bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A novel filter bank design for speech emotion recognition
Authors: PARLAK Cevahir , ALTUN Yusuf 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
In this study, a novel filter bank design is proposed for speech emotion recognition to replace current state-of-the-art MFCC (Mel Filter Cepstral Coefficients) and Mel filter banks. These novel filter banks are considered to have a great impact and pave the way for great developments and improvements over speech emotion recognition applications. Many filter banks have been proposed to model speech recognition applications but these models either contain too many banks or need some cumbersome mathematical operations to compute. MFCC requires the calculation of DCT (Discrete Cosine Transform), and it is also too difficult to interpret the MFCC coefficients. Mel filters are easy to interpret but they contain too many filters. The novel filter banks are faster and easier to compute. Moreover, they can be interpreted better compared to the MFCC and Mel filters. We apply these filter banks with NVIDIA’s CNN model and SVM-SMO classifier to compare them with MFCC and Mel filter banks. We also implement feature selection, data augmentation, and various techniques to combat problems of imbalanced datasets to show the effectiveness of proposed filter banks.
Prevention of cholera and COVID-19 pandemics in Uganda: understanding vaccine coverage survey Plus
Authors: Bwire Godfrey , Kisakye Annet , Amulen Esther , Bwanika John Baptist , Badebye Joan , Aanyu Christine , Nakirya Brenda Doreen , Okello Alfred , Okello Stephen Acellam , Bukenya Justine N. , Orach Christopher Garimoi 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background
Between March, 2020 and December, 2021, Uganda experienced high prevalence of cholera and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) leading to 1,534 cholera cases with 14 deaths and 136,065 COVID-19 cases with 3,285 deaths reported respectively. This study investigated mass vaccination campaigns for the prevention of the two pandemics namely Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) and COVID-19 vaccine coverages; Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI); barriers and enablers for the vaccine uptake and the feasibility of incorporating Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) assessments into vaccine coverage surveys.
Methods
A household survey was conducted between January and February, 2022 in the six districts of Uganda which had recently conducted OCV mass vaccination campaigns or had ongoing COVID-19 mass vaccination campaigns. The survey randomly enrolled 900 households with 4,315 persons of whom 2,085 were above 18 years. Data were collected and analysed using STATA statistical package. Frequencies, percentages, Odds ratios, confidence intervals and maps were generated and interpreted.
Results
The OCV coverage for dose one and two were 85% (CI: 84.2–86.4) and 67% (CI: 65.6–68.4) respectively. Among the 4,315 OCV recipients, 2% reported mild AEFI, 0.16% reported moderate AEFI and none reported severe AEFI. The COVID-19 vaccination coverage for dose one and two were 69.8% (CI: 67.8–71.8) and 18.8% (CI: 17.1–20.5) respectively. Approximately, 23% (478/2,085) of COVID-19 vaccine recipient reported AEFI; 94% were mild, 0.6% were moderate and 2 cases were severe. The commonest reason for missing COVID-19 vaccine was fear of the side effects. For most districts (5/6), sanitation (latrine/toilet) coverages were low at 7.4% − 37.4%.
Conclusion
There were high OCV coverages but low COVID-19 vaccine and sanitation coverages with high number of moderate cases of AEFI recorded due to COVID-19 vaccines. The low COVID-19 coverage could indicate vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19 vaccines. Furthermore, incorporation of WASH assessment in the OCV coverage surveys is recommended for similar settings to generate data for better planning. However, more studies are required on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy.
Tax Incentives, Ease of Doing Business and inflows of FDI in Africa: Does Governance Matter?
Authors: Abille Adamu Braimah , Mumuni Sulemana 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Apart from the corporate tax rates, the ease of doing business (EDB) index accounts for the cross-country or regional differences in the inflows of foreign direct investment (FDI) as established in the literature. However, this study contends that institutional quality indicators are critical to complement the role of the EDB in attracting the desired FDI into Africa. For empirical evidence, the study performs governance indicators-related step-wise system-GMM estimations of the effect of corporate tax, un-interacted EDB, and the interplay between EDB and governance indicators on the net inflows of FDI using data from 2015 to 2019 for 50 African countries. The findings show that the corporate tax rate and the un-interactive EDB have significant negative effects on the inflows of FDI in Africa in the short- and long runs. In contrast, governance indicators such as control of corruption, political stability, regulatory quality, rule of law, and government effectiveness complement EDB to exert positive effects on the inflows of FDI in Africa, albeit the findings are not generally significant. Thus, to attract the desired FDI, the study inter-alia calls for strict institutional quality assurance in Africa.
Exonized Alu repeats in the 3’UTR of a CYP20A1_Alu-LT transcript act as a miRNA sponge
Authors: Singhal Khushboo , Dhamija Sonam , Mukerji Mitali 
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Objective
Alu repeats have gained huge importance in the creation and modification of regulatory networks. We previously reported a unique isoform of human CYP20A1 i.e. CYP20A1_Alu-LT with 23 Alu repeats exonized in its 9 kb long 3’UTR with 3,000 potential binding sites for 140 miRNAs. The role of this transcript was hypothesized as a potential miRNA sponge in primary neurons as its expression correlated with that of 380 genes having shared miRNA sites and enriched in neuro-coagulopathy. This study provides experimental evidence for the miRNA sponge activity of CYP20A1_Alu-LT in neuronal cell lines.
Results
We studied the Alu-rich fragment of the CYP20A1_Alu-LT extended 3’UTR with > 10 binding sites for miR-619-5p and miR-3677-3p. Enrichment of the Alu-rich fragment with Ago2 confirmed miRNA association of this transcript. Cloning the fragment downstream of a reporter gene led to a 90% decrease in luciferase activity. Overexpression and siRNA knockdown of CYP20A1_Alu-LT was positively correlated with the expression of miR-619-5p and miR-3677-3p target genes. GAP43, one of the key modulators of nerve regeneration, was significantly altered by the expression of CYP20A1_Alu-LT. This study, for the first time, provides evidence for a unique regulatory function of exonized Alu repeats as miRNA sponges.
Cidofovir for treating complicated monkeypox in a man with severe acquired immunodeficiency
Authors: Fabrizio Claudia , Bruno Giuseppe , Cristiano Letizia , Buccoliero Giovanni Battista 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
On July 23, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared monkeypox (MPX) a global health emergency of international concern given its rapid spreading. So far, most current MPX outbreaks have involved young men who have sex with men (MSM), although with overall mild, self-limiting clinical manifestations. We aim to describe the case of a young MSM, HIV positive, whose status of utter immune suppression probably contributed to worsen the clinical course of MPX disease, thus requiring hospitalization and antiviral treatment. He was effectively treated with Cidofovir that may be a valuable component of a multi-faceted management of severe MPX.
Retinal Vessel Geometry in Patients with Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane
Authors: Lee Eun Kyoung , Kim Hye Jee , Lee Sang-Yoon , Song Su Jeong , Yu Hyeong Gon 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
We investigated the associations between retinal vascular geometric measurements and idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM). Whether changes in retinal vascular geometry are independent of systemic cardiovascular risk factors was also evaluated. This retrospective, cross sectional study included 98 patients with idiopathic ERM, and 99 healthy age-matched controls. Quantitative retinal vascular parameters were measured from digital retinal fundus photographs using a semi-automated computer-assisted program. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations between retinal vascular geometric parameters and the presence of idiopathic ERM after adjusting for systemic cardiovascular risk factors. There was no significant difference in the baseline characteristics of the two groups, except that the ERM group had a higher proportion of females than the control group. In multivariate regression analyses, after adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, and body mass index, wider retinal venular caliber (odds ratio [OR] = 1.058, P < 0.001) and decreased total fractal dimension (OR = 0.911, P = 0.001) were associated with idiopathic ERM. Idiopathic ERM was associated with alterations in global retinal microvascular geometric parameters, wider retinal venules, and less complex vascular branching patterns, independent of cardiovascular risk factors. These changes may reflect hemodynamic disturbances in the microcirculation of eyes with idiopathic ERM.
Human biting mosquitoes and implications for WNV transmission
Authors: Uelmen Johnny A. , Lamcyzk Bennett , Irwin Patrick , Bartlett Dan , Stone Chris , Mackay Andrew , Arsenault-Benoit Arielle , Ryan Sadie J. , Mutebi John-Paul , Hamer Gabriel L. , Fritz Megan , Smith Rebecca L. 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Background: West Nile virus (WNV), primarily vectored from Culex genus mosquitoes, is the most important mosquito-borne pathogen in North America, infecting thousands of humans and countless wildlife since its arrival in 1999. In locations with dedicated mosquito control programs, surveillance methods often rely on frequent testing of mosquitoes collected from a network of gravid traps (GTs) and CO2-baited light traps (LTs). Traps targeting oviposition-seeking (e.g. GTs) and host-seeking (e.g. LTs) mosquitoes are vulnerable to trap bias, and captured specimens are often damaged, making morphological identification difficult. Methods: This study leverages an alternative mosquito collection method, the human landing catch (HLC), as a means to compare sampling of potential WNV vectors to traditional trapping methods. Human collectors exposed one limb for 15 minutes at crepuscular periods (5:00-8:30am and 6:00-9:30pm daily, the time when Culex species are most actively host-seeking) at each of 55 sites in suburban Chicago, Illinois, for two summers (2018-2019). Results: HLC collections resulted in 223 human seeking mosquitoes, of which 46 (20.6%) were Culex. Of the 46 collected Culex, 34 (73.9%) were Culex salinarius, a potential WNV vector species not thought to be highly abundant in the upper Midwestern United States. Per trapping effort, GTs and LTs collect greater than 7.5 times the number of individual Culex specimens than HLC efforts. Conclusions: The less-commonly used HLC method provides important insight into the complement of human-biting mosquitoes in a region with consistent WNV epidemics. This study underscores the value of HLC collection methods as a complementary tool for surveillance to aid in WNV vector species characterization. However, given the added risk to the collector, novel mitigation methods or alternatives approaches must be explored to incorporate HLC collections safely and strategically into control programs.
Labile carbon inputs support the recovery of prokaryotic communities, but not fungal communities, from a simulated bovine urine event
Authors: Dopheide Andrew , Davis Carina , Wakelin Steve A. , David Whitehead  , Grelet Gwen-Aëlle 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Inputs of carbon to soil may be used to stimulate microbial growth and immobilize excess nitrogen from sources such as livestock urine. However, the growth responses of microbial taxa to carbon inputs under conditions of excess soil nitrogen remain poorly understood. Using DNA metabarcoding and a field-based soil lysimeter experiment, we characterised the temporal responses (up to 112 days) of bacterial and fungal communities to a simulated bovine urine event plus inputs of labile carbon (sucrose) at two concentrations. Fungal communities were impacted more strongly than bacterial communities by carbon inputs under simulated urine patch conditions and had more variable responses among taxa. The richness of Chytridiomycota and Glomeromycota were most negatively affected, and Tremellomycetes most positively affected, by carbon inputs. A minority of fungal ASVs had greatly increased abundances in response to carbon, while fungal trophic composition became highly dominated by saprotrophs by the experiment end. Bacterial taxa showed consistent trends of declining (to about 14 days) and recovering (to 112 days) richness in response to urine and carbon inputs, but carbon-related evenness and abundance trends varied between taxa. Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Betaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria each increased in abundance in response to carbon, whereas Acidobacteria, candidate division WPS-1, Planctomycetes, Deltaproteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia each decreased in abundance. These results show that labile carbon inputs to limit nitrogenous leaching support the resilience of prokaryote communities to bovine urine events but may have long-term impacts on fungal community composition and function, with potential consequences for soil food webs, carbon sequestration, and agricultural productivity.
Integrative medicine rehabilitation for post-stroke limb spasticity: A multicenter randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wang Meng , Liu Shouguo , Peng Zhihang , Zhu Yi , Feng Xiaodong , Gu Yihuang , Sun Jianhua , Tang Qiang , Chen Hongxia , Huang Xiaolin , Hu Jun , Chen Wei , Xiang Jie , Wan ChunXiao , Fan Gangqi , Lu Jianhu , Xia Wenguang , Chen Liping , Wang Lihua , Lu Xiao , Li Jianan 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to determine whether integrative medicine rehabilitation (IMR) that combines conventional rehabilitation (CR) with Tui Na and traditional Chinese external medicine Baimai-ruangao is more effective than CR alone for treatment of post-stroke limb spasticity.Design: We conducted a multicenter randomized controlled intervention trial that involved 16 hospitals in ten cities in China.Subject: 444 patients with post-stroke limb spasticity were randomly assigned to an IMR group (n=222) and a CR group (n=222). Methods: Tui Na was performed for patients with post-stroke limb spasticity. Traditional Chinese external medicine Baimai-ruangao as the massage medium was applied on the skin surface. The course of treatment was 1 month. Muscle tone in the spastic muscles (elbow flexors, wrist flexors, finger flexors, knee extensors, ankle plantar flexors) was evaluated using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and the primary endpoint was the change in MAS score from baseline to 4 weeks. Results: The IMR group had a significantly better reduction in the MAS scores for five muscle groups than the CR group did after 4 weeks of intervention. Improvements were sustained at the 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. Furthermore, patients who had a baseline muscle tone score of 1+ to 4 on the MAS for the affected limb were recommended to receive IMR. No adverse reaction was observed in the IMR group. Conclusion: Conventional rehabilitation combined with IMR is safe and more effective for alleviating post-stroke limb spasticity.
Toward an integrative theory of identity formation? Three components of the religious identity formation process
Authors: Halevy Gai 
Published: August 2022

Abstract

Objective
The religious identity formation process plays an important role in some people’s lives; however, this identity domain has a lack of research. The aim of this study is to understand the process of religious identity development based on identity formation theory from a temporal integration perspective (Syed and McLean, 2016), which represents the developmental dimension of Erikson theory.
Methods
Using qualitative methodology, we conducted 158 interviews: 45 semistructured reflective interviews and 113 monthly expressive open interviews over 1.5 years with 20 male emerging adults aged 18–20 years in three religious Mechina gap-year programs in Israel.
Results
Content analysis distinguished three components of religious identity: a conceptual component, a practical component and a collective component, which were found to be dominant in different stages of the religious identity formation process and in a different social context.
Discussion
The findings that point to two developmental models also relate to the person-society integration perspective (Syed and McLean, 2016), which represents the contextual dimension of Erikson’s theory; both the developmental and the contextual dimensions are lacking in Marcia's operationalization of Erikson's theory. These findings also shed light on the necessity to relate all these components in the religious identity domain and have the potential for an integrative view of identity formation, as we discuss below.
The dual role of glioma exosomal microRNAs: glioma eliminates tumor suppressor miR-1298-5p via exosomes to promote immunosuppressive effects of MDSCs
Authors: Qi Yanhua , Jin Chuandi , Qiu Wei , Zhao Rongrong , Wang Shaobo , Li Boyan , Zhang Zongpu , Guo Qindong , Zhang Shouji , Gao Zijie , Zhao Shulin , Pan Ziwen , Fan Yang , chen Zihang , Wang Huizhi , Xu Jianye , Deng Lin , Ni Shilei , Wang Jian , Xue Hao , Xue Fuzhong , Li Gang 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Clear evidence shows that tumor could secrete microRNAs (miRNAs) via exosomes to modulate tumor microenvironment (TME). However, the mechanisms sorting specific miRNAs into exosomes are still unclear. In order to study the biological function and characterization of exosomal miRNAs, we performed whole-transcriptome sequencing in 59 patients’ whole course cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) small extracellular vesicles (sEV) and matched glioma tissue samples. The results demonstrate that miRNAs could be divided into exosome-enriched miRNAs (ExomiRNAs) and intracellular-retained miRNAs (CLmiRNAs), and exosome-enriched miRNAs generally play a dual role. Among them, miR-1298-5p was enriched in CSF exosomes and suppressed glioma progression in vitro and vivo experiments. Interestingly, exosomal miR-1298-5p could promote Immunosuppressive effects of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) to facilitate glioma. Therefore, we found miR-1298-5p had different effects on glioma cells and MDSCs. Mechanically, downstream signaling pathway analyses showed that miR-1298-5p plays distinct roles in glioma cells and MDSCs via targeting SETD7 and MSH2, respectively. Moreover, reverse verification was performed on the intracellular-retained miRNA miR-9-5p. Thus, we confirmed that tumor-suppressive miRNAs in glioma cells could be eliminated through exosomes and target tumor-associated immune cells to induce tumor-promoting phenotypes. Glioma could get double benefit from it. These findings uncover the mechanisms that glioma selectively sorts miRNAs into exosomes and modulates tumor immunity.
Total Chromatic Number for Some Classes of Cayley Graphs
Authors: Prajnanaswaroopa S. , Geetha J. , K Somasundaram 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
In this paper, we have obtained the total chromatic number for some classes of Cayley graphs, particularly the Unitary Cayley graphs on even order and some other Circulant graphs. We have also proved the Total coloring conjecture for some perfect Cayley graphs.MSC Classification: 05C15 (Primary), 05B15 (Secondary)
Determination of Alcohol in Citrus Juice by Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Headspace1
Authors: Davis Paul L. , Chace William G. 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
A gas chromatographic method for the determination of alcohol in citrus juice by analysis of headspace is described. The volume of juice is not critical, but the bath temperature for samples must be constant. Juice samples should be analyzed as soon as possible, or kept refrigerated to avoid alcohol production by contaminating organisms.
Chemical Changes and Amylase Activity of Freshly Shelled Southern Peas, Vigna sinensis1
Authors: Park J. R. , Collins J. L. , McCarty I. E. , Johnston M. R. 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Southern peas were held under conditions simulating those which exist at the processing plant. Freshly shelled peas were held in small cylinders up to 3 days at 7°-10° and 24°-27°C before they were frozen. Samples, taken from the upper and lower positions of the cylinders, were analyzed for starch and maltose content, total acidity, and amylase activity.
During the holding period the starch content decreased, the maltose content rose initially and remained stable, total acidity increased, and amylase activity decreased. Peas held at 7°-10°C had less starch degradation, higher maltose accumulation, lower total acidity, but higher amylase activity than peas held at 24°-27°C. Position in the cylinder did not influence the starch content, but peas from the upper position (higher oxygen tension) had a higher maltose content, higher total acidity, and lower amylase activity.
Significant correlation coefficients were found between total acidity and amylase activity (r = -0.93), starch content and amylase activity (r = 0.84), and starch and maltose contents (r = -0.58).
Effects of Different Nematicides on Yield and Quality of Centennial Sweetpotato and Root-Knot Nematode Damage1
Authors: Johnson W. A. , Cairns E. J. 
Published: August 2022

Abstract
Effects of different nematicides on yields of sweetpotatoes and on root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) damage at two different locations were studied over a period of 3 years. Average yields of marketable size roots were significantly increased on Hartsells fine sandy loam from use of Penphene, D-D, Dowfume W-85, Telone, and Nellite; the increased yield from Furadan was nearly significant. All nematicides reduced the root-knot infection counts on steam-peeled roots and root-knot larvae per pint of soil at harvest. Furadan gave the best nematode control. Average' yields were increased on Alaga sand from use of Penphen, D-D, D-D + SD14647, Vorlex, Furadan, Temik, and Mocap. Average root-knot infection counts and root-knot larvae per pint of soil at harvest were significantly reduced by all nematicides used; the greatest reductions followed applications of Temik, Mocap, Furadan, and D-D + SD14647.