bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circulating MicroRNAs as Predictors of Beta Cell Function in Youth-onset Type 2 Diabetes: The TODAY Study
Authors: Redling Dakota , Bialak Shannon , El ghormli Laure , Chernausek Steven D , Jones Kenneth , Tryggestad Jeanie B
Published: May 2024

Aims

In the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth (TODAY) study, an intervention trial followed by an observational phase, half the participants reached the primary outcome [hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥ 8% for at least 6 months] within 4 years, which was associated with a decrease in C-peptide oral disposition index (oDI). We aimed to identify circulating microRNA (miRNA) species associated with a decline in beta cell function.

Methods

Following a preliminary survey of select participants using nCounter Human v3 miRNA Panel (NanoString Technologies), polymerase chain reaction analyses were carried out for 17 miRNAs from 365 participants from samples at baseline, 24, 60, 96, and 120 months.

Results

Using a backward selection approach, 4 baseline miRNA log2 fold-changes independently predicted treatment failure; however, baseline HbA1c was higher in those with treatment failure. Three baseline miRNA log2 fold-changes remained significant predictors of this C-peptide oDI decline ≥20% (P < .05). Increased levels of miRNA-155 [odds ratio (OR): 1.2, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-1.4] and miRNA-130b (OR:1.3, 95% CI: 1.0-1.7) were associated with oDI decline, while decreased levels of miRNA-126 (OR: 0.6, 95% CI: .4-.8) were associated with oDI decline. miRNA-122 was negatively correlated with C-peptide oDI at baseline and 24 months (R = 0.22, P < .01 and R = 0.19, P < .01, respectively) and positively correlated with proinsulin at baseline, 24, and 60 months (R = 0.26, P < 0.01, R = 0.26, P < .01, R = 0.18, P < .01, respectively).

Conclusion

The miRNA species associated with beta cell function are associated with alterations in cellular metabolism and apoptosis, suggesting that differences in baseline abundance may serve as circulating markers of beta cell dysfunction and provide potential mechanistic insights into the aggressive nature of youth-onset type 2 diabetes.
GHSR in a Subset of GABA Neurons Controls Food Deprivation-Induced Hyperphagia in Male Mice
Authors: Cornejo María Paula , Fernandez Gimena , Cabral Agustina , Barrile Franco , Heredia Florencia , García Romero Guadalupe , Zubimendi Sampieri Juan Pablo , Quelas Juan Ignacio , Cantel Sonia , Fehrentz Jean-Alain , Alonso Antonia , Pla Ramon , Ferran José Luis , Andreoli María Florencia , De Francesco Pablo Nicolas , Perelló Mario
Published: May 2024

The growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR), primarily known as the receptor for the hunger hormone ghrelin, potently controls food intake, yet the specific Ghsr-expressing cells mediating the orexigenic effects of this receptor remain incompletely characterized. Since Ghsr is expressed in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)–producing neurons, we sought to investigate whether the selective expression of Ghsr in a subset of GABA neurons is sufficient to mediate GHSR's effects on feeding. First, we crossed mice that express a tamoxifen-dependent Cre recombinase in the subset of GABA neurons that express glutamic acid decarboxylase 2 (Gad2) enzyme (Gad2-CreER mice) with reporter mice, and found that ghrelin mainly targets a subset of Gad2-expressing neurons located in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARH) and that is predominantly segregated from Agouti-related protein (AgRP)–expressing neurons. Analysis of various single-cell RNA-sequencing datasets further corroborated that the primary subset of cells coexpressing Gad2 and Ghsr in the mouse brain are non-AgRP ARH neurons. Next, we crossed Gad2-CreER mice with reactivable GHSR-deficient mice to generate mice expressing Ghsr only in Gad2-expressing neurons (Gad2-GHSR mice). We found that ghrelin treatment induced the expression of the marker of transcriptional activation c-Fos in the ARH of Gad2-GHSR mice, yet failed to induce food intake. In contrast, food deprivation–induced refeeding was higher in Gad2-GHSR mice than in GHSR-deficient mice and similar to wild-type mice, suggesting that ghrelin-independent roles of GHSR in a subset of GABA neurons is sufficient for eliciting full compensatory hyperphagia in mice.
Status Externalities in Education and Low Birth Rates in Korea
Authors: Kim Seongeun , Tertilt Michèle , Yum Minchul
Published: May 2024

South Koreans appear to be preoccupied with their offspring's education and also have the lowest total fertility rate in the world. We propose a novel theory with status externalities and endogenous fertility connecting these facts, motivated by novel empirical evidence on private education spillovers. Using a quantitative model calibrated to Korea, we find that fertility would be 28 percent higher without the externality. We explore the effects of government policy: a pro-natal transfer or an education tax can increase fertility and reduce education spending. An education tax of 22 percent together with moderate pro-natal transfers maximizes the current generation's welfare. (JEL D31, D62, E24, I21, I26, I28, J13, O40)
Identification of predictive factors for surgical site infections in gastrointestinal surgeries: A retrospective cross-sectional study in a resource-limited setting
Authors: Al-hajri Abdu , Ghabisha Saif , Ahmed Faisal , Al-wageeh Saleh , Badheeb Mohamed , Alyhari Qasem , Altam Abdulfattah , Alsharif Afaf
Published: May 2024

Background Surgical site infection (SSI), albeit infrequent, drastically impacts the quality of care. This article endeavors to investigate the predictive factors of SSIs following surgical interventions that involve the gastrointestinal (GI) tract within a single institution in a resource-limited setting. Methods Over seven years from June 2015 to June 2022, patients who underwent GI surgery and developed SSI were retrospectively matched with an unaffected case-control cohort of patients. Standardized techniques for wound culture, laboratory evaluation of bacterial isolates, and antibiotic susceptibility tests were employed. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to investigate the predictive factors associated with 30-day postoperative SSI occurrence. Results A total of 525 patients who underwent GI surgical procedures were included, among whom, 86 (16.4%) developed SSI and the majority of SSIs were superficial (74.4%). Escherichia coli was the most commonly isolated bacterium (54.4%), and a high percentage of multidrug-resistant organisms were observed (63.8%). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, illiteracy (Odds ratio [OR]:40.31; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.54-170.26), smoking (OR: 21.15; 95% CI: 4.63-96.67), diabetes (OR: 5.07; 95% CI: 2.27-11.35), leukocytosis (OR: 2.62; 95% CI: 1.24-5.53), hypoalbuminemia (OR: 3.70; 95% CI: 1.35-10.16), contaminated and dirty wounds (OR: 6.51; 95% CI:1.62-26.09), longer operation duration (OR: 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01-1.03), emergency operations (OR: 12.58; 95% CI: 2.91-54.30), and extending antibiotic prophylaxis duration (OR: 3.01; 95% CI: 1.28-7.10) were the independent risk factors for SSI (all p < 0.05). Conclusions This study highlights significant predictors of SSI, including illiteracy, smoking, diabetes, leukocytosis, hypoalbuminemia, contaminated and dirty wounds, longer operative time, emergency operations, and extending antibiotic prophylaxis duration. Identifying these risk factors can help surgeons adopt appropriate measures to reduce postoperative SSI and improve the quality of surgical care, especially in a resource-limited setting with no obvious and strict policy for reducing SSI.
Case-based learning in undergraduate orthodontic education: A cross sectional study
Authors: Shafique Asma , Ur Rehman Asad , Ibnerasa Shazia , Glanville Rebecca , Ali Kamran
Published: May 2024

Introduction Student centric learning approaches have been reported to be effective in introducing higher order cognitive skills required by the health professionals. However, learners’ perceptions must be constructively aligned with new learning interventions to achieve a positive impact on their learning. The aim of this study was to explore the learning experiences of undergraduate dental students with case-based learning in orthodontics. Methods A case-based learning model was introduced on orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning for final year students on a Bachelor of Dentistry programme toward the end of their academic year. A survey was conducted to explore the perceptions and experiences of the participants. The research instrument was based on a previously validated questionnaire and included information on demographics and consisted of 12 items aimed at evaluating the benefits and challenges of cased based learning. Results All 67 students in the final-year cohort participated in study, yielding a response rate of 100 percent. Participants across the board perceived CBL to be an effective strategy to learn the subject content and helpful in improving the students’ skills in orthodontic diagnosis, treatment planning and team-working. CBL did not pose any significant challenges or barriers to student learning. Conclusion Participants reported high acceptance of CBL in orthodontic teaching and learning and a positive impact on their educational experiences. CBL was perceived to be an appropriate strategy to enhance the diagnostic, treatment planning and team-working skills of dental students.
Integration of socioemotional competencies in medical training: a case study on the assessment of an educational intervention in a disciplinary course
Authors: Sampieri-Cabrera Raul
Published: May 2024

Background Medical education faces the challenge of integrating socioemotional competencies into its curriculum to train more complete and humane health professionals. This study evaluates the impact of an educational intervention aimed at medical students at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, focusing on the development of these competencies through the hidden curriculum of a physiology course. Methods The intervention adopted an integrated curricular design that included collaborative projects, guided debates, reflective journals, and role exchanges. A total of 31 undergraduate students participated, assessed before and after the intervention with the Adult Emotional Competence Inventory (AECI) and standardized disciplinary knowledge tests. The analysis focused on five areas: emotional awareness, emotional regulation, emotional autonomy, social competence, and life and well-being competencies. Results Significant improvements were observed in emotional awareness, emotional regulation, and emotional autonomy after the intervention, with no notable changes in social competence and life and well-being skills. Standardized test scores showed an increase, but there was no significant correlation with the development of emotional competencies. Conclusions The intervention was effective in enhancing certain socioemotional competencies in medical students, although it was not directly reflected in academic performance. It highlights the need for specific strategies to address all emotional competencies and suggests the importance of future research to better understand these dynamics within the educational field. Emotional education emerges as an essential component in medical training, fostering more resilient and empathetic professionals.
Highlighting the latest research: May 2024
Authors: Palmer Sarah Jane , Cowan Helen
Published: May 2024

Sarah Jane Palmer presents a selection of recently published articles of interest to nurses working in cardiovascular nursing, while Helen Cowan explores their application to practice. The aim of this roundup is to provide a brief overview of the research papers selected and highlight their relevance to cardiac nursing practice. A full reference is provided for those who wish to look at the research in further detail.
Pressure ulcers: aSSKINg framework study
Authors: Martin Susan , Holloway Samantha
Published: May 2024

Pressure ulcers (PUs) represent a burden to the health economy and patients alike. Despite national and international guidelines regarding the management of risk, the incidence and prevalence across England remains high. Detecting early the risk of PUs is paramount, and requires using a valid risk assessment tool alongside clinical judgement and management of associated risk factors. There is a need to implement prevention strategies. Introducing care bundles for pressure ulcers, for example SKIN, SSKIN and most recently aSSKINg, is designed to guide clinicians and reduce variations in care. This article presents a review of the evidence on compliance with guidelines, frameworks, pathways or care bundles within primary and secondary care settings. This article focuses on the literature review that was conducted to inform a subsequent clinical audit of compliance with the aSSKINg framework in a Community NHS Foundation Trust in the South East of England.
Rural Hospital Closures: A Scoping Review of Studies Published Between 1990 and 2020
Authors: Planey Arrianna Marie , Thomas Sharita R. , Friedman Hannah , Hecht Hillary K. , Kent Erin , Holmes G. Mark
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Between 1990 and 2020, 334 rural hospitals closed in the United States, and since 2011 hospital closures have outnumbered new hospital openings. This scoping review evaluates peer-reviewed studies published since 1990 with a focus on rural hospital closures, synthesizing studies across six themes: 1) health care policy environment, 2) precursors to rural hospital closures, 3) economic impacts, 4) effects of rural hospital closures on access to care, 5) health and community impacts, and 6) definitions of rural hospitals and communities. In the 1990s, rural hospitals that closed were smaller, while rural hospitals that closed in the 2010s tended to have more beds. Many studies of the health impacts of rural hospital closures yielded null findings. However, these studies differed in their definitions of "rural hospital closure." Given the accelerated rate of hospital closures, more attention should be paid to hospitals that serve rural communities of color and low-income communities.
ECHO+: An Innovative Technology-Enabled Collaborative Learning and Quality Improvement Program Strengthening Rural Primary Care in Arkansas, West Virginia, and Oklahoma
Authors: Schmitt Hannah L. , Robinson Sarah K. , Meisinger Kirsten , Phillips Russell S. , Fontaine Max , Krueger John , Eaton Brody , Balasubramony Suresh , Hines Marilyn , Briscoe Katina , Duong David B.
Published: May 2024

Summary: In this paper, we describe the Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes+ (ECHO+) model and evaluation plan for incorporating changes to primary care delivery, improving patient and clinician outcomes, and making long-term system improvements.
You're Such a Girl: Children's Reasoning About Gendered Interactions
Authors: O'Donnell Kendra , Schaad Ryanne N. , McSweeney Kara , Conry-Murray Clare
Published: May 2024

Abstract: Children ages 6–7 and 9–10 and emerging adults ( n = 115) judged whether a character should approach a group of peers when they had a gender-neutral, gender-norm-consistent, or gender-norm-inconsistent activity. They also provided justifications and judgments about whether the character would be teased. Approaching peers with a gender-norm-inconsistent activity was judged as unacceptable, and participants also anticipated the protagonist would be teased. Justifications indicated that all ages tended to consider gender norms when activities were gendered, but personal preference when activities were gender neutral. Participants anticipated that friends would be less likely to tease than strangers. Girls/women and the youngest age groups (6–7) were most likely to indicate that being teased would prevent the character from engaging in the activity in the future.
Fabrication of a low-cost benchtop optical imager for quantum dot microarray-based stress biomarker detection
Authors: Kishore Anusha , Varughese Arun Mathew , Roth Bernhard , Zeilinger Carsten
Published: May 2024

We report on a simplified optical imager to detect the presence of a stress biomarker protein, namely the Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). The imager consists of two elements the optical unit and the sensor, which is a custom-made biochip. Measurement is based on the masking of the streptavidin conjugated quantum dot’s (Sav-QDs) fluorescence when Hsp90 attaches to it via biotinylated antibodies (Ab). The masking effect was directly proportional to the Hsp90 concentration. The cost-efficient benchtop imager developed comprises a CMOS sensor, standard optical lenses, and a narrow bandpass filter for optically eliminating background fluorescence. This approach is promising for the realization of cheap, robust, and reliable point-of-care detection systems for various biomarker analyses.
Field test of mode-pairing quantum key distribution
Authors: Zhu Hao-Tao , Huang Yizhi , Pan Wen-Xin , Zhou Chao-Wu , Tang Jianjun , He Hong , Cheng Ming , Jin Xiandu , Zou Mi , Tang Shibiao , Ma Xiongfeng , Chen Teng-Yun , Pan Jian-Wei
Published: May 2024

Quantum key distribution is a cornerstone of quantum technology,
offering information-theoretical secure keys for remote parties. With
many quantum communication networks established globally, the
mode-pairing protocol stands out for its efficacy over inter-city
distances using simple setups, emerging as a promising solution. In
this study, we employ the mode-pairing scheme into existing inter-city
fiber links, conducting field tests across distances ranging from tens
to about a hundred kilometers. Our system achieves a key rate of
1.217 kbit/s in a 195.85 km symmetric link and 3.089 kbit/s in a
127.92 km asymmetric link without global phase locking. The results
demonstrate that the mode-pairing protocol can achieve key rates
comparable to those of a single quantum link between two trusted nodes
on the Beijing-Shanghai backbone line, effectively reducing the need
for half of the trusted nodes. These field tests confirm the
mode-pairing scheme’s adaptability, efficiency, and practicality,
positioning it as a highly suitable protocol for quantum networks.
Towards fast quantum cascade laser spectrometers for high-throughput and cost-effective disease surveillance
Authors: Betancourth Mauro Pazmino , Boldin Aleksandr , Ochoa-Gutierrez Victor , Hogg Richard , Baldini Francesco , Jiménez Mario González , Wynne Klaas , Childs David
Published: May 2024

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy coupled with Machine Learning (ML) analysis can be used for disease monitoring with high speed and accuracy, including classification of mosquito samples into species and age and malaria detection. However, current FTIR instruments use low brightness thermal light sources to generate infrared light, which limits the measurement of complex biological samples, especially where high spatial resolution is necessary, such as specific mosquito tissues. Moreover, portability of these systems is lacking, which is needed for their application in the field. To overcome these issues, spectrometers using quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) have become an attractive alternative to build fast and portable systems due to their high electrical-to-optical efficiency, small size, and potential to be low-cost. Here, we present a QCL- based spectrometer prototype that is aimed at large scale, low-cost, environmental field-based disease surveillance
Engineering of a compact, high-fidelity EbCas12a variant that can be packaged with its crRNA into an all-in-one AAV vector delivery system
Authors: Wang Hongjian , Zhou Jin , Lei Jun , Mo Guosheng , Wu Yankang , Liu Huan , Pang Ziyan , Du Mingkun , Zhou Zihao , Paek Chonil , Sun Zaiqiao , Chen Yongshun , Wang Yan , Chen Peng , Yin Lei
Published: May 2024

The CRISPR-associated endonuclease Cas12a has become a powerful genome-editing tool in biomedical research due to its ease of use and low off-targeting. However, the size of Cas12a severely limits clinical applications such as adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy. Here, we characterized a novel compact Cas12a ortholog, termed EbCas12a, from the metagenome-assembled genome of a currently unclassified Erysipelotrichia. It has the PAM sequence of 5′-TTTV-3′ (V = A, G, C) and the smallest size of approximately 3.47 kb among the Cas12a orthologs reported so far. In addition, enhanced EbCas12a (enEbCas12a) was also designed to have comparable editing efficiency with higher specificity to AsCas12a and LbCas12a in mammalian cells at multiple target sites. Based on the compact enEbCas12a, an all-in-one AAV delivery system with crRNA for Cas12a was developed for both in vitro and in vivo applications. Overall, the novel smallest high-fidelity enEbCas12a, this first case of the all-in-one AAV delivery for Cas12a could greatly boost future gene therapy and scientific research.
Temporal dynamics of short-term neural adaptation across human visual cortex
Authors: Brands Amber Marijn , Devore Sasha , Devinsky Orrin , Doyle Werner , Flinker Adeen , Friedman Daniel , Dugan Patricia , Winawer Jonathan , Groen Iris Isabelle Anna
Published: May 2024

Neural responses in visual cortex adapt to prolonged and repeated stimuli. While adaptation occurs across the visual cortex, it is unclear how adaptation patterns and computational mechanisms differ across the visual hierarchy. Here we characterize two signatures of short-term neural adaptation in time-varying intracranial electroencephalography (iEEG) data collected while participants viewed naturalistic image categories varying in duration and repetition interval. Ventral- and lateral-occipitotemporal cortex exhibit slower and prolonged adaptation to single stimuli and slower recovery from adaptation to repeated stimuli compared to V1-V3. For category-selective electrodes, recovery from adaptation is slower for preferred than non-preferred stimuli. To model neural adaptation we augment our delayed divisive normalization (DN) model by scaling the input strength as a function of stimulus category, enabling the model to accurately predict neural responses across multiple image categories. The model fits suggest that differences in adaptation patterns arise from slower normalization dynamics in higher visual areas interacting with differences in input strength resulting from category selectivity. Our results reveal systematic differences in temporal adaptation of neural population responses between lower and higher visual brain areas and show that a single computational model of history-dependent normalization dynamics, fit with area-specific parameters, accounts for these differences.
Patient and public involvement workshop to shape artificial intelligence-supported connected asthma self-management research
Authors: Hui Chi Yan , Shenton Ann Victoria , Martin Claire , Weatherill David , Moylan Dianna , Hayes Morag , Rienda Laura Gonzalez , Kinley Emma , Eck Stefanie , Pinnock Hilary
Published: May 2024

Digital interventions with artificial intelligence (AI) can potentially support people with asthma to reduce the risk of exacerbation. Engaging patients throughout the development process is essential to ensure usability of the intervention for the end-users. Using our Connected for Asthma (C4A) intervention as an exemplar, we explore how patient involvement can shape a digital intervention. Seven Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) colleagues from the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research participated in four advisory workshops to discuss how they would prefer to use/interact with AI to support living with their asthma, the benefit and caveats to use the AI that incorporated asthma monitoring and indoor/outdoor environmental data. Discussion focussed on the three most wanted use cases identified in our previous studies. PPI colleagues wanted AI to support data collection, remind them about self-management tasks, teach them about asthma environmental triggers, identify risk, and empower them to confidently look after their asthma whilst emphasising that AI does not replace clinicians. The discussion informed the key components in the next C4A interventions, including the approach to interacting with AI, the technology features and the research topics. Attendees highlighted the importance of considering health inequities, the presentation of data, and concerns about data accuracy, data privacy, security and ownership. We have demonstrated how patient roles can shift from that of ‘user’ (the traditional ‘tester’ of a digital intervention), to a co-design partner who shapes the next iteration of the intervention. Technology innovators should seek practical and feasible strategies to involve PPI colleagues throughout the development cycle of a digital intervention; supporting researchers to explore the barriers, concerns, enablers and advantages of implementing digital healthcare.
Transmission of viable Haemophilus ducreyi by Musca domestica
Authors: Stabile Haley D. , McCandless Kayla , Donlan Rachel A. , Gaston Jordan R. , Humphreys Tricia L.
Published: May 2024

Haemophilus ducreyi was historically known as the causative agent of chancroid, a sexually-transmitted disease causing painful genital ulcers endemic in many low/middle-income nations. In recent years the species has been implicated as the causative agent of nongenital cutaneous ulcers affecting children of the South Pacific Islands and West African countries. Much is still unknown about the mechanism of H. ducreyi transmission in these areas, and recent studies have identified local insect species, namely flies, as potential transmission vectors. H. ducreyi DNA has been detected on the surface and in homogenates of fly species sampled from Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea. The current study develops a model system using Musca domestica, the common house fly, as a model organism to demonstrate proof of concept that flies are a potential vector for the transmission of viable H. ducreyi. Utilizing a green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged strain of H. ducreyi and three separate exposure methods, we detected the transmission of viable H. ducreyi by 86.11% ± 22.53% of flies sampled. Additionally, the duration of H. ducreyi viability was found to be directly related to the bacterial concentration, and transmission of H. ducreyi was largely undetectable within one hour of initial exposure. Push testing, Gram staining, and PCR were used to confirm the identity and presence of GFP colonies as H. ducreyi. This study confirms that flies are capable of mechanically transmitting viable H. ducreyi, illuminating the importance of investigating insects as vectors of cutaneous ulcerative diseases.
Podoplanin (D2-40) is a Reliable Marker of Urinary Bladder Myofibroblasts (Telocytes)
Authors: Povýšil Ctibor , Kaňa M. , Zámečník L. , Vaľová Z. , Hanuš T.
Published: May 2024

Podoplanin, D2-40, has been described in a variety of normal and neoplastic tissues. It is often used for highlighting lymphatics. We evaluated the expression of podoplanin in α-smooth muscle actinpositive myofibroblasts producing the suburothelial layer in tunica propria of the urinary bladder that have some similar features with telocytes. Our results showed that these cells demonstrate distinct D2-40 immunoreactivity from telocytes occurring in the renal pelvis and ureter. We observed positive reaction not only in bioptic specimens from women with interstitial cystitis, but also in a control group of women and men treated for pathological bladder lesion different from interstitial cystitis. It is interesting that identical staining reaction was observed in the ureters only exceptionally. In addition, we examined samples from myofibroblastic tumoriform lesions of soft tissue such as nodular fascitis and fibromatosis (desmoid) and we obtained negative results. It means that the so-called myofibroblasts of urinary bladder tunica propria have a unique immunophenotype that has probably not been described until now. Our findings suggest that D2-40 can be used as a complementary immunostainer to α-smooth muscle actin on urinary bladder biopsies from patients with interstitial cystitis. The role of D2-40 as an immunohistochemical marker is still being investigated.
Real-Time Insertion Operator for Shared Mobility on Time-Dependent Road Networks
Authors: Gong Zengyang , Zeng Yuxiang , Chen Lei
Published: May 2024

One of the most important challenges in shared mobility services (
e.g.
, ride-sharing and parcel delivery) is planning routes for workers by considering real road conditions. To tackle this challenge, the "insertion operator", which computes the optimal route for the worker to serve (
i.e.
, insert) the newly appeared delivery request, has been acted as the fundamental operation in existing solutions. However, existing works implicitly assume a static road network, hence are hard to fulfill the real-world scenario, where travel time between two locations is not constant at different times of a day. By contrast, we focus on the insertion operator over time-dependent road networks that capture the periodic pattern of road conditions. We also show that the time complexity of existing solutions would degrade into cubic time and hence such solutions can no longer satisfy the real-time requirement under this real-world setting. To satisfy the need for real-time computation, we propose a data summary to model the time-dependent travel time functions between pairs of vertices in the route. Based on the data summary, we design an efficient solution that can enumerate the best insertion position in linear time while satisfying complex spatiotemporal constraints. Finally, extensive experiments are conducted on real datasets from several applications of shared mobility. The results show that our solution is up to 44.5X faster than the state-of-the-art solution.
A Multi-Scale Decomposition MLP-Mixer for Time Series Analysis
Authors: Zhong Shuhan , Song Sizhe , Zhuo Weipeng , Li Guanyao , Liu Yang , Chan S.-H. Gary
Published: May 2024

Time series data, including univariate and multivariate ones, are characterized by unique composition and complex multi-scale temporal variations. They often require special consideration of decomposition and multi-scale modeling to analyze. Existing deep learning methods on this best fit to univariate time series only, and have not sufficiently considered sub-series modeling and decomposition completeness. To address these challenges, we propose MSD-Mixer, a
M
ulti-
S
cale
D
ecomposition MLP-
Mixer
, which learns to explicitly decompose and represent the input time series in its different layers. To handle the multi-scale temporal patterns and multivariate dependencies, we propose a novel temporal patching approach to model the time series as multi-scale patches, and employ MLPs to capture intra- and inter-patch variations and channel-wise correlations. In addition, we propose a novel loss function to constrain both the mean and the autocorrelation of the decomposition residual for better decomposition completeness. Through extensive experiments on various real-world datasets for five common time series analysis tasks, we demonstrate that MSD-Mixer consistently and significantly outperforms other state-of-the-art algorithms with better efficiency.
Recent progress on the research of steel corrosion behavior and corrosion control in the context of CO2 geological utilization and storage: a review
Authors: Wang Hanwen , Zhang Liwei , Mei Kaiyuan , Cheng Xiaowei , Xue Quan , Wang Yan , Fu Xiaojuan
Published: May 2024

CO2 geological utilization and storage (CGUS) is a key technology to achieve carbon neutrality goals. To apply CGUS on a larger scale, the issue of steel corrosion during the process must be addressed to mitigate technological risks. This paper provides an overview of CO2-induced steel corrosion mechanisms and identifies factors that influence corrosion. The impact of CO2 partial pressure, temperature, salinity, pH, impurities, and fluid flow on steel corrosion behavior are also discussed. With the presence of water, the corrosive effect of supercritical CO2 on steel is stronger than that of dissolved CO2 or gaseous CO2. As the temperature increases, the corrosion rate of steel first increases and then decreases. Increasing salinity and decreasing pH lead to an accelerated corrosion rate of steel. Corrosion inhibitors, coatings, and corrosion-resistant alloys are recommended protective measures against CO2-induced corrosion. Compared with coatings, corrosion inhibitors and corrosion-resistant alloys are more commonly used in CGUS projects. Future research directions include further exploration of the mechanisms underlying CO2-induced steel corrosion, clarifying the coupled effects of various environmental factors, and developing corrosion protection technologies under high-pressure and high-concentration CO2 conditions.
“Our nation is just trying to rebirth right now”: constructing Crimean Tatar spaces of otherwise through Linguistic Citizenship
Authors: Volvach Natalia
Published: May 2024

This paper aims to make visible the alternative social projects hidden beneath everyday Crimean Tatar landscapes. Drawing on audio recordings and field data from interviews and narrated walking tours led by young citizens, it illuminates how these spaces of otherwise emerge and are co-constructed through participants’ re-readings of material artifacts, resemiotisation of place semiotics and resignification of communal spaces. Participants navigate among such spaces, negotiating the legacies of historical acts of material, cultural, and linguistic dispossession and disruption as well as the contemporary forms that such acts take. In narrating semiotic landscapes, participants perform acts of Linguistic Citizenship, a concept that recognizes that speakers express agency, voice, and participation through a variety of semiotic means; they engage or disengage with political institutions of the state and advance claims for alternative forms of belonging. This paper thus expands semiotic landscape research through its design as a linguistic ethnography, using interactional data to account for individuals’ perceptions of place. It also adds to research on Linguistic Citizenship by foregrounding invisibilized linguistic repertoires and performative acts of meaning-making in a charged political context.
The effect of an intervention focused on academic language on CAF measures in the multilingual writing of secondary students
Authors: Imaz Agirre Ainara , Arias-Hermoso Roberto , Ipiña Nagore
Published: May 2024

The present study aims to explore the effect of an experimental intervention based on academic writing instruction and scientific argumentation on the argumentative multilingual writing of secondary school students. Complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) measures were used to evaluate the texts. A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test design was carried out with a control group (n = 49) and an experimental group (n = 63) of Basque-Spanish bilingual Year 8 students. The students composed scientific argumentative texts before and after a science unit was taught. Participants in the experimental group received instruction on academic writing and the discourse aspects of argumentation. The corpus of 678 texts was processed using MultiAzterTest and CAF measures were retrieved. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to compare pre-test and post-test results. The control group exhibited a significant decrease in some fluency, syntactic complexity and accuracy measures, while the experimental group showed a significant improvement in some syntactic complexity and accuracy measures. These results suggest that the experimental intervention might have had a positive impact on written CAF measures. This study emphasises the importance of teaching academic language in multilingual contexts.
Application of emotion recognition technology in psychological counseling for college students
Authors: Li Xiaoran
Published: May 2024

In traditional psychological counseling, limitations of patients’ subjective feelings and expressive abilities, as well as the varying levels of professional skills and conversation skills of counselors, make it difficult to properly solve psychological problems. Emotional recognition technology can help psychological counselors better understand the inner world of patients, thereby providing more targeted psychological counseling services for college students. 2D convolutional neural network-long short-term memory (2DCNN-LSTM) and 1D convolutional neural network-long short-term memory network (1DCNN-LSTM) were used for emotion recognition. Wavelet packet coefficient sequences were utilized to analyze multimodal data; multi-core convolutional neural network models were applied for multimodal feature layer fusion, and LSTM recurrent neural networks were used to effectively identify valence and college student emotions. The experimental results showed that under multimodal recognition, the average recognition accuracy of 2DCNN-LSTM for fourth-year university students was 18.7% higher than that of 1DCNN-LSTM for fourth-year university students. Compared with 1DCNN-LSTM, 2DCNN-LSTM can achieve better recognition accuracy. The research results can help psychological counselors better understand the emotional state and needs of students and provide more personalized and targeted counseling services.
Mechanisms of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F on treating rheumatoid arthritis explored by network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking
Authors: Mao Ni , Xie Xi
Published: May 2024

Background

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory and disabling disease that imposes significant economic and social costs. Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) has a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine for treating joint disorders, and it has been shown to be cost-effective in treating RA, but its exact mechanism is unknown.

Objective

The goal of the network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking was to investigate the potential active compounds and associated anti-RA mechanisms of TwHF.

Methods

TCMSP and UniProt databases were searched for active compounds and related targets of TwHF. PharmGKB, DrugBank, OMIM, TTD, and the Human Gene Databases were used to identify RA-related targets. The intersected RA and TwHF targets were entered into the STRING database to create a protein–protein interaction network. R software was used for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses. Molecular docking technology was used to analyze the optimal effective components from TwHF for docking with the selected target gene.

Results

Following screening and duplicate removal, a total of 51 active compounds and 96 potential targets were chosen. The PPI network revealed that the target proteins are CXCL8, CXCL6, STAT3, STAT1, JUN, PPARG, TP53, IL14, MMP9, VEGFA, RELA, CASP3, PTGS2, IFNG, AKT1, FOS, ICAM1, and MAPK14. The results of the GO enrichment analysis focused primarily on the response to lipopolysaccharide, the response to molecules of bacterial origin, and the response to drugs. The KEGG results indicated that the mechanisms were closely related to lipid and atherosclerosis, chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, Kaposi sarcoma-associated, herpesvirus infection, hepatitis B, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, IL-17 signaling pathways, Th17-cell differentiation, and so on, all of which are involved in angiogenesis, immune cell chemotaxis, and inflammatory responses. Molecular docking results suggested that triptolide was the appropriate PTGS1, PTGS2, and TNF inhibitors.

Conclusion

Our findings provide an essential role and basis for further immune inflammatory studies into the molecular mechanisms of TwHF and PTGS1, PTGS2, and TNF inhibitor development in RA.
The crystal structure of 4′-chloro-griseofulvin: (2S,6′R)-4′,7-dichloro-4,6-dimethoxy-6′-methyl-3H-spiro[benzofuran-2,1′-cyclohexan]-3′-ene-2′,3-dione, C16H14Cl2O5
Authors: Yang Kai-Ming , Zhang Meng , Li Yi-Xiang , Huang Liang-Zhu , Zhao Yu , Yang Hua , Bai Yu-Bin
Published: May 2024

C16H14Cl2O5, orthorhombic, P212121 (no. 19), a = 8.6429 (4) Å, b = 11.3361 (6) Å, c = 33.9029 (11) Å, V = 3321.7 (3) Å3, Z = 8, R
gt(F) = 0.0635, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1630, T = 293(2) K.
Incorporation of organic photochromic molecules in mesoporous silica materials: Synthesis and applications
Authors: Alenazi Maha H. , Mubarak Ahmed T. , Abboud Mohamed
Published: May 2024

The ability to control the function and structure of some promising nanosystems using an external stimulus is attractive research to develop programmable and reconfigurable intelligent nanomaterials. The focal point of this review is the silicon-based nanoporous materials, and particularly the mesoporous silica materials (MSMs) class (pore size: 2–50 nm), due to their important intrinsic properties, such as high surface area, highly ordered nanostructure, narrow pore size distribution, various dimensions (one-dimensional, two-dimensional, and three-dimensional), and easily functionable. One of the most essential organic components that can be incorporated in MSMs is organic photochromic molecules (OPMs), such as azobenzene, stilbene, dithienylethenes, and spiropyrans. OPMs can be incorporated into MSMs, to form photochromic mesoporous organosilica materials (PMOMs), in two different ways: physical (non-covalent immobilization) or chemical (covalent immobilization) binding. PMOMs are considered smart nanomaterials because they have the ability to undergo reversible changes in the solid state when exposed to an external electromagnetic radiation. PMOMs have been the subject of many research studies during the last decade due to their potential applications, especially as chemosensors. This review discusses the main families of OPMs, their incorporation into MSMs using different methods, and the applications of some PMOMs as chemosensors.
Expanding the focus of the One Health concept: links between the Earth-system processes of the planetary boundaries framework and antibiotic resistance
Authors: Alkorta Itziar , Garbisu Carlos
Published: May 2024

The scientific community warns that our impact on planet Earth is so acute that we are crossing several of the planetary boundaries that demarcate the safe operating space for humankind. Besides, there is mounting evidence of serious effects on people’s health derived from the ongoing environmental degradation. Regarding human health, the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria is one of the most critical public health issues worldwide. Relevantly, antibiotic resistance has been claimed to be the quintessential One Health issue. The One Health concept links human, animal, and environmental health, but it is frequently only focused on the risk of zoonotic pathogens to public health or, to a lesser extent, the impact of contaminants on human health, i.e., adverse effects on human health coming from the other two One Health “compartments”. It is recurrently claimed that antibiotic resistance must be approached from a One Health perspective, but such statement often only refers to the connection between the use of antibiotics in veterinary practice and the antibiotic resistance crisis, or the impact of contaminants (antibiotics, heavy metals, disinfectants, etc.) on antibiotic resistance. Nonetheless, the nine Earth-system processes considered in the planetary boundaries framework can be directly or indirectly linked to antibiotic resistance. Here, some of the main links between those processes and the dissemination of antibiotic resistance are described. The ultimate goal is to expand the focus of the One Health concept by pointing out the links between critical Earth-system processes and the One Health quintessential issue, i.e., antibiotic resistance.
Impact Of Annuity on The Economic Development of Nigeria
Authors: Noah Gbenga Alli , Mutiu Adeniyi Afolabi
Published: May 2024

An annuity is a way of transferring longevity risk from an individual to an insurance company, which can pool risk among many individuals and achieve greater diversification of risk than can be accomplished by any individual. Annuity premiums build capital for insurance companies and encourage technical innovation and progress, while the benefits paid to annuitants are beneficial to them in the and, in turn, helps with the economies of large-scale production and increases specialization, which helps to accelerate labour profuctivity and increase GDP. This paper examines the impact of annuities on economic development in Nigeria. Annuities provide longevity risk protection and retirement income security. The study aims to determine the impact of annuity premiums paid by workers and annuity benefits paid to retirees on Nigeria's economic development, as measured by real GDP. An ex-post facto research design is adopted using secondary data from 2014-2020. Two hypotheses are tested using regression analysis.
The first hypothesis postulates that annuity premiums do not have significant impact on economic development. The second hypothesis postulates that there is no significant effect of annuity benefits on economic development. The results reject both null hypotheses at the 5 % significance level. Annuity premiums positively and significantly (p = 0.013) affect economic development. This occurs as premiums create capital formation for insurance firms to make productivity-enhancing investments. However, annuity benefits negatively and significantly (p = 0.0027) affect development, likely indicating funds withdrawn from the economy. Recommendations include the establishing structures to develop annuity products and markets to address the problems of the decumulation phase.
In addition, it is advisable to increase investment in annuity premiums and to monitor the payout ratio of annuities. The empirical analysis provides useful insights, but future research should explore long-term macroeconomic effects.
Innovations in pet nutrition: investigating diverse formulations and varieties of pet food: mini review
Authors: Kumar Rishav , Goswami Meena , Pathak Vikas
Published: May 2024

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of innovations in pet food products, focusing on kibbles, chews, and treats. Kibbles, which are processed dry dog food, play a crucial role in the pet food industry, with ongoing efforts to enhance their formulation to improve dental health and increase pet preference. Coated kibbles introduce a novel approach with a core and coating, offering a customizable composition of proteins, binders, carbohydrates, and fats. These innovations aim to meet the diverse nutritional needs of pets while improving palatability and health benefits.
Solar Activity and Cosmic Ray Intensity Variation with Geomagnetic Activity during 1996–2022
Authors: Pal M. , Kumar P. , Rani A. , Mishra A.P. , Singh Sh.
Published: May 2024

The average features of diurnal variation have been observed to change with different phases of the solar cycle, with the variance being substantially bigger at higher energies. The events were classified on the basis of different phases of solar cycles, i.e., the minimum solar activity time period, the maximum solar activity time period, and the declining phase of solar cycle. This research looks at the observed results and the influence of solar variability on cosmic rays and the geomagnetic field from 1996 to 2022. The occasional group includes a Forbush effect decline, transitory decrease, and a ground level enhancement (GLE). The 11-year fluctuation in Galactic Cosmic Rays is also known as the long-term variation, whereas the Forbush effect reduction is known as short-term variation. We investigated the long-term change in the cosmic ray intensity and its relationship to the number of Sun spots (Rz), solar wind speed (
Bathing in the Southern Brown-throated Weaver
Authors: Oschadleus H Dieter
Published: May 2024

The first record of bathing in the Southern Brown-throated Weaver Ploceus xanthopterus was made n 18 September 2021 in Katima Mulilo (17°29'42.07"S, 24°19'26.36"E) , Namibia.