bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management of suspected and known eosinophilic esophagitis—a nationwide survey in Austria
Authors: Schreiner Philipp , Balcar Lorenz , Schlager Hansjörg , Madl Christian , Ziachehabi Alexander , Mader Markus , Steidl Karin , Dinkhauser Patrick , Reider Simon , Dolak Werner , Dejaco Clemens , Gröchenig Hans Peter , Novacek Gottfried
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic immune-mediated disease of the esophagus with increasing incidence and dysphagia as the main symptom. The management of suspected or known EoE by Austrian endoscopists has not been investigated yet.

Methods

A web-based survey with 13 questions about the management of EoE was sent to endoscopists via the Austrian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (ÖGGH).

Results

A total of 222 endoscopists (74% gastroenterologists, 23% surgeons, and 2% pediatricians; 68% working in a hospital) from all 9 states participated. In patients with dysphagia but a normal appearing esophagus, 85% of respondents reported always taking biopsies; however, surgeons were less likely to obtain biopsies compared to gastroenterologists (“always” 69% vs. 90%, “sometimes” 29% vs. 10%, “never” 2% vs. 0%, p < 0.001). The approved budesonide orodispersible tablet is the preferred first-line drug used in EoE, ahead of proton pump inhibitors (PPI). Only 65% of participants monitor the patients by endoscopy and histology after 12 weeks of induction therapy, 26% do not continue maintenance therapy, and 22% monitor patients only when symptomatic.

Conclusion

The vast majority of Austrian endoscopists adhere to the European and US guidelines in cases of suspected EoE. In contrast, despite the chronic disease course, a significant percentage of providers indicate not to use maintenance therapy and monitor the patients routinely.
Celecoxib alleviates nociceptor sensitization mediated by interleukin-1beta-primed annulus fibrosus cells
Authors: Ma Junxuan , Häne Surya , Eglauf Janick , Pfannkuche Judith , Soubrier Astrid , Li Zhen , Peroglio Marianna , Hoppe Sven , Benneker Lorin , Lang Gernot , Wangler Sebastian , Alini Mauro , Creemers Laura B. , Grad Sibylle , Häckel Sonja
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the effect of pro-inflammatory cytokine-stimulated human annulus fibrosus cells (hAFCs) on the sensitization of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells. We further hypothesized that celecoxib (cxb) could inhibit hAFCs-induced DRG sensitization.

Methods

hAFCs from spinal trauma patients were stimulated with TNF-α or IL-1β. Cxb was added on day 2. On day 4, the expression of pro-inflammatory and neurotrophic genes was evaluated using RT-qPCR. Levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE-2), IL-8, and IL-6 were measured in the conditioned medium (CM) using ELISA. hAFCs CM was then applied to stimulate the DRG cell line (ND7/23) for 6 days. Then, calcium imaging (Fluo4) was performed to evaluate DRG cell sensitization. Both spontaneous and bradykinin-stimulated (0.5 μM) calcium responses were analyzed. The effects on primary bovine DRG cell culture were performed in parallel to the DRG cell line model.

Results

IL-1ß stimulation significantly enhanced the release of PGE-2 in hAFCs CM, while this increase was completely suppressed by 10 µM cxb. hAFCs revealed elevated IL-6 and IL-8 release following TNF-α and IL-1β treatment, though cxb did not alter this. The effect of hAFCs CM on DRG cell sensitization was influenced by adding cxb to hAFCs; both the DRG cell line and primary bovine DRG nociceptors showed a lower sensitivity to bradykinin stimulation.

Conclusion

Cxb can inhibit PGE-2 production in hAFCs in an IL-1β-induced pro-inflammatory in vitro environment. The cxb applied to the hAFCs also reduces the sensitization of DRG nociceptors that are stimulated by the hAFCs CM.
Lipid-based liquid crystalline materials in electrochemical sensing and nanocarrier technology
Authors: Zatloukalova Martina , Poltorak Lukasz , Bilewicz Renata , Vacek Jan
Published: April 2023

Some biologically active substances are unstable and poorly soluble in aqueous media, at the same time exhibiting low bioavailability. The incorporation of these biologically active compounds into the structure of a lipid-based lyotropic liquid crystalline phase or nanoparticles can increase or improve their stability and transport properties, subsequent bioavailability, and applicability in general. The aim of this short overview is (1) to clarify the principle of self-assembly of lipidic amphiphilic molecules in an aqueous environment and (2) to present lipidic bicontinuous cubic and hexagonal phases and their current biosensing (with a focus on electrochemical protocols) and biomedical applications.

Graphical Abstract
Identification and sequence determination of a new chrysovirus infecting the phytopathogenic fungus Dothistroma septosporum
Authors: Shah Unnati A. , Daudu John O. , Filippou Charalampos , Tubby Katherine V. , Coutts Robert H. A. , Kotta-Loizou Ioly
Published: April 2023

A new double-stranded (ds) RNA mycovirus has been identified in isolate Ds752-1 of the phytopathogenic fungus Dothistroma septosporum, the causal agent of Dothistroma needle blight, also known as red band needle blight or pine needle blight. Dothistroma septosporum chrysovirus 1 (DsCV-1) is a new member of the genus Alphachrysovirus in the family Chrysoviridae. The DsCV-1 genome comprises four dsRNA elements designated 1, 2, 3, and 4 from largest to smallest. dsRNA1 encodes an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) that is most similar to the RdRP of Erysiphe necator associated chrysovirus 3. dsRNA2 potentially encodes two hypothetical proteins, one of which is small and has no homology to known proteins, and one of which is large with significant sequence similarity to the alphachryso-P3 of other alphachrysoviruses. dsRNA3 and dsRNA4 encode a coat protein (CP) and a putative cysteine protease, respectively. This is the first report of a mycovirus infecting the fungus D. septosporum, and DsCV-1 is one of three Chrysoviridae family members found to possess genomic dsRNAs potentially encoding more than one protein.
Development of the gut microbiota in the first 14 years of life and its relations to internalizing and externalizing difficulties and social anxiety during puberty
Authors: Ou Yangwenshan , Belzer Clara , Smidt Hauke , de Weerth Carolina
Published: April 2023

Relations between the gut microbiota and host mental health have been suggested by a growing number of case–control and cross-sectional studies, while supporting evidence is limited in large community samples followed during an extended period. Therefore, the current preregistered study (https://osf.io/8ymav, September 7, 2022) described child gut microbiota development in the first 14 years of life and explored its relations to internalizing and externalizing difficulties and social anxiety in puberty, a period of high relevance for the development of mental health problems. Fecal microbiota composition was analysed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing in a total of 1003 samples from 193 children. Through a clustering method, four distinct microbial clusters were newly identified in puberty. Most children within three of these clusters remained in the same clusters from the age of 12 to 14 years, suggesting stability in microbial development and transition during this period. These three clusters were compositionally similar to enterotypes (i.e., a robust classification of the gut microbiota based on its composition across different populations) enriched in Bacteroides, Prevotella, and Ruminococcus, respectively. Two Prevotella 9-predominated clusters, including one reported by us earlier in middle childhood and the other one in puberty, were associated with more externalizing behavior at age 14. One Faecalibacterium-depleted pubertal cluster was related to more social anxiety at age 14. This finding was confirmed by a negative cross-sectional relation between Faecalibacterium and social anxiety in the 14-year-olds. The findings of this study continue to map gut microbiota development in a relatively large community sample followed from birth onwards, importantly extending our knowledge to puberty. Results indicate that Prevotella 9 and Faecalibacterium may be relevant microbial taxa in relation to externalizing behavior and social anxiety, respectively. These correlational findings need validations from other similar cohort studies, as well as well-designed mechanistic pre-clinical investigations before inferring cause and effect.
Economic development through women’s economic rights: a panel data analysis
Authors: Naveed Amjad , Ahmad Nisar , Naz Amber , Zhuparova Aziza
Published: April 2023

Increasing gender equality and enhancing women empowerment through work opportunities are the important steps in achieving sustainable development. The aim of this paper is threefold: (1) to empirically examine the relationship between women economic rights and economic growth for the global sample. (2) To explore whether the effect of women’s economic rights is different across different economies. (3) This paper uses spatial econometric techniques to examine the impact of women’s economic rights on neighbouring countries. For empirical purpose, we use the data for 171 countries over the period 1960–2016. The results show that women’s economic rights positively affect growth; however, the effect is heterogeneous across different economies. From spatial analysis, we confirm that 75% spillover effect of women economic rights is passing through neighbouring country. The results of this study are consistent and coherent with the EU policy about women’s economic empowerment where it claims that joint effort in promoting women empowerment by all actors could lead to sustainable development and growth.
Factors affecting policy implementation for childhood obesity prevention in New South Wales, Australia: policy mapping and interviews with senior officials
Authors: Esdaile Emma K. , Henderson Suzanna B. , Wen Li Ming , Baur Louise A. , Rissel Chris
Published: April 2023

Aim

To explore the implementation of a whole-of-government strategy as a policy tool for the early prevention of childhood obesity in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Subject and methods

This paper presents a case study of childhood obesity prevention in the context of implementing the NSW Healthy Eating and Active Living (HEAL) Strategy. We undertook reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with senior officials (n = 25) and content analysis of policy mapping across the NSW Government.

Results

HEAL was dominated by approaches focused on health services and settings and few environmental actions were undertaken. Four themes were identified: (1) making good citizens, (2) narrowing the scope of prevention, (3) competing government interests and (4) limited collaborative mechanisms. We additionally identified a cross-cutting theme around the expressed need for more evidence.

Conclusion

Ultimately the HEAL Strategy provided a comprehensive framework with the potential to prevent obesity in early childhood, but it lacked commitment from leadership and willingness across agencies to ensure collaboration on its most contentious areas, notably food environments.
‘The internet is in the satellites!’: A systematic review of 3–15-year-olds’ conceptions about the internet
Authors: Brom Cyril , Yaghobová Anna , Drobná Anna , Urban Marek
Published: April 2023

Children aged 3–15 frequently use internet-enabled technologies for leisure and educational purposes, yet they have limited knowledge about how the internet works. Literature also indicates that children possess varied and often contradictory internet-related ideas, which have not yet been systematized. This systematic review, drawing from 27 mixed-methods and qualitative studies (N = 2,214) from the last two decades (2002 – 2022), organizes these ideas through a thematic analysis with a specific focus on the age when individual child conceptions start to appear at the earliest. The findings are interpreted through the lenses of a Vygotskian framework. The results highlight 60 conceptions concerning general perceptions of the internet, internet infrastructure, and dataflow. Children appear to understand the internet primarily through their personal experiences. Perception of the internet as online activities is dominant in younger children, but also present among older ones. Children in all age groups are confused about what Wi-Fi really is; some equate it to the internet, others to the ‘Wi-Fi box’ (Wi-Fi router). The most knowledgeable older children view the internet as a global network with a complex internal, but only vaguely understood, structure. Typical reasoning among older children about the internet’s structure includes satellites, central computers or central towers. Only expert children know about distributed, server-like storage. These results imply that children at the K-8 level need to be familiarized gradually with how the internet works, but teaching them this topic may prove to be challenging. This review also highlights the limitations of existing literature and presents suggestions for future research and designing technology-based curricula.
Peer Victimization: an Integrative Review and Cross-National Test of a Tripartite Model
Authors: Marsh Herbert W. , Guo Jiesi , Parker Philip D. , Pekrun Reinhard , Basarkod Geetanjali , Dicke Theresa , Parada Roberto H. , Reeve Johnmarshall , Craven Rhonda , Ciarrochi Joseph , Sahdra Baljinder , Devine Emma K.
Published: April 2023

School victimization issues remain largely unresolved due to over-reliance on unidimensional conceptions of victimization and data from a few developed OECD countries. Thus, support for cross-national generalizability over multiple victimization components (relational, verbal, and physical) is weak. Our substantive–methodological synergy tests the cross-national generalizability of a three-component model (594,196 fifteen-year-olds; nationally -representative samples from 77 countries) compared to competing (unidimensional and two-component) victimization models. We demonstrate the superior explanatory power of the three-component model—goodness-of-fit, component differentiation, and discriminant validity of the three components concerning gender differences, paradoxical anti-bullying attitudes (the Pro-Bully Paradox) whereby victims ﻿are more supportive of bullies than of other victims, and multiple indicators of well-being. For example, gender differences varied significantly across the three components, and all 13 well-being indicators were more strongly related to verbal and particularly relational victimization than physical victimization. Collapsing the three components into one or two components undermined discriminant validity. Cross-nationally, systematic differences emerged across the three victimization components regarding country-level means, gender differences, national development, and cultural values. These findings across countries support a tripartite model in which the three components of victimization—relational, verbal, and physical—relate differently to key outcomes. Thus, these findings advance victimization theory and have implications for policy, practice, and intervention. We also discuss directions for further research: the need for simultaneous evaluation of multiple, parallel components of victimization and bullying, theoretical definitions of bullying and victimization and their implications for measurement, conceptual bases of global victimization indices, cyberbullying, anti-bullying policies, and capitalizing on anti-bullying attitudes.
Fast and reliable voltammetric determination of menaquinone (vitamin K2) produced in vitro by Bacillus subtilis cultures
Authors: Smajdor Joanna , Porada Radosław , Lipińska Justyna , Więcek Grażyna , Jedlińska Katarzyna , Baś Bogusław , Strus Magdalena
Published: April 2023

Vitamin K2 (VK2) is one of two natural forms of vitamin K, necessary for the proper functioning of organisms. Currently, it is sourced from chemical synthesis, nonetheless, it is worth reaching out to its natural sources. The aim of the study was to devise a voltammetric procedure for the determination of vitamin K2 (VK2) produced by bacteria in order to find the strain that exhibits the highest efficiency of VK2 production. Bacillus subtilis, isolated from traditional Japanese food (Nattō), was chosen as a model strain. Employment of the Controlled Growth Mercury Drop Electrode (CGMDE) was crucial, as it is the only electrode that allows performing the measurement on the surface specifically renewed directly before, thus minimizing the influence of interferents. This new method was successfully applied for VK2 determination in supernatant samples. Developed procedure is robust and easily adjustable for the variety of biological matrixes. Strong differences in VK2 production depending on cultivation time were observed, but no direct correlation between the VK2 concentration in the breeding medium and the cultivation time was found. The devised protocol will be used in further measurements with different bacteria species that have the ability to produce VK2 and settle in the human intestine.

Graphical abstract
The Change of Practitioner’s Self-Efficacy in Triple P Professional Training: Moderating Role of Practitioner Characteristics, Country, and Delivery Mode
Authors: Sanders Matthew R. , Hoang Nam-Phuong T. , Gerrish Ruby J. , Ralph Alan , McWilliam Jenna
Published: April 2023

Two studies examined the change in self-efficacy of practitioners after attending Triple P training and the moderators that affect training outcomes. Study 1 used a large multidisciplinary sample of health, education, and welfare practitioners (N = 37,235) came from 30 countries around the world, which all participate in a Triple P professional training course during 2012–2019. This study assessed practitioners’ overall self-efficacy and their consultation skills efficacy prior to training, immediately following training, and at six- to eight-weeks follow-up. Participants reported significant improvements of their overall self-efficacy and their consultation skills self-efficacy. There were significantly small differences based on practitioners’ gender, disciplines, education levels, and country location. Study 2 examined the training outcomes of videoconference-based training (following the COVID-19 pandemic) compared to in-person training (N = 6867). No significant differences were found between videoconference and in-person training on any outcome measure. Implications for the global dissemination of evidence-based parenting programs as part of a comprehensive public health response to COVID-19 was discussed.
Radiation Synthesis of Edible Coating Films of Nanocurcumin Based on Carboxymethyl Chitosan/Polyvinyl Alcohol to Extend the Shelf Life of Sweet Orange "Valencia"
Authors: Elbarbary Ahmed M. , Khozemy Ehab E. , El-Dein Asmaa Ezz , El-Sawy Naeem M.
Published: April 2023

Edible coating CMCS/PVA/Cur and films were prepared using γ-irradiation to extend the shelf-life of sweet orange "Valencia" fruits. Water-soluble CMCS was synthesized by carboxymethylation of chitosan. Extraction of curcumin from turmeric powder and conversion to Cur-NPs of 76–108 nm average size was achieved. CMCS/PVA/Cur membranes were prepared via the casting method and gamma-irradiation technique. The chemical properties were studied by FTIR and XRD as well as studying the effect of irradiation dose on gel content, water swelling, and mechanical properties. FTIR and XRD results confirm the interaction between functional groups of Cur-NPs with CMCS/PVA polymer chains. Results indicated that the membrane possessed good tensile strength and gel content of 97.4% and the swelling was significantly decreased with increasing the irradiation dose. Fruits were dipped in CMCS/PVA/Cur coatings at different concentrations of Cur-NPs (0, 2.5, 5, and 10%) and stored at room temperature of 65–70% RH for about 70 days. The efficiency of coatings was assessed by decay (%), weight loss (%), pH, vitamin C content, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), and TSS/TA ratio. Quality characteristics of coated fruits were better than uncoated fruits especially the coating solution of 2.5% Cur-NPs provides accepted freshness and quality. No decay was noticed for the coated fruits till 56 days, whereas the control exhibited decay of 36%. The prepared coating solutions possessed good antimicrobial activity and cytocompatibility characteristics and showed normal viability even at all concentrations. Results demonstrated a promising packaging material to extend the shelf life and freshness of orange fruits.
Constraint-based adaptive robust tracking control of uncertain articulating crane guaranteeing desired dynamic control performance
Authors: Zhang Zheshuo , Zhang Bangji , Yin Hui
Published: April 2023

Articulating crane (AC), a widely used crane, plays an essential role in various industrial activities. Owing to its strong nonlinearity and uncertainty, its tracking control remains challenging, particularly for precise dynamic tracking control. This paper proposes an adaptive diffeomorphism-constraint-based control (ADCBC) for a nonlinear AC to robustly achieve trajectory tracking while guaranteeing desired dynamic control performance (DDCP), considering (possibly rapid and irregular) time-variant uncertainty with unknown bounds. A user-definable hard-limiting function was used to guarantee the DDCP, including the requirement for steady-state tracking error and dynamic convergence speed. The desired trajectories and DDCP were formulated as equality and inequality servo constraints, respectively. A diffeomorphism approach was adopted to incorporate inequality servo constraints into equality servo constraints, yielding new equality servo constraints. Thus, the control task was converted to enable the transformed AC to follow the new equality servo constraints and was completed by a constraint-based control (CBC) scheme, where an adaptive law was established for the estimation of online uncertainty bounds to compensate for uncertainty. No approximations or linearizations were invoked. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed ADCBC were confirmed through rigorous proofs and simulation results. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first endeavor in tracking control while guaranteeing the DDCP for uncertain AC-like systems.
Advantages of Using Unweighted Approximation Error Measures for Model Fit Assessment
Authors: Lubbe Dirk
Published: April 2023

Fit indices are highly frequently used for assessing the goodness of fit of latent variable models. Most prominent fit indices, such as the root-mean-square error of approximation (RMSEA) or the comparative fit index (CFI), are based on a noncentrality parameter estimate derived from the model fit statistic. While a noncentrality parameter estimate is well suited for quantifying the amount of systematic error, the complex weighting function involved in its calculation makes indices derived from it challenging to interpret. Moreover, noncentrality-parameter-based fit indices yield systematically different values, depending on the indicators’ level of measurement. For instance, RMSEA and CFI yield more favorable fit indices for models with categorical as compared to metric variables under otherwise identical conditions. In the present article, approaches for obtaining an approximation discrepancy estimate that is independent from any specific weighting function are considered. From these unweighted approximation error estimates, fit indices analogous to RMSEA and CFI are calculated and their finite sample properties are investigated using simulation studies. The results illustrate that the new fit indices consistently estimate their true value which, in contrast to other fit indices, is the same value for metric and categorical variables. Advantages with respect to interpretability are discussed and cutoff criteria for the new indices are considered.
Long-term sinking of nuclear waste canisters in salt formations by low-stress creep at high temperature
Authors: Tounsi Hafssa , Rutqvist Jonny , Hu Mengsu , Wolters Ralf , Lerche Svetlana
Published: April 2023

Rock salt has a self-sealing capacity, low permeability, and high thermal conductivity, making it a potential host for heat-generating nuclear waste. The feasibility of nuclear waste disposal within salt formations has been investigated mostly for small-sized canisters. Geologic disposal of larger-sized canisters originally designed for spent fuel storage and transportation has lately been examined as a cost-effective alternative. This raises questions about their long-term vertical movement due to their weight and high decay heat. Low-stress creep governs this movement; however, most salt constitutive models do not incorporate it. In this paper, the Norton and the WIPP creep models are compared with the Lux/Wolters/Lerche (LWL) model and a simpler model that combines linear and Norton creep laws (named combined creep model). The LWL and combined creep models consider pressure solution creep, though all incorporate dislocation creep. The models are first applied to creep tests under various stress levels. The LWL and the combined creep models results fit the experimental data well in both high and low stress ranges, whereas the Norton and WIPP models results only fit in higher-stress ranges. The different models are further applied for analyzing long-term canister movement. A sinking rate of $$-4.4\times 10^{-7}$$

-
4.4
×

10

-
7

 mm/year was predicted using the Norton and WIPP models versus $$-2.1\times 10^{-2}$$

-
2.1
×

10

-
2

 mm/year and $$-3.1\times 10^{-2}$$

-
3.1
×

10

-
2

 mm/year using the LWL and the combined creep models, respectively. This comparative study confirms that creep models calibrated exclusively against high-deviatoric stress data might result in an inaccurate estimation of waste packages sinking rate in salt formations.
MicroRNA-146a Promotes Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation towards Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells through Regulation of Kruppel-like Factor 4
Authors: Zhang Qing , Pan Rong-rong , Wu Yu-tao , Wei Yu-miao
Published: April 2023

Objective

Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) differentiation from stem cells is one source of the increasing number of VSMCs that are involved in vascular remodeling-related diseases such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, and restenosis. MicroRNA-146a (miR-146a) has been proven to be involved in cell proliferation, migration, and tumor metabolism. However, little is known about the functional role of miR-146a in VSMC differentiation from embryonic stem cells (ESCs). This study aimed to determine the role of miR-146a in VSMC differentiation from ESCs.

Methods

Mouse ESCs were differentiated into VSMCs, and the cell extracts were analyzed by Western blotting and RT-qPCR. In addition, luciferase reporter assays using ESCs transfected with miR-146a/mimic and plasmids were performed. Finally, C57BL/6J female mice were injected with mimic or miR-146a-overexpressing ESCs, and immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and RT-qPCR assays were carried out on tissue samples from these mice.

Results

miR-146a was significantly upregulated during VSMC differentiation, accompanied with the VSMC-specific marker genes smooth muscle-alpha-actin (SMαA), smooth muscle 22 (SM22), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC), and h1-calponin. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-146a enhanced the differentiation process in vitro and in vivo. Concurrently, the expression of Kruppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), predicted as one of the top targets of miR-146a, was sharply decreased in miR-146a-overexpressing ESCs. Importantly, inhibiting KLF4 expression enhanced the VSMC-specific gene expression induced by miR-146a overexpression in differentiating ESCs. In addition, miR-146a upregulated the mRNA expression levels and transcriptional activity of VSMC differentiation-related transcription factors, including serum response factor (SRF) and myocyte enhancer factor 2c (MEF-2c).

Conclusion

Our data support that miR-146a promotes ESC-VSMC differentiation through regulating KLF4 and modulating the transcription factor activity of VSMCs.
Structural differences in psychopathy between women and men: a latent modeling perspective
Authors: Spormann Sandy Sue , Mokros Andreas , Schneider Sabrina
Published: April 2023

Research on sex differences in psychopathy indicates that men generally exhibit higher psychopathy scores than women. Measurement equivalence is an important prerequisite for the investigation of mean differences, but is often neglected for psychopathy instruments. The current research provides a systematic qualitative review of the pertinent literature on measurement invariance between men and women for several rater-based and self-report-based psychopathy assessments. Based on 28 studies, we found that the factor structure and factor loadings are most likely comparable between sexes for four out of nine instruments. Results on item thresholds, however, are inconsistent, which questions the comparability of mean scores between men and women for these instruments. The majority of studies that reported acceptable measurement equivalence indicated higher psychopathy scores among men compared to women. As the current literature is neither consistent nor exhaustive, further research needs to address structural differences in psychopathy between biological sexes more systematically.
Non-Gaussian Statistics of Mechanically Generated Unidirectional Irregular Waves
Authors: Petrova P. G. , Guedes Soares C. , Vileti V. , Esperança P. T. T.
Published: April 2023

An experimental study is presented on the non-Gaussian statistics of random unidirectional laboratory wave fields described by JONSWAP spectra. Relationships between statistical parameters indicative of the occurrence of large-amplitude waves are discussed in the context of the initial steepness of the waves combined with the effect of spectral peakedness. The spatial evolution of the relevant statistical and spectral parameters and features is also considered. It is demonstrated that over the distance the spectra exhibit features typical for developing nonlinear instabilities, such as spectral broadening and downshift of the peak, along with lowering of the high-frequency tail and decrease of the peak magnitude. The wave fields clearly show an increase of third-order nonlinearity with the distance, which can be significant, depending on the input wave environment. The steeper initial conditions, however, while favouring the occurrence of extremely large waves, also increase the chances of wave breaking and loss of energy due to dissipation, which results in lower extreme crests and wave heights. The applied Miche-Stokes-type criteria do confirm that some of the wave extremes exceed the limiting individual steepness. Eventually, this result agrees with the observation that the largest number of abnormal waves is recorded in sea states with moderate steepness.
Deep learning for Arabic healthcare: MedicalBot
Authors: Abdelhay Mohammed , Mohammed Ammar , Hefny Hesham A.
Published: April 2023

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare services, particularly remote and automated healthcare consultations, have gained increased attention. Medical bots, which provide medical advice and support, are becoming increasingly popular. They offer numerous benefits, including 24/7 access to medical counseling, reduced appointment wait times by providing quick answers to common questions or concerns, and cost savings associated with fewer visits or tests required for diagnosis and treatment plans. The success of medical bots depends on the quality of their learning, which in turn depends on the appropriate corpus within the domain of interest. Arabic is one of the most commonly used languages for sharing users’ internet content. However, implementing medical bots in Arabic faces several challenges, including the language’s morphological composition, the diversity of dialects, and the need for an appropriate and large enough corpus in the medical domain. To address this gap, this paper introduces the largest Arabic Healthcare Q &A dataset, called MAQA, consisting of over 430,000 questions distributed across 20 medical specializations. Furthermore, this paper adopts three deep learning models, namely LSTM, Bi-LSTM, and Transformers, for experimenting and benchmarking the proposed corpus MAQA. The experimental results demonstrate that the recent Transformer model outperforms the traditional deep learning models, achieving an average cosine similarity of 80.81% and a BLeU score of 58%.
Self-Assembled Porous-Reinforcement Microstructure-Based Flexible Triboelectric Patch for Remote Healthcare
Authors: Lei Hao , Ji Haifeng , Liu Xiaohan , Lu Bohan , Xie Linjie , Lim Eng Gee , Tu Xin , Liu Yina , Zhang Peixuan , Zhao Chun , Sun Xuhui , Wen Zhen
Published: April 2023

Realizing real-time monitoring of physiological signals is vital for preventing and treating chronic diseases in elderly individuals. However, wearable sensors with low power consumption and high sensitivity to both weak physiological signals and large mechanical stimuli remain challenges. Here, a flexible triboelectric patch (FTEP) based on porous-reinforcement microstructures for remote health monitoring has been reported. The porous-reinforcement microstructure is constructed by the self-assembly of silicone rubber adhering to the porous framework of the PU sponge. The mechanical properties of the FTEP can be regulated by the concentrations of silicone rubber dilution. For pressure sensing, its sensitivity can be effectively improved fivefold compared to the device with a solid dielectric layer, reaching 5.93 kPa−1 under a pressure range of 0–5 kPa. In addition, the FTEP has a wide detection range up to 50 kPa with a sensitivity of 0.21 kPa−1. The porous microstructure makes the FTEP ultra-sensitive to external pressure, and the reinforcements endow the device with a greater deformation limit in a wide detection range. Finally, a novel concept of the wearable Internet of Healthcare (IoH) system for real-time physiological signal monitoring has been proposed, which could provide real-time physiological information for ambulatory personalized healthcare monitoring.
TLD calibration and absorbed dose measurement in a radiation-induced liver injury model under a linear accelerator
Authors: Xiao Hui-Hui , Liu Ling-Ling , Li Wen-Yi , Li Bing-Bing , Cui Xiang-Li , Li Jie , Li Tao-Sheng , Hu Zong-Tao
Published: April 2023

The application of a thermoluminescent detector (TLD) for dose detection at the liver irradiation site in mice under linear accelerator precision radiotherapy and the use of a single high dose to irradiate the mouse liver to construct a biological model of a radiation-induced liver injury (RILD) in mice were to determine the feasibility of constructing a precision radiotherapy model in small animals under a linear accelerator. A 360° arc volumetric rotational intensity-modulated radiotherapy (VMAT) plan with a prescribed dose of 2 Gy was developed for the planned target volume (PTV) at the location of the TLD within solid water to compare the difference between the measured dose of TLD and the assessed parameters in the TPS system. The TLD was implanted in the livers of mice, and VMAT was planned based on TLD to compare the measured and prescribed doses. C57BL/6 J mice were randomly divided into control and 25-Gy radiation groups and were examined daily for changes in body weight. They were euthanized at 3 and 10 weeks after radiation, and the levels of liver serum enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were measured to observe any pathological histological changes in the irradiated areas of the mouse liver. The measured values of solid underwater TLD were within ± 3% of the Dmean value of the evaluation parameter in the TPS system. The mice in the 25-Gy radiation group demonstrated pathological signs of radiation-induced liver injury at the site of liver irradiation. The deviation in the measured and prescribed doses of TLD in the mouse liver ranged from − 1.5 to 6%; construction of an accurate model of RILD using the VMAT technique under a linear accelerator is feasible.
Investigating pedestrian crossing decision with autonomous cars in virtual reality
Authors: Qi Shuaixin , Menozzi Marino
Published: April 2023

With the development of autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, understanding how pedestrians interact with AVs is of increasing importance. In most field studies on pedestrian crossing behavior when encountering AVs, pedestrians were not permitted to physically cross the street due to safety restrictions. Instead, the physical crossing experience was replaced with indirect methods (e.g., by signalizing with gestures). We hypothesized that this lack of a physical crossing experience could influence the participants’ crossing behavior. To test this hypothesis, we adapted a reference study and constructed a crossing facility using a virtual reality (VR) simulation. In a controlled experiment, the participants encountered iterations of oncoming AVs. For each interaction, they were asked to either cross the street or signify their crossing decisions by taking steps at the edge of the street without crossing.

Our study reveals that the lack of a physical crossing can lead to a significantly lower measured critical gap and perceived stress levels, thus indicating the need for detailed analysis when indirect methods are applied for future field studies.

Practical Relevance: Due to safety requirements, experiments will continue to measure participants’ crossing behavior without permitting them to physically walk in front of an oncoming vehicle. Our study was the first attempt to reveal how this lack of crossing could potentially affect pedestrians’ behavior, and we obtained empirical evidence in support of our hypothesis, thus providing insights for future studies.
Tourmaline occurrence and gold mineralization at a granitoid-metasediment contact in the Upper Lom Basin, east Cameroon
Authors: Fontem Nicoline Kibong , Suh Cheo Emmanuel , Ngatcha Ralain Bryan , Shemang Elisha Mutum , Vishiti Akumbom , Melchiorre Erik , Fon Albert Nih
Published: April 2023

Gold mineralization of the Upper Lom Basin in the eastern Cameroon goldfield is spatially associated with tourmaline. The goldfield belongs to the Adamawa-Yadé Domain of the Central African Fold Belt and is characterized by eluvial, alluvial and lode gold deposits of Pan-African age. This paper examines the chemistry and morphology of saprock gold and its link with tourmaline in the host rock. Tourmaline chemistry was obtained using the electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) technique while gold grains were examined for morphology and microchemistry using the EMPA equipped with scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrum instruments. The tourmaline compositional data plot in the dravite field, and belongs to the alkali group showing major element variations that are typical of tourmaline associated with granite-related orogenic gold deposits common along shear zones. Gold alloy composition (Ag, Cu) suggests multiple gold precipitation events due to episodic fluid influx, with a range of 572–1000 gold fineness. We infer that tourmaline development and gold deposition were coeval within the aureole around the pluton and involved reduced hydrothermal fluids with low salinity. The high δ11B in the tourmaline also points to fluid derivation from the Pan African granitic basement widely recognized to be fertile in gold in eastern Cameroon. Tourmaline textural-chemical features such as low Na content and gold microchemistry point to granite-related hydrothermal style of primary gold mineralization, and has implications for exploration as tourmaline-rich rocks in the vicinity of the felsic plutons in the Lom Basin would be optimal target areas for future exploration.
Magnetoplasmadynamic acceleration of solid body in a railgun
Authors: Beilis Isak I.
Published: April 2023

A physical model and a mathematical approach were developed to describe ponderomotive acceleration a body pushed by plasma column of high-current arc in a railgun. In contrast to the previously published studies, the arc plasma generation was considered by taking into account kinetics of heavy particle fluxes in a non-equilibrium layer near the vaporizating (ablating) rails and the phenomena of heat and mass transfer and electric sheath at rail surfaces. The self-consistent numerical analysis has been conducted for a wide range of arc currents (up to 2MA). It has been shown that the electron temperature was determined mainly by the Joule energy dissipation supporting high degree of ionization. It has been determined that the arc voltage is about 102 V. The rails temperatures are relatively low (~ 3000 K) and therefore, the electron flux emitted from the cathode manly due to thermionic emission enhanced by Schottky effect is lower than the flux of ions from the plasma, which supported the current continuity at the cathode region. The calculated velocity vs of the plasma-solid body increased with the arc current (I) showing tendency to saturation. In range of I = 0.5–2 MA the vs slightly increased from 5 × 105 to 10 × 105 cm/s when the rail length increased from 1 to 3 m respectively. The dependence of the velocity on the arc current and the calculated plasma parameters are in range of those values observed experimentally. The nature of the velocity with arc current saturation is explained by presence of the dynamic pressure resulting in predicted velocity dependence on the arc current as 4-th root.
Avian influenza A H3N8 virus causing human infections: A evolving threat
Authors: Zaman Kamran , Mohanty Aroop , Padhi Bijaya Kumar , Sah Ranjit
Published: April 2023

Highlights
The Matter of Violence in Baroque Painting
Authors: Cornea Bogdan
Published: April 2023

Baroque depictions of violence are often dismissed as 'over the top' and 'excessive'. Their material richness and exciting visual complexity, together with the visceral engagement they demand from beholders, are usually explained in literature as reflecting the presumed violence of early modern society. This book explores the intersection between materiality, excess, and violence in seventeenth-century paintings through a close analysis of some of the most iconic works of the period. Baroque paintings expose or reference their materiality by insisting on various physical changes wrought through violence. This study approaches violence as the work of materiality, which has the potential to analogously stage pictorial surfaces as corporeal surfaces, where paint becomes flayed flesh, canvas threads ruptured skin, and red paint spilt blood.
Writing Capitalism into Iran: A Roundtable Discussion
Authors: Mousavi Bita , Ehsani Kaveh
Published: April 2023

The Islamic Republic of Iran is confronting a crisis. Thousands of Iranians, within and without Iran, have taken to the streets to call for an end to a regime that sanctions violence against its citizens and a future of dwindling opportunity for its youth. These ongoing protests, catalyzed by the killing of Mahsa Amini, seem at once to have nothing and everything to do with the question motivating this roundtable: How can capitalism help us understand Iran, past or present? Some might argue that capitalism can scarcely act as a cipher for understanding recent unrest in Iran; it has hardly entered the slogans and symbolism of the protests, which decry police violence, state corruption, forced gender segregation, arbitrary punishment, and the greed of ruling military and religious elites more than they do a worldwide web of capitalist relations sustained by no single political party, religion, or country.
Evidence of Diversification and Leverage in the Performance of Brazilian and Mexican Family Businesses
Authors: Adam Camila , Domingues Daiane Garcia , Gomes Débora Gomes de , Silva Tarcísio Pedro da
Published: April 2023

This study identifies evidence of the influence of diversification and leverage on the financial performance of Brazilian and Mexican family businesses. It analyzes 102 Brazilian and 71 Mexican publicly traded family companies. Data analysis uses ordinary least squares regression in Stata. The results indicate that Brazilian family businesses have a higher return on assets when diversifying their products or services. When diversifying international markets, Brazilian companies present a lower return on assets and return on equity. For Mexican companies, international diversification derives a higher return on assets and return on equity. In addition, results show that leverage moderates the relationship between diversification and performance both for Brazilian and Mexican family businesses. The study contributes to the current literature by investigating that diversification improves business performance and that leverage is a significant element in intensifying the benefits of this strategy in the performance of family businesses. The study also emphasizes that diversification can be useful to address market difficulties and imperfections in unstable scenarios, such as when it is targeted to planned performance and considers financial conservatism in family companies.
Eco-Miserabilism and Radical Hope: On the Utopian Vision of Post-Apocalyptic Environmentalism
Authors: THALER MATHIAS
Published: April 2023

Eco-miserabilism—the thought that it is already too late to avert the collapse of human civilization—is gaining traction in contemporary environmentalism. This paper offers a “reparative” reading of this post-apocalyptic approach by defending it against those who associate it with defeatism and fatalism. My argument is that authors like Roy Scranton and the members of the Dark Mountain collective, while rejecting mainstream activism, remain invested in a specific kind of (radical) hope. Eco-miserabilists, hence, promote an affective politics for our climate-changed world that is both negative and iconoclastic. Without offering blueprints for a desirable future, they critically interrogate reality and disenchant the “cruel optimism” (Lauren Berlant) behind reformist plans for a “good Anthropocene.” The ultimate target of the eco-miserabilist position is the illusion that groundbreaking innovations, either in the realm of science and technology or of ordinary representative politics, could redeem us on an environmentally ravaged planet.