bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of HIV on the Oral Microbiome of Children Living in Sub-Saharan Africa, Determined by Using an
rpoC
Gene Fragment Metataxonomic Approach
Authors: Mann Allison E. , O'Connell Lauren M. , Osagie Esosa , Akhigbe Paul , Obuekwe Ozoemene , Omoigberale Augustine , Kelly Colton ,   the DOMHaIN Study Team, Coker Modupe O. , Richards Vincent P.
Published: July 2023

Since its recognition as a global epidemic in the early 1980s, approximately 84.2 million people have been diagnosed with HIV and 40.1 million people have died from AIDS-related illnesses. The development and increased global availability of antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens have dramatically reduced the mortality rate of HIV and AIDS, yet approximately 1.5 million new infections were reported in 2021, 51% of which are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Transition from Ginseng Root Rot Disease-Conducive Soil to -Suppressive Soil Mediated by
Pseudomonadaceae
Authors: Cho Gyeongjun , Kim Da-Ran , Kwak Youn-Sig
Published: July 2023

Understanding the initial soil microbiota and community shifts in a monoculture system is critical for developing disease-suppressive soils for crop production. The lack of resistance genes against soilborne pathogens in plants highlights the need for effective management strategies.
Determining the Time of Booster Dose Based on the Half-Life and Neutralization Titers against SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in Fully Vaccinated Individuals
Authors: Dai Yu-Ching , Lin Yen-Chia , Ching Lauren L. , Tsai Jih-Jin , Ishikawa Kyle , Tsai Wen-Yang , Chen John J. , Nerurkar Vivek R. , Wang Wei-Kung
Published: July 2023

Despite improved understanding of the biology of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the evolutionary trajectory of the virus is uncertain, and the concern of future antigenically distinct variants remains. Current recommendations for a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose are primarily based on neutralization capacity, effectiveness against circulating variants of concern (VOC), and other host factors.
Supplemental Material: Genesis of volcanic-hosted Cu vein deposits in the foreland fold-thrust belt, southeastern Tibetan Plateau: Insights from ore geology, C-O-S-Pb-Cu isotopes, and fluid inclusions at Wenyu
Authors: Sun Xiang , Deng Jun , et al.
Published: July 2023

Table S1: Descriptions of samples. Table S2: Electron microprobe data and calculated formulas of sulfides from the Wenyu Cu deposit. Table S3: Microthermometric data of fluid inclusions. Table S4: In-situ oxygen isotope data for quartz at Wenyu. Table S5: In-situ sulfur-oxygen isotope data for sulfates at Wenyu. Table S6: In-situ sulfur isotope data for sulfides at Wenyu.
Watch and Wait for rectal cancer in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Azevedo José Gonçalves Moreira de , Fernandez Laura , Herrando Alberto Ignacio , Santiago Inês , Pares Oriol , Parvaiz Amjad
Published: July 2023

Colorectal cancer is currently the third most frequently diagnosed type of cancer and the second cause of cancer death in the western world. Inflammatory bowel disease patients are 2–6 times more likely to develop CRC than the general population. Patients with CRC arising through Inflammatory Bowel Disease have an indication for surgery. However, in patients without Inflammatory Bowel Disease, the use of organ (rectum) preservation strategies after neoadjuvant treatment is on the rise, which means that patients are able to keep the organ without the need for complete excision, either by treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, or in combination with endoscopic or surgical techniques that allow local excision without the need for resection of the entire organ. The patient management approach known as the Watch and Wait programme was first introduced in 2004 by a team from São Paulo, Brazil. This approach suggested that patients who had an excellent or complete clinical response after neoadjuvant treatment could defer surgery and instead undergo Watch and Wait. This organ preservation technique became popular because it allowed patients to avoid the complications associated with major surgery while achieving similar oncological outcomes to those who underwent both neoadjuvant therapy and radical surgery. Following completion of neoadjuvant treatment, a decision to defer surgery is made based on whether a clinical Complete Response can be achieved, which means there is no evidence of tumour in clinical and radiological examination. The International Watch and Wait Database has published long-term oncological outcomes for patients treated with this strategy, and more patients are showing interest in this treatment option. However, it is important to note that up to 1/3 of patients selected for Watch and Wait may eventually require surgery for local regrowth (also known as ‘deferred definitive surgery’) at any time during follow-up after an initial ‘apparent’ clinical Complete Response. Compliance with a strict surveillance protocol ensures early detection of regrowth, which is usually amenable to R0 surgery and provides excellent long-term local disease control. Nonetheless, it is crucial to assess the perioperative consequences of having surgery for regrowth later and whether there are any negative effects from deferring surgery. Currently, the Watch and Wait strategy is recommended in the NCCN guidelines for clinical complete responders and only in specialised multidisciplinary centres.

There is no case in the literature that portrays the use of the Watch and Wait programme for patients with inflammatory bowel disease and rectal cancer.

The authors intend to present a case that demonstrates the difficulties in the assessment of patients with inflammatory bowel disease, the risks of using radiotherapy in this patients and the challenges of surveillance for patients with colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
Quadrifocal diffractive lenses based on the aperiodic silver mean sequence
Authors: Garmendía-Martínez Adrián , Furlan Walter D. , Castro-Palacio Juan C. , Monsoriu Juan A. , Ferrando Vicente
Published: July 2023

In this work, we present a new quadrifocal diffractive lens designed using the silver mean sequence. The focusing properties of these aperiodic diffractive lenses coined silver mean zone plates are analytically examined. It is demonstrated that, under monochromatic illumination, these lenses present four foci located at certain reduced axial positions given by the Pell numbers that can be correlated with the silver mean sequence. This distinctive optical characteristic is experimentally confirmed.

Graphical abstract
Therapeutic Potential of PTB Inhibition Through Converting Glial Cells to Neurons in the Brain
Authors: Fu Xiang-Dong , Mobley William C.
Published: July 2023

Cell replacement therapy represents a promising approach for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Contrary to the common addition strategy to generate new neurons from glia by overexpressing a lineage-specific transcription factor(s), a recent study introduced a subtraction strategy by depleting a single RNA-binding protein, Ptbp1, to convert astroglia to neurons not only in vitro but also in the brain. Given its simplicity, multiple groups have attempted to validate and extend this attractive approach but have met with difficulty in lineage tracing newly induced neurons from mature astrocytes, raising the possibility of neuronal leakage as an alternative explanation for apparent astrocyte-to-neuron conversion. This review focuses on the debate over this critical issue. Importantly, multiple lines of evidence suggest that Ptbp1 depletion can convert a selective subpopulation of glial cells into neurons and, via this and other mechanisms, reverse deficits in a Parkinson's disease model, emphasizing the importance of future efforts in exploring this therapeutic strategy.
How Do You Build a Cognitive Map? The Development of Circuits and Computations for the Representation of Space in the Brain
Authors: Donato Flavio , Xu Schwartzlose Anja , Viana Mendes Renan Augusto
Published: July 2023

In mammals, the activity of neurons in the entorhinal-hippocampal network is modulated by the animal's position and its movement through space. At multiple stages of this distributed circuit, distinct populations of neurons can represent a rich repertoire of navigation-related variables like the animal's location, the speed and direction of its movements, or the presence of borders and objects. Working together, spatially tuned neurons give rise to an internal representation of space, a cognitive map that supports an animal's ability to navigate the world and to encode and consolidate memories from experience. The mechanisms by which, during development, the brain acquires the ability to create an internal representation of space are just beginning to be elucidated. In this review, we examine recent work that has begun to investigate the ontogeny of circuitry, firing patterns, and computations underpinning the representation of space in the mammalian brain.
Nondestructive Measurement by One-Port Surface Acoustic Wave Resonator for Accurate Evaluation of Film Thickness
Authors: Zhang Jinsong , Xiao Xia , Zhang Li
Published: July 2023

In this paper, a new method for nondestructive testing of SiO2 film thickness using a portable one-port surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator based on lithium niobate (LiNbO3) is proposed. Firstly, the finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate and analyze the relationship between the resonant frequency of SAW resonator and film thickness. Subsequently, the vector network analyzer (VNA) is used to nondestructively characterize the thickness of SiO2 film by SAW resonator. The relationship between the thickness and the corresponding resonant frequency in a certain range is obtained and given by a second order polynomial. The results show that the resonant frequency is negatively correlated with film thickness, where the resonant frequency changes from 339.27 MHz to 318.40 MHz in the film thickness range of 100 nm to 2000 nm. To validate the prediction formula, when the film thicknesses are 201.20 nm, 504.60 nm, 842.10 nm and 1497.70 nm, the resonant frequency is used to verify the experimental fitting polynomial. The relative errors between the predicted thickness by SAW resonator and the actual film thickness are 1.60%, 0.34%, 0.67% and 0.96%. The results show that SAW resonator has great potential in detecting thin film thickness with high sensitivity and accuracy.
[Retracted] Application Value of Elbow Pressing Method Combined with Zhongtong Ling Application in Children with Swelling and Pain after Operation of Supracondylar Fracture of the Humerus
Authors: Qiu Liyi , Wang Youren , Wang Xiaoyu
Published: July 2023

In order to improve the treatment effect of supracondylar fracture of the humerus, the application value of elbow press combined with Zhongtong Ling paste in postoperative swelling and pain in children with supracondylar fracture of the humerus is analyzed. 82 children with humeral condylar fracture undergoing surgery in our hospital from March 2019 to May 2020 are selected and divided into the control group and research group according to the symptoms of soreness. The VAS score is used to observe and compare the pain degree before intervention (T1), 1 month after intervention (T2), and 3 months after intervention (T3).The Kaplan–Meier survival curve is obtained to observe the recurrence rate of swelling and pain in the two groups. Besides, the satisfaction scale designed by our hospital is employed to evaluate parents’ satisfaction with the treatment. The application of Zhongtong Ling ointment combined with elbow compression can effectively improve the curative effect, improve children’s pain, and promote rehabilitation in the treatment of postoperative swelling and pain of supracondylar fracture of the humerus in children.
Stability Analysis of Dual Solutions of Convective Flow of Casson Nanofluid past a Shrinking/Stretching Slippery Sheet with Thermophoresis and Brownian Motion in Porous Media
Authors: Duguma Kifle Adula , Makinde Oluwole Daniel , Enyadene Lemi Guta
Published: July 2023

This article considered the steady two-dimensional boundary layer flow of incompressible viscous Casson nanofluids over a permeable, convectively heated, shrinking/stretching slippery sheet surface. The achievements of this work are extremely relevant, both theoretically with respect to the mathematical modeling of non-Newtonian nanofluid flow with heat transfer in engineering systems and with respect to engineering cooling applications. The combined impacts of suction/injection, viscous dissipation, convective heating, and chemical reactions were considered. The governing modeled partial differential equations with boundary conditions are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations using similarity transformations and finally converted to the first-order initial value problem. Then, the technique of the fourth-fifth order Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg with the shooting method is used to obtain numerical solutions. Moreover, the effects of different involving parameters on the dimensionless temperature, velocity, and concentration, as well as, from an engineering viewpoint, local Nusselt number, the skin friction, and local Sherwood number are illustrated and presented in graphs and tabular forms. For critical shrinking parameter

λ

c

, the existence of a dual solution within the interval

λ

c

<
λ
<
0

is revealed, and this range escalates with the suction and slipperiness parameters; hence, both control the flow stability. The increment in the values of the porous media, Casson, Forchheimer, slipperiness, and convective heating parameters reduces the local skin friction and intensifies the rates of mass and heat transfer. For the Newtonian flow (that is, as the Casson parameter

β

gets to infinity

∞

), the thermal boundary layer thickness, temperature profile, and skin friction diminish, whereas the concentration profile, mass, and heat transfer rates increase compared to the non-Newtonian Casson nanofluid. These results excellently agree with the existing ones.
Dyrk1a Phosphorylation of α-Synuclein Mediating Apoptosis of Dopaminergic Neurons in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Yong Yuxuan , Wu Qinfen , Meng Xinling , Lu Ranran , Xia Huan , Pei Feifei , Yang Xinling
Published: July 2023

Objective. To investigate the role of aberrant Dyrk1a expression in phosphorylation modification at the α-synuclein serine 129 (Ser129) site to analyze its molecular mechanism in mediating apoptosis of PD. Methods. The protein level of P-α-synuclein (Ser129), α-synuclein, Bcl-2, Bax, active caspase 3, GSK3β, PI3K, AKT, and cyclinD1 were detected. The mRNA transcript levels of Dyrk1a and DAT and protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and TNF-α were detected. Results. P-α-synuclein (Ser129), α-synuclein, Bax, active caspase 3, GSK3β, and cyclinD1 expressions were decreased in Dyrk1a-AAV-ShRNA (

P

 < 0.05), and Bcl-2, AKT, and PI3K expressions were increased (

P

 < 0.05). Increased TH protein expression was shown in Dyrk1a-AAV-ShRNA (

P

 < 0.05). Dyrk1a mRNA was decreased in the Dyrk1a-AAV-ShRNA group (

P

 < 0.05), and DAT mRNA was increased (

P

 < 0.05). IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, and TNF-α protein levels were decreased in Dyrk1al-AAV-Sh-RNA (

P

 < 0.05). Transcriptome sequencing showed that Fam220a, which was expected to activate STAT family protein binding activity and participate in the negative regulation of transcription through RNA polymerase II and protein dephosphorylation showed differentially upregulated expression. The untargeted metabolome showed that the major compounds in the Dyrk1a-AAV-ShRNA group were hormones and transmission mediators and the most metabolism-related pathways. Fam220a showed differentially upregulated expression, and differentially expressed genes were enriched for the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, vascular smooth muscle contraction, and melanogenesis-related pathways. Conclusion. Abnormal Dyrk1a expression can affect α-synuclein phosphorylation modifications, and dyrk1a knockdown activates the PI3K/AKT pathway and reduces dopaminergic neuron apoptosis. It provides a theoretical basis for the group to further investigate the molecular mechanism.
Frequency of Entamoeba Complex in Individuals Referred to the Medical Laboratories in Jahrom City, South of Iran
Authors: Jahromi Zahra Kargar , Taghipour Ali , Solhjoo Kavous , Raoufi Rahim
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar, and Entamoeba moshkovskii, using microscopic and molecular methods in Jahrom city (Fars Province), south of Iran. Stool samples were collected from 360 outpatients referred to the medical laboratories in Jahrom city. Standard parasitological methods, including direct wet mount examination, formalin–ether sedimentation technique, and trichrome staining techniques, were used for detection of Entamoeba complex. Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify the genus/species of Entamoeba. Entamoeba complex cysts were detected in 2.5% (9/360) of samples by microscopic methods, while 11 isolates were considered positive for the Entamoeba complex by nested PCR. Among them, 2 (18.18%) out of 11 samples were E. histolytica, 5 (45.45%) were E. dispar, and 4 (36.36%) were E. moshkovskii. Molecular positivity was more prevalent among females (4.16%), people living in rural areas (3.44%), and people over 60 years old (13.33%). Considering the clinical manifestations, the Entamoeba complex infection in patients with fever (7.69%), severe diarrhea (5.10%), and nausea (5%) was high. This study reported the presence of E. histolytica, E. dispar, and E. moshkovskii in Jahrom city. Therefore, we suggest more public health interventions in Jahrom city.
Assessment of the Cardiac Noncoding Transcriptome by Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Identifies
FIXER
, a Conserved Profibrogenic Long Noncoding RNA
Authors: Aghagolzadeh Parisa , Plaisance Isabelle , Bernasconi Riccardo , Treibel Thomas A. , Pulido Quetglas Carlos , Wyss Tania , Wigger Leonore , Nemir Mohamed , Sarre Alexandre , Chouvardas Panagiotis , Johnson Rory , González Arantxa , Pedrazzini Thierry
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND:

Cardiac fibroblasts have crucial roles in the heart. In particular, fibroblasts differentiate into myofibroblasts in the damaged myocardium, contributing to scar formation and interstitial fibrosis. Fibrosis is associated with heart dysfunction and failure. Myofibroblasts therefore represent attractive therapeutic targets. However, the lack of myofibroblast-specific markers has precluded the development of targeted therapies. In this context, most of the noncoding genome is transcribed into long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). A number of lncRNAs have pivotal functions in the cardiovascular system. lncRNAs are globally more cell-specific than protein-coding genes, supporting their importance as key determinants of cell identity.

METHODS:

In this study, we evaluated the value of the lncRNA transcriptome in very deep single-cell RNA sequencing. We profiled the lncRNA transcriptome in cardiac nonmyocyte cells after infarction and probed heterogeneity in the fibroblast and myofibroblast populations. In addition, we searched for subpopulation-specific markers that can constitute novel targets in therapy for heart disease.

RESULTS:

We demonstrated that cardiac cell identity can be defined by the sole expression of lncRNAs in single-cell experiments. In this analysis, we identified lncRNAs enriched in relevant myofibroblast subpopulations. Selecting 1 candidate we named
FIXER
(fibrogenic
LOX
-locus enhancer RNA), we showed that its silencing limits fibrosis and improves heart function after infarction. Mechanitically,
FIXER
interacts with CBX4, an E3 SUMO protein ligase and transcription factor, guiding CBX4 to the promoter of the transcription factor RUNX1 to control its expression and, consequently, the expression of a fibrogenic gene program..
FIXER
is conserved in humans, supporting its translational value.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our results demonstrated that lncRNA expression is sufficient to identify the various cell types composing the mammalian heart. Focusing on cardiac fibroblasts and their derivatives, we identified lncRNAs uniquely expressed in myofibroblasts. In particular, the lncRNA
FIXER
represents a novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.
Cross-Validation Strategy Impacts the Performance and Interpretation of Machine Learning Models
Authors: Sweet Lily-belle , Müller Christoph , Anand Mohit , Zscheischler Jakob
Published: July 2023

Machine learning algorithms are able to capture complex, nonlinear, interacting relationships and are increasingly used to predict agricultural yield variability at regional and national scales. Using explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methods applied to such algorithms may enable better scientific understanding of drivers of yield variability. However, XAI methods may provide misleading results when applied to spatiotemporal correlated datasets. In this study, machine learning models are trained to predict simulated crop yield from climate indices, and the impact of cross-validation strategy on the interpretation and performance of the resulting models is assessed. Using data from a process-based crop model allows us to then comment on the plausibility of the “explanations” provided by XAI methods. Our results show that the choice of evaluation strategy has an impact on (i) interpretations of the model and (ii) model skill on held-out years and regions, after the evaluation strategy is used for hyperparameter tuning and feature selection. We find that use of a cross-validation strategy based on clustering in feature space achieves the most plausible interpretations as well as the best model performance on held-out years and regions. Our results provide the first steps toward identifying domain-specific “best practices” for the use of XAI tools on spatiotemporal agricultural or climatic data.

Significance Statement

“Explainable” or “interpretable” machine learning (XAI) methods have been increasingly used in scientific research to study complex relationships between climatic and biogeoscientific variables (such as crop yield). However, these methods can return contradictory, implausible, or ambiguous results. In this study, we train machine learning models to predict maize yield anomalies and vary the model evaluation method used. We find that the evaluation (cross validation) method used has an effect on model interpretation results and on the skill of resulting models in held-out years and regions. These results have implications for the methodological design of studies that aim to use XAI tools to identify drivers of, for example, crop yield variability.
The two voices of the first Italian Canadian poet: Liborio Lattoni, fascist racial propaganda, and the legacy of Giacomo Leopardi
Authors: Brera Matteo
Published: July 2023

Liborio Lattoni (1874–1958) settled in Montreal in 1908 and soon became a champion of Italian patriotic propaganda, both during the Great War and until 1940, when he and his son Mario were interned for being followers of Mussolini's regime. This pioneer of Italian Canadian literature, recreated, through the columns of a fascist periodical and a relentless poetic production spanning from the Thirties to the end of the Fifties, a transnational cultural identity which mixed contemporary politics, racial prejudice, and linguistic testimonies of ethnic belonging through the absorption of both elements of fascist propaganda and the linguistic and stylistic emulation of the fellow marchigiano poet Giacomo Leopardi. This study of Lattoni's poems published in the Italian Canadian ethnic press between the two wars highlights the ambiguous relationship between nationalist and transnational cultural practices and expands the understanding of the uses of literature in fascist propaganda, especially as a counterpoint of key historical events such as the military invasion of Ethiopia.
Giftedness in Inclusive Classrooms: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Pre-Service Teachers’ Thinking in Finland, Austria, Turkey, the Philippines, and Japan
Authors: Lassila Erkki , Hyry-Beihammer Eeva Kaisa , Kizkapan Oktay , Rocena Angela , Sumida Manabu
Published: July 2023

This research examines student teachers’ thinking about teaching gifted students in an inclusive classroom context. Grounded in a narrative paradigm, we analyzed narratives from student teachers in Finland, Austria, Turkey, the Philippines, and Japan to identify solutions that they imagined in response to gifted students’ needs in an inclusive classroom. Six solution categories emerged: (a) giving gifted students more challenging or motivational tasks; (b) encouraging peer learning and having gifted students act as teaching assistants; (c) using communication in the classroom and with gifted students; (d) guiding gifted students toward learning opportunities beyond the classroom; (e) consulting colleagues, experts, parents, or principals; and (f) developing one’s own capacities as a teacher. Our findings carry implications for developing teacher education to nurture future teachers who understand the meaning of cultural contingencies and different learners’ needs to teach the gifted in inclusive classrooms.
Secret Police Organizations and State Repression
Authors: Mehrl Marius , Choulis Ioannis
Published: July 2023

Secret police are generally viewed as key institutions in autocrats’ repression apparatus. However, we lack clear empirical evidence on the link between secret police and repression. Instead, recent studies indicate that the surveillance provided by secret police reduces physical human rights abuses. This paper re-examines the relationship between secret police and physical state repression. We identify four mechanisms linking these variables, deterrence, targeting, organizational practices, and institutional self-preservation. These mechanisms provide contrasting expectations for the overall relationship but also contextual expectations on when secret police may (not) increase repression. To test these expectations, we collect data on the global existence of secret police. Results indicate that secret police are associated with increased physical repression, particularly when they must develop a reputation to deter dissidents or when multiple rival security organizations exist. In contrast, older, more established secret police or ones without institutional rivals are not associated with physical repression.
The Why and How of Liturgical Theology: Dissecting a Method
Authors: McFarland Jason J.
Published: July 2023

Liturgical theology is a relatively new sub-discipline of theology. Despite many efforts, clarity is still lacking in both its purpose and methodology. In this study, the liturgical-theological method of luminary Kevin W. Irwin is dissected, diagrammed, and evaluated in direct response to recent calls in the academy for clarity in liturgical-theological method; the study also contributes to the ongoing conversation as to what liturgical theology is, why it matters, and how it is to be undertaken.
Socio-ecological influences on adolescent dietary typologies
Authors: Greatwood Hannah C. , McGregor Suzanne , Duckworth Lauren C. , Griffiths Claire
Published: July 2023

Background: Dietary behaviours of adolescence are concerning, and this may impact long-term well-being. Aim: This study examined the socio-ecological determinants of dietary behaviours in a national prospective cohort study of English adolescents. Methods: Latent class analysis was used to identify the typologies of eight dietary behaviours: fruit, vegetable, breakfast, sugar-sweetened beverages, artificial-sweetened beverages, fast-food, bread, and milk from 7402 adolescents aged 13–15 years (mean 13.8 ± 0.45 years) (50.3% female and 71.3% white ethnicity) participating in the U.K. Millennium Cohort Study (sixth survey). Multinomial logistic regression and path analysis predicted associations between personal characteristics, individual, influential others, social environment and physical environment determinants and three distinct diet typologies: (1) healthy, (2) less-healthy and (3) mixed, (reference category = mixed). Results: Within Path analysis, the magnitudes of coefficients were small to moderate suggesting a relatively weak relationship between the variables. Model 1 reported adolescents within the less-healthy compared to mixed typology had lower levels of physical activity (β = 0.074, 95% CI = −0.115, −0.033), and have siblings (β = 0.246, 95% CI = 0.105, 0.387). Model 2 reported adolescents within the healthy compared to mixed typology had lower screen time (β = 0.104, 95% CI = 0.067, 0.141), and lower social media usage (β = 0.035, 95% CI = 0.024, 0.046). Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of considering multiple dietary determinants. These findings are likely to be useful in supporting the development of multi-faceted interventions. They emphasise the need to move away from investigating silo behaviours on individual diet components and a step towards more systems thinking to improve adolescent eating behaviours.
Traffic Flow as a Simple Fluid: Toward a Scaling Theory of Urban Congestion
Authors: Laval Jorge A.
Published: July 2023

The analogy between the theory of phase transitions in simple fluids and vehicular traffic flow has long been suspected, promising a new level of understanding of urban congestion by standing on one of the firmer foundations in physics. The obstacle has been the interpretation of the thermal energy of the particle system, which remains unknown. This paper proposes the flow of cars through the network as a viable interpretation, where the fundamental diagram of traffic flow would be analogous to the coexistence curve in gas-liquid phase transitions. Through the power-law form of the coexistence curve, it was possible to formalize that the resulting network traffic model belongs to the Kardar–Parisi–Zhang universality class. The scaling relationships arising in this universality class were found to be consistent with West’s scaling theory for cities. It was shown that congestion costs (delays + fuel consumption) scaled superlinearly with city populations, possibly, and worryingly, more so than predicted by West’s theory. Implications for sustainability and resiliency are discussed.
Mortality, health-related quality of life, and depression symptoms in younger and older men and women undergoing hemodialysis
Authors: da Silva Fernanda Albuquerque , Silva Martins Marcia Tereza , Gutiérrez-Peredo Gabriel Brayan , Kraychete Angiolina Campos , Penalva Carolina Cartaxo , Lopes Marcelo Barreto , Matos Cacia Mendes , Lopes Antonio Alberto
Published: July 2023

Background and objective:

Some studies on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients report a longer survival, albeit with poorer health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and more depression symptoms in women than in men. Whether these gender differences vary with age is uncertain. We tested the associations of gender with mortality, depression symptoms, and HRQoL in MHD patients of different age groups.

Methods:

We used data from 1504 adult MHD patients enrolled in the PROHEMO, a prospective cohort in Salvador, Brazil. The KDQOL-SF was used for the component summaries of the mental (MCS) and physical (PCS) HRQoL scales. Depression symptoms were assessed by the complete version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Screening Index (CES-D). To test for gender differences, extensively adjusted linear models were used for depression and HRQoL scores, and Cox models for death hazard ratio (HR).

Results:

Women reported worse HRQoL than men, particularly for ages ⩾60 years. In the age group ⩾60 years, the adjusted difference (AD) in score was −3.45; 95% CI: −6.81, −0.70 for MCS −3.16; −5.72, −0.60 for PCS. Older (⩾60 years) women also had more depression symptoms (AD 4.98; 2.33, 7.64). Mortality was slightly lower in women than in men with an adjusted HR of 0.89 (0.71, 1.11) and consistent across age categories.

Conclusions:

In a sample of Brazilian MHD patients, women had a slightly lower mortality, albeit with more depression symptoms and poorer HRQoL than men, particularly among older patients. This study highlights the need to investigate gender inequalities for MHD patients across different cultures and populations.
Revisiting Empowerment Through Critical Praxis: Perspectives of Front-Line Workers Supporting Refugee Women Experiencing Gendered Violence in Australia
Authors: Maturi Jenny
Published: July 2023

This article revisits the concept of empowerment that has underpinned the global movement to address gendered violence. Using a critical praxis lens, the article explores different understandings of empowerment that arose in interviews with front-line domestic violence workers who support refugee and migrant women experiencing gendered violence in Queensland, Australia. Two-thirds of the participants are from refugee and migrant backgrounds themselves. The findings reflect the shift in the service sector from more macro understandings of empowerment, grounded in feminist activism, to more micro understandings. In a context of neoliberal, bureaucratic service delivery, and limited means to address gendered violence that focus on women leaving and legal interventions, empowerment is sometimes viewed in individualistic, therapeutic terms of self-help. There is evidence that domestic violence services, founded on theories of empowerment, are now implicated in the surveillance and risk tracking role of social work as a profession, which has implications for survivor centeredness, agency, and equal participation. However, there is also evidence that front-line workers are aware of structural failings and questioning individualistic conceptions of empowerment amid broader concerns of social justice. Empowerment is viewed as transformative, with possibilities for more collective models aimed at addressing social justice. Outlining implications for feminist scholarship and practice, I suggest empowerment might be revisited by considering the differences between and within groups; structural violence and the consequences of interventions for marginalized groups; collective strategies aimed at broader structural change, such as poverty and race; and by strengthening the capacity of communities to respond to violence.
Threatening experts: Correlates of viewing scientists as a social threat
Authors: Chinn Sedona , Hasell Ariel , Roden Jessica , Zichettella Brianna
Published: July 2023

Despite widespread trust in scientists, efforts to curtail their influence suggest some Americans distrust scientists and may even perceive them to be a social threat. Using panel survey data, we examine who holds this viewpoint and potential implications of threat perceptions. Results suggest Republicans and Evangelical identifying individuals perceived more social threat from scientists. News media uses were associated with threat perceptions in divergent ways. Threat perceptions were strongly associated with inaccurate science beliefs, support for excluding scientists from policy-making, and retributive actions toward scientists. Findings highlight the importance of social identity considerations amid concerns about partisan social sorting and politicization of science.
Kintsugi: Comprehensive repair of Australia’s fractured psychiatric care system
Authors: Looi Jeffrey CL , Bastiampillai Tarun , Allison Stephen , Kisely Steve
Published: July 2023

Objective

We provide an update of the current challenges facing public and private psychiatric care sector in Australia, contextualised by international and national information on factors affecting health system performance.

Conclusions

There are practical and sustainable repairs that may bridge the gaps between primary care, private psychiatrists, and the public psychiatric system. These are based upon foundations of better linkages, adequate infrastructure, improved social support, and reforming public and private sector workplaces to retain healthcare workers despite pandemic-related attrition. Professional organisations need to redouble their efforts as advocates to governments, in the media matrix, and the general public.
School-Based Hemorrhage Control Training
Authors: Penn Christina A.
Published: July 2023

The number one cause of preventable death in trauma is uncontrolled bleeding. Considering the burden of injury and fatality from motor vehicle collisions, accidental injury, and now increasing school shooting incidents, more should be done to prepare and protect students from this preventable cause of death. A school-based hemorrhage control training program is one approach to improve survivability, school preparedness, injury prevention strategies, and to increase access to this life-saving training. As advocates and health educators, school nurses can play an important role in developing strategies to coordinate and implement hemorrhage control training curricula giving our youth the greatest chance for survival. To maximize the impact of school-based hemorrhage control training this project aims to understand student and faculty perceptions to help direct and inform future implementation and dissemination of hemorrhage control training.
Evaluation of serum iron status indicators in patients with primary open angle glaucoma
Authors: Seyyar Sevim Ayça , Tokuc Ecem Onder , Güngör Kıvanç
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between serum iron status indicators (ferritin) levels and POAG.

Methods

The files of all glaucoma patients who applied to the ophthalmology clinic between January 2018 and January 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. Laboratory data from fasting blood tests, internal medicine outpatient clinic reports, and extensive ophthalmologic examination data, including fundus photographs showing the optic disc, were collected from the files. A control group was formed from individuals with adequate general and eye health, age- and gender-matched individuals who had undergone examination in the ophthalmology clinic within the same date range. Serum iron status indicators and some laboratory data of POAG patients and healthy controls were compared.

Result

Of our participants, consisting of 65 patients with POAG and 72 healthy controls, 84 (61.32%) were female and 53 (38.68%) were male. It was observed that serum ferritin level was significantly higher in POAG patients compared to healthy controls, and the total iron binding capacity was significantly lower (respectively (p = 0.022), (p = 0.002). In logistic regression analysis, it was found that the risk of POAG increased in cases with high serum ferritin levels (OR = 0.982; p = 0.012). In addition, the risk of POAG was found to increase in cases where MCV was lower (OR = 1.121; p = 0.039).

Conclusion

This study shows that higher serum ferritin levels are associated with a higher risk of POAG.
Harm Reduction Strategies for Severe Alcohol Use Disorder in the Context of Homelessness: A Rapid Review
Authors: Novotna Gabriela , Nielsen Erin , Berenyi Rochelle
Published: July 2023

Severe alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the context of housing instability remains one of the most complex health and social issues. Homelessness is related to increased vulnerability to stigma, marginalization and harmful ways of alcohol consumption, including non-beverage alcohol use (NBA). As a result, severe intoxication, alcohol poisoning, injury and death are common occurrences. Although harm minimization strategies have been readily proposed and examined in the context of drug use, applying the same principles to severe AUD remains controversial within the research and treatment community. This article summarizes the emerging research on managed alcohol programs to increase awareness about alcohol-related strategies that address severe AUD and provide other wrap-around supports such as housing, health and social services to mitigate various harms, including COVID-19.
Innovation capabilities and market performance in the Zimbabwean telecommunications industry: The mediating role of individual activity
Authors: Makumbe William , Tapfuma Florence
Published: July 2023

Drawing upon the dynamic capabilities approach, this research examined the impact of innovation capabilities on market performance. Innovation capabilities are widely acknowledged as critical ingredients of entrepreneurial performance. Consequently, there has been a plethora of research work on this concept. However, owing to the multifaceted nature of innovation capability as a construct, there has been increased calls for more research on this concept. Hence, this study adopted the survey method and collected data from 170 managers from the Zimbabwean Telecoms sector. Results, analysed using Structural Equation Modelling, revealed the significant direct impact of participatory leadership culture and individual activity on market performance. Individual activity partially mediated the relationship between participatory leadership culture and market performance. However, no mediation was found between work climate and well-being and market performance. This study contributes to the innovation literature by examining the mediating mechanisms through which innovation capabilities enhance firm-level performance. Finally, the research extends the innovation literature by validating the link between innovation capabilities and market performance.
Hierarchical multi-time-scale predictive thermal management and fuel optimization for heavy-duty compression ignition engines
Authors: Duraiarasan Saravanan , Salehi Rasoul , Mahesh Siddharth , Allain Marc
Published: July 2023

For heavy-duty diesel engines, NOX emissions reduction is strongly constrained by fuel efficiency. This paper presents a hierarchical model predictive controller (H-MPC) for coordinated control of tailpipe NOX emissions and fuel consumption. The H-MPC uses the separation of slow and fast dynamics that exist in the engine and its aftertreatment system. The controller is synthesized with an architecture in which a high-level MPC uses a longer prediction horizon compared to the low-level predictive controller which tracks the high-level controller command and manages the thermal dynamics of the aftertreatment system. Engine load preview enables the high-level controller to estimate the desired catalyst temperature ahead of time and addresses the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) slow thermal dynamics. Calculated by the high-level controller, the intake manifold pressure, and the start of injection (SOI) crank angle is used as reference trajectories in the low-level controller that regulates fast dynamical behaviors such as engine out NOX emissions. Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) validation of this integrated H-MPC on a rapid prototype controller shows that when the SCR catalyst temperature is above light-off temperature (warmed-up condition), the engine operation is shifted to operate with the best fuel economy since the warmed-up SCR can efficiently reduce the engine-out NOX emissions. Results indicate that up to 0.8% benefit in cycle averaged BSFC along with a 13% reduction in tailpipe NOX compared to a stock engine calibration can be achieved with the coordinated engine and aftertreatment system through H-MPC.
Democratic politics and hope: An Arendtian perspective
Authors: Lacelle-Webster Antonin
Published: July 2023

Narratives of hope are omnipresent in democratic life, but what can they tell us about the structure and orientation of politics? While common, they are often reduced to an all-compassing understanding that overlooks hope's various forms and implications. Democratic theory, however, lacks the theoretical language to attend to these distinctions. The aim of this essay is thus to define a collective and political account of hope and recover the normative basis of a democratic theory of hope. Drawing on the literature on hope and juxtaposing it with extracts from Harvey Milk's ‘The Hope Speech,’ I first distinguish its collective experience before turning to Hannah Arendt. While Arendt rejects a politics of hope that turns away from the world, exploring how she thinks with and against hope provides a theoretically fruitful approach that elevates the in-betweenness of its worldly expression. From that standpoint, I relate the work and experience of hoping with others to her notions of natality, action and promises. These three conceptual touchstones provide the normative basis of a democratic theory of hope and help situate a collective sense of possibility inherent in democratic politics.
Democratic education and the epistemic quality of democratic deliberation
Authors: Leiviskä Anniina
Published: July 2023

This article examines the challenges that an epistemic account of deliberative democracy, according to which democratic deliberation has ‘truth-tracking’ capacities, encounters in contemporary polarized societies, and then discusses how these challenges could be addressed through democratic education. The focus of the article is especially on two phenomena indicated by recent empirical research: the increasing public distrust in experts and motivated reasoning that affects citizens’ belief-formation. The article suggests that some of the idealizing core assumptions of epistemic democracy make it difficult to recognize and address these phenomena as serious challenges to the epistemic quality of public deliberation. With these challenges in view, the article then addresses the question how the deliberative model of education should be revised or complemented for it to prepare students for epistemically good-quality public deliberation. The article proposes two pedagogical approaches: (1) fostering students’ epistemic trust through a ‘realistic’ account of science education, and by familiarizing students with adequate criteria for recognizing trustworthy experts, and (2) teaching integrative negotiation, which focuses on examining and explicating students’ interests and needs in situations in which motivated reasoning prevents them from meaningfully engaging with educationally and epistemically productive practices.
Durometry for the Assessment of Severity of Post-thrombotic Syndrome and Possible Clinical Applications
Authors: Salcedo Mercado Ana M. , Rodríguez Cabrero Rubén A. , Lozano Corona Rodrigo , Anaya-Ayala Javier E.
Published: July 2023

Background

Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) impacts the patient’s quality of life. Available scales to determine its severity remain controversial, therefore, it is of importance to identify new auxiliary methods for the assessment of this sequelae. Measurement of skin hardness (MSH) might be decisive in tracking PTS. The purpose of this study is to assess if the use of durometry is an objective measure to evaluate prognosis of affected limbs in patients with PTS. We compared MSH of extremities with PTS vs healthy limbs, as well as their variation after 3 months of medical treatment to evaluate if durometry can be used to find differences. We strongly believe that measuring and keeping track of skin changes specifically skin hardness can be a useful factor in the prognosis and treatment of PTS.

Methods

Prospective cohort study from January 2021 to February 2022 in patients with unilateral PTS. The MSH of the affected limb was compared to the healthy limb. A calibrated durometer was used, 4 measurements were completed at the time of diagnosis and subsequent follow-up were carried out after 3 months of treatment. The percentage of healing (in case of ulcers) and adherence to treatment was carefully monitored. The statistical program R was used.

Results

A total of 1088 durometric measurements were performed on 17 patients, and 34 limbs. The MSH in limbs with PTS was 39.09 and in the control limbs (19.8) ( P = <.00001). After 3 months of treatment, the MSH in PTS varied in PTS limbs (39.09 to 30.4) ( P = <.000012). Adherence to treatment was 70.5%.

Conclusions

MSH varied between healthy limbs and the ones with PTS, before and after treatment. Durometry might represent a method for assessing skin changes in patients with PTS.