bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metabolic rewiring tunes dermal macrophages in staphylococcal skin infection
Authors: Forde Aaron James , Kolter Julia , Zwicky Pascale , Baasch Sebastian , Lohrmann Florens , Eckert Marleen , Gres Vitka , Lagies Simon , Gorka Oliver , Rambold Angelika S. , Buescher Joerg M. , Kammerer Bernd , Lachmann Nico , Prinz Marco , Groß Olaf , Pearce Edward J. , Becher Burkhard , Henneke Philipp
Published: August 2023

The skin needs to balance tolerance of colonizing microflora with rapid detection of potential pathogens. Flexible response mechanisms would seem most suitable to accommodate the dynamic challenges of effective antimicrobial defense and restoration of tissue homeostasis. Here, we dissected macrophage-intrinsic mechanisms and microenvironmental cues that tune macrophage signaling in localized skin infection with the colonizing and opportunistic pathogen
Staphylococcus aureus.
Early in skin infection, the cytokine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) produced by γδ T cells and hypoxic conditions within the dermal microenvironment diverted macrophages away from a homeostatic M-CSF– and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α)–dependent program. This allowed macrophages to be metabolically rewired for maximal inflammatory activity, which requires expression of
Irg1
and generation of itaconate, but not HIF-1α. This multifactorial macrophage rewiring program was required for both the timely clearance of bacteria and for the provision of local immune memory. These findings indicate that immunometabolic conditioning allows dermal macrophages to cycle between antimicrobial activity and protection against secondary infections.
Characterization of
Mycobacterium abscessus
colony-biofilms based on bi-dimensional images
Authors: Aguilera-Correa John Jairo , Boudehen Yves-Marie , Kremer Laurent
Published: August 2023

Mycobacterium abscessus
biofilm aggregates have been shown in the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients and are often tolerant to drugs. Herein, we analyzed bi-dimensional images of either fluorescent or Congo red-stained
M. abscessus
colony-biofilms grown on a membrane to monitor growth and shape of
M. abscessus
smooth and rough variants. These colony-biofilms responded differently to rifabutin and bedaquiline, thus highlighting the importance of the morphotype to properly address antibiotic treatment in patients with biofilm-related infections.
Stabilization of the human cytomegalovirus UL136p33 reactivation determinant overcomes the requirement for UL135 for replication in hematopoietic cells
Authors: Moy Melissa A. , Collins-McMillen Donna , Crawford Lindsey , Parkins Christopher , Zeltzer Sebastian , Caviness Katie , Zaidi Syed Shujaat Ali , Caposio Patrizia , Goodrum Felicia
Published: August 2023

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a beta herpesvirus that persists indefinitely in the human host through a latent infection. The polycistronic
UL133–UL138
gene locus of HCMV encodes genes regulating latency and reactivation. While
UL138
is pro-latency, restricting virus replication in CD34
+
hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs),
UL135
overcomes this restriction and is required for reactivation. By contrast,
UL136
is expressed with later kinetics and encodes multiple proteins with differential roles in latency and reactivation. Like
UL135
, the largest
UL136
isoform, UL136p33, is required for reactivation from latency in HPCs; viruses failing to express either protein are unresponsive to reactivation stimuli. Furthermore, UL136p33 is unstable, and its instability is important for the establishment of latency, and sufficient accumulation of UL136p33 is a checkpoint for reactivation. We hypothesized that stabilizing UL136p33 might overcome the requirement of
UL135
for replication. We generated recombinant viruses lacking
UL135
that expressed a stabilized variant of UL136p33. Stabilizing UL136p33 did not impact the replication of the
UL135
mutant virus in fibroblasts. However, in the context of infection in HPCs, stabilization of UL136p33 strikingly compensated for the loss of
UL135,
resulting in increased replication in CD34
+
HPCs and in humanized NOD-
scid
IL2Rγ
c
null
(huNSG) mice. This finding suggests that while
UL135
is essential for replication in HPCs, it functions largely at steps preceding the accumulation of UL136p33, and that stabilized expression of UL136p33 largely overcomes the requirement for
UL135
. Taken together, our genetic evidence indicates an epistatic relationship between UL136p33 and
UL135
, whereby
UL135
may initiate events early in reactivation that drive the accumulation of UL136p33 to a threshold required for productive reactivation.

IMPORTANCE

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is one of nine human herpesviruses and a significant human pathogen. While HCMV establishes a lifelong latent infection that is typically asymptomatic in healthy individuals, its reactivation from latency can have devastating consequences in the immunocompromised. Defining viral genes important in the establishment of or reactivation from latency is important to defining the molecular basis of latent and replicative states and in controlling infection and CMV disease. Here we define a genetic relationship between two viral genes in controlling virus reactivation from latency using primary human hematopoietic progenitor cells and humanized mouse models.
Euo is a developmental regulator that represses late genes and activates midcycle genes in
Chlamydia trachomatis
Authors: Hakiem Owais R. , Rizvi Syed M. A. , Ramirez Cuper , Tan Ming
Published: August 2023

The pathogenic bacterium
Chlamydia
reproduces via an unusual intracellular developmental cycle in which it converts from a dividing form (reticulate body or RB) to an infectious form (elementary body or EB). The transcription factor Euo has been proposed as a developmental regulator in
Chlamydia trachomatis
because it repressed a number of late chlamydial promoters, which are transcribed during RB-to-EB conversion. To define the Euo regulon, we performed a genome-wide study that combined Euo DNA immunoprecipitation-seq (DIP-seq) studies with RNA-seq analysis of HeLa cells infected with an Euo-overexpressing
C. trachomatis
strain. We demonstrate that Euo directly regulates ~7% of
C. trachomatis
genes. However, only about half were downregulated (28/61; 45.9%) by Euo overexpression while paradoxically the other half were upregulated (33/61; 54.1%). Intriguingly, all downregulated genes were late genes, while the majority of upregulated genes were midcycle genes, which are transcribed during RB replication. DIP analysis showed that Euo occupancy sites were restricted to the core promoter region for downregulated genes but were located over a wider region immediately upstream of the promoter for upregulated genes. We also found that Euo controls its own expression through a negative feedback mechanism. Electron microscopy analysis of cells infected with the Euo-overexpressing strain showed fewer EBs, consistent with a block in RB-to-EB conversion, as well as fewer and larger RBs. Together, these findings broaden the role of Euo as a developmental regulator that functions as both a transcriptional repressor of late genes and a transcriptional activator of midcycle genes in
C. trachomatis
.

IMPORTANCE

In this study, we developed a correlative approach that combined DNA immunoprecipitation-seq and RNA-seq analyses to define the regulon of the
Chlamydia trachomatis
transcription factor Euo. We confirmed the proposed role of Euo as a transcriptional repressor of late chlamydial genes but also showed that Euo activates transcription of a subset of midcycle genes and autoregulates its own expression via negative feedback. This study validates and expands the role of Euo as an important developmental regulator in
C. trachomatis
. In addition, this genome-wide correlative approach can be applied to study transcription factors in other pathogenic bacteria.
Characterization of A/H7 influenza virus global antigenic diversity and key determinants in the hemagglutinin globular head mediating A/H7N9 antigenic evolution
Authors: Kok Adinda , Scheuer Rachel , Bestebroer Theo M. , Burke David F. , Wilks Samuel H. , Spronken Monique I. , de Meulder Dennis , Lexmond Pascal , Pronk Mark , Smith Derek J. , Herfst Sander , Fouchier Ron A. M. , Richard Mathilde
Published: August 2023

Avian A/H7 influenza viruses are a global threat to animal and human health. These viruses continue to cause outbreaks in poultry and have caused the highest number of reported zoonotic infections to date, highlighting their pandemic threat. Evidence for antigenic diversification of avian A/H7 influenza viruses exists; however, knowledge of the drivers and molecular basis of antigenic evolution of these viruses is limited. Here, antigenic cartography was used to analyze the global antigenic diversity of A/H7 influenza viruses and to determine the molecular basis of antigenic change in A/H7N9 viruses. A phylogenetic tree based on all available A/H7 HA sequences was generated, from which 52 representative, genetically diverse, antigens were selected for antigenic characterization using hemagglutination inhibition assays. The resulting data were used to compute an antigenic map using multidimensional scaling algorithms. High antigenic relatedness was observed between antigens and sera belonging to genetically divergent A/H7 (sub)lineages. The most striking antigenic change relative to the timespan of virus isolation was observed for the A/H7N9 viruses isolated between 2013 and 2019 in China. Amino acid changes at positions 116, 118, 125, 130, 151, and 217 in the hemagglutinin globular head were found to be the main determinants of antigenic evolution between A/H7N9 influenza virus prototypes. The A/H7 antigenic map and knowledge of the molecular determinants of their antigenic evolution will aid pandemic preparedness against A/H7 influenza viruses, specifically regarding the design of novel vaccines and vaccination strategies.

IMPORTANCE

A/H7 avian influenza viruses cause outbreaks in poultry globally, resulting in outbreaks with significant socio-economical impact and zoonotic risks. Occasionally, poultry vaccination programs have been implemented to reduce the burden of these viruses, which might result in an increased immune pressure accelerating antigenic evolution. In fact, evidence for antigenic diversification of A/H7 influenza viruses exists, posing challenges to pandemic preparedness and the design of vaccination strategies efficacious against drifted variants. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the global antigenic diversity of A/H7 influenza viruses and identified the main substitutions in the hemagglutinin responsible for antigenic evolution in A/H7N9 viruses isolated between 2013 and 2019. The A/H7 antigenic map and knowledge of the molecular determinants of their antigenic evolution add value to A/H7 influenza virus surveillance programs, the design of vaccines and vaccination strategies, and pandemic preparedness.
Celiac—the lone horse? An autoimmune condition without signals of microbiota dysbiosis
Authors: Turjeman Sondra , Sharon Efrat , Levin Rachel , Oralewska Beata , Szaflarska-Popławska Anna , Bierła Joanna B. , Cukrowska Bożena , Koren Omry
Published: August 2023

Accumulating evidence supports the role of microbiota in autoimmune processes, but research regarding the role of the gut microbiota in celiac disease (CD) is still emerging, and a consistent CD-associated dysbiosis pattern has not yet been defined. Here, we characterized the microbiota of children newly diagnosed with CD, with their unaffected family members as a healthy control group to reduce confounding factors including genetic background, hygiene, dietary habits, and environment, and followed children with CD over 1 year of dietary intervention (exclusion of gluten) to understand if the microbiota is associated with CD and its mediation. We did not find differences in the microbiota of siblings with and without CD, despite a wealth of evidence in the literature supporting CD-specific microbiota. CD is common among first-degree relatives, so this could suggest that unaffected family members in this study may be living in a pre-CD state, currently below clinical detection. Interestingly, despite the effectiveness of diet in CD control, we did not observe diet-mediated microbiota changes, except for short-term increase in
Akkermansia muciniphila
. This lack of effect could suggest a very strong CD microbial signature even when controlled or could be a technical shortcoming. Expanded future studies with both related and unrelated controls and diet interventions in both the CD and control arms can provide further context to our findings.

IMPORTANCE

The microbiota is the community of microbes that live in and on us. These microbes are essential to our health and everyday function. Disruption of the community is associated with diseases ranging from metabolic syndrome to autoimmune diseases to mental disorders. In the case of celiac disease (CD), research remains inconclusive regarding implications of the microbiota in etiology. Here, we compared microbiota of children with CD to those of their unaffected family members and found very few differences in microbiota profiles. We next examined how gluten elimination in CD patients affects the microbiota. Surprisingly, despite diet adherence, microbiota shifts were minimal, with only a short-term increase in
Akkermansia muciniphila
. Previous studies suggest that family members of CD patients may be living in a pre-CD state, which could explain their microbial similarity. A larger study with unrelated controls and increased microbiota monitoring during diet intervention should give our findings more perspective.
Supplemental Material: Late orogenic high-temperature overprint in (ultra)high-pressure ([U]HP) metamorphic rocks of the North Qinling Orogen, Central China: Insights into the geodynamics of the exhumation of (U)HP metamorphic rocks
Authors: Li Xin , Liu Liang , et al.
Published: August 2023

Text S1: Analytical methods of whole-rock major element analyses, mineral chemistry measurements, zircon U-Pb dating, and trace element measurements. Figure S1: P/T–H2O/O diagrams for samples QL2105 and QL2106. Figure S2: P–T diagram calculated with an effective bulk-rock composition for sample QL2106. Figure S3: Representative Raman spectra of mineral inclusions in zircons with different ages from samples QL2105 and QL2106. Table S1: Selected microprobe analyses of garnet, amphibole, biotite, plagioclase, and phengite for samples QL2105, QL2106, and QL2107. Table S2: Zircon U-Pb isotopic and age data as well as trace element compositions of zircons of samples QL2105, QL2106, and QL2107. 
Cryoablation following neoadjuvant tyrosine kinase inhibitor as treatment of a T1a renal clear cell carcinoma in a patient with a solitary kidney
Authors: Diederichsen Marie Zöga , Weile Kathrine Synne , Christiansen Cecilie Bekker , Pietersen Pia Iben
Published: August 2023

The case is presented of a woman in her 60s with renal cell carcinoma in a solitary kidney with normal renal function. Because of the solitary kidney status, the management strategy described in acknowledged guidelines was not possible. The patient was treated with standard first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor followed by percutaneous CT-guided cryoablation. Before and after the procedure the patient had normal kidney function. The treatment resulted in local cancer control, but a bone metastasis developed in the thoracic part of the spine.
Cancer rehabilitation support by cancer counselling centres (CARES): study protocol of a quasi-experimental feasibility study
Authors: Hiltrop Kati , Heidkamp Paula , Breidenbach Clara , Kowalski Christoph , Bruns Gudrun , Ernstmann Nicole
Published: August 2023

Introduction

While maintaining or restoring work ability after a cancer diagnosis is an essential aim of the rehabilitation process for working-age patients, problems can arise during the return to work (RTW) or when retaining work. Counselling could provide support for patients with or after cancer with employment-related questions (eg, questions related to RTW and work retention). Outpatient psychosocial cancer counselling centres in Germany offer counselling on work-related questions; however, resources for this are limited. This protocol presents a feasibility study of an intensified needs-based counselling intervention that supports those seeking employment-related advice.

Methods and analysis

The CARES (cancer rehabilitation support by cancer counselling centres) project is a feasibility study for a newly developed counselling intervention. The intervention is being developed as part of the project and piloted in about 20 outpatient cancer counselling centres. The CARES study has a quasi-experimental pre–post design with a control cohort. First, patients who undergo regular counselling are recruited. Second, after the counsellors have been trained for the newly developed intervention, participants for the intervention group are recruited from the cancer counselling centres. Quantitative and formative evaluations will be performed in accordance with the existing guidelines. The quantitative evaluation comprises three patient surveys (at the beginning of the counselling process, 3 months into the counselling process and, for the intervention group, at the end of the counselling process) and routine data of the counselling process. The formative evaluation includes interviews with patients, counsellors and other stakeholders, as well as participatory observations of counselling sessions.

Ethics and dissemination

Approval has been obtained from the ethics committee of the Medical Faculty of the University Bonn (061/22; 09.04.2022). A data protection concept ensures adherence to data protection regulations for the handled data. The dissemination strategies include discussing the results with the cancer counselling centres.

Trial registration number

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00028121); Pre-results.
Does medical education reform change who is selected? A national cross-sectional survey from China
Authors: You You , Wang Weimin , Cleland Jennifer
Published: August 2023

Objectives

Approximately 10 years ago, China introduced an education plan to improve the overall quality of medical education and to better serve the population’s health needs. Many medical schools were then recognised and financed by China’s Ministry of Education to develop and operationalise new pilot programmes (PPs) aligned with this plan. These ran in parallel with the traditional programmes (TPs). One way to achieve the plan’s first aim, improving the quality of medical education, is to select academically stronger candidates. We, thus, examined and compared who were selected into PPs and TPs.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Data were collected from 123 medical schools across China via the 2021 China Medical Student Survey.

Participants

Participants were undergraduate clinical medicine students across all year groups.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Medical school selection was via the National College Entrance Examination (NCEE). Medical students’ NCEE performance and their sociodemographics were used as the primary and secondary outcome measures. Mann-Whitney or χ2tests were used to compare the means between educational programmes (PPs vs TPs) and various selection outcomes. Multilevel mixed-effects regressions were employed to account for school idiosyncratic selection results.

Results

Of the 204 817 respondents, 194 163 (94.8%) were in a TP and 10 654 (5.2%) a PP. PP respondents (median=75.2, IQR=69.5–78.8) had significantly higher NCEE scores than their TP counterparts (median=73.9, IQR=68.5–78.7). Holding constant their NCEE score, PP respondents were significantly more likely to come from urban areas, not be first-generation college students, and have parents with higher occupational status and income.

Conclusions

Assuming quality can be indicated by prior academic achievement at the point of selection, PPs achieved this mission. However, doing so limited medical students’ diversity. This may be unhelpful in achieving the Education Plan’s goal to better serve China’s health needs.
Glycaemic monitoring and control among high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes in Australian general practice during COVID-19
Authors: Barlow Kirrilee Jane , Fahey Paul P , Atlantis Evan
Published: August 2023

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted general practice worldwide, primarily due to public health measures that restricted access to care for chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. These measures disproportionately affected higher risk groups with type 2 diabetes, such as older people and those with obesity. This study aims to identify factors that may have influenced the rates of compliance with testing guidelines and target glycaemic control in Australian general practice settings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

We used a serial cross-sectional study design of patient record data from general practices representative of the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District between 2020 and 2022. Aggregated patient records were analysed to determine percentages of subgroups with a blood glycaemic testing interval consistent with guidelines (≥1 within 15 months) and achieving target glycaemic control (by glycated haemoglobin of ≤7%). Linear regression models were used to test the association between independent and dependent variables, and to generate regression coefficients and 95% CI, corrected for time trends.

Results

Of the average 14 356 patient records per month, 55% were male, 53% had a body mass index (BMI) <30 and 55% were aged 55–74 years. Compliance to testing guidelines slightly decreased (75–73%) but was positively associated with male sex (2.5%, 95% CI 1.7%, 3.4%), BMI≥30 (9.6%, 95% CI 8.8%, 10.4%) and 55–74 years (7.5%, 95% CI 6.6%, 8.5%) and 75 years and over age groups (7.1%, 95% CI 6.2%, 7.9%). Mean percentage of patient records achieving target glycaemic control slightly increased and was negatively associated with male sex (−3.7%, 95% CI −5.2%, –2.2%), but positively associated with 55–74 years (4.5%, 95% CI 3.8%, 5.1%) and 75 years and over age groups (12.2%, 95% CI 4.5%, 20.0%). Compliance to testing guidelines increased with each additional general practice per 10 000 persons (8.4%, 95% CI 4.9%, 11.8%).

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people with type 2 diabetes in Australia continued to follow glycaemic testing guidelines at the same rate. In fact, there was a slight improvement in glycaemic control among all subgroups of patients, including those at higher risk. These findings are encouraging, but the longer term impact of COVID-19 on type 2 diabetes care is still unclear.
Growth differentiation factor-15 in patients with or at risk of heart failure but before first hospitalisation
Authors: Bradley Joshua , Schelbert Erik B , Bonnett Laura J , Lewis Gavin A , Lagan Jakub , Orsborne Christopher , Brown Pamela Frances , Black Nicholas , Naish Josephine H , Williams Simon G , McDonagh Theresa , Schmitt Matthias , Miller Christopher A
Published: August 2023

Objective

Identification of patients at risk of adverse outcome from heart failure (HF) at an early stage is a priority. Growth differentiation factor (GDF)-15 has emerged as a potentially useful biomarker. This study sought to identify determinants of circulating GDF-15 and evaluate its prognostic value, in patients at risk of HF or with HF but before first hospitalisation.

Methods

Prospective, longitudinal cohort study of 2166 consecutive patients in stage A–C HF undergoing cardiovascular magnetic resonance and measurement of GDF-15. Multivariable linear regression investigated determinants of GDF-15. Cox proportional hazards modelling, Net Reclassification Improvement and decision curve analysis examined its incremental prognostic value. Primary outcome was a composite of first hospitalisation for HF or all-cause mortality. Median follow-up was 1093 (939–1231) days.

Results

Major determinants of GDF-15 were age, diabetes and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, although despite extensive phenotyping, only around half of the variability of GDF-15 could be explained (R20.51). Log-transformed GDF-15 was the strongest predictor of outcome (HR 2.12, 95% CI 1.71 to 2.63) and resulted in a risk prediction model with higher predictive accuracy (continuous Net Reclassification Improvement 0.26; 95% CI 0.13 to 0.39) and with greater clinical net benefit across the entire range of threshold probabilities.

Conclusion

In patients at risk of HF, or with HF but before first hospitalisation, GDF-15 provides unique information and is highly predictive of hospitalisation for HF or all-cause mortality, leading to more accurate risk stratification that can improve clinical decision making.

Trial registration number

NCT02326324.
Palliative sedation: ethics in clinical practice guidelines – systematic review
Authors: Tomczyk Martyna , Jaques Cécile , Jox Ralf J
Published: August 2023

Objectives

The objective of our study was to determine whether, and to what degree, the ethical dimension was present in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) on palliative sedation, and to identify the ethical issues with respect to the different forms of this practice. The purpose was purely to be descriptive; our aim was not to make any kind of normative judgements on these ethical issues or to develop our own ethical recommendations.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of CPGs on the palliative sedation of adults, focusing our analysis on the ethical dimension of these texts and the ethical issues of this practice. The study protocol is registered on PROSPERO.

Results

In total, 36 current CPGs from four continents (and 14 countries) were included in our analysis. Generally, ethics was rarely referred to or absent from the CPGs. Only six texts contained a specific section explicitly related to ethics. Ethical issues were named, conceptualised and presented in heterogeneous, often confusing ways. It was impossible to identify the ethical issues of each form of palliative sedation. Ethics expertise was not involved in the development of most of the CPGs and, if it was, this did not always correlate with the ethical dimension of the document.

Conclusions

Effective cooperation between palliative care clinicians and ethicists should be encouraged, in order to integrate in particular the crucial ethical issues of continuous deep sedation until death when developing or updating CPGs on palliative sedation.
Drivers of soil nitrogen availability and carbon exchange processes in a High Arctic wetland
Authors: Hung Jacqueline K.Y. , Scott Neal A. , Treitz Paul M.
Published: August 2023

Increased soil nutrient availability, and associated increases in vegetation productivity, could create a negative feedback between Arctic ecosystems and the climate system, thereby reducing the contribution of Arctic ecosystems to future climate change. To predict whether this feedback will develop, it is important to understand the environmental controls over nutrient cycling in High Arctic ecosystems and their impact on carbon cycling processes. Here, we examined the environmental controls over soil nitrogen availability in a High Arctic wet sedge meadow and how abiotic factors and soil nitrogen influenced carbon dioxide exchange processes. The importance of environmental variables was consistent over the 3 years, but the magnitudes of their effect varied depending on climate conditions. Ammonium availability was higher in warmer years and wetter conditions, while drier areas within the wetland had higher nitrate availability. Carbon uptake was driven by soil moisture, active layer depth, and variability between sampling sites and years ( R2 = 0.753), while ecosystem respiration was influenced by nitrogen availability, soil temperature, active layer depth, and sampling year ( R2 = 0.848). Considered together, the future carbon dioxide source or sink potential of high latitude wetlands will largely depend on climate-induced changes in moisture and subsequent impacts on nutrient availability.
Returning mistletoe to an urban forest: a restoration success story
Authors: Watson David M. , Cook Melinda , Van der Ree Rodney , Harrison Lee
Published: August 2023

Mistletoes have a fraught public relations history. Vilified as toxic tree-killing weeds, they have long been targeted for removal by arborists and forest managers concerned with tree health. Research on mistletoe ecology has revealed their positive influence on diversity and community structure via complex networks of interactions. In areas where mistletoe has traditionally been removed, managers are now asking whether these parasitic plants can return on their own or whether they should be reintroduced. To evaluate the practicalities of mistletoe restoration, we inoculated 28 London plane trees Platanus × acerfolia (Aiton) Willd. in inner Melbourne with creeping mistletoe Muellerina eucalyptoides (DC.) Barlow, a locally rare species. Branch dimensions and aspect had no discernible effect on germination or seedling emergence, but trees where access to possums ( Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr, 1792) and Pseudocheirus peregrinus (Boddaert, 1785)) was restricted were 30% more likely to host seedlings. Five years after inoculation, seven mistletoes successfully established on five trees, with two mistletoes bearing fruit. Communications with residents and city users elicited positive feedback, catalysing four additional inoculation trials in urban and forest settings elsewhere. In addition to representing a cost-effective means of enhancing habitat values, mistletoe restoration is useful for addressing open questions about mistletoe ecology and educating the community about the functional roles these parasitic plants play.
Magnetic string matter collapse in rainbow gravity
Authors: Tasleem Ukasha , Sheikh Umber
Published: August 2023

This work investigates the dynamics of a collapsing magnetic string dust and string fluid in the Plank Era via spherically symmetric rainbow geometry. The field equations are modified and solved to obtain the dynamical quantities, including mass density, pressure, string tension, and magnetic field strength. These quantities are presented graphically. The energy conditions are computed showing that all the dynamical quantities are associated with physical matter. The distance and moment of apparent horizon formation are computed. The magnetic field is found to affect the distance and moment of the apparent horizon’s formation. It accelerates the collapsing process. Further, the dynamical variables are maximum in the collapsing configuration’s center leading to compact object (black hole) formation. The probing particle’s energy affects all the dynamical variables of the fluid in a direct proportion. This resolves the information paradox as a particle with greater energy grasps the information from a particle with lesser energy and takes it out in the real world.
Open data and quantitative techniques for anthropology of road traffic
Authors: Pretnar Žagar Ajda , Hočevar Tomaž , Curk Tomaž
Published: August 2023

What kind of questions about human mobility can computational analysis help answer? How to translate the findings into anthropology? We analyzed a publicly available data set of road traffic counters in Slovenia to answer these questions. The data revealed information on how a population drives, how it travels for tourism, which locations it prefers, what it does during the week and the weekend, and how its habits change during the year. We conducted the empirical analysis in two parts. First, we defined traffic profile deviations and designed computational methods to find them in a large data set. As shown in the paper, traffic counters hint at potential causes and effects in driving practices that we interpreted anthropologically. Second, we used hierarchical clustering to find groups of similar traffic counters as described by their daily profiles. Clustering revealed the main features of road traffic in Slovenia. Using the two quantitative approaches, we outlined the general properties of road traffic in the country and identified and explained the outliers. We show that quantitative data analysis only partially answers anthropological questions, but it can be a valuable tool for preliminary research. We conclude that open data are a useful component in an anthropological analysis and that quantitative discovery of small local events can help us pinpoint future fieldwork sites.
Analytical study of low energy proton interactions in the SORGENTINA’s fusion ion source-part I: beam-dump
Authors: Pietropaolo A. , Del Dotto A. , Contessa G. M. ,   the SRF-Collaboration, Agostini Pietro , Angiolini Massimo , Alberghi Ciro , Candido Luigi , Capogni Marco , Capone Mauro , Cataldo Sebastiano , Contessa Gian Marco , D’Arienzo Marco , Dongiovanni Danilo , Ferrari Paolo , Flammini Davide , Fonnesu Nicola , Frisoni Manuela , Gadani Gianni , Guidoni David , Lamberti Marco , Lepore Luigi , Mancini Andrea , Marinari Ranieri , Marzo Giuseppe A. , Mastroianni Bruno , Moro Fabio , Narcisi Vincenzo , Orefice Agostina , Pietropaolo Antonino , Rizzo Antonietta , Rydzy Alexander , Salvi Stefano , Santoli Demis , Santucci Alessia , Saraceno Luca , Sartorio Camillo , Scaglione Salvatore , Sermenghi Valerio , Serra Emanuele , Simonetti Andrea , Spassovsky Ivan Panov , Terranova Nicholas , Tosti Silvano , Ubaldini Alberto , Voukelatou Konstantina , Zito Pietro , Zummo Giuseppe
Published: August 2023

An analytical study, corroborated by Monte Carlo simulations, is presented which describes the interaction of a 300  keV–830 mA proton beam with a Cu and Al dumping system. The analytical calculations rely on the theoretical framework of the Particle Induced X-ray Emission, while the Monte Carlo simulations are performed by means of the GEANT4 toolkit. The case study is related to the project SORGENTINA-RF fusion neutron source and in particular to the tests devoted to assess the performance of the ion source of the plant. The results provide a detailed physical insight of the main processes occurring in the beam dump material, and are also important to give some realistic figures of the radiation emission expected during operation.
On the failure of the chain rule for the divergence of Sobolev vector fields
Authors: Buck Miriam , Modena Stefano
Published: August 2023

We construct a large class of incompressible vector fields with Sobolev regularity, in dimension [Formula: see text], for which the chain rule problem has a negative answer. In particular, for any renormalization map [Formula: see text] (satisfying suitable assumptions) and any (distributional) renormalization defect [Formula: see text] of the form [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is an [Formula: see text] vector field, we can construct an incompressible Sobolev vector field [Formula: see text] and a density [Formula: see text] for which [Formula: see text] but [Formula: see text], provided [Formula: see text].
Shock profiles of Navier–Stokes equations for compressible medium
Authors: Chang Chueh-Hsin , Liu Tai-Ping
Published: August 2023

We construct the viscous profile of the Navier–Stokes equations for compressible media under certain sufficient local hypotheses of the constitutive relation. Our result applies to shocks of arbitrary strength and generalizes the classical work of Gilbarg for the convex constitutive relation of Bethe–Weyl.
Diverse Image Captioning via Conditional Variational Autoencoder and Dual Contrastive Learning
Authors: Xu Jing , Liu Bing , Zhou Yong , Liu Mingming , Yao Rui , Shao Zhiwen
Published: August 2023

Diverse image captioning has achieved substantial progress in recent years. However, the discriminability of generative models and the limitation of cross entropy loss are generally overlooked in the traditional diverse image captioning models, which seriously hurts both the diversity and accuracy of image captioning. In this article, aiming to improve diversity and accuracy simultaneously, we propose a novel Conditional Variational Autoencoder (DCL-CVAE) framework for diverse image captioning by seamlessly integrating sequential variational autoencoder with contrastive learning. In the encoding stage, we first build conditional variational autoencoders to separately learn the sequential latent spaces for a pair of captions. Then, we introduce contrastive learning in the sequential latent spaces to enhance the discriminability of latent representations for both image-caption pairs and mismatched pairs. In the decoding stage, we leverage the captions sampled from the pre-trained Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), LSTM decoder as the negative examples and perform contrastive learning with the greedily sampled positive examples, which can restrain the generation of common words and phrases induced by the cross entropy loss. By virtue of dual constrastive learning, DCL-CVAE is capable of encouraging the discriminability and facilitating the diversity, while promoting the accuracy of the generated captions. Extensive experiments are conducted on the challenging MSCOCO dataset, showing that our proposed methods can achieve a better balance between accuracy and diversity compared to the state-of-the-art diverse image captioning models.
Adapting Knowledge Inference Algorithms to Measure Geometry Competencies through a Puzzle Game
Authors: Strukova Sofia , Ruipérez-Valiente José A. , Mármol Félix Gómez
Published: August 2023

The rapid technological evolution of the last years has motivated students to develop capabilities that will prepare them for an unknown future in the 21st century. In this context, many teachers intend to optimise the learning process, making it more dynamic and exciting through the introduction of gamification. Thus, this article focuses on a data-driven assessment of geometry competencies, which are essential for developing problem-solving and higher-order thinking skills. Our main goal is to adapt, evaluate and compare Bayesian Knowledge Tracing (BKT), Performance Factor Analysis (PFA), Elo, and Deep Knowledge Tracing (DKT) algorithms applied to the data of a geometry game named Shadowspect, in order to predict students’ performance by means of several classifier metrics. We analysed two algorithmic configurations, with and without prioritisation of Knowledge Components (KCs) – the skills needed to complete a puzzle successfully, and we found Elo to be the algorithm with the best prediction power with the ability to model the real knowledge of students. However, the best results are achieved without KCs because it is a challenging task to differentiate between KCs effectively in game environments. Our results prove that the above-mentioned algorithms can be applied in formal education to improve teaching, learning, and organisational efficiency.
The Shapley Value in Database Management
Authors: Bertossi Leopoldo , Kimelfeld Benny , Livshits Ester , Monet Mikaël
Published: August 2023

Attribution scores can be applied in data management to quantify the contribution of individual items to conclusions from the data, as part of the explanation of what led to these conclusions. In Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Data Management, some of the common scores are deployments of the Shapley value, a formula for profit sharing in cooperative game theory. Since its invention in the 1950s, the Shapley value has been used for contribution measurement in many fields, from economics to law, with its latest researched applications in modern machine learning. Recent studies investigated the application of the Shapley value to database management. This article gives an overview of recent results on the computational complexity of the Shapley value for measuring the contribution of tuples to query answers and to the extent of inconsistency with respect to integrity constraints. More specifically, the article highlights lower and upper bounds on the complexity of calculating the Shapley value, either exactly or approximately, as well as solutions for realizing the calculation in practice.
Knowledge Graphs Querying
Authors: Khan Arijit
Published: August 2023

Knowledge graphs (KGs) such as DBpedia, Freebase, YAGO, Wikidata, and NELL were constructed to store large-scale, real-world facts as (subject, predicate, object) triples - that can also be modeled as a graph, where a node (a subject or an object) represents an entity with attributes, and a directed edge (a predicate) is a relationship between two entities. Querying KGs is critical in web search, question answering (QA), semantic search, personal assistants, fact checking, and recommendation. While significant progress has been made on KG construction and curation, thanks to deep learning recently we have seen a surge of research on KG querying and QA. The objectives of our survey are two-fold. First, research on KG querying has been conducted by several communities, such as databases, data mining, semantic web, machine learning, information retrieval, and natural language processing (NLP), with different focus and terminologies; and also in diverse topics ranging from graph databases, query languages, join algorithms, graph patterns matching, to more sophisticated KG embedding and natural language questions (NLQs). We aim at uniting different interdisciplinary topics and concepts that have been developed for KG querying. Second, many recent advances on KG and query embedding, multimodal KG, and KG-QA come from deep learning, IR, NLP, and computer vision domains. We identify important challenges of KG querying that received less attention by graph databases, and by the DB community in general, e.g., incomplete KG, semantic matching, multimodal data, and NLQs. We conclude by discussing interesting opportunities for the data management community, for instance, KG as a unified data model and vector-based query processing.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Activities in Database Conferences: A 2022 Report
Authors: Amer-Yahia Sihem , Agrawal Divyakant , Amsterdamer Yael , Bhowmick Sourav S. , Bonifati Angela , Borovica-Gajic Renata , Camacho-Rodríguez Jesús , Catania Barbara , Chrysanthis Panos K. , Curino Carlo , Darmont Jérôme , Dobbie Gillian , El Abbadi Amr , Floratou Avrilia , Freire Juliana , Jindal Alekh , Kalogeraki Vana , Maiyya Sujaya , Meliou Alexandra , Mohanty Madhulika , Omidvar-Tehrani Behrooz , Özcan Fatma , Peterfreund Liat , Rahayu Wenny , Sadiq Shazia , Sellami Sana , Sirin Utku , Tan Wang-Chiew , Thuraisingham Bhavani , Tian Yuanyuan , Tözün Pinar , Vargas-Solar Genoveva , Yadwadkar Neeraja , Zakhary Victor , Zhang Meihui
Published: August 2023

The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative started as the Diversity/Inclusion initiative in 2020 [4]. The current report summarizes our activities in 2022. Our responsibility as a community is to ensure that attendees of DB conferences feel included, irrespective of their scientific perspective and personal background. One of the first steps was to establish the role of the DEI chairs at DB Conferences, with the DEI team dedicated to providing leadership to help our community achieve this goal. In this leadership role, the DEI team is advising DEI chairs at DB conferences, serving as a memory of DEI events at conferences, building an agreed-upon vision, and committing to working together to devise a set of measures for achieving DEI. That is pursued via actions led by our core members (Figure 1) and liaisons of individual executive bodies (Figure 2): REACH OUT collects data and experiences from our community. INCLUDE monitors and recommends inclusion efforts. ORGANIZE focuses on in-conference organization efforts, such as adopting a code of conduct. INFORM communicates through various channels. SUPPORT coordinates DEI support from executive bodies and sponsors. SCOUT collates DEI efforts from other communities. COORDINATE manages all actions. Two new actions: MEDIA preserves and disseminates the digital media produced by DEI@DB events. ETHICS establishes and promotes ethics guidelines for publications in our community.
Resilience and Disaster: Flexible Adaptation in the Face of Uncertain Threat
Authors: Bonanno George A. , Chen Shuquan , Bagrodia Rohini , Galatzer-Levy Isaac R.
Published: August 2023

Disasters cause sweeping damage, hardship, and loss of life. In this article, we first consider the dominant psychological approach to disasters and its narrow focus on psychopathology (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder). We then review research on a broader approach that has identified heterogeneous, highly replicable trajectories of outcome, the most common being stable mental health or resilience. We review trajectory research for different types of disasters, including the COVID-19 pandemic. Next, we consider correlates of the resilience trajectory and note their paradoxically limited ability to predict future resilient outcomes. Research using machine learning algorithms improved prediction but has not yet illuminated the mechanism behind resilient adaptation. To that end, we propose a more direct psychological explanation for resilience based on research on the motivational and mechanistic components of regulatory flexibility. Finally, we consider how future research might leverage new computational approaches to better capture regulatory flexibility in real time.
Exploring the Impact of Concentration and Temperature Variations on Transient Natural Convection in Metal Electrodeposition: A Finite Volume Method Analysis
Authors: Colli A. N. , Bisang J. M.
Published: August 2023

A mathematical model was developed to accurately determine the current density, concentration, and velocity profiles in electrochemical reactors operating under natural convection conditions. The model considers the interplay of key variables, such as potential, concentration, and temperature linked to the hydrodynamics through the density field using the Boussinesq approximation. Thus, a comprehensive analysis under both laminar and turbulent flow conditions is provided. The computational algorithm that represents the model is implemented in OpenFOAM and it offers the ability to operate the reactor at a fixed cell potential difference or under potentiostatic and galvanostatic control. The model’s accuracy was verified in different parallel-plate reactors using copper deposition as a test reaction from dilute and concentrated solutions, showing a strong agreement with the experimental results. This tool can be leveraged to optimize cell design and operating conditions in electrochemical systems that involve significant natural convection, such as in the electrowinning and electrorefining industries.
Lymphatic vessels and the renin-angiotensin-system
Authors: Bertoldi Giovanni , Caputo Ilaria , Calò Lorenzo , Rossitto Giacomo
Published: August 2023

The lymphatic system is an integral part of the circulatory system and plays an important role in the fluid homeostasis of the human body. Accumulating evidence has recently suggested the involvement of lymphatic dysfunction in the pathogenesis of cardio-reno-vascular (CRV) disease. However, how the sophisticated contractile machinery of lymphatic vessels is modulated and, possibly impaired in CRV disease, remains largely unknown. In particular, little attention has been paid to the effect of the renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) on lymphatics, despite the high concentration of RAS mediators that these tissue-draining vessels are exposed to and the established role of the RAS in the development of classic microvascular dysfunction and overt CRV disease. We herein review recent studies linking RAS to lymphatic function and/or plasticity and further highlight RAS-specific signaling pathways, previously shown to drive adverse arterial remodeling and CRV organ damage that have potential for direct modulation of the lymphatic system.