bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pseudospin collapse, multidirectional supercollimations, and all-electrons transmission and reflection in irradiated 8-Pmmn borophene
Authors: Xu Yafang , Liu Jiahui , Xi Bin , Zhou Xingfei , Liu Yongjun
Published: October 2023

Propagation of ballistic electrons shows various optical-like phenomena. Here, we demonstrate a flexible method to modulate the band structure and manipulate the electron beams propagation in 8-Pmmn borophene by an off-resonant linearly polarized light. It is proposed to form fully tunable anisotropic dispersion by changing the polarization direction of the off-resonant light in an experimentally controllable way. Accompanied with it, the pseudospin symmetry of the electronic state in 8-Pmmn borophene collapses from a helical form into x or y direction, which undergoes a dramatic alteration. As a result of the wedge-shaped dispersions, the electron wave packet can be guided to propagate with undistorted shape along different directions, multidirectional electron supercollimations are exhibited in the system. Moreover, by constructing the optical sensing n–p and n–p–n junctions, interesting transport phenomena such as all-electrons Klein tunneling and omnidirectional reflection are realized by modulating the illumination parameters of the off-resonant light, both of them are independent of the incident energy and wave vector. It is expected that the peculiar transport properties in 8-Pmmn borophene modified by the off-resonant light field can offer more opportunities for device applications in valleytronics and electron-optics.
Damped quantum drift Zakharov-Kuznetsov equation for a dissipative inhomogeneous partially degenerate plasma with quantizing magnetic field
Authors: Asam M T , Shah H A , Masood W , Bukhari S A
Published: October 2023

Damped quantum drift Zakharov-Kuznetsov (DQDZK) equation is investigated in two dimensions for a spatially inhomogeneous and dissipative plasma with adiabatic electron trapping in the presence of quantizing magnetic field and partial degeneracy. Linear and nonlinear analysis is presented in detail. For the 2D case, it is observed that the angular frequency of linear drift ion acoustic wave (DIAW) exhibits a cut-off point that gets modified by Landau quantization and partial degeneracy of the trapped electrons. It is observed that the inclusion of ion-neutral collisions leads to the formation of DQDZK equation for the system under consideration. The DQDZK is solved analytically using the hyperbolic tangent method and a decaying solitary wave solution is obtained. It is shown that the effects of quantizing magnetic field, partial degeneracy, and obliqueness significantly modify the properties of the nonlinear drift ion acoustic structures. The results presented here can be gainfully employed to understand the linear and nonlinear wave propagation in dense degenerate plasmas present in astrophysical compact objects like white dwarfs and neutron stars.
Primordial non-Gaussianity fNLand anisotropies in scalar-induced gravitational waves
Authors: Li Jun-Peng , Wang Sai , Zhao Zhi-Chao , Kohri Kazunori
Published: October 2023

Primordial non-Gaussianity encodes vital information of the physics of the early universe, particularly during the inflationary epoch. To explore the local-type primordial non-GaussianityfNL, we study the anisotropies in gravitational wave background induced by the linear cosmological scalar perturbations during radiation domination in the early universe. We provide the first complete analysis to the angular power spectrum of such scalar-induced gravitational waves. The spectrum is expressed in terms of the initial inhomogeneities, the Sachs-Wolfe effect, and their crossing. It is anticipated to have frequency dependence and multipole dependence, i.e.,Cℓ(ν) ∝ [ℓ(ℓ+1)]-1withνbeing a frequency andℓreferring to theℓ-th spherical harmonic multipole. In particular, the initial inhomogeneites in this background depend on gravitational-wave frequency. These properties are potentially useful for the component separation, foreground removal, and breaking degeneracies in model parameters, making the non-Gaussian parameterfNLmeasurable. Further, theoretical expectations may be tested by space-borne gravitational-wave detectors in future.
The RFI Fast Mitigation Algorithm Based on Block LMS Filter
Authors: Wu Han , Zhang Hai-Long , Zhang Ya-Zhou , Wang Jie , Du Xu , Zhang Ting , Ye Xin-Chen
Published: October 2023

The radio telescope possesses high sensitivity and strong signal collection capabilities. While receiving celestial radiation signals, it also captures Radio Frequency Interferences (RFIs) introduced by human activities. RFI, as signals originating from sources other than the astronomical targets, significantly impacts the quality of astronomical data. This paper presents an RFI fast mitigation algorithm based on block Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm. It enhances the traditional adaptive LMS filter by grouping L adjacent time-sampled points into one block and applying the same filter coefficients for filtering within each block. This transformation reduces multiplication calculations and enhances algorithm efficiency by leveraging the time-domain convolution theorem. The algorithm is tested using baseband data from the Parkes 64 m radio telescope’s pulsar observations and simulated data. The results confirm the algorithm’s effectiveness, as the pulsar profile after RFI mitigation closely matches the original pulsar profile.
Analysis of absorption signal and noise in thin phosphor detectors
for high-energy transmission radiography
Authors: Yoo Seungjun , Shin Hubeom , Oh Seokwon , Lee Junho , Kim Hunhee , Kim Ho Kyung
Published: October 2023

We investigated the detective quantum efficiency (DQE) of thin gadolinium
oxysulfide phosphor-based flat-panel detectors (FPDs) using cascaded-systems
analysis and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations for applications in megavoltage
(MV) x-ray industrial imaging. We decomposed the DQE formula into
(dose-independent) upper-limit DQE and (dose-dependent) DQE-reduction
factors. We obtained the absorbed energy distributions (AEDs) for
various x-ray detector designs and photon energies using MC simulations
and applied the AED analysis to the DQE formula. The investigations
examined include the x-ray-detector-only DQE and the effect of the
coupling efficiency between the x-ray detector and readout panel,
including electronic noise, on the upper-limit DQE. This study confirms
that the design of the metal build-up layer on the phosphor is effective
for MV imaging and emphasizes the importance of designing the readout
panel to maintain the upper-limit DQE. We expect the proposed DQE
analysis to be suitable for designing and evaluating FPDs for high-energy
nondestructive x-ray testing.
Spatiotemporal changes of poverty based on the perspective of ecological poverty reduction: evidence from guangdong province, China
Authors: Guo Qing , You Wenlan
Published: October 2023

To explore the evolving trends of ecological poverty reduction in impoverished counties within Guangdong Province, this study adopts the Driver-State-Response (DSR) model. We establish an ecological poverty evaluation index system, predict the poverty reduction index using a neural network, analyze the developmental relationship between the ecological environment and socio-economy within Guangdong’s impoverished counties utilizing an improved decoupling index, and finally employ a heatmap to dissect the spatiotemporal distribution features of poverty alleviation pressure. The main findings are as follows: (1) Fewer poor counties in Guangdong Province decouple natural ecology and social economy between 2013 and 2021, but overall poverty pressure is declining; (2) The pressure to reduce poverty and its changes vary greatly across different regions, with the pressure being concentrated in the north and less in the center and east. The essay makes appropriate policy recommendations for reducing poverty in various Guangdong Province regions based on the aforementioned findings.
Ionic hydrogels-based triboelectric nanogenerators for self-powered human–machine interfaces
Authors: Liang Siyang , Li Chang , Niu Mengjuan , Zhu Pengcheng , Pan Zhifeng , Mao Yanchao
Published: October 2023

Ionic hydrogels outperform existing rigid and bulky electronics with many remarkable advantages including great flexibility, high conductivity, exceptional biocompatibility, and transparency, making them ideal materials for wearable human–machine interfaces (HMIs). However, traditional HMIs typically rely on external power sources, which impose limitations in terms of device size and weight, thereby compromising the user experience in HMIs. The advent of triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) employing ionic hydrogels has introduced a sustainable energy solution for self-powered HMIs. These TENGs can harvest the electrical energy resulting from the migration of ions induced by mechanical motion, thereby offering a sustainable energy solution for applications in wearable HMIs. Hence, the development of ionic hydrogels-based TENGs holds immense potential for the advancement of self-powered HMIs. This review first introduces the latest achievements in the fabrication of ionic hydrogel-based TENGs using diverse materials, including synthetic polymers, natural polymers, and low-dimensional materials. Then different working principles and modes of the ionic hydrogel-based TENGs are elucidated. Subsequently, the applications of these TENGs in self-powered HMIs are discussed, such as robot control, medical applications, electronic device control, and other applications. Finally, the current status and future prospects of ionic hydrogel-based TENGs in self-powered HMIs are summarized. We hope that this review will provide inspiration for the future development of self-powered human–machine interfaces utilizing ionic hydrogels-based TENGs.
Roadmap on multifunctional materials for drug delivery
Authors: Nottelet Benjamin , Buwalda Sytze , van Nostrum Cornelus F , Zhao Xiaofei , Deng Chao , Zhong Zhiyuan , Cheah Ernest , Svirskis Darren , Trayford Chloe , van Rijt Sabine , Ménard-Moyon Cécilia , Kumar Ravi , Kehr Nermin Seda , de Barros Natan Roberto , Khademhosseini Ali , Kim Han-Jun , Vermonden Tina
Published: October 2023

This Roadmap on drug delivery aims to cover some of the most recent advances in the field of materials for drug delivery systems (DDSs) and emphasizes the role that multifunctional materials play in advancing the performance of modern DDSsin the context of the most current challenges presented. The Roadmap is comprised of multiple sections, each of which introduces the status of the field, the current and future challenges faced, and a perspective of the required advances necessary for biomaterial science to tackle these challenges. It is our hope that this collective vision will contribute to the initiation of conversation and collaboration across all areas of multifunctional materials for DDSs. We stress that this article is not meant to be a fully comprehensive review but rather an up-to-date snapshot of different areas of research, with a minimal number of references that focus upon the very latest research developments.
Shock waves with irrotational Rankine-Hugoniot conditions
Authors: Li Dening , Zhang Qingtian
Published: October 2023

Shock wave stability for isentropic irrotational flow is studied for Euler system but with shock front conditions corresponding to the second order nonlinear wave equation. It is shown that the usual Lax’ shock condition still guarantees the uniform linear stability and therefore the existence of the shock waves solution.
Skin Investigation Network of Canada (SkIN Canada) Priority Setting Initiative ranks the top 10 evidence uncertainties for Merkel cell carcinoma
Authors: Bergeron Anabel , Nessim Carolyn , Kleiner Omer , Manion Rachael , Dutz Jan , Philip Anie , Chan An-Wen ,   the Skin Investigation Network of Canada Priority Setting Collaborative, Asai Yuka , Barnard Kathleen , Beaty John , Beaty Leslee , Bell-Rowbotham Beverly , DeCoste Ryan , Drucker Aaron M , Fradette Julie , Germain Lucie , Gniadecki Robert , Holfeld Karen , Huang Yuanshen , Laurin Melanie , Litvinov Ivan V , Logsetty Sarvesh , MacNeil Trish , Manolson Morris F , Mititelu Roxana , Mydlarski P Régine , Piguet Vincent , Shah Girish , Ward Debbie , Zawadaski Mary , Zhou Youwen
Published: October 2023

The Skin Investigation Network of Canada (SkIN Canada) completed a national Priority Setting Initiative to identify the top 10 knowledge uncertainties for Merkel cell carcinoma based on the James Lind Alliance principles. Overall, 48 patients, clinicians and researchers provided input in two survey rounds and one workshop. The top 10 list of research priorities will help the skin research community, funders and policymakers to address key knowledge uncertainties for the benefit of patients with Merkel cell carcinoma.
Hypersensitivity to PACAP-38 in post-traumatic headache: a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Al-Khazali Haidar M , Christensen Rune H , Dodick David W , Chaudhry Basit Ali , Amin Faisal Mohammad , Burstein Rami , Ashina Håkan
Published: October 2023

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide-38 (PACAP-38), known for its role in migraine pathogenesis, has been identified as a novel drug target. Given the clinical parallels between post-traumatic headache (PTH) and migraine, we explored the possible role of PACAP-38 in the pathogenesis of PTH. To this end, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover trial involving adult participants diagnosed with persistent PTH resulting from mild traumatic brain injury.

Participants were randomly assigned to receive a 20-min continuous intravenous infusion of either PACAP-38 (10 pmol/kg/min) or placebo (isotonic saline) on two separate experimental days, with a 1-week washout period in between. The primary outcome was the difference in incidence of migraine-like headache between PACAP-38 and placebo during a 12-h observational period post-infusion. The secondary outcome was the difference in the area under the curve (AUC) for baseline-corrected median headache intensity scores during the same 12-h observational period.

Of 49 individuals assessed for eligibility, 21 were enrolled and completed the trial. The participants had a mean age of 35.2 years, and 16 (76%) were female. Most [19 of 21 (90%)] had a migraine-like phenotype. During the 12-h observational period, 20 of 21 (95%) participants developed migraine-like headache after intravenous infusion of PACAP-38, compared with two (10%) participants after placebo (P < 0.001). Furthermore, the baseline-corrected AUC values for median headache intensity scores during the 12-h observational period was higher after PACAP-38 than placebo (P < 0.001).

These compelling results demonstrate that PACAP-38 is potent inducer of migraine-like headache in people with persistent PTH. Thus, targeting PACAP-38 signalling might be a promising avenue for the treatment of PTH.
α-Synuclein expression in response to bacterial ligands and metabolites in gut enteroendocrine cells: an in vitro proof of concept study
Authors: Hurley Michael J , Menozzi Elisa , Koletsi Sofia , Bates Rachel , Gegg Matthew E , Chau Kai-Yin , Blottière Hervé M , Macnaughtan Jane , Schapira Anthony H V
Published: October 2023

Caudo-rostral migration of pathological forms of α-synuclein from the gut to the brain is proposed as an early feature in Parkinson’s disease pathogenesis, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Intestinal epithelial enteroendocrine cells sense and respond to numerous luminal signals, including bacterial factors, and transmit this information to the brain via the enteric nervous system and vagus nerve. There is evidence that gut bacteria composition and their metabolites change in Parkinson’s disease patients, and these alterations can trigger α-synuclein pathology in animal models of the disorder. Here, we investigated the effect of toll-like receptor and free fatty acid receptor agonists on the intracellular level of α-synuclein and its release using mouse secretin tumour cell line 1 enteroendocrine cells. Secretin tumour cell line 1 enteroendocrine cells were treated for 24 or 48 h with toll-like receptor agonists (toll-like receptor 4 selective lipopolysaccharide; toll-like receptor 2 selective Pam3CysSerLys4) and the free fatty acid receptor 2/3 agonists butyrate, propionate and acetate. The effect of selective receptor antagonists on the agonists’ effects after 24 hours was also investigated. The level of α-synuclein protein was measured in cell lysates and cell culture media by western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The level of α-synuclein and tumour necrosis factor messenger RNA was measured by quantitative reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction. Stimulation of secretin tumour cell line 1 enteroendocrine cells for 24 and 48 hours with toll-like receptor and free fatty acid receptor agonists significantly increased the amount of intracellular α-synuclein and the release of α-synuclein from the cells into the culture medium. Both effects were significantly reduced by antagonists selective for each receptor. Toll-like receptor and free fatty acid receptor agonists also significantly increased tumour necrosis factor transcription, and this was effectively inhibited by corresponding antagonists. Elevated intracellular α-synuclein increases the likelihood of aggregation and conversion to toxic forms. Factors derived from bacteria induce α-synuclein accumulation in secretin tumour cell line 1 enteroendocrine cells. Here, we provide support for a mechanism by which exposure of enteroendocrine cells to specific bacterial factors found in Parkinson’s disease gut dysbiosis might facilitate accumulation of α-synuclein pathology in the gut.
Frailty Screening is Associated with Hospitalization and Decline in Quality of Life and Functional Status in Older Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Asscher Vera E R , Rodriguez Gírondo Mar , Fens Jesse , Waars Sanne N , Stuyt Rogier J L , Baven-Pronk A Martine C , Srivastava Nidhi , Jacobs Rutger J , Haans Jeoffrey J L , Meijer Lennart J , Klijnsma-Slagboom Jacqueline D , Duin Marijn H , Peters Milou E R , Lee-Kong Felicia V Y L , Provoost Nanda E , Tijdeman Femke , van Dijk Kenan T , Wieland Monse W M , Verstegen Mirre G M , van der Meijs Melissa E , Maan Annemijn D I , van Deudekom Floor J , van der Meulen-de Jong Andrea E , Mooijaart Simon P , Maljaars P W Jeroen
Published: October 2023

Background and Aims

Our goals were to study frailty screening in association with hospitalization and decline in quality of life [QoL] and functional status in older patients with inflammatory bowel diseases [IBD].

Methods

This was a prospective multicentre cohort study in IBD patients ≥65 years old using frailty screening [G8 Questionnaire]. Outcomes were all-cause, acute, and IBD-related hospitalization, any infection, any malignancy, QoL [EQ5D-3L], and functional decline (Instrumental Activities of Daily Living [IADL]) during 18 months of follow-up. Confounders were age, IBD type, biochemical disease activity [C-reactive protein ≥10 mg/L and/or faecal calprotectin ≥250 µg/g], and comorbidity [Charlson Comorbidity Index].

Results

Of 405 patients, with a median age of 70 years, 196 [48%] were screened as being at risk for frailty. All-cause hospitalizations occurred 136 times in 96 patients [23.7%], and acute hospitalizations 103 times in 74 patients [18.3%]. Risk of frailty was not associated with all-cause (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9–2.4), but was associated with acute hospitalizations [aHR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3–3.8]. Infections occurred in 86 patients [21.2%] and these were not associated with frailty. A decline in QoL was experienced by 108 [30.6%] patients, and a decline in functional status by 46 patients [13.3%]. Frailty screening was associated with a decline in QoL (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.1, 95% CI 1.3–3.6) and functional status [aOR 3.7, 95% CI 1.7–8.1].

Conclusions

Frailty screening is associated with worse health outcomes in older patients with IBD. Further studies are needed to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of its implementation in routine care.
Sexual selection and the nonrandom union of gametes: retesting for assortative mating by fitness in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Talagala Sanduni , Rakosy Emily , Long Tristan A F
Published: October 2023

While numerous theoretical population genetic models predict that mating assortatively by genetic ‘quality’ will enhance the efficiency of purging of deleterious mutations and/or the spread of beneficial alleles in the gene pool, empirical examples of assortative mating by quality are surprisingly rare and often inconclusive. Here, we set out to examine whether fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) engage in assortative mating by body-size phenotype, a composite trait strongly associated with both reproductive success and survival, and is considered a reliable indicator of natural genetic quality. Male and female flies of different body-size classes (large and small) were obtained under typical culture conditions which allows us to use standing variation of body size without involving artificial nutritional manipulation, so that their interactions and mating patterns could be measured. While flies did not exhibit assortative courtship behaviour, when patterns of offspring production were analyzed, it was found that individuals produced more offspring with partners of similar quality/body size, resulting in a positive correlation in fitness between mates. Subsequent assays of offspring fitness indicated that assortative mating produced sons and daughters that had greater or equal reproductive success than those produced from disassortative mating. Together, these results validate theoretical predictions that assortative mating sexual selection can enhance the effects of natural selection and consequently the rate of adaptive evolution.
Insights into accumulation of active ingredients and rhizosphere microorganisms between Salvia miltiorrhiza and S. castanea
Authors: Xu Zishu , Liu Hui , Ullah Najeeb , Tung Shahbaz Atta , Ali Basharat , Li Xin , Chen Shubin , Xu Ling
Published: October 2023

Salvia miltiorrhiza is an important traditional herbal medicine, and its extracts could be used for treating cardiovascular disease. Although these medicinal compounds are functionally similar, their wild relative, S. castanea, produces significantly different concentrations of these compounds. The reason for their differences is still unknown. In a series of soil and plant-based analyses, we explored and compared the rhizosphere microbiome of S. miltiorrhiza and S. castanea. To further investigate the geographical distribution of S. castanea, MaxEnt models were used to predict the future suitable habitat areas of S. castanea in China. Results revealed the distributions and structure of the rhizosphere microbial community of S. miltiorrhiza and S. castanea at different times. In addition, differences in altitude and soil moisture resulting from changes in climate and geographical location are also critical environmental factors in the distribution of S. castanea. The findings of this study increase our understanding of plant adaptation to their geographical environment through secondary metabolites. It also highlights the complex interplay between rhizospheric factors and plant metabolism, which provides the theoretical basis for the cultivation of S. miltiorrhiza and the use of S. castanea resources.
The Joys and Stresses of Social Relationships and the Effect on Resiliency During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A National Survey of U.S. Older Adults
Authors: Westrick Ashly C , Kobayashi Lindsay C , Kirch Matthias , Singer Dianne , Malani Preeti N , Kullgren Jeffrey T , Solway Erica , Finlay Jessica M
Published: October 2023

Background and Objectives

The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic placed unprecedented stress on older adults. Resiliency could mitigate deleterious effects of pandemic stressors. We described trends in resilience among U.S. adults aged 50–80 years approximately one and a half years after the onset of the pandemic, compared with before the pandemic, and evaluated associations between relationships and resilience.

Research Design and Methods

Data were from the National Poll on Healthy Aging (N = 2,100) in August 2021. Respondents rated their resiliency as compared with before the pandemic (more, about the same, or less) and different types of relationships (spouse/partner, friends, and neighbors) as sources of joy and/or stress during the pandemic (a lot, some, very little, and not at all). Multinomial logistic regressions (complete-case analysis) estimated the relationships between each joyful and stressful relationships and resiliency.

Results

Most participants reported feeling as resilient as before the pandemic (70.6%) with 14.5% feeling less resilient. More women than men felt less resilient than before the pandemic (16.7% vs 12.8%, p = .006). Feeling a lot of stress from one’s spouse or neighbors was associated with increased likelihood of feeling less resilient than before the pandemic (odds ratio [OR] = 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.8, 7.7 and OR = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.5, 13.9, respectively), which was stronger among women (OR = 15.1; 95% CI: 4.8, 45.6) than men (OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.4, 2.7).

Discussion and Implications

Social relationships may have been more important for women than for men in supporting resiliency during the pandemic. Understanding patterns of resiliency can help to inform policymaking and support the well-being of older adults.
Adjoint-based data assimilation for reconstruction of thermal convection in a highly viscous fluid from surface velocity and temperature snapshots
Authors: Nakao Atsushi , Kuwatani Tatsu , Ito Shin-ichi , Nagao Hiromichi
Published: October 2023

It is a general problem in geoscience to estimate the time-series of velocity and temperature fields for a fluid based on limited observations, such as the flow velocity at the fluid surface and/or a temperature snapshot after flow. In this study, an adjoint-based data assimilation method (also known as 4-D variational data assimilation) was used to reconstruct the thermal convection in a highly viscous fluid (e.g. Earth’s mantle) to investigate which observations constrain the thermal convection and how accurately the convection can be reconstructed for different wavelengths. The data assimilated to the adjoint-based model were generated synthetically from forward models with convecting cells of different length-scales. Based on the surface velocity and temperature snapshot, our simulations successfully reconstructed thermal convection over 50 Myr in the case that the wavelength of the convective cells is sufficiently large. We obtained two main results from this parametric study. (1) When we only considered instantaneous thermal structure fitting in the cost function, the convection reconstruction tended to fail. However, there are some cases where the laminar thermal convection can be reconstructed by assimilating only the velocity along the fluid surface. (2) There is a limit to the reconstruction of thermal convection in the case that the convecting cells are small (∼1000 km for a 50 Myr reconstruction). We propose that (1) is related to the balance of forces due to the thermal buoyancy and viscous stress around the thermal anomalies and (2) is related to how information is preserved (i.e. how the previous thermal structure is maintained in the observable state throughout the convection process). The results enable the use of geological records to estimate time-series of velocity and temperature in Earth’s deep interior, even though the records may only contain information from shallow parts of Earth.
Mental health promotion practice in Aotearoa New Zealand: findings from a qualitative study
Authors: Craik Brooke , Egan Richard , Kewene Francis , Morgaine Kate C
Published: October 2023

Mental health promotion (MHP) is integral to improving the overall health and well being of individuals, communities, and populations. However, knowledge and reporting about MHP which occurs throughout Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) is limited. This article reports findings from a qualitative study that sought to understand NZ health promotion practitioners’ (HPPs) MHP practice. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 15 HPPs employed at various health promotion organizations. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts identified three key themes. Two themes (planning and evaluation) related to practice directly and included various subthemes: needs assessment; principles/approaches/frameworks; operationalizing equity and te Tiriti o Waitangi; collaborative approaches; planning for evaluation; process evaluation domination; and evaluation challenges. The third theme related to the context of practice and encompassed various system influences restricting HPPs from practising as they wished. These were represented in four subthemes: contractual agreements; field fragmentation; in the shadows of mental ill-health and workforce capacity. Study findings highlight several opportunities to improve MHP practice in NZ. Most pertinently, the need for system-level action to address the factors restricting HPPs’ practice.
Dalbavancin plasma concentrations in 133 patients: a PK/PD observational study
Authors: Hervochon Charles , Hennart Benjamin , Leroy Anne-Gaëlle , Corvec Stéphane , Boutoille David , Senneville Éric , Sotto Albert , Illes Gabriella , Chavanet Pascal , Dubée Vincent , Bleibtreu Alexandre , De Carné Marie-Charlotte , Talarmin Jean-Philippe , Revest Matthieu , Castan Bernard , Bellouard Ronan , Dailly Éric , Allorge Delphine , Dinh Aurélien , Le Turnier Paul , Gregoire Matthieu ,   the Dalbavancin Pharmacokinetics (DALBAP) study group, Le Turnier Paul , Boutoille David , Gaborit Benjamin Jean , Deschanvres Colin , Lecomte Raphael , Chauveau Marie , Leroy Anne-Gaëlle , Corvec Stéphane , Lavigne-Quilichini Vincent , Bémer Pascale , Guillouzouic Aurélie , Huon Jean-François , Navas Dominique , Gregoire Matthieu , Bellouard Ronan , Hervochon Charles , Dailly Eric , Waast Denis , Nich Christophe , Touchais Sophie , Crenn Vincent , Dubée Vincent , Berteau Florian , Chavanet Pascal , Goirand Françoise , Dinh Aurélien , Hennart Benjamin , Hoskovec Catherine , Mondon Damien , Illes Gabriela , Sotto Albert , Lechiche Catherine , Boclé Hélène , Lavigne Jean-Philippe , Castan Bernard , Bleibtreu Alexandre , Talarmin Jean-Philippe , Khatchatourian Lydie , Fangous Marie-Sarah , Gall Florence Le , Revest Matthieu , Cattoir Vincent , Lemaitre Florian , Senneville Eric , De Carné Marie-Charlotte , Therby Audrey , Balavoine Stéphanie , Bargain Pauline , Amara Marlène , Palette Catherine , Boisrenoult Philippe
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Limited pharmacokinetics data support dalbavancin long-term use in off-label indications and the optimal dosing regimen is debated. We aimed to describe dalbavancin concentrations in an observational retrospective multicentre study.

Methods

Patients from 13 French hospitals, treated with 1500 mg doses of dalbavancin and for whom therapeutic drug monitoring was performed from June 2018 to March 2021 were included. Dalbavancin plasma concentrations were described at peak and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after the last 1500 mg dose. Concentrations in patients weighing more or less than 75 kg and with a GFR greater or less than 60 mL/min were compared. Microbiological data were collected and dalbavancin MIC was measured when possible.

Results

One hundred and thirty-three patients were included (69% treated for bone and joint infections, 16% for endocarditis). Thirty-five patients received a single dose of dalbavancin and 98 received several administrations. Two, 3 and 4 weeks after the last dose, median plasma concentrations were respectively 25.00, 14.80 and 9.24 mg/L for the first doses and 34.55, 22.60 and 19.20 mg/L for the second or subsequent doses. Weight and renal function had an impact on pharmacokinetics. Infection was documented in 105 patients (Staphylococcus spp. in 68% of cases). Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in 32.5% of cases (median MIC: 0.047 mg/L) and Staphylococcus epidermidis in 27% of cases (median MIC of 0.047 mg/L).

Conclusions

Plasma concentrations of dalbavancin were consistent with those described in clinical trials and those sought during the industrial development of the molecule.
Mental health outcomes in a population-based cohort of patients with prostate cancer
Authors: Hu Siqi , Chang Chun-Pin , Snyder John , Deshmukh Vikrant , Newman Michael , Date Ankita , Galvao Carlos , Haaland Benjamin , Porucznik Christina A , Gren Lisa H , Sanchez Alejandro , Lloyd Shane , O’Neil Brock , Hashibe Mia
Published: October 2023

Background

Few studies have evaluated mental health disorders comprehensively among patients with prostate cancer on long-term follow-up. The primary aim of our study was to assess the incidence of mental health disorders among patients with prostate cancer compared with a general population cohort. A secondary aim was to investigate potential risk factors for mental health disorders among patients with prostate cancer.

Methods

Cohorts of 18 134 patients with prostate adenocarcinomas diagnosed between 2004 and 2017 and 73470 men without cancer matched on age, birth state, and follow-up time were identified. Mental health diagnoses were identified from electronic health records and statewide health-care facilities data. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate hazard ratios. All statistical tests were 2-sided.

Results

The hazard ratios for mood disorders, including depression, among prostate cancer survivors increased for all follow-up periods compared with the general population. The hazard ratios for any mental illness increased with Hispanic, Black, or multiple races; people who were underweight or obese; those with advanced prostate cancer; and those undergoing their first course cancer treatment. We also observed statistically significantly increased hazard ratios for mental health disorders among patients with lower socioeconomic status (P < .0001) and increasing duration of androgen-deprivation therapy (P = .0348). Prostate cancer survivors had a 61% increased hazard ratio for death with a depression diagnosis.

Conclusion

Prostate cancer diagnosis was associated with a higher risk of mental health disorders compared with the general population, which was observed as long as 10-16 years after cancer diagnosis. Providing long-term mental health support may be beneficial to increasing life expectancy for patients with prostate cancer.
rrlfe: software for generating and applying metallicity calibrations for RR Lyrae variable stars across a wide range of phases and temperatures
Authors: Spalding Eckhart , Wilhelm Ronald , De Lee Nathan , Long Stacy , Beers Timothy C , Placco Vinicius M , Kielkopf John , Lee Young Sun , Pepper Joshua , Carrell Kenneth
Published: October 2023

RR Lyrae stars play a central role in tracing phase-space structures within the Milky Way because they are easy to identify, are relatively luminous, and are found in large numbers in the Galactic bulge, disc, and halo. In this work, we present a new set of spectroscopic metallicity calibrations that use the equivalent widths of the Ca ii K and Balmer H γ and H δ lines to calculate metallicity values from low-resolution spectra. This builds on an earlier calibration from Layden by extending the range of equivalent widths which map between Ca ii K and the Balmer lines. We have developed the software rrlfe to apply this calibration to spectra in a consistent, reproducible, and extensible manner. This software is open-source and available to the community. The calibration can be updated with additional data sets in the future.
UniTmp: unified resources for transmembrane proteins
Authors: Dobson László , Gerdán Csongor , Tusnády Simon , Szekeres Levente , Kuffa Katalin , Langó Tamás , Zeke András , Tusnády Gábor E
Published: October 2023

The UNIfied database of TransMembrane Proteins (UniTmp) is a comprehensive and freely accessible resource of transmembrane protein structural information at different levels, from localization of protein segments, through the topology of the protein to the membrane-embedded 3D structure. We not only annotated tens of thousands of new structures and experiments, but we also developed a new system that can serve these resources in parallel. UniTmp is a unified platform that merges TOPDB (Topology Data Bank of Transmembrane Proteins), TOPDOM (database of conservatively located domains and motifs in proteins), PDBTM (Protein Data Bank of Transmembrane Proteins) and HTP (Human Transmembrane Proteome) databases and provides interoperability between the incorporated resources and an easy way to keep them regularly updated. The current update contains 9235 membrane-embedded structures, 9088 sequences with 536 035 topology-annotated segments and 8692 conservatively localized protein domains or motifs as well as 5466 annotated human transmembrane proteins. The UniTmp database can be accessed at https://www.unitmp.org.
Genome-wide direct quantification of in vivo mutagenesis using high-accuracy paired-end and complementary consensus sequencing
Authors: You Xinyue , Cao Yiyi , Suzuki Takayoshi , Shao Jie , Zhu Benzhan , Masumura Kenichi , Xi Jing , Liu Weiying , Zhang Xinyu , Luan Yang
Published: October 2023

Error-corrected next-generation sequencing (ecNGS) is an emerging technology for accurately measuring somatic mutations. Here, we report paired-end and complementary consensus sequencing (PECC-Seq), a high-accuracy ecNGS approach for genome-wide somatic mutation detection. We characterize a novel 2-aminoimidazolone lesion besides 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine and the resulting end-repair artifacts originating from NGS library preparation that obscure the sequencing accuracy of NGS. We modify library preparation protocol for the enzymatic removal of end-repair artifacts and improve the accuracy of our previously developed duplex consensus sequencing method. Optimized PECC-Seq shows an error rate of <5 × 10−8 with consensus bases compressed from approximately 25 Gb of raw sequencing data, enabling the accurate detection of low-abundance somatic mutations. We apply PECC-Seq to the quantification of in vivo mutagenesis. Compared with the classic gpt gene mutation assay using gpt delta transgenic mice, PECC-Seq exhibits high sensitivity in quantitatively measuring dose-dependent mutagenesis induced by Aristolochic acid I (AAI). Moreover, PECC-Seq specifically characterizes the distinct genome-wide mutational signatures of AAI, Benzo[a]pyrene, N-Nitroso-N-ethylurea and N-nitrosodiethylamine and reveals the mutational signature of Quinoline in common mouse models. Overall, our findings demonstrate that high-accuracy PECC-Seq is a promising tool for genome-wide somatic mutagenesis quantification and for in vivo mutagenicity testing.
Jiangnan Sizhu in the Greater Suzhou Area
Authors: Dujunco Mercedes M.
Published: October 2023

This essay looks at Jiangnan sizhu (江南絲竹) as it is performed in a village in the greater Suzhou area and in the county-level city of Taicang, both in Jiangsu province. In the process, it is shown how this regional sizhu tradition has a much broader repertoire than the badaqu (八大曲, “eight great pieces”) routinely performed in Jiangnan sizhu music clubs in Shanghai, some of which has been reintroduced as part of efforts at revitalization and sustainability. Furthermore, it discusses how annexing Jiangnan sizhu with two of its sibling genres—the music of regional operas such as kunqu (崑曲) and huju (滬劇) as well as shifan luogu (十番鑼鼓) music—has contributed to its flourishing and continued practice in these two places.
“Minorities” and the Mainstream
Authors: Wong Chuen-Fung
Published: October 2023

This chapter concerns non-Han indigenous music as it has become minoritized in a shared yet divergent process of cultural enlightenment with the Han over the past few decades in China. Examples are drawn primarily from the music of the Uyghur to examine the assimilationist practices and cultural appropriation in Chinese music today. As Chinese composers and musicians continue to claim inspirations in their encounter with the land and the peoples in far-flung, non-Han territories, questions that problematize concepts of hybridity and otherness also become particularly relevant. The minority/majority binary that has loomed so large in Chinese music scholarship and performance today, this chapter suggests, is fundamentally a modern construct, manifested through an uneasy yet symbiotic musical relationship between the “minorities” and the mainstream Han Chinese. The shifting senses of belonging is also contingent upon such a relationship as musicians and audiences envision their own musical futures.
The Huxuan and Huteng Dances
Authors: Weiping Zhao
Published: October 2023

With the opening of the Silk Road in the Han dynasty (581–618 CE), foreign cultures gradually came to occupy an important position in China. Musicians from overseas brought rich cultures to China. From the Southern and Northern dynasties (420–589 CE) to the Tang dynasty, foreign musicians, musical instruments, and musical dances entered China through the Gansu corridor from Central Asia, West Asia, and South Asia and quickly entered the city of Chang’an, profoundly affecting Han culture. The popular huxuan and huteng dances were welcomed by local people who scrambled to imitate them. This chapter discusses how these dances entered China and influenced Chinese people and how China accepted, accommodated, and gradually localized these foreign musical genres. This precipitates a discussion of various phenomena associated with cultural coalescence.
Time, Politics, and Political Science
Authors: Goetz Klaus H.
Published: October 2023

The language of politics—whether domestic or international—is saturated with time-related references. So is the language of political science, whether it relates to substantive concerns, concepts, theories, or methods. The emphasis on time in politics and political science has become more pronounced, as much of contemporary political debate and analysis has come to be framed in terms of crisis, turbulence, and emergency. The brief survey of the contributions to this Handbook shows the extent to which time-centered research in political science has advanced across the subdisciplines of comparative politics and government; comparative public policy; international relations; and political theory. Seven observational foci guide much of this scholarship: time embedded in institutions, processes, organizations, actor constellations, ideas, policy problems, and public policies. The time-centered conceptual agenda that emerges can be summarized by four terms: explication, specification, systematization, and application. If research on time and politics is to flourish, commonly agreed-upon concepts that are applied consistently are required so that empirical knowledge can be accumulated and, where necessary, revised.
Canadian Musicals and the Commercial Theatre of Broadway and the West End
Authors: Atkey Mel
Published: October 2023

For decades Canadian musical theatre writers hoped to conquer New York and/or London, without much luck. These attempts have included such ‘flops’ as Rockabye Hamlet, Billy Bishop Goes to War, and The Story of My Life. The essay discusses the general history of musicals originating in Canada and how they were exported. It also explores why after many years of trying, two shows—The Drowsy Chaperone and Come from Away—succeeded on Broadway within a relatively short period of time.
Musicals in Mexico
Authors: Méndez Emilio
Published: October 2023

This chapter explores how producers have attempted since 1956 to attract theatre-goers in Mexico City with local productions of translated Anglophone musicals and how such attempts have prompted the Mexican theatre industry to build up its own catalogue of original musicals. It discusses how local audiences and critics have had to reconcile their experiences of the traditional Mexican revista (revue) with the modern Broadway and West End musical. Alongside the precipitate production of Ni fu ni fa (1955), this essay considers the cases of Rentas congeladas (1960) and Las fascinadoras (1961)—early works that endeavoured to bridge the gap between revista and musical—as well as Papacito piernas largas (1977), ¡Qué plantón! (1989), and Mentiras (2009), long-running and successful Mexican shows. Examining overlapping cultural-aesthetic and economic considerations as well as critical responses, the chapter proposes four major stages of the assimilation process of Anglophone musical theatre as a foreign form and the development of indigenous Mexican musicals.
That Special Relationship
Authors: Gordon Robert
Published: October 2023

The essay traces the development of a ‘special relationship’ between Britain and the United States between 1945 and 1982 in cultural terms by examining the career and reception of the three female American musical theatre stars who achieved the highest profile in the United Kingdom—Dolores Gray, Mary Martin, and Elaine Stritch. Their performances were imbricated within changing postwar understandings of femininity, typifying for British audiences the modernity that the United States had come to represent. Their comparatively liberated assertion of ‘naturalness’ in speech and behaviour replaced the class-bound formality of British performances of gender and sexuality with the less repressed images of American identity. The particular affection with which these three stage stars were embraced manifested changes in British attitudes to themselves and to the popular culture of the United States.
Between Starlight Express and My Fair Lady, Frank Wildhorn and Martin Lingnau
Authors: Döhl Frédéric
Published: October 2023

This essay investigates the repertoire of imported Anglo-American musicals after the reunification of East and West Germany (1989–1990) as the core of contemporary popular musical theatre in German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, and northern Switzerland), the third-biggest market for Anglophone popular musical theatre in the world in terms of gross income, audience attendance, productions, and repertoire diversity. Particular attention is paid to living composers and imported Anglo-American works that premiered after the mid-1990s, including comparative case studies of Stephen Sondheim and Frank Wildhorn. Additionally, the paper focuses on the domestic production of new musicals, especially those by Martin Lingnau.
Theatre and Globalisation: Theoretical and Historical Dimensions
Authors: Balme Christopher
Published: October 2023

The first section of the essay argues that theatrical globalisation begins in the second half of the nineteenth century with the rapid expansion of transportation, trading, and communication networks. It discusses some definitions of globalisation, especially its influential variant, glocalisation, and how we can use these terms in a theatrical context. It draws on David Singh Grewal’s notion of standardisation as a prerequisite for networked globalisation. The essay proposes that we look at theatrical globalisation from the perspective of ‘institutions in motion’, that is, the transferral of theatrical practices in different cultural environments. The global diffusion of Stanislavsky’s ‘method’ is a case in point. The main part of the chapter revisits Peter L. Becker’s influential theory of cultural globalisation and reformulates it under the heading ‘the five faces of theatrical globalisation’: marketisation, musicalisation, festivalisation, mediatisation, and musealisation. The essay demonstrates how these phenomena can be applied to current developments, especially in but not restricted to musical theatre.