bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of ecoport management implementation and seaport performance
Authors: Haryani E B S , Simanjuntak P Y
Published: August 2023

Ecoport management is a port management trend around the world. Unfortunately, Indonesia has not implemented it properly and the focus is only on the performance of ship services and loading and unloading services. Tanjung Intan Seaport as a port that continues to grow, has it implemented ecoport management? Is the performance of the ship’s service and loading and unloading optimal? This research objective area: (1) knowing and analyzing the management of ecoport at Tanjung Intan Seaport. (2) knowing and analyzing the performance of ship services at the Tanjung Intan Seaport; (3) knowing and analyzing the performance of loading and unloading services at the Tanjung Intan Seaport. The results show that Tanjung Intan Seaport has not consistently implemented ecoport management. Likewise, the performance of ship services and loading and unloading services has not been entirely good. Ship services, namely approach time 1.26 hours, delay time for domestic vessels 22.7 hours, postpone time for foreign vessels 8.19 hours, turn round time for domestic vessels 138.52 hours, all of them are good, as well as loading and unloading services for ET:BT domestic vessels 84 % already well. However, loading and unloading services are not good for ET:BT for foreign vessels 54.78%, T/S/D for domestic vessels 6.567 tons, T/S/D for foreign vessels 5.725 tons, because they are under the CBWP (2021) standard as well as the national standard. Therefore, it is recommended that performance that is not optimal to be improved, by implementing ecoport management.
Enrichment Moina sp. with fish meal improved growth performance of Colossoma macropomum larvae
Authors: Mellisa S , Maulana A , Ismarica I , Maulida S , Melanie K
Published: August 2023

Colossoma macropomum is freshwater fish which has a great demand in Indonesia. However, cultivation of C. macropomum is still developing. C. macropomum cultivation requires a good quality seeds to support the success of aquaculture. The exhausted egg yolks of C. macopomum larvae require appropriate and high-nutrient feed intake through enrichment of feed with the addition of natural feed nutrients (Moina sp.). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of additional Moina sp. enriched with fish meal on the survival and growth of C. macropomum. This study was structured using a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of 4 treatments with 3 replications, namely: treatment A (Moina sp. without enriched with fish meal), treatment B (Moina sp. enriched with fish meal 4 gr/L), treatment C (Moina sp. enriched with fish meal 6 gr/L), and treatment D (Moina sp. enriched with 8 gr/L fish meal). The results showed that the additional of Moina sp. enriched with fish meal had a significant effect on the absolute length growth, absolute weight growth, and specific growth rate but had no significant effect on survival of C. macropomum. The highest value was obtained in treatment C (Moina sp. enriched with fish meal 6 gr/L) with the absolute length growth of 0.46 cm, absolute weight growth of 0.010 gr, and specific growth rate of 3.184%/day.
Combination feeding on the growth of Saline Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Arisa I I , Miftahuddin  , Dewiyanti I
Published: August 2023

The combination of commercial feed and fermented bran is an alternative to reduce production costs from aquaculture activities. The purpose of this study was to analyze the growth and survival of tilapia by reducing the frequency of feeding commercially replaced with fermented bran. This research was conducted from January 2022 to February 2022 at the Ujung Batee Brackish Water Cultivation Center, Mesjid Raya, Aceh Besar. This research method used a completely randomized design (CRD) with five treatments and three repetitions, namely treatment A (5% commercial feed without fermented bran), treatment B (4% commercial feed and 1% fermented bran), treatment C (3% commercial feed and 2% fermented bran), treatment D (2% commercial feed and 3% fermented bran), treatment E (1% commercial feed and 4% fermented bran). Based on the results of research that has been analyzed by ANOVA test shows that the combination of commercial feed and fermented bran to fish has an effect on growth, but does not affect the survival rate of fish.
Ecological conditions and coral recovery in Jaboi waters, Weh Island Sabang Indonesia.
Authors: Afkar  , Barus T A , John A H , Sarong M A
Published: August 2023

Coral reefs are vulnerable ecosystems that can change over time due to natural factors. Bleaching is one of the natural phenomena that has an impact on coral ecosystems in Jaboi area of Weh Island, Sabang City, Indonesia. Therefore, the aim of the study is to measure the coral ecological conditions and recovery which includes coral cover, coral diversity, and recruitment in the waters of Jaboi, Weh Island. Benthic data collection used the Point Intercept Transect method, while coral recruitment data collection used the Belt Transect method. The level of diversity was measured based on an index from Shannon Wiener, then the coral recovery was calculated based on the percentage of coral cover and the number of juvenile corals. The result showed that the coral cover and diversity in Jaboi waters were in a moderate condition, with a cover score of 40% and the diversity of H = 1.4294. The coral recovery in Jaboi waters for the last nine years has decreased, so the potential to restore natural ecosystems is very low. This also showed by the juvenile corals which have a very low density (0.04 colonies/m2).
Simulation on coastline change impacted by a groyne as shore protection
Authors: Yuni S M , Halfiani V , Maufiza O
Published: August 2023

The existence of groynes can affect the morphology of seashore. Groynes are structures that are mainly built to prevent erosion and enable sediment transport forming accretion on the shore. In the long term, erosion and sediment transport will cause a change in coastline. This paper aims to observe how the coastline will change due to the installment of a groyne on the shore. The coastline curves were simulated by using mathematical modeling. The coastline change equation which was derived from the continuity equation was solved by using the Laplace transform. The results indicate that erosion takes place on the downdrift side of the groyne while accretion takes place on the updrift side. The magnitudes of erosion and accretion increase over time. The increase rates was observed by applying variation to the value of the parameter such as breaking wave speed.
Painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) characteristics and existence in mangrove ecosystems on Pusung Cium Island, Aceh Tamiang Regency
Authors: Ulfah M , Maharani M , Dewiyanti I , Rahimi S A E , Damora A , Zahra A
Published: August 2023

Painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) is one of the animals whose status is almost extinct and is included in the list of protected animals based on PP No. 7 of 1999. Based on data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Painted Terrapin is ranked 25th out of 327 species in the world that are included in the rare category. The purpose of this study was to determine the number and characteristics of nests and the number of eggs of painted terrapin (Batagur borneoensis) in Aceh Tamiang. This research was conducted from November 2019 to January 2020 on Pusung Cium Island, Seruway District, Aceh Tamiang Regency. determination of the sampling location using a purposive sampling method at 2 observation stations. Painted terrapin nests are found only at station 1. Nests were found in November 9 pieces, December 7 pieces, and January 6 pieces, for a total of 22 nests for 3 months. The number of eggs produced per hole is 11–27 eggs. Painted terrapin eggs are produced in November with 0 eggs, December with 11 eggs, and January with 97 eggs, for a total of 107 eggs for 3 months.
Organophosphate pesticide residues in surface water and bilih fish (Mystacoleucus padangensis Blkr.) in Lake Singkarak, West Sumatra
Authors: Syawal M S , Ibrahim A , Yustiawati  , Nasution S H , Taufik I , Saraswati M , Ardiwinata A N
Published: August 2023

Organophosphate pesticide is a pesticide derivate that is used widely by farmers because it has a high killing power against insects and easily disappears from plants. Organophosphate pesticide residues can accumulate in the environment and also cause acute and chronic poisoning in humans. Singkarak Lake in West Sumatra Province is surrounded by many agricultural and farming areas. One of fisheries resources that can be affected by activities at those areas is Bilih fish (Mystacoleucus padangensis). The study aims to determine the levels of organophosphate pesticide residues in Singkarak Lake’s water and Bilih fish. Seven organophosphate pesticide compounds: Diazinon, Fenitrothion, Methidathion, Malathion, Chlorpyrifos, Parathion, and Profenofos were analyzed. In June 2021, surface water and Bilih fish samples were collected from 10 sampling locations in Singkarak Lake. The organophosphate pesticide in the samples was determined using gas chromatography. The results showed that residues were detected in water samples of four locations (Ombilin, Tikalak, Sumani, and Paninggahan), but not in the other six locations (Batu Taba, Sumpur, Guguak Malalo, Saniang Baka, Muaro Pingai, and Tanjung Mutuih) as well as below 1 ppb. Methidathion, Malathion, Chlorpyrifos, and Parathion were detected in lake water at range 2 to 8 ppb. Except for the Bilih fish sample from Ombilin, the majority of the samples contained organophosphate residues. Diazinon, Fenitrothion, Methidathion, Chlorpyrifos, Parathion, and Profenofos were the organophosphate derivate found in the fish samples. Malathion compound was not found. The organophosphate residue concentration in Bilih fish ranged from 2 to 70 ppb.
Investigation of long-term storage of space materials for future constellation missions: study of Braycote® 601 EF lubricant
Authors: Henry T , Holynska M
Published: August 2023

The long-term storage (LTS) of space materials is becoming more and more critical for the next missions. For instance, for MTG (Meteosat Third Generation) mission, 5-year assemble, integration and testing (AIT) time on ground, up to 17.5-year storage for recurring models plus at least 8.5 years in orbit operation are planned. Hence, a good understanding of materials’ aging properties is desirable to ensure that materials’ specifications are still suitable after LTS, and, eventually, to anticipate the potential non-conformities. For this purpose, the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) is investigating these problematics thanks to its wide capabilities from aging with environmental, climatic and vacuum chambers up to physico-chemical characterizations by numerous instruments such as microscopes, spectroscopes, thermal, mechanical or electrical analyzers. An overview is presented herein through the study of a fluorinated based grease lubricant named Braycote® 601EF widely used in mechanisms in space sector such as the US space shuttles actuator or the basic end effectors of The European Robotic Arm.
Interaction Study of Energetic Protons and Electrons with the Vacuum Ultra Violet Source used in the Complex Irradiation Facility
Authors: Klein Erik M. , Seefeldt Patric , Sznajder Maciej , Renger Thomas
Published: August 2023

Context: One important factor to be considered for space missions is the radiation environment. It is composed of energetic particles, such as protons, electrons and ions, and electromagnetic radiation, photons ranging from Vacuum Ultra Violet (VUV) to Far Infrared (FIR). Each of these radiation sources have an unique energy spectrum that further depends on the location inside the solar system, e. g. Earth orbits or interplanetary space.

For material qualification and material engineering, individual irradiation is considered and their effects are superimposed. However, effects occurring when two and more radiation types simultaneously are present have barely been investigated yet. Further complexity is added, when additional interactions take place due to laboratory hardware.

Aims: This publication reports on the efforts made to analyse and measure the interaction of a VUV and corpuscular radiation sources. The aim is to quantify the deviations due to interactions and conclude consequences for the simultaneous operation of these radiation sources.

Methods: In order to quantify the effects, the Complex Irradiation Facility (CIF), located at the DLR Bremen has been used. It connects proton and electron accelerators together with VUV and UV light sources to an ultra high vacuum chamber. The corpuscular and VUV radiation sources have been operated simultaneously. The reaction of the operation parameters, such as current measured with Faraday Cups (FC) has been tracked and post-processed.

Results: It has been discovered, that protons considerably interact with the gas mixture used to operate the VUV source. This interaction decreases for higher beam intensities of the corpuscular irradiation. It was found, that this is likely due to protons ionizing gas atoms which are then measured by the FC as current. For electrons, this phenomena was not observed due to their smaller stopping power. The discovery restricts the acceleration factor of the CIF for proton together with VUV irradiation, but does not necessarily limit the range of application of the CIF depending on the requirements of the material and/or qualification test. Energy range of electrons stays unrestricted.
Coatings Made by Atomic Layer Deposition for the Protection of Materials from Atomic Oxygen in Space
Authors: Merisalu Maido , Aab Kaisa , Sammelselg Väino , Kukli Kaupo , Alles Harry , Netšipailo Ivan , Mäeorg Uno , Wessing Johanna , Suliga Agnieszka , Tighe Adrian , Nyman Leo , Pudas Marko , Manninen Emmi
Published: August 2023

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) has been investigated for the possible protection of various materials against atomic oxygen (ATOX) at ESTEC Materials and Electrical Components Laboratory facility. ALD is a conformal coating process, that can be used to apply ultra-thin films of metal oxides on various materials, that may have a sophisticated three-dimensional shape, such as the internal and external components of satellites. The challenge with metal oxides on soft and/or flexible surfaces arises from the brittle nature of these ceramic films if their thickness exceeds 30 nm. Different substrates, including silicon, Printed Circuitry Board (PCB), polyimide, and Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) were coated by ALD with 20 nm thick metal oxide films at 125 °C, then exposed to ATOX and characterized by photographing, reflectance measurement and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The studies showed good performance of protective films prepared by ALD on polymer substrates, which suggests that the nanometer-scale coatings can improve the lifetime of these materials at low Earth orbit, where they are inevitably exposed to ATOX. In contrast, the uncoated substrates suffered near-surface damage after exposure to ATOX, which resulted in microscopic features on their surface that were visible in SEM. Damage caused by ATOX to the uncoated substrates was also visible in photographs and observable in reflectance studies. In the latter case, the changes in the reflectance spectrum were caused by the change of surface morphology and/or chemical and elemental composition due to corrosion by ATOX.
Smart heaters based on flexible electronics for future spacecrafts
Authors: Pozo B , Machón L , Cantero D , Muñoz I
Published: August 2023

Thermal control applications deployed in space environments require innovative, lightweight, and flexible systems. This smart heater is designed to adapt the implementation of electronics, heaters, and sensors by using Kapton material as a replacement for the typical rigid substrate (FR4) used in past planetary and scientific missions. To realise the benefits of these new flexible technologies using state-of-the-art materials (Kapton, Copper, and Inconel) for space thermal electronic applications, the smart heater has been designed for vacuum operation from -55 °C to 100 °C and non-operational from -150 °C to 150 °C. In addition, the systems must be able to reach the set point temperature consecutively with an error margin of ±1 °C and read the temperature value with an accuracy of 0.5 °C for the operating temperature range.
Euclid cleanliness and contamination control
Authors: Portaluppi Mauricio , Fontorbes Sandra , Saverino Antonio , Rampini Riccardo
Published: August 2023

Euclid is a space-based optical/near-infrared survey mission of the European Space Agency (ESA) to investigate the nature of dark energy, dark matter and gravity by observing the geometry of the Universe and the formation of structures over cosmological timescales. It will operate at L2 and it will survey about 36% of the sky on a 6 year mission, all with high image quality and stability. To allow such scientific achievements, an integrated cleanliness and contamination control (CCC) have been put in place covering all phases of Euclid development until end of operations. This document describes the design challenges, the engineering and AIT solutions used to control and to monitor the entire mission life time contamination from organic and particulate sources as well as the in-orbit water ice contamination.
Improvement of Bake-Out Prediction thanks to Realistic Species Separation
Authors: Roussel Jean-François , Lansade David , Faye Delphine , Rioland Guillaume , Perrin Véronique , Brosse Sylvie , Sang David Nguyen Van , Théroude Christophe , Laurent Christopher
Published: August 2023

A new approach to material outgassing modelling based on chemical species separation was applied to Bake-Out modelling. The outgassing of the Scotchweld EC-9323-2 epoxy glue was first characterized experimentally, both before and after Bake-Out. Based on the former, the latter was modelled, following the classical approach on the one hand and the new approach on the other hand. The MS-based species separation of this new approach allowed measuring the emitted flux of each species individually, even during the outgassing phase. The evolution of these fluxes all along the outgassing tests, during the five classical 24 h plateaus was successfully modelled by diffusion-limited outgassing laws, while it proved inconsistent with a desorption-limited outgassing. Their modelling by diffusion laws allowed a very consistent modelling of the total mass measurements in TML and CVCMs, with a small number of chemical species of different volatilities. The effect of a preliminary Bake-Out on this outgassing was finally modelled and compared to the experimental characterization of the baked material. The modelling accuracy still remains comparable to that of the traditional modelling based on mathematical species. Yet, the realistic species separation of the new approach allows simpler assumptions on water regain (its first species) than the traditional one, which needs to assess the amount of water contained in each mathematical species. Progress in the new method should come from an improved species separation and a direct characterisation of the water flux.
Detection and characterization of contamination with fluorescence spectroscopy
Authors: Gouisset E , Rioland G , Bourcier F , Faye D , Walter P , Infante F
Published: August 2023

In the field of failure analysis and in particular molecular and particulate contamination, being able to detect any trace of contaminants during the integration of an orbital spacecraft is crucial. In this context, fluorescence allows not only to detect but also to discriminate contaminants. We studied the fluorescence response of two epoxy adhesives, typical sources of spacecraft contamination in orbit with a portable broadband hyperspectral instrument (UV-Vis-NIR) developed in collaboration with the CNES and Intraspec Technologies, but also with a commercial spectrofluorometer. These measurements had two objectives, evaluate the performance of our hyperspectral instrument in order to identify prospect of improvement, but as well study the pertinence of fluorescence signature study in the contamination field. The first goal brings out that the hyperspectral instrument is capable of imaging the scene and allows us to extract fluorescence spectra from the image, but it still needs development, especially in term of sensitivity in UV range. The second goal shows promising results. Fluorescence studies with the spectrofluorometer emphasize that fluorescence spectra are specific to the chemical nature of the contaminant, which allows us to clearly discriminate them.
Study of contaminants generated from space materials by impingement of atomic oxygen
Authors: Yamanaka R , Faye D , Kimoto Y , Maillard N
Published: August 2023

Collaborative activities are carried on between Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) for many years. These activities are dealing with contamination, space environment, electric device development etc. They are based on “Inter-Agency Agreement between JAXA and CNES concerning the cooperation in the field of space programs” which was concluded in 2010. Recently, one of our collaborative research in the field of contamination has been focused on atomic oxygen (ATOX) induced contamination. The aim of the different tests campaigns was to identify the nature of the contaminants (particulate and/or molecular) generated by ATOX impingement on polymer materials and to characterize their effects on the sensitive surfaces of optical instrument on spacecraft. In a previous work, five commonly used space materials were evaluated and the generation of particulate contamination from Beta cloth by impingement of ATOX was clarified. In the present study, several space materials were selected with different chemical natures among those used outside satellite potentially exposed to ATOX to confirm or to get new information regarding their behaviour. During 2019 and 2020 irradiation campaigns, these materials were irradiated by ATOX (at a representative fluence of 1.0E21 atoms/cm2) and the induced contaminants were collected onto collector plates. Both of the materials and the captured induced contamination were analyzed. This paper presents the compiled results of irradiation campaigns on six materials of interest (Beta cloth, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer, Ag coated FEP, UPILEX-S 125 μm, RTV-S691, MAP® SCK5N). Perspectives and future test plan between JAXA and CNES are also considered to complete this work.
Generation of 3D quasi-spherical multi-focus arrays and optical rings using orthogonally superimposed dipole antenna arrays
Authors: Xie Zhixiong , Yu Yanzhong , Wu Mingxiang
Published: August 2023

This paper proposes a novel method to generate a three-dimensional (3D) quasi-spherical focal point with high longitudinal and transverse resolution in a 4Pi focusing system based on the radiation pattern of the orthogonally superimposed dipole antenna. In this paper, we present generated 3D quasi-spherical multi-focus arrays that are controllable and uniformly distributed and optical rings from the radiation patterns of antenna arrays in different configurations. The results showed that the generated focal point is smaller longitudinally (0.31λ) than transversely (0.41λ). This focal point has the smallest volume (∼0.0273λ
3) found. Moreover, it is highly homogeneous and has a small side lobe. The polarization at the center of the focal point is purely circular. The resulting 3D focal fields can be easily tailored by adjusting the modulation parameters of the orthogonally superimposed dipole arrays. Manipulating 3D optical focal fields with pre-defined characteristics of quasi-spherical focal points has a high degree of freedom. Many potential applications exist in arbitrarily oriented particle capture and guidance, micromanipulation, optical capture, and 3D optical data storage.
Rapid microwave synthesis of N and S dual-doped carbon quantum dots for natamycin determination based on fluorescence switch-off assay
Authors: Abdel-Hakim Ali , Belal Fathalla , Hammad Mohamed A , El-Maghrabey Mahmoud
Published: August 2023

Green, one-pot, quick, and easily synthesized nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon quantum dots (N,S-CDs) were obtained from cheap and readily available chemicals (sucrose, urea, and thiourea) using a microwave-assisted approach in about 4 min and utilized as a turn-off fluorescent sensor for estimation of natamycin (NAT). First, the effect of N and S doping on the microwave-synthesized CDs’ quantum yield was carefully studied. CDs derived from sucrose alone failed to produce a high quantum yield; then, to increase the quantum yield, doping with heteroatoms was carried out using either urea or thiourea. A slight increase in quantum yield was observed upon using thiourea with sucrose, while an obvious enhancement of quantum yield was obtained when urea was used instead of thiourea. Surprisingly, using a combination of urea and thiourea together results in N,S-CDs with the highest quantum yield (53.5%), uniform and small particle size distribution, and extended stability. The fluorescent signal of N,S-CDs was quenched upon addition of NAT due to inner filter effect and static quenching in a manner that allowed for quantitative determination of NAT over a range of 0.5–10.0 μg ml−1 (LOD = 0.10 μg ml−1). The N,S-CDs were applicable for determination of NAT in aqueous humor, eye drops, different environmental water samples, and bread with excellent performance. The selectivity study indicated excellent selectivity of the prepared N,S-CDs toward NAT with little interference from possibly interfering substances. In-silico toxicological evaluation of NAT was conducted to estimate its long-term toxicity and drug-drug interactions. Finally, the preparation of N,S-CDs, and analytical procedure compliance with the green chemistry principles were confirmed by two greenness assessment tools.
Crossing Forms
Authors: Tsou Elda
Published: August 2023

The turn in Asian American studies to questions of Indigeneity and settler colonialism is of recent vintage considering that in the 1910s, Thind and Ozawa both grappled with their vexed relation to the figure of the native.
Diagnosis, Literature, and Legitimation
Authors: Gaedtke Andrew
Published: August 2023

This commentary responds to several patterns in the articles that constitute the special issue on “Diagnosing America” and underscores questions of legitimacy related to the history of psychiatric diagnoses. Clinical diagnosis often operates as a speech-act through which a patient’s distress is made recognizable and legitimated. However, diagnostic categories have long been plagued by questions of legitimacy from within and beyond the field of psychiatry. Despite attempts to resolve these controversies through successive editions of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), concerns about the validity and reliability of diagnostic categories persist. The stakes of such questions are significant. Diagnostic categories may not only describe but can also shape historically shifting expressions of mental illness and their treatments. Many works of contemporary literature have engaged in these debates by foregrounding the social, political, and phenomenological dimensions of mental illness that have often been absent from diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Such works prompt fundamental questions about how and why certain categories of mental illness come to be recognized as real.

Discussions of the cultural and social dimensions of psychiatric diagnosis should include . . . questions of legitimacy—not of patients’ distress but of the nosological systems that purport to recognize forms of distress as real according to the historically prevailing ontology.
The Disordered Ordinary
Authors: Goldberg Shari
Published: August 2023

How do we notice when illness is present amid the ordinary, when illness turns and stretches it, without presuming a rupture must occur?
A participatory approach to designing and implementing an occupational health intervention for the nail salon community in the Greater Philadelphia region
Authors: Huỳnh Trân B , Nguyễn Dương T , Vũ Nga , Robinson Lucy , Trần Emily , Nguyễn Nancy , Carroll-Scott Amy , Burstyn Igor
Published: August 2023

Background

The nail salon industry in the US comprises mostly immigrant-owned, small mom-and-pop salons that employ primarily first-generation immigrant workers from Asia. Because of the cultural and language barriers, both owners and workers may not avail themselves of the occupational safety resources. We formed an academic-community partnership to co-design a feasibility study and multi-level occupational health intervention for Vietnamese-speaking salon owners, workers, and community-based organization.

Methods

The intervention for each salon included (i) 2-h in-person training covering chemical safety, infection control, musculoskeletal prevention, and workers’ rights for both the owners and their employees, (ii) a tailored recommendation report for the owner, and (iii) check-ins with the owner during the 3-month follow-up. Community partner was trained to deliver the in-language training with technical assistance from the research team. Baseline and post-intervention individual data about health symptoms and behaviors, as well as personal chemical exposures were collected and analyzed.

Results

A total of 44 participants from 12 consented salons enrolled in the study. One salon dropped out at follow-up due to change of ownership. Analysis of the differences between post-and pre-intervention showed a tendency toward reduction in some self-reported symptoms in the respiratory system, skin, and eyes, neurotoxicity score, as well as chemical exposures. We could not rule out seasonality as an explanation for these trends. Increase in self-efficacy in some areas was observed post-intervention.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated a successful academic-community partnership to engage community members in the intervention study. While the intervention effects from this feasibility study should be interpreted with caution, our preliminary results indicated that our community-based intervention is a promising approach to reduce work-related exposures among Asian American nail salon workers.
Defining Ideal Pretarsal Rolls Through a Morphometric Analysis in Asians
Authors: Chi Yarong , Li Zhujun , Jin Lin , Chong Yuming , Huang Jiuzuo , Yu Nanze , Long Xiao
Published: August 2023

Background

Pretarsal rolls are a crucial aesthetic feature. Despite numerous studies conducted on periorbital aesthetics, there remains a dearth of research on the ideal pretarsal rolls.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate 4 aesthetic characteristics of ideal pretarsal rolls: presence, width, proportion, and morphology.

Methods

Respondents (385, including 80 aesthetic specialists) were presented with 7 series of images of pretarsal rolls, including 2 series of pretarsal roll existence, 2 series of varying widths, 2 series of different ratios between pretarsal roll and palpebral fissure height, and 1 series about morphology. Participants were asked to rank each image within a given series from most attractive to least attractive. The rankings were then analyzed according to population demographics.

Results

The majority of respondents deemed images with pretarsal rolls to be more aesthetically pleasing (P < .001) than those without such features. Additionally, pretarsal rolls with a width of 5 mm (P < .001), a ratio to palpebral fissure height of 0.5:1 (P < .001), and a crescent shape (P < .001) were perceived as the most attractive. Moreover, individuals aged 40 or younger exhibited a significant preference for images with pretarsal rolls compared to older groups (P < .001), and females displayed a greater inclination toward a medium ratio of pretarsal roll to palpebral fissure height than males did (0.5:1 P = .003, 0.618:1 P < .001).

Conclusions

This study validates the optimal characteristics of pretarsal rolls, which provides insight into pretarsal roll aesthetics and holds significant implications for surgical planning and effect assessment in future periocular procedures involving pretarsal rolls.

Level of Evidence: 3
Both learning and syntax recognition are used by great tits when answering to mobbing calls
Authors: Salis Ambre , Léna Jean-Paul , Lengagne Thierry
Published: August 2023

Mobbing behavior, in addition to its complex cooperative aspects, is particularly suitable to study the mechanisms implicated in heterospecific communication. Indeed, various mechanisms ranging from pure learning to innate recognition have been proposed. One promising yet understudied mechanism could be syntax recognition, especially given the latest works published on syntax comprehension in birds. In this experiment, we test whether great tits use both learning and syntax recognition when responding to heterospecifics. In the first part of the experiment, we demonstrate that great tits show different responses to the same heterospecific calls depending on their sympatric status. In the second part, we explore the impact of reorganizing the notes of the heterospecific mobbing calls to fit the syntax of great tits. Great tits showed an increased mobbing response toward the heterospecific calls when they shared their own call organization. Our results corroborate the recent finding that syntactic rules in bird calls may have a strong impact on their communication systems and enlighten how various mechanisms can be used by the same species to respond to heterospecific calls.
iDeLUCS: a deep learning interactive tool for alignment-free clustering of DNA sequences
Authors: Millan Arias Pablo , Hill Kathleen A , Kari Lila
Published: August 2023

We present an interactive Deep Learning-based software tool for Unsupervised Clustering of DNA Sequences (iDeLUCS), that detects genomic signatures and uses them to cluster DNA sequences, without the need for sequence alignment or taxonomic identifiers. iDeLUCS is scalable and user-friendly: its graphical user interface, with support for hardware acceleration, allows the practitioner to fine-tune the different hyper-parameters involved in the training process without requiring extensive knowledge of deep learning. The performance of iDeLUCS was evaluated on a diverse set of datasets: several real genomic datasets from organisms in kingdoms Animalia, Protista, Fungi, Bacteria, and Archaea, three datasets of viral genomes, a dataset of simulated metagenomic reads from microbial genomes, and multiple datasets of synthetic DNA sequences. The performance of iDeLUCS was compared to that of two classical clustering algorithms (k-means++ and GMM) and two clustering algorithms specialized in DNA sequences (MeShClust v3.0 and DeLUCS), using both intrinsic cluster evaluation metrics and external evaluation metrics. In terms of unsupervised clustering accuracy, iDeLUCS outperforms the two classical algorithms by an average of ∼20%, and the two specialized algorithms by an average of ∼12%, on the datasets of real DNA sequences analyzed. Overall, our results indicate that iDeLUCS is a robust clustering method suitable for the clustering of large and diverse datasets of unlabeled DNA sequences.

Availability and implementation

iDeLUCS is available at https://github.com/Kari-Genomics-Lab/iDeLUCS under the terms of the MIT licence.
A retrospective cohort study of the efficacy of metronidazole in oral lichen planus
Authors: Hollis Alison N , Myers Emma L , Culton  Donna A
Published: August 2023

Lichen planus (LP) is an inflammatory dermatosis with mucosal variants, including oral LP (OLP). OLP has a relapsing chronic course and may significantly affect a patient’s quality of life. We analysed the efficacy of metronidazole as a treatment for OLP via a retrospective chart review of patients with a diagnosis of OLP seen at our institution over 10 years. Thirty patients with OLP were treated with metronidazole 500 mg twice daily. Most patients (n = 18; 60%) showed improvement with metronidazole, including 10 (33%) who experienced complete resolution of symptoms. Our results were limited by the retrospective nature of the review and the relatively small cohort size. Given the efficacy, mild side-effect profile and the less immunosuppressive nature of metronidazole vs. alternative systemic treatment options, metronidazole is a reasonable option to try in patients with symptomatic OLP who have failed topical treatment options.
Surface protein and functional analyses identify CD4+CD39+ TCR αβ+ and activated TCR Vδ1+ cells with distinct pro-inflammatory functions in Crohn’s disease lesions
Authors: Devan Jan , Nosi Vladimir , Spagnuolo Julian , Chancellor Andrew , Beshirova Aisha , Loureiro Jose Pedro , Vacchini Alessandro , Hendrik Niess Jan , Calogero Raffaele , Mori Lucia , De Libero Gennaro , Hruz Petr
Published: August 2023

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic immune-mediated disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. Extensive screening studies have revealed the accumulation of immune cell subsets with unique plasticity and immunoregulatory properties in patients with CD. We performed phenotypic and functional studies on inflamed and non-inflamed bioptic tissue to investigate the presence of distinct T cells in the intestinal mucosa of CD patients. We analysed hundreds of surface molecules expressed on cells isolated from the intestinal tissue of CD patients using anti-CD45 mAbs-based barcoding. A gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that proteins that regulate the activation of T cells were the most enriched group. We, therefore, designed T-cell focused multicolour flow-cytometry panels and performed clustering analysis which revealed an accumulation of activated TEM CD4+CD39+ T cells producing IL-17 and IL-21 and increased frequency of terminally differentiated TCR Vδ1+ cells producing TNF-α and IFN-γ in inflamed tissue of CD patients. The different functional capacities of CD4+ and TCR Vδ1+ cells in CD lesions indicate their non-overlapping contribution to inflammation. The abnormally high number of terminally differentiated TCR Vδ1+ cells suggests that they are continuously activated in inflamed tissue, making them a potential target for novel therapies.
Shank3 mutations enhance early neural responses to deviant tones in dogs
Authors: Wu Liang , Mei Shuting , Yu Shan , Han Shihui , Zhang Yong Q
Published: August 2023

Both enhanced discrimination of low-level features of auditory stimuli and mutations of SHANK3 (a gene that encodes a synaptic scaffolding protein) have been identified in autism spectrum disorder patients. However, experimental evidence regarding whether SHANK3 mutations lead to enhanced neural processing of low-level features of auditory stimuli is lacking. The present study investigated this possibility by examining effects of Shank3 mutations on early neural processing of pitch (tone frequency) in dogs. We recorded electrocorticograms from wild-type and Shank3 mutant dogs using an oddball paradigm in which deviant tones of different frequencies or probabilities were presented along with other tones in a repetitive stream (standards). We found that, relative to wild-type dogs, Shank3 mutant dogs exhibited larger amplitudes of early neural responses to deviant tones and greater sensitivity to variations of deviant frequencies within 100 ms after tone onsets. In addition, the enhanced early neural responses to deviant tones in Shank3 mutant dogs were observed independently of the probability of deviant tones. Our findings highlight an essential functional role of Shank3 in modulations of early neural detection of novel sounds and offer new insights into the genetic basis of the atypical auditory information processing in autism patients.
Immunogenicity of High-Dose Versus MF59-Adjuvanted Versus Standard Influenza Vaccine in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients: The Swiss/Spanish Trial in Solid Organ Transplantation on Prevention of Influenza (STOP-FLU Trial)
Authors: Mombelli Matteo , Neofytos Dionysios , Huynh-Do Uyen , Sánchez-Céspedes Javier , Stampf Susanne , Golshayan Dela , Dahdal Suzan , Stirnimann Guido , Schnyder Aurelia , Garzoni Christian , Venzin Reto M , Magenta Lorenzo , Schönenberger Melanie , Walti Laura , Hirzel Cédric , Munting Aline , Dickenmann Michael , Koller Michael , Aubert John-David , Steiger Jürg , Pascual Manuel , Mueller Thomas F , Schuurmans Macé , Berger Christoph , Binet Isabelle , Villard Jean , Mueller Nicolas J , Egli Adrian , Cordero Elisa , van Delden Christian , Manuel Oriol
Published: August 2023

Background

The immunogenicity of the standard influenza vaccine is reduced in solid-organ transplant (SOT) recipients, so new vaccination strategies are needed in this population.

Methods

Adult SOT recipients from 9 transplant clinics in Switzerland and Spain were enrolled if they were >3 months after transplantation. Patients were randomized (1:1:1) to a MF59-adjuvanted or a high-dose vaccine (intervention), or a standard vaccine (control), with stratification by organ and time from transplant. The primary outcome was vaccine response rate, defined as a ≥4-fold increase of hemagglutination-inhibition titers to at least 1 vaccine strain at 28 days postvaccination. Secondary outcomes included polymerase chain reaction–confirmed influenza and vaccine reactogenicity.

Results

A total of 619 patients were randomized, 616 received the assigned vaccines, and 598 had serum available for analysis of the primary endpoint (standard, n = 198; MF59-adjuvanted, n = 205; high-dose, n = 195 patients). Vaccine response rates were 42% (84/198) in the standard vaccine group, 60% (122/205) in the MF59-adjuvanted vaccine group, and 66% (129/195) in the high-dose vaccine group (difference in intervention vaccines vs standard vaccine, 0.20; 97.5% confidence interval [CI], .12–1); P < .001; difference in high-dose vs standard vaccine, 0.24 [95% CI, .16–1]; P < .001; difference in MF59-adjuvanted vs standard vaccine, 0.17 [97.5% CI, .08–1]; P < .001). Influenza occurred in 6% of the standard, 5% in the MF59-adjuvanted, and 7% in the high-dose vaccine groups. Vaccine-related adverse events occurred more frequently in the intervention vaccine groups, but most of the events were mild.

Conclusions

In SOT recipients, use of an MF59-adjuvanted or a high-dose influenza vaccine was safe and resulted in a higher vaccine response rate.

Clinical Trials Registration

Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03699839.
The anaemia treatment journey of CKD patients: from epoetins to hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors
Authors: Locatelli Francesco , Del Vecchio Lucia , Elliott Steve
Published: August 2023

The discovery and development of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents was a journey lasting more than a century, leading to the cloning and approval of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo). This was an impressive clinical advance, providing the possibility of correcting the symptoms associated with anaemia in chronic kidney disease. Associated iron use was needed to produce new haemoglobin-containing blood red cells. Partial anaemia correction became the standard of care since trials aiming for near-normal haemoglobin levels showed a higher risk of adverse cardiovascular events. Hoping to reduce the cardiovascular risks, a new category of drugs was developed and tested. Hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors (HIF-PHIs) are small molecules than can be formulated into orally active pills. They simulate reduced tissue oxygen pressure, thus stimulating the production of endogenous erythropoietin (Epo) by the kidneys and liver. Clinical trials with these compounds demonstrated that HIF-PHIs are at least as effective as rHuEpo in treating or correcting anaemia in non-dialysis and dialysis patients. Trials with HIF-PHIs did not demonstrate superiority in safety outcomes and in some trials, outcomes were worse. There was also a focus on oral delivery, a possible beneficial iron-sparing effect and the ability to overcome Epo resistance in inflamed patients. A negative effect is possible iron depletion, which may explain adverse outcomes.
Left atrial veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect with cardiogenic shock: a case report
Authors: Jiménez-Rodríguez Gian Manuel , Rojas-Velasco Gustavo , Arias-Sánchez Eduardo A , Manzur-Sandoval Daniel , Vega-Servin Norman Said , Quirazco-Cordova Ricardo-Eduardo , Eid-Lidt Guering
Published: August 2023

Background

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) complicating acute myocardial infarction (MI) represents a life-threatening condition and has a mortality of >90% if left untreated.

Case summary

A 53-year-old man with a prior medical history of diabetes and hypertension presented with cardiogenic shock secondary to VSD as a mechanical complication of non-reperfused inferior MI.

Discussion

The choice of mechanical support can be difficult in this type of patient. Given the risk of an increased shunt because of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and the increase in left ventricle (LV) afterload, several measures were taken to plan the best ECMO configuration. Given the absence of any real improvement in the LV and an elevated residual ratio between pulmonary and systemic flow (Qp/Qs), the final decision was to switch to left atrial VA-ECMO (LAVA-ECMO). The use of LAVA-ECMO improved the patient’s haemodynamics and allowed his condition to stabilize; LAVA-ECMO is feasible and may be effective as a mechanical circulatory support (MCS) strategy for patients in cardiogenic shock due to VSD as a mechanical complication of acute MI.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on recovery from cardiac surgery over time: results of the CardiacCovid study from three UK national lockdowns
Authors: Sanders Julie , Beaumont Emma , Dodd Matthew , Murray Sarah E , Owens Gareth , Berry Alan , Hyde Edward , Bueser Teofila , Clayton Tim , Oo Aung Ye
Published: August 2023

This prospective study explores health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L), event-related distress (IES-R), and depression (CES-D) after cardiac surgery during three COVID-19 lockdowns imposed in the UK. Overall, 253 patients (Lockdown 1 n = 196; 2 n = 45; 3 n = 12) completed the above-mentioned questionnaires at baseline, 1 week after discharge, and 6 weeks and 6 and 12 months after surgery. While EQ-5D-5L values were similar across all cohorts, those who underwent surgery during Lockdowns 2 and 3 had higher IES-R scores at 1 year and higher IES-R and CES-D baseline scores, respectively. Generally, increased distress, worse depression, and poorer HRQoL were observed in women.

Registration ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04366167