Aggregation Response Research Articles

A panoptic view of the South African wealth tax

Background: Wealth taxes are a topic of intense debate, with most countries having either abolished them or considered, but not implemented such measures. The South African government is contemplating the introduction of a wealth tax, purportedly to enhance revenue collection.Aim: This article examines whether the proposed South African wealth tax functions as a government panopticon, offering an alternative explanation for its introduction. It also considers the government’s transparency regarding the potential wealth tax.Setting: This article examined the opinions of tax experts in South Africa.Method: An interpretive approach is adopted. The traits of the wealth tax and the themes of the panopticon are identified and used as the row and column headings in a correspondence table, which serves as the research instrument distributed to tax experts. The tax experts indicate any associations between the themes of the panopticon and the traits of the wealth tax. Forty aggregated responses are subjected to correspondence analysis.Results: The potential wealth tax functions as a panopticon. It identifies and reveals relevant tax information about high-wealth individuals, appearing to coerce their compliance.Conclusion: There is credence to the alternate rationale for introducing a wealth tax in South Africa.Contribution: This is one of the first articles to apply the panopticon, a novel theoretical framework, in a tax context in South Africa. The findings are relevant to the exploration of similar taxes in other jurisdictions and provide a means for the critical evaluation of the motives behind tax policy decisions made by governments.

Impact of Multi versus Single Arterial Coronary Bypass Graft Surgery on Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation

The effect of multi-arterial (MA) versus single arterial (SA) coronary bypass graft surgery on postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) was not investigated. From May 2017 to May 2024, the patients with CYP2C19*2 or *3 allele receiving coronary artery grafting and post-operational aspirin 100 mg/day and clopidogrel 75mg/day were retrospectively reviewed and assigned into MA or SA group. The primary endpoint was the incidence rate of POAF in first week. The secondary endpoints were POAF burden, platelet aggregation, systemic immune-inflammation (SII) index and heart rate variability (HRV). The study included 58 cases in MA group and 174 cases in SA group. The incidence of POAF was 17% in MA group contrasting with 42% in SA group (hazard ratio: 0.353; 95% confidence interval: 0.218 to 0.569, P=0.0012). A lower POAF burden was observed in MA group than that in SA group (2 h [1, 5] versus 10 h [6, 20], P=0.02). Platelet aggregation (arachidonic acid, 46%±10% vs. 56%±8%, P<0.01; adenosine diphosphate, 58%±17% vs. 75%±13%, P<0.01) and inflammation response index (neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, 26±4 vs. 28±5, P=0.006; SII index, 5019±771 vs. 5382±1204, P=0.032) was notably lower in MA group than those in SA group at one day after CABG. Holter electrocardiogram showed a higher HRV value in standard deviation of normal-to-normal RR intervals, and decreased low-frequency/high-frequency ratio in MA group. In conclusion, MA was associated with a lower incidence rate of POAF, and paralleled with a lower AF burden, platelet aggregation, inflammation reaction and a higher parasympathetic nerve tone compared with SA regimen.

Real-time monitoring of asphalt pavement structure fatigue response based on tri-axis accelerometer

ABSTRACT Fatigue damage is a notable distress of asphalt pavements. However, monitoring the development process of such distresses in real-time remained challenges for researchers. In this paper, the self-developed sensing facility has been utilized to obtain aggregate kinematic response of semi-circular specimen during the fatigue loading process in the upper-middle (H/2), lower-middle (L/2) and lower-right (L/3) positions of the specimen. Angle and acceleration variation in the X, Y, and Z directions were analysed independently at three positions. The correlation between the kinematic characteristic of the aggregate and the vertical deformation of the asphalt mixture specimen is established. The results illustrated that the asphalt mixture viscoelasticity attenuation during fatigue test caused the angle accumulation and acceleration response change of the specimen. The angle accumulation in the X-axis direction and acceleration variation in Y-axis direction of the aggregate at the H/2 position exhibited a significant three-stage change. Angle-Accumulation Rate (AAR) of change is suggested as a long-term monitoring index for the fatigue development of the asphalt mixture. The proposal of AAR index creatively combines the long-term kinematic behaviour and mechanical behaviour of asphalt mixture, making long-term and real-time monitoring of the asphalt pavement health from the perspective of kinematics become possible.

Pinniped response to diadromous fish restoration in the Penobscot River Estuary

Successful conservation of pinnipeds in the northwest Atlantic has led to increasing populations of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) and gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) in the Gulf of Maine. Within this region, habitat restoration and diadromous fish conservation in the Penobscot River have also been top priorities for the past decade. To understand the overlap between the regional recovery of pinnipeds and the aggregative response of pinnipeds to increasing forage fish, we assessed how counts, distribution, and behavior of seals in the Penobscot River Estuary have changed over time from 2012 to 2020 and determined whether those changes were related to changes in fish biomass that are occurring as the result of diadromous fish restoration. We did not see increased counts of hauled-out seals, but consistent with regional harbor seal phenology, hauled out seal counts were highest in late spring and declined throughout the summer and into the fall. The number of swimming harbor and gray seals, analyzed as a proxy for changes in behavior, showed a stronger annual trend with an increase throughout the study period. Fish biomass was negatively associated with total number of hauled out seals and swimming gray seals but positively associated with swimming harbor seals. We also documented the potential displacement of harbor seals when gray seals are present. Together, these results begin to provide insights into how regional conservation and local restoration efforts interact to affect multiple trophic levels in an ecosystem. Continued monitoring of predator-prey interactions, along with diet and movement studies, will further elucidate seal aggregative response to increasing prey species in this system and the potential impact of recovering predator populations on restored prey populations. Knowledge gained regarding pinniped response to increasing fish biomass has important implications for other systems with ongoing conservation measures that aim to improve habitat, decrease exploitation, or recover protected species. Studies like these can be critical for finding paths forward to reconcile the potentially competing objectives of marine mammal protection and fish restoration.

Biotinylation of human platelets is compatible with pathogen inactivation treatment and cold storage for clinical studies.

Production of platelet concentrates (PCs) involves several steps that significantly affect platelet behavior. To gain a deeper understanding of how storage conditions impact donor platelet recirculation and functionality post-transfusion, ex vivo platelet labeling is a feasible approach. However, before pursuing clinical investigations of platelet recirculation and function in humans, we aimed to determine the effects of pathogen inactivation technology (PIT) and storage conditions (4°C vs. room temperature [RT]) on phenotype and function of biotinylated platelets compared to conventional PIT PCs for transfusion. Nine PCs were prepared in 61% additive solution from 45 buffy coats (five buffy coats each). A pool-and-split of three units was used to prepare three equivalent PCs: two labeled with biotin and stored at RT or 4°C, and one without labeling and stored at RT. All PCs were then treated by PIT (amotosalen/UVA) and stored for 14 days. Labeling efficiency, platelet concentration, metabolic parameters, aggregation response (ADP, collagen, co-aggregation with epinephrine), and platelet phenotype (CD42b, CD62-P, phosphatidylserine) at the basal stage and upon stimulation (ADP or TRAP-6) were performed. Labeling efficiency of PIT and 4°C PCs was stable over 14 days of storage. Differences in platelet function and phenotype were mainly due to the storage temperature and not the biotinylation process. Phenotypes at baseline or after stimulation were equivalent in biotin-positive and biotin-negative platelets. Biotin-labeled platelets can effectively enable investigation of the effects of PIT and storage temperature for clinical studies. This method shows great potential for improving platelet transfusion knowledge.

Validity Evidence for Using Virtual, Interactive Patient Encounters to Teach and Assess Clinical Reasoning for First-Year Medical Students

Abstract Purpose Despite universal agreement on the importance of clinical reasoning skills, inadequate curricular attention to these skills remains a problem. To facilitate integration of clinical reasoning instruction and assessment into the preclerkship phase, the authors created a clinical reasoning curriculum using technology-enhanced patient simulations. Method In 2023, first-year medical students at Duke University School of Medicine were enrolled in a biomedical science course using diagnostic reasoning sessions and 16 virtual, interactive patient (VIP) encounters to teach and assess clinical reasoning. The encounters were enhanced with interactive pop-in windows that assessed multiple clinical reasoning domains. Student responses were independently evaluated by faculty. Cumulative VIP clinical reasoning composite (CRC) scores were calculated, and growth mixture modeling was used to define students by growth trajectory. Clinical reasoning was assessed in a summative objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Results Of the 118 students who participated in the curriculum, 1 was excluded from analysis for inadequate participation in the VIP encounters, leaving 117 students. The aggregate VIP encounter response rate was 95% (1,783 of 1,872 assessments completed). Clinical reasoning was assessed through cumulative performance across multiple domains. The mean (SD) scores were 58 (13) for information gathering, 46 (13) for illness script identification, 64 (14) for hypothesis generation, 59 (12) for differential diagnosis, and 77 (21) for management and plan. To identify latent classes of growth in cumulative VIP-CRC scores, growth mixture modeling was performed for 1-, 2-, and 3-class models. The 2-class model showed the best fit due to having the lowest bayesian information criterion (11,765.17) and Akaike information criteria (11,737.55). Conclusions Integrated clinical reasoning instruction and deliberate, formative practice through authentic simulations were effective at teaching and assessing clinical reasoning in the preclerkship phase. VIP and OSCE can be used to identify students at risk of low performance in the clerkship year.

Platelet aggregation responses to Salmonella Typhimurium are determined by host anti-Salmonella antibody levels.

Invasive non-typhoidal Salmonella infections are responsible for >75 000 deaths/year and >500 000 cases/year globally. Seventy-five percent of these cases occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, an increasing number of which are from multi-drug resistant strains. Interactions between bacteria and platelets can lead to thrombus formation, which can be beneficial for control of infection (immunothrombosis), or harmful through uncontrolled inflammation and organ damage (thromboinflammation). It is unknown whether Salmonella Typhimurium can activate human platelets. To assess this, light transmission aggregometry was used to measure platelet activation by two different Salmonella Typhimurium strains in 26healthy donors in platelet-rich plasma and washed platelets. In platelet-rich plasma, but not in washed platelets, Salmonella Typhimurium activated platelets in a donor- and strain-dependent manner mediated through the low affinity immune receptor FcγRIIA and the feedback agonists, ADP and thromboxane A2. Plasma swap studies between strong and weak responders demonstrated a plasma component was responsible for the variation between donors. Depletion of anti-Salmonella antibodies from plasma abolished Salmonella-induced platelet aggregation responses, and addition of polyclonal anti-Salmonella antibody allowed aggregation in washed platelets. Correlating levels of anti-Salmonella total IgG or the IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 subclasses to platelet responses revealed total IgG levels, rather than levels of individual subclasses, positively correlated with maximum platelet aggregation results, and negatively with lag times. Overall, we show that anti-Salmonella IgG antibodies are responsible for donor variation in platelet aggregation responses to Salmonella and mediate this activity through FcγRIIA.

Aggregative responses of marine predators to a pulsed resource.

Pulsed resources resulting from animal migrations represent important, transient influxes of high resource availability into recipient communities. The ability of predators to respond and exploit these large increases in background resource availability, however, may be constrained when the timing and magnitude of the resource pulse vary across years. In coastal Newfoundland, Canada, we studied aggregative responses of multiple seabird predators to the annual inshore pulse of a key forage fish species, capelin (Mallotus villosus). Seabird aggregative responses to fish biomass were quantified from weekly hydroacoustic and seabird surveys during July-August within an annually persistent foraging area (10 km2) associated with a cluster of capelin spawning sites across 10 years (2009-2010, 2012, 2014-2020). Seabird predators included breeding members of the families Alcidae (Common Murres Uria aalge, Razorbills Alca torda, Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica) and Laridae (Great Black-backed Gulls Larus marinus, American Herring Gulls L. argentatus smithsonianus) and Northern Gannets Morus bassanus, along with non-breeding, moulting members of the Family Procellariidae (Sooty Shearwaters Ardenna griseus, Great Shearwaters A. gravis). The inshore migration of spawning capelin resulted in 5-619 times (mean ± SE, 146 ± 59 times) increase in coastal fish biomass along with a shift towards more, larger and denser fish shoals. Within years, seabird abundance did not increase with inshore fish biomass but rather peaked near the first day of spawning, suggesting that seabirds primarily respond to the seasonal resource influx rather than short-term variation in fish biomass. Across years, the magnitude of the seabird aggregative response was lower during low-magnitude resource pulse years, suggesting that predators are unable to perceive low-magnitude pulses, avoid foraging under high competitor densities, and/or shift dietary reliance away from capelin under these conditions. The seabird response magnitude, however, was higher when the resource pulse was delayed relative to the long-term average, suggesting that predators increase exploitation during years of minimal overlap between the resource pulse and energetically demanding periods (e.g. breeding, moulting). This long-term study quantifying responses of multiple predators to a pulsed resource illustrates the ability of natural systems to tolerate natural and human-induced disturbance events.

In vitro and patient studies with platelets to explore off-target cardiovascular effects of integrase inhibitors.

People with HIV currently face a tenfold higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) than those without HIV. Studies have shown various off-target effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) on the cardiovascular system, but little is known about the effects of currently used integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) on platelets. Platelet activation is associated with increased CVD, thrombus formation, and release of proinflammatory mediators, so exploring platelet effects from currently prescribed ART may contribute to the understanding of CVD etiopathogenesis in people with HIV. We aimed to identify potential effects of INSTIs on platelet aggregation and activation markers from individuals without HIV after in vitro treatment with clinically relevant drug concentrations. We used bictegravir (BIC) and dolutegravir (DTG) individually or in the therapeutic drug combinations BIC/emtricitabine (FTC)/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate (TAF) or DTG/lamivudine (3TC). Additionally, we conducted a pilot study to compare platelet activity profiles from people with HIV on BIC/FTC/TAF and DTG/3TC. Changes to in vitro platelet aggregation responses upon exposure to different INSTIs were observed both upon individual drug application and when using therapeutic combinations. However, these effects were not reflected in flow-cytometric evaluation of platelet degranulation. A pilot study in eight people with HIV and eight without HIV revealed no significant effects but established protocols for future patient studies. There is currently no consistent evidence of an effect of INSTIs on platelet activation. Further study is warranted, focusing on models with more pathophysiological relevance, including extensive studies in people with HIV.

A study of platelet function in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia treated with thrombopoietin receptor agonists

BackgroundThrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs) are widely used in immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) and are associated with increased thrombotic risk. However, data regarding their impact on platelet function is scarce. MethodsPlatelet function was evaluated in chronic ITP patients enrolled over one year, using light transmission aggregometry and platelet-derived microparticle (PMP) levels measurement with flow cytometry. Aggregation responses to various concentrations of ADP, collagen, ristocetin, and PMP levels were compared between TPO-RA-treated patients, patients treated with other agents and healthy individuals. ResultsTPO-RA-treated patients (n = 24) displayed significantly reduced aggregation responses to 2.5 μM, 5 μM, and 10 μM of ADP and collagen compared to 15 healthy individuals (59.5 % vs. 87.6 %, p < .0001, 43.6 % vs. 79.9 %, p < .0001, 26.1 % vs. 75.2 %, p < .0001, 67.2 % vs. 86 %, p < .0001, respectively). Reduced responses to ADP and collagen were also recorded in patients treated with other agents (n = 16) compared to healthy controls but without difference between the two treatment groups. Aggregation response to ristocetin was normal in all three groups. None of the patients yielded enhanced platelet aggregation. In TPO-RA-treated patients, a strong positive correlation between platelet counts and aggregation response to ristocetin was observed (rs = 0.65, p = .0005). PMP levels were significantly elevated in TPO-RA-treated patients compared to patients treated with other agents (49.5 vs 4.5 events/uL, p < .0001) and healthy controls (5 events/uL, p < .0001). ConclusionsThese results suggest that TPO-RAs may not enhance platelet aggregation responses, whereas impaired responses may be a disease feature. Furthermore, TPO-RAs may increase PMP levels and thus be implicated in the modulation of platelet function in ITP patients.

Design Optimization of an Iron Core for Cup-Type AMF Contacts Using Genetic Aggregation Response Surface and Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm

Design Optimization of an Iron Core for Cup-Type AMF Contacts Using Genetic Aggregation Response Surface and Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm

Core Outcome Domains for Elbow Replacement (CODER).

A review of the literature on elbow replacement found no consistency in the clinical outcome measures which are used to assess the effectiveness of interventions. The aim of this study was to define core outcome domains for elbow replacement. A real-time Delphi survey was conducted over four weeks using outcomes from a scoping review of 362 studies on elbow replacement published between January 1990 and February 2021. A total of 583 outcome descriptors were rationalized to 139 unique outcomes. The survey consisted of 139 outcomes divided into 18 domains. The readability and clarity of the survey was determined by an advisory group including a patient representative. Participants were able to view aggregated responses from other participants in real time and to revisit their responses as many times as they wished during the study period. Participants were able to propose additional items for inclusion. A Patient and Public Inclusion and Engagement (PPIE) panel considered the consensus findings. A total of 45 respondents completed the survey. Nine core mandatory domains were identified: 'return to work or normal daily role'; delivery of care was measured in the domains 'patient satisfaction with the outcome of surgery' and 'would the patient have the same operation again'; 'pain'; 'revision'; 'elbow function'; 'independence in activities of daily living'; 'health-related quality of life'; and 'adverse events'. 'Elbow range of motion' was identified as important by consensus but was felt to be less relevant by the PPIE panel. The PPIE panel unanimously stated that pain should be used as the primary outcome domain. This study defined core domains for the clinical outcomes of elbow replacement obtained by consensus from patients, carers, and healthcare professionals. Pain may be used as the primary outcome in future studies, where appropriate. Further work is required to define the instruments that should be used.

Lipopolysaccharide from Proteus mirabilis Slows Platelet Plug Formation in Human Whole Blood

Platelets are well known for their role in hemostasis. Additionally, platelets play a crucial role in immune and inflammatory responses. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) can mediate bacterial interactions during infection, triggering platelets to initiate an inflammatory response. TLR-4 receptors enable direct interactions between platelets and the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin. The aim of this study was to assess platelet plug formation in response to LPS from Proteus mirabilis. Human whole blood was treated with varying concentrations of LPS over a range of incubation times. Then, platelet plug formation time was measured, under high shear conditions using the platelet function analyzer PFA-100, as aperture closure time (CT). The addition of either 2 or 10 µg/mL of LPS to 80% whole blood significantly prolonged the CTs even in the absence of preincubation (p = 0.028 or p = 0.049, respectively). With added preincubation of LPS with whole blood, the measured CTs were further prolonged. If the preincubation time was set to 35 min, then even the addition of 0.2 µg/mL of LPS resulted in significant CT prolongation (p &lt; 0.001). Taken together, the platelet plug formation in the presence of collagen/ADP is significantly prolonged by the presence of LPS in a concentration and preincubation time-dependent manner. Exposure to P. mirabilis LPS reduces the platelet aggregation response in human whole blood.

Enhancement of heat transfer characteristics in wavy microchannel heat sinks with streamlined micropins within convergent-divergent flow passages

In the current study, the heat transfer characteristics of a novel design microchannel with a wavy sinusoidal convergent-divergent wall structure featuring streamlined pins have been numerically investigated under laminar flow conditions. Various amplitudes, wavelengths, pin heights, and Reynolds numbers are considered as parameters. The thermal and hydraulic characteristics are analyzed in terms of Nusselt number, Fanning friction factor, and Performance Evaluation Criteria number (PEC), which evaluates the heat transfer enhancement against the associated pressure drop. It is revealed that increasing the amplitude and decreasing wavelength, along with moderate pin heights, significantly augment heat transfer. The streamlined pins effectively direct the flow, and the resulting secondary flow and chaotic advection considerably enhance heat transfer in the designed configuration. The study demonstrates that the heat transfer can be improved by a factor of 4.79 compared to a straight microchannel. Under these geometric and flow conditions, the pressure drop increases by a factor of 9.87, and the PEC is found to be around 2.23. A multi-objective optimization study using the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) is conducted with Genetic Aggregation Response Surface Methodology to evaluate the impact of various parameters on thermal-flow performance and to identify the optimal design with material quantity variation. According to the optimal results, a 5 % increase in material can augment thermal-flow performance by approximately 206.6 % compared to traditional microchannels. Finally, practical correlations for the Nusselt number and friction factor, accounting for various parameters, have been developed to facilitate in designing of microchannel cooling systems.

Platelet antiaggregant activity of Hypericum perforatum extracts

BackgroundIn addition to its potential use as an antidepressant, different studies have shown that Hypericum perforatum (HP) can have antibacterial, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. Despite this potential, most of the therapeutic bioactivities attributed to HP need further scientific support. In a previous study we found an inhibitory effect of HP in platelet activation markers. So, in the present work we investigate the effect of HP in another aspect of platelet function, platelet aggregation. MethodsFirst, the effect of different concentrations of the total alcoholic extract of HP on platelet aggregation was studied in 9 healthy donors by aggregometry methods using collagen as agonist. After that, to obtain dose-effect curves, 3 experiments were carried out independently in a single individual using collagen, adenosine diphosphate and epinephrine as agonists. ResultsOur results reveal a marked inter-individual variability and a significant dose-dependent decrease of aggregation responses induced by collagen in the presence of HP extracts (mean of minimum inhibition: 8 % at a dose of 0.068 mg es/ml and mean of maximum inhibition: 43 % at a dose of 0.456 mg es/ml). With the results obtained it was possible to obtained a IC50 value of 0.34 mg es/ml. ConclusionsWe can conclude that HP has a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on platelet function (activation and aggregation responses), therefore, our results suggest that HP may be recognized as an herbal medicine with anti-platelet properties.

The effects of roots and earthworms on aggregate size distribution and their associated carbon under contrasting soil types and soil moisture conditions

Soil’s potential as a carbon sink is uncertain due to biotic and abiotic interactions. Soil aggregates are important carriers of organic carbon (OC), and clarifying the response of aggregates and their associated OC to plant roots and earthworms can better understand the carbon cycle in terrestrial ecosystems. Herein, we determined the regulatory role of plant roots (Lolium perenne) and earthworms (Metaphire tschiliensis) in isolation and in combination on aggregate size distribution and their associated OC and readily oxidizable OC (ROOC) under contrasting soil types (Phaeozems and Anthrosols) and soil moisture conditions (constant wetting, CW; wetting–drying cycle repeated four times, 4WD) by a laboratory microcosm experiment. Results showed that earthworm presence significantly increased plant biomass by 30 % and 221 % in Phaeozems and Anthrosols, respectively (p < 0.05). For Phaeozems, plant alone (P) and plant and earthworm in combination (PE) had lower proportion of large aggregate (5–8 and 2–5 mm) than bare soil (CK) under 4WD condition (p < 0.05). For Anthrosols, the PE treatment decreased the proportion of 5–8 and 2–5 mm aggregate by 45 % and 25 %, respectively, under CW condition, and decreased the proportion of 5–8 mm aggregate by 37 % under 4WD condition (p < 0.05). Moreover, the proportion of 5–8 and 2–5 mm aggregate in P treatment was lower under CW condition (6.92 % and 22.13 %) but was higher under 4WD condition (11.49 % and 32.55 %) than those in CK (14.69 % and 29.91 %; 8.85 % and 20.56 %) (p < 0.05). Our results further indicated that the PE treatment had relatively higher OC and ROOC contents, especially for small aggregates in Anthrosols. The study indicates that plant roots and earthworms significantly influence aggregate turnover and the carbon cycle, with soil type and moisture playing a crucial role.

How biotic interactions structure species' responses to perturbations.

Predicting how ecological communities will respond to disturbances is notoriously challenging, especially given the variability in species' responses within the same community. Focusing solely on aggregate responses may obscure extinction risks for certain species owing to compensatory effects, emphasizing the need to understand the drivers of the response variability at the species level. Yet, these drivers remain poorly understood. Here, we reveal that despite the typical complexity of biotic interaction networks, species' responses follow a discernible pattern. Specifically, we demonstrate that the species whose population abundances are most reduced by biotic interactions-which are not always the rarest species-are those that exhibit the strongest responses to disturbances. This insight enables us to pinpoint sensitive species within communities without requiring precise information about biotic interactions. Our novel approach introduces avenues for future research aimed at identifying sensitive species and elucidating their impacts on entire communities.

Divergent responses of soil aggregation and aggregate-carbon to fertilization regimes jointly explain soil organic carbon accrual in agroecosystems: A meta-analysis

Soil aggregation can be substantially affected by fertilizers and contributes to soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration in agroecosystems. However, the mass and C distributions in different aggregates in responses to fertilization regimes are not often synchronous, which may largely affect soil C storage and stability. We conducted a meta-analysis of 2440 paired observations from 63 publications to assess the fertilization effects (i.e. inorganic, organic, and their combinations) on soil aggregation and aggregate-associated OC, as well as their linkages to the stimulated bulk soil C. Overall, fertilizer application significantly increased the mean weight diameter of soil aggregates by 27.8 %. The proportion of large (> 2 mm) and small (0.25–2 mm) macroaggregates were significantly increased by 19.8 % and 17.2 %, and that of microaggregate (0.053–0.25 mm) and silt-clay fraction (< 0.053 mm) were significantly decreased by 6.0 % and 18.4 %, respectively. In contrast, fertilization significantly increased C concentration in all aggregates. Organic fertilizer applications had remarkably greater effects than inorganic fertilizer applications on soil C concentration but the effects declined with decreasing aggregate size (from 36.5 % to 13.2 %), while that of inorganic application changed very little among aggregates (from 14.1 % to 10.0 %). The fertilizer effects on soil aggregation and aggregate-associated OC divergently responded to the gradients of major agronomic conditions (i.e. climate, soil properties, and duration). Organic fertilizer applications tended to have distinctly greater promotion effect than solely inorganic fertilizer applications with temperate climate, neutral-to-alkaline pH and more sand-like texture of soil. The importance of mineral- rather than larger size aggregate-associated OC in contributing to the bulk SOC pool tended to increase in the long term. The inorganic-organic combinations exhibited the most lasting effect on SOC accrual. In conclusion, the responses of bulk soil C to fertilizer applications were not always in accordance with those of soil aggregation, but can be well explained when jointly considering soil aggregate C. Our findings highlight the varying contributions of aggregates to the soil C pool in diverse and complicated agronomic situations, which are important to the agricultural C sink stability.

Strategic joint bidding and pricing of load aggregators in day-ahead demand response market

Load aggregators (LAs) purchase demand response (DR) capacity from users by incentive compensation and then resell them by bidding in the day-ahead DR market to gain profits. Existing related research fails to adequately integrate bidding and pricing decision-makings and lacks sufficient consideration of uncertain user response behaviors, resulting in unstable trading returns. To this end, we propose a novel joint optimization method for bidding and pricing of the LA. First, a two-stage joint optimization framework is constructed to coordinate the temporally coupled bidding and pricing decisions, where these two strategies are simultaneously optimized to form the DA bidding strategy at first, and the pricing adjustment is then introduced after market-clearing to develop the formal user incentive scheme. Second, to account for the risks from uncertain response behaviors, the first stage incorporates DR settlement rules and the hedging effect of the aggregated response uncertainty to develop a relatively aggressive bidding strategy. After that, a user selection mechanism is then introduced to filter out users with both low response costs and reliable responses for participation. Numerical studies are presented to validate the proposed methodology in formulating optimal trading strategies that effectively tradeoff transaction revenue and risks.

The role of inflammation biomarkers in carotid artery stenosis procedures

BackgroundCarotid revascularization procedures, such as carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS), can lead to restenosis. Monitoring restenosis onset through biomarkers is crucial in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate inflammation biomarkers in CEA and CAS to determine their predictive value for restenosis risk post-procedure. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical records of patients with carotid stenosis who underwent CEA or CAS over one year at the Vascular Surgery departments of an interuniversity center. Eligible asymptomatic patients with carotid stenosis (70-99%) underwent revascularization. Differences between pre- and early post-procedural inflammation indices were assessed, and restenosis risk was evaluated using Receiver Operating Curve analysis and logistic regression. ResultsThe cohort comprised 100 patients, 68 undergoing CEA and 32 undergoing CAS. Significant values were observed for inflammation ratios post-CEA: neutrophils to lymphocytes ratio (NLR) (p=0.036), platelets to lymphocytes ratio (PLR) (p=0.009), monocytes to lymphocytes ratio (MLR) (p<0.001), systemic inflammation index (SII) (p=0.024), systemic immune response index (SIRI) (p=0.003), and aggregate inflammation response index (AISI) (p<0.001). At 12-month follow-up, 12% of patients experienced restenosis; 50% were men and 50% women. Women showed a higher restenosis rate (26.1% vs 7.8%). Pre-intervention NLR (OR [95% CI] = 13.38 [1.88 to 95.44], p=0.010) and SIRI (OR [95% CI] = 10.22 [2.65 to 39.43], p=0.001) remained significantly associated with restenosis after adjusting for sex and smoking. ConclusionThe study provided a predictive model for restenosis, identifying pre-intervention NLR and SIRI as independent predictors of restenosis at 12-month follow-up.