bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Actions speak louder than words: Home visits and its effect on dietary adherence in patients with phenylketonuria
Authors: Bulut Fatma Derya , Kor Deniz , Kilavuz Sebile , Cicek Ebru , Koseci Burcu , Kara Esra , Burgac Ezgi , Kaplan İrem , Onenli Mungan Neslihan
Published: September 2023

Aim

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inherited metabolic disorder in which accumulation of phenylalanine (Phe) leads to poor neurological outcomes without treatment. Dietary therapy is the main treatment and nonadherence is associated with elevated blood Phe levels and correspondingly poor neuropsychiatric outcomes. This study aimed to examine the effect of home visits on blood Phe levels in PKU patients.

Methods

Sixty‐five paediatric PKU patients who were on low‐phenylalanine diet were visited monthly at home for 6 months. At each visit, dietary education was provided, patients' height and weight were measured and blood samples were collected.

Results

Twenty‐eight (43.1%) patients had classic PKU and 37 (56.9%) had moderate PKU. Blood Phe levels decreased statistically significant at first, second, fifth, and sixth months compared with screening visit. Blood Phe levels in moderate PKU patients decreased significantly at the last visit unlike classic PKU patients. A significant decrease in blood Phe levels was observed in patients older than 10 years. Anthropometric parameters improved.

Conclusions

Dietary nonadherence is the main treatment failure in PKU. Home visits for education are a promising way to improve treatment outcomes by providing quality education, better assessment, and correction of mistakes but they should be ongoing and supported by different interventions that address patients' special needs.
Morphological and pathological characterization of Colletotrichum species causing anthracnose of litchi leaves in Guangxi, China
Authors: Huang Rong , Sun Wenxiu , Guo Tangxun , Huang Suiping , Tang Lihua , Chen Xiaolin , Li Qili
Published: September 2023

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) is an evergreen subtropical fruit tree native to southern China. Litchi is vulnerable to a wide range of diseases affecting yield and fruit quality. Anthracnose is one of the main diseases during the period of growth and storage, which has a serious impact on the quality and production of litchi. In December 2020 to May 2021, typical anthracnose symptoms were observed on litchi leaves in different orchards in Qinzhou City, Guangxi Province, Southern China. According to colony features, conidial and appressorial morphology, and sequence analysis of several genomic regions (internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, chitin synthase (chs‐1), actin (act), calmodulin (cal), glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (gapdh), β‐tubulin (tub2) and the intergenic region of apn2 and MAT1‐2‐1 (ApMat)), 44 isolates were obtained, and 26 were identified as three Colletotrichum species: C. fructicola (50%), C. siamense (42.31%), C. gigasporum (7.69%). The pathogenicity tests were performed with conidial suspension and mycelia plugs to inoculate wounded litchi seedlings. The results of pathogenicity tests showed that the virulence of C. gigasporum was the weakest, and the virulence of C. fructicola was the strongest. This is the first report of C. gigasporum causing anthracnose of litchi worldwide.
Whole genome analyses reveal weak signatures of population structure and environmentally associated local adaptation in an important North American pollinator, the bumble bee Bombus vosnesenskii
Authors: Heraghty Sam D. , Jackson Jason M. , Lozier Jeffrey D.
Published: September 2023

Studies of species that experience environmental heterogeneity across their distributions have become an important tool for understanding mechanisms of adaptation and predicting responses to climate change. We examine population structure, demographic history and environmentally associated genomic variation in Bombus vosnesenskii, a common bumble bee in the western USA, using whole genome resequencing of populations distributed across a broad range of latitudes and elevations. We find that B. vosnesenskii exhibits minimal population structure and weak isolation by distance, confirming results from previous studies using other molecular marker types. Similarly, demographic analyses with Sequentially Markovian Coalescent models suggest that minimal population structure may have persisted since the last interglacial period, with genomes from different parts of the species range showing similar historical effective population size trajectories and relatively small fluctuations through time. Redundancy analysis revealed a small amount of genomic variation explained by bioclimatic variables. Environmental association analysis with latent factor mixed modelling (LFMM2) identified few outlier loci that were sparsely distributed throughout the genome and although a few putative signatures of selective sweeps were identified, none encompassed particularly large numbers of loci. Some outlier loci were in genes with known regulatory relationships, suggesting the possibility of weak selection, although compared with other species examined with similar approaches, evidence for extensive local adaptation signatures in the genome was relatively weak. Overall, results indicate B. vosnesenskii is an example of a generalist with a high degree of flexibility in its environmental requirements that may ultimately benefit the species under periods of climate change.
Matrix multipliers, demand composition and income distribution: Post‐Keynesian–Sraffian theory and evidence from the world's ten largest economies
Authors: Mariolis Theodore , Ntemiroglou Nikolaos
Published: September 2023

This paper builds and explores in detail a post‐Keynesian–Sraffian one‐country model of effective demand, which, on the one hand, extends the Kurz multiplier model to open–with state‐economies of single production and, on the other hand, is applicable to data from the National Input–Output Tables of the World Input–Output Database. Thus, it estimates the net output, import and employment matrix demand multipliers for the world's 10 largest economies. The overall findings provide general support for and new insights into Sraffian theoretical and policy arguments: (i) the multiplier effects depend heavily on the physical composition of autonomous demand; (ii) the incremental share of wages in net national income can move in either direction with an increase in the savings ratios out of wages and profits and/or the corresponding direct tax rates; (iii) there is, in general, no one‐to‐one correspondence between alternative tax–transfer policies and their multiplier effects; and (iv) there is not necessarily an inverse relationship between the overall level of the profit rate and the multiplier effects or the wage share.
Illuminating bunyavirus entry into host cells with fluorescence
Authors: Gu Yu , Lozach Pierre‐Yves
Published: September 2023

Bunyavirales constitute the largest order of enveloped RNA viruses, many members of which cause severe diseases in humans and domestic animals. In recent decades, innovative fluorescence‐based methods have paved the way to visualize and track single fluorescent bunyaviral particles in fixed and live cells. This technological breakthrough has enabled imaging of the early stages of infection and the quantification of every step in the bunyavirus cell entry process. Here, we describe the latest procedures for rendering bunyaviral particles fluorescent and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each approach in light of the most recent advances in fluorescence detection and monitoring of bunyavirus entry. In this mini‐review, we also illustrate how fluorescent viral particles are a powerful tool for deciphering the cellular entry process of bunyaviruses, the vast majority of which have not yet been analyzed.
Human health in an era of global environmental change
Authors: Abdel‐Motaal Doaa , Cole Jennifer
Published: September 2023

What are the impacts of a changing environment on human health in a world marked by more intense climate‐related events and a growing population? A new agenda is needed that links both human and environmental health.
Seseli kurdistanicum (Apiaceae), a new species from Van Province, eastern Turkey
Authors: Lyskov Dmitry , Kroupsky Ivan , Samigullin Tahir , Fırat Mehmet
Published: September 2023

A new species, Seseli kurdistanicum Lyskov and Fırat (Apiaceae), is described from the Van Province, eastern Turkey. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of nrITS/ETS recognized the new species as closely related to Seseli leptocladum from western Armenia. Morphologically, these two species are also closely related. However, S. kurdistanicum differs from S. leptocladum in the petiole length (absent or very short about 0.5 cm versus 3–5 cm), shape of radical leaves (ovate versus oblong), umbel diameter (up to 11 cm with ascending rays versus 2–3 cm with erect rays), number of rays (4–10, usually 6–7 versus 1–6, usually 2–4), and ray length (up to 7 cm, usually 3–5 versus up to 3 cm).
Adeno‐associated virus‐9 reverses delayed gastric emptying of solids in diabetic mice
Authors: Li Xiaojie , Ji Sihan , Cipriani Gianluca , Hillestad Matthew L. , Eisenman Seth T. , Barry Michael A. , Nath Karl A. , Linden David R. , Wright Alec , AlAsfoor Shefaa , Grover Madhusudan , Sha Lei , Hsi Linda C. , Farrugia Gianrico
Published: September 2023

Background

Gastroparesis is defined by delayed gastric emptying (GE) without obstruction. Studies suggest targeting heme oxygenase‐1 (HO1) may ameliorate diabetic gastroparesis. Upregulation of HO1 expression via interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) in the gastric muscularis propria is associated with reversal of delayed GE in diabetic NOD mice. IL‐10 activates the M2 cytoprotective phenotype of macrophages and induces expression of HO1 protein. Here, we assess delivery of HO1 by recombinant adeno‐associated viruses (AAVs) in diabetic mice with delayed GE.

Methods

C57BL6 diabetic delayed GE mice were injected with 1 × 1012 vg scAAV9‐cre, scAAV9‐GFP, or scAAV9‐HO1 particles. Changes to GE were assessed weekly utilizing our [13C]‐octanoic acid breath test. Stomach tissue was collected to assess the effect of scAAV9 treatment on Kit, NOS1, and HO1 expression.

Key Results

Delayed GE returned to normal within 2 weeks of treatment in 7/12 mice receiving scAAV9‐cre and in 4/5 mice that received the scAAV9‐GFP, whereas mice that received scAAV9‐HO1 did not respond in the same manner and had GE that took significantly longer to return to normal (6/7 mice at 4–6 weeks). Kit, NOS1, and HO1 protein expression in scAAV9‐GFP‐treated mice with normal GE were not significantly different compared with diabetic mice with delayed GE.

Conclusions and Inferences

Injection of scAAV9 into diabetic C57BL6 mice produced a biological response that resulted in acceleration of GE independently of the cargo delivered by the AAV9 vector. Further research is needed to determine whether use of AAV mediated gene transduction in the gastric muscularis propria is beneficial and warranted.
SECRETS OF THE DRAVA: BRONZE AGE METALWORK IN CONTINENTAL CROATIA
Authors: Kudelić Andreja , Franjić Ana , Vrdoljak Snježana , Radivojević Miljana
Published: September 2023

The article presents a group of Bronze Age artefacts recovered from the Drava river wetlands in continental Croatia, examining their typological and chronological markers, and assessing the technological characteristics of the material through spectrometric and use‐wear analyses. We discuss the context of the finds, types of items retrieved and deposition locations, and how these fit into the patterns of European Bronze Age metal deposition practices. Compositional and metalwork use analyses indicate that most of the items were in use prior to their deposition and display solid metallurgical skill. Chronologically, typologically, compositionally, and conceptually, the items align with the depositional trends seen in the wider region and beyond.
Poet as poem: The intermedial staging of A. E. Housman in Tom Stoppard's The Invention of Love
Authors: Yang Huayu , Wang Bowen
Published: September 2023

Tom Stoppard's The Invention of Love (1997) offers the audience a dream‐like voyage through the post‐mortem reminiscences of the central character, A. E. Housman. The attempt to resurrect Housman, as the historical figure in real life, is suspended by the intertextual incorporation of Housman's poems, the both fictive and enigmatically private voice of which opens up the illusory closure of biographically accurate dramatic characterisation. By fluidising and activating the subversive emotions contained in the formal patterns of the poetic text, the intermedial stage with the corporeality of its theatrical embodiment becomes a spatialised metaphor for the poetry as an open space that is inviting meaning to be projected onto it. The poetic and the theatrical, thus deterritorialised by their intermedial exchanges, interlace a dreamscape in which the nomadic search for the uncorrupted, unappropriated poet/poem continuum provides a transcendental empiricist reading of the ‘truth’ about Housman.
A systematic review and network meta‐analysis comparing different epidural steroid injection approaches
Authors: Mahmoud Atef Mohamed , Shawky Mohamed Ahmed , Farghaly Omer Sayed , Botros Joseph Makram , Alsaeid Mohamed Awad , Ragab Safaa Gaber
Published: September 2023

Background

Low back pain (LBP) and lumbosacral radiculopathy are frequent disorders that cause nerve root injury, resulting in a variety of symptoms ranging from loss of sensation to loss of motor function depending on the degree of nerve compression.

Objectives

The goal of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of various epidural injection procedures in adult LBP patients.

Study Design

Systematic review and network meta‐analysis.

Setting

Egypt.

Methods

PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Database, and Embase were used to conduct an electronic literature search. We included RCTs, cohorts, case controls, patients 30 years old with a clinical presentation of low back pain, and comprehensive data on the effects of the intervention on patients with lumbosacral radicular pain who got epidural steroid injections via various techniques. Only papers written in English were eligible.

Results

Our analysis showed that parasagittal intralaminar (PIL) was the most effective approach in decreasing VAS (0–10) in the short term (< 6 months) (MD = −1.16 [95% CI −2.04, −0.28]). The next significant approach was transforaminal (TF) (MD = −0.37 [95% CI −1.14, −0.32]) in the long term; TF was the most effective approach (MD = −0.56 [95% CI −1, −0.13]). According to VAS (0–100) in the short term (< 6 months), our analysis showed an insignificant difference among the injection approaches and in the long term; TF was the most effective approach (MD = −24.20 [95% CI −43.80, −4.60]) and the next significant approach was PIL (MD = −23.89 [95% CI −45.78, −1.99]).

Limitations

The main limitations are the heterogeneity encountered in some of our analyses in addition to studies assessed as high risk of bias in some domains.

Conclusion

TF was the most effective steroid injection approach. In decreasing VAS for short‐term PIL and TF were the most significant approaches, but TF was the most effective approach in decreasing VAS for the long term. Also, TF was the most effective approach in decreasing ODI for the long term.
BpGRP1 acts downstream of BpmiR396c/BpGRF3 to confer salt tolerance in Betula platyphylla
Authors: Liu Zhongyuan , Zhang Tengqian , Xu Ruiting , Liu Baichao , Han Yating , Dong Wenfang , Xie Qingjun , Tang Zihao , Lei Xiaojin , Wang Chao , Fu Yujie , Gao Caiqiu
Published: September 2023

Glycine‐rich RNA‐binding proteins (GRPs) have been implicated in the responses of plants to environmental stresses, but the function of GRP genes involved in salt stress and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. In this study, we identified BpGRP1 (glycine‐rich RNA‐binding protein), a Betula platyphylla gene that is induced under salt stress. The physiological and molecular responses to salt tolerance were investigated in both BpGRP1‐overexpressing and suppressed conditions. BpGRF3 (growth‐regulating factor 3) was identified as a regulatory factor upstream of BpGRP1. We demonstrated that overexpression of BpGRF3 significantly increased the salt tolerance of birch, whereas the grf3‐1 mutant exhibited the opposite effect. Further analysis revealed that BpGRF3 and its interaction partner, BpSHMT, function upstream of BpGRP1. We demonstrated that BpmiR396c, as an upstream regulator of BpGRF3, could negatively regulate salt tolerance in birch. Furthermore, we uncovered evidence showing that the BpmiR396c/BpGRF3 regulatory module functions in mediating the salt response by regulating the associated physiological pathways. Our results indicate that BpmiR396c regulates the expression of BpGRF3, which plays a role in salt tolerance by targeting BpGRP1.
Assessing the agreement between the pneumatic and the flow‐centrifuge method for estimating xylem safety in temperate diffuse‐porous tree species
Authors: Paligi S. S. , Link R. M. , Isasa E. , Bittencourt P. , Cabral J. S. , Jansen S. , Oliveira R. S. , Pereira L. , Schuldt B.
Published: September 2023

The increasing frequency of global change‐type droughts has created a need for fast, accurate and widely applicable techniques for estimating xylem embolism resistance to improve forecasts of future forest changes.

We used data from 12 diffuse‐porous temperate tree species covering a wide range of xylem safety to compare the pneumatic and flow‐centrifuge method, two rapid methods used for constructing xylem vulnerability curves. We evaluated the agreement between parameters estimated with both methods and the sensitivity of pneumatic measurements to the duration of air discharge (AD) measurements.

There was close agreement between xylem water potentials at 50% air discharged (PAD), estimated with the Pneumatron, and 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity (PLC), estimated with the flow‐centrifuge method (mean signed deviation: 0.12 MPa, Pearson correlation: 0.96 after 15 s of gas extraction). However, the relationship between the estimated slopes was more variable, resulting in lower agreement in the xylem water potential at 12% and 88% PAD/PLC. The agreement between the two methods was not affected by species‐specific vessel length distributions. All pneumatic parameters were sensitive to AD time. Overall agreement was highest at relatively short AD times, with an optimum at 16 s.

Our results highlight the value of the Pneumatron as an easy and reliable tool to estimate 50% embolism thresholds for a wide range of diffuse‐porous temperate angiosperms. Further, our study provides a set of useful metrics for methodological comparisons of vulnerability curves in terms of systematic and random deviations, as well as overall agreement.
Chemodiversity in flowers of Tanacetum vulgare has consequences on a florivorous beetle
Authors: Sasidharan R. , Brokate L. , Eilers E. J. , Müller C.
Published: September 2023

The chemical composition of plant individuals can vary, leading to high intraspecific chemodiversity. Diversity of floral chemistry may impact the responses of flower‐feeding insects.

Tanacetum vulgare plants vary significantly in their leaf terpenoid composition, forming distinct chemotypes. We investigated the composition of terpenoids and nutrients of flower heads and pollen in plants belonging to three chemotypes – dominated either by β‐thujone (BThu), artemisia ketone (Keto) or a mixture of (Z)‐myroxide, santolina triene, and artemisyl acetate (Myrox) – using different analytical platforms. We tested the effects of these differences on preferences, weight gain and performance of adults of the shining flower beetle, Olibrus aeneus.

The terpenoid composition and diversity of flower heads and pollen significantly differed among individuals belonging to the above chemotypes, while total concentrations of pollen terpenoids, sugars, amino acids, and lipids did not differ. Beetles preferred BThu over the Myrox chemotype in both olfactory and contact choice assays, while the Keto chemotype was marginally repellent according to olfactory assays. The beetles gained the least weight within 48 h and their initial mortality was highest when feeding exclusively on floral tissues of the Myrox chemotype. Short‐term weight gain and long‐term performance were highest when feeding on the BThu chemotype.

In conclusion, the beetles showed chemotype‐specific responses towards different T. vulgare chemotypes, which may be attributed to the terpenoid composition in flower heads and pollen rather than to differences in nutrient profiles. Both richness and overall diversity are important factors when determining chemodiversity of individual plants and their consequences on interacting insects.
Prosocial behavior amid violence: The deservingness heuristic and solidarity with victims
Authors: Skigin Natán
Published: September 2023

Incidents of state repression and criminal violence trigger disparate public responses: Some cases elicit widespread citizen solidarity with victims while others do not. What explains these different reactions? Public debates surrounding civilian victimization vary in the extent to which they present victims as deserving of help, often engaging in victim‐blaming narratives. I argue that through the use of attributional evidence, individuals primarily determine their level of support for the victims based on whether or not they are deemed deserving of assistance, instead of focusing on alternative information such as their similarity with victims' demographic characteristics or the perpetrator's identity. I test this argument using various forms of evidence, including experimental, observational survey, and qualitative data from Mexico's War on Drugs—one of the most significant contemporary human rights crises that has nonetheless triggered only sporadic solidarity. Consistent with the argument, the results show that narratives characterizing people as responsible for their misfortune reduce prosocial behavior by eroding compassion and perceptions of social norms—whether helping victims is socially acceptable. In contrast, citizens are more likely to aid victims perceived to have little control over their situation. These findings suggest that elite and media discourses crucially shape public responses to violence.
The effects of transparency regulation on political trust and perceived corruption: Evidence from a survey experiment
Authors: Crepaz Michele , Arikan Gizem
Published: September 2023

Scholarly evidence of transparency's beneficial effects on trust and perceptions of corruption remains debated and confined to the study of public administration. We contribute to this debate by extending the study of its effects to transparency legislation concerning members of parliament (MPs), political parties, and business interest groups. In an online experiment conducted in Ireland with 1373 citizens, we find that transparency in political donations improves trust in political parties, while asset declaration for conflict of interest prevention reduces perceptions of corruption toward MPs. However, transparency in lobbying is found to have no impact on attitudes toward business interest groups. This supports the common expectation that transparency improves political trust and reduces perceptions of corruption, but also confirms its complex effects. The study improves our understanding of transparency beyond open government providing an evaluation of different regulatory policies aimed at making the activities of parties, MPs, and lobby groups transparent.
Sleep well with home automation
Authors: Zheng Yizhong , Yee Brendon J.
Published: September 2023

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‘L'arte in prattica’: Reconstructing Orazio Toscanella's language ideology
Authors: Crocco Claudia , Serra Eleonora
Published: September 2023

This paper examines the dynamics which led to the formation of Italian by reconstructing the language ideology of the teacher and polygraph Orazio Toscanella, i.e. one of those cultural mediators who, in the sixteenth‐century Venetian printing market, were actively involved in the promotion of the vernacular. Looking for traces of Toscanella’s language ideology through a range of paratextual materials (title‐pages, prefatory letters), we reconstruct his ideas on the vernacular. These reveal an eclecticism which is not entirely coherent, but which can be understood in light of this polygraph’s pedagogical objectives, and of his pressing need to respond to the market’s requirements. By focusing on Toscanella’s translation of Vives’ Exercitatio, published in 1568 under the title Flores Italici, we then compare the ideas conveyed in the paratexts with the author’s linguistic usage in the text: we thus show that Toscanella’s eclectic ideas on language and his need to accommodate the market’s requirements also shaped the type of vernacular he proposed to his readers. This focus on Toscanella’s paratextual production allows us to investigate the way in which the ‘high’ vernacular model was re‐elaborated and disseminated to a broad audience, and the extent to which such re‐elaboration was influenced by commercial concerns.
Advancing health coverage of informal workers in three Latin American countries
Authors: Bernales‐Baksai Pamela , Solar‐Hormazábal Orielle
Published: September 2023

Advancing universal health coverage (UHC) in Latin America (LA) requires that governments address the inclusion of informal workers, who represent a significant proportion of the working population. Based on case studies and a literature review, this article analyzes health policy reforms of three LA countries and examines their ability to promote the inclusion of informal workers. The analysis focuses on three dimensions: eligibility criteria, benefit packages, and financial protection. The countries analyzed are Chile, Uruguay, and Colombia, each having a different type of welfare regime. These three countries have applied relevant reforms for UHC. Chile has made strenuous efforts to provide a comprehensive benefit package for all, while Uruguay has promoted the extension of health coverage based on principles of citizen rights. Colombia, meanwhile, has significantly expanded the coverage of informal workers, although it still faces challenges in terms of providing them with a comprehensive benefit package. The analysis shows the linkages between eligibility criteria, benefit packages, and financial protection, in such a way that strategies to extend the coverage of informal workers need to be coupled with the harmonization of benefit packages, financial protection, and equal opportunity of access to providers.
Phylogeny of the Braconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): A new tribal order!
Authors: Quicke Donald L. J. , Jasso‐Martínez Jovana M. , Ranjith A. P. , Sharkey Michael J. , Manjunath Ramya , Naik Suresh , Hebert Paul D. N. , Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan , Thurman Jessa , Butcher Buntika A.
Published: September 2023

Generic relationships within the parasitoid wasp subfamily Braconinae are assessed based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis of four gene fragments: mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, 16S rDNA, nuclear 28S D2‐D3 rDNA and elongation factor 1‐alpha. Our results support the recognition of Aphrastobraconini, Braconini and Coeloidini plus three new tribes: Compsobraconini tribus nov., Tropobraconini tribus nov. and Virgulibraconini tribus nov. The first of these new tribes is restricted to the New World; the second includes the Old World genera Tropobracon Cameron, Trispinaria Quicke and Grangerbracon Samartsev and Belokobylskij and possibly others, whereas the third comprises the Australian genus Virgulibracon Quicke, plus several other described and undescribed Australian genera. Consistent placement of Amyosoma Viereck with members of the Virgulibraconini tribus nov. is discussed, whereas Amyosoma is left currently unplaced. A preliminary key to tribes is presented, and the characters used to differentiate between Aphrastobraconini and Braconini are revised. Megacoeloides Quicke was never recovered with Coeloides, the type genus of Coeloidini, so it is treated as Braconinae incertae sedis. By combining molecular and morphological traits, nearly all valid genera are assigned to tribes, and the possible relationships of the remainder are discussed. Alienoclypeus Shenefelt, 1978 is synonymised with Atanycolus Förster, 1862 (Atanycolus insolitus (Shenefelt) comb. nov.). Several new genera have been revealed and will be described elsewhere.
A Useful and Effective Method for Selecting a Smart Controller for SDN Network Design and Implement
Authors: Rashid Mohammed Mousa , Shiltagh Al-Jamali Nadia Adnan
Published: September 2023

Software Defined Networking (SDN) is a modern network architectural model that manages network traffic using software. SDN is a networking scenario that modifies the conventional network design by combining all control features into a single place and making all choices centrally. Controllers are the "brains" of SDN architecture since they are responsible for making control decisions and routing packets at the same time. The capacity for centralized decision-making on routing improves the performance of the network.  SDN's growing functionality and uses have led to the development of many controller systems. Every SDN controller idea or design must prioritize the control plane since it is the most crucial part of the SDN architecture. Studies have been done to examine, analyze, and evaluate the relative advantages of the many controllers that have been created in recent years. In this paper, finding the perfect controller based on derived needs (for example, the controller must have a "Java" or "Python" interface), a matching process compares controller features with requirements.
Digital Video Summarization: A Survey
Authors: H. Hendi Sajjad , Q. Hussein Karim , B. Taher Hazeem
Published: September 2023

Video summarization has arisen as a method that can help with efficient storage, rapid browsing, indexing, fast retrieval, and quick sharing of the material. The amount of video data created has grown exponentially over time. Huge amounts of video are produced continuously by a large number of cameras. Processing these massive amounts of video requires a lot of time, labor, and hardware storage. In this situation, a video summary is crucial. The architecture of video summarization demonstrates how a lengthy film may be broken down into shorter, story-like segments. Numerous sorts of studies have been conducted in the past and continue now. As a result, several approaches and methods—from traditional computer vision to more modern deep learning approaches—have been offered by academics. However, several issues make video summarization difficult, including computational hardware, complexity, and a lack of datasets. Many researchers have recently concentrated their research efforts on developing efficient methods for extracting relevant information from videos. Given that data is gathered constantly, seven days a week, this study area is crucial for the advancement of video surveillance systems that need a lot of storage capacity and intricate data processing. To make data analysis easier, make it easier to store information, and make it easier to access the video at any time, a summary of video data is necessary for these systems. In this paper, methods for creating static or dynamic summaries from videos are presented. The authors provide many approaches for each literary form. The authors have spoken about some features that are utilized to create video summaries.
Digital Marketing Communication Model for Encouraging Tourism Visits in Langkat Regency, Indonesia
Authors: Kurniawati Dewi
Published: September 2023

The purpose of this research is to examine the digital marketing communication model as well as the driving and inhibiting factors in promoting tourist destinations in Langkat Regency, Indonesia. This study employed a qualitative approach with the data collected through in-depth interviews and focus groups. Purposive sampling was used to select informants from the Langkat Regency government, the Ministry of Tourism of Medan city, and the surrounding community. Based on the findings, it is concluded that the Tourism and Culture Board (TCB) of Langkat Regency should strategically adopt a comprehensive digital marketing communication model to amplify tourism promotion efforts effectively. To this end, the integration of social media marketing, content marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO) emerges as a compelling approach. This multifaceted model harnesses the power of modern communication platforms to engage diverse audiences, showcase Langkat Regency's attractions, and create a vibrant online presence. The recommendation of this study includes the action should be taken by TCB to focus on creating diverse and captivating content that highlights the unique cultural heritage, natural landscapes, and local experiences that Langkat Regency offers.
A Study on the Influencing Factors of Social Media in the Communication of Cultural Heritage Education: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Shao Yubo , Razali Jamal Rizal , Hassan Hasmadi , Pan Bo
Published: September 2023

This study examined the impact of social media on disseminating cultural heritage education. After reviewing two databases, 29 articles met our inclusion criteria. This study found that social media can expand the educational scope of cultural heritage and increase public awareness and interest in cultural heritage tourism sites and museums. However, social media is only a publicity channel. It is necessary to consider five influencing factors in social media: the subject of information distribution, the motivation of distribution, the purpose of distribution, the content of distribution, and the method of distribution, and to analyze the specific practices of social media in disseminating cultural heritage education. Therefore, more research is needed to explore the influence of social media on cultural heritage education dissemination, to explore the educational nature of social media in cultural heritage education communication, and to provide a theoretical basis for social media to promote cultural heritage education dissemination.
Poesía afrocolombiana. Edición bilingüe
Authors:   Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Queiroz Sônia
Published: September 2023

Esta publicación es una invitación al lector colombiano, así como a todos los hispanoamericanos, a leer en las páginas de este libro la convivencia de nuestras lenguas hermanas en su mejor forma: el canto, la poesía. Al lector brasileño, le ofrece un panorama de la poesía escrita en Colombia, del siglo XIX al XXI, por poetas afrodescendientes, en la lengua de los autores y en traducción al portugués brasileño. Cabe recordar que, además del origen hispánico de sus lenguas ofi ciales, Colombia y Brasil comparten la condición de países con mayor población negra de América Latina.
Power Batteries State of Health Estimation of Pure Electric Vehicles for Charging Process
Authors: He Zhigang , Ni Xianggan , Pan Chaofeng , Li Weiquan , Han Shaohua
Published: September 2023

Under different usage scenarios of various electric vehicles (EVs), it becomes difficult to estimate the battery state of health (SOH) quickly and accurately. This article proposes an SOH estimation method based on EVs’ charging process history data. First, data processing processes for practical application scenarios are established. Then the health indicators (HIs) that directly or indirectly reflect the driver's charging behavior in the charging process are used as the model's input, and the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) is introduced to remove the noise brought by capacity regeneration. Subsequently, the maximum information coefficient (MIC)—principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm is employed to extract significant HIs. Eventually, the global optimal nonlinear degradation relationship between HIs and capacity is learned based on Bayesian-optimized Gaussian process regression (BO-GPR). Approximate battery degradation models for practical application scenarios are obtained. This article validates the proposed method from three perspectives: models, vehicles, and regions. The results show that the method has better prediction accuracy and generalization capability and lower computational cost, which provides a solution for future online health state prediction based on a large amount of real-time operational data.
Willis couplings in continuously varying cross-sectional area duct
Authors: Krpenský A. , Bednařík M. , Groby J-P.
Published: September 2023

Acoustic wave propagation in a one-dimensional periodic and asymmetric duct is studied theoretically and numerically to derive the effective properties. Closed form expressions for these effective properties, including the asymmetric Willis coupling, are derived through truncation of the Peano–Baker series expansion of the matricant (which links the state vectors at the two sides of the unit-cell) and Padé's approximation of the matrix exponential. The results of the first-order and second-order homogenization (with Willis coupling) procedures are compared with the numerical results. The second-order homogenization procedure provides scattering coefficients that are valid over a much larger frequency range than the usual first-order procedure. The frequency well below which the effective description is valid is compared with the lower bound of the first Bragg bandgap when the profile is approximated by a two-step function of identical indicator function, i.e., two different cross-sectional areas over the same length. This validity limit is then questioned, particularly with a focus on impedance modeling. This article attempts to facilitate the engineering use of Willis materials.
The Influence of Multiple Pregnancies on Gait Asymmetry: A Case Study
Authors: Lefranc Aude S. , Klute Glenn K. , Neptune Richard R.
Published: September 2023

Gait asymmetry is a predictor of fall risk and may contribute to increased falls during pregnancy. Previous work indicates that pregnant women experience asymmetric joint laxity and pelvic tilt during standing and asymmetric joint moments and angles during walking. How these changes translate to other measures of gait asymmetry remains unclear. Thus, the purpose of this case study was to determine the relationships between pregnancy progression, subsequent pregnancies, and gait asymmetry. Walking data were collected from an individual during 2 consecutive pregnancies during the second and third trimesters and 6 months postpartum of her first pregnancy and the first, second, and third trimesters and 6 months postpartum of her second pregnancy. Existing asymmetries in step length, anterior–posterior (AP) impulses, AP peak ground reaction forces, lateral impulses, and joint work systematically increased as her pregnancy progressed. These changes in asymmetry may be attributed to pelvic asymmetry, leading to asymmetric hip flexor and extensor length, or due to asymmetric plantar flexor strength, as suggested by her ankle work asymmetry. Relative to her first pregnancy, she had greater asymmetry in step length, step width, braking AP impulse, propulsive AP impulse, and peak braking AP ground reaction force during her second pregnancy, which may have resulted from increased joint laxity.
Time Reallocations From Sedentary Behavior to Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review
Authors: Volpato Leonardo Alex , Costa Julio Cesar , Lopes Wendell Arthur , Sasaki Jeffer Eidi , Romanzini Catiana Leila Possamai , Ronque Enio Ricardo Vaz , Romanzini Marcelo
Published: September 2023

Background: Recent statistical approaches have allowed consideration of the integrated relationships between sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA) with different health outcomes. The present paper aimed to systematically review the literature and synthesize evidence about associations between hypothetical reallocations from SB to different PA intensities and cardiovascular risk factors in youth. Methods: A systematic search of 8 databases was performed. Observational studies with a population of children and/or adolescents and based on statistical analysis that investigated the associations between time reallocations from SB to PA and cardiovascular risk factors were included. Results: Twenty-eight studies met the inclusion criteria. Level of evidence (derived from cross-sectional studies) indicated that the reallocation from SB to moderate to vigorous PA was beneficially associated with adiposity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cardiometabolic biomarkers in youth. Reallocation from SB to light PA was not associated with the analyzed outcomes. Associations derived from longitudinal studies were mostly inconclusive. Conclusion: Cardiovascular risk factors could be improved by increasing moderate to vigorous PA at the expense of time spent in SB in pediatric populations. Prospective studies or studies investigating the effects of reallocating sedentary bouts to PA are needed.
Structure of a fungal 1,3-β-glucan synthase
Authors: Zhao Chao-Ran , You Zi-Long , Chen Dan-Dan , Hang Jing , Wang Zhao-Bin , Ji Meng , Wang Le-Xuan , Zhao Peng , Qiao Jie , Yun Cai-Hong , Bai Lin
Published: September 2023

1,3-β-Glucan serves as the primary component of the fungal cell wall and is produced by 1,3-β-glucan synthase located in the plasma membrane. This synthase is a molecular target for antifungal drugs such as echinocandins and the triterpenoid ibrexafungerp. In this study, we present the cryo–electron microscopy structure of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
1,3-β-glucan synthase (Fks1) at 2.47-Å resolution. The structure reveals a central catalytic region adopting a cellulose synthase fold with a cytosolic conserved GT-A–type glycosyltransferase domain and a closed transmembrane channel responsible for glucan transportation. Two extracellular disulfide bonds are found to be crucial for Fks1 enzymatic activity. Through structural comparative analysis with cellulose synthases and structure-guided mutagenesis studies, we gain previously unknown insights into the molecular mechanisms of fungal 1,3-β-glucan synthase.
3D-printed epifluidic electronic skin for machine learning–powered multimodal health surveillance
Authors: Song Yu , Tay Roland Yingjie , Li Jiahong , Xu Changhao , Min Jihong , Shirzaei Sani Ehsan , Kim Gwangmook , Heng Wenzheng , Kim Inho , Gao Wei
Published: September 2023

The amalgamation of wearable technologies with physiochemical sensing capabilities promises to create powerful interpretive and predictive platforms for real-time health surveillance. However, the construction of such multimodal devices is difficult to be implemented wholly by traditional manufacturing techniques for at-home personalized applications. Here, we present a universal semisolid extrusion–based three-dimensional printing technology to fabricate an epifluidic elastic electronic skin (e
3
-skin) with high-performance multimodal physiochemical sensing capabilities. We demonstrate that the e
3
-skin can serve as a sustainable surveillance platform to capture the real-time physiological state of individuals during regular daily activities. We also show that by coupling the information collected from the e
3
-skin with machine learning, we were able to predict an individual’s degree of behavior impairments (i.e., reaction time and inhibitory control) after alcohol consumption. The e
3
-skin paves the path for future autonomous manufacturing of customizable wearable systems that will enable widespread utility for regular health monitoring and clinical applications.
Dissemination of IncI plasmid encoding
bla
CTX-M-1
is not hampered by its fitness cost in the pig’s gut
Authors: Allain Margaux , Mahérault Anne Claire , Gachet Benoit , Martinez Caroline , Condamine Bénédicte , Magnan Mélanie , Kempf Isabelle , Denamur Erick , Landraud Luce
Published: September 2023

Multiresistance plasmids belonging to the IncI incompatibility group have become one of the most pervasive plasmid types in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing
Escherichia coli
of animal origin. The extent of the burden imposed on the bacterial cell by these plasmids seems to modulate the emergence of “epidemic” plasmids. However,
in vivo
data in the natural environment of the strains are scarce. Here, we investigated the cost of a
bla
CTX-M-1
-IncI1 epidemic plasmid in a commensal
E. coli
animal strain, UB12-RC, before and after oral inoculation of 15 6- to 8-week- old specific-pathogen-free pigs. Growth rate in rich medium was determined on (i) UB12-RC and derivatives, with or without plasmid,
in vivo
and/or
in vitro
evolved, and (ii) strains that acquired the plasmid in the gut during the experiment. Although
bla
CTX-M-1
-IncI1 plasmid imposed no measurable burden on the recipient strain after conjugation and during the longitudinal carriage in the pig’s gut, we observed a significant difference in the bacterial growth rate between IncI1 plasmid-carrying and plasmid-free isolates collected during
in vivo
carriage. Only a few mutations on the chromosome of the UB12-RC derivatives were detected by whole-genome sequencing. RNA-Seq analysis of a selected set of these strains showed that transcriptional responses to the
bla
CTX-M-1
-IncI1 acquisition were limited, affecting metabolism, stress response, and motility functions. Our data suggest that the effect of IncI plasmid on host cells is limited, fitness cost being insufficient to act as a barrier to IncI plasmid spread among natural population of
E. coli
in the gut niche.
Effectiveness of cefmetazole versus meropenem for invasive urinary tract infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing
Escherichia coli
Authors: Hayakawa Kayoko , Matsumura Yasufumi , Uemura Kohei , Tsuzuki Shinya , Sakurai Aki , Tanizaki Ryutaro , Shinohara Koh , Hashimoto Takehiro , Hase Ryota , Matono Takashi , Kato Hideaki , Mawatari Momoko , Hara Hiroshi , Hamada Yukihiro , Saito Sho , Ohmagari Norio , Doi Yohei
Published: September 2023

Cefmetazole is active against extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing
Escherichia coli
(ESBLEC) and is a potential candidate for carbapenem-sparing therapy. This multicenter, observational study included patients hospitalized for invasive urinary tract infection due to ESBLEC between March 2020 and November 2021 at 10 facilities in Japan, for whom either cefmetazole or meropenem was initiated as a definitive therapy within 96 h of culture collection and continued for at least 3 d. Outcomes included clinical and microbiological effectiveness, recurrence within 28 d, and all-cause mortality (14 d, 30 d, in-hospital). Outcomes were adjusted for the inverse probability of propensity scores for receiving cefmetazole or meropenem. Eighty-one and forty-six patients were included in the cefmetazole and meropenem groups, respectively. Bacteremia accounted for 43% of the cefmetazole group, and 59% of the meropenem group. The crude clinical effectiveness, 14 d, 30 d, and in-hospital mortality for patients in the cefmetazole and meropenem groups were 96.1% vs 90.9%, 0% vs 2.3%, 0% vs 12.5%, and 2.6% vs 13.3%, respectively. After propensity score adjustment, clinical effectiveness, the risk of in-hospital mortality, and the risk of recurrence were similar between the two groups (
P
= 0.54,
P
= 0.10, and
P
= 0.79, respectively). In all cases with available data (cefmetazole :
n
= 61, meropenem :
n
= 22), both drugs were microbiologically effective. In all isolates,
bla
CTX-M
was detected as the extended-spectrum β-lactamase gene. The predominant CTX-M subtype was CTX-M-27 (47.6%). Cefmetazole showed clinical and bacteriological effectiveness comparable to meropenem against invasive urinary tract infection due to ESBLECs.