bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From the international tobacco control arena to the local context: a qualitative study on the tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship legislative environment in Sudan and the challenges characterising it
Authors: Tselengidis Arsenios , Adams Sally , Freeman Becky , Mostafa Aya , Astuti Putu Ayu Swandewi , Cranwell Jo
Published: June 2023

Objectives

The aim of the study was to assess the Sudanese tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship (TAPS) legislative environment and the challenges characterising it. We formulated three research questions: What is the TAPS policy context in Sudan? What circumstances led to the development of the current legislative text? Finally, what was the involvement of the different actors in these events?

Design

We conducted a qualitative analysis using the Health Policy Triangle model to frame the collection and extraction of publicly available information from academic literature search engines, news media databases or websites of national and international organisations, as published by February 2021. The thematic framework approach was employed to code and analyse the textual data and the generated themes were used to map connections across the data and to explore relationships among the generated subthemes and themes.

Setting

Sudan.

Data

Using a combination of the keywords “Sudan” and “tobacco advertising” (or “tobacco marketing” or “tobacco promotion”), we collected publicly available documents in the English language. We included 29 documents in the analysis.

Results

Three themes underpin the Sudanese legislative environment on TAPS: (1) limited and outdated TAPS data, (2) stakeholder involvement and tobacco industry interference and (3) TAPS legislation not aligned with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat recommendations.

Conclusions

Findings from this qualitative analysis suggest that recommendations to move forward in Sudan should include the systematic and periodic collection of TAPS surveillance data, addressing any remaining legislative content loopholes and protecting policy-making from tobacco industry interference. In addition, best practices from other low-income and middle-income countries with good TAPS monitoring systems, such as Egypt, Bangladesh and Indonesia, or with protective provisions against tobacco industry interference, such as Thailand and the Philippines, could be considered for adaptation and implementation.
Patients’ experiences of living with patellar instability before and after surgery: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Hysing-Dahl Trine , Inderhaug Eivind , Faleide Anne Gro Heyn , Magnussen Liv Heide
Published: June 2023

Objectives

To explore the experience of living with patellar instability before and after surgery.

Design

Qualitative individual semistructured interviews of patients with patellar instability using a four-step thematic cross-case analysis strategy (systematic text condensation).

Setting

Two orthopaedic units within two large Hospitals in Norway.

Participants

A convenience sample of 15 participants, aged between 16 and 32 years, who had undergone surgery for patellar instability within the last 6–12 months.

Results

Participants offered rich and detailed descriptions of the impact and lived experience of patellar instability, including fear of new dislocations, increased awareness of the knee and adaptations to avoidance behaviour in everyday life both before and after surgery. The four major themes that emerged from the data were: (1) fear of patella dislocations governs everyday life activities, (2) adaptation to avoidance behaviour, (3) feeling different, misunderstood and stigmatised affects self-esteem and (4) feeling stronger, but still not fully confident in the knee after surgery.

Conclusions

These findings offer insight into the experience of living with patellar instability. Patients reported that the instability had major impacts on their everyday life, affecting ability to participate in social life and physical activities both before and after surgery. This may imply that an increased attention towards cognitive interventions may be useful in the management of patellar instability.

Trial registration number

NCT05119088.
A Quality improvement initiative to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections in a neonatal intensive care unit in a low-and-middle-income country
Authors: Al Bizri Ayah , Hanna Wakim Rima , Obeid Alaa , Daaboul Tania , Charafeddine Lama , Mounla Nabil , Nakad Pascale , Yunis Khalid
Published: June 2023

Background

Premature and sick neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are in need of central lines placing them at high risk of contracting a central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI). CLABSI extends length of stay to 10–14 days post negative cultures and increases morbidity, use of multiple antibiotics, mortality and hospital cost. To reduce CLABSI rate at the American University of Beirut Medical Center NICU, the National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network developed a quality improvement project to reduce CLABSI rate by 50% over a 1-year period and to sustain reduced CLABSI rate.

Methods

Central line insertion and maintenance bundles were implemented for all infants admitted to the NICU necessitating central lines placement. Bundles included hand washing, wearing protective material and sterile drapes during central lines insertion and maintenance.

Results

CLABSI rate decreased by 76% from 4.82 (6 infections; 1244 catheter days) to 1.09 (2 infection; 1830 catheter days) per 1000 CL days after 1 year. Following the bundles’ success in reducing CLABSI rate, they were incorporated permanently to NICU standard procedure and bundle checklists were added to the medical sheets. CLABSI rate was maintained at 1.15 per 1000 CL days during the second year. It then decreased to 0.66 per 1000 CL days in the third year before reaching zero in the fourth year. In total, zero CLABSI rate was sustained for 23 consecutive months.

Conclusion

Reducing CLABSI rate is necessary to improving newborn quality of care and outcome. Our bundles were successful in drastically reducing and sustaining a low CLABSI rate. It was even successful in achieving a zero CLABSI unit for 2 years.
Efficacy and safety of Y-2 sublingual tablet for patients with acute ischaemic stroke: protocol of a phase III randomised double-blind placebo-controlled multicentre trial
Authors: Fu Yu , Tang Renhong , Chen Rong , Wang Anxin , Ren Jinsheng , Zhu Shunwei , Feng Xiaofei , Fan Dongsheng
Published: June 2023

Background and purpose

Clinical studies have demonstrated that edaravone dexborneol can improve the functional outcomes in patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS). The present clinical trial aimed at testing the efficacy and safety of Y-2 sublingual tablet on 90-day functional outcome in patients with AIS.

Methods and design

This is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, parallel-group trial of Y-2 sublingual tablet on patients with AIS.

An estimated 914 patients at age of 18–80 years with AIS within 48 hours after symptom onset from 40 hospitals will be randomly assigned to receive Y-2 sublingual tablet or placebo for 14 days. Patients are at score 6–20 points on National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and had a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) ≤1 before this stroke, except mechanical thrombectomy and neuroprotective agents treatment.

Study outcomes

The primary outcome is the proportion of patients with mRS ≤1 on day 90 after randomisation. Secondary efficacy outcomes include mRS score on day 90, the proportion of patients with mRS ≤2 on day 90; the change of NIHSS score from baseline to day 14 and the proportion of patients with NIHSS score ≤1 at the days 14, 30 and 90.

Discussion

This trial will provide valuable evidence for the efficacy and safety of Y-2 sublingual table for improving 90 days the functional outcomes in patients with AIS.

Trial registration number

NCT04950920.
Kβ to Kα X-ray intensity ratio and K–L vacancy transfer probability of Mn following electron capture decay
Authors: Gudennavar S.B. , Bubbly S.G.
Published: June 2023

Kα and Kβ X-rays of Mn following electron capture (EC) decay of 55Fe were detected using Amptek XR-100 T-CdTe X-ray detector spectrometer. Measured Kα and Kβ X-ray intensities of Mn were used to determine the Kβ to Kα intensity ratio and total K–L total vacancy transfer probability. These values were compared with the theoretical, semiempirical, and others’ experimental values obtained via EC decay as well as photoionization. The X-ray intensity ratio of Mn was found to be higher by 1.5% from the relativistic Hartree-Slater theoretical value. This deviation may be attributed to the exchange interactions occurring between the 3p and 3d shell electrons as well as the recoil effect of the nucleus due to neutrino emission.
The relative importance of cisco (Coregonus artedi) in the diets of common loons (Gavia immer) among a set of cisco refuge lakes in Minnesota
Authors: Kenow Kevin P. , Lor Yer , Holbrook Beth V. , Fara Luke J. , Houdek Steven C. , Tajjioui Tariq , Gray Brian R. , Jacobson Peter C.
Published: June 2023

Common loon ( Gavia immer (Brünnich, 1764)) foraging patterns and the relative importance of cisco ( Coregonus artedi Lesueur, 1818) in the diets of loons were evaluated for the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, a set of coldwater cisco refuge lakes in Minnesota, USA. Environmental DNA metabarcoding of loon fecal samples detected 15 fish species. Yellow perch ( Perca flavescens (Mitchill, 1814)), mimic shiner ( Notropis volucellus (Cope, 1865)), and cisco were the most prominent prey detected across the study lakes. We observed a shift in fish species consumed, with increases in detections of mimic shiner and cisco DNA among loon fecal samples collected in August and September. In some locations, suitable oxythermal habitat became restricted throughout the summer, forcing cisco into surface waters, which potentially increased their vulnerability to loon predation. Conversely, large foraging aggregations of loons were observed during late summer through fall at locations with ample oxythermal habitat and abundant cisco populations. We hypothesize that cisco were sought by loons as a high-calorie prey resource prior to migration. Conservation efforts directed at preserving water quality in important cisco refuge lakes are likely to benefit common loons through enhancement of both the forage base, for resident and migrating birds, and breeding habitat suitability.
Half-chromatid mutation as a possible cause of mosaic males and females in Hymenoptera and rare fertile male tortoiseshell cats
Authors: Owen Robin E.
Published: June 2023

Half-chromatid mutations occur when a single base change in a gamete is transmitted to the zygote, which, after DNA replication and cleavage, will result in a mosaic individual. These mutations will be passed on through the germ plasm and also may be expressed somatically. Half-chromatid mutation has been suggested to account for the observed lower frequency of males than expected for lethal X-linked recessive disorders in humans, such as Lesch–Nyhan syndrome, incontinentia pigmenti, and Duchene muscular dystrophy. Although attention has been paid to half-chromatid mutation in humans, it otherwise has been ignored. Here I show that half-chromatid mutation in haplodiploid organisms, such as Hymenoptera, has some interesting and important consequences: ( i) since all genes follow the X-linked pattern of inheritance, half-chromatid mutations should be relatively easier to detect; ( ii) recessive mutations of all viabilities may be expected; ( iii) mosaics of both sexes are expected in haplodiploids with half-chromatid mutation; ( iv) gynandromorphs could result from half-chromatid mutation at the sex-determination locus, in species with single-locus complementary sex-determination. Finally, half-chromatid mutation can account for the rare fertile male tortoiseshell phenotype observed in the domestic cat, Felis catus, and which still has not been fully accounted for by other mechanisms.
Understanding Disengagement in Just-in-Time Mobile Health Interventions
Authors: Park Joonyoung , Lee Uichin
Published: June 2023

Just-in-time (JIT) intervention aims to proactively detect a user's problematic behaviors and deliver interventions at an opportune moment to facilitate target behaviors. However, prior studies have shown that JIT intervention may suffer from user disengagement, a phenomenon in which a user's level of engagement with intervention apps and target behaviors declines over time. In this study, we aimed to deepen our understanding of disengagement in a mobile JIT intervention system. As a case study, we conducted a user study with college students (n = 54) for eight weeks to understand how disengagement appears over time and what factors influence user disengagement. Our findings reveal that personal traits, such as boredom proneness and self-control issues, are closely related to disengagement, with key factors including 1) boredom and habituation related to repetitive and monotonous JIT interventions, 2) inopportune alarm, 3) distrust for the JIT feedback mechanism, and 4) a lack of motivation due to low rewards. We provide theoretical and practical design guidelines for follow-up studies on JIT intervention system design.
Lost in the Deep?
Authors: Radeta Marko , Rodrigues Claudio , Silva Francisco , Abreu Pedro , Pestana João , Nguyen Ngoc Thi , Zuniga Agustin , Flores Huber , Nurmi Petteri
Published: June 2023

Computing research is increasingly addressing underwater environments and examining how computing can support diving and other activities. Unlike on land, where well-established positioning methods are widely available, underwater environments lack a common positioning mechanism, which is a prerequisite for many applications. Dead reckoning, the use of angle and distance estimates to track position changes from a known point of origin, is a promising candidate for underwater positioning as it does not rely on wireless signals (which decay rapidly in underwater environments) and as there is a wide range of literature and algorithms freely available. Yet, currently it is unclear whether the existing techniques can be adopted in underwater environments or whether the differences in medium and environment affect the performance of the dead reckoning techniques. We contribute by evaluating and systematically analyzing the performance and trade-offs associated with dead reckoning techniques in underwater environments. We present AEOLUS, a prototype unit comprising of a low-cost microcontroller and inertial measurement unit, to perform experiments on the ground and in underwater environments to assess how well the performance of different techniques translates from ground-based use cases to underwater environments. We benchmark 15 different algorithms and compare their performance in such environments to identify common patterns and dissimilarities, and identify root causes for these differences. The results show that displacement and turn errors can be estimated to within 5% error but that the best performing methods vary between land and underwater environments. We also show that the performance depends on the shape of the motion patterns with some algorithms performing better for hard turns whereas others perform better for gradual, more continuous turns.
PGC7 regulates H3K27me3 modification by inhibiting the interaction of YY1 with PRC2
Authors: Hao Weijie , Huang Chenyang , Liu Defu , Xu Hongyu , Liu Yingxiang , Guan Yian , Chen Bingxue , Guo Zekun
Published: June 2023

PGC7 and YY1 interaction inhibits recruitment of PRC2 by YY1. PGC7 promotes AKT and EZH2 interaction to increase pEZH2-S21 level, which weakens YY1 and EZH2 interaction, thereby decreasing H3K27me3 level. In zygotes, the PGC7-deficient and AKT inhibitor MK2206 promote EZH2 to enter the pronuclei, and increase H3K27me3 level in the pronuclei, as well as inhibition of the expression of zygote-activating genes regulated by H3K27me3 in two-cell embryos, which ultimately affects early embryo development.
Visual Recovery and Prognosis in the Treatment of Submacular Hemorrhage due to Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy and Retinal Arterial Macroaneurysm: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Wu Jianhua , Yan Tao , Zhang Rui , Feng Chao , Xu Changzhong , Xu Tao , Li Yanzi , Wang Shan , He Junwen
Published: June 2023

Purpose. This study was carried out to evaluate the visual acuity (VA), complications, and prognosis of patients diagnosed with submacular hemorrhage (SMH) from polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and retinal arterial macroaneurysm (RAM) treated by pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), subretinal tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), and air tamponade in vitreous cavity. It facilitates the development of generic treatment methods that can be widely used to improve vision and treat potential complications in patients with SMH, regardless of the underlying pathophysiological condition, such as PCV or RAM. Methods. In this retrospective study, SMH patients were divided into two groups based on their diagnosis: (1) polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) and (2) retinal arterial macroaneurysm (RAM). The visual recovery and complications of patients with PCV and RAM after PPV + tPA (subretinal) surgery were analyzed. Results. A total of 36 eyes of 36 patients were included: PCV (47.22%, 17/36) and RAM (52.78%, 19/36). The mean age of the patients was 64 years, and 63.89% of the patients (23/36) were female. The median VA was 1.85 logMAR before surgery, 0.93 and 0.98 logMAR at 1 and 3 months after surgery, respectively, indicating that most patients’ vision improved after surgery. At the 1 and 3 months postoperative follow-up, each patient was diagnosed with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment at 1 month and 3 months postoperatively, and four patients had vitreous hemorrhage at 3 months postoperatively. Preoperatively, patients exhibited macular subretinal hemorrhage, retinal bulge, and exudation around the blood clot. Postoperatively, most patients showed dispersal of subretinal hemorrhage. Optical coherence tomography results revealed retinal hemorrhage involving the macula and hemorrhagic bulges under both the neuroepithelium and the pigment epithelium under the fovea preoperatively. After surgery, the air injected into the vitreous cavity was completely absorbed and the subretinal hemorrhage was dispersed. Conclusion. PPV combined with subretinal tPA injection and air tamponade in the vitreous cavity can facilitate modest visual recovery in patients with SMH due to PCV and RAM. However, some complications may occur, and their management remains challenging.
A Network with Composite Loss and Parameter‐free Chunking Fusion Block for Super‐Resolution MR Image
Authors: Han Qi , Hou Mingyang , Wang Hongyi , Qiu Zicheng , Tian Yuan , Tian Sheng , Wu Chen , Zhou Baoping
Published: June 2023

MRI is often influenced by many factors, and single image super‐resolution (SISR) based on a neural network is an effective and cost‐effective alternative technique for the high‐resolution restoration of low‐resolution images. However, deep neural networks can easily lead to overfitting and make the test results worse. The network with a shallow training network is difficult to fit quickly and cannot completely learn training samples. To solve the above problems, a new end‐to‐end super‐resolution (SR) method is proposed for magnetic resonance (MR) images. Firstly, in order to better fuse features, a parameter‐free chunking fusion block (PCFB) is proposed, which can divide the feature map into n branches by splitting channels to obtain parameter‐free attention. Secondly, the proposed training strategy including perceptual loss, gradient loss, and L1 loss has significantly improved the accuracy of model fitting and prediction. Finally, the proposed model and training strategy take the super‐resolution IXISR dataset (PD, T1, and T2) as an example to compare with the existing excellent methods and obtain advanced performance. A large number of experiments have proved that the proposed method performs better than the advanced methods in highly reliable measurement.
Syk Inhibition Reprograms Tumor-Associated Macrophages and Overcomes Gemcitabine-Induced Immunosuppression in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Rohila Deepak , Park In Hwan , Pham Timothy V. , Weitz Jonathan , Hurtado de Mendoza Tatiana , Madheswaran Suresh , Ishfaq Mehreen , Beaman Cooper , Tapia Elisabette , Sun Siming , Patel Jay , Tamayo Pablo , Lowy Andrew M. , Joshi Shweta
Published: June 2023

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an insidious disease with a low 5-year survival rate. PDAC is characterized by infiltration of abundant tumor-associated macrophages (TAM), which promote immune tolerance and immunotherapeutic resistance. Here we report that macrophage spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) promotes PDAC growth and metastasis. In orthotopic PDAC mouse models, genetic deletion of myeloid Syk reprogrammed macrophages into immunostimulatory phenotype, increased the infiltration, proliferation, and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells, and repressed PDAC growth and metastasis. Furthermore, gemcitabine (Gem) treatment induced an immunosuppressive microenvironment in PDAC by promoting protumorigenic polarization of macrophages. In contrast, treatment with the FDA-approved Syk inhibitor R788 (fostamatinib) remodeled the tumor immune microenvironment, “re-educated” protumorigenic macrophages towards an immunostimulatory phenotype and boosted CD8+ T-cell responses in Gem-treated PDAC in orthotopic mouse models and an ex vivo human pancreatic slice culture model. These findings illustrate the potential of Syk inhibition for enhancing the antitumor immune responses in PDAC and support the clinical evaluation of R788 either alone or together with Gem as a potential treatment strategy for PDAC.

Significance:

Syk blockade induces macrophage polarization to an immunostimulatory phenotype, which enhances CD8+ T-cell responses and improves gemcitabine efficacy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, a clinically challenging malignancy.
Natural Course of Ruptured but Untreated Intracranial Aneurysms: A Multicenter 2-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Yang Yifan , Wang Bangyue , Ge Xinbo , Lu Wenpeng , Peng Chao , Zhao Yan , Li Jian , Wang Jinghua , Lei Ping , Zhang Jianning , Feng Lei , Liu Zhenbo , Yang Xinyu
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND:

The current understanding of untreated ruptured intracranial aneurysms has been limited by study design and inaccurate patient data. Multicenter clinical registry studies on untreated ruptured intracranial aneurysms in Chinese patients are scarce. We aimed to calculate the mortality of patients with untreated ruptured intracranial aneurysms in a current, clearly defined hospital cohort in China, with emphasis on mortality predictors over a 2-year period.

METHODS:

Patients with saccular untreated ruptured intracranial aneurysms were identified from the Chinese Multicenter Cerebral Aneurysm Database, a multicenter, prospective, observational database registered in China, which involved 32 tertiary medical centers covering 4 northern Chinese provincial regions. Patients with intracranial aneurysms, regardless of ruptured status, shape, age, or comorbidities, were consecutively included in 12 of 32 medical centers between 2017 and 2020. Survival probabilities were computed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to determine the risk factors for the cumulative 2-year mortality. We analyzed the reasons for treatment decisions stratified by demographic characteristics and clinical features.

RESULTS:

For 941 enrolled patients, 58.6% of patients died within 1 month of symptom onset; and 68.1% within 2 years. 98 patients underwent surgical repair during follow-up. Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified Hunt and Hess grades 3 to 5 (hazard ratio, 1.54 [95% CI, 1.01–2.35];
P
=0.047), loss of consciousness at symptom onset (hazard ratio, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.18–2.07];
P
=0.002), and largest aneurysm size of ≥5 mm (hazard ratio, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.05–1.59];
P
=0.014) as mortality predictors during the 2-year follow-up. Among patients who were successfully followed up, 42.6% (280) of them refused surgical treatment.

CONCLUSIONS:

Patients with poor Hunt and Hess grades, loss of consciousness at symptom onset, or largest aneurysms ≥5 mm in size showed a high mortality rate. A high number of treatment refusals was present in this study. These findings have implications for medical insurance policy, doctor-patient communication, and popular science education.
Deep mourning with the loss of Professor Jun-Feng Zhang
Authors: ZHANG QING-QING , WANG BO WANG , ZHANG HAI-CHUN
Published: June 2023

Professor Jun-Feng Zhang, a distinguished Chinese palaeoentomologist, passed away in Nanjing on October 2, 2022, at the age of 76.
Taxonomic status of the Lesser Woolly Horseshoe bats (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae, Rhinolophus beddomei) in peninsular India and Sri Lanka
Authors: SRINIVASULU ADITYA , SRINIVASULU BHARGAVI , KUSUMINDA THARAKA , AMARASINGHE CHAMARA , UKUWELA KANISHKA D. B. , KARUNARATHNA MATHISHA , MANNAKKARA AMANI , YAPA WIPULA B. , SRINIVASULU CHELMALA
Published: June 2023

Insularity provides ample opportunities for species diversification. Sri Lanka is home to a large diversity of species, many of which are endemic but morphologically similar to species found in southern India, due to recent speciation events, suggesting a complex evolutionary history. However, in some taxa although morphological diversity has been noted, the genetic level variations are minimal. Among the wide-ranging horseshoe bats such a phenomenon is noted. In this study, we used bioacoustics, morphometric and molecular data to evaluate the relationships between the taxa of lesser woolly horseshoe bats in the India and Sri Lanka. Our study reveals that the two taxa—Rhinolophus beddomei Andersen, 1905 and here we have validated the existing subspecies from peninsular India and R. sobrinus Andersen, 1918 from Sri Lanka are genetically very close to R. perniger Hodgson, 1843. Currently the taxa—beddomei and sobrinus are recognized as subspecies of Rhinolophus beddomei Andersen, 1905. We provide a detailed description of the taxa beddomei and sobrinus as the original descriptions are limited in nature.
How Land Surface Characteristics Influence the Development of Flash Drought through the Drivers of Soil Moisture and Vapor Pressure Deficit
Authors: Lowman Lauren E. L. , Christian Jordan I. , Hunt Eric D.
Published: June 2023

As global mean temperature rises, extreme drought events are expected to increasingly affect regions of the United States that are crucial for agriculture, forestry, and natural ecology. A pressing need is to understand and anticipate the conditions under which extreme drought causes catastrophic failure to vegetation in these areas. To better predict drought impacts on ecosystems, we first must understand how specific drivers, namely, atmospheric aridity and soil water stress, affect land surface processes during the evolution of flash drought events. In this study, we evaluated when vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and soil moisture thresholds corresponding to photosynthetic shutdown were crossed during flash drought events across different climate zones and land surface characteristics in the United States. First, the Dynamic Canopy Biophysical Properties (DCBP) model was used to estimate the thresholds that define reduced photosynthesis by assimilating vegetation phenology data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to a predictive phenology model. Next, we characterized and quantified flash drought onset, intensity, and duration using the standardized evaporative stress ratio (SESR) and NLDAS-2 reanalysis. Once periods of flash drought were identified, we investigated how VPD and soil moisture coevolved across regions and plant functional types. Results demonstrate that croplands and grasslands tend to be more sensitive to soil water limitations than trees across different regions of the United States. We found that whether VPD or soil moisture was the primary driver of plant water stress during drought was largely region specific. The results of this work will help to inform land managers of early warning signals relevant for specific ecosystems under threat of flash drought events.
Driving Aggressively or Conservatively? Investigating the Effects of Automated Vehicle Interaction Type and Road Event on Drivers’ Trust and Preferred Driving Style
Authors: Lee Yuni , Dong Miaomiao , Krishnamoorthy Vidya , Akash Kumar , Misu Teruhisa , Zheng Zhaobo , Huang Gaojian
Published: June 2023

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the impact of automated vehicle (AV) interaction mode on drivers’ trust and preferred driving styles in response to pedestrian- and traffic-related road events.

Background

The rising popularity of AVs highlights the need for a deeper understanding of the factors that influence trust in AV. Trust is a crucial element, particularly because current AVs are only partially automated and may require manual takeover; miscalibrated trust could have an adverse effect on safe driver-vehicle interaction. However, before attempting to calibrate trust, it is vital to comprehend the factors that contribute to trust in automation.

Methods

Thirty-six individuals participated in the experiment. Driving scenarios incorporated adaptive SAE Level 2 AV algorithms, driven by participants’ event-based trust in AVs and preferences for AV driving styles. The study measured participants’ trust, preferences, and the number of takeover behaviors.

Results

Higher levels of trust and preference for more aggressive AV driving styles were found in response to pedestrian-related events compared to traffic-related events. Furthermore, drivers preferred the trust-based adaptive mode and had fewer takeover behaviors than the preference-based adaptive and fixed modes. Lastly, participants with higher trust in AVs favored more aggressive driving styles and made fewer takeover attempts.

Conclusion

Adaptive AV interaction modes that depend on real-time event-based trust and event types may represent a promising approach to human-automation interaction in vehicles.

Application

Findings from this study can support future driver- and situation-aware AVs that can adapt their behavior for improved driver-vehicle interaction.
A capital critique: Progressive alternatives to neo-liberal economic order
Authors: Jackson Van
Published: June 2023

Advocates of progressive political economy agree that the neo-liberal economic order has worsened environmental degradation, worker precarity, and oligarchy, but what are the alternatives? This article relates left-progressive discourses about concrete approaches and policy ideas to implications for the global economic order. While progressives explicitly seek a more social democratic global order, the various policy initiatives in the progressive imaginary implicitly involve approaches to order-building that are in scarcely acknowledged competition with one another. While neo-Keynesianism, justice for the Global South, a Global Green New Deal, and degrowth are all anti–neo-liberal approaches that pursue the same broad aims—reducing inequality within the Global North, raising standards of living and buffering structural violence in the Global South, and responding to the climate crisis—these goals potentially exhibit the tensions of a trilemma.
Research into the thermal expansion behavior of spread tow woven pierced carbon/carbon composites at high temperature
Authors: Xu Chang , Shao Guowei , Li Bin , Sun Zhihong
Published: June 2023

Textile-reinforced carbon/carbon composites are frequently used for thermal safety due to their superb thermophysical properties. The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) is a fundamental performance metric of spread tow woven pierced carbon/carbon composites (STWPs). The multiscale representative volume element (RVE) models constructed as part of this work were used for investigating the CTEs of STWPs at high temperature. The temperature displacement coupling analysis step was established to predict the CTEs of STWPs considering the high-temperature environment. In addition, periodic displacement boundary conditions were adopted as node constraints with the spatial periodicity of RVE models. The influences of pore positions and configurations on the CTEs of the matrix were considered through two different matrix RVE model. The CTEs of the spread tow (ST) and fiber rod were computed using two microscale RVE models with an unequal fiber volume fraction. A novel modeling strategy for the mesoscale RVE model was put forth in order to calculate the CTEs of the STWPs due to the remarkable lightness and thinness of the ST. Only 9.64% and 7.92% errors in the in-plane and out-of-plane directions were found when the experimental findings were compared to those predicted by numerical models, demonstrating the accuracy and effectiveness of the multiscale RVE models. Moreover, the impacts of areal density of ST woven fabric on the CTEs of STWPs were discussed. The fundings demonstrated that the in-plane and out-of-plane CTEs both decreased as the areal density increased.
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Boot Camp in Preclinical Undergraduate Medical Education: A Pilot Study
Authors: Tu Leona J. , Sataloff Robert T.
Published: June 2023

Objectives: There are limited opportunities in the medical school curriculum to learn about the field of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ORL) and to acquire relevant clinical skills, especially during preclinical years. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the impact of implementing an ORL boot camp in preclinical undergraduate medical education to help first- and second-year medical students learn about common ORL problems and become more comfortable performing basic ORL clinical skills so that they are better prepared to provide care for patients during clerkships and beyond. Methods: First- and second-year medical students were recruited to a single 3-hour boot camp session consisting of didactics/demonstrations and clinical experiences. The boot camp provided an introduction into the field of ORL, description of common ORL pathologies, associated management and procedures, and demonstrations of basic ORL procedures typically performed in clinic. Under supervision, subjects practiced complete head and neck physical examinations (H&NPE) on their peers including otoscopy, tuning fork tests, examination with a nasal speculum, and oral, basic cranial nerve, and neck examination. Pre- and post-tests assessing subjective (0–5 point Likert scale) and objective (content exam) measures of ORL knowledge, comfort level performing ORL skills, and interest in ORL were used to evaluate the intervention. Results: A total of 17 students participated in the boot camp as part of an extracurricular session. Seventeen students completed pre-tests and 16 completed post-tests. Ratings of self-reported knowledge of ORL (2.06 vs 3.00; P = .019) and comfort level in performing H&NPE (1.76 vs 3.44; P < .001) increased significantly after the boot camp. Mean performance on an ORL content exam also increased significantly from 42.17% to 71.35% ( P < .001). Conclusions: An ORL boot camp may be an effective method of teaching for preclinical medical students. Further studies with a larger cohort are warranted.
Attenuation of psilocybin mushroom effects during and after SSRI/SNRI antidepressant use
Authors: Gukasyan Natalie , Griffiths Roland R. , Yaden David B. , Antoine Denis G. , Nayak Sandeep M.
Published: June 2023

Background:

Psilocybin is being studied for depression, but little is known about how it interacts with common antidepressants. Limited data suggest that psilocybin’s effects may be diminished by serotonergic antidepressants acutely and even after a medication washout period.

Aims:

To learn the extent to which antidepressants may diminish the effects of psilocybin-containing mushrooms both concurrently and after discontinuation of antidepressants.

Methods:

Online retrospective survey of individuals with use of psilocybin mushrooms (1) with an antidepressant and/or (2) within 2 years of discontinuing an antidepressant. Participants who took mushrooms with an antidepressant and either took the same dose pre-antidepressant or took the same dose with other people not on antidepressant reported the strength of drug effects relative to their expectation. Participants who took mushrooms following discontinuation of an antidepressant also reported the presence of weakened effects.

Results:

In reports ( n = 611) of taking mushrooms with an antidepressant, probabilities [95% CI] of weaker than expected drug effects were 0.47 [0.41–0.54] (selective serotonergic reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs), 0.55 [0.44–0.67] (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, SNRIs) and 0.29 [0.2–0.39] (bupropion). Following SSRI/SNRI discontinuation ( n = 1,542 reports), the probability of reduced drug effects was not significantly different from the earliest post-discontinuation timepoint (within 1 week) until 3–6 months, probability = 0.3 [0.20–0.46], p = 0.001. A sensitivity analysis found that removing responses involving fluoxetine, which has an especially long half-life, did not significantly alter this result.

Conclusions:

SSRI/SNRIs appear to weaken psilocybin drug effects relative to a non-serotonergic antidepressant. This dampening effect may last as long as 3 months following antidepressant discontinuation.
Complications and device failures associated with urolift: Findings from the MAUDE database
Authors: Juliebø-Jones Patrick , Somani Bhaskar K , Tzelves Lazaros , Haugland Julie Nøss , Moen Christian Arvei , Honoré Alfred , Beisland Christian
Published: June 2023

Introduction:

Urolift is an established intervention for symptoms of bladder outflow obstruction caused by benign prostate enlargement. Reported advantages include its minimally invasive profile, short learning curve and feasibility as a day case procedure. Our aim was to use a national registry as a means to evaluate the nature of complications and device failures that have been documented to occur.

Methods:

Retrospective review was performed of the US Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database, a prospective register, which contains voluntarily submitted adverse events associated with surgical devices. Information collected include event timing, underlying cause, procedural completion, complications and mortality status.

Results:

Between 2016 and 2023, 103 device failures, 5 intra-operative complications and 165 post-operative complications (early: 151, late: 14) were registered. The commonest device problem (56%, n = 58) was failure of the implant to deploy with subsequent requirement for complete replacement. There were 50 cases of documented urosepsis. 62 patients with post operative haematuria were registered including 12 that underwent emergency embolisation. Other complications included stroke ( n = 5), pulmonary embolism ( n = 3) and necrotising fasciitis ( n = 1). Twelve ITU admissions were registered. In the reports, 22 cases were filed that recorded a hospital stay of 7 days or more. Eleven deaths were captured in the database over the study period.

Conclusion:

While urolift is recognised as less invasive intervention compared to alternatives such as transurethral resection of the prostate, serious adverse events have been reported to occur including death. Our findings can provide learning points for surgeons and allow for improved patient counselling and treatment planning accordingly.
The role of roughness parameters in grading the machined surface quality in Ti-alloys
Authors: Carvalho Sílvia Ribeiro , Horovistiz Ana , Davim João Paulo
Published: June 2023

Titanium alloys are extensively employed in machining to produce high-value components, where surface roughness is crucial for their functionality. In this study, the roughness of Ti6Al4V and Ti6Al7Nb turned surfaces was analysed. The goal was to compare the alloy’s roughness behaviour when machined under the same conditions. Therefore, hypothesis testing was performed to assess the equality of the expected values and population median. It was found that, for some parameters, the mean ( RzI, Rt) and median ( Rq, RzD, Pt) roughness was statistically different when changing alloys. However, for others, it did not present a significant difference, in terms of mean ( RmD, Rp) and median ( Ra, Rpm). Consequently, a relevant insight from this study was that the phenomenon interpretation was affected by roughness parameter selection. On the other hand, as expected, the feed rate played a critical role in roughness control. It was observed that Ti6Al7Nb had a smoother topography ( Ra was 0.15 ± 0.01 μm and 0.62 ± 0.04 μm) than Ti6Al4V (0.31 ± 0.02 μm and 0.67 ± 0.03 μm) at 0.05 and 0.15 mm/rev. Yet, at 0.1 mm/rev, this behaviour changed, as Ti6Al4V had a smoother surface ( Ra was 0.40 ± 0.02 μm) than Ti6Al7Nb ( Ra was 0.51 ± 0.03 μm). Finally, the multi-optimization indicated that a low feed rate (0.05 mm/rev) and medium (60 m/min) and high (90 m/min) cutting speed led to lower roughness and higher material removal rate for turning Ti6Al7Nb and Ti6Al7V, respectively. The insights from this study may have a practical application in the manufacturing and quality control of biomedical components.
Normative database of response surface method for human trunk extension in isometric mode
Authors: Azghani Mahmood-Reza , Kian-Bostanabad Sharareh , Meghdari Ali , Parnianpour Mohamad , Farahmand Farzam
Published: June 2023

Recent studies show that asymmetric movements are important Low Back Disorders risk factors. Measuring the trunk strength and identifying the coupling effects in different postures can provide an objective tool to assess one’s task capacity. This paper estimates the maximum performance capacity for isometric trunk extension and accompanying torques. Thirty males performed maximum voluntary isometric extension in 33 trunk postures on Sharif Lumbar Isometric Strength Tester device. Corresponding moments and angular positions were collected. Second-order full response surface models (RSM) were exploited to formulate the relationship between strengths and three trunk angles. The results of correlation coefficient, percent of standard estimation error and lack of fit reflected the adequacy of models. In conclusion, the main torque was the extension, but at the same time lateral bending and rotation torques were observed. For predicting these three torques in a specific posture and injury prevention, the second order RSM is a useful tool. The presented models can be used in the fields of ergonomics, occupational biomechanics and sport.
Forage calibration transfer from laboratory to portable near infrared spectrometers
Authors: Yang Xueping , Cherney JH , Casler MD , Berzaghi Paolo
Published: June 2023

Portable near infrared (NIR) spectrometers are now readily available on the market and with their smaller size, weight and cost have provided the opportunity to analyze forages both on farms and directly in the field. As new technologies and new portable NIR instruments become available on the market, calibrations for these instruments become a major constraint due to the costs and time necessary to collect reference data. This study evaluated techniques to transfer calibrations for alfalfa and grass forage samples that were developed for a scanning benchtop monochromator (FOSS 6500, 400–2498 nm, LAB) to a diode array instrument (AuroraNir, 950–1650 nm, DA), a digital light processing instrument (NIR-S-G1, 950–1650 nm, DLP) and a short wavelength instrument (SCiO, 740–1070 nm, SCIO). Alfalfa (N = 612) and grass (N = 516) samples from eight agronomic studies were analyzed by wet chemistry for crude protein, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), in-vitro digestibility (IVTD) and NDF digestibility (NDFD) and divided into calibration, test-set, standardization and inoculation/prediction datasets. Different calibration transfer strategies were evaluated: Spectral Bias Correction (SBC), Shenk and Westerhaus algorithm (SW), Piecewise Direct Standardization (PDS), Dynamic Orthogonal Projection (DOP) or creating a new calibration using LAB predictions of the inoculation/prediction dataset as reference values. All computations for trimming, calibration, validation and standardization were developed using R. SBC with inoculation was an effective method to transfer calibrations for DA. Validation errors for DA transferred calibrations were about 15% lower than LAB for alfalfa data but 6% greater for grass data. For SCIO after DOP spectral adjustment, predicting errors were slightly greater than LAB for both data sets, while prediction errors with DLP were two to three times greater than LAB even after inoculation. PDS created spectral artifacts in the spectra of all three portables, which then resulted in large validation errors. Using LAB predictions as reference values was suitable only for DA, while DLP and DA had large prediction errors. This study showed that calibration sharing between a benchtop and portable instruments is challenging, but possible depending on the portable technologies and the transfer method. Spectral bias correction plus inoculation was the best method to transfer multivariate models for the forage components’ prediction from LAB to handhelds, particularly for DA. Application of DOP was beneficial for SCIO to successfully maintain performance of the original calibration, while for DLP the prediction models were not accurate. Additional studies are necessary to verify these transferring techniques can also be applied to fresh forages, allowing an easier and extended implementation of NIR analysis directly in fields.
The world is nuanced but pixelated: Autistic individuals’ perspective on HIPPEA
Authors: Todorova Greta Krasimirova , Hatton Rosalind Elizabeth Mcbean , Sadique Sarveen , Pollick Frank Earl
Published: June 2023

Little attention has been given to the voice of autistic individuals during the development of theories that are trying to explain the condition. This can often make individuals feel that they have to fit into the theory’s definition, rather than it fitting into their experience. We aimed to understand to what extent the HIPPEA (High, Inflexible Precision of Prediction Errors in Autism) theory resonates with the lived experiences of autistic individuals. We conducted 21 questionnaires and 8 follow-up interviews and used a hybrid (deductive and inductive) approach to analyse the data. Based on the participants’ views, HIPPEA provides an explanation for many of the lived experiences of autistic individuals. However, refinement is needed with respect to interpersonal interactions, emotional processing and individuals’ motivation to engage with their environment despite challenges with the way the world is organised. Furthermore, more details are needed for the theory to accurately allow us to understand autism.

Lay Abstract

Autism is a condition comprised of difficulties in social and communication contexts, sensory sensitivities as well as restrictive and repetitive behaviours. Many theories have tried to explain all the symptoms and behaviours associated with autism. We focus on one recent theory – High, Inflexible Precision of Prediction Errors in Autism (HIPPEA). We aim to understand how much this theory fits the experiences of autistic individuals. We collected data through 21 online questionnaires and 8 follow-up interviews. One of our participants was a parent of an autistic child, and the remaining were adults who reported a diagnosis of autism. We analysed the data by thinking about how it fitted with what we already knew and by looking for new insights which came up. Our results suggest that autistic individuals can make generalisations but that this happens more slowly across both social and non-social areas. These generalisations are very reliant on detail – in computer terms, they are ‘pixelated’. This is in line with what HIPPEA suggests. We also showed that autistic individuals can be motivated to explore and engage socially, something that needs more consideration within HIPPEA. Overall, this study shows that HIPPEA can explain many autistic experiences, but that further refinement is needed.