bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of a patient participation scale
Authors: Song Mira , Kim Miyoung
Published: February 2023

Aims

To develop an instrument measuring patient participation in healthcare and verify the validity and reliability of the patient participation scale (PPS).

Design

A methodological study using instrument‐development and instrument‐verification phases.

Methods

Data were collected from January to August 2021. The instrument‐development phase identified preliminary items through literature reviews and interviews with 17 patients and nine healthcare providers. The instrument‐verification phase surveyed 312 internal medicine patients from four tertiary general hospitals. Exploratory factor analysis was performed; Pearson correlation and Cronbach's α coefficients were checked.

Results

The PPS comprised 21 items divided into four themes: ‘sharing of information and knowledge’, ‘performing proactive self‐management activities’, ‘establishing mutual trust relationships’ and ‘partaking in the decision‐making process’, explaining 61.9% of the variance. The correlation coefficients for criterion‐related validity was .820 (p < .001) and Cronbach's α coefficients for reliability was .92.

Conclusion

The PPS can reasonably and reliably measure the participation levels that patients experience in their treatment and care process.

Impact

This PPS can help nurses encourage internal medicine patients to participate in their treatment and care.
Psychosocial‐behavioural interventions for school‐aged children with intellectual disabilities: A systematic review of randomised control trials
Authors: Windsor Catriona , Zhang Tingwei , Wilson Nathan J. , Blyth Katrina , Ballentine Natalie , Speyer Renée
Published: February 2023

Background

Evidence‐based interventions are essential for school‐aged children with intellectual disabilities to facilitate development and promote future independence.

Methods

Using a PRISMA approach, systematic screening of five databases was undertaken. Original randomised controlled studies with psychosocial‐behavioural interventions were included where participants were school aged (5‐18 yrs) with documented intellectual disability. Study methodology was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool.

Results

Two thousand three hundred and three records were screened with 27 studies included. Studies mainly included primary school participants with mild intellectual disabilities. Most interventions focused on intellectual skills (e.g., memory, attention, literacy and mathematics) followed by adaptive skills (e.g., daily living, communication, social and education/vocation) and some focused on a combination of these.

Conclusion

This review highlights the gap in evidence‐base for social, communication and education/vocation interventions with school‐aged children with moderate and severe intellectual disability. Future RCTs that bridge this knowledge gap across ages and ability are required for best practice.
Unravelling the factors affecting multiple facets of macroinvertebrate beta diversity in the World's Third Pole
Authors: Li Zhengfei , Heino Jani , Zhang Junqian , Ge Yihao , Liu Zhenyuan , Xie Zhicai
Published: February 2023

Aim

Disentangling how stochastic and deterministic processes contribute to variation in beta diversity is a common goal for ecologists and biogeographers. However, such studies are scarce in alpine streams, especially when different diversity facets are considered. Here, we combined different approaches to examine the drivers of taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional beta diversities, and discussed how our results can inform community assembly and biodiversity conservation in Tibetan streams.

Location

Tibet plateau.

Taxon

Macroinvertebrates.

Methods

We first partitioned multiple facets of beta diversity (Btotal) into species replacement (Brepl) and richness difference (Brich) as well as local (LCBD) or species (SCBD) contributions. Then, we applied ordination methods to examine the relative importance of local, climatic and spatial factors on Btotal, Brepl and Brich, respectively. We explored community assembly rules using null models based on trait and phylogeny structure.

Results

Btotal displayed high values and was primarily driven by Brepl. Local, climatic and spatial factors were poor predictors of the different facets of beta diversity. Null models showed that the diversity metrics did not differ from those of null expectations, suggesting that most individual streams might be occupied by species that were merely random draws from the functional or phylogenetic pools available in this region. Partitioning beta diversity into LCBD and SCBD implied that the upper canyon streams were more unique than those at lower elevations and can be valuable for biodiversity conservation.

Main Conclusions

Analysing multiple facets of beta diversity provide important insights into community assembly that cannot be acquired by focusing on taxonomic diversity only. Using a multi‐faceted approach involving species, phylogenetic and trait data, our study not only sheds light on the assembly mechanisms of macroinvertebrate communities in alpine streams, but also bring inspirations for biodiversity conservation in the ‘World's Third Pole’ that is highly sensitive to global change.
Early detection of Pseudocapillaria tomentosa by qPCR in four lines of zebrafish, Danio rerio (Hamilton 1882)
Authors: Schuster Corbin J. , Leong Connor , Kasschau Kristin D. , Sharpton Thomas J. , Kent Michael L.
Published: February 2023

The intestinal nematode Pseudocapillaria tomentosa in zebrafish (Danio rerio) causes profound intestinal lesions, emaciation and death and is a promoter of a common intestinal cancer in zebrafish. This nematode has been detected in zebrafish from about 15% of the laboratories. Adult worms are readily detected about 3 weeks after exposure by either histology or wet mount preparations of the intestine, and larval worms are inconsistently observed in fish before this time. A quantitative PCR (qPCR) test was recently developed to detect the worm in fish and water, and here we determined that the test on zebrafish intestines was effective for earlier detection. Four lines of zebrafish (AB, TU, 5D and Casper) were experimentally infected and evaluated by wet mounts and qPCR at 8, 15‐, 22‐, 31‐ and 44‐day post‐exposure (dpe). At the first two time points, only 8% of the wet mounts from exposed fish were identified as infected, while the same intestines screened by qPCR showed 78% positivity, with low and consistent cycle threshold (Ct) values at these times. Wet mounts at later time points showed a high prevalence of infection, but this was still surpassed by qPCR.
The association of vitamin D supplementation and serum vitamin D levels with physical activity in older adults: Results from a randomized trial
Authors: Schrack Jennifer A. , Cai Yurun , Urbanek Jacek K. , Wanigatunga Amal A. , Mitchell Christine M. , Miller Edgar R. , Guralnik Jack M. , Juraschek Stephen P. , Michos Erin D. , Roth David L. , Appel Lawrence J.
Published: February 2023

Background

To assess whether vitamin D3 supplementation attenuates the decline in daily physical activity in low‐functioning adults at risk for falls.

Methods

Secondary data analyses of STURDY (Study to Understand Fall Reduction and Vitamin D in You), a response‐adaptive randomized clinical trial. Participants included 571 adults aged 70 years and older with baseline serum 25(OH)D levels of 10–29 ng/mL and elevated fall risk, who wore a wrist accelerometer at baseline and at least one follow‐up visit and were randomized to receive: 200 IU/day (control), 1000, 2000, or 4000 IU/day of vitamin D3. Objective physical activity quantities and patterns (total daily activity counts, active minutes/day, and activity fragmentation) were measured for 7‐days, 24‐h/day, in the free‐living environment using the Actigraph GT9x over up to 24‐months of follow‐up.

Results

In adjusted models, physical activity quantities declined (p < 0.001) and became more fragmented, or “broken up”, (p = 0.017) over time. Supplementation with vitamin D3 did not attenuate this decline. Changes in physical activity were more rapid among those with baseline serum 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL compared to those with baseline 25(OH)D levels of 20–29 ng/mL (time*baseline 25(OH)D, p < 0.05).

Conclusion

In low‐functioning older adults with serum 25(OH)D levels 10–29 ng/mL, vitamin D3 supplementation of 1000 IU/day or higher did not attenuate declines in physical activity compared with 200 IU/day. Those with baseline 25(OH)D <20 ng/mL showed accelerated declines in physical activity. Alternative interventions to supplementation are needed to curb declines in physical activity in older adults with low serum 25(OH)D.
Comparing the accuracy of occlusal vertical dimension transfer in CAD–CAM dentures
Authors: Satin Sara R. , Goodacre Brian J. , Masri Radi
Published: February 2023

Purpose

There are different methods to transfer occlusal vertical dimension (OVD) when fabricating complete dentures, but it is not clear which method yields the most accurate transfer. This study investigated the accuracy of transferring the OVD of the maxillary/mandibular relationship when designing and fabricating digital dentures by evaluating two commonly used workflows: duplicate dentures (DDs) and occlusion rims (ORs).

Materials and methods

Mounted edentulous casts were used to simulate a completely edentulous patient. These casts were used in two workflows: (1) DD workflow where complete dentures were fabricated and relined (n = 15), and (2) OR where final impressions and ORs were constructed (n = 15). Relined dentures and ORs with fiduciary markers were then scanned and virtually articulated, then exported as STL files. A scan of the articulated casts (simulated patients) with fiduciary markers embedded was also exported as an STL file and used as a control. STL files for each workflow were superimposed over the control and analyzed in 3D inspection software (Geomagic Control X, 3D Systems, NC) for deviations (mm) at three different locations. Average 3D deviations were compared among the groups using a two‐way ANOVA (α—0.05).

Results

The average deviation for OR was significantly larger than DD at all locations of measurement [F = 46.00, p < 0.0001]. The majority of the measurements (98.9%) had a positive deviation value, indicating increased OVD. The overall deviation for the OR group from the control was 0.72 ± 0.13 mm versus 0.45 ± 0.23 mm for the DD group. There was no difference in deviation between the points of measurement and no interaction between the location and method [F = 0.02, p < 0.98].

Conclusions

The DD workflow exhibited less deviation in the transfer of OVD than the OR workflow. However, the deviation was small and may not be clinically significant.
The Association of School Learning Environment With Adolescent Health Behaviors
Authors: Mulitauopele Christine , Israel Whitney , Rosenberg Sophie , Brooks‐Russell Ashley , Ma Ming , Dinger Mary K.
Published: February 2023

BACKGROUND

In 2020, schools shifted to remote learning in response to mitigating COVID‐19. Since then, students have fluctuated between in‐person and remote learning environments. Changes to instructional models raise questions about the impact on health.

METHODS

This study leveraged a statewide surveillance system (Healthy Kids Colorado Survey) to examine the relationship between learning environment and adolescent health. The survey was administered in Fall 2020 to 26 high schools, resulting in 4564 respondents.

RESULTS

Overall, results suggested positive and negative associations between the 3 learning environments. Notably, as compared to in‐person students, hybrid and remote students reported more stress (OR = 1.82, p < .001; OR = 1.41, p = .001), less school connectedness (OR = 0.71 and 0.61, p < .001); remote students reported more parental abuse (OR = 1.33, p = .010) and less alcohol consumption (OR = 0.61, p < .001).

CONCLUSION

This study may be used to better understand risk and protective factors experienced by youth at school and home with the goal of improving prevention strategies.
An interdisciplinary telemedicine innovation to enhance pediatric diabetes care in rural communities: A proposed practice initiative
Authors: Stallings Dana E. , Duetsch Jean R. , Gustin Tina S. , Goode Victoria M.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The COVID‐19 pandemic highlighted disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, particularly among individuals with chronic conditions. A positive outcome of the pandemic was an increased use of telehealth and the creation of innovative models of care. In many organizations, nurses became the leaders for these new models. Before this change, pediatric medicine had far fewer telehealth models than adult medicine due to limited Medicaid reimbursement and equipment that was not designed with children in mind. This article describes a new model of care for children with diabetes. We will review how a nurse‐led initiative with the incorporation of telehealth modalities can improve access and outcomes while reducing cost. Successful models of care will be reviewed, as well as programmatic planning, financial implications, and regulatory considerations.

Conclusions

It is no longer necessary for families living in rural communities to drive long distances, missing school and work, to attend the frequent appointments needed for optimal management of pediatric diabetes. Telemedicine can bridge gaps in access to specialty care, and is feasible, reimbursable, and well‐accepted by families and providers.

Practice Implications

Nurses in both primary care and pediatric specialty offices can initiate and support innovative telehealth models of care, such as this proposal. To win the backing of practice leadership, the availability of cost‐effective videoconferencing equipment and software, improvements in telehealth reimbursement prompted by the pandemic, and enhanced patient and parent satisfaction and outcomes should be emphasized.
On the relationship between EEG spectral analysis and pre‐sleep cognitive arousal in insomnia disorder: towards an integrated model of cognitive and cortical arousal
Authors: Dressle Raphael J. , Riemann Dieter , Spiegelhalder Kai , Frase Lukas , Perlis Michael L. , Feige Bernd
Published: February 2023

According to the hyperarousal model, insomnia is characterised by increased arousal in the cortical, cognitive, and physiological domains. However, the interaction between these arousal domains is poorly understood. The present observational case–control study aimed to investigate cortical arousal during the night, pre‐sleep cognitive arousal and the relationship between these two domains. A total of 109 patients with insomnia disorder (ID) and 109 age‐and gender matched healthy controls were investigated on two sleep laboratory nights. Electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral power during non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) and REM sleep was analysed as a measure of cortical arousal. In addition, patients completed the Pre‐Sleep Arousal Scale (PSAS), which consists of two subscales, one for cognitive arousal (PSAS‐CA) and one for self‐reported somatic arousal (PSAS‐SA). The relationship between the subscale scores and EEG spectral power was calculated by multi‐ and univariate analyses of variance. During NREM and REM sleep, patients with ID showed significantly increased spectral power in the EEG gamma band. In addition, patients with ID showed significantly increased scores on both subscales of the PSAS. The PSAS‐CA score was significantly associated with increased NREM and REM gamma power, whereas PSAS‐SA was associated with decreases in NREM and REM gamma power. Consistent with our hypothesis, patients with ID showed increased cortical and cognitive arousal. Moreover, there was an association between these two arousal domains, which may indicate that cortical arousal during the night is (at least in part) elicited by pre‐sleep worry and rumination.
Onchocerca sp. in an imported Zangersheide gelding causing suspensory ligament desmitis
Authors: Brown Kara A. , Johnson Amy L. , Bender Susan J. , Nolan Thomas J. , Pfisterer Bianca , Slack JoAnn , Willis Elinor , Rule Emily K.
Published: February 2023

A 5‐year‐old imported Zangersheide gelding was evaluated for SC swellings over both forelimbs and lameness localized to the distal metacarpus. Ultrasound examination of the SC masses was compatible with verminous granulomas. Linear hyperechoic foci were present within the suspensory ligament branches of both forelimbs, suggestive of ligamentous parasitic infiltrates. A diagnosis of onchocerciasis was confirmed on biopsy of a SC mass. The gelding was treated with ivermectin and a tapering course of PO dexamethasone but was eventually euthanized. Necropsy confirmed the presence of SC eosinophilic granulomas and degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis, both with intralesional nematodes. Given the location and appearance of the nematode, a diagnosis of Onchocerca sp., most likely O. reticulata, was made. Onchocerciasis should be included as a differential diagnosis for multifocal suspensory ligament desmitis with these sonographic characteristics when paired with SC masses in imported European Warmbloods.
“Bad philosophy” and “derivative philosophy”: Labels that keep women out of the canon
Authors: Connell Sophia M. , Janssen‐Lauret Frederique
Published: February 2023

Efforts to include women in the canon have long been beset by reactionary gatekeeping, typified by the charge “That's not philosophy.” That charge doesn't apply to early and mid‐analytic female philosophers—Welby, Ladd‐Franklin, Bryant, Jones, de Laguna, Stebbing, Ambrose, MacDonald—with job titles like lecturer in logic and professor of philosophy and publications in Mind, the Journal of Philosophy, and Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society. It's hopeless to dismiss their work as “not philosophy.” But comparable reactionary gatekeeping affects them, this paper argues, typified by the labels “bad philosophy” and “derivative philosophy.” Virtue and vice epistemology help explain why these women have been neglected and why their own approaches are epistemically virtuous. Their contemporaries and historians are deficient in scholarly virtues in labelling these women's work “bad” or derived from male mentors with no or specious justification. Their disparaged qualities—intellectual humility, modesty, critical self‐reflection, disclosing biases—are often epistemic virtues.
Steroid phobia on social media platforms
Authors: Nickles Melissa A. , Coale Austin T. , Henderson William Jeremiah A. , Brown Kaylah E. , Morrell Dean S. , Nieman Elizabeth L.
Published: February 2023

Topical corticosteroids (TCS) are the most commonly prescribed treatment for children with atopic dermatitis and are supported by the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) atopic dermatitis treatment guidelines with level I strength A evidence; however, fear regarding their use, coined “steroid phobia,” is widespread. In this study, we analyzed steroid phobia‐related content on popular social media platforms. We found much of this content consists of patients describing negative personal experiences with TCS and subsequently discouraging viewer use. We conclude that social media may contribute to steroid phobia, and we hope that our study motivates dermatologists with social media platforms to combat common misconceptions surrounding TCS use.
Pathogenicity of Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium proliferatum isolates from symptomless onions (Allium cepa) and onions with Fusarium basal rot
Authors: Haapalainen Minna , Kuivainen Emmi , Iivonen Sari , Niemi Mari , Latvala Satu
Published: February 2023

Several Fusarium species cause disease in onion (Allium cepa), resulting in significant yield losses. In this study, isolates of Fusarium oxysporum and Fusarium proliferatum from diseased and symptomless mature onion bulbs were tested for pathogenicity on onion seedlings and mature bulbs. For F. oxysporum isolates, the outcome of the test on mature bulbs correlated well with the symptom status of the original bulb, whereas for F. proliferatum, such a correlation was not seen, suggesting a different mechanism of symptom development. Those F. oxysporum isolates that carried the Secreted In Xylem (SIX) genes, CRX genes and C5 gene were significantly more aggressive on both seedlings and mature bulbs. However, the SIX‐negative F. oxysporum isolates also significantly reduced the emergence of onion seedlings, and thus a division into pathogenic and nonpathogenic F. oxysporum isolates was not obvious. On mature bulbs, those SIX‐negative isolates that carried the gene CRX2 were significantly more virulent than those without CRX2. The F. proliferatum isolates were all pathogenic to onion and carried one SIX2 gene homologue, SIX2‐1. The majority of F. proliferatum isolates also carried another homologue, SIX2‐2. Several isolates negative for SIX2‐2 had another potential virulence gene, CRX2, suggesting that these two genes could encode overlapping functions. The SIX2‐2 sequence was identical in all those isolates harbouring it, while SIX2‐1 showed variation that agreed with the phylogeny based on the translation elongation factor 1‐α sequence. This suggests that the two SIX2 genes of F. proliferatum might have been acquired separately.
The adoption of culturally contentious innovations: The case of citizen oversight of police
Authors: Ali Mir Usman
Published: February 2023

Cultural contentiousness is defined as an attribute of innovation due to which it encounters resistance because of its incompatibility with hegemonic cultural assumptions. I argue that culturally contentious innovations are likely to be adopted when antecedents have productive symbolic force, i.e., they reveal contradictions between dominant cultural assumptions and the material outcomes of existing institutions or empower social actors to resolve such contradictions. However, antecedents with incapacitative symbolic force tend to obfuscate the above contradictions or decrease social actors’ capacity to resolve them, encouraging the adoption of less contentious innovation. Applying these arguments to citizen oversight agencies (COAs) for the police, I examine the antecedents of contentious (i.e., investigative) as opposed to less contentious (non‐investigative) COAs. In support of the above argument, I find that productive antecedents (e.g., a consent decree, an increase in civil rights nonprofits) are associated with adopting investigative COAs. In contrast, incapacitative antecedents (e.g., a Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights, an increase in the violent crime rate) are associated with adopting non‐investigative COAs. The findings broadly demonstrate that policy adoption scholars ought to distinguish policies in terms of cultural contentiousness and account for the symbolic force of antecedents. Further theoretical contributions are discussed.
THE EFFECT OF STEAM CURING METHOD TO THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF GEOPOLYMER CONCRETE WITH DIFFERENT MOLARITY
Authors: Setiawan Agustinus Agus , Soegiarso Roesdiman , Hardjasaputra Harianto
Published: February 2023

Cement, an important part of concrete mixture, determine the mechanical properties of concrete. The mixture of cement and water will stimulate the hydration reaction which will produce CSH gel and heat of hydration. The high level of CO2 pollution produced in the cement manufacturing process requires alternative efforts to replace cement with other pozzolanic materials. One of the materials that can replace the role of cement in concrete mixture is fly ash. The replacement of cement 100% with fly ash will produce a geopolymer concrete, which requires an alkaline solution as a reagent from fly ash. This research was conducted with the aim to explore the effect of steam curing to the compressive strength of geopolymer concrete with different molarities. As the test object in this study was a geopolymer concrete cylinder with a standard size i.e. 150 mm × 300 mm. The molarity of NaOH solution varying from 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 to 16 M. The temperature of steam curing was carried out varied from 60oC, 80oC, up to 90oC, with duration from 1 until 4 hours. The compressive strength test conducted for 28 days old of concrete cylinder specimens. The results show an indication of an increase in the compressive strength of the concrete along with the increase in the molarity of the NaOH solution. In addition, it can also be shown that the steam curing process at a temperature of 60oC with 4 hours in duration shows optimal compressive strength results.
Female Body as the ‘Other’: Rituals and Biotechnical approach using Perumal Murugan’s One Part Woman and Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women
Authors: A Azeena Parveen , Radhakrishnan Vineeth
Published: February 2023

The article attempts to show how women’s identities are restricted to the female body, and its procreative function and also highlights the dangerous rituals such as female infanticide. With a focus on the societal demands placed on the female body, this study aims to focus on how much society intrudes into a person's private life. The article also offers a thorough examination using the novel One Part Woman (2018) and the movie Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women (2003) of how the objectification of women has entered our culture and become embedded in our way of thinking, causing us to view the female body as an inanimate object that must adhere to predefined gender stereotypes. It investigates how infertility is linked with the curse and performance of rituals takes place. Infertility is no longer viewed as a problem owing to advances in biotechnology, which have been particularly focused on the reproductive area. However, cultural customs and beliefs disregard the medical approach, while many harsh rituals are conducted in the hope of causing fertility. The research paper focuses on how cultural behaviours and rituals prevent women from using a medical anthropology perspective. The study piece illustrates the sinister rituals that are practised and how women are objectified by using One Part Woman (2018) and Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women (2003).
The Challenges of Using Machine Translation While Translating Polysemous Words
Authors: T S Meenal , P Govindarajan
Published: February 2023

The disparities between machine translation and human translation have shown to be quite challenging when translating polysemous words. This study examines the challenges of translating polysemous words between French and English by finding an easy way to translate the polysemous terms which is the key objective. It would also help in dealing with the most effective method of translating polysemous terms, while a few succeed in translating the contexts and others struggle to come up with the right interpretations. As many words or phrases have numerous meanings, a machine translator is still unable to handle the ambiguity issues that arise and determine what the given context means. One issue that machine translators have yet to solve is the phenomena of polysemy, or numerous meanings, though it certainly isn't the only one. In this paper, instances of these machine translations of texts from several text genres—including texts from the journalistic, medical, legal, and dictionary definition genres—are examined. To clear up any misunderstanding, one must consider the situation’s background. One must also acknowledge that the situation makes sense. In the concluding section of this study, we will be shown some examples of significant issues that have arisen as a result of a lack of understanding of the term, including misunderstanding, lack of comprehension, ambiguity, and limitations on the heedless use of technical definitions in favour of common ones.
An Adaptive Direct Evaporative Cooler That Regulates the Sub-Ambient Temperature by Controlling the Evaporation Rate
Authors: Zhong Yetao , Fang Zhen , Cao Boyu , Wu Shigang , Fan Xiaochun , Xia Zhilin
Published: February 2023

With the development of technology, people are demanding more comfort in their lives, leading to an increasing demand for space cooling. The traditional cooling process produces a great amount of energy consumption and carbon emission, which puts tremendous pressure on the environment. Direct evaporative cooling technology is a good choice for reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions. However, most of the current direct evaporative coolers offer excellent cooling performance at any temperature, whether the space needs to be cooled or heated. The unwanted evaporation cooling at low temperature will increase the heating energy consumption of air conditioners. Here, an adaptive evaporative cooling structure that can intelligently adjust the evaporative cooling ability according to the ambient temperature is proposed. The structure consists of temperature-sensitive hydrogel (prepared by chemical synthesis), perforated polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and silica coating (prepared by screen printing and hot pressing technology), and the evaporation rate of the cooler is regulated by both the hydrogel and the porous membrane. The cooler can maintain high-efficiency cooling performance during the hot time, while suppressing the cooler's overcooling behavior at low temperatures to achieve more efficient energy savings. When the ambient temperature is higher than 36 °C, its cooling capacity can reach 10 °C. And when the temperature is lower than 18 °C, it can inhibit the temperature difference to less than 1 °C. This cooler structure has important application prospects in these fields such as building, automobile, and personal wearable device. It can substantially reduce the energy consumption and environmental pollution.
Using a Spreadsheet Program to Fit a Gaussian Function
Authors: Ray Michael W.
Published: February 2023

Due to their accessibility and relatively quick learning curve, spreadsheet programs (such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets) are a common choice for students when faced with data analysis work. As is well known by most physicists, however, these spreadsheet programs cannot always perform all the tasks that may be necessary for analyzing data. One such area where these programs tend to lag is in nonlinear curve fitting. Most of these programs contain a limited basic set of fit functions, such as linear, polynomial, and exponential fits, to name a few. Outside of these basic functions, one either needs to get creative or turn to a more complex data analysis platform that may have a steep learning curve or cost a considerable amount of money, making it inaccessible to students. In this paper, I will present a method to fit a specific nonlinear curve, a Gaussian function, to a set of collected data using Microsoft Excel.
Orbital Decay in the Classroom
Authors: Fiolhais Miguel , Gonzalez-Urbina Luis , Milewski Tomasz , Chaparro Carlos , Ferroglia Andrea
Published: February 2023

The objective of this paper is to provide a pedagogical framework for the phenomenon of orbital decay of satellites in low Earth orbit. The dynamics of orbital decay are derived considering atmospheric drag as the only dissipative mechanism and using an educational approach suitable for undergraduate calculus-based physics and engineering courses. The resulting nonlinear first-order differential equation for the altitude as a function of time is solved numerically for the isothermal-barotropic atmospheric model with a fixed scale height. The model is validated using the uncontrolled reentry data of the Chinese space station Tiangong-1.
Physics Figures
Authors: Young Chadwick , Young Kaisa
Published: February 2023

Physics teachers use many tools to convey difficult concepts and to assess students’ mastery. Good illustrations, figures, and diagrams can help students make sense of these concepts. Textbook publishers provide figures, but, often, these are not editable or are too complicated for printing. Fortunately, physics teachers have access to excellent tools for creating simple and effective figures. We offer tips on how to create figures in PowerPoint or your favorite presentation software. These packages are ubiquitous, and they have powerful tools to create and edit images. We also provide an online source for physics figures we’ve used in our college physics courses. These figures are free to use, distribute, and alter for use in your classes.
A subjective evaluation of different music preprocessing approaches in cochlear implant listeners
Authors: Gauer Johannes , Nagathil Anil , Lentz Benjamin , Völter Christiane , Martin Rainer
Published: February 2023

Cochlear implants (CIs) can partially restore speech perception to relatively high levels in listeners with moderate to profound hearing loss. However, for most CI listeners, the perception and enjoyment of music remains notably poor. Since a number of technical and physiological restrictions of current implant designs cannot be easily overcome, a number of preprocessing methods for music signals have been proposed recently. They aim to emphasize the leading voice and rhythmic elements and to reduce their spectral complexity. In this study, CI listeners evaluated five remixing approaches in comparison to unprocessed signals. To identify potential explaining factors of CI preference ratings, different signal quality criteria of the processed signals were additionally assessed by normal-hearing listeners. Additional factors were investigated based on instrumental signal-level features. For three preprocessing methods, a significant improvement over the unprocessed reference was found. Especially, two deep neural network-based remix strategies proved to enhance music perception in CI listeners. These strategies provide remixes of the respective harmonic and percussive signal components of the four source stems “vocals,” “bass,” “drums,” and “other accompaniment.” Moreover, the results demonstrate that CI listeners prefer an attenuation of sustained components of drum source signals.
Gain and phase calibration of sensor arrays from ambient noise by cross-spectral measurements fitting
Authors: Vanwynsberghe Charles , Bouley Simon , Antoni Jérôme
Published: February 2023

We address the problem of blind gain and phase calibration of a sensor array from ambient noise. The key motivation is to ease the calibration process by avoiding a complex procedure setup. We show that computing the sample covariance matrix in a diffuse field is sufficient to recover the complex gains. To do so, we formulate a non-convex least-square problem based on sample and model covariances. We propose to obtain a solution by low-rank matrix approximation, and two efficient proximal algorithms are derived accordingly. The first algorithm solves the problem modified with a convex relaxation to guarantee that the solution is a global minimizer, and the second algorithm directly solves the initial non-convex problem. We investigate the efficiency of the proposed algorithms by numerical and experimental results according to different sensing configurations. These results show that efficient calibration highly depends on how the measurements are correlated. That is, estimation is achieved more accurately when the field is spatially over-sampled.
Reconstruction of transverse-longitudinal vibrations in the organ of Corti complex via optical coherence tomography
Authors: Frost Brian L. , Strimbu Clark Elliott , Olson Elizabeth S.
Published: February 2023

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a common modality for measuring vibrations within the organ of Corti complex (OCC) in vivo. OCT's uniaxial nature leads to limitations that complicate the interpretation of data from cochlear mechanics experiments. The relationship between the optical axis (axis of motion measurement) and anatomically relevant axes in the cochlea varies across experiments, and generally is not known. This leads to characteristically different motion measurements taken from the same structure at different orientations. We present a method that can reconstruct two-dimensional (2-D) motion of intra-OCC structures in the cochlea's longitudinal–transverse plane. The method requires only a single, unmodified OCT system, and does not require any prior knowledge of precise structural locations or measurement angles. It uses the cochlea's traveling wave to register points between measurements taken at multiple viewing angles. We use this method to reconstruct 2-D motion at the outer hair cell/Deiters cell junction in the gerbil base, and show that reconstructed transverse motion resembles directly measured transverse motion, thus validating the method. The technique clarifies the interpretation of OCT measurements, enhancing their utility in probing the micromechanics of the cochlea.
Low intensity pulsed ultrasound reduces liver inflammation caused by fatigue exercise
Authors: Tang Liang , Kang Sufang , Yan Wenkang , Yu Yanan , Li Jiaxiang , Wang Wanzhao , Ma Zhanke , Fan Xiushan , Sun Lijun
Published: February 2023

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) has been shown to have many benefits, such as inhibiting inflammation, stimulating cell proliferation and differentiation, promoting angiogenesis, and so on. So, can exercise fatigue induced liver inflammation be effectively relieved by LIPUS? If possible, what is the possible mechanism? This study first investigated the effect of different intensity exercise on liver inflammation. Rats were divided into three groups: normal control group, exercise fatigue group, and aerobic exercise group. The results showed that aerobic exercise increases both anti-inflammatory factors and pro-inflammatory factors, while fatigue exercise decreases anti-inflammatory factors and increases pro-inflammatory factors, leading to severe liver injury and fibrosis. Then, we investigated the therapeutic effect of LIPUS on liver inflammation caused by exercise fatigue. Starting from the 6th week, the liver was irradiated with LIPUS of 80 mW/cm2 for 20 min/d after daily exercise for 7 weeks. The results showed that LIPUS significantly decreased liver injury and fibrosis, significantly up-regulated the expression of STAT6, IL-13, and its receptors IL-13Rα1, and down regulated the expression of NF-κBp65 in exercise fatigue rats. These results indicate that LIPUS can reduce fatigue-induced liver inflammation, and the mechanism is related to the regulation of the IL-13/STAT6/NF-κBp65 pathway.
Organoselenium Has a Potent Fungicidal Effect on Cryptococcus neoformans and Inhibits the Virulence Factors
Authors: De Jesus Daniel Felipe Freitas , De Freitas Aline Luiza Duarte , De Oliveira Isadora Maria , De Almeida Larissa Costa , Bastos Rafael Wesley , Spadari Cristina de Castro , Melo Analy Sales de Azevedo , Santos Daniel de Assis , Costa-Lotufo Letícia Veras , Reis Flavia C. G. , Rodrigues Marcio L. , Stefani Hélio Alexandre , Ishida Kelly
Published: February 2023

Cryptococcosis therapy is often limited by toxicity problems, antifungal tolerance, and high costs. Studies approaching chalcogen compounds, especially those containing selenium, have shown promising antifungal activity against pathogenic species.
Influence of Sex on Respiratory Syncytial Virus Genotype Infection Frequency and Nasopharyngeal Microbiome
Authors: Tan Yi , Shilts Meghan H. , Rosas-Salazar Christian , Puri Vinita , Fedorova Nadia , Halpin Rebecca A. , Ma Siyuan , Anderson Larry J. , Peebles R. Stokes , Hartert Tina V. , Das Suman R.
Published: February 2023

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the leading causes of lower respiratory tract infections in young children and is responsible for high hospitalization rates and morbidity in infants and the elderly. To understand how the emergence of RSV viral genotypes and viral-respiratory microbiome interactions contribute to infection frequency and severity, we utilized an observational cohort designed to capture the first infant RSV infection we employed multi-omics approaches to sequence 349 RSV complete genomes and matched nasopharyngeal microbiomes.
Kaposi’s Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Immediate Early Proteins Trigger FOXQ1 Expression in Oral Epithelial Cells, Engaging in a Novel Lytic Cycle-Sustaining Positive Feedback Loop
Authors: Atyeo Natalie , Chae Min Young , Toth Zsolt , Sharma Aria , Papp Bernadett
Published: February 2023

The oral cavity is a primary site of initial contact and entry for many viruses. Viral replication in the oral epithelium promotes viral shedding in saliva, allowing interpersonal transmission, as well as spread to other cell types, where chronic infection can be established.
Characterization of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV-1) Envelope Glycoprotein Conformational States on Infectious Virus Particles
Authors: Nguyen Hanh T. , Wang Qian , Anang Saumya , Sodroski Joseph G.
Published: February 2023

Efforts to develop an effective HIV-1 vaccine have been frustrated by the inability to elicit broad neutralizing antibodies that recognize multiple virus strains. Such antibodies can bind a particular shape of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein trimer, as it exists on a viral membrane but before engaging receptors on the host cell.
Draft Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli DBS1, Isolated from a Patient with Urinary Tract Infections in Morocco
Authors: Lemriss H. , Lemriss S. , Souiri A. , Hilali A. , El Kabbaj S.
Published: February 2023

Here, we present the draft genome assembly of
Escherichia coli
DBS1, which was originally isolated from a urine sample from a male patient with urinary tract infections in Rabat, Morocco.
Dolomite cement microstratigraphy: A record of brine evolution and ore precipitation mechanisms, upper Knox Group, Tennessee and Kentucky, USA
Authors: Kyle J. Richard , Quintero Thomas R. , Ukar Estibalitz , Miller Nathan R. , Elliott Sara J. , Colbert Matthew
Published: February 2023

Trace element changes in fluids associated with ore-forming events in sedimentary basins may be recorded by contemporaneous cements, especially zoned carbonate minerals (microstratigraphy). Cement analysis using advanced mapping and analytical techniques including scanning electron microscopy cathodoluminescence (SEM-CL), charge contrast imaging, high-resolution X-ray computed tomography (XCT), and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) documents geochemical changes associated with Mississippi Valley–type mineralization in solution-collapse breccias of the Cambrian–Ordovician Knox Group (Tennessee and Kentucky, USA). Dolomite cement zonation coincident with changes in Fe and Mn can be observed with optical microscope CL in bands as narrow as 5 µm, whereas panchromatic SEM-CL reveals microfractures and cement subzones coincident with changes in La and Ce concentrations in bands as narrow as 0.1 µm. XCT scans image a high-density (Fe-rich) dolomite zone at the onset of late sulfide precipitation. The transition from pre-ore to ore-stage cementation is marked by increased Fe, Mn, Zn, Cd, Ga, Pb, and Sr and decreased La and Ce concentrations. Fine-scale metal depletion cycles during this transition may record metal precipitation from brine in response to the availability of reduced sulfur. Except for Fe and Mn, post-ore dolomite zones generally have low metal concentrations. Thus, dolomite microstratigraphy tracks systematic changes in brine metal concentrations modified by episodes of localized sulfide mineral precipitation.
Supplemental Material: The early opening of the Equatorial Atlantic gateway and the evolution of Cretaceous peak warming
Authors: Dummann Wolf , al. et
Published: February 2023

Analytical methods, data quality, and age models, as well as geochemical data. 
Delayed timing of physical therapy initiation increases the risk of future opioid use in individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a real-world cohort study
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Neogi Tuhina , Peloquin Christine , Marinko Lee , Camarinos James , Aoyagi Kosaku , Felson David T , Dubreuil Maureen
Published: February 2023

Objective

We assessed whether late versus early initiation of physical therapy (PT) was related to greater risk of future opioid use in people with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who receive PT.

Methods

We used Commercial and Medicare Advantage claims data from 1999 to 2018 from American adults with incident knee OA referred for PT within 1 year of diagnosis. We categorised people as opioid naïve or opioid experienced based on prior prescriptions. We examined the association of timing of PT initiation with any and chronic opioid use over 1 year.

Results

Of the 67 245 individuals with incident knee OA, 35 899 were opioid naïve and 31 346 were opioid experienced. In the opioid naïve group, compared with PT within 1 month, PT 1 to <3, 3 to <6, 6 to <9, 9–12 months from diagnosis was associated with adjusted risk ratio (aRR (95% CIs)) for any opioid use of 1.18 (1.10 to 1.28), 1.49 (1.37 to 1.61), 1.73 (1.58 to 1.89) and 1.93 (1.76 to 2.12), respectively; aRRs (95% CIs) for chronic opioid use were 1.25 (1.01 to 1.54), 1.83 (1.48 to 2.26), 2.29 (1.82 to 2.89) and 2.50 (1.96 to 3.19). Results were similar among opioid experienced; aRRs (95% CIs) for any opioid use were 1.19 (1.14 to 1.24), 1.32 (1.26 to 1.37), 1.39 (1.32 to 1.45) and 1.54 (1.46 to 1.61); aRRs (95% CIs) for chronic opioid use were 1.25 (1.17 to1.34), 1.43 (1.33 to 1.54), 1.53 (1.41 to 1.66) and 1.65 (1.51 to 1.80).

Conclusion

Compared with PT initiation within 1 month, delayed PT initiation was associated with higher risk of opioid use in people with incident knee OA. The longer the delay in PT initiation, the greater was the risk.
Targeting tumor-associated macrophages for successful immunotherapy of ovarian carcinoma
Authors: Truxova Iva , Cibula David , Spisek Radek , Fucikova Jitka
Published: February 2023

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is among the top five causes of cancer-related death in women, largely reflecting early, prediagnosis dissemination of malignant cells to the peritoneum. Despite improvements in medical therapies, particularly with the implementation of novel drugs targeting homologous recombination deficiency, the survival rates of patients with EOC remain low. Unlike other neoplasms, EOC remains relatively insensitive to immune checkpoint inhibitors, which is correlated with a tumor microenvironment (TME) characterized by poor infiltration by immune cells and active immunosuppression dominated by immune components with tumor-promoting properties, especially tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). In recent years, TAMs have attracted interest as potential therapeutic targets by seeking to reverse the immunosuppression in the TME and enhance the clinical efficacy of immunotherapy. Here, we review the key biological features of TAMs that affect tumor progression and their relevance as potential targets for treating EOC. We especially focus on the therapies that might modulate the recruitment, polarization, survival, and functional properties of TAMs in the TME of EOC that can be harnessed to develop superior combinatorial regimens with immunotherapy for the clinical care of patients with EOC.