bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cooperative control of a platoon of connected autonomous vehicles and unconnected human‐driven vehicles
Authors: Zhou Anye , Peeta Srinivas , Wang Jian
Published: March 2023

By using kinematic state information obtained through vehicle‐to‐vehicle communications, connected autonomous vehicles (CAVs) can drive cooperatively to alleviate shockwave propagation associated with traffic disturbances. However, during the transition to full autonomy, CAVs and human‐driven vehicles (HDVs) will coexist on the road, creating mixed‐flow traffic. The inherent heterogeneity and randomness in human driving behavior can generate additional disturbances in the traffic flow. Further, HDVs without communication functionality (unconnected HDVs) can cause the control performance of CAVs to degrade by negatively impacting platoon formation. To proactively mitigate the negative impacts of HDVs in mixed‐flow traffic, this study proposes a cooperative control strategy with three components for platoons consisting of CAVs and unconnected HDVs: (i) a number estimator for estimating the number of HDVs between two CAVs, (ii) a kinematic state predictor for predicting the kinematic states of HDVs, and (iii) a multi‐anticipative car‐following controller (i.e., control strategy using kinematic state information of multiple preceding vehicles) for CAVs to maintain string stability and desired time headway. To initialize the proposed strategy, the number estimator is developed using a deep neural network (DNN). Then, a DNN‐based kinematic state predictor predicts the kinematic states of HDVs for CAVs to enable multi‐anticipative car‐following control. The multi‐anticipative car‐following controller is implemented using an extended intelligent driver model‐guided deep deterministic policy gradient algorithm, which ensures safety, string stability, and traffic efficiency. The effectiveness of the proposed control strategy is validated through numerical experiments using NGSIM data. Results indicate that the proposed strategy can produce accurate estimations of the number and the kinematic states of HDVs between CAVs. Further, it can achieve string stability while maintaining smaller time headways, compared to car‐following models used for training guidance under different market penetration rates of CAVs, which significantly improves traffic smoothness and mobility.
Errors to avoid when searching for studies for systematic reviews: A guide for nurse researchers
Authors: Briscoe Simon
Published: March 2023

Systematic reviews aim to provide reliable answers to research questions by identifying and synthesising the available evidence using rigorous methods. This makes systematic reviews a cornerstone of evidence‐based practice in healthcare settings. However, despite the avowed aim and importance of systematic reviews, studies have shown that they often include serious flaws, including in the search for studies. In this article, some commonly seen errors in systematic review search strategies are described with the intention of alerting nurse researchers who are planning a systematic review to what should be avoided. These include errors relating to bibliographic databases and supplementary searches, including database selection, free‐text searching, controlled vocabulary and structural errors. The paper is framed within the context of older people nursing but has relevance to nurse researchers more widely.
Pacing maneuvers from the aortic cusps: A useful technique during ablation of focal arrhythmias arising from the aortic root
Authors: Toniolo Mauro , Taurian Marco , Rebellato Luca , Daleffe Elisabetta , Muser Daniele
Published: March 2023

Background

The ablation of arrhythmias arising near the His‐bundle region in the non‐coronary aortic cusp (NCAC) is challenging. Among the aortic sinuses of Valsalva, the NCAC is located between the right atrium and the left atrium. For this reason, pacing from the NCAC should result in atrial capture while pacing from the right and left coronary cusps (LCC) may result in ventricular capture. The objective of this study is to prove that atrial capture during pacing from the sinuses of Valsalva may be used to confirm a correct position in the non‐coronary cusp.

Methods

A total of 30 patients with structurally normal heart undergoing left sided ablation procedures, underwent electrophysiological study of the aortic cusps. Each of the aortic valve cusps was paced with increasing outputs and analyzed offline to determine their unique electrocardiographic characteristics.

Results

In the NCAC, we obtained an atrial capture in 29 out of 30 patients (96.6%). The atrial capture was highly specific for a position in the NCAC (p < .001). The median output required to capture from the cusp was 10 mA (range 5–25 mA) at a pulse width of 2 ms. In the right coronary cusp (RCC) and LCC, we obtained ventricular capture in all patients (100%). The median output required to capture from the cusp was 10 mA (range 10–25 mA) in RCC and 25 mA (range 10–25 mA) in LCC at a pulse width of 2 ms.

Conclusions

Atrial capture during a pacemapping from the aortic cusps can be considered proof of a correct position in NCAC.
Radical Misinterpretation
Authors: Elliott Edward
Published: March 2023

This paper provides an exposition and defence of Lewis' theory of radical interpretation. The first part of the paper explains what Lewis' theory was; the second part explains what it wasn't, and in so doing addresses a number of common objections that arise as a result of widespread myths and misunderstandings about how Lewis' theory is supposed to work.
Saliency affects attentional capture and suppression of abrupt‐onset and color singleton distractors: Evidence from event‐related potential studies
Authors: Chen Xiaowen , Xu Bing , Chen Yanzhang , Zeng Xianqing , Zhang Yue , Fu Shimin
Published: March 2023

Attention is the process of selecting relevant information and suppressing irrelevant information. However, it is still controversial whether attentional capture by salient but task‐irrelevant stimuli operates in a bottom‐up fashion (stimulus‐driven theory) or a top‐down fashion (goal‐driven theory) or if even salient distractors can be suppressed before capturing attention (signal suppression theory). In the present study, we investigated how saliency affects attentional capture (indexed by N2‐posterior‐contralateral [N2pc]) and suppression (indexed by distractor positivity [PD]) of abrupt‐onset and color singleton distractors in a visual search task. Experiment 1 showed that an abrupt‐onset distractor elicited both N2pc and PD, while a color singleton distractor elicited only PD. Moreover, the abrupt‐onset distractor elicited a larger N2pc and a larger PD relative to the color singleton distractor. In addition, both distractors elicited an early positive component, the positivity posterior contralateral (Ppc), which was also larger for abrupt onsets than for color singletons. Experiment 2 further demonstrated that when both the abrupt onset and color singleton were designed as targets, and thus required no attentional suppression, Ppc was elicited, but PD was not. This corroborated the finding in Experiment 1 that the later PD, not the early Ppc, reflected attentional suppression. Therefore, a more salient distractor demonstrates stronger early perceptual processing, can capture attention better and needs more attentional resources to be suppressed later. Based on these results, a three‐stage hypothesis is proposed, in which the saliency of a distractor modulates processing at early perception, attentional capture, and suppression stages.
Dissolved organic matter in peat and marl marshes varies with nutrient enrichment and restored hydrology
Authors: Anderson Kenneth J. , Kominoski John S. , Nocentini Andrea , Hoffman Sophia
Published: March 2023

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) drives biogeochemical processes in aquatic ecosystems. Yet, how hydrologic restoration in nutrient‐enriched ecosystems changes DOM and the consequences of those changes for the carbon cycle remain unclear. To predict the consequences of hydrologic restoration on carbon cycling in restored wetlands, we need to understand how local environmental factors influence production, processing, and transport of DOM. We collected surface water samples along transects in restored peat (organic‐rich, macrophyte‐dominated) and marl (carbonate, periphyton‐dominated) freshwater marshes in the Everglades (Florida, U.S.A.) that varied in environmental factors (water depth, phosphorus [P] concentrations [water, macrophytes, periphyton, and soil], and primary producer biomass) to understand drivers of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and DOM composition. Higher water depths led to a “greening” of DOM, due to increasing algal contributions, with decreasing concentrations of DOC in peat wetlands, and a “browning” of DOM, due to increasing humic contributions, with increasing DOC concentrations in marl wetlands. Soil total P was positively correlated with DOC concentrations and microbial contributions to DOM in peat wetlands, and periphyton total P was positively correlated with algal contributions to DOM in marl wetlands. Despite large variations in both vegetation biomass and periphyton biovolume across transects and sites, neither were predictors of DOC concentrations or DOM composition. Hydrologic restoration differentially alters DOM in peat and marl marshes and interacts with nutrient enrichment to shift proportions of green and brown contributions to surface water chemistry, which has the potential to modify wetland food webs, as well as the processing of carbon by micro‐organisms.
Interpretable machine learning‐based approaches for understanding suicide risk and protective factors among South Korean females using survey and social media data
Authors: Kim Donghun , Quan Lihong , Seo Mihye , Kim Kihyun , Kim Jae‐Won , Zhu Yongjun
Published: March 2023

Objective

We aimed to identify and understand risk and protective factors for suicide among South Korean females by linking survey and social media data and using interpretable machine learning approaches.

Materials and Methods

We collected a wide range of potential factors including the material, psychosocial, and behavioral data from a detailed survey, which we then linked to data from social media. In addition, we adopted interpretable machine learning approaches to (1) predict the suicide risk, (2) explain the relative importance of factors and their interactions regarding suicide, and (3) understand individual differences affecting suicide risk.

Results

The best‐performing machine learning model achieved an AUC of 0.737. Adverse childhood experiences, social connectedness, and mean positive sentiment score of social media posts were the three risk factors that had a monotonic or unimodal relationship with suicide, and satisfaction with life, narcissistic self‐presentation, and number of close friends on social media were the three protective factors that had a monotonic or unimodal relationship with suicide. We also found several meaningful interactions between specific psychiatric symptoms and narcissistic self‐presentation.

Conclusions

Our findings can help governmental organizations to better assess female suicide risk in South Korea and develop more informed and customized suicide prevention strategies.
Climate Solidarity: A Framework and Research Agenda for Low‐Carbon Behavior
Authors: Bazzani Giacomo
Published: March 2023

Climate‐change mitigation is a matter of solidarity. Behaviors that primarily benefit other people are prosocial behaviors that can be considered solidarity at the collective level. For climate‐change mitigation, greenhouse gas emissions have to be reduced primarily in wealthy countries, while the major beneficiaries of such a reduction are the populations of developing countries and future generations, who (will) suffer the significant negative consequences of climate change. Climate change has created a new global interdependence that requires a new form of solidarity as a global and intergenerational prosocial behavior. Low‐carbon behavior has so far mainly been studied as a form of pro‐environmental behavior but not as a form of prosocial behavior. The article identifies four approaches to explaining the origin of prosocial behavior that can be applied to the emergence of low‐carbon behavior: rationalist, institutionalist, interactionist, and situational approaches. The scope conditions and limitations of each approach in the case of low‐carbon behavior are discussed, together with relevant empirical evidence, future research directions, and policy implications. The article lays the foundations for the study of climate solidarity as a new interdisciplinary field of research that can make a key contribution to the transition toward low‐carbon societies.
The Diffusion of Culture and Cognition Within and Beyond Sociology, 1997–20211
Authors: Dubash Soli , Brett Gordon
Published: March 2023

In recent years, sociologists have lamented the fact that interdisciplinary exchange regarding Culture and Cognition has been largely asymmetrical. However, to date, no sociologist has empirically established the degree of interdisciplinary diffusion of Culture and Cognition scholarship. We add empirical detail to these discussions through a bibliographic analysis of 16 key Culture and Cognition articles, analyzing their citation patterns both within and beyond Sociology. Within Sociology, we find that citations of Culture and Cognition scholarship tend to cluster within culture, generalist, and theory journals. In terms of interdisciplinary diffusion, we find that while engagement with Culture and Cognition scholarship is indeed concentrated within sociology, almost half of the citations of this work come from other disciplines. This suggests that, while not entirely incorrect, the characterizations of Culture and Cognition's interdisciplinary uptake have been somewhat exaggerated.
Event Segmentation and Causation: The Case of MandarinCausal‐ChainMotion*
Authors: Deng Yu , Li Fuyin Thomas
Published: March 2023

This study investigates how Mandarin speakers segment causal‐chain motion events in a verbalization task. The results demonstrate that Mandarin shows attentional bias for the causal source and goal in causal‐chain segmentation, which may be universal across languages. Furthermore, there is a correlation between directness of causation and the complexity of linguistic representations, with direct conceptualization leading to a preference for simpler constructions (e.g. causative verb construction, resultative verb construction), and indirect causation for more complex representations (e.g. causative periphrases and multi‐macro‐event constructions). The most salient factor for directness of causation in causal‐chain segmentation is spatio‐temporal contiguity. The macro‐event property (MEP) is used to test the tightness of Mandarin causative constructions from a typological perspective. It is concluded that Mandarin demonstrates greater similarity with Ewe and Lao, but differs from Japanese and Yukatek regarding grammatical integration and event integration in causal‐chain segmentation.
Prevalence and specificity of red blood cell antibodies in patients transfused in tertiary hospitals in Burkina Faso
Authors: Sawadogo Salam , Nébié Koumpingnin , Traoré Catherine , Bonzi Yérémadé Juste , Boro Mariam , Yonli Dieudonné , Yaméogo Joseph , Ouédraogo Paul , Coulibaly Catherine , Zala Jedida , Deneys Véronique , Kafando Eléonore
Published: March 2023

Background

Sub‐Saharan African countries face the challenge of immunological transfusion safety that puts many patients at risk of post‐transfusion hemolytic reactions. This is because pre‐transfusion testing for irregular/unexpected antibodies that helps to prevent these risks are neither universally available nor accessible. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of red blood cell alloantibodies and their specificity in patients transfused in Burkina Faso.

Materials and Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study including patients who had received at least one blood transfusion. Indirect antiglobulin testing using LISS‐enhanced medium gel column agglutination technique was used for antibodies screening and identification. Enzymatic technique with papain‐treated red cell reagent was performed in attempt to solve some difficulties if necessary as well as auto‐control test and RH‐KEL phenotyping when possible to help antibodies identification.

Results

A total of 832 patients were included, 51.6% of whom were female, and the median (IQR) age was 34 (20–49) years. Of these, 43.7% had chronic kidney disease and 20.4% were sickle cell patients. The median (IQR) number of immunisation episodes (blood transfusion and pregnancies) was 3 (2–6) with the median (IQR) number of blood units received per patient of 2 (1–5). The proportion of patients with RBCs antibodies was 6.4% (53/832), with mainly anti‐Rh antibodies. A combination of 2 antibodies was found in 7 patients and a combination of 3 antibodies in one patient. Antibodies of unknown specificity (AUS) were encountered in 29%. Independent factors associated with antibody positivity were age (OR = 1.02; p = 0.026), sickle cell disease (OR = 3.23; p = 0.017) and receiving more than 10 blood units (OR = 7.33; p = 0.01).

Conclusion

In this study, the proportion of patients with RBC antibodies was quite similar to that observed in Sub‐Saharan African countries. However, the availability and accessibility of pre‐transfusion compatibility tests as well as the quality of methods used should be improved to ensure the safety of blood transfusions.
Labour market rigidity and trade margins
Authors: Bista Rishav , Sawyer W. Charles
Published: March 2023

Countries differ, sometimes significantly, regarding their basic labour market structure. Despite the prevalence of theoretical literature, empirical studies examining the impact of labour market rigidity (LMR) on trade is sparse. Existing empirical studies have been limited to aggregate trade flows with cross‐sectional estimations; a limited set of countries (e.g. OECD or Latin America) or to the period after 1990. We utilise a gravity model of trade to examine the impact of LMR on exports for 145 countries between 1964 and 2004. We utilise dis‐aggregated product‐level trade data and decompose total exports into the extensive and the intensive margin to examine this relationship. We also utilise total aggregate international trade relative to domestic sales, which allows for the identification of LMR‐trade relationship, even in the presence of multilateral trade resistance controls. Finally, we estimate the effect of LMR on exports (and the margins) by focusing on a sample of European OECD countries via the difference‐in‐differences estimation. In all cases, we find that a rigid LMR reduces total exports, and this decrease is driven primarily by the intensive margin. Our findings are relevant as recent studies have found the intensive margin to be more important for long‐run export growth and especially for developing countries.
Mucocutaneous subdermal plexus flap for complete excision of a malignant dermal and conjunctival melanoma in a dog
Authors: Kaminsky Mihal , Hoffman Allison , Ellis Angela E.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

To perform a reconstructive blepharoplasty to obtain complete surgical excision of a darkly pigmented raised conjunctival‐eyelid mass of the lower eyelid in a dog.

Animal studied

A 7‐year‐old, female‐spayed, Yorkshire Terrier was evaluated for a slowly progressive, dark brown‐to‐black raised mass of the lower left eyelid. Sampling of the mass via fine‐needle aspirate or incisional biopsy was declined, and an excision of the mass with the goal to obtain complete margins and maintain normal eyelid function with cosmesis was elected.

Procedures

The lower palpebral conjunctival‐eyelid pigmented mass was excised en bloc and the lower eyelid was reconstructed with a mucocutaneous subdermal plexus flap.

Results

Histopathology revealed a malignant dermal and conjunctivalmelanoma excised with complete margins (1–2 mm). Short‐term complications included corneal ulceration and eschar formation, which resolved completely at the 1‐month follow‐up. Long‐term complications included mild trichiasis with epiphora and porphyrin staining. Tumor recurrence was not observed during an 8‐month follow‐up period.

Conclusions

The en bloc excision with mucocutaneous subdermal plexus flap was successful in obtaining complete surgical margins for a malignant conjunctival‐eyelid melanoma. An excellent functional and cosmetic outcome was achieved without tumor recurrence during an 8‐month follow‐up period. A mucocutaneous subdermal plexus flap can be considered as a surgical option for malignant melanoma of the lower eyelid.
Two new species of Cunaxa (Acariformes: Cunaxidae) from China
Authors: Chen Jian-Xin , Yao Mao-Yuan , Yi Tian-Ci , Guo Jian-Jun , Daochao Jin
Published: March 2023

Two new species of genus Cunaxa, namely, C. papilla Chen & Jin sp. nov. and C. striata Chen & Jin sp. nov. are described and illustrated. C. papilla Chen & Jin sp. nov. was collected in Ruyuan Yao Autonomous County, Shaoguan City, Guangdong province, China. It’s similar to C. magoebaensis Den Heyer, 1979, but differs from it by the long finger-like apophysis on the palp telofemur, propodosomal shield with fine papillae and c1, c2, d1, e1, f1 and h1 situated on small platelets. C. striata Chen & Jin sp. nov. was collected in Qingchuan County, Sichuan province and Zhaoqing City, Guangdong province, China. It’s similar to C. yaylensis Sergeyenko, 2009, but differs from it by the propodosomal shield with broken striae, c1 longer than or equal to f1 and h1 in length, f1 extending beyond the base of h1 and two pairs of hysterogastral setae (hgs1–hgs2). A key to adult females of Cunaxa species of the China is provided.
Lateralization of interaural time differences with mixed rates of stimulation in bilateral cochlear implant listeners
Authors: Thakkar Tanvi , Kan Alan , Litovsky Ruth Y.
Published: March 2023

While listeners with bilateral cochlear implants (BiCIs) are able to access information in both ears, they still struggle to perform well on spatial hearing tasks when compared to normal hearing listeners. This performance gap could be attributed to the high stimulation rates used for speech representation in clinical processors. Prior work has shown that spatial cues, such as interaural time differences (ITDs), are best conveyed at low rates. Further, BiCI listeners are sensitive to ITDs with a mixture of high and low rates. However, it remains unclear whether mixed-rate stimuli are perceived as unitary percepts and spatially mapped to intracranial locations. Here, electrical pulse trains were presented on five, interaurally pitch-matched electrode pairs using research processors, at either uniformly high rates, low rates, or mixed rates. Eight post-lingually deafened adults were tested on perceived intracranial lateralization of ITDs ranging from 50 to 1600 μs. Extent of lateralization depended on the location of low-rate stimulation along the electrode array: greatest in the low- and mixed-rate configurations, and smallest in the high-rate configuration. All but one listener perceived a unitary auditory object. These findings suggest that a mixed-rate processing strategy can result in good lateralization and convey a unitary auditory object with ITDs.
Strength and Conditioning in U.S. Schools: A Qualitative Investigation of Physical Educators’ Socialization and Professional Experiences
Authors: Kern Ben D. , Bellar David , Wilson Wesley J. , Rasheed Samiyah
Published: March 2023

Purpose: To examine socialization experiences of physical educators who deliver strength and conditioning (S&C) programming, particularly the development of subjective theories, expertise, orientations, and perceived mattering. Methods: Thirty-one secondary school physical educators providing S&C instruction/supervision as part of required duties completed in-depth interviews with Occupational Socialization Theory as a guiding framework for analysis. Results: Themes developed were (a) acculturation and organizational socialization influence beliefs, (b) S&C professional development is scarce, (c) S&C in physical education is a sporting endeavor, (d) blurred lines between teaching and coaching, and (e) S&C-related programs matter. Discussion: Physical educators delivering S&C programming lack adequate preservice preparation and professional development, and experience both role conflict and decreased marginalization. Physical education teacher education programs should offer more formal S&C training for safe and effective instruction/supervision. Schools should provide S&C-related professional development to maximize student learning and safety and avoid potential legal liability.
Athlete–Student–Influencer: How the Introduction of Name, Image, and Likeness in Intercollegiate Athletics Further Complicates Applications of Role Theory
Authors: Fridley Alison , Springer Daniel , Stokowski Sarah , Anderson Arden
Published: March 2023

The revered tradition of amateurism has transformed due to legal and legislative challenges initiated by the name, image, and likeness landscape. In contrast to the traditional National Collegiate Athletic Association model, college athletes have now gained the opportunity to benefit financially from their notoriety by adopting an influencer role. The purpose of this manuscript was to explore the conceptual and theoretical shifts resulting from the introduction of the influencer role, considering the existing literature on athlete–student role theory. By achieving harmony between the athlete, student, and influencer roles, athletes should produce the most significant gains in each area, including academic performance, athletic achievement, and monetary benefit. However, greater psychological and sociological consequences may emerge for athletes if the influencer role further complicates the conflict between their athlete and student roles.
O
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variant chip to simulate site-specific skeletogenesis from hypoxic bone marrow
Authors: Kim Hye-Seon , Ha Hyun-Su , Kim Dae-Hyun , Son Deok Hyeon , Baek Sewoom , Park Jeongeun , Lee Chan Hee , Park Suji , Yoon Hyo-Jin , Yu Seung Eun , Kang Jeon Il , Park Kyung Min , Shin Young Min , Lee Jung Bok , Sung Hak-Joon
Published: March 2023

The stemness of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) is maintained by hypoxia. The oxygen level increases from vessel-free cartilage to hypoxic bone marrow and, furthermore, to vascularized bone, which might direct the chondrogenesis to osteogenesis and regenerate the skeletal system. Hence, oxygen was diffused from relatively low to high levels throughout a three-dimensional chip. When we cultured BMSCs in the chip and implanted them into the rabbit defect models of low-oxygen cartilage and high-oxygen calvaria bone, (i) the low oxygen level (base) promoted stemness and chondrogenesis of BMSCs with robust antioxidative potential; (ii) the middle level (two times ≥ low) pushed BMSCs to quiescence; and (iii) the high level (four times ≥ low) promoted osteogenesis by disturbing the redox balance and stemness. Last, endochondral or intramembranous osteogenesis upon transition from low to high oxygen in vivo suggests a developmental mechanism–driven solution to promote chondrogenesis to osteogenesis in the skeletal system by regulating the oxygen environment.
MGIT-seq for the Identification of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria and Drug Resistance: a Prospective Study
Authors: Fukushima Kiyoharu , Matsumoto Yuki , Matsuki Takanori , Saito Haruko , Motooka Daisuke , Komukai Sho , Fukui Eriko , Yamuchi June , Nitta Tadayoshi , Niitsu Takayuki , Abe Yuko , Nabeshima Hiroshi , Nagahama Yasuharu , Nii Takuro , Tsujino Kazuyuki , Miki Keisuke , Kitada Seigo , Kumanogoh Atsushi , Akira Shizuo , Nakamura Shota , Kida Hiroshi
Published: March 2023

Because nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease is a considerable health burden, a simple and clinically applicable analytical protocol enabling the identification of subspecies and drug-resistant disease is required to determine the treatment strategy. We aimed to develop a simplified workflow consisting only of direct sequencing of mycobacterial growth indicator tube cultures (MGIT-seq).
Precise Measurement of the Stoichiometry of the Adaptive Bacterial Flagellar Switch
Authors: Tao Antai , Liu Guangzhe , Zhang Rongjing , Yuan Junhua
Published: March 2023

The bacterial flagellar switch can undergo adaptive remodeling in response to changes in motor rotation direction, thereby shifting its operating point to match the output of the chemotaxis signaling pathway. However, it remains unclear how the flagellar switch accomplishes this adaptive remodeling.
Identification of Efflux Substrates Using a Riboswitch-Based Reporter in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Urdaneta-Páez Verónica , Hamchand Randy , Anthony Karen , Crawford Jason , Sutherland Alan G. , Kazmierczak Barbara I.
Published: March 2023

Treatment of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
infections has become increasingly challenging. The development of novel antibiotics against this multidrug-resistant bacterium is a priority, but many drug candidates never achieve effective concentrations in the bacterial cell due to its highly restrictive outer membrane and the action of multiple efflux pumps.
Clonal Changes in the Pneumococcal Population Carried by Portuguese Children during Six Years of Private Use of the 13-Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine: the Relative Contribution of Clonal Expansion, Clonal Emergence, and Capsular Switch Events
Authors: Candeias Catarina , Félix Sofia , Handem Sara , de Lencastre Hermínia , Sá-Leão Raquel
Published: March 2023

Streptococcus pneumoniae
(pneumococcus) is a major human respiratory pathogen linked with high morbidity, mortality, and health care-associated costs worldwide. This bacterium often colonizes asymptomatically healthy children.
The Real-World Clinical Impact of Plasma mNGS Testing: an Observational Study
Authors: Han Dongsheng , Yu Fei , Zhang Dan , Yang Qing , Xie Mengxiao , Yuan Lingjun , Zheng Jieyuan , Wang Jingchao , Zhou Jieting , Xiao Yanyan , Zheng Shufa , Chen Yu
Published: March 2023

In this study, we show that although plasma mNGS testing significantly improved the detection rate of tested samples, nearly one in four (24.5%, 48/196) mNGS tests reported organisms were not clinically relevant, emphasizing the importance of cautious interpretation and infectious disease consultation. Moreover, based on clinical adjudication, plasma mNGS testing resulted in no or a negative impact in nearly half (43.5%, 64/147) of patients in the current study, indicating that how best to integrate this advanced method into current infectious disease diagnostic frameworks to maximize its clinical utility in real-world practice is an important question.
Linked Mutations in the Ebola Virus Polymerase Are Associated with Organ Specific Phenotypes
Authors: Dong Xiaofeng , Tree Julia , Banadyga Logan , He Shihua , Zhu Wenjun , Tipton Tom , Gouriet Jade , Qiu Xiangguo , Elmore Michael J. , Hall Yper , Carroll Miles , Hiscox Julian A.
Published: March 2023

Ebola virus infection can have dramatic effects on the human body which manifest in Ebola virus disease. The outcome of infection is either survival or death and in the former group with the potential of longer-term health consequences and persistent infection.
Laurentide Ice Sheet persistence during Pleistocene interglacials
Authors: LeBlanc Danielle E. , Shakun Jeremy D. , Corbett Lee B. , Bierman Paul R. , Caffee Marc W. , Hidy Alan J.
Published: March 2023

While there are no ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere outside of Greenland today, it is uncertain whether this was also the case during most other Quaternary interglacials. We show, using in situ cosmogenic nuclides in ice-rafted debris, that the Laurentide Ice Sheet was likely more persistent during Quaternary interglacials than often thought. Low 26Al/10Be ratios (indicative of burial of the source area) in marine core sediment suggest sediment source areas experienced only brief (on the order of thousands of years) and/or infrequent ice-free interglacials over the past million years. These results imply that complete Laurentide deglaciation may have only occurred when climate forcings reached levels comparable to those of the early Holocene, making our current interglacial unusual relative to others of the mid-to-late Pleistocene.
Effect of community health worker home visits on antenatal care and institutional delivery: an analysis of secondary outcomes from a cluster randomised trial in Mali
Authors: Kayentao Kassoum , Ghosh Rakesh , Guindo Lamine , Whidden Caroline , Treleaven Emily , Chiu Calvin , Lassala Diego , Traoré Mohamed Bana , Beckerman Jessica , Diakité Djoumé , Tembely Aly , Idriss Ben Moulaye , Berthé Mohamed , Liu Jenny X , Johnson Ari
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Though community health workers (CHWs) have improved access to antenatal care (ANC) and institutional delivery in different settings, it is unclear what package and delivery strategy maximises impact.

Methods

This study reports a secondary aim of the Proactive Community Case Management cluster randomised trial, conducted between December 2016 and April 2020 in Mali. It evaluated whether proactive home visits can improve ANC access at a population level compared with passive site-based care. 137 unique village clusters, covering the entire study area, were stratified by health catchment area and distance to the nearest primary health centre. Within each stratum, clusters were randomly assigned to intervention or control arm. CHWs in intervention clusters proactively visited all homes to provide care. In the control clusters, CHWs provided the same services at their fixed community health post to care-seeking patients. Pregnant women 15–49 years old were enrolled in a series of community-based and facility-based visits. We analysed individual-level annual survey data from baseline and 24-month and 36-month follow-up for the secondary outcomes of ANC and institutional delivery, complemented with CHW monitoring data during the trial period. We compared outcomes between: (1) the intervention and control arms, and (2) the intervention period and baseline.

Results

With 2576 and 2536 pregnancies from 66 and 65 clusters in the intervention and control arms, respectively, the estimated risk ratios for receiving any ANC was 1.05 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.07), four or more ANC visits was 1.25 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.43) and ANC initiated in the first trimester was 1.11 (95% CI 1.02 to 1.19), relative to the controls; no differences in institutional delivery were found. However, both arms achieved large improvements in institutional delivery, compared with baseline. Monitoring data show that 19% and 2% of registered pregnancies received at least eight ANC contacts in the intervention and control arms, respectively. Six clusters, three from each arm had to be dropped in the last 2 years of the trial.

Conclusions

Proactive home visits increased ANC and the number of antenatal contacts at the clinic and community levels. ANC and institutional delivery can be increased when provided without fees from professional CHWs in upgraded primary care clinics.

Trial registration number

NCT02694055.
Improving rural and regional access to long-acting reversible contraception and medical abortion through nurse-led models of care, task-sharing and telehealth (ORIENT): a protocol for a stepped-wedge pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial in Australian general practice
Authors: Mazza Danielle , Shankar Mridula , Botfield Jessica R , Moulton Jessica E , Chakraborty Samantha Paubrey , Black Kirsten , Tomnay Jane , Bateson Deborah , Church Jody , Laba Tracey-Lea , Kasza Jessica , Norman Wendy V
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Women living in rural and regional Australia often experience difficulties in accessing long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) and medical abortion services. Nurse-led models of care can improve access to these services but have not been evaluated in Australian general practice. The primary aim of the ORIENT trial (ImprOving Rural and regIonal accEss to long acting reversible contraceptioN and medical abortion through nurse-led models of care, Tasksharing and telehealth) is to assess the effectiveness of a nurse-led model of care in general practice at increasing uptake of LARC and improving access to medical abortion in rural and regional areas.

Methods and analysis

ORIENT is a stepped-wedge pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial. We will enrol 32 general practices (clusters) in rural or regional Australia, that have at least two general practitioners, one practice nurse and one practice manager. The nurse-led model of care (the intervention) will be codesigned with key women’s health stakeholders. Clusters will be randomised to implement the model sequentially, with the comparator being usual care. Clusters will receive implementation support through clinical upskilling, educational outreach and engagement in an online community of practice. The primary outcome is the change in the rate of LARC prescribing comparing control and intervention phases; secondary outcomes include change in the rate of medical abortion prescribing and provision of related telehealth services. A within-trial economic analysis will determine the relative costs and benefits of the model on the prescribing rates of LARC and medical abortion compared with usual care. A realist evaluation will provide contextual information regarding model implementation informing considerations for scale-up. Supporting nurses to work to their full scope of practice has the potential to increase LARC and medical abortion access in rural and regional Australia.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was obtained from the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (Project ID: 29476). Findings will be disseminated via multiple avenues including a knowledge exchange workshop, policy briefs, conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.

Trial registration number

This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12622000086763).
Smoking cessation interventions for US adults with disabilities: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Schulz Jonathan A , Atwood Gary S , Regnier Sean D , Mullis Lindsey C , Nugent Austin , Erath Tyler G , Villanti Andrea C
Published: March 2023

Introduction

People with disabilities have a higher prevalence of cigarette smoking than people without disabilities. However, little information exists on smoking cessation interventions tailored to address the unique needs of people with disabilities. This paper describes a systematic review protocol to identify and evaluate tobacco smoking cessation interventions designed to improve outcomes for people with disabilities.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a systematic review of the literature using the procedures outlined by Cochrane. We will search four electronic databases (CINAHL Plus (EBSCO), Embase (Ovid), Medline (Ovid) and PsycINFO (Ovid)) with no date restriction to identify tobacco cessation interventions tailored to meet the needs of people with disabilities. We will extract data and assess risk of bias using the RoB2 and ROBINS-I for included studies using Covidence systematic review software. Quantitative and qualitative syntheses will summarise key study characteristics and outcomes with text, tables and forest plots; a meta-analysis will be conducted, if appropriate.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required as there are no primary data associated with the study. Data will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed articles and conference presentations.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022337434.
Partnering to build surgical capacity in low-resource settings: a qualitative study of Canadian global surgeons
Authors: Khalid Muhammad Uzair , Mac Amanda , Biderman Maya , Errett Lee , Sriharan Abi
Published: March 2023

Objectives

This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of Canadian global surgeons with experience developing surgical education partnerships with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) for the purpose of identifying factors for success.

Design

A purposive sample of leaders from global surgery programmes at Canadian Faculties of Medicine participated in virtual semi-structured interviews. A six-phase thematic analysis was performed using a constructivist lens on verbatim transcripts by three independent researchers. Key factors for success were thematically collated with constant comparison and inter-investigator triangulation in NVivo software until theoretical saturation was reached.

Participants

Fifteen surgeons, representing 11 subspecialties at 6 Canadian academic institutions and a combined experience across 6 continents, were interviewed between January and June 2022.

Results

Four facilitators for success of global surgery training programmes were identified, with a strong undertone of relationship-building permeating all subthemes: (1) facilitative skill sets and infrastructure, (2) longitudinal engagement, (3) local ownership and (4) interpersonal humility. Participants defined facilitative skill sets to include demonstrated surgical competence and facilitative infrastructure to include pre-existing local networks, language congruency, sustainable funding and support from external organisations. They perceived longitudinal engagement as spanning multiple trips, enabled by strong personal motivation and arrangements at their home institutions. Ownership of projects by local champions, including in research output, was noted as key to preventing brain drain and catalysing a ripple effect of surgical trainees. Finally, interviewees emphasised interpersonal humility as being crucial to decolonising the institution of global surgery with cultural competence, reflexivity and sustainability.

Conclusions

The interviewed surgeons perceived strong cross-cultural relationships as fundamental to all other dimensions of success when working in low-resource capacity-building. While this study presents a comprehensive Canadian perspective informed by high-profile leadership in global surgery, a parallel study highlighting LMIC-partners’ perspectives will be critical to a more complete understanding of programme success.
Facilitating workplace grief through an organic office ‘Last Office’ session for bereaved employees
Authors: Patinadan Paul Victor , Teo Winnie
Published: March 2023

Background

Grief and loss in the workplace setting often entail a culture of silence, which can be detrimental to the psychosocial and emotional functioning of the work unit. Oftentimes, in an effort to maintain the role of ‘consummate professionals’, expressions of negative emotions are suppressed to avoid awkwardness. However, employees are not automatons that can freely leave their emotions at the office lobby and then begin work. This piece details the experience of losing a long-time colleague and one team’s efforts in aiding the organic development of a brief grief intervention for psychosocial care.

Method

Named the Office ‘Last Office’, this process sought to (1) acknowledge the loss, (2) unpack emotions and (3) honour the memory of the deceased coworker and culminated with the (4) practical removal of their personal effects from their workstation for return to the family.

Conclusion

This brief intervention borrows from the respectful sensitivity of the ‘Last Office’ or ‘Laying Out’ practice that nurses employ when working with the recently deceased and is a first step to informing and changing the current vocational climate regarding acknowledging grief within a workplace setting.
Reinterpretation of a major terrane boundary in the northern Svalbard Caledonides based on metamorphic fingerprinting of rocks in northern Spitsbergen
Authors: Bazarnik Jakub , Kośmińska Karolina , McClelland William C. , Strauss Justin V. , Piepjohn Karsten , Elvevold Synnøve , Zieliński Grzegorz , Majka Jarosław
Published: March 2023

Tectonic models for development of the Svalbard Caledonides depend on reliable assessment of the metamorphic evolution of the various basement provinces involved. The Mosselhalvøya Group (MG) and the Atomfjella Complex (AC) have previously been assigned to the Nordaustlandet and West Ny-Friesland terranes, respectively. New analytical data and petrographic observations indicate that both units experienced two-stage metamorphism under similar pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions. Two stages of amphibolite facies metamorphism (M1 and M2) are clearly recorded by garnet and staurolite porphyroblast textures. The results of thermodynamic phase equilibrium modeling indicate that peak M2 metamorphism occurred at ∼7–7.5 kbar and 590–600 °C in both units. Zirconium-in-rutile trace element thermometry confirms the temperature estimates for M1 and M2 stages of metamorphism. Monazite chemical Th-U-Pb dates from the MG resolve a two-stage garnet growth at 444 ± 7 Ma (M1) and 423 ± 6 Ma (M2). In contrast, monazite dated in the AC defines a single age of 420 ± 4 Ma interpreted as M2 growth. We suggest M2 was coeval with early strike-slip motion along the Billefjorden Fault Zone, whereas M1 reflects initial tectonic burial of the studied units. The similarity in metamorphic history between the both units suggests that the boundary between them is a subordinate thrust fault within the Atomfjella thrust stack rather than a major boundary separating the Nordaustlandet and West Ny-Friesland terranes. The MG should be included within the West Ny-Friesland terrane and the tectonic boundary with the Nordaustlandet terrane is likely the Eolussletta Shear Zone.
High-speed railway-based fast logistics service network design problem
Authors: Li Wenjun , Yang Shihao
Published: March 2023

Different from the conventional logistics service network design problem, we design a fast logistics service network based on high-speed railway. An integrative optimization model which is applicable for solving practical problems is established. This paper simultaneously considers three subproblems: Train timetabling, freight flow assignment and electrical multiple units (EMU) routing plan, in which the objectives are simultaneous to minimize the total train travel time, the operation cost and transportation cost of freight transport, the number of freight EMU and the number of maintenance tasks. The constraints imposed in the model include space-time path resource assignment restriction, node operation capability, train safety interval time, train connection time restriction, freight service time window, train loading capacity restriction and EMU routing restriction. Based on the thoughts of divide and conquer, the original problem is decomposed by using the decomposition mechanism of the Lagrange relaxation algorithm to solve the integrated optimization model. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the model and algorithm proposed in this paper, a case study is conducted based on Harbin Dalian high-speed railway.
A structured CoWO4 synthesized by microwave-assisted hydrothermal process as electrode for hybrid supercapacitor
Authors: Liu Sen , Sun Yin , Zhang Junjie , Guo Likui , Xie Changbo , Ma Jin , Chen Yichong , Jin Haoqu , Sun Xiannian , Huang Naibao
Published: March 2023

A structured carambola-like CoWO4 was fast prepared by a microwave-assisted hydrothermal method with the help of urea and NH4F. Physical characterization indicated that the as-obtained CoWO4 displayed a large specific surface area, high dispersion and self-selected orientation of crystal growth. Further electrochemical tests presented a high specific capacity of 492.0 C[Formula: see text]⋅[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text] at 1 A[Formula: see text]⋅[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text], low internal resistance and excellent cycle stability as 137.3% capacity maintenance after 8000 cycles at 20 A[Formula: see text]⋅[Formula: see text]g[Formula: see text]. These excellent electrochemical properties for the as-obtained material indicate that CoWO4 has great potential as hybrid supercapacitor electrode materials. This work also provides a new and effective solution for regulating the morphology of CoWO4-based hybrid supercapacitor materials to further improve the electrochemical performance.