bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Scavenging of copper(II) ions, phosphate(V) ions, and diuron from aqueous media by goethite modified with chitosan or poly(acrylic acid)
Authors: Szewczuk-Karpisz Katarzyna , Kukowska Sylwia , Grygorczuk-Płaneta Katarzyna , Kondracki Bartosz , Jerin Katarina , Kovačević Davor
Published: June 2023

Goethite was modified by chitosan (CS) or poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) to improve its adsorptive abilities toward components of agrochemicals, i.e., copper ions (Cu), phosphate ions (P), and diuron. The pristine goethite effectively bound Cu (7.68 mg/g, 63.71%) and P (6.31 mg/g, 50.46%) only in their mixed systems. In the one adsorbate solutions, the adsorption levels accounted for 3.82 mg/g (30.57%) for Cu, 3.22 mg/g (25.74%) for P, and 0.15 mg/g (12.15%) for diuron. Goethite modification with CS or PAA did not yield spectacular results in adsorption. The maximum increase in adsorbed amount was noted for Cu ions (8.28%) after PAA modification as well as for P (6.02%) and diuron (24.04%) after CS modification. Both goethite modifications contributed to clear reduction in desorption of pollutants (even by 20.26% for Cu after PAA coating), which was mainly dictated by electrostatic attractive forces and hydrogen bonds formation occurring between macromolecules and impurities. The only exception in this phenomenon was Cu desorption from CS-modified solid—the polymer made it higher (to 95.00%). The Cu adsorption on PAA-modified goethite enhanced solid aggregation and thus facilitated metal cation separation from aqueous media. Consequently, the goethite modification with PAA was considered more promising for environmental remediation.
Was verstehen Bürger*innen unter einem digitalen Setting im Kontext der Gesundheitsförderung? – Ergebnisse aus drei online-basierten World Cafés
Authors: Dongas Eleana , Stark Anna Lea , Albrecht Joanna , Wrona Kamil Joseph , Dockweiler Christoph
Published: June 2023

Hintergrund und Ziel

Durch die digitale Transformation haben digitale Maßnahmen zum Aufbau gesundheitsfördernder Strukturen in alltäglichen und beruflichen Settings an Bedeutung gewonnen. Zur Ableitung solcher Maßnahmen unter Berücksichtigung der Bedürfnisse von Setting-Mitgliedern soll eine Definition des Begriffs „digitales Setting“, inklusive der Aspekte des Gelingens bzw. Scheiterns der digitalen Transformation und Folgen für die Gesundheit und das Zusammenleben in Settings, aus Perspektive von Bürger*innen erarbeitet werden.

Material und Methoden

Im August 2021 wurden drei online-basierte World Cafés, angelehnt an Brown & Isaacs, mit je maximal 13 Teilnehmenden aus den Settings Bildungseinrichtung, Kommune und Verein durchgeführt (Ngesamt = 34). Sie fanden online über Zoom und Conceptboard statt. Die Auswertung der Ergebnisse erfolgte mit MAXQDA, angelehnt an die strukturierende Inhaltsanalyse nach Kuckartz.

Ergebnisse

Bürger*innen verwenden nicht den Begriff Setting, sondern Lebenswelt (LW). Unter einer digitalen LW verstehen sie ihre physisch vorhandene LW, in der in unterschiedlichem Ausmaß digitale Tools verwendet werden. Digitale LW bestehen Bürger*innen zufolge aus der digitalen Infrastruktur, Angeboten, Koordination/Planung, Informationsbereitstellung/-beschaffung und Kommunikation und sind immer als Kombination digitaler und analoger Bestandteile zu verstehen.

Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung

Die hergeleitete Definition digitaler Settings aus Perspektive von Bürger*innen zeigt Anforderungen digitaler Interventionen, die in der Setting-bezogenen Gesundheitsförderung und Prävention künftig stärker berücksichtigt werden müssen. Durch deren Berücksichtigung im Leitfaden Prävention kann zu einer zielgruppen- und bedarfsorientierten Implementierung entsprechender Maßnahmen beigetragen werden.
Hunting for superstars
Authors: Meier Martin , Sögner Leopold
Published: June 2023

The “superstar economy” is characterized by payoff functions that depend in a discontinuous way on the quality level of the corresponding products and services. Firm A might generate much higher returns than firm B, although A’s product is only marginally superior to B’s product. We look at an investor who considers to invest into start-ups that want to become active in one particular technological segment. Consequently only the very best few projects generate high returns. The investor is faced with a sequence of investment opportunities, observes the objective relative rankings of the corresponding projects seen so far, and must decide whether and how much to invest into the currently observed opportunity. Returns are realized at the end of the investment horizon. We derive the value functions and optimal investment rules for risk-neutral and risk averse investors. Under weak assumptions, the expected infinite horizon utility exceeds that of initial wealth. We show that for a risk-neutral investor “invest all or nothing”, depending on the project’s ranking and time of occurrence, is an optimal strategy. For a risk-averse investor the optimal rule is non-linear and path dependent. A simulation study is performed for risk-neutral and log-utility investors.
Spirituality and sustainable development: an entangled and neglected relationship
Authors: Luetz Johannes M. , Nunn Patrick D.
Published: June 2023

There is a paucity of research that examines the relationship between spirituality and sustainable development, including in relation to Indigenous or non-Western worldviews. This Comment argues that closer integration of spirituality and sustainability will enable more effective and sustainable strategies for future development.
Large-scale Multi-modal Pre-trained Models: A Comprehensive Survey
Authors: Wang Xiao , Chen Guangyao , Qian Guangwu , Gao Pengcheng , Wei Xiao-Yong , Wang Yaowei , Tian Yonghong , Gao Wen
Published: June 2023

With the urgent demand for generalized deep models, many pre-trained big models are proposed, such as bidirectional encoder representations (BERT), vision transformer (ViT), generative pre-trained transformers (GPT), etc. Inspired by the success of these models in single domains (like computer vision and natural language processing), the multi-modal pre-trained big models have also drawn more and more attention in recent years. In this work, we give a comprehensive survey of these models and hope this paper could provide new insights and helps fresh researchers to track the most cutting-edge works. Specifically, we firstly introduce the background of multi-modal pre-training by reviewing the conventional deep learning, pre-training works in natural language process, computer vision, and speech. Then, we introduce the task definition, key challenges, and advantages of multi-modal pre-training models (MM-PTMs), and discuss the MM-PTMs with a focus on data, objectives, network architectures, and knowledge enhanced pre-training. After that, we introduce the downstream tasks used for the validation of large-scale MM-PTMs, including generative, classification, and regression tasks. We also give visualization and analysis of the model parameters and results on representative downstream tasks. Finally, we point out possible research directions for this topic that may benefit future works. In addition, we maintain a continuously updated paper list for large-scale pre-trained multi-modal big models: https://github.com/wangxiao5791509/MultiModal_BigModels_Survey.
Effect of 316L Stainless Steel Fabrication on Oxidation Resistance, Surface Morphology, and Hot Tensile Behavior
Authors: Dudziak T. , Buzolin R. , Rzad E. , Wójcicki M. , Kateusz F. , Arneitz S. , Polkowska A.
Published: June 2023

Samples based on 316L stainless steel were prepared by conventional manufacturing process (CM) and laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). Surface morphology changes under air oxidation in the temperature range 600-900 °C were carried out. Tensile tests were carried out in the temperature range of 700-900 °C for strain rates between 0.001 and 0.1 s−1. The materials showed good oxidation resistance up to 700 °C. The CM and L-PBF material had a high mass gain instability and similar microstructures developed under high temperatures were found in both alloys. Increased temperature increases Cr concertation in the L-PBF material up to 40 at.% at 800 °C and a rich Fe based oxide is formed at 900 °C. Slightly thicker oxide scales were formed in the CM than in the L-PBF material.The hot tensile tests reveal that a fast work hardening occurs for all hot tensile tested samples up to a strain of approximately 0.025. Low temperatures and high strain rates within the investigated range promote a second work hardening regime, while a plateau in the flow stress is observed at high temperatures and low strain rates. The highest yield stress and peak stress values are reached at 700 °C. The yield stress is nearly independent of the strain rate at 700 °C. It decreases with a decrease in strain rate for 800 and 900 °C, and it decreases with an increase in temperature. The elongation till fracture varies from 10 to 22%, and it is strongly influenced by defects inherent of the L-PBF process.
Adsorption Capabilities of Fungoid Chitosan Toward Organic Acids in Model Solutions and White Wine
Authors: Gruppi Alice , Romanini Elia , Bassani Andrea , Lambri Milena , Chinnici Fabio , Gabrielli Mario
Published: June 2023

In oenology, fungoid chitosan (CH) can be used as an adjuvant for microbial control, haziness prevention, metal chelation, and ochratoxin removal. In acidic media (such as wine), CH can ionise and interact with charged compounds, giving rise to a series of adsorption and/or removal phenomena, some of which potentially impairing the overall quality of wines. In this context, it is worth noting that the interaction between CH and acidic components of wines has been poorly studied so far, and detailed information on this subject is still lacking. To study those interactions, different doses of chitosan (0.5; 1.0; 2.0 g/L) were dispersed in hydro-alcoholic solution (HS), synthetic wine solution (SW), and white wine (W). Results demonstrated that the remotion of tartaric acid and the change of pH were strongly affected by the matrix and dosage. In W and SW, chitosan was found to adsorb tartaric acid up to about 200 mg/g and 350 mg/g CH, respectively. Accordingly, pH values increased; however, the magnitude depended on the matrix as a consequence of different buffer capacities. Interestingly, even in the absence of tartaric acid (e.g. in HS samples) CH addition caused a pH increase (up to 1.2 units for 2 g/L CH addition) which demonstrated that pH variations may not only depend on the amount of organic acids adsorbed. The chitosan dispersed in W showed the highest average diameter D [3,2] (127.96 μm) compared to the ones dispersed in SW (120.81 μm) and in HS (116.26 μm), probably due to the presence of organic acids on the polymer surface. The minor removal of tartaric acid in W compared to SW could probably depend on the competitive adsorption onto chitosan of other families of compounds present in wine such as polyphenols. The data suggested that chitosan addition could affect the pH and organic acid concentration of all matrices, depending on the doses and composition of the solutions.
Multiorgan immunohistochemical endothelial expression of E-selectin in a forensic case of sepsis
Authors: Bohnert Simone , Trella Stefanie , Preiß Ulrich , Bohnert Michael , Tsokos Michael , Heinsen Helmut
Published: June 2023

Sepsis is one of the major threats for the survival and prognosis of patients in intensive care units. In cases where detailed clinical data and monitoring is available, the diagnosis of sepsis is reliable. But when clinical data are incomplete or missing and sepsis is only suspected based on the autopsy results, the picture is often equivocal. This report describes the gross pathological findings obtained from the autopsy of a 48-year-old woman with Crohn’s disease after surgical intervention. Macroscopically, we found intestinal perforation and signs of peritonitis. Histologically, the pulmonary/bronchial arteries were lined with E-selectin (CD 62E)-positive endothelial cells, which are an established postmortem histological marker of sepsis. We extended our investigations to the cerebral cortex and subcortical medullary layer. The endothelium of the cortical vessels and those in the cerebral medullary layer were likewise immunopositive for E-selectin. Furthermore, numerous TMEM119-positive, highly ramified microglial cell profiles were found in the grey and white matter. Microglial cells were lining the vascular profiles. In addition, TMEM119-positive microglial profiles were abundant in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Multiorgan E-selectin positivity of the vascular endothelia provides further evidence for the postmortem diagnosis of sepsis.
SEOM-GOTEL clinical guidelines on diffuse large B cell lymphoma (2022)
Authors: Gumà Josep , Palazón-Carrión Natalia , Rueda-Domínguez Antonio , Sequero Silvia , Calvo Virginia , García-Arroyo Ramón , Gómez-Codina José , Llanos Marta , Martínez-Banaclocha Natividad , Provencio Mariano
Published: June 2023

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most frequent histological subtype of NHL and the paradigm for the management of aggressive lymphoma. An excisional or incisional lymph node biopsy evaluated by an experienced hemopathologist is recommended to establish the diagnosis. Twenty years following its introduction, R-CHOP remains the standard first-line treatment. No modification of this scheme (increased chemotherapy dose intensity, new monoclonal antibodies, or the addition of immunomodulators or anti-target agents) has significatively improved the clinical outcomes, whereas therapy for recurrence or progression is evolving rapidly. The irruption of CART cells, polatuzumab vedotin, tafasitamab, and CD20/CD3 bispecific antibodies are changing the natural history of relapsed patients and will challenge R-CHOP as the benchmark for newly diagnosed patients.
Frequency of anticancer drug use at the end of life: a scoping review
Authors: Szigethy Endre , Dorantes Rosario , Sugrañes Miguel , Madera Meisser , Sola Ivan , Urrútia Gerard , Bonfill Xavier
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Anticancer drug use at the end of life places potential extra burdens on patients and the healthcare system. Previous articles show variability in methods and outcomes; thus, their results are not directly comparable. This scoping review describes the methods and extent of anticancer drug use at end of life.

Methods

Systematic searches in Medline and Embase were conducted to identify articles reporting anticancer drug use at the end of life.

Results

We selected 341 eligible publications, identifying key study features including timing of research, disease status, treatment schedule, treatment type, and treatment characteristics. Among the subset of 69 articles of all cancer types published within the last 5 years, we examined the frequency of anticancer drug use across various end of life periods.

Conclusion

This comprehensive description of publications on anticancer drug use at end of life underscores the importance of methodological factors when designing studies and comparing outcomes.
I am Robot, Your Health Adviser for Older Adults: Do You Trust My Advice?
Authors: Giorgi Ioanna , Minutolo Aniello , Tirotto Francesca , Hagen Oksana , Esposito Massimo , Gianni Mario , Palomino Marco , Masala Giovanni L.
Published: June 2023

Artificial intelligence and robotic solutions are seeing rapid development for use across multiple occupations and sectors, including health and social care. As robots grow more prominent in our work and home environments, whether people would favour them in receiving useful advice becomes a pressing question. In the context of human–robot interaction (HRI), little is known about people’s advice-taking behaviour and trust in the advice of robots. To this aim, we conducted an experimental study with older adults to measure their trust and compliance with robot-based advice in health-related situations. In our experiment, older adults were instructed by a fictional human dispenser to ask a humanoid robot for advice on certain vitamins and over-the-counter supplements supplied by the dispenser. In the first experimented condition, the robot would give only information-type advice, i.e., neutral informative advice on the supplements given by the human. In the second condition, the robot would give recommendation-type advice, i.e., advice in favour of more supplements than those suggested initially by the human. We measured the trust of the participants in the type of robot-based advice, anticipating that they would be more trusting of information-type advice. Moreover, we measured the compliance with the advice, for participants who received robot-based recommendations, and a closer proxy of the actual use of robot health advisers in home environments or facilities in the foreseeable future. Our findings indicated that older adults continued to trust the robot regardless of the type of advice received, highlighting a type of protective role of robot-based recommendations on their trust. We also found that higher trust in the robot resulted in higher compliance with its advice. The results underpinned the likeliness of older adults welcoming a robot at their homes or health facilities.
Exploring the passengers’ socio-economic structure and its impact on the perception of railway infrastructures and services in Tripura, India
Authors: Roy Stabak , Mazzulla Gabriella , Hore Samrat , Mitra Saptarshi
Published: June 2023

The railway is a cost-efficient transport system that ensures economic development, social well-being, environmental sustainability and regional cooperation. As a prime mode of public transportation, it provides significant passenger service throughout the world. It is necessary to understand what passengers think about railway infrastructures and services to enhance passenger satisfaction, increase ridership and reduce the railway policy gap. Many socio-economic factors like education, income and occupation may influence the epistemological thought process of passengers about railway infrastructure and service quality. This study was conducted in Tripura, North-eastern India, to examine the effect of a passenger’s socio-economic structure on their perception of railway infrastructures and services. About 735 samples were collected from all 27 railway stations of Tripura through stratified random sampling. To understand passenger perceptions about railway infrastructure, a 5-Point Likert Scale has been used. A Modified Satisfaction Index (MSI) has been proposed to analyse the degree of passenger satisfaction by modifying an existing method. The Kuppuswamy socio-economic scale has been used to identify the association of social class on passenger perception to address the policy gap and provide alternative technical solutions by formulating effective strategies for enhancing service quality. The contribution of the study is to provide insights into the importance of considering socio-economic factors in enhancing service quality and improving passenger satisfaction. Additionally, the proposed MSI can offer a reliable and practical tool for measuring passenger satisfaction with railway services.
The impact of antibiotic stewardship interventions and patient related factors on antibiotic prescribing in a vascular surgical department
Authors: Gruber M. M. , Weber A. , Jung J. , Strehlau A. , Tsilimparis N. , Draenert R.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The development of guidelines tailored to the departments’ needs and counselling during ward rounds are important antibiotic stewardship (AS) strategies. The aim was to analyse the impact of AS ward rounds and institutional guidelines as well as patient-related factors on antibiotic use in vascular surgical patients.

Methods

A retrospective prescribing-analysis of 3 months (P1, P2) before and after implementing weekly AS ward rounds and antimicrobial treatment guidelines was performed. Choice of systemic antibiotics, days of antibiotic therapy and clinical data were obtained from electronic patient records.

Results

During P2, the overall antibiotic consumption as well as the use of last-resort compounds like linezolid and fluoroquinolones decreased distinctly (overall: 47.0 days of therapy (DOT)/100 patient days (PD) vs. 35.3 DOT/100PD, linezolid: 3.7 DOT/100PD vs. 1.0 DOT/100PD, fluoroquinolones: 7.0 DOT/100PD vs. 3.2 DOT/100PD) while narrow-spectrum beta-lactams increased by 48.4%. Courses of antibiotics were de-escalated more often during P2 (30.5% vs. 12.1%, p = 0.011). Only in P2, an antibiotic therapy was initiated in patients suffering from more comorbidities (i.e. higher Charlson Comorbidity Index) more frequently. Other patient factors had no distinct impact on antibiotic prescribing.

Conclusion

Weekly AS ward rounds improved adherence to institutional antibiotic treatment guidelines and antibiotic prescribing in vascular surgical patients. Clear patient-related determinants affecting choice of antibiotic therapies could not be identified.
Study on joint characteristics in laser butt welding of AMed and wrought Ti6Al4V plates
Authors: Okamoto Yasuhiro , Shinonaga Togo , Takemoto Yoshito , Okada Akira , Ochi Akihiro , Kishimoto Ryuya , Pityana Sisa , Arthur Nana , Omoniyi Peter , Mahamood Rasheedat , Maina Martin , Akinlabi Esther
Published: June 2023

Titanium alloy Ti6Al4V has been widely applied to medical, automotive, and aerospace industries due to its excellent properties such as high strength and excellent corrosion resistance. On the other hand, additive manufacturing (AM) technology can give the freedom of design of the products. In order to spread the AMed products, the joining of AMed and wrought products are required, and it is important to understand the joint characteristics. In this study, butt welding of Ti6Al4V plate was conducted by fiber laser in argon shielding, and the joint characteristics of laser weld wrought/wrought, AMed/AMed, and AMed/wrought Ti6Al4V plates were experimentally investigated. The AMed plate has higher tensile strength than wrought plate but the elongation of AMed plate is smaller, since AMed plate has α’ martensite due to rapid cooling during laser irradiation in AM process. Then, the laser weld joint of AMed/AMed plates has higher tensile strength, but smaller elongation than that of wrought/wrought plates. The weld joint of AMed/wrought plates shows good welding state, since small heat input leads to formation of small weld bead with higher hardness between wrought and AMed plates.
Big data-based parathyroid hormone (PTH) values emphasize need for age correction
Authors: Cavalcante L. B. C. P. , Brandão C. M. Á. , Chiamolera M. I. , Biscolla R. P. M. , Junior J. V. L. , de Sá Tavares Russo P. , Morgado J. P. M. , de Francischi Ferrer C. M. A. , Vieira J. G. H.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

We aimed to study the relationship between aging and increased parathyroid hormone (PTH) values.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study with data from patients who underwent outpatient PTH measurements performed by a second-generation electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. We included patients over 18 years of age with simultaneous PTH, calcium, and creatinine measurements and 25-OHD measured within 30 days. Patients with glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2, altered calcemia, 25-OHD level < 20 ng/mL, PTH values > 100 pg/mL or using lithium, furosemide or antiresorptive therapy were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed using the RefineR method.

Results

Our sample comprised 263,242 patients for the group with 25-OHD ≥ 20 ng/mL, that included 160,660 with 25-OHD ≥ 30 ng/mL. The difference in PTH values among age groups divided by decades was statistically significant (p < 0.0001), regardless of 25-OHD values, ≥ 20 or ≥ 30 ng/mL. In the group with 25-OHD ≥ 20 ng/mL and more than 60 years, the PTH values were 22.1–84.0 pg/mL, a different upper reference limit from the reference value recommended by the kit manufacturer.

Conclusion

We observed a correlation between aging and PTH increase, when measured by a second-generation immunoassay, regardless of vitamin D levels, if greater than 20 ng/mL, in normocalcemic individuals without renal dysfunction.
Vegan diet—alternative protein sources as potential allergy risk
Authors: Jappe Uta
Published: June 2023

Background

As a vegan diet is per definition a plant-based diet, consumers rely on plant protein sources in order to substitute animal proteins. Plant protein sources commonly used in this context are the following: cereals, like wheat (Triticum aestivum, Triticum durum), oat flakes; pseudo cereals like quinoa; nuts and oil seeds like cashew (Anacardium occidentale), hazelnut (Corylus avellana), walnut (Juglans regia); seeds like psyllium seeds (Plantago ovata), sesame (Sesamum indicum), and chia seed (Salvia hispanica).

Methods

In order to assess the allergy risk posed by vegan diet, a literature search focusing on the composition of this particular diet and whether the respective foods are potentially allergenic was performed.

Results

At first glance, it is evident for allergologists that these protein sources are well-known allergen sources. Particularly nuts and legumes harbour storage proteins, oleosins, and lipid transfer proteins that as such are associated with severe allergic reactions to food. In addition, there is increasing evidence that the simultaneous consumption of several of these foods may produce a summation effect where many single allergens of high allergenic potential sum up, thereby inducing anaphylaxis. Furthermore, food processing—or the lack of it—puts patients with pollen-associated food allergy at risk to react to some of the plant foods used in vegan diets.

Conclusion

Therefore, individuals with a history of atopy should be educated regarding the allergy risk of a vegan diet.
A Virtual Reconstruction of the Batavia Shipwreck in Its Landscape
Authors: McCarthy John , van Duivenvoorde Wendy
Published: June 2023

We present a digital reconstruction of a shipwreck in a landscape context, illustrating the value of combining and synthesizing spatial data from a wide variety of sources to provide new insights on a heavily studied archaeological site. The shipwreck used for this case study is Batavia, one of the best-known shipwrecks in the world due to its rarity as an early Dutch East Indiaman, its association with the early days of the discipline of maritime archaeology, and with the dramatic events that followed the wrecking of the ship on an isolated reef off the west coast of Australia in 1629. The digital reconstruction of this shipwreck site leverages LiDAR, ship-construction manuals, and contemporary and modern ship models with underwater photogrammetry to provide new insights on the aftermath of the wrecking, site taphonomy on the seabed, and to recreate the visual aspects of the site.
Ist mein Ziel wirklich „mein“ Ziel?
Authors: Ertl Sonja , Xie Leilei , Kücherer Benjamin , Hartinger Andreas
Published: June 2023

In Lernentwicklungsgesprächen werden für gewöhnlich Ziele für das weitere Lernen vereinbart. Der vorliegende Beitrag geht den Fragen nach, in welchem Umfang die Schüler:innen in den Zielvereinbarungsprozess eingebunden werden und ob die Art der Ziele dabei eine Rolle spielt. Dazu wurden 63 Videoaufnahmen von Lernentwicklungsgesprächen in der Jahrgangsstufe 2, in denen insgesamt 105 Ziele vereinbart wurden, mittels quantitativer Inhaltsanalyse ausgewertet. Es zeigt sich, dass die Kinder überwiegend in den Prozess der Zielvereinbarung eingebunden sind – jedoch mehr in der Phase des Zielvorschlags und weniger in der Phase der Anpassung/Festlegung des Ziels. Zudem sind die Kinder eher bei fachbezogenen als bei überfachlichen Zielen eingebunden. Die Ergebnisse werden diskutiert und weitere Forschungsdesiderata werden aufgezeigt.
Evaluation potentiality of Rhizophora mucronata plantation for pollutants remediation on the Red Sea Coast, Egypt
Authors: Aboulsoud Yasmin I. E. , Elkhouly Ahmed A.
Published: June 2023

The planted Rhizophora mucronata was evaluated in two plant ages (one year and eight years) as a biological tool for reducing the mobility of heavy metals in sediments in Safaga and Hamata, Red Sea Coast, Egypt. It is an important region for tourism and nature reserves; however, this area suffers from various anthropogenic contaminants. The ability of mangrove plantations to reduce sediment contamination through bioaccumulation, phytostabilization, or phytoextraction must be clarified through the investigation of metal behavior in mangrove plants and sediments. All of the studied heavy metals had significantly higher concentrations in the Safaga site's sediments. Elder plants had much lower levels of heavy metals in their sediments than younger plants, also rhizosphere samples were less contaminated than non-rhizosphere ones. The order of remediation efficiency was Mo > Ni > Mn ≥ Co > Al > Cu > Zn ≥ Cr > Fe > V, where the highest % was 99.25, 58.97, 42.64, 42.48, 41.91, 39.47, 37.93, 37.01, 36.89, and 29.44, respectively. R. mucronata parts were more significantly contaminated with Co, Cr, Cu, Mo and Zn in Safaga site, while at the Hamata site, they were more significantly contaminated with Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, and V. The elder plants accumulated higher concentrations than younger ones and the contents of heavy metals in plant samples followed the order of root > aerial roots > shoot. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) values representing the accumulation efficiency of R. mucronata were Ni > Mo > Zn > Cu > Cr > Co > Mn ≥ Al > V > Fe, where their highest values were 17.74, 7.89, 3.95, 3.84, 2.66, 1.91, 1.67, 1.66, 1.6, 1.18, respectively. BCF values exceeded one for all metals and values of translocation factor (TF) were less than unity in all cases, thus Rhizophora mucronata can be considered as a good phytostabilizer of ten studied heavy metals able to reduce their mobility through accumulation by roots, thereby reducing off-site contamination.
MC-NN: An End-to-End Multi-Channel Neural Network Approach for Predicting Influenza A Virus Hosts and Antigenic Types
Authors: Xu Yanhua , Wojtczak Dominik
Published: June 2023

Influenza poses a significant threat to public health, particularly among the elderly, young children, and people with underlying diseases. The manifestation of severe conditions, such as pneumonia, highlights the importance of preventing the spread of influenza. An accurate and cost-effective prediction of the host and antigenic subtypes of influenza A viruses is essential to addressing this issue, particularly in resource-constrained regions. In this study, we propose a multi-channel neural network model to predict the host and antigenic subtypes of influenza A viruses from hemagglutinin and neuraminidase protein sequences. Our model was trained on a comprehensive data set of complete protein sequences and evaluated on various test data sets of complete and incomplete sequences. The results demonstrate the potential and practicality of using multi-channel neural networks in predicting the host and antigenic subtypes of influenza A viruses from both full and partial protein sequences.
Solving Kolmogorov PDEs without the curse of dimensionality via deep learning and asymptotic expansion with Malliavin calculus
Authors: Takahashi Akihiko , Yamada Toshihiro
Published: June 2023

This paper proposes a new spatial approximation method without the curse of dimensionality for solving high-dimensional partial differential equations (PDEs) by using an asymptotic expansion method with a deep learning-based algorithm. In particular, the mathematical justification on the spatial approximation is provided. Numerical examples for high-dimensional Kolmogorov PDEs show effectiveness of our method.
A Comprehensive Survey on Machine Learning using in Software Defined Networks (SDN)
Authors: Faezi Sahar , Shirmarz Alireza
Published: June 2023

These days, Internet coverage and technologies are growing rapidly, hence, it makes the network more complex and heterogeneous. Software defined network (SDN) revolutionized the network architecture and simplified the network by separating the control and data plane. On the other hand, machine learning (ML) and its derivations have made the systems more intelligent. Many pieces of research papers have addressed ML and SDN. In this survey, we collected the papers published in Springer, Elsevier, IEEE, and ACM and addressed SDN and ML between 2016 and 2023. The research papers are organized based on the solutions, evaluation parameters, and evaluation environments to help those working on SDN and ML for improving the target functional or non-functional parameters. The research papers will be analyzed to extract the solutions, evaluation parameters and environments. The extracted solutions, evaluation parameters and environments will be clustered in this review paper. The research gap and future research directions will be stated in this work. This survey is completely useful for those who working on SDN and want to improve the functional and non-functional parameters using machine learning.
An Explainable Artificial Intelligence Framework for the Predictive Analysis of Hypo and Hyper Thyroidism Using Machine Learning Algorithms
Authors: Hossain Md. Bipul , Shama Anika , Adhikary Apurba , Raha Avi Deb , Uddin K. M. Aslam , Hossain Mohammad Amzad , Islam Imtia , Murad Saydul Akbar , Munir Md. Shirajum , Bairagi Anupam Kumar
Published: June 2023

The thyroid gland is the crucial organ in the human body, secreting two hormones that help to regulate the human body’s metabolism. Thyroid disease is a severe medical complaint that could be developed by high Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels or an infection in the thyroid tissues. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are two critical conditions caused by insufficient thyroid hormone production and excessive thyroid hormone production, respectively. Machine learning models can be used to precisely process the data generated from different medical sectors and to build a model to predict several diseases. In this paper, we use different machine-learning algorithms to predict hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism. Moreover, we identified the most significant features, which can be used to detect thyroid diseases more precisely. After completing the pre-processing and feature selection steps, we applied our modified and original data to several classification models to predict thyroidism. We found Random Forest (RF) is giving the maximum evaluation score in all sectors in our dataset, and Naive Bayes is performing very poorly. Moreover selecting the feature by using the feature importance method RF provides the best accuracy of 91.42%, precision of 92%, recall of 92% and F1-score of 92%. Further, by analyzing the characteristics and behavior of the dataset, we identified the most important features (TSH, T3, TT4, and FTI) of the dataset. In terms of accuracy and other performance evaluation criteria, this study could advocate the use of effective classifiers and features backed by machine learning algorithms to detect and diagnose thyroid disease. Finally, we did some explainability analysis of our best classifier to understand the internal black-box of our machine learning model and datasets. This study could further pave the way for the researcher as well as healthcare professionals to analyze thyroid disease in real time applications.
Alaska Backcountry Expeditionary Hunting Promotes Sustained Muscle Protein Synthesis
Authors: Coker Robert H. , Ruby Brent C. , Coker Melynda S. , Bartlett Larry , Kowalski Brandon , Goropashnaya Anna V. , Bateman Terry , Shankaran Mahalakshmi , Hellerstein Marc , Evans William J.
Published: June 2023

Introduction

We have previously described negative energy balance (ie, −9.7±3.4 MJ/d) and weight loss (Δ−1.5 ± 0.7 kg) influenced by high levels of energy expenditure (ie, 17.4±2.6 MJ/d) during remote expeditionary hunting in Alaska. Despite negative energy balance, participants retained skeletal muscle. The purpose of this pilot study was to measure skeletal muscle protein synthesis and examine molecular markers of skeletal muscle protein metabolism under similar conditions of physical and nutrient stress.

Methods

The “virtual biopsy method” was used to evaluate integrated fractional synthetic rates (FSRs) of muscle protein from blood samples in 4 participants. Muscle biopsies were taken to measure molecular markers of muscle protein kinetics (ie, FSTL1, MEF2, MYOD1, B2M, and miR-1-3p, -206, -208b, 23a, and 499a) using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Our findings in 4 participants (2 females [28 and 62 y of age; 66.2 and 71.8 kg body weight; 25.5 and 26.7 kg/m2 body mass index] and 2 males [47 and 56 y of age; 87.5 and 91.4 kg body weight; 26.1 and 28.3 kg/m2 body mass index]) describe mean muscle FSRs of serum carbonic anhydrase (2.4%) and creatine kinase M-type (4.0%) and positive increments in molecular regulation.

Conclusions

Preservation of skeletal muscle under conditions of physical and nutrient stress seems to be supported by positive inflection of skeletal muscle FSR and molecular activation.
Chaucer's Early Modern Readers
Authors: Singh Devani
Published: June 2023

The first extended study of the reception of Chaucer's medieval manuscripts in the early modern period, this book focuses chiefly on fifteenth-century manuscripts and discusses how these volumes were read, used, valued, and transformed in an age of the poet's prominence in print. Each chapter argues that patterns in the material interventions made by readers in their manuscripts – correcting, completing, supplementing, and authorising – reflect conventions which circulated in print, and convey prevailing preoccupations about Chaucer in the period: the antiquity and accuracy of his words, the completeness of individual texts and of the canon, and the figure of the author himself. This unexpected and compelling evidence of the interactions between fifteenth-century manuscripts and their early modern analogues asserts print's role in sustaining manuscript culture and thus offers fresh scholarly perspectives to medievalists, early modernists, and historians of the book. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.
Conservatives against the Tide
Authors: Vommaro Gabriel
Published: June 2023

This volume in the Elements series addresses the success of conservative parties in non-authoritarian contexts in contemporary Latin America. It places the core case of Argentina's Republican Proposal (PRO) party in comparative perspective with Argentina's Recrear and with Colombia's Democratic Center (CD) party and the Bolivia's Social Democratic Movement (MDS) in an effort to understand their differing degrees of success in adverse circumstances. Based on long-term research using a variety of methods, this Element shows that success has been driven by three factors: programmatic innovation by personalistic leaders; organizational mobilization of both core and noncore constituencies; and elite fear of the 'Venezuela model.'
Linguistic Landscapes
Authors: Kallen Jeffrey L.
Published: June 2023

Visible language is widespread and familiar in everyday life. We find it in shop signs, advertising billboards, street and place name signs, commercial logos and slogans, and visual arts. The field of linguistic landscapes draws on insights from sociolinguistics, language policy and semiotics to show how these public forms of language relate to multiple issues in language policy, language rights, language and education, language and culture, and globalization. Stretching from the earliest stone inscriptions, to posters and street signs, and to today's electronic media, linguistic landscapes sit at the crossroads of language, society, geography, and visual communication. Written by one of the pioneers of the field, this is the first book-length synthesis of this exciting, rapidly-developing field. Using photographic evidence from across three continents, it demonstrates the methodology and approaches used, and summarises its findings and developments so far. It also seeks to answer common questions from its critics, and to suggest new directions for further study.
On the properties of phase heads in raising and passive clauses: DP movement and Transfer options
Authors: Fernández-Salgueiro Gerardo
Published: June 2023

This short article proposes to eliminate asymmetries between the CP and vP phases by arguing for a more uniform clause structure in which both phase heads, C and v, are always present in a derivation but may be removed from the workspace by Transfer. I argue that C is present in the derivation of raising clauses but is removed from the workspace after DP movement yields intersecting sets, in the sense of Epstein et al. (2012, 2015).
Two Decades of Industrial Disputation at an Indian Auto Plant: Lean Production versus Local Cultural Values
Authors: Mathew Sagi , Burgess John
Published: June 2023

This case study finds that disrespect by international expatriate managers towards local employees triggered long-term industrial unrest in the Indian subsidiary of the global car maker Toyota. Whilst innovative production models and their tools provide economic advantage to the company, the interaction of the application of the lean production model within the context of host country institutions often creates workplace disputation and unrest due to unilateralism and managerial hegemonies that overrides local customs and norms. The power of multinational enterprises to override or ignore institutional resistance and to inflict disrespect towards the local workforce can result in worker resistance, a lack of trust, and ongoing industrial unrest. This case study demonstrates how a lack of respect of local customs and workers grievances had long-lasting consequences in terms of the subsequent conflict and a poor industrial relations climate at the production plant in India.
Institutional Dynamics of State-Minority Relations: The Case of Roma Communities in Slovakia
Authors: Csabay Jakub
Published: June 2023

The study addresses the absence of a comprehensive institutional analysis framework in the academic literature on state-minority relations. It does so by employing a framework of analysis based on Skocpol’s analysis of structural factors and Ostrom’s multi-level institutional analysis to understand the processes of radical and incremental institutional change. The article is empirically grounded in a case study of Roma communities in Slovakia. More specifically, it maps and analyzes the evolution and change of institutional frameworks of state-minority relations in the context of Roma communities in Slovakia from the 1960s to 2020. Drawing from archival materials, interview findings, and document analysis, this article shows how post-socialist Slovakia radically redefined and diversified its institutional framework for Roma communities at different institutional levels, which subsequently continued to change at an incremental pace. Overall, the study aspires to offer a more dynamic institutional approach to the study of state-minority relations, which are currently dominated by more static regime- and rights-based approaches, and to contribute with a prospectively useful framework for understanding the developments of state-minority relations in the broader post-Soviet space and beyond.
A core component of psychological therapy causes adaptive changes in computational learning mechanisms
Authors: Dercon Quentin , Mehrhof Sara Z. , Sandhu Timothy R. , Hitchcock Caitlin , Lawson Rebecca P. , Pizzagalli Diego A. , Dalgleish Tim , Nord Camilla L.
Published: June 2023

Background

Cognitive distancing is an emotion regulation strategy commonly used in psychological treatment of various mental health disorders, but its therapeutic mechanisms are unknown.

Methods

935 participants completed an online reinforcement learning task involving choices between pairs of symbols with differing reward contingencies. Half (49.1%) of the sample was randomised to a cognitive self-distancing intervention and were trained to regulate or ‘take a step back’ from their emotional response to feedback throughout. Established computational (Q-learning) models were then fit to individuals' choices to derive reinforcement learning parameters capturing clarity of choice values (inverse temperature) and their sensitivity to positive and negative feedback (learning rates).

Results

Cognitive distancing improved task performance, including when participants were later tested on novel combinations of symbols without feedback. Group differences in computational model-derived parameters revealed that cognitive distancing resulted in clearer representations of option values (estimated 0.17 higher inverse temperatures). Simultaneously, distancing caused increased sensitivity to negative feedback (estimated 19% higher loss learning rates). Exploratory analyses suggested this resulted from an evolving shift in strategy by distanced participants: initially, choices were more determined by expected value differences between symbols, but as the task progressed, they became more sensitive to negative feedback, with evidence for a difference strongest by the end of training.

Conclusions

Adaptive effects on the computations that underlie learning from reward and loss may explain the therapeutic benefits of cognitive distancing. Over time and with practice, cognitive distancing may improve symptoms of mental health disorders by promoting more effective engagement with negative information.
Fermenting a place in history: The first outbreak of Escherichia coli O157 associated with kimchi in Canada
Authors: Smith Courtney R. , Bond Heather , Kearney Ashley , Chau Kelvin , Chui Linda , Gerrie Monica , Honish Lance , Oukouomi Lowé Yves , Mah Victor , Manore Anna J. W.
Published: June 2023

A Canadian outbreak investigation was initiated in January 2022 after a cluster of cases of Shiga-toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 was identified through whole genome sequencing (WGS). Exposure information was collected through case interviews. Traceback investigations were conducted, and samples from case homes, retail, and the manufacturer were tested for STEC O157. Fourteen cases were identified in two provinces in Western Canada, with isolates related by 0–5 whole genome multi-locus sequence typing allele differences. Symptom onset dates ranged from 11 December 2021 to 7 January 2022. The median age of cases was 29.5 (range 0–61); 64% were female. No hospitalisations or deaths were reported. Of 11 cases with information available on fermented vegetable exposures, 91% (10/11) reported consuming Kimchi Brand A during their exposure period. The traceback investigation identified Manufacturer A in Western Canada as the producer. One open and one closed sample of Kimchi Brand A tested positive for STEC O157, with isolates considered genetically related by WGS to the outbreak strain. Napa cabbage within the kimchi product was hypothesised as the most likely source of contamination. This paper summarises the investigation into this STEC O157 outbreak associated with kimchi, the first reported outside of East Asia.
The consolidation of public banking in Spain: from the 1970s crisis to the 2008 crisis
Authors: Blasco-Martel Yolanda , Cuevas Joaquim , Riera-Prunera Maria Carme
Published: June 2023

This article contributes to the literature analysing the role of public banks in crises. Taking the case of Spain, it analyses the behaviour of the public bank (ICO) between 1971 and 2015, specifically during two crises: the crisis of the 1970s, when Spain was an economically backward country coming out of a dictatorship; and that of 2008–13, by which time it had integrated into the international economy. Public credit underwent sweeping privatization in 1991, which translated into major downsizing. From then on, a gradual process of modernization began, mainly characterized by institutional changes in governance and access to resources. Our results indicate that public and private credit behave differently during recessions. Private credit always remains closely synchronized with the business cycle, but public credit less so.