bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Highly fluorescent hydroxyl groups functionalized graphitic carbon nitride for ultrasensitive and selective determination of mercury ions in water and fish samples
Authors: El-Reash Y. G. Abou , Ghaith Eslam A. , El-Awady Osama , Algethami Faisal K. , Lin Haiqing , Abdelrahman Ehab A. , Awad Fathi S.
Published: March 2023

Heavy metal ion pollution is always a serious problem worldwide. Therefore, monitoring heavy metal ions in environmental water is a crucial and difficult step to ensure the safety of people and the environment. A mercury ion (Hg2+) fluorescence probe with excellent sensitivity and selectivity is described here. The functionalized graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (T/G-C3N4) fluorescence probe was fabricated using melamine as a precursor by the pyrolysis technique, followed by a rapid KOH heat treatment method for 2 min. The chemical structure and morphology of the T/G-C3N4 probe were characterized using multiple analytical techniques including UV–Vis, SEM, XPS, XRD, and fluorometer spectroscopy. Geometry optimization of T/G-C3N4 as a modified probe was performed to assess its stability and interaction ability with Hg(II) via using the density function approach. The T/G-C3N4 probe showed a linear response based on quenching over the range 0–1.25 × 103 nM Hg(II); the detection limit was 27 nM. The remarkable sensitivity of T/G-C3N4 towards the Hg2+ ions was explained by the intense coordination and fast chelation kinetics of Hg2+ with the NH2, CN, C=N, and OH groups of T/G-C3N4 nanoprobe. The T/G-C3N4 probe demonstrates exceptional selectivity for Hg2+ ions among other metal ions including (Na+, Ag+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cd2+, K+, Ca2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Mn2+ and Hg2+) and over a broad pH range (6–10), together with remarkable long-term fluorescence stability in water (> 30 days) and minimal toxicity. T/G-C3N4 was used to detect and quantify Hg2+ ions in tuna and mackerel fish and the results compared to ICP-AES. The results obtained offer a new simple and green technique for the design of multifunctional fluorescent probe appropriate for environmental applications.

Graphical Abstract
Engineering a norcoclaurine synthase for one-step synthesis of (S)-1-aryl-tetrahydroisoquinolines
Authors: Zhang Man , Huang Zheng-Yu , Su Ying , Chen Fei-Fei , Chen Qi , Xu Jian-He , Zheng Gao-Wei
Published: March 2023

Tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids (THIQAs) are ubiquitous compounds with important pharmaceutical and biological activity. Their key N-heterocyclic structural motifs are synthesised via Pictet–Spengler (P–S) reaction by norcoclaurine synthases (NCS) in plants. The synthesis of 1-aryl-tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids has attracted increasing attention due to their antitumor and antivirus activities. Herein, the L68T/M97V mutant of NCS from Thalictrum flavum with improved activity was developed by semi-rational design. This mutant not only showed higher catalytic performance (> 96% conversion) toward benzaldehyde and dopamine over the wild-type enzyme, but also catalysed the P–S reaction of the bulky substrate 4-biphenylaldehyde and dopamine with high conversion (> 99%) for the effective synthesis of 1-aryl-THIQA. In terms of stereoselectivity, all products synthesised by the L68T/M97V mutant showed high optical purity (92–99% enantiomeric excess).

Graphical Abstract
Kinematics of platform stabilization using a 3-PRS parallel manipulator
Authors: Udomsap Tossaporn , Chinchouryrang Sakda , Liampipat Siwat , Chanthasopeephan Teeranoot
Published: March 2023

In this paper, a 3-PRS (prismatic, revolute, and spherical) parallel manipulator for platform stabilization is designed. The main purpose of this device is to stabilize visual equipment, which is placed on top of a car to inspect electrical transmission cables, as part of routine maintenance. Due to the bulky and heavy infrared cameras used during inspections, a stabilizer platform has been designed to handle the weight of camera equipment up to 10 kg. This device consists of two major mechanisms. The first mechanism is able to adjust the angle of the camera. Thus, the user can focus the camera along the electric transmission lines. The second mechanism is stabilization. The mechanism serves to stabilize the orientation and position of the camera in the roll, pitch, and heave directions. To test the performance of the stabilization mechanism, the device is fed with the known value of the angle with regard to the input. As such, the device is trying to compensate for the change in angle. The results show that the errors between the input angles and compensated angles are in the range of 0.4–3%. Errors are seen to be within an acceptable range. It is significant that the resultant errors do not affect the orientation of the camera.
Cerebral infarction by paradoxical gas embolism detected after laparoscopic partial hepatectomy with an insufflation management system: a case report
Authors: Shimizu Kenji , Usuda Masahiro , Kakizaki Yuta , Narita Tomohiro , Suzuki On , Fukuoka Kengo
Published: March 2023

Background

Laparoscopic surgery has reduced surgical morbidity and postoperative duration of hospital stay. Gas embolism is commonly known as a risk factor for all laparoscopic procedures. We report a case of severe cerebral infarction presumably caused by paradoxical CO2 embolism in laparoscopic partial hepatectomy with an insufflation management system.

Case presentation

A male in his 60 s was diagnosed with recurrence of liver metastasis in the right hepatic lobe after laparoscopic lower anterior resection for rectal cancer. We performed laparoscopic partial hepatectomy with an AirSeal® under 10 mmHg of intra-abdominal pressure. During the surgery, the patient’s end-tidal CO2 and percutaneous oxygen saturation dropped from approximately 40–20 mmHg and 100–90%, respectively, while the heart rate increased from 60 to 120 beats/min; his blood pressure remained stable. Postoperatively, the patient developed right hemiplegia and aphasia. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed cerebral infarction in the broad area of the left cerebral cortex. Thereafter, transesophageal echocardiography revealed a patent foramen ovale, suggesting cerebral infarction due to paradoxical gas embolism.

Conclusions

A patent foramen ovale is found in approximately 15–20% of healthy individuals. While gas embolism is a rare complication of laparoscopic surgery, cerebral infarction must be considered a possible complication even if the intra-abdominal pressure is constant under 10 mmHg with an insufflation management system.
Composition and variability of core phyllosphere fungal mycobiota on field-grown broccoli
Authors: Kim Min-Soo , Park Eun-Jin
Published: March 2023

Background

Fresh vegetables harbor an assemblage of different microorganisms on their surfaces. The phyllosphere microbiota is important for maintaining plant health and managing crop quality before and after harvest. However, the diversity and ecology of fungal communities are largely unexplored in fresh vegetables. This study investigated the phyllosphere mycobiota of field-grown broccoli florets (n = 66) collected from 22 farms across four regions in Korea, using culturing, amplicon sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region, and microbial network analysis.

Results

Microbial network analysis identified core genera (Purpureocillium,Filobasidium,Cystofilobasidium,Papiliotrema,Aureobasidium, and unclassified genera of Capnodiales) specific to the broccoli phyllosphere. The composition and network complexity of core and unique populations varied among farming regions, and was associated with local agro-meteorological conditions. The complexity of microbial associations was higher in mature communities than in immature communities, but complexity was lost upon development of plant pathogenic disease. Broccoli mycobiota were classified according to the dominance ofPurpurecillium. WhilePurpurecillium-type microbiota were prevalent in normal samples,Filobasidium-type microbiota were frequently observed in immature, damaged, or postharvest samples.

Conclusions

Together, fungal communities were important components of phyllosphere microbiota on fresh vegetables, and have substantial potential for exploitation to enhance and stabilize plant health and growth.
Development of human-machine language interfaces for the visual analysis of complex biologics and RNA modalities and associated experimental data
Authors: Kunz Roxanne K. , Rojnuckarin Atipat , Schmidt Christian Marc , Miranda Les P.
Published: March 2023

The advent of recombinant protein-based therapeutic agents in the 1980s and subsequent waves of innovation in molecular biology and engineering of biologics has permitted the production of an increasingly broad array of complex, high molecular weight constructs. While this has opened a powerful new toolbox of molecular scaffolds with which to probe and interdict biological processes, it also makes deciphering the architectural nuances between individual constructs intuitively difficult. Key to downstream data processes for the detection of data trends is the ability to unambiguously identify, compare, and communicate the nature of molecular compositions. Existing small molecule orientated software tools are not intended for structures such as peptides, proteins, antibodies, and RNA, and do not contain adequate atomistic or domain-level detail to appropriately convey their higher structural complexity. Similarly, there is a paucity of large molecule-focused data analysis and visualization tools. This article will describe four new approaches we developed for the graphical representation and analysis of complex large molecules and experimental data. These tools help fulfill key needs in scientific communication and structure-property analysis of complex biologics and modified oligonucleotide-based drug candidates.
Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity of Coptis rhizome extract and its constituents
Authors: Tayama Yuki , Mizukami Shusaku , Toume Kazufumi , Komatsu Katsuko , Yanagi Tetsuo , Nara Takeshi , Tieu Paul , Huy Nguyen Tien , Hamano Shinjiro , Hirayama Kenji
Published: March 2023

Background

Current therapeutic agents, including nifurtimox and benznidazole, are not sufficiently effective in the chronic phase of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and are accompanied by various side effects. In this study, 120 kinds of extracts from medicinal herbs used for Kampo formulations and 94 kinds of compounds isolated from medicinal herbs for Kampo formulations were screened for anti-T. cruzi activity in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

As an experimental method, a recombinant protozoan cloned strain expressing luciferase, namely Luc2-Tulahuen, was used in the experiments. The in vitro anti-T. cruzi activity on epimastigote, trypomastigote, and amastigote forms was assessed by measuring luminescence intensity after treatment with the Kampo extracts or compounds. In addition, the cytotoxicity of compounds was tested using mouse and human feeder cell lines. The in vivo anti-T. cruzi activity was measured by a murine acute infection model using intraperitoneal injection of trypomastigotes followed by live bioluminescence imaging.

Results

As a result, three protoberberine-type alkaloids, namely coptisine chloride, dehydrocorydaline nitrate, and palmatine chloride, showed strong anti-T. cruzi activities with low cytotoxicity. The IC50 values of these compounds differed depending on the side chain, and the most effective compound, coptisine chloride, showed a significant effect in the acute infection model.

Conclusions

For these reasons, coptisine chloride is a hit compound that can be a potential candidate for anti-Chagas disease drugs. In addition, it was expected that there would be room for further improvement by modifying the side chains of the basic skeleton.
Robust backstepping global integral terminal sliding mode controller to enhance dynamic stability of hybrid AC/DC microgrids
Authors: Roy Tushar Kanti , Ghosh Subarto Kumar , Saha Sajeeb
Published: March 2023

In this paper, a Backstepping Global Integral Terminal Sliding Mode Controller (BGITSMC) with the view to enhancing the dynamic stability of a hybrid AC/DC microgrid has been presented. The proposed approach controls the switching signals of the inverter, interlinking the DC-bus with the AC-bus in an AC/DC microgrid for a seamless interface and regulation of the output power of renewable energy sources (Solar Photovoltaic unit, PMSG-based wind farm), and Battery Energy Storage System. The proposed control approach guarantees the dynamic stability of a hybrid AC/DC microgrid by regulating the associated states of the microgrid system to their intended values. The dynamic stability of the microgrid system with the proposed control law has been proved using the Control Lyapunov Function. A simulation analysis was performed on a test hybrid AC/DC microgrid system to demonstrate the performance of the proposed control strategy in terms of maintaining power balance while the system’s operating point changed. Furthermore, the superiority of the proposed approach has been demonstrated by comparing its performance with the existing Sliding Mode Control (SMC) approach for a hybrid AC/DC microgrid.
Gadolinium retention in a rat model of subtotal renal failure: are there differences among macrocyclic GBCAs?
Authors: Bonafè Roberta , Coppo Alessandra , Queliti Roberta , Bussi Simona , Maisano Federico , Kirchin Miles A. , Tedoldi Fabio
Published: March 2023

Background

Gd levels are higher in tissues of animals with compromised renal function, but studies to compare levels after exposure to different macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs) are lacking. We compared Gd levels in tissues of subtotally nephrectomised (SN) rats after repeated exposure to macrocyclic GBCAs.

Methods

Sprague–Dawley SN male rats (19 per group) received 16 injections of gadoteridol, gadobutrol, or gadoterate meglumine at 0.6 mmol Gd/kg 4 times/weeks over 4 weeks. A control group of healthy male rats (n = 10) received gadoteridol at the same dosage. Plasma urea and creatinine levels were monitored. Blood, cerebrum, cerebellum, liver, femur, kidney(s), skin and peripheral nerves were harvested for Gd determination by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry at 28 and 56 days after the end of treatment.

Results

Plasma urea and creatinine levels were roughly twofold higher in SN rats than in healthy rats at all timepoints. At day 28, Gd levels in the peripheral nerves of gadobutrol- or gadoterate-treated SN animals were 5.4 or 7.2 times higher than in gadoteridol-treated animals (p < 0.001). Higher Gd levels after administration of gadobutrol or gadoterate versus gadoteridol were also determined in kidneys (p ≤ 0.002), cerebrum (p ≤ 0.001), cerebellum (p ≤ 0.003), skin (p ≥ 0.244), liver (p ≥ 0.053), and femur (p ≥ 0.271). At day 56, lower Gd levels were determined both in SN and healthy rats for all GBCAs and tissues, except the femur.

Conclusions

Gd tissue levels were lower following gadoteridol exposure than following gadobutrol or gadoterate exposure.
Detection method of absence seizures based on Resnet and bidirectional GRU
Authors: Li Lijun , Zhang Hengxing , Liu Xiaomei , Li Jie , Li Lei , Liu Dan , Min Jieqing , Zhu Ping , Xia Huan , Wang Shangkun , Wang Li
Published: March 2023

Background

Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disease. Its repeated seizure attacks have a great negative impact on patients’ physical and mental health. The diagnosis of epilepsy mainly depends on electroencephalogram (EEG) signals detection and analysis. There are two main EEG signals detection methods for epilepsy. One is the detection based on abnormal waveform, the other is the analysis of EEG signals based on the traditional machine learning. The feature extraction method of the traditional machine learning is difficult to capture the high-dimension information between adjacent sequences.

Methods

In this paper, redundant information was removed from the data by Gaussian filtering, downsampling, and short-time Fourier transform. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) was used to extract the high-dimensional features of the preprocessed data, and then Gate Recurrent Unit (GRU) was used to combine the sequence information before and after, to fully integrate the adjacent information EEG signals and improve the accuracy of the model detection.

Results

Four models were designed and compared. The experimental results showed that the prediction model based on deep residual network and bidirectional GRU had the best effect, and the test accuracy of the absence epilepsy test set reached 92%.

Conclusions

The prediction time of the network is only 10 sec when predicting four-hour EEG signals. It can be effectively used in EEG software to provide reference for doctors in EEG analysis and save doctors’ time, which has great practical value.
Phosphorus in waste sources in Southern Vietnam: potential for recovery
Authors: Dinh Khang Vu , Le Hung Anh , Pfennig Andreas
Published: March 2023

The potential for phosphorus (P) recovery from various sources in Southern Vietnam has been assessed in this study. Five types of waste were studied, namely sediment from catfish pond, manure from cattle and pig farming, and also sludge from domestic and rubber-latex processing wastewater-treatment plants. The study identifies P-reserve and assesses factors related to P recovery from waste sources such as distribution, collection, transportation conditions, and composition of wastes. P-reserve from catfish farming is estimated about 17.7 kt yr-1 while reserve from pig farming is the highest, about 21.7 kt yr-1. Total P-reserves from studied wastes are estimated about 50 kt yr-1, equivalent to 37% of Vietnam’s imported nutrient P quantity in 2019. Generated sludge from rubber-latex processing wastewater-treatment plants has the highest potential and favorable properties for P recovery. It turns out to be feasible to collect and recover P from this waste source under Vietnam’s current conditions.
Clinical characteristics of bipolar 1 disorder in relation to interleukin-6: a cross-sectional study among Egyptian patients
Authors: Hassan May , Elzehery Rasha , Mosaad Youssef M. , Mostafa Maged , Elkalla Ibrahem H. Rashed , Elwasify Mohamed
Published: March 2023

Background

Strong evidence in the literature points to the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in bipolar disorder (BD) pathophysiology. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pro and anti-inflammatory cytokine that was repeatedly found higher in bipolar patients than in healthy controls. However, studies on the phasic differences of IL-6 in bipolar type I (BP-I) were limited. This study aims to explore the phasic differences of serum IL-6 levels in BP-I during euthymia, depression, and mania and their association with the disease’s clinical characteristics in a sample of Egyptian BP-I patients. Thirty currently euthymic, 24 currently depressed, 29 currently manic BP-I patients, and 20 healthy subjects were recruited. Serum IL-6 levels were compared among BP-I groups and then between each group and a group of 20 healthy controls. Serum IL-6 levels (pg/ml) were measured with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Depression and mania symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), respectively. Clinical characteristics were evaluated through a semi-structured clinical psychiatric interview, and cognitive status was tested using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

Results

Serum IL-6 levels were significantly higher in each bipolar phase than in healthy subjects. In the BP-I patients, IL-6 levels were lower in patients with a current manic episode than in patients with a current depressive episode (P < 0.05) or who were currently euthymic (P < 0.001). Moreover, IL-6 levels correlated inversely with the YMRS score (rs =  − 0.29; P < 0.05). Compared to patients without psychotic features, patients with psychotic features had decreased serum IL-6. Moreover, IL-6 levels were lower in inpatients compared to outpatients.

Conclusions

BP-I disorder is associated with an inflammatory state. The decreased levels of IL-6 during manic episodes, affective episodes with psychotic features, and their inverse correlation with the severity of mania symptoms indicate a possible anti-inflammatory role of IL-6 in mania and psychotic symptoms pathogenesis.
Impact of biological and non-biological treatment on hematological indices in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis
Authors: Aboud Fatma Mohammed , Galal Salwa , Elwafa Menna Allah Zakaria Abou , Farouk ALshymaa Mohammed
Published: March 2023

Background

Blood dyscrasias are common in patients with rheumatic diseases, as bone marrow and blood cells can be targets for autoimmune processes. This in addition to the potentially adverse effect of the disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs used for the treatment of inflammatory arthritis as in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) on blood counts.

Aim of this study

The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of biologic therapy on complete blood cell parameters, derived ratios, and cell volume indices in Egyptian patients with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis.

Results

One hundred and twenty Egyptian patients had been included, 60 have ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 60 have psoriatic arthritis (PSA). On comparing the blood indices between the biologics and non-biologics groups of PSA patients, there was a statistically highly significant reduction in red cell distribution width (RDW%) at the biologics group than non-biologics (p < 0.006), where there was a statistically highly significant increase in Hb (hemoglobin)/RDW ratio and Hb/platelets ratio at the biologics group than non-biologics (p < 0.005).

Conclusion

As a result, biologic drugs used in rheumatology practice may have some effects on hematological parameters. In our study, no major negative effects on hematological parameters were observed in patients with AS and PsA who received Secukinumab, Adalimumab-atto, or Golimumab biologic therapy. However, the changes in the hematological indices correlates with their potent anti-inflammatory action in rheumatic patients.
Attempting to document and rehabilitate Aleppo between 1994 and 2011: the ramifications of pre-conflict built heritage mismanagement and the effects of the scarcity of documentation on options available for post-conflict conservation
Authors: Zeido Zeido
Published: March 2023

This paper examines several aspects of the attempt at rehabilitating Aleppo and the data available about the city prior to the start of the Syrian conflict in 2011. It discusses documentation, rehabilitation and conservation practices in Aleppo, focusing on the operations between 1994 and 2011 that were coordinated by several institutions managed primarily by the Directorate of the Old City of Aleppo (DOCA) and the Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammen­arbeit (GTZ). The analysis considers not only the old city, which is inscribed on the World Heritage List, but also other historic and culturally significant areas in Aleppo. This research primarily uses notes from other scholarly resources, statements by various relevant experts, and the reports and documents produced by the DOCA, the GTZ, and UNESCO to argue that some of the practices during that period were in part responsible for overlooking important aspects and places of the city’s built heritage. The paper then explains the ramification of these approaches, which are still perceptible today, on the prospects for any future efforts to safeguard the city’s built heritage.
Scenario-based earthquake damage assessment of highway bridge networks
Authors: Abo-El-Ezz Ahmad , Farzam Azarm , Fezai Hamza , Nollet Marie-José
Published: March 2023

In earthquake-prone regions, the evaluation of seismic impacts on bridges is crucial to mitigation, emergency, and recovery planning for highway networks. The degree of bridge damage determines the cost and time required for repairs and the level of post-earthquake functionality including disruption of transportation network, increased costs due to reduction of traffic flow and restricted access to emergency routes. The article presents the methodological development and implementation of an interactive web application for rapid geospatial assessment and visualisation of earthquake damage scenarios of municipal highway bridge networks based on open access datasets. The proposed framework consists of the following successive models: hazard, inventory, damage, and impact. The seismic hazard model generates spatial distribution of the shaking intensity for earthquake scenarios in terms of ground motion intensity measure using ground motion prediction equations based on seismic hazard model for Eastern Canada. The shaking intensities are then modified with local site amplification factors based on the Canadian highway bridge design code values. The inventory model provides a database of existing bridges based on open-access data which are then classified according to their seismic vulnerability. The damage model assesses seismic performance of classes of bridges by applying respective fragility functions represented as probabilistic relationships between the intensity measure and the degree of expected damage. The impact model evaluates the post-earthquake traffic-carrying capacity of the highway network based on the predicted damage including repair cost as a percentage of replacement cost of bridges and inspection priority. The web-application is demonstrated with a bridge network in Quebec City including 117 bridges subjected to 180 earthquake scenarios. The proposed methodology is particularly useful to facilitate direct communication of potential impacts to emergency managers and city transport officials.
Tenets for Implementing Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes for Remote Symptom Monitoring During Cancer Treatment
Authors: Basch Ethan , Rocque Gabrielle , Mody Gita , Mullangi Samyukta , Patt Debra
Published: March 2023

PURPOSE

Symptoms are common in patients receiving systemic treatment for metastatic cancer. Monitoring patients with electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) detects severe and worsening symptoms early, enabling care teams to intervene and prevent downstream complications and thereby improving outcomes. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will require patient-reported outcome (PRO) monitoring in the upcoming Enhancing Oncology Model, and many practices will likely attempt to implement PROs in patient care for the first time.

METHODS

To assist practices with the design and implementation of ePRO remote symptom monitoring programs, tenets were drawn from prior ePRO program experiences and research.

RESULTS

Successful implementation requires a quality improvement approach to change management with attention to software functionality, measured outcomes, personnel deployment, leadership and culture, workflow, equity, and patient engagement. Specific approaches in each of these areas can optimize program participation and effectiveness. Continuous program monitoring to identify and address barriers is essential to success. Initial challenges with personnel acceptance and patient participation are common and can be overcome by using these tenets.

CONCLUSION

Remote symptom monitoring with ePROs is a key component of quality cancer care and population health management that requires organizational commitment and a deliberate approach by practices using established tenets to assure successful implementation.
Iteration-free digital quantum simulation of imaginary-time evolution based on the approximate unitary expansion
Authors: Wen Jingwei , Zheng Chao , Huang Zhiguo , Qian Ling
Published: March 2023

Imaginary-time evolution plays an important role in many areas of quantum physics and has been widely applied to the ground-state determination of various Hamiltonian in the quantum computation field. In this work, we propose an iteration-free quantum algorithm in a full gate-based frame using the approximate unitary expansion to simulate the imaginary-time evolution operator, avoiding the resource overhead caused by repeated measurement for state reconstruction or complex pre-calculations in the classical computers. We detail the algorithm and analyze the complexity and related characteristics including a lower bound for ancillary qubits at a given success probability. Then an application demonstration of the algorithm in quantum chemistry with hydrogen molecule under noiseless and noisy conditions is offered. In addition, we present another imaginary-time evolution simulation method based on similar construction schemes. Our algorithms can serve as the alternative proposals for the imaginary-time evolution realization in the future fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Aggressive Pituitary Tumors and Pituitary Carcinomas: From Pathology to Treatment
Authors: Burman Pia , Casar-Borota Olivera , Perez-Rivas Luis Gustavo , Dekkers Olaf M
Published: March 2023

Aggressive pituitary tumors (APTs) and pituitary carcinomas (PCs) are heterogeneous with regard to clinical presentation, proliferative markers, clinical course, and response to therapy. Half of them show an aggressive course only many years after the first apparently benign presentation. APTs and PCs share several properties, but a Ki67 index greater than or equal to 10% and extensive p53 expression are more prevalent in PCs. Mutations in TP53 and ATRX are the most common genetic alterations; their detection might be of value for early identification of aggressiveness.

Treatment requires a multimodal approach including surgery, radiotherapy, and drugs. Temozolomide is the recommended first-line chemotherapy, with response rates of about 40%. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as second-line treatment in PCs, with currently no evidence for a superior effect of dual therapy compared to monotherapy with PD-1 blockers. Bevacizumab has resulted in partial response (PR) in few patients; tyrosine kinase inhibitors and everolimus have generally not been useful. The effect of peptide receptor radionuclide therapy is limited as well.

Management of APT/PC is challenging and should be discussed within an expert team with consideration of clinical and pathological findings, age, and general condition of the patient. Considering that APT/PCs are rare, new therapies should preferably be evaluated in shared standardized protocols. Prognostic and predictive markers to guide treatment decisions are needed and are the scope of ongoing research.
SGLT2 Inhibitors: Effect on Myocardial Infarction and Stroke in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Pradip , Sanyal Debmalya , Chatterjee Purushottam , Pandit Kaushik , Ghosh Sujoy
Published: March 2023

Background

Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have recently been recommended as preferred agents for management of hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes, primarily based on their ability to reduce a composite of major cardiovascular adverse events (3-point major adverse cardiovascular events [MACE]), predominantly by reducing cardiovascular death. However, reduction of the individual components, myocardial infarction (MI), or stroke (fatal and nonfatal) events have not been well explored.

Methods

In this meta-analysis, we included data available from cardiovascular outcome trials only, which were event-driven, randomized, and placebo-controlled. Pooled efficacy outcomes included Mantel Haenszel (MH) risk ratio using fixed model (with 95% CI) for fatal and nonfatal MI, stroke, and total MI and stroke.

Findings

Data from 4 eligible trials included 42,568 subjects. Total MACE, MI, and stroke were reported in 4176, 2157, and 1288 subjects, respectively. SGLT2is did not significantly reduce either MI or stroke individually or in totality. The MH risk ratio (95% CI) for fatal and nonfatal MI and stroke with different SGLT2is was found to be 0.93 (95% CI, 0.85-1.01) and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.89-1.11), respectively. For total atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events, MH risk ratio (95% CI) was 0.95 (95% CI, 0.89-1.02). For all nonfatal ASCVD (combined nonfatal MI and nonfatal stroke), MH risk ratio (95% CI) was 0.94 (95% CI, 0.88-1.02).

Interpretation

SGLT2is reduce MACE without any discernable significant reduction of the incidence of MI or stroke (fatal and nonfatal), probably implicating mechanisms unrelated to anti-atherogenic effects.
Critical Border Zones and Anti-extractive Thinking
Authors: Coletta Michela
Published: March 2023

While the notion of the Anthropocene signals the urgency for a climate transition, it stops short of restructuring the anthropocentric principles of the dominant economic and societal model. Pluriversal decolonial designs being debated and practiced in Latin America treat the crisis of the current civilizational model as an opportunity to propose alternatives that seek to reconceptualize the ways in which we organize social life. This article brings to light nondualistic epistemologies and argues that the anti-extractivist designs needed for building regenerative futures go hand in hand with anti-colonial epistemic resistance. A central part of the analysis focuses on the Aymara-Bolivian thinker Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui, whose relational ontology allows us not only to confront the colonial legacy of the Anthropocene but also to acknowledge the global diffusion of coloniality. Through the Aymara linguistic concept of ch’ixi—a parallel coexistence of difference—Rivera Cusicanqui proposes new ways of building community beyond colonial dualisms and around socioecological knowledges.
If It’s Vacant Take It
Authors: Goldstein Zoe
Published: March 2023

This article reframes the current housing crisis in Oakland, California as environmental injustice and as an ongoing effect of racial capitalism. It also highlights recent examples of citizen-led land reclamation, which it argues retaliate against city-sponsored erasure of precariously housed residents and offer the potential to address economic, racial, and environmental injustice simultaneously. By disrupting the status quo of real estate price gouging and visibly reestablishing community on Oakland’s streets, these movements demonstrate alternatives to the capitalist dehumanization and manufactured scarcity at the heart of Oakland’s housing crisis.
Museum of Nonhumanity
Authors: Haapoja Terike
Published: March 2023

This Curated Spaces features the Museum of Nonhumanity, a touring project by artists Gustafsson&Haapoja. The exhibit operates as a utopian memorial commemorating the victims of the human-animal boundary and the logic of exclusion it continues to sustain.
Validation of Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) among healthcare workers during the outbreak of delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Ghana
Authors: Marfoh Kissinger , Samba Ali , Okyere Eunice , Kushigbor Priscilla , Acheampong Franklin
Published: March 2023

Background: Today COVID-19 is having a dire effect on the mental and physical health of the general population. Although the long-term psychological effects of COVID-19 remain unknown, studies have shown increasing depression, anxiety and stress among healthcare workers. The aim of the study was to examine the psychometric properties and validation of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and evaluate the level of depression, anxiety, and stress among healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital during the SARS-CoV-2 delta variant outbreak.

Methods: Using an online questionnaire, we conducted a cross-sectional study on 1201 healthcare workers in a tertiary hospital. The validation of DASS-21 was performed by examining the factorial structure (construct validity) using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), internal consistency (reliability), convergent validity, discriminate validity and measurement invariance.

Results: Cronbach's Alpha was acceptable for depression (0.88), anxiety (0.81), and stress (0.86). CFA provides support for the three-factor oblique model with the following fit indexes: (Chi-Square χ2/ (degrees of freedom) = 1628.5/(186), p < 0.001), comparative fit index (CFI = 0.923), Tucker-Lewis index (TLI = 0.901), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR = 0.0452) and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA = 0.07). DASS-21 achieved both configural and metric invariance.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that DASS-21 is a reliable and valid self-reporting screening tool for depression, anxiety and stress among healthcare workers. This tool is also invariant across sex, doctors, nurses, and non-clinical healthcare workers. Thus DASS-21 is an essential screening tool to identify healthcare workers at a higher risk of developing work-related mental health disorders.
The genome sequence of the Common Yellow Sally, Isoperla grammatica (Poda, 1761)
Authors: McSwan Emma , Clifford Caleala ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective, Macadam Craig R. , Price Benjamin W. ,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: March 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual male Isoperla grammatica (the Common Yellow Sally; Arthropoda; Insecta; Plecoptera; Perlodidae). The genome sequence is 874.6 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 14 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the assembled X1 and X2 chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.2 kilobases in length.
Edukacja regionalna w opinii uczniów szkół podstawowych – komunikat z badań
Authors: Szwarc Alina
Published: February 2023

W artykule poruszono zagadnienie edukacji regionalnej w kontekście jej roli i miejsca we współczesnej szkole. Celem opracowania jest prezentacja badań na ten temat przeprowadzonych wśród uczniów podlaskich szkół. Zarównouzyskane dane, jak i dostrzegane przez badaczy w ostatnich latach zaniedbania programowe wobec treści regionalnych powodują konieczność ponownego podjęcia dyskusji nad podstawowymi problemami i postulatami kształceniaz zakresu edukacji regionalnej w polskim systemie edukacyjnym.
Profiling today’s and tomorrow’s interpreters: Previous occupational experiences, levels of work and motivations
Authors: Hlavac Jim , Commons Jennifer
Published: March 2023

This paper has people as its focus, namely 80 trainee interpreters and 80 practitioners, with the following questions: where they come from occupationally – what their current/previous occupations are; how much they (wish to) work; and why they wish to become/remain an interpreter. Data were collected from Australia-based informants who will or currently work in public service interpreting. Matching the current occupations of trainees and the previous occupations of practitioners according to a classification system of occupations, we see that substantial percentages of trainees currently work in the ‘community and personal workers’ and ‘professionals’ categories, while for practitioners, their previous work belonged to the ‘professionals’ and ‘clerical and administrative workers’ categories. Projected and reported levels of work are often not full-time with only some indication that this is related to the general level of demand for work in their languages. In relation to the feature of motivation, we employ Self-Determination Theory as a model to examine informants’ stated motivations and find that amongst trainees, this is extrinsic with a focus on community activism, while practitioners’ motivations are more intrinsic. By linking three key features in a cohesive way, this paper gives a comprehensive description of today and tomorrow’s interpreters.
Translating science fiction in a CAT tool: machine translation and segmentation settings
Authors: Nunes Vieira Lucas , Zelenka Natalie , Youdale Roy , Zhang Xiaochun , Carl Michael
Published: March 2023

There is increasing interest in machine assistance for literary translation, but research on how computer-assisted translation (CAT) tools and machine translation (MT) combine in the translation of literature is still incipient, especially for non-European languages. This article presents two exploratory studies where English-to-Chinese translators used neural MT to translate science fiction short stories in Trados Studio. One of the studies compares post-editing with a ‘no MT’ condition. The other examines two ways of presenting the texts on screen for postediting, namely by segmenting them into paragraphs or into sentences. We collected the data with the Qualititivity plugin for Trados Studio and describe a method for analysing data collected with this plugin through the translation process research database of the Center for Research in Translation and Translation Technology (CRITT). While post-editing required less technical effort, we did not find MT to be appreciably timesaving. Paragraph segmentation was associated with less postediting effort on average, though with high translator variability. We discuss the results in the light of broader concepts, such as status-quo bias, and call for more research on the different ways in which MT may assist literary translation, including its use for comparison purposes or, as mentioned by a participant, for ‘inspiration’.
PRODUÇÃO IMOBILIÁRIA E MIGRAÇÃO EM AGLOMERAÇÕES URBANAS: O CASO DE SERRA NA REGIÃO METROPOLITANA DA GRANDE VITÓRIA, BRASIL
Authors: Dota Ednelson Mariano , Ferreira Francismar Cunha
Published: March 2023

Os fluxos migratórios intrametropolitanos interagem fortemente com a produção do espaço urbano, articulando-se dialeticamente e condicionando o direcionamento, as características dos migrantes e as transformações espaciais das cidades. Esse artigo analisa as mudanças nos fluxos migratórios na década de 2000 articuladas com a reestruturação espacial produzida pelo mercado imobiliário no município de Serra, Espírito Santo, Brasil. Para tanto, analisa o contexto territorial, social e econômico de Serra no conjunto da Região Metropolitana da Grande Vitória (RMGV) e as características dos migrantes a partir dos microdados do Censo Demográfico de 2000 e 2010. Como resultado, verificou-se que o aumento da produção imobiliária em Serra está gerando uma reestruturação espacial da Região Metropolitana da Grande Vitória e tem modificado o perfil dos imigrantes intrametropolitanos no fluxo Vitória-Serra, conformando novidades às trocas históricas entre esses municípios.
Reflexões sobre a desobediência civil: análise sobre a sua formação conceitual para o exercício legítimo do direito de contestação
Authors: Leitão Bruno
Published: March 2023

O texto aborda a problemática construção do conceito de desobediência civil, objetivando demonstrá-la como um produto de ações contestatórias, sendo otimizada ao fazer parte do léxico usual a partir de reflexões feitas por teóricos que analisaram sua legitimidade. Por intermédio de um raciocínio e abordagem hipotético dedutiva, inicia sua análise com os fundamentos de John Locke sobre autonomia e contestação do poder político, que servem de base teórica a três ações vinculadas a ideia de desobediência civil. Seja pela ação contestatória individual de Henry Thoreau, a de movimentos coletivos como os de Mahatma Gandhi na Índia, ou de Martin Luther King Jr. nos EUA. Por fim, verifica-se o parâmetro procedente das reflexões de teóricos sobre essas ações, seus conceitos subjacentes, para demonstrar importância de sua compreensão para a peculiaridades atuais, e o consequente aprimoramento de governos democráticos.
A efetividade do direito personalíssimo de acesso à justiça: conciliação e mediação de conflitos à luz da análise econômica do direito
Authors: Soares Marcelo Negri , Prazak Maurício Avila , Rezende Júlia Ribeiro de
Published: March 2023

As formas alternativas de soluções de conflitos já podem ser presenciadas em diversos campos do direito. A partir da Resolução nº 125, de 29 de novembro de 2010, do Conselho Nacional de Justiça, os procedimentos de conciliação e mediação têm sido estimulados no país como forma de combate à morosidade da justiça, enfrentamento da crise da jurisdição e promoção de um processo de desjudicialização pelo qual o Brasil vem passando. Nesse sentido, o presente artigo trata da análise das experiências das soluções alternativas de controvérsias e sua relação com a Análise Econômica do Direito. Seu objetivo foi verificar como a realização desses procedimentos alternativos é realizada, bem como se essa possibilidade oferece segurança jurídica e efetividade jurisdicional ao cidadão. Para tanto, realizou-se um estudo bibliográfico e legislativo. Perpassou-se por uma abordagem histórica da crise da jurisdição brasileira e suas consequências, e do surgimento dos institutos da mediação e da conciliação, e a aplicação desses na realidade brasileira, relacionando com a Análise Econômica do Direito.
Colonialidades e inclusão digital na primeira infância
Authors: Wenczenovicz Thaís Janaina , Locateli Cláudia Cinara
Published: March 2023

O artigo analisa o dever do cuidado integral na inclusão digital na primeira infância. O direito de acesso à internet exige reavaliar, nos termos da proteção integral, a dimensão do cuidado pelos perigos que a exposição, cada vez mais precoce às telas digitais, pode causar. O acesso às telas digitais permite vigiar e alienar, disseminando as colonialidades desde a primeira infância. O objetivo do escrito é examinar o alcance do cuidado integral na inclusão digital à efetivação de direitos fundamentais das crianças na primeira infância. Subsidiado em episteme decolonial, a metodologia da abordagem é exploratório-analítica, deriva de pesquisa bibliográfica técnico-crítica e documental. O estudo parte da análise do biopoder e colonialidades na universalização das infâncias, segue a investigação para reconhecer a necessidade do cuidado integral e integrado às crianças em tenra idade no acesso digital, e coteja, como resultado, a necessidade de repensar a estrutura normativa que promova o dever do cuidado integral no ambiente digital para efetivar os direitos fundamentais das crianças desde a primeira infância. Utiliza-se do procedimento metodológico bibliográfico-investigativo.
Possibilidades de criminalização de gênero contra travestis e mulheres transexuais
Authors: Rabelo Luciana Do Amaral , Nascimento João Pedro Rodrigues , De Arruda Rejane Alves
Published: March 2023

RESUMOPensar a sexualidade e o gênero induz à necessária reflexão sobre como as ideias e práticas a elas relacionadas são produzidas no interior das sociedades e de que forma são capazes de construir estigmas que diferenciam determinados grupos de indivíduos. As violências direcionadas às travestis e mulheres transexuais têm por fundamentos o preconceito e o estigma irracional ocasionados pela quebra nos padrões esperados de gênero. Considerando que o respeito às diferentes identidades é essencial para assegurar a dignidade humana, vê-se que o enfrentamento à violência se torna primordial para garantir o desenvolvimento humano. Assim, a partir do método dedutivo, e dos tipos de pesquisa bibliográfico e documental, o trabalho objetiva analisar de que forma os tribunais brasileiros têm interpretado o ordenamento jurídico para punir a violência de gênero contra a população de mulheres transgênero. Percebe-se que o Poder Judiciário tem se utilizado das Leis nº 11.340/2006 (Maria da Penha), 13.104/2015 (Feminicídio) e 7.716/1989 (Racismo), para punir os casos de violência transfóbica. Dessa forma, é dever inafastável da República democrática a proteção de minorias contra a violência e estigmatização, para que todos possam exercer o gênero e a sexualidade livremente em todas as suas potencialidades. Palavras-chave: Direitos Humanos; Violência de Gênero; Transexualidade; Identidade de Gênero; Poder Judiciário.