bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Priority evaluation factors for blockchain application services in public sectors
Authors: Lee Joongyeup , Kim Beomsoo , Lee Ae Ri
Published: March 2023

Blockchain is rapidly becoming established as the core technology of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. By combining blockchain to improve processes in existing industries, innovative new services will emerge, but services not effectively applied by blockchain will also develop. This study investigated the factors to be considered when applying the characteristics of blockchain technology to business. We developed a framework of blockchain service utility evaluation indexes using the analytic hierarchy process method. The Delphi method is used to identify highly effective blockchain application service cases by applying the evaluation framework to actual use cases in the public sector. By proposing a framework of utility evaluation factors for blockchain application services, this study provides a systematic foundation for blockchain business review. We address the question of “why blockchain should be applied to this service” by providing a more comprehensive approach than existing research, such as a fragmentary decision tree. Blockchains are expected to become more active along with the full-scale digital transformation of industries, and thus, we must examine the ways to broadly use blockchain as a base technology in a form applicable to the diverse industries and societies constituting the digital economy. Accordingly, this study presents an evaluation solution for promoting efficient policies and developing successful blockchain application services.
HCV universal EHR prompt successfully increases screening, highlights potential disparities
Authors: Hack Benjamin , Sanghavi Kavya , Gundapaneni Sravya , Fernandez Stephen , Hughes Justin , Huang Sean , Basch Peter , Fong Allan , Fishbein Dawn
Published: March 2023

Background & objectives

Screening for hepatitis C virus is the first critical decision point for preventing morbidity and mortality from HCV cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and will ultimately contribute to global elimination of a curable disease. This study aims to portray the changes over time in HCV screening rates and the screened population characteristics following the 2020 implementation of an electronic health record (EHR) alert for universal screening in the outpatient setting in a large healthcare system in the US mid-Atlantic region.

Methods

Data was abstracted from the EHR on all outpatients from 1/1/2017 through 10/31/2021, including individual demographics and their HCV antibody (Ab) screening dates. For a limited period centered on the implementation of the HCV alert, mixed effects multivariable regression analyses were performed to compare the timeline and characteristics of those screened and un-screened. The final models included socio-demographic covariates of interest, time period (pre/post) and an interaction term between time period and sex. We also examined a model with time as a monthly variable to look at the potential impact of COVID-19 on screening for HCV.

Results

Absolute number of screens and screening rate increased by 103% and 62%, respectively, after adopting the universal EHR alert. Patients with Medicaid were more likely to be screened than private insurance (ORadj 1.10, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.15), while those with Medicare were less likely (ORadj 0.62, 95% CI: 0.62, 0.65); and Black (ORadj 1.59, 95% CI: 1.53, 1.64) race more than White.

Conclusions

Implementation of universal EHR alerts could prove to be a critical next step in HCV elimination. Those with Medicare and Medicaid insurance were not screened proportionately to the national prevalence of HCV in these populations. Our findings support increased screening and re-testing efforts for those at high risk of HCV.
Identification of Sjögren’s syndrome patient subgroups by clustering of labial salivary gland DNA methylation profiles
Authors: Chi Calvin , Solomon Olivia , Shiboski Caroline , Taylor Kimberly E. , Quach Hong , Quach Diana , Barcellos Lisa F. , Criswell Lindsey A.
Published: March 2023

Heterogeneity in Sjögren’s syndrome (SS), increasingly called Sjögren’s disease, suggests the presence of disease subtypes, which poses a major challenge for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of this autoimmune disorder. Previous work distinguished patient subgroups based on clinical symptoms, but it is not clear to what extent symptoms reflect underlying pathobiology. The purpose of this study was to discover clinical meaningful subtypes of SS based on genome-wide DNA methylation data. We performed a cluster analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation data from labial salivary gland (LSG) tissue collected from 64 SS cases and 67 non-cases. Specifically, hierarchical clustering was performed on low dimensional embeddings of DNA methylation data extracted from a variational autoencoder to uncover unknown heterogeneity. Clustering revealed clinically severe and mild subgroups of SS. Differential methylation analysis revealed that hypomethylation at the MHC and hypermethylation at other genome regions characterize the epigenetic differences between these SS subgroups. Epigenetic profiling of LSGs in SS yields new insights into mechanisms underlying disease heterogeneity. The methylation patterns at differentially methylated CpGs are different in SS subgroups and support the role of epigenetic contributions to the heterogeneity in SS. Biomarker data derived from epigenetic profiling could be explored in future iterations of the classification criteria for defining SS subgroups.
A moderated mediation model to predict the adoption intention of renewable wind energy in developing countries
Authors: Mustafa Sohaib , Zhang Wen , Sohail Muhammad Tayyab , Rana Sehrish , Long Ying
Published: March 2023

Developing countries are deprived of resources, and their economies are dwindling. Energy shortfall is one of the leading issues in developing countries that not only shatter economies but is the leading cause of depletion of natural resources and environmental pollution. There is an urgent need to shift to renewable energy sources to save economies and natural resources and to save our ecological system. Aiming for this, we have collected a cross-sectional data set to study the household intentions of shifting to wind energy and analysed the moderated mediation interactions of the variable to better understand socio-economic and personal factors. 840 responses were analysed using smart-PLS 4.0; results revealed that cost value and social influence directly relate to renewable energy adoption. Environmental knowledge directly influences attitude towards the environment, and health consciousness influences perceived behavioural control. Results also revealed that social influence strengthens the indirect relationship between awareness of renewable energy and its adoption, while it weakens the indirect relationship between health consciousness and renewable energy adoption.
The impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the outcome of acute ischemic stroke—A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Takács Tímea Tünde , Berki Ádám József , Böjti Péter Pál , Stang Rita , Fritz-Reunes Pablo Antonio , Schnekenberg Luiz , Siepmann Timo , Pintér Alexandra , Szatmári Szabolcs , Bereczki Dániel , Gunda Bence
Published: March 2023

Background

Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a common complication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) infection (COVID-19), but the prognosis of these patients is poorly understood.

Purpose

To explore the impact of COVID-19 on neurological outcomes in AIS patients.

Methods

A comparative retrospective cohort study was conducted in 32 consecutive AIS patients with and 51 without COVID-19 between the 1st of March 2020 and 1st of May 2021. The evaluation was based on a detailed chart review for demographic data, medical history, stroke severity, cranial and vessel imaging results, laboratory parameters, COVID-19 severity, hospitalization time, in-hospital mortality, and functional deficits at discharge (modified Rankin Scale, mRS).

Results

COVID-19 AIS patients showed tendency to worse initial neurological deficit (NIHSS 9 (3–13) vs. 4 (2–10); p = 0.06), higher rate of large vessel occlusion (LVO; 13/32 vs. 14/51; p = 0.21), had prolonged hospitalization (19.4 ± 17.7 vs. 9.7 ± 7 days; p = 0.003), had lower chance of functional independence (mRS≤2) (12/32 vs. 32/51; p = 0.02) and showed higher in-hospital mortality (10/32 vs. 6/51; p = 0.02). In COVID-19 AIS patients, LVO was more common with COVID-19 pneumonia than without (55.6% vs. 23.1%; p = 0.139).

Conclusion

COVID-19-related AIS carries a worse prognosis. COVID-19 with pneumonia seems to be associated with a higher rate of LVO.
Screening and characterization of sex-specific sequences through 2b-RAD sequencing in American shad (Alosa sapidissima)
Authors: Du Jia , Liu Qinghua , Zheng Yuhong
Published: March 2023

American shad (Alosa sapidissima), introduced from the United States, has become one of the most expensive farmed fish in the aquatic product market of China. The shad reveals significant sexual dimorphism in growth and behaviors. For the study, five male-specific tags were identified in two-generation breeding populations ofAlosa sapidissimaand were verified by PCR amplification. Averages of 10,245,091 and 8,685,704 raw and enzyme reads were obtained by high-throughput sequencing of the 2b-RAD library, respectively. 301,022 unique tags were obtained from the sequences of twenty samples with sequencing depths of 0 to 500. Finally, 274,324 special tags and 29,327 SNPs were selected with a sequencing depth of 3 to 500. Eleven preliminary screening male-specific tags and three male heterogametic SNP loci were isolated. After verification by PCR amplification, five male-specific sequences of 27 bp located on chromosome 3 were screened out. Chromosome 3 could be assumed to be the sex chromosome ofAlosa sapidissima. Sex-specific markers will provide invaluable and systematic animal germplasm resources to allow for the precise identification of neo-males for the all-female breeding ofAlosa sapidissimain commercial aquaculture.
Biodiversity of ecosystems in an arid setting: The late Albian plant communities and associated biota from eastern Iberia
Authors: Barrón Eduardo , Peyrot Daniel , Bueno-Cebollada Carlos A. , Kvaček Jiří , Álvarez-Parra Sergio , Altolaguirre Yul , Meléndez Nieves
Published: March 2023

Deserts are stressful environments where the living beings must acquire different strategies to survive due to the water stress conditions. From the late Albian to the early Cenomanian, the northern and eastern parts of Iberia were the location of the desert system represented by deposits assigned to the Utrillas Group, which bear abundant amber with numerous bioinclusions, including diverse arthropods and vertebrate remains. In the Maestrazgo Basin (E Spain), the late Albian to early Cenomanian sedimentary succession represents the most distal part of the desert system (fore-erg) that was characterised by an alternation of aeolian and shallow marine sedimentary environments in the proximity of the Western Tethys palaeo-coast, with rare to frequent dinoflagellate cysts. The terrestrial ecosystems from this area were biodiverse, and comprised plant communities whose fossils are associated with sedimentological indicators of aridity. The palynoflora dominated by wind-transported conifer pollen is interpreted to reflect various types of xerophytic woodlands from the hinterlands and the coastal settings. Therefore, fern and angiosperm communities abundantly grew in wet interdunes and coastal wetlands (temporary to semi-permanent freshwater/salt marshes and water bodies). In addition, the occurrence of low-diversity megafloral assemblages reflects the existence of coastal salt-influenced settings. The palaeobotanical study carried out in this paper which is an integrative work on palynology and palaeobotany, does not only allow the reconstruction of the vegetation that developed in the mid-Cretaceous fore-erg from the eastern Iberia, in addition, provides new biostratigraphic and palaeogeographic data considering the context of angiosperm radiation as well as the biota inferred in the amber-bearing outcrops of San Just, Arroyo de la Pascueta and La Hoya (within Cortes de Arenoso succesion). Importantly, the studied assemblages include Afropollis, Dichastopollenites, Cretacaeiporites together with pollen produced by Ephedraceae (known for its tolerance to arid conditions). The presence of these pollen grains, typical for northern Gondwana, associates the Iberian ecosystems with those characterising the mentioned region.
Acss2/HIF-2 signaling facilitates colon cancer growth and metastasis
Authors: Garcia Joseph A. , Chen Rui , Xu Min , Comerford Sarah A. , Hammer Robert E. , Melton Shelby D. , Feagins Linda A.
Published: March 2023

The microenvironment of solid tumors is characterized by oxygen and glucose deprivation. Acss2/HIF-2 signaling coordinates essential genetic regulators including acetate-dependent acetyl CoA synthetase 2 (Acss2), Creb binding protein (Cbp), Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), and Hypoxia Inducible Factor 2α (HIF-2α). We previously shown in mice that exogenous acetate augments growth and metastasis of flank tumors derived from fibrosarcoma-derived HT1080 cells in an Acss2/HIF-2 dependent manner. Colonic epithelial cells are exposed to the highest acetate levels in the body. We reasoned that colon cancer cells, like fibrosarcoma cells, may respond to acetate in a pro-growth manner. In this study, we examine the role of Acss2/HIF-2 signaling in colon cancer. We find that Acss2/HIF-2 signaling is activated by oxygen or glucose deprivation in two human colon cancer-derived cell lines, HCT116 and HT29, and is crucial for colony formation, migration, and invasion in cell culture studies. Flank tumors derived from HCT116 and HT29 cells exhibit augmented growth in mice when supplemented with exogenous acetate in an Acss2/HIF-2 dependent manner. Finally, Acss2 in human colon cancer samples is most frequently localized in the nucleus, consistent with it having a signaling role. Targeted inhibition of Acss2/HIF-2 signaling may have synergistic effects for some colon cancer patients.
Palm tree disease detection and classification using residual network and transfer learning of inception ResNet
Authors: Ahmed Mostafa , Ahmed Ali
Published: March 2023

Agriculture has become an essential field of study and is considered a challenge for many researchers in computer vision specialization. The early detection and classification of plant diseases are crucial for preventing growing diseases and hence yield reduction. Although many state-of-the-artwork proposed various classification techniques for plant diseases, still face many challenges such as noise reduction, extracting the relevant features, and excluding the redundant ones. Recently, deep learning models are noticeable as hot research and are widely used for plant leaf disease classification. Although the achievement with these models is notable, still the need for efficient, fast-trained, and few-parameters models without compromising on performance is inevitable. In this work, two approaches of deep learning have been proposed for Palm leaf disease classification: Residual Network (ResNet) and transfer learning of Inception ResNet. The models make it possible to train up to hundreds of layers and achieve superior performance. Considering the merit of their effective representation ability, the performance of image classification using ResNet has been boosted, such as diseases of plant leaves classification. In both approaches, problems such as variation of luminance and background, different scales of images, and inter-class similarity have been treated. Date Palm dataset having 2631 colored images with varied sizes was used to train and test the models. Using some well-known metrics, the proposed models outperformed many of the recent research in the field in original and augmented datasets and achieved an accuracy of 99.62% and 100% respectively.
Antibiotic resistance, pathotypes, and pathogen-host interactions in Escherichia coli from hospital wastewater in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Authors: Mbanga Joshua , Kodzai Nokukhanya P. , Oosthuysen Wilhem F.
Published: March 2023

This study aimed to characterise E. coli strains isolated from hospital wastewater effluent in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, using both molecular and cytological approaches. Wastewater samples were aseptically collected from the sewerage mains of a major public referral hospital in Bulawayo province weekly for one month. A total of 94 isolates were isolated and confirmed as E. coli through biotyping and PCR targeting the uidA housekeeping gene. A total of 7 genes (eagg, eaeA, stx, flicH7, ipaH, lt, and st genes) coding for virulence in diarrheagenic E. coli were targeted. Antibiotic susceptibility of E. coli was determined against a panel of 12 antibiotics through the disk diffusion assay. The infectivity status of the observed pathotypes was investigated using HeLa cells through adherence, invasion, and intracellular assay. None of the 94 isolates tested positive for the ipaH and flicH7genes. However, 48 (53.3%) isolates were enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) (lt gene positive), 2 (2.13%) isolates were enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) (eagg gene), and 1 (1.06%) isolate was enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) (stx and eaeA). A high level of sensitivity was observed in E. coli against ertapenem (98.9%), and Azithromycin (75.5%). The highest resistance was against ampicillin (92.6%) and sulphamethoxazole—trimethoprim (90.4%). Seventy-nine (84%) E. coli isolates exhibited multidrug resistance. The infectivity study results indicated that environmentally isolated pathotypes were as infective as the clinically isolated pathotypes for all three parameters. No adherent cells were observed using ETEC, and no cells were observed in the intracellular survival assay using EAEC. This study revealed that hospital wastewater is a hotspot for pathogenic E. coli and that the environmentally isolated pathotypes maintained their ability to colonise and infect mammalian cells.
Online education and its effect on teachers during COVID-19—A case study from India
Authors: Dayal Surbhi
Published: March 2023

Background

COVID pandemic resulted in an initially temporary and then long term closure of educational institutions, creating a need for adapting to online and remote learning. The transition to online education platforms presented unprecedented challenges for the teachers. The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of the transition to online education on teachers’ wellbeing in India.

Methods

The research was conducted on 1812 teachers working in schools, colleges, and coaching institutions from six different Indian states. Quantitative and qualitative data was collected via online survey and telephone interviews.

Results

The results show that COVID pandemic exacerbated the existing widespread inequality in access to internet connectivity, smart devices, and teacher training required for an effective transition to an online mode of education. Teachers nonetheless adapted quickly to online teaching with the help of institutional training as well as self-learning tools. However, respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the effectiveness of online teaching and assessment methods, and exhibited a strong desire to return to traditional modes of learning. 82% respondents reported physical issues like neck pain, back pain, headache, and eyestrain. Additionally, 92% respondents faced mental issues like stress, anxiety, and loneliness due to online teaching.

Conclusion

As the effectiveness of online learning perforce taps on the existing infrastructure, not only has it widened the learning gap between the rich and the poor, it has also compromised the quality of education being imparted in general. Teachers faced increased physical and mental health issues due to long working hours and uncertainty associated with COVID lockdowns. There is a need to develop a sound strategy to address the gaps in access to digital learning and teachers’ training to improve both the quality of education and the mental health of teachers.
Contributions of gonadal hormones in the sex-specific organization of context fear learning
Authors: Colón Lorianna , Peru Eduardo , Zuloaga Damian G. , Poulos Andrew M.
Published: March 2023

It is widely established that gonadal hormones are fundamental to modulating and organizing the sex-specific nature of reproductive behaviors. Recently we proposed that context fear conditioning (CFC) may emerge in a sex-specific manner organized prior to the pubertal surge of gonadal hormones. Here we sought to determine the necessity of male and female gonadal hormones secreted at critical periods of development upon context fear learning. We tested the organizational hypothesis that neonatal and pubertal gonadal hormones play a permanent role in organizing contextual fear learning. We demonstrate that the postnatal absence of gonadal hormones by neonatal orchiectomy (oRX) in males and ovariectomy (oVX) in females resulted in an attenuation of CFC in adult males and an enhancement of CFC in adult females. In females, the gradual introduction of estrogen before conditioning partially rescued this effect. However, the decrease of CFC in adult males was not rescued by introducing testosterone before conditioning. Next, at a further point in development, preventing the pubertal surge of gonadal hormones by prepubertal oRX in males resulted in a reduction in adult CFC. In contrast, in females, prepubertal oVX did not alter adult CFC. However, the adult introduction of estrogen in prepubertal oVX rats reduced adult CFC. Lastly, the adult-specific deletion of gonadal hormones by adult oRX or oVX alone or replacement of testosterone or estrogen did not alter CFC. Consistent with our hypothesis, we provide initial evidence that gonadal hormones at early periods of development exert a vital role in the organization and development of CFC in male and female rats.
IPC prediction of patent documents using neural network with attention for hierarchical structure
Authors: Hoshino Yuki , Utsumi Yoshimasa , Matsuda Yoshiro , Tanaka Yoshitoshi , Nakata Kazuhide
Published: March 2023

International patent classifications (IPCs) are assigned to patent documents; however, since the procedure for assigning classifications is manually done by the patent examiner, it takes a lot of time and effort to select some IPCs from about 70,000 IPCs. Hence, some research has been conducted on patent classification with machine learning. However, patent documents are very voluminous, and learning with all the claims (the part describing the content of the patent) as input would run out of the necessary memory, even if the batch size is set to a very small size. Therefore, most of the existing methods learn by excluding some information, such as using only the first claim as input. In this study, we propose a model that considers the contents of all claims by extracting important information for input. In addition, we focus on the hierarchical structure of the IPC, and propose a new decoder architecture to consider it. Finally, we conducted an experiment using actual patent data to verify the accuracy of the prediction. The results showed a significant improvement in accuracy compared to existing methods, and the actual applicability of the method was also discussed.
Community exposures among Colorado adults who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 –A case-control study, March-December 2021
Authors: White Alice E. , Tran Amanda D. , Torok Michelle R. , Jervis Rachel H. , Albanese Bernadette A. , Buchwald Andrea G. , Schmoll Emma , Stringer Ginger , Herlihy Rachel K. , Scallan Walter Elaine J.
Published: March 2023

Objectives

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is spread primarily through exposure to respiratory droplets from close contact with an infected person. To inform prevention measures, we conducted a case-control study among Colorado adults to assess the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection from community exposures.

Methods

Cases were symptomatic Colorado adults (aged ≥18 years) with a positive SARS-CoV-2 test by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) reported to Colorado’s COVID-19 surveillance system. From March 16 to December 23, 2021, cases were randomly selected from surveillance data ≤12 days after their specimen collection date. Cases were matched on age, zip code (urban areas) or region (rural/frontier areas), and specimen collection date with controls randomly selected among persons with a reported negative SARS-CoV-2 test result. Data on close contact and community exposures were obtained from surveillance and a survey administered online.

Results

The most common exposure locations among all cases and controls were place of employment, social events, or gatherings and the most frequently reported exposure relationship was co-worker or friend. Cases were more likely than controls to work outside the home (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–1.28) in industries and occupations related to accommodation and food services, retail sales, and construction. Cases were also more likely than controls to report contact with a non-household member with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 (aOR 1.16, 95% CI: 1.06–1.27).

Conclusions

Understanding the settings and activities associated with a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is essential for informing prevention measures aimed at reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory diseases. These findings emphasize the risk of community exposure to infected persons and the need for workplace precautions in preventing ongoing transmission.
Contrast-enhanced and indirect computed tomography lymphangiography accurately identifies the cervical lymphocenter at risk for metastasis in pet dogs with spontaneously occurring oral neoplasia
Authors: Goldschmidt Stephanie , Stewart Nikia , Ober Christopher , Bell Cynthia , Wolf-Ringwall Amber , Kent Michael , Lawrence Jessica
Published: March 2023

For dogs with oral tumors, cervical lymph node (LN) metastasis alters treatment and prognosis. It is therefore prudent to make an accurate determination of the clinical presence (cN+ neck) or absence (cN0 neck) of metastasis prior to treatment. Currently, surgical LN extirpation with histopathology is the gold standard for a diagnosis of metastasis. Yet, recommendations to perform elective neck dissection (END) for staging are rare due to morbidity. Sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping with indirect computed tomography lymphangiography (ICTL) followed by targeted biopsy (SLNB) is an alternative option to END. In this prospective study, SLN mapping followed by bilateral END of all mandibular LNs (MLNs) and medial retropharyngeal LNs (MRLNs) was performed in 39 dogs with spontaneously occurring oral neoplasia. A SLN was identified by ICTL in 38 (97%) dogs. Lymphatic drainage patterns were variable although most often the SLN was identified as a single ipsilateral MLN. In the 13 dogs (33%) with histopathologically confirmed LN metastasis, ICTL correctly identified the draining lymphocentrum in all (100%). Metastasis was confined to the SLN in 11 dogs (85%); 2 dogs (15%) had metastasis beyond the SLN ipsilaterally. Contrast enhanced CT features had good accuracy in predicting metastasis, with short axis measurements less than 10.5 mm most predictive. ICTL imaging features alone were unable to predict metastasis. Cytologic or histopathologic SLN sampling is recommended prior to treatment to inform clinical decision-making. This is the largest study to show potential clinical utility of minimally invasive ICTL for cervical LN evaluation in canine oral tumors.
Evaluation and quantification of associations between commonly suggested milk biomarkers and the proportion of grassland-based feeds in the diets of dairy cows
Authors: Birkinshaw Amy , Sutter Michael , Reidy Beat , Jungo Laurence , Mueller Stefanie , Kreuzer Michael , Terranova Melissa
Published: March 2023

This study is a first step approach towards the prediction of the proportion of grassland-based feeds (%GB) in dairy cow diets with the aid of three different groups of milk biomarkers. We aimed to evaluate and quantify the associations between biomarkers commonly suggested in the literature and %GB in individual cows as a hypothesis-generating stage for the prospective establishment of accurate %GB prediction models. Consumers and governments financially encourage sustainable, local milk production making grass-based feeding, in grassland-dominated regions, of major interest. Milk from grassland-fed cows differs from that of other feeding systems by inferential fatty acids (FA), β-carotene content and yellow color; however, these biomarkers have not been evaluated together for their association with %GB. Using approved methods of parametric regression analysis, gas chromatography (GC), mid-infrared spectra (MIR) and color spectroscopy, we aimed to develop a first step towards an easy-to-implement, cost-effective milk-based control to estimate %GB in dairy cow diets. The underlying database was generated with 24 cows each fed one of 24 different diets gradually increasing in grass silage and decreasing in corn silage. Our results indicate that GC-measured α-linolenic acid, total n-3 FA and the n-6:n-3 ratio, MIR-estimated PUFA and milk red-green color index a* are robust milk biomarkers for constructing accurate prediction models to determine %GB. Based on simplified regression analysis, diets containing 75% GB should contain ≥ 0.669 and 0.852 g α-linolenic acid and total n-3 FA per 100 g total FA, respectively, and an n-6:n-3 FA ratio of < 2.02 measured with GC; estimated with MIR, polyunsaturated FA should be ≥ 3.13 g/100 g total FA. β-carotene was not a good predictor for estimating %GB. Unexpectedly, the milk became greener with increasing %GB (negative a* values, ‒6.416 for 75% GB), suggesting the red-green color index, not yellow-blue, as a suitable biomarker.
Quantitative study on the three-dimensional defense of Puzhuang Suo-Fort ancient wall and the moat
Authors: Shen Shenge , Tan Lifeng , Wang Cheng , Zhao Pengfei , Liu Huanjie , Zhou Jiayin , Wang Yinggang , Yuan Hong
Published: March 2023

The spatial layout of the coastal forts defense system of the Ming Dynasty of China has been studied in a relatively comprehensive way. Nonetheless, ancient defense mechanisms have not been fully revealed. Previous studies have focused more on the macro and meso levels. Studies into its microscopic construction mechanism need to be enhanced. This research attempts to quantify and validate the rationality of the ancient microscopic defense mechanism, using the ancient defense mechanism of Pu Zhuang Suo-Fort in Zhejiang Province as an instance. This study concentrates on the distribution of firepower strength beyond the walls of coastal defense forts, as well as the effect of wall height on firepower defense capabilities. There is a specific firepower attenuation area near the walls due to the firing blind area in the coastal forts defense system. And the construction of the moat plays an additive role in its defensive capability. Meanwhile, the height of the fort wall will also affect the range of the firing blind zone under Yangmacheng. In theory, there is a reasonable height range of the wall and a proper position of the moat. This height range can meet both good economy and defensive capabilities. In turn, the position of the moats and the height of the walls can verify the rationality of the construction mechanism of the coastal forts’ defense system.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae co-opts C4b-binding protein to enhance complement-independent survival from neutrophils
Authors: Werner Lacie M. , Alcott Allison , Mohlin Frida , Ray Jocelyn C. , Belcher Dufrisne Meagan , Smirnov Asya , Columbus Linda , Blom Anna M. , Criss Alison K.
Published: March 2023

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Gc) is a human-specific pathogen that causes the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea. Gc survives in neutrophil-rich gonorrheal secretions, and recovered bacteria predominantly express phase-variable, surface-expressed opacity-associated (Opa) proteins (Opa+). However, expression of Opa proteins like OpaD decreases Gc survival when exposed to human neutrophils ex vivo. Here, we made the unexpected observation that incubation with normal human serum, which is found in inflamed mucosal secretions, enhances survival of Opa+ Gc from primary human neutrophils. We directly linked this phenomenon to a novel complement-independent function for C4b-binding protein (C4BP). When bound to the bacteria, C4BP was necessary and sufficient to suppress Gc-induced neutrophil reactive oxygen species production and prevent neutrophil phagocytosis of Opa+ Gc. This research identifies for the first time a complement-independent role for C4BP in enhancing the survival of a pathogenic bacterium from phagocytes, thereby revealing how Gc exploits inflammatory conditions to persist at human mucosal surfaces.
Molecular evidence of widespread benzimidazole drug resistance in Ancylostoma caninum from domestic dogs throughout the USA and discovery of a novel β-tubulin benzimidazole resistance mutation
Authors: Venkatesan Abhinaya , Jimenez Castro Pablo D. , Morosetti Arianna , Horvath Hannah , Chen Rebecca , Redman Elizabeth , Dunn Kayla , Collins James Bryant , Fraser James S. , Andersen Erik C. , Kaplan Ray M. , Gilleard John S.
Published: March 2023

Ancylostoma caninum is an important zoonotic gastrointestinal nematode of dogs worldwide and a close relative of human hookworms. We recently reported that racing greyhound dogs in the USA are infected with A. caninum that are commonly resistant to multiple anthelmintics. Benzimidazole resistance in A. caninum in greyhounds was associated with a high frequency of the canonical F167Y(TTC>TAC) isotype-1 β-tubulin mutation. In this work, we show that benzimidazole resistance is remarkably widespread in A. caninum from domestic dogs across the USA. First, we identified and showed the functional significance of a novel benzimidazole isotype-1 β-tubulin resistance mutation, Q134H(CAA>CAT). Several benzimidazole resistant A. caninum isolates from greyhounds with a low frequency of the F167Y(TTC>TAC) mutation had a high frequency of a Q134H(CAA>CAT) mutation not previously reported from any eukaryotic pathogen in the field. Structural modeling predicted that the Q134 residue is directly involved in benzimidazole drug binding and that the 134H substitution would significantly reduce binding affinity. Introduction of the Q134H substitution into the C. elegans β-tubulin gene ben-1, by CRISPR-Cas9 editing, conferred similar levels of resistance as a ben-1 null allele. Deep amplicon sequencing on A. caninum eggs from 685 hookworm positive pet dog fecal samples revealed that both mutations were widespread across the USA, with prevalences of 49.7% (overall mean frequency 54.0%) and 31.1% (overall mean frequency 16.4%) for F167Y(TTC>TAC) and Q134H(CAA>CAT), respectively. Canonical codon 198 and 200 benzimidazole resistance mutations were absent. The F167Y(TTC>TAC) mutation had a significantly higher prevalence and frequency in Western USA than in other regions, which we hypothesize is due to differences in refugia. This work has important implications for companion animal parasite control and the potential emergence of drug resistance in human hookworms.
Continuing Medical Education Questions: March 2023
Authors: Dirweesh Ahmed M.
Published: March 2023

Article Title: ACG Clinical Guideline—Diagnosis and Management of Biliary Strictures
Estado do conhecimento acerca da Educação Estatística no contexto da Educação Infantil
Authors: Porciúncula Mauren , Batisti Isadora
Published: March 2023

Esse artigo é um recorte de uma pesquisa de mestrado em desenvolvimento e tem como objetivo: realizar um Estado do Conhecimento, baseado em produções acadêmicas, para identificar a Educação Estatística no contexto da Educação Infantil, disponibilizadas na Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD), no Portal de periódicos da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) fundação do Ministério da Educação (MEC), no Catálogo de Teses e Dissertações e no Encontro Brasileiro de Estudantes de Pós-Graduação em Educação Matemática (EBRAPEM). Em buscas no período de 2008 a 2020, foram recuperados 13 trabalhos, sendo três teses de doutorado, três dissertações de mestrado, quatro projetos de pesquisa e três artigos. Tais trabalhos compuseram o corpus textual desta parte da pesquisa, apresentando elementos que evidenciam a importância da inserção da Educação Estatística na Educação Infantil, com contribuições para a construção de um sujeito crítico, questionador,capaz de transformar sua realidade, através do ensino da Estatística.
O Laboratório de Ensino como espaço formativo para docentes que ensinam Matemática
Authors: Meurer Simone Xavier , Alexandre Borges Fabio , Hermann Wellington
Published: March 2023

No presente artigo, de cunho bibliográfico, discutem-se os aspectos emergentes em pesquisas brasileiras que relacionam o Laboratório de Ensino com a formação dos docentes de Matemática. Para este fim, foram considerados os artigos publicados em periódicos científicos brasileiros online divulgados no site da Sociedade Brasileira de Educação Matemática (SBEM), que abordassem o papel dos laboratórios na formação de professores de Matemática, resultando em sete trabalhos selecionados, a partir da aplicação do critério de que contivessem a palavra “laboratório” no título. Em complemento, também foi realizada uma busca no site da Biblioteca Digital Brasileira de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD) com as palavras “laboratório”, “formação” e “matemática”, de modo que o título dos textos contivesse as três palavras, simultaneamente. Com tais critérios foram obtidas como resultado das buscas cinco dissertações e duas teses. A análise dos textos foi orientada pela Análise de Conteúdo, a partir da definição das seguintes unidades de análise: i) O papel dos laboratórios na formação de professores de acordo com as pesquisas brasileiras; ii) O Laboratório enquanto instrumento de desenvolvimento das práticas docentes; iii) A utilização do Laboratório para o desenvolvimento e aprendizagem dos estudantes. Os resultados apontam que o ambiente proporcionado pelo Laboratório de Ensino de Matemática possui potencialidades que permitem o desenvolvimento de novas alternativas metodológicas, além de oportunidades de reflexão e discussão acerca da prática docente, capazes de contribuir para a melhoria do processo formativo do professor e do ensino de Matemática.
Analisis Risiko Bunuh Diri pada Mahasiswa Kesehatan di Kota Banda Aceh
Authors: Novitayani Sri , Nurhidayah Irfanita
Published: March 2023

Background: Suicide is the main cause of death for students. Some studies report that half of college students have felt so depressed that they were useful. College life can be a time of high stress. This study aims to describe the risk of suicide in health students in Banda Aceh.Methods: This type of research is a quantitative research using a descriptive correlative method. The sampling technique in this study used purposive sampling with a sample of 171 students. Data collection method using Adult Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (ASIQ).Result: The majority of respondents were health students from the Faculty of Nursing (67.3%), female (88.9%), 2016 class (50.9%), adult (90.6%), from high school (84 ,8%), both parents are still alive (85.4%), have parents who work as civil servants (52.6%), and live in a boarding house/rent (50.3%). The age of the students in this study was between 18 years to 23 years. The majority of health students at Syiah Kuala University experienced a low risk of suicide (87.7%).Conclusion : It can be concluded that health students have a suicide risk which is characterized by thoughts related to suicidal ideation, but these ideas rarely appear so that their suicide risk category is low.
Treatment Outcome of Tuberculosis Cases and HIV Co-infected Patients. A Retrospective Study at a Federal Medical Centre of North Central Nigeria
Authors: Eze Thaddues Okonkwo , Nwadinigwe Finian Chimezie , Ameh Gabriel Mathias
Published: March 2023

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death among people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Despite the availability of highly effective treatment for decades, Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major health problem in Nigeria due to the increasing association between HIV and TB observed over the past three decades when HIV was discovered. However, the proportion of TB and or TB/HIV co-infected patients who have successful TB treatment outcome is not well known. This study determined the treatment outcome of TB/HIV co-infected patients with HIV negative patients at Federal Medical Centre Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. Methods: A retrospective study that used secondary data from Directly Observed Treatment Short (DOTS) course center (APIN Unit). 268 cases were considered and the period under review covers from January, 2019 to December, 2021. Results: Out of the total 268 TB cases reviewed, the HIV prevalence rate was 28.7 %. More than two-third (78.4%) of HIV-negative patients had successful treatment compared to 68.9% of HIV positive patients that were treated successful.  Out of the 77 HIV co-infected patients, 10.4% defaulted, 14.2% had died, and 6.5% failed treatment compared to HIV-negative patients amongst whom 15.2% defaulted, 4.8% died and 1.6% failed treatment. TB/HIV co-infection was significantly associated with poor treatment outcome (AOR: 1.158; 95 % CI 0.617-2.173; p = 0.648).Conclusion: The favorable treatment outcome of HIV-negative patients is more than that of HIV-positive patients and the most probable predictable factor responsible is the CD4 count of patient; indicating that TB/HIV co-infection has remained a major public health problem in Benue state. Therefore, there is the need for sustained strengthening and expansion of the national TB/HIV programmes.
Conceptualisation, measurement and preliminary validation of learners’ problem-based learning and peer assessment strategies in a technology-enabled context
Authors: Shroff Ronnie Homi , Ting Fridolin Sze Thou , Chan Chi Lok , Garcia Raycelle C. C. , Tsang Wing Ki , Lam Wai Hung
Published: March 2023

This study attempted to conceptualise and measure learners’ perceptions of their collaborative problem-based learning and peer assessment strategies in a technology-enabled context. Drawing on the extant literature, we integrate collaborative, problem-based and peer assessment learning strategies and propose a new model, the collaborative problem-based learning and peer assessment (Co-PBLa-PA) conceptual framework, which forms the basis of a new psychometrically sound and conceptually based scale, the collaborative problem-based learning and peer assessment strategies inventory (CO-PBLa-PA-SI). The development and validation of the CO-PBLa-PA-SI, based on the methodological and conceptual insights gained from prior research, involved identifying the following four scales: capacity to collaborate, readiness to engage, task-based interest and peer feedback usefulness. An item pool comprising of 16 items was established and verified by two panels of judges using a formalised card sorting procedure. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to validate the instrument of a small-scale (N = 164) study. The CO-PBLa-PA-SI scale showed strong construct validity and reliability with a Cronbach’s coefficient alpha ranging from .828 to .880, which suggested strong internal consistency. The resultant instrument is intended as a tool to reliably measure learners’ perceptions of their collaborative problem-based learning and peer assessment strategies in a technology-enabled context.
Implications for practice or policy:

A psychometrically validated scale could be used by a growing community of academicians, educators and instructional designers to assess learners’ collaborative problem-based learning and peer assessment strategies when using interactive technologies;
A systematically collected data set obtained from the CO-PBLa-PA-SI data may have practical implications in terms of informing teachers about appropriate instructional design practices for the enhancement of collaborative, problem-based and peer assessment learning strategies in technology-enabled settings.
The influence of transition metal ions on the oxidation of kraft pulp using hydrogen peroxide under mildly acidic conditions
Authors: Martinsson Axel , Hasani Merima , Theliander Hans
Published: March 2023

Oxidation of kraft pulp using hydrogen peroxide under mild acidic conditions can be applied in order to obtain new functionality of the fibres, in the form of carbonyl groups. The hydrogen peroxide concentration must, however, be higher than consumed by the oxidation reactions meaning that the liquid must be recirculated to fully utilize the hydrogen peroxide. This paper investigates the consequences of recirculation of the oxidation liquor. It was found that recirculation results in an accumulation of ions of transition metals (copper, iron and manganese) in the oxidation liquor. The transition metal ions are known for catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, producing radicals which may react with carbohydrates, forming carbonyl groups as well as causing carbohydrate degradation. This was confirmed through the recirculation of oxidation liquor as well as through controlled addition of transition metals. At high transition metal ion concentration the reactions were fast and a severe degradation of carbohydrates was observed, accompanied by a rapid hydrogen peroxide consumption. The consequence of this, in an industrial context, is that the concentration of metal ions must be carefully controlled in order to add functionality to the cellulose without causing excessive degradation of carbohydrates or consumption of hydrogen peroxide.
Glorifying Francis Xavier’s (1506–1552) Good Deeds or Miracles? The Negotiation of Sanctity in Daniello Bartoli’s Asia (1653)
Authors: Frei Elisa
Published: March 2023

This essay focuses on Francis Xavier (1506–1552), the first saint of the Society of Jesus, canonised with its founder Ignatius of Loyola in 1622, and three differing perceptions of his sanctity, both within his own religious order and outside it. The work of Alessandro Valignano gives a first introduction soon after Xavier’s death, with complaints about how most of the testimonies of the future saint were exaggerated and not particularly edifying (1580s). The second text is the manuscript Relatio Rotae (1619), commissioned by Pope Paul V for Xavier’s canonisation, which contains many pages testifying to the same miracles and prophecies Valignano criticised. The final and main source is the treatise Asia by Daniello Bartoli (1653). The Ferrarese Jesuit dedicated the first half of it to Xavier’s life and death, and drew from multiple sources, always proud of his historical detachment, sobriety, and discretion. The examination of these sources highlights all of the negotiations involved in sanctity, especially in such an important period for the Roman Catholic Church in general, and for the Society of Jesus in particular.