bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Administration of alendronate exacerbates ammonium chloride-induced acidosis in mice
Authors: Moody Mikayla , Schmidt Tannin A. , Trivedi Ruchir , Deymier Alix
Published: September 2023

Bone disease is highly prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), leading to an increased risk of bone fractures. This is due in part to metabolic acid-induced bone dissolution. Bisphosphonates (BPPs) are a potential treatment for inhibiting bone dissolution; however, there are limited studies observing the use of BPPs on acidotic patients. We aimed to determine efficacy of BPPs on maintaining bone health and pH regulation in acid-exposed mice. Using a diet-induced murine model of metabolic acidosis, we examined bone structure, composition, and mechanics as well as blood gases for three groups: control, acidosis, and acidosis + bisphosphonates (acidosis+BPP). Acidosis was induced for 14 days and alendronate was administered every 3 days for the acidosis+BPP group. The administration of BPP had little to no effect on bone structure, mechanics, and composition of the acidosis bones. However, administration of BPP did cause the mice to develop more severe acidosis than the acidosis only group. Overall, we discovered that BPPs may exacerbate acidosis symptoms by inhibiting the release of buffering ions from bone. Therefore, we propose that BPP administration should be carefully considered for those with CKD and that alkali supplementation could help minimize acidifying effects.
Educational inequalities in self-rated health and their mediators in late adulthood: Comparison of China and Japan
Authors: Ping Ruru , Oshio Takashi
Published: September 2023

Education has an impact on health, but the magnitude of the impact may vary across countries. This cross-sectional study compared educational inequalities in health and their mediators in late adulthood between China and Japan, which both face rapid population aging. We studied the same age cohort (63–72 years) based on two nationwide population-based surveys in 2018: the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (N = 5,277) and Japan’s Longitudinal Survey of Middle-Age and Elderly Persons (N = 20,001). The relative index of inequality (RII) in education was used to measure educational inequality in self-rated health (SRH). We then examined the extent to which income, smoking, leisure-time physical activity, and social participation mediated educational inequalities in SRH. In both countries, a lower educational level was associated with a higher risk of poor SRH; in China, however, the gradient was flatter. In China, the RII of education was 1.69 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20–2.39) for men and 1.47 (95% CI: 1.06–2.05) for women. In Japan, meanwhile, RII was 2.70 (95% CI: 2.21–3.28) for men and 2.60 (95% CI: 2.13–3.18) for women. Our mediation analysis based on logistic regression models with bootstrapping also found that social participation was a key mediator of educational inequalities in health in both countries. In all, the results underscore that one’s relative position in educational inequalities is a reliable predictor of subjective health in late adulthood in both China and Japan.
Loss of CorA, the primary magnesium transporter of Salmonella, is alleviated by MgtA and PhoP-dependent compensatory mechanisms
Authors: Metaane Selma , Monteil Véronique , Douché Thibaut , Giai Gianetto Quentin , Matondo Mariette , Maufrais Corinne , Norel Françoise
Published: September 2023

In many Gram-negative bacteria, the stress sigma factor of RNA polymerase, σS/RpoS, remodels global gene expression to reshape the physiology of stationary phase cells and ensure their survival under non-optimal growth conditions. In the foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, σS is also required for biofilm formation and virulence. We have recently shown that a ΔrpoS mutation decreases the magnesium content and expression level of the housekeeping Mg2+-transporter CorA in stationary phase Salmonella. The other two Mg2+-transporters of Salmonella are encoded by the PhoP-activated mgtA and mgtB genes and are expressed under magnesium starvation. The σS control of corA prompted us to evaluate the impact of CorA in stationary phase Salmonella cells, by using global and analytical proteomic analyses and physiological assays. The ΔcorA mutation conferred a competitive disadvantage to exit from stationary phase, and slightly impaired motility, but had no effect on total and free cellular magnesium contents. In contrast to the wild-type strain, the ΔcorA mutant produced MgtA, but not MgtB, in the presence of high extracellular magnesium concentration. Under these conditions, MgtA production in the ΔcorA mutant did not require PhoP. Consistently, a ΔmgtA, but not a ΔphoP, mutation slightly reduced the magnesium content of the ΔcorA mutant. Synthetic phenotypes were observed when the ΔphoP and ΔcorA mutations were combined, including a strong reduction in growth and motility, independently of the extracellular magnesium concentration. The abundance of several proteins involved in flagella formation, chemotaxis and secretion was lowered by the ΔcorA and ΔphoP mutations in combination, but not alone. These findings unravel the importance of PhoP-dependent functions in the absence of CorA when magnesium is sufficient. Altogether, our data pinpoint a regulatory network, where the absence of CorA is sensed by the cell and compensated by MgtA and PhoP- dependent mechanisms.
Effect of knowledge of informal poultry drug prescribers on their attitude and practice toward antimicrobial use, residues, and resistance in Bangladesh
Authors: Sani Aminatu Abubakar , Rafiq Kazi , Akter Fatema , Islam Purba , Sachi Sabbya , Sultana Nasrin , Hayat Sajedul , Usman Usman Bashir , Islam Md. Shafiqul , Islam Md. Zahorul , Hossain Muhammad Tofazzal
Published: September 2023

Background and Aim: Informal prescribers (IPs) significantly contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance and in disseminating pathogens from poultry to humans and other animals through the food chain, posing a serious global health threat. Therefore, this study aimed to assess whether the knowledge of IPs has an impact on their attitude and practice toward antimicrobial use, antibiotic residues, and antimicrobial resistance.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we conducted a pre-tested and questionnaire-based survey to investigate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of IPs in selected parts of the Mymensingh division, Bangladesh. Then, we used the linear regression model test with R-squared (R2) to measure the association between the study variables.

Results: Our investigation revealed that 70% of the IPs knew about antibiotics and 75% had good knowledge about antibiotic resistance, whereas only 50% were aware of withdrawal periods. Informal prescribers also displayed good attitudes toward the use and sale of antibiotics with withdrawal periods and completion of medication (50%). Analysis of their practice on the sale and prescription of antibiotics showed that 70% and 30% of IPs use antibiotics against bacterial infections and other conditions, respectively. Most of them do not consult a veterinarian before selling or prescribing antibiotics, although 80% claim to do so. This is because 75% of IPs gave other options regarding their consultations. However, 95% of IPs uses antibiotics only for therapeutic purposes. Furthermore, only 10% sell antibiotics based on a veterinarian’s recommendation. Approximately 45% of IPs use single antibiotics at a time, while the rest use multiple antibiotics, individually or combined. Approximately 15% use antibiotics monthly, while 85% use them whenever the need arises. The knowledge and attitude of IPs are significantly affected by their age (p ≤ 0.025). The district of domicile also impacted their knowledge. Surprisingly, IPs from Jamalpur had significantly better knowledge compared to those from Mymensingh and Sherpur (p ≤ 0.01). The attitude of IPs from Jamalpur and Netrokona also differed significantly (p ≤ 0.001) from that of Mymensingh and Sherpur. The knowledge of IPs influenced their attitude up to 80.5% (r2 = 0.628) and their practice up to 75.4% (r2 = 0.545).

Conclusion: The knowledge of IPs greatly influenced their attitude and practice, while sociodemographics also influenced their knowledge and attitude toward antimicrobial use, antibiotic residues, and antimicrobial resistance.

Keywords: antimicrobial residue, antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial use, informal poultry drug prescriber, knowledge, attitude, and practices, survey.
Vállalati digitális fejlettséget jellemző (desi-típusú) mutató megalkotása egy KKV digitális felkészültséget mérő kérdőív alapján
Authors: Bánhidi Zoltán , Dobos Imre , Nemeslaki András
Published: September 2023

A szerzők tanulmányukban egy olyan, az Európai Bizottság Digitális gazdaság és társadalom fejlettségét mérő mutatója (DESI) által inspirált vállalati digitális fejlettségi indexet mutatnak be, amelyet egy 2500 cégre kiterjedő, reprezentatív vállalati felmérés alapján, entrópiaalapú objektív súlyozási módszerrel alakítottak ki. A mutató öt fő dimenzióból áll, melyek együttesen jól jellemzik a vállalatok által használt digitális alkalmazásokat, illetve a digitális eszközökhöz, infrastruktúrához való hozzáférést és a kapcsolódó készségeket (Eszközök és hálózati használat; IKT-képességek és ismeretek; Általános jellegű, külső alkalmazások; Speciális jellegű, belső alkalmazások; Közszolgáltatásokhoz kapcsolódás, alkalmazások). A fő dimenziók, illetve az ezeket alkotó aldimenziók, illetve ezek entrópiaalapú súlyainak bemutatása mellett a vállalatméret és a digitális dimenziók közötti összefüggéseket is feltárják, melyhez az ANOVA-módszert használják fel. Eredményeik alapján a vállalatméret hatása az IKT-képességek és az általános, külső, illetve a speciális, belső alkalmazások esetében lesz szignifikáns.
Accuracy in Polyp Size Measurement Among Surgeons, Gastroenterologists, Trainees, and Experts: A Prospective Video-Based Study
Authors: Djinbachian Roupen , Popescu Crainic Ioana , Pioche Mathieu , Saito Yutaka , Sethi Amrita , Chiu Philip , Marks Jeffrey , Sebajang Herawaty , Pawlak Katarzyna , Chennouf Anas , Benard Florence , Ide Yutaro , Dang Frances , von Renteln Daniel
Published: September 2023

INTRODUCTION:

Polyp size determination plays an important role in endoscopic decision making and follow-up determination. However, there is a lack of knowledge of endoscopist accuracy for polyp sizing and efficacy of available tools for size measurement. Our aim was to compare the accuracy of visual assessment, snare, forceps, and virtual scale endoscope (VSE) in estimating polyp size among a diverse group of endoscopists.

METHODS:

We conducted a prospective video-based study. One hundred twenty polyps measured and recorded along with all available measurement tools were randomized to visual assessment, snare, forceps, or VSE group. Eleven endoscopists conducted video-based measurement using the randomized measurement tool. Primary outcome was relative accuracy in polyp size measurement compared with caliper measurement immediately postresection.

RESULTS:

One thousand three hundred twenty measurements were performed. VSE had statistically significantly higher relative accuracy when compared to forceps (79.3 vs 71.3%; P < 0.0001). Forceps had statistically significantly higher relative accuracy when compared to visual assessment (71.3 vs 63.6%; P = 0.0036). There was no statistically significant difference when comparing visual assessment and snare-based measurements (63.6 vs 62.8%; P = 0.797). Overall, 21.5% of polyps >5 mm were misclassified as ≤5 mm and 17.3% of polyps ≥10 mm were misclassified as <10 mm. VSE had the lowest percentage of polyps >5 mm misclassified as ≤5 mm (2.6%), polyps ≤5 mm misclassified as >5 mm (5.1%), and polyps <10 mm misclassified as ≥10 mm (1.7%).

DISCUSSION:

Visual size estimation of polyps is inaccurate independently of training level, sex, and specialty. Size measurement accuracy can be improved using forceps and yields the highest relative accuracy when an adaptive scale technology is used.
Baseline Clinical Factors Are Associated With Risk of Complications in Crohn's Disease: Appraisal of the American Gastroenterological Association Clinical Care Pathway
Authors: Santiago Priscila , Coelho-Prabhu Nayantara , Lennon Ryan , Rui Shumin , Rajauria Palak , Friton Jessica , Raffals Laura E. , Deepali Fnu , Daoud Nader , Farraye Francis A. , Tuck Jaclyn , Malik Talha , Leleiko Neal S. , Shapiro Jason , Shah Samir A. , Sands Bruce E. , Ungaro Ryan C.
Published: September 2023

INTRODUCTION:

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) has compiled risk factors that may be predictive of disease complications in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the AGA risk factors for risk stratification in UC and CD.

METHODS:

We included participants of 2 cohorts: the Ocean State Crohn's and Colitis Area Registry cohort and the Mayo Clinic cohort. Baseline clinical risk factors were extracted according to the AGA pathway. Our primary end point was defined as follows: (i) any inflammatory bowel disease related–hospitalization, (ii) any inflammatory bowel disease–related bowel surgery, or (iii) any progression of disease. We analyzed the association of the number of AGA risk factors with our end point. Statistical multivariable modeling was performed with Cox proportional hazards model.

RESULTS:

A total of 412 patients with CD were included. Comparing ≥3 risk factors with 0–1 risk factor, we found a significantly increased risk of complications in both the Ocean State Crohn's and Colitis Area Registry cohort (hazard ratio [HR] 2.75, 95% confidence interval 1.71–4.41) and Mayo Clinic cohort (HR 2.07, 95% confidence interval 1.11–3.84). Diagnosis at younger age (HR 2.07), perianal disease (HR 1.99), and B2/B3 behavior (HR 1.92) were significantly associated with disease complications. We did not observe a consistent association between number of risk factors nor any specific individual risk factors and risk of disease complications in the 265 patients with UC included.

DISCUSSION:

We found a significant association between the number of AGA risk factors and the risk of disease complication in CD; this association was not significant in UC. The presence of ≥ 3 risk factors in CD leads to the highest risk of complications. The AGA care pathway is a useful tool to stratify patients who are at higher risk of disease complications in patients with CD.
Challenges for upscaling hydrological effectiveness of nature-based solution for adaptation to climate change in watersheds
Authors: Jeuken Ad , Ray Patrick , Penning Ellis , Bouaziz Laurene , Tracy Jacob , Wi Sunwook , McEvoy Sadie , Taner Ümit , Hegnauer Mark
Published: September 2023

This paper presents an analysis of future research and development needs to assess the effectiveness of nature-based solutions for climate adaptation in watersheds at scale using hydrological models. Two main questions are addressed: to what extent are hydrological model approaches able to support decision making on nature-based solutions and adaptation, and how well is this hydrological analysis embedded in the broader planning process? To support the research, case studies in Bhutan, Zimbabwe and the Netherlands are presented. The Climate Risk Informed Decision Analysis approach is used to structure the planning process. All three case studies demonstrate how the hydrological system and full landscape of land and water use in watersheds can be simulated to better understand hydrometeorological hazards under current and future climate. Also, simulations of nature-based solutions are demonstrated, which need creativity and profound expert knowledge. In contrast to the assessment of grey infrastructure, no rules or guidance exists for the hydrological assessment of nature-based solutions. Physically-based models are better able to support the understanding of the functioning of the ecohydrological system and, therefore, the effectiveness of adaptation using nature-based solutions. There are however trade-offs between the computational complexity, the computation time and the multiple scenarios and sensitivity analyses of adaptation options needed for climate stress testing. Often there is a lack of monitoring data for verification of model outcomes. Several recommendations on how to improve modelling in an adaptation process are given. In addition, it is recommended to develop and rectify a set of nature-based solutions performance indicators, rules and algorithms to be adopted in models in order to quantify the effectiveness of these solutions.
Human health impacts of dams and reservoirs: Neglected issues in a One Health perspective
Authors: Ramamurthy Racchana , Bleser Julia , Konradsen Flemming , Kibret Solomon , Opperman Jeff , You Liangzhi , Sloff Kees , McCartney Matthew , Fèvre Eric M. , Boelee Eline
Published: September 2023

Dams have often been constructed for hydropower, water storage and to support socio-economic development, particularly in areas of water stress. In many places, the water stored in human-made reservoirs is essential to meet the development objectives of water supply, agriculture, industry, energy generation and other sectors. However, in the absence of adequate foresight and planning, many past dams have had considerable negative impacts on ecosystems and the livelihoods of affected communities, resulting in conflicts and health hazards. While enhanced human health and well-being could be considered as the ultimate outcome of development programs, the public health impact of dams remains an issue that is often neglected by policy makers and investors. National policies and international guidelines, such as those of the World Commission on Dams, have been used to improve planning and impact assessment of dams. Here, we provide an analysis of four large dams, across three continents, and show that they had limited consistency with World Commission on Dams principles and guidelines. Moreover, health aspects were largely neglected during planning, construction and operation of these dams, but seriously undermine their intended benefits. This perspective paper discusses impacts of dams on energy and food, ecosystem health, inclusion, and ultimately human health and wellbeing. We argue that a One Health perspective, based on these four categories, can support the systematic consideration of environmental, animal, and human health determinants. A dedicated One Health approach to dams and reservoirs remains to be developed but could potentially improve how dams, both existing and future, support more inclusive development.
Evaluasi Konsumsi Makan dan Kepatuhan Konsumsi TTD terhadap Tingkat Kecukupan Zat Besi pada Remaja Putri di SMKN 1 Salatiga
Authors: Mangalik Gelora , Wijayanti Debora Brian Santika , Tampubolon Rifatolistia
Published: September 2023

Background: Anemia is a nutritional problem, the 2018 Riskesdas data shows 48.9% of adolescent girls experience iron deficiency anemia. The government has made efforts to overcome the problem of anemia in adolescent girls through the provision of blood-supplementation tablets (TTD).Methods: This research used is descriptive with a quantitative approach, using a 2x24 hour instrument record, and the SQ-FFQ form. This study assesses the level of iron adequacy by looking at the data from the evaluation of food consumption which is expressed by the value of MAR (Mean Adequacy Ratio).Result: The results showed that respondents in consuming iron tablets were in the non-adherent category as much as 65%, the level of iron adequacy in the very poor category was 42.5%, the level of macronutrient intake in 42.5% of respondents experienced a severe level of deficit and the food intake of respondents was less varied.Conclusion : The conclusion of this study is an evaluation of food consumption average has a weight deficit, the food consumed does not vary, iron intake is not sufficient according to the AKG, and is not obedient in consuming TTD.
Factors of Severity Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever during the Covid-19 Pandemic; A Case Control Study in Buleleng, Bali
Authors: Arista I Gede Peri , Sawitri Anak Agung Sagung , Yatra I Made Suganda
Published: September 2023

Background: The incidence of severe Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) in Buleleng District during the COVID-19 pandemic was very high. Our study aimed to analyze the relationship between age, sex, area of residence, type of hospital, season of occurrence and time period with the incidence of severe DHF.Methods: We conducted a case-control study. Our study sample was 135 with a ratio of cases to controls of 1:2. We collected secondary data obtained from the DHF register data of the Buleleng District Health Office in 2019 to 2020. We performed data processing and analysis using the SPSS version 22. Descriptive analysis using a cross-table distribution and inferential analysis using Chi-Square or Fisher-Exact tests with p values <0.05 or Confident Interval (CI) is 95%.Result: We found more severe cases of DHF in the group aged 1-12 years, male, living in rural areas, undergoing hospitalization in private hospitals, during the rainy season and during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Age group 1-12 years (OR: 4.3 95%CI: 1.9-9.4, p value=0,000) and rainy season (OR: 2.4 95%CI: 1.1-5.2, p value=0,025) were significantly associated with the severity of DHF.Conclusion: The age group of 1-12 years and the rainy season are risk factors for the severity of DHF during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is necessary to disseminate early awareness of DHF at the elementary school level and empower parents in maintaining the health condition of their children.
Problematické aspekty základních zásad v návrhu rekodifikace trestního procesu
Authors: Gřivna Tomáš
Published: September 2023

The paper discusses the basic principles of criminal procedure as set out in the draft of the new Criminal Procedure Code. The author also presents the work of the recodification commission on these principles. He mentions the problems connected with their expression in the text of the code and their systematic arrangement. Two principles are examined in detail. Concerning the principle of legality, he considers the discretionary powers of the prosecutor and the method of controlling compliance with it. With regard to the principle of substantive truth, he discusses the extent to which this principle is eroded by institutions adopted from other legal systems.
Základní zásady trestního řízení – jejich výjimečnost a výjimky z nich
Authors: Mulák Jiří
Published: September 2023

This article deals with the basic principles of criminal procedure in the context of the forthcoming recodification of criminal procedural law. The basic principles of criminal procedure represent the guiding ideas of Czech criminal procedure and their importance is concentrated in the functions they perform. In the context of the forthcoming recodification, the legislative function is gaining importance. As the basic principles are the principles of criminal procedure, they cannot be applied in all situations and stages equally. Their characteristic features are conditionality and harmonious system, but they may also have a contrapositional character. The article draws attention to the exceptional (unique) position that these principles have in the criminal process, but it also shows the exceptions to them.
Problematické aspekty rozhodování o náhradě škody v tzv. adhezním řízení
Authors: Púry František , Richter Martin
Published: September 2023

The article deals with the interdisciplinary context on the concept of damages and names the current issues that these contexts bring to the decision on damages in the so-called adhesion proceedings, which is part of criminal proceedings. First, the divergences in the concept of damages under civil law and substantive criminal law are discussed. Next, the article discusses the fundamental differences in the application of a private law claim in criminal and civil proceedings, which may affect the actual decision on the claim. Finally, the article discusses possible differences in the understanding of damages in civil court proceedings and in the adhesion proceedings themselves in the context of criminal proceedings, which, in the authors’ opinion, are the most controversial and fundamentally problematic, but the consistent enforcement of a completely identical understanding of the claim in civil court proceedings and in adhesion proceedings, which are part of criminal proceedings, may pose similarly serious problems of principle.
Zajištění informací a věcí v návrhu nového trestního řádu
Authors: Fenyk Jaroslav , Provazník Jan
Published: September 2023

The paper focuses on an overview of the Draft New Code of Criminal Procedure’s chapter covering searching for, discovering, and securing information, items, electronic data, and documents important for criminal procedure. It is divided into two main parts. The first is a brief introduction to the new conception in a general manner and strives to provide a comprehensive analysis of its main cornerstones and traits, the second consists of an analysis of the most important novelties in particular areas such as a new regime for securing electronic data, new rules for the search of premises where advocacy is conducted, a determination of ownership of a secured item etc. It also brings a discussion of a few chosen elements, which the authors deem as controversial or important. Where the text of the draft is criticized, possible solutions are also recommended.
Role přípravného řízení v českém trestním procesu
Authors: Musil Jan
Published: September 2023

The understanding of the role of preliminary proceedings within the Czech criminal process is changing in historical development. In some periods, the preliminary proceedings are given a key role in the sense that the center of evidence lies in it, while at other times, on the contrary, it is emphasized that its function is only auxiliary, since the center of evidence must lie in the proceedings before the court. Ideas are also changing about which authorities should carry out preliminary proceedings – whether it should be the police or the public prosecutor – and whether the court should also participate in the preliminary proceedings. The question of whether the participation of the accused and the defense attorney in the preliminary proceedings should be allowed is also regulated differently. These different concepts are reflected in the legislation and the wording of the Criminal Procedure Act. The author takes a position on these debatable issues and pronounces de lege ferenda.
Úvahy de lege ferenda nad dohodou o vině a trestu ve světle judikatury Evropského soudu pro lidská práva
Authors: Bohuslav Lukáš
Published: September 2023

The paper deals with the recent topic of plea bargaining in relation to the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. It focuses on several areas in the Court’s jurisprudence, which are waiver of the right to a fair trial, prejudice to the accused, the right to a defense, the speed of criminal proceedings, and finally, the presumption of innocence and group cases. The paper concludes with an assessment of whether the regulation of the plea bargaining procedure is in conformity with the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.
K některým mezinárodněprávním otázkám spojeným s palestinskými ozbrojenými a teroristickými útoky
Authors: D’Evereux Veronika
Published: September 2023

The paper is focused on some issues of the current Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the point of view of international law. The main topic is terrorism, the question of the possibility of viewing terrorism as a new form of aggression is examined. This part is followed by a chapter on the internal structure of Palestinian representation. Attention is also given to more general issues of responsibility of some non-state actors, rebel movements, de facto authorities, de facto government, de facto regimes, and private individuals. This is followed by the main part of this paper, which is dedicated to the issues of the attribution of the actions of the Hamas movement to the Palestinian Authority.
Z vědeckého života: zpráva z diskuzního setkání nad návrhem nového trestního řádu (tzv. rekodifikační čtvrtky)
Authors: Mulák Jiří , Fleková Marta
Published: September 2023

Report
Jubilejní X. Kriminologické dny na pražských právech
Authors: Drápal Jakub
Published: September 2023

Report
Zpráva z mezinárodní vědecké konference Košické dny trestního práva 2023
Authors: Fleková Marta
Published: September 2023

Conference Report
The Fifth Annual Doctoral Private Law Conference Called Civilistické Pábení, this Year on Family and Child in Civil Law
Authors: Sedláček Miroslav , Kotápišová Petra
Published: September 2023

Conference Report
Eigen: End-to-End Resource Optimization for Large-Scale Databases on the Cloud
Authors: Li Ji You , Zhang Jiachi , Zhou Wenchao , Liu Yuhang , Zhang Shuai , Xue Zhuoming , Xu Ding , Fan Hua , Zhou Fangyuan , Li Feifei
Published: September 2023

Increasingly, cloud database vendors host large-scale geographically distributed clusters to provide cloud database services. When managing the clusters, we observe that it is challenging to simultaneously maximizing the resource allocation ratio and resource availability. This problem becomes more severe in modern cloud database clusters, where resource allocations occur more frequently and on a greater scale. To improve the resource allocation ratio without hurting resource availability, we introduce Eigen, a large-scale cloud-native cluster management system for large-scale databases on the cloud. Based on a resource flow model, we propose a hierarchical resource management system and three resource optimization algorithms that enable
end-to-end resource optimization.
Furthermore, we demonstrate the system optimization that promotes user experience by reducing scheduling latencies and improving scheduling throughput. Eigen has been launched in a large-scale public-cloud production environment for 30+ months and served more than 30+ regions (100+ available zones) globally. Based on the evaluation of real-world clusters and simulated experiments, Eigen can improve the allocation ratio by over 27% (from 60% to 87.0%) on average, while the ratio of delayed resource provisions is under 0.1%.
Efficient Execution of User-Defined Functions in SQL Queries
Authors: Foufoulas Yannis , Simitsis Alkis
Published: September 2023

User-defined functions (UDFs) have been widely used to overcome the expressivity limitations of SQL and complement its declarative nature with functional capabilities. UDFs are particularly useful in today's applications that involve complex data analytics and machine learning algorithms and logic. However, UDFs pose significant performance challenges in query processing and optimization, largely due to the mismatch of the UDF execution and SQL processing environments. In this tutorial, we present state-of-the-art methods and systems towards efficient execution of UDFs in SQL queries. We focus on low-level techniques for physical optimization and compilation of UDF queries, describe and compare the core, recent approaches in the area, discuss their advantages and limitations, identify critical gaps in theory and practice, and propose promising future research directions.
PAINE Demo: Optimizing Video Selection Queries with Commonsense Knowledge
Authors: He Wenjia , Sabek Ibrahim , Lou Yuze , Cafarella Michael
Published: September 2023

Because video is becoming more popular and constitutes a major part of data collection, we have the need to process video selection queries --- selecting videos that contain target objects. However, a naïve scan of a video corpus without optimization would be extremely inefficient due to applying complex detectors to irrelevant videos. This demo presents Paine; a video query system that employs a novel index mechanism to optimize video selection queries via
commonsense knowledge.
Paine samples video frames to build an inexpensive lossy index, then leverages probabilistic models based on existing commonsense knowledge sources to capture the semantic-level correlation among video frames, thereby allowing Paine to predict the content of unindexed video. These models can predict which videos are likely to satisfy selection predicates so as to avoid Paine from processing irrelevant videos. We will demonstrate a system prototype of Paine for accelerating the processing of video selection queries, allowing VLDB'23 participants to use the Paine interface to run queries. Users can compare Paine with the baseline, the SCAN method.
ChainDash: An Ad-Hoc Blockchain Data Analytics System
Authors: Liu Yushi , Yuan Liwei , Chen Zhihao , Yu Yekai , Zhang Zhao , Jin Cheqing , Yan Ying
Published: September 2023

The emergence of digital asset applications, driven by Web 3.0 and powered by blockchain technology, has led to a growing demand for blockchain-specific graph analytics to unearth the insights. However, current blockchain data analytics systems are unable to perform efficient ad-hoc graph analytics over both live and past time windows due to their inefficient data synchronization and slow graph snapshots retrieval capability. To address these issues, we propose ChainDash, a blockchain data analytics system that dedicates a highly-parallelized data synchronization component and a retrieval-optimized temporal graph store. By leveraging these techniques, ChainDash supports efficient ad-hoc graph analytics of smart contract activities over arbitrary time windows. In the demonstration, we showcase the interactive visualization interfaces of ChainDash, where attendees will execute customized queries for ad-hoc graph analytics of blockchain data.
Erica: Query Refinement for Diversity Constraint Satisfaction
Authors: Li Jinyang , Silberstein Alon , Moskovitch Yuval , Stoyanovich Julia , Jagadish H. V.
Published: September 2023

Relational queries are commonly used to support decision making in critical domains like hiring and college admissions. For example, a college admissions officer may need to select a subset of the applicants for in-person interviews, who individually meet the qualification requirements (e.g., have a sufficiently high GPA) and are collectively demographically diverse (e.g., include a sufficient number of candidates of each gender and of each race). However, traditional relational queries only support selection conditions checked against each input tuple, and they do not support diversity conditions checked against multiple, possibly overlapping, groups of output tuples. To address this shortcoming, we present Erica, an interactive system that proposes minimal modifications for selection queries to have them satisfy constraints on the cardinalities of multiple groups in the result. We demonstrate the effectiveness of Erica using several real-life datasets and diversity requirements.
Interactive Demonstration of EVA
Authors: Kakkar Gaurav Tarlok , Rajoria Aryan , Kalluraya Myna Prasanna , Raju Ashmita , Cao Jiashen , Rong Kexin , Arulraj Joy
Published: September 2023

In this demonstration, we will present EVA, an end-to-end AI-Relational database management system. We will demonstrate the capabilities and utility of EVA using three usage scenarios: (1) EVA serves as a backend for an exploratory video analytics interface developed using Streamlit and React, (2) EVA seamlessly integrates with the Python and Data Science ecosystems by allowing users to access EVA in a Python notebook alongside other popular libraries such as Pandas and Matplotlib, and (3) EVA facilitates bulk labeling with Label Studio, a widely-used labeling framework. By optimizing complex vision queries, we illustrate how EVA allows a wide range of application developers to harness the recent advances in computer vision.
A Learned Query Rewrite System
Authors: Zhou Xuanhe , Li Guoliang , Wu Jianming , Liu Jiesi , Sun Zhaoyan , Zhang Xinning
Published: September 2023

Query rewriting is a challenging task that transforms a SQL query to improve its performance while maintaining its result set. However, it is difficult to rewrite SQL queries, which often involve complex logical structures, and there are numerous candidate rewrite strategies for such queries, making it an NP-hard problem. Existing databases or query optimization engines adopt heuristics to rewrite queries, but these approaches may not be able to judiciously and adaptively apply the rewrite rules and may cause significant performance regression in some cases (e.g., correlated subqueries may not be eliminated). To address these limitations, we introduce LearnedRewrite, a query rewrite system that combines traditional and learned algorithms (i.e., Monte Carlo tree search + hybrid estimator) to rewrite queries. We have implemented the system in Calcite, and experimental results demonstrate LearnedRewrite achieves superior performance on three real datasets.
A review on corrosion and corrosion inhibition behaviors of magnesium alloy in ethylene glycol aqueous solution
Authors: Liu Sisi , Wang Yicun , Huang Hualiang , Huang Gangliang
Published: September 2023

Magnesium alloy is one of the most promising automotive lightweight materials, but its poor corrosion resistance seriously hinders its practical application in automotive engines. Corrosion inhibitor technology has the characteristics of small dosage, simple operation, low cost, and does not affect the heat dissipation of metals. Therefore, adding high-efficiency long-term corrosion inhibitors to automotive engine coolants is the simplest, most practical and effective way to realize the application of magnesium alloy in automotive engines. This paper reviewed the corrosion and corrosion inhibition behaviors of magnesium alloy in ethylene glycol aqueous solution. The effects of temperature, galvanic effect, water content, and anionic and acidic oxides on the corrosion of magnesium alloy in automotive coolant were summarized. The research, advantages and disadvantages of inorganic, organics small-molecule, polymer, and composite corrosion inhibitors for inhibiting the corrosion of magnesium alloy in ethylene glycol aqueous solution were also summarized. The construction of inorganic-polymer corrosion inhibitor composite films was proposed to realize the application of magnesium alloy in engine, which further enriched the corrosion theories and anti-corrosion technologies of magnesium alloy.
Cell-type specific anti-cancerous effects of nitro-oleic acid and its combination with gamma irradiation
Authors: Perecko Tomas , Pereckova Jana , Hoferova Zuzana , Falk Martin
Published: September 2023

Nitro-fatty acids (NFAs) are endogenous lipid mediators capable of post-translational modifications of selected regulatory proteins. Here, we investigated the anti-cancerous effects of nitro-oleic acid (NO2OA) and its combination with gamma irradiation on different cancer cell lines. The effects of NO2OA on cell death, cell cycle distribution, or expression of p21 and cyclin D1 proteins were analyzed in cancer (A-549, HT-29 and FaDu) or normal cell lines (HGF, HFF-1). Dose enhancement ratio at 50 % survival fraction (DERIC50) was calculated for samples pre-treated with NO2OA followed by gamma irradiation. NO2OA suppressed viability and induced apoptotic cell death. These effects were cell line specific but not in general selective for cancer cells. HT-29 cell line exerted higher sensitivity toward NO2OA treatment among cancer cell lines tested: induction of cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase was associated with an increase in p21 and a decrease in cyclin D1 expression. Pre-treatment of HT-29 cells with NO2OA prior irradiation showed a significantly increased DERIC50, demonstrating radiosensitizing effects. In conclusion, NO2OA exhibited potential for combined chemoradiotherapy. Our results encourage the development of new NFAs with improved features for cancer chemoradiation.
A solid lipid particle formulation of long pepper extract reduces pain and astrocyte activation in a rat model of neuropathic pain
Authors: Iamjan Sri-arun , Veerasakul Siriluk , Thanoi Samur , Tiyaboonchai Waree , Nudmamud-Thanoi Sutisa
Published: September 2023

Objectives

To investigate the effects of solid lipid microparticle (SLM) creams containing a long pepper extract (LPE) or piperine on neuropathy-related pain and the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) as a measure of astrogliosis.

Methods

Neuropathic pain in male Spraque Dawley rats was induced by sciatic nerve ligation (SNL) and followed by treatment with LPE-SLM, piperine-SLM, capsaicin or vehicle creams. The pain score was assessed by thermal hyperalgesia test. The GFAP expression in the spinal cord was determined by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Pain scores were significantly increased after SNL and decreased when treated by LPE-SLM. The number of GFAP immunopositive cells was significantly increased in the SNL rats. Treated by LPE-SLM and capsaicin creams resulted in a significant reduction of the number of GFAP immunopositive cells. The LPE-SLM treated rats showed greater effects than the piperine and capsaicin preparations.

Conclusions

The LPE-SLM cream has a potential effect on pain attenuation via a decrease of spinal astrocyte activation-related mechanism. The LPE in SLM preparation could provide an alternative therapeutic strategy for treating neuropathic pain.
Potential anti-cancer activity of Moringa oleifera derived bio-active compounds targeting hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha in breast cancer
Authors: Masarkar Neha , Ray Suman Kumar , Saleem Zirha , Mukherjee Sukhes
Published: September 2023

Breast cancer (BC) will become a highly detected malignancy in females worldwide in 2023, with over 2 million new cases. Studies have established the role of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF1α), a transcription factor that controls cellular response to hypoxic stress, and is essential for BC spread. HIF-1 is implicated in nearly every critical stage of the metastatic progression, including invasion, EMT, intravasation, extravasation, angiogenesis, and the formation of metastatic niches. HIF-1 overexpression has been associated with poor prognosis and increased mortality in BC patients. This is accomplished by controlling the expression of HIF-1 target genes involved in cell survival, angiogenesis, metabolism, and treatment resistance. Studies have indicated that inhibiting HIF-1 has an anti-cancer effect on its own and that inhibiting HIF-1-mediated signaling improves the efficacy of anti-cancer therapy. Approximately 74 % of recognized anti-cancer drugs are sourced from plant species. Studies on anti-cancer characteristics of phytochemicals derived from Moringa oleifera (MO), also known as the ‘Tree of Life’, have revealed a high therapeutic potential for BC. In this review, we have highlighted the various mechanisms through which bioactive compounds present in MO may modulate HIF and its regulatory genes/pathways, to prove their efficacy in treating and preventing BC.
Kant’s Transcendental Theory of Universal Grammar. The Cognitive Foundation of the Structure of Language
Authors: D’Agostino Pierluigi
Published: September 2023

In this paper I discuss Kant’s philosophy of grammar in order to argue that: (a) the formal analysis of language implies that there is a structural correspondence between logical and grammatical form; (b) there is a distinction between the sense in which logic is formal and the sense in which grammar is formal; (c) universal grammar descends from the system of categorial functions that are investigated in the transcendental analytic; (d) transcendental grammar implies that the universal form of human language has its ground in the universal structure of thought; (e) the concept of a grammatical norm is clarified once we combine the theory of universal grammar with how linguistic experience takes place.
Kant on Language, Communication and Objective Judgment
Authors: Saarni Matti
Published: September 2023

This paper explicates the role of language and communication in Kant’s account of objective judgment and objective reference. I take it that the basic units of proper objective reference for Kant are objective judgments, which according to Kant are acts of relating given cognitions to other cognitions in the unity of apperception. The question is, does language play any role in this activity, or is this activity reflected in language somehow? I argue that, unlike early critics such as Herder and Hamann (and many after them) have suggested, Kant does not overall neglect language and communication in his philosophy, but rather can be taken to give an account of how it is possible to use language objectively and communicate objective judgments in the first place. Even though I do not find it a plausible view that according to Kant there is no thinking at all without or prior to language, Kant’s account does not rule out the importance of language for our thinking, judging and communicating. My claim is that Kant’s account of categorical experience as universal and necessary cognition of objects provides a ground for languages and their objective use, that is, for the possibility of objective reference in language.
IMMT promotes hepatocellular carcinoma formation via PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway
Authors: Wang Jiabei , Zhang Yunguang , Sun Linmao , Liu Yao
Published: September 2023

Objectives

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a global challenge. Finding new specific targets has significant clinical value for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we discovered a new biomarker targeting HCC. At present, the role of Inner Membrane Mitochondrial Protein (IMMT) in various malignant tumors is receiving increasing attention, but its molecular mechanism of action in the malignant process of HCC has not been fully elucidated. This study aims to investigate the key regulatory mechanisms of IMMT in the formation of HCC.

Methods

Using TCGA data and clinical HCC samples, we first studied the expression of IMMT in HCC tissues and its correlation with malignant prognosis of patients. The regulatory effect of IMMT on HCC was studied by lentivirus infection. In vitro, the effects of IMMT on the proliferation, migration and apoptosis of cells were investigated by CCK8, colony formation assay, transwell and flow cytometry. Consistently, in vivo experiments, the regulation of tumor growth by IMMT was studied by constructing subcutaneous transplanted tumor and liver carcinoma in situ. In terms of mechanism, we predicted and verified the downstream genes of IMMT with the help of string database.

Results

We found that IMMT was significantly up-regulated in HCC tissues and was significantly positively correlated with poor prognosis of patients. Functionally, we demonstrated that IMMT knockdown significantly inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration and promoted cell apoptosis in vitro. Similarly, the knockdown of IMMT also significantly weakened the progression of tumors in vivo. In terms of mechanism, we demonstrate for the first time that IMMT can regulate the progression of HCC by influencing the activation of PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway.

Conclusions

Collectively, our research findings elucidate the hitherto unexplored important role of the IMMT/PI3K/AKT/mTOR axis in the formation of HCC, and provide a new biomarker for clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC.