bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ACTUALIZATION OF FORMATION FUNCTIONAL LITERACY OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
Authors: Akopian Viktor A.
Published: December 2023

Purpose. The article is devoted to the topic of formation functional literacy of secondary school students which is relevant in modern sociocultural conditions. The subject of analysis is the most effective methods and technologies of formation the students’ functional literacy. The author aims to present the main directions of management of the formation and assessment of functional literacy at the regional level (on the example of the Samara region).

Methods and methodology of the work. The research is based on the cognitive paradigm of education. The basis of the research is the cognitive approach and the corresponding principles of humanity and socio-consciousness.

Results. The results of the work are that the management of the formation and assessment of functional literacy at the regional level (on the example of the Samara region) is based on the coordinative actions of head of the educational organization, teachers, parents, as well as student’s psychological readiness to form functional literacy. The author makes the assumption that it is necessary to develop methodology and tools for the formation and development of criteria for assessing students’ functional literacy.

Practical implementations. The results of the study can be applied in the field of basic general and secondary general education.
FOLKLORE Y LUCRO EN LA REFLEXIÓN DE LUIGI M. LOMBARDI SATRIANI.
Authors: Sanità Helga
Published: December 2023

Cincuenta años después de su primera publicación, el libro ‘Folklore e profitto. Tecniche di distruzione di una cultura’ de Luigi Maria Lombardi Satriani sigue siendo relevante en el análisis del folclore contemporáneo y su impacto en la cultura. El ensayo destaca cómo el folclore se ve afectado por el mercado y una nueva metacultura del patrimonio inmaterial. El texto enfatiza la importancia de proteger y valorar el patrimonio cultural, así como la necesidad de evitar su mercantilización excesiva. El autor plantea la necesidad de un análisis crítico y reflexión sobre las técnicas de difusión y promoción del folclore en la sociedad actual. Este libro sigue desencadenando el pensamiento crítico en torno a estos temas relevantes en la actualidad.
The environmental component of the system of professional training of future social teachers and social workers to work with vulnerable categories of the population
Authors:   State Institution Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Yurkiv Yaroslava
Published: December 2023

The article provides a meaningful description of the environmental component of the system of professional training of future social teachers and social workers to work with vulnerable categories of the population. The environmental component is represented by the internal side of the institution of higher education, within which it becomes possible to achieve the goal of the system – the formation of professional readiness of future social teachers and social workers to work with vulnerable categories of the population. It includes (administrative and teaching staff of the departments, heads of practices, advisors (curators of academic groups), representatives of student self-government bodies, various structural units and services of the university such as social units, career development, psychological recovery and adaptation, development of leadership skills, development of creative skills, informational, inclusive, etc.). The environmental component is also represented by the external side of the institution of higher education, within which it becomes possible to achieve the goal of the system – the formation of professional readiness of future social teachers and social workers to work with vulnerable categories of the population. It includes individuals, various social institutions: institutions of education, health care, social protection, internal affairs bodies, service for children, centres of social services for families, children and youth, territorial centres of social services for pensioners and single citizens unable to work, centres employment, centres for professional, medical and social rehabilitation of the disabled, geriatric institutions, shelters for minors, centres for socio-psychological rehabilitation of minors, night shelters for homeless citizens, registration centres for homeless citizens, social hotels, territorial social service centres (provision of social services), military parts, charitable, public, volunteer organizations, foundations, etc.).
Understanding IR35 tax regulation and off-payroll working
Authors: Rawson Emma
Published: December 2023

Emma Rawson explains the rules surrounding tax and National Insurance contributions for staff not directly employed by the care home and how to remain compliant.
Living well and healthy ageing in the care home environment
Authors: Palmer Sarah
Published: December 2023

Sarah Palmer looks at how care homes can meet older people's needs to help them to live well.
Enigmatic tube-web construction by Gorgopis Hübner ghost moth larvae in South Africa (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae)
Authors: GREHAN JOHN R. , IGNATEV NIKOLAI , ADAM SALLY D. , MIELKE CARLOS G.C. , YAKOVLEV ROMAN V.
Published: December 2023

A partially damaged male imago reared from a larva feeding on Eragrostis curvula (Poaceae) was identified as a species of Gorgopis. Adult and immature stages of the reared specimen are illustrated. The larva lives within a tunnel in the soil. At the ground surface, the tunnel extends above ground as a tube of grass stalk fragments cut by the larva and bound together by silk. These feeding tubes are found at the base of grass tussocks, principally among the dense accumulation of dead stalks. It is not known if the larvae feed on dead or live grass foliage, or a combination. The feeding tube is the second mode of larval feeding documented for ground dwelling southern African Hepialidae, the other being 'silk purser' feeding webs of unknown taxonomic status. The lectotype for Gorgopis libania Cramer, 1781 is here designated.
Synchronous carotid endarterectomy and coronary artery bypass graft: Four case reports
Authors: AlGhamdi Faisal Khader , Altoijry Abdulmajeed , AlQahtani Abdulrahman , Aldossary Mohammed Yousef , AlSheikh Sultan Omar , Iqbal Kaisor , Alayadhi Walid Abdulaziz
Published: December 2023

BACKGROUND

One of the major perioperative complications for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is stroke. The risk of perioperative stroke after CABG is approximately 2%. Carotid stenosis (CS) is considered an independent predictor of perioperative stroke risk in CABG patients. The optimal management of such patients has been a source of controversy. One of the possible surgical options is synchronous carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and CABG. Here, we have presented 4 cases of successful synchronous CEA and CABG.

CASE SUMMARY

Our center’s experience with 4 cases of significant carotid artery stenosis, which were successfully managed with combined CEA and CABG, are detailed. The first case was a female who presented for CABG after a ST-elevation myocardial infarction. She had right internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion and 90% left ICA stenosis. The second case was a male who was electively admitted for CABG. It was discovered that he had left ICA occlusion and 90% right ICA stenosis. The third case was a male with a history of stroke, two months prior to admission. He presented with non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. Preoperatively, it was discovered that he had > 90% right ICA stenosis. The final case was a male who was electively admitted for CABG. It was discovered that he had bilateral > 90% ICA stenosis. We have also reviewed the current evidence and guidelines for managing CS in patients undergoing CABG.

CONCLUSION

Our case series demonstrated that synchronous CEA and CABG was safe. A multicenter study with additional patients is needed. It is necessary for clinicians to screen for CS in high-risk patients with features.
Sustainable Finance: Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes That Can Make a Difference
Authors: Couto Renally Fernandes , Farias Bem Maracajá Kettrin , Batalhão André
Published: December 2023

Muitos estudos investigam os benefícios da educação financeira com diferentes áreas de comportamento, entretanto, estudos envolvendo educação financeira e sustentabilidade ainda são muito escassos. Este estudo tem como intuito propor os itens pertencentes às dimensões apresentadas no trabalho de Couto, Maracajá e Machado (2022). Esta pesquisa tem caráter qualitativo e natureza exploratória e descritiva, e o tipo de instrumento proposto foi um questionário contendo itens que passaram por validação de face e conteúdo por onze especialistas, sendo cinco da área de educação financeira e seis da sustentabilidade, por meio de duas rodadas. O instrumento proposto tinha 139 itens distribuídos em 7 dimensões: educação financeira (FE), sustentabilidade (S), orçamento pessoal e familiar (B), crédito e endividamento (CI), poupança e investimento (SI), consumo e desperdício (CW). , e futuro e legado (FL). Após a validação, um total de 137 itens foram mantidos nas dimensões. Este estudo avança no escopo proposto das dimensões e inclui de forma contundente o pilar ambiental na interação entre educação financeira e o tripé da sustentabilidade. Com estruturas, conteúdos e atributos psicométricos validados por especialistas, recomenda-se a aplicação do instrumento em estudos transversais e experimentos longitudinais; os itens também podem servir de guia para roteiros de entrevistas e estudos de caso. A limitação deste estudo foi sua concentração estritamente teórica; entretanto, por se tratar de uma relação interdisciplinar emergente, o processo de levantamento conceitual e formulação de hipóteses relacionais e instrumentação tornam-se valiosos para minimizar riscos de inconsistência teórica e problemas em futuras aplicações.
The Role of Community-Based Rehabilitation and Community-Based Inclusive Development in Facilitating Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities Globally
Authors: Michelle Aldersey Heather , Xu Xiaolin , Balakrishna Venkatesh , Carolyne Sserunkuma Maholo , Sebeh Alaa , Olmedo Zambrano , Parvin Nuri Reshma , Nega Ahmed Ansha
Published: December 2023

Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) is a multi-sectoral strategy that addresses the human rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Justice is a core component within the social pillar of the CBR Matrix, however, there is limited understanding of how CBR and Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) programs are implementing this component globally. The CBR Global Network and partners facilitated five online dialogues in different regions of the world to understand current practices and the future of the field as it relates to justice, choice, and power in CBR/CBID. Analysis was completed both deductively and inductively, to explore the trends and issues and any similarities or differences in practice across the regions. Participants discussed (i) challenges in policy implementation and law enforcement; (ii) the role of CBR/CBID programs; (iii) the role of family (as both facilitator and barrier to accessing justice); and (iv) engagement of people with disabilities. Findings detail important experiences of the CBR/CBID stakeholders around the globe, and may inform future funding, practice, and advocacy.
Corrigendum: Quadrigeminal plate arachnoid cyst presenting with eye movement related migraine: a rare case report
Authors: Graciela Yemima , Shen Robert , Tjahjadi Mardjono
Published: December 2023

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.13181/mji.cr.236858]
Sensing the Future in Contemporary Anglophone Literature: Utopian Practice in Times of Global Emergency
Authors: Falkenhayner Nicole
Published: December 2023

Abstract: Due to contemporary experiences of climate crisis, large-scale migration, and global ruptures such as the spread of COVID-19, futurity has become newly problematized in both public discourse and critical discussions in literary and cultural studies. This article argues that literary texts contribute to the renegotiation of futurity for the cultural needs of the present. The article discusses how two contemporary Anglophone novels, Mohsin Hamid’s Exit West (2017) and Nnedi Okorafor’s Lagoon (2014), redirect both ecocritical and critical posthumanist concerns towards an ethics of open futurity that is, counterintuitively, contiguous with the humanist philosophies of Hannah Arendt and Emmanuel Levinas. The novels express forms of anticipation in which open futurity and the experience of encounter with the other form a basic ethical orientation, thereby pointing to an emergent reshaping of utopian practice in times of global emergency.
Woman, Life, Freedom: The Adlerian Conceptualization of the Woman-Led Revolution Against Tyranny in Iran
Authors: Saeedi Sara , Heidarpanah Mitra , Ghorbani Faranak
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACT: Adler was among the first feminists who opposed Freud’s views on the inferiority of women. He argued that it was society, not nature, which had hindered women’s affinity for Social Interest and that this oppression could be overcome through movements for social justice. He believed that women held the capacity and resilience to fight for themselves against gender-based tyranny. One such fundamental tyranny is against women’s bodily autonomy through the enforcement of strict dress codes, especially in autocratic countries such as Iran. The tyranny of the compulsory hijab in Iran is used to describe the mandatory dress code imposed on women, which involves covering their hair and wearing loose-fitting garments that conceal their bodies. This dress code, referred to as hijab , has been enforced since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. In September 2022, the murder of the Iranian woman Mahsa Amini for her supposed improper observance of hijab ignited the worldwide Woman, Life, Freedom movement. This movement calls for the preservation of women’s rights and a shift to secular democracy in Iran. Adlerian art therapy workshops inspired by this movement were held in Vancouver, Canada, to promote resilience and social justice in the Iranian diaspora. These workshops successfully echoed the Woman, Life, Freedom movement and encouraged ally-ship and advocacy for women.
Suppression of wavelength-dependent polarization fading using hybrid-polarization scheme in OFDR
Authors: Mou Tieliang , Zhu Yao , Lin Cuofu , Zou Chen , Xie Dongcheng , Zhu Yunlong , Dang Fanyang , Yuan Yonggui , Gao Feng , Yang Jun
Published: December 2023

What we believe to be a new hybrid-polarization diversity scheme which can eliminate the polarization state variation caused by wavelength tuning of laser in optical frequency domain reflectometry is proposed in the paper. In the scheme, a 45° polarizer is used to maintain the polarization of signals. It decreases the polarization angle fluctuation to 2.81° and realizes a −145 dB test sensitivity with a 32 dB Rayleigh scattering signal-to-noise ratio in a 10 m fiber single test. The polarization fading suppression is achieved for tests with a large wavelength tuning range from 1480 nm to 1640 nm. Meanwhile, a 6 µm spatial resolution is also achieved. The proposed scheme can be applied to the structure measurement of high-precision optical fiber devices with high spatial resolution and sensitivity.
Three-dimensional integral imaging-based image descattering and recovery using physics informed unsupervised CycleGAN
Authors: Krishnan Gokul , Goswami Saurabh , Joshi Rakesh , Javidi Bahram
Published: December 2023

Image restoration and denoising has been a challenging problem in optics and computer vision. There has been active research in the optics and imaging communities to develop a robust, data-efficient system for image restoration tasks. Recently, physics-informed deep learning has received wide interest in scientific problems. In this paper, we introduce a three-dimensional integral imaging-based physics-informed unsupervised CycleGAN algorithm for underwater image descattering and recovery using physics-informed CycleGAN (Generative Adversarial Network). The system consists of a forward and backward pass. The base architecture consists of an encoder and a decoder. The encoder takes the clean image along with the depth map and the degradation parameters to produce the degraded image. The decoder takes the degraded image generated by the encoder along with the depth map and produces the clean image along with the degradation parameters. In order to provide physical significance for the input degradation parameter w.r.t a physical model for the degradation, we also incorporated the physical model into the loss function. The proposed model has been assessed under the dataset curated through underwater experiments at various levels of turbidity. In addition to recovering the original image from the degraded image, the proposed algorithm also helps to model the distribution under which the degraded images have been sampled. Furthermore, the proposed three-dimensional Integral Imaging approach is compared with the traditional deep learning-based approach and 2D imaging approach under turbid and partially occluded environments. The results suggest the proposed approach is promising, especially under the above experimental conditions.
Improving measurement efficiency of complex transistor structures using surface plasmon resonances
Authors: Song Yi , sun Qimeng , Song Yunfei , Zhang Peiting , duo Xu yi , dekun Yang , Li Lijie , Shen Wei
Published: December 2023

Mueller matrix spectroscopy ellipsometry (MMSE) combined with machine learning method is a promising metrology tool for assisting high-volume production of complex transistor structures such as Gate-all-around (GAA). Conventional wide-spectrum MMSE cannot avoid measurement errors caused by large dispersions. In the meantime, the large amount of data in wide-spectrum reduces the metrology efficiency. In this work, a new metrology method is developed using the effects of near-field electric fields. First, two important transistor structures within the GAA architecture are used as metrology objects, including isotropic and anisotropic structures. The near-field electric fields and Mueller matrix spectra based on different dimensions are calculated using rigorous coupled wave analysis. Next, machine learning method has been used to compare the training time and test accuracy of the wide-spectrum (0.2 ~ 1.5 μm) with that of the sensitive spectrum (the bands where surface plasmon resonances or localized plasmonic resonances occur). The training time for the sensitive spectrum is shortened by about 60%, with the same test accuracy. The proposed method improves the metrology efficiency of complex transistor structures and reduces the dispersion error caused by wide spectrum, thus improving the reliability of high-density integration.
Optical systems with translational invariance
Authors: Zhuridov Dmitry
Published: December 2023

The leading order monochromatic aberrations are investigated for the optical systems, which obey single-plane symmetry and translational invariance. These aberrations are classified from the symmetry principles for the wave aberration function. The Fermat's Principle is applied for a system made of generic cylindrical surfaces and a complete set of the aberration coefficients required for calculation of the aberrations for any paraxial ray is obtained. To demonstrate the applied value of the analytical results obtained the criteria of compensation of the leading aberrations for cylindrical analog of the Cassegrain telescope were found.
Development of a visible and over 1000 nm hyperspectral imaging rigid-scope system using supercontinuum light and an acousto-optic tunable filter
Authors: Takamatsu Toshihiro , Fukushima Ryodai , Sato Kounosuke , UMEZAWA MASAKAZU , Yokota Hideo , Soga Kohei , Hernandez-Guedes Abian , Callicó Gustavo , Takemura Hiroshi
Published: December 2023

We propose a rigid-scope system that can perform hyperspectral imaging (HSI) between visible to over 1000 nm (OTN) using a supercontinuum light source and an acousto-optic tunable filter to emit specific wavelengths. In this study, the system was developed, and its optical performance verification and classification ability were investigated. Consequently, it was demonstrated that HSI (490–1600 nm) could be performed. In addition, seven different targets could be classified by the neural network with an accuracy of 99.6%, recall of 93.7%, and specificity of 99.1%, when the wavelength range of OTN was extracted from HSI data as train data.
Ten quick tips for fuzzy logic modeling of biomedical systems
Authors: Chicco Davide , Spolaor Simone , Nobile Marco S.
Published: December 2023

Fuzzy logic is useful tool to describe and represent biological or medical scenarios, where often states and outcomes are not only completely true or completely false, but rather partially true or partially false. Despite its usefulness and spread, fuzzy logic modeling might easily be done in the wrong way, especially by beginners and unexperienced researchers, who might overlook some important aspects or might make common mistakes. Malpractices and pitfalls, in turn, can lead to wrong or overoptimistic, inflated results, with negative consequences to the biomedical research community trying to comprehend a particular phenomenon, or even to patients suffering from the investigated disease. To avoid common mistakes, we present here a list of quick tips for fuzzy logic modeling any biomedical scenario: some guidelines which should be taken into account by any fuzzy logic practitioner, including experts. We believe our best practices can have a strong impact in the scientific community, allowing researchers who follow them to obtain better, more reliable results and outcomes in biomedical contexts.
Affect-congruent attention modulates generalized reward expectations
Authors: Bennett Daniel , Radulescu Angela , Zorowitz Sam , Felso Valkyrie , Niv Yael
Published: December 2023

Positive and negative affective states are respectively associated with optimistic and pessimistic expectations regarding future reward. One mechanism that might underlie these affect-related expectation biases is attention to positive- versus negative-valence features (e.g., attending to the positive reviews of a restaurant versus its expensive price). Here we tested the effects of experimentally induced positive and negative affect on feature-based attention in 120 participants completing a compound-generalization task with eye-tracking. We found that participants’ reward expectations for novel compound stimuli were modulated in an affect-congruent way: positive affect induction increased reward expectations for compounds, whereas negative affect induction decreased reward expectations. Computational modelling and eye-tracking analyses each revealed that these effects were driven by affect-congruent changes in participants’ allocation of attention to high- versus low-value features of compounds. These results provide mechanistic insight into a process by which affect produces biases in generalized reward expectations.
Protection promotes energetically efficient structures in marine communities
Authors: Tabi Andrea , Gilarranz Luis J. , Wood Spencer A. , Dunne Jennifer A. , Saavedra Serguei
Published: December 2023

The sustainability of marine communities is critical for supporting many biophysical processes that provide ecosystem services that promote human well-being. It is expected that anthropogenic disturbances such as climate change and human activities will tend to create less energetically-efficient ecosystems that support less biomass per unit energy flow. It is debated, however, whether this expected development should translate into bottom-heavy (with small basal species being the most abundant) or top-heavy communities (where more biomass is supported at higher trophic levels with species having larger body sizes). Here, we combine ecological theory and empirical data to demonstrate that full marine protection promotes shifts towards top-heavy energetically-efficient structures in marine communities. First, we use metabolic scaling theory to show that protected communities are expected to display stronger top-heavy structures than disturbed communities. Similarly, we show theoretically that communities with high energy transfer efficiency display stronger top-heavy structures than communities with low transfer efficiency. Next, we use empirical structures observed within fully protected marine areas compared to disturbed areas that vary in stress from thermal events and adjacent human activity. Using a nonparametric causal-inference analysis, we find a strong, positive, causal effect between full marine protection and stronger top-heavy structures. Our work corroborates ecological theory on community development and provides a quantitative framework to study the potential restorative effects of different candidate strategies on protected areas.
Autophagic dysfunction and gut microbiota dysbiosis cause chronic immune activation in a Drosophila model of Gaucher disease
Authors: Atilano Magda L. , Hull Alexander , Romila Catalina-Andreea , Adams Mirjam L. , Wildfire Jacob , Ureña Enric , Dyson Miranda , Ivan-Castillo-Quan Jorge , Partridge Linda , Kinghorn Kerri J.
Published: December 2023

Mutations in theGBA1gene cause the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease (GD) and are the greatest known genetic risk factors for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Communication between the gut and brain and immune dysregulation are increasingly being implicated in neurodegenerative disorders such as PD. Here, we show that flies lacking theGba1bgene, the main fly orthologue ofGBA1, display widespread NF-kB signalling activation, including gut inflammation, and brain glial activation. We also demonstrate intestinal autophagic defects, gut dysfunction, and microbiome dysbiosis. Remarkably, modulating the microbiome ofGba1bknockout flies, by raising them under germ-free conditions, partially ameliorates lifespan, locomotor and immune phenotypes. Moreover, we show that modulation of the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway is detrimental to the survival ofGba1deficient flies. We also reveal that direct stimulation of autophagy by rapamycin treatment achieves similar benefits to germ-free conditions independent of gut bacterial load. Consistent with this, we show that pharmacologically blocking autophagosomal-lysosomal fusion, mimicking the autophagy defects ofGba1depleted cells, is sufficient to stimulate intestinal immune activation. Overall, our data elucidate a mechanism whereby an altered microbiome, coupled with defects in autophagy, drive chronic activation of NF-kB signaling ina Gba1loss-of-function model. It also highlights that elimination of the microbiota or stimulation of autophagy to remove immune mediators, rather than prolonged immunosuppression, may represent effective therapeutic avenues forGBA1-associated disorders.
Regenerative growth is constrained by brain tumor to ensure proper patterning in Drosophila
Authors: Abidi Syeda Nayab Fatima , Hsu Felicity Ting-Yu , Smith-Bolton Rachel K.
Published: December 2023

Some animals respond to injury by inducing new growth to regenerate the lost structures. This regenerative growth must be carefully controlled and constrained to prevent aberrant growth and to allow correct organization of the regenerating tissue. However, the factors that restrict regenerative growth have not been identified. Using a genetic ablation system in the Drosophila wing imaginal disc, we have identified one mechanism that constrains regenerative growth, impairment of which also leads to erroneous patterning of the final appendage. Regenerating discs with reduced levels of the RNA-regulator Brain tumor (Brat) exhibit enhanced regeneration, but produce adult wings with disrupted margins that are missing extensive tracts of sensory bristles. In these mutants, aberrantly high expression of the pro-growth factor Myc and its downstream targets likely contributes to this loss of cell-fate specification. Thus, Brat constrains the expression of pro-regeneration genes and ensures that the regenerating tissue forms the proper final structure.
Epidemiological characteristics and spatio-temporal aggregation of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Jinan City, China, 2018–2022
Authors: Gao Shang , Geng Xingyi , Lu Qingbin , Wu Shanzheng , Shan Zhaoxia , Chang Caiyun
Published: December 2023

Background

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) has become a significant public health issue in Jinan City. However, the analysis of epidemiological characteristics and spatio-temporal clustering of SFTS in Jinan has not been studied yet.

Methods

SFTS data from 2018−2022 in Jinan City were obtained from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. Global spatial autocorrelation and local spatial autocorrelation analyses were performed using ArcGIS 10.2 software, and spatiotemporal hotspot area detection was carried out using SatScan 9.6 software.

Results

Between 2018 and 2022, 680 SFTS cases were reported in Jinan City, resulting in 53 deaths and an average case fatality rate of 7.8%. 99.0% of cases occurred between April and October, 91.9% individuals were over 50 years old, and 87.79% were primarily farmers. A positive spatial correlation of SFTS in Jinan was observed (Moran’s I value between 0.135−0.197, P<0.001), indicating spatial aggregation, primarily in Licheng, Zhangqiu, Laiwu, and Gangcheng districts in southeastern Jinan. Spatiotemporal scanning detected one class I and two class II aggregation areas, with the class I aggregation area (RR = 5.66, LLR = 192.547, P<0.001) locating in southeastern Jinan City, comprising 31 towns/streets, and an aggregation time from 13 May 2020 to 13 October 2022.

Conclusion

Spatial and temporal aggregation of SFTS is evident in Jinan. Based on the spatial and temporal distribution and epidemiological characteristics, prevention and control measures such as public education, monitoring, and training should target key populations in high-incidence epidemic areas.
Spatio-temporal data prediction of multiple air pollutants in multi-cities based on 4D digraph convolutional neural network
Authors: Wang Li , Tang Qianhui , Wang Xiaoyi , Xu Jiping , Zhao Zhiyao , Zhang Huiyan , Yu Jiabin , Sun Qian , Bai Yuting , Jin Xuebo , Ning Chaoran
Published: December 2023

In response to the problem that current multi-city multi-pollutant prediction methods based on one-dimensional undirected graph neural network models cannot accurately reflect the two-dimensional spatial correlations and directedness, this study proposes a four-dimensional directed graph model that can capture the two-dimensional spatial directed information and node correlation information related to multiple factors, as well as extract temporal correlation information at different times. Firstly, A four-dimensional directed GCN model with directed information graph in two-dimensional space was established based on the geographical location of the city. Secondly, Spectral decomposition and tensor operations were then applied to the two-dimensional directed information graph to obtain the graph Fourier coefficients and graph Fourier basis. Thirdly, the graph filter of the four-dimensional directed GCN model was further improved and optimized. Finally, an LSTM network architecture was introduced to construct the four-dimensional directed GCN-LSTM model for synchronous extraction of spatio-temporal information and prediction of atmospheric pollutant concentrations. The study uses the 2020 atmospheric six-parameter data of the Taihu Lake city cluster and applies canonical correlation analysis to confirm the data’s temporal, spatial, and multi-factor correlations. Through experimentation, it is verified that the proposed 4D-DGCN-LSTM model achieves a MAE reduction of 1.12%, 4.91%, 5.62%, and 11.67% compared with the 4D-DGCN, GCN-LSTM, GCN, and LSTM models, respectively, indicating the good performance of the 4D-DGCN-LSTM model in predicting multiple types of atmospheric pollutants in various cities.
Corticosteroids for COVID-19-induced olfactory dysfunction: A comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Wang Jian-Ying , Pao Jiunn-Bey , Lee Chih-Hsin , Wang Jann-Yuan , Lee Ming-Chia , Wu Tzu-Tuan
Published: December 2023

Background

Olfactory dysfunction is a common manifestation in COVID-19 patients and can significantly impact their quality of life. Corticosteroids have been proposed as a potential treatment, but their efficacy remains controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to comprehensively analyze the efficacy of corticosteroid therapy for treating COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction.

Methods

A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases up to March 1, 2023. Randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of corticosteroids on olfactory dysfunction in patients with COVID-19 were included. The primary outcome was the olfactory score at the end of follow-up, and the secondary outcomes were the duration and the rate of recovery from olfactory dysfunction.

Results

Seven randomized controlled trials with 999 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, corticosteroid treatment resulted in a statistically significant improvement in olfactory score with a standardized mean difference of 0.55 (95% CI: 0.15 to 0.95). Topical corticosteroids were found to be effective, but systemic corticosteroids were not. In addition, longer durations and higher dosages of corticosteroids treatment may also be associated with significant improvements in olfactory scores. No significant effect was observed on the duration or recovery rate of olfactory dysfunction.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that topical corticosteroid treatment is a viable option for improving COVID-19-related olfactory dysfunction, but further research is needed to investigate optimal treatment protocols and safety profiles.
Endophyte genomes support greater metabolic gene cluster diversity compared with non-endophytes in Trichoderma
Authors: Scott Kelsey , Konkel Zachary , Gluck-Thaler Emile , Valero David Guillermo E. , Simmt Coralie Farinas , Grootmyers Django , Chaverri Priscila , Slot Jason
Published: December 2023

Trichodermais a cosmopolitan genus with diverse lifestyles and nutritional modes, including mycotrophy, saprophytism, and endophytism. Previous research has reported greater metabolic gene repertoires in endophytic fungal species compared to closely-related non-endophytes. However, the extent of this ecological trend and its underlying mechanisms are unclear. Some endophytic fungi may also be mycotrophs and have one or more mycoparasitism mechanisms. Mycotrophic endophytes are prominent in certain genera likeTrichoderma, therefore, the mechanisms that enable these fungi to colonize both living plants and fungi may be the result of expanded metabolic gene repertoires. Our objective was to determine what, if any, genomic features are overrepresented in endophytic fungi genomes in order to undercover the genomic underpinning of the fungal endophytic lifestyle. Here we compared metabolic gene cluster and mycoparasitism gene diversity across a dataset of thirty-eightTrichodermagenomes representing the full breadth of environmentalTrichoderma’s diverse lifestyles and nutritional modes. We generated four newTrichoderma endophyticumgenomes to improve the sampling of endophytic isolates from this genus. As predicted, endophyticTrichodermagenomes contained, on average, more total biosynthetic and degradative gene clusters than non-endophytic isolates, suggesting that the ability to create/modify a diversity of metabolites potential is beneficial or necessary to the endophytic fungi. Still, once the phylogenetic signal was taken in consideration, no particular class of metabolic gene cluster was independently associated with theTrichodermaendophytic lifestyle. Several mycoparasitism genes, but no chitinase genes, were associated with endophyticTrichodermagenomes. Most genomic differences betweenTrichodermalifestyles and nutritional modes are difficult to disentangle from phylogenetic divergences among species, suggesting thatTrichodermagenomes maybe particularly well-equipped for lifestyle plasticity. We also consider the role of endophytism in diversifying secondary metabolism after identifying the horizontal transfer of the ergot alkaloid gene cluster toTrichoderma.
Femicide in Mexico: Statistical evidence of an increasing trend
Authors: Hernández Gress Eva Selene , Flegl Martin , Krstikj Aleksandra , Boyes Christina
Published: December 2023

This study analyzes whether femicide in Mexico has increased more severely than other life and bodily integrity crimes (e.g., homicide, culpable homicide, injuries, malicious injuries, abortion, and other crimes that threaten life). To achieve this, the Executive Secretariat of the National Public Security System database was cleaned and the number of femicides per 100,000 inhabitants was calculated, for the period from January 2016 to March 2022 in all states of Mexico. Through descriptive statistics, non-parametric analysis of means, and hypothesis tests, we demonstrate that the states with the highest number of femicides are the Estado de Mexico (State of Mexico), Ciudad de Mexico (Mexico City), and Veracruz; moreover, the number of femicides exhibits a growing trend while the total number of life and bodily integrity crimes does not. Finally, we forecast the number of femicides for the next five months. To our knowledge, there is no other article that analyzes the growth trend of femicide compared to other crimes. Visualizing and understanding that femicide is on the rise compared with other types of crimes can help the government and legislators generate policies that are consistent with the magnitude of the problem.
Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adult mental health-related admissions at a large university health system in North Carolina – one year into the pandemic
Authors: Der Tatyana , Helmke Nicole , Stout Jason E. , Turner Nicholas A.
Published: December 2023

Objective

Pandemic-associated stress may have exacerbated preexisting mental health and substance use disorders (MH/SUD) and caused new MH/SUD diagnoses which would be expected to lead to an increase in visits to emergency departments and hospital admissions for these conditions. This study assessed whether the proportion of hospital and emergency department encounters for MH/SUD diagnoses increased during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

Methods

We conducted a longitudinal (interrupted time series) analysis of 994,724 eligible encounters identified by electronic query between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2021. Of these, 55,574 encounters involved MH/SUD diagnosis. The pre-pandemic period was defined as January 1, 2016 to March 31, 2020, and the pandemic period was defined as April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. All statistical analyses were performed with R.

Results

No significant trend in MH/SUD encounters at baseline (rate ratio 1.00, 95% CI 0.99–1.01, p = 0.75) was observed. However, the onset of the pandemic was temporally associated with a significant level increase in the proportion of MH/SUD encounters relative to overall encounters (rate ratio 1.14, 95% CI 1.06–1.21, p<0.001) with no change in the overall trend (rate ratio 0.99, 95% CI 0.90–1.10, p = 0.89).

Conclusions

The significant pandemic-associated increase in the proportion of MH/SUD encounters relative to overall encounters was driven largely by sustained numbers of MH/ SUD encounters despite a decrease in total encounters. Increased support for mental health care is needed for these vulnerable patients during pandemics.
Do environmental stimuli modify sensitive plant (Mimosa pudica L.) risk assessment?
Authors: Cosca Charlotte M. , Haggard Justin A. , Kato Halli M. , Sklavenitis Eleni M. , Blumstein Daniel T.
Published: December 2023

Although plants and animals both assess their environment and respond to stimuli, this reaction is considered a behavior in animals and a response in plants. Responses in plants are seen within various timescales- from the nanosecond stimuli is presented to a lifelong progression. Within this study, we bridge the gap between animal behavioral studies and plant response. Sensitive plants (Mimosa pudica L.) are an ideal subject for this due to the rapid closure of their primary leaflets when touched. We designed a multimodal, or stress combination, experiment to test two hypotheses with sensitive plants: if they could be distracted and if they would alter their risk assessment when exposed to external stimuli (wind and sound). To evaluate the distraction hypothesis, we measured an individual’s latency to close, hypothesizing that if the plants were distracted, they would take longer to close. To evaluate the uncertain risk hypothesis, we quantified the latency to reopen, hypothesizing that if the plants were uncertain, they would take longer to reopen. We also quantified the number of pinnae closed on the selected stem to test for changes in risk assessment across treatments. We expected the unimodal treatments would distract or alter risk assessment, and the multimodal treatment would elicit an enhanced response. Multimodal stimuli had a significant effect on the number of pinnae closed before the tap, but we found no evidence that plants were distracted by any stimulus tested. We found that temperature had a significant effect on the latency to close, and that plants modified their risk assessment when exposed to experimental wind stimuli. By manipulating environmental stimuli, we found that sensitive plants trade-off energy and perceived risk much in the way that is commonly found in animals. Framing the study of plants’ responses to environmental stimuli as behavioral questions may generate new insights.
Spatial spillover effects of urban innovation on productivity growth: A case study of 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt
Authors: Li Zhengtao , Chai Zhixian , Ren Laihe
Published: December 2023

The spatial spillover of urban innovation has increasingly become an important factor affecting urban total factor productivity (TFP) growth. Based on the panel data of 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2004 to 2020, this paper illustrates the spatial-temporal evolution trend of urban innovation and manufacturing total factor productivity and uses the spatial Dubin model to study the direct and indirect effects of urban innovation on manufacturing total factor productivity. The main conclusions are as follows:(1)Spatial correlation and heterogeneity between urban innovation and manufacturing total factor productivity prove to be significant in the Yangtze River Economic Belt;(2)Urban innovation has a significant positive impact on manufacturing total factor productivity and has a positive spillover effect on surrounding cities; (3)The effect of urban innovation on manufacturing total factor productivity varies with time and region;(4) Mechanism analysis shows that talent agglomeration significantly promotes the positive impact of urban innovation on manufacturing total factor productivity, while the spillover effect is insignificant.
Predictors of public attitudes in Saudi Arabia toward people who stutter
Authors: Al Awaji Nisreen Naser , Alfouzan Reem Fouzan , Almutairi Afnan Razen , Mortada Eman M.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA-S) was used to measure the attitudes of the general population in Saudi Arabia toward people who stutter (PWS) and to identify the predictors of the overall stuttering score (OSS).

Method

A total of 404 adults from Saudi Arabia (16.8% male and 83.2% female) completed an online POSHA-S questionnaire.

Results

The attitudes of adults in Saudi Arabia were similar to those of other samples worldwide. Working status, income, and multilingualism were substantial predictors of the OSS.

Conclusion

Saudi adults have positive impressions, beliefs, and self-reactions to PWS. However, their knowledge of stuttering tends to be limited. Therefore, campaigns conducted to raise awareness of stuttering should adopt the most widely used sources of knowledge in the Saudi Arabian community (i.e., the Internet and social media). Sociodemographic variables predictive of positive versus negative OSS include working status and multilingualism. Unpredictive variables, that do not predict positive versus negative OSS, include age, gender, education, parental status, health, abilities, and income.
Resiliency outcomes after participation in an asynchronous web-based platform for adults with neurofibromatosis: The NF-Web study
Authors: Wang Katherine E. , Vranceanu Ana-Maria , Lester Ethan G.
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study was to analyze secondary resiliency and user experience outcomes from a novel, 8-week website-based mind-body intervention (NF-Web) for adults (18+) with neurofibromatosis (NF1, NF2, and schwannomatosis), a genetic, neurocutaneous disorder characterized by nerve sheath tumors of the central and peripheral nervous system. The study design was a secondary data analysis of a single-arm, early feasibility pilot study (September 2020-May 2021) for adults with NF (N = 28). Across participants, the mean age was 46 (SD = 13.67) and included 22 females and 6 males. Participants completed baseline and posttest assessments (t-tests), as well as exit interviews (exploratory rapid data analysis). Results demonstrated that participation was associated with pre-to-post improvements in gratitude, coping, and mindfulness (p < .05). Exit interviews indicated participant enjoyment and that many would recommend NF-Web to a friend. Participants found the website easy to navigate and enjoyed NF-Web’s video format. Many found transcripts useful if they had hearing differences or if English was their second language. NF-Web demonstrated initial signals of improvement in resiliency outcomes and positive user experience. Future pilot RCTs will explore these changes by NF type.
Patients with central serous chorioretinopathy have high circulating alpha-klotho concentrations
Authors: Tahara Eri , Yamamoto Yuki , Sugisawa Takaaki , Gomi Fumi
Published: December 2023

Stress is a risk factor for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), but a suitable biomarker of this stress has not been identified. We aimed to evaluate alpha-klotho (αKl) as a potential biomarker of CSC. The circulating concentrations of αKl in patients diagnosed with acute or chronic CSC and treated at Hyogo College of Medicine between December 2019 and July 2021 were retrospectively compared with those of healthy individuals. We also compared the αKl concentrations of patients with acute or chronic CSC. Furthermore, we evaluated the relationships of age, sex, smoking status, and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) with αKl concentration. Patients in whom subretinal fluid reaccumulated in the same eye after its resolution were defined as having recurrent CSC. We studied 56 patients (46 men and 10 women) and 27 healthy controls (19 men and 8 women); and 38 and 18 eyes with acute and chronic CSC, respectively. The mean circulating concentration of αKl was higher in patients with CSC than in controls (827±232 and 724±183 pg/mL, respectively; p = 0.035). The mean SFCT was greater in patients with CSC than in controls (416±91.0 and 278±96.3 μm, respectively; p<0.0001). The mean αKl concentration was significantly higher in the patients with acute CSC than in those with chronic CSC (898±221 and 740±224 pg/mL, respectively; p = 0.038). Recurrence of CSC occurred in 10 of 56 (17.9%) eyes, of which five eyes were in the acute CSC group and five were in the chronic CSC group. Patients who experienced recurrence had significantly higher αKI concentrations than those who did not (p = 0.0219). There were no significant relationships of αKl concentration with age, sex, smoking history, or SFCT. In summary, the circulating αKI concentrations of patients with CSC are high, which suggests that αKI may be an indicator of stress in such patients.