bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between dietary fiber and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gai Wei , Lin Lihua , Wang Yuxuan , Bian Jia , Tao Yanling
Published: January 2024

Background

The potential protective effects of dietary fiber against all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease have not been definitively established. To verify this relationship, a systematic review and a meta-analysis were undertaken.

Methods

PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, ProQuest, and CINAHL were used to systematically search for prospective cohort studies that investigate the association between dietary fiber and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular disease in individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This search was conducted up to and including March 2023.

Results

The analysis included 10 cohort studies, with a total of 19,843 patients who were followed up for 1.5–10.1 y. The results indicated a significant negative correlation between dietary fiber and all-cause mortality among patients with CKD (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.58–0.97, P < 0.001). Subgroup analysis further revealed that the study population and exposure factors were significantly associated with all-cause mortality (P < 0.001). Increased dietary fiber intake was associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.67–0.90) and a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease (HR 0.87; 95% CI 0.80–0.95) among patients with CKD.

Conclusions

The pooled results of our meta-analysis indicated an inverse association between dietary fiber intake and all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and cardiovascular disease.

Graphical abstract
Current trends in antimicrobial activities of carbon nanostructures: potentiality and status of nanobiochar in comparison to carbon dots
Authors: Nishshankage Kulathi , Fernandez Andrea Breverly , Pallewatta Shiran , Buddhinie P. K. C. , Vithanage Meththika
Published: January 2024

The increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a massive threat to world health, necessitating the urgent development of alternative antimicrobial growth control techniques. Due to their specific physical and chemical properties, nanomaterials, particularly carbon-based nanomaterials, have emerged as attractive candidates for antimicrobial applications, however, reviews are lacking. This comprehensive review aims to bridge the existing knowledge gaps surrounding the mechanism and significance of nanobiochar (NBC) and carbon nanostructures in the field of antimicrobial applications. Notably, NBC, which is derived from biochar, exhibits promising potential as an environmentally-friendly substance with antimicrobial properties. Its strong adsorption capabilities enable the removal and immobilization of pathogens and pollutants from soil and water and also exhibit antimicrobial properties to combat harmful pathogens. In addition to NBC, carbon dots (CDs) and graphene oxide (GO) have also shown excellent antimicrobial properties. These carbon-based nanomaterials find applications in agriculture for phytopathogen control and post-harvest disease management, as well as in medicine for nanotheranostics and in the food industry for extending shelf life as an eco-friendly alternative to chemicals and antibiotics. However, the long-term toxicity of these nanoparticles to humans and the environment needs further investigation, considering the influence of different physiochemical characteristics on antimicrobial properties and nanotoxicity. Therefore, continued exploration in this area will pave the way for future research and safe deployment strategies of carbon-based nanomaterials in combating microbial threats.

Graphical Abstract
Evaluating indwelling devices and other risk factors for mortality in invasive Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales infections in Georgia, 2012–2019
Authors: Witt Lucy S. , Sexton Mary Elizabeth , Smith Gillian , Farley Monica , Jacob Jesse T.
Published: January 2024

Objective:

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections are a public health threat due to the risk of transmission between patients and high associated mortality. We sought to identify risk factors for mortality in patients with invasive CRE infections and to specifically evaluate whether there was an association between indwelling medical devices and 90-day mortality.

Design:

Retrospective observational cohort study of patients infected with CRE in the eight-county metropolitan Atlanta area between 2012 and 2019.

Methods:

Patients with invasive CRE infections were identified via the Georgia Emerging Infections Program’s active, population- and laboratory-based surveillance system and linked with the Georgia Vital Statistics database. We used bivariate analysis to identify risk factors for mortality and completed log binomial multivariable regression to estimate risk ratios (RR) for the association between indwelling devices and mortality.

Results:

In total, 154 invasive CRE infections were identified, with indwelling devices present in most patients (87.7%) around the time of infection. Admission to an intensive care unit was found to be associated with 90-day mortality (adjusted RR [aRR] 1.55, 95% CI 1.07, 2.24); however, the presence of any indwelling device was not associated with increased risk of 90-day mortality in multivariable analysis (aRR 1.22, 95% CI 0.55, 2.73). Having at least two indwelling devices was associated with increased mortality (aRR 1.79, 95% CI 1.05, 3.05).

Conclusions:

Indwelling devices were prevalent in our cohort but were not consistently associated with an increased risk of mortality. Further studies are needed to examine this relationship and the role of device removal.
Protecting Future People’s Future: How to Operationalise Present People’s Unfulfilled Promises to Future Generations
Authors: Alemanno Alberto
Published: January 2024

As societies become more concerned with their impacts on future generations, the question of how to translate that concern into greater consideration in contemporary decision-making is coming to the fore. Despite growing societal acceptance of the ethics of obligations to the future – as reflected in record-high number of future-sensitive constitutions and international treaties – present generations’ promises to future generations remain unfulfilled. This article explains why and offers an alternative approach to future-proofing. After providing a systematic account of the multiple efforts at aligning the actions of decision-makers with the interests of future generations, it argues that achieving the inclusion of future generations’ interests in contemporary policymaking requires more than their legal codification and the establishment of new and typically scattered institutions, mechanisms and procedures. It rather calls for a more holistic, future-orientated and proactive approach by all public authorities. These must increasingly be expected to create the conditions not only for policymakers to consider the temporal dimension of their decisions, but also for all stakeholders – including new dedicated institutions – to hold present people accountable to currently non-existent future generations. To do so beyond the environment and climate space is a matter of urgency. This is the spirit animating this Special Issue devoted to long-term risks and future generations: to nurture a more imaginative theorisation and operationalisation of the recognition of future generations’ interests in contemporary policymaking beyond today’s institutional and conceptual models.
The Supreme Court and the Allocation of Burden: Truncating the Voting Rights Act
Authors: Snead Warren
Published: January 2024

The US Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder and subsequent legislative failures to restore the Voting Rights Act (VRA) have alerted scholars to the precarity of federal voting rights and the importance of the Supreme Court to its implementation. I argue, however, that the court has exercised outsized influence on the administration and development of the VRA long before Shelby County, consistently advancing the goals of the Act’s opponents. Using statutory interpretation, the court has shifted both administrative and political burdens from VRA skeptics to its supporters, gradually undermining the efficacy of the law. Administratively, the court has made it harder to implement and enforce the VRA by raising evidentiary standards and narrowing the scope of section 2 and section 5. Making the VRA more burdensome to administer also creates new political burdens for the Act’s supporters, who must navigate a veto-riddled legislative process to reverse unfavorable Court decisions. As a result, the Court has made it more difficult to effectively use sections 2 and 5 to combat racial discrimination in territorial annexations, redistricting, and ballot access. These findings demonstrate yet another instance of the Supreme Court wielding its statutory authority to reshape public policies and illustrate the judicialization of the VRA.
IDENTITY THROUGH DIFFERENCE IN BEAT FURRER'S LOTÓFAGOS
Authors: Cooper Ed
Published: January 2024

In Homer's The Odyssey, Odysseus and his men are on their way home to Ithaca when they land on a remote island inhabited by lotus-eaters. The locals share their indolent-making lotus plants with the Greeks, such that the troops’ homeward journey is disrupted and they find themselves in a state of limbo. Identities, both individual and communal, become entangled and blurred. Beat Furrer takes these sorts of uncertainties of self as inspiration in his Lotófagos (2007) – that is, Lotus-eaters – scored for soprano and double bass, which sets José Ángel Valente's poem of the same name. Drawing on Gilles Deleuze's conception of bodies, this article argues that the identity of an elusive but persistent collective subject in Valente's text can be found within the difference between the two performers’ bodies in Furrer's setting. The pair's movements weave in and out of each other, moving through spectres of each other's material, fleetingly suggesting cohesion through tension before jettisoning this for what contextually appears as relief. As such, the series of surreptitious vignettes presents a ‘conatus’ of the piece defined by tension, emulation and transience; Furrer's Lotófagos creates space for Valente's mysterious subject to be presented as the immanence of forces between two performing bodies.
NEW LIMINALITIES: BEAT FURRER AT 70
Authors: Cooper Ed
Published: January 2024

‘Liminal’, from the Latin limen, denotes both thresholds and, curiously, the home. Since its original use by the anthropologist Arnold van Gennep in 1909 to label the central stage in a transformational rite of passage, the term has been used in very many contexts: from writings concerning sociology within both local and global contexts to an internet aesthetic of eerie empty spaces, a sort of loose understanding of modern spiritualities and plenty of art gallery labels.
A user model to directly compare two unmodified interfaces: a study of including errors and error corrections in a cognitive user model
Authors: Tehranchi Farnaz , Bagherzadeh Amirreza , Ritter Frank E.
Published: January 2024

User models that can directly use and learn how to do tasks with unmodified interfaces would be helpful in system design to compare task knowledge and times between interfaces. Including user errors can be helpful because users will always make mistakes and generate errors. We compare three user models: an existing validated model that simulates users’ behavior in the Dismal spreadsheet in Emacs, a newly developed model that interacts with an Excel spreadsheet, and a new model that generates and fixes user errors. These models are implemented using a set of simulated eyes and hands extensions. All the models completed a 14-step task without modifying the system that participants used. These models predict that the task in Excel is approximately 20% faster than in Dismal, including suggesting why, where, and how much Excel is a better design. The Excel model predictions were compared to newly collected human data (N = 23). The model’s predictions of subtask times correlate well with the human data (r2 = .71). We also present a preliminary model of human error and correction based on user keypress errors, including 25 slips. The predictions to data comparison suggest that this interactive model that includes errors moves us closer to having a complete user model that can directly test interface design by predicting human behavior and performing the task on the same interface as users. The errors from the model’s hands also allow further exploration of error detection, error correction, and different knowledge types in user models.
“In-patient echocardiography utilization post repair of congenital heart disease. Analysis of data from the Pediatric Health Information System from 2010 to 2019”
Authors: Skaff Adam M. , Valikodath Nishma G. , Godown Justin , Parra David A.
Published: January 2024

Background:

Echocardiography is a key diagnostic tool for medical decision-making following congenital heart surgery. Overall utilisation of echocardiography for specific congenital heart lesions following cardiac surgery has not previously been reported. This study aims to assess echocardiogram utilisation following the surgical repair of CHD to describe the variation in use across centres and provide clinical benchmarks.

Methods:

All patients < 18 years of age undergoing surgical repair of CHD were identified from the Pediatric Health Information System from 2010 to 2019. Surgeries were grouped based on their Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery-1 scores. Detailed billing data were used to assess the frequency/cost of post-operative echocardiograms, phase of hospital care, and hospital length of stay.

Results:

In total, 37,238 surgical encounters were identified for inclusion across 48 centres. Higher Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery scores were associated with an increased median number of post-operative echocardiograms (2 versus 4 in Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery score 1 versus 6, p < 0.001), and longer median post-operative length of stay (3 days versus 31 days in Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery score 1 versus 6, p < 0.001). After accounting for surgical complexity, there was significant variability in echocardiogram utilisation across centres (median daily echocardiogram utilisation range 0.2/day–0.6/day, p < 0.001). There is no difference in the proportion of patients with high surgical complexity (Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery ≥ 4) between centres with high versus low echocardiogram utilisation (p = 0.44).

Conclusions:

Increasing surgical complexity is associated with longer post-operative length of stay and increased utilisation of echocardiography. There is wide variability in echocardiography resource utilisation across centres, even when accounting for surgical complexity.
Research Gaps and Priorities for Terrestrial Water and Earth System Connections From Catchment to Global Scale
Authors: Zarei Mohanna , Destouni Georgia
Published: January 2024

The out‐of‐sight groundwater and visible but much less extensive surface waters on land constitute a linked terrestrial water system around the planet. Research is crucial for our understanding of these terrestrial water system links and interactions with other geosystems and key challenges of Earth System change. This study uses a scoping review approach to discuss and identify topical, methodological and geographical gaps and priorities for research on these links and interactions of the coupled ground‐ and surface water (GSW) system at scales of whole‐catchments or greater. Results show that the large‐scale GSW system is considered in just a small part (0.4%–0.8%) of all studies (order of 105 for each topic) of either groundwater or surface water flow, storage, or quality at any scale. While relatively many of the large‐scale GSW studies consider links with the atmosphere or climate (8%–43%), considerably fewer address links with: (a) the cryosphere or coastal ocean as additional interacting geosystems (5%–9%); (b) change drivers/pressures of land‐use, water use, or the energy or food nexus (2%–12%); (c) change impacts related to health, biodiversity or ecosystem services (1%–4%). Methodologically, use of remote sensing data and participatory methods is small, while South America and Africa emerge as the least studied geographic regions. The paper discusses why these topical, methodological and geographical findings indicate important research gaps and priorities for the large‐scale coupled terrestrial GSW system and its roles in the future of the Earth System.
Kinematic Afterslip Patterns
Authors: Meade Brendan J.
Published: January 2024

Non‐inertial afterslip has been inferred to occur following large earthquakes. An explanation for this slow slip phenomenon is that coseismically generated stresses induce sliding on parts of a fault surface with velocity‐strengthening frictional properties. Here we develop an alternative mesoscale heuristic explanation for afterslip based on the idea that afterslip may occur on any portion of a fault that exhibits positive residual geometric moment following an earthquake, including sections that ruptured coseismically. Following a large earthquake, this model exhibits exponential time decay of afterslip and allows for variable sensitivity to coseismic event magnitude and residual geometric moment. This model provides a partial explanation for the spatial relationship of co‐ and post‐seismic slip associated with the 2011 MW = 9 Tohoku‐oki earthquake.
IMF By Effects on the Strength and Latitude of Polar Electrojets: CHAMP and Swarm Joint Observations
Authors: Wang Hui , Lühr Hermann
Published: January 2024

In this study, the impact of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) By component on the peak strength and position of polar electrojets (PEJs) is analyzed, based on 16 years of joint observations from Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP; 2000–2010) and Swarm (2014–2020) satellites, while focusing on the local time and hemispherical differences. With a more positive IMF By, the duskside eastward PEJ enhances significantly at June solstice in the Northern Hemisphere. Around midnight, the impact of IMF By on the PEJ is more significant in the winter hemisphere; the westward PEJ is stronger in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere for a more positive (negative) IMF By. In 03–08 MLT, the impact of IMF By is similar in both the winter and summer hemispheres: for IMF By > 0 and By < 0, the PEJ in the dawn sector is stronger in the December and June solstices, respectively. Around noon, a more duskward (dawnward) IMF By component leads to a higher eastward (westward) PEJ in the northern (southern) summer hemisphere. The northern westward (eastward) PEJ peaks at higher latitudes than the southern PEJ for a negative (positive) IMF By.
The Development of Atmospheric Bores in Non‐Uniform Baroclinic Environments and Their Roles in the Maintenance, Structure, and Evolution of an MCS
Authors: Zhang Shushi , Parsons David B. , Xu Xin , Huang Hong , Xu Fen , Wu Tianjie , Chen Gang , Abulikemu Abuduwaili , Zhao Yating , Zhang Shengxi , Tang Ying
Published: January 2024

This study used radar observations and a high‐resolution numerical simulation to explore the interactions between an mesoscale convective system (MCS), cold pool outflows, and atmospheric bores in a non‐uniform baroclinic environment. The bores were generated by a nocturnal MCS that occurred on 2–3 June 2017 over the southern North China Plain. The goal of this investigation is to determine how the structure of bores varied within this non‐uniform environment and whether and how the bores would maintain the MCS and alter its structure. To the southwest of the MCS, where there was large CAPE and a well‐mixed boundary layer, discrete convection initiation occurred behind a single radar fine line (RFL) maintaining the propagation of the MCS. To the southeast of the MCS, multiple RFLs were found suggesting the generation of an undular bore in an environment containing an intense nocturnal stable boundary layer with dry upper layers and little CAPE. Hydraulic and nonlinear theory were applied to the simulation of the MCS revealing that the differences in the bore evolution depended on both the characteristics of the cold pool and the variations in the ambient environment. Thus, the characteristics of the ambient environment and the associated differences in bore structure impacted the maintenance and organization of the MCS. This study implies the importance of an accurate representation of the low‐level ambient environment and the microphysics and kinematics within the MCS to accurately simulate and forecast cold pools, the generation and evolution of bores, and their impact on nocturnal MCSs.
Changes in Water Age During Dry‐Down of a Non‐Perennial Stream
Authors: Swenson Logan J. , Zipper Sam , Peterson Delaney M. , Jones C. Nathan , Burgin Amy J. , Seybold Erin , Kirk Matthew F. , Hatley Camden
Published: January 2024

Non‐perennial streams, which lack year‐round flow, are widespread globally. Identifying the sources of water that sustain flow in non‐perennial streams is necessary to understand their potential impacts on downstream water resources, and guide water policy and management. Here, we used water isotopes (δ18O and δ2H) and two different modeling approaches to investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics of young water fractions (Fyw) in a non‐perennial stream network at Konza Prairie (KS, USA) during the 2021 summer dry‐down season, as well as over several years with varying hydrometeorological conditions. Using a Bayesian model, we found a substantial amount of young water (Fyw: 39.1–62.6%) sustained flows in the headwaters and at the catchment outlet during the 2021 water year, while 2015–2022 young water contributions estimated using sinusoidal models indicated smaller Fyw amounts (15.3% ± 5.7). Both modeling approaches indicate young water releases are highly sensitive to hydrological conditions, with stream water shifting to older sources as the network dries. The shift in water age suggests a shift away from rapid fracture flow toward slower matrix flow that creates a sustained but localized surface water presence during late summer and is reflected in the annual dynamics of water age at the catchment outlet. The substantial proportion of young water highlights the vulnerability of non‐perennial streams to short‐term hydroclimatic change, while the late summer shift to older water reveals a sensitivity to longer‐term changes in groundwater dynamics. Combined, this suggests that local changes may propagate through non‐perennial stream networks to influence downstream water availability and quality.
Detection of mosaic and population-level structural variants with Sniffles2
Authors: Smolka Moritz , Paulin Luis F. , Grochowski Christopher M. , Horner Dominic W. , Mahmoud Medhat , Behera Sairam , Kalef-Ezra Ester , Gandhi Mira , Hong Karl , Pehlivan Davut , Scholz Sonja W. , Carvalho Claudia M. B. , Proukakis Christos , Sedlazeck Fritz J.
Published: January 2024

Calling structural variations (SVs) is technically challenging, but using long reads remains the most accurate way to identify complex genomic alterations. Here we present Sniffles2, which improves over current methods by implementing a repeat aware clustering coupled with a fast consensus sequence and coverage-adaptive filtering. Sniffles2 is 11.8 times faster and 29% more accurate than state-of-the-art SV callers across different coverages (5–50×), sequencing technologies (ONT and HiFi) and SV types. Furthermore, Sniffles2 solves the problem of family-level to population-level SV calling to produce fully genotyped VCF files. Across 11 probands, we accurately identified causative SVs around MECP2, including highly complex alleles with three overlapping SVs. Sniffles2 also enables the detection of mosaic SVs in bulk long-read data. As a result, we identified multiple mosaic SVs in brain tissue from a patient with multiple system atrophy. The identified SV showed a remarkable diversity within the cingulate cortex, impacting both genes involved in neuron function and repetitive elements.
A comprehensive dataset of U.S. federal laws (1789–2022)
Authors: Libgober Brian
Published: January 2024

U.S. federal laws figure importantly in many research projects in political science, law, sociology, economics, and other disciplines. Despite their prominence, there is no authoritative, current, and comprehensive dataset of U.S. federal laws. In part, this is because such laws have been enacted over hundreds of years, resulting in a complicated patchwork of documents published in numerous and inconsistent formats. As a simplification, many scholars have relied upon selective lists of major legislative enactments or complete lists of relatively recent enactments. Here, I report on an effort to transparently and reproducibly assemble a complete database of US laws and their revision histories by combining data from HeinOnline, the Governmental Printing Office, and the National Archives and Records Administration. The result is a database of 49,746 laws spanning 1789 to 2022.
Transcriptomic datasets of Verticillium wilt resistant and non-resistant Gossypium barbadense varieties during pathogen inoculation
Authors: Xiong Xianpeng , Sun Cong , Chen Bin , Sun Jie , Fei Cong , Xue Fei
Published: January 2024

Cotton is a significant cash crop and the primary source of natural fiber globally. Among the numerous diseases encountered in cotton production, Verticillium wilt is one of the most serious, caused by the pathogen Verticillium dahliae (V. dahliae). Unfortunately, there are no effective targeted methods to combat this disease. Genomic resources for Verticillium wilt resistance primarily exist in Gossypium barbadense (G. barbadense). Regrettably, there have been limited transcriptomic comparisons between V. dahliae-resistant and -susceptible varieties of G. barbadense due to the scarcity of susceptible resources. In this study, we conducted a transcriptome analysis on both V. dahliae-resistant and -susceptible varieties of G. barbadense at the 0, 12, 24 and 48 hours after V. dahliae inoculation. This comparative transcriptome analysis yielded high-quality data and offered new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cotton’s resistance against this destructive pathogen.
HSV1 microRNAs in glioblastoma development: an in silico study
Authors: Abdoli Shadbad Mahdi , Hemmat Nima , Abdoli Shadbad Mahla , Brunetti Oronzo , Silvestris Nicola , Baradaran Behzad
Published: January 2024

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly aggressive primary brain tumor. Recent findings highlighted the significance of viral microRNAs (miRs) in regulating post-transcriptional mRNA expression in various human conditions. Although HSV1 encodes viral miRs and affects the central nervous system, no study investigated the roles of HSV1-encoding miRs in GBM development. This study applied in silico approaches to investigate whether HSV1-encoding miRs are involved in GBM development and, if so, how they regulate tumor-suppressive/oncogenes expression in GBM. This study leveraged bioinformatics approaches to identify the potential effect of HSV1 miRs in GBM development. The GSE158284, GSE153679, and GSE182109 datasets were analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes in GBM tissues and cell lines using the limma package in the R software. The GSE182109 dataset was analyzed to determine gene expression at the single-cell levels using the Seurat package in the R software. The TCGA-GTEX, GDSC, CTRP, immunogenetic, and enrichment analyses were performed to study the impact of identified viral HSV1 miRs targets in GBM development. hsv1-miR-H6-3p is upregulated in GBM and can be responsible for EPB41L1 and SH3PXD2A downregulation in GBM tissues. Also, hsv1-miR-H1-5p is upregulated in GBM and can decrease the expression of MELK, FZD2, NOVA1, TMEM97, PTPRZ1, and PDGFC in GBM development. The single-cell RNA sequencing analyses have demonstrated that MELK, FZD2, NOVA1, TMEM97, PTPRZ1, and PDGFC are expressed in astrocytes residing in the GBM microenvironment. This study provides novel insights into the potential roles of HSV1 miRs in GBM pathogenesis and offers a reference for further studies on the significance of HSV1 miRs in GBM development.
Wintertime investigation of PM10 concentrations, sources, and relationship with different meteorological parameters
Authors: Zeb Bahadar , Ditta Allah , Alam Khan , Sorooshian Armin , Din Badshah Ud , Iqbal Rashid , Habib ur Rahman Muhammed , Raza Ahsan , Alwahibi Mona S. , Elshikh Mohamed S.
Published: January 2024

Meteorological factors play a crucial role in affecting air quality in the urban environment. Peshawar is the capital city of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan and is a pollution hotspot. Sources of PM10 and the influence of meteorological factors on PM10 in this megacity have yet to be studied. The current study aims to investigate PM10 mass concentration levels and composition, identify PM10 sources, and quantify links between PM10 and various meteorological parameters like temperature, relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WS), and rainfall (RF) during the winter months from December 2017 to February 2018. PM10 mass concentrations vary from 180 – 1071 µg m−3, with a mean value of 586 ± 217 µg m−3. The highest concentration is observed in December, followed by January and February. The average values of the mass concentration of carbonaceous species (i.e., total carbon, organic carbon, and elemental carbon) are 102.41, 91.56, and 6.72 μgm−3, respectively. Water-soluble ions adhere to the following concentration order: Ca2+  > Na+  > K+  > NH4+  > Mg2+. Twenty-four elements (Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Co, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Se, Kr, Ag, Pb, Cu, and Cd) are detected in the current study by PIXE analysis. Five sources based on Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) modeling include industrial emissions, soil and re-suspended dust, household combustion, metallurgic industries, and vehicular emission. A positive relationship of PM10 with temperature and relative humidity is observed (r = 0.46 and r = 0.56, respectively). A negative correlation of PM10 is recorded with WS (r =  − 0.27) and RF (r =  − 0.46). This study’s results motivate routine air quality monitoring owing to the high levels of pollution in this region. For this purpose, the establishment of air monitoring stations is highly suggested for both PM and meteorology. Air quality standards and legislation need to be revised and implemented. Moreover, the development of effective control strategies for air pollution is highly suggested.
Stable composition of gut microbiome in the Asian ladybeetle Coccinella septempunctata reared on natural and artificial diets
Authors: Lu Qiu-Cheng , Yu Jia-Min , Liu Hong-Ling , Wu Xing-Long , Wei Shu-Jun , Lei Min , Cai Peng , He Heng-Guo , Pu De-Qiang
Published: January 2024

The Asian ladybeetle, Coccinella septempunctata, is an important insect of predatory natural enemy, which has a strong control effect and application prospects for aphids, whiteflies, mealybugs, and other small-sized pests of agriculture and forestry crops. Gut microbiota composition posed impacts on development of insects. In order to clarify the effect of artificial feed feeding on the intestinal microbial species and structure of C. septempunctata, we compared the intestinal microbial flora of C. septempunctata reared on bean aphids and artificial food for 15 days. Results show that Proteobacteria was the dominant component in all groups at phylum level, Rhodobacter, Methylovigula, Burkholderia, and Bradyrhizobium were the dominant bacteria among all groups at genus level. As to the differences in bacterial community structure and diversity, there is no significant difference between Shannon index and Simpson index, the principal components analysis of the bacterial communities, and the samples were roughly distributed in different regions. After 15 days of feeding, artificial diet did not significantly reduce the microbial diversity of the gut of C. septempunctata compared to the aphid group, and there was no significant effect on the abundance of dominant flora in the gut of C. septempunctata, C. septempunctata gut has a similar core microbiota. This study clarifies the effects in intestinal microbial diversity and composition structure of the C. septempunctata with artificial diet, and provides a theoretical basis for understanding the intestinal microorganisms and optimizating the artificial diet of C. septempunctata.
Lateral distal femoral condyle has more uniform cartilage wear in varus knee osteoarthritis
Authors: Wei Maozheng , Hao Kuo , Kang Huijun , Kong Lingce , Wang Fei
Published: January 2024

Bone resection is highly valued in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but how to determine the amount of distal femur resection is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to explore how to use lateral condyle as a reference for distal femoral osteotomy in TKA. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Radiographic images from 118 nonarthritic subjects and 123 osteoarthritis (OA) subjects were used to assess the cartilage wear pattern of the distal femur in varus knees. Measurements were performed on three-dimensional reconstruction after virtual bone cutting. The difference between the resection amount of distal (0°) and posterior (90°) was calculated when the medial condyle was used as a reference in OA patients. The osteotomy amount on lateral was calculated in nonarthritic subjects when the medial condylar osteotomy was consistent with the thickness of the implants. In 43% of OA patients, there was > 1 mm difference between the 0° and 90° in medial condyle cartilage, and no difference was observed in lateral. When using medial condyle as a reference for osteotomy, there was a difference of 1.3 ± 0.56 mm between the resection amount of 0° and 90°, and the difference was 0.24 ± 0.27 mm when using lateral condyle. Statistical analysis showed that there was a linear correlation between the resection amount of lateral condyle and mechanical lateral distal femoral angle (mLDFA) in nonarthritic subjects (r = 0.845, p < 0.001). Lateral distal femoral condyle has more uniform cartilage wear in varus knee osteoarthritis. Using the lateral condyle as the reference for distal femoral osteotomy is more suitable for the cartilage wear pattern of the varus knee. The position of cutting guide can be adjusted by preoperative measurements of mLDFA.
Water vapor transport properties of bio-based multilayer materials determined by original and complementary methods
Authors: Guivier Manon , Chevigny Chloé , Domenek Sandra , Casalinho Joel , Perré Patrick , Almeida Giana
Published: January 2024

To enhance PLA gas barrier properties, multilayer designs with highly polar barrier layers, such as nanocelluloses, have shown promising results. However, the properties of these polar layers change with humidity. As a result, we investigated water transport phenomena in PLA films coated with nanometric layers of chitosan and nanocelluloses, utilizing a combination of techniques including dynamic vapor sorption (DVS) and long-term water vapor adsorption–diffusion experiments (back-face measurements) to understand the influence of each layer on the behavior of multilayer films. Surprisingly, nanometric coatings impacted PLA water vapor transport. Chitosan/nanocelluloses layers, representing less than 1 wt.% of the multilayer film, increased the water vapor uptake of the film by 14.6%. The nanometric chitosan coating appeared to have localized effects on PLA structure. Moreover, nanocelluloses coatings displayed varying impacts on sample properties depending on their interactions (hydrogen, ionic bonds) with chitosan. The negatively charged CNF TEMPO coating formed a dense network that demonstrated higher resistance to water sorption and diffusion compared to CNF and CNC coatings. This work also highlights the limitations of conventional water vapor permeability measurements, especially when dealing with materials containing ultrathin nanocelluloses layers. It shows the necessity of considering the synergistic effects between layers to accurately evaluate the transport properties.
The impact of intersectional racial and gender biases on minority female leadership over two centuries
Authors: Pogrebna Ganna , Angelopoulos Spyros , Motsi-Omoijiade Immaculate , Kharlamov Alexander , Tkachenko Nataliya
Published: January 2024

This study scrutinizes the enduring effects of racial and gender biases that contribute to the consistent underrepresentation of minority women in leadership roles within American private, public, and third sector organizations. We adopt a behavioural data science approach, merging psychological schema theory with sociological intersectionality theory, to evaluate the enduring implications of these biases on female leadership development using mixed methods including machine learning and econometric analysis. Our examination is concentrated on Black female leaders, employing an extensive analysis of leadership rhetoric data spanning 200 years across the aforementioned sectors. We shed light on the continued scarcity of minority female representation in leadership roles, highlighting the role of intersectionality dynamics. Despite Black female leaders frequently embracing higher risks to counter intersectional invisibility compared to their White counterparts, their aspirations are not realized and problems not solved generation after generation, forcing Black female leaders to concentrate on the same issues for dozens and, sometimes, hundreds of years. Our findings suggest that the compound influence of racial and gender biases hinders the advancement of minority female leadership by perpetuating stereotypical behavioral schemas, leading to persistent discriminatory outcomes. We argue for the necessity of organizations to initiate a cultural transformation that fosters positive experiences for future generations of female leaders, recommending a shift in focus from improving outcomes for specific groups to creating an inclusive leadership culture.
High-dose benzodiazepine use and QTc interval prolongation, a latent class analysis study
Authors: Zamboni Lorenzo , Portoghese Igor , Casari Rebecca , Fusina Francesca , Santin Laura , Lecca Luigi Isaia , Campagnari Simone , Carli Silvia , Zandonai Thomas , Lugoboni Fabio
Published: January 2024

Benzodiazepine (BDZ) addiction is a widespread and multifaceted phenomenon. For many patients, especially females, the concomitant use of other drugs also increases their risk of QTc prolongation, possibly leading to complications such as seizures and even sudden death. However, the relationship between BDZ use and QTc prolongation is currently unclear. The present study aims to examine patterns of polysubstance use among a sample of Italian adults with BDZ dependence in relation with their QTc prolongation risk. We used Latent Class Analysis (LCA) on data collected from 251 inpatients of the Addiction Medicine Unit in Verona to group patients into three classes according to their substance use and their QTc prolongation risk. Results showed no significant relationship between QTc prolongation and BDZ use in any of the classes considered. We conclude that BDZs, even if used long-term and at high dosages, can be considered safe in terms of cardiovascular complications for patients.
Genome-wide association studies for economically important traits in mink using copy number variation
Authors: Davoudi Pourya , Do Duy Ngoc , Colombo Stefanie , Rathgeber Bruce , Sargolzaei Mehdi , Plastow Graham , Wang Zhiquan , Hu Guoyu , Valipour Shafagh , Miar Younes
Published: January 2024

Copy number variations (CNVs) are structural variants consisting of duplications and deletions of DNA segments, which are known to play important roles in the genetics of complex traits in livestock species. However, CNV-based genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have remained unexplored in American mink. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to investigate the association between CNVs and complex traits in American mink. A CNV-based GWAS was performed with the ParseCNV2 software program using deregressed estimated breeding values of 27 traits as pseudophenotypes, categorized into traits of growth and feed efficiency, reproduction, pelt quality, and Aleutian disease tests. The study identified a total of 10,137 CNVs (6968 duplications and 3169 deletions) using the Affymetrix Mink 70K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array in 2986 American mink. The association analyses identified 250 CNV regions (CNVRs) associated with at least one of the studied traits. These CNVRs overlapped with a total of 320 potential candidate genes, and among them, several genes have been known to be related to the traits such as ARID1B, APPL1, TOX, and GPC5 (growth and feed efficiency traits); GRM1, RNASE10, WNT3, WNT3A, and WNT9B (reproduction traits); MYO10, and LIMS1 (pelt quality traits); and IFNGR2, APEX1, UBE3A, and STX11 (Aleutian disease tests). Overall, the results of the study provide potential candidate genes that may regulate economically important traits and therefore may be used as genetic markers in mink genomic breeding programs.
Interaural and sex differences in the natural evolution of hearing levels in pre-symptomatic and symptomatic carriers of the p.Pro51Ser variant in the COCH gene
Authors: Moyaert Julie , Gilles Annick , Mertens Griet , Lammers Marc J. W. , Gommeren Hanne , Janssens de Varebeke Sebastien , Fransen Erik , Verhaert Nicolas , Denys Sam , van de Berg Raymond , Pennings Ronald , Vanderveken Olivier , Van Rompaey Vincent
Published: January 2024

Hearing impairment constitutes a significant health problem in developed countries. If hearing loss is slowly progressive, the first signs may not be noticed in time, or remain untreated until the moment the auditory dysfunction becomes more apparent. The present study will focus on DFNA9, an autosomal dominant disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the COCH gene. Although several cross-sectional studies on this topic have been conducted, a crucial need for longitudinal research has been reported by many authors. Longitudinal trajectories of individual hearing thresholds were established as function of age and superimposed lowess curves were generated for 101 female and male carriers of the p.Pro51Ser variant. The average number of times patients have been tested was 2.49 years with a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 4 years. In addition, interaural and sex differences were studied, as they could modify the natural evolution of the hearing function. The current study demonstrates that, both in female carriers and male carriers, the first signs of hearing decline, i.e. hearing thresholds of 20 dB HL, become apparent as early as the 3rd decade in the highest frequencies. In addition, a rapid progression of SNHL occurs between 40 and 50 years of age. Differences between male and female carriers in the progression of hearing loss are most obvious between the age of 50 and 65 years. Furthermore, interaural discrepancies also manifest from the age of 50 years onwards. High-quality prospective data on the long-term natural evolution of hearing levels offer the opportunity to identify different disease stages in each cochlea and different types of evolution. This will provide more insights in the window of opportunity for future therapeutic intervention trials.
Viral and bacterial microorganisms in Vietnamese children with severe and non-severe pneumonia
Authors: Tran Xuan Duong , Hoang Van-Thuan , Goumballa Ndiaw , Vu Thi Nguyet , Tran Trong Kiem , Pham Thi Dung , Dao Thi-Loi , Vu Thi Thuy , Nguyen Duy Cuong , Nguyen Quoc Tien , Marty Pierre , Gautret Philippe
Published: January 2024

To investigate potential respiratory pathogens in children with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and risk factors for severe disease. This prospective study was conducted among 467 children at the Thai Binh Paediatric Hospital, Vietnam between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021. Clinical data and laboratory results were collected. Twenty-four respiratory microorganisms were tested from nasopharyngeal swabs using real-time PCR. Logistical regression was used to estimate a factor’s adjusted odd ratios of the severity of disease. Mean age of patients = 15.4 ± 13.3 months, 63.0% were male. Over 97% of patients had a positive PCR result. 87% of patients were positive for multiple (up to eight) microorganisms. Rhinovirus (46%), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (24%), enterovirus (17%), and parainfluenza viruses-3 (13%) were the most frequent viruses. H. influenzae (61%), S. pneumoniae (45%) and M. catarrhalis (30%) were the most common bacteria. 128 (27%) cases were classified as severe pneumonia. Presence of smokers at home (aOR 2.11, 95% CI 1.27–3.52, P value = 0.004), CRP level ≥ 50 mg/dL (aOR  6.11, 95% CI  3.86–9.68, P value < 0.0001), RSV (aOR  1.78, 95% CI  1.07–2.96, P value = 0.03) and H. influenzae (aOR  1.66, 95% CI  1.03–2.67, P value = 0.04) PCR detection associated with a higher risk of severe pneumonia; ,. Causative agents of pneumonia in children are complex. Children positive with RSV and H. influenzae need to be closely monitored to prevent severe pneumonia.
Geospatial analysis of spatial distribution, patterns, and relationships of health status in the belt and road initiative
Authors: Li Jie , Xu Zejia , Wang Hongxi , Li Lingling , Zhu Hong
Published: January 2024

The Health Silk Road plays a crucial role in the Belt and Road Initiative, and comprehending the health status within the participating countries is fundamental for fostering cooperation in public health. This paper collected five health indicators to represent the health status of the Belt and Road countries. Employing spatial statistics, the spatial patterns of health indicators and the associations with influencing factors were investigated. The utilized spatial statistics encompass spatial autocorrelation methods, geographical detector and spatial lag model. The results revealed obvious disparities and significant positive spatial autocorrelation of health indicators within the Belt and Road countries. Specifically, countries in Sub-Saharan Africa exhibited significant clustering of limited health indicators, while countries in Europe and Central Asia demonstrated significant clustering of robust health indicators. Furthermore, the health indicators exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity and association with the influencing factors. Universal health coverage, household air pollution, and the prevalence of undernourishment emerge as influential factors affecting health indicators. Overall, our findings highlighted complex influencing factors that contributed to the profound health inequalities across the Belt and Road countries. These factors should be duly considered in public health collaborations within the Belt and Road Initiative.