bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discovery of novel benzophenone integrated derivatives as anti-Alzheimer’s agents targeting presenilin-1 and presenilin-2 inhibition: A computational approach
Authors: Martiz Reshma Mary , Patil Shashank M. , Ramu Ramith , M. K. Jayanthi , P. Ashwini , Ranganatha Lakshmi V. , Khanum Shaukath Ara , Silina Ekaterina , Stupin Victor , Achar Raghu Ram
Published: April 2022

The most commonly accepted hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the amyloid hypothesis caused due to formation of accumulation of Aβ42 isoform, which leads to neurodegeneration. In this regard, presenilin-1 (PSEN-1) and -2 (PSEN-2) proteins play a crucial role by altering the amyloid precursor protein (APP) metabolism, affecting γ-secretase protease secretion, finally leading to the increased levels of Aβ. In the absence of reported commercial pharmacotherapeutic agents targeting presenilins, we aim to propose benzophenone integrated derivatives (BIDs) as the potential inhibitors of presenilin proteins throughin silicoapproach. The study evaluates the interaction of BIDs through molecular docking simulations, molecular dynamics simulations, and binding free energy calculations. This is the first ever computational approach to discover the potential inhibitors of presenilin proteins. It also comprises druglikeliness and pharmacotherapeutic potential analysis of the compounds. Out of all the screened BIDs, BID-16 was found to be the lead compound against both the presenilin proteins. Based on these results, one can evaluate BID-16 as an anti-Alzheimer’s potential specifically targeting presenilin proteins in near future usingin vitroandin vivomethods.
The importance of cigarillo product characteristics among young adult cigarillo users: Differences by demographics, cigarillo use and other tobacco/substance use behaviors
Authors: Ganz Ollie , Jeong Michelle , Schroth Kevin R. J. , Hrywna Mary
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Cigar products, including cigarillos, have increased in popularity in the U.S. and are disproportionately used by young adults. Cigarillo product characteristics can influence consumer perceptions and the appeal of these characteristics can vary by subgroup. The goal of this study was to examine a) product characteristics important to young adult cigarillo users and b) differences based on demographics and cigarillo and other tobacco/substance use behaviors.

Methods

In 2016, a convenience sample of 628 past-year cigarillo users rated the importance of the following cigarillo product characteristics when choosing a cigarillo to smoke tobacco: brand, tobacco filler quality, tobacco wrap quality, flavors, price, package graphic design, and number of cigars in the pack. Differences in mean importance by demographic, cigarillo use and other tobacco/substance use characteristics were analyzed using t-tests and ANOVA tests.

Results

The most important cigarillo product characteristics were price, quality of tobacco wrap, and flavors. The least important was graphic design of packaging. There were differences in importance by demographics and/or cigar and other tobacco/substance use behaviors for all product characteristics. In particular, pack size was rated as more important among current cigarillo users, users of foil pouches (2–3 cigarillos) or cardboard/paper boxes or other packaging styles, and current users of cigarettes, blunts and marijuana. Price was rated as more important among Hispanic/Latino and lower income smokers, and current cigarette and blunt smokers.

Conclusions

Findings suggest cigarillo users prioritize different product characteristics depending on their demographics or smoking behavior. Further research is needed to examine whether various cigar-related policies, such as those that ban flavors or set minimum pack sizes, could impact sub-populations of cigarillo users differently.
Modeling of spatial pattern and influencing factors of cultivated land quality in Henan Province based on spatial big data
Authors: Wang Hua , Zhu Yuxin , Wang Jinghao , Han Hubiao , Niu Jiqiang , Chen Xueye
Published: April 2022

The quality of cultivated land determines the production capacity of cultivated land and the level of regional development, and also directly affects the food security and ecological safety of the country. This paper starts from the perspective of spatial pattern of cultivated land quality and uses spatial autocorrelation analysis to study the spatial aggregation characteristics and differences of cultivated land quality in Henan Province at the county level scale, and also uses bivariate spatial autocorrelation to analyze the influence of neighboring influences on the quality of cultivated land in the target area. The spatial autoregressive model was used to further analyze the driving factors affecting the quality of cultivated land, and the influence of cultivated land area index was coupled in the process of rating analysis, which was finally used as a basis to propose more precise measures for the protection of cultivated land zoning. The results show that: (1) The quality of cultivated land in Henan Province has a strong spatial correlation (global Moran’s I≈0.710) and shows an obvious aggregation pattern in spatial distribution; positive correlation types (high-high and low-low) are concentrated in north-central and western mountainous areas of Henan Province, respectively; negative correlation types are discrete. The negative correlation types are distributed in a discrete manner. (2) The bivariate spatial autocorrelation results show that Slope (Moran’s I≈-0.505), Irrigation guarantee rate (IGR, 0.354), Urbanization rate (-0.255), Total agricultural machinery power (TAMP, 0.331) and Pesticide use (0.214) are the main influencing factors. (3) According to the absolute values of the regression coefficients, it can be seen that the magnitude of the influence of different factors on the quality of cultivated land is: Slope (0.089) >IGR (0.025) > Urbanization rate (0.002) > TAMP (0.001) > Pesticide use (1.96e-006). (4) Based on the spatial pattern presented by the spatial autocorrelation results, we proposed corresponding protection zoning measures to provide more scientific reference decisions and technical support for the implementation of refined cultivated land management in Henan Province.
Risk factors associated with student distress in medical school: Associations with faculty support and availability of wellbeing resources
Authors: Langness Simone , Rajapuram Nikhil , Marshall Megan , Rahman Arifeen S. , Sammann Amanda
Published: April 2022

Background

It is estimated that over half of medical students experience severe distress, a condition that correlates with low mental quality-of-life, suicidal ideation and serious thoughts of dropping out. While several risk factors for the development of severe distress have been identified, most focus on individual student characteristics. Currently, little is known about the impact medical schools have on student wellbeing.

Methods

Prospective, observational survey study from 2019–2020 from a national cohort of US medical students. Student wellbeing, school characteristics, and wellbeing resource availability was measured with a 30-question electronic survey. Medical student distress was defined as a Medical Student Wellbeing Index (MS-WBI) of ≥4. Risk factors for the development of severe distress were evaluated in a multivariate logistic regression model. The impact of the number of wellbeing resources available on student wellbeing was measured along multiple wellbeing domains. Independent reviewers categorized free text analysis of survey responses about desired wellbeing resources into themes.

Results

A total of 2,984 responses were included in the study, representing 45 unique medical schools. Medical school characteristics independently associated with severe distress included low faculty support (OR 4.24); the absence of mentorship resources (OR 1.63) and the absence of community building programs (OR 1.45) in a multivariate model. Increased availability of wellbeing resources was associated with lower average MS-WBI (4.58 vs. 3.19, p<0;05) and a smaller percentage of students who had taken or considered taking a leave of absence (40% vs. 16%, p<0.05). The resources most desired by students were mental health services and scheduling adjustments.

Conclusions

The majority of medical school characteristic that contribute to student distress are modifiable. Improving faculty support and offering more and varied wellbeing resources may help to mitigate medical student distress. Student feedback is insightful and should be routinely incorporated by schools to guide wellbeing strategies.
Awareness, attitudes and acceptability of the HPV vaccine among female university students in Morocco
Authors: Yacouti A. , Elkhoudri N. , El got A. , Benider A. , Hadrya F. , Baddou R. , Forster A. , Mouallif M.
Published: April 2022

Background

In Morocco, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer affecting women behind breast cancer. The Human PapillomaVirus (HPV) vaccine has been available in Morocco since 2008 but its introduction in the national immunization program is still under discussion. There is limited data regarding acceptability and predictors of HPV vaccine acceptability among Moroccan young women. This study aimed to evaluate the awareness of female university students of HPV and the vaccine and to identify predictors of HPV vaccine acceptability.

Methods

We conducted a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire with 1087 participants in six Moroccan universities between May 2019 and June 2020.

Results

The awareness of HPV infection was 14.7% and of HPV vaccine was 7.8%. The rate of immunization coverage against HPV was less than 1%. Over 67% of participants were willing to receive the HPV vaccine. Awareness of cervical cancer (p-Value = 0.04) and the HPV vaccine (p-Value = 0.01), and acceptability of Pap smear test (p-Value <0.01) were significant predictors of HPV vaccine acceptability.

Conclusions

This study revealed an insufficient amounts of awareness of HPV and of HPV vaccine uptake in a sample of Moroccan university young women. This lack of awareness needs intervention, and it is important to develop an awareness program for young female population either within or outside universities in order to promote vaccination uptake and ultimately lower the cervical cancer rate in Morocco.
Scorpion envenomation in the state of São Paulo, Brazil: Spatiotemporal analysis of a growing public health concern
Authors: Lacerda Alec Brian , Lorenz Camila , De Azevedo Thiago Salomão , Cândido Denise Maria , Wen Fan Hui , Eloy Luciano José , Bersusa Ana Aparecida Sanches , Chiaravalloti Neto Francisco
Published: April 2022

Scorpion envenomation is a significant public health concern in São Paulo, Brazil, and its incidence and mortality have increased in recent decades. The present study analyzed documented scorpion envenomation notifications from 2008 to 2018 throughout the 645 municipalities of São Paulo. Annual incidence and mortality rates were calculated and stratified according to sex and age. The local empirical Bayesian method and Getis-Ord Gi* statistic were used to represent standardized incidence rates in the municipalities and to identify high- and low-risk agglomerates. The incidence rate of scorpion envenomation quintupled between 2008 and 2018. Overall, the risk was higher for man, and increased with age. Deaths due to envenomation, however, were concentrated almost entirely in children 0–9 years of age. Incidence maps showed that the risk of envenomation increased in almost all regions and municipalities of São Paulo throughout the study period. The highest incidence rates were found in the western, northwestern and northern regions of the state, in contrast to the São Paulo metropolitan area and southern and coastal regions. Hot spots were identified in the Presidente Prudente, Barretos, São José do Rio Preto, and Araçatuba regional health districts, which over time formed a single high-risk cluster. In spatial terms, however, deaths were randomly distributed. In this study, we identified areas and populations at risk of scorpion envenomation and associated–fatalities, which can be used to support decision-making by health services to reduce human contact with these arachnids and avoid fatalities, especially in children.
A randomized controlled trial comparing self-referred message to family-referred message promoting men’s adherence to evidence-based guidelines on BRCA1/2 germline genetic testing: A registered study protocol
Authors: Petrocchi Serena , Ongaro Giulia , Calvello Mariarosaria , Feroce Irene , Bonanni Bernardo , Pravettoni Gabriella
Published: April 2022

Background

This is a registered study protocol on a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing an intervention aimed to improve men’s adherence to evidence-based guidelines on BRCA1/2 germline genetic testing. BRCA1- and BRCA2-associated Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome (HBOC) increases the relative and absolute risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer and, to a lesser extent, prostate and pancreatic cancer. Men face BRCA-related cancer risks as women do, although with a different magnitude, and they may also transmit the mutations to their children. Notwithstanding, men are under-tested compared to women and the communication is not tailored on their needs. The present RCT applies principles of the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) in testing the psychological determinants of the men’s adherence to evidence based guidelines on BRCA1/2 germline genetic and testing the efficacy of two messages.

Methods

A total of 264 participants will be involved, among the men’s relatives of women with verified germline mutations. The study entails a pre- post- evaluation with randomization of the participants in two conditions corresponding to the two messages.

Discussion

The expected results provide answers related to the impact of action self-efficacy, outcome expectancy (personal or familiar), risk perception, health risk aversion, intolerance of uncertainty, perceived barriers, and coping self-efficacy on informed decision-making. Data gathered from this study may inform health care providers, policy makers, and public health managers about the communication strategy for men and about the psychological variables influencing decision-making.

Trail registration

Name of the Registry: Clinical Trials. Trial registration number: NCT04683068. Date of registration: 16/12/2020. URL of trial registry record: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/.
Prevalence, intensity of infection and associated risk factors of soil-transmitted helminth infections among school children at Tachgayint woreda, Northcentral Ethiopia
Authors: Eyayu Tahir , Yimer Gashaw , Workineh Lemma , Tiruneh Tegenaw , Sema Meslo , Legese Biruk , Almaw Andargachew , Solomon Yenealem , Malkamu Birhanemaskal , Chanie Ermias Sisay , Feleke Dejen Getaneh , Jimma Melkamu Senbeta , Hassen Seada , Tesfaw Aragaw
Published: April 2022

Background

Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) are one of the most common infections affecting underprivileged populations in low- and middle-income countries. Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and hookworm are the three main species that infect people. School children are the most vulnerable groups for STH infections due to their practice of walking and playing barefoot, poor personal hygiene, and environmental sanitation. However, evidence is limited in the study area. So, this study aimed to assess the current prevalence, infection intensity, and associated risk factors of STHs among school children in Tachgayint woreda, Northcentral Ethiopia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among school children of Tachgayint woreda from February to May 2021. The study participants were chosen via systematic random sampling. Stool samples were collected from 325 children and examined using the Kato-Katz technique. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify the potential associated factors for STHs. An adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to measure the magnitude of the association. A P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The overall prevalence of STHs in this study was 36.0% (95% CI: 30.5–41.2%). Ascaris lumbricoides are the most prevalent species 89 (27.4%) followed by hookworm 14 (4.3%) and Trichuris trichiura 10 (3.1%). All of the infected school children had light-intensity of infections with the mean of eggs per gram (EPG) being 464.53. Lack of shoe wearing habit (AOR = 4.08, 95% CI: 1.29–12.88) and having untrimmed fingernail (AOR = 1.85, 95% CI: 1.06–3.22) were identified as risk factors for STH infections.

Conclusions

More than one-third of the school children were infected with at least one STH species and this indicates that STHs are still a health problem among school children in the study area. Therefore, periodic deworming, implementation of different prevention strategies, and health education programs should be regularly applied in the area.
Positive associations between cannabis and alcohol use polygenic risk scores and phenotypic opioid misuse among African-Americans
Authors: Rabinowitz Jill A. , Jin Jin , Kuo Sally I-Chun , Campos Adrian I. , Rentería Miguel E. , Huhn Andrew S. , Thrul Johannes , Reboussin Beth A. , Benke Kelly , Domingue Benjamin , Ialongo Nicholas S. , Maher Brion S. , Kertes Darlene , Troiani Vanessa , Uhl George
Published: April 2022

Background

This study examined whether polygenic risk scores (PRS) for lifetime cannabis and alcohol use were associated with misusing opioids, and whether sex differences existed in these relations in an urban, African-American sample.

Methods

Data were drawn from three cohorts of participants (N= 1,103; 45% male) who were recruited in first grade as part of a series of elementary school-based, universal preventive intervention trials conducted in a Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. In young adulthood, participants provided a DNA sample and reported on whether they had used heroin or misused prescription opioids in their lifetime. Three substance use PRS were computed based on prior GWAS: lifetime cannabis use from Pasman et al. (2018), heavy drinking indexed via maximum number of drinks from Gelernter et al. (2019), and alcohol consumption from Kranzler et al. (2019).

Results

Higher PRS for lifetime cannabis use, greater heavy drinking, and greater alcohol consumption were associated with heightened risk for misusing opioids among the whole sample. Significant sex by PRS interactions were also observed such that higher PRS for heavy drinking and alcohol consumption were associated with a greater likelihood of opioid misuse among males, but not females.

Conclusion

Our findings further elucidate the genetic contributions to misusing opioids by showing that the genetics of cannabis and alcohol consumption are associated with lifetime opioid misuse among young adults, though replication of our findings is needed.
Portable, non-destructive colorimetry and visible reflectance spectroscopy paired with machine learning can classify experimentally heat-treated silcrete from three South African sources
Authors: Murray John K. , Oestmo Simen , Zipkin Andrew M.
Published: April 2022

The objective of this study was to determine if visible reflectance spectroscopy and quantitative colorimetry represent viable approaches to classifying the heat treatment state of silcrete. Silcrete is a soil duricrust that has been used as toolstone since at least the Middle Stone Age. The ancient practice of heat treating silcrete prior to knapping is of considerable interest to paleolithic archaeologists because of its implications for early modern human complex cognition generally and the ability to manipulate the material properties of stone specifically. Here, we demonstrate that our quantitative, non-invasive, and portable approach to measuring color, used in conjunction with k-Nearest Neighbors “lazy” machine learning, is a highly promising method for heat treatment detection. Traditional, expert human analyst approaches typically rely upon subjective assessments of color and luster and comparison to experimental reference collections. This strongly visual method can prove quite accurate, but difficult to reproduce between different analysts. In this work, we measured percent reflectance for the visible spectrum (1018 variables) and standardized color values (CIEL*a*b*) in unheated and experimentally heat-treated silcrete specimens from three sources in South Africa. k-NN classification proved highly effective with both the spectroscopy and colorimetry data sets. An important innovation was using the heat treatment state predicted by the k-NN model for the majority of replicate observations of a single specimen to predict the heat treatment state for the specimen overall. When this majority voting approach was applied to the 746 individual observations in this study, associated with 94 discrete silcrete flakes, both spectroscopy and colorimetry k-NN models yielded 0% test set misclassification rates at the specimen level.
The impact of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning design features on the transmission of viruses, including the 2019 novel coronavirus: A systematic review of ultraviolet radiation
Authors: Thornton Gail M. , Fleck Brian A. , Fleck Natalie , Kroeker Emily , Dandnayak Dhyey , Zhong Lexuan , Hartling Lisa
Published: April 2022

Respiratory viruses are capable of transmitting via an aerosol route. Emerging evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 which causes COVID-19 can be spread through airborne transmission, particularly in indoor environments with poor ventilation. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems can play a role in mitigating airborne virus transmission. Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI), a feature that can be incorporated into HVAC systems, can be used to impede the ability of viruses to replicate and infect a host. We conducted a systematic review of the scientific literature examining the effectiveness of HVAC design features in reducing virus transmission—here we report results for ultraviolet (UV) radiation. We followed international standards for conducting systematic reviews and developed an a priori protocol. We conducted a comprehensive search to January 2021 of published and grey literature using Ovid MEDLINE, Compendex, and Web of Science Core. Two reviewers were involved in study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessments. We presented study characteristics and results in evidence tables, and synthesized results across studies narratively. We identified 32 relevant studies published between 1936 and 2020. Research demonstrates that: viruses and bacteriophages are inactivated by UV radiation; increasing UV dose is associated with decreasing survival fraction of viruses and bacteriophages; increasing relative humidity is associated with decreasing susceptibility to UV radiation; UV dose and corresponding survival fraction are affected by airflow pattern, air changes per hour, and UV device location; and UV radiation is associated with decreased transmission in both animal and human studies. While UV radiation has been shown to be effective in inactivating viruses and reducing disease transmission, practical implementation of UVGI in HVAC systems needs to consider airflow patterns, air changes per hour, and UV device location. The majority of the scientific literature is comprised of experimental, laboratory-based studies. Further, a variety of viruses have been examined; however, there are few studies of coronaviruses and none to date of SARS-CoV-2. Future field studies of UVGI systems could address an existing research gap and provide important information on system performance in real-world situations, particularly in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic. This comprehensive synthesis of the scientific evidence examining the impact of UV radiation on virus transmission can be used to guide implementation of systems to mitigate airborne spread and identify priorities for future research.

Trial registration PROSPERO 2020 CRD42020193968.
Democratizing education: Open schooling engaged the less privileged in environmental sciences
Authors: Wam Hilde Karine , Goździk Agata , Aspholm Paul Eric , Juńczyk Tomasz
Published: April 2022

Democratizing learning is essential for environmental sustainability. Less privileged areas are crucial in this regard. Informal education has great such potential, but often fails to reach the less privileged, and to document learning. With the objective to identify and counter these issues, we here report on EDU-ARCTIC, an informal open schooling course in environmental science, aimed at European teachers with teenage pupils. Of the 1,181 teachers who enrolled, 73% were females and 43% were from less privileged nations (according to UN Human Development Index). This is a higher share of less privileged (females) than is the case for the general population of Europe. Teachers from less privileged nations also participated in more project activities than did those from more privileged nations, apart from in urban areas. For the project period, the teachers reported a significant increase in all the three categories of aspired learning outcomes for their pupils. We conclude that courses like ours can increase teenagers’ literacy and engagement in science and environmental issues, not the least in less privileged areas. Deliberate efforts are required to reach these target groups, who may be less inclined to join on their own.
Intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence on an omnivore’s gut microbiome
Authors: Trujillo Sarah M. , McKenney Erin A. , Hilderbrand Grant V. , Mangipane Lindsey S. , Rogers Matthew C. , Joly Kyle , Gustine David D. , Erlenbach Joy A. , Mangipane Buck A. , Lafferty Diana J. R.
Published: April 2022

Gut microbiomes (GMBs), complex communities of microorganisms inhabiting the gastrointestinal tracts of their hosts, perform countless micro-ecosystem services such as facilitating energy uptake and modulating immune responses. While scientists increasingly recognize the role GMBs play in host health, the role of GMBs in wildlife ecology and conservation has yet to be realized fully. Here, we use brown bears (Ursus arctos) as an ecological model to (1) characterize GMB community composition associated with location, season, and reproductive condition of a large omnivore; (2) investigate how both extrinsic and intrinsic factors influence GMB community membership and structure; and (3) quantify differences in GMB communities among different locations, seasons, sex, and reproductive conditions. To achieve these aims, we subsampled brown bear fecal samples collected during United States National Park Service research activities at three National Parks and Preserves (Katmai, Lake Clark, and Gates of the Arctic) and extracted microbial DNA for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and microbial taxonomic classification. We analyzed GMB communities using alpha and beta diversity indices, subsequently using linear mixed models to examine relationships between alpha diversity and extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Katmai brown bears hosted the greatest alpha diversity, whereas Gates brown bears hosted the least alpha diversity. Our results indicate that location and diet drive GMB variation, with bears hosting less phylogenetic diversity as park distance inland increases. Monitoring brown bear GMBs could enable managers to quickly detect and assess the impact of environmental perturbations on brown bear health. By integrating macro and micro-ecological perspectives we aim to inform local and landscape-level management decisions to promote long-term brown bear conservation and management.
Finite-time H∞ synchronization control for coronary artery chaos system with input and state time-varying delays
Authors: Chantawat Charuwat , Botmart Thongchai
Published: April 2022

This is the first time for studying the issue of finite-timeH∞synchronization control for the coronary artery chaos system (CACS) with input and state time-varying delays. Feedback control is planned for finite-time of synchronization CACS. By constructing the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF) is derived for finite-time stability criteria of CACS with interval and continuous differential time-varying delays. We use Wirtinger-based integral inequality to evaluate the upper bound of the time derivative of the LKF. We apply the single integral form and the double integral form of the integral inequality, according to Wirtinger-based integral inequality, to ensure that the feedback controller for synchronization has good performance with disturbance and time-varying delay. The new sufficient finite-time stability conditions have appeared in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Numerical checks can be performed using the LMI toolbox in MATLAB. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the success of the proposed methods. This resultant is less conservative than the resultants available in the previous works.
Chymotrypsin is a molecular target of insect resistance of three corn varieties against the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis
Authors: Kim Eun Young , Jung Jin Kyo , Kim I. Hyeon , Kim Yonggyun
Published: April 2022

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, is a serious insect pest that can infest corn leaves and stems. Due to its internal feeding behavior, its larvae are not exposed to insecticides that are usually sprayed for pest control. To minimize crop damage caused by O. furnacalis, improving insect resistance trait of corn has been considered as an optimal control tactic. This study screened 27 corn varieties for their insect resistance trait and selected three varieties of Ilmichal (IM), P3394, and Kwangpyeongok (KP) that showed insect resistance trait. O. furnacalis larvae did not show any significant difference in preference between these three insect-resistant corn varieties and a control susceptible variety. However, these resistant varieties after ingestion significantly interfered with larval development of O. furnacalis. This suggests that the insect resistance trait is induced by antibiosis, but not by antixenosis. Indeed, larvae fed with these varieties suffered from low chymotrypsin (CHY) activities in the midgut juice. To determine the target CHY inhibited by resistant corn varieties, a total of nine CHY genes (Of-CHY1~Of-CHY9) were predicted from the transcriptome of O. furnacalis. Six genes (Of-CHY1~Of-CHY6) were expressed in all developmental stages and tissues. Especially, Of-CHY3 was highly expressed in the midgut of O. furnacalis larvae. RNA interference (RNAi) using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) specific to Of-CHY3 (2 μg of dsRNA injected to each L5 larva) resulted in significant reduction of Of-CHY3 expression level at 24 h post-treatment. Feeding L3 larvae with this dsRNA also significantly suppressed the expression level of Of-CHY3 and reduced its enzyme activity at 24 h post-treatment. A recombinant Escherichia coli expressing dsRNA specific to Of-CHY3 was constructed using L4440 vector. Feeding such recombinant bacteria suppressed the expression level of Of-CHY3 and prevented larval development of O. furnacalis. These results suggest that the three resistant varieties can produce a resistance factor(s) to inhibit the CHY activity of O. furnacalis and suppress larval growth. This study suggests that CHY might be an inhibition target in O. furnacalis for breeding insect-resistant corns.
Risk factors of furazolidone-associated fever
Authors: Zhang Jiali , Rong Chunling , Yan Chenyang , Chen Jie , Yang Wenjun , Yu Lingyan , Dai Haibin
Published: April 2022

Background

Furazolidone is a synthetic nitrofuran with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial action and has been widely used in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. However, its safety profile has not been clarified. Moreover, the drug fever associated with its use is frequently misdiagnosed. The aim of this study was to explore the risk factors of furazolidone-associated fever to increase awareness and stimulate further research on this topic.

Methods

This was a retrospective case-control study of patients referred to a specialist clinic for furazolidone-containing quadruple regimens for H. pylori infection at a tertiary care hospital located in Eastern China between July 2018 and September 2018. We evaluated adult patients who received furazolidone treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection. The exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) patients were pregnant or breastfeeding; (2) patients received furazolidone treatment not for Helicobacter pylori infection; (3) patients had taken antibiotics or any acid suppressant or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in the last 4 weeks; (4) patients had chronic hepatic, renal, or pulmonary disease. Pertinent information was retrieved from medical records and telephone follow-up. All statistical analysis was performed in SPSS version 22.0.

Results

A total of 1499 patients received furazolidone and met the overall inclusion criterion. Of these 1499 patients, 27 (1.80%) developed drug fever. The mean time between initiation of furazolidone and the onset of fever is 11.00 ± 1.84 days, and the median peak fever was 38.87 ± 0.57°C. We found no differences in age and past drug allergy between the non-fever and fever groups. Through multiple logistic regression analysis, we found two variables as independent risk factors for furazolidone-associated fever, including gender (OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.26–7.91; P = 0.014) and clarithromycin (OR, 4.83; 95% CI, 2.17–10.79; P<0.001).

Conclusions

This retrospective cohort study identified two risk factors for furazolidone-associated fever, which were female and clarithromycin. We also analyzed the characteristics of drug fever during anti-Helicobacter pylori therapy. However, the underlying mechanisms are uncertain and require further research.
Development of mAb-based polyglutamine-dependent and polyglutamine length-independent huntingtin quantification assays with cross-site validation
Authors: Fischer David F. , Dijkstra Sipke , Lo Kimberly , Suijker Johnny , Correia Ana C. P. , Naud Patricia , Poirier Martin , Tessari Michela A. , Boogaard Ivette , Flynn Geraldine , Visser Mijke , Lamers Marieke B. A. C. , McAllister George , Munoz-Sanjuan Ignacio , Macdonald Douglas
Published: April 2022

Huntington’s disease (HD) is caused by an expansion of the CAG trinucleotide repeat domain in the huntingtin gene that results in expression of a mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) containing an expanded polyglutamine tract in the amino terminus. A number of therapeutic approaches that aim to reduce mHTT expression either locally in the CNS or systemically are in clinical development. We have previously described sensitive and selective assays that measure human HTT proteins either in a polyglutamine-independent (detecting both mutant expanded and non-expanded proteins) or in a polyglutamine length-dependent manner (detecting the disease-causing polyglutamine repeats) on the electrochemiluminescence Meso Scale Discovery detection platform. These original assays relied upon polyclonal antibodies. To ensure an accessible and sustainable resource for the HD field, we developed similar assays employing monoclonal antibodies. We demonstrate that these assays have equivalent sensitivity compared to our previous assays through the evaluation of cellular and animal model systems, as well as HD patient biosamples. We also demonstrate cross-site validation of these assays, allowing direct comparison of studies performed in geographically distinct laboratories.
Utilizing computer vision for facial behavior analysis in schizophrenia studies: A systematic review
Authors: Jiang Zifan , Luskus Mark , Seyedi Salman , Griner Emily L. , Rad Ali Bahrami , Clifford Gari D. , Boazak Mina , Cotes Robert O.
Published: April 2022

Background

Schizophrenia is a severe psychiatric disorder that causes significant social and functional impairment. Currently, the diagnosis of schizophrenia is based on information gleaned from the patient’s self-report, what the clinician observes directly, and what the clinician gathers from collateral informants, but these elements are prone to subjectivity. Utilizing computer vision to measure facial expressions is a promising approach to adding more objectivity in the evaluation and diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Method

We conducted a systematic review using PubMed and Google Scholar. Relevant publications published before (including) December 2021 were identified and evaluated for inclusion. The objective was to conduct a systematic review of computer vision for facial behavior analysis in schizophrenia studies, the clinical findings, and the corresponding data processing and machine learning methods.

Results

Seventeen studies published between 2007 to 2021 were included, with an increasing trend in the number of publications over time. Only 14 articles used interviews to collect data, of which different combinations of passive to evoked, unstructured to structured interviews were used. Various types of hardware were adopted and different types of visual data were collected. Commercial, open-access, and in-house developed models were used to recognize facial behaviors, where frame-level and subject-level features were extracted. Statistical tests and evaluation metrics varied across studies. The number of subjects ranged from 2-120, with an average of 38. Overall, facial behaviors appear to have a role in estimating diagnosis of schizophrenia and psychotic symptoms. When studies were evaluated with a quality assessment checklist, most had a low reporting quality.

Conclusion

Despite the rapid development of computer vision techniques, there are relatively few studies that have applied this technology to schizophrenia research. There was considerable variation in the clinical paradigm and analytic techniques used. Further research is needed to identify and develop standardized practices, which will help to promote further advances in the field.
Covid-19 impact on the profitability of the EU27 banking sector
Authors: Juhász Péter , Mammadov Tahir
Published: April 2022

Due to COVID-19, economic activity decreased considerably all across Europe. Our paper reviews the various pandemic effects and changes in the European banking sector. Using a dataset merged from four different secondary databases, we created a panel of countryquarters with 513 items covering the period 2016 Q1 – 2020 Q3 including the effects of the first wave of the pandemic. Correlation analysis revealed that during the pandemic, the connectedness of the banking system to the macroeconomy increased, and that the open economies had a more stable banking system. Performance fluctuations on the national banking system level increased, and banking performance became more closely linked to quarterly GPD growth. Covid-19 had a significant adverse effect on the banking sector's profitability on top of the standard macroeconomic fallbacks. Data also underpin that the countries where citizens had stronger trust in their government (political system, legal system, police) suffered less due to the Covid-19 crisis than other EU27 members. High-trust EU27 countries lost less in GDP, import, export, and banking profitability during the first wave of the pandemic. However, this might be partly also a result of some cultural characteristics linked to geography.
Macroeconomic policy empirical analysis using an unrestricted
standard VAR Model
Authors: Burentegsh Dorjjugder , Elek Péter
Published: April 2022

This paper is mainly about key fiscal policy indicators and their
interrelations between each other. The model that is used in the analysis
is the Vector Autoregressive Model. There are seven variables selected:
GDP, Money Supply, Government Revenue, Government Expenditure, Export,
Government Debt, and Global Copper Price. Besides VAR estimation, IRFs are
computed to define how variables react to certain shocks. The key finding
of the research is that both GDP and government revenue are sensitive to
copper price changes and the resulting shock. Copper Price is an effective
tool to predict these two variables in the shortrun. Government Revenue is
an effective tool to impact export in the short-run. Government Debt is not
an effective indicator to affect any variables except Government
Expenditure. Money Supply is only effective for GDP. Government Expenditure
is also not significantly effective in having an impact on other variables,
but is weakly affected by Government Revenue, Copper Price, and Export.
Most variables considered in the research belong to fiscal policy, thus,
effective fiscal policy can be implemented using the results of this paper.
Competition law approaches related to the operation of Airbnb in Budapest
Authors: Drabancz Áron , El-Meouch Nedim Márton
Published: April 2022

In our study, we examine the operation of Airbnb among the sharing-based companies. We review the operation of Airbnb, the European and American regulatory systems, and examine the economic results of each regulation (e.g. a limit on the number of short-term housing days). Our initial hypothesis is that a regulatory framework can be developed in Budapest, in which the operation of the company is possible without the lives of the residents becoming impossible. In our study, we try to map the economic implications of short-term housing renting with a simple microeconomic calculation and a spatial simulation. Based on the results of our research, the 120-day restriction on annual short-term rent could eliminate investment-type short-term renting and contribute to the reduction of “party districts” in Budapest. An agreement with Airbnb could increase state tax revenues and create a more level playing field between hotels and short-term housing platforms. Our regulatory framework would largely eliminate the negative externalities associated with Airbnb, but at the same time, the positive returns would be greatly reduced.
Impact of COVID-19 on real effective exchange rates of EU member
countries
Authors: Klutse Senanu Kwasi , Acheampong Timothy Yaw
Published: April 2022

There is a lack of close historic parallel to the economic impact of
COVID-19. The COVID19 shock has led to most economies in the Euro area
experiencing exchange rate pressures, enormous job losses and contractions
in output. By recognising that a stable currency has the tendency to
reverse some of these challenges, this study investigates the impact of the
pandemic on the exchange rate of all EU member countries. The main
objective is to find the relationship between the government’s lockdown
measures measured by the Stringency index and monthly exchange rate per the
USD for all EU member countries. Using both a correlation and a Dynamic
Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) model, the results show that as lockdown
measures intensified, countries in Europe lost their competitiveness in the
long-run. In the short-run however, only Cyprus, the Czech Republic and
Greece lost their competitiveness as the lockdown measures intensified. The
results also confirm the asymmetry of shocks in Europe, further questioning
the benefits for countries seeking to adopt the Euro.
Skills demand, digital skills and skill formation in the European
Union in the digital era
Authors: Tandi Laura
Published: April 2022

Developed economies have recently become more complex than ever before.
As the European Union is transforming into a knowledge-based economy, more
and more attention is paid to skill formation, in view of the fact that
skills have become the most valuable resource in the twenty-first century,
often available only scarcely for economic actors. All this implies that,
in order to maintain and/or develop competitiveness of the European Union -
as well as of the member states -, the knowledge capital base of an economy
has to be developed and continuously maintained. Digital skills started to
play an important role in the process and the COVID-19 pandemic has
accelerated digital skills demand in many occupations, especially non-ICT
ones. The aim of this paper is to examine the needs and the importance of
digital skills in occupations across the EU through a literature review and
descriptive statistics, and to outline possible solutions to develop
digital skills use in this forming new ecosystem of economies, digital
technologies and the humans operating and applying them.
A comparison of institutional quality in the South Caucasus
Authors: Niftiyev Ibrahim
Published: April 2022

Much has happened in the three countries of the South Caucasus-namely,
Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia-since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Political events, institutional reforms, and economic development have
resulted in greater economic welfare in these countries after the painful
transition period of the 1990s. However, it remains to be seen whether they
have achieved any solid results or whether they still have much to
accomplish. While the answer is ambiguous, each country has followed a
different political, geopolitical, economic, and institutional path and
achieved different economic outcomes despite their close geographical
proximity to each other. This paper compares the available data on economic
and institutional quality in Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia to portray
the overall situation in terms of changes in institutional patterns. Then,
special attention is given to Azerbaijan, as the country is considered to
be oil-rich and thus resource-dependent. A comparative perspective on
institutional quality suggests that Georgia has been a leading country in
terms of institutions and effective bureaucracy-building, despite having
lower economic indicators compared to Azerbaijan. Moreover, while Armenia
is positioned between Georgia and Azerbaijan in terms of institutional
quality, its economic growth is similar to Georgia's. Lastly, institutional
variables (e.g., control of corruption, rule of law, and government
effectiveness, and human rights) in Azerbaijan are negatively correlated
with oil-related variables. This result aligns with the natural resource
curse and Dutch disease theories, which posit that oil boom periods in
mineral-rich countries are associated with a deterioration in institutional
quality, thereby leading to slower growth. Also, the results are important
to build up analytical frameworks to address the Dutch disease or resource
curse studies in the case of Azerbaijan in a comparative manner with
oil-poor countries even if the scope is limited to the South Caucasian
former Soviet Union countries.
Pelvic ultrasonography of the postpartum uterus in patients presenting to the emergency room with vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain
Authors: Vardar Zeynep , Dupuis Carolyn S. , Goldstein Alan J. , Siddiqui Efaza , Vardar Baran Umut , Kim Young H.
Published: April 2022

Pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding are common symptoms in postpartum women presenting to the emergency room (ER). Pelvic ultrasonography plays a crucial role in evaluating symptomatic postpartum patients by allowing a rapid diagnosis and treatment initiation. The main goal of imaging is to distinguish between causes of pelvic pain and vaginal bleeding that may be managed conservatively and those requiring emergent intervention. This pictural essay focuses on the ultrasonographic features of common postpartum conditions for which patients may present to the ER with vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain, including retained products of conception, endometritis, uterine arteriovenous malformation, uterine artery pseudoaneurysm, ovarian vein thrombosis, bladder flap hematoma, and uterine dehiscence/rupture.