bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Conservation and variation in the region of the Theileria parva p104 antigen coding gene used for PCR surveillance of the parasite
Authors: Obara Isaiah , Makori Peris , Sibeko Kgomotso P. , Bishop Richard P. , Nijhof Ard M. , Mwamuye Micky 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
The range of the protozoan parasite Theileria parva, which causes East Coast fever in cattle, has been expanding to countries where it has not previously been detected, as a result of cross-border domestic cattle movement. Countries where T. parva has not previously been observed until recently include Cameroon and South Sudan. This raises the issue of the conservation of the p104 antigen gene, on which the nested PCR assay that is widely used for T. parva surveillance in the blood of infected cattle is based. We sampled 40 isolates from six countries widely distributed across the geographical range of the parasite, including eastern, central and southern Africa, for p104 sequence polymorphism. These included parasites from both domestic cattle and the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) wildlife reservoir. The most frequent allelic variants were present in cattle transmissible isolates from multiple widely separated geographical regions in Zambia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and South Africa. These frequent p104 variants were also present in the three component stocks of the Muguga cocktail used for the infection and treatment live immunisation procedure to control T. parva in the field. Other isolates exhibited unique alleles. This includes some of the p104 sequences from Cameroon, which is outside the known range of the Rhipicephalus tick vector and whose origin is therefore unclear. The nested primer oligonucleotides used to generate the amplicons were universally conserved in cattle-derived parasites and a majority of buffalo-derived isolates across the geographical range of the parasite. However, some rare South African buffalo–derived isolates exhibited one or two mismatches with the primer sequences. It therefore remains possible that some p104 alleles may be so divergent that they do not amplify with the current diagnostic primers and are not detectable in surveys, hence the need for increasing knowledge of genetic heterogeneity of diagnostic targets. There was no evidence for positive selection among those p104 mutations that resulted in residue changes. Importantly, the data indicate that the p104-based PCR detection assay should be effective across the majority of the range of T. parva, and if the one or two mismatches are shown in future to result in the primers annealing less efficiently, then the assay can be further improved by introduction of degenerate bases to enable amplification of the less frequent South African buffalo–derived variant p104 genes.
Parametric study of the oleophilic skimming process: CFD simulation using VOF model
Authors: Lotfy Eslam Reda 
Published: April 2023

AbstractOleophilic skimming is a primary alternative when addressing oil spill accidents. However, the existing literature does not define accurately the optimum design and operating conditions of the oleophilic skimmer. In this research, an extensive CFD investigation was conducted on the performance of the drum skimmer. Seven parameters were tested, namely drum diameter, drum centre height, oil slick thickness, rotational speed, oil density, oil viscosity and oil surface tension. The simulations were performed by applying the volume of fluid technique using the OpenFOAM package. The two-dimensional numerical setup was tested for grid size, domain extension and time-step convergence, and the results were validated with experimental data from the literature. The skimmer performance was evaluated through the oil recovery rate and water ingestion rate. The study illustrated that the oleophilic drum skimmer best functions at rotational speed within 30–60 rpm, drum diameter within 200–300 mm, drum centre-height-to-diameter ratio within 0.3–0.4, oil slick thickness $$\ge$$
≥
15 mm and oil viscosity within 10–100 cSt.
A learning curve in 3D virtual surgical planned orthognathic surgery
Authors: Beek Dirk-Melle , Baan Frank , Liebregts Jeroen , Nienhuijs Marloes , Bergé Stefaan , Maal Thomas , Xi Tong 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Objectives
To assess the surgical accuracy of 3D virtual surgical planned orthognathic surgery and the influence of posterior impaction and magnitude of the planned movements on a possible learning curve.

Materials and methods
This prospective cohort study included subjects who underwent bimaxillary surgery between 2016 and 2020 at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen. 3D virtual surgical planning (VSP) was performed with CBCT data and digitalized dentition data. By using voxel-based matching with pre- and postoperative CBCT data the maxillary movements were quantified in six degrees of freedom. The primary outcome variable, surgical accuracy, was defined as the difference between the planned and achieved maxillary movement.

Results
Based on 124 subjects, the surgical accuracy increased annually from 2016 to 2020 in terms of vertical translations (0.82 ± 0.28 mm; p = 0.038) and yaw rotations (0.68 ± 0.22°; p = 0.028). An increase in surgical accuracy was observed when combining all six degrees of freedom (p = 0.021) and specifically between 2016 and 2020 (p = 0.004). An unfavorable learning curve was seen with posterior impaction and with a greater magnitude of movements.

Conclusion
The present study demonstrated a significant increase in surgical accuracy annually and therefore supports the presence of a learning curve.

Clinical relevance
Cases with planned maxillary posterior impaction and/or a great magnitude of jaw movements should be transferred from the 3D VSP with extra care to obtain a satisfactory surgical accuracy.
Full body video-based self-avatars for mixed reality: from E2E system to user study
Authors: Gonzalez Morin Diego , Gonzalez-Sosa Ester , Perez Pablo , Villegas Alvaro 
Published: April 2023

AbstractIn this work, we explore the creation of self-avatars through video pass-through in mixed reality (MR) applications. We present our end-to-end system, including custom MR video pass-through implementation on a commercial head-mounted display (HMD), our deep learning-based real-time egocentric body segmentation algorithm, and our optimized offloading architecture, to communicate the segmentation server with the HMD. To validate this technology, we designed an immersive VR experience where the user has to walk through a narrow tile path over an active volcano crater. The study was performed under three-body representation conditions: virtual hands, video pass-through with color-based full-body segmentation, and video pass-through with deep learning full-body segmentation. This immersive experience was carried out by 30 women and 28 men. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first user study focused on evaluating video-based self-avatars to represent the user in a MR scene. Results showed no significant differences between the different body representations in terms of presence, with moderate improvements in some Embodiment components between the virtual hands and full-body representations. Visual Quality results showed better results from the deep-learning algorithms in terms of the whole body perception and overall segmentation quality. In this study, we provide some discussion regarding the use of video-based self-avatars and some reflections on the evaluation methodology. The proposed E2E solution is in the boundary of the state-of-the-art, so there is still room for improvement before it reaches maturity. However, this solution serves as a crucial starting point for MR applications where users can feel immersed and interact with their own bodies.
Development of subfamily-based consensus PCR assays for the detection of human and animal herpesviruses
Authors: Okoh God’spower Richard , Lockhart Michelle , Grimsey Joanne , Whitmore David , Ariel Ellen , Butler Jeff , Horwood Paul F. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractConsensus PCR assays that can be used to sensitively detect several herpesvirus (HV) species across the different subfamilies were developed in this study. Primers containing degenerate bases were designed to amplify regions of the DNA polymerase (DPOL) gene of alpha- and gamma-HVs, and the glycoprotein B (gB) gene of beta-HVs in a singleplex, non-nested touchdown PCR format. The singleplex touchdown consensus PCR (STC-PCR) was used to amplify the DNA of eight human and 24 animal HVs. The assay was able to detect the lowest DNA dilution of 10−5 for alpha-HVs and 10−3 for beta- and gamma-HVs. In comparison, lowest detection limits of 10−5, 10−3, and 10−2 were obtained for alpha-, beta-, and gamma-HVs respectively when a nested PCR was used. The findings in this study suggest that the STC-PCR assays can be employed for the molecular surveys and clinical detection of novel and known HVs.
A cross-sectional study of optimal exercise combinations for type 2 diabetes
Authors: Lin Yanhui , Sun Yuxin , Zhang Ziran , Wang Zijin , Wu Tong , Wu Fanye , Li Zhengran , Meng Fanke , Fu Min 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Aim
The currently recommended exercise methods for patients with diabetes require strict physical fitness and are not suitable for all diabetic patients. This study aims to explore the best exercise combination for diabetic patients and to provide scientific and practical personalized exercise guidance for diabetic patients.

Subject and methods
Basic information about participants was obtained through questionnaires, physical measurements were performed, and fasting blood samples were collected. Polar area diagrams were used to analyze the relationship between different exercise habits and each index. The polar area graph showed the exercise duration with the best expected effect under a particular frequency and intensity. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was used to test whether there was a direct causal relationship between exercise and diabetes.

Results
Polar area diagrams showed that diabetes patients who engaged in moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise > 60 minutes five times per week had better health indicators. The polar area graph showed that low-intensity exercise once or twice a week required more than 30 minutes to achieve the desired effect. There was no significant difference in any indicators among elderly diabetic patients with different exercise intensities.

Conclusion
Moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise for more than 30 minutes five times a week was the most beneficial combination of exercise for diabetes. Low frequency needs to be matched with longer exercise time to achieve the desired effect at low intensity. The relationship between low frequency and long duration weakened when the exercise intensity increased. The levels of all indicators in elderly diabetic patients were unrelated to exercise intensity.
Ag-tech, agroecology, and the politics of alternative farming futures: The challenges of bringing together diverse agricultural epistemologies
Authors: Sullivan Summer 
Published: April 2023

AbstractAgricultural-technology (ag-tech) and agroecology both promise a better farming future. Ag-tech seeks to improve the food system through the development of high-tech tools such as sensors, digital platforms, and robotic harvesters, with many ag-tech start-ups promising to deliver increased agricultural productivity while also enhancing food system sustainability. Agroecology incorporates diverse cropping systems, low external resource inputs, indigenous and farmer knowledge, and is increasingly associated with political calls for a more just food system. Recently, demand has grown for the potentially groundbreaking benefits of their convergence, with the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC) attempting just such a union. Building on its combined expertise in engineering and agroecology, as well as a longstanding reputation as a socially progressive institution, university administrators believe that UCSC could produce a unique, socially just form of ag-tech designed for small, low-resource farmers—a rare contribution given ag-tech’s tendency to cater primarily to large-scale agribusiness. This paper examines the complexities of uniting agroecology and ag-tech through interviews with agroecologists, engineers, and social scientists involved in UCSC’s ag-tech initiative. Within the setting of a historically radical yet neoliberalizing university, I find that significant epistemic and structural barriers exist for agroecology and ag-tech to come together on an even playing field. This case study contributes to broader discussions of the future of food and farming by focusing on the contours and challenges of a widely called-for agricultural collaboration, highlighting its difficulty but also areas of possibility in a particularly rich, contested context.
De Vries Powers and Proximity Specker Algebras
Authors: Bezhanishvili G. , Carai L. , Morandi P. J. , Olberding B. 
Published: April 2023

AbstractBy de Vries duality, the category $$\textsf {KHaus}$$
KHaus
of compact Hausdorff spaces is dually equivalent to the category $$\textsf {DeV}$$
DeV
of de Vries algebras. There is a similar duality for $$\textsf {KHaus}$$
KHaus
, where de Vries algebras are replaced by proximity Baer-Specker algebras. The functor associating with each compact Hausdorff space a proximity Baer-Specker algebra is described by generalizing the notion of a boolean power of a totally ordered domain to that of a de Vries power. It follows that $$\textsf {DeV}$$
DeV
is equivalent to the category $$\text {\textsf{PBSp}}$$
PBSp
of proximity Baer-Specker algebras. The equivalence is obtained by passing through $$\textsf {KHaus}$$
KHaus
, and hence is not choice-free. In this paper we give a direct algebraic proof of this equivalence, which is choice-independent. To do so, we give an alternate choice-free description of de Vries powers of a totally ordered domain.
The catalytic role of “responsible investments” in innovation and firm performance link: in the context of manufacturing in Asia-Pacific
Authors: Dhaigude Prof. Amol S. , Gupta Narain , Sardana Deepak , Kumar Vikas , Terziovski Milé 
Published: April 2023

AbstractTechnological innovations while economically prudent may have harmful consequences to the planet and/or people. This paper empirically investigates the moderating effect of responsible investment on the influence of innovation on firm performance in manufacturing industry. The hypothesized relationships are justified using signalling theory. Relationships are tested using data from six countries in Asia-pacific region, namely Australia, Korea, Taiwan, China, India, and Vietnam. The established measures are drawn from well-established GMRG fifth version survey instrument. The empirical analysis on 297 data points was done using SmartPLS3. The result strongly suggests that the responsible investments have significant positive moderating effect on the innovation, product and process, and firm performance relationships. Managers are, therefore, encouraged to not only consider responsible consequences of technological innovation, but also pay attention to the responsible investment aspects that influence innovation-performance relationship.
The association between age at breast cancer diagnosis and prevalence of pathogenic variants
Authors: Daly Mary B. , Rosenthal Eric , Cummings Shelly , Bernhisel Ryan , Kidd John , Hughes Elisha , Gutin Alexander , Meek Stephanie , Slavin Thomas P. , Kurian Allison W. 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Young age at breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and family history of BC are strongly associated with high prevalence of pathogenic variants (PVs) in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. There is limited evidence for such associations with moderate/high penetrance BC-risk genes such as ATM, CHEK2, and PALB2.

Methods
We analyzed multi-gene panel testing results (09/2013–12/2019) for women unaffected by any cancer (N = 371,594) and those affected with BC (N = 130,151) ascertained for suspicion of hereditary breast and/or ovarian cancer. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test association between PV status and age at BC diagnosis (≤ 45 vs. > 45 years) or family history of BC after controlling for personal/family non-BC histories and self-reported ancestry.

Results
An association between young age (≤ 45 years) at diagnosis and presence of PVs was strong for BRCA1 (OR 3.95, 95% CI 3.64–4.29) and moderate for BRCA2 (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.84–2.14). Modest associations were observed between PVs and young age at diagnosis for ATM (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.08–1.37) and CHEK2 (OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.21–1.47) genes, but not for PALB2 (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.98–1.27). For women with BC, earliest age of familial BC diagnosis followed a similar pattern. For unaffected women, earliest age of family cancer diagnosis was significantly associated with PV status only for BRCA1 (OR 2.34, 95% CI 2.13–2.56) and BRCA2 (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.16–1.35).

Conclusions
Young age at BC diagnosis is not a strong risk factor for carrying PVs in BC-associated genes ATM, CHEK2, or PALB2.
Evaluating changes to home bowel cancer screening kits: an end-user perspective study
Authors: Myers L. , Ireland M. J. , Viljoen B. , Goodwin B. 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Many people do not participate in mail-out bowel cancer screening programs due to difficulties using the screening kit. The current study investigated the ways the screening kit could be modified to improve usability.

Methods
1,109 people evaluated 15 different screening kit modifications. Participants reported on how these kit modifications would affect their screening barriers, their future screening intentions, and how much they would recommend that the modification is made to the current screening kit used the program. All responses were given via an online survey conducted between April and December of 2021.

Results
Seventeen percent of previous NBCSP non-participators indicated that a one-sample test would increase their intention to participate. Recommendation ratings demonstrated higher levels of support for modifications that included providing a barcode naming label (M = 9.06, 95% CI [8.81, 9.31]), having a larger diameter opening of the collection tube (M = 8.42, 95% CI [8.10, 8.74]), and highlighting the expiry date on the kit packaging (M = 8.59, 95% CI [8.29, 8.89]). There were lower levels of support for modifications that reduced the size of the packaging the kit is sent in (M = 6.47, 95% CI [6.09, 6.85]), removed branding from kit packaging (M = 5.98, 95% CI [5.57, 6.39]), and removed the information booklet that comes with the screening kit (M = 5.25, 95% CI [4.78, 5.72]).

Conclusion
These findings highlight multiple ways in which bowel cancer screening kits can be changed to increase usability for invitees of national bowel cancer screening programs. Findings have implications for all screening programs that use immunochemical-based bowel cancer screening kits.
Clinical experience of reoperative right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with valved conduits: risk factors for conduit failure in long-term follow-up
Authors: Havova Mariia , Gebauer Roman , Antonova Petra , Spatenka Jaroslav , Burkert Jan , Fabian Ondrej , Modrak Martin , Rohn Vilem 
Published: April 2023

AbstractReconstruction of right ventricular outflow tract in patients with congenital heart disease in various age groups remains a controversial issue. Currently, a little is known about the fate of secondary and subsequent conduit. The aim of the study was to determine risk factors of conduit failure, evaluate long-term conduit survival, find out which type of conduit should be preferred in case of reoperations. We performed a retrospective analysis of a total of 249 records of valved conduit secondary and subsequent replacement in right ventricular outflow tract in 197 patients. Median follow-up was 5.7 years. The study endpoints were defined as conduit explants; balloon dilatation of the graft (excluding balloon dilatation of left/right pulmonary artery), transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation; heart transplantation or death of the patient. There were total of 21 deaths (11% mortality) among 197 patients during the follow-up, 2 patients underwent heart transplant, in 23 implanted conduits pulmonary angioplasty or/including transcatheter pulmonary valve implantation was afterwards performed due to graft failure, conduit had to be explanted in 46 cases. After 28 years follow-up, freedom from graft failure after 5 years was 77%, 48% after 10 years and 21% after 15 years. Reoperative right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction demonstrates good mid-term and acceptable long-term outcomes regardless of the type of conduit implanted. Worse long-term graft survival of secondary and further conduits is associated with younger age of the recipient at implantation, small size of the conduit, younger age of donor and male donor in case of allograft implantation.
Topical bromfenac as adjunctive treatment with intravitreal ranibizumab for diabetic macular edema
Authors: Gabr Ahmed F. , Kamel Marian F. , Elbarawy Ahmed A. 
Published: April 2023

Abstract
Purpose
To determine the safety and efficacy of adding topical bromfenac 0.09% in the treatment of diabetic macular edema.

Methods
Seventy patients (70 eyes) with center involved diabetic macular edema with macular thickness (300–500 μm) were included. Patients were divided randomly into two groups: 35 eyes in each group. Both groups were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab monthly for three consecutive months. Bromfenac 0.09% eye drops twice daily was added to the treatment of study group for six months from commencement of treatment. The efficacy of topical bromfenac was evaluated by comparing both groups through follow-up period as regards to visual acuity, central and average thickness and the need for re-injection.

Results
Patients treated with topical bromfenac in addition to intravitreal ranibizumab revealed significant improvement in visual acuity, more reduction in central and average macular thickness and less tendency to need reinjection compared to those treated with ranibizumab alone (p 0.013, p 0.010 and p 0.022, respectively). No side effects was encountered with the use of topical bromfenac.

Conclusion
Topical bromfenac 0.09% twice a day could enhance and sustain the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab in the treatment of diabetic macular edema without increasing the incidence of corneal side effects.
Representation Theory Based Algorithm to Compute Boltzmann’s Bilinear Collision Operator in the Irreducible Spectral Burnett Ansatz Efficiently
Authors: Hanke Andrea , Torrilhon Manuel 
Published: April 2023

AbstractNumerically solving the Boltzmann equation is computationally expensive in part due to the number of variables the distribution function depends upon. Another contributor to the complexity of the Boltzmann Equation is the quadratic collision operator describing changes in the distribution function due to colliding particle pairs. Solving it as efficiently as possible has been a topic of recent research, e.g. Cai and Torrilhon (Phys Fluids 31(12):126105, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5127114), Wang and Cai (J Comput Phys 397:108815, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2019.07.014), Cai et al. (Comput Fluids 200:104456, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compfluid.2020.104456). In this paper we exploit results from representation theory to find a very efficient algorithm both in terms of memory and computational time for the evaluation of the quadratic collision operator. With this novel approach we are also able to provide a meaningful interpretation of its structure.