bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gp35/50 mucin molecules of Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclic forms that mediate host cell invasion interact with annexin A2
Authors: Onofre Thiago Souza , Loch Leonardo , Ferreira Rodrigues João Paulo , Macedo Silene , Yoshida Nobuko
Published: October 2022

Host cell invasion is a critical step for infection by Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease. In natural infection, T. cruzi metacyclic trypomastigote (MT) forms establish the first interaction with host cells. The gp35/50 mucin molecules expressed in MT have been implicated in cell invasion process, but the mechanisms involved are not well understood. We performed a series of experiments to elucidate the mode of gp35/50-mediated MT internalization. Comparing two parasite strains from genetically divergent groups, G strain (TcI) and CL strain (TcVI), expressing variant forms of mucins, we demonstrated that G strain mucins participate in MT invasion. Only G strain-derived mucins bound to HeLa cells in a receptor-dependent manner and significantly inhibited G strain MT invasion. CL strain MT internalization was not affected by mucins from either strain. HeLa cell invasion by G strain MT was associated with actin recruitment and did not rely on lysosome mobilization. To examine the involvement of annexin A2, which plays a role in actin dynamic, annexin A2-depleted HeLa cells were generated. Annexin A2-deficient cell lines were significantly more resistant than wild type controls to G strain MT invasion. In a co-immunoprecipitation assay, to check whether annexin A2 might be the receptor for mucins, protein A/G magnetic beads crosslinked with monoclonal antibody to G strain mucins were incubated with detergent extracts of MT and HeLa cells. Binding of gp35/50 mucins to annexin A2 was detected. Both G strain MT and purified mucins induced focal adhesion kinase activation in HeLa cells. By confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, colocalization of invading G strain MT with clathrin was visualized. Inhibition of clathrin-coated vesicle formation reduced parasite internalization. Taken together, our data indicate that gp35/50-mediated MT invasion is accomplished through interaction with host cell annexin A2 and clathrin-dependent endocytosis.
The efficacy of soap against schistosome cercariae: A systematic review
Authors: Zhang Jiaodi , Pitol Ana K. , Braun Laura , Hazell Lucinda , Templeton Michael R.
Published: October 2022

Background

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that is endemic in 78 countries and affects almost 240 million people worldwide. It has been acknowledged that an integrated approach that goes beyond drug treatment is needed to achieve control and eventual elimination of the disease. Improving hygiene has been encouraged by World Health Organisation, and one aspect of good hygiene is using soap during water-contact activities, such as bathing and doing laundry. This hygiene practice might directly reduce the skin exposure to cercariae at transmission sites. A systematic review was carried out to investigate the efficacy of soap against schistosome cercariae and to identify the knowledge gaps surrounding this topic.

Methodology

Six online databases were searched between 5th and 8th July of 2021. Records returned from these databases were screened to remove duplicates, and the remaining records were classified by reading titles, abstracts, and full texts to identify the included studies. The results were categorised into two groups based on two different protective mechanisms of soap (namely, damage to cercariae and protection of skin).

Conclusions

Limited research has been conducted on the efficacy of soap against schistosome cercariae and only 11 studies met the criteria to be included in this review. The review demonstrates that soap has the potential of protecting people against schistosome cercariae and there are two protective aspects: (1) soap affects cercariae adversely; (2) soap on the skin prevents cercariae from penetrating the skin, developing into adult worms and producing eggs. Both aspects of protection were influenced by many factors, but the differences in the reported experimental conditions, such as the cercarial endpoint measurement used and the cercaria numbers used per water sample, lead to low comparability between the previous studies. This review indicates that more evidence is needed to inform hygiene advice for people living in schistosomiasis endemic areas.
Species-informative SNP markers for characterising freshwater prawns of genus Macrobrachium in Cameroon
Authors: Makombu Judith G. , Cheruiyot Evans K. , Stomeo Francesca , Thuo David N. , Oben Pius M. , Oben Benedicta O. , Zango Paul , Mialhe Eric , Ngueguim Jules R. , Mujibi Fidalis D. N.
Published: October 2022

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are now popular for a myriad of applications in animal and plant species including, ancestry assignment, conservation genetics, breeding, and traceability of animal products. The objective of this study was to develop a customized cost-effective SNP panel for genetic characterisation of Macrobrachium species in Cameroon. The SNPs identified in a previous characterization study were screened as viable candidates for the reduced panel. Starting from a full set of 1,814 SNPs, a total of 72 core SNPs were chosen using conventional approaches: allele frequency differentials, minor allele frequency profiles, and Wright’s Fst statistics. The discriminatory power of reduced set of informative SNPs were then tested using the admixture analysis, principal component analysis, and discriminant analysis of principal components. The panel of prioritised SNP markers (i.e., N = 72 SNPs) distinguished Macrobrachium species with 100% accuracy. However, large sample size is needed to identify more informative SNPs for discriminating genetically closely related species, including M. macrobrachion versus M. vollenhovenii and M. sollaudii versus M. dux. Overall, the findings in this study show that we can accurately characterise Macrobrachium using a small set of core SNPs which could be useful for this economically important species in Cameroon. Given the results obtained in this study, a larger independent validation sample set will be needed to confirm the discriminative capacity of this SNP panel for wider commercial and research applications.
A pan-cancer analysis of matrisome proteins reveals CTHRC1 and a related network as major ECM regulators across cancers
Authors: Harikrishnan Keerthi , Prabhu Srinivas Sheshagiri , Balasubramanian Nagaraj
Published: October 2022

The extracellular matrix in the tumour microenvironment can regulate cancer cell growth and progression. A pan-cancer analysis of TCGA data from 30 cancer types, identified the top 5% of matrisome genes with amplifications or deletions in their copy number, that affect their expression and cancer survival. A similar analysis of matrisome genes in individual cancers identified CTHRC1 to be significantly altered. CTHRC1, a regulator of collagen synthesis, was identified as the most prominently upregulated matrisome gene of interest across cancers. Differential gene expression analysis identified 19 genes whose expression is increased with CTHRC1. STRING analysis of these genes classified them as ‘extracellular’, involved most prominently in ECM organization and cell adhesion. KEGG analysis showed their involvement in ECM-receptor and growth factor signalling. Cytohubba analysis of these genes revealed 13 hub genes, of which MMP13, POSTN, SFRP4, ADAMTS16 and FNDC1 were significantly altered in their expression with CTHRC1 and seen to affect survival across cancers. This could in part be mediated by their overlapping roles in regulating ECM (collagen or fibronectin) expression and organisation. In breast cancer tumour samples CTHRC1 protein levels are significantly upregulated with POSTN and MMP13, further supporting the need to evaluate their crosstalk in cancers.
Spatial and temporal differences of Chinese tourists’ travel demands to North Korea
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Jin Guangyi , Sun Boyang , Cui Zhehao , Lu Bishun
Published: October 2022

Border tourism plays an important and positive role in international economic and cultural cooperation, and the tourism cooperation relationship between China and North Korea has lasted for more than 30 years. China has become the country with the largest number of tourists to North Korea. However, because the relevant data of tourism to North Korea are not public, it also brings difficulties to the further study. This paper based on the Baidu Index of 31 provinces and regions in China and discusses the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of travel demands to North Korea. The findings from the research are as follows. First, the travel demands from 2011 to 2018 showed an overall trend of initial increase followed by later decrease. The seasonal difference is significant. The peak season is longer than the off-season. Secondly, on the whole, the travel demands to North Korea showed a spatial agglomeration effect, and the provinces with high demands or low demands gather significantly in space. Taking “Hu line” as the boundary, the east is higher than the west. The hot spot areas and cold spot areas gradually transition from east to west. Thirdly, holidays, population, GDP, per capita disposable income, Internet penetration and education are the main influencing factors of tourism demand to North Korea. By using Baidu Index, this paper overcomes the bottleneck of inaccessible tourism data to North Korea. At the same time, from the perspective of tourist source countries, this paper discusses the spatial-temporal differentiation and influencing factors of travel demands in terms of geographical space, and compares it with existing studies, expanding the research framework of China’s outbound tourism.
Reduced choice-confidence in negative numerals
Authors: Alonso-Díaz Santiago , Penagos-Londoño Gabriel I.
Published: October 2022

Negative numbers are central in math. However, they are abstract, hard to learn, and manipulated slower than positive numbers regardless of math ability. It suggests that confidence, namely the post-decision estimate of being correct, should be lower than positives. We asked participants to pick the larger single-digit numeral in a pair and collected their implicit confidence with button pressure (button pressure was validated with three empirical signatures of confidence). We also modeled their choices with a drift-diffusion decision model to compute the post-decision estimate of being correct. We found that participants had relatively low confidence with negative numerals. Given that participants compared with high accuracy the basic base-10 symbols (0–9), reduced confidence may be a general feature of manipulating abstract negative numerals as they produce more uncertainty than positive numerals per unit of time.
Prolonged diarrhea among under-five children in Bangladesh: Burden and risk factors
Authors: Hossain Md. Iqbal , Faruque A. S. G. , Sarmin Monira , Chisti Mohammod Jobayer , Ahmed Tahmeed
Published: October 2022

Introduction & background

Prolonged (duration >7 to 13 days) diarrhea (ProD) in under-five children is a universal health problem including Bangladesh. Data on epidemiology and associated or risk factors of ProD are limited, particularly in Bangladesh where a high burden of ProD is reported. This study intended to assess the case load of ProD and its associated or risk factors compared to acute diarrhea (AD, duration ≤7 days).

Methods

We analyzed the data collected between 1996–2014 from a hospital-based Diarrheal-Disease-Surveillance-System (DDSS) in the ‘Dhaka Hospital’ of International Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases, Bangladesh (icddr,b). The DDSS enrolled a 2% systematic sample, regardless of age, sex, and diarrhea severity. The data included information on socio-demographic factors, environmental history, clinical characteristics, nutritional status, and diarrhea-pathogens. After cleaning of data, relevant information of 21,566 under-five children were available who reported with ≤13 days diarrhea (including AD and ProD), and their data were analyzed. Variables found significantly associated with ProD compared to AD in bi-variate analysis were used in logistic regression model after checking the multicollinearity between independent variables.

Results

The mean±SD age of the children was 14.9±11.7 months and 40.4% were female; 7.6% had ProD and 92.4% had AD. Age <12 months, mucoid- or bloody-stool, warmer months (April-September), drug used at home before seeking care from hospital, and history of diarrhea within last one month were found associated with ProD (p<0.05); however, rotavirus infection was less common in children with ProD (p<0.05). ProD children more often needed inpatient admission than AD children (14.4 vs. 6.3, p<0.001). Case fatality rate of ProD vs. AD was 0.3% (n = 5) vs. 0.1% (n- = 22) respectively (p = 0.051).

Conclusion

A considerable proportion (7.6%) of under-five children reporting to icddr,b hospital suffered from ProD. Understanding the above-mentioned associated or risk factors is likely to help policy makers formulating appropriate strategies for alleviating the burden and effectively managing ProD in under-five children.
Preoperative prediction by artificial intelligence for mastoid extension in pars flaccida cholesteatoma using temporal bone high-resolution computed tomography: A retrospective study
Authors: Takahashi Masahiro , Noda Katsuhiko , Yoshida Kaname , Tsuchida Keisuke , Yui Ryosuke , Nakazawa Takara , Kurihara Sho , Baba Akira , Motegi Masaomi , Yamamoto Kazuhisa , Yamamoto Yutaka , Ojiri Hiroya , Kojima Hiromi
Published: October 2022

Cholesteatoma is a progressive middle ear disease that can only be treated surgically but with a high recurrence rate. Depending on the extent of the disease, a surgical approach, such as microsurgery with a retroarticular incision or transcanal endoscopic surgery, is performed. However, the current examination cannot sufficiently predict the progression before surgery, and changes in approach may be made during the surgery. Large amounts of data are typically required to train deep neural network models; however, the prevalence of cholesteatomas is low (1-in-25, 000). Developing analysis methods that improve the accuracy with such a small number of samples is an important issue for medical artificial intelligence (AI) research. This paper presents an AI-based system to automatically detect mastoid extensions using CT. This retrospective study included 164 patients (80 with mastoid extension and 84 without mastoid extension) who underwent surgery. This study adopted a relatively lightweight neural network model called MobileNetV2 to learn and predict the CT images of 164 patients. The training was performed with eight divided groups for cross-validation and was performed 24 times with each of the eight groups to verify accuracy fluctuations caused by randomly augmented learning. An evaluation was performed by each of the 24 single-trained models, and 24 sets of ensemble predictions with 23 models for 100% original size images and 400% zoomed images. Fifteen otolaryngologists diagnosed the images and compared the results. The average accuracy of predicting 400% zoomed images using ensemble prediction model was 81.14% (sensitivity = 84.95%, specificity = 77.33%). The average accuracy of the otolaryngologists was 73.41% (sensitivity, 83.17%; specificity, 64.13%), which was not affected by their clinical experiences. Noteworthily, despite the small number of cases, we were able to create a highly accurate AI. These findings represent an important first step in the automatic diagnosis of the cholesteatoma extension.
Comparative efficacy and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions in fibromyalgia: Protocol for a network meta-analysis
Authors: Souza Mateus B. , Mascarenhas Rodrigo O. , Maia Laisa B. , Fonseca Letícia S. , Silva Hytalo J. , de Zoete Rutger M. J. , McAuley James H. , Henschke Nicholas , Oliveira Vinicius C.
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Although several non-pharmacological interventions have been tested in the management of Fibromyalgia (FM), there is little consensus regarding the best options for the treatment of this health condition. The purpose of this network meta-analysis (NMA) is to investigate the comparative efficacy and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions for FM, in order to assist clinical decision making through a ranking of interventions in relation to the most important clinical outcomes in these patients.

Methods and analysis

We will perform a systematic search to identify randomised controlled trials of non-pharmacological interventions endorsed in guidelines and systematic reviews. Information sources searched will include major bibliographic databases without language or date restrictions (MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, AMED, PsycINFO and PEDro). Our primary outcomes will be pain intensity, patient-reported quality of life (QoL), and acceptability of treatment will be our secondary outcome. Risk of bias of the included trials will be assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool (RoB2). For each pairwise comparison between the different interventions, we will present mean differences (MDs) for pain intensity and QoL outcomes and Relative Risks (RRs) for acceptability, both with respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Initially, standard pairwise meta-analyses will be performed using a DerSimonian-Laird random effects model for all comparisons with at least two trials and then we will perform a frequentist NMA using the methodology of multivariate meta-analysis assuming a common heterogeneity parameter, using the mvmeta command and network suite in STATA. In the NMA, two different types of control group, such as placebo/sham and no intervention/waiting list will be combined as one node called “Control”. The competing interventions will be ranked using the P-score, which is the frequentist analogue of surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) for the outcomes of interest at immediate- (intervention duration of up to 2 weeks), short- (over 2 weeks up to 12 weeks) and long-terms (over 12 weeks). The confidence in the results from NMA will be assessed using the Confidence in Network Meta‐analysis (CINeMA) framework.

Ethics and dissemination

This work synthesises evidence from previously published studies and does not require ethics review or approval. A manuscript describing the findings will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

Registration

OSF (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/7MS25) and registered in the PROSPERO database (CRD42020216374).
A converging reputation ranking iteration method via the eigenvector
Authors: Liu Xiao-Lu , Zhao Chong
Published: October 2022

Ranking user reputation and object quality in online rating systems is of great significance for the construction of reputation systems. In this paper we put forward an iterative algorithm for ranking reputation and quality in terms of eigenvector, named EigenRank algorithm, where the user reputation and object quality interact and the user reputation converges to the eigenvector associated to the greatest eigenvalue of a certain matrix. In addition, we prove the convergence of EigenRank algorithm, and analyse the speed of convergence. Meanwhile, the experimental results for the synthetic networks show that the AUC values and Kendall’s τ of the EigenRank algorithm are greater than the ones from the IBeta method and Vote Aggregation method with different proportions of random/malicious ratings. The results for the empirical networks show that the EigenRank algorithm performs better in accuracy and robustness compared to the IBeta method and Vote Aggregation method in the random and malicious rating attack cases. This work provides an expectable ranking algorithm for the online user reputation identification.
How do STEM graduate students perceive science communication? Understanding science communication perceptions of future scientists
Authors: Ritchie Tessy S. , Rossiter Dione L. , Opris Hannah Bruce , Akpan Idarabasi Evangel , Oliphant Simone , McCartney Melissa
Published: October 2022

Increasingly, communicating science to the public is recognized as the responsibility of professional scientists; however, these skills are not always included in graduate training. In addition, most research on science communication training during graduate school, which is limited, has been program evaluation or literature reviews and does not report on or seek to understand graduate student perspectives. This research study provides a comprehensive analysis of graduate-level science communication training from the perspective of STEM graduate students. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study aimed to investigate where graduate students are receiving science communication training (if at all), what this training looks like from the student’s point of view, and, for graduate students that are engaging in science communication, what do these experiences look like. This study also explores how graduate students define science communication. Taken together, these results will give graduate students a voice in the development of science communication trainings and will remove barriers and increase equity in science communication training.
Validation of reduced S-gene target performance and failure for rapid surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants
Authors: Clark Cyndi , Schrecker Joshua , Hardison Matthew , Taitel Michael S.
Published: October 2022

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has many variants capable of rapid transmission causing serious illness. Timely surveillance of new variants is essential for an effective public health response. Ensuring availability and access to diagnostic and molecular testing is key to this type of surveillance. This study utilized reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and whole genome sequencing results from COVID-19-positive patient samples obtained through a collaboration between Aegis Sciences Corporation and Walgreens Pharmacy that has conducted more than 8.5 million COVID-19 tests at ~5,200 locations across the United States and Puerto Rico. Viral evolution of SARS-CoV-2 can lead to mutations in the S-gene that cause reduced or failed S-gene amplification in diagnostic PCR tests. These anomalies, labeled reduced S-gene target performance (rSGTP) and S-gene target failure (SGTF), are characteristic of variants carrying the del69-70 mutation, such as Alpha and Omicron (B.1.1.529, BA.1, and BA.1.1) lineages. This observation has been validated by whole genome sequencing and can provide presumptive lineage data following completion of diagnostic PCR testing in 24–48 hours from collection. Active surveillance of trends in PCR and sequencing results is key to the identification of changes in viral transmission and emerging variants. This study shows that rSGTP and SGTF can be utilized for near real-time tracking and surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants, and is superior to the use of SGTF alone due to the significant proportion of Alpha and Omicron (B.1.1.529, BA.1, and BA.1.1) lineages known to carry the del69-70 mutation and observed to have S-gene amplification. Adopting new tools and techniques to both diagnose acute infections and expedite identification of emerging variants is critical to supporting public health.
The original hotelling model with linear and quadratic firms logistics costs
Authors: Kharbach Mohammed , Chfadi Tarik
Published: October 2022

We introduce a modified Hotelling model setup that incorporates the original model and considers logistics’ related costs incurred by the firms. Both the linear and quadratic logistics related costs cases are studied. We find that the relative magnitudes of firms’ logistics costs to customers’ transportation and/or search costs have significant effects on firms’ decisions in terms of location choices. In the linear case, we show, under a large set of cost structures, that substantial differentiation exists and is stable. In the quadratic case, maximum differentiation is the only equilibrium for all cost structures in the model but firms’ profits are higher than in the original case. We also consider the case where customers transportation costs are quadratic while firms logistics costs are linear.
The changes of willow biomass characteristics during the composting process and their phytotoxicity effect on Sinapis alba L.
Authors: Sowiński Józef , Jama-Rodzeńska Anna , Perera Peliyagodage Chathura Dineth , Jamroz Elżbieta , Bekier Jakub
Published: October 2022

This study evaluated in 2019–2021 the use of willow chips for compost production and its effect on Sinapis alba L. germination index and seedling growth. Peatlands and peat are of very important economic but above all environmental significance. The conservation of peatland resources is one of the most crucial future challenges. Composts and other forms of lignin-cellulosic biomass are potentially the best renewable alternative to peat in its economic use. Composted lignin-cellulosic biomass can replace peat and be used as a substrate for vegetable transplant production. The impact of modifying the willow lignin-cellulosic biomass composting process has not been well analysed. A compost experiment with willow biomass was conducted to study its effect on selected compost indexes (particle size structure in %, bulk density (kg m-3), and total nitrogen content). The quality assessment of the willow composts was determined after six months of composting process based on the N content and morphological characteristics of tested plant in vegetative chamber. Sinapis alba L. was germinated on a water extract made from willow compost using the following additives to willow biomasses: W0—without additives, WN—with the addition of nitrogen, WF—with the addition of mycelium, WNF—with the addition of nitrogen and mycelium. During the composting process, samples were taken after each mixing of the biomass pile to assess their maturity through the use of a bioassay. Willow biomass did not have a negative effect on biological evaluation parameters, and in some indicators, such as the length of embryonic roots in the VI period of the measurements, it was stimulating (61–84% longer in W0 and WF than in the control). The addition of nitrogen during the composting process, especially in the initial composting period, had a strong inhibitory effect.
Identification of families in need of support: Correlates of adverse childhood experiences in the right@home sustained nurse home visiting program
Authors: Kemp Lynn , Bruce Tracey , Elcombe Emma L. , Byrne Fiona , Scharkie Sheryl A. , Perlen Susan M. , Goldfeld Sharon R.
Published: October 2022

Background

Little is known about the efficacy of pregnancy screening tools using non-sensitive sociodemographic questions to identify the possible presence of as yet undiagnosed disease in individuals and later adverse childhood events disclosure.

Objectives

The study aims were to: 1) record the prevalence of risk disclosed by families during receipt of a sustained nurse home visiting program; and 2) explore patterns of relationships between the disclosed risks for their child having adverse experiences and the antenatal screening tool, which used non-sensitive demographic questions.

Design

Retrospective, observational study.

Participants and methods

Data about the participants in the intervention arm of the Australian right@home trial, which is scaffolded on the Maternal Early Childhood Sustained Home-visiting model, collected between 2013 and 2017 were used. Screening data from the 10-item antenatal survey of non-sensitive demographic risk factors and disclosed risks recorded by the nurse in audited case files during the subsequent 2 year intervention were examined (n = 348). Prevalence of disclosed risks for their child having adverse experiences were analysed in 2019 using multiple response frequencies. Phi correlations were conducted to test associations between screening factors and disclosed risks.

Results

Among the 348 intervention participants whose files were audited, 300 were noted by nurses to have disclosed risks during the intervention, with an average of four disclosures. The most prevalent maternal disclosures were depression or anxiety (57.8%). Mental health issues were the most prevalent partner and family disclosures. Screening tool questions on maternal smoking in pregnancy, not living with another adult, poverty and self-reporting anxious mood were significantly associated with a number of disclosed risks for their child having adverse experiences.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that a non-sensitive sociodemographic screening tool may help to identify families at higher risk for adverse childhood experiences for whom support from a sustained nurse home visiting program may be beneficial.
Koloratzaile fotoaktiboen belaunaldi berria
Authors: Casado Natalia , Oliden Sánchez Ainhoa , Avellanal Edurne , Sola Llano Rebeca , Gartzia Rivero Leire , Bañuelos Prieto Jorge
Published: October 2022

Gizakiok, maiz, naturan inspiratzen gara garapen teknologikoa bultzatzeko. Bada, fotosintesia horren adibide argia da. Prozesu natural horretan, eguzki-argia kromoforo naturalen bidez xurgatzen da, eta gaur egun antena-sistema natural hori modu eraginkorrean imitatzeko azterlan ugari egiten ari dira, koloratzaile organiko berrien diseinuan oinarrituta. Hala ere, molekula sinpleak direnez, zenbait muga izaten dituzte; adibidez, zailtasunak dituzte espektro elektromagnetiko osoan argia xurgatzeko, argi-energia ga- rraiatzeko eta erradiazio jarraituaren pean luze irauteko. Hala, hainbat kromoforoz osatutako koloratzaileak, multikromoforo deritzenak, irtenbide aproposa dira. Molekula-egitura horietan, kromoforo edo koloratzaile ezberdinak modu kobalentean konbinatzen dira eta energia-trukea sustatzen da. Hortaz, antena naturalak imitatzeko funtsezkoa den prozesua lortzen da eta argiaren xurgapen zabala eta eraginkorra bermatzen da. Hori dela eta, koloratzaileen kimikan, multikromoforoak etorkizuneko sistema fotoaktibotzat hartzen dira antena artifizialak garatzeko eta gailu optiko eta fotovoltaikoetan aplikatzeko. Argitalpen honetan, beraz, antena eraginkor eta egonkorrak garatzeko ezinbestekoak diren irizpide molekularrak eta fotofisikoak zehazten dira. Adibide gisa, errodaminan, perileno gorrian eta BODIPYan oinarritutako koloratzaile multikromoforikoak aurkezten dira, eta horien portaera fotonikoa deskribatzen da laser eta sentsore bezala erabiltzeko.
Las porteadoras, metáforas del confín. Una mirada interseccional a los documentales postcoloniales sobre la frontera hispano-marroquí
Authors: Binimelis-Adell Mar , Fernandez Labayen Miguel
Published: October 2022

Este artículo analiza las representaciones documentales de las porteadoras, trabajadoras transfronterizas en el borde hispano-marroquí. Estas mujeres cruzan la frontera cargando pesados fardos de productos que serán vendidos en un procedimiento comercial alegal pero lucrativo para los países involucrados. Desempeñan un papel secundario de una práctica que entraña peligro físico y atropellos de derechos y en la que intervienen dinámicas de género, además de problemáticas de desigualdad social y racial. Pocos documentales han abordado esta figura, destacando Europlex (Ursula Biemann y Angela Sanders, 2003), la pieza «Mujeres» del proyecto documental Connected Walls (Irene Gutiérrez y Youssef Drissi, 2014) y Bab Sebta (Randa Maroufi, 2019). Estos filmes dan cuenta de cómo estas mujeres materializan la frontera tanto a través de sus «cuerpos-contenedores» como de la feminización de la pobreza que se destaca en las tres producciones. El artículo propone un análisis desde un abordaje interseccional que pone de relieve el papel de cuestiones raciales, de género y de clase, específicamente cuando entran en juego dinámicas de género.
Efficacy of a Traction Device for Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Using a Scissor-Type Knife: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Tamaru Yuzuru , Kuwai Toshio , Miyakawa Akihiro , Kanazawa Noriyoshi , Kusunoki Ryusaku , Shimura Haruhisa , Uchiyama Shiori , Ishaq Sauid , Kohno Hiroshi
Published: October 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Although safe, colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) using a scissor-type knife has a slow resection speed. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a traction device to hasten the resection speed.

METHODS:

This multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted at 3 Japanese institutions. Patients with a 20–50-mm superficial colorectal tumor were enrolled and randomly assigned to a conventional-ESD (C-ESD) group or a traction-assisted ESD (T-ESD) group. The primary outcome was the resection speed.

RESULTS:

The C-ESD and T-ESD groups comprised 49 and 48 patients, respectively. Although the mean resection speed was not significantly different in the entire cohort between the groups (23.7 vs 25.6 mm2/min, respectively; P = 0.43), it was significantly faster with T-ESD than with C-ESD at the cecum (32.4 vs 16.7 mm2/min, respectively; P = 0.02). The mean resection speed of tumors ≥30 mm tended to be faster by T-ESD than by C-ESD (34.6 vs 27.8 mm2/min, respectively; P = 0.054). The mean procedure time of T-ESD was significantly shorter than that of C-ESD (47.3 vs 62.3 minutes, respectively; P = 0.03). The en bloc (100% vs 100%), complete (98.0% vs 97.9%), and curative resection (93.9% vs 91.7%) rates were similar between the 2 groups. Perforation and delayed hemorrhage occurred in only 1 patient each in the T-ESD group.

DISCUSSION:

Although the resection rates were sufficiently high and adverse event rates were extremely low in both the groups, the use of a traction device for ESD in the proximal colon and for large lesions may increase the resection speed.
Results of a Model of Delivering Hepatitis C Care in a Homeless Metropolitan Population in England
Authors: Guerra-Veloz María Fernanda , Han Khin , Oakes Kathryn , Robertson David , Mohamed Almuthana , Cannon Mary , Barnabas Ashley , Shah Sital , Halford Rachel , Dusheiko Geoffrey , Agarwal Kosh
Published: October 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Given the hepatitis C virus (HCV) burden and despite curative treatments, more efforts focused on scaling-up testing and treatment in homeless populations are needed. This project aimed to implement education and flexible on-site HCV testing, treatment, and follow-up for a homeless population in south London and to evaluate engagement, therapy initiation, and cure rates.

METHODS:

A mobile unit (van) for on-site HCV education, screening, treatment, and follow-up was placed on the street in a well-known homeless population areas from January 2018 to September 2021. Homeless was defined as living in temporary housing (hostel/hotel-based) or living on the street (street-based). Sociodemographic status, risk factors, comorbidities, concomitant medication, and data related with HCV treatment were recorded. Univariable and multivariable modeling were performed for treatment initiation and sustained virological response (SVR).

RESULTS:

Nine hundred forty homeless people were identified and 99.3% participated. 56.2% were street-based, 243 (26%) tested positive for HCV antibody, and 162 (17.4%) were viremic. Those with detectable HCV RNA had significantly more frequent psychiatric disorders, active substance use disorders, were on opioid agonist treatment, had advanced fibrosis, and had lower rates of previous treatment in comparison with undetectable HCV RNA. Overall treatment initiation was 70.4% and SVR was 72.8%. In the multivariable analysis, being screened in temporary housing (odds ratio [OR] 3.166; P = 0.002) and having opioid agonist treatment (OR 3.137; P = 0.004) were positively associated with treatment initiation. HCV treatment adherence (OR 26.552; P < 0.001) was the only factor associated with achieving SVR.

DISCUSSION:

Promoting education and having flexible and reflex mobile on-site testing and treatment for HCV in the homeless population improve engagement with the health care system, meaning higher rates of treatment initiation and SVR. However, street-based homeless population not linked with harm reduction services are less likely to initiate HCV treatment, highlighting an urgent need for a broad health inclusion system.
Rates of Antimicrobial Resistance in Helicobacter pylori Isolates From Clinical Trial Patients Across the US and Europe
Authors: Mégraud Francis , Graham David Y. , Howden Colin W. , Trevino Ernest , Weissfeld Alice , Hunt Barbara , Smith Neila , Leifke Eckhard , Chey William D.
Published: October 2022

INTRODUCTION:

Guidelines recommend that proton pump inhibitor-based triple regimens with clarithromycin not be used for Helicobacter pylori infection in areas where clarithromycin resistance is ≥15%, or in patients with prior macrolide use. Up-to-date information on local resistance patterns is limited, especially in the US. Here, we report resistance rates to antibiotics commonly used to treat H. pylori from a large study conducted in the US and Europe (pHalcon-HP).

METHODS:

Gastric mucosal biopsies were collected from adult participants with H. pylori infection during screening. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined via agar dilution for clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and metronidazole, with breakpoints ≥1 μg/mL, >0.125 μg/mL, and >8 μg/mL, respectively. Resistance rates were obtained for the US and Europe, and also for US subregions and participating European countries.

RESULTS:

Resistance rates were established in isolates from 907 participants. Overall, 22.2% were resistant to clarithromycin, 1.2% to amoxicillin, and 69.2% to metronidazole. Resistance in the US and Europe was similar; metronidazole resistance was the most prevalent (50%–79%) and amoxicillin the least (≤5%). In all subregions, ≥15% of isolates were resistant to clarithromycin, except the UK (0/8 isolates). Among clarithromycin-resistant isolates, 75% were also metronidazole-resistant. Two US isolates were resistant to clarithromycin and amoxicillin; one of these was also metronidazole-resistant.

DISCUSSION:

The resistance rates observed in this study argue against the continued empiric use of proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy containing clarithromycin, per treatment guidelines, and highlight the need for antibiotic resistance surveillance and novel treatment strategies for H. pylori infection in the US and Europe.

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Reaching across from here to there, in precarious times: Remote-teaching embodied creative practice through scores, instructions, and poetic invitations
Authors:   University of Auckland, Longley Alys , Moraes Janaína , Cook Joanna
Published: October 2022

How can we attend to students’ experience of agency, spatiality, sensation, mobility, freedom, and play in tertiary dance and interdisciplinary arts education, while working through lockdowns or in readiness for them? How do we cultivate care, joy, and imagination in such teaching-learning situations? How do we create spaces that are grounded and focussed while also creating maximum space for independence, idiosyncrasy, experimentation, delight in material practice and difference? This article responds to the above question through ten vignettes narrated by Alys – a Masters and PhD supervisor and Course Director teaching undergraduate courses, Janaína and Joanna – post graduate students and teaching assistants on the same courses. Concepts of weak theory, articulated by Biesta (2009) and Kosofsky Sedgwick (1993), and the poetics of care (Tronto, 1998) are core to this article, which posits that as educators our commitment to wellbeing and our acts of care are of utmost importance in precarious times.
Caring for authors and activists in the classroom: An activist-caring teaching approach
Authors:   University of New South Wales, Apoifis Nicholas
Published: October 2022

Neoliberal capitalist intrusions into university classrooms are pervasive, incessant, and pernicious. How we perform and enact care in classrooms is shaped by this prevailing ideology. However, its ideological and material reach is not absolute. Using insights from radical pedagogies, militant ethnographic, and narrative approaches, I reimagine and reconfigure care in the classroom by implementing an activist-caring teaching approach. I discuss the ways in which I practice and perform a relationship of care to writers and activists whose work and struggles I teach in my classes, struggles of resistance, emancipation, and revolution. Specifically, I lay out my own classroom strategies that enact this relationship, interactions with people some of whom are dead and many of whom I have never met. I argue that this is important for the practice of solidarity and radical notions of care and offers a novel way to resist and refuse neoliberal intrusions into university teaching spaces.
Building Dwelling Caring - Some reflections on the future of learning
Authors: Zournazi Mary
Published: October 2022

This paper opens out some philosophical questions on the accelerated use of technology in our teaching environments as a result of the global pandemic and it considers the ongoing implications for education. Revisiting some of the work of Martin Heidegger and his questions concerning technology in conjunction with what I call a dialogical approach to teaching and learning, this paper explores how we can create and think with technologies to consider the possibilities and limitations of technological use in our educational contexts. Furthermore, it reflects on some questions that we may need to address for pedagogical care and responsibility as we move toward a future of learning.
A Timeline of Medieval Universities
Authors: De la Croix David , Vitale Mara
Published: October 2022

Figure 1 presents our timeline of medieval universities, i.e. universities created before the fall ofConstantinople in 1453. To construct this timeline of universities, we used information providedby Frijhoff in his book "A History of the University in Europe" (1996) and by Rashdall in his book”The Universities of Europe in the Middle Ages” (1895). We also consulted Hermans and Nelissen(2005) and Verger and Charle (2012). These works attempt to define the dates of the foundation ofthe different universities.
Evaluación del número de publicaciones en ciencias de la computación en Suramérica en un periodo de veinte años
Authors: Restrepo Betancur Luis Fernando
Published: October 2022

Contexto: La presente investigación se relaciona con el número de publicaciones y citaciones en ciencia computacional en Suramérica en los últimos veinte años. La medición de la producción científica es de gran impacto a fin de evaluar la producción de un país, al igual que los grupos de investigación, autores y centros universitarios entre otros aspectos.
Método: La investigación se clasifica en descriptiva comparativa de tipo longitudinal. La información se recopiló de la plataforma SCImago Journal & Country Rank, donde las variables evaluadas corresponden a los diferentes temas relacionados con el área de la ciencia computacional. El procesamiento estadístico de la información se realizó por medio de la técnica de clúster, análisis multivariado de la varianza (Manova), análisis Biplot por el método procrustes, complementado con la técnica no paramétrica de Spearman. Se empleó el paquete estadístico SAS University.
Resultados: Brasil se diferencia estadísticamente respecto a las demás naciones del Cono Sur, en lo concerniente a la difusión científica en el área de las ciencias de la computación. Existe una relación directamente proporcional entre los diferentes temas evaluados; la mayor correlación entre naciones se dio entre Argentina, Brasil, Chile y Venezuela.
Conclusiones: Brasil es el país de Suramérica con el mayor número de publicaciones y citaciones en las diferentes áreas de la ciencia de la computación, seguido de Argentina, Colombia y Chile, donde ciencias computacionales aplicadas tienen mayor impacto y la interacción persona ordenador es la de menor representación.
Reconocimiento de lengua de señas colombiana mediante redes neuronales convolucionales y captura de movimiento
Authors: Gutiérrez Leguizamón Juan José , Plazas López Jimmy Alejandro , Suárez Barón Marco Javier , González Sanabria Juan Sebastián
Published: October 2022

Contexto: Este articulo presenta el diseño de un modelo predictivo computacional que facilita el reconocimiento de la lengua de señas colombiana (LSC) en un entorno hotelero y turístico.
Método: Se aplicaron técnicas de inteligencia artificial y redes neuronales profundas en el aprendizaje y la predicción de gestos en tiempo real, los cuales permitieron construir una herramienta para disminuir la brecha y fortalecer la comunicación. Se implementaron algoritmos de redes neuronales convolucionales sobre captura de datos en tiempo real. Se capturó movimiento mediante cámaras de video de dispositivos móviles; así, se obtuvieron las imágenes que forman el conjunto de datos. Las imágenes se utilizaron como datos de entrenamiento para un modelo computacional óptimo que puede predecir el significado de una imagen recién presentada.
Resultados: Se evaluó el rendimiento del modelo usando medidas categóricas y comparando diferentes configuraciones para la red neuronal. Adicional a esto, todo está soportado con el uso de herramientas como Tensorflow, OpenCV y MediaPipe.
Conclusiones: Se obtuvo un modelo capaz de identificar y traducir 39 señas diferentes entre palabras, números y frases básicas enfocadas al sector hotelero, donde se logró una tasa de éxito del 97,6 % en un ambiente de uso controlado.
Subclavian Steal Phenomenon Associated With Vascular Ring in an Infant Who Had a Prenatally Diagnosed Right Aortic Arch With an Atretic Aberrant Left Subclavian Artery
Authors: Takajo Daiji , Blake Jennifer , Aggarwal Sanjeev
Published: October 2022

Vascular ring is a rare congenital anomaly in which the abnormal origin of the aorta or its branches and pulmonary arteries leads to encircling and compression of the trachea and esophagus. A right aortic arch (RAA) with an aberrant left subclavian artery is one of the most common forms of vascular ring. Here, we report a case of a prenatally diagnosed vascular ring resulting from an RAA with an aberrant left subclavian artery. When the infant was 7 months of age, the development of noisy breathing prompted further evaluation with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging that showed an atretic left subclavian artery associated with collateral retrograde flow from the left vertebral artery to the distal portion of the subclavian artery. Our findings indicate that an untreated RAA with an aberrant left subclavian artery may be associated with an increased risk of developing subclavian artery steal syndrome.
Productivity, Subsidies, and Agricultural Specialization: Evidence from the Russian Far East
Authors:   Economic Research Institute FEB RAS, Vasilyeva Olga
Published: October 2022

Are the effects of subsidies on farm productivity heterogeneous? Does the direction and magnitude of subsidies impact depend on farm specialization? To address this question, I use farm-level data from Amur region in the Russian Far East for 2010–2014. The data set includes farms inputs and output as well as state subsidies and degree of farm specialization. The latter is defined as the share of crop production in total farm revenue. The sample of farms is not random but includes almost the entire set of corporate farms in the Amur Region. Using the data, I estimate the production function that allows me to study the relationships between total factor productivity (TFP), farms specialization and state subsidies. To test whether farm specialization moderates the impact of subsidies on TFP, an interaction term between specialization and subsidies was included in the model. So, I study how the marginal effects of subsidies change conditional on degree of specialization. My findings support the heterogeneous effect of subsidies on TFP depending on the degree of farm specialization. High degree of specialization on livestock production is associated with negative effects of subsidies on TFP, while I don’t fine a statistically significant connection between subsides and TFP for farms specializing on crop production. The research contributes to the discussion about the effects of state supports and subsidies on agricultural development and productivity in Russia and particularly in the Russian Far East