bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neo-Ottomanism as an Alternative Narrative of National Identity
Authors: Tokdoğan Nagehan
Published: June 2024

Building on the theoretical basis for dealing with emotions, politics and symbols together, this chapter takes a historical perspective on Neo-Ottomanist narratives. Drawing on its historical manifestations in modern Turkey, it suggests that the current wave of Neo-Ottomanism is a new and alternative national narrative to the Republican one. It reveals the implications of how Neo-Ottomanism characterized the spirit of the country in the 2000s, not only for the elite, but for much of Turkish society. It thus paves the way for a discussion of the emotional motives behind Neo-Ottomanism.
From Victimization to Omnipotence: The Pathos of Erdoğan as a Constituent Symbol of the Neo-Ottomanist Narrative
Authors: Tokdoğan Nagehan
Published: June 2024

This chapter begins with an analysis of the cult of Erdoğan and his journey from victimhood to omnipotence as the basis of the Neo-Ottomanist narrative and the national emotional mood it addresses. The claim of victimhood has dominated Erdoğan’s political discourse and actions for almost the entirety of the first decade of his leadership. To gain insights into Erdoğan’s leadership, it is essential to ask how he became the symbol of this national emotional trait, and how he gained increasing support by embodying and reflecting the emotions of the people in his political discourse, personal style and behaviour.
Pilot Wave Theory in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Castro Paulo , W. M. Bush John , Croca José R.
Published: June 2024

This book is the result of the International Conference on Advances in Pilot Wave Theory, hosted by the Centre for Philosophy of Sciences of the University of Lisbon (CFCUL), Portugal, held from 26 to 30 July 2021 (International Conference on Advances in Pilot Wave Theory—Concurrently Hosting Hydrodynamic Quantum Analogs HQA-2021 n.d.; Advances in Pilot Wave Theory & HQA2021—YouTube n.d.). The conference concurrently hosted the Hydrodynamic Quantum Analogs meeting (HQA-2021) owing to the common interests of these seemingly disparate fields. The meeting took place online due to the COVID Pandemic lockdown and attracted participants from distant points of the globe, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Australia, and Israel.
Ports and Harbours as Special Management Areas
Authors: Chircop Aldo
Published: June 2024

As autonomous federal entities, port authorities in Canada have long been considered as special management areas. Canada’s system for ports managed by port authorities, public ports, and small craft harbours is explained with a focus on how they manage lands and waters within their jurisdiction by using their powers for land use planning and vessel traffic management. Attention is given to governance and how ports use zoning powers to promote efficiency, safety, security, and environmental concerns such as decarbonization of shipping and marine conservation. Canada’s port and harbour practice is assessed from the perspectives of spatial use, governance powers, and environmental protection. The chapter concludes on the practice of ports to treat land use planning and marine spatial planning as a continuum.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Arctic Shipping: An Area-Based Public/Occupational Health Perspective
Authors: Shan Desai , Yadav Om Prakash
Published: June 2024

Maritime activities are increasing in the Arctic and near Arctic areas, including domestic shipping and international transit traffic. Arctic shipping has created opportunities for cruise tourism, resource transportation, community supply transportation, research, and government services. However, hazards and challenges inherent to maritime operations in the Canadian Arctic cannot be ignored, including extreme Arctic weather conditions, limited port infrastructure, extensive distances from search and rescue services, and restricted access to medical care in Northern communities. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these challenges, posing a threat to the well-being and safety of seafarers.

This chapter explores the occupational health and safety challenges confronted by Canadian Arctic seafarers during the COVID-19 pandemic through qualitative interviews with 20 industry stakeholders, including seafarers, union representatives, managers, and maritime consultants. The findings revealed seafarers’ concerns of increased risks due to pandemic-induced public health measures including lockdowns, travel restrictions, and controls. The deprivation of shore leaves and prolonged isolation from families substantially impacted the mental health of seafarers, amplifying the risks of depression and anxiety. A comprehensive Arctic occupational health and safety (OHS) policy framework is recommended to support seafarers in addressing the above challenges.
The Canadian Regulatory Framework for Area-Based Marine Management of Shipping
Authors: Chircop Aldo , Coffen-Smout Scott
Published: June 2024

Canada has a well-developed framework for the management of shipping through area-based management (ABM) approaches which operates in direct and indirect ways. Regulatory tools available for the direct spatial management of shipping are used by federal government and port authorities, followed by indirect ways of spatial management of shipping undertaken by federal agencies through the designation of marine protected areas, national marine conservation areas, marine wildlife areas, marine bird sanctuaries, and fisheries habitat sanctuaries, whose principal purpose is marine conservation, which have incidental effects on shipping. The chapter assesses federal government ABM practices from the perspectives of purposes and functions, implementation of international commitments, allocation of ocean space, and considerations for the integrated approach in ocean management, followed by concluding observations on marine spatial planning and the likelihood that Canada will continue to manage its ocean spaces by using shipping ABM tools on a problem-by-problem basis.
Canadian Arctic Shipping Governance: Incorporating Indigenous Knowledge in Area-Based Management Frameworks and Tools
Authors: Aporta Claudio , Beveridge Leah , Wang Weishan
Published: June 2024

The need for Indigenous rights to be recognized and for reconciliation to occur is becoming increasingly engrained in the fabric of Canada. From the perspective of Indigenous peoples in Canada, reconciliation is seen as a process of decolonization. With the launch of the Oceans Protection Plan in 2016, the narrative of Indigenous engagement was brought directly to the topic of shipping governance. But the question remains: how to achieve reconciliation in concrete and tangible ways through policies and governance procedures? Importantly, reconciliation is not a discrete state or a destination, but a continuous process.

In Canada, area-based approaches are becoming more common in the regulation of marine affairs, including shipping. The increasing prevalence of area-based, ecosystem-based approaches is resulting in the development and application of decision support systems (DSSs) that are designed to process, visualize, integrate, and communicate information. While the significance of such DSS cannot be overestimated, a less discussed fact is that the knowledge of coastal communities is remarkably difficult to represent unless it is adapted to the language and requirements of these tools and systems. In practice, this results in decreasing the value of observational, “local” knowledge while increasing the significance of quantifiable “scientific” observations or measurements. This chapter proposes that the ways of treating local knowledge in area-based management can facilitate or hinder processes of reconciliation in the context of ocean governance.
Glycine-induced activation of GPR158 increases the intrinsic excitability of medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens
Authors: Aceto Giuseppe , Nardella Luca , Nanni Simona , Pecci Valeria , Bertozzi Alessia , Nutarelli Sofia , Viscomi Maria Teresa , Colussi Claudia , D’Ascenzo Marcello , Grassi Claudio
Published: June 2024

It has been recently established that GPR158, a class C orphan G protein-coupled receptor, serves as a metabotropic glycine receptor. GPR158 is highly expressed in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a major input structure of the basal ganglia that integrates information from cortical and subcortical structures to mediate goal-directed behaviors. However, whether glycine modulates neuronal activity in the NAc through GPR158 activation has not been investigated yet. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, we found that glycine-dependent activation of GPR158 increased the firing rate of NAc medium spiny neurons (MSNs) while it failed to significantly affect the excitability of cholinergic interneurons (CIN). In MSNs GPR158 activation reduced the latency to fire, increased the action potential half-width, and reduced action potential afterhyperpolarization, effects that are all consistent with negative modulation of potassium M-currents, that in the central nervous system are mainly carried out by Kv7/KCNQ-channels. Indeed, we found that the GPR158-induced increase in MSN excitability was associated with decreased M-current amplitude, and selective pharmacological inhibition of the M-current mimicked and occluded the effects of GPR158 activation. In addition, when the protein kinase A (PKA) or extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling was pharmacologically blocked, modulation of MSN excitability by GPR158 activation was suppressed. Moreover, GPR158 activation increased the phosphorylation of ERK and Kv7.2 serine residues. Collectively, our findings suggest that GPR158/PKA/ERK signaling controls MSN excitability via Kv7.2 modulation. Glycine-dependent activation of GPR158 may significantly affect MSN firing in vivo, thus potentially mediating specific aspects of goal-induced behaviors.
Virus neutralization assays for human respiratory syncytial virus using airway organoids
Authors: van Dijk Laura L.A. , Rijsbergen Laurine C. , Rubio Bruno Tello , Schmitz Katharina S. , Gommers Lennert , Comvalius Anouskha D. , Havelaar Alexander , van Amerongen Geert , Schepp Rutger , Lamers Mart M. , GeurtsvanKessel Corine H. , Haagmans Bart L. , van Binnendijk Rob , de Swart Rik L. , de Vries Rory D.
Published: June 2024

Neutralizing antibodies are considered a correlate of protection against severe human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) disease. Currently, HRSV neutralization assays are performed on immortalized cell lines like Vero or A549 cells. It is known that assays on these cell lines exclusively detect neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) directed to the fusion (F) protein. For the detection of nAbs directed to the glycoprotein (G), ciliated epithelial cells expressing the cellular receptor CX3CR1 are required, but generation of primary cell cultures is expensive and labor-intensive. Here, we developed a high-throughput neutralization assay based on the interaction between clinically relevant HRSV grown on primary cells with ciliated epithelial cells, and validated this assay using a panel of infant sera. To develop the high-throughput neutralization assay, we established a culture of differentiated apical-out airway organoids (Ap-O AO). CX3CR1 expression was confirmed, and both F- and G-specific monoclonal antibodies neutralized HRSV in the Ap-O AO. In a side-by-side neutralization assay on Vero cells and Ap-O AO, neutralizing antibody levels in sera from 125 infants correlated well, although titers on Ap-O AO were consistently lower. We speculate that these lower titers might be an actual reflection of the neutralizing antibody capacity in vivo. The organoid-based neutralization assay described here holds promise for further characterization of correlates of protection against HRSV disease.
Ernährung, Stoffwechsel, Gehirn und mentale Gesundheit
Authors: Linsmayer Denise , Eckert Gunter P. , Reiff Julia , Braus Dieter F.
Published: June 2024

Der Beitrag untersucht den komplexen Zusammenhang zwischen Ernährung, Stoffwechsel, Gehirnfunktion und mentaler Gesundheit. Er beleuchtet zwei zentrale, sich ergänzende Modelle – das Energiebilanzmodell und das Kohlenhydrat-Insulin-Modell –, um die Entstehung von Adipositas und metabolischen Dysfunktionen zu verstehen. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit wird zum einen der Rolle von Dopamin in der Ernährungsregulation und zum anderen von Insulin im Gehirn gewidmet, welche beide wesentlich an der Pathogenese neurodegenerativer und stressassoziierter psychischer Störungen beteiligt sind. Zudem wird die Bedeutung des Schlafes, der Ernährungsgewohnheiten wie beispielsweise medizinisch begleitete Kalorienrestriktion für mentale Gesundheit und das Konzept des „Brain Food“ beschrieben. Die Befunde verdeutlichen die Relevanz der Ernährungsmedizin für die Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie und der Berücksichtigung von Stoffwechselzuständen für die Prävention und Behandlung psychischer und neurodegenerativer Erkrankungen.
Effect of the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist semaglutide on alcohol consumption in alcohol-preferring male vervet monkeys
Authors: Fink-Jensen Anders , Wörtwein Gitta , Klausen Mette Kruse , Holst Jens Juul , Hartmann Bolette , Thomsen Morgan , Ptito Maurice , Beierschmitt Amy , Palmour Roberta M.
Published: June 2024

Rationale

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists reduce alcohol consumption in rodents and non-human primates. Semaglutide is a new long-acting GLP-1 receptor agonist, widely used in the clinic against type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is also reported to reduce alcohol intake in rodents.

Objectives

This study investigates the possible inhibitory effect of semaglutide on alcohol intake in alcohol-preferring African green monkeys.

Methods

We performed a vehicle-controlled study on male monkeys that had demonstrated a preference for alcohol. In the monkeys selected for voluntary alcohol drinking, alcohol consumption was measured for ten days at baseline (Monday to Friday for two weeks). During this period, the monkeys had access to alcohol 4 h per day and free access to water 24 h per day. After two weeks of baseline measurements, the monkeys were randomized to semaglutide or vehicle. Each group consisted of ten monkeys, and the two groups were balanced with respect to baseline alcohol intake. Following the baseline period, the monkeys were treated with escalating doses of semaglutide (up to 0.05 mg/kg) or vehicle subcutaneously twice weekly for two weeks during which period alcohol was not available. After uptitration, the monkeys had access to alcohol 4 h daily for 20 days (Monday to Friday for 4 weeks), and alcohol consumption was measured. During this alcohol exposure period, treatment with semaglutide (0.05 mg/kg twice weekly) or vehicle continued for three weeks followed by a one-week washout period.

Results

Compared to the vehicle, semaglutide significantly reduced alcohol intake. There were no signs of emetic events or changes in water intake.

Conclusions

These data demonstrate for the first time the potent effect of semaglutide in reducing voluntary alcohol intake in non-human primates and further substantiate the need for clinical trials investigating the effect of semaglutide in patients with alcohol-use disorder.
Pureté de l’approximation forte sur le corps des fonctions d’une courbe algébrique complexe
Authors: Boughattas Elyes
Published: June 2024

Over the function field of a complex algebraic curve, strong approximation off a non-empty finite set of places holds for the complement of a codimension 2 closed subset in a homogeneous space under a semisimple algebraic group, and for the complement of a codimension 2 closed subset in an affine smooth complete intersection of low degree.
The Homunculus of unspecific bone uptakes associated with PSMA-targeted tracers: a systematic review-based definition
Authors: Rizzo Alessio , Morbelli Silvia , Albano Domenico , Fornarini Giuseppe , Cioffi Martina , Laudicella Riccardo , Dondi Francesco , Grimaldi Serena , Bertagna Francesco , Racca Manuela , Treglia Giorgio , Bauckneht Matteo
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA)-targeted Positron Emission Tomography (PET) has revolutionised prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis and treatment, offering superior diagnostic accuracy over traditional methods and enabling theragnostic applications. However, a significant diagnostic challenge has emerged with identifying unspecific bone uptakes (UBUs), which could lead to over-staging and inappropriate treatment decisions if misinterpreted. This systematic review explores the phenomenon of UBUs in PCa patients undergoing PSMA-PET imaging.

Methods

Studies assessing the prevalence, topographical distribution, and potential clinical implications of UBUs were selected according to the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) method and evaluated with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool.

Results

The percentage of PCa patients with UBUs on PSMA-PET scans ranged from 0 to 71.7%, depending on the radiopharmaceutical used, with [18F]PSMA-1007 showing the highest incidence. The ribs are the primary site of UBUs across all PSMA-targeted radiopharmaceuticals. The spine is the second most frequent UBU site for [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11, [18F]DCFPyL, [18F]rhPSMA-7, while the pelvic girdle represents the second most frequent site for [18F]PSMA-1007. The average maximum Standardized Uptake Value (SUVmax) of UBUs varied from 3.4 to 7.7 and was generally lower than that of bone metastases.

Conclusions

Our findings underscore the need for heightened awareness and precise interpretation of UBUs to avoid potential over-staging and subsequent inappropriate treatment decisions. Considering the radiopharmaceutical used, PET-derived semiquantitative parameters, the topographical distribution of UBUs, and accurately evaluating the pre-test probability based on clinical and laboratory parameters may aid nuclear medicine physicians in interpreting PSMA-PET findings.
Occasional and constant exposure to dietary ethanol shortens the lifespan of worker honey bees
Authors: Ostap-Chec Monika , Bajorek Daniel , Antoł Weronika , Stec Daniel , Miler Krzysztof
Published: June 2024

Honey bees (Apis mellifera) are one of the most crucial pollinators, providing vital ecosystem services. Their development and functioning depend on essential nutrients and substances found in the environment. While collecting nectar as a vital carbohydrate source, bees routinely encounter low doses of ethanol from yeast fermentation. Yet, the effects of repeated ethanol exposure on bees’ survival and physiology remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the impacts of constant and occasional consumption of food spiked with 1% ethanol on honey bee mortality and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. This ethanol concentration might be tentatively judged close to that in natural conditions. We conducted an experiment in which bees were exposed to three types of long-term diets: constant sugar solution (control group that simulated conditions of no access to ethanol), sugar solution spiked with ethanol every third day (that simulated occasional, infrequent exposure to ethanol) and daily ethanol consumption (simulating constant, routine exposure to ethanol). The results revealed that both constant and occasional ethanol consumption increased the mortality of bees, but only after several days. These mortality rates rose with the frequency of ethanol intake. The ADH activity remained similar in bees from all groups. Our findings indicate that exposure of bees to ethanol carries harmful effects that accumulate over time. Further research is needed to pinpoint the exact ethanol doses ingested with food and exposure frequency in bees in natural conditions.
Fast and precise approximation of Minkowski sum of two rotational ellipsoids with a superellipsoid
Authors: Yamada Ryunosuke , Tsuji Tokuo , Hiramitsu Tatsuhiro , Seki Hiroaki , Nishimura Toshihiro , Suzuki Yosuke , Watanabe Tetsuyou
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we propose a fast and accurate method for approximating the Minkowski sum of two rotational ellipsoids with a superellipsoid. The Minkowski sum is used in a variety of applications such as robot motion planning and particle flow simulation requiring collision detection. Many of them are computed based on Minkowski sum, whose accuracy and processing time depend on how the mesh is created. We approximate Minkowski sum with a superellipsoid function. The superellipsoid has various shapes with the value of the exponents, and the computation of the parameters including the exponents is an algebraic computation with the time complexity $$\varvec{O}(1)$$

O

(
1
)

. As a result, approximation error is small and computation is fast in all combinations of rotational ellipsoids. In addition, collision is quickly detected by solving the inequality of superellipsoid.
No evidence for effects of low-intensity vestibular noise stimulation on mild-to-moderate gait impairments in patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Peto Daniela , Schmidmeier Florian , Katzdobler Sabrina , Fietzek Urban M. , Levin Johannes , Wuehr Max , Zwergal Andreas
Published: June 2024

Background

Gait impairment is a key feature in later stages of Parkinson’s disease (PD), which often responds poorly to pharmacological therapies. Neuromodulatory treatment by low-intensity noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) has indicated positive effects on postural instability in PD, which may possibly be conveyed to improvement of dynamic gait dysfunction.

Objective

To investigate the effects of individually tuned nGVS on normal and cognitively challenged walking in PD patients with mild-to-moderate gait dysfunction.

Methods

Effects of nGVS of varying intensities (0–0.7 mA) on body sway were examined in 32 patients with PD (ON medication state, Hoehn and Yahr: 2.3 ± 0.5), who were standing with eyes closed on a posturographic force plate. Treatment response and optimal nGVS stimulation intensity were determined on an individual patient level. In a second step, the effects of optimal nGVS vs. sham treatment on walking with preferred speed and with a cognitive dual task were investigated by assessment of spatiotemporal gait parameters on a pressure-sensitive gait carpet.

Results

Evaluation of individual balance responses yielded that 59% of patients displayed a beneficial balance response to nGVS treatment with an average optimal improvement of 23%. However, optimal nGVS had no effects on gait parameters neither for the normal nor the cognitively challenged walking condition compared to sham stimulation irrespective of the nGVS responder status.

Conclusions

Low-intensity nGVS seems to have differential treatment effects on static postural imbalance and continuous gait dysfunction in PD, which could be explained by a selective modulation of midbrain-thalamic circuits of balance control.
Serum angiopoietin-2: a promising biomarker for early diabetic kidney disease in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Salem Nanees Abdel-Badie , Ismail Wafaa M. , Hendawy Shimaa R. , Abdelrahman Ashraf M. , El-Refaey Ahmed M.
Published: June 2024

Albuminuria has been considered the golden standard biomarker for diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but appears once significant kidney damage has already occurred. Angiopoietin-2 (Angpt-2) has been implicated in the development and progression of DKD in adults. We aimed to explore the association of serum Angpt-2 levels with DKD in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) of short duration (3–5 years) and to evaluate the predictive power of serum Angpt-2 in the early detection of DKD prior to the microalbuminuric phase. The current cross-sectional study included 90 children divided into three age and sex-matched groups based on urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR): microalbuminuric diabetic group (n = 30), non-albuminuric diabetic group (n = 30), and control group (n = 30). All participants were subjected to anthropometric measurements, serum Angpt-2 and fasting lipid profile (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL-C, HDL-C, and Non-HDL-C) assessment. Glomerular filtration rate was estimated based on serum creatinine (eGFR-Cr). Higher serum Angpt-2 levels were detected in both diabetic groups compared to controls and in microalbuminuric compared to non-albuminuric diabetic group. There was no detected significant difference in eGFR-Cr values across the study groups. Serum Angpt-2 was positively correlated with triglycerides, LDL, Non-HDL-C, HbA1c, and UACR, while UACR, HbA1c, and Non-HDL-C were independent predictors for serum Angpt-2. Serum Angpt-2 at level of 137.4 ng/L could discriminate between microalbuminuric and non-albuminuric diabetic groups with AUC = 0.960 and at level of 115.95 ng/L could discriminate between the non-albuminuric diabetic group and controls with AUC = 0.976.

Conclusion: Serum Angpt-2 is a promising potent biomarker for the detection of early stage of DKD in childhood T1DM before albuminuria emerges.

What is Known?• Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are the golden standard but late biomarkers for DKD.• Angiopoietin-2 has been implicated in the development and progression of DKD in adults with diabetes, but has not been explored in T1DM children with DKD.

What is New?• Higher serum angiopoietin-2 was detected in diabetic groups compared to controls and in microalbuminuric compared to non-albuminuric group.• Angiopoietin-2 correlated positively with triglycerides, LDL, Non-HDL-C, HbA1c, and UACR.• Serum angiopoietin-2 is a promising early diagnostic biomarker for DKD in children with T1DM.
Physics-informed data-driven discovery of constitutive models with application to strain-rate-sensitive soft materials
Authors: Upadhyay Kshitiz , Fuhg Jan N. , Bouklas Nikolaos , Ramesh K. T.
Published: June 2024

A novel data-driven constitutive modeling approach is proposed, which combines the physics-informed nature of modeling based on continuum thermodynamics with the benefits of machine learning. This approach is demonstrated on strain-rate-sensitive soft materials. This model is based on the viscous dissipation-based visco-hyperelasticity framework where the total stress is decomposed into volumetric, isochoric hyperelastic, and isochoric viscous overstress contributions. It is shown that each of these stress components can be written as linear combinations of the components of an irreducible integrity basis. Three Gaussian process regression-based surrogate models are trained (one per stress component) between principal invariants of strain and strain rate tensors and the corresponding coefficients of the integrity basis components. It is demonstrated that this type of model construction enforces key physics-based constraints on the predicted responses: the second law of thermodynamics, the principles of local action and determinism, objectivity, the balance of angular momentum, an assumed reference state, isotropy, and limited memory. The three surrogate models that constitute our constitutive model are evaluated by training them on small-size numerically generated data sets corresponding to a single deformation mode and then analyzing their predictions over a much wider testing regime comprising multiple deformation modes. Our physics-informed data-driven constitutive model predictions are compared with the corresponding predictions of classical continuum thermodynamics-based and purely data-driven models. It is shown that our surrogate models can reasonably capture the stress–strain-strain rate responses in both training and testing regimes and improve prediction accuracy, generalizability to multiple deformation modes, and compatibility with limited data.
The effect of early remdesivir administration in COVID-19 disease progression in hospitalised patients
Authors: Platzer Moritz , Totschnig David , Karolyi Mario , Clodi-Seitz Tamara , Wenisch Christoph , Zoufaly Alexander
Published: June 2024

Background

Antiviral drugs have become crucial in managing COVID-19, reducing complications and mortality. Remdesivir has emerged as an effective therapeutic drug for hospitalized patients at risk of disease progression, especially when alternative treatments are infeasible. While the recommended treatment duration of remdesivir extends up to 7 days post-symptom onset, this study examines how early remdesivir administration impacts clinical outcomes.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis using clinical data from consecutively PCR confirmed SARS-CoV‑2 adult patients (≥ 18 years) who received remdesivir during their hospitalization at the department of infectious diseases, Klinik Favoriten in Vienna. The data covered the period from July 1, 2021, to April 31, 2022. Patients were divided into two groups based on the timing of remdesivir administration: an early group (0–3 days since symptom onset) and a late group (≥ 4 days since symptom onset). The primary outcome was in-hospital disease progression, assessed using the WHO COVID-19 Clinical Progression Scale (≥ 1 point increase). Multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, SARS-CoV‑2 variant, and COVID-19 vaccination status, was used to assess clinical outcomes.

Results

In total 219 patients were included of whom 148 (67.6%) were in the early group and 71 (32.4%) were in the late group. The average age was 66.5 (SD: 18.0) years, 68.9% of the patients were vaccinated, and 72.6% had the Omicron virus variant. Late remdesivir administration was associated with a significantly higher probability of needing high-flow oxygen therapy (OR 2.52, 95% CI 1.40–4.52, p = 0.002) and ICU admission (OR 4.34, 95% CI 1.38–13.67, p = 0.012) after adjusting for confounders. In the late group there was a trend towards a higher risk of clinical worsening (OR 2.13, 95% CI 0.98–4.64, p = 0.056) and need for any oxygen therapy (OR 1.85, 95% CI 0.94–3.64, p = 0.074).

Conclusion

Compared to patients who received remdesivir within the first 3 days after symptom onset, administering remdesivir after day 3 in hospitalized COVID-19 patients is associated with higher risk for complications, such as the need for high-flow oxygen therapy and ICU admission.
This or not that: select and reject control of relational responding in rats using a blank comparison procedure with odor stimuli
Authors: Wolff Bobbie Faith , Galizio Mark , Bruce Katherine
Published: June 2024

The blank comparison (BLC) task was developed to assess stimulus relations in discrimination learning; that is, are subjects learning to “select” the correct stimulus (S+) or “reject” the incorrect stimulus (S-) or both? This task has been used to study exclusion learning, mostly in humans and monkeys, and the present study extends the procedure to rats. The BLC task uses an ambiguous stimulus (BLC+/-) that replaces S+ (in the presence of S-) and replaces S- (in the presence of S+). In the current experiment, four rats were trained to remove session-novel scented lids from sand-filled cups in a two-choice, simultaneous presentation procedure called the Odor Span Task (OST) before being trained on the BLC procedure using odors as the discriminative stimuli. The BLC training procedure utilized simple discrimination training (S+ and S-) and added select (S+ and BLC-) and reject (BLC+ and S-) trial types. All rats demonstrated accurate performance in sessions with both select and reject type trials. Next, BLC probe trials were interspersed in standard OST sessions to assess the form of stimulus control in the OST. Rats performed accurately on select type probe trials (similar to baseline OST performance) and also showed above chance accuracy on reject type trials. Thus, we demonstrated that rats could acquire an odor-based version of the BLC task and that both select and exclusion-based (reject) relations were active in the OST. The finding of exclusion in rats under the rigorous BLC task conditions confirms that exclusion-based responding is not limited to humans and non-human primates.
The False Recognition Test, a new tool for the assessment of false memories, with normative data from an Italian sample
Authors: Panico Francesco , Catalano Laura , Sagliano Laura , Trojano Luigi
Published: June 2024

Introduction

False memory can be defined as remembering something that did not happen. To a certain extent it is a normal phenomenon, but its occurrence seems to increase in healthy and pathological aging, possibly providing relevant clues on some clinical conditions in the spectrum of dementia. We adapted a well-established Deed-Roediger-McDermott paradigm, frequently used in experimental contexts, to devise a new neuropsychological assessment tool, the False Recognition Test (FRT), that can investigate classical facets of episodic memory performance (i.e. free recall and recognition), and assess proneness to produce semantically related and non-semantic false memories. Here we describe the FRT and provide normative data and correction grids to consider the possible effects of age, gender, and education on the FRT scores.

Method

Two-hundred and thirty-two Italian healthy individuals (99 male) aged 18–91 years, with different educational levels (from primary to university) underwent the FRT, together with validated tests for cognitive screening and episodic memory assessment and one scale for depression.

Results

Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that age and education significantly influenced performance on FRT. From the derived linear equations, we provide correction grids for the raw scores of the FRT, and equivalent scores estimated using a nonparametric method. Correlational analysis showed significant associations between FRT subscores and cognitive, executive and memory functions, and depression.

Conclusion

The FRT may constitute a useful instrument for both clinical and research purposes.
The role of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in the formation of exhausted CD8 + T cells
Authors: Ma Rong , Sun Jin-Han , Wang Yan-Yang
Published: June 2024

CD8 + T cells exert a critical role in eliminating cancers and chronic infections, and can provide long-term protective immunity. However, under the exposure of persistent antigen, CD8 + T cells can differentiate into terminally exhausted CD8 + T cells and lose the ability of immune surveillance and disease clearance. New insights into the molecular mechanisms of T-cell exhaustion suggest that it is a potential way to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy by restoring the function of exhausted CD8 + T cells. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is an important executor of immune homeostasis and tolerance, inhibiting the expansion and function of many components of the immune system. Recent studies have shown that TGF-β is one of the drivers for the development of exhausted CD8 + T cells. In this review, we summarized the role and mechanisms of TGF-β in the formation of exhausted CD8 + T cells and discussed ways to target those to ultimately enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy.
Applications of Machine Learning in Periodontology and Implantology: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Șalgău Cristiana Adina , Morar Anca , Zgarta Andrei Daniel , Ancuța Diana-Larisa , Rădulescu Alexandros , Mitrea Ioan Liviu , Tănase Andrei Ovidiu
Published: June 2024

Machine learning (ML) has led to significant advances in dentistry, easing the workload of professionals and improving the performance of various medical processes. The fields of periodontology and implantology can profit from these advances for tasks such as determining periodontally compromised teeth, assisting doctors in the implant planning process, determining types of implants, or predicting the occurrence of peri-implantitis. The current paper provides an overview of recent ML techniques applied in periodontology and implantology, aiming to identify popular models for different medical tasks, to assess the impact of the training data on the success of the automatic algorithms and to highlight advantages and disadvantages of various approaches. 48 original research papers, published between 2016 and 2023, were selected and divided into four classes: periodontology, implant planning, implant brands and types, and success of dental implants. These papers were analyzed in terms of aim, technical details, characteristics of training and testing data, results, and medical observations. The purpose of this paper is not to provide an exhaustive survey, but to show representative methods from recent literature that highlight the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches, as well as the potential of applying machine learning in dentistry.
“Safer to plant corn and beans”? Navigating the challenges and opportunities of agricultural diversification in the U.S. Corn Belt
Authors: Traldi Rebecca , Asprooth Lauren , M. Usher Emily , Floress Kristin , Arbuckle J. Gordon , Baskerville Megan , Church Sarah P. , Genskow Ken , Harden Seth , Maynard Elizabeth T. , Thompson Aaron William , Torres Ariana P. , Prokopy Linda S.
Published: June 2024

Agricultural diversification in the Midwestern Corn Belt has the potential to improve socioeconomic and environmental outcomes by buffering farmers from environmental and economic shocks and improving soil, water, and air quality. However, complex barriers related to agricultural markets, individual behavior, social norms, and government policy constrain diversification in this region. This study examines farmer perspectives regarding the challenges and opportunities for both corn and soybean production and agricultural diversification strategies. We analyze data from 20 focus groups with 100 participants conducted in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa through a combined inductive and deductive approach, drawing upon interpretive grounded theory. Our results suggest that when identifying challenges and opportunities, participants center economics and market considerations, particularly income, productivity, and market access. These themes are emphasized both as benefits of the current corn-soybean system, as well as challenges for diversification. Additionally, logistical, resource and behavioral hurdles– including the comparative difficulty and time required to diversify, and constraints in accessing land, labor, and technical support– are emphasized by participants as key barriers to diversification. Agricultural policies shape these challenges, enhancing the comparative advantage and decreasing the risk of producing corn and soybeans as compared to diversified products. Meanwhile, alternative marketing arrangements, farmer networks, family relationships, and improved soil health are highlighted as important opportunities for diversification. We contextualize our findings within the theories of reasoned action and diffusion of innovation, and explore their implications for farmer engagement, markets, and agricultural policy, and the development of additional resources for business and technical support.
Travel Burden and Timely Linkage to Care Among People Newly Diagnosed with HIV Infection in South Carolina from 2005 to 2020
Authors: Shi Fanghui , Zhang Jiajia , Hung Peiyin , Sun Xiaowen , Yang Xueying , Olatosi Bankole , Weissman Sharon , Li Xiaoming
Published: June 2024

This retrospective study explored the association between travel burden and timely linkage to care (LTC) among people with HIV (PWH) in South Carolina. HIV care data were derived from statewide all-payer electronic health records, and timely LTC was defined as having at least one viral load or CD4 count record within 90 days after HIV diagnosis before the year 2015 and 30 days after 2015. Travel burden was measured by average driving time (in minutes) to any healthcare facility visited within six months before and one month after the initial HIV diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression models with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator were employed. From 2005 to 2020, 81.2% (3,547 out of 4,366) of PWH had timely LTC. Persons who had longer driving time (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR): 0.37, 95% CI: 0.14–0.99), were male versus female (aOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.58–0.91), had more comorbidities (aOR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.57–0.94), and lived in counties with a higher percentage of unemployed labor force (aOR: 0.21, 95% CI: 0.06–0.71) were less likely to have timely LTC. However, compared to those aged between 18 and 24 years old, those aged between 45 and 59 (aOR:1.47, 95% CI: 1.14–1.90) or older than 60 (aOR:1.71, 95% CI: 1.14–2.56) were more likely to have timely LTC. Concentrated and sustained interventions targeting underserved communities and the associated travel burden among newly diagnosed PWH who are younger, male, and have more comorbidities are needed to improve LTC and reduce health disparities.
Establishment of the Diagnostic Signature of Ferroptosis Genes in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Yang Yang , Bai Qianqian , Liu Fangfei , Zhang Shumin , Tang Wenchao , Liu Ling , Xing Zhehua , Wang Hao , Zhang Chi , Yang Yanhui , Fan Hua
Published: June 2024

Ferroptosis is a novel form of membrane-dependent cell death that differs from other cell death modalities such as necrosis, apoptosis, and autophagy. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system primarily affecting brain and spinal cord neurons. Although the pathogenesis of these two conditions may seem unrelated, recent studies have indicated a connection between ferroptosis and multiple sclerosis. In fact, ferroptosis plays a significant role in the development of MS, as evidenced by the presence of elevated iron levels and iron metabolism abnormalities in the brains, spinal cords, and other neurons of MS patients. These abnormalities disrupt iron homeostasis within cells, leading to the occurrence of ferroptosis. However, there is currently a lack of research on the diagnostic value of ferroptosis-related genes in multiple sclerosis. In this study, we employed bioinformatics methods to identify ferroptosis-related genes (ATM, GSK3B, HMGCR, KLF2, MAPK1, NFE2L1, NRAS, PCBP1, PIK3CA, RPL8, VDAC3) associated with the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis and constructed a diagnostic model. The results demonstrated that the diagnostic model accurately identified the patients’ condition. Subsequently, subgroup analysis was performed based on the expression levels of ferroptosis-related genes, dividing patients into high and low expression groups. The results showed differences in immune function and immune cell infiltration between the two groups. Our study not only confirms the correlation between ferroptosis and multiple sclerosis but also demonstrates the diagnostic value of ferroptosis-related genes in the disease. This provides guidance for clinical practice and direction for further mechanistic research.
Receiving Social Support Motivates Long-Term Prosocial Behavior
Authors: Trombini Chiara , Jiang Winnie , Kinias Zoe
Published: June 2024

Prosocial behavior—actions aimed to benefit other individuals, groups, or communities—are important for promoting and maintaining a healthy society. Extant research on the factors driving prosocial behavior has mainly addressed short-term effects, overlooking the factors that motivate long-term prosocial behavior. Building on attachment theory, we theorize that an interpersonal factor, receiving social support, can foster prosocial behavior in the long-term, both in the environment where the support was received and beyond it. We argue that receiving social support positively predicts felt security—a sense of being safe, cared for, and loved—which in turn associates with higher motivation to engage in behaviors that benefit others. We test our hypotheses with cross-sectional, longitudinal, retrospective, and experimental data. In Study 1, data from a sample of international business school alumni validate past research and show a significant positive relationship between receiving social support and engaging in prosocial behavior both within and beyond the environment in which support was received. Study 2 leverages data of US adults in a multi-wave study to show that receiving social support predicts prosocial activities several years later. Study 3 uses a retrospective survey to show that receiving social support relates positively to long-term prosocial behavior through higher felt security. Study 4 experimentally manipulates social support and further demonstrates that receiving social support fosters prosocial behavior through boosting felt security. Overall, our findings show that receiving social support motivates long-term prosociality through its positive association with felt security.
Energy-efficient buildings with energy-efficient optimized models: a case study on thermal bridge detection
Authors: Fişne Alparslan , Yurtsever M. Mücahit Enes , Eken Süleyman
Published: June 2024

Thermographic inspection is particularly effective in identifying thermal bridges because it visualizes temperature differences on the building’s surface. The focus of this work is on energy-efficient computing for deep learning-based thermal bridge (anomaly) detection models. In this study, we concentrate on object detection-based models such as Mask R-CNN_FPN_50, Swin-T Transformer, and FSAF. We do benchmark tests on TBRR dataset with varying input sizes. To overcome the energy-efficient design, we apply optimizations such as compression, latency reduction, and pruning to these models. After our proposed improvements, the inference of the anomaly detection model, Mask R-CNN_FPN_50 with compression technique, is approximately 7.5% faster than the original. Also, more acceleration is observed in all models with increasing input size. Another criterion we focus on is total energy gain for optimized models. Swin-T transformer has the most inference energy gains for all input sizes ($$\approx$$
≈
27 J for 3000 x 4000 and $$\approx$$
≈
14 J for 2400 x 3400). In conclusion, our study presents an optimization of size, weight, and power for vision-based anomaly detection for buildings.
The Role of Resilience in Social Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Jindra Ines W. , Graves Darci M.
Published: June 2024

Resilience is considered a significant concept in research on a variety of topics at the individual, organizational, and community levels. In this qualitative, grounded theory study based on 20 semi-structured interviews, we discuss a set of factors that emerged as contributing to resilience among social service providers working with homeless or homeless-adjacent vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article specifically addresses the variation in resilience that emerged between providers in the face of these pandemic-related challenges. We found that the following four factors, in interaction with each other, influenced the degree of provider resilience: Restrictions providers had to implement to keep clients safe and associated feelings of guilt and helplessness, outbreaks and losses affecting the organization and its staff during the pandemic, isolation from the community, clients, and fellow staff, and existing vulnerabilities, such as personal struggles with mental health or complicated family situations. The article also discusses the implications of these findings for future research and social work practice.
When urbanization and natural ecosystems collide: governance model to manage a mangrove ecosystem in a dual city
Authors: Sánchez-Rubio Fernando , Saldarriaga-Isaza Adrián , Sánchez-Rubio Guillermo
Published: June 2024

This paper aims to describe the process of constructing and implementing a governance model for a mangrove ecosystem located along two waterways within a touristic city (Cartagena de Indias, Colombia). This city has symptoms of rapid and unplanned urbanization, weak governability, and social exclusion. All of those factors were considered when the governance model was developed. During its implementation, three stakeholders negotiated in good faith until a sustainable productive project was identified. This project fits well with the characteristics of the mangrove ecosystem and the city. The model is structured around six strategies within three lines of action. A list of measurable indicators is also proposed to quantify the effectiveness of the model during its implementation. Finally, caveats and key challenges to the model’s implementation are further discussed.