotransmitter landscape
Authors: Luppi Andrea I. , Hansen Justine Y. , Adapa Ram , Carhart-Harris Robin L. , Roseman Leor , Timmermann Christopher , Golkowski Daniel , Ranft Andreas , Ilg Rüdiger , Jordan Denis , Bonhomme Vincent , Vanhaudenhuyse Audrey , Demertzi Athena , Jaquet Oceane , Bahri Mohamed Ali , Alnagger Naji L. N. , Cardone Paolo , Peattie Alexander R. D. , Manktelow Anne E. , de Araujo Draulio B. , Sensi Stefano L. , Owen Adrian M. , Naci Lorina , Menon David K. , Misic Bratislav , Stamatakis Emmanuel A.
Published: June 2023

To understand how pharmacological interventions can exert their powerful effects on brain function, we need to understand how they engage the brain’s rich neurotransmitter landscape. Here, we bridge microscale molecular chemoarchitecture and pharmacologically induced macroscale functional reorganization, by relating the regional distribution of 19 neurotransmitter receptors and transporters obtained from positron emission tomography, and the regional changes in functional magnetic resonance imaging connectivity induced by 10 different mind-altering drugs: propofol, sevoflurane, ketamine, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ayahuasca, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), modafinil, and methylphenidate. Our results reveal a many-to-many mapping between psychoactive drugs’ effects on brain function and multiple neurotransmitter systems. The effects of both anesthetics and psychedelics on brain function are organized along hierarchical gradients of brain structure and function. Last, we show that regional co-susceptibility to pharmacological interventions recapitulates co-susceptibility to disorder-induced structural alterations. Collectively, these results highlight rich statistical patterns relating molecular chemoarchitecture and drug-induced reorganization of the brain’s functional architecture.
Aclarubicin stimulates RNA polymerase II elongation at closely spaced divergent promoters
Authors: Wooten Matthew , Takushi Brittany , Ahmad Kami , Henikoff Steven
Published: June 2023

Anthracyclines are a class of widely prescribed anticancer drugs that disrupt chromatin by intercalating into DNA and enhancing nucleosome turnover. To understand the molecular consequences of anthracycline-mediated chromatin disruption, we used Cleavage Under Targets and Tagmentation (CUT&Tag) to profile RNA polymerase II during anthracycline treatment in
Drosophila
cells. We observed that treatment with the anthracycline aclarubicin leads to elevated levels of RNA polymerase II and changes in chromatin accessibility. We found that promoter proximity and orientation affect chromatin changes during aclarubicin treatment, as closely spaced divergent promoter pairs show greater chromatin changes when compared to codirectionally oriented tandem promoters. We also found that aclarubicin treatment changes the distribution of noncanonical DNA G-quadruplex structures both at promoters and at G-rich pericentromeric repeats. Our work suggests that the cancer-killing activity of aclarubicin is driven by the disruption of nucleosomes and RNA polymerase II.
Complete Genome of Agrobacterium fabrum Strain 1D1416
Authors: Alabed Diaa , Huo Naxin , Gu Yong , Thomson James G.
Published: June 2023

This work reports the draft genome of
Agrobacterium fabrum
strain 1D1416. The assembled genome is composed of a 2,837,379-bp circular chromosome, a 2,043,296-bp linear chromosome, a 519,735-bp AT1 plasmid, a 188,396-bp AT2 plasmid, and a 196,706-bp Ti virulence plasmid. The nondisarmed strain produces gall-like structures in citrus tissue.
Whole-Genome Sequence of Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Mice with Mastitis
Authors: Hoque M. Nazmul , Jerin Shobnom , Faisal Golam Mahbub , Das Ziban Chandra , Islam Tofazzal , Rahman Abu Nasar M. Aminoor
Published: June 2023

We sequenced the genomes of
Escherichia coli
isolates G2M6U and G6M1F, two multidrug-resistant strains that were isolated from mammary tissue and fecal samples, respectively, from mice with induced mastitis. The complete genomes of G2M6U and G6M1F consist of chromosomes of 4.4 Mbp and 4.6 Mbp, respectively.
Exosomes Derived from
Dermatophagoides farinae
Induce Allergic Airway Inflammation
Authors: Yang Ting , Xu Zuyu , Yu Jinyan , Liu Jiaxi , Wang Wei , Hong Shanchao
Published: June 2023

Dermatophagoides farinae
, a predominant species of house dust mites in China, has displayed pathogenic role in allergic disorders, and exosomes derived from human bronchoalveolar lavage fluid have been strongly associated with allergic respiratory diseases progression. However, the pathogenic role of
D. farinae
-derived exosomes in allergic airway inflammation has remained unclear until now.
Intermediate water warming caused methane hydrate instability in South China Sea during past interglacials
Authors: Li Niu , Wang Xudong , Feng Junxi , Chen Fang , Zhou Yang , Wang Maoyu , Chen Tianyu , Bayon Germain , Peckmann Jörn , Cheng Hai , Edwards R. Lawrence , Chen Duofu , Feng Dong
Published: June 2023

Methane hydrates are widely distributed along continental margins, representing a potential source of methane to the ocean and atmosphere, possibly influencing Earth’s climate. Yet, little is known about the response of methane hydrates to global climate change, especially at the timescale of glacial-interglacial cycles. Here we present a chronology of methane seepage from seep carbonates derived from a series of tens to hundreds of meters long hydrate-bearing sediment records from the South China Sea, drilled at water depths of 664−871 m. We find that six out of seven episodes of intense methane seepage during the last 440,000 years were related to hydrate dissociation, all coinciding with major interglacials, the so-called Marine Isotope Stages 1, 5e, 7c, 9c, and 11c. Using numerical modeling, we show that these events of methane hydrate instability were possibly triggered by the rapid warming of intermediate waters by ∼2.5−3.5 °C in the South China Sea. This finding provides direct evidence for the sensitivity of the deep marine methane hydrate reservoir to glacial-interglacial climatic and oceanographic cyclicity.
Supplemental Material: Electrical image of magmatic system beneath the Xiangshan volcanogenic uranium deposit, southeast China: Linking magmatic evolution and uranium metallogenesis
Authors: Yu Hui , Tang Bin , al. et
Published: June 2023

Details on data analyses, inversion procedure and sensitivity test, analysis of conductivity mechanisms, and supplemental figures and table.  
Cancer Loyalty Card Study (CLOCS): feasibility outcomes for an observational case–control study focusing on the patient interval in ovarian cancer
Authors: Brewer Hannah R , Chadeau-Hyam Marc , Johnson Eric , Sundar Sudha , Flanagan James , Hirst Yasemin
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Ovarian cancer symptoms are often non-specific and can be normalised before patients seek medical help. The Cancer Loyalty Card Study investigated self-management behaviours of patients with ovarian cancer prior to their diagnosis using loyalty card data collected by two UK-based high street retailers. Here, we discuss the feasibility outcomes for this novel research.

Design

Observational case–control study.

Setting

Control participants were invited to the study using social media and other sources from the general public. Once consented, control participants were required to submit proof of identification (ID) for their loyalty card data to be shared. Cases were identified using unique National Health Service (NHS) numbers (a proxy for ID) and were recruited through 12 NHS tertiary care clinics.

Participants

Women in the UK, 18 years or older, with at least one of the participating high street retailers’ loyalty cards. Those with an ovarian cancer diagnosis within 2 years of recruitment were considered cases, and those without an ovarian cancer diagnosis were considered controls.

Primary outcome measures

Recruitment rates, demographics of participants and identification of any barriers to recruitment.

Results

In total, 182 cases and 427 controls were recruited with significant differences by age, number of people in participants’ households and the geographical region in the UK. However, only 37% (n=160/427) of control participants provided sufficient ID details and 81% (n=130/160) matched retailers’ records. The majority of the participants provided complete responses to the 24-Item Ovarian Risk Questionnaire.

Conclusions

Our findings show that recruitment to a study aiming to understand self-care behaviours using loyalty card data is challenging but feasible. The general public were willing to share their data for health research. Barriers in data sharing mechanisms need to be addressed to maximise participant retention.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN14897082, CPMS 43323,NCT03994653.
Transcarotid versus transfemoral access for cerebrovascular intervention: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Luo Jichang , Liao Wanying , Lei Dong , Xing Zixuan , Wang Tao , Xu Wenlong , Wang Xue , Yang Renjie , Wang Jie , Gong Haozhi , Yang Bin , Ma Yan , Jiao Liqun , Chen Yanfei
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Cerebrovascular intervention is an excellent option to treat cerebrovascular diseases. Interventional access is a prerequisite and a foundation for cerebrovascular intervention, which is crucial to the success of an intervention. Although transfemoral arterial access (TFA) has become a popular and acceptable method of access for cerebrovascular angiography and intervention in clinical practice, it has some drawbacks that limit the usage in cerebrovascular interventions. Therefore, transcarotid arterial access (TCA) has been developed in cerebrovascular interventions. We aim to conduct a systematic review to compare the safety and efficacy of TCA with TFA for cerebrovascular intervention.

Methods and analysis

In this protocol, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols were followed. PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials will be searched mainly from 1 January 2004, to the formal search date. Additionally, reference lists and clinical trial registries will be searched. We will include clinical trials with more than 30 participants, which reported the endpoints of stroke, death and myocardial infarction. Two investigators will independently select studies, extract data and assess bias risk. A standardised mean difference with 95% CI will be presented for continuous data, and a risk ratio with 95% CI will be presented for dichotomous data. On inclusion of sufficient studies, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis will be conducted. The funnel plot and Egger’s test will be used to assess publication bias.

Ethics and dissemination

As only published sources will be used in this review, ethical approval is not required. We will publish the results in a peer-reviewed journal.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022316468.
Exenatide as an adjunct to nicotine patch for smoking cessation and prevention of postcessation weight gain among treatment-seeking smokers with pre-diabetes and/or overweight: study protocol for a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Authors: Yammine Luba , Verrico Christopher D , Versace Francesco , Webber Heather E , Suchting Robert , Weaver Michael F , Kosten Thomas R , Alibhai Husein , Cinciripini Paul M , Lane Scott D , Schmitz Joy M
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Obesity and smoking are the two leading causes of preventable death in the USA. Unfortunately, most smokers gain weight after quitting. Postcessation weight gain (PCWG) is frequently cited as one of the primary barriers to a quit attempt and a common cause of relapse. Further, excessive PCWG may contribute to the onset or progression of metabolic conditions, such as hyperglycaemia and obesity. The efficacy of the current treatments for smoking cessation is modest, and these treatments have no clinically meaningful impact on mitigating PCWG. Here, we outline a novel approach using glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), which have demonstrated efficacy in reducing both food and nicotine intake. This report describes the design of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised clinical trial that evaluates the effects of the GLP-1RA exenatide as an adjunct to nicotine patches on smoking abstinence and PCWG.

Methods and analysis

The study will be conducted at two university-affiliated research sites in Houston, Texas, the UTHealth Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction and Baylor College of Medicine Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Centre. The sample will consist of 216 treatment-seeking smokers with pre-diabetes (haemoglobin A1c of 5.7%–6.4%) and/or overweight (body mass index of 25 kg/m2or above). Participants will be randomised (1:1) to receive subcutaneous injections of placebo or 2 mg exenatide, once weekly for 14 weeks. All participants will receive transdermal nicotine replacement therapy and brief smoking cessation counselling for 14 weeks. The primary outcomes are 4-week continuous abstinence and changes in body weight at the end of treatment. The secondary outcomes are (1) abstinence and changes in body weight at 12 weeks post end of treatment and (2) changes in neuroaffective responses to cigarette-related and food-related cues as measured by electroencephalogram.

Ethics and dissemination

The study has been approved by the UTHealth Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (HSC-MS-21-0639) and Baylor College of Medicine Institutional Review Board (H-50543). All participants will sign informed consent. The study results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Trial registration number

NCT05610800.
Anticipatory effects on side-step cutting biomechanics in Women’s Australian Football League players
Authors: Rolley Tess , Gill Stephen D , Keast Meghan , Reade Tom , Page Richard , Bonacci Jason , Stella Julian , Johnson Brett , Fox Aaron
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Reactive side-step cutting manoeuvres are linked to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in Women’s Australian Football League (AFLW) matches. We explored knee joint moments and ground reaction forces (GRFs) in AFLW players when performing anticipated and unanticipated side-stepping.

Methods

Sixteen AFLW players (age=25.3±4.2 years; height=1.71±0.06 m; mass=68.4±4.7 kg) completed anticipated and unanticipated side-stepping trials during which full-body three-dimensional kinematics and kinetics were recorded. One-dimensional statistical parametric mapping paired t-tests were used to compare three-dimensional knee moments during weight acceptance and GRFs during the stance phase between anticipated and unanticipated conditions.

Results

Unanticipated side-stepping incurred lower knee flexion (18%–39% of stance, p<0.01) and abduction (11%–24% of stance, p<0.01) moments. Braking and propulsive GRFs were lower and higher, respectively, across the majority of stance phase (6%–90% of stance, p<0.01) in unanticipated side-stepping. Vertical GRFs were lower in unanticipated side-stepping in the early stance phase (14%–29% of stance, p<0.01).

Conclusion

Contrary to existing literature, AFLW players exhibited knee joint moments associated with reduced ACL loading when performing unanticipated side-stepping. Players appeared to adopt a ‘cautious’ approach to the unanticipated side-step (ie, decelerating at the change of direction), by reducing braking and vertical GRFs in the early stance phase of cutting. This approach may be implausible to employ or detrimental to performance during matches. AFLW ACL injury prevention programmes may be enhanced with greater exposure to scenarios that replicate reactive match-play demands when aiming to improve side-stepping biomechanics.
Predictors of atrial fibrillation post coronary artery bypass graft surgery: new scoring system
Authors: Lotter Kian , Yadav Sumit , Saxena Pankaj , Vangaveti Venkat , John Bobby
Published: June 2023

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) following coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) is common and results in significant increases in hospital stay and financial encumbrance.

Objective

Determine and use the predictors of postoperative AF (POAF) following CABG to develop a new predictive screening tool.

Method

A retrospective case–control study evaluated 388 patients (98 developed POAF and 290 remained in sinus rhythm) who undertook CABG surgery at Townsville University Hospital between 2016 and 2017. The demographic profile, risk factors for AF including hypertension, age≥75 years, transient ischaemic attack or stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HATCH) score, electrocardiography features and perioperative factors were determined.

Results

Patients who developed POAF were significantly older. On univariate analysis HATCH score, aortic regurgitation, increased p-wave duration and amplitude in lead II and terminal p-wave amplitude in lead V1 were associated with POAF; as were increased cardiopulmonary bypass time (103.5±33.9 vs 90.6±26.4 min, p=0.001) and increased cross clamp time. On multivariate analysis age (p=0.038), p-wave duration ≥100 ms (p=0.005), HATCH score (p=0.049) and CBP Time ≥100 min (p=0.001) were associated with POAF. Receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that with a cut-off of ≥2 for HATCH score, POAF could be predicted with a sensitivity of 72.8% and a specificity of 34.7%. Adding p-wave duration in lead II >100 ms and cardiopulmonary bypass time >100 min to the HATCH score increased the sensitivity to 83.7% with a specificity of 33.1%. This was termed the HATCH-PC score.

Conclusion

Patients with HATCH scores ≥2, and those with p-wave duration >100 ms, or cardiopulmonary bypass time >100 min were at greater risk of developing POAF following CABG.
Phylogeography of alpine plant Parnassia wightiana (Celastraceae)
Authors: Dai Xiao-Song , Tian Shuang , Wu Wei , Yang Bo , Ma Yi-Fan , Ge Gang , Wu Ding
Published: June 2023

Parnassia wightiana Wall. ex Wight & Arn., a perennial herb, is an alpine plant distributed across three biodiversity hotspots in China. This species offers an excellent study system to analyze the distribution pattern and genetic structure of high mountainous plant populations. Three chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) regions ( rpl32- t rnL, trnL-F, and trnS-G) from 442 individuals of 39 populations and internal transcribed spacers (ITS) from 418 individuals of 38 populations were sequenced and analyzed. We identified a total of 26 haplotypes based on the concatenated sequences of cpDNA and a total of 36 based on ITS sequences. A hierarchical analysis of molecular variance indicated significant phylogeographic structure among populations. Mismatch analysis of multipeak and Tajima’s D neutral test demonstrated Parnassia wightiana populations within China had not experienced abrupt expansion recently. The allopatric fragmentation resulted in the geographic isolation due to environmental heterogeneity, producing a high proportion of private haplotypes in the distribution of Parnassia wightiana within China.
(Ti, V, Fe and Ni)-doped LiMgP half Heusler-induced Ferromagnetism stability: DFT approach
Authors: Zarhri Zakaryaa , Ziat Younes , Belkhanchi Hamza , del Carmen Torres-Salazar María
Published: June 2023

This paper reports density functional theory (DFT) on LiMgP half Heusler alloy doped by the transition metal elements (Ti, V, Fe and Ni) determined by present results, in which the half-metallicity besides ferromagnetism behavior is estimated. The electron spin polarization of Ti(3[Formula: see text] is around the [Formula: see text] and the Ti[Formula: see text] will have two electrons, of which two electrons occupied the [Formula: see text]. Then, this orbital is set on the Fermi level. When the conduction band of the orbitals [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] is empty, LiMg[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]P displays the half-metallic characteristic, where the ferromagnetic (FM) conduct fits the double-exchange coupling. For LiMg[Formula: see text]V[Formula: see text]P alloy, the charge state is closer to V[Formula: see text] electron configuration, which predicts the following configuration, in which two electrons are occupied by [Formula: see text] and one electron is occupied by [Formula: see text] at the upside of [Formula: see text]. Based on LiMg[Formula: see text]Fe[Formula: see text]P alloy, the presence of the half metallicity at the downside of [Formula: see text] due to (3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]orbital is clear. A hybridization between the Fe(3[Formula: see text] and the P(3[Formula: see text] orbitals is in the range −0.35 — −0.04 Ry. For LiMg[Formula: see text]Ni[Formula: see text]P alloy, the predicted charge is Ni[Formula: see text] and exhibits the half-metallic on the downside of the [Formula: see text] which is occupied by [Formula: see text] minority state. For LiMg[Formula: see text]TM[Formula: see text]P alloy, (TM = Ti, V, Fe and Ni), the half-metallic conduct is estimated with 100% spin polarized on the Fermi level. The spin moment of TM is [Formula: see text], where their total magnetic moments [Formula: see text] are in correlation for those Ni, Ti, V and Fe, where the trend also is [Formula: see text]. Likewise, based on LiMg[Formula: see text]TM[Formula: see text]P alloys, the crystal field splitting ([Formula: see text] observation stated that the doped elements conduct a trend having the following range [Formula: see text]. From these observations, it is predicted to have a correlation between magnetic moments of (Ti, V, Fe and Ni) and the crystal field splitting.
Drag resistivity in double-layer gapped graphene structures
Authors: Phuong Dong Thi Kim , Men Nguyen Van
Published: June 2023

We study the frictional drag phenomenon in a double-layer system made of two parallel gapped graphene layers by calculating the Coulomb drag resistivity. The random-phase approximation is employed to determine the polarizability functions of layers and the frequency-dependent dielectric function of the structure. Our computations illustrate that the Coulomb drag resistivity in double-layer gapped graphene systems show some interesting different features, compared to that in other double-layer ones. Coulomb drag resistivity in the system steadily increases as temperature increases but quickly decreases with the increase in interlayer distance. With small interlayer separations, the drag resistivity behaves as a smoothly increasing function of the bandgap. Nevertheless, with sufficiently large separations, the Coulomb drag resistivity increases with small bandgaps but decreases with larger ones. We observe that a finite bandgap has remarkable contributions to the frictional drag phenomenon, therefore it is necessary to take into account this factor in calculations to make better agreements with experimental works.
A new class of generalized Ellis–Bronnikov wormhole in asymptotically safe gravity
Authors: Godani Nisha , Kala Shubham
Published: June 2023

In this paper, the asymptotically safe gravity has been taken in the gravitational action to derive the wormhole solutions. The paper is aimed at the study of traversable wormhole solutions having repulsive geometry at the throat. The wormhole solutions are produced in two cases: the first case includes the logarithmic form of the shape function while in the second case, the shape function is derived numerically so that it satisfies necessary properties. In both cases, the nature of the matter supporting the wormhole solution is investigated by testing the energy conditions, and the stability of the solutions is determined. The energy conditions are respected in the region near the throat in the first case and everywhere in the second case. The stability of solutions is obtained in the second case along with the repulsive geometry near the throat and attractive away from it.
Reeb flows with small contact volume and large return time to a global section
Authors: Sağlam Murat
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we show that any co-oriented closed contact manifold of dimension at least five admits a contact form such that the contact volume is arbitrarily small but the Reeb flow admits a global hypersurface of section with the property that the minimal period on the boundary of the hypersurface and the first return time in the interior of the hypersurface are bounded below. An immediate consequence of this statement is that every co-oriented contact structure on any closed manifold admits a contact form with arbitrarily large systolic ratio. This generalizes the result of Abbondandolo et al. in dimension three to higher dimensions. The proof of the main result is inductive and uses the result of Abbondandolo et al. on large systolic ratio in dimension three in its basis step. The essential construction in the proof relies on the Giroux correspondence in higher dimensions.
How to Write and Speak Better in English
Authors: Yaffe Philip
Published: June 2023

Each "Communication Corner" essay is self-contained; however, they build on each other. For best results, before reading this essay and doing the exercise, go to the first essay "How an Ugly Duckling Became a Swan," then read each succeeding essay.

Throughout these "Communication Corner" essays, the assumption has always been that most readers use English as their native language. However, there is a not-insignificant number of readers around the world for whom English is a second, third, or even fourth language. Nevertheless, they too must often write and speak in English.
Open Problems Column
Authors: Gasarch William
Published: June 2023

This Issue's Column! This issue's Open Problem Column is by Erika Melder. It is about lower bounds on approximating set cover. The overarching question is: are there easier proofs?
SIGACT News Complexity Theory Column 118
Authors: Lee Volk Ben
Published: June 2023

I am honored to step into Lane Hemaspaandra's shoes as the editor of the SIGACT News Complexity Theory Column. Lane had a remarkable 30-year tenure as the editor of this column, witnessing many advances and breakthroughs in our field. Ten years ago, in 2013, he won the ACM-SIGACT Distinguished Service Prize for his work. The prize citation stated that "Lane has written many of the columns, and in addition he has done a remarkable job in recruiting leading members of the TCS community to write about new results. The contributed columns come from both well-known researchers and more junior authors with exciting new work. Lane's editorial work combines a tremendous and broad understanding of his field, with great energy and organization in managing one of the most consistent columns of SIGACT News". I can only aspire to continue his legacy and to keep the complexity theory column interesting, relevant, diverse and up to date with recent developments.
Guest Column: New ways of studying the BPP = P conjecture
Authors: Chen Lijie , Tell Roei
Published: June 2023

What's new in the world of derandomization? Questions about pseudorandomness and derandomization have been driving progress in complexity theory for many decades. In this survey we will describe new approaches to the BPP = P conjecture from recent years, as well as new questions, algorithmic approaches, and ways of thinking. For example: Do we really need pseudorandom generators for derandomization, or can we get away with weaker objects? Can we prove free lunch theorems, eliminating randomness with zero computational overhead? What hardness assumptions are necessary and sufficient for derandomization? And how do new advances in this area interact with progress in cryptography and in interactive proof systems?
Microfluidics for Biofilm Studies
Authors: Yuan Lu , Straub Hervé , Shishaeva Liubov , Ren Qun
Published: June 2023

Biofilms are multicellular communities held together by a self-produced extracellular matrix and exhibit a set of properties that distinguish them from free-living bacteria. Biofilms are exposed to a variety of mechanical and chemical cues resulting from fluid motion and mass transport. Microfluidics provides the precise control of hydrodynamic and physicochemical microenvironments to study biofilms in general. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made in microfluidics-based biofilm research, including understanding the mechanism of bacterial adhesion and biofilm development, assessment of antifouling and antimicrobial properties, development of advanced in vitro infection models, and advancement in methods to characterize biofilms. Finally, we provide a perspective on the future direction of microfluidics-assisted biofilm research.
Emerging Chemical Methods for Petroleum and Petroleum-Derived Dissolved Organic Matter Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill
Authors: Zito Phoebe , Podgorski David C. , Tarr Matthew A.
Published: June 2023

Despite the fact that oil chemistry and oils spills have been studied for many years, there are still emerging techniques and unknown processes to be explored. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico resulted in a revival of oil spill research across a wide range of fields. These studies provided many new insights, but unanswered questions remain. Over 1,000 journal articles related to the Deepwater Horizon spill are indexed by the Chemical Abstract Service. Numerous ecological, human health, and organismal studies were published. Analytical tools applied to the spill include mass spectrometry, chromatography, and optical spectroscopy. Owing to the large scale of studies, this review focuses on three emerging areas that have been explored but remain underutilized in oil spill characterization: excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy, black carbon analysis, and trace metal analysis using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
Essential Amino Acid Metabolites as Chemical Mediators of Host-Microbe Interaction in the Gut
Authors: McCann Jessica R. , Rawls John F.
Published: June 2023

Amino acids are indispensable substrates for protein synthesis in all organisms and incorporated into diverse aspects of metabolic physiology and signaling. However, animals lack the ability to synthesize several of them and must acquire these essential amino acids from their diet or perhaps their associated microbial communities. The essential amino acids therefore occupy a unique position in the health of animals and their relationships with microbes. Here we review recent work connecting microbial production and metabolism of essential amino acids to host biology, and the reciprocal impacts of host metabolism of essential amino acids on their associated microbes. We focus on the roles of the branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) and tryptophan on host-microbe communication in the intestine of humans and other vertebrates. We then conclude by highlighting research questions surrounding the less-understood aspects of microbial essential amino acid synthesis in animal hosts.