bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Health-Care and Supportive Services in General Population Disaster Shelters
Authors: Milburn Ashlea Bennett , McNeill Charleen C. , Clay Lauren , Springer Janice , Casey-Lockyer Mary
Published: August 2023

Objectives:

The Communication (C), Maintaining Health (M), Independence (I), Services, Support and Self-Determination (S), and Transportation (T) is a framework (C-MIST) for identifying functional needs in an emergency response. A C-MIST documentation tool provides shelter staff with a list of potential client needs and actions to address them. This retrospective review describes the needs and actions indicated on completed C-MIST documentation tools (ie, records) within domestic general population shelters following Hurricane Florence in 2018.

Methods:

A convenience sample of 1209 records completed by shelter disaster health services personnel was provided by the American Red Cross. The records correspond to client stays in 19 shelters between September and October 2018. Data abstracted from hardcopy forms were de-identified and recorded in a database. Summary statistics were computed.

Results:

High incidence needs included medical supplies for everyday care (including medications) not related to mobility (15.4%), medically or culturally needed diets (12.2%), durable medical equipment (9.7%), mental health care (8.8%), and transportation (8.4%). High incidence actions included replacement medication (9.3%), refer to Disaster Mental Health Services (6.4%), provide assistive mobility equipment (5.1%), provide diabetes management supplies (5.0%), provide alternative food and beverages (4.1%), and provide transportation (3.9%).

Conclusions:

The process for identifying health and functional support needs in shelters should be standardized through the use of the C-MIST framework.
Case C-817/19, Ligue des Droits Humains v. Council of Ministers (C.J.E.U.)
Authors: Duroy Sophie
Published: August 2023

On June 21, 2022, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), sitting as a Grand Chamber, rendered its decision in the preliminary ruling procedure C-817/19, Ligue des Droits Humains v. Council of Ministers. In its ruling, the CJEU held that the surveillance regime established by the Passenger Name Record Directive 2016/681 (PNR Directive) was compatible with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (CFREU/EU Charter). Nevertheless, the CJEU strictly circumscribed the Directive's transposition within EU member states' domestic laws. While restricting permissible interpretations of the PNR Directive's provisions and imposing strict limitations on its scope to ensure its conformity with the EU Charter, for the first time the Court upheld an instrument of indiscriminate surveillance as compatible with EU primary law. This represents a significant development in the CJEU's case law on privacy rights, which is likely to affect the negotiation and development of future PNR agreements with third countries, as well as the development of the ePrivacy Regulation, discussions surrounding the regulation of AI, and negotiations for international instruments aiming to address serious crimes. Further, the ruling confirms the CJEU's increasing convergence with the European Court of Human Rights' (ECtHR) case law on the matter, thus inscribing national security as a legitimate exception to the general prohibition of indiscriminate bulk data collection and retention in Europe.
Near-wall numerical coherent structures and turbulence generation in wall-modelled large-eddy simulation
Authors: Maeyama Hirotaka , Kawai Soshi
Published: August 2023

Near-wall turbulence structures and generation in the wall-modelled large-eddy simulation (WMLES) are revealed. To elucidate the turbulence structures driving a near-wall turbulence generation in the WMLES, flat-plate turbulent boundary-layer flows calculated by the WMLES and direct numerical simulation (DNS) are closely investigated. A conditional-averaging technique is applied to the instantaneous flow fields and the near-wall statistical structures of the ejection and sweep pairs, which produce the turbulence, are revealed to exist even in the WMLES although the structures are non-physically elongated compared with those obtained by the DNS. Since the near-wall turbulence structures in the WMLES are revealed not to be disordered, but to be coherent structures with low- and high-speed fluids alternating in the spanwise direction, it is suggested that the near-wall turbulence generation in the WMLES is explained by the numerically elongated coherent structures. Furthermore, the Reynolds number effects of wall-bounded turbulent flows, i.e. the appearance of the outer peak in the energy spectrum of the streamwise velocity fluctuations at increasing Reynolds numbers, is found not to be reproduced by the WMLES, and the origin of the outer peak is discussed in association with the inner–outer-layer interactions. The near-wall turbulence structures in the WMLES could depend heavily on the computational grids and the numerical methods. Therefore, additional cases varying the grid resolutions and the numerical methods (numerical schemes and sub-grid-scale models) are also conducted to confirm the consistency of the present conclusions.
Reimagining Public Safety: Defining “Community” in Participatory Research
Authors: Levy Naomi , Lerman Amy E. , Dixon Peter
Published: August 2023

In the context of a national movement to defund police departments, many American cities are starting to reimagine public safety, as activists demand new practices that maintain safety while minimizing harm, as well as ensuring accountability when harms occur. Drawing on Everyday Peace Indicators methodologies, we argue that “community-centered” measurement, combined with researcher-practitioner partnerships, can help move both researchers and policymakers toward a more meaningful approach to policy design and evaluation. However, the application of community-centered measurement to the context of American policing raises important theoretical and practical concerns—in particular, the question of how community is defined, and who gets to define it. In this article, we ask: how do we define “community” in participatory research contexts where the concept of community is overlapping and contested? Using the example of a recent study carried out in the City of Oakland, we illustrate the complexities of applying a community-centered measurement process to the case of public safety and, more broadly, to police reform in American cities. We conclude with a discussion of both the benefits and limitations of our own approach, as well as a set of considerations for those engaging in participatory research.
Cannabidiol negatively modulates adenosine A2A receptor functioning in living cells
Authors: Sánchez-Fernández Nuria , Gómez-Acero Laura , Sarasola Laura I. , Argerich Josep , Chevigné Andy , Jacobson Kenneth A. , Ciruela Francisco , Fernández-Dueñas Víctor , Aso Ester
Published: August 2023

Objectives:

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a phytocannabinoid with great potential in clinical applications. The mechanism(s) of action of CBD require further investigation. Previous studies suggested that adenosine A2A receptors (A2ARs) could play a role in CBD-induced effects. Here, we evaluated the ability of CBD to modify the function of A2AR.

Methods:

We used HEK-293T cells transfected with the cDNA encoding the human A2AR and Gαs protein, both modified to perform bioluminescence-based assays. We first assessed the effect of CBD on A2AR ligand binding using an A2AR NanoLuciferase sensor. Next, we evaluated whether CBD modified A2AR coupling to mini-Gαs proteins using the NanoBiT™ assay. Finally, we further assessed CBD effects on A2AR intrinsic activity by recording agonist-induced cAMP accumulation.

Results:

CBD did not bind orthosterically to A2AR but reduced the coupling of A2AR to Gαs protein and the subsequent generation of cAMP.

Conclusion:

CBD negatively modulates A2AR functioning.
Epistemic Markers in the Scientific Discourse
Authors: Malaterre Christophe , Léonard Martin
Published: August 2023

The central role of such epistemic concepts as theory, explanation, model, or mechanism is rarely questioned in philosophy of science. Yet, what is their actual use in the practice of science? Here, we deploy text-mining methods to investigate the usage of 61 epistemic notions in a corpus of full-text articles from the biological and biomedical sciences (N = 73,771). The influence of disciplinary context is also examined by splitting the corpus into subdisciplinary clusters. The results reveal the intricate semantic networks that these concepts actually form in the scientific discourse, not always following our intuitions, at least in some parts of science.
New mock theta functions and formulas for basic hypergeometric series
Authors: Yao Olivia X. M.
Published: August 2023

In recent years, mock theta functions in the modern sense have received great attention to seek examples of q-hypergeometric series and find their alternative representations. In this paper, we discover some new mock theta functions and express them in terms of Hecke-type double sums based on some basic hypergeometric series identities given by Z.G. Liu.
A kinetic model for pure electron plasma compression via the rotating wall technique
Authors: Lazarow M. , Kur E. , Zhmoginov A. , Fajans J. , Wurtele J.S.
Published: August 2023

An approximate model for pure electron plasma compression is developed for the case where the rotating wall (RW) electric field couples to the

$E\times B$

rotation and axial bounce motion of the electrons. The key assumption in the model is that, throughout the compression, the plasma remains in a slowly evolving thermal equilibrium defined by the plasma temperature and angular momentum. Linearized drift kinetic theory is employed to derive an expression for torque exerted by the RW field on the plasma through coupling to the resonant plasma particles, and averaging is used to find the torque that both compresses and heats the plasma. The evolution equations for the angular velocity and temperature of the plasma include the compression and heating from the torque and cooling from cyclotron radiation.
Ying Wa boys in early colonial Hong Kong
Authors: Wong Man Kong
Published: August 2023

Previous studies of the Ying Wa College (英華書院) in early Hong Kong overlooked the role of the students. The scarcity of relevant sources could well justify such an oversight. This article aims at filling this gap through the careful use of London Missionary Society (LMS) materials. Not only does it aim to highlight significant aspects of the college, its unique history, its English education and its practice of Christian faith, it also discusses the careers of some graduates in Hong Kong, China and the world. This article argues that these Ying Wa boys formed a bridge that connected the Western and Chinese worlds. Their impact was felt through the spread of Christianity and global China business, on the one hand, and as a connection between the people and the government in colonial Hong Kong, Qing China and overseas Chinese communities in Singapore and Australia.
In Defence of Pigou–Dalton for Chances
Authors: Stefánsson H. Orri
Published: August 2023

I defend a weak version of the Pigou–Dalton principle for chances. The principle says that it is better to increase the survival chance of a person who is more likely to die rather than a person who is less likely to die, assuming that the two people do not differ in any other morally relevant respect. The principle justifies plausible moral judgements that standard ex post views, such as prioritarianism and rank-dependent egalitarianism, cannot accommodate. However, the principle can be justified by the same reasoning that has recently been used to defend the core axiom of ex post prioritarianism and egalitarianism, namely, Pigou–Dalton for well-being. The arguably biggest challenge for proponents of Pigou–Dalton for chances is that it violates state dominance for social prospects. However, I argue that we have independent reason for rejecting state dominance for social prospects, since it prevents a social planner from properly respecting people's preferences.
The role of quality in the grain market: wheat prices formation in eighteenth-century Northern Italy
Authors: Ongaro Giulio , Prosperi Laura , Ronsijn Wouter
Published: August 2023

The aim of this paper is to analyse the role of wheat quality in the formation of wheat prices in the early modern period, adopting eighteenth-century northern Italy as a case study. Wheat prices have been widely used by economic historians to calculate living standards, determine the degree of market integration, and date famines. Rarely, however, have economic historians focused on how wheat prices were determined. By looking at the wheat supply chain, we will try to make more visible the extent to which wheat quality was crucial in determining the value of wheat and, as a consequence, the final price of grain.
Combining Congenital Heart Surgical and Interventional Cardiology Outcome Data in a Single Database: The Development of a Patient-Centered Collaboration of the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association (ECHSA) and the Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC)
Authors: Jacobs Jeffrey P. , Krasemann Thomas , Herbst Claudia , Tobota Zdzislaw , Maruszewski Bohdan , Fragata Jose , Ebels Tjark , Vida Vladimiro L. , Mattila Ilkka , Kansy Andrzej , Asfour Boulos , Hörer Jürgen , Lotto Attilio A. , Sertaç Çiçek M. , Liuba Petru , Dittrich Sven , Chessa Massimo , Bökenkamp Regina , Sharland Gurleen , Hanséus Katarina , Blom Nico A. , Sarris George E.
Published: August 2023

The European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association (ECHSA) Congenital Database (CD) is the second largest clinical pediatric and congenital cardiac surgical database in the world and the largest in Europe, where various smaller national or regional databases exist. Despite the dramatic increase in interventional cardiology procedures over recent years, only scattered national or regional databases of such procedures exist in Europe. Most importantly, no congenital cardiac database exists in the world that seamlessly combines both surgical and interventional cardiology data on an international level; therefore, the outcomes of surgical and interventional procedures performed on the same or similar patients cannot easily be tracked, assessed, and analyzed. In order to fill this important gap in our capability to gather and analyze information on our common patients, ECHSA and The Association for European Paediatric and Congenital Cardiology (AEPC) have embarked on a collaborative effort to expand the ECHSA-CD with a new module designed to capture data about interventional cardiology procedures. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe the concept, the structure, and the function of the new AEPC Interventional Cardiology Part of the ECHSA-CD, as well as the potentially valuable synergies provided by the shared interventional and surgical analyses of outcomes of patients. The new AEPC Interventional Cardiology Part of the ECHSA-CD will allow centers to have access to robust surgical and transcatheter outcome data from their own center, as well as robust national and international aggregate outcome data for benchmarking. Each contributing center or department will have access to their own data, as well as aggregate data from the AEPC Interventional Cardiology Part of the ECHSA-CD. The new AEPC Interventional Cardiology Part of the ECHSA-CD will allow cardiology centers to have access to aggregate cardiology data, just as surgical centers already have access to aggregate surgical data. Comparison of surgical and catheter interventional outcomes could potentially strengthen decision processes. A study of the wealth of information collected in the database could potentially also contribute toward improved early and late survival, as well as enhanced quality of life of patients with pediatric and/or congenital heart disease treated with surgery and interventional cardiac catheterization across Europe and the world.
Multilevel factors predict treatment response following semantic feature-based intervention in bilingual aphasia
Authors: Scimeca Michael , Peñaloza Claudia , Kiran Swathi
Published: August 2023

Semantic feature-based treatments (SFTs) are effective rehabilitation strategies for word retrieval deficits in bilinguals with aphasia (BWA). However, few studies have prospectively evaluated the effects of key parameters of these interventions on treatment outcomes. This study examined the influence of intervention-level (i.e., treatment language and treatment sessions), individual-level (baseline naming severity and age), and stimulus-level (i.e., lexical frequency, phonological length, and phonological neighborhood density) factors on naming improvement in a treated and untreated language for 34 Spanish–English BWA who completed 40 hours of SFT. Results revealed significant improvement over time in both languages. In the treated language, individuals who received therapy in their L1 improved more. Additionally, higher pre-treatment naming scores predicted greater response to treatment. Finally, a frequency effect on baseline naming accuracy and phonological effects on accuracy over time were associated with differential treatment gains. These findings indicate that multilevel factors are influential predictors of bilingual treatment outcomes.
Early pension withdrawals in Chile during the pandemic
Authors: Fuentes Olga M. , Mitchell Olivia S. , Villatoro Félix
Published: August 2023

At the onset of the Covid-19 crisis, and with one of the largest and best-funded defined contribution programs in Latin America, Chile held over USD $200 bn in assets (or more than 80% of GDP). Reacting to populist pressures during the pandemic, however, the Congress gave non-retired participants three separate opportunities to tap into their retirement accounts, leaving some 4.2 million participants with zero retirement savings and draining around $50 bn from the system. This paper explores several hypotheses regarding why people withdrew their pension money early, and it also presents evidence regarding the likely impact of this short-term policy on long-term retirement wellbeing. We conclude with lessons for global policymakers seeking to protect pension assets critical for retirement security.
A Local Housing Market in the Great Depression
Authors: Harris Richard
Published: August 2023

Housing figures prominently during economic crises, a notable example being the Great Depression. Because housing is immobile, its market is very localized. In each city, the main agents are closely interconnected. Lenders depend on mortgaged homeowners and landlords to maintain payments; landlords rely on tenants; municipalities need all property owners to pay taxes. The Depression experiences of tenants, homeowners, and federal housing programs are well-appreciated; those of landlords and private lenders much less so. Considering the role of all agents, this case study of Hamilton, Ontario, focuses on owners and private lenders and asks who lost property, to whom, and how. Drawing on land registry and property tax records, city directories, and newspaper accounts, it documents the pattern and trajectory of defaults experienced by homeowners, landlords, and private lenders. Contemporaries and historians have used foreclosures as a measure of distress, but many borrowers defaulted voluntarily. The experience of Hamilton’s homeowners was similar to those in U.S. cities. Local landlords experienced higher rates of defaults than homeowners; private lenders foreclosed less often than lending institutions. Along with municipalities, both learned to be flexible in demanding payments. The high incidence of private mortgages, the stability of lending institutions, and the marginal role of the federal government were distinctively Canadian, but in general Hamilton’s experience is more broadly indicative.
Hnrnpk is essential for embryonic limb bud development as a transcription activator and a collaborator of insulator protein Ctcf
Authors: Chen Yuyu , Zhou Taifeng , Liao Zhiheng , Gao Wenjie , Wu Jinna , Zhang Shun , Li Yongyong , Liu Hengyu , Zhou Hang , Xu Caixia , Su Peiqiang
Published: August 2023

Proper development of the limb bud relies on the concordance of various signals, but its molecular mechanisms have not yet been fully illustrated. Here we report that heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) is essential for limb bud development. Its ablation in the limb bud results in limbless forelimbs and severe deformities of the hindlimbs. In terms of mechanism, hnRNPK functions as a transcription activator for the vital genes involved in the three regulatory axes of limb bud development. Simultaneously, for the first time we elucidate that hnRNPK binds to and coordinates with the insulator protein CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) to maintain a three-dimensional chromatin architecture. Ablation of hnRNPK weakens the binding strength of CTCF to topologically associating domain (TAD) boundaries, then leading to the loose TADs, and decreased interactions between promoters and enhancers, and further decreased transcription of developmental genes. Our study establishes a fundamental and novel role of hnRNPK in regulating limb bud development.
Gyrotactic microorganism hybrid nanofluid over a Riga plate subject to activation energy and heat source: numerical approach
Authors: Algehyne Ebrahem A. , Saeed Anwar , Arif Muhammad , Bilal Muhammad , Kumam Poom , Galal Ahmed M.
Published: August 2023

The current article aims to examine the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) impact on the flow of MgO–Ag/water-based hybrid nanoliquid with motile microorganisms and the fluid is allowed to flow over a Riga plate subject to slip effects and activation energy. Furthermore, the presence of a uniform heat source/sink is also addressed in the energy equation. In addition to this, the thermophoresis effect is highlighted in the concentration equation. From the present proposed model, we get a non-linear system of the governing equations. The obtained system of partial differential equations (PDEs) is converted to the dimensionless system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using the similarity transformation. The obtained high non-linear system of equations has been solved numerically, using the parametric continuation method (PCM). In the present analysis, the main motivation is to highlight the heat transfer rate of MgO–Ag/water-based hybrid nanofluid flow over a Riga plate. The second motivation of the present research is to highlight the impact of slip conditions on the velocity, energy, and mass profiles. From the graphical analysis, it is depicted that the slip conditions reduce the velocity, energy, and mass outlines. From the present analysis, we concluded that volume friction reduced the flow profile while increasing the temperature of the fluid flow over a Riga plate. All the parameters of the present research are highlighted in velocity temperature and concertation of the fluid. In addition to this in all the figures we have compared the hybrid nanofluid with mono nanofluid and the also the comparison between slip and no-slip conditions have carried out through graphs for velocity, temperature, and concentration.
Global site-specific health impacts of fossil energy, steel mills, oil refineries and cement plants
Authors: Oberschelp Christopher , Pfister Stephan , Hellweg Stefanie
Published: August 2023

Climate change and particulate matter air pollution present major threats to human well-being by causing impacts on human health. Both are connected to key air pollutants such as carbon dioxide (CO$$_\text {2}$$

2

), primary fine particulate matter (PM$$_\text {2.5}$$

2.5

), sulfur dioxide (SO$$_\text {2}$$

2

), nitrogen oxides (NO$$_\text {x}$$

x

) and ammonia (NH$$_\text {3}$$

3

), which are primarily emitted from energy-intensive industrial sectors. We present the first study to consistently link a broad range of emission measurements for these substances with site-specific technical data, emission models, and atmospheric fate and effect models to quantify health impacts caused by nearly all global fossil power plants, steel mills, oil refineries and cement plants. The resulting health impact patterns differ substantially from far less detailed earlier studies due to the high resolution of included data, highlighting in particular the key role of emission abatement at individual coal-consuming industrial sites in densely populated areas of Asia (Northern and North-Eastern India, Java in Indonesia, Eastern China), Western Europe (Germany, Belgium, Netherlands) as well as in the US. Of greatest health concern are the high SO$$_\text {2}$$

2

emissions in India, which stand out due to missing flue gas treatment and cause a particularly high share of local health impacts despite a limited number of emission sites. At the same time, the massive infrastructure and export capacity build-up in China in recent years is taking a substantial toll on regional and global health and requires more stringent regulation than in the rest of the world due to unfavorable environmental conditions and high population densities. The current phase-out of highly emitting industries in Europe is found not to have started with sites having the greatest health impacts. Our detailed site-specific emission and impact inventory is able to highlight more effective alternatives and to track future progress.
Evaluation of the anticancer activity of RIN-1, a Notch signaling modulator, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Czerwonka Arkadiusz , Kałafut Joanna , Wang Shaoxia , Anameric Alinda , Przybyszewska-Podstawka Alicja , Mattsson Jesse , Karbasian Mahtab , Le Manach Doriane , Toriseva Mervi , Nees Matthias
Published: August 2023

Notch signalling is one of the key molecular pathways involved in cell-to-cell signal transduction. Although the mechanisms of action of the NOTCH receptors are already relatively well known, their biological implications remain unclear, especially during the initiation and progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here, we present the growth- and differentiation-modulating effects of various “next generation” small molecule Notch modulators represented by RIN-1, and CB-103, on HNSCC, compared to gamma secretase inhibitors as “conventional” NOTCH interfering compounds, like DAPT. These molecules were tested in different cell- and tissue culture conditions represented by 2D monolayer, non-adherent or spheroid culture, 3D organoid cultures, and zebrafish in vivo model. The most pronounced, pleiotropic effects were observed for the NOTCH modulator RIN-1. At the molecular level, RIN-1-dependent activation of Notch signalling led to characteristic changes in the expression of NOTCH-regulated targets, i.e., the transcriptional suppressors HES1 and HEY1, p21 (CDKN1A) cell cycle inhibitor, and pro-apoptotic BAX markers. These changes led to restriction of proliferation, growth, and reduced motility of HNSCC cells in 2D cultures. Consequently, cell cycle arrest in the G2-M phase and induction of apoptosis were observed. Similar anticancer effects were observed in 3D cultures and in the zebrafish model. In contrast, RIN-1 treatment resulted in inhibition of Notch signalling and the growth of HNSCC spheroids under non-adherent cell culture conditions. Our results suggest that modulation of Notch signalling could be used as a chemotherapeutic agent in selected patients with intact NOTCH signaling.
A hybrid-qudit representation of digital RGB images
Authors: Das Sreetama , Caruso Filippo
Published: August 2023

Quantum image processing is an emerging topic in the field of quantum information and technology. In this paper, we propose a new quantum image representation of RGB images with deterministic image retrieval, which is an improvement over all the similar existing representations in terms of using minimum resource. We use two entangled quantum registers constituting of total 7 qutrits to encode the color channels and their intensities. Additionally, we generalize the existing encoding methods by using both qubits and qutrits to encode the pixel positions of a rectangular image. This hybrid-qudit approach aligns well with the current progress of NISQ devices in incorporating higher dimensional quantum systems than qubits. We then describe the image encoding method using higher-order qubit-qutrit gates, and demonstrate the decomposition of these gates in terms of simpler elementary gates. We use the Google Cirq’s quantum simulator to verify the image preparation in both the ideal noise-free scenario and in presence of realistic noise modelling. We show that the complexity of the image encoding process is linear in the number of pixels. Lastly, we discuss the image compression and some basic RGB image processing protocols using our representation.
Identifying COVID-19 cases and extracting patient reported symptoms from Reddit using natural language processing
Authors: Guo Muzhe , Ma Yong , Eworuke Efe , Khashei Melissa , Song Jaejoon , Zhao Yueqin , Jin Fang
Published: August 2023

We used social media data from “covid19positive” subreddit, from 03/2020 to 03/2022 to identify COVID-19 cases and extract their reported symptoms automatically using natural language processing (NLP). We trained a Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers classification model with chunking to identify COVID-19 cases; also, we developed a novel QuadArm model, which incorporates Question-answering, dual-corpus expansion, Adaptive rotation clustering, and mapping, to extract symptoms. Our classification model achieved a 91.2% accuracy for the early period (03/2020-05/2020) and was applied to the Delta (07/2021–09/2021) and Omicron (12/2021–03/2022) periods for case identification. We identified 310, 8794, and 12,094 COVID-positive authors in the three periods, respectively. The top five common symptoms extracted in the early period were coughing (57%), fever (55%), loss of sense of smell (41%), headache (40%), and sore throat (40%). During the Delta period, these symptoms remained as the top five symptoms with percent authors reporting symptoms reduced to half or fewer than the early period. During the Omicron period, loss of sense of smell was reported less while sore throat was reported more. Our study demonstrated that NLP can be used to identify COVID-19 cases accurately and extracted symptoms efficiently.
Molecular tools prove little auks from Svalbard are extremely selective for Calanus glacialis even when exposed to Atlantification
Authors: Balazy Kaja , Trudnowska Emilia , Wojczulanis-Jakubas Katarzyna , Jakubas Dariusz , Præbel Kim , Choquet Marvin , Brandner Melissa M. , Schultz Mads , Bitz-Thorsen Julie , Boehnke Rafał , Szeligowska Marlena , Descamps Sébastien , Strøm Hallvard , Błachowiak-Samołyk Katarzyna
Published: August 2023

Two Calanus species, C. glacialis and C. finmarchicus, due to different life strategies and environmental preferences act as an ecological indicators of Arctic Atlantification. Their high lipid content makes them important food source for higher trophic levels of Arctic ecosystems including the most abundant Northern Hemisphere's seabird, the little auk (Alle alle). Recent studies indicate a critical need for the use of molecular methods to reliably identify these two sympatric Calanus species. We performed genetic and morphology-based identification of 2600 Calanus individuals collected in little auks foraging grounds and diet in summer seasons 2019–2021 in regions of Svalbard with varying levels of Atlantification. Genetic identification proved that 40% of Calanus individuals were wrongly classified as C. finmarchicus according to morphology-based identification in both types of samples. The diet of little auks consisted almost entirely of C. glacialis even in more Atlantified regions. Due to the substantial bias in morphology-based identification, we expect that the scale of the northern expansion of boreal C. finmarchicus may have been largely overestimated and that higher costs for birds exposed to Atlantification could be mostly driven by a decrease in the size of C. glacialis rather than by shift from C. glacialis to C. finmarchicus.
Impact of switching between reference biologics and biosimilars of tumour necrosis factor inhibitors for rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: de Oliveira Ascef Bruna , Almeida Matheus Oliveira , de Medeiros-Ribeiro Ana Cristina , de Oliveira Andrade Danieli Castro , de Oliveira Junior Haliton Alves , de Soárez Patrícia Coelho
Published: August 2023

What is the impact of switching between biologics and biosimilars of adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab on efficacy and safety for rheumatoid arthritis? A systematic review and network meta-analysis were performed to compare switching and non-switching groups of treatments. Pooled Risk Relative (RR) or standardised mean differences (SMD) with 95% credible intervals (95% CrIs) were obtained. Seventeen randomized trials with a switching phase involving 6,562 patients were included. Results showed that a single switch from biologics to biosimilars compared to continuing biologics had comparable effects for primary and co-primary outcomes, the American College of Rheumatology criteria with 20% response (ACR20) (7 trials, 1,926 patients, RR 0.98, 95% CrIs 0.93 to 1.03) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire—Disability Index (HAQ-DI) (5 trials, 1,609 patients, SMD − 0.07, 95% CrIs − 0.23 to 0.1), and within the equivalence margins: ACR20 [RR 0.94, 1.06] and HAQ-DI [SMD − 0.22, 0.22]. The risk of treatment-emergent adverse events, discontinuation, and positive anti-drug antibodies were comparable after switching. Safety results were imprecise, and the follow-up period might not be sufficient to evaluate long-term effects, especially malignancies. Overall, the practice of single switching between approved biologics and biosimilars of Tumour Necrosis Factor inhibitors is efficacious and safe for rheumatoid arthritis.
A framework for subsurface monitoring by integrating reservoir simulation with time-lapse seismic surveys
Authors: van IJsseldijk Johno , Hajibeygi Hadi , Wapenaar Kees
Published: August 2023

Reservoir simulations for subsurface processes play an important role in successful deployment of geoscience applications such as geothermal energy extraction and geo-storage of fluids. These simulations provide time-lapse dynamics of the coupled poromechanical processes within the reservoir and its over-, under-, and side-burden environments. For more reliable operations, it is crucial to connect these reservoir simulation results with the seismic surveys (i.e., observation data). However, despite being crucial, such integration is challenging due to the fact that the reservoir dynamics alters the seismic parameters. In this work, a coupled reservoir simulation and time-lapse seismic methodology is developed for multiphase flow operations in subsurface reservoirs. To this end, a poromechanical simulator is designed for multiphase flow and connected to a forward seismic modeller. This simulator is then used to assess a novel methodology of seismic monitoring by isolating the reservoir signal from the entire reflection response. This methodology is shown to be able to track the development of the fluid front over time, even in the presence of a highly reflective overburden with strong time-lapse variations. These results suggest that the proposed methodology can contribute to a better understanding of fluid flow in the subsurface. Ultimately, this will lead to improved monitoring of reservoirs for underground energy storage or production.
Water stress memory in wheat/maize intercropping regulated photosynthetic and antioxidative responses under rainfed conditions
Authors: Hussain Sadam , Wang JinJin , Asad Naseer Muhammad , Saqib Muhammad , Siddiqui Manzer H. , Ihsan Fahid , Xiaoli Chen , Xiaolong Ren , Hussain Saddam , Ramzan Hafiz Naveed
Published: August 2023

Drought is a most prevalent environmental stress affecting the productivity of rainfed wheat and maize in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China. Sustainable agricultural practices such as intercropping are important for enhancing crop performance in terms of better physiological and biochemical characteristics under drought conditions. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant enzyme activities are associated with improved abiotic tolerance in crop plants, however, its molecular mechanism remains obscure. A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate the influence of intercropping treatment viz. wheat mono-crop (WMC), maize mono-crop (MMC), intercropping maize (IM) and wheat (IW) crops, and nitrogen (N) application rates viz. control and full-dose of N (basal application at 150 and 235 kg ha−1for wheat and maize, respectively) on chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange traits, lipid peroxidation, antioxidative properties and expression patterns of six tolerance genes in both crops under rainfed conditions. As compared with their respective monocropping treatments, IW and IM increased the Fo/Fm by 18.35 and 14.33%, PS-11 efficiency by 7.90 and 13.44%, photosynthesis by 14.31 and 23.97%, C-capacity by 32.05 and 12.92%, and stomatal conductance by 41.40 and 89.95% under without- and with-N application, respectively. The reductions in instantaneous- and intrinsic-water use efficiency and MDA content in the range of 8.76–26.30% were recorded for IW and IM treatments compared with WMC and MMC, respectively. Compared with the WMC and MMC, IW and IM also triggered better antioxidant activities under both N rates. Moreover, we also noted that intercropping and N addition regulated the transcript levels of six genes encoding non-enzymatic antioxidants cycle enzymes. The better performance of intercropping treatments i.e., IW and IM were also associated with improved osmolytes accumulation under rainfed conditions. As compared with control, N addition significantly improved the chlorophyll fluorescence, gas exchange traits, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities under all intercropping treatments. Our results increase our understanding of the physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms of intercropping-induced water stress tolerance in wheat and maize crops.
Predicting the molecular mechanism-driven progression of breast cancer through comprehensive network pharmacology and molecular docking approach
Authors: Vyas Bharti , Kumar Sunil , Bhowmik Ratul , Akhter Mymoona
Published: August 2023

Identification of key regulators is a critical step toward discovering biomarker that participate in BC. A gene expression dataset of breast cancer patients was used to construct a network identifying key regulators in breast cancer. Overexpressed genes were identified with BioXpress, and then curated genes were used to construct the BC interactome network. As a result of selecting the genes with the highest degree from the BC network and tracing them, three of them were identified as novel key regulators, since they were involved at all network levels, thus serving as the backbone. There is some evidence in the literature that these genes are associated with BC. In order to treat BC, drugs that can simultaneously interact with multiple targets are promising. When compared with single-target drugs, multi-target drugs have higher efficacy, improved safety profile, and are easier to administer. The haplotype and LD studies of the FN1 gene revealed that the identified variations rs6707530 and rs1250248 may both cause TB, and endometriosis respectively. Interethnic differences in SNP and haplotype frequencies might explain the unpredictability in association studies and may contribute to predicting the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs using FN1.
Clinical value of sigmoid colon water exchange colonoscopy: a prospective randomized clinical trial
Authors: Jiao Tian-Xiao , Hu Yang , Guo Shi-Bin
Published: August 2023

This prospective randomized controlled trial investigated the clinical value of sigmoid colon water exchange (SWE) colonoscopy by comparing it with air insufflation (AI) colonoscopy in terms of the patient’s pain score, insertion time, and screening quality. Consecutive patients who underwent colonoscopy without sedation were randomized into an AI group (n = 267) or an SWE group (n = 255). Patient characteristics, history of abdominal or pelvic surgery, maximum pain score, insertion time, cecal intubation rate, polyp detection rate, and the need for maneuvers were recorded. There was no significant between-group difference in insertion time, cecal intubation rate, assisted maneuvers (abdominal pressure, changing patients’ position), or polyp detection rate (P > 0.05). The mean maximum pain score was significantly lower in the SWE group than in the AI group. (3.57 ± 2.01 vs. 4.69 ± 1.83, P < 0.001). For patients with a history of abdominal or pelvic surgery and those who were overweight (body mass index > 24), the maximum pain scores were lower in the SWE group than in the AI group (3.67 ± 1.95 vs. 4.88 ± 1.80, P < 0.001; 3.40 ± 1.96 vs. 4.79 ± 1.97, P < 0.001, respectively). SWE colonoscopy can significantly reduce abdominal pain with non-inferior screening quality and does not increase insertion time.

Trial registration number: ChiCTR2200059057 (date April 23, 2022).
Influence of natural and non-natural diets on the fitness and rearing of Pectinophora gossypiella Saunders
Authors: Saeed Rabia , Hassan Muhammad Waqar Ul , Jaleel Waqar , Ikhlaq Muhammad , Ali Shah Syed Ishfaq , Niaz Safia , Azad Rashid , Akbar Rasheed , Mahmood Zahid , Mukhtar Adeel , Zaka Syed Muhammad , Rasool Khawaja G. , Husain Mureed , Hassan Montaser M. , Aldawood Abdulrahman S. , Shakeel Muhammad
Published: August 2023

In order to develop integrated management approaches for Pectinophora gossypiella, basic studies are crucial. The two-sex life table is the most important tool for describing the fitness and population parameters of both sexes (male and female) of an insect, while the traditional life table only explains the female sex of an insect. However, no study has reported on the biology of P. gossypiella using two-sex life table tools. Therefore, this study explains the rearing dynamics of P. gossypiella on a cotton seed-based artificial diet and a natural diet (mature cotton bolls). According to the results, the oviposition period of P. gossypiella was recorded to be longer on the artificial diet (9.07 ± 0.24) compared to the natural diet (7.40 ± 0.11). The total fecundity of P. gossypiella was greater on the artificial diet (125.94 ± 3.06) in comparison to the natural diet (60.37 ± 1.10). The population parameters, including intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, gross reproductive rate, and net reproductive rate of P. gossypiella were highest on the artificial diet in comparison to the natural diet. This study concluded that the cotton seed-based artificial diet was most suitable for the rearing of P. gossypiella. In the future, P. gossypiella may be studied in depth in light of the findings in this study.
Antipsychotic medication use and fracture: a case–control study
Authors: Azimi Manavi Behnaz , Stuart Amanda L. , Pasco Julie A. , Hodge Jason M. , Weerasinghe D. Kavindi , Samarasinghe Rasika M. , Williams Lana J.
Published: August 2023

It has been reported that antipsychotic use is associated with lower bone mineral density and bone quality. We aimed to determine whether antipsychotic use is associated with fracture risk in a population-based sample of adults living in the Barwon Statistical Division, south-eastern Australia. In this case–control study, 1458 participants (51.8% women) with radiologically confirmed fracture between June 1st 2012 and May 31st 2013 (cases) were compared with 1795 participants (46.5% women) without fracture (controls) for the same time period. Medication use, medical history and lifestyle factors were documented by self-report. Multivariable binary logistic regression was used to explore associations between antipsychotic use and fracture following adjustment for possible confounders. In women, antipsychotic use was identified for 20 of 755 (2.6%) cases and 10 of 834 (1.2%) controls (p = 0.034) and in men, antipsychotic use was identified for 13 of 703 (1.8%) cases and 5 of 961 (0.5%) controls (p = 0.010). Following adjustments, antipsychotic use was associated with a 3.0-fold increased risk of fracture in men and a 2.3-fold increased risk of fracture in women. Patterns persisted after exclusion of participants with non-fragility fractures and self-reported schizophrenia. While future research exploring underlying mechanisms is needed, regular monitoring of bone health in antipsychotic users is suggested.
Improvement of lateral property of unidirectional-strengthened CFRP laminates using recycled carbon fiber
Authors: Melinda Annisa Prita , Yamamoto Rino , Miyasaka Yuichi , Yoresta Fengky Satria , Imai Yusuke , Sugimoto Yoshiki , Nomura Kazuki , Matsumoto Yukihiro
Published: August 2023

The unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced polymer (UD-CFRP) lacks the modulus of elasticity and strength in the lateral direction. This study investigates whether matrix resin with CFRP waste, recycled carbon fiber (rCF), can improve the lateral properties of CFRP. In total, twelve CFRP strips specimen were prefabricated of unidirectional carbon fiber (CF) sheet by hand lay-up (HLU) method and were tested by tensile test and X-ray computed tomography (X-ray CT). Factors such as fiber direction and void distribution significantly affecting its mechanical properties are assessed by X-ray CT inspection. It can be seen that rCF is mixed in a random direction at the position filled with matrix resin without rCF. However, a similar frequency of unimpregnation and voids can be observed in both specimens. Test results showed that experimental values of CFRP laminates with rCF-mixed matrix resin increased compared to the CFRP laminates without rCF. The percentage increase in the lateral tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of the rCFRP compared to the control specimen without rCF is 27.36% and 10.62%, respectively. This study proved that rCF can increase the lateral properties of unidirectional CFRP and shows the effective use of rCF for strengthening material in construction applications.