bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The language dependency of /m/ in native Dutch and non-native English
Authors: de Boer Meike M. , Heeren Willemijn F. L.
Published: October 2023

In forensic speaker comparisons, the current practice is to try to avoid comparisons between speech fragments in different languages. However, globalization requires an exploration of individual speech features that may show phonetic consistency across a speaker's languages. We predicted that the bilabial nasal /m/ may be minimally affected by the language spoken due to the involvement of the rigid nasal cavity in combination with a lack of fixed oral articulatory targets. The results show that indeed, L1 Dutch speakers (N = 53) had similar nasal formants and formant bandwidths when speaking in their L2 English as in their native language, suggesting language-independency of /m/ within speakers. In fact, acoustics seemed to rely more on the phonetic context than on the language spoken. Nevertheless, caution should still be exercised when sampling across languages when the languages' phoneme inventories and phonotactics show substantial differences.
Disruption of influenza virus packaging signals results in various misassembled genome complexes
Authors: Girard Justine , Jakob Celia , Toews Lina Kathrin , Fuchs Jonas , Pohlmann Anne , Franzke Kati , Kolesnikova Larissa , Jeney Csaba , Beer Martin , Bron Patrick , Schwemmle Martin , Bolte Hardin
Published: October 2023

The eight different genomic viral RNAs (vRNAs) of influenza A virus are typically packaged into virions as a (7 + 1) complex of seven viral ribonucleoproteins (vRNPs) around a central vRNP. Mutations in the packaging signals of these vRNAs are predicted to result in virions lacking specific vRNPs. However, whether these vRNPs are then replaced by vRNP-like host RNAs is an open question. Here, we report that mutations in two packaging signals of influenza A/SC35M virus, which cause the near-complete loss of four vRNAs from the total virion population, result in several distinct virion subpopulations with unusual vRNP content. Half of the virions analyzed are empty or contain incomplete genome complexes with one to four vRNPs. Unexpectedly, most other virions contain atypical (7 + 1) complexes consisting of multiple copies of the four efficiently packaged vRNAs, but no host RNAs. The reported set of misassembled genome complexes suggests that packaging signals coordinate a modular genome assembly process.

IMPORTANCE

The influenza A virus genome consists of eight distinct viral RNAs (vRNAs) that are typically packaged into a single virion as an octameric complex. How this genome complex is assembled and incorporated into the virion is poorly understood, but previous research suggests a coordinative role for packaging signals present in all vRNAs. Here, we show that disruption of two packaging signals in a model H7N7 influenza A virus results in a mixture of virions with unusual vRNA content, including empty virions, virions with one to four vRNAs, and virions with octameric complexes composed of vRNA duplicates. Our results suggest that (i) the assembly of error-free octameric complexes proceeds through a series of defined vRNA sub-complexes and (ii) virions can bud without incorporating complete octameric complexes.
The latent HIV reservoir: current advances in genetic sequencing approaches
Authors: Moar Preeti , Premeaux Thomas A. , Atkins Andrew , Ndhlovu Lishomwa C.
Published: October 2023

Multiple cellular HIV reservoirs in diverse anatomical sites can undergo clonal expansion and persist for years despite suppressive antiretroviral therapy, posing a major barrier toward an HIV cure. Commonly adopted assays to assess HIV reservoir size mainly consist of PCR-based measures of cell-associated total proviral DNA, intact proviruses and transcriptionally competent provirus (viral RNA), flow cytometry and microscopy-based methods to measure translationally competent provirus (viral protein), and quantitative viral outgrowth assay, the gold standard to measure replication-competent provirus; yet no assay alone can provide a comprehensive view of the total HIV reservoir or its dynamics. Furthermore, the detection of extant provirus by these measures does not preclude defects affecting replication competence. An accurate measure of the latent reservoir is essential for evaluating the efficacy of HIV cure strategies. Recent approaches have been developed, which generate proviral sequence data to create a more detailed profile of the latent reservoir. These sequencing approaches are valuable tools to understand the complex multicellular processes in a diverse range of tissues and cell types and have provided insights into the mechanisms of HIV establishment and persistence. These advancements over previous sequencing methods have allowed multiplexing and new assays have emerged, which can document transcriptional activity, chromosome accessibility, and in-depth cellular phenotypes harboring latent HIV, enabling the characterization of rare infected cells across restrictive sites such as the brain. In this manuscript, we provide a review of HIV sequencing-based assays adopted to address challenges in quantifying and characterizing the latent HIV reservoir.
How might bacteriophages shape biological invasions?
Authors: Van Cauwenberghe Jannick , Simms Ellen L.
Published: October 2023

Invasions by eukaryotes dependent on environmentally acquired bacterial mutualists are often limited by the ability of bacterial partners to survive and establish free-living populations. Focusing on the model legume-rhizobium mutualism, we apply invasion biology hypotheses to explain how bacteriophages can impact the competitiveness of introduced bacterial mutualists. Predicting how phage-bacteria interactions affect invading eukaryotic hosts requires knowing the eco-evolutionary constraints of introduced and native microbial communities, as well as their differences in abundance and diversity. By synthesizing research from invasion biology, as well as bacterial, viral, and community ecology, we create a conceptual framework for understanding and predicting how phages can affect biological invasions through their effects on bacterial mutualists.
Draft genome sequences of representative
Paenibacillus polymyxa
,
Bacillus cereus
,
Fictibacillus
sp., and
Brevibacillus agri
strains isolated from Amazonian dark earth
Authors: Pellegrinetti Thierry Alexandre , Cunha Izadora De Cássia Mesquita da , Chaves Miriam Gonçalves de , Freitas Anderson Santos de , Silva Ana Vitória Reina da , Tsai Siu Mui , Mendes Lucas William
Published: October 2023

Here, we report 10 distinct bacterial genomes from Amazonian dark earths, including six identified as
Paenibacillus polymyxa
, while the remaining four were unique representatives of
Paenibacillus vini
,
Bacillus cereus
,
Brevibacillus agri
, and
Fictibacillus
sp., respectively. Each strain exhibited antagonistic activity against
Fusarium oxysporum
, underscoring their potential as sustainable agriculture resources.
Effects of continuous cropping on fungal community diversity and soil metabolites in soybean roots
Authors: He Dexin , Yao Xingdong , Zhang Pengyu , Liu Wenbo , Huang Junxia , Sun Hexiang , Wang Nan , Zhang Xuejing , Wang Haiying , Zhang Huijun , Ao Xue , Xie Futi
Published: October 2023

Microbial community imbalance is the main cause of soybean intercropping, but the mechanism of soybean soil fungal community diversity change induced by continuous cropping is still unclear. This study analyzes the fungal community diversity and the change of fungal communities in compartments of different root systems of intercropped soybeans by high-throughput sequencing (endosphere, rhizoplane, and rhizosphere) between continuous cropping and maize-soybean rotation. The results showed that the community composition and the diversity of compartments of different root systems of intercropped soybeans are different, and fungal diversities showed a decreasing trend from rhizosphere to endosphere. Continuous cropping significantly increased fungal community diversities in different root compartments and changed their formation, enrichment, and depletion processes. Continuous cropping brings about the enrichment of soil pathogens, but only partial soil pathogens could colonize from the rhizosphere to the endosphere. All these suggested that root compartments had selective effects on root-associated fungal community diversity. Additionally, metabolomics assay revealed that continuous cropping soybean markedly altered soil metabolic profiling. Correlation analysis results showed that fungal community diversity was significantly correlated with soil metabolites. To sum up, under different planting patterns, the diversity and the functional mode of soybean soil microbial community have changed. Continuous cropping has increased the abundance of pathogenic fungi in soybean soil, resulting in changes in the correlation between soil fungi and metabolites, and then changed the soil metabolic spectrum.

IMPORTANCE

Soybean yield can be affected by soybean soil fungal communities in different tillage patterns. Soybean is an important food crop with great significance worldwide. Continuous cultivation resulted in soil nutrient deficiencies, disordered metabolism of root exudates, fungal pathogen accumulation, and an altered microbial community, which brought a drop in soybean output. In this study, taking the soybean agroecosystem in northeast China, we revealed the microbial ecology and soil metabolites spectrum, especially the diversity and composition of soil fungi and the correlation of pathogenic fungi, and discussed the mechanisms and the measures of alleviating the obstacles.
Electrocardiographic spiked-helmet sign in critical non-cardiac illness
Authors: Narvaez-Guerra Offdan , Osorio Brian , Gentile Bryon , Del-Carpio Munoz Freddy
Published: October 2023

The spiked-helmet sign (SHS) is an electrocardiographic finding characterised by a distinctive pattern associated with critical illness, resolving once the clinical condition improves. While the underlying mechanism remains uncertain, different mechanisms have been proposed to account for these findings including changes in intrathoracic or intra-abdominal pressures, transient compression of the coronary arteries, repolarisation abnormalities and electromechanical artefacts. We describe the development of the SHS in a patient with underlying left bundle branch pacing following the development of respiratory failure due to haemoptysis and review proposed mechanisms for its pathophysiology.
Endovascular repair of radial artery non-anastomotic pseudoaneurysm in a radial forearm free flap
Authors: Cooper Dylan J , Tarr Joseph T , Sacho Raphael , Blasco Michael A , Ng Marilyn
Published: October 2023

The development of pseudoaneurysm is an uncommon, life-threatening complication of head and neck microvascular surgery. Only a handful of reports have been published describing microvascular pseudoaneurysms, which usually occur at the arterial anastomosis and present as a pulsatile neck mass or as haemorrhage in case of pseudoaneurysm rupture. Management is highly variable, especially in the acute setting. In patients with pseudoaneurysm where flap inosculation is inadequate, endovascular approaches may be appropriate. In this report, we describe a ruptured distal pedicle pseudoaneurysm of a radial forearm free flap salvaged with a flow-diverting stent with complete flap survival and pedicle preservation. We demonstrate further evidence and feasibility of endovascular treatment of a non-anastomotic pseudoaneurysm arising from small vessels when parent vascular integrity is critical to flap survival.
Recovering lost tax to meet the health financing gap for universal public sector health systems in East and Southern Africa
Authors: Loewenson Rene , Mukumba Chenai
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Universal healthcare services funded through taxation and free at point-of-access are the most equitable ways of funding healthcare rights. This paper examines key public sector health financing measures in 17 East and Southern African (ESA) countries, estimates the funding gap for basic and comprehensive services and relates this to sources of lost tax revenue.

Methods

Health financing and tax data for 2018 (the most recent year available) were extracted from international databases for each ESA country, and analysed collectively for the region, comparing against intergovernmental estimates of optimal funding and tax capacity. Despite limitations noted, the scale of the health financing gap and tax losses informed policy recommendations.

Results

The annual average per capita financing gap ranged from $28 to $84 for basic to comprehensive services, respectively, applying estimates of funding needs. Many innovative financing measures being explored do not meet this scale of deficit. Annual ESA per capita tax losses were estimated as: US$34.20 from shortfalls in domestic tax capacity and US$13.80 from illicit financial flows largely due to commercial practices. A proposed 25% minimum effective tax rate on multinationals in a fairer global tax system would yield an additional annual collection US$26.20 in the region.

Conclusions

Addressing a total annual tax loss of US$34 billion from these three sources alone would almost completely finance the region’s US$36 billion financing gap for a comprehensive public sector health system. The COVID-19 pandemic’s exposure of the need for investment in public sector services suggests an opportunity for an alliance between health and finance sectors to ensure progressive taxation as the core funding for an equitable, universal health system. This implies costing the health funding demands and gap in ESA countries; strengthening domestic tax capacity, expanding wealth taxes, curbing illicit outflows and providing health evidence to ongoing African diplomacy for a fairer global tax system.
Trends in public health emergencies in the WHO African Region: an analysis of the past two decades public health events from 2001 to 2022
Authors: Koua Etien Luc , Njingang Jobert Richie Nansseu , Kimenyi Jean Paul , Williams George Sie , Okeibunor Joseph , Oka Sakuya , Gueye Abdou Salam
Published: October 2023

The African Region reports the heaviest burden of public health emergencies globally. This paper presents an exploratory analysis of public health events data collected the past 22 years in the WHO Africa region, to explore patterns and trends that can inform public health strategies, policy changes and develop appropriate tools to improve disease surveillance, preparedness and response to public health emergencies. A suite of exploratory data analysis methods combining time series analysis, summary statistics, temporal visualisations, geographic information system (GIS) mapping, trend analysis and statistical tests were used to derive patterns and trends from the data. An in-depth analysis of zoonotic disease outbreaks by geography and time was explored. The analysis also focused on whether these outbreaks were viral haemorrhagic related or had other characteristics. Results reveal that between 2001 and 2022, a total of 2234 public health events have been recorded in the WHO African Region of which 1886 events (84.4%) were substantiated. The paper confirms an average of 102 public health events reported yearly during the last 22 years time frame. The large majority (92%) of the substantiated events were infectious diseases (n=1730), 30% (n=566) are zoonoses and 5% (n=95) are humanitarian crises such as disaster events and conflicts. The number of zoonotic disease outbreaks has significantly increased (by 87%) between the past two decades, from 2003 to 2012 period (M=18.6, SD=4.8) and 2013–2022 period (M=34.7, SD=14); t(18) = 3.4, p=0.0032. This analysis shows growing challenges faced in the Africa region every year. One-health approach and its coordination across multiple sectors, disciplines and communities is critical to achieve the objectives.
Framing, moral foundations and health taxes: interpretive analysis of Ethiopia’s tobacco excise tax policy passage
Authors: Erku Daniel , Yigzaw Nigusse , Tegegn Henok Getachew , Gartner Coral E , Scuffham Paul A , Garedew Yordanos Tegene , Shambel Ehetemariam
Published: October 2023

Background

In 2019–2020, the Ethiopian government ratified a suite of legislative measures that includes levying a tax on tobacco products. This study aims to examine stakeholders’ involvement, position, power and perception regarding the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) bill (Proclamation No.1112/2019). This includes their meaning-making and interaction with each other during the bill’s formulation, adoption and implementation stages.

Methods

We employed a mixed-methods design drawing on three sources of data: (1) policy documents and media articles from government and/or civil society groups (n=27), (2) audio and video transcripts of parliamentary debates and (3) qualitative stakeholder interviews.

Results

Policy actors in both the public health camp and tobacco industry employed several framing moves, engaged in distinctive patterns of moral rhetoric, and strategically invoked moral languages to galvanise support for their policy objectives. Central to this framing debate are issues of public health and the danger of tobacco, and the protection of ‘the economy and personal freedom’. The public health camp’s arguments and persuasiveness—which led to the passage of the EFDA bill—centred around discrediting tobacco industry’s cost–benefit assessments through frame disconnection, or by polarising their own position that the financial, psychological and lost productivity costs incurred by tobacco use outweighs any tax revenue.

Conclusions

A successful cultivation of an epistemic community and engagement of policy entrepreneurs—both from government agencies and civil society organisations—was critical in creating a united front and a compelling affirmative policy narrative, thereby influence excise tax policy outcomes.
Considerations for modelling a broad food tax in the Philippines and other low-income and middle-income countries
Authors: Johnson Curtis Christine , Marklund Matti , Saxena Akshar , Goyena Eva , P Desnacido Josie , Koon Adam D , Warren Bethany , Cobb Laura K , E Henry Megan , Appel Lawrence J , Angeles-Agdeppa Imelda
Published: October 2023

Fiscal policies to improve diet are a promising strategy to address the increasing burden of non-communicable disease, the leading cause of death globally. Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes are the most implemented type of fiscal policy to improve diet. Yet taxes on food, if appropriately structured and applied across the food supply, may support a larger population-level shift towards a healthier diet. Designing these policies and guiding them through the legislative process requires evidence. Equity-oriented cost-effectiveness analyses that estimate the distribution of potential health and economic gains can provide this critical evidence. Taxes on less healthy foods are rarely modelled in low-income and middle-income countries.

We describe considerations for modelling the effect of a food tax, which can provide guidance for food tax policy design. This includes describing issues related to the availability, reliability and level of detail of national data on dietary habits, the nutrient content of foods and food prices; the structure of the nutrient profile model; type of tax; tax rate; pass-through rate and price elasticity. Using the Philippines as an example, we discuss considerations for using existing data to model the potential effect of a tax, while also taking into account the political and food policy context. In this way, we provide a modelling framework that can help guide policy-makers and advocates in designing a food policy to improve the health and well-being of future generations in the Philippines and elsewhere.
Efficacy and safety of pyronaridine-artesunate (PYRAMAX) for the treatment ofP. falciparumuncomplicated malaria in African pregnant women (PYRAPREG): study protocol for a phase 3, non-inferiority, randomised open-label clinical trial
Authors: Djimde Moussa , Tshiongo Japhet Kabalu , Muhindo Hypolite Mavoko , Tinto Halidou , Sevene Esperanca , Traore Maminata , Vala Anifa , Macuacua Salesio , Kabore Berenger , Dabira Edgard Diniba , Erhart Annette , Diakite Hamadoun , Keita Mohamed , Piqueras Mireia , González Raquel , Menendez Clara , Dorlo Thomas PC , Sagara Issaka , Mens Petra , Schallig Henk , D'Alessandro Umberto , Kayentao Kassoum
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Malaria infection during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight and infant mortality and should be prevented and treated. Artemisinin-based combination treatments are generally well tolerated, safe and effective; the most used being artemether-lumefantrine (AL) and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP). Pyronaridine-artesunate (PA) is a new artemisinin-based combination. The main objective of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of PA versus AL or DP when administered to pregnant women with confirmedPlasmodium falciparuminfection in the second or third trimester. The primary hypothesis is the pairwise non-inferiority of PA as compared with either AL or DP.

Methods and analysis

A phase 3, non-inferiority, randomised, open-label clinical trial to determine the safety and efficacy of AL, DP and PA in pregnant women with malaria in five sub-Saharan, malaria-endemic countries (Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Mozambique and the Gambia). A total of 1875 pregnant women will be randomised to one of the treatment arms. Women will be actively monitored until Day 63 post-treatment, at delivery and 4–6 weeks after delivery, and infants’ health will be checked on their first birthday. The primary endpoint is the PCR-adjusted rate of adequate clinical and parasitological response at Day 42 in the per-protocol population.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol has been approved by the Ethics Committee for Health Research in Burkina Faso, the National Health Ethics Committee in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and Odontostomatology/Faculty of Pharmacy in Mali, the Gambia Government/MRCG Joint Ethics Committee and the National Bioethics Committee for Health in Mozambique. Written informed consent will be obtained from each individual prior to her participation in the study. The results will be published in peer-reviewed open access journals and presented at (inter)national conferences and meetings.

Trial registration number

PACTR202011812241529.
Exercise into pain in chronic rotator cuff related shoulder pain: a prospective single-group feasibility study
Authors: Cavaggion Claudia , Juul-Kristensen Birgit , Luque-Suarez Alejandro , Voogt Lennard , Wollants Guy , Ó Conaire Eoin , Struyf Filip
Published: October 2023

Objectives

This study evaluated the feasibility of exercising into pain in rotator cuff related shoulder pain (RCRSP), data collection procedures, feedback from physiotherapists and patients, and clinically important changes in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Design

Unblinded non-randomised single-group study.

Setting

Physiotherapy clinic in Belgium.

Participants

Twelve patients with unilateral RCRSP for minimum 3 months, aged 18–65 years.

Interventions

Twelve weeks of four individualised exercises, with nine physiotherapist-led sessions with pain ratings 4–7 out of 10 on a verbal Numeric Pain Rating Scale for 9 weeks and then pain ratings 0–2 for 3 weeks. Every physiotherapy session included 15 min of manual therapy. Non-supervised exercises were: 2×/week in weeks with physiotherapy session, 3×/week in weeks without physiotherapy session.

Outcome measures

Primary: adherence, where patients were considered adherent with 78% (7/9 sessions) attendance for supervised sessions and 81% (22/27 sessions) completion for non-supervised exercises, and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI); secondary: fear-avoidance behaviour, fear of pain, physical outcomes (strength, range of motion, scapular dyskinesis); others: ultrasound (US) imaging outcomes (acromionhumeral distance, supraspinatus tendon thickness, occupation ratio), global perceived effect (GPE). PROMs were collected via online survey, except for the GPE (via closed envelope). US measures were taken after physical measures.

Results

Adherence and adverse effects were analysed in patients who had the possibility to attend minimum seven supervised sessions (n=8): 88% of them adhered to supervised sessions, 50% to non-supervised exercises; none of them withdrew from the study, three of them obtained individual clinically important improvements in SPADI score above 20 points. The measurement protocol of physical and ultrasonographic outcomes took around 60 min.

Conclusions

Adherence to supervised sessions was satisfactory, the adherence to non-supervised exercises must be improved. Data collection procedures were feasible to perform, but some changes are recommended.

Trial registration number

NCT04154345.
Dose-response relationship between acupuncture time parameters and the effects on chronic non-specific low back pain: a systematic review and Bayesian model-based network meta-analysis protocol
Authors: Luo Qin , Yang Chunyan , Huang Liuyang , Guixing Xu , Hao Tian , Sun Mingsheng , Liang Fan-rong
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Low back pain (LBP) is a major global public health problem and the majority (nearly 90%) of patients with LBP suffer from non-specific LBP (NSLBP). Acupuncture has been widely used for relieving pain and is recommended as a first-line treatment in LBP guidelines. However, the guidelines do not recommend a specific acupuncture temporal dosage. A Bayesian model-based network meta-analysis (MBNMA) will be conducted to optimise the dosages of time parameters (session, frequency and duration).

Methods and analysis

The following databases will be searched from their inception until 1 July 2023: MEDLINE (via PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), EMBASE, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), alternative health research database (Alt HealthWatch), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, ClinicalTrials.gov, the WHO’s International Clinical Trial and Chinese Clinical Registry. RCTs assessing the effects of acupuncture on chronic NSLBP will be selected. The primary outcome measure will be the improvement in pain intensity at different acupuncture time points. The MBNMA will be performed using R V.4.2.1 with related R packages. Risk of Bias V.2.0 and Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis will be used to assess the evidence quality.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required for literature-based studies. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals or conferences.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022336056.
Smoking cessation and relapse-prevention interventions tailored for expectant and new fathers: protocol of a systematic review and network meta-analysis
Authors: Li Lishan , Wang Jiani , Xia Wei , Li William H C , Weng Xueling , Song Peige
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Exposure of pregnant women and newborns to secondhand smoke (SHS) can lead to adverse maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Among expectant and new fathers, who are the main source of SHS exposure for pregnant women, new mothers and babies, smoking rates remain high. A partner’s pregnancy potentially constitutes a critical period where expectant and new fathers are motivated to quit smoking. However, there is no consensus on the optimal form and delivery of smoking cessation and relapse-prevention interventions. We present a systematic review and network meta-analysis protocol that aims to synthesise and evaluate the effectiveness of smoking cessation and relapse-prevention interventions tailored for this population.

Methods and analysis

To identify relevant studies, we will conduct a comprehensive search, in English and Chinese, of 10 electronic databases. The review will include randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials that compare behavioural interventions (tailored and non-tailored) with/without the addition of pharmacotherapy with usual care, a minimal or placebo control for assisting expectant and new fathers to quit smoking and prevent smoking relapse. The primary outcome of interest is the self-reported and/or biochemically verified smoking abstinence at ≥1-month follow-up. Two reviewers will independently screen, select and extract relevant studies, and perform a quality assessment. Disagreements will be resolved by a consensus or third-party adjudication. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool V.2 will be used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies. We will obtain the results of the systematic review through pooled quantitative analyses using a network meta-analysis. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses will be performed.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval is not required for this systematic review of published data. The findings will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publication.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022340617.
Association between tobacco industry advertising expenses and tobacco advertising exposure among Korean adolescents
Authors: Nam Hee-kyoung , Kim Hana , Chun Hae-ryoung , Kang Heewon
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Monitoring the activities and impacts of tobacco industries is vital for tobacco control. Based on tobacco industry financial statements and a nationally representative survey of Korean adolescents, we examined the association between tobacco industry commercial advertising expenses and advertising exposure among Korean adolescents.

Methods

The commercial advertising expenses of three major tobacco industries in Korea (KT&G, Philip Morris Korea, and British and American Tobacco Korea) were identified in a repository (Data Analysis Retrieval and Transfer System) established by the Korean Financial Supervisory Service. The yearly advertising expenses were merged with data from the Korean Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2015–2018 and 2021, total N=309 190). We used logistic regression analyses to analyse the associations between tobacco industry advertising expenses and adolescent tobacco advertisement exposure.

Results

In 2021, the total advertising expenses of the three companies exceeded US$260 million, and the proportion of Korean adolescents exposed to tobacco advertisements ranged from 65.9% to 78.7% during 2015–2018 and 2021. Higher advertising expense sizes were associated with the risk of exposure to tobacco advertisements in both girls and boys, with OR of 1.009 (95% CI (1): 1.008 to 1.010) and 1.010 (95% CI: 1.009 to 1.011), respectively.

Conclusion

Tobacco industry advertising expenses are associated with tobacco marketing exposure among adolescents. We used financial data to identify the reach of tobacco advertising among Korean adolescents. It is essential to increase tobacco industry surveillance using various data sources and to regulate tobacco advertising more strongly.
Non-linear association of baseline viral load with on-treatment hepatocellular carcinoma risk in chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Choi Won-Mook , Kim Gi-Ae , Choi Jonggi , Choi Gwang Hyeon , Lee Yun Bin , Sinn Dong Hyun , Lim Young-Suk
Published: October 2023

Objective

The association between baseline pretreatment serum HBV DNA levels and on-treatment hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk remains controversial in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We aimed to investigate the association between baseline HBV viral load and on-treatment HCC risk in CHB patients without cirrhosis.

Design

Using a multicentre historical cohort study including 4693 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative and HBeAg-positive, adult CHB patients without cirrhosis who initiated antiviral treatment, HCC risk was estimated by baseline HBV viral load as a categorical variable.

Results

During a median of 7.6 years of antiviral treatment, 193 patients developed HCC (0.53 per 100 person- years). Baseline HBV DNA level was independently associated with on-treatment HCC risk in a non-linear, parabolic pattern. Patients with moderate baseline viral loads (5.00–7.99 log10IU/mL) exhibited the highest HCC risk (HR, 2.60; p<0.001), followed by those with low viral loads (3.30–4.99 log10IU/mL; HR, 1.66; p=0.11). Patients with high viral loads (≥8.00 log10IU/mL) presented the lowest HCC risk. Particularly, patients with baseline HBV DNA levels 6.00–6.99 log10IU/mL had the highest on-treatment HCC risk (HR, 3.36; p<0.001) compared with those with baseline HBV DNA levels≥8.00 log10IU/mL. These findings were more prominent among HBeAg-positive patients, younger patients, or those with less advanced hepatic fibrosis.

Conclusion

Patients with moderate baseline viral load, particularly around 6 log10IU/mL, demonstrated the highest on-treatment HCC risk, despite long-term antiviral treatment. Early initiation of antiviral treatment, tailored to viral load, should be considered to minimise HCC risk in adult CHB patients without cirrhosis.
Incidence of mesothelioma in young people and causal exposure to asbestos in the Italian national mesothelioma registry (ReNaM)
Authors: Marinaccio Alessandro , Di Marzio Davide , Mensi Carolina , Consonni Dario , Gioscia Carmela , Migliore Enrica , Genova Carlo , Rossetto Giaccherino Roberta , Eccher Silvia , Murano Stefano , Comiati Vera , Casotto Veronica , Negro Corrado , Mangone Lucia , Miligi Lucia , Piro Sara , Angelini Alessia , Grappasonni Iolanda , Madeo Gabriella , Cozzi Ilaria , Ancona Laura , Staniscia Tommaso , Carrozza Francesco , Cavone Domenica , Vimercati Luigi , Labianca Michele , Tallarigo Federico , Cascone Giuseppe , Melis Massimo , Bonafede Michela , Scarselli Alberto , Binazzi Alessandra
Published: October 2023

Introduction

The epidemiological surveillance of mesothelioma incidence is a crucial key for investigating the occupational and environmental sources of asbestos exposure. The median age at diagnosis is generally high, according to the long latency of the disease. The purposes of this study are to analyse the incidence of mesothelioma in young people and to evaluate the modalities of asbestos exposure.

Methods

Incident malignant mesothelioma (MM) cases in the period 1993–2018 were retrieved from Italian national mesothelioma registry and analysed for gender, incidence period, morphology and exposure. Age-standardised rates have been calculated and the multiple correspondence analysis has been performed. The association between age and asbestos exposure has been tested by χ2test.

Results

From 1993 to 2018, 30 828 incident MM cases have been collected and 1278 (4.1%) presented diagnosis at early age (≤50 years). There is a substantial association between age at diagnosis and the type of asbestos exposure and a significantly lower frequency of cases with occupational exposure to asbestos (497 cases vs 701 expected) in young people has been documented. Paraoccupational and environmental exposure to asbestos have been found more frequent in young MM cases (85 and 93 observed cases vs 52 and 44 expected cases, respectively).

Conclusions

Mesothelioma incidence surveillance at population level and the anamnestic individual research of asbestos exposure is a fundamental tool for monitoring asbestos exposure health effects, supporting the exposure risks prevention policies. Clusters of mesothelioma incident cases in young people are a significant signal of a potential non-occupational exposure to asbestos.
Quantitative comparison of dam break and bubble flows based on CF-VOF and IR-VOF schemes
Authors: Lee Jongkwon , Mousavi S. Mahmood , Lee Bok Jik , Faroughi Salah A.
Published: October 2023

In this study, an incompressible and immiscible two-phase flow solver was employed to assess the accuracy of phase-interface capturing methods in simulating two-phase flows. Three benchmark investigations were conducted involving two dam break flows with deformable free surfaces and the upward motion of a gas bubble through a liquid column. Four phase-interface capturing schemes, namely, MULES, HRIC and CICSAM from the Color Function Volume of Fluid (CF-VoF), and Interface Reconstruction Volume of Fluid (IR-VoF), were utilized. Comparative analysis of the phase interfaces indicated that CICSAM and IsoAdvector consistently provided sharp interfaces across all cases when compared to MULES and HRIC. The mass conservation performance of all schemes excelled in the dam-break case with relatively simple free-surface development and the rising bubble case. An examination of the local pressure distribution over time revealed that methods yielding diffusive interfaces produced inaccurate results. Thus, the importance of employing denser grids or schemes that yield sharper interfaces, such as CICSAM and IsoAdvector, to enhance simulation accuracy was underscored. Overall, the results of this analysis confirm that the IsoAdvector scheme, which provides sharp interfaces, is a reliable option for simulating incompressible immiscible two-phase flows.
Impact of charge symmetry breaking on gluon and sea quark distributions in the pion and kaon
Authors: Hutauruk Parada T. P.
Published: October 2023

In this exploratory study, I present, for the first time, the implications of the charge symmetry breaking (CSB) that arise from the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] quark-mass differences on gluon and sea quark distribution functions of the pion and kaon in the framework of the Nambu–Jona-Lasino (NJL) model, which is a quark-level chiral effective theory of QCD, with the help of the proper-time regularization scheme to simulate color confinement of QCD. From the analysis, one finds that the charge symmetry (CS) gluon distribution for the pion has a good agreement with the prediction results obtained from the recent lattice QCD simulation and JAM global fit QCD analysis at a higher scale of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GeV2. The size of the CSB effects on gluon and sea quark distributions for the pion with the realistic ratios of [Formula: see text] at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]GeV2 are, respectively, estimated by 1.3% and 2.0% at [Formula: see text] in comparison with those for [Formula: see text], while those for the kaon are approximately about 0.3% and 0.5% at [Formula: see text], respectively. A remarkable result is found that the CSB effects on gluon distribution for the kaon are smaller than that for the pion, which has a similar prediction result as that for the CS case.
Heat transfer of nanomaterial and physical behavior in a complexly shaped solar unit with a variable external force
Authors: Ajour Mohammed N. , Rawa Muhyaddin J. H. , Milyani Ahmad H. , Li Meicheng
Published: October 2023

In order to improve convective flow, this study primarily used techniques including curved surfaces and a strong magnetic force. Cold temperatures and even flow are experienced by both the circular outer wall and the sinusoidal inner wall. FHD can have a bigger effect when combined with iron oxide in the base fluid. The electric current-carrying wire was positioned close to the interior wall in order to produce Kelvin force. A novel modeling approach was chosen to ascertain the number of scalars throughout the entire domain, and the process was validated using earlier numerical work. Gravity forces, ferrofluid concentrations, and the Kelvin force serve as the main pillars of current research. Conduction features increase and the Nu rises by 12.44% when nanopowders are used. Due to gravity and magnetic forces, the nanofluid can move more easily through the container. At [Formula: see text] and 1e4, respectively, Nu increases by 93.04% and 35.43%; with an increase in MnF. Additionally, Nu rises with Ra at Mn[Formula: see text] and Mn[Formula: see text] by 43.55% and 0.71%, respectively.
Notes on quantum oscillation for Hatsugai–Kohmoto model
Authors: Zhong Yin
Published: October 2023

Motivated by the non-Fermi liquid (NFL) phase in solvable Hatsugai–Kohmoto (HK) model and ubiquitous quantum oscillation (QO) phenomena observed in strongly correlated electron systems, we have studied the QO in HK model in terms of a combination of analytical and numerical calculation. In the continuum limit, the analytical results indicate the existence of QO in NFL state and its properties can be described by Lifshitz–Kosevich-like formula. Furthermore, numerical calculations with Luttinger’s approximation on magnetic-field-dependent density of state, magnetization and particle’s density agree with the findings of analytical treatment. Although numerical simulation from exact diagonalization exhibits certain oscillation behavior, it is difficult to extract its oscillation period and amplitude. Therefore, more work (especially the large-scale numerical simulation) on this interesting issue is highly desirable and we expect the current HK model study to be helpful in understanding generic QO in correlated electron materials.
Numerical analysis of heat and mass transport of hybrid nanofluid over an extending plate with inclined magnetic field in presence of Soret and Dufour effect
Authors: Jain Ruchi , Mehta Ruchika , Sharma Manoj Kumar , Mehta Tripti , Ahmad Hijaz , Tchier Fairouz
Published: October 2023

The aim of this investigation is to arrange partial differential equations (PDEs) into simplified form for gradients (mass and thermal) in the inclined magneto hydrodynamic flow of hybrid (CuO–TiO2/Water) nanoliquid in a permeable media. The modeled term is extremely nonlinear with the boundary conditions. So, this research focuses on numerical solution by using bvp4c solver in MATLAB software and by applying similarity transformation. Simulations have been done to discover the dynamics of stream and the transport of heat and mass under parametric deviation. To examine the impact of a temperature gradient on the transport of mass and the role of a concentration gradient on the transport of heat energy, outcomes have been documented in tabular form and shown through graphs. Remarkable changes in motion, temperature and concentration are noted when Dufour and Soret numbers vary.
CA-YOLOX: Deep Learning-Guided Road Intersection Location From High-Resolution Remote Sensing Images
Authors: Li Chengfan , Zhang Zixuan , Liu Lan , Wang Shengnan , Zhao Junjuan , Liu Xuefeng
Published: October 2023

The location of road intersection from high resolution remote sensing (HRRS) images can be automatically obtained by deep learning. This has become one of the current data sources in urban smart transportation. However, limited by the small size, diverse types, complex distribution, and missing sample labels of road intersections in actual scenarios, it is difficult to accurately represent key features of road intersection by deep neural network (DNN) model. A new coordinate attention (CA) module-YOLOX (CA-YOLOX) method for accurately locating road intersections from HRRS images is presented. First, the spatial pyramid pooling (SPP) module is introduced into the backbone convolution network between the Darknet-53’ last feature layer and feature pyramid networks (FPN) structure. Second, the CA module is embedded into the feature fusion structure in FPN to focus more on the spatial shape distribution and texture features of road intersections. Third, we use focal loss to replace the traditional binary cross entropy (BCE) loss in the confidence loss to improve the iteration speed of the CA-YOLOX network. Finally, an extensive empirical experiment on Potsdam, IKONOS datasets, and ablation study is then implemented and tested. The results show that the presented CA-YOLOX method can promote the location accuracy of road intersection from HRRS images compared to the traditional You only look once (YOLO) model.
A Two-Stage Three-Dimensional Attention Network for Lightweight Image Super-Resolution
Authors: Chen Lei , Yang Yanjie , Zhuang Xu , Wang Jason , Mao Qin , Yue Hong , Wei Xuekai , Cheng Fei , Zong Xuemei , Zhou Mingliang
Published: October 2023

In recent years, single image super-resolution (SISR) methods using convolutional neural networks (CNN) have achieved satisfactory performance. Nevertheless, the large model scale and the slow inference speed of these methods greatly limit the application scenarios. In this paper, we propose a two-stage three-dimensional attention network (ATTNet) for lightweight image super-resolution. First, we put forward the spatial feature encoder–decoder (SFE-D) with a spatial attention mechanism. Next, the channel transposed attention module (CTAM) with a channel self-attention mechanism is designed. Both the modules are used for fine feature extraction in the low-resolution stage. Finally, the content-based pixel recombination module (CPRM) is proposed to reconstruct the detailed content with a joint attention mechanism in the high-resolution stage. According to our experimental results, significant performance in terms of the quantitative metrics and the subjective visual quality can be achieved on average compared with the state-of-the-art lightweight SISR algorithms.
Few-Shot Person Re-Identification Based on Meta-Learning with a Compression and Stimulation Module
Authors: Cao Jinying , Han Hua , Huang Li
Published: October 2023

This paper proposes a few-shot pedestrian re-identification (Re-ID) model based on an improved ResNet50 with a compression and stimulation module, which is named CS-ResNet50. It combines the meta-learning framework with metric learning. This method first compresses residual network channels, then stimulates them to achieve the effect of feature weighting, ultimately making feature extraction more accurate. The research makes the model learn how to finish new tasks efficiently from its experience that it has obtained in the training process of former subtasks. In each subtask, the dataset is divided into a gallery set and a query set, where the model parameters are trained. In this way, the model can be trained efficiently and adopted to new tasks rapidly, which could solve few-shot Re-ID problems. Compared with the baseline, the proposed model improves two indicators efficiently on two Re-ID datasets and achieves better Re-ID effect in few-shot mode.
A Systematic Review of IoT Security: Research Potential, Challenges, and Future Directions
Authors: Fei Wen , Ohno Hiroyuki , Sampalli Srinivas
Published: October 2023

The Internet of Things (IoT) encompasses a network of physical objects embedded with sensors, software, and data processing technologies that can establish connections and exchange data with other devices and systems via the Internet. IoT devices are incorporated into various products, ranging from ordinary household items to complex industrial appliances. Despite the increasing demand for IoT, security concerns have impeded its development. This article systematically reviews IoT security research, focusing on vulnerabilities, challenges, technologies, and future directions. It surveys 171 recent publications in the field, providing a comprehensive discussion on the development status, challenges, and solutions in IoT. The article outlines IoT architecture patterns and typical features, evaluates existing limitations, and explores strategies for enhancing IoT security. Additionally, the article delves into known IoT attacks and discusses the security countermeasures and mechanisms to address these challenges. It explores the functional requirements of IoT security and explores related technologies and standards. Finally, the article discusses potential future research directions in IoT security.