bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immunosuppression by hydroxychloroquine: mechanistic proof in in vitro experiments but limited systemic activity in a randomized placebo-controlled clinical pharmacology study
Authors: in ‘t Veld Aliede E. , Grievink Hendrika W. , van der Plas Johan L. , Eveleens Maarse Boukje C. , van Kraaij Sebastiaan J. W. , Woutman Tess D. , Schoonakker Mascha , Klarenbeek Naomi B. , de Kam Marieke L. , Kamerling Ingrid M. C. , Jansen Manon A. A. , Moerland Matthijs
Published: February 2023

Based on its wide range of immunosuppressive properties, hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is used for the treatment of several autoimmune diseases. Limited literature is available on the relationship between HCQ concentration and its immunosuppressive effect. To gain insight in this relationship, we performed in vitro experiments in human PBMCs and explored the effect of HCQ on T and B cell proliferation and Toll-like receptor (TLR)3/TLR7/TLR9/RIG-I-induced cytokine production. In a placebo-controlled clinical study, these same endpoints were evaluated in healthy volunteers that were treated with a cumulative dose of 2400 mg HCQ over 5 days. In vitro, HCQ inhibited TLR responses with IC50s > 100 ng/mL and reaching 100% inhibition. In the clinical study, maximal HCQ plasma concentrations ranged from 75 to 200 ng/mL. No ex vivo HCQ effects were found on RIG-I-mediated cytokine release, but there was significant suppression of TLR7 responses and mild suppression of TLR3 and TLR9 responses. Moreover, HCQ treatment did not affect B cell and T cell proliferation. These investigations show that HCQ has clear immunosuppressive effects on human PBMCs, but the effective concentrations exceed the circulating HCQ concentrations under conventional clinical use. Of note, based on HCQ’s physicochemical properties, tissue drug concentrations may be higher, potentially resulting in significant local immunosuppression. This trial is registered in the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) under study number NL8726.
Analysis of surgical quality indicators after certification as a Hernia Center
Authors: Willms Arnulf Gregor , Schaaf Sebastian , Schwab Robert
Published: February 2023

Certifications are an increasingly used tool of quality management in the health care system. The primary goal is to improve the quality of treatment due to implemented measures based on a defined catalog of criteria and standardization of the treatment processes. However, the extent to which this affects medical and health-economic indicators is unknown. Therefore, the study aims to examine the possible effects of the certification as a Reference Center for Hernia Surgery on the treatment quality and reimbursement dimensions. The observation and recording periods were defined as 3 years before (2013–2015) and 3 years after certification as a "Reference Center for Hernia Surgery" (2016–2018). Possible changes due to the certification were examined based on multidimensional data collection and analysis. In addition, the aspects of structure, process and result quality, and the reimbursement situation were reported. One thousand three hundred and nineteen cases before and one thousand four hundred and three cases after certification were included. After the certification, the patients were older (58.1 ± 16.1 vs. 64.0 ± 16.1 years, p < 0.01), had a higher CMI (1.01 vs. 1.06), and a higher ASA score (< III 86.9 vs. 85.5%, p < 0.01). The interventions became more complex (e.g., recurrent incisional hernias 0.5% vs. 1.9%, p < 0.01). The mean length of hospital stay was significantly reduced for incisional hernias (8.8 ± 5.8 vs. 6.7 ± 4.1 days, p < 0.001). The reoperation rate for incisional hernias also decreased significantly from 8.24 to 3.66% (p = 0.04). The postoperative complication rate for inguinal hernias was significantly reduced (3.1 vs. 1.1%, p = 0.002). The reimbursement of the hernia center increased by 27.6%. There were positive changes in process and outcome quality and reimbursement after the certification, which supports the effectivity of certifications in hernia surgery.
Sensitivity-Enhanced Hot-Wire Anemometer by Using Cladding-Etched Fiber Bragg Grating
Authors: Tang Yuhan , Chen Xuke , Zhang Jiarui , Lv Dajuan , Xiong Liangming , Dong Xinyong
Published: February 2023

A sensitivity-enhanced hot-wire anemometer based on a cladding-etched optical fiber Bragg grating (FBG) coated with a layer of silver film and optically heated by using a 1480 nm laser diode is demonstrated. The silver film absorbs the laser power to heat the FBG to a certain high temperature and the airflow cools down the FBG hot-wire with the cooling effect and hence the Bragg wavelength of the FBG is determined by the airflow velocity. Experimental measurement results show that the heating efficiency of the FBG hot wire is improved by 3.8 times in magnitude by etching the fiber cladding from 125 µm down to 73.4 µm, and the achieved airflow velocity sensitivities, under a laser power of 200 mW, are −3 180 pm/(m/s), −889 pm/(m/s), −268 pm/(m/s), and −8.7 pm/(m/s) at different airflow velocities of 0.1 m/s, 0.5 m/s, 1.5 m/s, and 17 m/s, respectively. In comparison, the sensitivities are only −2193 pm/(m/s), −567 pm/(m/s), −161 pm/(m/s), and −4.9 pm/(m/s) for the reference anemometer without cladding etching even at a much higher heating laser power of 530 mW. These results prove that the method by using a cladding-etched FBG to improve sensitivity of FBG-based hot-wire anemometers works and the sensitivity is improved significantly.
On monotone pseudocontractive operators and Krasnoselskij iterations in an ordered Hilbert space
Authors: Jorquera Álvarez Eduardo Daniel
Published: February 2023

The aim of this work is to establish fixed point results in ordered Hilbert spaces for monotone operators with a pseudocontractive property. We state monotone versions of Theorem 12 in [F. E. Browder, W. V. Petryshyn, Construction of fixed points of nonlinear mappings in Hilbert space, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 20 (1967), 197–228] and Theorem 2.1 in [Berinde, Vasile. Weak and strong convergence theorems for the Krasnoselskij iterative algorithm in the class of enriched strictly pseudocontractive operators, Annals of West University of Timisoara-Mathematics and Computer Science, vol. 56, no. 2, 2018, pp. 13–27], as well as, several related results. Further results, in Hilbert spaces without a partial order, are stated too.
Tensile Deformation of B19′ Martensite in Nanocrystalline NiTi Wires
Authors: Šittner P. , Molnárová O. , Bian X. , Heller L. , Seiner H.
Published: February 2023

Deformation mechanisms activated during tensile deformation of nanocrystalline NiTi wire in martensite state were investigated by combination of two experimental methods: (i) analysis of the evolution of martensite-variant microstructures in grains of deformed wire by TEM and (ii) analysis of the evolution of martensite texture by in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The obtained results are linked to the activity of various twinning processes in martensite. It is concluded that martensite reorientation proceeds via motion of interdomain interfaces, gives rise to reoriented martensite with microstructure consisting of single (001) compound-twinned domain in each grain and results in sharp two-fiber texture of the martensite. The reorientation process leaves behind only very small unrecovered strains and very few dislocation defects in the austenitic microstructure of the deformed wire after unloading and heating. Plastic deformation of B19′ martensite proceeds via peculiar deformation mechanism which combines (100) deformation twinning with [100]/(011) dislocation slip based kinking. It gives rise to very special martensite variant microstructures consisting of deformation twin bands and kink bands containing martensite lattice aligned with [010] direction and characteristic two-fiber martensite texture. Reverse martensitic transformation of plastically deformed martensite upon unloading and heating leaves behind large unrecovered strains and high density of lattice defects in austenite. But there are also significant recoverable strains up to 10%. While the martensite matrix in grains of plastically deformed wire transforms into parent austenite matrix, (20-1) deformation twins transform into {114} austenite twins.
Centrality measure and visualization technique for multiple-parent nodes of earthquakes based on correlation-metric
Authors: Yamagishi Yuki , Saito Kazumi , Hirahara Kazuro , Ueda Naonori
Published: February 2023

In this paper, we address the problem of earthquake declustering, and propose ak-nearest neighbors approach based on the selection of multiple-parent nodes with respect to each of the given earthquakes, which can be regarded as a natural extension of the conventional correlation-metric method based on the selection of a single-parent node. Based on this approach, we develop a centrality measure that exploits link weight assigned by a logarithmic-distance scheme and a technique of individually visualizing each set of child nodes with respect to given target earthquakes. For experimental evaluation, we used an earthquake catalog covering Japan and selected 24 earthquakes that caused considerable damage or casualties. We first show that our proposed centrality measure using a logarithmic-distance scheme can rank these 24 major earthquakes higher than four link-weighting schemes (i.e., uniform, magnitude, inverse-distance, and normalized-inverse-distance weighting) and conventional single-parent selection. We then show that unlike the conventional approach to simultaneously visualizing all the events in the catalog, our proposed technique can produce a naturally interpretable classification result for these 24 major earthquakes, by individually visualizing each set of the first tok-th child nodes with different colored markers plotted in the directly interpretable spatio and temporal metrics. As a consequence, we confirm that our approach based on multiple-parent selection is vital and promising.
Age of First Overweight and Obesity, COVID-19 and Long COVID in Two British Birth Cohorts
Authors: Bridger Staatz Charis , Bann David , Ploubidis George B. , Goodman Alissa , Silverwood Richard J.
Published: February 2023

Longer exposure to obesity, and thus a longer period in an inflamed state, may increase susceptibility to infectious diseases and worsen severity. Previous cross-sectional work finds higher BMI is related to worse COVID-19 outcomes, but less is known about associations with BMI across adulthood. To examine this, we used body mass index (BMI) collected through adulthood in the 1958 National Child Development Study (NCDS) and the 1970 British Cohort Study (BCS70). Participants were grouped by the age they were first overweight (> 25 kg/m2) and obese (> 30 kg/m2). Logistic regression was used to assess associations with COVID-19 (self-reported and serology-confirmed), severity (hospital admission and contact with health services) and long-COVID reported at ages 62 (NCDS) and 50 (BCS70). An earlier age of obesity and overweight, compared to those who never became obese or overweight, was associated with increased odds of adverse COVID-19 outcomes, but results were mixed and often underpowered. Those with early exposure to obesity were over twice as likely in NCDS (odds ratio (OR) 2.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.17–4.00) and three times as likely in BCS70 (OR 3.01, 95% CI 1.74–5.22) to have long COVID. In NCDS they were also over four times as likely to be admitted to hospital (OR 4.69, 95% CI 1.64–13.39). Most associations were somewhat explained by contemporaneous BMI or reported health, diabetes or hypertension; however, the association with hospital admission in NCDS remained. An earlier age of obesity onset is related to COVID-19 outcomes in later life, providing evidence of the long-term impact of raised BMI on infectious disease outcomes in midlife.
The Political Life of Memory
Authors: Ranjan Rahul
Published: February 2023

This book examines the representation of Birsa's political life, memory politics and the making of anticolonialism in contemporary Jharkhand. It offers contrasting features of political imaginations deployed in developing memorial landscapes. Framing of Birsa in the heroic narrative through a grand scale of memorialisation, often in the form of the built environment, curates a selective version. This isolates the scope of elaborating his political ideas outside the confines of atypical historical records and their relevance in the contemporary context. The book argues that everyday politics through affective sites such as memorials and statues produce political visions, emotions, and opportunities. It shows how such symbolic sites are often strategically placed and politically motivated to inscribe ideologies. This process outlines how the state and Adivasi use memory as a political tool to lay claims to the past of the Birsa Movement.
Improvements in the performance of a three
element high lift system by the application of
airjet vortex generators
Authors: Innes F. , Pearcey H. H. , Sykes D. M.
Published: February 2023

Windtunnel tests on a two-dimensional model of a three
element high lift system in a takeoff mode indicate
that airjet vortex generators can produce a
significant increase in lift at a given angle of
incidence and a substantial increase in
CLmax. An associated
reduction in profile drag is inferred from
measurements of momentum defect on the upper
surface.

The improvements are much greater than those typically
achieved with vane vortex generators and cannot
simply be associated with the suppression of
boundary layer separation. Instead, the airjets and
the vortices which they generate promote enhanced
mixing and momentum transfer across the complex
shear layers above the main wing, from the external
flow right through to the surface. Detailed surveys
reveal, for example, that the slat wake is dispersed
— or absorbed into a region of greater shear — and
that the growth of the main wing boundary layer is
significantly reduced.

It is suggested that neither the relatively low
Reynolds numbers . and Mach numbers of the tests,
nor the effects of windtunnel interference, detract
from the general relevance of the novel principle
involved. Attention is drawn, however, to the need
for further work to elucidate and quantify the flow
mechanisms and to establish the balance between the
benefits from the improved aerodynamics and the
performance costs of installing and supplying the
jets.
Two-dimensional viscous flow past flexible
sail sections close to ideal
incidence
Authors: Jackson P. S. , Fiddes S. P.
Published: February 2023

A model of the viscous flow past a flexible sail
section operating near the ideal incidence is
described. Viscous effects are calculated via weak
viscous-inviscid interaction of a panel method and
an integral boundary layer method, and a new model
for the leading edge separation bubble is
introduced. The flexible section is allowed to
deform in response to the pressure and shear
stresses acting on it. Results are presented for the
effect of incidence, excess length and Reynolds
number on the development of the boundary layers on
each side of the section and the consequences for
the lift and drag of the section are described. The
numerical model is compared with experimental
results, giving in general good agreement and
shedding light on the physics of the viscous flow
past flexible membranes.
The Spacecab Demonstrator
project
Authors: Ashford D. M.
Published: February 2023

This paper describes a concept study of the Spacecab
Demonstrator project, which is a small two seat
aeroplane capable of routine “zoom-climbs” to space
altitude. It is powered by a jet engine and a rocket
motor. It would be the first sub-orbital spaceplane
since the X-15 of thirty years ago. The study shows
that Spacecab Demonstrator should be a simple robust
development using existing technology. It would be
used as a spaceplane technology testbed, as a
reusable sounding rocket for space research and for
specialised commercial applications. More
importantly, it would serve as a pathfinder for the
Spacecab orbital spaceplane, which is designed to be
the first fully reusable launch vehicle. Spacecab
uses existing engines and proven materials and is
designed with provision for certification to
airliner standards. Enlarged and mature developments
of Spacecab would reduce the cost of sending people
into space by three orders of magnitude compared
with the cost today, and this could probably be
achieved in about 15 years.
On the incipient separation of a turbulent
hypersonic boundary layer
Authors: Babinsky H. , Edwards J. A.
Published: February 2023

Experiments are performed on the effects of a turbulent
boundary layer on surface pressure and heat
transfer, using a cylindrical model fitted with a
variety of flares at Mach 5. The flow over
compression corners of up to 20° (below the expected
incipient separation value) is examined. Liquid
crystal thermography indicates an unexpected peak in
heat flux close to the corner. It is suggested that
this is due to a small scale separation occurring
earlier, i.e. at smaller corner angles, than
previously observed. An estimate of the size of such
a separation bubble is made and it is suggested that
this is a predominantly laminar phenomenon.
Innovation in aero engines
Authors: Ruffles P. C.
Published: February 2023

Today the aerospace industry is ranked in the top three
industrial sectors in the UK. With air traffic
expected to more than double by 2015, there are
tremendous wealth creation opportunities for those
who satisfy their customer's needs. Innovation — the
successful exploitation of new ideas — is a key
ingredient in achieving this. It is an engine of
growth because it delights the customer — and that
delight is the basis for long-lasting customer
loyalty. Henry Royce recognised the importance of
exceeding the customer's expectations and laid the
foundations for Rolls-Royce's long tradition of
innovation. With historical illustrations, from the
Silver Ghost motor car to today's flagship — the
Trent aero engine — this paper highlights the key
elements which are necessary to promote innovation
and have led to many Rolls-Royce “firsts”. A review
of today's state-of-the-art aero engines details
current innovations, and their associated customer
benefits, while a view of future markets reveals an
insight into future aero engine developments and
technical challenges. The solution to some of these
challenges will require the application of advanced
technologies. In anticipation of the customer's
requirements, the development of these advanced
technologies is discussed together with their
potential customer benefits.
Advances in materials for
aerospace
Authors: Peel C. J.
Published: February 2023

This paper reviews the status of aerospace materials
currently under development or moving to application
and assesses the difficulties inherent in their
transition from research to commercial use. The
author then speculates upon future trends in
aerospace structures and on the consequences for
advanced materials.
Caught In-Between: Coerced Intermediaries in the Jails of Colonial India
Authors: Dimmers Michaela
Published: February 2023

This article analyses the role coerced intermediaries had on colonial power and authority in the prisons of British India. Coerced intermediaries in this context were convicts placed in positions of control by the colonial prison administration as warders, overseers, and night watchmen and night watchwomen, summarized here under the term “convict officers”. These convict officers were employed by the colonial authorities to maintain a coercive order and became essential to the exercise of colonial authority and control in the prisons of British India. The article argues that with their employment, the colonial administration created a third group within its prisons, situated between the colonial administration and the inmates. This contradictory practice blurred the lines of colonial control and authority and raises larger questions about intermediation by unfree and coerced people in unfree and coerced colonial contexts. The focus here is not so much on what intermediation is but on what it does. At the same time, the article relates the system of convict officers as intermediaries to the theoretical concepts used by Foucault and Goffman and questions the binarity used in most of their theories.
Identification of weak links in production technology for bridging the canola yield-gap in Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Ahmad Shakeel , Raza Muhammad Ali , Hussain Sajjad , Abbas Ghulam , Fatima Zartash , Ahmed Mukhtar , Goheer Muhammad Arif , Wilkerson Carol Jo , Garcia y Garcia Axel , Hoogenboom Gerrit
Published: February 2023

Understanding the reasons for the yield gap between potential and actual yield can provide insights for enhancing canola production by adapting measures for ensuring food security. The canola yield gap under different management practices (e.g. water, nitrogen, N- and sowing dates) was quantified using research trials that were conducted at on-station and historical data (1980–2016) and the CROPGRO-Canola model for Punjab, Pakistan. The integrated approach revealed that low inputs of N, the amount of irrigation, sowing date and the use of seeds from home stocks were the principal causes for a low yield. The CROPGRO-Canola model was able to simulate the canola yield from research trials (R2 = >0.90) and farm survey data (R2 = 0.63). The average yield gap between potential (YP), N-limited (YNL), water-limited (YWL), N- and water-limited (YNWL), and overall farmer field yield (YOFF) was 50, 46, 62 and 72%, respectively. The yield-gap with achievable yield (YA) for YNL, YWL, YNWL and YOFF was 34, 28, 49 and 63%, respectively. Overall, the results showed that a high canola yield for farmers’ fields can be obtained by selecting appropriate varieties and sowing dates with N rate of 120 kg/ha and efficient irrigation management. However, further studies are necessary to fully comprehend the underlying causes for the low actual yield and the high yield variability of farmers’ fields.
Trichostrongylosis: a zoonotic disease of small ruminants
Authors: Bhat A.H. , Tak H. , Malik I.M. , Ganai B.A. , Zehbi N.
Published: February 2023

In the present world a significant threat to human health is posed by zoonotic diseases. Helminth parasites of ruminants are one of the most common zoonotic organisms on the planet. Among them, trichostrongylid nematodes of ruminants, found worldwide, parasitize humans in different parts of the world with varying rates of incidence, particularly among rural and tribal communities with poor hygiene, pastoral livelihood and poor access to health services. In the Trichostrongyloidea superfamily, Haemonchus contortus, Teladorsagia circumcincta, Marshallagia marshalli, Nematodirus abnormalis and Trichostrongylus spp. are zoonotic in nature. Species of the genus Trichostrongylus are the most prevalent gastrointestinal nematode parasites of ruminants that transmit to humans. This parasite is prevalent in pastoral communities around the world and causes gastrointestinal complications with hypereosinophilia which is typically treated with anthelmintic therapy. The scientific literature from 1938 to 2022 revealed the occasional incidence of trichostrongylosis throughout the world with abdominal complications and hypereosinophilia as the predominant manifestation in humans. The primary means of transmission of Trichostrongylus to humans was found to be close contact with small ruminants and food contaminated by their faeces. Studies revealed that conventional stool examination methods such as formalin-ethyl acetate concentration or Willi's technique combined with polymerase chain reaction-based approaches are important for the accurate diagnosis of human trichostrongylosis. This review further found that interleukin 33, immunoglobulin E, immunoglobulin G1, immunoglobulin G2, immunoglobulin M, histamine, leukotriene C4, 6-keto prostaglandin F1α, and thromboxane B2 are vital in the fight against Trichostrongylus infection with mast cells playing a key role. This review focuses on the prevalence, pathogenicity and immunological aspects of Trichostrongylus spp. in humans.
Can God's work in history be discerned? The ambiguities of providence in the poetry of John Milton
Authors: Myers Ben
Published: February 2023

Is the doctrine of providence a guide to interpreting history? The early work of John Milton is optimistic about the possibility of such providential discernment. Milton lived during one of the most turbulent periods of English history and was actively involved in the cause of revolution and social reform. His poems typically centre on moments of historical change that seem to illuminate the ultimate meaning of history. After his revolutionary hopes had been shattered, Milton came to perceive a much more ambiguous relationship between history and providence. What history reveals, he now thought, is mostly a pattern of repetition and decline. Milton endsParadise Lostwith the reflection that belief in providence is not so much a species of knowledge as a practice of life. This article traces Milton's movement from providential optimism to providential pessimism and argues for a conception of history in which even acts of divine intervention do not unambiguously alter the course of history.
Rational updating at the crossroads
Authors: Milano Silvia , Perea Andrés
Published: February 2023

In this paper we explore the absentminded driver problem using two different scenarios. In the first scenario we assume that the driver is capable of reasoning about his degree of absentmindedness before he hits the highway. This leads to a Savage-style model where the states are mutually exclusive and the act-state independence is in place. In the second we employ centred possibilities, by modelling the states (i.e. the events about which the driver is uncertain) as the possible final destinations indexed by a time period. The optimal probability we find for continuing at an exit is different from almost all papers in the literature. In this scenario, act-state independence is still violated, but states are mutually exclusive and the driver arrives at his optimal choice probability via Bayesian updating. We show that our solution is the only one guaranteeing immunity from sure loss via a Dutch strategy, and that – despite initial appearances – it is time consistent. This raises important implications for the rationality of commitment in such scenarios.
SMITH AT 300: THE NATURAL RECOMPENSE OF LABOR
Authors: Andrews David
Published: February 2023

There is a great deal of poetry, wit, and wisdom in the writings of Adam Smith, and many wonderful passages. I like this one for several reasons. I like its grammatical austerity. I like that it is active rather than passive. I like the way the verb in the present tense gives the impression of indefinite continuation. I like the way the dual, hylomorphic, meaning of “produce,” as both the act of producing and also the material result of production, corresponds nicely with the dual, hylomorphic, meaning of “constitutes,” as both the act of imposing form and also as the matter of which the product consists.
GENERALISATIONS OF LODAY’S ASSEMBLY MAPS FOR LAWVERE’S ALGEBRAIC THEORIES
Authors: Bohmann Anna Marie , Szymik Markus
Published: February 2023

Loday’s assembly maps approximate the K-theory of group rings by the K-theory of the coefficient ring and the corresponding homology of the group. We present a generalisation that places both ingredients on the same footing. Building on Elmendorf–Mandell’s multiplicativity results and our earlier work, we show that the K-theory of Lawvere theories is lax monoidal. This result makes it possible to present our theory in a user-friendly way without using higher-categorical language. It also allows us to extend the idea to new contexts and set up a nonabelian interpolation scheme, raising novel questions. Numerous examples illustrate the scope of our extension.
Cardiovascular risk factors in Sub-Saharan African	women
Authors: Chastaingt Lucie , Gbaguidi Gwladys N. , Magne Julien , Preux Pierre-Marie , Aboyans Victor , Houinato Dismand , Lacroix Philippe
Published: February 2023

Summary: Background: Cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) are associated with major cause of death and disability in Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in women. The contribution of obstetrical, psychological, and socio-economic factors in CVRF are not yet well described in Africa. We aimed to compare the prevalence of CVRF between men and women, and to determine the factors associated to these sex-related differences. Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the 2019 data of the TAHES cohort in a geographically defined general population in Benin. A standardized questionnaire adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) STEPS instrument was used to collect data. Univariate and multivariate analysis has been performed to determine CVRF differences in both sexes. Women-specific logistic regressions have been performed on CVRF previously identified as positively associated to female sex, to assess their association with socio-economic, psychological, and obstetrical factors. Results: We included 1583 patients, with a median age of 39 years [range: 32–53 years]. Prevalence of diabetes (1.2% vs. 3.4%, p=0.0042), abnormal kidney function (15.5% vs. 8.4%, p=0.0002), obesity (12.5% vs. 4.1%, p<0.0001), tobacco-smoking (3.4% vs. 14.1%, p<0.0001) and reduced physical activity (69.9% vs. 50.7%, p<0.0001) differed significantly between women and men, respectively. In multivariate analysis, female sex was independently and significantly associated with obesity, anxiety, depression and reduced physical activity. Number of pregnancies was associated with a reduced physical activity. Hypertension was associated with gestational hypertension. Conclusions: Obesity and reduced physical activity are significantly and independently more frequent in Beninese women than the male counterparts. Hypertension prevalence in Benin is alarming in both sexes. Targeted prevention strategies against obesity, gestational hypertension and sedentary lifestyle are advocated in African women.
The Effects of Clinical Meditation Programs on Stress and Well-Being
Authors: Seekircher Julia , Burgard Tanja , Bošnjak Michael
Published: February 2023

Abstract. Many people suffer from chronic conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, or depression. The use and development of meditation interventions to offer complementary psychological treatment for such patients is increasing, as is criticism of research on this topic. Therefore, the aim of the present rapid review and meta-analysis is to investigate the effects of meditation interventions in randomized controlled trials of clinical populations on perceived stress and well-being. A search was conducted in MEDLINE, Web of Science, PsycInfo, CINAHL, PsycArticles, and PSYNDEX between July 2013 and April 13, 2021. Three-level random effect models were estimated. Based on 316 effect sizes, small effects of meditation interventions were found (stress: g = 0.18; well-being: g = 0.25) largely paralleling findings of a previous meta-analysis. An important limitation is the potentially high risk of bias for individual studies. Overall, meditation interventions appear to be beneficial for complementary treatment of chronic clinical conditions.
Ubiquity of Anthropogenic Terpenoids in Cities Worldwide: Emission Ratios, Emission Quantification and Implications for Urban Atmospheric Chemistry
Authors: Borbon Agnès , Dominutti Pamela , Panopoulou Anastasia , Gros Valérie , Sauvage Stéphane , Farhat Mariana , Afif Charbel , Elguindi Nellie , Fornaro Adalgiza , Granier Claire , Hopkins James R. , Liakakou Eleni , Nogueira Thiago , Corrêa dos Santos Tailine , Salameh Thérèse , Armangaud Alexandre , Piga Damien , Perrussel Olivier
Published: February 2023

Terpenoids (isoprene and monoterpenes) are highly reactive Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) known for decades for their biogenic origin. Here, we discuss the nature and magnitude of their anthropogenic emissions. We compiled and re‐analyzed 14 data sets of in situ VOC observations collected over the last decade in contrasting urban areas from mid‐latitudes to subtropical regions. We show the systematic presence of anthropogenic terpenoids in urban ambient air with clear covariations with anthropogenic compounds (R2 > 0.50) even during mid‐latitude winters. Despite the emerging importance of monoterpene emissions from consumer products in North American cities, there is some evidence of monoterpene emissions from tailpipe exhaust in cities of the developing world. The traffic‐related fraction of monoterpenes is estimated and can account for up to 40% of their ambient levels. The anthropogenic emission ratios (ER) of some terpenoids (isoprene, α‐pinene and limonene) are estimated and spatially compared. The anthropogenic emissions of terpenoids are indirectly estimated from those ER combined to regional and global emission inventories (CAMS‐GLOB‐ANT_v4.2) at urban and country scale focusing on France, Lebanon, and Vietnam. Those anthropogenic emissions do not represent more than 3% of other anthropogenic VOC emissions. However, they dominate by one to three orders of magnitude the reactivity of other anthropogenic VOCs regarding NO3 oxidation and ozonolysis. This study raises two questions which need further investigations in the future: (a) the significance of terpenoid emissions from traffic, especially in urban areas of the developing world and (b) the role of anthropogenic terpenoids in nighttime and wintertime atmospheric chemistry at mid‐latitudes.
Leading Modes of Wintertime North Pacific Atmospheric Rivers and Their Drivers
Authors: Xu Guangzhi , Wang Lin , Wang Shuyu
Published: February 2023

North Pacific Atmospheric Rivers (ARs) are affected by many climate modes, including the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO). However, such impacts are often examined individually and outside of the context of ARs' own variability. It remains an open question as to the relative importance of each climate mode in affecting the inter‐annual variability of AR occurrences. This work proposes an answer to the above inquiry, via a rotated Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis on wintertime AR occurrences. Four major modes of AR occurrence variability are identified: The first mode features a southeast‐northwest shift of the AR tracks, and is associated with the pair of the second leading EOFs of the North Pacific atmospheric circulation and sea surface temperature (SST). The second mode features a large scale suppression of North Pacific ARs and an enhancement west of the California coasts. This is a decadal variability associated with PDO. The third mode features meridionally contracted AR tracks over the Eastern Pacific. This is associated with the leading EOFs of the North Pacific atmosphere/SST, and the inter‐annual component of PDO. These three modes each contributes ∼19% to the total variances. The fourth mode, with a 12.7% variance contribution, carries the complementary information of the non‐linear El Niño ‐ La Niña transition, and features two slanted anomaly bands over boundaries of the basin. Key atmospheric/oceanic driving forces associated with each mode are examined, and certain climate modes exhibit promising predictive power to wintertime AR occurrences.
Sources of Clay‐Rich Sediment in Eberswalde Crater, Mars With Implications for Biopreservation Potential
Authors: Hughes C. M. , Rice M. S. , Barnhart C. J. , Swanson T. E. , Pfeiffer A. M. , Goudge T. A.
Published: February 2023

The Eberswalde crater paleolake system on Mars is home to an intact source‐to‐sink fluvial system where a catchment terminates in a river delta deposit. Through analysis of topographic and hyperspectral data from multiple geographic regions, we test the hypothesis that the smectites found within the Eberswalde deposit formed during the Noachian (i.e., >3.5 Ga) in the subsurface and are fluvial detritus transported during the Hesperian (i.e., 3.5–2.0 Ga). We find that the spectra from four pertinent regions (northwest Noachis Terra, Holden crater, and the Eberswalde watershed and delta deposit) are consistent with each other, and most consistent with Fe/Mg smectite clays, namely nontronite and saponite. This points to a detrital origin for the clays observed within Eberswalde crater. Analysis of the watershed also indicates that they likely formed within the subsurface, which previous studies suggest is the location most amenable to the preservation of evidence of past life on Mars. Furthermore, the presence of detrital clays, and not authigenic, indicates that the lake was ∼neutral‐pH and a potentially habitable environment. Taken together, these observations indicate that: (a) within Eberswalde crater is a delta deposit that formed in a habitable environment, (b) that the deposit is composed of minerals that formed during the most habitable period in Mars' history, and (c) those minerals formed in an environment with strong potential to preserve evidence of life. Lastly, the similarities between the Eberswalde fluvial system and the Jezero system make it a compelling site as a standard of comparison by NASA's Perseverance Rover.
A Network‐Scale Modeling Framework for Stream Metabolism, Ecosystem Efficiency, and Their Response to Climate Change
Authors: Segatto Pier Luigi , Battin Tom J. , Bertuzzo Enrico
Published: February 2023

Climate change and the predicted warmer temperatures and more extreme hydrological regimes could affect freshwater ecosystems and their energy pathways. To appreciate the complex spatial and temporal interactions of carbon cycling in flowing waters, ecosystem metabolism (gross primary production [GPP] and ecosystem respiration [ER]) must be resolved at the scale of an entire river network. Here, we propose a meta‐ecosystem framework that couples light and temperature regimes with a reach‐scale ecosystem model and integrates network structure, catchment land cover, and the hydrologic regime. The model simulates the distributed functioning of dissolved and particulate organic carbon, autotrophic biomass, and thus ecosystem metabolism, and reproduces fairly well the metabolic regimes observed in 12 reaches of the Ybbs River network, Austria. Results show that the annual network–scale metabolism was heterotrophic, yet with a clear peak of autotrophy in spring. Autochthonous energy sources contributed 43% of the total ER. We further investigated the effect of altered thermal and hydrologic regimes on metabolism and ecosystem efficiency. We predicted that an increase of 2.5°C in average stream water temperature could boost ER and GPP by 31% (24%–57%) and 28% (5%–57%), respectively. The effect of flashier hydrologic regimes is more complex and depends on autotrophic biomass density. The analysis shows the complex interactions between environmental conditions and biota in shaping stream metabolism and highlights the existing knowledge gaps for reliable predictions of the effects of climate change in these ecosystems.
Electrically programmable solid-state metasurfaces via flash localised heating
Authors: Zangeneh Kamali Khosro , Xu Lei , Gagrani Nikita , Tan Hark Hoe , Jagadish Chennupati , Miroshnichenko Andrey , Neshev Dragomir , Rahmani Mohsen
Published: February 2023

In the last decades, metasurfaces have attracted much attention because of their extraordinary light-scattering properties. However, their inherently static geometry is an obstacle to many applications where dynamic tunability in their optical behaviour is required. Currently, there is a quest to enable dynamic tuning of metasurface properties, particularly with fast tuning rate, large modulation by small electrical signals, solid state and programmable across multiple pixels. Here, we demonstrate electrically tunable metasurfaces driven by thermo-optic effect and flash-heating in silicon. We show a 9-fold change in transmission by <5 V biasing voltage and the modulation rise-time of <625 µs. Our device consists of a silicon hole array metasurface encapsulated by transparent conducting oxide as a localised heater. It allows for video frame rate optical switching over multiple pixels that can be electrically programmed. Some of the advantages of the proposed tuning method compared with other methods are the possibility to apply it for modulation in the visible and near-infrared region, large modulation depth, working at transmission regime, exhibiting low optical loss, low input voltage requirement, and operating with higher than video-rate switching speed. The device is furthermore compatible with modern electronic display technologies and could be ideal for personal electronic devices such as flat displays, virtual reality holography and light detection and ranging, where fast, solid-state and transparent optical switches are required.
PAK2 is essential for chromosome alignment in metaphase I oocytes
Authors: Zeng Juan , Wang Shiwei , Gao Min , Lu Dian , Song Shuang , Chen Diyu , Fan Weimin , Xu Zhiliang , Zhang Zhiguo , Sun Xiaofang
Published: February 2023

As a highly conserved and ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine kinase, p21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2) participates in diverse biologic events. However, its roles in mouse oocyte meiotic maturation remain unclear. The present study revealed that mouse oocytes depleted ofPak2were unable to completely progress through meiosis and that a majority were arrested at metaphase I.Pak2depletion thus prompted MI arrest and induced meiotic chromosome alignment defects in mouse oocytes, in part due to a reduction in polo-like kinase (PLK1). We demonstrated that PAK2’s interaction with PLK1 protected it from degradation by APC/CCdh1, and that it promoted meiotic progression and bipolar spindle formation. Our data collectively display critical functions for PAK2 in meiotic progression and chromosome alignment in mouse oocytes.
National surveillance data analysis of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in England by women of reproductive age
Authors: Magee Laura A. , Molteni Erika , Bowyer Vicky , Bone Jeffrey N. , Boulding Harriet , Khalil Asma , Mistry Hiten D. , Poston Lucilla , Silverio Sergio A. , Wolfe Ingrid , Duncan Emma L. , von Dadelszen Peter ,   the RESILIENT Study Group, Bick Debra , von Dadelszen Peter , Easter Abigail , Fox-Rushby Julia , Mistry Hiten D. , Nelson Eugene , Newburn Mary , Seed Paul , Soley-Bori Marina , Van Citters Aricca , White Sara
Published: February 2023

Women of reproductive age are a group of particular concern with regards to vaccine uptake, related to their unique considerations of menstruation, fertility, and pregnancy. To obtain vaccine uptake data specific to this group, we obtained vaccine surveillance data from the Office for National Statistics, linked with COVID-19 vaccination status from the National Immunisation Management Service, England, from 8 Dec 2020 to 15 Feb 2021; data from 13,128,525 such women at population-level, were clustered by age (18–29, 30–39, and 40–49 years), self-defined ethnicity (19 UK government categories), and index of multiple deprivation (IMD, geographically-defined IMD quintiles). Here we show that among women of reproductive age, older age, White ethnicity and being in the least-deprived index of multiple deprivation are each independently associated with higher vaccine uptake, for first and second doses; however, ethnicity exerts the strongest influence (and IMD the weakest). These findings should inform future vaccination public messaging and policy.
Disentangling the causes of temporal variation in the opportunity for sexual selection
Authors: Carleial Rômulo , Pizzari Tommaso , Richardson David S. , McDonald Grant C.
Published: February 2023

In principle, temporal fluctuations in the potential for sexual selection can be estimated as changes in intrasexual variance in reproductive success (i.e. the opportunity for selection). However, we know little about how opportunity measures vary over time, and the extent to which such dynamics are affected by stochasticity. We use published mating data from multiple species to investigate temporal variation in the opportunity for sexual selection. First, we show that the opportunity for precopulatory sexual selection typically declines over successive days in both sexes and shorter sampling periods lead to substantial overestimates. Second, by utilising randomised null models, we also find that these dynamics are largely explained by an accumulation of random matings, but that intrasexual competition may slow temporal declines. Third, using data from a red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) population, we show that declines in precopulatory measures over a breeding period were mirrored by declines in the opportunity for both postcopulatory and total sexual selection. Collectively, we show that variance-based metrics of selection change rapidly, are highly sensitive to sampling durations, and likely lead to substantial misinterpretation if used as indicators of sexual selection. However, simulations can begin to disentangle stochastic variation from biological mechanisms.
Orthogonal luminescence lifetime encoding by intermetallic energy transfer in heterometallic rare-earth MOFs
Authors: Deneff Jacob I. , Rohwer Lauren E. S. , Butler Kimberly S. , Kaehr Bryan , Vogel Dayton J. , Luk Ting S. , Reyes Raphael A. , Cruz-Cabrera Alvaro A. , Martin James E. , Sava Gallis Dorina F.
Published: February 2023

Lifetime-encoded materials are particularly attractive as optical tags, however examples are rare and hindered in practical application by complex interrogation methods. Here, we demonstrate a design strategy towards multiplexed, lifetime-encoded tags via engineering intermetallic energy transfer in a family of heterometallic rare-earth metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The MOFs are derived from a combination of a high-energy donor (Eu), a low-energy acceptor (Yb) and an optically inactive ion (Gd) with the 1,2,4,5 tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl) benzene (TCPB) organic linker. Precise manipulation of the luminescence decay dynamics over a wide microsecond regime is achieved via control over metal distribution in these systems. Demonstration of this platform’s relevance as a tag is attained via a dynamic double encoding method that uses the braille alphabet, and by incorporation into photocurable inks patterned on glass and interrogated via digital high-speed imaging. This study reveals true orthogonality in encoding using independently variable lifetime and composition, and highlights the utility of this design strategy, combining facile synthesis and interrogation with complex optical properties.
Temperature, species identity and morphological traits predict carbonate excretion and mineralogy in tropical reef fishes
Authors: Ghilardi Mattia , Salter Michael A. , Parravicini Valeriano , Ferse Sebastian C. A. , Rixen Tim , Wild Christian , Birkicht Matthias , Perry Chris T. , Berry Alex , Wilson Rod W. , Mouillot David , Bejarano Sonia
Published: February 2023

Anthropogenic pressures are restructuring coral reefs globally. Sound predictions of the expected changes in key reef functions require adequate knowledge of their drivers. Here we investigate the determinants of a poorly-studied yet relevant biogeochemical function sustained by marine bony fishes: the excretion of intestinal carbonates. Compiling carbonate excretion rates and mineralogical composition from 382 individual coral reef fishes (85 species and 35 families), we identify the environmental factors and fish traits that predict them. We find that body mass and relative intestinal length (RIL) are the strongest predictors of carbonate excretion. Larger fishes and those with longer intestines excrete disproportionately less carbonate per unit mass than smaller fishes and those with shorter intestines. The mineralogical composition of excreted carbonates is highly conserved within families, but also controlled by RIL and temperature. These results fundamentally advance our understanding of the role of fishes in inorganic carbon cycling and how this contribution will change as community composition shifts under increasing anthropogenic pressures.