bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between Maternal Nutritional Status and the Incidence of Stunting in Toddlers
Authors: Maula Liya Ni'matul , Yunita Astri
Published: November 2023

Background: Stunting is stunted growth and a nutritional problem. If there is a stunting problem, the community should receive quality education, provide a balanced nutritional intake, and improve the health status of children. Objective: to determine the relationship between nutritional status and the incidence of stunting among toddlers in Tulungrejo Pare Kediri. Method: The design of this research is analytical research using the Case Control Retrospective approach. The sampling technique was determined randomly. The sample used was a sample group of 55 cases and a control group of 55 toddlers who used a questionnaire measuring instrument. Results: The proportion of stunted (short) toddlers was 37.8% and very short (28.9%) occurred more frequently in mothers with poor nutritional status than in mothers with good nutritional status. The results of the chi-square analysis showed that p = 0.004 < 0.05, so Ho was rejected. Conclusion: There is a relationship between maternal nutritional status and the incidence of stunting under five, so mothers and the community should pay attention to the nutritional status of the mother before planning a pregnancy, paying attention to the mother's age and birth spacing so as not to give birth to babies with LBW or low birth length which can trigger stunting.
Nanotechnology for brain tumor imaging and therapy based on π-conjugated materials: state-of-the-art advances and prospects
Authors: Sun Wenshe , Wang Congxiao , Tian Chuan , Li Xueda , Hu Xiaokun , Liu Shifeng
Published: November 2023

In contemporary biomedical research, the development of nanotechnology has brought forth numerous possibilities for brain tumor imaging and therapy. Among these, π-conjugated materials have garnered significant attention as a special class of nanomaterials in brain tumor-related studies. With their excellent optical and electronic properties, π-conjugated materials can be tailored in structure and nature to facilitate applications in multimodal imaging, nano-drug delivery, photothermal therapy, and other related fields. This review focuses on presenting the cutting-edge advances and application prospects of π-conjugated materials in brain tumor imaging and therapeutic nanotechnology.
Two-dimensional semiconductors based field-effect transistors: review of major milestones and challenges
Authors: Nandan Keshari , Agarwal Amit , Bhowmick Somnath , Chauhan Yogesh S.
Published: November 2023

Two-dimensional (2-D) semiconductors are emerging as strong contenders for the future of Angstrom technology nodes. Their potential lies in enhanced device scaling and energy-efficient switching compared to traditional bulk semiconductors like Si, Ge, and III-V compounds. These materials offer significant advantages, particularly in ultra-thin devices with atomic scale thicknesses. Their unique structures enable the creation of one-dimensional nanoribbons and vertical and lateral heterostructures. This versatility in design, coupled with their distinctive properties, paves the way for efficient energy switching in electronic devices. Moreover, 2-D semiconductors offer opportunities for integrating metallic nanoribbons, carbon nanotubes (CNT), and graphene with their 2-D channel materials. This integration helps overcome lithography limitations for gate patterning, allowing the realization of ultra-short gate dimensions. Considering these factors, the potential of 2-D semiconductors in electronics is vast. This concise review focuses on the latest advancements and engineering strategies in 2-D logic devices.
Prevalence and prognostic significance of main metabolic risk factors in primary biliary cholangitis: a retrospective cohort study of 789 patients
Authors: Zhao Dan-Tong , Yan Hui-Ping , Han Ying , Zhang Wei-Ming , Zhao Yan , Liao Hui-Yu
Published: November 2023

Background

Metabolic risk factors in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) have not been well described in China. Additionally, it is unclear whether these factors have an impact on the prognosis of PBC patients. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of main metabolic risk factors in PBC, and to evaluate their prognostic values for liver-related outcomes.

Methods

A cohort of 789 PBC patients was retrospectively studied between July 2008 and September 2019 by investigating the main metabolic risk factors and analyzing liver-related outcomes.

Results

At presentation, 271 (34.3%) patients had concomitant hyperlipidemia, 126 (16.0%) had hypertension, 94 (11.9%) had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and 17 (2.2%) had nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Hyperlipidemia was found to be associated with the lower risk of liver-related death [P<0.0001, hazard ratio (HR): 0.397, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.268–0.588] and adverse outcomes (P<0.0001, HR: 0.487, 95% CI:0.367–0.646), while hypertension was noted as a risk factor for liver-related death (P=0.001, HR: 1.788, 95% CI:1.268–2.521) and adverse outcomes (P=0.014, HR: 1.417, 95% CI:1.074–1.869). Moreover, age ≥ 55 years old (P=0.005) and cirrhosis (P<0.0001) had superimposition effects on hypertension as a risk factor for liver-related death, while only cirrhosis (P<0.0001) had an effect on hypertension as a risk factor for adverse outcomes. Additionally, anti-sp100 was associated with adverse outcomes (P=0.013) in PBC patients with hypertension in univariate Cox regression analysis.

Conclusion

Hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and T2DM were found as main metabolic risk factors in PBC in China. Hyperlipidemia indicated a benign clinical outcome of PBC, while hypertension indicated a poor outcome of PBC. Older age and cirrhosis had superimposition effects on hypertension for liver-related poor outcomes. Anti-sp100 might be associated with adverse outcomes, especially in PBC patients with hypertension.
Prediction of groundwater level under the influence of groundwater exploitation using a data-driven method with the combination of time series analysis and long short-term memory: a case study of a coastal aquifer in Rizhao City, Northern China
Authors: Guo Benli , Zhang Shouchuan , Liu Kai , Yang Peng , Xing Honglian , Feng Qiyuan , Zhu Wei , Zhang Yaoyao , Jia Wuhui
Published: November 2023

The excessive exploitation of groundwater not only destroys the dynamic balance between coastal aquifer and seawater but also causes a series of geological and environmental problems. Groundwater level prediction provides an efficient way to solve these intractable ecological problems. Although several hydrological numerical models have been employed to conduct prediction, no study has accurately predicted the groundwater level change under the consideration of groundwater exploitation, especially in coastal aquifers. This is due to the characteristics of spatially and temporally complex hydrological processes. This study proposes a novel data-driven method based on the combination of time series analysis and a machine learning method for accurately predicting the variation of groundwater level in a coastal aquifer under the influence of groundwater exploitation. The partial autocorrelation function and continuous wavelet coherence were used to analyze the monitoring data of groundwater level at three wells, which indicated that the historical monitored data and the dataset of precipitation could be considered as the input variables to construct the hydrological model. Then, three models based on the different inputs were constructed, namely, the LSTM, PACF-LSTM, and PACF-WC-LSTM models. The performances of the three models were compared by the calculation of four error metrics. The results showed that the performance of the PACF-LSTM and PACF-WC-LSTM models was better than that of the LSTM model and that the PACF-WC-LSTM model achieved the best prediction performance. Accurately predicting the variation of groundwater level provides the basis for managing groundwater resources and preserving the ecological environment.
Efficacy and safety of the innovative monoclonal antibodies in adults with generalized myasthenia gravis: a Bayesian network analysis
Authors: Chen Huiru , Qiu Youjia , Yin Ziqian , Wang Zilan , Tang Yanbing , Ni Hanyu , Lu Jiaye , Chen Zhouqing , Kong Yan , Wang Zhong
Published: November 2023

Background

A series of clinical trials support the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies for generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) compared to the placebo, but the priority among drugs remains unclear. Therefore, we conduct a frequentist network meta-analysis (NMA) to compare the relative effects of different drugs for generalized MG.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov were systematically searched for eligible studies up to 1 June 2023. The primary outcome was efficacy (Myasthenia Gravis Activities of Daily Living [MG-ADL] score and Quantitative Myasthenia Gravis [QMG] score) and safety (adverse events [AEs]). Mean difference (MD) and risk ratio (RR) with their 95% credible intervals (95%CrIs) were used to show the effect size of continuous and categorical variables, respectively. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach.

Results

Thirteen studies involving 1167 individuals were identified for NMA. For efficacy outcomes, belimumab, efgartigimod, mezagitamab 600mg, and nipocalimab 60mg/kg were inferior to rozanolixzumab 7mg/kg (MD ranged from 2 to 3.69) and rozanolixzumab 10mg/kg (MD ranged from 2.04 to 3.72) in MG-ADL score, and rozanolixzumab had the highest rank probability (83%) according to the subjective surface under the curve ranking area (SUCRA). For QMG score, batoclimab 340mg (MD ranged from 4.32 to 8.52) and batoclimab 680mg (MD ranged from 4.11 to 9.31) were more effective than placebo and other monoclonal antibodies except for rozanolixzumab, with the highest SUCRA value (93% and 97% respectively). For safety outcomes, belimumab achieved the highest SUCRA value (89.8%) with significant statistical difference compared to rozanolixzumab 7mg/kg (RR 0.08, 95%CrI 0.01 to 0.94) and rozanolixzumab 10mg/kg (RR 0.08, 95%CrI 0.01 to 0.86).

Conclusion

While all monoclonal antibodies were superior to the placebo, rozanolixzumab and batoclimab might be the most effective for generalized MG. However, rozanolixzumab was associated with higher incidence of AEs. Given the limitations inherent in indirect comparisons, further head-to-head and extensive observational studies are necessary to confirm our findings.

Systematic review registration

https://inplasy.com/?s=202370112, identifier 202370112.
From rejection to the Nobel Prize: Karikó and Weissman’s pioneering work on mRNA vaccines, and the need for diversity and inclusion in translational immunology
Authors: Bansal Amit
Published: November 2023

Katalin Karikó and Drew Weissman were given the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their findings of nucleoside base modifications that lead to the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19. This was a remarkable achievement, given that their initial manuscript was rejected by Nature and Science in 2005. The development of mRNA vaccines lagged for more than a decade for several reasons, including the lack of funding, the perceived risks of the technology, and the scepticism of many scientists. Furthermore, Karikó and Weissman’s study appeared to be technical and difficult to understand. The COVID-19 pandemic, on the other hand, has shown the importance of mRNA vaccine technology. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines have been highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death. The Nobel Prize for Karikó and Weissman highlights the importance of perseverance, diversity, and inclusion in translational immunology. We need to build a more inclusive scientific community, where scientists from all backgrounds are supported and their work is valued. This will result in more scientific breakthroughs and better healthcare for everyone.
Heteroclinic networks for brain dynamics
Authors: Meyer-Ortmanns Hildegard
Published: November 2023

Heteroclinic networks are a mathematical concept in dynamic systems theory that is suited to describe metastable states and switching events in brain dynamics. The framework is sensitive to external input and, at the same time, reproducible and robust against perturbations. Solutions of the corresponding differential equations are spatiotemporal patterns that are supposed to encode information both in space and time coordinates. We focus on the concept of winnerless competition as realized in generalized Lotka–Volterra equations and report on results for binding and chunking dynamics, synchronization on spatial grids, and entrainment to heteroclinic motion. We summarize proposals of how to design heteroclinic networks as desired in view of reproducing experimental observations from neuronal networks and discuss the subtle role of noise. The review is on a phenomenological level with possible applications to brain dynamics, while we refer to the literature for a rigorous mathematical treatment. We conclude with promising perspectives for future research.
Cost items in melanoma patients by clinical characteristics and time from diagnosis
Authors: Buja Alessandra , Cozzolino Claudia , Zanovello Anna , Geppini Ruggero , Miatton Andrea , Zorzi Manuel , Manfredi Mariagiovanna , Bovo Emanuela , Del Fiore Paolo , Tropea Saveria , dall’Olmo Luigi , Rossi Carlo Riccardo , Mocellin Simone , Rastrelli Marco , Rugge Massimo
Published: November 2023

Background

Costs related to the care of melanoma patients have been rising over the past few years due to increased disease incidence as well as the introduction of innovative treatments. The aim of this study is to analyse CMM cost items based on stage at diagnosis, together with other diagnostic and prognostic characteristics of the melanoma.

Methods

Analyses were performed on 2,647 incident cases of invasive CMM that were registered in 2015 and 2017 in the Veneto Cancer Registry (RTV). Direct melanoma-related costs per patient were calculated for each year ranging from 2 years before diagnosis to 4 years after, and were stratified by cost items such as outpatient services, inpatient drug prescriptions, hospital admissions, hospice admissions, and emergency room treatment. Average yearly costs per patient were compared according to available clinical-pathological characteristics. Lastly, log-linear multivariable analysis was performed to investigate potential cost drivers among these clinical-pathological characteristics.

Findings

Overall, the average direct costs related to melanoma are highest in the first year after diagnosis (€2,903) and then decrease over time. Hospitalization costs are 8 to 16 times higher in the first year than in subsequent years, while the costs of outpatient services and inpatient drugs decrease gradually over time. When stratified by stage it is observed that the higher expenditure associated with more advanced stages of CMM is mainly due to inpatient drug use.

Conclusion

The results of the present study show that grouping patients according to tumour characteristics can improve our understanding of the different cost items associated with cutaneous malignant melanoma. CMM patients experience higher costs in the first year after diagnosis due to higher hospitalization and outpatient services. Policy makers should consider overall and stage-specific annual costs when allocating resources for the management of CMM patients.
Transient TKI-resistant CD44+pBAD+ blasts undergo intrinsic homeostatic adaptation to promote the survival of acute myeloid leukemia in vitro
Authors: Xu Yi , Baylink David J. , Chen Chien-Shing , Tan Laren , Xiao Jeffrey , Park Brandon , Valladares Ismael , Reeves Mark E. , Cao Huynh
Published: November 2023

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients have frequent mutations in FMS-like receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3-mut AML), who respond poorly to salvage chemotherapies and targeted therapies such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Disease relapse is a common reason of treatment failures in FLT3-mut AML patients, but its intracellular refractory mechanism remains to be discovered. In this study, we designed serial in vitro time-course studies to investigate the biomarkers of TKI-resistant blasts and their survival mechanism. First, we found that a group of transient TKI-resistant blasts were CD44+Phosphorylated-BAD (pBAD)+ and that they could initiate the regrowth of blast clusters in vitro. Notably, TKI-treatments upregulated the compensation pathways to promote PIM2/3-mediated phosphorylation of BAD to initiate the blast survival. Next, we discovered a novel process of intracellular adaptive responses in these transient TKI-resistant blasts, including upregulated JAK/STAT signaling pathways for PIM2/3 expressions and activated SOCS1/SOCS3/PIAS2 inhibitory pathways to down-regulate redundant signal transduction and kinase phosphorylation to regain intracellular homeostasis. Finally, we found that the combination of TKIs with TYK2/STAT4 pathways-driven inhibitors could effectively treat FLT3-mut AML in vitro. In summary, our findings reveal that TKI-treatment can activate a JAK/STAT-PIM2/3 axis-mediated signaling pathways to promote the survival of CD44+pBAD+blasts in vitro. Disrupting these TKIs-activated redundant pathways and blast homeostasis could be a novel therapeutic strategy to treat FLT3-mut AML and prevent disease relapse in vivo.
Effects of “Football and Nutrition for Health” program on body composition, physical fitness, eating behaviours, nutritional knowledge, and psychological status among 7 to 10 years school children
Authors: Morgado Micaela C. , Sousa Mónica , Coelho André B. , Vale Susana , Costa Júlio A. , Seabra André
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Noncommunicable diseases and obesity are between the major health threat due to consumption of unhealthy foods and limited time spent on physical activities, a situation of particular concern among children. Since children spend most of their time at school, this study intends to investigate the effect of a school intervention program, which combines recreational football and nutrition education, on body composition, physical fitness, physical activity, blood pressure and heart rate, eating behaviours, nutritional knowledge, and psychological status in elementary school children.

Methods

A total of 67 children, between 7 and 10 years old, were allocated into three groups: the Football Group (FG) which held 2 weekly sessions of 60 min of recreational football, the Nutrition and Football Group (NFG) which held 2 sessions per week of 60 min of recreational football plus 60 min of nutritional education and the Control Group (CG) which maintained its usual curriculum. The intervention lasted 12 weeks. All measurements were collected before and after the intervention.

Results

Intervention groups significantly (p < 0.05) improved BMI Z-score, rest heart rate, horizontal jump and shuttle test, physical activity level, and psychosocial health. The NFG group significantly decreased (p < 0.05) waist-to-height ratio and blood pressure, and significantly increased (p < 0.05) nutritional knowledge, fruit, and fish consumption. While FG significantly decreased (p < 0.05) the percentage of fat mass and significantly increased (p < 0.05) muscle mass and performance in the 20 m sprint.

Discussion

The results have shown to improve nutritional status, explosive strength, aerobic and neuromuscular fitness, as well as increase the level of physical activity. The nutritional education sessions contributed to increase nutritional knowledge and to improve the consumption of healthy food groups in a ludic-educational way. The “Football and Nutrition for Health” program was able to induce short-term improvements in several health markers, highlighting the role of the school curriculum in children's health.
The platinum coordination complex inhibits cell invasion-migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by altering the TGF-β-SMAD pathway in colorectal cancer
Authors: Abdulla Maha-Hamadien , Alzailai Aminah Ahmad , Vaali-Mohammed Mansoor-Ali , Ahmad Rehan , Fatima Sabiha , Zubaidi Ahmed , Traiki Thamer bin , Mahmood Amer , Hamoud Alrashoudi Reem , Khan Zahid
Published: November 2023

Introduction: There is a steady increase in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidences worldwide; at diagnosis, about 20 percent of cases show metastases. The transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway is one of the critical pathways that influence the expression of cadherins allowing the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is involved in the progression of the normal colorectal epithelium to adenoma and metastatic carcinoma. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of a novel coordination complex of platinum (salicylaldiminato) PT(II) complex with dimethyl propylene linkage (PT-complex) on TGF-β and EMT markers involved in the invasion and migration of the human HT-29 and SW620 CRC cell lines.

Methods: Functional study and wound healing assay showed PT-complex significantly reduced cell motility and the migration and invasion of CRC cell lines compared to the untreated control. Western blot performed in the presence and absence of TGF-β demonstrated that PT-complex significantly regulated the TGF-β-mediated altered expressions of EMT markers.

Results and Discussion: PT-complex attenuated the migration and invasion by upregulating the protein expression of EMT-suppressing factor E-cadherin and suppressing EMT-inducing factors such as N-Cadherin and Vimentin. Moreover, PT-complex significantly suppressed the activation of SMAD3 in both CRC cell lines. Further, the microarray data analysis revealed differential expression of genes related to invasion and migration. In conclusion, besides displaying antiproliferative activity, the PT complex can decrease the metastasis of CRC cell lines by modulating TGF-β-regulated EMT markers. These findings provide new insight into TGF-β/SMAD signaling as the molecular mechanism involved in the antitumoral properties of novel PT-complex.
Disseminating for impact: creating curriculum activities for translational dissemination for the clinical and translational research workforce
Authors: Keim-Malpass Jessica , Phillips Jennifer , Johnston Karen C.
Published: November 2023

There has been an increased focus on the practices associated with dissemination for the translation of research to clinical practice and ultimately, policy. Simultaneously, there has been attention placed on the role of the clinical research workforce in supporting optimal dissemination efforts for impact and societal benefit. Curriculums focused on education opportunities for dissemination for translational scientists have been under-reported. The Translational Science Benefits Model (TSBM) is a framework that has been developed to support assessment of clinical and translational research outcomes that measure impact (both in the clinical and community setting) beyond traditional citations in academic journals/bibliometric activities. The TSBM framework outlines more than 30 different facets of impact and can provide a basis for operationalizing broad impacts of research for translational and clinical scientists. Engagement science offers methods and modalities to work with individual stakeholders, and collaborators in a team science model, and engagement with external scholars and society. This article will describe the use of the TSBM framework and engagement science strategies to develop a translational dissemination framework with novel components for evaluation of dissemination and implementation activities. We propose using the translational dissemination framework to guide the development of an educational curriculum for the clinical research workforce. We outline the educational domains and proposed evaluation criteria essential in implementing this innovative translational dissemination educational content for the clinical and translational research workforce.
Metaphor analysis meets lexical strings: finetuning the metaphor identification procedure for quantitative semantic analyses
Authors: De Backer Laurence , Enghels Renata , Goethals Patrick
Published: November 2023

Recent years have witnessed the development of the Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP/VU), a step-by-step protocol designed to identify metaphorically-used words in discourse. However, MIP(VU)‘s merits notwithstanding, the procedure poses a problem to scholars intending to use its output as the basis for a semantic field analysis involving a quantitative component. Depending on the research question, metaphor analysts may be interested in chunks of language situated above the procedure’s standardized level of analysis (i.e., the lexical unit or lexeme), including phrases and sentences. Yet, attempts to decenter the method’s exclusive focus on metaphor-related words have been the target of critique, among others on the grounds of their lack of clear unit-formation guidelines and, hence, their inconsistent unit of analysis and measurement. Drawing on data derived from a Spanish-language US-based newspaper’s coverage of the migration program known as DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), this article describes challenges that analysts can run into when attempting to use a dataset containing atomized metaphor-related words as the input for subsequent quantitative semantic analyses. Its main methodological contribution consists in a proposal and illustration of three possible methods to extend the existing MIP(VU)-protocol in such a way as to allow it to capture metaphorical strings, on top of lexemes, in a reliable and systematic manner. The first two methods are procedural, and entail formulating a-priori grouping-directives based on the research question(s). One departs from semasiological criteria (Method 1) and the other takes an onomasiological approach (Method 2). The third method works bottom-up, involving the ad hoc grouping of lexemes and adding a descriptive parameter meant to keep track of grouping-decisions made by the analyst, thereby safeguarding transparency at all times.
Smoking may compromise physical function long before it kills you
Authors: Glei Dana A. , Weinstein Maxine
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Although prior research has demonstrated an association between smoking and worse physical function, most of those studies are based on older people and do not evaluate whether the age-related increase in physical limitations differs by smoking history. We quantify how the magnitude of the smoking differential varies across age.

Methods

This cohort study comprised a national sample of Americans aged 20–75 in 1995–1996, who were re-interviewed in 2004–2005 and 2013–2014. Our analysis was restricted to respondents who completed the self-administered questionnaires at Wave 1 (N = 6,325). Follow-up observations for those respondents were included if they completed the self-administered questionnaires at Wave 2 (N = 3,929) and/or Wave 3 (N = 2,849). The final analysis sample comprised 13,103 observations over a follow-up period of up to 19 years (1995–2014). We used a linear mixed model to regress physical limitations on smoking status at baseline adjusted for sex, age, race, socioeconomic status, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and obesity with an interaction between age and smoking to test whether the age pattern of physical limitations differed by smoking history. Additional models incorporated measures of smoking duration and intensity.

Results

In the fully-adjusted model, smokers exhibited a steeper age-related increase in physical limitations than never smokers. Thus, the disparities in physical limitations by smoking status widened with age but were evident even at young ages. The estimated differential between heavy smokers and never smokers rose from 0.24 SD at age 30 to 0.49 SD at age 80. At younger ages, heavy smokers who quit recently fared worse than current light smokers and not much better than current heavy smokers.

Discussion

We know smoking is bad for our health, but these results reveal that differences in physical limitations by smoking history are evident even at ages as young as 30. Physical limitations that emerge early in life are likely to have an especially large impact because they can jeopardize health for decades of remaining life. Smoking probably will not kill you at young age, but it may compromise your physical function long before it kills you. Just do not do it.
Season of delivery and risk of venous thromboembolism during hospitalization among pregnant women
Authors: Li Qian , Wang Hongfei , Wang Huafang , Deng Jun , Cheng Zhipeng , Lin Wenyi , Zhu Ruiqi , Chen Shi , Guo Jinrong , Li Huarong , Chen Yong , Yuan Xiaowei , Dai Shulan , Tian Yan , Xu Yanyan , Wu Ping , Zhang Fan , Wang Xiaojiang , Tang Liang V. , Hu Yu
Published: November 2023

Background

Seasons were found to be related to the occurrences of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in hospitalized patients. No previous study has explored whether seasons were associated with VTE risk in pregnant women. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between the season of delivery and VTE risk during hospitalization among pregnant women.

Methods

This is a multi-center retrospective cohort study of pregnant women. Participants were those who delivered at seven designated sites in Hubei Province, China, during the period from January 2017 to December 2022. They were categorized according to their season/month of delivery. Information on new-onset VTE during hospitalization was followed.

Results

Approximately 0.28% (104/37,778) of the pregnant women developed new-onset VTE during hospitalization for delivery. After adjustment, compared with participants in the spring group, participants in the summer, autumn, and winter groups had an increased risk of VTE during hospitalization. The ORs were 2.59 [1.30, 5.15], 2.83 [1.43, 5.60], and 2.35 [1.17, 4.75] for the summer, autumn, and winter groups, respectively. Pregnant women in the combined group (summer + autumn + winter) had an increased risk of VTE during hospitalization than those in the spring group (OR, 2.59 [1.39, 4.85]). By restricting the analyses among pregnant women without in vitro fertilization, gestational diabetes mellitus, and preterm, the results still remained robust. Compared with participants who delivered in March, April, and May, participants who delivered in June, July, September, November, December, and February had a higher risk of VTE during hospitalization.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that pregnant women who delivered in summer, autumn, and winter had an increased VTE risk during hospitalization compared with those who delivered in spring.
COVID-19 and beyond: leveraging artificial intelligence for enhanced outbreak control
Authors: Farhat Faiza , Sohail Shahab Saquib , Alam Mohammed Talha , Ubaid Syed , Shakil  , Ashhad Mohd , Madsen Dag Øivind
Published: November 2023

COVID-19 has brought significant changes to our political, social, and technological landscape. This paper explores the emergence and global spread of the disease and focuses on the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in containing its transmission. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no scientific presentation of the early pictorial representation of the disease's spread. Additionally, we outline various domains where AI has made a significant impact during the pandemic. Our methodology involves searching relevant articles on COVID-19 and AI in leading databases such as PubMed and Scopus to identify the ways AI has addressed pandemic-related challenges and its potential for further assistance. While research suggests that AI has not fully realized its potential against COVID-19, likely due to data quality and diversity limitations, we review and identify key areas where AI has been crucial in preparing the fight against any sudden outbreak of the pandemic. We also propose ways to maximize the utilization of AI's capabilities in this regard.
Urinary incontinence among women in sub-Saharan Africa – an overview
Authors: Omeke Chidimma A. , Azuka Charles E.
Published: November 2023

Urinary Incontinence, the uncontrolled or involuntary loss of urine, is a prevalent condition among women that is frequently underdiagnosed and underreported, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The social stigma attached to urinary incontinence contributes to low presentation rates for care, and the help-seeking behavior of SSA women with urinary incontinence in this region. Thus, the occurrence of urinary incontinence imposes a considerable burden on women in SSA, leading to physical, social, and psychological complications. A multitude of challenges, such as limited availability of urogynaecological facilities, corruption, etc, have collectively contributed to the scarcity of information on how to manage urinary incontinence in this region. The commonplace management of urinary incontinence is the use of adult diapers, mostly among older women in this region. While it is essential to carry out more research to comprehend the impact of urinary incontinence on women in Sub-Saharan Africa and to promote awareness of medical and surgical interventions; It is recommended that the governing bodies of these regions enhance their endeavors to provide essential facilities and training a skilled workforce to manage this condition at a subsidized cost.
A perspective for identifying intersections among the social, engineering, and geosciences to address water crises
Authors: Weems Carl F. , Poleacovschi Cristina , Ikuma Kaoru
Published: November 2023

Reliable access to safe water is essential for health, wellbeing, and the livelihoods of people. However, water security innovations benefit when engineering and geoscience decisions consider systemic human, social, and organizational realities, needs, and goals. Indeed, true innovation that leads to water security requires intensively inclusive and iterative processes to occur at multiple scales of analysis across diverse sciences—for this, expertise and knowledge across the varied sciences is essential to facilitate such convergent, transdisciplinary research. Here, we articulate our perspective for identifying points of intersection and working across disciplinary boundaries to address water crises. Our perspective takes a multidimensional view of community, organization, family, and individual resilience in the face of natural and human hazards. It builds upon previous models of cumulative water related risk by nuancing the relationships amongst levels of analysis, and expanding the idea of cumulative impacts to include interactive impacts (e.g., buffering, enhancing, effects and other moderators), mediated effects (i.e., mechanisms of impact), as well as additive and suppressive linkages amongst risk and protective factors.
Functional, rheological and sensory properties of a food from honey and aloe vera
Authors: Suarez-Ramos Claudia Andrea , Vidal-Prado Seidy Vanessa , Morales-Hormiga Carlos Hernán , Roa-Acosta Diego Fernando , Nieto-Calvache Jhon Edinson
Published: November 2023

The consumption of honey products has increased in recent years, largely due to the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). The objective of this work was to evaluate the functional, color, rheological and sensory properties of honey (H) and honey mixtures with aloe vera (AV). Among the functionality evaluated, the ability to stabilize DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and ABTS (2,2′-Azino-bis(3-thylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)) radicals was determined, as well as the reducing capacity and the content of phenolic compounds. Rheological behavior was analyzed by flow and oscillatory tests. Finally, product acceptance was analyzed by means of a sensory panel. The results showed that honey, AV and the mixtures presented antioxidant activity between 52.5 and 57 mg trolox/g sample, (DPPH method), between 1,666 and 1765 μg trolox/g sample (ABTS method), between 217 and 506 μg trolox/g sample (FRAP method) and between 62.5 and 164.6 mg GAE/100 g sample (phenolic compounds in gallic acid equivalents, GAE). The values obtained were in the order of those reported in the literature for these products. Rheological tests showed a pseudoplastic flow type in the honey and AV mixtures, and a Newtonian tendency for the honey. In addition, the oscillatory tests showed a dependence of the oscillation frequency on G’ and G.” It can be concluded that the mixtures of honey and AV maintain functionality in terms of antioxidant properties after processing and are also accepted by consumers in terms of taste, smell, color and texture.
Regional ADC values of the morphologically normal canine brain
Authors: Carisch Lea , Lindt Blanca , Richter Henning , Del Chicca Francesca
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging is increasingly available for investigation of canine brain diseases. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of normal canine brains is reported only in small numbers of subjects. The aim of the study was to investigate the ADC of different anatomical regions in the morphologically normal brain in a large population of canine patients in clinical setting. Additionally, possible influence on the ADC value of patient-related factors like sex, age and body weight, difference between the left and right side of the cerebral hemispheres, and between gray and white matter were investigated.

Methods

Brain magnetic resonance studies including diffusion-weighted images of dogs presented at the Vetsuisse Faculty-University Zurich between 2015 and 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. Only morphologically normal brain magnetic resonance studies of dogs presented with neurological signs or non-neurological signs were included. Apparent diffusion coefficient values of 12 regions of interest (ROIs) in each hemisphere and an additional region in the cerebellar vermis were examined in each dog.

Results

A total of 321 dogs (including 247 dogs with neurological signs and 62 dogs with non-neurological signs) of various breeds, sex and age were included. Apparent diffusion coefficient significantly varied among most anatomical brain regions. A significantly higher ADC was measured in the gray [median 0.79 (range 0.69–0.90) × 10−3 mm2/s] compared to the white matter [median 0.70 (range 0.63–0.85) × 10−3 mm2/s]. No significant differences were found between the left and right cerebral hemispheres in most of the regions, neither between sexes, different reproductive status, and not consistently between body weight groups. Age was correlated first with a decrease from dogs <1 year of age to middle-age (⩾3 to <8 years) dogs and later with an increase of ADC values in dogs ⩾8 years.

Discussion

Apparent diffusion coefficient values of 25 ROIs were described in 321 morphologically normal canine brains in clinical setting. Apparent diffusion coefficient differences depending on the brain anatomical region are present. Apparent diffusion coefficient differences among age classes are present, likely consistent with brain maturation and aging. The described data can be a reference for future studies in clinical settings on the canine brain.
The first report of polymorphisms of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in Pekin ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domestica)
Authors: Jeong Min-Ju , Wang Zerui , Zou Wen-Quan , Kim Yong-Chan , Jeong Byung-Hoon
Published: November 2023

Background

Prion diseases have been extensively reported in various mammalian species and are caused by a pathogenic prion protein (PrPSc), which is a misfolded version of cellular prion protein (PrPC). Notably, no cases of prion disease have been reported in birds. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the prion protein gene (PRNP) that encodes PrP have been associated with susceptibility to prion diseases in several species. However, no studies on PRNP polymorphisms in domestic ducks have been reported thus far.

Method

To investigate PRNP polymorphisms in domestic ducks, we isolated genomic DNA from 214 Pekin duck samples and sequenced the coding region of the Pekin duck PRNP gene. We analyzed genotype, allele, and haplotype distributions and linkage disequilibrium (LD) among the SNPs of the Pekin duck PRNP gene. In addition, we evaluated the effects of the one non-synonymous SNP on the function and structure of PrP using the PROVEAN, PANTHER, SNPs & GO, SODA, and AMYCO in silico prediction programs.

Results

We found five novel SNPs, c.441 T > C, c.495 T > C, c.582A > G, c.710C > T(P237L), and c.729C > T, in the ORF region of the PRNP gene in 214 Pekin duck samples. We observed strong LD between c.441 T > C and c.582A > G (0.479), and interestingly, the link between c.495 T > C and c.729C > T was in perfect LD, with an r2 value of 1.0. In addition, we identified the five major haplotype frequencies: TTACC, CTGCC, CTACC, CCGCT, and CTATC. Furthermore, we found that the non-synonymous SNP, c.710C > T (P237L), had no detrimental effects on the function or structure of Pekin duck PrP. However, the non-synonymous SNP had deleterious effects on the aggregation propensity and solubility of Pekin duck PrP compared with wildtype Pekin duck PrP.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first report on the genetic characteristics of PRNP SNPs in Pekin ducks.
Modeling and Fault Simulation of a New Double-Redundancy Electro-Hydraulic Servo Valve Based on AMESim
Authors: Liang Qiuhui , Wang Wentao , Zhai Yifei , Sun Yanan , Zhang Wei
Published: November 2023

The feedback spring rod of the armature assembly was eliminated in the double-redundancy electro-hydraulic servo valve (DREHSV), which employed a redundant design in contrast to the typical double-nozzle flapper electro-hydraulic servo valve (DNFEHSV). The pilot stage was mainly composed of four torque motors, and the double-system spool was adopted in the power stage. Consequently, the difficulty of spool displacement control was increased. By artificially changing the structural parameters of the simulation model in accordance with the theoretical analysis through AMESim, this paper aimed to study the dynamics and static characteristics of the DREHSV. The advantage of redundant design was further demonstrated by disconnecting working coils and setting the different worn parts of the spool. On the test bench, the necessary experiments were performed. Through simulation, it was discovered that when the clogged degree of the nozzle is increased, the zero bias value increases, the pressure and flow gain remain unchanged, and the internal leakage decreases. The pressure gain changes very little, the flow gain close to the zero position grows, the zero leakage increases significantly, and the pilot stage leakage changes very little as a result of the wear of the spool throttling edge. The basic consistency between the simulation curves and the experimental findings serve to validate the accuracy of the AMESim model. The findings can serve as a theoretical guide for the design, debugging, and maintenance of the DREHSV. The simulation model is also capable of producing a large amount of sample data for DREHSV fault diagnosis using a neural network.
Entrepreneurial Intention of University Students under the Perspective of the Theory of Planned Behaviour: Integrative Literature Review
Authors: Andrade Francinara Lima de , Carvalho Luísa Margarida Cagica
Published: November 2023

(1) Background: In a competitive and globalised world, retaining immigrants in entrepreneurial universities is an underutilised asset, one that allows economic development to be better enabled. Thus, studying the entrepreneurial intention (EI) of students enables the development of practices and public policies. (2) Purpose: Although the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) is not a recent approach, its theoretical framework was considered consistent to understand the entrepreneurial intention (EI) of university students, considering the geographic region of origin. (3) Methods: This article is an integrative literature review. The database consulted was the Web of Science. Works available in full until 2022 that addressed at least two TPB antecedents were included. Works that were not articles that included university students were excluded. (4) Results: The articles analysed confirm the predictive power of the theory. However, more standardised studies need to address the role of variables. The African results showed a greater entrepreneurial attitude; Americans and Asians perceived greater behavioural control; and the subjective norm was stronger among Africans. (5) Originality: This work contributes to fomenting attention to this field, providing the development of theories, and suggesting avenues for future research. The authors did not find a literature review on the subject.
Acceptable Salinity Level for Saline Water Irrigation of Tall Wheatgrass in Edaphoclimatic Scenarios of the Coastal Saline–Alkaline Land around Bohai Sea
Authors: Li Wei , Yin Junliang , Ma Dongfang , Zheng Qi , Li Hongwei , Wang Jianlin , Zhao Maolin , Liu Xiaojing , Li Zhensheng
Published: November 2023

Saline water irrigation contributes significantly to forage yield. However, the acceptable salinity levels for saline water irrigation of tall wheatgrass remains unclear. In this study, field supplemental irrigations of transplanted-tall wheatgrass with saline drainage waters having salinities of electrical conductivity (ECw) = 2.45, 4.36, 4.42, and 5.42 dS m−1 were conducted to evaluate the effects of saline water irrigation on forage yield and soil salinization. In addition, the effects of plastic film mulching, fertilization, and saline water irrigation on sward establishment of seed-propagated tall wheatgrass were determined. Finally, a pot experiment was carried out to confirm the above field results. The results showed that two irrigations with ECw = 2.45 and 4.36 dS m−1 saline waters produced the highest dry matter yield, followed by one irrigation with ECw = 4.42 or 5.42 dS m−1. After rainfall leaching, the soil EC1:5 was reduced by 41.7–79.3% for the saline water irrigation treatments. In combination with saline water irrigation, plastic film mulching promoted sward establishment and enhanced the plant height and dry matter yield of seed-propagated tall wheatgrass, while fertilization played a marginal role. However, two irrigations with ECw = 7.13 and 4.36 dS m−1 saline waters resulted in rates of 3.2% and 16.0% of dead plants under the mulching and no mulching conditions, respectively. Furthermore, a pot experiment demonstrated that irrigation with ECw = 5.79 dS m−1 saline water led to the lowest reduction in forage yield and the highest crude protein content in leaves. However, the plants irrigated with ECw ≥ 6.31 dS m−1 saline water enhanced soil salinity and reduced the plant height, leaf size, and gas exchange rate. Conclusively, one irrigation with ECw ≤ 5.42 dS m−1 and SAR ≤ 36.31 saline water at the end of April or early May could be acceptable for tall wheatgrass production and minimize the soil salinization risk in the coastal saline–alkaline land around the Bohai Sea.