bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the efficacy of different surgical approaches for complicated impacted proximal ureteric calculi based on a new scoring standard : a matched-pair analysis
Authors: Zhang Lv Wen , Fei Xiang , Song Yan
Published: October 2022

Objective: To compare the clinical efficacy of Ureteroscopic lithotripsy (URSL) and percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in the treatment of complicated impacted proximal ureteric calculi based on a new scoring standard.
Methods: The data of 45 patients with complicated impacted proximal ureteric calculi underwent URSLwere collected in this retrospective study between January 2015 and April 2021. During the same period, PCNL was used in 171 patients with complicated impacted proximal ureteric calculi. 45 patients were selected as the control group and matched at a 1:1 ratio to index URSL cases in regards to age, sex, BMI. Peri-operative data were compared between the two groups.
Results: All 90 operations were successfully completed. Compared to the URSL group, the surgical duration of the PCNL group was significantly shorter (53.69 ± 25.07 min vs. 73.46 ± 27.12 min, p < 0.05), stone-free rate (SFR) was significantly higher(93.3% vs. 68.9%, p < 0.05), and total treatment cost was lower (US $1678.61 ± 714.86 vs. US $3901.45±1069.46, p < 0.05). Conversely, the URSL group had a shorter hospital stay (3.68 ± 2.70 d vs. 6.39 ± 3.34 d, p < 0.05). There was significant difference in complication rate between the two groups in regards to Clavien grade I, II, or III complications (20.0% in URSLgroup vs. 8.9% in PCNL group, p=0.32).
Conclusion: PCNL had a better SFR and higher surgical efficacy, whereas URSL had a shorter perioperative period, but a lower initial SFR. PCNL is often more advantageous for complicated impacted proximal ureter stone.
Associations Between Missing Teeth and The Risk of Cancer in Korea: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Kang Eun Joo , Moon Seok-joo , Lee Kyoungmin , Park In Hae , Kim Jung Sun , Choi Yoon Ji
Published: October 2022

Background
Poor dental health is correlated with an increased risk of cancer. Using a nationwide population cohort database, we investigated which cancer is highly associated with poor dental health and which dental indicator mostly influences cancer risk.
Methods
This study was conducted using the National Health Checkups (NHC) and National Health Insurance System (NHIS) database in Korea. NHC in Korea includes dental examinations. We retrieved subjects who underwent NHC between 2002 and 2003 and their medical information in NHIS database was followed until December 31,2015.
Results
Data for 200,170 who participated in the NHC between 2002 and 2003 were analysed. During the maximum follow-up period of 13 years, 15,506 (7.75%) subjects were diagnosed with cancer. The median time to cancer diagnosis after the dental examination was 87 months (range, 51–119 months). The proportion of people with missing teeth was higher in the cancer-diagnosed group than in the non-diagnosed group (26.27% vs. 22.59%, p<0.001). Among several dental health factors, missing teeth were significantly associated with higher cancer risk. Subjects with missing teeth showed a 12% increased cancer risk compared to those without missing teeth (odds ratio [OR] 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08–1.16). The risk was significantly higher, especially in lung, head and neck, pancreatic, liver, biliary, and esophageal cancers (OR 1.27 [95% CI, 1.14–1.41], 1.32 [95% CI, 1.13–1.55], 1.27 [95% CI, 1.02–1.58], 1.24 [95% CI, 1.1–1.4], 1.28 [95% CI, 1.03–1.6], 1.4 [95% CI, 1.04–1.88], respectively).
Conclusions
Missing teeth were the most important dental indicator associated with cancer risk. Korean adults with missing teeth should be cautious about the risk of severalcancers, particularly head and neck, lung, gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, and pancreatic cancer.
Itaconic acid underpins hepatocyte lipid metabolism in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Weiss Jonathan , Palmieri Erika , Gonzalez-Cotto Marieli , Bettencourt Ian , Megill Emily , Snyder Nathaniel , McVicar Daniel
Published: October 2022

Itaconate, the product of the decarboxylation of cis-aconitate, regulates numerous biological processes. We and others have revealed itaconate as a regulator of fatty acid beta-oxidation, generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species and the metabolic interplay between resident macrophages and tumors. In the present study, we show that itaconic acid is upregulated in human non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Mice deficient in the gene responsible for itaconate production (Immunoresponsive gene /Irg-1) have exacerbated lipid accumulation in the liver, glucose and insulin intolerance and mesenteric fat deposition. Treatment of mice with the itaconate derivative, 4-OI, reverses dyslipidemia associated with high fat diet feeding. Mechanistically, itaconate treatment of primary hepatocytes reduces lipid accumulation and increases their oxidative phosphorylation in a manner dependent upon fatty acid oxidation. We propose a model whereby macrophage-derived itaconate acts in trans upon hepatocytes to modulate the liver’s ability to metabolize fatty acids.
Impact of permafrost degradation on the extreme increase of dissolved iron concentration in the Amur River during 1995–1997
Authors: Tashiro Yuto , Hiyama Tetsuya , Kanamori Hironari , Kondo Masayuki
Published: October 2022

Dissolved iron (dFe) concentration in the Amur River increased considerably between 1995 and 1997, but the mechanisms of dFe discharge to the Amur River are poorly understood. We examined the long-term changes in climate variables in the Amur River basin between 1960 and 2000; net precipitation in late summer (July–September) has increased since 1977 throughout the basin; annual air temperature (Ta) was relatively high between 1988 and 1990. Most importantly, we found significant correlations between Ta and dFe concentration with a 7-year lag (r = 0.43–0.55, p < 0.01), which indicate a close relationship between high Ta in year Y and increased dFe concentration in year Y + 7. Correlation was the strongest in northeastern Amur basin where permafrost coverage is the highest. On the basis of our findings, we propose that (1) increased net precipitation since 1977 has increased soil moisture, which created favourable conditions for microbial iron reduction; (2) permafrost degradation during the warm years of 1988–1990 promoted iron bioavailability and led to the intensive generation of dFe in the deeper part of the active layer; and (3) dFe took approximately 7 years to reach the rivers and increased dFe concentration during 1995–1997.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of neratinib plus capecitabine against lapatinib plus capecitabine for HER2-Positive metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Shao Jiangbo , He Yu , Zhan Cuiping , Jin Ying , Jin Chunxiang
Published: October 2022

Background
Neratinib plus capecitabine(N + C)has a good effect for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC), but considering these tradeoffs in quality of life and cost, the optimal choice of treatment sequencing is unclear. Cost-effectiveness analysis can clearly quantify such tradeoffs to make more informed decisions. Our objective was to evaluate the social cost-effectiveness of the N + C regimen for HER2 positive MBC.
METHODS
Clinical data were extracted from a randomized controlled trial, NALA (NCT01808573). Patients were randomized into the N + C group or the lapatinib plus capecitabine (L + C) group. A Markov model was established with a 21-day cycle length. Costs were acquired from local hospitals, effect parameters included quality-adjusted life year (QALY) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).
RESULTS
In the main analysis, the QALY in N + C is 0.04492 higher than that in L + C (N + C, 0.62954 QALY; L + C, 0.58462 QALY). The ICER between N + C and L + C was − 1,796,801.93 CNY/QALY. In the subanalysis, the QALY in N + C is 0.05643 higher than that in L + C (N + C, 0.65047 QALY; L + C, 0.59404 QALY) in the Asian group. The ICER between N + C and L + C was − 1,584,528.96 CNY/QALY. Sensitivity analyses indicated the stability of the model and the impact of utility.
CONCLUSION
N + C was cost-effective compared with L + C for HER2 positive MBC.
Numerical
Investigation of a Thermoelastic Model for a Propagating Phase Boundary
Authors: Petersen Eric H.
Published: October 2022

A brief discussion of a numerical investigation of admissibility criteria for one-dimensional propagating phase boundaries in thermoelastic solids with nonconvex energies via viscosity-capillarity regularization, undertaken under the supervision of Prof. Fosdick. Dedicated to my teacher and friend, Roger L. Fosdick.
MSC Classification: 74J40 , 74N20 , 74S20
Pregnancy in the digital health era: exploring digital health usage amidst the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Caillaud Corinne , Lazarevic Natasa , Pizzuti Carol , Rosic Gillian , Boehm Céline , Williams Kathryn
Published: October 2022

Digital health tools such as apps are being increasingly used by women to access pregnancy-related information. Conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, this study investigated pregnant women’s usage of digital health tools and self-monitoring behaviours. In addition, views and interest in theoretical pregnancy app features: (1) a direct patient-to-healthcare-professional communication tool and (2) a novel body measurement tool was assessed. Using a mixed methods approach, 108 pregnant women were surveyed and 15 currently or recently pregnant women were interviewed online. We found that the COVID-19 pandemic had impacts on multiple dimensions of the experiences of pregnant women including their experiences with healthcare, their relationships with themselves and their social circle. Most participants said that they would use the theoretical app features we described and also identified a gap in the availability of evidence-based educational information. Other features that they would include in a pregnancy app were a “Digital Wallet” and a desire for a holistic pregnancy app that allowed for more continuous and personalised care. The main factor that influenced how likely participants were to use pregnancy apps were concerns about data privacy and security. This study highlights the gaps and needs of pregnant women and should inform all stakeholders designing pregnancy digital healthcare. This study offers a unique insight into the experiences of pregnant women during a very particular and unique period in human history.
The Role of Fragility in Thermal Elastohydrodynamics
Authors: Bair Scott , Habchi Wassim
Published: October 2022

Temperature primarily influences thermal elastohydrodynamic lubrication (TEHL) through the temperature dependence of the viscosity of the liquid. The pressure and temperature dependences of viscosity increase rapidly as the glassy state is approached from the liquid state, a property known as fragility. The glass temperature increases with pressure and reaches to ordinary temperatures at TEHL pressures. It is astounding, therefore, that most TEHL analyses have ignored fragility by utilizing a viscosity correlation incapable of describing this behavior. Here, a low viscosity fragile oil is characterized for low-shear viscosity to 1.6 GPa and TEHL line contact simulations show, not only a substantial effect on friction, but significant differences in minimum film thickness when fragility is not ignored, as is customary in classical TEHL. The influence on friction manifests even under moderate load and speed conditions, while that on film thickness seems to be restricted to high loads.
A note on simple K3 singularities and families of weighted K3 surfaces
Authors: Mase Makiko
Published: October 2022

We discuss properties of the Seifert form for simple K3 singularities, and of the Picard lattices of families of weighted K3 surfaces. We study a collection M(ρ, δ) of K3 surfaces polarized by their Picard lattices that are in the set L(ρ, δ) of certain lattices. We also report a numerical formula that relates the Seifert form for the singularities and the Picard lattice of the family.
Intravitreal aflibercept for patients with acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: A retrospective trial
Authors: Cheng Kai-Chun , Chiu Chien-Chih , Chen Kuo-Jen , Chang Yo-Chen
Published: October 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether intravitreal aflibercept was safe and effective in patients with acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). Design: A retrospective analysis of a consecutive patient series.
Methods: This was a chart study of 25 individuals with acute NAION (25 eyes). Aflibercept 2 mg/0.05 ml intravitreal injection was administered to fifteen participants. The remaining ten patients in the control group were given standard care. The researchers measured the initial visual acuity, the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), and automated perimetry. During the follow-up period, the researchers measured the final visual acuity, RNFLT, automated perimetry, and side effects.
Results: The study group had a mean follow-up time of 229.73 ± 43.44 days, while the control group had 258.90 ± 62.42 days. Visual acuity and visual field assessment were significantly improved in the study group, and optical coherence tomography testing demonstrated significant disc edema resolution. The therapy results differed significantly between the two groups regarding visual outcomes (F=0.027, P=0.039) and RNFLT decrease (F=8.934, P<0.001). However, the difference in visual field alterations between the two groups was not statistically significant (F=0.724, P=0.387).
Conclusion: Intravitreal injection of aflibercept can significantly improve visual acuity and resolve disc edema in patients with acute NAION. Intravitreal aflibercept may be an alternative treatment for acute NAION. However, a large-series investigation is needed to assess the long-term therapeutic benefit and safety of intravitreal aflibercept in patients with acute NAION.
An Wolf Hunting Approach for Optimization of Tasks Scheduling in Cloud Computing
Authors: Patel Padmaja , Kakita Murali Gopal , Das Debashreet
Published: October 2022

Cloud computing is the most emerging technology in the era that provides scalable, distributed, elastic computer resources for the end-user using the internet.However, the Cloud Computing Networks(CCNs) fails in providing many Quality of Services(QoS) such as reliability, load balancing, resource allocation and task scheduling, security, etc out of which the most challenging task in cloud computing is task scheduling, which directly affects the operational cost and resource usage of the system.Hence,this paper proposes an advanced technique named the Wolf Hunting Approach (WHA)for further improvement of an optimal solution for searching with a multi-objective optimization technique. The implementation of WHA involves simulation based experiment and shows that WHA has better accuracy and convergence speed in seeking for optimal task scheduling. In comparison to the current meta-heuristic algorithms, it provides superior performance in utilization of system resources in the presence of large-scale and small-scale tasks. The approach is well illustrated with suitable examples
Spatial distribution, ecological risk assessment and source analysis of heavy metals pollution in urban lake sediments of Huaihe River Basin
Authors: Wu Dun , Liu Hai , Cai Guojun , Wu Jian , Gao Xia
Published: October 2022

In order to understand the spatial distribution, pollution characteristics, potential pollution sources and ecological risks of heavy metals in the sediments of Chengxi Lake and Chengdong Lake in Huoqiu County in the middle reaches of the Huaihe River Basin, the contents of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in the sediments of Chengxi Lake and Chengdong Lake were determined. The potential sources of heavy metals in sediments were quantitatively analyzed by principal component analysis-absolute principal component fraction-multiple linear regression (PCA-APCS-MLR) receptor model. Descriptive statistics showed that the average concentration of heavy metals in lake sediments from high to low was Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > As > Cd > Hg, which in Chengxi Lake was higher than that in Chengdong Lake. Geo-accumulation index and pollution load index all indicated that there were moderate pollutions for Cu, As, Hg, Ni and Zn. Comprehensive indexes of potential ecological risks showed that Cd and Hg exhibited the moderate potential ecological risks, the others were low risks. Mean sediment quality guideline quotient indicated that there was a moderate degree of potential adverse biological toxicity in lake sediments. Spatially, the seriously polluted contaminated were the central position of Chengxi Lake and the northeast end of Chengdong Lake. PCA-APCS-MLR revealed that that Cr, Ni, Cu and Zn were mainly from natural sources, while Cd, As, Hg and Pb elements were mainly from industrial sources and pesticide sources.
Frailty, physical performance and mortality in older patients with and without diabetic kidney disease: a longitudinal cohort study
Authors: Weng Shuo-Chun , Lin Cheng-Fu , Hsu Chiann-Yi , Lin Shih-Yi
Published: October 2022

Background: Declined renal function is associated with physical function impairment and frailty in a graded fashion. This study aimed to examine the relationship between renal function, frailty and physical performance with mortality in older patients with diabetes, while also determining their combined effects on patient outcome.
Methods: A longitudinal retrospective study was conducted in elderly patients with diabetes. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate of less than 60 ml/min, while the modified Rockwood frailty index (RFI) and physical function was determined by handgrip strength (HGS). Additionally, a timed up and go (TUG) test was assessed at baseline. Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazard analyses were used to analyze the association between CKD, frailty, physical function and mortality.
Results: For the 921 enrolled patients, their mean age was 82.0 ± 6.7 years. After a median 2.92 (interquartile range [IQR] 1.06–4.43) year follow-up, the survival rate was 67.6% and 85.5% in patients with CKD and without CKD. The mortality hazard ratio (crude HR) with CKD was 5.92 for those with an RFI higher than 0.313 (95% CI 3.44–10.18), 2.50 for a TUG time longer than 21 seconds (95% CI 1.22–5.13), and 2.67 for an HGS lower than 10.57 kg in females or 20.4 kg in males (95% CI 1.12–6.37). After multivariate adjustment, the mortality hazard ratio for an RFI ≥0.313 was 5.34 (95% CI 2.23–12.80) in CKD patients, but not in non-CKD patients. In subgroup analysis, patients experiencing CKD and frailty, or physical function impairment, had the lowest survival proportion followed by only frailty/declined physical function, only CKD, non-CKD and non-frailty/non-physical impairment.
Conclusions: CKD, frailty and physical function impairment were all associated with an increased mortality risk in older patients with diabetes, while the combined effects of these 3 factors were seen on patient outcome.
Polymer-derived SiOC reinforced with core-shell nanophase structure of ZrB2/ZrO2 for excellent and stable high-temperature microwave absorption (up to 900°C)
Authors: Jia Yujun , Yang Ni , Xu Shaofan , Snyder Alexander , Patrick Jason , Kumar Rajan , Zhang Dajie , Xu Chengying
Published: October 2022

Microwave absorbing materials for high-temperature harsh environments are highly desirable for aerodynamically heated parts and engine combustion induced hot spots of aircrafts. This study reports ceramic composites with excellent and stable high-temperature microwave absorption in air, which are made of polymer-derived SiOC reinforced with core-shell nanophase structure of ZrB2/ZrO2. The fabricated ceramic composites have a crystallized t-ZrO2 interface between ZrB2 and SiOC domains. The ceramic composites exhibit stable dielectric properties, which are relatively insensitive to temperature change from room temperature to 900oC. The return loss exceeds − 10dB, especially between 28-40GHz, at the elevated temperatures. The stable high-temperature electromagnetic (EM) absorption properties are attributed to the stable dielectric and electrical properties induced by the core-shell nanophase structure of ZrB2/ZrO2. Crystallized t-ZrO2 serve as nanoscale dielectric interfaces between ZrB2 and SiOC, which are favorable for EM wave introduction for enhancing polarization loss and absorption. Existence of t-ZrO2 interface also changes the temperature-dependent DC conductivity of ZrB2/SiOC ceramic composites when compared to that of ZrB2 and SiOC alone. Experimental results from thermomechanical, jet flow, thermal shock, and water vapor tests demonstrate that the developed ceramic composites have high stability in harsh environments, and can be used as high-temperature wide-band microwave absorbing structural materials.
Effect of nitrogen and spacing on flower yield of spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis L.)
Authors: Ghormade Ashish S. , Haldavnekar P. C.
Published: October 2022

Aim: The present investigation entitled “Effect of nitrogen and spacing on flowering of spider lily (Hymenocallis littoralis L.)” was undertaken at College of Horticulture, Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli by considering the commercial importance of spider lily under Konkan agro-climatic conditions.
Methodology: The experiment was laid out in a split plot design using four levels of nitrogen and three levels of spacing with three replications along with the common dosage of phosphorous (150 kg ha-1) and potassium (100 kg ha-1).
Results: Flower yield and yield attributing characters viz., the highest number of flower buds per plant (46.84), flower buds per ha (16.01 lakh), flower yield per plot (8.50 kg) and flower yield per ha (6.56 t ha-1) were recorded with the treatment N1 (300 kg ha-1). With regards to spacing, the highest number of flower buds per plant (36.23), flower buds per ha (19.37 lakh), flower yield per plot (9.48 kg) and flower yield per ha (7.31 t ha-1) was recorded in S3 (30 × 60 cm). However, the interaction effect of treatment combination N1S3 (300 kg N ha-1 ; 30 × 60 cm) recorded the highest number of flower buds per plant (58.52), flower buds per ha (29.49 lakh), flower yield per plot (16.06 kg) and flower yield per ha (12.39 t ha-1).
Interpretation: The observations were recorded on various flowering parameters namely number of flower buds per plant, flower buds per ha (lakh ha-1), flower yield per plot (kg plot-1) and flower yield per ha (t ha-1) and most of the parameters were differed significantly at highest levels of nitrogen and spacing.
Change in prostate volume reduction and symptomatic improvement in men treated with Rezūm convective water vapour thermal thera
Authors: Elterman Dean , Bhojani Naeem , Vannabouathong Christopher , Chughtai Bilal , Zorn Kevin
Published: October 2022

Background: Rezūm convective water vapour thermal therapy is a minimally invasive, office-based treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). While studies have demonstrated its efficacy in symptomatic improvement, its effect on objective measures such as prostate volume (PV) reduction is poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change in PV and its relationship to improvement in symptom scores following Rezūm therapy.
Methods: Quality of life outcomes and PV were assessed at baseline and 12 months post-procedure. The percent change from baseline in outcomes and PV were calculated for each patient, as was the injection to baseline volume ratio. The association between the total number of vapour injections and changes in outcomes and PV were evaluated using linear regression models.
Results: A total of 49 patients (mean age = 67.8; standard deviation [SD] = 9.4) underwent the procedure between April 2019 and September 2020, with a median baseline PV of 71.5 and median number of vapour injections of 11.0. At 12 months, the median percent change in prostate volume was -34.0% (interquartile range: -49.2%, -16.7%), with 45/49 (91.8%) patients having reduced volume. Among the 45 patients with reduced volume at 12 months, every 10% increase in volume reduction was associated with a 7.5% (95% confidence interval, 1.4% to 13.6%; p=0.02) improvement in the International Prostate Symptom Score. There was no significant association between the total number of injections or injection to baseline volume ratio and change in PV.
Conclusions: In this cohort of patients treated with Rezūm convective water vapour thermal therapy for BPH, it was demonstrated that there is a correlation between greater PV reduction and greater symptomatic improvement. Additionally, this study showed no association between more injections or the ratio of injections to prostate volume changes, refuting the claim that more injections are better.
Factors Affecting Women’s Utilization of Prenatal Care Services in Gumuz Community
Authors: Almaw Dagne Yiradu
Published: October 2022

Underutilization of prenatal care services is one of the major hindrances which contribute for poor maternal health situations in Ethiopia. Studies with detailed investigation of factors influencing the prenatal care services especially in those remotely located communities in the country are limited. Therefore, the very purpose of this study was to explore factors affecting women in utilizing antenatal care services in Gumuz community. Moreover, making statistical measures on some identified variables to support the qualitative findings was another purpose. To attain these objectives, the study used Sequential Exploratory Mixed Method design. In-depth interview, focus group discussion, key informant interview and Survey questionnaires were used to gather data, thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data and descriptive, bivariate and multivariate analysis was used for the quantitative data. The findings showed that lack of knowledge about the services and negative attitude towards prenatal care services were identified as factors affecting women’s utilization of prenatal care services. Besides, women’s commitment to traditional ways of life, use of Gafias (local Magicians) treatments, using the local food taboo as a treatment and religious influences were identified as socio-cultural factors affecting women in using modern health care services. The results of the bivariate and multivariate analysis supported that knowledge and attitude have associations and significant effect on the service utilization. The study concludes that lack of knowledge, negative attitude, women’s commitments to traditional ways of life, Gafias treatments, local food taboo, religious influences, are the major factors affecting Gumuz women in using modern health care services. The finding of this study has important implications for further research, practice and policy and they are indicated in the paper.
Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities as partners in the sequencing of all eukaryotic life for the future of life
Authors: Cartney Ann Mc , Tsosie K. S. , Sterner B , Glass J. R. , Paez S , Geary J , Hudson Maui , Head Mitchell A.
Published: October 2022

The aim to sequence, catalog, and characterize the genomes of all of Earth’s eukaryotic biodiversity is the shared mission of many ongoing large scale biodiversity genomics initiatives. Reference genomes of our global flora and fauna have the potential to inform a broad range of major issues facing both biodiversity and humanity, such as the impact of climate change, the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems, public health crises, and the preservation and enhancement of ecosystem services. Biodiversity is dramatically declining: 28% of species being assessed by IUCN are threatened with extinction and recent reports suggest that a transformative change is needed to conserve and protect what remains. To provide a collective and global genomic response to the biodiversity crisis, many biodiversity genomics initiatives have come together, creating a network of networks under the Earth BioGenome Project. This network seeks to expedite the creation of an openly available, “public good” encyclopedia of high-quality eukaryotic reference genomes, in hope that by advancing our basic understanding of nature it can lead to the transformational scientific developments needed to conserve and protect global biodiversity. Key to completing this ambitious encyclopedia of reference genomes, is the ability to responsibly, ethically, legally, and equitably access and use samples from all of the eukaryotic species across the planet, including those that are under the custodianship of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities. Here, the biodiversity genomics community is subject to the provisions codified in international, national, and local legislations but also customary community policies and protocols. We propose a framework to support biodiversity genomic researchers, projects, and initiatives in building trustworthy and sustainable partnerships with communities, providing minimum recommendations on how to access, utilize, preserve, handle, share, analyze and communicate samples, genomics data and associated Traditional Knowledge obtained from, and in partnership with, Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities across the data-lifecycle.
Limited vertical transmission of gut bacteria in commercial chickens
Authors: Shterzer Naama , Rothschild Nir , Sbehat Yara , Dayan Jonathan , Eytan Dor , Uni Zehava , Mills Erez
Published: October 2022

Background: Efficient vertical transmission of commensal gut microbes is important for the host in order to promote gut microbiota functions such as protection from gut pathogens, and for gut microbes considering microbial competition over limited niche space. While the role of direct contact with parents in transmission is well established, conflicting reports exist regarding transmission in commercial settings where chicks are raised separated from adults, including the utilization of the chicken egg as a transmission mechanism. This question is also relevant to other vertebrates which leave their eggs after laying.
Results: We compared the fecal microbiota of poultry chicks hatched and grown separately, with the microbiota of their mothers over three rounds of egg incubation and chick growth. We found that most bacterial strains identified in the hens did not appear at all in chicks up to two weeks of age. Furthermore, most of the strains common with the hens which did appear in chicks had a low incidence among the chicks. Thus, the gut microbiota of hens does not efficiently transmit to chicks when there is no contact with adults. That been said, a few bacterial strains common with the hens were good colonizers of chicks; these included members of Lactobacillales and Enterobacteriales. Finally, we performed two interventions in an attempt to disrupt transmission. In round two, we sprayed a disinfectant on half of the eggs. In round three, we treated half of the hens with an antibiotic cocktail which decimated their cecum and fecal microbiota. Both interventions resulted in a reduction in chick colonization. Interestingly, both interventions affected strains shared with the hens as well as strains not identified in hen samples, implying many ‘environmental’ opportunistic strains reach the chicks through the egg.
Conclusions: To conclude, vertical transmission in commercial poultry grown separately from hens likely exists but is not efficient, possibly resulting in impairment of microbiota function as evidenced by sensitivity of chicks to gut pathogens. These results also imply that artificial exposure to adult hen bacterial strains might result in improved microbiota functioning.
Enhanced supercontinuum generation in waveguides coated with graphene oxide films
Authors: moss david
Published: October 2022

Enhanced supercontinuum generation (SCG) is experimentally demonstrated in integrated silicon nitride (Si3N4) waveguides incorporating highly nonlinear graphene oxide (GO) in the form of two-dimensional (2D) films. On-chip integration of the 2D GO films with precise control of their thickness is realized by using a transfer-free and layer-by-layer coating method. The control of the film length and coating position is achieved via window opening in the upper silica cladding of the photonic integrated chips. Detailed SCG measurements are performed using the fabricated devices with different waveguide geometries and GO film thicknesses, and the results are compared with devices without GO. Significantly improved spectral broadening of ultrashort optical pulses with ultrahigh peaks powers exceeding 1000 W is observed for the hybrid devices, achieving up to 2.4 times improvement in the spectral bandwidth relative to devices without GO. Theoretical analyses for the influence of GO film thickness, coating length, coating position, and waveguide geometry are also provided by fitting the experimental results with theory, showing that there is still significant room for further improvement. This work opens up a promising new avenue towards improving the SCG performance of photonic integrated devices by incorporating functional 2D materials.
Discrete Wavelet Transform-Graph Convolution Network-based Short-Term Traffic Flow Forecasting
Authors: Shen Eric Z.
Published: October 2022

One of the research areas in intelligent transportation is traffic prediction. In order to more thoroughly examine the temporal and spatial characteristics of traffic flow sequences and increase forecast accuracy, this study suggests a short-term traffic flow prediction model based on discrete wavelet transformation (DWT) and graph convolutional networks (GCNs). First, the DWT method breaks down the original traffic sequences into precise and approximative components in order to lessen the non-stationarity of the traffic flow data. In order to extract the spatial properties of road networks, the adjacency matrix of the GCN model is secondly improved by the addition of the distance factor term. Finally, the prediction results from each group of components deconstructed by DWT are combined to provide the final prediction value, which is fed to the GCN model independently for each group. The proposed model's mean absolute error (MAE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), when compared to the ARIMA, WNN, and GCN models, have been reduced by $57 \%$ and $59\%$, respectively. This indicates that the proposed model is a successful method for forecasting short-term traffic flow. The model is tested on the Caltrans PeMS dataset.
Observed autogamy in Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.)
Authors: Akuaku Jones , Kotey Daniel Ashie , Akumah Asiwome Mensah , Egbadzor Kenneth Fafa
Published: October 2022

Baobab (Adansonia digitata L.) is an important wild tree of African origin which is currently attracting interest for domestication. Flower polymorphism observed on baobab trees at the Ho Technical University (HTU), Ghana, raised interest in understanding the phenomenon since it may have implication for reproduction in the species. This led to the objective of examining if baobab flowers could self-fertilize. In furtherance of this, flowering in five, two-year-old baobab trees were monitored. Two of the trees had preanthesis cleistogamous flowers while the other three had dichogamous flowers. The trees with the preanthesis cleistogamous flowers fruited, while those with dichogamous flowers did not. These observations suggested that the preanthesis cleistogamous trees might have self-compatible flowers, while the other type might not have. This seems to be the first report of autogamous fruiting in baobab. Self-compatible trees have a high probability of fruiting and therefore would be higher yielding. In addition, fixing of superior traits is easier in self-compatible trees. Confirmation of the finding is recommended and consequent attempts at domesticating the species should focus on preanthesis cleistogamous baobab trees with desired characters.
Wicked facets of the German energy transition – examples from the electricity, heating, transport, and industry sectors
Authors: Biehl Juliane , Missbach Leonard , Riedel Franziska , Stemmle Ruben , Jüchter Julian , Weber Jessica , Kucknat Johanna , Odenweller Adrian , Nauck Christian , Lukassen Laura , Zech Matthias , Grimm Marie
Published: October 2022

Wicked problems occur when decision-makers face constant change or unprecedented challenges and when uncertainty, complexity, and stakeholder divergence are high. We shed light on wicked problems in the German energy transition. Our methods consist of a multiple-case study and comparative multi-criteria analysis, utilising the wicked problems theoretical framework introduced by Horst Rittel and Melvin Webber (1973). Based on four exemplary cases, our research covers four core energy transition sectors: energy supply (developing onshore wind power), heating/cooling (using shallow geothermal energy systems), transport (decarbonising the transport sector), and industry (decarbonising the chemical industry sector). Cross-case results illustrate where and how the 10-point frame of wicked problems manifests in the German energy transition. We do not argue that the German energy transition is inherently wicked, yet we stress the need to consider potentially wicked facets of energy transition challenges. Our results show that the four cases exhibit more wicked tendencies in the governance domain than in the technical dimension. All cases exhibit wicked facets in the governance dimension, given strong normative assumptions, value divergence, and complex governance structures with a plurality of actors. From a technical perspective, the four cases still exhibit some wicked tendencies, e.g. raw material provision, skilled workforce, and waste management. The cases differ in technology maturity, state of knowledge, and degree of policy output and regulations. In applying the wickedness lens, we acknowledge that energy transition problems cannot be solved merely by technical measures but need to be tamed. Our work reflects which challenges and main barriers pertain to the four cases of the German energy transition. Understanding the elements of wickedness in a specific problem in the first step offers insights for addressing and managing these challenges in the next step.
AUTHORSHIP CONCENTRATION IN HEALTH SCIENCES JOURNALS FROM LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Authors:   , Fontenelle Leonardo Ferreira
Published: October 2022

To describe authorship concentration indexes (proportion of articles by the most prolific author [PPMP]; Gini coefficient) among health sciences journals indexed in LILACS, and to compare them to what a previous study found in MEDLINE.
Formation of Whipped Yeast-Free Bread Crumb with Intensive Microwave Convective Baking
Authors: Magomedov Gazibeg , Khvostov Anatoly , Zhuravlev Aleksey , Magomedov Magomed , Taratukhin Aleksei , Plotnikova Inessa
Published: October 2022

The development of the technology of whipped yeast-free bread made from whole wheat flour is an urgent task of baking. To implement this technology, it is necessary to properly manage the foaming process of whipped yeast-free dough while preserving the highly porous structure of the crumb of whipped dough blanks and thin-walled bread crust during baking. The purpose of the work is to study the quality changes and establish the modes of preparation of churned yeast-free dough, as well as churned dough blanks with their combined microwave-convective heating.

In the work, samples of churned yeast-free dough obtained on a mixing-churning-forming plant and churned test blanks after pre-microwave heating with a finely porous crumb formed were studied. For an objective assessment of the porosity of bread crumb, a method of optical quantitative analysis of the structure of air bubbles has been developed.

It was found that, taking into account the restriction on the maximum size of air bubbles in the crumb, churned yeast-free test blanks with a density of 0.40 ± 0.03 g/cm3 with finely dispersed air bubbles were preliminarily obtained, in order to form a stable highly porous structure, they were previously subjected to microwave heating at a temperature of 65 ± 1°C in the center of the crumb, and then convective heating at at a temperature of 99 ± 1°C in the center of the crumb to form a thin-walled crust of bread. The conducted studies have shown the dependence of changes in the porosity of the crumb, the formation of its structure on the duration of microwave heating of churned dough blanks. The rational duration of pre-microwave heating of churned dough blanks is determined – 70–80 s and final convective heating during bread baking – up to 14 min. The use of combined microwave-convective heating of churned dough blanks reduces the baking process by 26 min.

The presented approach, together with the method of optical evaluation of air bubbles, allows us to develop an algorithm for optimal control of the process of combined baking bread. The accelerated technology of churned yeast-free bread has been developed and is highly promising for widespread implementation in civil and military bakery.
Cereals and Cereal Products for Dietary Preventive Nutrition
Authors: Urubkov Sergey , Korolev Aleksei , Smirnov Stanislav
Published: October 2022

Providing senior citizens with specialized gerontological products is one of the most important tasks of the contemporary food industry. The research objective was to develop targeted functional foods for elderly population based on the peculiarities of their metabolism.

The new products included raw materials with a low glycemic index and a high protein content but a low fat and carbohydrate content, e.g., lentil, pea, and barley flour. Kelp powder served as a source of iodine. The content of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates was studied by infrared spectroscopy using a Spectastar 2500 analyzer. Vitamins, minerals, and trace elements were measured by classical and modern analysis methods.

The research also included a sensory evaluation of the new cereals and cereal products. As for the basic nutrients, the protein content was 20.96–24.33 g/100 g, fat – 3.36–3.49 g/100 g, carbohydrates – 45.07–47.10 g/100 g, energy – 327–333 kcal/100 g. One portion (150 g) satisfied the recommended daily intake of proteins by 18.0%, fats – by 2.9%, carbohydrates – by 9.1%, dietary fiber – by 30.5%, and energy – by 9.13%.

The new products had a good nutritional value and were rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, and micro- and macro-elements, e.g., iodine. The new cereals and cereal products can also be used in diets for senior patients with comorbid pathology.
Seasonal Changes in the Protein Composition of Khainak Milk
Authors: Elemanova Rimma
Published: October 2022

The qualitative composition of commercial milk is a relevant issue of the food industry. The khainak, or yattle, is a hybrid between the yak and domestic cattle. The research objective was to study the seasonal protein composition of khainak milk from the Northern Kyrgyzstan highlands.

The study featured samples of khainak milk obtained from farms located in the Issyk-Kul region at an altitude of 2840 m above sea level. Standard research methods included high pressure liq uid chromatography and capillary electrophoresis. Khainak milk has more protein than cow milk, and the mass fraction of protein in it is 3.91–4.39%. In this research, the mass fraction of protein in khainak milk obtained in spring, summer, and autumn exceeded that of cow milk by 0.54, 1.02, and 0.84%, respectively. The total nitrogen content correlated with the mass fraction of protein, i.e., it was at its highest in summer (0.689 ± 0.004%). The content of non-protein nitrogen remained almost the same (0.0489–0.0496%). Spring milk contained by 0.2% more whey protein than summer milk (0.94 ± 0.05%) and autumn milk (0.97 ± 0.05%). Summer milk demonstrated a 1% increase in casein proteins, compared to spring and autumn samples. The average β-lactoglobulin content was 2.35 mg·mL–1, while α-lactoalbumin was 2.12 mg·mL–1 of the total albumin fraction. In terms of amino acid composition, khainak milk was balanced except for tryptophan. In the warm season, the content of essential amino acids was higher than in the cold season ( P < 0.05), which corresponded to the changes in total protein co ntent.

Khainak milk is richer in protein and some other components than cow milk, which makes it a valuable non-traditional dairy raw material for such protein products as cheese or cottage che ese, including their functional variants.
Extracting Organic Compounds from Brewer's Spent Grain by Various Methods
Authors: Gribkova Irina , Kharlamova Larisa , Sevostianova Elena , Lazareva Irina , Zakharov Maxim , Borisenko Olga
Published: October 2022

Brewer's spent grain is a brewing industry waste product that contains various valuable biologically active substances. However, polymers can complicate their extraction. This article focuses on innovative extraction methods, including sustainable deep processing that destroys the internal structures of plant matrix. The research objective was to review publications on the sustainable brewer's spent grain processing as a source of secondary raw materials and plant matrix organic compounds.

The study featured the last 5–10 years of foreign and domestic analytical and technical publications on grain structure and extraction methods.

Unlike the traditional acidic, alkaline, and enzymatic methods of grain processing, physical and mechanical methods aim at extracting biogenic peptides, phenolic compounds, and fatty acids. The nature of the processing depends on the type of the extracted compound. Thus, for the extraction of reducing compounds intended for sorption, exposure to high temperatures (≥ 150°C) is the most effective method. A combined treatment with acids or alkalis of the cellulose-lignin complex makes it possible to achieve a 76.2% yield of hemicelluloses. Acid hydrolysis of arabinoxylans is effective at 120–160°C. Alkaline hydrolysis combined with physical treatment makes it possible to reach 60% of arabinoxylans in a mix with phenolic compounds. When extracting nitrogen-containing, phenolic, and lipid compounds, the degree of grinding of the biomaterial and the organic solvent is of great importance. The optimal degree makes it possible to preserve the spatial structure while maintaining a high yield (86%) of organic compounds. Ultrafiltration concentrates the isolated biogenic compound and preserves its activity with a high yield of up to 95%.

The analysis proved that the brewer's spent grain processing can be both feasible and environmentally friendly. It produces a high yield of pure organic compounds, e.g., peptides, phenolic compounds, fatty acids, etc.