bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Addressing COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake Among African Immigrants: Lessons from a Community-Based Outreach Program
Authors: Koku Emmanuel F. , Johnson-Yengbeh Nettie , Muhr Ava
Published: March 2024

In 2021, the African Cultural Alliance of North America (ACANA) implemented a community-based vaccine education and outreach program to decrease hesitancy and increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake among African immigrants in Philadelphia. The program had three components: (1) tailored messaging on the benefits of vaccines by trusted community health navigators in familiar languages/dialects, (2) use of educational/tabling events, and (3) establishment of a vaccine clinic in community settings. Using secondary data analysis, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and a self-administered survey, we explored (i) the impact and effectiveness of the outreach program and extent of vaccine uptake, (ii) African immigrants’ beliefs about the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine, and (iii) barriers and facilitators of vaccine knowledge, uptake, and hesitancy. Our analysis showed that ACANA’s outreach program was effective in addressing several cultural, logistic, and systematic barriers to vaccine uptake. The program distributed 2000 educational/informational flyers, reached 3000 community members via social media campaigns, and an additional 2320 through other person-to-person outreach events. The program was effective and resulted in the vaccination of 1265 community members over the course of the outreach. The impact of this outreach underscores the critical role of community-based organizations in addressing COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and increasing vaccine uptake in underserved and minority communities. The paper concludes with suggestions and recommendations for using community-based outreach programs to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake and decrease hesitancy.
Temporal trends in the starting of insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes in Italy: data from the AMD Annals initiative
Authors: Giandalia A. , Nicolucci A. , Modugno M. , Lucisano G. , Rossi M. C. , Manicardi V. , Rocca A. , Di Cianni G. , Di Bartolo P. , Candido R. , Cucinotta D. , Russo G. T.
Published: March 2024

Aims

Opportunities and needs for starting insulin therapy in Type 2 diabetes (T2D) have changed overtime. We evaluated clinical characteristics of T2D subjects undergoing the first insulin prescription during a 15-year-observation period in the large cohort of the AMD Annals Initiative in Italy.

Methods

Data on clinical and laboratory variables, complications and concomitant therapies and the effects on glucose control after 12 months were evaluated in T2D patients starting basal insulin as add-on to oral/non-insulin injectable agents, and in those starting fast-acting in add-on to basal insulin therapy in three 5-year periods (2005–2019).

Results

We evaluated data from 171.688 T2D subjects who intensified therapy with basal insulin and 137.225 T2D patients who started fast-acting insulin. Overall, intensification with insulin occurred progressively earlier over time in subjects with shorter disease duration. Moreover, the percentage of subjects with HbA1c levels > 8% at the time of basal insulin initiation progressively decreased. The same trend was observed for fast-acting formulations. Clinical characteristics of subjects starting insulin did not change in the three study-periods, although all major risk factors improved overtime. After 12 months from the starting of basal or fast-acting insulin therapy, mean HbA1c levels decreased in all the three investigated time-periods, although mean HbA1c levels remained above the recommended target.

Conclusions

In this large cohort of T2D subjects, a progressively earlier start of insulin treatment was observed during a long observation period, suggesting a more proactive prescriptive approach. However, after 12 months from insulin prescription, in many patients, HbA1c levels were still out-of-target.
Schlafqualität und Schlafverhalten von Studierenden während der COVID-19-Pandemie
Authors: Nestler Sophie , Böckelmann Irina
Published: March 2024

Einleitung

Der Schlaf als Regenerationsprozess ist nicht nur ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der psychischen und physischen Gesundheit, sondern trägt erheblich zur allgemeinen Leistungsfähigkeit bei. Leidet die Schlafqualität, kann dies mit einem schlechteren psychischen Wohlbefinden und zusätzlichen Stressfaktoren in Verbindung gebracht werden. Die pandemiebedingte Online-Lehre im Studium führte zu einer erhöhten Bildschirmnutzung besonders in den Abend- und Nachtstunden, welche psychische Beanspruchungen verschärfen können. Ziel der Studie war es, die Schlafqualität der Studierenden während des Semesters mit ausschließlich Online-Lehrveranstaltungen zu analysieren. Zusätzlich galt es, potenziell schlafbeeinträchtigende Faktoren zu identifizieren und mögliche Zusammenhänge zu psychischen Beanspruchungen festzustellen. Auch die Inanspruchnahme von schlafpräventiven Maßnahmen soll für zukünftige Interventionen erhoben werden.

Methoden

Im Sommersemester 2021 nahmen 319 Studierende freiwillig und anonym an der Online-Befragung teil. Davon gingen 216 vollständige Datensätze in die Auswertung ein. Es wurden Fragebogen zur Soziodemografie, Bildschirmfragebogen, aktuelle Stimmungsskala (ASTS), Pre-Sleep-Arousal-Scale (PSAS) und Pittsburgh-Sleep-Quality-Index (PSQI) verwendet.

Ergebnisse

Bei 69 % der Studierenden ist die Schlafqualität beeinträchtigt. Eine abendliche Bildschirmnutzung führte signifikant häufiger zu einer emotionalen und kognitiven Aktivierung, wobei schlecht Schlafende signifikant häufiger zu negativen Gedanken und Emotionen neigten. Signifikante Gruppenunterschiede ergaben sich ebenso bei der Anwendung von Entspannungsmethoden, wobei diese von schlecht schlafenden Studierenden häufiger angewandt wurden.

Diskussion

Lange Bildschirmnutzungszeiten besonders in den Abendstunden können zu emotionalen und kognitiven Aktivierungen und somit zu einer verminderten Schlafqualität führen. Neben der Bildschirmnutzung konnten jedoch weitere schlafbeeinträchtigende Faktoren festgestellt werden, die es zukünftig in den Gesundheitsförderungsprogrammen der Hochschulen zu berücksichtigen gilt. Die Studierenden, die ihren Schlaf subjektiv als beeinträchtigt eingeschätzt haben, haben auch vermehrt angegeben, Entspannungstechniken zu nutzen. Schlafpräventionsprogramme und die Förderung der psychischen Gesundheit von Studierenden spielen eine immer wichtigere Rolle an Hochschulen und Universitäten in Deutschland.
SRNN-RSA: a new method to solving time-dependent shortest path problems based on structural recurrent neural network and ripple spreading algorithm
Authors: Yu Shilin , Song Yuantao
Published: March 2024

Influenced by external factors, the speed of vehicles in the traffic network is changing all the time, which makes the traditional static shortest route unable to meet the real logistics distribution needs. Considering that the existing research on time-dependent shortest path problems (TDSPP) do not include the topological information of the traffic network, it is unable to reflect the spatial and temporal dynamic characteristics of the traffic network during the vehicle travelling process and is unable to update to the changes of the vehicle speed in real time, and poor scalability. Therefore, we used the structural RNN (SRNN) model containing topological information of the road network is used to predict time-varying speeds in the traffic road network. We proposed an SRNN-RSA framework for solving the TDSPP problem, which achieves a synergistic evolution between the real-time vehicle speed change process and the RSA solving process, and the scalability of the proposed SRNN-RSA is demonstrated and validated using different real data. Compared with other algorithms, the results show that SRNN-RSA has the lowest error with the actual situation, which can balance the solution accuracy and calculation speed and is more consistent with the real traffic road network, with better stability and expandability.
Political economy revisited: structures and objectives at the systemic level
Authors: Cardinale Ivano , Scazzieri Roberto
Published: March 2024

Political economy developed from profound transformations in economic and political life. The economic sphere extended from the management of individual units, such as households or the royal demesne, to a system defined as the collection of economic activities subject to sovereign authority, and characterized by widening webs of productive and social interdependencies across manifold units. In the political sphere, sovereign decisions came to be considered in the light of the material opportunities and constraints associated with productive interdependencies. Accordingly, the principle of economic life moved from the allocation principles of the household to system-level decision-making, guided by the correspondence between means and polity-level objectives and understood in the light of the material and social interdependences in the polity. The paper maintains that the relationship between economic structures and objectives at the systemic level should become again a central object of political economy. It goes on to argue that the development of structural economic analysis since the 20th century provides powerful analytical tools to investigate: (i) the systemic objectives that polities could pursue given their economic structure; (ii) the social aggregates that could form out of those which economic structure makes possible, and the particular objectives they could construe and pursue; and (iii) the constraints that economic structure imposes on the pursuit of all objectives, be they systemic or particular.
Effects of beef fat enriched with trans vaccenic acid and cis9, trans11-CLA on glucose homoeostasis and hepatic lipid accumulation in high-fat diet-induced obese mice
Authors: Xu Yanqing , Hsu Ming-Fo , Haj Fawaz George , Vahmani Payam
Published: March 2024

Trans vaccenic acid (TVA, trans11–18 : 1) and cis9, trans11-CLA (also known as rumenic acid; RA) have received widespread attention as potentially beneficial trans-FA due to their putative health benefits, including anti-diabetic properties. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of beef fat naturally enriched with TVA and RA on parameters related to glucose homoeostasis and associated metabolic markers in diet-induced obese (DIO) mice. Thirty-six male C57BL/6J mice (8 weeks old) were fed for 19 weeks with either a control low-fat diet (CLF), a control high-fat diet (CHF), or a TVA+RA-enriched high-fat diet (EHF). Compared with CLF, feeding either CHF or EHF resulted in adverse metabolic outcomes associated with high-fat diets, including adiposity, impaired glucose control and hepatic steatosis. However, the EHF diet induced a significantly higher liver weight TAG content and elevated plasma alanine transaminase levels compared with the CHF diet. Collectively, the findings from this study suggest that EHF does not improve glucose tolerance and worsens liver steatosis in DIO mice. However, the adverse effects of EHF on the liver could be in part related to the presence of other trans-FA in the enriched beef fat.
The emergence of financial capital in the health insurance business in Europe: The case of Spain in the last fifty years
Authors: Vilar-Rodríguez Margarita , Pons-Pons Jerònia
Published: March 2024

Sickness insurance companies were developed in Spain by doctors and healthcare professionals, remaining outside the interests of general insurance companies. Their management was hardly professional, with limited actuarial techniques and they only accounted for a small percentage of total insurance business premiums. From the 1970s onwards, various factors changed this situation, driving processes of concentration, with numerous takeovers and mergers, first reducing the number of local and regional companies to the benefit of companies of national scope. Subsequently, the growth in demand for this type of coverage sparked the interest of national general insurance companies and multinationals, leading to a restructuring of the sector which has progressively acquired greater weight within the insurance business and become increasingly internationalised. This last stage immersed the health sector in Spain in the great processes of globalisation of the sector, characterised by a financialisation of capital promoted by the bank investment funds. These processes are little known and are the focus of analysis of this paper, with the aim of enabling comparison at international level.
Collision-free path planning for cable-driven continuum robot based on improved artificial potential field
Authors: Ding Meng , Zheng Xianjie , Liu Liaoxue , Guo Jian , Guo Yu
Published: March 2024

Continuum robot has become a research hotspot due to its excellent dexterity, flexibility and applicability to constrained environments. However, the effective, secure and accurate path planning for the continuum robot remains a challenging issue, for that it is difficult to choose a suitable inverse kinematics solution due to its redundancy in the confined environment. This paper presents a collision-free path planning method based on the improved artificial potential field (APF) for the cable-driven continuum robot, in which the beetle antennae search algorithm is adopted to deal with the optimal problem of APF without the necessary for velocity kinematics. In addition, the local optimum problem of traditional APF is solved by the randomness of the antennae’s direction vector which can make the algorithm easily jump out of local minima. The simulation and experimental results verify the efficiency of the proposed path planning method.
Meaning-focused foreign language instruction via telepresence robots: A geosemiotic analysis
Authors: Liao Jian , Lu Xiaofei , Masters Katherine A. , Zhou Zhi
Published: March 2024

Many studies have demonstrated that teaching a foreign language in settings outside of the classroom can improve the communicative use of the target language. However, many places remain inaccessible to learners due to physical limits of mobility and health, socioeconomic factors, or political or temporal restraints. Our previous studies have shown that telepresence robots are successful in immersing learners in remote places for learning a foreign language. The aim of this study is to analyze, through the theoretical lens of geosemiotics, how dialogic interaction between different semiotic systems emerges within the use of telepresence technology to understand how these systems shape discourse and meaning-making processes. It also considers what instructional strategies support such meaning-making with telepresence robotics, and what meaning-making principles can help improve the design of the robot. Initial findings show that properly planning the use of specific places provides ample opportunity for semiotic systems to shape the instructors’ and students’ meaning-making processes. Future research is needed to address some of the challenges to participants that are related to the design of the robot.
Hierarchieniedrige Schreibfähigkeiten und Schreibflüssigkeit: Ein mehrdeutiges Konstrukt
Authors: Sturm Afra
Published: March 2024

Zusammenfassung: Hintergrund: Studien zu „Schreibflüssigkeit“ setzen an unterschiedlichen Komponenten an. Gleichzeitig wird „Schreibflüssigkeit“ auch sehr unterschiedlich konzeptualisiert und erfasst. Um die methodischen Zugangsweisen, die Ergebnisse und Implikationen für die Praxis besser verstehen und einschätzen zu können, ist eine Klärung notwendig. Methode: In diesem Überblicksbeitrag wird auf Basis einer selektiven Literaturrecherche geklärt, was unter „Flüssigkeit“ sowie „Schreibflüssigkeit“ als hierarchieniedrigen Schreibprozessen zu verstehen ist und welche Messverfahren je nach Konzeptualisierung eingesetzt werden. Diskussion: Es lassen sich mindestens fünf Konzeptualisierungen unterscheiden, die verschiedene Komponenten von Schreibflüssigkeit fokussieren. Zu den einzelnen Komponenten liegen bspw. mit Blick auf den Erwerbsverlauf einige Studien vor, ebenso auch vereinzelt zu wirksamen Förderansätzen. Wie die einzelnen Komponenten zusammenwirken, ob sie im Verbund gefördert werden können, ist eine Frage, die noch wenig untersucht ist. Ebenso wenig ist noch kaum untersucht, inwiefern eine kombinierte Förderung von Schreib- und Leseflüssigkeit gerade bei Schüler_innen mit Lernschwierigkeiten zu Leistungszuwächsen führen könnte.
Simulating the Volcanic Sulfate Aerosols From the 1991 Eruption of Cerro Hudson and Their Impact on the 1991 Ozone Hole
Authors: Case Parker A. , Colarco Peter R. , Toon O. Brian , Newman Paul A.
Published: March 2024

The Chilean volcano Cerro Hudson erupted between August 8th and 15th, 1991, injecting between 1.7 and 2.9 Tg of SO2 into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. We simulate this injection using the Goddard Earth Observing System Earth system model with detailed sulfur chemistry and sectional aerosol microphysics, focusing on the resulting aerosols and their contribution to the 1991 Antarctic Austral Springtime ozone hole. The simulations show a column ozone deficit (12 DU) in the Southern Hemisphere vortex collar region. The majority of this effect is between 10 and 20 km and due to heterogeneous chemistry. The model shows a 26% decrease in ozone from background levels at these altitudes, compared with in‐situ observations of a 50% decrease. Above 20 km, the dynamical response to the eruption also causes lower ozone values, a novel modeling result. This experiment highlights potential interactions between proposed solar radiation management geoengineering aerosols and volcanic eruptions.
Thermal Conductivity of MgSiO3‐H2O System Determined by Machine Learning Potentials
Authors: Peng Yihang , Deng Jie
Published: March 2024

Thermal conductivity plays a pivotal role in understanding the dynamics and evolution of Earth's interior. The Earth's lower mantle is dominated by MgSiO3 polymorphs which may incorporate trace amounts of water. However, the thermal conductivity of MgSiO3‐H2O binary system remains poorly understood. Here, we calculate the thermal conductivity of water‐free and water‐bearing bridgmanite, post‐perovskite, and MgSiO3 melt, using a combination of Green‐Kubo method with molecular dynamics simulations based on a machine learning potential of ab initio quality. The thermal conductivities of water‐free bridgmanite and post‐perovskite overall agree well with previous theoretical and experimental studies. The presence of water mildly reduces the thermal conductivity of the host minerals, significantly weakens the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity, and reduces the thermal anisotropy of post‐perovskite. Overall, water reduces the thermal conductivity difference between bridgmanite and post‐perovskite, and thus may attenuate lateral heterogeneities of the core‐mantle boundary heat flux.
Northward Extension of East Asian Summer Monsoon Since the Miocene Set by the Uplift of Tibetan Plateau
Authors: He Linqiang , Zhou Tianjun , Guo Zhun , Zuo Meng , Ren Zikun , Chen Xiaolong , Wu Bo , Zou Liwei , Zhang Lixia , Man Wenmin , Jiang Jie
Published: March 2024

The modern East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) features an extension from tropical to subtropical areas. However, the fundamental process that determines the northward extension of EASM in the geological history remains unclear. Here, we showed evidence from proxy data, climate modeling, and theoretical solutions that the northward extension of EASM to today's boundary emerged no later than the Miocene. The extension was driven by the monsoon seasonal march which features stepwise northward rainfall stages. The seasonal progression of monsoon was determined by Rossby wave responses from early summer to late summer and caused by the weakening of westerly jet colliding with the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The Rossby wave responses further led to a northward migration of the western Pacific subtropical high and thereby monsoon precipitation. Our findings propose a novel physical linkage between the geological evolution of EASM and the TP uplift in the context of monsoon seasonal march.
Surface Albedo Feedback, Seasonal Heat Storage and Meridional Heat Transport Determine the Seasonality of Recent Warming in Antarctica
Authors: Dai Haijin
Published: March 2024

The reanalysis data suggest that recent surface warming over Antarctica start in 2016. In this study, using reanalysis data and numerical simulations, I attempt to determine the important mechanisms accounting for seasonal surface warming in Antarctica. The results suggested that seasonal surface warming in Antarctica is mainly determined by the surface energy budget over the Antarctic via horizontal heat advection. The surface energy budget anomaly over the Antarctic, which is mainly determined by anomalous solar radiation absorption, anomalous ocean heat content, and anomalous meridional atmospheric heat transport (AHT), is triggered by Antarctic sea‐ice loss and thus determines the observational seasonality of recent warming in Antarctica via surface horizontal heat advection. In austral summer (December–January–February), additional solar radiation absorption induced by sea‐ice loss and additional AHT from lower latitudes increase the energy budget over the Antarctic. Surface warming, more longwave radiation, and additional energy stored in the upper (deeper) ocean for short (long) time periods explain the additional energy sinks. During austral autumn‐winter (March–August), additional seasonal heat storage (SHS; mainly stored in the upper ocean) is released to the atmosphere and warms the surface. Although the AHT anomaly contributes similarly to the solar radiation absorption/SHS anomaly during April–August, the poleward AHT largely decreased in June due to the weaker eddy activity induced by strong warming at Southern Hemisphere midlatitudes, which counteracts the additional SHS release and cools the Antarctic(a).
Probabilistic Short‐Term Solar Driver Forecasting With Neural Network Ensembles
Authors: Daniell Joshua D. , Mehta Piyush M.
Published: March 2024

Space weather indices are used to drive forecasts of thermosphere density, which directly affects objects in low‐Earth orbit (LEO) through atmospheric drag force. A set of proxies and indices (drivers), F10.7, S10.7, M10.7, and Y10.7 are used as inputs by the JB2008, (https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2008‐6438) thermosphere density model. The United States Air Force (USAF) operational High Accuracy Satellite Drag Model (HASDM), relies on JB2008, (https://doi.org/10.2514/6.2008‐6438), and forecasts of solar drivers from a linear algorithm. We introduce methods using long short‐term memory (LSTM) model ensembles to improve over the current prediction method as well as a previous univariate approach. We investigate the usage of principal component analysis (PCA) to enhance multivariate forecasting. A novel method, referred to as striped sampling, is created to produce statistically consistent machine learning data sets. We also investigate forecasting performance and uncertainty estimation by varying the training loss function and by investigating novel weighting methods. Results show that stacked neural network model ensembles make multivariate driver forecasts which outperform the operational linear method. When using MV‐MLE (multivariate multi‐lookback ensemble), we see an improvement of RMSE for F10.7, S10.7, M10.7, and Y10.7 of 17.7%, 12.3%, 13.8%, 13.7% respectively, over the operational method. We provide the first probabilistic forecasting method for S10.7, M10.7, and Y10.7. Ensemble approaches are leveraged to provide a distribution of predicted values, allowing an investigation into robustness and reliability (R&R) of uncertainty estimates. Uncertainty was also investigated through the use of calibration error score (CES), with the MV‐MLE providing an average CES of 5.63%, across all drivers.
Researchers Compare Observations Versus Modeling of Coastal Carbon Cycle
Authors: Derouin Sarah
Published: March 2024

While storing carbon dioxide, the coastal ocean also releases methane and nitrous oxide. New research shows that understanding the impact of coastal oceans on climate requires more research into these fluxes and how they counteract each other.
Chronic household air pollution and exposure patterns among Himalayan nomads
Authors: Powers Catlin I. , Li Linyan , Ezzati Majid , Butler James P. , Zigler Corwin M. , Spengler John D.
Published: March 2024

Background

Household air pollution (HAP) is a major risk factor of non-communicable diseases, causing millions of premature deaths each year in developing nations. Populations living at high altitudes are particularly vulnerable to HAP and associated health outcomes.

Objectives

This study aims to explore the relationships between activity patterns, HAP, and an HAP biomarker among 100 Himalayan nomadic households during both cooking and heating-only periods.

Methods

Household CO was monitored in 100 rural homes in Qinghai, China, at 3500 m on the Himalayan Plateau among Himalayan nomads. Carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) was used as a biomarker to assess exposure among 100 male and 100 female heads of household. Linear mixed-effects models were used to explore the relationship between COHb and activity patterns.

Results

Cooking periods were associated with 7 times higher household CO concentrations compared with heating periods (94 ± 56 ppm and 13 ± 11 ppm, respectively). Over the three-day biomarker-monitoring period in each house, 99% of subjects had at least one COHb measurement exceeding the WHO safety level of 2%. Cooking was associated with a 32% increase in COHb (p < 0.001).

Impact statement

This study on household air pollution (HAP) in high-altitude regions provides important insights into the exposure patterns of nomadic households in Qinghai, China. The study found that cooking is the primary factor influencing acute carbon monoxide (CO) exposure among women, while heating alone is sufficient to elevate CO exposure above WHO guidelines. The results suggest that cooking-only interventions have the potential to reduce HAP exposure among women, but solutions for both cooking and heating may be required to reduce COHb to below WHO guidelines. This study’s findings may inform future interventions for fuel and stove selection to reduce HAP and exposure among other populations.
Developmental and molecular contributions to contextual fear memory emergence in mice
Authors: Lanjewar Alexandra L. , Levitt Pat , Eagleson Kathie L.
Published: March 2024

Cognitive impairment is a common phenotype of neurodevelopmental disorders, but how these deficits arise remains elusive. Determining the onset of discrete cognitive capabilities facilitates studies in probing mechanisms underlying their emergence. The present study analyzed the emergence of contextual fear memory persistence (7-day memory retention) and remote memory (30-day memory retention). There was a rapid transition from postnatal day (P) 20 to P21, in which memory persistence emerged in C57Bl/6 J male and female mice. Remote memory was present at P23, but expression was not robust compared to pubertal and adult mice. Previous studies reported that following deletion of the MET receptor tyrosine kinase (MET), there are fear memory deficits in adult mice and the timing of critical period plasticity is altered in the developing visual cortex, positioning MET as a regulator for onset of contextual fear memory. Sustaining Met past the normal window of peak cortical expression or deleting Met, however, did not alter the timing of emergence of persistence or remote memory capabilities during development. Fear memory in young adults, however, was disrupted. Remarkably, compared to homecage controls, the number of FOS-expressing infragranular neurons in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) did not increase from contextual memory formation recall of fear conditioning at P35 but exhibited enhanced activation at P90 in male and female mice. Additionally, MET-expressing neurons were preferentially recruited at P90 compared to P35 during fear memory expression. The studies demonstrate a developmental profile of contextual fear memory capabilities. Further, developmental disruption of Met leads to a delayed functional deficit that arises in young adulthood, correlated with an increase of mPFC neuron activation during fear memory recall.
Awareness of peri-implantitis among general dental practitioners in the UK: a questionnaire study
Authors: Thomas Sonu , Barrak Fadi
Published: March 2024

Introduction Dental implants are a predictable prosthetic option for replacement of missing teeth with good survival rates. Peri-implant diseases are the main reason for implant failure by causing bone loss around the implant leading to implant loss. General dental practitioners see patients with dental implants routinely and therefore, awareness of risk factors for peri-implant disease and early diagnosis is essential for appropriate management. The aim of this study is to assess the awareness of general dental practitioners in diagnosing peri-implantitis, with a view to identify any potential training needs.

Design, setting, materials and methods A quantitative study method was designed using an online questionnaire sent to closed social media groups in the UK. The significance level was taken as p <0.05. The chi-squared tests and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used with IBM SPSS software. Descriptive statistical analysis of data was also done.

Results and conclusion A total of 224 responses were received. The results show that there is lack of awareness of diagnostic criteria of peri-implantitis among general dental practitioners. However, majority of practitioners are aware of the legal implications of failing to diagnose this condition. There is a perceived need for more undergraduate training in diagnosing peri-implant diseases.
Oscillatory and non-oscillatory features of the magnetoencephalic sensorimotor rhythm in Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Vinding Mikkel C. , Waldthaler Josefine , Eriksson Allison , Manting Cassia Low , Ferreira Daniel , Ingvar Martin , Svenningsson Per , Lundqvist Daniel
Published: March 2024

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with changes in neural activity in the sensorimotor alpha and beta bands. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we investigated the role of spontaneous neuronal activity within the somatosensory cortex in a large cohort of early- to mid-stage PD patients (N = 78) on Parkinsonian medication and age- and sex-matched healthy controls (N = 60) using source reconstructed resting-state MEG. We quantified features of the time series data in terms of oscillatory alpha power and central alpha frequency, beta power and central beta frequency, and 1/f broadband characteristics using power spectral density. Furthermore, we characterised transient oscillatory burst events in the mu-beta band time-domain signals. We examined the relationship between these signal features and the patients’ disease state, symptom severity, age, sex, and cortical thickness. PD patients and healthy controls differed on PSD broadband characteristics, with PD patients showing a steeper 1/f exponential slope and higher 1/f offset. PD patients further showed a steeper age-related decrease in the burst rate. Out of all the signal features of the sensorimotor activity, the burst rate was associated with increased severity of bradykinesia, whereas the burst duration was associated with axial symptoms. Our study shows that general non-oscillatory features (broadband 1/f exponent and offset) of the sensorimotor signals are related to disease state and oscillatory burst rate scales with symptom severity in PD.
Dietary supplementation of phytoncide and soybean oil increases milk conjugated linoleic acid and depresses methane emissions in Holstein dairy cows
Authors: Kim TaeBin , Bae MunHee , Lee JaeSung , Ghassemi Nejad Jalil , Lee HongGu
Published: March 2024

The objective of this study was to determine whether adding phytoncide oil (PO) and soybean oil (SBO) to the dairy cow diet could increase milk conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and depress methane (CH4) emissions in Holstein dairy cows. Rumen fermentation was conducted at four levels of SBO (0, 1, 2, and 4%, on DM basis) and two levels of PO (0 and 0.1%, on DM basis) with in vitro experiment. To evaluate blood parameters, fecal microbe population, milk yield and fatty acid compositions, and CH4 production, in vivo experiment was conducted using 38 Holstein dairy cows divided into two groups of control (fed TMR) and treatment (fed TMR with 0.1% PO and 2% SBO as DM basis). In the in vitro study (Experiment 1), PO or SBO did not affect rumen pH. However, SBO tended to decrease ruminal ammonia-N (p = 0.099). Additionally, PO or SBO significantly decreased total gas production (p = 0.041 and p = 0.034, respectively). Both PO and SBO significantly decreased CH4 production (p < 0.05). In addition, PO significantly increased both CLA isomers (c9, t11 and t10, c12 CLA) (p < 0.001). Collectively, 0.1% PO and 2% SBO were selected resulting in most effectively improved CLA and decreased CH4 production. In the in vivo study (Experiment 2), 0.1% PO with 2% SBO (PSO) did not affect complete blood count. However, it decreased blood urea nitrogen and magnesium levels in blood (p = 0.021 and p = 0.01, respectively). PSO treatment decreased pathogenic microbes (p < 0.05). It increased milk yield (p = 0.017) but decreased percentage of milk fat (p = 0.013) and MUN level (p < 0.01). In addition, PSO treatment increased both the concentration of CLA and PUFA in milk fat (p < 0.01). Finally, it decreased CH4 emissions from dairy cows. These results provide compelling evidence that a diet supplemented with PSO can simultaneously increase CLA concentration and decrease CH4 production with no influence on the amount of milk fat (kg/day) in Holstein dairy cows.
Occult endocrine disorders newly diagnosed in patients with post-COVID-19 symptoms
Authors: Nakano Yasuhiro , Sunada Naruhiko , Tokumasu Kazuki , Honda Hiroyuki , Otsuka Yuki , Sakurada Yasue , Matsuda Yui , Hasegawa Toru , Omura Daisuke , Ochi Kanako , Yasuda Miho , Hagiya Hideharu , Ueda Keigo , Otsuka Fumio
Published: March 2024

Determination of long COVID requires ruling out alternative diagnoses, but there has been no report on the features of alternative diagnoses. This study was a single-center retrospective study of outpatients who visited our clinic between February 2021 and June 2023 that was carried out to determine the characteristics of alternative diagnoses in patients with post-COVID-19 symptoms. In a total of 731 patients, 50 patients (6.8%) were newly diagnosed with 52 diseases requiring medical intervention, and 16 (32%) of those 50 patients (2.2% of the total) were considered to have priority for treatment of the newly diagnosed disorders over long COVID treatment. The proportion of patients with a new diagnosis increased with advance of age, with 15.7% of the patients aged 60 years or older having a new diagnosis. Endocrine and metabolic diseases and hematological and respiratory diseases were the most common, being detected in eight patients (16%) each. Although 35 of the 52 diseases (67%) were related to their symptoms, endocrine and metabolic diseases were the least associated with specific symptoms. Other disorders that require attention were found especially in elderly patients with symptomatic long COVID. Thus, appropriate assessment and differentiation from alternative diagnoses are necessary for managing long COVID.
Augmented weighted K-means grey wolf optimizer: An enhanced metaheuristic algorithm for data clustering problems
Authors: Premkumar Manoharan , Sinha Garima , Ramasamy Manjula Devi , Sahu Santhoshini , Subramanyam Chithirala Bala , Sowmya Ravichandran , Abualigah Laith , Derebew Bizuwork
Published: March 2024

This study presents the K-means clustering-based grey wolf optimizer, a new algorithm intended to improve the optimization capabilities of the conventional grey wolf optimizer in order to address the problem of data clustering. The process that groups similar items within a dataset into non-overlapping groups. Grey wolf hunting behaviour served as the model for grey wolf optimizer, however, it frequently lacks the exploration and exploitation capabilities that are essential for efficient data clustering. This work mainly focuses on enhancing the grey wolf optimizer using a new weight factor and the K-means algorithm concepts in order to increase variety and avoid premature convergence. Using a partitional clustering-inspired fitness function, the K-means clustering-based grey wolf optimizer was extensively evaluated on ten numerical functions and multiple real-world datasets with varying levels of complexity and dimensionality. The methodology is based on incorporating the K-means algorithm concept for the purpose of refining initial solutions and adding a weight factor to increase the diversity of solutions during the optimization phase. The results show that the K-means clustering-based grey wolf optimizer performs much better than the standard grey wolf optimizer in discovering optimal clustering solutions, indicating a higher capacity for effective exploration and exploitation of the solution space. The study found that the K-means clustering-based grey wolf optimizer was able to produce high-quality cluster centres in fewer iterations, demonstrating its efficacy and efficiency on various datasets. Finally, the study demonstrates the robustness and dependability of the K-means clustering-based grey wolf optimizer in resolving data clustering issues, which represents a significant advancement over conventional techniques. In addition to addressing the shortcomings of the initial algorithm, the incorporation of K-means and the innovative weight factor into the grey wolf optimizer establishes a new standard for further study in metaheuristic clustering algorithms. The performance of the K-means clustering-based grey wolf optimizer is around 34% better than the original grey wolf optimizer algorithm for both numerical test problems and data clustering problems.
Development of a distributed group control strategy for pumping well groups connected by multisource DC microgrids
Authors: Yue Jixiang , Sun Zhenhua , Li Haoguang , Zhu Wenyu , Li Fengming , Wang Zhenjie
Published: March 2024

Due to the alternating loads on pumping units and the integration of new energy sources, multisource DC microgrid pumping unit well groups experience increased fluctuations in voltage and power as well as superimposed peak and valley values. This work presents a distributed control strategy for pumping unit well groups on a multisource DC microgrid based on the weighted moving average algorithm. A centralized control program is implanted in the RTU of the single-well controller of each pumping unit, and communication with each well is realized via SCADA and multicast communication, resulting in a distributed well group system. The real-time power values of the pumping well group are calculated by grouping the power values, and each group is weighted using the total power fluctuation threshold of the well group as the control target. Then, a weighted moving average algorithm is used to predict the next power value and form a table of predicted real-time power spectra. According to the power values in the community power spectrum table, the inverter frequency is proportionally adjusted downwards to reach the power peak before deceleration; after the power peak is crossed, the frequency is increased in the same way to reach the power valley before acceleration. Finally, the peak and valley power values of the bus system level off and further learn to reach the set impulse; ultimately, a stable impulse is formed. In laboratory testing and field application in the Shengli Oilfield XIN-11 block, the group control software module effectively suppressed the active power peak and valley values and voltage fluctuations of the bus system, the active power fluctuation rate range decreased by more than 70%, and the DC bus voltage fluctuation range decreased by more than 80%; moreover, the active power decreased by approximately 6% without additional hardware costs.
Research on the factors influencing the process of prefabricated fragments penetrating finite thickness concrete
Authors: Wang Zhenning , Li Qingxin , Yin Jianping , Wang Zhijun , Li Xudong , Yi Jianya
Published: March 2024

The damage to the back of the target plate is a phenomenon that occurs when concrete is subjected to high-speed impact. In order to study the motion parameters of prefabricated spherical fragments penetrating finite thickness concrete targets at high speeds and the occurrence rules of concrete damage, as well as the impact of target back damage on the motion of fragments, experiments were conducted on 100 mm finite thickness concrete targets with prefabricated spherical fragments. The concrete model parameters in LS-DYNA were modified based on the residual velocity of fragments, and numerical simulations were conducted on the penetration of prefabricated fragments with different impact velocities and concrete target plates with different thicknesses. By analyzing the location of concrete target plate damage, the relationship between concrete thickness and concrete damage was obtained; Combining the motion parameters of fragment penetration process, the phenomenon of concrete collapse was linked to fragment motion, and the influence of concrete thickness on fragment motion parameters was analyzed. The results indicate that the thickness of the finite thickness concrete target plate and the penetration speed of fragments have a significant impact on the damage state of the target back, and further affect the motion change response stage during the penetration process of prefabricated fragments.
Reconfiguration of low-voltage distributed power sources within electric power's distribution network based on improved particle swarm-fish swarm fusibility algorithm
Authors: Xu Xiaowei , Nie Ding , Xu Wenhua , Xiang Enxin , Chen Shan , Nie Yongjie , Fu Xiao , Xu Wan , Han Yiming
Published: March 2024

With the development of distributed power sources in the distribution network, the algorithm of distribution network reconfiguration is gaining attention from experts and scholars. Its goal is to reduce the power loss during power transmission, so as to reduce the power grid loss during power transmission. And weaken the electric heating effect in the process of electric energy transmission, thus maintaining the safety of the surrounding residents. Due to the wire impedance effect, a lot of electric energy of the circuit is lost to electric heating, which is easy to cause local overheating and lead to fire. This will not only cause power loss, but also endanger the safety of surrounding residents. To address the issue, experiments on distribution grid reconstruction are performed using the enhanced particle swarm-fish swarm algorithm with the Elecgrid self-constructed dataset. Initially, low-voltage distributed power sources in parallel are connected to the circuit, thereby decreasing internal resistance and electrical heat. Then, by controlling the circuit in the system, the double separation relay adjusts the inductance and capacitance of the conductor, thus reducing the reactance length. Additionally, particle swarm particles are mutated to enable them to jump out of the local optimum, and elite fish approach is used to expand the search area. Finally, the proposed fusion algorithm is applied to the self-built data set of Elecgrid and compared with the other three algorithms. The fusion algorithm serves as the standard test system for this comparison. The active power loss of the hybrid algorithm is 63 kW at an operating voltage of 0.74 V. The loss work of the other three algorithms is 74 kW, 97 kW and 109 kW respectively. The mixed algorithm has the lowest loss among the four algorithms. The experiments are repeated for six times, and the linear fitting degrees of the four algorithms are 0.9804, 0.9527, 0.9612 and 0.9503, respectively. The experimental results show that the application of this algorithm can effectively reduce the active loss in the process of distribution network reconfiguration, thus reducing energy consumption; At the same time, it can reduce the electric heating in the process of electric energy transmission, and then prevent the occurrence of fire. There are three main contributions of this study. Firstly, the resistance in the transmission path is reduced by using this algorithm, so that the power transmission efficiency can be analyzed more accurately. Secondly, the new algorithm enriches the power safety maintenance method; Finally, the fire caused by local overheating of the line is reduced by fusion algorithm.
Transcriptomic screening of novel targets of sericin in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors: Jantaravinid Jiraporn , Tirawanchai Napatara , Ampawong Sumate , Kengkoom Kanchana , Somkasetrin Anchaleekorn , Nakhonsri Vorthunju , Aramwit Pornanong
Published: March 2024

Sericin, a natural protein derived from Bombyx mori, is known to ameliorate liver tissue damage; however, its molecular mechanism remains unclear. Herein, we aimed to identify the possible novel targets of sericin in hepatocytes and related cellular pathways. RNA sequencing analysis indicated that a low dose of sericin resulted in 18 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) being upregulated and 68 DEGs being downregulated, while 61 DEGs were upregulated and 265 DEGs were downregulated in response to a high dose of sericin (FDR ≤ 0.05, fold change > 1.50). Functional analysis revealed that a low dose of sericin regulated pathways associated with the complement and coagulation cascade, metallothionine, and histone demethylate (HDMs), whereas a high dose of sericin was associated with pathways involved in lipid metabolism, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and autophagy. The gene network analysis highlighted twelve genes, A2M, SERPINA5, MT2A, MT1G, MT1E, ARID5B, POU2F1, APOB, TRAF6, HSPA8, FGFR1, and OGT, as novel targets of sericin. Network analysis of transcription factor activity revealed that sericin affects NFE2L2, TFAP2C, STAT1, GATA3, CREB1 and CEBPA. Additionally, the protective effects of sericin depended on the counterregulation of APOB, POU2F1, OGT, TRAF6, and HSPA5. These findings suggest that sericin exerts hepatoprotective effects through diverse pathways at different doses, providing novel potential targets for the treatment of liver diseases.
Comparable outcomes of outpatient remdesivir and sotrovimab among high-risk patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 during the omicron BA.1 surge
Authors: Chesdachai Supavit , Rivera Christina G. , Cole Kristin C. , Teaford Hilary R. , Gonzalez Suarez Maria L. , Larsen Jennifer J. , Ganesh Ravindra , Tulledge-Scheitel Sidna , Razonable Raymund R.
Published: March 2024

Studies conducted prior to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron demonstrated that sotrovimab and remdesivir reduced hospitalization among high-risk outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19. However, their effectiveness has not been directly compared. This study examined all high-risk outpatients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who received either remdesivir or sotrovimab at Mayo Clinic during the Omicron BA.1 surge from January to March 2022. COVID-19-related hospitalization or death within 28 days were compared between the two treatment groups. Among 3257 patients, 2158 received sotrovimab and 1099 received remdesivir. Patients treated with sotrovimab were younger and had lower comorbidity but were more likely to be immunocompromised than remdesivir-treated patients. The majority (89%) had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. COVID-19-related hospitalization (1.5% and 1.0% in remdesivir and sotrovimab, respectively, p = .15) and mortality within 28 days (0.4% in both groups, p = .82) were similarly low. A propensity score weighted analysis demonstrated no significant difference in the outcomes between the two groups. We demonstrated favorable outcomes that were not significantly different between patients treated with remdesivir or sotrovimab.