bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Benthic foraminifera as bioindicators for the heavy metals in the severely polluted Hurghada Bay, Red Sea coast, Egypt
Authors: El-Kahawy Ramadan M. , Mabrouk Mohamed S. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractTwenty-nine sediment samples were collected from the Hurghada Bay, a heavily polluted bay on the Red Sea of Egypt, to inspect the environmental quality status and anthropogenic consequences on benthic foraminifera. Some foraminiferal species showed deformations in their apertures and coiling directions as a response to environmental stresses. In addition, the FoRAM index, an index used for evaluating the growth of coral reefs, indicated a hazard in the proximity of nearshore stations. To elucidate the relationships between the biological response and chemistry of sediments, eight heavy metals concentrations (Cu, Cd, Zn, Pb, As, Cr, Ni, and Mn) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometers (ICP-AES). Interestingly, two groups of benthic foraminiferal associations were illustrated using multivariate statistical analyses. Group I have extremely high heavy metal concentrations, an enriched total organic matter (TOM)%, high deformation percentages, and mud content. Moreover, it is dominated by Ammonia tepida which is regarded as an opportunistic species. Group II includes low to moderately polluted stations, highly enriched living foraminiferal assemblages, and is dominated by the sensitive rotaliids Neorotalia calcar and Amphistegina lobifera. Alternatively, four geochemical indices, EF, CF, Igeo, and PLI, are used to assess the contamination level that shown ominous spots for the nearshore stations of the Hurghada Bay. The pollution indices (HQ and HI) were also conducted to evaluate the risks of carcinogenic heavy metals on human health. Our findings demonstrated that ingestion and dermal exposure have greater carcinogenic hazards for adults and children than inhalation. The lifetime carcinogenic risk (LCR) is significantly higher than the permissible limit and follows this order: Pb > As > Cr > Cd > Ni. To that end, developing strategies to lessen the negative impact of pollution on human health and/or the Red Sea’s biodiversity is an inevitable issue in the present day and future.
Few-shot learning for facial expression recognition: a comprehensive survey
Authors: Kim Chae-Lin , Kim Byung-Gyu 
Published: May 2023

AbstractFacial expression recognition (FER) is utilized in various fields that analyze facial expressions. FER is attracting increasing attention for its role in improving the convenience in human life. It is widely applied in human–computer interaction tasks. However, recently, FER tasks have encountered certain data and training issues. To address these issues in FER, few-shot learning (FSL) has been researched as a new approach. In this paper, we focus on analyzing FER techniques based on FSL and consider the computational complexity and processing time in these models. FSL has been researched as it can solve the problems of training with few datasets and generalizing in a wild-environmental condition. Based on our analysis, we describe certain existing challenges in the use of FSL in FER systems and suggest research directions to resolve these issues. FER using FSL can be time efficient and reduce the complexity in many other real-time processing tasks and is an important area for further research.
Chemotherapy alone vs. chemotherapy plus radiotherapy in female adolescent and young adults with Hodgkin’s lymphoma: reproductive health outcomes
Authors: Luong Susan , Mockler Claire , Pudwell Jessica , Li Wenbin , Dudebout Jill , Velez Maria P. 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose
To examine the effects of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and its treatment on reproductive health in female adolescent and young adults (AYA).

Methods
We conducted a retrospective, population-based, matched-cohort study of female patients with Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosed at 15–39 years of age from 1995 to 2014 in Ontario, Canada. Three female individuals with no history of cancer (unexposed) were matched by birth year and census subdivision to each patient with cancer (exposed). In a subset of the cohort (2005 onwards), the Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients were further classified into two groups for analysis based on treatment exposure: (1) chemotherapy alone or (2) combined chemotherapy and radiation. Reproductive health outcomes were infertility, childbirth, and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). Relative risks (RR) were calculated using modified Poisson regression adjusted for income quintile, immigration status, and parity.

Results
A total of 1443 exposed and 4329 unexposed individuals formed our cohort. Hodgkin’s lymphoma patients were at an increased risk of infertility (aRR 1.86; 95% CI 1.57 to 2.20) and POI (aRR 2.81; 95% CI 2.16 to 3.65). While the risk of infertility persisted in both treatment groups (chemotherapy alone, combined chemotherapy plus radiotherapy), the increased risk of POI was only statistically significant in the chemotherapy plus radiotherapy group. No differences in childbirth rates were observed, overall or by treatment exposure compared with unexposed individuals.

Conclusions
Female AYA survivors of Hodgkin’s lymphoma face an increased risk of infertility, independent of exposure to chemotherapy alone, or chemotherapy plus radiotherapy. The risk of POI is higher in those requiring radiotherapy vs. chemotherapy alone.

Implications for cancer survivors
These results emphasize the importance of pre-treatment fertility counseling and reproductive health surveillance for AYAs diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Seiberg–Witten Floer spectra and contact structures
Authors: Roso B. R. S. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractIn this article, the author defines an invariant of rational homology 3-spheres equipped with a contact structure as an element of a cohomotopy set of the Seiberg–Witten Floer spectrum as defined in Manolescu (Geometry Topol 7(2):889–932, 2003). Furthermore, in light of the equivalence established in Lidman and Manolescu (Astérisque 399:25, 2018) between the Borel equivariant homology of said spectrum and the Seiberg–Witten Floer homology of Kronheimer and Mrowka (Monopoles and three-manifolds, vol. 10, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007), the author shall show that this homotopy theoretic invariant recovers the already well known contact element in the Seiberg–Witten Floer cohomology (vid. e.g. Kronheimer et al. in Ann Math 20:457–546, 2007) in a natural fashion. Next, the behaviour of the cohomotopy invariant is considered in the presence of a finite covering. This setting naturally asks for the use of Borel cohomology equivariant with respect to the group of deck transformations. Hence, a new equivariant contact invariant is defined and its properties studied. The invariant is then computed in one concrete example, wherein the author demonstrates that it opens the possibility of considering scenarios hitherto inaccessible.
Recurrent Giant Myofibroblastic Sarcoma of Neck in a Teenager: Overcoming Treatment Challenges
Authors: Dinker Diksha , Rajan Keshava , Kumar Naveena A. N. , Godhkini Vishwapriyan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractSarcomas are rare tumors arising from a variety of mesenchymal tissues which are even rarer in head and neck region amounting 1% only of the 5% of sarcomas. About 80% of head and neck sarcomas originate in soft tissue while the remaining 20% arise from bone (Cormier and Pollock in J Clin 54:94−109, 2004). One among the commonly presenting variants of sarcomas in head and neck that our patient was diagnosed with is Low grade myofibroblastic sarcoma (LGMS). These even though uncommon have a predilection for head and neck region particularly the tongue (Mentzel et al. in Am J Surg Pathol 22:1228−38, 1998; Cai et al. in Virchows Arch 463:827−36, 2013; Meng et al. in Chin Med J 120:363–9, 2007; Demarosi et al. in Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 108:248–54, 2009). LGMS was reclassified as a distinct entity by the WHO classification of soft tissue tumors in 2002 (Qiu et al. in Oncol Lett 9:619−25, 2015). Oncological resection is the mainstay of treatment. In case of bulky tumor, resection and reconstruction would be challenging. We report a recurrent LGMS of 15-year-old girl who presented with a ginormous soft tissue swelling in her left neck region which made her day-to-day activities strenuous and made her non ambulatory and the line of treatment executed in order to get her back on feet, healthy & free of the debilitating tumor.
Residence Time Distribution-Based Smith Predictor: an Advanced Feedback Control for Dead Time–Dominated Continuous Powder Blending Process
Authors: Gyürkés Martin , Tacsi Kornélia , Pataki Hajnalka , Farkas Attila 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Purpose
In continuous manufacturing (CM), the material traceability and process dynamics can be investigated by residence time distribution (RTD). Many of the unit operations used in the pharma industry were characterized by dead time–dominated RTD. Even though feasible and proper feedback control is one of the many advantages of CM, its application is challenging in these cases. This study aims to develop a feedback control, implementing the RTD in a Smith predictor control structure in a continuous powder blender line.

Methods
Continuous powder blending was investigated with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR), and the blending was controlled through a volumetric feeder. A MATLAB GUI was developed to calculate and control the concentration of the API based on the chemometric evaluation of the spectra. The programmed GUI changed the feeding rate based on the proportional integral derivative (PID) and the Smith predictor, which implemented the RTD of the system. The control structures were compared even on a system with amplified dead time.

Results
In this work, the control structure of the Smith control was devised by utilizing the RTD of the system. The Smith control was compared to a classic PI control structure on the normal system and on an increased dead time system. The Smith predictor was able to reduce the response time for various disturbances by up to 50%, and the dead time had a lower effect on the control.

Conclusions
Implementing the RTD models in the control structure improved the process design and further expanded the wide range of applications of the RTD models. Both control structures were able to reduce the effect of disturbances on the system; however, the Smith predictor presented more reliable and faster control, with a wider space for control tuning.
Flood generating mechanisms investigation and rainfall threshold identification for regional flood early warning
Authors: Mentzafou Angeliki , Papadopoulos Anastasios , Dimitriou Elias 
Published: May 2023

AbstractA cost effective and easily applied methodological approach for the identification of the main factors involved in flood generation mechanisms and the development of rainfall threshold for incorporation in flood early warning systems at regional scale is proposed. The methodology was tested at the Pinios upstream flood-prone area in Greece. High frequency monitoring rainfall and water level/discharge time-series were investigated statistically. Based on the results, the study area is impacted by “long-rain floods” triggered by several days long and low-intensity precipitation events in the mountainous areas, that saturate the catchment and cause high flow conditions. Time lag between the peaks of rainfall and water level was 17–25 h. The relationship between cumulative rainfall Rsum on the mountainous areas and maximum water level MaxWL of the river at the particular river site can be expressed as: MaxWL = 1.55ln(Rsum) − 3.70 and the rainfall threshold estimated for the mountainous stations can be expressed as: Rsum = 20.4*D0.3, where D is the duration of the event. The effect of antecedent moisture conditions prior each event was limited to the decrease of the time lag between rainfall and water level response. The limitations of the specific methodological approach are related to the uncertainties that arise due to the other variables contributing to the complex flood generating mechanisms not considered (e.g., the effect of snowmelt and air temperature, soil characteristics, the contribution of tributaries, or the inadequate maintenance of river network that may cause debris accumulation and river bank failure).
Tear Film Constituents and Medicines for Eyes Investigated as Langmuir Films
Authors: Torrent-Burgués Juan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe tear film has an important role on the quality of the vision process and is of importance in the fields of ophthalmology and optometry. The lipid layer, the outermost part of the tear film, can be investigated with the Langmuir technique, as well as the interaction of components of the aqueous part of the tear film with those of the lipid layer. Dysfunctions in the stability and composition of the tear film are the causes of eye diseases, as the dry eye syndrome. For the treatment of this disease, the artificial tears are used, and one type of them are the lipid tears, which can be investigated with the Langmuir technique. This technique can also be used to investigate the influence on the lipid layer of other artificial tear components or medicines instilled in the eye.This review presents investigations where the Langmuir technique has been used in relation with the tear film. In particular, the surface properties of natural tears and of four commercial lipid-containing artificial tears have been reported and discussed in connection with their composition.
ELFN1-AS1 promotes GDF15-mediated immune escape of colorectal cancer from NK cells by facilitating GCN5 and SND1 association
Authors: Han Bin , He Jinsong , Chen Qing , Yuan Min , Zeng Xi , Li Yuanting , Zeng Yan , He Meibo , Zhou Qilin , Feng Dan , Ma Daiyuan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe ability of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells to escape from natural killer (NK) cell immune surveillance leads to anti-tumor treatment failure. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) ELFN1-AS1 is aberrantly expressed in multiple tumors suggesting a role as an oncogene in cancer development. However, whether ELFN1-AS1 regulates immune surveillance in CRC is unclear. Here, we determined that ELFN1-AS1 enhanced the ability of CRC cells to escape from NK cell surveillance in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we confirmed that ELFN1-AS1 in CRC cells attenuated the activity of NK cell by down-regulating NKG2D and GZMB via the GDF15/JNK pathway. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations demonstrated that ELFN1-AS1 enhanced the interaction between the GCN5 and SND1 protein and this influenced H3k9ac enrichment at the GDF15 promotor to stimulate GDF15 production in CRC cells. Taken together, our findings indicate that ELFN1-AS1 in CRC cells suppresses NK cell cytotoxicity and ELFN1-AS1 is a potential therapeutic target for CRC.
The Asymmetric Impact of Energy’s Paradigm Transition on Environmental Degradation: a Macroeconomic Evidence from Latin American and the Caribbean Countries
Authors: Koengkan Matheus , Fuinhas José Alberto , Vieira Isabel 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe main objective of this study is to identify the impact of the energy paradigm transition on the environmental degradation of eighteen Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. To this end, a panel non-linear autoregressive distributed lag (PNARDL) in the form of an unrestricted error correction model (UECM) and a period from 1990 to 2019 were used. The empirical results indicated that the variable economic growth in both the short- and long-run have an increase of 0.6994 and 0.3192, respectively, and the variable public capital stock in the short-run has an increase of 0.0176 in CO2 emissions. However, the positive and negative asymmetry of the variable ratio of renewable energy in the short-and long-run has a decrease of −0.1320 (on positive variations) and −0.1131 (on negative variations) in the short run and −0.0364 (on positive variations) and −0.0783 (on negative variations) in the long run on CO2 emissions. The capacity of the ratio of renewable/fossil energy consumption to reduce environmental degradation is compatible with the renewable energy technological efficiency that produces more clean energy and fewer emissions. That was also in line with the increasing participation of renewable energy sources in the energy matrix in the LAC countries.
Understanding the Impact of EU Prostitution Policies on Sex Workers: A Mixed Study Systematic Review
Authors: Oliveira Alexandra , Lemos Ana , Mota Mafalda , Pinto Rita 
Published: May 2023

Abstract
Introduction
There is a growing interest in legislation and policies regarding sex work in the European Union and a debate between two opposite perspectives: prostitution is a form of gender violence or a work lacking legal and social recognition. This review aims to develop an integrative synthesis of literature regarding the impact of prostitution policies on sex workers’ health, safety, and living and working conditions across EU member states.

Methods
A search conducted at the end of 2020 in bibliographic databases for quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods peer-reviewed research, and grey literature published between 2000 and 2020 resulted in 1195 initial references eligible for inclusion. After applying the selection criteria, 30 records were included in the review. A basic convergent qualitative meta-integration approach to synthesis and integration was used. The systematic review is registered through PROSPERO (CRD42021236624).

Results
Research shows multiple impacts on the health, safety, and living and working conditions of sex workers across the EU.

Conclusions
Evidence demonstrates that criminalisation and regulation of any form of sex work had negative consequences on sex workers who live in the EU in terms of healthcare, prevalence and risk of contracting HIV and STIs, stigmatisation and discrimination, physical and sexual victimisation, and marginalisation due to marked social inequalities, for both nationals and migrants from outside the EU.

Policy Implications
The evidence available makes a strong case for removing any criminal laws and other forms of sanctioning sex workers, clients, and third parties, which are prevalent in the EU, and for decriminalisation. There is a need for structural changes in policing and legislation that focus on labour and legal rights, social and financial inequities, human rights, and stigma and discrimination to protect cis and transgender sex workers and ethnical minorities in greater commitment to reduce sex workers’ social inequalities, exclusion, and lack of institutional support. These measures could also positively impact reducing and monitoring human trafficking and exploitation.
Advances in critical temperature shift modeling of confined pure fluids using the Kihara potential function
Authors: Humand Mohammad , Khorsand Movaghar Mohammad Reza , Mohammadpour Mobarakeh , Zarragoicoechea Guillermo J. , Abbaszadeh Mostafa 
Published: May 2023

AbstractA multitude of research works have been conducted in the past decade to better predict the change of critical properties of fluids confined in nanopores, known as critical shift, due to its great impact upon calculations of fluid properties in tight reservoirs. Modeling of this phenomenon commenced with developing equations of state (EOS) and has been continuing with correlations, all based on the two-parameter Lennard–Jones (L–J) potential function. Although these approaches have tried to present passable estimations of critical shift, sufficiently accurate predictions of critical shift are still missing in the literature. In this study, the three-parameter Kihara potential, as a more physically realistic alternative, is used to develop the van der Waal (vdW) EOS, and accordingly, a fluid-dependent expression is derived to calculate the critical temperature of confined fluids, i.e., pore critical temperature ($${T}_{\mathrm{cp}}$$

T
cp

). Using 50 data points of $${T}_{cp}$$

T

cp

reports for normal alkanes in the literature, the average error of our model is only 2.23%, 6.4% less than that of the L–J model. Furthermore, despite simple correlations of previous works, herein the Kihara parameters are exclusively tuned for each component based on their $${T}_{cp}$$

T

cp

reports, which resulted in an average error of 0.4% for normal alkanes. Finally, the pressure–volume diagrams of vdW and Peng–Robinson EOSs associated with the Kihara potential function are comprehensively discussed. The findings of this study can help researchers with more accurate predictions of the critical temperature of fluids confined in tight porous media, thereby providing more precise calculations of fluid properties and behavior at equilibrium conditions.
Brushtail possum terrestrial activity patterns are driven by climatic conditions, breeding and moonlight intensity
Authors: Śmielak Michał Krzysztof , Ballard Guy , Fleming Peter John Sabine , Körtner Gerhard , Vernes Karl , Reid Nick 
Published: May 2023

AbstractEcological studies of common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) in their extant range have been limited by technology and the species’ nocturnal habit. However, camera traps now allow the investigation of possum ethology without observer interference. Here, we analysed terrestrial possum activity patterns using a large dataset collected over 3 years from 133 camera traps in mesic eucalypt woodland and open forest in three national parks on the New England Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. We investigated how weather and moonlight intensity influenced possum activity patterns throughout the night, and across seasons and years, by using the timestamps assigned to each detection by the camera trap. Terrestrial possum activity increased as ambient temperatures decreased in autumn and peaked in winter when females were rearing offspring. Nightly possum detections decreased significantly with rain and increasing mean temperature. Possums were almost exclusively nocturnal, with most terrestrial activity earlier in the evening in winter and later at night in summer. During longer nights, higher temperatures also delayed activity. While nightly detection rates were not affected by lunar phase, possums preferred parts of the night with the highest moonlight intensity, and this effect was stronger on brighter nights. Overall, brushtail possums were most active on the ground when temperatures were mild and moonlight bright, presumably assisting foraging and predator avoidance, and during the breeding season; they avoided rain. These patterns suggest that reproduction, thermoregulation and risk of predation strongly shape the nocturnal activity cycle. Furthermore, our research adds to the evidence that camera traps can help greatly expand our knowledge of the ecology and behaviour of nocturnal mammals.
Detailed preoperative lymphatic mapping by lymphoscintigraphy for sentinel node identification: a pictorial essay
Authors: Iuele Francesca , Ferrari Cristina , Mammucci Paolo , Rubini Dino , Pisano Giusi , Zagaria Luca , Rubini Giuseppe 
Published: May 2023

AbstractPre-operative lymphatic mapping for sentinel node identification is essential for accurate staging in patients with several solid cancers and for important prognostic implications. 99mTc-labelled colloid lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative sentinel lymph node detection using a gamma probe represent a well-established nuclear medicine technique and a detailed imaging method thanks to the advent of hybrid multi-modality SPET/CT. Through the description of numerous clinical cases, different in terms of cancer type and fields of application, we aimed to bring out the strengths and advantages of pre-operative lymphoscintigraphy that make it still today incomparable to other techniques.