bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic from a Street-Level Bureaucracy Perspective - A Narrative Review of Literature
Authors: Mojica - Méndez Daniela , Michelsen Gómez Silvana , Cadena - Camargo Yazmin
Published: August 2022

Street - level bureaucrats are professionals whose main role consists in the implementation of public policies at a community level, guiding themselves through the use of autonomy and discretion.. In this narrative review of literature 44 articles that had information about street level bureaucracy regarding healthcare workers in the covid 19 pandemic in specific countries (China, United States, Italy, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia) were selected from various databases and analyzed to explore how the implementation of health public policies during the current COVID - 19 outbreak impacted and shaped the work of healthcare workers. Various ideas were extracted and analyzed using the street level bureaucracy model as a reference point. We concluded that street level bureaucrats have played a crucial role in this pandemic and that providing them with government support, clear public policies and enough resources is essential for them to correctly manage public health problems. Further research needs to be done regarding the consequences brought upon street level bureaucrats by the pandemic and the impact that street level bureaucrats have had in countries like Colombia.
Clinical and Microbiological Characterization of Pediatric Patients with Urinary Tract Infection in a Fourth-Level Hospital in Bogotá, Colombia, over a Period of Four Years
Authors: Lince Isabella , León María Camila , Rodríguez Natalia , González María Camila , López Hugo
Published: August 2022

Introduction: Urinary tract infection is one of the most frequent infectious diseases in the pediatric population. There is no updated data available in literature of the pathogens responsible for complicated and uncomplicated UTI in children and their antimicrobial resistance profiles at the San Ignacio University Hospital or in the city of Bogotá. Objective: Carry out a demographic and clinical characterization of pediatric patients with UTI and a microbiological characterization of the resistance pattern of its main etiological agents. Study design: Cross-sectional study including all pediatric patients under 10 years of age with UTI confirmed by urine culture who consulted our institution between January 2014 and December 2017. Redcap was used for the registration of data corresponding to demographic variables, clinical manifestations, isolated microorganisms with their antibiograms, complications, and recurrence rate of UTI.  Results: A registry of 675 patients under 10 years of age with urinary tract infection was obtained, with an average age of 23 months and a higher prevalence in females (71%). 15.4% of the patients had an urinary tract malformation, 3.5% had history of previous urological surgery and 21% had constipation as a comorbidity. 98.4% of the UTIs were acquired in the community and the most common isolated agents were Escherichia coli (73.9%), Proteus mirabilis (12.4%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.7%). The most frequent resistance patterns were penicillinase-producing (41.5%) multi-sensitive (32.1%) and cephalosporins resistance (26%). Regarding the treatment established, cephalosporins were used in 92% of the cases; mainly of first generation (61%) and third generation (38%). 23% of the patients had an associated complication.
Factores que influyen en la sobrecarga de cuidadores informales de pacientes con Trastorno Neurocognitivo debido a enfermedad de Alzheimer
Authors: Cerquera Córdoba Ara Mercedes , Dugarte Peña Edwin , Tiga Loza Diana Carolina , Plata Osma Leidy Johanna , Castellanos Suárez Leonardo , Álvarez Anaya William Armando
Published: August 2022

La sobrecarga es uno de los fenómenos presentados en los cuidadores de pacientes con Alzheimer. El objetivo de esta investigación fue identificar los factores que influyen en la sobrecarga de cuidadores informales de pacientes con Alzheimer, partícipes de un programa de intervención en Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia. El estudio fue transversal anidado en un ensayo controlado aleatorizado con 3 grupos en paralelo, y con una muestra a conveniencia de 58 cuidadores. Adicionalmente, se aplicó la escala de carga del cuidador de Zarit y una entrevista estructurada, al igual que se utilizó un modelo de efectos mixtos con varianza no estructurada. Se encontró que la edad media fue de 55.6 años (79.3 %), mujeres e hijos (70.7 %), un bajo uso de redes de apoyo (8.6 %) y una mediana de dedicación al cuidado de 24 horas/día. Como factores asociados a la sobrecarga, por cada año del cuidador, la sobrecarga disminuye 0.5 puntos (p = 0.005), así como se encuentra con más sobrecarga a los cuidadores cuyos pacientes tienen una mayor afectación del comportamiento (p = 0.003), los cuidadores que tienen otro empleo (p = 0.025) y la falta de apoyo brindado por otros familiares (p = 0.014). Estos resultados permiten caracterizar a familiares cuidadores en quienes se requiere una intervención multidisciplinaria.
Internet Addiction among Brazilian Students: Prevalence and Association with Emotional Problems
Authors: Andrade Andre Luiz Monezi , Scatena Adriana , Bedendo André , Enumo Sonia Regina Fiorim , Dellazzana-Zanon Letícia Lovato , Prebianchi Helena Bazanelli , De Micheli Denise
Published: August 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of Internet addiction (I.A.) among students and its association with emotional problems. A total of 2,214 students (M = 21.9; SD = 1.86) from all Brazilian regions responded to an online questionnaire and were classified according to the IAT instrument score in NRU= No-risk Users, LRU= Low-risk Users, and RHU= Risk and High-risk Users. DASS-21 measured emotional problems, and the data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. It was observed that 12.5% were classified as URAR and presented higher levels of depression (p< 0.001), anxiety (p< 0.001), and stress (p< 0.001). The main predictors for I.A. were depression (aOR = 3.2), anxiety (aOR = 2.5), and stress (aOR = 2.6). These results confirm an association between DI and emotional problems, as indicated in the literature.
Viscous Dissipation and Joule Heating Effects on 3D Magnetohydrodynamics Flow of Williamson Nanofluid in a Porous Medium Over a Stretching Surface With Melting Condition
Authors: Tarakaramu Nainaru , Sivakumar Narsu , Satya Narayana P. V. , Sivajothi Ramalingam
Published: August 2022

The aim of the current article is to demonstrate heat transfer characteristics of Williamson nanofluid flow through a stretching surface with a porous medium in two lateral directions. Heat generation, nonlinear thermal radiation, viscous dissipation, Joule heating, and chemical reaction are also considered in time-independent boundary layer equations of heat and concentration. One more significant boundary condition is the melting condition which is introduced in this study for the purpose of more heat generation and suitable transformations by the satisfied continuity equation are selected, These are used to translate the coupled time-independent partial differential equations into a coupled nonlinear system of ordinary differential equations. The translated equations are computed as numerical solutions by utilizing the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg (R–K–F) fourth-order algorithm with the help of a shooting procedure in matlab (bvp4) programming. The significance of physical emerging nondimensional parameters is predicted through graphs and discussed numerically in detail on mass of conservation, temperature, and concentration. The numerical values of the coefficient of the skin friction are displayed through a table with large enhanced values of nondimensional parameters and heat transfer rate explained in detail through graphs.
Three-Dimensional Large Eddy Simulations and Proper Orthogonal Decomposition Analysis of Flow Around a Flexibly Supported Circular Cylinder
Authors: Janocha Marek Jan , Fabricius Lukas Philip , Yin Guang , Ong Muk Chen
Published: August 2022

Three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulations of the flow around a cylinder undergoing vortex-induced vibration (VIV) at Re = 3900 (defined as Re = U∞D/ν, where U∞ is the inlet flow velocity, D is the diameter of the cylinder, and ν is the fluid kinematic viscosity) are performed using large eddy simulations (LES). Detailed mesh and time-step convergence studies are carried out for the flow past a stationary cylinder to obtain the optimal mesh and time-step. The validation studies are performed by comparing the present results with the previous published experimental data and numerical results to confirm feasibility of the present numerical model for predicting the wake characteristics. The numerical model is then applied to investigate the flow around a self-excited cylinder vibrating in the cross-flow direction at three different reduced velocities. The effects of the reduced velocity are analyzed based on the cross-flow vibration amplitudes, the power spectral densities of lift and drag coefficients, and the wake flow coherent structures. Different vortex shedding modes are identified and categorized using the iso-surfaces of the pressure coefficient and the Q-criterion. The dominant 3D wake flow features are extracted and discussed by carrying out the proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) for flow velocities on multiple two-dimensional (2D) sampling planes in the wake region. The modes on the XY planes display a traveling-wave behavior and the modes on the XZ planes show cells of streamwise vortices, which display the three-dimensionality of the wake flow.
Discussion: “LiDAR Measurements of Wind Shear Exponents and Turbulence Intensity Offshore the Northeast United States” (Viselli, A., Faessler, N., and Filippelli, M., 2022, ASME J. Offshore Mech. Arct. Eng., 144(4), p. 042001)
Authors: Myrhaug Dag
Published: August 2022

The work by Viselli et al. (Viselli, A., Faessler, N., and Filippelli, M., 2022, “LiDAR Measurements of Wind Shear Exponents and Turbulence Intensity Offshore the Northeast United States,” ASME J. Offshore Mech. Arct. Eng., 144(4), p. 042001) presents results on wind shear exponents and turbulence intensity obtained from the analysis of field data collected offshore the Northeast United States. This discussion is focused on the wind shear exponent that is obtained by combining the logarithmic mean wind speed profile and the power law mean wind speed profile, containing the sea surface roughness as a parameter. Here, the sea surface roughness is specified using three formulae given in terms of significant wave height and spectral wave steepness. The discussion points out how the sea surface roughness can be included in future applications of the authors' analysis method.
Application of Multi Parameter Path Length Method for Resilience (MP-PLMR) to Engineering Systems
Authors: Prasad Mahendra , Gopika V. , Andrews John
Published: August 2022

Multi-parameter-path length method for resilience (MP-PLMR) has been proposed to determine the resilience of system multiparameter considerations. It was applied to two engineering situations: (i) Passive catalytic device for hydrogen management in nuclear power plant (NPP) and (ii) Engineered systems for hydrogen mitigation in NPP. The method involves normalizations of the system parameters, the time domain and correlation coefficient across the parameters. The path length for the transient was defined using all the parameters and their correlations. The resilience value in the two case studies depended on the number of parameters considered and correlations. System resilience without the consideration of correlation was also estimated. The difference between the correlated and uncorrelated resilience was significant. While there is no established metric against which the calculated values could be compared, these values can be used to define system effectiveness in conjunction with reliability of systems.
Morphological ontogeny of Platynothrus troendelagicus sp. nov. (Acari, Oribatida, Camisiidae) from Norway
Authors: Seniczak Anna , Seniczak Stanisław , Hassel Kristian , Ivar Flatberg Kjell
Published: August 2022

The morphological ontogeny of Platynothrus troendelagicus A. et S. Seniczak sp. nov. is described and illustrated. This species was found in two Atlantic raised bogs in Trøndelag, Norway, and based on comparison of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) nucleotide sequences, it also occurs in Ireland and Canada. It is the most similar to P. punctatus (L. Koch, 1879) as adult, but differs from it mainly by having more genital setae, longer seta f2, alveolar seta exp and only one pair of hypostomal setae m. In all juveniles of P. troendelagicus, the bothridial seta and exobothridial seta exa are short, and exp is alveolar. In the larva, seta f1 is setiform, but in the nymphs it is alveolar. Most prodorsal and gastronotal setae are short and smooth, except for longer and barbed f2 and h1 in the larva, and longer and finely barbed f2, and h- and p-series in the nymphs. In all instars, one pair of hypostomal setae m is present, and palp femur has one seta. In the ontogeny of this species, many l setae appear on trochanter III and femora I–III, and l and v setae on tarsi, and the number of setae on femora of deutonymph to adult is diagnostic. Both species differ also by COI nucleotide sequence.
Enhanced absorption in structural acoustic silencers using piezo-shunting
Authors: Suryakant Chappe Narsing , Singh Abhishek , Ramdas Rahul , Dighe Kunal , Ramamoorthy Sripriya
Published: August 2022

Structural acoustic silencers (sas) consist of a thin flexible plate that is introduced into a wall of an otherwise rigid-walled duct in which acoustic noise is propagating. Transmission loss (TL) in sas arises from reflection due to impedance mismatch, as well as partial absorption due to material damping in the plate. Reflection-based TL is less preferable than absorption-based TL, especially where back-pressure is undesirable. In this study, the TL arising out of absorption is increased by increasing the effective plate damping using the piezo-shunting method. Experiments are conducted on a custom-made sas with copper sheets of two different thicknesses. Piezo-shunting to increase the damping of the copper plate is done by connecting an electrical resistor to the external circuit of a thin piezoelectric bimorph attached to the copper plate. The effect of piezo-shunting on the sas TL is analyzed using a model. Piezo-shunt increases the fraction of power absorbed and decreases the reflected power fraction. The dependency of these fractions on the value of the electrical resistor and the impedance of the plate are discussed. This study demonstrates that piezo-shunting can be used to improve absorption-based TL in sas.
Toll-Like Receptor 3 (TLR3) Is Engaged in the Intracellular Survival of the Protozoan Parasite
Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis
Authors: Rath Carolina T. , Vivarini Áislan C. , dos Santos José Vitorino , Medina Jorge M. , Saliba Alessandra M. , Mottram Jeremy C. , Lima Ana Paula C. A. , Calegari-Silva Teresa Cristina , Pereira Renata M. , Lopes Ulisses G.
Published: August 2022

The protozoan parasite
Leishmania (L.) amazonensis
infects and replicates inside host macrophages due to subversion of the innate host cell response. In the present study, we demonstrate that TLR3 is required for the intracellular growth of
L. (L.) amazonensis
.
Lethal Swine Acute Diarrhea Syndrome Coronavirus Infection in Suckling Mice
Authors: Chen Ying , Jiang Ren-Di , Wang Qi , Luo Yun , Liu Mei-Qin , Zhu Yan , Liu Xi , He Yan-Tong , Zhou Peng , Yang Xing-Lou , Shi Zheng-Li
Published: August 2022

SADS-CoV, which likely has originated from bat coronaviruses, is highly pathogenic to piglets and poses a threat to the swine industry. Little is known about its potential to disseminate to other animals.
Cobalamin Riboswitches Are Broadly Sensitive to Corrinoid Cofactors to Enable an Efficient Gene Regulatory Strategy
Authors: Kennedy Kristopher J. , Widner Florian J. , Sokolovskaya Olga M. , Innocent Lina V. , Procknow Rebecca R. , Mok Kenny C. , Taga Michiko E.
Published: August 2022

Some bacterial mRNAs contain a region called a riboswitch which controls gene expression by binding to a metabolite in the cell. Typically, riboswitches sense and respond to a limited range of cellular metabolites, often just one type.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Suckermouth Catfish Outbreak Isolate, Aeromonas hydrophila Strain LP0103
Authors: Bureros Kenneth Joseph , Chiu Yu-Che , Liou Chung-Yi , Ma Cheng-Yu , Wang Liang-Chun
Published: August 2022

Aeromonas hydrophila
is the most common opportunistic pathogen that plagues freshwater and euryhaline fishponds. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of
A. hydrophila
strain LP0103, which was isolated from a bacterial septicemia outbreak among suckermouth catfish (
Pterygoplichthys pardalis
) at Lotus Pond in Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
Transcriptomic Data Sets for Zymomonas mobilis 2032 during Fermentation of Ammonia Fiber Expansion (AFEX)-Pretreated Corn Stover and Switchgrass Hydrolysates
Authors: Zhang Yaoping , Myers Kevin S. , Place Michael , Serate Jose , Xie Dan , Pohlmann Edward , La Reau Alex , Landick Robert , Sato Trey K.
Published: August 2022

The transcriptomes of
Zymomonas mobilis
2032 were captured during the fermentation of ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX)-pretreated corn stover and switchgrass hydrolysates containing different concentrations of glucose and xylose. RNA samples were collected when
Z. mobilis
was fermenting glucose or xylose. Here, we present transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) data obtained during separate phases of glucose or xylose consumption.
Using Nanopore Sequencing to Obtain Complete Bacterial Genomes from Saliva Samples
Authors: Baker Jonathon L.
Published: August 2022

Obtaining complete and accurate genomes is crucial to the study of any organism. Previously, obtaining complete genomes of bacteria, including those of the human microbiome, frequently required isolation of the organism, as well as low-throughput, manual sequencing methods to resolve repeat regions.
Exploring the Bacteriome and Resistome of Humans and Food-Producing Animals in Brazil
Authors: de Carvalho Fabíola Marques , Valiatti Tiago Barcelos , Santos Fernanda Fernandes , Silveira Alessandro Conrado de Oliveira , Guimarães Ana Paula C. , Gerber Alexandra Lehmkuhl , Souza Cintya de Oliveira , Cassu Corsi Dandara , Brasiliense Danielle Murici , Castelo-Branco Débora de Souza Collares Maia , Anzai Eleine Kuroki , Bessa-Neto Francisco Ozório , Guedes Glaucia Morgana de Melo , de Souza Gleyce Hellen de Almeida , Lemos Leandro Nascimento , Ferraz Lúcio Fábio Caldas , Bahia Márcia de Nazaré Miranda , Vaz Márcia Soares Mattos , da Silva Ramon Giovani Brandão , Veiga Ruanita , Simionatto Simone , Monteiro Walter Aparecido Pimentel , Lima William Alencar de Oliveira , Kiffer Carlos Roberto Veiga , Campos Pignatari Antonio Carlos , Cayô Rodrigo , de Vasconcelos Ana Tereza Ribeiro , Gales Ana Cristina
Published: August 2022

Humans and food production animals have been reported to be important reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes (ARGs). The frequency of these multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria tends to be higher in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), due mainly to a lack of public health policies.
Patient safety culture and its determinants among healthcare professionals at a cluster hospital in Malaysia: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Ismail Aniza , Khalid Siti Norhani Mazrah
Published: August 2022

Objective

To assess the baseline level and mean score of every domain of patient safety culture among healthcare professionals at a cluster hospital and identify the determinants associated with patient safety culture.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted at a cluster hospital comprising one state and two district hospitals in Malaysia. The safety culture was assessed using the Safety Attitude Questionnaire (SAQ), which is a validated questionnaire. Using proportionate stratified random sampling, 1814 respondents were recruited, and we used the independent t-test, Pearson’s χ2 test and multiple logistic regression analysis for data assessment.

Results

Only 23.9% of the respondents had positive patient safety culture levels (SAQ score ≥75%); the overall mean score was 67.82±10.53. The job satisfaction dimension had the highest percentage of positive responses (67.0%), with a mean score of 76.54±17.77. The factors associated with positive patient safety culture were age (OR 1.03, p<0.001), gender (OR 1.67, p=0.001), education level (OR 2.51, p<0.001), work station (OR 2.02, p<0.001), participation in patient safety training (OR 1.64, p=0.007), good perception of the incident reporting system (OR 1.71, p=0.038) and a non-blaming (OR 1.36, p=0.013) and instructive (OR 3.31, p=0.007) incident reporting system.

Conclusions

Healthcare professionals at the cluster hospital showed unsatisfactory patient safety culture levels. Most of the respondents appreciated their jobs, despite experiencing dissatisfaction with their working conditions. The priority for changes should involve systematic interventions to focus on patient safety training, address the blame culture, improve communication, exchange information about errors and improve working conditions.
Cardiotoxicity of adjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab: a Japanese claim-based data analysis
Authors: Ohtsu Hiroshi , Shimomura Akihiko , Miyazaki Sakiko , Yonemoto Naohiro , Ueda Shinichiro , Shimizu Chikako , Sase Kazuhiro
Published: August 2022

Objective

Adjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab improves the postoperative life expectancy of women with early-stage breast cancer. Although trastuzumab is reportedly cardiotoxic, quantification based on real-world evidence is lacking. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to analyse trastuzumab cardiotoxicity using a nationwide claim-based database.

Methods

In this retrospective study, we used data from a nationwide claims database (Japan Medical Data Center, Tokyo, Japan) under the universal healthcare system. Women with breast cancer who underwent initial surgery were included. Patients with recurrent or advanced-stage breast cancer, with a history of heart failure, receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy or a preoperative history of less than 6 months were excluded. Propensity score (PS) was calculated using logistic regression based on age, cardiovascular risk factors, radiotherapy and concomitant anthracyclines (AC).

Results

We identified 12 060 eligible patients (mean age 50.8±8.56 years) between January 2010 and December 2019. After 1:2 PS matching (trastuzumab users, TZ, n=1005; non-users, NT, n=2010), Cox proportional hazards model analysis showed that the rate of heart failure development within 18 months postoperative was significantly higher in the TZ group than in the NT group (adjusted HR 2.28, 95% CI 1.38 to 3.77). Baseline cardiac evaluation in the combined AC/TZ cases was 27.2% preoperative, 66.0% pre-AC and 86.6% pre-TZ, respectively.

Conclusion

Trastuzumab cardiotoxicity remained relevant in the claim-based analysis adjusted for AC effects. Further collaborative studies in cardio-oncology with real-world data are warranted to improve the rate of baseline cardiovascular risk assessment in patients with cancer scheduled for cardiotoxic cancer treatment.
Analysis of risk factors of mortality in rheumatoid arthritis patients with interstitial lung disease: a nationwide, population-based cohort study in Taiwan
Authors: Ng Kooi-Heng , Chen Der-Yuan , Lin Ching-Heng , Chao Wen-Cheng , Chen Hsin-Hua
Published: August 2022

Objective

To examine the risk and risk factors of mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Methods

Using the 1997–2013 Taiwanese National Health Insurance Research Database, we identified 32 289 incident patients with RA by using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes from 2001 to 2013, and 214 patients developed ILD subsequently. We matched (1:10) RA-ILD with controls for sex, age, time of ILD diagnosis and disease duration. In addition, we conducted propensity score matching (PSM) (1:1) for selected comorbidities to choose RA-ILD patients and controls. Using the Cox proportional hazard model, we estimated the association of mortality with ILD for the two matched populations and assessed factors associated with mortality among 214 RA-ILD patients, shown as adjusted HRs (aHRs) with 95% CIs.

Results

In the populations selected before and after PSM, we included 164 and 155 patients with RA-ILD and 1640 and 155 controls, respectively. ILD was associated with mortality in the population before PSM (aHR, 1.73; 95% CI 1.19 to 2.52) and in the PSM population (HR 4.38; 95% CI 2.03 to 9.43). Among 214 patients with RA-ILD, age (aHR 1.04; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.08), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (aHR 2.12; 95% CI 1.25 to 3.58), diabetes mellitus (DM) with end-organ damage and corticosteroid dose (prednisolone equivalent, mg/day) (aHR 1.09; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.11) were associated with mortality in RA-ILD.

Conclusion

This population-based cohort study showed that ILD was associated with risk of mortality in patients with RA, and risk factors associated with mortality in patients with RA-ILD included age, COPD, DM with end-organ damage and average daily prednisolone dose.
Annual gatherings as an integrated knowledge translation strategy to support local and traditional food systems within and across Indigenous community contexts: a qualitative study
Authors: Valaitis Renata F. , McEachern Louise W. , Harris Sandra , Dick Tania , Yovanovich Joanne , Yessis Jennifer , Zupko Barbara , Corbett Kitty K. , Hanning Rhona M.
Published: August 2022

Integrated knowledge translation (IKT) and community-based participatory research (CBPR) are recognized as effective approaches when Indigenous and non-Indigenous partners work together to focus on a common goal. The “Learning Circles: Local Healthy Food to School” (LC:LHF2S) study supported the development and implementation of Learning Circles (LC) in 4 Canadian Indigenous communities with the goal of improving local, community-based healthy food systems. Critical to the research process were annual gatherings (AG) where diverse stakeholders (researchers, Indigenous community members, and partners) visited each community to share knowledge, experiences, and provide support in the research process. Using a qualitative, descriptive method, this paper explores how the AG supported IKT across partners. Yearly interviews involving 19 total participants (with some participating multiple times across the 4 gatherings) elicited their AG experiences in supporting local LC:LHF2S. Three themes with multiple sub-themes were identified: (a) setting the stage for IKT (importance of in-person gatherings for building relationships across partners, learning from each other), (b) enabling meaningful engagement (aligning research with Indigenous values, addressing tensions and building trust over time, ensuring flexibility, and Indigenous involvement and leadership), and (c) supporting food system action at the local level (building local community engagement and understanding, and integrating support for implementation and scale-up of LC). This paper provides useful and practical examples of the principles of Indigenous-engaged IKT and CBPR in action in healthy, local, and traditional food initiatives. AG are a valuable IKT strategy to contribute to positive, transformative change and ethical research practice within Indigenous communities.
Effect of material uncertainty on the performance of bridge's pier-bent cap joints under cyclic loading
Authors: Tarafder Nilanjan , Prasad M. L.V.
Published: August 2022

The current article deals with an investigational study on the bridge's pier-bent cap assemblies exposed to cyclic loading. In the study, four types of concrete are used—conventional reinforced concrete (CRC), fibre reinforced concrete (FRC), self-compacting concrete (SCC), and fibre reinforced self-compacting concrete (FRSCC)—to investigate the assemblies' behaviour using the concrete materials in the specified structural component. All the bridge element samples (8) are scaled down to one-twenty seventh for experimental purposes and correct performance results. The pier-bent cap subassemblies were exposed to cyclic loading tests to evaluate their crack generation pattern and resistive capability under seismic actions. The results are analysed as hysteresis behaviour, envelope pattern, stiffness behaviour, energy dissipation, and failure pattern. The study's findings are inspiring as the FRSCC outperformed the CRC in all the results along with ultimate strength, displacement ductility factor, and stiffness behaviour with 46%, 71%, and 74% improvements, respectively.
The impact of land conversion from boreal forest to agriculture on soil health indicators
Authors: Benalcazar P. , Diochon A.C. , Kolka R. , Schindelbeck R.R. , Sahota T. , McLaren B.E.
Published: August 2022

Climate change is creating opportunities for agricultural expansion northward into the boreal forest. Converting forested land to agricultural land generally results in significant losses of organic matter (OM), which can impact soil health (SH). The objectives of this study were to assess the effects of land conversion on indicators of SH and to use the Comprehensive Assessment for Soil Health (CASH) framework to integrate measures of these indicators into a score to evaluate land conversion effects. Total carbon and nitrogen were also measured in this study. Soils (0–5 and 5–15 cm) were collected from six dairy farms near Thunder Bay, ON, that included a mature forest, a field converted from forest to agriculture <10 years ago and a field converted from forest to agriculture >50 years ago. Land conversion resulted in significant declines in permanganate oxidizable carbon, wet aggregate stability, soil respiration, and concentrations of OM, autoclave citrate extractable protein, total nitrogen, and total carbon. Lower CASH scores in the soils converted to agriculture are interpreted to represent a decline in SH but the scores, along with soil organic matter (SOM) concentrations, remain high (CASH = 80; OM = 6%). There was no effect of time since conversion, suggesting that any degradation to SH happens quickly and is closely tied to declines in SOM.
BMC DATA—A HOLISTIC TOOL FOR MEASURING THE MATURITY OF DATA INTEGRATION INTO THE BUSINESS MODEL
Authors: PREUßER SVEN , MÜLLER HOLGER
Published: August 2022

Although the potentials of data analyses appear promising, companies often fail to develop specific ideas und successfully implement complex data analyses. In this paper, we present BMC Data, a novel, stand-alone tool for the comprehensive assessment of the maturity of a company’s business model in terms of data integration. To obtain a holistic view of all facets of a business model, this analysis reflects on all relevant dimensions of data integration. We tested the functionality of BMC Data in a survey aimed at managing directors and persons at management level (sample size [Formula: see text] = 158) within a wide range of company sizes and branches. The evaluation shows that BMC Data is suitable for supporting companies in analysing and reflecting on their business model.
BUSINESS MODEL CONFIGURATIONS IN DIGITAL HEALTHCARE—A GERMAN CASE STUDY ABOUT DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Authors: GEHDE KARLA MARGARETE , RAUSCH FLORIAN , LEKER JENS
Published: August 2022

Digital ventures are flooding the healthcare market in Germany and setting new standards for innovative digital health systems and tools. A key challenge in this sector from both academic and practitioner perspectives remains the intransparency of business model configurations applied by digital health. We tackle this problem by conducting a comparative case study of 237 digital health ventures. These ventures are examined on the business model level, exploring the digital technology components of each company and relating them to the identified areas of activity. The resulting dominant combinations of the two dimensions highlight four key areas of activity and two technological core elements. Within these dominant combinations we identify intriguing configurations of business model activities. The dominant Software(-as-a-Service) logic supports the criteria of interoperability on different levels. This research contributes to the growing academic literature stream of digital technology and entrepreneurship in healthcare.
IoT Capabilities Analysis by Using Optimized Machine Learning with Uncertain Traffic Modeling
Authors: Senthil Kumaran S. , Balakannan S. P.
Published: August 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) incorporates software-based physical devices with sensors which require interconnectivity to communicate through the internet and be able to exchange data. IoT traffic can be thought of as the aggregate of packets created by various devices in various contexts, such as smart homes or smart cities. These settings contain several sensors, each of which is dedicated to a certain duty, such as monitoring schemes or gathering cyber-physical information. Thus, unlike internet traffic, which has some human-centric features, IoT traffic and sensor devices consistently perform different tasks and make uncertain quantities of data on a regular basis. The proposed method is based on calculating the entropy values of various uncertain traffic aspects. We describe a novel scheme for identifying IoT devices based on uncertain traffic entropy in this paper. The testbed consists of five popular Smart Home IoT devices with a Raspberry Pi acting as a gateway. Machine learning (ML) algorithms such as support vector machine (SVM), [Formula: see text]-nearest neighbor (KNN) and relevance vector machines (RVM) classifier are used to classify the devices which produce IoT traffic based on uncertain entropy significance. The learning rate of the classifier model is improved by using the flower pollination optimization (FPO) technique to increase the classifier performance. The suggested approach minimizes the amount of time spent on optimization operations while maintaining the predictive performance of the induced uncertain models. We work out the entropy standards of traffic characteristics and categorize the uncertain traffic using ML techniques. Our technique successfully identifies devices in a variety of uncertain network situations, with consistent performance in all scenarios. Our technique is also resistant to unpredictability in network behavior, with abnormalities or uncertainties propagating throughout the network.
A Communication-Based Model of Consciousness
Authors: Ebner Marc
Published: August 2022

If one had a full understanding of consciousness then it should be possible to create artificial consciousness. It is frequently argued that qualia are subjective and are impossible to re-create artificially. However, qualia are grounded in reality and therefore are not arbitrary. We show this for the quale color. The perceived color corresponds to a three-dimensional value that describes the spectral reflectance function of an object. Perceived color is comparable across individuals. Given this result for color, it is presumed that this also holds for other qualia like pain, hunger or love. According to the theory presented here, an assembly of neurons processes perceptions and is in charge of communicating this information to other members of the peer group. This assembly corresponds to conscious information processing. The job of this assembly is (a) to analyze what the body experiences (internal and external), (b) to keep a record of it, and (c) to explain these experiences to members of the peer group.
Trajectory Optimization for Target Localization and Sensor Bias Calibration with Bearing-Only Information
Authors: Yang Xiwen , He Shaoming , Shin Hyo-Sang , Tsourdos Antonios
Published: August 2022

The problem of trajectory optimization of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for static target localization with biased bearing measurements is considered. The angular bias in sensor measurements is modeled as an additive constant in the observation model and jointly estimated with the position of the target. The necessary conditions for system observability of this estimation problem is first derived analytically with geometrical interpretations provided. The trajectory of UAV is designed based on the Fisher Information Matrix (FIM) considering physical constraints to enhance the system observability. Simulation results with Monte-Carlo runs are presented to demonstrate the improvement in target localization with biased measurements by UAV trajectory optimization.
Mass-balance threshold matching of geoelectric and seismic data: a case study from Ketzin
Authors: Weinzierl Wolfgang , Ganzer Merlin , Rippe Dennis , Lüth Stefan , Schmidt-Hattenberger Cornelia
Published: August 2022

Seismic and geoelectric methods are used as complementary tools for the identification of fluid/gas effects in underground storage and production scenarios. Both methods present a different resolution. Seismic data tend to be acquired by much more dense geometrical layouts, and geoelectric acquisition as a potential field method shows information integrated over spatial distances. We present results matching seismic and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) results from two repeat surveys performed during CO
2
storage operations at the Ketzin pilot site in Germany. The approach is based on data acquired in 2009 and 2012 at different stages of total injected CO
2
volume. Masses are obtained from the averaged change in acoustic impedance and are compared to masses inferred from inverted electrical resistivities. Archie's equation is used to obtain saturations from the ERT models. The sensitivity of the background resistivity,
R
0
, as a relevant parameter in determining the mass of injected CO
2
is analysed. A specific threshold analysis based on seismic thickness by bin has been applied to investigate the matching of seismically and ERT obtained masses. Both mass estimates match comparatively well, but show inherent sensitive parameters and their corresponding impact as temporal and spatial uncertainties that may cause mass differences for the areas of investigation.
Subsurface flow batteries: concept, benefits and hurdles
Authors: Waltham D. , Holt K. B. , Kuenzel S. , Basu A. , Lecoeur N.
Published: August 2022

Storage of flow-battery electrolytes in aquifers is a novel concept for storing electrical energy in the subsurface. Flow batteries operate by electrochemical transformations of electrolytes, rather than of electrodes, and their energy capacity can therefore be increased indefinitely by using larger electrolyte tanks. Saline aquifers may be the cheapest way to provide large-scale storage for this purpose. Storage would be within high-porosity, high-permeability reservoirs sealed by impermeable layers but – in contrast to hydrocarbon, H
2
or CO
2
storage – electrolytes would be trapped in lows (rather than highs) of such formations as a consequence of their high density compared to natural brines.

We investigate a range of electrochemical, geochemical, microbiological and engineering hurdles that must be overcome if subsurface flow batteries are to become a practical technology. No insurmountable problems were found but further laboratory studies are needed. Our economic assessment suggests that subsurface flow batteries should be more cost effective than hydrogen-based power-to-gas approaches for discharge/charge timescales of around 1 day but that hydrogen will be cheaper for longer-term storage. Hence, meeting future energy-storage needs may involve a combination of both approaches.
Contact Tracing and Epidemic Intervention via Deep Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Feng Tao , Song Sirui , Xia Tong , Li Yong
Published: August 2022

The recent outbreak of COVID-19 poses a serious threat to people’s lives. Epidemic control strategies have also caused damage to the economy by cutting off humans’ daily commute. In this article, we develop an Individual-based Reinforcement Learning Epidemic Control Agent (IDRLECA) to search for smart epidemic control strategies that can simultaneously minimize infections and the cost of mobility intervention. IDRLECA first hires an infection probability model to calculate the current infection probability of each individual. Then, the infection probabilities together with individuals’ health status and movement information are fed to a novel GNN to estimate the spread of the virus through human contacts. The estimated risks are used to further support an RL agent to select individual-level epidemic-control actions. The training of IDRLECA is guided by a specially designed reward function considering both the cost of mobility intervention and the effectiveness of epidemic control. Moreover, we design a constraint for control-action selection that eases its difficulty and further improve exploring efficiency. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that IDRLECA can suppress infections at a very low level and retain more than 95% of human mobility.
TCSD: Triple Complementary Streams Detector for Comprehensive Deepfake Detection
Authors: Liu Xiaolong , Yu Yang , Li Xiaolong , Zhao Yao , Guo Guodong
Published: August 2022

Advancements in computer vision and deep learning have made it difficult to distinguish deepfake visual media. While existing detection frameworks have achieved significant performance on challenging deepfake datasets, these approaches consider only a single perspective. More importantly, in urban scenes, neither complex scenarios can be covered by a single view nor can the correlation between multiple datasets of information be well utilized. In this article, to mine the new view for deepfake detection and utilize the correlation of multi-view information contained in images, we propose a novel triple complementary streams detector (TCSD). First, a novel depth estimator is designed to extract depth information (DI), which has not been used in previous methods. Then, to supplement depth information for obtaining comprehensive forgery clues, we consider the incoherence between image foreground and background information (FBI) and the inconsistency between local and global information (LGI). In addition, we designed an attention-based multi-scale feature extraction (MsFE) module to extract more complementary features from DI, FBI, and LGI. Finally, two attention-based feature fusion modules are proposed to adaptively fuse information. Extensive experiment results show that the proposed approach achieves state-of-the-art performance on detecting deepfakes.
Engaging Citizens with Open Government Data: The Value of Dashboards Compared to Individual Visualizations
Authors: Chokki Abiola Paterne , Simonofski Anthony , Frénay Benoît , Vanderose Benoît
Published: August 2022

The use of individual visualizations for Open Government Data (OGD) has been shown not to be entirely efficient in engaging citizens. Dashboards constitute a promising solution, but how they should be designed and applied in an OGD context remains under-investigated. This article examines whether the use of well-designed dashboards can increase citizen engagement with OGD. To achieve this objective, a literature review on dashboard design principles is conducted. Then, the outputs of this literature review are used to compile a list of 16 dashboard design principles in the context of OGD. Next, we apply these design principles to build the Namur (Belgium) Budget Dashboard (NBDash) in order to provide a practical application of our research and use it for evaluation. Finally, we use NBDash as a use case to evaluate the usefulness of well-designed dashboards compared to individual visualizations through an experimental study. The results of the experimental design study with 108 participants suggest that the implementation of well-designed dashboards can be beneficial in encouraging the use of data on portals. In addition, the selection of meaningful metrics and the use of appropriate visualizations, all organized in a clear presentation, have proven to be the primary factors of successful dashboards.
Electrochemical Behavior of Silver Halogenocomplexes in an Amide-Type Ionic Liquid
Authors: Serizawa Nobuyuki , Kuwahara Suguru , Katayama Yasushi
Published: August 2022

The electrode reactions of haloargentates were investigated in an aprotic and hydrophobic amide-type ionic liquid, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide (BMPTFSA) in the presence of the halide ions. Silver halides, AgX (X– = Cl–, Br–, and I–) were found to be soluble in BMPTFSA containing 0.5 M BMPX to form halogenocomplex, [AgX3]2–. The cathodic reduction of [AgX3]2– to metallic Ag was observed within the electrochemical potential window of the ionic liquid, while the reduction potential was lower than that in the ionic liquid in the absence of X–. The equilibrium potentials of [AgX3]2–/Ag were in the order of [AgCl3]2– > [AgBr3]2– > [AgI3]2–, probably reflecting the thermodynamic stability of the complexes. The diffusion coefficients of [AgCl3]2–, [AgBr3]2–, and [AgI3]2– were 2.5, 2.0, and 1.6 × 10–7 cm2 s–1, respectively. The morphology of deposits strongly depended on the reduction potential. The nucleation and growth mechanism of Ag deposition was considered to be progressive rather than instantaneous. Formation of Ag nanoparticles dispersed in the ionic liquids was confirmed after potentiostatic cathodic reduction at –2.5 V vs Ag∣Ag(I) using a transmission electron microscope.
The role of the glypican and syndecan families of heparan sulfate proteoglycans in cardiovascular function and disease
Authors: Thota Lakshmi Narasimha Rao , Chignalia Andreia Zago
Published: August 2022

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) are proteoglycans formed by a core protein to which one or multiple heparan sulfate chains are covalently bound. They are ubiquitously expressed in cellular surfaces and can be found in the extracellular matrix and secretory vesicles. The cellular effects of HSPGs comprehend multiple functionalities that include 1) the interaction with other membrane surface proteins to act as a substrate for cellular migration, 2) acting as a binding site for circulating molecules, 3) to have a receptor role for proteases, 4) to act as a coreceptor that can provide finetuning of growth factor receptor activity threshold, and 5) to activate intracellular signaling pathways (Sarrazin S, Lamanna WC, Esko JD. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol 3: a004952, 2011). Among the different families of HSPGs, the syndecan and glypican families of HSPGs have gained increased attention in relation to their effects on cardiovascular cells and potential role in disease progression. In this review, we will summarize the effects of syndecan and glypican homologs on the different cardiovascular cell types and discuss their contribution to common processes found in cardiovascular diseases (inflammation, hypertrophy, and vascular remodeling) as well as their potential role in the development and progression of specific diseases including hypertension, heart failure, and atherosclerosis.
FXYD3 facilitates Na+ and liquid absorption across human airway epithelia by increasing the transport capacity of the Na/K ATPase
Authors: Cano Portillo Camilo , Villacreses Raul , Thurman Andrew L. , Pezzulo Alejandro A. , Zabner Joseph , Thornell Ian M.
Published: August 2022

Na/K ATPase activity is essential for ion transport across epithelia. FXYD3, a γ subunit of the Na/K ATPase, is expressed in the airway, but its function remains undetermined. Single-cell RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry revealed that FXYD3 localizes within the basolateral membrane of all airway epithelial cells. To study FXYD3 function, we reduced FXYD3 expression using siRNA. After permeabilizing the apical membrane with nystatin, epithelia pretreated with FXYD3-targeting siRNA had lower ouabain-sensitive short-circuit currents than control epithelia. FXYD3-targeting siRNA also reduced amiloride-sensitive short-circuit currents and liquid absorption across intact epithelia. These data are consistent with FXYD3 facilitating Na+ and liquid absorption. FXYD3 may be needed to maintain the high rates of Na+ and fluid absorption observed for airway and other FXYD3-expressing epithelia.