Patients with thyroid-associated opthalmopathy reportedly exhibit widespread morphological abnormalities in attention and default mode network areas, but alterations in coordinated patterns of brain structural networks underlying thyroid-associated opthalmopathy are still poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the disruptions in gray matter structural networks between thyroid-associated opthalmopathy patients in active and inactive phases. We constructed subject-wise structural networks based on gray matter volumetric features for 37 active and 35 inactive thyroid-associated opthalmopathy patients, and 23 healthy controls. Graph theory analysis was conducted to assess the alterations of global and regional network topological properties for thyroid-associated opthalmopathy patients and their correlation with clinical characteristics. Compared with inactive thyroid-associated opthalmopathy patients and controls, active thyroid-associated opthalmopathy patients showed significantly decreased global/local efficiency, and significant altered nodal betweenness centrality in the visual, attention, default mode network and sensorimotor areas. Intriguingly, the betweenness centrality of left lingual gyrus was significantly negatively correlated with bilateral intraocular pressure, and medial superior/opercular inferior frontal gyrus was significantly correlated with anxiety and depression parameters. Our results suggest that thyroid-associated opthalmopathy patients at different clinical stages have segregated disruptions in gray matter network topology, which may due to the visual function and psychological changes. These findings may provide new insights into the neurobiological mechanisms of thyroid-associated opthalmopathy.

Biologists believe that the purpose of the evolution of all organisms is only reproduction and the successful transfer of genes to the next generation. But I found a new hypothesis (new theory) that reveals the fundamental purposes and principles of natural selection. The new hypothesis shows that for the successful transfer of genes to the next generation, the traits and characteristics of organisms must be in accordance with these fundamental principles and purposes of natural selection or fundamental biological purposes. These fundamental principles of natural selection or fundamental biological principles are so fundamental for the survival of organisms that if they are not observed and considered in the traits, body parts and behaviors of organisms, organisms cannot reproduce and survive. Natural selection preserves or eliminates harmful genes and useful genes based on these principles and biological purposes. When I speak of the fundamental purposes and principles of natural selection, I do not mean conscious intention, supernatural and intelligent creation. By means of the fundamental principles of the new hypothesis, I bring arguments that better interpret the theories of Mr. Darwin and Richard Dawkins and the important theories of biology, and this interpretation is much closer to reality. This new hypothesis reveals principles and purposes that change our understanding of the concept of evolution of all organisms and creates a completely new formulation in the entire theory of evolution in all its dimensions.

African Great Lakes and their fauna are among the prime model systems for evolutionary research. Lake Tanganyika is the second deepest lake in the world and its permanently stratified, relatively species-poor and well-delimited pelagic zone offers a simple model for ecosystem dynamics of open water areas worldwide. In our study, we focused on mitogenomic differentiation of directly transmitted parasites (Monogenea, Kapentagyrus) infecting two species of pelagic clupeid fishes across two subbasins of Lake Tanganyika, to unravel patterns of migration and population dynamics in the pelagic zone of large water bodies. Starting from pooled population samples, altogether containing more than 800 specimens, we provide the first population-genomic study on any parasite in the African Great Lakes. Our results indicate a lack of spatial population structuring in Kapentagyrus tanganicanus infecting its two clupeid hosts. In Kapentagyrus limnotrissae, a parasite specific to only one of the two clupeid hosts, spatial and seasonal restriction in gene flow are observed. Contrasting patterns in spatial population structuring between K. tanganicanus and K. limnotrissae reflect their differences in host range and in the life histories, migration and habitat preference of their respective hosts. This is a proof-of-concept of how parasites can be reliable tags for hardly traceable hosts, in this case indicating host and parasite connectivity throughout the hosts’ spatial distribution. Comparison of population-genetic parameters based on individual specimens versus pooled samples proofs PoolSeq as a suitable method in (mito)genomics of minute taxa that are hard to access in the field.

Here, we present the mitochondrial sequences of two ‘opistobranch’ heterobranchs: Runcina aurata García-Gómez, López, Luque & Cervera, 1986 and Facelina auriculata (O. F. Müller, 1776), the latter type taxon of the genus. The mitochondrial genomes were 14,282 and 14,171bp in length respectively, the two of them with a complete set of 13 CDS, 2 rRNAs, and 22 tRNAs. None of the mitogenomes showed gene reorganization, keeping the standard heterobranch mitogenomic structure. The base composition was completely distant between them, with a 25.7% GC for R. aurata, becoming the mitogenome with more AT content to the date, and 35% for F. auriculata, supposing one case of extremely rich GC content in “opistobranch” mitochondrial genomes.

AbstractThe greatest challenge in scientific publishing is that incentives are focused on getting it published, not getting it right. The promotion and prestige of getting highly cited papers have become more prevalent in recent years. While having highly cited papers could imply a high impact, overly producing highly cited papers could raise doubts about the quantity, calibre, and real-world impact of such papers. There has not been any research on analyzing highly cited papers in environmental sciences. To fill this gap, this study surveyed 931,027 articles published in 2013-2022 in Environmental Sciences journals to identify highly cited papers and their authors. The top 1% citations of these articles were identified in 3 topics: (1) biochar, (2) pollution and environmental degradation, and (3) climate change, renewable energy and emissions. The findings also show that the top highly cited authors are dominated by a few extremely prolific individuals, publishing an average of 60–100 papers each year and having more than 20 highly cited papers. Moreover, most authors work independently except two clusters centred in Korea and China. The network analysis uncovers a network of scientists with a remarkable number of highly cited papers working as a team. Scientific publishing should be carried out honestly and ethically. The scientific community relies on the integrity of the research process and the accuracy of published research in order to advance knowledge and make important decisions. Publications should have honesty, openness, transparency, objectivity, and reproducibility principles.  IntroductionOne of the most widely used scientific quality metrics is citation count. Citation is often used to measure scientific research's quality and impact. When a paper is cited by other researchers, it can be taken as an indicator that the paper has made a significant contribution to the field and that it is considered to be of high quality and importance. Therefore, a high number of citations can be seen as a sign of the quality and significance of a researcher's work [1,2]. In particular, recent years have witnessed an upsurge in the promotion of highly cited and scientific or scholarly papers that many other papers have cited [1,2]. This is often taken as an indicator of the impact and influence of the paper in the academic community. Highly cited papers are often seen as being of high quality and significance and may be considered to be important contributions to the field in which they were published. There are various ways to identify highly cited papers, such as through databases that track and compile citation data, or through lists of papers that have been identified as highly cited by database institutions such as Clarivate Analytics or the Institute for Scientific Information or Scopus.Researchers may be interested in highly cited papers because they are likely to contain important and influential ideas and findings in their field. Reading and referencing highly cited papers can help researchers stay current with the latest developments in their field and may provide them with ideas for their own research. Funding agencies and grant review committees may consider the number of citations a paper has received when evaluating the quality and significance of a research proposal. Universities and other institutions may use citations to evaluate the quality of a researcher's work and decide which researchers to hire or promote. Furthermore publishers of scientific journals may be interested in highly cited papers because they are likely to be of high quality and may attract a large number of readers. In general, highly cited papers are often seen as being important contributions to the field in which they were published and may be of interest to a wide range of people in the scientific and academic communities.Clarivate Analytics is a company that provides information, analytics, and expertise to the scientific and intellectual property communities. One of the services they offer is the identification of Highly Cited Papers, which they do through their Web of Science database. To identify Highly Cited Papers, Clarivate Analytics looks at the number of citations a paper has received over a given time period and compares it to the number of citations received by other papers in the same field and published in the same year. Then, they use this information to create a list of papers that have received a high number of citations relative to other papers in their field. The selection process is based on its own citation data and is intended to identify papers that have significantly impacted their field and whose work has been widely recognized by their peers. The list of Highly Cited Papers is updated regularly to reflect the most recent data.There are a few things that can help increase the chances of a paper becoming highly cited:-          Conduct high-quality research: It is important to produce research that is well-designed, well-conducted, and that makes an original contribution to the field.-          Publish in high-quality journals: Publishing in a well-respected and high-impact journal can increase the visibility of your paper and the chances that it will be cited by other researchers.-          Write a clear and well-written paper: A clear, well-written paper that is easy to understand and follow will be more likely to be read and cited by other researchers.-          Use appropriate citation practices: Citing relevant and influential papers in your own work can increase the chances that your paper will be cited by others.-          Promote the paper: Making sure that the paper is widely available and promoting it to the relevant research community can increase the chances that it will be read and cited.It is worth noting that becoming a highly cited paper is not something that can be guaranteed, as it depends on a variety of factors such as the quality of the research, the relevance of the topic, and the extent to which it is of interest to the research community. Papers in the field of environmental sciences can address a wide range of important and timely topics, and if the research is of high quality and makes a significant contribution to the field, it can become highly cited. Environmental sciences cover a wide range of subdisciplines and include interdisciplinary research. Some ongoing trends and developments in the field of environmental sciences include:-          Climate change: Understanding the causes and impacts of climate change, and developing strategies for mitigating and adapting to its effects, is a major focus of research in environmental science.-          Biodiversity and conservation: Protecting biodiversity and preserving natural habitats is a key concern in environmental science, and there is ongoing research on topics such as species extinction, habitat loss, and conservation strategies.-          Environmental pollution: Research on the causes and impacts of environmental pollution, as well as strategies for mitigating and remedying pollution, is a major focus in environmental science.-          Renewable energy: Developing and implementing renewable energy sources is an important area of research in environmental science, as it can help reduce the reliance on fossil fuels and mitigate their impact on the environment.-          Environmental policy and governance: There is ongoing research on the development and implementation of effective environmental policies and governance frameworks at the local, national, and global levels.These are just a few trends and developments in the field of environmental science. The field constantly evolves as new research is conducted and new challenges and opportunities arise.Scientists have considerable enticements to publish highly cited papers, and in fact, their professions depend on it. The obligation and pressure to publish to evaluate a scientist or institutional impact and scientific reputation have become a new facet of publishing over the years. However, it is important to note that citation is not the only measure of scientific quality and that it should not be the only factor considered when evaluating the impact and significance of a researcher's work. Other factors, such as the originality and importance of the research, the soundness of the research methods and conclusions, and the relevance of the research to the field, should also be taken into account.It is generally accepted that a high number of citations is an indicator of the quality and significance of a researcher's work. However, it is possible for papers that contain fraudulent or unethical research to receive a high number of citations, either because the fraud is not detected before the paper is published or because the paper is cited by other researchers who are unaware of the fraud. In such cases, the high number of citations may not reflect the research's true quality and may result from the authors' fraudulent or unethical practices. The scientific community needs to be vigilant in detecting and addressing fraudulent or unethical research in order to ensure the integrity and reliability of the scientific literature.Environmental sciences as a multidisciplinary field have not been studied in detail in terms of its highly cited papers. This paper aims to study its traits and authors. A number of studies have looked at various characteristics of highly cited papers and the researchers who wrote them. For example, some studies have analyzed the content and methods of highly cited papers in order to identify common themes or trends [1,2]. Other studies have examined the demographics and career histories of highly cited researchers in order to identify factors that may contribute to their success [3]. By studying the traits and authors of highly cited papers, it is possible to gain insights into the factors that contribute to the success and impact of scientific research. This information can be useful for researchers looking to improve the quality and impact of their own work, as well as for organizations that support research and development. MethodsThis study has the objective of studying highly cited papers in environmental sciences in 2013-2022. Tthe Web of Science database was used, by searching all papers published under the category "Environmental Sciences" from January 2013 to December 2022. Web of Science is a database of scientific and scholarly literature, including journal articles, conference proceedings, and other types of publications. It is produced by Clarivate Analytics and is widely used in the scientific and academic communities as a tool for research and citation analysis. Web of Science includes a range of features and tools that allow users to search for and access scientific and scholarly literature, track the impact and influence of research, and identify trends and patterns in research. It includes a large number of journals and other publications from a wide range of disciplines, and it is frequently used by researchers, librarians, and others to find and access research in their field of study.Search results of the research publication data were downloaded from the library's website and exported in MS Excel, and authors networks were analyzed and visualized using the VOS viewer 1.6.9. VOSviewer is a software tool that can visualize and analyze bibliometric data, such as citation and co-citation data. It was developed by Nees Jan van Eck and Ludo Waltman at Leiden University Centre for Science and Technology Studies (CWTS). VOSviewer can create various visualizations, such as co-citation maps, term maps, and network diagrams, that can help researchers understand the relationships between different research topics, authors, and institutions. It is often used in conjunction with bibliometric databases, such as Web of Science or Scopus, to analyze citation data and to identify patterns and trends in the scientific literature. VOSviewer is widely used in the scientific and academic communities and is available as a free download.  Results and DiscussionHighly cited papers in Environmental Sciences Based on the publication database and publications from environmental science journals in Web of Science in the last decade (2013- 2022), this study conducted a comprehensive survey of 931,027 articles or equal to over 93,100 papers were published per year. Amongst these articles, Web of Science identified the top 1% or 10,153 papers that were considered highly cited papers. Highly cited papers are scientific papers that have received a large number of citations from other papers in the scientific literature or top 1% based on the number of citations received when compared to other papers published in the same field in the same year. A text keyword network was of these 10,153 highly cited papers was performed using VosViewer to examine topics that occurred in these papers. While environmental sciences is a large multidiscipline. the network produced by the software and uncovered in Figure 1, highly cited papers only study around 3 main topics: (1)    Evaluating biochar performance and use as chemical adsorbentsBiochar is a type of porous, charcoal-like material that is produced by heating organic material, such as wood, in the absence of oxygen. It has a high surface area and a network of tiny pores, which make it highly effective at adsorbing a wide range of chemicals from solution. Biochar has been as a chemical adsorbent in a variety of applications, including: Removing heavy metals from water where biochar has been shown to be effective at removing heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, from contaminated water; Removing pesticides from soil as biochar can adsorb pesticides from soil, helping to reduce their levels and mitigate their harmful effects on the environment; Biochar can be used to filter out VOCs, which are harmful air pollutants that are emitted by a variety of sources, including paints, adhesives, and cleaning products; Removing oil spills by adsorbing the oil from the surface of water.(2)    Global pollution and environmental degradation including microplastic accumulation in environment, plant and ocean, ocean acidification.Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that are smaller than 5 mm in size. The accumulation of microplastics in plants and oceans is a cause for concern because of the potential negative impacts on both the environment and human health. In plants, microplastics can interfere with normal growth and development, as well as affect the plant's ability to absorb water and nutrients. Microplastics can also enter the food chain when plants are eaten by animals. In oceans, microplastics can accumulate in the water column and on the seafloor, where they can be ingested by marine life and enter the food chain. Microplastics have been found in a wide range of marine species, including fish, shellfish, and birds, and can cause physical harm and disrupt the normal functioning of their organs and systems. The accumulation of microplastics in the environment is also a concern because they can serve as a vector for the transport of harmful chemicals and pathogens, which can have negative impacts on both the environment and human health.(3)    Climate change and reduction of emissions.Several themes under this topic including renewable energy, climate change scenario and emission estimatuon.There are several novel ways to estimate the emissions of a country in relation to its economic growth, including the use statistical analysis to examine the relationship between economic growth and emissions: By analyzing data on a country's economic growth and emissions over time, it is possible to estimate the relationship between these two variables. Economic models can be used to forecast emissions based on projections of economic growth. These models typically incorporate variables such as energy use, industrial production, and transportation patterns, which can be used to estimate emissions in the future. Furthermore scenario analysis involves developing a range of potential scenarios for economic growth and examining the corresponding impacts on emissions. This can help to understand the potential trade-offs between economic growth and emissions reduction. Moreover bottom-up approach involves estimating emissions sector by sector, based on the emission intensity of each sector. This can provide a more detailed understanding of the sources of emissions within a country and the potential opportunities for reducing them. 

Aims: There is some clinical evidence of the association between vitamin B12 deficiency and vasovagal syncope (VVS) in pediatric patients. We aimed to investigate the possible association of vitamin B12 and folate deficiency with VVS in adults. Methods: In this case-control study, we included adult patients with VVS who presented to our tertiary syncope unit for a head-up tilt table test as the case group. We selected age- and sex-matched individuals without any history of syncope from the population-based Tehran Cohort Study as the control group. The exclusion criteria included but were not restricted to taking vitamin B supplements, carbamazepine, or phenobarbital, and sleeve gastrectomy. We measured and compared serum levels of vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine. Results: From February 2020 to February 2021, we included 44 patients in the case group, matched with 44 controls, with a mean age of 37.9 years and 23 (52.3%) females in each group. There was no statistically significant difference between the study groups regarding vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, or their serum levels. The serum level of vitamin B12 was remarkably lower in patients with frequent VVS (≥3 lifetime episodes) compared to patients with infrequent VVS (<3 lifetime episodes) [233.8 (80.7) versus 305.2 (118.1) pg/mL; P=0.042] and this association remained significant after adjustment for possible confounders (P=0.026). Conclusion: We found no association between vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, or their serum levels and VVS; nevertheless, frequent VVS, compared to infrequent VVS, was associated with a lower serum vitamin B12.

Introduction: Antitachycardia pacing (ATP) is one of the therapies provided by an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) for the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias (VA). Successful ATP leads to avoidance of shock, that is related to an increase in mortality and morbidity. Methods and Results: A total of 63 documents have been obtained by using the key term “Antitachycardia pacing” in PubMed, focusing on optimal ATP and ICD programing to reduce inappropriate or avoidable therapies, predictive factors of ATP efficacy and latest technologies and devices still in experimentation. Conclusions: Antitachycardia pacing confirms to be a good therapeutic tool to interrupt ventricular arrhythmias. An optimal ICD programming could lead to the reduction of inappropriate or avoidable ATP therapies. Furthermore, a better knowledge in predictive factors of ATP efficacy not only could better orient physicians on the device to implant, but also could allow for a better arrhythmic risk stratification.

Dupilumab for treatment of food-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxisLiping Zhu#, MB, Rui Tang#, MD, Qing Wang, BSN, Hong Li *, MDAllergy Department, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, China.* Correspondence: Hong Li, E-mail: lihong@pumch.cn# These authors contributed equally to this workClinical Implications: This case provides evidence of treatment with dupilumab which improve the severity of allergic reactions in a patient with food-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis.TO THE EDITOR,Food-dependent, exercise-induced anaphylaxis (FDEIA) is a potentially life-threatening disorder that often occurs with exercise, and with a history of eating culprit foods within a few hours before onset, but eating or exercise alone does not induce symptoms.1This disease is exceedingly rare with a prevalence was approximately 0.02% .2 Food allergens can stimulate mast cells to release inflammatory mediators like histamine and cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-13 after entering the body, increase intestinal permeability by enhancing IL-4Ra signaling, and enhance sensitivity to food allergens.3 Therefore, blocking IL-4 and IL-13 signaling pathways may reduce the symptoms of anaphylaxis.Dupilumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits IL-4 and IL-13 signaling by specifically binding to the IL-4Rα subunit of the IL-4 and IL-13 receptor complex. It has been studied for the treatment of atopic dermatitis, uncontrolled asthma, severe chronic sinusitis with nasal polyps, and eosinophilic esophagitis.4 A case reported that a 23-year-old female patient with severe asthma and unexplained severe allergic reactions which is not related to exercise. After being treated with dupilumab for asthma in two doses, no serious anaphylaxis requiring epinephrine occurred within the next 2 years.5But there has been no published report to clarify the clinical implication of treatment for anaphylaxis with dupilumab, especially for FDEIA which is a rare disorder.CASE REPORTGeneral informationWe present an 11-year-old boy with a history of recurrent anaphylaxis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, and allergic conjunctivitis due to cat, mites, fungus sensitization, and attacks of anaphylaxis related to the triggers of activities combined with uncertain foods. In June 2019, when the patient was exercising after ingesting common foods for around 2 hours, he developed anaphylaxis demonstrating systemic wheals itching, facial edema, eyelid redness and swelling, nasal congestion, cough, chest tightness, dyspnea, lip cyanosis, wheezing. The child experienced more than 10 episodes of anaphylaxis for 2 years, and 2 times went to the hospital for emergency treatment. His family felt that the episodes were unrelated to the food type at the previous visits. The patient’s asthma (CSMS, 2.33), allergic rhinitis (ACT score, 20) allergic conjunctivitis were controlled after treatment with Ventolin and Budesonide Formoterol Powder for Inhalation, Cetirizine, and fluticasone propionate nasal spray. He had been given dust mite sublingual drops for allergen immunotherapy (AIT) for more than half a year. But the anaphylaxis was not improved after the traditional treatments including the above medications use, AIT, and allergens avoidance.Specific IgE (ImmunoCAP) showed Alternaria alternata (30.43 KUA/L), cat dander (14.9 KUA/L), and Dermatophagoides farinae (15.4 KUA/L). Total IgE: 621.0 KU/L. The acetylcholine bronchial provocation test was positive: FEV1 decreased by 37%, PEF decreased by 27%, and PD20FEV1:0.0961 mg. Pulmonary function: FEV1 (L), 1.77; FEV1predicted (%), 78.4%; FEV1/FVC, 82.07%; FEV1/FVC predicted (%), 97.1%.Diagnosis and treatmentDue to unknown etiology, the patient was given the subcutaneous injection of dupilumab 7 times for a period of 33 weeks. Dupilumab was administered 300 mg subcutaneously every 4 weeks for the first 14 weeks and then changed to 300 mg every 6-7 weeks for the next 19 weeks due to symptom improvement. During the follow-up period of dupilumab treatment, skin prick tests (SPT) were performed on the foods of ostrea gigas thunberg, scallops, soybeans, corn, whole grains, and raw/cooked peanuts based on the patient’s parent-reported medical history and associated food diary, and all results were negative. Of these, ostrea gigas thunberg and scallops were previously considered the most associated with patient morbidity. After the recommendation to avoid these two foods, the symptoms continued to recur, so the possibility of these food triggers was tentatively ruled out. At the 7th follow-up visit of the patient on Dupilumab treatment, SPT results were positive for Morchella esculenta, Russula vinosa Lindblad, and Pleurotus eryngii which were associated with the patient’s history. And we found the patient had consumed these mushrooms before several attacks, but never felt discomfort in the past when only mushrooms were consumed without exercise. The patient was advised to avoid these mushrooms and to stop dupilumab treatment simultaneously, after which he did not have any episodes of anaphylaxis. Based on positive SPT results, the patient’s attack history, and the efficacy of avoiding mushrooms, the patient was diagnosed with FDEIA, and the mushroom was considered as the causative food.EfficacyDuring dupilumab treatments, the patient had experienced 2 times of mild allergic reactions, such as itchy skin, eyelid edema, or itching throat with the trigger of mushroom plus exercise (exposures for mushrooms plus exercise about at least twice a month), but no anaphylaxis within this time, and after stopping dupilumab and avoiding mushrooms (Figure 1). The diagnosis standard of anaphylaxis is based on the WAO guideline.6 The patient returned to normal exercise (running 1-2 km, soccer, etc.) with an improvement in quality of life and no adverse reactions occurred.Total IgE and specific IgE decreased significantly after dupilumab treatments 6-7 times. Total IgE: 197.0 KU/L, Alternaria alternata: 16.4 KUA/L, cat dander: 2.36 KUA/L, and Dermatophagoides farinae: 3.78 KUA/L (Figure 2). Asthma (ACT score: 23), allergic rhinitis (CSMS, 2.17), and conjunctivitis were well controlled.Figure 1. Changes in Anaphylaxis Following different Treatments

This study explores the impact of fear of predators among prey populations in an eco-epidemiological model where an infectious disease infects prey. An incidence delay is introduced for the transition of the susceptible population into the infected population. Further, the dynamical behavior of the non-delay system is studied by modifying Holling type II functional response incorporating the fading memory. This is based on the concept that the predator’s growth rate not only depends on a single moment from the past but also over the whole past (chiefly, on recent history). The conditions for the existence of all the biologically feasible equilibrium points are established. The criterion for the local stability about equilibrium points of both (non-delay and delay) systems as well as for the global stability around the coexistence equilibria of the non-delay system are established here. Sufficient conditions for the existence of Hopf-bifurcation by taking the force of infection and delay as bifurcation parameters are derived. Numerical simulations are performed to verify the analytical results and illuminate the system’s dynamicity. The system’s complex dynamical behaviors are demonstrated using the bifurcation diagram, phase diagram, and spectrum. It is observed that fears reduce predator density and also convert an unstable (periodic or chaotic) system into a stable one. It is recommended that past influence over a short time interval and a higher value of the cost of fears are necessary to persist a sustainable and stable ecosystem. An effort is made to search for the correlation between the cost of fears and other biologically related parameters (viz., the growth rate of prey, the carrying capacity for prey, the force of infection, fading memory, and incidence delay) to understand the dynamicity of the system. The semi-relative as well as logarithmic sensitivities of the system are applied to the proposed model to observe how much change of a state variable occur due to perturbation of the parameters, like, the force of infection and cost of fears.

Bitcoin was the first cryptocurrency introduced as a cryptographic proof-based electronic payment system in 2009. Till now approximately more than 10,000 digital coins are active in the crypto market. Cryptocurrency is a virtual digital asset that uses cryptography and blockchain technology for transaction verification and records maintenance. Its trading is gaining attention due to volatile behavior, decentralized nature, and liquidity in this digital asset. Trading this digital asset provides anonymity and security in transactions. Groundless fluctuations in its price contribute to making its trade risky. Market Prediction of the cryptocurrency is trending because it can reduce the trade loss risk. Data related to this market is vast and publicly available on the internet. It is nearly impossible to infer the market by simple data analysis. Statistical price prediction approaches are less effective due to the absence of seasonality in cryptocurrency market data. Therefore researchers proposed efficient price prediction techniques utilizing statistical, algorithmic, and neural network-based Machine Learning models. This paper provides a detailed literature survey related to the state-of-the-art Machine learning-based prediction methodologies for the market prediction of the digital asset from 2014 to 2022. This research will categorize, summarize, and review the existing research in cryptocurrency market prediction using Machine Learning classifiers. This paper will benefit researchers to be productive in the right direction in the future.

Background To evaluate the therapeutic benefits and side effects (especially leukoencephalopathy) of intrathecal methotrexate (MTX) in children aged over three years old with high-risk medulloblastoma (MB). Methods In the present retrospective study, patients who received intrathecal MTX during chemotherapy were classified as MTX group, while those receiving cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytology analysis only were recruited in control group. Results Among the 46 MB patients, 32 were classified in MTX group, whereas 14 in control group. For those 32 patients in MTX group, 27 (84.38%) had metastatic disease, 3 (9.38%) had diffuse anaplasia, and 3 (9.38%) had residual disease greater than 1.5 cm 2. Molecular subgroup classification was available in 28 (87.5%) patients. Of those 14 patients in control group, 8 (57.14%) had metastatic disease, 3 (27.27%) had diffuse anaplasia, and 6 (42.86%) had residual disease greater than 1.5 cm 2. Molecular subgroup classification was available in 6 (42.86%) patients. The 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 70.99% (95% CI, 58.22%-90.42%) and 5-year overall survival (OS) was 72.99% (95% CI, 60.41%-93.06%) for MTX group, while those were 41.67% (95% CI, 17.93%-66.92%) and 50% (95% CI, 27.88%-77.14%) for control group, separately. Among the 32 patients in MTX group, 6 (18.75%) with group 4 disease developed MTX-related acute leukoencephalopathy and one of them died. Conclusions Intrathecal MTX improves the 5-year PFS and OS for children with high-risk MB. However, intrathecal MTX is not recommended for patients with group 4 MB due to the high risk of acute leukoencephalopathy.

Sulfide solid state electrolyte (SSE) possesses high ionic conductivity and great processability but suffers from narrow electrochemical window. Conversion sulfide cathode FeS2 has higher specific capacity and moderate redox potential, making it appropriate towards sulfide SSE. However, the complex reaction pathway and capacity fading mechanism in FeS2 are rarely studied, especially in all-solid-state lithium battery (ASSLB). Herein, argyrodite sulfide SSE is paired with FeS2 to investigate the electrochemical reaction pathways and the capacity fade mechanism. Instead of single conversion reaction, an anionic redox driven reaction of FeS2 is revealed. The oxidization of Li2S vanishes and large quantity of inactive Li2S accumulates to cause the interfacial deterioration, along with the stress concentration during cycling, which leads to the rapid capacity fade of FeS2. Finally, a simple strategy of slurry-coated composite electrode with highly conductive network is proposed to direct the uniform deposition of Li2S and alleviate the stress concentration.

A hybrid pore-scale simulation method using Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) coupled with Langevin-Dynamics (LD) is proposed to investigate the transport physics of nanoparticles in microchannel. The controlling factors (i.e., ionic strength, particle diameter and Reynolds number) are investigated in the attachment process of NPs. It is observed that a threshold value of attachment efficiency exists as the ionic strength increases to about 0.01 M. Moreover, the ionic strength of aqueous phase has critical effect on the transport behavior of NPs. For the purpose of quantitatively characterizing the structure of NP suspensions under varying conditions, a general phase diagram including three flow patterns (isolated, transitional and clustered regime) is first proposed for NP suspension with specified ionic strength and Reynolds number. The outcomes of this work provide valuable insight on the critical importance of the particle size, ionic strength and hydrodynamic effects on the attachment and transport process of NPs in porous media

In the study of sentencing disparities, class related hypotheses have received considerably less attention than explanations based on offenders’ ethnicity. This is unfortunate since the two mechanisms are likely interrelated, at the very least as a result of their overlap in the population, with ethnic minorities being generally more deprived than the White majority. In this registered report we propose exploring the mediating and moderating effects between offenders’ area deprivation and their ethnic background using a novel administrative dataset capturing all offences processed through the England and Wales Crown Court. Specifically, we seek to test two key hypotheses: i) the reported ethnic disparities in sentencing are mediated and explained away by area deprivation; and ii) ethnic disparities are moderated by area deprivation, with ethnic disparities being narrower in the more deprived areas. Results from this empirical analysis will shed new light on the underlying causes of sentencing disparities, but crucially - if deprivation is shown to play a major role in the generation of ethnic disparities - they will also help inform the adequate policy responses to redress this problem.

Objective: Metamizole is quite an old drug with analgesic, antipyretic and spasmolytic properties. Recent findings have shown that it may induce several cytochrome P450 enzymes, especially CYP3A4 and CYP2B6. The clinical relevance of these properties is uncertain. We aimed to unravel potential pharmacokinetic interactions between metamizole and the CYP3A4 substrate quetiapine. Methods: Plasma concentrations of quetiapine from a large therapeutic drug monitoring database were analyzed. Two groups of 33 patients, either receiving quetiapine as a monotherapy (without CYP modulating co-medications) or with concomitantly applied metamizole were compared addressing a potential impact of metamizole on the metabolism of quetiapine being reflected in differences of plasma concentrations of quetiapine and dose-adjusted plasma concentrations (C/D). Results: Patients co-medicated with metamizole showed significantly lower plasma concentrations of quetiapine (median 45.2 ng/mL, Q1=15.5; Q3=90.5 vs. 92.0 ng/mL, Q1=52.3; Q3=203.8, p=0.003). Accordingly, plasma concentrations of quetiapine in the control group were more than twice of those in the metamizole group (+103% higher). The dose-adjusted plasma concentrations were 69 % lower in the co-medication group (p=0.001). Conclusions: The combination of metamizole and quetiapine leads to significantly lower drug concentrations of quetiapine, most likely via an induction of cytochrome P450 CYP3A4 by metamizole. Clinicians have to consider the risk of adverse drug reactions, especially treatment failure under quetiapine when adding metamizole.

Background. Coronary heart disease is a serious threat to people’s life and health, and timely intervention and treatment are important. This study aims to investigate the clinical value of the serum C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CRP/ALB, CAR) and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NE/LY, NLR) in predicting the extent of coronary artery disease. Methods. A total of 649 patients hospitalized in the Department of Cardiology of the Second People’s Hospital of Hefei with coronary angiography from January 2019 to December 2021 were included for retrospective analysis. The coronary artery disease group (n=406) and the control group (n=243) were divided according to the angiographic findings. The coronary artery disease group was divided into a mild lesion group (GS <40, n=235) and a severe lesion group (GS 40, n = 171) according to the Gensini score (GS). Compare the differences in CAR and NLR between groups. Spearman analysis was used to test the correlation between CAR, NLR and GS, logistic regression analysis was used to screen independent influencing factors of coronary artery disease and severe coronary lesions, and the ROC curve was used to analyze the predictive value of CAR, NLR and the combination of both for multiple lesions in coronary arteries. Results. CAR and NLR were higher in the coronary artery disease group than in the control group, and CAR and NLR were higher in the group with severe coronary lesions than in the group with mild lesions (P < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that CAR and NLR were positively correlated with GS (r CAR = 0.519, P < 0.05; r NLR = 0.492, P < 0.05). ROC analysis showed that CAR, NLR and the combination of the two had predictive value for multiple coronary lesions. The predictive efficacy was higher when the two were combined than the individual indexes ( P < 0.05). Conclusion. CAR and NLR are independent predictors of the extent of coronary artery lesions and can be used for diagnosing and evaluating coronary heart disease.

This paper proposes a radiation-hardened-by-design (RHBD) technique targeting single-event transient (SET) mitigation in bandgap reference (BGR) circuits. The dual modular redundancy (DMR) technique used for BGR ensures correct output voltage to the subsequent circuits. The BGR output voltage is detected and clamped by two threshold voltages and time-delayed switches further isolate SET pulses. The proposed BGR circuit was fabricated in 28 nm bulk CMOS process. Laser experiments illustrate that SET perturbation is almost eliminated when laser energy is up to 1 nJ. The RHBD BGR is proven to be good substitute for space applications.

Plant-based high internal phase oil-in-water emulsions (HIPEs) are promising fat replacers. However, producing stable HIPES with improved viscoelastic properties is a challenge for the food industry. Conjugation of plant proteins, such as lupin protein isolate, with phenolic compounds, such as proanthocyanidins from grape seed extract, associated (or not) with moderate heat treatment arise as potential methods to tune the surface properties of proteins and, consequently, the droplet-droplet interactions that drive the viscoelastic properties of HIPEs. In this way, unheated (UHC) and heated (85°C, 15 min) (HC) lupin protein (LPI)-grape seed extract (GSE) conjugates were produced and used to stabilize high internal phase oil-in-water emulsions. Evaluation of stability by Turbiscan and oil loss by centrifugation over 56 days of storage did not reflect the kinetic stability of HIPEs against process conditions. Under shearing, UHC-stabilized emulsions at high GSE concentrations showed oil release, whereas all HC-stabilized HIPEs released oil. However, the increase in GSE concentration and heat treatment improved the viscosity and storage modulus (G’) of HIPEs, possibly due to the droplet-droplet interaction originating from hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions in UHC and HC-stabilized HIPEs, respectively. This pivotal study confirmed that conjugation of a plant protein with GSE and heat treatment could improve the viscoelastic properties of high internal phase oil-in-water emulsions and produce HIPEs with superior texture (higher G’).

Context: Little is known about pandemic response in Latin America. The aim of this study was to compare key COVID-19 response measures taken by five Latin American countries to understand what elements of public governance are needed for more effective policy strategies, and to inform future pandemic preparedness. Methods: Using a qualitative, iterative approach guided by a governance framework, we analyzed the most salient characteristics of each country’s response (restriction, sanitary, and social protection measures). Findings: A focus on transparency and inclusion, together with attention to the primary level of care, appeared to be more prominent in countries with less Covid-19 incidence and mortality such as Argentina and Costa Rica. In contrast, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador, with more fragmented and segmented health systems, coupled with less transparency and participatory decision making, were more severely impacted. Conclusions: Pandemic preparedness may benefit from emphasizing organizational, institutional, and informational elements of governance. Since data is essential to decision making in an evolving pandemic, the flow of information interacts with different elements of governance; therefore, more attention should be placed on the relation of the informational dimension with the organizational and institutional dimensions.

There are different sets of competencies that are essential to the practice of healthcare management depending on the role. Although different studies list competencies for healthcare management, developing general and specific competencies has led to some debate about the theoretical body's applicability to the reality experienced by managers in the sector. This paper was developed based on a rapid review of the literature and iterative expert discussion, with the aim of aim of investigating the various conceptual perspectives and challenges surrounding the development of healthcare manager skills. As a result, we deepened the discussion on the different conceptualizations of competences and discussed the specificities aimed at health management. Discussing the competencies of a health manager requires defining what it is to be competent in the different contexts in which the manager operates. We address the particularities and similarities of different frameworks aimed at the health manager's competencies, as well as the different perspectives on what it is to be competent in each framework. We discussed the sector needs and pointed out some peculiarities of the Brazilian scenario, safeguarding unique aspects of this system and highlighting similarities and aspirations observed in other low- and middle-income countries.

Background and purpose: Hyperuricemia is an essential risk factor in chronic kidney disease (CKD), while urate-lowering therapy to prevent or delay CKD progression is controversial. Alternatively activated macrophages in response to local microenvironment play diverse roles in kidney injury, repair, and fibrosis. Here, we aim to investigate whether and how macrophage ITGAM contributes to hyperuricemia-related CKD. Experimental approach: In vivo, we explored dynamic characteristics of renal tissue in hyperuricemia-related CKD. By incorporating mRNA and protein sequencing data, we analyzed gene expression profile, hub genes and potential pathways responsible for disease development, which was further confirmed using qPCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescent stainings. In vitro, we validated bioinformatic findings under different conditions of macrophages with interventions corresponding to core nodes in pathway. Key Results: Hyperuricemia-related CKD was characterized by the rise in serum uric acid, decline in renal function, macrophage alternative (M2) polarization, and kidney fibrosis. Integrated bioinformatic analyses revealed ITGAM as the potential core gene mediating disease progression which was associated with FAK/Akt1/β-catenin signaling. Notably, we confirmed the upregulated macrophage ITGAM, activated pathway, and macrophage M2 polarization in injured kidneys and macrophages. In vitro, we verified ITGAM/FAK/Akt1/β-catenin pathway participated in promoting macrophage M2 polarization through silencing Itgam and inhibiting FAK or Akt1 phosphorylation, where the expression of M2 phenotype macrophage markers and downstream molecules in pathway were down-regulated. Conclusion and implications: In hyperuricemia-related CKD, ITGAM promotes macrophage M2 polarization contributing to renal fibrosis through FAK/Akt1/β-catenin pathway. Targeting macrophage ITGAM might be a promising therapeutic approach for preventing or delaying CKD.

In order to reveal the spatial correlation characteristics and action mechanism of cropland fragmentation and cropland quality, this study takes the central plain area of Liaoning as an example, constructs the evaluation system of cropland “area-shape-distribution” fragmentation and cropland natural-standing quality, and explores the effect of cropland fragmentation on cropland quality based on the evaluation using bivariate spatial autocorrelation method and spatial lag model. The results showed that the quality of cropland in the Central Plain region was affected by the fragmentation. The results showed that the overall degree of cropland fine-fragmentation in the central plain area was light, and the cropland quality showed a spatial distribution trend of “high in the middle and low at both ends”. There was a negative spatial correlation between cropland fine fragmentation and cropland quality. The increase of the number of patches (NP), boundary density (ED) and aggregation degree (AI) in the central plain area will hinder the improvement of the cultivated land quality. When the NP, ED and AI values in the evaluation unit increased by 1 unit, the cropland quality in the central plain area decreased by 0.275, 1.306 and 1.085, respectively.

This paper tried to define the role of vegetation diversity as an environmental factor, which determines functions and services served by water reservoirs ecosystems originated as an effect of land subsidence in post-mining areas. The aim of this study was to conceptualise: i) whether the mining subsidence reservoirs, despite their similar origin, differ in the level of species diversity; ii) whether water and substrate quality and metric characteristics of subsidence pools affect the diversity of vegetation; iii) which functional groups of species contribute to ecosystem services provided by these objects. The study was conducted in Central Europe in the Czech-Polish coal basin. The species composition of vegetation, diversity (species richness ( S), Shannon-Wiener ( H’) and Simpson index ( λ)), participation of dominant species and belonging to functional groups ( FG) was assessed in 10 reservoirs formed in subsidence. The values of services provided by the ecosystems in mining subsidence reservoirs by the indicator method were used. The results showed that despite similar origins subsidence pools differ when it comes to the level of diversity S, H’ and λ. In contrast, there is no difference in terms of the average share of various FG. Vegetation diversity was substantially affected by the size and depth of reservoirs, humidity, C/N ratio, the concentration of P total in the soil, and water clarity. The importance and value of ecosystem services provided by the studied mining subsidence reservoirs and their vicinity were estimated at 647,486.90 [$⋅ ⋅rok -1].

Unroofed coronary sinus syndrome may be associated with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). Herein, we present a case of a 2-year-old patient who underwent an operation for repair of a coronary sinus-type ASD; however, PLSVC was detected intraoperatively. total repair was performed by creating an intra-atrial tunnel.