bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation Methods for the Ammonia Removal of an Air Scrubber on a Poultry House Using the Acid Use and the Process Water Nitrogen Balance
Authors: van Wagenberg Antonius Victor , Koerkamp P.W.G. Groot
Published: June 2024

Highlights

Acid use in an acid air scrubber predicts the ammonia removal of an air scrubber.

Nitrogen balance of process and discharge water in an air scrubber predicts ammonia removal of an air scrubber.

Long-term monitoring of acid use and/or the nitrogen balance can validate the ammonia reduction of an air scrubber.

The two validation methods can support local authorities in granting environmental permits and enforcement.

Abstract. Ensured ammonia reduction by novel technologies and guaranteed low ammonia emission from livestock houses is essential for the granting and monitoring of legal permits. This study focuses on methods to underpin the long-term effectiveness of an air scrubber and was done in a commercial poultry house. The measured ammonia removal by an air scrubber with ammonia sensors (method 1) was compared to the acid use for ammonia binding (method 2) and the nitrogen balance over the process water (method 3). Also, the effect of the length of the time period used for the comparison was evaluated, as was the effect of the spatial variation of the ammonia concentration in the house. The overall weekly data showed a clear linear relation between method 1 on the one hand and methods 2 and 3 on the other hand, with regression coefficients close to 1 and a variation of +/- 20% on a 4-weekly basis. The 4-weekly data showed a clearly reduced variation compared to weekly data, due to leveling out of the impact of irregular time events like acid dosage and water discharge. The barn emission assessed by method 1 was significantly (12%) influenced by the spatial aerial concentration differences of ammonia in the house. Taking this into account, method 2 overestimated the emission reduction of method 1 with 16.8% and method 3 was in good agreement with method 1. For method 2, a revised value for acid use per kg of ammonia binding needs to be substantiated in further research. Possible measurement errors influenced calculated ammonia removal with a maximum of +/-2%, but the relative effect on remaining emissions was larger with +/- 15% for method 3. This study shows that monitoring acid use and/or the nitrogen balance can validate the ammonia reduction of air scrubbers and the remaining ammonia emission and support local authorities in granting environmental permits and their enforcement. Keywords: Acid, Air scrubber, Ammonia, Nitrogen balance, Poultry.
A Review Based on Various Applications to Find a Consistent Pairwise Comparison Matrix
Authors: Kaushik Shalu , Pant Sangeeta , Joshi Lokesh Kumar , Kumar Anuj , Ram Mangey
Published: June 2024

Multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) is a crucial process that provides a systematic approach to resolving numerous challenging problems encountered in everyday life. An effective method for addressing such MCDM challenges is the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Within AHP, the resolution of these problems relies on the Pairwise Comparison Matrix (PCM), a pivotal component of the decision-making framework. A fundamental aspect of AHP lies in ensuring the consistency of the comparison matrix to validate the logical perspective of the respondents. An inconsistent matrix undermines its utility as a reference for decision-making, underscoring the significance of achieving consistency in the PCM as a pivotal stage in the decision-making process. In this discourse, we delve into various methodologies aimed at deriving a refined and consistent PCM capable of replacing the original inconsistent version. To facilitate comprehension, we categorize the references based on proposed approaches and specific focal points.
Modeling Software Release Time and Software Patch Release Time Based on Testing Effort and Warranty
Authors: Saxena Palak , Kumar Vijay , Tandon Stuti , Chaudhary Kuldeep , Ram Mangey
Published: June 2024

In this world of software technology, our dependency on software’s is increasing continuously. As a result, software industries are working hard to develop highly reliable software and to meet the expectation of customers. Generally, software companies release software early in market to take gain market share, but rigorous software testing is required for early release software to ensure reliability of software and meet the customer’s expectations. This requires a huge amount of resources, and it increases financial burden on the company, consequently, decreases the overall profit of company. Further, late release due to prolong testing of a software may improves reliability but results into a loss of market opportunity cost or may not be fulfil the customer’s aspirations. As a result, to stay competitive, companies release software early and release patches later to fix the bugs, improve the functionality of software, and to update the software. Software industries are improving the performance or usability of software by releasing patches which may increase the consumption of testing effort and consequently increase in cost. On the other hand, software firms also provide warranty on their products. To address the above said issues, we have developed a testing effort-based software reliability growth model, which incorporates warranty policy and estimates the optimal software release and patch time with the objective to minimise the total testing cost. Further, we have used Genetic Algorithm (GA) to estimate optimum software release and patch time. A numerical illustration has been presented on a real time data set to validate the proposed model.
As trincheiras paleossismológicas, uma nova experiência para as geociências em Cuba
Authors: Díaz Barrios I. R. , Arango Arias E. D. , González Matos O. F. , García Pérez P. L. , Iribarren Modejar J.
Published: June 2024

Apresentamos um estudo das fossas paleossísmicas em Cuba, com foco especial na região da falha do Pinar. Revisamos a história sísmica da região e avaliamos os riscos naturais associados à atividade tectônica. Foi utilizada uma combinação de métodos e recursos, incluindo compilação bibliográfica, o Sistema Básico de Pesquisa Regional, o Modelo Digital de Terreno e o software Surfer 19. Os resultados obtidos destacam a importância das fossas paleossísmicas como ferramenta fundamental para a compreensão dos processos tectônicos e da atividade sísmica em Cuba. A colaboração internacional tem sido essencial na obtenção de novas informações e na melhoria das estimativas de risco sísmico. São identificadas as limitações e desafios associados à execução de trincheiras paleossísmicas, bem como a importância da sua correta localização. Em conclusão, este estudo lança as bases para uma maior compreensão da sismicidade em Cuba e para o desenvolvimento de estratégias eficazes para a prevenção e mitigação dos riscos sísmicos, contribuindo para o avanço da geociência a nível global.
"We Are the Authors of Our Relationship": Queering Love Languages in LGBTQ+ Students' Intimate Relationships
Authors: Mollet Amanda L. , Smoot Jordan A.
Published: June 2024

Abstract: This qualitative study examined the experiences of 14 LGBTQ+ college students in healthy intimate relationships with a focus on the ways that romantic partners give and receive affection. Framed through a consideration of love languages , this study challenges and extends what have become socially normative strategies for demonstrating affection.
Chinese American Identity, Performance, and Immigration Law: Jue Quon Tai in Theatres and at National Borders
Authors: De Simone Maria
Published: June 2024

Abstract: This article considers both stage performance and immigration law enforcement to redefine hyphenated Chinese American identities during the Chinese Exclusion period (1882–1943). It employs the case of Jue Quon Tai, a Chinese American singer who was active in vaudeville between 1915 and 1926. The Chinese Exclusion Act established an unforgiving legal distinction between Chinese and American, yet first-generation Chinese Americans started to see their hyphenated identities not as an either-or but as and/or voluntary choices, implying a constant reconfiguration between their Chinese and US American cultures. Legal requisites notwithstanding, I argue that Jue’s theatrical performance challenged contemporaneous assumptions of Chinese Americans as “inescapably” Chinese and influenced how immigration officers might respond to hyphenated Chinese Americans at the border. This contention highlights the interplay between performance, racial understandings, and immigration law. I use interplay because, as the article demonstrates, not only racial thought and restrictive immigration policies influenced what appeared in theaters but, most strikingly, performance culture affected the way ideas of race and immigration law were understood and implemented.
A Lie algebraic approach to GRIN optimization
Authors: Barion Antonio , Anthonissen Martijn , Boonkkamp Jan ten Thije , IJzerman Wilbert
Published: June 2024

The Lie algebraic approach provides a systematic method to determine aberration coefficients for ray propagation in inhomogeneous media. We present the underlying concepts and report analytical expressions for aberration coefficients of arbitrary rotationally symmetric gradient-index (GRIN) lenses. These explicit formulas are well-suited for the application of optimization routines that do not require repeated ray tracing at intermediate steps. We optimize a cylindrical lens, for which we recover a classical solution, and a GRIN lens with inhomogeneous terms along the optical axis.
Long-term evolution of Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus pneumoniae leads to higher genetic diversity within rather than between human populations
Authors: Davison Charlotte , Tallman Sam , de Ste-Croix Megan , Antonio Martin , Oggioni Marco R. , Kwambana-Adams Brenda , Freund Fabian , Beleza Sandra
Published: June 2024

Evaluation of the apportionment of genetic diversity of human bacterial commensals within and between human populations is an important step in the characterization of their evolutionary potential. Recent studies showed a correlation between the genomic diversity of human commensal strains and that of their host, but the strength of this correlation and of the geographic structure among human populations is a matter of debate. Here, we studied the genomic diversity and evolution of the phylogenetically related oro-nasopharyngeal healthy-carriageStreptococcus mitisandStreptococcus pneumoniae, whose lifestyles range from stricter commensalism to high pathogenic potential. A total of 119S.mitisgenomes showed higher within- and among-host variation than 810S.pneumoniaegenomes in European, East Asian and African populations. Summary statistics of the site-frequency spectrum for synonymous and non-synonymous variation and ABC modelling showed this difference to be due to higher ancestral bacterial population effective size (Ne) inS.mitis, whose genomic variation has been maintained close to mutation-drift equilibrium across (at least many) generations, whereasS.pneumoniaehas been expanding from a smaller ancestral bacterial population. Strikingly, both species show limited differentiation among human populations. As genetic differentiation is inversely proportional to the product of effective population size and migration rate (Nem), we argue that largeNehave led to similar differentiation patterns, even ifmis very low forS.mitis. We conclude that more diversity within than among human populations and limited population differentiation must be common features of the human microbiome due to largeNe.
The impact of accelerating population aging on service industry development: Evidence from China
Authors: Zhang Mingzhi , Chen Chao , Zhou Xiangyu , Wang Xinpei , Wang Bowen , Huan Fuying , Liu Jianxu
Published: June 2024

The demographic structure is an important factor influencing the development of the services industry. As the country with the world’s most serious aging problem, China’s service industry structure is likely to undergo profound changes in response to the rapid demographic transition. Therefore, this paper examines the effect of population aging on the development of the service industry in the context of China’s accelerating population aging. The study found that: (1) Population aging has a significant "inverted U" effect on the development of the services industry. (2) The impact of population aging on the development of the service industry has obvious regional and industry heterogeneity. The study of regional heterogeneity found that population aging in economically developed regions has a more obvious effect on the development of the service industry than in economically less developed regions. Industry heterogeneity studies found that population aging has an obvious promotional effect on the development of medical and other rigid demand industries, while the effect on other non-rigid demand industries is not significant. (3) The threshold effect test found that when the degree of population aging exceeds the threshold, the stimulating effect of population aging on the development of the services industry is no longer significant. The research in this paper provides useful insights into the likely response to changes in the industrial structure of the services industry, and offers some implications for countries with similar demographic profiles to China.
Using a health equity lens to measure patient experiences of care in diverse health care settings
Authors: Browne Annette J. , Varcoe Colleen , Ford-Gilboe Marilyn , Wathen C. Nadine , Wilson Erin , Bungay Vicky , Perrin Nancy
Published: June 2024

People who are structurally disadvantaged and marginalized often report poor health care experiences, such as inequitable treatment, due to intersecting forms of stigma and discrimination. There are many measures of patient experiences of care, however, few are designed to measure equity-oriented health care. In alignment with ongoing calls to integrate actions in support of health equity, we report on the development and testing of patient-reported experience measures that explicitly use a health equity and intersectional lens. Our analysis focuses on two different scales: theEquity-Oriented Health Care Scale—Ongoing, which was evaluated in primary health care settings where patients have an ongoing relationship with providers over time, and theEquity-Oriented Health Care Scale—Episodic, which was tested in an emergency department where care is provided on an episodic basis. Item Response Theory was used to develop and refine the scales. The psychometric properties of each scale were also evaluated. TheEquity-Oriented Health Care Scale—Ongoingwas first tested with a cohort of 567 patients. TheEquity-Oriented Health Care Scale—Episodicwas subsequently tested in an emergency department setting with 284 patients. Results of the Item Response Theory analysis for each scale yielded a brief index that captured the level of equity-oriented care when care is ongoing (12 items) or episodic (9 items). Both scales showed evidence of internal consistency and concurrent validity, based on a high correlation with quality of care. They are brief, easy-to-administer patient-reported experience measures that can support organizations to monitor quality of care. Their availability enhances the possibility of measuring equity-oriented health care in diverse contexts and can provide nuanced understandings of quality of care through an intersectional and equity lens.
Low serum lipase levels in mothers of children with stunted growth indicate the possibility of low calcium absorption during pregnancy: A cross-sectional study in North Sumatra, Indonesia
Authors: Sari Dina Keumala , Amelia Rina , Masyithah Dewi , Tantrakarnapa Kraichat
Published: June 2024

Stunting is caused by various factors, including low nutritional intake in the first two years of life. This study aimed to investigate the differences in sociodemographic factors and mineral, vitamin, and enzyme parameters in mothers associated with the occurrence of stunting in children. We conducted a cross-sectional study from September to November 2020 on North Sumatra Island, Indonesia. The data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy history, birth history, food intake, and laboratory examinations, including measurements of calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin D, pancreatic amylase, and serum lipase levels. This study included 50 healthy mothers aged 18–50 years old with children aged 2 to 60 months. There was a significant difference in serum calcium levels between the groups of mothers of children with normal and stunted growth (p = 0.03, mean difference±standard error (SE) = 0.23±0.12, 95% CI: 0.19–0.45). All of the study subjects were categorized as vitamin D deficient. The mean lipase level in the group of mothers of children with stunted growth was significantly lower than that in the group of mothers of children with normal growth (p = 0.02, mean difference±SE = 4.34±1.83, 95% CI: 0.62–8.06). The conclusion was that serum lipase levels were significantly lower in mothers of children with stunted growth compared to mothers of children with normal growth. Serum lipase levels this low are likely to indicate that a mother is unable to meet her child’s calcium needs during pregnancy, increasing the child’s risk of stunted growth.
Microclimate factors related to dengue virus burden clusters in two endemic towns of Mexico
Authors: Tapias-Rivera Johanna , Martínez-Vega Ruth Aralí , Román-Pérez Susana , Santos-Luna Rene , Amaya-Larios Irma Yvonne , Diaz-Quijano Fredi Alexander , Ramos-Castañeda José
Published: June 2024

In dengue-endemic areas, transmission control is limited by the difficulty of achieving sufficient coverage and sustainability of interventions. To maximize the effectiveness of interventions, areas with higher transmission could be identified and prioritized. The aim was to identify burden clusters of Dengue virus (DENV) infection and evaluate their association with microclimatic factors in two endemic towns from southern Mexico. Information from a prospective population cohort study (2·5 years of follow-up) was used, microclimatic variables were calculated from satellite information, and a cross-sectional design was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the outcome and microclimatic variables in the five surveys. Spatial clustering was observed in specific geographic areas at different periods. Both, land surface temperature (aPR 0·945; IC95% 0·895–0·996) and soil humidity (aPR 3·018; IC95% 1·013–8·994), were independently associated with DENV burden clusters. These findings can help health authorities design focused dengue surveillance and control activities in dengue endemic areas.
Evaluating an equity-focused approach to assess climate resilience and disaster priorities through a community survey
Authors: Lovell Samantha , Vickery Jamie , López Paulina , Rodríguez Alberto J. , Cummings B. J. , Moloney Kathleen , Berman Jeffrey , Bostrom Ann , Isaksen Tania Busch , Estrada Erika , Hartwell Cat , Kohler Pamela , Kramer C. Bradley , Patel Resham , Schnall Amy Helene , Smith Mary Hannah , Errett Nicole A.
Published: June 2024

As the Duwamish Valley community in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A. and other environmental justice communities nationally contend with growing risks from climate change, there have been calls for a more community-centered approach to understanding impacts and priorities to inform resilience planning. To engage community members and identify climate justice and resilience priorities, a partnership of community leaders, government-based practitioners, and academics co-produced a survey instrument and collected data from the community using the Seattle Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (SASPER), an approach adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Community Assessment for Public Health Emergency Response (CASPER). In addition, we conducted a process and outcome project evaluation using quantitative survey data collected from volunteers and qualitative semi-structured interviews with project team members. In October and November 2022, teams of volunteers from partner organizations collected 162 surveys from households in the Duwamish Valley. Poor air quality, extreme heat, and wildfires were among the highest reported hazards of concern. Most Duwamish Valley households agreed or strongly agreed that their neighborhood has a strong sense of community (64%) and that they have people nearby to call when they need help (69%). Forty-seven percent of households indicated willingness to get involved with resilience planning, and 62% of households said that they would use a Resilience Hub during an emergency. Survey volunteers evaluated their participation positively, with over 85% agreeing or strongly agreeing that they learned new skills, were prepared for the survey, and would participate in future assessments. The evaluation interviews underscored that while the SASPER may have demonstrated feasibility in a pre-disaster phase, CASPER may not meet all community/partner needs in the immediate disaster response phase because of its lack of focus on equity and logistical requirements. Future research should focus on identifying less resource intensive data collection approaches that maintain the rigor and reputation of CASPER while enabling a focus on equity.
qPCR assay for detection of Woodchuck Hepatitis Virus Post-Transcriptional Regulatory Elements from CAR-T and TCR-T cells in fresh and formalin-fixed tissue
Authors: Pullarkat Shalini , Black Graeme , Bleakley Marie , Buenrostro Denise , Chapuis Aude G. , Hirayama Alexandre V. , Jaeger-Ruckstuhl Carla A. , Kimble Erik L. , Lee Bo M. , Maloney David G. , Radich Jerald , Seaton Brandon W. , Specht Jennifer M. , Turtle Cameron J. , Woolston David W. , Wright Jocelyn H. , Yeung Cecilia C. S.
Published: June 2024

As adoptive cellular therapies become more commonplace in cancer care, there is a growing need to monitor site-specific localization of engineered cells—such as chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells and T-cell receptor T (TCR-T) cells—in patients’ tissues to understand treatment effectiveness as well as associated adverse events. Manufacturing CAR-T and TCR-T cells involves transduction with viral vectors commonly containing the WPRE gene sequence to enhance gene expression, providing a viable assay target unique to these engineered cells. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is currently used clinically in fresh patient tissue samples and blood with target sequences specific to each immunotherapy product. Herein, we developed a WPRE-targeted qPCR assay that is broadly applicable for detection of engineered cell products in both fresh and archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues. Using both traditional PCR and SYBR Green PCR protocols, we demonstrate the use of this WPRE-targeted assay to successfully detect two CAR-T cell and two TCR-T cell products in FFPE tissue. Standard curve analysis reported a reproducible limit of detection at 100 WPRE copies per 20μL PCR reaction. This novel and inexpensive technique could provide better understanding of tissue abundance of engineered therapeutic T cells in both tumor and second-site toxicity tissues and provide quantitative assessment of immune effector cell trafficking in archival tissue.
Relationship between youth cardiometabolic health and physical activity in medical records
Authors: Forseth Bethany , Noel-MacDonnell Janelle R. , Hampl Sarah , Carlson Jordan A. , Halpin Kelsee , Davis Ann , Phillips Tarin , Shook Robin P.
Published: June 2024

Background

Thers is limited research examining modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors with a single-item health behavior question obtained during a clinic visit. Such information could support clinicians in identifying patients at risk for adverse cardiometabolic health. We investigated if children meeting physical activity or screen time recommendations, collected during clinic visits, have better cardiometabolic health than children not meeting recommendations. We hypothesized that children meeting either recommendation would have fewer cardiometabolic risk factors.

Methods and findings

This cross-sectional study used data from electronic medical records (EMRs) between January 1, 2013 through December 30, 2017 from children (2–18 years) with a well child visits and data for ≥1 cardiometabolic risk factor (i.e., systolic and diastolic blood pressure, glycated hemoglobin, alanine transaminase, high-density and low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and/or triglycerides). Physical activity and screen time were patient/caregiver-reported. Analyses included EMRs from 63,676 well child visits by 30,698 unique patients (49.3% female; 41.7% Black, 31.5% Hispanic). Models that included data from all visits indicated children meeting physical activity recommendations had reduced risk for abnormal blood pressure (odds ratio [OR] = 0.91, 95%CI 0.86, 0.97; p = 0.002), glycated hemoglobin (OR = 0.83, 95%CI 0.75, 0.91; p = 0.00006), alanine transaminase (OR = 0.85, 95%CI 0.79, 0.92; p = 0.00001), high-density lipoprotein (OR = 0.88, 95%CI 0.82, 0.95; p = 0.0009), and triglyceride values (OR = 0.89, 95%CI 0.83, 0.96; p = 0.002). Meeting screen time recommendations was not associated with abnormal cardiometabolic risk factors.

Conclusion

Collecting information on reported adherence to meeting physical activity recommendations can provide clinicians with additional information to identify patients with a higher risk of adverse cardiometabolic health.
Investigating the dynamics of tax evasion and revenue leakage in somali customs
Authors: Nor Mohamed Ibrahim , Mohamed Abdinur Ali
Published: June 2024

This study aims to investigate the dynamics of tax evasion and revenue leakage in the Somali customs framework, providing insights into the systemic opportunity structures, tax governance deficiencies, and personal incentive structures that facilitate these practices. By applying agency theory and rent-seeking theory, this research seeks to deepen the understanding of the complex relationship between individual motivations and systemic vulnerabilities in exacerbating corruption and tax evasion in a post-conflict governance context. By employing structural equation modeling (SEM) within the ADANCO-SEM analysis framework, this study analyzes primary survey data. This approach allows for a comprehensive examination of the relationships between systemic, governance, and personal factors contributing to corruption and tax evasion. The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between systemic opportunity structures, tax governance deficiencies, and personal incentive structures and the prevalence of tax evasion and corruption. Specifically, systemic opportunity structures were found to significantly influence both tax governance deficiencies and personal incentive structures, highlighting the intertwined nature of these factors in facilitating corrupt practices and tax evasion in Somali customs. This study underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms targeting systemic vulnerabilities, enhancing tax governance frameworks, and aligning personal incentives with the public interest. Practical applications include the adoption of advanced technological solutions for improved monitoring and transparency, as well as the development of targeted training programs for customs officials to foster ethical standards and compliance. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a unique empirical examination of corruption and tax evasion in the context of Somali customs, a largely underexplored area in the literature. By integrating agency theory and rent-seeking theory, this study offers novel insights into the mechanisms of corruption and tax evasion, highlighting the importance of addressing both systemic and individual factors in combating these issues.
Diverse patterns of correspondence between protist metabarcodes and protist metagenome-assembled genomes
Authors: Zavadska Daryna , Henry Nicolas , Auladell Adrià , Berney Cédric , Richter Daniel J.
Published: June 2024

Two common approaches to study the composition of environmental protist communities are metabarcoding and metagenomics. Raw metabarcoding data are usually processed into Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) or amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) through clustering or denoising approaches, respectively. Analogous approaches are used to assemble metagenomic reads into metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). Understanding the correspondence between the data produced by these two approaches can help to integrate information between the datasets and to explain how metabarcoding OTUs and MAGs are related with the underlying biological entities they are hypothesised to represent. MAGs do not contain the commonly used barcoding loci, therefore sequence homology approaches cannot be used to match OTUs and MAGs. We made an attempt to match V9 metabarcoding OTUs from the 18S rRNA gene (V9 OTUs) and MAGs from the Tara Oceans expedition based on the correspondence of their relative abundances across the same set of samples. We evaluated several metrics for detecting correspondence between features in these two datasets and developed controls to filter artefacts of data structure and processing. After selecting the best-performing metrics, ranking the V9 OTU/MAG matches by their proportionality/correlation coefficients and applying a set of selection criteria, we identified candidate matches between V9 OTUs and MAGs. In some cases, V9 OTUs and MAGs could be matched with a one-to-one correspondence, implying that they likely represent the same underlying biological entity. More generally, matches we observed could be classified into 4 scenarios: one V9 OTU matches many MAGs; many V9 OTUs match many MAGs; many V9 OTUs match one MAG; one V9 OTU matches one MAG. Notably, we found some instances in which different OTU-MAG matches from the same taxonomic group were not classified in the same scenario, with all four scenarios possible even within the same taxonomic group, illustrating that factors beyond taxonomic lineage influence the relationship between OTUs and MAGs. Overall, each scenario produces a different interpretation of V9 OTUs, MAGs and how they compare in terms of the genomic and ecological diversity they represent.
Evaluation of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on a smoking cessation service in Derbyshire: An interrupted time series analysis
Authors: Gleeson Hayley , Earnshaw Jennifer , Craig Chris , Hodson Chloe , Szatkowski Lisa
Published: June 2024

Background

Data published early in the COVID-19 pandemic suggested that smokers infected with SARS-CoV-2 were more likely to need hospital treatment or die than non-smokers, and thus this was seen as a motivator to encourage smokers to make a quit attempt. Live Life Better Derbyshire (LLBD) is an integrated lifestyle service providing free support for residents Derbyshire, UK, who want to quit smoking. On 19 March 2020, LLBD converted from offering face-to-face cessation support to a smoking cessation service delivered remotely.

Methods

Interrupted time series analysis to investigate the impact of COVID-19, and the shift to remote delivery of smoking cessation support, on the number of smokers who accessed cessation support with LLBD, set a quit date, and self-reported having quit at 4-week follow-up.

Results

11,393 episodes of smoking cessation support were opened with LLBD between 01 January 2018 and 31 December 2021. The weekly count of all outcomes was increasing prior to the date when LLBD converted to remote-only delivery. There was a 20% immediate drop in the number of episodes opened coinciding with this date (IRR 0.88, 95% CI 0.646–0.992) but no change in the number of quit dates set or 4-week quits or the underlying longer-term trends.

Conclusions

The COVID-19 pandemic, and associated shift to remote delivery of smoking cessation support by LLBD, had no substantial sustained overall impact on measures of smoking cessation service activity and success.
Customer churn modeling in telecommunication using a novel multi-objective evolutionary clustering-based ensemble learning
Authors: Faraji Googerdchi Kaveh , Asadi Shahrokh , Jafari Seyed Mohammadbagher
Published: June 2024

Customer churn prediction is vital for organizations to mitigate costs and foster growth. Ensemble learning models are commonly used for churn prediction. Diversity and prediction performance are two essential principles for constructing ensemble classifiers. Therefore, developing accurate ensemble learning models consisting of diverse base classifiers is a considerable challenge in this area. In this study, we propose two multi-objective evolutionary ensemble learning models based on clustering (MOEECs), which are include a novel diversity measure. Also, to overcome the data imbalance problem, another objective function is presented in the second model to evaluate ensemble performance. The proposed models in this paper are evaluated with a dataset collected from a mobile operator database. Our first model, MOEEC-1, achieves an accuracy of 97.30% and an AUC of 93.76%, outperforming classical classifiers and other ensemble models. Similarly, MOEEC-2 attains an accuracy of 96.35% and an AUC of 94.89%, showcasing its effectiveness in churn prediction. Furthermore, comparison with previous churn models reveals that MOEEC-1 and MOEEC-2 exhibit superior performance in accuracy, precision, and F-score. Overall, our proposed MOEECs demonstrate significant advancements in churn prediction accuracy and outperform existing models in terms of key performance metrics. These findings underscore the efficacy of our approach in addressing the challenges of customer churn prediction and its potential for practical application in organizational decision-making.
Anomaly detection in multivariate time series data using deep ensemble models
Authors: Iqbal Amjad , Amin Rashid , Alsubaei Faisal S. , Alzahrani Abdulrahman
Published: June 2024

Anomaly detection in time series data is essential for fraud detection and intrusion monitoring applications. However, it poses challenges due to data complexity and high dimensionality. Industrial applications struggle to process high-dimensional, complex data streams in real time despite existing solutions. This study introduces deep ensemble models to improve traditional time series analysis and anomaly detection methods. Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks effectively handle variable-length sequences and capture long-term relationships. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) are also investigated, especially for univariate or multivariate time series forecasting. The Transformer, an architecture based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANN), has demonstrated promising results in various applications, including time series prediction and anomaly detection. Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) identify time series anomalies by capturing temporal connections and interdependencies between periods, leveraging the underlying graph structure of time series data. A novel feature selection approach is proposed to address challenges posed by high-dimensional data, improving anomaly detection by selecting different or more critical features from the data. This approach outperforms previous techniques in several aspects. Overall, this research introduces state-of-the-art algorithms for anomaly detection in time series data, offering advancements in real-time processing and decision-making across various industrial sectors.
Signal automatic modulation based on AMC neural network fusion
Authors: Yin Haoran , Diao Junqin
Published: June 2024

With the rapid development of modern communication technology, it has become a core problem in the field of communication to find new ways to effectively modulate signals and to classify and recognize the results of automatic modulation. To further improve the communication quality and system processing efficiency, this study combines two different neural network algorithms to optimize the traditional signal automatic modulation classification method. In this paper, the basic technology involved in the communication process, including automatic signal modulation technology and signal classification technology, is discussed. Then, combining parallel convolution and simple cyclic unit network, three different connection paths of automatic signal modulation classification model are constructed. The performance test results show that the classification model can achieve a stable training and verification state when the two networks are connected. After 20 and 29 iterations, the loss values are 0.13 and 0.18, respectively. In addition, when the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is 25dB, the classification accuracy of parallel convolutional neural network and simple cyclic unit network model is as high as 0.99. Finally, the classification models of parallel convolutional neural networks and simple cyclic unit networks have stable correct classification probabilities when Doppler shift conditions are introduced as interference in practical application environment. In summary, the neural network fusion classification model designed can significantly improve the shortcomings of traditional automatic modulation classification methods, and further improve the classification accuracy of modulated signals.
Bacterial communities associated with Acrobeles complexus nematodes recovered from tomato crops in South Africa
Authors: Shokoohi Ebrahim , Machado Ricardo A. R. , Masoko Peter
Published: June 2024

The productivity of agricultural ecosystems is heavily influenced by soil-dwelling organisms. To optimize agricultural practices and management, it is critical to know the composition, abundance, and interactions of soil microorganisms. Our study focused on Acrobeles complexus nematodes collected from tomato fields in South Africa and analyzed their associated bacterial communities utilizing metabarcoding analysis. Our findings revealed that A. complexus forms associations with a wide range of bacterial species. Among the most abundant species identified, we found Dechloromonas sp., a bacterial species commonly found in aquatic sediments, Acidovorax temperans, a bacterial species commonly found in activated sludge, and Lactobacillus ruminis, a commensal motile lactic acid bacterium that inhabits the intestinal tracts of humans and animals. Through principal component analysis (PCA), we found that the abundance of A. complexus in the soil is negatively correlated with clay content (r = -0.990) and soil phosphate levels (r = -0.969) and positively correlated with soil sand content (r = 0.763). This study sheds light on the bacterial species associated to free-living nematodes in tomato crops in South Africa and highlights the occurrence of various potentially damaging and beneficial nematode-associated bacteria, which can in turn, impact soil health and tomato production.
Educating patients in a French cancer treatment center: How to ensure therapy safety while reckoning patients’ knowledge and power to act
Authors: Bruneau Charlotte , Genolini Jean-Paul , Terral Philippe
Published: June 2024

In this article, we analyse how health professionals educate cancer patients to care for their condition and keep strict control over therapy safety. We study how much room for negotiation is left to patients during medical consultations so resources can still be exchanged. We pay particular attention to the trade of knowledge and powers between patients and doctors (power to act and to express oneself in an imbalanced relationship where knowledge is unequally shared). We opted for a qualitative approach with 41 interviews and several ethnological observations, first of consultations in haematology, then of pre-planned phone calls made to patients during the course of a cancer therapy follow-up scheme. The declared ambition of turning cancer patients into self-responsible patients actually re-enacts well-known procedures of control and knowledge acquisition aimed at narrowing their margin of manoeuvre for the sake of therapy safety. Even if some freedom is conceded, patients remain under the control of their medical hierarchy. Health professionals privilege two methods to keep control over patients and teach them therapy safety procedures. Which method is chosen, and how it is used, is dictated by the relationship between socially-diverse patients and health professionals. In the end, what the patient learns and the amount of control the doctor keeps over this process will depend on the distribution of power and knowledge among them, but asymmetry will always remain.
Association between weight-adjusted waist index and periodontitis: A population-based study
Authors: Xu Lihan , Liu Yuntao , Zhao Chenchen , Wang Jiaying , Zhou Haojing
Published: June 2024

Objective

This study aims to examine the association between the Weight-adjusted Waist Circumference Index (WWI) and the prevalence of periodontitis, providing novel evidence on the link between central obesity and periodontal health.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted with 10,289 participants enrolled from NHANES 2009 to 2014. WWI was calculated by dividing waist circumference by the square root of weight. We employed a multivariate logistic regression model and smoothed curve fitting method to evaluate the relationship between WWI and periodontitis. We also compared different subgroups and analyzed the interaction effects.

Results

A significant positive association between WWI and periodontitis was observed in 10,289 participants aged ≥30 (OR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.12–1.28). Upon categorizing WWI into quartiles, the top quartile group exhibited a 27% increased prevalence of periodontitis compared to the bottom quartile (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.10–1.46; P for trend = 0.001). Among individuals aged 30 to 60, the strength of this positive correlation is more pronounced than in those aged 60 and above.

Conclusions

WWI demonstrates a positive correlation with periodontitis with a particularly pronounced impact on moderate periodontitis, suggesting its potential to improve periodontitis prevention in a broad population.
Nutritional supplementation, tooth crown size, and trait expression in individuals from Tezonteopan, Mexico
Authors: Blankenship-Sefczek Erin C. , Goodman Alan H. , Hubbe Mark , Hunter John P. , Guatelli-Steinberg Debbie
Published: June 2024

Understanding how epigenetic factors impact dental phenotypes can help refine the use of teeth for elucidating biological relationships among human populations. We explored relationships among crown size, principal cusp spacing, and accessory cusp expression in maxillary dental casts of nutritionally supplemented (n = 34) and non-supplemented (n = 39) individuals from Tezonteopan, Mexico. We hypothesized that the non-supplemented group would exhibit smaller molar crowns and reduced intercusp spacing. Since intercusp spacing is thought to be more sensitive to epigenetic influences than crown size, we predicted that the supplemented and non-supplemented groups would differ more in the former than the latter. Previous work suggests that molar accessory cusp expression may be elevated under conditions of stress. We therefore expected evidence of greater Carabelli and Cusp 5 trait expression in the non-supplemented group. We further hypothesized that anterior teeth would be affected by nutritional stress during development, with the non-supplemented group having smaller anterior tooth crowns and therefore limited space to form the tuberculum dentale. Finally, we tested whether the presence of molar accessory traits followed predictions of the Patterning Cascade Model of tooth morphogenesis in the entire sample. Our results supported the expectation that cusp spacing would differ more than molar crown size between the two groups. Carabelli trait showed little evidence of frequency differences between groups, but some evidence of greater trait scores in the non-supplemented group. The non-supplemented group also showed evidence of greater Cusp 5 frequency and expression. In the central incisors and canines, there was strong evidence for smaller crown sizes and reduced tuberculum dentale frequency in the non-supplemented group. With both groups pooled together, there was strong evidence of closer mesiodistal distances among principal cusps in molars with accessory cusps, a finding that is consistent with the PCM. Overall, our findings suggest that nutritional stress may affect accessory cusp expression.
Heightened Epstein-Barr virus immunity and potential cross-reactivities in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Thomas Olivia G. , Haigh Tracey A. , Croom-Carter Deborah , Leese Alison , Van Wijck Yolanda , Douglas Michael R. , Rickinson Alan , Brooks Jill M. , Taylor Graham S.
Published: June 2024

Background

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a likely prerequisite for multiple sclerosis (MS) but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We investigated antibody and T cell responses to EBV in persons with MS (pwMS), healthy EBV-seropositive controls (HC) and post-infectious mononucleosis (POST-IM) individuals up to 6 months after disease resolution. The ability of EBV-specific T cell responses to target antigens from the central nervous system (CNS) was also investigated.

Methods

Untreated persons with relapsing-remitting MS, POST-IM individuals and HC were, as far as possible, matched for gender, age and HLA-DRB1*15:01. EBV load was determined by qPCR, and IgG responses to key EBV antigens were determined by ELISA, immunofluorescence and Western blot, and tetanus toxoid antibody responses by multiplex bead array. EBV-specific T cell responses were determined ex vivo by intracellular cytokine staining (ICS) and cross-reactivity of in vitro-expanded responses probed against 9 novel Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) viruses expressing candidate CNS autoantigens.

Results

EBV load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was unchanged in pwMS compared to HC. Serologically, while tetanus toxoid responses were unchanged between groups, IgG responses to EBNA1 and virus capsid antigen (VCA) were significantly elevated (EBNA1 p = 0.0079, VCA p = 0.0298) but, importantly, IgG responses to EBNA2 and the EBNA3 family antigens were also more frequently detected in pwMS (EBNA2 p = 0.042 and EBNA3 p = 0.005). In ex vivo assays, T cell responses to autologous EBV-transformed B cells and to EBNA1 were largely unchanged numerically, but significantly increased IL-2 production was observed in response to certain stimuli in pwMS. EBV-specific polyclonal T cell lines from both MS and HC showed high levels of autoantigen recognition by ICS, and several neuronal proteins emerged as common targets including MOG, MBP, PLP and MOBP.

Discussion

Elevated serum EBV-specific antibody responses in the MS group were found to extend beyond EBNA1, suggesting a larger dysregulation of EBV-specific antibody responses than previously recognised. Differences in T cell responses to EBV were more difficult to discern, however stimulating EBV-expanded polyclonal T cell lines with 9 candidate CNS autoantigens revealed a high level of autoreactivity and indicate a far-reaching ability of the virus-induced T cell compartment to damage the CNS.
Technoliberalism for the people: Popular discourses about governance on Archive of Our Own
Authors: Elsner Micha
Published: June 2024

This article situates ongoing debates about the governance policies of Archive of Our Own (AO3) in the context of the ideological tradition of technoliberalism, which links internet technologies with liberal ideals such as freedom of speech and individual choice. While often seen as a movement of the mid-2000s which swiftly gave way to straightforward corporatism, technoliberalism survives as a popular discourse in the AO3 debates, where popular rhetoric incorporates liberal defences of free speech and individual choice. Modern technoliberal arguments have developed in response to their critics, emphasizing individualistic content controls as an opportunity for self-expression and as protection from a historical tradition of censorship in fandom spaces.