bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The indelible toll of enteric pathogens: Prevalence, clinical characterization, and seasonal trends in patients with acute community-acquired diarrhea in disenfranchised communities
Authors: Osman Marwan , Kassem Issmat I. , Dabboussi Fouad , Cummings Kevin J. , Hamze Monzer
Published: March 2023

Background

There is little information on the epidemiology of enteric pathogens in Lebanon, a low- and middle-income country that suffers from a myriad of public health challenges. To address this knowledge gap, we aimed to assess the prevalence of enteric pathogens, identify risk factors and seasonal variations, and describe associations between pathogens among diarrheic patients in the Lebanese community.

Methodology and principal findings

A multicenter cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in the north of Lebanon. Stool samples were collected from 360 outpatients suffering from acute diarrhea. Based on fecal examination using the BioFire®FilmArray®Gastrointestinal Panel assay, the overall prevalence of enteric infections was 86.1%. EnteroaggregativeEscherichia coli(EAEC) was the most frequently identified (41.7%), followed by enteropathogenicE.coli(EPEC) (40.8%) and rotavirus A (27.5%). Notably, two cases ofVibrio choleraewere identified, whileCryptosporidiumspp. (6.9%) was the most common parasitic agent. Overall, 27.7% (86/310) of the cases were single infections, and the majority, 73.3% (224/310), were mixed infections. Multivariable logistic regression models showed that enterotoxigenicE.coli(ETEC) and rotavirus A infections were significantly more likely to occur in the fall and winter compared to the summer. Rotavirus A infections significantly decreased with age but increased in patients living in rural areas or suffering from vomiting. We identified strong associations in the co-occurrence of EAEC, EPEC, and ETEC infections and a higher percentage of rotavirus A and norovirus GI/GII infections among EAEC-positive cases.

Conclusions

Several of the enteric pathogens reported in this study are not routinely tested in Lebanese clinical laboratories. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that diarrheal diseases are on the rise due to widespread pollution and the deterioration of the economy. Therefore, this study is of paramount importance to identify circulating etiologic agents and prioritize dwindling resources to control them and limit outbreaks in the future.
Virtual monochromatic imaging with projection-based material decomposition algorithm for metal artifacts reduction in photon-counting detector computed tomography
Authors: Chang Chia-Hao , Wu Hsiang-Ning , Hsu Ching-Han , Lin Hsin-Hon
Published: March 2023

Metal artifacts present a major challenge to computed tomography (CT) because they reduce the image quality in medical diagnosis and treatment. Several metal artifact reduction (MAR) methods have been proposed to address this issue in previous studies. This study aimed to synthesize a virtual monochromatic image for MAR in CT images using projection-based material decomposition (MD) algorithms. We developed a spectral micro-CT prototype system equipped with a photon-counting detector (PCD) and PCD-CT imaging simulator to assess the performances of different MAR methods. Two projection-based MD algorithms were implemented and evaluated for their MAR performances in CT images and compared with conventional sinogram inpainting MAR methods. Different parts of digital 4D-extended cardiac torso (XCAT) phantoms with metal implants were designed to simulate various real scenarios. A homemade metal artifact evaluation (MAE) phantom was used to evaluate the MAR performance in experiments. The simulated results of the XCAT phantom indicated that the projection-based virtual monochromatic CT (VMCT) images provided better image quality than the conventional MAR images without blurring the normal tissues at the position of the metal artifacts. Various quantitative indicators support this conclusion. Additionally, the experimental results of the MAE phantom reveal that projection-based VMCT images can avoid image distortion caused by metal artifacts, unlike conventional MAR methods. In regards to the projection-based VMCT images, the simulated and experimental results demonstrated that using the linear maximum likelihood estimators with an error correction look-up table algorithm yielded better MAR performance compared to that obtained using a polynomial algorithm. Furthermore, projection-based VMCT images can not only reduce metal artifacts effectively but also simultaneously prevents object blurring at the metal artifact position and image distortion of the metal implants. Hence, the CT image quality can be further improved to increase the abilities for both preoperative and postoperative assessment of metal implants.
El futuro como farsa: impotencia reflexiva y repetición de la historia en la distopía mainstream contemporánea
Authors: Rey Segovia Ana-Clara
Published: March 2023

Con el paso del tiempo, las distopías han acabado por constituirse como una de las formas predilectas a la hora de abordar la crítica a la realidad. En el siglo xxi atendemos a un nuevo auge del género, en el que la relación entre crisis y distopía se ha vuelto aún más evidente. Las amenazas que se ciernen sobre nuestros tiempos (entre las que destacan los conflictos bélicos, la crisis económica, la emergencia ecológica y el auge de los populismos de derechas), se plasman en estas distopías a través de imágenes como las de las ruinas o los totalitarismos. Así, y bajo la máxima de la repetición de la historia, las distopías recurren al pasado del mundo occidental como forma de aleccionarnos sobre nuestro presente, a fin de evitar cometer los errores de antaño. No obstante, en esta repetición reificada de la historia, las imágenes distópicas tienden a soslayar los vínculos que la conectan no solo con las crisis actuales sino, también, con la debacle distópica futura. En este sentido, entendemos que el retorno de la historia colabora al olvido de la misma, reforzando, de esta manera, la «impotencia reflexiva» que, según Mark Fisher (2018), caracteriza a nuestros tiempos. A fin de confirmar tales hipótesis, el presente artículo se propone indagar en algunos de los principales tropos de las distopías cinematográficas más exitosas de nuestros tiempos, intentando con ello dilucidar los discursos que se esconden detrás de tal reificación.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AS A FACTOR OF THE EFFICIENCY OF INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES AND ORGANIZATION SECURITY
Authors: Akimochkina T. A. , Rudakova O. Yu. , Abramov N.M.
Published: March 2023

Intellectual property management as an integral element of the effective sustainable development of an organization and ensuring its financial security by increasing the cost of capital in an innovative economy is of particular relevance. Taking into account the complexity of organizing the intellectual property management process, as well as insufficiently developed theoretical and methodological approaches and methodological tools, the purpose of the study is to consider the implementation of the intellectual property management process in a company, justify the need for system management and its impact on the effectiveness of innovation. As a result of the study, the authors confirmed that the issues of intellectual property management are related to the theory of sustainable development, since innovative development can significantly save resources, and the organization's economic security strategy, since the organization of effective intellectual property management allows organizations to reduce strategic and financial risks. The effectiveness of innovations largely depends on the conditions for their implementation in the company. Optimal conditions are provided by the intellectual property management system. The scientific novelty of the research is presented in the form of updating and increasing scientific knowledge and methodological recommendations for the implementation of the intellectual property system in an organization. Based on the principles of the process-system approach and modeling methods, the authors propose a model and methodological tools for implementing the intellectual property system at the organization level. The system, in turn, is presented as a process, with the allocation of stages and a description of the content of each stage. The proposed model can be used in the practical activities of the company.
APPROACHES TO ASSESSING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE REGIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM FUNCTIONING
Authors: Akchulpanov Yu. K.
Published: March 2023

The article reveals modern approaches to assessing the effectiveness of the region's innovation system, which take into account the peculiarities of the socio-economic development of territories. The factors that form the sustainability of the development of the region's economy are analyzed. The concept of the innovative potential of the region as the main element of assessing the effectiveness of the regional innovation system is considered. Approaches to the interpretation of the concept of “efficiency” are studied. The existing methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the functioning of innovative systems in the region are analyzed. The effectiveness of various socioeconomic systems and methods for determining economic efficiency are analyzed. An approach is presented to determine the effectiveness of the innovation system of the region in the conditions of modern economic relations, taking into account regional characteristics. Based on the presented approaches, the innovative activity in the Republic of Bashkortostan is analyzed.

The relevance of the study is determined by the need to accelerate the transition of the Russian economy to the path of technological development in the face of sanctions pressure from Western countries, restrictions on the supply of imported equipment and components. With the successful implementation of this policy, there is an opportunity for strategizing, adjusting and improving the efficiency of the economy. The above facts testify to the timeliness of research into the issues of the effectiveness of innovation activity. For effective management of innovation activities, a qualitative analysis of this area is necessary.
THE TREND OF FATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURY RATES IN MALAYSIA IN THE PAST DECADE
Authors: Thurairasu Vanitha
Published: March 2023

Background: Despite significant emphasis has been focused on occupational safety and health in the recent years, industrial accidents are still highly common. Thousands of workers suffer occupational injuries daily. A major global risk factor for workers’ health is workplace injury, which has serious physical, social, and economic repercussions for both employees and their employers. Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the trend in the rate of fatal occupational injuries among workers in Malaysia over the past decade. This paper also focuses on the number of injuries according to industrial sectors so as to strengthen the policy framework and implement appropriate preventive measures accordingly. Methodology: Secondary data from National Occupational Accident Statistics 2021 obtained from Department of Statistics, Malaysia is used in this study. A descriptive analysis is performed on the number of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries in the past decade. Results: The overall rate of fatal work-related injuries in 2021, the lowest in the past decade, with highest rate reported in 2017 (4.90). The construction sector had the highest number of fatal injuries reported in 2021 which is 73. The highest type of injury reported for the year is unspecified type. Conclusion: The study shows a significant decrease in the rate of fatal occupational injuries in the past 10 years, although could be strongly associated with the closure of many industrial sectors during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, continuous strengthening of regulatory framework and expansion of advanced training sessions should be prioritized for an effective prevention.
The Influence of National Culture on the Success or Failure of Multi-National IS Projects
Authors: Murphy Liam
Published: March 2023

In the progressively globalising 21st century, information systems (IS) work is

increasingly taking place in a cross-cultural context, and the relational factor of

culture is now more important than ever given the adoption of numerous Internetbased

systems by organisations across the globe. However, despite this increasing

trend, we still have a limited understanding of how and why multi-national IS projects

succeed or fail, and the role that national culture has to play in this. This research poster summarises the results of a larger piece of research into this area.
Mozambique Public investment in water and sanitation sector and the targets of the SDG6
Authors: Rebelo Manuel Salvador Conceição
Published: March 2023

Many developing countries may not reach targets of providing access to safe water sources and sanitation services for all by 2030. Access to these services is a fundamental requirement for the well-being of individuals and the development of nations. A little over half of Mozambique´s population has access to safe water sources. In contrast, access to sanitation services has not kept pace with the progress made in water access. In this article, based on data from the General State Account of Mozambique, which includes the description of annual investment made by the Government and using the results of the Household Budget Surveys, it is shown that if the average percentage values of public investment of 2009 to 2021 be the same in the following years in the water and sanitation sector it will not reach the goals of sustainable objective number 6 in 2030.
Are our further education colleges still an anchor in our society?
Authors: Senior Lynn , Barnes Neil
Published: March 2023

This article reviews the impact of further education (FE) colleges – in particular, mixed economy colleges – on the surrounding environment and community, and attempts to answer the question of whether the mixed economy college can still be considered an anchor in the community. A mixed methods small-scale case study of a medium-sized mixed economy college was used to evaluate a range of issues that impact on the local community, considering the future and expansion of 16–19 education, against the backdrop of decreases in college provision in the East of England. The aim was to present the background and brief history of the mixed economy college’s impact on the surrounding community, particularly through associated financial, economic and environmental measurements. In conclusion, the authors argue that FE/mixed economy colleges can add significant value to the surrounding environment, community and wider society, and that they are still an anchor in the environment and local communities in which they are situated. They further posit that the goal is for all involved in the FE/mixed economy community to contribute to the shared aim of widening access to lifelong learning, thus further improving the communities and environment in which students and staff reside and work.
Validación de resultados a través de algoritmo Montecarlo en procedimiento de calibración de temperatura
Authors: Gil Miranda Andres David , Serna Serna Walter , Zuleta Gilon Lina Marieth
Published: March 2023

Los organismos evaluadores de la conformidad (OEC) acreditados por ISO/IEC 17025 realizan la validación de resultados, con el fin de confirmar mediante la revisión de competencia técnica la provisión de evidencia objetiva, evaluando el cumplimiento de los requisitos normativos necesarios para una aplicación específica [1]. La Guía para la expresión de la incertidumbre en la medición (GUM) proporciona dos alternativas para evaluar y expresar la incertidumbre de medición. La primera es una metodología basada en un modelo lineal de propagación de incertidumbre, y la segunda es un procedimiento alterno de propagación por simulación de Montecarlo (MCM) [2]. Si bien la primera alternativa es la más utilizada por los OEC, debido a su simplicidad, en este trabajo se propone usar la segunda alternativa basada en MCM como método de validación de resultados. Para esto, se presenta una guía de implementación de los algoritmos descritos en el suplemento 1 de la GUM, en el procedimiento de calibración de equipos de medición de temperatura con base en la norma técnica Thermometers, contact, direct reading: Calibration (NT VVS 103). Los resultados obtenidos muestran una tolerancia numérica aceptable, comprobando la efectividad de la herramienta propuesta en el uso de la metodología GUM validada mediante los procedimientos descritos en el suplemento 1.
Analysis and Design of a Long Distance Distributed Optical Sensor Network Based on FBG
Authors: Muñoz Nuñez Yeny Katherine , Puerto Leguizamón Gustavo Adolfo
Published: March 2023

Optical fiber has been widely used as a transmission media for data communica-tion networks for many years. However, considering the broad advantages offered by fiber optics, research projects in this area go beyond data transmission; among the topics that can be found in this field are photonic sensors.Some characteristics decisive now in pro-moting the research of photonic sensors are the unique advantages that they offer, such as immunity to electromagnetic in-terference, its low weight and volume, and long lifetime, among others.This paper presents the design and analy-sis of a distributed optical sensors network using the largest network topology in the country, called the National Optical Fiber Project (PNFO).
Sistema de rehabilitación de motricidad fina de miembro superior utilizando juegos serios
Authors: Guerrero Hernández Ana Lorena , Vivas Albán Oscar Andrés , Sabater Navarro Jose María
Published: March 2023

Este trabajo describe el empleo de juegos serios en realidad virtual para la rehabilitación de motricidad fina de miembro superior, como posible herramienta de rehabilitación para pacientes que han sufrido un accidente cerebrovascular. Se construyó un guante dotado de sensores flexibles, el cual permite mover una mano virtual en el computador. Se implementó un ambiente virtual en Unity 3D donde se registra al paciente, y donde por medio de cuatro juegos se estimula su rehabilitación bajo la supervisión del terapeuta. Los cuatro juegos implementados permiten desarrollar el agarre esférico, cilíndrico y pinza, así como de movilidad global de los dedos. El sistema fue probado con 12 usuarios. Se espera que el proyecto desarrollado pueda convertirse en una herramienta adicional para que el terapeuta pueda programar diversas sesiones de rehabilitación en el paciente.
Recovery From the Impact of COVID-19 on Treatment Times and Clinical Outcomes of Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: An Interim Analysis
Authors: Ali Abdelrahman , Schirmer Thomas , Kiernan Francis J. , Piccirillo Bryan , Ingrassia Joseph , Azemi Talhat , Sadiq Immad , Fram Daniel B. , Rizvi Asad , Joshi Saurabh , Mather Jeffrey , McKay Raymond G.
Published: March 2023

Background

Previous studies have documented a negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergent percutaneous treatment of patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but few have examined recovery of healthcare systems in restoring prepandemic STEMI care.

Methods

Retrospective analysis was performed of data from 789 patients with STEMI from a large tertiary medical center treated with percutaneous coronary intervention between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021.

Results

For patients with STEMI presenting to the emergency department, median time from door to balloon was 37 minutes in 2019, 53 minutes in 2020, and 48 minutes in 2021 (P < .001), whereas median time from first medical contact to device changed from 70 to 82 to 75 minutes, respectively (P = .002). Treatment time changes in 2020 and 2021 correlated with median emergency department evaluation time (30 to 41 to 22 minutes, respectively; P = .001) but not median catheterization laboratory revascularization time. For transfer patients, median time from first medical contact to device changed from 110 to 133 to 118 minutes, respectively (P = .005). In 2020 and 2021, patients with STEMI had greater late presentation (P = .028) and late mechanical complications (P = .021), with nonsignificant increases in yearly in-hospital mortality (3.6% to 5.2% to 6.4%; P = .352).

Conclusion

COVID-19 was associated with worsening STEMI treatment times and outcomes in 2020. Despite improving treatment times in 2021, in-hospital mortality had not decreased in the setting of a persistent increase in late patient presentation and associated STEMI complications.
Paul Cobley’s impact on biosemiotics: Thomas Sebeok’s next century
Authors: Kull Kalevi
Published: March 2023

We briefly review the impact of Paul Cobley (born 1963) on biosemiotics and list his works on the topic. These have links to communication studies and integrationism. After Thomas Sebeok, John Deely, and several others, Cobley has been a leader of the general semiotics movement, according to which “semiotics’ project is most fully realized on a biosemiotic basis.”
Form, communication, meaning
Authors: Guerri Claudio F.
Published: March 2023

An interesting article by Hongbing Yu (Yu, Hongbing. 2019. Meaning generation. Chinese Semiotic Studies 15(3). 429–447) “Meaning generation” led me to reconsider an unpublished paper from 15 years ago on Roman Jakobson’s much-criticized basic communication model, and the functions of language published in the Closing Statement of Style in language (Jakobson, Roman. 1960. Linguistics and poetics. In Thomas Sebeok (ed.), Style in language, 350–377. New York: MIT Press). In this article it is about using the semiotic nonagon operative model, derived from the three Peircean categories, to review Jakobson’s model, and in turn, think about the limits of agency for the production of meaning in relation to three other authors like Jacques Lacan, Louis Althusser, and Charles S. Peirce himself.
Eco friendly synthesis of epoxidized palm oleic acid in acidic ion exchange resin
Authors: Rahman Mariam A. , Azmi Intan Suhada , Ab Kadir Mohd Zulkipli , Mohamed Noorfazlida , Jalil Mohd Jumain
Published: March 2023

Global raw material use has moved from a non-renewable to a renewable resource. Additionally, the research on epoxidation has produced a safer, more cost-effective, and ecologically friendly product than non-renewable resources. At present, there are limited studies on the production of epoxidized palm oleic acid using eco-friendly ion exchange resin method. Consequently, the objective of this study is to optimise the reaction conditions of epoxidation palm oleic acid using ion exchange resin (amberlite IR 120H) as a catalyst. Epoxidized palm oleic acid was prepared using performic acid formed in situ by mixing formic acid with hydrogen peroxide. The results showed that the optimum reaction conditions for the production of oxirane content were a temperature of 75 °C and a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 30%. The maximum relative conversion of palm oleic acid to oxirane was achieved using the optimum conditions with up to 75%. Finally, a mathematical model was developed using MATLAB and the fourth-order Runge–Kutta method was integrated with the genetic algorithm to determine the reaction rate, which was consistent with the experimental data. This study proved that palm oleic acid was successfully converted into a green epoxide that promotes the use of palm oil as a raw material.
Identifying Common and Idiosyncratic Explosive Behaviors in the Large Dimensional Factor Model with an Application to U.S. State-Level House Prices
Authors: Horie Tetsushi , Yamamoto Yohei
Published: March 2023

This study applies the date-stamping methodologies for explosive behaviors proposed in the seminal work of Phillips, P. C. B., and J. Yu. (2011. “Dating the Timeline of Financial Bubbles during the Subprime Crisis.” Quantitative Economics 2 (3): 455–91), Phillips, P. C. B., S. Shi, and J. Yu. (2015a. “Testing for Multiple Bubbles: Historical Episodes of Exuberance and Collapse in the S&P 500.” International Economic Review 56 (4): 1043–78), and Phillips, P. C. B., S. Shi, and J. Yu. (2015b. “Testing for Multiple Bubbles: Limit Theory of Real Time Detectors.” International Economic Review 56 (4): 1079–134) to a large dimensional factor model. To this end, we compare two methods of identifying common and idiosyncratic components: the Panel Analysis of Nonstationarity in Idiosyncratic and Common Components (PANIC) method by Bai, J., and S. Ng. (2004. “A Panic Attack on Unit Roots and Cointegration.” Econometrica 72 (4): 1127–77) and the Cross-Sectional regression (CS) method by Yamamoto, Y., and T. Horie. (2022. “A Cross-Sectional Method for Right-Tailed PANIC Tests under a Moderately Local to Unity Framework.” Econometric Theory (forthcoming)). We show that, when the explosive behavior lies only in the common component, the origination and termination dates are precisely estimated by either method. However, when the explosive behaviors exist in idiosyncratic components, only the CS method can detect them. We apply our method to the U.S. state-level real house price indices. We find that the 2000s boom was driven by not only the national bubble factors but also local components, while the 2010s onward expansion is dominated by the effect of national components.
Bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) produced by Enterococcus faecium MA115 and its potential use as a seafood biopreservative
Authors: Amin Muhamad , Odeyemi Olumide A. , Dewi Fera R. , Burke Christopher M.
Published: March 2023

Introduction:
Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen that can cause death to infected humans. The bacterial pathogen was frequently associated with food-borne origins including seafood. Thus, the present study aimed at screening anti-listeria-producing lactic acid bacteria (AL-LAB) isolated from the intestinal tracts of wild gilt-head seabream (Sparus aurata).

Materials and Methods: Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from the intestinal tracts of 15 wild gilt-head seabreams and screened for antimicrobial activity against Listeria monocytogenes. LAB isolated with the strongest anti-listerial activity was identified and further characterized for its anti-listerial compounds, followed by testing its protecting capacity on experimentally contaminated salmon fillets.

Results: Three out of 52 LAB showed antagonistic activities against the foodborne pathogen. Of these 3, an isolate with the strongest inhibitory activity was obtained from strain MA115 (>400 AU). Based on its 16S rDNA sequence, strain MA115 had 99% similarity to Enterococcus faecium (Acc. Nb: MG461637.1). Further in vitro assays showed that the anti-listerial compound was very sensitive to proteinase K which suggested that it is a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS). In addition, the BLIS was resistant to a wide range of pH (2–10), and low (4 to −20°C) as well as high temperatures (30−121°C). In addition, the BLIS showed bactericidal activity on L. monocytogenes in artificially contaminated Salmon fillets stored at 0°C.

Conclusion: The BLIS produced by Enterococcus faecium strain MA115 has the potential for application to improve food safety, although further studies are still required to specifically identify the BLIS, for biopreservation purposes.
Rhythm in the Premature Neonate Brain: Very Early Processing of Auditory Beat and Meter
Authors: Edalati Mohammadreza , Wallois Fabrice , Safaie Javad , Ghostine Ghida , Kongolo Guy , Trainor Laurel J. , Moghimi Sahar
Published: March 2023

The ability to extract rhythmic structure is important for the development of language, music, and social communication. Although previous studies show infants' brains entrain to the periodicities of auditory rhythms and even different metrical interpretations (e.g., groups of two vs three beats) of ambiguous rhythms, whether the premature brain tracks beat and meter frequencies has not been explored previously. We used high-resolution electroencephalography while premature infants (n= 19, 5 male; mean age, 32 ± 2.59 weeks gestational age) heard two auditory rhythms in the incubators. We observed selective enhancement of the neural response at both beat- and meter-related frequencies. Further, neural oscillations at the beat and duple (groups of 2) meter were phase aligned with the envelope of the auditory rhythmic stimuli. Comparing the relative power at beat and meter frequencies across stimuli and frequency revealed evidence for selective enhancement of duple meter. This suggests that even at this early stage of development, neural mechanisms for processing auditory rhythms beyond simple sensory coding are present. Our results add to a few previous neuroimaging studies demonstrating discriminative auditory abilities of premature neural networks. Specifically, our results demonstrate the early capacities of the immature neural circuits and networks to code both simple beat and beat grouping (i.e., hierarchical meter) regularities of auditory sequences. Considering the importance of rhythm processing for acquiring language and music, our findings indicate that even before birth, the premature brain is already learning this important aspect of the auditory world in a sophisticated and abstract way.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTProcessing auditory rhythm is of great neurodevelopmental importance. In an electroencephalography experiment in premature newborns, we found converging evidence that when presented with auditory rhythms, the premature brain encodes multiple periodicities corresponding to beat and beat grouping (meter) frequencies, and even selectively enhances the neural response to meter compared with beat, as in human adults. We also found that the phase of low-frequency neural oscillations aligns to the envelope of the auditory rhythms and that this phenomenon becomes less precise at lower frequencies. These findings demonstrate the initial capacities of the developing brain to code auditory rhythm and the importance of special care to the auditory environment of this vulnerable population during a highly dynamic period of neural development.
DNA sensing via the cGAS/STING pathway activates the immunoproteasome and adaptive T‐cell immunity
Authors: Wang Xinyuan , Zhang Huabin , Wang Yuqin , Bramasole Laylan , Guo Kai , Mourtada Fatima , Meul Thomas , Hu Qianjiang , Viteri Valeria , Kammerl Ilona , Konigshoff Melanie , Lehmann Mareike , Magg Thomas , Hauck Fabian , Fernandez Isis E , Meiners Silke
Published: March 2023

The immunoproteasome is a specialized type of proteasome involved in MHC class I antigen presentation, antiviral adaptive immunity, autoimmunity, and is also part of a broader response to stress. Whether the immunoproteasome is regulated by DNA stress, however, is not known. We here demonstrate that mitochondrial DNA stress upregulates the immunoproteasome and MHC class I antigen presentation pathway via cGAS/STING/type I interferon signaling resulting in cell autonomous activation of CD8+ T cells. The cGAS/STING‐induced adaptive immune response is also observed in response to genomic DNA and is conserved in epithelial and mesenchymal cells of mice and men. In patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, chronic activation of the cGAS/STING‐induced adaptive immune response in aberrant lung epithelial cells concurs with CD8+ T‐cell activation in diseased lungs. Genetic depletion of the immunoproteasome and specific immunoproteasome inhibitors counteract DNA stress induced cytotoxic CD8+ T‐cell activation. Our data thus unravel cytoplasmic DNA sensing via the cGAS/STING pathway as an activator of the immunoproteasome and CD8+ T cells. This represents a novel potential pathomechanism for pulmonary fibrosis that opens new therapeutic perspectives.
Patient needs and care: moves toward person-centered care for Graves' disease in Sweden
Authors: Lindo Agneta , Breikert Anne , Lakwijk Peter , Lundberg Christin , Lunner Katarina , Johansson Birgitta , Filipsson Nyström Helena
Published: March 2023

Patients with Graves' disease (GD) not only need appropriate medical care, but they also need to be cared for. The aim of this review is to examine the literature on GD patient needs, expectations, perceptions, and quality of life. We will also present methods for patient care, define gaps in knowledge, and suggest factors that can be introduced into the regular care of GD patients. Patient information, teamwork with thyroid/contact nurses, education of personnel and patients, quality of life measurements, and the formation of a rehabilitation program have enough evidence to be implemented into regular care. However, visualizing patient needs through person-centered care requires further evaluation in GD patients before being implemented in routine care. We conclude that considerable improvement in nursing can be achieved in relation to GD.
Aggravating circumstances of criminal offences against sexual freedom and sexual inviolability (Articles 152 and 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)
Authors: Mytrofanova Iu.S.
Published: March 2023

The article deals with the issue of aggravating circumstances of criminal offenses against sexual freedom and sexual inviolability under Articles 152 and 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. It highlights the controversial aspects of the issues under consideration, identifies certain inaccuracies in the current legislation on criminal liability for these acts, and makes proposals for improving some of the aggravating circumstances provided for in these articles of the Criminal Code.First of all, it should be noted that most articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine contain an aggravating feature of a group of persons by prior conspiracy. The legislator has specified only the commission of an unlawful act by a group of persons, which is positive, since in this case this feature covers an offense committed by a group of persons without prior conspiracy, as well as with prior conspiracy, which makes the concept broader. The author does not agree with the classification of a group of persons as a particularly aggravated offense in articles 152 and 153 of the Criminal Code. Having analyzed the Criminal Code of Ukraine in terms of aggravating and particularly aggravating features, in which a group of persons is an aggravating feature and is placed together with repetitions in other parts of the articles, the author concludes that the new version of Articles 152 and 153 of the Criminal Code violates the legislative system. Attention is also drawn to the fact that Articles 152 and 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine do not contain an aggravating feature of committing an act by an organized group. In this regard, it is proposed to include such a feature as the commission of an act by a group of persons in the second parts of these articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine as an aggravating feature together with repetition, and not as a particularly aggravating feature, and to include the commission of these acts by an organized group in the third parts of articles 152 and 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine - as a particularly aggravating feature.The author also paid special attention to the issue of the correct understanding of grave consequences as a particularly aggravating feature of criminal offenses under parts 5 of Articles 152 and 153 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The author suggests that grave consequences include physical, moral and material damage caused to the victim.
‘Paki go home’: The story of racism in the Gerrard India Bazaar
Authors: Ihsan Aqeel
Published: March 2023

For South Asian Canadians who migrated to Toronto in the 1970s, the only place for them to purchase and consume South Asian foodstuffs would have been in the area referred to as ‘Little India’, which later developed into what is referred to today as the Gerrard India Bazaar (GIB). Little India is located on Gerrard Street, encompassing the nine blocks from Greenwood Avenue to Coxwell Avenue. The very first South Asian entrepreneur in Gerrard Street was Gian Naaz, who rented the defunct Eastwood Theatre in 1972 and began showing films in Hindi and other South Asian languages. Naaz’s success inspired and attracted other South Asian entrepreneurs, some of whom opened restaurants and grocery stores. These early South Asian businesses on Gerrard Street combatted racism and racial stereotyping and the GIB was a microcosm of the violences South Asians experienced all across Toronto in the 1970s and 80s. As such, this paper tells the story of how South Asians, both them and their businesses, persevered and helped develop the GIB as an ethnic enclave because it allowed South Asians to affirm notions of home and belonging in Canada, all without ever having a distinct residential identity.
Racism, traditional food access, and industrial development across Ontario: Perspectives from the fields of environmental law and environmental studies
Authors: Lowitt Kristen , Cooper Jane , Blaise Kerrie
Published: March 2023

Racism and industrial development across lands and waters in the province of Ontario have played a significant role in decreased access to traditional food for Indigenous peoples. Traditional food access is important for health reasons, as well as cultural and spiritual wellness, and its loss has dire consequences for both people and the environment. In this commentary, we bring together our practices and experiences as settler Canadians in the fields of environmental law and environmental studies to share three short case studies exploring the linkages among traditional food access, racism, and industrial development. Specifically, we discuss how the aerial spraying of forests, mining exploration, and contaminants in fish are impacting traditional food access, and analyze how industry and monetary gains are drivers in these scenarios. For each of these case studies, we provide examples of research and advocacy from our respective fields carried out with Indigenous communities. We conclude by offering our insights for addressing systemic racism in food systems, focusing on a need for policy to prioritize Indigenous sovereignty and rights and opportunities for collaboration spanning different areas of practice and Western and Indigenous knowledge systems.
Deconstructing ‘Canadian Cuisine’: Towards decolonial food futurities on Turtle Island
Authors: Mustapha Hana , Masanganise Sharai
Published: March 2023

As scholars and community activists, to secure a just food system, we must first acknowledge our complicity in hierarchal power structures that shape structural inequities by questioning the underlying socio-political currents and interrogating the dominant relationships within our food system. In this commentary, the authors reflect upon their intersectional lived experiences interacting with food systems in the settler nation of Canada. They explore the complex interplay of systemic racism, settler colonialism and neoliberalism within the Canadian food system by deconstructing the indefinable essence of “Canadian cuisine” and mapping these situated insights onto the process of gastronomic multiculturalism. The authors provide their perspective that an entry point along the ongoing process of securing decolonial food futurities on Turtle Island requires a conscious commitment to building interrelational solidarity across differences, reckoning with colonial land politics and supporting food sovereignty for both racialized communities and Indigenous Peoples.
Barriers and supports to traditional food access in Mi’kma’ki (Nova Scotia)
Authors: Grann Amy , Carlsson Liesel , Mansfield-Brown Kayla
Published: March 2023

Canada is a signatory nation on international covenants, conventions, and declarations supporting the human right to food, but has not granted constitutional protection thereof. Failure to uphold the right to food contributes to unacceptably high levels of food insecurity that vary geographically and demographically, undermines health, and creates structural obstacles to food system sustainability. It is well recognized that Indigenous populations in Canada face disproportionately high rates of food insecurity compared to non-Indigenous people, and little attention is paid to the Indigenous conceptions of food security, including access to traditional food systems. The purpose of this research was to better understand the importance of, as well as barriers and supports that exist in accessing traditional food for Indigenous Peoples in Nova Scotia. Two focus groups were held with individuals who identify as Indigenous (n=16), one for those who live within a First Nations community and one for those who live outside of a First Nations community, in Nova Scotia. Focus groups were held in a talking circle format to facilitate discussion on traditional food access. Focus groups were transcribed and analyzed using the Medicine Wheel Evaluation Framework to understand in a culturally relevant way, how traditional foods impact Indigenous Nova Scotians’ health. Bronfenbrenner’s Social Ecological Model was used to locate barriers and supports to traditional food. Supports identified were community engagement, consultations and partnerships, and strength of cultural values. Barriers included knowledge transmission, lack of community, land access, cost, programs and policies, and identity loss. Nuances specific to each community are discussed. Both supports and challenges exist for traditional food access in Nova Scotia; however, barriers outweighed supports in both number and magnitude. Stronger community and political partnerships, as well as consultations with Indigenous Peoples by public and private sector developers are necessary to develop upstream solutions to traditional food access.
Hunger
Authors: Wadsworth Laurie
Published: March 2023

Blom’s thesis for the book involved the impact food supply had on the outcome of WWI. Information presented focused on food security of civilians and armed forces across nations. Detailed coverage of food production, distribution, storage and consumption is a strength of the book. Blom gathered specifics from primary sources including journals, armed forces reports and orders, and interviews with surviving soldiers. Of particular interest are the experiential learnings of the author when he participated in preparing meals in a rebuilt field kitchen, spent time in a restored trench, and sampled a restaurant meal similar to those available during the war. These experiences lent a personal touch to some of the listing of details found throughout the book. Readers will find of interest the many examples of the intersections between food supply chain disruptions and armed conflict situations that can be applied to current and past wars.
Confronting Anti-Black, Anti-Indigenous, and Anti-Asian Racisms in Food Systems in Canada
Authors: Deawuo Leticia Ama , Classens Michael
Published: March 2023

The impetus for this themed section came out of the broader reckoning that touched off in the summer of 2020 in the wake of the murder of George Floyd. The Canadian Association for Food Studies board, like so many organizations struggling to respond to such brazen violence, released a statement on racialized police violence and systemic racism. In the statement the CAFS board commits to more deliberately centering the work of anti-racism in our association̶­ —and this included two shorter-term projects. Curating and publishing an open access resource list on food and racism in so-called Canada, and publishing a themed section on racism in the food system. The CFP for the special issue was released the following May, 2021, and read in part “As we reckon with the ways white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy and colonization has shaped food systems, we must also reflect on and redress dominant modes of thought and approaches that reproduce inequity within the academy (e.g., research and teaching) and society at large. As such, we welcome submissions that centre diverse ways of knowing and methods of knowledge production.”  
Over the past nearly two years, we (the special issue guest editor, Ama, and collaboration assistant, Michael) have met virtually many times to discuss the CFP, the process, the articles, and the broader backdrop of white supremacy, colonialism, and capitalism. And as we reflected on how we wanted to write this editorial, it occurred to us that our own approach to collaboration on this project has been relational, conversational. So, rather than writing a conventional editorial, we once again met virtually to reflect on some key themes that (re)emerged over the past couple of years. What follows is part of that conversation, edited for clarity and brevity. We hope this special issue contributes to keeping the conversations (and action) focused on structural change going.
Wood-plastic composites utilizing wood flours derived from fast-growing trees common to the Midwest
Authors: Tisserat Brent , Reifschneider Louis , Gravett Alan , Peterson Steven C.
Published: March 2023

There are several non-utilized or under-utilized hardwood trees common to the Midwestern states. Wood flour (WF) derived from fast-growing Midwest trees (Osage orange, black locust, and red mulberry) were evaluated as a source of bio-based fiber reinforcement. Wood-plastic composites (WPCs) of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), 25 wt.% of WF, and either 0% or 5% by weight of maleated polyethylene (MAPE) were produced via twin screw compounding and injection molding. Specimen bars were evaluated for their mechanical and flexural properties. Composite blends that employed the coupling agent MAPE were superior to composites without MAPE or neat HDPE in terms of their mechanical and flexural properties. The Osage orange WPC composed of juvenile WF had mechanical and flexural properties that were the same as the WPC composed of mature WF. The WPC composed of WF from Midwestern trees were comparable with the WPC composed of pine WF in terms of their mechanical and flexural properties. Soaking the bars of the various WPC blends in distilled water for 28 days altered their weights, mechanical properties, and color. Thermal properties of neat HDPE and WPCs were evaluated using differential scanning colorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis.
Butyric acid production by Clostridium tyrobutyricum in sugar mixtures and corncob hydrolysate containing arabinose
Authors: Chen Tianren , Zhang Ling , Luo Guanghong , Yuan Wenqiao
Published: March 2023

The objective of this study was to understand arabinose effects on butyric acid fermentation by Clostridium tyrobutyricum in sugar-supplemented media and biomass hydrolysate. Compared to glucose and xylose, the conversion of arabinose to butyric acid was less efficient with a longer lag phase (4 d) and fermentation period (6 d), and a lower butyric acid yield of 0.26 g/g and 0.15 g/g in 5 g/L and 10 g/L of arabinose media, respectively. However, the addition of 2 g/L or 5 g/L of arabinose to the baseline medium that contained glucose (15 g/L) and xylose (15 g/L) enhanced butyric acid synthesis, resulting in 16.1 g/L and 20.3 g/L of butyric acid, respectively. Further increase in arabinose to 10 g/L in the medium of 10 g/L of glucose and 10 g/L of xylose showed inhibitory effects on C. tyrobutyricum, which suggested that high concentrations of arabinose (> 10 g/L) were not desirable. Dilute-acid pretreated corncobs that contained xylose (19 g/L) and a small amount of arabinose (2 g/L) were a feasible substrate for butyric acid production by C. tyrobutyricum, and resulted in 10.6 g/L butyric acid, which was slightly lower than in the mimic medium (11.3 g/L).