bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation and characterization of novel agrowaste‐based cellulosic micro fillers from Borassus flabellifer flower for polymer composite reinforcement
Authors: Sunesh Narayana Perumal , Indran Suyambulingam , Divya Divakaran , Suchart Siengchin
Published: August 2022

Nowadays, interest in new natural cellulosic materials is increasing due to their higher properties and the motivation for researchers to advance high‐performance bio‐based composites. This study aimed at understanding the physicochemical and morphological properties, crystallinity, and thermal behavior of Borassus flabellifer flower micro‐sized cellulosic fillers. Cellulose has some unique properties, such as good mechanical properties, low density, biocompatibility, thermal stability, and biodegradability. The acid hydrolysis method was used to extract cellulose from the dried B. flabellifer flower. The crystallinity index value and crystalline size were calculated through X‐ray diffraction for the extracted microcrystalline cellulose and found to be 69.81% and 70.73 nm, respectively. The morphology of the extracted cellulosic filler was investigated by scanning electron microscopy and ImageJ software. The average size of the micro filler was found to be 26 μm. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the extracted cellulose fillers being free from lignin, hemicelluloses, and other non‐cellulosic materials. Atomic force microscopy revealed that the surface roughness of the cellulose was less than 66 nm. The results showed that an agricultural residue can be converted into a valuable micro‐sized cellulosic filler material for polymeric composite applications that can withstand processing temperature up to 200°C. Here, the naturally occurring source of B. flabellifer flower could be used as a valuable substitute for more traditional sources like wood and cotton for the production of nanocellulose, nano‐additives, or nano‐reinforcing agents for water‐soluble biopolymers.
Food tree species selection for nutrition‐sensitive forest landscape restoration in Burkina Faso
Authors: Vinceti Barbara , Fremout Tobias , Termote Celine , Fallas Conejo Diego , Thomas Evert , Lachat Carl , Toe Laeticia Celine , Thiombiano Adjima , Zerbo Issouf , Lompo Djingdia , Sanou Lassina , Parkouda Charles , Hien Alain , Ouédraogo Oumarou , Ouoba Hermann
Published: August 2022

Societal Impact Statement

Modern food systems push agriculture to focus on a small number of commercial crops, while there is a very large diversity of untapped edible plants that could be used to address food security and nutrition. Poor and monotonous diets are closely linked to the complex burden of multiple forms of malnutrition and dietary risk. In some contexts, such as West Africa, micronutrient deficiency risks are particularly pronounced. Hence, there is an urgent need to provide people with healthy diets supported by sustainable food systems. Within this context, using nutrition‐sensitive forest landscape restoration to combat environmental degradation could contribute towards ensuring the year‐round availability of nutritious tree‐based food.

Diverse diets are important to deliver adequate amounts of the nutrients essential to human health. The consumption of a diversity of food groups is challenging in sub‐Saharan Africa. Trees play an important role in the direct provision of nutritious food items. Forest landscape restoration presents an opportunity to reverse the loss of useful trees, due to degradation, and increase representation of food tree species in the landscape.

Here we focused on characterizing the contributions that different food products from trees can make to improving diet diversity in Burkina Faso. A scoring system was developed, based on seasonal availability of edible products and food groups covered, and was integrated into a freely available decision‐making tool that enables carrying out context‐specific, optimal choices of tree species to be considered in forest landscape restoration.

Our inventory included 56 food tree species, largely Fabaceae (18 species), providing 81 edible products, mainly fruits (supplied by 79% of tree species), followed by seeds (52%) and leaves (41%). The main food groups represented are ‘Other fruits’ (other than vitamin A‐rich fruits) (covering 52% of the edible products) and dark‐green leafy vegetables (29%). About two thirds of the species listed produce more than a single edible product, a few up to four. A total of 11 species supplied edible products throughout the year.

Our results clearly show that seasonal scarcity of food and nutrients in Burkina Faso can be partly mitigated by consuming edible tree products. The methodology can be easily scaled to other geographies.
Real‐world use of inhaled treprostinil for lung disease‐pulmonary hypertension: A protocol for patient evaluation and prescribing
Authors: Johnson Shelsey W. , Finlay Lauren , Mathai Stephen C. , Goldstein Ronald H. , Maron Bradley A.
Published: August 2022

Inhaled treprostinil was approved recently for interstitial lung disease‐pulmonary hypertension; however, efficacy in “real‐world” populations is not known. We designed a protocol and report our experience evaluating 10 patients referred for therapy. Misdiagnosis at presentation was common; ultimately, three patients (30%) were prescribed drug. This protocol offers an opportunity to standardize longitudinal assessment of inhaled treprostinil in clinical practice.
Clinical significance of pulmonary hypertension in interstitial lung disease: A consensus statement from the Pulmonary Vascular Research Institute's innovative drug development initiative—Group 3 pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Nikkho Sylvia M. , Richter Manuel J. , Shen Eric , Abman Steven H. , Antoniou Katerina , Chung Jonathan , Fernandes Peter , Hassoun Paul , Lazarus Howard M. , Olschewski Horst , Piccari Lucilla , Psotka Mitchell , Saggar Rajan , Shlobin Oksana A. , Stockbridge Norman , Vitulo Patrizio , Vizza Carmine Dario , Wort Stephen J. , Nathan Steven D.
Published: August 2022

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been linked to worse outcomes in chronic lung diseases. The presence of PH in the setting of underlying Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) is strongly associated with decreased exercise and functional capacity, an increased risk of hospitalizations and death. Examining the scope of this issue and its impact on patients is the first step in trying to define a roadmap to facilitate and encourage future research in this area. The aim of our working group is to strengthen the communities understanding of PH due to lung diseases and to improve the care and quality of life of affected patients. This introductory statement provides a broad overview and lays the foundation for further in‐depth papers on specific topics pertaining to PH‐ILD.
Highly Reversible Sodium Metal Battery Anodes via Alloying Heterointerfaces
Authors: Deng Yue , Zheng Jingxu , Zhao Qing , Yin Jiefu , Biswal Prayag , Hibi Yusuke , Jin Shuo , Archer Lynden A.
Published: August 2022

As a promising pathway toward low‐cost, long‐duration energy storage, rechargeable sodium batteries are of increasing interest. Batteries that incorporate metallic sodium as anode promise a high theoretical specific capacity of 1166 mAh g−1, and low reduction potential of −2.71 V. The high reactivity and poor electrochemical reversibility of sodium anodes render sodium metal anode (SMA) cells among the most challenging for practical implementation. Here, the failure mechanisms of Na anodes are investigated and the authors report that loss of morphological control is not the fundamental cause of failure. Rather, it is the inherently poor anchoring/root structure of electrodeposited Na to the electrode substrate that leads to poor reversibility and cell failure. Poorly anchored Na deposits are prone to break away from the current collector, producing orphaning and poor anode utilization. Thin metallic coatings in a range of chemistries are proposed and evaluated as SMA substrates. Based on thermodynamic and ion transport considerations, such substrates undergo reversible alloying reactions with Na and are hypothesized to promote good root growth—regardless of the morphology. Among the various options, Au stands out for its ability to support long Na anode lifetime and high reversibility (Coulombic Efficiency > 98%), for coating thicknesses in the range of 10–1000 nm. As a first step toward evaluating practical utility of the anodes, their performance in Na||SPAN cells with N:P ratio close to 1:1 is evaluated.
Titanium Carbide MXene Hole Contacts for CdTe Photovoltaics
Authors: Sartor Benjamin E. , Röhr Jason A. , Lipton Jason , Duenow Joel N. , Goad Adam , Meng Juan , Reese Matthew O. , Taylor André D.
Published: August 2022

CdTe is a high‐efficiency thin‐film photovoltaic technology that has seen tremendous commercial success over the past decade. Yet despite the improvement of other device characteristics, the fabrication of an ohmic hole back contact layer has remained a challenge due to the high ionization potential of CdTe, which limits the external potential that can be feasibly reached even as other characteristics of the device improve. MXenes, a family of 2D materials with rapidly growing scientific and commercial interest, offer a promising route to forming low‐cost, low‐barrier contacts due to their demonstrated high work function, metallic conductivity, and facile solution processing from benign solvents. Here, it is shown that Ti3C2TxMXene films processed from an aqueous colloidal dispersion can perform as a highly efficient hole contact material for CdTe solar cells, resulting in high power‐conversion efficiencies. The role of the Schottky barrier formation in Ti3C2Tx‐contacted CdTe devices is probed, and potential pathways for the future development of this potent combination of materials are elucidated. The modularity of the expansive MXene family of materials presents a promising strategy for developing next‐generation hole contacts for CdTe solar cells.
Unearthing open source decision‐making processes: A case study of python enhancement proposals
Authors: Nand Sharma Pankajeshwara , Tony Roy Savarimuthu Bastin , Stanger Nigel
Published: August 2022

Good governance practices are pivotal to the success of Open Source Software (OSS) projects. However, the decision‐making processes that are made available to stakeholders are at times incomplete and may remain buried and hidden in large amounts of software repository data. This work bridges this gap by unearthing enacted decision‐making processes available for Python Enhancement Proposals (PEPs) from 1.54 million email messages that embody decisions made during the evolution of the Python language. This work employs a design science approach in operationalizing a framework calledDeMaP minerthat is used to discover hidden processes using information retrieval and information extraction techniques. It also uses process mining techniques to visualize the processes, and comparative structural analysis techniques to compare different decision processes. The work identifies a richer set of decision‐making activities than those reported on the Python website and in prior research work (48 new decision activities, 199 new pathways and 6 new stages). The extracted decision process has been positively evaluated by a prominent member of the Python steering council. The extracted process can be used for process compliance checking and process improvement in OSS communities. Additionally, the DeMaP Miner framework can be extended and customized to suit other OSS projects, such as the OpenJDK project.
Dynamic failure behaviors of reinforced‐concrete based on the split‐Hopkinson pressure bar tests
Authors: Deng Yongjun , Lv Taihong , Chen Xiaowei
Published: August 2022

In the present study, using the pulse‐shaping technique and high‐speed photography, large‐dimension (Ф120 mm × 100 mm) Split‐Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) tests of reinforced‐concrete specimens with two types of rebar configurations (Ø and #) were conducted. Three typical failure patterns, denoted as “exterior failure,” “interior failure,” and “complete failure,” were observed. The reflection waves of “exterior failure” all exhibited a “single‐peak” followed by a period of approximately constant‐strain rate loading. For “interior failure” and “complete failure,” the “double‐peaks” phenomenon appeared in the reflection waves of reinforced‐concrete, but the “compression wave” of the transmission wave was weakened and gradually disappeared. Meanwhile, for plain‐concrete and reinforced‐concrete, the postpeak behavior of the stress–strain curves included three stages, that is, stress‐drop, stress‐buffer, and stress‐softening. The main role of the rebars in the reinforced‐concrete was reflected in the postpeak behavior of the stress–strain curve, which exhibited plastic flow behavior as the metal materials. The stability of the rebar frame directly affected the efficiency of the rebars. Additionally, the weak interfacial effect of the smooth rebar between the concrete yielded a counterintuitive test result, that is, at the same strain rate, the dynamic compressive strength of the reinforced‐concrete was lower than that of the plain‐concrete. However, owing to its toughness and deformation ability, the rebar frame provided good protection of the internal concrete.
Science at the center: Meaningful science learning in a preschool classroom
Authors: Raven Sara , Wenner Julianne A.
Published: August 2022

Even though children are natural scientists, many preschools isolate and limit science, which can cause children to miss out on valuable learning experiences and school readiness skills. Additionally, minimizing science at the preschool level fails to set a solid foundation for K‐12 science education. In this single case study, we focused on the experiences and daily work of one constructivist‐oriented preschool teacher who utilized science‐based guided play and emergent curriculum as vehicles for important aspects of preschool learning. Findings demonstrate that with careful planning and intention, science can be utilized as a context for nonscience preschool learning objectives outlined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, such as socioemotional development and early literacy. Further, being purposeful about taking up children's ideas about science can lead to rigorous engagement in the three dimensions of science found in the A Framework for K‐12 Education as well as the Nature of Science. What is notable in this case study is that the teacher did not fundamentally alter her instruction, nor did she take up a prescribed science curriculum; rather, she utilized children's science noticings and wonderings about the world to build meaningful learning experiences. In this way, we see the efforts and outcomes of this teacher being attainable by other preschool teachers. From these findings, we put forward the Integrated Preschool Science Framework that can be used by researchers and teacher educators to think more deeply about how placing science at the center of preschoolers' learning can provide rich opportunities for supporting preschools in multiple learning domains.
What do we know about the employment impacts of climate policies? A review of the ex post literature
Authors: Godinho Catrina
Published: August 2022

Concern around the employment impacts of climate mitigation policies can be a contentious and politized issue, with potentially limiting implications for climate action. It persists despite a significant ex ante literature that suggests that aggregate effects will most likely be limited and net positive. This review analyses 60 papers assessing the employment impacts of climate policies ex post, in 20 countries and 2 country groups. Eight broad mitigation policies are covered: (1) emissions trading, (2) carbon taxes, (3) feed‐in tariffs, renewable energy (4) procurement and (5) deployment, (6) green economy/jobs, (7) environmental regulation, and (8) other policies and regulations. The analysis confirms that employment impacts tend to be modest and net positive or neutral, but reveals that distributional outcomes can be uneven, disadvantaging certain groups and at times reinforcing existing inequalities. Additionally, lower quality jobs or weak labor market regulations may decrease the attractiveness of jobs created or increase job transition costs. These findings provide some justification for increased focus on how climate policies can ensure a “just transition of the workforce and the creation of decent work and quality jobs” stipulated in the Paris Agreement, but also suggest that climate action should not be delayed for fear of widespread negative employment impacts. Ex post assessments offer an important lens into the determinants of climate policy employment outcomes and should be advanced and harnessed in support of accelerated and just action.

This article is categorized under:

Economics of Mitigation > Climate Economics

Social Justice and the Politics of Development > Climate and Development
Origins, evolution, and physiological implications of de novo genes in yeast
Authors: Parikh Saurin B. , Houghton Carly , Van Oss S. Branden , Wacholder Aaron , Carvunis Anne‐Ruxandra
Published: August 2022

De novo gene birth is the process by which new genes emerge in sequences that were previously noncoding. Over the past decade, researchers have taken advantage of the power of yeast as a model and a tool to study the evolutionary mechanisms and physiological implications of de novo gene birth. We summarize the mechanisms that have been proposed to explicate how noncoding sequences can become protein‐coding genes, highlighting the discovery of pervasive translation of the yeast transcriptome and its presumed impact on evolutionary innovation. We summarize current best practices for the identification and characterization of de novo genes. Crucially, we explain that the field is still in its nascency, with the physiological roles of most young yeast de novo genes identified thus far still utterly unknown. We hope this review inspires researchers to investigate the true contribution of de novo gene birth to cellular physiology and phenotypic diversity across yeast strains and species.
Entanglement wedge minimum cross-section for holographic aether gravity
Authors: Chen Chong-Ye , Xiong Wei , Niu Chao , Zhang Cheng-Yong , Liu Peng
Published: August 2022

Abstract

We study the entanglement wedge cross-section (EWCS) in holographic Aether gravity theory, a gravity theory with Lorentz symmetry violation while keeping the general covariance intact. We find that only a limited parameter space is allowed to obtain a black brane with positive Hawking temperature. Subject to these allowed parameter regions, we find that the EWCS could exhibit non-monotonic behaviors with system parameters. Meanwhile, the holographic entanglement entropy (HEE), and the corresponding mutual information (MI), can only exhibit monotonic behaviors. These phenomena suggest that the EWCS could capture much more rich content of the entanglement than that of the HEE and the MI. The role of the Lorentz violation in determining the behaviors of quantum information-related quantities is also analyzed.
Lower buprenorphine elimination rate constant is associated with lower opioid use
Authors: Elarabi Hesham Farouk , Lee Amanda J. , Adem Abdu , Elrasheed Abuelgasim , Marsden John , Al Ghaferi Hamad
Published: August 2022

Background

Opioid craving is suggested to correlate with the rate of reduction in buprenorphine (BUP) plasma levels. No studies explored Buprenorphine elimination rate constant (BUP EL.R) as a predictor of opioid use or retention in BUP treatment.

Methods

Analysis was performed using data from a randomized controlled trial of 141 adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) randomized to Incentivized Adherence and Abstinence monitoring (I-AAM; experimental (n = 70) and treatment-as-usual; control (n = 71). In the I-AAM, structured access to unsupervised BUP doses was provided up to 28 days contingent of adherence measured by Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and abstinence by Urinary Drug Screens (UDS). In contrast, the treatment-as-usual (control) provided unstructured access to unsupervised doses was provided for up to 14 days considering UDS results. The primary outcome was percentage negative UDS. The secondary outcome, retention in treatment, was continuous enrollment in the study and analysis was via intention-to-treat. Significant bivariate correlations with the outcomes were adjusted for group allocation.

Results

A significant negative correlation between BUP EL.R and percentage negative opioid screens (Pearson correlation coefficient − 0.57, p < 0.01) was found. After adjusting for trial group, BUP EL.R was shown to be an independent predictor of percentage negative opioid screens (Standardized Beta Coefficient − 0.57, 95% CI − 221.57 to − 97.44, R2 0.322).

Conclusion

BUP EL.R predicted 32.2% of the variation in percentage negative opioid UDS and may serve as a potential promising tool in precision medicine of BUP treatment. Higher buprenorphine elimination is associated with higher positive opioid urine screens during treatment.

Trial registration

ISRCTN41645723 retrospectively registered on 15/11/2015.
Effects of a novel toll-like receptor 4 antagonist IAXO-102 in a murine model of chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicity
Authors: Tam Janine S. Y. , Crame Elise E. , Elz Aurelia S. , Coller Janet K. , Wignall Anthony , Prestidge Clive A. , Bowen Joanne M.
Published: August 2022

Introduction

Gastrointestinal mucositis (GIM) is a side effect of high-dose irinotecan (CPT-11), causing debilitating symptoms that are often poorly managed. The role of TLR4 in the development of GIM has been clearly demonstrated. We, therefore, aimed to investigate the potential of the TLR4 antagonist, IAXO-102, to attenuate gastrointestinal inflammation as well as supress tumour activity in a colorectal-tumour-bearing mouse model of GIM induced by CPT-11.

Methods

24 C57BL/6 mice received a vehicle, daily i.p. IAXO-102 (3 mg/kg), i.p. CPT-11 (270 mg/kg) or a combination of CPT-11 and IAXO-102. GIM was assessed using validated toxicity markers. At 72 h, colon and tumour tissue were collected and examined for histopathological changes and RT-PCR for genes of interest; TLR4, MD-2, CD-14, MyD88, IL-6, IL-6R, CXCL2, CXCR1, and CXCR2.

Results

IAXO-102 prevented diarrhoea in mice treated with CPT-11. Tumour volume in IAXO-102-treated mice was lower compared to vehicle at 48 h (P < 0.05). There were no differences observed in colon and tumour weights between the treatment groups. Mice who received the combination treatment had improved tissue injury score (P < 0.05) in the colon but did not show any improvements in cell proliferation or apoptotic rate. Expression of all genes was similar across all treatment groups in the tumour (P > 0.05). In the colon, there was a difference in transcript expression in vehicle vs. IAXO-102 (P < 0.05) and CPT-11 vs. combination (P < 0.01) in MD-2 and IL-6R, respectively.

Conclusion

IAXO-102 was able to attenuate symptomatic parameters of GIM induced by CPT-11 as well as reduce tissue injury in the colon. However, there was no effect on cell proliferation and apoptosis. As such, TLR4 activation plays a partial role in GIM development but further research is required to understand the specific inflammatory signals underpinning tissue-level changes.
Long-term probabilistic temperature projections for all locations
Authors: Chen Xin , Raftery Adrian E. , Battisti David S. , Liu Peiran R.
Published: August 2022

The climate change projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are based on scenarios for future emissions, but these are not statistically-based and do not have a full probabilistic interpretation. Raftery et al. (Nat Clim Change 7:637–641, 2017) and Liu and Raftery (Commun Earth Environ 2:1–10, 2021) developed probabilistic forecasts for global average temperature change to 2100, but these do not give forecasts for specific parts of the globe. Here we develop a method for probabilistic long-term spatial forecasts of local average annual temperature change, combining the probabilistic global method with a pattern scaling approach. This yields a probability distribution for temperature in any year and any part of the globe in the future. Out-of-sample predictive validation experiments show the method to be well calibrated. Consistent with previous studies, we find that for long-term temperature changes, high latitudes warm more than low latitudes, continents more than oceans, and the Northern Hemisphere more than the Southern Hemisphere, except for the North Atlantic. There is a 5% chance that the temperature change for the Arctic would reach 16 $$^\circ $$

∘

C. With probability 95%, the temperature of North Africa, West Asia and most of Europe will increase by at least 2 $$^\circ $$

∘

C. We find that natural variability is a large part of the uncertainty in early years, but this declines so that by 2100 most of the overall uncertainty comes from model uncertainty and uncertainty about future emissions.
Bullous pemphigoid anti-BP180-NC16A autoantibody reactivity in healthy individuals is associated with marked hypovitaminosis D and Th2-like cytokine predominance
Authors: Tukaj Stefan , Bieber Katja , Prüßmann Wiebke , Prüßmann Jasper N. , Schmidt Enno , Zillikens Detlef , Ludwig Ralf J. , Kasperkiewicz Michael
Published: August 2022

Autoimmune bullous disease autoantibodies, particularly including bullous pemphigoid (BP)-related anti-BP180-NC16A IgG, have been reported in a small subset of healthy individuals, but information about associated factors is lacking. We hypothesized that an abnormal status of immunomodulatory vitamin D could play a role in anti-BP180-NC16A autoantibody reactivity in healthy persons. In addition, we aimed to evaluate the cytokine profile associated with these autoantibodies. Plasma samples from 34 anti-BP180-NC16A IgG-reactive and 85 anti-BP180-NC16A IgG-negative healthy blood donors were tested for levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and a wide range of cytokines (IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-9, IL-10, IL-13, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-22, IFN-γ, and TNF-α). We observed that anti-BP180-NC16A IgG-reactive healthy subjects had significantly lower plasma 25(OH)D levels and about a two-fold higher rate of vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/ml) compared to anti-BP180-NC16A IgG-negative healthy persons. In addition, anti-BP180-NC16A IgG-positive samples were characterized by significantly higher levels of IL-2, IL-5, IL-9, IL-10, and IL-13 which were, however, not significantly associated with the vitamin D levels. Our results indicate that healthy individuals with BP autoantibody reactivity share similarities with BP patients regarding the vitamin D status and cytokine profile (i.e., marked hypovitaminosis D and Th2 predominance), which may have pathophysiologic implications.
Dancing to a different tune: changing reproductive seasonality in an introduced chital deer population
Authors: Kelly Catherine L. , Schwarzkopf Lin , Gordon Iain J. , Pople Anthony , Kelly David L. , Hirsch Ben T.
Published: August 2022

Male and female reproductive behaviour is typically synchronised. In species such as those in the familyCervidae, reproductive timing is often cued by photoperiod, although in females, it can be dependent on body condition. When a species is introduced to a novel environment, the environment changes, or responses of the sexes to such cues differ, asynchronous reproductive behaviour between males and females may occur. We investigated the seasonality of reproductive behaviour in introduced chital deer in northern Queensland by examining male antler phase in relation to female conception rates. We then analysed the influence of different variables likely to affect the timing of male and female reproductive physiology. The lowest percentage of chital in hard antler in any 1 month in this study was 35% (Fig. 1), but the average value was closer to 50%, thus there was a seasonal peak in antler phase linked with photoperiod. Females conceived at any time of year, but were strongly influenced by the amount of rainfall 3 months prior to conception. This resulted in varying conception peaks year-to-year that often did not correspond to the male’s peak in hard antler. In this system, a proportion of males and females were physiologically and behaviourally ready to mate at any time of the year. We predict that differences in the timing of the peaks between the males and females will lead to increased reproductive skew (variation in reproductive success among individual males). This pattern may select for different mating strategies or physiological mechanisms to increase reproductive success.
Attendance in a national screening program for diabetic retinopathy: a population-based study of 205,970 patients
Authors: Thykjær Anne Suhr , Andersen N. , Bek T. , Heegaard S. , Hajari J. , Laugesen C. S. , Möller S. , Pedersen F. N. , Rosengaard L. , Schielke K. C. , Kawasaki R. , Højlund K. , Rubin K. H. , Stokholm L. , Grauslund J.
Published: August 2022

Aims

A nationwide diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening program has been established in Denmark since 2013. We aimed to perform an evaluation of adherence to DR screenings and to examine whether non-adherence was correlated to DR progression.

Methods

The population consisted of a register-based cohort, who participated in the screening program from 2013 to 2018. We analyzed age, gender, marital status, DR level (International Clinical DR severity scale, none, mild-, moderate-, severe non-proliferative DR (NPDR) and proliferative DR (PDR)), comorbidities and socioeconomic factors. The attendance pattern of patients was grouped as either timely (no delays > 33%), delayed (delays > 33%) or one-time attendance (unexplained).

Results

We included 205,970 patients with 591,136 screenings. Rates of timely, delayed and one-time attendance were 53.0%, 35.5% and 11.5%, respectively. DR level at baseline was associated with delays (mild-, moderate-, severe NPDR and PDR) and one-time attendance (moderate-, severe NPDR and PDR) with relative risk ratios (RRR) of 1.68, 2.27, 3.14, 2.44 and 1.18, 2.07, 1.26, respectively (P < 0.05). Delays at previous screenings were associated with progression to severe NPDR or PDR (hazard ratio (HR) 2.27, 6.25 and 12.84 for 1, 2 and 3+ delays, respectively). Any given delay doubled the risk of progression (HR 2.28).

Conclusions

In a national cohort of 205,970 patients, almost half of the patients attended DR screening later than scheduled or dropped out after first screening episode. This was, in particular, true for patients with any levels of DR at baseline. DR progression in patients with delayed attendance, increased with the number of missed appointments.
Increased serum 12-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid levels are correlated with an increased risk of diabetic retinopathy in both children and adults with diabetes
Authors: Chen Shuli , Qian Yu , Lin Qiurong , Chen Zhangling , Xiang Zhaoyu , Cui Lipu , Sun Jiaqi , Qin Xinran , Xu Yi , Lu Lina , Zou Haidong
Published: August 2022

Purpose

To investigate the relationship between serum 12-Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (12-HETE) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods

Children from the Shanghai Children and Adolescent Diabetes Eye (SCADE) study and adults from the Shanghai Cohort Study of Diabetic Eye Disease (SCODE) were examined in 2021. Serum 12-HETE levels were detected and compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between 12-HETE and the rate of DR in diabetic patients.

Results

The child study included 4 patients with new-onset DR and 24 patients with T1DM without DR. In children with T1DM, the 12-HETE level was significantly higher in those with DR (P = 0.003). The adult study had two sets, for testing and verification. The test set included 28 patients with new-onset DR and 24 T2DM patients with a course of ≥ 20 years who had never developed DR. The verification set included 41 patients with DR, 50 patients without DR and 50 healthy controls. In the adult test set, the 12-HETE level was significantly higher in patients with DR than in those with T2DM without DR (P = 0.003). In the verification set, the 12-HETE level of patients with DR was significantly higher than that of patients without DR (P < 0.0001) and the healthy controls (P < 0.0001). Multivariate logistic regression indicated that 12-HETE was independently associated with DR in both children (odds ratio [OR] 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00–1.13, P = 0.041) and adults (test set [OR 9.26, 95% CI 1.77–48.59, P = 0.008], verification set [OR 10.49, 95% CI 3.23–34.05, P < 0.001]).

Conclusion

Higher serum 12-HETE levels are positively correlated with an increased risk of DR in children with T1DM and adults with T2DM.
Passive social sensing with smartphones: a systematic review
Authors: Zhang Heng , Ibrahim Ahmed , Parsia Bijan , Poliakoff Ellen , Harper Simon
Published: August 2022

Smartphones are widely used hubs of personal communication. With their many sensors, they are capable of monitoring social behaviours. Calls, messages, application usage and even face-to-face conversations can be captured by smartphones. These data are then used to study psychological, behavioural and clinical issues, thus providing an objective and continuous perspective on people’s social lives. However, compared with questionnaires, researchers are unfamiliar with the potential and challenges of smartphone social sensing. Moreover, previous studies utilised their own instruments and strategies, which caused repetitive work and threatened the generalisability or validity of results. To fill the gap between conceptual and empirical knowledge, we conducted a systematic review on empirical studies that applied passive smartphone social sensing. Forty-seven eligible articles were retrieved from 2,741 results from five major databases. A paradigm of reviewed studies was extracted, and the comprehensive procedures of passive smartphone social sensing, including applied sensors, experiment length and data analysis methods, were also summarised. This information can provide a general reference for researchers interested in applying passive smartphone social sensing. Benefits such as ubiquitousness, unobtrusiveness and personalisability and challenges such as privacy, accuracy and methodology were also reported. Moreover, fundamental research on reasonable sensor frequency choices, standardising features and implementing state-of-the-art technologies is recommended to enhance passive smartphone social sensing usability.
Interactive Multimedia Reporting Technical Considerations: HIMSS-SIIM Collaborative White Paper
Authors: Berkowitz Seth J. , Kwan David , Cornish Toby C. , Silver Elliot L. , Thullner Karen S. , Aisen Alex , Bui Marilyn M. , Clark Shawn D. , Clunie David A. , Eid Monief , Hartman Douglas J. , Ho Kinson , Leontiev Andrei , Luviano Damien M. , O’Toole Peter E. , Parwani Anil V. , Pereira Nielsen S. , Rotemberg Veronica , Vining David J. , Gaskin Cree M. , Roth Christopher J. , Folio Les R.
Published: August 2022

Despite technological advances in the analysis of digital images for medical consultations, many health information systems lack the ability to correlate textual descriptions of image findings linked to the actual images. Images and reports often reside in separate silos in the medical record throughout the process of image viewing, report authoring, and report consumption. Forward-thinking centers and early adopters have created interactive reports with multimedia elements and embedded hyperlinks in reports that connect the narrative text with the related source images and measurements. Most of these solutions rely on proprietary single-vendor systems for viewing and reporting in the absence of any encompassing industry standards to facilitate interoperability with the electronic health record (EHR) and other systems. International standards have enabled the digitization of image acquisition, storage, viewing, and structured reporting. These provide the foundation to discuss enhanced reporting. Lessons learned in the digital transformation of radiology and pathology can serve as a basis for interactive multimedia reporting (IMR) across image-centric medical specialties. This paper describes the standard-based infrastructure and communications to fulfill recently defined clinical requirements through a consensus from an international workgroup of multidisciplinary medical specialists, informaticists, and industry participants. These efforts have led toward the development of an Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) profile that will serve as a foundation for interoperable interactive multimedia reporting.
A survey on machine learning in array databases
Authors: Villarroya Sebastián , Baumann Peter
Published: August 2022

This paper provides an in-depth survey on the integration of machine learning and array databases. First,machine learning support in modern database management systems is introduced. From straightforward implementations of linear algebra operations in SQL to machine learning capabilities of specialized database managers designed to process specific types of data, a number of different approaches are overviewed. Then, the paper covers the database features already implemented in current machine learning systems. Features such as rewriting, compression, and caching allow users to implement more efficient machine learning applications. The underlying linear algebra computations in some of the most used machine learning algorithms are studied in order to determine which linear algebra operations should be efficiently implemented by array databases. An exhaustive overview of array data and relevant array database managers is also provided. Those database features that have been proven of special importance for efficient execution of machine learning algorithms are analyzed in detail for each relevant array database management system. Finally, current state of array databases capabilities for machine learning implementation is shown through two example implementations in Rasdaman and SciDB.
Gnomes, Gnature, and the “Gnifty Gnomobile”: Elemental Spirits, Deforestation and Energy Systems in Transition in Upton Sinclair’s The Gnomobile
Authors: Fimi Dimitra
Published: August 2022

Upton Sinclair’s only children’s book, The Gnomobile: A Gnice Gnew Gnarrative with Gnonsense, but Gnothing Gnaughty (1936), follows the adventures of a 12-year-old girl, Elizabeth, her young uncle Rodney, and their encounter with the last two Gnomes (Bobo, and his grandfather Glogo) of the Californian redwoods. The Gnomes and their kin are victims of the lumber business and deforestation which, ironically, is the source of the wealth of Rodney and Elizabeth’s family. The four set off in Rodney’s car, now dubbed the “Gnomobile”, in a quest to locate any other surviving Gnome communities in remaining forests across the entire country. This fast-paced novel brings together elements of “little people” folklore, children’s environmental writing, and Sinclair’s signature critique of capitalism and celebrity culture. But at the same time, the story revels in the pleasures of technological progress, relies on the affordances of speed and efficiency of the automobile, and seems to portray the desirability (as well as inevitability) of the exuberance of technological “progress”, not only in human culture, but in Gnomish social evolution too. This article approaches The Gnomobile from the perspectives of energy humanities and environmental studies, while also suggesting thematic parallels between The Gnomobile and Sinclair’s much better-known realist novel Oil! (1927).
Street Photography Ethics
Authors: Hadley John
Published: August 2022

In this paper I examine the ethics of street photography. I firstly discuss the close-up ‘in-your-face’ style street photography made famous by American photographer, Bruce Gilden. In close-up street photography, the proximity of the camera to the subject and the element of surprise work in tandem to produce a striking and evocative picture. Close-up street photography is shown to be ethically contentious on wellbeing-related and autonomy-related grounds. I next examine the more orthodox ‘respectable distance’ kind of street photography. In orthodox street photography, the photographer positions the camera some distance away from a nonconsenting subject that may or may not be aware a picture is to be taken. The main ethical problem with this form of street photography relates to the subject’s vanity and sense of self. When street photographers produce and publish images without the consent of subjects, they express their own creative freedom at the expense of the subject’s right to editorial control. I discuss the scope and potentially demanding practical implications of a right to editorial control. To conclude, I offer a workable solution to the ethical dilemma facing street photographers and discuss the implications of smart phones and photo-sharing social media platforms.
The effect of constituent particles on the tear resistance of three 6000-series aluminium alloys
Authors: Qvale Kristin , Thomesen Susanne , Hopperstad Odd Sture , Børvik Tore
Published: August 2022

This paper investigates the tear resistance of three cast and homogenized 6000-series alloys, namely AA6061, AA6063 and AA6110, all in temper T6, by means of Kahn tear tests. Of each alloy one commercial version and one tailor-made version were studied. The tailor-made alloys were designed to have approximately three times higher content of constituent particles by increasing the amount of Fe and Si in the chemical composition. The aim was to study in what way a higher constituent-particle content affects the tear resistance and properties of the alloys. The research showed that the unit initiation and propagation energies measured from the Kahn tear tests are markedly reduced when the constituent-particle content is increased, and that the tear resistance is reduced by a higher fraction than the failure strain of the smooth tensile tests. No major differences in the fracture mode and the fracture mechanisms between the alloys with normal and with high constituent-particle content were revealed by the use of computed tomography scanning or scanning electron microscopy imaging. It was concluded for the alloys studied that the increased content of constituent particles had a significant effect on the tear resistance, while the fracture mode and mechanisms remained the same.
A Review on Applications of Time-Lapse Electrical Resistivity Tomography Over the Last 30 Years : Perspectives for Mining Waste Monitoring
Authors: Dimech Adrien , Cheng LiZhen , Chouteau Michel , Chambers Jonathan , Uhlemann Sebastian , Wilkinson Paul , Meldrum Philip , Mary Benjamin , Fabien-Ouellet Gabriel , Isabelle Anne
Published: August 2022

Mining operations generate large amounts of wastes which are usually stored into large-scale storage facilities which pose major environmental concerns and must be properly monitored to manage the risk of catastrophic failures and also to control the generation of contaminated mine drainage. In this context, non-invasive monitoring techniques such as time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (TL-ERT) are promising since they provide large-scale subsurface information that complements surface observations (walkover, aerial photogrammetry or remote sensing) and traditional monitoring tools, which often sample a tiny proportion of the mining waste storage facilities. The purposes of this review are as follows: (i) to understand the current state of research on TL-ERT for various applications; (ii) to create a reference library for future research on TL-ERT and geoelectrical monitoring mining waste; and (iii) to identify promising areas of development and future research needs on this issue according to our experience. This review describes the theoretical basis of geoelectrical monitoring and provides an overview of TL-ERT applications and developments over the last 30 years from a database of over 650 case studies, not limited to mining operations (e.g., landslide, permafrost). In particular, the review focuses on the applications of ERT for mining waste characterization and monitoring and a database of 150 case studies is used to identify promising applications for long-term autonomous geoelectrical monitoring of the geotechnical and geochemical stability of mining wastes. Potential challenges that could emerge from a broader adoption of TL-ERT monitoring for mining wastes are discussed. The review also considers recent advances in instrumentation, data acquisition, processing and interpretation for long-term monitoring and draws future research perspectives and promising avenues which could help improve the design and accuracy of future geoelectric monitoring programs in mining wastes.
Career counsellors’ professional agency when working with migrants
Authors: Kekki Miika , Linde Jonna
Published: August 2022

This article analyses the professional agency of counsellors working with migrants. Using Bernstein’s concepts of classification and framing, our thematic analysis draws on interviews with career counsellors from both Finland and Sweden. The results highlight a need for counsellors to recognise the differences in situations of students with migrant backgrounds and their native peers and adjust their counselling accordingly. They also indicate that counsellors struggle with implementation of the core of their professional agency as a result of societal domination of the counselling agenda and indicate a need for more collective, society-level challenging of this agenda.
A revised multi-tissue, multi-platform epigenetic clock model for methylation array data
Authors: Pipek Orsolya Anna , Csabai István
Published: August 2022

Epigenetic changes have long been investigated in association with the process of aging in humans. DNA methylation has been extensively used as a surrogate measure of biological age and correlations between “DNA methylation age” and chronological age have been established. A wide variety of epigenetic clocks has been designed to predict age in different tissues and on data obtained from different methylation platforms. We aimed to extend the scope of one of the most used epigenetic age predictors, the Horvath pan-tissue epigenetic clock, to improve its accuracy on data acquired from the latest Illumina methylation platform (BeadChip EPIC). We present three models trained on close to 6,000 samples of various source tissues and platforms and demonstrate their superior performance (Pearson correlation (r) = 0.917–0.921 and median absolute error (MAE) = 3.60–3.85 years) compared to the original model (r = 0.880 and MAE = 5.13 years) on a test set of more than 4,000 samples. The gain in accuracy was especially pronounced on EPIC array data (r = 0.89, MAE = 3.54 years vs. r = 0.83, MAE = 6.09 years), which was not available at the time when the original model was created. Our updated epigenetic clocks predict chronological age with great precision in an independent test cohort of samples on multiple tissue types and data platforms. Two of the three presented models exclusively use the covariates of the original epigenetic clock, albeit with different coefficients, allowing for straightforward adaptation for prefiltered datasets previously processed with the original predictor.