bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of a novel amidohydrolase with promiscuous esterase activity from a soil metagenomic library and its application in degradation of amide herbicides
Authors: Sun Shengwei , Chen Wanqi , Peng Kailin , Chen Xueyingzi , Chen Jinju
Published: February 2024

Amide herbicides have been extensively used worldwide and have received substantial attention due to their adverse environmental effects. Here, a novel amidohydrolase gene was identified from a soil metagenomic library using diethyl terephthalate (DET) as a screening substrate. The recombinant enzyme, AmiH52, was heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and later purified and characterized, with the highest activity occurring at 40 ℃ and pH 8.0. AmiH52 was demonstrated to have both esterase and amidohydrolase activities, which exhibited highly specific activity for p-nitrophenyl butyrate (2669 U/mg) and degrading activity against several amide herbicides. In particular, it displayed the strongest activity against propanil, with a high degradation rate of 84% at 8 h. A GC–MS analysis revealed that propanil was transformed into 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA) during this degradation. The molecular interactions and binding stability were then analyzed by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation, which revealed that several key amino acid residues, including Tyr164, Trp66, Ala59, Val283, Arg58, His33, His191, and His226, are involved in the specific interactions with propanil. This study provides a function-driven screening method for amide herbicide hydrolase from the metagenomic libraries and a promising propanil-degrading enzyme (AmiH52) for potential applications in environmental remediation.
Assessment of Zn and Cu in piglets’ liver and kidney: impact in fecal Enterococcus spp.?
Authors: Donato Maria M. , Assis Gabriela , Cardoso Olga , Oliveiros Bárbara , Freitas Andreia , Ramos Fernando
Published: February 2024

Zinc and copper have been used as growth promotors in alternative to antibiotics in pig’s diet. The aim was the ascertainment of the Zn and Cu concentrations in piglets’ liver and kidney and their impact in the reduced susceptibility to Zn, Cu, and antibiotics in enterococci, used as microbiota biomarker. Zn and Cu were determined in the livers and kidneys of 43 piglets slaughtered in Portugal, by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Enterococci were isolated from feces for determining the identification of species (E. faecalis, E. faecium, and Enterococcus spp.); susceptibility to vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, linezolid, tigecycline, ampicillin, imipenem, and metals; and Cu tolerance genes. In piglets with Zn and Cu high or toxic levels, enterococci had reduced susceptibility to ions, reinforced by the presence of Cu tolerance genes and by resistance to antibiotics. The study relevance is to show the relationship between these metals’ levels and decreased susceptibility to Cu, Zn, and antibiotics by enterococci. From the results, it could be supposed that the piglets were being fed with high doses of Zn and Cu which could select more resistant bacteria to both antibiotics and metals that could spread to environment and humans.
Reciprocal Illumination and the Discovery of Fractal Patterns in Religious Diversity
Authors: Schmidt-Leukel Perry
Published: February 2024

This essay presents Arvind Sharma’s concept of “reciprocal illumination” as an innovative defense of interreligious comparison, showing that the comparative approach is still meaningful despite its currently widespread critique. In discussing Sharma’s concept, the essay focuses on the internal diversity of religious traditions, asking whether “reciprocal illumination” is possible because religious diversity is apparently not entirely at random but displays recurrent patterns and structures of a fractal nature. The existence of fractal patterns would explain very well not merely why “reciprocal illumination” is possible at all, but especially in what sense it fosters interreligious learning as part of the growing field of interreligious theology. The latter aspect is investigated by relating Sharma’s three types of “reciprocal illumination” to Catherine Cornille’s recent classification of six forms of interreligious learning. It will be argued that interreligious learning and reciprocal illumination are likely to lead to a radical change in religious self-understanding, perceiving one’s own tradition as a unique, internally diverse, and equally valid part and component of a larger diverse web of religious phenomena.
Learning within fiber-crafted algorithms: Posthumanist perspectives for capturing human-material collaboration
Authors: Keune Anna
Published: February 2024

A key commitment of computer-supported collaborative learning research is to study how people learn in collaborative settings to guide development of methods for capture and design for learning. Computer-supported collaborative learning research has a tradition of studying how the physical world plays a part in collaborative learning. Within the field, a material turn is emerging that considers how digital and tangible technologies actively contribute to collaborative learning processes. Studying how tangible materials produce collaborative learning visibly and algorithmically is particularly important at a time when advanced algorithms are integrated into educational contexts in ways that are not always transparent. However, the needed methodologies for capturing how non-human agents take part in collaborative learning remains underdeveloped. The present study builds on current CSCL research that investigates materials in collaborative learning and introduces posthumanist perspectives with the aim to decenter humans methodologically and to probe empirically whether and how these perspectives contribute to empirical understanding of collaborative learning processes. Taking fiber crafts (e.g., weaving and fabric manipulation) as a context for computational learning, the present study conducted a posthumanist analysis of differences among human and non-human participants in collaboration using video data to investigate how middle school youths and fiber craft components performed algorithms over time. The findings show how both youths and craft materials actively contributed to the performance of algorithms. In weaving, algorithms became repeated youth-material movements one dimension at a time. In fabric manipulation, algorithms became a repeated confluence of component parts. Decentering humans through an analysis of differences among human and non-human introduced human-material collaboration as a productive unit of analysis for understanding how materials and people together contribute to producing what can be recognized as computational performance. The findings of this research contribute to ongoing conversations in CSCL research on how computational materials can be considered in collaborative learning and present a new approach to capture collaborative learning as physical expansion over time. The study has implications for future research on capturing collaborative computational learning and designing physical computational learning opportunities that show technology as evolving.
Effectiveness of a Post-discharge Phone-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Patients with Severe Mental Health Disorders: The 061 Quitmental Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Martínez Cristina , Feliu Ariadna , Saura Judith , Nieva Gemma , Pinet Cristina , Raich Antònia , Mondon Sílvia , Barrio Pablo , Andreu Magalí , Hernández-Ribas Rosa , Costa Sílvia , Suelves Josep Maria , Vilaplana Jordi , Enríquez Marta , Alaustre Laura , Vilalta Eva , Alvarez Judit Bonet , Guydish Joseph ,   061 Quitmental Group, Fernández Esteve , Ballbè Montse
Published: February 2024

A pragmatic double-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in Barcelona to assess a telephone-based smoking cessation intervention’s effectiveness for individuals with mental health disorders post-discharge. Participants were divided into an intervention group (IG) and control group (CG) with a 2:1 allocation ratio. The IG received proactive motivational assistance, while the CG received brief advice. Biochemically validated past 7-day abstinence was the main outcome measure. Of 530 screened individuals, 294 were enrolled (200 IG, 94 CG). During follow-up, participants reported 97 episodes of ≥ 7-day abstinence (IG, 51; CG, 26). Overall abstinence probability was 30–35%, with no difference between groups at 1-year follow-up. However, intervention participants were more likely to report abstinence if they quit during hospitalization or were considering quitting. The intervention effectively supported smoking abstinence in motivated individuals. Combining this with clinical and community-based interventions holds promise for aiding smoking cessation in those with mental disorders. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03230955.
Velocity estimation of thunderstorm movement and dealiasing of single Doppler radar during convective events
Authors: Samos Ioannis , Flocas Helena , Louka Petroula , Gofa Flora , Emmanouil Antonios
Published: February 2024

The use of meteorological radars in monitoring current weather conditions is crucial regarding the observation of the evolution and dissipation of thunderstorms. Thus, Doppler velocities being measured in each radar scan and velocity vectors derived from Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models—that are usually not as highly resolving as radar scans—are combined, as a monitoring utility during the evolution of a convective weather event. The objective of this study is to develop a new method that allows the implementation of a thunderstorm movement velocity estimation technique combining block matching and optical flow techniques. This new method constitutes a nowcasting (NWC) application that enables the use of a single Doppler radar without the need of using NWPs. The method relies on the estimation of the thunderstorm movement vector velocities (Doppler velocity) for each constant altitude plan position indicator (CAPPI) and through correction for aliasing errors to obtain 3D vector velocity fields for convective systems. The performance of the method is evaluated for selected case studies of convective thunderstorms under different synoptic scale conditions over Greece, a geographical area with challenges in forecasting due to its sharp relief and the need for optimization of the use of radar products.
Leitunterscheidungen pandemischer Humandifferenzierung. Eine Chronik
Authors: Hirschauer Stefan , Terjung Clara
Published: February 2024

Der Aufsatz untersucht die Corona-Pandemie in der Theorieperspektive der Humandifferenzierung. Er stellt im Format einer Chronik den zeitgeschichtlichen Wandel der Leitunterscheidungen und sprachlichen Kategorien für Menschen dar, die sich im Verlauf von drei Jahren der Pandemie etablierten. Im Zentrum des Interesses steht der Übergang von der Differenzierung Infizierter und Nicht-Infizierter (d. h. Gefährder und Gefährdeter) zu jener von Geimpften und Ungeimpften sowie die kategorialen Verzweigungen dieser beiden Leitunterscheidungen. Diese Analyse des ethnosemantischen Wandels gibt Einblick in die Neustrukturierung der „socio-mental maps“ während der Pandemie. Der Beitrag rekonstruiert zuerst die Entwicklung der Leitunterscheidungen sowie die semantische Verschiebung ihrer Kategorien. Es folgt eine Analyse, wie das Problem der Identifizierung der Infizierten gesellschaftlich bearbeitet wurde, von der Fremddetektion in Laboratorien über den häuslichen Selbsttest bis zur Zertifizierung an öffentlichen Passagepunkten. Den dritten Fokus bildet das Spezialverfahren der Triage. Die These des Beitrags lautet, dass die tiefgreifende Restrukturierung des gesellschaftlichen Personals während der Corona-Pandemie ihr Bezugsproblem in einem für Humandifferenzierungen ganz untypischen tiefen Unwissen über die neuen kategorialen Zuordnungen sowie deren hochgradige Ambiguität hatte.
New insights in ubiquitin-dependent Wnt receptor regulation in tumorigenesis
Authors: Tsukiyama Tadasuke
Published: February 2024

Wnt signaling plays a crucial role in embryonic development and homeostasis maintenance. Delicate and sensitive fine-tuning of Wnt signaling based on the proper timings and positions is required to balance cell proliferation and differentiation and maintain individual health. Therefore, homeostasis is broken by tissue hypoplasia or tumor formation once Wnt signal dysregulation disturbs the balance of cell proliferation. The well-known regulatory mechanism of Wnt signaling is the molecular reaction associated with the cytoplasmic accumulation of effector β-catenin. In addition to β-catenin, most Wnt effector proteins are also regulated by ubiquitin-dependent modification, both qualitatively and quantitatively. This review will explain the regulation of the whole Wnt signal in four regulatory phases, as well as the different ubiquitin ligases and the function of deubiquitinating enzymes in each phase. Along with the recent results, the mechanism by which RNF43 negatively regulates the surface expression of Wnt receptors, which has recently been well understood, will be detailed. Many RNF43 mutations have been identified in pancreatic and gastrointestinal cancers and examined for their functional alteration in Wnt signaling. Several mutations facilitate or activate the Wnt signal, reversing the RNF43 tumor suppressor function into an oncogene. RNF43 may simultaneously play different roles in classical multistep tumorigenesis, as both wild-type and mutant RNF43 suppress the p53 pathway. We hope that the knowledge obtained from further research in RNF43 will be applied to cancer treatment in the future despite the fully unclear function of RNF43.
Association between patent foramen ovale and migraine: evidence from a resting-state fMRI study
Authors: Tang Yusha , Sun Huaiqiang , Plummer Chris , Vogrin Simon J , Li Hua , Li Yajiao , Chen Lei
Published: February 2024

A relationship between migraine without aura (MO) and patent foramen ovale (PFO) has been observed, but the neural basis underlying this relationship remains elusive. Utilizing independent component analysis via functional magnetic resonance imaging, we examined functional connectivity (FC) within and across networks in 146 patients with MO (75 patients with and 71 patients without PFO) and 70 healthy controls (35 patients each with and without PFO) to elucidate the individual effects of MO and PFO, as well as their interaction, on brain functional networks. The main effect of PFO manifested exclusively in the FC among the visual, auditory, default mode, dorsal attention and salience networks. Furthermore, the interaction effect between MO and PFO was discerned in brain clusters of the left frontoparietal network and lingual gyrus network, as well as the internetwork FC between the left frontoparietal network and the default mode network (DMN), the occipital pole and medial visual networks, and the dorsal attention and salience networks. Our findings suggest that the presence of a PFO shunt in patients with MO is accompanied by various FC changes within and across networks. These changes elucidate the intricate mechanisms linked to PFO-associated migraines and provide a basis for identifying novel noninvasive biomarkers.
Alpha-spinasterol in the roots of Impatiens glandulifera and its effects on the viability of human cells
Authors: Vrchotová Naděžda , Doudová Lenka , Bednář Jan , Tříska Jan
Published: February 2024

The roots ofImpatiens glanduliferabelong to plants, or part of plants with a high content of α-spinasterol. Chromatographic analysis of roots hexane extract using GC–MS revealed that α-spinasterol is the dominant substance in the freeze-dried roots ofImpatiens glanduliferaand its content reaches ca. 1 wt%. When the hexane extracts are concentrated, α-spinasterol crystals fall out in the form of tiny needles, so the isolation of this substance from the roots ofImpatiens glanduliferais very easy. Regarding the easy isolation and usage of phytosterols as anticancer and antimicrobial agents, cytotoxicity tests were performed using hepatic Hep G2 cells and blood HL-60 cells. Since hexane is an organic solvent, the cytotoxicity of the used hexane concentrations was measured, too.

Graphical abstract
Quarries as Places of Significance in the Lower Paleolithic Holy Triad of Elephants, Water, and Stone
Authors: Finkel Meir , Barkai Ran
Published: February 2024

Human dependency on stone has its origins in Lower Paleolithic times, and some of the most primordial elements in human-stone relationships are rooted in those early days. In this paper, we focus our attention on extensive Paleolithic stone quarries discovered and studied in the Galilee, Israel. We propose a triadic model that connects stone outcrops, elephants, and water bodies to shed light on what made stone quarries places of significance, beginning in the Lower Paleolithic, and continuing throughout the ages.
Vitamin B12 deficiency in diabetic patients treated with metformin: A narrative review
Authors: Al Zoubi Mazhar Salim , Al Kreasha Rasha , Aqel Sarah , Saeed Ahmad , Al-Qudimat Ahmad R. , Al-Zoubi Raed M.
Published: February 2024

Metformin is the most prescribed oral hypoglycemic drug and is considered by many health practitioners as the first-line treatment for non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is used either as a monotherapy or adjuvant to other anti-hyperglycemic agents. Most of its side effects are usually mild and self-limiting. However, several studies have shown an association between the use of metformin and low vitamin B12 levels in diabetic patients. The current review aimed to provide a literature review of the current published reports on the association, the possible mechanisms, and the related individualized risk factors that might lead to this incidence. The most accepted mechanism of the effect of metformin on vitamin B12 level is related to the absorption process where metformin antagonism of the calcium cation and interference with the calcium-dependent IF-vitamin B12 complex binding to the ileal cubilin receptor. In addition, many risk factors have been associated with the impact of metformin on vitamin B12 levels in diabetic patients such as dose and duration where longer durations showed a greater prevalence of developing vitamin B12 deficiency. Male patients showed lower levels of vitamin B12 compared to females. Black race showed a lower prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in metformin-treated patients. Moreover, chronic diseases including T2DM, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, polycystic ovary disease (PCOD), obesity, and metformin therapy were significantly associated with increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency.

Graphical abstract

Metformin impacts vitamin B12 by (A) inhibiting calcium-dependent IF-B12 binding. (B) Prolonged use raises deficiency risk. (C) Males have lower B12 levels than females. (D) Black individuals show lower deficiency rates. (E) Conditions like T2DM, hyperlipidemia, coronary artery disease, PCOD, obesity, and metformin use heighten deficiency risk.
Seek and you shall find: Yersinia enterocolitica in Ireland’s drinking water
Authors: Powell James , Daly Maureen , O’Connell Nuala H. , Dunne Colum P.
Published: February 2024

Introduction

Three Yersinia species were identified from samples of drinking water from diverse geographic regions of Ireland. Conventional commercial biochemical identification systems classified them as Yersinia enterocolitica. Since this organism is the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis in some countries, further investigation was warranted. The aim of the study was to provide a microbial characterisation of three Yersinia species, to determine their pathogenicity, and to review the incidence rate of Yersinia enterocolitica detection in our region.

Methods

Organism identification was performed using conventional commercial diagnostic systems MALDI-TOF, API 20E, API 50CHE, TREK Sensititre GNID and Vitek 2 GN, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) was performed. Historical data for detections was extracted from the lab system for 2008 to 2023.

Results

All three isolates gave “good” identifications of Yersinia enterocolitica on conventional systems. Further analysis by WGS matched two of the isolates with recently described Yersinia proxima, and the third was a member of the non-pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica clade 1Aa.

Discussion

Our analysis of these three isolates deemed them to be Yersinia species not known currently to be pathogenic, but determining this necessitated the use of next-generation sequencing and advanced bioinformatics. Our work highlights the importance of having this technology available to public laboratories, either locally or in a national reference laboratory. The introduction of molecular technologies for the detection of Yersinia species may increase the rate of detections. Accurate identification of significant pathogens in environmental, public health and clinical microbiology laboratories is critically important for the protection of society.
Prognostic role of quantitative [18F]FDG PET/CT parameters in adrenocortical carcinoma
Authors: Schlötelburg Wiebke , Hartrampf Philipp E. , Kosmala Aleksander , Fuss Carmina T. , Serfling Sebastian E. , Buck Andreas K. , Schirbel Andreas , Kircher Stefan , Hahner Stefanie , Werner Rudolf A. , Fassnacht Martin
Published: February 2024

Purpose

We aimed to evaluate the prognostic potential of baseline [18F]FDG PET/CT for overall survival (OS) in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC).

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 67 treatment-naïve ACC patients with available [18F]FDG PET/CT at time of initial diagnosis. Pretherapeutic PETs of primary tumors were manually segmented and quantitative parameters (maximum/mean/peak standardized uptake value (SUVmax/mean/peak), metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and tumor lesion glycolysis (TLG, defined as TV*SUVmean) were derived. Based on a visual read, absence (M0) or presence of metastatic disease (M1) were evaluated. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to determine the prognostic value of the above mentioned markers on overall survival adjusted for established prognostic markers.

Results

24/67 patients (36%) presented with M0 based on PET/CT, while the remaining 43/67 (64%) had M1-status. 32/67 patients died during follow-up and median OS was 48 months. In 12% of patients FDG-PET detected additional metastatic lesion not clearly visible by CT only. In univariable analysis, all quantitatively derived PET parameters failed to reach significance (P ≥ 0.1), and only PET/CT-based M1-status and Ki-67 were associated with increased mortality (M1: HR 13.89, 95% CI 4.15–86.32, P < 0.001; Ki-67 HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.16–1.42; P < 0.0001). Using multivariable Cox regression analyses, M1-status (HR 9.69, 95% CI 2.82–60.99) and Ki-67 index (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.13–1.04; P < 0.05) remained significant associated with OS.

Conclusion

In treatment-naïve ACC patients, the quantitative PET parameter failed to predict OS, but presence of metastases detected by [18F]FDG PET/CT and Ki-67 index were independently associated with shorter OS. Therefore, a simple visual PET-based read-out is of prognostic value at initial diagnosis, while time-consuming PET-based quantification can be omitted.
Impact of COVID-19 on the Residential Aged Care Workforce, and Workers From Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds: A Rapid Literature Review
Authors: Battams Samantha , Martini Angelita
Published: February 2024

This literature review explores the impact of COVID-19 upon the residential aged care (RAC) workforce during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, including the workforce from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. It also considers COVID-19 related interventions for the RAC workforce. The databases ProQuest, PubMed, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Google Scholar and Cochrane Central were searched in April and May 2022. Twenty-six studies were identified which were related to the impact of COVID-19 on the RAC workforce, including four studies on the CALD workforce. Many studies highlighted the impact of COVID-19 upon workforce shortages, workplace demands, worker wellbeing, and intention to quit the profession. The importance of workplace communication and support strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic were also underlined. Issues pertinent to the CALD workforce included understanding dementia, vaccine hesitancy and the impact of aged care, migration and labour market policies on the workforce. Workforce factors, including poor working conditions (and lack of paid leave) had a significant impact upon COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. Conversely, responding to COVID-19 impacted workforce mental health. There is a need for workforce support policies and research which consider organisational communication, work-life balance, and specific training and support needs of workers from CALD backgrounds, who comprise a significant proportion of the aged care workforce in Australia and many other countries.
Three-Dimensional Tumor Models to Study Cancer Stemness-Mediated Drug Resistance
Authors: Lamichhane Astha , Tavana Hossein
Published: February 2024

Solid tumors often contain genetically different populations of cancer cells, stromal cells, various structural and soluble proteins, and other soluble signaling molecules. The American Cancer society estimated 1,958,310 new cancer cases and 609,820 cancer deaths in the United States in 2023. A major barrier against successful treatment of cancer patients is drug resistance. Gain of stem cell-like states by cancer cells under drug pressure or due to interactions with the tumor microenvironment is a major mechanism that renders therapies ineffective. Identifying approaches to target cancer stem cells is expected to improve treatment outcomes for patients. Most of our understanding of drug resistance and the role of cancer stemness is from monolayer cell cultures. Recent advances in cell culture technologies have enabled developing sophisticated three-dimensional tumor models that facilitate mechanistic studies of cancer drug resistance. This review summarizes the role of cancer stemness in drug resistance and highlights the various tumor models that are used to discover the underlying mechanisms and test potentially novel therapeutics.
Empirical Therapy for Invasive Candidiasis in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Bartalucci Claudia , Giacobbe Daniele Roberto , Vena Antonio , Bassetti Matteo
Published: February 2024

Purpose of Review

In this narrative review, we discuss recent literature regarding early antifungal therapy in critically ill patients, focusing in particular on the current role of empirical antifungal treatment.

Recent Findings

While the direction of effect in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exploring efficacy of empirical therapy in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with suspected invasive candidiasis (IC) was most frequently toward a favorable impact of empirical therapy, no formal demonstration of superiority was observed.

Main results from RCTs seem in contrast with the increased mortality reported from observational studies in case of delayed antifungal therapy in patients with IC, suggesting, in our opinion, that further research is still necessary to better delineate the precise subgroup of ICU patients with suspected IC who may benefit from early antifungal therapy, either early empirical based on risk scores or diagnostic-driven, or a combination of both.
Factors associated with severe infection in rheumatoid arthritis patients: lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Embaby Aya , Maged Lobna A. , Abdel-Hamid Hoda M. , El Hadidi Khaled T.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This aimed to identify the factors associated with severe/critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods

Two-hundred RA patients diagnosed according to the American College of Rheumatology/ European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria with proven COVID-19 infection were recruited and categorized according to the world health organization (WHO) COVID-19 severity grading into 2 groups: patients with mild/moderate COVID-19 (n = 164) and patients with severe/critical COVID-19 (n = 36). Comparison between both groups was done to identify the risk factors associated with severe/critical infection. Incidence of RA disease activity flare defined as increase in clinical disease activity index (CDAI) more than 10 points following infection was calculated.

Results

Multivariate analysis identified history of previous serious infection, age > 60 years, and diabetes as factors positively associated, whereas COVID-19 vaccination was negatively associated with severe/critical infection. Following COVID-19 infection, the number of patients with severe/critical COVID-19 who had high RA disease activity and the incidence of flares was significantly higher in comparison to patients with mild/moderate COVID-19 (P < 0.001 and 0.003; respectively).

Conclusion

Age > 60 years, diabetes, and history of previous serious infections are risk factors for severe/critical COVID-19, while vaccination has a protective role in RA patients. Infection particularly when severe is associated with risk of disease flare.
Progress on Transition Metal Ions Dissolution Suppression Strategies in Prussian Blue Analogs for Aqueous Sodium-/Potassium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Shu Wenli , Li Junxian , Zhang Guangwan , Meng Jiashen , Wang Xuanpeng , Mai Liqiang
Published: February 2024

Aqueous sodium-ion batteries (ASIBs) and aqueous potassium-ion batteries (APIBs) present significant potential for large-scale energy storage due to their cost-effectiveness, safety, and environmental compatibility. Nonetheless, the intricate energy storage mechanisms in aqueous electrolytes place stringent requirements on the host materials. Prussian blue analogs (PBAs), with their open three-dimensional framework and facile synthesis, stand out as leading candidates for aqueous energy storage. However, PBAs possess a swift capacity fade and limited cycle longevity, for their structural integrity is compromised by the pronounced dissolution of transition metal (TM) ions in the aqueous milieu. This manuscript provides an exhaustive review of the recent advancements concerning PBAs in ASIBs and APIBs. The dissolution mechanisms of TM ions in PBAs, informed by their structural attributes and redox processes, are thoroughly examined. Moreover, this study delves into innovative design tactics to alleviate the dissolution issue of TM ions. In conclusion, the paper consolidates various strategies for suppressing the dissolution of TM ions in PBAs and posits avenues for prospective exploration of high-safety aqueous sodium-/potassium-ion batteries.
The Characteristics of the Influenza Virus Epidemic Around the SARS-CoV-2 Epidemic Period in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai
Authors: Zhang Ge , Zhang Anran , Zhang Li , Zhu Aiqin , Li Zhongjie , Zhu Weiping , Hu Wenbiao , Ye Chuchu
Published: February 2024

Objectives

The concurrent impact of COVID-19 and influenza on disease burden is a topic of great concern. This discussion delves into the epidemiological characteristics of seasonal influenza activity in Shanghai within the context of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic.

Methods

From 2017 to 2023, a total of 11,081 patients having influenza-like illness (ILI) were included in this study for influenza virus detection. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays were conducted according to standardised protocols to identify the types and subtypes of influenza viruses. The positivity rate of the influenza virus among the sampled ILI cases served as a surrogate measure for estimating various influenza seasonal characteristics, such as periodicity, duration, peak occurrences, and the prevalent subtypes or lineages. Epidemiological aspects across different years and age groups were subjected to comprehensive analysis. For categorical variables, the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was employed, as deemed appropriate.

Results

A total of 1553 (14.0%) tested positive for influenza virus pathogens. The highest positivity rate for influenza was observed in adults aged 25–59 years (18.8%), while the lowest rate was recorded in children under 5 years (3.8%). The influenza circulation patterns in Shanghai were characterised: (1) 2 years exhibited semiannual periodicity (2017–2018, 2022–2023); (2) 3 years displayed annual periodicity (2018–2019, 2019–2020, and 2021–2022); and (3) during 2020–2021, epidemic periodicities of seasonal influenza viruses disappeared. In terms of influenza subtypes, four subtypes were identified during 2017–2018. In 2018–2019 and 2019–2020, A/H3N2, A/H1N1, and B/Victoria were circulating. Notably, one case of B/Victoria was detected in 2020–2021. The epidemic period of 2021–2022 was attributed to B/Victoria, and during 2022–2023, the influenza A virus was the dominant circulating strain.

Conclusions

The seasonal epidemic period and the predominant subtype/lineage of influenza viruses around the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic period in Shanghai city are complex. This underscores the necessity for vigilant influenza control strategies amidst the backdrop of other respiratory virus pandemics.
New Insights on Non-integrability and Dynamics in a Simple Quadratic Differential System
Authors: Qu Jingjia , Yang Shuangling
Published: February 2024

This study focuses on the integrability and qualitative behaviors of a quadratic differential system

$$\dot{x}=a+yz,\quad\dot{y}=-y + x^{2},\quad\dot{z}=b-4x.$$

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We provide some new perspectives on the system and reveal its diverse properties, including non-integrability in the sense of absence of first integrals, bifurcations of co-dimension one or two, Jacobi instability and dynamics at infinity.
Removal of arsenic(V) using pure zeolite (PZ) and activated dithizone zeolite (ADZ) from aqueous liquids: application to green analytical chemistry
Authors: Nassar Hossam F. , Mohamed Mahmoud A.
Published: February 2024

The primary aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the efficiency of pure zeolite and activated dithizone zeolite for arsenic(V) removal from aqueous solutions. The analytical eco-scale and analytical greenness for sample preparation results confirm that the proposed method is environmentally friendly. Zeolite adsorbents were characterized and tested for their ability to adsorb arsenic(V) from wastewater. Our study delved into arsenic(V) sorption behavior on pristine and activated zeolites. Through steady-state experiments using pure zeolite and activated dithizone zeolite, we examined the sorption of arsenic from aqueous solutions. We optimized operational parameters, including pH, adsorbent dosage, contact time, and arsenic(V) concentration. Our findings revealed that the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isothermal models were highly influential in fitting the experimental data, resulting in statistically significant outcomes. This study highlights the potential of zeolites as outstanding adsorbents for removing arsenic(V) from aqueous solutions. The calculated maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of pure zeolite and activated dithizone zeolite was 18.2 and 21.1(mg/g), respectively, with R2 = 0.999. According to Freundlich’s linear model, the experimental isothermal data indicated that activated dithizone zeolite has a higher value of kf constant and a lower value of the 1/n constant than that obtained for pure zeolite. These results imply favorable adsorption of arsenic(V) on activated dithizone zeolite.

Graphical abstract
Charles Bridgeman (c. 1685-1738)
Authors: Haynes Susan
Published: February 2024

An examination of the garden plans of eighteenth-century landscape architect Charles Bridgeman, shedding light on his artistic vision and contributions to English garden history.
Lordship and Locality in the Long Twelfth Century
Authors: Boston Hannah
Published: February 2024

A new perspective on lordship in England between the Norman Conquest and Magna Carta.
Plaguing Segregations: Paradigms of Rule at The Cape of Good Hope
Authors: Pavlich George
Published: February 2024

Power, while fundamental to sociality, might be exercised with haphazard ferocity or more judiciously in legally constrained ways. Such constraint requires us first to understand how ruling paradigms work, and the effects of their powers, before entertaining suitable forms of legal limitation. Transposing Kuhn’s famous concept, this paper examines a ruling paradigm of biopolitical sovereignty at the Cape of Good Hope through two examples: the 1891 census’ racialized categorizations of the “population”; and a racialized segregation responding to the 1901 bubonic plague. Prefiguring apartheid, both examples indicate how colonial laws authorized discretionary biopowers and yet exempted themselves from monitoring how officials demarcated and governed racialized population groups. The paper touches on the growing maladroitness of positivist ideas about a sovereign “rule of law” in regulating arbitrary biopolitical forces. It concludes by briefly indicating the promise of legal pluralism and Indigenous legalities to check capricious biopowers while pursuing legitimate life-affirming forces.
Is the COVID-19 Pandemic a Critical Juncture? Insight from the Study of “New” Multilingual Governance Techniques
Authors: Tremblay Arjun
Published: February 2024

Is the COVID-19 pandemic a critical juncture? An emerging social scientific scholarship on the COVID-19 pandemic has set out to study its effects on a range of social, political, and economic phenomena. Some of this scholarship theorizes that the COVID-19 pandemic is one of those rarest and most impactful moments in time, what historical institutionalists would call a “critical juncture”. This article tests a COVID-19 critical juncture hypothesis by conducting a theory-infirming case study of recent multilingual developments in the United States. Process tracing of federal and state multilingual trajectories reveal that two of the hypothesis’ observable implications are absent: there is no evidence of radical institutional change and ostensibly “new” multilingual pathways were in fact established prior to the pandemic. In light of this evidence, the article concludes by discussing alternative understandings of COVID-19’s effects and this might mean for the study of the pandemic moving forward.
‘We opened the door [too] much’: The challenging desecuritisation of Colombian refugees in Ecuador
Authors: García García Gabriela Patricia
Published: February 2024

This article explores the analytical trajectory of desecuritisation strategies in the Global South through the case of Colombian refugees in Ecuador (2005–12). It maps desecuritisation strategies and their enabling and constraining factors against the backdrop of an entrenched infiltration discourse and an emerging rights-based discourse. The analysis of speeches, interviews, and policies demonstrates that governmental elites set in motion more transformative strategies when regional identity and emigration are raised in the political agenda. However, critical developments such as bilateral tensions and the lack of audience support sway desecuritisation towards more managerial strategies and ultimately, to resecuritisation. Shifting the empirical application of desecuritisation to this South American setting reveals the transformational capacity of desecuritisation strategies and reiterates the decisive role of the audience.
Enhanced heat transfer and reduced flow reversals in turbulent thermal convection with an obstructed centre
Authors: Li Yi-Zhen , Chen Xin , Xi Heng-Dong
Published: February 2024

We report an experimental study about the effect of an obstructed centre on heat transport and flow reversal by inserting an adiabatic cylinder at the centre of a quasi-two-dimensional Rayleigh–Bénard convection cell. The experiments are carried out in a Rayleigh number (

$Ra$

) range of

$2\times 10^7 \leq Ra \leq 2\times 10^9$

and at a Prandtl number (

$Pr$

) of

$5.7$

. It is found that for low

$Ra$

, the obstructed centre leads to a heat transfer enhancement of up to 21 

$\%$

, while as

$Ra$

increases, the magnitude of the heat transfer enhancement decreases and the heat transfer efficiency (

$Nu$

) eventually converges to that of the unobstructed normal cell. Particle image velocimetry measurements show that the heat transfer enhancement originates from the change in flow topology due to the presence of the cylindrical obstruction. In the low-

$Ra$

regime the presence of the obstruction promotes the transition of the flow topology from the four-roll state to the abnormal single-roll state then to the normal single-roll state with increasing obstruction size. While in the high-

$Ra$

regime, the flow is always in the single-roll state regardless of the obstruction size, although the flow becomes more coherent with the size of the obstruction. We also found that in the presence of the cylindrical obstruction, the stability of the corner vortices is significantly reduced, leading to a large reduction in the frequency of flow reversals.
Active flow control for bluff body drag reduction using reinforcement learning with partial measurements
Authors: Xia Chengwei , Zhang Junjie , Kerrigan Eric C. , Rigas Georgios
Published: February 2024

Active flow control for drag reduction with reinforcement learning (RL) is performed in the wake of a two-dimensional square bluff body at laminar regimes with vortex shedding. Controllers parametrised by neural networks are trained to drive two blowing and suction jets that manipulate the unsteady flow. The RL with full observability (sensors in the wake) discovers successfully a control policy that reduces the drag by suppressing the vortex shedding in the wake. However, a non-negligible performance degradation ($\sim$50 % less drag reduction) is observed when the controller is trained with partial measurements (sensors on the body). To mitigate this effect, we propose an energy-efficient, dynamic, maximum entropy RL control scheme. First, an energy-efficiency-based reward function is proposed to optimise the energy consumption of the controller while maximising drag reduction. Second, the controller is trained with an augmented state consisting of both current and past measurements and actions, which can be formulated as a nonlinear autoregressive exogenous model, to alleviate the partial observability problem. Third, maximum entropy RL algorithms (soft actor critic and truncated quantile critics) that promote exploration and exploitation in a sample-efficient way are used, and discover near-optimal policies in the challenging case of partial measurements. Stabilisation of the vortex shedding is achieved in the near wake using only surface pressure measurements on the rear of the body, resulting in drag reduction similar to that in the case with wake sensors. The proposed approach opens new avenues for dynamic flow control using partial measurements for realistic configurations.
Prediction and control of two-dimensional decaying turbulence using generative adversarial networks
Authors: Kim Jiyeon , Kim Junhyuk , Lee Changhoon
Published: February 2024

An accurate prediction of turbulence has been very costly since it requires an infinitesimally small time step for advancing the governing equations to resolve the fast-evolving small-scale motions. With the recent development of various machine learning (ML) algorithms, the finite-time prediction of turbulence became one of promising options to relieve the computational burden. Yet, a reliable prediction of the small-scale motions is challenging. In this study, PredictionNet, a data-driven ML framework based on generative adversarial networks (GANs), was developed for fast prediction of turbulence with high accuracy down to the smallest scale using a relatively small number of parameters. In particular, we conducted learning of two-dimensional (2-D) decaying turbulence at finite lead times using direct numerical simulation data. The developed prediction model accurately predicted turbulent fields at a finite lead time of up to half the Eulerian integral time scale over which the large-scale motions remain fairly correlated. Scale decomposition was used to interpret the predictability depending on the spatial scale, and the role of latent variables in the discriminator network was investigated. The good performance of the GAN in predicting small-scale turbulence is attributed to the scale-selection and scale-interaction capability of the latent variable. Furthermore, by utilising PredictionNet as a surrogate model, a control model named ControlNet was developed to identify disturbance fields that drive the time evolution of the flow field in the direction that optimises the specified objective function.
Human Beings and Ethics in the Thought of Herbert McCabe
Authors: Hewitt Simon
Published: February 2024

Cartesian pictures of the human self and act-centred understandings of ethics dominate modern thought. Throughout his work, Herbert McCabe challenges these, and as such remains an important resource for philosophical and theological ethics. This paper lays out McCabe’s philosophical anthropology, showing how he draws on Wittgenstein to revive a Thomist account of the human person. It then shows how this anthropology feeds into a philosophical ethics, focused on human flourishing and the possibility of life being meaningful. This, in turn, underwrites a theological ethics, according to which the human person flourishes ultimately through graced participation in the divine life. The paper concludes with a discussion of McCabe’s account of faith as participation in the divine self-knowledge.
Spatial-temporal distribution pattern and driving factors of agricultural carbon sinks in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region from the perspective of carbon neutrality
Authors: Liu Hongjian , Liu Yajing , Zhang Ge
Published: February 2024

Developing policies to reduce carbon emissions in agriculture is crucial for achieving the ‘dual carbon’ goal. Therefore, scientifically analysing the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of agricultural carbon sinks and their driving factors holds paramount importance for the coordinated and integrated development of regional agriculture and the realization of sustainable development. Based on the perspective of carbon cycle in agricultural production, the measurement system of agricultural net carbon sink was established from the perspective of carbon sink/carbon source, this study conducted an analysis of the temporal and spatial variation characteristics as well as driving mechanisms of agricultural net carbon sinks. The findings are as follows: (1) The agricultural net carbon sink exhibited an increasing trend from 2009 to 2020, with favourable intensity and level. (2) Agricultural land use and livestock and poultry production constituted the primary sources of agricultural carbon emissions. Notably, agricultural carbon emissions demonstrated a decreasing trend during the study period. (3) The net agricultural carbon sink displayed local spatial aggregation, indicating significant regional differences. (4) Factors such as rural economic level, urbanization level and agricultural employment significantly promoted the net carbon sink. In contrast, the rural industrial structure, technical level and crop seeding had inhibitory effects. Therefore, it is imperative to promote the reduction of agricultural carbon emissions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. This entails accelerating the construction of new agriculture and rural areas, facilitating industrial upgrading, promoting the development of low-carbon-sink regions into high-carbon-sink regions and actively fostering the coordinated and integrated development of regional agriculture.