bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Repetitive Behaviors in Autism and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Systematic Review
Authors: O’Loghlen Jessica , McKenzie Matthew , Lang Cathryne , Paynter Jessica
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and autism are characterized by the presence of repetitive behaviors. Differentiating between repetitive behaviors attributable to a diagnosis of autism, and those attributable to OCD, poses challenges for differential and co-occurring diagnosis. Differentiation is important to inform appropriate supports and interventions for phenotypically similar but functionally distinct behaviors. In this systematic review, the quantitative literature was examined to explore the similarities and differences in repetitive behaviors (including restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors) in autistic individuals and those with OCD, and those with co-occurring diagnoses, in terms of: (1) expression, (2) content, and (3) associated factors. Methods: Thirty-one studies were identified that compared repetitive behaviors in autistic individuals, individuals with OCD, or individuals with both diagnoses. Results: The results suggest considerable overlap in the intensity and content of repetitive behaviors between groups. The findings of this review highlight that research aimed specifically at understanding similarities and differences in repetitive behaviors between autistic individuals and individuals with OCD is limited and frequently only compare at total score or composite measure levels. Conclusion: Further research into differences in the presentation of repetitive behaviors at a subscale and item level is required to inform clearer differentiation of specific behaviors in autism versus OCD. Understanding and more accurately differentiating is essential for efficient diagnosis, effective treatment, and better outcomes.
Use of General Practitioner Services Among Workers with Work-Related Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review
Authors: Maharjan Preeti , Gelaw Asmare , Griffiths Daniel , Mazza Danielle , Collie Alex
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Work-related low back pain (WRLBP) is a highly prevalent health problem worldwide leading to work disability and increased healthcare utilisation. General practitioners (GPs) play an important role in the management of WRLBP. Despite this, understanding of GP service use for WRLBP is limited. This systematic review aimed to determine the prevalence, patterns and determinants of GP service use for WRLBP.

Methods

MEDLINE, Embase via Ovid, Scopus and Web of Science were searched for relevant peer-reviewed articles published in English without any restriction on time of publications. Low back pain (LBP) was considered work-related if the study included workers’ compensation claim data analysis, participants with accepted workers’ compensation claims or reported a connection with work and LBP. The eligibility criteria for GP service use are met if there is any reported consultation with family practitioner, medical doctor or General Practitioner. Two reviewers screened articles and extracted data independently. Narrative synthesis was conducted.

Results

Seven eligible studies reported prevalence of GP service use among workers with WRLBP ranging from 11% to 99.3%. Only studies from Australia, Canada and the United States met the eligibility criteria. The prevalence of GP service use was higher in Australia (70%) and Canada (99.3%) compared to the United States (25.3% to 39%). The mean (standard deviation) number of GP visits ranged from 2.6 (1.6) to 9.6 (12.4) over a two-year time interval post-WRLBP onset. Determinants of higher GP service use included prior history of low back pain, more severe injury, prior GP visits and younger age.

Conclusion

Only seven studies met the eligibility indicating a relative lack of evidence, despite the acknowledged important role that GPs play in the care of workers with low back pain. More research is needed to understand the prevalence, patterns and determinants to support effective service delivery and policy development.
Pathways toward a pollution-free planet and challenges
Authors: Qu Jiuhui , Chen Jiaping
Published: April 2024

The mission of “Establishment of Zero-Pollution Earth” defined by United Nations Environment Programme aims at creation of a clean, safe and prosperous home for all human beings. It is of rational choice from each individual to protect our environment and demonstrates our great ambition to achieve our goals. The key message given in this article is that, zero pollution does not mean no discharge of pollutants and instead it can be achievable through optimizing and controlling a sound balance between pollutants discharge and capacities of decontamination through treatment and natural environmental accumulation, which can be termed as “Principle of Equilibrium” between pollution and decontamination. Based on this principle, we propose and illustrate several key factors and synergistic pathways toward a pollution-free planet: quantitative determination on purification and wastewater; source control through green measures; minimization of negative side-effects; precise management through digitalized systems; and keeping sound balance between pollutants and natural purification. It should be noted that we would face a series of difficulties and challenges in moving forward to “Zero-Pollution Earth”. We should further develop theories, principles and tools to achieve the balance between quantity of pollutants and decontamination capacities. Environmentalists should work together to break through the bottleneck limited by “Principle of equilibrium” to establish new environmental remediation systems leading to “Zero-Pollution Earth”.
Proteomics in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Observational Studies
Authors: Gkouvi Arriana , Tsiogkas Sotirios G. , Bogdanos Dimitrios P. , Gika Helen , Goulis Dimitrios G. , Grammatikopoulou Maria G.
Published: April 2024

Purpose of Review

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a disease of unknown pathophysiology, with the diagnosis being based on a set of clinical criteria. Proteomic analysis can provide significant biological information for the pathophysiology of the disease but may also reveal biomarkers for diagnosis or therapeutic targets. The present systematic review aims to synthesize the evidence regarding the proteome of adult patients with FMS using data from observational studies.

Recent Findings

An extensive literature search was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, CENTRAL, and clinicaltrials.gov from inception until November 2022. The study protocol was published in OSF. Two independent reviewers evaluated the studies and extracted data. The quality of studies was assessed using the modified Newcastle–Ottawa scale adjusted for proteomic research. Ten studies fulfilled the protocol criteria, identifying 3328 proteins, 145 of which were differentially expressed among patients with FMS against controls. The proteins were identified in plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid, and saliva samples. The control groups included healthy individuals and patients with pain (inflammatory and non-inflammatory).

The most important proteins identified involved transferrin, α-, β-, and γ-fibrinogen chains, profilin-1, transaldolase, PGAM1, apolipoprotein-C3, complement C4A and C1QC, immunoglobin parts, and acute phase reactants. Weak correlations were observed between proteins and pain sensation, or quality of life scales, apart from the association of transferrin and a2-macroglobulin with moderate-to-severe pain sensation. The quality of included studies was moderate-to-good. FMS appears to be related to protein dysregulation in the complement and coagulation cascades and the metabolism of iron. Several proteins may be dysregulated due to the excessive oxidative stress response.
The influence of driver’s risk perception ability on driving decision-making: an ERP study
Authors: Zhang Xiaoying , Chang Ruosong , Wang Mengcheng , Sui Xue
Published: April 2024

Driver’s risk perception ability is of great significance to traffic safety. Driver’s risk perception ability is reflected in the risk handling in traffic situation and has a great impact on driving decisions, especially speed decisions. However, the mechanism of the influence of risk perception on driving decisions under risk situations is still unclear. According to standardized risk perception test, we divided drivers into high risk perception ability (H-RPA) group and low risk perception ability (L-RPA) group. Participants were shown traffic pictures with different levels of risk and asked to make decisions about whether to slow down, while their electrical brain responses were recorded. All participants were interviewed after the experiment. The results showed that in the low-risk traffic situation, compared to the drivers with H-RPA, the drivers with L-RPA made less deceleration decisions and evoked larger N1 and smaller P1 amplitude. 93.75% of the drivers with L-RPA stated in interviews that they did not notice the traffic risks on the road. The results show that risk perception affects the allocation of attention to risks in traffic situations, leading to a decrease in the safety of driving decisions. Our research results provide a reference for the training of safe driving skills for drivers.
#Neuroticgrammers: the mediating role of fear of missing out, escapism and self-expression motives between neuroticism and problematic Instagram use
Authors: Pupi Virginia , Polizzi Stefano , Mazzoni Elvis , Biolcati Roberta
Published: April 2024

Although Instagram is widely used among young people, it has only recently caught researchers’ attention. Following the perspective of the I-PACE model, the present study examined the relationship between neuroticism and problematic Instagram use (PIU) in Italian university students who had an Instagram account. We assumed that the relationship between neuroticism and PIU could be explained by direct and indirect paths, passing through Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and motives for Instagram use. 362 Instagram users (72.1% female; Mage = 25.35, SD = 4.25) filled out a questionnaire assessing demographics, Instagram use features, Neuroticism, Problematic Instagram use, FoMO, and Motivations for Using Instagram. Results showed that neuroticism affected PIU only indirectly through FoMO, escapism and self-expression motives. Additionally, FoMO promoted higher levels of escapism and self-expression motives, increasing participants’ risk of PIU. This is the first study testing the mediating role of motives for using Instagram between personality predisposing factors and PIU. The findings provide new insights into the relationship between the factors that may promote PIU and have important clinical implications. These include the possibility for practitioners to prevent PIU more easily by acting on users’ motivations and cognitions, such as escapism, self-expession and FoMO, rather than working on predisposing personality factors, that are usually more stable over time.
Isolated Langerhans cell histiocytosis in the stomach of adults: four-case series and literature review
Authors: Zhao Jianmin , Li Yanlei , Zhang Yanlin , Mei Xue , Liu Wei , Li Yinghong
Published: April 2024

Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) of the stomach is rare. Moreover, it is usually found in pediatric patients with systemic diseases and may be associated with a poor prognosis. Solitary gastric LCH in adults is extremely rare and is often misdiagnosed or missed. The aim of our study was to review cases of gastric LCH and explore the characteristics of the disease further. A retrospective study of all patients admitted with solitary gastric LCH was conducted between 2013 and 2023. Clinical manifestations, endoscopic and pathological features, immunophenotypes, and molecular changes were collected from medical records. We examined four cases (one female, three males) of gastric LCH. The affected patients were between 33 and 70 years of age. Endoscopically, three patients presented with a solitary polyp or elevated lesions, whereas one patient showed no abnormalities. Under a microscope, all cases showed abnormal proliferation of histiocytoid cells infiltrating in a nested or sheet-like fashion. The tumor cells were medium-sized, with a slightly eosinophilic cytoplasm, irregular or renal-shaped nuclei, folded nuclear membranes, visible nuclear grooves, and the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the background. Immunohistochemically, all lesions expressed CD1a, S-100, langerin, and cyclinD1. One case showed diffuse BRAF V600E positivity. Follow-up data were available for all patients from 4 to 36 months, and all patients were alive without recurrence or progress at the time of manuscript preparation. Combined with previously reported data, solitary adult gastric LCH is more common in male patients, most of whom are asymptomatic or exhibit only mild gastrointestinal symptoms, with a good prognosis. Endoscopy often reveals solitary polyps or protruding lesions; rare cases may progress to multifocal/multisystem lesions, necessitating long-term close follow-up.
Survival among treated tongue cancer patients: a single-center experience
Authors: Veiga-San Roman Pablo , Villanueva San Vicente Victor , Rodriguez-Gonzalez M. Angeles , López-Jornet Pia
Published: April 2024

Objective

To describe overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in a cohort of tongue cancer patients, together with the corresponding demographic, tumor and surgical characteristics.

Methods

A retrospective study was made of 205 consecutive patients with primary tongue cancer subjected to surgery and adjuvant therapy according to the stage of the disease, in Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca (HUVA) (Murcia, Spain) during the period 2000–2020. Survival was evaluated based on the Kaplan–Meier method, and the existence of significant differences between the different study variables was analyzed using the log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was performed for the identification of risk factors.

Results

In relation to overall survival, 72.6% of the patients survived for a mean time of 14.43 years [standard error (SE) = 0.74; 95% CI: 12.98–15.87], with a cumulative survival rate of 49.8 ± 3%. Survival was reduced by the presence of tumor adjacent to resection margins [hazard ratio (HR) 2.20; 95% CI 1.09–4.43] (p = 0.028) and infiltrated resection margins (HR 3.86, 95% CI 1.56–9.57) (p = 0.004). Lymphadenectomy in turn increased survival (HR 0.15; 95% CI 0.06–0.42) (p < 0.001). In relation to disease-free survival, 55.3% of the patients suffered no relapse over a mean period of 9.91 years (SE = 0.66; 95% CI: 8.61–11.2), with a cumulative survival rate of 26.6% ± 8.4%.

Conclusions

In tongue cancer patients, overall and specific survival were reduced in the presence of infiltrated resection margins. Lymphadenectomy in turn improved survival compared with patients in which this procedure was not carried out.
Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal hernia repair in patients with a history of previous abdominopelvic surgery
Authors: Hayward Romilly , Smith Jacob J. , Kontovounisios Christos , Qiu Shengyang , Warren Oliver J.
Published: April 2024

A retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair compared short- and long-term outcomes between individuals with or without history of previous abdominopelvic surgery, aiming to determine the feasibility of totally extraperitoneal (TEP) repair within this population. All patients who underwent elective TEP inguinal hernia repair by one consultant surgeon across three London hospitals from January 2017 to May 2023 were retrospectively analysed to assess perioperative outcomes. Two hundred sixty-two patients were identified, of whom two hundred forty-three (93%) underwent laparoscopic TEP repair. The most frequent complications were haematoma (6.2%) and seroma (4.1%). Recurrence occurred in four cases (1.6% of operations, 1.1% of hernias). One hundred eighty-four patients (76%) underwent day-case surgery. There were no mesh infections or explanations, vascular or visceral injuries, port-site hernias, damage to testicle, or persisting numbness. There were no requirements for blood transfusion, returns to theatre, or readmissions within 30 days. There was one conversion to open and one death within 60 days of surgery. Eighty-three (34%) had a history of previous AP surgery. There was no significant difference in perioperative outcomes between the AP and non-AP arms. This finding carried true for subgroup analysis of 44 patients whose AP surgical history did not include previous inguinal hernia repair and for those undergoing repair of recurrent hernia. In expert hands, laparoscopic TEP repair is associated with excellent outcomes and low rates of long-term complications, and thus should be considered as standard for patients regardless of a history of AP surgery.
“The least significant change on bone mineral density scan increased in patients with higher degrees of obesity”
Authors: Dorilleau Claire , Kanagaratnam Lukshe , Charlot Isabelle , Hittinger Ambre , Bertin Eric , Salmon Jean-Hugues , Geoffroy Marion
Published: April 2024

Background: The least significant change (LSC) threshold of 0.03 g/cm² is used to interpret bone mineral density (BMD) scans in the general population. Our working hypothesis was that the current LSC threshold would not be applicable in obese populations. Aims: The aim of this study was to calculate the LSC in an obese population. Methods: We performed an interventional study among 120 obesity patients, in whom two measurements of BMD were performed at 3 sites. Pairs of measures were used to calculate the LSC, using the Bland and Altman method. Results: We calculated that the LSC was 0.046 g/cm² at the lumbar spine, 0.069 g/cm² at the femoral neck, and 0.06 g/cm² at the total hip. We also calculated the LSC for each class of obesity and observed an increase in LSC with increasing body mass index (BMI). We calculated a LSC of 0.05 g/cm² in patients with class 2 or class 3 obesity, whereas the LSC in patients with class 1 obesity is similar to the threshold used in the general population. Discussion: In obese population, like BMD, LSC is higher than the threshold value of the general population, and increases with increasing BMI.Conclusion: LSC of 0.05 g/cm² could be used in clinical practice in patients with class 2 or 3 obesity. These findings should help to improve the interpretation of BMD scans in these patients and optimize their management. Trial registration number: Comité de Protection des Personnes Ile-de France VII, France.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities: Discrimination’s Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life—An All of Us Cancer Survivors’ Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Arizpe Angel , Ochoa-Dominguez Carol Y. , Navarro Stephanie , Kim Sue E. , Queen Katelyn , Pickering Trevor A. , Farias Albert J.
Published: April 2024

Background

Discrimination is associated with worse mental and physical health outcomes. However, the associations among cancer survivors are limited.

Objective

We examined whether discrimination is associated with HRQoL and whether adjusting for it reduces racial/ethnic disparities in HRQoL among cancer survivors.

Methods

Cross-sectional data from adult cancer survivors who completed surveys on discrimination in the medical settings (DMS), everyday perceived discrimination (PD), and HRQoL in the “All of Us” Program from 2018 to 2022 were assessed. We created a binary indicator for fair-to-poor vs. good-to-excellent physical health and mental health. PD and DMS scores were a continuous measure with higher scores reflecting more discrimination. Multivariable logistic regression models tested whether DMS and PD are associated with HRQoL and whether they differently affect the association between race/ethnicity and HRQoL.

Results

The sample (N = 16,664) of cancer survivors was predominantly White (86%) and female (59%), with a median age of 69. Every 5-unit increase in DMS and PD scores was associated with greater odds of fair-to-poor physical health (DMS: OR [95%CI] = 1.66 [1.55, 1.77], PD: 1.33 [1.27, 1.40]) and mental health (DMS: 1.57 [1.47, 1.69], PD: 1.33 [1.27, 1.39]). After adjusting for DMS or PD, Black and Hispanic survivors had a decreased likelihood of fair-to-poor physical health and mental health (decrease estimate range: − 6 to − 30%) compared to White survivors. This effect was greater for Black survivors when adjusting for PD, as the odds of fair-to-poor mental health compared to White survivors were no longer statistically significant (1.78 [1.32, 2.34] vs 1.22 [0.90, 1.64]).

Conclusion

Experiences of discrimination are associated with lower HRQoL and reducing it may mitigate racial/ethnic disparities in HRQoL.
Allergen-specific immunotherapy for mold allergies
Authors: Brehler Randolf , Rabe Uta
Published: April 2024

Molds are ubiquitous in our environment and are considered by the population to be the most important indoor pollutant problem [1]. The current 2023 update to the AWMF mold guideline [1] is intended to allay or channel fears and provide assistance for a sensible diagnosis and treatment decision.

The detection of an IgE-mediated allergy implies for allergists Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) as an established treatment option. However, compared to the well-validated AIT with pollen and house dust mites, the decision to use AIT with mold extracts must be weighed more heavily between the benefits and risks.

Spores of Alternaria alternata are found in high concentrations in the outdoor air. Due to the high allergenic potential and the small size of the spores, an Alternaria allergy often leads to bronchial asthma, especially in children. The effectiveness of AIT with Alternaria extracts has been tested in several studies; for other molds, especially those from the indoor environment, the efficacy and applicability is very limited.

In terms of differential diagnosis, it must be borne in mind that molds can not only cause common allergic reactions but can also be responsible for allergic bronchopulmonary mycoses/aspergillosis (ABPA), Aspergillus bronchitis, exogenous allergic alveolitis (EAA), invasive aspergillosis, mycoses and rhinosinusitis. Very high concentrations, which can occur particularly in workplaces, can also result in toxic effects (“organic dust toxic syndrome”); molds are also held responsible for mucous membrane irritation, odor effects and mood disorders [1].
Estimating the costs of managed aquifer recharge under uncertainty with examples for town water supply in regional Australia
Authors: Gonzalez Dennis , Guillaume Joseph , Peeters Luk , Wyrwoll Paul , Vanderzalm Joanne , Page Declan
Published: April 2024

Drought risks exacerbated by climate change exposes water scarcity issues particularly in arid to dry subtropical areas globally. Recurring droughts have highlighted town water security deficiencies in regional Australia. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is proven internationally as an effective tool for increasing drought resilience and sustainability of water resources. Uncertainty concerning costs of MAR schemes has been a barrier to wider implementation. This study presents a framework for assessing costs of MAR for well injection and infiltration basin systems across a range of conditions and scales relevant to town water supply. Novel methods were developed to account for uncertainty, capture time-varying volume dependent operating costs, and examine disaggregated capital and operating expenses through global sensitivity analysis. Levelised costs were inversely proportional to scheme scale although diminishing rates of return were shown for larger capacity systems driven by increased volume-dependent operational costs. When accounting for aquifer storage losses, levelised costs of recovered water were up to double the costs of recharge. Global sensitivity analyses revealed input variables that determined the dominant disaggregated costs were also the most sensitive and that these changed in relation to scheme scales and operating conditions. The methods allowed estimated costs and sensitivities for conceptualised MAR schemes for six towns in Australia’s Murray-Darling Basin to be oriented within the envelope of results. This demonstrated the transferability and applicability of results for providing indicative costs and informing specific investigations to reduce uncertainty in viability assessments of MAR over a range of scales and conditions.

Graphical Abstract
Von der Exploration zur Etablierung einer linguistischen Methode anhand von Beispielanalysen zur Zeit(lichkeit) in Text- und Redesammlungen verschiedener Wissensdomänen
Authors: Jacob Katharina
Published: April 2024

Der Beitrag reflektiert die Relevanz der Korpushermeneutik in der frühen und mittleren Phase linguistischer Studien anhand von Beispielanalysen zur Zeit(lichkeit) in Text- und Redesammlungen verschiedener Fach- und Wissensdomänen. Wenn Linguisti:innen ihre Fragestellung entwickeln, die Datengrundlage reflektieren und Korpora erstellen, so sind in dieser frühen Phase ebenso korpushermeneutische Fragestellungen von Relevanz wie in der mittleren Phase, in der üblicherweise automatisch und/oder manuell annotiert wird, Analysetools getestet und ausprobiert und erste Pilotstudien durchgeführt werden. Das Konzept der Korpushermeneutik soll dafür sensibilisieren, dass das Korpus als objektivierbare Größe zwar Daten enthält bzw. diesem Daten in iterativen Annotationsverfahren zugeordnet werden können, die sich wiederum in Hinblick auf ihre Frequenz und Distribution messen lassen. Zu einem wesentlichen Teil kann diesem Korpus, seinem Aufbau, seiner Aufbereitung und seiner Analyse zwischen Einzelbeleg und Musterbildung aber nur hermeneutisch im Sinne eines Verstehens- und Interpretationsprozesse begegnet werden. In dem Beitrag wird die These vertreten, dass Verstehen und Interpretieren miteinander verwoben sind und nicht nur für qualitative Analyseschritte relevant sind. Quantitative, also beispielsweise frequenz- und distributionsorientierte Korpusauswertung ist nicht ausschließlich von Mess- und Rechenverfahren geprägt, sondern mit Prozessen des Verstehens und Interpretierens verbunden. Wir interpretieren unsere korpuslinguistischen Daten ebenso, wie Texte und Reden. Mensch und Maschine interagieren in eng verzahnter Weise, bei der ein hermeneutisch sensibler Umgang gefragt ist.
Dopamine Hydrochloride Alleviates the Salt-induced Stress in Glycine max (L.) Merr. plant
Authors: Abo-Shanab Walaa A. , Diab Rana H.
Published: April 2024

The objective of this study is to evaluate the role of dopamine hydrochloride (DH) in alleviating the detrimental effects of salt stress on Glycine max (L.) plant. Soybean seeds were treated with 150 mM NaCl and DH (100 µM or 200 µM) after they had been grown in plastic pots then the growth parameters, physiological and molecular analyses were assessed. Data showed that salinity stress decreased the germination percentage by 63.6%, the tolerance index (TI) and the seedling vigor index (SVI) were highly decreased. Salinity stress led to a markedly decline in the photosynthetic efficiency and the content of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b by 43.5%, 77.4% and 44.6%, respectively. Salinity stress increased MDA and activity of CAT, SOD, POD, APX, GST and GR by 150%, 39.8%, 75%, 160%, 77.7%, 50% and 57%, respectively. However, DH (100 µM or 200 µM) significantly alleviated the toxic effects of salinity stress, marinated ions absorption, and enhanced the molecular level. Wherein out of 30 ISSR amplified fragments were formed. There were 10 unique bands (587 bp, 453 bp, 393 bp, 435 bp, 157 bp, 679 bp, 473 bp, 675 bp, 758 bp and 531 bp) were appeared in response to DH (100 µM and 200 µM) compared with untreated plants. Our analysis suggests a constructive effect of DH (100 µM and 200 µM) in alleviating the toxic effects of salinity stress on Glycine max (L.) plant not only at the level of antioxidative defense but also by regulating the molecular response highlighting the potential use of DH to improve the sustainability of horticultural production under climate change.
Effects of Cold Plasma Pretreatment and Cultivar on the Drying Characteristics, Biochemical, and Bioactive Compounds of 'Tropica' and 'Keitt'Mangoes
Authors: Yanclo Loriane A. , Sigge Gunnar , Belay Zinash A. , Oyenihi Ayodeji B. , October Feroza , Caleb Oluwafemi James
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Mango is a well-known and widely consumed fruit for its savoury taste and nutritional benefits. However, a lack of efficient postharvest handling prior to its storage could gradually lead to undesirable changes that cause postharvest losses. Dehydration techniques such as hot air drying have shown to minimize the water activity thereby preserving fruit shelf-life. Pretreatment prior drying has the advantage of shortening the drying times, consuming less energy, substituting chemical use, and maintaining the quality attributes of agricultural products. Therefore, the main purpose of this research is to assess the application of cold plasma (CP) as a pretreatment step before drying ‘Tropica’ and ‘Keitt’ mango slices.

Methods

The effect of low-pressure cold plasma pretreatment duration (5 and 10 min) and mango cultivar differences was investigated on drying properties, quality attributes, and microbial load. Thin layer mathematical models fitted were fitted to the data collected to describe the drying behaviour.

Results

Mango cultivars behaved differently during drying as ‘Keitt’ samples had a shorter drying time (10 h) compared to ‘Tropica’ samples (12 h). Logarithmic model best predicted the drying behaviour with a determination coefficient R2 of 0.99 and RMSE of 0.0664. Change in bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity, and microbial load of ‘Tropica’ and ‘Keitt’ mango slices were significantly affected by CP pretreatment and drying (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The findings of this study showed that cold plasma improved the drying rate of dried mango slices. Total phenolic and antioxidant activity were improved with cold plasma treatment of 10 min. In summary, cold plasma improves drying kinetics and the quality attributes of mango fruit.
Role of the RAAS in mediating the pathophysiology of COVID-19
Authors: Jasiczek Jakub , Doroszko Adrian , Trocha Tymoteusz , Trocha Małgorzata
Published: April 2024

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) holds a position of paramount importance as enzymatic and endocrine homeostatic regulator concerning the water-electrolyte and acid-base balance. Nevertheless, its intricacy is influenced by the presence of various complementary angiotensins and their specific receptors, thereby modifying the primary RAAS actions. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) acts as a surface receptor for SARS-CoV-2, establishing an essential connection between RAAS and COVID-19 infection. Despite the recurring exploration of the RAAS impact on the trajectory of COVID-19 along with the successful resolution of many inquiries, its complete role in the genesis of delayed consequences encompassing long COVID and cardiovascular thrombotic outcomes during the post-COVID phase as well as post-vaccination, remains not fully comprehended. Particularly noteworthy is the involvement of the RAAS in the molecular mechanisms underpinning procoagulant processes throughout COVID-19. These processes significantly contribute to the pathogenesis of organ complications as well as determine clinical outcomes and are discussed in this manuscript.
Diachronic research on the time of internet use for academic tasks by Spanish-speaking university students in the pre-COVID era
Authors: Gómez-Galán José , López-Meneses Eloy , Cobos-Sanchiz David
Published: April 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic forced the digitalization of education to be accelerated to continue the teaching–learning processes in confined populations. The irruption of this fact caused the evolution that had previously been occurring in the integration of digital technologies, and in general information and communication technologies (ICT), in education to be distorted, as their use multiplied exponentially in a few months. However, it is interesting to know how integrating these media and tools in the educational world evolved without having mediated an anomalous event such as the pandemic. This article studies the time university students in Spanish-speaking countries spent using the Internet for educational tasks in the pre-COVID era to determine whether this use was homogeneous in this common geographical and cultural space. Knowledge of these behaviors is valuable for analyzing their relationship with the then-current processes of ICT integration in higher education. It can serve as a basis for comparative studies of these trends and what happened during and after the pandemic. Among them is determining whether specific ICT integration strategies were not pedagogically adequate due to the situation’s urgency. The analysis of this study was descriptive and inferential statistics, based on the survey method with the application of data mining using software R. It was carried out over seven years (2012–2018) and applied to a sample of 2482 students from seven countries. The findings obtained have allowed us to determine that the use of the Internet by Spanish-speaking university students, in general, increased significantly over time in the pre-COVID era, in parallel to a more significant presence in educational processes, with conditioning factors in each country depending on its economy and political and social situation.
Estimating Lost Dividends from Incomplete Energy Access Transitions
Authors: Pakhtigian Emily L. , Jeuland Marc , Pattanayak Subhrendu K. , Phillips Jonathan
Published: April 2024

Energy access is often considered a catalyst for development. Yet, the binary classification of household electrification misses important variation in service quality and in how households use electricity. To examine the benefits of household electrification and illustrate the importance of using more nuanced classifications of energy access, this article develops a metric called the Energy Access Dividend (EAD), which quantifies the electrification benefits forgone due to slow and incomplete energy transitions. This framework is flexible, allowing for the estimation of a variety of electrification benefits such as reduced lighting and cell phone charging expenditures, environmental improvements, time use and asset ownership changes, and improvements associated with productive energy use. To demonstrate the applicability of this framework, we calculate the EAD for several proposed electrification trajectory alternatives in Honduras. We find that in Honduras, a country with high rates of basic electricity access, achieving immediate universal, high-quality electricity would generate nearly $697 million in benefits over the period leading up to 2050. We also estimate the EADs associated with more limited immediate electrification as well as geographically based electrification scenarios, demonstrating that these calculations can inform priorities for energy policy design.
Pediatric Medical Countermeasures: Antidotes and Cytokines for Radiological and Nuclear Incidents and Terrorism
Authors: Maciulewicz Thom S. , Kazzi Ziad , Navis Irene L. , Nelsen Gregory J. , Cieslak Theodore J. , Newton Christopher , Lin Anna , West Doneen J. , Walter Frank G.
Published: April 2024

The war in Ukraine raises concerns for potential hazards of radiological and nuclear incidents. Children are particularly vulnerable in these incidents and may need pharmaceutical countermeasures, including antidotes and cytokines. Searches found no published study comparing pediatric indications and dosing among standard references detailing pediatric medications for these incidents. This study addresses this gap by collecting, tabulating, and disseminating this information to healthcare professionals caring for children. Expert consensus chose the following references to compare their pediatric indications and dosing of medical countermeasures for radiation exposure and internal contamination with radioactive materials: Advanced Hazmat Life Support (AHLS) for Radiological Incidents and Terrorism, DailyMed, Internal Contamination Clinical Reference, Medical Aspects of Radiation Incidents, and Medical Management of Radiological Casualties, as well as Micromedex, POISINDEX, and Radiation Emergency Medical Management (REMM). This is the first study comparing pediatric indications and dosing for medical countermeasures among commonly used references for radiological and nuclear incidents.
Earthquake in Turkey: The Triangle of Life and Disaster Kits Saves Lives
Authors: Ağan Fatma Zehra , Cindoğlu Çiğdem
Published: April 2024

Objective:

Precautions taken before an earthquake are of vital importance. When buildings collapse, the weight of the ceiling crushes objects such as furniture, leaving a space or void within the rubble. This area is called the “triangle of life.” The larger and stronger the object, the more it will maintain its volume; the more the object maintains its volume, the larger the void will be, and the less likely it is that the person who uses this void will be injured.

Methods:

Durable, solid furniture such as beds and tables that can be tipped over during an earthquake in appropriate areas in the building can form a living triangle. Creating and using the triangle of life is the method of protection in an earthquake that produces the highest probability of survival.

Results:

Two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.8 and 7.5 occurred in Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, on February 6, 2023. This report presents the case of a 43-y-old female victim of these earthquakes who used the triangle of life to survive; she was removed from the rubble 164 h after the earthquake.

Conclusions:

The case provides evidence that predetermining areas in which the triangle of life can be formed and storing supplies necessary for survival can decrease morbidity and mortality in an earthquake.
Resolvent analysis of turbulent flow laden with low-inertia particles
Authors: Schlander Rasmus Korslund , Rigopoulos Stelios , Papadakis George
Published: April 2024

We extend the resolvent framework to two-phase flows with low-inertia particles. The particle velocities are modelled using the equilibrium Eulerian model. We analyse the turbulent flow in a vertical pipe with Reynolds number of

$5300$

(based on diameter and bulk velocity), for Stokes numbers

$St^+=0-1$

, Froude numbers

$Fr_z=-4,-0.4,0.4,4$

and

$1/Fr_z = 0$

(gravity omitted). The governing equations are written in input–output form and a singular value decomposition is performed on the resolvent operator. As for single-phase flows, the operator is low rank around the critical layer, and the true response can be approximated using one singular vector. Even with a crude forcing model, the formulation can predict physical phenomena observed in Lagrangian simulations, such as particle clustering and gravitational effects. Increasing the Stokes number shifts the predicted concentration spectra to lower wavelengths; this shift also appears in the direct numerical simulation spectra and is due to particle clustering. When gravity is present, there are two critical layers, one for the concentration field, and one for the velocity field. For upward flow, the peak of concentration fluctuations shifts closer to the wall, in agreement with the literature. We explain this with the aid of the different locations of the two critical layers. Finally, the model correctly predicts the interaction of near-wall vortices with particle clusters. Overall, the resolvent operator provides a useful framework to explain and interpret many features observed in Lagrangian simulations. The application of the resolvent framework to higher

$St^+$

flows in combination with Lagrangian simulations is also discussed.
Density-contrast induced inertial forces on particles in oscillatory flows
Authors: Agarwal Siddhansh , Upadhyay Gaurav , Bhosale Yashraj , Gazzola Mattia , Hilgenfeldt Sascha
Published: April 2024

Oscillatory flows have become an indispensable tool in microfluidics, inducing inertial effects for displacing and manipulating fluid-borne objects in a reliable, controllable and label-free fashion. However, the quantitative description of such effects has been confined to limit cases and specialized scenarios. Here we develop an analytical formalism yielding the equation of motion of density-mismatched spherical particles in oscillatory background flows, generalizing previous work. Inertial force terms are systematically derived from the geometry of the flow field together with analytically known Stokes number dependences. Supported by independent, first-principles direct numerical simulations, we find that these forces are important even for nearly density-matched objects such as cells or bacteria, enabling their fast displacement and separation. Our formalism thus consistently incorporates particle inertia into the Maxey–Riley equation, and in doing so provides a generalization of Auton's modification to added mass, as well as recovering the description of acoustic radiation forces on particles as a limiting case.
Experiments on symmetry breaking of azimuthal combustion instabilities and their analysis combining acoustic energy balance and flame describing functions
Authors: Latour V. , Durox D. , Renaud A. , Candel S.
Published: April 2024

Combustion instabilities in annular systems raise fundamental issues that are also of practical importance to aircraft engines and ground-based gas turbine combustors. Recent studies indicate that the injector plays a significant role in the stability of combustors by defining the flame dynamical response and setting the inlet impedance of the system. The present investigation examines the effects of combinations of injectors of two different types (

$U$

and

$S$

) on thermoacoustic instabilities in a laboratory-scale annular combustor and compares different circumferential staging strategies. The combustor operates in a stable fashion when all injection units belong to the

$S$

-family, but exhibits large amplitude pressure oscillations when all these units are of the

$U$

-type. When the system comprises a mix of

$U$

- and

$S$

-injectors, it is possible to determine the number of

$S$

-injectors leading to stable operation. For a fixed proportion of

$U$

- and

$S$

-injectors, some arrangements give rise to stable operation while others do not. Results also show that introducing symmetry-breaking elements affects the system's modal dynamics. These experimental observations are interpreted in an acoustic energy balance framework used to derive an expression for the growth rate as a function of the describing functions of the flames formed by the different injectors and their respective azimuthal locations. Growth rates are determined for the different configurations and used to explain the various observations, estimate the system damping rate and predict the location of the nodal line when the standing mode prevails.
Annihilators and decompositions of singularity categories
Authors: Esentepe Özgür , Takahashi Ryo
Published: April 2024

Given any commutative Noetherian ring R and an element x in R, we consider the full subcategory $\mathsf{C}(x)$ of its singularity category consisting of objects for which the morphism that is given by the multiplication by x is zero. Our main observation is that we can establish a relation between $\mathsf{C}(x), \mathsf{C}(y)$ and $\mathsf{C}(xy)$ for any two ring elements x and y. Utilizing this observation, we obtain a decomposition of the singularity category and consequently an upper bound on the dimension of the singularity category.
Melancholy, Spiritual Experience, and Dissent in England, c. 1650–1700
Authors: Finn Finola
Published: April 2024

The involvement of melancholy had the potential to undermine the authority of early modern individuals’ religious experiences, reframing their spiritual afflictions as the mere product of a distempered body. This article refines our understanding of the shifting relationship between melancholy and spiritual experience in the second half of the seventeenth century in England. Focusing on the views of Presbyterians and Independents, it explores how various interests and voices shaped attitudes to the disease throughout the challenges of growing anti-enthusiasm and post-Restoration nonconformity. By emphasizing the voices of sufferers themselves and including examination of a range of overlooked texts, it demonstrates that women and laypeople often diverged from learned views when describing their spiritual struggles. Complicating existing narratives, it suggests that sufferers from both groups avoided using melancholy as an explanatory factor in accounts of religious experience in the 1650s to ’70s, before increasingly incorporating the condition in the 1680s and ’90s. The involvement of melancholy remained fraught, however, and under continual negotiation. Bringing manuscript sources into conversation with published texts, the article argues that differences of opinion existed both between and within Presbyterian and Independent communities, as well as between those who suffered from melancholy and those who did not.
MCTrans++: a 0-D model for centrifugal mirrors
Authors: Schwartz Nick R. , Abel Ian G. , Hassam Adil B. , Kelly Myles , Romero-Talamás Carlos A.
Published: April 2024

The centrifugal mirror confinement scheme incorporates supersonic rotation of a plasma into a magnetic mirror device. This concept has been shown experimentally to drastically decrease parallel losses and increase plasma stability as compared with prior axisymmetric mirrors. MCTrans++ is a dimensionless (0-D) scoping tool which rapidly models experimental operating points in the Centrifugal Mirror Fusion Experiment (CMFX) at the University of Maryland. In the low-collisionality regime, parallel losses can be modelled analytically. A confining potential is set up that is partially ambipolar and partially centrifugal. Due to the stabilizing effects of flow shear, the perpendicular losses can be modelled as classical. Radiation losses such as bremsstrahlung and cyclotron emission are taken into account. A neutrals model is included, and, in some circumstances, charge-exchange losses are found to exceed all other loss mechanisms. We use the SUNDIALS ARKODE library to solve the underlying equations of this model; the resulting software is suitable for scanning large parameter spaces, and can also be used to model time-dependent phenomena such as a capacitive discharge. MCTrans++ has been used to verify results from prior centrifugal mirrors, create an experimental plan for CMFX and find configurations for future reactor-scale fusion devices.