bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hammering with the telescope
Authors: Sobkowicz Pawel
Published: November 2022

The rapid pace in which various Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning tools are developed, both within the research community and outside of it, often discourages the involved researchers from taking time to consider potential consequences and applications of the technical advances, especially the unintended ones. While there are notable exceptions to this “gold rush” tendency, individuals and groups providing careful analyses and recommendations for future actions, their adoption remains, at best, limited. This essay presents an analysis of the ethical (and not only) challenges connected with the applications of AI/ML methods in the socio-legal domain.
Factors contributing to the sustained implementation of an early childhood obesity prevention intervention: The INFANT Program
Authors: Love Penelope , Laws Rachel , Taki Sarah , West Madeline , Hesketh Kylie D. , Campbell Karen J.
Published: November 2022

Background

The INFANT Program is an efficacious, group-based program for first-time parents, delivered at three-monthly intervals when INFANT are aged 3–18 months through an existing universal care service in Victoria, Australia. Many lessons have been learnt from its origins as a cluster randomized control trial to its small-scale, community-level implementation. This study aimed to describe factors contributing to its sustained implementation to inform large-scale implementation across Australia.

Methods

This study used a multi-site qualitative exploratory approach. INFANT facilitators trained between 2013 and 2017 were sent an online survey, with optional telephone interviews. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was selected as the underpinning theoretical framework as it offered the opportunity to explore a breadth of possible barriers and enablers across patterns of implementation (never, discontinued, ongoing).

Results

All participants were female (n = 31), the majority were Maternal and Child Health Nurses (48%), representing five regional and nine metro local government areas (LGAs), across all patterns of implementation (never implemented n = 4; discontinued implementation n = 5; ongoing implementation n = 5). All consenting participants were interviewed (n = 11) representing four regional and seven metro LGAs, across all patterns of implementation (never implemented n = 3; discontinued implementation n = 4; ongoing implementation n = 4). The main reason for attending INFANT Program training was to become skilled to implement the program. Mapping identified barriers and enablers to the CFIR revealed the inner and outer settings and implementation process to be of greatest influence. Main differences between LGAs with ongoing and discontinued implementation related to funding availability, organizational management support and endorsement, organizational resourcing and capacity, integration into routine practice and establishing role clarity with partner organizations, and planning for sustained implementation from the start.

Conclusion

This study provides important insights into the barriers and enablers to the sustained implementation of an evidence-based intervention (the INFANT Program) during small scale community-level implementation. The authors therefore contend that the pre-requisite for scale-up of a population health intervention is not just proof of effectiveness but also proof of sustained implementation at the local/organizational level. Study findings have broad transferability given their similarity to those identified for health promotion interventions implemented globally, in healthcare, education and community settings.
Has COVID-19 changed how people think about the drivers of health? If so, does it matter?
Authors: Nelson Christopher , Martin Laurie T. , Yeung Douglas , Bugliari Delia
Published: November 2022

Background

Could the COVID-19 pandemic prompt shifts in Americans' basic views on health mindset and policy solutions to health crises?

Methods

A sample of 1,637 individuals rated the extent to which items (e.g., the role of environmental vs. individual factors) “may affect people's health and wellbeing,” both before (2018) and during the pandemic. In summer 2020 and fall 2021 they responded to questions about vaccination status and perceptions of COVID-19 related policies. We assessed changes in health mindset using repeated measures logistic regression, and used cross-sectional logistic regressions to assess whether variations in mindset explain COVID-19 related attitudes and behavior.

Results

Between 2018 and 2021 respondents gave increasing weight to where people live and genetic factors and less weight to the role of individual health choices. Views on the importance of access to healthcare did not change appreciably. Those who reported that health care and place have a strong effect on health and wellbeing were significantly more likely to get vaccinated. Moreover, those who strongly believed that place is important were significantly less likely to agree that their local government went too far in restricting their freedom and that the local economy should have been left alone.

Conclusion

Respondents were more likely in 2021 than in 2018 to recognize social determinants of health, and this is associated with a greater openness to pandemic-control measures. It remains to be seen, however, whether the changes in health mindset will persist over time and contribute to changes in policy and practice.
Human milk microbial species are associated with mild growth deficits during early infancy among Guatemalan mother–infant dyads
Authors: Ajeeb Tamara T. , Gonzalez Emmanuel , Solomons Noel W. , Koski Kristine G.
Published: November 2022

Growth faltering is common in Guatemalan indigenous communities, but the possibility that it may be related to milk microbial composition has not been explored. For this cross-sectional study, unrelated mother–infant dyads (n = 64) from eight communities in the remote Western Highlands of Guatemala were recruited. Milk samples and infant length-for-age and weight-for-age Z-scores were collected at two stages of lactation: early (6–46 days postpartum, n = 29) or late (109–184 days postpartum, n = 35). Within each stage of lactation, infants were subdivided into mildly underweight [weight-for-age Z-score (WAZ) < –1 SD] or normal weight (WAZ ≥ –1 SD) and mildly stunted [length-for-age Z-score (LAZ) < –1.5 SD] or non-stunted (LAZ ≥ –1.5 SD). 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was used to identify milk microbial communities, and DESeq2 was used to compare the differential abundance (DA) of human milk microbiota at the species level for WAZ and LAZ subgroups at each stage of lactation. A total of 503 ESVs annotated as 256 putative species across the 64 human milk samples were identified. Alpha diversity did not differ, but beta-diversity redundancy analysis identified four distinct clusters among the four WAZ (p = 0.004) and LAZ subgroups (p = 0.001). DA identified 15 different taxa in the WAZ and 11 in the LAZ groups in early lactation and 8 in the WAZ and 19 in the LAZ groups in late lactation. Mothers’ milk had more DA taxa of oropharyngeal and environmental bacteria with opportunistic activities in the LAZ < –1.5 SD infants, whereas the LAZ ≥ –1.5 SD had DA taxa with potential probiotic and antimicrobial inhibitory activity against pathogens. In particular, milk microbial communities of infants not classified as underweight or stunted had more beneficial species including Lactococcus_lactis. These findings suggest the potential associations between the milk microbiome at the species level with infant growth prior to 6 months of age. These data provide important evidence of the associations between the human milk microbiome and the growth of breastfed infants.
Social agents as catalysts: Social dynamics in the classroom with book introduction robot
Authors: Osawa Hirotaka , Horino Kohei , Sato Takuya
Published: November 2022

One of the possible benefits of robot-mediated education is the effect of the robot becoming a catalyst between people and facilitating learning. In this study, the authors focused on an asynchronous active learning method mediated by robots. Active learning is believed to help students continue learning and develop the ability to think independently. Therefore, the authors improved the UGA (User Generated Agent) system that we have created for long-term active learning in COVID-19 to create an environment where children introduce books to each other via robots. The authors installed the robot in an elementary school and conducted an experiment lasting more than a year. As a result, it was confirmed that the robot could continue to be used without getting bored even over a long period of time. They also analyzed how the children created the contents by analyzing the contents that had a particularly high number of views. In particular, the authors observed changes in children’s behavior, such as spontaneous advertising activities, guidance from upperclassmen to lowerclassmen, collaboration with multiple people, and increased interest in technology, even under conditions where the new coronavirus was spreading and children’s social interaction was inhibited.
Understanding opportunities for urban forest expansion to inform goals: Working toward a virtuous cycle in New York City
Authors: Treglia Michael L. , Piland Natalia C. , Leu Karen , Van Slooten Alaina , Maxwell Emily Nobel
Published: November 2022

Urban forests are critical infrastructure for mitigating environmental and social challenges cities face. Municipalities and non-governmental entities, among others, often set goals (e.g., tree planting or canopy targets) to support urban forests and their benefits. We develop the conceptual underpinnings for an analysis of where additional canopy can fit within the landscape, while considering factors that influence where trees can be planted, and canopy can grow (“practical canopy”). We apply this in New York City (NYC) to inform the setting of a canopy goal by the NYC Urban Forest Task Force (UFTF) for the NYC Urban Forest Agenda, which may trigger a virtuous cycle, or a positive feedback loop where people are mobilized to protect the urban forest, and its benefits that ultimately motivate people to commit to its conservation. We further develop framing for a “priority canopy” analysis to understand where urban forest expansion should be prioritized given more context (e.g., environmental hazards and local preferences), which can inform how expansion of the urban forest is achieved. We estimate an opportunity for 15,899 ha of new canopy in NYC given existing opportunities and constraints (practical canopy), which, if leveraged, could result in nearly doubling the canopy as of 2017 (17,253 ha). However, like existing canopy, practical canopy is not evenly distributed, in general, or across jurisdictions and land uses. Relying solely on areas identified as practical canopy to expand the urban forest would exacerbate these inequities. We discuss how the NYC UFTF established a visionary and achievable goal of at least 30% canopy cover by 2035, informed by this analysis and guided by priorities of equity, health, and resilience. Achievement of this goal will ultimately require a combination of protecting and stewarding the existing resource, and leveraging opportunities for tree planting. Achieving a more equitable urban forest will also require identification of priority canopy, and, in cases, creation of new opportunities for tree planting and canopy expansion. Overall, the collaborative establishment of such goals based on local context can be instrumental in creating a virtuous cycle, moving conservation actors toward exercising influence and agency within the social–ecological system.
Feed Your Mitochondria and Shape Your Body!
Authors: Bordoni Laura , Gabbianelli Rosita
Published: November 2022

If your body were a train, what would give it the power to move? The food you eat, which is burned by the train’s engine. Do you know how many engines your body has? Thousands of millions! They are called mitochondria. Mitochondria are tiny structures contained within the cells of your body that burn food, providing energy. The power of each mitochondrion is due to its own gearwheel: the circular mitochondrial DNA. There are many gears in each mitochondrion. Together, they regulate the mitochondrion’s ability to produce energy. Obesity modifies both the abundance and the function of the mitochondrial DNA, altering the ability of the body to efficiently produce energy, with some differences between males and females. Eating healthy foods not only makes you slim, but also boosts your mitochondria and makes you powerful!
Why Is There Iodine in Table Salt?
Authors: Secio-Silva Ayla , Figueira-Costa Tatienne N. , Emrich Felipe , Abrantes Ana F. , Peliciari-Garcia Rodrigo A. , Bargi-Souza Paula
Published: November 2022

The human body is composed of many systems and organs that work together to ensure our well-being and survival. Hormones are the messengers that allow the organs to communicate. The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located in the neck that uses iodine from the diet (mainly present in seafood) to produce thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). The thyroid hormones are very important for brain development, growth, and metabolism. A lack of iodine impairs the production of thyroid hormones, which can lead to mental disabilities. An excess of thyroid hormones is not good for us either, and may compromise many of the body’s functions. So, when it comes to hormones, “balance” is the keyword. In this article, you will learn the importance of thyroid hormones for human health.
Migrations and culture. Essential reflections on wandering human beings
Authors: Contini Paolo , Carrera Letizia
Published: November 2022

It is possible that our century and the one just past will be remembered in the future as the centuries of migration. Faced with the extent of migration today, social scientists have posed several questions, and in particular they have examined the causes of migration, the integration of immigrants into host countries, and the development of their cultural identity. The newcomers are almost always poorer than those who settled before them, and have different languages, physical appearance, customs, beliefs, and religious practices. The widespread perception is that of an upheaval of the social order. For some, it is the dawn of a new world, under the banner of métissage (or hybridization) and universal brotherhood; for most, it is the beginning of an invasion. Immigration is always a matter of borders: Who is “us”? Who is “them”? The host society has the power to define, classify, and construct the social category of immigrants. There are many differences within this category and obviously any strategic policy should be able to manage every specificity. Nevertheless, we need starting by focusing the more general ideal type of what is “otherness” and what it can be in the social representations in order to construct new conditions of encounter. In this scenario, urban spaces represent the stages on which the encounter with difference takes place. The space is never neutral and may affect, sometimes significantly, the conditions of that encounter. The physical form of the city is the result of widespread social representations of all phenomena, but it is also able to act on those same social representations by altering the processes that take shape within it. The urban dimension and the redesign of the urban space become increasingly key to shaping and managing social processes aimed at governing the transformation processes in a multi-ethnic sense of the European societies. Urban policy-makers can either wait for spontaneous processes of integration and virtuous composition of differences, or implement actions to manage differences, to prevent potential conflicts and start processes of active inclusion. In order to support the act of wandering within this second pattern of urban policies, moving from simple tolerance to a Habermasian process of dialogical exchange, at least two conditions are necessary: the existence of shared public spaces, and the quality of policies for regulating the use of urban public spaces.
Post-intubation tracheal lacerations: Risk-stratification and treatment protocol according to morphological classification
Authors: Cardillo Giuseppe , Ricciardi Sara , Forcione Anna Rita , Carbone Luigi , Carleo Francesco , Di Martino Marco , Jaus Massimo O. , Perdichizzi Salvatore , Scarci Marco , Ricci Alberto , Dello Iacono Raffaele , Lucantoni Gabriele , Galluccio Giovanni
Published: November 2022

Background

Post-intubation tracheal laceration (PITL) is a rare condition (0.005% of intubations). The treatment of choice has traditionally been surgical repair. Following our first report in 2010 of treatment protocol tailored to a risk-stratified morphological classification there is now clear evidence that conservative therapy represents the gold standard in the majority of patients. In this paper we aim to validate our risk-stratified treatment protocol through the largest ever reported series of patients.

Methods

This retrospective analysis is based on a prospectively collected series (2003–2020) of 62 patients with PITL, staged and treated according to our revised morphological classification.

Results

Fifty-five patients with Level I (#8), II (#36) and IIIA (#11) PITL were successfully treated conservatively. Six patients with Level IIIB injury and 1 patient with Level IV underwent a surgical repair of the trachea. No mortality was reported. Bronchoscopy confirmed complete healing in all patients by day 30. Statistical analysis showed age only to be a risk factor for PITL severity.

Conclusions

Our previously proposed risk-stratified morphological classification has been validated as the major tool for defining the type of treatment in PITL.
Epizootic Yersinia enterocolitica in captive African green monkeys (Chlorocebus aethiops sabaeus)
Authors: Balamayooran Gayathriy , Atkins Hannah M. , Andrews Rachel N. , Michalson Kristofer T. , Hutchison A. Robert , LeGrande Andre C. , Wilson Quentin N. , Gee Melaney K. , Aycock S. Tyler , Jorgensen Matthew J. , Young Richard W. , Kock Nancy D. , Caudell David L.
Published: November 2022

Yersinia enterocolitica is a Gram-negative bacterium that typical results in enterocolitis in humans and poses significant worldwide risks to public health. An outbreak of yersiniosis in the Vervet/African green monkey colony at the WFSM during the winter of 2015–2016 accounted for widespread systemic infection with high morbidity and mortality. Most of the cases had extensive necrosis with suppuration and large colonies of bacilli in the large bowel and associated lymph nodes; however, the small intestine, stomach, and other organs were also regularly affected. Positive cultures of Yersinia enterocolitica were recovered from affected tissues in 20 of the 23 cases. Carrier animals in the colony were suspected as the source of the infection because many clinically normal animals were culture-positive during and after the outbreak. In this study, we describe the gross and histology findings and immune cell profiles in different organs of affected animals. We found increased numbers of myeloid-derived phagocytes and CD11C-positive antigen-presenting cells and fewer adaptive T and B lymphocytes, suggesting an immunocompromised state in these animals. The pathogen-mediated microenvironment may have contributed to the immunosuppression and rapid spread of the infection in the vervets. Further studies in vervets could provide a better understanding of Yersinia-mediated pathogenesis and immunosuppression, which could be fundamental to understanding chronic and systemic inflammatory diseases in humans.
Ranking of Corporate Governance Dimensions: A Delphi Study
Authors: Mohd Noor Norita , Rasli Amran , Abdul Rashid Mas Anom , Mubarak Muhammad Faraz , Abas Imelda Hermilinda
Published: November 2022

Most research on Initial Public Offering (IPO) focuses on the financial aspects of a company; previous research on corporate governance tended to focus on factors that influence the company proceeding with IPO. Few researchers studied the aspect of leadership using corporate governance as means to achieve company growth and IPO. This study seeks to identify dimensions deemed as important for corporate governance from the Malaysian perspective by using a two-round Delphi Method. The consistency of the ranking of these dimensions was then determined using Kendall’s coefficient of concordance. The order of importance for the nine dimensions uncovered from the Delphi Method are as follows: (1) Leadership; (2) Board Structure; (3) Vision, Mission and Strategies; (4) Policies, Process and Procedures; (5) Transparency; (6) Accountability and Responsibility; (7) Risk management and Internal Control; (8) Culture, and (9) Training and Communication. The interplay of the aforementioned dimensions and corporate governance is presented. Finally, quantitative as well as mixed methods research are recommended for a more in-depth understanding and to reduce bias through triangulation.
The Valuation of Land in Land Consolidation and Relevant Administrative Procedures in the Conditions of the Slovak Republic
Authors: Peráček Tomáš , Srebalová Mária , Srebala Andrej
Published: November 2022

This scientific study focuses on the assessment of the legislation on land valuation, which takes place in the framework of selected administrative procedures in the Slovak Republic. The issue of land valuation is regulated in several pieces of legislation and, in terms of content, is their unifying feature of the valuation of land for public purposes. The reason for examining the determination of the so-called “administrative price of land” is the fact that, in practice, the administrative procedures analyzed are extremely time-consuming and considerably inefficient compared to other administrative practices. Another reason for analyzing the legislation on land valuation is the fact that they also have a direct impact on the speed of the related administrative procedures and on the use of land for private purposes and, therefore, on the actual exercise of the property rights to which the parties to those proceedings are legally entitled. The main objective of this study is to examine the quantity, quality, and differences of legislation allowing land valuation for land consolidation purposes and to compare it with land valuation for restitution and expropriation purposes. In the processing of the topic, we primarily used the method of critical legal analysis and suitable and available scientific methods designed for law examinations, such as description or synthesis. In the context of the examination, we also applied a comparative method to compare the development of the legal situation of the Slovak Republic with the Czech Republic. We also used scientific and doctrinal interpretations associated with the application of case law on Slovak and Czech legislation, as well as professional and scientific literature contained in the Web of Science and Scopus databases. The results of the study indicate that, despite the multi-annual effectiveness of the legislation, it would be appropriate to resolve the problems encountered in the Slovak Republic by adopting a new code regulating the issue of land consolidation.
Fluid–Structure Interaction Dynamic Response of Rocket Fairing in Falling Phase
Authors: Yang Zexuan , Yang Chao , Zhao Jiamin , Wu Zhigang
Published: November 2022

A method based on fluid–structure coupling is used in this study to calculate the response of a rocket fairing as it is falling. Some cases of vibration divergence of the fairing were found, and the influence of some specific factors was analyzed. The aerodynamic forces are calculated by using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software and the structural responses by the modal-superposition method. The data are then subjected to modal interpolation in the CFD solver for the next cycle of calculation. The dynamic pressure, Mach number, and angle of attack are fixed in this process. Given that the fairing has a fixed attitude during falling, its rotation is ignored in calculations for the simulation. The results are then used to propose a framework for the fluid–structure coupling-based analysis of a non-streamlined structure. The mechanism of the fairing is discussed based on this method, and the effects of the settings of the solver, Mach number, dynamic pressure, and structural stiffness on it are investigated. Dangerous and safe regions are identified as the fairing falls back to the ground. Three methods are then provided based on the above analysis to prevent damage to the fairing as it falls to ground, such as increasing structure rigidity, attitude control, and opening the parachute at high altitude. A comprehensive method was used to suppress the vibration of the fairing during the descent, which was proven to be effective.
Effect of Date of Sowing and Spacing of Plants on Yield and Quality of Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) Grown in an Arid Environment
Authors: Mehriya Moti Lal , Singh Devendra , Verma Aman , Saxena Shailendra Nath , Alataway Abed , Al-Othman Ahmed A. , Dewidar Ahmed Z. , Mattar Mohamed A.
Published: November 2022

Little is known about how Indian farming practices affect German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.). This study examines the effects of the sowing date and spacing of plants on flower productivity, essential oil concentration, and the composition of German chamomile grown in the arid zone of Rajasthan, India. In a factorial randomized block design (FRBD), the treatments consisted of four sowing dates (15 and 25 October, 5 and 15 November) and three spacings of plants (20 × 10 cm, 30 × 10 cm, and 40 × 10 cm). The dried flower yield (Kg ha−1), fresh flower yield (Kg ha−1), and number of flowers per plant of chamomile crop were significantly affected by the varying spacing of plants and the date of sowing. The highest values for dry weight, fresh weight, and number of flowers were obtained from the second date of sowing (25 October) with 40 × 10 cm geometry. Likewise, the highest values for total oil (12.44%) and essential oil (0.94%) contents were also obtained from the D2P3 combination (D2—sowing date 25 October, P3—40 × 10 cm spacing of plants). GC/MS analyses of the samples showed that p-menth-1-en-4-ol, acetate, cis-alpha-farnesene, anethole+estragol, 1,4-cyclohexadiene,1-methyl-4-(1-methylethyl)- and 3,6-dihydro-4-(4-methyl-3-pentenyl)-1,2-dithiin were the main identified compounds in the essential oil of chamomile fresh flowers. The treatments altered the quality profile of the essential oils in general. The principal components of chamomile essential oil were significantly affected by the D2P3 treatment. The findings of this study add to our understanding of how to grow high-quality chamomile flowers in arid regions.
Aboveground Biomass in China’s Managed Grasslands and Their Responses to Environmental and Management Variations
Authors: Meng Huimei , Yang Jingrui , Sun Wenjuan , Xiao Liujun , Wang Guocheng
Published: November 2022

Aboveground biomass (AGB) in managed grasslands can vary across a suite of environmental and management conditions; however, there lacks a quantitative assessment at the national scale of China. Although the potential effects of individual drivers (e.g., species, nutrient fertilization, and water management) have been examined in China’s managed grasslands, no attempts have been made to comprehensively assess the effects of multiple variables on AGB. Using a meta-data analysis approach, we created a database composed of AGB and associated attributes of managed grasslands in China. The database was used to assess the responses of AGB to anthropogenic factors, in addition to a suite of natural variables including climate, soil, and topography. The average AGB in managed grasslands of China is approximately 630 g m−2 of dry matter, ranging from 55 to 2172 g m−2 (95% confidence interval). Medicago sativa is the most widely planted species in China’s managed grasslands, followed by Elymus dahuricus and Bromus japonicus. The national average AGB of these three species was around 692, 530, and 856 g m−2, respectively. For each species, AGB shows a large discrepancy across different places. In general, grassland AGB depends substantially on species, environments, and management practices. The dependence can be well described by a linear mixed-effects regression in which a series of biotic and abiotic factors are used as predictors. We highlight that establishing managed grassland can potentially contribute to not only AGB enhancement, but also grassland restoration on degraded natural grasslands.
Impact of Field Topography and Soil Characteristics on the Productivity of Alfalfa and Rhodes Grass: RTK-GPS Survey and GIS Approach
Authors: Madugundu Rangaswamy , Al-Gaadi Khalid A. , Tola ElKamil , Zeyada Ahmed M. , Alameen Ahmed A. , Edrris Mohamed K. , Edrees Haroon F. , Mahjoop Omer
Published: November 2022

Understanding the spatial pattern of soil chemical properties along with the topologic indicators is essential for site-specific agriculture management. A study was conducted on a 50 ha field to investigate the effect of selected topographic indicators, including elevation (DEM), slope (SL), flow accumulation (FA) and Topographic Wetness Index (TWI) on forage crop production. The soil samples and yield data were obtained from the field inventory. Topographical parameters of elevation and slope were estimated with the use of a real-time kinematic global positioning system (RTK-GPS), and then the DEM was generated. The collected soil samples were analyzed for pH, EC, nitrogen and soil organic carbon. Sentinel-2 images were for the creation of yield maps of alfalfa and Rhodes grass. Subsequently, on the basis of DEM, the generated elevation, slope and FA model were then compared with the yield and soil chemical properties. Statistical analysis revealed that the SL, FA and TWI, which are associated with water distribution, were significantly related to crop yields. The FA showed a medium-to-non-significant correlation with the productivity of both alfalfa (R2 = 0.586; p = 0.015) and Rhodes grass (R2 = 0.578; p = 0.01). A significant inverse correlation was recorded between the SL and the yield of both crops (R2 = −0.591 to −0.617; p = 0.01). The yield map revealed that the majority of the area (37.56%) of the experimental field was occupied by the medium-yield class, followed by the high-yield class (33.03%).
Synthetic Imidazopyridine-Based Derivatives as Potential Inhibitors against Multi-Drug Resistant Bacterial Infections: A Review
Authors: Sanapalli Bharat Kumar Reddy , Ashames Akram , Sigalapalli Dilep Kumar , Shaik Afzal B. , Bhandare Richie R. , Yele Vidyasrilekha
Published: November 2022

Fused pyridines are reported to display various pharmacological activities, such as antipyretic, analgesic, antiprotozoal, antibacterial, antitumor, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic. They are widely used in the field of medicinal chemistry. Imidazopyridines (IZPs) are crucial classes of fused heterocycles that are expansively reported on in the literature. Evidence suggests that IZPs, as fused scaffolds, possess more diverse profiles than individual imidazole and pyridine moieties. Bacterial infections and antibacterial resistance are ever-growing risks in the 21st century. Only one IZP, i.e., rifaximin, is available on the market as an antibiotic. In this review, the authors highlight strategies for preparing other IZPs. A particular focus is on the antibacterial profile and structure–activity relationship (SAR) of various synthesized IZP derivatives. This research provides a foundation for the tuning of available compounds to create novel, potent antibacterial agents with fewer side effects.
Synergistic Effect of Clinically Available Beta-Lactamase Inhibitors Combined with Cefiderocol against Carbapenemase-Producing Gram-Negative Organisms
Authors: Bianco Gabriele , Gaibani Paolo , Comini Sara , Boattini Matteo , Banche Giuliana , Costa Cristina , Cavallo Rossana , Nordmann Patrice
Published: November 2022

The role of β-lactamases in reduced susceptibility or resistance to cefiderocol has been supported by recent reports. The purpose of this study was to investigate the in vitro impact of clinically available β-lactamase inhibitors on cefiderocol activity against characterized carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative isolates. A collection of 39 well-characterized Gram-negative isolates obtained from various clinical sources and countries were included. Cefiderocol antimicrobial susceptibility was evaluated via reference broth microdilution. The chequerboard microdilution method and time–kill assays were used to determine the synergy of tazobactam, avibactam, vaborbactam and relebactam in combination with cefiderocol. MICs of cefiderocol presented a 4- to 256-fold reduction against Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Gram-negative isolates (predominantly K. pneumoniae) when avibactam, vaborbactam and relebactam were combined individually. Notably, the KPC-inhibitors led to a 4- to 32-fold reduction in cefiderocol MICs in the four cefiderocol-resistant KPC-producing K. pneumoniae isolates, showing restoration of cefiderocol susceptibility (MIC ≤ 2 mg/L) in ten out of twelve cases. Tazobactam led to a 4- to 64-fold decrease in cefiderocol MICs only in K. pneumoniae strains harbouring blaKPC-41, blaKPC-31, blaKPC-53 and blaKPC-66. The synergistic effect of all serine-β-lactamase inhibitors on cefiderocol activity was also shown in OXA-48-like-producing Enterobacterales strains. Conversely, a combination of β-lactamases inhibitors with cefiderocol was not synergistic with all OXA-23-like-producing strains and most metallo-β-lactamases producers. In conclusion, the addition of clinically available serine β-lactamase inhibitors to cefiderocol might represent an important development in the formulation to increase its spectrum and therapeutic efficacy, and to limit in vivo resistance emergence.
The Potential Antiviral Effects of Selenium Nanoparticles and Coated Surfaces
Authors: Kopel Jonathan , Fralick Joe , Reid Ted W.
Published: November 2022

Modern epidemics quickly spread across borders and continents with devastating effects on both human health and the world economy. This issue is made worse by the various ways that infections are spread, including through aerosol, droplets, and fomites. The antibacterial qualities of various surface materials and coatings have been the subject of much research. However, the antiviral activity of metal coatings can be heavily influenced by imbalances in metal distribution and the presence of other metal impurities. As such, there is interest in developing novel surface coatings that can reduce the transmission of active viral particles in healthcare facilities. In recent years, the non-metals, such as selenium and nanoparticles, have acquired greater interest from the medical and scientific community for their antiviral surface activity. In this review, we will discuss the cellular and physiological functions of selenium in mammalian cells and against viral infections. We then discuss the mechanism behind selenium coated surfaces and their efficacy against bacterial infections. Lastly, we examine the antiviral activity of selenium, and the potential antiviral activity of selenium nanoparticles and coatings.
Clinical Implication of Drug Resistance for H. pylori Management
Authors: Argueta Erick A. , Ho Jonathan J. C. , Elfanagely Yousef , D’Agata Erika , Moss Steven F.
Published: November 2022

Rates of antimicrobial-resistance among H. pylori strains are increasing worldwide, resulting in declining eradication rates with current therapies, especially those containing clarithromycin or levofloxacin. To improve H. pylori management, a paradigm shift is needed, from the empiric approaches formerly employed, to regimen selection based upon knowledge of local and patient-level antimicrobial susceptibility data. We review the mechanisms of H. pylori antimicrobial resistance and the available worldwide pattern of resistance to key antimicrobials used in H. pylori therapy. The practicalities and challenges of measuring susceptibility in clinical practice is discussed, including not only conventional culture-based techniques but also novel sequencing-based methods performed on gastric tissue and stool samples. Though clinical trials of “tailored” (susceptibility-based) treatments have yet to show the clear superiority of tailored over empiric regimen selection, the ability to measure and modify treatment based upon antimicrobial susceptibility testing is likely to become more frequent in clinical practice and should lead to improved H. pylori management in the near future.
Clinical Applications of Low-Intensity Pulsed Ultrasound and Its Underlying Mechanisms in Dentistry
Authors: Wei Yuzi , Guo Yongwen
Published: November 2022

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) serves as a non-invasive treatment tool that reaches the lesion site in the form of ultrasound. Due to its low toxicity, low thermal effect, and low immunogenicity, LIPUS has attracted wide interest in disease treatment. It has been demonstrated that LIPUS can activate multiple signal pathways in the shape of sound wave and one of the most acknowledged downstream response components is integrin/focal adhesion kinase (FAK) complex. In recent years, the functions of LIPUS in bone regeneration, bone healing, bone mass maintenance, and cellular metabolism were found. Various oral diseases and their treatments mainly involve hard/soft tissue regeneration and reconstruction, including periodontitis, orthodontic tooth movement (OTM), dental implant, mandibular deficiency, and dentin-pulp complex injury. Thus, more and more researchers pay close attention to the application prospects of LIPUS in stomatology. We searched these articles in PubMed with keywords LIPUS, temporomandibular joint (TMJ), periodontitis, orthodontics, and pulp, then classified the retrieved literature in the past five years by disease type. In this review, the function effects and possible mechanisms of LIPUS in periodontal tissue regeneration, orthodontic treatment, implant osseointegration, TMJ bone formation/cartilage protection, and dentin-pulp complex repair after injury will be summarized. The challenges LIPUS faced and the research limitations of LIPUS will also be elucidated. Therefore, this paper intends to provide new insights into oral disease treatments, explore the optimal application specification of LIPUS, and probe the future research orientation and the prospect of LIPUS in the dental field.
Comprehensive Genetic Exploration of Fused Teeth by Whole Exome Sequencing
Authors: Park Heetae , Hosomichi Kazuyoshi , Kim Yong-Il , Hikita Yu , Tajima Atsushi , Yamaguchi Tetsutaro
Published: November 2022

The dental anomaly fused teeth is defined as the union of two or more teeth. Its aetiology is unclear; to date no studies have investigated its genetic background. Therefore, this study, on the basis of a hypothesised genetic component, investigated the genetic background of patients with fused teeth using whole exome sequencing. Fifteen individuals from six families, including members with and without fused teeth, provided saliva samples that were analysed using whole exome sequencing. Patients with other congenital diseases were excluded from this study. Rare variants were extracted from the sequencing data and filtered by family grouping to identify candidate variants. As a result, ERCC6, OBSCN, SLC27A3, and KIF25 were identified as candidate variants. Our sequencing analysis identified four candidate gene variants associated with fused teeth, which now require further investigation. A genetic basis for the anomaly appears likely. This may assist in understanding the aetiology of fused teeth, which in turn supports better oral care and treatment, as well as future regenerative medicine and gene therapy.
Prostate Gleason Score Detection by Calibrated Machine Learning Classification through Radiomic Features
Authors: Mercaldo Francesco , Brunese Maria Chiara , Merolla Francesco , Rocca Aldo , Zappia Marcello , Santone Antonella
Published: November 2022

The Gleason score was originally formulated to represent the heterogeneity of prostate cancer and helps to stratify the risk of patients affected by this tumor. The Gleason score assigning represents an on H&E stain task performed by pathologists upon histopathological examination of needle biopsies or surgical specimens. In this paper, we propose an approach focused on the automatic Gleason score classification. We exploit a set of 18 radiomic features. The radiomic feature set is directly obtainable from segmented magnetic resonance images. We build several models considering supervised machine learning techniques, obtaining with the RandomForest classification algorithm a precision ranging from 0.803 to 0.888 and a recall from to 0.873 to 0.899. Moreover, with the aim to increase the never seen instance detection, we exploit the sigmoid calibration to better tune the built model.
Research on Short Video Hotspot Classification Based on LDA Feature Fusion and Improved BiLSTM
Authors: Li Linhui , Dai Dan , Liu Hongjiu , Yuan Yubo , Ding Lizhong , Xu Yujie
Published: November 2022

Short video hot spot classification is a fundamental method to grasp the focus of consumers and improve the effectiveness of video marketing. The limitations of traditional short text classification are sparse content as well as inconspicuous feature extraction. To solve the problems above, this paper proposes a short video hot spot classification model combining latent dirichlet allocation (LDA) feature fusion and improved bi-directional long short-term memory (BiLSTM), namely the LDA-BiLSTM-self-attention (LBSA) model, to carry out the study of hot spot classification that targets Carya cathayensis walnut short video review data under the TikTok platform. Firstly, the LDA topic model was used to expand the topic features of the Word2Vec word vector, which was then fused and input into the BiLSTM model to learn the text features. Afterwards, the self-attention mechanism was employed to endow different weights to the output information of BiLSTM in accordance with the importance, to enhance the precision of feature extraction and complete the hot spot classification of review data. Experimental results show that the precision of the proposed LBSA model reached 91.52%, which is significantly improved compared with the traditional model in terms of precision and F1 value.
Fault Classification and Localization Scheme for Power Distribution Network
Authors: Moloi Katleho , Ndlela Nomihla Wandile , Davidson Innocent E.
Published: November 2022

In this paper, a fault protection diagnostic scheme for a power distribution system is proposed. The scheme comprises a wavelet packet decomposition (WPD) for signal processing and analysis and a support vector machine (SMV) for fault classification and location. The scheme is tested on a reduced Eskom 132 kV power line. The WPD is used to extract fault signatures of interest and the SVM is subsequently used for fault classification and locating various fault conditions. Furthermore, we investigate the effectiveness of the SVM scheme using different samples of the cycles for fault classification and location. The results show that the fault classification and location on a distribution line can be determined rapidly and efficiently irrespective of the fault impedance and incipient angle with minimum estimation error. Lastly, the proposed scheme is tested on a grid-integrated system with renewable energy sources.
Damage Detection in a Rotor Dynamic System by Monitoring Nonlinear Vibrations and Antiresonances of Higher Orders
Authors: Sinou Jean-Jacques
Published: November 2022

Since rotor systems are very sensitive and vulnerable to transverse crack, early detection of damage is of paramount importance and essential for rotating machinery. Therefore, one of the main issues is to identify robust characteristics of the rotor vibration response that can be directly attributed to the presence of a transverse crack in a rotating shaft, preferably when the crack is small enough, in order to avoid catastrophic failures of rotating machines. This study investigates the potential links between the nonlinear vibrations and the locations of higher-order antiresonances and structural modifications due to the presence of a breathing crack in rotor systems. Using the proposed numerical results on the evolution of the nonlinear responses of a cracked rotor system, it was observed that a robust diagnostic of the presence of slight damage can be conducted by tracking nonlinear vibrational measurements, with particular attention to the antiresonance behavior of higher orders. These observations can easily serve as target observations for the monitoring system and for identifying the positions of damage at an early stage.
Assessment of Spinal Stability after Discectomy Followed by Annulus Fibrosus Repair and Augmentation of the Nucleus Pulposus: A Finite Element Study
Authors: Chiang Chang-Jung , Hsieh Yueh-Ying , Tsuang Fon-Yih , Chiang Yueh-Feng , Wu Lien-Chen
Published: November 2022

Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a common condition which can lead to back pain. Although surgical treatments for LDH are well established, complications such as spinal instability and narrowing of adjacent facet joints are still frequently reported. The purpose of this study was to use finite element models to evaluate the stability of the L3–L4 segment after conservative or aggressive percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy (PTED) with and without an artificial material filler to correct LDH. Compared to the intact model, aggressive PTED reduced the stability of the segment (increased ROM) and narrowed the space between facet joints in the medial/lateral (ML) direction during flexion (maximum 6.7 degrees change in ROM and 90.5% spacing between facet joints), extension (maximum 2.1 degrees and 38.6%), and axial rotation (maximum 4.2 degrees and 90.1%). Aggressive PTED had a similar effect in the anterior/posterior (AP) direction during lateral bending (maximum 2.0 degrees and 44.2%). Augmenting the nucleus pulposus with a polyurethane filler after aggressive PTED improved spinal stability in both the ML and AP directions in all simulated motions, with results similar to the intact model. However, using a hydrogel filler did little to stabilize the spine, likely because the material is too soft to support the heavy, sustained loading. In conclusion, this study found that if an aggressive discectomy is required, augmenting the nucleus pulposus with a PU filler provides sufficient support to stabilize the spine, while hydrogel fillers offer little support.
Embedded One-Dimensional Orifice Elements for Slosh Load Calculations in Volume-Of-Fluid CFD
Authors: Botha Elrich , Malan Leon Cillie , Malan Arnaud George
Published: November 2022

For CFD liquid sloshing simulations, fine computational mesh resolutions are typically required to model the flow within small flow passages or orifices found in fuel tanks. This work presents a method of replacing the fine computational mesh elements within orifices with large one-dimensional mesh elements that integrate seamlessly with standard finite volume computational elements with the intended advantage of reducing the overall computational cost of CFD simulations. These one-dimensional elements conserve mass and momentum for two-phase flow in incompressible Volume-Of-Fluid CFD. Instead of fully resolving the momentum diffusion term, empirical correlations are used to account for the viscous losses within the orifices for both two- and three-dimensional simulations. The one-dimensional orifice elements are developed and validated against analytical and experimental results using the finite volume CFD code Elemental®. Furthermore, these elements are tested in a violent sloshing simulation and compared with full-resolution numerical results as well as experimental results. The elements are shown to decrease computational cost significantly by reducing the number of computational elements as well as increasing the simulation time step sizes (due to an increase in element sizes).