bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and potential use of vitamin D in the prevention and treatment of uterine fibroids
Authors: Kozłowska Martyna , Woźniak Aleksander , Sydor Patryk , Wartacz Marcel , Góra Mateusz , Kreft Rafał , Hunek Adrian Krzysztof , Bigdoń Anna Maria , Ćwiek Maciej , Gorczyca Przemysław
Published: August 2023

Introduction: Uterine fibroids (UFs) are the most common benign gynecological tumors. Pharmacological and/or surgical treatments are frequently required, depending on the woman's desire to preserve fertility. Due to side effects caused by pharmacological and surgical treatments, there is a growing interest in a safe approach for UFs. In recent years, hypovitaminosis D is believed to be a major risk factor in the development of a tumor. Studies proved vitamin D efficacy in inhibiting UFs growth by targeting pathways involved in the regulation of various biological processes, resulting in inhibition of tumor cell division and a significant reduction in its size. Vitamin D seems to be promising, effective, and low-cost method in the management of UFs and their clinical symptoms.

Aim of the study: This article reviews the state of knowledge based on available studies. The aim of the study is to present the most important informations about effectiveness and potential usage of vitamin D in prevention and treatment of uterine fibroids.

Material and methods: The authors created a paper summarizing review of currently available publications based on databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar.
Assessment of motivation for using aesthetic medicine procedures and post-treatment satisfaction
Authors: Małolepsza Aleksandra , Kister Klaudia , Laskowski Jakub , Szabrańska Anna , Bronst Paulina , Czechowska Julia , Rosa Lidka , Zach-Źródlak Monika , Rektor Natalia , Mazur Magdalena
Published: August 2023

Introduction and purpose: Aesthetic medicine is a branch of medicine that focuses on improving the appearance through non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures. Over the years, many methods used to improving beauty and prevent aging were developed. People want not only to improve their physical appearance, but also their well-being and self-esteem. The aim of the study was to assess the motivation to use aesthetic medicine and satisfaction with the performed procedures. 

State of knowledge: Getting rid of wrinkles, sagging skin or unwanted fat deposits people feel more comfortable and satisfied with their bodies. Additionally, societal and cultural influences play a role in the popularity of aesthetic medicine. These interventions can also help with congenital deformities or experienced trauma. Motivation for using aesthetic medicine procedures can vary from person to person. It includes desire for youthful appearance, societal influences and beauty standards or career advancement. What is more, patient satisfaction is an important factor for successful therapy. 

Summary: In conclusion, the motivations for using aesthetic medicine procedures are multifaceted and vary from person to person. People seek these procedures for reasons such as enhancing self-confidence, desiring a more youthful appearance or improving emotional well-being. Aesthetic medicine can provide the opportunity to enhance self-image, boost confidence and improve overall quality of life.
Igneous Rock Associations 29. The Nenana Magnetitite Lava Flow, Alaska Range, Alaska
Authors: Reidel Stephen P. , Ross Marty E. , Kasbohm Jennifer
Published: August 2023

Magnetitite deposits like El Laco (Chile) are rare and have controversial origins. An unusual magnetitite lava flow overlying a rhyolite unit occurs in the north-central Alaska Range and originally covered ~ 750 km2 of the Miocene Nenana basin. Dating of the rhyolite and relationships between the magnetitite and sedimentary rocks indicate that both are of Late Miocene age. The magnetitite flow is mainly magnetite with some post-eruptive alteration to hematite. Both the rhyolite flow and the magnetitite flow are vesicular, but the magnetitite flow also has small, millimetre-scale columnar jointing. The vesicular zones in the magnetitite flow grade into massive rock on the scale of a thin section, suggesting a degassing lava origin. Samples of the magnetitite flow contain between 12 and 26 wt.% SiO2 and between 45 and 75 wt.% FeO. Rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements from the magnetitite and rhyolite have similar patterns but with lesser abundance in the magnetitite. Both the rhyolite and the magnetitite have light-REE-enriched REE profiles with negative Eu anomalies. Electron microscopic analysis shows that most of the silica and trace element content of the magnetitite flow comes from very finely disseminated silicate minerals and glass in the magnetite. This suggests that the magnetitite was derived from a magma that had undergone unmixing into a silica-rich phase and an iron-rich phase prior to its eruption. Fractures and vesicles within the magnetitite flow contain minor rhyolitic glass and minerals suggesting that the rhyolite magma invaded columnar joints in the solidified magnetitite flow, and is a subvolcanic sill-like body at the studied locality. The magnetitite flow erupted prior to the emplacement of the rhyolite, which may be extrusive on a regional scale. The features of the Nenana magnetitite, and its geological relationships, are consistent with genetic models that invoke unmixing of magma into immiscible Fe-rich and Si-rich liquids during ascent.
The Borderlines of Indigenous Sovereignty in the United States – McGirt v. Oklahoma and Abortion
Authors: Kwiatek Gabriela
Published: August 2023

In the United States of America, the right to abortion has been a topic of heated and at times misinformed debate for years. This article aims to explainand answer questions about tribal sovereignty regarding the issue ofabortion and to explain the politically motivated comments of Republican public figures attacking tribal autonomy, all in the post-McGirt v. Oklahoma and post-Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization era. Context to theissue is provided through a brief summary of the shifting boundaries of Indigenous autonomy in the USA, emphasizing the most recent judicial developments as well as the description of the complex healthcare system on tribal lands.
Nowa fala aktywizmu anti-choice jako skutek zmieniających się wartości współczesnego społeczeństwa w Kanadzie
Authors: Obszarska Patrycja
Published: August 2023

The modern Canadian society is characterised by growing attachment to suchvalues as feminism and human rights as well as by gradual departure fromreligious practices and traditions. Anti-abortion activism orientates itself tochanging reality and tries to convince Canadian women and men that ananti-choice attitude is the expression of objection to violence against womenand violation of human rights. For this purpose, anti-abortion organisationsuse feminist slogans and ideas, rejecting messages of religious character.The text aims at analysing more deeply the characteristics of the above-mentionedphenomenon and presenting its examples in the discourse and activityof the Canadian anti-choice organisations: CCBR, PWPL, Choice42, TRL.
Eviction Crisis during the COVID-19 Pandemic – Lifting the Federal Eviction Moratorium
Authors: Rachwał Aleksandra
Published: August 2023

This article will present the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to lift the eviction moratorium in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper will sequentially analyze how the court process went and what the response to the ruling was from public authorities. The paper will then present the reaction of the US public. Finally, the potential implications of the ruling will be presented.
Partycypacja obywatelska w demokratycznym państwie prawnym
Authors: Firek Wojciech
Published: August 2023

The book analyses the functioning of civic participation in Poland as a constitutional and democratic state governed by the rule of law. Participation is presented from three research perspectives. First, as a theoretical model of citizen involvement in the sphere of action of public authorities. This model has been described objectively, subjectively, and functionally. The research is interdisciplinary and brings together a variety of social science disciplines. Second, civic participation is presented within the normative perspective as a constitutional value expressed indirectly in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland. The author made a holistic interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution, including the overarching constitutional principles: the principle of the common good (Article 1), the principle of a democratic state governed by the rule of law (Article 2), the principle of the sovereignty of the Nation (Article 4), and the principle of social dialogue (Article 20). The third perspective examines civic participation in practice. The author describes selected examples of civic participation institutions, taking into account its different levels: the level of information (e.g. accessto public information and access to the meetings of collegial bodies of public authorities coming from universal elections), the level of consultation (e.g., public consultations and public hearings), and the levelof co-determination and cooperation (e.g., civic budget and legal forms of commissioning the implementation of public tasks to non-governmental organisations). The analysis shows that Poland is systematically introducing and strengthening participatory institutions. However, the author also notes some risks in their practical application. The study confirms that civic participation based on civil, political, and social rights and institutions of social solidarity is an element of a democratic state governed by the rule of law and may be a solution to the problems of contemporary democracy.
Entre cenizas: la musaraña del volcán Popocatépetl
Authors: Guevara Lázaro , Mata-González Stephanye
Published: August 2023

El Popocatépetl es uno de los volcanes más activos y peligrosos de México. No solamente los humanos somos testigos de su creciente actividad volcánica, sino también la fauna que habita a su alrededor, tal como el caso de la musaraña del Popocatépetl, uno de los mamíferos más pequeños de nuestro país.
¿Vecinos incómodos? Murciélagos artropodófagos nuestros vecinos vigilantes
Authors: Gómez-Ugalde Rosa María , Martínez-Gómez Rosa María
Published: August 2023

En los ecosistemas urbanos aun podemos encontrar remanentes de vegetación donde habitan animales silvestres que podemos ver y/o escuchar con cierta facilidad como las aves, sin embargo, si ponemos atención, también podemos encontrar a los murciélagos, los vigilantes nocturnos.
Colecciones biológicas, un valioso recurso para la Mastozoología
Authors: Cabrera-del Sol Hendrick , Cervantes Fernando A.
Published: August 2023

Para conservar la biodiversidad que nos rodea, es necesario adquirir, de manera continua conocimientos y saberes sobre la misma. Las colecciones biológicas son una de las principales herramientas para obtenerlos.
El último vuelo de Myotis
Authors: Álvarez-Castañeda Sergio Ticul
Published: August 2023

Las islas son ambientes muy particulares para los estudios de los seres vivos en particular del grupo de los mamíferos, pero primero hay que llegar a ellas.
Tlacuaches y Hepatozoon, ¿qué hay con esta relación?
Authors: Rivera Sánchez Alix Fernanda , Vásquez-Aguilar Antonio Acini
Published: August 2023

La mayoría de las veces pensamos que los animales silvestres pueden ser transmisores de enfermedades hacia nosotros o hacia nuestras mascotas, pero pocas veces pensamos que nosotros o nuestras mascotas les podemos transmitir enfermedades a ellos. Los tlacuaches no son la excepción y podrían estar interactuando con nuestras mascotas y sus patógenos.
SpeCamX: mobile app that turns unmodified smartphones into multispectral imagers
Authors: He Qinghua , Li Wanyu , Shi Yaping , Yu Yi , Geng Wenqian , Sun Zhiyuan , Wang Ruikang K.
Published: August 2023

We present the development of SpeCamX, a mobile application that enables an unmodified smartphone into a multispectral imager. Multispectral imaging provides detailed spectral information about objects or scenes, but its accessibility has been limited due to its specialized requirements for the device. SpeCamX overcomes this limitation by utilizing the RGB photographs captured by smartphones and converting them into multispectral images spanning a range of 420 to 680 nm without a need for internal modifications or external attachments. The app also includes plugin functions for extracting medical information from the resulting multispectral data cube. In a clinical study, SpeCamX was used to implement an augmented smartphone bilirubinometer, predicting blood bilirubin levels (BBL) with superior performance in accuracy, efficiency and stability compared to default smartphone cameras. This innovative technology democratizes multispectral imaging, making it accessible to a wider audience and opening new possibilities for both medical and non-medical applications.
Attention-assisted autoencoder neural network for end-to-end optimization of multi-access fiber-terahertz communication systems
Authors: Li Zhongya , Dong Boyu , Li Guoqiang , Jia Junlian , Sun Aolong , Shen Wangwei , Xing Sizhe , Shi Jianyang , Chi Nan , Zhang Junwen
Published: August 2023

We propose an end-to-end (E2E) fiber-terahertz (THz) integrated communication system based on an attention-assisted multi-access autoencoder (AMAE) neural network. The AMAE neural network comprises artificial neural networks (ANNs) that function as transmitters (T-ANNs), channel models, and receivers (R-ANNs) for multiple users. By connecting the computational graph of multiple T-ANNs and R-ANNs, we jointly optimize the AMAE to facilitate E2E multi-access communication. Attention mechanisms guide the optimization process to achieve fair and efficient power allocation and orthogonality among different users. We experimentally evaluated the performance of our proposed E2E framework in a 60 Gbit/s multi-channel (1, 5, and 10 km) fiber-THz hybrid system. The results indicate that our AMAE approach outperforms the conventional single-carrier quadrature amplitude modulation scheme by over 3 dB in receiver sensitivity and 11 Gbit/s in capacity under the 20% soft-decision forward error correction threshold in the same-channel back-to-back condition. Additionally, under the performance balance constraint, our approach achieves a transmission speed of 60 Gbit/s within a 10 GHz bandwidth in the multi-channel setting.
Gelatin Zymography Can Be Performed on Fixed Brain Tissue
Authors: Chen Zhenzhou , Chuang Dennis , Chen Shanyan , He Qiwei , Tomlison Brittany N. , Cui Jiankun , Gu Zezong
Published: August 2023

Gelatin zymography is widely used to detect gelatinase activity, which is performed on unfixed tissue because it is assumed that fixation inactivates enzymes. However, using fixed tissues has several advantages over using fresh tissues for such prevention of tissue decay, thereby preserving the proteins as well as the morphology and structure of the specimens. In this study, we investigated the effects of the four commonly used fixatives (ethanol, acetone, zinc-based fixative (ZBF), and paraformaldehyde (PFA)) on the gelatinolytic activity in mouse brain tissue. Multiple protocols were employed to extract proteins from the fixed brain tissue. Western blotting and in-gel zymography (IGZ) were used to detect the gelatinase proteins and gelatinolytic activity of the extractions, respectively. In situ zymography (ISZ) revealed that ethanol, acetone, ZBF, and short-time PFA fixation did not inhibit gelatinolytic activity. Neither 1% Triton + 1 M NaCl nor 10% DMSO + 1 M NaCl was effective in extracting proteins from ethanol-, acetone-, ZBF-, or PFA-fixed brain tissues. However, 8 M urea + 4% CHAPS effectively extracted gelatinase proteins from ethanol- and acetone-fixed tissues while retaining the gelatinolytic activity. 2% SDS effectively extracted gelatinase proteins from ethanol-, acetone-, and ZBF-fixed tissues while retaining the gelatinolytic activity. Although 2% SDS + heating extracted gelatinase proteins from ethanol-, acetone-, ZBF-, and even long-term PFA-fixed tissues, the gelatinolytic activity was not retained. Our findings suggest that both ISZ and IGZ can be performed on fixed brain tissue, which is anticipated to be an improvement over the conventionally used gelatin zymography methods. (J Histochem Cytochem 71: 481–493, 2023)
Mitonuclear interactions shape both direct and parental effects of diet on fitness and involve a SNP in mitoribosomal 16s rRNA
Authors: Dobson Adam J. , Voigt Susanne , Kumpitsch Luisa , Langer Lucas , Voigt Emmely , Ibrahim Rita , Dowling Damian K. , Reinhardt Klaus
Published: August 2023

Nutrition is a primary determinant of health, but responses to nutrition vary with genotype. Epistasis between mitochondrial and nuclear genomes may cause some of this variation, but which mitochondrial loci and nutrients participate in complex gene-by-gene-by-diet interactions? Furthermore, it remains unknown whether mitonuclear epistasis is involved only in the immediate responses to changes in diet, or whether mitonuclear genotype might modulate sensitivity to variation in parental nutrition, to shape intergenerational fitness responses. Here, inDrosophila melanogaster, we show that mitonuclear epistasis shapes fitness responses to variation in dietary lipids and amino acids. We also show that mitonuclear genotype modulates the parental effect of dietary lipid and amino acid variation on offspring fitness. Effect sizes for the interactions between diet, mitogenotype, and nucleogenotype were equal to or greater than the main effect of diet for some traits, suggesting that dietary impacts cannot be understood without first accounting for these interactions. Associating phenotype to mtDNA variation in a subset of populations implicated a C/T polymorphism inmt:lrRNA, which encodes the 16S rRNA of the mitochondrial ribosome. This association suggests that directionally different responses to dietary changes can result from variants on mtDNA that do not change protein coding sequence, dependent on epistatic interactions with variation in the nuclear genome.
Efficient sampling-based Bayesian Active Learning for synaptic characterization
Authors: Gontier Camille , Surace Simone Carlo , Delvendahl Igor , Müller Martin , Pfister Jean-Pascal
Published: August 2023

Bayesian Active Learning (BAL) is an efficient framework for learning the parameters of a model, in which input stimuli are selected to maximize the mutual information between the observations and the unknown parameters. However, the applicability of BAL to experiments is limited as it requires performing high-dimensional integrations and optimizations in real time. Current methods are either too time consuming, or only applicable to specific models. Here, we propose an Efficient Sampling-Based Bayesian Active Learning (ESB-BAL) framework, which is efficient enough to be used in real-time biological experiments. We apply our method to the problem of estimating the parameters of a chemical synapse from the postsynaptic responses to evoked presynaptic action potentials. Using synthetic data and synaptic whole-cell patch-clamp recordings, we show that our method can improve the precision of model-based inferences, thereby paving the way towards more systematic and efficient experimental designs in physiology.
Regulated bacterial interaction networks: A mathematical framework to describe competitive growth under inclusion of metabolite cross-feeding
Authors: Guex Isaline , Mazza Christian , Dubey Manupriyam , Batsch Maxime , Li Renyi , van der Meer Jan Roelof
Published: August 2023

When bacterial species with the same resource preferences share the same growth environment, it is commonly believed that direct competition will arise. A large variety of competition and more general ‘interaction’ models have been formulated, but what is currently lacking are models that link monoculture growth kinetics and community growth under inclusion of emerging biological interactions, such as metabolite cross-feeding. In order to understand and mathematically describe the nature of potential cross-feeding interactions, we design experiments where two bacterial species Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas veronii grow in liquid medium either in mono- or as co-culture in a resource-limited environment. We measure population growth under single substrate competition or with double species-specific substrates (substrate ‘indifference’), and starting from varying cell ratios of either species. Using experimental data as input, we first consider a mean-field model of resource-based competition, which captures well the empirically observed growth rates for monocultures, but fails to correctly predict growth rates in co-culture mixtures, in particular for skewed starting species ratios. Based on this, we extend the model by cross-feeding interactions where the consumption of substrate by one consumer produces metabolites that in turn are resources for the other consumer, thus leading to positive feedback in the species system. Two different cross-feeding options were considered, which either lead to constant metabolite cross-feeding, or to a regulated form, where metabolite utilization is activated with rates according to either a threshold or a Hill function, dependent on metabolite concentration. Both mathematical proof and experimental data indicate regulated cross-feeding to be the preferred model to constant metabolite utilization, with best co-culture growth predictions in case of high Hill coefficients, close to binary (on/off) activation states. This suggests that species use the appearing metabolite concentrations only when they are becoming high enough; possibly as a consequence of their lower energetic content than the primary substrate. Metabolite sharing was particularly relevant at unbalanced starting cell ratios, causing the minority partner to proliferate more than expected from the competitive substrate because of metabolite release from the majority partner. This effect thus likely quells immediate substrate competition and may be important in natural communities with typical very skewed relative taxa abundances and slower-growing taxa. In conclusion, the regulated bacterial interaction network correctly describes species substrate growth reactions in mixtures with few kinetic parameters that can be obtained from monoculture growth experiments.
Kar4, the yeast homolog of METTL14, is required for mRNA m6A methylation and meiosis
Authors: Park Zachory M. , Sporer Abigail J. , Kraft Katherine , Lum Krystal K. , Blackman Edith , Belnap Ethan , Yellman Christopher M. , Rose Mark D.
Published: August 2023

KAR4, the yeast homolog of the mammalian mRNA N6A-methyltransferase complex component METTL14, is required for two disparate developmental programs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae: mating and meiosis. To understand KAR4’s role in yeast mating and meiosis, we used a genetic screen to isolate 25 function-specific mutant alleles, which map to non-overlapping surfaces on a predicted structure of the Kar4 protein (Kar4p). Most of the mating-specific alleles (Mat-) abolish Kar4p’s interaction with the transcription factor Ste12p, indicating that Kar4p’s mating function is through Ste12p. In yeast, the mRNA methyltransferase complex was previously defined as comprising Ime4p (Kar4p’s paralog and the homolog of mammalian METTL3), Mum2p (homolog of mammalian WTAP), and Slz1p (MIS), but not Kar4p. During meiosis, Kar4p interacts with Ime4p, Mum2p, and Slz1p. Moreover, cells lacking Kar4p have highly reduced levels of mRNA methylation during meiosis indicating that Kar4p is a key member of the methyltransferase complex, as it is in humans. Analysis of kar4Δ/Δ and 7 meiosis-specific alleles (Mei-) revealed that Kar4p is required early in meiosis, before initiation of S-phase and meiotic recombination. High copy expression of the meiotic transcriptional activator IME1 rescued the defect of these Mei- alleles. Surprisingly, Kar4p was also found to be required at a second step for the completion of meiosis and sporulation. Over-expression of IME1 in kar4Δ/Δ permits pre-meiotic S-phase, but most cells remained arrested with a monopolar spindle. Analysis of the function-specific mutants revealed that roughly half became blocked after premeiotic DNA synthesis and did not sporulate (Spo-). Loss of Kar4p’s Spo function was suppressed by overexpression of RIM4, a meiotic translational regulator. Overexpression of IME1 and RIM4 together allowed sporulation of kar4Δ/Δ cells. Taken together, these data suggest that Kar4p regulates meiosis at multiple steps, presumably reflecting requirements for methylation in different stages of meiotic gene expression.
clusterBMA: Bayesian model averaging for clustering
Authors: Forbes Owen , Santos-Fernandez Edgar , Wu Paul Pao-Yen , Xie Hong-Bo , Schwenn Paul E. , Lagopoulos Jim , Mills Lia , Sacks Dashiell D. , Hermens Daniel F. , Mengersen Kerrie
Published: August 2023

Various methods have been developed to combine inference across multiple sets of results for unsupervised clustering, within the ensemble clustering literature. The approach of reporting results from one ‘best’ model out of several candidate clustering models generally ignores the uncertainty that arises from model selection, and results in inferences that are sensitive to the particular model and parameters chosen. Bayesian model averaging (BMA) is a popular approach for combining results across multiple models that offers some attractive benefits in this setting, including probabilistic interpretation of the combined cluster structure and quantification of model-based uncertainty. In this work we introduceclusterBMA, a method that enables weighted model averaging across results from multiple unsupervised clustering algorithms. We use clustering internal validation criteria to develop an approximation of the posterior model probability, used for weighting the results from each model. From a combined posterior similarity matrix representing a weighted average of the clustering solutions across models, we apply symmetric simplex matrix factorisation to calculate final probabilistic cluster allocations. In addition to outperforming other ensemble clustering methods on simulated data,clusterBMAoffers unique features including probabilistic allocation to averaged clusters, combining allocation probabilities from ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ clustering algorithms, and measuring model-based uncertainty in averaged cluster allocation. This method is implemented in an accompanying R package of the same name. We use simulated datasets to explore the ability of the proposed technique to identify robust integrated clusters with varying levels of separation between subgroups, and with varying numbers of clusters between models. Benchmarking accuracy against four other ensemble methods previously demonstrated to be highly effective in the literature,clusterBMAmatches or exceeds the performance of competing approaches under various conditions of dimensionality and cluster separation.clusterBMAsubstantially outperformed other ensemble methods for high dimensional simulated data with low cluster separation, with 1.16 to 7.12 times better performance as measured by the Adjusted Rand Index. We also explore the performance of this approach through a case study that aims to identify probabilistic clusters of individuals based on electroencephalography (EEG) data. In applied settings for clustering individuals based on health data, the features of probabilistic allocation and measurement of model-based uncertainty in averaged clusters are useful for clinical relevance and statistical communication.
Studying item-effect variables and their correlation patterns with multi-construct multi-state models
Authors: Erhardt Tina H. , Gnambs Timo , Sengewald Marie-Ann
Published: August 2023

Method effects on the item level can be modeled as latent difference variables in longitudinal data. These item-effect variables represent interindividual differences associated with responses to a specific item when assessing a common construct with multi-item scales. In latent variable analyses, their inclusion substantially improves model fits in comparison to classical unidimensional measurement models. More importantly, covariations between different item-effect variables and with other constructs can provide valuable insights, for example, into the structure of the studied instrument or the response process. Therefore, we introduce a multi-construct multi-state model with item-effect variables for systematic investigations of these correlation patterns within and between constructs. The implementation of this model is demonstrated using a sample of N = 2,529 Dutch respondents that provided measures of life satisfaction and positive affect at five measurement occasions. Our results confirm non-negligible item effects in two ostensibly unidimensional scales, indicating the importance of modeling interindividual differences on the item level. The correlation pattern between constructs indicated rather specific effects for individual items and no common causes, but the correlations within a construct align with the item content and support a substantive meaning. These analyses exemplify how multi-construct multi-state models allow the systematic examination of item effects to improve substantive and psychometric research.
Microbiome distribution modeling using gradient descent strategies for mock, in vitro and clinical community distributions
Authors: Velasco-Álvarez Juan Ricardo , Torres y Torres Nimbe , Chairez Isaac , Castrejón-Flores José Luis
Published: August 2023

The human gut is home to a complex array of microorganisms interacting with the host and each other, forming a community known as the microbiome. This community has been linked to human health and disease, but understanding the underlying interactions is still challenging for researchers. Standard studies typically use high-throughput sequencing to analyze microbiome distribution in patient samples. Recent advancements in meta-omic data analysis have enabled computational modeling strategies to integrate this information into an in silico model. However, there is a need for improved parameter fitting and data integration features in microbial community modeling. This study proposes a novel alternative strategy utilizing state-of-the-art dynamic flux balance analysis (dFBA) to provide a simple protocol enabling accurate replication of abundance data composition through dynamic parameter estimation and integration of metagenomic data. We used a recurrent optimization algorithm to replicate community distributions from three different sources: mock, in vitro, and clinical microbiome. Our results show an accuracy of 98% and 96% when using in vitro and clinical bacterial abundance distributions, respectively. The proposed modeling scheme allowed us to observe the evolution of metabolites. It could provide a deeper understanding of metabolic interactions while taking advantage of the high contextualization features of GEM schemes to fit the study case. The proposed modeling scheme could improve the approach in cases where external factors determine specific bacterial distributions, such as drug intake.
Public health impact of antihypertensive medication use on arterial blood pressure: A pooled cross-sectional analysis of population health surveys
Authors: Montano Diego
Published: August 2023

The early initiation of antihypertensive drug therapy is conceived as one of the most important public health interventions addressing cardiovascular risk in the population. However, the actual contribution of this public health intervention to reduce blood pressure (BP) at the population level is largely unknown. Hence, the aim of the present investigation is to estimate the potential public health effects of the use of antihypertensive medication on BP in the population aged 16 and older. Data from three population health surveys periodically conducted in the United States, England, and Scotland are analysed (N= 362,275). The secular trends of BP measurements and the potential public health impact of the use of antihypertensive medications on BP over time are analysed in a series of linear mixed models. Between 1992 and 2019, a secular trend of decreasing systolic and diastolic BP occurred (−16.24 99% CI [−16.80; −15.68] and −3.08 99% CI [−3.36; −2.80] mmHg, respectively). The potential public health impact of the use of antihypertensive medications in the period 1992–2019 on systolic BP was estimated to lie between −8.56 99% CI [−8.34; −8.77] and −8.68 99% CI [−8.33; −9.03] mmHg. Average reduction of diastolic BP was in the range of −5.56 99% CI [−5.71; −5.42] and −6.55 99% CI [−6.78; −6.32] mmHg. The observed changes in the distribution of BP measurements over time were found to be more strongly related to secular trends affecting the whole populations, rather than to increases in the proportion of individuals taking antihypertensive medications.
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 lineages and associated saliva antibody responses among asymptomatic individuals in a large university community
Authors: Merling Marlena R. , Williams Amanda , Mahfooz Najmus S. , Ruane-Foster Marisa , Smith Jacob , Jahnes Jeff , Ayers Leona W. , Bazan Jose A. , Norris Alison , Norris Turner Abigail , Oglesbee Michael , Faith Seth A. , Quam Mikkel B. , Robinson Richard T.
Published: August 2023

SARS-CoV-2 (CoV2) infected, asymptomatic individuals are an important contributor to COVID transmission. CoV2-specific immunoglobulin (Ig)—as generated by the immune system following infection or vaccination—has helped limit CoV2 transmission from asymptomatic individuals to susceptible populations (e.g. elderly). Here, we describe the relationships between COVID incidence and CoV2 lineage, viral load, saliva Ig levels (CoV2-specific IgM, IgA and IgG), and ACE2 binding inhibition capacity in asymptomatic individuals between January 2021 and May 2022. These data were generated as part of a large university COVID monitoring program in Ohio, United States of America, and demonstrate that COVID incidence among asymptomatic individuals occurred in waves which mirrored those in surrounding regions, with saliva CoV2 viral loads becoming progressively higher in our community until vaccine mandates were established. Among the unvaccinated, infection with each CoV2 lineage (pre-Omicron) resulted in saliva Spike-specific IgM, IgA, and IgG responses, the latter increasing significantly post-infection and being more pronounced than N-specific IgG responses. Vaccination resulted in significantly higher Spike-specific IgG levels compared to unvaccinated infected individuals, and uninfected vaccinees’ saliva was more capable of inhibiting Spike function. Vaccinees with breakthrough Delta infections had Spike-specific IgG levels comparable to those of uninfected vaccinees; however, their ability to inhibit Spike binding was diminished. These data are consistent with COVID vaccines having achieved hoped-for effects in our community, including the generation of mucosal antibodies that inhibit Spike and lower community viral loads, and suggest breakthrough Delta infections were not due to an absence of vaccine-elicited Ig, but instead limited Spike binding activity in the face of high community viral loads.
The Gallery as Contact Zone: Renée Green’s Taste Venue, 1994, at Pat Hearn Gallery, New York
Authors: Ugelvig Jeppe
Published: August 2023

In 1994, artist Renée Green rendered the Pat Hearn Gallery as an open-ended site to study shifting taste cultures in New York City’s SoHo. The project tested the commercial gallery as a potential ‘contact zone’ (Mary Louise Pratt), where cultures meet and grapple with each other in asymmetrical relations of power. By embracing curatorial and museological tactics, she activated long-standing issues regarding the representation of race, first by ‘curating’ an exhibition of real and mimetic historical artefacts and second by refashioning the gallery as a venue for events. This article discusses how exhibitions may or may not facilitate contact zones. Focusing on postmodern ‘hipness’ in the 1990s, I argue that Green’s framing of the gallery as a site of trendiness complexifies Pratt’s idea of the contact zone as well as more classic sociological theories of class.
Tasmania’s Museum of Old and New Art and the Intertextual Traces of English Romanticism
Authors: Gladston Paul , Howarth-Gladston Lynne
Published: August 2023

Displays at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) in Hobart, Tasmania have been presented and received as an innovative democratizing departure from currently dominant curatorial paradigms. Attention is drawn in this article to multiple material similarities as well as resonances of signified meaning and affect between MONA and four sites of sublimely aestheticized experience/display constructed for socially elite audiences during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries as part of English romanticism. Viewed in this light, MONA can be understood to recast visual practices and aesthetic affects whose residual intertextual traces deconstructively qualify the museum’s existing presentation and reception.
No Master Territories: Feminist Worldmaking and the Moving Image
Authors: Adams Katherine
Published: August 2023

Review of: No Master Territories: Feminist Worldmaking and the Moving Image

Curated by Erika Balsom and Hila Peleg, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, 19 June–28 August 2022
The Curatorial Condition, Beatrice Von Bismarck
Authors: Ferraro Alessandro
Published: August 2023

Review of: The Curatorial Condition, Beatrice Von Bismarck

Berlin: Sternberg Press (2022), 206 pp., p/bk,

ISBN: 978-3-9567-9534-3, €22.00
Lgbtqia+ agenda and Critical Literacy
Authors: Pereira Lauro Sérgio Machado
Published: August 2023

Recently, the LGBTQIA+ agenda has received attention from researchers in Critical Applied Linguistics, since language education makes it possible to promote the coexistence of young people with diversity. However, the school curriculum is still quite conservative, and administrators and teachers see the topic as highly complex. This paper, anchored in theoretical notes from Critical Literacy, discusses a systematized proposal of activities developed in an English class of a vocational computing course integrated into High School at a federal public institution in Brazil. Carrying out the activities raised reflections around the fact that, from a critical perspective, texts approaching themes concerning gender identities can contribute to an education committed to a more inclusive and egalitarian society.
Resolution of the Council of Experts of May 20, 2023 "Issues of safety in the treatment of a rheumatological patient"
Authors: Alekseeva L. I. , Anoshenkova O. N. , Dolganova N. G. , Zholobova E. S. , Zonova E. V. , Lapshina S. A. , Korolev M. A. , Menshikova L. V. , Shesternya P. A. , Chasovskikh Yu. P.
Published: August 2023

At the meeting of the Expert Council on May 20, the safety of treatment for patients with osteoarthritis (OA), the most common form of joint disease, was discussed. The first step in the treatment of OA should be the administration of symptomatic delayed-acting agents (SYSADOA) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, given the current understanding of the pathogenesis of inflammation, as well as the fact that it is an active process involving multiple proinflammatory and pro-resolving mediators, it is reasonable to limit the cyclooxygenase-2 suppressive treatment and to include medications with multipurpose effects that contribute to the resolution of inflammation, in particular Zeel® T and Traumeel® S. Traumeel® S affects all stages of inflammation, mostly on the pro-resolving mediators synthesis, and Zeel® T affects chondrogenesis, inflammation, metabolic processes in cartilage tissue and prevents angiogenesis.

It was found that it is advisable to use Traumeel® S when it is not possible to prescribe systemic NSAIDs for pain relief. The combination of the proven therapeutic efficacy of Zeel® T and Traumeel® S with a minimal number of adverse events and the absence of interactions with other drugs allows them to be used as an independent treatment regimen for OA.
In Pursuit of “A Good Life”: Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit and Inuit Women’s Movements in and out of Mining Work
Authors: Mills Suzanne , Simmons Deborah , Williamson Karla Jessen
Published: August 2023

This article adopts a cross-cultural lens to understand why Inuit women enter and leave mining jobs in Inuit Nunangat (Inuit homelands), Canada, using Nunavik as a case study. Previous research has often depicted Indigenous women as either victims of mining or as anti-mining activists. Interviews with ten Nunavimmiut women (Inuit women of Nunavik), who had worked or were currently working at one of two mines in Nunavik, complicate these portrayals. As a team consisting of settler and Inuit scholars, we draw on Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles to extend previous understandings of Indigenous women’s pathways through, and out of, mining employment. Women’s descriptions of mining employment were ambivalent. Inuit women applied qanuqtuurunnarniq (resourcefulness) in using mining work to share with others, connect with Inuit culture and community after moving to southern cities, and participate in language and skills training. However, over half of the women interviewed ultimately left mining when it compromised their ability to achieve well-being by restricting their ability to care for their children, to develop their skills through job advancement, or both. Collectively, the narratives demonstrate how women adopted multi-faceted strategies to pursue a good life; they considered mining employment in relation to their ability to care for and share with others, work for a common purpose, acquire skills and training, and maintain connections with land and culture. By centring Inuit values and well-being, Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles prompt a reimagining of how mining might be reorganized to support the lives of Inuit women in the context of devastating impacts of colonial trauma and displacement.
Community Perspectives on Inuit Country Food Insecurity in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut
Authors: Desautels Jamie , Chapman Jacqueline , Schott Stephan
Published: August 2023

This paper explores how policies and programs can better support country food security and food sovereignty in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut. Through a series of six focus groups with a total of 74 participants, we explore the challenges that Elders, youth, hunters, food preparers, and program providers face in the access, availability, quality, and use of country food. Despite the diverse representation among focus groups, participants revealed similar challenges across demographics and highlighted how tailored policies and programs can provide complementary solutions that serve more than one purpose. We argue that policies and programs targeting financial and economic challenges; resources and infrastructure; and skills and knowledge will improve country food security and will promote food sovereignty. Ultimately, policies and programs must be community informed and tailored to their current context and community dynamics. However, the recommendations we provide could be adapted to other Arctic communities experiencing similar challenges.
What Gets Measured Gets Done: Challenges in Monitoring Water, Energy, and Food Security in Northern Canada
Authors: Bogdan Ana-Maria , Shah Tayyab , Sidloski Michaela , Lu Xiaojing , Li Meng , Ingram Shawn , Natcher David
Published: August 2023

This paper describes the challenges that were encountered during the collection of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators for water (SDG 6), energy (SDG 7), and food (SDG 2) security in northern Canada. Our findings indicate only 49% of indicator data were publicly available, while 21% had to be calculated using alternative sources or methods, 18% had to be replaced with proxy indicators for which data were available, and 12% of indicators were deemed unavailable entirely. The most common types of data challenges were associated with completeness, timeliness, and granularity. Given the current challenges faced by residents of northern Canada, with their livelihoods closely intertwined with the accessibility and availability of water, energy and food (WEF) resources, a comprehensive plan for data collection, storage, and management of WEF-related SDGs is required to advance WEF security from an aspirational to a transformative policy agenda.
Computational prediction of green fuels from crude palm oil in fluid catalytic cracking riser
Authors: Nuryadi Agus Prasetyo , Purwanto Widodo Wahyu , Susmayanti Windi , Sutriyanto Himawan , Dwiratna Bralin , Maswan Achmad
Published: August 2023

Fluid catalytic cracking could convert crude palm oil into valuable green fuels to substitute fossil fuels. This study aimed to predict the phenomenon and green fuels yield in the industrial fluid catalytic cracking riser using computational fluid dynamics. A three-dimensional transient simulation using the Eulerian-Lagrangian with the multiphase particle-in-cell is to investigate reactive gas-particle hydrodynamics and the four-lump kinetic network model with the rare earth-Y catalyst for crude palm oil cracking behaviors. The study results show that the fluid and catalyst velocity profile increase in the middle of the riser reactor because the cracking reaction process that produces OLP and Gas products has a lighter molecular weight. The endothermic reaction causes the temperature profile to decrease because the heat of the reaction comes from the catalyst. This analysis shows that the simulation accurately predicts green fuel products from crude palm oil. As a result, the crude palm oil conversion, organic liquid product yield, and Gas yield correspond to 70 wt%, 28.8 wt%, and 27.5 wt%, respectively. Compared to the experimental study, the computational prediction of yield products showed good agreement and determined the optimal riser dimension. The methodology and results are guidelines for optimizing the FCC riser process using CPO.
Analisis Porositas dan Permeabilitas Satuan Batupasir Formasi Ledok sebagai Potensi Batuan Reservoir Daerah Kedewan dan Sekitanya Bojonegoro, Jawa Timur
Authors: Yuwanto Sapto Heru , Rosadi Muhammad Zulvi
Published: August 2023

Daerah penelitian terletak pada Zona Rembang, secara  administratif yaitu Desa Beji dan sekitarnya, Kecamatan Kedewan, Kabupaten Bojonegoro, Provinsi Jawa Timur. Maksud dari penelitian ini adalah mengetahui kondisi geologi, geomorfologi, stratigrafi, struktur geologi, sejarah geologi, serta kualitas porositas dan permeabilitas untuk penentuan batuan reservoir pada daerah penelitian. Pada penelitian geologi kali ini dilakukan dengan penelitian permuakaan daerah penelitian, sedangkan analisis yang dilakukan adalah analisa petrografi, analisa mikropaleontologi analisis struktur geologi, analisis stratigrafi dan analisis sifat inti batuan yang menggunakan metode penimbangan serta sayatan tipis untuk mengetahui nilai porositas dan metode pengukuran dengan alat permeameter untuk mengetahui nilai permeabilitas batuoasr firmasi ledok.Geomorfologi pada daerah penelitisn dapat dibagi menjadi yaitu struktural dan denudasional untuk denudasional sendiri kita dapat membagi lagi menjadi dua klasifikasi yaitu D4, D5 untuk denudasional dan S5untuk satuan struktural. Susunan Stratigrafi dari yang paling tua ke yang mudah yaitu  Satuan Batuan Batu Kalkarenit, Satuan Batuan Napal  sisipan kalkarenit, Satuan Batupasir, dan Satuan Batuan Napal. Struktur geologi daerah penelitian yaitu Antiklin Kedewan, Antiklin Beji, Sesar Geser Kiri Diperkirakan. Rata-rata Porositas Satuan Batuan Batupasir Ledok dengan nilai rata-rata 34,665% (istimewa) dan nilai permeabilitas memiliki rata-rata 76,58133mD (baik), Maka dapat disimpulkan satuan Batuan BatupasirLedokberpotensi menjadi reservoir yang baik.