bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimental investigation of subsurface defect detection in concretes by infrared thermography and convection heat exchange
Authors: Pedram M. , Taylor S. , Robinson D. , Hamill G. , O’Brien E. , Uddin N. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractInfrared thermography (IRT) is a non-destructive technique capable of detection and localisation of hidden subsurface defects in components of transportation infrastructure, such as concrete bridges, thereby contributing to structural health monitoring (SHM). Addressing the lack of research on subsurface defect detection in concretes by convection heat exchange, and regarding the importance of laboratory studies for proper implementation of IRT, this paper presents results from recent laboratory investigations of IRT on concrete slabs with simulated hidden defects using a convective thermal excitation mechanism. The concrete slabs in this study had simulated defects ranging 5–25 mm in depth from the surface. These studies show the effect of initial temperature, heating/cooling process, temperature range and defect depth on thermal contrast in the concrete slabs. Furthermore, this paper compares the performance of the IRT as a non-contact sensor and thermocouples attached to the surface, in the evaluation of the thermal contrast on slabs with various defect depth. The dependence of maximum thermal contrast on the initial temperature and defect depth is explored using multivariate linear regression.
Osteocalcin-expressing endothelial progenitor cells and serum osteocalcin forms are independent biomarkers of coronary atherosclerotic disease severity in male and female patients
Authors: Shahrour H. E. , Al Fahom S. , Al-Massarani G. , AlSaadi A. R. , Magni P. 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Purpose
Osteocalcin (OC), an osteoblast-derived regulator of metabolic processes, and circulating early endothelial progenitor cells (EPC, CD34 − /CD133 + /KDR +) expressing OC (OC +) are potential candidates linking bone metabolism and the vasculature and might be involved in vascular atherosclerotic calcification. This study aimed at assessing the association of circulating levels of different OC forms and of EPCs count with disease severity in patients with documented coronary atherosclerosis (CAD).

Methods
Patients (n = 59) undergoing coronary angiography were divided, according to stenosis severity, into (1) early coronary atherosclerosis (ECA) (n = 22), and (2) late coronary atherosclerosis (LCA) (n = 37). Total OC (TOC), carboxylated OC (cOC), undercarboxylated OC (unOC) were quantified by ELISA. EPC OC + count was assessed by flow cytometry.

Results
EPC OC + counts showed significant differences between ECA and LCA groups. unOC and unOC/TOC ratio were inversely correlated with EPC OC + count. A significant decrease in TOC and unOC plasma levels was associated with higher cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) number. EPC OC + count was correlated with LDL-C, total cholesterol, and triglycerides, with a greater significance in the LCA group. No association between the different forms of circulating OC (TOC, ucOC, cOC) and severity of CAD was found.

Conclusion
This study showed a significant association between EPCs (CD34 − /CD133 + /KDR + /OC +), CAD severity and CVRFs, suggesting an active role for EPC OC + in the development of CAD. An inverse correlation between TOC, ucOC, and number of CVRFs was observed, suggesting that OC, regardless of its carboxylation status, may be developed as a further cardiovascular risk biomarker.
Variation of the Vaginal Microbiome During and After Pregnancy in Chinese Women
Authors: Zhang Xiaoai , Zhai Qingzhi , Wang Jinfeng , Ma Xiuling , Xing Bo , Fan Hang , Gao Zhiying , Zhao Fangqing , Liu Wei 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
A comprehensive profiling of the vaginal microbial communities and their variability enables an accurate description of the microbiome in women. However, there is a lack of studies available on Chinese women. In the present study, the composition of the vaginal microbiota during pregnancy and the 6-week postpartum period of 454 Chinese women was characterized by sequencing the V3–V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene. The vaginal microbiome showed variations during pregnancy and the postpartum period based on the abortion history, hypertensive disorders, delivery mode, and maternal age. Co-variation of 22 bacterial taxa, including the Lactobacillus genus and two of its species, may account for the common characteristics of the vaginal microbiome under scenarios of different medical histories and pregnancy outcomes. In contrast, discriminant bacterial species were significantly different between women who had preterm birth (PTB) with and without premature rupture of membranes (PROM), and the community state type (CST) IV-A without any predominant Lactobacillus species in the microbiota was more prevalent during pregnancy in the PROM-PTB cases, suggesting that specific bacterial species could be considered to distinguish between different types of PTB. By providing data on Chinese women, this study will enrich the knowledge of the human microbiome and contribute to a better understanding of the association between the vaginal microbiome and reproductive health.
Understanding the appearance of heterospory and derived plant reproductive strategies in the Devonian
Authors: Leslie Andrew B. , Bonacorsi Nikole K. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe evolution of different spore size classes, or heterospory, is a fundamental reproductive innovation in land plants. The appearance of heterospory is particularly notable during the Devonian, when most known origins of the trait occur. Here we provide a perspective on the evolution of heterospory during this time interval, particularly from the late Early Devonian through the Middle Devonian (Emsian to Givetian Stages; 408–383 Ma), which shows an unusually high concentration of heterospory origins. We use theoretical considerations and compilations of fossil and extant spore sizes to suggest that the basic features of most heterosporous lineages, large spores and gametophytes that mature within the spore wall, are difficult to evolve in combination, because large spores disperse poorly but small spores cannot support a functional gametophyte developing within their walls; evolving spores between 100 and 200 microns in diameter appears to represent a particularly important barrier for the evolution of heterospory. We then discuss why this barrier may have been lower in the Devonian, noting that the appearance and spread of heterospory is coincident with the emergence of peat-accumulating wetland habitats. We suggest that more widespread wetland habitats would have generally lowered barriers to the evolution of heterospory by reducing dispersal limitation in larger spores. Ultimately, we suggest that the initial evolution of heterospory may be explained by major changes in sedimentology, thought to have been driven by plant evolution itself, that increased the diversity of terrestrial depositional environments and led to a greater number of habitats where large spores could be successful.
A biased fossil record can preserve reliable phylogenetic signal
Authors: Woolley C. Henrik , Thompson Jeffrey R. , Wu Yun-Hsin , Bottjer David J. , Smith Nathan D. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe fossil record is notoriously imperfect and biased in representation, hindering our ability to place fossil specimens into an evolutionary context. For groups with fossil records mostly consisting of disarticulated parts (e.g., vertebrates, echinoderms, plants), the limited morphological information preserved sparks concerns about whether fossils retain reliable evidence of phylogenetic relationships and lends uncertainty to analyses of diversification, paleobiogeography, and biostratigraphy in Earth's history. To address whether a fragmentary past can be trusted, we need to assess whether incompleteness affects the quality of phylogenetic information contained in fossil data. Herein, we characterize skeletal incompleteness bias in a large dataset (6585 specimens; 14,417 skeletal elements) of fossil squamates (lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians, and mosasaurs). We show that jaws + palatal bones, vertebrae, and ribs appear more frequently in the fossil record than other parts of the skeleton. This incomplete anatomical representation in the fossil record is biased against regions of the skeleton that contain the majority of morphological phylogenetic characters used to assess squamate evolutionary relationships. Despite this bias, parsimony- and model-based comparative analyses indicate that the most frequently occurring parts of the skeleton in the fossil record retain similar levels of phylogenetic signal as parts of the skeleton that are rarer. These results demonstrate that the biased squamate fossil record contains reliable phylogenetic information and support our ability to place incomplete fossils in the tree of life.
Different statistical methods identify similar population-specific dietary patterns: an analysis of Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)
Authors: de Almeida Alves Mariane , Molina Maria del Carmen Bisi , da Fonseca Maria de Jesus Mendes , Lotufo Paulo Andrade , Benseñor Isabela Martins , Marchioni Dirce Maria Lobo 
Published: January 2022

AbstractIn recent decades, different data-driven approaches have emerged to identify dietary patterns (DP) and little is discussed about how these methods are able to capture diet complexity within the same population. This study aimed to apply three statistical methods to identify the DP of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) population and evaluate the similarities and differences between them. Dietary data were assessed at baseline in the ELSA-Brasil study using a FFQ. DP were identified by applying three statistical methods: (1) factor analysis (FA), (2) treelet transform (TT) and (3) reduced rank regression (RRR). The characteristics of individuals classified in the last tertile of each DP were compared. Cross-classification and Pearson’s correlation coefficients were assessed to evaluate the agreement between individuals’ adherence to DP of the three methods. A similar convenience DP was identified for all three methods. FA and TT also identified a similar prudent DP and a DP highly loaded for the food groups rice and beans. Individuals classified in the third tertile of similar DP of each method presented similar socio-demographic and nutrient intake characteristics. Regarding the cross-classification, prudent DP from FA and TT presented a higher level of agreement (75 %), while convenience DP from TT and RRR presented the lowest agreement (44·8 %). The different statistical methods were able to capture the populations’ DP in a similar way while highlighting the particularities of each method.
PROTECTING FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH ARBITRAL BALANCING AND TREATY DESIGN
Authors: Baetens Freya 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThis article analyses the fraught relationship between host States’ obligations under investment agreements and their regulatory powers in the field of public health. First, tribunals addressing the merits of health measures have exercised considerable deference to States under existing treaties. Second, the recent generation of treaties spells out health considerations to encourage respondents or tribunals to adopt broad interpretations of the right to regulate, general exceptions, or article-specific carve-outs. Clauses modelled on GATT exceptions may prove difficult to invoke due to the ‘necessity’ threshold. Finally, the Kyoto Protocol may serve as a model of incentivising private investment in the public health sector.
Different modes of cochlear implantation in children: a comparative study on hearing and speech rehabilitation effects
Authors: Jia H , Li Y , Xu B , Liu X , Bian P , Guo Y 
Published: January 2022

AbstractObjectiveTo study the effectiveness of unilateral cochlear implantation, binaural-bimodal hearing devices, and bilateral cochlear implantation in children with inner-ear malformation.MethodsThis study comprised 261 patients who were allocated to inner-ear malformation or control groups. Twenty-four months after surgery, aided sound-field thresholds were tested, and the Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, Meaningful Use of Speech Scale, Categories of Auditory Performance scale and Speech Intelligibility Rating test were completed.ResultsAided sound-field thresholds were significantly better for bilateral cochlear implantation patients than for unilateral cochlear implantation or binaural-bimodal hearing device patients. There was no significant difference in Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale, or Categories of Auditory Performance scores among the three groups. The binaural-bimodal hearing device patients outperformed unilateral cochlear implantation patients on both Meaningful Use of Speech Scale and Speech Intelligibility Rating scores. No statistical difference was observed between the two subgroups.ConclusionChildren who received bilateral cochlear implants have the best auditory awareness in a quiet environment. Children with binaural-bimodal hearing devices have better voice control and verbal skills than unilateral cochlear implantation patients, and people are more likely to understand them. Children with inner-ear malformations benefit from cochlear implantation.
The growth and population dynamics ofOctopus insularistargeted by a pot longline fishery in north-eastern Brazil
Authors: Batista B.B. , Matthews-Cascon H. , Marinho R.A. , Kikuchi E. , Haimovici M. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe population dynamics of the stout reef octopus,Octopus insularisfished with longlines of pots in mid-shelf waters of north-eastern Brazil was studied based on fishermen's logbooks and onboard monthly fishing trips from September 2009 to August 2010. Specimens marked with oxytetracycline kept in tanks for up to 21 days provided evidence of the daily deposition of growth increments in the lateral wall of the upper beaks. Sampled specimens weighed 50–1280 g and had 43–172 daily growth increments. Compared with congeneric species from higher latitudes,O. insularisgrows faster and has a shorter longevity in the north-eastern Brazil tropical environment. Total catches and catch-per-unit effort were substantially higher in the dry season, with less wind and cooler temperatures. The presence of larger specimens was seasonal, correlated with the chlorophyll-a levels recorded six months earlier. The year-round presence of mature females and males, spawned females, and egg masses attached to the pots, were considered evidence of migration of small and young specimens from coastal areas towards the 20–40 m depth range for reproduction. Annual landings attained ~200 tonnes (2005–2010). Although recent landing statistics are missing, fishermen interviewed in 2021 claimed that the fishery was still profitable. It is suggested that, despite the lack of management, the fast growth, year-round reproduction and limited market for this relatively small octopus, prevented the fishery from collapse and reinforces the current view of the high resilience of cephalopod fisheries.
The “Controversial Cundurango Cure”: Medical professionalization and the global circulation of drugs
Authors: Sevilla Elisa , Sevilla Ana 
Published: January 2022

ArgumentThis article examines the medical and political discussions regarding a controversial medicinal bark from Ecuador – cundurango – that was actively sponsored by the Ecuadorian government as a new botanical cure for cancer in the late nineteenth century United States and elsewhere. The article focuses on the commercial and diplomatic interests behind the public discussion and advertising techniques of this drug. It argues that diverse elements – including the struggle for positioning scientific societies and the disapproval of the capacities of Ecuadorian doctors, US abolitionist history, regional and local political struggles – played a role in the quackery accusations against cundurango and its promoters. The development and international trade of this remedy offer interesting insights into the global history of drugs, particularly how medical knowledge was challenged during a period when scientific medicine was struggling for hegemony. It explores how newspapers expanded “the public interest” in a possible cancer cure.
Elevated cardiac biomarkers and outcomes in children and adolescents with acute COVID-19
Authors: Fremed Michael A. , Healy Emma W. , Choi Nak Hyun , Cheung Eva W. , Choudhury Tarif A. , Jiang Pengfei , Liberman Leonardo , Zucker Jason , Lytrivi Irene D. , Starc Thomas J. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractCardiac involvement associated with multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children has been extensively reported, but the prevalence of cardiac involvement in children with SARS-CoV-2 infection in the absence of inflammatory syndrome has not been well described. In this retrospective, single centre, cohort study, we describe the cardiac involvement found in this population and report on outcomes of patients with and without elevated cardiac biomarkers. Those with multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children, cardiomyopathy, or complex CHD were excluded. Inclusion criteriaz were met by 80 patients during the initial peak of the pandemic at our institution. High-sensitivity troponin T and/or N-terminal pro-brain type natriuretic peptide were measured in 27/80 (34%) patients and abnormalities were present in 5/27 (19%), all of whom had underlying comorbidities. Advanced respiratory support was required in all patients with elevated cardiac biomarkers. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were identified in 14/38 (37%) studies. Echocardiograms were performed on 7/80 patients, and none demonstrated left ventricular dysfunction. Larger studies to determine the true extent of cardiac involvement in children with COVID-19 would be useful to guide recommendations for standard workup and management.
Measures to prevent nosocomial transmissions of COVID-19 based on interpersonal contact data
Authors: Cheng Tao , Liu Jiaxing , Liu Yunzhe , Zhang Xianghui , Gao Xiaowei 
Published: January 2022

Abstract

Background:
With the global spreading of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), many primary care medical workers have been infected, particularly in the early stages of this pandemic. Although extensive studies have explored the COVID-19 transmission patterns and (non-) pharmaceutical intervention to protect the general public, limited research has analysed the measures to prevent nosocomial transmission based upon detailed interpersonal contacts between medical staff and patients.

Aim:
This paper aims to develop and evaluate proactive prevention measures to contain the nosocomial transmission of COVID-19. The specific objectives are (1) to understand the virus transmission via interpersonal contacts among medical staff and patients; (2) to define proactive measures to reduce the risk of infection of medical staff and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of these measures to control the COVID-19 epidemic in hospitals.

Methods:
We observed the operation of a typical primary hospital in China to understand the interpersonal contacts among medical staff and patients. We defined effective distance as the indicator for risk of transmission. Then three proactive measures were proposed based upon the observations, including a medical staff rotation system, the establishment of a separate fever clinic and medical staff working alone. Finally, the impacts of these measures are evaluated with a modified Susceptible-Exposure-Infected-Removed model accommodating the situation of hospitals and asymptomatic and latent infection of COVID-19. The case study was conducted with the hospital observed in December 2019 and February 2020.

Findings:
The implementation of the medical staff rotation system has the most significant impact on containing the epidemic. The establishment of a separate fever clinic and medical staff working alone also benefits from inhibiting the epidemic outbreak. The simulation finds that if effective prevention and control measures are not taken in time, it will lead to a surge of infection cases in all asymptomatic probabilities and incubation periods.
Identification of Cross-Country Similarities and Differences in Regulation of Religion Between 2000 and 2014 with Help of Cluster Analysis
Authors: Ettensperger Felix , Schleutker Elina 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBuilding on previous quantitative and qualitative research on cross-country differences and similarities in regulation of religion, this paper employs data for 2000 and 2014 from the third round of the Religion and the State project and uses various cluster analysis techniques to identify country clusters based on the form in which countries regulate religion. The analysis separates between democratic and authoritarian countries. We further study if and how the clustering of the countries changes depending on the employed indicators and the employed cut-off points in defining democracy and autocracy. Overall, the results demonstrate the potential and limits of empirical classifications. In addition to the methodological and descriptive contribution, the results are compared and contrasted with previous work on state-religion relationships.
Post‐Subduction Tectonics of Sabah, Northern Borneo, Inferred From Surface Wave Tomography
Authors: Greenfield Tim , Gilligan Amy , Pilia Simone , Cornwell David G. , Tongkul Felix , Widiyantoro Sri , Rawlinson Nicholas 
Published: January 2022

AbstractWe use two‐plane‐wave tomography with a dense network of seismic stations across Sabah, northern Borneo, to image the shear wave velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle. Our model is used to estimate crustal thickness and the depth of the lithosphere‐asthenosphere boundary (LAB) beneath the region. Calculated crustal thickness ranges between 25 and 55 km and suggests extension in a NW‐SE direction, presumably due to back‐arc processes associated with subduction of the Celebes Sea. We estimate the β‐factor to be 1.3–2, well below the initiation of seafloor spreading. The LAB is, on average, at a depth of 100 km, which is inconsistent with models that ascribe Neogene uplift to wholescale removal of the mantle lithosphere. Instead, beneath a region of Plio‐Pleistocene volcanism in the southeast, we image a region 50–100 km across where the lithosphere has thinned to <50 km, supporting recent suggestions of lower lithospheric removal through a Rayleigh‐Taylor instability.
Diversity of ENSO‐Related Surface Temperature Response in Future Projection in CMIP6 Climate Models: Climate Change Scenario Versus ENSO Intensity
Authors: Yeh Sang‐Wook , Wang Guojian , Cai Wenju , Park Rokjin J. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractFew studies explore how the diversity of El Niño and Southern Oscillation (ENSO)‐related atmospheric response is influenced by anthropogenic forcing and ENSO intensity. We examine the diversity of surface temperature (Ts) anomalies related to weak, moderate and strong ENSO events in North America (NA) for present and future climates forced under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) scenarios in CMIP6 climate models. When ENSO intensity is weaker, the NA Ts anomalies are more sensitive/variable to different SSP scenarios than moderate and strong ENSO. The NA Ts anomalies are more sensitive to the impacts of ENSO intensity under a sustainable climate change scenario, compared to the high SSP scenario. We discuss why the diversity of ENSO‐related Ts response projections differs in the combination of ENSO intensity and climate change scenarios.