bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the relationship between human factor and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE): An analysis through the adoption of analytic hierarchy process and ISO 22400
Authors: Luozzo Sebastiano Di , Starnoni Fiorenza , Schiraldi Massimiliano Maria
Published: July 2023

In the industrial field, one of the most widespread KPIs is represented by the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE), first introduced by Seiichi Nakajima within the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) theory and aimed at identifying the inefficiencies of industrial assets. While OEE has been objective of several studies, the relationship between the Overall Equipment Effectiveness and the role of the human factor in achieving its high levels of values has not been extensively investigated. In recent years few scientific studies have investigated the relationship, showing that there is a link between OEE and human factors, even significant, but not clearly identified yet. In order to examine this relationship, our study proposes a framework to clarify the links between human factors, OEE parameters, the industrial sector, and the degree of automation. This framework is then validated through the application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. As a result, 13 aspects related to the human factor were identified. Finally, the study provides practical guidance and implications for maximizing the outcomes of the investigation, with the goal of improving an organization’s overall manufacturing performance. By understanding the impact of the human factor on OEE, organizations can make informed decisions to optimize their operations and achieve higher levels of productivity.
Multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Nabizadeh Fardin , Azizi Ali , Hejrati Lina , Mousavi Maryam , Mehranzadeh Ali , Badihian Shervin , Tavallaei Mohammad Javad , Rahmanian Vahid , Shateri Amiri Bahareh , Rafiei-Sefiddashti Raheleh , Hejrati Alireza
Published: July 2023

Background

Comorbidity is a current area of interest in multiple sclerosis (MS) and is essential for multidisciplinary management. Although recent studies suggest that patients with MS have an elevated risk of developing inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the overall risk of developing ulcerative colitis (UC), specifically in patients with MS.

Methods

In 2021, a comprehensive literature search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science to identify studies investigating the association between UC and MS. The selected papers were utilized to estimate the associations, risk ratios (RRs), and a 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

The analysis revealed a slightly elevated risk of UC incidence in patients with MS compared to controls, but this finding was not statistically significant (RR: 1.27 [95% CI: 0.96–1.67]). In contrast, the study found that patients with UC have a significantly higher risk of developing MS than controls (RR: 1.66 [95% CI: 1.15–2.40]).

Conclusion

Our findings highlight that the presence of UC increases the risk of developing MS by more than 50%, whereas the presence of MS does not increase the risk of UC occurrence. These results underscore the importance of considering the potential development of UC in the clinical management and early diagnosis of patients with MS, as it may contribute to better therapeutic outcomes.
Towards abolitionist agrarian geographies of Kentucky
Authors: Graddy-Lovelace Garrett
Published: July 2023

This agrarian geography of Kentucky begins on the streets of the state's largest city, in the throes of antiracist struggle. It tracks the state's lingering colonial settler power dynamics through the racism of plantation, extraction, and carceral geographies. It then traces how resistance to these exploitations take root in place-based agri-food initiatives unfolding through urban-rural solidarity against white supremacist policing, prison systems, labor exploitation, and extractivism. It begins with a brief overview of the scale of reference of Kentucky itself. Situating the state entails addressing the trauma and topophilia (love of landscape) of its agrarian past and present. It draws upon bell hooks’ literary invocations of Kentucky-based agrarian visions, as well as place-based political ecology scholarship (seven years of Kentucky Agrarian Questions practitioner panels at the Dimensions of Political Ecology Conference at University of Kentucky). Following Black and abolitionist geographies, this agrarian geography traces rural and urban shared struggles for food sovereignty, environmental justice, and liberation from racism of carceral systems. It introduces Kentucky grassroots projects connecting and uniting rural and urban struggles against carceral violence and the racism therein, such as Hood to the Holler (a political initiative emerging from Black Lives Matter mobilizations for Breonna Taylor). The essay ends with reflections on the political-ecological contradictions and imperative of working through and beyond a settler-colonial-state scale of reference like Kentucky. To extricate from and dismantle plantation modes and carceral legacies, abolitionist agrarian geographies recover the reality of Black and Indigenous agrarian history, presence, and futures. As such, rooted in place-based reckoning, resistance, and responsibility, they offer hope.
Penile fracture in burkina faso: our experience on the management of 21 cases
Authors: Ouattara Adama , Paré Abdoul-Karim , Konaté Mireille , Yé Delphine , Simporé Mohamed , Kirakoya Brahima , Kaboré F. Aristide , Kambou Timothée
Published: July 2023

Background

Penile fracture is relatively a rare urological emergency and has been the topic of a few publications in the literature through clinical cases or case series. Despite this relative scarcity, it is increasingly reported as one of the andrological emergencies in Burkina Faso. The purpose of this study was to report our experience of the management of such andrological emergency in the two main university teaching hospitals of Burkina Faso.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study, including retrospectively patients managed for a penile fracture between January 2016 and September 2021, and having a minimum postoperative follow-up of 6 months. The literature review was performed by analyzing the content of the following documents: consultation logs, patient records, operative report protocol. The parameters studied were age, mechanism of occurrence, clinical data, delay of management, operative technique and functional and morphological results after surgery. Erectile function was assessed by the IIEF5 score and rigidity by the EHS scale.

Results

Among the 24 cases of penile fracture, 21 patients were included with a median age of 32.7 ± 5.74 years (23–43 years). The most common mechanism was a coital misstep or coitus interruptus (14 patients or 66.7%). Forced self-manipulation/masturbation was noted in 4 cases (19%), and direct trauma to the penis was noted in 3 cases (14.3%). Urethrorrhagia was reported by 5 patients. The mean delay of management was 65 h (6–432 h). The main sign found was the painful swelling of the penis with an “eggplant” appearance. The surgical approach was a circumferential balanopreputial incision in all our patients. Involvement of the spongy body and urethra associated with involvement of the cavernous body was noted in 4 patients, with a single case of spongy body and urethral involvement. The mean length of hospital stay was 3 days. Postoperatively, erectile dysfunction was noted in 6 patients. A palpable nodule at the penis was observed in 12 patients. No patient reported curvature of the penis.

Conclusion

Penile fracture is a clinical diagnosis requiring early exploration and surgical repair to ensure better functional and morphological outcomes.
Oral health profile and periodontal diseases awareness and knowledge among the jordanian population: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Naser Mustafa Yousef , Momani Moath , Naser Abdallah Y , Alarabeyat Musab Ali , Altarawneh Ahmad Mustafa Barakat , Aladwan Ahmad Shaher
Published: July 2023

Objective

To explore the oral health profile and periodontal diseases awareness and knowledge among the Jordanian population. In addition, we aimed to identify predictors of good knowledge of periodontal diseases.

Method

This was an online cross-sectional survey study that was conducted in Jordan between January and May 2022. A total of 13 item from the world health organisation (WHO) oral health questionnaire for adults were used to examine the oral health profile of our study participants. In addition, a previously developed questionnaire by Abdulbaqi et al. were adapted and used to examine participants’ knowledge about periodontal diseases. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of better knowledge of periodontal diseases.

Results

This study involved 1,099 participants in total. More than half of them (61.1%) claimed that throughout the previous 12 months, they had experienced pain or discomfort in their mouths or teeth. Nearly half of the participants said their teeth and gums were in good or very good condition. 70.7% said they brush their teeth once or more per day. The vast majority of them (93.0%) claimed to brush their teeth using toothpaste that contained 61.9% fluoride. The most frequent cited cause for dental visits was pain or difficulty with teeth, gums, or mouth (36.3%), according to almost one-third of study participants who said they had visited a dentist during the previous six months. The most commonly reported problems that occurs frequently due to the state of the participants’ teeth or mouth were avoiding smiling because of teeth, feeling embarrassed due to appearance of teeth, and having difficulty in biting foods with 11.0%, 10.2%, and 9.0%, respectively. Tea with sugar (16.5%) was the most frequently reported beverage as being consumed frequently on a daily basis. The most popular tobacco product to be smoked often on a daily basis was cigarettes (21.6%). For periodontitis knowledge questions, the percentage of accurate responses ranged from 32.3 to 55.8%. The majority of participants (55.8%) were able to recognize that poor oral hygiene is one of the most frequent causes of malodor, whereas the least number of participants (32.3%) were able to recognize that improper teeth brushing is a frequent cause of gingival recession.

Conclusion

The average degree of periodontitis knowledge among Jordanians was moderate. Along with it, there were modest oral hygiene practices. In order to prevent further oral complications that have a detrimental influence on patients’ quality of life, educational campaigns are required to increase public awareness of knowledge and practices in terms of proper oral hygiene and periodontitis.
Reflection on patients’ experience with orthodontic appliances wear and its impact on oral health related quality of life: observational comparative study
Authors: Abutaleb Maram A , Latief Mohammad H Abd El , Montasser Mona A
Published: July 2023

Background

The objective of this study was to explore and compare patient’s experience with the use of a removable functional appliance or fixed orthodontic appliance and its influence on oral health-related quality of life.

Material and methods

This clinical trial included 81 participants having Class II Division 1 and age ranging between 10 and 16 years. The participants were included in any of a three equal groups according to the set inclusion and exclusion criteria; Group 1: patients treated with a Twin-Block functional appliance; Group 2: patients treated with a fixed orthodontic appliance only; and Group 3 (control group): patients not in orthodontic treatment yet. The COHIP SF-19 was used. Patients were given the questionnaire as follows: Group 1: (1) after at least 8 months from starting treatment; (2) after completing phase 1 by 2–3 months without wearing the appliance; Group 2: (1) just before debonding; (2) after finishing the treatment by 2–3 months without any appliances; and Group 3: (1) at the patient’s first visit to the orthodontic clinic; (2) after 2–3 months from the first visit to the orthodontic clinic and before starting any treatment.

Results

The 81 participants were 31 males and 50 females with median age of 13 years. The total COHIP SF-19 scores at baseline were 57 (49–64), 67 (63–72), and 47 (42–53) for the Twin-Block, the fixed appliance, and the malocclusion groups, respectively. Two-month mean scores adjusted to the baseline scores were 64.82 ± 1.15, 65.65 ± 1.47, and 54.45 ± 1.44 for the Twin-Block, the fixed appliance, and the malocclusion groups, respectively.

Conclusions

Both at baseline and two-months (adjusted to the baseline scores), participants in the malocclusion group showed compromised socio-emotional quality of life and reported the poorest total OHRQoL. At the baseline, better socio-emotional and total OHRQoL was reported by the fixed appliance group compared to the Twin-Block group but, after two months both groups gave similar sores. Therefore; patients’ perceptions about their experience with the orthodontic appliance might change.
Chronic intermittent hypoxia increases airway hyperresponsiveness during house dust mites exposures in rats
Authors: Teodorescu Mihaela , Song Ruolin , Brinkman Jacqueline A. , Sorkness Ronald L.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Accumulating clinical evidence links Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) with worse outcomes of asthma, but impact on airway function remains sparsely studied. We tested effects of Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia (CIH) – a hallmark of OSA – on airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), in a rat model of chronic allergen-induced inflammation.

Methods

Brown Norway rats were exposed to six weeks of CIH or normoxia (NORM) concurrent with weekly house dust mites (HDM) or saline (SAL) challenges. At endpoint, we assessed responses to seven Methacholine (Mch) doses (0, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128 mg/mL) on a FlexiVent system (Scireq). Maximal (or plateau) responses (reactivity) for total respiratory system Resistance (Rrs) and Elastance (Ers), Newtonian airway resistance (RN, a measure of central airways function) and tissue damping (G, a measure of distal airways function) were plotted.

Results

HDM/CIH–treated animals demonstrated the highest reactivity to Mch in Rrs and Ers compared to all other groups (HDM/NORM, SAL/CIH and SAL/NORM p < 0.05 for all comparisons, for doses 5–7 for Rrs, and for doses 4–7 for Ers). The enhanced Rrs response was due to an increase in G (doses 4–7, p < 0.05 for comparisons to all other groups), whereas RN was not affected by CIH.

Conclusions

In rats chronically challenged with HDM, concurrent CIH exposure induces AHR primarily in the distal airways, which affects the respiratory system frequency-dependent elastic properties.
Latency and resource consumption analysis for serverless edge analytics
Authors: Moreno-Vozmediano Rafael , Huedo Eduardo , Montero Rubén S. , Llorente Ignacio M.
Published: July 2023

The serverless computing model, implemented by Function as a Service (FaaS) platforms, can offer several advantages for the deployment of data analytics solutions in IoT environments, such as agile and on-demand resource provisioning, automatic scaling, high elasticity, infrastructure management abstraction, and a fine-grained cost model. However, in the case of applications with strict latency requirements, the cold start problem in FaaS platforms can represent an important drawback. The most common techniques to alleviate this problem, mainly based on instance pre-warming and instance reusing mechanisms, are usually not well adapted to different application profiles and, in general, can entail an extra expense of resources. In this work, we analyze the effect of instance pre-warming and instance reusing on both application latency (response time) and resource consumption, for a typical data analytics use case (a machine learning application for image classification) with different input data patterns. Furthermore, we propose extending the classical centralized cloud-based serverless FaaS platform to a two-tier distributed edge-cloud platform to bring the platform closer to the data source and reduce network latencies.
Fibronectin promotes tumor angiogenesis and progression of non-small-cell lung cancer by elevating WISP3 expression via FAK/MAPK/ HIF-1α axis and activating wnt signaling pathway
Authors: Zhou Fei , Sun Jianguo , Ye Lingyun , Jiang Tao , Li Wei , Su Chunxia , Ren Shengxiang , Wu Fengying , Zhou Caicun , Gao Guanghui
Published: July 2023

Background

Fibronectin, an extracellular matrix protein, has been reported to be associated with heterogeneous cancer stemness, angiogenesis and progression in multiple cancer types. However, the roles and the underlying mechanism of fibronectin on the progression NSCLC need to be further elucidated.

Methods

Public dataset such as Kaplan-Meier Plotter was used to determine the prognostic significance of genes. The correlation of different protein expression in clinical and xenograft tissues was tested by immunohistochemistry experiment. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to determine the role of fibronectin on the tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis in NSCLC. The activation of key signaling pathway under fibronectin was examined by WB assay. RNA-seq was applicated to screening the target gene of fibronectin. Rescue experiment was performed to confirm the role of target gene in fibronectin-mediated function in NSCLC. Finally, luciferase and CHIP assays were used to elucidate the mechanism by which fibronectin regulated the target gene.

Results

Our results revealed that fibronectin was up-regulated in cancer tissues compared with the normal ones in NSCLC patients. Dish- coated fibronectin enhanced the tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis of NSCLC in vitro and in vivo by promoting EMT and maintaining stemness of NSCLC cells. As expected, fibronectin activated FAK and its downstream MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. WISP3 was screened as a potential target gene of fibronectin. Interestingly, WISP3 effectively activated Wnt signaling pathway, and knockdown of WISP3 effectively blocked the influence of fibronectin on the migration, invasion and vascular structure formation potential of NSCLC cells. Our data also manifested that fibronectin elevated the transcription of WISP3 gene by promoting the binding of HIF-1α to the promoter region of WISP3 in NSCLC cells.

Conclusions

Our findings sketched the outline of the route for fibronectin exert its role in NSCLC, in which fibronectin activated downstream FAK and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways, and mediated the accumulation of HIF-1α. Then, HIF-1α enabled the transcription of WISP3, and subsequently promoted the activation of Wnt signaling pathway, and finally enhanced the tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis in NSCLC.
High-fat diet-disturbed gut microbiota-colonocyte interactions contribute to dysregulating peripheral tryptophan-kynurenine metabolism
Authors: Sun Penghao , Wang Mengli , Liu Yong-Xin , Li Luqi , Chai Xuejun , Zheng Wei , Chen Shulin , Zhu Xiaoyan , Zhao Shanting
Published: July 2023

Background

Aberrant tryptophan (Trp)-kynurenine (Kyn) metabolism has been implicated in the pathogenesis of human disease. In particular, populations with long-term western-style diets are characterized by an excess of Kyn in the plasma. Host-gut microbiota interactions are dominated by diet and are essential for maintaining host metabolic homeostasis. However, the role of western diet-disturbed gut microbiota-colonocyte interactions in Trp metabolism remains to be elucidated.

Results

Here, 4-week-old mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD), representing a typical western diet, for 4 weeks, and multi-omics approaches were adopted to determine the mechanism by which HFD disrupted gut microbiota-colonocyte interplay causing serum Trp-Kyn metabolism dysfunction. Our results showed that colonocyte-microbiota interactions dominated the peripheral Kyn pathway in HFD mice. Mechanistically, persistent HFD-impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics increased colonic epithelial oxygenation and caused metabolic reprogramming in colonites to support the expansion of Proteobacteria in the colon lumen. Phylum Proteobacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated colonic immune responses to upregulate the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1)-mediated Kyn pathway, leading to Trp depletion and Kyn accumulation in the circulation, which was further confirmed by transplantation of Escherichia coli (E.coli) indicator strains and colonic IDO1 depletion. Butyrate supplementation promoted mitochondrial functions in colonocytes to remodel the gut microbiota in HFD mice, consequently ameliorating serum Kyn accumulation.

Conclusions

Our results highlighted that HFD disrupted the peripheral Kyn pathway in a gut microbiota-dependent manner and that the continuous homeostasis of gut bacteria-colonocytes interplay played a central role in the regulation of host peripheral Trp metabolism. Meanwhile, this study provided new insights into therapies against western diet-related metabolic disorders.
A single motor-driven continuum robot that can be designed to deform into a complex shape with curvature distribution
Authors: Yoshikawa Daiki , Shimizu Masahiro , Umedachi Takuya
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a method to deform a continuum robot into a complex shape with distributed curvature using a single motor drive. This continuum robot can be deformed to a desired shape by placing tendon guides at appropriate intervals. We used several target shapes, including clothoid and sin curves, as well as a circular curve of constant curvature and confirmed that the deformed shapes match them both in the simulation and prototype. This paper proposes two models of continuum robots. One is the Plain Model in which the tendons are parallel to the rod and the Penetration Model in which the tendon penetrates to the rod. By placing the penetrating position(s), this continuum robot can be deformed into a shape with inflection point(s). We designed a mathematical model to simulate the deformed shape of the prototype to obtain the proper placement of the guides and penetration point(s). Through the optimization, it was able to find the parameters that, in most cases, result in the error of less than$$4\%$$4%between the target and deformed shapes on simulation. We applied these conditions to the prototype and evaluated the errors, which were approximately$$10\%$$10%, the same as the related works that use a conventional constant curvature model. We think that the results of this paper can be applied to reduce the number of actuators required and the size and weight of continuum or biomimetic robots.
Isolation of Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganenesis-specific bacteriophages from tomato fields in Turkey and their biocontrol potential
Authors: Bekircan Eski Duygu , Darcan Cihan
Published: July 2023

Background

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) is causing wilt and canker and significant economic losses in tomato production. Current control methods with conventional chemicals or antibiotics lost their effectiveness due to the development of bacterial resistance to this agent. Bacteriophages, viruses of bacteria, have been attracting increasing attention as an environmentally friendly means of controlling bacterial diseases. In this study, Cmm and Cmm-specific lytic bacteriophages were isolated from rhizosphere soil and phyllospheres of diseased tomato plants, and the biocontrol potential of bacteriophages was investigated.

Results

Eight isolates that showed typical symptoms of Cmm infection in biochemical and pathogenicity tests contained the virulence gene pat-1 in the genome. Twenty-two native bacteriophages were isolated from 90 samples. As a result of the host range tests performed on the local Cmm isolates obtained in the study, temperature and pH tolerance tests were performed with ten phages with a wide host range. Phage24, Phage33 and Phage41, which have higher temperature and pH tolerance than other phages, were used to kill curve assay. Although the combined applications of phages were performed to increase efficacy, it was found that the application of Phage33 alone was more effective.

Conclusion

Phage33 may prove to be a suitable agent to be used as part of the microbial control strategy of Cmm. In further studies, Phage33 should be formulated to protect it from adverse environmental conditions and tested under field conditions to confirm the results obtained in this study.
Prevalence of sleep disturbance in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Salari Nader , Sadeghi Narges , Hosseinian-Far Amin , Hasheminezhad Razie , Khazaie Habibolah , Shohaimi Shamarina , Mohammadi Masoud
Published: July 2023

Background

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) patients face several challenges due to the nature of the disease and its physical and psychological complications. Sleep disorders are among the most important concerns. Sleep disorders can aggravate the signs and symptoms of the disease and ultimately reduce the quality of patients’ lives. This study uses a systematic review and meta-analysis to pool the reported prevalence of sleep disorders among AS patients.

Methods

To find related studies, the WoS, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar databases were systematically searched without a lower time limit. Heterogeneity among the identified studies was checked using the I2 index, and the Begg and Mazumdar correlation test examined the existence of published bias. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (v.2) software was adopted to analyze the data.

Results

In the review of 18 studies with a sample size of 5,840, the overall pooled prevalence of sleep disorders among AS patients based on the random effects method was found to be 53% (95% CI: 44.9–61). The highest and lowest prevalence was in Egypt at 90% and Australia at 19.2%, respectively. Our meta-regression results show that with the increase in ‘sample size’ and ‘year of publication’, the overall prevalence of sleep disorders in patients with AS decreases (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The results of the present study indicate a high and significant prevalence of sleep disorders among AS patients. Thus, health policymakers and healthcare providers must focus on timely diagnosis and effective educational and therapeutic interventions for the prevention and proper treatment of sleep disorders in this population of patients.
Malaria prevalence in Commune 5 in Tumaco (Nariño, Colombia)
Authors: Chaparro Narváez Pablo Enrique , Jimenez-Serna Monica Marcela , Gunturiz Albarracin Maria Luz , Carrasquilla Gutierrez Gabriel
Published: July 2023

Antecedentes

La malaria urbana es un problema de salud pública en Colombia y aún existe desconocimiento sobre sus características epidemiológicas, las cuales son clave para la implementación de medidas de control. La presencia de casos de malaria urbana y el diagnóstico de la enfermedad son algunos de los desafíos que enfrentan los programas de eliminación de la malaria. El objetivo de esta investigación fue estimar la prevalencia de malaria, explorar factores asociados y detectar genespfhrp2/3, en la zona urbana de Tumaco entre julio y diciembre de 2019.

Métodos

Se realizó un estudio de prevalencia utilizando un muestreo probabilístico aleatorio estratificado. Se administraron encuestas estructuradas y se tomaron muestras de sangre y se examinaron mediante microscopía óptica, pruebas de diagnóstico rápido (RDT) y reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR). Se utilizó un modelo de regresión logística para explorar los factores asociados.

Resultados

Se encuestó a 1.504 personas que vivían en 526 hogares. La prevalencia global fue del 2,97% (IC 95%: 2,1 - 4,3%). Fue mayor en varones, en el grupo de edad de 10 a 19 años y en casos asintomáticos. La prevalencia de la amplificación depfhrp2fue del 2,16 % (IC del 95 %: 1,6 - 2,9 %). Los hogares con tres o más personas tenían un mayor riesgo de infección por paludismo (odds ratio ajustado [ORa] 4,05; intervalo de confianza [IC] del 95%: 1,57-10,43). Todos los casos se debieron aP.falciparum.

Conclusiones

La prevalencia de malaria urbana fue baja. Las estrategias para eliminar la malaria en áreas urbanas deben ajustarse considerando el acceso al diagnóstico temprano, la infección asintomática y las PDR utilizadas para detectar la presencia del genpfhrp2.
Understanding the use of peers for mental health care: A meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence
Authors: Ahmad Ikhlaq , Hanif Mubashir , Waqas Ahmed , Suleman Nadia , Atif Najia , bibi Amina , Zulfiqar Shafaq , Kayani Shoaib Sultan , Khan Shahzad Ali , Khan Aasia , Sikander Siham
Published: July 2023

Objective: We aim to synthesize evidence of facilitators and barriers pertaining to implementation of peer led interventions for mental health.

Methods: In November 2017, we conducted an electronic search of two academic databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and PubMed. A comprehensive search strategy comprising of search terms including ‘peer’, ‘volunteer’, ‘Mental Health’, and ‘Qualitative Study’ was utilized to search these databases.

Results: A total of six studies were included in this review. We have identified 22 first order constructs in the selected studies. These are all responses of the respondents in each individual study. Key constructs are recruitment and training, supervision, role of Peer Support Workers (PSWs), motivation, challenges and barriers. Second order constructs are researchers’ interpretations of included studies.

Conclusions: We identified 26 second order constructs. These constructs are very similar to first order constructs and grouped under similar themes that were used for first order constructs. Additional constructs included insufficient training, uniformity of training, terms and conditions for PSWs.
Case Report: 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging of Rapidly Progressive Osteoarthritis of the Hip
Authors: Desale Prasad , Dhande Rajasbala , Parihar Pratapsingh , Nagendra Vadlamudi , Nimodia Devyansh
Published: July 2023

Rapidly progressive osteoarthritis of the hip (RPOH) is a rare disease with few mentions in the literature. Recent studies have suggested a female predisposition. The nature of disease progression and some specific radiological features like lesion patterns, location within the hip joint and the presence of subchondral fractures help differentiate rapidly progressive osteoarthritis from classical osteoarthritis. Awareness of RPOH as a differential in arthropathies among clinicians would save crucial time, reduce unnecessary investigations and help better manage patients. The treatment in earlier stages is often conservative, managed only by painkillers, physiotherapy, and traction however, most of the cases need surgical intervention, i.e., total hip replacement. The following case study is a classic case of RPOH in a male with trauma as one of its etiological factors and has progressed to the final grade, i.e., grade III according to grading by Ancut a Zazgyva displaying all the imaging features of RPOH as described in the literature.
Gender stereotyping in Bangladesh; the development of the Strength of Gender Stereotyping Scale (SGSS)
Authors: Faruk Md. Omar , Powell Graham , Asif Mahady
Published: July 2023

The investigation of gender stereotypes in Bangladesh is hampered by a lack of measures, making it difficult to gauge where social change is needed and to assess the efficacy of interventions. The objective of the study is to develop a psychometrically sound Bengali language scale measuring strength of belief in culturally pervasive gender stereotypes. 430 participants aged 18-80 years from all eight divisions of the country were recruited by purposive sampling. Standard scale development procedures were followed. From an initial pool of 60 items, 11 were chosen by judge evaluation, item analysis and exploratory factor analysis for the final scale, each item rated on a four-point Likert scale from 1, not agreeing at all with the stereotype, to 4, completely agreeing with the stereotype. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability are satisfactory. It has a two-factor structure related to the expression of emotion and the maintenance of authority respectively, together accounting for 35.04% of the variance. A psychometrically sound instrument has been developed to assess the strength of belief in gender stereotypes in Bangladesh that can be used to explore the strength and distribution of gender stereotypes and to measure changes in their strength over time or in response to interventions.
E-learning modules to improve clinical reasoning and practice: a prospective comparative study
Authors: Stollar Fabiola , Cerutti Bernard , Aujesky Susanne , Scherly Daniel , Nendaz Mathieu , Galetto-Lacour Annick
Published: July 2023

Background:Controversy remains about whether e-learning can improve clinical competences. Our study aimed to compare the effects of e-learning versus traditional education on medical students' reasoning and how they applied their knowledge to clinical competences, assess factors associated with e-learning that might influence exam scores, and evaluate medical students' satisfaction with these two learning methods.

Methods:Prospective study of 299 medical students in two fourth-year pediatric clerkship cohorts (2016–17 and 2017–18) in Switzerland.

Results:We found no evidence of a difference in students' reasoning or how they applied their knowledge to competences in clinical case resolution, whether they had followed e-learning modules or attended traditional lectures. The number of quizzes taken and being female were factors associated with better scores. Even though overall satisfaction with the two learning methods was similar, students claimed that they learned more in e-learning than in traditional lectures and that e-learning explained learning objectives better.

Conclusions:E-learning could be used as a supplement or alternative to traditional face-to-face medical teaching methods without compromising teaching quality. E-learning modules should be better integrated into medical students' curricula but avoid the risk of curriculum overload, especially in case of repeated COVID-like context.
Percutaneous Capsule Release in Adhesive Capsulitis with Nanoscope under Local Anesthesia – Case Report
Authors: Yadoji Hari Krishna , Bodanki Chandrasekhar , Reddy Sama Anoop , Reddy A V Gurava
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Adhesive capsulitis or frozen shoulder is a painful condition. With advent of newer and newer technology, minimally invasive surgeries are being tried in all kinds of surgeries. Nanoscope is one such invention that lead to the idea of percutaneous arthroscopy. The aim of this case report is to emphasize the role of nanoscope under local anesthesia in treatment of adhesive capsulitis. Case Report: A 45-year-old male presented with a history of restricted movements in the right shoulder for 1 year. On clinical examination, rotator cuff strength was under normal limits, his forward elevation was 100°, lateral elavation was 90°, external rotation - 45°, abduction external rotation 30°, and abduction internal rotation 40°. X-ray shoulder was normal. MRI shoulder was showing features of adhesive capsulitis. Conclusion: Percutaneous arthroscopic capsular release with nanoscope under local anesthesia is a safe and cost-effective procedure. With minimal infrastructure, it can be developed into an outpatient procedure. The advantages of this percutaneous technique over conventional arthroscopic release needs further studies. Keywords: Nanoscope, adhesive capsulitis, capsule release.
Climate-sargassum interactions across scales in the tropical Atlantic
Authors: Marsh Robert , Skliris Nikolaos , Tompkins Emma L. , Dash Jadunandan , Dominguez Almela Victoria , Tonon Thierry , Oxenford Hazel A. , Webber Mona
Published: July 2023

The impacts of climate change on ecosystems are highly uncertain but potentially profound. One such impact may be the emergence of extensive mats of seaweed (macroalgae), due to the extraordinary proliferation of pelagic sargassum species, in the tropical Atlantic since 2011. Sargassum blooms are now an annual event and reached record levels across what is now known as the ‘Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt’ (GASB) in summer 2022. Monitoring across scales, from satellite surveillance to in-situ beach surveys, is bringing step changes in process-level understanding of sargassum. Physical and biogeochemical drivers of sargassum act at basin scale to shape the GASB, highly variable from year to year. In the local environment, sargassum is sensitive to ambient conditions, with new findings confirming that growth rates are temperature dependent. Multidecadal ocean warming may therefore be detrimental to sargassum, although projected changes in other drivers are uncertain. Emerging options for climate change action around sargassum include valorisation and carbon sequestration, although uncertainties are again considerable. In conclusion, the emergence of sargassum across the tropical Atlantic highlights interconnected systems that embrace physical, biogeochemical, and socioeconomic dimensions, with considerable scope for improved monitoring, process-level understanding and prediction.
Pricing decisions of risk averse logistic companies with carbon cap and trade under Stackelberg game
Authors: Huang Fuyou , Liu Bin , Tao Baoquan , Deng Yuankang , Ma Chao
Published: July 2023

With the implementation of the double carbon plan, this paper considers the delivery fees of two risk averse logistics companies under carbon cap and trade mechanism. We establish logistics company Stackelberg (MS) model and retailer Stackelberg (RS) model under mean variance (MV) framework, respectively. We obtain the optimal delivery fees and retail prices. We find out that the higher degree of risk aversion can lead to a lower delivery fee. We also show that a higher carbon trading price or a higher cross price sensitivity will increase delivery fees. Moreover, we indicate that the performances of logistics companies under MS scenario are higher than that RS scenario. In addition, we suggest that under the carbon cap and trade rules, in order to obtain higher profits, logistics companies should use fuel vehicle for transportation under certain conditions, and use electric vehicle in other cases.
Study protocol: A cross-sectional survey of clinicians to identify barriers to clinical practice guideline implementation in the assessment and treatment of persistent tic disorders
Authors: Martindale Jaclyn M. , Sarva Harini , Martino Davide , Gilbert Donald L. , Ganos Christos , Pringsheim Tamara , Black Kevin , Malaty Irene A. ,   all on behalf of the Movement Disorder Society Tic and Tourette Study Group
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Eight members of the International Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorders Society Tic and Tourette Syndrome Study Group formed a subcommittee to discuss further barriers to practice guideline implementation. Based on expert opinion and literature review, the consensus was that practice variations continue to be quite broad and that many barriers in different clinical settings might negatively influence the adoption of the American Academy of Neurology and the European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome published guidelines.

Objectives

1) To identify how clinical practices diverge from the existing American Academy of Neurology and European Society for the Study of Tourette Syndrome guidelines, and 2) to identify categories of barriers leading to these clinical care gaps.

Methods and analysis

This article presents the methodology of a planned cross-sectional survey amongst healthcare professionals routinely involved in the clinical care of patients with persistent tic disorders, aimed at 1) identifying how practices diverge from the published guidelines; and 2) identifying categories of barriers leading to these clinical care gaps. Purposeful sampling methods are used to identify and recruit critical persistent tic disorders stakeholders. The analysis will use descriptive statistics.
The existence and uniqueness of solutions to a functional equation arising in psychological learning theory
Authors: Turab Ali , Rosli Norhayati , Ali Wajahat , Nieto Juan J.
Published: July 2023

The paradigm of choice practice represents the psychological theory of learning in the development of moral judgment. It is concerned with evaluating the implications of several choices and selecting one of them to implement. The goal of this work is to provide a generic functional equation to observe the behavior of animals in such circumstances. Our suggested functional equation can be employed to describe several well-known psychology and learning theories. The fixed point theorem proposed by Banach is utilized to show that the solution of a given functional problem exists and is unique. In addition, the stability of the given functional equation’s solution is discussed in terms of the Hyers-Ulam and Hyers-Ulam-Rassias results. Furthermore, two examples are provided to highlight the relevance of the significant outcomes in the context of the literature.
Validation of machine learning ridge regression models using Monte Carlo, bootstrap, and variations in cross-validation
Authors: Nakatsu Robbie T.
Published: July 2023

In recent years, there have been several calls by practitioners of machine learning to provide more guidelines on how to use its methods and techniques. For example, the current literature on resampling methods is confusing and sometimes contradictory; worse, there are sometimes no practical guidelines offered at all. To address this shortcoming, a simulation study was conducted that evaluated ridge regression models fitted on five real-world datasets. The study compared the performance of four resampling methods, namely, Monte Carlo resampling, bootstrap, k-fold cross-validation, and repeated k-fold cross-validation. The goal was to find the best-fitting λ (regularization) parameter that would minimize mean squared error, by using nine variations of these resampling methods. For each of the nine resampling variations, 1,000 runs were performed to see how often a good fit, average fit, and poor fit λ value would be chosen. The resampling method that chose good fit values the greatest number of times was deemed the best method. Based on the results of the investigation, three general recommendations are made: (1) repeated k-fold cross-validation is the best method to select as a general-purpose resampling method; (2) k = 10 folds is a good choice in k-fold cross-validation; (3) Monte Carlo and bootstrap are underperformers, so they are not recommended as general-purpose resampling methods. At the same time, no resampling method was found to be uniformly better than the others.
Quercetin induces cytotoxicity and apoptosis, reduces metastasis and drug resistance in oral cancer cells
Authors: Li Nan , Wang Jun
Published: July 2023

Quercetin is a plant flavonol from the flavonoid group of polyphenols or can also be formulated as a synthetic supplement chemically. Approximately 80 % of people in Africa and other developing nations still depend on traditional herbal remedies to treat ailments. Quercetin has been demonstrated to have a variety of anticancer effects. However, the effect of quercetin on oral cancer cells remains rare. According to our systematic review, quercetin includes anti-cell viability, anti-cell survival and anti-cell proliferation. Quercetin also possesses an anti-metastatic effect by regulating the expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-related genes in oral cancer cells. The apoptotic effect of quercetin in oral cancer cells is probably via inducing cell surface death receptors, endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondria-mediated signaling pathways. Additionally, quercetin reduces drug resistance in KB/vincristine oral cancer cells and enhances cell sensitivity to vincristine treatment. Quercetin induces apoptosis of human oral cancer SAS cells through the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria-mediated signaling pathways. Quercetin inhibits cell survival and metastatic ability via the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-mediated signaling pathways in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Quercetin is an anti-tumour agent candidate and can also inhibit oral tumour metastasis. Indeed, the efficacy of quercetin against chemically induced oral squamous cell carcinoma remains to be elucidated.
GÊNERO, DIREITO E CUIDADO
Authors: Anabelle Santos Lages  , Débora Allebrandt  , Raphaela Alencar Calheiros
Published: July 2023

Este artigo se propõe a analisar dados coletados a partir de uma pesquisa com orientação etnográfca de audiências que envolviam, estabeleciam e revisavam a  guarda de crianças e adolescentes em uma Vara de Família na cidade de Maceió – AL. Nessa vara, cuja maioria absoluta do corpo técnico e representantes do Ministério Público e Defensoria são mulheres, debatemos concepções de “lugar de mulher”, “essência do feminino” e sua “sensibilidade” para tratar temas de família. Nas audiências, através da tentativa de implementação da guarda compartilhada, acompanhamos negociações do que seria a “paternidade responsável” a partir da persistência de um modelo nuclear de família. Abordamos a inserção gradual de mulheres no direito e como as decisões tomadas na vara são desafadas por estereótipos sobre mulheres e suas competências, questionando quem tem direito a exigir a paternidade com responsabilidade. Os casos narrados demonstram os desafos e tensões para a implementação da guarda compartilhada e como noçõeshegemônicas de gênero e cuidado se tornam um obstáculo para ampliação doexercício da parentalidade.
MATERNIDADES NO CONTEXTO DO PRESÍDIO ESTADUAL FEMININO MADRE PELLETIER, PORTO ALEGRE/RS
Authors: Luiza Dias Oliveira  , Miriam Steffen Vieira
Published: July 2023

este artigo busca compreender o contexto da maternidade dentro do sistemacarcerário. Para tanto, está amparado em pesquisa etnográfca realizada na Unidade Materno Infantil do Presídio Estadual Feminino Madre Pelletier (PEFMP), em Porto Alegre/RS, com trabalho de campo realizado em julho de 2018. Além da observação participante, foram realizadas entrevistas narrativas com as presas da unidade, tanto grávidas, quanto aquelas com bebês recém-nascidos, e conversas informais com agentes e técnicas do PFMP. O texto focalizará as relações de hierarquia e desigualdades presentes neste contexto, seja na relação com técnicas como entre as detentas. Outra constatação refere-se às relações de afeto que perpassam a barreira técnico/presa.
EXISTÊNCIAS-RELÂMPAGO
Authors: Calvin Da Cas Furtado
Published: July 2023

procuro reﬂetir, no presente artigo, sobre os processos do morrer a partir do universo de relações sociais da população em situação de rua. Apresento três casos de morte que acompanhei durante o trabalho de campo e repercuto estes acontecimentos tomando como base as ideias que Michel Foucault (2010b) apresenta no texto A vida dos homens infames. Discorro sobre algumas experiências compartilhadas junto às pessoas do Movimento Nacional da População de Rua (MNPR) e chamo a atenção para o episódio que inaugura esta articulação política no Brasil: o massacre da Praça da Sé.
O PAPEL DO ATLÂNTICO NO POVOAMENTO INDÍGENA DA AMÉRICA DO SUL
Authors: Alexandre G. Navarro  , Anna C. Roosevelt  , Gustavo P. Wagner
Published: July 2023

O oceano Atlântico teve um papel fundamental no desenvolvimento da vida humana nas terras baixas da América do Sul. Defnindo paisagens dinâmicas, a oscilação do nível das águas ao longo de milênios propiciou a exploração de recursos aquáticos, por exemplo, pelos grupos sambaquieiros, inﬂuenciando, inclusive, a extensão da ocupação dos seus territórios. Estas mesmas águas formaram estuá- rios onde se estabeleceram sociedades complexas como a Marajoara, ou ainda inspiraram povos ceramistas a habitarem regiões alagadiças para construir aldeias sobre palaftas. Este ensaio faz uma breve incursão sobre a importância da costa atlântica para as ocupações indígenas na longa duração.