bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The application value of age-adjusted Charlson and Elixhauser-vw comorbidity index in predicting the prognosis of patients undergoing heart valve surgery
Authors: Lv Xingping , Liu Xiaobin , Li Chen , Zhou Wei , Sheng Shuyue , Shen Yezhou , Shen Tuo , Ma Qimin , Ma Shaolin , Zhu Feng
Published: February 2024

Objective: Comparing the efficacy of the Age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (ACCI) and the Elixhauser-vw Comorbidity Index (ECI-vw) in predicting mortality risk in patients undergoing heart valve surgery.
Methods: Utilizing R language for clinical data extraction from the INSPIRE Database and employing the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve to assess ACCI and ECI-vw with in-hospital all-cause mortality, as well as all-cause mortality within 7 and 28 days post-surgery in patients with heart valve disease. This study further identifies the optimal cutoff value and conducts subgroup analysis to validate their application efficacy.
Results: A total of 996 patients were included in the study, comprising 931 survivors and 65 cases of in-hospital all-cause mortality. Of these, 13 patients passed away within 7 days post-surgery, and 32 succumbed within 28 days post-surgery. The area under the curve (AUC) for ACCI in predicting in-hospital all-cause mortality was 0.658 (95% CI: 0.584, 0.732), while the AUC for ECI-vw in predicting the same outcome was 0.663 (95% CI: 0.584, 0.741). For predicting all-cause mortality within 7 days post-surgery, the AUC of ACCI was 0.680 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.56), and for ECI-vw, it was 0.532 (95% CI: 0.353, 0.712). Regarding the prediction of all-cause mortality within 28 days after surgery, the AUC for ACCI was 0.724 (95% CI: 0.622, 0.827), and for ECI-vw, it was 0.653 (95% CI: 0.538, 0.69). Patients were categorized into two groups based on the ACCI cutoff value of 3.5, including Group 1 (ACCI <3.5 points, 823 cases) and Group 2 (ACCI > 3.5 points, 173 cases). The overall survival rate for these two patient groups was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, revealing that the 28-day postoperative survival rate for patients in Group 1 was significantly higher than that for patients in Group 2 (P <0.0001).
Conclusions: ACCI demonstrates significant predictive value for in-hospital all-cause mortality within 28 days following cardiac valve disease surgery. Patients presenting with an ACCI greater than 3.5 exhibit an increased risk of mortality within 28 days post-surgery compared to those with an ACCI less than 3.5. This finding suggests that the ACCI can serve as a preliminary tool for assessing the prognosis of patients undergoing this type of surgical intervention.
In-Situ Monitoring and Origins of Increased Air Pollutants in the North Pacific Upper Troposphere: Insights from PGGM/IAGOS Carbon Monoxide Measurements aboard the China Airlines A340-300 Commercial Aircraft (July 2012 - February 2013)
Authors: Wang Kuo-Ying , Nedelec Philippe , Thouret Valerie , Clark Hannah , Wahner Andreas , Petzold Andreas
Published: February 2024

This research focuses on regular in-situ measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) in the upper troposphere over the North Pacific. Utilizing the Pacific Greenhouse Gases Measurement (PGGM)/In-Service Aircraft for a Global Observing System (IAGOS) air-based measurement project, our study conducted measurements aboard a commercial Airbus A340-300 (B18806) operated by China Airlines (CAL). Data collection spanned from July 2012 to February 2013.Our findings indicate a discernible increase in anthropogenic CO pollution in the North Pacific upper troposphere from 1991 to 2012. Comparison with NASA aircraft missions from 1991, 1994, and 2001 further substantiates this rise. Elevated CO concentrations (> 160 ppbv) were prominent in the summer months of July and August, followed by September, while concentrations were lower (< 100 ppbv) from October 2012 to February 2013.The results underscore effective vertical transport of ground-level anthropogenic pollutants to the upper troposphere. HYSPLIT model calculations affirm that Asian industrial regions at ground level are the primary sources of CO pollution in the downwind areas of the North Pacific upper troposphere.This study enhances our understanding of temporal variations and sources of CO pollution in this specific region, utilizing routine in-situ measurements on commercial aircraft to contribute valuable insights to air quality and pollution transport dynamics.
Relationship between paraspinal muscle properties and bone mineral density based on QCT in patients with lumbar disc herniation
Authors: Li Ze , Chen Junrong , Yang Jian , Wang Ran , Wang Wenbin
Published: February 2024

Objective
Increasing research suggests that paraspinal muscle fat infiltration may be a potential biological marker for the assessment of osteoporosis. Our aim was to investigate the relationship between lumbar paraspinal muscle properties on MRI and volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) based on QCT in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH).
Methods
A total of 383 patients (aged 24–76 years, 193 females) with clinically and radiologically diagnosed LDH were enrolled in this retrospective study. The muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and the proton density fat fraction (PDFF) were measured for the multifidus (MF), erector spinae (ES) and psoas major (PS) at the central level of L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1 on lumbar MRI. QCT was used to measure the vBMD of two vertebral bodies at L1 and L2 levels. Patients were divided into three groups based on their vBMD values: normal bone density group (> 120 mg/cm3), osteopenia group (80 to 120 mg/cm3) and osteoporosis group (< 80 mg/cm3). The differences in paraspinal muscle properties among three vBMD groups were tested by one-way ANOVA with post hoc analysis. The relationships between paraspinal muscle properties and vBMD were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. Furthermore, the association between vBMD and paraspinal muscle properties was further evaluated using multiple linear regression analysis, with age and sex also included as predictors.
Results
Among the 383 LDH patients, 191 had normal bone density, 129 had osteopenia and 63 had osteoporosis. In LDH patients, compared to normal and osteopenia group, paraspinal muscle PDFF was significantly greater in osteoporosis group, while paraspinal muscle CSA was lower (p < 0.001). After adjusting for age and sex, it was found that MF PDFF and PS CSA were found to be independent factors influencing vBMD (p < 0.05).
Conclusion
In patients with LDH, paraspinal muscle properties measured by IDEAL-IQ sequence and lumbar MR scan were found to be related to vBMD. There was a correlation between the degree of paraspinal muscle PDFF and decreasing vBMD, as well as a decrease paraspinal muscle CSA with decreasing vBMD. These findings suggest that clinical management should consider offering tailored treatment options for patients with LDH based on these associations.
WITHDRAWN: Phthalate intake in Chinese homes and its contribution to total intake among children
Authors: Ataei Yeganeh , Sun Yuexia , Zhu Changqi , Zhao Yuxuan
Published: February 2024

Phthalate exposure may affect human health, with particular concerns for children. We measured the phthalates concentration in urine and settled dust samples taken from children’s bedroom. The phthalates particle and gas phases concentrations were calculated using equilibrium partitioning. The daily intakes of four phthalates namely di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DnBP), and diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP) were estimated from concentration of urine metabolite and the corresponding indoor intake was extrapolated through three indoor environment exposure routes namely, dermal absorption, inhalation and ingestion in children aged 0–8 years old. The primary indoor intake routes of low-molecular-weight phthalates DnBP, DiBP, and DEP were found to be dermal absorption (with median value of 0.27, 0.20, and 0.019 µg/d/kg-bw, respectively), followed by inhalation (with median value of 0.24, 0.18, and 0.02 µg/d/kg-bw, respectively). For DEHP, a high molecular weight phthalate dust ingestion was the predominant route for indoor intake among the children (with median value of 0.13 µg/d/kg-bw). Our findings emphasised the significant contribution of indoor intake to total exposure levels for DnBP and DiBP (with median values of 77.5% and 39.6%, respectively). Furthermore, our study revealed that as age increased indoor phthalate intake decreased. In conclusion, the results suggested that indoor phthalates exposure played an important role when considering their intakes and the consequent health effects.
Comparing proximal and intrarenal venous flow values for renal prognosis in sepsis patients: A prospective cohort study
Authors: Zhao Hua , Lian Hui , Zhao Hua , Liu Dawei , Wang xiaoting
Published: February 2024

Background
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication of sepsis. While impaired renal venous reflux indicates renal congestion, the relationship between AKI outcomes and hemodynamic parameters remains debated. This study aimed to investigate the utility of renal venous flow patterns in various regions of septic patients and to explore the association between hemodynamic parameters and renal function prognosis.
Methods
In this single-center, prospective longitudinal study, adult sepsis patients diagnosed with AKI were enrolled. Renal ultrasonography was performed within 24 hours of ICU admission (D1), then repeated at D3 and D5. Patterns of proximal renal venous flow (PRVF) and intrarenal venous flow (IRVF) patterns were confirmed by two blinded sonographers. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate renal prognosis, and cumulative incidence curves were generated for renal function recovery time.
Results
The study included 96 septic patients. Inconsistencies between PRVF and IRVF patterns occurred in 31.9%, with PRVF patterns being more severe in 88% of these. A relatively strong correlation was observed between PRVF and CVP, but this trend was less evident in IRVF. Patients with a discontinuous monophasic PRVF pattern at admission had worse renal prognosis than those with other patterns. When grouped by IRVF pattern at admission, significant differences were found only between the discontinuous monophasic and continuous groups (P= 0.044). The 28-day renal prognosis was poorer in the PRVF 5-day non-improvement group compared to the 3‑day improvement group (P = 0.001) and 5-day improvement group (P = 0.012). Patients with a persistent monophasic PRVF pattern within 5 days had a worse prognosis than the non-monophasic group (P = 0.005).
Conclusion
Our study reveals that patterns of PRVF and IRVF are not entirely congruent, stepwise evaluation is useful in determining the intervention site for renal vein reflux disorders. A discontinuous monophasic PRVF pattern at admission was associated with a poorer renal prognosis. Early improvement in PRVF pattern is crucial for better renal function prognosis.
This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NTC06159010. Retrospectively registered 28 November 2023.
Retinal and choroidal efficacy of switching treatment to faricimab in recalcitrant neovascular age related macular degeneration
Authors: Eckardt Franziska , Lorger Anna , Klaas Julian Elias , Schworm Benedikt , Kreutzer Thomas , Priglinger Siegfried , Siedlecki Jakob
Published: February 2024

Aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of switching treatment to faricimab in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) from other anti-VEGF agents. Fifty-eight eyes of fifty-one patients with nAMD and a full upload series of four faricimab injections were included. Demographic data, multimodal imaging and treatment parameters were recorded. The primary outcome measures were changes in central subfield thickness (CST) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT). A subgroup analysis was performed for eyes with prior ranibizumab (R) or aflibercept (A) treatment. Mean injection intervals before and after switching were comparable (33.8 ± 11.2 vs. 29.3 ± 2.6 days; p = 0.08). Mean CST of 361.4 ± 108.1 µm prior to switching decreased significantly to 318.3 ± 97.7 µm (p < 0.01) after the third faricimab injection, regardless of prior anti-VEGF treatment (p < 0.01). Although SFCT slightly improved for the whole cohort from 165.8 ± 76.8 µm to 161.0 ± 82,8 µm (p = 0.029), subgroup analysis did not confirm this positive effect (subgroup R: p = 0.604; subgroup A: p = 0.306). In patients with a suboptimal response to aflibercept or ranibizumab in nAMD, farcimab can improve CST and slightly improve or maintain SFCT. Further prospective randomized trials are warranted.
Sensing based on plasmon-induced transparency in H-shaped graphene-based metamaterials
Authors: Wu Xiongxiong , Chen Jiani , Wang Shaolong , Ren Yang , Yang Yanning
Published: February 2024

Graphene can support surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in terahertz band and the graphene SPPs sensors are widely used in the field of terahertz micro- and nano-optical devices. In this paper, we propose an H-shaped graphene metasurface and use finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method to investigate its generated plasmon-induced transparency (PIT) phenomenon. Our results show that the Fermi energy levels, as well as the certain shape parameters, can effectively modulate the PIT phenomenon of the proposed structure. Interestingly, changing some of these shape parameters can excite two dips into three. In terms of sensing performance, the maximum values of sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM) are 1.4028 THz/RIU and 17.97, respectively. These findings offer valuable guidance for the use of terahertz micro-nano optical graphene SPPs sensors.
Case Report:The Combination of Surgical and Pharmacological Treatment for Basal Ganglia Cryptococcal Meningitis
Authors: Li Menghui , Chen Ping , Li Dong-Yue , Chen Ke-En , Liao Jian-Cheng , Zheng Xiao-Yu , Zhang Mao-Ying
Published: February 2024

Objective
To summarize the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and therapy of cryptococcal meningitis (CM) individuals.
Methods
Broad literature research has been conducted as well as the author’s own clinical experienced has been reviewed.
Results
Articles from the most recent 30 years have been collected while a typical case of our own has been presented. A total of 339 literatures were retrieved from PubMed database, and the inclusion criteria were as follows :1. Patients diagnosed with intracranial cryptococcal infection 2. Exclusion criteria for patients treated with drugs, surgery, or a combination of both: Patients who have died before receiving any treatment.Based on the most updated evidence, the combined therapy of surgery and pharmacology of CM has been proposed.
Conclusion
For patients who suffered from CM are untreated, the mortality rate is 100%. Even after some treatment, the mortality rate remains from 20%-60%. The early symptoms of CM often include fever, headache, nausea, or vomiting, some of them are accompanied with fatigue in the lower limps. Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) gram stain or the pathological analysis of brain tissue is highly specific for diagnosis, while head CT and MRI also play a supportive role in it. The first attempt of clinical treatment for CM, which is often caused by the immunodeficiency, is through pharmacological therapy. Surgical management mainly includes cerebrospinal fluid drainage and excision of the lesion to reduce the encephaledema. Both therapies have their own pros and cons.
Whole genome sequencing reveals differences in the genetic landscape of interval and screen-detected breast cancer
Authors: Houlston Richard , Mills Charlie , Sud Amit , Everall Andrew , Chubb Daniel , Lawrence Samuel , Kinnersley Ben , Cornish Alex , Bentham Robert
Published: February 2024

Interval breast cancers (IBCs) are cancers diagnosed between screening episodes. Understanding the biological differences between IBCs and screen-detected breast-cancers (SDBCs) has the potential to improve mammographic screening and patient management. We analysed and compared the genomic landscape of 288 IBCs and 473 SDBCs by whole genome sequencing of paired tumour-normal patient samples collected as part of the UK 100,000 Genomes Project. Compared to SDBCs, IBCs were more likely to be lobular, higher grade, and triple negative. A more aggressive clinical phenotype was reflected in IBCs displaying features of genomic instability including a higher mutation rate and number of chromosomal structural abnormalities, defective homologous recombination and TP53 mutations. We did not however, find evidence to indicate that IBCs are associated with a different immune response. While IBCs do not represent a unique molecular class of invasive breast cancer they exhibit a more aggressive phenotype, which is likely to be a consequence of the timing of tumour initiation. This information is relevant both with respect to treatment as well as defining the screening interval for mammography.
Supplementation of a high-fat diet with pentadecylresorcinol increases the representation of Akkermansia muciniphila in the mouse small and large intestines and may protect against complications caused by imbalanced nutrition
Authors: Zabolotneva Anastasia A. , Vasiliev Ilya Yu. , Grigoryeva Tatyana V. , Gaponov Andrei M. , Chekhonin Vladimir P. , Roumiantsev Sergei A. , Shestopalov Aleksandr V.
Published: February 2024

Imbalanced nutrition such as a high-fat/high-carbohydrate diet, is associated with negative effects on human health. The composition and metabolic activity of the human gut microbiota are closely related to the type of diet and have been shown to significantly change in response to changes in food content and food supplement administration. Alkylresorcinols (ARs) are lipophilic molecules that have been found to improve lipid metabolism and glycemic control and decrease systemic inflammation. Furthermore, alkylresorcinol intake is associated with changes in intestinal microbiota metabolic activity. However, the exact mechanism through which alkylresorcinols modulate microbiota activity and host metabolism has not been determined. In this study, alterations in the small intestinal microbiota (SIM) and the large intestinal microbiota (LIM) in mice fed a high-fat diet with or without pentadecylresorcinol (C15) supplementation were investigated. High-throughput sequencing was applied for jejunal and colonic microbiota analysis. The results revealed that supplementation of C15 in combination with a high-fat diet could decrease blood glucose levels. High-throughput sequencing analysis indicated that C15 intake significantly increased (p < 0.0001) the abundance of the probiotic bacteria Akkermansia muciniphila and Bifidobacterium pseudolongum both in the small and large intestines and increased the alpha diversity of LIM (p < 0.05), but not SIM. The preliminary results suggested that one of the mechanisms of the protective effects of alkylresorcinol on a high-fat diet is the modulation of the content of SIM and LIM and metabolic activity to increase the probiotic bacteria that alleviate unhealthy metabolic changes in the host.
Initiation Time of Trophic Feeding and Associated Factors Among Preterm Neonates Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Public Hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Authors: Tachbele Erdaw , Hassen Mehuba , Admasu Mekonen
Published: February 2024

Background Trophic feeding is the introduction of a minimal volume of enteral nutrition, up to 24 ml/kg/day for the first several days of life. The purpose of this study was to determine the initiation time of trophic feeding and associated factors among preterm neonates admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa. Patients and Methods: Institution-based prospective follow-up study was conducted among 153 preterm neonates admitted to NICU in selected hospitals from Feb-20 to April 20, 2023. Data were collected using the KoboCollect app and entered in STATA version 14 for cleaning and analysis. The Kaplan-Meier survival curve and Cox proportional hazards models were used for analysis. Result A total of 153 neonates were followed for 6853 person-hours of risk time and 130 (85%) of neonates were initiated trophic feeding. The incidence rate of initiating trophic feeding was 1.9 per 100 person-hours observations with a median time of 41 hours (95% CI: 31–45). Gestational age < 34 weeks (AHR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.37–0.79), APGAR score at first minute < 7 (AHR:0.4, 95% CI: 0.25–0.65), APGAR score at fifth minute < 7 (AHR:0.51, 95% CI: 0.34–0.79), being small for gestational age (AHR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.33–0.88), cesarean section delivery (AHR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.31–0.71), being delivered out of the studied hospitals (AHR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.30–0.83), having respiratory distress syndrome (AHR: 0.63, 95% CI: 0.43–0.94) and having hemodynamic instability (AHR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.31–0.68) were statistically significant associated factors for the delay of initiation of trophic feeding. Conclusion In this study, a significant delay in the initiation time of trophic feeding and several predictors were identified. Therefore, health institutions should work on these predictors to shorten the initiation time and reduce complications associated with the delay.
Cross-architecture Tuning of Silicon and SiGe-based Quantum Devices Using Machine Learning
Authors: Severin B. , Lennon D. T. , Camenzind L. C. , Vigneau F. , Fedele F. , Jirovec D. , Ballabio A. , Chrastina D. , Isella G. , Kruijf M. , Carballido M. J. , Svab S. , Kuhlmann A. V. , Braakman F. R. , Geyer S. , Froning F. N. M. , Moon H. , Osborne M. A. , Sejdinovic D. , Katsaros G. , Zumbühl D. M. , Briggs G. A. D. , Ares N.
Published: February 2024

The potential of Si and SiGe-based devices for the scaling of quantum circuits is tainted by device variability. Each device needs to be tuned to operation conditions and each device realisation requires a different tuning protocol. We demonstrate that it is possible to automate the tuning of a 4-gate Si FinFET, a 5-gate GeSi nanowire and a 7-gate Ge/SiGe heterostructure double quantum dot device from scratch with the same algorithm. We achieve tuning times of 30, 10, and 92 minutes, respectively. The algorithm also provides insight into the parameter space landscape for each of these devices, allowing for the characterization of the regions where double quantum dot regimes are found. These results show that overarching solutions for the tuning of quantum devices are enabled by machine learning.
Myasthenia Gravis: Utilising cross-platform quantitative content analysis to uncover and validate unmet needs
Authors: Legg David , Meisel Andreas , Stein Maike , Gerischer Lea , Herdick Meret , Krueger Daniela , Mergenthaler Philipp , Massaneck Lars , Lehnerer Sophie
Published: February 2024

Background and Aims: Recent years have seen a rapid growth in the number of online health communities targeted at patients with long-term conditions. Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a rare neurological disease for which such communities have not been analysed before. The aim of this study was to better understand the needs of the MG population through the collation and categorisation of questions that users of MG social media were asking fellow users on these platforms. Methodology: Systematic observation of four MG Facebook groups was conducted over a two-month period. Groups were selected for analysis based on the following systematic criteria: Language (English), Membership (≥ 5000 members), group activity (≥ 2 posts per week), target audience (general MG population: no specified sub-group e.g. country or gender based) and researcher engagement with group administrators. The study protocol was reviewed by the institutional review board of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (EA2/106/22). During the observation period, data was extracted from individual posts featuring questions made across each group using a systematic and objective coding scheme. All data points were coded directly from the source and collated into an SPSS database (IBM SPSS V.27, SPSS). Absolute and relative frequencies were calculated for categorical variables and proportions were compared across groups to validate the credibility and relevance of different requests. Results: Of the 2062 posts observed (N = 2062), 1392 featured questions (n = 1392). Questions were asked by 787 unique users: 531 were identified as one-time users (67%) and 256 were identified as repeat users (33%). 656 users were classified as diagnosed (83%), 61 as seeking diagnosis (8%), 69 as family and/or friends (9%) and 1 as other (< 0%). Eight unique categories of questions were observed including MG treatment (31%), Symptoms (19%), Living with MG (12%), Diagnosis (10%), non-MG medication (11%), Tests (8%), Location (4%) and Other (4%). Conclusions: Members of the MG population make active use of online health communities to seek and discuss practical information concerning various aspects of the disease, its diagnosis and care. The openness and willingness of the sample population to share sensitive medical information shows a high need for information not entirely catered to by the medical profession.
Social network textual data classification through a hybrid word embedding approach and Bayesian conditional-based multiple classifiers
Authors: Ghorbanali Alireza
Published: February 2024

Sentiment analysis (SA) of text holds a pivotal role in today's digital age, particularly within the realm of social media networks. The analysis of textual sentiments emerges as a critical facet of NLP. In social media, individuals extensively engage with a multitude of texts and opinions. SA empowers us to delve into and discover these opinions, sentiments, and viewpoints, thereby extracting valuable insights on a wide array of subjects. The significance of word embeddings for processing textual data lies in their ability to represent words as dense vectors, enabling machines to capture semantic relationships and contextual nuances, thereby enhancing various natural language processing tasks. There are two popular and famous models, BERT and GloVe, for embedding words. Currently, GloVe is considered one of the most precise approaches. However, this method does not take into account the sentiment information present in texts. Consequently, we opted to utilize pre-trained BERT models, which have been trained on extensive text corpora, in combination with the GloVe model to address this limitation. This study leverages a hybrid word embedding model combining BERT and GloVe. Several classifiers are employed to analyze text sentiment. At the decision level, we employ Bayesian Conditional to integrate current results with prior decisions. When combining previous decisions with new ones, the model achieves higher accuracy by refining or adjusting decisions in light of new evidence. Our approach demonstrates notable results, showcasing its practical significance. The results of the experiments on IMDB, Sentiment140, and Twitter US Airline datasets demonstrate that the proposed approach has achieved favorable results, with accuracies of 0.958, 0.925, and 0.946 respectively. These results are considered acceptable when compared to those of other similar studies.
Integrating planetary health into the continuing professional development and training in family medicine: protocol for a scoping literature review
Authors: Bates Oisín Brady , Freeman Natasha , Arslan Simal , Abdi Zahra , Oyekan Adedoyin , Gorgu Genco , Campedelli Lorenzo , Gokdemir Ozden , Stanistreet Debbi
Published: February 2024

Introduction
Family doctors are already required to address the profound physical and mental health impacts of climate change. Some European countries such as the UK are beginning to incorporate Planetary Health into the medical and postgraduate family doctor curriculum to equip future GPs with the skills to manage these impacts. However, qualified GPs who have completed their training may not have received any formal teaching on Planetary Health and will have missed this important aspect of general practice. We explore the current integration of Planetary Health for European Family Doctors training curriculum.
Methods
This study is a scoping review based on Arksey and O'Malley's methodology, and Levac et al's methodological enhancement. The approach for this review will be adopted from the systematic protocol published by Moloo et al. 2022.
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) will be used to guide the reporting of the scoping review.
Discussion
This scoping review will examine the current integration of planetary health into postgraduate family medicine training and continued professional development, globally. Outcomes will be categorised within the domains of the Planetary Health Education Framework, which incorporates concepts of systems thinking, social justice and interconnection within nature as they apply to education for planetary health. To our knowledge, no other review has been published which addresses this research question. This review will be the first step to formally identify the current landscape of planetary health education for family medicine trainees, and will be used to inform a stakeholder consensus process in the ongoing development of a live “Planetary Health in General Practice” information catalogue and online dashboard. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentations.
Trial registration
This protocol has been registered in Open Science Framework: 10.17605/OSF.IO/DX5PG
Ethics and dissemination
As no intervention or patient recruitment will be required, research ethics board approval is not applicable. We plan to disseminate our results via publication in a peer-reviewed journal or conference presentation.
Development of a Nomogram for Fetal Evans Index
Authors: Sakcak Bedri , Tanacan Atakan , Denizli Ramazan , Farisogullari Nihat , Özkavak Osman Onur , Aktaş Sadık Orhun , Uzuner Petek , Demirci Harun , Kara Ozgur , Şahin Dilek
Published: February 2024

Purpose
This study aims to investigate the fetal Evans Index and establish a nomogram for fetuses without any additional fetal anomalies detected during the prenatal period.
Methods
We conducted our research at Ankara City Hospital, including 894 patients who were admitted and evaluated between gestational weeks 16–40. These patients had no fetal anomalies detected in subsequent gestational weeks. Descriptive data, such as age, gravidity, parity, and body mass index (BMI), were recorded. Gestational week and Evans Index (mean, median, standard deviation, minimum, maximum, percentile) were also documented. The Evans index was calculated as the ratio between the maximal width of the frontal horns and the maximal width of the inner diameter of the cranium.
Results
We evaluated 894 fetuses in pregnant women had no fetal anomalies detected throughout the pregnancy. The evaluation took place at different gestational weeks, and a nomogram for the Evans Index was created.
Conclusion
It is relevant for clinicians and researchers to be aware of the range of fetal Evans Index values across different gestational weeks as a prognostic criterion.
Supply Chain Disruptions: Firm-level evidence from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake
Authors: zimmer lucas
Published: February 2024

In this article, we employed firm-level data from France and a difference-in-differences approach to examine how input shortages propagate through global value chains, using the Tohoku earthquake as a natural experiment. Our findings reveal an 8% relative decrease in imports for French firms sourcing inputs from Japan, with more substantial declines for those highly reliant on Japanese suppliers. This is coupled with a 12.8% relative increase in imports from China for these exposed firms. Additionally, we discover that this transition is primarily driven by the top 5% of large firms and is prominently observed within the automotive sector. Regarding the transmission of input shortages through the global supply chain, we find that this shock only affects the exports of firms with the lowest levels of inventory, exhibiting variations across sectors and a time-dependent pattern. Surprisingly, these affected firms have not adjusted their inventory strategies from just-in-time practices to safety stocks.
Classification JEL F1, F6.
InterviewEase : AI-powered interview assistance
Authors: Kothari Param , Mehta Paras , Patil Srushti , Hole Prof. Varsha
Published: February 2024

InterviewEase addresses the need for automating the placement preparation process with a comprehensive AI-driven placement preparation platform, comprising three modules: (1) a ChatGPT-based skill gap analyzer recommending skill-enhancing projects based on the skill gap between resume and job requirements; (2) a mock interview platform utilizing gesture detection, speech emotion recognition, and answer similarity algorithms for comprehensive feedback on posture, speech, and answers; (3) a customizable question generator with adjustable difficulty levels. The mock interview module attains the following accuracy levels: 98\% for body gesture detection, 82\% for speech emotion recognition, and 92\% for answer similarity comparison.
Application of nonlinear energy sink in suppressing wheel shimmy for advanced vehicle chassis design under independent wheel subsystems
Authors: Lu Hangyu , Habib Giuseppe , Wu Xiaodong , Ren Yuankai , Yan Liang
Published: February 2024

Novel structures in vehicle control-by-wire chassis have re-emphasized the problem of wheel shimmy. Proper suppression of shimmy in the independent wheel subsystems would significantly improve the performance of the steer-by-wire control. In this paper, a wheel shimmy suppression method using a nonlinear energy sink is proposed. Compared with traditional methods of increasing steering damping, NES seldom interferes with the designed steering dynamics of the vehicle due to its particularly small mass and volume, thus reserving availability for in-service or after-designed vehicles. By installing NES in the wheel frame, a single towed wheel model with NES is constructed. Although NES has almost no effect on the linear stability characteristics, an excellent effect on suppressing vibration amplitudes is explored where over 90% oscillation amplitude of shimmy is mitigated by NES within a wide range of reasonable parameters. Global optimization for optimal NES set-up in unstable speed ranges is further proposed to handle the speed-dependent nature of shimmy, and the result highlights its effectiveness and parameter robustness. Integration of the single-wheel model into the full vehicle with independent steering structures summarizes that NES could be a favorable way to both suppress the existing shimmy phenomenon and control the coupled lateral oscillations of the vehicle body.
Gap analysis of strategies for promoting interprofessional teams in healthcare units
Authors: Salehi Reza , Asl Iravan Masoudi , Gorji Hasan Abolghasem , Gharaee Hojatolah
Published: February 2024

Introduction The effectiveness of a healthcare unit is largely dependent on how well its interprofessional teams work together. Unfortunately, there are often shortcomings in the strategies used to improve these teams. To address this issue, a study was conducted to analyze the performance gap in the area of strategies for promoting work teams in healthcare units. Method In this study, a mixed-method approach was utilized to systematically review qualitative and quantitative studies focused on identifying strategies for enhancing interprofessional teams in healthcare units. The researcher employed an Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies aimed at improving interprofessional teams in four specialized clinical training centers located in Hamadan province, Iran. Fining This research conducted a systematic review to identify the necessary dimensions and components to enhance interprofessional teamwork in health systems. A gap analysis was then carried out to evaluate strategies for promoting interprofessional teams in medical centers. Based on the systematic review, the solutions for promoting interprofessional teams were categorized into seven categories, including contextual, strategic, communication, organizational, individual, Human Resources Management (HRM), and environmental aspects. These categories consist of a total of 36 components. The gap analysis results indicate that the HRM aspect shows the largest performance gap (1.243), followed by the organizational aspect (0.588), the individual aspect (0.499), and finally, the contextual aspect (0.496). The HRM aspect has been identified as an area of weakness despite its high importance and its performance is significantly below the ideal level. On the other hand, the environmental aspect is relatively less important and falls under the category of resource wastage. Some critical components such as incentives/rewards/attention to workforce needs, roles and responsibilities, financial resources to support work, facilitate team-initiated innovation and the culture of respect fall under the weak area. Conclusion Implementing teamwork in healthcare can be challenging due to the complexity of structures and the involvement of various specialist employees. However, with the right strategies and tools, these barriers can be overcome, leading to an improvement in the quality of healthcare and ensuring the health of the community. The IPA tool allowed for the identification of weak points, wasted resources, and acceptable areas to improve interprofessional teamwork in medical centers.
BCL6B-dependent Suppression of ETV2 Hampers Endothelial Cell Differentiation
Authors: Li Zhonghao , Wu Wei , Li Qiushi , Heng Xin , Zhang Wei , Zhu Yinghong , Chen Lin , Chen Ziqi , Shen Mengcheng , Ma Ning , Xiao Qingzhong , Yan Yi
Published: February 2024

Background
B-cell CLL/lymphoma 6 member B (BCL6B) operates as a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor within the nucleus, playing crucial roles in various biological functions, including tumor suppression, immune response, stem cell self-renew, and vascular angiogenesis. However, whether BCL6B is involved in endothelial cell (EC) development has remained largely unknown. ETS variant transcription factor 2 (ETV2) is well known to facilitate EC differentiation. This study aims to determine the important role of BCL6B in EC differentiation and its potential mechanisms.
Methods
Doxycycline-inducible human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines with BCL6B overexpression or BCL6B knockdown was established and subjected to differentiate into ECs and vessel organoids (VOs). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of pluripotency and vascular-specific marker genes expression. EC differentiation efficiency was determined by Flow cytometry analysis. The performance of EC was evaluated by in vitro Tube formation assay. The protein expression and the vessel-like structures were assessed using immunofluorescence analysis or western blot. Finally, the transcriptional activity of ETV2 was identified by luciferase reporter gene assay.
Results
Generation of ECs and VOs from hiPSCs. Notably, overexpression of BCL6B suppressed while knockdown of BCL6B improved EC differentiation from hiPSCs. Additionally, the overexpression of BCL6B attenuated the capacity of derived hiPSC-ECs to form a tubular structure. Furthermore, compared to the control VOs, BCL6B overexpression repressed the growth of VOs, whereas BCL6B knockdown had little effect on the size of VOs. Subsequent experiments confirmed the inhibitory effect of BCL6B is facilitated by the binding of BCL6B to the promoter region of ETV2, led to the suppression of ETV2's transcriptional activity.
Conclusions
BCL6B inhibits EC differentiation and hinders VO development by repressing the transcriptional activity of ETV2.
Amoebicidal Effect of Chlorine Dioxide Gas against Pathogenic Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba polyphaga
Authors: Sohn Hae-Jin , Park A-Young , Lee Jeong-Heon , Yun Kyu-Hwa , Song Kyoung-Ju , Kim Jong-Hyun , Shin Ho-Joon
Published: February 2024

The pathogenic free-living amoebae, Naegleria fowleri and Acanthamoeba polyphaga are found in freshwater, soil, and unchlorinated or minimally chlorinated swimming pools. N. fowleri and A. polyphaga are becoming problematic as water leisure activities and drinking water are sources of infection. Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) gas is a potent disinfectant that is harmless to humans. In this study, we examined the amoebicidal effects of ClO2 gas on N. fowleri and A. polyphaga. These amoebae were exposed to ClO2 gas from a ready-to-use product (0.36 ppmv/h) for 12, 24, 36, and 48 h. Microscopic examination showed that the viability of N. fowleri and A. polyphaga was effectively inhibited by treatment with ClO2 gas in a time-dependent manner. The growth of N. fowleri and A. polyphaga exposed to ClO2 gas for 36 h was completely inhibited. In both cases, the mRNA levels of their respective actin genes were significantly reduced following treatment with ClO2 gas. ClO2 gas has an amoebicidal effect on N. fowleri and A. polyphaga. Therefore, ClO2 gas has been proposed as an effective agent for the prevention and control of pathogenic free-living amoeba contamination.
Clinical and Radiolographical Results of Locking Plate with Medial Support Screw in Proximal Humerus Fracture – The more, the better?
Authors: Lim Jun-Hyuk , Hwang Jaeyeon , Kim Sungmin , Kim Myung-Sun
Published: February 2024

Introduction: The calcar of the proximal humerus is a fundamental structure for medial humeral column support. This study aimed to assess the outcome of osteosynthesis across cases of unstable proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) with medial calcar comminution, following treatment with a PHILOS locking plate and medial support screw (MSS). Methods Between January 2010 and December 2018, we retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 121 cases of osteosynthesis for PHFs with medial column disruption. For the medial support, at least one oblique screw was inserted within 5 mm of the subchondral bone in the inferomedial quadrant of the humeral head. All patients were categorized into two groups: 26 patients in the single MSS group, and 95 in the multiple MSS group. Follow-up after at least an year involved clinical and radiographic outcome evaluations, and correspondingly measuring the Constant-Murley score, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder scale, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), major complications, neck-shaft angle (NSA), humeral head height (HHH), and the eventual time to bone union. Risk factors for the major complications were assessed by multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results The cohort’s mean age was 64.4 ± 15.4 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 19.5 ± 7.6 months. At the final follow-up, between the single MSS and multiple MSS groups, no significant differences in the Constant-Murley score (p = 0.367), UCLA score (p = 0.558), VAS (p = 0.571), time to bone union (p = 0.621), NSA loss (p = 0.424), and HHH loss (p = 0.364) were observed. The incidence of complications (p = 0.446) based on the number of MSS were not significantly different. The initial insufficient reduction after surgery (of NSA < 125°) was found to be a significant risk factor for post-surgical complications. Conclusions To treat unstable PHFs, the use of at least one MSS along with a locking plate system is sufficient to achieve satisfactory outcomes. Successful operative treatment using a locking plate for PHF treatment is inherent in anatomical fracture reduction, coupled with medial column support.
Ketamine role in the treatment of Maternal depression: effects on offspring behaviour
Authors: Thanoon Taqwa B. , Althanoon Zeina A.
Published: February 2024

Maternal depression during pregnancy adversely affects offspring neurodevelopment and behaviour. Typical antidepressants like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have limitations due to risks of crossing the placenta. Ketamine has emerged as a promising alternative treatment. This research examined ketamine's effects on offspring of maternally stressed mice. Dams were divided into control, maternal adversity, fluoxetine, and ketamine groups. Open field, sucrose preference, elevated plus maze, and forced swim tests assessed offspring anxiety, anhedonia, and despair. Maternal adversity increased anxiety-like behaviours and ketamine or fluoxetine reversed some effects. However, fluoxetine more effectively mitigated despair in forced swim tests. Ketamine moderately alleviated anhedonia versus controls. Further research on dose-response and timing is needed to optimize ketamine treatment. Mitigating maternal depression is crucial for preventing maladaptive offspring neurobehavioral trajectories.
Efficacy of a Zn-based metalorganic framework doped with benznidazole on acute experimental Trypanosoma cruzi infection
Authors: Sosa-Arroniz Anahí , López-Monteon Aracely , Peña-Rodríguez Rodolfo , Rivera-Villanueva José María , Torres-Montero Jesus , Ramos-Ligonio Angel
Published: February 2024

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have are known to enhance the activity of compounds when used as drug carriers due to their ability to cross the cell membrane, allowing for controlled and selective release. In this study, the effect of BNZ@Zn-MOFs on the acute phase of infection was evaluated in a mouse model. The particles were obtained by electroelution (EL), doped with BZN by mechanochemistry and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). BNZ@Zn-MOF released 80% of the BZN after 3 h. No cytotoxicity was observed in NIH-3T3 and HeLa cells. Antiparasitic activity was observed in a model of acute experimental infection in BALB/c mice, using a dose 250 times lower than that required for free BZN. PCR analysis showed no parasite DNA in the tissues of treated mice. Hematoxylin-eosin staining revealed no apparent damage to tissue architecture. Serum levels of liver function enzymes remained unchanged. The use of suboptimal doses of BZN in this delivery system allows the maintenance of drug activity and may facilitate a significant reduction in the side effects caused by drug administration in the treatment of Chagas disease.