Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effectiveness of a Nurse-led Glaucoma Education on Patient Knowledge and Compliance Motivation Levels: A 1-year Prospective Case Series

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate the impact of a nurse-led glaucoma education program on patient knowledge and compliance levels in an Asian population. Materials and Methods A 1-year prospective case series involving 69 adult glaucoma patients. Each patient attended a standardized nurse-led glaucoma education session. A questionnaire was administered by a single nurse-clinician and analyzed at three time points (preeducation for baseline, immediately posteducation, and at the 1-year follow-up) to evaluate for associations with patient knowledge and compliance motivation levels. Results A total of 64 patients were included in the final analysis. Patients with higher educational qualifications or who were employed had better baseline knowledge of glaucoma. Younger patients had higher baseline compliance motivation levels. Immediately posteducation, both median patient knowledge score and compliance motivation levels had a statistically significant increase. Patients on more glaucoma eye drops had greater immediate improvement in confidence in eye drop application. Patients with more positive Humphrey visual field mean deviation values had a greater immediate improvement in confidence in their understanding of glaucoma. A total of 34 patients were readministered the questionnaire at the 1-year time point. Median score for patient knowledge was highest at this point. Employed patients demonstrated better patient knowledge at baseline and at 1-year time point compared to unemployed patients. Unemployed patients experienced a significant improvement in scores from baseline to immediately posteducation, but improvement from immediately posteducation to the 1-year time point was insignificant was insignificant. Conclusion Our study has examined the effectiveness of a nurse-led glaucoma education program in an Asian population, demonstrating improvement in both patient knowledge and compliance motivation levels up to 1 year after intervention. How to cite this article Sng JJ, Ang BCH, Soo Hoo WC, et al. The Effectiveness of a Nurse-led Glaucoma Education on Patient Knowledge and Compliance Motivation Levels: A 1-year Prospective Case Series. J Curr Glaucoma Pract 2023;17(3):149–156.
Imposing Biopores in Agroforestry as an Alternative Measure of Climate Adaption in Semi-Arid Tropic of Eastern Indonesia

A small scale agroforestry model integrated with land and water conservation was scientifically tested to alleviate drought impact in dry land agriculture in North Lombok. Biopores were imposed to the model as an integrated approach in climate change adaptation. Northern part of Lombok is typologically less developed soils with high erosion, undulating, and under semi-arid climate is vulnerable to climate change. Measures of adaptation in such ecosystem should be carried out by (i) implementing best practice in land and water conservation, (ii) applying appropriate cropping system, (iii) considering local climate variability and (iv) using water efficiently as economic goods. These four components were incorporated in a scenario of small scale agroforestry. A participatory action research with three field experiments were conducted at Sukadana village, sub-district of Bayan, North Lombok. Some factors were imposed in the scenario, namely: (1) composted biopores of diameter 10 cm and 20 m depth, on farms and 40 cm depth, underneath of trees pit, (2) alley cropping in agroforestry, (3) characterization of local climate, and (4) water use efficiency. Three groups of farmers were selected by means of a purposive sampling to involve in two consecutive years of field experiments, i.e. 2012 and 2013. Output of research was a model of small scale agroforestry integrating cropping system, land and water conservation, as well as local climate characteristic. The model performed a significant contribution on improving performance and yields of agricultural crops as well as wood trees, mainly white teak ( Gmelina arborea ) growing well on biopores. Biopores underneath trees reduced water and soil particles loss through runoff, as well as increased carbon sequestrated. On farm lands biopores played a significant role in conserving soil moisture, increasing crop water use efficiency and providing essential nutrient for plants. Conserved water could be used by plants in a period of dry spell to avoid drought stress. The imposed biopores in agroforestry could be an adaptation measure to climate variability, and climate change on farm level in semi arid tropic of eastern Indonesia. Keywords: water conservation, biopores, agroforestry and climate variability DOI : 10.7176/JEES/5-10-5
Novel Therapeutic Approaches in the Management of Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and incurable disease that impairs kidney function. Its prevalence is estimated to affect up to 800 million individuals within the general population, and patients with diabetes and hypertension are particularly at risk. This disorder disrupts the physiological mechanisms of the body, including water and electrolyte balance, blood pressure regulation, the excretion of toxins, and vitamin D metabolism. Consequently, patients are exposed to risks such as hyperkalemia, hyperphosphatemia, metabolic acidosis, and blood pressure abnormalities. These risks can be reduced by implementing appropriate diagnostic methods, followed by non-pharmacological (such as physical activity, dietary, and lifestyle adjustment) and pharmacological strategies after diagnosis. Selecting the appropriate diet and suitable pharmacological treatment is imperative in maintaining kidney function as long as possible. Drugs such as finerenone, canakinumab, and pentoxifylline hold promise for improved outcomes among CKD patients. When these interventions prove insufficient, renal replacement therapy becomes essential. This is particularly critical in preserving residual renal function while awaiting renal transplantation or for patients deemed ineligible for such a procedure. The aim of this study is to present the current state of knowledge and recent advances, providing novel insights into the treatment of chronic kidney disease.
Extreme ultraviolet photolysis of CO2 ‐ H2O mixed ices at 10 K

[1] Experimental results on the spectral identification of IR absorption features and the production and depletion column densities produced through EUV photolysis of H2O + CO2 (4:1) mixed ices at 10 K are reported. A tunable intense synchrotron radiation light source was employed to provide the required high flux EUV photons. In this study the photon wavelengths used to irradiate the icy sample were selected to coincide with the prominent solar lines at 58.4 nm and 30.4 nm. A FTIR spectrometer was employed to obtain the in situ IR absorbance spectra produced through EUV photolysis of a given ice sample. Photon-induced chemical reaction products were primarily H2CO3 and CO. While new molecular species were formed, the original reactants were depleted, as expected. We report the yields for producing H2CO3 and CO and the yields for depleting the parent CO2 molecule through EUV photolysis of the mixed ices. We have searched for possible intermediate products H2CO and HCO, but could not positively identify their existences in the spectra. The results presented in this work are particular relevant to our understanding of chemical evolution and synthesis in H2O-rich icy satellites of the giant planets, comets, the interstellar medium, molecular clouds, and protostellar regions.
Artificial Intelligence Chip Design for High-Speed Cardiac Arrhythmia Classification

An artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled ECG chip (AI-ECG chip) for classifying continuous ECG signals is described. The AI-ECG chip employs a two-stage strategy. It integrates a QRS complex wave detection architecture for signal preprocessing and a two-layer deep-learning network for post-processing. TSMC $\text{180}~nm$180nm complementary metal-oxide semiconductor fabrication process was used to produce the AI-ECG chip, which can be operated at a maximum frequency of $\text{26.3}~MHz$26.3MHz while consuming $\text{3.11}~mW$3.11mW. Despite its compact $1.41 - m{m^2}$1.41-mm2 size. The AI-ECG chip can achieve arrhythmia detection accuracy of 90.56%. A salient feature of this chip is the ability to identify up to four different arrhythmias, thus offering a more extensive diagnostic range than most comparable chips. In summary, the AI-ECG chip achieves great balance among chip size, power efficiency, and detection capabilities. It is an attractive solution for portable ECG monitoring systems.
Thermal properties of β‐Mg2SiO4 at mantle pressures derived from vibrational spectroscopy: Implications for the mantle at 400 km depth

The pressure dependences of 25 Raman modes of β-Mg2SiO4 were measured to 235 kbar. The thermodynamic parameters, heat capacity, GV, and entropy, S, of β-Mg2SiO4 were calculated using a statistical approach from information derived from the spectra. CV and S calculated from the 1-atm data agree well with the available previous calorimetric data and previous lattice dynamical calculations. The high pressure data were used to calculate the pressure dependence of CV and S. From these data and those from previous spectroscopic measurements on forsterite at high pressures, previous enthalpy data, and the equations of state of both phases, the equilibrium phase boundary was calculated to be P(kbar) = 101 + 0.027 kbar-K−1×T(K), agreeing exactly with new phase equilibrium data. The Clapeyron slope, ΔS/ΔV, for the forsterite to β-Mg2SiO4 transition was found to be nearly constant for a large P-T range, indicating that the pressure and temperature induced volume changes compensate for the pressure and temperature induced entropy changes for the transition. Using the equation of state of both minerals at equilibrium conditions and the thermal expansion systematics of δT = 5.5 ± 0.5, the sound velocity increases across the forsterite to β-phase transition by approximately 7.5%. Thus, a mantle of ∼ 60% olivine, i.e., a pyrolitic mantle, could account for the average seismic sound velocity change of +4.5% at 400 km depth. In addition, at 92 kbar, strong decreases in the pressure derivative of 7 Raman modes indicate changes in the compression mechanism of the β-Mg2SiO4 lattice. Similar observations for forsterite at the same pressure imply that similar elastic limits were reached within the respective lattices. This phenomenon is interpreted as a second-order phase transition.
Slope failure repetition in active margin environments: Constraints from submarine landslides in the Hellenic fore arc, eastern Mediterranean

[1] It has been shown that submarine landslides can occur less frequently at subduction zone fore arcs despite the general expectation of extensive slope failures from high neotectonic activity in active margin settings. The Hellenic subduction zone, Greece, represents an example where modern evidence for slope failure is scarce. Taking the deeper parts of the fore-arc basin into account, however, a sequence of massive landslide deposits is found at recurrence intervals of approximately 250 ± 70 ka. Given high seismicity in the fore-arc area, this rate of slope failure appears to be low. In order to improve our understanding on the relationship between low landslide recurrence rates and the frequency and settings of the required trigger mechanism, we here assess the mechanical behavior of the slope sediment cover during instability scenarios. Seismic profiles and geotechnical measurements from cores of midsize landslides found on the northeastern Cretan midslope are used to back-analyze slope destabilization in one-dimensional, infinite slope models for static conditions as well as for the case of seismic loading. Results reveal that today only critically steepened parts of the Cretan slope can fail from high loading stresses of peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 37%g, maybe up to ≥64%g. We further deduce that long-term tectonic processes are important preconditioning factors controlling an occasional development of critically inclined slope parts. Therefore, the impact of seismic triggers is strongly limited in time and space: For an initially stable slope, the critical seismic intensity to trigger failure is being reduced with increasing tectonically controlled steepening of the slope through time, until an earthquake is sufficient to trigger a large landslide. Before that, the slope rather gets more resistant, because smaller PGA may rather result in dynamic compaction (seismic strengthening). Our findings imply that low frequencies of landslides in the Hellenic fore arc are not in conflict with high seismicity in this region, because seismic loading is only sufficient to trigger major collapses of a generally shear-resistant “cohesive” slope (increasing with time due to seismic strengthening) if long-term tectonic movement provides a critical steepening. This may explain the relatively scarce occurrence of large submarine landslides in this and similar tectonically active environments.
Strain belonging to an emerging, virulent sublineage of ST131 Escherichia coli isolated in fresh spinach, suggesting that ST131 may be transmissible through agricultural products

Food contamination with pathogenic Escherichia coli can cause severe disease. Here, we report the isolation of a multidrug resistant strain (A23EC) from fresh spinach. A23EC belongs to subclade C2 of ST131, a virulent clone of Extraintestinal Pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC). Most A23EC virulence factors are concentrated in three pathogenicity islands. These include PapGII, a fimbrial tip adhesin linked to increased virulence, and CsgA and CsgB, two adhesins known to facilitate spinach leaf colonization. A23EC also bears TnMB1860, a chromosomally-integrated transposon with the demonstrated potential to facilitate the evolution of carbapenem resistance among non-carbapenemase-producing enterobacterales. This transposon consists of two IS26-bound modular translocatable units (TUs). The first TU carries aac(6’)-lb-cr, bla OXA-1, ΔcatB3, aac(3)-lle, and tmrB, and the second one harbors bla CXT-M-15. A23EC also bears a self-transmissible plasmid that can mediate conjugation at 20°C and that has a mosaic IncF [F(31,36):A(4,20):B1] and Col156 origin of replication. Comparing A23EC to 86 additional complete ST131 sequences, A23EC forms a monophyletic cluster with 17 other strains that share the following four genomic traits: (1) virotype E (papGII+); (2) presence of a PAI II536-like pathogenicity island with an additional cnf1 gene; (3) presence of chromosomal TnMB1860; and (4) frequent presence of an F(31,36):A(4,20):B1 plasmid. Sequences belonging to this cluster (which we named “C2b sublineage”) are highly enriched in septicemia samples and their associated genetic markers align with recent reports of an emerging, virulent sublineage of the C2 subclade, suggesting significant pathogenic potential. This is the first report of a ST131 strain belonging to subclade C2 contaminating green leafy vegetables. The detection of this uropathogenic clone in fresh food is alarming. This work suggests that ST131 continues to evolve, gaining selective advantages and new routes of transmission. This highlights the pressing need for rigorous epidemiological surveillance of ExPEC in vegetables with One Health perspective.
Understanding Gender-Based Perception During Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study

Purpose Gender-based perceptions about maternal health care during pregnancy draw attention to the existence of gender inequity in maternal health care. This study aimed to understand the gender-based perception of gender roles and norms, gender relations, social support, and psychosocial variation in maternal health care during pregnancy. Methods A qualitative study was conducted in three rural districts of Jimma, Ethiopia. Participants were purposefully chosen from the community groups, including male and female health development armies, religious leaders, health extension workers, midwifery nurses, and primary health care unit directors. The data was gathered through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The actual data was collected by men and women qualitative study experts. Atlas ti Ver 9 was used for the analysis. The data was initially coded then changed to a sub-category and at last converted to a category. Results Four categories emerged: Gender-based roles and norms, psychosocial variation, social support, and gender relations. The informants described men’s and women’s independent and shared roles improve maternal health care service usage during pregnancy. Once the women became pregnant, men undertook a variety of demanding duties to enhance maternity service consumption. Gender relations and shared decision-making were essential in facilitating maternal healthcare utilization during pregnancy and beyond. Conclusion This study revealed that maternal health care should not be limited to women alone. Men’s and women’s prior maternal health experiences, in addition to their knowledge and beliefs, have significantly impacted the utilization of maternal healthcare services during pregnancy. Policymakers and academics should consider men’s essential contribution to maternal health care during pregnancy. However, in order to increase their intention to use maternal health care services, it is necessary to clearly identify the interests of women in which men should be involved.
Bone Involvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Spondyloartritis: An Updated Review

Simple Summary Chronic inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA), often have a significant impact on bone tissue, where bone is not just a passive target but actively contributes to the disease progression. This review explores the pathogenic mechanisms involving bone, highlighting the complex molecular interactions between bone cells and the immune system, a field known as osteoimmunology. It discusses the unique processes of bone erosion and systemic bone loss in RA and SpA, as well as abnormal bone formation in SpA. Abstract Several rheumatologic diseases are primarily distinguished by their involvement of bone tissue, which not only serves as a mere target of the condition but often plays a pivotal role in its pathogenesis. This scenario is particularly prominent in chronic inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA). Given the immunological and systemic nature of these diseases, in this review, we report an overview of the pathogenic mechanisms underlying specific bone involvement, focusing on the complex interactions that occur between bone tissue’s own cells and the molecular and cellular actors of the immune system, a recent and fascinating field of interest defined as osteoimmunology. Specifically, we comprehensively elaborate on the distinct pathogenic mechanisms of bone erosion seen in both rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis, as well as the characteristic process of aberrant bone formation observed in spondyloarthritis. Lastly, chronic inflammatory arthritis leads to systemic bone involvement, resulting in systemic bone loss and consequent osteoporosis, along with increased skeletal fragility.
Vegetative filter strips for reducing atrazine and sediment runoff transport

ABSTRACT: A rainfall simulation study was performed on twelve vegetative filter strips (VFS), six 1.5 × 4.6 m (5 × 15 ft) long, and six 1.5 × 9.1 m (5 × 30 ft) long, to determine: (1) the effects of vegetative filter strips on atrazine and sediment transport in runoff inflow with an average of 7,650 mg L-1 sediment (WS) and no-sediment (NS), and (2) the effects of vegetative filter strips length (4.6 and 9.1 m) (15 and 30 ft), and thus area ratio (with constant width), on atrazine and sediment transport. Herbicide runoff losses were simulated by adding a dilute atrazine solution as inflow (with sediment and without sediment) to the upper end of the vegetative filter strips. The with-sediment treatment was used to represent conventional tillage, while the without-sediment treatment represented no-tillage. Atrazine, and bromide (Br) as a hydrologic tracer, were dissolved in the inflow to the vegetative filter strips at a concentration of approximately 1 and 23 mg L-1, respectively. The results showed that for the with-sediment inflow treatment, the 87% reduction in sediment transport for the 9.1 m (30 ft) vegetative filter strips was significantly (P = 0.05) greater than the 71% reduction for the 4.6 m (15 ft) vegetative filter strips. There was no significant difference in atrazine transport between the with-sediment and without-sediment treatments, but the 80% reduction in atrazine transport for the 9.1m (30 ft) vegetative filter strips was significantly greater than the 31% reduction for the 4.6 m (15 ft) vegetative filter strips. Infiltration of inflow was a dominant factor in reducing atrazine transport with vegetative filter strips, and the Br data showed that a higher proportion of inflow infiltrated than did rainfall.
Early Bronze Age Strata at Tell Ghanem Al-Ali Along the Middle Euphrates in Syria: A Preliminary Report of 14C Dating Results

We collected charcoal fragments during an archaeological excavation at the Tell Ghanem al-Ali site, located on the lowest terrace of the middle Euphrates River, and measured their radiocarbon ages with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Two trenches, Square-1 and Square-2, were dug on the slope of the tell; 8 building levels were detected in the Square-2 trench. In total, 31 charcoal samples were collected from the 2 trenches, and their calibrated ages ranged from 3100–2900 cal BC at the lowest building level to 2400–2050 cal BC at the uppermost layers of the mound, and concentrated in the period 2650–2450 cal BC. The pottery fragments collected on the surface of the mound before the excavation survey was started, as well as those collected from the sediment layers during the excavation, were assigned on the basis of typological sequences to the Early Bronze Age (EB)-III and EB-IV periods. Thus, the concentrated dates (2650–2450 cal BC) obtained by 14C dating are consistent with the age estimated by archaeological contexts. However, the oldest dates of the lowest level (level-7) go back to 3100–2900 cal BC, and these dates may suggest the existence of the human residence prior to the EB period at the site, and may therefore lead to a revision of the oldest age limit of the EB period currently accepted in the region.
Use of volcanic aerosols to study the tropical stratospheric reservoir

Aerosol data obtained by the advanced very high resolution radiometer on NOAA 11, the improved stratospheric and mesospheric sounder on the upper atmospheric research satellite, one airborne lidar system, and several ground-based lidar systems up to 2-1/2 years after the eruption of Mount Pinatubo are used to study stratospheric dynamics. In particular, this study focuses on the tropical stratospheric reservoir and transport from it to northern midlatitudes following the eruption of Mount Pinatubo. This includes: The build-up and removal rates for sulfate aerosol, the position and motion of the center of the reservoir, and the position and width of its boundaries at altitudes of the volcanic aerosols. Ozone data from the total ozone mapping spectrometer were also used to study the position and width of the reservoir boundaries. In addition, ground-based lidar stratospheric aerosol data are used to study aerosol transport from the reservoir to the northern hemisphere as it relates to winds in the tropical stratosphere. Finally, historical in situ and satellite data were used to examine how the time and location of volcanic injections into the stratosphere affect the aerosol decay rates and seasonal variations of aerosol optical depth in the midlatitude stratosphere.