bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nucleic acid-loaded poly(beta-aminoester) nanoparticles for cancer nano-immuno therapeutics: the good, the bad, and the future
Authors: Magaña Rodriguez J. Rodrigo , Guerra-Rebollo Marta , Borrós Salvador , Fornaguera Cristina 
Published: May 2024

AbstractImmunotherapy has emerged as a promising approach to cancer treatment, offering improved survival rates and enhanced patients’ quality of life. However, realizing the full potential of immunotherapy in clinical practice remains a challenge, as there is still plenty of room for modulating the complexity of the human immune system in favor of an antitumor immunogenicity. Nanotechnology, with its unique properties, holds promise in augmenting the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies in biotherapeutic protection and site- and time-controlled delivery of the immune modulator biologicals. Polymeric nanoparticles are promising biomaterials among different nanocarriers thanks to their robustness, versatility, and cost-efficient design and production. This perspective paper overviews critical concepts in nanometric advanced delivery systems applied to cancer immunotherapy. We focus on a detailed exploration of the current state of the art and trends in using poly(beta-aminoester) (pBAE) polymers for nucleic acid-based antitumor immunotherapies. Through different examples of the use of pBAE polymers reported in the literature, we revise the main advantages these polymers offer and some challenges to overcome. Finally, the paper provides insights and predictions on the path toward the clinical implementation of cancer nano-immunotherapies, highlighting the potential of pBAE polymers for advancements in this field.
Graphical abstract
Comparison of post-COVID-19 symptoms in patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 variants delta and omicron—results of the Cross-Sectoral Platform of the German National Pandemic Cohort Network (NAPKON-SUEP)
Authors: Hopff Sina M. , Appel Katharina S. , Miljukov Olga , Schneider Johannes , Addo Marylyn M. , Bals Robert , Bercker Sven , Blaschke Sabine , Bröhl Isabel , Büchner Nikolaus , Dashti Hiwa , Erber Johanna , Friedrichs Anette , Geisler Ramsia , Göpel Siri , Hagen Marina , Hanses Frank , Jensen Björn-Erik Ole , Keul Maria , Krawczyk Adalbert , Lorenz-Depiereux Bettina , Meybohm Patrick , Milovanovic Milena , Mitrov Lazar , Nürnberger Carolin , Obst Wilfried , Römmele Christoph , Schäfer Christian , Scheer Christian , Scherer Margarete , Schmidt Julia , Seibel Kristina , Sikdar Shimita , Tebbe Johannes Josef , Tepasse Phil-Robin , Thelen Philipp , Vehreschild Maria J. G. T. , Weismantel Christina , Vehreschild J. Janne 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Purpose
The influence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants on the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) remains unanswered. Therefore, we examined the prevalence and predictors of PCC-related symptoms in patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 variants delta or omicron.

Methods
We compared prevalences and risk factors of acute and PCC-related symptoms three months after primary infection (3MFU) between delta- and omicron-infected patients from the Cross-Sectoral Platform of the German National Pandemic Cohort Network. Health-related quality of life (HrQoL) was determined by the EQ-5D-5L index score and trend groups were calculated to describe changes of HrQoL between different time points.

Results
We considered 758 patients for our analysis (delta: n = 341; omicron: n = 417). Compared with omicron patients, delta patients had a similar prevalence of PCC at the 3MFU (p = 0.354), whereby fatigue occurred most frequently (n = 256, 34%). HrQoL was comparable between the groups with the lowest EQ-5D-5L index score (0.75, 95% CI 0.73–0.78) at disease onset. While most patients (69%, n = 348) never showed a declined HrQoL, it deteriorated substantially in 37 patients (7%) from the acute phase to the 3MFU of which 27 were infected with omicron.

Conclusion
With quality-controlled data from a multicenter cohort, we showed that PCC is an equally common challenge for patients infected with the SARS-CoV-2 variants delta and omicron at least for the German population. Developing the EQ-5D-5L index score trend groups showed that over two thirds of patients did not experience any restrictions in their HrQoL due to or after the SARS-CoV-2 infection at the 3MFU.

Clinical Trail registration
The cohort is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov since February 24, 2021 (Identifier: NCT04768998).
Long-term symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection in a cohort of people living with HIV
Authors: Degli Antoni Melania , Maifredi Giovanni , Storti Samuele , Tiecco Giorgio , Di Gregorio Marco , Rossi Benedetta , Gasparotti Cinzia , Focà Emanuele , Castelli Francesco , Quiros-Roldan Eugenia 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Background
Our Hospital in Northern Italy assists 3817 people living with HIV (PLWH) and has faced the impact of COVID-19. Little is known about the impact of HIV infection on the risk of post-COVID-19 conditions (PCCs) onset. We aim to assess the incidence of PCC in PLWH and the factors associated with its occurrence.

Methods
We performed a retrospective, observational study including all PLWH > 18 years registered in the Brescia Health Protection Agency database, assessing SARS-CoV-2 burden, vaccination status, socio-demographic, and viro-immunological parameters from February 2020 until May 2022. Persistence of self-reported symptoms (clustered into gastrointestinal, respiratory, osteo-muscular, and neuro-behavioral symptoms) was evaluated after 3 months by a telephone-administered questionnaire. We estimated the associations between all variables and outcomes through univariate and multivariable logistic models.

Results
In the study period, 653 PLWH were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection (17.1%). We observed 19 (2.9%) reinfections, 71 (10.9%) hospitalizations, and 3 (0.5%) deaths. We interviewed 510/653 PLWH (78%), and 178 (PCCs prevalence 34.9%; CI 95% 30.7–39.2) reported persistent symptoms. Asthenia/fatigue was the most reported symptom (60/178), followed by muscular pain (54/178). In the multivariate regression model, there was a lower risk of PCCs in males respect to females (adjusted OR = 0.64; CI 95% 0.99–3.66), while hospitalization during acute infection was associated with an increased the risk of PCCs (adjusted OR = 1.9; CI 95% 0.99–3.66). Notably, no viro-immunological variable modified the PCCs risk onset.

Conclusions
Our study highlights a substantial prevalence of PCCs among PLWH, three months post-SARS-CoV-2 infection, independent of viro-immunological features or vaccination status.
Depth in arrangements: Dehn–Sommerville–Euler relations with applications
Authors: Biswas Ranita , Cultrera di Montesano Sebastiano , Edelsbrunner Herbert , Saghafian Morteza 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe depth of a cell in an arrangement of n (non-vertical) great-spheres in $${\mathbb {S}}^d$$

S

d

is the number of great-spheres that pass above the cell. We prove Euler-type relations, which imply extensions of the classic Dehn–Sommerville relations for convex polytopes to sublevel sets of the depth function, and we use the relations to extend the expressions for the number of faces of neighborly polytopes to the number of cells of levels in neighborly arrangements.
Non-central m-point formula in method of lines for solving the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation
Authors: Alshareef A. , Bakodah H. O. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
The present study is committed to devising efficient spatial discretization with two non-central difference formulae incorporated in the method of lines (MOL). The method is then implemented numerically on the renowned dispersive evolution equation, the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) model while infusing Euler and fourth-order Rung-Kutta (RK4) methods, respectively. The resulting schemes are proven to be numerically stable using Fourier’s stability approach, with the MOL matrix admitting negative real eigenvalues. Moreover, this proposal has been assessed on certain initial-boundary value problems of the KdV model by examining so many factors, like the percentage errors, absolute error differences, the error norms, and the invariants

$$I_{k},$$

I
k

,

for

$$k=1,2,3,$$

k
=
1
,
2
,
3
,

among others. In this work, we solve KdV by applying a new approach of MOL to improve the results presented in some published articles. Lastly, the assessment revealed that our proposal was found to be better than those of the exponential finite-difference method (Exponential) and the Heat Balance Integral (HBI) methods, respectively, which serve as competing approaches for validation, in terms of both the accuracy and efficiency. The numerical examples are obtained by using MATLAB.
Environmental challenges and air pollution in Bac Lieu, Vietnam: assessing sources and impacts
Authors: Lang Ton That , Thao Tran Quoc , Hien Nguyen Thi , Van Trinh Tran Thi , Huy Nguyen Nhat 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Bac Lieu, a region with diverse industries like handicrafts, agriculture, tourism, and a thriving marine economy, faces environmental challenges from climate change, resource exploitation, and rising air pollution due to vehicular, industrial, and agricultural emissions, along with waste management issues. The materials and methods employed in this study encompassed various phases critical for assessing air quality and devising an Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) for Bac Lieu province. The AQMP framework involved activities such as baseline assessments, emission inventories, air quality monitoring, and modeling using dispersion models like AERMOD. The study proposed the application of the AirQ + model to analyze the correlation between air quality and human health, emphasizing the short-term effects of pollutants on respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and estimating potential avoidable cases in Bac Lieu province. The emissions inventory in Bac Lieu province categorizes sources into point, mobile, and area. Major CO emissions come from waste burning, cooking, and mixed sources, while traffic significantly impacts CO levels. Residential areas show significant PM10, PM2.5, and NO2 emissions. Point sources impact nearby areas, notably in districts like Hong Dan and Phuoc Long. Cooking activities lead to high PM10 and CO emissions, especially in Bac Lieu city. Traffic emissions, particularly in urban hubs, significantly contribute to pollution, notably in Bac Lieu City, Vinh Loi, and Hoa Binh districts. Transportation emissions in urban zones contribute significantly to air pollution, while rural areas are influenced by various activities like burning, construction, and cooking, shaping diverse local air quality.
Farmers participatory evaluation of bread wheat varieties through seed producer cooperatives: evidence from Ethiopia
Authors: Sisay Dawit Tsegaye , Sharie Getnet , Getnet Belayneh , Demissie Anteneh , Gebretsadik Rebeka , Dessalegn Tadesse , Ruediger Andrea , Molla Dessalegn , Zewde Sebsebe , Gesesse Cherinet Alem , Abebe Eshete 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe limited engagement of farmers and their community agents in the process of variety development and evaluation is one of the main factors for lower rates of variety adoption, which resulted in lower crop productivity. Participatory bread wheat variety evaluation was jointly conducted by breeders, members of seed producer cooperative (SPC) and local experts with the objectives to identify farmers’ selection criteria, to assess farmers’ preferred varieties and to increase the SPC’s variety portfolios. Twelve released bread wheat varieties were evaluated during 2019 cropping season at Sekela district of Amhara region, Ethiopia. Pair-wise ranking was used to identify farmers’ selection criteria and direct matrix ranking to prioritize those selected criteria. Varieties were planted in two sets with and without lime application. Grain yield, followed by earliness, disease tolerance, and tillering capacity, was identified the first preferred criterion by farmers. The mean values showed that higher yield was recorded with the lime application compared to no lime application. Lemu (6.4 t/ha), Alidoro (6.3 t/ha), Dambal (6.3 t/ha), Obora (6.1 t/ha) and Liben (6.1 t/ha) had greater yield with lime application. The t-test results indicated that significant difference between with and without liming for the number of tillers per plant, spike length per plant, plant height, 1000 seed weight, and hectoliter weight, but non-significant difference for grain yield. The selected varieties should be included in the production plan of the cooperatives for large scale production to increase the variety portfolios and to address the demand of the farming community.
Prioritizing Equity in Antimicrobial Stewardship Efforts (EASE): a framework for infectious diseases clinicians
Authors: Abdul-Mutakabbir Jacinda C. , Tan Karen K. , Johnson Candace L. , McGrath Caitlin L. , Zerr Danielle M. , Marcelin Jasmine R. 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Health equity gaps persist across minoritized groups due to systems of oppression affecting health-related social needs such as access to transportation, education and literacy, or food and housing security. Consequently, disparities in the prevalence of multidrug-resistant infections, infectious disease outcomes, and inappropriate antimicrobial use have been reported across minoritized populations. The Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have formally acknowledged the importance of integrating health equity-focused initiatives into existing hospital quality improvement (QI) programs. Here, we review documented disparities in antimicrobial stewardship and offer a framework, derived from components of existing health equity and QI tools, to guide clinicians in prioritizing equity in antimicrobial stewardship efforts (EASE).
Predictors of Emergency Preparedness Among Parents in Hawaii: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Glauberman Gary , Fontenot Holly B. , Lim Eunjung 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Objective:
To determine factors predicting emergency preparedness (EP) behaviors among Hawaii parents.

Methods:
A cross-sectional online survey of parents of children (age 0-12 y) living in Honolulu, Hawaii, in March 2023 examined associations with (1) having an EP kit (supplies for use during emergencies) and (2) having a family emergency plan (what to do, where to go, how to communicate during emergencies) with demographics/household characteristics and theoretical constructs of the Health Belief Model. A multivariable regression model obtained odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results:
Participants (N = 278) were mainly female (84%), college-educated (68%), and were similar in diverse racial/ethnic composure (White; 13.3%) to the overall Honolulu County. Logistic regression determined participants with lower perceived susceptibility to disasters, greater time barriers, and those who needed help to prepare for emergencies were less likely to have an EP kit. Among participants without an EP kit, a website able to create personalized instructions for household EP would be useful. Participants who needed help to prepare for emergencies were less likely to have a family emergency plan.

Conclusions:
Future interventions should focus on evidence-based strategies that improve self-efficacy associated with developing EP kits and family emergency plans.
Modes of Cosmopolitanism in Waguih Ghali’s Egypt in Beer in the Snooker Club
Authors: Ibrahim Doaa Mohamed Abd El-Salam 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThis paper examines the different expressions of nationalism and cosmopolitanism in Waguih Ghali’s semi-autobiographical Beer in the Snooker Club (1964). It defines two different forms of cosmopolitanism in the novel (colonial versus imperial) and their influence on the identity of the main characters. The paper also examines the obsession with defining ‘Egyptianess’ in the novel in the wake of Egyptian nationalism during Nasser’s regime. The paper argues that cosmopolitanism and nationalism are two opposite ideologies that hold each other in balance but when the balance tips off in favour of one pole, an immoderate ideology raises its ugly head: racial or class-based nationalism, on the one hand, or colonial hegemony, on the other. Finally, the paper concludes that Ghali favours imperial cosmopolitanism which boasts of multiple communities that interact together and still preserve their uniqueness and specificities.
Aeolian dynamics at the northern edge of Deliblato (Banat) Sand Sea, Vojvodina, Serbia, at the time of the last deglaciation
Authors: Marković Rastko S. , Perić Zoran M. , Gavrilov Milivoj B. , Marković Slobodan B. , Vandenberghe Jef , Schaetzl Randall J. , Obreht Igor , Bartyik Tamás , Radaković Milica G. , Radivojević Aleksandar , Marjanović Miloš , Lukić Tin , Sipos György 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThe Deliblato (Banat) Sand Sea, which is one of the largest areas of аeolian sand in Europe, is located near the Iron Gate, which marks the crossing of the Danube River through the biggest gorge of this river. Here, Danubian alluvium has served as the sand source for the Banat Sand Sea, which was formed primarily through southeasterly (Košava) winds. Utilizing a multi-proxy approach, the objective of this study is to gain a better understanding of the environmental dynamics of the Banat Sand Sea. To achieve this goal, we conducted an analysis of an archive representing an approximately 20-m-thick dune formation on the northern edge of this dune field. Using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, we calculated aeolian sedimentation rates and dune ages. Sand was deposited here approximately between 17 ka and 13 ka. Magnetic susceptibility, grain size, and colorimetric analyses were interpreted in terms of local paleoenvironmental conditions. Calculated sedimentation rates (SR) indicate intensive aeolian deposition during the study period that range from 483 cm/ka to 502 cm/ka. We compared our data with regional and other European archives, as well as with climatic variations recorded in the Greenland ice core North Greenland Ice Core Project (NGRIP).
A Comprehensive Dataset of Four Provincial Legislative Assembly Members
Authors: Rivard Alex B. , Bodet Marc André , Godbout Jean-François , Montigny Éric 
Published: May 2024

AbstractThis research note reports on a new dataset about legislators in four Canadian provinces since the establishment of their colonial assemblies in the eighteenth century. Over 7,000 legislators from Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia are included, with consolidated information drawn from multiple sources about parliamentarians’ years of birth and death, religion, electoral performance, kinship, and several other biographical indicators. We also illustrate the utility of such data with the help of a few descriptive examples drawn from the four provinces. We believe this consolidated dataset offers several opportunities for future research on representation, legislative activities and party politics.
Visual Attention in Crisis
Authors: Rosenholtz Ruth 
Published: May 2024

Abstract
Research on visual attention has uncovered significant anomalies, and some traditional methods may have inadvertently probed peripheral vision rather than attention. Vision science needs to rethink visual attention from the ground up. To facilitate this, for a year I banned the word “attention” in my lab. This constraint promoted a more precise discussion of attention-related phenomena, capacity limits, and mechanisms. The insights gained lead me to challenge attributing to “attention” those phenomena that can be better explained by perceptual processes, are predictable by an ideal observer model, or that otherwise may not require an additional mechanism. I enumerate a set of critical phenomena in need of explanation. Finally, I propose a unifying theory in which all perception results from performing a task, and tasks face a limit on complexity.
The Ethical Principles in Ethical Guidance Documents during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland: A Qualitative Review
Authors: Raajakesary Kesidha , Galvin Lucy , Prendiville Kate , Newport Sarah , MacAnulty Calum , Hussein Ghaiath 
Published: May 2024

AbstractBackground:The sudden onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was accompanied by a myriad of ethical issues that prompted the issuing of various ethical guidance documents for health care professionals in clinical, research, and public health settings throughout the United Kingdom (UK) of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The aim of this review was to identify the main principles in ethical guidance documents published in the UK and Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:This review used a qualitative review methodology with thematic synthesis to analyze the included ethics-related guidance documents, as defined in this review, published in the UK and Ireland from March 2020 through March 2022. The search included a general search in Google Scholar and a targeted search on the websites of the relevant professional bodies and public health authorities in the two countries. The ethical principles in these documents were analyzed using the constant comparative method (CCM).Results:Forty-four guidance documents met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Ten main ethical principles were identified, namely: fairness, honesty, minimizing harm, proportionality, responsibility, autonomy, respect, informed decision making, duty of care, and reciprocity.Conclusion:The guidelines did not present the ethical principles in equal detail. Some principles lacked definitions, leaving them vulnerable to misinterpretation by the documents’ end users. Priority was frequently given to collectivist ethics over individualistic approaches. Further clarity is required in future ethical guidance documents to better guide health care professionals in similar situations.
Predicting food insecurity among UK university students during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Round Emily K , Weatherston Sarah , Stretesky Paul B , Defeyter Margaret Anne 
Published: May 2024

Abstract

Objective:
The present study investigated potential predictors of food insecurity among UK university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design:
Close-ended questionnaire administered to a cross-sectional sample of UK university students.

Setting:
Data were collected using an online survey platform in October 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants:
A nationally representative sample of UK university students (n 640).

Results:
Odds ratios (OR) obtained from logistic regression were statistically significant for three measures of economic hardship. First, students who relied on financial aid from student loans were 1·9 times more likely to report being food insecure than students who did not rely on financial aid from student loans. Second, students who could not pay their utility bill (v. those that could pay) were 3·1 times the odds of being food insecure. Finally, as perceived difficulty in paying for accommodation increased across the sample, the odds of being food insecure also increased (OR = 1·9). We also found that students who were recently ill were 2·2 times more likely to be food insecure compared with students who were not recently ill. We did not find any evidence that testing positive for COVID-19 predicted food insecurity, and university supplied food parcels/boxes did not reduce student food insecurity.

Conclusions:
Both economic factors and illness play a significant role in self-reported food insecurity in higher education students during pandemic lockdown. Further research is needed to explore food insecurity, economic factors and illness outside of a pandemic context.