bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preoperative spinal education for lumbar spinal stenosis: A feasibility study
Authors: Eubanks James E. , Cupler Zachary A. , Gliedt Jordan A. , Bejarano Geronimo , Skolasky Richard L. , Smeets Rob J. E. M. , Schneider Michael J.
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a leading cause of chronic musculoskeletal pain among older adults. A common and costly intervention for the treatment of LSS is lumbar decompression with or without fusion (LSS surgery), which has mixed outcomes among patients. Prehabilitation is a strategy designed to optimize the consistency of positive surgical outcomes and promote patient self‐efficacy, while attempting to mitigate postoperative complications. No efforts have investigated the prehabilitation strategies specifically for patients undergoing LSS surgery.

Objective

To determine the feasibility of delivery and acceptability by participants of a novel prehabilitation intervention for patients undergoing LSS surgery.

Design

Feasibility study.

Setting

Outpatient orthopedic clinic at an academic medical center.

Participants

Patients at least 50 years of age, who were scheduled for LSS surgery between October 2020 and October 2021.

Intervention

PreOperative Spinal Education for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis (POSE‐LSS), is a novel multimodal, education‐focused, time‐efficient prehabilitation program for patients undergoing LSS surgery. Participants received the following: (1) Educational booklet and video; (2) In‐person physical therapy (PT) session; and (3) Telemedicine visit with a physiatrist.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

The primary outcomes of interest were feasibility and acceptability of intervention by participants. Key potential surgical outcomes were length of stay and discharge disposition.

Results

POSE‐LSS was completed by all eligible participants enrolled (n = 15) indicating feasibility and acceptability. Potential effectiveness measures including length of stay and discharge disposition were positively associated with the POSE‐LSS intervention.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that a novel prehabilitation intervention is feasible, acceptable, and appears positively associated with important short‐term measures of postoperative recovery that may impact the trajectory of patient care following LSS surgery.
Physiologically based pharmacokinetics modeling and transporter proteomics to predict systemic and local liver and muscle disposition of statins
Authors: Prieto Garcia Luna , Vildhede Anna , Nordell Pär , Ahlström Christine , Montaser Ahmed B. , Terasaki Tetsuya , Lennernäs Hans , Sjögren Erik
Published: April 2024

Statins are used to reduce liver cholesterol levels but also carry a dose‐related risk of skeletal muscle toxicity. Concentrations of statins in plasma are often used to assess efficacy and safety, but because statins are substrates of membrane transporters that are present in diverse tissues, local differences in intracellular tissue concentrations cannot be ruled out. Thus, plasma concentration may not be an adequate indicator of efficacy and toxicity. To bridge this gap, we used physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling to predict intracellular concentrations of statins. Quantitative data on transporter clearance were scaled from in vitro to in vivo conditions by integrating targeted proteomics and transporter kinetics data. The developed PBPK models, informed by proteomics, suggested that organic anion–transporting polypeptide 2B1 (OATP2B1) and multidrug resistance–associated protein 1 (MRP1) play a pivotal role in the distribution of statins in muscle. Using these PBPK models, we were able to predict the impact of alterations in transporter function due to genotype or drug–drug interactions on statin systemic concentrations and exposure in liver and muscle. These results underscore the potential of proteomics‐guided PBPK modeling to scale transporter clearance from in vitro data to real‐world implications. It is important to evaluate the role of drug transporters when predicting tissue exposure associated with on‐ and off‐target effects.
A computational investigation on the photochemistry of the popular spin‐trap agent N‐tert‐butyl‐α‐phenylnitrone (PBN) and thermal isomerization pathways of its photoproduct oxaziridine
Authors: Nikam Rajeshwari , Chattopadhyay Anjan
Published: April 2024

Computational investigation on the low‐lying photo‐excited states of N‐tert‐butyl‐α‐phenylnitrone (PBN), a well‐known spin‐trap agent, has revealed its photo‐product (oxaziridine) formation channel. The S0‐S2 vertical excitation in PBN is subsequently followed by a non‐radiative decay pathway through S2/S1 and S0/S1 conical intersections (CIs) with CNO‐kinked structures, situated around 23 kcal/mol and 45 kcal/mol below the vertically excited S2 state, respectively. The reverse photo‐process of PBN formation involves photo‐excitation of oxaziridine to its S2 and S3 photo‐excited states. The forward photo‐isomerization leads to the trans‐oxaziridine with a backside CNO kink (trans‐OXB) while the reverse path studied by us, connects its front‐side CNO‐kinked analogue (trans‐OXF) with the PBN. Our search for the reverse thermal reaction paths from these two oxazirdines has led to their corresponding transition states, one at 35 kcal/mol and the other at 27 kcal/mol above trans‐OXF and trans‐OXB geometries, respectively. They lead to two different isomers (E and Z) of PBN which supports the reported nature of products from the trans‐oxaziridine in this thermal reaction. The inversion path of the chiral nitrogen atom of this N‐tert‐butyl‐oxaziridine (barrier 21 kcal/mol) has also been tracked. This reaction path has been compared with that of the N‐methyl (barrier 30 kcal/mol) and N‐acyl (barrier 10.5 kcal/mol) oxaziridine analogues.
A feature extraction framework for discovering pan‐cancer driver genes based on multi‐omics data
Authors: Xue Xiaomeng , Li Feng , Shang Junliang , Dai Lingyun , Ge Daohui , Ren Qianqian
Published: April 2024

The identification of tumor driver genes facilitates accurate cancer diagnosis and treatment, playing a key role in precision oncology, along with gene signaling, regulation, and their interaction with protein complexes. To tackle the challenge of distinguishing driver genes from a large number of genomic data, we construct a feature extraction framework for discovering pan‐cancer driver genes based on multi‐omics data (mutations, gene expression, copy number variants, and DNA methylation) combined with protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks. Using a network propagation algorithm, we mine functional information among nodes in the PPI network, focusing on genes with weak node information to represent specific cancer information. From these functional features, we extract distribution features of pan‐cancer data, pan‐cancer TOPSIS features of functional features using the ideal solution method, and SetExpan features of pan‐cancer data from the gene functional features, a method to rank pan‐cancer data based on the average inverse rank. These features represent the common message of pan‐cancer. Finally, we use the lightGBM classification algorithm for gene prediction. Experimental results show that our method outperforms existing methods in terms of the area under the check precision‐recall curve (AUPRC) and demonstrates better performance across different PPI networks. This indicates our framework’s effectiveness in predicting potential cancer genes, offering valuable insights for the diagnosis and treatment of tumors.
Constrained minimum variance and covariance steering based on affine disturbance feedback control parameterization
Authors: Balci Isin M. , Bakolas Efstathios
Published: April 2024

This paper deals with finite‐horizon minimum‐variance and covariance steering problems subject to constraints. The goal of the minimum variance problem is to steer the state mean of an uncertain system to a prescribed vector while minimizing the trace of its terminal state covariance whereas the goal in the covariance steering problem is to steer the covariance matrix of the terminal state to a prescribed positive definite matrix. The paper proposes a solution approach that relies on a stochastic version of the affine disturbance feedback control parametrization. In this control policy parametrization, the control input at each stage is expressed as an affine function of the history of disturbances that have acted upon the system. It is shown that this particular parametrization reduces the stochastic optimal control problems considered in this paper into tractable convex programs or difference of convex functions programs with essentially the same decision variables. In addition, the paper proposes a variation of this control parametrization that relies on truncated histories of past disturbances, which allows for sub‐optimal controllers to be designed that strike a balance between performance and computational cost. The suboptimality of the truncated policies is formally analyzed and closed form expressions are provided for the performance loss due to the use of the truncation scheme. Finally, the paper concludes with a comparative analysis of the truncated versions of the proposed policy parametrization and other standard policy parametrizations through numerical simulations.
Predictive cloud control for nonlinear multiagent systems based on extended state observer and quantizers
Authors: Peng Yan , Yang Hongjiu , Ge Chao , Yao Zheng
Published: April 2024

In this article, predictive cloud control is investigated for nonlinear networked multiagent system (NMAS) with quantizers via extended state observer (ESO). Considering the network‐induced delays in NMAS, the cloud control scheme is designed. Then, arbitrary region quantizers are used to decrease the quantity of data packets. Moreover, the ESO that can estimate the state and uncertainty of nonlinear NMAS is used to obtain the prediction of data packets. Input‐to‐state stability (ISS) can guarantee the validity of ESO. Sufficient conditions that can achieve stability and consistency for NMAS are given by the zoom strategy. The significance of the scheme is verified by simulation results.
Enhancing Healing of Infected Wounds with Glycerin‐Modified Sodium Alginate/Silk Sericin Composite Film Functionalized with Polygonatum sibiricum Polysaccharide‐Capped Silver Nanoparticles
Authors: Yang Zicheng , Li Rongyu , Wang Ruonan , Qian Senhe
Published: April 2024

A sodium alginate/silk sericin (SA/SS) film was modified with glycerin (GI) and Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharide@silver nanoparticles (PSP@AgNPs) to create a SA/SS/GI/PSP@AgNP composite film with antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The physicochemical properties of the SA/SS/GI/PSP@AgNP composite film were analyzed, and its cytocompatibility, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial properties were investigated. The optimum conditions for the preparation of the SA/SS/GI/PSP@AgNP composite film were 2 % SA, 2 % SS, 20 % GI, and 40 μg/mL of PSP@AgNPs. The addition of GI improved the surface smoothness of the composite films, while the presence of PSP@AgNPs did not significantly alter it. Spectroscopic characterization demonstrated that GI and PSP@AgNPs were physically bound to SA/SS. Approximately 53 % of the PSP@AgNP was released from the SA/SS/GI/PSP@AgNP composite film over 24 h of soaking in aqueous solution. The resulting leaching solution did not cause hemolysis or cytotoxicity, indicating its biocompatibility. Additionally, the SA/SS/GI/PSP@AgNP composite film exhibited strong antioxidant and antibacterial properties, and it promoted healing of mouse wounds infected with Staphylococcus aureus.
Molecular Chirality of Biosynthesized PHB Translates into Uniformly Curved Single Crystals in Langmuir Films
Authors: Tarazona Natalia A. , Keller Manuela , Machatschek Rainhard
Published: April 2024

While in nature, molecular chirality enables the formation of chiral macroscopic structures through crystallization and self‐organization, such a transfer of molecular information to higher hierarchical levels is rarely observed in vitro. Here, the study reports on single crystals of microbially synthesized polyester poly[(R)‐3‐hydroxybutyrate], which have chiral habits when grown at the air–water interface, in analogy to the 2D crystallization of chiral lipids such as DPPC. Depending on the crystallization conditions, the chiral single crystals either undergo a transition into fiber‐like structures, orassemble into larger superstructures with a uniform sense of rotation.
Starch/Wood Powder/Glycerol/Lemongrass Essential Oil Composite as Hydro‐Degradable Materials for 3D Printing
Authors: Chan Mieow Kee , Wang Chan Chin , Tee Yi Shen , Tan Mei Hui , Janasekaran Shamini , Abd Aziz Izhar , Musa Shahrul Irwan , Mohammed Khir Muhammad Ridzuan
Published: April 2024

The dependency of 3D printing on thermoplastics releases volatile organic compounds and contributes to global microplastic pollution. The objective of this study is to explore the potential of hydro‐degradable starch‐based composite as a 3D printing material by considering its printability, hydro‐degradability, and strength. Starch is hydro degradable, however, it exhibits low strength thus attempts are made to improve the strength of the composite by starch coating and using lemongrass essential oil (LEO) as an additive. The result shows that 0.2 wt% of LEO increased the strength of starch/wood powder/glycerol/LEO (SWGL) composite by 55% and reduced the contact angle by ≈27° compared to the control. Starch coating increases the strength of the composite by filling up the voids in the structure and producing an integrated homogeneous surface. The SWGL composites exhibit good hydro degradability, especially under acidic conditions, due to the high‐water sorption rate and solubility. The printability of SWGL composites is good where the objects are printed as designed with the aid of a heating chamber. In conclusion, SWGL with 0.5wt% LEO is suitable for real‐life application as the 3D printing material for photo frames and souvenirs due to its good hydro degradability and moderate tensile strength.
When Less Is More: The Semiotic Privilege of Status Downplay
Authors: Jaffe‐Dax Hamutal
Published: April 2024

Why do affluent people drive used cars, elite chefs praise basic ingredients, and upper‐middle couples arrange backyard weddings? What makes senior professors feel comfortable dressing down and allows men to bring their kids into the office? This article takes a formal sociological approach to explore the cultural phenomenon of “Status Downplay”—a paradoxical type of status display, where more social status is signaled through a subtraction of status symbols. The trans‐contextual analysis of diverse manifestations of status downplay uncovers the inverted cultural presumptions of “doing” and “being” and the hierarchical classifications underlying such parodical presentation of self. The proposed semiotic model articulates the social privilege of unmarked actors' performative flexibility: the social license of those considered “normals” to deviate from the performative norm. Under this asymmetrical structure, status underdoings are revealed as markers of cultural dominance.
Fundamental Study on Recovery of Spilled Oil by Magnetic Pickering Emulsification
Authors: Saito Kota , Akiyama Yoko , Manabe Yuichiro , Sato Fuminobu
Published: April 2024

Heavy oil spills from stranded oil tankers are a global problem. The recovery of spilled oil must have a low environmental impact and must be capable of processing large quantities at high speeds. In this study, we investigated the application of magnetic separation for the recovery of spilled oil. Pickering emulsions were formed by heavy oil and magnetite, and recovery was carried out using a drum‐type permanent magnet. Pickering emulsions were successfully formed by stirring heavy oil A and magnetite, and magnetic separation experiments showed that up to 90% of the heavy oil A could be recovered. To recycle magnetite, a small amount of heavy oil was added to the recovered Pickering emulsions, and then a strong magnetic field of a superconducting bulk magnet was applied, which resulted in easy solid–liquid separation. The possibility of recycling magnetite after separation was also demonstrated. Finally, a small‐scale system using drum‐type permanent magnets was developed, and magnetic separation experiments were performed. The results showed that approximately 77% of the heavy oil A could be recovered. Particle trajectory simulations also demonstrated the recoverability of heavy oil at the sea surface. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Do recolonising wolves trigger non‐consumptive effects in European ecosystems? A review of evidence
Authors: Gerber Nina , Riesch Friederike , Bojarska Katarzyna , Zetsche Maria , Rohwer Nina‐K. , Signer Johannes , Isselstein Johannes , Herzog Sven , Okarma Henryk , Kuijper Dries P. J. , Balkenhol Niko
Published: April 2024

Predators can affect ecosystems through non‐consumptive effects (NCE) on their prey, which can lead to cascading effects on the vegetation. In mammalian communities, such cascading effects on whole ecosystems have mainly been demonstrated in protected areas, but the extent to which such effects may occur in more human‐dominated landscapes remains disputable. With the recolonisation of wolves Canis lupus in Europe, understanding the potential for such cascading processes becomes crucial for understanding the ecological consequences of wolf recovery and making appropriate management recommendations. Here, we investigate the evidence for non‐consumptive effects of wolves on their wild ungulate prey and cascading effects on the vegetation in European landscapes. We reviewed empirical studies reporting wild ungulate responses to wolves involving spatio‐temporal behaviour at large and fine spatial scales, activity patterns, vigilance, grouping, physiological effects, and effects on the vegetation. We reveal that non‐consumptive effects of wolves in Europe have been studied in few regions and with focus on regions with low human impact, are highly context‐dependent, and might often be overruled by human‐related factors. Hence, we highlight the need for a description of human influence in NCE studies. We discuss challenges in NCE research and the potential for advances in future research on NCE of wolves in a human‐dominated landscape. We emphasise the need for wildlife management to restore ecosystem complexity and processes, to allow non‐consumptive predator effects to occur.
An Introduction to Industry 5.0: History, Foundations, and Futures
Authors: Metcalf Gary S.
Published: April 2024

The meaning of Industry 5.0 continues to evolve. It originally implied a reaction to the excesses of technologies in Industry 4.0, the era of cyber-physical systems and the Internet-of-Things. In the short time since the term was first used, artificial intelligence has taken over public attention, bringing new questions and new meanings. Many of the influences shaping our technologies, however, date back to the first Industrial Revolution: efficiency, profitability, etc. Will those same influences continue to shape future technological developments, or is this an era in which humans can choose to make new choices?
The Complexity of Sustainable Innovation, Transitional Impacts of Industry 4.0 to 5.0 for Our Societies: Circular Society Exploring the Systemic Nexus of Socioeconomic Transitions
Authors: Morales Manuel , Nousala Susu , Ghobakhloo Morteza
Published: April 2024

In this chapter, we explore and analyze the foundations of our societal relationships, in relation to the concept of industrial transitions. When trying to understand how humans, collectively and prospectively, adapt or react to socioeconomic disruptive changes like the one Industry 5.0 is enacting, two concepts emerge. The first concept is the scope at which humans can handle complex issues. The second is the speed at which they are able to reframe their mental models, based on exposure to high-speed information exchange, that may drive thinking towards unexpected and completely different outcomes. We argue that ecosystems and their innovation capabilities are the only available mechanism we collectively have to build creativity and address the prioritizing of societal values. Innovation ecosystems can supply the testbed pathways on which better societal functions may emerge. In summary, this chapter discusses ways in which socioeconomic transitions could be dynamically applied to relevant functional systems, with a time horizon that allows enough time for evaluation of the effects (positive or negative), so that elements could be changed and/or introduced into or for the system. The circular society described in this chapter would have both intended and unintended consequences, as does any social complex adaptive system. As such, changes to any social contract defining particular interactions and relevant issues, would in turn, contribute to the fabric of preconditions and definitions of the transition between Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0.
Coping with Industry 5.0: An Assessment of Evolving Soft Skills for the Workplace
Authors: Armstrong Ryan , Vergara Carlos Javier Torres
Published: April 2024

It has been suggested that the transition to the sustainable, resilient, and human-centered production of Industry 5.0 will require a new or enhanced set of soft skills for the workplace, an appealing suggestion but one with only incipient evidence. Meanwhile, major practitioner reports, policy documents, and scholarly work emphasize a need for soft skills, and employers increasingly signal their desire for candidates to possess them. In this chapter, we examine the drivers of a need for more soft skills, and the challenges in research and practice to supporting their acquisition. We identify widespread misconceptions about soft skills, which could ultimately limit their potential for supporting individual and societal well-being. We review the term’s history and foundation, which reveals a number of inherent challenges related to defining, recognizing, and evaluating soft skills. We then illustrate how these can be acknowledged and even embraced through an example of soft skill training from our own work. Finally, we discuss implications for researchers and practitioners.
Artificial Intelligence Capabilities and Hyperselfish Intelligence, the Possible Impacts, and Why Humans Need Industry 5.0
Authors: Fernando Rohan
Published: April 2024

This chapter explores the nature of intelligence itself, conceptualizing it as a massive operating system that functions on biological technology as human intelligence (HI), or digital technology as artificial intelligence (AI). Through the lens of biological technology, the operating system contains many different biological individuals, each with an evolved range of dimensional “capabilities” needed to exist in the world environment. The operating system itself can be considered a hyperselfish intelligence (HYPERINT) development system that is relentlessly evolving, and exploitatively optimizing the development of the highest performing technologies within the world environment, regardless of the needs of individuals or a species, in order to ruthlessly maximize its capabilities. This chapter argues that HYPERINT is driving humans towards a situation where AI technologies could rapidly lead to the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) with super intelligence that vastly exceeds HI and human controllability. Strong global regulation of AI is needed to protect human civilization from the most extreme risks of AI and AGI. In conclusion, the chapter argues that the global community must make a transition out of Industry 4.0, which focuses on progressive total automation of human work, and move towards the goals of Industry 5.0, which are more human-centric and globally sustainable.
CDC167 exhibits potential as a biomarker for airway inflammation in asthma
Authors: Zhong Yukai , Wu Qiong , Cai Li , Chen Yuanjing , Shen Qi
Published: April 2024

Current asthma treatments have been discovered to decrease the risk of disease progression. Herein, we aimed to characterize novel potential therapeutic targets for asthma. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for GSE64913 and GSE137268 datasets were characterized. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) was used to identify trait-related module genes within the GSE67472 dataset. The intersection of the module genes of interest, as well as the DEGs, comprised the key module genes that underwent additional candidate gene screening using machine learning. In addition, a bioinformatics-based approach was used to analyze the relative expression levels, diagnostic values, and reverently enriched pathways of the screened candidate genes. Furthermore, the candidate genes were silenced in asthmatic mice, and the inflammation and lung injury in the mice were validated. A total of 1710 DEGs were characterized in GSE64913 and GSE137268 for asthma patients. WGCNA identified 2367 asthma module genes, of which 285 overlapped with 1710 DEGs. Four candidate genes, CDC167, POSTN, SEC14L1, and SERPINB2, were validated using the intersection genes of three machine learning algorithms, including Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator, Random Forest, and Support Vector Machine. All the candidate genes were significantly upregulated in asthma patients and demonstrated diagnostic utility for asthma. Furthermore, silencing CDC167 reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines significantly and alleviated lung injury in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthmatic mice. Our study demonstrated that CDC167 exhibits potential as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for asthma patients.
Administration of Gas6 attenuates lung fibrosis via inhibition of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and fibroblast activation
Authors: Lee Ye-Ji , Kim Minsuk , Kim Hee-Sun , Kang Jihee Lee
Published: April 2024

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and fibroblast activation are major events in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis pathogenesis. Here, we investigated whether growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas6) plays a protective role in lung fibrosis via suppression of the EMT and fibroblast activation. rGas6 administration inhibited the EMT in isolated mouse ATII cells 14 days post-BLM treatment based on morphologic cellular alterations, changes in mRNA and protein expression profiles of EMT markers, and induction of EMT-activating transcription factors. BLM-induced increases in gene expression of fibroblast activation-related markers and the invasive capacity of primary lung fibroblasts in primary lung fibroblasts were reversed by rGas6 administration. Furthermore, the hydroxyproline content and collagen accumulation in interstitial areas with damaged alveolar structures in lung tissue were reduced by rGas6 administration. Targeting Gas6/Axl signaling events with specific inhibitors of Axl (BGB324), COX-2 (NS-398), EP1/EP2 receptor (AH-6809), or PGD2 DP2 receptor (BAY-u3405) reversed the inhibitory effects of rGas6 on EMT and fibroblast activation. Finally, we confirmed the antifibrotic effects of Gas6 using Gas6−/− mice. Therefore, Gas6/Axl signaling events play a potential role in inhibition of EMT process and fibroblast activation via COX-2-derived PGE2 and PGD2 production, ultimately preventing the development of pulmonary fibrosis.
Anisotropic Elastic Strain-Gradient Continuum from the Macro-Scale to the Granular Micro-Scale
Authors: Pirmoradi P. , Suiker A. S. J. , Poorsolhjouy P.
Published: April 2024

A multi-scale framework is constructed for the computation of the stiffness tensors of an elastic strain-gradient continuum endowed with an anisotropic microstructure of arbitrarily-shaped particles. The influence of microstructural features on the macroscopic stiffness tensors is demonstrated by comparing the fourth-order, fifth-order and sixth-order stiffness tensors obtained from macro-scale symmetry considerations to the stiffness tensors deduced from homogenizing the elastic response of the granular microstructure. Special attention is paid to systematically relating the particle properties to the probability density function describing their directional distribution, which allows to explicitly connect the level of anisotropy of the particle assembly to local variations in particle stiffness and morphology. The applicability of the multi-scale framework is exemplified by computing the stiffness tensors for various anisotropic granular media composed of equal-sized spheres. The number of independent coefficients of the homogenized stiffness tensors appears to be determined by the number of independent microstructural parameters, which is equal to, or less than, the number of independent stiffness coefficients following from macro-scale symmetry considerations. Since the modelling framework has a general character, it can be applied to different higher-order granular continua and arbitrary types of material anisotropy.
Heavy metal contamination and environmental risk assessment: a case study of surface water in the Bahr Mouse stream, East Nile Delta, Egypt
Authors: Ramadan Fatma , Nour Hamdy E. , Wahed Nermin Abdel , Rakha Ahmad , Amuda Abdulgafar K. , Faisal Mohamed
Published: April 2024

Water, as an indispensable constituent of life, serves as the primary source of sustenance for all living things on Earth. The contamination of surface water with heavy metals poses a significant global health risk to humans, animals, and plants. Sharkiya Governorate, situated in the East Nile Delta region of Egypt, is particularly susceptible to surface water pollution due to various industrial, agricultural, and urban activities. The Bahr Mouse Stream, crucial for providing potable water and supporting irrigation activities in Sharkiya Governorate, caters to a population of approximately 7.7 million inhabitants. Unfortunately, this vital water source is exposed to many illegal encroachments that may cause pollution and deteriorate the water resource quality. In a comprehensive study conducted over two consecutive seasons (2019–2020), a total of 38 surface water samples were taken to assess the quantity of heavy metals in surface water destined for human consumption and other applications, supported by indices and statistics. The assessment utilized flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry to determine the concentration of key heavy metals including iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and chromium (Cr). The calculated mean value of the Water Quality Index (WQI) was found to be 39.1 during the winter season and 28.05 during the summer season. This value suggests that the surface water maintains good quality and is suitable for drinking purposes. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that the concentrations of heavy metals in the study area were below the recommended limits set by the World Health Organization and fell within the safe threshold prescribed by Egyptian legislation. Despite the identification of localized instances of illegal activities in certain areas, such as unauthorized discharges, the findings affirm that the Bahr Mouse stream is devoid of heavy metal pollution. This underscores the importance of continued vigilance and regulatory enforcement to preserve the integrity of these vital water resources.
“I Don’t Want to be a Girl. I Am a Girl!” Experiences Before, During and After Transition in Families with Trans Children and Adolescents
Authors: González-Mendiondo Lucia , Moyano Nieves , Mayor Aingeru
Published: April 2024

Families often have little knowledge and skills to support their trans children. Therefore, our aim was to learn more about the experiences of parents of trans children and adolescents and how the transition process is experienced. Using a qualitative approach, we analyzed 22 life stories written by parents of trans children and adolescents. The data were analyzed with MAXQDA. Three key periods were considered: (1) before, (2) during, and (3) after social transition. The themes most frequently reported by parents were: children’s not expected gender expressions and negative attitudes and feelings, and parents’ negative feelings, denial and repression attitudes, confussion and search of information, before transition; children’s explicit disclosure, name selection and more positive attitudes, followed by parental understanding, acceptance and support, during transition; and both parents’ and children’s positive attitudes and feelings, as well as concern about pubertal development and expectations and fears about the future, after transition. In general, the stories reflect children’s negative emotions before social transition and parents’ doubts and lack of knowledge, which were followed by acceptance and more positive emotions once the social transition had taken place. Concerns and problems were reported by most of the families throughout the three time periods. Our findings emphasize the need to facilitate social transition and to design specific approaches to better support transitioning children and adolescents, and their families.
Analysis of Clinical, Immunological and Molecular Features of Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency Type I in Egyptian Children
Authors: Saad Mai Magdy , Alkady Radwa , Eldash Alia , El Hawary Rabab E. , Meshaal Safa S. , Galal Nermeen M. , Elmarsafy Aisha M.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Leukocyte adhesion deficiency (LAD) represents a rare group of inherited inborn errors of immunity (IEI) characterized by bacterial infections, delayed umbilical stump separation, and autoimmunity. This single-center study aimed at describing the clinical, immunological, and molecular characterizations of 34 LAD-I Egyptian pediatric patients.

Methods

Details of 34 patients’ personal medical history, clinical and laboratory findings were recorded; Genetic material from 28 patients was studied. Mutational analysis was done by Sanger sequencing.

Results

Omphalitis, skin and soft tissue infections with poorly healing ulcers, delayed falling of the umbilical stump, and recurrent or un-resolving pneumonia were the most common presentations, followed by chronic otitis media, enteropathy, periodontitis; and recurrent oral thrush. Persistent leukocytosis and neutrophilia were reported in all patients, as well as CD18 and CD11b deficiency. CD18 expression was < 2% in around 90% of patients. Sixteen different pathological gene variants were detected in 28 patients who underwent ITGß2 gene sequencing, of those, ten were novel and six were previously reported. Three families received a prenatal diagnosis. Patients were on antimicrobials according to culture’s results whenever available, and on prophylactic Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole 5 mg/kg once daily, with regular clinical follow up. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was offered for 4 patients. However due to severity of the disease and delay in diagnosis, 58% of the patients passed away in the first 2 years of life.

Conclusion

This study highlights the importance of early diagnosis and distribution of ITGß2 gene mutation in Egyptian children. Further molecular studies, however, remain a challenging necessity for better disease characterization in the region.
Growth and yield of Retrophyllum rospigliosii pure plantations in the Colombian Andes
Authors: Ramírez Jorge Andrés , Marín Adriana , Gómez Alejandro , del Valle Jorge Ignacio
Published: April 2024

Most reforestation in Colombia, especially in the Andean region, are monocultures of pines and eucalyptus with defined nursery and silvicultural packages. Planting native species would avoid the widespread controversy over reforestation with exotic species. Nevertheless, there are few studies that evaluate the growth and yield of native species and provide supported data to establish new projects. Here, we modeled the growth and yield of the native coniferous Retrophyllum rospigliosii in different areas of the Colombian Andes in terms of mean diameter (D), height (H), and volume (V) as a function of age, based on longitudinal data from 115 research sample plots from three sites that were remeasured between 4 and 9 times for 20 years. We fitted the von Bertalanffy growth model for D, H, and V through Bayesian generalized nonlinear mixed models to model tree growth. The adjustment of the models for the absolute growth of R. rospigliosii was 0.99, 0.99, and 0.97 for D, H, and V, respectively. All models fulfilled all regression assumptions. Although the growth rates of R. rospigliosii differed between planted sites, R. rospigliosii plantations generally exhibited low growth and barely reached the sizes required for commercialization. These results suggest that the extensive use of R. rospigliosii in pure plantations is unlikely and discourages the massive propagation of R. rospigliosii.
Breather, lump, M-shape and other interaction for the Poisson–Nernst–Planck equation in biological membranes
Authors: Ceesay Baboucarr , Ahmed Nauman , Baber Muhammad Zafarullah , Akgül Ali
Published: April 2024

This paper investigates a novel method for exploring soliton behavior in ion transport across biological membranes. This study uses the Hirota bilinear transformation technique together with the Poisson–Nernst–Planck equation. A thorough grasp of ion transport dynamics is crucial in many different scientific fields since biological membranes are important in controlling the movement of ions within cells. By extending the standard equation, the suggested methodology offers a more thorough framework for examining ion transport processes. We examine a variety of ion-acoustic wave structures using the Hirota bilinear transformation technique. The different forms of solitons are obtained including breather waves, lump waves, mixed-type waves, periodic cross-kink waves, M-shaped rational waves, M-shaped rational wave solutions with one kink, and M-shaped rational waves with two kinks. It is evident from these numerous wave shapes that ion transport inside biological membranes is highly relevant, and they provide important insights that may have an impact on various scientific disciplines, medication development, and other areas. This extensive approach helps scholars dig deeper into the complexity of ion transport, illuminating the complicated mechanisms driving this essential biological function. Additionally, to show the physical interpretations of these solutions we construct the 3D and their corresponding contour plots by choosing the different values of constants. So, these solutions give us the better physical behaviors.
Fleshing Out the Ways Masculinity Threat and Traditional Masculinity Ideology Relate to Meat-Eating and Environmental Attitudes in Australian Men
Authors: Neumann Claudio , Stanley Samantha K. , Cárdenas Diana
Published: April 2024

Meat consumption needs to be reduced to limit climate change but achieving this requires understanding the drivers of meat consumption. In this study, we investigated two potential drivers—a contextual threat to masculinity and the stable individual difference of masculine ideology—and how they predict meat-eating intentions, attitudes, and environmentalism. Employing a sample of 375 Australian men, a population known for its high meat consumption, we did not find support that a contextual threat to men’s masculinity increased pro-meat attitudes or intentions. Instead, we found that prevailing views about masculine ideology significantly predicted meat-related attitudes and intentions, with avoidance of femininity associated with lower avoidance of meat and lower intentions to eat clean meat, and the endorsement of male dominance tied to lower pro-environmental responding. Our findings suggest that situational threats to masculinity may not robustly affect meat consumption intentions and highlight the importance of more stable individual differences in the conception of the male gender identity in maintaining men’s high meat consumption.
Valid consent in the acute hospital setting: perspectives of patients and members of the public
Authors: Kovic Živa , Kobua Motheo , Fogarty Mary , Donohoe Claire L. , Kelly Michael E. , Fitzmaurice Gerard J. , Fitzgerald Mella , Zambra Paul , Geary Una , Ward Marie E.
Published: April 2024

Background

People who interact with healthcare services have an ethical and legal right to control their own lives, to make informed decisions, and to consent to what happens to them. For consent to be considered ethically and legally valid, three key criteria must be met: consent must be given voluntarily; people must be sufficiently informed of all options; and people should have capacity to make the decision to give or withhold their consent.

Aim

This study set out to explore, through the use of surveys, the perspectives of patients and public in relation to consent.

Method

Surveys were developed for patients and the public and administered paper based (patients) and through social media (public).

Results

One hundred and forty surveys were posted to patients, with a 38% response rate; 104 responses were received from the public. Ninety-six percent of patients were satisfied that the decision they made was informed; 100% felt they had made a voluntary decision; 98% felt the clinician seemed knowledgeable about the procedure. What matters most to the public were being informed about the risks associated with the proposed procedure and being assured that whatever choice they make they will receive the best care possible.

Conclusions

The results highlight interesting similarities and differences in relation to consent between members of the public thinking about a possible treatment, surgery, or procedure and those patients who have actually been through the process in the past 12 months. Recommendations have been developed on the basis of these findings to co-design improvements in consent practices.
What’s the use of educational research? Six stories reflecting on research use with communities
Authors: Rudolph Sophie , Mayes Eve , Molla Tebeje , Chiew Sophie , Abhayawickrama Natasha , Maiava Netta , Villafana Danielle , Welch Rosie , Liu Ben , Couper Rachel , Duhn Iris , Fricker Al , Thomas Archie , Dewanyang Menasik , McQuire Hayley , Hashimoto-Benfatto Sophie , Spisbah Michelle , Smith Zach , Onus-Browne Tarneen , Rowe Emma , Windle Joel , Rizvi Fazal
Published: April 2024

The question of how education research can be ‘useful’ is an enduring and challenging one. In recent years, this question has been approached by universities through a widespread ‘impact’ agenda. In this article, we explore the tensions between usefulness and impact and present six stories that reflect on research use with communities. These stories engage issues of the risk of usefulness, the time that is needed to work collaboratively for research usefulness, whether theories developed in universities can be useful to communities for understanding the problems they face, who has the power to steer research to serve their purposes, and how community collective action can enhance the usefulness of research. The article concludes with a section that reflects on the importance of continuing to engage with the debates about research use in often highly commercially oriented university environments. This article brings together diverse voices that wrestle with the politics of research use beyond the neat, linear narratives of change that impact agendas tend to portray. These illustrations of the ethical dilemmas encountered through navigating research use with communities contribute to an ongoing conversation about refusing capitalist and colonialist logics of research extraction while working within institutions often driven by such logics.
Impact of cultivation conditions on physicochemical characteristics of Miscanthus × giganteus biomass
Authors: Newton R. A. , Pidlisnyuk V. , Pohl R. , Mamirova A. , Zschunke T.
Published: April 2024

Miscanthus × giganteus has emerged as a successful energy crop for remediating marginal land, offering potential as an alternative energy source for climate change mitigation. This study aimed to assess the physicochemical properties for gasification of Miscanthus × giganteus biomass from plantations with diverse soil origins, characteristics, contamination levels, age, and climate conditions, aiming to determine their influence on the energy properties. Fuel parameters, i.e.: ash content, volatile matter, calorific value, ultimate analysis, and ash melting behavior were measured. Analysis of biomass samples revealed significant variations in the ash content and volatile matter with the average values of 4.5 and 78.8%, respectively, depending of the produced biomass. The calorific value remained consistently high, ranging from 18 to 19 MJ kg−1, even when biomass was derived from the contaminated soil. Additionally, biomass ash exhibited complete melting at temperatures exceeding 1300 °C, signifying its suitability for gasification without encountering technical obstacles. Employing PCA analysis, the significance of plantation age, location, and soil characteristics in shaping the physicochemical properties of Miscanthus × giganteus biomass for gasification was highlighted. The results illustrated that soil contamination by trace elements had a minimal impact on the physicochemical properties, whereas plantation age and climate conditions significantly influenced to the fuel properties of biomass.
The Prevalence and Correlates of Self-restraint in Individuals with Autism and/or Intellectual Disability: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Marlow Katherine , Agar Georgie , Jones Christopher , Devine Rory T. , Richards Caroline
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Self-restraint, purposeful restriction of one’s own bodily movements is observed in individuals with neurodevelopmental conditions. Case studies and cross-sectional investigations have reported that self-restraint co-occurs with self-injurious behaviour; however, small sample sizes limit understanding of prevalence and function. We aimed to synthesise the existing literature and estimate the pooled prevalence of self-restraint in autistic individuals and/or individuals with intellectual disability, and the pooled effect size with self-injury.

Methods

Six databases were systematically searched in accordance with PRISMA guidelines.

Results

A total of 21,567 papers were retrieved, with 15 samples from 13 records included in the analyses. The pooled prevalence estimate of self-restraint in individuals with autism and/or intellectual disability was 39%, 95% CI [26.25, 51.59]. Age and presence of autism significantly increased prevalence rates. Pooled prevalence estimates were consistent across gender, presence of intellectual disability, and type of measurement of self-restraint. Meta-analyses of 31 topographies of self-restraint revealed ‘holds or squeezes objects’ and ‘holding onto others, holding onto others’ clothing’ were the most prevalent behaviours amongst those who self-restrained (both 32%). The least prevalent behaviour was ‘chooses mechanical restraint’ (1%). Pooled prevalence estimates of self-restraint in individuals known to self-injure were 34%, 95% CI [21.36, 46.97], and 13%, 95% CI [5.01, 21.43], in individuals who did not self-injure. Self-restraint and self-injurious behaviour were positively correlated, r = 0.21, 95% CI [0.14, 0.27], K = 13.

Conclusions

Findings highlight that on average, over one third of individuals with autism and/or intellectual disability show self-restraint. Clinical and theoretical implications of findings are discussed.