bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nanowire photochemical diodes for artificial photosynthesis
Authors: Andrei Virgil , Roh Inwhan , Yang Peidong
Published: May 2023

Artificial photosynthesis can provide a solution to our current energy needs by converting small molecules such as water or carbon dioxide into useful fuels. This can be accomplished using photochemical diodes, which interface two complementary light absorbers with suitable electrocatalysts. Nanowire semiconductors provide unique advantages in terms of light absorption and catalytic activity, yet great control is required to integrate them for overall fuel production. In this review, we journey across the progress in nanowire photoelectrochemistry (PEC) over the past two decades, revealing design principles to build these nanowire photochemical diodes. To this end, we discuss the latest progress in terms of nanowire photoelectrodes, focusing on the interplay between performance, photovoltage, electronic band structure, and catalysis. Emphasis is placed on the overall system integration and semiconductor-catalyst interface, which applies to inorganic, organic, or biologic catalysts. Last, we highlight further directions that may improve the scope of nanowire PEC systems.
A Clinically Selected Staphylococcus aureus
clpP
Mutant Survives Daptomycin Treatment by Reducing Binding of the Antibiotic and Adapting a Rod-Shaped Morphology
Authors: Xu Lijuan , Henriksen Camilla , Mebus Viktor , Guérillot Romain , Petersen Andreas , Jacques Nicolas , Jiang Jhih-Hang , Derks Rico J. E. , Sánchez-López Elena , Giera Martin , Leeten Kirsten , Stinear Timothy P. , Oury Cécile , Howden Benjamin P. , Peleg Anton Y. , Frees Dorte
Published: May 2023

Daptomycin is a last-resort antibiotic used for the treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA). Treatment failure is commonly linked to accumulation of point mutations; however, the contribution of single mutations to resistance and the mechanisms underlying resistance remain incompletely understood. Here, we show that a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) selected during daptomycin therapy inactivates the highly conserved ClpP protease and is causing reduced susceptibility of MRSA to daptomycin, vancomycin, and β-lactam antibiotics as well as decreased expression of virulence factors.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Monitoring of Hepatic Disease Induced by Ebola Virus: a Nonhuman Primate Proof-of-Concept Study
Authors: Lee Ji Hyun , Calcagno Claudia , Feuerstein Irwin M. , Solomon Jeffrey , Mani Venkatesh , Huzella Louis , Castro Marcelo A. , Laux Joseph , Reeder Rebecca J. , Kim Dong-Yun , Worwa Gabriella , Thomasson David , Hagen Katie R. , Ragland Danny R. , Kuhn Jens H. , Johnson Reed F.
Published: May 2023

Severe liver impairment is a well-known hallmark of Ebola virus disease (EVD), but the contribution of hepatic pathophysiology to EVD progression is not fully understood. Noninvasive medical imaging of liver structure and function in well-established animal models of disease may shed light on this important aspect of EVD.
Intracontinental convergence accommodated by underthrusting of Tarim Basin beneath central Tian Shan, Central Asia: Insights from Cenozoic upper crust deformation across the western Kepingtage fold-and-thrust belt in the northern Tarim Basin
Authors: Huang Jialun , Chen Hanlin , Lin Xiubin , An Kaixuan , Cheng Xiaogan , Li Yong , Yang Xianzhang , Zhang Liang , Chen Cai
Published: May 2023

The way in which intracontinental convergence caused by remote continent-continent collision has been accommodated remains debatable, but it is attributed to either pure shear thickening or continental subduction/underthrusting. Quantification of the deformation architecture of the upper crust and its shortening is vital for testing these competing models. For this purpose, we conducted quantitative analyses of four seismic reflection profiles along the western Kepingtage fold-and-thrust belt of the intracontinental convergence zone between the northern Tarim Basin and the central Tian Shan, a result of the remote India-Eurasia collision, which capture the structures of the upper crust and constrain the amount of shortening in the region. The structural analyses show a thin-skinned style of deformation of the western Kepingtage fold-and-thrust belt, with minimum north−south shortening estimates of ∼71.1 km (∼46.6% strain), ∼76.3 km (∼51.4% strain), ∼67.1 km (∼56.1% strain), and ∼53.0 km (∼49.9% strain), respectively, from east to west. Assuming that coupling shortening occurred across the entire crust and an initial crustal thickness of ∼41−46 km, these shortening ratios would produce a ∼83−95-km-thick crust along the northern Tarim Basin, which is significantly larger than the actual thickness previously reported. This inconsistency leads us to rule out the pure-shear thickening model, which predicts crustal-scale coupling deformation. Alternatively, our results imply that the crust of the northern Tarim Basin was deformed in a decoupling style. These results, combined with those of previous studies, lend support to the intracontinental underthrusting model. We suggest that both the upper crustal fold-and-thrust belts and the lower crustal underthrusting of the northern Tarim Basin accommodated intracontinental convergence.
Supplemental Material: Two episodes of late Mesoproterozoic magmatism in the southwestern Yangtze Block, China, and their association with Grenville-aged orogenic cycles
Authors: Wang Yan-Jun , zhu wei-guang , al. et
Published: May 2023

 Figure S1: Representative field photos and microscopic photographs of mafic rocks in this study. Figure S2: Plot of whole-rock εNd(t) versus age (Ga) for the Boka dolerites, Lanniping gabbros, and Tong’an dikes. Figure S3: Covariations of the high field strength elements (e.g., TiO2, Th, Nb, Nd, Eu, Yb), compatible element (e.g., Ni), and large ion lithophile elements (e.g., Ba and Sr) relative to Zr contents for the Boka dolerites, Lanniping gabbros, and Tong’an dikes. Figure S4: Covariations of SiO2, TiO2, Fe2O3T, CaO, Al2O3, CaO/Al2O3, P2O5, Ni, and Cr relative to MgO contents for the Boka dolerites, Lanniping gabbros, and Tong’an dikes. Figure S5: Th/Nb versus TiO2/Yb plot for the late Mesoproterozoic mafic rocks in the southwestern Yangtze Block. Table S1: Cameca secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) zircon and baddeleyite U-Pb isotopic analyses for the late Mesoproterozoic mafic rocks from the Huili-Dongchuan area, southwestern Yangtze Block. Table S2: Major-element (wt%) and trace-element (ppm) data of late Mesoproterozoic mafic rocks from the southwestern Yangtze Block. Table S3: Sm-Nd isotopic compositions of the late Mesoproterozoic mafic rocks from the southwestern Yangtze Block. 
Use of a GP-endorsed 12 months’ reminder letter to promote uptake of bowel scope screening: protocol for a randomised controlled trial in a hard-to-reach population
Authors: von Wagner Christian , Hirst Yasemin , Tookey Sara , Kerrison Robert S. , Marshall Sarah , Prentice Andrew , Vulkan Daniel , Macleod Una , Duffy Stephen
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) screening is associated with reduced colorectal cancer incidence and mortality when offered as a one-off test to men and women aged 55–64. The test, also referred to as the ‘bowel scope screening’ (BSS) test, was added to England’s national Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in March 2013, where it is offered to men and women aged 55. Since its implementation, uptake of the BSS test has been low, with only 43% of the eligible population attending an appointment. Sending non-participants a reminder at age 56 has been shown to improve uptake by up to nine percentage points at a single centre in London; we hypothesise that adding a general practitioners (GPs) endorsement to the reminder could improve uptake even further.

Methods and analysis

This paper describes the protocol for a randomised controlled trial which will examine the effectiveness of adding a GPs endorsement to a reminder for BSS non-participants aged 56. All screening-eligible adults who have not responded to a BSS appointment at London North West Healthcare NHS Trust within 12 months of their initial invitation will be randomised to receive either a GP-endorsed reminder letter or reminder letter without GP endorsement. The primary outcome will be the proportion of individuals screened within each group 8 weeks after the reminder. Statistical comparisons will be made using univariate and multivariate logistic regression, with ‘uptake’ as the outcome variable, GP reminder group as the exposure and sociodemographic variables as covariates.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the Yorkshire & Humber—Bradford Leeds Research Ethics Committee (16/YH/0298) and the Confidentiality Advisory Group (17/CAG/0162). The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal in accordance with the Consort statement and will be made available to the public.

Trial registration number

NCT82867861
Gain-of-function research and model organisms in biology
Authors: Evans Nicholas G , Pence Charles H
Published: May 2023

So-called ‘gain-of-function’ (GOF) research is virological research that results in a virus substantially more virulent or transmissible than its wild antecedent. GOF research has been subject to ethical analysis in the past, but the methods of GOF research have to date been underexamined by philosophers in these analyses. Here, we examine the typical animal used in influenza GOF experiments, the ferret, and show how despite its longstanding use, it does not easily satisfy the desirable criteria for ananimal model. We then discuss the limitations of the ferret model, and how those epistemic limitations bear on ethical and policy questions around the risks and benefits of GOF research. We conclude with a reflection on how philosophy of science can contribute to ethical and policy debates around the risks, benefits and relative priority of life sciences research.
Overlapping Symptoms of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Current Challenges and the Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Huang Jinke , Chen Ting , Zhang Jiaqi , Ma Xiangxue , Wang Fengyun , Tang Xudong
Published: May 2023

Several functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) have overlapping symptoms, and, consequently, developing treatment strategies based on symptomatology poses a challenge for the clinical management of complex FGIDs. The significant overlap in the symptoms of FGIDs caused by the shared pathophysiological mechanisms is both a challenge and an excellent target for therapeutic development, since treatment strategies focused on shared pathophysiological mechanisms can treat the associated underlying diseases rather than just alleviating the primary symptoms. Owing to its multi-targeted approach, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has garnered immense interest worldwide; however, the quality of the data demonstrating its effectiveness is generally weak. Additionally, the causal link between the intrinsic mechanisms of action of TCM and its clinical benefits remains obscure. Systems biology is characterized by holistic and dynamic research, which corresponds to the holistic, multi-targeted, and syndrome-based approach of TCM. Therefore, high-throughput analysis techniques can be employed to describe and comprehend the genesis and progression of diseases, as well as the impacts of TCM on the organism, which may aid in elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of the diseases as well as the mechanism of action of TCM.
Completing and Debugging Ontologies: State-of-the-art and Challenges in Repairing Ontologies
Authors: Lambrix Patrick
Published: May 2023

As semantically enabled applications require high-quality ontologies, developing and maintaining ontologies that are as correct and complete as possible is an important although difficult task in ontology engineering. A key task is ontology debugging and completion. In general, there are two steps: detecting defects and repairing defects. In this article, we discuss the state-of-the-art regarding the repairing step. We do this by formalizing the repairing step as an abductive reasoning problem and situating the state-of-the-art with respect to this framework. We show that there are still many open research problems and show opportunities for further work and advancing the field.
Accelerating Deformable Convolution Networks with Dynamic and Irregular Memory Accesses
Authors: Chu Cheng , Liu Cheng , Xu Dawen , Wang Ying , Luo Tao , Li Huawei , Li Xiaowei
Published: May 2023

Deformable convolution networks (DCNs) proposed to address image recognition with geometric or photometric variations typically involve deformable convolution that convolves on arbitrary locations of input features. The locations change with different inputs and induce considerable dynamic and irregular memory accesses that cannot be handled by classic neural network accelerators (NNAs). Moreover, bilinear interpolation (BLI) operation, which is required to obtain deformed features in DCNs, also cannot be deployed on existing NNAs directly. Although a general purposed processor (GPP) seated along with classic NNAs can process the deformable convolution, the processing on GPP can be extremely slow due to the limited parallel computing capability and massive additional data movement. To address the problem, we develop a DCN accelerator on existing NNAs to support both the standard convolution and deformable convolution. Specifically, for the dynamic and irregular accesses in DCNs, we have both the input and output features divided into tiles and build a tile dependency table (TDT) to track the irregular tile dependency at runtime. With the TDT, we further develop an on-chip tile scheduler to handle the dynamic and irregular accesses efficiently. In addition, we propose a novel mapping strategy to enable parallel BLI processing on NNAs and apply layer fusion techniques for more energy-efficient DCN processing. According to our experiments, the proposed accelerator achieves orders of magnitude higher performance and energy efficiency compared to the typical computing architectures including ARM, ARM+TPU, and GPU with 6.6% chip area penalty to a classic NNA.
Integrated Nematode Management in a World in Transition: Constraints, Policy, Processes, and Technologies for the Future
Authors: Sikora Richard A. , Helder Johannes , Molendijk Leendert P.G. , Desaeger Johan , Eves-van den Akker Sebastian , Mahlein Anne-Katrin
Published: May 2023

Plant-parasitic nematodes are one of the most insidious pests limiting agricultural production, parasitizing mostly belowground and occasionally aboveground plant parts. They are an important and underestimated component of the estimated 30% yield loss inflicted on crops globally by biotic constraints. Nematode damage is intensified by interactions with biotic and abiotic factors constraints: soilborne pathogens, soil fertility degradation, reduced soil biodiversity, climate variability, and policies influencing the development of improved management options. This review focuses on the following topics: ( a) biotic and abiotic constraints, ( b) modification of production systems, ( c) agricultural policies, ( d) the microbiome, ( e) genetic solutions, and ( f) remote sensing. Improving integrated nematode management (INM) across all scales of agricultural production and along the Global North–Global South divide, where inequalities influence access to technology, is discussed. The importance of the integration of technological development in INM is critical to improving food security and human well-being in the future.
Review—Online Monitoring of Internal Temperature in Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Xiao Zhongliang , Liu Cheng , Zhao Tingting , Kuang Yinjie , Yin Bilu , Yuan Rongyao , Song Liubin
Published: May 2023

In recent years, fire and explosion accidents caused by high temperature of lithium-ion batteries have become increasingly frequent, and the safety and reliability of batteries have been of great concern. Battery temperature monitoring is an important means to prevent the occurrence of safety accidents, but at present, it mainly focuses on the external temperature and lacks the monitoring of internal temperature changes and measurement of physical parameters of the battery, which makes it difficult to effectively solve the safety problem of the battery. In this paper, starting from the thermal runaway safety problem faced by Li-ion batteries, we analyze the heat generation principle and temperature effect during battery operation, and discuss various methods of internal battery temperature monitoring, including in situ temperature measurement, multi-parameter measurement inside the battery, temperature measurement based on thin-film sensors and distributed fiber optic sensors, and impedance-based temperature estimation. Also, the advantages and disadvantages of different sensing techniques are compared, and the challenges of inserting temperature sensors into real batteries are reviewed. Finally, this paper presents directions and difficulties for future research on internal temperature monitoring of Li-ion batteries.
Rapid Preparation of All-In-One Compressible Capacitors with Flame Carbonized Melamine Foam for AC Line Filtering
Authors: Yang Qing , Yang Pingping , Yu Yixing , Chen Hongyu , Ren Jie , Huang Cheng , Xie Jiale
Published: May 2023

Melamine foam (MF) is a good candidate for electrochemical filter capacitors due to its 3D porous structure, flexibility, and nitrogen-containing property. However, traditional thermal carbonization would cause a severe loss of nitrogen and need several hours to perform the transition from melamine to carbon. Moreover, to construct all-in-one electrochemical capacitors, the nonconductive MF must be deposited a conductive layer on the surface of MFs. Herein, we developed a flame carbonization method to carbonize the MFs to an all-in-one structure in less than one minute. The carbonized MF exhibits 2.6 times higher nitrogen content than that of the traditional carbonized. MF-based all-in-one compressible electrochemical capacitors deliver excellent alternating current (AC) line filtering performance, such as a low phase angle of −83.1° at 120 Hz, a low resistance capacitance time constant of 157 μs, and a short relaxation time constant of 46 μs. The AC signal of 120 Hz, even a higher frequency of 2000 Hz, can be successfully converted into a stable direct current (DC) signal. Besides, the influence of electrolyte, compressive strain, and the thickness/carbonization time of MFs on the electrochemical performance has been studied. This work provides an ingenious design and effective preparation strategy for MFs-based all-in-one electrochemical capacitors.
High-intensity exercise does not protect against orthostatic intolerance following bedrest in 55- to 65-yr-old men and women
Authors: Mastrandrea Carmelo J. , Hedge Eric T. , Robertson Andrew D. , Heckman George A. , Ho Joanne , Granados Unger Federico , Hughson Richard L.
Published: May 2023

Prolonged bedrest provokes orthostatic hypotension and intolerance of upright posture. Limited data are available on the cardiovascular responses of older adults to head-up tilt following bedrest, with no studies examining the potential benefits of exercise to mitigate intolerance in this age group. This randomized controlled trial of head-down bedrest (HDBR) in 55- to 65-yr-old men and women investigated if exercise could avert post-HDBR orthostatic intolerance. Twenty-two healthy older adults (11 female) underwent a strict 14-day HDBR and were assigned to either an exercise (EX) or control (CON) group. The exercise intervention included high-intensity, aerobic, and resistance exercises. Head-up tilt-testing to a maximum of 15 minutes was performed at baseline (Pre-Bedrest) and immediately after HDBR (R1), as well as 6 days (R6) and 4 weeks (R4wk) later. At Pre-Bedrest, three participants did not complete the full 15 minutes of tilt. At R1, 18 did not finish, with no difference in tilt end time between CON (422 ± 287 s) and EX (409 ± 346 s). No differences between CON and EX were observed at R6 or R4wk. At R1, just 1 participant self-terminated the test with symptoms, while 12 others reported symptoms only after physiological test termination criteria were reached. Finishers on R1 protected arterial pressure with higher total peripheral resistance relative to Pre-Bedrest. Cerebral blood velocity decreased linearly with reductions in arterial pressure, end-tidal CO2, and cardiac output. High-intensity interval exercise did not benefit post-HDBR orthostatic tolerance in older adults. Multiple factors were associated with the reduction in cerebral blood velocity leading to intolerance.
Reconstructing the Photoacoustic Image with High Quality using the Deep Neural Network Model
Authors: Gopalan Anitha , Vignesh O. , Anusuya R. , Senthilkumar K. P. , Nishok V. S. , Helan Vidhya T. , Wilfred Florin
Published: May 2023

The range of diagnostic equipment has been widened and improved by the quick development of biomedical research technologies. The creation of multifunctional instruments that become essential for biomedical operations has been discovered by several research organizations to be made possible by optical imaging, acoustic image analysis, and magnetic resonance imaging. One of the most crucial tools is hyperspectral photoacoustic (PA) imaging, which combines optical and ultrasonic technology. In this study, the reconstruction of the PA pictures employs a new deployment of deep learning methods. This enabled us to train and evaluate our deep-learning approach under several imaging situations in addition to firmly establishing the contextual information. This study presents an optimization approach that blends multispectral optical acoustic imaging with detailed transfer learning-based diagnostic imaging. The particle swarm-convolutional neural network (PS-CNN) technique aims to reconstruct and categorize the presence of cancer using ultrasonic pictures. In image processing, the technique of bilateral filtration (BF) is commonly employed to remove noise. Additionally, the biological images are separated using portable LED Net frameworks. It is also possible to employ a feature extraction technique with the PS optimization methodology. Last but not least, biological images employ a CNN model to assign suitable classification. Using a standard dataset, the PS-CNN technology’s efficacy is confirmed, and testing findings revealed that it performs superior to other methods.
Comparison of the Anode Side Catalyst Supports with and without Incorporation of Liquid Electrolyte Layer on the Performance of a Passive Direct Methanol Fuel Cell
Authors: Boni Muralikrishna , Velisala Venkateswarlu , Kattela Sivaprasad , Sudheer S. Venkata Sai , Pullagura Gandhi , Barik Debabrata
Published: May 2023

In the passive direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) operation, the catalyst plays an important role in electrical energy production. Efficient catalyst support increases the power output and simultaneously decreases irreversible losses in the fuel cell (FC). Effective utilization of methanol at the anode end reduces methanol crossover by selecting good anode catalyst supports. In the present study, two types of anode catalyst support of carbon and carbon black are used. The two types of anode catalysts are Pt-Ru/C+ Pt-Ru/black and Pt-Ru/C along with a 2 mm thick liquid electrolyte (LE) layer placed in the middle of the two half MEAs. The LE layer is made of piled hydrophilic filter papers, which are soaked in a solution of 1 M H2SO4 concentration. The methanol concentration is varied from 1 M to 12 M and from 1 M to 5 M with and without LE-inserted FC, respectively. The passive DMFC with Pt-Ru/C+ Pt-Ru/black anode catalyst and the LE layer exhibit the best performance, producing an MPD of 5.328 mWcm-2 at a 5 M methanol concentration. The MPD produced by the anode catalyst of Pt-Ru/C+ Pt-Ru/black and Pt-Ru/C along with the 2 mm thickness LE layer incorporated fuel cell is 75.26% higher than conventional-based FC of anode catalyst of single-layer catalyst of Pt-Ru/C.
Development and Application of an iELISA for the Detection of Antibody against Salmonella Abortusequi
Authors: Guo Kui , Zhang Zenan , Yang Yan , Zhang Weiguo , Wang Jinhui , Li Shuaijie , Chu Xiaoyu , Guo Wei , Liu Diqiu , Wang Yaoxin , Hu Zhe , Wang Xiaojun
Published: May 2023

Equine abortus salmonellosis is a bacterial disease that causes high abortion rates in susceptible equids and therefore significant economic losses. Although the tube agglutination test (TAT) is a commonly used serological test for S. Abortusequi, it is not highly specific or sensitive, and the development of more sensitive, specific and rapid assays is therefore urgently required. In this study, an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) was developed for the specific detection of flagellum protein (FljB) antibodies against S. Abortusequi. Negative sera from horses in China (n = 1030) were used to establish the baseline for a negative population, and reference antisera positive against other viruses or bacteria were used to test the cross reactivity of the technique. The performance of the FljB iELISA was evaluated against that of the standard TAT, and was tested using field serum samples. The FljB iELISA assay was 8–16 times more sensitive than TAT. ROC analysis showed that the FljB iELISA was accurate, with an area under the curve (AUC) = 0.9943 (95% CI, 0.9815–1.000). The diagnostic sensitivity (DSe) of the FljB iELISA was 98.9% (95% Cl, 93.84%–100.00%), which was higher than that of TAT (DSe 38.6; 95% CI, 29.14%–49.08%). The diagnostic specificity (DSp) of the iELISA was 100.0% (95% CI, 95.82%–100.0%). When the 508 clinical samples were tested, the FljB iELISA had a positive detection rate of 51.38% (261/508, 95% CI, 51.24%–51.51%), which was higher than that of TAT (44/508). We also performed a serological survey for S. Abortusequi infection, using a series of samples collected from across eighteen provinces of China in 2021. The results showed that all provinces except Jiangsu had a certain number of cases, and the positive rates ranged from 0% to 96.9%, indicating the wide spread of S. Abortusequi in China. The abovementioned results suggest that the FljB iELISA developed in this study is rapid, sensitive, specific, and repeatable and is likely to be a suitable test for large-scale serological surveys for the detection and control of S. Abortusequi infection.
Remimazolam Anesthesia for Thyroid Surgery
Authors: Nakagawa Sae , Shakuo Tomoharu , Matsudo Sakurako , Soda Hiroaki , Shida Kenji
Published: May 2023

Background. Critical upper airway obstruction, hematoma formation, and recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy have been reported as postoperative complications of thyroid surgery. Although remimazolam may reduce the risk of these complications, the efficacy of flumazenil with remimazolam has not been reported. We present the successful anesthesia management of thyroid surgery using remimazolam and flumazenil. Case Presentation. A 72-year-old woman was diagnosed with a goiter and scheduled for a partial thyroidectomy under general anesthesia. We used remimazolam for induction and maintenance using a neural integrity monitor, electromyogram, and endotracheal tube under the bispectral index monitor. At the end of the surgery, spontaneous respiration was confirmed after the intravenous administration of sugammadex, and the patient was extubated under mild sedation. In the operating room, we administered flumazenil intravenously to confirm recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and active postoperative hemorrhage. The patient was confirmed to have no recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy under full wakefulness but developed active postoperative hemorrhage with normal blood pressure. The patient required reoperation and was reintubated under intravenous administration of propofol. The anesthesia was maintained using 5% of desflurane, and the patient was extubated without any postoperative problems. The anesthesia was then terminated. The patient had no recall of the procedure. Conclusion. Maintenance of general anesthesia using remimazolam allowed the use of a neurostimulator with minimal muscle-relaxant effects, and extubation under sedation reduced the risk of abrupt and unexpected changes in blood pressure, body movement, and coughing. Furthermore, after extubation, the patient was rendered fully awake using flumazenil to confirm the presence of recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and active postoperative hemorrhage. In addition, the patient had no memory of the reoperation, suggesting that the anterograde amnesic effect of remimazolam had a favorable psychological outcome associated with the reoperation. We safely managed thyroid surgery using remimazolam and flumazenil.
Effect of COVID-19 on Pregnancy and Neonate’s Vital Parameters: A Systematic Review
Authors: Charuta Anna , Smuniewska Monika , Woźniak Zofia , Paziewska Agnieszka
Published: May 2023

Background. COVID-19 is a new pandemic, which was declared by the World Health Organization in 2019 as a threat to public health. According to numerous reports, it can have negative consequences for pregnant women, labour, and neonates born to infected mothers. The aim of this paper was to gather the evidence and to present a summary of the results of studies concerning COVID-19 in pregnant women and their neonates. Methods. Articles from prestigious journals covering the period from 2020 to February 2023, relevant review papers, and original research articles from PubMed were analysed. In order to analyse the available research literature, the Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed databases were used, in which the search for articles was conducted using terms (“pregnancy,” “coronavirus,” “SARS-CoV-2,” and “newborn”) and using PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines for clinical trials. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews (2022–2023) on symptoms, neonatal course, and risk of COVID-19 infection have been summarized. Summary of meta-analyses and systematic reviews (2022–2023) on the effect and adverse reaction of the COVID-19 vaccination is presented. Results. As a result of the research conducted, it was confirmed that in most pregnant women, no serious signs of the infection were observed, although isolated cases of death related to COVID-19 in pregnant women were reported. Several authors called attention to the more severe course of the infection in pregnant women with obesity. It seemed that no vertical transmission from mother to child was occurring. Nevertheless, the information was not clinching. The condition of the neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 was in most cases described as normal; however, some papers reported deaths of infected neonates. Conclusions. Due to insufficient data, further research is necessary. Further studies and follow-up are recommended, which would make possible an assessment of remote effects of COVID-19 on pregnancy and vital parameters of the newborn.
Toxoplasmosis—Awareness and Knowledge of Pregnant Women in Rural Areas of Malakand Region, Pakistan
Authors: Khan Wali , Rahman Hafeez ur , Fadladdin Yousef Abdal Jalil , Rafiq Naseem , Naz Robi , De los Rios-Escalante Patricio R. , Ahmad Shabir , Alrobaish Shouaa Abdulaziz , Al-Sowayan Noorah Saleh
Published: May 2023

Background. The current study was carried out between October 2017 and October 2018 to explore knowledge, attitudes, practices, and information sources regarding toxoplasmosis among pregnant women in Malakand region, the northwestern part of Pakistan. The current study was carried out between October 2017 and October 2018. Methods. A structured questionnaire was used to interview the women after taking verbal informed consent. Graphpad version 5 was used to indicate the differences. Significant was considered as aP-value of less than 0.05. This study revealed poor knowledge regarding toxoplasmosis. Results. Overall, 31.2% of the respondents showed good knowledge, and 39.2% showed moderate knowledge. On the other hand, 29.5% of the participants showed poor knowledge about toxoplasmosis. The average knowledge score of pregnant women was79±12.2, which is considered to be within the scale of good knowledge. Number of children within the pregnant multipara women was significantly associated with knowledge about toxoplasmosis. Pregnant women who measured in number of childbirths within a women showed the highest mean score of42.3±13.3with 57 (44.8%) displaying a good knowledge level. Pregnant women with more than one child had significantly higher (<0.0001) knowledge scores compared to women with one child or none child. The majority of pregnant women with one child used the social media, followed by mass media as sources of information about toxoplasmosis. Scientific sources of information were used more commonly by pregnant women with none of the child birth. Conclusion. Pregnant women knowledge regarding toxoplasmosis was poor as compared to attitudes and practices. Health workers and newspapers/magazines were the main sources of information.
Drone-Based Thermal Imaging in the Detection of Wildlife Carcasses and Disease Management
Authors: Rietz Janine , van Beeck Calkoen Suzanne T. S. , Ferry Nicolas , Schlüter Jens , Wehner Helena , Schindlatz Karl-Heinz , Lackner Tomáš , von Hoermann Christian , Conraths Franz J. , Müller Jörg , Heurich Marco
Published: May 2023

Because animal carcasses often serve as reservoirs for pathogens, their location and removal are crucial in controlling the spread of diseases. During carcass decomposition, heat is emitted due to microbial activity and the development of maggots. Recent studies have shown that infrared sensors can be used to locate animal carcasses, but little is known about the factors influencing detection success. In this study, we investigated the potential of infrared technology to locate wild boar carcasses, as they play an important role in the spread of African swine fever. Specifically, we tested the effects of environmental and carcass conditions on the detection probability. A drone-based thermal camera was used to collect data during 379 flyovers of 42 wild boar carcasses in different stages of decomposition between September 2020 and July 2021. Generalized mixed-effect models and conditional inference trees were used to identify the environmental and carcass conditions that influenced the detection probability. Our results showed that the thermal camera accurately measured carcass temperature (R2 = 0.75, RMSE = 5.89°C). The probability of finding carcasses was higher in open habitats with air temperatures >3.0°C and thus conducive to maggot development (detection rate ≤80%). A forest canopy openness >29.3% and cloudy conditions or flights at dawn increased the detection rate. Moreover, carcasses infested with large amounts of maggots could be detected even in habitats with a more extensive canopy cover, whereas in dense forests, the detection probability was limited (<25%). Carcasses in an advanced stage of decomposition could still be detected as long as the difference between the carcass temperature and the air temperature was >6.4°C (≤62%). Our study demonstrates the utility of thermal imaging in searching for wild boar carcasses under specific environmental and carcass conditions and thus its use in supporting ground searches.
Allelopathic Potential of Lantana camara L. Leaf Extracts and Soils Invaded by It on the Growth Performance of Lepidium sativum L.
Authors: Gebreyohannes Likyelesh , Egigu Meseret C. , Manikandan M. , Sasikumar J. M.
Published: May 2023

Lantana camara is a noxious invasive plant that invades agricultural and natural ecosystems. In the current study, phytotoxicity of hexane and ethanolic leaf extracts of L. camara in different concentrations and soils invaded by it on Lepidium sativum were investigated under laboratory conditions. Soil toxicity was evaluated by comparing the growth of L. sativum on soils sampled from Lantana-invaded and Lantana-free sites. Results showed that extract concentrations and solvent type and their interaction significantly reduced percent seed germination and seedling growth. Compared to control (distilled water), both hexane and ethanol extracts at 5% w/v concentration significantly reduced percent germination and early seedling growth and completely inhibited seed germination at 10% w/v of hexane leaf extract, suggesting that hexane extract has a greater inhibitory effect than ethanolic extract in all the parameters measured. However, growth performance and seed yield of L. sativum grown on soil invaded by Lantana did not significantly vary from those grown on soils sampled from noninvaded sites. The results of this study generally showed that though Lantana leaf extracts have a direct negative allelopathic effect on L. sativum, soils invaded by Lantana have no toxic materials in the soil to directly or indirectly inhibit the growth of L. sativum. Further field studies on allelopathic effects of Lantana on L. sativum are recommended.
Evaluating the Quality of Medical Services Using Intuitionistic Hesitant Fuzzy Aczel–Alsina Aggregation Information
Authors: Ashraf Shahzaib , Khan Aziz , Kamran Muhammad , Pandit M. K.
Published: May 2023

In modern civilization, individuals are increasingly concerned with evaluating the quality of medical services. Evaluation of the quality of medical services enables medical care providers to monitor and improve their service quality. The evaluation of medical service quality is efficiently addressed by the novel concept of Aczel–Alsina operators in an intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy (IHF) environment as multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) problem. Thus, this paper presents the IHF Aczel–Alsina weighted geometric operators for IHF information. We first apply the Aczel–Alsina norms to IHF scenarios and present novel operations of intuitionistic hesitant fuzzy sets. This article develops a unique strategy for evaluating the quality of medical services based on the specified operators, including a quantitative framework for evaluating medical service quality and a novel MCDM technique. Finally, this article presents a numerical example of the novel approach used to evaluate medical services for hospitals and compares it to conventional MCDM methods to highlight the suggested superiority method. According to the comparative results, our strategy outperforms the insufficiency of lacking decision flexibility in the existing MAGDM method.
KTSDroid: A Framework for Android Malware Categorization Using the Kernel Task Structure
Authors: Khalid Saneeha , Imran Khalid , Hussain Faisal Bashir
Published: May 2023

The penetration of malicious applications in the Android market has enhanced the significance of designing malware mitigation systems for Android. Malware detection systems are being developed by examining applications using static and dynamic analysis techniques. The use of code obfuscation has highlighted the importance of dynamic analysis as many static analysis schemes can be evaded by code obfuscation strategies. In order to record the true working of the application, a volatile memory-based solution for application analysis is presented in this study. Time-based memory dumps are collected after interactions with an application. Process-specific artifacts of the application under analysis are extracted by examining the kernel task structure of memory. The features in the kernel task structure belong to nine broad categories based on their semantics. An important contribution of the study is the analysis of the kernel task structure for determining the set of effective categories and features for Android malware categorization. Three of the most important categories and fourteen valuable features are reported. The proposed system categorizes the applications into five classes: adware, banking Trojans, riskware, SMS Trojans, and benign. The proposed system is able to categorize applications with an average F1-score of 0.984, which is the highest score reported so far for multiclass Android malware categorization with a minimum number of kernel task structure-based features.
Data from Genome-Wide Splicing Quantitative Expression Locus Analysis Identifies Causal Risk Variants for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Jin Meng , Liu Bo , Chen Can , Huang Yongbiao , Zhang Huixian , Chen Bingliang , Song Guoda , Zhao Dong , Duan Limin , Liu Wei , Yang Haizhen , Yue Fang , Liu Peijun , Yuan Xianglin , Chu Qian , Tian Jianbo , Hu Ke
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Alternative RNA splicing is an essential mechanism linking genetic variation to human diseases. While the signals from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have been linked to expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) in previous studies, further work is needed to better elucidate the relationship to other genetic regulatory mechanisms, such as splicing QTLs (sQTL). Here, we performed a genome-wide sQTL analysis to identify variants that might affect RNA splicing in 1,010 non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The identified sQTLs were largely independent of eQTLs and were predominantly enriched in exonic regions, genetic regulatory elements, RNA-binding protein (RBP) binding sites, and known NSCLC risk loci. In addition, target genes affected by sQTLs (sGenes) were involved in multiple processes in cancer, including cell growth, apoptosis, metabolism, immune infiltration, and drug responses, and sGenes were frequently altered genetically in NSCLC. Systematic screening of sQTLs associated with NSCLC risk using GWAS data from 15,474 cases and 12,375 controls identified an sQTL variant rs156697-G allele that was significantly associated with an increased risk of NSCLC. The association between the rs156697-G variant and NSCLC risk was further validated in two additional large population cohorts. The risk variant promoted inclusion of GSTO2 alternative exon 5 and led to higher expression of the GSTO2 full-length isoform (GSTO2-V1) and lower expression of the truncated GSTO2 isoform (GSTO2-V2), which was induced by RBP quaking (QKI). Mechanistically, compared with GSTO2-V1, GSTO2-V2 inhibited NSCLC cells proliferation by increasing S-glutathionylation of AKT1 and thereby functionally blocking AKT1 phosphorylation and activation. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive view of splicing variants linked to NSCLC risk and provides a set of genetic targets with therapeutic potential.
Significance:
Analysis of sQTL reveals the role of genetically driven mRNA splicing alterations in NSCLC risk and elucidates that rs156697 variant impacts risk by altering GSTO2 splicing.
Apakah Program Keluarga Harapan Mampu Mengurangi Pekerja Anak di Masa Pandemi COVID-19?
Authors: Ibrahim Mohammad Maulana , Wisana I Dewa Gede Karma
Published: May 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic can be an economic shock for low-income households. Several studies have shown that child labor is a strategy used by households to cope with economic shocks. This shock will exacerbate the phenomenon of child labor. Social protection is a form of mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic which is considered able to reduce the number of child labor. Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH) is one of the social protection programs in Indonesia. This study investigates the impact of Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH) on the phenomenon of child labor during the COVID-19 pandemic. To overcome the problem of self-selection, this study applies the variable of interest as an endogenous variable. By using the recursive bivariate probit method, this study concludes that PKH has no impact on reducing the likelihood of a child becoming child labor during the COVID-19 pandemic. To enrich the research, we also investigated the influence of PKH on the phenomenon of child labor in the period before the COVID-19 pandemic and found that PKH had an impact on reducing the likelihood of a child becoming child labor in the period before the COVID-19 pandemic. Several factors that influence the phenomenon of child labor, such as the characteristics of children, the characteristics of the head of the household, household characteristics, and environmental characteristics, have been shown to influence a child's tendency to become child labor, both in both periods (before the pandemic or during the COVID-19 pandemic) and in only one period.
Mudanças recentes nas tendências da mortalidade por câncer de colo do útero no Sudeste do Brasil
Authors: Luizaga Carolina Terra de Moraes , Jardim Beatriz Cordeiro , Wünsch-Filho Victor , Eluf-Neto José , Azevedo e Silva Gulnar
Published: May 2023

OBJETIVO: Analisar as tendências da mortalidade por câncer de colo de útero nos estados da região Sudeste e compará-las com o Brasil e demais regiões entre 1980 e 2020. MÉTODOS: Estudo de série temporal com base nos dados do Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade. Os dados de óbito foram corrigidos por redistribuição proporcional das mortes por causas mal definidas e por câncer de útero de porção não especificada. Foram calculadas taxas padronizadas por idade e específicas por faixas etárias alvo de rastreamento (25–39 anos; 40–64 anos) e não alvo (65 anos ou mais). Variações percentuais anuais foram estimadas por modelo de regressão linear com pontos de quebra. A cobertura do exame Papanicolau no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) foi avaliada entre 2009 e 2020 segundo faixa etária e localidade. RESULTADOS: Foram verificados aumentos das taxas de mortalidade corrigidas tanto em 1980 como em 2020 em todas as regiões, com incrementos mais evidentes no início da série. Houve queda da mortalidade em todo o país entre 1980-2020, entretanto, o estado de São Paulo apresentou discreta tendência de aumento em 2014-2020 (APC=1,237; IC95% 0,046–2,443). Destaca-se o incremento da tendência no grupo de 25–39 anos em todas as localidades de estudo, mostrando-se mais acentuado na região Sudeste em 2013–2020 (APC=5,072; IC95% 3,971–6,185). As taxas de cobertura de rastreamento foram mais elevadas em São Paulo e mais baixas no Rio de Janeiro, com queda consistente a partir de 2012 em todas as idades. CONCLUSÕES: São Paulo é o primeiro estado brasileiro a apresentar inversão de tendência da mortalidade por câncer de colo do útero. As mudanças nos padrões de mortalidade identificadas neste estudo apontam para a necessidade de reorganização do atual programa de rastreamento, que deve ser aperfeiçoado para garantir alta cobertura, qualidade e seguimento adequado de todas as mulheres com exames alterados.
Sarcopenia and Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Damluji Abdulla A. , Alfaraidhy Maha , AlHajri Noora , Rohant Namit N. , Kumar Manish , Al Malouf Christina , Bahrainy Samira , Ji Kwak Min , Batchelor Wayne B. , Forman Daniel E. , Rich Michael W. , Kirkpatrick James , Krishnaswami Ashok , Alexander Karen P. , Gerstenblith Gary , Cawthon Peggy , deFilippi Christopher R. , Goyal Parag
Published: May 2023

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle strength, mass, and function, which is often exacerbated by chronic comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, and cancer. Sarcopenia is associated with faster progression of cardiovascular diseases and higher risk of mortality, falls, and reduced quality of life, particularly among older adults. Although the pathophysiologic mechanisms are complex, the broad underlying cause of sarcopenia includes an imbalance between anabolic and catabolic muscle homeostasis with or without neuronal degeneration. The intrinsic molecular mechanisms of aging, chronic illness, malnutrition, and immobility are associated with the development of sarcopenia. Screening and testing for sarcopenia may be particularly important among those with chronic disease states. Early recognition of sarcopenia is important because it can provide an opportunity for interventions to reverse or delay the progression of muscle disorder, which may ultimately impact cardiovascular outcomes. Relying on body mass index is not useful for screening because many patients will have sarcopenic obesity, a particularly important phenotype among older cardiac patients. In this review, we aimed to: (1) provide a definition of sarcopenia within the context of muscle wasting disorders; (2) summarize the associations between sarcopenia and different cardiovascular diseases; (3) highlight an approach for a diagnostic evaluation; (4) discuss management strategies for sarcopenia; and (5) outline key gaps in knowledge with implications for the future of the field.