bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reactive oxygen species in endothelial signaling in COVID-19: Protective role of the novel peptide PIP-2
Authors: Paul Oindrila , Akolia Isha K. , Qin Tao Jian , Jain Nikita , Louneva Natalia , Montone Kathleen T. , Fisher Aron B. , Rajapakse Chamith S. , Bermudez Christian , Chatterjee Shampa
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Recent research suggests that endothelial activation plays a role in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis by promoting a pro-inflammatory state. However, the mechanism by which the endothelium is activated in COVID-19 remains unclear.

Objective

To investigate the mechanism by which COVID-19 activates the pulmonary endothelium and drives pro-inflammatory phenotypes.

Hypothesis

The “inflammatory load or burden” (cytokine storm) of the systemic circulation activates endothelial NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) which leads to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by the pulmonary endothelium. Endothelial ROS subsequently activates pro-inflammatory pathways.

Methods

The inflammatory burden of COVID-19 on the endothelial network, was recreated in vitro, by exposing human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMVEC) to media supplemented with serum from COVID-19 affected individuals (sera were acquired from patients with COVID-19 infection that eventually died. Sera was isolated from blood collected at admission to the Intensive Care Unit of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania). Endothelial activation, inflammation and cell death were assessed in HPMVEC treated with serum either from patients with COVID-19 or from healthy individuals. Activation was monitored by measuring NOX2 activation (Rac1 translocation) and ROS production; inflammation (or appearance of a pro-inflammatory phenotype) was monitored by measuring the induction of moieties such as intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), P-selectin and the NLRP3 inflammasome; cell death was measured via SYTOX™ Green assays.

Results

Endothelial activation (i.e., NOX2 activation and subsequent ROS production) and cell death were significantly higher in the COVID-19 model than in healthy samples. When HPMVEC were pre-treated with the novel peptide PIP-2, which blocks NOX2 activation (via inhibition of Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2, aiPLA2), significant abrogation of ROS was observed. Endothelial inflammation and cell death were also significantly blunted.

Conclusions

The endothelium is activated during COVID-19 via cytokine storm-driven NOX2-ROS activation, which causes a pro-inflammatory phenotype. The concept of endothelial NOX2-ROS production as a unifying pathophysiological axis in COVID-19 raises the possibility of using PIP-2 to maintain vascular health.
Enhancing aspect-based multi-labeling with ensemble learning for ethical logistics
Authors: Almazroi Abdulwahab Ali , Ayub Nasir
Published: May 2024

In the dynamic domain of logistics, effective communication is essential for streamlined operations. Our innovative solution, the Multi-Labeling Ensemble (MLEn), tackles the intricate task of extracting multi-labeled data, employing advanced techniques for accurate preprocessing of textual data through the NLTK toolkit. This approach is carefully tailored to the prevailing language used in logistics communication. MLEn utilizes innovative methods, including sentiment intensity analysis, Word2Vec, and Doc2Vec, ensuring comprehensive feature extraction. This proves particularly suitable for logistics in e-commerce, capturing nuanced communication essential for efficient operations. Ethical considerations are a cornerstone in logistics communication, and MLEn plays a pivotal role in detecting and categorizing inappropriate language, aligning inherently with ethical norms. Leveraging Tf-IDF and Vader for feature enhancement, MLEn adeptly discerns and labels ethically sensitive content in logistics communication. Across diverse datasets, including Emotions, MLEn consistently achieves impressive accuracy levels ranging from 92% to 97%, establishing its superiority in the logistics context. Particularly, our proposed method, DenseNet-EHO, outperforms BERT by 8% and surpasses other techniques by a 15-25% efficiency. A comprehensive analysis, considering metrics such as precision, recall, F1-score, Ranking Loss, Jaccard Similarity, AUC-ROC, sensitivity, and time complexity, underscores DenseNet-EHO’s efficiency, aligning with the practical demands within the logistics track. Our research significantly contributes to enhancing precision, diversity, and computational efficiency in aspect-based sentiment analysis within logistics. By integrating cutting-edge preprocessing, sentiment intensity analysis, and vectorization, MLEn emerges as a robust framework for multi-label datasets, consistently outperforming conventional approaches and giving outstanding precision, accuracy, and efficiency in the logistics field.
SRC-1 controls growth cone polarity and protrusion with the UNC-6/Netrin receptor UNC-5 in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Mahadik Snehal S. , Burt Emily K. , Lundquist Erik A.
Published: May 2024

The Polarity/Protusion model of UNC-6/Netrin function in axon repulsion does not rely on a gradient of UNC-6/Netrin. Instead, the UNC-5 receptor polarizes the VD growth cone such that filopodial protrusions are biased to the dorsal leading edge. UNC-5 then inhibits growth cone protrusion ventrally based upon this polarity, resulting in dorsally-biased protrusion and dorsal migration away from UNC-6/Netrin. While previous studies have shown that UNC-5 inhibits growth cone protrusion by destabilizing actin, preventing microtubule + end entry, and preventing vesicle fusion, the signaling pathways involved are unclear. The SRC-1 tyrosine kinase has been previously shown to physically interact with and phosphorylate UNC-5, and to act with UNC-5 in axon guidance and cell migration. Here, the role of SRC-1 in VD growth cone polarity and protrusion is investigated. A precise deletion of src-1 was generated, and mutants displayed unpolarized growth cones with increased size, similar to unc-5 mutants. Transgenic expression of src-1(+) in VD/DD neurons resulted in smaller growth cones, and rescued growth cone polarity defects of src-1 mutants, indicating cell-autonomous function. Transgenic expression of a putative kinase-dead src-1(D831A) mutant caused a phenotype similar to src-1 loss-of-function, suggesting that this is a dominant negative mutation. The D381A mutation was introduced into the endogenous src-1 gene by genome editing, which also had a dominant-negative effect. Genetic interactions of src-1 and unc-5 suggest they act in the same pathway on growth cone polarity and protrusion, but might have overlapping, parallel functions in other aspects of axon guidance. src-1 function was not required for the effects of activated myr::unc-5, suggesting that SRC-1 might be involved in UNC-5 dimerization and activation by UNC-6, of which myr::unc-5 is independent. In sum, these results show that SRC-1 acts with UNC-5 in growth cone polarity and inhibition of protrusion.
WIPO initiative of transforming traditional resources and sharing rights: An evolutionary game analysis and a Chinese context
Authors: Zhang Dong , Huang Rui , Lin Chaoran
Published: May 2024

WIPO-GRTKF specifies, for the first time, how traditional resources embodied by traditional knowledge, genetic resources, and folklore can be defined, and what the relationship between original rights, and rights arising from the transformation and utilisation of traditional resources can be understood. Committed to promoting innovation, shared benefits and balanced interests, WIPO tries to achieve a balance between preventing users from violating holders’ original rights through the acquisition of patent, trademark and copyright, and incentivizing all stakeholders to transform traditional resources to improve the greater good. The document triggers a new round of disputes among interest groups over how to share rights arising from the transformation and utilisation of traditional resources. Using an evolutionary game model to simulate how holders and users transform traditional resources, and share rights, we find that when the two sides choose to cooperate to apply for transformation and give consent to use, their benefits are maximised and strategies stabilised. We suggest that in the transforming process, holders’ rights and users’ interests be given equal emphasis, and an autonomous and open mode combining statutory licensing, and justified utilisation of original rights be employed. We advocate for a hybrid legislative arrangement that integrates the incentive of IPRs as private rights, and the safeguard of public rights. In the dual subject system, both users and holders enjoy multiple rights in the process of protecting and transforming traditional resources. The Chinese approach to transforming traditional resources and sharing their rights will contribute to sustainable development of traditional resource industry across the globe.
The usage of a modified straight-leg raise neurodynamic test and hamstring flexibility for diagnosis of non-specific low back pain: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Hermosura Joan , Lohman Everett , Bartnik-Olson Brenda , Venezia Jonathan , Daher Noha
Published: May 2024

Objectives

The main purpose of this research study was to compare mean modified straight-leg raise test (mSLR) and hamstring muscle length (HL) between chronic non-specific low back pain (LBP) and healthy subjects to understand the possibility of neuropathic causes in LBP population as it may impact the diagnosis and treatment of LBP. Another purpose was to compare mean mSLR between those with lumbar nerve root impingement and those without as determine by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

The design of the study is cross sectional and included 32 subjects with ages ranging from 18–50 years old. Clinical exam objective measures were collected such as patient questionnaires, somatosensory tests, HL range of motion, and a mSLR test, and were compared to the findings from a structural lumbar spine MRI.

Results

There were no significant differences in mean HL angulation and mSLR angulation between LBP and healthy subjects (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in mean HL by impingement by versus no impingement (38.3±15.6 versus 44.8±9.4, p = 0.08, Cohen’s d = 0.50). On the other hand, there was a significant difference in mean mSLR angulation by impingement (57.6.3±8.7 versus 63.8±11.6, p = 0.05, Cohen’s d = 0.60).

Conclusions

The mSLR test was found to be associated with lumbar nerve root compression, regardless of the existence of radiating leg symptoms, and showed no association solely with the report of LBP. The findings highlight the diagnostic dilemma facing clinicians in patients with chronic nonspecific LBP with uncorrelated neuroanatomical image findings. Clinically, it may be necessary to reevaluate the common practice of exclusively using the mSLR test for patients with leg symptoms. This study may impact the way chronic LBP and neuropathic symptoms are diagnosed, potentially improving treatment methods, reducing persistent symptoms, and ultimately improving disabling effects.
Systematic review of contemporary interventions for improving discharge support and transitions of care from the patient experience perspective
Authors: Jesus Tiago S. , Stern Brocha Z. , Lee Dongwook , Zhang Manrui , Struhar Jan , Heinemann Allen W. , Jordan Neil , Deutsch Anne
Published: May 2024

Aim

To synthesize the impact of improvement interventions related to care coordination, discharge support and care transitions on patient experience measures.

Method

Systematic review. Searches were completed in six scientific databases, five specialty journals, and through snowballing. Eligibility included studies published in English (2015–2023) focused on improving care coordination, discharge support, or transitional care assessed by standardized patient experience measures as a primary outcome. Two independent reviewers made eligibility decisions and performed quality appraisals.

Results

Of 1240 papers initially screened, 16 were included. Seven studies focused on care coordination activities, including three randomized controlled trials [RCTs]. These studies used enhanced supports such as improvement coaching or tailoring for vulnerable populations within Patient-Centered Medical Homes or other primary care sites. Intervention effectiveness was mixed or neutral relative to standard or models of care or simpler supports (e.g., improvement tool). Eight studies, including three RCTs, focused on enhanced discharge support, including patient education (e.g.,teach back) and telephone follow-up; mixed or neutral results on the patient experience were also found and with more substantive risks of bias. One pragmatic trial on a transitional care intervention, using a navigator support, found significant changes only for the subset of uninsured patients and in one patient experience outcome, and had challenges with implementation fidelity.

Conclusion

Enhanced supports for improving care coordination, discharge education, and post-discharge follow-up had mixed or neutral effectiveness for improving the patient experience with care, compared to standard care or simpler improvement approaches. There is a need to advance the body of evidence on how to improve the patient experience with discharge support and transitional approaches.
Characterization and epidemiologic analysis of mycoplasmal pneumonia of sheep in Qinghai Province
Authors: Yang Haoyue , Chen Yiming , Rahman Siddiq Ur , Wang Yunpeng , Ni Silu , Jiang Yuecai , Zhu Fang , Li Dengliang , Cao Qihang , Chang Jianjun , Wen Ying , Chen Dekun , Wentao Ma
Published: May 2024

Mycoplasmal pneumonia in sheep and goats usually result covert but huge economic losses in the sheep and goat industry. The disease is prevalent in various countries in Africa and Asia. Clinical manifestations in affected animals include anorexia, fever, and respiratory symptoms such as dyspnea, polypnea, cough, and nasal discharge. Due to similarities with other respiratory infections, accurate diagnosis can be challenging, and isolating the causative organism is often problematic. However, the utilization of molecular techniques, such as PCR, allows for rapid and specific identification of pathogens. Thus, a goat infection model with Mycoplasma was established and the pathogen was tested using PCR. The results indicated that this approach could be effectively utilized for the rapid detection of mycoplasma in clinical settings. Additionally, the prevalence of contagious pleuropneumonia of sheep in Qinghai Province was further investigated through PCR analysis. A total of 340 nasal swabs were collected from 17 sheep farms in Qinghai province. Among these samples, 84 tested positive for Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri (Mmc) and 148 tested positive for Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (Movi), resulting in positive rates of 24.71% and 43.53% respectively. Furthermore, our investigation revealed positive PCR results for nasal swabs, trachea, and lung samples obtained from sheep exhibiting symptoms suggestive of mycoplasma infection. Moreover, three distinct strains were isolated from these positive samples. Additionally, the inflammatory cytokines of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were assessed using RT-PCR. The findings demonstrated a high susceptibility of sheep to Movi in Qinghai province, with infected sheep displaying an inflammatory response. Consequently, the outcomes of this study will furnish valuable epidemiological insights for the effective prevention and control of this disease within Qinghai Province.
The mediating role of stakeholders on green banking practices and bank’s performance: The case of a developing nation
Authors: Jillani Hammna , Chaudhry Muhammad Nawaz , Zahid Hesan , Navid Iqbal Muhammad
Published: May 2024

The banking sector serves as a nudge between increased financial investments and reduced environmental impacts in the modern era of sustainability thus, integrating the social, environmental, and economic dimensions. This paper aims to explore the practices and ongoing activities on account of sustainable banking which is being practised in the Pakistani Banking Sector. A mixed methods approach using a survey with a sample size of (n = 250) and in-depth interviews of (n = 25) provides significant evidence for the research. SmartPLS4.0 was used for hypotheses testing and to ascertain the path coefficient association within the constructs. This research fills the gap in existing literature by testing and implying the mediating role of Stakeholders’ Influence on the relationship between Green Banking Practices and the Bank’s Performance. The results of the quantitative analysis show a positive association between variables, highlighting the role of stakeholders and their need to partake efficiently, in the countrywide execution of green banking. The qualitative analysis portrays that; green banking is currently the partial focus of the banking sector in the developing economy of Pakistan whereas, approaches like financing green projects, investments in renewable energy, in-house greening of the banking sector, and provision of easy lending facilities to encourage and support environmental initiatives are some commonly practised accomplishments of the banking sector.
Early warning of systemic risk in stock market based on EEMD-LSTM
Authors: Ran Meng , Tang Zhenpeng , Chen Yuhang , Wang Zhiqi
Published: May 2024

With the increasing importance of the stock market, it is of great practical significance to accurately describe the systemic risk of the stock market and conduct more accurate early warning research on it. However, the existing research on the systemic risk of the stock market lacks multi-dimensional factors, and there is still room for improvement in the forecasting model. Therefore, to further measure the systemic risk profile of the Chinese stock market, establish a risk early warning system suitable for the Chinese stock market, and improve the risk management awareness of investors and regulators. This paper proposes a combination model of EEMD-LSTM, which can describe the complex nonlinear interaction. Firstly, 35 stock market systemic risk indicators are selected from the perspectives of macroeconomic operation, market cross-contagion and the stock market itself to build a comprehensive indicator system that conforms to the reality of China. Furthermore, based on TEI@I complex system methodology, an EEMD-LSTM model is proposed. The EEMD method is adopted to decompose the composite index sequence into intrinsic mode function components (IMF) of different scales and one trend term. Then the LSTM algorithm is used to predicted and model the decomposed sub-sequences. Finally, the forecast result of the composite index is obtained through integration. The empirical results show that the stock market systemic risk index constructed in this paper can effectively identify important risk events within the sample period. In addition, compared with the benchmark model, the EEMD-LSTM model constructed in this paper shows a stronger early warning ability for systemic financial risks in the stock market.
Image classification with symbolic hints using limited resources
Authors: Jørgensen Mikkel Godsk , Tětková Lenka , Hansen Lars Kai
Published: May 2024

Typical machine learning classification benchmark problems often ignore the full input data structures present in real-world classification problems. Here we aim to represent additional information as “hints” for classification. We show that under a specific realistic conditional independence assumption, the hint information can be included by late fusion. In two experiments involving image classification with hints taking the form of text metadata, we demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the fusion scheme. We fuse the output of pre-trained image classifiers with the output of pre-trained text models. We show that calibration of the pre-trained models is crucial for the performance of the fused model. We compare the performance of the fusion scheme with a mid-level fusion scheme based on support vector machines and find that these two methods tend to perform quite similarly, albeit the late fusion scheme has only negligible computational costs.
Analysis of a European general wildlife health surveillance program: Chances, challenges and recommendations
Authors: Heiderich Elisabeth , Keller Saskia , Pewsner Mirjam , Origgi Francesco Carlo , Zürcher-Giovannini Samoa , Borel Stéphanie , Marti Iris , Scherrer Patrick , Pisano Simone Roberto Rolando , Friker Brian , Adrian-Kalchhauser Irene , Ryser-Degiorgis Marie-Pierre
Published: May 2024

In a One Health perspective general wildlife health surveillance (GWHS) gains importance worldwide, as pathogen transmission among wildlife, domestic animals and humans raises health, conservation and economic concerns. However, GWHS programs operate in the face of legal, geographical, financial, or administrative challenges. The present study uses a multi-tiered approach to understand the current characteristics, strengths and gaps of a European GWHS that operates in a fragmented legislative and multi-stakeholder environment. The aim is to support the implementation or improvement of other GWHS systems by managers, surveillance experts, and administrations. To assess the current state of wildlife health investigations and trends within the GWHS, we retrospectively analyzed 20 years of wildlife diagnostic data to explore alterations in annual case numbers, diagnosed diseases, and submitter types, conducted an online survey and phone interviews with official field partners (hunting administrators, game wardens and hunters) to assess their case submission criteria as well as their needs for post-mortem investigations, and performed in-house time estimations of post-mortem investigations to conduct a time-per-task analysis. Firstly, we found that infectious disease dynamics, the level of public awareness for specific diseases, research activities and increasing population sizes of in depth-monitored protected species, together with biogeographical and political boundaries all impacted case numbers and can present unexpected challenges to a GWHS. Secondly, we found that even a seemingly comprehensive GWHS can feature pronounced information gaps, with underrepresentation of common or easily recognizable diseases, blind spots in non-hunted species and only a fraction of discovered carcasses being submitted. Thirdly, we found that substantial amounts of wildlife health data may be available at local hunting administrations or disease specialist centers, but outside the reach of the GWHS and its processes. In conclusion, we recommend that fragmented and federalist GWHS programs like the one addressed require a central, consistent and accessible collection of wildlife health data. Also, considering the growing role of citizen observers in environmental research, we recommend using online reporting systems to harness decentrally available information and fill wildlife health information gaps.
Long-term oriented culture, performance pressure and corporate innovation: Evidence from China
Authors: Fang Qiaoling , Wen Cai , Xu Hui
Published: May 2024

This paper extracts culture element of long-term orientation from Chinese listed firm’s annual report, then argue and testify whether long-term orientation can help firms to hang on risky decision especially as innovation, when firms are under performance pressure. There are three main conclusions. First, we report that the higher degree of long-term oriented culture a firm has, the stronger innovation capability the firm shows. Second, we find that long-term oriented culture can improve employee’s educational qualification to promote corporate innovation, as well as improve the corporate internal control to promote innovation. Third, when firms are subjected to internal or external performance pressure in their business process, higher long-term oriented culture will make firms more innovative.
Measuring population health using health expectancy estimates from morbidity and mortality databases
Authors: Carreras Marc , Ibern Pere , Inoriza José María
Published: May 2024

The progressive incorporation of quality of life indicators in health planning meets a critical need: The evaluation of the performance of health services, which are under stress by multiple causes, but in particular by an ageing population. In general, national health plans rely on health expectancies obtained using the Sullivan method. The Sullivan health expectancy index combines age-specific mortality rates and age-specific prevalence of healthy life, obtained from health surveys. The objective of this work is to investigate an equivalent estimation, using available information from morbidity and mortality datasets. Mortality and morbidity information, corresponding to years 2016 and 2017, was obtained for the population of the county of Baix Empordà (Catalonia), N = 91,130. Anonymized individual information on diagnoses, procedures and pharmacy consumption contained in the individual clinical record (ICD and ATC codes), were classified into health states. Based on the observed health transitions and mortality, life expectancies by health state were obtained from a multistate microsimulation model. Healthy life expectancies at birth and 65 years for females and males were respectively HLE0female = 39.94, HLE0male = 42.87, HLE65female = 2.43, HLE65male = 2.17. These results differed considerably from the Sullivan equivalents, e.g., 8.25 years less for HLE65female, 9.26 less for HLE65male. Point estimates for global life expectancies at birth and 65 years of age: LE0female = 85.82, LE0male = 80.58, LE65female = 22.31, LE65male = 18.86. Health indicators can be efficiently obtained from multistate models based on mortality and morbidity information, without the use of health surveys. This alternative method could be used for monitoring populations in the context of health planning. Life Expectancy results were consistent with the standard government reports. Due to the different approximation to the concept of health (data-based versus self-perception), healthy life expectancies obtained from multistate micro simulation are consistently lower than those calculated with the standard Sullivan method.
Explainability of three-dimensional convolutional neural networks for functional magnetic resonance imaging of Alzheimer’s disease classification based on gradient-weighted class activation mapping
Authors: Song Boyue , Yoshida Shinichi ,   for the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: May 2024

Currently, numerous studies focus on employing fMRI-based deep neural networks to diagnose neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), yet only a handful have provided results regarding explainability. We address this gap by applying several prevalent explainability methods such as gradient-weighted class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) to an fMRI-based 3D-VGG16 network for AD diagnosis to improve the model’s explainability. The aim is to explore the specific Region of Interest (ROI) of brain the model primarily focuses on when making predictions, as well as whether there are differences in these ROIs between AD and normal controls (NCs). First, we utilized multiple resting-state functional activity maps including ALFF, fALFF, ReHo, and VMHC to reduce the complexity of fMRI data, which differed from many studies that utilized raw fMRI data. Compared to methods utilizing raw fMRI data, this manual feature extraction approach may potentially alleviate the model’s burden. Subsequently, 3D-VGG16 were employed for AD classification, where the final fully connected layers were replaced with a Global Average Pooling (GAP) layer, aimed at mitigating overfitting while preserving spatial information within the feature maps. The model achieved a maximum of 96.4% accuracy on the test set. Finally, several 3D CAM methods were employed to interpret the models. In the explainability results of the models with relatively high accuracy, the highlighted ROIs were primarily located in the precuneus and the hippocampus for AD subjects, while the models focused on the entire brain for NC. This supports current research on ROIs involved in AD. We believe that explaining deep learning models would not only provide support for existing research on brain disorders, but also offer important referential recommendations for the study of currently unknown etiologies.
Inequality of the crowding-out effect of tobacco expenditure in Colombia
Authors: Gallego Juan Miguel , Paraje Guillermo , Rodríguez-Lesmes Paul
Published: May 2024

In recent decades, policy initiatives involving increases in the tobacco tax have increased pressure on budget allocations in poor households. In this study, we examine this issue in the context of the expansion of the social welfare state that has taken place over the last two decades in several emerging economies. This study explores the case of Colombia between 1997 and 2011. In this period, the budget share of the poorest expenditure quintile devoted to tobacco products of smokers’ households doubled. We analyse the differences between the poorest and richest quintiles concerning the changes in budget shares, fixing a reference population over time to avoid demographic composition confounders. We find no evidence of crowding-out of education or healthcare expenditures. This is likely to be the result of free universal access to health insurance and basic education for the poor. For higher-income households, tobacco crowds out expenditures on entertainment, leisure activities, and luxury expenditures. This finding should reassure policymakers who are keen to impose tobacco taxes as an element of their public health policy.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in RUNX2 and BMP2 contributes to different vertical facial profile
Authors: Reis Caio Luiz Bitencourt , Matsumoto Mirian Aiko Nakane , Stuani Maria Bernadete Sasso , Romano Fábio Lourenço , Scariot Rafaela , Schroder Angela Graciela Deliga , Nelson-Filho Paulo , Kirschneck Christian , Beisel-Memmert Svenja , Küchler Erika Calvano
Published: May 2024

The vertical facial profile is a crucial factor for facial harmony with significant implications for both aesthetic satisfaction and orthodontic treatment planning. However, the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the development of vertical facial proportions is still poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the potential impact of some SNPs in genes associated with craniofacial bone development on the establishment of different vertical facial profiles. Vertical facial profiles were assessed by two senior orthodontists through pre-treatment digital lateral cephalograms. The vertical facial profile type was determined by recommended measurement according to the American Board of Orthodontics. Healthy orthodontic patients were divided into the following groups: “Normodivergent” (control group), “Hyperdivergent” and “Hypodivergent”. Patients with a history of orthodontic or facial surgical intervention were excluded. Genomic DNA extracted from saliva samples was used for the genotyping of 7 SNPs in RUNX2, BMP2, BMP4 and SMAD6 genes using real-time polymerase chain reactions (PCR). The genotype distribution between groups was evaluated by uni- and multivariate analysis adjusted by age (alpha = 5%). A total of 272 patients were included, 158 (58.1%) were “Normodivergent”, 68 (25.0%) were “Hyperdivergent”, and 46 (16.9%) were “Hypodivergent”. The SNPs rs1200425 (RUNX2) and rs1005464 (BMP2) were associated with a hyperdivergent vertical profile in uni- and multivariate analysis (p-value < 0.05). Synergistic effect was observed when evaluating both SNPs rs1200425- rs1005464 simultaneously (Prevalence Ratio = 4.0; 95% Confidence Interval = 1.2–13.4; p-value = 0.022). In conclusion, this study supports a link between genetic factors and the establishment of vertical facial profiles. SNPs in RUNX2 and BMP2 genes were identified as potential contributors to hyperdivergent facial profiles.
‘Probably just sexism’- gendered experiences of resource access in rugby
Authors: Petrie Freja J. , Mackintosh Kelly A. , Starbuck Chelsea , McNarry Melitta A.
Published: May 2024

Research pertaining to the experiences of women in rugby is scarce, which, coupled with the limited visibility of the sport and difficulty accessing resources, suggest that women’s rugby remains undervalued. Indeed, evidence of such gender inequalities remains largely anecdotal, with little rigorous research undertaken to understand the perspectives of women in rugby. This study aimed to explore the experiences of a diverse cohort of rugby players in relation to their participation in the sport and their ability to access resources. Twenty UK-based rugby players (10 men, 9 women and 1 non-binary person aged 29.1 ± 8.3 years) from school, university, club, military, and semi-professional environments, volunteered to participate in semi-structured interviews (36 ± 12 minutes) discussing their rugby experiences in relation to their gender and playing level. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and a reflexive thematic analysis was undertaken. A widespread under-prioritisation of women in rugby was highlighted. Gender biases were apparent in access to changing rooms, pitches, quality coaches, and playing opportunities, and were reportedly propagated at the managerial level. Irrespective of gender, some amateur players reported difficulty accessing a suitable rugby environment. Insufficient player numbers precluded the formation of second teams, often resulting in inexperienced players competing beyond their ability. Women’s rugby players experienced considerable gender bias. This exploratory study highlights a need to address such issues to protect player welfare. Interventions to change the culture in rugby clubs and increased representation of women in managerial positions in rugby are recommended to enact meaningful change.
Explicit and exact travelling wave solutions for Hirota equation and computerized mechanization
Authors: Li Bacui , Wang Fuzhang , Nadeem Sohail
Published: May 2024

By using the power-exponential function method and the extended hyperbolic auxiliary equation method, we present the explicit solutions of the subsidiary elliptic-like equation. With the aid of the subsidiary elliptic-like equation and a simple transformation, we obtain the exact solutions of Hirota equation which include bright solitary wave, dark solitary wave, bell profile solitary wave solutions and Jacobian elliptic function solutions. Some of these solutions are found for the first time, which may be useful for depicting nonlinear physical phenomena. This approach can also be applied to solve the other nonlinear partial differential equations.
Impact of institutional support and green knowledge transfer on university students’ absorptive capacity and green entrepreneurial behavior: The moderating role of environmental responsibility
Authors: Yang Yejun
Published: May 2024

Aim/objective

Given an escalated interest in fostering environmental protection, scholars have associated green entrepreneurial behavior as a stimulating factor and the cornerstone of green entrepreneurial performance. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism that nurtures university students’ green entrepreneurial behavior is yet to be explored in the extant literature. Our study proposes the antecedent effects of institutional support and green knowledge transfer to enhance university students’ green entrepreneurial behavior. Moreover, we also expand the boundary conditions of these relationships and suggest the mediating effect of university students’ absorptive capacity and the moderating effect of environmental responsibility.

Methodology

The study samples university graduates in Chinese universities (N = 434) by adopting a lagged research design spanning over three months. We assessed the proposed model through the multivariate analytical technique.

Findings

The findings indicate that institutional support and green knowledge transfer significantly elevate university students’ green entrepreneurial behavior. Further, these relationships are intervened considerably through absorptive capacity’s mediating effect and environmental responsibility’s moderating effect.

Implications

By investigating the crucial roles of institutional support and green knowledge transfer in culminating university students’ green entrepreneurial behavior, our study extends the boundary conditions of these relationships and investigates the hitherto unexplored moderated mediation model.
Intimate partner violence, depression, hazardous alcohol use, and social support among people with HIV initiating HIV care in Cameroon
Authors: Grimes Kathryn E. L. , Ebasone Peter Vanes , Dzudie Anastase , Nash Denis , Pence Brian W. , Wainberg Milton , Yotebieng Marcel , Ajeh Rogers , Parcesepe Angela M.
Published: May 2024

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been associated with poor mental health among people with HIV (PWH) globally. Social support may be a strategy to foster mental health among PWH. Little is known about whether the relationship between IPV and mental health differs by IPV type or level of social support. Interviews were conducted with 426 PWH initiating HIV care in Cameroon. Log binomial regression analyses were used to estimate the association between four types of IPV (controlling behavior and emotional, physical, and sexual IPV) and symptoms of depression or hazardous alcohol use, separately by IPV type and level of social support. Over half (54.8%) of respondents experienced moderate/high levels of controlling behavior, 42.0% experienced emotional IPV, 28.2% experienced physical IPV and 23.7% experienced sexual IPV. Controlling behavior was associated with greater prevalence of depressive symptoms. This relationship did not vary meaningfully by level of social support (low: aPR 2.4 [95% CI 1.2, 4.9]; high: 1.7 [95% CI 1.0, 2.7]). Emotional and physical IPV were associated with greater prevalence of depressive symptoms among those with low social support (emotional IPV: aPR 1.9 [95% CI 1.0, 3.4]; physical IPV: aPR 1.8 [95% CI 1.2, 2.8]), but not among those with high social support (emotional IPV: aPR 1.0 [95% CI 0.7, 1.6]; physical IPV: aPR 1.0 [95% CI 0.6, 1.6]). Controlling behavior, emotional IPV, and physical IPV were associated with a greater prevalence of hazardous alcohol use, with moderately larger effect estimates among those with high compared to low social support. Sexual IPV was not associated with depressive symptoms or hazardous alcohol use. Services to screen and care for people experiencing IPV are urgently needed among PWH in Cameroon. Future research to identify barriers, feasibility, acceptability, and organizational readiness to integrate IPV and mental health services into HIV care settings is needed.
Differential effects of plant-beneficial fungi on the attraction of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis in response to Nezara viridula egg deposition
Authors: Van Hee Sara , Alınç Tuğcan , Weldegergis Berhane T. , Dicke Marcel , Colazza Stefano , Peri Ezio , Jacquemyn Hans , Cusumano Antonino , Lievens Bart
Published: May 2024

There is increasing evidence that plant-associated microorganisms play important roles in defending plants against insect herbivores through both direct and indirect mechanisms. While previous research has shown that these microbes can modify the behaviour and performance of insect herbivores and their natural enemies, little is known about their effect on egg parasitoids which utilize oviposition-induced plant volatiles to locate their hosts. In this study, we investigated how root inoculation of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) with the plant-beneficial fungi Beauveria bassiana ARSEF 3097 or Trichoderma harzianum T22 influences the olfactory behaviour of the egg parasitoid Trissolcus basalis following egg deposition by its host Nezara viridula. Olfactometer assays showed that inoculation by T. harzianum significantly enhanced the attraction of the egg parasitoid, while B. bassiana had the opposite effect. However, no variation was observed in the chemical composition of plant volatiles. Additionally, fitness-related traits of the parasitoids (wasp body size) were not altered by any of the two fungi, suggesting that fungal inoculation did not indirectly affect host quality. Altogether, our results indicate that plant inoculation with T. harzianum T22 can be used to enhance attraction of egg parasitoids, which could be a promising strategy in manipulating early plant responses against pest species and improving sustainable crop protection. From a more fundamental point of view, our findings highlight the importance of taking into account the role of microorganisms when studying the intricate interactions between plants, herbivores and their associated egg parasitoids.
Analysis of concrete taken from a loaded column by determining the modulus of elasticity
Authors: Hrabová Kristýna , Cikrle Petr , Olejková Sabina , Kocáb Dalibor
Published: May 2024

Sustainability places an emphasis on preserving and using existing structures, particularly those that are historically or artistically valuable. The preservation of buildings is closely related to a good assessment of their condition. When making a diagnosis, it is suitable to use non-destructive methods to the greatest extent possible. However, these must also be complemented by core samples, which can be used to determine not only the compressive strength but also other important properties. The paper focuses on the evaluation of a reinforced concrete column that was gradually loaded until failure occurred. During loading, the quality of the concrete throughout the column was monitored using the ultrasonic pulse velocity method and, after loading was finished, the cores were taken from the column. The specimens, obtained from the core samples, were then carefully analysed using both non-destructive and destructive tests. The conclusion describes a possible approach to the assessment of concrete using a core examination.
Effect of seed husk waste powder on the PLA medical thread properties fabricated via 3D printer
Authors: Ahmed Sura S. , Abdul-Hamead Alaa A. , Flaieh Enass H. , Abdulhameed Sarah A.
Published: May 2024

With the increasing use of medical equipment, threads are the catchy choice for medical personnel to solve wound closures. One raw material used in medical surgical threads is polylactic acid (PLA), which is appropriate for its environmentally friendly and biodegradable properties. However, the weakness of PLA is in mechanical properties. This work used extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) printing (fused deposition modeling) to fabricate medical threads from PLA. The effect of adding seed husk waste powders (SHWPs) to PLA filament (1.75 mm) and its manufacture by the 3D printer was studied. Four types of SHWP waste plants were used: pistachio, coffee, chestnuts, and walnuts crushed and milled by ball-milling after chemical processing and drying. The structural, particle size, and physical properties of the prepared powders were studied. The results of SHWPs show that the particle size is near the nano-size range of NPs and of low density. Different SHWP weight mixing ratios (5–15 wt%) were coated to PLA threads (0.4–0.45 µm) by grafting to study the mechanical (surface hardness and roughness) properties. The result shows that 15 wt% was the best ratio that combined the mechanical properties. The coated layer thickness was less than 5 µm. This ratio was adopted to fabricate grafted PLA and SHWPs/PLA medical threads by 3D printing with a radius of 400 ± 5 µm. The structural and biological properties of the fabricated medical threads were investigated. The results of SHWP-coated PLA show a significant improvement in structural and physical properties besides the mechanical properties. The results adopted this percentage from thread SHWP-coated PLA for medical applications, creating a new benefit for agricultural SHW and accelerated healing.
Cellulosic materials for the removal of ciprofloxacin from aqueous environments
Authors: Chikowe Ibrahim , Bala Muhammad Dabai
Published: May 2024

The feasibility of using cellulose from Pinus spp. sawdust from Zomba, Malawi, treated with commercial and lemon-derived citric acid (CA) for ciprofloxacin (CFX) adsorption from water has been tested. Different CA concentrations were used on NaOH-pretreated sawdust for cellulose esterification. The material was analysed using a variety of techniques. Adsorption tests for CFX were performed using the batch method, and the data were analysed using Langmuir, Freundlich, and Temkin’s isotherms. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and point of zero charge results showed surface charges increasing (hydroxyl, −OH, and carboxyl, −COOH groups) due to the CA reaction. The Temkin model was the best fit for the experimental data with R
2 test values of 0.9515, while pseudo-second-order was the best fit (R
2 = 0.9999) in an exothermic adsorption process. The adsorption efficiency was 83% on 0.8 g of the material at pH 4 in 20 mL (20 mg·L−1) CFX. The different CA concentrations during sawdust treatment had a negligible impact on morphology. A regression analysis (R
2 and p-values) of structural data showed that the particle size, distance, and crystallinity index had negligible impact, while surface charges and functional groups had a significant impact on adsorption. Overall, the adsorption of CA-treated sawdust material on CFX is satisfactory.
Augmented total theatre: shaping the future of immersive augmented reality representations
Authors: Cicconi Sergio
Published: May 2024

This work introduces Augmented Total Theatre (ATT), a new theatrical form that combines Total Theatre with Augmented Reality (AR) to transform theatrical experiences. We first explore ATT features, highlighting its capabilities in creating theatrical representations that surpass traditional theatre. We also examine current technological limitations that hinder the deployment of ATT potential. We venture then into a journey into the future, particularly focusing on the next decade. We try to envisage the evolution of AR and assess whether future advancements will yield a form of AR capable of creating digital worlds that can deceive human senses. Additionally, we explore the role of Generative AI systems in addressing the problems that hold back the current ATT. Specifically, we probe the feasibility of a cost-effective, autonomous, and highly efficient generative AI system to reshape and empower ATT, making it capable of real-time production of (theatrical and non-theatrical) representations of many events in the world. Finally, we try to imagine the ATT of the future: a sophisticated device that integrates cutting-edge AR technology with a super-performing generative AI system. This ATT, transcending its theatrical origins, emerges as a powerful tool for augmenting our sensory experiences and enriching our perception of reality.
Collusion and Price Behavior in the U.S. Pork Industry
Authors: Bolotova Yuliya V.
Published: May 2024

This research analyzes the U.S. pork industry dynamics in light of the alleged output price-fixing cartel of the largest pork processors revealed in the antitrust lawsuits filed by pork buyers beginning in 2018. The empirical evidence may suggest that pork production, the farm, wholesale, and retail values of pork, and marketing margins increased, but the farm sector share decreased in the cartel period (2009–2019), as compared with the pre-cartel period (1998–2008). The wholesale pork pricing by pork processors is consistent with oligopoly pricing in both the pre-cartel and cartel periods. While the estimated decrease in cost pass-through between these two periods may reflect an increase in the seller (oligopoly) market power of pork processors in the cartel period, this cost pass-through decrease is not statistically significant from zero. The retail pork pricing by food retailers is consistent with perfectly competitive pricing in both the pre-cartel and cartel periods.