bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of minority perceived discrimination on resistance to innovation and moderating role of psychological distress: Evidence from ethnic minority students of China
Authors: Wang Junwei , Shaheen Musarat
Published: October 2022

Ethnic minority groups usually face discrimination in the form of prejudice and stereotypes. The self-esteem and psychological well-being of ethnic minority groups are adversely impacted by the prejudice and discrimination behavior of others. The perceived discrimination unfavorably influences the attitude and behavior of ethnic minority groups, which in turn develops resistance to innovation among them. With the support of social exchange theory, this study hypothesized that perceived discrimination positively enhances resistance to innovation and job dissatisfaction for empirical investigation. The current study also proposes that job dissatisfaction positively correlates with resistance to innovation. This study further assumes the mediating role of job dissatisfaction and moderating role of psychological distress forfurther investigation. For empirical investigation, the present study collected the data from 328 Ethnic Minority Students of various Chinese universities through a structured questionnaire method using a convenient sampling technique. This study applied partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for empirical examination using Smart PLS software. The findings confirm that perceived discrimination positively correlates with resistance to innovation and job dissatisfaction, respectively. It is also verified that perceived discrimination positively impacts job dissatisfaction. The results further interpreted that job dissatisfaction mediates the relationship between perceived discrimination and resistance to innovation. Additionally, the findings revealed that psychological distress does not moderate the relationship between perceived discrimination and resistance to innovation; however, psychological distress moderates the relationship between job dissatisfaction and resistance to innovation. The findings serve the organizations by pointing out the role of perceived discrimination on job dissatisfaction. This study also provides valuable theoretical and practical implications.
How personal values and critical dispositions support digital citizenship development in higher education students
Authors: Assante Gabriela Monica , Popa Nicoleta Laura , Momanu Mariana
Published: October 2022

The virtual environment’s expansion and role in young people’s lives accentuate the need for developing transversal competences such as digital citizenship. The process may be supported by personal resources like personal values and critical thinking dispositions. With this study on 536 young students’ students aged 18 to 26 (M = 20.85, SD = 1.60), we analysed the relationship between two adjacent personal values, universalism and self-direction, and students’ digital citizenship. Moreover, we examined the role of critical thinking dispositions, namely learning orientation, and cognitive integrity in supporting digital citizenship development. Following structural equation modelling (SEM) analyses, the results show that universalism and learning orientation significantly positively influence digital citizenship, whereas cognitive integrity has a negative effect. Further, personal values positively associate with critical thinking dispositions.
Altered resting-state electroencephalography microstate characteristics in young male smokers
Authors: Li Xiaojian , Dong Fang , Zhang Yunmiao , Wang Juan , Wang Zhengxi , Sun Yaning , Zhang Ming , Xue Ting , Ren Yan , Lv Xiaoqi , Yuan Kai , Yu Dahua
Published: October 2022

The development of nicotine addiction was associated with the abnormalities of intrinsic functional networks during the resting state in young adult smokers. As a whole-brain imaging approach, EEG microstate analysis treated multichannel EEG recordings as a series of quasi-steady microscopic states which were related to the resting-state networks (RSNs) found by fMRI. The aim of this study was to examine whether the resting-state EEG microstate analysis may provide novel insights into the abnormal temporal properties of intrinsic brain activities in young smokers. We used 64-channel resting-state EEG datasets to investigate alterations in microstate characteristics between twenty-five young smokers and 25 age- and gender-matched non-smoking controls. Four classic EEG microstates (microstate A, B, C, and D) were obtained, and the four temporal parameters of each microstate were extracted, i.e., duration, occurrence, coverage, and transition probabilities. Compared with non-smoking controls, young smokers showed decreased occurrence of microstate C and increased duration of microstate D. Furthermore, both the duration and coverage of microstate D were significantly negatively correlated with Fagerstrom Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in young smoker group. The complex changes in the microstate time-domain parameters might correspond to the abnormalities of RSNs in analyses of FC measured with fMRI in the previous studies and indicate the altered specific brain functions in young smokers. Microstate D could be potentially represented as a selective biomarker for predicting the dependence degree of adolescent smokers on cigarettes. These results suggested that EEG microstate analysis might detect the deviant functions of large-scale cortical activities in young smokers and provide a new perspective for the study of brain networks of adolescent smokers.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with cognitive behavioral therapy treatment in alcohol-dependent patients: A randomized, double-blind sham-controlled multicenter clinical trial
Authors: Hu Xiaorui , Zhang Tian , Ma Hongkun , Zhou Xuhui , Wang Hongxuan , Wang Xiaohong , Cheng Chang , Li Yanfei , Duan Ranran , Zhang Bo , Wang Huaizhi , Lu Jia , Kang Chuanyi , Zhao Na , Zhang Yingjie , Tian Lu , Liu Jun , Shi Jingjing , Wang Zhe , Zhou Xinxin , Zhu Shuang , Liu Qingxia , Li Xuemin , Wang Honghui , Nie Mingxuan , Yang Mei , Yang Jianzhong , Chi Yong , Zhu Xiaofeng , Hu Jian , Jia Yanjie , Peng Ying , Liu Lei
Published: October 2022

Background

Alcohol dependence (AD) is a complex addictive disorder with a high relapse rate. Previous studies have shown that both repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may be effective for AD, and we aim to explore more effective treatment options to reduce relapse rates for AD.

Materials and methods

A total of 263 AD patients were recruited. They were divided into six groups according to the location and the type of rTMS: left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), right DLPFC, sham stimulation, and whether they received CBT treatment: with a fixed schedule (C1) and without a fixed plan (C0). There were included in sham rTMS + C0 group (n = 50), sham rTMS + C1 group (n = 37), right rTMS + C0 group (n = 45), right rTMS + C1 group (n = 42), left rTMS + C0 group (n = 49), left rTMS + C1 group (n = 40). We used obsessive compulsive drinking scale (OCDS), visual analogue scale (VAS), alcohol dependence scale (ADS), montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7), patient health questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9), and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) to assess alcohol cravings, alcohol dependence, cognition, anxiety, depression, and sleep quality. They were followed up and evaluated for relapse.

Results

The sham rTMS + C0 group relapse rate was significantly higher than the right rTMS + C1 group (P = 0.006), the left rTMS + C0 group (P = 0.031), the left rTMS + C1 group (P = 0.043). The right rTMS + C0 group showed significantly higher relapse rate compared to the right rTMS + C1 group (P = 0.046). There was no significant difference in relapse rates between other groups. The repeated-measures ANOVA showed an interaction effect between group and time was significant in the rate of patient health questionnaire-9 items (PHQ-9) scale reduction (P = 0.020). Logistic analysis indicated that smoking and alcohol consumption were independent determinants of relapse (P < 0.05). At 24 weeks of follow-up, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis reveal that there is statistically significant relapse rate between six groups (P = 0.025), left rTMS + C1 group has the best treatment effect for alcohol dependent patients. Cox regression analysis confirmed that current smoking, total cholesterol, and total bilirubin (TBIL) level were risk factors of relapse (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

This study is the first to suggest that the combination of rTMS and CBT may be a potentially effective treatment for reducing relapse.
Government drivers of breast cancer prevention: A spatiotemporal analysis based on the association between breast cancer and macro factors
Authors: Bai Xiaodan , Zhang Xiyu , Shi Hongping , Geng Guihong , Wu Bing , Lai Yongqiang , Xiang Wenjing , Wang Yanjie , Cao Yu , Shi Baoguo , Li Ye
Published: October 2022

Background

Currently, breast cancer (BC) is ranked among the top malignant tumors in the world, and has attracted widespread attention. Compared with the traditional analysis on biological determinants of BC, this study focused on macro factors, including light at night (LAN), PM2.5, per capita consumption expenditure, economic density, population density, and number of medical beds, to provide targets for the government to implement BC interventions.

Methods

A total of 182 prefecture-level cities in China from 2013 to 2016 were selected as the sample of the study. The geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model was adopted to describe the spatiotemporal correlation between the scale of BC and macro factors.

Results

The results showed that the GTWR model can better reveal the spatiotemporal variation. In the temporal dimension, the fluctuations of the regression coefficients of each variable were significant. In the spatial dimension, the positive impacts of LAN, per capita consumption expenditure, population density and number of medical beds gradually increased from west to east, and the positive coefficient of PM2.5 gradually increased from north to south. The negative impact of economic density gradually increased from west to east.

Conclusion

The fact that the degree of effect of each variable fluctuates over time reminds the government to pay continuous attention to BC prevention. The spatial heterogeneity features also urge the government to focus on different macro indicators in eastern and western China or southern and northern China. In other words, our research helps drive the government to center on key regions and take targeted measures to curb the rapid growth of BC.
Investigation and evidence of high-episodic groundwater recharge events in tropical hard-rock aquifers of southern India
Authors: Goswami Shubham , Sekhar M.
Published: October 2022

Processes controlling groundwater recharge have been a topic of pursuit in the hydrological research community. The groundwater recharge in hard-rock aquifers is significantly impacted by rainfall patterns, aquifer characteristics, weathering/soil conditions, topography, land use, and land cover. Analysis of the recharge process in tropical semi-arid hard-rock aquifer regions of southern India is crucial due to several factors, including (a) a heavily tailed monsoon system prevailing in the region, which is characterized by very few episodic storm events; (b) heterogeneity of aquifers in terms of fractures; and (c) the presence of several man-made irrigation lakes/tanks along with the drainage network. This study uses a lumped unconfined aquifer model to estimate the groundwater recharge for nine locations in Gundlupet taluk and 150 locations in Berambadi Experimental Watershed (EWS) in the south Indian state of Karnataka. Analysis of estimated recharge factors identifies 30 high-episodic recharge events out of 292 observations (around 10%) in Gundlupet taluk and 80 out of 150 locations in 2017 in Berambadi EWS. Partial information correlation (PIC) analysis is used to select the significant predictors out of potential predictors based on rainfall intensity distribution and climatological indices. PIC analysis reveals that the number of rainfall events with 15–30 mm daily rainfall intensity are most significant for normal recharge events in Gundlupet taluk and Berambadi EWS. The combined information on daily rainfall distribution, daily rainfall events of 20–40 mm, and the number of La Niña months in a particular year can explain the variability of high-episodic recharge events in Gundlupet taluk. These high-intensity rainfall events can be potential sources of alternate recharge pathways resulting in faster indirect recharge, which dominates the diffused recharge and results in high-episodic recharge events. Rainfall intensity distribution and climatological indices contain the potential information required to disaggregate normal and high-episodic recharge factors for future rainfall projections, which is useful for future groundwater level projections.
The wicked problem of B(A)ME degree award gaps and systemic racism in our universities
Authors: Ugiagbe-Green Iwi , Ernsting Freya
Published: October 2022

The independent regulator for higher education in England, the Office for Students (OfS), set new national targets in late 2018 to achieve equality of opportunity in higher education by tackling degree award gaps. The sector response to this was to measure degree award gaps between B(A)ME students and white students in their higher education institutions. Analysis of degree award gaps using quantitative methods has revealed an “unexplained gap”. We argue that the existence of this “unexplained gap” is evidence of “systemic racism”. However, the factors influencing a degree award and their associated gaps across different racialized groups of students are so complex, that its problematisation, never-mind its solution is inherently complex. It is our view, therefore, racialized degree award gaps are a wicked problem. Despite this, it is also our view that it is an important social justice endeavor that we must still seek to address as a sector. To do so, we propose a mixed methods approach that uses dynamic centring and an intersectional lens to better understand the experiences of racialized students within the higher education “system”. Current quantitative analysis of degree award gaps simply tells us how different groups of racialized students experience the system. In using a mixed methods approach in the way we outline, we may better understand the racialized lived experience of our students and the factors influencing the experience of different racialized groups within the “system”. This solution-focused approach can help create opportunities that enable students to better navigate social structures and systems and improve their experience in the system. However, this will not address the wicked problem of degree award gaps itself, which is complex, pervasive, and messy.
The dynamic chromosphere at millimeter wavelengths
Authors: Nindos Alexander , Patsourakos Spiros , Jafarzadeh Shahin , Shimojo Masumi
Published: October 2022

The chromosphere is one of the most complex and dynamic layers of the solar atmosphere. The dynamic phenomena occur on different spatial and temporal scales, not only in active regions but also in the so-called quiet Sun. In this paper we review recent advances in our understanding of these phenomena that stem from the analysis of observations with the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The unprecedented sensitivity as well as spatial and temporal resolution of ALMA at millimeter wavelengths have advanced the study of diverse phenomena such as chromospheric p-mode-like and high-frequency oscillations, as well as small-scale, weak episodes of energy release, including shock waves. We review the most important results of these studies by highlighting the new aspects of the phenomena that have revealed as well as the new questions and challenges that have generated.
Surgery offers survival advantage over radiotherapy in patients who are 80 years and older with Stage I and II NSCLC: A retrospective cohort study of 7,045 patients
Authors: Guo Qiang , Hu Sheng , Ye Jiayue , Su Lang , Wang Silin , Zhang Deyuan , Zhang Yang , Qiu Shengyu , Zhu Lingxiao , Ruan Liancheng , Wan Bingen , Zou Sheng , Zhang Wenxiong , Yu Dongliang , Xu Jianjun , Zhang Huiliang , Wei Yiping
Published: October 2022

Objective

Elderly people are less likely than younger patients to undergo curative surgery for early-stage lung cancer because of the greater risk of surgery and postoperative complications. We investigated the relationship between treatment modality and the risk of all-cause and lung cancer-specific mortality to compare the efficacy of surgical treatment with radiotherapy in patients with stage I and II non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who were ≥80 years old.

Methods

We extracted data from the most recent Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 9 registry study database (2010–2017). We mainly selected patients with stage I and II NSCLC who were ≥80 years old, and after screening, 7,045 cases were selected for our study. We used univariate analysis, stratified analysis, and multiple regression equation analysis to examine all-cause mortality and lung cancer-specific mortality in different treatment modalities. The overall and stratified populations' survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan–Meier method. The competing risk regression method of Fine and Gray was used to estimate mortality specific to lung cancer.

Results

In the fully adjusted model, all-cause mortality was 1.97 times higher in the radiotherapy-only group (hazard ration (HR) = 1.97, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.81–2.14, p < 0.0001) than in the surgery-only group. The lung cancer-specific mortality rate was 1.22 times higher in the radiotherapy-only group (HR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.13–1.32, p < 0.0001) than in the surgery-only group. The median overall survival (OS) in the surgery-only, radiation therapy-only, surgery plus radiation therapy, and no-treatment groups were 58 months, 31 months, 36 months, and 10 months, respectively. Median lung cancer-specific survival was 61 months, 32 months, 38 months, and 11 months, respectively. The surgery-only group had the highest 1-year OS (0.8679,95% CI = 0.8537–0.8824) and 5-year OS (0.4873, 95% CI = 0.4632–0.5126).

Conclusions

Surgery had a higher overall and lung cancer-specific survival rate than radiotherapy and no treatment in the elderly early-stage NSCLC population. For patients with stage I and stage II NSCLC at advanced ages, surgical treatment might have a greater potential survival benefit.
A deep learning based multimodal fusion model for skin lesion diagnosis using smartphone collected clinical images and metadata
Authors: Ou Chubin , Zhou Sitong , Yang Ronghua , Jiang Weili , He Haoyang , Gan Wenjun , Chen Wentao , Qin Xinchi , Luo Wei , Pi Xiaobing , Li Jiehua
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer. An accessible tool to the public can help screening for malign lesion. We aimed to develop a deep learning model to classify skin lesion using clinical images and meta information collected from smartphones.

Methods

A deep neural network was developed with two encoders for extracting information from image data and metadata. A multimodal fusion module with intra-modality self-attention and inter-modality cross-attention was proposed to effectively combine image features and meta features. The model was trained on tested on a public dataset and compared with other state-of-the-art methods using five-fold cross-validation.

Results

Including metadata is shown to significantly improve a model's performance. Our model outperformed other metadata fusion methods in terms of accuracy, balanced accuracy and area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve, with an averaged value of 0.768±0.022, 0.775±0.022 and 0.947±0.007.

Conclusion

A deep learning model using smartphone collected images and metadata for skin lesion diagnosis was successfully developed. The proposed model showed promising performance and could be a potential tool for skin cancer screening.
A systematic review and meta-analysis on delaying surgery for urothelial carcinoma of bladder and upper tract urothelial carcinoma: Implications for the COVID19 pandemic and beyond
Authors: Leow Jeffrey J. , Tan Wei Shen , Tan Wei Phin , Tan Teck Wei , Chan Vinson Wai-Shun , Tikkinen Kari A. O. , Kamat Ashish , Sengupta Shomik , Meng Maxwell V. , Shariat Shahrokh , Roupret Morgan , Decaestecker Karel , Vasdev Nikhil , Chong Yew Lam , Enikeev Dmitry , Giannarini Gianluca , Ficarra Vincenzo , Teoh Jeremy Yuen-Chun ,   On behalf of the UroSoMe Collaborators
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to competing strains on hospital resources and healthcare personnel. Patients with newly diagnosed invasive urothelial carcinomas of bladder (UCB) upper tract (UTUC) may experience delays to definitive radical cystectomy (RC) or radical nephro-ureterectomy (RNU) respectively. We evaluate the impact of delaying definitive surgery on survival outcomes for invasive UCB and UTUC.

Methods

We searched for all studies investigating delayed urologic cancer surgery in Medline and Embase up to June 2020. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed.

Results

We identified a total of 30 studies with 32,591 patients. Across 13 studies (n = 12,201), a delay from diagnosis of bladder cancer/TURBT to RC was associated with poorer overall survival (HR 1.25, 95% CI: 1.09–1.45, p = 0.002). For patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy before RC, across the 5 studies (n = 4,316 patients), a delay between neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical cystectomy was not found to be significantly associated with overall survival (pooled HR 1.37, 95% CI: 0.96–1.94, p = 0.08). For UTUC, 6 studies (n = 4,629) found that delay between diagnosis of UTUC to RNU was associated with poorer overall survival (pooled HR 1.55, 95% CI: 1.19–2.02, p = 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (pooled HR of 2.56, 95% CI: 1.50–4.37, p = 0.001). Limitations included between-study heterogeneity, particularly in the definitions of delay cut-off periods between diagnosis to surgery.

Conclusions

A delay from diagnosis of UCB or UTUC to definitive RC or RNU was associated with poorer survival outcomes. This was not the case for patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Case Report: Campylobacter fetus caused pyogenic spondylodiscitis with a presentation of cauda equina syndrome after instrumented lumbar fusion surgery
Authors: Topolovec Matevž , Faganeli Nataša , Brumat Peter
Published: October 2022

Spondylodiscitis with/without neurologic impairment is a serious infection, predominantly occurring in high-risk patients. Campylobacter fetus caused spondylodiscitis is very rare. Evidence-based therapeutic concepts for lumbar spondylodiscitis are lacking. A 64-year-old high-risk woman underwent decompression with instrumented lumbar fusion. Six months after index surgery, she developed pyelonephritis, which deteriorated to sepsis and presentation of cauda equina syndrome. She underwent urgent revision with decompression, debridement, and instrumentation removal, and received long-term antibiotics. Culture grew Campylobacter fetus, previously not reported as a cause of spondylodiscitis after elective instrumented lumbar fusion. Emergent debridement and removal of instrumentation, with 2 months of targeted intravenous antibiotics followed by 6 weeks of oral antibiotics led to complete spondylodiscitis resolution. Prompt diagnostics and targeted antibiotic treatment are paramount when dealing with spinal infections, particularly in patients with rare causative pathogens like Campylobacter fetus. Concomitant neurological complications may require emergent surgical management in the case of cauda equina syndrome.
Feedlot growth performance and carcass characteristics of steers backgrounded on buffel grass or buffel–Desmanthus mixed pastures
Authors: Mwangi Felista Waithira , Savage Darryl , Gardiner Christopher Peter , Charmley Edward , Malau-Aduli Bunmi Sherifat , Kinobe Robert Tumwesigye , Malau-Aduli Aduli Enoch Othniel
Published: October 2022

Feedlot performance and carcass characteristics of tropical beef steers backgrounded on buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) only or buffel grass oversown with desmanthus (Desmanthus spp. ; 11.5% initial sward botanical composition) were evaluated. It was hypothesized that tropical beef cattle steers backgrounded on buffel grass only or buffel grass oversown with desmanthus with similar backgrounding growth performance will not differ in feedlot growth performance and carcass quality. Three hundred and twelve Bos indicus × Bos taurus tropical composite steers, 20–23 months old and weighing 413 ± 24 kg, previously backgrounded on buffel grass only or buffel-desmanthus mixed pastures for 147 days were finished on a concentrate diet in the feedlot for 110 days before slaughter. Buffel–desmanthus backgrounded steers had a slightly higher average daily gain (ADG; 1.8 kg/day) than the buffel grass backgrounded steers that had 1.7 kg/day ADG (p < 0.01). However, the final live weight and dry matter intake were not different (p ≥ 0.59). All the carcass traits measured were not different (p ≥ 0.18). Only 4% buffel grass and 8% buffel-desmanthus backgrounded steers fell short of the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) index, a level that is within the 4–9% reported for cattle produced in Queensland and slaughtered between July 2019 and June 2020. These findings indicate that desmanthus can be used to background beef cattle in northern Australia vertosol soil regions, where there is a paucity of adapted pasture legumes, with no negative impact on feedlot performance and carcass quality. The hypothesis that tropical beef cattle steers backgrounded on buffel grass only pastures or buffel grass oversown with desmanthus with similar backgrounding growth performance will have similar feedlot growth performance and carcass quality was accepted.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Depressive Symptoms in China: A Longitudinal, Population-Based Study
Authors: Zhou Yi , Cai Weicheng , Xie Liyang
Published: October 2022

Objectives: We aimed to examine how COVID-19 incidence is associated with depressive symptoms in China, whether the association is transient, and whether the association differs across groups.

Methods: We used a longitudinal sample from 2018 to 2020 waves of the China Family Panel Study. We constructed COVID-19 incidence rates as the number of new cases per 100,000 population in respondents’ resident provinces in the past 7, 14, and 28 days when a respondent was surveyed. We performed linear or logistic regressions to examine the associations, and performed stratified analyses to explore the heterogeneity of the associations.

Results: Our sample included 13,655 adults. The 7-day incidence rate was positively associated with the CES-D score (coef. = 2.551, 95% CI: 1.959–3.142), and likelihood of being more depressed (adjusted odds ratio = 6.916, 95% CI: 4.715–10.144). The associations were larger among those with less education, pre-existing depression, or chronic conditions. We did not find any significant association between the 14- or 28-day local incidence rates and depressive symptoms.

Conclusion: The impact of COVID-19 incidence on mental health in China’s general population was statistically significant and moderate in magnitude and transient. Disadvantaged groups experienced higher increases in depressive symptoms.
Outcome of COVID-19 in Kidney Transplant Recipients Through the SARS-CoV-2 Variants Eras: Role of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Monoclonal Antibodies
Authors: Papadimitriou-Olivgeris Matthaios , Cipriano Ana , Guggisberg Nicolas , Kroemer Marie , Tschopp Jonathan , Manuel Oriol , Golshayan Dela
Published: October 2022

Kidney transplant recipients (KTR) are at increased risk for COVID-19-associated complications. We aimed to describe the evolving epidemiology and outcome of PCR-documented SARS-CoV-2 infection in KTR followed at our institution from March 2020 to May 2022. The primary endpoint was hospitalization for COVID-19-related symptoms or death within 28 days from diagnosis. Overall, 243 cases were included of which 68 (28%) developed the primary outcome. A significant decrease in the incidence of the primary outcome was observed (p < 0.001, r −0.342) during the study period. Anti-Spike monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were administered as early treatment (within 5–7 days of onset of symptoms) in 101 patients (14 with casirivimab/imdevimab and 87 with sotrovimab). Among 145 patients who had received at least one vaccination dose before infection, 109 patients were considered as adequately vaccinated. Multivariate analysis revealed that the Charlson Comorbidity Index (P 0.001; OR 1.28, CI 1.11–1.48) was associated with the primary outcome, while early administration of mAbs (P 0.032; OR 0.39, CI 0.16–0.92) was associated with a better outcome, but not infection during the period of the omicron variant predominance or adequate vaccination.
Iodine as a Disinfectant against Monodon Baculovirus (MBV
Authors:   Department of Microbiology and Parasitology The University of Queensland Brisbane, 4072, Australia, MANISSERI M.K.
Published: October 2022

Virions of monodon baculovirus (MBV) were exposed to 0, 50, 200, 800, 3000 and 10000 ppm iodine at 4 °C for 5 min and then used in a bioassay with Penaeus monodon postlarvae. Occlusion bodies were identified by histology in shrimp exposed to MBV treated with all iodine concentrations except 10000 ppm. Treatment with 3000 ppm reduced the prevalence and density of infection. However, only 10000 ppm iodine completely inactivated MBV.
Stomatopod By-catch from Prawn Trawling in Moreton Bay, Australia
Authors:   171 Williamson Rd. Morayfield QLD 4506, Australia, DELL Q. , SUMPTON W.
Published: October 2022

Eight species of the order Stomatopoda were identified in the by-catch of a Moreton Bay prawn trawl survey between 1988 and 1990. Of these stomatopods six species are marketed as commercial by-catch. The catch (by weight) of stomatopods over the sample period was one sixth that of the penaeid catch and at three of the nine sampling stations they made up over one quarter. Stomatopods were most abundant during December to February with numbers declining dramatically during winter (a trend similar to the penaeid catches). The most abundant species (Oratosquilla stephensoni) exhibited bi-modal length frequency distributions, suggesting the presence of two age cohorts. Length frequency analysis indicated that 0. stephensoni exhibited fast growth (Lco=163mm, k=l.52 year1 ) and a high total instantaneous mortality rate (3.8-4.7 year-1 ) with an estimated life span of approximately 2.5 years. The importance and utilisation of stomatopods as a marketable by­catch is also discussed.
Calcium, Phosphorus and Magnesium Requirements in the Diet of Shrimp Penaeus indicus
Authors:   Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture 101 B Mahahngapuram Main Road Nungambakkam, Madras, 600-0,14 India, AHAMAD ALI S.
Published: October 2022

Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium requirements in the diet of Indian white shrimp Penaeus indicus were studied using semi-purified diets. During a 45 day feeding trial, shrimps with an initial average length of 25 mm and weight of 0. 15 g, showed sig­nificantly higher growth (p< 0.01) and low FCR (p< 0.05) when fed with diet containing 0.53% of calcium and 1.05% phosphorus. Higher levels of dietary calcium supressed growth and increased FCR, though survival was unaffected. Shrimps fed with a phosphorus defi­cient diet were sluggish and weak and levels of phosphorus exceeding 1.05% showed no beneficial effect. The body calcium of shrimps fed with diets containing different levels of calcium was lower than the initial value and decreased as dietary levels of calcium in­creased. The body phosphorus of shrimps on the other hand, increased as levels of dietary phosphorus was increased. A dietary Ca-P ratio of 1: 1.98 gave the best growth and FCR for P. indicus, while the Ca-P ratio in shrimps showed a decreasing trend with dietary cal­cium. Addition of magnesium to the diet from 0.1 to 0.7% also supressed growth and in­creased FCR. The total ash content of shrimps decreased as levels of magnesium was in­creased; however, the magnesium level of shrimps remained practically constant. Results suggest that the magnesium requirement may be satisfied through absorption from the water.
Influence of Pesticide Pyrethroid Deltamethrin Pollution on the Phospholipid Composition of Carp Erythrocyte Plasma Membrane
Authors:   Dept. of Biochemistry Attila Jozsef University Szeged, Hungary, KOTKAT H.M.
Published: October 2022

The effect of different concentrations of deltamethrin (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 ppm) on the carp erythrocyte plasma membrane was examined. Carp erythrocyte plasma membrane was exposed to deltamethrin for 48 and 96 hrs. Results showed that the deltamethrin pol­lutants significantly (P'$;0.0l) led to a decrease of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphoglyceride (PG) and phosphatidic acids (PA), with higher concentrations of deltamethrin leading to elimination of phosphatidic acids and cardiolipin (CL). Deltamethrin also brought about a marked difference in the fatty acid patterns of the phospholipids in the erythrocyte plasma membrane. Higher concentrations lead to increased levels of saturated fatty acids, primarily palm­itic (16:0) and stearic acid (18:0) as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6). Of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), palmitoleic acid (16:1 n-7) and oleic acid (18:1 n-9) did not increase significantly. At the same time the level of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids [eicosapentaenoic (EPA, 20:5 n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3)] significantly (P:-:;0.01) decreased, making the membrane more rigid and less permeable.
Five Tropical Freshwater Fish Species: Setting Ability and Other Characteristics of the Minces
Authors:   Department of Fisheries Technology Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) Mymensingh 2202 Bangladesh, NOWSAD A. AKM.
Published: October 2022

Setting ability and other characteristics of the minces of freshwater snakehead, wild mullee, wild tilapia, genetically improved farmed tilapia and river shad were studied in order to investigate their potential use in the manufacture of surimi. Mince was prepared from fillet. A portion of the mince was washed with water containing 0.1% NaCl. Both washed and unwashed minces were ground with 3% NaCl for 20 min at 4 °C and incubated at various temperatures for one- and two-step heating. The resulting gels were subjected to punch, expressible moisture and folding tests. Gel hardness and colour of the minces were evaluated organoleptically. Wild mullee, snakehead and tilapia minces showed good setting ability. Genetically improved tilapia produced better quality gel compared to the wild ones. Optimum gel strength was observed in between 40-50°C and gel disintegration occurred at 60-700C. Gels prepared by two-step heating had higher gel strength except the river shad. A single washing of the mince substantially improved the texture and colour of the gels. River shad mince produced very poor quality gel even after two washings. A comprehensive investigation on the river shad with improved washing technique is required.
Mycotic Involvement in Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome of Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh: A Histopathological Study
Authors: AHMED G.U. , HOQUE M.A.
Published: October 2022

Five species of freshwater fishes (Cirrhinus mrigala, Catla catla, Puntius sophore, Glossogobius giuris and Labeo rohita) were affected by the epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) in the Bangladesh Agricultural University campus. A monthly sampling was carried out from October 1997 to March 1998. Clinically and histologically C. mrigala was severely affected by EUS, followed by C. catla, P. sophore and G. giuris. L. rohita was the least affected species. Large, deep and whitish ulcers were recorded in the lateral region (near the dorsal fin) and caudal region where parts of fins, scales and muscle were lost in most of the EUS affected fish. Massive necrosis of the epithelium and muscle tissue was observed in the affected tissue surrounding the granuloma. The granuloma due to fungal infection consisted of mononuclear epithelloid cells and fibrillar structures. Fungal granulomas were also found in the liver of C. mrigala and C. calla and in the kidney of C. mrigala only. However, the liver and kidney of other species had necrotic hepatocytes, renal tubules and glomeruli associated with many inflammatory cells. Water temperature, alkalinity and hardness were reduced in the months of December, January and February in comparison with other months. Clinically and histologically, in the colder months (December, January and February), all fish specimens were more affected by EUS in comparison with other months. The clinical signs, infection mode and histopathology of the disease observed in the present study resemble mycotic granulomatosis. Thus, the consistent involvement of fungus and its similarity in pathology to EUS in other countries, indicate that fungus is one of the pathological agents of EUS.
Alterações cognitivas decorrentes da COVID-19: uma revisão sistemática
Authors: Guesser Vitor Martins , Paiva Karina Mary , Neves de Barros Vitória , Faustino Gonçalves Laura , Haas Patricia
Published: October 2022

Introdução. A COVID-19 demonstrou alto potencial de mortalidade e inflamação multissistêmica e, ao afetar o sistema nervoso, pode acarretar déficits cognitivos em todos os estágios da doença, bem como após a recuperação. Objetivo. Verificar as alterações cognitivas em indivíduos diagnosticados com a COVID-19.  Método. As buscas por artigos científicos ocorreram nas bases de dados eletrônicos MEDLINE (Pubmed), LILACS, SciELO, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE e BIREME, sem restrições de localização, no período de 2020 a 2022. Os critérios de seleção incluíram estudos sobre a relação entre COVID-19 e alterações cognitivas em adultos e idosos com idade a partir de 18 anos, e, foram excluídas cartas ao editor, diretrizes, revisões de literatura, revisões narrativas, revisões sistemáticas, metanálises, resumos, relatos e séries de casos. Resultados. Foram 11 estudos incluídos, sendo sete do tipo transversal e quatro do tipo caso-controle. Cinco pesquisas foram realizadas em pacientes hospitalizados e seis em pacientes não hospitalizados e/ou recuperados da doença. Dez apontam para associação positiva entre COVID-19 e déficits cognitivos e um não demonstrou associação. Conclusão. A COVID-19 está associada a déficits cognitivos na fase aguda ou após recuperação, independentemente do grau de severidade e do status de hospitalização. As principais funções cognitivas observadas foram alteração de atenção, memória, linguagem, funções executivas e velocidade de processamento.
A Hybrid Deep Learning Based Assist System for Detection and Classification of Breast Cancer from Mammogram Images
Authors: Narayanan Lakshmi , Krishnan Santhana , Robinson Harold
Published: October 2022

The most common cancer disease among all women is breast cancer. This type of disease is caused due to genetic mutation of ageing and lack of awareness. The tumour that occurred may be a benign type which is a non-dangerous and malignant type that is dangerous. The Mammography technique utilizes the early detection of breast cancer. A Novel Deep Learning technique that combines the deep convolutional neural networks and the random forest classifier is proposed to detect and categorize Breast cancer. The feature extraction is carried over by the AlexNet model of the Deep Convolutional Neural Network and the classifier precision is increased by Random Forest Classifier. The images are collected from the various Mammogram images of predefined datasets. The performance results confirm that the projected scheme has enhanced performance compared with the state-of-art schemes.
Neuroevolution of Augmenting Topologies for Artificial Evolution: A Case Study of Kinesis of Creature in the Various Mediums
Authors: Jha Sunil Kumar , Josheski Filip , Zhang Xiaorui , Ahmad Zulfiqar
Published: October 2022

The motivation of the present study is to evolve virtual creatures in a diverse simulated 3D environment. The proposed scheme is based on the artificial evolution using the Neuro Evolution of Augmenting Topologies (NEAT) algorithm to educe a neural network that controls the muscle forces of the artificial creatures. The morphologies of the creatures are established using the Genetic Algorithm (GA) method based on the distance metrics fitness function. The concept of damaging crossover of neural networks and genetic language for the morphology of creatures has been considered in the morphologies of the artificial creature. Creatures with certain morphological traits consume a large time to optimize their kinetics, thus they are placed in a separate species to limit the search. The simulation results in the significant kinetics of artificial creatures (2-5 limbs) in virtual mediums with varying dynamic and static coefficients of friction (0.0-4.0). The motion of artificial creatures in the simulated medium was determined at different angles and demonstrated in the 3D space.
FaceSwap based DeepFakes Detection
Authors: Nawaz Marriam , Masood Momina , Javed Ali , Nazir Tahira
Published: October 2022

The progression of Machine Learning (ML) has introduced new trends in the area of image processing. Moreover, ML presents lightweight applications capable of running with minimum computational resources like Deepfakes, which generates widely manipulated multimedia data. Deepfakes introduce a serious danger to the confidentiality of humans and bring extensive religion, sect, and political anxiety. The FaceSwapp-based deepfakes are problematic to be identified by people due to their realism. Hence, the researchers are facing serious issues to detect visual manipulations. In the presented approach, we have proposed a novel technique for recognizing FaceSwap-based deepfakes. Initially, landmarks are computed from the input videos by employing Dlib-library. In the next step, the computed landmarks are used for training two classifiers namely Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN). The reported results demonstrate that SVM works well than ANN in classifying the manipulated samples due to its power to deal with over-fitted training data.
Gestão operacional do pátio de madeira na produção de cavacos para indústria de polpa e papel
Authors: Durigan Aline , Silva Oliveira Rudson , Mischka Sgarbiero Ivan , Agostinho da Silva Dimas
Published: October 2022

A crescente demanda por celulose no mercado global contribui para o aumento na competitividade entre os produtores e um dos fatores que garantem a atratividade da celulose brasileira no mercado é a elevada tecnologia silvicultural e gestão do processo produtivo, resultado da busca constante por maior otimização dos insumos e na redução de custos operacionais. Nesse sentido, sob a hipótese de que quanto maior o tempo de inatividade de processamento de madeira, maior será o custo para empresa. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar os fatores que influenciam nas paralizações não programadas no processamento de toras de Eucalyptus dunnii na produção de cavacos e avaliar a eficiência das ações mitigadoras implementadas para otimizar a operação e maximizar a produção de cavacos. Para a condução desta investigação uma análise preliminar foi realizada a partir do banco de dados do software PI System utilizado pela empresa para gestão da linha de processamento de madeira, no qual foi identificado os principais equipamentos e serviços responsáveis pelos desligamentos não programados. Em seguida, os dados de tempo de paralização e de produção foram comparados considerando o resultado antes e depois da implementação da ação de melhoria. A padronização da matéria-prima foi um dos principais resultados pois influenciou na redução dos entupimentos na entrada da linha de processamento, garantindo um aumento na produção de cavacos em 10 t horas-1 por mês. No geral, todas as ações implementadas foram eficientes exceto para a troca de facas do picador que não foi suficiente para atingir a meta estabelecida.
Analysis of the Relationship between Housing Prices and Regional Characteristics Using Machine Learning and XAI
Authors:   Korea Real Estate Research Institute, Yang Geon Pil , Chun Hae Jung
Published: October 2022

This study aims to explain the relationship between variables that were not explained in the existing machine learning methodology by interpreting the relationship between apartment prices and regional characteristic variables using the XAI methodology. Furthermore, the study's goal is to collect various regional variables (population, occupation, income/consumption) in the basic area unit (postcode unit) that could not be addressed in previous domestic studies due to data collection difficulties. In terms of the independent variable, a dataset was created for each facility, population, occupation, income/consumption, and the dependent variable. The relationship between independent and dependent variables was inferred using a random forest among XGBoost and Bagging models and SHAP models among XAI methodologies on the constructed dataset. The spatial scope of the analysis was determined by dividing Seoul Metropolitan Government into national basic zone units, the content range was apartment among houses, and the period was empirically analyzed in 2021. Results reveal that the proportion of high income, the proportion of rental income, and the number of apartments positively affect apartment prices, whereas the proportion of low income, bus stop, and the number of multi-family houses negatively affect apartment prices.
Blood-sucking mosquitoes: some aspects of insecticide resistance
Authors:   Institute of Disinfectology of the Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, Eremina Olga Yurevna , Olifer Veronika Valentinovna ,   Institute of Disinfectology of the Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman
Published: October 2022

The modern data of the world scientific literature on resistance to a wide range of insecticides from different chemical groups, concerning natural populations of the most epidemiologically significant species of blood-sucking mosquitoes belonging to the three genera Aedes, Culex, Anopheles, are presented. Most studies are carried out according to the recommendations of the World Health Organization method ("bottle test"). The distribution of resistance is patchy across regions and may vary within a country. A number of genetic mutations responsible for the development of resistance have been described. Keywords: blood-sucking mosquitoes, resistance, insecticides, mosquito Vectors,
About the insect vectors of cholera in connection with the continued threats of its importation to Russia
Authors:   Institute of Disinfectology of the Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman, Roslavtseva Svetlana Aleksandrovna , Alekseev Mikhail Anatolevich ,   Institute of Disinfectology of the Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman
Published: October 2022

The article presents data on cholera pathogens, mechanisms and ways of its transmission, as well as on the periods of cholera outbreaks in the world and on insect vectors of this particularly dangerous infectious disease. Keywords: cholera, pathogens, insect vectors, flies, cockroaches.