bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Manipulating
Agaricus bisporus
developmental patterns by passaging microbial communities in complex substrates
Authors: Vieira Fabricio Rocha , Di Tomassi Isako , O'Connor Eoin , Bull Carolee T. , Pecchia John A. , Hockett Kevin L.
Published: October 2023

There is growing interest in microbiome-based management approaches for plant and animal health and sustainable agricultural practices. To our knowledge, there are no descriptions of
Agaricus bisporus
mushroom developmental patterns using such an approach. Here, we utilized substrate passaging to select for devomes (developmental microbiomes) in either compost or casing material that resulted in earlier developing (best performing experimental units with a higher number of primordia at day 10 of cultivation) mushrooms compared to unpassaged controls. Passaged casing showed earlier pinning (fruiting body formation), while passaged compost delayed fruiting body formation. Despite changes in pin emergence for passaged substrates and higher mushroom yield in the passaged casing’s first harvest, the total mushroom yield in 24 days of crop cycle did not change significantly. The bacterial communities were distinct between compost and casing materials, but in both microenvironments, the alpha diversity tended to increase and stabilize over time in standard and passaged substrates. Community composition within compost and casing microenvironments tended to be more homogenous after colonization of the fungus. Passaging of casing increased the bacterial alpha diversity and shifted community composition. Such changes were not observed in passaged compost. Some bacterial taxa were enriched or depleted by passaging, e.g.,
Pseudomonas
spp. (hypothesized as a stimulus to
A. bisporus
fructification) were depleted in passaged compost and casing. Overall, this work presents an experimental approach to manipulate compost and casing microbial communities with the potential to be combined with currently employed cultivation strategies toward a more sustainable mushroom cultivation system.

IMPORTANCE

Agaricus bisporus
is an economically important edible mushroom and manipulating its developmental patterns is crucial for maximizing yield and quality. One of the potential strategies for achieving such a goal is passaging microbial communities in compost or casing. The current study demonstrated that passaging substrates develop enriched microbial communities, and after a few passages, certain levels of changes in mushroom developmental patterns (the timing of fruiting bodies formation) were observed as well as shifts in the bacterial communities. Overall, a better understanding of the complex interactions between microorganisms present in the cultivation system may help farmers and researchers to develop more efficient and sustainable cultivation practices that can both benefit the environment and human health.
Finding of an Unusually Colored Sporocyst of the Genus Leucochloridium in a Succinea putris Snail
Authors: Usmanova R. R. , Prokhorova E. E.
Published: October 2023

Abstract—

A Leucochloridium sp. Carus, 1835 sporocyst with a mature colored broodsac was found in a Succinea putris L., 1758 snail in the Boksitogorsk district of Leningrad Region (Russia). The pigmentation of the sporocyst’s broodsac was different from those of other Leucochloridium Carus, 1835 species previously described for Europe. The obtained sporocyst is most similar by the coloration of its broodsac to the trematodes of the same genus from Japan. The genotyping of the investigated sporocyst by the rDNA gene fragments (complete ITS1, ITS2, 5.8S and partial 18S and 28S sequences) was conducted. Genetic distances between the obtained sporocyst and the previously described species of the genus Leucochloridium were higher than intraspecific ones in the most cases. These data and the data of morphological analysis imply that the investigated sporocyst belongs to a separate species of the Leucochloridium genus, previously not described in the European region.
Highly Aggressive Invasive Race Group PstS2 in Russian Populations of the Wheat Yellow Rust Pathogen
Authors: Shaydayuk E. L. , Gultyaeva E. I.
Published: October 2023

The expansion of the area of harmfulness of the wheat yellow rust pathogen (Puccinia striiformis) (Pst) has be observed all over the world in the 2000s. This is due to the emergence of new highly aggressive invasive groups of races PstS1 and PstS2, adopted to the high temperatures, and also as a result of virulence mutations of regional pathogen populations. SCAR-markers were developed for identification of invasive races, and pathogen collections from many countries were studied. In these studies in first in Russia, the analysis of regional populations of P. striiformis for the presence of invasive races PstS1 and PstS2 was carried out. Single pustule isolates were obtained from urediosamples collected from common and durum wheat, triticale and wild grasses in seven regions of the Russian Federation (North Caucasian, Northwestern, Central Black Earth, Lower Volga, Middle Volga, Volga–Vyatka, West Siberian) in 2019–2020. In total 82 isolates were studied. Using SCAR markers, three genotypes were identified in the studied collection of P. striiformis, and one of which belongs to the invasive group PstS2. The other two genotypes had a different origin (other). Isolates of PstS2 group were received from pathogen population samples collected in the Russian Northwest in 2020. Virulence analysis revealed two phenotypes among them: PstS2_R1 (3 isolates) and PstS2_R2 (1 isolate). According to information from the Global Rust Reference Center (http://www.wheatrust.org/), the main characteristic of isolates from invasive PstS2 group is virulence to wheat lines with resistance genes Yr2, Yr6, Yr7, Yr8, Yr9, and Yr25. The Russian R1 phenotype PstS2 was also characterized by virulence to these genes, as well as to Yr1, Yr32, and YrSp. The PstS2_R2 phenotype differed from PstS2_R1 for avirulence to Yr25 and virulence to Yr3 and Yr4. The main difference of Russian PstS2 isolates with detected in other countries is virulence to wheat lines with genes Yr4, Yr32, and YrSp. The first detection of invasive races in the Northwest of Russia indicates the relevance of annual monitoring of regional populations of P. striiformis.
Structure Analysis of the MatA Locus of Sexual Compatibility in the Edible Mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus
Authors: Shnyreva A. V. , Shnyreva A. A.
Published: October 2023

The edible oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus is one of the most cultivated species worldwide. Morphogenesis associated with the maturation of fruit bodies is controlled by two unlinked loci of sexual compatibility matA and matB with multiple alleles (tetrapolar system of sexual compatibility). Quantitative analysis of the alleles of mating compatibility loci in 17 natural isolates collected in the Moscow region was performed in mon–mon (monokaryons–monokaryon) and di–mon (dikaryon–monokaryon) crossings. Four monokaryotic testers strains which were heteroallelic at both mating type loci were obtained for each of the five natural mushroom isolates by using original technique of sterile spore prints on Petri dishes and mon–mon crossing. Twelve natural isolates were crossed via di-mon mating with the four monokaryotic testers M-38. Genetic analysis of the alleles of sexual compatibility loci in 17 natural isolates revealed multiple alleles at both loci: at least ten alleles at matA locus and eight alleles at matB locus. Structural organization analysis of the matA locus was performed in silico for homokaryotic strains PC9 and PC15 based on the whole-genome sequencing data available at DOE Joint Genome Institute. The matA locus has an extremely divergent structure: there are one copy of the homeodomain gene hd1 and one copy of the hd2 gene in the PC9 strain, whereas the matA locus of the PC15 strain is composed by two copies of hd1.1 and hd1.2 genes (class HD1 homeodomain proteins) and one copy of hd2 gene (class HD2 proteins). Comprehensive analysis of amino acid sequences of HD1 and HD2 homeodomain proteins demonstrated that the proteins have a globular structure with the nuclear localization and contain a variable N-terminus and a more conserved DNA-binding domain with a specific conserved motif  WFXNXR in the third ɑ-helix. The results suggest that multiple alleles of the matA locus of sexual compatibility in basidiomycete fungi is achieved due to both different copy number of the coding hd genes within the locus and the variability of the coding gene sequences.
Antibodies to Domain I β2-Glycoprotein 1 in Patients with Antiphospholipid Syndrome and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Reshetnyak T. M. , Cheldieva F. A. , Cherkasova M. V. , Glukhova S. I. , Lila A. M. , Nasonov E. L.
Published: October 2023

The role of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), which are not included in the Sydney diagnostic criteria, in antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical significance of IgG antibodies for domain 1 of β2-glycoprotein 1 (β2-GP1), IgG anti-β2-GP1DI, in patients with APS with and without SLE. The study included 187 patients with APS with or without SLE, 49 patients formed the comparison group, and 100 apparently healthy individuals formed the control group. IgG/IgM antibodies to cardiolipin (aCL) and IgG/IgM anti-β2-GP1 were determined by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) in patients with or without APS, and IgG anti-β2-GP1DI was determined by chemiluminescence assay (CLA) in all patients and controls. IgG anti-β2-GP1DI was detected in 37 (71%) of 52 patients with primary APS (PAPS), in 6 (50%) of 12 patients with probable APS, in 42 (71%) of 59 patients with SLE + APS, in 17 (26%) of 64 patients with SLE, in 1 (2%) of the comparison group, and in none of the control group. IgG anti-β2-GP1DI was significantly associated with PAPS and SLE + APS compared with the patients with SLE (p = 0.0002 and 0.0001, respectively). The association of IgG anti-β2-GP1DI with clinical manifestations of APS (thrombosis (p = 0.001) and obstetric pathology (p = 0.04)) was detected. There was a significant association of IgG anti-β2-GP1DI with arterial thrombosis (p = 0.002) and with late gestational obstetric pathology (p = 0.01). High specificity of IgG anti-β2-GP1DI depending on the diagnosis and clinical manifestations of APS despite low sensitivity was noted: specificity was 84% for thrombosis, 94% for obstetric pathology, and 89% for APS. Isolated IgG anti-β2-GP1DI positivity was reported in 2% of 50 aPL-negative patients and was not associated with APS manifestations. The frequency of IgG anti-β2-GP1DI detection was higher in the patients with APS compared to the patients with SLE, comparison group, and control (p < 0.05). Positive IgG anti-β2-GP1DI values were significantly associated with thrombotic complications and with obstetric pathology (p = 0.002 and p = 0.01, respectively). Specificity of IgG anti-β2-GP1DI for APS and its clinical manifestations (thrombosis and obstetric pathology) was higher than sensitivity (89, 94, and 84%, respectively).
Hear my voice: understanding how community health workers in the Peruvian Amazon expanded their roles to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic through community-based participatory research
Authors: Samsamshariat Tina , Madhivanan Purnima , Reyes Fernández Prada Alexandra , Moya Eva M , Meza Graciela , Reinders Stefan , Blas Magaly M
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the collapse of the Peruvian health system, disrupting healthcare access for indigenous communities in the Amazon. Our study analysed how community health workers (CHWs) from indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon expanded their roles to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Fourteen CHWs from Loreto, Peru, participated in a community-based participatory research project using Photovoice, a technique encouraging vulnerable groups to take photos and develop stories illustrating their lived experiences. Participants were recruited from Mamás del Río, a local university-based programme, through purposive sampling. CHWs were asked to photograph how the pandemic affected their lives and work. Participants met four times over 5 months to share photos and develop action items. Data were organised into key themes using thematic analysis. CHWs shared photo galleries with policy-makers in Loreto and Lima.

Results

CHWs produced 36 photos with 33 texts highlighting their roles during COVID-19. Three core themes emerged: the (1) collapse of health infrastructure, (2) use of medicinal plants versus pharmaceuticals and (3) community adaptations and struggles. The leadership of CHWs emerged as a cross-cutting theme as CHWs supported COVID-19 efforts without government training or resources. CHWs asked policy-makers for formal integration into the health system, standardisation of training and management of community pharmacies.

Conclusion

CHWs demonstrated their leadership and expanded their roles during the pandemic with little to no training from the government. Global investment in robust CHW programmes can fortify healthcare delivery.
Framing health taxes: learning from low- and middle-income countries
Authors: Lwin Kaung Suu , Koon Adam D , Rasanathan Kumanan , Ahsan Abdillah , Erku Daniel , Mialon Melissa , Perez-Leon Silvana , Singh Arti , Mirza Zafar , Zuleta Mario , Adhikari Shiva Raj , Acharya Yubraj , Dao Son The , Rasheed Sabrina , Paul Jeremias , Marten Robert
Published: October 2023

Health taxes are effective policy instruments to save lives, raise government revenues and improve equity. Health taxes, however, directly conflict with commercial actors’ interests. Both pro-tax health advocates and anti-tax industry representatives seek to frame health tax policy. Yet, little is known about which frames resonate in which settings and how framing can most effectively advance or limit policies. To fill this gap, we conducted qualitative research in 2022, including focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, document reviews and media analysis on the political economy of health taxes across eight low-income and middle-income countries. Studies captured multiple actors constructing context-specific frames, often tied to broader economic, health and administrative considerations. Findings suggest that no single frame dominates; in fact, a plurality of different frames exist and shape discourse and policymaking. There was no clear trade-off between health and economic framing of health tax policy proposals, nor a straightforward way to handle concerns around earmarking. Understanding how to best position health taxes can empower health policymakers with more persuasive framings for health taxes and can support them to develop broader coalitions to advance health taxes. These insights can improve efforts to advance health taxes by better appreciating political economy factors and constraining corporate power, ultimately leading to improved population-level health.
Evaluating the impact of varying expired carbon monoxide thresholds on smoking relapse identification: insights from the E3 trial on e-cigarette efficacy for smoking cessation
Authors: Prell Celine , Hébert-Losier Andréa , Filion Kristian B. , Reynier Pauline , Eisenberg Mark J.
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Expired carbon monoxide (ECO) is often used in smoking cessation trials to biochemically validate self-reported smoking status. The optimal ECO threshold to distinguish individuals who smoke from those who do not is debated.

Design

The data from the ‘Evaluating the Efficacy of E-Cigarette use for Smoking Cessation (E3) Trial’ were used; the E3 trial was a randomised controlled trial that examined e-cigarettes efficacy for smoking cessation.

Settings

Participants were recruited from 17 Canadian sites across 4 provinces.

Participants

This substudy included data from participants who returned for at least one of the clinical visits at week 4 (291), 12 (257) or 24 (218) and provided both self-reported smoking status and ECO measures. Analyses were based on 766 paired measures (ie, self-reported smoking status with corresponding ECO).

Results

The ability of ECO measurements to discriminate between adults who reported smoking and those who reported abstinence varied with the threshold used. ECO thresholds of 6, 7, 8 and 9 parts per million (ppm) yielded the greatest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.84). These thresholds produced sensitivities of 84%, 82%, 78% and 76% and specificities of 84%, 87%, 90% and 91%, respectively. However, at a threshold of 6 ppm, intersecting sensitivity (84%) and specificity (84%) were maximised with respect to each other. Biochemical validation had the highest agreement with self-report at an ECO threshold of 6 ppm (κ=0.57; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.64).

Conclusion

The classification of participants’ smoking status depends on the ECO threshold used for biochemical validation. We recommend that future smoking cessation trial investigators analyse and report the impact that varying ECO thresholds has on trial results.

Trial registration number

NCT02417467.
Initial steps in addressing the challenges of elder mistreatment evaluation: Protocol for evaluating the Vulnerable Elder Protection Team
Authors: Baek Daniel , Elman Alyssa , Gottesman Elaine , Shaw Amy , Makaroun Lena K , Stern Michael E , Mulcare Mary R , Sullivan Michelle , Pino Chloe , McAuley Jennine , LoFaso Veronica M , Chang E-Shien , Hancock David , Bloemen Elizabeth M , Tietz Sarah , Lindberg Daniel M , Sharma Rahul , Clark Sunday , Lachs Mark S , Pillemer Karl , Rosen Tony
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Although many programmes have been developed to address elder mistreatment, high-quality, rigorous evaluations to assess their impact are lacking. This is partly due to challenges in conducting programme evaluation for such a complex phenomenon. We describe here the development of a protocol to mitigate these challenges and rigorously evaluate a first-of-its-kind emergency department/hospital-based elder mistreatment intervention, the Vulnerable Elder Protection Team (VEPT).

Methods and analysis

We used a multistep process to develop an evaluation protocol for VEPT: (1) creation of a logic model to describe programme activities and relevant short-term and long-term outcomes, (2) operationalisation of these outcome measures, (3) development of a combined outcome and (4) design of a protocol using telephone follow-up at multiple time points to obtain information about older adults served by VEPT. This protocol, which is informing an ongoing evaluation of VEPT, may help researchers and health system leaders design evaluations for similar elder mistreatment programmes.

Ethics and dissemination

This project has been reviewed and approved by the Weill Cornell Medicine Institutional Review Board, protocol #20-02021422. We aim to disseminate our results in peer-reviewed journals at national and international conferences and among interested patient groups and the public.
Recruitment of patients, carers and members of the public to advisory boards, groups and panels in public and patient involved health research: a scoping review
Authors: Gilfoyle Meghan , Melro Carolyn , Koskinas Elena , Salsberg Jon
Published: October 2023

Objectives

The objectives of this scoping review are to: (1) identify the distribution of and context of the recruitment strategies used, (2) explore the facilitators, benefits, barriers and ethical issues of the identified recruitment strategies, (3) distinguish the varying terminology for involvement (ie, panels, boards, individual) and (4) determine if the individual recruitment strategies used were to address issues of representation or bias.

Design

A scoping review.

Setting

This scoping review follows the framework by Peterset al. Seven electronic databases were explored including Scopus, Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and PsycINFO (conducted July 2021). The search strategy was codeveloped among the research team, PPI research experts and a faculty librarian. Two independent reviewers screened articles by title and abstract and then at full text based on predetermined criteria.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Explore recruitment strategies used, facilitators, benefits, barriers and ethical issues of the identified recruitment strategies. Identify terminology for involvement. Explore recruitment strategies used to address issues of representation or bias.

Results

The final sample was from 51 sources. A large portion of the extracted empirical literature had a clinical focus (37%, n=13) but was not a randomised control trial. The most common recruitment strategies used were human networks (78%, n=40), such as word of mouth, foundation affiliation, existing networks, clinics or personal contacts. Within the reviewed literature, there was a lack of discussion pertaining to facilitators, benefits, barriers and ethical considerations of recruitment strategies was apparent. Finally, 41% (n=21) of studies employed or proposed recruitment strategies or considerations to address issues of representation or bias.

Conclusion

We conclude with four key recommendations that researchers can use to better understand appropriate routes to meaningfully involve patients, carers and members of the public to cocreate the evidence informing their care.
Association of both Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) practices with childhood malnutrition in Lao PDR: a cross-sectional study of the 2017 Lao Social Indicator Survey II
Authors: Som Somphos Vicheth , Wieringa Frank T , Campos Ponce Maiza , Polman Katja , Dakurah Prosper , Duncan David , Blomberg Janneke , Rasphone Sitthorot , Hoeven Marinka van der
Published: October 2023

Objective

We assessed whether Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF), either alone or combined, were associated with malnutrition among Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) children aged 6 to <24 months.

Design

This is a secondary analysis of the 2017 Lao Social Indicator Survey II (LSIS II), which used multistage probability proportional to size sampling. Logistic regression analyses were conducted with OR and its corresponding 95% CI.

Setting

The LSIS II was conducted a nationwide household-based survey covering all 18 provinces in Lao PDR.

Participants

We had a total of 3375 children (weighted sample 3345) and 357 households with data on drinking water.

Outcome measures

The outcomes of this study were stunting and wasting.

Results

The prevalence of stunting and wasting was 28.9% and 10.1%, respectively. Even though households with access to a basic or improved water source were high (82.5%), over 83% of drinking water was contaminated withEscherichia coli. Access to improved sanitation, basic hygiene and adequate IYCF gave a significant lower risk of becoming stunted. The combined effect of these practices on stunting was (adjusted OR (AOR)=0.54; 95% CI=0.41 to 0.73) greater than each practice alone (improved sanitation: AOR=0.75; 95% CI=0.61 to 0.93; basic hygiene: AOR=0.69; 95% CI=0.57 to 0.83; adequate IYCF: AOR=0.79; 95% CI=0.64 to 0.98). Access to improved sanitation and adequate IYCF was associated with a significant lower risk for being wasted, and again the combined effect of these practices was (AOR=0.64; 95% CI=0.44 to 0.92) greater than each practice alone (improved sanitation: AOR=0.68; 95% CI=0.49 to 0.93 and adequate IYCF: AOR=0.66; 95% CI=0.47 to 0.92).

Conclusion

Given the strong associations with both stunting and wasting, and the added benefits when combining WASH and IYCF, there is a need of multisectoral interventions to reduce early childhood malnutrition in Lao PDR.
Changes in background characteristics and risk factors among SIDS infants in England: cohort comparisons from 1993 to 2020
Authors: Pease Anna , Turner Nicholas , Ingram Jenny , Fleming Peter , Patrick Karen , Williams Tom , Sleap Vicky , Pitts Kieren , Luyt Karen , Ali Becky , Blair Peter
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Using the National Child Mortality Database, this work aims to investigate background characteristics and risk factors in the sleeping environment associated with sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and compare the prevalence with previous English SIDS case–control studies.

Design

Cohort of SIDS in 2020 compared with a combined analysis of two case–control studies conducted in 1993–1996 and 2003–2006.

Setting

England, UK

Participants

138 SIDS deaths in 2020 compared with 402 SIDS deaths and 1387 age-equivalent surviving controls, combined from previous studies.

Results

The increased vulnerability of SIDS infants identified in previous studies has become more marked. The infants who died in 2020 were younger (median=66 days (IQR: 34–118) vs 86 days (IQR: 52–148), p=0.003) with an increased prevalence of low birth weight (30.5% vs 21.6%, p=0.04) and preterm births (29.6% vs 19.3%, p=0.012). The excess of socioeconomically deprived families, male infants and high levels of maternal smoking during pregnancy were still evident. Among recent deaths, fewer infants were put down or found on their side; however, there was no significant change in the proportion of infants who were put down (15.6% vs 14.6%, p=0.81) and found prone (40.4% vs 35.3%, p=0.37), despite population wide risk reduction advice over three decades. The proportional increase observed in 2003–2006 of half the deaths occurring while sleeping next to an adult was maintained in 2020, and for the vast majority (90%), this was in hazardous circumstances (adult had consumed alcohol, smoked, slept on a sofa, or the infant was premature or low birth weight and less than 3 months old). More deaths also occurred when there was a disruption in infant care routine compared with previous observations (52.6% vs 20.7%, p<0.001).

Conclusions

A more targeted approach is needed with vulnerable families emphasising the importance of sleeping infants on their back and proactive planning infant sleep when there are disruptions to the normal routine, in particular to avoid hazardous co-sleeping.
Green bioethics, patient autonomy and informed consent in healthcare
Authors: Resnik David B , Pugh Jonathan
Published: October 2023

Green bioethics is an area of research and scholarship that examines the impact of healthcare practices and policies on the environment and emphasises environmental values, such as ecological sustainability and stewardship. Some green bioethicists have argued that healthcare providers should inform patients about the environmental impacts of treatments and advocate for options that minimise adverse impacts. While disclosure of information pertaining to the environmental impacts of treatments could facilitate autonomous decision-making and strengthen the patient–provider relationship in situations where patients have clearly expressed environmental concerns, it may have the opposite effect in other situations if makes patients feel like they are being judged or manipulated. We argue, therefore, that there is not a generalisable duty to disclose environmental impact information to all patients during the consent process. Providers who practice green bioethics should focus on advocating for system-level changes in healthcare financing, organisation and delivery and use discretion when bringing up environmental concerns in their encounters with patients.
Effects of consecutive workdays and days off on low back pain, fatigue and stress: prospective cohort study among warehouse and construction workers
Authors: Bláfoss Rúni , Aagaard Per , Clausen Thomas , Andersen Lars L
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Limited knowledge exists about day-to-day changes in physical and mental symptoms in warehouse and construction workers. This study investigated the associations between consecutive workdays and days off with low back pain (LBP) intensity, bodily fatigue and mental stress.

Methods

Participants (n=224) received daily questions for 21 days about LBP, fatigue, stress (outcome, 0–10 scales), and workdays and days off (exposure). We tested associations between 1–3 workdays (n=148) and 1–2 days off (n=158) with LBP intensity, bodily fatigue and mental stress after work and the following morning using linear mixed models with repeated measures controlling for relevant confounders.

Results

Consecutive workdays led to progressively increased LBP intensity, with three workdays increasing LBP intensity by 1.76 (95% CI 1.48 to 2.03) points. Bodily fatigue and mental stress increased after one workday (2.06 (95% CI 1.80 to 2.32) and 0.97 (95% CI 0.77 to 1.17) points, respectively) and remained stable for three workdays. After 1 day off, bodily fatigue and mental stress decreased −1.82 (95% CI −2.03 to −1.61) and −0.88 (95% CI −1.05 to −0.71) points, respectively, without decreasing further. In contrast, LBP intensity decreased progressively −1.09 (95% CI −1.27 to −0.91) and −1.45 (95% CI −1.67 to −1.24) points after 1 and 2 days off, respectively.

Conclusions

Workdays and days off affected the outcome variables differently. LBP intensity progressively increased with consecutive workdays, while workers needed 2 days off to recover. This study provides valuable knowledge about how to organise the workweek to prevent LBP, fatigue and stress, potentially reducing labour market withdrawal.
Fayet–Iliopoulos D-term in non-supersymmetric heterotic string orbifolds
Authors: Avalos Alonzo R. Diaz , Faraggi Alon E. , Matyas Viktor G. , Percival Benjamin
Published: October 2023

The Fayet–Iliopoulos D-term is a common feature in $${\mathcal {N}}=1$$

N
=
1

string vacua that contain an anomalous U(1) gauge symmetry, and arises from a one-loop diagram in string perturbation theory. The same diagram is generated in string vacua in which supersymmetry is broken directly at the string scale, either via spontaneous Scherk–Schwarz breaking, in which case the gravitino mass is determined by the radius of the circle used in the Scherk–Schwarz mechanism, or via explicit supersymmetry breaking by the GSO projections. We analyse the resulting would-be Fayet–Illiopoulos D-term in the non-supersymmetric string vacua and its contribution to the vacuum energy. A numerical estimate in an explicit tachyon-free string-derived model suggests that the would-be D-term contribution may uplift the vacuum energy to a positive value.
A study of heat and mass transfer flow of a variable viscosity couple stress fluid between inclined plates
Authors: Farooq Muhammad , Ahmad Hijaz , Ozsahin Dilber Uzun , Khan Alamgeer , Nawaz Rashid , Almohsen Bandar
Published: October 2023

In this paper, the Poiseuille flow of non-isothermal couple stress fluid of Reynolds model between two heated parallel inclined plates has been studied. The strongly nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations have been investigated using the Asymptotic Homotopy Perturbation method (AHPM) and the Optimal Homotopy Asymptotic Method with DJ Polynomials (OHAM-DJ). Employing both these techniques, the approximate solutions for velocity profile, temperature distributions, shear stress, average velocity and volumetric flow rate have been achieved. The results obtained using both these methods are in the form of infinite series, hence the results can be obtained easily. Comparison of various results, obtained through these methods, is carried out. Here, it is worth to mention that the results gained by both these approaches are in excellent resemblance. The effect of different parameters on the flow problem has been studied numerically as well as presented graphically.
Interpretable Imitation Learning with Symbolic Rewards
Authors: Bougie Nicolas , Onishi Takashi , Tsuruoka Yoshimasa
Published: October 2023

Sample inefficiency of deep reinforcement learning methods is a major obstacle for their use in real-world tasks as they naturally feature sparse rewards. In fact, this from-scratch approach is often impractical in environments where extreme negative outcomes are possible. Recent advances in imitation learning have improved sample efficiency by leveraging expert demonstrations. Most work along this line of research employs neural network-based approaches to recover an expert cost function. However, the complexity and lack of transparency make neural networks difficult to trust and deploy in the real world. In contrast, we present a method for extracting
interpretable
symbolic reward functions from expert data, which offers several advantages. First, the learned reward function can be parsed by a human to understand, verify and predict the behavior of the agent. Second, the reward function can be improved and modified by an expert. Finally, the structure of the reward function can be leveraged to extract
explanations
that encode richer domain knowledge than standard scalar rewards. To this end, we use an autoregressive recurrent neural network that generates hierarchical symbolic rewards represented by simple symbolic trees. The recurrent neural network is trained via risk-seeking policy gradients. We test our method in MuJoCo environments as well as a chemical plant simulator. We show that the discovered rewards can significantly accelerate the training process and achieve similar or better performance than neural network-based algorithms.
Cancer as a Disease of Development Gone Awry
Authors: Stanger Ben Z. , Wahl Geoffrey M.
Published: October 2023

In the 160 years since Rudolf Virchow first postulated that neoplasia arises by the same law that regulates embryonic development, scientists have come to recognize the striking overlap between the molecular and cellular programs used by cancers and embryos. Advances in cancer biology and molecular techniques have further highlighted the similarities between carcinogenesis and embryogenesis, where cellular growth, differentiation, motility, and intercellular cross talk are mediated by common drivers and regulatory networks. This review highlights the many connections linking cancer biology and developmental biology to provide a deeper understanding of how a tissue's developmental history may both enable and constrain cancer cell evolution.
Genome Instability and DNA Repair in Somatic and Reproductive Aging
Authors: Panier Stephanie , Wang Siyao , Schumacher Björn
Published: October 2023

Genetic material is constantly subjected to genotoxic insults and is critically dependent on DNA repair. Genome maintenance mechanisms differ in somatic and germ cells as the soma only requires maintenance during an individual's lifespan, while the germline indefinitely perpetuates its genetic information. DNA lesions are recognized and repaired by mechanistically highly diverse repair machineries. The DNA damage response impinges on a vast array of homeostatic processes and can ultimately result in cell fate changes such as apoptosis or cellular senescence. DNA damage causally contributes to the aging process and aging-associated diseases, most prominently cancer. By causing mutations, DNA damage in germ cells can lead to genetic diseases and impact the evolutionary trajectory of a species. The mechanisms ensuring tight control of germline DNA repair could be highly instructive in defining strategies for improved somatic DNA repair. They may provide future interventions to maintain health and prevent disease during aging.
Shape-Constrained Statistical Inference
Authors: Dümbgen Lutz
Published: October 2023

Statistical models defined by shape constraints are a valuable alternative to parametric models or nonparametric models defined in terms of quantitative smoothness constraints. While the latter two classes of models are typically difficult to justify a priori, many applications involve natural shape constraints, for instance, monotonicity of a density or regression function. We review some of the history of this subject and recent developments, with special emphasis on algorithmic aspects, adaptivity, honest confidence bands for shape-constrained curves, and distributional regression, i.e., inference about the conditional distribution of a real-valued response given certain covariates.
Role of Statistics in Detecting Misinformation: A Review of the State of the Art, Open Issues, and Future Research Directions
Authors: Boukouvalas Zois , Shafer Allison
Published: October 2023

With the evolution of social media, cyberspace has become the default medium for social media users to communicate, especially during high-impact events such as pandemics, natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and periods of political unrest. However, during such events, misinformation can spread rapidly on social media, affecting decision-making and creating social unrest. Identifying and curtailing the spread of misinformation during high-impact events are significant data challenges given the scarcity and variety of the data, the speed by which misinformation can propagate, and the fairness aspects associated with this societal problem. Recent statistical machine learning advances have shown promise for misinformation detection; however, key limitations still make this a significant challenge. These limitations relate to using representative and bias-free multimodal data and to the explainability, fairness, and reliable performance of a system that detects misinformation. In this article, we critically discuss the current state-of-the-art approaches that attempt to respond to these complex requirements and present major unsolved issues; future research directions; and the synergies among statistics, data science, and other sciences for detecting misinformation.
An Update on Measurement Error Modeling
Authors: Li Mushan , Ma Yanyuan
Published: October 2023

The issues caused by measurement errors have been recognized for almost 90 years, and research in this area has flourished since the 1980s. We review some of the classical methods in both density estimation and regression problems with measurement errors. In both problems, we consider when the original error-free model is parametric, nonparametric, and semiparametric, in combination with different error types. We also summarize and explain some new approaches, including recent developments and challenges in the high-dimensional setting.
CMS and Nd Co-Modified PbO2 Electrodes with Enhanced Lifetime and Electrochemical Activity for the Degradation of Bisphenol S
Authors: Chen Lu , Tao Qibin , Wang Lin , Lan Hao , Dai Qizhou
Published: October 2023

In this study, a lead dioxide electrode co-modified with carbon microspheres and neodymium (CMS-Nd-PbO2) was prepared. The structural morphology and electrochemical properties of the four electrodes, PbO2, CMS-PbO2, Nd-PbO2, and CMS-Nd-PbO2, were compared by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance, respectively. The results showed that the prepared CMS-Nd-PbO2 electrode had higher surface denseness and higher electrode activity. Based on the accelerated lifetime experiment, the actual working life of four electrodes was studied, and the CMS-Nd-PbO2 electrode had a relatively long lifetime, increased 24.60% compared with the PbO2 electrode. The influencing parameters of electrochemical degradation of bisphenol S (BPS) by CMS-Nd-PbO2 electrode, the ability of different electrodes to generate hydroxyl radicals, reaction mechanism, and the possible BPS degradation pathways were also discussed. Further, the safety of the prepared electrode was evaluated. Under the optimal parameters, the removal rate of BPS and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were 96.49% and 51.84%, respectively. The dissolved lead ion concentration in the solution after electrochemical oxidation was lower than the WHO standard. The CMS-Nd-PbO2 electrode showed promising applications in the degradation of emerging contaminants wastewater.
Chronic diastolic stretch unmasks conduction defects in an in vitro model of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Ng Ronald , Gokhan Ilhan , Stankey Paul , Akar Fadi G. , Campbell Stuart G.
Published: October 2023

We uncover a novel mechanotransductive mechanism that unmasks conduction defects in arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM). Using a novel dynamic bioreactor and human-induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived engineered heart tissue (EHT), we apply strain at distinct intervals during the cardiac cycle. Imposing mechanical strain during diastole selectively slows conduction velocity. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the effect of mechanical loading during a specific part of the cardiac cycle has been shown to cause conduction deficits in ACM.
Research and Deduction of Car-to-TW Vehicle AEB Test Scenarios Based on Improved Clustering Methods
Authors: Dong Xinchi , Zhang Qiaoyu , Zhang Daowen , Wang Chaojian , Zhang Tianshu
Published: October 2023

Two-wheeled (TW) vehicle accidents are one of the major types of urban traffic accidents. TW cyclists who lack safety protection usually suffer more serious injuries and deaths in collisions. Developments in automotive active safety technologies are expected to reduce cyclist injuries and deaths, such as automatic emergency braking (AEB). To facilitate the development and testing of AEB technology, typical TW vehicle scenarios need to be constructed. Based on 400 cases of car-to-TW vehicle accident data from the National Automobile Accident In-Depth Investigation System (NAIS) database, we investigated the scenario elements that influence AEB robustness, such as weather, accident time, and road wetness. We obtained seven static scenarios using an improved clustering method, and we obtained specific speed and distance combinations in each scenario using a deduction method. Further, we compared the present findings to those of other scholars and the China New Car Assessment Program (C-NCAP). The kinematic states of the two were similar to that of C-NCAP, but the speed distribution was significantly different. The TW vehicle speed in the C-NCAP is set to 15 km/h or 20 km/h concerning the European test scenarios, but the TW vehicle speed in the present study was 10–60 km/h. Thus, the present findings recommended that subsequent C-NCAP test scenarios increase the category of motorcycles and the speed range of cars covering 20–70 km/h and consider the test conditions of bad weather and wet roads, to test the robustness of AEB.
Experimental Investigation on Effect of Weight Fraction of Sisal Fiber on Mechanical Properties of Sisal-E-Glass Hybrid Polymer Composites
Authors: Gurmu Debela N. , Lemu Hirpa G.
Published: October 2023

Currently, hybridizing natural fibers with synthetic fiber is considered as the best solution for reducing the environmental pollution and the cost of materials. This is due to the lower mechanical properties and high water absorption capacity problems of natural fiber reinforced composites and nonbiodegradability and high-cost problem of synthetic fibers that can be solved by hybridizing them. This article aims to investigate the influence of the weight fraction of the sisal fiber on the mechanical property of the E-glass-sisal fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite. The sisal fiber was treated by 8% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for three hours. The samples of five different weight fractions of fibers (0%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 60%) with a constant weight fraction of epoxy matrix (40%) were prepared as per the ASTM standard prepared by the manual hand layup method at room temperature. The tensile, compression, and flexural tests of the samples were carried out on the WP 310 universal testing machine. From the experimental results, it has been observed that the increasing weight fraction of the sisal fiber greatly influences the mechanical properties (tensile, compression, and flexural) of E-glass-sisal hybrid reinforced epoxy matrix composites. From all the tested samples, those consisting of 60% E-glass and 0% sisal fibers with 40% epoxy matrix showed better mechanical properties than other hybrid samples with tensile, compressive, and flexural strengths of 464.03 MPa, 40.1 MPa, and 239.06 MPa, respectively.
Eugenia supra-axillaris Essential Oil and Its Nanoemulsion: Chemical Characterization, In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory, Analgesic, and Antipyretic Activities
Authors: Abdelhameed Mohamed F. , Ragab Tamer I. M. , Abd Elkarim Asmaa S. , Abd El-Razek Mohamed H. , Shabana Mona F. , Mohamed Sherif S. , El-Morshedy Suzan M. , El Gendy Abd El-Nasser G. , Afifi Sherif M. , Esatbeyoglu Tuba , Elshamy Abdelsamed I.
Published: October 2023

The use of standard synthetic medications to treat inflammatory illnesses is associated with several negative effects. It has been shown that medicinal plants and their by-products are useful for safely treating inflammation. Herein, the essential oil of Eugenia supra-axillaris (family: Myrtaceae, ESA-EO) was isolated and further chemically characterized by GC-MS, and then, its nanoemulsion (ESA-EO-NE) was prepared. In addition, the anti-inflammation against the carrageenan-induced rats, the analgesic, and antipyretic activities of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE were evaluated in rats. Forty-three compounds were identified via GC-MS and categorized as mono- (61.38%) and sesquiterpenes (34.86%). d-limonene (32.82%), α-pinene (24.33%), germacrene-D (4.88%), α-humulene (4.73%), α-cadinol (3.39%), and trans-caryophyllene (3.15%) represented the main components. The administration of ES-EO and ES-EO-NE (50 and 100 mg/kg) demonstrated strong, dose-dependent inflammation inhibition capabilities in the model of rat paw edema, in comparison with both the reference drug and control. Reduced levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), increased levels of glutathione (GSH), and decreased levels of the proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α), nitrosative (NO), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in paw tissues all contributed to these substantial reductions in inflammation. Moreover, the oral administration of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE (50 and 100 mg/kg) exhibited potent analgesic and antipyretic activities in rats. Although the higher dose of ESA-EO and ESA-EO-NE (100 mg/kg) displayed delayed anti-inflammatory activity, they have long-lasting inflammation inhibition with fast onset and long-standing analgesic effects better than reference drugs. Furthermore, the most effective antipyretic efficacy was provided by ESA-EO-NE (100 mg/kg). These results provide insight into the possible therapeutic application of ESA-EO and its nanoemulsion against various inflammatory and painful illnesses as well as hyperthermia ailments.
A Triple-Band Broadband Miniature Antenna Design for Implantable Continuous Glucose Monitoring
Authors: Song Zhiwei , Xu Xiaoming , Miao Hongxiang , Wang Lu
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a miniaturized triband implantable planar antenna that covers the industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) band and the Wireless Medical Telemetry Service (WMTS) band which can be used in a continuous blood glucose monitoring device. The antenna consists of a slotted radiating patch and a ground plane with a cross slot to miniaturize its size. The overall antenna size is only 51.35 mm3 (7.6 × 7.6 × 0.889 mm3) due to the reduced size by the slotting technique. Compared to other implantable antennas with similar performance, the proposed antenna is smaller in size, simple in construction, and easy to be fabricated. By cutting a cross slot in GND, impedance matching is improved, especially at the two higher frequency bands. We have fabricated the prototype and carried out measurements. The results show its gains are −32.2 dBi, −18.8 dBi, and −19.1 dBi at 0.9 GHz, 1.4 GHz, and 2.45 GHz, respectively. Its radiation patterns have good symmetry in the two lower operating frequency bands. In addition, the maximum SAR values comply with the IEEE standard safety guidelines (IEEE C95.1-2019).