bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of electric motorbike purchasing intention among consumers in Hanoi City, Vietnam
Authors: Phuong Tran Thi Lan , Huong Tran Thi Lan , Dat Tran Tho , Truong Dinh Duc
Published: June 2024

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing human development in the coming decades. To cope with climate change, greening transportation becomes one of the most important solutions, including the key role of consumers. This study aimed to determine the factors affecting customer’s intention to buy electric motobikes in Hanoi, Vietnam. We used the theory of planned behavior to develop research models. Study data was collected by convenient sampling method through a survey with 600 participants in Hanoi. The study used SPSS 22.0 software to perform descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s Alpha test, Exploring Factor Analysis and multiple linear regression for data processing. The results showed six factors including Environmental awareness, Attitude, Perceived behavioral control, Attractiveness of other means, Subjective norms and Promotion policies had significant impact on the customers’ intention to buy electric motorbikes, of which factor Attractiveness of other means had the most decisive influence. From results, the paper discussed and gave some managerial implications to enhance the intention to buy electric motorbikes of people in Hanoi and expand proposals to other cities in Vietnam.
An extensive qualitative and quantitative multi criteria analysis for a hybrid renewable energy system applied to tribal zone - based primary health centres, and maximizing the societal parameters
Authors: Mangaiyarkarasi S P , Balakumar S , Jebaraj L , Muthuvel B , Soubache I D
Published: June 2024

Remote electrification enhances the quality of life quality of people in remote areas, with no access to electricity through distributed coverage of electricity. Due to the irregular and unbalanced fuel cost and impracticable expansion of the grid, hybrid integrated renewable energy sources become dependable substitute for remote electrification. The necessity of uninterrupted power dispatch is a prime factor for primary health centres, located in tribal and remote areas. This article proposes an integrated primary analysis like financial, production, quantity and environmental, applied to an optimum sizing of a hybrid standalone renewable energy source, which might be carried out in eight primary health centres, situated in the Gudalur Zone in Nilgiris District, Tamil Nadu, India. Four different criteria were inspected in this study, as standard loading, boost up loading, step down loading and complete renewable loading. In addition, every criterion was assessed with four kinds of PV tracking arrangements. The peak load requirement of power and energy, for eight primary health centres, was around 121.08 kW and 907.96 kWh/day respectively. HOMER Pro Micro-grid Analysis Tool was used, to analyze the different primary parameters of this study. The foremost financial parameters like COE (Cost of Energy) and NPC (Net Present Cost), could range from 0.102 to 0.118 $ per kWh and from 0.4047 to 0.5708 Million $ respectively. Annual energy production of solar PV could vary from 318.5 to 427.65 MWh. The main quantity parameter like percentage of excess electricity was obtained from 13.3 to 21.5% annually. The leading emission parameters like CO2 and CO were reported to range from 1700 to 4502 and from 7.98 to 28.1 kg per year respectively. Generator and fuel parameters, key properties of energy storage and converter, were also analyzed extensively. In addition, sensitivity analysis and social parameters were also discussed in this study. The result of this work gives a conceptual and flexible design of structure, to make possible the continuous power supply to the remote tribal area - based primary health centres, under in all situations.
Tutorial: How to build and control an all-fiber wavefront modulator using mechanical perturbations
Authors: Shekel Ronen , Sulimany Kfir , Resisi Shachar , Finkelstein Zohar , Lib Ohad , Popoff Sébastien M , Bromberg Yaron
Published: June 2024

Multimode optical fibers support the dense, low-loss transmission of many spatial modes, making them attractive for technologies such as communications and imaging. However, information propagating through multimode fibers is scrambled, due to modal dispersion and mode mixing. This is usually rectified using wavefront shaping techniques with devices such as spatial light modulators. Recently, we demonstrated an all-fiber system for controlling light propagation inside multimode fibers using mechanical perturbations, called the fiber piano. In this tutorial we explain the design considerations and experimental methods needed to build a fiber piano, and review applications where fiber pianos have been used.
Challenges in photocatalysis using covalent organic frameworks
Authors: Jiang Shu-Yan , Senftle Thomas P , Verduzco Rafael
Published: June 2024

Photocatalysis is an attractive, energy-efficient technology for organic transformations, polymer synthesis, and degradation of environmental pollutants. There is a need for new photocatalysts stable in different media and that can be tailored for specific applications. Covalent organic frameworks (COF) are crystalline, nanoporous materials with π-conjugated backbone monomers, representing versatile platforms as heterogeneous, metal-free photocatalysts. The backbone structure can be tailored to achieve desired photocatalytic properties, side-chains can mediate adsorption, and the nanoporous structure provides large surface area for molecular adsorption. While these properties make COFs attractive as photocatalysts, several fundamental questions remain regarding mechanisms for different photocatalytic transformations, reactant transport into porous COF structures, and both structural and chemical stability in various environments. In this perspective, we provide a brief overview of COF photocatalysts and identify challenges that should be addressed in future research seeking to employ COFs as photocatalysts. We close with an outlook and perspective on future research directions in the area of COF photocatalysts.
Improving tubular protonic ceramic fuel cell performance by compensating Ba evaporation via a Ba-excess optimized proton conducting electrolyte synthesis strategy
Authors: Kim You-Dong , Kim In-Ho , Meisel Charlie , Herradón Carolina , Rand Peter W , Yang Jayoon , Kim Hyun Sik , Sullivan Neal P , O’Hayre Ryan
Published: June 2024

Protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs) are emerging as a promising technology for reduced temperature ceramic energy conversion devices. The BaCe0.4Zr0.4Y0.1Yb0.1O3−δ
(BCZYYb4411) electrolyte is notable for its high proton conductivity. However, the tendency of barium to volatilize in BCZYYb4411 during high-temperature sintering compromises its chemical stability and performance. This study investigates the effects of intentionally incorporating excess barium into BCZYYb4411, formulated as Ba1+x
Ce0.4Zr0.4Y0.1Yb0.1O3−δ
(where x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3), with the aim of compensating barium evaporation and enhancing the physical and chemical properties. We find that excess barium results in a greater shrinkage rate, facilitating a denser electrolyte structure. This barium-enriched electrolyte demonstrates improved electrochemical performance by effectively counteracting the deleterious effects of barium evaporation. Applying this strategy to tubular PCFCs, we achieved a peak power density of 480 mW∙cm−2 at 600 °C. This unique approach provides a simple, tunable, and easy-to-implement processing modification to achieve high-performance tubular PCFC.
Deciphering peptide-protein interactions via composition-based prediction: a case study with survivin/BIRC5
Authors: Anindya Atsarina Larasati , Olsson Torbjörn Nur , Jensen Maja , Garcia-Bonete Maria-Jose , Wheatley Sally P , Bokarewa Maria I , Mezzasalma Stefano A , Katona Gergely
Published: June 2024

In the realm of atomic physics and chemistry, composition emerges as the most powerful means of describing matter. Mendeleev’s periodic table and chemical formulas, while not entirely free from ambiguities, provide robust approximations for comprehending the properties of atoms, chemicals, and their collective behaviours, which stem from the dynamic interplay of their constituents. Our study illustrates that protein-protein interactions follow a similar paradigm, wherein the composition of peptides plays a pivotal role in predicting their interactions with the protein survivin, using an elegantly simple model. An analysis of these predictions within the context of the human proteome not only confirms the known cellular locations of survivin and its interaction partners, but also introduces novel insights into biological functionality. It becomes evident that electrostatic- and primary structure-based descriptions fall short in predictive power, leading us to speculate that protein interactions are orchestrated by the collective dynamics of functional groups.
System flexibility in the context of transition towards a net-zero sector-coupled renewable energy system—case study of Germany
Authors: Gaafar Nourelden , Jürgens Patrick , Sepúlveda Schweiger Jael , Kost Christoph
Published: June 2024

To integrate variable renewable energy sources into the energy system and achieve net-zero emissions, the flexible operation of the power system is essential. Options that provide flexibility include electrolysis, demand side management, import and export of electricity, and flexible power plants. However, the interplay of these flexibility options in a renewable energy system with highly interacting energy and end-use sectors (known as sector coupling) is not yet fully understood. The aim of this paper is to improve the understanding of energy flexibility from a system perspective by explaining which flexibility options can provide how much flexibility and when are they operated. The analysis of the hourly results of the sector-coupled, long-term energy system model REMod shows that in times with high renewable electricity production, sector coupling technologies, specifically electrolysis and power-to-heat, dominate the annual flexibility shares. On the other hand, in times with low renewable production and high non-flexible demand, combined and open cycle gas turbines and electricity imports dominate in winter, while discharging electricity storage technologies dominate in summer. The operation of short-term electricity storage aligns in particular with photovoltaic production, while the operation of electrolysis is especially aligned to wind production. Non-flexible demand variations are driving the operation of combined and open cycle gas turbines and electricity imports. The results emphasize the pivotal role of flexibility, highlighting the need for efficient surplus electricity utilization and sector coupling. The results further suggest that it is crucial to establish market conditions that facilitate the flexible operation of various technologies in order to achieve economic efficiency.
Groundwater irrigation is critical for adapting wheat systems to warming temperatures in the Eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains in India
Authors: Umashaanker Maanya , Solomon Divya , Rao Preeti , Singh Sukhwinder , Ishtiaque Asif , Balwinder-Singh  , Poonia Shishpal , Agrawal Arun , Jain Meha
Published: June 2024

Warming temperatures are reducing wheat yields in India, and one way to reduce negative impacts is to sow wheat earlier. Yet farmers in Northeast India commonly sow wheat past the optimum time window. Previous studies have suggested this delay is driven by delays in the preceding rice growing season, which have cascading impacts on wheat sow date. It, however, remains unclear which specific rice management decisions are the most consequential for wheat sow date and what potential strategies may help advance the overall crop calendar. We used household survey data from 356 farmers in Bihar, India and structural equation modeling to identify the specific time points in the rice growing season that most impact wheat sow date. Our results suggest that late rice nursery establishment and rice harvest were associated with subsequent delays in the crop calendar. We also found that increasing groundwater irrigation access prior to the start of monsoon rains may be the most effective way to advance rice and wheat sowing. Our results provide insights into the specific time points in the crop calendar when interventions may be the most consequential, which is critical for developing interventions to help farmers adapt wheat systems to warming temperatures.
Introduction
Authors: Liebermann Rosanne
Published: June 2024

The book of Ezekiel makes abundant rhetorical use of the human body. This is likely related to the book’s setting in the sixth-century BCE Judean displacement to Babylonia: forced migration involves a disruption of the body’s material and social worlds, meaning that formerly taken-for-granted bodily practices and embodied experiences become subject to change and scrutiny. In this context of upheaval, the book of Ezekiel uses the body as a rhetorical device to construct a Judean in-group identity centred around the experience of exile. In doing so, the text describes the bodily practices of outsiders (both foreigners and Judeans who remained in Judah) in ways that evoke feelings of disgust. It uses these same tactics to reinforce hierarchies of gender and religious authority within the in-group, whereby the masculine, priestly body (exemplified by the prophet Ezekiel and reflecting Yhwh’s own body) is presented as the ideal standard.
Foreign Bodies
Authors: Liebermann Rosanne
Published: June 2024

The book of Ezekiel rhetorically attacks the bodily practices and bodies of foreigners, especially Egyptians, Assyrians, and Babylonians, demonstrating how they are fundamentally different from those of the Judean in-group. This includes imaginative descriptions of foreign corpses that are unclean and contaminating by virtue of being uncircumcised (Ezekiel 28; 31–32) as well as of Egypt possessing a variety of monstrous bodies (Ezekiel 23; 29; 32). These portrayals evoke disgust and encourage Judean separation from foreign people groups, which in turn supports the notion that these groups are biologically distinct ethnicities. When it comes to the Mesopotamian nations, the book of Ezekiel emphasizes their colonial power and foreign religious practices via descriptions of their dress and military accoutrements (especially Ezekiel 23). In doing so, it also discourages Judean contact with these groups by reminding its audience of how their country’s resources have been abused by the imperial powers.
Conclusion
Authors: Liebermann Rosanne
Published: June 2024

The book of Ezekiel seeks to convince displaced Judeans that if they maintain their identity as Yahwists outside of their ancestral land, they can look forward to a future characterized by vitality, purity, and proximity to Yhwh. The text indicates how the exiles are to achieve this by promoting bodily practices that identify them as Yahwists and presenting those who do not uphold those practices as disgusting. The bodily practices expected of Ezekiel’s constructed in-group vary according to gender and lay/priestly identity. The emotion of disgust the text evokes concerning those who deviate from its constructed norms—whether foreigners or in-group members—creates a shared embodied experience among the book of Ezekiel’s audience that serves as confirmation of the notion that their bodies are fundamentally different from those of others.
Neurocognitive Impairment in Long COVID: A Systematic Review
Authors: Panagea Eugenia , Messinis Lambros , Petri Maria Christina , Liampas Ioannis , Anyfantis Emmanouil , Nasios Grigorios , Patrikelis Panayiotis , Kosmidis Mary
Published: June 2024

Objective

Although Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is primarily a respiratory infectious disease, it has also been associated with a wide range of other clinical manifestations. It is widely accepted in the scientific community that many patients after recovery continue to experience COVID-19-related symptoms, including cognitive impairment. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the cognitive profile of patients with long-COVID syndrome.

Methods

A systematic search of empirical studies was conducted through the PubMed/Medline and Scopus electronic databases. Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies published between 2020 and 2023 were included.

Results

Of the 516 studies assessed for eligibility, 36 studies met the inclusion criteria. All included studies support the presence of persistent cognitive changes after COVID-19 disease. Executive function, memory, attention, and processing speed appear to be the cognitive domains that are predominantly associated with long-COVID syndrome, whereas language is an area that has not been sufficiently investigated.

Conclusions

In this review, the high frequency of cognitive impairment after COVID-19 is evident. If we consider that cognitive functioning affects our ability to live independently and is a key determinant of our quality of life, it is imperative to precisely define those factors that may induce cognitive impairment in COVID-19 survivors, with the ultimate goal of early diagnosis of cognitive changes and, consequently, the development of targeted rehabilitation interventions to address them.
D’or: deep orienter of protein–protein interaction networks
Authors: Pirak Daniel , Sharan Roded
Published: June 2024

Motivation

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) provide the skeleton for signal transduction in the cell. Current PPI measurement techniques do not provide information on their directionality which is critical for elucidating signaling pathways. To date, there are hundreds of thousands of known PPIs in public databases, yet only a small fraction of them have an assigned direction. This information gap calls for computational approaches for inferring the directionality of PPIs, aka network orientation.

Results

In this work, we propose a novel deep learning approach for PPI network orientation. Our method first generates a set of proximity scores between a protein interaction and sets of cause and effect proteins using a network propagation procedure. Each of these score sets is fed, one at a time, to a deep set encoder whose outputs are used as features for predicting the interaction’s orientation. On a comprehensive dataset of oriented PPIs taken from five different sources, we achieve an area under the precision–recall curve of 0.89–0.92, outperforming previous methods. We further demonstrate the utility of the oriented network in prioritizing cancer driver genes and disease genes.

Availability and implementation

D’or is implemented in Python and is publicly available at https://github.com/pirakd/DeepOrienter.
Experimental verification of double-four-ring-type aluminosilicate molecule as a single-source precursor for zeolite synthesis
Authors: Imaizumi Akira , Ohnishi Yurika , Nakada Akinobu , Honda Akinori , Matsumoto Takeshi , Katayama Kenji , Chang Ho-Chol
Published: June 2024

While a variety of functional zeolites have been synthesized using hydrothermal methods with conventional discrete Al and Si sources, control of the composition, structure, and function of the targeted zeolites often involves expensive and time-consuming trial-and-error approaches. Despite ongoing efforts to manipulate zeolite formation by adjusting Al and Si sources and reaction conditions, limited attention has been given to studies on zeolite synthesis using molecular precursors (MPs) with preorganized Al–O–Si bonds. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of LTA-type zeolites using [TMA]4[Al4Si4O12(OH)8]·13H2O ([MP]; TMA = tetramethylammonium cation) with a double-four-ring (D4R)-type core structure, which is known to be a secondary building unit in the LTA-type zeolite, as a MP. Here, we demonstrate the successful synthesis of LTA-type zeolites using [MP] under hydrothermal conditions at 100 to 200 °C in the presence of 1 equiv. of NaOH or NaCl. Notably, when discrete Al and Si sources were used instead of [MP] under otherwise identical conditions (the same Si/Al ratio, Na+ content, and temperature), GIS-, SOD-, and FAU-type zeolites lacking the D4R structure were obtained in addition to the LTA-type zeolites.
Cerebral hemodynamics underlying ankle force sense modulated by high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation
Authors: Shen Bin , Xiao Songlin , Yu Changxiao , Zhang Chuyi , Zhan Jianglong , Liu Ying , Fu Weijie
Published: June 2024

This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation on ankle force sense and underlying cerebral hemodynamics. Sixteen healthy adults (8 males and 8 females) were recruited in the study. Each participant received either real or sham high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation interventions in a randomly assigned order on 2 visits. An isokinetic dynamometer was used to assess the force sense of the dominant ankle; while the functional near-infrared spectroscopy was employed to monitor the hemodynamics of the sensorimotor cortex. Two-way analyses of variance with repeated measures and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. The results showed that the absolute error and root mean square error of ankle force sense dropped more after real stimulation than after sham stimulation (dropped by 23.4% vs. 14.9% for absolute error, and 20.0% vs. 10.2% for root mean square error). The supplementary motor area activation significantly increased after real high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation. The decrease in interhemispheric functional connectivity within the Brodmann’s areas 6 was significantly correlated with ankle force sense improvement after real high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation. In conclusion, high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation can be used as a potential intervention for improving ankle force sense. Changes in cerebral hemodynamics could be one of the explanations for the energetic effect of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation.
The differential assimilation of nitrogen fertilizer compounds by soil microorganisms
Authors: Charteris Alice F , Knowles Timothy D J , Mead Andrew , Reay Michaela K , Michaelides Katerina , Evershed Richard P
Published: June 2024

The differential soil microbial assimilation of common nitrogen (N) fertilizer compounds into the soil organic N pool is revealed using novel compound-specific amino acid (AA) 15N-stable isotope probing. The incorporation of fertilizer 15N into individual AAs reflected the known biochemistry of N assimilation—e.g. 15N-labelled ammonium (15NH4+) was assimilated most quickly and to the greatest extent into glutamate. A maximum of 12.9% of applied 15NH4+, or 11.7% of ‘retained’ 15NH4+ (remaining in the soil) was assimilated into the total hydrolysable AA pool in the Rowden Moor soil. Incorporation was lowest in the Rowden Moor 15N-labelled nitrate (15NO3−) treatment, at 1.7% of applied 15N or 1.6% of retained 15N. Incorporation in the 15NH4+ and 15NO3− treatments in the Winterbourne Abbas soil, and the 15N-urea treatment in both soils was between 4.4% and 6.5% of applied 15N or 5.2% and 6.4% of retained 15N. This represents a key step in greater comprehension of the microbially mediated transformations of fertilizer N to organic N and contributes to a more complete picture of soil N-cycling. The approach also mechanistically links theoretical/pure culture derived biochemical expectations and bulk level fertilizer immobilization studies, bridging these different scales of understanding.
An RNAi screen to identify proteins required for cohesion rejuvenation during meiotic prophase in Drosophila oocytes
Authors: Haseeb Muhammad A , Bernys Alana C , Dickert Erin E , Bickel Sharon E
Published: June 2024

Accurate chromosome segregation during meiosis requires the maintenance of sister chromatid cohesion, initially established during premeiotic S phase. In human oocytes, DNA replication and cohesion establishment occur decades before chromosome segregation and deterioration of meiotic cohesion is one factor that leads to increased segregation errors as women age. Our previous work led us to propose that a cohesion rejuvenation program operates to establish new cohesive linkages during meiotic prophase in Drosophila oocytes and depends on the cohesin loader Nipped-B and the cohesion establishment factor Eco. In support of this model, we recently demonstrated that chromosome-associated cohesin turns over extensively during meiotic prophase and failure to load cohesin onto chromosomes after premeiotic S phase results in arm cohesion defects in Drosophila oocytes. To identify proteins required for prophase cohesion rejuvenation but not S phase establishment, we conducted a Gal4-UAS inducible RNAi screen that utilized two distinct germline drivers. Using this strategy, we identified 29 gene products for which hairpin expression during meiotic prophase, but not premeiotic S phase, significantly increased segregation errors. Prophase knockdown of Brahma or Pumilio, two positives with functional links to the cohesin loader, caused a significant elevation in the missegregation of recombinant homologs, a phenotype consistent with premature loss of arm cohesion. Moreover, fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed that Brahma, Pumilio, and Nipped-B are required during meiotic prophase for the maintenance of arm cohesion. Our data support the model that Brahma and Pumilio regulate Nipped-B-dependent cohesin loading during rejuvenation. Future analyses will better define the mechanism(s) that govern meiotic cohesion rejuvenation and whether additional prophase-specific positives function in this process.
Surface conductivity of clays
Authors: Emelianov Viacheslav , Zhang Zeyu , Weller Andreas , Halisch Matthias , Titov Konstantin
Published: June 2024

Clay minerals are extensively used in a wide range of applications. In particular, clay-bearing formations are considered as suitable radioactive waste repository. Electrical resistivity tomography is an appropriate tool to monitor the properties of clay-bearing locations. However, an inherent drawback of a conventional resistivity survey is its ambiguity in distinguishing between the effects of groundwater salinity, clay content and porosity. A discrimination can be achieved on the basis of the induced polarization method that provides a complex conductivity. The main purpose of this study is the investigation of the complex conductivity of clay samples with a special focus on the contribution of surface conductivity produced by an excess of ions in the electrical double-layer coating the solid particles. Six clay mixtures were selected that include an almost pure kaolinite sample, a sample consisting of a mixture of kaolinite, illite and smectite, a crushed saponite breccia, a Ca-bentonite sample and two illite clay samples. Besides the enriched kaolinite, the other samples are natural geomaterials that contain more than 40 weight per cent clay minerals. The mineralogical compositions of the samples were determined by quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis. The clay powder was mixed with a varying volume of sodium chloride solution to get plastic state clay samples with varying water content. The samples were investigated by the spectral induced polarization method in a frequency range between 1 mHz and 1 kHz. The resulting complex conductivity spectra indicate a decrease of the real part of the electrical conductivity with rising water content for the illite, bentonite and saponite breccia samples. The overall conductivity of these clay samples is dominated by their surface conductivity. In contrast, the electrical conductivity of kaolinite and kaolinite–illite mixture does not show any significant changes with the water content. For all samples, the imaginary part of electrical conductivity increases at low water content. The real part of the surface conductivity indicates a linear dependence on the volumetric clay content. The slope of this linear relationship can be used to distinguish the types of clay. The ratio between imaginary conductivity and surface conductivity, which decreases with increasing clay content, proves to be a suitable parameter that characterizes the connectivity of clay aggregates in the sample. The surface conductivity of the pure kaolinite sample has been determined in an additional multisalinity experiment. The resulting surface conductivity is in good agreement with the experiment of varying water content. The multisalinity experiment has shown that the resulting petrophysical parameters depend on the procedure of sample packing, which may lead to anisotropy. The effect of anisotropy is attributed to the alignment of the plate-like kaolinite particles in the course of the packing and consolidation procedure.
The 2022 ICSID Arbitration Rules: Modernizing International Investment Dispute Resolution
Authors: Torterola Ignacio , Sharipov Farhod
Published: June 2024

The new Arbitration Rules of the International Center for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), which came into force on July 1, 2022, replace the previous version in force since 2006. These rules seek to make the ICSID arbitration process more efficient and responsive, while maintaining the high standards that have made ICSID a respected forum for resolving investment disputes. The new rules reflect changes in international investment law and policy over the past decade, and also aim to address shortcomings of the previous system, such as lack of transparency and efficiency. New provisions have been introduced to simplify and speed up arbitration procedures, provide greater transparency, increase the legitimacy of arbitration processes and expand access to them. The new rules reflect the expectations of ICSID and its members for more efficient and transparent resolution of investment disputes and should facilitate the further growth of international investment and trade, as well as the resolution of disputes arising in connection with these processes.
Burden of overweight and obesity among adolescents in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Eyeberu Addis , Dessie Yadeta , Assefa Nega
Published: June 2024

Background

Overweight and obesity continue to escalate, despite the regulations and interventions that have been put in place. To support further policy directions, it is necessary to have pooled data that illustrate the burden of overweight and obesity among adolescents nowadays. Thus, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the burden of overweight and obesity among Ethiopian adolescents.

Methods

Embase, Science Direct, Medline, PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Science were the databases used in the search for publications that ran from inception until 25 October 2023. STATA version 18 was used to analyze data on overweight and obesity in adolescents. Using the random effect model, the pooled estimates with 95% CIs were calculated. Using the Galbraith plot, I2 statistics and Cochrane Q statistics, heterogeneity was investigated.

Results

In total, 20145 adolescents aged 10–19 years were included in this meta-analysis study. The pooled prevalence of overweight and obesity among adolescents in Ethiopia was 10% (95% CI 9 to 12%; I2=94.03%). There was a substantial correlation between being female (OR=1.81, 95% CI 1.47 to 2.15), attending private schools (OR=1.78, 95% CI 1.31 to 2.26), having a family size of ≥4 (OR=1.86, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.58) and being of middle economic status (OR=1.62, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.10).

Conclusions

In Ethiopia, one in 10 adolescents is overweight/obese. The study's findings clearly show that a large number of adolescents are dealing with this emerging public health issue. Moreover, characteristics related to physical activity, nutrition and sociodemographics were discovered to be associated with overweight and obesity. To lessen the burden of overweight and obesity, the government and other parties should work together to support gender-specific nutritional interventions, encourage healthy lifestyle choices among teenagers and facilitate these efforts.
Evolutionary history of tyrosine-supplementing endosymbionts in pollen-feeding beetles
Authors: Wierz Jürgen C , Gimmel Matthew L , Huthmacher Selina , Engl Tobias , Kaltenpoth Martin
Published: June 2024

Many insects feeding on nutritionally challenging diets like plant sap, leaves, or wood engage in ancient associations with bacterial symbionts that supplement limiting nutrients or produce digestive or detoxifying enzymes. However, the distribution, function, and evolutionary dynamics of microbial symbionts in insects exploiting other plant tissues or relying on a predacious diet remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated the evolutionary history and function of the intracellular gamma-proteobacterial symbiont “Candidatus Dasytiphilus stammeri” in soft-winged flower beetles (Coleoptera, Melyridae, Dasytinae) that transition from saprophagy or carnivory to palynivory (pollen-feeding) between larval and adult stage. Reconstructing the distribution of the symbiont within the Dasytinae phylogeny unraveled not only a long-term coevolution, originating from a single acquisition event with subsequent host–symbiont codiversification, but also several independent symbiont losses. The analysis of 20 different symbiont genomes revealed that their genomes are severely eroded. However, the universally retained shikimate pathway indicates that the core metabolic contribution to their hosts is the provisioning of tyrosine for cuticle sclerotization and melanization. Despite the high degree of similarity in gene content and order across symbiont strains, the capacity to synthesize additional essential amino acids and vitamins and to recycle urea is retained in some but not all symbionts, suggesting ecological differences among host lineages. This report of tyrosine-provisioning symbionts in insects with saprophagous or carnivorous larvae and pollen-feeding adults expands our understanding of tyrosine supplementation as an important symbiont-provided benefit across a broad range of insects with diverse feeding ecologies.
USPSTF Recommendations and Overdiagnosis
Authors: Hendrick R Edward , Monticciolo Debra L
Published: June 2024

Overdiagnosis is the concept that some cancers detected at screening would never have become clinically apparent during a woman’s lifetime in the absence of screening. This could occur if a woman dies of a cause other than breast cancer in the interval between mammographic detection and clinical detection (obligate overdiagnosis) or if a mammographically detected breast cancer fails to progress to clinical presentation. Overdiagnosis cannot be measured directly. Indirect methods of estimating overdiagnosis include use of data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) designed to evaluate breast cancer mortality, population-based screening studies, or modeling. In each case, estimates of overdiagnosis must consider lead time, breast cancer incidence trends in the absence of screening, and accurate and predictable rates of tumor progression. Failure to do so has led to widely varying estimates of overdiagnosis. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) considers overdiagnosis a major harm of mammography screening. Their 2024 report estimated overdiagnosis using summary evaluations of 3 RCTs that did not provide screening to their control groups at the end of the screening period, along with Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Network modeling. However, there are major flaws in their evidence sources and modeling estimates, limiting the USPSTF assessment. The most plausible estimates remain those based on observational studies that suggest overdiagnosis in breast cancer screening is 10% or less and can be attributed primarily to obligate overdiagnosis and nonprogressive ductal carcinoma in situ.
Building An Abolition Movement for International Criminal Law?
Authors: Rigney Sophie
Published: June 2024

International criminal law is a carceral system, which responds to mass atrocities by holding some individuals criminally responsible for these events and then, generally, imprisoning those individuals. I ask what alternative responses might be envisaged, and if we can build a carceral abolitionist movement for international criminal law. Such a movement would refuse imprisonment and policing as the main responses to mass atrocity, and instead would seek to understand the social causes and conditions that cause such mass atrocity, and also how (and why) criminal law has become the preeminent ‘legitimate hand of justice’. In this article, I attempt to bring into conversation two particular intellectual movements: the collective scholarship and praxis of domestic carceral abolition movements; and those critical scholars of international criminal law who have already set out some of the limits and possibilities of the field. I set out the structural conditions of international criminal law, particularly its ideological grounding in neoliberalism and its relationships to race, global capital and colonialism and imperialism, which result in a legal system that criminalizes some and exonerates others. I then particularly examine some tools that already exist for building an abolition movement for international criminal law. These include the defence of duress, transformative reparations and the role of defence lawyers. These tools are admittedly part of the carceral system, and therefore cannot be the key to an abolition movement for international criminal law. However, they may assist us in the short or medium term as we imagine and work towards a better world without the need for a carceral system of international criminal law that relies on police and prisons.
Single-cell analysis defines LGALS1+ fibroblasts that promote proliferation and migration of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Cao Qiqi , Yang Jinxian , Jiang Lixuan , Yang Zhao , Fan Zhecai , Chen Shuzhen , Zhu Sibo , Yin Lei , Wang Hongyang , Wen Wen
Published: June 2024

The incidence rate of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), which has a poor prognosis, is rapidly increasing. To investigate the intratumor heterogeneity in ICC, we analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from the primary tumor and adjacent normal tissues of 14 treatment-naïve patients. We identified 10 major cell types, along with 45 subclusters of cells. Notably, we identified a fibroblast cluster, Fibroblast_LUM+, which was preferably enriched in tumor tissues and actively interacted with cholangiocytes. LGALS1 was verified as a marker gene of Fibroblast_LUM+, contributing to the malignant phenotype of ICC. Higher amount of LGALS1+ fibroblasts was associated with poorer overall survival of ICC patients. Mechanistically, LGALS1+ fibroblasts activated the proliferation and migration of tumor cells by upregulating the expression levels of CCR2, ADAM15, and β-integrin. Silencing LGALS1 in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) suppressed CAF-augmented tumor cell migration and invasion in vitro as well as tumor formation in vivo, suggesting that blockade of LGALS1 serves as a potential therapeutic approach for ICC. Taken together, our single-cell analysis provides insight into the interaction between malignant cells and specific subtypes of fibroblasts, which contributes to better understanding of the intratumor heterogeneity in ICC and the development of novel strategies for the treatment of ICC by targeting fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment.
Philosophical Reflections on Music Therapy Musicianship
Authors: Matney Bill , Fisher CharCarol , Meadows Anthony , Schwartz Elizabeth , Turry Alan
Published: June 2024

This philosophical inquiry critically examines music therapy musicianship in order to reconceptualize the ways in which musicianship is conceived of and taught in education and training programs in the United States. Through a constructive and critical interaction with historical and extant literature, we seek to create space for the uniqueness of musicianship in our field. We challenge the relevance of the conservatory model, the primacy of the work concept, and the focus on fine art often found in educational settings. In doing so, we align music therapy musicianship with relevant musics, instrumentation, and the unique contextual and relational components of music experiences in our work. We construct multidirectional connections between musicality, musical identity, musicianship, music therapy context, musicking, and the clients’/participants’ lifeworld, introducing subconcepts within and between each concept. This co-construction with the literature asserts our identity in education, training, practice, and research. We conclude by offering preliminary guidance that may further develop music therapy musicianship in education and clinical training programs, in alignment with current reports on education.
Empowering Adolescent and Young Adults with SCD by Enhancing Career Choices and Support
Authors: Johnson Shirley A , Hines Raven , Zhang Yue , Sop Daniel M , Smith Wally R
Published: June 2024

Presentation Date: 6/9/2024

Presentation Start Time: 3:30:00 PM

Background

Over 40% of Americans live with at least one chronic illness. Their illness poses unique barriers in social determinants of health, including employment. Initiatives like Chronically Capable have pioneered virtual career fairs to connect adults with disabilities to employment opportunities. However, Sickle Cell Disease adolescents and young adults (SCD AYAs) transferring from pediatric to adult care after high school may be cast into unemployment and indecision about further education, training, or work without these opportunities. Virginia Commonwealth University’s Adult Sickle Cell Medical Home therefore conducted an in-person Transition Career Fair to bridge the communication gap between SCD AYAs needing work, training, or skills, and available educational and workforce opportunities.

Methods

We targeted for attendance community colleges, vocational training organizations, and businesses, as well as 331 VCU SCD AYAs aged 17-30, using email, text, phone calls, and flyers. The event, hosted at a conference center in our outpatient building, featured strategically arranged stations for resume building, job applications, and mock interviews. Attendees were encouraged to actively seek opportunities by visiting each station. Each also received curated grab bags containing essentials for career advancement, alongside access to coaching and invaluable networking opportunities.

Results

Table 1 shows the Transition Career Fair garnered significant attention. Attendees expressed overwhelming gratitude for the tailored support and guidance. Preliminary outcomes were promising. Attendees left the fair equipped with enhanced resumes, having submitted job applications and enrolled in colleges. Notably, the meaningful interactions between businesses and patients fostered their comments about the event’s inclusivity and community support. Furthermore, the fair garnered attention from VCUHS leadership, local media, and the First Lady of Virginia, raising broader awareness.

Conclusions

AYAs with SCD face multifaceted challenges, but initiatives like this Transition Career Fair underscore the power of community collaboration and targeted support in empowering patients to pursue fulfilling career paths. Next steps are to provide the 26 attendees ongoing support and follow-up, to integrate vocational planning seamlessly into patient care, and to ensure that every SCD AYA has the resources and opportunities needed to envision and realize a successful future. We expect that SCD Transition programs dedicated to supporting SCD AYAs in improving social determinants of health will demonstrate better health outcomes related to AYA independence and professional fulfillment.

Outcomes from SCD AYA Transition Career Fair. DARS=Department for Aging and Rehabilitative Services
Platelet to Neutrophil Ratio as a Novel Marker for Monitoring SCD Patients on Hydroxyurea
Authors: Efobi Chilota Chibuife , Nri-Ezedi Chisom A , Hyppolite Regine , Darbari Deepika S , Campbell Andrew D
Published: June 2024

Presentation Date: 6/9/2024

Presentation Start Time: 4:15:00 PM

Background

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited hemolytic anemia, common in developing countries like Nigeria. Platelet to neutrophil ratio is an inflammatory marker used to determine outcome in some disease conditions. Developing a simple but effective means of monitoring SCD patients on hydroxyurea may be beneficial to the developing world, where poverty makes it difficult to adequately manage and follow up SCD patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective study whose data was obtained from the Children’s National Hospital Washington DC, USA medical records for 347 SCD patients as part of the CNH Natural History Study of SCD. Statistical analyses were employed to evaluate the association between the platelet-neutrophil ratio(PNR) and hydroxyurea intake. Descriptive, Univariate and Multivariate analyses were performed. P value < 0.05 was statistically significant.

Results

A total of 347 patient records were studied of which 176(50.7) were males and 171(49.3) were females. Hemoglobin SS patients on hydroxyurea were found to have higher hemoglobin concentration and platelet count, though not statistically significant. P = 0.478, 0.52) but had lower WBC, Reticulocyte count, neutrophil count and higher PNR when compared to those not on hydroxyurea. (p = 0.00,0.00,0.00, 0.006) respectively. This contrast with HbSC and other genotype with no statistically significant association of the named parameters. PNR was highest amongst HbSS patients on hydroxyurea 83.6 (58.1-115.3 (p = 0.006). unlike Hb SC patient. p = 0.805. multivariate analysis, showed PNR to be the only variable influencing hydroxyurea use(p = 0.0009)

Conclusions

Platelet to neutrophil ratio has been found to be an effective metric for assessing HbSS patients on HU. We recommend further studies to calculate the expected normal range of PNR for SCD patients of all ages, gender as well as determine values below which different SCD complications may occur. This will allow for development of reference intervals of PNR for more effective patient management in resource poor countries. Larger studies are needed to validate these findings.