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A significant challenge on an exascale computer is the speed at which we compute results exceeds by many orders of magnitude the speed at which we save these results. Therefore the Exascale Computing Project (ECP) ALPINE project focuses on providing exascale-ready visualization solutions including in situ processing. In situ visualization and analysis runs as the simulation is run, on simulations results are they are generated avoiding the need to save entire simulations to storage for later analysis. The ALPINE project made post hoc visualization tools, ParaView and VisIt, exascale ready and developed in situ algorithms and infrastructures. The suite of ALPINE algorithms developed under ECP includes novel approaches to enable automated data analysis and visualization to focus on the most important aspects of the simulation. Many of the algorithms also provide data reduction benefits to meet the I/O challenges at exascale. ALPINE developed a new lightweight in situ infrastructure, Ascent.

IEEE802.1Qbv (Time-aware Shaper: TAS) in IEEE802.1-Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) has recently been applied within user networks for realizing factory automation and remote control. As mass customization matures, TAS is expected to extend its coverage to not only user networks but also wide-area networks to realize ultra-low-latency (ULL) communication between remote locations. TAS is TSN technology expected to be used for long-distance communications because it can guarantee maximum latency limits. However, designing a TAS schedule is an NP-hard problem, which becomes more difficult as the amount of delay guarantee flow increases. This paper proposes a method to reduce the computational complexity of TAS schedules for the problem that the computation time increases exponentially as the amount of scheduled traffic (ST) flows increases. This problem has serious impacts on TAS scheduling in wide-area networks. In the proposed method, flows with the same characteristics are grouped to reduce the number of flows to be input into the scheduling calculation. This suppresses computation infeasibility in the NP-hard problem and improves the schedulability of ST flows. This paper contributes to realizing TAS over wide-area networks, which are currently underutilized.

Abstract Microthrombus formation is associated with COVID-19 severity; however, the detailed mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we investigated mouse models with severe pneumonia caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection by using our in vivo two-photon imaging system. In the lungs of SARS-CoV-2-infected mice, increased expression of adhesion molecules in intravascular neutrophils prolonged adhesion time to the vessel wall, resulting in platelet aggregation and impaired lung perfusion. Re-analysis of scRNA-seq data from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from COVID-19 cases revealed increased expression levels of CD44 and SELL in neutrophils in severe COVID-19 cases compared to a healthy group, consistent with our observations in the mouse model. These findings suggest that pulmonary perfusion defects caused by neutrophil adhesion to pulmonary vessels contribute to COVID-19 severity.

Automated driving systems (ADSs) are complex entities comprising numerous components, and traditional testing methods often struggle to ensure their safety, primarily due to the diversity driving environments. Interestingly, deep neural networks (DNNs) have proven effective for object detection in these settings. The safety of object detection in ADSs depends on the position of the detected objects and the specifications that guide the system’s response to them. Consequently, testing the object-detection process in ADSs must be grounded in these specifications. However, current specifications are informal regarding object locations and inadequate for object-detection testing. To address this issue, this article first introduces the bounding box specification language (BBSL), a framework capable of mathematically articulating the specifications for object and event detection and responses. Subsequently, we propose a specification-based testing approach for the object-detection process in ADS using BBSL. Remarkably, BBSL can formally delineate the positions of objects within the driving environment. Furthermore, our proposed approach can identify safety-critical defects that conventional tests, which focus solely on performance evaluation, might overlook. Furthermore, we propose two sets of test criteria. The first set reflects the diversity of object positions and sizes within an image, while the second set includes coverage metrics that determine whether the test cases cover all conditions outlined by the BBSL specifications. Overall, our contributions facilitate the implementation of specification-based testing for object-detection systems using DNNs, a challenge previously considered formidable.

Background: Superior capsular reconstruction (SCR) is a surgical option for massive irreparable rotator cuff tears, particularly involving the supraspinatus and infraspinatus. In this procedure, the torn infraspinatus is not repaired or reconstructed. However, an improvement in postoperative external rotation (ER) angle and strength is observed. There is a lack of studies explaining how ER is restored after SCR. The aim of this study is to identify the ER compensator by assessing the muscle volume of the posterior deltoid and teres minor. Methods: Sixty-eight patients with massive rotator cuff tears underwent SCR during 2016-2021. Of these patients, 28 who met the following inclusion criteria were retrospectively reviewed: (1) massive rotator cuff tears, including the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, (2) severe muscle atrophy and fatty change, (3) intact or reparable subscapularis tendon, and (4) Hamada of grade 3 or lower. Posterior deltoid and teres minor volume were measured using open-source medical image processing software preoperatively and 1-year postoperatively. The percentage of the posterior deltoid and teres minor muscle volume change was compared between patients with 1-year postoperative ER manual muscle testing (MMT) of grade 5 and of grade < 5. The relationship between grade of fatty change, percentage of the muscle volume change, and ER angle and strength were evaluated. Results: There was a significant increase in the 1-year postoperative teres minor volume compared with the preoperative volume (24.6 ± 10.3 cm³ vs. 20.9 ± 8.3 cm³, P

Abstract Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of vision loss among adults. We investigated the protective effects of passion fruit seed extract (PFSE) and its rich polyphenol piceatannol in an AMD cell model in which human retinal pigment epithelial ARPE-19 cells were exposed to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Using a cell viability WST-8 assay, we revealed that PFSE and piceatannol increased the cellular viability of ARPE-19 cells by 130% and 133%, respectively. Moreover, PFSE and piceatannol recovered the cell viability of ARPE-19 cells, which had decreased to 60% owing to H2O2-induced damage, to approximately 84% and 89%, respectively. In addition, we found that the treatment of ARPE-19 cells with H2O2 decreased the mitochondrial and glycolytic ATP production rate to approximately 54% that of healthy control ARPE-19 cells using a Seahorse extracellular flux analyzer. Furthermore, pretreatment with PFSE and piceatannol restored the oxidative stress-induced decrease in the mitochondrial and glycolytic ATP production rate to approximately 97% and 82%, respectively. These results indicated the cytoprotective effects of PFSE and piceatannol against oxidative stress in human ARPE-19 cells by resolving the dysfunction of mitochondrial and glycolytic energy metabolism.

Abstract Halorhodospira (Hlr.) halophila strain BN9622 is an extremely halophilic and alkaliphilic purple phototrophic bacterium and has been widely used as a model for exploring the osmoadaptive and photosynthetic strategies employed by phototrophic extreme halophiles that enable them to thrive in hypersaline environments. Here we present the cryo-EM structures of (1) a unique native Hlr. halophila triple-complex formed from light-harvesting (LH1), the reaction center (RC), and high-potential iron–sulfur protein (HiPIP) at 2.44 Å resolution, and (2) a HiPIP-free LH1–RC complex at 2.64 Å resolution. Differing from the LH1 in the Hlr. halophila LH1–LH2 co-complex where LH1 encircles LH2, the RC-associated LH1 complex consists of 16 (rather than 18) αβ-subunits circularly surrounding the RC. These distinct forms of LH1 indicate that the number of subunits in a Hlr. halophila LH1 complex is flexible and its size is a function of the photocomplex it encircles. Like LH1 in the LH1–LH2 co-complex, the RC-associated LH1 complex also contained two forms of αβ-polypeptides and both dimeric and monomeric molecules of bacteriochlorophyll a. The majority of the isolated Hlr. halophila LH1–RC complexes contained the electron donor HiPIP bound to the surface of the RC cytochrome subunit near the heme-1 group. The bound HiPIP consisted of an N-terminal functional domain and a long C-terminal extension firmly attached to the cytochrome subunit. Despite overall highly negative surface-charge distributions for both the cytochrome subunit and HiPIP, the interface between the two proteins was relatively uncharged and neutral, forming a pathway for electron tunneling. The structure of the Hlr. halophila LH1–RC–HiPIP complex provides insights into the mechanism of light energy acquisition coupled with a long-distance electron donating process toward the charge separation site in a multi-extremophilic phototroph.

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze if the healthcare organization of perinatal care and availability of referral neonatal intensive care units (NICU) impacted congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) neonatal mortality in the period 2004–2020. This study analyzed the spatial distribution of neonatal deaths of live births with CDH in São Paulo State, Brazil, and its association with NICU beds’ availability. Methods: Population-based study of all live births in São Paulo State from mothers residing in the same State, from 2004 to 2020. CDH definition was based on WHO-ICD-10 codes; CDH-associated neonatal death was defined as death up to 27 days after birth of infants with CDH. The distribution of CDH-associated neonatal mortality (per 10,000 live births) and NICU beds’ availability (≥1 or not available) was mapped, and their association was evaluated by the Mann–Whitney test. Results: Among 10,246,686 live births, there were 1378 CDH-associated neonatal deaths across 124/645 (19.2%) municipalities of the State. The median CDH-associated neonatal mortality rate in municipalities with NICU beds was 1.22 (95%CI 0.99–1.51), similar to that found in municipalities with no NICU beds (1.40; 95%CI 1.15–1.67; p=0.224). Conclusions: CDH-associated neonatal deaths were spread throughout São Paulo State with no difference in CDH-associated neonatal mortality rates between municipalities with and without NICU beds available. These findings suggest the necessity of implementing regionalization strategies for CDH perinatal care in the State.

BackgroundAlthough physical activity (PA) is recommended for patients with cancer, changes in PA across cancer diagnosis and treatment have not been objectively evaluated. ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the impact of cancer diagnosis and treatment on PA levels. MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study using a Japanese claims database provided by DeSC Healthcare Inc, in which daily step count data, derived from smartphone pedometers, are linked to the claims data. In this study, we included patients newly diagnosed with cancer, along with those newly diagnosed with diabetes mellitus for reference. We collected data between April 2014 and September 2021 and analyzed them. The observation period spanned from 6 months before diagnosis to 12 months after diagnosis. We applied a generalized additive mixed model with a cubic spline to describe changes in step counts before and after diagnosis. ResultsWe analyzed the step count data of 326 patients with malignant solid tumors and 1388 patients with diabetes. Patients with cancer exhibited a 9.6% (95% CI 7.1%-12.1%; P

Walking patterns can differ between children and adults, both kinematically and kinetically. However, the detailed nature of the ankle pattern has not been clarified. We investigated musculature, biomechanics, and muscle activation strategies and their relevance to walking performance in preschool (PS) and school children (SC), with adults (AD) as reference. Twenty-six PS (3-5 yr), 20 SC (6-8 yr), and 17 AD (18-30 yr) participated. Tibialis anterior (TA) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) thicknesses, fascicle lengths, and maximal voluntary dorsi- and plantar flexion isometric torques were measured. Hip, knee, and ankle kinematics, ground reaction forces (GRFs), and TA and MG electromyographic activities were recorded during shod walking at each participant's preferred speed. Walking speed, step length, and cadence were correlated with age in PS. These walking performance measures were also correlated with muscle thickness and fascicle length, showing higher speed in individuals with thicker muscles and longer TA and MG fascicles (conversely, higher cadence with thinner muscles and shorter fascicles). AD demonstrated the largest values for muscle thickness (p

Objective: To identify factors associated with earlier independence in “real-life walking” during hospitalization in subacute stroke patients. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Subjects/Patients: Two hundred and six hemiplegic patients. Methods: Functional Independence Measure (FIM) walking items were measured biweekly from admission to discharge. Patients were grouped by achieving independent “real-life walking” (FIM-walking score ≥6). Time to independence, stratified by age, FIM motor score (FIM-M), FIM cognitive score (FIM-C), and Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC) scores were compared using Kaplan– Meier plots and log-rank tests. Hazard ratios were calculated via multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. Results: The median time to independence was 4 weeks, with significant differences (p

Introduction Work engagement enhances nurses’ physical and mental health, well-being, job performance and satisfaction. This reduces turnover rates and improves patient care quality, making work engagement a crucial factor in the nursing workplace. However, no systematic review or meta-analysis has explored the effects of randomised controlled trial (RCT) interventions aimed at improving nurses’ work engagement. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions, providing healthcare organisations with evidence-based recommendations for enhancing work engagement among nurses.Methods and analysis This systematic review and meta-analysis will use the PICO criteria: (P) nurses, (I) psychosocial interventions, (C) no intervention or non-work engagement interventions and (O) work engagement as a primary outcome. Published studies will be searched by September 2025 using databases such as the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES and the Japan Medical Abstracts Society. Eligible studies must use RCT designs, assess the impact of interventions on nurses’ work engagement and provide adequate data (sample sizes, means and SDs) to calculate effect sizes with 95% CIs. Publications must be written in English or Japanese as original articles. Two reviewers will independently select studies and assess the risk of bias. The methodological quality of the included studies will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach. A meta-analysis will be conducted for statistical synthesis and publication bias will be assessed using Egger’s test and a visual funnel plot. Heterogeneity will be evaluated using Q statistics.Ethics and dissemination This systematic review and meta-analysis are based on existing studies and do not require ethical approval. The findings will be shared through publications in peer-reviewed international journals and presentations at relevant conferences, symposia and seminars.PROSPERO registration number CRD42024510479.