bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Uncertainty analysis of contagion processes based on a functional approach
Authors: López-Pintado Dunia , López-Pintado Sara , García-Milán Iván , Yao Zonghui 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe spread of a disease, product or idea in a population is often hard to predict. We tend to observe one or few realizations of the contagion process and therefore limited information can be obtained for anticipating future similar events. The stochastic nature of contagion generates unpredictable outcomes throughout the whole course of the dynamics. This might lead to important inaccuracies in the predictions and to the over or under-reaction of policymakers, who tend to anticipate the average behavior. Through an extensive simulation study, we analyze properties of the contagion process, focusing on its unpredictability or uncertainty, and exploiting the functional nature of the data. In particular, we define a novel non-parametric measure of variance based on weighted depth-based central regions. We apply this methodology to the susceptible-infected-susceptible epidemiological model and small-world networks. We find that maximum uncertainty is attained at the epidemic threshold. The density of the network and the contagiousness of the process have a strong and complementary effect on the uncertainty of contagion, whereas only a mild effect of the network’s randomness structure is observed.
Non-thermal plasma disinfecting procedure is harmless to delicate items of everyday use
Authors: Scholtz V. , Jirešová J. , Fišer L. , Obrová K. , Sláma M. , Klenivskyi M. , Khun J. , Vaňková E. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractNon-thermal plasma (NTP) is a well-known decontamination tool applicable for a wide range of microorganisms and viruses. Since the recent COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to decontaminate all daily used items, it is highly desirable to address the applicability of NTP, including its possible harmful effects. To the best of our knowledge, a comprehensive characterization of NTP effects on sensitive materials is still lacking. We investigated the potential damage to common materials of daily use inflicted by air atmospheric NTP generated in Plasmatico v1.0. The materials tested were paper, various metals, and passive and active electronic components modelling sensitive parts of commonly used small electronic devices. The NTP-exposed paper remained fully usable with only slight changes in its properties, such as whitening, pH change, and degree of polymerization. NTP caused mild oxidation of copper, tinned copper, brass, and a very mild oxidation of stainless steel. However, these changes do not affect the normal functionality of these materials. No significant changes were observed for passive electronic components; active components displayed a very slight shift of the measured values observed for the humidity sensor. In conclusion, NTP can be considered a gentle tool suitable for decontamination of various sensitive materials.
Computational redesign of Beta-27 Fab with substantially better predicted binding affinity to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant than human ACE2 receptor
Authors: Treewattanawong Wantanee , Sitthiyotha Thassanai , Chunsrivirot Surasak 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 has caused large numbers of morbidity and mortality, and the Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) was an important variant of concern. To enter human cells, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S1 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2-RBD) binds to the peptidase domain (PD) of Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Disrupting the binding interactions between SARS-CoV-2-RBD and ACE2-PD using neutralizing antibodies is an effective COVID-19 therapeutic solution. Previous study found that Beta-27 Fab, which was obtained by digesting the full IgG antibodies that were isolated from a patient infected with SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant, can neutralize Victoria, Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), and Delta (B.1.617.2) variants. This study employed computational protein design and molecular dynamics (MD) to investigate and enhance the binding affinity of Beta-27 Fab to SARS-CoV-2-RBD Omicron variant. MD results show that five best designed Beta-27 Fabs (Beta-27-D01 Fab, Beta-27-D03 Fab, Beta-27-D06 Fab, Beta-27-D09 Fab and Beta-27-D10 Fab) were predicted to bind to Omicron RBD in the area, where ACE2 binds, with significantly better binding affinities than Beta-27 Fab and ACE2. Their enhanced binding affinities are mostly caused by increased binding interactions of CDR L2 and L3. They are promising candidates that could potentially be employed to disrupt the binding between ACE2 and Omicron RBD.
Changes in the negative logarithm of end-tidal hydrogen partial pressure indicate the variation of electrode potential in healthy Japanese subjects
Authors: Kiyama Teruo , Tokunaga Akira , Naji Abumrad , Barbul Adrian 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMolecular hydrogen (H2) is produced by human colon microbiomes and exhaled. End-tidal H2 sampling is a simple method of measuring alveolar H2. The logarithm of the hydrogen ion (H+)/H2 ratio suggests the electrode potential in the solution according to the Nernst equation. As pH is defined as the negative logarithm of the H+ concentration, pH2 is defined as the negative logarithm of the H2 effective pressure in this study. We investigated whether changes in pH2 indicated the variation of electrode potential in the solution and whether changes in end-tidal pH2 could be measured using a portable breath H2 sensor. Changes in the electrode potential were proportional to ($${\mathrm{pH}}_{2}-2\times \mathrm{pH}$$

pH
2

-
2
×
pH

) in phosphate-buffered solution (pH = 7.1). End-tidal H2 was measured in the morning (baseline) and at noon (after daily activities) in 149 healthy Japanese subjects using a handheld H2 sensor. The median pH2 at the baseline was 4.89, and it increased by 0.15 after daily activities. The variation of electrode potential was obtained by multiplying the pH2 difference, which suggested approximately + 4.6 mV oxidation after daily activities. These data suggested that changes in end-tidal pH2 indicate the variation of electrode potential during daily activities in healthy human subjects.
Prevalence and factors associated with metabolic syndrome in first hospitalization for major depression disorder patients
Authors: Tang Zhongyu , Zhen Yanping , Zhang Lin , Liu Xuebing , Ma Jun 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a common and socially burdensome psychiatric disorder with a causal and complex relationship with metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is often co-morbid. However, the prevalence and risk factors for MetS in patients with MDD are inconclusive. The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence and factors influencing MetS in first hospitalization MDD patients. A total of 981 MDD patients were included. Sociodemographic and general clinical data were collected from the patients, while metabolism-related parameters were also measured, and psychological symptoms were assessed. Our study found that the prevalence of MetS in the study population was 9.68%. MDD patients with MetS had higher levels of metabolism-related parameters and more severe psychological symptoms. We identified risk factors for MetS and its severity separately: age of onset of MDD, more severe depressive symptoms, and higher thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels were risk factors for the development of MetS, whereas higher TSH levels were risk factors for the severity of MetS. Our results suggest that MetS is not highly prevalent in MDD patients, but certain risk factors may increase its likelihood and severity, and that these findings could be beneficial for clinical intervention and care of MetS.
The association of arsenic exposure with mortality due to cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's and congenital anomalies using Poisson regression
Authors: Rahmani Alireza , Khamutian Samira , Doosti-Irani Amin , Shokoohizadeh Mohammad Javad , Shirmohammadi-Khorram Nasrin , Sahraeei Fatemeh , Khodabakhshi Mahdi , Ahangaran Nastaran 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe present study aims to determine the relationship between the concentration of arsenic in the groundwater of Hamadan province and the mortality rate due to various types of malignancies, congenital anomalies, diabetes mellitus and Alzheimer's. Mortality data due to various causes of death in Hamadan province were collected for five years (2016–2020). Sampling of drinking water was determined in the reference laboratory using polarography method. Poisson regression was used to investigate the relationship between arsenic level and the death rate due to various types of disease, at a significant level (p value < 0.05). According to the results of Poisson regression, among the various causes of death (N = 8042), Alzheimer's 5.94 (3.67–9.61), diabetes mellitus 4.05 (3.5–5.37), congenital malformations 2.98 (1.88–4.72), breast cancer 2.72 (1.56–4.71), leukemia 1.90 (1.24–2.92), stomach cancer 1.64 (1.28–2.10), Liver cancer 1.58 (1.58–2.30), other digestive organs 5.86 (3.38–10.16), meninges and brain cancer 1.57 (1.02–2.41) showed the highest relationship with arsenic contamination. The results of this study could be evidence for a positive and significant relationship between arsenic concentrations and mortality rates due to cancers, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer disease, and congenital malformations. Therefore, it's necessary to use appropriate water treatment methods to remove arsenic at the source in contaminated areas.
Sand consolidation using enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation: new insights on temperature and particle size effects
Authors: Omarov Kamal , Alarifi Sulaiman A. , Mahmoud Mohamed , Kamal Muhammad Shahzad , Murtaza Mobeen , Humam Abdulmohsen , AlAhmari Manar M. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractSand production is a major issue in the oil and gas industry. Unconsolidated sand can be produced with the oil or gas a cause many issues to the production facilities. Enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) is a promising method for sand consolidation and is characterized by its environment friendliness. Numerous studies have shown its effectiveness in ambient conditions. However, oil and gas downhole well operations are high pressure and high-temperature conditions. The objective of this study is to investigate effect of high temperature on EICP reaction and its efficiency in terms of uniformity to consolidate different types of sand samples. In this paper, the behavior of EICP solutions is examined in high temperatures from 25 to 90 °C. The study shows that high temperature environment doesn’t handicap efficiency but in contrast it can favor the reaction if optimum concentration of reactants has been selected. The temperature effect is also discussed in terms of controllability of reaction which can favor application of reaction. Qualitive analysis shows when EICP solutions containing more than 50,000 ppm of metal ions and stoichiometrically surplus urea requires exposure to heat for reaction progress. The effect of sand particle size and its implication on the consolidation process was examined. Particle size of fine and medium sand ranged from 125 to 250 µm and 250 to 425 µm respectively while for coarse sand 70% sand particle size was between 425 and 700 µm. Designed EICP solutions achieve 9,000 psi for medium and almost 5,000 psi intrinsic specific energy for coarse sand samples. However, treated samples were subject to non-uniform distribution of strength of which can be up to 8,000 psi difference between top and bottom half of the samples.
Predictive value of ELWI combined with sRAGE/esRAGE levels in the prognosis of critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Zhang Chengliang , Yin Dekun , Zhu Xi , Zhou Wenshuo , Xu Zhihua , Wu Liuping , Gu Weili 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening condition. Accurate judgement of the disease progression is essential for controlling the condition in ARDS patients. We investigated whether changes in the level of serum sRAGE/esRAGE could predict the 28-day mortality of ICU patients with ARDS. A total of 83 ARDS patients in the ICU of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from January 2021 to June 2022 were consecutively enrolled in this study. Demographic data, primary diagnosis and comorbidities were obtained. Multiple scoring systems, real-time monitoring systems, and biological indicators were determined within 6 h of admission. The clinical parameters for survival status of the ARDS patients were identified by multivariate logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to verify the accuracy of the prognosis of the related parameters. The admission level of sRAGE was significantly higher in the nonsurvival group than in the survival group (p < 0.05), whereas the serum esRAGE level showed the opposite trend. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that sRAGE (AUC 0.673, p < 0.05), esRAGE (AUC 0.704, p < 0.05), and ELWI (extravascular lung water index) (AUC 0.717, p < 0.05) were independent risk factors for the prognosis of ARDS. Model B (ELWI + esRAGE) could not be built as a valid linear regression model (ELWI, p = 0.079 > 0.05). Model C (esRAGE + sRAGE) was proven to have no significance because it had a predictive value similar to that of the serum levels of esRAGE (Z = 0.993, p = 0.351) or sRAGE (Z = 1.116, p = 0.265) alone. Subsequently, Model D (sRAGE + esRAGE + ELWI) showed the best 28-day mortality predictive value with a cut-off value of 0.426 (AUC 0.841; p < 0.001), and Model A (sRAGE + ELWI) had a cut-off value of 0.401 (AUC 0.820; p < 0.001), followed by sRAGE (AUC 0.704, p = 0.004), esRAGE (AUC 0.717, p = 0.002), and ELWI (AUC 0.637, p = 0.028). In addition, there was no statistically significant difference between Model A and Model D (Z = 0.966, p = 0.334). The admission level of sRAGE was higher in the nonsurvival group, while the serum esRAGE level showed the opposite trend. Model A and Model D could be used as reliable combined prediction models for predicting the 28-day mortality of ARDS patients.
Biodistribution and toxicity assessment of methoxyphenyl phosphonium carbosilane dendrimers in 2D and 3D cell cultures of human cancer cells and zebrafish embryos
Authors: Žmudová Zuzana , Šanderová Zuzana , Liegertová Michaela , Vinopal Stanislav , Herma Regina , Sušický Luděk , Müllerová Monika , Strašák Tomáš , Malý Jan 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe consideration of human and environmental exposure to dendrimers, including cytotoxicity, acute toxicity, and cell and tissue accumulation, is essential due to their significant potential for various biomedical applications. This study aimed to evaluate the biodistribution and toxicity of a novel methoxyphenyl phosphonium carbosilane dendrimer, a potential mitochondria-targeting vector for cancer therapeutics, in 2D and 3D cancer cell cultures and zebrafish embryos. We assessed its cytotoxicity (via MTT, ATP, and Spheroid growth inhibition assays) and cellular biodistribution. The dendrimer cytotoxicity was higher in cancer cells, likely due to its specific targeting to the mitochondrial compartment. In vivo studies using zebrafish demonstrated dendrimer distribution within the vascular and gastrointestinal systems, indicating a biodistribution profile that may be beneficial for systemic therapeutic delivery strategies. The methoxyphenyl phosphonium carbosilane dendrimer shows promise for applications in cancer cell delivery, but additional studies are required to confirm these findings using alternative labelling methods and more physiologically relevant models. Our results contribute to the growing body of evidence supporting the potential of carbosilane dendrimers as vectors for cancer therapeutics.
Enhanced spectroelectrochemistry with lossy-mode resonance optical fiber sensor
Authors: Janik Monika , Lechowicz Katarzyna , Pituła Emil , Warszewski Jakub , Koba Marcin , Śmietana Mateusz 
Published: September 2023

AbstractSpectroelectrochemical (SEC) measurements play a crucial role in analytical chemistry, utilizing transparent or semitransparent electrodes for optical analysis of electrochemical (EC) processes. The EC readout provides information about the electrode's state, while changes in the transmitted optical spectrum help identify the products of EC reactions. To enhance SEC measurements, this study proposes the addition of optical monitoring of the electrode. The setup involves using a polymer-clad silica multimode fiber core coated with indium tin oxide (ITO), which serves as both the electrode and an optical fiber sensor. The ITO film is specifically tailored to exhibit the lossy-mode resonance (LMR) phenomenon, allowing for simultaneous optical monitoring alongside EC readouts. The LMR response depends on the properties of the ITO and the surrounding medium's optical properties. As a result, the setup offers three types of interrogation readouts: EC measurements, optical spectrum analysis corresponding to the volume of the analyte (similar to standard SEC), and LMR spectrum analysis reflecting the state of the sensor/electrode surface. In each interrogation path, cyclic voltammetry (CV) experiments were conducted individually with two oxidation–reduction reaction (redox) probes: potassium ferricyanide and methylene blue. Subsequently, simultaneous measurements were performed during chronoamperometry (CA) with the sensor, and the cross-correlation between the readouts was examined. Overall, this study presents a novel and enhanced SEC measurement approach that incorporates optical monitoring of the electrode. It provides a comprehensive understanding of EC processes and enables greater insights into the characteristics of the analyte.
Changes in hail hazard across Australia: 1979–2021
Authors: Raupach Timothy H. , Soderholm Joshua S. , Warren Robert A. , Sherwood Steven C. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractHail damage is a leading cause of insured losses in Australia, but changes in this hazard have not been robustly quantified. Here, we provide a continental-scale analysis of changes in hail hazard in Australia. A hail proxy applied to reanalysis data shows that from 1979–2021 annual hail-prone days decreased over much of Australia but increased in some heavily populated areas. For example, the annual number of hail-prone days increased by ~40% around Sydney and Perth, the largest cities on Australia’s east and west coasts, respectively. Changes in atmospheric instability have driven the trends. Radar observations, while covering shorter time spans and a more limited area than the reanalysis, corroborate the broad pattern of results. This study shows consistent hail-frequency trends in radar indicators and atmospheric environments and demonstrates substantial increases in hail frequency in major Australian cities where hail impacts are most significant.
Repetitive DNA sequence detection and its role in the human genome
Authors: Liao Xingyu , Zhu Wufei , Zhou Juexiao , Li Haoyang , Xu Xiaopeng , Zhang Bin , Gao Xin 
Published: September 2023

AbstractRepetitive DNA sequences playing critical roles in driving evolution, inducing variation, and regulating gene expression. In this review, we summarized the definition, arrangement, and structural characteristics of repeats. Besides, we introduced diverse biological functions of repeats and reviewed existing methods for automatic repeat detection, classification, and masking. Finally, we analyzed the type, structure, and regulation of repeats in the human genome and their role in the induction of complex diseases. We believe that this review will facilitate a comprehensive understanding of repeats and provide guidance for repeat annotation and in-depth exploration of its association with human diseases.
A multimodal sensing ring for quantification of scratch intensity
Authors: Padmanabha Akhil , Choudhary Sonal , Majidi Carmel , Erickson Zackory 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Background
An objective measurement of chronic itch is necessary for improvements in patient care for numerous medical conditions. While wearables have shown promise for scratch detection, they are currently unable to estimate scratch intensity, preventing a comprehensive understanding of the effect of itch on an individual.

Methods
In this work, we present a framework for the estimation of scratch intensity in addition to the detection of scratch. This is accomplished with a multimodal ring device, consisting of an accelerometer and a contact microphone, a pressure-sensitive tablet for capturing ground truth intensity values, and machine learning algorithms for regression of scratch intensity on a 0–600 milliwatts (mW) power scale that can be mapped to a 0–10 continuous scale.

Results
We evaluate the performance of our algorithms on 20 individuals using leave one subject out cross-validation and using data from 14 additional participants, we show that our algorithms achieve clinically-relevant discrimination of scratching intensity levels. By doing so, our device enables the quantification of the substantial variations in the interpretation of the 0–10 scale frequently utilized in patient self-reported clinical assessments.

Conclusions
This work demonstrates that a finger-worn device can provide multidimensional, objective, real-time measures for the action of scratching.
Electrochemical N-acylation and N-α-ketoacylation of sulfoximines via the selective decarboxylation and dehydration of α-ketoacids
Authors: Kang Chen , Li Mingzhe , Huang Wenxiu , Wang Shoucai , Peng Mengyu , Zhao Longqiang , Jiang Guangbin , Ji Fanghua 
Published: September 2023

We describe an electrochemical N-acylation and N-α-ketoacylation of sulfoximines via the selective decarboxylation and dehydration of α-ketoacids using electricity as a “traceless” oxidant and α-ketoacid as a selective “acyl” or “α-ketoacyl” source.
Linking Clinic With Classroom in Intensive Focused Preservice Education on Augmentative and Alternative Communication
Authors: Kim Sojung , Choe Yu-kyong 
Published: September 2023

Purpose:This article reports a pilot study that combined clinical training and academic instruction in a graduate-level augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) course. The authors aim to (a) provide a detailed description of the AAC course and (b) present preliminary data regarding the graduate students' perception on the AAC course and their own competencies in AAC.Method:Forty-three graduate students completed an intensive focused course that included AAC fieldwork (i.e., direct clinical service and caregiver training) as well as academic content. In delivering the clinical and academic content, the course instructor followed the principles of problem-based learning. During their final semester in the graduate program, the students completed a survey regarding the AAC course and their self-efficacy in AAC services.Results:Thirty-eight among the 43 students perceived that the AAC fieldwork, embedded into the AAC course, made them feel competent or strongly competent. The entire 43 respondents listed the AAC fieldwork as the component that they liked in the AAC course. When students were asked about their self-efficacy in AAC services at three different time points (i.e., before taking the AAC course, after taking the AAC course, and at the time of the survey), their ratings were significantly higher for after taking the AAC course and at the time of the survey, compared to before taking the course.Conclusion:This study suggests the significance of compulsory fieldwork embedded in the AAC training as evidenced by the graduate students' subjective perception of competence and preparedness in AAC services following the AAC course.