bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Distribution and molecular evolution of the anti-CRISPR family AcrIF7
Authors: Figueroa Wendy , Cazares Adrian , Cazares Daniel , Wu Yi , de la Cruz Ana , Welch Martin , Kameyama Luis , Nobrega Franklin L. , Guarneros Gabriel
Published: April 2023

Anti-clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) are proteins capable of blocking CRISPR-Cas systems and typically their genes are located on mobile genetic elements. Since their discovery, numerous anti-CRISPR families have been identified. However, little is known about the distribution and sequence diversity of members within a family, nor how these traits influence the anti-CRISPR’s function and evolution. Here, we use AcrIF7 to explore the dissemination and molecular evolution of an anti-CRISPR family. We uncovered 5 subclusters and prevalent anti-CRISPR variants within the group. Remarkably, AcrIF7 homologs display high similarity despite their broad geographical, ecological, and temporal distribution. Although mainly associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, AcrIF7 was identified in distinct genetic backgrounds indicating horizontal dissemination, primarily by phages. Using mutagenesis, we recreated variation observed in databases but also extended the sequence diversity of the group. Characterisation of the variants identified residues key for the anti-CRISPR function and other contributing to its mutational tolerance. Moreover, molecular docking revealed that variants with affected function lose key interactions with its CRISPR-Cas target. Analysis of publicly available data and the generated variants suggests that the dominant AcrIF7 variant corresponds to the minimal and optimal anti-CRISPR selected in the family. Our study provides a blueprint to investigate the molecular evolution of anti-CRISPR families.
MitoTNT: Mitochondrial Temporal Network Tracking for 4D live-cell fluorescence microscopy data
Authors: Wang Zichen , Natekar Parth , Tea Challana , Tamir Sharon , Hakozaki Hiroyuki , Schöneberg Johannes
Published: April 2023

Mitochondria form a network in the cell that rapidly changes through fission, fusion, and motility. Dysregulation of this four-dimensional (4D: x,y,z,time) network is implicated in numerous diseases ranging from cancer to neurodegeneration. While lattice light-sheet microscopy has recently made it possible to image mitochondria in 4D, quantitative analysis methods for the resulting datasets have been lacking. Here we present MitoTNT, the first-in-class software forMitochondrialTemporalNetworkTracking in 4D live-cell fluorescence microscopy data. MitoTNT uses spatial proximity and network topology to compute an optimal tracking assignment. To validate the accuracy of tracking, we created a reaction-diffusion simulation to model mitochondrial network motion and remodeling events. We found that our tracking is >90% accurate for ground-truth simulations and agrees well with published motility results for experimental data. We used MitoTNT to quantify 4D mitochondrial networks from human induced pluripotent stem cells. First, we characterized sub-fragment motility and analyzed network branch motion patterns. We revealed that the skeleton node motion is correlated along branch nodes and is uncorrelated in time. Second, we identified fission and fusion events with high spatiotemporal resolution. We found that mitochondrial skeleton nodes near the fission/fusion sites move nearly twice as fast as random skeleton nodes and that microtubules play a role in mediating selective fission/fusion. Finally, we developed graph-based transport simulations that model how material would distribute on experimentally measured mitochondrial temporal networks. We showed that pharmacological perturbations increase network reachability but decrease network resilience through a combination of altered mitochondrial fission/fusion dynamics and motility. MitoTNT’s easy-to-use tracking module, interactive 4D visualization capability, and powerful post-tracking analyses aim at making temporal network tracking accessible to the wider mitochondria research community.
Calibrating agent-based models to tumor images using representation learning
Authors: Cess Colin G. , Finley Stacey D.
Published: April 2023

Agent-based models (ABMs) have enabled great advances in the study of tumor development and therapeutic response, allowing researchers to explore the spatiotemporal evolution of the tumor and its microenvironment. However, these models face serious drawbacks in the realm of parameterization – ABM parameters are typically set individually based on various data and literature sources, rather than through a rigorous parameter estimation approach. While ABMs can be fit to simple time-course data (such as tumor volume), that type of data loses the spatial information that is a defining feature of ABMs. While tumor images provide spatial information, it is exceedingly difficult to compare tumor images to ABM simulations beyond a qualitative visual comparison. Without a quantitative method of comparing the similarity of tumor images to ABM simulations, a rigorous parameter fitting is not possible. Here, we present a novel approach that applies neural networks to represent both tumor images and ABM simulations as low dimensional points, with the distance between points acting as a quantitative measure of difference between the two. This enables a quantitative comparison of tumor images and ABM simulations, where the distance between simulated and experimental images can be minimized using standard parameter-fitting algorithms. Here, we describe this method and present two examples to demonstrate the application of the approach to estimate parameters for two distinct ABMs. Overall, we provide a novel method to robustly estimate ABM parameters.
A novel adaptive network intrusion detection system for internet of things
Authors: Aravamudhan Parthiban , T Kanimozhi
Published: April 2023

Cyber-attack is one of the most challenging aspects of information technology. After the emergence of the Internet of Things, which is a vast network of sensors, technology started moving towards the Internet of Things (IoT), many IoT based devices interplay in most of the application wings like defence, healthcare, home automation etc., As the technology escalates, it gives an open platform for raiders to hack the network devices. Even though many traditional methods and Machine Learning algorithms are designed hot, still it “Have a Screw Loose” in detecting the cyber-attacks. To “Pull the Plug on” an effective “Intrusion Detection System (IDS)” is designed with “Deep Learning” technique. This research work elucidates the importance in detecting the cyber-attacks as “Anomaly” and “Normal”. Fast Region-Based Convolution Neural Network (Fast R-CNN), a deep convolution network is implemented to develop an efficient and adaptable IDS. After hunting many research papers and articles, “Gradient Boosting” is found to be a powerful optimizer algorithm that gives us a best results when compared to other existing methods. This algorithm uses “Regression” tactics, a statistical technique to predict the continuous target variable that correlates between the variables. To create a structured valid dataset, a stacked model is made by implementing the two most popular dimensionality reduction techniques Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) algorithms. The brainwaves made us to hybridize Fast R-CNN and Gradient Boost Regression (GBR) which reduces the loss function, processing time and boosts the model’s performance. All the above said methods are trained and tested with NIDS dataset V.10 2017. Finally, the “Decision Making” model decides the best result by giving an alert message. Our proposed model attains a high accuracy of 99.5% in detecting the “Cyber Attacks”. The experiment results revealed that the effectiveness of our proposed model surpasses other deep neural network and machine learning techniques which have less accuracy.
One-year oral health outcome of a community-based trial in schoolchildren aged 6–7 years old in Tehran, Iran
Authors: Babaei Azadeh , Pakdaman Afsaneh , Shamshiri Ahmad Reza , Khazaei Pegah , Hessari Hossein
Published: April 2023

Promoting schoolchildren’s oral health is important, particularly in developing countries. This study was conducted to monitor the oral health of schoolchildren aged 6–7 years old following the implementation of an oral health promotion program in Tehran, Iran. The protocol was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (Code: IRCT20090307001749N4). A cluster random sampling method was applied, and the schools were randomly allocated to intervention and control groups. An intervention package consisting of a one-day workshop for parents and supervised toothbrushing for children was employed. In both groups, the Caries Assessment Spectrum and Treatment (CAST) and Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHI-S) were evaluated at baseline and at one-year follow-up in addition to the questionnaire data. Clinical data were collected by calibrated examiners at both intervals (Kappa = 89.8%, 87.68%) and analyzed using the SPSS software ver. 22.0. Of 739 children included at baseline, 593 were re-examined after one year (response rate = 74%). According to the Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) analysis, considering the confounding effect of time, significantly more children in the control group had deciduous molars with a score of 3 and higher compared to the intervention group (OR = 1.79; 95% CI:1.17–2.73, p = 0.007). The oral hygiene status of the children significantly improved in the intervention group compared to the controls (B = -0.27; 95% CI: -0.45 –-0.08, p = 0.005). After one year, the improvement in the oral health-related attitude of parents and children’s oral health behavior was marginally significant in the intervention group compared to the control group [0.2 (0.17) vs. -0.13 (0.05), p = 0.096] and [0.06 (0.06) vs. -0.05 (0.04), p = 0.09], respectively. However, the impact on the oral health-related knowledge and self-reported behavior of the parents was not significant. In the intervention group, children had less caries and a better oral hygiene status compared to the controls after one year.
Respiratory disease in workers handling cross-linked water-soluble acrylic acid polymer
Authors: Kishimoto Takumi , Okamoto Kenzo , Koda Shigeki , Ono Mariko , Umeda Yumi , Yamano Shotaro , Takeda Tomoki , Rai Kammei , Kato Katsuya , Nishimura Yasumitsu , Kobashi Yoichiro , Kawamura Tetsuji
Published: April 2023

Eight workers involved in packing cross-linked water-soluble acrylic acid polymer, an organic substance, developed pulmonary fibrosis, and the upper lobe was the most affected. The dust concentration in the polymer packing workstation was measured. Chest computed tomography (CT) was obtained for 82 individuals, including the 8 workers mentioned above. Three workers were histopathologically examined. In six of these eight workers, central pulmonary fibrosis and secondary bulla formation caused pneumothorax. Histopathologically, multiple centrilobular fibrotic foci were observed. Chest CT revealed centrilobular nodular opacity and interlobular septal thickening, suggesting early lesions in the workers because the dust concentration was remarkably high. Although the pathogenesis of the disease is unclear, we reported the occurrence of pulmonary fibrosis caused by the exposure to cross-linked water-soluble acrylic acid polymers in humans as it has not been reported earlier.
Force-plate derived predictors of lateral jump performance in NCAA Division-I men’s basketball players
Authors: Reiter Charles R. , Killelea Carolyn , Faherty Mallory S. , Zerega Ryan J. , Westwood Caroline , Sell Timothy C.
Published: April 2023

A lateral jump assessment may provide unique benefits in sports such as basketball that require multidirectional performance optimization. This study aimed to examine selected force-plate derived metrics as predictors of lateral jump task distance in men’s basketball players. Twenty-two NCAA Division-I men’s basketball players (19.4 ± 1.3 years, 95.0 ± 12.5 kg, 196.5 ± 8.1 cm) each performed six single leg lateral jumps while standing on a force plate (1200 Hz, Kistler Instrument Corp). The lateral jump task involved the subject beginning by standing on the force plate and jumping sideways off one foot and then landing on the floor with the opposite foot. Three-dimensional ground reaction force curves were used to identify the eccentric and concentric phases of the jump and variables were computed each from the lateral (y), vertical (z), and resultant (r) force traces. Peak ground reaction force (pGRF), ground reaction force angle (θr), eccentric braking rate of force development (ECC-RFD), average concentric force (CON-AVG), total jump duration, eccentric phase duration, and eccentric to total time ratio were evaluated for predictive ability. Three regression models were able to significantly (p<0.05) predict jump distance: (1) pGRFy, pGRFz, and θr (p<0.001, R2 = 0.273), (2) Relative pGRFy, Relative pGRFz, and θr ((p<0.001, R2 = 0.214), and (3) Relative CON-AVGy and Relative pGRFr (p<0.001, R2 = 0.552). While several force plate-derived metrics were identified as significant predictors, a model with Relative CON-AVGy and Relative pGRFr explained a greater variability in performance (R2 = 0.55) compared to the other variables which were low, yet also significant. These results suggest that lateral ground reaction forces can be used to evaluate lateral jump performance with the use of three-dimensional force plates. The identified predictors can be used as a starting point for performance monitoring, as basketball training interventions can be directed at specific improvements in the identified metrics.
Militant cinema as an energetic alternative in the 1970s in Spain
Authors: Berzosa Alberto , Vindel Jaime
Published: April 2023

This article will examine the significance of the alternative film scene, as seen in the Spanish militant cinema of this period, through an analysis of the film Les energies (‘The energies’) (1979–80) by the Cooperativa de Cinema Alternatiu (CCA – Alternative Cinema Cooperative) that helped to trigger the debate on the energy question in Spain in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The militant Spanish cinema of that time was produced in some exceptionally precarious conditions as well as had limited access to financial resources and remained marginal to official film industry systems. The article will discuss how these production conditions led the CCA to adopt a specific material filmmaking mode with a low ecological impact. Emerging as a consequence of a production context marked by precariousness and (semi-)clandestinity, it was a mode of production developed in parallel to the rise of environmental awareness in Spain, which had – as the first part of this article explores – a decisive influence on the CCA. In turn, as the article goes on to discuss, the environmentalist discourse would itself end up determining the narrative content of one of the CCA’s most important films, Les energies.
Interview with Jasmina Cibic by Chris Clarke
Authors: Clarke Chris , Cibic Jasmina
Published: April 2023

Jasmina Cibic’s artistic practice across film, performance and installation rigorously interrogates the aesthetics of politics. Her works are situated within grandiose architectural settings of national pride and power, from state assemblies to cultural monuments, while drawing on the historical events and individuals that determine shared conceptions of identity. In this interview, Cibic discusses ideas of soft power in relation to several recent projects, including the 2021 film The Gift, State of Illusion from 2018, and the Nada trilogy of 2016–17. In each of these projects, artistic production is examined in terms of its relationship to propaganda, ideology and identification, the ways in which culture is utilized and whom it is intended to serve.
Still Present! – 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, curated by Kader Attia in collaboration with Ana Teixeira Pinto, Đỗ Tường Linh, Marie Helene Pereira, Noam Segal and Rasha Salti
Authors: Walsh Maria
Published: April 2023

Review of: Still Present! – 12th Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art, curated by Kader Attia in collaboration with Ana Teixeira Pinto, Đỗ Tường Linh, Marie Helene Pereira, Noam Segal and Rasha Salti

Akademie der Künste Hanseatenweg and Pariser Platz; Dekoloniale Memory Culture in the City; Hamburger Bahnhof Museum for Contemporary Art; KW Institute for Contemporary Art; and Stasi Headquarters, Campus for Democracy, Berlin. 11 June–18 September 2022
Becoming Palestine: Toward an Archival Imagination of the Future, Gil Z. Hochberg (2021)
Authors: Wilson-Goldie Kaelen
Published: April 2023

Review of: Becoming Palestine: Toward an Archival Imagination of the Future, Gil Z. Hochberg (2021)

Durham, NC and London: Duke University Press, 208 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-47801-482-9, p/bk, $24.95
Narrative transportation, identification, and storytelling in

environmental (science) communication
Authors: Rabelista Nijhof Awi
Published: April 2023

In this day and age, one of our most challenging communication topics is climate change and the degradation of nature (Fraenkel, 2020). The old model of science communication - whereby scientists in lab coats communicate their facts and truth through mass communication channels - is coming to an end (Climate Outreach, 2017). The science of science communication is a developing body (Climate Outreach, 2017; Corner & Clarke, 2016). There is an urgent need to understand how narratives can contribute to communicating about environmental science more effectively, by aligning with the needs and values of different audiences (Climate Outreach, 2017). Using narratives in environmental communication has become increasingly common (Smith et al., 2014). Yet, many scientists are uncertain about how to communicate and translate their research into compelling stories (Martinez-Conde et al., 2019). This study aims to give scientists and environmental organisations insight into the mechanisms of narrative persuasive storytelling and how an audience processes stories. It concludes that stories are uniquely suited for changing emotionally held opinions and beliefs, and can help individuals to understand complex and abstract scientific subjects. Furthermore, this study concludes that identification is a vital element in narrative persuasion.
Reflections on the particular and the universal: unity and diversity in social life and social theory
Authors: Streeck Wolfgang
Published: April 2023

How do the general and the specific, or unity and diversity, relate to social life and political practice? The essay investigates four areas of social theory that may be fruitfully explored in terms of a constitutive tension between universal and local forces: endogenous institutional change, the role of intermediary organizations in the governance of industrial relations, nation-building, and the origin of capitalist diversity.
Changing lifestyles in converted forests: the impact of logging operations on the Orang Rimba, Jambi, Indonesia
Authors: Persoon G. , Wardani E.M.
Published: April 2023

The landscape of Central Sumatra has changed rapidly over the past few decades. Industrial logging and the subsequent conversion of the lowland rainforests into oil palm and rubber plantations, the establishment of transmigration sites and the ever-expanding road network have forced
the forest dwelling communities of the Orang Rimba to adapt their traditional modes of subsistence. Traditional hunting, fishing and gathering simply did not yield enough food and forest products for exchange purposes anymore. In this contribution an overview will be given of the impact of
large-scale logging and the processes of forest conversion that have taken place in the wake of the logging operations. The article covers a period of about four decades in which fieldwork by both authors has taken place at various periods. It will show the various ways the Orang Rimba have
reacted to the challenges and the opportunities that emerged as a result of these operations.
The informal sawn wood value chains in Uganda: structure and actors
Authors: Kambugu R.K. , Banana A.Y. , Byakagaba P. , Bosse C. , Ihalainen M. , Mukasa C. , Schoneveld G. , Zziwa A. , Cerutti P.O.
Published: April 2023

With increasing scarcity and spatial dispersion of tree resources, Uganda's forest sector – similarly to several other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa – has experienced a shift from the large-scale concessionary model historically used to access and harvest forests, to more
versatile models involving smaller-scale operators. The timber they produce is sold not only locally in producer countries but also across borders and beyond. Yet small-scale operators largely work outside established regulatory frameworks and as such remain invisible to national and international
production and trade statistics, rendering these players voiceless during policy-reform processes. Uganda is no exception, and little is known about the nature of people involved in various small-scale forestry activities, the constraints they face in day-to-day operations, and the dynamics
that influence these aspects. Through 452 interviews, of a random sample of actors engaged directly in the sawn wood value chain, conducted between 2016 and 2019, this paper describes sawn wood flows from production areas to markets in Uganda. It assesses the socioeconomic characteristics
of operators and the organisation of activities. Findings indicate that the majority of actors in the informal sawn wood value chain are adult males, belonging to a limited number of ethnic groups, exogenous to logging areas and generally deriving their income from the timber business. The
sawn wood value chain shows a high degree of fragmentation, with low levels of organisation and lack of vertical and horizontal integration. We conservatively estimate the total volumes sold annually between 386,000 and 467,000 cubic meters of sawn wood. With the expected progressive shift
from natural forests to plantations as the primary source of wood, it is key for the Government of Uganda to embrace a paradigm shift on the current policy framework, to ensure that it facilitates rather than constrains the sawn wood value chain, since most of the timber will be sourced from
privately owned forests instead of State-owned forests. If most legal provisions remain based on the latter, it is likely that legality will remain the exception rather than the norm.
How to kill a sage: North Korean discourse on Jizi/Kija 箕子
Authors: Glomb Vladimir
Published: April 2023

After liberation in 1945, the new North Korean regime initiated a process to liquidate so-called “old” or “feudal” thought. One prime target of the North Korean authorities was the myth of Jizi 箕子 (kor. Kija) and the story of his migration to the Korean Peninsula. The elimination of Kija and his legacy was a complicated task; the ancient legend of the Shang dynasty sage who brought civilisation and culture to the Korean people was widely known in all strata of Korean society, deeply ingrained in thousands of literary works, and the new North Korean capital, Pyongyang, was the traditional centre of the Kija cult. In spite of censorship, physical destructions of Kija-related relics, or academic conferences, which tried to repudiate the link between Kija and the Chosŏn state on a scientific basis, the North Korean authorities were never able to fully suppress the old narrative. The ancient sage remains, until nowadays, a problematic point for North Korean historiography and cultural memory.
Radiation environment and effect detection based on global navigation constellation
Authors: Quan Lin , Wang Dongya , Zhang Qingxiang , Zhang Shenyi , Li Ling , Wang Shuai , Jing Tao , Meng Yinan , Liu Yenan , Tian Chao
Published: April 2023

Combining the anomalies and environmental monitoring data of the early stage Beidou satellites, the space radiation environment spatial/temporal distribution and space radiation effect risk characteristics are analyzed, and the dynamic characteristics of space environmental factors, such as hot plasma, high-energy electron and solar proton are summarized. The systematic joint monitoring for surface charging, internal charging, single event effect and total dose effect with corresponding space environment factors is proposed. The detector types, measurement parameters range and engineering constraints are allocated, and the engineering application and scientific research of detection data are prospected.
Effects of storage conditions on the stability of blood-based markers for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Mansilla Andrea , Canyelles Marina , Ferrer Rosa , Arranz Javier , Rodríguez-Baz Íñigo , Zhu Nuole , Rubio-Guerra Sara , El Bounasri Shaimaa , Sánchez Oriol , Torres Soraya , Fortea Juan , Lleó Alberto , Alcolea Daniel , Tondo Mireia
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is considered the most common cause of dementia in older people. Recently, blood-based markers (BBM) Aβ1-42, Aβ1-40, and phospho Tau181 (p-Tau181) have demonstrated the potential to transform the diagnosis and prognostic assessment of AD. Our aim was to investigate the effect of different storage conditions on the quantification of these BBM and to evaluate the interchangeability of plasma and serum samples.

Methods

Forty-two individuals with some degree of cognitive impairment were studied. Thirty further patients were retrospectively selected. Aβ1-42, Aβ1-40, and p-Tau181 were quantified using the LUMIPULSE-G600II automated platform. To assess interchangeability between conditions, correction factors for magnitudes that showed strong correlations were calculated, followed by classification consistency studies.

Results

Storing samples at 4 °C for 8–9 days was associated with a decrease in Aβ fractions but not when stored for 1–2 days. Using the ratio partially attenuated the pre-analytical effects. For p-Tau181, samples stored at 4 °C presented lower concentrations, whereas frozen samples presented higher ones. Concerning classification consistency in comparisons that revealed strong correlations (p-Tau181), the percentage of total agreement was greater than 90 % in a large number of the tested cut-offs values.

Conclusions

Our findings provide relevant information for the standardization of sample collection and storage in the analysis of AD BBM in an automated platform. This knowledge is crucial to ensure their introduction into clinical settings.
Transnational Business Services, Cultural Transformation/Identity, and Employee Performance: With Special Focus on Migration Experience and Emigration Plan
Authors: Kotorri Dushi Arlinda
Published: April 2023

The aim of this article is to analyze the impact of cultural identity centrality on stress, burnout, probability to leave the job, and job performance in the context of cultural transformation requirements, which is common in transnational business services. The key contribution of this analysis consists of controlling for the effects of migration experience and migration plan neglected so far in the relevant literature. This study also includes the first-time use of a random sample of 200 Kosovan call center employees. Findings indicate that individual identity centrality and organizational identity centrality are positively associated with stress and burnout. National identity centrality, however, reduces stress and burnout, but it is statistically significant only in the burnout model. As expected, empirical results suggest that migration experience reduces stress and burnout, while migration plan increases employee performance. Further results indicate that the probability to leave the job is enhanced by perceived job stress and reduced by perceived job satisfaction.
Cognitive biases in internal medicine: a scoping review
Authors: Loncharich Michael F. , Robbins Rachel C. , Durning Steven J. , Soh Michael , Merkebu Jerusalem
Published: April 2023

Background

Medical errors account for up to 440,000 deaths annually, and cognitive errors outpace knowledge deficits as causes of error. Cognitive biases are predispositions to respond in predictable ways, and they don’t always result in error. We conducted a scoping review exploring which biases are most prevalent in Internal Medicine (IM), if and how they influence patient outcomes, and what, if any, debiasing strategies are effective.

Content

We searched PubMed, OVID, ERIC, SCOPUS, PsychINFO, and CINAHL. Search terms included variations of “bias”, “clinical reasoning”, and IM subspecialties. Inclusion criteria were: discussing bias, clinical reasoning, and physician participants.

Fifteen of 334 identified papers were included. Two papers looked beyond general IM: one each in Infectious Diseases and Critical Care. Nine papers distinguished bias from error, whereas four referenced error in their definition of bias. The most commonly studied outcomes were diagnosis, treatment, and physician impact in 47 % (7), 33 % (5), and 27 % (4) of studies, respectively. Three studies directly assessed patient outcomes. The most commonly cited biases were availability bias (60 %, 9), confirmation bias (40 %, 6), anchoring (40 %, 6), and premature closure (33 %, 5). Proposed contributing features were years of practice, stressors, and practice setting. One study found that years of practice negatively correlated with susceptibility to bias. Ten studies discussed debiasing; all reported weak or equivocal efficacy.

Outlook

We found 41 biases in IM and 22 features that may predispose physicians to bias. We found little evidence directly linking biases to error, which could account for the weak evidence of bias countermeasure efficacy. Future study clearly delineating bias from error and directly assessing clinical outcomes would be insightful.
Recognition, diagnostic practices, and cancer outcomes among patients with unintentional weight loss (UWL) in primary care
Authors: Rao Goutham , Ufholz Kelsey , Saroufim Paola , Menegay Harry , Beno Mark
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Identify the incidence, rate of physician recognition, diagnostic practices and cancer outcomes for unintentional weight loss (UWL).

Methods

We completed a secondary analysis of structured and unstructured EHR data collected from adult patients between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021. We used four common definitions to define UWL, excluding patients with known causes of weight loss, intentional weight loss, and pregnancy. Unstructured physicians’ notes were used to identify both intentional weight loss (e.g. dieting) as well as physician recognition of UWL. Cancer outcomes were identified within 12 months of UWL using diagnostic codes. Physician actions (lab tests, etc.) in response to UWL were identified through manual chart review.

Results

Among 29,494 established primary care patients with a minimum of two weight measurements in 2020 and in 2021, we identified 290 patients who met one or more criteria for UWL (1 %). UWL was recognized by physicians in only 60 (21 %). UWL was more common and more likely to be recognized among older patients. Diagnostic practices were quite variable. A complete blood count, complete metabolic profile, and thyroid stimulating hormone level were the three most common tests ordered in response to UWL. Five patients were diagnosed with cancer within 12 months of UWL (3 in whom UWL was recognized; two in whom it was not.)

Conclusions

Unintentional weight loss is poorly recognized across a diverse range of patients. A lack of research-informed guidance may explain both low rates of recognition and variability in diagnostic practices.
Development of a student-created internal medicine frameworks website for healthcare trainees
Authors: Murdock H. Moses , Ehrie Jarrod , Bennett Nadia L. , Kogan Jennifer R.
Published: April 2023

Objectives

Describe medical student perspectives on framework learning and develop a free, online, mobile-friendly framework website.

Methods

Internal medicine clerkship students were surveyed at a single U.S. medical school regarding how they learn frameworks. We used Draw.io to create frameworks, which were edited by expert clinicians. Frameworks were hosted online through an academic server, and Google analytics was used to track website activity.

Results

Most medical students report learning frameworks from attending clinicians. We developed 87 frameworks on the “Penn Frameworks’’ website, which was visited by 9,539 unique users from 124 countries over three years.

Conclusions

Most medical students perceive that they learn frameworks during clinical rotations from attending clinicians. We found that it is feasible to develop a low-cost, expert-curated, mobile-friendly resource to supplement in-person learning.
Design, synthesis, and antiviral activities evaluation of novel quinazoline derivatives containing sulfonamide moiety
Authors: Deng Yi , Yin Shitao , Jing Xinyun , Zheng Yuguo
Published: April 2023

A series of novel quinazoline derivatives bearing sulfonamide moiety was designed and synthesized, and their structure were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS techniques. Among them, the structure of compound E1 was further confirmed through X-ray single-crystal diffraction analyses. Their anti-Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) activities were evaluated through half-leaf method. The bioassay results showed that E8 and E19 possess excellent inhibitory activity towards TMV. The EC50 of curative activities, protective activities, and inactivating activities of E8 and E19 are 132.1, 152.8, 57.4 mg/L and 278.0, 165.3, 94.5 mg/L, respectively, which are far superior than Ribavirin (318.2, 201.5, 128.6 mg/L, respectively).
Crude extract of J1 fermentation promotes apoptosis of cervical cancer cells
Authors: Yu Xia , He Qing , Zhao Wei , Zhang Shuo , Du Haixia , Lin Zhengyu , Han Xiaohui , Peng Jingjun
Published: April 2023

Cervical cancer is a typical cancer characterized by abnormal cell growth in the cervical area. Ginkgo biloba L. is a deciduous tree of the genus Ginkgo, possessing anti-cancer effects. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of strain J1 from Ginkgo biloba L. on apoptosis of cervical cancer cells. Bacteriostatic activity test, MTT assay and Flow cytometry were used in this study. Crude extract of J1 fermentation reduced cell growth in cervical cancer. The crude extract of the fermentation broth of strain J1 had a good inhibitory effect on Staphylococcus aureus. The crude extract of the J1 fermentation had no toxic effect on normal WISH cells in the range of anti-cervical cancer concentration. Crude extract of J1 fermentation induced apoptosis and regulated cell cycle in cervical cancer. The active compounds were separated and identified by preparative chromatography, and more than ten compounds were obtained. Our study suggests that the crude extract of J1 fermentation from Endophytic fungi of Ginkgo biloba reduced cell growth, and promoted apoptosis of cervical cancer, and is a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cervical carcinoma.
Is a Secondary Currency Essential? – On the Welfare Effects of a New Currency
Authors: Fuchs Max , Michaelis Jochen
Published: April 2023

The coexistence of fiat money (cash) and digital monies constitutes a system of parallel currencies as media of exchange. This paper asks whether a new (digital) currency is essential: Does a new currency allow for a better resource allocation even if a fully accepted currency is in circulation and remains in circulation? Using the dual currency search model of Kiyotaki and Wright (1993. A search-theoretic approach to monetary economics. Am. Econ. Rev. 83: 63–77), we show how the introduction of a secondary currency affects average utility. There is some scope for a welfare improvement as the welfare effect depends on differences in returns and costs, and, in particular, on the proportion of cash traders who will be replaced by digital money traders.
Repeating the Mistakes of the Law and Development Movement in Afghanistan
Authors: Ramanujam Nandini , Agnello Alexander
Published: April 2023

The rapid collapse of the Afghan state did not come as a surprise to those who are well-versed in the chequered history of the Law and Development Movement. While the Movement’s one-size-fits-all modernization project has been largely rejected, such misguided efforts continue under the aims of “building the Rule of Law” or “improving governance.” The fallout from the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan is a stark reminder for states and multilateral organizations not to overlook the lessons of the Movement that may have been obscured by the different banners under which state- and market-building efforts have been pursued. From the Movement’s sincere yet naïve efforts of state-building between the 1950s and 70s, to its swing to build and support markets under the Washington Consensus paradigm in the 80s and 90s, and a later emphasis on good governance through state institutions from the 2000s onwards, it is clear that top-down state-building efforts have had limited success. The paper argues that the failure of the Afghanistan mission may have been avoided if the U.S. had turned to the lessons learned from the law-and-institutions-building enterprises of the past 70 years. Instead, the failure to heed these lessons led to the building of a state akin to a house of cards. By overlooking the importance of embedded cultural institutions, the legitimacy of the state as perceived by its people, and the dynamic interaction between formal and informal institutions, the state-building project in Afghanistan was bound to fail. Following the takeover by the Taliban, the small gains made in Afghanistan over the past two decades on the issues of hunger, poverty, health, and education have seen rapid deceleration and require urgent attention. The critiques outlined in this paper, informed by the experience of the Law and Development Movement, are meant to inform, not discourage, global engagement in advancing the human development agenda in Afghanistan and other fragile contexts.
Does a State’s Right to Control Borders Justify Harming Refugees?
Authors: Hillier-Smith Bradley
Published: April 2023

Certain states in the Global North have responded to refugees seeking safety on their territories through harmful practices of border violence, detention, encampment and containment that serve to prevent and deter refugee arrivals. These practices are ostensibly justified through an appeal to a right to control borders. This paper therefore assesses whether these harmful practices can indeed be morally justified by a state’s right to control borders. It analyses whether Christopher Heath Wellman’s account of a state’s right to freedom of association, which represents the most restrictive account of a state’s right to control borders available in the literature, can extend to justify current harmful practices against refugees. If not, then no available justification will be able to do so, and thus contemporary harmful practices used against refugees cannot be justified by a state’s right to control borders.
Movement or Diaspora? Understanding a Multigenerational Puebloan and Ndee Community on the Central Great Plains
Authors: Trabert Sarah , Hill Matthew E. , Beck Margaret E.
Published: April 2023

Many Indigenous groups in North America have long-held practices of using migration and movement in response to environmental and social changes. Diasporic communities, composed of migrants maintaining significant connections to their former homelands, were likely once common in refuge areas of North America, but not always recognized by archaeologists. Many Puebloan peoples in the Northern Rio Grande region of the US Southwest used movement as a way to escape Spanish colonial control after AD 1600, yet retained connections to their homelands. This Puebloan diaspora had far-reaching consequences for Native peoples across the Southwest and neighboring regions like the Great Plains. Here, we briefly summarize how diasporas are defined globally and the ways in which these definitions could shift to help us model diasporas in North America. Using the Pueblo diaspora and a multi-generational Pueblo–Ndee (Apache) community in the Central Great Plains as example, we explore the intricacies of identifying diasporas for North America within the contexts of Indigenous resistance and adaptation.
Simultaneous removal of methylene blue, copper Cu(II), and cadmium Cd(II) from synthetic wastewater using fennel-based adsorbents
Authors: Mabungela Ntandokazi , Shooto Ntaote David , Mtunzi Fanyana , Naidoo Eliazer Bobby
Published: April 2023

This work looked into viability of using fennel-based adsorbents to simultaneously eliminate cadmium, methylene blue, and copper from water solution. Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) solutions were applied to the untreated fennel seeds (PFS) to yield H3FS and CaFS, respectively. The presence of –OH, –C–O–C–, and –C=O functional groups on the surface of the adsorbents was confirmed by FTIR results. XRD and UV–Vis results established hydrolysis of cellulose from fennel seeds. According to studies on time and kinetics, the adsorption process was relatively quick in the first 60 min. Furthermore, isotherm models showed that the results fit Langmuir model more closely. This finding indicated that uptake takes place on uniform active sites on adsorbent surfaces. Studies on thermodynamics showed that the adsorption procedure was advantageous and practicable. PFS, H3FS, and CaFS had maximum Cu(II) adsorption capacities of 7.208, 5.504, and 5.791 mg/g. It was 2.274, 5.021, and 12.3 mg/g for Cd(II) by PFS, H3FS, and CaFS. PFS, H3FS, and CaFS could adsorb MB to a maximum of 11.114, 4.071, and 18.468 mg/g. Reusability studies of the adsorbents were also evaluated and the results suggested that the adsorbents can be recycled a number of times.
Relationship between exposure to heavy metals on the increased health risk and carcinogenicity of urinary tract (kidney and bladder)
Authors: Khalaf Eman M. , Taherian Masoume , Almalki Sami G. , Asban Parisa , Kareem A. K. , Alhachami Firas Rahi , Almulla Abbas F. , Romero-Parra Rosario Mireya , Jawhar Zanko Hassan , Kiani Fatemeh , Noroozi Manesh Iman , Mohammadi Mohammad Javad
Published: April 2023

In today’s society, with the continuous development of manufacturing industries and factories related to chemicals, the amount of heavy metals in the inhaled air of humans, water and even food consumption has increased dramatically. The aim of this study was investigation of relationship between exposure to heavy metals on the increased carcinogenicity risk of kidney and bladder. Databases used to for searched were the Springer, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct (Scopus) and PubMed. At the end after sieve we selected 20 papers. Identify all relevant studies published 2000–2021. The results of this study showed that exposure to heavy metals due to the bio accumulative properties of these metals can cause kidney and bladder abnormalities and provide the basis through various mechanisms for malignant tumors in these organs. Based on result this study, since a limited number of heavy metals including copper, iron, zinc and nickel in very small amounts as micronutrients play a very important role in the function of enzymes and the body cells biological reactions, but exposure to some of them like arsenic, lead, vanadium and mercury will cause irreversible effects on people’s health and cause various diseases including cancers of the liver, pancreas, prostate, breast, kidney and bladder. The kidneys, ureter and bladder are the most important organs in the urinary tract on human. According to the result of this study, the duty of this urinary system is to remove toxins, chemicals and heavy metals from the blood, balance electrolytes, excrete excess fluid, produce urine and transfer it to the bladder. This mechanism causes the kidneys and bladder to be highly associated with these toxins and heavy metals, which can lead to various diseases in these two important organs. According to the finding the reducing exposure to heavy metals in various ways can prevent many diseases related to this system and reduce the incidence of kidney and bladder cancers.
Effect of Defect Variability in Aluminum Alloys on Ultrasonic Fatigue Performance across Additive Manufacturing Platforms
Authors: Phukan Harsha , Rhein Robert K. , Sanaei Niloofar , Kallivayalil Jacob , Johnson Eric , Carroll Jason
Published: April 2023

Optimization of process parameters is a critical step toward realization of component builds across multiple additive manufacturing (AM) platforms and broadening the deployment of AM processes. The main focus of the present work is the quantification of defect variability and fatigue performance of builds across multiple laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) equipment. This study of variability is predicated upon the hypothesis that, given process variables yielding a similar percentage/type of porosity based on process maps for multiple AM platforms, the defect size distribution across them should be similar. Aluminum alloy (AlSi10Mg) specimens of cylindrical geometry built on three different L-PBF machines are characterized using computed tomography. The distributions of defect size are compared using Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests. Ultrasonic fatigue testing is used to quantify fatigue properties of the builds from the different L-PBF machines under fully reversed loading conditions. Finally, fatigue performance is correlated to the defect distribution in builds across the three platforms.
Co-circulation, Co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza Virus, Where Will it Go?
Authors: Wang Shuai-xing , Wang Da-yan
Published: April 2023

COVID-19 has led to unprecedented public health challenges and may become a long-term problem for humans. Influenza, an important infectious disease that causes seasonal influenza, and can potentially reach pandemic status, has led to concerns regarding co-circulation with COVID-19. On the basis of surveillance data for COVID-19 and influenza reported to the WHO in the past 3 years, both infections did not peak together. The co-infection rate (0.7%) for COVID-19 and influenza was relatively low. However, the co-infection rate was significantly higher among people with relatively low immunity and severe symptoms, and co-infection might increase the proportion of severe illness and mortality. Awareness of co-infection is important, and timely evaluation of the risk of co-circulation and co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus will be critical in upcoming influenza seasons. Measures should be taken to prevent co-infection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus, including maximizing uptake of the influenza vaccination and early use of anti-influenza drugs, particularly in groups at high risk of both diseases. Furthermore, prevention and control strategies should include not only SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus, but also other respiratory diseases, to better prevent the co-occurrence of multiple diseases.
A sting in the tail—are antibodies against the C‐terminus of Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein protective?
Authors: Murdoch Jem , Baum Jake
Published: April 2023

Malaria remains a huge burden on global public health. Annually there are more than 200 million cases with > 600,000 deaths worldwide, the vast majority of which occur within Sub‐Saharan Africa (WHO; World Malaria Report, 2021). Malaria disease is the consequence of infection by a protozoan parasite from the genus Plasmodium with most morbidity and mortality caused by P. falciparum. With rates of infection plateauing and rebounding in some areas (in particular, as a result of the disruption caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic), there have been increasing calls for new initiatives that can reduce malaria incidence towards local elimination or the hoped for goal of global eradication. In 2021, the World Health Organisation approved the first malaria vaccine RTS,S/AS01 (also called Mosquirix™), indicating it to be safe for use in young children and advocating its integration into routine immunisation programmes. Approval of this vaccine clearly represents a major landmark in global efforts towards malaria control and eradication aspirations. RTS,S modest efficacy, however, points at the need to better understand immune responses to the parasite if we hope to design next generation malaria vaccines with increased potency.