bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adapting the Education System to 21st Century Skills: The Case of Israel
Authors: Sabag Ziva , Cohen Shirly Ester
Published: August 2022

This article addresses the impact of accelerated technological development on the world of work, the main characteristics of the new expected generation of workers (Generation Z), and the unique demands placed on educational systems. The educational systems must adapt to society's expectations in the 21st century to remain relevant in a world with uncertainty regarding the labor market. Throughout the article, we present findings from the research literature on the new requirements of learners in the 21st century, highlight the main characteristics of the new generation of workers (Generation Z), and outline the importance of the education system in training and acquiring necessary skills. These requirements include skills for integrating learners into society and employment due to the new demands of the labor market.
Educational Quality of Early Childhood Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Camović Dženeta , Bećirović-Karabegović Jasmina
Published: August 2022

This paper analyzes the key determinants of the quality of preschool education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Based on the analysis of recent data, the paper indicates the status and development trends in this regard in the last decade. Although preschool education in Bosnia and Herzegovina has a long tradition, it is facing a number of challenges, mostly arising from the arrangement of the state system and post-war transition processes which have significantly impoverished this level of education. Therefore, the main goal of this paper is to point out the recent public policy efforts made in the attempt to ensure the quality of preschool education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the effects that are being achieved in this regard. Since quality can be approached from the aspects of structure and process, the elementary structural and process dimensions of preschool education will be taken as units of this analysis. Conceptualizing the results of this analysis, the status and quality of preschool education in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be positioned through an orientation towards the European framework for the quality and development trends of preschool education in Europe.
Development of Attitude Assessment Instruments Towards Socio-Scientific Issues in Chemistry Learning
Authors: Suparman Achmad Rante , Rohaeti Eli , Wening Sri
Published: August 2022

A socio-scientific issue is one of the learning techniques used today, which uses various scientific sources to make students think scientifically to conduct a dialogue and discuss solving a problem. Various problems in socio-scientific are controversial, requiring reasoning, and ethical evaluation in the decision-making process. A conflict between chemical reason and students' social point of view will cause students' different assessments and attitudes towards the socio-scientific issue. This study is a research and development (R&D) that focuses on the instrument's validity with the factor analysis technique to assess attitudes towards the socio-scientific issue in chemistry learning. CFA and EFA analysis found five factors in the tool: anxiety, interests, likes, benefits, confidence, validity, and reliability. The total reliability coefficient is .853. Of the eight instrument feasibility analysis requirements, seven instruments were declared fit to meet construct validity.
Customized retarders based on waveplates
Authors: Vilas Jose Luis , Herrera-Fernandez Jose Maria
Published: August 2022

Phase control is a critical parameter in polarization measurements. It is well known that a proper combination of wave plates allows to obtain achromatic phase shift, i.e., a constant retardation in certain spectral ranges. This paper is focused on a different, but more useful, goal, as it is to achieve customized variable retarders in broad spectral ranges. To do that, a merit function was used to measure the similarity between the overall phase shift of the wave plate combinations and the desired target. The control variables are the thicknesses and orientations of the wave plates. All possible combinations with four and five wave plates of quartz and

M
g
F

2

were analyzed, but our approach can be perfectly extended to deal with more wave plates. The result of an optimization process determines the thicknesses and orientations of the wave plates, which results in the closest retarder to the desired one. Numerical results show deviations below 10% between the target and the obtained retardation. These systems are of special interest in those fields and instruments in which polarization control plays a fundamental role.
Spectroscopic study of the 4f76s28S7/2∘−4f7(8S∘)6s6p(1P∘)8P9/2 transition in neutral europium-151 and europium-153: absolute frequency and hyperfine structure
Authors: Herd M. T. , Maruko C. , Herzog M. M. , Brand A. , Cannon G. , Duah B. , Hollin N. , Karani T. , Wallace A. , Whitmore M. , Williams W. D.
Published: August 2022

We report on spectroscopic measurements on the

4

f
7

6

s
2

8

S

7

/

2

∘

→
4

f
7

(
8

S
∘

)
6
s
6
p

(
1

P
∘

)

8

P

9

/

2

transition in neutral europium-151
and europium-153 at 459.4 nm. The center of gravity frequencies for
the 151 and 153 isotopes, reported for the first time in this paper,
to our knowledge, were found to be 652,389,757.16(34) MHz and
652,386,593.2(5) MHz, respectively. The hyperfine coefficients for the

6
s
6
p

(
1

P
∘

)

8

P

9

/

2

state were found to be

A

(

151

)
=
−

228.84

(

2

)

M
H
z

,

B

(

151

)
=

226.9

(

5

)

M
H
z

and

A

(

153

)
=
−

101.87

(

6

)

M
H
z

,

B

(

153

)
=

575.4

(

1.5

)

M
H
z

, which all agree with previously
published results except for A(153), which shows a small discrepancy.
The isotope shift is found to be 3163.8(6) MHz, which also has a
discrepancy with previously published results.
Fabrication tolerant and wavelength independent arbitrary power splitters on a monolithic silicon photonics platform
Authors: Papadovasilakis Marios , Chandran Sujith , Gebregiorgis Yonas , Bian Yusheng , Rakowski Michal , Krishnamurthy Subramanian , Aboketaf Abdelsalam , Augur Rod , Viegas Jaime
Published: August 2022

We experimentally demonstrate wavelength-independent couplers based on an asymmetric Mach-Zehnder interferometer on a monolithic silicon-photonics platform in a state-of-the-art CMOS foundry. The devices are also designed to exhibit fabrication tolerant performance for arbitrary splitting ratios. We have developed a semi-analytical model to optimize the device response and the reliability of the model is benchmarked against 3D-FDTD simulations. Experimental results are consistent with the simulation results obtained by the model and show uniform performance across different wafer sites with a standard deviation for the splitting ratio of only 0.6% at 1310 nm wavelength. The maximum spectral deviation of the splitting ratio (3-dB splitter) is measured to be 1.2% over a wavelength range of at least 80 nm and the insertion loss ranges from 0.08 to 0.38 dB. The wavelength-independent coupler has a compact footprint of 60 × 40

μ

m

2

.
Learned lensless 3D camera
Authors: Tian Feng , Yang Weijian
Published: August 2022

Single-shot three-dimensional (3D) imaging with compact device footprint, high imaging quality, and fast processing speed is challenging in computational imaging. Mask-based lensless imagers, which replace the bulky optics with customized thin optical masks, are portable and lightweight, and can recover 3D object from a snap-shot image. Existing lensless imaging typically requires extensive calibration of its point spread function and heavy computational resources to reconstruct the object. Here we overcome these challenges and demonstrate a compact and learnable lensless 3D camera for real-time photorealistic imaging. We custom designed and fabricated the optical phase mask with an optimized spatial frequency support and axial resolving ability. We developed a simple and robust physics-aware deep learning model with adversarial learning module for real-time depth-resolved photorealistic reconstructions. Our lensless imager does not require calibrating the point spread function and has the capability to resolve depth and “see-through” opaque obstacles to image features being blocked, enabling broad applications in computational imaging.
Snapshot compressive imaging based digital image correlation: temporally super-resolved full-resolution deformation measurement
Authors: Chen Wenwu , Zhang Bo , Gu Liuning , Liu Haibo , Suo Jinli , Shao Xinxing
Published: August 2022

The limited throughput of a digital image correlation (DIC) system hampers measuring deformations at both high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. To address this dilemma, in this paper we propose to integrate snapshot compressive imaging (SCI)—a recently proposed computational imaging approach—into DIC for high-speed, high-resolution deformation measurement. Specifically, an SCI-DIC system is established to encode a sequence of fast changing speckle patterns into a snapshot and a high-accuracy speckle decompress SCI (Sp-DeSCI) algorithm is proposed for computational reconstruction of the speckle sequence. To adapt SCI reconstruction to the unique characteristics of speckle patterns, we propose three techniques under SCI reconstruction framework to secure high-precision reconstruction, including the normalized sum squared difference criterion, speckle-adaptive patch search strategy, and adaptive group aggregation. For efficacy validation of the proposed Sp-DeSCI, we conducted extensive simulated experiments and a four-point bending SCI-DIC experiment on real data. Both simulation and real experiments verify that the Sp-DeSCI successfully removes the deviations of reconstructed speckles in DeSCI and provides the highest displacement accuracy among existing algorithms. The SCI-DIC system together with the Sp-DeSCI algorithm can offer temporally super-resolved deformation measurement at full spatial resolution, and can potentially replace conventional high-speed DIC in real measurements.
Inline amplification of mid-infrared intrapulse difference frequency generation
Authors: Bournet Q. , Jonusas M. , Zheng A. , Guichard F. , Natile M. , Zaouter Y. , Joffre M. , Bonvalet A. , Druon F. , Hanna M. , Georges P.
Published: August 2022

We demonstrate an ultrafast mid-infrared source architecture that implements both intrapulse difference frequency generation (iDFG) and further optical parametric amplification (OPA), in an all-inline configuration. The source is driven by a nonlinearly compressed high-energy Yb-doped-fiber amplifier delivering 7.4 fs pulses at a central wavelength of 1030 nm, at a repetition rate of 250 kHz. It delivers 1 µJ, 73 fs pulses at a central wavelength of 8 µm, tunable over more than one octave. By enrolling all the pump photons in the iDFG process and recycling the long wavelength pump photons amplified in the iDFG in the subsequent OPA, we obtain an unprecedented overall optical efficiency of 2%. These performances, combining high energy and repetition rate in a very simple all-inline setup, make this technique ideally suited for a growing number of applications, such as high harmonic generation in solids or two-dimensional infrared spectroscopy experiments.
Non-invasive imaging through scattering medium and around corners beyond 3D memory effect
Authors: Shi YingJie , Guo EnLai , Sun Ming , Bai LianFa , Han Jing
Published: August 2022

The three-dimensional (3D) memory effect (ME) has been shown to exist in a variety of scattering scenes. Limited by the scope of ME, speckle correlation technology only can be applied in a small imaging field of view (FOV) with a small depth of field (DOF). In this Letter, an untrained neural network is constructed and used as an optimization tool to restore the targets beyond the 3D ME range. The autocorrelation consistency relationship and the generative adversarial strategy are combined. Only single frame speckle and unaligned real targets are needed for online optimization; therefore, the neural network does not need to train in advance. Furthermore, the proposed method does not need to conduct additional modulation for the system. This method can reconstruct not only hidden targets behind the scattering medium, but also targets around corners. The combination strategy of the generative adversarial framework with physical priors used to decouple the aliasing information and reconstruct the target will provide inspiration for the field of computational imaging.
Guided mode resonance aided polarization insensitive in-plane spectral filters for an on-chip spectrometer
Authors: Rout Dipak , Venkatachalam P. , Singh Radhakant , Shree Lakshmi P. , Selvaraja Shankar Kumar
Published: August 2022

We demonstrate an on-chip in-plane polarization independent multi-spectral color filter in the visible to near-infrared wavelength band. We experimentally show a four-channel transmission and in-plane spectral filter characteristics spanning a 400-nm spectral range. Engineered 2D guided mode resonance structures in a silicon nitride-on-sapphire substrate are used to realize the filters. The in-plane color filters could provide the necessary impetus for developing robust integrated photonic platforms for on-chip devices and applications.
Two-dimensional space–time terahertz memory in bulk
SrTiO3
Authors: Blanchard F. , Nkeck J. E. , Guiramand L. , Zibod S. , Dolgaleva K. , Arikawa T. , Tanaka K.
Published: August 2022

Polarizable materials with ultrafast responses are of great interest for the development of new sensors and memories under the influence of an electromagnetic field. Recent research efforts have demonstrated the role of optical excitation and intense terahertz (THz) pulses in inducing an ultrafast polar order and revealing a hidden phase transition in

S
r
T
i
O

3

(STO), respectively. Here we show that the surfaces of STO crystals at room temperature act as ultrafast sensors that enable sub-picosecond switching through the Kerr effect and recording of polar THz intensity with spatial resolution below the diffraction limit through THz-field-induced dipole alignment followed by multi-picosecond relaxation time recovery. The contrast sensitivity and spatial resolution achieved by the STO sensor are significantly superior to those of present-day near-field THz sensors based on the linear Pockels effect, and more importantly, its ability to remain polarized for several picoseconds opens the door to a new strategy for building an ultrafast space–time THz memory.
Different forms of superspreading lead to different outcomes: Heterogeneity in infectiousness and contact behavior relevant for the case of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Kuylen Elise J. , Torneri Andrea , Willem Lander , Libin Pieter J. K. , Abrams Steven , Coletti Pietro , Franco Nicolas , Verelst Frederik , Beutels Philippe , Liesenborgs Jori , Hens Niel
Published: August 2022

Superspreading events play an important role in the spread of several pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2. While the basic reproduction number of the original Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 is estimated to be about 3 for Belgium, there is substantial inter-individual variation in the number of secondary cases each infected individual causes—with most infectious individuals generating no or only a few secondary cases, while about 20% of infectious individuals is responsible for 80% of new infections. Multiple factors contribute to the occurrence of superspreading events: heterogeneity in infectiousness, individual variations in susceptibility, differences in contact behavior, and the environment in which transmission takes place. While superspreading has been included in several infectious disease transmission models, research into the effects of different forms of superspreading on the spread of pathogens remains limited. To disentangle the effects of infectiousness-related heterogeneity on the one hand and contact-related heterogeneity on the other, we implemented both forms of superspreading in an individual-based model describing the transmission and spread of SARS-CoV-2 in a synthetic Belgian population. We considered its impact on viral spread as well as on epidemic resurgence after a period of social distancing. We found that the effects of superspreading driven by heterogeneity in infectiousness are different from the effects of superspreading driven by heterogeneity in contact behavior. On the one hand, a higher level of infectiousness-related heterogeneity results in a lower risk of an outbreak persisting following the introduction of one infected individual into the population. Outbreaks that did persist led to fewer total cases and were slower, with a lower peak which occurred at a later point in time, and a lower herd immunity threshold. Finally, the risk of resurgence of an outbreak following a period of lockdown decreased. On the other hand, when contact-related heterogeneity was high, this also led to fewer cases in total during persistent outbreaks, but caused outbreaks to be more explosive in regard to other aspects (such as higher peaks which occurred earlier, and a higher herd immunity threshold). Finally, the risk of resurgence of an outbreak following a period of lockdown increased. We found that these effects were conserved when testing combinations of infectiousness-related and contact-related heterogeneity.
Mathematical modeling of the molecular switch of TNFR1-mediated signaling pathways applying Petri net formalism and in silico knockout analysis
Authors: Amstein Leonie K. , Ackermann Jörg , Hannig Jennifer , Đikić Ivan , Fulda Simone , Koch Ina
Published: August 2022

The paper describes a mathematical model of the molecular switches of cell survival, apoptosis, and necroptosis in cellular signaling pathways initiated by tumor necrosis factor 1. Based on experimental findings in the literature, we constructed a Petri net model based on detailed molecular reactions of the molecular players, protein complexes, post-translational modifications, and cross talk. The model comprises 118 biochemical entities, 130 reactions, and 299 edges. We verified the model by evaluating invariant properties of the system at steady state and by in silico knockout analysis. Applying Petri net analysis techniques, we found 279 pathways, which describe signal flows from receptor activation to cellular response, representing the combinatorial diversity of functional pathways.120 pathways steered the cell to survival, whereas 58 and 35 pathways led to apoptosis and necroptosis, respectively. For 65 pathways, the triggered response was not deterministic and led to multiple possible outcomes. We investigated the in silico knockout behavior and identified important checkpoints of the TNFR1 signaling pathway in terms of ubiquitination within complex I and the gene expression dependent on NF-κB, which controls the caspase activity in complex II and apoptosis induction. Despite not knowing enough kinetic data of sufficient quality, we estimated system’s dynamics using a discrete, semi-quantitative Petri net model.
SPEACH_AF: Sampling protein ensembles and conformational heterogeneity with Alphafold2
Authors: Stein Richard A. , Mchaourab Hassane S.
Published: August 2022

The unprecedented performance of Deepmind’s Alphafold2 in predicting protein structure in CASP XIV and the creation of a database of structures for multiple proteomes and protein sequence repositories is reshaping structural biology. However, because this database returns a single structure, it brought into question Alphafold’s ability to capture the intrinsic conformational flexibility of proteins. Here we present a general approach to drive Alphafold2 to model alternate protein conformations through simple manipulation of the multiple sequence alignment via in silico mutagenesis. The approach is grounded in the hypothesis that the multiple sequence alignment must also encode for protein structural heterogeneity, thus its rational manipulation will enable Alphafold2 to sample alternate conformations. A systematic modeling pipeline is benchmarked against canonical examples of protein conformational flexibility and applied to interrogate the conformational landscape of membrane proteins. This work broadens the applicability of Alphafold2 by generating multiple protein conformations to be tested biologically, biochemically, biophysically, and for use in structure-based drug design.
Reduced sister chromatid cohesion acts as a tumor penetrance modifier
Authors: Wang Jun , Thomas Holly R. , Chen Yu , Percival Stefanie M. , Waldrep Stephanie C. , Ramaker Ryne C. , Thompson Robert G. , Cooper Sara J. , Chong Zechen , Parant John M.
Published: August 2022

Sister chromatid cohesion (SCC) is an important process in chromosome segregation. ESCO2 is essential for establishment of SCC and is often deleted/altered in human cancers. We demonstrate that esco2 haploinsufficiency results in reduced SCC and accelerates the timing of tumor onset in both zebrafish and mouse p53 heterozygous null models, but not in p53 homozygous mutant or wild-type animals. These data indicate that esco2 haploinsufficiency accelerates tumor onset in a loss of heterozygosity (LOH) sensitive background. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) confirmed ESCO2 deficient tumors have elevated number of LOH events throughout the genome. Further, we demonstrated heterozygous loss of sgo1, important in maintaining SCC, also results in reduced SCC and accelerated tumor formation in a p53 heterozygous background. Surprisingly, while we did observe elevated levels of chromosome missegregation and micronuclei formation in esco2 heterozygous mutant animals, this chromosomal instability did not contribute to the accelerated tumor onset in a p53 heterozygous background. Interestingly, SCC also plays a role in homologous recombination, and we did observe elevated levels of mitotic recombination derived p53 LOH in tumors from esco2 haploinsufficient animals; as well as elevated levels of mitotic recombination throughout the genome of human ESCO2 deficient tumors. Together these data suggest that reduced SCC contributes to accelerated tumor penetrance through elevated mitotic recombination.
A toolbox for class I HDACs reveals isoform specific roles in gene regulation and protein acetylation
Authors: Hess Lena , Moos Verena , Lauber Arnel A. , Reiter Wolfgang , Schuster Michael , Hartl Natascha , Lackner Daniel , Boenke Thorina , Koren Anna , Guzzardo Paloma M. , Gundacker Brigitte , Riegler Anna , Vician Petra , Miccolo Claudia , Leiter Susanna , Chandrasekharan Mahesh B. , Vcelkova Terezia , Tanzer Andrea , Jun Jun Qi , Bradner James , Brosch Gerald , Hartl Markus , Bock Christoph , Bürckstümmer Tilmann , Kubicek Stefan , Chiocca Susanna , Bhaskara Srividya , Seiser Christian
Published: August 2022

The class I histone deacetylases are essential regulators of cell fate decisions in health and disease. While pan- and class-specific HDAC inhibitors are available, these drugs do not allow a comprehensive understanding of individual HDAC function, or the therapeutic potential of isoform-specific targeting. To systematically compare the impact of individual catalytic functions of HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3, we generated human HAP1 cell lines expressing catalytically inactive HDAC enzymes. Using this genetic toolbox we compare the effect of individual HDAC inhibition with the effects of class I specific inhibitors on cell viability, protein acetylation and gene expression. Individual inactivation of HDAC1 or HDAC2 has only mild effects on cell viability, while HDAC3 inactivation or loss results in DNA damage and apoptosis. Inactivation of HDAC1/HDAC2 led to increased acetylation of components of the COREST co-repressor complex, reduced deacetylase activity associated with this complex and derepression of neuronal genes. HDAC3 controls the acetylation of nuclear hormone receptor associated proteins and the expression of nuclear hormone receptor regulated genes. Acetylation of specific histone acetyltransferases and HDACs is sensitive to inactivation of HDAC1/HDAC2. Over a wide range of assays, we determined that in particular HDAC1 or HDAC2 catalytic inactivation mimics class I specific HDAC inhibitors. Importantly, we further demonstrate that catalytic inactivation of HDAC1 or HDAC2 sensitizes cells to specific cancer drugs. In summary, our systematic study revealed isoform-specific roles of HDAC1/2/3 catalytic functions. We suggest that targeted genetic inactivation of particular isoforms effectively mimics pharmacological HDAC inhibition allowing the identification of relevant HDACs as targets for therapeutic intervention.
Molecular epidemiology of Animal African Trypanosomosis in southwest Burkina Faso
Authors: Hounyèmè Robert Eustache , Kaboré Jacques , Gimonneau Geoffrey , Somda Martin Bienvenu , Salou Ernest , Missihoun Antoine Abel , Bengaly Zakaria , Jamonneau Vincent , Boulangé Alain
Published: August 2022

Background

Animal African Trypanosomosis (AAT) is a parasitic disease of livestock that has a major socio-economic impact in the affected areas. It is caused by several species of uniflagellate extracellular protists of the genus Trypanosoma mainly transmitted by tsetse flies: T. congolense, T. vivax and T. brucei brucei. In Burkina Faso, AAT hampers the proper economic development of the southwestern part of the country, which is yet the best watered area particularly conducive to agriculture and animal production. It was therefore important to investigate the extent of the infection in order to better control the disease. The objective of the present study was to assess the prevalence of trypanosome infections and collect data on the presence of tsetse flies.

Methods

Buffy coat, Trypanosoma species-specific PCR, Indirect ELISA Trypanosoma sp and trypanolysis techniques were used on 1898 samples collected. An entomological survey was also carried out.

Results

The parasitological prevalence of AAT was 1.1%, and all observed parasites were T. vivax. In contrast, the molecular prevalence was 23%, of which T. vivax was predominant (89%) followed by T. congolense (12.3%) and T. brucei s.l. (7.3%) with a sizable proportion as mixed infections (9.1%). T. brucei gambiense, responsible of sleeping sickness in humans, was not detected. The serological prevalence reached 49.7%. Once again T. vivax predominated (77.2%), but followed by T. brucei (14.7%) and T. congolense (8.1%). Seven samples, from six cattle and one pig, were found positive by trypanolysis. The density per trap of Glossina tachinoides and G. palpalis gambiensis was 1.2 flies.

Conclusions/Significance

Overall, our study showed a high prevalence of trypanosome infection in the area, pointing out an ongoing inadequacy of control measures.
The educator as facilitator of trust in the nursing education environment
Authors: van Dyk Ellie Catharina , van Rensburg Gisela Hildegard , Janse van Rensburg Elsie Sophia
Published: August 2022

Background

Trust and trusting are inclinations to believe in the honesty and sincerity of a person. Trust and trusting relationships in nursing education form the foundation of safety, acknowledging vulnerabilities and allowing reciprocal expectations and beliefs to rely on each other during the teaching and learning process. The purpose of this article is to explore the views of nurse educators in facilitating trust and trusting relationships during teaching and learning.

Methods and findings

This article focuses on the role of educators in facilitating the development of trust. A qualitative approach with a grounded theory design was used. The fourteen nurse educators included to address the first objective of the study, were purposively sampled, and the requisite data was collected by conducting individual in-depth face-to-face interviews. Initial, focus and theoretical coding were used to analyse the data until saturation was evident. The following themes emerged: competencies of the educator; setting of standards and the maintaining of consistency; and professional credibility and the value of trusting relationships. The outcome of the findings indicated that the educator plays a key role in establishing trust in nursing education. The study did not include professional nurses in practice as role-players in the nursing education environment. This could be regarded as a limitation, as the professional nurse in practice also has a teaching role, thus, indirectly, forming part of the nursing education environment. A recommendation was made that further research on trust should include professional nurses.

Conclusions

The study highlights that trust is dependent on, and facilitated by, professional conduct, ethical behaviour, competencies, knowledge and skills of the role-players in the teaching and learning environment. The recommendations made have a bearing on developing trust and trusting relationships in nursing education.
ICMR task force project- survey of the incidence, mortality, morbidity and socio-economic burden of snakebite in India: A study protocol
Authors: Menon Jaideep C. , Bharti Omesh K. , Dhaliwal Rupinder S. , John Denny , Menon Geetha R. , Grover Ashoo , Chakma Joy K.
Published: August 2022

Background

Snakebite is possibly the most neglected of the NTDs (Neglected Tropical Diseases). Half of the global deaths due to venomous snakebites, estimated at 100,000 per year, occur in India. The only representative data on snakebite available from India is the mortality data from the RGI-MDS study (Registrar General of India- 1 Million Death Study) and another study on mortality from the state of Bihar. Incidence data on snakebite is available for 2 districts of the state of West Bengal only. Hospital-based data on snakebite admissions and use of ASV are gross underestimates as most snakebite victims in rural India depend more on alternate treatment methods which do not get represented in National registries. The proposed study is a multi-centric study to determine the incidence, morbidity, mortality and economic burden of snakebites in India covering all 5 geographical zones of the country.

Protocol

A community level surveillance for snakebite covering 31 districts in 13 states of India in order to obtain annual incidence of snakebites from the community. Frontline health workers will be trained to gather information on new cases of snakebite over the study period of 1-year, from “wards “(smallest administrative subunit of a village or town) that they represent in the study districts. Dedicated field officers would collect data on snakebites, victim characteristics, outcomes, utilization of health facilities on a questionnaire sheet designed for this purpose. The study duration is for 18 months from April 2022 to October 2023.

Discussion

The study would be the first of its kind in India looking prospectively at the incidence of snakebite covering 13 states in 5 zones of India and a population of 84 million. Our study covers 6.12% of the total population of the country as compared to the incidence study conducted in Sri Lanka which covered 1% of the total population.
Spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanism of regional shrinkage at the county scale: The three provinces in northeastern China
Authors: Yu Shangkun , Wang Chengxin , Jin Zhenxing , Zhang Shuai , Miao Yi
Published: August 2022

The three northeast provinces are typical areas of regional shrinkage in China. A scientific understanding of their shrinkage and driving mechanism is conducive to the transformation and development of traditional industrial bases in China. This study analyzed the spatiotemporal evolution and driving mechanism of regional shrinkage at the county scale in the three provinces. The main findings are as follows: (1) 40.86% of counties in the three provinces shrank, forming three concentrated shrinking regions. However, comprehensively shrinking regions were narrowed and lessened with the introduction of the Northeast Area Revitalization Plan. (2) The population-related shrinking regions accounted for more than 90% and continued to expand. Such shrinkage was higher in the north than in the south. The degree of economy-related shrinkage was the most serious, and the hotspots were mainly concentrated in Liaoning Province. The scope of space-related shrinkage was most minor, and such shrinkage was relatively mild. (3) When it came to influencing factors, the shrinkage index was positively correlated with the proportion of the secondary industry, the output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery, the number of industrial enterprises above the designated size, fiscal expenditure, and the balance of resident deposits, and negatively correlated with the altitude, the proportion of the tertiary industry, and population aging. Geographically weighted regression (GWR) and ordinary least squares (OLS) produced similar regression results. The spatial pattern of influencing factors was consistent with the hotspot areas of population-related shrinkage or economy-related shrinkage, with significant spatial differences.
Coupling coordination between higher education and environmental governance: Evidence of western China
Authors: Geng Yuqing , Huang Fuchang
Published: August 2022

Exploring the coupling coordination mechanism between higher education and environmental governance is conducive to understanding the mutual interactions between them and thus enhancing mutual development. This study constructs the coupling coordination mechanism and the aggregated evaluation index system to measure the mutual coordination relations between them, assesses the performances and the coupling coordination degrees between them in the case of western provincial regions in China, and proposes countermeasures based on the prediction results. It is found that the performances of higher education are relatively more stable than those of environmental governance, and the distributions of the average performance grades exist noticeable geographical differences. Besides, the coupling coordination degrees increase with mild fluctuations with relatively small spatial variations, demonstrating the balanced and similar coordinated development status among regions; furthermore, in the future, the gaps in the coordination status among regions will gradually decline. This study highlights the mutual coordination mechanism between the two subsystems, compares the coupling coordination status among regions both temporally and spatially, and proposes specific, generalizable development suggestions that contribute to the academic sector, policymakers, ecology, and sustainability.
Prevalence and risk factors of untreated thyroid dysfunctions in the older Caucasian adults: Results of PolSenior 2 survey
Authors: Kocełak Piotr , Mossakowska Małgorzata , Puzianowska-Kuźnicka Monika , Sworczak Krzysztof , Wyszomirski Adam , Handzlik Gabriela , Stefański Adrian , Zdrojewski Tomasz , Chudek Jerzy
Published: August 2022

Introduction

To determine the prevalence of treated and untreated thyroid dysfunction and to identify factors associated with increased risk of undiagnosed thyroid dysfunction in older adults.

Methods

The population of 5987 community-dwelling Polish Caucasian seniors aged 60 years and above who participated in the PolSenior 2 study (2018–2019). Population-based cross-sectional multidisciplinary study in design. Data from structured questionnaires, geriatric tests, and scales were obtained from all study participants who underwent anthropometric and blood pressure measurements during three home visits. Assessment of thyroid function was based on TSH serum measurements.

Results

The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in the Polish population aged 60 years or above was estimated at 15.5% (21.5% in women and 7.2% in men), with 3.2% of undiagnosed individuals among them. The prevalence of hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism in the studied group was 13.9% (19.4% in women and 6.3% in men) and 1.6% (2.1% in women and 0.9% in men) respectively, untreated hypothyroidism was revealed in 21.9% (in 160 out of 732 subjects) and untreated hyperthyroidism in 34.2% of subjects (in 41 out of 120 participants). In multiple regression analysis independent risk factors for thyroid disorders being untreated were older age (> 75 years), male sex, a low education level (primary or lower), and low utilization of medical services.

Conclusions

One-fifth of Polish Caucasian seniors with hypothyroidism and one-third with hyperthyroidism are untreated. Older, poorly educated and rarely utilizing medical services seniors, especially men, are more frequently untreated for thyroid dysfunction and some of them do not benefit from contemporary achievements in medicine.
The aftermarket performance of initial public offerings: New evidence from an emerging market
Authors: Rathnayake Dilesha Nawadali , Zhang Zhixin , Yang Bai , Louembé Pierre Axel
Published: August 2022

This paper presents new updated evidence on the initial public offering (IPO) aftermarket performance for 144 public listed firms on the Colombo Stock Exchange from 1991 to 2017. We found that average aftermarket returns are always lower than 1%. On average, buy and hold abnormal returns are negative in a short period, and abnormal returns gradually become positive over a longer period (12.46% in 3 years). Further, aftermarket returns are positively related to investor sentiment and the annual volume of listings while being negatively related to initial returns, which is consistent with the divergence of opinion hypothesis. We suggest that investors should hold their subscriptions of IPO shares for a prolonged time, usually exceeding two years, as the dynamic of shares rewards the investors with positive abnormal returns in the long run.
Differential progression of unhealthy diet-induced hepatocellular carcinoma in obese and non-obese mice
Authors: Hymel Emma , Vlock Elizabeth , Fisher Kurt W. , Farazi Paraskevi A.
Published: August 2022

Background

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) ranks first among liver diseases in Western countries. NAFLD is typically associated with obesity and diabetes, however it also develops in lean individuals without metabolic syndrome. The prevalence of lean NAFLD is 7 percent in the U.S. and 25–30 percent in some Asian countries. NAFLD starts with excess liver fat accumulation (NAFL), progresses to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The pathogenesis of lean NASH-HCC and how it differs from obese NASH-HCC is not well understood.

Methods

In this work, we generated a mouse model of lean and obese NASH-HCC using a choline deficient/high trans-fat/fructose/cholesterol diet and a choline supplemented/high trans-fat/fructose/cholesterol diet, respectively, to compare progression to NASH-HCC in lean versus obese mice. Comparisons were made at the organismal, histological, and molecular level by investigating fatty acid metabolism in the plasma of these mice.

Results

Obese mice showed more pronounced glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, higher levels of plasma cholesterol and triglycerides, and higher penetrance of NASH compared to lean mice. Despite the abnormal metabolic profile of obese mice, male obese and lean mice developed HCC with similar penetrance (53.3% and 53.8%, respectively), albeit lean mice showed faster tumor progression as evidenced by the larger tumor size and lower HCC-free survival. None of the female lean mice developed HCC, while 50% of female obese mice developed HCC. Both groups of mice showed a reduction in plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), however, the levels were higher towards the endpoint in obese mice compared to lean mice.

Conclusions

Unhealthy diet composition appears to drive progression to NASH-HCC rather than the organismal effects of obesity. PUFA levels may increase due to systemic inflammation in obese mice and act as suppressors of tumor progression, thus delaying HCC progression in obese mice compared to lean mice. These models could be used to further dissect the molecular pathogenesis of lean and obese NASH-HCC and address the mechanisms whereby PUFAs may be implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis.
Media pressure and the process of Westernization in the context of body self-assessment among young heterosexual and gay Polish men
Authors: Izydorczyk Bernadetta , Lipowska Małgorzata , Lizińczyk Sebastian , Lipowski Mariusz , Wojtas Jakub
Published: August 2022

Mass media and social networks portray a unified image of the perfect male body. The intensity and universality of this influence is an important element of the process of Westernization, especially in traditional cultures such as that of Poland. The main aim of the present study was to investigate the differences between Polish gay and heterosexual men in terms of the role played by self-esteem and the level of internalization of sociocultural standards of body appearance as predictors of the development of their body images. The research study was conducted by reference to 19- to 29-year-old Polish heterosexual (n = 287) and gay (n = 97) men. The variables were measured using Polish versions of the Sociocultural Attitudes towards Appearance Scale-3, the Self-Esteem Scale, and the Multidimensional Body–Self Relations Questionnaire. Statistical analyses identified several variables as the main predictors of body image in both heterosexual and gay young men: self-esteem, information-seeking, perceived pressure and the internalization of sociocultural standards regarding an athletic body image drawn from mass media. The only significant difference between the two groups was the fact that self-esteem, perceived pressure and the internalization of sociocultural standards from mass media did not play a predictive role with respect to Appearance Orientation among the group of gay men.
Global epidemiology of occult hepatitis B virus infections in blood donors, a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Takuissu Guy Roussel , Kenmoe Sebastien , Amougou Atsama Marie , Atenguena Okobalemba Etienne , Mbaga Donatien Serge , Ebogo-Belobo Jean Thierry , Bowo-Ngandji Arnol , Oyono Martin Gael , Magoudjou-Pekam Jeannette Nina , Kame-Ngasse Ginette Irma , Menkem Elisabeth Zeuko’o , Selly Ngaloumo Abdel Aziz , Banlock Agnès Thierry Rebecca , Feudjio Alfloditte Flore , Zemnou-Tepap Cromwel , Meta-Djomsi Dowbiss , Nyimbe Mviena Gilberte Louise , Nyebe Eloundou Ines , Yéngué Jacqueline Félicité , Kenfack-Zanguim Josiane , Ndzie Ondigui Juliette Laure , Zekeng Mekontchou Ridole Martin , Touangnou-Chamda Sabine Aimee , Kamtchueng Takeu Yrene , Taya-Fokou Jean Bosco , Mbongue Mikangue Chris Andre , Kenfack-Momo Raoul , Kengne-Nde Cyprien , Nkie Esemu Seraphine , Njouom Richard , Ndip Lucy
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to assess the global prevalence of occult hepatitis B in blood donors. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Global Index Medicus, and Excerpta Medica Database. Study selection and data extraction were performed by at least two independent investigators. Heterogeneity (I2) was assessed using the χ2 test on the Cochran Q statistic and H parameters. Sources of heterogeneity were explored by subgroup analyses. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42021252787. We included 82 studies in this meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of OBI was 6.2% (95% CI: 5.4–7.1) in HBsAg negative and anti-HBc positive blood donors. Only sporadic cases of OBI were reported in HBsAg negative and anti-HBc negative blood donors. The overall prevalence of OBI was 0.2% (95% CI: 0.1–0.4) in HBsAg negative blood donors. The prevalence of OBI was generally higher in countries with low-income economic status. The results of this study show that despite routine screening of blood donors for hepatitis B, the transmission of HBV by blood remains possible via OBI and/or a seronegative window period; hence there is a need for active surveillance and foremost easier access to molecular tests for the screening of blood donors before transfusion.
Effects of combined nitrification inhibitors on soil nitrification, maize yield and nitrogen use efficiency in three agricultural soils
Authors: Cui Lei , Li Dongpo , Wu Zhijie , Xue Yan , Xiao Furong , Gong Ping , Zhang Lili , Song Yuchao , Yu Chunxiao , Du Yandi , Li Yonghua , Zheng Ye
Published: August 2022

Application of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) with nitrogen (N) fertilizer is one of the most efficient ways to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). To fully understand the efficiency of NIs with N fertilizer on soil nitrification, yield and NUE of maize (Zea mays L.), an outdoor pot experiment with different NIs in three soils with different pH was conducted. Five treatments were established: no fertilizer (Control); ammonium sulfate (AS); ammonium sulfate + 3, 4-dimethyl-pyrazolate phosphate (DMPP) (AD); ammonium sulfate + nitrogen protectant (N-GD) (AN); ammonium sulfate + 3, 4-dimethyl-pyrazolate phosphate + nitrogen protectant (ADN). The results showed that NIs treatments (AD, AN and ADN) significantly reduced soil nitrification in the brown and red soil, especially in AD and ADN, which decreased apparent nitrification rate by 28% - 44% (P < 0.05). All NIs treatments significantly increased yield and NUE of maize in three soils, especially ADN in the cinnamon soil and AD in the red soil were more efficiency, which significantly increased maize yield and apparent nitrogen recovery by 5.07 and 6.81 times, 4.39 and 8.16 times, respectively. No significant difference on maize yield was found in the brown soil, but AN significantly increased apparent nitrogen recovery by 70%. Given that the effect of NIs on both soil nitrification and NUE of maize, DMPP+N-GD was more efficient in the cinnamon soil, while N-GD and DMPP was the most efficiency in the brown and red soil, respectively. In addition, soil pH and soil organic matter play important role in the efficiency of NIs.
Identifying genetic variants associated with the ICD10 (International Classification of Diseases10)-based diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease using a large-scale biomedical database
Authors: Alkhalfan Fahad , Gyftopoulos Alex , Chen Yi-Ju , Williams Charles H. , Perry James A. , Hong Charles C.
Published: August 2022

Objectives

To utilize the UK Biobank to identify genetic variants associated with the ICD10 (International Classification of Diseases10)-based diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease (CeVD).

Background

Cerebrovascular disease occurs because of a complex interplay between vascular, environmental, and genetic factors. It is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Understanding who may be genetically predisposed to cerebrovascular disease can help guide preventative efforts. Moreover, there is considerable interest in the use of real-world data, such as EHR (electronic health records) to better understand disease mechanisms and to discover new treatment strategies, but whether ICD10-based diagnosis can be used to study CeVD genetics is unknown.

Methods

Using the UK Biobank, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) where we analyzed the genomes of 11,155 cases and 122,705 controls who were sex, age and ancestry-matched in a 1:11 case: control design. Genetic variants were identified by Plink’s firth logistic regression and assessed for association with the ICD10 codes corresponding to CeVD.

Results

We identified two groups of SNPs closely linked to PITX2 and LRRTM4 that were significantly associated with CeVD in this study (p < 5 x 10−8) and had a minor allele frequency of > 0.5%.

Discussion

Disease assignment based on ICD10 codes may underestimate prevalence; however, for CeVD, this does not appear to be the case. Compared to the age- and sex-matched control population, individuals with CeVD were more frequently diagnosed with comorbid conditions, such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia & atrial fibrillation or flutter, confirming their contribution to CeVD. The UK Biobank based ICD10 study identified 2 groups of variants that were associated with CeVD. The association between PITX2 and CeVD is likely explained by the increased rates of atrial fibrillation and flutter. While the mechanism explaining the relationship between LRRTM4 and CeVD is unclear, this has been documented in previous studies.