bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reassessing Reification: Ethnicity amidst “Failed” Governmentality in Burma and India
Authors: Prasse-Freeman Elliott
Published: April 2023

In part because a single colonial project eventually formally incorporated Burma as an appendage to British colonial rule of India, Burma scholars persistently draw on historiography and anthropology of India to assert that ethnic categories in Burma were “reified” and hierarchized by colonial governmentality and ensuing postcolonial statecraft. This article disputes such assumed equivalences, re-theorizing “reification” through the concept of governmentality to distinguish modes of regulation and the kinds of social responses incited, suggesting that India and Burma stand as respective exemplars of distinct governmental forms. Specifically, scholarship represents Indian population groups (of caste, tribe, ethnicity, etc. permutations) as being reified by dense and reinforcing applications of knowledge/power. Even when these various and interlinking regulatory apparatuses “fail” to accurately describe social reality, they interpellate a response from subject populations, a process that operates to dialectically reinforce the categories. Conversely, similar governmental apparatuses desultorily implemented in Burma have operated differently. While they have succeeded in making South Asian and Muslim subjects into Burma’s self-perceived constitutive outside, governmentality has “doubly failed” on itstaingyintha(indigenous) subjects. Poor knowledge of these Burmese peoples has foreclosed intensive projects of knowledge production, leading to “misinterpellation,” a form of metapragmatic awareness in which subjects recognize that discourses misdescribe them, and then strategically maneuver with(in) those labels. Ethnic emblems become hollow integuments navigable with comparative ease, as individuals modify their particular bodily and dispositional indices. The article concludes by encouraging comparative postcolonial governmentality studies that would delineate particularities in a concept (governmentality) that often remains unnuanced.
Redescription of Thubunaea schukurovi Annaev, 1973 from Ablepharus chernovi, with notes on the members of Thubunaea (Spirurida: Physalopteridae) from the Palaearctic and Indomalayan realms
Authors: Mutafchiev Y. , Vergilov V.
Published: April 2023

The spirurid nematode Thubunaea schukurovi Annaev, 1973 (Physalopteridae) is redescribed by means of light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy from Ablepharus chernovi collected in Çamlıyayla, Turkey. This is the first record of the species from this host and the first record of the genus Thubunaea from Turkey. The taxonomic status of the species of the genus Thubunaea from the Palaeacrtic and Indomalayan realms is reviewed based on their original morphological descriptions; as a result, Thubunaea dessetae Barus & Tenora, 1976, a parasite of Saara hardwickii (Gray) (Agamidae) in Afghanistan, is transferred to the genus Pseudabbreviata as Pseudabbreviata dessetae (Barus & Tenora, 1976) n. comb. Several species described in India, that is, Thubunaea singhi Deshmukh, 1969 and Thubunaea brooki Deshmukh, 1969, both from Hemidactylus brookii Gray (Gekkonidae), and Thubunaea aurangabadensis Deshmukh, 1969 and Thubunaea syedi Deshmukh, 1969, both from Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, are considered members of the genus Physalopteroides; therefore, the following new combinations are proposed: Physalopteroides singhi, Physalopteroides brooki, Physalopteroides aurangabadensis and Physalopteroides syedi. Thubunaea hemidactylae Oshmarin & Demshin, 1972 from Hemidactylus frenatus Duméril & Bibron in Vietnam is considered a member of the genus Physalopteroides as P. hemidactylae (Oshmarin & Demshin, 1972) n. comb.
Assessment of the potential prophylactic and therapeutic effects of kaempferol on experimental Trichinella spiralis infection
Authors: Abo Maged A.I. , Metwally K.M. , El-Menyawy H.M. , Hegab F. , El-Wakil E.S.
Published: April 2023

Currently, no effective treatment is available for trichinellosis, a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by infection with the genus Trichinella. Kaempferol (KPF), a dietary flavonoid, has been documented to have anti-parasitic effects and various medicinal uses. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the efficacy of KPF in preventing and treating the intestinal and muscular phases of trichinellosis in mice compared with albendazole (ABZ). To achieve this, mice were divided into six groups: negative control; positive control; KPF prophylaxis; KPF treatment; ABZ treatment; and a combination of ABZ and KPF. Parasitological, histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluations were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the treatments. The parasitological assessment involved counting small intestinal adult worms and encysted muscle larvae. Additionally, the histopathological evaluation used the haematoxylin and eosin staining method for intestinal and muscular sections and picrosirius red stain for muscular sections. Moreover, the immunohistochemical expression of the intestinal NOD-like receptor-pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) was evaluated. The group treated with combined drugs demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the count of adults and encysted larvae (P < 0.05), a remarkable improvement in the inflammation of the intestines and muscles and a decrease in the thickness of the larvae's capsular layer. Additionally, the highest reduction in NLRP3 expression was observed in this group. Based on this study, KPF shows promise as an anti-trichinellosis medication that, when taken with ABZ, has a synergistic impact by modulating inflammation and larval capsule formation.
Religion, hypocrisy, and betting on secularity: reversing Smilansky's wager
Authors: Lebens Samuel , Statman Daniel
Published: April 2023

Saul Smilansky presents us with a puzzle which, in combination with a small number of premises, is supposed to generate a reversal of Pascal's wager: the wagerer should bet on a secular lifestyle, and reject religion, as the surest way of pleasing God (if God exists). In this article, we argue that the puzzle, once unpacked, isn't particularly puzzling, that the premises aren't true, and that Smilansky's wager is open to both reductio and a reversal of its own.
The need for increased protection of Antarctica's inland waters
Authors: Hawes Ian , Howard-Williams Clive , Gilbert Neil , Hughes Kevin A. , Convey Peter , Quesada Antonio
Published: April 2023

Protection of Antarctica's biodiversity and ecosystem values is enshrined in the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, which provides for the designation of Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPAs) to areas with outstanding values. Concern has been raised that existing ASPAs fail to prioritize areas to maximize the likelihood of ensuring the long-term conservation of Antarctic ecosystems and biodiversity. The absence of systematic and representative protection is particularly acute for inland aquatic ecosystems, which support a disproportionate amount of inland biodiversity. This paper promotes the case for overt inclusion of inland waters as a critical component of a representative protected area framework for Antarctica, thereby addressing their current underrepresentation. We set out a structured approach to enable the selection of representative freshwater systems for inclusion in the ASPA framework that, with modification, could also be applied across other Antarctic habitats. We acknowledge an overall lack of information on the biogeography of inland aquatic diversity and recommend increased use of remote data collection along with classification tools to mitigate this, as well as the need for the consideration of catchment-scale processes. Changes that accompany contemporary and anticipated climate change make the need for the conservation of representative biodiversity increasingly urgent.
Prediction of subglacial lake melt source regions from site characteristics
Authors: Willcocks Simon , Hasterok Derrick
Published: April 2023

Subglacial melt has important implications for ice-sheet dynamics. Locating and identifying subglacial lakes are expensive and time-consuming, requiring radar surveys or satellite methods. We explore three methods to identify source regions for lakes using seven continent-wide environmental characteristics that are sensitive to or influenced by ice-sheet temperature. A simple comparison of environmental properties at lake locations with their continent-wide distributions suggests a statistical relationship (high Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistic) between stable lake locations and ice thickness and surface temperatures, indicating melting under passive conditions. Active lakes, in contrast, show little correlation with direct thermally influenced parameters, instead exhibiting large statistical differences with horizontal velocity and bedrock elevation. More sophisticated techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA) and machine learning (ML) classification, provide better spatial identification of lake types. Positive PCA scores derived from the environmental characteristics correlate with stable lakes, whereas negative values correspond to active lakes. ML methods can also identify regions where subglacial lake melt sources are probable. While ML provides the most accurate classification maps, the combination of approaches adds deeper knowledge of the primary controls on lake formation and the environmental settings in which they are likely to be found.
The Maya 819-Day Count and Planetary Astronomy
Authors: Linden John H. , Bricker Victoria R.
Published: April 2023

Arguably the most enigmatic of the Maya calendar cycles, the 819-day count has challenged modern scholars for decades. Even today it is not completely explained and there are several areas for further research, including its relationship with the synodic periods of the planets visible to the naked eye. Earlier research has demonstrated a four-part, color-directional scheme for the 819-day count such that each of the calendar stations progress in increments of 819 days in cycles of 4 × 819 days. Although prior research has sought to show planetary connections for the 819-day count, its four-part, color-directional scheme is too short to fit well with the synodic periods of the visible planets. By increasing the calendar length to 20 periods of 819-days a pattern emerges in which the synodic periods of all the visible planets commensurate with station points in the larger 819-day calendar.
Determining food industry compliance to mandatory sodium limits: successes and challenges from the South African experience
Authors: van der Westhuizen Bianca , Frank Tamryn , Abdool Karim Safura , Swart Rina Elizabeth C
Published: April 2023

Objective:

To provide an update on the compliance to the Na reduction regulation (R.214) and to highlight some challenges and successes experienced by South Africa in the implementation of a mandatory Na regulation.

Design:

The study design was observational. Nutritional information of packaged food (specified in the R.214 regulation) was collected between February 2019 and September 2020, before and after the implementation date of the final Na targets in the regulation. Six supermarket chains that accounted for more than 50 % of the grocery retailer market share in South Africa were included. The Na content (per 100 g) of products was extracted from photographs. Products were classified according to the thirteen food categories included in R.214. The percentage of targeted food categories that met the pre and post-regulation targets as well as the percentage by which Na limits were exceeded was calculated.

Setting:

Low-and-middle-income suburbs in Cape Town, South Africa.

Participants:

N/A.

Results:

A total number of 3278 products were analysed. After the final implementation date, none of the categories targeted by the R.214 regulation fully complied. However, nine out of the thirteen food categories targeted by R.214 were above the 70 % compliance mark.

Conclusions:

The compliance to R.214 in South Africa is good, although not 100 % compliant. This research also highlights the complexities regarding the monitoring and evaluation of a national regulation. Findings from the current study could aid by providing valuable information to countries in the process of implementing a Na reduction strategy.
The relationship between nursing students’ compassion competencies and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care
Authors: Dincer Aytap , Çiftçi Bahar
Published: April 2023

Objectives

The present study was conducted to examine the relationship between nursing students’ compassion competencies and their perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care.

Methods

The population of the study consisted of nursing students over the age of 18 years who were educated at the nursing faculty of a state university in Turkey between May and June 2022. The study was completed with 263 student nurses. The “Sociodemographic Characteristics Form,” “Compassion Competency Scale,” and “Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale” were used to collect the data. Frequencies, percentages, mean values, standard deviations, and Pearson Correlation Analysis were used to evaluate the data.

Results

The nursing students were found to have a high level of compassion competency (4.04 ± 0.57). It was also found that the students had moderate (54.76 ± 5.35) perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. On the other hand, there was a moderate and positive relationship between the total mean scores of “Compassion Competency” and “Perceptions of Spirituality and Spiritual Care” (p > 0.05).

Significance of results

It was concluded that as nursing students’ compassion competencies increased, their perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care also increased.
Reducing the Spring Barrier in Predicting Summer Arctic Sea Ice Concentration
Authors: Zeng Jingwen , Yang Qinghua , Li Xuewei , Yuan Xiaojun , Bushuk Mitchell , Chen Dake
Published: April 2023

The predictive skill of summer sea ice concentration (SIC) in the Arctic presents a steep decline when initialized before June, which is the so‐called spring predictability barrier for Arctic sea ice. This study explores the potential influence of surface heat flux, cloud and water vapor anomalies on monthly to seasonal predictions of Arctic SIC anomalies. The results show an enhancement in skill predicting Arctic September SIC in the models that use surface fluxes, clouds, or water vapor in combination with SIC and surface sea temperature as predictors when initialized in boreal spring. This result shows the potential to reduce the spring barrier for Arctic SIC predictions by including the surface heat budget. The enhanced predictive skill can be very likely linked to the improved representation of the thermodynamics associated with water vapor and cloudiness anomalies in spring.
Airborne Remote Sensing of Upper‐Ocean and Surface Properties, Currents and Their Gradients From Meso to Submesoscales
Authors: Lenain Luc , Smeltzer Benjamin K. , Pizzo Nick , Freilich Mara , Colosi Luke , Ellingsen Simen Å. , Grare Laurent , Peyriere Hugo , Statom Nick
Published: April 2023

In this work we present a unique set of coincident and collocated high‐resolution observations of surface currents and directional properties of surface waves collected from an airborne instrument, the Modular Aerial Sensing System, collected off the coast of Southern California. High‐resolution observations of near surface current profiles and shear are obtained using a new instrument, “DoppVis”, capable of capturing horizontal spatial current variability down to 128 m resolution. This data set provides a unique opportunity to examine how currents at scales ranging from 1 to 100 km modulate bulk (e.g., significant wave height), directional and spectral properties of surface gravity waves. Such observations are a step toward developing better understanding of the underlying physics of submesoscale processes (e.g., frontogenesis and frontal arrest) and the nature of transitions between mesoscale and submesoscale dynamics.
Seismic Source Characterization From GNSS Data Using Deep Learning
Authors: Costantino Giuseppe , Giffard‐Roisin Sophie , Marsan David , Marill Lou , Radiguet Mathilde , Mura Mauro Dalla , Janex Gaël , Socquet Anne
Published: April 2023

The detection of deformation in Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) time series associated with (a)seismic events down to a low magnitude is still a challenging issue. The presence of a considerable amount of noise in the data makes it difficult to reveal patterns of small ground deformation. Traditional analyses and methodologies are able to effectively retrieve the deformation associated with medium to large magnitude events. However, the automatic detection and characterization of such events is still a complex task, because traditionally employed methods often separate the time series analysis from the source characterization. Here we propose a first end‐to‐end framework to characterize seismic sources using geodetic data by means of deep learning, which can be an efficient alternative to the traditional workflow, possibly overcoming its performance. We exploit three different geodetic data representations in order to leverage the intrinsic spatio‐temporal structure of the GNSS noise and the target signal associated with (slow) earthquake deformation. We employ time series, images, and image time series to account for the temporal, spatial, and spatio‐temporal domain, respectively. Thereafter, we design and develop a specific deep learning model for each dataset. We analyze the performance of the tested models both on synthetic and real data from North Japan, showing that image time series of geodetic deformation can be an effective data representation to embed the spatio‐temporal evolution, with the associated deep learning method outperforming the other two. Therefore, jointly accounting for the spatial and temporal evolution may be the key to effectively detect and characterize fast or slow earthquakes.
Vertical‐Slice Ocean Tomography With Seismic Waves
Authors: Callies Jörn , Wu Wenbo , Peng Shirui , Zhan Zhongwen
Published: April 2023

Seismically generated sound waves that propagate through the ocean are used to infer temperature anomalies and their vertical structure in the deep East Indian Ocean. These T waves are generated by earthquakes off Sumatra and received by hydrophone stations off Diego Garcia and Cape Leeuwin. Between repeating earthquakes, a T wave's travel time changes in response to temperature anomalies along the wave's path. What part of the water column the travel time is sensitive to depends on the frequency of the wave, so measuring travel time changes at a few low frequencies constrains the vertical structure of the inferred temperature anomalies. These measurements reveal anomalies due to equatorial waves, mesoscale eddies, and decadal warming trends. By providing direct constraints on basin‐scale averages with dense sampling in time, these data complement previous point measurements that alias local and transient temperature anomalies.
The role of HDAC3 and its inhibitors in regulation of oxidative stress and chronic diseases
Authors: He Ruyuan , Liu Bohao , Geng Boxin , Li Ning , Geng Qing
Published: April 2023

HDAC3 is a specific and crucial member of the HDAC family. It is required for embryonic growth, development, and physiological function. The regulation of oxidative stress is an important factor in intracellular homeostasis and signal transduction. Currently, HDAC3 has been found to regulate several oxidative stress-related processes and molecules dependent on its deacetylase and non-enzymatic activities. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the knowledge of the relationship of HDAC3 with mitochondria function and metabolism, ROS-produced enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, and oxidative stress-associated transcription factors. We also discuss the role of HDAC3 and its inhibitors in some chronic cardiovascular, kidney, and neurodegenerative diseases. Due to the simultaneous existence of enzyme activity and non-enzyme activity, HDAC3 and the development of its selective inhibitors still need further exploration in the future.
Male delayed orgasm and anorgasmia: a practical guide for sexual medicine providers
Authors: Nguyen Vi , Dolendo Isabella , Uloko Maria , Hsieh Tung-Chin , Patel Darshan
Published: April 2023

Delayed orgasm (DO) is defined as increased latency of orgasm despite adequate sexual stimulation and desire. Anorgasmia (AO) is characterized as the absence of orgasm. Etiologies of DO/AO include medication-induced, psychogenic, endocrine, and genitopelvic dysesthesia. Given the multifactorial complex nature of this disorder, a thorough history and physical examination represent the most critical components of patient evaluation in the clinical setting. Treating DO/AO can be challenging due to the lack of standardized FDA-approved pharmacotherapies. There is no standardized treatment plan for DO/AO, though common treatments plans are often multidisciplinary and may include adjustment of offending medications and sex therapy. In this review, we summarize the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of DO/AO.
The value of ecosystem services in global marine kelp forests
Authors: Eger Aaron M. , Marzinelli Ezequiel M. , Beas-Luna Rodrigo , Blain Caitlin O. , Blamey Laura K. , Byrnes Jarrett E. K. , Carnell Paul E. , Choi Chang Geun , Hessing-Lewis Margot , Kim Kwang Young , Kumagai Naoki H. , Lorda Julio , Moore Pippa , Nakamura Yohei , Pérez-Matus Alejandro , Pontier Ondine , Smale Dan , Steinberg Peter D. , Vergés Adriana
Published: April 2023

While marine kelp forests have provided valuable ecosystem services for millennia, the global ecological and economic value of those services is largely unresolved. Kelp forests are diminishing in many regions worldwide, and efforts to manage these ecosystems are hindered without accurate estimates of the value of the services that kelp forests provide to human societies. Here, we present a global estimate of the ecological and economic potential of three key ecosystem services - fisheries production, nutrient cycling, and carbon removal provided by six major forest forming kelp genera (Ecklonia, Laminaria, Lessonia, Macrocystis, Nereocystis, and Saccharina). Each of these genera creates a potential value of between $64,400 and $147,100/hectare each year. Collectively, they generate between $465 and $562 billion/year worldwide, with an average of $500 billion. These values are primarily driven by fisheries production (mean $29,900, 904 Kg/Ha/year) and nitrogen removal ($73,800, 657 Kg N/Ha/year), though kelp forests are also estimated to sequester 4.91 megatons of carbon from the atmosphere/year highlighting their potential as blue carbon systems for climate change mitigation. These findings highlight the ecological and economic value of kelp forests to society and will facilitate better informed marine management and conservation decisions.
Hybrid photoacoustic and fast super-resolution ultrasound imaging
Authors: Zhao Shensheng , Hartanto Jonathan , Joseph Ritin , Wu Cheng-Hsun , Zhao Yang , Chen Yun-Sheng
Published: April 2023

The combination of photoacoustic (PA) imaging and ultrasound localization microscopy (ULM) with microbubbles has great potential in various fields such as oncology, neuroscience, nephrology, and immunology. Here we developed an interleaved PA/fast ULM imaging technique that enables super-resolution vascular and physiological imaging in less than 2 seconds per frame in vivo. By using sparsity-constrained (SC) optimization, we accelerated the frame rate of ULM up to 37 times with synthetic data and 28 times with in vivo data. This allows for the development of a 3D dual imaging sequence with a commonly used linear array imaging system, without the need for complicated motion correction. Using the dual imaging scheme, we demonstrated two in vivo scenarios challenging to image with either technique alone: the visualization of a dye-labeled mouse lymph node showing nearby microvasculature, and a mouse kidney microangiography with tissue oxygenation. This technique offers a powerful tool for mapping tissue physiological conditions and tracking the contrast agent biodistribution non-invasively.
Thermal tolerance of perovskite quantum dots dependent on A-site cation and surface ligand
Authors: Wang Shuo , Zhao Qian , Hazarika Abhijit , Li Simiao , Wu Yue , Zhai Yaxin , Chen Xihan , Luther Joseph M. , Li Guoran
Published: April 2023

A detailed picture of temperature dependent behavior of CsxFA1-xPbI3 perovskite quantum dots across the composition range is constructed by performing in situ optical spectroscopic and structural measurements, supported by theoretical calculations that focus on the relation between A-site chemical composition and surface ligand binding. The thermal degradation mechanism depends not only on the exact chemical composition, but also on the ligand binding energy. The thermal degradation of Cs-rich perovskite quantum dots is induced by a phase transition from black γ-phase to yellow δ-phase, while FA-rich perovskite quantum dots with higher ligand binding energy directly decompose into PbI2. Quantum dot growth to form large bulk size grain is observed for all CsxFA1-xPbI3 perovskite quantum dots at elevated temperatures. In addition, FA-rich quantum dots possess stronger electron−longitudinal optical phonon coupling, suggesting that photogenerated excitons in FA-rich quantum dots have higher probability to be dissociated by phonon scattering compared to Cs-rich quantum dots.
A low-carbon electricity sector in Europe risks sustaining regional inequalities in benefits and vulnerabilities
Authors: Sasse Jan-Philipp , Trutnevyte Evelina
Published: April 2023

Improving equity is an emerging priority in climate and energy strategies, but little is known how these strategies would alter inequalities. Regional inequalities such as price, employment and land use are especially relevant in the electricity sector, which must decarbonize first to allow other sectors to decarbonize. Here, we show that a European low-carbon electricity sector in 2035 can reduce but also sustain associated regional inequalities. Using spatially-explicit modeling for 296 sub-national regions, we demonstrate that emission cuts consistent with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in 2050 result in continent-wide benefits by 2035 regarding electricity sector investments, employment gains, and decreased greenhouse gas and particulate matter emissions. However, the benefits risk being concentrated in affluent regions of Northern Europe, while regions of Southern and Southeastern Europe risk high vulnerabilities due to high adverse impacts and sensitivities, and low adaptive capacities. Future analysis should investigate policy mechanisms for reducing and compensating inequalities.
Negative magnetostrictive paper formed by dispersing CoFe2O4 particles in cellulose nanofibrils
Authors: Keino Takumi , Rova Lovisa , Gallet--Pandellé Alia , Kurita Hiroki , Narita Fumio
Published: April 2023

Polymers are often combined with magnetostrictive materials to enhance their toughness. This study reports a cellulose nanofibril (CNF)-based composite paper containing dispersed CoFe2O4 particles (CNF–CoFe2O4). Besides imparting magnetization and magnetostriction, the incorporation of CoFe2O4 particles decreased the ultimate tensile strength and increased the fracture elongation of the CNF–CoFe2O4 composite paper. CNF was responsible for the tensile properties of CNF–CoFe2O4 composite paper. Consequently, the magnetic and magnetostrictive properties and tensile properties of CNF–CoFe2O4 composite paper can be controlled by changing the mixture ratio of CNF and CoFe2O4 particles.
External validation of the ACC/AHA ASCVD risk score in a Colombian population cohort
Authors: Rodríguez-Ariza Carlos Daniel , Cabrera-Villamizar Alfredo , Rodríguez-Pulido Astrid Lorena , Callegari Santiago , Ossa Rodríguez Natalia Alejandra , Pinilla-Roncancio Mónica , Moreno López Sergio Mauricio , Sánchez-Vallejo Carlos Andrés
Published: April 2023

No cardiovascular risk score has included Latin American patients in its development. The ACC/AHA ASCVD risk score has not been validated in Latin America; consequently, its predictive capacity in the population of the region is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the discrimination capacity and calibration of the ACC/AHA ASCVD score to predict the 10-year risk of a cardiovascular event in a primary prevention cohort followed in a Colombian hospital. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in primary prevention patients belonging to an intermediate/high-risk and low-risk cohort without established atherosclerotic disease. Cardiovascular risk was calculated at inclusion. The calibration was analyzed by comparing observed and expected events in the different risk categories. A discrimination analysis was made using the area under the ROC curve and C statistic. A total of 918 patients were included—202 from the intermediate/high-risk and 716 from the low-risk cohort. The median cardiovascular risk was 3.6% (IQR 1.7–8.5%). At the 10-year follow-up, 40 events (4,4%) occurred. The area under the ROC curve was 0.782 (95% CI 0.71–0.85). The Hosmer–Lemeshow test did not show differences between expected and observed events. The ACC/AHA ASCVD score is calibrated and has good discrimination capacity in predicting 10-year risk of cardiovascular events in a Colombian population.
Pose estimation and motion analysis of ski jumpers based on ECA-HRNet
Authors: Bao Wenxia , Niu Tao , Wang Nian , Yang Xianjun
Published: April 2023

Ski jumping is a high-speed sport, which makes it difficult to accurately analyze the technical motion in a subjective way. To solve this problem, we propose an image-based pose estimation method for analyzing the motion of ski jumpers. First, an image keypoint dataset of ski jumpers (KDSJ) was constructed. Next, in order to improve the precision of ski jumper pose estimation, an efficient channel attention (ECA) module was embedded in the residual structures of a high-resolution network (HRNet) to fuse more useful feature information. At the training stage, we used a transfer learning method which involved pre-training on the Common Objection in Context (COCO2017) to obtain feature knowledge from the COCO2017 for using in the task of ski jumper pose estimation. Finally, the detected keypoints of the ski jumpers were used to analyze the motion characteristics, using hip and knee angles over time (frames) as an example. Our experimental results showed that the proposed ECA-HRNet achieved the average precision of 73.4% on the COCO2017 test-dev set and the average precision of 86.4% on the KDSJ test set using the ground truth bounding boxes. These research results can provide guidance for auxiliary training and motion evaluation of ski jumpers.
Mechanisms of length-dependent recognition of viral double-stranded RNA by RIG-I
Authors: Im Jung Hyun , Duic Ivana , Yoshimura Shige H. , Onomoto Koji , Yoneyama Mitsutoshi , Kato Hiroki , Fujita Takashi
Published: April 2023

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is the most front-line cytoplasmic viral RNA sensor and induces antiviral immune responses. RIG-I recognizes short double-stranded (dsRNA) (< 500 bp), but not long dsRNA (> 500 bp) to trigger antiviral signaling. Since RIG-I is capable of binding with dsRNA irrespective of size, length-dependent RIG-I signaling remains elusive. Here, we demonstrated that RIG-I bound to long dsRNA with slow kinetics. Remarkably, RIG-I/short dsRNA complex efficiently dissociated in an ATP hydrolysis-dependent manner, whereas RIG-I/long dsRNA was stable and did not dissociate. Our study suggests that the dissociation of RIG-I from RIG-I/dsRNA complex could be a step for efficient antiviral signaling. Dissociated RIG-I exhibited homo-oligomerization, acquiring ability to physically associate with MAVS, and biological activity upon introduction into living cells. We herein discuss common and unique mechanisms of viral dsRNA recognition by RIG-I and MDA5.
Serial evaluation of the serum lactate level with the SOFA score to predict mortality in patients with sepsis
Authors: Park Heemoon , Lee Jinwoo , Oh Dong Kyu , Park Mi Hyeon , Lim Chae-Man , Lee Sang-Min , Lee Hong Yeul ,   the Korean Sepsis Alliance (KSA) Investigators
Published: April 2023

In patients with sepsis, outcome prediction plays an important role in influencing therapeutic decision making. In this nationwide, prospective, observational cohort study of sepsis patients conducted between September 2019 and December 2020, we evaluated a novel scoring system using serial Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores and serum lactate to accurately predict mortality in sepsis. Based on the serum lactate score (Lac-score), patients were assigned to 5 categories: lactate < 2, ≥ 2 to < 4, ≥ 4 to < 8, ≥ 8 to < 12, and ≥ 12 mmol/L. Lac-SOFA score was defined as the sum of Lac-score and SOFA score. After screening 7113 patients, 379 were excluded and 6734 were included in analysis. In-hospital mortality AUROC for serial Lac-SOFA score from initial to ICU day 3 was significantly higher than that for serial SOFA score (initial, 0.679 vs. 0.656, day 1, 0.723 vs. 0.709, day 2, 0.760 vs. 0.747, and day 3, 0.797 vs. 0.781; DeLong's test, p < 0.001). The initial Lac-SOFA score significantly correlated with in-hospital mortality when the patients were divided into five classes based on 5-point intervals (p < 0.05). Serial evaluation of lactate levels with the SOFA score may improve the predictive accuracy of the SOFA score for determining mortality risk in sepsis patients.
Adherence to oxidative balance scores and lower odds of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a case–control study
Authors: Sohouli Mohammad Hassan , Rohani Pejman , Hosseinzadeh Mahdieh , Hekmatdoost Azita
Published: April 2023

Evidence has also shown that oxidative stress and systemic inflammation, or in other words, disruption of the oxidant and antioxidant balance, can play an important role in the initiation or progression of NAFLD. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between the oxidative balance scores (OBS) and the risk of NAFLD. 552 healthy and 340 patients adult over the age of 18 with NAFLD participated in this case–control research. A validated 168-item quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and indicators of physical activity, obesity, and smoking status were used to assess OBS score. The connection between OBS and NAFLD was discovered using binary logistic regression. The mean (± SD) age and (body mass index) BMI of the study population was 40.22 ± 9.79 years and 29.06 ± 3.92 kg/m2, respectively. The mean ± SD of OBS was 41.48 ± 5.23. After adjustment for potential confounders, higher scores of adherence to the OBS conferred a protection for the presence of NAFLD (odds ratio [OR]: 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15–0.49; P for trend < 0.001). The findings of the present study indicate an approximately 80% reduction in the odds of developing NAFLD with higher OBS adherence in the overall population. However, prospective studies are needed to further investigate this association.
The response to stressors in adulthood depends on the interaction between prenatal exposure to glucocorticoids and environmental context
Authors: Majer Ariana D. , Paitz Ryan T. , Tricola Gianna M. , Geduldig Jack E. , Litwa Hannah P. , Farmer Jenna L. , Prevelige Brenna R. , McMahon Elyse K. , McNeely Taylor , Sisson Zach R. , Frenz Brian J. , Ziur Alexis D. , Clay Emily J. , Eames Brad D. , McCollum Shannon E. , Haussmann Mark F.
Published: April 2023

Maternal stress during reproduction can influence how offspring respond to stress later in life. Greater lifetime exposure to glucocorticoid hormones released during stress is linked to greater risks of behavioral disorders, disease susceptibility, and mortality. The immense variation in individual’s stress responses is explained, in part, by prenatal glucocorticoid exposure. To explore the long-term effects of embryonic glucocorticoid exposure, we injected Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) eggs with corticosterone. We characterized the endocrine stress response in offspring and measured experienced aggression at three different ages. We found that prenatal glucocorticoid exposure affected (1) the speed at which the stress response was terminated suggesting dysregulated negative feedback, (2) baseline corticosterone levels in a manner dependent on current environmental conditions with higher levels of experienced aggression associated with higher levels of baseline corticosterone, (3) the magnitude of an acute stress response based on baseline concentrations. We finish by proposing a framework that can be used to test these findings in future work. Overall, our findings suggest that the potential adaptive nature of prenatal glucocorticoid exposure is likely dependent on environmental context and may also be tempered by the negative effects of longer exposure to glucocorticoids each time an animal faces a stressor.
Novel superpixel method to visualize fundus blood flow resistivity in healthy adults
Authors: Okamoto Kenji , Takahashi Noriyoshi , Kobayashi Tatsuhiko , Shiba Tomoaki , Hori Yuichi , Fujii Hitoshi
Published: April 2023

We aimed to perform superpixel segmentation of ocular blood flow maps obtained using laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) and investigate the effects of systemic parameters such as body weight, height, and sex on ocular blood flow resistivity. We studied 757 healthy participants (583 men, 174 women). We calculated the average beat strength over mean blur rate (BOM) as a LSFG resistivity index, as a function of age and sex using ordinary regions of interest (ROI) centered on the optic nerve head (ONH), the retinal vessels region and tissue around the ONH, and the choroid (CHD). We compared the ROI and superpixel-based methods, which are segmented based on image processing, for calculating the BOM. The sex differences in the BOM for the ONH, retinal-vessels region and tissue region of the ONH and CHD were significant for individuals aged ≤ 50 years (P < 0.01) but not those > 50 years old (P > 0.05). The average BOMs calculated using the ROI and superpixel methods were strongly correlated in the ONH (coefficient = 0.87,R2 = 0.8,P < 0.0001,n = 5465). In summary, a superpixel-segmented BOM map is suitable for two-dimensional visualization of ocular blood flow resistivity.
Perceiving the representative surface color of real-world materials
Authors: Zhang Yan , Motoyoshi Isamu
Published: April 2023

Natural surfaces such as soil, grass, and skin usually involve far more complex and heterogenous structures than the perfectly uniform surfaces assumed in studies on color and material perception. Despite this, we can easily perceive the representative color of these surfaces. Here, we investigated the visual mechanisms underlying the perception of representative surface color using 120 natural images of diverse materials and their statistically synthesized images. Our matching experiments indicated that the perceived representative color revealed was not significantly different from the Portilla–Simoncelli-synthesized images or phase-randomized images except for one sample, even though the perceived shape and material properties were greatly impaired in the synthetic stimuli. The results also showed that the matched representative colors were predictable from the saturation-enhanced color of the brightest point in the image, excluding the high-intensity outliers. The results support the notion that humans judge the representative color and lightness of real-world surfaces depending on simple image measurements.
Method and application of information sharing throughout the emergency rescue process based on 5G and AR wearable devices
Authors: Wang Mengying , Ji Hong , Jia Mo , Sun Zhen , Gu Jinyi , Ren Haiying
Published: April 2023

The 2022 Winter Olympics were held in the three competition zones of Beijing, Yanqing and Zhangjiakou, China. The venues of this Winter Olympics were scattered and the terrain was complex. Moreover, the medical resources of Hebei and Beijing were relatively unbalanced. In the medical security of major events, the connection between first aid and in-hospital processes is of the utmost importance to rescue quality. 5th generation mobile network (5G) applications in medical scenarios are on the rise. It would be of great relevance to fully use 5G’s low-latency and high-speed features to share the process information of patients, ambulance personnel, and the destination hospital’s rescue team at emergency scenes and in transportation, improving rescue efficiency. This paper proposes a system scheme of cross-institutional emergency health information sharing based on 5G and augmented reality wearable devices. It also integrates the construction method of monitoring and other sign data sharing, in addition to testing the proposed scheme’s service quality in 5G environments. In the deployment area of the 5G emergency medical rescue information sharing scheme for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, we selected two designated medical support institutions for testing. The test adopted a combination of fixed-point and driving tests to experiment on the service data, voice service, and streaming media indicators. The 5G signal's coverage rate was close to 100%, the standalone connection's success rate was 100%, and the drop rate was 0. The average downlink rate of multiple scenarios was 620mbps, and the average uplink rate of 5G was over 71.8mbps, which is higher than the average 5G level in China. The downlink rate was more than 20 times larger than the 4th generation mobile network (4G) rate. This study’s proposed scheme demonstrates the importance of 5G applications in emergency response and support, in addition to providing a suitable scheme for the integration of 5G networks in the medical scene.
A p-orbital honeycomb-Kagome lattice realized in a two-dimensional metal-organic framework
Authors: Wang Xiao-Bo , Xia Bowen , Lyu Cheng-Kun , Kim Dongwook , Li En , Fu Shu-Qing , Chen Jia-Yan , Liu Pei-Nian , Liu Feng , Lin Nian
Published: April 2023

The experimental realization ofp-orbital systems is desirable becausep-orbital lattices have been proposed theoretically to host strongly correlated electrons that exhibit exotic quantum phases. Here, we synthesize a two-dimensional Fe-coordinated bimolecular metal-organic framework which constitutes a honeycomb lattice of 1,4,5,8,9,12-hexaazatriphenylene molecules and a Kagome lattice of 5,15-di(4-pyridyl)-10,20-diphenylporphyrin molecules on a Au(111) substrate. Density-functional theory calculations show that the framework features multiple well-separated spin-polarized Kagome bands, namely Dirac cone bands and Chern flat bands, near the Fermi level. Using tight-binding modelling, we reveal that these bands are originated from two effects: the low-lying molecular orbitals that exhibitp-orbital characteristics and the honeycomb-Kagome lattice. This study demonstrates thatp-orbital Kagome bands can be realized in metal-organic frameworks by using molecules with molecular orbitals ofp-orbital like symmetry.
Identifying where nature-based solutions can offer win-wins for carbon mitigation and biodiversity across knowledge systems
Authors: Raymond Christopher M. , Lechner Alex M. , Havu Minttu , Jalkanen Joel , Lampinen Jussi , Antúnez Oriol García , Olafsson Anton Stahl , Gulsrud Natalie , Kinnunen Antti , Backman Leif , Kulmala Liisa , Järvi Leena
Published: April 2023

Managing nature-based solutions (NBS) in urban areas for carbon mitigation and biodiversity outcomes is a global policy challenge, yet little is known about how to both assess and weave diverse knowledge systems and values into carbon-biodiversity trade-off assessments. This paper examines the spatial relationships between biophysical and social values for carbon sequestration potential (measured as carbon dioxide, CO2, flux) and biodiversity in Helsinki, Finland, using integrated valuation. The approach combines methods from carbon sequestration modelling, expert scoring approaches to biodiversity assessment and public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS). Results indicate strong spatial associations between biophysical assessment of CO2flux and biodiversity priorities, and weaker associations between biophysical and social values. Integration of social and biophysical values leads to multiple pathways for protection of NBS to achieve carbon mitigation and biodiversity outcomes, as well as options for the spatial targeting of education and capacity building programs to areas of local concern.
Intensified livestock farming increases antibiotic resistance genotypes and phenotypes in animal feces
Authors: Wang Hang , Qi Jin-Feng , Qin Rong , Ding Kai , Graham David W. , Zhu Yong-Guan
Published: April 2023

Animal feces from livestock farming can be a major source of antibiotic resistance to the environment, but a clear gap exists on how the resistance reservoir in feces alters as farming activities intensify. Here, we sampled feces from eight Chinese farms, where yak, sheep, pig, and horse were reared under free-range to intensive conditions, and determined fecal resistance using both genotype and phenotype approaches. Animals reared intensively exhibited increased diversity of antibiotic resistance genes and greater resistance phenotypes in feces, which were cross-correlated. Furthermore, at the metagenome contig level, antibiotic resistance genes were co-located with mobile genetic elements at a higher frequency (27.38%) as farming intensified, with associated resistance phenotypes being less coupled with bacterial phylogeny. Intensified farming also expanded the multidrug resistance preferentially carried on pathogens in fecal microbiomes. Overall, farming intensification can increase antibiotic resistance genotypes and phenotypes in domestic animal feces, with implications for environmental health.
N,N′-Substituted quinacridones for organic electronic device applications
Authors: Saadi Donia , Mayr Felix , Yumusak Cigdem , Wielend Dominik , Cobet Munise , Kahraman Bilge , Irimia Cristian Vlad , Kanbur Yasin , Bednorz Mateusz , Kotwica Kamil , Ben Fredj Amel , Romdhane Samir , Scharber Markus C. , Sariciftci Niyazi Serdar , Irimia-Vladu Mihai
Published: April 2023

N,N′-Substituted quinacridones are a novel class of commercially available quinacridones for organic electronics which are reported here.
Delivery of anti-cancer and anti-depression doxepin drug by nickel oxide nanoparticles originated from the Cressa nudicaulis plant extract
Authors: Lu Yan , Han Mingru , Esmaeili Shahri Effat , Abbaspour Sedighe , Tayebee Reza
Published: April 2023

Cressa nudicaulis is used to prepare NiO NPs. The prepared nanoparticles were approved for doxepin loading. The drug release properties were also investigated at pH 6.5 and 37 °C. An MTT experiment was performed on the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Huh-7.
Axial modulation of Fe sites realizing high-performance oxygen reduction reaction of FeN4catalysts
Authors: Zhang Yu , Li Caixia , Li Jin , Liu Xiaoni , Li Guangjiu , Li Bin , Wang Lei
Published: April 2023

The introduction of axial S atoms optimizes the FeN4active center, moves the d-band center away from the Fermi energy level, weakens the adsorption of intermediates, and improves its catalytic performance.
Construction of mesoporous S-doped Co3O4 with abundant oxygen vacancies as an efficient activator of PMS for organic dye degradation
Authors: Lu Muxin , Kang Guiying , Deng Yajuan
Published: April 2023

A mesoporous S-doped Co3O4 with abundant oxygen vacancies was developed and applied as a new Fenton-like catalyst.
Fabrication of high-performance CeO2–MnOx/TiO2/Ti monolithic catalysts for low-temperature and stable CO oxidation
Authors: Wang Junchao , Tang Xinyue , Li Jing , Dong Shizhi , Zhang Xinglai , Liu Baodan
Published: April 2023

The CeO2–MnOx/TiO2/Ti catalysts synthesized in this work show excellent low temperature CO oxidation performance and long-term stability.