bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Um Núcleo de Consciência Negra na Universidade de São Paulo (USP):
Authors: Da Silva Siqueira Juliana , Jesus da Costa Ana Luiza
Published: August 2024

Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar o protagonismo de Jupiara Castro, mulher negra e trabalhadora, que foi umas das pessoas que idealizou e fundou um Núcleo de Consciência Negra dentro da Universidade de São Paulo (NCN/USP), em 1987. O objetivo é revelar quem é Jupiara, qual foi a sua missão, sua contribuição e qual legado deixou para as futuras gerações dentro do NCN e fora deste território que entendemos como um quilombo dentro da Universidade. Foram tomadas como fontes de pesquisa: entrevistas com membros do Núcleo, estatuto, publicações e documentos produzidos pelo NCN e pela USP, publicações em outros veículos de informação mais gerais, como periódicos da Universidade e da grande imprensa. Diante das entrevistas e análises dos documentos foi possível constatar que Jupiara promoveu dentro da Universidade de São Paulo um grande debate acerca do racismo, do antirracismo e da posição de inferioridade da(o) negra(o) brasileira(o). Além disso, com o passar do tempo, esse debate político se transformou em ações educacionais direcionadas às comunidades negra e não negra, para promover uma educação crítica, reflexiva e emancipadora. Concluiu-se que Jupiara fundou o Núcleo de Consciência Negra para promover ações afirmativas com o intuito de educar a população negra em atos públicos, cursinho pré-vestibular, cursos de idiomas, alfabetização, cultura e arte, e reeducar a sociedade sobre as relações étnico-raciais no Brasil, marcando a luta da população negra por ensino superior, que está na gênese das políticas de cotas raciais.
Políticas públicas e ações coletivas na trajetória de escolarização de pessoas trans
Authors: Reis Santos Jeferson , Vencato Anna Paula
Published: August 2024

Desde os anos 2000, o movimento de pessoas trans* cobra a construção de políticas públicas que garantam o acesso e a permanência desse grupo em instituições de educação básica e ensino superior. De maneira mais recente, podemos observar a conquista de alguns direitos, como o uso do nome social e a reserva de vagas em cursos de graduação e pós-graduação, além da criação de estratégias como pré-vestibulares sociais e preparatórios acadêmicos voltados para essa população. Este texto traz o resultado de uma pesquisa de mestrado desenvolvida entre os anos de 2019 e 2021. O recorte feito para este texto apresenta a trajetória de duas pessoas trans, um homem e uma mulher, que estudaram nesses projetos e ingressaram no ensino superior no momento em que as universidades implementavam políticas específicas para essa população e conseguiram concluir seus cursos. A partir de uma abordagem qualitativa, utilizando entrevistas semiestruturadas, analisamos como a relação entre as ações coletivas, as políticas públicas e o processo de escolarização de nossos/nossas interlocutores/interlocutoras. Os resultados apontam para as formas como as normas de gênero fundadas no binarismo e na cisgeneridade prejudicam a trajetória educacional da população trans*, bem como a importância de medidas e estratégias que busquem superar esse quadro e efetivar a garantia do direito à educação.
The respiratory consequences of preterm birth: from infancy to adulthood
Authors: Course Christopher W. , Kotecha Ella A. , Course Kate , Kotecha Sailesh
Published: August 2024

Survival of preterm-born infants, especially at extremes of prematurity (less than 28 weeks gestation), is now common, particularly in the developed world. Despite advances in neonatal care, short-term respiratory morbidity, termed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (also called chronic lung disease of prematurity), remains an important clinical outcome. As survival during the neonatal period has improved, preterm-born individuals are now entering childhood, adolescence and adulthood in far greater numbers, and adverse longer-term respiratory outcomes following birth at an immature stage of lung development are becoming increasingly apparent. In this article, we shall review the background of the major respiratory complications in the neonatal period, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and the current evidence regarding its prevention and management. In addition, we shall review the emerging literature on the respiratory morbidity experienced in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood by preterm-born survivors, with reduced lung function and a risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in early adult life. As this population of preterm-born individuals increases, an understanding of the respiratory consequences of preterm birth will become increasingly important not only for neonatologists, paediatricians and paediatric pulmonologists but also for physicians and healthcare professionals involved in the care of adults who were born preterm.
Redescription of Heteropsilopus stragulus (Becker, 1922) (Diptera: Dolichopodidae: Sciapodinae) and a new synonym from India
Authors: NASKAR ATANU , CHOWDHURY MOUSUMI , BANERJEE DHRITI , BICKEL DANIEL J.
Published: August 2024

Heteropsilopus stragulus (Becker, 1922) is re-described based on fresh specimens. Heteropsilopus vanus (Parent, 1941) is newly established as the junior synonym of this species.
Description of a new species of Bothynus Hope (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Dynastinae: Pentodontini) from Bolivia with a key to the Bolivian species of Bothynus
Authors: RATCLIFFE BRETT C. , CAVE RONALD D.
Published: August 2024

Bothynus sartorei Ratcliffe & Cave sp. nov. is described as a new species from Arani, Cochabamba, Bolivia. The new species is compared with the similar B. minor Steinheil from Argentina and B. nyx Ratcliffe from Bolivia. A description, diagnosis for distinguishing the species, illustrations, and a distribution map are provided for the new species. A key to the Bolivian species of Bothynus Hope is presented.
Negotiation Spaces: Interrogating Black Men Doctoral Students' Experiences Using Cross and Fhagen-Smith's Black Identity Development Model
Authors: Ford Jesse R. , Briscoe Kaleb L. , Anderson Ashely , Hamilton Dwayne
Published: August 2024

Abstract: Black men's experiences in education are often marked by isolation, imposter syndrome, and racial microaggressions. This qualitative case study, guided by the five enactments of Cross and Fhagen Smith's (2001) model of Black identity development, explored the experiences of 20 Black men doctoral students as they navigated and continually redefined their racial identity in response to campus perceptions of their identity. Findings and implications include new theoretical framings for Cross and Fhagen-Smith's model and practical considerations for student affairs practitioners, faculty, and students. Additionally, these findings expand the use of Cross and Fhagen-Smith's model to include concepts of masculinity. We provide broader implications for practice and suggestions for theory and future research.
Understanding NCAA Division I Latinx College Athletes' Perspectives on Activism
Authors: Ortega Guillermo , Sánchez Berenice
Published: August 2024

Abstract: Despite the growth of attention on racial engagement in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), limited studies have examined Latinx college athletes' participation in activism. Guided by the student leader activist identity continuum framework, this qualitative study interviewed seven NCAA Division I Latinx college athletes to explore factors that encouraged or discouraged them from participating in activism. The findings revealed that athletic departments and families influenced students' decisions to engage in activism, as well as concerns about image. Participants also pointed to a lack of conversation on Latinx issues in the NCAA and college campuses. The article concludes with recommendations for academic and athletic stakeholders.
In the Swamp: Abolition. Imagination. Play.
Authors: Barrow Kai Lumumba , Pelot-Hobbs Lydia , Gumbs Alexis Pauline
Published: August 2024

Abstract: In this conversation, Black radical feminist artist kai lumumba barrow and abolitionist geographer Lydia Pelot-Hobbs discuss the praxis of Black geographies, abolitionist play, and radical imagination in barrow's multifaceted artistic project [b]reach . Together they dialogue about the radical abundance of Blackness; the role of play and performance in abolitionist world-making; and the contradictions and discomfort of freedom projects past, present, and future.
Down South
Authors: Toomer Jet
Published: August 2024

Abstract: This personal essay uses narration to explore a northern descendant's direct connection to the legacy of the Great Migration though the lenses of her southern family's homelands, traditions, and family lineages. Memory and storytelling are the tools the author uses to weave through time and place, from her and her parents' youths through adulthoods, in both the North and South, to lay claim upon a heritage that has been erased, obfuscated, and undervalued chiefly because of systemic discrimination and secondarily because of intergenerational silences tied to racialized violence, poverty, and grief. With the intent to expand beyond the limitations of biased and incomplete accounts of Black histories, the prose therein culls through the author's memories and tethers them to those of her ancestors aiming to reconcile the dissonance between her northern upbringing and her southern roots.
Computational approach for correcting defocus and suppressing speckle noise in line-field optical coherence tomography images
Authors: Abbasi Nima , Chen Keyu , Wong Alexander , Bizheva Kostadinka
Published: August 2024

The trade-off between transverse resolution and depth-of-focus (DOF) typical for optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems based on conventional optics, prevents “single-shot” acquisition of volumetric OCT images with sustained high transverse resolution over the entire imaging depth. Computational approaches for correcting defocus and higher order aberrations in OCT images developed in the past require highly stable phase data, which poses a significant technological challenge. Here, we present an alternative computational approach to sharpening OCT images and reducing speckle noise, based on intensity OCT data. The novel algorithm uses non-local priors to model correlated speckle noise within a maximum a posteriori framework to generate sharp and noise-free images. The performance of the algorithm was tested on images of plant tissue (cucumber) and in-vivo healthy human cornea, acquired with line-field spectral domain OCT (LF-SD-OCT) systems. The novel algorithm effectively suppressed speckle noise and sharpened or recovered morphological features in the OCT images for depths up to 13×DOF (depth-of-focus) relative to the focal plane.
Ex vivo human teeth imaging with various photoacoustic imaging systems
Authors: Periyasamy Vijitha , Gisi Katherine , Pramanik Manojit
Published: August 2024

Dental caries cause pain and if not diagnosed, it may lead to the loss of teeth in extreme cases. Dental X-ray imaging is the gold standard for caries detection; however, it cannot detect hidden caries. In addition, the ionizing nature of X-ray radiation is another concern. Hence, other alternate imaging modalities like photoacoustic (PA) imaging are being explored for dental imaging. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of acoustic resolution photoacoustic microscopy (ARPAM) to image a tooth with metal filling, circular photoacoustic computed tomography (cPACT) to acquire images of teeth with caries and pigmentation, and linear array-based photoacoustic imaging (lPACT) of teeth with caries and pigmentation. The cavity measured with lPACT imaging is compared with the X-ray computed tomography image. The metal filling and its boundaries are clearly seen in the ARPAM image. cPACT images at 1064 nm were a better representative of the tooth surface compared to the images acquired at 532 nm. It was possible to detect the cavities present in the dentine when lPACT imaging was used. The PA signal from the pigmented caries on the lateral surface (occlusion view) of the tooth was high when imaged using the lPACT system.
Enhancing long-term frequency stability of an actively mode-locked optoelectronic oscillator via a phase-locked loop
Authors: Wu Haitao , Li Zhaolong , Gui Sibo , Shi Meng , Zhao Jianye
Published: August 2024

A method to improve the frequency stability of microwave frequency comb (MFC) signals generated by an actively mode-locked optoelectronic oscillator (AML-OEO) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. In the experiment, fundamental mode locking in the constructed AML-OEO is achieved, producing MFC signals with a center frequency of 2.165 GHz and a repetition rate of 396.629 kHz. By locking the MFC comb tooth to a stable reference source using a phase-locked loop (PLL), the stability of MFC’s center comb tooth reaches 2.4 × 10−13@1000s and the frequency stability improves by more than two orders of magnitude on a second-level time scale compared to the free-running AML-OEO. The improved frequency stability of MFC signals makes AML-OEO suitable as high-performance microwave sources for various critical applications.
Dual-polarized transmissive metasurfaces for near-unitary-NA analog spatial computing empowered by impedance matching and mismatching
Authors: Liu Yongliang , Liu Wenwei , Liu Qi , Xu Yifei , Yu Bo , Li Zhancheng , Cheng Hua , Chen Shuqi
Published: August 2024

In recent years, due to the increasing requirement for real-time and massive data processing, optical analog computation has arisen as a promising alternative to digital computation. Optical spatial differentiation plays a fundamentally important role in various emerging technologies, including augmented reality, autonomous driving, and object recognition. However, previous demonstrations encountered several limitations, such as the dependence on polarization states and a typically limited numerical aperture (NA) of about 0.5, especially in the transmission mode. Here, a new, to our knowledge, design strategy based on the evolution between impedance matching and mismatching in a metasurface is proposed to fill this gap, which can perform dual-polarized second-order derivative for image processing. Our scheme enables high transmission under dual polarization over an 85° incident angle range (NA = 0.996), resulting in more than twofold spatial resolution. Our work paves the way for polarization-insensitive high-resolution signal and image processing in the terahertz region.
Pam16 and Pam18 were repurposed during Trypanosoma brucei evolution to regulate the replication of mitochondrial DNA
Authors: von Känel Corinne , Stettler Philip , Esposito Carmela , Berger Stephan , Amodeo Simona , Oeljeklaus Silke , Calderaro Salvatore , Durante Ignacio M. , Rašková Vendula , Warscheid Bettina , Schneider André
Published: August 2024

Protein import and genome replication are essential processes for mitochondrial biogenesis and propagation. The J-domain proteins Pam16 and Pam18 regulate the presequence translocase of the mitochondrial inner membrane. In the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei, their counterparts are TbPam16 and TbPam18, which are essential for the procyclic form (PCF) of the parasite, though not involved in mitochondrial protein import. Here, we show that during evolution, the 2 proteins have been repurposed to regulate the replication of maxicircles within the intricate kDNA network, the most complex mitochondrial genome known. TbPam18 and TbPam16 have inactive J-domains suggesting a function independent of heat shock proteins. However, their single transmembrane domain is essential for function. Pulldown of TbPam16 identifies a putative client protein, termed MaRF11, the depletion of which causes the selective loss of maxicircles, akin to the effects observed for TbPam18 and TbPam16. Moreover, depletion of the mitochondrial proteasome results in increased levels of MaRF11. Thus, we have discovered a protein complex comprising TbPam18, TbPam16, and MaRF11, that controls maxicircle replication. We propose a working model in which the matrix protein MaRF11 functions downstream of the 2 integral inner membrane proteins TbPam18 and TbPam16. Moreover, we suggest that the levels of MaRF11 are controlled by the mitochondrial proteasome.
A rigorous and versatile statistical test for correlations between stationary time series
Authors: Yuan Alex E. , Shou Wenying
Published: August 2024

In disciplines from biology to climate science, a routine task is to compute a correlation between a pair of time series and determine whether the correlation is statistically significant (i.e., unlikely under the null hypothesis that the time series are independent). This problem is challenging because time series typically exhibit autocorrelation and thus cannot be properly analyzed with the standard iid-oriented statistical tests. Although there are well-known parametric tests for time series, these are designed for linear correlation statistics and thus not suitable for the increasingly popular nonlinear correlation statistics. There are also nonparametric tests that can be used with any correlation statistic, but for these, the conditions that guarantee correct false positive rates are either restrictive or unclear. Here, we describe the truncated time-shift (TTS) test, a nonparametric procedure to test for dependence between 2 time series. We prove that this test correctly controls the false positive rate as long as one of the time series is stationary, a minimally restrictive requirement among current tests. The TTS test is versatile because it can be used with any correlation statistic. Using synthetic data, we demonstrate that this test performs correctly even while other tests suffer high false positive rates. In simulation examples, simple guidelines for parameter choices allow high statistical power to be achieved with sufficient data. We apply the test to datasets from climatology, animal behavior, and microbiome science, verifying previously discovered dependence relationships and detecting additional relationships.
XOL-1 regulates developmental timing by modulating the H3K9 landscape in C. elegans early embryos
Authors: Jash Eshna , Azhar Anati Alyaa , Mendoza Hector , Tan Zoey M. , Escher Halle Nicole , Kaufman Dalia S. , Csankovszki Györgyi
Published: August 2024

Sex determination in the nematode C. elegans is controlled by the master regulator XOL-1 during embryogenesis. Expression of xol-1 is dependent on the ratio of X chromosomes and autosomes, which differs between XX hermaphrodites and XO males. In males, xol-1 is highly expressed and in hermaphrodites, xol-1 is expressed at very low levels. XOL-1 activity is known to be critical for the proper development of C. elegans males, but its low expression was considered to be of minimal importance in the development of hermaphrodite embryos. Our study reveals that XOL-1 plays an important role as a regulator of developmental timing during hermaphrodite embryogenesis. Using a combination of imaging and bioinformatics techniques, we found that hermaphrodite embryos have an accelerated rate of cell division, as well as a more developmentally advanced transcriptional program when xol-1 is lost. Further analyses reveal that XOL-1 is responsible for regulating the timing of initiation of dosage compensation on the X chromosomes, and the appropriate expression of sex-biased transcriptional programs in hermaphrodites. We found that xol-1 mutant embryos overexpress the H3K9 methyltransferase MET-2 and have an altered H3K9me landscape. Some of these effects of the loss of xol-1 gene were reversed by the loss of met-2. These findings demonstrate that XOL-1 plays an important role as a developmental regulator in embryos of both sexes, and that MET-2 acts as a downstream effector of XOL-1 activity in hermaphrodites.
The association of manganese levels with red cell distribution width: A population-based study
Authors: Dai Guanmian , Sun Huanhuan , Lan Yanli , Jiang Jinhong , Fang Bingmu
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Experimental and acute exposure studies imply that manganese affects red blood cell production. Nevertheless, the association between environmental exposure and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has yet to be explored. This research sought to assess the correlation between blood manganese levels and RDW within the general population of the United States.

Materials and methods

Employing weighted multiple linear regression models, data from the 2011–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were utilized to assess the correlation between manganese levels in the blood and RDW. Restricted cubic spline plots and two-piecewise linear regression models were also employed.

Result

The analysis included a total of 15882 participants in which we determined an independent positive relationship between blood manganese levels and RDW among participants(β = 0.079, P<0.001). Moreover, we identified a J-shaped association between blood manganese levels and RDW in total participants (inflection point for blood manganese: 7.32 ug/L) and distinct subgroups following adjusted covariates. Women exhibited a more pronounced association, even after controlling for adjusted covariates.

Conclusions

We determined a J-shaped relationship between blood manganese levels and RDW with an inflection point at 7.32 ug/L for blood manganese. Nevertheless, fundamental research and large sample prospective studies are needed to determine the extent to which blood manganese levels correlate with RDW.
Disruption of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex leads to reduced polyglutamine aggregation and toxicity
Authors: Dublin-Ryan Leeran B. , Bhadra Ankan K. , True Heather L.
Published: August 2024

The nascent polypeptide-associate complex (NAC) is a heterodimeric chaperone complex that binds near the ribosome exit tunnel and is the first point of chaperone contact for newly synthesized proteins. Deletion of the NAC induces embryonic lethality in many multi-cellular organisms. Previous work has shown that the deletion of the NAC rescues cells from prion-induced cytotoxicity. This counterintuitive result led us to hypothesize that NAC disruption would improve viability in cells expressing human misfolding proteins. Here, we show that NAC disruption improves viability in cells expressing expanded polyglutamine and also leads to delayed and reduced aggregation of expanded polyglutamine and changes in polyglutamine aggregate morphology. Moreover, we show that NAC disruption leads to changes in de novo yeast prion induction. These results indicate that the NAC plays a critical role in aggregate organization as a potential therapeutic target in neurodegenerative disorders.
Insights from the COVID-19 perspective on the necessity of corporate social responsibility in times of crisis in the context of Pakistan
Authors: Ahmad Sohail , Zhang Qingyu , Ahmad Zaheer
Published: August 2024

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a notable increase in global awareness among businesses and consumers regarding environmental preservation and health concerns. The degree to which individuals identify with an organization is influenced by the appeal of its organizational identity, which aids in fulfilling important self-definitional needs. Nevertheless, there remains a limited understanding regarding the underlying factors that contribute to the phenomenon of firm identity attraction (IA) within the framework of consumer-business interactions. This study presents a validated framework that examines the antecedents of identity attraction, with COVID-19 being considered as a moderator. The framework is developed based on established theories of social identity and organizational identification. The study in Pakistan’s cities utilized a questionnaire survey as its primary research method, while the findings were evaluated through the application of structural equation modelling. The results of our study indicate that the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on firm Identity Attraction (IA) is significantly more pronounced. Although the impact of COVID-19 on the intention to purchase remains unaffected, it does play a favorable role in moderating the influence of CSR on the attraction towards brand.
Second breast cancer following negative breast MRI: Analysis by interval from surgery and risk factors
Authors: Joo Yohan , Kim Min Jung , Yoon Jung Hyun , Rho Miribi , Park Vivian Youngjean
Published: August 2024

Objectives

This study aims to compare outcomes following a negative surveillance MRI study by surgery-MRI interval and investigate factors associated with second breast cancers in women with a personal history of breast cancer (PHBC).

Methods

This retrospective study included 1552 consecutive women (mean age, 53 years) with a PHBC and a negative prevalence surveillance breast MRI result between August 2014 and December 2016. The incidence and characteristics of second breast cancers were reviewed and compared according to surgery-MRI interval (< 3 years vs ≥ 3 years). Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate associations with clinical-pathologic characteristics.

Results

Twenty-five second breast cancers occurred after negative MRI. The incidence of second breast cancers or local-regional recurrence did not significantly differ by surgery-MRI interval. The median intervals between MRI to second breast cancer detection showed no significant difference between the two groups (surgery-MRI interval <3 years vs. ≥ 3 years). Two node-positive second breast cancers were detected in the group with <3 years interval. BRCA mutation status, receipt of breast-conserving surgery, and adjuvant chemotherapy (all p < .05) were significant factors associated with the development of second breast cancers.

Conclusion

Outcomes following a negative surveillance MRI did not differ by surgery-MRI interval. BRCA mutation status, receipt of breast-conserving surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy were independently associated with the risk of developing second breast cancers after negative surveillance MRI.
Research on the enhancement path of green technology innovation efficiency under the group perspective
Authors: Liu Lei , Zhang Li , Xu Wei
Published: August 2024

China is at a critical moment of transforming high-speed development to high-quality development, and it is significant to improve the efficiency of green technological innovation. In this paper, under the perspective of two-stage innovation value chain, we construct the evaluation index system of green technology innovation efficiency, adopt the super efficiency SBM model to measure the green technology innovation efficiency of China’s high-tech industries, and based on the results obtained, we assume the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method (fs-QCA) based on the group theory to explore the complex causal mechanism and grouping paths of the interaction between enterprises, government and market that affects the green technology innovation efficiency Mechanism and group path. The study results show that (1) enterprise, government, and market are not necessary conditions to influence the efficiency of green technological innovation, and even if a particular party plays a central role, it needs the assistance of other parties. (2) The improvement of green technological innovation efficiency requires the interaction of enterprises, government, and market, and even if any party does not have the core conditions, it can still produce high green technological innovation efficiency. (3) The path of the "innovative compensation" effect is identified, which indicates that enterprises will generate a high level of green innovation efficiency under sufficient investment brought about by the enterprise scale effect and matched with a good level of economic development. (4) The market economy-led pathway suggests that when the market economy is highly developed, firms do not need environmental regulation and government support to generate efficient levels of green technological innovation.
Geographic information system and information visualization capacity building: Successful polio eradication and current and future challenges in the COVID-19 era for the World Health Organization’s African region
Authors: Kipterer John Kapoi , Touray Kebba , Godwin Akpan Ubong , Cisse Aboubakar , Aimee Babona Nshuti Marie , Busisiwe Ngobe , Derrick Chefor Ymele Demeveng , Henry Green Hugh , Modjirom Ndoutabe , Seaman Vince , Ahmed Jamal
Published: August 2024

Despite a half-century-long global eradication effort, polio continues to have a devastating impact on individuals and communities worldwide, especially in low-income countries affected by conflict or geographic barriers to immunization programs. In response, the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) employs disease surveillance and vaccination campaigns coordinated through the WHO Regional Office for Africa (AFRO) Geographic Information System (GIS) Centre. Established in 2017, the AFRO GIS Centre played a key role in the eradication of wild-type polioviruses (WPVs) in 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic, emergence of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses, and transmission of WPV1 from Central Asia have led to a resurgence of polio in Sub-Saharan Africa. The AFRO GIS comprises a set of mobile device or cloud-based tools for geospatial data collection, analysis, and visualization. Using tools such as Auto-Visual Acute Flaccid Paralysis Detection and Reporting, electronic surveillance, and Integrated Supportive Supervision, GIS personnel collect polio case numbers and locations, track field worker activities, follow the movements of nomadic populations vulnerable to polio and other diseases, and determine needs for further healthcare deployments. The system is location specific and operates in real time, enabling the AFRO GIS to promptly target its responses to polio, COVID-19, Ebola virus disease, and other public health crises and natural disasters. The present review describes the components of the AFRO GIS and how the AFRO GIS Centre coordinated on-the-ground polio eradication efforts to help secure Africa’s certification as WPV free. It also examines current and prospective challenges regarding other disease outbreaks in the COVID-19 era and how the AFRO GIS Centre is addressing these ongoing public health needs.
F-Net: Follicles Net an efficient tool for the diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome using deep learning techniques
Authors: S. Sowmiya , Umapathy Snekhalatha , Alhajlah Omar , Almutairi Fadiyah , Aslam Shabnam , R. K. Ahalya
Published: August 2024

The study’s primary objectives encompass the following: (i) To implement the object detection of ovarian follicles using you only look once (YOLO)v8 and subsequently segment the identified follicles using a hybrid fuzzy c-means-based active contour technique. (ii) To extract statistical features and evaluate the effectiveness of both machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) classifiers in detecting polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The research involved a two different dataset in which dataset1 comprising both normal (N = 50) and PCOS (N = 50) subjects, dataset 2 consists of 100 normal and 100 PCOS affected subjects for classification. The YOLOv8 method was employed for follicle detection, whereas statistical features were derived using Gray-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCM). For PCOS classification, various ML models such as Random Forest (RF), k- star, and stochastic gradient descent (SGD) were employed. Additionally, pre-trained models such as MobileNet, ResNet152V2, and DenseNet121 and Vision transformer were applied for the categorization of PCOS and healthy controls. Furthermore, a custom model named Follicles Net (F-Net) was developed to enhance the performance and accuracy in PCOS classification. Remarkably, the F-Net model outperformed among all ML and DL classifiers, achieving an impressive classification accuracy of 95% for dataset1 and 97.5% for dataset2 respectively in detecting PCOS. Consequently, the custom F-Net model holds significant potential as an effective automated diagnostic tool for distinguishing between normal and PCOS.
The effects of mental fatigue on explicit and implicit contributions to visuomotor adaptation
Authors: Apreutesei David , Cressman Erin K.
Published: August 2024

The goal of the current research was to establish the impact of mental fatigue on the contributions of explicit (i.e., conscious strategy) and implicit (unconscious) processes to visuomotor adaptation. Participants were divided into two groups, a Mental Fatigue (MF) group who completed a cognitively demanding 32-minute time load dual back task (TLDB), and a Control group who watched a documentary for a similar length of time. Following the TLDB task or documentary watching, participants trained to reach with a visuomotor distortion, such that cursor feedback was rotated 40º clockwise relative to hand motion. Explicit and implicit contributions to visuomotor adaptation were assessed following 3 blocks of 45 rotated reach training trials and again following a 20-minute rest. Levels of mental fatigue, as indicated on a self-report scale, increased significantly for the MF group following the TLDB task. The Control group did not display a similar increase in mental fatigue following the documentary watching. Results then revealed a decrease in visuomotor adaptation early in training for the MF group compared to the Control group, as well as decreased retention of visuomotor adaptation immediately following the 20-minute rest. Furthermore, correlational analyses revealed that greater levels of mental fatigue reported by participants in the MF group were associated with less explicit adaptation and greater implicit adaptation. Similar trends were not observed for the Control group. Taken together, the decreased visuomotor adaptation observed early in training, as well as the moderate correlation between increased mental fatigue and decreased explicit adaptation, suggest that mental fatigue decreases one’s ability to engage in explicit processing, limiting the overall extent of initial visuomotor adaptation achieved.
Predictors of loneliness among middle childhood and adolescence during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Benhayoun Ashley , Olsavsky Anna , Akard Terrah Foster , Gerhardt Cynthia , Skeens Micah A.
Published: August 2024

Social contexts (e.g., family, friends) are important in predicting and preventing loneliness in middle childhood (MC) and adolescence; however, these social contexts were disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Comparison of social context factors that may differentially contribute to loneliness at each developmental stage (MC vs. adolescence) during the COVID-19 pandemic have been overlooked. This study examined longitudinal predictors of loneliness, including social contexts and COVID-19 impact, within MC (8-12y) and adolescence (13-17y). Parents reported on demographic information, and their children completed surveys on COVID-19 impact, loneliness, and family functioning using the COVID-19 Exposure and Family Impact Survey (CEFIS), the NIH Toolbox Loneliness (Ages 8-17) measure, and the PROMIS Family Relationships Short Form 4a measure, respectively. Regression models examined time one (T1; May-June 2020) predictors of time two (T2; November 2020-January 2021) MC child (n=92, Mage=10.03) and adolescent (n=56, Mage=14.66) loneliness. For the MC child model, significant predictors of higher loneliness included worse family functioning as well as higher COVID-19 impact and lower family income. On the other hand, higher adolescent loneliness was significantly predicted by not having married/partnered parents and was marginally significantly predicted by higher COVID-19 impact. The regression model with the full sample and interaction terms revealed no significant interactions, but that lower family functioning and higher COVID-19 impact were significant predictors of higher loneliness. Lower family income and lower in-person communication were marginally significant predictors of higher loneliness in the combined interaction model. Lastly, further exploratory mediation analyses displayed that family functioning significantly mediated the relationship between COVID-19 impact and T2 loneliness only for MC children and the full sample. Results support future interventions focused on optimizing family functioning to help mitigate MC loneliness in the context of adversity, such as a global pandemic.
Barriers to the uptake of eye care services: A cross-sectional survey from rural and urban communities
Authors: Owusu-Afriyie Bismark , Peter Nancy , Ivihi Felix , Kopil Issac , Gende Theresa
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To explore the barriers to the uptake of eye care services in urban and rural communities in Papua New Guinea.

Methods

This was a population-based cross-sectional descriptive study and involved multi-stage sampling. Communities were randomly selected from each of the three clusters of Madang District for free eye care outreaches from June to September 2022. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the outreach patients. The study excluded attendees who refused to consent. Responses were rated from 1 (not a barrier) to 10 (a very strong barrier). The p-value significance was set at ≤ 0.05.

Results

The majority of the 972 participants (60.2%) were from rural communities. The mean age of participants was 40.82 ± 13.14 years. Almost two-thirds of the participants (61.4%) never had an eye examination before this study was conducted. All the participants reported that time constraint, insufficient income, good vision in the fellow eye, not considering their eye conditions as serious issues and cultural beliefs were personal barriers to accessing eye care services. Provider-related challenges included long waiting periods at eye clinics and fear of procedure complications. There were differences in barriers with respect to the participants’ demographic clusters.

Conclusion

There are major personal- and service-related barriers to eye care services in Madang. These barriers could be overcome through strategic human resource development, health education, school screening programs, and establishing eye care centres in the communities to improve the uptake of eye care services in Madang and more widely across the country.
COVID-19 in nursing homes: Geographic diffusion and regional risk factors from January 1 to July 26, 2020 of the pandemic
Authors: Grady Sue C. , Pavan Amanda , Qiong Zhang , Rachael Portelli , Ligmann-Zielinska Arika
Published: August 2024

Background

COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes accounted for 30.2% of all COVID-19 deaths in the United States during the early weeks (1-January to 26-July, 2020) of the pandemic. This study presents the geographic diffusion of COVID-19 cases and deaths in nursing homes during this time period, while also providing explanation of regional risk factors.

Methods and findings

Nursing home COVID-19 data on confirmed cases (n = 173,452) and deaths (n = 46,173) were obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Weekly COVID-19 case counts were spatially smoothed to identify nursing homes in areas of high COVID-19 infection. Bivariate spatial autocorrelation was used to visualize High vs. Low-case counts and related deaths. Zero-inflated negative binomial models were estimated within Health and Human Service (HHS) Regions at three-week intervals to evaluate facility and area-level risk factors. The first reported nursing home resident to die of COVID-19 was in the state of Washington on 28-February, 2020. By 24-May, 2020 there were simultaneous epicenters in the Northeast (HHS Regions 1 and 2) and Midwest (HHS Region 5) with diffusion into the South (HHS Regions 4 and 6) from 15-June to 5-July, 2020. The case-fatality rate was highest from 25-May to 14-June, 2020 (30.9 deaths per 1000 residents); thereafter declining to 24.1 (15-June to 5-July, 2020) and 19.4 (6-July to 26-July, 2020) (overall case-fatality rate 1-January to 26-July = 26.6). Statistically significant risk factors for COVID-19 deaths were admission of patients with COVID-19 into nursing homes, staff confirmed infections and nursing shortages. COVID-19 deaths were likely to occur in nursing homes in high minority and non-English speaking neighborhoods and neighborhoods with a high proportion of households with disabilities.

Conclusions

Enhanced communication between HHS regional administrators about “lessons learned” could provide receiving state health departments with timely information to inform clinical practice to prevent premature death in nursing homes in future pandemics.
Phytochemical profiling of soybean genotypes using GC-MS and UHPLC-DAD/MS
Authors: Li Shuxian , Wang Mei , Lee Joseph
Published: August 2024

Soybean is one of the most economically important crops worldwide. However, soybean yield can be substantially decreased by many diseases. Soybean genotypes could have different reactions to pathogen infection. As a first step toward investigating the biochemical basis of soybean resistance and susceptibility to disease, phytochemicals in the seeds of 52 soybean genotypes previously reported to have different reactions to diseases of soybean rust (SBR), Phomopsis seed decay (PSD), and purple seed stain (PSS) were analyzed. Using GC-MS, a total of 46 compounds were tentatively identified which included 11 chemical groups. Among those, the major group was esters, followed by carboxylic acid, ketone, and sugar moieties. Compounds having reported antioxidant, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory activities were also identified. UHPLC-DAD/MS analysis indicated that there were five major isoflavone components presented in the samples, including daidzin, glycitin, genistin, malonyldaidzin, and malonylglycitin. Isoflavones have been reported to play an important role in defense from plant pathogens. Although there was variance in the isoflavone content among soybean genotypes, those with the SBR resistance Rpp6 gene (PI 567102B, PI 567104B, PI 567129) consistently exhibited the highest concentrations of daidzin, glycitin, genistin, and malonyldaidzin. The SBR resistant genotype, PI 230970 (Rpp2) had the greatest amount of genistin. The SBR resistant genotype, PI 200456 (Rpp5) resistant genotype uniquely contained glycitein, a compound that was absent in the other 51 genotypes examined. A PSD-resistant genotype PI 424324B had nearly four times the amount of stigmasterol as PI 556625, which was susceptible to SBR, PSD, and PSS in our previous tests. Results of this study provide useful information for further investigation of the biochemical basis of soybean resistance to diseases. The results may also aid in selection of soybean lines for breeding for resistance to soybean rust and other diseases.
Nationally endorsed learning objectives to improve course design in introductory biology
Authors: Hennessey Kelly M. , Freeman Scott
Published: August 2024

Introductory biology for majors is one of the most consequential courses in STEM, with annual enrollments of several hundred thousand students in the United States alone. To support increased student success and meet current and projected needs for qualified STEM professionals, it will be crucial to redesign majors biology by using explicit learning objectives (LOs) that can be aligned with assessments and active learning exercises. When a course is designed in this way, students have opportunities for the practice and support they need to learn, and instructors can collect the evidence they need to evaluate whether students have mastered key concepts and skills. Following an iterative process of review, revision, and evaluation, which included input from over 800 biology instructors around the country, we produced a nationally endorsed set of lesson-level LOs for a year-long introductory biology for major’s course. These LOs are granular enough to support individual class sessions and provide instructors with a framework for course design that is directly connected to the broad themes in Vision and Change and the general statements in the BioCore and BioSkills Guides. Instructors can implement backward course design by aligning these community endorsed LOs with daily and weekly learning activities and with formative and summative assessments.
An investigation of plasma cell-free RNA for the detection of colorectal cancer: From transcriptome marker selection to targeted validation
Authors: Northrop-Albrecht Emmalee J. , Wu Chung Wah , Berger Calise K. , Taylor William R. , Foote Patrick H. , Doering Karen A. , Gonser Anna M. , Bhagwate Aditya , Sun Zhifu , Mahoney Douglas W. , Burger Kelli N. , Boardman Lisa A. , Kisiel John B.
Published: August 2024

Regular screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) is critical for early detection and long-term survival. Despite the current screening options available and advancements in therapies there will be around 53,000 CRC related deaths this year. There is great interest in non-invasive alternatives such as plasma cell-free RNA (cfRNA) for diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive applications. In the current study, our aim was to identify and validate potential cfRNA candidates to improve early CRC diagnosis. In phase 1 (n = 49; 25 controls, 24 cancers), discovery total RNA sequencing was performed. Select exons underwent validation in phase 2 (n = 73; 35 controls, 29 cancers, 9 adenomas) using targeted capture sequencing (n = 10,371 probes). In phase 3 (n = 57; 30 controls, 27 cancers), RT-qPCR was performed on previously identified candidates (n = 99). There were 895 exons that were differentially expressed (325 upregulated, 570 downregulated) among cancers versus controls. In phases 2 and 3, fewer markers were validated than expected in independent sets of patients, most of which were from previously published literature (FGA, FGB, GPR107, CDH3, and RP23AP7). In summary, we optimized laboratory processes and data analysis strategies which can serve as methodological framework for future plasma RNA studies beyond just the scope of CRC detection. Additionally, further exploration is needed in order to determine if the few cfRNA candidates identified in this study have clinical utility for early CRC detection. Over time, advancements in technologies, data analysis, and RNA preservation methods at time of collection may improve the biological and technical reproducibility of cfRNA biomarkers and enhance the feasibility of RNA-based liquid biopsies.