bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigation of dual modification on physicochemical, morphological, thermal, pasting, and retrogradation characteristics of sago starch
Authors: Ghalambor Pantea , Asadi Gholamhassan , Mohammadi Nafchi Abdorreza , Seyedin Ardebili Seyed Mahdi
Published: March 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of dually modified sago starch by acid hydrolysis (AH)‐hydroxypropylation (HP). For this purpose, sago starch was modified with the combination by AH (5–20 h hydrolysis times) followed by HP (5%–25% ratio of propylene oxide) processes. The results showed that the dual modification of the sago starch structure didn't have a significant effect on the size of starch granules, and the granule size was in the range of 0.005–0.151 µm; however, the pasting properties and the glass transition temperature decreased significantly (p < .05). Increasing the level of propylene oxide from 5% to 25% caused a significant increase in the substitution degree (DS) and swelling ability of starches and reduced the syneresis, while with increasing acid hydrolysis time from 5 h to 20 h, starch swelling decreased and syneresis increased (p < .05). AH process at high hydrolysis times (20 h) increased the gelatinization temperatures and decreased retrogradation temperatures. Increasing the level of propylene oxide in both single and dual modification reduced the temperatures and enthalpy of gelatinization and retrogradation of sago starch. In summary, dually modified sago starch has a great potential to use in specific food products such as frozen dough or frozen bakery products.
Proteomics as a promising biomarker in food authentication, quality and safety: A review
Authors: Afzaal Muhammad , Saeed Farhan , Hussain Muzzamal , Shahid Farheen , Siddeeg Azhari , Al‐Farga Ammar
Published: March 2022

Adulteration and mislabeling have become a very common global malpractice in food industry. Especially foods of animal origin are prepared from plant sources and intentionally mislabeled. This type of mislabeling is an important concern in food safety as the replaced ingredients may cause a food allergy or toxicity to vulnerable consumers. Moreover, foodborne pathogens also pose a major threat to food safety. There is a dire need to develop strong analytical tools to deal with related issues. In this context, proteomics stands out as a promising tool used to report the aforementioned issues. The development in the field of omics has inimitable advantages in enabling the understanding of various biological fields especially in the discipline of food science. In this review, current applications and the role of proteomics in food authenticity, safety, and quality and food traceability are highlighted comprehensively. Additionally, the other components of proteomics have also been comprehensively described. Furthermore, this review will be helpful in the provision of new intuition into the use of proteomics in food analysis. Moreover, the pathogens in food can also be identified based on differences in their protein profiling. Conclusively, proteomics, an indicator of food properties, its origin, the processes applied to food, and its composition are also the limelight of this article.
In vitro screening of EPS‐producing Streptococcus thermophilus strains for their probiotic potential from Dahi
Authors: Taj Robina , Masud Tariq , Sohail Asma , Sammi Shehla , Naz Rooma , Sharma Khanal Bal Kumari , Nawaz Malik Adil
Published: March 2022

Dahi is a very common and traditional fermented dairy product in Pakistan and its neighboring countries, it represents a rich source for the isolation of many new strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The major objective of this study was to evaluate the probiotic potential of novel exopolysaccharide (EPS)‐producing strains of S. thermophilus isolated from Dahi, sold in the local markets of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan. In this study, 32 isolates of S. thermophilus were initially isolated from Dahi and out of these, 10 identified strains were further screened for their EPS‐producing ability. Maximum EPS production was estimated for RIY strain (133.0 ± 0.06), followed by RIH4 strain (103.83 ± 0.76) and RIRT2 strain (95.77 ± 0.22), respectively. Thereafter, in vitro studies revealed that these newly identified EPS‐producing strains of S. thermophilus fulfilled the basic requirements for probiotic functions; including resistance to harsh conditions of GIT, good cell surface hydrophobicity, auto‐aggregation, and co‐aggregation, especially against L. monocytogenes. Finally, the safety assessment displayed that these strains were also sensitive to clinical antibiotics, including vancomycin. Thus, these selected EPS strains of S. thermophilus act as potential candidates for biostabilizers in the preparation of consumer‐friendly fermented probiotic milk products.
Implementation of coverage with evidence development schemes for medical devices: A decision tool for late technology adopter countries
Authors: Kovács Sandor , Kaló Zoltán , Daubner‐Bendes Rita , Kolasa Katarzyna , Hren Rok , Tesar Tomas , Reckers‐Droog Vivian , Brouwer Werner , Federici Carlo , Drummond Mike , Zemplényi Antal Tamás
Published: March 2022

Experiences with coverage with evidence development (CED) schemes are fairly limited in Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, which are usually late adopters of new health technologies. Our aim was to put forward recommendations on how CEE health technology assessment bodies and payer organizations can apply CED to reduce decision uncertainty on reimbursement of medical devices, with a particular focus on transferring the structure and data from CED schemes in early technology adopter countries in Western Europe. Structured interviews on the practices and feasibility of transferring CED schemes were conducted and subsequently, a draft tool for the systematic classification of decision alternatives and recommendations was developed. The decision tool was reviewed in a focus group discussion and validated within a wider group of CEE experts in a virtual workshop. Transferability assessment is needed in case of (1) joint implementation of a CED scheme; (2) transferring the structure of an existing CED scheme to a CEE country; (3) reimbursement decisions that are linked to outcomes of an ongoing CED scheme in another country and (4) real‐world evidence transferred from completed CED schemes. Efficient use of available resources may be improved by adequately transferring evidence and policy tools from early technology adopter countries.
Thyroid tumor ratio: Improving the assessment of the impact of size in pediatric thyroid cancer
Authors: Paik Connie , Osterbauer Beth , Sahyouni Grace , Park Soyun , Gomez Gabriel , Kwon Daniel , Austin Juliana
Published: March 2022

Background

The impact of thyroid nodule size is less useful in children who have smaller thyroid volumes than in adults. We investigate using a novel thyroid tumor ratio measurement in children with thyroid cancer.

Methods

Patient and pathologic characteristics were investigated via Student's t‐test in a univariate analysis for any correlation with the log‐transformed tumor ratio, followed by a multivariate linear regression.

Results

Of 75 patients with malignancy and tumor ratio information, mean ratio decreased with increasing age (p = 0.04). Out of several clinical factors, patients with lymph node metastases and those treated with postoperative radioactive iodine had significantly higher mean tumor ratios on multivariate analysis (p = 0.04 for both factors).

Conclusions

Our study is the first to describe thyroid tumor volume in pediatric thyroid cancer and shows that increased tumor ratio was associated with indicators of more advanced disease such as lymph node metastases and use of radioactive iodine.
Ovarian cancer today and tomorrow: A global assessment by world region and Human Development Index using GLOBOCAN 2020
Authors: Cabasag Citadel J. , Fagan Paula J. , Ferlay Jacques , Vignat Jerome , Laversanne Mathieu , Liu Lihua , van der Aa Maaike A. , Bray Freddie , Soerjomataram Isabelle
Published: March 2022

Ovarian cancer remains to have relatively poor prognosis particularly in low‐resourced settings. It is therefore important to continually examine the burden of ovarian cancer to identify areas of disparities. Our study aims to provide an overview of the global burden of ovarian cancer using the GLOBOCAN 2020 estimates by country, world region, and Human Development Index (HDI) levels, as well as the predicted future burden by the year 2040 by HDI. Age‐standardized incidence and mortality rates for ovarian cancer in 185 countries were calculated by country, world region, and for the four‐tier HDI. The number of new cases and deaths were projected for the year 2040 based on demographic projections by HDI category. Approximately 314 000 new ovarian cancer cases and 207 000 deaths occurred in 2020. There were marked geographic variations in incidence rates, with the highest rates observed in European countries with very high HDI and low rates were found in African countries within the lowest HDI group. Comparable mortality rates were observed across the four‐tier HDI. Relative to 2020 estimates, our projection for 2040 indicates approximately 96% and 100% increase in new ovarian cancer cases and deaths, respectively, among low HDI countries compared to 19% and 28% in very high HDI countries. Our study highlights the disproportionate current and future burden of ovarian cancer in countries with lower HDI levels, calling for global action to reduce the burden and inequality of ovarian cancer in access to quality cancer care and treatment.
Maternal and neonatal death surveillance and response is implemented in Burundi but needs improvement
Authors: Kouanda Seni , Ouedraogo Olivia M.A. , Busogoro Jean François , Conombo Kafando Ghislaine S. , Nkurunziza Triphonie
Published: March 2022

Objective

To analyze implementation of the maternal and neonatal death surveillance and response (MNDSR) strategy in Burundi.

Methods

Secondary data analysis using a qualitative approach and document review. The qualitative approach consisted of semistructured interviews with decision‐makers at central, regional, and district levels, health providers, and technical and financial partners using four interview guides and a data extraction tool. Document review utilized maternal death review reports and policy documents. Interviews and hospital visits took place from July 16–26, 2017, in Bujumbura and Gitega, Burundi.

Results

Notification of maternal deaths is incorporated into the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system. Maternal death review committees existed in the five visited hospitals (Prince Regent Charles Hospital and Kamenge University Hospital in Bujumbura, Gitega Regional Hospital, Kibimba District Hospital, and Kibuye District Hospital) but not at subnational level (provincial or district levels). Since the beginning of 2017, maternal death review has been effective and regular in some district and regional hospitals due to integration of quality‐of‐care criteria for the performance‐based financing strategy; review has been less effective at national hospital level. Implementation of review recommendations is heterogeneous and varies from one health facility to another. No formal follow‐up mechanism on review recommendations was identified. Notification and review of neonatal deaths does not occur, nor does notification of maternal or neonatal deaths at community level.

Conclusion

Despite integration of notification of maternal deaths into IDSR, efforts must be undertaken to scale up MNDSR to include neonatal deaths and maternal and neonatal deaths at community level.
A textual analysis of the US Securities and Exchange Commission's accounting and auditing enforcement releases relating to the Sarbanes–Oxley Act
Authors: Davalos Sergio , Feroz Ehsan H.
Published: March 2022

We focus on textual analysis of the US Securities and Exchange Commission's accounting and auditing enforcement releases (AAERs). Our research question is: Did the Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX) 2002 affect the qualitative linguistic content of the AAERs in the post‐SOX period? To answer this question, we test the null hypotheses that there will be no differences in the qualitative verbiage and sentiment of AAERs in the time periods that we study related to the enactment of SOX: pre‐SOX and post‐SOX. To resolve the research question, we applied several text mining methods and classification machine‐learning methods. We first used two basic text‐mining methods, generating a bag of words and topic modeling, for descriptive analysis of the AAER content before the enactment of SOX and after the enforcement of SOX. We then conducted sentiment analysis using four sentiment dictionaries on the content of the two time periods: before SOX and after SOX. Finally, we developed three different classification models based on well‐known supervised learning algorithms and determined that SOX‐related AAERs could be distinguished from non‐SOX‐related AAERs. Based on the results, we conclude that there were significant linguistic differences in the AAER content of the post‐SOX period compared with the pre‐SOX period. In other words, post‐SOX‐related AAERs are qualitatively different in terms of linguistic contents and sentiment values compared with the non‐SOX‐related AAERs.
Think Like a Linguist: Leveraging Multilingual Students’ Expertise about Language
Authors: Crosson Amy C. , Tapu Christine , McKeown Margaret G.
Published: March 2022

In this article, we focus on a series of lessons, called Think Like a Linguist, that we designed and implemented with multilingual adolescents. These lessons were developed as an introduction to a semester‐long study on academic vocabulary and word analysis using Latin roots. Our intention in Think Like a Linguist lessons was to present concepts about language patterns and relationships by leveraging students’ diverse language backgrounds. Transcripts of lessons from one middle school class and two high school classes were inductively coded and thematically analyzed. Three main findings about students’ participation and learning are presented. First, students engaged in hypothesis‐checking and flexible thinking about language. Second, students collectively leveraged all the languages they knew for analysis. Third, lessons created the conditions for students to reflect on relations between language and power. In addition to these findings, we present major concepts introduced, examples of instructional tasks, and resources for instruction.
Transitions of care: An untapped opportunity for antimicrobial stewardship
Authors: Patel Nisha , Davis Susan L. , MacDonald Nancy C. , Medler Corey J. , Kenney Rachel M. , Zervos Marcus J. , Mercuro Nicholas J.
Published: March 2022

Over half of antimicrobials ordered at hospital discharge are not optimized, many of which having longer than necessary durations or inappropriate for the indication. Unnecessary antimicrobial exposures increase the risks of adverse events, antibiotic resistance, and Clostridioides difficile infections. However, discharge prescribing often escapes the purview of inpatient antimicrobial stewardship programs and few interventions have been implemented to optimize antibiotic use during transitions of care (TOC). Herein, the aim was to highlight critical steps and challenges in the implementation of a TOC antimicrobial stewardship program designed to improve prescribing at hospital discharge. In a five‐hospital health system, a pharmacist‐led intervention was implemented during TOC, with the objective of improving oral antibiotic selection and duration. Among a multidisciplinary team of physicians, case managers, and nurses, the pharmacists engaged in three strategies: (a) early identification of patients to be discharged on oral antibiotics; (b) collaborative planning and communication regarding guideline‐recommended antibiotic selection and duration; and (c) facilitation of discharge antibiotic prescription with appropriate stop date. Barriers to completing the intervention on each patient in this experience included: timely identification of eligible patients prior to discharge, stewardship periods of reduced staffing during evenings and weekends, and onboarding of new staff and trainees to the process. Other major challenges that stewardship and pharmacy departments will face include adoption of best‐practice guidelines for discharge, obtaining support from local physician champions, extending the intervention to various service lines and departments with limited resources, and engaging stakeholders to support the program and intervention. This experience demonstrated that pharmacist‐led antimicrobial stewardship at discharge can be successful in both academic and community settings.
Asymmetric resorbable‐based dental barrier membrane for periodontal guided tissue regeneration and guided bone regeneration: A review
Authors: Bee Soo‐Ling , Hamid Zuratul Ain Abdul
Published: March 2022

Guided tissue regeneration (GTR) and guided bone regeneration (GBR) are two common dental regenerative treatments targeted at reconstructing damaged periodontal tissue and bone caused by periodontitis. During GTR/GBR treatment, a barrier membrane is placed in the interface between the soft tissue and the periodontal defect to inhibit soft tissue ingrowth and creating a space for the infiltration of slow‐growing bone cells into the defect site. Recently, asymmetric resorbable‐based barrier membrane has received a considerable attention as a new generation of GTR/GBR membrane. Despite numerous literatures about asymmetric‐based membrane that had been published, there is lacks comprehensive review on asymmetric barrier membrane that particularly highlight the importance of membrane structure for periodontal regeneration. In this review, we systematically cover the latest development and advancement of various kinds of asymmetric barrier membranes used in periodontal GTR/GBR application. Herein, the ideal requirements for constructing a barrier membrane as well as the rationale behind the asymmetric design, are firstly presented. Various innovative methods used in fabricating asymmetric barrier membrane are being further discussed. Subsequently, the application and evaluation of various types of asymmetric barrier membrane used for GTR/GBR are compiled and extensively reviewed based on the recent literatures reported. Based on the existing gap in this field, the future research directions of asymmetric resorbable‐based barrier membrane such as its combination potential with bone grafts, are also presented.
CSiGaAl2−/0andCGeGaAl2−/0having planar tetracoordinate carbon atoms in their global minimum energy structures
Authors: Das Prasenjit , Chattaraj Pratim Kumar
Published: March 2022

Density functional theory (DFT) is used to explore the structure, stability, and bonding in CSiGaAl2−/0and CGeGaAl2−/0systems having planar tetracoordinate carbon (ptC). The neutral systems have 17 valence electrons and the mono‐anionic systems have 18 valence electrons. The ab initio molecular dynamics simulations for 2000 fs time at two different temperatures (300 and 500 K) supported the kinetic stability of the systems. From the natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis it is shown that there is a strong electron donation from the ligand atoms to the ptC atom. We have used Li+ion for the neutralization of the mono‐anionic systems and more interestingly it does not disrupt the planar structure. The most preferable site for binding of Li+ion is along the AlAl bond in both of the mono‐anionic systems. All the systems in this work have both σ and π aromaticity which is predicted from the computations of nucleus independent chemical shift (NICS). Although the anionic species obey the 18 valence electronic rule, the neutral systems break the rule with 17 valence electrons. However, both sets of systems are stable in the planar form. The bonding analysis of the systems includes molecular orbital, adaptive natural density partitioning (AdNDP), quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), electron localization function (ELF) basin, and aromaticity analyses. The energy decomposition analysis (EDA) determines the interaction of Li+ion with CSiGaAl2−and CGeGaAl2−in Li@SiGaAl2and Li@GeGaAl2, respectively.
Effects of oxidative adsorbates and cluster formation on the electronic structure of nanodiamonds
Authors: Kirschbaum Thorren , Petit Tristan , Dzubiella Joachim , Bande Annika
Published: March 2022

Nanodiamonds (NDs) are modern high‐potential materials relevant for applications in biomedicine, photocatalysis, and various other fields. Their electronic surface properties, especially in the liquid phase, are key to their function in the applications, but we show that they are sensitively modified by their interactions with the environment. Two important interaction modes are those with oxidative aqueous adsorbates as well as ND self‐aggregation towards the formation of ND clusters. For planar diamond surfaces it is known that the electron density migrates from the diamond towards oxidative adsorbates, which is known as transfer doping. Here, we quantify this effect for highly curved NDs of varying sizes (35–147 C atoms) and surface terminations (H, OH, F), focusing on their interactions with the most abundant aqueous oxidative adsorbates (H3O+, O2, O3). We prove that the concept of transfer doping stays valid for the case of the high‐curvature NDs and can be tuned via the ND's specific properties. Secondly, we investigate the electronic structures of clusters of NDs which are known to form in particular in aqueous dispersions. Upon cluster formation, we find that the optical gaps of the structures are significantly reduced, which explains why different experimental values were obtained for the optical gap of the same structures, and the cluster's LUMO shapes resemble atom‐type orbitals, as in the case of isolated spherical NDs. Our findings have implications for ND applications as photocatalysts or electronic devices, where the specific electronic properties are key to the functionality of the ND material.
What does community resilience mean in the context of trauma‐informed communities? A scoping review
Authors: King Lindsey M. , Zori Gaia , Collins Sarah L. , Lewis Carol , Hack George , Dixon Brittney N. , Hart Mark
Published: March 2022

Several communities are implementing trauma‐informed, community‐level approaches focused on addressing/preventing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), yet most community resilience definitions from published articles are based on acute traumas. This scoping review aims to determine how community resilience is defined and operationalized within the context of chronic/complex traumas. Methods: We performed a rigorous, comprehensive literature search using multiple databases. Results: The 38 included articles addressed multiple types of chronic traumas, including historical trauma, poverty, minority stress, mass incarceration, and ACEs. A variety of definitions of community resilience were cited, several of which stressed the ability to thrive despite risk factors and the safety and wellbeing of residents. Few articles operationalized community resilience within the context of ACEs, suggesting significant gaps in the literature. Conclusion: This review can serve as an important building block to develop expanded definitions of community resilience for chronic traumas and assist communities in promoting community‐wide responses to ACEs.
Experiences of homeless men in an affluent town in South Africa
Authors: Mostert Frederik , Greeff Abraham P.
Published: March 2022

The aim of this study was to explore experiences of homelessness in an affluent university town. Seven homeless men were recruited at a welfare program for homeless people to participate in in‐depth, semistructured interviews that explored their experiences of homelessness in the town. The ages of the participants ranged from 36 to 52 years. There were three White participants, two of mixed race, and two Black participants. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, from a bottom‐up systems perspective. The results revealed some of the participants' drug‐related experiences, their structural experiences (e.g., shelter policy, low wages, and the poverty trap), their social experiences (e.g., the loss of their families and the lack of social standards in the homeless community), and their psychological experiences (i.e., fatalism, complacency, and responsibility). Subsidized housing and social grants are unlikely to effectively address the homelessness of men if other components of their experience, such as their drug‐related experiences, their structural experiences, their social experiences, and their psychological experiences, are not attended to.
Implications of foliar epidermal micromorphology using light and scanning electron microscopy: A useful tool in taxonomy of Korean irises
Authors: Choi Bokyung , Ahn Yu‐Eun , Jang Tae‐Soo
Published: March 2022

The genus Iris L., comprising approximately 210 species, is one of the most species‐rich genera in the family Iridaceae. In this study, the first comprehensive leaf micromorphological characters of Korean irises were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy. Our objective was to evaluate the foliar micromorphological characteristics (namely epidermal cells, stomata types, and guard cell size) of Korean Iris taxa in a systematic context. All the investigated Korean Iris taxa had amphistomatic or hypostomatic leaves with anomocytic stomatal complexes. Guard cell length varied among species, ranging from 24.8 μm (I. rossii) to 56.0 μm (I. domestica). Although the presence of papillae on the outer periclinal wall is not of taxonomic significance, leaf margin pattern, guard cell size, and sunken stomata type were useful for species‐level identification of Korean Iris species. The occurrence of polymorphic stomatal types was reported here for the first time, and the correlation between genome size and epidermal guard cell length was discussed.
Cross‐sectional trends in HIV prevalence among pregnant women in Botswana: an opportunity for PrEP?
Authors: Kapoor Andrew , Mussa Aamirah , Diseko Modiegi , Mayondi Gloria , Mabuta Judith , Mmalane Mompati , Makhema Joseph , Morroni Chelsea , Lockman Shahin , Zash Rebecca , Shapiro Roger
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Young women in sub‐Saharan Africa are at particularly high risk of HIV acquisition. Recent shifts towards “test and treat” strategies have potential to reduce transmission in this age group but have not been widely studied outside of clinical trials. Using data from nationwide surveillance among pregnant women in Botswana, where a “test and treat” program was implemented in 2016, we describe trends in HIV prevalence over time and highlight opportunities for targeted prevention.

Methods

The Tsepamo study abstracted data from obstetric records of all women delivering at eight government hospitals in Botswana between 2015 and 2019, accounting for 45% of all births in the country (n = 120,755). We used a stratified analysis to identify prevalence trends and evaluated decreases in HIV prevalence over time using the Cochrane–Armitage test for linear trend. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was also performed to identify factors associated with declines in HIV prevalence.

Results

Overall HIV prevalence was 24.1% among 120,755 women who delivered during the study period. Prevalence differed by site of delivery, ranging from 16.1% to 28.2%, and increased markedly with age. Lower educational attainment (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.07–3.50) and being unmarried (aOR = 1.98; 95% CI 1.88–2.08) were associated with HIV infection. HIV prevalence was 10.0% with a first pregnancy, 21.0% with a second and 39.2% with a third or greater (aOR = 2.20; for any prior pregnancy; 95% CI 2.10–2.29). The same age‐adjusted trends were seen when data were limited to women aged 15–24, with a two‐ to three‐fold increase in HIV prevalence between a first and third pregnancy. Prevalence decreased linearly during the 5‐year study period from 25.8% to 22.7% (p <0.001). Among age‐specific strata, the greatest absolute decline occurred in those aged 35–39, with an 8.7% absolute decrease in HIV prevalence from 2015 to 2019. Minimal declines were seen in those 15–24, with a decrease of only 1.5% over the same period.

Conclusions

While overall trends in Botswana show HIV prevalence declining among pregnant women, prevalence among the youngest age group has remained stagnant. Preventative interventions utilizing pre‐exposure prophylaxis should be prioritized during the high‐risk period surrounding a woman's first pregnancy.
Negotiating marginality: Towards an understanding of diverse development pathways of ethnic minorities in Vietnam
Authors: Hiwasaki Lisa , Minh Thai Thi
Published: March 2022

Existing studies on socio‐economic differentiation in Vietnam focus on the inequality between the ethnic majority and minorities while neglecting the disparitiesamongethnic minorities. Using a framework to analyse marginalisation at different scales, we identified through an extensive literature review the diverse ways in which ethnic groups develop strategies to transform or maintain their marginality. These strategies depend on, at the same time influence, inequalities that manifest in processes of social differentiations and power relations. Elucidating these processes of inequalities enables us to promote livelihood opportunities that support the diverse development pathways of different ethnic groups, thus increasing the relevance of development interventions.
VIP plasma levels associate with survival in severe COVID-19 patients, correlating with protective effects in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells
Authors: Temerozo Jairo R , Sacramento Carolina Q , Fintelman-Rodrigues Natalia , Pão Camila R R , de Freitas Caroline S , Dias Suelen Silva Gomes , Ferreira André C , Mattos Mayara , Soares Vinicius Cardoso , Teixeira Lívia , Azevedo-Quintanilha Isaclaudia G , Hottz Eugenio D , Kurtz Pedro , Bozza Fernando A , Bozza Patrícia T , Souza Thiago Moreno L , Bou-Habib Dumith Chequer
Published: March 2022

Infection by SARS-CoV-2 may elicit uncontrolled and damaging inflammatory responses. Thus, it is critical to identify compounds able to inhibit virus replication and thwart the inflammatory reaction. Here, we show that the plasma levels of the immunoregulatory neuropeptide VIP are elevated in patients with severe COVID-19, correlating with reduced inflammatory mediators and with survival on those patients. In vitro, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), highly similar neuropeptides, decreased the SARS-CoV-2 RNA content in human monocytes and viral production in lung epithelial cells, also reducing cell death. Both neuropeptides inhibited the production of proinflammatory mediators in lung epithelial cells and in monocytes. VIP and PACAP prevented in monocytes the SARS-CoV-2-induced activation of NF-kB and SREBP1 and SREBP2, transcriptions factors involved in proinflammatory reactions and lipid metabolism, respectively. They also promoted CREB activation, a transcription factor with antiapoptotic activity and negative regulator of NF-kB. Specific inhibition of NF-kB and SREBP1/2 reproduced the anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and cell death protection effects of VIP and PACAP. Our results support further clinical investigations of these neuropeptides against COVID-19.
Opportunities and challenges in machine learning‐based newborn screening—A systematic literature review
Authors: Zaunseder Elaine , Haupt Saskia , Mütze Ulrike , Garbade Sven F. , Kölker Stefan , Heuveline Vincent
Published: March 2022

The development and continuous optimization of newborn screening (NBS) programs remains an important and challenging task due to the low prevalence of screened diseases and high sensitivity requirements for screening methods. Recently, different machine learning (ML) methods have been applied to support NBS. However, most studies only focus on single diseases or specific ML techniques making it difficult to draw conclusions on which methods are best to implement. Therefore, we performed a systematic literature review of peer‐reviewed publications on ML‐based NBS methods. Overall, 125 related papers, published in the past two decades, were collected for the study, and 17 met the inclusion criteria. We analyzed the opportunities and challenges of ML methods for NBS including data preprocessing, classification models and pattern recognition methods based on their underlying approaches, data requirements, interpretability on a modular level, and performance. In general, ML methods have the potential to reduce the false positive rate and identify so far unknown metabolic patterns within NBS data. Our analysis revealed, that, among the presented, logistic regression analysis and support vector machines seem to be valuable candidates for NBS. However, due to the variety of diseases and methods, a general recommendation for a single method in NBS is not possible. Instead, these methods should be further investigated and compared to other approaches in comprehensive studies as they show promising results in NBS applications.
Mendelian randomization study on the causal effects of COVID‐19 on childhood intelligence
Authors: Zhu Gaizhi , Zhou Shan , Xu Yaqi , Gao Ran , Li Huan , Su Wenting , Han Gencheng , Wang Renxi
Published: March 2022

Although individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) are known to be at increased risk for other conditions resulting from pathogenic changes (including metaplastic or anaplastic) in the lungs and other organs and organ systems, it is still unknown whether COVID‐19 affects childhood intelligence. The present two‐sample Mendelian randomization study aims to identify the genetic causal link between COVID‐19 and childhood intelligence. Four COVID‐19 genetic instrumental variants (IVs) were chosen from the largest genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) for COVID‐19 (hospitalized vs. population) (6406 cases and 902 088 controls of European ancestry). The largest childhood intelligence GWAS (n = 12 441 individuals of European ancestry) was used to evaluate the effect of the identified COVID‐19‐associated genetic IVs on childhood intelligence. We found that as the genetic susceptibility to COVID‐19 increased, childhood intelligence followed a decreasing trend, according to mr_egger (β = −0.156; p = 0.601; odds ratio [OR] = 0.856; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.522–1.405), simple mode (β = −0.126; p = 0.240; OR = 0.882; 95% CI: 0.745–1.044), and weighted mode (β = −0.121; p = 0.226; OR = 0.886; 95% CI: 0.758–1.036) analyses. This trend was further demonstrated by the weighted median (β = −0.134; p = 0.031; OR = 0.875; 95% CI: 0.774–0.988) and the inverse variance weighted (β = −0.152; p = 0.004; OR = 0.859; 95% CI: 0.776–0.952). Our analysis suggests a causal link between genetically increased COVID‐19 and decreased childhood intelligence. Thus, COVID‐19 may be a risk factor for declines in childhood intelligence.
Improved accuracy of storm surge simulations by incorporating changing along‐track parameters
Authors: Sridharan Balakrishnan , Chaitanya Rachuri Krishna , Sudheer Kulamulla Parambath , Kuiry Soumendra Nath
Published: March 2022

The estimation of maximum storm surges along a coast is indispensable for emergency action planning, design, and adaptation of coastal infrastructure. The existing studies on the Bay of Bengal coast have used synthetic tracks with constant track parameters such as the maximum wind speed, radius of maximum wind, and central pressure to estimate the probable maximum storm surges. However, the analysis of the best tracks from the Joint Typhoon Warning Center during 1978–2019 shows that the track parameters vary from origin to landfall locations. The reported studies along the Bay of Bengal have failed to capture such variations and overestimated probable maximum storm surges due to constant track parameters. Therefore, this study proposes a methodology for estimating wind speed of various return periods and associated track parameters that vary along a synthetic track. The wind speed of different return periods is computed at each eye location using the probabilistic approach. Thus, the calculated wind speeds vary from origin to landfall locations, and such a pattern of wind speed variation is observed to be similar to the historical cyclones. The radius of maximum wind and central pressure is calculated using the regression equations derived from historical tracks. The accuracy of the proposed methodology is investigated by simulating the cyclones Thane and Vardah that occurred along the Tamil Nadu coast. The results suggest that the varying track parameters using the proposed methodology produce realistic surge values similar to parameters from best track data, and it overcomes the overestimation of surge heights. The proposed methodology is further utilized to analyse the maximum surge scenarios along the Tamil Nadu coast resulting from various track shifts and angles of attack. The proposed methodology is expected to improve the estimation of storm surges in other basins.
Meteorological droughts and water resources: Historical and future perspectives for Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast Brazil
Authors: de Medeiros Felipe Jeferson , Gomes Rafaela dos Santos , Coutinho Maytê Duarte Leal , Lima Kellen Carla
Published: March 2022

The objective of this study was to relate the meteorological droughts in the present climate (1991–2016) and their projections for near future (2025–2050) under the RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 with the water resources of the Rio Grande do Norte (RN) state, located in the Northeast Brazil. For this, we proposed a relationship between the categories of the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and the water variation of four reservoirs. The SPEI was calculated using the regional climate models (RCM) and its ensemble (obtained through the principal component analysis – RCM_Ens_PCA) from the CORDEX‐CORE project for the South America domain (SAM‐22). The results indicated that approximately 70% of the times when the SPEI was classified in drought categories (SPEI ≤ −0.50), there was a decrease in the stored volume of the reservoirs, being this impact more evident in years in which the SPEI values were more intense. For wet years (SPEI > 0.50), we found that in 80.0% of the times there was an increase in the stored volume. For the near‐future climate, the analyses indicated higher spread between simulations, indicating greater uncertainties. However, the RCM members and the ensemble projected a predominance of more wet (dry) years during the 2025–2033 (2042–2047) periods, especially in the RCP2.6. Thus, it is expected that the RN state would not face water scarcity from 2025 to 2033 but would probably face water deficit from 2042 to 2047. Therefore, our results show information that can be useful for decision‐makers to plan strategic actions for water security.
Secretive marsh bird habitat relationships at mid‐continent spring migration stopover sites
Authors: Webb Elisabeth B. , Hill Evan B. , Malone Kristen M. , C. Mengel Doreen
Published: March 2022

Despite several secretive marsh bird (SMB) species being listed as critically imperiled throughout the mid‐continent of North America, limited information on SMB distribution and habitat use within primary migratory corridors results in uncertainty on contributions of wetlands in mid‐latitude states toward their annual cycle needs. Our objectives were to quantify temporal patterns of SMB wetland occupancy during spring migration at a mid‐latitude state and evaluate the relationships between SMB colonization probability and water‐level management practices, and the resulting habitat conditions during spring migration. We conducted a 2‐year, dynamic occupancy study (2013–2014) that included 6 rounds of repeated call‐back surveys to detect the presence of 5 SMB species (i.e., Virginia rail [Rallus limicola], sora [Porzana carolina], king rail [R. elegans], least bittern [Ixobrychus exilis], and American bittern [Botaurus lentiginosus]) during spring (Apr–Jun) on 107 wetlands across 8 conservation areas and 4 national wildlife refuges throughout Missouri, USA. We detected sora most frequently, followed by least bittern, American bittern, Virginia rail, and king rail. Coefficient estimates indicated colonization probability for all species was positively associated with emergent vegetation cover and negatively associated with amount of open water. Open water was the only variable in the best supported model explaining American bittern site colonization, to which they were negatively associated. Virginia rail colonization had a strong positive association with vegetation height, whereas least bittern and sora site colonization were influenced positively by water depth and agriculture, respectively. Based on the habitat associations within and among SMB species identified in this study, wetland managers can tailor management strategies to optimize spring migration habitat for single‐ or multi‐species objectives.
Carbon isotopic constraints on the degradation and sequestration of organic matter in river‐influenced marginal sea sediments
Authors: Fu Wenjing , Xu Xiaomei , Druffel Ellen M. , Wang Xuchen , Sun Shuwen , Luo Chunle , Zhang Hongmei , Fan Di
Published: March 2022

Organic matter degradation and sequestration in marine sediments are important processes involved in carbon cycling in the ocean. Here, we present the results of carbon isotope (14C and 13C) and concentration measurements of sedimentary organic carbon (SOC), pore‐water dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in sediments collected from the East China Sea, Yellow/Bohai Sea, and South China Sea. Our results indicated that selective degradation and preservation of organic matter occurred in these sediments, and marine‐derived young organic carbon degraded preferentially and rapidly, resulting in high concentrations of pore‐water DOC and DIC with distinct carbon isotopic signatures. The average 14C age of pore‐water DOC was thousands of years younger than that of SOC in the sediment, suggesting that DOC was newly produced and cycled much faster than SOC. Aged SOC was refractory and preserved in sediments. Using a dual‐isotope three‐end‐member model, the contributions of potential sources to SOC, DOC, and DIC were estimated. Marine‐derived biomass organic carbon contributed the most to DOC, and dissolution of biogenic carbonate contributed the most to DIC. Riverine inputs of pre‐aged soil and fossil organic carbon dominated the SOC pool. Our study demonstrated that marginal sea sediments are important sites of young DOC and DIC fluxes into the water column, thus acting as a major pathway for carbon and nutrient cycling in the ocean.
Integrated pest management for Jatropha Carcus plant: An impulsive control approach
Authors: Chowdhury Jahangir , Al Basir Fahad , Cao Xianbing , Kumar Roy Priti
Published: March 2022

In this research, an integrated pest management model using impulsive differential equations has been investigated for Jatropha curcas plantation to control its natural pests through relying on the release of infective pest individuals and spraying of chemical pesticides. First, identify susceptible pest eradication solutions and assess their feasibility. We then show that all system variables are bounded. Using Floquet's theory and the small amplitude perturbation method, it is obtained that there exists an asymptotically stable susceptible pest eradication periodic solution when the release amount of infected pest is larger than the critical maximum value (or strength of chemical pesticide spraying is larger than some critical maximum value). Also, we have established the permanence of the system. After comparison, it is explored that integrated pest management is more effective than biological control or chemical control. Finally, verify the analytical results through numerical simulation.
Perturbation upper bounds for singular subspaces with a kind of heteroskedastic noise and its application in clustering
Authors: Zhang Zhentao , Wang Jinru
Published: March 2022

Perturbation bounds for singular subspaces have a wide range of applications, including high‐dimensional statistics, machine learning, and applied mathematics. This paper focuses on the perturbation bounds of singular subspaces under a signal matrix interfered by a special heteroscedastic noise matrix in which its same row or column shares similar variance. First of all, we extend homoscedastic results of T. Tony Cai and Anru Zhang (see Rate‐optimal perturbation bounds for singular subspaces with applications to high‐dimensional statistics, The Annals of Statistics, 2018, 46(1), 60–89) to heteroscedastic cases. Then we apply the developed tools to the heteroskedastic clustering model. We find out that our upper bound of clustering misclassification rate is better than the one of T. Tony Cai, Rungang Han, and Anru Zhang (see arXiv:2008.12434, 2020).
Active element pattern measurement in a hybrid antenna array with heterodyne architecture and its application
Authors: Yang Liang , Xie Li , Li Shunli , Zhao Hongxin , Yin Xiaoxing
Published: March 2022

A measurement method of an active element antenna pattern in a hybrid antenna array with heterodyne architecture under a real environment is proposed and applied to the design of an ultralow sidelobe level scanning array. To avoid the phase uncertainty caused by the local oscillator signal in the heterodyne architecture, a phase‐normalized active element pattern (PNAEP) is used to characterize the element antenna patterns of both amplitude and phase. The PNAEP has almost taken account of all the practical factors of an array, such as mutual couplings, various types of element antennas, unequal spacing, or diverse environmental effects. The PNAEP is measured with a 16‐element scanning receiving array with a heterodyne architecture to validate the feasibility of the PNAEP. Based on the PNAEP, the scanning array achieve an ultralow sidelobe level of −33 dB. Applying to various receiving array architectures the PNAEP method is a feasible and universal tool for array synthesis and optimization under real environments.
3D MR fingerprinting using Seiffert spirals
Authors: Wyatt Cory R. , Guimaraes Alexander R.
Published: March 2022

Purpose

Seiffert spirals were recently explored as an efficient way to traverse 3D k‐space compared to traditional 3D techniques. Several studies have shown the ability of 3D MR fingerprinting (MRF) techniques to acquire T1 and T2 relaxation maps in a short period of time. However, these sequences do not sample across a large region of 3D k‐space every TR, especially in the way that Seiffert trajectories can.

Methods

A 3D MRF sequence was designed using 8 Seiffert spirals rotated in 3D k‐space, with flip angle modulation for T1 and T2 sensitivity. The sequence was compared to an MRF sequence using a 2D spiral rotated in 3D k‐space using the tiny golden angle acquisition with similar resolution/readout duration. Both sequences were evaluated using simulations, phantom validation, and in vivo imaging.

Results

In all experiments, the Seiffert spiral MRF sequence performed similar to if not better than the multi‐axis 2D spiral MRF sequence. Strong intraclass correlation coefficients (> 0.9) were found between conventional and MRF sequences in phantoms, whereas the in vivo results showed slightly less aliasing artifact with the Seiffert trajectory.

Conclusion

In this study, Seiffert spirals were used within the MRF framework to acquire high‐resolution T1 and T2 relaxation time maps in less than 2.5 min. The reduced aliasing artifacts seen with the Seiffert sequence suggests that sampling over 3D k‐space evenly each TR can improve quantification or shorten scan times.