bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two new species of the Andean genera Leptopeltus Bernhauer and Leptopeltoides Chani-Posse & Asenjo (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Staphylininae) from the tropical Andes, with a new country record and an updated phylogeny
Authors: RODRÍGUEZ-MELGAREJO MARYZENDER , CHANI-POSSE MARIANA
Published: August 2024

The tropical Andes are known as a biodiversity hotspot with the highest percentage of endemic plants and vertebrates in the world. The Andean genera Leptopeltus Bernhauer and Leptopeltoides Chani-Posse & Asenjo contain six and four species respectively, most of which occur in the Andean highlands near 3000 m. Here, we describe two new species of the subtribe Philonthina, recently discovered in the northern Peruvian Andes: Leptopeltus dieguezi sp. nov. and Leptopeltoides nilveri sp. nov. To test the phylogenetic position of these new taxa, a dataset of 50 morphological characters scored for 16 taxa, including all currently known species of Leptopeltus, and Leptopeltoides, was prepared and analysed by maximum parsimony. Our analysis clearly placed L. dieguezi sp. nov. and Le. nilveri sp. nov. within Leptopeltus and Leptopeltoides, respectively, each of them in a well-supported clade. In addition, Le. nilveri sp. nov. represents the first country record of the genus for Peru. An updated phylogeny and distribution map of the species of Leptopeltus and Leptopeltoides, as well as revised keys to the species of these two genera, are provided.
Implementation of a multimodal home-based rehabilitation intervention after discharge from inpatient geriatric rehabilitation (GeRas): an early qualitative process evaluation
Authors: Roth Catharina , Maier Leonie , Abel Bastian , Roigk Patrick , Rapp Kilian , Schmidberger Oliver , Bongartz Martin , Maier Simone , Wirth Isabel , Metz Brigitte , Immel Désirée , Finger Benjamin , Schölch Sabine , Büchele Gisela , Deuster Oliver , Koenig Hans‑Helmut , Gottschalk Sophie , Dams Judith , Micol William , Bauer Jürgen M. , Wensing Michel , Benzinger Petra
Published: August 2024

Background

Geriatric rehabilitation aims at increasing physical and social activity and maintaining the functional reserve of older people. However, the continuity of geriatric rehabilitation in the outpatient setting is limited due to a lack of structured aftercare programs. In order to overcome this, a three-month multimodal home-based intervention program (GeRas) was implemented. The aim of this early qualitative process evaluation was to assess GeRas in terms of perceived reach, effectiveness/efficacy, adoption/uptake, implementation, and maintenance/sustainability (Domains within the RE-AIM Framework) from the perspective of patients who received the intervention and healthcare providers who were involved in the delivery of the intervention.

Methods

In a qualitative process evaluation, 13 healthcare providers and 10 patients were interviewed throughout the beginning of the implementation period of GeRas to capture early experiences using a semi-structured interview guide. The interview guide and qualitative content analysis was guided by the RE-AIM Framework.

Results

The GeRas program was perceived to be largely well implemented and beneficial by healthcare providers and patients. According to healthcare providers, GeRas showed more advantages compared to usual care. Additionally, outcome expectations were mainly met (Domain 1: Effectiveness). However, the implementation of the intervention delivered via the eHealth system was perceived as challenging (Domain 2: Adoption). Nevertheless, the outpatient physical exercise, the outpatient counselling, and the continuous care after discharge improved perceived well-being regardless of the intervention type (Domain 3: Implementation). To facilitate the continued use of GeRas, technical requirements should be created to increase user-friendliness and to motivate patients to continue the training in the long term (Domain 4: Maintenance).

Conclusion

Although initial experiences with the implementation and effectiveness of GeRas were positive in general, organisational and technical issues need to be resolved to enhance sustainable and successful implementation of the GeRas program.

Trial registration

German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00029559). Registered 5/10/2022.
Gustatory receptor 11 is involved in detecting the oviposition water of Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus
Authors: Zhao Si Yu , Wu Pei Lin , Fu Jun Yu , Wu Yi Ming , Liu Hong Kai , Cai Li Jun , Gu Jin Bao , Zhou Xiao Hong , Chen Xiao-Guang
Published: August 2024

Background

Aedes albopictus is a major arbovirus vector with small stagnant water containers being its oviposition sites. Mosquitoes search for these sites based on their olfactory cues (odor and moisture emanating from the water at the oviposition site), visual cues (size and color of the site), and gustatory cues (ion and nutrient concentration in that water). The gustatory mechanism through which mosquitoes search for oviposition sites remains unknown.

Methods

To investigate the role of taste receptors in Ae. albopictus oviposition site selection, we developed a laboratory model. This model assessed mosquito behavior in locating and detecting oviposition sites, using a location index to quantify site preference and detection time to measure response to water presence. We compared oviposition site-searching efficiency between mosquitoes with blocked and unblocked appendages, targeting the taste organs. Transcriptome sequencing was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes between water-exposed and unexposed mosquitoes. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was then employed to generate a mutant strain with a targeted gene knockout.

Results

There was no significant difference between the blocked and unblocked groups in the location index. In contrast, the detection time of the unblocked group differed significantly from all other groups, including those with blocked foreleg tarsus, midleg tarsus, hindleg tarsus, all tibia, and all tarsus. Transcriptome sequencing analyses of water-exposed and unexposed mosquitoes revealed that the taste-related gene gustatory receptor 11(gr11) was differentially expressed. This gene was knocked out with CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate a pure mutant strain with 2- and 4-bp deletions, which exhibited a significantly longer detection time than the wild-type strain.

Conclusions

This study reveals the role of Ae. albopictus gr11 in water detection at oviposition sites, thereby providing a theoretical basis and scientific guidelines for managing the breeding sites of these mosquitoes.

Graphical Abstract
Perceptions and Expectations: A Study on Prognostic Perception and Quality of Life in Patients With Metastatic Renal and Bladder Cancer
Authors: Bolek Hatice , Arslan Cagatay , Basaran Mert , Cicin İrfan , Ozguroglu Mustafa , Tural Deniz , Ürün Yüksel
Published: August 2024

PURPOSE

Durable complete response rates for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and metastatic bladder cancer (mBC) are low despite new therapy. Palliative care focuses on life extension and quality of life (QoL), not cure. This study aims to investigate patients' perceptions of treatment outcomes in mRCC and mBC and to assess the influence of QoL and optimism levels on these perceptions.

METHODS

From March 15, 2023, to January 15, 2024, a multicenter, cross-sectional online survey was carried out, targeting patients diagnosed with mRCC and mBC. The survey comprised structured questions aimed at evaluating perceptions concerning disease cure, symptom improvement, daily activity performance, and life extension due to treatment. Additionally, to evaluate optimism and QoL, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer 30.3 QoL questionnaire and life orientation test were implemented. Study on patients' perceptions of treatment outcomes in metastatic kidney and bladder cancer shows high optimism, inaccurate cure beliefs.

RESULTS

In total, 169 patients participated in the survey; the majority of the patients stated their general health status as good (72.2%) and excellent (13.6%). Patients who rated their overall health status as good-excellent had a higher median general QoL and optimism score compared with those who rated it as fair-poor. In all, 85.2% of patients considered the possibility of a cure very likely or likely. Most participants believed treatment could provide symptom relief (30.2% very likely, 49.1% likely), enhanced ability to perform daily activities (28.4% very likely, 55.6% likely), and life extension (32.5% very likely, 53.3% likely). Patients responding very likely and likely to these questions regarding treatment outcomes had higher QoL and optimism scores than those responding a little likely and not possible.

CONCLUSION

The majority of patients with mRCC and mBC held inaccurate beliefs about treatment outcomes. Better QoL and optimism were associated with increased inaccuracy.
Real-World Biomarker Test Ordering Practices in Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: Interphysician Variation and Association With Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Baron Jason M. , Widatalla Sarrah , Gubens Matthew A. , Khalil Farah
Published: August 2024

PURPOSE

Patients with metastatic or advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) need biomarker testing, including, in most cases, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and PD-L1, to identify options for targeted therapies and to optimally incorporate immune checkpoint inhibitors into therapeutic regimens. We sought to examine real-world patterns of biomarker testing, quantify interphysician practice variation, and correlate testing with clinical outcomes.

METHODS

We extracted real-world data from a nationwide electronic health record–derived deidentified database from 17,165 patients diagnosed with advanced NSCLC between 2018 and 2021 and receiving care in the community setting. We analyzed data using descriptive analyses, fixed- and mixed-effects logistic regression models, and proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

Only 67% of all 17,165 patients and 77% of patients with nonsquamous, metastatic NSCLC had ALK, EGFR, and PD-L1 testing within 90 days of diagnosis. Later diagnosis year (2019-2021 compared with 2018) was associated with higher rates of ALK, EGFR, and PD-L1 testing; stage IIIB/C disease (compared with stage IV), squamous histology, and Black or African American race were associated with lower rates. Interphysician variation was substantial with a median odds ratio between physicians (adjusted for patient factors) of 1.78 for ALK, EGFR, and PD-L1 testing. Patients with nonsquamous, metastatic NSCLC had significantly prolonged survival if tested with all three biomarkers (median, 364 days for all three v 180 for none of the three; hazard ratio, 0.67; P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Rates of biomarker testing appear suboptimal with substantial interphysician variation. Testing correlates with improved survival, although causality cannot be proven from this study. Additional work is needed to address the underlying causes of suboptimal test ordering.
Big Loans to Small Businesses: Predicting Winners and Losers in an Entrepreneurial Lending Experiment
Authors: Bryan Gharad , Karlan Dean , Osman Adam
Published: August 2024

We experimentally study the impact of relatively large enterprise loans in Egypt. Larger loans generate small average impacts, but machine learning using psychometric data reveals “ top performers” (those with the highest predicted treatment effects) substantially increase profits, while profits drop for poor performers. The large differences imply that lender credit allocation decisions matter for aggregate income, yet we find existing practice leads to substantial misallocation. We argue that some entrepreneurs are overoptimistic and squander the opportunities presented by larger loans by taking on too much risk, and show the promise of allocations based on entrepreneurial type relative to firm characteristics. (JEL C45, D22, G21, G32, L25, L26, O16)
A Reciprocity Between Tree Ensemble Optimization and Multilinear Optimization
Authors: Kim Jongeun , Richard Jean-Philippe P. , Tawarmalani Mohit
Published: August 2024

Capitalizing on the relationships between tree ensembles and multilinear functions

Tree ensembles are machine learning models used for regression and classification that combine the predictions of multiple trees. When such trained models are embedded into optimization models in the form of constraints or objectives, a key question is that of deriving best integer programming formulations for them. In “A Reciprocity Between Tree Ensemble Optimization and Multilinear Optimization,” J. Kim, J.-P. Richard, and M. Tawarmalani establish a polynomial-size reduction between the optimization of functions expressed as tree ensembles and the optimization of multilinear functions over a Cartesian product of simplices. This bidirectional reduction permits the derivation of new stronger formulations for tree ensemble optimization problems, including ideal formulations for single trees. It also provides a new framework for the construction of polynomially-sized convex hull descriptions for certain multilinear sets, which permits the generalization of many results from the literature.
Indonesian Market Response to Green Investment
Authors: Ainy Rintan Nuzul , Aisa Nabila Na'ma , Davila Pilar Ibarrondo
Published: August 2024

This research aims to determine the response of the Indonesian market to the announcement of CSR information. The Indonesian government has issued regulations regarding the implementation of CSR for companies in Indonesia. The study explores whether the Indonesian market incorporates CSR information into investment decisions. This research examines the market response to CSR information by conducting an event study on company announcements in the SRI KEHATI Index. Investments in companies listed in the SRI KEHATI Index are known as Green Investment. The market response is measured using the abnormal return value of Green Investment. The estimation window used in this research is five days before the announcement and five days after the announcement. The research results show that the Indonesian market has not fully considered CSR activities in investment decisions. Company sustainability factors such as CSR activities have not become the primary concern for Indonesian investors. This study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the market’s reaction to CSR announcements in Indonesia, where CSR is increasingly emphasized. By concentrating on SRI KEHATI index companies, the research offers valuable insights into the valuation of Green Investment.
Design of Electrical Equipment Load Visualization to Improve the Availability of Peak Load Information Using the Line Chart Method
Authors: Sidqi Faisol , Mudjahidin Mudjahidin
Published: August 2024

The management of electrical equipment load in a national power company plays a crucial role in determining company policies. However, efficient data processing is hindered by the current use of spreadsheet formats. Therefore, this research aims to design a visualization of electrical equipment load using the line chart method to improve the availability of peak load information. The research process involves identifying customer needs, conducting literature analysis, designing, as well as testing and verifying the design. The findings of this study result in an attractive and effective visualization design that provides accurate information about peak load, analyzes load trends, and identifies load patterns. With this early design, it is expected to facilitate the next steps in the coding process for the dashboard.
Chronic Health Conditions Among Adults With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in a State Medicaid System
Authors: McLean Kiley J. , Bishop Lauren
Published: August 2024

Despite a growing number of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and documented risk for adverse outcomes as they age, little is known about the health and healthcare patterns of adults with different IDD throughout adulthood. This study uses Wisconsin Medicaid claims data to characterize health conditions among adults with IDD. Results indicate high prevalence of asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension. Heart disease rates were particularly high, having been observed among 39% of autistic adults, 64% of autistic adults with intellectual disability (ID), 67% of adults with Down syndrome, and 75% of adults with ID only. Given there are no known biological differences underlying increased morbidities among most people with IDD, developing inclusive prevention measures should be prioritized in future research.
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of Pediatric Cardiac Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Survivors With Central Cannulation
Authors: Nakip Ozlem Saritas , Kesici Selman , Konuskan Gokcen Duzgun , Yazici Mutlu Uysal , Konuskan Bahadır , Bayrakci Benan
Published: August 2024

Extracorporeal life support, such as pediatric cardiac extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), is associated with significant mortality and morbidity risk. This study evaluated cardiac ECMO survivors with central cannulation and found that 51.1% were discharged from the hospital. The study also revealed high rates of developmental delay (82.7%), motor dysfunction (58.8%), and cognitive dysfunction (70.6%) among survivors. No significant correlation was found between the duration of ECMO, age at ECMO, pre-ECMO maximum lactate levels, and cognitive scores. Participants with motor dysfunction were significantly younger (p = 0.04). PRISM scores of those with an abnormal developmental status were significantly higher (p = 0.03). Logistic regression analysis did not show a significantly increased risk. Factors such as age, disease severity, and ECMO itself were identified as potential contributors to neurodevelopmental delay.
New Generation Caribbean Feminism: #beyondborders
Authors: Maharaj Asha , Mohammed Patricia
Published: August 2024

Abstract: In this paper, we explore the impact of the digital age on the transformation or advancement of Caribbean feminism, examining whether the digital age has strengthened or hindered global and/or regional solidarities in reaching feminist goals of transcending borders through intersectionality and expansion of virtual feminist platforms. Drawing on global literature and examples, and paying special attention to research and initiatives in the Caribbean, the paper explores whether the concepts of the personal is political, consciousness raising, and safe spaces that sustained feminist activism during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are still central to the modern feminist movement, and whether the range of social media formats we refer to as digital activism on Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, and Instagram have added dimensions that serve to energize feminism in the twenty-first century and cross different borders. This article aims to contribute to our understanding of how digital tools shape and influence the unique sociocultural context of Caribbean feminism and is provided with the intention of evoking critical dialogue on how digital tools serve or hinder foundational goals of the Caribbean feminist movement.
"This Hell-Raising Era of Women's Lib": Negotiating Women's Liberation in Barbados during the United Nations Decade for Women
Authors: Haynes Tonya
Published: August 2024

Abstract: This article examines negotiations with feminism and women's liberation in Barbados in response to International Women's Year during the UN decade for women (1975–1985). It reveals negotiations with women's liberation and feminism by a group of Barbadian women identified as "middle-class" and as members of women's organizations as well as those of men and state managers with access to the popular press. The declaration of IWY incited contestations over common-sense knowledge about gender relations. The Barbadian women who published in the magazines examined in this article challenged many of the aspects of the gendered status quo in terms of equality and education but always within a very liberal framework. The result is that they espoused a very conservative gender politics in which they distanced themselves from same-sex sexuality and ultimately from erotic autonomy.
A Practice of Literary Palliation: Philippe Forest's L'Enfant éternel
Authors: McCullough Jordan Owen
Published: August 2024

Abstract: Philippe Forest's first autofictional novel, L'Enfant éternel (The eternal child), centers on the terminal illness and eventual death of the author's daughter, Pauline. While scholarly attention has been directed toward the role of the text in caring for the child, this essay addresses the absence of care for Pauline's parents and their marginalization throughout her end-of-life hospitalization. Focusing on questions of genre, agency, and legacy, I argue that the text allows for a rewriting of the previous, negative experience of care in a way that incorporates the father into care provision. This corrective rewriting understands literature as palliative in its own right, capable of retaining identity, restoring relationships, and facilitating holistic care that "adds life" to all concerned.
Writing for Goony Friends: Jane Bowles, Weak Theory, and Coterie Aesthetics in Midcentury American Literary Culture
Authors: Beck Nicholas
Published: August 2024

abstract: In an interview in 1954, Jane Bowles blamed her coterie of friends for the Broadway failure of her play In the Summer House . Through an analysis of the play and its reception, alongside other episodes in mid-twentieth-century American literary culture, this article argues that Bowles's creative dependency upon her intimate friendship circle has an impact on recent scholarly debates about the place of weak theory in modernist studies. By describing the troublesome writing career of Bowles and the artistic dilemmas she faced, this article explores the critical uses of the negativity that persists within theoretical applications of weakness.
Fetishizing Blackness in the Harlem Renaissance
Authors: Kindig Patrick
Published: August 2024

abstract: This article argues that racial fetishism played an important but undertheorized role in much Black modernist literature, especially literature critical of the early twentieth-century politics of racial uplift. It reads two Harlem Renaissance texts, Jean Toomer's Cane (1923) and Nella Larsen's Quicksand (1928), alongside Carl Van Vechten's controversially fetishistic novel Nigger Heaven (1926) in order to complicate received understandings of both Black agency and racial fetishism. More concretely, it suggests that Black modernist authors used the figure of the racial fetish to rethink Black agency not as an all-or-nothing phenomenon but as something more partial, compromised, and graduated.
Hybrid approach for deformable mirror online system identification using RLS algorithm and adaptive forgetting factor optimization
Authors: Aghababayee M. A. , Mosayebi M. , Saghafifar H.
Published: August 2024

In this study, an online system identification (SI) approach based on a recursive least squares algorithm with an adaptive forgetting factor (AFFRLS) is proposed to accurately identify the dynamic behavior of a deformable mirror (DM). Using AFFRLS, an adaptive expression that minimizes a weighted linear least squares cost function relating to the input and output signals is obtained. First, the selected identification signals in COMSOL multi-physics software were applied to the finite element (FE) model of the DM. Then, using the COMSOL Livelink for MATLAB, the values of DM deformations are imported into MATLAB. Subsequently, the system is analyzed and identified online using the AFFRLS algorithm and through the optimization of an adaptive forgetting factor. Finally, for validation, the output values of DM have been evaluated with the output values of the proposed model by applying new input signals in order to find the optimal adaptive forgetting factor parameters. For the first time, in this work, the DM’s dynamics has been identified using the AFFRLS algorithm, which has acceptable accuracy despite some drawbacks. In addition, the results show that the AFFRLS method has a significant dominance in terms of accuracy, simplicity and noise reduction despite the slight decrease in speed due to the high computational load.
Preliminary efficacy of a community health worker homebased intervention for the control and management of hypertension in Kiambu County, Kenya- a randomized control trial
Authors: Mbuthia Grace Wambura , Mwangi James , Magutah Karani , Oguta James Odhiambo , Ngure Kenneth , McGarvey Stephen T.
Published: August 2024

Introduction

In Sub Saharan Africa, there is a growing burden of non-communicable diseases, which poses a big challenge to the resource-limited health system in these settings.

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a community health workers (CHWs) home-based lifestyle interventions to improve blood pressure (BP) control and body composition among hypertensive patients in low-income populations of Kiambu County, Kenya.

Methods

This was a randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving 80 patients with uncontrolled high BP (systolic BP (SBP) ≥140mmHg and/or diastolic BP (DBP) ≥90) randomized to either a CHW homebased intervention or a usual care (control) arm and followed up for 6 months. The intervention involved monthly CHW home-visits for health education and audits on behavioral risk factors that affect BP. An adapted WHO stepwise questionnaire and international physical activity questionnaire was used to collect data on behavioral cardiovascular risk factors. To assess the main outcomes of BP, body mass index (BMI) and waist-height-ratio (WHtR), a survey was conducted at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Data regarding univariate, bivariate and multivariate (repeated measurements between and within groups) analysis at 5% level of significance were analyzed using STATA 18. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) for repeated measures were used to estimate changes in BP, BMI and WHtR, and to examine the association between the CHW intervention and BP control.

Results

The study revealed that 77.5% and 92.5% of the participants in usual care and intervention groups completed the follow-up, respectively. After 6 months of follow-up, there was a reduction in the mean SBP and DBP for both arms, and reductions in BMI and WHtR only in the intervention arm. The adjusted mean reduction in SBP (-8.4 mm Hg; 95% CI, -13.4 to -3.3; P = 0.001) and DBP (-5.2 mm Hg 95% CI, -8.3 to -2.0; P<0.001) were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group. The proportion of participants who achieved the controlled BP target of <140/90 mm Hg was 62.2% and 25.8% for the intervention and usual care arm, respectively. The proportion with controlled BP was significantly higher in the intervention arm compared to the usual care arm after adjusting for baseline covariates (AOR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3–6.0, p = 0.008). There was no significant effect of the intervention on BMI and WHtR.

Conclusion

A home-based CHW intervention was significantly associated with reduction in BP among hypertensive patients compared to usual care. Future fully powered RCTs to test the effectiveness of such interventions among low-income populations are recommended.

Trial registration

Trial registration number: PACTR202309530525257.
A skin secretion metabolome analysis of the Greek Dodecanese Lycian salamanders: Preliminary evidence of dietary alkaloid sequestration in urodeles
Authors: Eleftherakos Karolos , Polymeni Roza Maria , Mikropoulou Eleni V. , Vougogiannopoulou Konstantina , Georgiadis Christos , Petrakis Eleftherios A. , Skaltsounis Leandros A. , Halabalaki Maria
Published: August 2024

Lyciasalamandra species, like most amphibians, secrete a wide array of compounds from their granular and mucous skin glands, including the internally synthesized samandarine alkaloids, making their skin a complex organ performing a variety of functions. Lyciasalamandra helverseni and L. luschani basoglui are insular endemics of the Dodecanese islands of SE Greece, bearing distinct isolated populations, with well-documented phylogenetic profiles. Here, we employ a metabolomics approach, utilizing UPLC–ESI-HRMS/MS data of the skin secretions sampled from a number of specimens found in the islands of Karpathos, Kasos and Kastellorizo, in an effort to reveal aspects of their chemistry and diversity across populations. The results indicated statistically significant variation between all taxa examined, based on various secreted compounds. The underlying factors of variation highlighted by the multivariate analysis were differences in samandarine and other alkaloid content as well as in animal size. Metabolite annotation, based on dereplication tools and most importantly HRMS and HRMS/MS spectra, yielded a number of known samandarine alkaloids, reported for the first time in the currently studied Lyciasalamandra species. We also present documentation for novel members of the samandarine alkaloid family, as well as preliminary evidence for a possible dietary alkaloid sequestration. This work can set the basis for further research of this often-neglected endemic species of the Salamandridae, as well as the structural investigation of the samandarine alkaloid group.
Virus production in shallow groundwater at the bank of the Danube River
Authors: Pleyer Daniel , Griebler Christian , Winter Christian
Published: August 2024

Viruses play a crucial role in regulating prokaryotic populations, yet their impact on subsurface environments, specifically groundwater habitats, remains poorly understood. In this study, we employed the virus-dilution approach to measure lytic virus production rates in shallow groundwater located near the city of Vienna (Austria) during the period from July−November 2020. Physico-chemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, water temperature, concentration of dissolved oxygen), prokaryotic, and viral abundance, and viral decay rates were monitored as well. Our findings revealed low virus-to-prokaryote ratios varying between 0.9−3.9 throughout the study period and a lack of correlation between prokaryotic and viral abundance in groundwater. Virus production rates varied between 9−12% of viral abundance h-1 in July−August and between 34−36% of viral abundance h-1 in October−November. Seasonal variations in virus production rates were found to be correlated with electrical conductivity, revealing ~3.5 times higher virus production rates during periods with high electrical conductivity and low groundwater recharge in October−November compared to July−August with higher groundwater recharge and lower electrical conductivity. Our data indicate that groundwater recharge disrupts the balance between virus and prokaryotic host communities, resulting in a deficiency of suitable prokaryotic host cells for viral proliferation.
Ecological glue for traditional furniture: Optimization of the handicraft for making fish glue
Authors: Qian Yaqin , Dai Xiangdong
Published: August 2024

Through a comprehensive review of published literature on fish glue (FG), the ecological glue for traditional furniture, the traditional handicraft for making FG was found to include six main processes: soaking, steaming, manual smashing, decoction, filtration, and airing. The handicraft that makes FG is manual and is not only time-consuming and laborious but does not have clearly documented standard processes and is thus less repeatable. Considering this, experiments to optimize a new technique for making FG were designed. Six basic technological processes (cutting and drying, crushing, soaking, decoction, filtration, and airing) were investigated to optimize the new glue production technique. The technological processes of the new technique were compared with those of the traditional handicraft method. The results indicated that preparing FG following the optimal processes of the new glue-making technique not only ensured the quality of the glue solution but also outperformed the traditional handicraft technique in the following aspects: 1) it simplifies the production process, reduces labor intensity, and saves time: the soaking time is decreased by 50% and the traditional manual smashing process is not required; 2) it improves the glue yield by 5.42%; and 3) due to introduction of mechanical processing, time and temperature are controllable, rendering production more repeatable and easily up-scaled.
Spatiotemporal trends and coordination of agricultural carbon efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt and Yellow River Basin, China: An analysis of influencing factors and green finance integration
Authors: Li Jingjie , Cui Chenying
Published: August 2024

As China’s second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture is essential to achieving the goal of "carbon peak" and "carbon neutrality." Based on the measurement of agricultural carbon emissions (ACE) and agricultural carbon intensity (ACI) in 19 regions along the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB) and Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China from 2001 to 2020, this paper first uses the super-efficiency SBM model to measure ACE efficiency from static and dynamic perspectives. Then, the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between ACE efficiency and green finance in each region of the two basins is explored. Finally, Grey Relation Analysis (GRA) is used to obtain the influencing factors of CCD. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) The ACE in the YEB is almost twice that of the YRB. The ACE of the two basins generally experienced a trend of first growth and then declined, but the peak time was different. The ACI of the two basins showed a trend of continuous decline, and the decline rate of the YRB was faster. (2) The ACE efficiency of the two basins showed an overall upward trend, and the growth degree of different regions was vastly different. From the factor decomposition, the technological progress (TP) of the two basins significantly impacts the total factor productivity (TFP). (3) The CCD of ACE efficiency and green finance in the two basins increased from near imbalance to barely coordination level, and the CCD of the YEB increased slightly faster. The CCD of the two basins has a spatial difference of "downstream > midstream > upstream." (4) Among the influencing factors of the CCD of the two systems, the influencing degree of the factors is as follows from large to small: quality of human capital, level of economic development, government regulation, scientific and technological innovation ability.
Long-term brain fog and cognitive impairment in previously hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Authors: Junco Barbara , Samano Martin Del Campo Daniel , Karakeshishyan Vela , Bass Danielle , Sobczak Evie , Swafford Emily , Bolanos Ana , Rooks Joshua , Baumel Bernard S. , Ramos Alberto R. , Rundek Tatjana , Alkhachroum Ayham
Published: August 2024

Objectives

Limited research exists on COVID-19 associated brain fog, and on the long-term cognitive and psychiatric sequelae in racially and ethnically diverse patients. We characterize the neuropsychological sequelae of post-acute COVID-19 in a diverse cohort and investigate whether COVID-19 clinical severity remains associated with brain fog and cognitive deficits approximately 2 years post infection.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of patients with a history of COVID-19 hospitalization (March-September 2020). COVID-19 clinical severity was indexed using the National Early Warning Score 2 and a comprehensive neuropsychological tele-battery was administered 2 years post discharge. Pearson’s r correlations assessed association, while independent sample t-tests examined group differences. Significant outcomes were further analyzed using multiple regression and ANCOVAs, adjusting for key covariates.

Results

In 41 adult patients (19 female, 30 Hispanic, 13 Black, mean age of 65 (SD = 15), COVID-19 level of severity was associated with greater number of endorsed brain fog symptoms (Pearson’s r = .34, 95% CI [.04, .59]), worse overall cognitive functioning (global cognition: r = -.36, 95% CI [-.61, -.05]) and reduced performance on an attention and working memory task (digit span backwards: r = -.41, 95% CI [-.66, -.09]) at 2-year follow-up. Brain fog symptoms most associated with COVID-19 severity included difficulty focusing (r = .46, 95% CI [.18, .67]), detached (r = .41, 95% CI [.12, .64]) and feeling sleepy (r = .40, 95% CI [.11, .63]). Patients’ cognitive performance was generally below average (global cognition z-score: M = -.96, SD = .66), with group differences based on sex and ethnicity evidenced on individual cognitive tests.

Discussion

This study emphasizes the importance of continued research on the long-term effects of COVID-19 infection on neuropsychological outcomes, particularly among underrepresented, health-disparate groups. Greater understanding of these associations could improve detection and treatment of those at increased risk of cognitive decline or impairment.
Network analysis retrieving bioactive compounds from Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) and their targets related to systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Chaiprasert Amnart , Han Ping , Laomettachit Teeraphan , Ruengjitchatchawalya Marasri
Published: August 2024

Immunosuppressive drugs are essential for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treatment, but there are concerns about their toxicity. In this study, Arthrospira platensis was used as a resource for screening of the SLE-related bioactive compounds. To discover the potential compounds, a total of 833 compounds of A. platensis C1 were retrieved from the Spirulina-Proteome Repository (SpirPro) database and by literature mining. We retrieved structures and bioassays of these compounds from PubChem database; and collected approved and potential drugs for SLE treatment from DrugBank and other databases. The result demonstrated that cytidine, desthiobiotin, agmatine, and anthranilic acid, from the alga, has Tanimoto matching scores of 100% with the following drugs: β-arabinosylcytosine/cytarabine, d-dethiobiotin, agmatine, and anthranilic acid, respectively. The bioassay matching and disease-gene-drug-compound network analysis, using VisANT 4.0 and Cytoscape, revealed 471 SLE-related genes. Among the SLE-related genes, MDM2, TP53, and JAK2 were identified as targets of cytarabine, while PPARG and IL1B were identified as targets of d-dethiobiotin. Binding affinity between the drug ligands and the algal bioactive compound ligands with their corresponding receptors were similarly comparable scores and stable, examined by molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations, respectively.
Osteopontin predicts late-time salience network-related functional connectivity in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Kakucs Zsofia , Illes Zsolt , Hayden Zsofia , Berki Timea , Orsi Gergely
Published: August 2024

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) has been widely utilized to investigate plasticity mechanisms and functional reorganization in multiple sclerosis (MS). Among many resting state (RS) networks, a significant role is played by the salience network (SN, ventral attention network). Previous reports have demonstrated the involvement of osteopontin (OPN) in the pathogenesis of MS, which acts as a proinflammatory cytokine ultimately leading to neurodegeneration. Concentration of serum OPN was related to MRI findings 10.22±2.84 years later in 44 patients with MS. Local and interhemispheric correlations (LCOR, IHC), ROI-to-ROI and seed-based connectivity analyses were performed using serum OPN levels as independent variable along with age and gender as nuisance variables. We found significant associations between OPN levels and local correlation in right and left clusters encompassing the central opercular- and insular cortices (p-FDR = 0.0018 and p-FDR = 0.0205, respectively). Moreover, a significant association was identified between OPN concentration and interhemispheric correlation between central opercular- and insular cortices (p-FDR = 0.00015). Significant positive associations were found between OPN concentration and functional connectivity (FC) within the SN (FC strength between the anterior insula ventral division and 3 other insular regions, F(2,13) = 7.84, p-FDR = 0.0117). Seed-based connectivity analysis using the seven nodes of the SN resulted in several positive and inverse associations with OPN level. Serum OPN level may predict FC alterations within the SN in 10 years.
Prevalence and predictors of hypoglycemia in older outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Al-Azayzih Ahmad , Kanaan Roaa J. , Altawalbeh Shoroq M. , Alzoubi Karem H. , Kharaba Zelal , Jarab Anan
Published: August 2024

Background

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (DM) has been increasing globally, particularly among older adults who are more susceptible to DM-related complications. Elderly individuals with diabetes are at higher risk of developing hypoglycemia compared with younger diabetes patients. Hypoglycemia in elderly patients can result in serious consequences such as cognitive changes, increased risk of falls, heart and other vascular problems, and even high mortality rate.

Objective

To assess prevalence, and factors associated with hypoglycemia events among geriatric outpatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods

The study was conducted at King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) at the outpatient diabetes clinic from October 1st, 2022 to August 1st, 2023. Variables such as socio-demographics, medication history, and comorbidities were obtained using electronic medical records. The prevalence of hypoglycemia was determined through patient interviews during their clinic visit. Patients were prospectively monitored for hospital admissions, emergency department visits, and mortality using electronic medical records over a three-month follow-up period. Logistic regression models were conducted to identify factors associated with hypoglycemia and hospital admissions/ emergency visits. Ethical Approval (Reference # 53/151/2022) was obtained on 19/9/2022.

Results

Electronic medical charts of 640 patients who have type 2 diabetes mellitus and age ≥ 60 years were evaluated. The mean age ± SD was 67.19 (± 5.69) years. Hypoglycemia incidents with different severity levels were prevalent in 21.7% (n = 139) of the patients. Insulin administration was significantly associated with more hypoglycemic events compared to other antidiabetic medication. Patients with liver diseases had a significantly higher risk of hypoglycemia, with odds 7.43 times higher than patients without liver diseases. Patients with dyslipidemia also had a higher risk of hypoglycemia (odd ratio = 1.87). Regression analysis revealed that hypoglycemia and educational level were significant predictors for hospital admission and emergency department (ER) visits. Hypoglycemia was a positive predictor, meaning it increased the odds of these outcomes, while having a college degree or higher was associated with reduced odds of hospital admission and ER visits.

Conclusion

Current study identified a considerable prevalence of hypoglycemia among older patients with type 2 diabetes, particularly, among those with concurrent liver diseases and dyslipidemia. Furthermore, hypoglycemia was associated with an increased rate of emergency department visits and hospital admissions by 2 folds in this population.
‘The Celt’s far vision of weird and hidden things’? H. P. Lovecraft, William Sharp and the Celts
Authors: Sneddon Duncan
Published: August 2024

This article studies the racialized construction of Celtic-speaking peoples in racial pseudo-science and literature in the period up to the early twentieth century, and how this construction was deployed by H. P. Lovecraft as part of his literary project. It is shown that stereotypes about ‘Celts’ and their supposed essential sensitivity to the spiritual and supernatural were key to how writers from the Celtic Revival constructed their ideal of Celtic culture in literature, and how Lovecraft drew upon this in his development of the Weird in both his supernatural horror fiction and his critical work and correspondence with Robert E. Howard.
The decolonizing potential of horror: A new final girl
Authors: Krauss Cassandra
Published: August 2024

This article explores two recent texts – Stephen Graham Jones’s (Blackfeet) 2021 novel My Heart Is a Chainsaw, and the 2022 Predator prequel Prey – as examples of Native American horror. While different in medium, narrative and style, both texts participate in and disrupt the traditional genre of the slasher and the trope of the final girl. The article concludes that Prey and Chainsaw create distinctive Native American horror aesthetics that unsettle the settler-colonial history of the United States.
La Inspección de Primera Enseñanza en la provincia de Badajoz (1920-1940). Desafíos y avances educativos en tiempos convulsos
Authors: Céspedes Sanabria María Isabel , Sonlleva Velasco Miriam
Published: August 2024

La Inspección de Primera Enseñanza de Badajoz tuvo una incidencia significativa en la educación de la provincia entre las décadas de 1920 y 1940. El objetivo de esta investigación es indagar sobre la labor realizada por este cuerpo profesional en el contexto pacense y estudiar las trayectorias de quienes ejercieron en el mismo y vivieron las transformaciones políticas, sociales y culturales de los años más convulsos del siglo xx. El estudio se realiza a través del método histórico educativo, analizando diversos documentos archivísticos, fuentes estadísticas, prensa pedagógica y documentos recuperados de archivos regionales y nacionales. Los resultados muestran cómo la inspección educativa tuvo una escasa implicación en la mejora profesional y la orientación de los docentes en la dictadura primorriverista, aunque su labor fue decisiva para la mejora educativa del contexto en el periodo de la Segunda República. La implicación en la renovación de la escuela por parte de algunos inspectores, en la década de 1930, tuvo consecuencias negativas en sus trayectorias personales y profesionales en el periodo de la Guerra Civil. La separación del cargo, el exilio y en el peor de los casos la muerte, fueron algunas de ellas. La merma del cuerpo profesional de la inspección en los primeros años del franquismo y las labores realizadas por los inspectores en este periodo, muy marcadas por las directrices del Nuevo Estado, influyeron de forma determinante en la educación primaria de la provincia en la segunda mitad del siglo.
The effect of forked trees on harvester time consumption in a Pinus contorta final-felling stand
Authors:   Skogforsk, Uppsala Science Park, 751 83 Uppsala, Sweden, Manner Jussi , Lundström Hagos
Published: August 2024

The consensus on the factors affecting harvester productivity is generally widely acknowledged in the discipline. However, research results regarding the effect of forking on productivity are diverse. Some studies show that harvester productivity is halved when harvesting double stems compared to single-stem trees, while other studies indicate that forking does not necessarily decrease harvester productivity. These differences in study results can depend on what is considered forking. In our study, the forking occurred above the breast-height level. We defined codominant stems as forked trees too large to be multi-tree handled. In contrast, we defined double crowns as forked trees that could be multi-tree handled. The objective of our study was to analyse how the presence of codominant stems and/or double crowns affects harvester time consumption. The study was conducted in Sweden in 2022, involving two operators and two large harvesters. The 45-year-old Pinus contorta Douglas ex Loudon-dominated stand was clearcut during the study. We found that the presence of codominant stems doubles harvester time consumption per tree, while double crowns had only a minor impact on harvester time consumption. Additionally, total time consumption increased linearly with increasing diameter at breast height. Based on these findings, we recommend that forked trees be removed already during thinning when they can still be time-efficiently multi-tree handled. Dealing with forked trees later during the rotation cycle, when they are too large for multi-tree handling, is excessively time-consuming.