bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimized Protocol for Preservation of Human Platelet Samples for Fluorometric Polyphosphate Quantification
Authors: Kawase Tomoyuki , Suzuki Katsuya , Kamimura Masami , Mochizuki Tomoharu , Ushiki Takashi
Published: March 2023

Platelet polyphosphate (polyP) can be conveniently quantified by a recent methodological breakthrough using 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI). However, the preservation of these biological samples has not yet been standardized. In a preliminary study, possible protocols were screened, and passed protocols were further tested in this study. Pure-platelet-rich plasma (P-PRP) samples and washed platelet suspensions were prepared using blood obtained from non-smoking, healthy male donors and fixed with ThromboFix for 24 h at 4 °C. Mass polyP levels were determined using a fluorometer at wavelengths of 425 and 525 nm. Platelet polyP levels were normalized to platelet counts. Statistical analyses were performed using non-parametric tests. In platelet suspension maintained in fixed conditions at 4 °C (control), platelet polyP levels significantly decreased by 20% at and after 7 days. In contrast, platelet polyP levels in both P-PRP and washed platelet suspensions were maintained without significant reduction for up to 6 weeks by removing ThromboFix after fixation and subsequent freezing in pure water at −80 °C. Owing to the low specificity of DAPI binding and the wavelengths used, fluorometric polyP quantification is often interfered with. Our validated protocols will enable long-term preservation and high-throughput polyP quantification and could be applied to relatively large cohort studies.
Humulus lupulus and Microbes: Exploring Biotic Causes for Hop Creep
Authors: Young Jessica , Oakley William R.M. , Fox Glen
Published: March 2023

Background Hop creep continues to present an unresolved issue for the brewing industry, specifically stemming from those hops added to beer during fermentation. Hops have been found to contain four dextrin-degrading enzymes: alpha amylase, beta amylase, limit dextrinase, and an amyloglucosidase. One recent hypothesis predicts that these dextrin-degrading enzymes could originate from microbes rather than the hop plant itself. Scope and Approach This review begins by describing how hops are processed and used in the brewing industry. It will then discuss hop creep’s origins with a new beer style, antimicrobial factors from hops and resistance mechanisms that bacteria use to counter them, and finally microbial communities that inhabit hops, focusing on whether they can produce the starch degrading enzymes which drive hop creep. After initial identification, microbes with possible links to hop creep were then run through several databases to search the genomes (if available) and for those specific enzymes. Key Findings and Conclusions Several bacteria and fungi contain alpha amylase as well as unspecified glycosyl hydrolases, but only one contains beta amylase. Finally, this paper closes with a short summary of how abundant these organisms typically are in other flowers.
Factors Affecting the Vitamin C Dose-Concentration Relationship: Implications for Global Vitamin C Dietary Recommendations
Authors: Carr Anitra C. , Lykkesfeldt Jens
Published: March 2023

Vitamin C status is known to be associated with several demographic and lifestyle factors. These include gender, age, ethnicity, pregnancy/lactation, body weight, smoking status and dietary habits. In the present study, our aim was to interrogate the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2018 datasets to assess the impact of these factors on vitamin C dose-concentration relationships to establish if there are higher requirements for vitamin C in certain subpopulations and the possible extent of these additional requirements. The relevant data were extracted from the NHANES 2017-2018 datasets, the final cohort of which comprised 2828 non-supplementing adult males and females (aged 18 – 80+ years) with both vitamin C serum concentrations and dietary intake data available. The data was subsequently stratified by gender, age tertiles (≤36, 37-58, ≥59 years), ethnicity (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and total Hispanic), socioeconomic tertiles (poverty income ratios: >3.0, 1.36 – 3.0, ≤1.35), weight tertiles (≤72, 72-91, ≥91 kg), BMI tertiles (≤26, 26-32, ≥32 kg/m2) and smoking status. Sigmoidal (four parameter logistic) curves with asymmetrical 95% confidence intervals were fitted to the dose-concentration data. We found that males required vitamin C intakes ~1.2-fold higher than females to reach ‘adequate’ serum concentrations of 50 µmol/L. Males had both higher body weight and a higher prevalence of smoking than females. Smokers required vitamin C intakes ~2.0-fold higher than non-smokers to reach adequate vitamin C concentrations. Relative to adults in the lighter weight tertile, adults in the heaver weight tertile required ~2.0-fold higher dietary intakes of vitamin C to reach adequate serum concentrations. We did not observe any impact of ethnicity or socioeconomic status on the vitamin C dose-concentration relationship, and although no significant difference between younger and older adults was observed at vitamin C intakes > 75 mg/day, at intakes < 75 mg/day, older adults had an attenuated serum response to vitamin C intake. In conclusion, certain demographic and lifestyle factors, specifically gender, smoking and body weight, have a significant impact on vitamin C requirements. Overall, the data indicate that the general population must consume ~110 mg/day of vitamin C to attain adequate serum concentrations, smokers require ~165 mg/day relative to non-smokers, and heavier people (100+ kg) require ~155 mg/day to reach the same vitamin C concentrations. These findings have important implications for global vitamin C dietary recommendations.
Influence of Covid 19 Conditions on Sleep Alterations of Georgian and Foreign Students at the University of Georgia- A Cross Sectional Study
Authors: Mgbedo Nnaemeka Emmanuel , Landia Natia , Odzelashvili Inga , Alighanbari Fatemeh , Gogichadze Mariam
Published: March 2023

The alterations in sleep among undergraduate students have been a burden to their mental health and academic studies. We used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scale in this study conducted among Georgian and International students. The respondents participated in this study through the University intranet as their responses remained anonymous. The survey comprised the demographic characteristics and sleep health deteriorating wake patterns such as subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction. A total of 500 students completed this study, 72% were Georgian students, and 28% were international students. 50.8% of Georgian students were under the age of 20 years, and 74.3% of international students were between 21 and 30 years of age. Most Georgian students reported poor subjective sleep quality, short sleep duration, fewer sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction. However, sleep latency was higher among international students. Both categories of students reported using sleeping pills as the statistical significance was observed between global score and gender, subjective sleep quality, and age grade of Georgian students (p<0.05). This study aimed to evaluate the sleep-wake health quality among international and Georgian undergraduate students at the University of Georgia.
Changes of Raw Texture, Intramuscular Connective Tissue Properties and Collagen Profiles in Broiler Wooden Breasts Pectoralis Muscles During Early Storage
Authors: Zhu Xueshen , Puolanne Eero , Ertbjerg Per
Published: March 2023

A recently identified broiler myopathy known as wooden breast (WB) is predominantly found in the pectoralis major muscle of fast-growing broiler hybrids and is causing significant losses to the poultry industry. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of WB syndrome on raw meat texture, purge loss and thermal properties of intramuscular connective tissue of pectoralis major muscle in the early post-mortem period. Results showed that WB muscles at 1d postmortem was associated with significantly increased stiffness and significantly increased purge loss compared to normal muscles (NB). However, at 3d postmortem, these parameters did not differ between the two groups. Insoluble and total collagen content was significantly higher in WB muscles compared to NB muscles, and the extractability of intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) was also higher and remained stable in the early postmortem period. These were coincided with significantly lower protein content in the sarcoplasmic protein fraction and myofibrillar protein fraction of WB muscles compared to NB muscles (P < 0.05). The IMCT of these two groups showed different thermal properties, as the enthalpy of denaturation (ΔH) was significantly lower in WB muscles compared to NB muscles. The WB syndrome had a great effect on the texture and connective tissue properties of the meat compared to normal muscle, with a tendency for having a lower water holding capacity and higher raw meat hardness
A New Interpretation of the Higgs Vacuum Potential Energy Based on a Planckion Composite Model for the Higgs
Authors: Pilot Christopher
Published: March 2023

We present a new interpretation of the Higgs field as a composite particle made up of a positive, with, a negative mass Planck particle. According to the Winterberg hypothesis, space, i.e., the vacuum, consists of both positive and negative physical massive particles, which he called planckions, interacting through strong superfluid forces. In our composite model for the Higgs boson, there is an intrinsic length scale associated with the vacuum, different from the one introduced by Winterberg, where, when the vacuum is in a perfectly balanced state, the number density of positive Planck particles equals the number density of negative Planck particles. Due to the mass compensating effect, the vacuum thus appears massless, charge-less, without pressure, energy density, or entropy. However, a situation can arise where there is an effective mass density imbalance due to the two species of Planck particle not matching in terms of populations, within their respective excited energy states. This does not require the physical addition or removal of either positive or negative Planck particles, within a given region of space, as originally thought. Ordinary matter, dark matter, and dark energy can thus be given a new interpretation as residual vacuum energies within the context of a greater vacuum, where the populations of the positive and negative energy states exactly balance. In the present epoch, it is estimated that the dark energy number density imbalance amounts to, , per cubic meter, when cosmic distance scales in excess of, , are considered. Compared to a strictly balanced vacuum, where we estimate that the positive, and the negative Planck number density, is of the order, particles per cubic meter, the above is a very small perturbation. This slight imbalance, we argue, would dramatically alleviate, if not altogether eliminate, the long standing cosmological constant problem.
Image-Based Insect Counting Embedded in E-traps that Learn Without Manual Image Annotation and Self-Dispose Captured Insects
Authors: Saradopoulos Ioannis , Potamitis Ilyas , Konstantaras Antonios , Eliopoulos Panagiotis , Ntalampiras Stavros , Rigakis Iraklis
Published: March 2023

This study describes the development of an image-based insect trap diverging from the plug-in camera insect trap paradigm. In short, a) it does not require manual annotation of images to learn how to count targeted pests and, b) it self-disposes the captured insects, and therefore is suitable for long-term deployment. The device consists of an imaging sensor integrated with Raspberry Pi microcontroller units with embedded deep learning algorithms that count agricultural pests inside a pheromone-based funnel trap. The device also receives commands from the server which configures its operation while an embedded servomotor can automatically rotate the detached bottom of the bucket to dispose of hydrated insects as they begin to pile up. Therefore, it completely overcomes a major limitation of camera-based insect traps: the inevitable overlap and occlusion caused by the decay and layering of insects during long-term operation, thus extending the autonomous operational capability. We study cases that are underrepresented in literature such as counting in situations of congestion and significant debris using crowd counting algorithms encountered in human surveillance. Finally, we perform comparative analysis of the results from different deep-learning approaches (YOLO7/8, crowd counting, deep learning regression) and we open-source the code and a large database of Lepidopteran plant pests.
Characterization of Deep-Learning-Based Speech Enhancement Techniques in Online Audio Processing Applications
Authors: Rascon Caleb
Published: March 2023

Deep-learning-based speech enhancement techniques have been recently grown in interest, since their impressive performance can potentially benefit a wide variety of digital voice communication systems. However, such performance has been evaluated mostly in offline audio processing scenarios (i.e. feeding the model, in one go, a complete audio recording, which may extend several seconds). It is of great interest to evaluate and characterize the current state-of-the-art in applications that process audio online (i.e. feeding the model a sequence of segments of audio data, concatenating the results at the output end). Although evaluations and comparisons between speech enhancement techniques have been carried out before, as far as the author knows, the work presented here is the first that evaluates the performance of such techniques in relation to their online applicability. Meaning, this work measures how the output signal-to-interference ratio (as a separation metric), the response time and memory usage (as online metrics) are impacted by the input length (the size of audio segments), in addition to the amount of noise, amount and number of interferences, and amount of reverberation. Three popular models were evaluated, given their availability on public repositories and online viability: MetricGAN+, Spectral Feature Mapping with Mimic Loss, and Demucs-Denoiser. The characterization was carried out using a systematic evaluation protocol based on the Speechbrain framework. Several intuitions are presented and discussed, and some recommendations for future work are proposed.
Relief of persistent atypical atrial flutter: experience with the use of niferidil
Authors: Zakharyan E. A. , Shatov D. V. , Povoroznyj A. O. , Bujar T. B.
Published: March 2023

An increase in life expectancy contributes to a steady growth  of diseases of the cardiovascular system. In recent years, there has been a stable increase in the prevalence  of rhythm  disturbances  in the population.  Fibrillation and atrial flutter are among  the most common  causes  of a decrease  in the quality of life and an increase in mortality. However, the effectiveness  of various methods of treatment is not absolute,  and therefore the development and introduction  of new antiarrhythmic drugs  is particularly  relevant. Thus,  the use of a class III antiarrhythmic drug  (niferidil) is of unconditional interest, and literature data describing the effectiveness  of its use for the relief of atypical atrial flutter are extremely few. The article presents a case of successful  relief of a persistent form of atypical atrial flutter in a 79-year-old patient using three consecutive intravenous injections of niferidil at a dose of 10 mcg/kg with a 15-minute interval in 19 hours after the start of therapy. The presented clinical case confirms the effectiveness of drug cardioversion with the use of niferidil and makes it possible to consider it as an alternative to electrical cardioversion  in patients with atypical atrial flutter.
Analysis of The Use of PCSK9 Inhibitors in Clinical Practice
Authors: Volkova S. Yu. , Boyarskaya L. A. , Toropygin P. Yu. , Morozov I. A. , Boyarskaya E. A.
Published: March 2023

Aim. The analysis of the experience of using PCSK9 inhibitors (alirocumab) in patients with very high cardiovascular risk, аccording to long observations in real clinical practice.

Material and methods. In study evaluated the data for 31  people (23 men and 8 women, the average  age of those surveyed was 59.4±5.8 years) of very high cardiovascular risk with atherogenic dyslipidemia  and no achievement  of the target lipid levels. Alirokumab was administered  in a dose of 150 mg subcutaneously once every 2 weeks in the day hospital of a multidisciplinary clinic. The primary endpoint was reached the target level of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (HS-LDL) level and/or reduce HS-LDL levels by 50% or more. Liver tests, level of creatinine and glycemia  were studied to assess safety; side effects studied/

Results. The long-term use of alirocumab  (on average 7,5±2,3 months) is well tolerated without adverse reactions and withdrawal syndrome, in the day hospital of a multidisciplinary clinic. 90% of patient have achieved either a target level of HS-LDL less than 1.4 mmol/l or a reduction in HS-LDL by 50% or more. The remaining  third of patients achieved both target levels. It can be distinguished a group of patients with a good response to the medication, in the first months of administration of alirokumab.

Conclusion. The results of conducting an efficiency  assessment  for use of the alirocumab  in a dose of 150 mg  subcutaneously within two weeks showed  that this therapy has the high efficacy and good tolerability without any adverse reactions,  in the day hospital of a multidisciplinary clinic.
Associations of Arterial Stiffness and Bone Mineral Density in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Isaykina O. Yu. , Skripnikova I. A. , Kolchina M. A. , Kosmatova O. V. , Novikov V. E. , Tsoriev T. T.
Published: March 2023

Aim. To study associations  between arterial stiffness and bone mineral density in postmenopausal women.

Material and methods. The intima-media thickness  (IMT), the presence  and  number  of atherosclerotic  plaques  (AP) were studied  using  duplex scanning. Pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (AI) were measured by applanation. The Bone mineral density (BMD) of the spine, hip neck (HN) and proximal hip (PH) was measured using double energy x-ray absorptiometry.

Results. A significant  correlation  of PWV  with  age,  duration  of menopause was  revealed,  a more pronounced correlation  was  noted  with  blood pressure (BP), maximum IMT thickness.  There was no significant  correlation  between  PWV  and BMD.  AI showed  a statistically  significant but weak negative  correlation  with  the HN  (rs=0.12, p<0.05); a more  pronounced negative  correlation  was  obtained  for BMD  (rs=0.16, p<0.01). For indicators characterizing the degree of bone mass increased,  there is a significant  correlation with age (rs=-0.4, p<0.01), weight (rs=0.4, p<0.01), Quetelet index (rs=0.3, p<0.01) and the presence of AP (rs=-0.12, p<0.05). According to the results of multivariate regression  analysis,  the most significant  predictors of arterial stiffness were indicators  reflecting  obesity and diastolic BP. The relationship  between BMD and age-adjusted vascular stiffness was not statistically significant.

Conclusion. In our study, postmenopausal women have increased arterial stiffness,  suggesting a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The relationship between  bone mineral density and vascular  wall stiffness  was insignificant. To a greater extent,  arterial stiffness  depended  on age,  increased  blood pressure, and the presence of atherosclerotic  changes.
Impact of a Large Healthy Start Program on Perinatal Outcomes, South Carolina, 2009–2019
Authors: Liu Jihong , Zhao Longgang , Zhao Xingpei , Bawa Eric Mishio , Alston Kimberly , Karim Sabrina , Merchant Anwar T. , Tang Jun , Wilcox Sara
Published: March 2023

Using linked birth and death certificates for participants served by a Healthy Start program in South Carolina and community controls, we found that the Healthy Start program contributed to significant improvements in prenatal care, breastfeeding initiation, and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children and significant reductions in inadequate weight gain and large-for-gestational-age births. However, Healthy Start participants were more likely to gain excessive weight during pregnancy, and there were no significant differences in perinatal outcomes. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(5):509–513. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307232 )
SARS-CoV-2 Infection During the First and Second Pandemic Waves in Spain: the ENE–COVID Study
Authors: Pérez-Gómez Beatriz , Pastor-Barriuso Roberto , Fernández-de-Larrea Nerea , Hernán Miguel A. , Pérez-Olmeda Mayte , Oteo-Iglesias Jesús , Fernández-Navarro Pablo , Fernández-García Aurora , Martín Mariano , Cruz Israel , Sanmartín José L. , León-Paniagua José , Muñoz-Montalvo Juan F. , Blanco Faustino , Yotti Raquel , Pollán Marina
Published: March 2023

Objectives. To describe participant characteristics associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in Spain’s first 2 COVID-19 waves per the Spanish National Seroepidemiological Survey of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (ENE–COVID).

Methods. A representative cohort of the noninstitutionalized Spanish population, selected through stratified 2-stage sampling, answered a questionnaire and received point-of-care testing April to June 2020 (first wave: n = 68 287); previously seronegative participants repeated the questionnaire and test November 2020 (second wave: n = 44 451). We estimated seropositivity by wave and participant characteristics, accounting for sampling weights, nonresponse, and design effects.

Results. We found that 6.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.7%, 6.4%) of Spain’s population was infected by June and 3.8% (95% CI = 3.5%, 4.1%) more by November 2020. Both genders were equally affected. Seroprevalence decreased with age in adults 20 years and older in the second wave; socioeconomic differences increased. Health care workers were affected at 11.1% (95% CI = 9.0%, 13.6%) and 6.1% (95% CI = 4.4%, 8.5%) in the first and second waves, respectively. Living with an infected person increased infection risk to 22.1% (95% CI = 18.9%, 25.6%) in the first and 35.0% (95% CI = 30.8%, 39.4%) in the second wave.

Conclusions. ENE–COVID characterized the first 2 pandemic waves, when information from surveillance systems was incomplete. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(5):533–544. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307233 )
Completing a Ph.D. – Does it have to be a Lonely Existence?
Authors:   University of Wolverhampton, Jones Bethan , Brady Stephanie
Published: March 2023

The co-authors of this paper are current Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) students with the University of Wolverhampton. We embarked on writing this opinion piece to share our experience of the first year of our Ph.D. and suggest how higher education institutions (HEIs) can enhance the academic development of doctoral researchers and minimise the detrimental experiences which studies have shown to affect this group of students.
A Postgraduate Marketing Programme’s Journey Towards Internationalisation
Authors:   University of Greenwich, Yassim Mazia
Published: March 2023

Internationalisation has been a significant focus of educational institutions for some time now and yet many institutions are still grappling with the most effective way to achieve it. This case study provides a critical review of steps taken within a marketing postgraduate programme towards internationalisation. Three key steps are outlined here, with a view to sharing lessons learnt at each step: module-level approach, optional virtual exchange and programme-level approach. The paper concludes that internationalisation at home is a more inclusive way forward and that faculty development, use of technology and clearly defined learning outcomes are critical elements in securing effective internationalisation.
Key factors for designing and delivering an effective asynchronous professional learning experience
Authors:   Queen Mary University of London, Cabral Ana , Fuller Steph ,   Queen Mary University of London
Published: March 2023

In this paper, we explore the key factors for designing and delivering an effective asynchronous professional learning experience. This research study was developed with 107 participants in a module of a Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP) - a qualification which is offered to new academics at a United Kingdom (UK) Russell Group university, in line with practice at many other UK higher education institutions (HEIs). The module design was led by a range of factors which the relevant literature deems important for ensuring successful asynchronous online learning design. A questionnaire was created to measure participants’ overall perceptions regarding efficiency (learning context, facilitation, tutor feedback, peer feedback) and gains (presence, participation, persistence, connectedness, sense of community, learning experience). Participants were also invited to refer to the extent to which peer collaboration contributed to learning, to how far they felt part of a community on the module and to whether the asynchronous learning approach facilitated learning. Our results both confirmed and contradicted the positive findings of the literature: respectively, our participants did indeed find that many of the asynchronous design factors led, for them, to successful learning; they also identified some of the factors (e.g., peer feedback) as more challenging. We discuss the results of our study in terms of the effectiveness of this range of factors, considering the specific context of our module; we raise relevant questions about the issues and dilemmas involved in designing and delivering asynchronous learning courses when participants have a dual role as both learners and teachers.
Freehand drawing – a learning and teaching perspective
Authors:   Nottingham Trent University, Harrison Oliver
Published: March 2023

Freehand drawings are used frequently for ‘visual’ disciplines and have a range of benefits. Typically, for the social sciences, their utility is framed exclusively for enhancing active learning, but not necessarily as a teaching aid. Emphasising learning and teaching as a dialectical process between student and lecturer, a small-scale qualitative study explored the potential of a freehand drawing to help teach a complex primary text and assist students’ subsequent understanding. Students were taught the text in two ways – (1) verbal explanation accompanied by two static diagrams and (2) verbal explanation accompanied by a freehand drawing. Students discussed their experiences in a focus group. Despite mixed learning preferences, with interesting qualifications, students found the dynamic nature of the freehand drawing essential to understanding. Unintended variation in the delivery of each session produced insightful comment, as did the relationship between the lecturer’s learning preference and their choice of pedagogy.
An Improved Workflow in Mass Balance Approach for Estimating Regional Methane Emission Rate Using Satellite Measurements
Authors: Bian Jeffrey Y. , Leung Juliana Y. , Volkmer Nick , Zheng Jingwen
Published: March 2023

Satellite-retrieved methane (CH4) concentration data offers a valuable opportunity for large-scale emissions monitoring. However, its widespread adoption remains challenging due to the data volume and varying data quality. A workflow to estimate the methane emission rate of major hydrocarbon plays based on the mass balance principle using publicly available Sentinel-5P satellite data is presented. This workflow estimates the methane emission rate originating from specific regions. The proposed workflow is applied to estimate emissions from the Permian Basin and the Appalachian Basin in the United States. The results are compared against volumes estimated by other means and reported in the literature. The proposed method is easy to implement and offers promising potential for practical and reliable estimates for long-term regional methane emission monitoring purposes.
A scalable and real-time system for disease prediction using big data processing
Authors: ED-DAOUDY Abderrahmane , Maalmi Khalil , ouaazizi Aziza El
Published: March 2023

The growing chronic diseases patients and the centralization of medical resources cause significant economic impact resulting in hospital visits, hospital readmission, and other healthcare costs. This paper proposes a scalable, big data, real-time health status prediction and analytical system to filter, manage, process, predict and store streaming health data. The proposed system uses Twitter as data source, Apache Kafka as ingestion tool, Apache Spark as computing engine, Apache Cassandra as storage engine and Apache Zeppelin as analytical tool. Proposed Spark Parallel Random Forest (SPRF) is used as data classifier. The idea is to use Twitter as a communication channel to transmit data generated by IoT medical devices to a system to perform analytics in a real-time fashion, using streaming. Thus, Twitter users tweet attributes related to health, Kafka streaming receives all desired tweets attributes and ingest them to Spark streaming. Here, a machine learning algorithm model is applied to predict health status and send back a response message through Kafka. The result will be saved into distributed database for historical data analysis and visualization. The system has been tested with a Heart disease dataset from UCI. RF classification performances are compared to other machine learning classifiers of Apache Spark MLlib library. To test the system scalability, a comparative study between execution time of RF on Spark environment and on WEKA for both training and application stages. The results show significant better performances of Spark cluster in terms of scalability and computing times.
Describing skin health and disease in urban-living Aboriginal children: co-design, development and feasibility testing of the Koolungar Moorditj Healthy Skin pilot project
Authors: Ricciardo Bernadette M , Kessaris Heather-Lynn , Nannup Noel , Tilbrook Dale , Farrant Brad , Michie Carol , Hansen Lorraine , Douglas Richelle , Walton Jacinta , Poore Ainslie , Whelan Alexandra , Barnett Timothy , Kumarasinghe Prasad , Carapetis Jonathan R , Bowen Asha C
Published: March 2023

Background:
Indigenous children in colonised nations experience high rates of health disparities linked to historical trauma resulting from displacement and dispossession, as well as ongoing systemic racism. Skin infections and their complications are one such health inequity, with the highest global burden described in remote-living Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander (hereafter respectfully referred to as Aboriginal) children. Yet despite increasing urbanisation, little is known about the skin infection burden for urban-living Aboriginal children. More knowledge is needed to inform service provision, treatment guidelines and community-wide healthy skin strategies. In this pilot study we aimed to test the feasibility and design of larger multi-site observational studies, provide initial descriptions of skin disease frequency and generate preliminary hypotheses of association.
Methods:
This project has been co-designed with local (Noongar) Elders to provide an Australian-first description of skin health and disease in urban-living Aboriginal children. In collaboration with an urban Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service), we conducted a week-long cross-sectional observational cohort study of Aboriginal children (0–18 years) recruited from the waiting room. Participants completed a questionnaire, skin examination, clinical photos, swabs and received appropriate treatment. We assessed the feasibility and impact of the pilot study.
Results:
From 4–8 October 2021, we recruited 84 Aboriginal children of whom 80 (95%) were urban-living. With a trusted Aboriginal Health Practitioner leading recruitment, most parents (or caregivers) who were approached consented to participate. Among urban-living children, over half (45/80, 56%) of parents described a current concern with their child’s skin, hair and/or nails; and one third (26/80, 33%) reported current itchy skin. Using a research-service model, 27% (21/79) of examined urban-living participants received opportunistic same-day treatment and 18% (14/79) were referred for later review.
Conclusions:
This co-designed pilot study to understand skin health in urban-living Aboriginal children was feasible and acceptable, with high study participation and subsequent engagement in clinical care observed. Co-design and strong involvement of Aboriginal people to lead and deliver the project was crucial. The successful pilot has informed larger, multi-site observational studies to more accurately answer questions of disease burden and inform development of healthy skin messages for urban-living Aboriginal children.
Lightweight Carbon Foam obtained from post-use Polyehylene Terephthalate bottles and potential applications
Authors: Ferreira Marina Leticia Alves , Santos Tatiane Gomes , Calixto Jose Marcio Fonseca , Lavall Rodrigo Lassarote , Justino Danielle Diniz , Gandra Fernanda Gabrielle , de Souza Tarcizo da Cruz Costa , Ladeira Luiz Orlando
Published: March 2023

Faced with the problem caused by the excessive consumption of plastic packaging, especially those produced with Polyethylene Terephthalate - PET, and most of them have garbage as their final destination, such packaging has become a worrying environmental liability. Their often inadequate disposal promotes the pollution of soils, watercourses, oceans and even the presence of component materials of these packages in the human body, in the form of microplastics, has been observed. As research in the area advances, greater concerns arise, as more problems arising from the excessive use and disposal of plastics are identified. As something needs to be done to remove this liability from the environment, a technology was developed for the production of materials with characteristics similar to 3D graphene, a carbon material with qualities and versatility that allow its wide use in several applications, using PET as carbon precursor. This work presents this production technology with possible variables, the characterization of the materials and potential applications: for the electronics area, as supercapacitors and necessary improvements to validate it, and as an adsorbent for application in the treatment of industrial effluents.
Meta-research on pragmatism of randomized trials: rationale and design of the PragMeta database
Authors: Hirt Julian , Janiaud Perrine , Düblin Pascal , Hemkens Lars
Published: March 2023

Background
Pragmatic trials provide decision-oriented, real-world evidence that is highly applicable and generalizable. The interest in real world evidence is fueled by the assumption that effects in the “real-world” are different to effects obtained under artificial, controlled, research conditions as often used for traditional explanatory trials. However, it is unknown which features of pragmatism, generalizability, and applicability would be responsible for such differences. There is a need to provide empirical evidence and promote meta-research to answer these fundamental questions on the pragmatism of randomized trials and real-world evidence. Here, we describe the rationale and design of the PragMeta database which pursues this goal (www.PragMeta.org).
Methods
PragMeta is a non-commercial, open data platform and infrastructure to facilitate research on pragmatic trials. It collects and shares data from published randomized trials that either have a specific design feature or other characteristic related to pragmatism or they form clusters of trials addressing the same research question but having different aspects of pragmatism. This lays the foundation to determine the relationship of various features of pragmatism, generalizability, and applicability with intervention effects or other trial characteristics.
The database contains trial data actively collected for PragMeta, but also allows to import and link existing datasets of trials collected for other purposes, forming a large-scale meta-database. PragMeta captures data on (1) trial and design characteristics (e.g., sample size, population, intervention/comparison, outcome, longitudinal structure, blinding), (2) effects estimates, and (3) various determinants of pragmatism (e.g., the use of routinely collected data) and ratings from established tools used to determine pragmatism (e.g., the PRragmatic–Explanatory Continuum Indicator Summary 2; PRECIS-2).
PragMeta is continuously provided online, inviting the meta-research community to collaborate, contribute, and/or use the database. As of January 25, 2023, PragMeta contains data from >400 trials with assessments on pragmatism.
Conclusions
PragMeta will inform a better understanding of pragmatism and the generation and interpretation of real-world evidence.
Anti-stigma narratives and emotional comfort against health crisis: a context analysis of UGC short videos from patients with COVID-19 infections
Authors: Tan Lin , Wang Qingyi
Published: March 2023

Patient narratives are being recorded more frequently and spontaneously in short UGC (user produced content) films, which could directly affect the vlogger's health and the public's understanding of the relevant health issues. This study focused on digital communication practices on Douyin platform about COVID-19, and analyzed the themes and emotion of relevant videos. 335 videoclips of 28 Chinese patients with COVID-19 were collected as samples. Using natural language processing tools, this paper analyzed the descriptive information of vloggers, narrative textual information of the videos, and emotion orientation of comments. This study examined the vloggers' descriptive information, the videos' narrative texts, and the motion orientation of the comments using natural language processing tools. The topics of these videos fall into 7 categories, including symptoms and feelings, food and care, medical professionals, volunteers, etc. Comments accounted for 52.1% of positive and 20.5% of negative, with emotional disposition scores ranging 0.631±0.123. For unknown public health crises, 85.7% vloggers prefer to describe individual emotional feelings and life experiences, but 21.4% secondary communicate the scientific explanations of experts in individual videos. Overall, our findings suggest the public health agencies should prioritize the distribution of reliable information while valuing disease narratives and expressions. Meanwhile, they should reduce health rumors and relieve patients' digital stress with algorithms and management tools in media.
Targeting epidermal growth factor receptor to recruit newly generated neuroblasts in cortical brain injuries
Authors: Gómez-Oliva Ricardo , Geribaldi-Doldán Noelia , Domínguez-García Samuel , Pardillo-Díaz Ricardo , Martínez-Ortega Sergio , Oliva-Montero José María , Pérez-García Patricia , Cózar Francisco J García , Muñoz-Miranda Juan Pedro , Sánchez-Gomar Ismael , Nunez-Abades Pedro , Castro Carmen
Published: March 2023

Background
Neurogenesis is stimulated in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of mice with cortical brain injuries. In most of these injuries, newly generated neuroblasts attempt to migrate toward the injury, accumulating within the corpus callosum not reaching the perilesional area.
Methods
We use a murine model of mechanical cortical brain injury, in which we perform unilateral cortical injuries in the primary motor cortex of adult male mice. We study neurogenesis in the SVZ and perilesional area at 7 and 14 dpi as well as the ex pression and concentration of the signaling molecule transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) and its receptor the epidermal growth factor (EGFR). We use the EGFR inhibitor Afatinib to promote neurogenesis in brain injuries.
Results
We show that microglial cells that emerge within the injured area and the SVZ in response to the injury express high levels of TGF-α leading to elevated concentrations of TGF-α in the cerebrospinal fluid. Thus, the number of neuroblasts in the SVZ increases in response to the injury, a large number of these neuroblasts remain immature and proliferate expressing the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and the proliferation marker Ki67. Restraining TGF-α release with a classical protein kinase C inhibitor reduces the number of these proliferative EGFR+ immature neuroblasts in the SVZ. In accordance, the inhibition of the TGF-α receptor, EGFR promotes migration of neuroblasts toward the injury leading to an elevated number of neuroblasts within the perilesional area.
Conclusions
our results indicate that in response to an injury, microglial cells activated within the injury and the SVZ release TGF-α, activating the EGFR present in the neuroblasts membrane inducing their proliferation, delaying maturation and negatively regulating migration. The inactivation of this signaling pathway stimulates neuroblast migration toward the injury and enhances the quantity of neuroblasts within the injured area. These results suggest that these proteins may be used as target molecules to regenerate brain injuries.
Retrieval and Validation of the Secchi Disk Depth Values (Zsd) from the Sentinel-3 satellite data in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman
Authors: Kabiri Keivan
Published: March 2023

In this study, the Secchi disk depth (Zsd) values as an indicator of seawater clarity/transparency were estimated using the ESA (European Space Agency) Sentinel-3A and − 3A OLCI (S3/OLCI) satellite data in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman (PG&GO). To do so, two procedures were evaluated including an empirical methodology developed by Doron et al., 2007 and 2011 and a novel model proposed in this research formed by employing the blue (B4) and green (B6) bands of S3/OLCI data. In this regard, a total number of 157 field-measuredZsdvalues (114 training points for calibration of the models and 43 control points for accuracy assessment of them) were observed during eight research cruises conducted by the research vessel, the Persian Gulf Explorer, in the PG&OS between 2018 and 2022. The optimum methodology was then selected based on the statistical indicators including,R2(coefficient of determination), RMSE (root mean square error), and MAPE (mean absolute percentage error). However, after the indication of the optimal model, the data of all 157 observations were utilized for the calculation of unknown parameters of the model. The final results demonstrated that compared to the existing empirical model proposed by Doron et al., 2007 and 2011, the developed model in this study which was formed based on the linear and ratio terms of B4and B6bands, has more efficiency in the PG&GO. Consequently, a model in form ofZsd= e1.638B4/B6− 8.241B4− 12.876B6+ 1.26was suggested for the estimation ofZsdvalues from S3/OLCI in the PG&GO (R2 = 0.749, RMSE = 2.56 m, and MAPE = 22.47%). The results also showed that the annual oscillation of theZsdvalues in the GO (5–18 m) is evidently higher compared with those in the PG (4–12 m) and the SH (7–10 m) regions.
System simulation of Computer image recognition technology application by using improved neural network algorithm
Authors: Wang Xin
Published: March 2023

Digital image technology is penetrating into various fields of people's life, and it has been very mature and can effectively store and transmit data. Moreover, there are still various researches on image recognition, the core of this technology. The algorithm is mainly based on computer technology to obtain the target image for different scene categories, thus completely replacing the traditional classification form. Because of the limitations of traditional identification technology, there are some problems in the actual use. It does not depend on the prior knowledge requirements and can carry out complex feature space division. In this paper, an image recognition computer system is established by introducing an improved neural network algorithm. The algorithm is designed and tested, and the results show it has lower image recognition error rate. Through the computer image recognition technology design system test,it is found that the recognition accuracy is higher than the AlexNet model under four real environment conditions, which indicates that the improved and optimized model has better classification and recognition effect, the image recognition system designed in this paper can play an effective effect in practical application. By introducing the improved neural network algorithm into this field, this paper designs an image recognition algorithm with better effect.
Malaria blood stage infection suppresses liver stage infection via IFNγ but not hepcidin
Authors: Patel Hardik , Minkah Nana , KUMAR SUDHIR , Zanghi Gigliola , Reynolds Laura , Sheikh Amina , Kappe Stefan
Published: March 2023

Malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites develop into liver stages and blood stages in their mammalian hosts. The way these stages interact with each other can influence the outcome of infection and impact the epidemiology of malaria. We observed that blood stage infection severely suppresses the intra-hepatocytic development of liver stages. This suppression is not mediated by the iron-regulating hormone hepcidin, but instead by IFNγ. Our study provides critical new insights into the interactions between two developmental phases of the malaria parasite within the host and sheds light on the issues with live-attenuated malaria vaccine efficacy that have been observed in areas of high malaria transmission.
Climate and roots, not hyphal development, influence carbohydrate sharing from broad-leaved trees to ectomycorrhizal fungi under elevated CO2
Authors: Hobbie Erik A. , Siegwolf Rolf , Körner Christian , Steinmann Katharina , Wilhelm Markus , Saurer Matthias , Keel Sonja G.
Published: March 2023

Background

To assess the extent of belowground carbon transfer to ectomycorrhizal fungi in natural forests, we used δ13C and loge C/N measurements to calculate spatial dynamics of carbon movement into ectomycorrhizal sporocarps.

Methods

Fourteen broad-leaved trees were labeled with 13C-depleted CO2 from 2001–2005 in Switzerland and 13C traced into ectomycorrhizal sporocarps collected at different distances. We then used stepwise regressions on patterns of δ13C and loge C/N in ectomycorrhizal sporocarps as a function of distance (zone), solar radiation, fungal genus, and association type.

Results

CO2-labeled trees contributed 76 ± 5%, 36 ± 6%, and 19 ± 7% of sporocarp carbon at 0–6 m, 6–12 m, and 12–18 m from labeled trees, respectively. Literature estimates of hyphal development in different taxa did not correlate with carbon acquisition patterns. After drought in 2003, sporocarp loge C/N was low in 2004 and 13C-depleted carbon from elevated CO2 trees contributed less than in other years to sporocarps. In contrast, sporocarp loge C/N peaked in 2005 and contributions from elevated CO2 trees to the 6–12 m zone increased. Therefore, carbohydrate transport belowground decreased in 2004, reflecting plant allocation priorities, and increased in 2005. Sporocarp loge C/N varied less among years under elevated CO2 than elsewhere.

Conclusions

These patterns indicated that 1) belowground transport was influenced by climate and plant allocation, 2) root transport rather than ectomycorrhizal transport drove carbon spatial dynamics of ectomycorrhizal fungi, and 3) elevated CO2 decreased the sensitivity of belowground allocation to climatic fluctuations, suggesting improved drought resistance in a high-CO2 world.