bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The natural extension of the random beta-transformation
Authors: TIERCE YOUNÈS
Published: November 2022

We construct a geometrico-symbolic version of the natural extension of the random
$\beta $
-transformation introduced by Dajani and Kraaikamp [Random
$\beta $
-expansions. Ergod. Th. & Dynam. Sys.23(2) (2003) 461–479]. This construction provides a new proof of the existence of a unique absolutely continuous invariant probability measure for the random
$\beta $
-transformation, and an expression for its density. We then prove that this natural extension is a Bernoulli automorphism, generalizing to the random case the result of Smorodinsky [
$\beta $
-automorphisms are Bernoulli shifts. Acta Math. Acad. Sci. Hungar.24 (1973), 273–278] about the greedy transformation.
The mental health and well-being of internally displaced female Yazidis in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: a realist review of psychosocial interventions and the impact of COVID-19
Authors: Lobanov-Rostovsky Sophia , Kiss Ligia
Published: November 2022

Background

Yazidis in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have been exposed to recurrent traumatic experiences associated with genocide and gender-based violence (GBV). In 2014, ISIS perpetrated another genocide against the Yazidi community of Sinjar. Women and girls were held captive, raped and beaten. Many have been forced into displacement. Rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide are high. Limited research has evaluated interventions delivered to this population.

Methods

This review explores how the global evidence on psychosocial interventions for female survivors of conflict-related sexual violence applies to the context of the female Yazidi population. We used a realist review to explore mechanisms underpinning complex psychosocial interventions delivered to internally displaced, conflict-affected females. Findings were cross-referenced with eight realist, semi-structured interviews with stakeholders who deliver interventions to female Yazidis in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Interviews also allowed us to explore the impact of COVID-19 on effectiveness of interventions.

Results

Seven mechanisms underpinned positive mental health outcomes (reduced PTSD, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation): safe spaces, a strong therapeutic relationship, social connection, mental health literacy, cultural-competency, gender-matching and empowerment. Interviews confirmed relevance and applicability of mechanisms to the displaced female Yazidi population. Interviews also reported increased PTSD, depression, suicide and flashbacks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with significant disruptions to interventions.

Conclusion

COVID-19 is just one of many challenges in the implementation and delivery of interventions. Responding to the mental health needs of female Yazidis exposed to chronic collective violence requires recognition of their sociocultural context and everyday experiences.
Wave drag during an unsteady motion
Authors: Dode A. , Carmigniani R. , Cohen C. , Clanet C. , Bocquet L.
Published: November 2022

The average wave drag in unsteady motion is studied experimentally with force measurements. Towing hulls of size

$L$

at sinusoidal speed, the mean drag is measured for different amplitudes and frequencies of the fluctuating velocity, as well as different Froude numbers

$\mathcal {F}_0$

associated with the mean velocity

$V_0$

(

$\mathcal {F}_0 = V_0/\sqrt {gL}$

). The wave drag is reported to be either increased or decreased by velocity fluctuations depending on

$\mathcal {F}_0$

. For small fluctuation amplitudes, this drag change is proportional to the square of the amplitude. The effect is maximized for a resonance frequency identified as the Wehausen frequency, which scales as

$\sqrt {g/L}$

times the inverse of the Froude number. All these results are rationalized by developing an extension to Havelock's theory.
Nonlinear harmonics of gap fluid resonance with floating body motions
Authors: Zhao Wenhua , Molin B. , Wang Y. , Wolgamot H.A. , Taylor P.H.
Published: November 2022

Resonant response of water waves in a narrow gap, the so-called gap resonance, is a hydrodynamic phenomenon with practical applications. When coupled to body motions, the physics becomes rather complicated, involving body motions, fluid resonance and damping that determines the response amplitude. Gap resonances between two identical elongated bodies, with one held fixed and the other floating, are investigated experimentally for unidirectional waves with broadside incidence. Transient wave groups with different maximum surface elevations are generated, to examine the nonlinear physics. Sub- and super-harmonics, which can be substantially larger than the linear component, are observed in the responses. When going from the diffraction problem (both bodies fixed) to the coupled problem (allowing one body to move), the gap responses are significantly amplified, i.e. by a factor of 2. The first resonant mode that dominates the diffraction problem disappears in the coupled problem. A new resonant mode, which is shown to arise from body motions, is excited inside the gap through nonlinear processes. This mode features a double-humped ‘camel-back’ shape, leading to remarkably large responses. The floating body is observed to oscillate in sway with significant amplitudes at two distinct natural frequencies that are far apart. This is of great interest for the design of mooring lines connecting the two bodies, as it appears to cause resonances at the wave frequencies in addition to the low frequencies. A semi-analytical model is developed to investigate the multiple natural frequencies in sway, yielding further insight into gap resonances.
Relatos de prisión/ficción: Escritura, materialidad y visualidad en el diario Crítica (1922–1933)
Authors: Mascioto María de los Ángeles
Published: November 2022

Durante la primera mitad del siglo XX, el diario Crítica fue uno de los espacios más relevantes de difusión y afianzamiento de la noticia policial en Argentina. Fue, al mismo tiempo, el medio periodístico que mayor relevancia otorgó a la situación de los presos en las cárceles locales. Este artículo parte de la hipótesis de que la prensa, medio con el cual la literatura policial se encuentra indefectiblemente ligada, no solo se ha constituido en muchos casos como el primer soporte de circulación de numerosos relatos y novelas del género, sino que además fue un espacio de construcción y consolidación de las representaciones y procedimientos implementados en las historias del crimen. A partir de esto se propone, en primer lugar, identificar los rasgos escriturarios en los que se hace evidente una combinación de componentes referenciales y ficcionales en un conjunto de notas carcelarias publicadas por entregas en Crítica entre 1922 y 1933. Y, en segundo lugar, analizar los modos en que, desde su misma materialidad y visualidad, Crítica montó y expuso estos artículos en el espacio impreso.
Prospective associations of emotion reactivity and risk behaviors with suicide attempts in US Army soldiers
Authors: Naifeh James A. , Ursano Robert J. , Stein Murray B. , Mash Holly B. Herberman , Aliaga Pablo A. , Fullerton Carol S. , Dinh Hieu M. , Kao Tzu-Cheg , Sampson Nancy A. , Kessler Ronald C.
Published: November 2022

Background

Emotion reactivity and risk behaviors (ERRB) are transdiagnostic dimensions associated with suicide attempt (SA). ERRB patterns may identify individuals at increased risk of future SAs.

Methods

A representative sample of US Army soldiers entering basic combat training (n = 21 772) was surveyed and followed via administrative records for their first 48 months of service. Latent profile analysis of baseline survey items assessing ERRB dimensions, including emotion reactivity, impulsivity, and risk-taking behaviors, identified distinct response patterns (classes). SAs were identified using administrative medical records. A discrete-time survival framework was used to examine associations of ERRB classes with subsequent SA during the first 48 months of service, adjusting for time in service, socio-demographic and service-related variables, and mental health diagnosis (MH-Dx). We examined whether associations of ERRB classes with SA differed by year of service and for soldiers with and without a MH-Dx.

Results

Of 21 772 respondents (86.2% male, 61.8% White non-Hispanic), 253 made a SA. Four ERRB classes were identified: ‘Indirect Harming’ (8.9% of soldiers), ‘Impulsive’ (19.3%), ‘Risk-Taking’ (16.3%), and ‘Low ERRB’ (55.6%). Compared to Low ERRB, Impulsive [OR 1.8 (95% CI 1.3–2.4)] and Risk-Taking [OR 1.6 (95% CI 1.1–2.2)] had higher odds of SA after adjusting for covariates. The ERRB class and MH-Dx interaction was non-significant. Within each class, SA risk varied across service time.

Conclusions

SA risk within the four identified ERRB classes varied across service time. Impulsive and Risk-Taking soldiers had increased risk of future SA. MH-Dx did not modify these associations, which may therefore help identify risk in those not yet receiving mental healthcare.
Faster navigation of semi-structured forest environments using multirotor UAVs
Authors: Lin Tzu-Jui , Stol Karl A.
Published: November 2022

Modern approaches for exploration path planning generally do not assume any structural information regarding the operational area. Therefore, they offer good performance when the region of interest is entirely unknown. However, for some applications such as plantation forest surveying, partial information regarding the survey area is known before the exploration process. Because the region of interest consists only of the lower portions of the tree stems themselves, the ground and high-elevation sections of the environment are unimportant and do not need to be observed. Due to these unconventional conditions, existing methods favoring faster survey speeds produce suboptimal surveys as they do not try and ensure even coverage across the entire exploration volume, while methods that favor reconstruction accuracy produce excessively long survey times. This work proposes a structured exploration approach specifically for plantation forests utilizing a lawnmowing pattern to maximize coverage while minimizing re-visited regions, guiding the unmanned aerial vehicle to visit all areas. Experiments are conducted in various environments, with comparisons made to state-of-the-art exploration planners regarding survey time and coverage. Results suggest that the proposed methods produce surveys with significantly more predictable coverage and survey times at the expense of a longer survey.
Time–frequency feature transform suite for deep learning-based gesture recognition using sEMG signals
Authors: Zhou Xin , Ye Jiancong , Wang Can , Zhong Junpei , Wu Xinyu
Published: November 2022

Recently, deep learning methods have achieved considerable performance in gesture recognition using surface electromyography signals. However, improving the recognition accuracy in multi-subject gesture recognition remains a challenging problem. In this study, we aimed to improve recognition performance by adding subject-specific prior knowledge to provide guidance for multi-subject gesture recognition. We proposed a time–frequency feature transform suite (TFFT) that takes the maps generated by continuous wavelet transform (CWT) as input. The TFFT can be connected to a neural network to obtain an end-to-end architecture. Thus, we integrated the suite into traditional neural networks, such as convolutional neural networks and long short-term memory, to adjust the intermediate features. The results of comparative experiments showed that the deep learning models with the TFFT suite based on CWT improved the recognition performance of the original architectures without the TFFT suite in gesture recognition tasks. Our proposed TFFT suite has promising applications in multi-subject gesture recognition and prosthetic control.
The role of ultra-processed food consumption and depression on type 2 diabetes incidence: a prospective community study in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Sen Akankasha , Brazeau Anne-Sophie , Deschênes Sonya , Ramiro Melgar-Quiñonez Hugo , Schmitz Norbert
Published: November 2022

Objectives:

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the association between depression and ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption as risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Design:

A prospective community study.

Setting:

Baseline data (2009–2010) from CARTaGENE community health study from Quebec, Canada, were used. Food and drink consumption was assessed using the Canadian-Diet History Questionnaire II and grouped according to their degree of processing by the NOVA classification, and participants were categorised into tertiles of UPF (g/d). Depression was defined using either a validated cut-off score on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 or antidepressant use. The outcome was the incidence of T2D, examined in 3880 participants by linking survey data with administrative health insurance data. Cox regression models estimated the associations between UPF, depression and incident T2D.

Participants:

40–69-year-old individuals at baseline.

Results:

In total, 263 (6·8 %) individuals developed T2D. Participants with high depressive symptoms and high UPF consumption showed the highest risk for T2D (adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) = 1·58, 95 % CI (0·98, 2·68)), compared to those with low depressive symptoms and low UPF consumption. The risk for T2D was similar when high depressive symptoms and antidepressant use were combined with high UPF (aHR 1·62, 95 % CI (1·02, 2·57)).

Conclusions:

This study shows that co-occurring depression and high UPF consumption were associated with a higher risk for T2D. Early management and monitoring of both risk factors might be essential for diabetes prevention.
High-Fidelity-Simulationen im Pflegestudium
Authors: Roll Anne , Loyns Florian , Cremer Wenke , Özlü Ismail , Schellhoff Melanie
Published: November 2022

Zusammenfassung. Lehrende des Bachelorstudienganges Pflege des Departments für Pflegewissenschaft an der Hochschule für Gesundheit Bochum haben sich zum Ziel gesetzt, Studierende auf komplexe Situationen im Gesundheitswesen möglichst realitätsnah vorzubereiten, um diesen Sicherheit für ihr praktisches Handeln zu vermitteln. Auf Grundlage evidenzbasierter wissenschaftlicher Literatur wurden zu diesem Zweck zwei High-Fidelity-Simulationszenarien zu den Themen Notfallmanagement und Chronisch obstruktive Lungenerkrankung (COPD) entwickelt, umgesetzt, evaluiert und curricular verankert.
Best Practice – Pflegeberatung in der Radioonkologie und Neuroonkologie
Authors: John Heike , Kauffmann Lea
Published: November 2022

Zusammenfassung. In diesem Artikel wird die onkologische Pflegeberatung in der Radioonkologie und Neuroonkologie anhand des kooperativen Beratungsmodells von Hüper & Hellige (2015) erläutert. Mittels eines Fallberichts aus der Radioonkologie und Neuroonkologie wird die Sinnhaftigkeit für systematisierte Pflegeberatung verdeutlicht. Abschließend wird anhand der Skizzierung einer kollegialen Beratung der Stellenwert der Pflegeberatung für die interdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit hervorgehoben.
Kritisches Denken
Authors: Thieme Susan , Schulte-Vels Thomas
Published: November 2022

Was ist zu diesem Thema bereits bekannt?

Kritischen Denken ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil von Bildung und eine wichtige Grundlage für persönliche Lebensgestaltung, politische Partizipation und für nachhaltiges Arbeiten und Wirtschaften.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Der Artikel ist eine Einladung, über die Rolle kritischen Denkens im eigenen Arbeitsalltag zu reflektieren und zeigt Möglichkeiten auf, dies in den Arbeitsalltag zu integrieren.

Was sind die Auswirkungen für die Praxis?

Kritisches Denken fördert Wertschätzung, berufliche Zufriedenheit und Debatten über strukturelle Veränderungen von Arbeit im Gesundheitswesen.
Demokratie in der Psychiatrie
Authors: Wolfensberger Peter , Trenoweth Steve
Published: November 2022

Was ist zum Thema bereits bekannt?

Psychiatrische Pflege hat sich in den letzten Jahren weiterentwickelt und fokussiert heute auf Empowerment der Betroffenen und der Umsetzung des Recovery-Ansatzes.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Demokratie ist ein wichtiger und gern übersehener Aspekt professioneller psychiatrischer Pflege, welcher den Fokus über die direkte Patient_innenarbeit hinaus öffnet.

Was sind die Auswirkungen für die Praxis?

Die psychiatrische Pflege ist aufgefordert, eine grössere Verantwortung in der psychiatrischen Versorgung zu übernehmen.
Versorgungslücke subjektive Hinwendung zum Menschen
Authors: Blom Nicole
Published: November 2022

Was ist zu dem Thema bekannt?

In den letzten Jahren gab es immer wieder verschiedene Novellierungen des Ausbildungsberufs Pflege.

Wie wird eine neue Perspektive eingebracht?

Die Entwicklungen der Perspektiven von Medizin und Pflege sind sehr unterschiedlich. Für eine gute und zukunftsfähige Versorgung von hilfebedürftigen Menschen, bedarf es beider Sichtweisen gleichermaßen.

Was sind die Auswirkungen auf die Praxis?

Pflegefachpersonal können mit der Generierung einer eigenen Wissensbasis, einer erhöhten Handlungsautonomie und mit ihrer ganzheitlichen Perspektive eine wertvolle Ergänzung zur Medizin sein und somit einen ebenso wichtigen Beitrag für die Gesundheit der Bevölkerung leisten.
Measuring Sense of Indebtedness in Second-Generation Immigrants in Switzerland
Authors: Pfammatter Pirmin , Schwarz Beate
Published: November 2022

Abstract. Sense of indebtedness toward parents (SIP) refers to feelings of debt to give back to parents for their migration-related sacrifices in second-generation immigrants. Based on Kang (2010), we developed a German SIP scale to measure these feelings. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to provide evidence of the theoretical factor structure underlying SIP, (2) to test SIP’s measurement invariance in four immigrant groups, and (3) to shed light on the validity of SIP. The sample included N = 492 second-generation immigrants (66% female, Mage = 32.39, SDage = 10.46) in Switzerland. The results showed good reliability, confirmed the theoretical one-factor model, and supported partial scalar invariance across four immigrant groups. Further analysis provided evidence for the SIP’s discriminant and incremental validity. The measure Sense of Indebtedness Toward Parents is a valuable contribution to the ongoing research on intergenerational relations in immigrant families.
The 2021 European Heat Wave in the Context of Past Major Heat Waves
Authors: Lhotka Ondřej , Kyselý Jan
Published: November 2022

The past two decades in Europe have been characterized by numerous major heat waves, with record‐breaking temperatures reported also during the summer of 2021. While most previous studies on heat waves were based on land‐only datasets (station or gridded), we use the ERA5 reanalysis to capture also heat wave characteristics over water bodies. An up‐to‐date list of major European heat waves since 1950 is presented, and the 2021 heat wave is evaluated in this long‐term context. This event was record‐breaking in length at the European scale, and in many other aspects (spatial extent, magnitude) comparable to the 2003 and 2010 major heat waves. The summer of 2021 was unprecedented over Europe according to the number of hot days (63) and the earliest start of a major heat wave (June 19), while the 2019 heat wave with record‐breaking temperatures across Western Europe stands out as to its intensity. Another recent major heat wave in 2018 ranked fourth in terms of magnitude. The spatial pattern in occurrence of the most severe heat wave since 1950 in individual parts of Europe is dominated by the 2003 (Western Europe), 2010 (Eastern Europe), 2018 (Scandinavia), and 2021 (Mediterranean) major heat waves. Overall, 83% of the domain area experienced the most severe heat wave in the past two decades (2002–2021), which demonstrates a rapidly changing summer climate in Europe.
Impact of Tropospheric Ties on UT1‐UTC in GNSS and VLBI Integrated Solution of Intensive Sessions
Authors: Wang Jungang , Ge Maorong , Glaser Susanne , Balidakis Kyriakos , Heinkelmann Robert , Schuh Harald
Published: November 2022

Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) intensive (INT) sessions are critical for the rapid determination and densification of Universal Time 1‐Coordinate Universal Time (UT1‐UTC), which plays an important role in satellite geodesy and space exploration missions and is not predictable over longer time scales. Due to the limited observation geometry of INT sessions with two to three stations observing about 1 hr, tropospheric gradients cannot be estimated, which degrades the UT1‐UTC precision. We investigate the impact of tropospheric ties at Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSSs) and VLBI co‐located stations in INT sessions from 2001 to 2021. VLBI and GNSS observations are combined on the observation level. The results are evaluated by using both UT1‐UTC and Length of Day (LOD) from consecutive sessions. We demonstrate a better agreement of 10%–30% when comparing the derived LOD to GNSS LOD for INT1, INT2, and VGOS‐2 sessions; whereas, the agreement is not improved when directly comparing UT1‐UTC to the IERS Earth Orientation Parameters (EOPs) product, potentially because INT sessions also contribute to IERS EOP products. The major impact comes from tropospheric gradient ties, whereas applying zenith delay ties does not improve or even deteriorate UT1‐UTC agreement. Gradient ties also introduce systematic biases in UT1‐UTC by around −3 to −5 μs, except for the Russian INT sessions. Regression analysis shows that the east gradient introduces systematic effects in UT1‐UTC for sessions involving Germany and USA (Hawaii), whereas for Germany–Japan and Russian sessions, the north gradient also contributes systematically.
Effect of CYP2C19 polymorphisms on antidepressant prescription patterns and treatment emergent mania in bipolar disorder
Authors: Joas Erik , Jonsson Lina , Viktorin Alexander , Smedler Erik , Pålsson Erik , Goodwin Guy M. , Landén Mikael
Published: November 2022

Antidepressant medication is used extensively to treat bipolar depression despite uncertain efficacy. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C19 enzyme metabolize several antidepressants, and polymorphisms in the corresponding gene CYP2C19 influence plasma concentration and hence treatment outcomes in major depressive disorder. Here, we investigate if CYP2C19 polymorphisms are associated with antidepressant treatment patterns and the risk of mania when antidepressants are used in bipolar disorder. Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs4244285 and rs12248560) were used to classify 5019 bipolar disorder patients into CYP2C19 metabolic phenotypes ranging from poor to ultra-rapid metabolizers. We used Swedish national registry data 2005–2017 on dispensed medications and inpatient care to estimate risks for early-treatment persistence, treatment discontinuation, switching to a new antidepressant medication, and mania within 3 months of treatment initiation in patients treated with citalopram, escitalopram, sertraline, amitriptyline, and clomipramine. Metabolic phenotypes of CYP2C19 were not robustly associated with the investigated treatment outcomes based on dispense patterns. Slower metabolism was associated with an increased risk of treatment emergent mania for sertraline (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.04–1.62, p = 0.02) and the tricyclic antidepressants amitriptyline and clomipramine (HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.05–2.02, p = 0.024). In a large study of the impact of CYP2C19 metabolic phenotypes on antidepressant treatment of bipolar depression, we found an association between slower CYP2C19 metabolism and higher risk of treatment emergent mania, which is a step towards personalized risk assessments. There were, however, no clear associations with early treatment persistence, treatment discontinuation, and switching to a new antidepressant.
Co-transplantation of pancreatic islets and microvascular fragments effectively restores normoglycemia in diabetic mice
Authors: Wrublewsky Selina , Weinzierl Andrea , Hornung Isabelle , Prates-Roma Leticia , Menger Michael D. , Laschke Matthias W. , Ampofo Emmanuel
Published: November 2022

Insufficient revascularization of pancreatic islets is one of the major obstacles impairing the success of islet transplantation. To overcome this problem, we introduce in the present study a straightforward strategy to accelerate the engraftment of isolated islets. For this purpose, we co-transplanted 250 islets and 20,000 adipose tissue-derived microvascular fragments (MVF) from donor mice under the kidney capsule as well as 500 or 1000 islets with 40,000 MVF into the subcutaneous space of diabetic mice. We found that the co-transplantation of islets and MVF markedly accelerates the restoration of normoglycemia in diabetic recipients compared with the transplantation of islets alone. In fact, the transplantation of 250 islets with 20,000 MVF under the kidney capsule reversed diabetes in 88% of mice and the subcutaneous transplantation of 500 or 1000 islets with 40,000 MVF restored normoglycemia in 100% of mice. Moreover, diabetic mice receiving islets and MVF exhibited plasma insulin levels similar to nondiabetic control animals. Additional immunohistochemical analyses of the grafts revealed a significantly higher number of islet cells and microvessels in the co-transplantation groups. These findings demonstrate that the co-transplantation of islets and MVF is a promising strategy to improve the success rates of islet transplantation, which could be easily implemented into future clinical practice.
Clinical associations and prognostic implications of 6-minute walk test in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Ferreira Maria Betânia , Saraiva Francisca A. , Fonseca Tomás , Costa Rita , Marinho António , Oliveira José Carlos , Carvalho Henrique Cyrne , Rodrigues Patrícia , Ferreira João Pedro
Published: November 2022

The clinical associations and prognostic implications of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) distance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is yet to be explored. To identify the clinical features and prognostic implications associated with the 6MWT in patients with RA. Cohort study including 387 RA patients who underwent 6MWT. Regression models (linear and logistic) were built to identify independent predictors of shorter 6MWT distance. Cox proportional models were used to study the association of 6MWT distance with cardiovascular outcomes. Patients were subdivided according to 6MWT tertiles: 126 patients walked > 405 m, 129 walked 345-405 m, and 132 walked < 345 m. Older age (> 55 years), elevated waist circumference, NT-pro BNP > 125 pg/mL, anemia, C-reactive protein ≥ 3 mg/dL, and troponin T ≥ 14 pg/mL were independent predictors of walking shorter distances. Patients walking less than 345 m had higher risk of a subsequent cardiovascular hospitalization or cardiovascular death compared with patients walking 345 m or more (adjusted HR: 2.98, 95%CI: 1.37–6.51, p = 0.006). Older age, abdominal obesity, anemia, cardiac dysfunction, and inflammation were associated with walking shorter distances in patients with RA. Walking less than 345 m in the 6MWT was associated with a poor cardiovascular prognosis. The 6MWT is simple, reproducible, and inexpensive, easily performed in routine practice, and provides important information regarding the patients´ status and outcomes, enabling the monitorization of the therapeutic optimization of the various domains of the RA.
Circulating tumor cells as a prognostic biomarker in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Prasoppokakorn Thaninee , Buntho Areeya , Ingrungruanglert Praewphan , Tiyarattanachai Thodsawit , Jaihan Tassanan , Kulkraisri Kittipat , Ariyaskul Darlene , Phathong Chonlada , Israsena Nipan , Rerknimitr Rungsun , Treeprasertsuk Sombat , Chaiteerakij Roongruedee
Published: November 2022

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been shown as a surrogate for cancer progression and prognostication. We aimed to determine an association between CTCs and survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Peripheral blood was obtained from 73 HCC patients to enumerate for epithelial CTCs/8 mL blood. CTCs were detected by immunoaffinity-based method using epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and mucin1 (MUC1). The CTCs detection rates of BCLC stages A, B, and C patients were 65.4% (17/26), 77.3% (17/22), and 96% (24/25), respectively, p = 0.018. Patients with CTCs < 5 cells/8 mL had significantly longer survival than those with CTCs ≥ 5 cells/8 mL (>36 vs. 4.6 months, p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, CTP B, BCLC B, BCLC C, AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL, and CTC ≥ 5 cells/8 mL were independently associated with survival, with adjusted HRs (95%CI) of 4.1 (2.0–8.4), 3.5 (1.1–11.4), 4.7 (1.4–15.4), 2.4 (1.1–5.0), and 2.6 (1.2–8.4); p < 0.001, 0.036, 0.011, 0.025 and 0.012, respectively. The combination of CTCs ≥ 5 cells/8 mL and AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL provided additively increased HR to 5.3 (2.5–11.1), compared to HRs of 4.0 (2.0–8.0) and 3.5 (1.8–6.7) for CTCs ≥ 5 cells/8 mL and AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL, p < 0.001, respectively. The larger number of peripheral CTCs is correlated with higher tumor aggressive features and poorer survival of HCC patients. CTCs can potentially become novel prognostic biomarker in HCC.
Synthesis of magnetic nanocarbon using palm oil as the green precursor via microwave-assisted arc for wastewater treatment
Authors: Zakaria Nurul Zariah Jakaria , Rozali Shaifulazuar , Mubarak Nabisab Mujawar , Khalid Mohammad
Published: November 2022

The presence of metal with microwave irradiation has always invited controversial arguments as the metal will catch on fire easily. But interestingly, researchers found that arc discharge phenomena provide a promising way for molecule cracking to synthesize nanomaterials. This study developed a single-step yet affordable synthesis approach that combines microwave heating and arcing in transforming crude palm oil into magnetic nanocarbon (MNC), which can be considered a new alternative for the palm oil sectors. It involves synthesizing the medium at a partial inert condition with constant coiled stainless steel metal wire (dielectric media) and ferrocene (catalyst). This approach successfully demonstrates heating at a temperature ranging from 190.9 to 472.0 °C with different synthesis times (10–20 min). The produced MNC shows formations of spheres with average sizes of 20.38–31.04 nm, mesoporous structure (SBET: 14.83–151.95 m2/g), and high content of fixed carbon (52.79–71.24wt%), and the ratio of the D and G bands (ID/IG) is 0.98–0.99. The formation of new peaks in the FTIR spectra (522.29–588.48 cm−1) supports the appearance of the FeO compounds from the ferrocene. The magnetometer shows high magnetization saturation (22.32–26.84 emu/g) in ferromagnetic materials. The application of the MNC in wastewater treatment has been demonstrated by evaluating their adsorbent capability with Methylene Blue (MB) adsorption test at a different concentrations varying between 5 and 20 ppm. The MNC produced at synthesis time (20 min) shows the highest adsorption efficiency (10.36 mg/g) compared to others, with 87.79% removal of MB dye. As a result, the value for Langmuir is not promising compared to Freundlich, withR2being around 0.80, 0.98, and 0.99 for MNC synthesized at 10 min (MNC10), 15 min (MNC15), and 20 min (MNC20), respectively. Hence, the adsorption system is in a heterogeneous condition. The microwave-assisted arcing thereby presents a promising approach to transforming CPO into MNC that could remove the hazardous dye.
Comparison of artificial intelligence algorithms and their ranking for the prediction of genetic merit in sheep
Authors: Hamadani Ambreen , Ganai Nazir A. , Mudasir Syed , Shanaz Syed , Alam Safeer , Hussain Ishraq
Published: November 2022

As the amount of data on farms grows, it is important to evaluate the potential of artificial intelligence for making farming predictions. Considering all this, this study was undertaken to evaluate various machine learning (ML) algorithms using 52-year data for sheep. Data preparation was done before analysis. Breeding values were estimated using Best Linear Unbiased Prediction. 12 ML algorithms were evaluated for their ability to predict the breeding values. The variance inflation factor for all features selected through principal component analysis (PCA) was 1. The correlation coefficients between true and predicted values for artificial neural networks, Bayesian ridge regression, classification and regression trees, gradient boosting algorithm, K nearest neighbours, multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) algorithm, polynomial regression, principal component regression (PCR), random forests, support vector machines, XGBoost algorithm were 0.852, 0.742, 0.869, 0.915, 0.781, 0.746, 0.742, 0.746, 0.917, 0.777, 0.915 respectively for breeding value prediction. Random forests had the highest correlation coefficients. Among the prediction equations generated using OLS, the highest coefficient of determination was 0.569. A total of 12 machine learning models were developed from the prediction of breeding values in sheep in the present study. It may be said that machine learning techniques can perform predictions with reasonable accuracies and can thus be viable alternatives to conventional strategies for breeding value prediction.
Evaluation of the antibacterial activities of face masks coated with titanium dioxide nanoparticles
Authors: Ahmed Omar B. , Alamro Turki
Published: November 2022

To control infectious diseases, various applications of nanotechnology have been used to enhance the self-cleaning and antibacterial properties of materials.This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial properties of face masks coated with TiO2 nanoparticles.The antibacterial efficacies of cloth face masks coated with TiO2 were measured by inoculating them in bacterial suspensions (105CFUs from bothE. coliandS. aureus). The results showed that TiO2 nanoparticle solutions (at 2%) reduced the starting inoculum of 105CFUs (5 log cfu/cm2) ofE. coliandS. aureusto 1.3 and 1.68 log, respectively, with antibacterial activities of 3.7 and 3.34 log, respectively. Furthermore, at a 1% concentration, the antibacterial activities againstE. coliandS. aureuswere 2.1 and 2.01 log, respectively, while at a low concentration (0.5%), the antibacterial activities againstE. coliandS. aureuswere 1.8 and 1.72 log, respectively. The CFUs in all the experimental groups were significantly lower than those in the control group (saline). In conclusion, TiO2 nanoparticle solutions with a high concentration (2%) demonstrated a strong antibacterial effect onE. coliandS. aureus, and the difference was statistically significant, while a significant antibacterial activity was demonstrated with lower concentration (0.5% and 1%) nanoparticle solutions of TiO2 after 18 h. There was a statistically significant difference regarding colony reduction betweenE. coliandS. aureuseven at 3 h. The antibacterial activities of TiO2 in face masks could be promising for reducing the risk of bacterial infections.
Recent Progress in Biopolymer-based Delivery Systems and Coatings for Improving Stability, Bioavailability and Efficacy of Nutraceutical Products
Authors: Rocha A. A. , Santos G. A. S. , Ribeiro Jr. J. E. , Paixão L. C. , Santana A. A.
Published: November 2022

Nutraceutical products (NuPs) have scientific prominence due to the possibility that foods can be used in the treatment of various clinical conditions. However, the use of NuPs as encapsulated form, for example, encapsulated extracts and food parts, has been highlighted as resulting in low bioavailability, that is, in low absorption and transformation in the organism. The use of different cover-up techniques in drug delivery systems (DDS) with biopolymers can be implemented when seeking the release of these bioactive compounds at specific sites of the human body that result in greater bioavailability. Furthermore, these biopolymers can increase the stability of bioactive compounds, providing protection when passing through critical environments such as the intestinal barrier. Also, they have notable benefits in extending shelf life. Both micro- and nano-encapsulation of NuPs have been highlighted mainly through spray drying and nanoprecipitation techniques.
Microencapsulation Liposomal Technologies in Bioactive Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals
Authors: Nejat Maryam Salek , Ekrami Mohammad , Emam-Djomeh Zahra
Published: November 2022

Today, liposomes are attractive for encapsulating various bioactive compounds in food and nutraceutical industries due to their small size, biodegradability, absence of toxicity, biocompatibility, and ability to carry different compounds, and stabilize core materials against a range of environmental, chemical, and enzymatic changes. Liposomes are prepared according to conventional and novel methods. Conventional techniques for liposome formation and size reduction are simple to implement and do not require sophisticated equipment. However, limitations associated with scale-up for industrial production and scale-down for point-of-care applications have modified conventional methods and led to developing novel methods for liposome preparation. In this chapter, the classification of liposomal vesicles, and different conventional and novel methods for liposome formation have been reviewed. In addition, the main analytical attributes related to liposome characteristics such as surface charge, fluidity, size, lamellarity, transition temperature, stability, permeability, and encapsulation efficiency are presented.
Physicochemical Properties, Characterizations, and Quantitative Analysis of Biopolymer-based Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals on an Industrial Scale
Authors: Tarhan Ozgur , Venerando Andrea , Spotti Maria Julia
Published: November 2022

Proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids not only represent the most important nutritional elements in the food industry but, whenever specifically designed and fabricated into biopolymer particles systems, may add smart functionalities or turn themselves into advanced and safe nutraceutical delivery systems or become an interesting option to replace polluting food packaging. In the following chapter, the most relevant and investigated biopolymer particles systems, either protein, polysaccharide or lipid-based, will be analyzed and critically discussed in terms of their physicochemical properties, characterization methods, and quantification evaluation. Starting from their physicochemical features, such as size and morphology, optical properties, binding ability and stability, and mechanical features, that strongly affect their exploitation in the development of new food-grade systems, the most advanced and promising specifically designed biopolymer-based colloidal particulate systems will be characterized through microscopy, spectroscopic, and rheological techniques. Organoleptic properties and sensorial attributes of the final functional product will be evaluated as well. Besides qualitative assessment of biopolymer-derived functional foods and nutraceuticals, quantitative analysis provides significant and valuable information regarding the content of the active materials loaded, protected, and delivered properly. This chapter represents an up-to-date overview of the applications of food-grade biopolymer particulate systems focusing on the critical physicochemical properties, characterization, and quantitative analysis of biopolymer-derived functional foods and nutraceuticals on an industrial scale.
Plant and Marine-based Biopolymers for Efficient Nutrient Delivery
Authors: Ali S. Wazed , Bairagi Satyaranjan , Banerjee Swagata , Banerjee Sourav
Published: November 2022

Nutrients form an essential part of our daily diet. It is necessary that the essential nutrients enter our body in the right amount in order to maintain a healthy state of body functioning. However, sometimes these nutrients fail to get absorbed by our body in the right amounts owing to their early degradation in the gastric and intestinal environment. Therefore, a concept of nutrient delivery has emerged to enable the delivery of these nutrients maintaining their bioavailability without affecting their bioactivity. Plants and marine sources are exploited in the search of bio-polymers that are biocompatible and serve as efficient vehicles for nutrient delivery. Each bio-polymer from plant or marine sources has different chemical constitutions that allows it to deliver hydrophilic and hydrophobic nutraceuticals accordingly. The extraction of these bio-polymers is tedious and hence little has been explored with respect to their application in food science and technology. This chapter throws light on the different plant and marine-based biopolymers that have shown potential application in nutrient delivery. The scope of using nanotechnology in nutrient delivery through various techniques has also been covered in this chapter.
Correction: Use of pyridazinediones as extracellular cleavable linkers through reversible cysteine conjugation
Authors: Bahou Calise , Spears Richard J. , Aliev Abil E. , Maruani Antoine , Fernandez Marcos , Javaid Faiza , Szijj Peter A. , Baker James R. , Chudasama Vijay
Published: November 2022

Correction for ‘Use of pyridazinediones as extracellular cleavable linkers through reversible cysteine conjugation’ by Calise Bahou et al., Chem. Commun., 2019, 55, 14829–14832, https://doi.org/10.1039/C9CC08362F.
Controlled hydrophilization of black phosphorene: a reactive molecular dynamics simulation approach
Authors: Foroutan Masumeh , Mostafavi Bavani Borhan , Boudaghi Ahmad
Published: November 2022

Contour maps related to water droplets on the phosphorene oxide surfaces with different radii in the zigzag direction.
Bimetallic ZIF-derived conductive network of Co–Zn@NPC@MWCNT nanocomposites for efficient electromagnetic wave absorption in the whole X-band
Authors: Meng Ying , Li Guang , Tang Hao , Lu Xiudong , Lu Shibin , Lu Haisheng , Ma Yuan , Xie Changzheng , Wu Yaodong , Zi Zhenfa
Published: November 2022

Bimetallic ZIFs-derived Co-Zn@NPC@MWCNTs nanocomposites are successfully fabricated, which possess double absorption peaks of −76.18 dB and −33.09 dB with a thickness of 3.187 mm. The composites exhibit a bandwidth of 6.56 GHz with 3.0 mm thickness.
A Ru(ii)-arene-ferrocene complex with promising antibacterial activity
Authors: Mensah Stephen , Rosenthal Joseph D. , Dagar Mamta , Brown Tyson , Mills Jonathan J. , Hamaker Christopher G. , Ferrence Gregory M. , Webb Michael I.
Published: November 2022

The evolution of high virulence bacterial strains has necessitated the development of novel therapeutic agents to treat resistant infections.
N-Carboxyanhydrides directly from amino acids and carbon dioxide and their tandem reactions to therapeutic alkaloids
Authors: Tran Thi V. , Shen Yi , Nguyen Hieu D. , Deng Shijie , Roshandel Hootan , Cooper Mason M. , Watson Jose R. , Byers Jeffery A. , Diaconescu Paula L. , Do Loi H.
Published: November 2022

A phosgene-free method to prepareN-carboxyanhydrides from amino acids and carbon dioxide has been developed. This method is mild enough to be used in the tandem synthesis of alkaloids tryptanthrin and phaitanthrin A.
Study of the particle characteristics and stability of Ag-NPs naturally generated in soil matrix
Authors: Wang Qiang , Wang Ying-Rong , Wei Wen-Jing , Lin Hai-Lan , Yang Ping-Jian
Published: November 2022

Cloud Point Extraction and Single-Particle Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry are used in combination to quantitatively analyze the naturally generated Ag-NPs and further explore their particle characteristics and stability.
Dithiocarbamate transfer reaction from methylene-bis(dithiocarbamates) to molybdenum dithiocarbamates in engine lubricants investigated using laboratory experiments
Authors: Kiw Yu Min , Schaeffer Philippe , Adam Pierre , Thiébaut Benoît , Boyer Chantal
Published: November 2022

The presence of zinc complexes or of oxidative conditions induces dithiocarbamate transfer from methylene-bis(dithiocarbamates) to molybdenum dithiocarbamates via zinc dithiocarbamate species.
From rocks to bioactive compounds: a journey through the global P(v) organophosphorus industry and its sustainability
Authors: Ung Sosthène P.-M. , Li Chao-Jun
Published: November 2022

This tutorial review showcases the diversity & utility of organophosphorus molecules, focusing on P(v) structures. Their rich nomenclature, application & industrial synthesis will be highlighted within the context of sustainable chemistry.
Promotion of Communication Access, Choice, and Agency for Autistic Students
Authors: Donaldson Amy L. , corbin endever* , Zisk Alyssa Hillary , Eddy Brandon
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

Families and professionals often consider augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) a “last resort” for persons with communication challenges; however, speaking autistic adults have reported that they would have benefited from access to AAC as children. This tutorial discusses the history of this “last resort” practice and its perpetuation within the medical model of disability. The tutorial focuses on communication access, choice, and agency for autistic students.

Method:

We provide a brief overview of the AAC community and their preferred terminology, review the history of traditional approaches to research on AAC and autism, and then examine the relationship between disability models and ableism to views of spoken language as a priority of intervention. Studies on this topic are rare, and resisting ableism requires acknowledging and honoring disabled people's experiences and expertise. Therefore, we promote autistic expertise within the framework of evidence-based practice and discuss the experiences of autistic people and spoken language. Finally, we consider the role of the speech-language pathologist (SLP) in assessment and offer autistic-based strategies and recommendations for communication support.

Conclusions:

Speaking autistic students who could benefit from AAC may not have access to AAC due to the prioritization of spoken language and lack of awareness of the benefit of AAC. We recommend that SLPs and school-based professionals support and facilitate access, communicative choice, and agency by implementing multimodal communication strategies to include AAC use for autistic students regardless of their spoken language status. Promoting all types of communication and ensuring opportunities for communication across multiple modalities are paramount to a child's agency and self-determination, as is normalization of AAC.
Social Validity, Cost, Acceptability, and Feasibility of Augmentative and Alternative Communication Devices Used for Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review
Authors: Pierson Lauren M. , Ganz Jay B. , Pustejovsky James E. , Reichle Joe , Vannest Kimberly J. , Wattanawongwan Sanikan , Foster Margaret , Fuller Marcus C. , Haas April N. , Sallese Mary Rose , Smith S. D. , Yllades Valeria , Kenny Emily , Morgan Peyton , Paterson Scout
Published: November 2022

Purpose:

The authors conducted a systematic review of single-case experimental designs that included individuals with autism spectrum disorder and/or intellectual disability who used speech-generating devices (SGDs) for communication. The purpose of this study was to review subjective and normative pre- and post-intervention social validity data, in addition to the cost, acceptability, and feasibility of the SGDs used in the studies. The authors also studied trends in the reporting of pre- and post-intervention data over time.

Method:

A systematic review of 7,327 articles resulted in 86 articles that met design quality criteria and included participants who used SGDs. A group of raters completed interrater reliability for all stages of the review.

Results:

Researchers reported more subjective than normative data. Few studies reported on the price of the SGD or the person who purchased the SGD. More researchers reported using an SGD with more than one use, but few solicited feedback about the SGD used during the intervention. Few researchers reported information about the portability of the device or the operation effort.

Conclusions:

Reporting on social validity represents a substantial limitation in experimental studies. Future work incorporating less biased/more objective measures is important for the creation of socially valid interventions.