bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating performance of various methods in predicting triangular sharp-crested side weir discharge
Authors: Balahang Saeed , Ghodsian Masoud
Published: August 2023

This paper investigated the efficiency of the traditional weir equation (TWE), Domínguez, adjusted Domínguez, and Schmidt approaches, as an alternative to the De Marchi procedure, for computing discharge of a sharp-crested triangular side weir. Comprehensive experimental data were used for the analysis, including 342 data from the present study and 140 data from other sources. The effects of approach Froude number Fr1, the ratio of weir height to upstream flow depth p/y1, and weir apex angle θ on the discharge coefficients obtained from different methods were studied. Sensitivity analysis using the partial swarm optimization-support vector regression method indicated that Fr1, p/y1, and θ affect the discharge coefficients. It was found that Fr1 with sensitivity indices equal to 1.89, 3.74, and 4.04 has the most substantial effect on the De Marchi coefficient, TWE coefficient, and adjusted Domínguez coefficient; meanwhile, p/y1 has the most significant impact on Domínguez coefficient and Schmidt coefficient with sensitivity index equal to 1.57. In addition, it was found that θ had the lowest sensitivity indices in estimating discharge coefficients. New equations for forecasting sharp-crested triangular side weir discharge coefficient were presented based on dimensional analysis. The new De Marchi coefficient executed better for calculating triangular side weir discharge than earlier De Marchi coefficients. Moreover, TWE, Domínguez, adjusted Domínguez, and Schmidt methods performed better than the De Marchi procedure (with MSE = 4.581) in calculating sharp-crested triangular side weir discharge. However, considering the simplicity of the TWE approach compared to other methods, this approach with R2 = 0.975, NSE = 0.975, MSE = 3.610, MRE = 0.097, and CP10% = 71.36 was introduced as the superior procedure.
Reproductive potential shapes the expression of nurse-to-forager transition genes in the workers of stingless bees (Meliponini)
Authors: de Souza Larissa D. Ribeiro , Hartfelder Klaus
Published: August 2023

Little is known about the molecular mechanisms that underlie the division of labor in stingless bees. We investigated the expression of a set of candidate genes associated with the nurse-to-forager transition in the honey bee in two stingless bee species, Melipona quadrifasciata and Frieseomelitta varia. These species differ with respect to worker reproduction. The workers of M. quadrifasciata lay trophic and reproductive eggs, but those of F. varia are completely sterile. For M. quadrifasciata nurses, we found elevated vitellogenin (Vg) and low juvenile hormone esterase (jhe) transcript levels in the abdomen, in agreement with their reproductive potential. In F. varia, Vg and methyl farnesoate epoxidase (mfe) transcript levels were high in the heads of foragers, indicating an association with foraging behavior. For malvolio (mvl) and foraging (for), both involved with food search behavior, mvl showed persistent low expression in the head, but increasing levels in the abdomen of both species, speaking against a role in behavioral development. The for transcript levels in F. varia were higher in foragers, both in the head and the abdomen, i.e., consistent with foraging. In M. quadrifasciata, however, for expression was higher in the heads of nurse bees, and, thus, is unlikely to play a role in foraging. The results for the two stingless bee species, in comparison with honey bees and bumble bees, indicate that the degree of worker sterility appears to be the primary factor that shapes the expression pattern of key genes in the life history of social bees.
Transactional fairness in consumer markets
Authors: Lyons Bruce , Sugden Robert
Published: August 2023

There is growing public concern about the ‘unfairness’ of many pricing practices that have become common in consumer, particularly digital, markets. Industrial and behavioural economists have developed theories that explain the conditions under which these practices are profitable for firms, and their implications for consumer welfare. We identify a mismatch between the welfare economic principles used in this theoretical work and the normative perspective in which these practices are viewed as unfair. We develop a concept of ‘transactional fairness’, grounded in the normative approach of Sugden's Community of Advantage, that is reflective of public concerns. Transactional fairness is complementary to established criteria of economic efficiency and distributional equity but is based entirely on the relationship between individual buyers and sellers. It establishes clear principles with realistic information requirements that are appropriate for compliance by firms. Regulation based on this approach can help to restore public faith in markets.
Second language speech comprehensibility and acceptability in academic settings: Listener perceptions and speech stream influences
Authors: Crowther Dustin , Isbell Daniel R. , Nishizawa Hitoshi
Published: August 2023

Ideally, comprehensible second language (L2) speech would be seen as acceptable speech. However, the association between these dimensions is underexplored. To investigate the relationship between comprehensibility and “academic acceptability,” defined here as how well a speaker could meet the demands of a given role in an academic setting, 204 university stakeholders judged L2 speech samples elicited from a standardized English test used for university admissions. Four tasks from 100 speakers were coded for 13 speech stream characteristics. Judgments for comprehensibility and acceptability correlated strongly (r = .93). Linear mixed-effects models, used to examine judgments across all tasks and separately for each task, indicated that while random intercepts (i.e., speaker ability, listener severity) explained a substantial amount of total variation (32–44%) in listener judgments compared to speech characteristic fixed effects (8–21%), fixed effects did account for variation in speaker random effects (reducing variation compared to intercept-only models by 50–90%). Despite some minimal differences across task types, the influence of speech characteristics across both judgments was mostly similar. While providing evidence that comprehensible speech can indeed be perceived as acceptable, this study also provides evidence that speakers demonstrate both consistent and less consistent performance, in reference to speech stream production, across performances.
Mitigating Caregiver Distress in South Western Ontario: Perspectives on Role, Community, and Care
Authors: Webber Jodi , Finlayson Marcia , Norman Kathleen E. , Trothen Tracy J.
Published: August 2023

The former South West Local Health Integration Network (SW LHIN) of Ontario, which is in a predominantly rural region, regularly reports the lowest rates of caregiver distress in the province. Caregivers from rural communities regularly face challenges related to the access, applicability, and availability of supports and services, This qualitative case study describes perspectives of caregiving from the region, and explores how role construction and expectations of caregivers might both mitigate distress and influence service support use. Thematic analysis identified five themes: anticipated care, gendered caring, service support assumptions, confidence in community, and the “line in the sand”: care decisions for evolving needs. Using the lens of caregiver identity theory, the findings suggest that these caregivers conceptualize identity as an extension of their primary role, to include caregiving obligations and responsibilities. We also noted a steadfast confidence in community and perceived service support assumptions across the region, with no notable rural–urban divide.
Psychiatric co-morbidity in children and adolescents with CHDs: a systematic review
Authors: Lau-Jensen Sara H. , Berg Christian F. , Hejl Julie L. , Baker Kamillia , Rask Charlotte U. , Hjortdal Vibeke E.
Published: August 2023

The population of long-term survivors with CHDs is increasing due to better diagnostics and treatment. This has revealed many co-morbidities including different neurocognitive difficulties. However, the prevalence of psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents and the specific types of disorders they may experience are unclear. We systematically reviewed the existing literature, where psychiatric diagnoses or psychiatric symptoms were investigated in children and adolescents (age: 2–18 aged) with CHDs and compared them with a heart-healthy control group or normative data. The searches were done in the three databases PubMed, psychINFO, and Embase. We included 20 articles reporting on 8035 unique patients with CHDs. Fourteen articles repoted on psychological symptoms, four reported on psychiatric diagnoses, and two reported on both symptoms and diagnoses. We found that children and adolescents with a CHD had a higher prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ranging between 1.4 and 9 times higher) and autism (ranging between 1.8 and 5 times higher) than controls, but inconsistent results regarding depression and anxiety.
The effect of smartphone addiction on vessel wall thickness, which is a predictor of atherosclerosis
Authors: Erden Ibrahim Emre , Bektaşoğlu Gökhan
Published: August 2023

Aim:

The increasing global popularity of smartphone usage has increased concerns about the negative effects of smartphone addiction, such as lack of sleep, sedentary life, bad eating habits, anxiety, stress, and depression, especially among the young population. These problems caused by smartphone addiction are also well-known risk factors for atherosclerosis. However, according to our observation, there is no research in the literature that directly shows the relationship between smartphone addiction and subclinical atherosclerosis. In this study, carotid intima-media thickness, an important surrogate marker in demonstrating subclinical atherosclerosis, was used to examine the relationship between smartphone addiction and subclinical atherosclerosis.

Materials and method:

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 96 high school students aged between 13 and 22 years. A smartphone addiction questionnaire consisting of 33 questions was applied to measure smartphone addiction. Along with the socio-demographic characteristics of the patients, factors such as eating habits, sleep patterns, and activity levels were also questioned. The mean carotid intima-media thickness was measured by an experienced sonographer according to the published and accepted methods.

Results:

When we set the threshold for smartphone addiction at over 66 points, we discovered that the group with smartphone addiction had considerably thicker carotid intima-media (0.68 ± 0.2 versus 0.45 ± 0.1; p < 0.001). In addition, logistics regression analysis had shown that smartphone addiction level independently affects the carotid intima-media thickness (odds ratio:1.111; %95 GA:1.057–1.168, p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

Smartphone addiction may help prediction of subclinical atherosclerosis via carotid intima-media thickness among teenagers.
Spread of bounties: culinary manuals and knowledge in Mughal South Asia
Authors: Vermani Neha
Published: August 2023

This article identifies and examines Persian-language culinary manuals that were produced in South Asia between the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries. In doing so, it centres three empirical loci: the definition of food as it was conceptualised during the period under study; the impetus for the textualisation and standardisation of culinary knowledge; and core principles that undergird the cuisine of the Mughal elite. Engaging with these themes, the article privileges the intersection between the discourses on body, food, and ethical self-fashioning as the key site of analysis.
Use of food distribution resources among military families with young children since the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: O’Neal Catherine W , Lucier-Greer Mallory , Lewis Crystal , Farnsworth Meredith
Published: August 2023

Objective:

The present study examined military families’ use of food distribution resources and military (e.g. rank) and non-military (e.g. race/ethnicity) characteristics associated with using food distribution resources.

Design:

Secondary data analyses from a cross-sectional survey in the first 6 months of 2021.

Setting:

A national sample of eligible families completed an online survey.

Participants:

8326 enlisted military families with an active duty service member in the United States Army or Air Force who applied for supplemental childcare funding distributed by National Military Family Association.

Results:

13·2 % of the families reported utilising a food distribution resource in the past 12 months. Those with lower financial well-being were more likely to utilise such resources. Older (OR = 1·04, 95 % CI = 1·02, 1·05, P < 0·001), single-earner (OR = 0·73, 95 % CI = 0·61, 0·89, P = 0·001) families with a lower rank (OR = 0·69, 95 % CI = 0·64, 0·75, P < 0·001) and Army affiliation (compared with Air Force) (OR = 2·31, 95 % CI = 2·01, 2·67, P < 0·001) were more likely to utilise food distribution resources. Members of certain racial/ethnic minority groups were more likely to utilise food distribution resources than White respondents (OR from 1·47 for multi-racial to 1·69 for Asians), as were families with more dependent children (OR = 1·35, 95 % CI = 1·25, 1·47, P < 0·001).

Conclusions:

These results identify the extent of food distribution resource utilisation in military families with young children approximately 1 year into the COVID-19 pandemic. The results also identify characteristics associated with their use of food distribution resources. Findings are discussed with an emphasis on prevention and intervention implications for military families.
Satellite Observations and a Numerical Study of Recurring Atmospheric Gravity Waves Along the South China Sea Coast
Authors: Liu Aiyue , Shen Dongliang , Li Xiaofeng
Published: August 2023

Several groups of diurnal recurring atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) were observed on an Environmental Satellite advanced synthetic aperture radar image and six Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images acquired along the South China Sea coast for 4 days from 3 to 6 March 2010. The unique observations are that the previously observed AGWs seldom recurred in a region for multiple days. Each cycle of these observed AGWs had undergone three stages: generation, propagation, and dissipation daily. Both SAR‐imaged sea surface roughness patterns and MODIS‐observed cloud imprints show that the AGWs were a group of transverse waves along the coast. We implemented the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to understand the physical characteristics and dynamical mechanisms of these AGWs. The WRF simulated results indicated that the AGWs were upstream waves triggered by the interaction of the southerly wind and topography and dissipated by the diurnal warming. We applied the spectral analysis to the model‐simulated vertical wind field and explored that the leading wave crest length and crest‐to‐crest wavelength are 156.25 and 7.14 km, respectively. The wave period and phase speed of the upstream AGWs within the vital observation of SAR are 1.81 hr and 1.26 m/s, respectively. The fifth‐generation European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis hourly data was used to explore the rarity of the recurring AGWs and proved that the stable air‐sea temperature difference was the main reason for the rarity of this event. And sufficient cloud content (>50%) was necessary for the MODIS to capture the AGWs' imprints.
Multidirectional Shifts in Hydrological Connectivity Result From Hydraulic Barriers
Authors: Tan Z. Q. , Yao J. , Gong L. Q. , Li Y. L. , Zhang Q. , Wang X. L. , Wan R. R. , Li B.
Published: August 2023

The weakening of hydrological connectivity caused by hydraulic barriers and its impact on the ecological environment has gained worldwide attention. Previous studies have primarily focused on the obstructive effect of barriers, often overlooking its influence on the internal connectivity of regulated water systems. The study employed a new conceptual framework of hydrological connectivity and utilized the connectivity assessment tool to assess the impact of the proposed Poyang Lake Hydraulic Project (PLHP) on the lake's internal connectivity. The estimated impacts were based on various factors, including the connectivity function (CF), the spatial distribution of the connected object (CONNOB), as well as duration and timing of connection. Key findings indicate that the PLHP will enhance the total connectivity and general connectivity involving inundation depth of the lake. This enhancement will result in increased CF values, expanded CONNOBs and prolonged connection durations. Conversely, the PLHP will weaken the general connectivity involving flow velocity and effective connectivity. As a result, CF values will decrease, CONNOBs will shrink, and connection durations will be shorter. It is important to note that the impact of hydraulic barriers varies depending on evaluation metrics, duration, timing, direction, distance, location, hydrological year, and regulation stage. Therefore, it is not appropriate to simply categorize the barrier impact as “weakening” or “enhancing.” This study innovates the knowledge of hydraulic barriers from the perspective of internal connectivity and is expected to provide more comprehensive theoretical guidance for water resource regulation and eco‐environmental protection.
The Relation Between Dissipation and Memory in Two‐Fluid Displacements in Disordered Media
Authors: Holtzman Ran , Dentz Marco , Planet Ramon , Ortín Jordi
Published: August 2023

We show that the return‐point memory of cyclic macroscopic trajectories enables the derivation of a thermodynamic framework for quasistatically driven dissipative systems with multiple metastable states. We use this framework to sort out and quantify the energy dissipated in quasistatic fluid‐fluid displacements in disordered media. Numerical computations of imbibition–drainage cycles in a quasi‐2D medium with gap thickness modulations (imperfect Hele‐Shaw cell) show that energy dissipation in quasistatic displacements is due to abrupt changes in the fluid‐fluid configuration between consecutive metastable states (Haines jumps), and its dependence on microstructure and gravity. The relative importance of viscous dissipation is deduced from comparison with quasistatic experiments.
A New Framework for Evaluating Model Simulated Inland Tropical Cyclone Wind Fields
Authors: Chen Jie , Gao Kun , Harris Lucas , Marchok Timothy , Zhou Linjiong , Morin Matthew
Published: August 2023

Though tropical cyclone (TC) models have been routinely evaluated against track and intensity observations, little work has been performed to validate modeled TC wind fields over land. In this paper, we present a simple framework for evaluating simulated low‐level inland winds with in‐situ observations and existing TC structure theory. The Automated Surface Observing Systems, Florida Coastal Monitoring Program, and best track data are used to generate a theory‐predicted wind profile that reasonably represents the observed radial distribution of TC wind speeds. We quantitatively and qualitatively evaluated the modeled inland TC wind fields, and described the model performance with a set of simple indicators. The framework was used to examine the performance of a high‐resolution two‐way nested Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory model on recent U.S. landfalling TCs. Results demonstrate the capacity of using this framework to assess the modeled TC low‐level wind field in the absence of dense inland observations.
Nightside High‐Latitude Phase and Amplitude Scintillation During a Substorm Using 1‐Second Scintillation Indices
Authors: Nishimura Y. , Kelly T. , Jayachandran P. T. , Mrak S. , Semeter J. L. , Donovan E. F. , Angelopoulos V. , Nishitani N.
Published: August 2023

We examined evolution of Global Positioning System (GPS) scintillation during a substorm in the nightside high latitude ionosphere, using 1‐s phase and amplitude scintillation indices from the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN) network. The traditional 1‐min scintillation indices showed that the phase scintillation was dominant, while the amplitude scintillation was weak. However, the 1‐s amplitude scintillation occurred more often in association with major auroral structures (polar cap arc, growth phase arc, onset arc, poleward expanding arc, poleward boundary intensification, and diffuse aurora) that were detected by the THEMIS all‐sky imagers (ASIs). The 1‐min index missed much of the amplitude fluctuations because they only lasted ∼10 s near a local peak or at the gradients of the auroral structures. The 1‐s phase scintillation was concurrent with the amplitude scintillation but was much weaker than the 1‐min phase scintillation. The frequency spectral analysis showed that the spectral power above ∼1 Hz was diffractive and below ∼1 Hz was refractive. We suggest that the amplitude scintillation in the high‐latitude ionosphere is much more common than previously considered, and that a short time window of the order of 1 s should be used to detect the scintillation. The 1‐min phase scintillation index is largely influenced by refractive effects due to total electron content (TEC) variations, and the spectral power below ∼1 Hz should be removed to identify diffractive scintillation.
Dissolved Organic Matter Fluorescence as a Tracer of Upwelling and Microbial Activities in Two Cyclonic Eddies in the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic
Authors: Devresse Quentin , Becker Kevin W. , Dilmahamod Ahmad Fehmi , Ortega‐Retuerta Eva , Engel Anja
Published: August 2023

Mesoscale eddies are frequently observed in the Eastern Tropical North Atlantic (ETNA), yet their effects on the transport and distribution of biogeochemical solutes, and specifically on the production and remineralization of dissolved organic matter (DOM) remain difficult to elucidate. Here, we investigated the submesoscale variability of chromophoric DOM (CDOM) and fluorescent DOM (FDOM) together with microbial production and remineralization processes in two cyclonic eddies (CEs) in the ETNA during summer and winter 2019. One CE, formed near the coast off Mauritania during the post‐upwelling season, was sampled along a ∼900 km zonal corridor between Mauritania and the Cape Verde Islands. The other CE, formed nearby Brava Island, was out of coastal influence. Four fluorescent components were identified with parallel factor analysis, two humic‐like, and two protein‐like components. Humic‐like FDOM components correlated to optode‐based community respiration and were also good indicators of upwelling associated with the Brava Island CE as they correlated to physical parameters (e.g., temperature) and to dissolved inorganic nitrogen. The tryptophan‐like FDOM components correlated with the carbon and nitrogen content of semi‐labile DOM, phytoplankton biomass, community respiration, and bacterial production. Overall, our study revealed that DOM optical properties are suitable for tracing freshly produced organic matter and the transport of remineralized DOM within offshore eddies.
JMJD6 in tumor-associated macrophage regulates macrophage polarization and cancer progression via STAT3/IL-10 axis
Authors: Chen Siyuan , Wang Manni , Lu Tianqi , Liu Yu , Hong Weiqi , He Xuemei , Cheng Yuan , Liu Jian , Wei Yuquan , Wei Xiawei
Published: August 2023

The tumor-associated macrophage (TAM) is the most abundant group of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), which plays a critical role in the regulation of tumor progression and treatment resistance. Based on different polarization status, TAMs may also induce antitumor immune responses or immunosuppression. The present study identified JMJD6 (Jumonji domain-containing 6) as a novel modulator of TAM activation, the upregulation of which was associated with the immunosuppressive activities of TAMs. JMJD6 deficiency attenuated the growth of both Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) tumors and B16F10 melanomas by reversing M2-like activation of macrophages, and sensitized tumors to immune checkpoint blockades (ICBs). Moreover, the JMJD6-induced inhibition of M2 polarization was potentially mediated by the STAT3/IL-10 signaling. These findings highlight the regulatory activities of JMJD6 in TAM polarization, and the therapeutic potential of JMJD6/STAT3/IL-10 axis blockades to enhance the efficacy of ICBs in cancer treatment.
BCL-W makes only minor contributions to MYC-driven lymphoma development
Authors: Diepstraten Sarah T. , La Marca John E. , Chang Catherine , Young Savannah , Strasser Andreas , Kelly Gemma L.
Published: August 2023

The BH3-mimetic drug Venetoclax, a specific inhibitor of anti-apoptotic BCL-2, has had clinical success for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia. Attention has now shifted towards related pro-survival BCL-2 family members, hypothesising that new BH3-mimetic drugs targeting these proteins may emulate the success of Venetoclax. BH3-mimetics targeting pro-survival MCL-1 or BCL-XL have entered clinical trials, but managing on-target toxicities is challenging. While increasing evidence suggests BFL-1/A1 is a resistance factor for diverse chemotherapeutic agents and BH3-mimetic drugs in haematological malignancies, few studies have explored the role of BCL-W in the development, expansion, and therapeutic responses of cancer. Previously, we found that BCL-W was not required for the ongoing survival and growth of various established human Burkitt lymphoma and diffuse large B cell lymphoma cell lines. However, questions remained about whether BCL-W impacts lymphoma development. Here, we show that BCL-W appears dispensable for MYC-driven lymphomagenesis, and such tumours arising in the absence of BCL-W show no compensatory changes to BCL-2 family member expression, nor altered sensitivity to BH3-mimetic drugs. These results demonstrate that BCL-W does not play a major role in the development of MYC-driven lymphoma or the responses of these tumours to anti-cancer agents.
Engineered inhaled nanocatalytic therapy for ischemic cerebrovascular disease by inducing autophagy of abnormal mitochondria
Authors: Wang Deping , Li Bowen , Wang Shuchao , Hao Yingjian , Wang Hua , Sun Wei , Cao Jimin , Zhou Xin , Zheng Bin
Published: August 2023

Mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are key contributors to the pathology of ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Therefore, elimination of ROS and damaged mitochondria is crucial for the effective treatment of this disease. For this purpose, we designed an inhalation nanotherapeutic agent, P/D@Mn/Co3O4, to treat ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Mn/Co3O4 effectively removed excess ROS from cells, reduced acute cellular oxidative stress, and protected neural cells from apoptosis. Furthermore, it depleted the H+ surrounding mitochondria and depolarized the mitochondrial membrane potential, inducing mitophagy and eliminating abnormal mitochondria, thereby avoiding the continuous overproduction of ROS by eliminating the source of ROS regeneration. On intranasal administration, Mn/Co3O4 encapsulated by platelet membranes and 2,3-(dioxy propyl)-trimethylammonium chloride can bypass the blood–brain barrier, enter the brain through the trigeminal and olfactory pathways, and target inflammatory regions to remove ROS and damaged mitochondria from the lesion area. In rat models of stroke and vascular dementia, P/D@Mn/Co3O4 effectively inhibited the symptoms of acute and chronic cerebral ischemia by scavenging ROS and damaged mitochondria in the affected area. Our findings indicate that the nanotherapeutic agent developed in this study can be used for the effective treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular disease.
A genome-wide by PM10 exposure interaction study for blood pressure in Korean adults
Authors: Kim Hyun-Jin , Son Ho-young , Park Philiip , Yun Jae Moon , Kwon Hyuktae , Cho Belong , Kim Jong-Il , Park Jin-Ho
Published: August 2023

Blood pressure (BP) is a typical complex trait, and the genetic susceptibility of individuals to changes in BP induced by air pollution exposure is different. Although interactions of exposure to air pollutants with several candidate genes have been identified, genome-wide interaction studies (GWISs) are needed to understand the association between them with BP. Therefore, we aimed to discover the unique genetic loci for BP that interact with exposure to air pollutants in Korean adults. We ultimately included 1868 participants in the discovery step and classified them into groups of those with low-to-moderate exposure and high exposure to average annual concentration of particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10). Because none of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) achieved a genome-wide level of significance of pint < 5 × 10–8 for either systolic BP (SBP) or diastolic BP (DBP), we considered the top 10 ranking SNPs for each BP trait. To validate these suggestive SNPs, we finally selected six genetic variants for SBP and five variants for DBP, respectively. In a replication result for SBP, only one SNP (rs12914147) located in an intergenic region of the NR2F2 showed a significant interaction. We also identified several genetic susceptibility loci (e.g., CHST11, TEK, and ITGA1) implicated in candidate mechanisms such as inflammation and oxidative stress in the discovery step, although their interaction effects were not replicated. Our study reports the first GWIS finding to our knowledge, and the association between exposure to PM10 and BP levels may be determined in part by several newly discovered genetic suggestive loci, including NR2F2.
Adherence to inhaled corticosteroids in patients with asthma prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Rodríguez Isabel , López-Caro Juan Carlos , Gonzalez-Carranza Silvia , Cerrato Maria Elena , De Prado Maria Mar , Gomez-Molleda Francisca , Pinel Margarita , Saiz Maria Teresa , Fuentes Carmen , Barreiro Esther , Santibáñez Miguel
Published: August 2023

The electronic prescription refill rate (EPRR) of 183 consecutive patients was determined over a 19-month retrospective study period, divided into 7 months PRE (Sep-19 to Mar-20) and 12 months POST pandemic (Apr-20 to Mar-21), in order to compare adherence to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in patients with asthma prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic (PRE), an average of 0.58 inhalers/month were refill from the pharmacy; [SD 0.33], very similar to the 0.59 inhalers/month; [SD 0.34] retrieved during the 12 subsequent months since the pandemic (POST) (p = 0.768). EPRR showed no differences (p = 0.784). When EPRR was dichotomous or ordinal categorised no differences were found either (p = 0.851 and 0.928), even when McNemar's test was used (p = 0.949), with prevalences of nonadherence (EPRR < 80%) of 57 and 58% respectively. Our results do not support increased adherence to inhaler treatment in terms of EPRR, comparing before and since COVID-19 pandemic. Compliance with prescription remains suboptimal.
Comparative analysis of effectiveness for phage cocktail development against multiple Salmonella serovars and its biofilm control activity
Authors: Ribeiro Jhonatan Macedo , Pereira Giovana Nicolete , Durli Junior Itamar , Teixeira Gustavo Manoel , Bertozzi Mariana Marques , Verri Waldiceu A. , Kobayashi Renata Katsuko Takayama , Nakazato Gerson
Published: August 2023

Foodborne diseases are a major challenge in the global food industry, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Bacteria capable of biofilm formation, in addition to MDR strains, reduce the treatment efficacy, posing a significant threat to bacterial control. Bacteriophages, which are viruses that infect and kill bacteria, are considered a promising alternative in combating MDR bacteria, both in human medicine and animal production. Phage cocktails, comprising multiple phages, are commonly employed to broaden the host range and prevent or delay the development of phage resistance. There are numerous techniques and protocols available to evaluate the lytic activity of bacteriophages, with the most commonly used methods being Spot Test Assays, Efficiency of Plating (EOP), and infection assays in liquid culture. However, there is currently no standardization for which analyses should be employed and the possible differences among them in order to precisely determine the host range of phages and the composition of a cocktail. A preliminary selection using the Spot Test Assay resulted in four phages for subsequent evaluation against a panel of 36 Salmonella isolates of numerous serovars. Comparing EOP and infection assays in liquid culture revealed that EOP could underestimate the lytic activity of phages, directly influencing phage cocktail development. Moreover, the phage cocktail containing the four selected phages was able to control or remove biofilms formed by 66% (23/35) of the isolates, including those exhibiting low susceptibility to phages, according to EOP. Phages were characterized genomically, revealing the absence of genes associated with antibiotic resistance, virulence factors, or integrases. According to confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis, the biofilm maturation of one Salmonella isolate, which exhibited high susceptibility to phages in liquid culture and 96-well plates biofilm viability assays but had low values for EOP, was found to be inhibited and controlled by the phage cocktail. These observations indicate that phages could control and remove Salmonella biofilms throughout their growth and maturation process, despite their low EOP values. Moreover, using infection assays in liquid culture enables a more precise study of phage interactions for cocktail design timelessly and effortlessly. Hence, integrating strategies and techniques to comprehensively assess the host range and lytic activity of bacteriophages under different conditions can demonstrate more accurately the antibacterial potential of phage cocktails.
Antimicrobial activity of Spirulina platensis extract on total mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria of fresh tilapia fillet
Authors: Metekia Wubshet Asnake , Ulusoy Beyza Hatice
Published: August 2023

Spirulina platensis has a wide range of activities, notably antibacterial property against food pathogens. This study investigates the antibacterial activity of S. platensis extract on Total Mesophilic and Psychrophilic Aerobic Bacteria. The results were compared using statistical analysis and the predicted model values using artificial intelligence-based models such as artificial neural network (ANN) and adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) Models. The extraction of spirulina was done by using the freeze–thaw method with a concentration of 0.5, 1 and 5% w/v. Before the application of the extract, initial microbial load of fillets was analyzed the and the results were used as control. After application analysis was performed at 1, 24 and 48 h of storage at 4 °C. Based on the statistical analysis result the S. platensis extracts’ antimicrobial activity over TMAB of fresh tilapia fish fillets at 1, 24 and 48 h was using EA from 2.5 log10 CFU/g during the control stage to 1.8, 1.1 and 0.7 log10 CFU/g respectively whereas EB and EC was from 2.1 and 2.2 log10 CFU/g at control to 1.5, 0.8, 0.5 log10 CFU/g and 1.23, 0.6 and 0.32 log10 CFU/g respectively at the specified hour interval. Similarly, the three extracts over TPAB were from 2.8 log10 CFU/g at control time to 2.1, 1.5 and 0.9 in EA, while using EB reduces from 2.8 log10 CFU/g to 1.9, 1.3 and 0.8 log10 CFU/g at 1, 24 and 48 h respectively. Although EC presented the reduction from 1.9 log10 CFU/g to 1.4, 1 and 0.5 log10 CFU/g. This was supported by ANN and ANFIS models prediction.
Layer control of Sr1.8Bi0.2Nan-3NbnO3n+1 (n = 3–5) perovskite nanosheets: dielectric to ferroelectric transition of film deposited by Langmuir Blodgett method
Authors: Yoo So-Yeon , Yim Haena , Ryu Ahrom , Yoon Chansoo , Park Bae Ho , Nahm Sahn , Choi Ji-Won
Published: August 2023

Solution-based processable high-k 2-dimensional (2D) ferroelectrics have attracted significant interest for use in next-generation nanoelectronics. Although few studies on potential 2D ferroelectric nanosheets in local areas have been conducted, reports on the thin-film characteristics applicable to the device are insufficient. In this study, we successfully synthesize high-k 2D Sr1.8Bi0.2Nan-3NbnO3n+1 (octahedral units, n = 3–5) nanosheets by the engineering of the n of NbO6 octahedral layers with A-site modification, and realized ferroelectric characteristics in ultrathin films (below 10 nm). The nanosheets are synthesized by a solution-based cation exchange process and deposited using the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. As increasing the NbO6 octahedral layer, the thickness of the nanosheets increased and the band gaps are tuned to 3.80 eV (n = 3), 3.76 eV (n = 4), and 3.70 eV (n = 5). In addition, the dielectric permittivity of the 5-layer stacked nanofilm increase to 26 (n = 3), 33 (n = 4), and 62 (n = 5). In particular, the increased perovskite layer exhibits large distortions due to the size mismatch of Sr/Bi/Na ions at the A-site and promotes local ferroelectric instability due to its spontaneous polarization along the c-axis caused by an odd n number. We investigate the stable ferroelectricity in Pt/ 5-layer Sr1.8Bi0.2Na2Nb5O16 / Nb:STO capacitor by polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis; the coercive electric field (Ec) was 338 kV cm−1 and the remnant polarization (Pr) 2.36 μC cm−2. The ferroelectric properties of ultrathin 2D materials could drive interesting innovations in next-generation electronics.
CathAI: fully automated coronary angiography interpretation and stenosis estimation
Authors: Avram Robert , Olgin Jeffrey E. , Ahmed Zeeshan , Verreault-Julien Louis , Wan Alvin , Barrios Joshua , Abreau Sean , Wan Derek , Gonzalez Joseph E. , Tardif Jean-Claude , So Derek Y. , Soni Krishan , Tison Geoffrey H.
Published: August 2023

Coronary angiography is the primary procedure for diagnosis and management decisions in coronary artery disease (CAD), but ad-hoc visual assessment of angiograms has high variability. Here we report a fully automated approach to interpret angiographic coronary artery stenosis from standard coronary angiograms. Using 13,843 angiographic studies from 11,972 adult patients at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), between April 1, 2008 and December 31, 2019, we train neural networks to accomplish four sequential necessary tasks for automatic coronary artery stenosis localization and estimation. Algorithms are internally validated against criterion-standard labels for each task in hold-out test datasets. Algorithms are then externally validated in real-world angiograms from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) and also retrained using quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) data from the Montreal Heart Institute (MHI) core lab. The CathAI system achieves state-of-the-art performance across all tasks on unselected, real-world angiograms. Positive predictive value, sensitivity and F1 score are all ≥90% to identify projection angle and ≥93% for left/right coronary artery angiogram detection. To predict obstructive CAD stenosis (≥70%), CathAI exhibits an AUC of 0.862 (95% CI: 0.843–0.880). In UOHI external validation, CathAI achieves AUC 0.869 (95% CI: 0.830–0.907) to predict obstructive CAD. In the MHI QCA dataset, CathAI achieves an AUC of 0.775 (95%. CI: 0.594–0.955) after retraining. In conclusion, multiple purpose-built neural networks can function in sequence to accomplish automated analysis of real-world angiograms, which could increase standardization and reproducibility in angiographic coronary stenosis assessment.
EHR-Safe: generating high-fidelity and privacy-preserving synthetic electronic health records
Authors: Yoon Jinsung , Mizrahi Michel , Ghalaty Nahid Farhady , Jarvinen Thomas , Ravi Ashwin S. , Brune Peter , Kong Fanyu , Anderson Dave , Lee George , Meir Arie , Bandukwala Farhana , Kanal Elli , Arık Sercan Ö. , Pfister Tomas
Published: August 2023

Privacy concerns often arise as the key bottleneck for the sharing of data between consumers and data holders, particularly for sensitive data such as Electronic Health Records (EHR). This impedes the application of data analytics and ML-based innovations with tremendous potential. One promising approach for such privacy concerns is to instead use synthetic data. We propose a generative modeling framework, EHR-Safe, for generating highly realistic and privacy-preserving synthetic EHR data. EHR-Safe is based on a two-stage model that consists of sequential encoder-decoder networks and generative adversarial networks. Our innovations focus on the key challenging aspects of real-world EHR data: heterogeneity, sparsity, coexistence of numerical and categorical features with distinct characteristics, and time-varying features with highly-varying sequence lengths. Under numerous evaluations, we demonstrate that the fidelity of EHR-Safe is almost-identical with real data (<3% accuracy difference for the models trained on them) while yielding almost-ideal performance in practical privacy metrics.
Pharmaceutical Compounds With Antioxidant Properties
Authors: Elnaz Sarrami Foroushani , Cakmak Melike Cokol , Hamid Heydari Sheikh Hossein , Maryam Yavari , Feray Bakan Misirlioglu , Atefeh Zarepour , Ali Zarrabi
Published: August 2023

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are one of the crucial compounds for healing wounds that can have a destructive effect and lead to chronic wounds if they are present in uncontrolled amounts. This makes it important to use materials for controlling the amounts of ROS, which are known as antioxidant agents. Indeed, several types of antioxidant agents have been introduced so far that are classified into two main groups: natural antioxidants and synthetic ones. In this chapter we focus on different types of antioxidants that could be used for wound healing applications, their mechanisms of action, methods used for their assessment and, finally, different carriers that could be used to improve the effectiveness and bioavailability of these compounds in the microenvironment of wounds.
Gene Delivery
Authors: Esmaeili Yasaman , Farazin Ashkan , Rahimmanesh Ilnaz , Bigham Ashkan
Published: August 2023

To address different diseases, gene therapy is considered to be a powerful tool and, so far, it has been applied in various organs and tissues. However, less attention has been paid to gene delivery to skin despite the fact that skin is an easy-to-access tissue compared with others. One of the main restrictions is the skin barriers prevent diffusion of biomacromolecules and so the efficiency will fall dramatically. Gene therapy uses a carrier, by which a genetic material is carried into the targeted cell, and the cargo leads to an alteration in gene expression and reverses a pathological process. In this regard, different strategies have been employed for gene delivery, including physical gene delivery and non-viral and viral vectors. In this chapter, the main focus is on gene delivery to skin tissue for therapy and regeneration through various strategies. Although the results are promising, there are several potential pitfalls that must be addressed to improve the safety profile in order to make gene therapy clinically widespread.
Safety, Regulation and Clinical Translation
Authors: Chehelgerdi M. , Yousefiasl S. , Chehelgerdi M. , Artimani T. , Sharifi E. , Pourmotabed S.
Published: August 2023

There is an urgent and challenging public health problem of repairing or replacing damaged skin. Getting the immune system to accept and tolerate the new skin is the main problem in grafting, since autografts are seldom possible. New therapeutic approaches, such as artificial skin substitutes, may eventually make transplants from donor skin less common. Research on skin graft transplantation and other forms of permanent skin repair has progressed significantly over the years. Alternative skin treatments range from stem cell therapies to bioengineered acellular or cellular skin substitutes to donor-cell treatments administered either prior to or after a skin transplant. Unfortunately, there is currently no skin substitute available that can avoid immunological rejection, notwithstanding the progress that has been achieved in this field. In this chapter, the existing techniques for restoring and replacing full-thickness skin, as well as the processes of skin rejection and tolerance induction, are described.
Conjugated Porous Polymers and Hybrids
Authors: Chakraborty Jeet , Van Der Voort Pascal
Published: August 2023

Conjugated porous polymers (CPPs) are a rapidly developing domain of extended organic networks featuring permanent nanoporosity and a robust chemical backbone, resulting in impressive thermal and chemical stability. For this reason, these porous polymers have been used extensively in gas and harmful organic adsorption and heterogeneous catalysis. As the CPPs offer manual control over the choice of monomers and their relative occupancy in the final polymer structure, these networks can be made as extended conjugated organic systems or as heterogenized molecular catalysts with tuneable properties. These CPPs have also been hybridized with metal nanoparticles, complexes, and carbon networks, e.g., carbon nanotube and graphene, to instigate add-on catalytic, adsorption, and electronic conduction properties. The standalone CPPs, and their composites, are being extensively studied in the literature in these applicative domains. Efforts are being made to draw a structure–property relationship between the chemical structure, morphology and adsorption or catalytic properties of these materials. In this chapter, we have systematically combined these aspects to provide a general overview of the topic.
Electrochemiluminescence resonance energy transfer between a Ru-ZnMOF self-enhanced luminophore and a double quencher ZnONF@PDA to detect NSE
Authors: Yang Juan , Qin Dongmiao , Wang Na , Wu Yusheng , Fang Kanjun , Deng Biyang
Published: August 2023

The co-reactants C2O42− and Ru(bpy)32+ were integrated to form a self-enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) luminophore as the ECL donor. An ECL resonance energy transfer immunosensor was proposed for the ultra-sensitive detection of NSE.
Zirconium metal–organic cage decorated with squaramides imparts dual activation for chemical fixation of CO2 under mild conditions
Authors: Zhao Xiaoli , Tang Yue , Wang Yuxuan , Rong Xinjing , Wu Pengyan , Li Zihan , Cai Ning , Deng Xinyi , Wang Jian
Published: August 2023

A “two-in-one” dual activation strategy has been developed to give high-density hydrogen-bonding (HB) active units and Lewis acid (LA) active centres by immobilizing squaramides into metal–organic cages (MOCs).
Cold collisions of hot molecules
Authors: Perera Chatura A. , Amarasinghe Chandika , Guo Hua , Suits Arthur G.
Published: August 2023

Stimulated emission pumping is combined with imaging to study inelastic collisions of highly vibrationally excited NO down to 2 K. Results are compared to quantum close-coupling calculations on high-level potential energy surfaces.
Can photoluminescence quenching be a predictor for perovskite solar cell efficiencies?
Authors: Geng Xinjian , Liu Yawen , Zou Xianshao , Johansson Erik M. J. , Sá Jacinto
Published: August 2023

Photoluminescence quenching experiments are not good predictors of solar cell efficiencies.
Anomalous Klein tunneling in two-dimensional black phosphorus heterojunctions
Authors: Chen Shu-Gang , Zhang Bin-Yuan , Yang Zi-Wei , Gong Wei-Jiang
Published: August 2023

Heterojunctions of few-layer black phosphorus (BP) with band gap inversion exhibits anomalous Klein tunneling in the armchair direction and perfect electron transmission or reflection in the zigzag direction.
Single molecule magnet features in luminescent lanthanide coordination polymers with heptacoordinate Dy/Yb(iii) ions as nodes
Authors: Dong Xiang-Tao , Yu Meng-Qing , Peng Yong-Bo , Zhou Guo-Xing , Peng Guo , Ren Xiao-Ming
Published: August 2023

Four 1D/2D coordination polymers constructed from low-coordinate lanthanide ions and organic linkers with interesting magnetic and luminescence properties are reported.