bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of the PMT underwater cascade implosion protection system for JUNO
Authors: He Miao , Qin Zhonghua , Hou Shaojing , Jing Xiaoping , Liu Hongbang , Ke Zunjian , Wu Diru , Xie Wan , Xu Meihang , Chen Fang , Lu Junguang , Heng Yuekun , Zhang Jiawen , Ma Xiaoyan , Du Zhipeng
Published: February 2023

Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are widely used underwater in
large-scale neutrino experiments. As a hollow glass spherelike
structure, implosion is unavoidable during long-term operation under
large water pressure. There is a possibility of cascade implosion to
neighbor PMTs due to shockwave. Jiangmen Underground Neutrino
Observatory designed a protection structure for each 20-inch PMT,
consisting of a top cover, a bottom cover, and their
connection. This paper introduces the requirement and design of the
PMT protection system, including the material selection,
investigation of manufacture technology, and
prototyping. Optimization and validation by simulation and
underwater experiments are also presented.
Population in floodplains or close to sea level increased in US but declined in some counties—especially among Black residents
Authors: Titus James G
Published: February 2023

Previous studies estimating US population vulnerable to climate change have assumed that population is uniformly distributed within the geographical unit of analysis, typically a census block. That assumption overstates vulnerable population in places where people have avoided the most hazardous areas. After using independent samples of housing location and building footprints to validate a revised approach, this letter estimates the US population close to sea level and in floodplains based on the assumption that population in a hazard zone is proportional to the fraction of buildings in the hazard zone, for the period 1990–2020. The building-based assumption reduces population estimates about 30%. Over the 30-year period, the US population below 1 m increased 14%–18% from 1.85 (±0.19) million in 1990 to 2.2 (±0.25) million; population below 3 m increased 31%. Sea level rise accounts for 75% of the increase in population below 1 m, but only 14% of the increase below 3 m. Nevertheless, in 21 counties, net emigration from land below 1 m was greater than 1% of county population. Although this emigration was particularly great in the 2000s after Hurricane Katrina, it totaled 170 000 for the entire 30-year period. Similarly, the US population of inland 100-year floodplains increased 7%, but several hundred counties saw a steady emigration throughout the 30-year period which totaled about 240 000. Black residents accounted for 19% of the population below 1 m but only 12% of the nation’s population in 2020, meaning that Black residents were 63% more likely to live below 1 m than the general population nationwide. This disproportionality is more attributable to high Black populations in the most vulnerable localities (especially New Orleans) than to historic segregation. Black people also are almost five times as likely to have emigrated from land below 1 m than the general population since 1990.
Five loop minimal MOM scheme field and quark mass anomalous dimensions in QCD
Authors: Gracey J A , Mason R H
Published: February 2023

We determine the anomalous dimensions of the gluon, Faddeev–Popov ghost and quark in the minimal momentum subtraction scheme to five loops for a general colour group when quantum chromodynamics is fixed in a linear covariant gauge. The quark mass anomalous dimension is also constructed in the same scheme.
Lack of genetic differentiation of Kawakawa Euthynnus affinis (Cantor, 1849) in Peninsular Malaysia based on mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase I
Authors: Binashikhbubkr Khaled , Naim Darlina Md.
Published: February 2023

Kawakawa Euthynnus affinis is a cosmopolitan epipelagic tuna and is regarded as one of the most commercially important tunas in the subtropical and tropical waters of Indo-Pacific region. Regrettably, a lack of information on the stock structure management and conservation of E. affinis populations in Malaysian waters could result in overfishing and perhaps decreasing the stock structure of this marine fish. Thus, for an effective and successful management of the species, an assessment of stock structure based on molecular knowledge is essential. In this current research, genetic differentiation was assessed utilizing sequence analyses of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. A 632 bp segment of the COI region was sequenced in 114 individuals of E. affinis sampled from two central geographic regions; the Straits of Malacca (M), and the South China Sea (SCS). The results revealed that the genetic distance within and between seven populations of E. affinis from Peninsular Malaysia was extremely low. The overall mean of haplotype diversity (Hd) was 0.6942, while the average nucleotide diversity (π) was 0.0011. The neighbor-joining (NJ) tree revealed that the samples of E. affinis collected from Peninsular Malaysia were clustered into one clade. The outcomes of this study will provide a valuable baseline of knowledge for proper management and conservation of this neritic tuna in Malaysian waters.
Use of agricultural wastes in rhamnolipid production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa USM-AR2
Authors: Aggo G M , Noh N A M , Yahya A R M
Published: February 2023

This study investigates agricultural wastes as potential fermentation substrates to provide a cheaper solution in rhamnolipid production by P. aeruginosa USM-AR2 while simultaneously attempting to recycle waste. Rhamnolipid production was estimated by orcinol assay, oil spreading test (OST), and emulsification index (E24). The wastes used were waste cooking oil and glycerine pitch. Rhamnolipid fermentation was carried out in shake flask culture using minimal salt medium (MSM) supplemented with 3% (v/v) agricultural wastes as the sole carbon source and NaNO3 as the nitrogen source. MSM supplemented with waste cooking oil exhibited higher biomass, while glycerine pitch resulted in higher rhamnolipid production. Rhamnolipid from MSM supplemented with waste cooking oil demonstrated higher diameter of clearing zone in the OST than glycerine pitch. It exhibited high emulsification activity on waste cooking oil at 63.3 ± 0.03%, with glycerine pitch recording higher E24 at 71.5 ± 0.03%. In conclusion, P. aeruginosa USM-AR2 was able to utilize agricultural wastes to produce appreciable amounts of rhamnolipid.
Thermal study on novel spokes fin for high power LED
Authors: Nandanwar Tanmay , Jani Jash , Rammohan A
Published: February 2023

High Power LED (HPLED) lights are popular today in industrial, residential, and consumer applications. In this work, under natural cooling considerations, on a commercial (size 17.85 × 17.85 × 3 mm) heatsink base, a novel spokes fin model was introduced and the temperature has been investigated and compared with rectangular and circular fin models. Using commercial FEA tool, the effect of heat transfer has been explored for a single and six HPLED arrays integrated on the top of the heat sink base and for different fin lengths, about 60 mm, 70 mm and 80 mm and junction temperatures 130 °C, 110 °C, 90 °C, 70 °C and 50 °C. The results revealed that the novel spokes fin is effective at about 4.72% (6 °C) on the upper part of the fins and 5.87% (13 °C) on the lower part of the fins. The heat dissipation from the HPLED junction to the atmosphere is effective using novel spokes compared to rectangular fins for both single and six HPLED array configurations. At the same time, the rectangular fin is effective in dissipating the heat for a single HPLED operation compared to the circular fin about 2.85% on the upper fins, 3.66% on the lower fins and has an equal dissipation effect while used for six HPLED array configurations. During the simulation, the mesh independence test is conducted and the radiation effect is also considered.
Comparative study of magnetic energy storage control techniques for stabilizing wind farm integrated system under different conditions
Authors: Sonia  , Dahiya A K
Published: February 2023

The Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) device is gaining significance in utility applications, as it can handle high power values with a fast rate of exchanging energy at high efficiency. The large-scale invasion of renewable energy systems into grid give rise to many integration issues. This SMES can handle these issues due to its various features. In this study the role of SMES in tackling stability issues due to presence of wind generation farms is investigated. The Doubly Fed Induction Generators (DFIG) based wind farms are most popular due to their distinctive advantages. Their intermittent output power and sensitivity to the grid disturbances gives rise to stability issues. These problems require innovative and advanced control strategies. Here coupling of SMES with Static Compensator (STATCOM) (STAT-SMES) has been suggested for boosting the transient stability of the hybrid large-scale DFIG and Synchronous Generator (SG) system. For investigation different faults and fast speed wind variation are considered. This coupled controller can compensate the real and reactive powers along with fast damping of oscillations under test conditions of entire system. The chopper link of SMES is controlled using Fuzzy based intelligent system and Proportional Integral (PI) controller. The connection of SMES to STATCOM shows better damping and improvement in all variables. The comparative study among Fuzzy based STAT-SMES, PI based STAT-SMES, only STATCOM, and without any controller is performed using MATLAB/Simulink. The simulation outcomes indicate that proposed Fuzzy based controller is better than other control systems in different test conditions.
Quantum machine learning framework for virtual screening in drug discovery: a prospective quantum advantage
Authors: Mensa Stefano , Sahin Emre , Tacchino Francesco , Kl Barkoutsos Panagiotis , Tavernelli Ivano
Published: February 2023

Machine Learning for ligand based virtual screening (LB-VS) is an important in-silico tool for discovering new drugs in a faster and cost-effective manner, especially for emerging diseases such as COVID-19. In this paper, we propose a general-purpose framework combining a classical Support Vector Classifier algorithm with quantum kernel estimation for LB-VS on real-world databases, and we argue in favor of its prospective quantum advantage. Indeed, we heuristically prove that our quantum integrated workflow can, at least in some relevant instances, provide a tangible advantage compared to state-of-art classical algorithms operating on the same datasets, showing strong dependence on target and features selection method. Finally, we test our algorithm on IBM Quantum processors using ADRB2 and COVID-19 datasets, showing that hardware simulations provide results in line with the predicted performances and can surpass classical equivalents.
The impact of study factors in the association of periodontal disease and cognitive disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Larvin Harriet , Gao Chenyi , Kang Jing , Aggarwal Vishal R , Pavitt Susan , Wu Jianhua
Published: February 2023

Aim

The aim was to assess study factors that impact the association of cognitive disorders in people with periodontal disease (PD).

Method

Medline, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched until February 2022 using keywords and MeSH: (periodon* OR tooth loss OR missing teeth) AND (dementia OR Alzheimer’s Disease OR cognitive*). Observational studies reporting prevalence or risk of cognitive decline, dementia or Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in people with PD compared with healthy controls were included. Meta-analysis quantified the prevalence and risk (relative risk[RR]) of cognitive decline, dementia/AD, respectively. Meta-regression/subgroup analysis explored the impact of study factors including PD severity and classification type, and gender.

Results

Overall, 39 studies were eligible for meta-analysis: 13 cross-sectional and 26 longitudinal studies. PD demonstrated increased risks of cognitive disorders (cognitive decline—RR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.13–1.55; dementia/AD—RR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.14–1.31). Risk of cognitive decline increased with PD severity (moderate—[RR] = 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07–1.22; severe—RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.18–1.32). For every 10% population increase in females, the risk of cognitive decline increased by 34% (RR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.16–1.55). Self-reported PD showed a lower risk of cognitive disorders compared with clinical classification (cognitive decline—RR = 0.77, 95% CI = 0.65–0.91; dementia/AD—RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.77–0.96).

Conclusion

The prevalence and risk estimates of cognitive disorders in association with PD can be influenced by gender, the disease classification of PD and its severity. Further homologous evidence taking these study factors into consideration is needed to form robust conclusions.
Gender Differences in Auditory and Visual Attentional Performance in Children with and without ADHD
Authors: Lin Hung-Yu , Chiu En-Chi , Hsieh Hsieh-Chun , Wang Pei-Jung
Published: February 2023

Objective

Despite the relatively high prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the impairment of ADHD in women is underestimated due to the different ways the phenomenon manifests compared to traditional male symptoms. In order to close the gender gap in diagnosis and treatment, this study aims to explore the impact of gender on auditory and visual attention in children with and without ADHD.

Method

A total of 220 children with and without ADHD participated in this study. Their auditory and visual attention performances were analyzed by comparative computerized auditory and visual subtests.

Results

Auditory and visual attention performance in children with and without ADHD did affect by gender, including typically developing (TD) boys are better than TD girls at distinguishing visual targets from non-target stimuli. When performing attention tasks, TD girls generally maintained a cautious response, which was different from TD boys, who generally adopted positive response methods. ADHD girls suffered from more serious auditory inattention problems than ADHD boys; however, ADHD boys suffered from more auditory and visual impulsive problems than ADHD girls. The internal attention problems of female ADHD children were broader than that of their male ADHD peers and were also more severe, especially in problems of auditory omission and auditory response acuity.

Conclusions

ADHD children had a significant gap in auditory and visual attention performance compared to TD children. The research results support the impact of gender on the performance of auditory and visual attention in children with and without ADHD.
BioPlexR and BioPlexPy: integrated data products for the analysis of human protein interactions
Authors: Geistlinger Ludwig , Vargas Roger , Lee Tyrone , Pan Joshua , Huttlin Edward L , Gentleman Robert
Published: February 2023

The BioPlex project has created two proteome scale, cell-line-specific protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks: the first in 293T cells, including 120k interactions among 15k proteins; and the second in HCT116 cells, including 70k interactions between 10k proteins. Here, we describe programmatic access to the BioPlex PPI networks and integration with related resources from within R and Python. Besides PPI networks for 293T and HCT116 cells, this includes access to CORUM protein complex data, PFAM protein domain data, PDB protein structures, and transcriptome and proteome data for the two cell lines. The implemented functionality serves as a basis for integrative downstream analysis of BioPlex PPI data with domain-specific R and Python packages, including efficient execution of maximum scoring sub-network analysis, protein domain–domain association analysis, mapping of PPIs onto 3D protein structures and analysis of BioPlex PPIs at the interface of transcriptomic and proteomic data.

Availability and implementation

The BioPlex R package is available from Bioconductor (bioconductor.org/packages/BioPlex), and the BioPlex Python package is available from PyPI (pypi.org/project/bioplexpy). Applications and downstream analyses are available from GitHub (github.com/ccb-hms/BioPlexAnalysis).
Characterizing the Blood-Stage Antimalarial Activity of Tafenoquine in Healthy Volunteers Experimentally Infected With Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Barber Bridget E , Abd-Rahman Azrin N , Webster Rebecca , Potter Adam J , Llewellyn Stacey , Marquart Louise , Sahai Nischal , Leelasena Indika , Birrell Geoffrey W , Edstein Michael D , Shanks G Dennis , Wesche David , Moehrle Joerg J , McCarthy James S
Published: February 2023

Background

The long-acting 8-aminoquinoline tafenoquine may be a good candidate for mass drug administration if it exhibits sufficient blood-stage antimalarial activity at doses low enough to be tolerated by glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)–deficient individuals.

Methods

Healthy adults with normal levels of G6PD were inoculated with Plasmodium falciparum 3D7-infected erythrocytes on day 0. Different single oral doses of tafenoquine were administered on day 8. Parasitemia and concentrations of tafenoquine and the 5,6-orthoquinone metabolite in plasma/whole blood/urine were measured and standard safety assessments performed. Curative artemether-lumefantrine therapy was administered if parasite regrowth occurred, or on day 48 ± 2. Outcomes were parasite clearance kinetics, pharmacokinetic and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) parameters from modelling, and dose simulations in a theoretical endemic population.

Results

Twelve participants were inoculated and administered 200 mg (n = 3), 300 mg (n = 4), 400 mg (n = 2), or 600 mg (n = 3) tafenoquine. The parasite clearance half-life with 400 mg or 600 mg (5.4 hours and 4.2 hours, respectively) was faster than with 200 mg or 300 mg (11.8 hours and 9.6 hours, respectively). Parasite regrowth occurred after dosing with 200 mg (3/3 participants) and 300 mg (3/4 participants) but not after 400 mg or 600 mg. Simulations using the PK/PD model predicted that 460 mg and 540 mg would clear parasitaemia by a factor of 106 and 109, respectively, in a 60-kg adult.

Conclusions

Although a single dose of tafenoquine exhibits potent P. falciparum blood-stage antimalarial activity, the estimated doses to effectively clear asexual parasitemia will require prior screening to exclude G6PD deficiency.

Clinical Trials Registration. Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12620000995976).
Hocus Pocus: the Role of Hand-held Ultrasonography in Predicting Disease Extension and Endoscopic Activity in Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Rispo Antonio , Calabrese Giulio , Testa Anna , Imperatore Nicola , Patturelli Marta , Allocca Mariangela , Guarino Alessia Dalila , Cantisani Nicola Mattia , Toro Benedetta , Castiglione Fabiana
Published: February 2023

Background

Ulcerative colitis [UC] assessment still requires ileocolonoscopy [IC]. Intestinal ultrasound [IUS] has emerged as a non-invasive assessment tool, and the Milan Ultrasound Criteria [MUC] score has been validated to estimate and grade UC disease activity. Recently, hand-held IUS [HHIUS] has been used in several clinical settings, but data about its use in UC are limited. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of HHIUS compared with conventional IUS in detecting UC extension and activity.

Patients and Methods

From November 2021 to September 2022, we prospectively enrolled UC patients afferent to our third-level IBD Unit for IC evaluation. Patients underwent IC, HHIUS, and IUS. Ultrasound activity was defined by MUC >6.2, and endoscopic activity was defined by a Mayo endoscopic score [MES] >1. Cohen’s k test was applied to test the concordance between IUS-MUC and HHIUS-MUC after MUC dichotomisation [MUC >6.2, yes/no].

Results

In all, 86 patients with UC were enrolled. No significant difference was recorded between IUS and HHIUS at the per-segment extension [p = N.S.], and both procedures were comparable in terms of results of bowel wall thickness [BWT] and bowel wall stratification [BWS] assessment [p = N.S.]. IUS and HHIUS displayed excellent agreement when the MUC score system was applied [k = 0.86, p <0.01].

Conclusion

Hand-held intestinal ultrasound and IUS are comparable in UC extension definition and MUC evaluation. HHIUS could be reliable for detecting disease activity and estimating its extension, providing close monitoring. It also represents a non-invasive, easily practicable investigation, allowing immediate medical decisions with significant time and cost advantages.
Steering Fallible Consumers
Authors: Heidhues Paul , Köster Mats , Kőszegi Botond
Published: February 2023

Online intermediaries with information about a consumer’s tendencies often ‘steer’ her toward products she is more likely to purchase. We analyse the welfare implications of this practice for ‘fallible’ consumers, who make statistical and strategic mistakes in evaluating offers. The welfare effects depend on the nature and quality of the intermediary’s information and on properties of the consumer’s mistakes. In particular, steering based on high-quality information about the consumer’s mistakes is typically harmful, sometimes extremely so. We argue that much real-life steering is of this type, raising the scope for a broader regulation of steering practices.
In vivopulsed-field ablation in healthy vs. chronically infarcted ventricular myocardium: biophysical and histologic characterization
Authors: Sandhu Uday , Alkukhun Laith , Kheiri Babikir , Hodovan James , Chiang Kirby , Splanger Taylor , Castellvi Quim , Zhao Yan , Nazer Babak
Published: February 2023

Aims

Data on ventricular pulsed-field ablation (PFA) are sparse in the setting of chronic myocardial infarction (MI). The objective of this study was to compare the biophysical and histopathologic characteristics of PFA in healthy and MI swine ventricular myocardium.

Methods and results

Myocardial infarction swine (n = 8) underwent coronary balloon occlusion and survived for 30 days. We then performed endocardial unipolar, biphasic PFA of the MI border zone and a dense scar with electroanatomic mapping and using an irrigated contact force (CF)-sensing catheter with the CENTAURI System (Galaxy Medical). Lesion and biophysical characteristics were compared with three controls: MI swine undergoing thermal ablation, MI swine undergoing no ablation, and healthy swine undergoing similar PFA applications that included linear lesion sets. Tissues were systematically assessed by gross pathology utilizing 2,3,5-triphenyl-2H-tetrazolium chloride staining and histologically with haematoxylin and eosin and trichrome. Pulsed-field ablation in healthy myocardium generated well-demarcated ellipsoid lesions (7.2 ± 2.1 mm depth) with contraction band necrosis and myocytolysis. Pulsed-field ablation in MI demonstrated slightly smaller lesions (depth 5.3 ± 1.9 mm, P = 0.0002), and lesions infiltrated into the irregular scar border, resulting in contraction band necrosis and myocytolysis of surviving myocytes and extending to the epicardial border of the scar. Coagulative necrosis was present in 75% of thermal ablation controls but only in 16% of PFA lesions. Linear PFA resulted in contiguous linear lesions with no gaps in gross pathology. Neither CF nor local R-wave amplitude reduction correlated with lesion size.

Conclusion

Pulsed-field ablation of a heterogeneous chronic MI scar effectively ablates surviving myocytes within and beyond the scar, demonstrating promise for the clinical ablation of scar-mediated ventricular arrhythmias.
Ambulatory pulmonary vein isolation workflow using the Perclose ProglideTM suture-mediated vascular closure device: the PRO-PVI study
Authors: Fabbricatore Davide , Buytaert Dimitri , Valeriano Chiara , Mileva Niya , Paolisso Pasquale , Nagumo Sakura , Munhoz Daniel , Collet Carlos , De Potter Tom
Published: February 2023

Aims

The leading reason for delayed discharge after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) is vascular complications. This study aimed to evaluate feasibility, safety, and efficacy of the Perclose Proglide™ suture-mediated vascular closure in ambulatory PVI, report complications, patient satisfaction, and cost of this approach.

Methods and results

Patients scheduled for PVI were enrolled prospectively in an observational design. Feasibility was assessed as % discharged the day of procedure. Efficacy was analysed as acute access site closure rate, time to reach haemostasis, time to ambulate, and time to discharge. Safety analysis consisted of vascular complications at 30 days. Cost analysis was reported using direct and indirect cost analysis. A 1:1 propensity matched control cohort was used for comparing time to discharge to usual workflow. Of 50 enrolled patients, 96% were discharged on the same day. 100% of devices were successfully deployed. Immediate (<1 min) haemostasis was reached in 30 patients (62.5%). Mean time to discharge was 5:48 ± 1:03 h (vs. 10:16 ± 1:21 h in the matched cohort, P < 0.0001). Patients reported high level of satisfaction with the post-operative time. No major vascular complication occurred. Cost analysis showed a neutral impact compared to the standard of care.

Conclusion

The use of the closure device for femoral venous access after PVI led to safe discharge of patients within 6 h from the intervention in 96% of the population. This approach could minimize the overcrowding of healthcare facilities. The gain in post-operative recovery time improved patients’ satisfaction and balanced the economic cost of the device.
Intermuscular technique for implantation of the subcutaneous implantable defibrillator: a propensity-matched case–control study
Authors: Botto Giovanni Luca , Ziacchi Matteo , Nigro Gerardo , D’Onofrio Antonio , Dello Russo Antonio , Francia Pietro , Viani Stefano , Pisanò Ennio , Bisignani Giovanni , Caravati Fabrizio , Migliore Federico , De Filippo Paolo , Ottaviano Luca , Rordorf Roberto , Manzo Michele , Canevese Fabio Lorenzo , Lovecchio Mariolina , Valsecchi Sergio , Checchi Luca
Published: February 2023

Aims

A previous randomized study demonstrated that the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (S-ICD) was noninferior to transvenous ICD with respect to device-related complications and inappropriate shocks. However, that was performed prior to the widespread adoption of pulse generator implantation in the intermuscular (IM) space instead of the traditional subcutaneous (SC) pocket. The aim of this analysis was to compare survival from device-related complications and inappropriate shocks between patients who underwent S-ICD implantation with the generator positioned in an IM position in comparison with an SC pocket.

Methods and results

We analysed 1577 consecutive patients who had undergone S-ICD implantation from 2013 to 2021 and were followed up until December 2021. Subcutaneous patients (n = 290) were propensity matched with patients of the IM group (n = 290), and their outcomes were compared. : During a median follow-up of 28 months, device-related complications were reported in 28 (4.8%) patients and inappropriate shocks were reported in 37 (6.4%) patients. The risk of complication was lower in the matched IM group than in the SC group [hazard ratio 0.41, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17–0.99, P = 0.041], as well as the composite of complications and inappropriate shocks (hazard ratio 0.50, 95% CI 0.30–0.86, P = 0.013). The risk of appropriate shocks was similar between groups (hazard ratio 0.90, 95% CI 0.50–1.61, P = 0.721). There was no significant interaction between generator positioning and variables such as gender, age, body mass index, and ejection fraction.

Conclusion

Our data showed the superiority of the IM S-ICD generator positioning in reducing device-related complications and inappropriate shocks.

Clinical trial registration

Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov; NCT02275637.
Preclinical assessment of the feasibility, safety and lesion durability of a novel ‘single-shot’ pulsed field ablation catheter for pulmonary vein isolation
Authors: Koruth Jacob , Kawamura Iwanari , Dukkipati Srinivas R , Neuzil Petr , Reddy Vivek Y
Published: February 2023

Aims

Single-shot pulmonary vein isolation can improve procedural efficiency. To assess the capability of a novel, expandable lattice-shaped catheter to rapidly isolate thoracic veins using pulsed field ablation (PFA) in healthy swine.

Methods and results

The study catheter (SpherePVI; Affera Inc) was used to isolate thoracic veins in two cohorts of swine survived for 1 and 5 weeks. In Experiment 1, an initial dose (PULSE2) was used to isolate the superior vena cava (SVC) and the right superior pulmonary vein (RSPV) in six swine and the SVC only in two swine. In Experiment 2, a final dose (PULSE3) was used for SVC, RSPV, and left superior pulmonary vein (LSPV) in five swine. Baseline and follow-up maps, ostial diameters, and phrenic nerve were assessed. Pulsed field ablation was delivered atop the oesophagus in three swine. All tissues were submitted for pathology. In Experiment 1, all 14/14 veins were isolated acutely with durable isolation demonstrated in 6/6 RSPVs and 6/8 SVC. Both reconnections occurred when only one application/vein was used. Fifty-two and 32 sections from the RSPVs and SVC revealed transmural lesions in 100% with a mean depth of 4.0 ± 2.0 mm. In Experiment 2, 15/15 veins were isolated acutely with 14/15 veins (5/5 SVC, 5/5 RSPV, and 4/5 LSPV) durably isolated. Right superior pulmonary vein (31) and SVC (34) sections had 100% transmural, circumferential ablation with minimal inflammation. Viable vessels and nerves were noted without evidence of venous stenosis, phrenic palsy, or oesophageal injury.

Conclusion

This novel expandable lattice PFA catheter can achieve durable isolation with transmurality and safety.
The evolution of suppressed recombination between sex chromosomes and the lengths of evolutionary strata
Authors: Olito Colin , Abbott Jessica K
Published: February 2023

The idea that sex differences in selection drive the evolution of suppressed recombination between sex chromosomes is well developed in population genetics. Yet, despite a now classic body of theory, empirical evidence that sexually antagonistic selection drives the evolution of recombination arrest remains equivocal and alternative hypotheses underdeveloped. Here, we investigate whether the length of “evolutionary strata” formed by chromosomal inversions (or other large-effect recombination modifiers) expanding the non-recombining sex-linked region (SLR) on sex chromosomes can be informative of how selection influenced their fixation. We develop population genetic models to show how the length of an SLR-expanding inversion, and the presence of partially recessive deleterious mutational variation, affect the fixation probability of three different classes of inversions: (1) intrinsically neutral, (2) directly beneficial (i.e., due to breakpoint or positional effects), and (3) those capturing sexually antagonistic (SA) loci. Our models indicate that neutral inversions, and those capturing an SA locus in linkage disequilibrium with the ancestral SLR, will exhibit a strong fixation bias toward small inversions; while unconditionally beneficial inversions, and those capturing a genetically unlinked SA locus, will favor fixation of larger inversions. The footprint of evolutionary stratum size left behind by different selection regimes is strongly influenced by parameters affecting the deleterious mutation load, the physical position of the ancestral SLR, and the distribution of new inversion lengths.
The potential of using non-coding RNAs in forensic science applications
Authors: Li Yawen , Wang Zhuoqun , Ishmael Dikeledi , Lvy Yehui
Published: February 2023

With the continuous development and integration of molecular biology and forensic science, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), especially ncRNAs with regulatory functions such as microRNA, long non-coding RNA, and circular RNA, have recently been actively explored by forensic scholars. In this study, we review the literature on these ncRNAs in various fields of forensic science, including postmortem interval determination, wound age estimation, forensic age assessment, cause of death analysis, and body fluid identification, aiming to evaluate the current research and provide a perspective for future applications.
Caenorhabditis elegans spermatocytes can segregate achiasmate homologous chromosomes apart at higher than random frequency during meiosis I
Authors: Gong Ting , McNally Francis J
Published: February 2023

Chromosome segregation errors during meiosis are the leading cause of aneuploidy. Faithful chromosome segregation during meiosis in most eukaryotes requires a crossover which provides a physical attachment holding homologs together in a “bivalent.” Crossovers are critical for homologs to be properly aligned and partitioned in the first meiotic division. Without a crossover, individual homologs (univalents) might segregate randomly, resulting in aneuploid progeny. However, Caenorhabditis elegans zim-2 mutants, which have crossover defects on chromosome V, have fewer dead embryos than that expected from random segregation. This deviation from random segregation is more pronounced in zim-2 males than that in females. We found three phenomena that can explain this apparent discrepancy. First, we detected crossovers on chromosome V in both zim-2(tm574) oocytes and spermatocytes, suggesting a redundant mechanism to make up for the ZIM-2 loss. Second, after accounting for the background crossover frequency, spermatocytes produced significantly more euploid gametes than what would be expected from random segregation. Lastly, trisomy of chromosome V is viable and fertile. Together, these three phenomena allow zim-2(tm574) mutants with reduced crossovers on chromosome V to have more viable progeny. Furthermore, live imaging of meiosis in spo-11(me44) oocytes and spermatocytes, which exhibit crossover failure on all 6 chromosomes, showed 12 univalents segregating apart in roughly equal masses in a homology-independent manner, supporting the existence of a mechanism that segregates any 2 chromosomes apart.
Deformation of the Qinling belt revealed byP-wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy tomography
Authors: Li Mengyang , Liu Shaolin , Yang Dinghui , Xie Chaodi , Xu Xiwei , Dong Guiju , Wang Wenshuai , Yang Shuxin
Published: February 2023

The Qinling belt is a transitional zone lying among three units: the North China block (NCB), the South China block (SCB) and the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (NETP). Owing to the interaction of these units, complex deformation has occurred in the Qinling belt. Although many studies have been conducted to understand the deformation mechanism in the Qinling belt, some key issues are still under debate, such as whether middle-lower crustal flow exists beneath the western Qinling belt (WQB). High-resolution images of subsurface structures are essential to shed light on the deformation mechanism. In this paper, high-resolution images of the velocity structure and azimuthal anisotropy beneath the Qinling belt are obtained by using an eikonal equation-based traveltime tomography method. Our seismic tomography inverts 38 719 high-quality P-wave first arrivals from 1697 regional earthquakes recorded by 387 broad-band seismic stations. In the WQB, our tomography results show low-velocity anomalies but relatively weak anisotropy in the middle-lower crust. These features suggest that middle-lower crustal flow may not exist in this area. In the central Qinling belt (CQB), we find low-velocity anomalies in the middle-lower crust; however, the fast velocity directions no longer trend E–W but vary from NNE–SSW to N–S. These characteristics can be ascribed to the convergence and collision between the NCB and the SCB. In addition, we find strong low-velocity anomalies in the uppermost mantle beneath the CQB, which may indicate delamination of the lower crust. In the southern Qinling belt, we observe significant high-velocity anomalies in the upper crust beneath the Hannan–Micang and Shennong–Huangling domes. These high-velocity anomalies indicate a mechanically strong upper crust, which is responsible for the arc-shaped deformation process of the Dabashan fold. Based on the P-wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropic structures revealed by the inversion of high-quality seismic data, the deformation of the Qinling belt is affected mainly by the convergence between the NCB and the SCB rather than by the middle-lower crustal flow from the Tibetan Plateau.
A deep Gaussian process model for seismicity background rates
Authors: Muir Jack B , Ross Zachary E
Published: February 2023

The spatio-temporal properties of seismicity give us incisive insight into the stress state evolution and fault structures of the crust. Empirical models based on self-exciting point processes continue to provide an important tool for analysing seismicity, given the epistemic uncertainty associated with physical models. In particular, the epidemic-type aftershock sequence (ETAS) model acts as a reference model for studying seismicity catalogues. The traditional ETAS model uses simple parametric definitions for the background rate of triggering-independent seismicity. This reduces the effectiveness of the basic ETAS model in modelling the temporally complex seismicity patterns seen in seismic swarms that are dominated by aseismic tectonic processes such as fluid injection rather than aftershock triggering. In order to robustly capture time-varying seismicity rates, we introduce a deep Gaussian process (GP) formulation for the background rate as an extension to ETAS. GPs are a robust non-parametric model for function spaces with covariance structure. By conditioning the length-scale structure of a GP with another GP, we have a deep-GP: a probabilistic, hierarchical model that automatically tunes its structure to match data constraints. We show how the deep-GP-ETAS model can be efficiently sampled by making use of a Metropolis-within-Gibbs scheme, taking advantage of the branching process formulation of ETAS and a stochastic partial differential equation (SPDE) approximation for Matérn GPs. We illustrate our method using synthetic examples, and show that the deep-GP-ETAS model successfully captures multiscale temporal behaviour in the background forcing rate of seismicity. We then apply the results to two real-data catalogues: the Ridgecrest, CA 2019 July 5 Mw 7.1 event catalogue, showing that deep-GP-ETAS can successfully characterize a classical aftershock sequence; and the 2016–2019 Cahuilla, CA earthquake swarm, which shows two distinct phases of aseismic forcing concordant with a fluid injection-driven initial sequence, arrest of the fluid along a physical barrier and release following the largest Mw 4.4 event of the sequence.
The effects of climate-induced environmental variability on Pacific Ocean squids
Authors: Wang Jintao , Chen Xinjun , Li YunKai , Boenish Robert
Published: February 2023

Climate-induced environmental variability is proving to be a driving factor reshaping the distribution and altering the movement of marine species. However, how Pacific Ocean squids, with their 1-year life span and adaptive abilities, and which support >25% of global squid fisheries, respond to environmental variability is poorly understood. We address this knowledge gap by constructing spatio–temporal models for two squid species in three fishing grounds (Ommastrephes bartramii in the northwest Pacific Ocean and Dosidicus gigas in the eastern Pacific Ocean) using generalized additive mixed models based on data from digitized Chinese squid-jigging logbooks for 2005–2017. The relationships between environmental variables and local abundance of squids reflected by environmental and traditional spatial response curves track changes in climate. The peaks and troughs in squid biomass coincide with La Niña and El Niño events, but are moderate in contrast to the effects of directional climate-induced environmental variability. We find substantial poleward shifts by squids inhabiting low and middle latitudes. These findings have broad implications for food security and open ocean ecosystem dynamics.
Inferior pulmonary ligament division during left upper lobectomy causes pulmonary dysfunction
Authors: Kuriyama Shoji , Imai Kazuhiro , Saito Hajime , Takashima Shinogu , Kurihara Nobuyasu , Demura Ryo , Suzuki Haruka , Harata Yuzu , Sato Yusuke , Nakayama Katsutoshi , Nomura Kyoko , Minamiya Yoshihiro
Published: February 2023

OBJECTIVES

The division of inferior pulmonary ligament (IPL) during upper lobectomy (UL) was believed to be mandatory to dilate the remaining lung sufficiently. However, the benefits, especially postoperative pulmonary function, remain controversial. This study aimed to evaluate whether IPL division leads to pulmonary dysfunction.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 213 patients who underwent UL between 2005 and 2018. They were categorized into an IPL division group (D group, n = 106) and a preservation group (P group, n = 107). Postoperative dead space at the lung apex, pulmonary function and complications were assessed using chest X-rays and spirometry. Changes in bronchial angle, cross-sectional area and circumference of the narrowed bronchus on the excised side were measured on three-dimensional computed tomography.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in the postoperative complication rate, the dead space area, forced vital capacity (FVC), or forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) between the 2 groups after right UL (FVC; P = 0.838, FEV1; P = 0.693). By contrast, after left UL pulmonary function was significantly better in the P than in the D group (FVC; P = 0.038, FEV1; P = 0.027). Changes in bronchial angle did not significantly differ between the 2 groups. The narrowed bronchus's cross-sectional area (P = 0.021) and circumference (P = 0.009) were significantly smaller in the D group than in the P group after left UL.

CONCLUSIONS

IPL division during left UL caused postoperative pulmonary dysfunction and airflow limitation due to bronchial kinking. IPL preservation may have a beneficial impact on postoperative pulmonary function.
Location of the phase-change material layer on thermal performance of light-weight walls
Authors: Liu Shuhan , Wang Jiahui , Meng Li , Hu Chenxi , Meng Xi
Published: February 2023

Light-weight materials are commonly used in high-rise buildings to reduce the building weight, but their thermal inertia will increase the fluctuation of air-conditioning and heating load and reduce indoor thermal comfort. Phase-change material (PCM) is employed to improve the thermal behavior by latent thermal storage, but its location has the obvious impact on the thermal behavior improvement of the light-weight wall. According to this condition, by taking the common multi-layer wall as a reference, three walls were built with different locations of the PCM layer, including locating the PCM layer in inner side, locating the PCM layer in outer side and distributing PCM uniformly into foamed concrete. The dynamic heat transfer model with the phase change was built and verified by an experiment. Numerical results showed locating the PCM layer in inner side is the best in three locations and followed by distributing PCM uniformly into foamed concrete, while locating the PCM layer in outer side is the worst in spite of the high liquid fraction variation. Locating the PCM layer in the inner side can lower the attenuation factor by 101.25% and 33.87%, increase the delay time by 40.00% and 17.14%, reduced by the peak heat flow by 47.69% and 17.28%, compared to locating the PCM layer in the outer side and distributing PCM into foamed concrete uniformly.
Facilitating greenhouse gas emissions reduction via photovoltaic site characterization and deployment in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Aloufi Fahed A , Halawani Riyadh F
Published: February 2023

The study shows that oil production and consumption in the various sectors accounted for over 80% of the rising GHG emissions, especially CO2. Additionally, the study examines the solar photovoltaic (PV) potential of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, using computational modelling. The results show that the yearly average global horizontal irradiation, direct normal radiation and diffuse horizontal irradiations are 2244, 1967 and 863.3 kWh/m2, respectively. Other results are the yearly sum of monthly global tilted irradiation (GTI) and an average yearly daily sum of GTI are 2348.4 and 6.44 kWh/m2, respectively. These results show that Jeddah has huge solar PV potential.
Exploring consumers’ perspective of community pharmacists delivering COVID-19 vaccinations: an Australian pilot study
Authors: Bui Tien Ngoc Thi , Janetzki Jack Luke , Chai Wern Chern , Suppiah Vijayaprakash
Published: February 2023

Objectives

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Australian community pharmacists delivered a wide range of professional services, including COVID-19 vaccinations. The aim of this study was to understand the reasons for and attitudes of consumers receiving COVID-19 vaccinations from community pharmacists.

Methods

A nationwide anonymous online survey recruited consumers above the age of 18 years who had received their COVID-19 vaccinations at community pharmacies between September 2021 and April 2022.

Key findings

COVID-19 vaccinations at community pharmacies were positively received by consumers due to their convenience and accessibility.

Conclusions

Future health strategies should utilise the highly trained workforce of community pharmacists for wider public outreach.
Genomic Epidemiology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Transmission Among University Students in Western Pennsylvania
Authors: Srinivasa Vatsala Rangachar , Griffith Marissa P , Waggle Kady D , Johnson Monika , Zhu Lei , Williams John V , Marsh Jane W , Van Tyne Daria , Harrison Lee H , Martin Elise M
Published: February 2023

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) control on college campuses is challenging given communal living and student social dynamics. Understanding SARS-CoV-2 transmission among college students is important for the development of optimal control strategies.

Methods

SARS-CoV-2 nasal swab samples were collected from University of Pittsburgh students for symptomatic testing and asymptomatic surveillance from August 2020 through April 2021 from 3 campuses. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed on 308 samples, and contact tracing information collected from students was used to identify transmission clusters.

Results

We identified 31 Pangolin lineages of SARS-CoV-2, the majority belonging to B.1.1.7 (Alpha) and B.1.2 lineages. Contact tracing identified 142 students (46%) clustering with each other; WGS identified 53 putative transmission clusters involving 216 students (70%). WGS identified transmissions that were missed by contact tracing. However, 84 cases (27%) could not be linked by either WGS or contact tracing. Clusters were most frequently linked to students residing in the same dormitory, off-campus roommates, friends, or athletic activities.

Conclusions

The majority of SARS-CoV-2–positive samples clustered by WGS, indicating significant transmission across campuses. The combination of WGS and contact tracing maximized the identification of SARS-CoV-2 transmission on campus. WGS can be used as a strategy to mitigate, and further prevent transmission among students.