bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Real-world performance analysis of a novel computational method in the precision oncology of pediatric tumors
Authors: Vodicska Barbara , Déri Júlia , Tihanyi Dóra , Várkondi Edit , Kispéter Enikő , Dóczi Róbert , Lakatos Dóra , Dirner Anna , Vidermann Mátyás , Filotás Péter , Szalkai-Dénes Réka , Szegedi István , Bartyik Katalin , Gábor Krisztina Míta , Simon Réka , Hauser Péter , Péter György , Kiss Csongor , Garami Miklós , Peták István
Published: March 2023

Background

The utility of routine extensive molecular profiling of pediatric tumors is a matter of debate due to the high number of genetic alterations of unknown significance or low evidence and the lack of standardized and personalized decision support methods. Digital drug assignment (DDA) is a novel computational method to prioritize treatment options by aggregating numerous evidence-based associations between multiple drivers, targets, and targeted agents. DDA has been validated to improve personalized treatment decisions based on the outcome data of adult patients treated in the SHIVA01 clinical trial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of DDA in pediatric oncology.

Methods

Between 2017 and 2020, 103 high-risk pediatric cancer patients (< 21 years) were involved in our precision oncology program, and samples from 100 patients were eligible for further analysis. Tissue or blood samples were analyzed by whole-exome (WES) or targeted panel sequencing and other molecular diagnostic modalities and processed by a software system using the DDA algorithm for therapeutic decision support. Finally, a molecular tumor board (MTB) evaluated the results to provide therapy recommendations.

Results

Of the 100 cases with comprehensive molecular diagnostic data, 88 yielded WES and 12 panel sequencing results. DDA identified matching off-label targeted treatment options (actionability) in 72/100 cases (72%), while 57/100 (57%) showed potential drug resistance. Actionability reached 88% (29/33) by 2020 due to the continuous updates of the evidence database. MTB approved the clinical use of a DDA-top-listed treatment in 56 of 72 actionable cases (78%). The approved therapies had significantly higher aggregated evidence levels (AELs) than dismissed therapies. Filtering of WES results for targeted panels missed important mutations affecting therapy selection.

Conclusions

DDA is a promising approach to overcome challenges associated with the interpretation of extensive molecular profiling in the routine care of high-risk pediatric cancers. Knowledgebase updates enable automatic interpretation of a continuously expanding gene set, a “virtual” panel, filtered out from genome-wide analysis to always maximize the performance of precision treatment planning.
CatSight, a direct path to proper multi-variate time series change detection: perceiving a concept drift through common spatial pattern
Authors: Flórez Arantzazu , Rodríguez-Moreno Itsaso , Artetxe Arkaitz , Olaizola Igor García , Sierra Basilio
Published: March 2023

Detecting changes in data streams, with the data flowing continuously, is an important problem which Industry 4.0 has to deal with. In industrial monitoring, the data distribution may vary after a change in the machine’s operating point; this situation is known as concept drift, and it is key to detecting this change. One drawback of conventional machine learning algorithms is that they are usually static, trained offline, and require monitoring at the input level. A change in the distribution of data, in the relationship between the input and the output data, would result in the deterioration of the predictive performance of the models due to the lack of an ability to generalize the model to new concepts. Drift detecting methods emerge as a solution to identify the concept drift in the data. This paper proposes a new approach for concept drift detection—a novel approach to deal with sudden or abrupt drift, the most common drift found in industrial processes-, called CatSight. Briefly, this method is composed of two steps: (i) Use of Common Spatial Patterns (a statistical approach to deal with data streaming, closely related to Principal Component Analysis) to maximize the difference between two different distributions of a multivariate temporal data, and (ii) Machine Learning conventional algorithms to detect whether a change in the data flow has been occurred or not. The performance of the CatSight method, has been evaluated on a real use case, training six state of the art Machine Learning (ML) classifiers; obtained results indicate how adequate the new approach is.
Effect of garden and park waste hydrochar and biochar in soil application: a comparative study
Authors: Suarez Eneko , Tobajas Montserrat , Mohedano Angel F. , Reguera Maria , Esteban Elvira , de la Rubia Angeles
Published: March 2023

The
thermochemical treatments of biowaste yield alternative renewable carbon-rich materials, while achieving waste valorization. These technologies allow to reduce amount of biowaste and enhance its life span avoiding the landfill disposal. The agronomic application as a soil amendment strategy using fresh hydrochar (obtained via the hydrothermal treatment of garden and park waste (GPW) at 180 °C for 1 h), post-treated hydrochar (washed, aged, and thermally treated), and biochar (obtained via the pyrolysis of GPW at 900 °C for 90 min) has been studied and compared in order to stablish the best approach for its valorization. We evaluated the effects of mixing fresh hydrochar (1–5% on dry weight) with different peat-based growth substrates on the seed germination index as well as the fresh and dry weights of Arabidopsis thaliana, Chenopodium quinoa, and Solanum lycopersicum (tomato). We also performed a germination assay with marginal agricultural soil mixed with fresh and post-treated chars as well as biochar using the same doses. All carbonaceous materials complied with the European legal framework being categorized as a class A amendment and present a favorable chemical composition for their agronomic use, carbon sources with a low heavy-metal content, and a high mineral and organic matter content. Application of post-treated hydrochar to the agricultural marginal soil improved the germination index of tomato seeds (by 10–20%) at low dosages (< 3% on dry weight) when washed and thermally treated hydrochar was used. However, fresh hydrochar negatively affected seed germination and plant growth when applied to marginal soil and peat-based growth media, particularly sandy substrates. Washing improved the germination index (by approximately 18%), reduced 90% of the total volatile fatty acid content, and effectively removed furans, amines, amides, pyridines, pyrazines, benzoic compounds, and organic acids that can affect seed germination and plant growth. Because the use of hydrochar in soils for agricultural purposes requires post-treatment to alleviate germination and plant growth inhibition, washing is the most suitable option considering the energy and technological requirements.
A New Method in Applying the Universal Wave Equation to Measure the Speed of Sound in Water as a Function of Temperature with Low Frequency Ultrasound
Authors: Check G. R. , Watson I. A.
Published: March 2023

A new methodology was used to determine the speed of sound in water by using low frequency ultrasound over the temperature range 20 to 95° C. The initial procedure was developed based on finding the resonant locations over variable pathlengths in an acoustic tube and calculating their separation distances through the water, yielding the wavelength (λ) measurement. An in-house gain detector was employed to detect the resonant points, through detection of the amplitude voltage peaks in response to the displacement of the moving transmitter. The λ was calculated as 53 mm for water at 20° C with the fixed frequency of 28 kHz. As a result, using the universal wave equation, the speed of sound was estimated to be 1484 m/s with an accuracy of 99.89% compared to the references. The methodology was then followed through the second procedure to measure the sound speeds at temperatures higher than 20 °C, using coincidence frequency determination over different temperatures. In a fixed acoustic pathlength equal to the calculated λ at 20° C, the initial frequency, 28 kHz, was linearly swept to track the coincidence frequency corresponding to certain temperatures. The gain detector was used to obtain the coincidence frequencies, wherein the amplitude voltage peaks were recorded during the frequency adjustment. The simultaneous monitoring with an oscilloscope consolidated data when the phase differences between radiated and received waves were eliminated at the coincidence frequencies. The measured coincidence frequencies were then directly used to determine the speed of sound in water as function of temperature. The third order curve fitted to the results yielded an R2 equal to 0.9856, representing excellent agreement with the reference data.
Theatre History, Attribution Studies, and the Question of Evidence
Authors: Syme Holger Schott
Published: March 2023

Over the past decade, attribution scholars have come to a consensus that Shakespeare wrote some of the additions printed in the 1602 quarto of Kyd's Spanish Tragedy. This new development in textual studies has far-reaching consequences for established theatre-historical narratives. Accounting for Shakespeare's involvement in The Spanish Tragedy requires us to rethink the history of two major theatre companies, the Admiral's and the Chamberlain's Men, and to reread much of the documentary record of late Elizabethan theatre. Modelling what a theatre-historical response to new attributionist arguments might look like, the author offers an in-depth reinterpretation of Philip Henslowe's records of new plays, develops a novel account of how theatre companies copied and adapted plays in one another's repertories (including a reconsideration of the 'Ur-Hamlet' and the two Shrew plays), and reconstructs an early modern cluster of Hieronimo plays that also allows us to reimagine Ben Jonson's career as an actor.
Accuracy of high-order, discrete approximations to the lifting-line equation
Authors: Coder J.G.
Published: March 2023

The accuracy of several numerical schemes for solving the lifting-line equation is investigated. Circulation is represented on discrete elements using polynomials of varying degree, and a novel scheme is introduced based on a discontinuous representation that permits arbitrary polynomial degrees to be used. Satisfying the Helmholtz theorems at inter-element boundaries penalises the discontinuities in the circulation distribution, which helps ensure the solution converges towards the correct, continuous behaviour as the number of elements increases. It is found that the singular vorticity at the wing tips drives the leading-order error of the solution. With constant panel widths, numerical schemes exhibit suboptimal accuracy irrespective of the basis degree; however, driving the width of the tip panel to zero at a rate faster than the domain average enables improved accuracy to be recovered for the quadratic-strength elements. In all cases considered, higher-order circulation elements exhibit higher accuracy than their lower-order counterparts for the same total degrees of freedom in the solution. It is also found that the discontinuous quadratic elements are more accurate than their continuous counterparts while also being more flexible for geometric representation.
A Contribution to the Discussion of the Theory of Anomie
Authors: Novaković Filip
Published: March 2023

The paper analyses the notion of anomie through various theories presented in the works of classical Greek thinkers up to today’s understanding of this notion. In this regard, the article will touch on some previous understandings of this phenomenon, and the beginnings of modern thought on anomie in the work of Jean-Marie Guyau, and the developed understandings of Robert Merton and Émil Durkheim as the two most prominent authors dealing with this topic. In addition, the attitudes of marginalized writers will be analysed, as well as neglected and underrepresented understandings in criminology and wider science. The purpose of this paper is to find common ground between all previous understandings of the theory of anomie, and to try to find a more specific meaning of the term in order to contribute to the discussion on this topic.
Global Asymptotics of the Sixth Painlevé Equation in Okamoto’s Space
Authors: Heu Viktoria , Joshi Nalini , Radnović Milena
Published: March 2023

We study dynamics of solutions in the initial value space of the sixth Painlevé equation as the independent variable approaches zero. Our main results describe the repeller set, show that the number of poles and zeroes of general solutions is unbounded and that the complex limit set of each solution exists and is compact and connected.
Quantification of time delay between screening and subsequent initiation of contact isolation for carriers of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Enterobacterales: A post hoc subgroup analysis of the R-GNOSIS WP5 Trial
Authors: Maechler Friederike , Schwab Frank , Hansen Sonja , Behnke Michael , Bonten Marc J. , Canton Rafael , Diaz Agero Cristina , Fankhauser Carolina , Harbarth Stephan , Huttner Benedikt D. , Kola Axel , Gastmeier Petra
Published: March 2023

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to quantify the time delay between screening and initiation of contact isolation for carriers of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)–producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E).

Methods:

This study was a secondary analysis of contact isolation periods in a cluster-randomized controlled trial that compared 2 strategies to control ESBL-E (trial no. ISRCTN57648070). Patients admitted to 20 non-ICU wards in Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland were screened for ESBL-E carriage on admission, weekly thereafter, and on discharge. Data collection included the day of sampling, the day the wards were notified of the result, and subsequent ESBL-E isolation days.

Results:

Between January 2014 and August 2016, 19,122 patients, with a length of stay ≥2 days were included. At least 1 culture was collected for 16,091 patients (84%), with a median duration between the admission day and the day of first sample collection of 2 days (interquartile range [IQR], 1–3). Moreover, 854 (41%) of all 2,078 ESBL-E carriers remained without isolation during their hospital stay. In total, 6,040 ESBL-E days (32% of all ESBL-E days) accrued for patients who were not isolated. Of 2,078 ESBL-E-carriers, 1,478 ESBL-E carriers (71%) had no previous history of ESBL-E carriage. Also, 697 (34%) were placed in contact isolation with a delay of 4 days (IQR, 2–5), accounting for 2,723 nonisolation days (15% of ESBL-E days).

Conclusions:

Even with extensive surveillance screening, almost one-third of all ESBL-E days were nonisolation days. Limitations in routine culture-based ESBL-E detection impeded timely and exhaustive implementation of targeted contact isolation.
Patient-facing job role is associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity among healthcare workers in long term care facilities in Minnesota, August–December, 2020
Authors: Bakare R. Adetunji , Mulcahy John F. , Pullen Matthew F. , Demmer Ryan T. , Cox Sara L. , Thurn Julie A. , Galdys Alison L.
Published: March 2023

Objective:

Healthcare workers (HCWs) in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are disproportionately affected by severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To characterize factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 positivity among LTCF HCWs, we performed a retrospective cohort study among HCWs in 32 LTCFs in the Minneapolis–St Paul region.

Methods:

We analyzed the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity among LTCF HCWs during weeks 34–52 of 2020. LTCF and HCW-level characteristics, including facility size, facility risk score for resident-HCW contact, and resident-facing job role, were modeled in univariable and multivariable generalized linear regressions to determine their association with SARS-CoV-2 positivity.

Results:

Between weeks 34 and 52, 440 (20.7%) of 2,130 unique HCWs tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at least once. In the univariable model, non–resident-facing HCWs had lower odds of infection (odds ratio [OR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36–0.70). In the multivariable model, the odds remained lower for non–resident-facing HCW (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.36–0.71), and those in medium- versus low-risk facilities experienced higher odds of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 (OR, 1.47; 95% CI, 1.08–2.02).

Conclusions:

Our findings suggest that COVID-19 cases are related to contact between HCW and residents in LTCFs. This association should be considered when formulating infection prevention and control policies to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in LTCFs.
ON COHESIVE POWERS OF LINEAR ORDERS
Authors: DIMITROV RUMEN , HARIZANOV VALENTINA , MOROZOV ANDREY , SHAFER PAUL , SOSKOVA ALEXANDRA A. , VATEV STEFAN V.
Published: March 2023

Cohesive powersof computable structures are effective analogs of ultrapowers, where cohesive sets play the role of ultrafilters. Let$\omega $,$\zeta $, and$\eta $denote the respective order-types of the natural numbers, the integers, and the rationals when thought of as linear orders. We investigate the cohesive powers of computable linear orders, with special emphasis on computable copies of$\omega $. If$\mathcal {L}$is a computable copy of$\omega $that is computably isomorphic to the usual presentation of$\omega $, then every cohesive power of$\mathcal {L}$has order-type$\omega + \zeta \eta $. However, there are computable copies of$\omega $, necessarily not computably isomorphic to the usual presentation, having cohesive powers not elementarily equivalent to$\omega + \zeta \eta $. For example, we show that there is a computable copy of$\omega $with a cohesive power of order-type$\omega + \eta $. Our most general result is that if$X \subseteq \mathbb {N} \setminus \{0\}$is a Boolean combination of$\Sigma _2$sets, thought of as a set of finite order-types, then there is a computable copy of$\omega $with a cohesive power of order-type$\omega + \boldsymbol {\sigma }(X \cup \{\omega + \zeta \eta + \omega ^*\})$, where$\boldsymbol {\sigma }(X \cup \{\omega + \zeta \eta + \omega ^*\})$denotes the shuffle of the order-types inXand the order-type$\omega + \zeta \eta + \omega ^*$. Furthermore, ifXis finite and non-empty, then there is a computable copy of$\omega $with a cohesive power of order-type$\omega + \boldsymbol {\sigma }(X)$.
Too Legit to Quit? Analyzing the Effect of No-Confidence Motions on Cabinet Members’ Instability in Presidential Systems: The Cases of Colombia and Peru
Authors: Bonilla-Aranzales Jhon Kelly
Published: March 2023

How does the execution of horizontal accountability mechanisms affect cabinet members’ instability? This article analyzes distinct features of no-confidence motions (NCMs) in presidential systems, using a mixed-method research design that identifies elements of legislative control mechanisms in Peruvian and Colombian polities. Although the congress in presidential systems rarely approves NCMs, high salience policy shocks trigger their proposal, resulting in the dismissal or resignation of the cabinet member in question. Those results are subtle opportunities for opposition legislators to indicate the incompetence of the incumbent government in particular policy areas. This study contributes to understanding how contextual factors affect the effectiveness of the check and balance principle in presidential systems.
Antimicrobial susceptibility and biofilm forming ability of staphylococci from subclinical buffalo mastitis
Authors: Ürer Ece Koldaş , Aslantaş Özkan , Tek Erhan , Yılmaz Mehmet Ali , Ergün Yaşar
Published: March 2023

The starting objective of this research communication was to determine the prevalence of subclinical mastitis in buffalo in Turkey. We also seeked to isolate and identify staphylococci, determine their antimicrobial susceptibilities and biofilm-forming abilities as well as investigating the presence of biofilm-related genes and microbial surface components recognizing adhesive matrix molecules. A total of 107 (66.9%) staphylococci (28 S. aureus and 79 coagulase-negative staphylococci, CoNS) were isolated from 160 mastitic milk samples collected from 200 lactating water buffalos. The staphylococci were especially resistant to beta-lactams except for cefoxitin but were less resistant to the other antimicrobials that were tested. Based on the Congo red agar method, 92.9% of the S. aureus and 70.9% of the CoNS isolates were positive for biofilm-forming ability, while all S. aureus and 97.5% of CoNS isolates were positive by a microtiter plate analysis. The presence of icaA and icaD genes was not always correlated with biofilm synthesis, and even in the absence of these genes, the isolates were able to synthesize biofilm.
Mammary lipid secretion: a reassessment
Authors: Wooding F. B. Peter
Published: March 2023

Mammary lipid secretion is generally held to be unique and remarkably uniform between the many different orders of mammals. It produces a unit membrane-bounded milk fat globule (MFG). The unit membrane is separated from the lipoprotein boundary of what was the cytoplasmic lipid droplet (CLD) boundary by a uniform layer of cytoplasmic proteins. In 3–8% of the MFG in all species examined this cytoplasmic layer widens to include cytoplasmic organelles which are referred to as ‘crescents’. This defines the MFG secretion as apocrine indicating a closely regulated process which minimises the loss of mammary epithelial cell (MEC) cytoplasm. The apocrine nature of the secretion might be expected since the evolution of the mammary gland is considered to be from an apocrine secreting skin gland. This short Research Reflection review is designed to investigate the exact cytoplasmic interactions which allow such efficient lipid secretion. There are two main scenarios: one which assumes that the observed close association between CLD and GV results in the CLD being released as a consequence of sequential exocytosis of the content of the associated GV. The second assumes that the CLD and the MEC apical plasmalemma interact in some way which causes the CLD to rise out of the cytoplasm enveloped in the plasmalemma. Here I present the evidence for the two possibilities. The first scenario is favoured, but the second cannot be ruled out.
Building a Bilingual Elite: “National Indifference” and Romanian Students in Hungarian High Schools (1867–1914)
Authors: Berecz Ágoston
Published: March 2023

This article highlights the role investment in Hungarian-language skills played in the social reproduction of the Romanian national elite in Dualist Hungary. At any point during the era, little less than half of middle-class Romanian students attended Hungarian-language high schools, which their parents largely considered as language training institutions. Parental choices and the sons’ experiences gain significance when set against the view that such investment in linguistic capital was a subversive practice challenging nationalist mobilization. Based on former students’ memoirs, school yearbooks, and histories, this article concentrates on the strategies of parents, the class-based inequality of access to Hungarian, the language policies of schools, and teachers’ ambiguous treatment of Romanian students.
Syntactic blocking on L2 acquisition of Mandarin Ba-construction
Authors: Hou Xiaoming
Published: March 2023

The Mandarin Ba-construction is one of the most challenging constructions for L2 learners. The present study attributes the difficulty in developing the taxonomic representation of the Ba-construction to the interference of competing constructions. I conducted a syntactic priming experiment to investigate the representational relationship between the Ba-construction and its SVO counterpart in native Mandarin speakers and L2 Mandarin learners with or without the equivalent of the Ba-construction in their L1. It was found that native speakers and L2 learners whose L1 features a structure equivalent to the Ba-construction represented the two constructions distinctly, manifesting as a resistance to priming and a robust syntactic preference for the Ba-construction in the picture description task. Conversely, L2 learners whose L1 does not possess an equivalent of the Ba-construction were sensitive to syntactic priming, which indicates a lack of taxonomic representations of the Ba-construction in relation to its SVO counterpart. Such reduced differentiation between the two target constructions suggests a blocking effect that stems from L1 interference.
Revisiting the South African Unicorn: Rock Art, Natural History and Colonial Misunderstandings of Indigenous Realities
Authors: Witelson David M.
Published: March 2023

European ideas about unicorns spread across the world in the colonial era. In South Africa, hunts for that creature, and indigenous rock paintings of it, were commonplace. The aim was proof from ‘terra incognita’, often with the possibility of claiming a reward. There has, however, been little consideration of the independent, local creature onto which the unicorn was transposed. During cross-cultural engagements, foreign beliefs in the mythical unicorn and a desire for evidence of its natural history intermixed to an extraordinary degree with local beliefs in a one-horned animal. For over two centuries, colonists and researchers alike failed to realize that the local creature, by chance, resembled the European unicorn. A new synthesis of southern African ethnography, history and the writings of early travellers, missionaries and colonial politicians provides unambiguous evidence that one-horned creatures obtained in local beliefs before the arrival of colonists. Moreover, it shows that these creatures are depicted in South African rock art, and that they are a manifestation of San (Bushman) rain-animals. By ignoring relevant beliefs and images, previous scholars have failed to acknowledge that the South African unicorn was, apart from its four legs and single horn, a creature wholly different from the European one.
Utility of portal vein pulsatility fraction in patients undergoing corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Aggarwal Hiteshi , Ganesan Rajarajan , Mandal Banashree , Kumar Rohit M. , Bansal Vidur , Thingnam Shyam K.S. , Puri Goverdhan Dutt
Published: March 2023

Background:

Right ventricle dysfunction is common after corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to determine whether an increased portal vein pulsatility fraction (PVPF) was associated with worse clinical outcomes.

Methods:

In a prospective, observational, single-centre study, PVPF and other commonly used parameters of right ventricle function were assessed in patients of all ages undergoing corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot intraoperatively, with transesophageal echocardiography, before and after bypass, and post-operatively, with transthoracic echocardiography, at days 1, 2, at extubation, and at ICU discharge. The correlation was tested between PVPF and mechanical ventilation duration, prolonged ICU stay, mortality, and right ventricle function.

Results:

The study included 52 patients, and mortality was in 3 patients. PVPF measurement was feasible in 96% of the examinations. PVPF in the immediate post-operative period had sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 74.3% in predicting the occurrence of the composite outcome of prolonged mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, or mortality. There was a moderate negative correlation of PVPF with right ventricle fractional area change and right ventricle global longitudinal strain (r = −0.577, p < 0.001 and r = 0.465, p < 0.001, respectively) and a strong positive correlation with abnormal hepatic vein waveform (rho = 0.749, p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

PVPF is an easily obtainable bedside parameter to assess right ventricular dysfunction and predict prolonged mechanical ventilation, prolonged ICU stay, and mortality.
Biventricular repair in an infant with transposition of the great arteries and straddling of the tricuspid valve
Authors: Duras Ensar , Kamali Hacer , Gokalp Selman , Haydin Sertac , Guzeltas Alper
Published: March 2023

Biventricular repair is challenging in patients with transposition of the great arteries and straddling of the atrioventricular valves. Biventricular repair is the preferred option because of its anatomical and physiological advantages. However, in cases where biventricular repair carries operative risks that are too high or cases with unsuitable intracardiac anatomy, univentricular heart repair may have to be chosen. We report a five-month-old male patient with transposition of the great arteries, an inlet ventricular septal defect and anomalous coronary anatomy who had previously undergone a pulmonary banding operation and balloon atrial septostomy. Successful biventricular repair was performed while the patient had straddling of the tricuspid valve.
Disasters in Spain from 1950 - 2020: Impact on Public Health
Authors: Arcos González Pedro , Suárez Ruiz Nel , Castro Delgado Rafael , Cernuda Martínez José Antonio
Published: March 2023

Objective:

The aim of this study was to establish the frequency and profile of disasters and to analyze trends in disasters and their impact on Spanish public health.

Methods:

Retrospective observational study of disasters that occurred in Spain from 1950 through 2020 was conducted. The variables studied for each episode were number of people affected, number of injured/sick, and number of deaths. Absolute and relative frequencies, population rates, mean, median, standard error of the mean (SEM), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used, and trend analysis was performed using exponential smoothing and linear regression.

Results:

A total of 491 disasters were identified in Spain. Of these, 255 (51.9%) were natural disasters, 224 (45.7%) technological disasters, and 12 (2.4%) man-made disasters. The average number of disasters per year was 7.01 (95% CI, 5.99-9.34). These disasters affected a total of 820,489 people, with an average of 3,491 people (SEM = 2.18) per episode. There was a significant increase (P <.001) in the total frequency of disasters in Spain during the period studied.

Conclusions:

Spain has a disaster profile of mixed type, combining natural with technological disasters. From 1950 through 2020, there was a significant increase in the number of disasters, with an overall profile similar to that of Europe, with climatological disasters being the most frequent type.
Learning Together: Experimental Evidence on Promoting Connections in Remote Classes
Authors: Benedum Michelle E. , Brown Sarah E. , Garrett Tyler , Sokhey Sarah Wilson
Published: March 2023

How can instructors best foster connections among students when learning is fully remote? This article describes a pedagogical experiment conducted in two large introductory political science courses at a large public university in the 2020–2021 academic year. We randomly assigned groups of students to different sets of instructions on how to study together remotely for an exam. Our strongest finding is that almost any effort by an instructor prompting students to work together helps students to feel more connected to one another; however, students often need to see and hear one another to feel connected. We find this to be tremendously encouraging—relatively easy interventions can result in significant improvements in learning.
Children’s exposure to television advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages across four countries of WHO European Region
Authors: Kontsevaya Anna V , Imaeva Asiia E , Balanova Yulia A , Breda João J , Wickramasinghe Kremlin , Jewell Jo Martin , Abdrakhmanova Shynar , Polupanov Andrew G , Bagci Bosi Tulay , Ergüder Toker , Drapkina Oksana M , Boyland Emma J
Published: March 2023

Objective:

To compare the frequency and healthfulness of foods being advertised to children and adolescents in four countries of WHO European region.

Design:

Cross-sectional quantitative study, guided by an adapted version of the WHO protocol. All recorded food advertisements were categorised by categories and as either ‘permitted’ or ‘not permitted’ for advertising to children in accordance with WHO Regional Office for Europe Nutrient Profile Model.

Settings:

Four countries: Russia, Turkey, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan

Participants:

TV channels most popular among children and adolescents

Results:

Analysis included 70 d of TV broadcasting for all channels, during which time there were 28 399 advertisements. The mean number of advertisements per hour varied from eleven in Turkey and Kazakhstan to eight and two in Russia and Kyrgyzstan. In all countries, the majority of the food and beverages advertised should not be permitted for advertising to children according to the WHO Nutrient Profile Model. The mean number of non-permitted food and beverage advertisements per hour was high in Turkey and Kazakhstan (8·8 and 8·5 ads) compared with Russia (5·1) and Kyrgyzstan (1·9). Turkey was the only country where nutritional information was fully available, and no values were missing that prevented coding for some product categories.

Conclusions:

Results revealed that children and adolescents in four countries are exposed to a considerable volume of food and beverage advertisements, including sugary products on broadcast television. As such, policymakers should consider protecting youth by developing regulations to restrict these marketing activities within media popular with children.
Trends in BMI of Indonesian adults between 1993 and 2014: a longitudinal population-based study
Authors: Widyastuti Tri Nisa , Turner Robin , Harcombe Helen , McLean Rachael
Published: March 2023

Objective:

To examine the trajectories of BMI in Indonesian adults from 1993 to 2014, investigating different patterns by sex and birth cohort.

Design:

Longitudinal study: secondary data analysis of the Indonesian Family Life Survey, a large-scale population-based longitudinal study, had their height and weight measured up to five times throughout the 21-year study period (1993–2014). The change in BMI across time was estimated using group-based trajectory models, then differences by sex and birth cohort were investigated using random effect (mixed) models.

Setting:

Thirteen out of twenty-seven provinces in Indonesia.

Participants:

Indonesian adults aged 19 years and older (n42 537) were included in the analysis.

Results:

Mean BMI in adults increased between 1993 (21·4 kg/m2) and 2014 (23·5 kg/m2). The group-based trajectory model found three distinct groups with mean BMI increasing more rapidly in the most recent time periods. The first group (56·7 % of participants) had a mean BMI entirely within the normal weight range; the second group (34·7 %) started in the normal weight category and were obese, on average by the end of the study period; and the third group (8·6 %) were always in the obese category, on average. The shape of these three trajectories differed by gender (P< 0·001) and birth cohort (P< 0·001).

Conclusions:

The mean BMI among Indonesian adults has increased between 1993 and 2014, driven by those in the most recent birth cohorts. Our findings support the urgent need for targeted overweight and obesity prevention and intervention programmes in Indonesia.
Machine‐Learning Reveals Equifinality in Drivers of Stream DOC Concentration at Continental Scales
Authors: Underwood Kristen L. , Rizzo Donna M. , Hanley John P. , Sterle Gary , Harpold Adrian , Adler Thomas , Li Li , Wen Hang , Perdrial Julia N.
Published: March 2023

Research at long‐term catchment monitoring sites has generated a great volume, variety, and velocity of data for analysis of stream water chemistry dynamics. To harness the potential of these big data and extract patterns that are indicative of underlying functional relationships, machine learning tools have advantages over traditional statistical methods, and are increasingly being applied for dimension reduction, feature extraction, and trend identification. Still, as examples of complex systems, catchments are characterized by multivariate factor interactions and equifinality that are not easily identified by most machine‐learning methods. Using dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics as an illustration, we applied a new evolutionary algorithm (EA) to extract geologic, topographic, meteorologic, hydrologic, and land use attributes that were correlated to mean stream DOC concentration in forested catchments distributed across the continental United States. The EA reduced dimensionality of our attribute dataset to identify the combination of factors, and their specific value ranges, that interacted to drive membership in High or Low mean DOC clusters. High mean DOC concentrations were associated with two distinct geographic locations of variable climatic and vegetative conditions, indicating equifinality. Our findings underscore the importance of critical zone structure in mediating hydrological and biogeochemical processes to govern DOC dynamics at the catchment scale. This multi‐scale, pattern‐to‐process approach is being applied to refine hypotheses for process‐based modeling of DOC dynamics in forested headwater streams at catchment to site scales.
Diverging Trends in Rain‐On‐Snow Over High Mountain Asia
Authors: Maina Fadji Z. , Kumar Sujay V.
Published: March 2023

Rain‐on‐snow (ROS) over snow‐dominated regions such as High Mountain Asia (HMA) modulates snowmelt and runoff and is key contributor in influencing water availability and hazards (e.g., floods and landslides). We studied the trends in ROS in HMA over the past two decades from 2001 to 2018 using the land surface model Noah‐MP driven by an ensemble precipitation data set. Our results show that changes in precipitation phase and rainfall are altering ROS. Because of the strong physical heterogeneity and atmospheric dynamics of HMA, ROS characteristics and trends are region‐dependent and ROS occurs predominantly over the Indus, Ganges‐Brahmaputra, and northwestern basins. In the Indus, ROS representing ∼5% of the annual precipitation and ∼20% of the annual snowmelt, has an increasing trend. This is contrary to the Ganges‐Brahmaputra characterized by decreasing ROS trends, where it represents ∼11% of the annual precipitation and ∼60% of the annual snowmelt. In the northwestern basins, ROS has bidirectional trends due to elevation patterns and trends in rainfall, and it constitutes ∼5 to ∼10% of the annual precipitation. Increasing trends in ROS over Indus contribute to reducing the snowpack in late summer, with concerns of reduced water availability and increased groundwater exploitation. Similarly, because of its high amount and contribution to snowmelt, the decreasing ROS trends in the Ganges‐Brahmaputra will have consequences of decreased recharge from the headwaters and exacerbated use of groundwater unless increasing trends in rainfall compensate for the decreasing snowmelt. These results provide new insights on ROS‐driven changes in the hydrological cycle over HMA.
Radiation Risk Assessment Associated With Terrestrial Gamma Ray Flashes for Commercial Flights
Authors: Pallu M. , Celestin S. , Trompier F. , Klerlein M.
Published: March 2023

Terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) are bursts of high‐energy photons produced in thunderstorms. Photons are produced by bremsstrahlung from high‐energy electrons, gaining energy through the electric field in the thunderstorm. Both electrons and photons are ionizing radiation and could have an impact on the radiation exposure of commercial aircrews and passengers. Previous works from Dwyer et al. (2010) and Pallu et al. (2021) have quantified doses possibly delivered by TGFs. They showed that the photon doses are sufficiently low so as not to be taken into account in the calculation of the radiation doses received during flights. However, electrons could deliver high doses up to 1 Sv, though in a compact area around the TGF source. In this work, we estimate an upper bound of the probability for a commercial flight to find itself in the electron beam of a TGF. Using the first Fermi‐Gamma ray Burst Monitor TGF catalog and both simulated routes between airports as a first step and real flight routes from Air France airline for 2.5 years as a second step, we show that the probability is lower than one aircraft hit every 2 years for the total air traffic. Knowing that we did not take into account altitudes and the fact that pilots usually avoid thunderstorms, it is likely that no aircraft would have been hit by the source of a TGF since the beginning of the commercial aviation.
Seasonal Variations in Triple Oxygen Isotope Ratios of Precipitation in the Western and Central United States
Authors: Aron P. G. , Li S. , Brooks J. R. , Welker J. M. , Levin N. E.
Published: March 2023

Triple oxygen isotope ratios (∆′17O) offer new opportunities to improve reconstructions of past climate by quantifying evaporation, relative humidity, and diagenesis in geologic archives. However, the utility of ∆′17O in paleoclimate applications is hampered by a limited understanding of how precipitation ∆′17O values vary across time and space. To improve applications of ∆′17O, we present δ18O, d‐excess, and ∆′17O data from 26 precipitation sites in the western and central United States and three streams from the Willamette River Basin in western Oregon. In this data set, we find that precipitation ∆′17O tracks evaporation but appears insensitive to many controls that govern variation in δ18O, including Rayleigh distillation, elevation, latitude, longitude, and local precipitation amount. Seasonality has a large effect on ∆′17O variation in the data set and we observe higher seasonally amount‐weighted average precipitation ∆′17O values in the winter (40 ± 15 per meg [± standard deviation]) than in the summer (18 ± 18 per meg). This seasonal precipitation ∆′17O variability likely arises from a combination of sub‐cloud evaporation, atmospheric mixing, moisture recycling, sublimation, and/or relative humidity, but the data set is not well suited to quantitatively assess isotopic variability associated with each of these processes. The seasonal ∆′17O pattern, which is absent in d‐excess and opposite in sign from δ18O, appears in other data sets globally; it showcases the influence of seasonality on ∆′17O values of precipitation and highlights the need for further systematic studies to understand variation in ∆′17O values of precipitation.
Multi‐Scale Attention‐Enhanced Deep Learning Model for Ionogram Automatic Scaling
Authors: Guo Li , Xiong Jiarong
Published: March 2023

To increase the accuracy of ionogram automatic scaling, a deep learning model—multi‐scale attention‐enhanced UNet is proposed. Correspondingly, a multi‐scale attention‐enhanced (MSAE) sub‐network is developed which involves a spatial attention nearest up‐sampling module and several residual channel attention modules with multi‐scale skip connections. They contribute to multi‐scale feature fusion and augmentation of the learning ability for enhancing faint and elongated profile traces of ionograms. The MSAE sub‐network input consists of multi‐scale feature maps which could be optimally employed to make the network effectively utilize useful information from the encoders and decoders. Incidentally, a dual channel spatial attention block is embedded between the encoder and the decoder for deeper detail extraction. When the proposed model is applied to scale different electron density profiles of ionograms based on an open data set, the experimental results show the segmentation performance evaluation indexes: the precision and the recall rate can be improved by 6.9% and 26.1%, respectively, compared to automatic real‐time ionogram scaling with true‐height routine. Another set of indexes: the mean intersection over union and the F‐score are superior to that of other several contrasted deep learning models, which can be improved by 3% and 1.6%, respectively, compared to the original UNet model.
A single-amino acid substitution in the adaptor LAT accelerates TCR proofreading kinetics and alters T-cell selection, maintenance and function
Authors: Lo Wan-Lin , Kuhlmann Miriam , Rizzuto Gabrielle , Ekiz H. Atakan , Kolawole Elizabeth M. , Revelo Monica P. , Andargachew Rakieb , Li Zhongmei , Tsai Yuan-Li , Marson Alexander , Evavold Brian D. , Zehn Dietmar , Weiss Arthur
Published: March 2023

Mature T cells must discriminate between brief interactions with self-peptides and prolonged binding to agonists. The kinetic proofreading model posits that certain T-cell antigen receptor signaling nodes serve as molecular timers to facilitate such discrimination. However, the physiological significance of this regulatory mechanism and the pathological consequences of disrupting it are unknown. Here we report that accelerating the normally slow phosphorylation of the linker for activation of T cells (LAT) residue Y136 by introducing an adjacent Gly135Asp alteration (LATG135D) disrupts ligand discrimination in vivo. The enhanced self-reactivity of LATG135D T cells triggers excessive thymic negative selection and promotes T-cell anergy. During Listeria infection, LATG135D T cells expand more than wild-type counterparts in response to very weak stimuli but display an imbalance between effector and memory responses. Moreover, despite their enhanced engagement of central and peripheral tolerance mechanisms, mice bearing LATG135D show features associated with autoimmunity and immunopathology. Our data reveal the importance of kinetic proofreading in balancing tolerance and immunity.
Infection with wild-type SARS-CoV-2 elicits broadly neutralizing and protective antibodies against omicron subvariants
Authors: Ju Bin , Zhang Qi , Wang Ziyi , Aw Zhen Qin , Chen Peng , Zhou Bing , Wang Ruoke , Ge Xiangyang , Lv Qining , Cheng Lin , Zhang Rui , Wong Yi Hao , Chen Huixin , Wang Haiyan , Shan Sisi , Liao Xuejiao , Shi Xuanling , Liu Lei , Chu Justin Jang Hann , Wang Xinquan , Zhang Zheng , Zhang Linqi
Published: March 2023

The omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2 have substantial ability to escape infection- and vaccine-elicited antibody immunity. Here, we investigated the extent of such escape in nine convalescent patients infected with the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 during the first wave of the pandemic. Among the total of 476 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) isolated from peripheral memory B cells, we identified seven mAbs with broad neutralizing activity to all variants tested, including various omicron subvariants. Biochemical and structural analysis indicated the majority of these mAbs bound to the receptor-binding domain, mimicked the receptor ACE2 and were able to accommodate or inadvertently improve recognition of omicron substitutions. Passive delivery of representative antibodies protected K18-hACE2 mice from infection with omicron and beta SARS-CoV-2. A deeper understanding of how the memory B cells that produce these antibodies could be selectively boosted or recalled can augment antibody immunity against SARS-CoV-2 variants.