bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The impact of obesity on severe disease and mortality in people with SARS‐CoV‐2: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Seidu Samuel , Gillies Clare , Zaccardi Francesco , Kunutsor Setor K. , Hartmann‐Boyce Jamie , Yates Thomas , Singh Awadhesh Kumar , Davies Melanie J. , Khunti Kamlesh 
Published: August 2020

AbstractBackgroundObesity accompanied by excess ectopic fat storage has been postulated as a risk factor for severe disease in people with SARS‐CoV‐2 through the stimulation of inflammation, functional immunologic deficit and a pro‐thrombotic disseminated intravascular coagulation with associated high rates of venous thromboembolism.MethodsObservational studies in COVID‐19 patients reporting data on raised body mass index at admission and associated clinical outcomes were identified from MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library up to 16 May 2020. Mean differences and relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were aggregated using random effects models.ResultsEight retrospective cohort studies and one cohort prospective cohort study with data on of 4,920 patients with COVID‐19 were eligible. Comparing BMI ≥ 25 vs <25 kg/m2, the RRs (95% CIs) of severe illness and mortality were 2.35 (1.43‐3.86) and 3.52 (1.32‐9.42), respectively. In a pooled analysis of three studies, the RR (95% CI) of severe illness comparing BMI > 35 vs <25 kg/m2 was 7.04 (2.72‐18.20). High levels of statistical heterogeneity were partly explained by age; BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 was associated with an increased risk of severe illness in older age groups (≥60 years), whereas the association was weaker in younger age groups (<60 years).ConclusionsExcess adiposity is a risk factor for severe disease and mortality in people with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. This was particularly pronounced in people 60 and older. The increased risk of worse outcomes from SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in people with excess adiposity should be taken into account when considering individual and population risks and when deciding on which groups to target for public health messaging on prevention and detection measures.Systematic review registration: PROSPERO 2020: CRD42020179783.
Quaternary Ammonium Based Carboxyl Functionalized Ionic Liquid for Covalent Immobilization of Horseradish Peroxidase and Development of Electrochemical Hydrogen Peroxide Biosensor
Authors: Murphy Manoharan , Theyagarajan K. , Thenmozhi Kathavarayan , Senthilkumar Sellappan 
Published: August 2020

AbstractA novel electrochemical biosensor was developed using a judiciously designed platform for the rapid and accurate determination of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The horseradish peroxidase (HRP) based biosensor was constructed by covalent anchoring of the enzyme to a newly synthesized quaternary ammonium‐based carboxyl functionalized ionic liquid (TBA−COOH−IL) immobilized on a multiwalled carbon nanotube deposited glassy carbon electrode (MWCNT/GCE). A stable amide bond is formed between HRP enzyme and IL by utilizing the terminal −NH2 of HRP and −COOH groups of TBA−COOH−IL, while the pi‐pi stacking holds the TBA−COOH−IL firmly on the MWCNT/GCE and forms HRP/TBA−COOH−IL/MWCNT/GCE. Thus fabricated HRP/TBA−COOH−IL/MWCNT/GCE displayed a well‐resolved redox peak at a formal potential (E°’) of −0.32 V, which corresponds to the concealed FeIII/FeII redox centre of the immobilized HRP enzyme. Further, the developed biosensor was employed for the electrocatalytic determination of H2O2 in static and dynamic conditions, which showed a wide linear range from 0.02 to 4.30 mM with a high sensitivity and low detection limit of 160.6 μA mM−1 cm−2 and 6 μM, respectively. The excellent performance of the fabricated biosensor is attributed to the stable covalent anchoring of freely water‐soluble enzyme on the newly designed, highly conducting and biocompatible platform. Furthermore, the fabricated biosensor exhibited good reproducibility with an extended long‐term stability.
Discussion on A high‐resolution bilevel skew‐t stochastic generator for assessing Saudi Arabia's wind energy resources
Authors: Porcu Emilio , Rysgaard Jonas , Eveloy Valerie 
Published: August 2020

AbstractWe provide a detailed discussion on the analysis presented by Tagle and co‐authors, who suggested an approach to improve earlier models for handling non‐Gaussianity in spatial wind field speed data by simplifying the model formulation to better accommodate large data sets. Our discussion focuses on the energy and socio‐economic context of wind potential assessment in Saudi Arabia – an oil‐rich country, statistical aspects associated with wind field forecasting, and the prediction of the wind electricity production potential from the wind field forecast.
Adjusting a finite population block kriging estimator for imperfect detection
Authors: Higham Matt , Ver Hoef Jay , Madsen Lisa , Aderman Andy 
Published: August 2020

AbstractA finite population version of block kriging (FPBK) estimates a total or a mean when there is perfect detection of population units. However, many environmental datasets challenge the assumption of perfect detection. We consider two extensions of FPBK that incorporate imperfect detection. Spatial population estimator with detection: ratio then add (SPEDRA) adjusts observed counts by the estimated detection probability prior to spatial modeling. Spatial population estimator with detection: add then ratio (SPEDAR) uses spatial modeling on observed counts and then adjusts by mean detection probability. Unlike classical sampling approaches such as simple random sampling, SPEDRA and SPEDAR allow for spatial correlation among counts, and, being moment‐based, are less computationally intensive than a fully Bayesian model. Both SPEDRA and SPEDAR perform similarly in some simulation settings and give comparable estimates for a moose population total when applied to data from Togiak National Wildlife Refuge (AK). In settings where detection probability varies widely across sites, however, SPEDRA outperforms SPEDAR in reducing root mean square prediction error. We recommend SPEDRA in surveys with imperfect detection because it is more theoretically sound and generally performs better.
Effect of initial C/N ratio on composting of two‐phase olive mill pomace, dairy manure, and straw
Authors: Ekinci Kamil , Tosun İsmail , Kumbul Barbaros Salih , Şevik Fevzi , Sülük Kemal , Bıtrak Necati Berk 
Published: August 2020

AbstractComposting plants should be operated at a high degradation rate in order to lower their capital and operational costs. Initial C/N ratio is one of the most influential factors on the composting process. This study aimed to determine the impacts of initial C/N ratio on operational composting parameters of two‐phase olive mill pomace with separated dairy manure. Five initial C/N ratios ranging from 29.43 to 43.33 were examined using fifteen 100 L cylindrical reactors. The highest decomposition rate was estimated at 0.02 day−1 with the C/N ratio of 34.49. The maximum relative heat generation was obtained with the C/N ratio of 36.07. The C/N ratio of ≅33 reduced the composting cost of process‐based total airflow supplied per dry matter and organic matter loss. The maximum throughput capacity was obtained when the compost blend had the C/N ratio of ≅37.24. It was concluded that operating the composting of two‐phase olive mill waste, separated dairy manure, and straw with the boundary of the initial C/N ratios between 33 and 37 was recommended.
SecRIP: Secure and reliable intercluster routing protocol for efficient data transmission in flying ad hoc networks
Authors: Bhardwaj Vinay , Kaur Navdeep , Vashisht Sahil , Jain Sushma 
Published: August 2020

AbstractUnmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) come up with eminent opportunities for military and civilian applications. Such opportunities come with unique challenges. The high mobility of UAVs leads to the frequent change in the network topology that results in packet loss or routing path failure, and so on. Moreover, secure routing is one of the most important features while organizing wireless communication among UAVs. To counter these challenges, a secure and reliable routing protocol (SecRIP) for the flying ad hoc network is proposed for efficient and reliable data transfer. This SecRIP works toward the enhancement of the quality of service (QoS) and quality of experience (QoE) metrics. The SecRIP works on two algorithms: (i) a chaotic algae algorithm and (ii) dragonfly algorithm; these algorithm serves the functionality of cluster selection, management, and data transmission in intercluster. The proposed technique is compared with other existing techniques using a network simulator. The results show that the proposed technique is capable of maintaining the higher QoS and the QoE standards and also helps the nodes conserve their power without compromising on the performance. The simulated results show improvement as it decreases the delay incurred in SecRIP is 24%, and routing overhead is 19%, where the PDR of SecRIP is increased by 32% in comparison with existing protocols. In an extreme case, when node density increases, the SecRIP helps to limits the delay to 41%, and the PDR is 28% higher than the other existing protocols. Finally, the result demonstrates that the SecRIP protocol achieves secure and reliable data transmission.
Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) berries, seeds, leaves, and essential oils: New undiscovered sources of natural compounds with promising health benefits
Authors: Giampieri Francesca , Cianciosi Danila , Forbes‐Hernández Tamara Y. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractMyrtle (Myrtus communis L.) is a typical plant of the coasts of Mediterranean area, which grows spontaneously as a shrub or a small tree. Myrtle berries, leaves, seeds, and essential oils are natural sources of several nutrients and bioactive compounds with marked health effects. In the ancient medicine, it has been indeed used for treating several common diseases, including gastrointestinal, urinary, and skin disorders, whereas currently it is widely employed in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. This review aims to describe the nutritional and the phytochemical compositions of different parts of myrtle plant, as well as their antioxidant activities. In addition, several in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo studies are also presented to give a general overview of the potential effects of myrtle on human health. Finally, a critical analysis of the limitations related to the current research on myrtle is given.
Antioxidant and hepatorenal protective effects of bee pollen fractions against propionic acid‐induced autistic feature in rats
Authors: Al‐Salem Huda S. , Al‐Yousef Hanan M. , Ashour Abdelkader E. , Ahmed Atallah F. , Amina Musarat , Issa Iman S. , Bhat Ramesa Shafi 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn the brain, propionic acid (PA) can cross cell membranes and accumulate within cells, leading to intracellular acidification, which may alter neurotransmitter release (NT), communication between neurons, and behavior. Such elevation in levels of PA constitutes a neurodevelopmental metabolic disorder called propionic acidemia, which could clinically manifest as autism. The purpose of this study was to investigate the protective effects of different fractions of bee pollen (BP) on PA‐induced autism in rats, and to evaluate their effects on the expression of liver and renal biomarkers. Groups of rats received treatments of different fractions of BP at a dose of 250 mg/kg of body weight/day for a period of 1 month. Normal control group I and group II were orally administered with phosphate‐buffered saline and propionic acid, respectively, for 3 days. BP contains various health‐promoting phenolic components. Different fractions of BP administered pre‐ and post‐treatment with PA showed significant reduction in the levels of liver and renal biomarkers (p < .05). Also, a significant enhancement in the levels of glutathione S‐transferase (GST), catalase CAT), and ascorbic acid (VIT C) was observed. Supplementation with BP significantly reduced biochemical changes in the liver, kidneys, and brain of rats with PA‐induced toxicity. It exhibited protective effects against oxidative damage and reactive oxygen species produced by PA‐induced adverse reactions in rats. Taken together, our study shows that BP possesses protective effects in PA‐induced liver and kidney damage.
Effects of conflict on child health: Evidence from the 1990–1994 Northern Mali Conflict
Authors: Tsujimoto Takahiro , Kijima Yoko 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThis study evaluates the impact of the 1990–1994 conflict in northern Mali on child health at different timings of exposure (in utero and after birth). Two anthropometric variables (height‐for‐age and weight‐for‐height Z‐scores) are used as indicators of child health. The empirical strategy relies on the difference‐in‐difference approach based on birth cohort, GIS residence information, and conflict intensity. The intensity of conflict exposure is measured by the number of deaths resulting from a conflict that broke out within a 10‐km radius of each community. The estimation results show that the more severe the exposure to children and their mothers, the greater is the negative impact on the height, but not on the weight, of children. Additionally, the timing of conflict exposure plays a critical role in the outcome of a child's health: exposure to conflict in utero, rather than after birth, negatively affects health. Placebo test as well as tests of selective migration, fertility, and mortality are conducted and confirmed the robustness of the main results. The differential effects of the timing of exposure in utero suggest that the heightened maternal stress is the main mechanism.
Association of Epstein–Barr virus with regression after withdrawal of immunosuppressive drugs and subsequent progression of iatrogenic immunodeficiency‐associated lymphoproliferative disorders in patients with autoimmune diseases
Authors: Fujimoto Katsuya , Hatanaka Kanako C. , Hatanaka Yutaka , Kasahara Ikumi , Yamamoto Satoshi , Tsuji Takahiro , Nakata Masanobu , Takakuwa Yasunari , Haseyama Yoshihito , Oyamada Yumiko , Yonezumi Masakatsu , Suzuki Hiroaki , Sakai Hajime , Noguchi Hiroko , Mori Akio , Nishihara Hiroshi , Teshima Takanori , Matsuno Yoshihiro 
Published: August 2020

AbstractPatients with autoimmune diseases (AIDs) may develop lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) during treatment with immunosuppressive agents (IS) such as methotrexate (MTX), biological agents, or tacrolimus. Some LPDs in patients with AIDs (AID‐LPDs) regress after withdrawal of IS, and a high incidence of Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) positivity in such patients has been reported. To identify characteristics and factors predictive of the response to treatment and disease progression, we retrospectively analyzed clinical and histopathological data for 81 patients with AID‐LPDs. Almost all of them (96%) had been treated with MTX. Diffuse large B cell lymphoma was the most common LPD type (61%) and seven patients (9%) had classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL). EBV was detected by in situ hybridization with an EBV‐encoded small RNA (EBER) probe in 43% of the examined cases. In 59 patients, IS was discontinued as the initial treatment, resulting in regression of LPDs in 69% of them, and multivariate analysis showed that EBER positivity was an independent factor predictive of such regression (p = 0.022). Two‐year progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival for the patients overall were 63% and 83%, respectively. Poor PFS was associated with advanced stage (p = 0.024), worse performance status (PS, p = 0.031), CHL histology (p = 0.013), and reactivation of EBV‐related antibodies (p = 0.029). In conclusion, EBV positivity demonstrated using an EBER probe is useful for prediction of successful regression after withdrawal of IS in patients with AID‐LPDs. Patients with advanced stage disease, worse PS, CHL histology, or reactivation of EBV‐related antibodies should be closely monitored after initial treatment.
Engaging “hard‐to‐reach” men in health promotion using the OPHELIA principles: Participants' perspectives
Authors: Kinsman Leigh , Radford Jan , Elmer Shandell , Ogden Kathryn , Randles Sarah , Jacob Alycia , Delphin Denise , Burr Nettie , Goss Mick 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIssue addressedMen in the Northern Suburbs of Launceston, Tasmania, experience substantially poorer health outcomes and socio‐economic disadvantage than most Australians. They are often described as “hard‐to‐reach,” meaning difficult to engage in research, health promotion, policy and planning. This paper summarises the OPHELIA process to combine health literacy profiling with engagement of local men in health promotion, and their experience of the process and outcomes.MethodsInterviews were conducted to explore the experiences of middle‐aged men with the OPHELIA process and subsequent interventions.ResultsLocal data and health literacy profiling revealed experiences of isolation, lack of trust in the system, medication non‐adherence, mental illness and chronic pain, which formed the basis for generation of ideas to improve their well‐being and understanding of health. Tailored interventions were implemented, including suicide prevention, “Numeracy for Life” and “Healthy Sheds” courses.Interviews with six participants revealed that the process contributed to a sense of worth, social support and ability to break “old habits.”ConclusionsPrioritising the lived experience of “hard‐to‐reach” men through the OPHELIA process resulted in co‐design of interventions that were valued by participants.So what?Health literacy profiling and genuine community engagement can empower vulnerable, under‐represented communities to co‐design, and engage in, health promotion.
Effect of nanoparticle shapes on irreversibility analysis of nanofluid in a microchannel with individual effects of radiative heat flux, velocity slip and convective heating
Authors: Sindhu Sundar , Gireesha Bijjanal Jayanna 
Published: August 2020

AbstractIn this study, the flow of a nanoliquid in a microchannel is examined. Two distinct metallic nanoparticles, titanium and silver, are used in this study. The slip regime and convective boundary are considered to compute the momentum and energy balance equation. The mathematical expressions are made dimensionless by using nondimensional quantities. A numerical approach called Runge‐Kutta‐Fehlberg scheme is employed to obtain the solution. Effects of the internal heat source and radiative flux on fluid model are examined. The upshots of the pertinent flow parameter and the physical features are visualized through graphical elucidations. The effect of flow constraints on the second law analysis for the described physical phenomenon is predicted. Conclusion indicates that lowering of temperature of the nanofluid is obtained by higher values of nanoparticle volume fraction. The causes of irreversibility in a thermal system is explored in this investigation. The results indicate that nonspherical nanoparticles has higher thermal conductivity ratio as compared with spherical nanoparticles. Minimization of entropy can be attained through increasing volume fraction of titanium and silver nanoparticles. Besides, it is emphasized that entropy generation is high in case of disc‐shaped nanoparticles, followed by needle and sphere shapes.
The relationship of theory of mind and maternal emotional expressiveness with aggressive behaviours in young Japanese children: A gender‐differentiated effect
Authors: Mizokawa Ai , Hamana Mai 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThe aim of this study was to test the relationship of theory of mind (ToM) and maternal emotional expressiveness with children's aggressive behaviours (i.e., relational aggression, physical aggression). ToM is vital to relational aggression, which involves harming others through purposeful manipulation and damaging peer relationships. However, little is known about how ToM and family emotional environment are interactively associated with aggressive behaviours. Fifty‐one Japanese children, aged 4 and 5 years, completed measures of ToM and receptive vocabulary. Mothers reported their emotional expressiveness towards their children and classroom teachers rated each child's aggressive behaviours. The results revealed that when boys have mature ToM and their mothers show high negative emotional expressiveness, they exhibit higher relational aggression in their peer relationships. Such interaction effect was not found for girls. The findings suggest that boys with mature ToM are likely to learn to use ToM for antisocial purposes via negative family emotional environments.Highlights
This study examined the relationship of Theory of Mind (ToM) and maternal emotional expressiveness with aggressive behaviours in young Japanese children.
When boys had both mature ToM and mothers who express high negative emotional expressiveness, they exhibited higher relational aggression in their peer relationships.
The results suggest that there is a gender‐differentiated effect of family emotional environment on children's socio‐cognitive development.
Reliability assessment of scenarios generated for stock index returns incorporating momentum
Authors: Guo Xiaoshi , Ryan Sarah M. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractStochastic programming models for portfolio optimization rely on scenario paths for returns derived from stochastic process models. This paper investigates a variant of the geometric Brownian motion process for stock index returns that incorporates index momentum. Based on this model, three different processes for generating scenarios on a rolling basis are devised, which differ according to how frequently the momentum parameter is updated and whether it is estimated according to a simple moving average or an exponentially weighted moving average of returns. The reliability of scenario sets generated for multiple instances is assessed by applying a recently developed statistical tool. Backtesting is conducted in case studies of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and the Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 Index for two different historical periods. The numerical results show that the frequency with which the expected return is updated does not significantly influence the performance of the scenario generation procedure, whereas how the expected return is calculated affects the autocorrelation and dispersion of generated scenarios drastically. All scenario generation schemes are highly sensitive to the estimated volatility of the index returns. Among the three processes tested, the algorithms that incorporate momentum estimates according to an exponentially weighted moving average can generate reliable scenarios when the volatility estimation error is small.
Monetary policy news and systemic risk at the zero lower bound
Authors: Kapinos Pavel S. 
Published: August 2020

AbstractThis paper employs a recent contribution to the construction of the shadow nominal interest rate during the zero lower bound episode and Greenbook forecasts to obtain a measure of monetary policy shocks over that time period. It then identifies monetary policy news shocks as a novel measure of the forward‐looking conduct of monetary policy in the U.S. Using the data from 1987—2010, it shows that neither monetary news nor surprises affected alternative measures of systemic risk over the full sample. However, monetary news shocks announcing future reductions in interest rates were effective in lowering most (but not all) systemic risk measures during the zero lower bound period, unlike monetary surprises.