bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening for intracranial aneurysms in persons ⩾35 years with hypertension and atherosclerotic disease who smoke(d)
Authors: Mensing Liselore A , van Tuijl Rick J , de Kort Gerard A , van der Schaaf Irene C , Visseren Frank L , Rinkel Gabriel JE , Velthuis Birgitta K , Ruigrok Ynte M , Cramer M.J. , van der Meer M.G. , Nathoe H.M. , Teraa M. , de Borst G.J. , van Smeden M. , Bots M.L. , Emmelot-Vonk M.H. , de Jong P.A. , Lely A.T. , van der Kaaij N.P. , Kappelle L.J. , Ruigrok Y.M. , Verhaar M.C. , Dorresteijn J.A.N. , Visseren (chair) F.L.J.
Published: August 2023

Introduction:

Lifetime risk of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) is high (7%) in persons ⩾35 years with hypertension who smoke(d). Whether screening for intracranial aneurysms (IAs) to prevent aSAH is effective in these patients is unknown.

Patients and methods:

Participants were retrieved from a cohort of patients with clinically manifest atherosclerotic vascular disease included between 2012 and 2019 at the University Medical Centre Utrecht (SMART-ORACLE, NCT01932671) in whom CT-angiography (CTA) of intracranial arteries was performed. We selected patients ⩾35 years with hypertension who smoke(d). CTAs were reviewed for the presence of IAs by experienced neuroradiologists. Patients with IAs were offered follow-up imaging to detect aneurysmal growth. We determined aneurysm prevalence and developed a diagnostic model for IA risk at screening using multivariable logistic regression.

Results:

IA were found in 25 of 500 patients (5.0% prevalence, 95%CI: 3.3%–7.3%). Median 5 year risk of rupture assessed with the PHASES score was 0.9% (IQR: 0.7%–1.3%). During a median follow-up of 57 months (IQR: 39–83 months) no patients suffered from aSAH. Aneurysmal growth was detected in one patient for whom preventive treatment was advised. IA risk at screening ranged between 1.6% and 13.4% with predictors being age, female sex and current smoking.

Discussion and conclusion:

IA prevalence in persons ⩾35 years with hypertension and atherosclerotic vascular disease who smoke(d) was 5%. Given the very small proportion of IA that needed preventive treatment, we currently do not advise screening for Caucasian persons older than 35 years of age who smoke and have hypertension in general. Whether screening may be effective for certain subgroups (e.g. women older than 50 years of age) or other ethnic populations should be the subject of future studies.
Addressing COVID-19 inequities using bidirectional crisis and emergency risk communication and vaccine clinic interventions: a descriptive study
Authors: Lohr Abby M. , Neumbo Kelao Charmaine , Njeru Jane W. , Molina Luz , Hasley Rachel , Ahmed Yahye , Quirindongo-Cedeno Onelis , Torres-Herbeck Gloria A. , Goodson Miriam L. , Osman Ahmed , Weis Jenny A. , Wieland Mark L. , Sia Irene G.
Published: August 2023

Background

Im/migrants (immigrants and migrants, including refugees, asylum seekers, and individuals without legal documentation) experience unique assets and needs in relation to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Community-based participatory research (CBPR) is one way to engage im/migrant communities. Rochester Healthy Community Partnership (RHCP) is a CBPR partnership in Rochester, Minnesota. RHCP partners noted that credible COVID-19 information was not available to their communities. In response, RHCP formed a COVID-19 Task Force and adapted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) framework to create an intervention that prioritized im/migrant groups experiencing health disparities. In the CERC intervention, communication leaders delivered COVID-19 health messages to their social networks and documented related concerns. RHCP relayed these concerns to regional leaders to ensure that im/migrant experiences were included in decision making. Once vaccines were available, RHCP continued to deploy the CERC intervention to promote vaccination equity. The aims of this paper are to (1) describe the implementation of a bidirectional CERC intervention for vaccination equity, and (2) describe a community-engaged and community-based vaccine clinic intervention.

Methods

First, we surveyed participants (n = 37) to assess COVID-19 experiences, acceptability of the CERC intervention, and motivation to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Second, we collaborated with community partners to hold vaccine clinics. We report descriptive statistics from each intervention.

Results

When asked about the acceptability of the CERC intervention for vaccine equity, most participants either reported that they ‘really liked it’ or ‘thought it was just ok’. Most participants stated that they would recommend the program to family or friends who have not yet received the COVID-19 vaccine. Almost all participants reported that they felt ‘much more’ or ‘somewhat more’ motivated to receive a COVID-19 vaccine after the intervention. We administered 1158 vaccines at the vaccination clinics.

Conclusions

We found that participants viewed the CERC intervention for vaccination equity as an acceptable way to disseminate COVID-19-related information. Nearly all participants reported that the intervention convinced them to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. In our experience, community-engaged and community-based clinics are a successful way to administer vaccines to im/migrant communities during a pandemic.
A heterozygous splicing variant IVS9-7A > T in intron 9 of the MAPT gene in a patient with right-temporal variant frontotemporal dementia with atypical 4 repeat tauopathy
Authors: Mori Kohji , Shigenobu Kazue , Beck Goichi , Uozumi Ryota , Satake Yuto , Suzuki Maki , Kondo Shizuko , Gotoh Shiho , Yonenobu Yuki , Kawai Makiko , Suzuki Yuki , Saito Yuko , Morii Eiichi , Hasegawa Masato , Mochizuki Hideki , Murayama Shigeo , Ikeda Manabu
Published: August 2023

Right temporal variant frontotemporal dementia, also called right-predominant semantic dementia, often has an unclear position within the framework of the updated diagnostic criteria for behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia or primary progressive aphasia. Recent studies have suggested that this population may be clinically, neuropathologically, and genetically distinct from those with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia or left-predominant typical semantic variant primary progressive aphasia. Here we describe a Japanese case of right temporal variant frontotemporal dementia with novel heterozygous MAPT mutation Adenine to Thymidine in intervening sequence (IVS) 9 at position -7 from 3ʹ splicing site of intron 9/exon 10 boundary (MAPT IVS9-7A > T). Postmortem neuropathological analysis revealed a predominant accumulation of 4 repeat tau, especially in the temporal lobe, amygdala, and substantia nigra, but lacked astrocytic plaques or tufted astrocytes. Immunoelectron microscopy of the tau filaments extracted from the brain revealed a ribbon-like structure. Moreover, a cellular MAPT splicing assay confirmed that this novel variant promoted the inclusion of exon 10, resulting in the predominant production of 4 repeat tau. These data strongly suggest that the MAPT IVS9-7 A > T variant found in our case is a novel mutation that stimulates the inclusion of exon 10 through alternative splicing of MAPT transcript and causes predominant 4 repeat tauopathy which clinically presents as right temporal variant frontotemporal dementia.
Fetal MRI: what’s new? A short review
Authors: Manganaro Lucia , Capuani Silvia , Gennarini Marco , Miceli Valentina , Ninkova Roberta , Balba Ilaria , Galea Nicola , Cupertino Angelica , Maiuro Alessandra , Ercolani Giada , Catalano Carlo
Published: August 2023

Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (fetal MRI) is usually performed as a second-level examination following routine ultrasound examination, generally exploiting morphological and diffusion MRI sequences. The objective of this review is to describe the novelties and new applications of fetal MRI, focusing on three main aspects: the new sequences with their applications, the transition from 1.5-T to 3-T magnetic field, and the new applications of artificial intelligence software. This review was carried out by consulting the MEDLINE references (PubMed) and including only peer-reviewed articles written in English. Among the most important novelties in fetal MRI, we find the intravoxel incoherent motion model which allow to discriminate the diffusion from the perfusion component in fetal and placenta tissues. The transition from 1.5-T to 3-T magnetic field allowed for higher quality images, thanks to the higher signal-to-noise ratio with a trade-off of more frequent artifacts. The application of motion-correction software makes it possible to overcome movement artifacts by obtaining higher quality images and to generate three-dimensional images useful in preoperative planning.

Relevance statement

This review shows the latest developments offered by fetal MRI focusing on new sequences, transition from 1.5-T to 3-T magnetic field and the emerging role of AI software that are paving the way for new diagnostic strategies.

Key points

• Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a second-line imaging after ultrasound.

• Diffusion-weighted imaging and intravoxel incoherent motion sequences provide quantitative
biomarkers on fetal microstructure and perfusion.

• 3-T MRI improves the detection of cerebral malformations.

• 3-T MRI is useful for both body and nervous system indications.

• Automatic MRI motion tracking overcomes fetal movement artifacts and improve fetal imaging.

Graphical Abstract
Sudden cardiac death and thymic hyperplasia in adults: myth or reality? A case report
Authors: Benevento Marcello , Nicolì Simona , Ferorelli Davide , Ciccone Marco Matteo , Marzullo Andrea , Solarino Biagio
Published: August 2023

Background

Sudden cardiac death is a major public health concern. The incidence of sudden cardiac death in young adults remains unclear and is generally underestimated.

Case presentation

This is a case report of a 24-year-old man with a silent pathological history, who suddenly collapsed in a restaurant during dinner with his workmates. Autopsy and ancillary examination revealed focal atrioventricular node fibrosis and thymic hyperplasia.

Conclusions

Thymic hyperplasia has been considered a cause of sudden death in the past century. The mode of death was explained through nosographic entities such as status lymphaticus or thymic asthma, which are currently consigned to history books. Nevertheless, recent studies have sought to determine the relationship between thymic hyperplasia and sudden unexpected deaths in adults. Moreover, isolated fibrosis of the atrioventricular node is a rare condition that can remain undiagnosed even after a full autopsy. This report aims to provide a concise review of the existing literature concerning sudden cardiac death and discuss the so-called “thymic death” theory, which is now considered a myth. Was the finding of thymic hyperplasia and atrioventricular node fibrosis a coincidence? Should the myth surrounding “thymic death” be re-examined?
Disentangling the link between zebrafish diet, gut microbiome succession, and Mycobacterium chelonae infection
Authors: Sieler Michael J. , Al-Samarrie Colleen E. , Kasschau Kristin D. , Varga Zoltan M. , Kent Michael L. , Sharpton Thomas J.
Published: August 2023

Background

Despite the long-established importance of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as a model organism and their increasing use in microbiome-targeted studies, relatively little is known about how husbandry practices involving diet impact the zebrafish gut microbiome. Given the microbiome’s important role in mediating host physiology and the potential for diet to drive variation in microbiome composition, we sought to clarify how three different dietary formulations that are commonly used in zebrafish facilities impact the gut microbiome. We compared the composition of gut microbiomes in approximately 60 AB line adult (129- and 214-day-old) zebrafish fed each diet throughout their lifespan.

Results

Our analysis finds that diet has a substantial impact on the composition of the gut microbiome in adult fish, and that diet also impacts the developmental variation in the gut microbiome. We further evaluated how 214-day-old fish microbiome compositions respond to exposure of a common laboratory pathogen, Mycobacterium chelonae, and whether these responses differ as a function of diet. Our analysis finds that diet determines the manner in which the zebrafish gut microbiome responds to M. chelonae exposure, especially for moderate and low abundance taxa. Moreover, histopathological analysis finds that male fish fed different diets are differentially infected by M. chelonae.

Conclusions

Overall, our results indicate that diet drives the successional development of the gut microbiome as well as its sensitivity to exogenous exposure. Consequently, investigators should carefully consider the role of diet in their microbiome zebrafish investigations, especially when integrating results across studies that vary by diet.
Left ventricular noncompaction in Ibadan, Nigeria
Authors: Ogah Okechukwu Samuel , Iyawe Efosa P. , Orimolade Olanike Allison , Okwunze Kenechukwu , Okeke Mesoma , Babatunde Abdulhammed , Aje Akinyemi , Adebiyi Adewole A.
Published: August 2023

Background

There has been an increase in the reporting of cases of left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) cardiomyopathy in medical literature due to advances in medical imaging. Patients with LVNC may be asymptomatic or may present with arrhythmias, heart failure, thromboembolism or sudden death. LVNC is typically diagnosed by echocardiography, although there are higher-resolution cardiac imaging techniques such as cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to make the diagnosis. The objective of the study is to report on a series of 9 cases of LVNC cardiomyopathy seen at the University College Hospital, Ibadan. Cases of LVNC seen between September 1, 2015 and July 31, 2022 in our echocardiography service  is being reported.

Results

There were a total of 6 men and 3 women. Mean age at presentation was 52.89 ± 15.02 years. The most common mode of presentation was heart failure (6 patients). Hypertension was the most common comorbidity (6 patients). Three patients had an ejection fraction of less than 40% and the mean ratio of noncompacted to compacted segment at end-systole was 2.80 ± 0.48. The most common areas of trabecular localization were the LV lateral wall and the apex. Beta blockers were highly useful in the management of the patients.

Conclusions

LVNC cardiomyopathy is not uncommon in our environment and a high index of suspicion is often required.
Redefining Cancer Research Priorities in Low- and Middle-Income Countries in the Post–COVID-19 Global Context: A Modified Delphi Consensus Process
Authors: Fox Louis , Santaolalla Aida , Handford Jasmine , Sullivan Richard , Torode Julie , Vanderpuye Verna , Pramesh C.S. , Mula-Hussain Layth , AlWaheidi Shaymaa , Makaroff Lydia E. , Kaur Ranjit , Mackay Clara , Mukherji Deborah , Van Hemelrijck Mieke
Published: August 2023

PURPOSE

The post–COVID-19 funding landscape for cancer research globally has become increasingly challenging, particularly in resource-challenged regions (RCRs) lacking strong research ecosystems. We aimed to produce a list of priority areas for cancer research in countries with limited resources, informed by researchers and patients.

METHODS

Cancer experts in lower-resource health care systems (as defined by the World Bank as low- and middle-income countries; N = 151) were contacted to participate in a modified consensus-seeking Delphi survey, comprising two rounds. In round 1, participants (n = 69) rated predetermined areas of potential research priority (ARPs) for importance and suggested missing ARPs. In round 2, the same participants (n = 49) rated an integrated list of predetermined and suggested ARPs from round 1, then undertook a forced choice priority ranking exercise. Composite voting scores ( T-scores) were used to rank the ARPs. Importance ratings were summarized descriptively. Findings were discussed with international patient advocacy organization representatives.

RESULTS

The top ARP was research into strategies adapting guidelines or treatment strategies in line with available resources (particularly systemic therapy) ( T = 83). Others included cancer registries ( T = 62); prevention ( T = 52); end-of-life care ( T = 53); and value-based and affordable care ( T = 51). The top COVID-19/cancer ARP was strategies to incorporate what has been learned during the pandemic that can be maintained posteriorly ( T = 36). Others included treatment schedule interruption ( T = 24); cost-effective reduction of COVID-19 morbidity/mortality ( T = 19); and pandemic preparedness ( T = 18).

CONCLUSION

Areas of strategic priority favored by cancer researchers in RCRs are related to adaptive treatment guidelines; sustainable implementation of cancer registries; prevention strategies; value-based and affordable cancer care; investments in research capacity building; epidemiologic work on local risk factors for cancer; and combatting inequities of prevention and care access.
Ultrasound Rounds: Anesthesiologist-Performed Intraoperative Point-of-Care Focused Assessment With Sonography in Trauma Examination Changes Surgical Management
Authors: Bradley Caitlin A. , Hollon McKenzie M.
Published: August 2023

Focused Assessment with Sonography in Trauma (FAST) examinations have been performed for decades by surgeons during initial patient presentation for emergency care and surgical planning, as well as for guiding resuscitation. This case highlights how use of intraoperative FAST examinations performed by anesthesiologists can dramatically change patient management. Use by anesthesiologists perioperatively is an important skill, although it is not widely practiced.
The Institutionalization of Memory Politics in a Hybrid Political Regime: The Figure, Legacy, and Appropriation of György Lukács in Hungary between 2010 and 2020
Authors: Túry György
Published: August 2023

This article examines the political reception of György Lukács and his students in Viktor Orbán’s Hungary between 2010 and 2020. It argues that Orbán’s autocratic regime has sought to systematically delegitimize Lukács’s person, thought, and legacy in an attempt to consolidate power and usher in a “new cultural era.” The article analyzes three pivotal moments in the Orbán regime’s struggle against Lukács: a 2011 lawsuit accusing Lukács’s intellectual heirs of embezzling research money; a media takedown of Lukács, resulting in the removal of his statue from Budapest in 2017; and the closure of the Lukács Archives in 2018. The article shows that, rather than engage with Lukács’s thought and ideology, the Orbán regime has treated Lukács as an unwanted cultural symbol. It concludes by warning that Orbán’s treatment of Lukács is exemplary of “illiberal democracies” across the world: when ideology is deemed meaningless, culture becomes directly subjugated to political power.
An alternative focus on data in the neurorights discussion – Lessons from Brazil
Authors: Rainey Stephen , Dalese Pedro
Published: August 2023

Developments in neurotechnology are prompting concerns about the concepts of mental privacy, mental integrity, and cognitive liberty, among others. Many researchers and some policymakers have begun to propose that novel human rights are required to meet the challenges emerging neurotechnology poses. These proposals have seen high-profile discussion, gaining already state-level recognition in Chile. Others advocate a different approach by concentrating on data protection. This brief recommends this kind of focus in order to (i) help researchers to regulate the pace of development and (ii) respect the potential for risks to individuals by permitting them greater control over how their neurodata is used. A data-centred approach is an agile means of providing legal and ethical protection and permitting the direction of neurotechnology development toward producing positive impacts. This brief also refers to legislative change in Brazil, contrasted with Chile, where data law is to be revised to pre-empt neurotechnological issues. The Brazilian model emerges as an alternative that ought to be replicated by other lawmakers globally.
The genome sequence of the Brown Argus, Aricia agestis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Authors: Hayward Alex , Lohse Konrad , Vila Roger , Laetsch Dominik R. , Hedlund Johanna S.U. ,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: August 2023

We present genome assemblies from two male Aricia agestis specimens (the Brown Argus; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Lycaenidae). The genome sequences are 435.3 and 437.4 megabases in span. Each assembly is scaffolded into 23 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genomes were assembled and are 15.47 and 15.45 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of these assemblies on Ensembl identified 12,688 and 12,654 protein coding genes.
“In a Miracle Wellspring” of Goethe’s Poetry: Comments on the Role of Translated Poetry in a Small Literature
Authors: Lukas Liina
Published: August 2023

In 1944, on the cusp of one occupying power replacing another in Estonia, the beloved Estonian poet Heiti Talvik translated Goethe’s poetry and was filled with admiration: “What a youthful abundance of life in every detail! Yes, to delve into Goethe’s work is to rinse your eyes in a miracle wellspring capable of renewing your fading vision.” By then, the Estonian language and Estonian poetry had already been drawing from this miracle wellspring for more than a century. In this presentation, I will be discussing the significance of Goethe’s poetry in Estonian literature and comparing it to that of small and large literatures of neighbouring countries. Based on research, I conducted with my co-authors Vahur Aabrams and Susanna Rennik for our recently published book Goethe’s Poetry in Estonian (University of Tartu Press, 2021), I will show the dynamics of the reception and translation of Goethe’s poetry in Estonia and in the wider Baltic cultural space, and I will explore the local socio-cultural and more general aesthetic and ideological factors that influenced this reception.
‘We’re All Mad Here’: Alienation, Madness, and Crafting Tom Waits
Authors: López-Peláez Akalay Nadia
Published: August 2023

Tom Waits, through his poetry, his poetic and public personae, has become the father of the desperate failures of society, those who lay down and fill the background with disillusionment. No-direction-homers flock together and become the majority of Waits’ main characters. As an artist, he gives a voice and a name to those who, otherwise, would remain invisible, endowing them with corporeality. Waits, through the projection of his public persona, illumines the lives of the weak, who strive to survive in a world that has always fed upon those below. There is something honourable about the people who struggle the most, trying to find their path in the darkest of places, and Waits, through his career as an entertainer, has always prioritised his respect for these people, praising their many faults and poor decisions, merging them with the tormented collective and thus becoming one with their sadness and horror.

This paper will focus on how Tom Waits constructs his personae through an identification with the disappointments of society: the underdog, and, more particularly, the alcoholic underdog. I intend to focus mainly on the lyrical content of his albums Rain Dogs and Small Change, together with their respective representations in other art forms, specifically interviews, lives, artistry, etc. This section will also include Tom Waits’ depiction of some characters as grotesques, as they form the limits of societal acceptance. In the last section, I will examine the presence and construction of these grotesques in his album Alice (2002), while comparing the lyrical content to its other cultural manifestations.
Features of hyperplastic processes of the endometrium in the presence of arterial hypertension
Authors: Zemlianiy Yaroslav , Zemlyana Natalie
Published: August 2023

Introduction: The relevance of studying endometrial hyperplastic processes (EHP) is due to their prevalence, impact on quality of life and high risk of malignancy. The structure of EHP takes from 20 to 40% in the pathology of reproductive system in women.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and morphological features of hyperplastic processes of the endometrium in the presence of arterial hypertension.

Materials and Methods: 96 women with endometrial hyperplastic processes were examined during the study. The first group consisted of 57 women with endometrial hyperplasia with arterial hypertension. The second group included 39 patients with endometrial hyperplasia without arterial hypertension All patients involved in the study, were investigated by ultrasound on the machine "MyLab50" ( «Esaote», Italy) and videohysteroscopy ( «Karl Storz», Germany).

Results: In women of perimenopausal and postmenopausal age arterial hypertension was observed significantly more often compared to women of reproductive age (p<0.05). dysmenorrhea (40,4%; p <0.05), metrorrhagia (43,9%; p <0.05) and infertility (45,8 %; p <0.05) were significant more common for women with EHP and concomitant arterial hypertension. There are no significant differences in morphological forms between women with EHP with arterial hypertension and without hypertension. The presence of arterial hypertension had a significant effect on the risk of EHP recurrence (OR=6,0; CI=1,02-35,27; p<0,05).

Conclusions: Arterial hypertension was significantly more common in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Dismenorrhea, metrorrhagia and infertility were the most common clinical manifestations of EHP in patients with arterial hypertension. The presence of arterial hypertension is a reliable predictor of the occurrence of EHP recurrences during the one year.
Tendencia Editorial UR Número 35
Authors: Calvo Hortensia , Martínez Villalba Adriana , Barbosa Cruz Mario
Published: August 2023

En ese boletín, se ha tomado la decisión de invitar a algunos representantes de bibliotecas, investigadores y personas destacadas en el mundo del libro para que nos cuenten, desde sus experiencias, cómo entienden el libro como producto, como materialidad y como representatividad. Con el boletín buscamos mostrar diversas perspectivas y aristas, ver al libro como un ente vivo que tiene diferentes dinámicas que lo configuran como un objeto con múltiples cargas históricas, de conocimiento, propósitos, políticas, estéticas.
Introduction of augmented reality to the remote wound care nursing consultation system
Authors: Takahashi Toshiaki , Kitamura Aya , Matsumoto Masaru , Higashimura Shiho , Nakagami Gojiro , Sanada Hiromi
Published: August 2023

Objective:

We implemented augmented reality (AR) in remote consultations for enhanced pressure injury (PI) care in homecare nursing and improved the efficiency of on-site technical education for homecare nurses. The study aimed to depict expert techniques using AR technology to improve PI healing time in a male patient.

Method:

We developed and implemented a new system that combines a transparent hand with an image and gives an output as a video image in the existing remote consultation software. The system was used to support remote care of PIs by nurses.

Results:

We succeeded in superimposing the expert nurse's nonverbal hand gestures onto the patient's wound in real time. The visiting nurse's understanding of the system had improved and there was an improvement in the patient's PI healing.

Conclusion:

These results suggest that remote consultation using AR is effective to observe precise wound care demonstrations of the steps of the PI treatment and provide effective treatment.
Effects of Electrolyzed Reducing Water on Pesticides Reduction and Postharvest Qualities in Cherry Tomato
Authors:   Postharvest Technology Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Pattanapo Wanwarang ,   Postharvest Technology Innovation Center, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Wanchai Kanda ,   Postharvest Technology Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,   Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,   Postharvest Technology Innovation Center, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Chanasut Usawadee ,   Postharvest Technology Research Center, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,   Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand,   Postharvest Technology Innovation Center, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
Published: August 2023

This study investigated the effect of electrolyzed reducing water (ERW) on the reduction of profenofos (PF) and carbendazim (CBZ) residue of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme). Organic tomato were soaked with pesticides solution (PF and CBZ) at 5 mg L-1, then air dried at room temperature. Thereafter, the treated fruits were washed with ERW at different concentrations (50, 100, 250, and 500 mg L-1) for various times (10, 20, and 30 min). The result found that the removal percentages of standard profenofos and carbendazim were significantly induced with ERW 500 mg L-1 for 20 min. Wherewith, the profenofos released the substance to pyrocatechol and 4-Methylphenol (p-Cresol), and carbendazim was degraded to a N-Acetyl-2,6-diethylaniline. The removal percentage of profenofos and carbendazim residues in tomato was found to be possible to effectively reduce residues 71.54% and 80.49%, respectively. On the other hand, distilled water (DW) could achieve removal of only 21.67%. The quality of the tomato stored at 25ºC for 8 days showed that not significant changes in weight loss, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), lycopene content, and visual appearance for both pesticides. Keywords: Electrolyzed reducing water, Profenofos, Carbendazim, Cherry tomato
Fair Trade visitors in Greater Bristol schools: a model for making an impact
Authors: Seagrave Jonathan , Hughes Alix , Regan Nick
Published: August 2023

This essay is based on the experiences of Bristol’s (a Fair Trade City) linking programme with Nicaraguan co-ops and the challenges and impacts of setting up a programme for visitors to Bristol schools and communities. The authors focus on the practical details of the experiences and what resonated the most with the school children visited. The article captures the voices and experiences of the Bristol organizers and the lasting effects and impacts on them.
Mitigating effect of providing specific information on consumers’ negative reactions to cause-related marketing
Authors: Iijima Takao , Ota Masaya , Sakata Yusuke
Published: August 2023

Cause-related marketing (CRM) has received attention from companies around the world in recent years. Companies in Japan use CRM, but they are struggling with it because Japanese consumers have little interest in social contribution and have negative attitudes toward CRM. This study addresses the reason why Japanese consumers display negative attitudes toward products related to CRM from the viewpoint of company motives toward CRM.

An online survey was completed by 290 university students in Japan. We estimated the data using the Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) method.

We found that Japanese consumers displayed negative willingness to pay (WTP) toward a well-known brand’s product with CRM information (β = −2.485, WTP = −106.7, p < .001). Providing information on the company’s motive for long-term commitment to CRM (the company’s positive motive for CRM) mitigates the negative effect of CRM (β = −1.721, WTP = −46.3, p < .001). Given this information, the overall assessment (WTP) of CRM (whether a CRM campaign has positive effects on product choice or not) is 2.6, which value is larger than the −45.2 WTP value where a consumer is not given this information.

Our results contribute to the theoretical and practical aspects of CRM. Theoretically, we investigate the negative aspects of CRM, whereas many studies focus only on the positive aspects. We concluded that, in Japan, a company is required to demonstrate the motive behind their CRM campaign for it to have an impact on product choice.
Unwresting the Past: The Poetics and Politics of Samuel Daniel's 1595 Civil Wars
Authors: Sedinger Tracey
Published: August 2023

abstract: This essay reads the 1595 edition of Samuel Daniel's Civil Wars in the context of the unsettled succession and its impact on the career of Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. Daniel rejected the imitative logic of monarchical-republican historiography in favor of a rhetorical strategy that rendered the past less "real" than notional. He reconfigured Sidneian categories of understanding and structures of feeling, and redeployed figures of speech— prosopopeia and prosopographia —designated as carriers of energeia , to replace reading for imitation with a historiographical poetics that diffuses agency while retaining moral responsibility.
A Tudor Family Library: Social Ambition and Continental Books in Sir Michael Dormer's Donation to the Bodleian Library
Authors: Van der Laan Sarah , Adams Robyn
Published: August 2023

abstract: This essay argues that an examination of the list of books donated to the Bodleian by Sir Michael Dormer in 1603 complicates our assumptions about the audience for Italian Renaissance literature in the Tudor period. Such study causes us to readjust our knowledge of the kinds of books owned by the gentry when set against the known book collections represented in the standard literature. It demonstrates that, by scrutinizing institutional donation lists in granular detail, we can increase the cumulative bibliographical data available to study book ownership across a wider social spectrum than has previously been accessible to scholars across the disciplines.
Jonson's Imaginary Library: "An Execration upon Vulcan" and Its Intertexts
Authors: Rickard Jane
Published: August 2023

abstract: Ben Jonson's 1623 poem "An Execration upon Vulcan" responds to a fire in his house, which seemingly destroyed some books and papers. Scholarly interest in this work has largely been confined to what biographical information it reveals. Yet this poem is in dialogue with Cervantes's Don Quixote , Rabelais's Pantagruel , and Donne's The Courtier's Library , and it engages with the genre of the mock library catalogue. By bringing together these works, the essay not only contributes to ongoing study of such Jonsonian concerns as censorship, interpretation, and the value of learning but also highlights his interest in contemporary European comic literature and the closeness of his association with Donne. It sheds light on early modern literature's self-consciousness about the library as a malleable concept, a self-consciousness with important methodological implications for critics and historians of the period.
From Hand to Machine: How Indian Cloth Quality Shaped British Cotton Spinning Technology
Authors: Raman Alka
Published: August 2023

abstract: A true history of industrial technology and innovation must factor in the history of labor and skill required to make a specific product. Mainstream perspectives on industrialization in Britain's cotton industry view technological change in spinning as motivated by productivity gains, facilitated by the fortuitous availability of high-quality, long-staple cotton. However, material evidence shows British cotton textiles advanced to match Indian cloth quality, suggesting that spinning machinery also evolved apace to achieve product quality. This article demonstrates that alongside the cotton staple, the spinner's skill and dexterity determined final cloth quality. The three main spinning machines were technically path dependent, with mechanized spinning of fine cotton based on the original Indian jersey wheel technology. Technological innovations mainly focused on improving product quality, with mechanization a means to bridge the British skill gap in cotton spinning. Histories of labor and skill are therefore at the heart of innovation.
Multiband LFM waveform generation and band-selection using stimulated Brillouin scattering
Authors: Dhawan Rajveer , Parida Debashis , Parihar Reena , Jha Mukund , Choudhary Amol
Published: August 2023

Modern radar systems are designed to simultaneously serve multiple applications such as ranging, surveillance, imaging, or warfare, which necessitates operation at multiple carrier frequencies. Linear frequency modulated (LFM) signals are inherently capable of pulse compression leading to enhanced range resolution and good signal-to-noise ratios; therefore, they are widely employed in various radar applications. In this paper, a photonic-based generation scheme for carrier frequency multiplication of LFM waveforms up to a factor of four through a single dual-drive Mach–Zehnder modulator is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The technique is employed to produce multiband LFM having wide-bandwidth chirps (500 MHz, 1 GHz) as well as narrow bandwidth chirps (10, 20 MHz) that are compatible with the intrinsic linewidth of stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). The frequency bands of the narrow bandwidth chirps are further selected through a frequency-agile Brillouin RF filter. The generated tupled chirped waveforms are at continuous multiples of the RF carrier frequency at 2, 4, 6, and 8 GHz, respectively, with the first three multiples having 10 MHz and the fourth multiple having 20 MHz chirp bandwidth. This scheme is also experimentally verified for generating different tupled products and respective filtering through SBS at multiples of 4 GHz up to 16 GHz, thereby verifying the system’s agility and flexibility.
Neural network-based inverse model for diffuse reflectance spectroscopy
Authors: Lan Qing , McClarren Ryan G. , Vishwanath Karthik
Published: August 2023

In diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, the retrieval of the optical properties of a target requires the inversion of a measured reflectance spectrum. This is typically achieved through the use of forward models such as diffusion theory or Monte Carlo simulations, which are iteratively applied to optimize the solution for the optical parameters. In this paper, we propose a novel neural network-based approach for solving this inverse problem, and validate its performance using experimentally measured diffuse reflectance data from a previously reported phantom study. Our inverse model was developed from a neural network forward model that was pre-trained with data from Monte Carlo simulations. The neural network forward model then creates a lookup table to invert the diffuse reflectance to the optical coefficients. We describe the construction of the neural network-based inverse model and test its ability to accurately retrieve optical properties from experimentally acquired diffuse reflectance data in liquid optical phantoms. Our results indicate that the developed neural network-based model achieves comparable accuracy to traditional Monte Carlo-based inverse model while offering improved speed and flexibility, potentially providing an alternative for developing faster clinical diagnosis tools. This study highlights the potential of neural networks in solving inverse problems in diffuse reflectance spectroscopy.
Unsuccessful treatment outcome and associated risk factors. A prospective study of DR-TB patients from a high burden country, Pakistan
Authors: Massud Asif , Khan Amer Hayat , Syed Sulaiman Syed Azhar , Ahmad Nafees , Shafqat Muhammad , Ming Long Chiau
Published: August 2023

Introduction

Tuberculosis (TB), a curable and preventable infectious disease, becomes difficult to treat if resistance against most effective and tolerable first line anti-TB drugs is developed. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the treatment outcomes and predictors of poor outcomes among drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) patients treated at a programmatic management unit of drug resistant tuberculosis (PMDT) unit, Punjab, Pakistan.

Methods

This prospective observational study was conducted at a a PMDT unit in Multan, Punjab, Pakistan. A total of 271 eligible culture positive DR-TB patients enrolled for treatment at the study site between January 2016 and May 2017 were followed till their treatment outcomes were recorded. World Health Organization’s (WHO) defined criteria was used for categorizing treatment outcomes. The outcomes of cured and treatment completed were collectively placed as successful outcomes, while death, lost to follow-up (LTFU) and treatment failure were grouped as unsuccessful outcomes. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was employed for getting predictors of unsuccessful treatment outcomes. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

Of the 271 DR-TB patients analysed, nearly half (51.3%) were males. The patient’s (Mean ± SD) age was 36.75 ± 15.69 years. A total of 69% patients achieved successful outcomes with 185 (68.2%) patients being cured and 2 (0.7%) completed therapy. Of the remaining 84 patients with unsuccessful outcomes, 48 (17.7%) died, 2 (0.7%) were declared treatment failure, 34 (12.5%) were loss to follow up. After adjusting for confounders, patients’ age > 50 years (OR 2.149 (1.005–4.592) with p-value 0.048 and baseline lung cavitation (OR 7.798 (3.82–15.919) with p-value <0.001 were significantly associated with unsuccessful treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

The treatment success rate (69%) in the current study participants was below the target set by WHO (>75%). Paying special attention and timely intervention in patients with high risk of unsuccessful treatment outcomes may help in improving treatment outcomes at the study site.
Effect of the COVID-19 lockdown on the HIV care continuum in Southwestern Uganda: A time series analysis
Authors: Kabami Jane , Owaraganise Asiphas , Beesiga Brian , Okiring Jaffer , Kakande Elijah , Chen Yea-Hung , Mwangwa Florence , Akatukwasa Cecilia , Nangendo Joanita , Muyindike Winnie , Semitala Fred C. , Roh Michelle E. , Kamya Moses R.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

In Uganda, COVID-19 lockdown policies curbed the spread of SARS-CoV-2, but their effect on HIV care is poorly understood.

Objectives

We examined the effects of COVID-19 lockdown policies on ART initiation, missed visits, and viral suppression in Uganda.

Methods

We conducted a time series analysis using data from a dynamic cohort of persons with HIV enrolled between March 2017 and September 2021 at HIV clinics in Masaka and Mbarara Regional Referral Hospitals in Southwestern Uganda. Poisson and fractional probit regression were used to predict expected monthly antiretroviral therapy initiations, missed visits, and viral suppression based on pre-lockdown trends. Observed and expected trends were compared across three policy periods: April 2020-September 2021 (overall), April-May 2020 (1st lockdown), and June-August 2021 (2nd lockdown).

Results

We enrolled 7071 Persons living with HIV (PWH) (nMasaka = 4150; nMbarara = 2921). Average ART duration was 34 and 30 months in Masaka and Mbarara, respectively. During the 18-month post-lockdown period, monthly ART initiations were lower than expected in both Masaka (51 versus 63 visits; a decrease of 12 [95% CI: -2, 31] visits) and Mbarara (42 versus 55 visits; a decrase of 13 [95% CI: 0, 27] visits). Proportion of missed visits was moderately higher than expected post-lockdown in Masaka (10% versus 7%; 4% [95% CI: 1%, 7%] absolute increase), but not in Mbarara (13% versus 13%; 0% [95% CI: -4%, 6%] absolute decrease). Viral suppression rates were moderate-to-high in Masaka (64.7%) and Mbarara (92.5%) pre-lockdown and remained steady throughout the post-lockdown period.

Conclusion

The COVID-19 lockdown in Uganda was associated with reductions in ART initiation, with minimal effects on retention and viral suppression, indicating a resilient HIV care system.
How does the digital economy affect the development of the green economy? Evidence from Chinese cities
Authors: Liao Wenqi
Published: August 2023

The digital economy may accelerate the upgrading of industrial structures and boost regional innovation output, effectively contributing to China’s green economic transformation. The impact of the digital economy on developing the urban green economy is analyzed using data from 280 cities across China from 2010–2019. Using a fixed-effects model and the Spatial Durbin model, the digital economy is found to have a significant impact on urban green economy development. This result is shown to be robust to various factors. There is significant regional variability in the impact of the digital economy on green economic growth, with the strongest impact in the northeast, followed by the central and western regions. Meanwhile, non-resource-based cities and policy pilot cities have a more pronounced role in promoting the digital economy. The intermediate transmission chain of industrial structural upgrading and regional innovation output fosters the growth of the urban green economy via the digital economy. Regional innovation production is responsible for 30.848% of this growth, with the intermediate effect of industrial structural upgrading contributing to 38.155%.
Prevalence and factors associated with undernutrition among children under the age of five years in Benin
Authors: Addo Isaac Yeboah , Boadu Elijah Frimpong , Osei Bonsu Emmanuel , Boadi Caleb , Dadzie Frederick Asankom
Published: August 2023

Background

Benin ranks as one of the countries in the world with an alarmingly high prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight in children under five years. However, limited studies have examined the factors associated with the prevalence of these undernutrition indicators among children under five years in the country. This study aimed to fill this research gap by examining the prevalence rates and factors associated with stunting, wasting, and underweight among this specific population of interest.

Methods

This quantitative study utilised data from the most recent Benin Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) conducted in 2017–18. The survey employed a nationally representative cross-sectional design and utilised a two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique to select participants. The study included a sample of 13,589 children under the age of five years. The main analytical approach employed was binary logistic regression, which was used to explore the associations between undernutrition (the combined outcome variable representing stunting, wasting, and underweight) and various socio-demographic factors.

Results

The combined prevalence of stunting, wasting, and underweight among children under five years in Benin during the 2017–18 survey period was 14.95%. Several factors were significantly associated with these indicators of undernutrition, including female gender (AOR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.59–0.85), birth weight of 4.1 kg and over (AOR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.14–0.48), multiple births (AOR = 3.22, 95% CI = 2.11–4.91), and a child’s experience of diarrhoea (AOR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.40–2.20). Furthermore, the prevalence of these undernutrition indicators was higher among children whose mothers had lower levels of education (AOR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.01–0.42) and were unmarried (AOR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.49–0.93).

Conclusions

This present study confirms that undernutrition rates are elevated in Benin and are closely linked to perinatal factors such as birth weights and multiple births, postnatal health conditions including diarrheal episodes, and socio-demographic determinants such as a child’s gender, maternal education level, and marital status. Therefore, there is the need to consider specific modifiable factors, such as low birth weight, episodes of child diarrhoea, and maternal education as priority targets for child nutrition interventions in Benin.