bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Youth political participation and digital movement in Indonesia: the case of #ReformasiDikorupsi and #TolakOmnibusLaw
Authors: Wahyuningroem Sri Lestari , Sirait Rheinhard , Uljanatunnisa Uljanatunnisa , Heryadi Dudy
Published: April 2024

The younger generations have always been at the forefront of and contributed significantly to social movements that are critical of state policies or respond to socio-political situations. This is also what happened in large movements involving young people in Indonesia, conventionally in the form of demonstrations and digital movements. This study seeks to explore the relationship between youth political participation, digital media, and the development of youth political identity by analyzing young people’s engagement in some of the most significant political protests in Indonesia during the mass protests of #ReformasiDikorupsi, a movement opposing the amendments of several important bills, and #TolakOmnibusLaw, a movement opposing the establishment of a new single bill related to labor and investment, between 2019 and 2020. By analyzing quantitative data through data mining from Twitter from October 2019 to November 2020 with the social network analysis method, this study discusses online youth participation in social movements and the way they shape their political identity. Our research found that young people play an active and central role in building online and offline movements. In particular, the online movement contributes to the growth of the offline protest movement, and vice versa, because of concerns about the practice of illiberal democracy.
Case Report: Marfan’s Syndrome with Neurofibromatosis Type-2
Authors: Vagha Jayant , Mishra Naman , Pashine Aishwarya A. , Naqvi Waqar M. , Varma Ashish R.
Published: April 2024

Background Marfan’s syndrome (MFS) and neurofibromatosis type-2 (NF-2) are rare autosomal dominant diseases caused due to mutations in chromosome number 15 and 22, respectively. The chance of both the diseases occurring in the same patient is extremely rare. Case presentation In this report a rare case of a 16-year-old boy having a coexistence of both MFS and NF-2 is reported. The clinical findings consisted of musculoskeletal abnormalities consisting of laxity of joints, positive Steinberg thumb sign test, positive Walker-Murdoch wrist test, dolichostenomelia, and arachnodactyly. Anthropometric abnormalities reported an increase in lower segment height than the upper segment. Diagnostic assessment revealed pectus carinatum, multiple meningioma, and heterogeneous lesions in bilateral cerebellopontine angle that were ruled out as bilateral schwannoma confirming the diagnosis of MFS and NF-2. However, both must be regarded as novel mutations, and as the position of the two genes is unrelated, it is most probable that two different mutations have occurred. β-blocker was recommended as a prophylactic measure to minimize aortic root stiffness and control aortic root dilatation. Furthermore, surgery and radiation therapy were planned for the management of NF-2; however, the patient expressed skepticism regarding the course of treatment and follow-ups; as a result, this data was reported at the time of discharge with non-specified duration of follow-ups. Conclusions This case report demonstrates a rare case of MFS which is caused due to mutation in chromosome number 15 along with NF-2 which is caused due to mutation in chromosome number 22. Since the positions of the two genes are unrelated, it is concluded that two distinct mutations have occurred. As a result, this report highlights a rare coexistence of both mutations, which will benefit the medical profession in enhancing future studies.
Demand for digital skills, skill gaps and graduate employability: Evidence from employers in Malaysia
Authors: Tee Poh Kiong , Wong Ling Chai , Dada Morakinyo , Song Bee Lian , Ng Chee Pung
Published: April 2024

Background A major workforce inadequacy and the change in skill demanded have been observed due to the digital transformation. This study aims to identify the digital skills demanded by employers, focusing on exploring the skills gaps among the graduates that impact graduate employability. Methods A cross sectional online survey was conducted among the companies registered with the Malaysian Productivity Corporation (MPC). Demand for digital skills was assessed using descriptive analysis of mean scores of the employers’ rating in digital skills at present and in future. A pair sample t-test was performed to explore the existence of skill gaps, by comparing the demand versus competencies of the graduates’ digital skills in the workplace. Results Of the 393 responses collected, 376 responses were used for final analysis. The findings show that the current top three digital skills in demand are “information and data literacy”, “problem-solving”, and “digital content creation”. Whereas the top digital skills for future demand are “problem-solving”, “safety”, and “communication and collaboration”. In addition, the most significant (digital) skill gap is found in “communication and collaboration skills” followed by “problem-solving” and “safety” skills. Conclusions These findings provide insights into the digital skills demanded by employers in IR 4.0, allowing the practitioners, education service providers and policymakers to do better planning on human capital management and training development. By focusing on identifying the current and future demand for digital skills while exploring the digital skill gaps among the graduates, this study provides insight into the employability skills required by the graduate before entering the job market.
Liquefied capsules containing nanogrooved microdiscs and umbilical cord-derived cells for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Carreira Mariana , Pires-Santos Manuel , Correia Clara R , Nadine Sara , Mano João F
Published: April 2024

Background Surface topography has been shown to influence cell behavior and direct stromal cell differentiation into distinct lineages. Whereas this phenomenon has been verified in two-dimensional cultures, there is an urgent need for a thorough investigation of topography’s role within a three-dimensional (3D) environment, as it better replicates the natural cellular environment. Methods A co-culture of Wharton’s jelly-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (WJ-MSCs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was encapsulated in a 3D system consisting of a permselective liquefied environment containing freely dispersed spherical microparticles (spheres) or nanogrooved microdiscs (microdiscs). Microdiscs presenting 358 ± 23 nm grooves and 944 ± 49 nm ridges were produced via nanoimprinting of spherical polycaprolactone microparticles between water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol counter molds of nanogrooved templates. Spheres and microdiscs were cultured in vitro with umbilical cord-derived cells in a basal or osteogenic medium within liquefied capsules for 21 days. Results WJ-MSCs and HUVECs were successfully encapsulated within liquefied capsules containing spheres and microdiscs, ensuring high cellular viability. Results show an enhanced osteogenic differentiation in microdiscs compared to spheres, even in basal medium, evidenced by alkaline phosphatase activity and osteopontin expression. Conclusions This work suggests that the topographical features present in microdiscs induce the osteogenic differentiation of adhered WJ-MSCs along the contact guidance, without additional differentiation factors. The developed 3D bioencapsulation system comprising topographical features might be suitable for bone tissue engineering approaches with minimum in vitro manipulation.
First onset of persistent neutropenia in patient undergoing long-term clozapine treatment after vaccination against COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 infection in short interval – a case report
Authors: Kawalec Alicja , Cichoń Lena , Wilczyński Krzysztof , Janas-Kozik Małgorzata
Published: April 2024

Wstęp
Klozapina jest jednym z najskuteczniejszych leków przeciwpsychotycznych, ale jej stosowanie jest ograniczone ze względu na ryzyko wystąpienia ciężkich działań niepożądanych, takich jak neutropenia i agranulocytoza. Największe ryzyko wystąpienia tych powikłań występuje na początku leczenia, ale mogą one również pojawić się w późniejszym etapie, szczególnie gdy występują dodatkowe czynniki ryzyka. W opisanym przypadku zarówno szczepienie przeciwko Covid-19, jak i następcza infekcja COVID-19 doprowadziły do ciężkiej neutropenii, nawracającej pomimo modyfikacji farmakoterapii. Prezentacja przypadku: 23-letnia kobieta, u której zdiagnozowano schizofrenię oporną na leczenie o wczesnym początku, była leczona klozapiną z satysfakcjonującym efektem przez ponad 10 lat. Tydzień po otrzymaniu pierwszej dawki szczepionki mRNA przeciwko Covid-19 u pacjentki rozwinęła się ciężka infekcja Covid-19 powikłana neutropenią, w wyniku czego podjęto decyzję o odstawieniu leku. Mimo iż pacjentka w pełni wyzdrowiała z infekcji wirusowej, ponowna stabilizacja jej stanu psychicznego pozostała niezadowalająca. Kilkukrotne zmiany leków przeciwpsychotycznych skutkowały jedynie częściową poprawą lub kolejnymi incydentami neutropenii, pomimo zaprzestania stosowania klozapiny. Konkluzja: Istnieje kilka możliwych patomechanizmów wpływających na opisany przebieg zdarzeń. Zarówno szczepienie, jak i zakażenie mogą potencjalnie prowadzić do przejściowego zwiększenia stężenia klozapiny bez zmiany dawkowania. Nieprawidłowa odpowiedź immunologiczna może również wpływać na tolerancję leczenia. Niemożliwe jest jednak określenie dokładnych czynników wpływających na nietypowy przebieg leczenie zaprezentowany przez pacjenta. Zgodnie z naszą obecną wiedzą jest to pierwszy zgłoszony przypadek uporczywej neutropenii wywołanej przez różne leki przeciwpsychotyczne po ekspozycji na antygeny SARS-CoV-2 .
Nonperforming Loan Disposals Without Resolution
Authors: Charoenwong Ben , Miao Meng , Ruan Tianyue
Published: April 2024

Using proprietary data on nonperforming loan (NPL) transactions in China, we document that banks conceal NPLs in disposal transactions that are supposed to resolve NPLs. In these transactions, banks provide financing and retain the credit risks and debt collection obligations. Transaction prices contradict underlying credit risks: Despite being delinquent for 4.5 years, the median NPL package is sold at face value with zero haircut. The majority of NPL packages are resold at a premium to banks’ non–government-owned borrowers, further supporting the concealment view. Banks under stricter regulation conceal NPLs more and engage in more illicit concealment. NPL-concealing banks increase zombie lending, suggesting that an ineffective resolution exacerbates credit misallocation. Recognizing the hidden NPLs implies the total NPLs in China is two to three times the reported amount.

This paper was accepted by Victoria Ivashina, finance.

Funding: B. Charoenwong acknowledges financial support from the Singapore Ministry of Education [AcRF Tier 1 Research Grant A-8000760-00-00]. T. Ruan acknowledges financial support from the National University of Singapore (NUS) [Start-Up Grant A-0003870-00-00]. B. Charoenwong and T. Ruan acknowledge financial support from the NUS Business School Financial Database [Grant N-311-000-251-001].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix and data files are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2022.02163 .
Impact of playful objects on wellbeing, emotions and engagement in patients with dementia and post-stroke cognitive impairment
Authors: Seckam Abdul , Treadaway Cathy , Jelley Benjamin James
Published: April 2024

Stroke is a major public health concern, and finding ways to support the wellbeing and emotional regulation of stroke patients with post-stroke cognitive decline or dementia is vitally important. HUG™ was developed to be used as a psychosocial intervention to reduce anxiety and provide comfort and pleasure to those with cognitive impairment. The aim of the ludic artefacts using gesture and haptics evaluation and making playful objects for wellbeing, emotional regulation and engagement for dementia post-stroke cognitive impairment (LAUGH EMPOWERED PSCI) study, a 2-year collaborative project between the NHS and Sunrise Senior Living, is to improve the lives of older people living with advanced stages of dementia and those living with post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Post-intervention qualitative data were gathered from NHS health professionals (n=20) via a series of interviews. A qualitative interpretive grounded practical theory methodology underpinned by a ‘compassionate design’ approach was used to analyse qualitative interviews. Two key themes were identified: evidence of improvement in patient care, and difficulties and negative responses to using HUG™ (patient and staff), with respective sub-themes also identified. Findings from this study reveal that HUG™ can be used successfully in a hospital context to improve patient wellbeing and reduce anxiety. Although not every patient who received a HUG™ responded positively, the device did have a significant positive impact on the quality of life and care of those who did. It is clear from this research that, although HUG™ is not the right solution for every patient, it is a useful alternative to prescribed medication for some patients who are anxious and distressed.
Atrial fibrillation and stroke in women: a ‘WISE’ perspective
Authors: Zedde Marialuisa , Pezzella Francesca Romana , Christensen Hanne , Christensen Louisa M.
Published: April 2024

Atrial fibrillation is one the most common forms of arrythmia and is more prevalent among men than in women. It is a heritable condition, and its main risk factors include obesity, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and heart disease, to name a few. This article explores the pathophysiology, clinical presentation and treatment between genders and the need for further research on this topic.
Ileorectal anastomosis in ulcerative colitis: what do surgeons and patients need to know? A systematic literature review
Authors: Orchard MR , Saracino A , Hooper J , Shabbir J
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA) is currently the gold standard for restoration of gastrointestinal continuity after colectomy for ulcerative colitis in the UK. However, with further experience of the risks relating to IPAA, the use of ileorectal anastomosis (IRA) is being revisited. Decisions regarding restorative surgery after colectomy are individual to every patient's circumstances, and this paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the literature to guide a full discussion of the risks and benefits of IRA.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted of papers published from 2000 onwards relating to IRA and ulcerative colitis, in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. The papers were reviewed by two independent surgeons for information it was felt that patients and surgeons would want to know about the operation (cancer risk, bowel function, sexual and urinary function, fecundity/fertility and postoperative complications).

Results

Seventeen papers were identified for inclusion as they reported original data on one or more of the categories identified for discussion. The median ten-year cancer risk after IRA was 2.8% and the median failure rate at ten years was 21%. IRA was generally found to have lower postoperative complication rates and better bowel function than IPAA, with sexual function similar and fecundity not commented on in any paper.

Conclusions

For some patients, IRA can offer restorative surgery in the short or long term, with acceptable cancer risk, failure rate and postoperative complications, while avoiding the higher risks associated with IPAA.
An analysis of the risk factors for intimate partner sexual violence against women and girls in Mexico
Authors: Torres Munguía Juan Armando
Published: April 2024

The goal of this study is to identify the extent to which a set of risk factors from the ecological model are associated with intimate partner sexual violence victimisation in Mexico.

To achieve this goal, a structured additive probit model is applied to a dataset of 35,004 observations and 42 correlates.

Findings indicate that age at sexual initiation, women’s sexual and professional autonomy, and social connectedness are associated with their victimisation risks.

The findings provide evidence of factors that were previously unknown in Mexico or were solely based on theory but lacking empirical analysis. There are four key contributions. First, findings indicate that factors closer to the individual, such as personal experiences and interpersonal relationships, are more influential in explaining the women’s risks of IPSV victimisation. Second, significant factors were identified, including age at first sexual intercourse, autonomy in sexual and professional decision-making, and social networks. Third, it was possible to identify high-risk population subgroups that are often overlooked, such as women who had their sexual initiation during childhood. Finally, the introduction of some emerging indicators allowed for the examination of the experiences faced by women in various aspects of life, such as decision-making power and social networks.
Improper statistics of the radiation from a randomly rotating source
Authors: Charnotskii Mikhail
Published: April 2024

In a previous study [J. Opt. 19, 0905603 (2017)JOOPDB0150-536X10.1088/2040-8986/aa7cac], we revealed that the complete second-order statistics of narrowband polarized waves are characterized by 13 parameters, in contrast to the four parameters of the traditional Stokes vector description of the statistics of partially polarized light. In this study, we analyzed the second-order statistics of the field of a randomly rotating source of electromagnetic radiation and showed that it includes covariance of the right- and left-circular polarizations that are not captured by the Stokes vector formalism. We illustrate this finding using simple examples of rotating quadrupoles and dipole pairs.
Supersymmetry journey from the Jaynes–Cummings to the anisotropic Rabi model
Authors: Kafuri A. , Maldonado-Villamizar F. H. , Moroz A. , Rodríguez-Lara B. M.
Published: April 2024

We revisit the Jaynes–Cummings and anti-Jaynes–Cummings model through the lens of the Lie theory, aiming to highlight the efficacy of an operator-based approach for diagonalization. We focus on explicitly delineating the steps from an underlying abstract supersymmetry, provided by the u(1|1) superalgebra, into concrete proper states and energies in the laboratory frame. Additionally, we explore the anisotropic Rabi model possessing an underlying supersymmetry, provided by the osp(2|2) superalgebra, in a squeezed reference frame, where it is possible to approximate its spectral characteristics by an effective Jaynes–Cummings model. Finally, we identify a regime for a factorizable anisotropic Rabi model, exhibiting an equally spaced, double degenerate energy spectrum with a unique ground state energy. Our work aims to merge mathematical physics with practical quantum optics, underscoring the critical role of the Lie theory.
Event-based asynchronous HDR imaging by temporal incident light modulation
Authors: Wu Yuliang , Tan Ganchao , Chen Jinze , Zhai Wei , Cao Yang , Zha Zheng-Jun
Published: April 2024

Dynamic range (DR) is a pivotal characteristic of imaging systems. Current frame-based cameras struggle to achieve high dynamic range imaging due to the conflict between globally uniform exposure and spatially variant scene illumination. In this paper, we propose AsynHDR, a pixel-asynchronous HDR imaging system, based on key insights into the challenges in HDR imaging and the unique event-generating mechanism of dynamic vision sensors (DVS). Our proposed AsynHDR system integrates the DVS with a set of LCD panels. The LCD panels modulate the irradiance incident upon the DVS by altering their transparency, thereby triggering the pixel-independent event streams. The HDR image is subsequently decoded from the event streams through our temporal-weighted algorithm. Experiments under the standard test platform and several challenging scenes have verified the feasibility of the system in HDR imaging tasks.
Hyperspectral image classification using a large selective kernel network hybridized to-kenization transformer
Authors: Wan Qing , He Yupeng , Gao Weizhe , Chen Feng , Chen Wenhui
Published: April 2024

One of the very popular deep learning-based techniques for classifying hyperspectral image (HSI) is convolutional neural networks (CNNs). However, extensive spatial-spectral infor-mation with several continuous bands is one of HSIs' main characteristics; this invariably leads to issues with large computing costs and computational complexity for network opti-mization. Additionally, current CNN-based classification techniques are only partially able to extract deep semantic characteristics. In response to these problems, this paper presents a novel HSI classification framework, a large selective kernel network, associated with a to-kenization transformer, namely LSKTT, which mainly includes three parts: First, HSI's spectral dimensions are decreased via principal component analysis, and a model for char-acterizing abstract feature representations by cascading a 3-D convolution layer and a 2-D convolution layer is employed. Second, to better model the ranging context of various ob-jects, the large selective kernel network is utilized by modifying its vast spatial receptive field dynamically. Third, a feature tokenization transformer is further utilized to exploit deeper semantic characteristics by converting and learning abstract spatial-spectral features. Experiments with three genuine HSIs show that the proposed LSKTT architecture beats many cutting-edge techniques in both qualitative and quantitative performance.
Ecological drift during colonization drives within-host and between-host heterogeneity in an animal-associated symbiont
Authors: Chen Jason Z. , Kwong Zeeyong , Gerardo Nicole M. , Vega Nic M.
Published: April 2024

Specialized host–microbe symbioses canonically show greater diversity than expected from simple models, both at the population level and within individual hosts. To understand how this heterogeneity arises, we utilize the squash bug, Anasa tristis, and its bacterial symbionts in the genus Caballeronia. We modulate symbiont bottleneck size and inoculum composition during colonization to demonstrate the significance of ecological drift, the noisy fluctuations in community composition due to demographic stochasticity. Consistent with predictions from the neutral theory of biodiversity, we found that ecological drift alone can account for heterogeneity in symbiont community composition between hosts, even when 2 strains are nearly genetically identical. When acting on competing strains, ecological drift can maintain symbiont genetic diversity among different hosts by stochastically determining the dominant strain within each host. Finally, ecological drift mediates heterogeneity in isogenic symbiont populations even within a single host, along a consistent gradient running the anterior-posterior axis of the symbiotic organ. Our results demonstrate that symbiont population structure across scales does not necessarily require host-mediated selection, as it can emerge as a result of ecological drift acting on both isogenic and unrelated competitors. Our findings illuminate the processes that might affect symbiont transmission, coinfection, and population structure in nature, which can drive the evolution of host–microbe symbioses and microbe–microbe interactions within host-associated microbiomes.
A weak coupling mechanism for the early steps of the recovery stroke of myosin VI: A free energy simulation and string method analysis
Authors: Blanc Florian E. C. , Houdusse Anne , Cecchini Marco
Published: April 2024

Myosin motors use the energy of ATP to produce force and directed movement on actin by a swing of the lever-arm. ATP is hydrolysed during the off-actin re-priming transition termed recovery stroke. To provide an understanding of chemo-mechanical transduction by myosin, it is critical to determine how the reverse swing of the lever-arm and ATP hydrolysis are coupled. Previous studies concluded that the recovery stroke of myosin II is initiated by closure of the Switch II loop in the nucleotide-binding site. Recently, we proposed that the recovery stroke of myosin VI starts with the spontaneous re-priming of the converter domain to a putative pre-transition state (PTS) intermediate that precedes Switch II closing and ATPase activation. Here, we investigate the transition from the pre-recovery, post-rigor (PR) state to PTS in myosin VI using geometric free energy simulations and the string method. First, our calculations rediscover the PTS state agnostically and show that it is accessible from PR via a low free energy transition path. Second, separate path calculations using the string method illuminate the mechanism of the PR to PTS transition with atomic resolution. In this mechanism, the initiating event is a large movement of the converter/lever-arm region that triggers rearrangements in the Relay-SH1 region and the formation of the kink in the Relay helix with no coupling to the active site. Analysis of the free-energy barriers along the path suggests that the converter-initiated mechanism is much faster than the one initiated by Switch II closure, which supports the biological relevance of PTS as a major on-pathway intermediate of the recovery stroke in myosin VI. Our analysis suggests that lever-arm re-priming and ATP hydrolysis are only weakly coupled, so that the myosin recovery stroke is initiated by thermal fluctuations and stabilised by nucleotide consumption via a ratchet-like mechanism.
Epidemiology of alcohol use and alcohol use disorder among female sex workers in Mbeya City, Tanzania
Authors: Augustine Andrew Kapaya , Maganga Lucas , Francis Joel Msafiri
Published: April 2024

Alcohol misuse is a global concern, contributing to 5.3% of total deaths and 132.6 million disability-adjusted life years worldwide. In Sub-Saharan African countries, the prevalence of Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) has risen, especially among female sex workers, due to increased availability and advertising. However, there are limited studies on alcohol use and AUD among female sex workers in Tanzania. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, patterns, and factors associated with alcohol use and AUD among sex workers in Mbeya city, Tanzania. In this cross-sectional study, 212 female sex workers in Mbeya city, Tanzania, seeking enrolment in the National Institute for Medical Research Mbeya Medical Research Centre’s registration cohort from July to November 2022. Structured interviews covered socio-demographics, alcohol screening (AUDIT-C and Timeline Follow Back Calendar), and sexual behaviours data. Data were analysed using Stata version 17. Descriptive analysis assessed alcohol consumption and AUD prevalence. Factors associated with alcohol use and AUD at bivariate analysis were identified using Chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests. All variables with p-value ≤ 0.20 were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model to identify factors associated with alcohol use and AUD. Among 212 participants, 86.6% reported alcohol use in the past 12 months, 85% in the past 30 days, and 98.5% met AUD criteria. Factors linked to recent alcohol consumption included primary education or higher, income above the median, and more than 10 sexual partners. Education level, marital status, income, and having dependents were significantly associated with heavy drinking episodes. The prevalence of AUD, alcohol use, and heavy episodic drinking were high among female sex workers in Mbeya city. Socio-demographic factors and risky sexual behaviours were associated with alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking highlighting the need for targeted interventions to combat alcohol abuse among female sex workers within the HIV program.
Aerobic exercise on the treadmill combined with transcranial direct current stimulation on the gait of people with Parkinson’s disease: A protocol for a randomized clinical trial
Authors: Moraca Gabriel Antonio Gazziero , Orcioli-Silva Diego , Legutke Beatriz Regina , Gutierrez Pedro Paulo , Sirico Thiago Martins , Zampier Vinicius Cavassano , Beretta Victor Spiandor , Gobbi Lilian Teresa Bucken , Barbieri Fabio Augusto
Published: April 2024

Gait impairments negatively affect the quality of life of people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD). Aerobic exercise (AE) is an alternative to alleviate these impairments and its combination with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has demonstrated synergistic effects. However, the effect of multitarget tDCS application (i.e., motor, and prefrontal cortices simultaneously) combined with physical exercise on gait impairments is still little known. Thus, the proposed randomized clinical trial will verify the acute effects of AE combined with tDCS applied on motor and prefrontal cortices separately and simultaneously on gait (spatial-temporal and cortical activity parameters) in PwPD. Twenty-four PwPD in Hoehn & Yahr stages I-III will be recruited for this crossover study. PwPD will practice AE on treadmill simultaneously with the application of anodal tDCS during four intervention sessions on different days (∼ one week of interval). Active tDCS will be applied to the primary motor cortex, prefrontal cortex, and both areas simultaneously (multitarget), with an intensity of 2 mA for 20 min. For sham, the stimulation will remain at 2 mA for 10 s. The AE will last a total of 30 min, consisting of warm-up, main part (20 min with application of tDCS), and recovery. Exercise intensity will be controlled by heart rate. Spatial-temporal and cortical activity parameters will be acquired before and after each session during overground walking, walking with obstacle avoidance, and walking with a cognitive dual task at self-preferred velocity. An accelerometer will be positioned on the fifth lumbar vertebra to obtain the spatial-temporal parameters (i.e., step length, duration, velocity, and swing phase duration). Prefrontal cortex activity will be recorded from a portable functional near-infrared spectroscopy system and oxygenated and deoxygenated hemoglobin concentrations will be analyzed. Two-way ANOVAs with repeated measures for stimulation and moment will be performed. The findings of the study may contribute to improving gait in PwPD. Trial registration: Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry (RBR-738zkp7).
miR-21, miR-221, miR-29 and miR-34 are distinguishable molecular features of a metabolically unhealthy phenotype in young adults
Authors: Méndez-Mancilla Alejandro , Turiján-Espinoza Eneida , Vega-Cárdenas Mariela , Hernández-Hernández Gloria Estela , Uresti-Rivera Edith Elena , Vargas-Morales Juan M. , Portales-Pérez Diana P.
Published: April 2024

Discrepancies between the measurement of body mass index (BMI) and metabolic health status have been described for the onset of metabolic diseases. Studying novel biomarkers, some of which are associated with metabolic syndrome, can help us to understand the differences between metabolic health (MetH) and BMI. A group of 1469 young adults with pre-specified anthropometric and blood biochemical parameters were selected. Of these, 80 subjects were included in the downstream analysis that considered their BMI and MetH parameters for selection as follows: norm weight metabolically healthy (MHNW) or metabolically unhealthy (MUNW); overweight/obese metabolically healthy (MHOW) or metabolically unhealthy (MUOW). Our results showed for the first time the differences when the MetH status and the BMI are considered as global MetH statures. First, all the evaluated miRNAs presented a higher expression in the metabolically unhealthy group than the metabolically healthy group. The higher levels of leptin, IL-1b, IL-8, IL-17A, miR-221, miR-21, and miR-29 are directly associated with metabolic unhealthy and OW/OB phenotypes (MUOW group). In contrast, high levels of miR34 were detected only in the MUNW group. We found differences in the SIRT1-PGC1α pathway with increased levels of SIRT1+ cells and diminished mRNA levels of PGCa in the metabolically unhealthy compared to metabolically healthy subjects. Our results demonstrate that even when metabolic diseases are not apparent in young adult populations, MetH and BMI have a distinguishable phenotype print that signals the potential to develop major metabolic diseases.
A provably lightweight and secure DSSE scheme, with a constant storage cost for a smart device client
Authors: Bulbul Salim Sabah , Abduljabbar Zaid Ameen , Mohammed Rana Jassim , Al Sibahee Mustafa A. , Ma Junchao , Nyangaresi Vincent Omollo , Abduljaleel Iman Qays
Published: April 2024

Outsourcing data to remote cloud providers is becoming increasingly popular amongst organizations and individuals. A semi-trusted server uses Searchable Symmetric Encryption (SSE) to keep the search information under acceptable leakage levels whilst searching an encrypted database. A dynamic SSE (DSSE) scheme enables the adding and removing of documents by performing update queries, where some information is leaked to the server each time a record is added or removed. The complexity of structures and cryptographic primitives in most existing DSSE schemes makes them inefficient, in terms of storage, and query requests generate overhead costs on the Smart Device Client (SDC) side. Achieving constant storage cost for SDCs enhances the viability, efficiency, and easy user experience of smart devices, promoting their widespread adoption in various applications while upholding robust privacy and security standards. DSSE schemes must address two important privacy requirements: forward and backward privacy. Due to the increasing number of keywords, the cost of storage on the client side is also increasing at a linear rate. This article introduces an innovative, secure, and lightweight Dynamic Searchable Symmetric Encryption (DSSE) scheme, ensuring Type-II backward and forward privacy without incurring ongoing storage costs and high-cost query generation for the SDC. The proposed scheme, based on an inverted index structure, merges the hash table with linked nodes, linking encrypted keywords in all hash tables. Achieving a one-time O(1) storage cost without keyword counters on the SDC side, the scheme enhances security by generating a fresh key for each update. Experimental results show low-cost query generation on the SDC side (6,460 nanoseconds), making it compatible with resource-limited devices. The scheme outperforms existing ones, reducing server-side search costs significantly.
Causality-driven multivariate stock movement forecasting
Authors: Díaz Berenguer Abel , Da Yifei , Bossa Matías Nicolás , Oveneke Meshia Cédric , Sahli Hichem
Published: April 2024

Our study aims to investigate the interdependence between international stock markets and sentiments from financial news in stock forecasting. We adopt the Temporal Fusion Transformers (TFT) to incorporate intra and inter-market correlations and the interaction between the information flow, i.e. causality, of financial news sentiment and the dynamics of the stock market. The current study distinguishes itself from existing research by adopting Dynamic Transfer Entropy (DTE) to establish an accurate information flow propagation between stock and sentiments. DTE has the advantage of providing time series that mine information flow propagation paths between certain parts of the time series, highlighting marginal events such as spikes or sudden jumps, which are crucial in financial time series. The proposed methodological approach involves the following elements: a FinBERT-based textual analysis of financial news articles to extract sentiment time series, the use of the Transfer Entropy and corresponding heat maps to analyze the net information flows, the calculation of the DTE time series, which are considered as co-occurring covariates of stock Price, and TFT-based stock forecasting. The Dow Jones Industrial Average index of 13 countries, along with daily financial news data obtained through the New York Times API, are used to demonstrate the validity and superiority of the proposed DTE-based causality method along with TFT for accurate stock Price and Return forecasting compared to state-of-the-art time series forecasting methods.
Aminotransferases as causal factors for metabolic syndrome: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Lingyu Meng , Hongguang Li , Mingdong Zhang , Na Li , Yahui Liu
Published: April 2024

Background

Circulating aminotransferases (ALT and AST) have been used as biomarkers for liver injury. The causal relationships between aminotransferases and metabolic syndrome remain ambiguous.

Methods

We conducted bidirectional and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses between aminotransferases and traits related to metabolic syndrome using genetic variants obtained from genome-wide association studies (GWASs). MR-PRESSO tests were adopted to remove outliers and eliminate pleiotropy. MR steiger tests were conducted to ensure the correct direction of the causal effects.

Results

Both aminotransferases were risk factors for essential hypertension. ALT is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The bidirectional causal relationship between ALT and hyperglycemia, serum lipids, and obesity was demonstrated. The effect of fasting glucose on AST was demonstrated, while type 2 diabetes did not affect AST. The effect of HDL-C on ALT and the effect of triglycerides on AST were found in multivariable MR analyses.

Conclusions

Our bidirectional MR analyses suggest that ALT and AST are causally associated with several metabolic syndrome-related traits, especially hypertension and type 2 diabetes. These findings highlight the potential role of aminotransferases as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for metabolic syndrome.
Genetic variant rs1205 is associated with COVID-19 outcomes: The Strong Heart Study and Strong Heart Family Study
Authors: Best Lyle G. , Erdei Esther , Haack Karin , Kent Jack W. , Malloy Kimberly M. , Newman Deborah E. , O’Leary Marcia , O’Leary Rae A. , Sun Quan , Navas-Acien Ana , Franceschini Nora , Cole Shelley A.
Published: April 2024

Background

Although COVID-19 infection has been associated with a number of clinical and environmental risk factors, host genetic variation has also been associated with the incidence and morbidity of infection. The CRP gene codes for a critical component of the innate immune system and CRP variants have been reported associated with infectious disease and vaccination outcomes. We investigated possible associations between COVID-19 outcome and a limited number of candidate gene variants including rs1205.

Methodology/Principal findings

The Strong Heart and Strong Heart Family studies have accumulated detailed genetic, cardiovascular risk and event data in geographically dispersed American Indian communities since 1988. Genotypic data and 91 COVID-19 adjudicated deaths or hospitalizations from 2/1/20 through 3/1/23 were identified among 3,780 participants in two subsets. Among 21 candidate variants including genes in the interferon response pathway, APOE, TMPRSS2, TLR3, the HLA complex and the ABO blood group, only rs1205, a 3’ untranslated region variant in the CRP gene, showed nominally significant association in T-dominant model analyses (odds ratio 1.859, 95%CI 1.001–3.453, p = 0.049) after adjustment for age, sex, center, body mass index, and a history of cardiovascular disease. Within the younger subset, association with the rs1205 T-Dom genotype was stronger, both in the same adjusted logistic model and in the SOLAR analysis also adjusting for other genetic relatedness.

Conclusion

A T-dominant genotype of rs1205 in the CRP gene is associated with COVID-19 death or hospitalization, even after adjustment for relevant clinical factors and potential participant relatedness. Additional study of other populations and genetic variants of this gene are warranted.
Applying user-centered design to improve drinking water consumer confidence reports: A Baltimore case study
Authors: Fox Mary A. , Agarwalla Vidisha , Iuliano Kayla R. , Munroe J. Harry , Nachman Keeve E. , Burke Thomas A.
Published: April 2024

The US Environmental Protection Agency is revising its policy on drinking water quality reports for consumers. These reports are intended to enhance the public’s “right to know” and to spur action to protect and promote safe water. However, these reports are known to be highly technical and difficult to access compromising their communication value. This study engaged a 10-person focus group to gather evidence on how these reports can be improved. We applied user-centered design principles to understand public drinking water consumer information needs and preferences and to develop new communication tools and methods. Through a set of in-depth interviews, we learned that most participants were unaware of the report until introduced to it during the study. The focus group participants voiced preferences for: better ways to convey technical information; more health information; a clearer understanding of costs and billing; and neighborhood or household level water quality information. Following the interviews, we convened two rounds of small group meetings to create new report designs and to review and refine the designs. The focus group developed a one-page summary statement, water contaminant trend charts, an interactive map, and other recommendations on ways to improve dissemination of the report. The project results, focus group recommendations and designs were submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency for consideration as the policy for these reports is finalized. We believe these findings provide valuable insights into water quality communication challenges and that this approach is widely applicable and can be informative for water utilities as they prepare future reports.
Guías docentes visuales y vídeo presentaciones del profesorado en la Universidad
Authors: Teruel Rodríguez Laura , Sánchez González María , López Álvarez Daniel
Published: April 2024

Este artículo aborda la experiencia de un proyecto de innovación educativa y comunicacional puesto en marcha por el Departamento de Periodismo de la Universidad de Málaga, España, cuyo objetivo era desarrollar guías docentes audiovisuales y vídeo presentaciones del profesorado. Con la finalidad de promover el aprendizaje y la replicabilidad, se describe su desarrollo y sus principales resultados y se realiza una evaluación multidimensional de los mismos, basada en la observación, el análisis de contenido y el sondeo, mediante encuesta, a los principales participantes y destinatarios. Pese a la dificultad sobrevenida, fruto de la pandemia, el balance es positivo, tanto en lo referente a visibilidad e impacto en red de los recursos creados, como en cuanto a la percepción del alumnado y los docentes implicados acerca de su utilidad. Durante dos cursos, se ha coordinado a cuarenta miembros (entre personal técnico, becarios en formación y profesorado) para producir estos contenidos didácticos que han visualizado 2800 personas en Youtube.
Investigation of outbreaks and risk factors for brucellosis in goat and sheep farms in central Thailand
Authors: Promsatit Satitpong , Heingraj Sasawan , Pumipuntu Natapol
Published: April 2024

Background and Aim: Brucellosis is a harmful disease that affects a wide range of animals and adversely affects both animal and human health. Brucella melitensis is a zoonotic disease that causes brucellosis in sheep and goats. This study aimed to identify human index cases, identify risk factors for brucellosis in goat and sheep farms, and establish recommendations for farmers.

Materials and Methods: An unmatched case-control study was conducted on goat or sheep farms in central Thailand. We utilized animal disease reports and outbreak investigation data extracted from the Department of Livestock Development, Thailand, and assessed these secondary data. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Serum samples were parallel tested for brucellosis using the modified Rose Bengal test and indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.

Results: An index case of human brucellosis was reported in the province of Chai Nat. Patients who were goat farmers or had previous experience of goat farming were included. Bacteria were introduced into the patient's farms by purchasing goats, grazing in public grassland, and insufficient biosecurity. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified a higher risk of brucellosis positivity in the large herd than in the small herd (adjusted odds ratio = 8.61; 95% confidence interval = 1.62-45.71).

Conclusion: These results suggest that goat or sheep farms with 50 heads should take further measures to prevent disease transmission, such as increasing the frequency of disease testing within the herd and strengthening the biosecurity system.

Keywords: brucellosis, goat farms, outbreak investigation, risk factor, sheep farms.
Consistency of video and photo surveys in measuring attractiveness of forest stands managed with varying intensities
Authors:   School of Forest Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101 Joensuu, Finland, Silvennoinen Harri , Pikkarainen Laura , Nakola Heini , Koivula Matti , Tyrväinen Liisa , Tikkanen Jukka , Chambers Philip , Peltola Heli
Published: April 2024

We evaluated the consistency of video, ordinary photo, and panoramic photo surveys in measuring the attractiveness (recreational use, scenic values etc.) of forest stands managed with varying intensities. We also evaluated possible effects on the results caused by the personal background of citizen respondents and how the respondents experienced the evaluation events. Our experimental sites were in mature Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests in eastern Finland and included two replicate sites which were unharvested (control, basal area 26 m2 ha–1), a selective cutting site (basal area 18 m2 ha–1), small openings sites (gap cut) with 5 and 20% retained trees, respectively, and one site which was clear cut with 3% retained trees. In our study, 71 volunteer forestry students evaluated the attractiveness of these sites from an ordinary photo, a panoramic photo, and a video, with a 0–10 scale. Based on this study, the unharvested forest was the most attractive and clear cutting was the least attractive, regardless of the evaluation method. This result was in line with a previous study using on-site evaluations of the same sites. The differences of respondents considering in how easy they felt to assess the attractiveness of the environment as a whole and in using different visualisation methods affected the result, unlike background variables of the respondents. The results of forest attractiveness were consistent between panoramic and ordinary photos, and the attractiveness scoring was slightly higher for them than for the video. We conclude that all the compared visualisation methods seem to be suitable for assessment of the attractiveness of forest views.