bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Extracellular Vesicle-Serpine-1 Affects Neural Progenitor Cell Mitochondrial Networks and Synaptic Density: Modulation by Amyloid Beta and HIV-1
Authors: András Ibolya E. , Serrano Nelson , Djuraskovic Irina , Fattakhov Nikolai , Sun Enze , Toborek Michal 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBrain endothelial extracellular vesicles carrying amyloid beta (EV-Aβ) can be transferred to neural progenitor cells (NPCs) leading to NPC dysfunction. However, the events involved in this EV-mediated Aβ pathology are unclear. EV-proteomics studies identified Serpine-1 (plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, PAI-1) as a major connecting “hub” on several protein–protein interaction maps. Serpine-1 was described as a key player in Aβ pathology and was linked to HIV-1 infection as well. Therefore, the aim of this work was to address the hypothesis that Serpine-1 can be transferred via EVs from brain endothelial cells (HBMEC) to NPCs and contribute to NPC dysfunction. HBMEC concentrated and released Serpine-1 via EVs, the effect that was potentiated by HIV-1 and Aβ. EVs loaded with Serpine-1 were readily taken up by NPCs, and HIV-1 enhanced this event. Interestingly, a highly specific Serpine-1 inhibitor PAI039 increased EV-Aβ transfer to NPCs in the presence of HIV-1. PAI039 also partially blocked mitochondrial network morphology alterations in the recipient NPCs, which developed mainly after HIV + Aβ-EV transfer. PAI039 partly attenuated HIV-EV-mediated decreased synaptic protein levels in NPCs, while increased synaptic protein levels in NPC projections. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying EV-Serpine-1 related Aβ pathology in the context of HIV infection. They are relevant to HIV-1 associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in an effort to elucidate the mechanisms of neuropathology in HIV infection.
Domestic energy consumption: temporal unregulated electrical energy consumption in kitchens in Scottish affordable and social housing
Authors: Foster Janice A. , Poston Anna 
Published: July 2023

AbstractHousing contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. It is also a social determinant of health. In Scotland, 25% of households in 2019 were in fuel poverty. Current (2023) energy price increases are likely to further increase this proportion, particularly among low-income families. Fuel affordability measures implemented by the Scottish and UK Governments generally focus on achieving thermal comfort, largely disregarding appliance energy usage, termed ‘unregulated loads’. These include essential household items in kitchens such as the cooker, washing machines, fridges and freezers. The inability of occupants to afford to cook and store food and launder clothing can have broader health implications. This study reviews one year of energy consumption data collected from 17 newly constructed energy-efficient dwellings available for a combination of social rent and purchased through an affordable shared equity scheme in Scotland. The data are used to determine the proportion of total household energy consumption used in kitchen environments. Analysis indicated a vast range of 20–72% (41% mean) of total household electricity consumption was linked to the kitchen, excluding artificial lighting. In this study, energy efficiency ratings of the cookers, fridges, freezers and washing machines identified that those in social housing had the least energy-efficient kitchen appliances compared to those in purchased affordable homes. This suggests inequitable practices for kitchen appliance procurement in social homes compared with affordable homes. Overall, this study highlighted the need for larger-scale, in situ research to evaluate energy efficiency and consumption in kitchens to inform social landlords and policymakers to reduce disparities and to form a focus on fuel poverty calculations.
Comparison of postoperative exercise capacity of patients who underwent sternal closure with SternaLock Blu and those with traditional sternal wire closure following cardiovascular surgery via sternotomy
Authors: Tamura Kiyoshi , Sakurai Shogo 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of postoperative exercise capacity of SternaLock Blu (Zimmer Biomet, USA) for post-sternotomy patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery.

Methods
We investigated 116 patients, including 35 women (mean age 70.3 ± 10.0 years), who underwent cardiovascular surgery by median sternotomy. Patients were candidate for using SternaLock Blu, such as obesity (body mass index  > 30/kg/m2), insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, steroid administrating, undergoing coronary bypass artery grafting used bilateral internal thoracic artery. These patients were categorized into those with SternaLock Blu (S group, n = 47) or with sternal wires only (N group, n = 69) for closing sternotomy, and their data were analyzed.

Results
Max Prince Henry Pain Scale (PHPS) was significantly low in the S group than in the N group (N vs. S = 2.7 ± 1.4 vs. 1.6 ± 1.7%, p < 0.001). Postoperative 6-min walk was significantly longer in the S group than in the N group (N vs. S = 346.2 ± 101.6 vs. 408.6 ± 104.6 m, p = 0.018). The length of intensive care unit (N vs. S = 4.9 ± 0.9 vs. 4.0 ± 1.2 days, p < 0.001) and hospitalization (N vs. S = 18.0 ± 5.0 vs. 15.2 ± 3.8 days, p = 0.006) were significantly shorter in the S group than in the N group.

Conclusions
SternaLock Blu could keep exercise capacity, and might help reduce postoperative pain and medical treatment period for patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery.
Open arch—my way! Branch first continuous perfusion arch repair (BF-CPAR)
Authors: Matalanis George , Sharma Varun J. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractWe herein describe our technique of “branch first continuous perfusion arch repair (BF-CPAR)” which does away with both cerebral circulatory arrest and the need for
deep hypothermia. We use this technique for all aortic surgeries including for type A acute aortic dissections.
Understanding Public Acceptance of Automobile Restriction Policies: A Qualitative Study in Four Latin American Cities
Authors: Boso Àlex , Oltra Christian , Garrido Jaime , López-Asensio Sergi 
Published: July 2023

AbstractIn recent decades, several Latin American cities have implemented policy instruments to reduce urban air pollution and traffic congestion such as license plate–based restrictions on car use. Our research analyzes the factors influencing the public acceptance of these urban policies in four cities: Bogotá, Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, and Quito. We use semi-structured interviews and digital diaries to examine participants’ beliefs and emotions about vehicle restrictions as well as their daily mobility experiences. The study illustrates the importance of three main beliefs in shaping the public acceptance of the measures (perceived effectiveness, perceived fairness, and perceived personal impacts). The results also show a certain resignation on the part of the participants, accepting that the policies are necessary and, to some extent, effective in pacifying traffic and improving air quality in highly populated cities, even if the policies generate certain undesirable distributional and personal impacts. The study uncovers the importance of the local context in understanding why certain urban policies, successfully applied in other contexts, might have lower levels of public support in Latin American cities. A high population density, regulatory shortcomings, enforcement difficulties, and deficits in infrastructure and public transport all create a mobility context in which some policies to improve urban air quality and traffic congestion generate high levels of frustration and ambivalence among the residents.
Criteria of sea level, return periods, and design risk factor in Port Said Harbor (Egypt)
Authors: El-Geziry Tarek M. , El-Wakeel Yasser M. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThis work delivers comprehensive information on the statistical metrics of sea level in Port Said Harbor, which can be used for the mitigation plans and protection measures in its vicinity. The study used hourly sea level data extended over 10 years from January 2002 to December 2011. A comprehensive descriptive statistical analysis of sea level monthly variations was introduced. The T_Tide package was used to obtain the astronomical constituents, which are in turn used to calculate the form factor to specify the tidal cycle in the Harbor, and to obtain the main water level characteristics. The meteorological factor was calculated by subtracting the tidal elevation from the recorded sea level. The impact of the meteorological factors on the observed sea level fluctuations was more obvious in winter than in summer. The effect of the meteorological conditions on the observed possible largest sea level range was $${~}^{1}\!\left/ \!{~}_{3}\right.$$

1

3

that of the tidal impact. No extreme sea level year, considered when the annual mean deviates from the regression line by more than twice the standard deviation, appeared during the decade of investigation. The return periods and the design lifetime risk were calculated. The highest probabilities of occurrence were concentrated in the levels between 70 and 80 cm, while the lowest were below 5 cm and above 110 cm. The return periods for all water levels ranged between 0.4 and 4.5 years. The coastal structures in the vicinity of the Harbor may have a short lifetime of only 50 years for its most pronounced level (75 cm). It is recommended to consider the present results upon designing mitigation plans and constructions within Port Said Harbor territory.
Snapture—a Novel Neural Architecture for Combined Static and Dynamic Hand Gesture Recognition
Authors: Ali Hassan , Jirak Doreen , Wermter Stefan 
Published: July 2023

AbstractAs robots are expected to get more involved in people’s everyday lives, frameworks that enable intuitive user interfaces are in demand. Hand gesture recognition systems provide a natural way of communication and, thus, are an integral part of seamless human-robot interaction (HRI). Recent years have witnessed an immense evolution of computational models powered by deep learning. However, state-of-the-art models fall short of expanding across different gesture domains, such as emblems and co-speech. In this paper, we propose a novel hybrid hand gesture recognition system. Our Snapture architecture enables learning both static and dynamic gestures: by capturing a so-called snapshot of the gesture performance at its peak, we integrate the hand pose and the dynamic movement. Moreover, we present a method for analyzing the motion profile of a gesture to uncover its dynamic characteristics, which allows regulating a static channel based on the amount of motion. Our evaluation demonstrates the superiority of our approach on two gesture benchmarks compared to a state-of-the-art CNNLSTM baseline. Our analysis on a gesture class basis unveils the potential of our Snapture architecture for performance improvements using RGB data. Thanks to its modular implementation, our framework allows the integration of other multimodal data, like facial expressions and head tracking, which are essential cues in HRI scenarios, into one architecture. Thus, our work contributes both to integrative gesture recognition research and machine learning applications for non-verbal communication with robots.
Understanding household and food system determinants of chicken and egg consumption in India
Authors: Scudiero Lavinia , Tak Mehroosh , Alarcón Pablo , Shankar Bhavani 
Published: July 2023

AbstractPoultry is one of the fastest-growing agricultural sectors in India and its demand is said to be rising. There is a perception that higher incomes, growing population, urbanisation, and increased productivity in the industry have influenced Indian poultry consumption. However, consumer surveys have shown that the average poultry consumption in India has remained low. With this in mind, the paper analysed household determinants of chicken and egg consumption within the Indian population, using two rounds of National Sample Survey data (1993–1994 and 2011–2012). By conducting a spatiotemporal analysis of household consumption and expenditure survey and by using truncated Double Hurdle and Unconditional Quantile regressions (UQR) models, this study explored socio-economic and food system determinants of chicken and egg consumption in India. Key results highlight that while consumption has increased marginally over twenty years, supply-side determinants, such as price and poultry production concentration, influenced heterogenous consumption patterns in India. We also find evidence that historically marginalised groups consumed more chicken and eggs in comparison to non-marginalised groups and preliminary evidence suggests how household gender dynamics influence different consumption patterns. Adequate consumption of poultry is important to improve nutrient-deficient diets of vulnerable groups in India. Our findings on demand side determinants of poultry products are crucial to support consumer tailored actions to improve nutritional outcomes along with the Indian poultry sector policy planning.
Stingless bee (Tetragonula carbonaria) foragers prioritise resin and reduce pollen foraging after hive splitting
Authors: Newis Ryan , Nichols Joel , Farrar Michael B. , Fuller Chris , Hosseini Bai Shahla , Wilson Rachele S. , Wallace Helen M. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractStingless bees are increasingly in demand as pollinators in agricultural crops within the tropics and subtropics. Hive splitting, where one strong managed hive is “split” into two independent daughter colonies, is commonly used to increase hive numbers. However, how splitting impacts foraging behaviour or the time taken for the colony to recover from splitting has not previously been studied. We assessed the impact of splitting on the foraging behaviour of Tetragonula carbonaria colonies. The number of returning forager trips and foraged proportions of pollen, nectar and resin was observed after splitting and compared with unsplit control hives over a 31-day period. We found the total amount of returning foragers in split hives reduced to less than a third of unsplit hives (unsplit median, 184–288; split median, 19–61) for 16 days, while returning nectar (unsplit median, 89–147; split median, 16–28) and pollen (unsplit median, 55–155; split median, 1–7) foragers reduced to less than a quarter of unsplit hives for 9 days following splitting. After 31 days, the number of total, nectar and pollen foraging trips had still not recovered to levels observed in unsplit hives. Resin foraging trips however were not significantly different to unsplit hives after only 10 days. The colony foraging allocation to resin (proportion) increased after splitting and was significantly higher in split hives until day 16 of the experiment (unsplit median, 0.03–0.05; split median, 0.10–0.16). Our results demonstrate that split colonies prioritise resin collection and foraging on floral resources is reduced. We recommend that hives should not be split within 31 days of being used for pollination, and resin sources should be conserved where possible and supplemented where necessary due the vital roles of the resource.
Kinetics of humoral immune response and severity of infection after three doses of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine in a large cohort of kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Simone Simona , Pesce Francesco , Fontò Giulia , Pronzo Virginia , Pontrelli Paola , Conserva Francesca , Schirinzi Annalisa , Casanova Annalisa , Gallo Pasquale , Rossini Michele , Lucarelli Giuseppe , Spilotros Marco , Rendina Maria , Stallone Giovanni , Di Serio Francesca , Di Leo Alfredo , Tafuri Silvio , Ditonno Pasquale , Gesualdo Loreto 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Background
COVID-19 in kidney transplant recipients is associated with high morbidity and mortality. In this study we aimed to evaluate: (i) the seroconversion rate after BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, (ii) factors associated with humoral response, (iii) clinical outcome of COVID-19 in kidney transplanted patients.

Methods
We enrolled a cohort of 743 kidney transplant recipients followed up from March 2020 until April 2022. A subset of 336 patients, who received three-doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, was analyzed in terms of kinetics of humoral immune response and compared to a control group of 94 healthcare workers. Antibody response was tested before vaccination (T0), 15 and 90 days after the second dose (T1 and T2), on the day of the third dose (T3) and one month after the third dose (T4).

Results
We observed that 66 out of 743 subjects had COVID-19 infection pre-vaccination: 65.2% had severe symptoms, 27.3% were hospitalized (9 deaths), none were asymptomatic. After three doses, 51 patients had COVID-19 infection, 60.8% were asymptomatic, 27.5% reported mild symptoms, 3.9% showed severe symptoms, 7.8% were hospitalized (2 deaths).
In the subset of 336 vaccinated patients, an antibody level > 0.8 U/ml was detected at T1, that increased at T2 and T3, peaking at T4. Independent factors associated with a negative antibody titer at T4 were decreasing estimated glomerular filtration rate, time from transplantation, and antimetabolites (all p < 0.001) and age (p = 0.007).

Conclusions
The kinetics of humoral response after three doses of vaccine in kidney transplant patients is characterized by a late but effective immune response against SARS-CoV-2, reducing morbidity and mortality.

Graphical abstract
Culture shock: The EU’s foreign and security policy and the challenges of the European Zeitenwende
Authors: Helwig Niklas 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe EU is in a state of culture shock. The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the European Zeitenwende placed the EU in a largely unfamiliar international environment for which its past modes of operation and behavioural patterns are unsuited. The EU was able to geopolitically repurpose its existing processes and instruments to cope rather effectively with the challenges of the war and its global fallout. However, the EU is also faced with more fundamental questions related to how it will navigate a much more competitive international environment. For effective and sustainable answers, it will need to develop a joint strategic culture.
Preoperative anxiety and postoperative adverse events: a narrative overview
Authors: Ni Kun , Zhu Jiankun , Ma Zhengliang 
Published: July 2023

AbstractPatients awaiting surgical procedures often experience obvious anxiety due to discomfort and uncertain events, which is one of the most common clinical manifestations in perioperative patients. Numerous studies have confirmed that preoperative anxiety is closely related to the occurrence of postoperative adverse events, such as insomnia, pain, nausea and vomiting and neurocognitive dysfunction. Appropriate intervention or treatment for preoperative anxiety may contribute to reducing the incidence of postoperative adverse events. Although people have long known about the negative effects of preoperative anxiety and have taken certain measures, the underlying mechanism has yet to be fully elucidated. In this paper, we focus on several typical postoperative adverse events that are, particularly concerning to anesthesiologists, review their relationships with preoperative anxiety, describe the intervention strategies and provide a certain summary and outlook.
Large graph layout optimization based on vision and computational efficiency: a survey
Authors: Zhang Shuhang , Xu Ruihong , Quan Yining 
Published: July 2023

AbstractGraph layout can help users explore graph data intuitively. However, when handling large graph data volumes, the high time complexity of the layout algorithm and the overlap of visual elements usually lead to a significant decrease in analysis efficiency and user experience. Increasing computing speed and improving visual quality of large graph layouts are two key approaches to solving these problems. Previous surveys are mainly conducted from the aspects of specific graph type, layout techniques and layout evaluation, while seldom concentrating on layout optimization. The paper reviews the recent works on the optimization of the visual and computational efficiency of graphs, and establishes a taxonomy according to the stage when these methods are implemented: pre-layout, in-layout and post-layout. The pre-layout methods focus on graph data compression techniques, which involve graph filtering and graph aggregation. The in-layout approaches optimize the layout process from computing architecture and algorithms, where deep learning techniques are also included. Visual mapping and interactive layout adjustment are post-layout optimization techniques. Our survey reviews the current research on large graph layout optimization techniques in different stages of the layout design process, and presents possible research challenges and opportunities in the future.
Chief or Big-Man Politics in Post-War Sierra Leone?
Authors: de Bruijne Kars 
Published: July 2023

AbstractMarshall Sahlins claims that individuals with personal power, influence, networks, and control over their followers within the political sphere are actually “big-men” rather than “chiefs.” Big-men derive their authority from personal maneuvering, whereas “chiefs” obtain their authority from semi-hierarchical, formalized, and de-personalized rule. De Bruijne argues that those individuals who are perceived as “big men” in post-war Sierra Leone might be better understood as “chiefs.”
Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index as a predictor for mechanical ventilation and 30-day mortality across COVID-19 variants
Authors: Parajuli Priyanka , Sabo Roy , Alsaadawi Rasha , Robinson Amanda , French Evan , Sterling Richard K. 
Published: July 2023

Abstract

Background:
The Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index, a simple index that includes age, liver enzymes, and platelet count has been studied as a tool to identify patients at a risk of requiring mechanical ventilation due to its high negative predictive value. It is unknown if FIB-4 remains useful to predict the severity of respiratory disease requiring mechanical ventilation amongst new Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) variants and whether a relationship also exists between FIB-4 and 30-day mortality. The main objective was to determine if FIB-4 can predict mechanical ventilation requirements and 30-day mortality from COVID-19 across variants including Alpha, Delta, and Omicron.

Methods:
This was a population-based, retrospective cohort analysis of 232,364 hospitalized patients in the National COVID-19 Cohort Collaborative between the age of 18–90 who tested positive for COVID-19 between April 27, 2020 and June 25, 2022. The primary outcome was association between FIB-4 and need for mechanical ventilation. Secondary measures included the association of FIB-4 with 30-day mortality.

Results:
A FIB-4 > 2.67 had 1.8 times higher odds of requiring mechanical ventilation across all variants of COVID-19 (OR 1.81; 95% CI: [1.76, 1.86]). The area under the ROC curve showed high diagnostic accuracy with values ranging between 0.79 (Omicron wave) and 0.97 (delta wave). Increased FIB-4 was associated with 30-day mortality across the variates.

Conclusion:
The FIB-4 was consistently associated with both increased utilization of mechanical ventilation and 30-day mortality among COVID-19 patients across all waves in both adjusted and unadjusted models. This provides a simple tool for risk-stratification for front-line health care professionals.
DEDEKIND-FINITE CARDINALS HAVING COUNTABLE PARTITIONS
Authors: PANASAWATWONG SUPAKUN , TRUSS JOHN KENNETH 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
We study the possible structures which can be carried by sets which have no countable subset, but which fail to be ‘surjectively Dedekind finite’, in two possible senses, that there is surjection to

$\omega $

, or alternatively, that there is a surjection to a proper superset.