bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The hidden value of MRI: modifying treatment decisions in C-spine injuries
Authors: Rutsch Niklas , Schmaranzer Florian , Amrein Pascale , Müller Martin , Albers Christoph E. , Bigdon Sebastian F.
Published: July 2024

Background data

Computed Tomography (CT) is the gold standard for cervical spine (c-spine) evaluation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) emerges due to its increasing availability and the lack of radiation exposure. However, MRI is costly and time-consuming, questioning its role in the emergency department (ED). This study investigates the added the value of an additional MRI for patients presenting with a c-spine injury in the ED.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective monocenter cohort study that included all patients with neck trauma presenting in the ED, who received imaging based on the NEXUS criteria. Spine surgeons performed a full-case review to classify each case into “c-spine injured” and “c-spine uninjured”. Injuries were classified according to the AO Spine classification. We assessed patients with a c-spine injury detected by CT, who received a subsequent MRI. In this subset, injuries were classified separately in both imaging modalities. We monitored the treatment changes after the additional MRI to evaluate characteristics of this cohort and the impact of the AO Spine Neurology/Modifier modifiers.

Results

We identified 4496 subjects, 2321 were eligible for inclusion and 186 were diagnosed with c-spine injuries in the retrospective case review. Fifty-six patients with a c-spine injury initially identified through CT received an additional MRI. The additional MRI significantly extended (geometric mean ratio 1.32, p < 0.001) the duration of the patients’ stay in the ED. Of this cohort, 25% had a change in treatment strategy and among the patients with neurological symptoms (AON ≥ 1), 45.8% experienced a change in treatment. Patients that were N-positive, had a 12.4 (95% CI 2.7–90.7, p < 0.01) times higher odds of a treatment change after an additional MRI than neurologically intact patients.

Conclusion and relevance

Our study suggests that patients with a c-spine injury and neurological symptoms benefit from an additional MRI. In neurologically intact patients, an additional MRI retains value only when carefully evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
The effect of time-restricted eating on arterial stiffness indices in men with metabolic syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ghannadzadeh Yazdi Aliyeh , Masoumvand Mohammad , Philippou Elena , Hatami Alireza , Dehnavi Zahra , Barghchi Hanieh , Ahmadi-Khorram Maryam , Jafarzadeh Esfehani Ali , Nematy Mohsen
Published: July 2024

Background

Time-restricted eating (TRE) has been shown to be associated with improvements in some aspects of the metabolic syndrome. Nevertheless, only a few studies have addressed the effect of TRE on pulse wave velocity (PWV). We thus propose a randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of TRE with standard dietary advice on PWV and thereby present the protocol.

Methods

Forty-eight participants will be assigned to either TRE or control groups using simple randomization. The TRE group will consume their meals during a 10-h period and experience 14 h of fasting. They will also be advised to consume their last meal no later than 20:00. Both groups will receive standard dietary advice. The participants will be followed for 6 weeks. The primary outcome will be changes in PWV. Laboratory measurements, including lipid profile, liver enzyme tests, fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin concentrations, and insulin resistance, as well as anthropometric data, blood pressure, basal metabolic rate, appetite status, physical activity level, sleep quality, cognitive function, quality of life, and calorie intake, will be evaluated throughout the study.

Discussion

The outcomes of this study will allow a comparison of the effects of TRE and standard dietary recommendations on PWV and other cardiometabolic factors in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS).

Trial registration

Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials; code: IRCT20201230049889N1; registered on August 14, 2022. The registration of the trial is accessible at: https://www.IRCT.ir/trial/64485?revision=281341.
Independent effects of the glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio on mortality in critically ill patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Fu Yuqing , Wei Xing , Cong Xu  , Guifu Wu
Published: July 2024

Background

The glucose-to-glycated hemoglobin ratio (GAR) represents stress hyperglycemia, which has been closely associated with adverse outcomes in cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. No studies have examined the association between stress hyperglycemia and atrial fibrillation (AF) in critically ill patients. This study aims to explore the relationship between GAR and the prognosis of critically ill patients with AF.

Methods

A retrospective cohort of patients was selected from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV (MIMIC-IV) database. The GAR was calculated based on fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels measured after admission. The primary outcome was the 30-day mortality rate, with secondary outcomes being the 90-day and 365-day mortality rates. The GAR was divided into tertiles, and Kaplan–Meier analysis was employed to compare differences in mortality rates between groups. The Cox proportional hazards model and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were utilized to evaluate the relationship between the GAR and mortality. Subsequently, a segmented regression model was constructed to analyze threshold effects in cases where nonlinear relationships were determined.

Results

In this cohort, the second tertile of the GAR exhibited lower mortality rates at 30 days (10.56% vs 6.33% vs 14.51%), 90 days (17.11% vs 10.09% vs 17.88%), and 365 days (25.30% vs 16.15% vs 22.72%). In the third tertile, the risk of mortality at 30 days increased by 165% (HR = 2.65, 95% CI 1.99–3.54, p < 0.001), at 90 days increased by 113% (HR = 2.13, 95% CI 1.68–2.70, p < 0.001), and at 365 days increased by 70% (HR = 1.70, 95% CI 1.68–2.70, p < 0.001). The association between the GAR and patient mortality demonstrated a “J-shaped” non-linear correlation. Once the GAR exceeded 15.915, each incremental unit increase in the ratio was associated with a 27.2% increase in the risk of 30-day mortality in critically ill atrial fibrillation patients (HR = 1.262, 95% CI 1.214–1.333, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The GAR is associated with both short-term and long-term mortality in critically ill patients with AF in a J-shaped relationship. Both low and excessively high GAR values indicate poor prognosis.
Isolation of lytic bacteriophages and their relationships with the adherence genes of Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Authors: Rafiee Maryam , Tabarraei Alijan , yazdi Mahsa , Ghaemi Ezzat Allah
Published: July 2024

Objective

This study aimed to introduce a lytic bacteriophage againstStaphylococcus saprophyticusfrom wastewater in Gorgan, northern Iran.

Results

The vB_SsapS-46 phage was isolated from urban wastewater and formed round and clear plaques on bacterial culture. It was visualized by electron microscopy and had a large head (approximately 106 nm) and a long tail (approximately 150 nm), indicating that it belongs to the Siphoviridae family. The host range of vB_SsapS-46 was determined using a spot test on 35S. saprophyticusclinical isolates, and it was able to lyse 12 of the 35 clinical isolates (34%). Finally, the relationship between phage sensitivity and adherence genes was assessed, revealing no significant correlation between phage sensitivity and the frequency of adherence genes. The vB_SsapS-46 phage can be used alone or in a mixture in future studies to control urinary tract infections caused by this bacterium, especially in the elimination of drug-resistant pathogens.
The upregulation of POLR3G correlates with increased malignancy of bladder urothelium
Authors: Liu Xianhui , Zhu Lin , Li Diancheng , Chen Xiao
Published: July 2024

Bladder cancer remains a significant health challenge due to its high recurrence and progression rates. This study aims to evaluate the role of POLR3G in the development and progression of bladder cancer and the potential of POLR3G to serve as a novel therapeutic target. We constructed a bladder cancer model in Wistar rats by administering N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN), which successfully induced a transition from normal mucosa to hyperplasia and ultimately to urothelial carcinoma. We observed a progressive upregulation of POLR3G expression during the bladder cancer development and progression. To investigate the functional role of POLR3G, we performed functional experiments in bladder cancer cell lines. The results demonstrated that knocking down POLR3G significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. We further conducted RNA sequencing on POLR3G-knockdown bladder cancer cells, and Metascape was employed to perform the functional enrichment analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Enrichment analysis revealed the enrichment of DEGs in the RNA polymerase and apoptotic cleavage of cellular proteins pathways, as well as their involvement in the Wnt and MAPK signaling pathways. The downregulation of Wnt pathway-related proteins such as Wnt5a/b, DVL2, LRP-6, and phosphorylated LRP-6 upon POLR3G knockdown was further confirmed by Western blotting, indicating that POLR3G might influence bladder cancer behavior through the Wnt signaling pathway. Our findings suggest that POLR3G plays a crucial role in bladder cancer progression and could serve as a potential therapeutic target. Future studies should focus on the detailed mechanisms by which POLR3G regulates these signaling pathways and its potential as a biomarker for early detection and prognosis of bladder cancer.
MIDASim: a fast and simple simulator for realistic microbiome data
Authors: He Mengyu , Zhao Ni , Satten Glen A.
Published: July 2024

Background

Advances in sequencing technology has led to the discovery of associations between the human microbiota and many diseases, conditions, and traits. With the increasing availability of microbiome data, many statistical methods have been developed for studying these associations. The growing number of newly developed methods highlights the need for simple, rapid, and reliable methods to simulate realistic microbiome data, which is essential for validating and evaluating the performance of these methods. However, generating realistic microbiome data is challenging due to the complex nature of microbiome data, which feature correlation between taxa, sparsity, overdispersion, and compositionality. Current methods for simulating microbiome data are deficient in their ability to capture these important features of microbiome data, or can require exorbitant computational time.

Methods

We develop MIDASim (MIcrobiome DAta Simulator), a fast and simple approach for simulating realistic microbiome data that reproduces the distributional and correlation structure of a template microbiome dataset. MIDASim is a two-step approach. The first step generates correlated binary indicators that represent the presence-absence status of all taxa, and the second step generates relative abundances and counts for the taxa that are considered to be present in step 1, utilizing a Gaussian copula to account for the taxon-taxon correlations. In the second step, MIDASim can operate in both a nonparametric and parametric mode. In the nonparametric mode, the Gaussian copula uses the empirical distribution of relative abundances for the marginal distributions. In the parametric mode, a generalized gamma distribution is used in place of the empirical distribution.

Results

We demonstrate improved performance of MIDASim relative to other existing methods using gut and vaginal data. MIDASim showed superior performance by PERMANOVA and in terms of alpha diversity and beta dispersion in either parametric or nonparametric mode. We also show how MIDASim in parametric mode can be used to assess the performance of methods for finding differentially abundant taxa in a compositional model.

Conclusions

MIDASim is easy to implement, flexible and suitable for most microbiome data simulation situations. MIDASim has three major advantages. First, MIDASim performs better in reproducing the distributional features of real data compared to other methods, at both the presence-absence level and the relative-abundance level. MIDASim-simulated data are more similar to the template data than competing methods, as quantified using a variety of measures. Second, MIDASim makes few distributional assumptions for the relative abundances, and thus can easily accommodate complex distributional features in real data. Third, MIDASim is computationally efficient and can be used to simulate large microbiome datasets.
Unraveling the habitat preferences, ecological drivers, potential hosts, and auxiliary metabolism of soil giant viruses across China
Authors: Liang Jie-Liang , Feng Shi-wei , Jia Pu , Lu Jing-li , Yi Xinzhu , Gao Shao-ming , Wu Zhuo-hui , Liao Bin , Shu Wen-sheng , Li Jin-tian
Published: July 2024

Background

Soil giant viruses are increasingly believed to have profound effects on ecological functioning by infecting diverse eukaryotes. However, their biogeography and ecology remain poorly understood.

Results

In this study, we analyzed 333 soil metagenomes from 5 habitat types (farmland, forest, grassland, Gobi desert, and mine wasteland) across China and identified 533 distinct giant virus phylotypes affiliated with nine families, thereby greatly expanding the diversity of soil giant viruses. Among the nine families, Pithoviridae were the most diverse. The majority of phylotypes exhibited a heterogeneous distribution among habitat types, with a remarkably high proportion of unique phylotypes in mine wasteland. The abundances of phylotypes were negatively correlated with their environmental ranges. A total of 76 phylotypes recovered in this study were detectable in a published global topsoil metagenome dataset. Among climatic, geographical, edaphic, and biotic characteristics, soil eukaryotes were identified as the most important driver of beta-diversity of giant viral communities across habitat types. Moreover, co-occurrence network analysis revealed some pairings between giant viral phylotypes and eukaryotes (protozoa, fungi, and algae). Analysis of 44 medium- to high-quality giant virus genomes recovered from our metagenomes uncovered not only their highly shared functions but also their novel auxiliary metabolic genes related to carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus cycling.

Conclusions

These findings extend our knowledge of diversity, habitat preferences, ecological drivers, potential hosts, and auxiliary metabolism of soil giant viruses.
Wisdom affinity in the general population
Authors: Muschalla Beate
Published: July 2024

Background

Wisdom is an important coping resource for difficult and ambiguous life situations. Wisdom trainings have been developed in clinical and non-clinical settings. What has been missing so far are representative data on wisdom affinity from the general population. These are important regarding needs assessments and identification of risk groups with low wisdom affinity and potential problems in coping with difficult and ambiguous life situations.

Method

The study examined a population-representative sample of 2509 persons. Socio-demographic data, presence of chronic and mental illnesses was assessed, and wisdom attitudes by the 12-WD Wisdom Scale. The surveys were carried out by means of interviews and self-report questionnaires at the respondents’ homes, done by an experienced social research company (USUMA GmbH).

Results

Only 6% of the whole sample appeared to be highly wisdom-affirmative (12-WD mean score 10 on scale 0–10), whereas 4% may appear low wisdom-affirm, due to very low agreement (12 WD mean score 0–4). Most of the moderately wisdom-affirm people had a religious denomination (70.9%), whereas only 57–59% of the high or low wisdom-affirm persons reported religious affiliations. Low wisdom-affirm were most often chronically ill (25%), with mental or physical illness in similar frequency, and had significantly more unemployment times than persons with higher wisdom scores. Wisdom affinity was independent from age, gender and age, household situation, and higher school education.

Conclusion

It must be assumed that people with socio-medical risk factors also have impairments in their wisdom-related problem-solving strategies, and that these can be of interest for transdiagnostic wisdom trainings in prevention or rehabilitation, which has shown positive effects.
Study on train safety control of high-speed railway bridge under the action of near-fault earthquake
Authors: Lei Hujun , Feng Hancong , Liu Wei
Published: July 2024

In order to study the effect of the velocity pulse on the dynamic response of the train-bridge system of the high-speed railway simple supported beam bridge, the velocity pulse is simulated by the trigonometric function method and superimposed with the far-field earthquake without pulse to synthesize the pulse with different pulse types, pulse periods and pulse peaks. A 10$$\times$$
×
32m typical high-speed railway simple supported beam bridge is considered an case illustrating study. Then, the dynamic response of train-track-bridge coupling system is calculated by train-track-bridge seismic analysis software TTBSAS. Afterwards, the influence of pulse near-field earthquakes parameters and vertical components on dynamic response of train-bridge system and the safety of the train on the bridge are discussed in detail.The new derailment evaluation index is adopted to evaluate driving safety under earthquakes. The train safety control of simply supported beam bridge under the action of near-field earthquake is studied. The results show that the impact of pulse ground motion on the dynamic response of the train-track-bridge coupling system is significantly higher than that of no-pulse ground motion, especially the impact on the bridge and rail subsystem is more significant than that of train subsystem. Under the excitation of ground motion intensity of 0.05g$$\sim$$
∼
0.15g, the safe speed threshold of pulse near-field ground motion is smaller than that of far-field ground motion. When the ground motion intensity is 0.20g$$\sim$$
∼
0.30g, the safe speed threshold of pulse near-field ground motion and far field ground motion is 200km/h. So, the pulse near-field earthquake poses a greater threat to the safety of the train on the bridge than the far-field earthquake. Therefore, the influence of pulse near-field earthquakes should be considered in the seismic design. The research results of this paper can provide theoretitcal support for the design of a high-speed railway bridge in the near-field area.
Natural Language Processing Algorithm to Extract Multiple Myeloma Stage From Oncology Notes in the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System
Authors: Goryachev Sergey D. , Yildirim Cenk , DuMontier Clark , La Jennifer , Dharne Mayuri , Gaziano J. Michael , Brophy Mary T. , Munshi Nikhil C. , Driver Jane A. , Do Nhan V. , Fillmore Nathanael R.
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

Stage in multiple myeloma (MM) is an essential measure of disease risk, but its measurement in large databases is often lacking. We aimed to develop and validate a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm to extract oncologists' documentation of stage in the national Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System.

METHODS

Using nationwide electronic health record (EHR) and cancer registry data from the VA Corporate Data Warehouse, we developed and validated a rule-based NLP algorithm to extract oncologist-determined MM stage. To that end, a clinician annotated MM stage within over 5,000 short snippets of clinical notes, and annotated MM stage at MM treatment initiation for 200 patients. These were allocated into snippet- and patient-level development and validation sets. We developed MM stage extraction and roll-up algorithms within the development sets. After the algorithms were finalized, we validated them using standard measures in held-out validation sets.

RESULTS

We developed algorithms for three different MM staging systems that have been in widespread use (Revised International Staging System [R-ISS], International Staging System [ISS], and Durie-Salmon [DS]) and for stage reported without a clearly defined system. Precision and recall were uniformly high for MM stage at the snippet level, ranging from 0.92 to 0.99 for the different MM staging systems. Performance in identifying for MM stage at treatment initiation at the patient level was also excellent, with precision of 0.92, 0.96, 0.90, and 0.86 and recall of 0.99, 0.98, 0.94, and 0.92 for R-ISS, ISS, DS, and unclear stage, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our MM stage extraction algorithm uses rule-based NLP and data aggregation to accurately measure MM stage documented in oncology notes and pathology reports in VA's national EHR system. It may be adapted to other systems where MM stage is recorded in clinical notes.
Stockholm3 in a Multiethnic Cohort for Prostate Cancer Detection (SEPTA): A Prospective Multicentered Trial
Authors: Vigneswaran Hari T. , Eklund Martin , Discacciati Andrea , Nordström Tobias , Hubbard Rebecca A. , Perlis Nathan , Abern Michael R. , Moreira Daniel M. , Eggener Scott , Yonover Paul , Chow Alexander K. , Watts Kara , Liss Michael A. , Thoreson Gregory R. , Abreu Andre L. , Sonn Geoffrey A. , Palsdottir Thorgerdur , Plym Anna , Wiklund Fredrik , Grönberg Henrik , Murphy Adam B. ,   on behalf of the SEPTA STHLM3 Study Group
Published: July 2024

PURPOSE

Asian, Black, and Hispanic men are underrepresented in prostate cancer (PCa) clinical trials. Few novel prostate cancer biomarkers have been validated in diverse cohorts. We aimed to determine if Stockholm3 can improve prostate cancer detection in a diverse cohort.

METHODS

An observational prospective multicentered (17 sites) clinical trial (2019-2023), supplemented by prospectively recruited participants (2008-2020) in a urology clinic setting included men with suspicion of PCa and underwent prostate biopsy. Before biopsy, sample was collected for measurement of the Stockholm3 risk score. Parameters include prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA, KLK2, GDF15, PSP94, germline risk (single-nucleotide polymorphisms), age, family history, and previous negative biopsy. The primary endpoint was detection of International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Grade ≥2 cancer (clinically significant PCa, csPC). The two primary aims were to (1) demonstrate noninferior sensitivity (0.8 lower bound 95% CI noninferiority margin) in detecting csPC using Stockholm3 compared with PSA (relative sensitivity) and (2) demonstrate superior specificity by reducing biopsies with benign results or low-grade cancers (relative specificity).

RESULTS

A total of 2,129 biopsied participants were included: Asian (16%, 350), Black or African American (Black; 24%, 505), Hispanic or Latino and White (Hispanic; 14%, 305), and non-Hispanic or non-Latino and White (White; 46%, 969). Overall, Stockholm3 showed noninferior sensitivity compared with PSA ≥4 ng/mL (relative sensitivity: 0.95 [95% CI, 0.92 to 0.99]) and nearly three times higher specificity (relative specificity: 2.91 [95% CI, 2.63 to 3.22]). Results were consistent across racial and ethnic subgroups: noninferior sensitivity (0.91-0.98) and superior specificity (2.51-4.70). Compared with PSA, Stockholm3 could reduce benign and ISUP 1 biopsies by 45% overall and between 42% and 52% across racial and ethnic subgroups.

CONCLUSION

In a substantially diverse population, Stockholm3 significantly reduces unnecessary prostate biopsies while maintaining a similar sensitivity to PSA in detecting csPC.
Minimally Invasive Lateral Transorbital Approach for Clipping of Right Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysm: 2-Dimensional Operative Video
Authors: Jean Walter C. , Patrick Hayes H. , Najera Edinson
Published: July 2024

The lateral transorbital approach is a minimally invasive approach that was first described for accessing the cavernous sinus.
1
Although other minimally invasive approaches have been broadly applied to aneurysm surgery,
2
the use of transorbital keyholes for this is still quite rare.
3,4
We present a 72-year-old man with an incidentally discovered 5-mm middle cerebral artery aneurysm. Despite a low rupture risk,
5
the patient himself opted for treatment, and because of the complex shape of the aneurysm, he chose surgical clipping as the treatment of choice. Two unique aspects of the patient's anatomy brought forth transorbital approach for consideration. He had a wide fissure, which opened to the orbital wall, and a giant frontal sinus made its avoidance difficult with any anterolateral transcranial approach. The lateral transorbital approach was started with a transpalpebral incision.
4,6,7
Both wings of the sphenoid bone were drilled until the frontal and temporal dura was exposed. Opening this through the orbit gained direct access to the large Sylvian fissure. Two specific challenges were specific to this opening: the aneurysm dome pointed straight at the surgeon, and the M1 segment, needed for proximal control, was directly behind the aneurysm. Despite these, the aneurysm was successfully eliminated through the transorbital approach with no residual or normal branch compromise. Given the specific anatomical provisions, the lateral transorbital approach was an effective and safety alternative to the pterional approach for middle cerebral artery aneurysms. No Institutional Review Board approval was sought or necessary as the patient provided consent for the procedure, publication of his image, and this submission.
Exploring host–pathogen interactions in the Dictyostelium discoideum–Mycobacterium marinum infection model of tuberculosis
Authors: Guallar-Garrido Sandra , Soldati Thierry
Published: July 2024

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a pathogenic mycobacterium that causes tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a significant global health concern that poses numerous clinical challenges, particularly in terms of finding effective treatments for patients. Throughout evolution, host immune cells have developed cell-autonomous defence strategies to restrain and eliminate mycobacteria. Concurrently, mycobacteria have evolved an array of virulence factors to counteract these host defences, resulting in a dynamic interaction between host and pathogen. Here, we review recent findings, including those arising from the use of the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum as a model to investigate key mycobacterial infection pathways. D. discoideum serves as a scalable and genetically tractable model for human phagocytes, providing valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms of host–pathogen interactions. We also highlight certain similarities between M. tuberculosis and Mycobacterium marinum, and the use of M. marinum to more safely investigate mycobacteria in D. discoideum.
Cardiovascular physiology of decapod crustaceans: from scientific inquiry to practical applications
Authors: McGaw Iain J. , Ebrahim Rahana A.
Published: July 2024

Until recently, the decapod crustacean heart was regarded as a simple, single ventricle, contraction of which forces haemolymph out into seven arteries. Differential tissue perfusion is achieved by contraction and relaxation of valves at the base of each artery. In this Review, we discuss recent work that has shown that the heart is bifurcated by muscular sheets that may effectively divide the single ventricle into ‘chambers’. Preliminary research shows that these chambers may contract differentially; whether this enables selective tissue perfusion remains to be seen. Crustaceans are unusual in that they can stop their heart for extended periods. These periods of cardiac arrest can become remarkably rhythmic, accounting for a significant portion of the cardiac repertoire. As we discuss in this Review, in crustaceans, changes in heart rate have been used extensively as a measurement of stress and metabolism. We suggest that the periods of cardiac pausing should also be quantified in this context. In the past three decades, an exponential increase in crustacean aquaculture has occurred and heart rate (and changes thereof) is being used to understand the stress responses of farmed crustaceans, as well as providing an indicator of disease progression. Furthermore, as summarized in this Review, heart rate is now being used as an effective indicator of humane methods to anaesthetize, stun or euthanize crustaceans destined for the table or for use in scientific research. We believe that incorporation of new biomedical technology and new animal welfare policies will guide future research directions in this field.
The genome sequence of the Bearded Fool fly, Megamerina dolium (Fabricus, 1805)
Authors: Nash Will J. , Mitchell Ryan ,   Natural History Museum Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Management, Samples and Laboratory team,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: Sequencing Operations,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life Core Informatics team,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: July 2024

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Megamerina dolium (the Bearded Fool; Arthropoda; Insecta; Diptera; Megamerinidae). The genome sequence is 500.5 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 6 chromosomal pseudomolecules. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.67 kilobases in length.
Socio-Cultural-Economic Development Process Healthy Lifestyle of Russians: the Contribution of Visioners P.I. Makushin and N.S. Kuzmin
Authors: Shut'ko Larisa
Published: July 2024

The study of the socio-cultural and economic process of developing a healthy lifestyle of modern Russians necessitates turning to the heritage of the visionaries of the past, covering cultural, educational, housing and everyday practices of pre-revolutionary and Soviet Russia. The methodological basis of the study was an interdisciplinary approach (political economic, philosophical, cultural), as well as the method of dialectical unity of knowledge of the processes of socio-cultural and economic development of society. The continuity of the main components of a person’s healthy lifestyle, his culture, including the forms of organizing cultural education, housing and everyday life, formed by different generations of Russians, is substantiated. The process of transforming pre-revolutionary people's houses (Tomsk people's house of P.I. Makushin) into Soviet and modern cultural houses and leisure centers is described. The significance and influence of the socio-economic experiment of implementing the idea of scientific organization of housing and life on the basis of complete socialization is shown - the project of the «Anzhero-Sudzhensky house-commune» by N.S. Kuzmina, (his other architectural projects) on the healthy lifestyle of modern Russians. Scientific novelty: for the first time, the experience of cultural, educational and housing practices of two Siberian personalities - entrepreneur P.I. Makushin and architect N.S. Kuzmin, which had an important influence on the formation and development of a healthy lifestyle of Russians in the past and present, the visionary nature of their content is revealed. The research findings can be used to form the cultural policies at both regional and federal levels to increase the level of socio-economic well-being of Russians and preserve cultural heritage visionaries.
Trends in the Distribution of Income Between Labor and Capital in Countries with a High Share of Labor in GDP
Authors: Basovskaya Elena , Basovskiy Leonid
Published: July 2024

The work provides quantitative estimates of trends in the distribution of income between labor and capital in countries in which the share of labor in GDP exceeds the average level. The work used UN data for a set of European countries, postSoviet countries, the USA, Canada and Israel. To assess trends, linear econometric models were built depending on the share of the labor force in the GFP for the period 2012–2021. The highest level of labor share was observed in Belgium, Iceland, the Netherlands and Switzerland. The study found that Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Portugal, Finland and France have seen a decline in labor’s share of GDP. In the Netherlands and Portugal this trend is weak. Germany, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Estonia have seen an increase in the labor share of GDP. In Germany and Switzerland this trend is weakly expressed. There are no significant trends in the redistribution of income between labor and capital in countries such as Austria, Armenia, Italy, Canada, Slovenia, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Croatia and Sweden. Trends in the redistribution of income between labor and capital can be determined by institutional conditions in the country’s economy.
Indicators of blood quails when feeding flour from dried larvae of Lucilia Caesar
Authors: Kurenkov Evgeniy
Published: July 2024

The aim of the research was to study the effect of compound feed with the addition of flour from dried larvae of the Lucilia Caesar fly on the morphological and biochemical parameters of the blood of young quails. The experiment was conducted on 160 Phoenix quail at the age of 10 days, of which two groups were formed according to the principle of balanced groups. The results of the tests showed that all the studied blood parameters of the experimental bird were within the physiological norm. When feeding compound feed with a protein supplement from flour of the Lucilia Caesar larva, the content of albumins in the blood serum of quails of the second group decreased by 2.0 g/l (p≤0.05)., globulins - by 1.0 g/l (p≤0.05), urea - by 0.24 mmol/l (p≤0.01). Probably, a decrease in albumins and urea in the blood of quails of the second group indicates that they are involved in protein synthesis. Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) is an enzyme involved in amino acid metabolism. Catalyzes the transfer of a gamma - glutamyl residue from a gamma-glutamyl peptide to an amino acid, another peptide, or, during hydrolysis, to water. The activity of the enzyme in the blood increases in liver diseases. In our experiment, a decrease in the GGT content by 2.66 u/l in the blood of a bird receiving flour from the larvae of the Lucilia Caesar fly probably indicates an activation of amino acid synthesis in the body, which is quite consistent with the data of the average daily increments of the experimental bird. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the blood is an enzyme localized inside cells. The composition necessarily includes zinc ions. The main function is to catalyze the oxidation of lactic acid to pyruvate. In diseases accompanied by tissue damage and cell destruction, LDH activity in the blood increases. In this regard, it is an important marker of tissue destruction. According to our data, LDH levels in the blood of the experimental bird of the second group significantly decreased by 2909.75 mmol/l (p≤0.05), which indicates an improvement in the functional activity of the liver.
Evaluation of existing supercritical heat transfer correlations for designing the vapor generator in low-temperature transcritical organic Rankine cycle systems
Authors: Van Nieuwenhuyse Jera , Skiadopoulos Anastasios , Manolakos Dimitris , Lecompte Steven , De Paepe Michel
Published: July 2024

Transcritical operation of organic Rankine cycle systems for low-temperature heat conversion has gained interest over the last decades due to its performance. Compared to subcritical operation increased, thermal efficiency and higher power output is expected. The design of the supercritical vapor generator in these systems is key to the overall design and operation of the system. Over the years, several supercritical heat transfer correlations have been developed. However, the practical applicability of these correlations has rarely been evaluated. In this work, the performance of several supercritical heat transfer correlations is evaluated based on measurements on a helical coil heat exchanger. This heat exchanger was previously designed and custom-built to work under supercritical conditions and is installed in a small-scale transcritical ORC engine coupled with concentrating photovoltaic thermal collectors. The ORC has a nominal capacity of 3 kWel and the maximum temperature of the heat source (water) is 90°C. R404A was selected as the working fluid, which has a critical temperature and pressure of 72°C and 37.3 bar, respectively. The helical coil heat exchanger is made out of a 66 m long coiled tube with an inner diameter of 0.0257 m. The coil diameter is equal to 0.6 m and the heat exchanger has a nominal capacity of 41 kWth. The prediction capability of several supercritical heat transfer correlations is examined by comparing the measured performance of the helical coil heat exchanger from field tests to the results of simulations based on the (piece-wise) ε-NTU method. Based on this comparison, a best performing correlation is put forward.
ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FOR FAST PROTOTYPING OF A VELOCITY COMPOUNDED RADIAL RE-ENTRY TURBINE
Authors: Stümpfl Dominik , Ráž Karel , Streit Philipp , Weiß Andreas P.
Published: July 2024

In order to achieve a drastic reduction in CO2 emissions to limit global warming, it must be possible to globally cover the electricity demand from renewable sources. However, the fluctuating availability of solar and wind energy will nevertheless make it necessary to complement the renewables by thermal power plants. Additionally using e.g., the potentials of waste, biomass or waste heat from industrial processes locally in Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) power plants is a promising approach to finally achieve a stable and sustainable electricity supply. In the present work, therefore, different variants of a radial, velocity compounded re-entry cantilever turbine (Elektra turbine) are investigated regarding their potential for such applications. The paper concentrates on the fast prototyping of an existing 5 kW air turbine demonstrator, recently developed by the authors, by using the possibilities of additive manufacturing with plastic materials to substitute essential parts of the flow geometry. In this context the approach to implement the plastic parts in the turbine is explained. Experimentally determined efficiency parameters of various 3D-printed deflection channel modifications and a printed plastic wheel made of PA12GB are presented, discussed, and compared to the fully milled metal turbine. This results in a quantification of the additional losses due to the higher inaccuracies and roughness of the printed parts, which can be taken into account in further investigations. Furthermore, the various problems and hurdles that must be observed when using 3D-printed plastic parts in high-speed turbomachines are highlighted. With regard to the rotor wheel, the authors conclude that the use of additively manufactured plastic wheels is only feasible with increased preliminary testing. The time required for this is usually not in proportion to the manufacturing time and costs saved. For the stator parts however, 3D-printing turned out to be a reasonable approach.
Calibration of multi-hole probes for measurements in compressible organic vapor flows
Authors: Hake Leander , Sundermeier Stephan , aus der Wiesche Stefan , Passmann Maximilian
Published: July 2024

Multi-hole probes are necessary devices to measure flow characteristics and losses in turbomachinery. The present contribution reports the first experience with calibrating and using multi-hole probes in high-speed flows of the organic vapor Novec 649 at elevated pressure and temperature levels. It is found that the classical scheme, established for perfect gas applications, must be extended by an additional quantity reflecting the impact of the initial thermodynamic state on the pressure signals and the data reduction. The practical use and operational issues of three- and five-hole probes for ORCturbomachinery research are discussed based on the new results. A promising hybrid experimentalnumerical calibration approach significantly reduces the tremendous calibration effort.
Distribución potencial de ecosistemas de la Zona Sur del Ecuador: modelización desde un enfoque correlativo.
Authors: Poma-Sarango Marco Antonio , Poma-Sarango Diego , Guaman Lizbeth , Chuncho Carlos Guillermo , Juela Oscar , Benavidez-Silva César
Published: July 2024

El cambio climático es uno de los factores que están afectando a los ecosistemas terrestres a través de la variabilidad climática global y, al actuar de manera sinérgica con otros factores estresantes, se potencian sus efectos sobre los ecosistemas pudiendo afectar directamente a la diversidad biológica. En consecuencia, hemos analizado la distribución potencial de los ecosistemas de la Zona Sur del Ecuador bajo un escenario de cambio climático futuro (RCP 6.0 2080), de importancia ecológica, social y económica para las poblaciones aledañas a los ecosistemas. Para ello se utilizó los modelos de distribución potencial (SDM) implementados en Biomod2 4.0, que utiliza un conjunto de métodos y herramientas relevantes para el tratamiento de una serie de incertidumbres metodológicas relacionadas con el modelado de distribuciones, así como la capacidad de construir rápidamente modelos individuales o combinarlos de diferentes maneras mediante ensambles, relacionando variables biofísicas (topográficas y climáticas) con los puntos de presencia/ausencia de los ecosistemas de la Zona Sur. Los resultados indican que la temperatura sufriría un incremento para todos los ecosistemas, mientras que la precipitación en algunos ecosistemas de pisos altitudinales altos, como Páramo y Bosque Montano Alto decrecería, diferente a lo que ocurriría con otros ecosistemas en pisos altitudinales más bajos, donde la precipitación mostraría un incremento, mientras que en los pisos altitudinales más altos, de manera general, la precipitación aumentaría. Esta variabilidad climática posiblemente genere nuevas configuraciones climáticas y los ecosistemas en respuesta tiendan a reducirse o expandirse, cambiando su rango de distribución.
La construcción de mega-regiones transfronterizas: la experiencia de Cali-Baja.
Authors: Celaya-Tentori Minerva , Barajas-Escamilla María del Rosio
Published: July 2024

El objetivo del artículo es presentar los resultados de investigación en torno a la construcción de las mega - regiones transfronterizas, específicamente Cali-Baja, a partir de su naturaleza y rol en el desarrollo industrial vinculado a redes globales de producción, lo cual promueve, la complementariedad económica, y a pesar del proceso de corporativización que se produjo en algún momento, prevaleció la propia dinámica territorial. En términos metodológicos, se aplicaron entrevistas semi-estructuradas a actores claves y se recuperó información generada a partir de otras herramientas como grupos focales. Se concluye que la construcción de las mega - regiones ubicadas a lo largo de la frontera de México y Estados Unidos, resulta de múltiples factores, pero termina siendo una construcción social de quiénes habitan y viven la región.
Impact de la cannabiculture sur la dégradation physico-chimique et le comportement hydrodynamique des sols dans le bassin de l’Oued Sra, (Rif Central, Maroc).
Authors: Mouhssine EL-OMMAL , Tribak Abdellatif , Amhani Zakariae , Arari Khalid
Published: July 2024

Le bassin de l’Oued Sra fait partie du Rif Central au nord du Maroc ; Il constitue un milieu fragile où la dégradation des sols est spectaculaire. L’objectif du présent travail est d’étudier les impacts de la cannabiculture sur les propriétés physico-chimiques des sols, leurs caractéristiques de surface, ainsi que leurs comportements hydrodynamiques pendant différentes saisons. L’étude est basée sur les analyses des propriétés physico-chimiques des horizons superficiels du sol (0-25 cm), à partir du choix des parcelles témoins sous forêt et d’autres défrichées et mises en cannabiculture depuis 10 ans. L’état de surface des parcelles concernées a été vérifié sur terrain, selon la méthode des points quadrats. Le comportement hydrodynamique du sol et la détachabilité ont été mesurés par l’utilisation d’un mini-simulateur de pluies à rampe sur des micro-parcelles (1m2). Les résultats obtenus montrent que les sols atteignent des niveaux de dégradation très avancée, marquée par une réduction importante de la fertilité et une prédominance des états de surface nue (90 %) et fermée (71 %) sur des terrains défrichés et mis en cannabiculture. Sur ces terrains, défrichés, depuis dix ans au moins, les apports en fertilisants sont essentiellement des engrais chimiques appliqués d’une manière intensive. Les rotations qui y sont pratiquées sont de l’ordre deux fois par an en raison de la rareté des terres agricoles disponibles, de l’accroissement démographique et du gain financier assuré par la cannabiculture. De même, les tests de simulation aboutissent à des valeurs maximales d’infiltration finale enregistrées sur les terrains de céréaliculture (67,20 mm/h); tandis que les terrains destinés à la cannabiculture enregistrent des valeurs faibles (43,12 mm/h). Par conséquent, les moyennes maximales des transports solides sont enregistrées dans les terrains de cannabiculture (98,87 g/l) par contre les terrains de céréaliculture sont marqués par de faibles valeurs (26,64 g/l).
Dinámicas y efectos del hinterland portuario sobre la movilidad de Cartagena de Indias (Colombia).
Authors: Amézquita López Julio , Jurado Almonte José Manuel
Published: July 2024

Esta investigación analiza la configuración y las actividades del área de influencia del sistema portuario de Cartagena de Indias y su incidencia sobre la movilidad urbana de durante el periodo 2018-2020. La metodología describe las dimensiones de alcance geográfico y la configuración territorial, diferenciando la configuración espacial vinculada a la especialización logística del puerto, para luego revisar las estadísticas de flujos de vehículos de carga y viajeros que acceden al corredor terrestre en la zona urbana. Seguidamente, se valora mediante grupo focal los conflictos frente a las operaciones portuarias analizando su incidencia en los usos y densidades de flujos. Los resultados resaltan la convergencia y conflictos de los flujos portuarios con los de movilidad cotidiana urbana, validándose la hipótesis de las dificultades de movilidad debido a la intensidad y proximidad de las actividades portuarias. Finalmente, se recomiendan mejoras a la gobernanza de la interfaz ciudad-puerto y se proponen y valoran las intervenciones en infraestructura viaria