Transition Phase Research Articles

Insights into the role of the N6-methyladenosine reader IGF2BP3 in the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma and its connection to cell-cycle control

The genome of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been extensively characterized via bulk sequencing, revealing a multitude of genetic changes. The gene IGF2BP3, which encodes for the insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3, has been observed to be highly expressed in several types of cancer. This finding suggests that IGF2BP3 may play a significant role in the initiation and advancement of cancer. Nevertheless, the mechanisms by which IGF2BP3 contribute to OSCC are yet to be fully understood. In this study, we have observed that IGF2BP3 exhibits overexpression in OSCC. Based on our findings from bulk sequencing analysis, we have concluded that IGF2BP3 could potentially serve as a biomarker for predicting poor prognosis in OSCC. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that IGF2BP3 exhibits a significant association with the initiation and advancement of tumors both in vivo and in vitro. The evaluation of IGF2BP3 expression levels in relation to the cell cycle stage was conducted using single-cell RNA sequencing data. Tumor cells characterized by elevated IGF2BP3 expression demonstrated a higher percentage of cells in the G2/M transition phase. This study presents new findings indicating that the molecular target IGF2BP3 can serve as a prognostic indicator for tumors and has an impact on the development and progression of OSCC by influencing the regulation of the cell cycle.

Effectiveness of the SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Preventing Severe Disease-Related Outcomes: A Population-Based Study in the Italian Province of Bolzano (South Tyrol).

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of SARS-CoV2 vaccination in preventing ordinary or intensive care unit (ICU) admissions and deaths among cases registered during a variant transitional pandemic phase in the geographically and culturally unique territory of the Province of Bolzano (South Tyrol), an Italian region with low vaccination coverage. Methods: We collected data from 93,643 patients registered as positive for SARS-CoV-2 by health authorities during the winter of 2021-22. The data were analyzed retrospectively using descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression. Results: 925 patients were hospitalized (0.99%), 89 (0.10%) were in intensive care, and 194 (0.21%) died. Vaccinated patients had a significantly lower risk of being hospitalized: adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 0.39; 95% CI: 0.33-0.46, ICU admission: aOR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.09-0.29 and death: aOR: 0.41; 95% CI: 0.29-0.58. Similar risk reductions were also observed in booster-vaccinated patients, independent of sex, age, and predominant variant. Furthermore, the median length of stay (LoS) in the ICU was significantly longer for unvaccinated individuals compared to vaccinated subjects (9 vs. 6days; p < 0.003). Conclusion: Primary series vaccination and ongoing campaign booster doses were effective in preventing all severe disease-related outcomes and in reducing ICU Length of Stay, even during a transitional pandemic phase and in a unique territorial context.

Impact effects of COVID-19 pandemic on chronic disease patients: A longitudinal prospective study.

To assess the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on clinical variables as part of the routine clinical monitoring of patients with chronic diseases in primary care. A prospective longitudinal study was conducted in primary care centres of the Andalusian Health Service. Data were recorded before the pandemic (T1), during the declaration of the state of emergency (T2) and in the transition phase (T3). The Barthel index and the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) were used to analyse functional and cognitive changes at the three time points. HbA1c, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, BMI and lipid levels were assessed as clinical variables. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric chi-square test were used for analysis. STROBE checklist was used for the preparation of this paper. A total fo148 patients with chronic conditions were included in the analysis. Data analysis revealed in T2 only significant reductions in BMI, total levels of cholesterol and HDL during the onset of the pandemic. Barthel Index, SPMSQ, blood pressure and triglycerides and LDL levels worsened in T2, and the negative effects were maintained in T3. Compared to pre-pandemic values, HbA1c levels improved in T3, but HDL levels worsened. COVID-19 has drastically disrupted several functional, cognitive and biological variables. These results may be useful in identifying clinical parameters that deserve closer attention in the case of a new health crisis. Further studies are needed to assess the potential impacts of each specific chronic condition. Cognitive and functional status, blood pressure and triglycerides and LDL levels worsen in short term, maintaining the negative effects in medium-term.

Evaluating the Effect of TeamSTEPPS on Teamwork Perceptions and Patient Safety Culture among Newly Graduated Nurses

BackgroundQuality healthcare delivery is contingent upon effective teamwork and a patient safety-focused culture. TeamSTEPPS offers an evidence-based framework that enhances these competencies. However, the impact of TeamSTEPPS on newly graduated nurses, who undergo a significant transitional phase, has yet to be comprehensively explored. Consequently, the objective of this study was to assess the influence of TeamSTEPPS on perceptions of teamwork and patient safety culture among newly graduated nurses.MethodsThis study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a single group, utilizing a convenience sample of 132 newly recruited nurses from a university hospital. The participants completed the hospital survey on patient safety culture and the TeamSTEPPS teamwork perceptions questionnaire at three different time points.ResultsThe impact of the TeamSTEPPS training program was found to be significant, as indicated by the substantial improvement in the mean scores of nurses’ perceptions regarding teamwork and the culture of patient safety across multiple assessments (p < 0.001). The effect size (η2p ≥ 0.14) suggests a large effect, further emphasizing the meaningful impact of the program on the measured outcomes.ConclusionsThe study underscores the effectiveness of TeamSTEPPS as a valuable framework for facilitating the seamless transition of newly graduated nurses into the healthcare field. Integrating TeamSTEPPS into nursing training programs can significantly enhance nurses’ perceptions of teamwork and the culture of patient safety. Therefore, it is crucial for nurse managers to implement TeamSTEPPS systematically, aiming to improve teamwork perception and cultivate a patient safety culture among nurses. Furthermore, they should establish mechanisms to ensure the consistent application of these skills over time.

The Role of Cadres to Educate on the Activities of the Youth Integrated Service Post in Jamika Village Bojongloa Kaler Bandung

Adolescence is a transitional phase from childhood to adulthood. This phase has many physical and psychological changes that can cause various problems. The RW 09 Jamika integrated youth service post is a form of community-based health effort (UKBM) to bring adolescent health services closer to the RW 09 area. It has a function as a means of nonformal education regarding adolescent health. Implementing the integrated youth service post in RW 09 Jamika is suspected to have been more optimal for educating adolescents. This is because the youth of RW 09 Jamika have problems including (1) having anemia, (2) smoking habit, (3) the habit of staying up late, and (4) rarely doing physical activity. The aims of this study were (1) to describe the role of cadres in educating youth at RW 09 Jamika integrated service post activities; (2) to describe the inhibiting factors for cadres to help educate youth in youth integrated service post activities in RW 09 Jamika; and (3) provide solutions in increasing the role of cadres in educating youth integrated service post activities in RW 09 Jamika. The research method used is qualitative. This research data collection technique consists of interviews, documentation, and observation. The results of this study are (1) the role of the cadres is carrying out peer counseling, implementing the five-desk principle, and providing multiple questionnaires; (2) the inhibiting factors for the role of cadres in educating are the knowledge of cadres who have not mastered it optimally, limited time for training cadres and youth to be carried out by health center staff, and limited infrastructure; and (3) the solution to increasing the role of cadres in educating is to conduct coaching for cadres, scheduling according to the schedule of puskesmas officers or youth activities, and collaborating with related devices to help fulfill facilities and infrastructure.

Zirconia Toughened Alumina Ceramics via Forming Intragranular Structure.

The distribution of second phase particles in the microstructure of composite ceramics affects the mechanical properties, and the intragranular structures often result in better properties compared to the intergranular structures. However, it is difficult to obtain composite ceramics with intragranular structure by conventional route. To produce composite ceramics with an intragranular structure in a simpler route. In this work, starting powders with different phase compositions were obtained by the co-precipitation method, and zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA) composite ceramics were prepared with these starting powders by spark plasma sintering (SPS). The results show that it is easier to fabricate ZTA composite ceramics with an intragranular structure by using composite powders containing amorphous or transition phase Al2O3 as starting materials. The phase composition of the powder prepared by the co-precipitation method after calcination at 1100 °C is θ-Al2O3 and t-ZrO2, and the average grain size after sintering at 1500 °C is 1.04 ± 0.28 µm, and the maximum Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of the specimens reach 19.37 ± 0.43 GPa and 6.18 ± 0.06 MPa·m1/2, respectively. The ZrO2 particles were the core of crystallization and grow together with the Al2O3 matrix, forming the intragranular structure of ZTA ceramics. This work may provide a new idea for preparing composite ceramics with intragranular structure.

Network structure of complex interactions of premenstrual syndrome and influencing factors in young adult women

BackgroundIn the transition phase from adolescence to adulthood, premenstrual syndrome (PMS) occurs more commonly, with a variety of symptoms. The occurrence of PMS may be the result of a combination of demographic, physiological, psychological and sociological factors. This study aimed to identify the central symptoms of PMS, and explored the complex influencing factors especially the one-to-one inter-relationships factors with specific symptoms. MethodThis is a cross-sectional study conducted in mainland China. 3458 young adult women were assessed. Using the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PSS) to assess the PMS, and PSS score was over 6 divided into PMS group, and vice versa. Influencing factors were assessed by a set of self-reported questionnaire. Network analysis was used to examined the interplay of PMS, whilst also considering the influencing factors of PMS. ResultsIn summary, 1479 participants were in PMS group. Anxiety had the highest strength centrality (1.12/1.09), shown higher centrality in the both network. Swelling of the hands or feet also shown higher strength centrality (0.89) in PMS group. PMS is associated with a higher history of dysmenorrhea, and neurotic personality. Neurotic personality - depressed mood/nervousness (0.27/0.23), history of dysmenorrhea - abdominal distension (0.21), had significantly higher weight than other edges in PMS group. ConclusionAnxiety was the most central symptom in the network, and was closely associated with other symptoms like depressed mood, which provided additional evidence for the centrality of emotional features in PMS. Moreover, the influencing factors of PMS combined demographic, physiological, psychological, and sociological factors. According to the central symptoms and factors affecting the specific PMS symptoms in young adult women, targeted intervention is helpful to prevent and alleviate PMS. LimitationCross-sectional design cannot infer the directionality of the associations between variables. All data is self-reported with recall bias and the edge weights across the constructs of influencing factors and PMS were fairly small.

Refugee health and physiological profiles in transitional settlements in Serbia and Kenya: Comparative evidence for effects of gender and social support

When armed conflict compels people to flee from their homelands, they embark on protracted journeys during which they experience wide ranging physical, social, and psychological challenges. Few studies have focused on refugee psychosocial and physiological profiles during the transitional phase of forced migration that often involves temporary sheltering. Transient refugees’ experiences can vary substantially based on local socio-ecological conditions in temporary settlements, including the length of stay, living conditions, as well as the availability and accessibility of physical and social resources. In this study, we compared physiological and psychosocial data from refugees (N=365; 406 observations) in Serbia and Kenya, respectively, with divergent temporal (length of stay) and socio-ecological conditions. In Serbia, refugees resided in asylum centers (mean stay: 0.9 y); in Kenya they were living in Kakuma Refugee Camp (mean stay: 8.8 y), one of the world’s largest camps at the time. We had limited ability to directly compare psychosocial measures and used meta-analytic techniques to evaluate predictors of refugee mental and physical health at the two sites, including based on perceived social support. Refugees in Serbia had higher fingernail cortisol (p < 0.001) and were less likely to have elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (p < 0.01) than refugees in Kakuma. We found common gender differences in both settings; women had lower cortisol but higher EBV antibody titers and higher likelihood of having elevated CRP compared to men (all p < 0.01). Woman also reported poorer mental and physical health (p < 0.001). These physiological and health differences may reflect variation between men and women in their psychosocial and physical experiences of factors such as stress, violence, and trauma during their journeys and as transitional refugees. Finally, we also found that refugees with lower levels of perceived social support reported poorer physical and mental health (p < 0.001). Although our results are cross-sectional, they suggest that this intermittent phase of the refugee experience is a key window for helping enhance refugee well-being through an emphasis on interpersonal and community support systems.

The use of intrapartum ultrasound in operative vaginal birth: a retrospective cohort study

BackgroundPoor outcomes from operative vaginal birth (OVB) have been associated with failure to recognize malposition, breakdown in interdisciplinary communication and deviation from accepted guidelines. We recently implemented a safety bundle, including routine intrapartum ultrasound (IPUS), a structured time-out and procedural checklist, aiming to reduce maternal and perinatal morbidity from OVB. ObjectivesTo compare births where IPUS was and was not used during the safety bundle implementation period at Monash Health. Study DesignWe performed a retrospective cohort study at Monash Health during the transitional phase of implementing an OVB safety bundle. We studied all women with OVB and fully-dilated cesarean (FDCS) births with a singleton cephalic term fetus. We compared births when IPUS was and was not used. The primary outcome was neonates delivered in an unexpected position. Neonatal and maternal morbidity were also assessed, including a neonatal composite of Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes, cord lactate >8mmol/L, need for resuscitation, significant birth trauma or neonatal intensive care unit admission. To control confounding by indication, we estimated propensity scores (PS) for the probability of using IPUS for each case based on maternal and labor characteristics, and adjusted the effect estimates for the PS using multivariable logistic regression models. ResultsFrom August 2022 to July 2023 there were 1205 OVB or FDCS at Monash Health, including 743 (61.7%) forceps, 346 (28.7%) vacuum, and 116 (9.6%) FDCS births. Over this time, we observed increased uptake of IPUS from 26% in August 2022 to 60% (p < 0.001) in July 2023, of the time-out from 21% to 58% (p <0.001) and the checklist from 33% to 80% (p <0.001). of operative second stage births. Of births where IPUS was used (n = 509) compared to not used (n = 696), there were significantly more forceps births (67% vs. 58%, adjusted OR [aOR] 1.35, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.74, p = 0.021) and a reduction in vacuum births (24% vs. 32%, aOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.58 to 1.01, p = 0.059).There were no significant differences in FDCS or maternal morbidity. IPUS use was associated with significantly fewer infants being delivered in an unexpected position (0.2% vs. 2.2%, aOR 0.08, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.44, p = 0.019) and a significant reduction in composite neonatal morbidity (22% vs. 25%, aOR 0.73, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.97, p = 0.031). ConclusionsDuring the implementation of a safety bundle, the use of ultrasound prior to OVB was associated with fewer infants delivered in an unexpected position and reduced neonatal morbidity.

Socioecological factors influencing physical activity engagement for women across the menopausal transition: a systematic review.

Physical activity during menopause can be effective in reducing the physiological changes associated with reproductive aging that increase risks for noncommunicable diseases, yet many women do not meet the recommendations for physical activity. This study aimed to synthesize factors influencing physical activity for women across menopausal transition phases using a socioecological approach. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis was used to systematically search 10 databases between 2001 and 2021. A comprehensive search strategy was used to identify studies on physical activity of women in various stages of menopause. A socioecological model was used to categorize the reported barriers and enablers. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings highlight several intrapersonal barriers such as existing health complaints versus enablers such as awareness of the health benefits of physical activity during menopause. Ensuring women's safety, preventing injury, and enhancing exercise self-efficacy were important components of programs. Social support was also an important enabler of women's engagement in activities. Several barriers and enablers were identified and can inform practitioners and future interventions to encourage physical activity among women in various stages of menopause. For instance, when encouraging physical activity during menopause, practitioners should consider other health complaints, safety, and injury prevention while discussing the benefits of physical activity related to managing menopausal symptoms. There was a lack of theoretically informed studies exploring the barriers and enablers to physical activity for women in various stages of menopause; thus, research designs may not have fully accounted for influences. Future research that combines socioecological and individual theories of behavior is needed to comprehensively understand the complexity of physical activity among women across the menopausal transition.

Aethionema arabicum dimorphic seed trait resetting during transition to seedlings.

The transition from germinating seeds to emerging seedlings is one of the most vulnerable plant life cycle stages. Heteromorphic diaspores (seed and fruit dispersal units) are an adaptive bet-hedging strategy to cope with spatiotemporally variable environments. While the roles and mechanisms of seedling traits have been studied in monomorphic species, which produce one type of diaspore, very little is known about seedlings in heteromorphic species. Using the dimorphic diaspore model Aethionema arabicum (Brassicaceae), we identified contrasting mechanisms in the germination responses to different temperatures of the mucilaginous seeds (M+ seed morphs), the dispersed indehiscent fruits (IND fruit morphs), and the bare non-mucilaginous M- seeds obtained from IND fruits by pericarp (fruit coat) removal. What follows the completion of germination is the pre-emergence seedling growth phase, which we investigated by comparative growth assays of early seedlings derived from the M+ seeds, bare M- seeds, and IND fruits. The dimorphic seedlings derived from M+ and M- seeds did not differ in their responses to ambient temperature and water potential. The phenotype of seedlings derived from IND fruits differed in that they had bent hypocotyls and their shoot and root growth was slower, but the biomechanical hypocotyl properties of 15-day-old seedlings did not differ between seedlings derived from germinated M+ seeds, M- seeds, or IND fruits. Comparison of the transcriptomes of the natural dimorphic diaspores, M+ seeds and IND fruits, identified 2,682 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during late germination. During the subsequent 3 days of seedling pre-emergence growth, the number of DEGs was reduced 10-fold to 277 root DEGs and 16-fold to 164 shoot DEGs. Among the DEGs in early seedlings were hormonal regulators, in particular for auxin, ethylene, and gibberellins. Furthermore, DEGs were identified for water and ion transporters, nitrate transporter and assimilation enzymes, and cell wall remodeling protein genes encoding enzymes targeting xyloglucan and pectin. We conclude that the transcriptomes of seedlings derived from the dimorphic diaspores, M+ seeds and IND fruits, undergo transcriptional resetting during the post-germination pre-emergence growth transition phase from germinated diaspores to growing seedlings.

An Optimization Strategy for Provincial “Production–Living–Ecological” Spaces under the Guidance of Major Function-Oriented Zoning in China

The comprehensive evaluation of China’s major function-oriented zoning, grounded in scientific principles, has evolved into a nationwide initiative aimed at promoting regional coordinated sustainable development. A pivotal focus during this transitional phase is the optimization of a “production–living–ecological” spatial pattern within the main national functional areas. This involves a meticulous examination of the main functions, encompassing the distinct categories of production, living, and ecology, as well as prioritizing scenarios aligned with the functional orientation of towns, agriculture, and ecology in land-use simulation. Utilizing the PLUS model’s land-use simulation technology, a detailed investigation into Anhui Province’s main function orientation was conducted to achieve an optimal simulation of the “production–living–ecological” spatial pattern. The findings underscore the inadequacy of a singular scenario in attaining a global optimal solution for simulating the three spaces of production, living, and ecology. However, a gradual stabilization was observed in the overall quantitative structure and spatial transition frequency of these three spaces in Anhui Province. The continuous optimization of local spatial patterns and functional layouts was achieved through a multi-scenario optimization simulation based on main function orientation. Noteworthy improvements were identified in the optimization of the three spaces in specific regions: the northern part of Anhui, urban living spaces around Hefei and Wuhu, and ecological spaces in southern and western Anhui. Crucially, the simulation results align with the strategic goal orientation of the provincial main functional areas, the optimization trajectory of the “production–living–ecological” spatial pattern, and the strategic imperative for the coordinated and sustainable development of territorial space in Anhui Province. These findings furnish a robust scientific foundation for decomposing and transmitting the core indicators of provincial territorial spatial planning, as well as delineating the “three zones and three lines” in municipal territorial spatial planning.

Achieving while looking forward: variables influencing performance in the transitory career phases of professional women’s handball

ABSTRACT This paper investigates what variables may influence long-term performance in the transitory phases of a team athlete’s career according to the perceptions of the athletes themselves. Narrative research was conducted with 16 world-class, retired women handball players and the qualitative analysis reveals those factors that influenced their performance in the transitory phases “from development to mastery” and “from mastery to discontinuation” on the individual, interpersonal, organisational, and sociocultural levels. The variables are organised into a systems map to provide a full overview as well as the perceived relationships between them. The practical implication of the paper is to draw the attention of those organisations that aim to improve long-term performance to the leverage points that athletes themselves find important.

Complexity from ordinal pattern positioned slopes (COPPS)

Measuring complexity allows to characterize complex systems. Existing techniques are limited to simultaneously measure complexity from short length data sets, detect transitions and periodic dynamics. This paper presents an approach based on ordinal pattern positioned slopes (OPPS). It considers exclusively OPPS group occurrences to compute the complexity from OPPS (COPPS) as the average number of patterns and applies to short data series. The COPPS measure was successfully applied to simulation data for measuring complexity, detecting transition phases and regular dynamics, distinguishing between chaotic and stochastic dynamics; and to real-world data for detecting arrhythmia ECG beats.

‘I think he will be able to adjust’. Letters of Recommendation Accompanying Jewish Refugees in Transit during National Socialism

Abstract Letters of recommendation are a specific subgenre of professional writing that both have their own history and shape the histories of the people they recommend. In the context of National Socialist persecution, recommendations typically accompanied well-educated German-Jewish refugees fleeing from Germany. Such letters can be seen as relics of an established support system, trying to enable and/or ease the period of internal transit into new and mostly unknown territories. Many Jews experienced a phase of internal transit as they adjusted to new demands and new social structures. This phase was usually a difficult one, as they not only had to adjust to a new country but also to process the events leading up to their forced migration, as well as navigating the psychological and often financial difficulties of organizing refuge. This article aims to show what kinds of information such letters of recommendation contained about transit. Focusing on the United States and on Palestine, the article challenges the understanding of these countries purely as ‘destination countries’, and shows how immigrants had to live through processes of internal transit. It also asks what content was the most useful to include in letters of recommendation—what kind of armour of good words was needed in transit—and how that content may have differed between the United States and Palestine.

User perception of animation fluency: The effect of time duration in different phases of animated transitions during application usage

Animation fluency is an important factor of user experience in smartphone applications. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of time duration in different sections of application usage on users’ perceived fluency. We manipulated the duration of different phases, including the click-response delay (CD), duration of animation (DA), and duration of loading completion (DL), in an open app task and an in-app page switching task. The participants evaluated the perceived fluency during their smartphone use. The results showed that the CD and DL had a significant effect on perceived fluency and that the CD, DA and DL showed significant interactions in some situations. These results could supply detailed parameters for smartphone design and could be used to build a model to guide manufacturers to provide a better user experience.

Absence of radio-bright dominance in a near-infrared selected sample of red quasars

Context. The dichotomy between red and blue quasars is still an open question. It is debated whether red quasars are simply blue quasars that are observed at certain inclination angles or if they provide insight into a transitional phase in the evolution of quasars. Aims. We investigate the relation between quasar colors and radio-detected fraction because radio observations of quasars provide a powerful tool in distinguishing between quasar models. Methods. We present the eHAQ+GAIA23 sample, which contains quasars from the High A(V) Quasar (HAQ) Survey, the Extended High A(V) Quasar (eHAQ) Survey, and the Gaia quasar survey. All quasars in this sample have been found using a near-infrared color selection of target candidates that have otherwise been missed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We implemented a redshift-dependent color cut in g* − i* to select red quasars in the sample and divided them into redshift bins, while using a nearest-neighbors algorithm to control for luminosity and redshift differences between our red quasar sample and a selected blue sample from the SDSS. Within each bin, we cross-matched the quasars to the Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty centimeters (FIRST) survey and determined the radio-detection fraction. Results. For redshifts 0.8 &lt; z ≤ 1.5, the red and blue quasars have a radio-detection fraction of 0.153−0.032+0.037 and 0.132−0.030+0.034, respectively. The red and blue quasars with redshifts 1.5 &lt; z ≤ 2.4 have radio-detection fractions of 0.059−0.016+0.019 and 0.060−0.016+0.019, respectively, and the red and blue quasars with redshifts z &gt; 2.4 have radio-detection fractions of 0.029−0.012+0.017 and 0.058−0.019+0.024, respectively. For the WISE color-selected red quasars, we find a radio-detection fraction of 0.160−0.034+0.038 for redshifts 0.8 &lt; z ≤ 1.5, 0.063−0.017+0.020 for redshifts 1.5 &lt; z ≤ 2.4, and 0.051−0.022+0.030 for redshifts z &gt; 2.4. In other words, we find similar radio-detection fractions for red and blue quasars within &lt; 1σ uncertainty, independent of redshift. This disagrees with what has been found in the literature for red quasars in SDSS. It should be noted that the fraction of broad absorption line (BAL) quasars in red SDSS quasars is about five times lower. BAL quasars have been observed to be more frequently radio quiet than other quasars, therefore the difference in BAL fractions could explain the difference in radio-detection fraction. Conclusions. The dusty torus of a quasar is transparent to radio emission. When we do not observe a difference between red and blue quasars, it leads us to argue that orientation is the main cause of quasar redness. Moreover, the observed higher proportion of BAL quasars in our dataset relative to the SDSS sample, along with the higher rate of radio detections, indicates an association of the redness of quasars and the inherent BAL fraction within the overall quasar population. This correlation suggests that the redness of quasars is intertwined with the inherent occurrence of BAL quasars within the entire population of quasars. In other words, the question why some quasars appear red or exhibit BAL characteristics might not be isolated; it could be directly related to the overall prevalence of BAL quasars in the quasar population. This finding highlights the need to explore the underlying factors contributing to both the redness and the frequency of BAL quasars, as they appear to be interconnected phenomena.

Modeling dedicated lanes for connected autonomous vehicles with poly-information uncertainties and electronic throttle dynamics

Numerous studies have demonstrated that connected autonomous vehicles and human-driven vehicles are now coexisting throughout a transitional phase. Traffic flow can be improved, the system can be stabilized, and less energy will be used with dedicated lanes for connected autonomous vehicles. Additionally, with few communication resources, no communication delivery is ever perfect, leading to issues with poly-information uncertainty. First, this paper provides a macroscopic model of heterogeneous traffic flow from the perspective of vehicle dynamics employing electronic throttle dynamics and poly-information uncertainty with/without dedicated lanes. Second, the mixed traffic flow linear stability criterion is derived using the linear stability theory. The third portion, which was based on the theoretical analysis, focused on the consequences of dedicated lane configurations on traffic flow as well as a discussion of the effects of various parameters on the stability of mixed traffic flow and energy consumption emissions. Finally, we modeled the Huanshan Road in Jinan, China using the experimental VISSIM platform. The analysis and demonstration of a two-way, four-lane road with or without dedicated lanes. The findings demonstrate that increasing connected autonomous vehicles penetration and dedicated lanes construction can increase traffic capacity, enhance the stability of traffic flow, and lower energy use and additional emissions. It is important to keep in mind that dedicated lanes must be built at an appropriate connected autonomous vehicle penetration rate to boost traffic flow without squandering resources.

Superconductivity in Quasi-One-Dimensional Ferromagnet CrSbSe3 under High Pressure.

Nearly a decade has passed since the discovery of superconductivity in CrAs, but until now, the discovered structure types of chromium-based superconductors are still scanty. It is urgent to expand this family to decipher the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity penetratingly. Here, we report the observation of superconductivity in ferromagnet CrSbSe3 with a quasi-one-dimensional structure under high pressure. Under compression, CrSbSe3 undergoes an insulator-to-metal transition and sequential isostructural phase transitions accompanied by volume collapse. Superconductivity emerges at 32.8 GPa concomitant with metallization in CrSbSe3. A maximum superconducting transition temperature Tc of 7.7 K is achieved at 57.9 GPa benefiting from both the phonon softening and the enhanced p-d hybridization between Se and Cr in CrSbSe3. The discovery of superconductivity in CrSbSe3 expands the existing chromium-based superconductor family and sheds light on the search for concealed superconductivity in low-dimensional van der Waals materials.

Can personality disorder be accurately assessed in older age? A differential item functioning analysis of ICD-11 inventories.

The contested categorical personality disorder (PD) criteria are not well suited to inform PD diagnoses in older adults. Yet, the classification of PDs is undergoing a critical transition phase with a paradigm shift to a dimensional approach for diagnosing PDs. No special attention was given to the expression of PDs in older age when the dimensional ICD-11 model was developed. Given that PDs are highly prevalent in older adults, there is an urgent need to examine if ICD-11 related instruments are able to adequately assess for PDs in older adults. The age-neutrality of ICD-11 measures was examined in a sample of 208 Dutch community-dwelling adults (N=208, M age=54.96, SD=21.65), matched on sex into 104 younger (age range 18-64) and 104 older (age range 65-93) adults. An instrument is considered not to be age-neutral if a collective large level of differential item functioning (DIF) exists in a group of items of an instrument (i.e., 25% or more with DIF). We therefore set out to detect possible DIF in the following ICD-11 self-report measures: the Standardized Assessment of Severity of Personality Disorder (SASPD), the Personality Inventory for ICD-11 (PiCD), and the Borderline Pattern Scale (BPS). DIF analyses using a non-parametric odds ratio approach demonstrated that SASPD, PiCD, and BPS were age-neutral with less than 25% of items showing DIF. Yet, impact of DIF at scale level, examined by way of differential test functioning (DTF), indicated a DTF effect on the SASPD total score. These results of age-neutrality of the PiCD and BPS are promising for measuring ICD-11 traits and the borderline pattern. Yet, the age-neutral measurement of PD severity requires further research. With a rapidly aging population, its accurate assessment across the entire adult life span, including older age, is a prerequisite for an adequate detection of PDs.