bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A 5-Years (2015–2019) Control Activity of an EU Laboratory: Contamination of Histamine in Fish Products and Exposure Assessment
Authors: Lo Magro Sonia , Summa Simona , Iammarino Marco , D’Antini Pasquale , Marchesani Giuliana , Chiaravalle Antonio , Muscarella Marilena
Published: December 2020

Histamine contamination was evaluated on 474 batches (3130 determinations) of fish products collected in Puglia and Basilicata (southern part of Italy) during the years 2015–2019, using a high-throughput two-tier approach involving a screening (ELISA test) and confirmatory method (HPLC/FLD with o-phthalaldehyde derivatization). Histamine concentration >2.5 mg kg−1 was detected in 51% of total batches with the 2.5% of non-compliance. Except for two samples of fresh anchovies, all non-compliant samples were frozen, defrosted and canned tuna. Among 111 fresh tuna batches, 9 had a content of histamine between 393 and 5542 mg kg−1, and scombroid poisoning cases were observed after their consumption. Good quality canned tuna and ripened anchovies sold in Italy was observed. Furthermore, the analysis of the processing technology and storage practice critical points were reported in this study, with useful considerations to minimize the histamine risk for consumers. Finally, based on these results, several considerations about risk exposure were reported.
Calligraphy Brush Trajectory Control of by a Robotic Arm
Authors: Lin Hsien-I , Chen Xuechao , Lin Tian-Tsai
Published: December 2020

This study proposed a calligraphy brush trajectory model for the behavior of brush movements and provided the three-dimensional handle coordinates for a robotic arm to write calligraphy. This study dealt with basic footprints and bent lines of calligraphy and proceeded as follows. The shape of brush footprints on paper was measured, which provided the positions of the brush relative to its handle. These brush footprints were scanned and corrected for skew using the Direct Linear Transformation. The outer frame of each basic footprint was characterized using Bézier curves. Bent lines were drawn to derive the brush trajectory model, and it was used to derive the relationship between the trajectories of the brush and handle. By characterizing the changes in the footprints with handle displacement, we obtained the relationship between the handle coordinates and the position and shape of the brush footprints. The written characters were evaluated based on their size, position, and stroke balance, with a maximum score of 100 in each category. The average score of the “Yong” character written using our brush trajectory model was approximately 94 points; when the handle coordinates were fixed to the center of each footprint, the average score was only 88 points.
Towards Automatic Depression Detection: A BiLSTM/1D CNN-Based Model
Authors: Lin Lin , Chen Xuri , Shen Ying , Zhang Lin
Published: December 2020

Depression is a global mental health problem, the worst cases of which can lead to self-injury or suicide. An automatic depression detection system is of great help in facilitating clinical diagnosis and early intervention of depression. In this work, we propose a new automatic depression detection method utilizing speech signals and linguistic content from patient interviews. Specifically, the proposed method consists of three components, which include a Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) network with an attention layer to deal with linguistic content, a One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (1D CNN) to deal with speech signals, and a fully connected network integrating the outputs of the previous two models to assess the depressive state. Evaluated on two publicly available datasets, our method achieves state-of-the-art performance compared with the existing methods. In addition, our method utilizes audio and text features simultaneously. Therefore, it can get rid of the misleading information provided by the patients. As a conclusion, our method can automatically evaluate the depression state and does not require an expert to conduct the psychological evaluation on site. Our method greatly improves the detection accuracy, as well as the efficiency.
Digitalization of Public Services—An Input Output Logit Analysis
Authors: Jehan Shahzadah Nayyar , Alahakoon Mudalige Uthpala Indeelinie
Published: December 2020

In 2000, Sri Lanka designed an ambitious plan for the introduction of information and communication technology (ICT) in most government functions and in the public service delivery (PSD) system in the country. This process started in the early 2000s and gained momentum with several local and internationally funded initiatives. A systematic innovation concept was incorporated within the ICT regime, which ensured bottom-up learning for a smooth transformation from paper to digitized PSD systems. Towards this end, the Information Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and Lanka Government Network (LGN) were established. ICT incorporation covered the operations of most government agencies and departments to improve governance and PSD. We analyzed the efficiency of the ICT regime to understand its impact on public service employee output as well as on services to the public. We collected service delivery data from both the employees and their clients using a Likert-scale questionnaire. The questionnaire enquired about the utility of the ICT regime introduced in various departments and ministries (DMs) of the Sri Lankan government. This paper analyzes the overall and relative effectiveness of the ICT regime in terms of the inputs incurred and the outcomes realized. First, we calculated the Cronbach’s alpha to test the robustness of the data. Second, we applied ordinal logistics analysis to understand the interrelations among various measures (inputs) and their impacts (outcomes). Finally, we conducted specificity, sensitivity, and predictive value analysis to assess the accuracy of the investigative model. Our findings suggest a positive correlation between the inputs and the outcomes of the ICT regime introduced to digitalize PSD. Our results further indicate that although the inputs and the outcomes are positively corelated, this correlation is not sufficiently strong, and the ICT implementation measures need further emphasis to demonstrate any significant impact on user confidence in this regime.
The Effects of Pre-Storage Leukoreduction on the Conservation of Bovine Whole Blood in Plastic Bags
Authors: Vinholte Brena Peleja , Sousa Rejane dos Santos , Assis Francisco Flávio Vieira , Nunes Neto Osvaldo Gato , Portela Juliana Machado , Pinto Gilson Andrey Siqueira , Ortolani Enrico Lippi , Benesi Fernando José , Barrêto Júnior Raimundo Alves , Minervino Antonio Humberto Hamad
Published: December 2020

Leukoreduction (LR) is a technique that consists of reducing the number of leukocytes in whole blood or blood components that can contribute to decreasing storage lesions and the occurrence of post-transfusion complications. We propose that using a blood bag with pre-storage leukocyte filtration is sufficient for blood conservation under field conditions. Ten healthy Nelore cows were used. Whole blood was sampled from each animal and stored at 2 to 6 °C in CPD/SAG-M (citrate phosphate dextrose bag with a saline, adenine, glucose, mannitol satellite bag) triple bags (Control) and in CPD/SAG-M quadruple bags with a leukocyte filter (Filter). At baseline and after 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42 days (D0, D7, D14, D21, D28, D35, and D42, respectively), complete hematological, blood gas, and biochemical evaluations were determined. The filtered bag removed 99.3% of white blood cells from cattle blood, and the entire filtration process was performed in the field. There was a reduction in the number of red blood cells (RBCs) in both groups from D14 onward, with a decrease of 19.7% and 17.1% at D42 for the Control and Filter bags, respectively. The hemoglobin (Hb) concentration had variation in both groups. Potassium, pO2, pCO2, and sO2 increased, and sodium, bicarbonate, and pH decreased during storage. The filtered bag was efficient in removing white cells from cattle whole blood and could be used under field conditions. Blood stored after LR showed differences (p < 0.05) in blood gas analysis towards a better quality of stored blood (e.g., higher pH, lower pCO2, higher sO2). Further experimental studies are required to prove that blood without white cells results in a decrease in transfusion reactions in cattle.
[68Ga]Ga-Pentixafor for PET Imaging of Vascular Expression of CXCR-4 as a Marker of Arterial Inflammation in HIV-Infected Patients: A Comparison with 18F[FDG] PET Imaging
Authors: Lawal Ismaheel O. , Popoola Gbenga O. , Mahapane Johncy , Kaufmann Jens , Davis Cindy , Ndlovu Honest , Maserumule Letjie C. , Mokoala Kgomotso M. G. , Bouterfa Hakim , Wester Hans-Jürgen , Zeevaart Jan Rijn , Sathekge Mike M.
Published: December 2020

People living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) have excess risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Arterial inflammation is the hallmark of atherogenesis and its complications. In this study we aimed to perform a head-to-head comparison of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ([18F]FDG PET/CT) and Gallium-68 pentixafor positron emission tomography/computed tomography [68Ga]Ga-pentixafor PET/CT for quantification of arterial inflammation in PLHIV. We prospectively recruited human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients to undergo [18F]FDG PET/CT and [68Ga]Ga-pentixafor PET/CT within two weeks of each other. We quantified the levels of arterial tracer uptake on both scans using maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and target–background ratio. We used Bland and Altman plots to measure the level of agreement between tracer quantification parameters obtained on both scans. A total of 12 patients were included with a mean age of 44.67 ± 7.62 years. The mean duration of HIV infection and mean CD+ T-cell count of the study population were 71.08 ± 37 months and 522.17 ± 260.33 cells/µL, respectively. We found a high level of agreement in the quantification variables obtained using [18F]FDG PET and [68Ga]Ga-pentixafor PET. There is a good level of agreement in the arterial tracer quantification variables obtained using [18F]FDG PET/CT and [68Ga]Ga-pentixafor PET/CT in PLHIV. This suggests that [68Ga]Ga-pentixafor may be applied in the place of [18F]FDG PET/CT for the quantification of arterial inflammation.
Structure-Based Virtual Screening of Ultra-Large Library Yields Potent Antagonists for a Lipid GPCR
Authors: Sadybekov Arman A. , Brouillette Rebecca L. , Marin Egor , Sadybekov Anastasiia V. , Luginina Aleksandra , Gusach Anastasiia , Mishin Alexey , Besserer-Offroy Élie , Longpré Jean-Michel , Borshchevskiy Valentin , Cherezov Vadim , Sarret Philippe , Katritch Vsevolod
Published: December 2020

Cysteinyl leukotriene G protein-coupled receptors, CysLT1R and CysLT2R, regulate bronchoconstrictive and pro-inflammatory effects and play a key role in allergic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. CysLT1R antagonists have been widely used to treat asthma disorders, while CysLT2R is a potential target against uveal melanoma. However, very few selective antagonist chemotypes for CysLT receptors are available, and the design of such ligands has proved to be challenging. To overcome this obstacle, we took advantage of recently solved crystal structures of CysLT receptors and an ultra-large Enamine REAL library, representing a chemical space of 680 M readily available compounds. Virtual ligand screening employed 4D docking models comprising crystal structures of CysLT1R and CysLT2R and their corresponding ligand-optimized models. Functional assessment of the candidate hits yielded discovery of five novel antagonist chemotypes with sub-micromolar potencies and the best Ki = 220 nM at CysLT1R. One of the hits showed inverse agonism at the L129Q constitutively active mutant of CysLT2R, with potential utility against uveal melanoma.
Physiological, Transcriptomic, and Metabolic Responses of Ginkgo biloba L. to Drought, Salt, and Heat Stresses
Authors: Chang Bang , Ma Kaibiao , Lu Zhaogeng , Lu Jinkai , Cui Jiawen , Wang Li , Jin Biao
Published: December 2020

Ginkgo biloba L. is highly adaptable and resistant to a range of abiotic stressors, allowing its growth in various environments. However, it is unclear how G. biloba responds to common environmental stresses. We explored the physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolic responses of G. biloba to short-term drought, salt, and heat stresses. Proline, H2O2, and ABA contents, along with CAT activity, increased under all three types of stress. SOD activity increased under salt and heat stresses, while soluble protein and IAA contents decreased under drought and salt stresses. With respect to metabolites, D-glyceric acid increased in response to drought and salt stresses, whereas isomaltose 1, oxalamide, and threonine 2 increased under drought. Piceatannol 2,4-hydroxybutyrate and 1,3-diaminopropane increased under salt stress, whereas 4-aminobutyric acid 1 and galactonic acid increased in response to heat stress. Genes regulating nitrogen assimilation were upregulated only under drought, while the GRAS gene was upregulated under all three types of stressors. ARF genes were downregulated under heat stress, whereas genes encoding HSF and SPL were upregulated. Additionally, we predicted that miR156, miR160, miR172, and their target genes participate in stress responses. Our study provides valuable data for studying the multilevel response to drought, salinity, and heat in G. biloba.
Recent Progress on Improving Low-Temperature Activity of Vanadia-Based Catalysts for the Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx with Ammonia
Authors: Lian Zhihua , Li Yingjie , Shan Wenpo , He Hong
Published: December 2020

Selective catalytic reduction of NOx with NH3 (NH3-SCR) has been successfully applied to abate NOx from diesel engines and coal-fired industries on a large scale. Although V2O5-WO3(MoO3)/TiO2 catalysts have been utilized in commercial applications, novel vanadia-based catalysts have been recently developed to meet the increasing requirements for low-temperature catalytic activity. In this article, recent progress on the improvement of the low-temperature activity of vanadia-based catalysts is reviewed, including modification with metal oxides and nonmetal elements and the use of novel supports, different synthesis methods, metal vanadates and specific structures. Investigation of the NH3-SCR reaction mechanism, especially at low temperatures, is also emphasized. Finally, for low-temperature NH3-SCR, some suggestions are given regarding the opportunities and challenges of vanadia-based catalysts in future research.
Cytokines TNFα, IFNγ and IL-2 Are Responsible for Signal Transmission from the Innate Immunity Protein Tag7 (PGLYRP1) to Cytotoxic Effector Lymphocytes
Authors: Sharapova Tatiana N. , Romanova Elena A. , Ivanova Olga K. , Sashchenko Lidia P. , Yashin Denis V.
Published: December 2020

Studies on the mechanisms of activation of cytotoxic lymphocyte subpopulations are an important research direction in modern immunology. This study provides a detailed analysis of the effect of Tag7 (PGRP-S, PGLYRP1) on the development of lymphocyte subpopulations cytotoxic against MHC-negative tumor cells in a pool of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The results show that Tag7 can bind to the TREM-1 receptor on the surfaces of monocytes, thereby triggering the expression of mRNA TNFα and IFNγ. The appearance of these cytokines in conditioned medium leads to IL-2 cytokine secretion by CD3+CD4+ lymphocytes. In turn, IL-2 facilitates unspecific activation of three cytotoxic cell subpopulations in the PBMC pool: NK (CD16+CD56+), CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+. These subpopulations appear after a certain period of incubation with Tag7 and show toxicity against tumor cells.
Classification of Categorical Data Based on the Chi-Square Dissimilarity and t-SNE
Authors: Cardona Luis Ariosto Serna , Vargas-Cardona Hernán Darío , Navarro González Piedad , Cardenas Peña David Augusto , Orozco Gutiérrez Álvaro Ángel
Published: December 2020

The recurrent use of databases with categorical variables in different applications demands new alternatives to identify relevant patterns. Classification is an interesting approach for the recognition of this type of data. However, there are a few amount of methods for this purpose in the literature. Also, those techniques are specifically focused only on kernels, having accuracy problems and high computational cost. For this reason, we propose an identification approach for categorical variables using conventional classifiers (LDC-QDC-KNN-SVM) and different mapping techniques to increase the separability of classes. Specifically, we map the initial features (categorical attributes) to another space, using the Chi-square (C-S) as a measure of dissimilarity. Then, we employ the (t-SNE) for reducing dimensionality of data to two or three features, allowing a significant reduction of computational times in learning methods. We evaluate the performance of proposed approach in terms of accuracy for several experimental configurations and public categorical datasets downloaded from the UCI repository, and we compare with relevant state of the art methods. Results show that C-S mapping and t-SNE considerably diminish the computational times in recognitions tasks, while the accuracy is preserved. Also, when we apply only the C-S mapping to the datasets, the separability of classes is enhanced, thus, the performance of learning algorithms is clearly increased.
Evaluation of Pre-Therapeutic Assessment in Endometrial Cancer Staging
Authors: Bouche Caroline , Gomes David Manuel , Salleron Julia , Rauch Philippe , Leufflen Léa , Buhler Julie , Marchal Frédéric
Published: December 2020

Objective: The aim of this retrospective cohort study is to evaluate the concordance between the preoperative MRI and histology data with the final histopathological examination. Method: This is a retrospective observational study of 183 patients operated for endometrioid cancer between January 2009 and December 2019 in the surgical oncology department of the Lorraine Cancer Institute (ICL) in Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy. The patients included are all women operated on for endometrioid-type endometrial cancer over this period. The exclusion criteria are patients for whom the pre-therapy check-up does not include pelvic MRI and those who have not had first-line surgery. The final anatomopathological results were compared with preoperative imaging data and with endometrial biopsy data. Results: For the myometrial infiltration, the sensitivity of MRI was of 37% and the specificity of 54%. To detect nodal metastases, the sensitivity of MRI was of 21% and the specificity of 93%. We observed an under estimation of the FIGO classification (p = 0.001) with the MRI in 42.7% of cases (n = 76) and an overestimation in 24.2% of cases (n = 43). There was a concordance in 33.1% of cases (n = 59). We had a poor agreement between the MRI and final histopathological examination with an adjusted kappa (κ) of 0.12 [95% IC (0.02; 0.24)]. There was a moderate concordance on the grade between the pretherapeutic biopsy and the final histopathological examination on excised tissue with an adjusted kappa of 0.52 [95% IC 0.42–0.62)]. Endometrial biopsy underestimated the tumor grade in 28.9% of cases (n = 50) (p < 0.001), overestimated the tumor grade in 6.9% of cases (n = 12) and we observed a concordance in 64.2% of cases (n = 111). Conclusion: The pre-operative assessment of endometrial cancer is inconsistent with the results obtained on final histopathological examination. A study with a systematic review should be done to assess the performance of MRI, only in expert centers, in order to consider a a specific care management for endometrial cancer patients: patients who have had an MRI in an outpatient center should have their imaging systematically reviewed, with the possibility of a new examination in case of incomplete sequences, by expert radiologists, and discussed in multidisciplinary concertation meeting in expert centers, before any therapeutic decision. The sentinel node biopsy must be used for low and intermediate risk endometrial cancer.
A Novel QoS-Aware ARQ Scheme for Multi-User Transmissions in IEEE802.11ax WLANs
Authors: Lu Cong , Wu Bin , Wang Lei , Wei Zhiwei , Tang Yu
Published: December 2020

The latest IEEE 802.11ax protocol has been launched to provide efficient services by adopting multi-user (MU) transmission technology. However, the MU transmissions in the aggregation-enabled wireless local area networks (WLANs) face two drawbacks when adopting the existing automatic repeat request (ARQ) schemes. (1) The failed packets caused by the channel noise can block the submission of subsequent packets and the transmission of queued ones. (2) When the lengths of aggregate media access control protocol data units (A-MPDU) transmitted by different users are varied, dummy bits should be added to the shorter frames to align the transmission duration. These drawbacks degrade the quality of service (QoS) performances, such as throughput, latency, and packet loss rate. In this paper, a novel QoS-aware backup padding ARQ (BP-ARQ) scheme for MU transmissions in the IEEE802.11ax WLANs is proposed to address these problems. The proposed scheme utilizes backups of selected packets instead of dummy bits to align the duration and to supress the influence of channel noise. An optimization problem that aims to improve the blocking problem of the failed packets is derived to determine the selection of packets. The promotion of the proposed scheme is well demonstrated by the simulations in NS-3.
An Effective Operation Strategy for CCHP System Integrated with Photovoltaic/Thermal Panels and Thermal Energy Storage
Authors: Mao Yunshou , Wu Jiekang , Zhang Wenjie
Published: December 2020

The combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system is a promising energy-efficient technology to realize energy cascade utilization. With the integration of photovoltaic/thermal panels and thermal energy storage, the comprehensive performance of the system can be further improved. However, the performance is also affected by the operation strategy. This paper proposes an effective operation strategy to deal with the energy flow of the system well to achieve a better performance. The mathematical model of a CCHP system hybridized with photovoltaic/thermal panels and thermal energy storage is established in this paper. The optimal size of key components of the CCHP system is determined by the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Case studies of four scenarios of a residential zone in Beijing are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the system structure and efficiency of the proposed method. The results show that by adding photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) panels and thermal energy storage, the economic and energetic benefits can be effectively improved and the proposed operation strategy is effective.
The Prospects of Agricultural and Food Residue Hydrolysates for Sustainable Production of Algal Products
Authors: Ammar Ehab M. , Arora Neha , Philippidis George P.
Published: December 2020

The growing demand of microalgal biomass for biofuels, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, animal feed, and other bioproducts has created a strong interest in developing low-cost sustainable cultivation media and methods. Agricultural and food residues represent low-cost abundant and renewable sources of organic carbon that can be valorized for the cultivation of microalgae, while converting them from an environmental liability to an industrial asset. Biochemical treatment of such residues results in the release of various sugars, primarily glucose, sucrose, fructose, arabinose, and xylose along with other nutrients, such as trace elements. These sugars and nutrients can be metabolized in the absence of light (heterotrophic) or the presence of light (mixotrophic) by a variety of microalgae species for biomass and bioproduct production. The present review provides an up-to-date critical assessment of the prospects of various types of agricultural and food residues to serve as algae feedstocks and the microalgae species that can be grown on such residues under a range of cultivation conditions. Utilization of these feedstocks can create potential industrial applications for sustainable production of microalgal biomass and bioproducts.
Combinatorial Epigenetic and Immunotherapy in Breast Cancer Management: A Literature Review
Authors: Lee Yu-Ting , Chuang Yu-Ming , Chan Michael W. Y.
Published: December 2020

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among cancer patients worldwide. To date, there are several drugs that have been developed for breast cancer therapy. In the 21st century, immunotherapy is considered a pioneering method for improving the management of malignancies; however, breast cancer is an exception. According to the immunoediting model, many immunosuppressive cells contribute to immunological quiescence. Therefore, there is an urgent need to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of breast cancer treatments. In the last few years, numerous combinatorial therapies involving immune checkpoint blockade have been demonstrated that effectively improve clinical outcomes in breast cancer and combining these with methods of targeting epigenetic regulators is also an innovative strategy. Nevertheless, few studies have discussed the benefits of epi-drugs in non-cancerous cells. In this review, we give a brief overview of ongoing clinical trials involving combinatorial immunotherapy with epi-drugs in breast cancer and discuss the role of epi-drugs in the tumor microenvironment, including the results of recent research.
Innovative Antimicrobial Chitosan/ZnO/Ag NPs/Citronella Essential Oil Nanocomposite—Potential Coating for Grapes
Authors: Motelica Ludmila , Ficai Denisa , Ficai Anton , Truşcă Roxana-Doina , Ilie Cornelia-Ioana , Oprea Ovidiu-Cristian , Andronescu Ecaterina
Published: December 2020

New packaging materials based on biopolymers are gaining increasing attention due to many advantages like biodegradability or existence of renewable sources. Grouping more antimicrobials agents in the same packaging can create a synergic effect, resulting in either a better antimicrobial activity against a wider spectrum of spoilage agents or a lower required quantity of antimicrobials. In the present work, we obtained a biodegradable antimicrobial film that can be used as packaging material for food. Films based on chitosan as biodegradable polymer, with ZnO and Ag nanoparticles as filler/antimicrobial agents were fabricated by a casting method. The nanoparticles were loaded with citronella essential oil (CEO) in order to enhance the antimicrobial activity of the nanocomposite films. The tests made on Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and fungal strains indicated a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, with inhibition diameters of over 30 mm for bacterial strains and over 20 mm for fungal strains. The synergic effect was evidenced by comparing the antimicrobial results with chitosan/ZnO/CEO or chitosan/Ag/CEO simple films. According to the literature and our preliminary studies, these formulations are suitable as coating for fruits. The obtained nanocomposite films presented lower water vapor permeability values when compared with the chitosan control film. The samples were characterized by SEM, fluorescence and UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy and microscopy, and thermal analysis.
Modulated Differential Wavefront Sensing: Alignment Scheme for Beams with Large Higher Order Mode Content
Authors: Bisht A. , Prijatelj M. , Leong J. , Schreiber E. , Affeldt C. , Brinkmann M. , Doravari S. , Grote H. , Kringel V. , Lough J. , Lueck H. , Strain K. , Weinert M. , Wittel H. , Danzmann K.
Published: December 2020

Modulated differential wavefront sensing (MDWS) is an alignment control scheme in the regime of beams with strong higher order transversal modes (HOMs). It is based on the differential wavefront sensing (DWS) technique. MDWS represents a significant upgrade over conventional techniques used in the presence of high HOM content as it allows for higher control bandwidths while eliminating the need of auxiliary alignment modulations, that otherwise cause loss of applied squeezing. The output port of gravitational wave (GW) interferometers (IFO) is one such place where a lot of HOMs are present. These are filtered out by a cavity called the output mode cleaner (OMC), whose alignment gets challenging due to the presence of HOMs. In this paper, we present the first demonstration of the MDWS scheme for aligning the fundamental mode from the IFO to the OMC at the gravitational wave detector-GEO 600.
Understanding the Relationship between Large-Scale Fold Structures and Small-Scale Fracture Patterns: A Case Study from the Oman Mountains
Authors: Al-Kindi Mohammed H. N.
Published: December 2020

Considering the foreland fold belt of the Salakh Arch in the northern Oman Mountains, predictions made from two-dimensional (2D) restorations and geometrical analyses are tested here to assess the relationship between large-scale folds and small-scale fractures. The Salakh Arch is composed of six anticlines that are interpreted as faulted detachment folds. They have an overall stratigraphy of a 2-km-thick carbonate platform underlain by more than 1.5 km of interbedded sandstone and shale sequences. These sequences are most likely detached on a regionally extensive evaporite horizon. The folding of the Salakh Arch structures most likely occurred during the Neogene Period, and perhaps partly in the early Quaternary Period. This is evident from the thrusting of the Late Neogene Barzaman Formation which was deposited during the Late Neogene Period. Robust outcrop and subsurface fracture data are used to test these predictions. The results from the study indicate that most fractures are related to the orientation of the local structure, with some sets parallel and some sets perpendicular to local hinge lines. Prefolding regional fractures are also widely distributed, and these were mostly formed during the Late Cretaceous Period. Many pre-existing fractures are associated with faults that formed during the Late Cretaceous Period under a NW–SE compression. The local fractures generally have orientations that are consistent with being formed by the flexural slip/flexural flow of fold limbs and tangential longitudinal strains on fold hinges. These structures can be predicted from finite stratal dips, simple curvatures, and three-dimensional (3D) folding restoration maps. The Gaussian curvatures and 3D faulting restoration maps can be used as proxies for fault-related fractures. Local hinge-related fractures may reflect local tangential longitudinal strain during large-scale fold tightening. Fold structures that have formed at an oblique orientation to the regional shortening direction show additional fracture arrays perpendicular to the hinge, indicating weak axial extension. This is presumed to develop as the arcuate thrust belt of Salakh Arch was amplified. The analysis here illustrates the importance of taking a 3D approach, especially for noncylindrical folds. The protocols developed in this study and their results may have general applicability to investigations of fracture patterns in other folds.
Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity among Health Sciences Students in the Amazonia Region of Peru
Authors: Rabanales-Sotos Joseba , Evangelina Villanueva-Benites Maritza , Jacinto-Magallanes-Castilla Jesús , Leitón-Espinoza Zoila Esperanza , López-González Ángel , López-Torres-Hidalgo Jesús
Published: December 2020

A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate 199 health sciences students in the city of Iquitos. Their socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, level of physical activity, type of food, substance abuse, and prevalence of overweight and obesity were ascertained using purpose-validated questionnaires, i.e., the Systematic Alcohol Consumption Interview (Interrogatorio Sistematizado de Consumos Alcohólicos/ISCA), a questionnaire on the frequency of dietary intake (CFCA), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and anthropometric measurements. The prevalence of overweight (body mass index (BMI) of 25.0–29.9 kg/m2) was 26.5% (95% CI = 19.9–33.0%) and that of obesity (BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2) was 7.9% (95% CI = 3.8–12.1%). A total of 34.4% of students (95% CI = 27.4–41.4%) presented with a BMI > 25 kg/m2. The frequency of overweight was significantly higher in persons aged over 20 years (OR = 2.5) and smokers (OR = 3.2), and the frequency of obesity was significantly higher in older students (OR = 4.1) and males (OR = 5.5). In conclusion, a considerable proportion of health sciences students in the Amazonia region presented with a high BMI. The proportion of students with overweight was higher among students aged over 20 years and smokers, while that of obesity was also higher among males. In the university setting, the development of more overweight- and obesity-preventive activities and educational interventions would therefore be desirable.
Lead, Zinc and Cadmium Accumulation, and Associated Health Risks, in Maize Grown near the Kabwe Mine in Zambia in Response to Organic and Inorganic Soil Amendments
Authors: Mwilola Patricia N. , Mukumbuta Ikabongo , Shitumbanuma Victor , Chishala Benson H. , Uchida Yoshitaka , Nakata Hokuto , Nakayama Shouta , Ishizuka Mayumi
Published: December 2020

Health risks due to heavy metal (HM) contamination is of global concern. Despite concerns of high levels of HMs in soils near Kabwe mine in Zambia, edible crop production is common, posing potential health risks. This study assessed the potential of chicken manure (CM), triple superphosphate (TSP) and a blended fertilizer (BF; consisting of Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK) fertilizer and composted chicken manure) to reduce lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) in soils and their accumulation in maize grown near the Kabwe mine. Maize was grown to maturity and its HM concentrations and associated health risk indices were calculated. All soil amendments decreased bioavailable soil Pb concentrations by 29–36%, but only CM decreased Zn, while the amendments increased or had no effect on Cd concentrations compared to the control. The amendments reduced Pb (>25%) and Zn concentrations (>18%) in the maize stover and grain. However, Cd concentrations in maize grain increased in the BF and TSP treatments. Bioaccumulation factors showed that Cd had the highest mobility from the soil into maize stover and grain, indicating the need for greater attention on Cd in Kabwe despite its apparently lower soil concentration compared to Pb and Zn. The hazard quotients for Pb and Cd were much greater than one, indicating a high risk of possible exposure to toxic levels by people consuming maize grain grown in this area. This study demonstrated the significant potential of manure and phosphate-based amendments to reduce Pb and Zn, and to some extent Cd, uptake in maize grain and consequently reduce associated health risks.
Effect of a Long Exercise Program in the Reduction of Musculoskeletal Discomfort in Office Workers
Authors: Villanueva Alberto , Rabal-Pelay Juan , Berzosa César , Gutiérrez Héctor , Cimarras-Otal Cristina , Lacarcel-Tejero Belén , Bataller-Cervero A. Vanessa
Published: December 2020

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a six week exercise program to reduce the muscle tone of the trapezius and musculoskeletal discomfort (MED) of office workers. Twenty-six workers performed an exercise program based on: (1) stretching of cervical and/or dorsal region; (2) joint mobility of shoulders and rachis; (3) strengthening deep stabilizer and core muscles; and (4) scapula stabilizing exercises. A Myoton device was used to evaluate trapezius tone and the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire was used to assess changes in MED at three points of evaluation: at the beginning (Pre_1) and at the end of the workday (Post_1), and after the training program (Pre_2). The Wilcoxon test and Cohen’s d were performed to examine differences and effect sizes between evaluations. Main results show that trapezius tone remained constant during the workday, but decreased in the dominant upper trapezius (p = 0.003, ES = −0.60) and increased in the non-dominant middle trapezius (p = 0.016, ES = 0.45) after the exercise program, which eliminated significant muscle asymmetries. MED significantly decreased in the neck (p = 0.027, ES = −0.60) and upper back (p = 0.046, ES = −0.67). In conclusion, MED appears to improve in office workers after a six week training program, which may be explained by a decrease in trapezius tone and increase in the left middle trapezius tone.
Longitudinal Use of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Evaluate the Creation of a Rural Center of Excellence in Transgender Health
Authors: Tinc Pamela J. , Wolf-Gould Christopher , Wolf-Gould Carolyn , Gadomski Anne
Published: December 2020

Background: Transgender people face numerous barriers to accessing care, particularly in rural settings. Transportation, travel time, a lack of providers offering transgender care, and discrimination all contribute to these barriers. The Gender Wellness Center was established in New York State, USA, to fill a gap in rural transgender care and was subsequently awarded a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant to establish a Center of Excellence. This study examined the implementation of the Center of Excellence, a complex intervention, to assess barriers and facilitators to implementation over 18 months. Methods: The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to develop baseline and follow-up surveys. These were distributed to members of the core implementation team at the Gender Wellness Center at the midpoint and conclusion of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant. Responses were largely open-ended and analyzed qualitatively. Results: Results are presented in terms of CFIR domains and constructs, as well as the relative outlook (positive or negative) of implementation. Overall, there were improvements over time, with more encouraging feedback and examples of success at follow-up. Though true, organizational culture and individual beliefs about the provision of transgender care challenged implementation of the Center of Excellence throughout the project. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of organizational culture on implementation efforts, as well as the need for complex, multifaceted interventions to overcome such challenges in order to improve care for marginalized populations.
COVID-19 in Switzerland and Liechtenstein: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Dentists’ Awareness, Protective Measures and Economic Effects
Authors: Wolf Thomas Gerhard , Zeyer Oliver , Campus Guglielmo
Published: December 2020

The aim of this observational cross-sectional study was to gain information on the awareness; protective measures and economic effects of dentists in Switzerland during the global COVID-19 pandemic. All dentist were members of the Swiss Dental Association SSO from all over Switzerland—including all Swiss cantons and Liechtenstein—and received a previously calibrated questionnaire as an ad hoc online version. The questionnaire was divided into four parts: personal data; precautionary measures; awareness; perception. In total, 1324 questionnaires were analyzed; the response rate was 30.59% (ntotal = 4328). Participants stated in less than 2% common symptoms/signs of COVID-19; of which only fatigue was statistically significant (p < 0.01). A small number of dentists reported a positive test (0.91%; n = 12) or having one or more symptoms (2.65%; n = 35) of COVID-19 during the pandemic; whereas only 6.71% (n = 87) of the participants reported having treated SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. High prevalence areas were only medium-large and large Swiss cantons (p < 0.01). Face filter (FFP2/FFP3) masks were used by about half of the dentists, while disposable visor was rarely used. The majority of dentists had to reduce the dental practice activity to a minimum of 0–10% (n = 923; 69.98%) due to the lockdown. This economic impact forced 1.4% (n = 18) to close their practice permanently or by the end of 2020 due to the economic situation. These results can be helpful to better prepare dental practices for future outbreaks of infection (e.g., prophylactic storage of additional protective measures), define the best strategy and organize the dental workforce. Political decision-makers should consider drastic economic effects when deciding on drastic measures such as “lockdown”, which can lead to practice closures and unemployment of dental staff after only a few weeks. This should be taken into account, especially with regard to possible financial assistance to severely impaired dental practices to maintain a high level of dental care.
Factors Predicting Treatment of World Trade Center-Related Lung Injury: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
Authors: Putman Barbara , Lahousse Lies , Goldfarb David G. , Zeig-Owens Rachel , Schwartz Theresa , Singh Ankura , Vaeth Brandon , Hall Charles B. , Lancet Elizabeth A. , Webber Mayris P. , Cohen Hillel W. , Prezant David J. , Weiden Michael D.
Published: December 2020

The factors that predict treatment of lung injury in occupational cohorts are poorly defined. We aimed to identify patient characteristics associated with initiation of treatment with inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta-agonist (ICS/LABA) >2 years among World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed firefighters. The study population included 8530 WTC-exposed firefighters. Multivariable logistic regression assessed the association of patient characteristics with ICS/LABA treatment for >2 years over two-year intervals from 11 September 2001–10 September 2017. Cox proportional hazards models measured the association of high probability of ICS/LABA initiation with actual ICS/LABA initiation in subsequent intervals. Between 11 September 2001–1 July 2018, 1629/8530 (19.1%) firefighters initiated ICS/LABA treatment for >2 years. Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s (FEV1), wheeze, and dyspnea were consistently and independently associated with ICS/LABA treatment. High-intensity WTC exposure was associated with ICS/LABA between 11 September 2001–10 September 2003. The 10th percentile of risk for ICS/LABA between 11 September 2005–10 Septmeber 2007 was associated with a 3.32-fold increased hazard of actual ICS/LABA initiation in the subsequent 4 years. In firefighters with WTC exposure, FEV1, wheeze, and dyspnea were independently associated with prolonged ICS/LABA treatment. A high risk for treatment was identifiable from routine monitoring exam results years before treatment initiation.
“RA.DI.CA.” Splint for the Management of the Mandibular Functional Limitation: A Retrospective Study on Patients with Anterior Disc Displacement without Reduction
Authors: Di Paolo Carlo , Falisi Giovanni , Panti Fabrizio , Di Giacomo Paola , Rampello Alessandro
Published: December 2020

The study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the RA.DI.CA. splint in the management of temporomandibular joint disc displacement without reduction (ADDwoR) and jaw functional limitation. The authors developed a retrospective clinical study. A total of 2739 medical records were screened. One hundred and forty-one patients with chronic unilateral disc displacement without reduction and jaw limitation, treated with a multifunctional RA.DI.CA. splint, were enrolled. Temporomandibular pain, headache, familiar pain, neck pain, and emotional strain, maximum spontaneous mouth opening, and lateral excursions were evaluated at baseline (T0), after therapy (T1), and during the follow-up (T2). Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Wilcoxon test assessed changes in symptomatology and functional aspects before and after treatment and between T1 and T2, with p < 0.05. Ninety-nine patients (70%) declared themselves “healed” from jaw functional limitation with no residual painful symptoms, 31 (22%) improved their symptoms and jaw function, 11 (8%) reported no changes compared to T0 and no one worsened. As for all parameters analyzed, the comparison between the ones before and after treatment was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The RA.DI.CA. splint proved to be highly performing and promoting functional and symptomatologic recovery, also in the medium and long term, through the restoration of the functional disc-condyle relationship and the healing of joint tissues.
Climate Change Mitigation Policies and Co-Impacts on Indigenous Health: A Scoping Review
Authors: Jones Rhys , Macmillan Alexandra , Reid Papaarangi
Published: December 2020

Climate change mitigation policies can either facilitate or hinder progress towards health equity, and can have particular implications for Indigenous health. We sought to summarize current knowledge about the potential impacts (co-benefits and co-harms) of climate mitigation policies and interventions on Indigenous health. Using a Kaupapa Māori theoretical positioning, we adapted a validated search strategy to identify studies for this scoping review. Our review included empirical and modeling studies that examined a range of climate change mitigation measures, with health-related outcomes analyzed by ethnicity or socioeconomic status. Data were extracted from published reports and summarized. We identified 36 studies that examined a diverse set of policy instruments, with the majority located in high-income countries. Most studies employed conventional Western research methodologies, and few examined potential impacts of particular relevance to Indigenous peoples. The existing body of knowledge is limited in the extent to which it can provide definitive evidence about co-benefits and co-harms for Indigenous health, with impacts highly dependent on individual policy characteristics and contextual factors. Improving the quality of evidence will require research partnerships with Indigenous communities and study designs that centralize Indigenous knowledges, values, realities and priorities.
Can Physiological and Psychological Factors Predict Dropout from Intense 10-Day Winter Military Survival Training?
Authors: Vaara Jani P , Eränen Liisa , Ojanen Tommi , Pihlainen Kai , Nykänen Tarja , Kallinen Kari , Heikkinen Risto , Kyröläinen Heikki
Published: December 2020

Background: In the military context, high levels of physiological and psychological stress together can compromise individual’s ability to complete given duty or mission and increase dropout rates. The purpose of this study was to investigate if baseline physical fitness, body composition, hormonal and psychological factors could predict dropout from a 10-day intense winter military survival training. Methods: 69 conscripts volunteered to participate in the study. Physical fitness (muscle strength and power, muscle endurance, and aerobic fitness), body composition and hormonal variables (BDNF, testosterone, cortisol, SHBG, DHEAS, IGF-1) together with self-reported psychological factors (short five personality, hardiness, sense of coherence, stress, depression) were assessed prior the survival training. Results: During the survival training, 20 conscripts (29%) dropped out. Baseline aerobic fitness (hazard ratio, HR: 0.997, 95% CI: 0.994–0.999, p = 0.006) and serum cortisol (HR: 1.0006, 95% CI: 1.001–1.011, p = 0.017) predicted dropout in Cox regression model. Each 10 m increase in the 12 min running test decreased the risk for dropout by 3%. Conclusion: Although most of the physiological and psychological variables at the baseline did not predict dropout during a short-term winter survival military training, baseline information of aerobic fitness and serum cortisol concentration may be useful to target support for individuals at higher potential risk for dropout.