bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in Burdens of Disease by Transmission Source (USA, 2005–2020) and Hazard Identification for Foods: Focus on Milkborne Disease
Authors: Stephenson Michele M. , Coleman Margaret E. , Azzolina Nicholas A.
Published: March 2024

Background

Robust solutions to global, national, and regional burdens of communicable and non-communicable diseases, particularly related to diet, demand interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary collaborations to effectively inform risk analysis and policy decisions.

Objective

U.S. outbreak data for 2005–2020 from all transmission sources were analyzed for trends in the burden of infectious disease and foodborne outbreaks.

Methods

Outbreak data from 58 Microsoft Access® data tables were structured using systematic queries and pivot tables for analysis by transmission source, pathogen, and date. Trends were examined using graphical representations, smoothing splines, Spearman’s rho rank correlations, and non-parametric testing for trend. Hazard Identification was conducted based on the number and severity of illnesses.

Results

The evidence does not support increasing trends in the burden of infectious foodborne disease, though strongly increasing trends were observed for other transmission sources. Morbidity and mortality were dominated by person-to-person transmission; foodborne and other transmission sources accounted for small portions of the disease burden. Foods representing the greatest hazards associated with the four major foodborne bacterial diseases were identified. Fatal foodborne disease was dominated by fruits, vegetables, peanut butter, and pasteurized dairy.

Conclusion

The available evidence conflicts with assumptions of zero risk for pasteurized milk and increasing trends in the burden of illness for raw milk. For future evidence-based risk management, transdisciplinary risk analysis methodologies are essential to balance both communicable and non-communicable diseases and both food safety and food security, considering scientific, sustainable, economic, cultural, social, and political factors to support health and wellness for humans and ecosystems.
Investigating the role of the built environment in healthy living: lessons for urban managers from the literature
Authors: Abass Abubakar Sadiq , Alfraidi Faiz Saad N. , AlRubie Tariq Salem , Tiwari Alok
Published: March 2024

The increasing interest in research on healthy cities, reflected in the growing number of research outputs, coupled with the increasing need for building cities that promote the health and wellbeing of residents has evoked a need to conduct a review of this growing amount of research. In this connection, this study, through a systematic review of the literature, seeks answers to the following questions: How can the built environment be designed to promote healthy living? What insights can city authorities glean from existing literature? And what research gaps exist that could inform future studies in this area? Through this review, key lessons for city authorities to promote healthy living in urban areas are identified, alongside the identification of research gaps that can guide future investigations and contribute to the advancement of knowledge in urban planning.
Regenerative Strategies
Authors: Martín-de Castro Gregorio , Amores-Salvadó Javier , Sharma Sanjay
Published: March 2024

In the current climate emergency, it is no longer enough for businesses to simply employ environmental strategy typologies focused on 'greening the business' and maintaining the 'business-as-usual' logic. Gregorio Martín-de Castro and Javier Amores-Salvadó argue that disruptive business models and solutions are now required, and they propose a new regenerative strategy linking climate science to management studies. The main features of this strategy are:cutting-edge climate science solutions (capturing and utilizing atmospheric carbon dioxide to produce net-zero or net-negative emissions and positive environmental externalities) and a redefined firm purpose under an ecological, ethical and moral paradigm (integrating ecoemotional wealth, environmental performance, systemic socioecological resilience, wider stakeholder management and a very long-term perspective). They demonstrate that, by applying this strategy, companies can not only reduce their negative environmental externalities and create positive environmental externalities, but also reverse current environmental degradation through a new sustainable capitalism.
Feminist Medievalisms
Authors: Vishnuvajjala Usha
Published: March 2024

This book examines feminist textual and cinematic engagements with the idea of the Middle Ages in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, arguing that the idea of the medieval past is central to the work of novelists and directors interested in embodiment and vulnerability. Careful and illuminating analysis of particular moments in fiction, film, and political discourse dismantles the false binary between popular and intellectual medievalisms, which rests on gendered understandings of genre and audience, while demonstrating that masculinist or patriarchal medievalisms have an equal but understudied counterpart.

The book's first three chapters cover Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey and its afterlives, the final works of Virginia Woolf, and late twentieth-century film and music videos from the United States. The final chapter examines the treatment of women's bodies and vulnerability in both political theory and recent electoral politics, arguing that they share a common thread of misogyny rooted in the idea of the medieval past, and that one way to challenge that misogyny is by looking at complex feminist engagements with that same past, both real and imagined.
Exploring inequality at Copan, Honduras: A 2D and 3D geospatial comparison of household wealth
Authors: Richards-Rissetto Heather
Published: March 2024

The archaeological site of Copan was a cultural and commercial crossroads at the southeastern Maya frontier. Research indicates that the demographics and sociopolitical circumstances of the city of Copan and its location within a circumscribed pocket (24 km2) of the larger Copan Valley varied through time. These circumstances not only influenced its social, political, and economic interactions, but likely the size, construction, and organization of households, specifically plazuelas. Copan's plazuelas differ from those located in other Maya regions because they often have smaller house platforms, comprise more than a single patio, and exhibit a larger than normal proportion of informal groups. Gini coefficients, to investigate wealth inequality based on household size using area, volume, and a modified volume, were calculated for Late Classic Copan to allow for comparisons to Gini coefficients from other Maya regions. While the Gini coefficients suggest that wealth inequality at Copan is much higher than in other Maya regions, deeper interpretations of inequality based solely on the Gini coefficients are limited, requiring not only additional geospatial analysis employing a multi-proxy Gini coefficient, but, importantly, a comparison to and a deeper reflection on previous research at Copan.
Understanding and calculating household size, wealth, and inequality in the Maya Lowlands
Authors: Chase Adrian S.Z. , Thompson Amy E. , Walden John P. , Feinman Gary M.
Published: March 2024

Inequality is present in all human societies, but building a robust understanding of how that inequality developed and persisted for centuries requires historical and archaeological data. Identifying the degree of inequality (or disparity) in ancient communities can be addressed through a variety of methods. One method becoming standard practice in archaeology evaluates inequality through quantitative analysis of robust settlement data. In this Compact Special Section, we assess household size as a potential reflection of wealth inequality among Classic period (a.d. 250–900) Maya settlements. First, we generate house-size data from both pedestrian and remotely sensed LiDAR surveys. Then we use those data to calculate Gini coefficients and Lorenz curves, which provide measures of variation. Gini coefficients range from 0 to 1, where 0 reflects perfect equality and 1 indicates perfect inequality, regardless of the actual values in the distribution. Both area (m2) and volume (m3) provide different, complementary metrics to investigate residential size as a metric for wealth inequality among Classic Maya Lowland settlements. Proposed mechanisms that generate inequality include the intergenerational transmission of wealth and differential access to resources; however, addressing these and other pathways for how inequality develops and persists, and how it was maintained in the past provides insight into similar processes of systemic inequality worldwide.
Schulinterne Curriculumentwicklung
Authors: Marschall Samira
Published: March 2024

Zusammenfassung: Orientiert am „Bremer Curriculum“ (Muths & Darmann-Finck, 2019) hat das pflegepädagogische Team der JoHo-Akademie des St. Josefs-Hospitals in Wiesbaden ein schulinternes Curriculum entwickelt. Die Autorin berichtet über den Entwicklungsprozess, Herausforderungen in der Umsetzung und erste Schritte der Evaluation.
Preferential Hydrologic States and Tipping Characteristics of Global Surface Soil Moisture
Authors: Sehgal Vinit , Mohanty Binayak P.
Published: March 2024

A dynamic transition in soil hydrologic states through meteorological variability and terrestrial feedback governs soil‐vegetation‐climate (SVC) interactions, constrained by critical soil moisture (SM) thresholds. However, observational and scaling constraints limit critical SM threshold estimation at the remote‐sensing (RS) footprint scale. Using global surface SM (θRS) from NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite, we characterize the seasonal preferential hydrologic states of θRS and derive three tipping characteristics to estimate the intensity (Mean Tipping Depth, ), frequency (Tipping Count, η), and duration (Mean Tipped Time, ) of the excursion of θRS from wet‐ to dry‐average conditions. The preferential state provides the seasonally dominant hydrological states of θRS, while tipping characteristics capture the ecosystem linkages of the dynamic transition in θRS hydrologic states. Globally, θRS predominantly exhibits a (unimodal) dry‐preferential state, especially over arid/semi‐arid drylands and a unimodal wet‐preferential θRS state in high‐latitude boreal forests and tundra biomes. Prevalence of (bimodal) bistable θRS state overlaps with regions of strong positive SM‐precipitation coupling and monsoonal climate in semi‐arid/subhumid climates. Seasonal preferential hydrologic states co‐vary with the regional variability in plant water stress threshold and land‐atmospheric coupling strength. Tipping characteristics of θRS show sensitivity to intra‐biome variability in SVC coexistence patterns and display high skill in partitioning global ecoregions. While and η are climate‐controlled, is moderated by soil and vegetation through their influence over θRS drydown during water‐limited evapotranspiration. Preferential states and tipping characteristics find applications in quantifying SVC coexistence patterns, climate model diagnosis, and assessing ecosystem sensitivity to climate change.
Uncovering Earthquake Evidence in Azerbaijan’s Greater Caucasus Mountains
Authors: Owen Rebecca
Published: March 2024

A new study unearths geological evidence that corroborates historical accounts of large earthquakes along the Kura fold-thrust belt.
Measuring Greenspace in Rural Areas for Studies of Birth Outcomes: A Comparison of Street View Data and Satellite Data
Authors: Shi Xun , Zhang Fan , Chipman Jonathan W. , Li Meifang , Khatchikian Camilo , Karagas Margaret R.
Published: March 2024

Using street view data, in replace of remotely sensed (RS) data, to study the health impact of greenspace has become popular. However, direct comparisons of these two methods of measuring greenspace are still limited, and their findings are inconsistent. On the other hand, almost all studies of greenspace focus on urban areas. The effectiveness of greenspace in rural areas remains to be investigated. In this study, we compared measures of greenspace based on the Google Street View data with those based on RS data by calculating the correlation between the two and evaluating their associations with birth outcomes. Besides the direct measures of greenness, we also compared the measures of environmental diversity, calculated with the two types of data. Our study area consists of the States of New Hampshire and Vermont, USA, which are largely rural. Our results show that the correlations between the two types of greenness measures were weak to moderate, and the greenness at an eye‐level view largely reflects the immediate surroundings. Neither the street view data‐ nor the RS data‐based measures identify the influence of greenspace on birth outcomes in our rural study area. Interestingly, the environmental diversity was largely negatively associated with birth outcomes, particularly gestational age. Our study revealed that in rural areas, the effectiveness of greenspace and environmental diversity may be considerably different from that in urban areas.
Causal Links Between Sea‐Ice Variability in the Barents‐Kara Seas and Oceanic and Atmospheric Drivers
Authors: Dörr Jakob , Årthun Marius , Docquier David , Li Camille , Eldevik Tor
Published: March 2024

The sea‐ice cover in the Barents and Kara Seas (BKS) displays pronounced interannual variability. Both atmospheric and oceanic drivers have been found to influence sea‐ice variability, but their relative strength and regional importance remain under debate. Here, we use the Liang‐Kleeman information flow method to quantify the causal influence of oceanic and atmospheric drivers on the annual sea‐ice cover in the BKS in the Community Earth System Model large ensemble and reanalysis. We find that atmospheric drivers dominate in the northern part, ocean heat transport dominates in the central and northeastern part, and local sea‐surface temperature dominates in the southern part. Furthermore, the large‐scale atmospheric circulation over the Nordic Seas drives ocean heat transport into the Barents Sea, which then influences sea ice. Under future sea‐ice retreat, the atmospheric drivers are expected to become more important.
Concurrence of Temperature and Humidity Inversions in Winter in Qingdao, China
Authors: Zhou Xingxu , Zhang Chao , Li Yunying , Sun Jing , Chen Zitong , Li Laurent
Published: March 2024

Concurrence of temperature inversion (TI) and humidity inversion (HI) is a particular configuration of the atmospheric boundary layer with important implications for early warning of fog formation. With a microwave radiometer device deployed in a 2‐month winter campaign at a coastal island in Qingdao, China, we here examine the relationship between TI and HI, and investigate the underneath mechanisms. Cases of temperature inversion are further divided into surface‐based temperature inversion (SBTI) and elevated temperature inversion (ETI), which show different relationship with HI. SBTI typically occurs at night with its strength significantly and positively correlated with HI. ETI also shows a high degree of temporal overlap with HI, but its strength has no obvious relationship with HI. The main explanation for this phenomenon is that ETI may block the vertical diffusion of water vapor, resulting in the formation of HI.
Evaluation of saline and magnetized water on emitter hydraulic performance and clogging in drip irrigation
Authors: Abdelsalam Heba , Mostafa Harby , El-Ansary Mohamed , Awad Montaser , Sultan Wael
Published: March 2024

The present investigation was carried out at the National Irrigation Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AEnRI), Dokki, Giza, Egypt. This study was performed to investigate the hydraulic performance and clogging ratio of drip irrigation with magnetized water. Magnetized water was created by transferring water through a permanent magnet connected to a feed pipeline. Two main treatments of magnetized and non-magnetized water, as well as three sub-treatments of irrigation water salts, including fresh water (219 ppm) and the addition of 1000 and 2000 ppm to irrigation water with three replications were applied under different operating pressure (75, 100, 125 and 150 kPa). At the beginning of the experiment, results show that hydraulic parameters were almost the same for both the magnetized and the non-magnetized water and for all salinity levels. At the end of working time, the hydraulic parameters were improved for the magnetized water under salinity levels compared to the non-magnetized water. Average emitter discharge increased with roughly 2.7% and 5.6%, coefficient of variation (Cv) decreased by 0.6 and 0.91%, emission uniformity (Eu) increased about 1 and 1.1% and variation of average flow rate (qavr) decreased by 21.3 and 29.4% when 1000 and 2000 ppm were used, respectively. Magnetized water had slight effect on clogging at non-saline water at the end of experiment. At 1000 and 2000 ppm salinity levels, the clogging ratio decreased by 1.97 and 2.45% at different pressure, respectively. The results show that magnetized water treatment could effectively relieve and delay the occurrence time of clogging.
Insights into the dual nature of αB-crystallin chaperone activity from the p.P39L mutant at the N-terminal region
Authors: Barati Anis , Rezaei Somee Leila , Shahsavani Mohammad Bagher , Ghasemi Atiyeh , Hoshino Masaru , Hong Jun , Saboury Ali Akbar , Moosavi-Movahedi Ali Akbar , Agnetti Giulio , Yousefi Reza
Published: March 2024

The substitution of leucine to proline at position 39 (p.P39L) in human αB-crystallin (αB-Cry) has been associated with conflicting interpretations of pathogenicity in cataracts and cardiomyopathy. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the p.P39L mutation on the structural and functional features of human αB-Cry. The mutant protein was expressed in Escherichia coli (E. coli) and purified using anion exchange chromatography. We employed a wide range of spectroscopic analyses, gel electrophoresis, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques to investigate the structure, function, stability, and fibrillation propensity of the mutant protein. The p.P39L mutation caused significant changes in the secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of human αB-Cry and increased the thermal stability of the protein. The mutant αB-Cry exhibited an increased chaperone activity and an altered oligomeric size distribution, along with an increased propensity to form amyloid aggregates. It is worth mentioning, increased chaperone activity has important positive and negative effects on damaged cells related to cataracts and cardiomyopathy, particularly by interfering in the process of apoptosis. Despite the apparent positive nature of the increased chaperone activity, it is also linked to adverse consequences. This study provides important insights into the effect of proline substitution by leucine at the N-terminal region on the dual nature of chaperone activity in human αB-Cry, which can act as a double-edged sword.
Effects of plant community structural characteristics on carbon sequestration in urban green spaces
Authors: Zhang Xuguang , Huang Hengshuo , Tu Ke , Li Rui , Zhang Xinyu , Wang Peng , Li Yonghua , Yang Qiusheng , Acerman Aidan C. , Guo Nan , Liu Yang
Published: March 2024

The structural characteristics of plant communities in urban green spaces have a significant impact on their carbon sequestration function. In this study, comprehensive data were collected from 106 plant communities (each 20 m × 20 m) in Zhengzhou Green Expo Park. We assessed aboveground and soil carbon storage, alongside maintenance carbon emissions, to quantify carbon dynamics. Our primary objective was to establish a statistical model that correlates the structural attributes of plant communities with their total annual carbon sequestration. This model aims to provide a quantitative framework for optimizing community structures to maximize carbon sequestration in urban green spaces. The results showed that density and coverage were significantly and positively correlated with aboveground and soil carbon stocks. Density and mean height were significantly and positively correlated with maintenance carbon emissions. Density played a key structural role in regulating the total carbon sequestration of the plant communities, being 27.24 times more effective than coverage. The total annual carbon sequestration of the plant community reached an optimal value of 327.67 kg CO2-eq/y−1 at a density and cover of 0.15 and 1, respectively. This study provides valuable data for increasing the carbon sink ability of urban green spaces through plant structure regulation and supporting low-carbon development strategies in urban management.
Research on directional rock blasting based on different slotted pipe materials of the combined charge structure
Authors: Wu Lianhua , Zhang Yiping , Hou Tianliang , Liu Kaixin , Miao Yusong , Li Jie , Zhao Xin , Zhang Mei
Published: March 2024

For shaped charge blasting projects in mining, civil engineering, and similar fields, it is proposed to modify the charge structure by combining slotted tubes and shaped charge liners to obtain a new type of charge structure. This aims to achieve directional rock breaking through the focused action of the shaped charge. The influence of different slotted pipe materials on the directional rock-breaking effect of concentrated energy using a new charge structure is explored through theoretical analysis combined with model test study, high-speed camera, stress–strain gauge, and other equipment. A comparison is made between slotted pipes made of aluminum, kraft paper, and PVC, with the cutting width of 2 mm. Based on the characteristics of the cracks formed after blasting, the new charge structure made of aluminum slotted pipe produces a penetrating crack that is almost consistent with the pre-cracking direction. Based on the corresponding characteristics of successively released blasting energy, the guiding and convergence effect of the new charge structure made of aluminum slotted pipe on the explosion energy is greater than that of the new charge structure made of the other two types of slotted pipe material. According to the strain data measured after blasting, the peak arrival time of the strain peak in the direction of the slotted pipe on one side of the shaped hood is shorter than that in the other two directions, and the peak strain is greater than that in the other two directions while having a better energy gathering effect. Based on the findings, the new charge structure with directional energy concentration has a damage reduction effect. Furthermore, the material of aluminum slotted pipe is found to be better than PVC slotted pipe, whereas the material of PVC slotted pipe is better than kraft paper slotted pipe in achieving directional rock breaking.
Performance of T2-based PCA mix control chart with KDE control limit for monitoring variable and attribute characteristics
Authors: Ahsan Muhammad , Mashuri Muhammad , Prastyo Dedy Dwi , Lee Muhammad Hisyam
Published: March 2024

In this work, the mixed multivariate T2 control chart’s detailed performance evaluation based on PCA mix is explored. The control limit of the proposed control chart is calculated using the kernel density approach. Through simulation studies, the proposed chart’s performance is assessed in terms of its capacity to identify outliers and process shifts. When 30% more outliers are included in the data, the proposed chart provides a consistent accuracy rate for identifying mixed outliers. For the balanced percentage of attribute qualities, misdetection happens because of the high false alarm rate. For unbalanced attribute qualities and excessive proportions, the masking effect is the key issue. The proposed chart shows the improved performance for the shift in identifying the shift in the process.
Effect of sulfasalazine on ferroptosis during intestinal injury in rats after liver transplantation
Authors: Wu Wei , Bu Wenhao , Tan Yongxing , Wang Yongwang
Published: March 2024

Using a rat autologous orthotopic liver transplantation (AOLT) model and liver cold ischemia–reperfusion (I/R)-induced intestinal injury, we clarified whether ferroptosis occurred in rat AOLT cold I/R-induced intestinal injury. Additionally, the role and possible mechanism of the ferroptosis activator sulfasalazine (SAS) in intestinal injury-induced ferroptosis in rats with AOLT liver cold I/R were investigated. Sixty specific pathogen free (SPF)-grade adult male Sprague‒Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into 5 groups using the random number table method (n = 12). Six rats were randomly selected at 6 hour (h) and 24 h after I/R. Inferior vena cava blood specimens were collected from the portal vein (PV) opening at 6 h and 24 h. The concentrations of serum malondialdehyde (MDA), serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Ileal tissue was obtained from the PV opening in rats in each group at 6 h and 24 h, and ileal tissue sections were observed under light microscopy. The contents of intestinal MDA, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione(GSH), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and tissue iron were determined by ELISA, and the expression of GPX4 and the cysteine glutamate reverse transporter light chain protein (xCT) was determined by Western blot. The experimental results show that ferroptosis is involved in the pathophysiological process of intestinal injury induced by cold hepatic ischemia–reperfusion in AOLT rats. In addition, SAS (500 mg/kg) may inhibit the cystine/glutamate antiporters (System Xc¯)/GSH/GPX4 signal axis in intestinal injury induced by cold I/R in rat AOLT liver, or iron overload after reperfusion, causing a massive accumulation of L-ROS and activating cellular ferroptosis, further aggravate the intestinal injury.
Social entrepreneurial intention among university students in China
Authors: Lyu Xinyue , Al Mamun Abdullah , Yang Qing , Aziz Norzalita Abd
Published: March 2024

The issues of employment, social inequality, and resource scarcity can be effectively addressed through social entrepreneurship, contributing to the growing research interest on the formation of social entrepreneurial intention. Using the theory of planned behaviour, the current study examined the influence of selected key factors on social entrepreneurial intention among university students. Based on the cross-sectional quantitative research design, online survey was conducted, which involved 684 students and graduates from five universities in Southern China. The obtained results demonstrated the significant and positive influence of perceived values on sustainability, opportunity recognition competency, attitude towards entrepreneurship, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control on social entrepreneurial intention. Additionally, attitude towards entrepreneurship partially mediated the relationships of risk-taking propensity, self-efficacy, and need for achievement on social entrepreneurial intention. The multi-group analysis results also showed that need for achievement and social entrepreneurial intention differed significantly between genders, which provides new ideas for future investigations into the impact of gender on social entrepreneurial intentions. Based on the findings of this study, it is crucial that university students are exposed to relevant courses or training to develop social entrepreneurship competencies and promote sustainable values. The findings of this study will provide policymakers with relevant policy guidelines and more effective theoretical support to achieve the goal of promoting social entrepreneurship among university students in a more resource-efficient and effective manner.
Green synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles using tea extract and its antimicrobial activity against economically important phytopathogens of rice
Authors: Sathiyabama M. , Boomija R. V. , Muthukumar S. , Gandhi M. , Salma S. , Prinsha T. Kokila , Rengasamy B.
Published: March 2024

The aim of the present work is to biosynthesize Chitosan nanoparticles (CTNp) using tea (Camellia sinensis) extract, with potent antimicrobial properties towards phytopathogens of rice. Preliminary chemical analysis of the extract showed that they contain carbohydrate as major compound and uronic acid indicating the nature of acidic polysaccharide. The structure of the isolated polysaccharide was analyzed through FTIR and 1H NMR. The CTNp was prepared by the addition of isolated tea polysaccharides to chitosan solution. The structure and size of the CTNp was determined through FTIR and DLS analyses. The surface morphology and size of the CTNp was analysed by SEM and HRTEM. The crystalinity nature of the synthesized nanoparticle was identified by XRD analysis. The CTNp exhibited the antimicrobial properties against the most devastating pathogens of rice viz., Pyricularia grisea, Xanthomonas oryzae under in vitro condition. CTNp also suppressed the blast and blight disease of rice under the detached leaf assay. These results suggest that the biosynthesized CTNp can be used to control the most devastating pathogens of rice.
Prescribing cascades of antigout medications from thiazide diuretics in gout-naïve hypertensive adults receiving first-line pharmacological management
Authors: Lu Shang-Yeh , Hsu Hsing-Yu , Hsieh Yow-Wen , Lu Chiung-Ray , Huang Hsin-Yi , Chang Shih-Sheng
Published: March 2024

Prescribing cascade is a significant clinical problem but is often overlooked. We explore the incidence of the prescribing cascades of antigout medications related to thiazide treatment in gout-naïve hypertensive adults newly exposed to the pharmacological treatment. This population-based, retrospective cohort study used the Taiwan National Health Insurance Registry Database. Gout-naïve hypertensive adults who were newly dispensed first-line antihypertensive drugs between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2016, were enrolled. Patients were divided into the thiazide group (n = 4192) and the non-thiazide group (n = 81,083). The non-thiazide group included patients who received an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, angiotensin II receptor blocker, calcium channel blocker, or beta-blocker. The study utilized propensity score matching and multivariable Cox regression models to investigate the prescribing cascade of antigout agents following antihypertensive treatment, adjusting for factors like age, sex, comorbidities, and concurrent medications. After propensity score matching, each group consisted of 4045 patients, with the thiazide group exhibiting a higher risk of being prescribed antigout medications across different time intervals post-treatment initiation. Specifically, adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for the thiazide group were 2.23, 2.07, and 2.41 for < 30 days, 31–180 days, and > 180 days, respectively, indicating a sustained and significant risk over time. Comparative analyses revealed thiazide diuretics were associated with a higher risk of antigout medication prescriptions compared to other antihypertensive classes, particularly evident after 180 days. Subgroup analyses across various demographics and comorbidities consistently showed an increased risk in the thiazide cohort. Gout-naïve hypertensive adults newly dispensed thiazide had a higher risk of subsequently adding antigout agents than those taking other first-line antihypertensive medications. The awareness and interruption of these prescribing cascades are critical to improving patient safety.
Local tuning of Rydberg exciton energies in nanofabricated Cu2O pillars
Authors: Paul Anindya Sundar , Rajendran Sai Kiran , Ziemkiewicz David , Volz Thomas , Ohadi Hamid
Published: March 2024

Rydberg excitons in Cu2O feature giant optical nonlinearities. To exploit these nonlinearities for quantum applications, the confinement must match the Rydberg blockade size, which in Cu2O could be as large as a few microns. Here, in a top-down approach, we show how exciton confinement can be realised by focused-ion-beam etching of a polished bulk Cu2O crystal without noticeable degradation of the excitonic properties. The etching of the crystal to micron sizes allows for tuning the energies of Rydberg excitons locally, and precisely, by optically induced temperature change. These results pave the way for exploiting the large nonlinearities of Rydberg excitons in micropillars for making non-classical light sources, while the precise tuning of their emission energy opens up a viable pathway for realising a scalable photonic quantum simulation platform.
Marine Natural Products as a Bioresource for Cosmeceuticals
Authors: Rasmi Yousef , Kirboğa Kevser Kübra , Rao Tazeen , Ali Mazhar , Ahmed Muhammad Zeeshan
Published: March 2024

The cosmetics industry is a highly profitable multibillion-dollar industry that impacts society worldwide. Because of global influence, most people are concerned with looking good, being beautiful, and staying young. Natural-product-based cosmeceutical formulations have become more popular than synthetic chemicals due to the desire of consumers for better, novel, and safer products. In this respect, marine-based natural products have gained substantial attention as cosmeceuticals with the advancement in marine bioresource technology. Secondary metabolites such as agar, alginates, carrageenans, fucoidans, galactans, porphyran, glucans, ulvans, and others have been derived from marine fungi, bacteria, macroalgae, microalgae, sponges, and corals to be significantly used as cosmeceuticals. These materials possess lightening, anti-wrinkle, UV protection, moisturizing, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects. As stabilizers, emulsifiers, and viscosity-controlling ingredients, cosmeceuticals also possess a wide spectrum of physicochemical properties, including the ability to be used in cosmetic surgery, the pharmaceutical industry and tissue engineering. The present chapter discusses marine-based natural products, including the chemical entities and the mechanisms giving them potential effects as cosmeceuticals.
N–C QDs coated with a molecularly imprinted polymer as a fluorescent probe for detection of penicillin
Authors: Wang Shan , Sun Zhihui , Zhao Xuyang , Li Kunhua , Wang Yafei , Zhang Xijing
Published: March 2024

The N–C QDs@MIP from wheat straw was synthesized by a gel-sol method and it could be used as a sensor for penicillin. The study paves an avenue to develop highly efficient sensor for the detection of antibiotics.
Controlling saturation to improve per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) removal in biochar-amended stormwater bioretention systems
Authors: Hawkins Kathleen Mills , Pritchard James Conrad , Struck Scott , Cho Yeo-Myoung , Luthy Richard G. , Higgins Christopher P.
Published: March 2024

When stormwater biofilters are not saturated, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) sorb to the air–water interface. The design of black carbon-amended stormwater biofilters for PFAS removal can be improved by preventing saturation.
A comprehensive review on carrot (Daucus carota L.): the effect of different drying methods on nutritional properties and its processing as value-added foods
Authors: Motegaonkar Shivani , Shankar Amar , Tazeen Humeera , Gunjal Mahendra , Payyanad Sachin
Published: March 2024

Carrot drying and opportunities for its processing.
Microfluidic-organic thin film transistor coupled platform for simple solution exposure
Authors: Boileau Nicholas T. , King Benjamin , Kapar Sparsh , Sohi Ali Najafi , Manion Joseph G. , Godin Michel , Lessard Benoît H.
Published: March 2024

Organic thin film transistors (OTFTs) have been combined with microfluidic in a non distructive process, enabling the simple exposure of the oragnic semicondcutor to different analytes.
Towards structurally versatile mesoionic N-heterocyclic olefin ligands and their coordination to palladium, gold, and boron hydride
Authors: Ževart Tisa , Pinter Balazs , Lozinšek Matic , Urankar Damijana , Jansen-van Vuuren Ross D. , Košmrlj Janez
Published: March 2024

Coordination of 1,2,3-triazole-based mesoionic N-heterocyclic olefin (mNHO) ligands to palladium, gold, and boron hydride has been investigated experimentally and computationally.
Insertion of fluorine into a LiFePO4 electrode material by gas–solid fluorination
Authors: Kevin Lemoine , Roméo Kenmogne-Debah , Léa Doubtsof , Lawrence Frezet , Elodie Petit , Katia Guerin , Bertrand Devouard , Moulay-Tahar Sougrati , Diane Delbègue , Pierre Bonnet
Published: March 2024

This article brings forth a complete study on the insertion of fluorine atoms into a phosphate matrix. Lithium iron phosphate LiFePO4 (or LFP) is used as a model compound in the reaction with fluorine gas at different temperatures.
Tuning the photophysical properties of ESIPT active unsymmetrical azine dyes by the change in the substituent and solvent: TD-PBE0 and TD-CAM-B3LYP studies
Authors: Roohi Hossein , Pouryahya Tahereh
Published: March 2024

The photophysical properties of the designed ESIPT active as well as donor–acceptor structured unsymmetrical azine dyes L1–L5 were investigated at PBE0/6-31++G(d,p) and CAM-B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p) levels of theory in the gas phase and solvent media.
Intact cell lipidomics using the Bruker MBT lipid Xtract assay allows the rapid detection of glycosyl-inositol-phospho-ceramides from Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Chakraborty Aishani , Alsharqi Leila , Kostrzewa Markus , Armstrong-James Darius , Larrouy-Maumus Gerald
Published: March 2024

Glycosyl-inositol-phospho-ceramides (GIPCs) or glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored fungal polysaccharides are major lipids in plant and fungal plasma membranes and play an important role in stress adaption.
Stereodivergent synthesis of 2-oxo-oligopyrrolidines by an iterative coupling strategy
Authors: Soda Yasuki , Tatsumi Kumpei , Forner Matteo , Sato Shunsei , Shibuya Kana , Matagawa Tomoe , Simizu Siro , Chida Noritaka , Okamura Toshitaka , Sato Takaaki
Published: March 2024

An iterative and stereodivergent approach to synthesize 2-oxo-oligopyrrolidines was developed. The synthetic compounds exhibited antiproliferative activity according to the number of pyrrolidine rings and their stereochemical configuration.
Supplementation of Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior) Flowers Improves the Quality and Safety of Traditional Fermented Shrimp Paste
Authors: Surya Reggie , Nugroho David
Published: March 2024

Terasi, a traditional fermented shrimp paste from Indonesia, is commonly made from salted planktonic shrimp (Acetes japonicus) undergoing spontaneous lactic acid fermentation. In spite of its broad use and appreciated distinctive flavor, consuming terasi could be injurious for human consumption due to the presence of toxic compounds that are related to its deterioration and quality decrease, such as the allergenic histamine and probably carcinogenic acrylamide. These compounds are formed during fermentation of terasi due to a plethora of chemical reactions and microbial activities. This study aimed to improve the quality and safety of shrimp paste by incorporating during its fermentation torch ginger (Etlingera elatior) flowers, locally known as bunga kecombrang, that are rich in antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds. These flowers are widely utilized in Indonesian cuisine. The supplementation of torch ginger flowers (5%(w/w) and 10% (w/w)) significantly reduced microbial growth, lipid peroxidation, as well as the formation of histamine and acrylamide in terasi fermented over a period of 30 days. In addition, the supplementation of 10% torch ginger flowers improved the sensory acceptance of terasi. Therefore, this study suggests the potential of torch ginger flowers as an additional ingredient to improve the safety and quality of terasi.
Separation and Purification Residual Salt from Glycerine Pitch from Waste of Refined Glycerine Production
Authors: Arofai Teguh , Gunawan Setiyo , Purwanto Mochammad
Published: March 2024

The glycerol refining process produces 5%wt/ton waste in the form of glycerine pitch (GP) and has the potential to pollute the environment if not properly handled and expensive handling costs. In this study, GP was characterized by its chemical composition and spectroscopic analysis using FTIR and UV-Vis. The sodium chloride content of 15-30% contained in GP was separated and purified by solid-liquid extraction. Solvent selection (methanol, ethanol and acetone), solvent ratio (1:3, 1:5 and 1:10) and extraction time (10, 15 and 30 min) were evaluated using one factor at the time (OFAT) method. The methanol was found to be the optimum solvent and the best ratio at 1:5 produced sodium chloride purity around 81%. However, the effect of extraction time was declared not significant with a pvalue above 0.05. The TOC result of residual salt was 44 ppm and residual methanol content was not detected after heating. The integrated process of separation and purification of residual salt from GP is easy to apply and zerowaste potential in organic waste after extraction can be achieve by combustion in boiler with a calorific value obtained of 3000-3200 cal/g.
Assessing farm sustainability: the IDEA4 method, a conceptual framework combining dimensions and properties of sustainability
Authors: Zahm Frédéric , Ugaglia Adeline Alonso , Barbier Jean-Marc , Carayon David , Del’homme Bernard , Gafsi Mohamed , Gasselin Pierre , Gestin Clément , Girard Sydney , Guichard Laurence , Loyce Chantal , Manneville Vincent , Redlingshöfer Barbara , Rodrigues Inês
Published: March 2024

This article presents the conceptual framework for assessing farm sustainability using the IDEA4 method. IDEA4 combines a dual assessment approach based on sustainable agriculture objectives and the properties of sustainable farming systems. It is rooted in the domains of strong sustainability, strong agroecology and the multifunctionality of agriculture. It takes into account the overall issues of sustainable agriculture. This conceptual framework has been used to construct 53 indicators for analysing farm sustainability using two complementary approaches. The first assesses sustainability by organising these 53 indicators according to the 3 normative dimensions of sustainable development (agroecological, socio-territorial, economic), structured into 13 components. This assessment relies on a scoring system based on 100 sustainability units for each of the 3 dimensions, which cannot offset each other. The second approach is used to assess sustainability by organising the same 53 indicators according to the 5 properties of sustainable agricultural systems (ability to produce and reproduce goods and services, autonomy, robustness, territorial embeddedness, and overall responsibility), which are arranged in a tree structure with 15 branches. Indicators are aggregated in a qualitative and hierarchical manner using the DEXi tool. The exploratory potential of the concept of the properties of sustainable systems encourages a transdisciplinary approach for assessing farms. IDEA4’s theoretical framework is now complemented by three information technology (IT) tools, which means that the method can be used to a much greater extent to support the agroecological transition.
class_sz I: Overview
Authors: Bolliet B. , Kusiak A. , McCarthy F. , Sabyr A. , Surrao K. , Hill J.C. , Chluba J. , Ferraro S. , Hadzhiyska B. , Han D. , Macías-Pérez J.F. , Madhavacheril M. , Maniyar A. , Mehta Y. , Pandey S. , Schaan E. , Sherwin B. , Mancini A. Spurio , Zubeldia Í.
Published: March 2024

class_sz is a versatile, robust and efficient code, in C and Python, optimized to compute theoretical predictions for a wide range of observables relevant to cross-survey science in the Stage IV era. The code is public at https://github.com/CLASS-SZ/class_sz along with a series of tutorial notebooks (https://github.com/CLASS-SZ/notebooks). It will be presented in full detail in paper II. Here we give a brief overview of key features and usage.
Galaxy clusters morphology with Zernike polynomials: The first application on Planck Compton parameter maps
Authors: Capalbo V. , De Petris M. , Cui W. , Ferragamo A. , Ruppin F. , Yepes G.
Published: March 2024

The study of the morphology of 2D projected maps of galaxy clusters is a suitable approach to infer, from real data, the dynamical state of those systems. We recently developed a new method to recover the morphological features in galaxy cluster maps which consists of an analytical modelling through the Zernike polynomials. The validation of this approach was done on a set of high-resolution mock maps of the Compton parameter y. These maps are from hydrodynamically simulated galaxy clusters in The Three Hundred project. After this step, we apply the Zernike modelling on y-maps of local (z < 0.1) galaxy clusters observed by the Planck satellite. With a single parameter collecting the main information of the Zernike modelling, we classify their morphology. A set of mock Planck-like y-maps, generated from The Three Hundred clusters, is also used to validate our indicator with a proper dynamical state classification. This approach allows us to test the efficiency of the Zernike morphological modelling in evaluating the dynamical population in the real Planck sample.
Current results and future prospectives on the XMM–Newton Heritage project CHEX-MATE, and on the non-thermal pressure in galaxy clusters
Authors: Ettori S.
Published: March 2024

The Cluster HEritage project with XMM-Newton – Mass Assembly and Thermodynamics at the Endpoint of structure formation (CHEX-MATE) is a Multi-Year Heritage Programme to obtain X-ray observations of a minimally-biased, signal-to-noise-limited sample of galaxy clusters detected by Planck through the Sunyaev–Zeldovich effect. The program aims to study the ultimate products of structure formation in time and mass. On behalf of our large international collaboration, I will summarize the most recent results obtained, highlighting the role of multi-band datasets in resolving the astrophysics of the most massive collapsed halos in the universe and in studying the interplay between hot plasma and dark matter. I will also present some new methods for estimating the non-thermal pressure support in galaxy clusters, and how we can convert it into a measurement of the hydrostatic mass bias, also for a cosmological purpose. These studies will pave the way for using the next generation of X-ray observatories to construct a consistent picture of the formation and composition in mass and energy of galaxy clusters.