bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Disinfection of sulfate-reducing clostridia, including Clostridium perfringens, in sewage effluents using peracetic acid
Authors: Suzuki Hiroyuki , Tomozawa Masataka , Shinohara Tsuyoshi , Yagishita Mayuko , Oonaka Kenji , Hashimoto Atsushi 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

Peracetic acid (PAA) is being tested as an alternative to chlorine for sewage disinfection due to its advantages, such as the lack of disinfection byproducts produced and low impact on the discharge site ecosystem. In this study, the inactivating efficiency of PAA against Clostridium perfringens, a known chlorine-resistant microorganism that also causes numerous foodborne illnesses, was evaluated in sewage. PAA remained 80–90% after 120 min of contact with sewage, while chlorine was reduced to 3%. The inactivation curve for Escherichia coli showed a linear decrease with chlorine, while a stepwise reduction was observed with PAA. The inactivation efficacy of PAA on sulfate-reducing clostridia (SRC)-containing C. perfringens was −2.41 log at a CT value of 3,025 mg·min/L. Among the detected SRCs, the −log inactivation of C. perfringens was estimated from the percentage of cpa gene positivity, and its PAA inactivation efficacy was higher than that of SRC at −3.17 log. Although SRC contained PAA-resistant non-C. perfringens clostridia, the effectiveness of PAA for inactivating C. perfringens in the presence of organic matter indicates its effectiveness as a sewage disinfectant.
Wastewater treatment process using immobilized microalgae
Authors: Aguiar Severo Ihana , Azevedo Otto Gustavo de Avila , da Silva Paulo Alexandre Silveira , Jacob-Furlan Beatriz , Mariano André Bellin , Ordonez Juan C. , Vargas José Viriato Coelho 
Published: August 2024

ABSTRACT

Microalgae biomass products are gaining popularity due to their diverse applications in various sectors. However, the costs associated with media ingredients and cell harvesting pose challenges to the scale-up of microalgae cultivation. This study evaluated the growth and nutrient removal efficiency (RE) of immobilized microalgae Tetradesmus obliquus in sodium alginate beads cultivated in swine manure-based wastewater compared to free cells. The main findings of this research include (i) immobilized cells outperformed free cells, showing approximately 2.3 times higher biomass production, especially at 10% effluent concentration; (ii) enhanced organic carbon removal was observed, with a significant 62% reduction in chemical oxygen demand (383.46–144.84 mg L−1) within 48 h for immobilized cells compared to 6% in free culture; (iii) both immobilized and free cells exhibited efficient removal of total nitrogen and total phosphorus, with high REs exceeding 99% for phosphorus. In addition, microscopic analysis confirmed successful cell dispersion within the alginate beads, ensuring efficient light and substrate transfer. Overall, the results highlight the potential of immobilization techniques and alternative media, such as biodigested swine manure, to enhance microalgal growth and nutrient RE, offering promising prospects for sustainable wastewater treatment processes.
Japanese Perception of Brain Death and Implications for New Medical Technologies: Quantitative and Qualitative Social Media Analysis
Authors: Vargas Meza Xanat , Oikawa Masanori 
Published: August 2024

Background
Brain death has been used to decide whether to keep sustained care and treatment. It can facilitate tissue, organ, and body donation for several purposes, such as transplantation and medical education and research. In Japan, brain death has strict diagnostic criteria and family consent is crucial, but it has been a challenging concept for the public since its introduction, including knowledge and communication issues.

Objective
We analyzed data across YouTube and Twitter in Japan to uncover actors and assess the quality of brain death communication, providing recommendations to communicate new medical technologies.

Methods
Using the keyword “脳死” (brain death), we collected recent data from YouTube and Twitter, classifying the data into 5 dimensions: time, individuality (type of users), place, activity, and relations (hyperlinks). We employed a scale to evaluate brain death information quality. We divided YouTube videos into 3 groups and assessed their differences through statistical analysis. We also provided a text-based analysis of brain death–related narratives.

Results
Most videos (20/61, 33%) were uploaded in 2019, while 10,892 tweets peaked between July 3 and 9, 2023, and June 12 and 18, 2023. Videos about brain death were mostly uploaded by citizens (18/61, 27%), followed by media (13/61, 20%) and unknown actors (10/61, 15%). On the other hand, most identified users in a random sample of 100 tweets were citizens (73/100, 73%), and the top 10 retweeted and liked tweets were also mostly authored by citizens (75/100, 75%). No specific information on location was uncovered. Information videos contained guides for accreditation of the National Nursing Exam and religious points of view, while misinformation videos mostly contained promotions by spirituality actors and webtoon artists. Some tweets involved heart transplantation and patient narratives. Most hyperlinks pointed to YouTube and Twitter.

Conclusions
Brain death has become a common topic in everyday life, with some actors disseminating high-quality information, others disseminating no medical information, and others disseminating misinformation. Recommendations include partnering with interested actors, discussing medical information in detail, and teaching people to recognize pseudoscience.
Increased Risk of Influenza Infection During Cold Spells in China: National Time Series Study
Authors: Wang Haitao , Geng Mengjie , Schikowski Tamara , Areal Ashtyn Tracey , Hu Kejia , Li Wen , Coelho Micheline de Sousa Zanotti Stagliorio , Saldiva Paulo Hilário Nascimento , Sun Wei , Zhou Chengchao , Lu Liang , Zhao Qi , Ma Wei 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

Background
Studies have reported the adverse effects of cold events on influenza. However, the role of critical factors, such as characteristics of cold spells, and regional variations remain unresolved.

Objective
We aimed to systematically evaluate the association between cold spells and influenza incidence in mainland China.

Methods
This time series analysis used surveillance data of daily influenza from 325 sites in China in the 2014‐2019 period. A total of 15 definitions of cold spells were adopted based on combinations of temperature thresholds and days of duration. A distributed lag linear model was used to estimate the short-term effects of cold spells on influenza incidence during the cool seasons (November to March), and we further explored the potential impact of cold spell characteristics (ie, intensity, duration, and timing during the season) on the estimated associations. Meta-regressions were used to evaluate the modification effect of city-level socioeconomic indicators.

Results
The overall effect of cold spells on influenza incidence increased with the temperature threshold used to define cold spells, whereas the added effects were generally small and not statistically significant. The relative risk of influenza-associated with cold spells was 3.35 (95% CI 2.89‐3.88), and the estimated effects were stronger during the middle period of cool seasons. The health effects of cold spells varied geographically and residents in Jiangnan region were vulnerable groups (relative risk 7.36, 95% CI 5.44‐9.95). The overall effects of cold spells were positively correlated with the urban population density, population size, gross domestic product per capita, and urbanization rate, indicating a sterner response to cold spells in metropolises.

Conclusions
Cold spells create a substantial health burden on seasonal influenza in China. Findings on regional and socioeconomic differences in the health effects of cold spells on seasonal influenza may be useful in formulating region-specific public health policies to address the hazardous effects of cold spells.
e-Cigarettes, Smoking Cessation, and Weight Change: Retrospective Secondary Analysis of the Evaluating the Efficacy of e-Cigarette Use for Smoking Cessation Trial
Authors: Lyzwinski Lynnette , Dong Meichen , Wolfinger Russell D , Filion Kristian B , Eisenberg Mark J 
Published: August 2024

Background
While smoking cessation has been linked to substantial weight gain, the potential influence of e-cigarettes on weight changes among individuals who use these devices to quit smoking is not fully understood.

Objective
This study aims to reanalyze data from the Evaluating the Efficacy of e-Cigarette Use for Smoking Cessation (E3) trial to assess the causal effects of e-cigarette use on change in body weight.

Methods
This is a secondary analysis of the E3 trial in which participants were randomized into 3 groups: nicotine e-cigarettes plus counseling, nonnicotine e-cigarettes plus counseling, and counseling alone. With adjustment for baseline variables and the follow-up smoking abstinence status, weight changes were compared between the groups from baseline to 12 weeks’ follow-up. Intention-to-treat and as-treated analyses were conducted using doubly robust estimation. Further causal analysis used 2 different propensity scoring methods to estimate causal regression curves for 4 smoking-related continuous variables. We evaluated 5 different subsets of data for each method. Selection bias was addressed, and missing data were imputed by the machine learning method extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost).

Results
A total of 257 individuals with measured weight at week 12 (mean age: 52, SD 12 y; women: n=122, 47.5%) were included. Across the 3 treatment groups, of the 257 participants, 204 (79.4%) who continued to smoke had, on average, largely unchanged weight at 12 weeks, with comparable mean weight gain ranging from –0.24 kg to 0.33 kg, while 53 (20.6%) smoking-abstinent participants gained weight, with a mean weight gain ranging from 2.05 kg to 2.70 kg. After adjustment, our analyses showed that the 2 e-cigarette arms exhibited a mean gain of 0.56 kg versus the counseling alone arm. The causal regression curves analysis also showed no strong evidence supporting a causal relationship between weight gain and the 3 e-cigarette–related variables. e-Cigarettes have small and variable causal effects on weight gain associated with smoking cessation.

Conclusions
In the E3 trial, e-cigarettes seemed to have minimal effects on mitigating the weight gain observed in individuals who smoke and subsequently quit at 3 months. However, given the modest sample size and the potential underuse of e-cigarettes among those randomized to the e-cigarette treatment arms, these results need to be replicated in large, adequately powered trials.

Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02417467; https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02417467
Chatbot-Led Support Combined With Counselor-Led Support on Smoking Cessation in China: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Weng Xue , Yin Hua , Liu Kefeng , Song Chuyu , Xie Jiali , Guo Ningyuan , Wang Man Ping 
Published: August 2024

Background
China has a large population of smokers, with half of them dependent on tobacco and in need of cessation assistance, indicating the need for mobile health (mHealth) to provide cessation support.

Objective
The study aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of combining chatbot-led support with counselor-led support for smoking cessation among community smokers in China.

Methods
This is a 2-arm, parallel, assessor-blinded, pilot randomized controlled trial nested in a smoke-free campus campaign in Zhuhai, China. All participants will receive brief face-to-face cessation advice and group cessation support led by a chatbot embedded in WeChat. In addition, participants in the intervention group will receive personalized WeChat-based counseling from trained counselors. Follow-up will occur at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment initiation. The primary smoking outcome is bioverified abstinence (exhaled carbon monoxide <4 parts per million or salivary cotinine <30 ng/mL) at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include self-reported 7-day point prevalence of abstinence, smoking reduction rate, and quit attempts. Feasibility outcomes include eligibility rate, consent rate, intervention engagement, and retention rate. An intention-to-treat approach and regression models will be used for primary analyses.

Results
Participant recruitment began in March 2023, and the intervention began in April 2023. The data collection was completed in June 2024. The results of the study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences.

Conclusions
This study will provide novel insights into the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a chatbot-led intervention for smoking cessation in China. The findings of this study will inform the development and optimization of mHealth interventions for smoking cessation in China and other low- and middle-income countries.

Trial Registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05777005; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05777005

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)
DERR1-10.2196/58636
The influence of glucocorticoids on the bone tissue in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Masik N.P. , Masik O.I. , Niushko T.Yu. 
Published: August 2024

Background. According to the GOLD guidelines, glucocorticoids (GCs) are recommended for exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Bone mineral density (BMD) can be reduced in case of the use of therapeutic doses of GCs. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of GCs on BMD and the frequency of osteoporosis in patients with COPD depending on the prescribed therapy. Materials and methods. We examined 202 patients with COPD (group E) in the acute phase. Group I consisted of 129 patients taking basic dual treatment, group II — 73 patients taking triple therapy with inhaled GCs. During exacerbations, systemic GCs were prescribed at the cumulative dose of 352.94 ± 30.51 mg/year. The bone state was examined using an ultrasound densitometer SONOST-2000. A Speed of Sound (SOS), Broadband Ultrasound Attenuation (BUA), Stiffness index (SI), and T- and Z-scores were determined. Results. Decreases in SI, BUA, T- and Z- scores were established in 43.51 % of the patients from the I group and 83.56 % from the II group (p < 0.05). In the II group, SI was lower by 9.54 %, BUA — by 14.35 %, SOS — by 14.57 %, T- score — by 6.9 %, Z- score — by 25.86 %; in subjects with GOLD 3: BUA — by 40.27 %, SI — by 3.25 %, T- score — by 17.9 %; in patients with GOLD 4: SI — by 19.9 %, BUA — by 77.8 %, T- score — by 5.6 % compared to the I group. Conclusions. Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis was diagnosed in 10.71 % of patients from the I group and 20.55 % of the II group. Its frequency depended on the stage of COPD: GOLD 3 — in 22.22 % of patients, GOLD 4 — in 50.0 % of the subjects.
Related Party Transactions and Audit Fees: Indian Evidence
Authors: Kushwaha Narendra Nath , Anand Abhinav , Jayadev M. , Raghunandan K. 
Published: August 2024

SUMMARY
We examine the effect of related party transactions (RPTs) on audit fees in Indian public companies. RPTs can be used to manipulate financial statements or to transfer wealth between firms and their related parties, and the presence of RPTs increases audit risk. RPTs are relatively more important in India than in advanced economies, so we examine the association between RPTs and audit fees in the Indian setting. We find that audit fees increase by 3.58 percent moving from the first to third quartile of related party sales (RPSs). The association between RPSs and audit fees becomes prominent after the enactment of The Companies Act of 2013. Discussions with audit partners suggest that The Companies Act of 2013 led to increases in audit effort. Our results provide information regarding the corporate governance environment in India and highlight the importance of separately analyzing different types of RPTs.
Data Availability: Data will be made available upon request after completion of related projects.
JEL Classifications: G34; M41; M42.
Hubungan Pemanfaatan E-Learning terhadap Motivasi Belajar Mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang
Authors: Said Nurfiyan W.U.U. , Novitasari Andra , Arfiyanti Mega P. , Romadhoni Romadhoni 
Published: August 2024

Motivasi belajar mahasiswa bersifat dinamis atau dapat berubah setiap waktu. Penurunan motivasi belajar akan berdampak terhadap prestasi akademik dan meningkatkan risiko dropout pada mahasiswa. Mahasiswa telah menjadi pemakai internet terbesar dan e-learning memiliki peluang yang besar untuk meningkatkan motivasi belajar mahasiswa. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan pemanfaatan e-learning terhadap motivasi belajar mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang. Penelitian dilakukan pada bulan Oktober 2022 dengan menggunakan metode kuantitatif dengan rancangan analitik observasional dan pendekatan cross sectional. Sampel adalah mahasiswa tahum kedua dam ketiga Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Miuhammadiyah Semarang. Sampel dipilih menggunakan total sampling dengan kriteria inklusi dan kriteria eksklusi. Analisis data dilakukan dengan Rank Spearman. Responden memiliki pemanfaatan e-learning baik (51,9%) dan motivasi belajar tinggi (90,7%) serta terdapat hubungan yang signifikan dan korelasi positif antara Pemanfaatan e-learning terhadap motivasi belajar dengan kekuatan korelasi kuat (uji Rank Spearman,p = 0,000 dan r = 0,730). Pemanfaatan E-learning berhubungan signifikan terhadap motivasi belajar mahasiswa Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Muhammadiyah Semarang.
Comparison of Visual Evoked Potential Latency and Amplitude Values According to Visual Acuity among Normal Adult Eyes in dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital
Authors: Aleddin Rommel , Nusanti Syntia , Shidik Muhammad , Kekalih Aria 
Published: August 2024

Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) is a diagnostic procedure to evaluate pathological conditions affecting the visual pathway with several protocols, including pattern onset/offset VEP, flash VEP, and pattern-reversal VEP (PRVEP), standardized by International Society For Clinical Electrophysiology In Vision (ISCEV). PRVEP, the most common protocol used in clinical practice, is not always directly proportional to visual acuity (VA). Clarity of the refractory media and gender are presumed to affect it; thus, using PRVEP reference value based on refractory status is not casually applicable when the VA does not resemble refractory status. This study aims to determine the changes in VEP latency and amplitude value according to various subjective VA, and to examine and analyze these latency and amplitude values within male and female subject groups. The research was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital from August to October 2017. Latency and amplitude values were measured with PRVEP. Measurement was performed on normal VA and defocus-induced VA to 6/18, 6/30, and 6/60 values, using small and large-sized checkerboard stimuli. Prolonged latency and decreased amplitude were found in male and female subject groups, corresponding with decreasing VA levels. Using 18 min arc and 48 min arc-sized checkerboards gave the closest result to the reference value. The difference in VEP value according to subjects' gender was found in amplitude but not in latency.
Dog and owner demographics impact dietary choices in Dog Aging Project cohort
Authors: O’Brien Janice S. , Tolbert M. Katherine , _ _ , Ruple Audrey 
Published: August 2024

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To describe the demographic factors of owners and their dogs associated with owner feeding choices and the regularity with which those diets were fed to a US-based population of dogs.

METHODS
This cross-sectional analysis examined 40,367 initial survey responses from US dog owners participating in the Dog Aging Project. The surveys were collected from January 2, 2020, to December 31, 2022, and included primary and secondary diet component types and dog and owner demographic variables. Each demographic variable was compared across diet type choices with a χ2 test of independence.

RESULTS
Most owners (82%) fed a commercially prepared extruded dry diet (kibble) as the primary diet component. Most owners (89%) reported that they fed their dogs a consistent diet over time. Owner demographic factors (income, education level) were less correlated with difference in diet choices than dog demographic factors (size, neuter status, purebred status, activity level), but owner age did correlate with choice: younger owners tended to feed kibble more compared to older owners. Home-cooked diets were most often consumed by small (< 30-lb) dogs, purebred dogs in poorer health status, and dogs with owners aged 45 years or older. Raw diets were more commonly fed to purebred, intact, and highly active dogs. Ten percent of service dogs were reportedly fed a raw diet of some sort.

CONCLUSIONS
Demographic variables are associated with statistically significant differences in diet types selected. Nutrition studies examining health outcomes associated with the feeding of different diet types should account for these factors during design or analysis in order to avoid bias. An epidemiological tool, the directed acyclic graph, is presented.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE
This information will help clinicians in their discussions with clients about pet nutrition.
‘Shall I compare thee?’ Evaluating Finance Ministers
Authors: Moore Stephen , Considine John 
Published: August 2024

Abstract
Over the past century, the methods used to evaluate Finance Ministers have evolved from the close scrutiny of individual biographies to the statistical analysis of aggregated data. This paper explores this evolution within the framework of economic theory and applies the results in an Irish context. It concludes that while statistical methods can provide some support for certain hypotheses, they are not yet advanced enough to entirely replace the traditional political economy approach.