bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ANALISIS LAPORAN KEUANGAN UNTUK MENILAI KINERJA KEUANGAN PERUSAHAAN TELEKOMUNIKASI
Authors: Apriani Mia , Lestari Nurlaela Eva Puji , Hidayat Aris
Published: November 2023

Pertumbuhan pesat industri telekomunikasi dan persaingan sengit membuat penilaian kinerja keuangan perusahaan telekomunikasi semakin penting. Penelitian ini melakukan analisis terhadap kinerja keuangan perusahaan telekomunikasi yang terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI) pada periode 2018-2022 dengan fokus khusus pada analisis rasio likuiditas. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah mengidentifikasi perusahaan yang memiliki kinerja keuangan yang optimal dan memahami perkembangan posisi keuangan mereka. Pendekatan deskriptif kuantitatif non-statistik diterapkan diterapkan pada penelitian ini. Data keuangan dari lima perusahaan telekomunikasi terdaftar di BEI dikumpulkan dan dianalisis untuk menilai kinerja likuiditas selama periode penelitian. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan PT. Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk memiliki kinerja likuiditas terbaik dengan peningkatan kas dan setara kas dari 2018 hingga 2022. Namun, perusahaan lain mengalami fluktuasi dalam rasio likuiditas. Untuk meningkatkan kinerja likuiditas, perusahaan-perusahaan tersebut perlu mengoptimalkan penggunaan aset lancar, memantau utang lancar, dan memperbaiki siklus kas. Penelitian ini memberikan gambaran tentang kinerja keuangan perusahaan telekomunikasi di BEI dan dapat digunakan oleh investor dalam pengambilan keputusan investasi. PT. Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk menunjukkan kinerja likuiditas terbaik, sementara perusahaan lain perlu meningkatkan kinerja likuiditas mereka.
How collections and reputation were built out of Tasmanian violence: thylacines (Thylacinus cynocephalus) and Aboriginal remains from Morton Allport (1830–1878)
Authors: Ashby Jack
Published: November 2023

Through European colonization, First Nations peoples were subjected to systematic and violent actions to dispossess them of their land and sovereignty. In Tasmania, this involved government-sponsored bounties as well as militaristic and diplomatic efforts to remove Indigenous peoples from the landscape.

At the same time, and using similar rhetoric, thylacines ( Thylacinus cynocephalus (Harris, 1808)) suffered similarly from settler colonists. Thylacines (also known as Tasmanian tigers or Tasmanian wolves) were the largest marsupial carnivores of modern times, but became extinct in the twentieth century. There are several parallels between the treatment and representation of thylacines and Indigenous Tasmanian people, and how their remains were traded. This allows for analysis of how the environmental and human costs of the colonial project were enmeshed with practices of natural history.

A central figure in the export of both thylacines and Indigenous remains from Tasmania was Morton Allport (1830–1878). This paper shows that Allport actively built his scientific reputation by exchanging specimens for honours. It asks whether this was a widespread model for other colonial figures who may have used specimen-based philanthropy to develop a form of soft power through associations with respected institutions such as learned societies, universities and museums. Figures like Allport played the role of a type of colonial settler-intermediary, valued for providing privileged access to specimens to the metropole.

Allport also worked to augment scientific work in Tasmania and the economic reputation of the colony, demonstrating that the development of social networks and scientific reputations of colonial figures were entwined with the status and success of the colonies themselves.
The illustrated natural history lectures of Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins given in Britain, 1850s–1880s
Authors: Fallon Richard
Published: November 2023

Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins (1807–1894), celebrated in Britain and the United States for his models and illustrations of extinct animals, also had an extensive lecturing career. This paper discusses the reports of Hawkins’s lectures in Britain, delivered between the 1850s and the early 1880s. Unabbreviated transcriptions of his lectures are rare, but newspaper reports are numerous. Hawkins spoke on comparative anatomy, geology, palaeontology and art, his most prominent themes being the origin of dragon myths and the impossibility of human evolution. Above all, he was known for his ability to sketch natural forms rapidly and accurately as he spoke. Hawkins saw significant success in metropolitan centres, but he also built rewarding relationships with provincial towns. This allowed for substantial engagement with civic scientific communities, whose fossil specimens were used by Hawkins and whose local science initiatives were promoted in press accounts of his lectures. Hawkins’s fervent anti-evolutionism aroused attention, although his alternative explanation of life’s development, “the unity of plan”, led to some confusion, and he became embittered by the spread of evolutionary naturalism. Hawkins’s career faded in the 1880s, but memories of his lecturing style lingered with audiences at the century’s close.
René-Edouard Claparède (1832–1871), Genevan naturalist and early adopter of Darwin's theory of evolution
Authors: Hollier John , Hollier Anita
Published: November 2023

René-Edouard Claparède was a ground-breaking Swiss naturalist specializing primarily in invertebrate embryology and the study of Protista and Annelida. While a student in Berlin he was encouraged by Christian Ehrenberg to use the latest microscopes and became renowned as a skilful observer and illustrator of the smallest organisms then known and of tiny anatomical details. A popular lecturer in zoology and comparative anatomy in his home town of Geneva, he nonetheless encountered difficulties in that city, still considered the “Protestant Rome”, due to his strong support for Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. His involvement in the first French translation of On the origin of species ( Darwin 1862 ) proved problematic too, although his remark, “It is better to be an improved ape than a degenerate Adam,” became a catchphrase in discussions of this contentious debate. Premature death meant that Claparède's work was quickly surpassed in many areas, but the diversity of his many publications, given here in the most complete bibliography compiled to date, is a testament to a widely respected, although overshadowed, naturalist.
The First and Lowest Operation of Pain: C.S. Lewis and His Image of ‘God’s Megaphone’ for Human Suffering
Authors: Smilde Arend
Published: November 2023

C.S. Lewis’s metaphor of ‘God’s megaphone’, an image he employed to illustrate an idea about human suffering, appears at a certain stage of his argument in the central chapter (ch. 6) of his first work of popular theology, The Problem of Pain (1940). Among the numerous images invoked throughout his writings, none perhaps is more widely known than this. From the earliest book-length study of Lewis (1949) onward, numerous quotations, allusions, and discussions that include the image of the megaphone can be found in the literature on Lewis and elsewhere; in 1957 the Dutch translation of Lewis’s book was published under the title Gods megafoon. While it would take a comprehensive reception history of The Problem of Pain for any definitive claims to be possible, the history of the ‘megaphone’ as cited in the literature suggests that this image has dominated perceptions of the book’s overall argument. The present essay will attempt to show that this dominance is a fact, and argues that this dominance finds no support in Lewis’s original argument.
Secondary teachers’ geometrical figure apprehension: their ability to construct geometrical proof and to predict students’ difficulties
Authors: Gagatsis Athanasios , Geitona Zoi , Panaoura Rita , Elia Iliada
Published: November 2023

The present study investigates in-service secondary teachers’ geometrical figure apprehension in relation to their ability to construct geometrical proofs and to predict didactically their students’ difficulties and mistakes. The theoretical framework of analysis is based on Duval’s geometrical figure apprehension which was taught to the teachers as part of an in-service training course in didactics of mathematics, offered by one of the researchers. As part of the course final assessment, a written test consisting of various geometrical tasks was constructed and administered to the sample. Participants’ answers in both solving and interpreting difficulties related to the tasks were analyzed. The results of the study indicate that theories and concepts of didactics of geometry can shed light to various facets of teaching and learning of geometry. A teacher who presents a correct solution at a task does not necessarily identify or understand the possible difficulties faced by students. Discussion concentrates on teaching implications about geometry and geometrical proof.
Mengurai Sejarah Perjuangan Pahlawan Bangsa Indonesia Sebagai Penguatan Nasionalisme Generasi Muda Pasca Pandemi
Authors: Nur Nafisa Salsabila  , Agus Danugroho
Published: November 2023

Tulisan ini mengkaji bagaimana melihat dan menguraikan sejarah perjuangan pahlawan bangsa Indonesia sebagai strategi menguatkan nasionalisme pada generasi muda di masa pasca pandemi. Tonggak perjuangan selalu menimbulkan bekas luka hitam, kemerdekaan tentunya akan memberikan tuntutan dan pra-pasca kondisi yang tentunya berbeda-beda sesuai dengan keadaan dan tuntutan zaman. Dari generasi awal hingga generasi selanjutnya haruslah mengestafetkan bagaiaman nilai-nilai kemerdekaan yang dilakukan. Saat ini, generasi muda untuk memimpin kearah mana Indonesia ini akan bersandar. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kualitatif deskriptif dengan menggunakan kacamata sejarah dalam menguraikan berbagai peristiwa. Hasil dalam tulisan ini adalah meskipun kita tidak dapat mencegah serangan kapitalis, kita para generasi muda masih memiliki potensi luar biasa untuk menjadi sangat efektif dalam menyelesaikan problem yang menerpa harga diri, identitas nasional dan semangat kebangsaan yang harus permanen. Kebanggaan nasional mutlak harus dilestarikan untuk memudahkan jalan menuju kemerdekaan bangsa yang benar-benar matang. Generasi muda harus yakin bahwa bangsa kita akan membebaskan diri dari perbudakan hal-hal yang mempengaruhi identitas dan kebanggaan bangsa Indonesia.
Comparison of continuous popliteal nerve blocks using lidocaine vs. bupivacaine infusions for ambulatory foot surgery: a randomized, double-blind, noninferiority trial
Authors: Echevarría Ghislaine , Altermatt Fernando R. , Miranda Pablo , Araneda Andrea , Corvetto Marcia , de la Fuente René , De la Cuadra Juan C.
Published: November 2023

Background and objectives

Continuous sciatic popliteal nerve block effectively manages pain after ankle and foot surgery. Most studies on continuous infusion of local anesthetics by perineural catheters have been made with bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, and ropivacaine, but lidocaine has not been used. The main objective of this study was to compare the quality of analgesia, motor function, and side effects between lidocaine and bupivacaine infusions in bilateral continuous popliteal nerve blocks for foot surgery.

Methods

This was a prospective, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, noninferiority study. We enrolled 70 patients undergoing bilateral foot or ankle surgery that could be performed under general anesthesia and continuous regional analgesia using sciatic popliteal nerve blocks. During their postoperative care, they were randomized into 2 groups: group lidocaine (lidocaine 0.5%, 5 ml/h) or group bupivacaine (bupivacaine 0.1%, 5 ml/h), administered through elastomeric pumps. The primary outcome was pain at 24 h after surgery, assessed by a verbal numeric rating scale (ranging from 0 to 10). A pre-specified non-inferiority margin of 1.5 was defined. Secondary outcomes were the degree of motor and sensitive block, total opioid use, and difficulties with pump or catheter management.

Results

The mean postoperative pain at 24 h of surgery was 2.06 (95% bootstrap confidence interval bCI 1.29, 2.83) and 1.82 (95% bCI 1.02, 2.62) in the lidocaine and bupivacaine group, respectively. The upper limit of the 95% bCI for the mean difference between lidocaine and bupivacaine was 0.82, declaring non-inferiority. No differences in the postoperative rescue analgesia use and satisfaction with care were found. No differences in postoperative NRS, sensory block and motor block were seen between groups.

Conclusions

Lidocaine 0.5% and bupivacaine 0.1% provide similar postoperative analgesia through a sciatic popliteal catheter in ambulatory bilateral foot surgery patients.

Clinical Trial Registration

https://clinicaltrials.gov/, identifier: NCT02121119
Developing rapid electrochemical relithiation protocols for scalable relithiation of lithium-ion battery cathode materials
Authors: Verma Ankit , Colclasure Andrew M. , Coyle Jaclyn
Published: November 2023

The recent and ongoing boom in electric vehicle sales has caused the circularity of the supply chain for electric vehicle battery materials to come under a great deal of scrutiny. Innovative recycling processes, or direct recycling, that offer the possibility of reducing the cost of recycling are one possible solution to regaining resources from end-of-life (EoL) electric vehicle batteries. Electrochemically shuttling lithium back into the cathode, or electrochemical relithiation, is a possible technique for restoring lithium content to NMC materials (EoL) in a direct recycling process. This study provides essential understanding towards developing an electrochemical relithiation protocol that will restore lithium loss in intercalation cathode materials that reach EoL by loss of lithium inventory (LLI) as opposed to other degradation mechanisms like loss of active material (LAM), cation mixing or phase transition. Electrochemically aged NMC cathode materials have been prepared and characterized to establish the extent of EoL material structural degradation and lithium loss. A model-informed experimental process is used to identify the optimal electrochemical relithiation protocol to minimize the time taken to relithiate EoL materials and maximize the amount of lithium restored. Protocols were evaluated based on their ability to enable rapid lithium intercalation, maintain structural uniformity in the EoL material and fully restore lithium content. An optimal protocol was identified at elevated temperatures utilizing a novel scanning voltage step.
The effect of nodal connectivity and strut density within stochastic titanium scaffolds on osteogenesis
Authors: Kechagias Stylianos , Theodoridis Konstantinos , Broomfield Joseph , Malpartida-Cardenas Kenny , Reid Ruth , Georgiou Pantelis , van Arkel Richard J. , Jeffers Jonathan R. T.
Published: November 2023

Modern orthopaedic implants use lattice structures that act as 3D scaffolds to enhance bone growth into and around implants. Stochastic scaffolds are of particular interest as they mimic the architecture of trabecular bone and can combine isotropic properties and adjustable structure. The existing research mainly concentrates on controlling the mechanical and biological performance of periodic lattices by adjusting pore size and shape. Still, less is known on how we can control the performance of stochastic lattices through their design parameters: nodal connectivity, strut density and strut thickness. To elucidate this, four lattice structures were evaluated with varied strut densities and connectivity, hence different local geometry and mechanical properties: low apparent modulus, high apparent modulus, and two with near-identical modulus. Pre-osteoblast murine cells were seeded on scaffolds and cultured in vitro for 28 days. Cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation were evaluated. Additionally, the expression levels of key osteogenic biomarkers were used to assess the effect of each design parameter on the quality of newly formed tissue. The main finding was that increasing connectivity increased the rate of osteoblast maturation, tissue formation and mineralisation. In detail, doubling the connectivity, over fixed strut density, increased collagen type-I by 140%, increased osteopontin by 130% and osteocalcin by 110%. This was attributed to the increased number of acute angles formed by the numerous connected struts, which facilitated the organization of cells and accelerated the cell cycle. Overall, increasing connectivity and adjusting strut density is a novel technique to design stochastic structures which combine a broad range of biomimetic properties and rapid ossification.
Deciphering the age-dependent changes of pulmonary fibroblasts in mice by single-cell transcriptomics
Authors: Wu Rundong , Zhang Xiaowei , Zhang Xinyuan , Sun Lixiang , Xia Tian , Zhang Ling-Juan
Published: November 2023

Background and objectives: The heterogeneity of pulmonary fibroblasts, a critical aspect of both murine and human models under physiological and pathological conditions, is well-documented. Yet, consensus remains elusive on the subtypes, lineage, biological attributes, signal transduction pathways, and plasticity of these fibroblasts. This ambiguity significantly impedes our understanding of the fibrotic processes that transpire in lung tissue during aging. This study aims to elucidate the transcriptional profiles, differentiation pathways, and potential roles of fibroblasts within aging pulmonary tissue.

Methods: We employed single-cell transcriptomic sequencing via the 10x Genomics platform. The downstream data were processed and analyzed using R packages, including Seurat. Trajectory and stemness of differentiation analyses were conducted using the Monocle2 and CytoTRACE R packages, respectively. Cell interactions were deciphered using the CellChat R package, and the formation of collagen and muscle fibers was identified through Masson and Van Geison staining techniques.

Results: Our analysis captured a total of 22,826 cells, leading to the identification of fibroblasts and various immune cells. We observed a shift in fibroblasts from lipogenic and immune-competent to fibrotic and myofibroblast-like phenotype during the aging process. In the aged stage, fibroblasts exhibited a diminished capacity to express chemokines for immune cells. Experimental validation confirmed an increase of collagen and muscle fiber in the aged compared to young lung tissues. Furthermore, we showed that TGFβ treatment induced a fibrotic, immunodeficient and lipodystrophic transcriptional phenotype in young pulmonary fibroblasts.

Conclusion: We present a comprehensive single-cell transcriptomic landscape of lung tissue from aging mice at various stages, revealing the differentiation trajectory of fibroblasts during aging. Our findings underscore the pivotal role of fibroblasts in the regulation of immune cells, and provide insights into why age increases the risk of pulmonary fibrosis.
Safety and efficacy of Amplatzer duct occluder II and konar-MF™ VSD occluder in the closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects in children weighing less than 10 kg
Authors: Yildiz Kaan , Narin Nazmi , Oksuz Sedef , Ozdemir Rahmi , Pamukcu Ozge , Baykan Ali , Ozyurt Abdullah , Bagli Sedat , Aktas Rasit , Safak Ikbal Nur , Atlan Muhammed Akif , Bayam Yunus Sezer , Karadeniz Cem
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Device closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defects (pmVSD) is a successful off-label treatment alternative. We aim to report and compare the outcomes of pmVSD closure in children weighing less than 10 kg using Amplatzer Duct Occluder II (ADOII) and Konar-MF VSD Occluder (MFO) devices.

Methods

Retrospective clinical data review of 52 children with hemodynamically significant pmVSD, and sent for transcatheter closure using ADOII and MFO, between January 2018 and January 2023. Baseline, procedural, and follow-up data were compared according to the implanted device

Results

ADOII devices were implanted in 22 children with a median age of 11 months (IQR, 4.1–14.7) and weight of 7.4 kg (IQR, 2.7–9.7). MFO devices were implanted in 30 children with a median age of 11 months (IQR, 4.8–16.6) and weight of 8 kg (IQR, 4.1–9.6). ADOII were implanted (retrograde, 68.1%) in defects with a median left ventricular diameter of 4.6 mm (IQR, 3.8–5.7) and right ventricular diameter of 3.5 mm (IQR, 3.1–4.9) while MFO were implanted (antegrade, 63.3%) in defects with a median left ventricular diameter of 7 mm (IQR, 5.2–11.3) (p > 0.05) and right ventricular diameter of 5 mm (IQR, 2.0, 3.5–6.2) (p < 0.05). The procedural and fluoroscopy times were shorter with the MFO device (p < 0.05). On a median follow-up of 41.2 months (IQR, 19.7–49.3), valvular insufficiency was not observed. One 13-month-old child (6.3 kg) with ADOII developed a complete atrioventricular heart block (CAVB) six months postoperative and required pacemaker implantation. One 11-month-old child (5.9 kg) with MFO developed a CAVB 3 days postoperative and the device was removed. At 6 months post-procedure, only one child with MFO still experiences a minor residual shunt. There was one arterio-venous fistula that resolved spontaneously.

Conclusion

Both the MFO and ADOII are effective closure devices in appropriately selected pmVSDs. CAVB can occur with both devices. The MFO is inherently advantageous for defects larger than 6 mm and subaortic rims smaller than 3 mm. In the literature, our series represents the first study comparing the mid-term outcomes of MFO and ADOII devices in children weighing less than 10 kg.
Association between urinary sodium and circulating lipid levels: a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Yuan Chi , Jing Peijia , Jian Zhongyu , Wei Xin
Published: November 2023

Background

Urinary sodium was indicated to be associated with dyslipidemia, but inconsistent conclusions for this association exist across the present observational studies.

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the causal association between urinary sodium and circulating lipid levels [low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)] through Mendelian randomization.

Methods

Univariable Mendelian randomization (UVMR) and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) with pleiotropy-resistant methods were performed. Data for urinary sodium were obtained from the genome-wide association study (GWAS) from 446,237 European individuals. Data for lipid profiles were extracted from GWAS based on the UK Biobank (for the discovery analysis) and the Global Lipids Genetics Consortium (for the replication analysis).

Results

In the discovery analysis, UVMR provided evidence that per 1-unit log-transformed genetically increased urinary sodium was associated with a lower level of HDL-C level (beta = −0.32; 95% CI: −0.43, −0.20; p = 7.25E−08), but not with LDL-C and triglycerides. This effect was still significant in the further MVMR when considering the effect of BMI or the other two lipid contents. In contrast, higher genetically predicted triglycerides could increase urinary sodium in both UVMR (beta = 0.030; 95% CI: 0.020, −0.039; p = 2.12E−10) and MVMR analyses (beta = 0.029; 95% CI: 0.019, 0.037; p = 8.13E−10). Similar results between triglycerides and urinary sodium were found in the replication analysis.

Conclusion

Increased urinary sodium may have weak causal effects on decreased circulating HDL-C levels. Furthermore, genetically higher triglyceride levels may have independent causal effects on increased urinary sodium excretion.
Undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy in Northeast China: prevalence and determinants
Authors: Zang Bo , Rong Shisong , Li Dong , Ding Xiaoxia , Zang Dongxiao , Wang Fenghua , Liang Yuanbo , Zhai Gang , Feng Kemi , Zhou Zixi , Wang Yu
Published: November 2023

Objective

To report the prevalence and contributing factors of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a population from Northeastern China.

Subjects/Methods

A total of 800 subjects from the Fushun Diabetic Retinopathy Cohort Study were enrolled. A questionnaire assessing incentives and barriers to diagnosis of DR was administered. Logistic regression was used to identify clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with undiagnosed DR. In a prespecified subgroup analysis, we divided patients into vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (VTDR) and non-VTDR (NVTDR) subgroups.

Results

Among 800 participants with DR, 712 (89.0%) were undiagnosed. Among 601 with NVTDR, 566 (94.2%) were undiagnosed. Among 199 with VTDR, 146 (73.4%) were undiagnosed. The risk factors affecting the timely diagnosis of NVTDR and VTDR exhibit significant disparities. In multivariate models, factors associated with undiagnosed VTDR were age over 60 years (OR = 2.966; 95% CI = 1.205-7.299; P = 0.018), duration of diabetes over 10 years (OR = 0.299; 95% CI = 0.118-0753; P = 0.010), visual impairment or blindness (OR = 0.310; 95% CI = 0.117-0.820; P = 0.018), receiving a reminder to schedule an eye examination (OR = 0.380; 95% CI = 0.163-0.883; P = 0.025), and the belief that “people with diabetes are unlikely to develop an eye disease” (OR = 4.691; 95% CI = 1.116-19.724; P = 0.035). However, none of the factors were associated with undiagnosed NVTDR (all P ≥ 0.145).

Conclusion

Our research has uncovered a disconcerting trend of underdiagnosis in cases of DR within our population. Addressing determinants of undiagnosed DR may facilitate early detection.
Association between dynamic fluctuations in triiodothyronine levels and prognosis among critically ill patients within comprehensive intensive care units
Authors: Xu Yu , Xu Kang , Guo Jianying , Fang Mingxing , Wang Zhiyong
Published: November 2023

Objective

Decrease in free thyroid hormone T3 (FT3) can be used as an independent prognostic indicator for the risk of death in ICUs. However, FT3 as a predictive marker is hindered by its accuracy. The study introduces the concept of dynamic FT3 data as a means to bolster the value of FT3 as a prognostic tool. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of dynamic FT3 evolution in a comprehensive ICU setting, analyze the consistency between dynamic FT3 changes and variations in disease severity, and explore the feasibility of FT3 as an objective indicator for real-time clinical treatment feedback.

Methods

Employing a single-center prospective observational study, FT3 measurements were taken on multiple days following enrollment, corresponding clinical data were collected. To investigated the pattern of dynamic changes of FT3,its prognostic significance in forecasting the risk of 28-day mortality, the alignment between dynamic FT3 changes and variations in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score.

Results

The survival group exhibited higher last FT3 levels compared to the lowest point (p<0.05), while the death group did not show statistically significant differences (p>0.05). The study also identifies the optimal correlation between FT3 and SOFA score at day 5 (optimal correlation coefficient -0.546).The ROC curve for FT3 at day 5 yielded an optimal AUC of 0.88, outperforming the SOFA score. The study categorizes FT3 curve patterns,Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of these patterns highlighted that the descending-type curve was significantly associated with increased risk of death (P<0.001). Additionally, the research explores the consistency between changes in FT3 and SOFA scores. While overall consistency rates were modest, subgroup analyses unveiled that greater disease severity led to higher consistency rates.

Conclusions

This study introduces the concept of dynamic FT3 changes to augment its prognostic utility in comprehensive ICU settings. The research identifies day 5 as the optimal time point for predictive efficacy, the descending FT3 curve as indicative of poor prognosis. While overall consistency with SOFA scores is modest, the correlation strengthens with greater disease severity.
Research on the thermal performance of the condenser in a loop heat pipe anti-icing system
Authors: Zhao Yuanyuan , Li Guang , Dang Chaobin , Wu Hongqiang
Published: November 2023

Loop Heat Pipes (LHPs) are efficient heat transfer devices, providing a highly efficient and energy-saving thermal control integrated management method for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with their flexible structural design. In this paper, a conceptual design of LHP anti-icing system was proposed, using LHP to transfer waste heat to wing’s leading edge. The outer surface temperature of wing skin is one of the main indicators to measure the anti-icing effect. As a result, this paper mainly focused on the heat transfer process of the condenser section by experimental and numerical simulation methods. A stainless steel-nickel LHP was fabricated and tested at different conditions. Volume of Fluid (VOF) method and Lee model were adopted to simulate the condensation process. Results showed that increasing the heating power (from 35 W to 60 W) slowed down the condensation and lengthened the two-phase zone. However, when the angle of attack changes within the range of 0°–10°, the liquid-vapor distribution in the tube remains almost unchanged. The average error of surface temperature between experiment and simulation results is 3.6% and 2.5% for the heating power of 180 W and 60 W respectively. Additionally, because the volume of water droplets collected is the largest at the leading edge of the wing, we recommend arranging the LHP condenser tube inlet near the leading edge of the wing and increasing the density of pipe arrangement to achieve better anti-icing effect.
Attentive multi-scale aggregation based action recognition and its application in power substation operation training
Authors: Wu Yi , Ren Gang , Jiang Bing , Dai Wei , Ji Ning , Chen Xi
Published: November 2023

With the rapid development of the power system and increasing demand for intelligence, substation operation training has received more attention. Action recognition is a monitoring and analysis system based on computer vision and artificial intelligence technology that can automatically identify and track personnel actions in video frames. The system accurately identifies abnormal behaviors such as illegal operations and provides real-time feedback to trainers or surveillance systems. The commonly adopted strategy for action recognition is to first extract human skeletons from videos and then recognize the skeleton sequences. Although graph convolutional networks (GCN)-based skeleton-based recognition methods have achieved impressive performance, they operate in spatial dimensions and cannot accurately describe the dependence between different time intervals in the temporal dimension. Additionally, existing methods typically handle the temporal and spatial dimensions separately, lacking effective communication between them. To address these issues, we propose a skeleton-based method that aggregates convolutional information of different scales in the time dimension to form a new scale dimension. We also introduce a space-time-scale attention module that enables effective communication and weight generation between the three dimensions for prediction. Our proposed method is validated on public datasets NTU60 and NTU120, with experimental results verifying its effectiveness. For substation operation training, we built a real-time recognition system based on our proposed method. We collected over 400 videos for evaluation, including 5 categories of actions, and achieved an accuracy of over 98%.
Spatial and temporal evolution of the eco-efficiency of cultivated land use in the region around Beijing–Tianjin based on the Super-EBM model
Authors: Li Xiaoqing , Zhao Li , Chang Xinhan , Yu Jie , Song Xinming , Zhang Lizhu
Published: November 2023

The eco-efficiency of cultivated land use (ECLU) is an important indicator for ecological civilization construction in China. Exploring the spatiotemporal dynamic evolution of the ECLU is helpful for the sustainable use of arable land, ensuring food security and ecological security. However, previous studies have mostly focused on the use of a slacks-based measure (SBM) model for ECLU measurement, ignoring the more accurate epsilon-based measure (EBM) model. Therefore, in this study, first, we explored the conceptual framework of the ECLU, and then, based on 2005–2020 panel data covering the counties in the region around Beijing and Tianjin, we investigated the spatial and temporal evolution of the ECLU by using the Super-EBM model, kernel density estimation method, and spatial Markov chain model. The results show the following: 1) From 2005 to 2020, the ECLU in the region around Beijing and Tianjin displayed an increasing state, but the average value was only 0.55. 2) The temporal evolution of the ECLU has gradually polarized, and the internal gap has widened, but it tends to stabilize. 3) The ECLU in the region around Beijing and Tianjin was more inclined to remain the same, and there was a “club convergence” phenomenon, which was meaningfully affected by the background of neighboring areas. In this article, we emphasize the significance of the super‐efficient EBM model in measuring the ecological efficiency of arable land use, and discuss the spatiotemporal evolution of the ecological efficiency of arable land use at a deeper level. In light of local conditions, the government should reasonably formulate a path to optimize the ECLU, strengthen the linkage with surrounding cities, and bring into play the positive spillover effect.
Peptidylarginine deiminase 2 citrullinates MZB1 and promotes the secretion of IgM and IgA
Authors: Geary Benjamin , Sun Bo , Tilvawala Ronak R. , Barasa Leonard , Tsoyi Konstantin , Rosas Ivan O. , Thompson Paul R. , Ho I-Cheng
Published: November 2023

Introduction

MZB1 is an endoplasmic reticulum residential protein preferentially expressed in plasma cells, marginal zone and B1 B cells. Recent studies on murine B cells show that it interacts with the tail piece of IgM and IgA heavy chain and promotes the secretion of these two classes of immunoglobulin. However, its role in primary human B cells has yet to be determined and how its function is regulated is still unknown. The conversion of peptidylarginine to peptidylcitrulline, also known as citrullination, by peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) can critically influence the function of proteins in immune cells, such as neutrophils and T cells; however, the role of PADs in B cells remains to be elucidated.

Method

An unbiased analysis of human lung citrullinome was conducted to identify citrullinated proteins that are enriched in several chronic lung diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, compared to healthy controls. Mass spectrometry, site-specific mutagenesis, and western blotting were used to confirm the citrullination of candidate proteins. Their citrullination was suppressed by pharmacological inhibition or genetic ablation of PAD2 and the impact of their citrullination on the function and differentiation of human B cells was examined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry, and co-immunoprecipitation.

Results

Citrullinated MZB1 was preferentially enriched in RA-ILD but not in other chronic lung diseases. MZB1 was a substrate of PAD2 and was citrullinated during the differentiation of human plasmablasts. Ablation or pharmacological inhibition of PAD2 in primary human B cells attenuated the secretion of IgM and IgA but not IgG or the differentiation of IgM or IgA-expressing plasmablasts, recapitulating the effect of ablating MZB1. Furthermore, the physical interaction between endogenous MZB1 and IgM/IgA was attenuated by pharmacological inhibition of PAD2.

Discussion

Our data confirm the function of MZB1 in primary human plasmablasts and suggest that PAD2 promotes IgM/IgA secretion by citrullinating MZB1, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis and RA-ILD.
Fatty acids are crucial to fuel NK cells upon acute retrovirus infection
Authors: Schimmer Simone , Mittermüller Daniela , Werner Tanja , Görs Paul E. , Meckelmann Sven W. , Finlay David K. , Dittmer Ulf , Littwitz-Salomon Elisabeth
Published: November 2023

Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate immune cells, able to recognize and eliminate virus-infected as well as cancer cells. Metabolic reprogramming is crucial for their activity as they have enhanced energy and nutritional demands for their functions during an infection. Fatty acids (FAs) represent an important source of cellular energy and are essential for proliferation of immune cells. However, the precise role of FAs for NK cells activity in retrovirus infection was unknown. Here we show that activated NK cells increase the expression of the FA uptake receptor CD36 and subsequently the uptake of FAs upon acute virus infection. We found an enhanced flexibility of NK cells to utilize FAs as source of energy compare to naïve NK cells. NK cells that were able to generate energy from FAs showed an augmented target cell killing and increased expression of cytotoxic parameters. However, NK cells that were unable to generate energy from FAs exhibited a severely decreased migratory capacity. Our results demonstrate that NK cells require FAs in order to fight acute virus infection. Susceptibility to severe virus infections as it is shown for people with malnutrition may be augmented by defects in the FA processing machinery, which might be a target to therapeutically boost NK cell functions in the future.
Purinergic P2X7 receptor expression increases in leukocytes from intra-abdominal septic patients
Authors: Martínez-Banaclocha Helios , García-Palenciano Carlos , Martínez-Alarcón Laura , Amores-Iniesta Joaquín , Martín-Sánchez Fátima , Ercole Giovanni A. , González-Lisorge Ada , Fernández-Pacheco José , Martínez-Gil Piedad , Padilla-Rodríguez Julio , Baroja-Mazo Alberto , Pelegrín Pablo , Martínez-García Juan José
Published: November 2023

Inflammation is a tightly coordinated response of the host immune system to bacterial and viral infections, triggered by the production of inflammatory cytokines. Sepsis is defined as a systemic inflammatory response followed by immunosuppression of the host and organ dysfunction. This imbalance of the immune response increases the risk of mortality of patients with sepsis, making it a major problem for critical care units worldwide. The P2X7 receptor plays a crucial role in activating the immune system by inducing the activation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In this study, we analyzed a cohort of abdominal origin septic patients and found that the expression of the P2X7 receptor in the plasma membrane is elevated in the different subsets of lymphocytes. We observed a direct relationship between the percentage of P2X7-expressing lymphocytes and the early inflammatory response in sepsis. Additionally, in patients whose lymphocytes presented a higher percentage of P2X7 surface expression, the total lymphocytes populations proportionally decreased. Furthermore, we found a correlation between elevated soluble P2X7 receptors in plasma and inflammasome-dependent cytokine IL-18. In summary, our work demonstrates that P2X7 expression is highly induced in lymphocytes during sepsis, and this correlates with IL-18, along with other inflammatory mediators such as IL-6, IL-8, and procalcitonin.
Global phylogenomic diversity of Brucella abortus: spread of a dominant lineage
Authors: Janke Nicolette R. , Williamson Charles H. D. , Drees Kevin P. , Suárez-Esquivel Marcela , Allen Adrian R. , Ladner Jason T. , Quance Christine R. , Robbe-Austerman Suelee , O’Callaghan David , Whatmore Adrian M. , Foster Jeffrey T.
Published: November 2023

Brucella abortus is a globally important zoonotic pathogen largely found in cattle hosts and is typically transmitted to humans through contaminated dairy products or contact with diseased animals. Despite the long, shared history of cattle and humans, little is known about how trade in cattle has spread this pathogen throughout the world. Whole genome sequencing provides unparalleled resolution to investigate the global evolutionary history of a bacterium such as B. abortus by providing phylogenetic resolution that has been unobtainable using other methods. We report on large-scale genome sequencing and analysis of B. abortus collected globally from cattle and 16 other hosts from 52 countries. We used single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to identify genetic variation in 1,074 B. abortus genomes and using maximum parsimony generated a phylogeny that identified four major clades. Two of these clades, clade A (median date 972 CE; 95% HPD, 781–1142 CE) and clade B (median date 150 BCE; 95% HPD, 515 BCE–164 CE), were exceptionally diverse for this species and are exclusively of African origin where provenance is known. The third clade, clade C (median date 949 CE; 95% HPD, 766–1102 CE), had most isolates coming from a broad swath of the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, also had relatively high diversity. Finally, the fourth major clade, clade D (median date 1467 CE; 95% HPD, 1367–1553 CE) comprises the large majority of genomes in a dominant but relatively monomorphic group that predominantly infects cattle in Europe and the Americas. These data are consistent with an African origin for B. abortus and a subsequent spread to the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, probably through the movement of infected cattle. We hypothesize that European arrival to the Americas starting in the 15th century introduced B. abortus from Western Europe through the introduction of a few common cattle breeds infected with strains from clade D. These data provide the foundation of a comprehensive global phylogeny of this important zoonotic pathogen that should be an important resource in human and veterinary epidemiology.
Comparative study of virulence potential, phylogenetic origin, CRISPR-Cas regions and drug resistance of Escherichia coli isolates from urine and other clinical materials
Authors: Dziuba Anna , Dzierżak Sylwia , Sodo Anna , Wawszczak-Kasza Monika , Zegadło Katarzyna , Białek Jakub , Zych Natalia , Kiebzak Wojciech , Matykiewicz Jarosław , Głuszek Stanisław , Adamus-Białek Wioletta
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Urinary tract infections (UTI), among which the main etiological factor is uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC, E. coli), remain an important issue for clinicians. The aim of the study was to demonstrate clear differences in the pathogenic properties of urine-derived E. coli compared to other extraintestinal E. coli clinical isolates (derived from: blood, lower respiratory tracts, sputum, reproductive tract, body fluids, perianal pus, other pus, wound, postoperative wound and other sources).

Methods

The collection of 784 E. coli isolates was collected from various materials of hospitalized patients. They were analyzed in terms of virulence-associated genes (papC, sfaD/sfaE, cnf1, usp., fimG/H, hlyA), belonging to phylogenetic groups and the presence of CRISPR-Cas regions using PCR. In addition, the epidemiological data and the antibiotic resistance profiles provided by the hospital’s microbiology department were included for statistical analyses.

Results

Urine-derived E. coli showed significantly greater virulence potential compared to other isolates, but they were generally unremarkable in terms of drug resistance. The isolates most often belonged to phylogenetic group B2. Drug resistance was negatively correlated with CRISPR 2 presence and high average virulence score, but positively correlated with CRISPR 4 presence. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report significant differences in sputum-derived isolates—they revealed the lowest virulence potential and, at the same time, the highest drug resistance.

Discussion

In conclusion, we demonstrated significant differences of urinary-derived E. coli compared to other clinical E. coli isolates. We would like to suggest excluding penicillins from use in E. coli infection at this time and monitoring strains with a high pathogenicity potential.
Cochlear transcriptome analysis of an outbred mouse population (CFW)
Authors: Boussaty Ely Cheikh , Tedeschi Neil , Novotny Mark , Ninoyu Yuzuru , Du Eric , Draf Clara , Zhang Yun , Manor Uri , Scheuermann Richard H. , Friedman Rick
Published: November 2023

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common cause of hearing loss and one of the most prevalent conditions affecting the elderly worldwide. Despite evidence from our lab and others about its polygenic nature, little is known about the specific genes, cell types, and pathways involved in ARHL, impeding the development of therapeutic interventions. In this manuscript, we describe, for the first time, the complete cell-type specific transcriptome of the aging mouse cochlea using snRNA-seq in an outbred mouse model in relation to auditory threshold variation. Cochlear cell types were identified using unsupervised clustering and annotated via a three-tiered approach—first by linking to expression of known marker genes, then using the NSForest algorithm to select minimum cluster-specific marker genes and reduce dimensional feature space for statistical comparison of our clusters with existing publicly-available data sets on the gEAR website,1 and finally, by validating and refining the annotations using Multiplexed Error Robust Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization (MERFISH) and the cluster-specific marker genes as probes. We report on 60 unique cell-types expanding the number of defined cochlear cell types by more than two times. Importantly, we show significant specific cell type increases and decreases associated with loss of hearing acuity implicating specific subsets of hair cell subtypes, ganglion cell subtypes, and cell subtypes within the stria vascularis in this model of ARHL. These results provide a view into the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for age-related hearing loss and pathways for therapeutic targeting.
State-dependent modulation of positive and negative affective valences by a parabrachial nucleus-to-ventral tegmental area pathway in mice
Authors: Nagashima Takashi , Mikami Kaori , Tohyama Suguru , Konno Ayumu , Hirai Hirokazu , Watabe Ayako M.
Published: November 2023

Appropriately responding to various sensory signals in the environment is essential for animal survival. Accordingly, animal behaviors are closely related to external and internal states, which include the positive and negative emotional values of sensory signals triggered by environmental factors. While the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPB) plays a key role in nociception and supports negative valences, it also transmits signals including positive valences. However, the downstream neuronal mechanisms of positive and negative valences have not been fully explored. In the present study, we investigated the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as a projection target for LPB neurons. Optogenetic activation of LPB-VTA terminals in male mice elicits positive reinforcement in an operant task and induces both avoidance and attraction in a place-conditioning task. Inhibition of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 65-expressing cells in the VTA promotes avoidance behavior induced by photoactivation of the LPB-VTA pathway. These findings indicate that the LPB-VTA pathway is one of the LPB outputs for the transmission of positive and negative valence signals, at least in part, with GABAergic modification in VTA.