bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reduction of SARS-CoV-2 viral load in exhaled air by antiseptic chewing gum: a pilot trial
Authors: Pfab F. , Buelow-Johansen B. , Alber D. , Kriner M. , Kornmann O. , Stuermer M.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The dominant route of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is airborne, through respiratory transmission by aerosols or droplets which can be measured by viral load in exhaled air. Several natural substances have shown antiviral activity. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effect of a chewing gum containing natural antiseptic ingredients (cinnamon-, peppermint- and lemon-oil, quercetin, spermidine, ginger and ginseng) on viral load in exhalative air in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Methods

Nine patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 were enrolled and exhaled forcefully into a special mouthpiece at different time points before and after chewing the antiseptic gum. The mouthpiece contained a filter paper serving for extraction of coronaviruses following real-time PCR to quantify the viral load.

Results and conclusion

Cycle threshold (Ct) values of all patients increased after chewing the gum. The mean difference between the Ct values at baseline (before chewing the antiseptic gum) and time point 30 min (15 min after chewing) was 3.8 ± 2.6; (93% viral load reduction; p = 0.002). Time point 15 min (2.7 ± 1.7 (83% viral load reduction; p = 0.003)), 60 min (3.0 ± 3.4 (88% viral load reduction; p = 0.028)), 90 min (3.7 ± 1.8 (92% viral load reduction; p = 0.004)) and 120 min (3.0 ± 3.7 (91% viral load reduction; p = 0.05)) showed similar results. The antiseptic chewing gum demonstrated a significant potential to reduce SARS-CoV-2 viral load in exhalative air and, in this way, reduce further spread and infection risk. Larger placebo-controlled clinical trials are required to confirm these findings further.
Defining Knowledge
Authors: Hetherington Stephen
Published: October 2022

Post-Gettier epistemology is increasingly modalized epistemology – proposing and debating modally explicable conditionals with suitably epistemic content (an approach initially inspired by Robert Nozick's 1981 account of knowledge), as needing to be added to 'true belief' in order to define or understand knowing's nature. This Element asks whether such modalized attempts – construed as responding to what the author calls Knowing's Further Features question (bequeathed to us by the Meno and the Theaetetus) – can succeed. The answer is that they cannot. Plato's and Aristotle's views on definition reinforce that result. Still, in appreciating this, we might gain insight into knowing's essence. We might find that knowledge is, essentially, nothing more than true belief.
Osteology and neuroanatomy of a phasianid (Aves: Galliformes) from the Miocene of Nebraska
Authors: Ksepka Daniel T. , Early Catherine M. , Dzikiewicz Kate , Balanoff Amy M.
Published: October 2022

Tetraoninae (grouse) and Meleagridinae (turkeys) are conspicuous representatives of the modern North American avifauna. The pre-Pleistocene fossil record of these clades has historically been limited to fragmentary remains, in some cases contributing to confusion rather than improving our understanding of how these charismatic landfowl evolved. We report an exquisitely preserved partial skeleton representing a new species of Late Miocene phasianid from the Ash Hollow Formation of Nebraska.Centuriavis lioaen. gen. n. sp. is a phasianid species close in size to modern sage-grouse that diverged prior to the grouse-turkey split, and thus offers insight into the early history of this radiation. The cranial endocast resembles other North American phasianids and differs from odontophorids in exhibiting a strongly projected Wulst bordered by a well-defined vallecula. Phylogenetic analyses indicate thatCenturiavis lioaeforms a clade with Tetraoninae, Meleagridinae, andPucrasia macrolopha(Koklass pheasant). The new fossil species provides a Late Miocene minimum calibration for the divergence of these extant taxa from other Galliformes and supports the hypothesis of a single dispersal from Asia to North America by a lineage that later gave rise to grouse and turkeys.

UUID:https://zoobank.org/34ecda2f-f2f2-4c92-a82f-292e23cf2da1
Baseline correction for FAST radio recombination lines: A modified penalised least squares smoothing technique
Authors: Liu Bin , Wang Lixin , Wang Junzhi , Peng Bo , Wang Hongjun
Published: October 2022

A pilot project has been proceeded to map

$1\, \textrm{deg}^2$

on the Galactic plane for radio recombination lines (RRLs) using the Five-hundred-metre Aperture Spherical Telescope (FAST). The motivation is to verify the techniques and reliabilities for a large-scale Galactic plane RRL survey with FAST aiming to investigate the ionised environment in the Galaxy. The data shows that the bandpass of the FAST 19 beam L-band is severely affected by radio frequency interferences and standing wave ripples, which can hardly be corrected by traditional low order polynomials. In this paper, we investigate a series of penalised least square (PLS) based baseline correction methods for radio astronomical spectra that usually contain weak signals with high level of noise. Three promising penalised least squares based methods, AsLS, arPLS, and asPLS are evaluated. Adopting their advantages, a modified method named rrlPLS is developed to optimise the baseline fitting to our RRL spectra. To check their effectiveness, the four methods are tested by simulations and further verified using observed data sets. It turns out that the rrlPLS method, with optimised parameter

$\lambda=2\times10^8$

, reveals the most sensitive and reliable emission features in the RRL map. By injecting artificial line profiles into the real data cube, a further evaluation of profile distortion is conducted for rrlPLS. Comparing to simulated signals, the processed lines with low signal-to-noise ratio are less affected, of which the uncertainties are mainly caused by the rms noise. The rrlPLS method will be applied for baseline correction in future data processing pipeline of FAST RRL survey. Configured with proper parameters, the rrlPLS technique verified in this work may also be used for other spectroscopy projects.
Associations between breast milk intake volume, macronutrient intake and infant growth in a longitudinal birth cohort: the Cambridge Baby Growth and Breastfeeding Study (CBGS-BF)
Authors: Olga Laurentya , Vervoort Jacques , van Diepen Janna A. , Gross Gabriele , Petry Clive J. , Prentice Philippa M. , Chichlowski Maciej , van Tol Eric A. F. , Hughes Ieuan A. , Dunger David B. , Ong Ken K.
Published: October 2022

Growth patterns of breastfed infants show substantial inter-individual differences, partly influenced by breast milk (BM) nutritional composition. However, BM nutritional composition does not accurately indicate BM nutrient intakes. This study aimed to examine the associations between both BM intake volumes and macronutrient intakes with infant growth. Mother–infant dyads (n 94) were recruited into the Cambridge Baby Growth and Breastfeeding Study (CBGS-BF) from a single maternity hospital at birth; all infants received exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) for at least 6 weeks. Infant weight, length and skinfolds thicknesses (adiposity) were repeatedly measured from birth to 12 months. Post-feed BM samples were collected at 6 weeks to measure TAG (fat), lactose (carbohydrate) (both by 1H-NMR) and protein concentrations (Dumas method). BM intake volume was estimated from seventy infants between 4 and 6 weeks using dose-to-the-mother deuterium oxide (2H2O) turnover. In the full cohort and among sixty infants who received EBF for 3+ months, higher BM intake at 6 weeks was associated with initial faster growth between 0 and 6 weeks (β + se 3·58 + 0·47 for weight and 4·53 + 0·6 for adiposity gains, both P < 0·0001) but subsequent slower growth between 3 and 12 months (β + se − 2·27 + 0·7 for weight and −2·65 + 0·69 for adiposity gains, both P < 0·005). BM carbohydrate and protein intakes at 4–6 weeks were positively associated with early (0–6 weeks) but tended to be negatively related with later (3–12 months) adiposity gains, while BM fat intake showed no association, suggesting that carbohydrate and protein intakes may have more functional relevance to later infant growth and adiposity.
The effect of spraying bacterial and fungal solutions on Korean pine Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc. cone development and seed quality when sprayed during the flowering phase
Authors: Wang Xiaomei , Chen Ruting , Jia Niya , Sun Jiaxing , Luo Yuxin , Yang Yunzhao , Zhuang Yutong , Wang Jingfeng , Guo Hongru , Chi Defu
Published: October 2022

Korean pine is an economically essential afforestation species limited by the unreasonable collection of cones, indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides and pest damage. This study aimed to determine whether spraying bacterial or fungal solutions affected insect pests, cone development, and the seed quality of Korean pine Pinus koraiensis Sieb. et Zucc. The experiment was conducted in a forest plantation in Linkou County (Heilongjiang, China) in 2019. Four fungal strains and one bacterial strain were applied during the flowering phase of Korean pine. The results after a year and a half of study indicated that a high concentration of Bacillus thuringiensis 223176 promoted cone development, increased seed weight, and reduced the proportion of damaged cones. Under this treatment, there were 15.873% damaged cones; the seed weight reached 0.829 g, and there were 82.738% fully developed cones. Trees treated with the second most effective strain, Beauveria bassiana 122077, had 30.556% damaged cones and an average seed weight of 0.810 g. Leucanicillium antillanum 01 performed the worst in this study. The seed weight was only 0.775 g, and the damaged and fully developed cones were 52.444 and 41.773%, respectively. In summary, spraying bacterial or fungal solutions during the flowering stage of Korean pine positively impacted seed quality and effectively decreased damage by the lepidopteran species that feed on the cones and seeds in this study.
Neuronal uptake of pesticides disrupts chemosensory cells of nematodes
Authors: WINTER M. D. , MCPHERSON M. J. , ATKINSON H. J.
Published: October 2022

Low doses of the acetylcholinesterase-inhibiting carbamate nematicides disrupt chemoreception in plant-parasitic nematodes. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)/dextran conjugates up to 12 kDa are taken up from the external medium by certain chemosensory neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans. Similar chemoreceptive neurons of the non-feeding infective stage of Heterodera glycines (soybean cyst nematode) fill with FITC and the nuclei of their cell bodies selectively stain with bisbenzimide. The widely used nematicide aldicarb disrupts the chemoreceptive response of H. glycines with 50% inhibition at very low concentrations (ca 1 pM), some 10−6-fold lower than required to affect locomotion. Similarly, the anthelmintic levamisole had this effect at 1 nM. Peptides selected as mimetics of aldicarb and levamisole also disrupt chemoreception in H. glycines and Globodera pallida at 10−3-fold or lower concentration than required to inhibit locomotion. We propose an uptake pathway for aldicarb, levamisole, peptide mimetics and other soluble molecules by retrograde transport along dendrites of chemoreceptive neurons to the cell bodies and synapses where they act. This may prove to be a general mechanism for the low-dose effects of some nematicides and anthelmintics.
A molecular characterization of marsupial filarioid nematodes of the genusBreinlia
Authors: Koehler Anson V. , Beveridge Ian , Spratt David M.
Published: October 2022

Here we present the genetic relationships of 26 specimens of the genusBreinlia(Nematoda: Filarioidea) from a range of Australian marsupials using markers in the small subunit of nuclear ribosomal RNA and mitochondrial cytochromecoxidase subunit 1 (cox1) genes and compare them with morphological determinations. The molecular data support the validity of most of the morpho-species included in the study and provide provisional insights into the phylogeny of the genus in Australian mammals, with dasyuroid marsupials appearing to be the original hosts. The recent discovery ofBreinlia annulipapillatain the eye of a human brings this genus of parasites into the group of emerging infectious parasitic diseases.
A close fitt: reading Beowulf fitt II with the Andreas-poet
Authors: Thomas Daniel
Published: October 2022

Connections between Andreas and Beowulf have been the subject of much scholarly discussion. This article contributes to this discussion by arguing that the account of the Mermedonians’ discovery of and response to the loss of their prisoners in Andreas fitt X, which corresponds to chapters 22–3 of the poet’s putative Latin source, has been deliberately recast in ways intended to recall the account in fitt II of Beowulf of Grendel’s first attack on Heorot and the reactions of the Danish community. The connection argued for here is based not on verbal correspondences, but on embedded structural and thematic parallels. The Andreas-poet emerges as a careful and sophisticated reader, notable for their specifically literate and textual engagement with Beowulf. This observation has implications not only for our appreciation of the Andreas-poet’s art, but also for the transmission of Beowulf and for our understanding of Old English poetic practices more generally.
Is native aortic valvuloplasty at time of Norwood operation in infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and aortic stenosis safe?
Authors: Segar David E. , Frommelt Peter C. , Woods Ronald K.
Published: October 2022

In hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the size and function of the left ventricle vary and are dependent on the patency of the aortic valve. A patent native aortic valve, permitting left ventricular ejection, can augment cardiac output. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and a stenotic aortic valve who underwent native aortic valvuloplasty at the time of Norwood and found that none of the eight patients identified had clinically significant aortic insufficiency. This case series suggests that surgical aortic valvuloplasty at Norwood is associated with aortic valve patency/augmented systemic cardiac output without the development of clinically significant aortic regurgitation at intermediate follow-up in a limited cohort.
Middle to Late Holocene Sea Surface Temperature and Productivity Changes in the Northeast Pacific
Authors: Cheung Anson H. , Sandwick Samantha , Du Xiaojing , Abella‐Gutiérrez Jose , Vachula Richard S. , Herbert Timothy D. , Fox‐Kemper Baylor , Herguera Juan Carlos
Published: October 2022

Variations of the sea surface temperature (SST) and primary productivity in the northeast Pacific have far‐reaching implications. In addition to influencing the regional and global temperature and hydroclimate, these conditions also control marine ecosystems and their services, which subsequently impact regional economies. Yet, our understanding of the variability and controls of northeast Pacific SST and productivity on timescales exceeding observational records remains limited. Here, we use marine sediment records from seven locations, spanning 25.2°N–59.6°N, in the northeast Pacific to characterize the millennial‐scale variability of SST and productivity from 9,000 to 1,000 years BP. We explore the dynamics of their spatiotemporal evolution and compare these data with transient climate model outputs to identify potential drivers. Through a heat budget analysis and optimal fingerprinting analysis, we characterize the spatial pattern of forcings. We find that SST varied spatially in the northeast Pacific, with higher latitudes exhibiting greater magnitude changes than lower latitudes, which differs from previous work suggesting regional synchronicity and coherence during the Holocene. Our analysis did not find evidence for coherent variability of primary producer community nor carbon export, highlighting the difficulty of identifying the complex interactions between environmental conditions, producers, and carbon export. Model‐proxy disagreement demonstrates the need for higher resolution model frameworks, but shows nonetheless that observed variability in the proxy records can be explained by a combination of greenhouse gas and orbital forcing. We suggest that the complex SST variations and marine ecosystem responses to forced changes are important factors that can drive disagreements in model projections.
Setting the Stage for Climate Action Under the Montreal Protocol
Authors: Andersen Stephen , Gonzalez Marco , Sherman Nancy
Published: October 2022

Twelve papers formed the scientific basis for fast action to strengthen the treaty, which was already safeguarding stratospheric ozone, so it also protects the climate by reducing super pollutants.
Slope and Shelf Flow Anomalies Off Oregon Influenced by the El Niño Remote Oceanic Mechanism in 2014–2016
Authors: Kurapov Alexander L. , Rudnick Daniel L. , Cervantes Brandy T. , Risien Craig M.
Published: October 2022

Outputs of the regional ocean circulation model are analyzed to demonstrate the measurable impact of the El Niño remote oceanic forcing mechanism along the US West Coast during the major heat wave period of 2014–2016. The 2‐km horizontal resolution model, based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), was run for the period of 2009–2018. Though the model does not assimilate observations, it performs well by comparison with time series data explaining observed variability on temporal scales from several days to seasonal and interannual. The El Niño‐related oceanic anomalies provided by a global state estimate are introduced in the regional model at the southern boundary at 24N. These propagate alongshore with coastally trapped waves (CTWs) and influence the variability off Oregon (41°–46°N). In particular, CTWs are evident in the subsurface along‐slope current, vs, and in the depth of the 26.5 kg m−3 isopycnal surface over the slope, z26.5. In summer 2014 and 2015, vs anomalies are positive (northward) and z26.5 anomalies are negative (deeper) along the US West Coast. In addition to the CTW patterns, z26.5 anomalies also exhibit slow‐moving features associated with undercurrent widening, separation, and subsurface eddy variability. Over the Oregon shelf, El Niño conditions contributed to the sharp weakening of the southward alongshore current throughout the water column in July 2014 and 2015, despite the near‐average southward, upwelling‐favorable winds.
Light People: Professor Guangming Tao
Authors: Wang Hui
Published: October 2022

Editorial

‘In the short but hot summer nights, only by opening doors and windows can the room be cooled down slightly’ complained the famous Chinese poet Fu Du in his poem Summer Night Lament more than 1000 years ago. Currently, people are suffering from the summer heat, with ambient temperatures around or exceeding 40 °C. Phrases such as “killer hot days” are no longer exaggerated statements. Hot weather can not only frustrate people, but also make people sick or even endanger lives owing to heatstroke. Fortunately, scientists have come up with a great invention, which will provide us with some much-needed relief in hot summers—the optical metafabric. The magic of this innovation is that, although it feels just like a normal fabric and has all the necessary properties of a wearable fabric, a garment made with it can cool down one’s body by nearly 5 °C even under direct sunlight, making it ideal for summer clothing. In the last few years, a team led by Prof. Guangming Tao of Huazhong University of Science and Technology has achieved remarkable progress in the area of optical metafabrics, finding new applications for this material and making it more affordable. Now, please follow our Light Science Editor as he explores this amazing new material and finds how it has been used in the industry, society, and Winter Olympics.
Preparation, physicochemical characterization, and bioactivity evaluation of berberine-entrapped albumin nanoparticles
Authors: Younis Fatema A. , Saleh Samar R. , El-Rahman Sahar S. Abd , Newairy Al-Sayeda A. , El-Demellawy Maha A. , Ghareeb Doaa A.
Published: October 2022

Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid with several clinical therapeutic applications. Its low water solubility, absorption, and cellular bioavailability diminish BBR's therapeutic efficacy. In this study, BBR was encapsulated into bovine serum albumin nanoparticles (BSA NPs) core to reduce BBR limitations and enhance its clinical therapeutic properties. Several physicochemical characterization tools, such as Dynamic Light Scattering and Ultraviolet–Visible spectroscopic measurements, field emission transmission electron microscopy surface morphology, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy, thermal stability analysis, and releasing studies, were used to evaluate the BBR-BSA NPs. Compared to BBR, BBR-BSA nanoparticles demonstrated superior free radical scavenging and antioxidant capacities, anti-hemolytic and anticoagulant efficacies, and antimicrobial activities, as demonstrated by the findings of the in vitro studies. Furthermore, a stressed pancreatic rat model was induced using a high-fat, high-sucrose diet plus carbon tetrachloride injection. The in vivo results revealed that BBR-BSA NPs substantially restored peripheral glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Oral administration of BBR-BSA NPs also improved pancreatic β-cells homeostasis, upregulated pancreatic antioxidant mechanisms, inhibited oxidants generation, and attenuated oxidative injury in the stressed pancreatic tissues. In conclusion, our in vitro and in vivo results confirmed that BBR-BSA NPs demonstrated more potent antioxidant properties and restored pancreatic homeostasis compared to BBR.
An external validation study of the Score for Emergency Risk Prediction (SERP), an interpretable machine learning-based triage score for the emergency department
Authors: Yu Jae Yong , Xie Feng , Nan Liu , Yoon Sunyoung , Ong Marcus Eng Hock , Ng Yih Yng , Cha Won Chul
Published: October 2022

Emergency departments (EDs) are experiencing complex demands. An ED triage tool, the Score for Emergency Risk Prediction (SERP), was previously developed using an interpretable machine learning framework. It achieved a good performance in the Singapore population. We aimed to externally validate the SERP in a Korean cohort for all ED patients and compare its performance with Korean triage acuity scale (KTAS). This retrospective cohort study included all adult ED patients of Samsung Medical Center from 2016 to 2020. The outcomes were 30-day and in-hospital mortality after the patients’ ED visit. We used the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) to assess the performance of the SERP and other conventional scores, including KTAS. The study population included 285,523 ED visits, of which 53,541 were after the COVID-19 outbreak (2020). The whole cohort, in-hospital, and 30 days mortality rates were 1.60%, and 3.80%. The SERP achieved an AUROC of 0.821 and 0.803, outperforming KTAS of 0.679 and 0.729 for in-hospital and 30-day mortality, respectively. SERP was superior to other scores for in-hospital and 30-day mortality prediction in an external validation cohort. SERP is a generic, intuitive, and effective triage tool to stratify general patients who present to the emergency department.
High RAS-related protein Rab-7a (RAB7A) expression is a poor prognostic factor in pancreatic adenocarcinoma
Authors: Liu Qi , Bai Yang , Shi Xiaoyi , Guo Danfeng , Wang Yong , Wang Yun , Guo Wen-zhi , Zhang Shuijun
Published: October 2022

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a frequent type of cancer in adults worldwide, and the search for better biomarkers is one of the current challenges. Although RAB7A is associated with tumour progression in multiple tumour types, there are only a few reports in PAAD. Therefore, in this paper, RNA sequencing data were obtained from TCGA(The Cancer Genome Atlas) and GTEx to analyse RAB7A expression and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PAAD. The functional enrichment of RAB7A-associated DEGs was analysed by protein‒protein interaction (PPI) networks, immune cell infiltration analysis and GO/KEGG analyses. Additionally, Kaplan‒Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to determine the clinical significance of RAB7A in PAAD. High RAB7A expression was associated with poor prognosis in 182 PAAD specimens, including subgroups of patients aged ≤ 65 years, with male sex, not receiving radiotherapy, and with a history of previous alcohol consumption (P < 0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that elevated RAB7A was an independent prognostic factor, and the prognostic nomogram model included radiotherapy status, presence of postoperative tumour residual and histologic grade. Overall, RAB7A overexpression may serve as a biomarker for poor outcome in pancreatic cancer. The DEGs and pathways revealed in this work provide a tentative molecular mechanism for the pathogenesis and progression of PAAD.
Experimental solubility and modeling of Crizotinib (anti-cancer medication) in supercritical carbon dioxide
Authors: Sodeifian Gholamhossein , Garlapati Chandrasekhar , Roshanghias Armin
Published: October 2022

Measurement of saturation solubility of drugs in a supercritical fluid is an important parameter for the implementation of supercritical technology in pharmaceutical industry. CO2 is the most sorted substance as a supercritical fluid since it has attractive properties like easily achievable critical temperature, moderate pressure. Cancer is increasingly affecting the mankind, a proper dosage while treating would help in minimizing the drug usage. The bioavailability of the drug is mainly influenced by the drug particle size. An appropriate technology is always useful in making suitable drug particles; thus, supercritical fluid technology (SFT) is considered as promising technique for the production of micro and nanoparticles. Since, particle production process through SFT needs solubility information, appropriate solubility information is necessary. In the present work, Crizotinib (anti-cancer drug) solubility in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) is measured and reported, for the first time. The obtained solubilities are at temperatures 308, 318, 328,338 K and pressures 12, 15, 18, 21, 24 to 27 MPa. The measured solubilities are ranged in terms of mole fraction from (0.483 × 10−5 to 0.791 × 10−5) at 308 K, (0.315 × 10−5 to 0.958 × 10−5) at 318 K, (0.26 × 10−5 to 1.057 × 10−5) at 328 K, (0.156 × 10−5 to 1.219 × 10−5) at 338 K. The cross over region is observed at 14.5 MPa. To expand the application of the solubility data, few important solubility models and three cubic equations of sate (cubic EoS) models along with Kwak and Mansoori mixing rules are investigated. Sublimation and salvation enthalpies of Crizotinib dissolution in scCO2 are calculated.
Powders with zero Ohmic resistance
Authors: Kharlamov Vladimir F.
Published: October 2022

We substantiate the mechanism of electrical conductivity of powder consisting of dielectric nanoparticles with ionized donor centers on the surface and free electrons in the bulk. It is shown that in a powder switched to a closed dc circuit, the electric field strength vanishes due to the polarization of the powder by the source of the electromotive force. The Ohmic loss becomes impossible. The electrons of the polarized powder are in the states that correspond to the minimum of the powder energy and zero Ohmic resistance. The fulfillment of these conditions does not depend on the temperature (T = 300–500 K) and the strength of the circuit current. The electric current in the powder is maintained on account of the difference in the electrochemical potentials of electrodes that are in contact with the polarized powder.
Optimal annual body mass index change for preventing spontaneous preterm birth in a subsequent pregnancy
Authors: Tano Sho , Kotani Tomomi , Ushida Takafumi , Yoshihara Masato , Imai Kenji , Nakano-Kobayashi Tomoko , Moriyama Yoshinori , Iitani Yukako , Kinoshita Fumie , Yoshida Shigeru , Yamashita Mamoru , Kishigami Yasuyuki , Oguchi Hidenori , Kajiyama Hiroaki
Published: October 2022

Preterm birth (PTB) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Although PTB is known to recur, interpregnancy preventive strategies for PTB have not been established to date. Annual BMI change can serve as a specific target value for preventing obstetric complications during interpregnancy care/counseling. This value can also account for age-related weight gain (0.2 kg/m2/year). In a multicenter retrospective study, we investigated the optimal annual BMI change for preventing PTB recurrence using the data of individuals who had two singleton births from 2009 to 2019. The association between annual BMI change and spontaneous PTB (sPTB) was analyzed by separating cases of medically indicated PTB (mPTB) from those of sPTB. Previous history of sPTB was strongly associated with sPTB in the subsequent pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 12.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.5–24.8). Increase in annual BMI was negatively associated with sPTB (aOR, 0.6; 95% CI 0.5–0.9). The sPTB recurrence rate was significantly lower in patients with an annual BMI change of ≥ 0.25 kg/m2/year than in those with an annual BMI change of < 0.25 kg/m2/year (7.7% vs. 35.0%, p = 0.011). Our findings suggest that age-related annual BMI gain between pregnancies may help prevent sPTB recurrence.
Sizes of atmospheric particulate matters determine the outcomes of their interactions with rainfall processes
Authors: Maboa Relotilwe , Yessoufou Kowiyou , Tesfamichael Solomon , Shiferaw Yegnanew A.
Published: October 2022

Environmental sustainability remains at risk, given the coupled trends of economic development with air pollution. The risk is even greater in the water-stressed world, given the potential suppression effects of air pollutants on rain formation. Here, since these suppression effects remain debated, we tested the hypothesis that air pollutants suppress rainfall in the water-stressed South Africa. This was done by fitting generalized linear models to a 21-year historical dataset of rainfall and air pollutants. We found that some gaseous pollutants and PM10show a significant negative correlation with rainfall, perhaps due to the temperature inversion they cause, which might prevent the upward rise of humid air and convective clouds to grow high enough to produce rain. Surprisingly, as opposed to PM10, we found a rather positive significant effect of PM2.5. Altogether, our study supports the hypothesis of rain prevention by pollutants but provides some nuances that are dependent on the size of air particle matters. To achieve environmental sustainability while growing the economy, we can only rely on emission purification technologies to strike this trade-off.
Bio-based Sensing: Role of Natural Dyes in Food Freshness Indicators
Authors: Martins V. G. , Santos L. G. , Romani V. P. , Fernandes S. S.
Published: October 2022

Food dyes are substances or mixtures of compounds added to food and beverages, to confer or enhance the color of the product itself. Artificial dyes are easy to obtain and have a production process with lower costs when compared to natural dyes. However, consumers are increasingly concerned about their health and are looking for products that contain fewer artificial products and more natural compounds. The most commonly used natural dyes are carotenoids, betalains, chlorophylls, anthocyanins, curcumins and phycocyanins, which are present in various types of products, such as fruits and vegetables, algae, roots, leaves, among others, making them easily obtainable. These dyes can be used without any health risk in various types of food products as indicators of intelligent packaging. Sensors/indicators for intelligent packaging need to change color to inform the consumer that the product stored is undergoing changes and may no longer be viable for consumption. Natural dyes react to changes in pH, gases, time and temperature, microorganisms, oxidizing agents, and change color according to specific chemical reactions that occur depending on the environment they are in, being excellent quality indicators of food products. This chapter shows the various types of natural dyes that can be used in sensors/indicators for intelligent packaging, their color variations in different media, potential applications and the current research being carried out in this field of food packaging.
Iron-modulated Ni3S2derived from a Ni-MOF-based Prussian blue analogue for a highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Yang Yaoxia , Guo Fengyao , Zhang Lan , Guo Xingwei , Wang Dangxia , Niu Ruiqing , Yang Haidong , Li Jian , Ma Guofu , Lei Ziqiang
Published: October 2022

Developing efficient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective non-precious metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is essential to alleviate the energy crisis and environmental pollution.
Research on the adsorption of environmentally friendly insulating gas C4F7N decomposed components on the surface of γ‐Al2O3
Authors: Xiao Song , Chen Junyi , Wu Peng , Yao Qiang , Li Long , Pang Xuanpei , Zhang Shiling , Zhang Xiaoxing , Li Yi
Published: October 2022

C4F7N is considered to be the most potential alternative gas for SF6. However, harmful decomposition by‐products generated by the discharge or overheating faults will pose threat to safe operation and service life of gas insulated equipment (GIE). Herein, we investigated the adsorption performance of γ‐Al2O3 on C4F7N and its decomposition products to evaluate the possibility of using it as by‐products adsorbent or exhaust treatment material. It is found that γ‐Al2O3 demonstrates superior adsorption capacity for CF4, C2F6, C3F8, C3F6, C2F4, and keeps stable after the interaction. The first‐principles calculation infers that γ‐Al2O3 has stronger interaction with C4F7N, C3F6 and C3F8 than that of C2F4, C2F6 and CF4. There exists obvious charge transfer between C4F7N and γ‐Al2O3, which belongs to chemisorption. The interaction between F 2p orbital and C=C π orbital determines the gas‐solid adsorption performance. The desorption properties were also explored and the recovery time was in order of CF4 < C2F6 < C2F4< C3F8 < C4F7N < C3F6. Overall, the γ‐Al2O3 is inappropriate to be used as the adsorbent for decomposition by‐products of C4F7N gas mixture‐based GIE, while it can be used as exhaust treatment material for C4F7N wasted gas.
Effects of nanofiller and voltage stabilizer on partial discharge resistance of polypropylene/elastomer blends: A comparison study
Authors: Gao Yu , Li Jing , Xu Xuri , Peng Jinjing , Han Tao , Du Boxue
Published: October 2022

This paper reports on the individual and synergistic influence mechanisms of nano‐silica (SiO2) and voltage stabilizers on partial discharge (PD) resistance of polypropylene blended with ethylene‐octene copolymer elastomer. The SiO2 nanoparticles and three types of voltage stabilizers, that is, benzoin, 4,4′‐dimethoxybenzil, and 3‐aminobenzoic acid are selected as fillers to prepare samples. PD is initiated in a rod‐to‐plane electrode system with an alternating current voltage of 5 kVrms. PD characteristics are captured with multi‐sensors, and the erosion profile of the test sample is measured using a three‐dimensional (3D) optical profilometer. Carrier trap distribution is extracted with isothermal surface potential decay measurement to assist the analysis of PD eroding material. Fourier transform infrared spectrum, scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction spectrum, and differential scanning calorimetry analysis are performed to reveal the change in material structures caused by the fillers. Test results indicate that the PD resistance of the blend can be improved by the addition of nano‐SiO2 and voltage stabilizers individually and synergistically. The PD resistance of PO is increased by 71.2% at most in the sample with 3 wt% nano‐SiO2 addition. The sample filled with SiO2 exhibits better PD resistance than that with the voltage stabilizer or co‐added, which should be ascribed to the introduction of deep traps, the formation of the packaged layer, the suppression of oxygen diffusion of the nanofillers, and the good compatibility between additives and the polymer matrix.
MSFRNet: Two‐stream deep forgery detector via multi‐scale feature extraction
Authors: Yu Miaomiao , Zhang Jun , Li Shuohao , Lei Jun
Published: October 2022

Face forgery represented by DeepFake technique has raised severe societal concerns. Due to the different scales of tampering traces and the different resolutions of face images, adopting common processing pipelines and standard form of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) will lead to problems such as omission, redundancy, and bias when extracting key discriminative features. To solve the above issues, unlike most existing methods that treat face forensics as a vanilla binary classification task, the authors instead reformulate it as a multi‐scale object detection problem and propose a novel framework called MSFRNet based on multi‐scale feature extraction. Concretely, to alleviate the issues of features omission and redundancy, the authors construct a two‐stream prediction network, where the shallow branch discovers small‐scale objects such as tiny noise by capturing low‐level features with higher resolution and more details, while the deep stream exploits larger receptive fields to detect large‐scale blocky artefacts. Moreover, a multi‐scale feature extraction module is designed to enrich feature representations in each stream. To solve the problem of features bias and ensure that unbiased feature representations are learned, more appropriate data augmentation approaches are proposed by introducing counterfactual causal reasoning. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our framework outperforms most ordinary binary classifiers and achieves positive performance.
Aircraft tracking in aerial videos based on fused RetinaNet and low‐score detection classification
Authors: Ahmed M. , Maher Ali , Bai X.
Published: October 2022

Aircraft tracking in aerial videos is a challenge due to the small size and appearance affinity with other targets. Recently, the tracking‐by‐detection trackers, such as simple online and realtime tracking (SORT), attracted the attention of many researchers due to the great evolution in deep learning‐based object detectors. SORT depends on motion cues in solving the data association problem by matching high‐score detection bounding boxes to tracklets. However, motion cues are insufficient to track occluded or similar aircraft efficiently. In addition, most occluded aircrafts have a low‐confidence percentage. The main objective of this paper is to propose an F‐SORT tracker, an enhanced SORT tracker with the following improvements. Firstly, fused RetinaNet for small aerial targets is used as a detection framework to boost the detectability of SORT. Then, aircraft appearance features are extracted from the shallowest prediction layer and utilized as additional cues to improve the data association algorithm. Finally, the extracted features distinguish aircraft online from backgrounds via a K‐nearest neighbour classifier. Experiments on an airport dataset show that F‐SORT can significantly improve aircraft tracking. F‐SORT outperforms other state‐of‐the‐art trackers, achieving 72.75%, 59.63%, and 82.89% on MOTA, HOTA, and IDF1. In addition, F‐SORT classifying algorithm boosts other trackers when applied.
Compact single‐ and dual‐band band‐pass filters employing mixed eighth‐mode substrate‐integrated waveguide and microstrip line resonators
Authors: Wang Xiang , Li Yao , Li Huangyan , Zong Zhi‐Yuan , Wu Wen
Published: October 2022

In this study, single‐ and dual‐band band‐pass filters (BPFs) employing mixed eighth‐mode substrate‐integrated waveguide (EMSIW) and microstrip line (MSL) resonators are proposed and investigated. The mixed resonators feature compact circuit size, moderate quality factor and flexible design topology. By exploiting the mixed resonators to implement the BPF designs, a single‐band BPF is developed, exhibiting four‐order broadband band‐pass filtering responses in a single‐layered substrate. Several transmission zeros are introduced near the working passband to enhance the frequency selectivity. Moreover, the proposed BPF has the capability to suppress the harmonics superior to 20 dB rejection level up to 2.36 f0. Meanwhile, two dual‐band BPFs are designed in double‐layered substrates with magnetic and electric coupling schemes. Both dual‐band BPFs exhibit compact circuit size and low insertion loss. To the best of the authors' knowledge, it is the first time to develop single‐ and dual‐band BPFs based on mixed EMSIW and MSL resonators in this study. For demonstration, a series of single‐ and dual‐band BPFs with mixed SIW/MSL resonators are developed and fabricated. The simulated, measured and synthesised results have reached satisfactory agreements.
Digital Twins for Micro Machining
Authors: Ostasevicius Vytautas , Mikuckyte Sandra , Gaidys Rimvydas , Jurenas Vytautas , Daniulaitis Vytautas
Published: October 2022

Thanks to digital twins encompassing virtual and physical models, the cutting processes under study are attractive for improving modern manufacturing processes. The aim of this work is to propose an efficient method of controlling the higher buckling modes of a vibration micro drilling tool, which allows to increase the efficiency of this technological process.
In sieben Phasen zum gesunden Wandel – Veränderungen gemeinsam gestalten
Authors: Holtmeier Lisa
Published: October 2022

Nichts ist so beständig wie der Wandel – das wusste schon der Philosoph Heraklit vor mehr als 2500 Jahren. Insbesondere im Gesundheitswesen ändert sich ständig irgendetwas. Eine Kollegin ist schwanger, ein neuer Standort wird eröffnet, Arbeitsabläufe werden optimiert, es gibt neue Auflagen, Vorlagen oder Verträge, wechselnde Mitarbeitende und ständig neue Klient*innen. Warum Veränderungen oft unbeliebt sind und wie Sie Veränderungsprozesse gesund gestalten können, zeigt der folgende Beitrag.
Folgenschwer – Auf der Intensivstation erworbenes Schwächesyndrom
Authors: Scheffler Bettina
Published: October 2022

Eine schwere Krankheit dank intensivmedizinischer Behandlung zu überleben hat häufig vielschichtige Folgen, die weit über den Krankenhausaufenthalt hinausgehen. Die Covid-19-Pandemie zeigt eindrücklich, dass es Strategien benötigt, diese möglichst zu vermeiden. Die Physiotherapie spielt dabei eine wichtige Rolle.
Sicherheit geht vor – HWS-Behandlung vorbereiten – Teil 1 von 2
Authors: Tiemann Michael
Published: October 2022

Kopf- und Nackenschmerzen können frühe Symptome einer zervikalen arteriellen Dysfunktion sein. Laut Internationaler Vereinigung der Manualtherapeut*innen IFOMPT liegt jedoch seit 2020 keine Empfehlung mehr vor, prämanipulative Tests durchzuführen. Und das aus gutem Grund: Kritikpunkte sind unter anderem die geringe Spezifität und Sensitivität der Tests und das Risiko der Provokation während der Testungen selbst. Warum dagegen Blutdruckmessung und Hirnnerventests angezeigt sind, erklärt dieser Artikel.
Software-Update – Sensomotorische Defizite nach VKB-Ruptur
Authors: Szep Paul
Published: October 2022

Nicht nur bei anhaltenden Schmerzen sind zentralnervöse Veränderungen und damit verbundene Dysfunktionen zu beobachten. Jede Verletzung beeinträchtigt das sensomotorische System und verändert so nachhaltig die Funktion. Physiotherapeut Paul Szep zeigt anhand zweier Tests auf, wie sich sensomotorische Defizite nach einer Ruptur des vorderen Kreuzbandes testen lassen und warum der Blick auf die Hardware allein nicht ausreicht.
Evaluating Digital Health Capability at Scale Using the Digital Health Indicator
Authors: Woods Leanna , Eden Rebekah , Pearce Andrew , Wong Yu Ching Ides , Jayan Lakshmi , Green Damian , McNeil Keith , Sullivan Clair
Published: October 2022

Background Health service providers must understand their digital health capability if they are to drive digital transformation in a strategic and informed manner. Little is known about the assessment and benchmarking of digital maturity or capability at scale across an entire jurisdiction. The public health care system across the state of Queensland, Australia has an ambitious 10-year digital transformation strategy.

Objective The aim of this research was to evaluate the digital health capability in Queensland to inform digital health strategy and investment.

Methods The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society Digital Health Indicator (DHI) was used via a cross-sectional survey design to assess four core dimensions of digital health transformation: governance and workforce; interoperability; person-enabled health; and predictive analytics across an entire jurisdiction simultaneously. The DHI questionnaire was completed by each health care system (n = 16) within Queensland in February to July 2021. DHI is scored 0 to 400 and dimension score is 0 to 100.

Results The results reveal a variation in DHI scores reflecting the diverse stages of health care digitization across the state. The average DHI score across sites was 143 (range 78–193; SD35.3) which is similar to other systems in the Oceania region and global public systems but below the global private average. Governance and workforce was on average the highest scoring dimension (x̅= 54), followed by interoperability (x̅ = 46), person-enabled health (x̅ = 36), and predictive analytics (x̅ = 30).

Conclusion The findings were incorporated into the new digital health strategy for the jurisdiction. As one of the largest single simultaneous assessments of digital health capability globally, the findings and lessons learnt offer insights for policy makers and organizational managers.
Direct Carotid-Cavernous Fistula Caused by Internal Carotid Artery Perforation by a Microcatheter Body during Mechanical Thrombectomy
Authors: Miyamoto Satoshi , Kato Noriyuki , Yamazaki Tomosato , Yamano Akinari , Akutsu Yoshimitsu , Yasuda Susumu , Matsumaru Yuji , Ishikawa Eiichi
Published: October 2022

Rapid advances in emergent mechanical thrombectomy have resulted in a higher occurrence of arterial perforations during neurointerventions. Here, we report a case of internal carotid artery (ICA) perforation during mechanical thrombectomy in a 78-year-old man with a left middle cerebral artery occlusion. The ICA was perforated by a microcatheter during thrombectomy, forming a direct carotid-cavernous fistula. A two-stage drainer occlusion was conducted because of cortical venous reflex aggravation and ocular symptoms. Here, we report the perforation details and treatment, adding to evidence that ICA perforation with the microcatheter body is a concern during mechanical thrombectomy.
Die Rechtsfrage: Wie versichere ich mich als Freiberufler*in?
Authors: Schlegel Thomas
Published: October 2022

„Bislang war ich in Teilzeit an einer Berufsfachschule festangestellt und arbeitete zusätzlich freiberuflich in einer Praxis. Künftig werde ich ausschließlich freiberuflich tätig sein. Was muss ich in Bezug auf meine Kranken- und Rentenversicherung beachten? Und benötige ich eine Zulassung für die Behandlung von Privatpatient*innen?“

Therapeut aus Thüringen
Epigenetic citizenship and political claims-making: the ethics of molecularizing structural racism
Authors: Cerdeña Jessica P.
Published: October 2022

Epigenetics has generated excitement over its potential to inform health disparities research by capturing the molecular signatures of social experiences. This paper highlights the concerns implied by these expectations of epigenetics research and discusses the possible ramifications of ‘molecularizing’ the forms of social suffering currently examined in epigenetics studies. Researchers working with oppressed populations—particularly racially marginalized groups—should further anticipate how their results might be interpreted to avoid fueling prejudiced claims of biological essentialism. Introducing the concept of ‘epigenetic citizenship,’ this paper considers the ways environmentally responsive methylation cues may be used in direct-to-consumer testing, healthcare, and biopolitical interactions. The conclusion addresses the future of social epigenetics research and the utility of an epigenetic citizenship framework.