bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preclinical Characterization of XL092, a Novel Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor of MET, VEGFR2, AXL, and MER
Authors: Hsu Jeff , Chong Colin , Serrill Jeffrey , Goon Levina , Balayan Joan , Johnson Eric N. , Lorenzana Grachelle , Wu Sharon , Leong Kevin G. , Yun Theodore J. , Wang Yong , Jiang Faming , Bannen Lynne , Lamb Peter , Xu Wei , Yu Peiwen
Published: November 2022

The multi-receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor XL092 has been developed to inhibit the activity of oncogenic targets, including MET, VEGFR2, and the TAM family of kinases TYRO3, AXL and MER. Presented here is a preclinical evaluation of XL092. XL092 causes a significant decrease in tumor MET and AXL phosphorylation (P < 0.01) in murine Hs 746T xenograft models relative to vehicle, and a 96% inhibition of VEGFR2 phosphorylation in murine lungs. Dose-dependent tumor growth inhibition with XL092 was observed in various murine xenograft models, with dose-dependent tumor regression seen in the NCI-H441 model. Tumor growth inhibition was enhanced with the combination of XL092 with anti-PD-1, anti-programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1), or anti-CTLA-4 compared with any of these agents alone in the MC38 murine syngeneic model and with anti-PD-1 in the CT26 colorectal cancer survival model. In vivo, XL092 promoted a decrease in the tumor microvasculature and significant increases of peripheral CD4+ T cells and B cells and decreases in myeloid cells versus vehicle. Significant increases in CD8+ T cells were also observed with XL092 plus anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 versus vehicle. In addition, XL092 promoted M2 to M1 repolarization of macrophages in vitro and inhibited primary human macrophage efferocytosis in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, XL092 was shown to have significant antitumor and immunomodulatory activity in animal models both alone and in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, supporting its evaluation in clinical trials.
Risk of Major Mental Disorder after Severe Bacterial Infections in Children and Adolescents: A Nationwide Longitudinal Study
Authors: Hsu Tien-Wei , Chu Che-Sheng , Tsai Shih-Jen , Bai Ya-Mei , Su Tung-Ping , Chen Tzeng-Ji , Chen Mu-Hong , Liang Chih-Sung
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Evidence has suggested an association between bacterial infection and increased risk of subsequent major mental disorders (MMDs). Whether such association varies with different pathogens remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the risk of subsequent MMDs after exposure to bacterial pathogens in children and adolescents. Methods: Between 1997 and 2012, we enrolled a nationwide cohort of 14,024 children and adolescents with hospitalized bacterial infection, and noninfected controls were 1:4 matched for demographics. There were 11 investigated pathogens, namely, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, Hemophilus, Mycoplasma, Tuberculosis, Meningococcus, Escherichia, Chlamydia, and Scrub typhus. The primary outcomes were the subsequent risk of seven MMDs, namely, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficiency hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), tic disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depressive disorder. The secondary outcomes were the subsequent risk of exposure to psychotropic medications. Results: Pooled bacterial infection was associated with increased risk of the six MMDs – ASD (reported as hazard ratios with 95% confidence intervals: 13.80; 7.40–25.75), ADHD (6.93; 5.98–8.03), OCD (3.93; 1.76–8.76), tic disorder (6.19; 4.44–8.64), bipolar disorder (2.50; 1.28–4.86), and depressive disorder (1.93; 1.48–2.51) – and exposure to four psychotropic medications, including ADHD drugs (11.81; 9.72–14.35), antidepressants (2.96; 2.45–3.57), mood stabilizers (4.51; 2.83–7.19), and atypical antipsychotics (4.23; 3.00–5.96) compared to controls. The associations among MMDs and specific pathogens varied. Importantly, Streptococcus was associated with the most MMDs (six MMDs), and ADHD was associated with eight bacterial pathogen infections. Conclusions: After bacterial infection, the risk of MMDs increased in children and adolescents compared to controls, and such associations varied with different pathogens. Future studies are warranted to validate our study findings and investigate the potential mechanisms.
Development of the Story Telling Examination for Early Mild Cognitive Impairment (Pre-Mild Cognitive Impairment) Screening
Authors: Taranop Vimonrath , Ruangrajitpakorn Yossaya , Praputpittaya Panika , Lippanon Krittapak , Tharnpipat Ratanasit , Wongpakaran Nahathai , Wongpakaran Tinakon , Srisaikaew Patcharaporn , Mahakkanukrauh Pasuk , Varnado Pairada , Yang Tong , Peisah Carmelle
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Cognitive function prior to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has become a burgeoning interest. Tools used to detect this early period before MCI are being pilot-tested. This study aimed to develop a new test to detect pre-MCI and to examine its content validity and feasibility. Methods: The Story Telling Examination for Early MCI Screening (STEEMS), an audio cognitive test, was developed. It covers ten cognitive domains, e.g., executive function, language fluency, abstract reasoning. Face and content validity were examined by experts in geriatric psychiatry and psychology. The content validity index was 1.00. STEEMS comprised 12 items with 2–4 types of scoring. The tool was further examined in 16 pilot samples for feasibility among healthy participants having no cognitive impairment (Montreal Cognitive Assessment [MoCA] test score ≥25, Mini-Cog ≥3) and no depressive symptoms (Geriatric Depression Scale <6). Results: The 16 healthy older individuals aged 59–73 years, mean age was 65.06 ± 4.07 years, were predominantly males (68.8%). STEEMS scores ranged from 10 to 25, with a mean of 18.38 (SD = 4.2). Thirteen percent obtained 100% correct on the STEEMS, 63% scored 68–92% correct, and 25% scored 40–60% correct. The pre-MCI scores are illustrated by a bell curve’s graphical depiction, suggesting a normal distribution probability distribution. Correlation between STEEMS and MoCA test scores was observed. STEEMS showed to be feasible for early elderly or late adults as being brief and easy to understand. The time spent to administer was predictably less than 7 min. Discussion/Conclusion: STEEMS could potentially serve as a tool for pre-MCI screening. Further study and investigation in a larger population are required.
Long Noncoding RNA HOXA-AS2 Facilitates Prostate Cancer Progression by Inhibiting miR-885-5p to Upregulate KDM5B
Authors: Yang Zhi , Zhang Fan , Cai Kai , Xu Jianxin
Published: November 2022

Introduction: The regulatory network of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) affects tumorigenesis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanism by which long noncoding RNA HOXA-AS2 promotes prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Methods: The expression levels of HOXA-AS2, miR-885-5p, and KDM5B in PCa tissues and cell lines were evaluated by qRT-PCR or Western blotting. CCK-8 assay, caspase-3 activity assay, flow cytometry, and scratch test revealed changes in cell proliferation, caspase-3 activity, apoptosis, and migration, respectively. Luciferase and radioimmunoprecipitation assays were used to evaluate the correlation among HOXA-AS2, miR-885-5p, and KDM5B expression profiles. Results: HOXA-AS2 expression level was elevated in PCa tissues and cells. Silencing of HOXA-AS2 suppressed proliferation and migration and facilitated apoptosis in PCa cells. HOXA-AS2 competitively adsorbed miR-885-5p, thereby blocking the effect of HOXA-AS2 knockdown by the miR-885-5p inhibitor in PCa cells. Moreover, KDM5B, a target of miR-885-5p, neutralized the function of miR-885-5p in PCa cells. Conclusion: This study revealed a potential ceRNA regulatory pathway in which HOXA-AS2 affects KDM5B expression levels by sponging miR-885-5p to promote PCa development and progression.
Acute and Chronic Cardiovascular Consequences of Acute Kidney Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: De Clercq Lorenz , Ailliet Tim , Schaubroeck Hannah , Hoste Eric A.J.
Published: November 2022

Introduction: We examined whether patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) have a higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in the short and long term compared to patients without AKI, and if that risk is related to the severity of AKI. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of a cardiac event following AKI on the risk of all-cause mortality, length of stay in the intensive care unit and in the hospital. Methods: We included English and Dutch retrospective and prospective cohort studies on adults (≥15 years) with AKI. Studies lacking epidemiological data, studies not using the consensus definitions (RIFLE, AKIN, KDIGO), animal studies, and studies on children were excluded. Studies were identified using the PubMed and Embase search engines. The last search was performed on the first of August 2021. For assessment of method quality, Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) for assessing risk of bias was used for cohort studies and heterogeneity was determined by the I2 statistic. Statistical analysis was performed using the Cochrane Review Manager (RevMan 5.3). The risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the Mantel-Haenszel test. Results were presented in a summary caterpillar plot. Results: We evaluated 14 studies comprising 736,210 patients. AKI was defined according to the RIFLE consensus in 1 article, to the AKIN criteria in 7, and to the KDIGO guidelines in 6. Of the 14 included studies, 4 were prospective and 10 were retrospective. In comparison with patients without AKI, we found that patients with AKI had a 94% increased risk of developing AF in the short term (RR: 1.94, 95% CI 1.35–2.79; p = 0.0004). In the long term, patients with AKI stage 1 had a 59% increased risk of developing HF and a 77% risk of developing ACS (RR: 1.59, 95% CI 1.07–2.34, p = 0.02 and RR: 1.77, 95% CI 1.68–1.88, p < 0.00001, respectively). Patients with AKI stage 2 had a 45% increased risk of ACS development (RR: 1.45, 95% CI 1.11–1.90, p = 0.006). AKI stage 3 was associated with a 164% increased risk of HF and a 95% increased risk of ACS development (RR: 2.64, 95% CI 1.71–4.08, p < 0.00001 and RR: 1.95, 95% CI 1.35–2.82, p = 0.0004, respectively). Analysis of studies not subdividing AKI into groups showed a 74% increased risk of HF, a 12% increased risk of ACS, and a 30% increased risk of developing MACE (RR: 1.74, 95% CI 1.51–2.01, p < 0.00001, RR: 1.12, 95% CI 1.07–1.17, p < 0.00001 and RR: 1.30, 95% CI 1.25–1.35, p < 0.00001, respectively). Conclusions: Patients who developed AKI have an increased risk of developing AF at short-term follow-up and HF, ACS, and MACE beyond 30 days.
Positioning and Usefulness of Biomarkers in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Sakurai Toshiyuki , Saruta Masayuki
Published: November 2022

Background: Mucosal healing (MH) was proposed to be an ideal treatment goal for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Instead of endoscopy to confirm MH, biomarkers are frequently used and have become an indispensable modality for the clinical examination of patients with IBD. Summary: Common biomarkers of IBD include C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate, antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies, leucine-rich α2 glycoprotein, fecal calprotectin (FCP), and the fecal immunochemical test. Biomarkers play five major roles in the management of IBD: (1) diagnosing and distinguishing between IBD and non-IBD or ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease; (2) predicting treatment response, especially before administrating biologics; (3) monitoring and grasping endoscopic or histological disease activity; (4) replacing endoscopy for diagnosing MH, including endoscopic and histological remission; and (5) predicting recurrence before disease activity appears through symptoms. Many reports have demonstrated the usefulness of CRP and FCP for those five roles; however, they have limitations for diagnosing MH or predicting treatment response. In general, FCP has better ability in those positions than CRP; additionally, leucine-rich α2 glycoprotein can diagnose endoscopic disease activity better than CRP. The novel biomarker, prostaglandin E-major urinary metabolite, and anti-αvβ6 antibody are expected to be noninvasive and reliable biomarkers; however, more evidence is required for future studies. Oncostatin M and microRNA are also prospects, in addition to other familiar and novel biomarkers. Key Messages: Each biomarker has a useful feature; therefore, we should consider their features and use appropriate biomarkers for the five roles to enable noninvasive and smooth management of IBD.
Combined Treatment with Fluoride and Antimicrobial Peptide GH12 Efficiently Controls Caries in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Wang Yufei , Zeng Yuhao , Feng Zening , Li Zhongxu , Jiang Xuelian , Han Sili , Washio Jumpei , Takahashi Nobuhiro , Zhang Linglin
Published: November 2022

Combining fluoride and antimicrobial agents enhances regulation of acid and exopolysaccharide production by biofilms. The combination also weakens the acidogenic and aciduric bacteria that contribute to caries, achieving stronger caries-controlling effects with lower concentrations of fluoride. In previous studies, antimicrobial peptide GH12 has been shown to inhibit lactic acid and exopolysaccharide synthesis in various cariogenic biofilm models, and reduce the proportion of acidogenic bacteria and Keyes caries scores in a rat caries model. The current study aimed to elucidate the effect of a combination of low concentrations of sodium fluoride (NaF) and GH12 and to determine the mechanism by which GH12/NaF combination controls caries. The GH12/NaF combination contained 8 mg/L GH12 and 250 ppm NaF. A rat caries model was built, and rat dental plaque was sampled and cultivated on bovine enamel slabs in vitro and subjected to short-term treatment (5 min, 3 times/day). The caries-controlling effects were evaluated using Keyes scoring and transverse microradiography. The results showed that the GH12/NaF combination significantly decreased the onset and development of dental caries, as well as mineral content loss and lesion depth in vitro (p < 0.05). For the caries-controlling mechanisms, 16S rRNA sequencing of in vivo dental plaque revealed that populations of commensal bacteria Rothia spp. and Streptococcus parasanguinis increased in the GH12/NaF group. In contrast, Veillonella, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus mutans decreased. Furthermore, the GH12/NaF combination significantly reduced biomass, lactic acid, and exopolysaccharides production of in vitro biofilm (p < 0.05). Overall, fluoride and GH12 efficiently arrested caries development and demineralization by regulating the microbiota and suppressing acid and exopolysaccharide production in biofilms.
A framework to recognize the sign language system for deaf and dumb using mining techniques
Authors: V. Srininvas Lokavarapu , Raminaidu Chitri , Ravibabu Devareddi , Shankar Reddy Shiva
Published: November 2022

One way of communicating with the deaf is to speak sign language. The chief barrier to little Indian sign language (ISL) research was the language diversity and variations in place. It is essential to learn sign language to communicate with them. Most learning takes place in peer groups. There are very few materials available for teaching signs. Thus, signing is very challenging to learn. Fingerspelling is the first step in sign learning and is used whenever there is no appropriate sign or if the signatory is unfamiliar with it. Sign language learning tools currently available use expensive external sensors. Through this project, we will take this field further by collecting a dataset and extracting functionally helpful information used in several supervised learning methods. Our current work presents four validated fold cross results for multiple approaches. The difference from the previous work is that we used different figures for our validation set than the training set in four-fold cross-validations.
A crypto-steganography healthcare management: towards a secure communication channel for data COVID-19 updating
Authors: Sameer Jabbar Mohanad , Saeed Issa Samer
Published: November 2022

Nowadays, secure transmission massive volumes of medical data (such as COVID-19 data) are crucial but yet difficult in communication between hospitals. The confidentiality and integrity are two concerning challenges must be addressing to healthcare data. Also, the data availability challenge that related to network fail which may reason concerns to the arrival the COVID-19 data. The second challenge solved with the different tools such as virtual privet network (VPN) or blockchain technology. Towards overcoming the aforementioned for first challenges, a new scheme based on crypto steganography is proposed to secure updating (COVID-19) data. Three main contributions have been consisted within this study. The first contribution is responsible to encrypt the COVID-19 data prior to the embedding process, called hybrid cryptography (HC). The second contribution is related with the security in random blocks and pixels selection in hosting image. Three iterations of the Hénon Map function used with this contribution. The last contribution called inversing method which used with embedding process. Three important measurements were used the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), the Histogram analysis and structural similarity index measure (SSIM). Based on the findings, the present scheme gives evidence to increase capacity, imperceptibility, and security to ovoid the existing methods problem.
Automatic recognition of color sensation with controlled phosphene brightness using pre-trained CNNs framework
Authors: Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Chowdary Muthyala , Ramana Venkata
Published: November 2022

Argus-II is one of the most successful epiretinal implantation for providing visual acuity those who lost their vision sight due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP) problem. However, this model faces color recognition issue is observed from implanted patients. Hence, it arises whenever electrode fail to retain same electrical stimuli property during sensitivity color transition state is occurred (especially, blue and purple colors). To resolve this problem, a proper handling of electrical stimuli parameters (amplitude, frequency and pulse width) is required during patient under every visual impact is possible. Addition to this, the individual patient color sensation is recorded in the observation state and creates Argus-II dataset to train the machine learning algorithm for maintaining phosphene brightness through controlled generation of the electrical stimuli. Therefore, in this paper, an automatic recognition of color sensation with controlled phosphene brightness using pre-trained CNNs framework is proposed. The frequency modulated electrical stimulation of retina is purely influence by trained CNNs for adjusting amplitude that can retain maximum brightness along with clarity in the color sensation. The experimental results shows that the proposed system is achieved reasonable improvement in the transition color sensation as well as controlled brightness when compared with other existing systems.
Review of current artificial intelligence methods and metaheuristic algorithms for wind power prediction
Authors: Bouabdallaoui Doha , Haidi Touria , El Jaadi Mariam
Published: November 2022

Due to the insufficient fossil resources and the increasing environmental challenges, the world is heading for a more use-oriented to renewable energy sources, specifically to wind energy. A number of predictive techniques are available for the efficient use of wind energy. This article, which is a review of methods of artificial intelligence (AI) and meta-heuristic algorithms for wind energy prediction, fits into this context. There are two distinct categories: the first consists of traditional methods that are commonly used in this context, like different types of artificial neural networks (ANN), support vector machines (SVM) and fuzzy logic; the second is a combined approach which mixes the classic artificial intelligence methods and the meta-heuristic algorithms for the optimization of the forecast output. Then, a summary and comparison between the methodologies are established, and the advantages and limits of each technique are defined. The combination of the classic artificial intelligence and metaheuristic algorithms has a greater performance than the utilization of classic methods only. Nevertheless, using hybrid metaheuristic algorithms with classic artificial intelligence prediction methods can provide a higher precision.
Fault simulation for design for testability inserted designs
Authors: Gowda Madhura Rame , Jamuna Jamuna
Published: November 2022

Systematic design for testability (DFT) is a technique to enhance the testability of design so that it is further organized and self-regulating. The objective of systematic DFT is to enhance a circuit's operability and evidence. This can be performed in a variety of ways. The scan pattern method is the extremely predominant, and it modifies the design's internal sequential circuitry. In this manuscript, frequently used industry standard functional register-transfer level (RTL) designs are chosen. Structured DFT approach is adopted to do scan insertion and automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) to enhance the testability. Proposed methodology provides the controllability and observability for the clocks and reset used in chosen RTL designs by eliminating S rule and D rule violations by adding test logic. Also able to insert stuck at faults and achieve fault coverage of 97.78% and test coverage of 99.26% for DFT architecture for Wallace tree multiplier design, and found different classes of faults as testable and untestable faults and also performed fault simulation for the intended designs to detect fault from the created deterministic patterns.
Low-cost battery monitoring circuit for a photovoltaic system based on LoRa/LoRaWAN network
Authors: Ez Dallalbashi Zena , Alhayalir Shaymaa , Jabbar Mnati Mohannad , Abd-aljbar Alhayali Alhan
Published: November 2022

In this paper, an inexpensive electronic circuit will be designed to monitor the cells of battery cells’ voltage in a Lithium-ion bato monitors paper, we will use three battery packs made up of lithium cells connected in a series, and we will test the individual cell voltages, design a simple circuit with op-amps, and send the results via long-range (LoRa) technology to an Arduino base station, where they will be displayed on an liquid crystal display (LCD) screen. This paper deals with the development of a photovoltaic (PV) system battery performance-monitoring unit. This will be done by using an Arduino and long-range wide area networking (LoRaWAN) as a control and monitoring system. The measurement values and data will be sent to a personal station by using an RFM95 LoRa module (as a Universal Asynchronous unit) and the data can be visualized in LCD. One of the parameters of the battery monitoring system is the voltage of the PV system. The goal of the project is to design a new circuit for monitoring the charging condition, discharge depth, and ampere-hour (AH) of the battery, and this all will be analyzed to prove the performance of the battery in the independent photovoltaic system.
Investigation into the suitability of kinect sensor for automated body measurement
Authors: Temitayo Ejidokun , Olasunkanmi Adigun Samson , E. Olutayo Olutayo-Irheren , Yusuf Rabbilfattah Ozovehe
Published: November 2022

Due to the low cost and wide availability of the Kinect sensor, researchers and experts in the field of anthropometry, sizing and clothing fiting are leveraging on its inbuilt 3D camera to develop systems for automated body measurement. This study focuses on the evaluation of the Microsoft Kinect (V1) sensor to determine its suitability for automated body measurement. The study was conducted by data collection of various body dimensions of test subjects using a measuring tape as a reference. Furthermore, a statistical approach known as the measurement system analysis was used to investigate the sensor's capability to produce accurate, reliable and consistent body measurements. The results obtained shows indicates that there exists very little variation when the measurement is repeated. Also, the instrument is relatively stable, with minimal bias which can be corrected by calibration. The outcome of the study proves the effectiveness of the Microsoft Kinect sensor as a means of conducting body measurement.
Preliminary study on agarwood essential oil and its classification techniques using machine learning
Authors: Hasnu Al-Hadi Anis Hazirah 'Izzati , Mohd Amidon Aqib Fawwaz , Mohd Huzir Siti Mariatul Hazwa , Ismail Nurlaila , Mohd Yusoff Zakiah , Tajuddin Saiful Nizam , Taib Mohd Nasir
Published: November 2022

Using essential oils derived from trees for pharmaceutical purposes, incense, aromatherapy, and other areas has expanded its popularity on the international market. However, since human sensory evaluation is still the primary technique used to grade essential oils in Malaysia, the classification technique for determining their grade is still below standard. Nonetheless, prior studies established new approaches for classifying the grade of essential oils by studying their chemical compounds. Therefore, agarwood essential oil was selected for the suggested model due to the increasing demand and the high cost of the world's natural raw materials. The support vector machine (SVM) using one versus all (OVA) approach was selected as the classifier for agarwood essential oil. This study provides an overview of essential oils and their prior research techniques. In addition, a review of SVM is conducted to demonstrate that the technique is appropriate for future studies.
Design smart hospital system based on cloud computing
Authors: Talib Suhair Hussein , Abdul-Rahaim Laith Ali , Alrubaie Ali Jawad , Raseed Israa Mohammed
Published: November 2022

Smart healthcare is a program that provides services to patients and healthcare assistants at any time, it is used smartly with cloud computing. A smart mobile device can collect data from a wide range of receiving sets (Wi-Fi and cloud), underwired sensors, the internet of things (IoT). It permits doctors to monitor and diagnose patients with small embedded devices that are unobtrusive, wireless, lightweight, and capable of detecting, interpreting and communi-cating physiological signs easily in a timely manner without the need for a doctor present. This paper develops integrated smart records and reports and is shared via the cloud. A variety of small devices have been used that detect the object to be sensed and then tell the person monitoring the patient's condition, for example, body and room temperature, oxygen percentage, heart rate). This data is sent to the server via the Internet. To store details and monitor the patient through it. In the event that any error occurs in any of this data, such as a decrease or increase in the normal value, a signal will be sent via Telegram to the phone of the individual monitoring the patient's condition to alert and to take necessary action.
Eating disorders in the preoperative phase of bariatric surgery
Authors: Simões Shirley Kelly dos Santos , Pedrosa Renata Maria Gonçalves , Calado Cinthia Katiane Martins , Cabral Poliana Coelho , Maio Regiane , Correia Maria Flora , Burgos Maria Goretti Pessoa de Araujo
Published: November 2022

Introduction: Bariatric surgery is considered the most effective obesity treatment. Obese patients have a high prevalence of eating disorders. Objectives:  Evaluate the occurrence of eating disorders and eating patterns in candidates for bariatric surgery and associate eating disorders with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using electronic charts of candidates for bariatric surgery. Data were collected on sex, age, marital status, schooling, occupation, non-communicable diseases, body mass index (BMI), eating disorders, and eating patterns. Results: Among the 281 patients evaluated, eating disorders were detected in 26.7%; 10.3% had binge eating disorder, 6.6% had bulimia nervosa, and 5.3% had the night-eating syndrome. The specific eating patterns were overeating (46.6%), binge eating during periods of stress (9.3%), eating sweets (4%), and snaking (1.3%). BMI ranged from 35.38 to 59.03 kg/m² (mean: 44.37 ± 5.89). All individuals (100%) had systemic arterial hypertension, and 23.3% had type 2 diabetes mellitus or dyslipidemia. Conclusions: The frequency of eating disorders was low in the sample studied, the most common of which was binge eating disorder. Non-communicable diseases were associated with eating disorders. Among the eating patterns observed, the most frequent was overeating.
Effects of kefir supplementation on body antioxidant-systems, haemolymph heat-shock protein 70 and trypsin, in the crayfish Astacus leptodactylus Eschscholtz (Decapoda, Astacidea)
Authors: Aksu Önder , Türkoğlu Semra , Can Erkan , Erişir Mine , Kocabaş Mehmet , Kayim Murathan , Benzer Fulya
Published: November 2022

This study was designed to investigate the effects of dietary kefir on trypsin, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) as well as the oxidant and antioxidant status of the freshwater crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus. The experiment was performed with the four following treatments: Control group, D1, D2 and D3 (kefir supplemented diet 2, 4, 8 g/kg of crayfish body mass, respectively). Crayfish were stocked into 12 fibreglass tanks (three replicates per treatment) and fed for 45 days. Reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), malondialdehyde (MDA) and catalase (CAT) in hepatopancreas and muscle were analysed to determine the status of the oxidant/antioxidant balance. In addition, HSP70 and trypsin were measured in haemolymph. Our results indicated that the activity of GSH-Px, MDA and GSH levels decreased in hepatopancreas () and muscle tissues () with increasing kefir concentration, while CAT activity increased (). Trypsin and HSP70 insignificantly decreased in haemolymph.
The politics of the lex Aquilia
Authors: Ernst Wolfgang
Published: November 2022

Centuries of interpretation by sophisticated Roman jurists developed a comprehensive and nuanced law of damage to personal property, based on the republican lex Aquilia. This lex originated from a plebiscite and the plebeians must have pursued a comprehensible political purpose. That purpose is to be found in the ‘access to justice’ problem inherent in the legis actio per sacramentum procedure, which hindered cash-poor plebeians from engaging in adversarial trials. This grievance became pressing in the aftermath of the last secessio plebis (ca. 287 BCE) when vast amounts of property damage and destruction awaited judicial redress. For the most heinous deeds, the killing of slaves and cattle, a manus iniectio procedure was instituted that incentivised uncontested payment of reparations based on a confessio in iure. In the context of this reform, other elements of the lex Aquilia can be reconsidered, inter alia the reliance on a price from the preceding year and the mysterious Chapter II.
Populism and De Facto Central Bank Independence
Authors: Gavin Michael , Manger Mark
Published: November 2022

Although central bank independence is a core tenet of monetary policy-making, it remains politically contested: In many emerging markets, populist governments are in frequent public conflict with the central bank. At other times, the same governments profess to respect the monetary authority’s independence. We model this conflict drawing on the crisis bargaining literature. Our model predicts that populist politicians will often bring a nominally independent central bank to heel without having to change its legal status. To provide evidence, we build a new data set of public pressure on central banks by classifying over 9000 analyst reports using machine learning. We find that populist politicians are more likely than non-populists to exert public pressure on the central bank, unless checked by financial markets, and also more likely to obtain interest rate concessions. Our findings underscore that de jure does not equal de facto central bank independence in the face of populist pressures.
Enabling self-shape estimation of composite structures using distributed microfabricated strain gauge networks
Authors: Chen Xiyuan , Nasrollahi Amir , Ransom Elliot , Topac Tanay , Chang Fu-Kuo
Published: November 2022

In this study, smart multifunctional composites (SMC) were developed to enable state estimation of structures in terms of the deformations at distributed locations due to applied loads and temperature gradients. The SMC was composed of a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite plate and an embedded microfabricated sensor network of densely distributed strain gauges. The microfabricated sensor network, with serpentine signal wires connecting the sensing elements, was manufactured on a 100 mm diameter silicon wafer using integrated circuit batch processing techniques. The robustness of the SMC was investigated and verified through shape estimation under mechanical loads and temperature gradients applied to the SMC. The mechanical load was applied to the SMC with fixed boundaries on four edges. The temperature gradient was applied to the SMC with simple supports on the four corners of the SMC plate by applying a uniform temperature on one side while controlling the temperature of the other side close to the room temperature. The results show that the SMC provides the shape of the deformed structure under loads with high resolution. Moreover, a numerical analysis of the SMC implemented in ABAQUS demonstrates a close correlation between the estimated deformed shape and the simulated structure allowing the potential establishment of a digital twin. The SMC can be customized based on different requirements and applications by selecting the type, number, and locations of the sensors. The shape and state of the structure obtained from the SMC during operation can be used for online control, autonomy, decision-making, and maintenance.
Military Culture and Cultural Competence in Public Health: U.S. Veterans and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Uptake
Authors: Gin June L. , Kranke Derrick A. , Weiss Eugenia L. , Dobalian Aram
Published: November 2022

As part of the U.S. effort to encourage vaccination for SARS-CoV-2, scholars have emphasized the importance of culture and identity in vaccine uptake decisions. The culture and identity of military service are poorly understood in the context of understanding Veterans’ acceptance of COVID-19 vaccines. In analyzing data from semi-structured interviews with Veterans in homeless transitional housing, this article examines their willingness to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Themes invoking military culture included (a) mandatory vaccinations in the military; (b) cynicism and mistrust toward the government; and (c) trust of and reliance on Veteran peers with shared military culture in decision-making. To further understand how military culture influences vaccine uptake and explore avenues for building culturally competent, trust-based health care interventions with Veterans, a previously published case study of Veterans volunteering in Team Rubicon (TR) disaster relief is examined. Veteran participants in TR described the experience of being in a Veteran-centric organization as an empathetic context wherein they were able to: (a) address their reintegration struggles; (b) gain a new appreciation of their Veteran status; and (c) connect with trusted peers. Given TR’s credibility, Veteran-serving health care organizations could collaborate with Veteran-led organizations to expand shared efforts to address Veterans’ distrust of government-promoted vaccines.
Making interdisciplinary connections through music: A systematic review of studies in general schooling context in Turkey
Authors: Özenç-Ira Gözde , Gültekin Mehmet
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to systematically review the literature focusing on music integration approaches adopted in preschool to secondary education in Turkey. The relevant studies were identified through a systematic search on five databases (The National Thesis Center, TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM TR Index, ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science). The paper analyzed the publications that were written in Turkish and English between 2010 and 2022 and that are available on the databases of empirical theses and peer-reviewed scientific journals, addressing music integration approaches adopted in preschool to secondary schools by using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. By operationalizing these criteria, 35 studies were included in the review. The studies included were found to tend to use quantitative methods. Music has mainly been integrated into math, science, and language arts curricula. This study revealed that most of the analyzed studies used a subservient integration style, an arts integration style, and offered limited insight into the depth and scope of subject areas covered and the sequencing of skills. Furthermore, this study proposed to consider educational, cognitive, artistic, and affective outcomes together by maintaining the integrity of each of the disciplines in music integration studies in the general schooling context.
Enhanced mechanical properties and improving wetting ability of polypropylene/cassava pulp composites
Authors: Prakymoramas Natcha , Keeratipinit Kawin , Sirirutbunkajal Pakjira , Issaraseree Yolada , Keawket Sanya , Rojsatean Jareenuch , Jaruwongrungsee Kata , Hararak Bongkot , Rungseesantivanon Wuttipong , Winotapun Charinee
Published: November 2022

Natural cassava pulp was selected as a bio-based reinforcement in plastic polymer composites to enhance mechanical and wetting properties as an eco-friendly product. This study developed reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites with cassava pulp (CP) to improve mechanical properties and wetting ability. The PP/CP specimens were fabricated via twin screw extrusion and injection molding. Tensile and flexural testing were performed using a universal testing machine, with wetting properties characterized by a contact angle goniometer. Incorporation of 10 wt% cassava pulp showed enhanced tensile strength (4.85%), Young’s modulus (14.38%) and flexural modulus (23.30%) compared with neat polypropylene, indicating higher stiffness of natural fiber-filled composites. Micropatterns were formed on the composite surfaces using the hot embossing technique. A superhydrophobic surface was achieved by designing micropattern geometry. Water contact angle of micropatterned neat polypropylene and polypropylene/cassava pulp composites increased compared to material with no pattern. Micropatterns on PP/CP composite surfaces can be used to develop new functional materials with high mechanical and superhydrophobic properties.
Associations Among Loneliness, Purpose in Life and Subjective Cognitive Decline in Ethnoracially Diverse Older Adults Living in the United States
Authors: Pluim Celina F. , Anzai Juliana A. U. , Martinez Jairo E. , Munera Diana , Garza-Naveda Ana Paola , Vila-Castelar Clara , Guzmán-Vélez Edmarie , Ramirez-Gomez Liliana , Bustin Julian , Serrano Cecilia M. , Babulal Ganesh M. , Okada de Oliveira Maira , Quiroz Yakeel T.
Published: November 2022

Subjective cognitive decline (SCD), which precedes Mild Cognitive Impairment and dementia, may be affected by purpose in life (PiL) and loneliness in older adults. We investigated associations among PiL, loneliness, and SCD in US Latino ( n = 126), Black ( n = 74), Asian ( n = 33), and White ( n = 637) adults. Higher PiL predicted lower SCD in all groups (p-values < .012), except Black participants. Lower loneliness predicted lower SCD in Latino and White groups (p-values < .05), and PiL moderated this association in White adults. PiL and loneliness may play important roles in cognitive decline. Differential predictors of SCD suggest differential targets for preventing cognitive decline and dementia across ethnoracial groups.
Clustering of Obesogenic Behaviors Associated With Bullying Roles Among 100,794 Adolescents
Authors: Matias Thiago Sousa , Bacil Eliane Denise Araújo , Viero Vanise dos Santos Ferreira , Vieira Yohana Pereira , da Silva Laura Silva , Sá Andressa Munhoz , do Amaral Cleonice Santos , Cavazzotto Timothy Gustavo
Published: November 2022

Obesogenic behaviors have been individually associated with bullying during adolescence. However, physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet manifest themselves in synergy and even behavioral profiles in which positive and negative behaviors coexist can be more positively associated with psychosocial outcomes. The present study aimed to analyze the association between clusters of obesogenic behaviors and different bullying roles in Brazilian adolescents. This cross-sectional study used data from the Brazilian School-based Health Survey—PENSE, 2015. A total of 100,794 male and female adolescents of the ninth-grade elementary school participated in the study. Students responded to an electronic questionnaire. Clusters of obesogenic behavior consisted of physical activity, exposure to sedentary behavior, and diet, and the different roles in bullying were: participant, victim, bully, and bully–victim. Binary logistic regression with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used for data analysis ( p < .05). Multiple adjustments and complex sampling procedures were employed. Adolescents in the cluster “Health-promoting sedentary behavior and Diet” had reduced chances of participating in bullying (odds ration [OR] = 0.70; 95% CI [0.64, 0.76]), of being a victim (OR = 0.87; 95% CI = 0.76–0.99), and being the bully (OR = 0.65; 95% CI [0.59, 0.71]); and those from the cluster “Health-promoting physical activity and Diet” had reduced chances of participating (OR = 0.81; 95% CI [0.76, 0.87]), being a victim of bullying (OR = 0.86; 95% CI [0.76, 0.98]), being the bully (OR = 0.79; 95% CI [0.72, 0.85]), and being a bully–victim (OR = 0.74; 95% CI [0.61, 0.90]), when compared to those from the “health-risk” cluster in the adjusted analysis. Clusters of obesogenic behavior may reduce adolescent bullying: victim, bully, and bully–victim benefit when exposed to healthier behavioral profiles. The school setting must recognize bullying as a problem and therefore simultaneously promote multi-component interventions to tackle physical activity, sedentary behavior, and eating behavior. Outcomes other than obesity should be acknowledged when promoting obesogenic behaviors.
Increase in SARS-CoV-2 RBD-Specific IgA and IgG Antibodies in Human Milk From Lactating Women Following the COVID-19 Booster Vaccination
Authors: Henle Andrea M.
Published: November 2022

Background:

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended a third dose or booster of the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty (BNT162b2) COVID-19 mRNA vaccine in September 2021 for high-risk individuals. Pregnant and high-risk lactating women were encouraged to receive the booster to obtain potential prolonged protection for themselves and their infants.

Research Aim:

To investigate the ability of the booster vaccine to increase IgA and IgG antibodies specific to the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in human milk compared to levels pre-booster.

Methods:

This was a prospective one-group study with a pretest-posttest design. Six of 12 participants were recruited prospectively. Participants were instructed to collect ≥ 2 ounces of milk in the morning at 30 days and 1-day pre-booster, and 7, 14, 21, 30, 45, and 60 days post-booster. Levels of IgA and IgG antibodies specific to the receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein were quantified in human milk via an ELISA assay.

Results:

We found a significant increase in anti-receptor-binding domain-specific IgA and IgG antibodies in human milk 1–2 weeks after the Pfizer-BioNTech booster and at the study endpoint (45- and 60-days post-booster)

Conclusions:

This suggests that the booster vaccination enhances SARS-CoV-2 specific immunity in human milk, which may be protective for infants.
Surface-enhanced Raman scattering integrated with microfluidic device fabricated using atomic force microscopy tip-based nanomachining approach
Authors: Wang Jiqiang , Zhang Qiang , Yan Yongda , Kong Depeng , Geng Yanquan
Published: November 2022

Nanostructure-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates have drawn increasing interest because of their wide variety of applications. In particular, SERS integrated with microfluidic devices have shown merit in detecting liquid solvents. In this study, a SERS–microfluidic device is prepared using the atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip-based nanoscratching technique. The influence of the normal load on the period and amplitude of the machined nanogroove are investigated. Nanodot arrays are also fabricated using a twice-scratching strategy. The effects of the feed value and scratching angle on the morphologies of the nanodot arrays are studied, and the Raman spectra of rhodamine 6G (R6G) are detected based on the fabricated nanostructures. The influences of the Au film thickness and period of the nanostructure on the SERS intensity are studied and agree well with the simulated results obtained using the COMSOL software. Furthermore, the Raman spectra of R6G obtained by the SERS substrate and SERS–microfluidic device are compared. The Raman spectra of a mixture of R6G and malachite green (MG) are also measured using the SERS-microfluidic device. In principle, the method reported here could be implemented to prepare SERS microfluidic devices used in biological or chemical molecular detection.
Gains and pitfalls of coalitions: Societal resources as sources of trade union power in Croatia and Poland
Authors: Butković Hrvoje , Czarzasty Jan , Mrozowicki Adam
Published: November 2022

This article explores the experiences of trade unions in Croatia and Poland with societal power resources as a source of trade union revitalisation in the post-2008 crisis period. In the context of limited structural, organisational and institutional power resources, Croatian and Polish trade unions attempted to build their societal power through the revitalisation strategies of coalition building and political action. The paper compares three similar, partially successful campaigns run in both countries, on pensions, Sunday trading and precarious work. Our findings show that gains in societal power alone cannot fully compensate for the erosion of conventional sources of trade union power. Such a configuration of power resources runs the danger of trade union demands being taken up by populist forces wanting to increase their own legitimacy, rather than furthering workers’ interests. Therefore, what starts as an attempt at union revitalisation based on the novel use of societal resources could easily end up as ‘captured innovation’ by populist forces.
Authenticity, Sociocultural Constraints, and Well-being: A Portraiture of Three Single Mothers in Iran
Authors: Zamani Moghadam Masoud , Butijn Carja , Niehof Anke
Published: November 2022

Using the qualitative method of portraiture, we focused on three mothers who are female heads of household in a deprived urban neighborhood in Iran with the aim of understanding how poor female heads of household experience well-being and the obstacles and challenges associated with it. We analyzed the interview data by identifying emergent themes to reveal convergence, contrast, and similarities among the participants. Based on our findings, we conclude that the participants’ various economic, social, cultural, and psychological resources provide the context for the realization or nonrealization of achievements such as increasing life satisfaction, reducing the overload of the role, and increasing children's satisfaction. In this context, the well-being of the participants is constructed. Despite their similar positions, each participant defined and experienced the pursuit of well-being differently. They used different strategies and had different levels of internal and external resources to achieve well-being.