bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theory of low-temperature elasticity of amorphous polymers: Deformation at a constant rate and relaxation of deforming stress
Authors: Natsik V. D. , Rusakova H. V.
Published: February 2023

The effect of temperature variations over a wide range on the rheological properties of amorphous polymers with high rubber-like elasticity (elastomers) is discussed. A theoretical study of the transition from the deformation state of a warm elastomer to the state of a frozen one, the effects of structural-strain glass transition and forced elasticity was done. Two types of mechanical testing of polymer samples are considered in detail: slow tensile deformation at a constant rate and relaxation of the deforming stress after deformation stops. The study was carried out on the basis of the previously proposed molecular-kinetic model of the processes of highly elastic deformation of amorphous polymers and the corresponding nonlinear rheological equation (V. D. Natsik and H. V. Rusakova, Fiz. Nizk. Temp. 48, 281 (2022) [Low Temp. Phys. 48, 253 (2022)]).
Optimisation of solid-state fermentation process of sunflower meal based on response-surface methodology
Authors: Ao Huiling , Wang Jiahuan , Liu Lihe , Liu Yang , Liao Xigu , Chen Yubo
Published: February 2023

Context Some studies have investigated the application of sunflower meal (SFM) in feeding livestock and poultry. However, there have been few researches related to fermenting SFM. Aims In this experiment, the neutral detergent fibre degradability and increase rate of crude protein were used as rapid evaluation indicators of solid-state fermentation (SSF), and the response-surface methodology was used to optimise the process conditions for SSF of SFM with the mixed fermentation agent (Bacillus subtilis H-12, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y-5 and Trichoderma longibrachiatum). Methods Box-Behnken design with three factors and three levels was adopted. The process conditions were fermentation temperature (28°C, 32°C, 36°C), duration of time (48 h, 72 h, 96 h), and moisture to substrate ratio (MSR; 50 %, 100%, 150 % (v/m)). The nutritional quality and feeding value of the original SFM and fermented SFM were evaluated under the optimal process conditions according to response-surface methodology. Key results The results showed that the optimal process conditions for SSF of SFM were as follows: fermentation temperature 31.7°C, duration of time 72.2 h, and MSR 106.4%; the contents of crude protein (44.82%), true protein (42.40%) and total amino acid (36.77%) in fermented SFM were significantly increased compared with those of original SFM (P < 0.05); the neutral detergent fibre, crude fibre and chlorogenic acid contents were decreased significantly (P < 0.05); the index values of metal elements, vomitoxin, aflatoxin and coliform were all lower than the national limit standards. Conclusion The nutritional quality and feeding value of SFM were improved by microbial SSF, while the potential risks of harmful toxins and microbial contamination were reduced. Implications The results of this study will contribute to the research on the development of protein-feed raw materials and explore the application of SFM in feed industry.
Synthesis of 12-quinoline substituted andrographolide derivatives and their preliminary evaluation as anti-aggregation drugs
Authors: Li Xue , Yu Jiafeng , Wu Xianhao , Hu Cui , Wang Xiaoqing
Published: February 2023

Based on the structure of the natural product andrographolide, a series of novel 12-quinoline substituted derivatives 9 were designed and synthesized. In preliminary biological evaluation, these synthesized compounds showed prominent anti-platelet aggregation activities in response to thrombin and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) agonists. Among them, compound 9o (inhibition rate 55.73%, IC50 0.36 µM/L) had the highest anti-platelet aggregation activity induced by ADP. Compound 9q (inhibition rate 54.31%, IC50 0.30 µM/L) showed the highest anti-platelet aggregation activity induced by thrombin. Most of the derivatives had no significant cytotoxicity. Our research results provide a novel candidate drug structure for anti-platelet aggregation and enrich the scope of application of andrographolide derivatives.
Aldh1a2
+ fibroblastic reticular cells regulate lymphocyte recruitment in omental milky spots
Authors: Yoshihara Tomomi , Okabe Yasutaka
Published: February 2023

Lymphoid clusters in visceral adipose tissue omentum, known as milky spots, play a central role in the immunological defense in the abdomen. Milky spots exhibit hybrid nature between secondary lymph organs and ectopic lymphoid tissues, yet their development and maturation mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we identified a subset of fibroblastic reticular cells (FRCs) that are uniquely present in omental milky spots. These FRCs were characterized by the expression of retinoic acid–converting enzyme, Aldh1a2, and endothelial cell marker, Tie2, in addition to canonical FRC-associated genes. Diphtheria toxin–mediated ablation of Aldh1a2+ FRCs resulted in the alteration in milky spot structure with a significant reduction in size and cellularity. Mechanistically, Aldh1a2+ FRCs regulated the display of chemokine CXCL12 on high endothelial venules (HEVs), which recruit blood-borne lymphocytes from circulation. We further found that Aldh1a2+ FRCs are required for the maintenance of peritoneal lymphocyte composition. These results illustrate the homeostatic roles of FRCs in the formation of non-classical lymphoid tissues.
Cosmic web & caustic skeleton: non-linear constrained realizations — 2D case studies
Authors: Feldbrugge Job , van de Weygaert Rien
Published: February 2023

The cosmic web consists of a complex configuration of voids, walls, filaments, and clusters, which formed under the gravitational collapse of Gaussian fluctuations. Understanding under what conditions these different structures emerge from simple initial conditions, and how different cosmological models influence their evolution, is central to the study of the large-scale structure. Here, we present a general formalism for setting up initial random density and velocity fields satisfying non-linear constraints for specializedN-body simulations. These allow us to link the non-linear conditions on the eigenvalue and eigenvector fields of the deformation tensor, as specified by caustic skeleton theory, to the current-day cosmic web. By extending constrained Gaussian random field theory, and the corresponding Hoffman-Ribak algorithm, to non-linear constraints, we probe the statistical properties of the progenitors of the walls, filaments, and clusters of the cosmic web. Applied to cosmologicalN-body simulations, the proposed techniques pave the way towards a systematic investigation of the evolution of the progenitors of the present-day walls, filaments, and clusters, and the embedded galaxies, putting flesh on the bones of the caustic skeleton. The developed non-linear constrained random field theory is valid for generic cosmological conditions. For ease of visualization, the case study presented here probes the two-dimensional caustic skeleton.
The light detection system of the ICARUS detector in the Short Baseline Neutrino program at Fermilab
Authors: Babicz M.
Published: February 2023

The Short Baseline Neutrino (SBN) program at Fermilab is an extensive experimental programme aiming at searching for sterile neutrino(s) [1], whose existence is one of the fundamental open questions of neutrino physics. It employs three Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) detectors, called ICARUS, MicroBooNE and SBND, sampling the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) at different locations from its target. The SBN detectors, working near the Earth’s surface, are subjected to a substantial cosmic background, which can mimic genuine neutrino interactions. Thus, it is essential to distinguish the signals related to the neutrino beams from those induced by the cosmic rays. The light detection system is a vital part of LArTPCs, but its role is even more critical for surface-operating detectors like ICARUS. The ICARUS light detection system is based on 360 Photomultiplier Tubes (PMTs). Its main role is to provide an efficient trigger and contribute to the 3D reconstruction of detected events. The light detection system calibration and further trigger system improvements were performed for the final detector configuration during the detector commissioning at Fermilab. The trigger system effectively exploits the information given by the PMTs. To further increase that system’s efficiency in event filtering, an alternative method based on Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has been developed. Simulation-based results show that this technique can reduce the cosmic background by up to 76% with a neutrino selection efficiency of 99%. However, to filter the real data cases, which are usually not identical to the simulated ones, this method was improved by applying Domain Adversarial Neural Network (DANN). The results prove that adversarial training through a DANN can alleviate the simulation bias, demonstrating the first successful application of DANN for CNN as an event classifier for a LArTPC.
New insight into gain suppression and single event Burnout effects in LGAD
Authors: Laštovička-Medin G. , Kramberger G. , Rebarz M. , Manojlovic M. , Andreasson J. , Laštovička T. , Kroll J.
Published: February 2023

Low Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) will be employed in the CMS MTD and ATLAS HGTD upgrades to mitigate the high levels of pile-up events expected in the High Luminosity phase of the LHC. Over the last several years, much attention has been focused on designing radiation-tolerant gain implants to ensure that these sensors survive the expected fluence (>1015 neq/cm2). This work reports several effects observed during our previous studies on two relevant phenomena Single Event Burnout (SEB) and carrier density-induced Gain Suppression (GS). Influence of irradiation level, pad configuration and gain layer depth on SEB are discussed. In this paper, we also extend GS study with a new insight into the spatio-temporal dynamics of charge transport in LGAD, probed with a focused ion beam.
Novel ion imaging concept based on time-of-flight measurements with low gain avalanche detectors
Authors: Ulrich-Pur F. , Bergauer T. , Hirtl A. , Irmler C. , Kaser S. , Pitters F. , Rit S.
Published: February 2023

Treatment planning in ion beam therapy requires accurate knowledge of the relative stopping power (RSP) distribution within the patient. Currently, RSP maps are obtained via conventional x-ray computed tomography (CT) by converting the measured attenuation coefficients of photons into RSP values for ions. Alternatively, to avoid conversion errors that are inherent to this method, ion computed tomography (iCT) can be used since it allows determining the RSP directly. In typical iCT systems, which usually consist of a tracking system and a separate residual energy detector, the RSP is obtained by measuring the particle trajectory and the corresponding water equivalent path length (WEPL) of single ions travelling through the patient. In this work, we explore a novel iCT approach which does not require a residual energy detector. Instead, the WEPL is estimated indirectly by determining the change in time of flight (TOF) due to the energy loss along the ion’s path. For this purpose, we have created a Geant4 model of a TOF-iCT system based on low gain avalanche detectors (LGADs), which are fast 4D-tracking detectors that can measure the time of arrival and position of individual particles with high spatial and time precision. To assess the performance of this TOF-iCT concept, we determined the RSP resolution and accuracy for different system settings using the Catphan® CTP404 sensitometry phantom. Within the set of investigated system parameters, the lower limit of the RSP accuracy was found at 0.91%, demonstrating the proof-of-principle of this novel TOF-iCT concept. The main advantage of using this approach is that it could potentially facilitate clinical integration due to its compact design, which, however, requires experimental verification and an improvement of the current WEPL calibration procedure.
DTS-100G — a versatile heterogeneous MPSoC board for cryogenic sensor readout
Authors: Muscheid T. , Boebel A. , Karcher N. , Vanat T. , Ardila-Perez L. , Cheviakov I. , Schleicher M. , Zimmer M. , Balzer M. , Sander O.
Published: February 2023

Heterogeneous devices such as the Multi-Processor System-on-Chip (MPSoC) from Xilinx are extremely valuable in custom instrumentation systems. This contribution presents the joint development of a heterogeneous MPSoC board called DTS-100G by DESY and KIT. The board is built around a Xilinx Zynq Ultrascale+ chip offering all available high-speed transceivers using QSFP28, 28 Gbps FireFly, FMC, and FMC+ interfaces. The board is not designed for a particular application, but can be used as a generic DAQ platform for a variety of physics experiments. The DTS-100G board was successfully developed, built and commissioned. ECHo-100k is the first experiment which will employ the board. This contribution shows the system architecture and explains how the DTS-100G board is a crucial component in the DAQ chain.
Impacts of different levels of urban expansion on habitats at the regional scale and their critical distance thresholds
Authors: Chen Shuaipeng , Liu Wenping
Published: February 2023

With the rapid development of urbanization, natural habitats in many parts of the world have been seriously damaged by urban expansion. However, urban expansion is a complex process, and the impacts of different levels of urban expansion on habitats at regional scales and their distance thresholds are still unclear. We conducted a study in Hubei Province, China to evaluate the impacts of the expansion of prefecture-level cities and county towns on the quantity, area, and quality of natural habitats and the critical threshold distances affecting habitats. The results show that, at a regional scale, habitat degradation was driven primarily by the expansion of large numbers of county towns, but the expansion of prefecture-level cities affected habitat degradation over greater distances. Specifically, the impact of county town expansion on habitat first increased and then decreased with greater distance from built-up areas, the threshold distances for habitat quantity and quality being approximately 8 km and 80 km, respectively. The impact of expanding prefecture-level cities on habitat showed a similar nonlinear change with greater distance, but the distance thresholds for habitat quantity and quality rose to approximately 40 km and 130 km, respectively. These findings not only reverse the conventional view that the expansion of large cities dominates habitat degradation, but also draws more attention to the influence of the expansion of numerous small county and towns on habitat, when measured at the regional scale. Understanding the distance threshold of particular spatial impacts can be help to inform spatial decision-making with regards to habitat conservation.
Effect of carburizing and nitriding duplex treatment on the friction and wear properties of 20CrNi2Mo steel
Authors: Chen Jian , Li Shaolong , Liang Yilong , Tian Xiangyu , Gu Jiabao
Published: February 2023

In this study, the responses of 20CrNi2Mo steel to carburizing (C) and carburizing-nitriding (C + N) duplex treatment and the effects of these treatments on the friction and wear properties were systematically studied. The 20CrNi2Mo surface layers were characterized by optical microscopy (OM), laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Vickers microhardness tests and high-speed reciprocating friction and wear testing. The results showed that after the carburizing and nitriding duplex treatment, an approximately 5 μm thick compound layer (CL) consisting of the γ′-Fe4N and ε-Fe2-3N phases had formed on the surface, and the diffusion layer depth was approximately 220 μm. The carbides (MC) stored during carburizing were easily converted to nitrides (MN) during the nitriding process. Furthermore, the surface microhardness (879 HV) was increased by a factor of 2 compared with the substrate (420 HV), the surface residual compressive stress (−652 MPa) was increased significantly, and the surface roughness also increased. Wear analyses under different loads showed that specimen C exhibited the worst wear resistance, and its wear mechanism was mainly abrasive wear. The C + N with CL samples showed excellent wear resistance under a 20-N load; after removing the CL samples (C + N with CL), they showed excellent wear resistance under a 40-N load, and the wear mechanism was mainly adhesive wear. This work showed that the wear resistance was improved significantly by the carburizing and nitriding duplex treatment, but the CL had different effects on the wear performance under different loads.
Structural, Dielectric, and Magnetic Properties of Ba2Bi9-xFe5+xTi8O39 Tetragonal Tungsten Bronze Ceramics
Authors: Sheikh Sajida , Hussain Fayaz
Published: February 2023

The formulations of Ba2Bi9-xFe5+xTi8O39 (0 ≤ x ≤ 9) (BBFTO) tetragonal tungsten bronze structures were synthesized by the conventional solid-state method. The structural, dielectric, and magnetic properties of these ceramic compounds were investigated. Optimized composition (at x = 9) and optimized sintering temperature (Ts = 875 °C) of BBFTO were set where the highest magnetic behaviour achieved. X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern of x = 9 reveals the crystal structure to be orthorhombic. The magnetic properties of x = 8 and x = 9 samples were analyzed with respect to the temperature (from −150 °C to 650 °C) during the applied magnetic field. The lower relative permittivity and lower ferroelectric properties were also reported. These type of TTB multiferroic ceramics can open new directions of application in the future.
The association between apparent temperature and psoriasis outpatient visits: a time-series study in Hefei, China
Authors: Sun Haoxiang , Wang XiaoSong , Zhang Xiaoyu , Wang Linlin , Zou Yanfeng , Hu Huaqing
Published: February 2023

Temperature may be an important environmental factor affecting psoriasis. This study aimed to determine the potential association between apparent temperature (AT) and outpatient visits for psoriasis in Hefei, China. Daily psoriasis clinic visits in Hefei were collected from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020. A Poisson generalized linear regression model (PGLM) combined with a distributional lagged nonlinear model (DLNM) was used to analyze the impact of AT on psoriasis outpatient visits; the model was adjusted for relative humidity, wind speed, precipitation, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, time trends, Sundays, and holidays. The analyses were stratified by age and sex. A total of 24,351 patients with psoriasis were included in this study. Only a low AT showed a delayed and strong risk effect. Referring to the median AT (16.8 °C), the effect of low AT started at lag 2 days and showed an increasing and then decreasing trend for approximately 5 days; the effect of extreme cold (1st percentile) and cold (5th percentile) peaked at lag 4 days with a relative risk (RR) of 1.117 (95% CI:1.065 to 1.171) and 1.081 (95% CI:1.044 to 1.119), respectively. The effect of mild cold (25th percentile) reached a maximum RR of 1.033 (95% CI:1.017 to 1.048) at lag 6 days. Subgroup analysis showed that low AT risk was more pronounced and longer-lasting in men and individuals aged <45 years. Our study provides evidence that a low AT increases the risk of psoriasis. Men and young people are vulnerable to potential adverse effects. There is a need for enhanced health interventions, medical care, and early warnings for patients.
Parabolic trough solar collector: A review on geometrical interpretation, mathematical model, and thermal performance augmentation
Authors: Singh Raman Kumar , Chandra Prakash
Published: February 2023

In recent decades, solar energy has emerged as the most promising renewable energy source and the best alternative to conventional energy due to its abundant availability, free, clean, no atmospheric hazards, eco-friendly, sustainable nature, and other factors. Because of its wide temperature range (up to 400 °C), the parabolic trough solar collector is the most commonly used in concentrated solar power technology. A parabolic trough solar collector can be divided into two types based on its applications: low to medium temperature and medium to high temperature. The first category is widely utilized in household hot water, water purification, industrial process heating, desalination, and food processing, among other uses. Another is used in the electricity-producing process. The present review paper focuses on various aspects of parabolic trough solar collector, such as general description, geometrical interpretation, and mathematical models dealing with geometrical parameters and various types of performance calculations, trough modeling using a computational fluid dynamics tool, solar simulator, thermal resistance model, and losses. Furthermore, highlights on recent advances in thermal performance enhancement by various techniques, mainly by using modified working fluid (nanofluid), turbulators, and the modified surface of absorber tube, are presented in literature form and summarized in table. This review paper will be of great help to researchers who have a keen interest in parabolic trough solar collector based systems.
Experimental investigation on WEDM parameters of Ni-rich nitinol plate
Authors: Muralidharan B , Rajeshkannan R , Makharia Ashit , Bhatt Aakash Kalpesh
Published: February 2023

Wire Electro discharge machining (WEDM) process is extensively employed to fabricate miniaturized products. Ni-Ti shape memory alloy (Nitinol) finds its primary application in many significant engineering areas and biomedical fields because of its inherent properties, like shape recovery, superior biocompatibility, and elasticity. The current research investigates the shape recoverability characteristics of WEDM machined nitinol. WEDM Experiments were conducted through DOE with significant input factors like the current (I), pulse on time (Ton), and Wire Feed (f). The responses recorded are material removal rate (MRR), wire wear rate (WWR), percentage of shape recovery (R), kerf width (w), and surface roughness (Ra). The mathematical model developed was to predict the response for corresponding input factors, and the variances of the model are analyzed. Significant contributors are identified from ANOVA, and surface plots are drawn to show the interaction effects. The morphological behavior of the surface was analyzed by FESEM and compositional analysis by EDAX. Surface topography is analyzed in surface roughness, and microhardness was measured to understand the process relevant to shape recoverability better. The results reveal that current and pulse on time affect the microhardness and surface roughness, altering the machined alloy’s shape recoverability.
Trench gate β-Ga2O3 MOSFETs: a review
Authors: Chen Xiaoqing , Li Feng , Hess Herbert L
Published: February 2023

Gallium oxide (Ga2O3) has emerged as a promising candidate for ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors for power devices due to its high breakdown field, large Baliga’s figure of merit, and cost advantage of large size bulk crystals over SiC and GaN. Trench technology has been widely used to develop the MOSFET structure to reduce internal resistance. Due to the absence of p-type doping Ga2O3, the trench gate process is adopted as one of the effective methods to decrease the n-channel thickness to ensure the channel is fully depleted under zero gate bias voltage to implement Enhancement-mode Ga2O3 MOSFETs. Trench gate β-Ga2O3 MOSFETs have gained increasing attention. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the recent progress in trench gate β-Ga2O3 MOSFETs, including vertical and planar MOSFET structures. Besides material properties and crystal growth, the device design and fabrication process of trench gate β-Ga2O3 MOSFET are discussed. The review of device performance involves the static characteristics, temperature-dependent, radio frequency, and switching properties of various trench gate β-Ga2O3 MOSFETs.
Spaces of countable free set number and PFA
Authors: Dow Alan , Juhász István
Published: February 2023

The main result of this paper is that, under PFA, for every regular space

X
X

with

F
(
X
)
=
ω

F(X) = \omega

we have

|

X

|

≤
w
(
X

)
ω

|X| \le w(X)^\omega

; in particular,

w
(
X
)
≤

c

w(X) \le \mathfrak {c}

implies

|

X

|

≤

c

|X| \le \mathfrak {c}

. This complements numerous prior results that yield consistent examples of even compact Hausdorff spaces

X
X

with

F
(
X
)
=
ω

F(X) = \omega

such that

w
(
X
)
=

c

w(X) = \mathfrak {c}

and

|

X

|

=

2

c

|X| = 2^\mathfrak {c}

.

We also show that regularity cannot be weakened to the Hausdorff property in this result because we can find in ZFC a Hausdorff space

X
X

with

F
(
X
)
=
ω

F(X) = \omega

such that

w
(
X
)
=

c

w(X) = \mathfrak {c}

and

|

X

|

=

2

c

|X| = 2^\mathfrak {c}

. In fact, this space

X
X

has the strongly anti-Urysohn (SAU) property that any two infinite closed sets in

X
X

intersect, which is much stronger than

F
(
X
)
=
ω

F(X) = \omega

. Moreover, any non-empty open set in

X
X

also has size

2

c

2^\mathfrak {c}

, and thus our example answers one of the main problems of both Juhász, Soukup, and Szentmiklóssy [Topology Appl. 213 (2016), pp. 8–23] and Juhász, Shelah, Soukup, and Szentmiklóssy [Topology Appl. 323 (2023), Paper No. 108288, 15 pp.] by providing in ZFC a SAU space with no isolated points.
Choosing transcatheter aortic valve replacement in porcelain aorta: outcomes versus surgical replacement
Authors: Kramer Benjamin , Vekstein Andrew M , Bishop Paul D , Lowry Ashley , Johnston Douglas R , Kapadia Samir , Krishnaswamy Amar , Blackstone Eugene H , Roselli Eric E
Published: February 2023

OBJECTIVES

Porcelain aorta complicates aortic valve replacement and is an indication for transcatheter approaches. No study has compared surgical and transcatheter valve replacement in the setting of porcelain aorta. We characterize porcelain aorta patients undergoing aortic valve replacement and the association of aortic calcification and outcomes.

METHODS

Patients undergoing aortic valve replacement with porcelain aorta were identified. Aortic calcium volume was determined using 3D computed tomography thresholding techniques. Propensity scoring was performed to assess the effect of surgical versus transcatheter approaches. Risk factors for composite major hospital complications (death, stroke and dialysis) were identified using random forest machine learning.

RESULTS

From January 2006 to January 2015, 164 patients with porcelain aorta underwent aortic valve replacement [105 (64%) surgical replacement, 59 (36%) transcatheter replacement]. Propensity scoring matched 29 pairs (49% of transcatheter patients). Before matching, 5-year survival was 41% [(43% surgical, 35% transcatheter, P(log-rank) = 0.9]. After matching, mortality for surgical versus transcatheter replacement was 3.4% (n = 1) vs 10% (n = 3), stroke 14% (n = 4) vs 3.4% (n = 1) and dialysis 6.9% (n = 2) versus 11% (n = 3). Matched 5-year survival was 40% after surgical replacement and 29% after transcatheter replacement [P(log-rank) = 0.4]. Total aortic calcium volume was greater in transcatheter than surgical patients [18 (8.0) vs 17 (7.7) ml] and was associated with more major hospital complications after either approach.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical and transcatheter approaches are complementary options for aortic stenosis with porcelain aorta. Surgical valve replacement remains an effective treatment for patients requiring concomitant procedures. Quantifying aortic calcium volume is a helpful risk predictor in all patients with porcelain aorta.
The effects of natural resource revenues on municipal finance
Authors: Leisibach Patrick , Luechinger Simon , Roellin Jonas , Schaltegger Christoph A
Published: February 2023

We investigate how revenues from taxing hydropower production affect local fiscal policy with data for municipalities in Switzerland in 1987–2015. Our instrumental variable approach uses exogenous variation in these revenues by combining the municipality-specific hydropower potential with the varying federally mandated ceiling on taxation of hydropower production. We find negative effects on tax rates and tax revenues, but insignificant spending effects. These results provide fresh evidence on how local authorities use exogenous revenues and on the flypaper effect for a setting with strong local fiscal autonomy and participatory institutions.
Postoperative trachomatous trichiasis: a systematic review and meta-analysis study
Authors: Adimassu Nebiyat Feleke , Assem Abel Sinshaw , Fekadu Sofonias Addis
Published: February 2023

Background

Trachomatous trichiasis is the potential stage of trachoma in which the eyelashes scratch the surface of the globe, ultimately causing corneal opacity, visual impairment and blindness. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to obtain the pooled prevalence and associated factors of postoperative trachomatous trichiasis (PTT) in World Health Organization (WHO) trachoma-endemic regions.

Methods

An inclusive literature search was undertaken using PubMed, Cochrane Library, Science Direct and Google Scholar databases from 30 May 2022 to 28 June 2022. I2 statistics and funnel plots were used to determine heterogeneity and publication bias among included studies. A random effects model was used to estimate pooled prevalence, incidence and odds ratios (ORs) with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using RevMan 5.4 software.

Results

Eighteen articles were included in this meta-analysis and systematic review. The pooled prevalence of PTT was 19% (range 18–21). PTT was lower among young adults compared with old adults (OR 0.63 [95% CI 0.44 to 0.92]), single-dose oral azithromycin as compared with tetracycline eye ointment users (OR 0.82 [95% CI 0.69 to 0.99]) and minor trichiasis before surgery as compared with major trichiasis (OR 0.63 [95% CI 0.47 to 0.85]).

Conclusions

The incidence of PTT was higher than the WHO’s recommendation. Prescribing single-dose oral azithromycin after surgery, periodic training for trichiasis surgeons, close follow-up and health education after surgery are crucial to minimize the recurrence.

Study protocol registration on PROSPERO: CRD42022336003
Short communication: profiling the expression of Let-7d-5p microRNA in circulating blood of pregnant and nonpregnant cows
Authors: De los Santos Funes Jorge A , Andrade João Paulo N , Berndtson Jodi , Parrish John
Published: February 2023

The objective of this work was to determine if specific circulating microRNA (miRNA) differed due to pregnancy status in heifers. Blood samples were collected from heifers 21 d after receiving an in vitro-produced embryo. Pregnancy status was diagnosed 21 d after embryo transfer, equivalent to day 28 of gestation, with rectal ultrasonography. Blood samples from 10 pregnant and 10 nonpregnant heifers were then evaluated for miRNA expression. There were five different miRNAs quantified using delta–delta Ct and qPCR methodology. These miRNAs had previously been associated with early pregnancy in cattle. The miRNA Let-7d-5p was decreased in nonpregnant as compared to pregnant females (P < 0.05). There were no changes in 16-5p, 16-1-3p, 16-2-3p, and 26a-5p associated with pregnancy (P > 0.05). Results demonstrate an opportunity to identify and study the differential expression of miRNAs from the blood of pregnant cows. The Let-7d-5p miRNA is a potential early pregnancy marker and is critical to better understand the early relationships of the cellular and molecular interactions of the cow and embryo.
Single-Center Experience With the Seraph-100® Microbind® Affinity Blood Filter in Patients With SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Septic Shock at a Military Treatment Facility
Authors: Stoffel Steven , Boster Joshua , Jarrett Zachary , Rosas Melissa , Kalra Arjun , Nugyen Mai , Morris Michael , Walter Robert
Published: February 2023

Introduction

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection is characterized by a dysregulated inflammatory response, which may result in severe hemodynamic instability and septic shock. The Seraph-100® Microbind® Affinity Blood Filter is a commercially available extracorporeal pathogen absorbent device with the ability to bind pathogens and cytokines present within the blood. Our study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Seraph-100® for patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and septic shock.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective review was performed to evaluate the use of the Seraph-100® blood filter at a Single Center tertiary-care facility at Brooke Army Medical Center from 2020 to 2021. Nine patients (11 treatments) were completed with the Seraph-100® blood filter in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and septic shock. The Seraph-100® blood filter was used in combination with continuous renal replacement therapy and slow low-efficiency dialysis or directly in parallel with the extracorporeal membrane oxygenation circuit.

Results

Within this cohort, there was a statistically significant improvement in the following clinical parameters comparing values to before and after treatment with the Seraph-100® blood filter: Mean arterial pressure (mmHg) (64.2 ± 2.36 vs. 76.2 ± 2.68; P < .001), heart rate (beats per minute) (128 ± 6.6 vs. 100.3 ± 6.07; P < .001), administered fraction of oxygen (%) (74.4 ± 10.58 vs. 60.3 ± 10.35; P < .001), serum lactate (mmol/L) (6.14 ± 1.25 vs. 2.8 ± 1.14; P = .0095), and pH (7.29 ± 0.03 vs. 7.39 ± 0.04; P = .0203). There were statistically significant improvements in vasopressor requirements: norepinephrine (mcg/min) (36.3 ± 4.74 vs. 8.3 ± 3.92; P < .001), vasopressin (units/min) (0.04 ± 0.004 vs. 0.02 ± 0.003; P < .001), dobutamine (mcg/kg/min) (2.3 ± 1.00 vs. 0.2 ± 0.75; P = .006) and angiotensin II (ng/kg/min) (34.5 ± 6.4 vs. 3.3 ± 5.26; P < .001).

Conclusions

The use of the Seraph-100® blood filter was associated with statistically and clinically significant improvements in hemodynamic parameters and decreased vasopressor requirements in patients with septic shock and SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Dynamics of extracellular vesicle-coupled microRNAs in equine follicular fluid associated with follicle selection and ovulation
Authors: Gebremedhn Samuel , Gad Ahmed , Ishak Ghassan M , Menjivar Nico G , Gastal Melba O , Feugang Jean M , Prochazka Radek , Tesfaye Dawit , Gastal Eduardo L
Published: February 2023

Innumerable similarities in reproductive cyclicity and hormonal alterations highlight the considerable utility of the mare to study aspects of follicular dynamics and reproductive function in view of the largely constricted, human research subjects. The bi-directional communication between the growing oocyte and the surrounding somatic cells embodies the hallmark of mammalian follicular development, partially mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs) encapsulated with microRNAs (miRNAs) and present in the follicular fluid (FF). Here, we aimed to decipher the dynamics of the miRNAs in EVs from equine FF aspirated in vivo during different stages of follicular development, namely, predeviation (PreDev; 18–20 mm), deviation (Dev; 22–25 mm), postdeviation (PostDev; 26–29 mm), preovulatory (PreOV; 30–35 mm), and impending ovulation (IMP; ∼40 mm). Approximately 176 known miRNAs were found in all groups with 144 mutually detected among all groups. Cluster analysis exhibited 15 different expression patterns during follicular development. Among these patterns, a group of 22 miRNAs (including miR-146b-5p, miR-140, and miR-143) exhibited a sharp reduction in expression from the PreDev until the PreOV stage. Another cluster of 23 miRNAs (including miR-106b, miR-199a-5p, and miR-125a-5p) exhibited a stable expression pattern at the PreDev stage until the PostDev stage, with a significant increase at the PreOV stage followed by a significant decrease at the IMP stage. In conclusion, this study provides greater insights into the stage-specific expression dynamics of FF EV-miRNAs during equine follicular development, which may propose novel approaches to improve ART and provide new biomarkers to facilitate the assessment of ovarian pathophysiological conditions.
Repressive ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA proteins promote programmed cell death in the Arabidopsis columella root cap
Authors: Feng Qiangnan , Cubría-Radío Marta , Vavrdová Tereza , De Winter Freya , Schilling Neeltje , Huysmans Marlies , Nanda Amrit K , Melnyk Charles W , Nowack Moritz K
Published: February 2023

Developmental programmed cell death (dPCD) controls a plethora of functions in plant growth and reproduction. In the root cap of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), dPCD functions to control organ size in balance with the continuous stem cell activity in the root meristem. Key regulators of root cap dPCD including SOMBRERO/ANAC033 (SMB) belong to the NAC family of transcription factors. Here, we identify the C2H2 zinc finger protein ZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA 14 ZAT14 as part of the gene regulatory network of root cap dPCD acting downstream of SMB. Similar to SMB, ZAT14-inducible misexpression leads to extensive ectopic cell death. Both the canonical EAR motif and a conserved L-box motif of ZAT14 act as transcriptional repression motifs and are required to trigger cell death. While a single zat14 mutant does not show a cell death-related phenotype, a quintuple mutant knocking out 5 related ZAT paralogs shows a delayed onset of dPCD execution in the columella and the adjacent lateral root cap. While ZAT14 is co-expressed with established dPCD-associated genes, it does not activate their expression. Our results suggest that ZAT14 acts as a transcriptional repressor controlling a so far uncharacterized subsection of the dPCD gene regulatory network active in specific root cap tissues.
EffectorO: Motif-Independent Prediction of Effectors in Oomycete Genomes Using Machine Learning and Lineage Specificity
Authors: Nur Munir , Wood Kelsey , Michelmore Richard
Published: February 2023

Oomycete plant pathogens cause a wide variety of diseases, including late blight of potato, sudden oak death, and downy mildews of plants. These pathogens are major contributors to loss in numerous food crops. Oomycetes secrete effector proteins to manipulate their hosts to the advantage of the pathogen. Plants have evolved to recognize effectors, resulting in an evolutionary cycle of defense and counter-defense in plant-microbe interactions. This selective pressure results in highly diverse effector sequences that can be difficult to computationally identify using only sequence similarity. We developed a novel effector prediction tool, EffectorO, that uses two complementary approaches to predict effectors in oomycete pathogen genomes: i) a machine learning–based pipeline that predicts effector probability based on the biochemical properties of the N-terminal amino-acid sequence of a protein and ii) a pipeline based on lineage specificity to find proteins that are unique to one species or genus, a sign of evolutionary divergence due to adaptation to the host. We tested EffectorO on Bremia lactucae, which causes lettuce downy mildew, and Phytophthora infestans, which causes late blight of potato and tomato, and predicted many novel effector candidates while recovering the majority of known effector candidates. EffectorO will be useful for discovering novel families of oomycete effectors without relying on sequence similarity to known effectors.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Diffusion Basis Spectrum Imaging Identifies Clinically Relevant Disease Phenotypes of Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy
Authors: Zhang Justin K. , Javeed Saad , Greenberg Jacob K. , Dibble Christopher F. , Song Sheng-Kwei , Ray Wilson Z.
Published: February 2023

Study Design:

Prospective cohort study.

Objective:

Apply a machine learning clustering algorithm to baseline imaging data to identify clinically relevant cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) patient phenotypes.

Summary of Background Data:

A major shortcoming in improving care for CSM patients is the lack of robust quantitative imaging tools to guide surgical decision-making. Advanced diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, such as diffusion basis spectrum imaging (DBSI), may help address this limitation by providing detailed evaluations of white matter injury in CSM.

Methods:

Fifty CSM patients underwent comprehensive clinical assessments and diffusion-weighted MRI, followed by DBSI modeling. DBSI metrics included fractional anisotropy, axial and radial diffusivity, fiber fraction, extra-axonal fraction, restricted fraction, and nonrestricted fraction. Neurofunctional status was assessed by the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association, myelopathic disability index, and disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand. Quality-of-life was measured by the 36-Item Short Form Survey physical component summary and mental component summary. The neck disability index was used to measure self-reported neck pain. K-means clustering was applied to baseline DBSI measures to identify 3 clinically relevant CSM disease phenotypes. Baseline demographic, clinical, radiographic, and patient-reported outcome measures were compared among clusters using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results:

Twenty-three (55%) mild, 9 (21%) moderate, and 10 (24%) severe myelopathy patients were enrolled. Eight patients were excluded due to MRI data of insufficient quality. Of the remaining 42 patients, 3 groups were generated by k-means clustering. When compared with clusters 1 and 2, cluster 3 performed significantly worse on the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association and all patient-reported outcome measures (P<0.001), except the 36-Item Short Form Survey mental component summary (P>0.05). Cluster 3 also possessed the highest proportion of non-Caucasian patients (43%, P=0.04), the worst hand dynamometer measurements (P<0.05), and significantly higher intra-axonal axial diffusivity and extra-axonal fraction values (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

Using baseline imaging data, we delineated a clinically meaningful CSM disease phenotype, characterized by worse neurofunctional status, quality-of-life, and pain, and more severe imaging markers of vasogenic edema.

Level of Evidence:

II.
Interprofessional Case Conference Enhances Group Learning and the Quality, Safety, Value, and Equity of Team-Based Care
Authors: Papermaster Amy E. , Whitney Margaret , Vinas Emily K.
Published: February 2023

Introduction:

Patients seeking treatment for complex conditions require coordinated care from interprofessional clinicians. Collaborative engagement in an interprofessional community of practice is crucial to the collective competence of a team and the provision of high-quality, safe health care leading to improved patient outcomes. The objective of this descriptive, cross-sectional study was to describe interprofessional communication, coordination, and collaboration of participants in an integrated practice unit that was structured to include weekly case conferences as part of routine practice.

Methods:

Data were collected from October 2019 to February 2020. Web-based surveys were administered to a convenience sample that included 33 questions and followed the CHERRIES checklist for reporting results. Items focused on team knowledge, impact on patient care, and communication, and conference focus and effectiveness. Descriptive and survey item analysis included frequency, percentage, means and standard deviation, Chi-square, and Pearson correlation analysis. Patient outcome data were collected via a Patient Global Impression of Improvement scale and were analyzed using a paired sample t test.

Results:

Survey respondents (n = 161) included clinicians and administrative staff. Results demonstrated that interprofessional case conferences improved the collective competence of the team, including team knowledge and communication. Participants viewed case conferences as a means to enhance care delivery quality, value, safety, and equity. In the study period, there was also a statistically significant improvement between the patient's first follow-up and last visits.

Conclusion:

Survey respondents indicated that case conferences were an effective means to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care through interprofessional collaboration and education.
Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Authors: Chen Dunjin , Dai Yue , Liu Xinghui , Qi Hongbo , Wang Chen , Wang Lan , Wei Yuan , Xu Xiaochao , Zhang Chuan , Zhang Lingli , Zhang Yuquan , Zhao Ruihua , Zhao Yangyu , Zhou Borong , Wang Ai-Ling , Yang Huixia , Song Li
Published: February 2023

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has spread worldwide and threatened human’s health. With the passing of time, the epidemiology of coronavirus disease 2019 evolves and the knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 infection accumulates. To further improve the scientific and standardized diagnosis and treatment of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection in China, the Chinese Society of Perinatal Medicine of Chinese Medical Association commissioned leading experts to develop the Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection under the guidance of the Maternal and Child Health Department of the National Health Commission. This recommendations includes the epidemiology, diagnosis, management, maternal care, medication treatment, care of birth and newborns, and psychological support associated with maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is hoped that the recommendations will effectively help the clinical management of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection.
In Humanized Sickle Cell Mice, Imatinib Protects Against Sickle Cell–Related Injury
Authors: Federti Enrica , Matte Alessandro , Recchiuti Antonio , Garello Francesca , Ghigo Alessandra , El Nemer Wassim , Terreno Enzo , Amoresano Angela , Mattoscio Domenico , Turrini Franco , Lebouef Christophe , Janin Anne , Pantaleo Antonella , Russo Roberta , Marin Mickael , Iatcencko Iana , Riccardi Veronica , Siciliano Angela , Iolascon Achille , Brugnara Carlo , De Franceschi Lucia
Published: February 2023

Drug repurposing is a valuable strategy for rare diseases. Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare hereditary hemolytic anemia accompanied by acute and chronic painful episodes, most often in the context of vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC). Although progress in the knowledge of pathophysiology of SCD have allowed the development of new therapeutic options, a large fraction of patients still exhibits unmet therapeutic needs, with persistence of VOCs and chronic disease progression. Here, we show that imatinib, an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor developed for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia, acts as multimodal therapy targeting signal transduction pathways involved in the pathogenesis of both anemia and inflammatory vasculopathy of humanized murine model for SCD. In addition, imatinib inhibits the platelet-derived growth factor-B–dependent pathway, interfering with the profibrotic response to hypoxia/reperfusion injury, used to mimic acute VOCs. Our data indicate that imatinib might be considered as possible new therapeutic tool for chronic treatment of SCD.