bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of CX3CR1 or CCR2 deficiency on circulating immune cell infiltration, microglia activation and neurophysiological property in white matter tract following endotoxemia
Authors: SHI Xue , YANG Xinglong , ZHAO Huangying , ZHU Junyi , ZHANG Jingdong , GAO Feng
Published: November 2023

Background
Brain white matter (WM) malfunction is deeply involved in many neurological and psychiatric disorders, and may lead to problems with cognition. Neuroinflammation occurs in the majority of WM injuries regardless of pathogenesis. Adverse effects of neuroinflammation on neurophysiological properties of the WM tracts has been observed before. The fractalkine (CX3CL1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (CCL2) and their respective receptors, CX3CR1 and CCR2, play important roles in immune cell infiltration and microglia activation. Whether the CX3CL1 or CCL2 and their receptors associated neuroinflammation would change neurophysiological property of the WM tract remains unknown.
Methods
In this work, we used a common leukocyte marker CD45 to explore the extent to which the circulating immune cells were recruited into the corpus callosum (CC) WM, and the CC microglia were activated, reflected by proportional area, in the CCR2+/+CX3CR1−/− or CX3CR1+/+CCR2−/− mouse following systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Then, electrophysiological recording of WM tract compound action potentials (CAP) was performed in normal and LPS treated CCR2+/+CX3CR1−/− or CX3CR1+/+CCR2−/− mouse.
Results
1) Nearly significant more infiltrated circulating immune cells were found in the CC of CX3CR1+/+CCR2−/− mouse following systemic LPS. 2) Significant larger microglial proportional area was identified, after endotoxemia, in the CC of CX3CR1+/+CCR2−/− mouse, comparing to that in the CCR2+/+CX3CR1−/− mouse. 3) Absence of either CX3CR1 or CCR2 reduced the density of microglia in the normal CC WM. 4) Endotoxemia induced a nearly significant downshift of N1 (myelinated axon) input-output curve, and a slight downshift of N2 (unmyelinated axon) input-output curve recorded from the CC of CX3CR1+/+CCR2−/− mouse, which was not detected in the CCR2+/+ CX3CR1−/− mouse.
Conclusions
CX3CR1 plays more significant roles in guiding infiltration of circulating immune cells into the CC WM, and in activation of CC microglia following systemic LPS. Consequently, CX3CR1 mediated inflammation evidently declines the WM tract conductivity during endotoxemia. A possibility that endotoxin-mediated microglial pseudopodia distortion may impact WM tract signal transmission was discussed, as we had demonstrated microglial pseudopodia directly contact with Ranvier’s node and paranodal segment. We thought inflammation-mediated declination of WM tract conductivity may interrupt brain network connectivity and lead to cognitive problems.
Prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Its Association with Body Features and social anxiety among Female University Students
Authors: Alfakeh Sulhi A. , Durayq Aseel M. Ba , Alsatty Anwaar N. , Albaiti Shahad A. , Alghumgham Dana R. , Bahanan Shahad F.
Published: November 2023

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by significant distress or impaired thoughts. It is a common mental health disorder; however, it remains underdiagnosed in clinical settings. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of BDD and social anxiety among female students, which is important because both conditions may adversely affect academic performance. This cross-sectional study on female students was conducted at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between January and February 2023. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire distributed in electronic format on university electronic platforms (blackboard). Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire comprising three parts: 1) sociodemographic data, 2) BDD Symptomology Questionnaire, and 3) Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). In this study, among 437 female students, most were concerned about their body parts/flaws (80.5%, n = 352). The body features of major concern included skin (32.3%, n = 141), obesity (23.6%, n = 103), teeth (21.5%, n = 94), and hair (21.3%, n = 93). In addition, our results showed a significant association between SIAS and all reported symptoms of BDD (p < 0.001). Notably, a significantly higher number of those with social anxiety extremely/very often experienced symptoms of BDD than those without social anxiety.
Yield Gap and Its Spatial Variation for Bread Wheat and Malt Barley Production in parts of Southeastern Ethiopia: A quantitative Analysis Using Crop Simulation model
Authors: Abu
Published: November 2023

Despite the extensive area coverage of cereals in Ethiopia, their national productivity is below the average for world yield productivity. Analyzing the yield gap, i.e. the difference between yield potential and the actual yield is essential to explore intervention options that can minimize the yield gap. Therefore, this paper is aimed at estimating the yield gap and mapping its spatial variation for bread wheat and malt barley production in southeastern parts of Ethiopia. The process-based Decision Support System for Agro-technology Transfer (DSSATv4.7.5) crop model was calibrated for two wheat varieties (Hidase and Ogolcho) and one barley variety (Ibon) and used to estimate the potential yield. Potential yield was calculated for each selected reference weather station, and compared with the corresponding actual yields achieved by farmers averaged at district level to estimate the yield gap. The model simulated the highest potential yields of 7 and 6.3 t/ha, respectively for Hidase and Ogolcho varieties at Dinsho site while the lowest yield was simulated at Ziway-Dugda (4.9 t/ha) for Hidase and at Merti (4.4 t/ha) for Ogolcho varieties. Moreover, the highest yield gap (78%) was determined at Amigna and the lowest yield gap (26%) was determined at Lemu and Bilbilo district for malt barley. Generally, the analysis of yield gap revealed that there are high yield gaps and spatial variation across study sites for both crops.
Prediction of rolling contact fatigue loci: a comparison between dynamic and a simplified quasi-static approaches
Authors: Pacheco P. A.P. , Ramos P. G. , Sá T. L. , Santos G. F.M. , Neto A. Gay , Santos A. A.
Published: November 2023

Predicting fatigue and wear on wheels and rails is a key to find ways to improve the service life of a railway track and the rolling stock. Rails experience contact with a range of wheel profiles that will pummel their surface at different positions with different intensities. This work compares two methods for evaluating pummelling analyses for the wheel-rail interaction: simplified quasi-static model and multibody dynamics simulations. The first one is solved using the GIRAFFE program and simulates the interaction of a single wheelset with the rail in a quasi-static approach. The second one evaluates the full dynamics of a railway wagon on a track layout using multibody dynamics simulation programs SIMPACK® and VAMPIRE®. The proposal of a quasi-static model is to reduce the time and computational effort to perform a pummelling analysis and quickly evaluate thousands of cases of wheel-rail contact. Track parameters and vehicle loads of a heavy haul railway are considered for the simulations. The results showed that the quasi-static model has a good correlation with the dynamic models on tangent track sections. For the curved sections, differences were observed in the distribution of pressures due to the absence of creep forces in the quasi-static model. The comparison between the models also showed slight distinct results due to the difference in how the contact is calculated in each approach. The quasi-static approach reduced the time consuming by at least 73.4% over the multibody approach. Notwithstanding, the proposed model shows to be promising on replacing complete dynamic analysis for time consuming tasks as pummelling.
Uncovering the biological mechanism of acupuncture alleviating diabetic nephropathy through homeostasis regulation the of intestinal flora and T lymphocytes
Authors: Lu Xuan , Li Mengmeng , Ji Xuequn , Wang Xu , Hou Chunguang , Li Si , Wang Man , Xie Yanlong , Wu Hong , Shi Zongyan , Zhang Zhilong
Published: November 2023

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major healthcare challenge in the management of diabetic patients.The aim of this study was to investigate the protective role of acupuncture treatment in the treatment of DN.After DN modelling, DN rats were treated with acupuncture (4 weeks) and diabetic metabolic parameters and urinary proteins were measured. Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) staining and Periodic Acid-Schiff(PAS) staining were conducted to assess the degree of renal structural damage. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect inflammatory factors mediated by renal T-lymphocyte polarization.Western Blotting (WB) was used to analyze the FOXP3/NF-κB signaling pathway. Composition of T-lymphocyte taxa was detected by flow cytometric analysis. Furtherment, the composition of intestinal microorganisms was detected by 16S rDNA sequencing to explore the effects of acupuncture treatment on the composition and structure of intestinal flora in DN rats.Herein, our results show that acupuncture treatment alleviates renal pathological changes, reduces expression of pro-inflammatory factors, and remodels T-lymphocyte homeostasis in DN rats. Detection of intestinal microorganisms showed that acupuncture improved the composition and structure of intestinal flora and up-regulated the content of probiotics. Our study reveals that remodeling of T-lymphocyte homeostasis through the microbial-gut-kidney axis and consequent inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine activation may be the underlying biological mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of DN.
Can periodontitis lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes：A Mendelian Randomization study
Authors: Yan Tianxing , Wei Yiping , Hu Wenjie
Published: November 2023

Objectives
We aim to investigate the potential uni-directional association from periodontitis to the Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) by Mendelian randomization (MR) method.
Materials and Methods
The present study used genetic instruments for periodontitis as exposures. The outcomes included low birthweight (LBW), preterm delivery (PD), preeclampsia or eclampsia (PET) and spontaneous abortion (SAB). The data were collected from the FinnGen consortium R9 datasets and second release analysis in Neale lab of UK Biobank data. Causal analysis uses the inverse variant weighted (IVW), MR Egger and Weighted median methods. A set of sensitivity analyses also be used to test the robustness of the results comprehensive.
Results
The IVW analysis indicate no association of genetically predicted periodontitis will cause the APOs (LBW [IVW OR = 1.003, P = 0.619], PD [IVW OR = 0.984, P = 0.630], PET [IVW OR = 1.005, P = 0.895], SAB [IVW OR = 0.964, P = 0.221]). Results of the other methods did not show significant differences. Sensitivity analyses showed that horizontal pleiotropy could not distort the results of the causal estimation.
Conclusions
The outcomes indicated there was no potential causal effect of periodontitis on APOs.
Clinical Relevance
Mendelian Randomization studies effectively prevent reverse causality and confounding factors. It complements previous studies, thereby informing clinical diagnosis and deepening understanding of periodontitis and systemic diseases.
Snow contamination by heavy metals and metalloids in a polar town (a case study of Nadym, Russia)
Authors: Moskovchenko Dmitriy Valerievich , Pozhitkov Roman , Soromotin Andrey
Published: November 2023

The article presents the results of a study of snow composition in the town of Nadym (Western Siberia) During the studies conducted in 2021–2022, we determined dust load, concentrations and ratio of dissolved and suspended forms of metals and metalloids (MMs). In the background area, the snow composition depends on the long-range transport of pollutants. We analyzed air mass trajectories using the HYSPLIT model, and the analysis showed the industrial regions of the southern Urals, southeastern Siberia, and Kazakhstan to be the sources of MMs. The content of the insoluble fraction increases 23 times in the town. The dust load in Nadym is higher than in the urban communities situated in the temperate climate zone, although the town is smaller in population and has no large industrial enterprises. A significant increase in the dust load in the town leads to a ten- and hundredfold increase in the content of many MMs. Local soils (Fe, Al), vehicles (W), building dust (Mg, Ca), and anti-icing agents (Na) are the sources of pollution. We showcase that the high dust load is caused by meteorological factors which reduces the dispersion of pollution, such as temperature inversions and a large number of calm days. The case of Nadym demonstrates that winter air quality in polar settlements can be worse than in urban areas in the temperate zone even with few pollution sources. The trend towards an increase in the number of windless days, observed in Siberia as a result of global climate change, increases the risk of anthropogenic pollution of the atmosphere of polar cities.
X-Ray and Microstructure of Rice Husk Ash-Admixed Concrete
Authors: Elinwaa Augustine Uchechukwu Elinwa
Published: November 2023

Morphological changes which occured during the hydration of concrete containing rice husk ash (RHA) and Conplast SP 430 admixture (CP-admixture) were observed. X-ray analyses were used to identify phases, while the scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses were used for the corresponding changes in microstructure with changes in the physical and mechanical properties. The effects of the admixtures and RHA on the concrete samples were investigated with and without Conplast SP 430. RHA was at 10 % replacement by wt. % of cement, and the dosage of admixture was 5.7 ml by wt. % of cement, and the water to cement ratio was 0.5. The results clearly showed the morphological changes that took place as hydration proceeded and showed the specific influences of each of the two admixtures. The additions of RHA and CP-admixture or both, modified the pore network and the composition of the main hydration product.
Study on genetic differentiation of Schistosome japonicum intermediate hosts Oncomelania hupensis in hilly regions of China: using the complete mitochondrial genome
Authors: Song Jing , Wang Hongqiong , Li Shizhu , Zhang Zongya , Li Chunying , Zhou Jihua , Shen Meifen , Qian Peijun , Wang Wenya , Zhang Yun , Chen Chunqiong , Wang Lifang , Sun Jiayu , Hao Yuwan , Du Chunhong , Dong Yi
Published: November 2023

Objective
Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni is the only intermediate host of Schistosoma japonicum in western China, its genetic differentiation directly impacts the susceptibility of Schistosoma japonicum. This study aimed to sequence the complete mitochondrial genome of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni Yunnan strain and analyze the genetic differentiation of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni in hilly regions of China.
Methods
Samples were from 14 administrative villages in Yunnan Province of China, with 30 Oncomelania hupensis per village, and the complete mitochondrial genome was sequenced. Additionally, we retrieved 14 other region Oncomelania hupensis of complete mitochondrial sequences from GenBank, and a comprehensive analysis of the genetic differentiation of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni was conducted by constructing phylogenetic trees, calculating genetic distances, and analyzing homogeneity.
Results
A total of 26 complete mitochondrial sequences were determined. The length of genome ranged from 15,181 to 15,187 bp, and the base composition of the genome was A + T (67.5%) and G + C content (32.5%). This genome encoded 37 genes, including 13 protein-coding genes, 2 rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes and a non-coding region rich in A + T. Using the Philippines genotypes as outgroup, the phylogenetic trees and homology analysis confirmed the existence of two distinct phylogroups, Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni and the remaining 9 provincial genotypes. Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni is subdivided into Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni Yunnan strain and Sichuan strain, with a genetic distance of 0.0834. Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni Yunnan strain is subdivided into two subbranches, "Yunnan North" and "Yunnan South", with a genetic distance of 0.0216, and the samples exhibited over 97% homology.
Conclusion
Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni Yunnan strain exhibits a higher level of genetic homology and clear north-south differentiation, the distribution characteristics were closely associated with watershed distribution. This work reported the first mitochondrial genome of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni Yunnan strain, which could be used as an important reference genome for Oncomelania hupensis, and also provide a theoretical basis for explaining the distribution pattern of Oncomelania hupensis robertsoni and control of schistosomiasis.
Phytochemical and Elemental analysis of Culinary Herbs and Spices used in Traditional Cuisines of Asian subcontinent
Authors: Mangi Irfan Ali , Jatoi Wahid Bux , Katohar Nisar Ahmed , Jatoi Ashique Hussain
Published: November 2023

Plant based natural products are the oldest therapeutic agents throughout the history of mankind. Spices and herbs derived from plants are used in food to produce taste and aroma. These are considered as an essential element in cooking practices of many cultures. Spices and herbs are also a rich source of bioactive compounds of medicinal interest known as phytochemicals or secondary metabolites. There are a number of active drugs that has been isolated from plant materials. The phytochemical screening of selected spices demonstrated that most of them contained compounds of great medicinal and dietary values like saponins, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoids, phenolic compounds, cardiac glycosides, anthocyanins, tannins, and carbohydrates. The essential and trace metal concentration was determined by ICP-OES. All the samples were rich in amount of Na, K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co and Mn that play various vital physiological roles in human health. This study revealed that the use of spices and herbs not only enhance the flavor of the food but also impart the health benefits due to presence of important phytochemicals and essential elements.
Robust optimality and duality for composite uncertain multiobjective optimization in Asplund spaces with its applications
Authors: Saadati Maryam , Oveisiha Morteza
Published: November 2023

This article is devoted to investigate a nonsmooth/nonconvex uncertain multiobjective optimization problem with composition fields ((CUP) for brevity) over arbitrary Asplund spaces. Employing some advanced techniques of variational analysis and generalized differentiation, we establish necessary optimality conditions for weakly robust efficient solutions of (CUP) in terms of the limiting subdifferential. Sufficient conditions for the existence of (weakly) robust efficient solutions to such a problem are also driven under the new concept of pseudo-quasi convexity for composite functions. We formulate a Mond-Weir-type robust dual problem to the primal problem (CUP), and explore weak, strong, and converse duality properties. In addition, the obtained results are applied to an approximate uncertain multiobjective problem and a composite uncertain multiobjective problem with linear operators.
Cross-domain aspect term extractionincorporating character-level features
Authors: wang WangDengXiong , Li LiWeiJiang
Published: November 2023

The aspect term extraction task requires a large amount of labeled data, which will be costly in money and manpower. To reduce the dependence of the aspect term extraction task on labeled data, existing approaches mainly utilize the existence of similar syntactic information or semantic information in the source and target domains. However, relying only on syntactic or semantic information as pivotal information to bridge the gap between the source and target domains is always limited. In order to further extend more similar elements to improve the performance upper bound of the cross-domain aspect term extraction task, we propose to introduce characterlevel features via character-based word embeddings to assist the semantic information for crossdomain aspect term extraction and design a parallel multi-encoder learning framework to learn character-level and word-level features respectively, which ultimately achieves the current best performance on the benchmark dataset.
Calcium alginate microspheres coated by bio-based UV-cured resin with high water retention performance
Authors: Yu Tingting , Wang Xu , Hu Yuehang , Zhao Yang , Zhu Cenming , Cheng Liang , Kong Linghan , Zheng Han , Yue Baoshan , Zhan Jianbo , Yu Zhenhua , Wang Hao , Zhang Ying
Published: November 2023

In this work, a bio-based resin of acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) mixed with three types of active diluents (isoborneol methacrylates [IBOMA], tripropylene glycol diacrylate [TPGDA], and ethoxylated trimethylolpropane triacrylate [ETPTA]) is used to form a protective UV-curable coating film on Calcium alginate water-carrying microspheres (CA-WCMs). Calcium alginate microspheres (CAMs) have previously been used to encapsulate only ester soluble or oil-in-water core materials, thus limiting their application. After UV-curing with an increased active diluent dose, the pencil hardness, pendulum hardness, and mechanical strength of the CAMs increased. A photopolymerization kinetics study reveals that the maximum double bond (C = C) conversion rates of AESO-IBOMA, AESO-TPGDA, and AESO-ETPTA are 95%, 92%, and 86%, respectively, and the maximum conversion rate of C = C bond is 87% in their mixed system. Additionally, the water retention rate of the water-carrying microspheres (WCMs) increased with an increasing number of coating layers, plateauing after the number of layers exceeded four. The water retention is favorable, with more than 75% of the water stored for a duration of 50 days. Overall, the cost-effective and environmentally friendly method has shown encouraging results in the acquisition of water-absorbing CAMs, with the potential to overcome existing implementation constraints.
RPTOR is an Alzheimer’s Disease susceptibility gene associated with Alzheimer’s Disease risk factors BMI and infectious encephalitis
Authors: Lehrer Steven , Rheinstein Peter
Published: November 2023

Background: In comparison to persons who did not have viral encephalitis, people with viral encephalitis had a later-life risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that was 31 times higher. In a previous study, we were able to confirm the association of viral encephalitis with AD and suggest that West Nile Virus infection is a significant AD risk factor. A genome wide association study (GWAS) with UK Biobank data revealed that the gene RAR Related Orphan Receptor B (RORB), previously linked to AD, is significantly associated with viral encephalitis.
Methods: In the current study we used data from PheWeb to identify genes other than RORB that might be involved in both infectious encephalitis and AD. We used UK Biobank data to examine gene expression and phenotypic expression.
Results: PheWeb identified additional genes associated with both infectious encephalitis and AD. RPTOR, a gene associated with the mTOR pathway, emerges as significant. Analyses of UK Biobank data reveal the impact of RPTOR on AD risk, with carriers of the minor allele A exhibiting decreased prevalence in subjects under age 55. Further analysis demonstrates that RPTOR genotypes influence Body Mass Index (BMI) in subjects of all ages, with carriers of the minor allele A having lower BMI. Logistic regression analyses confirm the association between reduced BMI and increased AD risk, along with the established factor of age.
Conclusion: RPTOR may represent an early onset AD gene, though mTOR's role in AD and BMI is complex. Nevertheless, RPTOR and mTOR could represent potential therapeutic targets for AD.
Pre-service teachers’ Knowledge, Gender Use, and Views about Generative AI in Academic Research
Authors: Nyaaba Matthew , Kyeremeh Patrick , Majialuwe Eric Kojo , Owusu-Fordjour Collins , Asebiga Esther , A-ingkonge Barnabas
Published: November 2023

This study explored the knowledge, use, and views of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools among pre-service teachers (PSTs) in the context of academic research in Ghana. Adopting a descriptive survey method, data were gathered from 104 PSTs across five institutions, selected for convenience as they were under the supervision of the study's authors. The primary data collection instrument was a five-point Likert-type questionnaire complemented by an open-ended question, analyzed both quantitatively and thematically. The quantitative analysis, including means, frequencies, standard deviations, and percentages, highlighted a strong familiarity with GAI tools such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, DALL·E, and Bard among PSTs. These tools were primarily used during the introduction, literature review and data analysis stages of their research. Sources of GAI tool discovery varied, with personal research, friends, institutions, and social media being the main avenues. The independent samples t-test revealed a gender disparity in the frequency of GAI tool usage, with male PSTs using them more than their female peers. However, both groups acknowledged the benefits of GAI tools, particularly in enhancing confidence and independence in their research activities. Despite the advantages, PSTs indicated potential inaccuracies that arise from GAI tool usage and expressed concerns about overreliance potentially hindering their critical and creative thinking skills. The study suggests that without careful regulation, the originality and thoroughness of PST research could be at risk. Therefore, it is recommended that teacher education programs incorporate GAI tools into their research methodology courses, ensuring that PSTs can effectively leverage these technologies while maintaining academic integrity and innovation in their research.
No superconductivity in Pb$_9$Cu$_1$(PO$_4$)$_6$O found in orbital and spin fluctuation exchange calculations
Authors: Witt Niklas , Si Liang , Tomczak Jan M. , Held Karsten , Wehling Tim O.
Published: November 2023

Finding a material that turns superconducting under ambient conditions has been the goal of over a century of research, and recently Pb_{10-x}10−xCu_xx(PO_44)_66O aka LK-99 has been put forward as a possible contestant. In this work, we study the possibility of electronically driven superconductivity in LK-99 also allowing for electron or hole doping. We use an ab initio derived two-band model of the Cu e_geg orbitals for which we determine interaction values from the constrained random phase approximation (cRPA). For this two-band model we perform calculations in the fluctuation exchange (FLEX) approach to assess the strength of orbital and spin fluctuations. We scan over a broad range of parameters and enforce no magnetic or orbital symmetry breaking. Even under optimized conditions for superconductivity, spin and orbital fluctuations turn out to be too weak for superconductivity anywhere near to room-temperature. We contrast this finding to non-self-consistent RPA, where it is possible to induce spin singlet d-wave superconductivity at T_cTc ≥300K if the system is put close enough to a magnetic instability.
Stress Tensor flows, birefringence in non-linear electrodynamics and supersymmetry
Authors: Ferko Christian , Smith Liam , Tartaglino-Mazzucchelli Gabriele
Published: November 2023

We identify the unique stress tensor deformation which preserves zero-birefringence conditions in non-linear electrodynamics, which is a 4d4d version of the T\overline{T}TT¯ operator. We study the flows driven by this operator in the three Lagrangian theories without birefringence - Born-Infeld, Plebanski, and reverse Born-Infeld - all of which admit ModMax-like generalizations using a root-T\overline{T}TT¯-like flow that we analyse in our paper. We demonstrate one way of making this root-T\overline{T}TT¯-like flow manifestly supersymmetric by writing the deforming operator in \mathcal{N} = 1𝒩=1 superspace and exhibit two examples of superspace flows. We present scalar analogues in d = 2d=2 with similar properties as these theories of electrodynamics in d = 4d=4. Surprisingly, the Plebanski-type theories are fixed points of the classical T\overline{T}TT¯-like flows, while the Born-Infeld-type examples satisfy new flow equations driven by relevant operators constructed from the stress tensor. Finally, we prove that any theory obtained from a classical stress-tensor-squared deformation of a conformal field theory gives rise to a related “subtracted” theory for which the stress-tensor-squared operator is a constant.
Analysis of the impact of central bank digital currency on stock markets: Dynamics and implications
Authors: Frolov Serhiy , Ivasenko Maksym , V. Dykha Mariia , Heyenko Mykhaylo , Datsenko Viktoriia
Published: November 2023

The purpose of the study is to explore the influence of central bank digital currency on stock markets. To realize the purpose, the TVP-VAR model was built, which determines the impact of volatility of the CBDC attention index (CBDCAI) on the volatility of stock market indices. The study uses a time-varying vector autoregressive model that analyzes weekly data from the first week of January 2015 to the first week of July 2023. The endogenous vector to be assessed by VAR contains CBDCAI and stock market indices of different countries (France: CAC 40, The United States of America: S&P 500, Germany: DAX 40, United Kingdom: FTSE 100, China: SSEC, The Netherlands AEX 25, Switzerland: SMI 20, Japan: Nikkei 225, India: NIFTY 50, Brazil: BVSP, South Korea: KOSPI). The results of the TVP-VAR model show that compared to stock market indices, CBDCAI appeared to be relatively independent and isolated. Interdependence and mutual influence between the digital currency market of central banks and stock markets were also revealed. In addition, CBDC functions primarily as a volatility absorber rather than a source of volatility. Despite the overall ability of the CBDC market to absorb fluctuations in volatility, it may also change its function with the widespread adoption of central bank digital currencies in many countries.
Understanding Thailand’s tourism industry from the perspective of tweets: A qualitative content analysis using NVivo 12.0
Authors: Fu Haiying , Ma Meizhi , Zhu Xiaoe
Published: November 2023

Social media provide a variety of possibilities for tourist destination selection and bring new opportunities and challenges to the development of Thailand’s tourism industry. This study aims to examine Thailand’s tourism development through the lens of social media users via content analysis and find ways to improve Thailand’s tourism marketing strategies within social media. A dataset consisting of 10,008 tweets was utilized. Grounded theory is conducted to finish the open coding, axis coding, and selective coding process within NVivo 12.0, resulting in nine dimensions: the development of cities, elephant tourism development, Thailand perspective, the development of the tourism industry, tourism story, the development of tourist, tourism for Asian development, travel development perspective and cannabis. Subsequently, word frequency, sentiment, and cluster analyses were performed on those topics. The findings highlighted the critical elements of Thailand’s tourism development in social media, including cities, tourists, industries, stories, animals, and cannabis. In addition, the study identified popular tourist attractions and destinations within Thailand’s tourism development, as well as the positive impact of tourism on the economy, market, and urban development. Concurrently, Twitter users expressed concerns regarding sex tourism, cannabis, medical tourism, ecology, agriculture, and unrest in Thailand.
Hypoxemia without dyspnea in COVID-19
Authors: Fan D. V. , Nekludova G. V. , Berikkhanov Z. G.-M. , Avdeev S. N.
Published: November 2023

Dyspnea may not be a major symptom of the disease. There are many reports that some patients with COVID-19 did not complain of dyspnea. There is no consensus on the clinical significance of hypoxemia without dyspnea. Several studies suggest that patients with hypoxemia without dyspnea are not protected against the development of adverse COVID-19 outcomes. It is unclear whether hypoxemia with and without dyspnea are two distinct COVID-19 phenotypes or two phases of the disease. There is currently no consensus on the terminology of this condition, its definition, and its mechanisms of formation. It has not been established whether hypoxemia without dyspnea is associated with a favorable outcome of the disease or not. The question of the absence of respiratory response to hypoxia improves the prognosis in such patients remains unresolved. Analysis of currently available data on the mechanisms of hypoxemia development and related manifestations of dyspnea in SARS-CoV-2 virus infection. “Silent hypoxemia” can be observed both in the initial manifestations of respiratory failure and in progression of the disease. Clinical significance of “silent hypoxemia” is that the decrease in physiologic responses and the absence of dyspnea allow patients to feel normal, thus denying the severity of their condition and masking the true severity of the disease. In addition, in elderly patients and patients with diabetes mellitus, suppression of respiratory function in response to hypoxia and the development of “silent hypoxemia” with rapid decompensation should be expected. The attitude to patients with “asymptomatic carriage” of the virus should be reconsidered and comprehensive monitoring of such patients with mandatory pulse oximetry or arterial blood gas test composition should be carried out.
Non-drug technologies in the complex therapy of chronic adenoiditis
Authors: Solodovnik A. V. , Korkmazov A. M. , Khlestova A. A. , Ustimova М. A.
Published: November 2023

Introduction. In pediatric otorhinolaryngology, chronic adenoiditis is one of the most common diseases and leads to the search for effective methods of treatment. In this regard, it is of interest to study the use of additional physiotherapeutic methods of influence in complex therapy.

Objective. To increase the effectiveness of the treatment of chronic adenoiditis in children using low-frequency ultrasonic cavitation in combination with photochromotherapy in complex therapy.

Materials and methods. 104 patients with chronic adenoiditis aged 3 to 15 years were examined. By randomization by the envelope method, patients were divided into 3 groups depending on the treatment: the control group, the group with the use of only low-frequency ultrasonic cavitation as conventional therapy, and the group in combination with photochromotherapy, daily for seven days with a duration of one session of five minutes. Comparative evaluation of indicators was carried out before the start of therapy (day 0) and on the 7th day of treatment. The state of the nasopharynx was assessed using a flexible nasopharyngoscope, as well as the structure of the middle ear and auditory tube during acoustic impedancemetry.

Results. There was a decrease in the size of the pharyngeal tonsil in patients with grade III adenoid hypertrophy by 46%, compared with the control group using only low-frequency ultrasonic cavitation, and by 54% in the group where photochromotherapy was added. Mucopurulent discharge from the surface of the pharyngeal tonsil decreased by 18% and 21%, purulent by 40% and 41%, respectively, compared with the control group. The positive effect in the second group was 3.3 times higher [CI 0.75; 14.6] compared with the control group, and in combination with photochromotherapy it was 3.6 times higher [CI 0.85; 15.5].

Conclusions. The inclusion of low-frequency ultrasonic cavitation and photochromotherapy in the complex treatment of chronic adenoiditis makes it possible to achieve positive results earlier and reduce the number of adenotomies.
The effectiveness of the use of the drug based on silver proteinate in acute and exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Ryazantsev S. V. , Zakharova G. P. , Ivanov N. I.
Published: November 2023

Abstract

Introduction. The presence of opportunistic pathogens within the nasal cavity is one of the important factors in the pathogenesis of acute rhinosinusitis and exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis. On top of that, the frequently prescribed ill-founded and uncontrolled use of antibiotics leads to the development of immunoresistance, which contributes to the lack of effectiveness of conservative treatments. This article discusses the therapeutic option for patients with acute rhinosinusitis and exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis in the form of a silver proteinate drug in the complex treatment.

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of the silver proteinate drug in the complex treatment of acute rhinosinusitis and exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis.

Materials and methods. A total of 60 adult patients of both sexes aged 20 to 50 years were included in the study. The first study group (a treatment group) included 30 patients (15 with acute rhinosinusitis and 15 with exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis). The second group (a comparison group) also included 30 patients (15 with acute rhinosinusitis and 15 with exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis). The treatment group received the silver proteinate drug + decongestants + irrigation therapy + topical corticosteroid therapy as part of the complex treatment. The comparison group received standard therapy: irrigation therapy (solutions to rinse nasal cavities) + decongestants + topical corticosteroid drugs.

Results. Comparative analysis of re-assessment scores for the patients’ status against the timing of use of the silver proteinate drug (Sialor®, tablets for solution for topical use, 200 mg) in the complex treatment showed pronounced improvement in the form of rapid relief of symptoms of the disease and recovery in patients with acute rhinosinusitis and exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis in both study groups.

Conclusion. This brings us to the conclusion about the effectiveness and safety of the silver proteinate drug Sialor® in the complex treatment of patients with acute rhinosinusitis and exacerbation of chronic rhinosinusitis, which allows us to recommend it for widespread use in otorhinolaryngological practice.
Difficulties in diagnosing complications of COVID-19: description of a clinical case
Authors: Loshkova E. V. , Rebrienko M. V. , Doroshenko I. V. , Lyulka T. S. , Budkin A. V. , Rafikova Yu. S. , Kondratyeva E. I. , Khavkin A. I. , Odinaeva N. D. , Solnyshko A. L. , Golikova Е. V.
Published: November 2023

It is well known that COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and characterized by an acute respiratory syndrome with a high morbidity and mortality had rapidly spread around the world, taking on the character of a pandemic. The virus affects not only the respiratory tract, but also other organs due to mechanisms of the cytokine storm mechanism, in addition, hypoxic damage, immune mechanism and the mechanism involving angiotensin-converting enzyme. The frequency of CVT associated with COVID-19 is less than 0.02%, on the one hand, is low, but on the other hand, this rate is 30–60 times higher than the frequency of CVT in persons without COVID-19 (0.0003–0.0004% in adults and 0.0007% in children). For an individual patient, it is extremely important that the combination of CVT and COVID-19 is associated with a higher mortality rate (45.5%) in contrast to CVT (15%) and COVID-19 (5.6%) separately. In the presented literature review, the authors focus on the pathophysiological mechanisms of the development of COVID-19 associated cerebral thrombosis for a deeper and more holistic view of the pathological process occurring in the body in order to form and improve the clinical thinking of specialist doctors, and cite their own clinical observation as an illustration of the difficulties of diagnosing COVID-19 associated cerebral thrombosis. The authors believe that this review of the literature describing a clinical case is valuable from the point of view of practical applicability, both for clinicians of various fields and for researchers.
Quality of life of children with allergic rinitis and ways of correction
Authors: Korkmazov M. Yu. , Lengina M. A. , Dubinets I. D. , Korkmazov A. M. , Smirnov A.
Published: November 2023

Introduction. Allergic rhinitis is a common disorder that significantly impairs the children’s quality of life. The problem is particularly pertinent in relation to the paediatric population living in areas with advanced manufacturing industries, where well-known trigger factors, being added by increased concentration of pollutants in the atmospheric air, further complicate the selection of an effective course of treatment.

Aim. To determine the effectiveness of a course of treatment with an antihistamine medicine Cetirizine based on the assessment of quality-of-life criteria for children with intermittent allergic rhinitis (IAR) in the Chelyabinsk region.

Materials and methods. A prospective study of 147 children with respiratory allergic diseases living in the Chelyabinsk region was conducted. The quality of life of children who received a course of treatment with the antihistamine medicine was assessed using the Paediatric Quality-of-Life inventory (PedsQL) that consisted of combined Likert scales (school life, social, physical functioning, etc.), clinical symptoms were assessed using a developed visual analogue scale.

Results and discussion. The assessment findings confirmed that the use of Cetirizine in the complex therapy of intermittent allergic rhinitis and associated comorbid conditions made it possible to significantly improve the clinical symptoms and quality of life of children over the entire treatment period.

The most striking positive response in the form of decreased nasal obstruction was seen during the prescribed treatment in patients of Groups 1 and 2. Thus, the filling VAS ratings for children with mild to moderate IAR showed that only 10 (20%) patients in Group 1 experienced mild nasal breathing difficulty. Patients with severe IAR reported a decrease in nasal obstruction only by the end of two-month treatment.

Conclusion. Cetirizine demonstrated a good effect of blocking H1-histamine receptors, high bioavailability, good tolerability and safety in the treatment of allergic rhinitis in children with comorbid conditions.
Comparison of the effectiveness of dornase alfa in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis using different types of drug delivery
Authors: Petrov A. S. , Shadrina V. V. , Polyakov D. P. , Voronkova A. Yu. , Kondratyeva E. I.
Published: November 2023

Introduction. When using the drug dornase alfa in children with cystic fibrosis (CF) in the form of inhalations through a compressor inhaler with a pulsating aerosol supply, a high concentration of aerosol is achieved in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, which reduces the severity of rhinological pathology, namely chronic rhinosinusitis, including those with nasal polyposis. There is also a positive effect on the function of external respiration, due to a decrease in the negative impact of rhinological pathology on the respiratory tract, primarily due to descending infection.

Aim. To evaluate the effect of intranasal dornase alfa therapy as part of a complex treatment on lung function and indicators of physical development in children with CF.

Materials and methods. The study compared the effectiveness of the drug dornase alfa for chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis using different types of drug delivery in children who did not receive targeted therapy for CF. A group of children who received two inhalations of dornase alfa (n = 43), information about patients in this group was taken from the 2020 register, and a group of children who received inhalation of dornase alfa only in the lower respiratory tract were compared (n = 28), information about patients in this group was taken from the 2016 register.

Results. The effect of additional intranasal inhalation of the drug dornase alfa was observed in the form of an increase in FEV and FVC. In addition, there was an improvement in body weight and height in the group of patients receiving intranasal inhalations, but the identified difference did not reach significant values.

Conclusion. The results obtained in the form of an increase in FEV1 and FVC allow us to draw a conclusion about the effectiveness of prescribing additional intranasal inhalation of the drug dornase alfa.
O serviço psicopedagógico na Rede Pública Municipal de Educação de Santa Catarina
Authors: Blaszko Caroline Elizabel , Ujiie Nájela Tavares , Tavano Patrícia Teixeira
Published: November 2023

O artigo é um recorte de uma pesquisa anterior no cenário brasileiro, sendo destacados os dados sobre o serviço psicopedagógico ofertado na rede pública municipal de educação de Santa Catarina (SC). Objetiva-se apresentar um panorama do serviço psicopedagógico, os vínculos empregatícios e a formação dos psicopedagogos atuantes no cargo. A metodologia envolve pesquisa qualitativa de abordagem descritiva. Para a coleta de dados foi encaminhado um questionário para 295 municípios de SC. Constatou-se que 54 municípios possuem psicopedagogos atuando na área da educação, totalizando 67 psicopedagogos no cargo; destes, 60 profissionais possuem graduação em Pedagogia e 27 psicopedagogos cursaram especialização em Psicopedagogia, atendendo os requisitos da Associação Brasileira de Psicopedagogia. O estudo revelou que 19 profissionais são concursados no cargo de psicopedagogo, dado que demonstra a necessidade de novos concursos para atender as demandas locais.
Morphological and Physiological Responses of Plants Under Temperature Stress and Underlying Mechanisms
Authors: Shakeel Asma , Jan Syed Andleeba , Mir Shakeel A , Mehdi Z. , Khan Inayat M. , Shakeel Mehnaz
Published: November 2023

During evolution, plants are exposed to a wide range of beneficial and
detrimental environmental conditions. Among these, temperature stress could retard
plant growth and development, and even threaten survival. In agriculture, due to
temperature stress, crop yield might be reduced remarkably and consequently damage
food security. Fortunately, to mitigate these losses, plants have evolved various
mechanisms for adaptation, avoidance and acclimatization to overcome temperature
stress. For example, chilling or freezing injury can lead to the disruption of many
physiological processes in plants, e.g., water status, photosynthesis, respiration, and
even most of the metabolism, and thus, various adaptative mechanisms could be
activated in plants to avoid damage by the ice crystal formation or other chilling
damages. These temperature-stress-tolerant mechanisms for high-temperature stress,
cold stress, chilling injury, and freezing injury have been intensively revealed by
researchers, and this present chapter attempts to summarize them systematically.