bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Classification of Crop Residue Cover in High-Resolution RGB Images Using Machine Learning
Authors: Upadhyay Parth C. , Lory John A. , DeSouza Guilherme N. , Lagaunne Timotius A. P. , Spinka Christine M.
Published: January 2022

Highlights

A machine learning framework estimated residue cover in RGB images taken at three resolutions from 88 locations.

The best results primarily used texture features, the RFE-SVM feature selection method, and the SVM classifier.

Accounting for shadows and plants plus modifying and optimizing the texture features may improve performance.

An automated system developed using machine learning is a viable strategy to estimate residue cover from RGB images obtained with handheld or UAV platforms.

Abstract. Maintaining plant residue on the soil surface contributes to sustainable cultivation of arable land. Applying machine learning methods to RGB images of residue could overcome the subjectivity of manual methods. The objectives of this study were to use supervised machine learning while identifying the best feature selection method, the best classifier, and the most effective image feature types for classifying residue levels in RGB imagery. Imagery was collected from 88 locations in 40 row-crop fields in five Missouri counties between early May and late June in 2018 and 2019 using a tripod-mounted camera (0.014 cm pixel-1 ground sampling distance, GSD) and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, 0.05 and 0.14 GSD). At each field location, 50 contiguous 0.3 × 0.2 m region of interest (ROI) images were extracted from the imagery, resulting in a dataset of 4,400 ROI images at each GSD. Residue percentages for ground truth were estimated using a bullseye grid method (n = 100 points) based on the 0.014 GSD images. Representative color, texture, and shape features were extracted and evaluated using four feature selection methods and two classifiers. Recursive feature elimination using support vector machine (RFE-SVM) was the best feature selection method, and the SVM classifier performed best for classifying the amount of residue as a three-class problem. The best features for this application were associated with texture, with local binary pattern (LBP) features being the most prevalent for all three GSDs. Shape features were irrelevant. The three residue classes were correctly identified with 88%, 84%, and 81% 10-fold cross-validation scores for the 2018 training data and 81%, 69%, and 65% accuracy for the 2019 testing data in decreasing resolution order. Converting image-wise data (0.014 GSD) to location residue estimates using a Bayesian model showed good agreement with the location-based ground truth (r2 = 0.90). This initial assessment documents the use of RGB images to match other methods of estimating residue, with potential to replace or be used as a quality control for line-transect assessments. Keywords: Feature selection, Soil erosion, Support vector machine, Texture features, Unmanned aerial vehicle.
Policy & Politics: a perspective on the first half century
Authors: Marsh Alex , Smith Randall
Published: January 2022

For 50 years Policy & Politics, under the stewardship of some 19 editors, has engaged with key issues at the interface between public policy, social policy and politics. The journal has published scholarship that has shaped a broad range of debates across disciplines and has built a valued and vibrant community of authors and readers who are integral to what the journal is today. This brief editorial provides a perspective on the journal’s evolution from its origins focusing on local government in Great Britain to its current engagement with an inclusive, pluralist and global policy agenda.
Evidence-based practice and management-by-knowledge of disability care: rigid constraint or fluid support?
Authors: Pistone Isabella , Lidström Allan , Bohlin Ingemar , Schneider Thomas , Zuiderent-Jerak Teun , Sager Morten
Published: January 2022

Background:

Although increasingly accepted in some corners of social work, critics have claimed that evidence-based practice (EBP) methodologies run contrary to local care practices and result in an EBP straitjacket and epistemic injustice. These are serious concerns, especially in relation to already marginalised clients.

Aims and objectives:

Against the backdrop of criticism against EBP, this study explores the ramifications of the Swedish state-governed knowledge infrastructure, ‘management-by-knowledge’, for social care practices at two care units for persons with intellectual disabilities.

Methods:

Data generated from ethnographic observations and interviews were analysed by applying a conceptual framework of epistemic injustice; also analysed were national, regional and local knowledge products within management-by-knowledge related to two daily activity (DA) units at a social care provider in Sweden.

Findings:

In this particular case of disability care, no obvious risks of epistemic injustice were discovered in key knowledge practices of management-by-knowledge. Central methodologies of national agencies did include perspectives from social workers and clients, as did regional infrastructures. Locally, there were structures in place that focused on creating a dynamic interplay between knowledge coming from various forms of evidence, including social workers’ and clients’ own knowledge and experience.

Discussion and conclusions:

Far from being a straitjacket, in the case studied management-by-knowledge may be understood as offering fluid support. Efforts which aim at improving care for people with disabilities might benefit from organisational support structures that enable dynamic interactions between external knowledge and local practices.
Profiles in workplace giving: a cluster analysis of ‘types’ of givers within a public university
Authors: Ruiz-Menjivar Jorge , Johns Tracy , Counts Tara , Liu Yong , Jones Jennifer Amanda
Published: January 2022

This study examines public employees’ donations to a workplace giving campaign at a large public university in the south-east of the United States. First, we employed logistic regression to predict the likelihood of donating through workplace giving programmes using a sample of employees at a large public university (N = 11,726). Second, we estimated an ordinary least squares regression to identify the significant predictors of donation value with a subsample of employee donors (n=1,832). Third, we developed donor profiles (for example, clusters) of employee benefactors using K-medoids clustering. Factors such as sex, age, education and salary were significant predictors of both being a donor and the donation amount. Additionally, employment duration was significantly related to being a donor and the donation amount, while job classification only predicted being a donor. Employee donors fell into five distinct clusters. These findings contribute to our knowledge of workplace giving campaigns and can be used to develop strategic marketing campaigns.
Manipulation of curved beams using beam-domain optimization
Authors: Lasry Gabriel , Brick Yaniv , Melamed Timor
Published: January 2022

An efficient scheme for the design of aperture fields (distributed sources) that radiate arbitrary trajectory curved (accelerating) beams, with enhanced controllability of various beam features, is presented. The scheme utilizes a frame-based phase-space representation of aperture fields to overcome the main hurdles in the design for large apertures: First, it uses the a-priory localization of caustic beams to significantly reduce the optimization problem’s variable space, to that of few Gaussian window coefficients accurately capturing those beams. Then, the optimization problem is solved in the reduced (local) spectral domain. We adopt a linearization approach that enables the solution by sequential application of conventional convex optimization tools, which are naturally compatible with the proposed phase-space representation. The localized nature of the Gaussian windows’ radiation is used also for fast field evaluation at a greatly reduced number of optimization constraint points. The significant enhancement in the controllability over the various beam parameters is demonstrated through a range of examples.
Full-range optical coherence refraction tomography
Authors: Huang Yong , Qiao Zhengyu , Chen Jingsi , Zhang Dan , Hao Qun
Published: January 2022

In full-range optical coherence tomography (FROCT), the axial resolution is often superior to the lateral resolution, which is degraded by its signal processing and presents nonuniformity at different imaging depths due to the defocus effect. Optical coherence refraction tomography (OCRT) uses images from multiple angles to computationally reconstruct an image with isotropic resolution, solving the problem of image resolution anisotropy in the sub-millimeter imaging depth range. In this work, we report full-range OCRT (FROCRT), which uses full-range complex conjugate-free optical coherence tomography (OCT) images from multiple angles to reconstruct an isotropic spatial resolution image with extended imaging range. We build a system that can automatically acquire images from 360° for reconstruction. We further apply FROCRT to tape phantom, optical-cleared mouse leg bone and spinal cord samples, and aloe sample, achieving extended imaging depth and isotropic resolution. We propose FROCRT, as an extension to OCRT, will enable broader applications.
Ringing-free fast Fourier single-pixel imaging
Authors: Peng Hao , Qi Shaoting , Qi Pan , Qiu Lisha , Huang Fengming , Zhang Zibang , Zheng Guoan , Zhong Jingang
Published: January 2022

Fourier single-pixel imaging (FSI) allows an image to be reconstructed by acquiring the Fourier spectrum of the image using a single-pixel detector. Fast FSI is typically achieved by acquiring a truncated Fourier spectrum, that is, only low-frequency Fourier coefficients are acquired, with the high-frequency coefficients discarded. However, the truncation of the Fourier spectrum leads to undesirable ringing artifacts in the resulting image. Ringing artifacts produce false edges in the image and reduce the image contrast, resulting in image quality degeneration. The artifact is particularly severe in dynamic FSI, where the sampling ratio is generally ultra-low. We propose an effective and fast deringing algorithm to achieve ringing-free fast FSI. The algorithm eliminates ringing artifacts through 2D sub-pixel shifting and preserves image details through image fusion. Both static and dynamic imaging results demonstrate that the proposed method can reconstruct ringing-free images from under-sampled data in FSI. The deringing algorithm not only provides FSI with the capability of fast high-quality single-pixel imaging but also might prove its applicability in other areas, such as Fourier-based data compression algorithms.
Mid-infrared Fourier-transform spectrometer based on metamaterial lateral cladding suspended silicon waveguides
Authors: Duong Dinh Thi Thuy , Le Roux Xavier , Koompai Natnicha , Melati Daniele , Montesinos-Ballester Miguel , González-Andrade David , Cheben Pavel , Velasco Aitor V. , Cassan Eric , Marris-Morini Delphine , Vivien Laurent , Alonso-Ramos Carlos
Published: January 2022

Integrated mid-infrared micro-spectrometers have a great potential for applications in environmental monitoring and space exploration. Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) is a promising platform to tackle this integration challenge, owing to its unique capability for large volume and low-cost production of ultra-compact photonic circuits. However, the use of SOI in the mid-infrared is restricted by the strong absorption of the buried oxide layer for wavelengths beyond 4 µm. Here, we overcome this limitation by utilizing metamaterial-cladded suspended silicon waveguides to implement a spatial heterodyne Fourier-transform (SHFT) spectrometer operating at wavelengths near 5.5 µm. The metamaterial-cladded geometry allows removal of the buried oxide layer, yielding measured propagation loss below 2 dB/cm at wavelengths between 5.3 and 5.7 µm. The SHFT spectrometer comprises 19 Mach–Zehnder interferometers with a maximum arm length imbalance of 200 µm, achieving a measured spectral resolution of 13 cm−1 and a free spectral range of 100 cm−1 at wavelengths near 5.5 µm.
Molecular basis of Arginine and Lysine DNA sequence-dependent thermo-stability modulation
Authors: Martin Benjamin , Dans Pablo D. , Wieczór Milosz , Villegas Nuria , Brun-Heath Isabelle , Battistini Federica , Terrazas Montserrat , Orozco Modesto
Published: January 2022

We have used a variety of theoretical and experimental techniques to study the role of four basic amino acids–Arginine, Lysine, Ornithine and L-2,4-Diaminobutyric acid–on the structure, flexibility and sequence-dependent stability of DNA. We found that the presence of organic ions stabilizes the duplexes and significantly reduces the difference in stability between AT- and GC-rich duplexes with respect to the control conditions. This suggests that these amino acids, ingredients of the primordial soup during abiogenesis, could have helped to equalize the stability of AT- and GC-rich DNA oligomers, facilitating a general non-catalysed self-replication of DNA. Experiments and simulations demonstrate that organic ions have an effect that goes beyond the general electrostatic screening, involving specific interactions along the grooves of the double helix. We conclude that organic ions, largely ignored in the DNA world, should be reconsidered as crucial structural elements far from mimics of small inorganic cations.
Asymmetries around the visual field: From retina to cortex to behavior
Authors: Kupers Eline R. , Benson Noah C. , Carrasco Marisa , Winawer Jonathan
Published: January 2022

Visual performance varies around the visual field. It is best near the fovea compared to the periphery, and at iso-eccentric locations it is best on the horizontal, intermediate on the lower, and poorest on the upper meridian. The fovea-to-periphery performance decline is linked to the decreases in cone density, retinal ganglion cell (RGC) density, and V1 cortical magnification factor (CMF) as eccentricity increases. The origins of polar angle asymmetries are not well understood. Optical quality and cone density vary across the retina, but recent computational modeling has shown that these factors can only account for a small percentage of behavior. Here, we investigate how visual processing beyond the cone photon absorptions contributes to polar angle asymmetries in performance. First, we quantify the extent of asymmetries in cone density, midget RGC density, and V1 CMF. We find that both polar angle asymmetries and eccentricity gradients increase from cones to mRGCs, and from mRGCs to cortex. Second, we extend our previously published computational observer model to quantify the contribution of phototransduction by the cones and spatial filtering by mRGCs to behavioral asymmetries. Starting with photons emitted by a visual display, the model simulates the effect of human optics, cone isomerizations, phototransduction, and mRGC spatial filtering. The model performs a forced choice orientation discrimination task on mRGC responses using a linear support vector machine classifier. The model shows that asymmetries in a decision maker’s performance across polar angle are greater when assessing the photocurrents than when assessing isomerizations and are greater still when assessing mRGC signals. Nonetheless, the polar angle asymmetries of the mRGC outputs are still considerably smaller than those observed from human performance. We conclude that cone isomerizations, phototransduction, and the spatial filtering properties of mRGCs contribute to polar angle performance differences, but that a full account of these differences will entail additional contribution from cortical representations.
Self-organization of collective escape in pigeon flocks
Authors: Papadopoulou Marina , Hildenbrandt Hanno , Sankey Daniel W. E. , Portugal Steven J. , Hemelrijk Charlotte K.
Published: January 2022

Bird flocks under predation demonstrate complex patterns of collective escape. These patterns may emerge by self-organization from local interactions among group-members. Computational models have been shown to be valuable for identifying what behavioral rules may govern such interactions among individuals during collective motion. However, our knowledge of such rules for collective escape is limited by the lack of quantitative data on bird flocks under predation in the field. In the present study, we analyze the first GPS trajectories of pigeons in airborne flocks attacked by a robotic falcon in order to build a species-specific model of collective escape. We use our model to examine a recently identified distance-dependent pattern of collective behavior: the closer the prey is to the predator, the higher the frequency with which flock members turn away from it. We first extract from the empirical data of pigeon flocks the characteristics of their shape and internal structure (bearing angle and distance to nearest neighbors). Combining these with information on their coordination from the literature, we build an agent-based model adjusted to pigeons’ collective escape. We show that the pattern of turning away from the predator with increased frequency when the predator is closer arises without prey prioritizing escape when the predator is near. Instead, it emerges through self-organization from a behavioral rule to avoid the predator independently of their distance to it. During this self-organization process, we show how flock members increase their consensus over which direction to escape and turn collectively as the predator gets closer. Our results suggest that coordination among flock members, combined with simple escape rules, reduces the cognitive costs of tracking the predator while flocking. Such escape rules that are independent of the distance to the predator can now be investigated in other species. Our study showcases the important role of computational models in the interpretation of empirical findings of collective behavior.
Chromatin profiling reveals heterogeneity in clinical isolates of the human pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Colabardini Ana Cristina , Wang Fang , Miao Zhengqiang , Pardeshi Lakhansing , Valero Clara , de Castro Patrícia Alves , Akiyama Daniel Yuri , Tan Kaeling , Nora Luisa Czamanski , Silva-Rocha Rafael , Marcet-Houben Marina , Gabaldón Toni , Fill Taicia , Wong Koon Ho , Goldman Gustavo H.
Published: January 2022

Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis, which is caused by the filamentous fungusAspergillus fumigatus, is a life-threatening infection for immunosuppressed patients. Chromatin structure regulation is important for genome stability maintenance and has the potential to drive genome rearrangements and affect virulence and pathogenesis of pathogens. Here, we performed the firstA.fumigatusglobal chromatin profiling of two histone modifications, H3K4me3 and H3K9me3, focusing on the two most investigatedA.fumigatusclinical isolates, Af293 and CEA17. In eukaryotes, H3K4me3 is associated with active transcription, while H3K9me3 often marks silent genes, DNA repeats, and transposons. We found that H3K4me3 deposition is similar between the two isolates, while H3K9me3 is more variable and does not always represent transcriptional silencing. Our work uncovered striking differences in the number, locations, and expression of transposable elements between Af293 and CEA17, and the differences are correlated with H3K9me3 modifications and higher genomic variations among strains of Af293 background. Moreover, we further showed that the Af293 strains from different laboratories actually differ in their genome contents and found a frequently lost region in chromosome VIII. For one such Af293 variant, we identified the chromosomal changes and demonstrated their impacts on its secondary metabolites production, growth and virulence. Overall, our findings not only emphasize the influence of genome heterogeneity onA.fumigatusfitness, but also caution about unnoticed chromosomal variations among common laboratory strains.
Magnitude and associated factors of Intestinal Parasitosis and Tuberculosis among Tuberculosis suspected patients attending Kuyu General Hospital, North Shewa, Oromia, Ethiopia
Authors: Tesfaye Sahilu , zerfu Biruk , Desta Kassu
Published: January 2022

Background

Intestinal parasites and Tuberculosis (TB) co-infection is a major public health problem. The parasitic infection suppresses the cell mediated immunity that protects tuberculosis. Helminthes-induced immune modulation promotes progression to active tuberculosis. However, there is paucity of evidences on the intestinal parasites-tuberculosis co-infection in Ethiopia. This study explores the magnitude and associated factors of intestinal parasitic infection and TB among suspected pulmonary Tuberculosis (PTB) patients.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study design was conducted in Kuyu General Hospital from December 2019—March 2020. The socio-demographic data and associated factors were collected by structured questionnaire and then spot-spot sputum and fresh stool samples were collected following standard guidelines and were processed. Descriptive analysis was conducted and reported in frequency and percentage. Bivariate analysis was computed and a multivariable analysis was conducted to provide an adjusted odds ratio (AOR). P-value <0.05 at 95% confidence interval was considered as statistically significant.

Results

The burden of intestinal parasites was 20.2% (49/ 242) and 6.1% (20/ 242) of them were helminths infections and 14.1% (29/ 242) were protozoa infections. Of 242 patients, 14.9% (36/242) were sputum smear-positive for acid fast-bacilli. Of 36 smear positive patients, 9(25%) had TB–intestinal parasites co-infection. Dwelling in rural areas and having untrimmed fingernails were statistically significantly associated with intestinal parasites. Having a contact history of Tb patients was significantly associated with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Conclusions

The magnitude of intestinal parasites and TB among PTB suspected patients were high. Hookworm infection was the predominant helmenthic infection. It is important to consider screening TB patients for intestinal parasites and treat co-infection properly.
CRISPR/Cas9-mediated Bag-1 knockout increased mesenchymal characteristics of MCF-7 cells via Akt hyperactivation-mediated actin cytoskeleton remodeling
Authors: Kilbas Pelin Ozfiliz , Can Nisan Denizce , Kizilboga Tugba , Ezberci Fikret , Doganay Hamdi Levent , Arisan Elif Damla , Dinler Doganay Gizem
Published: January 2022

Bag-1 protein is a crucial target in cancer to increase the survival and proliferation of cells. The Bag-1 expression is significantly upregulated in primary and metastatic cancer patients compared to normal breast tissue. Overexpression of Bag-1 decreases the efficiency of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs, whereas Bag-1 silencing enhances the apoptotic efficiency of therapeutics, mostly in hormone-positive breast cancer subtypes. In this study, we generated stable Bag-1 knockout (KO) MCF-7 breast cancer cells to monitor stress-mediated cellular alterations in comparison to wild type (wt) and Bag-1 overexpressing (Bag-1 OE) MCF-7 cells. Validation and characterization studies of Bag-1 KO cells showed different cellular morphology with hyperactive Akt signaling, which caused stress-mediated actin reorganization, focal adhesion decrease and led to mesenchymal characteristics in MCF-7 cells. A potent Akt inhibitor, MK-2206, suppressed mesenchymal transition in Bag-1 KO cells. Similar results were obtained following the recovery of Bag-1 isoforms (Bag-1S, M, or L) in Bag-1 KO cells. The findings of this study emphasized that Bag-1 is a mediator of actin-mediated cytoskeleton organization through regulating Akt activation.
The Australian living guidelines for the clinical care of people with COVID-19: What worked, what didn’t and why, a mixed methods process evaluation
Authors: Turner Tari , Elliott Julian , Tendal Britta , Vogel Joshua P. , Norris Sarah , Tate Rhiannon , Green Sally ,   on behalf of the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce
Published: January 2022

Introduction

The Australian National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce is producing living, evidence-based, national guidelines for treatment of people with COVID-19 which are updated each week. To continually improve the process and outputs of the Taskforce, and inform future living guideline development, we undertook a concurrent process evaluation examining Taskforce activities and experience of team members and stakeholders during the first 5 months of the project.

Methods

The mixed-methods process evaluation consisted of activity and progress audits, an online survey of all Taskforce participants; and semi-structured interviews with key contributors. Data were collected through five, prospective 4-weekly timepoints (beginning first week of May 2020) and three, fortnightly retrospective timepoints (March 23, April 6 and 20). We collected and analysed quantitative and qualitative data.

Results

An updated version of the guidelines was successfully published every week during the process evaluation. The Taskforce formed in March 2020, with a nominal start date of March 23. The first version of the guideline was published two weeks later and included 10 recommendations. By August 24, in the final round of the process evaluation, the team of 11 staff, working with seven guideline panels and over 200 health decision-makers, had developed 66 recommendations addressing 58 topics. The Taskforce website had received over 200,000 page views. Satisfaction with the work of the Taskforce remained very high (>90% extremely or somewhat satisfied) throughout. Several key strengths, challenges and methods questions for the work of the Taskforce were identified.

Conclusions

In just over 5 months of activity, the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce published 20 weekly updates to the evidence-based national treatment guidelines for COVID-19. This process evaluation identified several factors that enabled this achievement (e.g. an extant skill base in evidence review and convening), along with challenges that needed to be overcome (e.g. managing workloads, structure and governance) and methods questions (pace of updating, and thresholds for inclusion of evidence) which may be useful considerations for other living guidelines projects. An impact evaluation is also being conducted separately to examine awareness, acceptance and use of the guidelines.
Evaluation of a novel combination of TRAM-34 and ascorbic acid for the treatment of corneal fibrosis in vivo
Authors: Fuchs Allison A. , Balne Praveen K. , Giuliano Elizabeth A. , Sinha Nishant R. , Mohan Rajiv R.
Published: January 2022

Corneal injury and aberrant wound healing commonly result in corneal fibrosis and subsequent vision loss. Intermediate-conductance calmodulin/calcium-activated K+ channels (KCa3.1) have been shown to promote fibrosis in non-ocular and ocular tissues via upregulation of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ). TRAM-34 is a selective inhibitor of KCa3.1 and reduces fibrosis by downregulation of TGFβ-induced transdifferentiation of stromal fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. Ascorbic acid has been demonstrated to be effective in promoting corneal re-epithelialization and reduction of neovascularization via anti-VEGF and anti-MMP mechanisms. This study evaluates tolerability and efficacy of a novel combination of TRAM-34 (25μM) and ascorbic acid (10%) topical treatment for corneal fibrosis using an established in vivo rabbit model and conducting clinical eye examinations. Markers of corneal fibrosis were evaluated in all corneas at study endpoint via histopathology, immunofluorescence, and quantitative real-time PCR. The eyedrop treated eyes showed significantly improved clinical outcomes based on modified McDonald Shadduck scores, reduction of clinical haze on Fantes scores, and reduction of central corneal thickness (CCT). At cellular and molecular levels, eyedrop treatment also significantly reduced expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) mRNA and protein, collagen III mRNA, and fibronectin mRNA compared to non-treated eyes. Our study suggests that a tested new bimodal eyedrop is well tolerated and effectively reduces corneal fibrosis/haze in rabbits in vivo.
Social jetlag and sleep debts are altered in different rosters of night shift work
Authors: Casjens Swaantje , Brenscheidt Frank , Tisch Anita , Beermann Beate , Brüning Thomas , Behrens Thomas , Rabstein Sylvia
Published: January 2022

Background

Night and shift work are suspected to cause various adverse effects on health and sleep. Sleep deprivation through shift work is assumed to be compensated on free days. So far it is not clear how different shift systems and shift lengths affect sleep structure on work and free days. Especially working night shifts disrupts the circadian rhythm but also extended working hours (12h) might affect sleep characteristics. Hitherto, the magnitude of sleep debt, social jetlag, and Locomotor Inactivity During Sleep (LIDS) in different shift systems is unknown.

Methods

Here, we investigated the impact of five different shift rosters on sleep in 129 industrial workers from Germany. Permanent night work with multiple shift systems with and without night shifts and with different shift lengths were compared. Wrist-activity was monitored over 28 days revealing sleep on- and offsets as well as LIDS as proxy for sleep quality. Overall, 3,865 sleep bouts comprising 22,310 hours of sleep were examined.

Results

The mean daily age-adjusted sleep duration (including naps) was 6:43h and did not differ between shift workers of different rosters. However, sleep duration on workdays was particularly low in rotational shift systems with 12h-shifts (5:00h), while overall sleep debt was highest. Shift workers showed a median absolute social jetlag of 3:03h, which differed considerably between shift types and rosters (p<0.0001). Permanent night workers had the highest social jetlag (5:08h) and latest mid-sleeps on workdays and free days. Sleep quality was reduced in permanent night shift workers compared with shift workers in other rosters and differed between daytime and nighttime sleep.

Conclusions

Shift work leads to partial sleep deprivation, which particularly affects workers in 12h-shifts and permanent night shifts. Working these shifts resulted in higher sleep debts and larger absolute social jetlag whereas sleep quality was especially reduced in permanent night shift workers compared with shift workers of other rosters.
Mental health status of informal waste workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh
Authors: Haque Md. Rajwanul , Khan Md. Mostaured Ali , Rahman Md. Mosfequr , Rahman M. Sajjadur , Begum Shawkat A.
Published: January 2022

The deadliest coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is taking thousands of lives worldwide and presents an extraordinary challenge to mental resilience. This study assesses mental health status during the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated factors among informal waste workers in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in June 2020 among 176 informal waste workers selected from nine municipalities and one city corporation in Bangladesh. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) was used to assess respondents’ mental health. The study found that 80.6% of the individuals were suffering from psychological distress; 67.6% reported anxiety and depression, 92.6% reported social dysfunction, and 19.9% reported loss of confidence. The likelihood of psychological distress (Risk ratio [RR]: 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.48) was significantly higher for female than male. Multiple COVID-19 symptoms of the family members (RR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.03–1.41), unawareness about COVID-19 infected neighbor (RR: 1.21, 95% CI: 1.04–1.41), income reduction (RR: 1.60, 95% CI: 1.06–2.41) and daily household meal reduction (RR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.03–1.73) were also found to be associated with psychological distress. These identified factors should be considered in policy-making and support programs for the informal waste workers to manage the pandemic situation as well as combating COVID-19 related psychological challenges.
Functional MRI-based study of emotional experience in patients with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: Protocol for an observational case-control study–EMOCRISES study
Authors: Fauvé Pierre , Tyvaert Louise , Husson Cyril , Hologne Emmanuelle , Gao Xiaoqing , Maillard Louis , Schwan Raymund , Banasiak Claire , El–Hage Wissam , Hossu Gabriela , Hingray Coraline
Published: January 2022

Background

Psychogenic non epileptic seizures (PNES) are a frequent, disabling and costly disorder for which there is no consensual caring. They are considered as a dissociative disorder and they share many common characteristics with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Nevertheless, their pathophysiology is still unclear. In this study, we plan to obtain new data comparing functional brain activity of participants suffering from PNES, from PTSD and healthy controls via functional brain MRI during resting state and under emotional visual stimulation. The protocol presented hereunder describes an observational study with no direct treatment implication. Nevertheless, it could lead to a better understanding of PNES and to identifying targets for specialised cares of post-traumatic or dissociative disorders, like repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Methods & analysis

This is a prospective, single-centre, interventional, non-randomized, open, controlled and exploratory clinical study. It will involve 75 adult French, right-handed women in 3 groups, either suffering from PNES or PTSD, or healthy controls. An informed consent will be signed by each participant. All of them will be given psychiatric tests to assess dissociation and alexithymia, psychopathological profile and history, and emotional recognition. Each participant will undergo a functional brain MRI. We will record anatomical images and five functional imaging sequences including emotional periodic oscillatory stimulation, standard emotional stimulation, Go / No Go task under emotional stimulation, and resting state. Analysis will include a descriptive analysis of all participants and the treatment for functional magnetic resonance imaging images of each sequence.

Registration, ethics & dissemination

This study was approved the regional Protection of Persons Committee under the reference 16.10.01 and by the French National Medical Security Agency under the reference 2016-A01295-46. The protocol and results will be published in peer-reviewed academic medical journals and disseminated to research teams, databases, specialised media and concerned patients’ organisations.
Queen triggerfish Balistes vetula: Validation of otolith-based age, growth, and longevity estimates via application of bomb radiocarbon
Authors: Shervette Virginia R. , Rivera Hernández Jesús M.
Published: January 2022

Ensuring the accuracy of age estimation in fisheries science through validation is an essential step in managing species for long-term sustainable harvest. The current study used Δ14 C in direct validation of age estimation for queen triggerfish Balistes vetula and conclusively documented that triggerfish sagittal otoliths provide more accurate and precise age estimates relative to dorsal spines. Caribbean fish samples (n = 2045) ranged in size from 67–473 mm fork length (FL); 23 fish from waters of the southeastern U.S. (SEUS) Atlantic coast ranged in size from 355–525 mm FL. Otolith-based age estimates from Caribbean fish range from 0–23 y, dorsal spine-based age estimates ranged from 1–14 y. Otolith-based age estimates for fish from the SEUS ranged from 8–40 y. Growth function estimates from otoliths in the current study (L∞ = 444, K = 0.13, t0 = -1.12) differed from spined-derived estimates in the literature. Our work indicates that previously reported maximum ages for Balistes species based on spine-derived age estimates may underestimate longevity of these species since queen triggerfish otolith-based ageing extended maximum known age for the species by nearly three-fold (14 y from spines versus 40 y from otoliths). Future research seeking to document age and growth population parameters of Balistes species should strongly consider incorporating otolith-based ageing in the research design.
Quantile-specific heritability of plasma fibrinogen concentrations
Authors: Williams Paul T.
Published: January 2022

Background

Fibrinogen is a moderately heritable blood protein showing different genetic effects by sex, race, smoking status, pollution exposure, and disease status. These interactions may be explained in part by “quantile-dependent expressivity”, where the effect size of a genetic variant depends upon whether the phenotype (e.g. plasma fibrinogen concentration) is high or low relative to its distribution.

Purpose

Determine whether fibrinogen heritability (h2) is quantile-specific, and whether quantile-specifich2could account for fibrinogen gene-environment interactions.

Methods

Plasma fibrinogen concentrations from 5689 offspring-parent pairs and 1932 sibships from the Framingham Heart Study were analyzed. Quantile-specific heritability from offspring-parent (βOP,h2= 2βOP/(1+rspouse)) and full-sib regression slopes (βFS,h2= {(1+8rspouseβFS)0.05–1}/(2rspouse)) were robustly estimated by quantile regression with nonparametric significance assigned from 1000 bootstrap samples.

Results

Quantile-specifich2(±SE) increased with increasing percentiles of the offspring’s age- and sex-adjusted fibrinogen distribution when estimated from βOP(Ptrend= 5.5x10-6): 0.30±0.05 at the 10th, 0.37±0.04 at the 25th, 0.48±0.05 at the 50th, 0.61±0.06 at the 75th, and 0.65±0.08 at the 90thpercentile, and when estimated from βFS(Ptrend= 0.008): 0.28±0.04 at the 10th, 0.31±0.04 at the 25th, 0.36±0.03 at the 50th, 0.41±0.05 at the 75th, and 0.50±0.06 at the 90thpercentile. The larger genetic effect at higher average fibrinogen concentrations may contribute to fibrinogen’s greater heritability in women than men and in Blacks than Whites, and greater increase from smoking and air pollution for theFGB-455G>A A-allele. It may also explain greater fibrinogen differences between: 1)FGB-455G>A genotypes during acute phase reactions than usual conditions, 2)GTSM1and IL-6-572C>G genotypes in smokers than nonsmokers, 3)FGB-148C>T genotypes in untreated than treated diabetics, andLPL PvuIIgenotypes in macroalbuminuric than normoalbuminuric patients.

Conclusion

Fibrinogen heritability is quantile specific, which may explain or contribute to its gene-environment interactions. The analyses do not disprove the traditional gene-environment interpretations of these examples, rather quantile-dependent expressivity provides an alternative explanation that warrants consideration.
ApoA-I mimetics reduce systemic and gut inflammation in chronic treated HIV
Authors: Daskou Maria , Mu William , Sharma Madhav , Vasilopoulos Hariclea , Heymans Rachel , Ritou Eleni , Rezek Valerie , Hamid Philip , Kossyvakis Athanasios , Sen Roy Shubhendu , Grijalva Victor , Chattopadhyay Arnab , Kitchen Scott G. , Fogelman Alan M. , Reddy Srinivasa T. , Kelesidis Theodoros
Published: January 2022

Novel therapeutic strategies are needed to attenuate increased systemic and gut inflammation that contribute to morbidity and mortality in chronic HIV infection despite potent antiretroviral therapy (ART). The goal of this study is to use preclinical models of chronic treated HIV to determine whether the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory apoA-I mimetic peptides 6F and 4F attenuate systemic and gut inflammation in chronic HIV. We used two humanized murine models of HIV infection and gut explants from 10 uninfected and 10 HIV infected persons on potent ART, to determine thein vivoandex vivoimpact of apoA-I mimetics on systemic and intestinal inflammation in HIV. When compared to HIV infected humanized mice treated with ART alone, mice on oral apoA-I mimetic peptide 6F with ART had consistently reduced plasma and gut tissue cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) and chemokines (CX3CL1) that are products of ADAM17 sheddase activity. Oral 6F attenuated gut protein levels of ADAM17 that were increased in HIV-1 infected mice on potent ART compared to uninfected mice. Adding oxidized lipoproteins and endotoxin (LPS)ex vivoto gut explants from HIV infected persons increased levels of ADAM17 in myeloid and intestinal cells, which increased TNF-α and CX3CL1. Both 4F and 6F attenuated these changes. Our preclinical data suggest that apoA-I mimetic peptides provide a novel therapeutic strategy that can target increased protein levels of ADAM17 and its sheddase activity that contribute to intestinal and systemic inflammation in treated HIV. The large repertoire of inflammatory mediators involved in ADAM17 sheddase activity places it as a pivotal orchestrator of several inflammatory pathways associated with morbidity in chronic treated HIV that make it an attractive therapeutic target.
On the Results of the Expertise of Normative Acts of the Regions of the Russian Federation and Foreign Countries to Identify the Best Practices of Legal Regulation of Children and Youth, Student and Adaptive Sports
Authors: Tudukova Nadezhda , Kovalenko Ekaterina , Shavandina Olga
Published: January 2022

The article describes the results of the expertise of normative acts of 22 regions of Russia, carried out by the authors in order to identify the best practices of legal regulation of children and youth, student and adaptive sports. The analysis of the listed normative acts has showed that the provisions on youth, student and adaptive sports were reflected through the consolidation of the relevant norms as the powers of the authorities of the subjects, the powers of local governments, priority areas of support or principles of legislation, provisions on additional support. Some normative acts contain separate articles or chapters devoted to physical education and the development of physical culture and sports in educational organizations, as well as devoted to adaptive physical culture. The provisions on children and youth, student and adaptive sports are most extensively reflected in the corresponding laws of the city of Moscow, the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Sverdlovsk Oblast, the Omsk Oblast, the Novosibirsk Oblast. The studied issue has received the smallest amount of legal regulation in the law of the Samara Oblast. The article also provides the results of a selective expertise of the regulations of the autonomous communities of Spain and the regulations of some US states. Based on the results of the expertise, recommendations have been formulated for the further improvement of the Russian regional legislation in the studied field. In particular, it has been recommended to formulate and consolidate the norms determined by the characteristics of a particular region, to include them in the text of law provisions on specific measures, in particular, on the development of sports infrastructure, using the possibilities of the institution of social partnership, to include provisions aimed at creating a positive attitude towards a healthy lifestyle and sports from an early age, tolerant attitude towards physically impaired athletes.
Acute-on-Chronic Liver Failure Clinical Guidelines
Authors: Bajaj Jasmohan S. , O'Leary Jacqueline G. , Lai Jennifer C. , Wong Florence , Long Millie D. , Wong Robert J. , Kamath Patrick S.
Published: January 2022

In patients with cirrhosis and chronic liver disease, acute-on-chronic liver failure is emerging as a major cause of mortality. These guidelines indicate the preferred approach to the management of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure and represent the official practice recommendations of the American College of Gastroenterology. The scientific evidence for these guidelines was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation process. In instances where the evidence was not appropriate for Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation, but there was consensus of significant clinical merit, key concept statements were developed using expert consensus. These guidelines are meant to be broadly applicable and should be viewed as the preferred, but not only, approach to clinical scenarios.
Analytical Solving a Nonlinear Model of the Glow Discharge
Authors: Aram Majid
Published: January 2022

A nonlinear model has been introduced for the positive column of DC glow discharge in apure sealed, or low flow, gas media by including the diffusion, recombination, attachment, detachment,process and having the two-step ionization process of the metastable excited states, too. By thecombination of the system of the nonlinear continuity equations of the system, using some physicalestimations, and degrading the resulted nonlinear PDE in polar and rectangular systems of coordinatethe steady-state nonlinear ODE have been derived. Using a series-based solution, an innovativenonlinear recursion relation has been proposed for calculating the sentence of series. Using the stateof elimination of free charge on the outer boundary of the discharge vessel, the universal equation ofthe characteristic energy of the electrons versus the similarity variable, using the maximum degree ofionization as the parameter, has been derived.
Effectiveness of Rapid Response Team on In-hospital Mortality in Patients with Hematologic Malignancy
Authors: Park So-Jung , Hong Sang-Bum , Lim Chae-Man , Koh Youn-Suck , Huh Jin-Won
Published: January 2022

Purpose: Patients with hematologic malignancy (HM) typically have a high mortality rate when their condition deteriorates. The chronic progressive course of the disease makes it difficult to assess the effect of intervention on acute events. We investigated the effectiveness of a rapid response team (RRT) on in-hospital mortality in patients with HM.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with HM who admitted to the medical intensive care unit between 2006 and 2015. Clinical outcomes before and after RRT implementation were evaluated.Results: A total of 228 patients in the pre-RRT period and 781 patients in the post-RRT period were included. The overall in-hospital mortality was 55.4%. Patients in the post-RRT period had improved survival; however, they required more vasopressor therapy, continuous renal replacement therapy, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Multivariate analysis revealed that in-hospital mortality was associated with RRT activation (hazard ratio [HR], 0.634; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.498–0.807; p < .001), neurological disease (HR, 2.007; 95% CI, 1.439–2.800; p < .001), sequential organ failure assessment score (HR, 1.085; 95% CI, 1.057–1.112; p < .001), need for continuous renal replacement therapy (HR, 1.608; 95% CI, 1.206–1.895; p< .001), mechanical ventilation (HR, 1.512; 95% CI, 1.206–1.895; p< .001), vasopressor (HR, 1.598; 95% CI, 1.105–2.311; p = .013), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (HR, 1.728; 95% CI, 1.105–2.311; p = .030).Conclusion: RRT activation may be associated with improved survival in patients with HM.