bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The nanoCUT&RUN technique visualizes telomeric chromatin in Drosophila
Authors: Chen Tao , Wei Xiaolu , Courret Cécile , Cui Min , Cheng Lin , Wu Jing , Ahmad Kami , Larracuente Amanda M. , Rong Yikang S.
Published: September 2022

Advances in genomic technology led to a more focused pattern for the distribution of chromosomal proteins and a better understanding of their functions. The recent development of the CUT&RUN technique marks one of the important such advances. Here we develop a modified CUT&RUN technique that we termed nanoCUT&RUN, in which a high affinity nanobody to GFP is used to bring micrococcal nuclease to the binding sites of GFP-tagged chromatin proteins. Subsequent activation of the nuclease cleaves the chromatin, and sequencing of released DNA identifies binding sites. We show that nanoCUT&RUN efficiently produces high quality data for the TRL transcription factor in Drosophila embryos, and distinguishes binding sites specific between two TRL isoforms. We further show that nanoCUT&RUN dissects the distributions of the HipHop and HOAP telomere capping proteins, and uncovers unexpected binding of telomeric proteins at centromeres. nanoCUT&RUN can be readily applied to any system in which a chromatin protein of interest, or its isoforms, carries the GFP tag.
Cancer in children born after frozen-thawed embryo transfer: A cohort study
Authors: Sargisian Nona , Lannering Birgitta , Petzold Max , Opdahl Signe , Gissler Mika , Pinborg Anja , Henningsen Anna-Karina Aaris , Tiitinen Aila , Romundstad Liv Bente , Spangmose Anne Lærke , Bergh Christina , Wennerholm Ulla-Britt
Published: September 2022

Background

The aim was to investigate whether children born after assisted reproduction technology (ART), particularly after frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET), are at higher risk of childhood cancer than children born after fresh embryo transfer and spontaneous conception.

Methods and findings

We performed a registry-based cohort study using data from the 4 Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. The study included 7,944,248 children, out of whom 171,774 children were born after use of ART (2.2%) and 7,772,474 children were born after spontaneous conception, representing all children born between the years 1994 to 2014 in Denmark, 1990 to 2014 in Finland, 1984 to 2015 in Norway, and 1985 to 2015 in Sweden. Rates for any cancer and specific cancer groups in children born after each conception method were determined by cross-linking national ART registry data with national cancer and health data registries and population registries. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the risk of any cancer, with age as the time scale.

After a mean follow-up of 9.9 and 12.5 years, the incidence rate (IR) of cancer before age 18 years was 19.3/100,000 person-years for children born after ART (329 cases) and 16.7/100,000 person-years for children born after spontaneous conception (16,184 cases). Adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) was 1.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96 to 1.21, p = 0.18. Adjustment was performed for sex, plurality, year of birth, country of birth, maternal age at birth, and parity. Children born after FET had a higher risk of cancer (48 cases; IR 30.1/100,000 person-years) compared to both fresh embryo transfer (IR 18.8/100,000 person-years), aHR 1.59, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.20, p = 0.005, and spontaneous conception, aHR 1.65, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.19, p = 0.001. Adjustment either for macrosomia, birth weight, or major birth defects attenuated the association marginally. Higher risks of epithelial tumors and melanoma after any assisted reproductive method and of leukemia after FET were observed.

The main limitation of this study is the small number of children with cancer in the FET group.

Conclusions

Children born after FET had a higher risk of childhood cancer than children born after fresh embryo transfer and spontaneous conception. The results should be interpreted cautiously based on the small number of children with cancer, but the findings raise concerns considering the increasing use of FET, in particular freeze-all strategies without clear medical indications.

Trial registration

Trial registration number: ISRCTN 11780826.
A Putative long-range RNA-RNA interaction between ORF8 and Spike of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Omoru Okiemute Beatrice , Pereira Filipe , Janga Sarath Chandra , Manzourolajdad Amirhossein
Published: September 2022

SARS-CoV-2 has affected people worldwide as the causative agent of COVID-19. The virus is related to the highly lethal SARS-CoV-1 responsible for the 2002–2003 SARS outbreak in Asia. Research is ongoing to understand why both viruses have different spreading capacities and mortality rates. Like other beta coronaviruses, RNA-RNA interactions occur between different parts of the viral genomic RNA, resulting in discontinuous transcription and production of various sub-genomic RNAs. These sub-genomic RNAs are then translated into other viral proteins. In this work, we performed a comparative analysis for novel long-range RNA-RNA interactions that may involve the Spike region. Comparing in-silico fragment-based predictions between reference sequences of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 revealed several predictions amongst which a thermodynamically stable long-range RNA-RNA interaction between (23660–23703 Spike) and (28025–28060 ORF8) unique to SARS-CoV-2 was observed. The patterns of sequence variation using data gathered worldwide further supported the predicted stability of the sub-interacting region (23679–23690 Spike) and (28031–28042 ORF8). Such RNA-RNA interactions can potentially impact viral life cycle including sub-genomic RNA production rates.
Time series cross-correlation between home range and number of infected people during the COVID-19 pandemic in a suburban city
Authors: Kato Haruka , Takizawa Atsushi
Published: September 2022

Control of human mobility is one of the most effective measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, the imposition of emergency restrictions had significant negative impacts on citizens’ daily lives. As vaccination progresses, we need to consider more effective measures to control the spread of the infection. The research question of this study is as follows: Does the control of home range correlate with a reduction in the number of infected people during the COVID-19 pandemic? This study aims to clarify the correlation between home range and the number of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ibaraki City. Home ranges are analyzed by the Minimum Convex Polygon method using mobile phone GPS location history data. We analyzed the time series cross-correlation between home range lengths and the number of infected people. Results reveal a slight positive correlation between home range and the number of infected people after one week during the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding home range length, the cross-correlation coefficient is 0.4030 even at a lag level of six weeks, which has the most significant coefficient. Thus, a decrease in the home range is a weak factor correlated with a reduction in the number of infected people. This study makes a significant contribution to the literature by evaluating key public health challenges from the perspective of controliing the spread of the COVID-19 infectuion. Its findings has implications for policy makers, practitioners, and urban scientists seeking to promote urban sustainability.
Transient and resident pathogens: Intra-facility genetic diversity of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella from food production environments
Authors: Pettengill James B. , Rand Hugh , Wang Shizhen S. , Kautter Donald , Pightling Arthur , Wang Yu
Published: September 2022

Food production facilities are often routinely tested over time for the presence of foodborne pathogens (e.g., Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica). Strains detected in a single sampling event can be classified as transient; positive findings of the same strain across multiple sampling events can be classified as resident pathogens. We analyzed whole-genome sequence (WGS) data from 4,758 isolates (L. monocytogenes = 3,685; Salmonella = 1,073) from environmental samples taken by FDA from 536 U.S. facilities. Our primary objective was to determine the frequency of transient or resident pathogens within food production facilities. Strains were defined as isolates from the same facility that are less than 50 SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) different from one another. Resident pathogens were defined as strains that had more than one isolate collected >59 days apart and from the same facility. We found 1,076 strains (median = 1 and maximum = 21 strains per facility); 180 were resident pathogens, 659 were transient, and 237 came from facilities that had only been sampled once. As a result, 21% of strains (180/ 839) from facilities with positive findings and that were sampled multiple times were found to be resident pathogens; nearly 1 in 4 (23%) of L. monocytogenes strains were found to be resident pathogens compared to 1 in 6 (16%) of Salmonella strains. Our results emphasize the critical importance of preventing the colonization of food production environments by foodborne pathogens, since when colonization does occur, there is an appreciable chance it will become a resident pathogen that presents an ongoing potential to contaminate product.
Factors affecting the use of antibiotics and antiseptics to prevent maternal infection at birth: A global mixed-methods systematic review
Authors: Eddy Katherine E. , Zahroh Rana Islamiah , Bohren Meghan A. , Bonet Mercedes , Homer Caroline S. E. , Vogel Joshua P.
Published: September 2022

Background

Over 10% of maternal deaths annually are due to sepsis. Prophylactic antibiotics and antiseptic agents are critical interventions to prevent maternal peripartum infections. We conducted a mixed-method systematic review to better understand factors affecting the use of prophylactic antibiotics and antiseptic agents to prevent peripartum infections.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Emcare, CINAHL, Global Health, Global Index Medicus, and Maternity and Infant Care for studies published between 1 January 1990 and 27 May 2022. We included primary qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies that focused on women, families, and healthcare providers’ perceptions and experiences of prophylactic antibiotic and antiseptics during labour and birth in health facilities. There were no language restrictions. We used a thematic synthesis approach for qualitative evidence and GRADE-CERQual approach for assessing confidence in these review findings. Quantitative study results were mapped to the qualitative findings and reported narratively.

Results

We included 19 studies (5 qualitative, 12 quantitative and 2 mixed-methods studies), 16 relating to antibiotics, 2 to antiseptic use, and 1 study to both antibiotic and antiseptic use. Most related to providers’ perspectives and were conducted in high-income countries. Key themes on factors affecting antibiotic use were providers’ beliefs about benefits and harms, perceptions of women’s risk of infection, regimen preferences and clinical decision-making processes. Studies on antiseptic use explored women’s perceptions of vaginal cleansing, and provider’s beliefs about benefits and the usefulness of guidelines.

Conclusion

We identified a range of factors affecting how providers use prophylactic antibiotics at birth, which can undermine implementation of clinical guidelines. There were insufficient data for low-resource settings, women’s perspectives, and regarding use of antiseptics, highlighting the need for further research in these areas. Implications for practice include that interventions to improve prophylactic antibiotic use should take account of local environments and perceived infection risk and ensure contextually relevant guidance.
The chloroplasts genomic analyses of four specific Caragana species
Authors: Yuan Maohua , Yin Xianmei , Gao Bixing , Gu Rui , Jiang Guihua
Published: September 2022

Background

Many species of the genus Caragana have been used as wind prevention and sand fixation plants. They are also important traditional Chinese medicine, and ethnic medicine resource plant. Thus, chloroplast genomes (cp-genome) of some of these important species must be studied.

Methods

In this study, we analyzed the chloroplast genomes of C. jubata, C. erinacea, C. opulens, and C. bicolor, including their structure, repeat sequences, mutation sites, and phylogeny.

Results

The size of the chloroplast genomes was between 127,862 and 132,780 bp, and such genomes contained 112 genes (30 tRNA, 4 rRNA, and 78 protein-coding genes), 43 of which were photosynthesis-related genes. The total guanine + cytosine (G+C) content of four Caragana species was between 34.49% and 35.15%. The four Caragana species all lacked inverted repeats and can be classified as inverted repeat-lacking clade (IRLC). Of the anticipated genes of the four chloroplast genomes, introns were discovered in 17 genes, most of which were inserted by one intron. A total of 50 interspersed repeated sequences (IRSs) were found among them, 58, 29, 61, and 74 simple sequences repeats were found in C. jubata, C. bicolor, C. opulens, and C. erinacea, respectively. Analyses of sequence divergence showed that some intergenic regions (between trnK-UUU and rbcl; trnF-GAA and ndhJ; trnL-CAA and trnT-UGU; rpoB and trnC-GCA; petA and psbL; psbE and pebL; and sequences of rpoC, ycf1, and ycf2) exhibited a high degree of variations. A phylogenetic tree of eight Caragana species and another 10 legume species was reconstructed using full sequences of the chloroplast genome.

Conclusions

(1) Chloroplast genomes can be used for the identification and classification of Caragana species. (2) The four Caragana species have highly similar cpDNA G+C content. (3) IRS analysis of the chloroplast genomes showed that these four species, similar to the chloroplast genome of most legumes, lost IRLC regions. (4) Comparative cp-genomic analysis suggested that the cp genome structure of the Caragana genus was well conserved in highly variable regions, which can be used to exploit markers for the identification of Caragana species and further phylogenetic study. (5) Results of phylogenetic analyses were in accordance with the current taxonomic status of Caragana. The phylogenetic relationship of Caragana species was partially consistent with elevation and geographical distribution.
Inclusion of children with disabilities in qualitative health research: A scoping review
Authors: Njelesani Janet , Mlambo Vongai , Denekew Tsedenia , Hunleth Jean
Published: September 2022

Background

Children with disabilities have the right to participate in health research so their priorities, needs, and experiences are included. Health research based primarily on adult report risks misrepresenting children with disabilities and their needs, and contributes to exclusion and a lack of diversity in the experiences being captured. Prioritizing the participation of children with disabilities enhances the relevance, meaningfulness, and impact of research.

Methods

A scoping review was conducted to critically examine the participation of children with disabilities in qualitative health research. The electronic databases PubMed, PsychInfo, Embase, and Google Scholar were searched. Inclusion criteria included qualitative health studies conducted with children with disabilities, published between 2007 and 2020, and written in English. Articles were screened by two reviewers and the synthesis of data was performed using numeric and content analysis.

Results

A total of 62 studies met inclusion criteria. Rationales for including children with disabilities included child-focused, medical model of disability, and disability rights rationales. Participation of children with disabilities in qualitative health research was limited, with the majority of studies conducting research on rather than in partnership with or by children. Findings emphasize that children with disabilities are not participating in the design and implementation of health research.

Conclusion

Further effort should be made by health researchers to incorporate children with a broad range of impairments drawing on theory and methodology from disability and childhood studies and collaborating with people who have expertise in these areas. Furthermore, an array of multi-method inclusive, accessible, adaptable, and non-ableist methods should be available to enable different ways of expression.
Variation in detected adverse events using trigger tools: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Eggenschwiler Luisa C. , Rutjes Anne W. S. , Musy Sarah N. , Ausserhofer Dietmar , Nielen Natascha M. , Schwendimann René , Unbeck Maria , Simon Michael
Published: September 2022

Background

Adverse event (AE) detection is a major patient safety priority. However, despite extensive research on AEs, reported incidence rates vary widely.

Objective

This study aimed: (1) to synthesize available evidence on AE incidence in acute care inpatient settings using Trigger Tool methodology; and (2) to explore whether study characteristics and study quality explain variations in reported AE incidence.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

To identify relevant studies, we queried PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and three journals in the patient safety field (last update search 25.05.2022). Eligible publications fulfilled the following criteria: adult inpatient samples; acute care hospital settings; Trigger Tool methodology; focus on specialty of internal medicine, surgery or oncology; published in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish. Systematic reviews and studies addressing adverse drug events or exclusively deceased patients were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using an adapted version of the Quality Assessment Tool for Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2. Our main outcome of interest was AEs per 100 admissions. We assessed nine study characteristics plus study quality as potential sources of variation using random regression models. We received no funding and did not register this review.

Results

Screening 6,685 publications yielded 54 eligible studies covering 194,470 admissions. The cumulative AE incidence was 30.0 per 100 admissions (95% CI 23.9–37.5; I2 = 99.7%) and between study heterogeneity was high with a prediction interval of 5.4–164.7. Overall studies’ risk of bias and applicability-related concerns were rated as low. Eight out of nine methodological study characteristics did explain some variation of reported AE rates, such as patient age and type of hospital. Also, study quality did explain variation.

Conclusion

Estimates of AE studies using trigger tool methodology vary while explaining variation is seriously hampered by the low standards of reporting such as the timeframe of AE detection. Specific reporting guidelines for studies using retrospective medical record review methodology are necessary to strengthen the current evidence base and to help explain between study variation.
Dissociable consequences of moderate and high volume stress are mediated by the differential energetic demands of stress
Authors: Conoscenti Michael A. , Smith Nancy J. , Fanselow Michael S.
Published: September 2022

Exposure to traumatic stress leads to persistent, deleterious behavioral and biological changes in both human and non-human species. The effects of stress are not always consistent, however, as exposure to different stressors often leads to heterogeneous effects. The intensity of the stressor may be a key factor in determining the consequences of stress. While it is difficult to quantify intensity for many stress types, electric shock exposure provides us with a stressor that has quantifiable parameters (presentation length x intensity x number = shock volume). Therefore, to test the procedural differences in shock volume that may account for some reported heterogeneity, we used two common shock procedures. Learned helplessness is a commonly reported behavioral outcome, highlighted by a deficit in subsequent shuttle-box escape, which requires a relatively high-volume stress (HVS) of about 100 uncontrollable shocks. Conversely, stress-enhanced fear learning (SEFL) is another common behavioral outcome that requires a relatively moderate-volume stress (MVS) of only 15 shocks. We exposed rats to HVS, MVS, or no stress (NS) and examined the effects on subsequent fear learning and normal weight gain. We found doubly dissociable effects of the two levels of stress. MVS enhanced contextual fear learning but did not impact weight, while HVS produced the opposite pattern. In other words, more stress does not simply lead to greater impairment. We then tested the hypothesis that the different stress-induced sequalae arouse from an energetic challenge imposed on the hippocampus by HVS but not MVS. HVS rats that consumed a glucose solution did exhibit SEFL. Furthermore, rats exposed to MVS and glucoprivated during single-trial context conditioning did not exhibit SEFL. Consistent with the hypothesis that the inability of HVS to enhance fear learning is because of an impact on the hippocampus, HVS did enhance hippocampus-independent auditory fear learning. Finally, we provide evidence that stressors of different volumes produce dissociable changes in glutamate receptor proteins in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and dorsal hippocampus (DH). The data indicate that while the intensity of stress is a critical determinant of stress-induced phenotypes that effect is nonlinear.
Contribution of sociodemographic determinants in explaining the nutritional gap between the richest-poorest women of Bangladesh: A decomposition approach
Authors: Rana Md. Sohel , Khan Md. Mobarak Hossain
Published: September 2022

Background

Malnutrition among women disproportionately exists across socioeconomic classes of Bangladesh. According to our knowledge, studies which attempted to identify determinants and their contributions to explain BMI-based nutritional gap between the poorest and the richest categories of Wealth Index are still scarce.

Objectives

To identify the nutritional gap of women between the richest-poorest classes in Bangladesh, and to determine how much of this gap are attributed to differences in predictors and differences in coefficients.

Study population

Reproductive-aged (15–49 years) women of Bangladesh.

Methods and procedures

We utilized the latest round (2017–2018) data of the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS). Body mass index (BMI) has been used to measure the nutritional status of women. The kernel density was used to visualize the nutritional gap. The Oaxaca-Blinder (OB) decomposition method was used to ascertain influential determinants and their contributions to the existing gap between the richest-poorest classes of women.

Results

We analyzed the data of 18,682 reproductive-aged women. There was a significant mean BMI gap of 4.1 unit (95% CI: 3.90–4.35) between the poorest-richest (25.6 vs 21.5) women. The overall prevalence of underweight, overweight and obese were 11.8%, 33.8% and 15.4%, respectively. The richest women were less underweight (7.5%) but more overweight (23.7%) and obese (42.2%). In contrast, the poorest women were more underweight (32.0%) but less overweight (13.9%) and obese (7.0%). According to results of OB decomposition method, all predictors combinedly can explain 1.62 units (95% CI: 1.31–1.93) of the total mean BMI gap (equivalent to 40%). Some of the major predictors were women years of education (0.45 units, 95% CI: 0.27–0.64), spouse years of education (0.16 units, 95% CI: -0.02–0.34), current working status (0.17 units, 95% CI: 0.10–0.34), access to Television (0.50 units, 95% CI: 0.28–0.72), and place of residence (0.37 units, 95% CI: 0.22–0.72). The unexplained part of the poorest-richest gap was 2.51 units (95% CI: 2.13–2.89), which means that this particular gap will remain unchanged even though the mean difference of the predictors was diminished.

Conclusions

A large part of the nutritional gap (approximately 60%) between the poorest and richest classes of women are found to be unchanged by the predictors of the study. Therefore, further predictors should be identified to minimize such gap. Moreover, policy makers and relevant stakeholders should implement feasible strategies to minimize the existing differences in the major predictors.
Cytokines and chemokines profile in encephalitis patients: A meta-analysis
Authors: Soltani Khaboushan Alireza , Pahlevan-Fallahy Mohammad-Taha , Shobeiri Parnian , Teixeira Antônio L. , Rezaei Nima
Published: September 2022

Background

Encephalitis is caused by autoimmune or infectious agents marked by brain inflammation. Investigations have reported altered concentrations of the cytokines in encephalitis. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between encephalitis and alterations of cytokine levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum.

Methods

We found possibly suitable studies by searching PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, systematically from inception to August 2021. 23 articles were included in the meta-analysis. To investigate sources of heterogeneity, subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted. The protocol of the study has been registered in PROSPERO with a registration ID of CRD42021289298.

Results

A total of 23 met our eligibility criteria to be included in the meta-analysis. A total of 12 cytokines were included in the meta-analysis of CSF concentration. Moreover, 5 cytokines were also included in the serum/plasma concentration meta-analysis. According to the analyses, patients with encephalitis had higher CSF amounts of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, CXCL10, and TNF-α than healthy controls. The alteration in the concentration of IL-2, IL-4, IL-17, CCL2, CXCL9, CXCL13, and IFN-γ was not significant. In addition, the serum/plasma levels of the TNF-α were increased in encephalitis patients, but serum/plasma concentration of the IL-6, IL-10, CXCL10, and CXCL13 remained unchanged.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis provides evidence for higher CSF concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, CXCL10, and TNF-α in encephalitis patients compared to controls. The diagnostic and prognostic value of these cytokines and chemokines should be investigated in future studies.
Evolution and consequences of individual responses during the COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Abbas Wasim , M. A. Masud , Park Anna , Parveen Sajida , Kim Sangil
Published: September 2022

In a long-lasting major disease outbreak such as that of COVID-19, the challenge for public health authorities is to keep people motivated and keen on following safety guidelines. In this study, a compartmental model with a heterogeneous transmission rate (based on awareness) is utilized to hypothesize about the public adoption of preventive guidelines. Three subsequent outbreaks in South Korea, Pakistan, and Japan were analyzed as case studies. The transmission, behavior change, and behavioral change ease rates of the disease were measured in these countries. The parameters were estimated using the maximum likelihood method with an additional identifiability analysis performed to determine the uniqueness of the estimated parameters for quantitatively comparing them during the first three waves of COVID-19. The mathematical analysis and simulation results show that individual responses had a significant effect on the outbreak. Individuals declining to follow the public health guidelines in Korea and Japan between the second and third waves contributed to making the third peak the highest of the three peaks. In Pakistan, however, individual responses to following public health guidelines were maintained between the second and third waves, resulting in the third peak being lower than the first, rather than being associated with the highest transmission rate. Thus, maintaining a high level of awareness is critical for containing the spread. Improvised public health campaigns are recommended to sustain individual attention and maintain a high level of awareness.
Application of L-moment method for regional frequency analysis of meteorological drought across the Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Li Ming , Liu Meilin , Cao Fuqiang , Wang Guiwen , Chai Xurong , Zhang Lianzhi
Published: September 2022

Water shortages have always been the primary bottleneck for the healthy and sustainable development of the ecological environment on the Loess Plateau (LP). Proper water resource management requires knowledge of the spatiotemporal characteristics of precipitation frequency. This paper employed the gridded precipitation dataset obtained from the China Meteorological Data Service Centre to present a spatially explicit characterization of precipitation frequencies in tandem with their return periods on the LP based on the L-moment method. The 60% and 80% of the mean annual precipitation from 1981 to 2010 were synonymous with severe and moderate droughts, respectively. Droughts occurred more frequently in the northwest than in the southeast of the LP. Moreover, the frequencies of moderate drought showed a slight difference throughout the area, while those of severe droughts demonstrated considerable differences between the northwestern arid zone and the southeastern semi-humid zone. The maps associated with various return periods of precipitation deficits can be used to produce drought risk maps together with drought vulnerability maps. These findings could also provide useful information for drought management, water resource management and the development of food security policies.
Anterior segment characteristics in normal and keratoconus eyes evaluated with a new type of swept-source optical coherence tomography
Authors: Kim Kook Young , Lee Seongjun , Jeon Young Joon , Min Ji Sang
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the discriminating ability of corneal elevation maps generated using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) (SS-OCT ANTERION, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany), which was estimated with different reference surfaces, to distinguish normal corneas from those with keratoconus and keratoconus suspect.

Methods

A total of 126 eyes of patients, which comprised 43, 37, and 46 keratoconus, keratoconus suspects, and normal controls, respectively, were included in this study. The anterior and posterior elevations at the thinnest point under the best-fit sphere (BFS) and toric-ellipsoid (BFT), respectively, and other corneal parameters were measured using the SS-OCT. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and cut-off value were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic ability of the corneal elevation values in differentiating keratoconus and keratoconus suspects from normal eyes.

Results

The mean total keratometric and corneal elevation values were significantly higher in the keratoconus group than in the other groups. Pachymetric parameters exhibited the lowest values for keratoconus. In addition, ROC curve analyses showed a high accuracy of the thinnest point anterior and posterior BFT for both keratoconus and keratoconus suspects and normal controls (area under the ROC were 0.969 and 0.961, respectively). Furthermore, the optimal cut-off point of the posterior elevation at the thinnest point under BFT was 16.44 μm (sensitivity and specificity of 86% and 98%, respectively) for differentiating keratoconus from normal and keratoconus suspect eyes.

Conclusions

The elevation map using the BFS and BFT references measured with the anterior segment SS-OCT is considered an effective indicator for keratoconus diagnosis. Therefore, the anterior segment SS-OCT can effectively differentiate keratoconus from suspected keratoconus and normal corneas by measuring parameters such as posterior and anterior elevations, pachymetry, and keratometry.
Case Report on Prenatal Diagnosis of Prune Belly Syndrome – At Severe End of Spectrum
Authors: Namdev Seth  , Dushyant Varshney
Published: September 2022

A 22-year-old primigravida, a North Indian woman was referred for an antenatal ultrasound for unusually large abdominal girth, compared to the LMP estimated gestational age of 24 weeks. The mother belonged to a remote rural area and was from low socioeconomic strata. There was no history of a prior antenatal check-up or an ultrasound scan. The patient had a history of consumption of unspecified over-the-counter drugs for which no data was available. No obvious history of radiation exposure or fever with rashes in the current pregnancy was present. The patient had no history of chronic illness or any significant congenital anomaly in her family.
Decarbonising Existing Homes in Wales: A Participatory Behavioural Systems Mapping Approach
Authors: Hale Joanna , Jofeh Christopher , Chadwick Paul
Published: September 2022

Background: To reduce carbon emissions, urgent change is needed to high-carbon human behaviours including home energy use. Previous policy failures point to insufficient integration of systemic and behavioural approaches which are too often seen as alternative and incompatible approaches to bring about change. A novel behavioural systems mapping approach was used to inform national policy recommendations for energy-saving retrofit of homes in Wales.

Method: Three participatory workshops were held with the independent Welsh residential decarbonisation advisory group (‘the Advisory Group’) to (1) map relationships between actors, behaviours and influences on behaviour within the home retrofit system, (2) provide training in the Behaviour Change Wheel framework (3) use these to develop policy recommendations for interventions. Recommendations were analysed using the COM-B (capability, opportunity, motivation) model of behaviour to assess whether they addressed these factors.

Results: Two behavioural systems maps were produced, representing privately rented and owner-occupied housing tenures. The main causal pathways and feedback loops in each map are described. Necessary interventions to achieve national-scale retrofit included: government-led investment, campaigns and awareness-building, financial-sector funding mechanisms, enforcement of regulations, and creating more streamlined and trusted supply chain services. Of 27 final policy recommendations, 6 addressed capability, 24 opportunity, and 12 motivation.

Conclusions: Participatory behavioural systems mapping can be used in conjunction with behaviour change frameworks to develop policy recommendations that address the behavioural determinants of complex environmental problems in a systemic way. Research is underway to refine and extend the approach through application to other sustainability challenges and methods of constructing systems maps.
Deep Learning–Based Monitoring Sustainable Decision Support System for Energy Building to Smart Cities with Remote Sensing Techniques
Authors: Yue Wang , Yu Changgang , Antonidoss A. , Anbarasan M
Published: September 2022

In modern society, energy conservation is an important consideration for sustainability. The availability of energy-efficient infrastructures and utilities depend on the sustainability of smart cities. The big streaming data generated and collected by smart building devices and systems
contain useful information that needs to be used to make timely action and better decisions. The ultimate objective of these procedures is to enhance the city's sustainability and livability. The replacement of decades-old infrastructures, such as underground wiring, steam pipes, transportation
tunnels, and high-speed Internet installation, is already a major problem for major urban regions. There are still certain regions in big cities where broadband wireless service is not available. The decision support system is recently acquiring increasing attention in the smart city context.
In this article, a deep learning–based sustainable decision support system (DLSDSS) has been proposed for energy building in smart cities. This study proposes the integration of the Internet of Things into smart buildings for energy management, utilizing deep learning methods for sensor
information decision making. Building a socially advanced environment aims to enhance city services and urban administration for residents in smart cities using remote sensing techniques. The proposed deep learning methods classify buildings based on energy efficiency. Data gathered from the
sensor network to plan smart cities' development include a deep learning algorithm's structural assembly of data. The deep learning algorithm provides decision makers with a model for the big data stream. The numerical results show that the proposed method reduces energy consumption and enhances
sensor data accuracy by 97.67% with better decision making in planning smart infrastructures and services. The experimental outcome of the DLSDSS enhances accuracy (97.67%), time complexity (98.7%), data distribution rate (97.1%), energy consumption rate (98.2%), load shedding ratio (95.8%),
and energy efficiency (95.4%).
Long-Term Changes of Land Use and Land Cover in the Yangtze River Basin from 1990–2020 Landsat Data
Authors: Yao Junyuan , Jin Shuanggen
Published: September 2022

Economic development and climate change drive the land use and land cover (LULC) change globally. Annual robust maps of LULC are critical for studying climate change and land–climate interaction. However, the current existing methods for optimizing and expanding the publicly available
China land cover data set (CLCD) are limited. In this article, 30-m annual LULC changes are obtained from 1990 to 2020 in the Yangtze River basin (YRB). The results show an overall accuracy rate of 82.66% and better performances on Geo-Wiki test samples when compared to similar products. Based
on our 30-m annual LULC data set, the drastic LULC changes are found in YRB over a 30-year period, where impervious surface area more than tripled, cropland area decreased by 6.12%, and water area decreased by 6.09%. In addition, through the geographically and temporally weighted regression
method, a fitting model with a goodness of fit of 0.91 well reveals that human activity plays a driving role in the LULC change of YRB.
Pratica de EJA em prisões
Authors: Pereira Antonio
Published: September 2022

Este artigo analisa a Educação de Jovens e Adultos (EJA) no sistema prisional baiano, com a  intenção de compreender as configurações pedagógicas dessa prática a partir das pesquisas desenvolvidas nas unidades prisionais do estado. A metodologia foi uma investigação na base de dados da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Catálogo de Teses e Dissertações. Os descritores utilizados foram: prática de EJA em prisões na Bahia; EJA no sistema prisional da Bahia. Refinamos a pesquisa para os anos de 2010 a 2020, centrando na educação como área de concentração e avaliação, e, como lócus, as instituições de ensino superior do estado. Obtivemos 467 resultados de pesquisa, então, refinamos para os programas de pós-graduação em educação, reduzindo para 280 pesquisas. Realizamos a leitura prévia dos resumos e constatamos que apenas nove estudos diziam respeito à prática pedagógica em EJA. Em linhas gerais, os resultados demonstram que essa modalidade de ensino nos estabelecimentos penais do estado é realizada precariamente, seja pelas péssimas condições físicas das unidades, pela frágil organização e prática pedagógica, ausência de um currículo efetivamente temático, dinâmico e protagonista, seja pelas relações interpessoais conflituosas que desafiam a escola nas unidades penais.
Educação do Campo interrogando a Educação Rural e o sistema apostilado de ensino
Authors: Nunes Neto Antonio Gonçalves , Arcega Fabíola Soares , Fonseca Maria Mikaella dos Santos
Published: September 2022

A realidade de uma Educação do Campo está vinculada às lutas sociais dos seus diversos sujeitos. Nessa perspectiva, o presente artigo adotou como subsídio apresentar a contradição entre a Educação do Campo e a Educação Rural sob a luz do Sistema Apostilado de Ensino. Logo, esta pesquisa se apresenta como bibliográfica e documental, recorrendo a artigos, dissertações e documentos de órgãos estatais. A Educação do Campo exige transformações estruturais e urgentes, pois é preciso reconhecer o campo como lugar de formação, com finalidade da ação educativa destinada aos sujeitos do campo. Concluímos, então, que um dos elementos herdados da Educação Rural é a utilização dos Sistemas Apostilados de Ensino, os quais retiram a autonomia das escolas, dos professores e descaracterizam os sujeitos que vivem nos diversos territórios em nosso país.
APPLICATION OF BOX-BEHNKEN, ANN, AND ANFIS TECHNIQUES FOR IDENTIFICATION OF THE OPTIMUM PROCESSING PARAMETERS FOR FDM 3D PRINTING PARTS
Authors: Tho Nguyen Huu
Published: September 2022

Fused Deposition Modeling, among the various 3D printing approaches, is becoming more and more popular because of its capacity to produce complicated parts quickly. The tensile strength of parts printed with polylactic acid (PLA) showed a significant variation of many factors such as printing speed, printing temperature, printing angle and infill pattern. This study presented an experimental investigation of collecting data with four input factors namely printing speed, printing temperature, printing angle and infill pattern with the tensile strength response. The research methodology of the RSM Box-Behnken DOE method, ANN (Artificial neural network), and ANFIS (Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems) has been used to determine the optimum process 3D printing parameters. The obtained results based on RSM, ANN and ANFIS methods are used to predict the tensile strength of 3D printed FDM details. The best tensile value is 7,03303 MPa corresponding to print speed of 30,0003 mm/s, printing temperature of 211,594℃, printing angle of 90° with Honeycomb” infill printing pattern. Moreover, the results also highlighted that ANFIS is potential approach for forecasting the tensile strength of 3D printing parts more competitively.
Isolation and Characterisation of Urease Producing Bacteria and their Capacity to Precipitate Calcium Carbonate
Authors: Khambholja Devang Bharatkumar , Gamit Dharmishtha , Patel Hitesh , Kumar Prashant
Published: September 2022

The current study was designed to isolate and characterize urease-producing bacteria and to assess their ability to precipitate calcium carbonate. Total eight bacteria were isolated from dung-rich soil samples collected from Dakor, Gujarat. Out of these, two bacterial strains designated as DGDK-3 and DGDK-4 were found to produce a considerable level of urease in the initial screening on the urea agar medium. Based on morphological and physiological tests and more specifically by 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis, these bacteria were identified as Quasibacillus sp. Strain DGDK-3 and Bacillus sp. Strain DGDK-4. The strains DGDK-3 and DGDK-4 showed 25 IU/ml and 89 IU/ml urease activity, respectively. Also, the efficacy of both strains was tested for calcium carbonate precipitation. Results showed that both the isolates were competent to precipitate a significant level of calcium carbonate. The current work demonstrated that urease-producing bacteria can be utilised in bio-cementationas a crack sealing agent and as a natural stabilizing agent.
Computational Analysis for Regulation of Podophyllotoxin Biosynthesis Pathway in Podophyllum with Potential Substitute Species
Authors: Srivastava Utkarsha , Sood Hemant
Published: September 2022

Podophyllum species, the source of important secondary metabolite, podophyllotoxin, is over-exploited for production of anti-cancer drugs endangering this genus globally. Lack of complete knowledge on podophyllotoxin biosynthesis is a major drawback in its cultivation and identification for alternative plants. The current study on secoisolariciresinol dehydrogenase, dirigent protein oxidase and pluviatolide synthase identifies their role in regulating podophyllotoxin biosynthesis. The present computational analysis of podophyllotoxin proposes a correlating interconnected network of pathways for podophyllotoxin biosynthesis besides identifying potential substitute species for the biosynthesis of podophyllotoxin and accounting for possible reason for variation in podophyllotoxin yield from different species of this genus
Cuidados de enfermería para reducir el riesgo de hemorragia en pacientes con trombolisis por ICTUS isquémico
Authors: Castiblanco Montañez Ruth , Bravo Ayala Juan , López Ruíz Ashly Valentina , Rivas Granados Tarek , Sandoval Puentes Nathaly
Published: September 2022

Objetivo: Describir las intervenciones de enfermería en pacientes con trombolisis en ICTUS isquémico para reducir el riesgo de hemorragia. Metodología: Investigación secundaria, tipo de revisión; integrativa. Se realizó una pregunta con la estrategia PICO: ¿Cuáles son las intervenciones de enfermería en pacientes con trombolisis en ICTUS isquémico para reducir el riesgo de hemorragia antes, durante y después de trombolizar al paciente?. Se construyó una ecuación de búsqueda utilizando booleanos, DeCS/MeSH para facilitar la búsqueda en bases de datos. Los artículos encontrados fueron leídos críticamente y clasificados por nivel de evidencia y grados de recomendación. Estudio sin riesgo ético por ser de tipo documental, se respetaron los derechos de autor de acuerdo a la Ley 44 de 1993. Resultados: Con las 14 unidades de análisis finales fueron construidos 3 dominios que realzan la importancia de los conocimientos y el actuar del personal de enfermería en la reducción del riesgo de hemorragia en pacientes con ictus isquémico. Dichos dominios son: 1) control y monitorización de la tensión arterial; principal cuidado de enfermería antes, durante y después de la trombolisis, 2) terapia combinada; disminución de riesgos hemorrágicos - aumento de la ventana terapéutica, 3) dosificación segura de alteplasa en situaciones contraindicadas. Conclusiones: La intervención de enfermería más significativa durante esta terapia es la monitorización y control de las cifras tensionales, debido a que su aumento mayor a 185/110 mmHg es el factor de riesgo más significativo en la aparición de hemorragias.
Exceso de mortalidad por todas las causas en el marco de la pandemia por COVID-19en el Valle del Cauca, 2020
Authors: Giraldo Oliveros Simon Andrés , Zambrano Correa Ana Lilibeth , Villegas Perea Juan de Dios
Published: September 2022

Introducción: La pandemia por COVID-19 ha causado un impacto negativo en la salud mundial, donde Colombia y específicamente el Departamento del Valle del Cauca no es la excepción, por lo cual fue necesario implementar en todo el país diversos sistemas para la identificación, seguimiento y análisis del virus, que continúan a la fecha, en el marco de dicha necesidad se plantea la presente investigación con el objeto de estimar el exceso de mortalidad por todas las causas en el departamento y compararlo con la carga de mortalidad del virus. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio observacional trasversal del exceso de mortalidad por todas las causas para el Valle del Cauca en el 2020, empleando las defunciones no fetales oficiales del Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística DANE, calculando el exceso de mortalidad observada frente a la esperada, estimada utilizando proyecciones a partir de regresiones lineales. Resultados: se encontró un exceso de mortalidad por todas las causas del 18,3% para 2020, siendo mayor el incremento en hombres y en población 45 años o más. Conclusiones: El exceso de mortalidad por todas las causas observadas en 2020 no se explica por el trasegar de la pandemia, dado que el volumen de defunciones observadas supera en más de 700 casos a la mortalidad que se esperaba según comportamiento histórico 2015-2019, evidenciando un volumen importante de subregistros de mortalidad por COVID-19 o explicado por causas indirectas al virus.