bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long-distance spread of Tembusu virus, and its dispersal in local mosquitoes and domestic poultry in Chongming Island, China
Authors: Fang Yuan , Hang Tian , Yang Li-Min , Xue Jing-Bo , Fujita Ryosuke , Feng Xue-Song , Jiang Tian-Ge , Zhang Yi , Li Shi-Zhu , Zhou Xiao-Nong
Published: May 2023

Background

Chongming Island in China serves as a breeding and shelter point on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway. The resting frequency of migratory birds, abundance of mosquito populations, and the popular domestic poultry industry pose a potential risk of mosquito-borne zoonotic diseases. The aim of this study is to explore the role of migratory birds in the spread of mosquito-borne pathogens and their prevalent status on the island.

Methods

We conducted a mosquito-borne pathogen surveillance in 2021, in Chongming, Shanghai, China. Approximately 67,800 adult mosquitoes belonging to ten species were collected to investigate the presence of flaviviruses, alphaviruses, and orthobunyaviruses by RT-PCR. Genetic and phylogenetic analyses were conducted to explore the virus genotype and potential nature source. Serological survey was performed by ELISA to characterize Tembusu virus (TMUV) infection among domestic poultry.

Results

Two strains of TMUV and Chaoyang virus (CHAOV) and 47 strains of Quang Binh virus (QBV) were detected in 412 mosquito pools, with the infection rate of 0.16, 0.16, and 3.92 per 1000 Culex tritaeniorhynchus, respectively. Furthermore, TMUVs viral RNA was found in serum samples of domestic chickens and faecal samples of migratory birds. Antibodies against TMUV were detected in domestic avian serum samples, generally ranging from 44.07% in pigeons to 55.71% in ducks. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the TMUV detected in Chongming belonged to Cluster 3, Southeast Asia origin, and most closely related to the CTLN strain, which caused a TMUV outbreak in chickens in Guangdong Province in 2020, but distant from strains obtained previously in Shanghai, which were involved in the 2010 TMUV outbreak in China.

Conclusions

We speculate that the TMUV was imported to Chongming Island through long-distance spreading by migratory birds from Southeast Asia, followed by spill over and transmission in mosquitoes and domestic avian species, threatening the local domestic poultry. In addition, the expansion and prevalence of insect-specific flaviviruses and its simultaneous circulation with mosquito-borne virus are worthy of close attention and further study.
The prevalence of soil transmitted helminths and its influential factors in Shandong Province, China: an analysis of surveillance data from 2016 to 2020
Authors: Xu Yan , Wang Yongbin , Wang Longjiang , Kong Xiangli , Yan Ge , Li Yuejin , Bu Cancan , Zhang Benguang
Published: May 2023

Background

Soil-transmitted helminths (STHs) were previously endemic in Shandong Province, China. This study aimed to analyze the STHs prevalence trend and the natural, social, and human cognitive and behavioural factors influencing the discrepancies between high and low infection levels from 2016 to 2020 in Shandong Province in eastern China.

Methods

STHs surveillance data of Shandong Province from 2016 to 2020 were obtained from China Information Management System for Prevention and Control of Parasitic Diseases. STHs infections were detected by modified Kato–Katz method. Comprehensive information on the natural and social factors, STHs-related knowledge and behaviours were collected through questionnaire surveys. Retrospective spatial scan analysis was performed using SaTScan v10.1 to evaluate any identified spatial clusters of STHs infection for statistical significance and Bayes discriminant analysis was used to discriminate the high or low infection groups of the villages.

Results

In total, 72,160 participants were involved in our survey from 2016 to 2020. The overall STHs prevalence rate was 1.13%, with the eastern region of Shandong Province having the highest rate (2.02%). The predominant species was T. trichiura, with the prevalence rate of 0.99% and the ≥ 70-year age group possessed the highest rate of 2.21%. The STHs prevalence rate showed an annual linear downward trend from 2016 to 2020 ($$\chi_{{{\text{trend}}}}^{2}$$

χ

trend

2

 = 127.600, P < 0.001). Respondents aged ≥ 60 years had the lowest awareness level of STHs-related prevention knowledge (all P < 0.05), and were the most likely to adopt the practice of fertilizing with fresh stool (χ2 = 28.354, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the southern region demonstrated the highest temperature and rainfall level and the lowest GNP and annual net income per capita (all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

There is a remarkable declining in STHs prevalence in Shandong Province from 2016 to 2020. However, the prevalence rates of STHs especially T. trichiura in the southern and eastern regions were still high, and the elderly were more susceptible to be infected with STHs owning to their low awareness level of STHS-related prevention knowledge and high adoption rate of dangerous production and living behaviours. Integrated approaches of health education, environment improvement and behaviour change should be strengthened to obtain a further reduction of STHs prevalence in China.
Outcomes for binge eating disorder in a remote weight-inclusive treatment program: a case report
Authors: Shepherd Caitlin B. , Boswell Rebecca G. , Genet Jessica , Oliver-Pyatt Wendy , Stockert Christine , Brumm Rebecca , Riebl Shaun , Crowe Elsbeth
Published: May 2023

Background

There are no known published reports on outcomes for medically and psychiatrically compromised patients with binge eating disorder (BED) treated remotely in higher level of care settings. This case report presents outcomes of an intentionally remote weight-inclusive partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient program based on Health at Every Size® and intuitive eating principles.

Case presentation

The patient presented with an extensive trauma background and long history of disturbed eating and body image. She was diagnosed with BED along with several comorbidities, most notably major depressive disorder with suicidality and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. She completed a total of 186 days in the comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment program encompassing individual and group therapy, as well as other supportive services such as meal support and in vivo exposure sessions. Upon discharge, her BED was in remission, her major depressive disorder was in partial remission, and she no longer exhibited signs of suicidality. Overall, she showed decreases in eating disorder, depressive, and anxiety symptoms as well as increases in quality of life and intuitive eating throughout treatment, which were largely maintained after one year.

Conclusions

This case highlights the potential of remote treatment as an option for individuals with BED, especially in cases where access to higher levels of care might be limited. These findings exemplify how a weight-inclusive approach can be effectively applied when working with this population.
Advancements in visible-light-driven double perovskite nanoparticles for photodegradation
Authors: Jana Runia , Rajaitha P. Mary , Hajra Sugato , Kim Hoe Joon
Published: May 2023

Perovskites are of significant interest in the field of photocatalysis. To date, many perovskite nanostructures have been developed, and their applications in photocatalysis have been studied. There has been considerable improvement in the research on metal doping in the perovskite structure to improve their optical and structural properties. This mini-review examines the recent progress in the synthesis of lead-free double perovskite nanoparticles and their application in visible-light photocatalysis. Lead-free perovskites are emerging as an eco-friendly solution in energy, electrochemistry, and sensing. Double perovskites are known for their flexible structural, optical, and morphological properties due to their lattice framework having a general form AAʹBBʹO6. They are more useful for hydrogen evolution due to their higher conduction band potential than simple perovskites. Here, we summarize the current progress and provide insights for the future development of double perovskites toward efficient photodegradation.
CICHMKG: a large-scale and comprehensive Chinese intangible cultural heritage multimodal knowledge graph
Authors: Fan Tao , Wang Hao , Hodel Tobias
Published: May 2023

Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) witnesses human creativity and wisdom in long histories, composed of a variety of immaterial manifestations. The rapid development of digital technologies accelerates the record of ICH, generating a sheer number of heterogenous data but in a state of fragmentation. To resolve that, existing studies mainly adopt approaches of knowledge graphs (KGs) which can provide rich knowledge representation. However, most KGs are text-based and text-derived, and incapable to give related images and empower downstream multimodal tasks, which is also unbeneficial for the public to establish the visual perception and comprehend ICH completely especially when they do not have the related ICH knowledge. Hence, aimed at that, we propose to, taking the Chinese nation-level ICH list as an example, construct a large-scale and comprehensive Multimodal Knowledge Graph (CICHMKG) combining text and image entities from multiple data sources and give a practical construction framework. Additionally, in this paper, to select representative images for ICH entities, we propose a method composed of the denoising algorithm (CNIFA) and a series of criteria, utilizing global and local visual features of images and textual features of captions. Extensive empirical experiments demonstrate its effectiveness. Lastly, we construct the CICHMKG, consisting of 1,774,005 triples, and visualize it to facilitate the interactions and help the public dive into ICH deeply.
Big Data in multiscale modelling: from medical image processing to personalized models
Authors: Geroski Tijana , Jakovljević Djordje , Filipović Nenad
Published: May 2023

The healthcare industry is different from other industries–patient data are sensitive, their storage needs to be handled with care and in compliance with regulative, while prediction accuracy needs to be high. This fast expansion in medical image modalities and data collection leads to generation of so called “Big Data” which is time-consuming to be analyzed by medical experts. This paper provides an insight into the Big Data from the aspect of its role in multiscale modelling. Special attention is paid to the workflow, starting from medical image processing all the way to creation of personalized models and their analysis. A review of literature regarding Big Data in healthcare is provided and two proposed solutions are described–carotid artery ultrasound image processing and 3D reconstruction, and drug testing on personalized heart models. Related to the carotid artery ultrasound image processing, the starting point is ultrasound images, which are segmented using convolutional neural network U-net, while segmented masks were further used in 3D reconstruction of geometry. Related to the drug testing on personalized heart model, similar approach was proposed, images were used in creation of personalized 3D geometrical model that is used in computational modelling to determine pressure in the left ventricle before and after drug testing. All the aforementioned methodologies are complex, include Big Data analysis and should be performed using servers or high-performance computing. Future development of Big Data applications in healthcare domains offers a lot of potential due to new data standards, rapid development of research and technology, as well as strong government incentives.
The 2022 Mw6.2 Pasaman, Indonesia, earthquake sequence and its implication of seismic hazard in central-west Sumatra
Authors: Wulandari Rizki , Chan Chung-Han , Wibowo Adhi
Published: May 2023

The 2022 Mw6.2 Pasaman earthquake took place in central-west Sumatra in association with activity in the Sumatran Fault system. This study clarifies the spatial and temporal distribution of the Pasaman earthquake sequence and forecasts the earthquake sequence’s impact on the seismicity in the vicinity and in the Sumatran Fault system. We first examined the seismicity before the mainshock and observed temporal lowb-value anomalies, shedding light on the earthquake’s precursor by monitoringb-values prior to the event. Based on the aftershocks in the first 18 days, we modeled the temporal distribution of the aftershocks according to the modified Omori’s law, which suggested this sequence could last 49–473 days. By further considering Båth’s law and the Gutenberg–Richter law, we estimated the temporal distribution of the maximum magnitudes in the aftershock sequence. To understand the spatial pattern of the aftershocks, we calculated the coseismic Coulomb stress change imparted by the Pasaman mainshock. Considering uncertainties of the Coulomb stress calculations from rupture geometry, mainshock parameters, friction coefficients, and strike angles of the receiver plane, the patterns of the Coulomb stress changes are similar that the stress increases extended northwest and southeast, consistent with aftershock distribution. We further evaluated rupture probability for each segment of the Sumatran Fault. Considering the stress perturbation imparted by the Pasaman earthquake, we expected a seismicity rate increase of ca. 40% at the Sumpur and Sianok segments in the short term. To quantify long-term rupture probability, the recurrence interval and the time elapsed since the previous earthquake were incorporated based on the time-dependent Brownian passage-time model. The earthquake probability at the Sumani segment in the coming 50 years was determined to be 72%. The results of this study have significant implications for subsequent probabilistic seismic hazard assessments, not only for Sumatra but also for certain metropolitan areas in Malaysia and Singapore.
Late recurrent gastric carcinoma 12 years after surgery with attenuation of CD44 variant 9 expression
Authors: Hayashi Hirokatsu , Yasufuku Itaru , Higashi Toshiya , Chikaishi Wakana , Yokoi Ryoma , Fukada Masahiro , Sato Yuta , Asai Ryuichi , Tajima Jesse Yu , Saigo Chiemi , Makiyama Akitaka , Tanaka Yoshihiro , Okumura Naoki , Murase Katsutoshi , Takahashi Takao , Futamura Manabu , Takeuchi Tamotsu , Matsuhashi Nobuhisa
Published: May 2023

Background

Late recurrence of gastric cancer at 10 years post-gastrectomy is extremely rare, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We report a para-aortic lymph node metastasis case that recurred 12 years postoperatively.

Case presentation

A 44-year-old woman pathologically diagnosed with moderately to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with pT2(SS)pN2cM0pStageIIIA according to the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma (the 13th Edition) underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy with D1 + lymph node dissection. She received adjuvant chemotherapy with tegafur-uracil (400 mg/day) for 2 years. At postoperative year (POY) 5, a swollen lymph node was detected in the No.16b1lat lymph node station. However, positron emission tomography (PET) revealed normal uptake, and the levels of tumor markers were within normal limits; hence, the possibility of metastasis was considered low, and the patient was placed under observation. At POY 12, computed tomography revealed an enlargement of the No.16b1lat lymph node station, and PET showed abnormal uptake. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration revealed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Hence, a diagnosis of recurrence of gastric cancer was made. The patient underwent para-aortic nodal dissection (PAND) of No.16b1lat & int stations. Immunochemical staining results also suggested the recurrence of gastric cancer. However, the expression of CD44 variant 9 (CD44v9), a cancer stem cell marker for gastric adenocarcinoma, was attenuated in the recurrent lesions compared with that in the primary lesions. Postoperatively, she received chemotherapy with tegafur–gimeracil–oteracil (80 mg/day) for 1 year. Bone metastasis was observed at POY 4 after PAND, and the IHC analysis showed a HER2 score of 3 + in a needle biopsy specimen of bone metastasis. The expression of CD44v9 was slightly positive. The patient is being treated with chemotherapy with FOLFOX + trastuzumab.

Conclusions

A defense mechanism against reactive oxygen species has been reported as a mechanism causing recurrence of CD44v9-positive gastric cancer. Consequently, CD44v9-positive gastric cancer grows in metastatic organs, repeatedly self-renews, and proliferates to form recurrent lesions. In the present case, the degree of CD44v9 staining in recurrent lesions was suggested to be related to the recurrence time.
Implementation of a novel program to support colorectal cancer screening in a community health center consortium before and after the onset of COVID-19: a qualitative study of stakeholders’ perspectives
Authors: Santiago-Rodríguez Eduardo J. , Hoeft Kristin S. , Lugtu Kara , McGowen Matthew , Ofman David , Adler Jaime , Somsouk Ma , Potter Michael B.
Published: May 2023

Background

In 2017, the San Francisco Cancer Initiative (SF CAN) established the Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Program to provide technical assistance and financial support to improve CRC screening processes, and outcomes in a consortium of community health centers (CHCs) serving low-income communities in San Francisco. The purpose of this study was twofold: to evaluate the perceived influence of the support provided by the CRC Screening Program’s Task Force on CRC screening processes and outcomes in these settings and to identify facilitators and barriers to SF CAN-supported CRC screening activities before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with consortium leaders, medical directors, quality improvement team members, and clinic screening champions. Interviews were audio-recorded, professionally transcribed, and analyzed for themes. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to develop the interview questions and organize the analysis.

Results

Twenty-two participants were interviewed. The most commonly cited facilitators of improved screening processes included the expertise, funding, screening resources, regular follow-up, and sustained engagement with clinic leaders provided by the task force. The most salient barriers identified were patient characteristics, such as housing instability; staffing challenges, such as being understaffed and experiencing high staff turnover; and clinic-level challenges, such as lack of ability to implement and sustain formalized patient navigation strategies, and changes in clinic priorities due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other competing health care priorities.

Conclusions

Implementing CRC screening programs in a consortium of CHCs is inherently challenging. Technical assistance from the Task Force was viewed positively and helped to mitigate challenges both before and during the pandemic. Future research should explore opportunities to increase the robustness of technical assistance offered by groups such as SF CAN to support cancer screening activities in CHCs serving low-income communities.
Bilateral antrochoanal polyps in a Sudanese patient: a case report
Authors: Kardman Siddig E. , Khalid Osama M. , Yagi Hashim I.
Published: May 2023

Background

Antrochoanal polyps (ACPs) are pathologically benign nasal swellings. The maxillary sinus is the commonest reported origin. The polyps are usually unilateral and often exit through the progressively widened maxillary sinus ostium to occupy the choana and may reach the nasopharynx. It is a disease of adolescents and young adults who often present with progressive unilateral nasal obstruction. Encountering bilateral antrochoanal polyps is very rare.

Case presentation

We report a forty years old male who had progressive bilateral nasal obstruction for 8 years associated with hyposmia and intermittent facial pain and headaches. A nasal mass could be seen on anterior rhinoscopy on both sides, more prominent on the left. Endoscopy revealed bilateral masses hanging down the choanae. Computerized tomography scan of the nose and paranasal sinuses demonstrated bilateral nasal polypi and widening of the maxillary sinus ostia. During endoscopic surgical excision of the lesions, polypi were found to dilate the ostia of both maxillary sinuses. The polypi had antral, nasal, and choanal parts typical of antrochoanal polypi on both sides. The histopathology showed the inflammatory nature characteristic of antrochoanal polyp. Postoperatively, the patient’s symptoms resolved dramatically, and he is on continuous regular scheduled follow-up.

Conclusion

Bilateral antrochoanal polyps can present with nasal obstruction and can be misdiagnosed as sinusitis; radiological and endoscopic features are useful to reach specific diagnosis; what is special about our presentation is that it is an addition to the literature of a rare disease (bilateral ACPs), and we are reporting it in an older age rather than the common younger age of presentation in the literature reports, which is an addition to the demographic data.
Modular characterization of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein domain functions in nucleocapsid-like assembly
Authors: Wang Yan , Ling Xiaobin , Zhang Chong , Zou Jian , Luo Bingnan , Luo Yongbo , Jia Xinyu , Jia Guowen , Zhang Minghua , Hu Junchao , Liu Ting , Wang Yuanfeiyi , Lu Kefeng , Li Dan , Ma Jinbiao , Liu Cong , Su Zhaoming
Published: May 2023

SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, with the Omicron subvariant XBB currently prevailing the global infections, continue to pose threats on public health worldwide. This non-segmented positive-stranded RNA virus encodes the multi-functional nucleocapsid protein (N) that plays key roles in viral infection, replication, genome packaging and budding. N protein consists of two structural domains, NTD and CTD, and three intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) including the NIDR, the serine/arginine rich motif (SRIDR), and the CIDR. Previous studies revealed functions of N protein in RNA binding, oligomerization, and liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), however, characterizations of individual domains and their dissected contributions to N protein functions remain incomplete. In particular, little is known about N protein assembly that may play essential roles in viral replication and genome packing. Here, we present a modular approach to dissect functional roles of individual domains in SARS-CoV-2 N protein that reveals inhibitory or augmented modulations of protein assembly and LLPS in the presence of viral RNAs. Intriguingly, full-length N protein (NFL) assembles into ring-like architecture whereas the truncated SRIDR-CTD-CIDR (N182-419) promotes filamentous assembly. Moreover, LLPS droplets of NFL and N182-419 are significantly enlarged in the presence of viral RNAs, and we observed filamentous structures in the N182-419 droplets using correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), suggesting that the formation of LLPS droplets may promote higher-order assembly of N protein for transcription, replication and packaging. Together this study expands our understanding of the multiple functions of N protein in SARS-CoV-2.
Compulsory community treatment orders (CTOs): recent research and future directions
Authors: Beaglehole Ben , Tennant Matthew
Published: May 2023

Compulsory community treatment orders (CTOs) are controversial because the right to refuse treatment is overridden, even when patients may not be acutely unwell. Scrutiny of outcomes associated with CTOs is therefore required. This editorial provides an overview of the evidence for CTOs. It also discusses recent papers reporting outcomes associated with CTOs and makes recommendations for researchers and clinicians to consider.
Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting Heparin Resistance in Neonates and Young Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Gao Peng , Zhang Yang , Jin Yu , Zhang Peiyao , Wang Wenting , Liu Jinping
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND:

Heparin resistance (HR) is a common finding in pediatric cardiac surgery and generally refers to decreased sensitivity to heparin. Antithrombin (AT) deficiency is considered the primary mechanism of HR; however, the etiology of HR may be multifactorial. Early identification of HR might help optimize heparin anticoagulation management. This study aimed to develop a predictive nomogram for HR in neonates and young infants undergoing cardiac surgery.

METHODS:

From January 2020 to August 2022, a total of 296 pediatric patients 1 to 180 days of age were included in this retrospective study. The patients were randomly divided into development and validation cohorts in a 7:3 ratio. Univariable logistic regression and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regularization were used for variable selection. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors and establish a nomogram to predict HR risk. Discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness were assessed in the development and validation cohorts.

RESULTS:

After the multistep variable selection, AT activity, platelet count, and fibrinogen were predictors for HR in neonates and young infants. The prediction model constructed using these 3 factors achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) of 0.874 and 0.873 in the development and validation cohorts. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test did not find evidence of a lack of fit (P = .768). The calibration curve of the nomogram was close to the ideal diagonal line. Furthermore, the model performed well in neonate and infant subgroups.

CONCLUSIONS:

A nomogram based on preoperative variables was developed to predict the HR risk in neonates and young infants undergoing cardiac surgery. This provides clinicians with a simple tool for the early prediction of HR, which may help optimize heparin anticoagulation strategies in this vulnerable patient population.
Daizō Sakurai's Trans-Asian Tent Theater, Picun, and the Reenchantment of Urban Space
Authors: Jaguścik Justyna
Published: May 2023

This article discusses the 2010 Picun performance of Crow2Topia, the first play by the Beijing division of Daizō Sakurai's tent theater. Sakurai had previously participated in grassroots theater activities in Japan and Asia: in 2007 members of the mainland independent theater scene introduced him to the labor NGO and community cultural center Migrant Workers Home in the urban village Picun in Beijing. Sakurai's collaborators suggested that the suburban village-in-the-city, populated by rural migrant workers, would be a performance venue that fit the Japanese director's vision of theater as being located on the margins of society. The article delineates the trajectory of Sakurai's tent theater, analyzing the play Crow2Topia and pointing to intertextual references to premodern theater traditions and modern texts. Drawing on similarities between the play, which portrays a contemporary Chinese city from the perspective of the inhabitants of a garbage dump, and the precarious position of the actual tenants of Picun, it argues that the tent theater and the Migrant Workers Home can both be described as unstable “shared spaces” with permeable borders. In these spaces, social roles and personal identities are in constant flux. The closing part of the article expands the notion of “shared space,” first introduced by Dai Jinhua in her discussion of the emerging popular culture in mainland China in the 1990s, beyond the borders of the local cultural scene and embeds it into transregional networks of grassroots cultural activism.
Intersecting Labor in the Social Factory: Trajectory of a Migrant Woman in South China
Authors: Cho Mun Young
Published: May 2023

With the simultaneous growth of the manufacturing and service industries and the rapid expansion of information and communication technology, what do Chinese workers actually do in order to survive, and what methodological approaches are useful for exploring their subjectivity? In this article, the labor trajectory of Zuo Mei, a young migrant woman, is traced over six and a half years. The author relates Zuo's experience to what Mario Tronti calls the “social factory,” where the extraction of surplus occurs not just on the factory floor but also through social relations inside and outside multiple workplaces; at the intersection of factory, service, volunteer, and domestic labor; encompassing urban and rural, waged and unwaged, (re)productive and distributive, and on- and offline work. By detailing the interactions between these multiple forms of labor, the article argues that Zuo's suffering does not end outside the factory but extends to wherever social relations are capitalized, unveiling how alienation results from the resistance to that alienation.
A novel statistical method for long-term coronavirus modelling
Authors: Gaidai Oleg , Yan Ping , Xing Yihan , Xu JingXiang , Wu Yu
Published: May 2023

Background: Novel coronavirus disease has been recently a concern for worldwide public health. To determine epidemic rate probability at any time in any region of interest, one needs efficient bio-system reliability approach, particularly suitable for multi-regional environmental and health systems, observed over a sufficient period of time, resulting in a reliable long-term forecast of novel coronavirus infection rate. Traditional statistical methods dealing with temporal observations of multi-regional processes do not have the multi-dimensionality advantage, that suggested methodology offers, namely dealing efficiently with multiple regions at the same time and accounting for cross-correlations between different regional observations.

Methods: Modern multi-dimensional novel statistical method was directly applied to raw clinical data, able to deal with territorial mapping. Novel reliability method based on statistical extreme value theory has been suggested to deal with challenging epidemic forecast. Authors used MATLAB optimization software.

Results: This paper described a novel bio-system reliability approach, particularly suitable for multi-country environmental and health systems, observed over a sufficient period of time, resulting in a reliable long-term forecast of extreme novel coronavirus death rate probability.  Namely, accurate maximum recorded patient numbers are predicted for the years to come for the analyzed provinces.

Conclusions:  The suggested method performed well by supplying not only an estimate but 95% confidence interval as well.  Note that suggested methodology is not limited to any specific epidemics or any specific terrain, namely its truly general. The only assumption and limitation is bio-system stationarity, alternatively trend analysis should be performed first.  The suggested methodology can be used in various public health applications, based on their clinical survey data.
Digital Rock Art: beyond 'pretty pictures'
Authors: Valdez-Tullett Joana , Figueiredo Persson Sofia
Published: May 2023

The term ‘Rock Art’ is loosely used in this article to refer to prehistoric carvings and paintings. Rock art research has changed profoundly in the last two decades. Partly, this is due to the introduction of more ‘scientific’ methodologies such as digital recording, to overcome the subjective nature of analogue documentation methods. Digital recording offers not only ‘pretty pictures’ but more immediate and quantifiable datasets and methods of analysis. As a result, new research implementing complex, multi-scalar and inter-relational analyses, which do not focus solely on the motifs or the landscape location, but encompass many variables of the rock art assemblages, have been successful in bringing rock art to wider narratives of prehistory. This article reflects on the interaction between rock art and digital archaeology, considering how the application of digital resources has changed the way we think, record and conduct research in this field. It will be illustrated by two main case studies from Iberia: Schematic Art in its painted form, and Atlantic Rock Art, a carving tradition.
Feasibility and guidelines for the use of an injectable fiducial marker (BioXmark®) to improve target delineation in preclinical radiotherapy studies using mouse models.
Authors: Brown Kathryn , Ghita Mihaela , Prise Kevin M , Butterworth Karl T
Published: May 2023

Background: Preclinical models of radiotherapy (RT) response are vital for the continued success and evolution of RT in the treatment of cancer. The irradiation of tissues in mouse models necessitates high levels of precision and accuracy to recapitulate clinical exposures and limit adverse effects on animal welfare. This requirement has been met by technological advances in preclinical RT platforms established over the past decade. Small animal RT systems use onboard computed tomography (CT) imaging to delineate target volumes and have significantly refined radiobiology experiments with major 3Rs impacts. However, the CT imaging is limited by the differential attenuation of tissues resulting in poor contrast in soft tissues. Clinically, radio-opaque fiducial markers (FMs) are used to establish anatomical reference points during treatment planning to ensure accuracy beam targeting, this approach is yet to translate back preclinical models. Methods: We report on the use of a novel liquid FM BioXmark® developed by Nanovi A/S (Kongens Lyngby, Denmark) that can be used to improve the visualisation of soft tissue targets during beam targeting and minimise dose to surrounding organs at risk. We present descriptive protocols and methods for the use of BioXmark® in experimental male and female C57BL/6J mouse models. Results: These guidelines outline the optimum needle size for uptake (18-gauge) and injection (25- or 26-gauge) of BioXmark® for use in mouse models along with recommended injection volumes (10-20 µl) for visualisation on preclinical cone beam CT (CBCT) scans. Injection techniques include subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, intra-tumoral and prostate injections. Conclusions: The use of BioXmark® can help to standardise targeting methods, improve alignment in preclinical image-guided RT and significantly improve the welfare of experimental animals with the reduction of normal tissue exposure to RT.
Comparative evaluation and correlation of CVMI stages in Class II (vertical) and Class II (horizontal) cases with Class I malocclusion, as evaluated using 3D-DVT and lateral cephalogram
Authors: Bharti Lovely , Shrivastav Sunita , Sanchla Abhishek , Kamble Ranjit
Published: May 2023

Background: The cervical vertebrae have attracted the interest of orthodontists, as the cervical portion of the spine serves as a reference structure to guide the normal head position. Skeletal age is determined by examining changes occurring in the morphology of the cervical vertebrae. There is relatively little data available from all the examinations that compare cervical vertebral phases between the various malocclusions. The purpose of this study was to compare the cervical vertebral maturation index (CVMI) stages of skeletal Class I and Class II malocclusions in the horizontal as well as vertical growth patterns. With distinct malocclusions, however, there are differences in cervical vertebral phases.

Aim: To evaluate, compare and correlate the skeletal maturation using CVMI stages in cases with Class II (horizontal and vertical) using 3D-DVT and lateral cephalogram.

Methodology: In the present observational study, a total of 45 adult patients reporting at the Orthodontics department at a dental college and hospital set up in Wardha district and diagnosed with Class II Horizontal and/or Class II vertical will be recruited. The patients will be divided into three sub-groups and biosafety measures will be taken.

Conclusions: This study would give us a scope to compare the efficiency of lateral cephalogram versus 3D-DVT in estimating the skeletal maturity of patients who need to undergo growth modification in the orofacial region and orthodontic treatment.
Manual cervical therapy and vestibular migraine: A case series
Authors: O'Toole Roger , Watson Dean
Published: May 2023

Background: Vestibular migraine (VM) is a relatively new diagnostic entity with incomplete knowledge regarding pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic guidelines. By reporting the effect of manual cervical therapy (MCT) on people with VM, we suggest a possible role for upper cervical afferents in VM treatment and/or pathogenesis. The objective was to describe the change in clinical presentation and self-reported symptoms of VM corresponding to MCT and followed up to six months.

Methods: A nonrandomised *ABA design was utilised to consecutively and prospectively evaluate selected patients with diagnosed VM. Symptom characteristics (frequency and intensity) were recorded along with standardised patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to document the response to MCT.

Results: Three patients were recruited who met the diagnostic criteria for VM. All three patients demonstrated improvement in both migraine attack and interictal symptom frequency. These improvements mirrored changes in PROs and were sustained over a six-month follow-up period.

Conclusions: The improvement that coincided with the intervention including MCT was rapid, observable and sustained. This suggests that the upper cervical spine could be a therapeutic target in VM and may have implications for future research into the pathogenesis of VM.
MANIFESTATION OF AUTHOR’S GENDER MASK WITHIN THE SCOPE OF AMERICAN FEMALE PROSE
Authors: Vinnik Evgeniya I.
Published: May 2023

Purpose. The study is aimed to ascertain the possible ways of translation of female identity in written form through gender mask.

Materials and methods. The survey is based on: the definitional analysis of gender tendencies, contextual observation of speech material of the fictional work, as well as linguistic facts interpretation and collation, statistical data manipulation.

Results. The hypothesis of potential epitome of the author’s identity via gender mask in the literary text through the verbal semantic space’s analysis of the novel The Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society by M.A. Shaffer and A. Barrows (2700 manifestations) is justified.

Practical implications. The research outcome can find the application in systematic scrutiny of the verb/ verbals usage in the textual space as a means of gender aspect implementation.
PHILOSOPHIC CONCEPTIONS OF BEAUTY IN ANCIENT AESTHETICS
Authors: Yovanovich Tamara G.
Published: May 2023

The research work is devoted to the examination of the definition of beauty in ancient philosophers’ worldview conceptions such as Aristotle, Platon, Pythagoras and Stoics. The author studied the basis development of philosophic ideas in the period of the ancient philosophy applied to idealistic conception of world understanding the definition of beauty.

Materials for research are based on works of ancient philosophers and scientific publications on the topic of research as well.

The method of research is a comparative analysis that allows synthesizing theoretical and conceptual basis of definitions; the interpreting method of scientific and fiction philosophy works; synthesis method and analogy of receiving data for systematization and definition patterns of world view ancient philosophers positions’ conceptual basis.

Results. The definition of beauty is examined consequently with words “soul”, “body”, “good’, so, it is morally oriented in the ancient philosophers’ work. It is used with strong relationship with idea about beauty in surrounding material and spiritual world. The conception of beauty was analyzed and generalized in the ancient philosophers’ treatises and arguments. The author evaluated aesthetics aspect of the idealistic conception of beauty.

The period under consideration characterized by rising and formation of anthropological aesthetics replaced cosmological theory and made a great impact on the definition of beauty in nature and art. The author examined idealistic and subjective approach to the definition of beauty. The conclusion is that ancient philosophers enrich the definition of beauty in art and nature, focusing their statements on subjective side of the relationship between a person and surrounding world. The article presents the analysis and interpretation of Aristotle, Plato’s philosophical writings, defined idealistic concepts’ basis of beauty in ancient philosophy.
La Unión Europea puesta a prueba/The European Union Put to the Test
Authors: Martínez Paricio Jesús Ignacio
Published: May 2023

El antes y un después del comienzo de la guerra de Ucrania muestra los cambios en la opinión de los ciudadanos ante la seguridad y la defensa. No es igual en todos los países de la UE. Habrá que ver si la percepción del riesgo y la forma de hacerle frente se mantiene conforme se alarga la guerra y las consecuencias colaterales. En los gobiernos de la UE existe una cacofonía estratégica semejante a la de los ciudadanos cuando aceptan de manera desigual los costes para garantizar la seguridad colectiva. Una percepción y respuesta desigual como desigual es la realidad de la UE. Las europas de la UE dificultan que se realice de manera cómoda los esfuerzos creadores equiparables a los peligros que la amenazan. Esfuerzos tanto en el poder blando, como en el duro. Los líderes estratégicos en la UE al margen de la retórica deben reconocer las amenazas, tomar decisiones políticas y llevar a cabo el esfuerzo continuado para reducirlas. Los ciudadanos del común aportan en número suficiente y por ahora el apoyo en ese sentido. Que en la UE no se desaproveche tanto esfuerzo del pueblo de Ucrania.
La aportación de judaísmo al proceso de integración europeo y la relación entre el antisemitismo y la crisis de la UE actual.
Authors: Priego Moreno Alberto
Published: May 2023

La UE ha sido el proyecto de prevención de conflictos más exitoso de todo el mundo. Si bien es cierto que la UE ha servido para evitar que el conflicto entre Francia y Alemania se mantuviera, las bases del proyecto europeo son mucho más amplias. Uno de los colectivos que más han aportado a la construcción europea son los judíos, a los que algunos autores les han calificado como los europeos más antiguos. Desde los años 60 vivimos una nueva ola de antisemitismo con unas características muy particulares y que hoy en día está afectando no solo a los europeos judíos sino también a la propia estabilidad del proyecto europeo.
Balancing Tradeoffs in Climate-Smart Agriculture: Will Selling Carbon Credits Offset Potential Losses in the Net Yield Income of Small-Scale Soybean (Glycine max L.) Producers in the Mid-Southern United States?
Authors: Contasti Adrienne L. , Firth Alexandra G. , Baker Beth H. , Brooks John P. , Locke Martin A. , Morin Dana J.
Published: May 2023

There is a need to achieve sustainable agricultural production to secure food, fiber, and fuel for a growing global population. Climate-smart (CS) actions (no-till and cover crops) can reduce carbon emissions and promote soil organic carbon (SOC) storage. Contemporary voluntary carbon markets provide producers with a monetary incentive to adopt CS actions. However, SOC–yield dynamics under CS actions are not well known, making it difficult for producers to judge whether additional income from carbon credits will offset potential losses to yield income. We designed a SOC–yield framework that captures SOC–yield–income dynamics under traditional (reduced tillage, no cover crops) and CS actions. Using a modified structured decision-making approach, we applied the framework to a case study in which producers aim to increase income by selling carbon credits after adopting CS actions. Specifically, we demonstrated how to balance tradeoffs between yield and carbon credit income that arise from tillage and winter cover crop actions (cereal rye, Secale cereale L. and crimson clover, Trifolium incarnatum L.) in a soybean (Glycine max L.) production system in Mississippi. Results indicated that a producer could minimize losses to net yield income by adopting no-till if already using cover crops. There was also evidence that carbon credit income could offset losses to yield income when adopting CS in place of traditional actions. Identifying risks to yield income and SOC storage can help design carbon neutrality policies that have minimum impact on a producer’s income.

History: This paper has been accepted for the Decision Analysis Special Issue on Decision Analysis to Advance Environmental Sustainability.

Funding: This work was supported by the USDA-ARS [Grants 58-0200-0-002 (Advancing Agricultural Research) and 58-6001-8-003] and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture [McIntire Stennis Project 1020959].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/deca.2023.0478 .
O NOVO MAIS EDUCAÇÃO E OS LIMITES DAS REFORMAS EDUCACIONAIS NO CONTEXTO DE CRISE ESTRUTURAL DO CAPITAL
Authors: Jordão Juliana Vieira , Colares Maria Lília Imbiriba Sousa , Fonseca André Dioney
Published: May 2023

Este texto tem como objetivo analisar o Programa Mais Educação e sua reformulação, o Programa Novo Mais Educação, bem como os limites das reformas educacionais no interior do ordenamento sociometabólico do capital e da atual crise estrutural, a partir da perspectiva de István Mészáros. Por meio de uma abordagem fundamentada na teoria marxista sobre o Estado, realizamos uma investigação de caráter bibliográfico. Essa fundamentação nos permitiu uma visão do reformismo no campo educacional, o que levou à constatação de que, nas últimas décadas, a lógica do neoliberalismo, que nada mais é do que uma ordem econômica e social inerente à crise estrutural do capital, acabou sendo preponderante no bojo das políticas públicas voltadas à educação integral. Nessa perspectiva, demonstramos que o Programa Mais Educação foi criado e implementado em um momento de relativização do neoliberalismo no Brasil, no decurso dos governos petistas de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva e de Dilma Rousseff. Nesse sentido, destacamos o fato de que essa política inicial de educação integral, a despeito de muitas limitações, tinha elementos para seu aperfeiçoamento, o que não veio a ocorrer em razão da descontinuidade da proposta original pelo governo ultraneoliberal de Michel Temer, com a criação do Programa Novo Mais Educação, que se voltou para as necessidades do mercado de trabalho. Essa transição demonstra que os reformismos apresentam  limitações para o campo da educação, pois todo sistema educacional intracapital tem suas limitações, uma vez que reflete a sociedade de classe e a desigualdade.
José Xavier Cortez: trabalhador dos livros, editor do Serviço Social e Doutor Honoris Causa (In Memoriam)
Authors: Cortez José Xavier
Published: May 2023

Homenagem de vida à José Xavier Cortez.