bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an Emergency Department Influenza Vaccination Program: Uptake Factors and Opportunities
Authors: Parrish Canada , Phares Crystal , Fredrickson Tim , Lynch John , Whiteside Lauren , Duber Herbert
Published: September 2022

Introduction: Influenza vaccines are commonly provided through community health events and primary care appointments. However, acute unscheduled healthcare visits such as emergency department (ED) visits are increasingly viewed as important vaccination opportunities. Emergency departments may be well-positioned to complement broader public health efforts with integrated vaccination programs.

Methods: We studied an ED-based influenza vaccination initiative in an urban hospital and examined patient-level factors associated with screening and vaccination uptake. Our analyses included patient visits to the ED from October 1, 2019-April 1, 2020.

Results: The influenza screening and vaccination program proved feasible. Of the 20,878 ED visits that occurred within the study period, 3,565 (17.1%) included a screening for influenza vaccine eligibility; a small proportion (11.5%) of the patients seen had multiple screenings. Among the patients screened eligible for the vaccine, 916 ultimately received an influenza vaccination while in the ED (43.7% of eligible patients). There was significant variability in the characteristics of patients who were and were not screened and vaccinated. Age, gender, race, preferred language, and receipt of a flu vaccine in prior years were associated with screening and/or receiving a vaccine in the ED.

Conclusion: Vaccination programs in the ED can boost community vaccination rates and play a role in both preventing and treating current and future vaccine-preventable public health crises, although efforts must be made to deliver services equitably.
The Impact of Process and Formulation Parameters on the Fabrication of Efavirenz Nanosuspension to Improve Drug Solubility and Dissolution
Authors: Rashed Mahtab , Dadashzadeh Simin , Bolourchian Noushin
Published: September 2022

Background: Efavirenz nanosuspensions (EZ-NSs) were developed by the wet milling method as the most promising top-down nanosizing technique. Different process and formulation parameters were studied and optimized to produce appropriate EZ-NS in suitable conditions to enhance drug dissolution. Methods: In the preliminary studies, various polymeric stabilizers, including Pluronic F68, sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), as well as different sizes and weight of milling beads were used to prepare NSs. The effect of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) concentration on the NS properties was also evaluated. The influence of other formulation and process parameters, including polymer concentration, milling speed, and milling time, on the particle size and distribution of NSs were investigated using Box-Behnken design. The optimized freeze-dried nanosuspension was characterized by redispersibility, physicochemical properties, and stability. Results: A combination of PVA and SLS was selected as steric and electrostatic stabilizers. The optimum EZ-NS displayed a uniform size distribution with a mean particle size and zeta potential of 254.4 nm and 21.1 mV, respectively. The solidified nanosuspension was well redispersed to the original nanoparticles. Significantly enhanced aqueous solubility (about 11-fold) and accelerated dissolution rate were observed for the optimized formulation. This could be attributed to the reduced particle size and partial amorphization of EZ during the preparation process, studied by X-ray diffraction. Accelerated studies confirmed the stability of the optimum freeze-dried formulation over the examined period of three months. Conclusions: Optimization of different variables led to the formation of EZ-NSs with desired properties through wet milling in a very short time compared to the previous study and therefore reduced production costs. This formulation seems to be a suitable approach for solubility and dissolution enhancement of EZ and may have a great potential to improve the drug's oral bioavailability.
Fragmentação florestal na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio São Francisco, Brasil
Authors: Fernandes Milton Marques , Lima Alexandre Herculano Souza , Wanderley Lilian Lins , Fernandes Marcia Rodrigues de Moura , Araújo Filho Renisson Nepomuceno
Published: September 2022

A dinâmica da cobertura florestal na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio São Francisco (BHRSF) pode ser avaliada por métricas de ecologia da paisagem. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a fragmentação florestal na Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio São Francisco, Brasil, por meio de métricas de ecologia da paisagem e quantificar a cobertura florestal nas unidades de conservação federais (UCs) presentes, para os biomas Caatinga, Mata Atlântica e Cerrado nos anos de 1997, 2007 e 2017. O mapeamento dos fragmentos foi realizado considerando área e quantidade dos fragmentos florestais, divididos nas seguintes classes de tamanho: (1) pequeno (até 10 ha); (2) médio (entre 10 e 100 ha); e (3) grande (maiores que 100 ha). As métricas, área, forma e borda, foram calculadas no software Fragstats® 4.2. As métricas números de fragmentos (NP), área de classe (CA), tamanho médio dos fragmentos (MPS) e densidade de borda (ED) dos fragmentos florestais dos biomas Caatinga e Cerrado na BHRSF comprovam que a Bacia está em processo de fragmentação florestal, principalmente nos grandes fragmentos, que tiveram suas áreas reduzidas, e nos de tamanho médio, que tiveram aumento da quantidade de bordas. De forma geral, a proteção de áreas florestais nas UCs da Caatinga e Cerrado não foram eficazes em manter a cobertura florestal, haja vista o desmatamento nestas áreas protegidas em 20 anos. Medidas como pagamentos por serviços ambientais ou restauração florestal devem ser utilizadas pelo poder público e sociedade em conjunto com a criação e manutenção de áreas florestais protegidas. A Mata Atlântica foi o único bioma a apresentar aumento na cobertura florestal e redução da fragmentação florestal na BHRSF. Iniciativas como o pacto da restauração da Mata Atlântica e Lei da Mata Atlântica de 2006 podem ter favorecido esse aumento da cobertura florestal.
Image analysis using X-ray to evaluate seed quality of Anadenanthera peregrina (L) Speg
Authors: Pinheiro Daniel Teixeira , Medeiros André Dantas de , Soares Tássia Fernanda Santos Neri , Capobiango Nayara Pereira , Dias Denise Cunha Fernandes dos Santos
Published: September 2022

Solutions based on image analysis are a growing trend towards improving the quality of forest seeds. This study aimed to associate the information obtained through the processing of radiographic images with the physiological potential of Anadenanthera peregrina seeds. Ten seed lots from different mother trees were submitted to automated X-ray analysis to obtain variables related to seed morphology and tissue integrity. Then, the seeds were evaluated for their physiological potential through the variables germination, normal seedlings, germination speed index (GSI), seedling length, uniformity index, and vigor index. The results showed that there was a relationship between the variables obtained with the X-ray analysis and those of the physiological potential of the seeds. Most of the lots with low physiological potential had lower tissue density, circularity, and a higher positive skewness value. The X-ray technique can be considered valid to establish a relationship between the physical and physiological quality of seeds, however, it seems to be more efficient to identify seeds with low physiological potential.
Macrofauna epiedáfica em áreas submetidas a tecnologias de restauração florestal no sul do Brasil
Authors: Derengoski Joseane Aparecida , Duarte Edilaine , Franco Regiane , Potrich Michele , Bechara Fernando Campanhã
Published: September 2022

Objetivou-se caracterizar a composição da macrofauna epiedáfica, em áreas em processo inicial de restauração florestal, por meio de diferentes tecnologias restauradoras e comparar esses parâmetros com uma floresta-referência. O estudo foi realizado na área experimental de Restauração ecológica da UTFPR, Dois Vizinhos, Paraná, em blocos casualizados, composto por três tratamentos (RP-restauração passiva, PAD-plantio em alta diversidade e NC-nucleação) com quatro repetições. Adjacente, encontra-se o fragmento de floresta nativa secundária (FL), usado como referência. As coletas foram realizadas em novembro/2010 e abril/2011, sendo instaladas em cada parcela três armadilhas pitfall. A riqueza e abundância foram submetidas a testes de normalidade, homogeneidade das variâncias e análise de variância e calcularam-se os índices de Shannon e Pielou. Os dados de abundância dos grupos taxonômicos foram submetidos à análise de componentes principais (ACP). Para verificar as diferenças na composição da macrofauna entre a floresta e as tecnologias de restauração, foi realizada a análise de similaridade (ANOSIM) e o percentual de similaridade (SIMPER). Amostraram-se 12.681 indivíduos, sendo 3.018 em novembro/2010 e 9.663 em abril/2011, distribuídos em 23 ordens. A abundância e riqueza da floresta diferiram significativamente das tecnologias restauradoras, em ambas as avaliações. A elevada abundância observada nas técnicas restauradoras refletiu a dominância de Hymenoptera, Coleoptera e Polyxenida. FL apresentou maior diversidade e equitabilidade, independentemente da época de amostragem. A ACP separou as tecnologias da floresta, pelas diferenças na composição da fauna edáfica, sendo que o mesmo não ocorreu entre as técnicas de restauração. Na ANOSIM e SIMPER, as principais ordens que contribuíram para a diferenciação da floresta das tecnologias em novembro/2010 foram Diptera, Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Blattodea, e em abril/2011 Polyxenida, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera e Orthoptera. A macrofauna edáfica foi influenciada pelo grau de interferência antrópica, sendo um bom indicador das alterações ambientais e da sucessão ecológica observada em áreas em processo inicial de restauração florestal.
Supressão e fragilidade de remanescentes florestais em uma Unidade de Conservação, na região sul de Alagoas, Brasil
Authors: Lopes Rosy Valéria Rocha , Silva Milena Dutra da , Almeida Nadjacleia Vilar , Ferreira Guilherme Ramos Demétrio
Published: September 2022

As Unidades de Conservação possuem uma grande importância para a estabilidade do meio ambiente, havendo possibilidade de uso sustentável, a exemplo das Áreas de Proteção Ambiental (APAs). Nessas áreas, a vegetação remanescente configura um importante componente no monitoramento e avaliação da fragilidade ambiental. Assim, este estudo objetivou avaliar a dinâmica espaço-temporal na APA da Marituba do Peixe (APA-MP), com fins de diagnosticar a fragilidade ambiental da vegetação remanescente. Foi utilizada imagem do satélite RapidEye, para o ano de 2011, disponíveis gratuitamente no site do Ministério do Meio Ambiente (GeoCatálogo) e imagem de satélite disponibilizada no software Google Earth, para o ano de 2020. A vegetação foi vetorizada, e determinadas as métricas da paisagem com o uso de SIG. Na APA-MP, em 2011, foram mapeados 108 fragmentos de vegetação remanescente, com área total de 3.314 ha e um índice médio de forma de 1,843±0,638. Já em 2020, os fragmentos de vegetação remanescentes reduziram a 89 manchas, somando uma área de 2.684 ha, com índice médio de forma de 1,906±0,664. O número, o tamanho dos fragmentos e o índice de forma evidenciam que a vegetação remanescente apresenta fragilidade ambiental. Houve supressão de vegetação ao longo dos anos nas diferentes zonas. Não houve quadro de recuperação ambiental em nenhuma das zonas de proteção da APA-MP. O cenário requer a implementação de ações para a promoção da recuperação ambiental.
Status report on the third round of the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization process
Authors: Alagic Gorjan , Apon Daniel , Cooper David , Dang Quynh , Dang Thinh , Kelsey John , Lichtinger Jacob , Liu Yi-Kai , Miller Carl , Moody Dustin , Peralta Rene , Perlner Ray , Robinson Angela , Smith-Tone Daniel
Published: September 2022

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is in the process of selecting public-key cryptographic algorithms through a public, competition-like process. The new public-key cryptography standards will specify additional digital signature, public-key encryption, and key-establishment algorithms to augment Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 186-4, Digital Signature Standard (DSS), as well as NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-56A Revision 3, Recommendation for Pair-Wise Key-Establishment Schemes Using Discrete Logarithm Cryptography, and SP 800-56B Revision 2, Recommendation for Pair-Wise Key Establishment Using Integer Factorization Cryptography. It is intended that these algorithms will be capable of protecting sensitive information well into the foreseeable future, including after the advent of quantum computers. The first round of the NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography Standardization Process began in December 2017 with 69 candidate algorithms that met both the minimum acceptance criteria and submission requirements. The first round lasted until January 2019, during which candidate algorithms were evaluated based on their security, performance, and other characteristics. NIST selected 26 algorithms to advance to the second round for more analysis. The second round continued until July 2020, after which seven 'finalist' and eight 'alternate' candidate algorithms were selected to move into the third round. This report describes the evaluation and selection process, based on public feedback and internal review, of the third-round candidates. The report summarizes each of the 15 third-round candidate algorithms and identifies those selected for standardization, as well as those that will continue to be evaluated in a fourth round of analysis. The public-key encryption and key-establishment algorithm that will be standardized is CRYSTALS-Kyber. The digital signatures that will be standardized are CRYSTALS-Dilithium, Falcon, and SPHINCS+. While there are multiple signature algorithms selected, NIST recommends CRYSTALS-Dilithium as the primary algorithm to be implemented. In addition, four of the alternate key-establishment candidate algorithms will advance to a fourth round of evaluation: BIKE, Classic McEliece, HQC, and SIKE. These candidates are still being considered for future standardization. NIST will also issue a new Call for Proposals for public-key digital signature algorithms to augment and diversify its signature portfolio.
La digitalización de la protesta. Imagen-simultaneidad, imagen-continuidad e imagen-memoria en el Paro Nacional del Ecuador
Authors: Bouhaben Miguel Alfonso
Published: September 2022

En el contexto de luchas sociales de la segunda década del siglo XXI, expresadas y desencadenadas desde las nuevas tecnologías de la comunicación, el Paro Nacional del Ecuador de octubre de 2019 supone un caso de interés para explorar los usos de las redes sociales por parte los movimientos ciudadanos e indígenas movilizados. La presente investigación tiene por objeto el análisis de las formas de producción y distribución digital de las imágenes de tres colectivos ecuatorianos durante el Paro Nacional del Ecuador: Wambra, medio comunitario digital; Fluxus Foto, colectivo de fotoperiodistas, y Primera línea, trabajo curatorial online. En la presente investigación se pueden identificar tres etapas. En la primera etapa se determinó un primer corpus con las principales estrategias activistas de creación y comunicación visual desarrolladas durante el Paro Nacional del Ecuador. En la segunda etapa se configuraron tres conceptos de imagen activista que hacen alusión a la praxis temporal y que se aplicaron al análisis de tres colectivos activistas digitales activos durante el Paro: la imagen-simultaneidad, la imagen-continuidad y la imagen-memoria. Finalmente, en la tercera y última etapa se establecieron cuatro modalidades categoriales que fueran de utilidad para analizar cada uno de los conceptos anteriores de imagen digital activista: Enunciación colectiva; Plurimedialidad, Apertura estructural y Conectividad. Estos conceptos nos han aportado dos conclusiones fundamentales: a) Hemos podido demostrar cómo el tiempo aporta una mayor capacidad para elegir y trabajar las imágenes; b) Cuanto más cerca está la imagen del presente de su producción, mayor número de visitas y reacciones.
La expresión del aburrimiento y la soledad no deseada en Twitch
Authors: Ros Velasco Josefa , Gutiérrez Manjón Sergio
Published: September 2022

El consumo de contenido en streaming en redes sociales ha aumentado entre el público joven, especialmente desde que comenzó la pandemia por COVID-19, facilitando la generación de nuevas relaciones parasociales. La literatura apunta al aburrimiento y la soledad no deseada como los principales impulsores de este comportamiento. Ningún trabajo ha explorado la expresión de estos estados en la plataforma Twitch para determinar si incitan al consumo de contenido en streaming. Este estudio analiza las expresiones del aburrimiento y la soledad no deseada de los usuarios durante el consumo de contenido en streaming en Twitch para esclarecer si son las principales causas que lo motivan, comprender su naturaleza y establecer implicaciones prácticas. El método empleado es de tipo mixto, guiado por la etnografía virtual, para responder al doble enfoque cualitativo-cuantitativo de la investigación. Se ha aplicado sobre seis comunidades de streamers hispanohablantes con distintos niveles de audiencia, tomando como casos 3 streamings por streamer, emitidos de diciembre de 2021 a enero de 2022. Los resultados se han obtenido a partir de técnicas de observación etnográfica y análisis de contenido. Estos indican que el aburrimiento y la soledad no deseada son estados que motivan el consumo de contenido en streaming en Twitch. Su expresión es más visible en comunidades reducidas y de distinta naturaleza en función de cada comunidad. Los streamers deben prestar atención a su audiencia para satisfacer sus necesidades de mitigación del aburrimiento y la soledad no deseada y para ayudar a detectar posibles conductas desadaptativas motivadas por estos estados.
Vidas e doutrinas dos filósofos ilustres
Authors: Laêrtios Diôgenes
Published: September 2022

Vidas e doutrinas dos filósofos ilustres, de Diôgenes Laêrtios, é a mais preciosa obra conservada da Antiguidade a respeito da história da filosofia e dos filósofos gregos. Esta obra constitui a fonte principal para o conhecimento das filosofias epicurista e estóica, e é importante para o estudo do ceticismo e das ramificações da filosofia socrática (o cinismo, o hedonismo e a dialética). Nela, o autor expõe as idéias dos mais importantes pensadores gregos, desde as origens da filosofia e dos chamados Sete Sábios até os últimos escolarcas da Academia platônica e do Liceu aristotélico, abrangendo cerca de oitenta filósofos. Por serem antes uma história dos filósofos do que uma história da filosofia, os capítulos que compõem este livro pertencem tanto à literatura quanto à filosofia propriamente dita. Essa característica confere um interesse ainda maior à obra, principalmente por seu conteúdo humano. Outro de seus méritos é a evocação palpitante da atmosfera do mundo em que viveram os filósofos antigos, graças aos numerosos detalhes que apresenta e aos elementos míticos e fantásticos misturados a anedotas de sabor popular. Esses detalhes, aparentemente marginais, são na realidade muito significativos e esclarecedores.
Wolbachia action in the sperm produces developmentally deferred chromosome segregation defects during the Drosophila mid-blastula transition
Authors: Warecki Brandt , Titen Simon William Abraham , Alam Mohammad Shahriyar , Vega Giovanni , Lemseffer Nassim , Hug Karen , Minden Jonathan S , Sullivan William
Published: September 2022

Wolbachia, a vertically transmitted endosymbiont infecting many insects, spreads rapidly through uninfected populations by a mechanism known as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI). In CI, a paternally delivered modification of the sperm leads to chromatin defects and lethality during and after the first mitosis of embryonic development in multiple species. However, whether CI-induced defects in later stage embryos are a consequence of the first division errors or caused by independent defects remains unresolved. To address this question, we focused on ~1/3 of embryos from CI crosses in Drosophila simulans that develop apparently normally through the first and subsequent pre-blastoderm divisions before exhibiting mitotic errors during the mid-blastula transition and gastrulation. We performed single embryo PCR and whole genome sequencing to find a large percentage of these developed CI-derived embryos bypass the first division defect. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we find increased chromosome segregation errors in gastrulating CI-derived embryos that had avoided the first division defect. Thus, Wolbachia action in the sperm induces developmentally deferred defects that are not a consequence of the first division errors. Like the immediate defect, the delayed defect is rescued through crosses to infected females. These studies inform current models on the molecular and cellular basis of CI.
Prospective Turkish Teachers’ Opinions on Distance and Face-To-Face Education
Authors: Sari̇kaya Bünyamin , Aydeniz Süleyman
Published: September 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced many uncertainties into major aspects of global and national society, including education. Therefore, in a bid to support the continuation of education, Turkey, like many other countries in the world, has made it mandatory to shift to distance education in all school levels. But this mode of teaching, i.e. distance education, has also brought many new challenges, especially for students. Pandemic hit the students hardest. Thus, it would be necessary to know what challenges the students face during distance education. To that end, the current study aims to explore the opinions of university students on distance education. The study participants consisted of 94 undergraduate students, prospective Turkish teachers, studying Turkish in Muş Alparslan University in Turkey. The participants were asked to answer some questions. The questions were about the future of distance education, pros and cons of both education systems, and the most effective system for Turkish teaching. The questions were delivered via Google Forms. The data of this qualitative study was collected using a written opinion form developed by the researchers. In the analysis of research data, the descriptive data analysis technique was used. At the end of the study, the following conclusions were reached: distance education will replace face-to-face education; two education systems are not free from flaws; and Turkish classes should not be delivered through distance education.
Investigation of Turkish as A Foreign Language Instructors’ Perception Towards Lesson Plans
Authors: Baştürk Şükrü , Ogur Erol , Şahin Ersin
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of instructors teaching Turkish to foreigners on lesson plans. In order to collect data for the study, 175 instructors teaching at the Turkish Teaching Centers of universities across Turkey were contacted in the 2021-2022 academic year. In order to reach the study group, the scale system created in the “Google forms” software was used. The data collection process continued for 8 weeks in total. “The Scale of the Perceptions of Instructors Teaching Turkish to Foreigners on Lesson Plans” is a 3-point Likert-type measurement tool consisting of 30 items. For the evaluation of the study data, in addition to the descriptive statistics, the t test was used in comparisons of two groups with normal distribution, and the ANOVA test was used for the comparison of three or more groups. As far as the results of the study is concerned, while there was no statistically significant difference between the perceptions of the instructors teaching Turkish to foreigners on lesson plans by gender (p.05), there were significant differences by their graduation status (p.05) and professional seniority (p.05). The SPSS 24.0 program was used for statistical analysis.
Hidden interactions in the intertidal rocky shore: variation in pedal mucus microbiota among marine grazers that feed on epilithic biofilm communities
Authors: Arboleda-Baena Clara , Pareja Claudia Belén , Pla Isadora , Logares Ramiro , De la Iglesia Rodrigo , Navarrete Sergio Andrés
Published: September 2022

In marine ecosystems, most invertebrates possess diverse microbiomes on their external surfaces, such as those found in the pedal mucus of grazing gastropods and chitons that aids displacement on different surfaces. The microbes are then transported around and placed in contact with free-living microbial communities of micro and other macro-organisms, potentially exchanging species and homogenizing microbial composition and structure among grazer hosts. Here, we characterize the microbiota of the pedal mucus of five distantly related mollusk grazers, quantify differences in microbial community structure, mucus protein and carbohydrate content, and, through a simple laboratory experiment, assess their effects on integrated measures of biofilm abundance. Over 665 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) were found across grazers, with significant differences in abundance and composition among grazer species and epilithic biofilms. The pulmonate limpet Siphonaria lessonii and the periwinkle Echinolittorina peruviana shared similar microbiota. The microbiota of the chiton Chiton granosus, keyhole limpet Fissurella crassa, and scurrinid limpet Scurria araucana differed markedly from one another, and form those of the pulmonate limpet and periwinkle. Flavobacteriaceae (Bacteroidia) and Colwelliaceae (Gammaproteobacteria) were the most common among microbial taxa. Microbial strict specialists were found in only one grazer species. The pedal mucus pH was similar among grazers, but carbohydrate and protein concentrations differed significantly. Yet, differences in mucus composition were not reflected in microbial community structure. Only the pedal mucus of F. crassa and S. lessonii negatively affected the abundance of photosynthetic microorganisms in the biofilm, demonstrating the specificity of the pedal mucus effects on biofilm communities. Thus, the pedal mucus microbiota are distinct among grazer hosts and can affect and interact non-trophically with the epilithic biofilms on which grazers feed, potentially leading to microbial community coalescence mediated by grazer movement. Further studies are needed to unravel the myriad of non-trophic interactions and their reciprocal impacts between macro- and microbial communities.
Two-dimensional Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Right Ventricular Systolic Function in Patients with Atrial Septal Defect before and after Closure
Authors: Shaban Ghada Nesem , Kassem Hanan Kamel , Setiha Mohamed El Sayed El , Elsheikh Raghda Ghonimy , Shaban Aliaa , Saed Ikram Sadek
Published: September 2022

Background: Atrial septal defects lead to left to right shunt, the volume of the shunt is determined by RV/LV compliance, defect size, and LA/RA pressure. RV volume overload and pulmonary over circulation are caused by a simple ASD because the RV is more compliant than the LV. The aim of our study was to assess changes in RV systolic function before and after ASD closure either by surgery or transcatheter closure.

Methods: This study was conducted on 70 patients diagnosed with ASD Secundum and had subdivided into two groups A (surgical closure) group, and B (percutaneous device closure) group. All patients had been assessed by transthoracic Echocardiography examination for RV systolic Function 24 h before ASD closure, and 6 months after closure.

Results: There was a significant decrease in the right ventricle systolic function indices (TAPSE, FAC, Tissue Doppler S wave velocity, and global longitudinal free wall strain) after ASD closure either by surgery or by transcatheter device closure

Conclusions: The right ventricle's size and function are affected by a large shunt caused by an ASD secudium. ASD and its consequent volume overload resulted in higher RV myocardial contraction, leading to an increase in strain values and RV systolic function indices, which were reduced and returned to normal values when the left-to-right shunt was eliminated, and the defect was closed.
Biodegradation of Synthetic Dyes by Bacteria Isolated from Textile Industry Water Effluent
Authors: Kushvaha Ram Prasad , Parihar Shailendra Singh , Singh Tanim Arpit , Prakash Anil
Published: September 2022

Aims: Biodegradation of synthetic dyes by bacteria isolated from textile industry water effluent.

Study Design: Different bacterial strains were isolated from the water effluent generated by textile industry. These bacteria were identified using morphological and molecular characterization and their ability to degrade synthetic dyes was evaluated. The dyes used in this study were methylene blue, malachite green, congo red, and methyl red.

Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected from textile industrial area of Mandideep, Raisen (Madhya Pradesh, India). All the experiments were conducted in Department of Microbiology, Barkatullah University, Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh, India) between January 2019 to June 2019.

Methodology: Textile dye effluent was collected from industrial area of Mandideep, Raisen (Madhya Pradesh, India). The collected effluent sample was analyzed for its physical characteristics (pH, temperature, colour, odour, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), chemical oxygen demand (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO), turbidity, and total hardness). Different bacteria were isolated from this effluent using nutrient agar medium. These bacteria were screened for their ability to degrade synthetic dyes like methylene blue, malachite green, congo red, and methyl red. The potential bacterial isolates were identified using morphological and molecular methods and its ability to degrade synthetic dyes was estimated.

Results: In the current study 24 bacterial isolates were isolated from the textile water and screened for their ability to degrade methylene blue, malachite green, congo red, and methyl red. The secondary screening revealed five bacterial isolates (R-1, R-2, R-6, R-8, and R-14) possess potential of degrading all four dyes. All the isolates were tested for genetic similarity using BOX-PCR which revealed isolates R-1, and R-2 to be similar, therefore four isolates R-1, R-6, R-8, and R-14 were selected for further study. Isolate R-14 effectively degraded 79.84% of methylene blue and 84.23% of methyl red at 200 mg/L respectively after 24 h. 89.3% of 100 mg/L malachite green dye was degraded by isolate R-14 in 72 h. Congo red dye at concentration 100 mg/L was degraded 88.96% by isolate R-8. R-1 and R-6 exhibited 71.1% and 74.6% degradation of methyl red dye respectively at 100 mg/L concentration. All the four potential isolates were identified using 16S r-RNA sequencing which revealed isolate R-1, R-6, R-8, and R-14 to be Pseudomonas geniculata, Bacillus altitudinis, Bacillus subtilis, and Citrobacter freundii respectively. This study reports effective degradation of synthetic dyes using bacterial isolates.

Conclusion: The potential bacteria Pseudomonas geniculata, Bacillus altitudinis, Bacillus subtilis, and Citrobacter freundii can be industrially employed for the biodegradation of synthetic dyes.
The 340B Drug Discount Program Preserved After US Supreme Court Review—But Chevron Remains Vulnerable
Authors: Curfman Gregory , Cole Justin
Published: September 2022

This Viewpoint commends the ruling in favor of 340B-covered entities but contemplates if the absence of the Chevron deference will affect future health care-related policy.
Exploration of thermal Péclet number, vortex viscosity, and Reynolds number on two‐dimensional flow of micropolar fluid through a channel due to mixed convection
Authors: Shamshuddin M. D. , Mabood F. , Khan W. A. , Rajput Govind R.
Published: September 2022

The present theoretical investigation is conducted on a micropolar fluid medium channel in the presence of mixed and nonlinear convection with the assumptions of thermal radiation and species reactive agents. The nonlinear governing equations, which describe the micropolar fluid flow and energy, are converted into ordinary differential equations using appropriate similarity variables. With the Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method, the resultant equations are numerically solved. The physical characteristics of flow restrictions over velocity, microrotation, energy, and concentration profile are plotted and discussed. Further, the impact of several dimensionless parameters on Nusselt and Sherwood numbers is investigated and depicted graphically. In addition to observing flow patterns, contour plots of streamlines are plotted and discussed. It is demonstrated that the dimensionless velocity, temperature, and concentration of micropolar fluid have a maximum value at the center of the channel. However, the microrotation velocity of the micropolar fluid has both maxima and minima. The thermal and solutal properties of micropolar fluid influence heat and mass transport rates, that is, mixed convection and buoyancy parameter boost up the local heat transfer at the surface. Finally, Péclet number and chemically reactive parameters boost up the local mass transfer at the surface.
Muon-electron backward scattering: a prime example for endpoint singularities in SCET
Authors: Bell Guido , Böer Philipp , Feldmann Thorsten
Published: September 2022

Abstract

We argue that energetic muon-electron scattering in the backward direction can be viewed as a template case to study the resummation of large logarithms related to endpoint divergences appearing in the effective-theory formulation of hard-exclusive processes. While it is known since the mid sixties that the leading double logarithms from QED corrections resum to a modified Bessel function on the amplitude level, the modern formulation in Soft-Collinear Effective Theory (SCET) shows a surprisingly complicated and iterative pattern of endpoint-divergent convolution integrals. In contrast to the bottom-quark induced h → γγ decay, for which a renormalized factorization theorem has been proposed recently, we find that rapidity logarithms generate an infinite tower of collinear-anomaly exponents. This can be understood as a generic consequence of the underlying 2 → 2 kinematics. Using endpoint refactorization conditions for the collinear matrix elements, we show how the Bessel function is reproduced in the effective theory from consistency relations between quantities in a “bare” factorization theorem.
Patientengruppenspezifische Datenhoheitsbedürfnisse und Akzeptanz der elektronischen Patientenakte
Authors: Baron von Osthoff Marc , Watzlaw-Schmidt Ute , Lehmann Thomas , Hübner Jutta
Published: September 2022

Hintergrund und Ziel

Menschen in Deutschland haben eine hohe Sensibilität bezüglich ihrer Gesundheitsdaten. So stellen sich auch in Hinblick auf die elektronische Patientenakte (ePA) Fragen zu patientenseitigem Datenhoheitsbedürfnis und Akzeptanz. Die Möglichkeit, in der ePA gespeicherte Daten selektiv weiterbehandelnden Ärzten vorzuenthalten (Opt-out), und ein Vorwissen des Patienten über die ePA könnten Einfluss auf das Datenhoheitsbedürfnis und auf die Akzeptanz der ePA haben. Das Ziel dieser explorativen Studie ist es, diese Einflüsse für die 3 Patientengruppen „Akutpatienten“, „Diabetes-Typ-2-Patienten“ und „Palliativpatienten“ zu untersuchen, da hier Unterschiede vermutet werden.

Material und Methoden

Von August bis Oktober 2019 wurde eine quantitative Befragung unter 140 Patienten der genannten Gruppen durchgeführt.

Ergebnisse

76,0 % der Befragten befürworten die selektive Opt-out-Möglichkeit und erklärten, dass sich ihre Bereitschaft zur Teilnahme an der ePA dadurch erhöht. Gruppenspezifisch erklärten dies 81,1 % der Akutpatienten, 80,6 % der Palliativpatienten sowie 65,6 % der Diabetes-Typ-2-Patienten. Die Unterschiede zwischen den Gruppen waren nicht signifikant. Ein generelles Vorwissen zur ePA hing mit einem höheren Datenhoheitsbedürfnis zusammen – 43,2 % derjenigen, die von der ePA-Einführung noch nie bewusst gehört hatten, würden ihre Gesundheitsdaten gelegentlich vor anderen Ärzten verbergen gegenüber 54,5 %, die von der Einführung wussten.

Diskussion

Die Berücksichtigung des Datenhoheitsbedürfnisses von Patienten bei der weiteren Etablierung der ePA wird empfohlen. Die selektive Opt-out-Möglichkeit kann zur Akzeptanz beitragen. Die Kenntnisse zur ePA sollten v. a. im Arzt-Patienten-Gespräch erweitert werden, um eine informierte Entscheidung zu ermöglichen.
How costly is using livestock as a savings device?
Authors: Zant Wouter
Published: September 2022

Livestock is a major savings device in sub-Sahara Africa agriculture. I measure to what extent the value of livestock drops during food shortages. For this purpose I exploit Malawian prices of meat and maize for 72 markets from 1991 to 2009, a period with several food shortages. I show that large drops in the meat–maize terms of trade – our proxy for the value of livestock – are associated with food shortages. During food shortages the value of livestock decreases with 54% to 65%. The evidence is consistent with increased livestock sales during food shortages, but the drop in meat–maize terms of trade arises primarily due to increases of maize prices. Our results are robust to spatial spill-overs and various other threats. Similar drops in livestock value are shown to occur in other SSA countries. The value of livestock has decreased at the very moment livestock is sold on the market to purchase staple foods. Like produced staple foods, agricultural households systematically sell low. To bridge food shortage periods savings instruments are needed that do not lose value when liquidated. A few policy options are discussed. On-farm grain storage appears most promising.
Motivations and Types of Religious Change in Contemporary America
Authors: Beider Nadia
Published: September 2022

Background

It is estimated that around half of American adults have changed religion or denomination at least once, yet little is known about the effect of different motives on these changes.

Purpose

This paper seeks to understand the motives driving religious change and the relationship between the reason for religious change on the nature of that change, be it denominational switching, conversion, or disaffiliation.

Methods

The data come from the Pew 2007 Religious Landscape Survey and 2008 Conversion Recontact Survey. First, reasons for changing religion are presented, followed by a series of binary logistic and multinomial regressions that analyze religious changes, their motivations, and justifications.

Results

Among the many reasons for changing religious affiliation, motives directly associated with personal aspects of religion are much more commonly cited than mundane rationales, such as marriage or geographic mobility. Disaffiliates are more likely to view their religious change as being motivated by personal religious concerns, whereas denominational switchers and, to a lesser extent, converts tend to cite mundane motives.

Conclusions and Implications

Decisions regarding affiliation are the most likely to be attributed to personal religious motives, either in an attempt to justify actions to family and friends who have remained religious or because affiliation and non-affiliation are perceived as religiously distinct. Denomination switching and conversion are associated with mundane motives, perhaps due to the rise of religious pluralism, which asserts the validity of a range of religious options, reducing the religious significance of denominational switching and conversion. Thus, personal religious motives play a role in deciding whether to consume religion as a product, while choices regarding a particular brand of religion are attributed to more mundane concerns. This paper adds to our understanding of the interplay between secular, communal, and personal religious motives in shaping religious preferences. In doing so, it sheds light on the nature of such decisions and the broader religious landscape. Additionally, it may provide insights useful to religious leaders on how they might best attract new affiliates.
Incorporating Mixed Reality for Knowledge Retention in Physiology, Anatomy, Pathology, and Pharmacology Interdisciplinary Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Veer Vineesha , Phelps Charlotte , Moro Christian
Published: September 2022

Disease education is a fundamental component in health science and medicine curricula, as it prepares students for their progression into health profession careers. However, this requires an ability to integrate concepts across multiple disciplines. Technology-enhanced interventions may bridge this gap, and this study assessed the effectiveness of a textbook-style or a three-dimensional mixed reality (MR, a hybrid of augmented and virtual reality) HoloLens resource for student learning and knowledge retention using asthma as a model of disease. Sixty-seven first-year undergraduate health science and medical students were randomized into two groups to complete a lesson on the physiology, anatomy, pathology, and pharmacology of asthma, delivered through either a textbook-style (n = 34) or MR (n = 33) resource. Participants took part in the study in small groups and completed the intervention and surveys in separate areas of a large laboratory space. A pre-test prior to the lesson included multiple-choice questions, with the post-test having additional multiple-choice questions to assess learning. A follow-up test to assess retention was performed two weeks later. Pre- and post-test scores revealed increased learning across both the textbook (p = 0.001) and MR (p = 0.05) interventions, although higher test results were obtained by those using the textbook-style resource (p < 0.05). There was no difference between groups in knowledge retention scores. Although the textbook-style resource was more effective for increasing test results, participants perceived MR as more favorable, highlighting the experience as enjoyable and useful. This study presents MR as an option for integration in cases where educators wish to enhance student enjoyment of the learning experience. However, the results suggest that traditional text-based resources persist as a fundamental delivery mode within a modern curriculum.
Non-Hermitian quantum gases: a platform for imaginary time crystals
Authors: Arouca R. , Marino E. C. , Morais Smith C.
Published: September 2022

One of the foremost objectives of statistical mechanics is the description of the thermodynamic properties of quantum gases. Despite the great importance of this topic, such achievement is still lacking in the case of non-Hermitian quantum gases. Here, we investigate the properties of bosonic and fermionic non-Hermitian systems at finite temperatures. We show that non-Hermitian systems exhibit oscillations both in temperature and imaginary time. As such, they can be a possible platform to realize an imaginary time crystal (iTC) phase. The Hatano–Nelson model is identified as a simple lattice model to reveal this effect. In addition, we show that the conditions for the iTC to be manifest are the same as the conditions for the presence of disorder points, where the correlation functions show oscillating behavior. This analysis makes clear that our realization of an iTC is effectively a way to filter one specific Matsubara mode. In this realization, the Matsubara frequency, which usually appears as a mathematical tool to compute correlation functions at finite temperatures, can be measured experimentally.
The Science of Deep Learning
Authors: Drori Iddo
Published: September 2022

The Science of Deep Learning emerged from courses taught by the author that have provided thousands of students with training and experience for their academic studies, and prepared them for careers in deep learning, machine learning, and artificial intelligence in top companies in industry and academia. The book begins by covering the foundations of deep learning, followed by key deep learning architectures. Subsequent parts on generative models and reinforcement learning may be used as part of a deep learning course or as part of a course on each topic. The book includes state-of-the-art topics such as Transformers, graph neural networks, variational autoencoders, and deep reinforcement learning, with a broad range of applications. The appendices provide equations for computing gradients in backpropagation and optimization, and best practices in scientific writing and reviewing. The text presents an up-to-date guide to the field built upon clear visualizations using a unified notation and equations, lowering the barrier to entry for the reader. The accompanying website provides complementary code and hundreds of exercises with solutions.
An online atlas of human plasma metabolite signatures of gut microbiome composition
Authors: Dekkers Koen F. , Sayols-Baixeras Sergi , Baldanzi Gabriel , Nowak Christoph , Hammar Ulf , Nguyen Diem , Varotsis Georgios , Brunkwall Louise , Nielsen Nynne , Eklund Aron C. , Bak Holm Jacob , Nielsen H. Bjørn , Ottosson Filip , Lin Yi-Ting , Ahmad Shafqat , Lind Lars , Sundström Johan , Engström Gunnar , Smith J. Gustav , Ärnlöv Johan , Orho-Melander Marju , Fall Tove
Published: September 2022

Human gut microbiota produce a variety of molecules, some of which enter the bloodstream and impact health. Conversely, dietary or pharmacological compounds may affect the microbiota before entering the circulation. Characterization of these interactions is an important step towards understanding the effects of the gut microbiota on health. In this cross-sectional study, we used deep metagenomic sequencing and ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography linked to mass spectrometry for a detailed characterization of the gut microbiota and plasma metabolome, respectively, of 8583 participants invited at age 50 to 64 from the population-based Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study. Here, we find that the gut microbiota explain up to 46% of the variance of individual plasma metabolites and we present 997 associations between alpha diversity and plasma metabolites and 546,819 associations between specific gut metagenomic species and plasma metabolites in an online atlas (https://gutsyatlas.serve.scilifelab.se/). We exemplify the potential of this resource by presenting novel associations between dietary factors and oral medication with the gut microbiome, and microbial species strongly associated with the uremic toxinp-cresol sulfate. This resource can be used as the basis for targeted studies of perturbation of specific metabolites and for identification of candidate plasma biomarkers of gut microbiota composition.
Transition metal dichalcogenide metaphotonic and self-coupled polaritonic platform grown by chemical vapor deposition
Authors: Shen Fuhuan , Zhang Zhenghe , Zhou Yaoqiang , Ma Jingwen , Chen Kun , Chen Huanjun , Wang Shaojun , Xu Jianbin , Chen Zefeng
Published: September 2022

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have recently attracted growing attention in the fields of dielectric nanophotonics because of their high refractive index and excitonic resonances. Despite the recent realizations of Mie resonances by patterning exfoliated TMDC flakes, it is still challenging to achieve large-scale TMDC-based photonic structures with a controllable thickness. Here, we report a bulk MoS2metaphotonic platform realized by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) bottom-up method, supporting both pronounced dielectric optical modes and self-coupled polaritons. Magnetic surface lattice resonances (M-SLRs) and their energy-momentum dispersions are demonstrated in 1D MoS2gratings. Anticrossing behaviors with Rabi splitting up to 170 meV are observed when the M-SLRs are hybridized with the excitons in multilayer MoS2. In addition, distinct Mie modes and anapole-exciton polaritons are also experimentally demonstrated in 2D MoS2disk arrays. We believe that the CVD bottom-up method would open up many possibilities to achieve large-scale TMDC-based photonic devices and enrich the toolbox of engineering exciton-photon interactions in TMDCs.