bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synergistic Effects of Plant Growth-Promoting Microorganisms on Growth and Development of Terap (Artocarpus odoratissimus Blanco) Seedlings
Authors:   Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Sarawak Campus, Jalan Nyabau, 97008 Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia, Ping Goh Ei , Ramaiya Shiamala Devi ,   Institut Ekosains Borneo, Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu Campus, 97008 Sarawak, Malaysia, Zakaria Muta Harah ,   Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Published: November 2023

Artocarpus odoratissimus Blanco, or terap, is an indigenous fruit of Borneo that is popular for its strong fruity aroma and sweet juicy flesh, which is gaining visibility in the local fruit industry. Due to increasing demands and attributes of this fruit in recent years locally and internationally, the species has great potential to be commercialized. Selecting an appropriate substrate is one of the most pivotal stages in producing quality seedlings in a nursery. Consequently, the present study focuses on evaluating the synergistic effects of the substrate composition with effective microorganisms, i.e., Trichoderma harzianum, Bacillus subtilis, and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and in all possible combinations, on the growth and development of the A. odoratissimus seedlings. The pot experiment was designed following the Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with eight replications per treatment. Among the substrates, significantly higher (p<0.05) plant height was recorded in the seedlings treated with combined inoculants, T7 (Soil + AMF + T. harzianum + B. subtilis) at 47.13±10.80 cm or in a single inoculant, T3 (Soil + B. subtilis) at 46.83±2.63 cm. Subsequently, T7 and T3 have significantly improved the collar diameter and leaf area of A. odoratissimus seedlings. Concerning the physiological parameters, the synergistic triple treatment (T7) improved the underground fresh and dry biomass production at 32.33±3.21 g and 11.66±1.08 g, respectively. The same combination exhibited a more significant (p<0.05) Dickson’s Quality Index (0.72±0.03), improving the original development of A. odoratissimus seedlings. Microbial application tended to mitigate ion imbalances in plants and significantly affected the soil total nitrogen, available P, and available K and pH. These effects were most prominent in the treatments comprising triple inoculations of T7. Results suggest that the combination of T. harzianum, B. subtilis, and AMF leads to interactions that may potentially improve seedling development and crop productivity in A. odoratissimus.
Modernist Visions Beyond the Horizon of History: The Theatricality of Bai Wei’s Rarely Staged Plays
Authors: Zhu Zhixuan
Published: November 2023

Abstract: This article explores the theatricality of the works of Bai Wei 白薇 (1894–1987), one of the most prolific women playwrights in early twentieth century China. Her play scripts garnered huge popularity and were frequently reprinted, but were rarely staged. Due to the lack of staging opportunities, their unconventional modernist style, and the paucity of production records, these scripts have been largely deemed unproducible and low in theatricality by scholars and critics both now and then. Through a detailed production analysis of three aspects of Bai’s plays (acting, set design, and stage effects), I argue that Bai’s rarely staged scripts are embedded with rich theatrical intentions and implications. The correlation between the number of staging records and the plays’ intrinsic theatrical value is completely arbitrary, and Bai’s scripts envision a modernist theatre with artistic potentials ahead of her time.
From Hollywood to the Battlefield: Stories of a Filipino American Houseboy Becoming a Soldier
Authors: Cazem Mark
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Drawing from family archives and interviews, Mark Cazem recounts the colorful stories of his father, Ponce Cazem, from being a chauffeur/houseboy for celebrities during the Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1930s to becoming Staff Sergeant Ponce Cazem in the 1st Filipino Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion, Company B of the United States during World War II. Despite hardships and racism, his father found community and support in unlikely places and eventually married Jovita, a Filipina warbride, and settled in California.
Building a Community Archive: Preserving and Uplifting Stories of Filipino Labor and Migration
Authors: Plank Christina Ayson , Simon-Reynolds Meleia , Gutierrez Kathleen Cruz , McKay Steve , Sawi Olivia
Published: November 2023

Abstract: In April 2022, Watsonville Is in the Heart (WIITH), a research initiative based at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), launched a new digital archive that preserves histories of Filipino American migration, labor, and community in the Pajaro Valley region of California’s Central Coast. This article describes WIITH’s partnership between UCSC, The Tobera Project, and the descendants of the first Filipinos to settle in the Pajaro Valley. It outlines our methods for critical community-engaged archiving. It also shares the multiple ways in which the WIITH Digital Archive has significantly impacted project stakeholders in the university and the community.
Conceptualizing Trajectories of Readability
Authors: Lucey Michael
Published: November 2023

Abstract: In an essay on "Phenomenological Aesthetics," the philosopher Roman Ingarden asserted that "works of art have the right to expect to be properly apprehended by observers who are in communion with them and to have their special value justly treated" (269). What does it mean to "properly apprehend" a novel? How do we know how to read something "justly"? What would it mean to claim that something has become "unreadable"? Can books somehow show us how they want to be read? Can lost forms of intelligibility and appreciation be recovered? How do we know whether the way we are reading a book is the way it asks to be read or is the product of our own, differently structured habitus? In this article, I ask these kinds of questions about novels by Sand, Gautier, and a few others with the help of Ingarden and Bourdieu as well as some recent critics.
Homeless Narrative in Jean Lorrain's Monsieur de Phocas
Authors: Ziegler Robert
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Pedigreed by hyperesthesia, purified by an anorexia of the real, the Decadents strove to perfect an art positioned on the threshold of death where vitality's flame shone brightest before guttering and going out. Heralded by Denis Neveu as "le roman bible de la Dėcadence," Jean Lorrain's Monsieur de Phocas (1901) shows how the repetition compulsion takes life with its disharmony and suffering, and stylizes it in works that are dead and thus immune to pain. Lorrain's hero, le duc de Fréneuse, encounters life's horrors as the undead who proliferate as the wax dolls, mannequins, and eyeless statues which remain after living being are replaced with their simulacra. Expressing a desire for escape from the compulsion to create, Monsieur de Phocas is a text in search of the one who can absolve it of the need to write in the first place.
Romanticizing the Past through Beauty Practices: Reconstructing and Recontextualizing Zhuangtai ji 妝臺記 (Record of the Dressing Table)
Authors: Doran Rebecca
Published: November 2023

Abstract: Zhuangtai ji 妝臺記 (Record of the Dressing Table) is, in its present standard form, a one-chapter compilation comprised of brief entries about women's hairstyle, eyebrows, makeup, and other beauty practices from mythic prehistory through the Song dynasty. It is attributed to early Tang high-ranking official and general Yuwen Shiji 宇文士及 (d. 642) but, although it does contain some materials from the Tang and pre-Tang periods, it is, as it currently exists, a much later work. Although clearly not a straightforward Tang document, Zhuangtai ji contains an especially rich trove of information about the Tang period. The present paper traces to the extent possible the textual history of and sources for Zhuangtai ji while also considering the appeal of the text as a later pastiche that participates in the aesthetic construction of nostalgia for the Tang and earlier periods. In this vein, Zhuangtai ji is approached in comparative perspective through the theoretical lens of nostalgic clothing consumption, and is also considered in tandem with other texts devoted to enumerating and preserving knowledge of women's fashion and beauty trends.
Electronic frequency shifting enables long, variable working distance optical coherence tomography
Authors: Wisniowiecki Anna M. , Applegate Brian E.
Published: November 2023

Increased imaging range is of growing interest in many applications of optical coherence tomography to reduce constraints on sample location, size, and topography. The design of optical coherence tomography systems with sufficient imaging range (e.g., 10s of centimeters) is a significant challenge due to the direct link between imaging range and acquisition bandwidth. We have developed a novel and flexible method to extend the imaging range in optical coherence tomography using electronic frequency shifting, enabling imaging in dynamic environments. In our approach, a laser with a quasi-linear sweep is used to limit the interferometric bandwidth, enabling decoupling of imaging range and acquisition bandwidth, while a tunable lens allows dynamic refocusing in the sample arm. Electronic frequency shifting then removes the need for high frequency digitization. This strategy is demonstrated to achieve high contrast morphological imaging over a > 21 cm working distance range, while maintaining high resolution and phase sensitivity. The system design is flexible to the application while requiring only a simple phase correction in post-processing. By implementing this approach in an auto-focusing paradigm, the proposed method demonstrates strong potential for the translation of optical coherence tomography into emerging applications requiring variable and centimeter-scale imaging ranges.
Flexible silicon photonic architecture for accelerating distributed deep learning
Authors: Wu Zhenguo , Yuan Dai Liang , Wang Yuyang , Wang Songli , Bergman Keren
Published: November 2023

The increasing size and complexity of deep learning (DL) models have led to the wide adoption of distributed training methods in datacenters (DCs) and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. However, communication among distributed computing units (CUs) has emerged as a major bottleneck in the training process. In this study, we propose Flex-SiPAC, a flexible silicon photonic accelerated compute cluster designed to accelerate multi-tenant distributed DL training workloads. Flex-SiPAC takes a co-design approach that combines a silicon photonic hardware platform with a tailored collective algorithm, optimized to leverage the unique physical properties of the architecture. The hardware platform integrates a novel wavelength-reconfigurable transceiver design and a micro-resonator-based wavelength-reconfigurable switch, enabling the system to achieve flexible bandwidth steering in the wavelength domain. The collective algorithm is designed to support reconfigurable topologies, enabling efficient all-reduce communications that are commonly used in DL training. The feasibility of the Flex-SiPAC architecture is demonstrated through two testbed experiments. First, an optical testbed experiment demonstrates the flexible routing of wavelengths by shuffling an array of input wavelengths using a custom-designed spatial-wavelength selective switch. Second, a four-GPU testbed running two DL workloads shows a 23% improvement in job completion time compared to a similarly sized leaf-spine topology. We further evaluate Flex-SiPAC using large-scale simulations, which show that Flex-SiPAC is able to reduce the communication time by 26% to 29% compared to state-of-the-art compute clusters under representative collective operations.
Designing high-speed GEO-to-Moon optical wireless communication links
Authors: Ciaramella E. , Spirito V. , Cossu G.
Published: November 2023

Moon exploration and colonization will strongly rely upon high-speed optical wireless communications over a huge distance (around 400,000 km). Here, we introduce a holistic model, including the propagation issues as well as the realistic communication limitations and the expected practical limitations. We focus on the communication issues in a link connecting a GEO satellite to a fixed Moon optical station: here, we consider the challenging 10 Gbit/s transmission rate, and we assume an optical pre-amplified receiver, which is today the only option for high speed; we then select three different modulation formats, with corresponding implementations and increasing complexity and performance. Under these assumptions, we estimate the common operating conditions at the forward error correction threshold and point out the role of the transmitter and receiver telescopes: for practical size (e.g., 1 m), relevant limitations arise, which we combine with the typical photons-per-bit sensitivity values in an optical link. We find that all considered modulation formats can be used at 10 Gbit/s, although with different margins and hardware requirements, particularly considering the size of the optical antennas. We then extend the analysis to higher rates, up to 40 Gbit/s. This work can open the way to the realization of optical wireless communication systems to/from the future Moon Village.
Quantum metric and metrology with parametrically-driven Tavis-Cummings models
Authors: Lü Jia-Hao , Han Pei-Rong , Ning Wen , Zhu Xin , Wu Fan , Shen Li-Tuo , Yang Zhen-Biao , Zheng Shi-Biao
Published: November 2023

We study the quantum metric in a driven Tavis-Cummings model, comprised of multiple qubits interacting with a quantized photonic field. The parametrical driving of the photonic field breaks the system’s U(1) symmetry down to a Z2 symmetry, whose spontaneous breaking initiates a superradiant phase transition. We analytically solved the eigenenergies and eigenstates, and numerically simulated the system behaviors near the critical point. The critical behaviors near the superradiant phase transition are characterized by the quantum metric, defined in terms of the response of the quantum state to variation of the control parameter. In addition, a quantum metrological protocol based on the critical behaviors of the quantum metric near the superradiant phase transition is proposed, which enables greatly the achievable measurement precision.
Radiative transfer model and validation for infrared management optical properties of porous polymer materials incorporating impacts of micro-voids
Authors: Yao Bao-Guo , Yao Tian-Qin , Zhang Fei , Liu Yu-Li
Published: November 2023

In order to characterize the infrared (IR) radiation absorption and/or emission performances of functional porous polymers which claim to have healthcare functions due to IR excitation and emission by processing technologies, a radiative transfer model was constructed based on the principle of IR radiation, the Beer–Lambert law, the Fresnel’s formula and Planck’s law. The theoretical analysis was conducted for the IR management optical properties of the porous sheet polymer materials, including IR reflection, transmission, absorption and emission behaviours during the dynamic process of IR radiation. A modeling method for characterization and revealing of IR management optical properties and optical and thermal transfer behaviours of the reflection and transmission was then investigated from the structural parameters and the temperature rise characteristics of the porous sheet polymer materials during the dynamic IR radiation process. The model was validated by comparing the predicted values from the radiative transfer model with the measured values from the test results of the validation experiments of eight typical porous sheet polymers in an experimental setup. The model was modified by consideration of the influences of two types of micro-voids defects represented by the porosity of micro structure and the thickness compression ratio. The micro-voids defects factors were added to the structural parameters, and therefore the model was improved and the maximum prediction errors of the transmission and reflection surfaces were mostly less than 10%. The radiative transfer model provides the theoretical fundamentals for the evaluation and guidance of IR management optical performances for new products design, development, fabrication and processing in industrial application of functional porous polymers.
Precise control of the optical refractive index in nanolattices
Authors: Premnath Vijay Anirudh , Chang Chih-Hao
Published: November 2023

Recent developments in photonic devices, light field display, and wearable electronics have resulted from a competitive development toward new technologies to improve the user experience in the field of optics. These advances can be attributed to the rise of nanophotonics and meta-surfaces, which can be designed to manipulate light more efficiently. In these elements the performance scales are favorable to the index contrast, making the use of low-index material important. In this research, we examine the precise control of refractive indices of a low-index nanolattice material. This approach employs three-dimensional (3D) lithography and atomic layer deposition (ALD), allowing for precise control of the nanolattice geometry and its refractive index. The refractive indices of the fabricated nanolattices are characterized using spectroscopic ellipsometry and agree well with models based on effective medium theory. By controlling the unit-cell geometry by the exposure conditions and the shell thickness by the ALD process, the effective index of the nanolattice film can be precisely controlled to as low as 5 × 10−4. The proposed index control technique opens a gamut of opportunities and enables better performance in nanophotonic elements used in displays and other integrated devices.
Maximum-likelihood estimation in ptychography in the presence of Poisson–Gaussian noise statistics: publisher’s note
Authors: Seifert Jacob , Shao Yifeng , van Dam Rens , Bouchet Dorian , van Leeuwen Tristan , Mosk Allard P.
Published: November 2023

This publisher’s note contains a correction to Opt. Lett. 48, 6027 (2023)10.1364/OL.502344.
XRE transcription factors conserved in Caulobacter and φCbK modulate adhesin development and phage production
Authors: McLaughlin Maeve , Fiebig Aretha , Crosson Sean
Published: November 2023

The xenobiotic response element (XRE) family of transcription factors (TFs), which are commonly encoded by bacteria and bacteriophage, regulate diverse features of bacterial cell physiology and impact phage infection dynamics. Through a pangenome analysis of Caulobacter species isolated from soil and aquatic ecosystems, we uncovered an apparent radiation of a paralogous XRE TF gene cluster, several of which have established functions in the regulation of holdfast adhesin development and biofilm formation in C. crescentus. We further discovered related XRE TFs throughout the class Alphaproteobacteria and its phages, including the φCbK Caulophage, suggesting that members of this cluster impact host-phage interactions. Here we show that a closely related group of XRE transcription factors encoded by both C. crescentus and φCbK can physically interact and function to control the transcription of a common gene set, influencing processes including holdfast development and the production of φCbK virions. The φCbK-encoded XRE paralog, tgrL, is highly expressed at the earliest stages of infection and can directly inhibit transcription of host genes including hfiA, a potent holdfast inhibitor, and gafYZ, an activator of prophage-like gene transfer agents (GTAs). XRE proteins encoded from the C. crescentus chromosome also directly repress gafYZ transcription, revealing a functionally redundant set of host regulators that may protect against spurious production of GTA particles and inadvertent cell lysis. Deleting the C. crescentus XRE transcription factors reduced φCbK burst size, while overexpressing these host genes or φCbK tgrL rescued this burst defect. We conclude that this XRE TF gene cluster, shared by C. crescentus and φCbK, plays an important role in adhesion regulation under phage-free conditions, and influences host-phage dynamics during infection.
Mycetoma and the environment
Authors: Fahal Ahmed Hassan , Bakhiet Sahar Mubarak
Published: November 2023

Mycetoma is a chronic, incapacitating, destructive inflammatory disease with many serious damaging impacts. Currently, there is no control or prevention program as many of its epidemiological characteristics, such as the causative organisms’ ecological niche, natural habitat, primary reservoir, transmission mode, geographical distribution, incidence, and prevalence, remain unclear. This may be due to a lack of research interest, as mycetoma is still a neglected disease and the scarcity of accurate molecular diagnostic techniques in disease-endemic regions for accurate causative microorganisms identification and mapping. With this background, this study set out to address this knowledge gap by considering the mycetoma environmental occurrence predictors. The medical literature obtained data showed a close association between mycetoma occurrence and its environment. The causative microorganisms are available in the environment in active or dormant forms. Animal dung may be a natural niche and reservoir for these organisms, and thorns may facilitate the subcutaneous inoculation. Some environmental factors, such as the soil type and consistency, temperature, water sources, aridity index, and thorny trees, may be risk factors. The population in endemic areas socioeconomic, hygiene, and health education status are contributory factors for mycetoma. The individual’s genetic and immunological backgrounds may determine the disease’s susceptibility and resistance. Environmental conditions and personal hygiene improvement are mandatory to reduce disease occurrence. Mycetoma spatial mapping can detect disease cluster areas and then develop public health strategies for early case detection and management to reduce the disease burden. More research interests and facilities are needed to understand disease pathogenesis and appropriate patient management better.
Effect of intramedullary nail stiffness on load-sharing in tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis: A patient-specific finite element study
Authors: Terrill Patrick , Patel Ravi , Pacaccio Douglas , Dupont Kenneth , Safranski David , Yakacki Christopher , Carpenter Dana
Published: November 2023

Tibiotalocalcaneal (TTC) arthrodesis is a procedure to treat severe ankle and subtalar arthropathy by providing pain free and stable fusion using IM nails. These nails can be manufactured with multiple materials and some feature the ability to dynamize the arthrodesis construct. However, the impact of IM nail material and nail dynamization on load-sharing and in the setting of bone resorption have not been quantified. This work utilized a patient-specific finite element analysis model of TTC arthrodesis to investigate IM nails with differing material moduli and the impact of nail dynamization on load-sharing and intersegmental compression in the setting of bone resorption. Each nail was virtually inserted into a patient-specific model of a hindfoot, which was segmented into the three bones of the TTC complex and assigned material properties based on the densitometry of the bone. Compression, amount of load-sharing, and stress distributions after simulated bone resorption were quantified and compared between the varying IM nails. Simulations revealed that bone segments were only subjected to 17% and 22% of dynamic gait forces in the titanium and carbon fiber nail constructs, whereas the pseudoelastic NiTi nail constructs allowed for 67% of the same. The titanium and carbon fiber nails lost all initial compression in less than 0.13mm of bone resorption, whereas the NiTi nail maintained compression through all simulated values of bone resorption. These data highlight the poor load-sharing of static nail TTC arthrodesis constructs and the ability of a pseudoelastic IM nail construct to maintain intersegmental compression when challenged with bone resorption.
Analysis of coastline changes under the impact of human activities during 1985–2020 in Tianjin, China
Authors: Wang Guangsheng , Duan Zihao , Yu Tong , Shen Zhicheng , Zhang Yajing
Published: November 2023

The accurate evaluation of shoreline movement is a crucial aspect for managing highly dynamic coasts. This study employed Landsat TM and OLI data through the Digital Shoreline Analysis System model to quantify changes in the spatiotemporal distribution of Tianjin’s coastline from 1985 to 2020. The results showed that the coastline length (CL) increased by 178 km and 151% over the past 36 years, with an average increase of 5.1 km/a. Accretion and erosion processes along the entire coast were observed at rates of 83.9% and 16.1%, respectively. Notably, the Tianjin Port Area and Nangang Industrial Zone showed remarkable changes in the shoreline in 2009. Night lights (NL) were used to display the intensity of human activity in this area, and the spatial heterogeneity of night light intensity was significant. Compared to the total night light (TNL) in 1985, it increased by 116% in 2020. The relationship between TNL and CL was then established and displayed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.91). With the increasing total night light, the growth of the CL presented changes with an initial slow increase, then rapid increase, and finally slow increase. In the second phase of TNL, the CL experienced a considerable increase due to anthropogenic activities such as land reclamation and port construction, fueled primarily by government policies during the period of 2005–2013. Subsequently, there was little change in the coastline. These findings provide valuable insights into spatiotemporal coastline monitoring programs and sustainable coastal management.
What are the impacts of oral complications from cancer therapy on the quality of life of children? A protocol to update a scoping review
Authors: Attaran Nona , Sharma Apoorva , Morris Martin , Dudubo Olawale , Macdonald Mary Ellen
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Cancer treatments can damage healthy tissues and organs, and leave harmful impacts on cancer survivors, especially on children and adolescents. The oral effects of cancer treatment can occur during or soon after treatment, or months–even years–later. Cancer treatments can also affect the child, psychologically and socially by hindering their speech, eating, sleeping, and social interactions. These effects can have profound impacts on children’s quality of life. Building on a previous review published in 2012, this scoping review aims to identify and map the current evidence base underpinning the oral health-related impacts of cancer treatment on the quality of life of children with cancer.

Methodology and methods

Our methodology is guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework for scoping reviews, Levac’s additions to the framework, and follows the Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewer’s Manual. Five electronic databases and grey literature will be systematically searched using a predefined search strategy. Two reviewers will independently screen the retrieved articles using Rayyan software and chart data from included articles. One of the team’s senior research members will act as a third reviewer and make the final decision on disputed documents. We will include literature with a focus on oral health-related quality of life of children undergoing cancer treatments. Following the selection of studies, data will be extracted, synthesized, and reported thematically and the relevant stakeholder’s insight will be added to our results.
Understanding the implications of under-reporting, vaccine efficiency and social behavior on the post-pandemic spread using physics informed neural networks: A case study of China
Authors: Ghosh Samiran , Ogueda-Oliva Alonso , Ghosh Aditi , Banerjee Malay , Seshaiyer Padmanabhan
Published: November 2023

In late 2019, the emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, led to the implementation of stringent measures forming the zero-COVID policy aimed at eliminating transmission. Zero-COVID policy basically aimed at completely eliminating the transmission of COVID-19. However, the relaxation of this policy in late 2022 reportedly resulted in a rapid surge of COVID-19 cases. The aim of this work is to investigate the factors contributing to this outbreak using a new SEIR-type epidemic model with time-dependent level of immunity. Our model incorporates a time-dependent level of immunity considering vaccine doses administered and time-post-vaccination dependent vaccine efficacy. We find that vaccine efficacy plays a significant role in determining the outbreak size and maximum number of daily infected. Additionally, our model considers under-reporting in daily cases and deaths, revealing their combined effects on the outbreak magnitude. We also introduce a novel Physics Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) approach which is extremely useful in estimating critical parameters and helps in evaluating the predictive capability of our model.
Diversity and spatiotemporal variations in bacterial and archaeal communities within Kuwaiti territorial waters of the Northwest Arabian Gulf
Authors: Fakhraldeen Saja A. , Al-Haddad Sakinah , Habibi Nazima , Alagarsamy Surendraraj , F. K. Habeebullah Sabeena , Ali Abdulmuhsen K. , Al-Zakri Walid M.
Published: November 2023

Kuwaiti territorial waters of the northwest Arabian Gulf represent a unique aquatic ecosystem prone to various environmental and anthropogenic stressors that pose significant constraints on the resident biota which must withstand extreme temperatures, salinity levels, and reducing conditions, among other factors to survive. Such conditions create the ideal environment for investigations into novel functional genetic adaptations of resident organisms. Firstly, however, it is essential to identify said organisms and understand the dynamic nature of their existence. Thus, this study provides the first comprehensive analysis of bacterial and archaeal community structures in the unique waters of Kuwait located in the Northwest Arabian Gulf and analyzes their variations with respect to depth, season, and location, as well as their susceptibility to changes in abundance with respect to various physicochemical parameters. Importantly, this study is the first of its kind to utilize a shotgun metagenomics approach with sequencing performed at an average depth of 15 million paired end reads per sample, which allows for species-level community profiling and sets the framework for future functional genomic investigations. Results showed an approximately even abundance of both archaeal (42.9%) and bacterial (57.1%) communities, but significantly greater diversity among the bacterial population, which predominantly consisted of members of the Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Bacteroidetes phyla in decreasing order of abundance. Little to no significant variations as assessed by various metrics including alpha and beta diversity analyses were observed in the abundance of archaeal and bacterial populations with respect to depth down the water column. Furthermore, although variations in differential abundance of key genera were detected at each of the three sampling locations, measurements of species richness and evenness revealed negligible variation (ANOVA p<0.05) and only a moderately defined community structure (ANOSIM r2 = 0.243; p>0.001) between the various locations. Interestingly, abundance of archaeal community members showed a significant increase (log2 median ratio of RA = 2.6) while the bacterial population showed a significant decrease (log2 median ratio = -1.29) in the winter season. These findings were supported by alpha and beta diversity analyses as well (ANOSIM r2 = 0.253; p>0.01). Overall, this study provides the first in-depth analysis of both bacterial and archaeal community structures developed using a shotgun metagenomic approach in the waters of the Northwest Arabian Gulf thus providing a framework for future investigations of functional genetic adaptations developed by resident biota attempting to survive in the uniquely extreme conditions to which they are exposed.
Economic cost of patients with trisomy 13, 18, and 21 in a tertiary hospital in Thailand
Authors: Wongkrajang Preechaya , Jittikoon Jiraphun , Udomsinprasert Wanvisa , Talungchit Pattarawalai , Chaikledkaew Usa
Published: November 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine direct and indirect costs of patients with trisomy (T) 13, 18, and 21 in Thailand. Direct medical costs were obtained from Siriraj Informatics and Data Innovation Center (SiData+), Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, and indirect costs were estimated using a human capital approach. About 241 patients with T21 had outpatient care visits and 124 patients received inpatient care. For T13 and T18, five and seven patients were analyzed for outpatient and inpatient cares, respectively. For patients with T13, T18, and T21 receiving outpatient care, total annual mean direct medical costs ranged from 183.2 USD to 655.2 USD. For inpatient care, average yearly direct medical costs varied between 2,507 USD to 14,790 USD. The mean and median increased with age. In outpatient care, costs associated with drugs and medical devices were a major factor for both T13 and T21 patients, whereas laboratory costs were substantial for T18 patients. For inpatient care, costs of drug and medical devices were the greatest for T13 patients, while service fee and operation costs were the highest for T18 and T21 patients, respectively. For outpatient care, adult patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) had significantly higher mean annual direct medical costs than those without CHD. However, all adult and pediatric patients with CHD receiving inpatient care had significantly higher costs. Patients with T13, T18, and T21 had relative lifetime costs of 22,715 USD, 11,924 USD, and 1,022,830 USD, respectively.
Characteristics of daily foraging activity of Camponotus japonicus via time series analysis
Authors: Goko Hiromichi , Yamanaka Osamu , Shiraishi Masashi , Nishimori Hiraku
Published: November 2023

Social insects often share tasks among individuals. In this study, we analyzed the foraging activity of ants (Camponotus japonicus) and recorded the daily passage event counts of individual workers between a nest chamber and a foraging arena in five monodomous colonies. We proposed two hypotheses on the time series of foraging frequency by individual worker ants as follows: (i) for the time series of foraging frequency by individual worker ants, the foraging frequency on a certain day could be expressed by the product of the foraging frequency on the previous day and the exponential of a random number. (ii) The random numbers are correlated between some pairs of worker ants. The results for the five tested ant colonies showed that the probability of total daily passage counts (the sum of an individual’s passage count) followed a log-normal distribution. The worker ants behaved differently in terms of active days and foraging frequency. However, for > 54% of the worker ants, the probability of the daily passage count was characterized by a log-normal distribution, and these worker ants performed > 72% of the tasks in each colony. Furthermore, for > 73% of the worker ants, the time development of the passage count was mathematically modeled; the logarithmic first difference between the passage counts on a certain day and those on the previous day was a random normal variable. These results support hypothesis (i). Additionally, the random numbers that were equivalent to the logarithmic first difference were correlated for some pairs of worker ants. These results support hypothesis (ii).
Association between the intake of dietary n3 and n6 fatty acids and stroke in US adults: A cross-sectional study of NHANES 2007–2018
Authors: Luan Mingya , Wang Jia , Liang Kun , Li Bo , Liu Kewei
Published: November 2023

Background

The association between the intake of dietary n3 and n6 fatty acids and the risk of stroke is subject to debate. The primary objective of the present research was to establish the correlation in a large sample of American adults.

Methods

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2018, the association of the intake of dietary n3 and n6 fatty acids with stroke events was analyzed in a sample of 29,459 adults. The intake of n3 and n6 fatty acids intake was assessed though two 24-h dietary recalls. Stroke outcomes were identified based on the responses provided in self-reported questionnaire. Logistic regression was fitted to evaluate the correlation of dietary n3, n6 fatty acids intake with stroke events.

Results

Subjects in the highest tertile (T3) of dietary n3 (OR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.49–0.93), n6 (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.45–0.95) fatty acids intake were found to have obviously lower risk of stroke compared to those in the lowest tertile (T1), but the n6:n3 ratio was not found to be associated with a stroke event. Results from stratified analysis demonstrated that dietary n3 fatty acids had an inverse correlation of stroke in both male and female, but dietary n6 fatty acids only had this correlation in male. Moreover, findings were made that the interaction was significant in terms of age in the subgroup analysis, and the negative relationship between the intake of dietary n3 and n6 fatty acids and stroke event were particularly pronounced among participants aged ≥60.

Conclusions

The present results suggested that increased dietary n3, n6 fatty acids intake correlated with a lower risk of stroke.
Association between air quality index and effects on emergency department visits for acute respiratory and cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Surit Panumas , Wongtanasarasin Wachira , Boonnag Chiraphat , Wittayachamnankul Borwon
Published: November 2023

Background and objective

Several studies suggest that air pollution, particularly PM2.5, increases morbidity and mortality, Emergency Department (ED) visits, and hospitalizations for acute respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. However, no prior study in Southeastern Asia (SEA) has examined the effects of air pollutants on ED visits and health outcomes. This study focused on the association of the Air Quality Index (AQI) of PM2.5 and other pollutants’ effects on ED visits, hospitalization, and unexpected deaths due to acute respiratory disease, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), acute heart failure (AHF), and stroke.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study with daily data from ED visits between 2018 and 2019 at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Chiang Mai, Thailand. The AQI of air pollution data was collected from outdoor air quality from the Smoke Haze Integrated Research Unit and the Air Quality Index Visual Map. A distributed lag, non-linear and quasi-Poisson models were used to explore the relationship between air quality parameters and ED visits for each disease.

Results

3,540 ED visits were recorded during the study period. The mean daily AQI of PM2.5 was 89.0 ± 40.2. We observed associations between AQI of PM2.5 and the ED visits due to ACS on the following day (RR = 1.023, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.002–1.044) and two days after exposure (RR = 1.026, 95% CI: 1.005–1.047). Also, subgroup analysis revealed the association between AQI of PM2.5 and the ED visits due to pneumonia on the current day (RR = 1.071, 95% CI: 1.025–1.118) and on the following day after exposure (RR = 1.024, 95% CI: 1.003–1.046). AQI of PM2.5 associated with increased mortality resulted from ACS on lag day 3 (OR = 1.36, 95% CI: 1.08–1.73). The AQI of PM10 is also associated with increased ED visits due to COPD/asthma and increased hospitalization in AHF. In addition, the AQI of O3 and AQI of NO2 is associated with increased ICU admissions and mortality in AHF.

Conclusion

Short-term PM2.5 exposure escalates ED visits for ACS and pneumonia. PM10’s AQI associates with COPD/asthma ED visits and AHF hospitalizations. AQI of O3 and NO2’s link to increased ICU admissions and AHF mortality. Urgent action against air pollution is vital to safeguard public health.
Differential impacts of reduced worktime on work-life balance in Korea
Authors: Kim Hyun Ju , Lee Hye Myung , Cheon Heejoo , Ko Hansoo
Published: November 2023

This study analyzes the heterogenous effects of reducing weekly work hour on workers’ quality of life in Korea. Using longitudinal household data from the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS) from 2001 to 2017, this study aims to shed light on how the work hour reduction policy may differently affect workers with different levels of resources and support by demographic and socioeconomic status. Our estimates from the difference-in-differences approach exploiting the staggered implementation of the work hour reduction policy indicate that the policy increased leisure satisfaction of female workers with low educational level and female workers in regular or inflexible work setting. Given Korea’s exceedingly long working hours and inequities in the labor market, a better understanding of the complex factors that affect work-life balance can be helpful in developing policies supportive of healthy work-life balance for workers. This study, to our knowledge, is the first to investigate the composition of workers in the Korean labor market and examine differential impacts of the workhour reduction policy by demographic and socioeconomic status.
Campomanesia adamantium O Berg. fruit, native to Brazil, can protect against oxidative stress and promote longevity
Authors: de Araújo Laura Costa Alves , Leite Natasha Rios , da Rocha Paola dos Santos , Baldivia Debora da Silva , Agarrayua Danielle Araujo , Ávila Daiana Silva , da Silva Denise Brentan , Carollo Carlos Alexandre , Campos Jaqueline Ferreira , Souza Kely de Picoli , dos Santos Edson Lucas
Published: November 2023

Campomanesia adamantium O. Berg. is a fruit tree species native to the Brazilian Cerrado biome whose fruits are consumed raw by the population. The present study determined the chemical composition of the C. adamantium fruit pulp (FPCA) and investigated its in vitro antioxidant potential and its biological effects in a Caenorhabditis elegans model. The chemical profile obtained by LC-DAD-MS identified 27 compounds, including phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and organic carboxylic acids, in addition to antioxidant lipophilic pigments and ascorbic acid. The in vitro antioxidant activity was analysed by the radical scavenging method. In vivo, FPCA showed no acute reproductive or locomotor toxicity. It promoted protection against thermal and oxidative stress and increased the lifespan of C. elegans. It also upregulated the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione S-transferase and activated the transcription factor DAF-16. These results provide unprecedented in vitro and in vivo evidence for the potential functional use of FPCA in the prevention of oxidative stress and promotion of longevity.
Psycho-social factors associated with type two diabetes remission through lifestyle intervention: A scoping review
Authors: Hart Kathy J. , Kubilius Andrew , Clark Martin
Published: November 2023

Objectives

There is growing evidence that type 2 diabetes (T2D) can be put into remission through lifestyle intervention. Current focus on remission in terms of physiological considerations and biomedical scales, means there is limited understanding of the role psycho-social factors play in moderating the efficacy of lifestyle interventions for T2D remission. In the current review we aimed to synthesise the emerging literature on psycho-social factors associated with T2D remission, specifically from lifestyle interventions.

Methods

Five databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL ultimate, PsychINFO and PsycArticles) were searched to identify studies from 2009 onwards that reported remission outcomes from lifestyle interventions in participants ≥ 18years old, with a clinical diagnosis of T2D. Studies included were of an interventional or observational design and restricted to English language. Screening and data extraction was performed independently by two reviewers using prespecified criteria.

Results

In total 6106 studies were screened, 36 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included. Studies were globally diverse, with 30 (83%) being published ≥ 2017. Psycho-social scales were under-utilised with 22 (67%) of studies failing to include any psycho-social measures. Single arm, prospective studies were most frequently utilised, however study quality was perceived to be heterogeneous. Further disparity in the quality, content and delineation of the psycho-social interventions was also identified. Education and self-monitoring interventions were the most frequently incorporated. Self-monitoring was also identified as an important facilitator to remission, in addition to social support.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that psycho-social factors in T2D remission are under-explored. We have identified a number of methodological issues (comparability, conflicting remission criteria and poorly defined psycho-social interventions) suggesting knowledge gaps which could inform the methodology of future research design. There is significant opportunity for future research to incorporate the social model of disease, conceptualise remission more holistically, and build a more comprehensive evidence base to guide clinical practice.
Evaluating the effectiveness of applying aroma seals to masks in reducing stress caused by wearing masks: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wakui Nobuyuki , Ichikawa Kotoha , Okami Aika , Kagi Hinako , Kawakubo Shoko , Togawa Chikako , Matsuoka Raini , Watanabe Mai , Yamamura Miho , Shirozu Shunsuke , Tsubota Yuika , Yoshizawa Yukiko , Machida Yoshiaki
Published: November 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks on patients and healthy people have been recommended to prevent airborne transmission of the virus. This increased the number of people who felt stressed while wearing masks. In this study, we investigated the stress-relieving effects of attaching aroma seals to masks. A double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 62 university students. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups and instructed to apply a seal to their masks once a day throughout the study period. The primary measure used was the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), while the secondary measures included the assessment of breathlessness associated with mask-wearing and the World Health Organization Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5). The intervention group, referred to as the aroma-seal use group, utilized aroma seals infused with orange-lime essential oil with the expectation of experiencing the healing effects of citrus. On the other hand, the non-intervention group, known as the placebo-seal use group, utilized identical seals without any aroma. Results indicated that the aroma-seal use group exhibited significant improvements in both the total DASS-21 scores and depression scores compared to their baseline values by the second week of the intervention. Furthermore, the aroma-seal use group demonstrated a reduced occurrence of breathlessness while wearing masks compared to the placebo-seal group. Additionally, when assessing the item "I have felt calm and relaxed" from the WHO-5 questionnaire, the aroma-seal use group displayed significantly higher scores than the placebo group. Therefore, using aroma seals containing orange–lime essential oil could be beneficial in relieving mental stress and reducing breathlessness while wearing a mask, thus improving mental health.