bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Toward Materiovigilance Among the Health Care Workers in Mumbai: A Questionnaire-Based Study
Authors:   Department of Orthoaedics, Dr. DY Patil Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Kale Sachin , Langade Deepak ,   Department of Pharmacology, Dr. DY Patil Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Thakare Vaishali ,   Department of Pharmacology, Dr. DY Patil Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Patil Anant ,   Department of Pharmacology, Dr. DY Patil Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Das Sonali ,   Department of Orthoaedics, Dr. DY Patil Medical College and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Vatkar Arvind ,   Department of Orthopaedics, MGM Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Materiovigilance is an organized method for locating, obtaining, recording, and evaluating any unfavorable occurrences associated with medical devices to protect a patient’s health by preventing recurrences. Recent advancements in science and technology have led to a significant expansion in the role of medical devices in the healthcare delivery system. This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted among physicians and nurses in a teaching hospital that offers tertiary care and is part of the MvPI MDAE reporting system.

Case report: Among the participants, the worst performers were junior nurses, with 66.7% unaware of the term materiovigilance itself, and the best performers were professors, at 73.5%. Participants self-rated their knowledge, and 31.0% considered it average regarding the subject. However, only 53% of respondents were aware of MvPI systems in their institution, and 60.5% were aware of the reporting process.

Conclusion: This study shows that our tertiary care teaching institute’s medical practitioners lack sufficient materiovigilance knowledge. A campaign of ongoing materiovigilance awareness among healthcare practitioners and nurses, however, would enhance their understanding and inspire them to report MDAEs.

Keywords: Materiovigilance, healthcare, awareness, questionnaire.
Bisphosphonate-Induced Atypical Femoral Fractures: Pathogenesis Insights and the Role of Bioactive Collagen Peptides – A Case Report
Authors:   Department of Orthopedics, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana, India,, Reddy Somasekhara Nallamilli , Althuri Mohan Krishna ,   Department of Orthopedics, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, Telangana, India,, Patwal Shruti ,   Department of Medical Affairs, Universal NutriScience, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,, Garg Manish R ,   Department of Medical Affairs, Universal NutriScience, Pharmacology, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Bisphosphonates (BPs) have emerged as the mainstay of osteoporosis treatment. However, over the past 10 years, atypical femoral fractures (AFFs) have been identified as a possible side effect of BP.

Case Report: A 73-year-old male with a history of prostate carcinoma and an isolated rib metastasis was being treated with zoledronic acid. Despite a successful intramedullary nail fixation and a healed fracture, 5 months later, he developed another fracture in the same femur in the subtrochanteric area. This case report delves into the intricate pathogenesis of BP-induced atypical femoral fractures (AFF) and explores the potential role of bioactive collagen peptides in their pathogenesis.

Conclusion: Significant challenges exist in diagnosing and managing BP-induced AFFs. Using anabolic agents and bioactive collagen peptides is a successful therapeutic intervention for these patients.

Keywords: Collagen peptides, nutraceuticals, osteoporosis, bisphosphonate-induced atypical fractures.
Uncommon Inferior Shoulder Dislocation in the Emergency Department
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedics, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Malnas Mansoor , Patwa Bhavya ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Munshi Parag ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Bombay Hospital Institute of Medical Sciences, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Published: December 2024

Introduction: Inferior shoulder dislocations, also known as luxatio erecta, are a rare subset of shoulder dislocations, accounting for <1% of cases encountered in emergency settings. This unique injury involves the inferior displacement of the humeral head below the glenoid cavity, often resulting from a downward force applied to an abducted arm. Clinically, luxatio erecta presents with the arm fixed in an abducted, overhead position, and is frequently associated with additional injuries, such as rotator cuff tears,
fractures, or neurovascular compromise.
Case Report: This case report details the presentation, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of a 52-year-old male with an inferior shoulder dislocation complicated by a fracture of the greater tuberosity following a fall. Initial reduction attempts in the emergency department were unsuccessful, necessitating reduction under general anesthesia. A post-reduction CT scan revealed a displaced greater tuberosity fracture, which was subsequently stabilized through surgical fixation and rotator cuff repair.
Conclusion: This case underscores the critical importance of early recognition, appropriate imaging, and individualized treatment planning to ensure optimal recovery in cases of luxatio erecta with concomitant injuries.
Keywords: Luxatio erecta, greater tuberosity fracture, shoulder dislocation, closed reduction under anesthesia, inferior shoulder dislocation.
Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Replacement in a Patient with Severe Varus Deformity and High Cardiac Risk
Authors:   Department of Orthopaedics, Fortis Hiranadani Hospitals, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Bhor Pramod , Pawar Sawankumar H. ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Fortis Hiranadani Hospitals, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Kutumbe Dnyanada ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Fortis Hiranadani Hospitals, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Vatkar Arvind ,   Department of Orthopaedics, Fortis Hiranadani Hospitals, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India., Kale Sachin ,   Department of Orthopaedics, D.Y Patil School of Medicine and Hospital, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India,
Published: December 2024

Severe varus deformity of the knee is a complex condition that is managed with scrupulous pre-operative planning and intraoperative technique, more so in cardiac-risk patients. Robotic-assisted total knee replacement (TKR) has emerged as an exciting option for improving precision and better outcomes in complex cases. The authors report a case of Robotic-assisted TKR in a 65-year-old patient suffering from severe varus deformity of the knee and multiple significant cardiac comorbidities.
Keywords: Robotic assisted TKR, Severe varus deformity, Cardiac risk
Ethnicity and anthropometric deficits in children: A cross-sectional analysis of national survey data from 18 countries in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Tusting Lucy S. , Mishra Swapnil , Gibson Harry S. , Lindsay Steven W. , Weiss Daniel J. , Flaxman Seth , Bhatt Samir
Published: December 2024

Child anthropometric deficits remain a major public health problem in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and are a key target of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs recommend disaggregation of health indicators by ethnic group. However, few studies have assessed how ethnicity is associated with anthropometric deficits across SSA. Data were extracted from 37 georeferenced Demographic and Health Surveys carried out during 2006–2019 across SSA that recorded anthropometric data for children aged <5 years. In a cross-sectional analysis, the odds of stunting (low height-for-age), wasting (low weight-for-height) and underweight (low weight-for-age) were modelled in relation to ethnic group using a generalised linear hierarchical mixed-effects model, controlling for survey design and environmental, socioeconomic and clinical variables. The study population comprised 138,312 children spanning 45 ethnic groups across 18 countries. In pairwise comparisons (accounting for multiple comparisons) between ethnic groups, height-for-age z-scores differed by at least 0.5 standard deviations in 29% of comparisons, weight-for-height z-scores in 36% of comparisons and weight-for-age z-scores in 20% of comparisons. Compared to a reference group of Fula children (the largest ethnic group), ethnic group membership was associated with both increases and decreases in growth faltering, ranging from a 69% reduction to a 32% increase in odds of stunting (Igbo: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.31, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.27–0.35, p<0.0001; Hausa: aOR 1.32, 95% CI 1.21–1.44, p<0.0001); a 13% to 87% reduction in odds of wasting (Mandinka: aOR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76–0.99, p = 0.034; Bamileke: aOR 0.13, 95% CI 0.05–0.32, p<0.0001) and an 85% reduction to 13% increase in odds of underweight (Bamileke: aOR 0.15, 95% CI 0.08–0.29, p<0.0001; Hausa: aOR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03–1.24, p = 0.010). Major ethnic disparities in stunting, wasting and underweight were observed across 18 countries in SSA. Understanding and accounting for these differences is essential to support progress monitoring and targeting of nutrition interventions in children.
How and why does mode of birth affect processes for routine data collection and use? A qualitative study in Bangladesh and Tanzania
Authors: Ruysen Harriet , Majid Tamanna , Shamba Donat , Mhajabin Shema , Minja Jacqueline , Rahman Ahmed E. , Ngopi Titus , Ramesh Mary , El Arifeen Shams , Steege Rosie , Seeley Janet , Lawn Joy E. , Day Louise T. ,   EN-BIRTH-2 Study Group
Published: December 2024

The World Health Organization recognises Routine Health Information System (RHIS) data as integral to data-driven health systems; needed to improve intrapartum outcomes for maternal and newborn health worldwide. However, research in Bangladesh and Tanzania suggests that mode of birth affects register data accuracy, but little is known about why. To address this gap, we undertook qualitative research in these two public-sector health systems. We conducted 44 in-depth interviews in Bangladesh (Sept-Dec 2020) and 35 in Tanzania (Feb-April 2023). Participants included health and data professionals, managers, and leaders from sub-national and national levels. Thematic analysis was undertaken with inductive and deductive coding. Emerging themes were compared/organised using determinants outlined in the Performance of Routine Information System Management (PRISM) framework. Mode of birth affected RHIS data as one part in a multidimensional system; having a caesarean changed the location of birth, availability of health professionals, and the care pathway, impacting data flow and documentation processes at facility-level. Standardised registers were available in the labour wards, but not in all operating theatres. Health professionals in both countries described feeling overwhelmed by duplicative data tasks and competing clinical care responsibilities, especially in labour wards with low staffing ratios. Health professionals perceived electronic data systems to increase duplication (for all modes of birth), along with other organisational factors. In conclusion, mode of birth influenced processes for routine data collection and use because it affected where, what, when, and by whom data were recorded. We found challenges for capturing register data, leading to potential data gaps, especially for caesarean births. Our findings suggest a broader lens is needed to improve the systems, collection, and use of individual-level data for aggregation, not just registers. Co-design of RHIS processes and tools could rationalise the data burden and increase availability and quality of perinatal data for use.
A matter of timing: Biting by malaria-infected Anopheles mosquitoes and the use of interventions during the night in rural south-eastern Tanzania
Authors: Namango Isaac Haggai , Moore Sarah J. , Marshall Carly , Saddler Adam , Kaftan David , Tenywa Frank Chelestino , Makungwa Noely , Limwagu Alex J. , Mapua Salum , Odufuwa Olukayode G. , Ligema Godfrey , Ngonyani Hassan , Matanila Isaya , Bharmal Jameel , Moore Jason , Finda Marceline , Okumu Fredros , Hetzel Manuel W. , Ross Amanda
Published: December 2024

Knowing when and where infected mosquitoes bite is required for estimating accurate measures of malaria risk, assessing outdoor exposure, and designing intervention strategies. This study combines secondary analyses of a human behaviour survey and an entomological survey carried out in the same area to estimate human exposure to malaria-infected Anopheles mosquitoes throughout the night in rural villages in south-eastern Tanzania. Mosquitoes were collected hourly from 6PM to 6AM indoors and outdoors by human landing catches in 2019, and tested for Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite infections using ELISA. In nearby villages, a trained member in each selected household recorded the whereabouts and activities of the household members from 6PM to 6AM in 2016 and 2017. Vector control use was high: 99% of individuals were reported to use insecticide-treated nets and a recent trial of indoor residual spraying had achieved 80% coverage. The risk of being bitten by infected mosquitoes outdoors, indoors in bed, and indoors but not in bed, and use of mosquito nets was estimated for each hour of the night. Individuals were mainly outdoors before 9PM, and mainly indoors between 10PM and 5AM. The main malaria vectors caught were Anopheles funestus sensu stricto and An. arabiensis. Biting rates were higher in the night compared to the evening or early morning. Due to the high use of ITNs, an estimated 85% (95% CI 81%, 88%) of all exposure in children below school age and 76% (71%, 81%) in older household members could potentially be averted by ITNs under current use patterns. Outdoor exposure accounted for an estimated 11% (8%, 15%) of infective bites in children below school age and 17% (13%, 22%) in older individuals. Maintaining high levels of ITN access, use and effectiveness remains important for reducing malaria transmission in this area. Interventions against outdoor exposure would provide additional protection.
A vicious cycle of frailty and acute lower respiratory infection among community-dwelling adults (≥ 60 years): Findings from a multi-site INSPIRE cohort study, India
Authors: Saha Siddhartha , Amarchand Ritvik , Kumar Rakesh , O. Prabhakaran Aslesh , Rajkumar Prabu , Dutt Bhardwaj Sumit , Kanungo Suman , Gharpure Radhika , Lafond Kathryn E. , Azziz-Baumgartner Eduardo , Krishnan Anand
Published: December 2024

We studied the relationship of frailty and acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) among a multi-site cohort of community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years in India. During January 2019‒January 2020, participants completed the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS) at baseline and every 3 months at four sites in India, with each participant completing a maximum of four surveys. Participants were categorized as non-frail (0–5 points), vulnerable (6–7 points), and frail (≥8 points) based on EFS score. Project nurses made weekly home visits to identify ALRI episodes with onset during past 7 days. We estimated adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for having an ALRI episode within 90 days after EFS by frailty category. We also assessed risk of deterioration of frailty during 7–100 days after ALRI episode onset in terms of an increased EFS score by ≥1 point and change of frailty category. Among 5801 participants (median age 65 years, 41% males), 3568 (61·5%) were non-frail, 1507 (26%) vulnerable, and 726 (12·5%) frail at enrolment. Compared with non-frail participants, the hazard of an ALRI episode was higher among vulnerable (aHR: 1·6, (95%CI 1·3–2.0) and frail participants (aHR: 1·7, 95%CI 1·3–2·2). Participants having ALRI within the past 7–100 days were at increased risk of worsening frailty category (aOR: 1.9, 95%CI 1·3–2.8) compared to participants without an ALRI episode during the same period. The association between ALRIs and worsened frailty suggests prevention of ALRIs through vaccination and other strategies may have broad reaching health benefits for older adults.
HIV prevention and missed opportunities among people with recently acquired HIV infection: Α protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Karakosta Argyro , Ruiz-Burga Elisa , Tariq Shema , Touloumi Giota , Jay Nicholls Emily , Pantazis Nikos , Jarrin Inma , Van der Valk Marc , Sabin Caroline , Mussini Cristina , Meyer Laurence , Volny Anne Alain , Carlander Christina , Grabar Sophie , Wittkop Linda , Spire Bruno , Gill Jonh , Porter Kholoud , Burns Fiona ,   for CASCADE Collaboration
Published: December 2024

Background

Individuals who have recently acquired HIV represent a unique population because the time frame since HIV acquisition is relatively short and identification of missed HIV prevention opportunities is, therefore, closer to real time and less subject to recall bias. Identifying prevention measures used and missed opportunities for using them, can help stop further HIV transmission.

Objectives

This systematic review aims to synthesise current global evidence on uptake of HIV prevention methods among people with recently acquired HIV from 2007, the year that the concept of ART as a prevention method was first introduced.

Methods and analysis

MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane and Web of Science databases, will be searched for articles published January 2007—December 2023. Eligible studies will be those that reported on HIV prevention methods among people with recently acquired HIV. Quality assessment of the studies selected will be undertaken, and reporting of the systematic review will be informed by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results

The systematic review is expected to provide comprehensive insights into the uptake, use and adherence to HIV prevention methods among individuals with recently acquired HIV. Analysis anticipates identifying gaps in prevention coverage, missed opportunities for intervention, and variations in access to and use of prevention strategies. Sociodemographic, personal, and behavioural factors influencing prevention uptake and adherence will also be synthesised.

Conclusions

The findings will be of key relevance to researchers, healthcare providers including third sector organisations/ community groups and policymakers, as they will offer insight into better understanding of missed or failed HIV prevention efforts and will help ensure future efforts meet the needs of those in need of them.
Immune cell infiltration and modulation of the blood-brain barrier in a guinea pig model of tuberculosis: Observations without evidence of bacterial dissemination to the brain
Authors: Latham Amanda S. , Geer Charlize E. , Ackart David F. , Weninger Kristin N. , Gross Chase C. , Podell Brendan K. , Basaraba Randall J. , Moreno Julie A.
Published: December 2024

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, is a chronic inflammatory disease. Although typically associated with inflammation of the lungs and other peripheral tissues, increasing evidence has uncovered neurological consequences attributable to Mtb infection. These include deficits in memory and cognition, increased risk for neurodegenerative disease, and progressive neuropathology. Although the neurological effects of the disease, without CNS infection, have been characterized, the mechanism of neurotoxicity is unknown. We hypothesized that alterations to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) allows peripheral immune cells to enter the brain, initiating a neuroinflammatory response. To test this hypothesis, guinea pigs were exposed by aerosol to a laboratory and a clinical Mtb strain for 15 days. Following Mtb infection, proteins critical to BBB function, including claudin V and collagen IV, are modulated without evidence of bacterial dissemination to the brain. This is correlated with increased contact of astrocytic processes to vessels in the brain, as well as increased expression of the water channel protein aquaporin 4 (AQP4) on endfeet. Upon further investigation, we discovered the potential role of glial reactivity, which is increased following infection with both bacterial strains, in the progression of BBB changes and, ultimately, the permeability of peripheral immune cells into the brain. Through these data, we have obtained a preliminary understanding of the mechanisms of cellular stress in the brain following pulmonary Mtb infection which should be further investigated in future studies.
Measuring habituation to stimuli: The Italian version of the Sensory Habituation Questionnaire
Authors: Tarantino Vincenza , Passerello Noemi , Ben-Sasson Ayelet , Podoly Tamar Y. , Santostefano Alessia , Oliveri Massimiliano , Mandolesi Laura , Turriziani Patrizia
Published: December 2024

Sensory habituation allows us to decrease responsiveness to repetitive or prolonged stimuli over time, making them easy to filter out and not interfere with ongoing activities. As such, habituation could be an important aspect to be evaluated within a sensory and cognitive assessment. The main aim of the present study was to validate an Italian version of the Sensory Habituation Questionnaire (S-Hab-Q), a self-report tool assessing how long an adult individual takes to adapt to daily sensory stimuli. We examined the relationship between sensory habituation and sensory sensitivity by administering the Sensory Perception Quotient questionnaire (SPQ) and tested a factor model based on a sensory modality categorization of items. In addition, given the high probability of altered sensory processing in autism, we explored the relationship between sensory habituation and autistic traits by administering the Autism Quotient questionnaire (AQ). A total of 262 participants, aged 18 to 67 years, completed the S-Hab-Q, the SPQ, and the AQ questionnaires. The results showed that, as the original version of the S-Hab-Q, the Italian version had a high internal consistency and a significant correlation with the SPQ score. A confirmatory factor analysis, based on a two-factor model (i.e., vision and hearing vs. touch, smell, and taste), showed a good fit of the S-Hab-Q data. As expected, a significant correlation between the S-Hab-Q and the AQ score was found. Interestingly, mediation analysis revealed that the S-Hab-Q score mediated the relationship between SPQ and AQ scores. Overall, the results confirm that a questionnaire assessing habituation can be a feasible tool to profile individual habituation in daily life. Moreover, they suggest that sensory habituation contributes to explaining the link between sensory sensitivity and autistic traits.
Research on the carrying capacity of production, living and ecological space and its coupling coordination in Duolun County, Inner Mongolia
Authors: ruhan A , Liu Dongchang
Published: December 2024

To offer a foundational science for the land spatial planning of Beijing Tianjin sandstorm source area, the remote sensing images of Duolun County in Inner Mongolia from 2000 to 2020 were used to obtain the spatial information of production, living and ecological space(PLES). In order to construct the index system of the carrying capacity of the PLES, 24 indicators were chosen from the perspectives of ecological space, living space, and production space. AHP method, TOPSIS Model with entropy combination weight, coupling coordination model and obstacle degree model are used to analyze the coupling coordination scheduling and obstacle degree of the PLES carrying capacity. The findings exhibited that (1) the distribution area of ecological space and production space decreased, while the living space area increased slightly; (2) The carrying capacity of production space showed a weak growth trend, the carrying capacity of production space, living space and the PLES space showed a weak downward trend; (3) The coupling degree and coupling coordination degree between two spaces show a slow downward trend; (4) The obstacle degree of the carrying capacity of production space and living space has increased, while the carrying capacity of ecological space is decreasing. Livestock carrying capacity is the most important obstacle restricting the carrying capacity of production space. The scale of construction land has the greatest obstacle to the carrying capacity of living space, the degree of desertification has the greatest obstacle to the carrying capacity of ecological space, and soil organic matter has the greatest obstacle to the comprehensive carrying capacity of the PLES.
Matched serum- and urine-derived biomarkers of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome
Authors: Kuret Tadeja , Sterle Igor , Romih Rok , Veranič Peter
Published: December 2024

Setting up the correct diagnosis of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), a chronic inflammatory disease of the bladder, is a challenge, as there are neither diagnostic criteria nor reliable and non-invasive disease biomarkers available. The aim of the present study was to simultaneously determine matched serum- and urine-derived biomarkers of IC/BPS, which would provide additional insights into disease mechanisms and set the basis for further biomarker validation. Our study included 12 female patients with IC/BPS and 12 healthy controls. A total of 33 different biomarkers were measured, including cytokines and chemokines, proteins involved in extracellular matrix remodeling, adhesion molecules, growth factors, and markers of oxidative stress using enzyme linked immunoassays and multiplex technology. Heatmaps and principal component analysis based on significantly altered biomarkers, revealed urine- and serum-associated IC/BPS signatures that clearly differentiated IC/BPS patients from controls. Four biomarkers, including CCL11, BAFF, HGF and MMP9, were significantly upregulated in both serum and urine of patients with IC/BPS compared to controls. Serum levels of MMP9 were associated with disease severity and could distinguish well between IC/BPS patients with and without Hunner’s lesions. Systemic levels of MMP9 can therefore mirror the local pathology within the bladders of IC/BPS patients, and MMP9 may prove to be a useful target for the development of novel therapeutic interventions. Utilizing a comprehensive panel of both urine and serum biomarkers, identified here, holds promise for disease detection in IC/BPS patients.
The effect of gravity on hand spatio-temporal kinematic features during functional movements
Authors: Bucchieri Anna , Tessari Federico , Buccelli Stefano , De Momi Elena , Laffranchi Matteo , De Michieli Lorenzo
Published: December 2024

Understanding the impact of gravity on daily upper-limb movements is crucial for comprehending upper-limb impairments. This study investigates the relationship between gravitational force and upper-limb mobility by analyzing hand trajectories from 24 healthy subjects performing nine pick-and-place tasks, captured using a motion capture system. The results reveal significant differences in motor behavior in terms of planning, smoothness, efficiency, and accuracy when movements are performed against or with gravity. Analysis showed that upward movements (g−) resembled transversal ones (g0) but differed significantly from downward movements (g+). Corrective movements in g+ began later than in g− and g0, indicating different motor planning models. Velocity profiles highlighted smoother movements in g− and g0 compared to g+. Smoothness was lower in g+, indicating less coordinated movements. Efficiency showed significant variability with no specific trends due to subjective task duration among subjects. This study highlights the importance of considering gravitational effects when evaluating upper-limb movements, especially for individuals with neurological impairments. Planning metrics, including Percent Time to Peak Velocity and Percent Time to Peak Standard Deviation, showed significant differences between g− and g0 compared to g+, supporting Fitts’ law on the trade-off between speed and accuracy. Two novel indications were also introduced: the Target Position Error and the Minimum Required Tunnel. These new indicators provided insights into hand-eye coordination and movement variability. The findings suggest that motor planning, smoothness, and efficiency are significantly influenced by gravity, emphasizing the need for differentiated approaches in assessing and rehabilitating upper-limb impairments. Future research should explore these metrics in impaired populations to develop targeted rehabilitation strategies.
Development and evaluation of a deep learning segmentation model for assessing non-surgical endodontic treatment outcomes on periapical radiographs: A retrospective study
Authors: Dennis Dennis , Suebnukarn Siriwan , Vicharueang Sothana , Limprasert Wasit
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the performance of a deep learning-based segmentation model for predicting outcomes of non-surgical endodontic treatment. Preoperative and 3-year postoperative periapical radiographic images of each tooth from routine root canal treatments performed by endodontists from 2015 to 2021 were obtained retrospectively from Thammasat University hospital. Preoperative radiographic images of 1200 teeth with 3-year follow-up results (440 healed, 400 healing, and 360 disease) were collected. Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Mask R-CNN) was used to pixel-wise segment the root from other structures in the image and trained to predict class label into healed, healing and disease. Three endodontists annotated 1080 images used for model training, validation, and testing. The performance of the model was evaluated on a test set and also by comparison with the performance of clinicians (general practitioners and endodontists) with and without the help of the model on independent 120 images. The performance of the Mask R-CNN prediction model was high with the mean average precision (mAP) of 0.88 (95% CI 0.83–0.93) and area under the precision-recall curve of 0.91 (95% CI 0.88–0.94), 0.83 (95% CI 0.81–0.85), 0.91 (95% CI 0.90–0.92) on healed, healing and disease, respectively. The prediction metrics of general practitioners and endodontists significantly improved with the help of Mask R-CNN outperforming clinicians alone with mAP increasing from 0.75 (95% CI 0.72–0.78) to 0.84 (95% CI 0.81–0.87) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.85–0.91) to 0.92 (95% CI 0.89–0.95), respectively. In conclusion, deep learning-based segmentation model had the potential to predict non-surgical endodontic treatment outcomes from periapical radiographic images and were expected to aid in endodontic treatment.
Whole-genome resequencing reveals collagen-related genes in Kele pigs
Authors: Zhang Yu Dan , Yuan Wei , Bi Huan , Yang Xiao , Zhang Yi Yu , Chen Wei
Published: December 2024

Objective

To verify the accuracy of collagen-specific SNP mutation loci of Kele pigs selected by whole genome resequencing, and to excavate collagen-related genes of Kele pigs, so as to lay a foundation for further molecular selection.

Methods

Based on whole genome resequencing, candidate genes related to collagen trait of Kele pig were screened for gene annotation. Through KEGG and GO enrichment analysis of differential genes, we selected four genes that may affect collagen trait of collagen pig, namely COL9A1, COL6A5, COL4A3 and COL4A4. Then 14 specific SNP sites were randomly selected from the four genes for sanger sequencing verification, and finally RT-qPCR was used to verify the expression levels of related genes in different tissues of Kele pigs.

Results

Our sequencing results revealed that 241.04 G of clean data, Q30 reached 93.96% and the average coverage depth was 9.04×. After data analysis, the SNP annotation of Kele pigs identified 4,570 high-impact mutation sites that could result in protein function loss, with SNPs primarily distributed in the intronic and exonic regions. There were 132,256 middle-impact mutation sites and 318,150 low-impact mutation sites that could potentially impact protein properties. Additionally, The INDEL annotation results revealed a total of 17,806 high-impact mutation sites that could potentially result in the loss of protein function. There were 4740 medium-impact mutation sites that have the potential to affect protein properties, as well as 19,298 low-impact mutation sites. Furthermore, there were 14,197,763 mutation sites of modification influence degree in the analysis. In addition, through real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR results, we found that the expression levels of collagen-related genes COL9A1 and COL6A5 in skin tissues were higher than those in other tissues, and the expression levels of COL4A4 and COL4A3 in kidney tissues were higher than those in other tissues. The SNP site verification results showed that the 14 SNP mutation sites randomly selected by us were the same as the SNP mutation sites screened by whole genome resequencing.

Conclusion

A total of 307 genes related to collagen traits were excavated, including COL9A1, COL6A5, EP300, SOS2 and EPO, etc. It was found that COL9A1 and COL6A5 genes were significantly expressed in the skin tissue of Kele pigs, and COL4A4 and COL4A3 genes were significantly expressed in the kidney tissue of Kele pigs. The mutations of 14 randomly selected loci in the four related genes were consistent with the results of previous whole genome resequencing analysis, indicating that the specific SNP molecular marker information obtained by whole genome resequencing can be used as the basis for analyzing collagen traits of Kele pig. Our results are conducive to further research on collagen trait regulation of Kele pigs and development and utilization of Kele pigs in the future.
Enhancing bowel sound recognition with self-attention and self-supervised pre-training
Authors: Yu Yansuo , Zhang Mingwu , Xie Zhennian , Liu Qiang
Published: December 2024

Bowel sounds, a reflection of the gastrointestinal tract’s peristalsis, are essential for diagnosing and monitoring gastrointestinal conditions. However, the absence of an effective, non-invasive method for assessing digestion through auscultation has resulted in a reliance on time-consuming and laborious manual analysis by clinicians. This study introduces an innovative deep learning-based method designed to automate and enhance the recognition of bowel sounds. Our approach integrates the Branchformer architecture, which leverages the power of self-attention and convolutional gating for robust feature extraction, with a self-supervised pre-training strategy. Specifically, the Branchformer model employs parallel processing of self-attention and convolutional gated Multi-layer Perceptron branches to capture both global and local dependencies in audio signals, thereby enabling effective characterization of complex bowel sound patterns. Furthermore, a self-supervised pre-training strategy is employed, leveraging a large corpus of unlabeled audio data to learn general sound wave representations, followed by fine-tuning on a limited set of bowel sound data to optimize the model’s recognition performance for specific tasks. Experimental results on public bowel sound datasets demonstrate the superior recognition performance of the proposed method compared to existing baseline models, particularly under data-limited conditions, thereby confirming the effectiveness of the self-supervised pre-training strategy. This work provides an efficient and automated solution for clinical bowel sound monitoring, facilitating early diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal disorders.
Land use land cover change as a casual factor for climate variability and trends in the Bilate River Basin, Ethiopia
Authors: Bikeko Samuel Shibeshi , Venkatesham Dr. E.
Published: December 2024

Land use and land cover (LULC) changes are crucial in influencing regional climate patterns and environmental dynamics. However, the long-term impacts of these changes on climate variability in the Bilate River Basin remain poorly understood. This study examines the spatiotemporal changes in LULC and their influence on climate variability in the Bilate River Basin, Ethiopia, over the period from 1994 to 2024. Utilizing multispectral satellite imagery from Landsat 5, 7, and 8, along with meteorological data from five stations, LULC was classified using the Random Forest algorithm on the Google Earth Engine platform. Climate variability and trends were assessed using the Mann-Kendall trend test, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), and the Standardized Temperature Index (STI). The results reveal a consistent decline in forest cover, with a rapid annual loss of 4,681.2 hectares between 2014 and 2024. Concurrently, agricultural land expanded at an annual rate of approximately 1,141 hectares, while urban areas grew by 24.3 hectares annually in recent years. These LULC changes have contributed to significant climate variability in the region. The upper catchment experienced notable declines in rainfall and warming across all seasons. In the middle catchment, spring rainfall increased, accompanied by moderate summer warming. The lower catchment saw significant increases in spring and autumn rainfall, with no notable temperature trends. These findings highlight the critical impact of LULC changes on the region’s climate and emphasize the need for sustainable land management and conservation practices to address deforestation, urbanization, and agricultural expansion.
Stereotypically thinking: Norms for stereotypical gender nouns in Polish and English
Authors: Jankowiak Katarzyna , Naranowicz Marcin , Skałba Anna , Drążkowski Dariusz , Pawelczyk Joanna
Published: December 2024

The present contribution provides norms for a database of Polish (a grammatical gender language) and English (a natural gender language) stereotypical gender and neutral nouns. A total of 317 participants rated the degree of stereotypically feminine and masculine features when presented with 240 nouns in each language. The stimuli were highly controlled for a number of psycholinguistic variables, including word frequency, the number of letters and syllables, age of acquisition, concreteness, valence, and arousal. The results of the ratings revealed that gender stereotypical features were observed in both language systems, thus suggesting that single words that do not explicitly reference any male or female characteristics can activate stereotypically feminine and masculine schemas, regardless of grammatical gender. Furthermore, the results suggested a stronger internalization of gender stereotypes among female relative to male participants as well as among sex-typed individuals, therefore pointing to the crucial role of gender and gender schema in how sensitive individuals are to gender stereotypical attributes. The norms reported in the present article aim to broaden researchers’ stimulus choices and allow for consistency across different laboratories and research projects on gender stereotype processing. The adaptation of this database to other languages or cultures could also enable a cross-cultural comparison of empirical findings on stereotype processing.
Combination of triciribine and p38 MAPK inhibitor PD169316 enhances the differentiation effect on myeloid leukemia cells
Authors: Sato-Nagaoka Yuri , Suzuki Susumu , Suzuki Souma , Takahashi Shinichiro
Published: December 2024

Differentiation therapy with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is well established for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). However, the narrow application and tolerance development of ATRA remain to be improved. A number of kinase inhibitors have been reported to induce cell differentiation. In this study, we investigated several combinations of these kinase inhibitors. Recently, we revealed that the Akt inhibitor triciribine (TCN) efficiently induces differentiation of NB4 APL cells and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) M2-derived HL-60 cells through activation of the ERK/MAPK pathway. In the present study, we found that the p38 MAPK inhibitor PD169316 had profoundly enhanced the TCN effect for differentiation of NB4 and HL-60 cells. Morphologically, the combination of these two agents efficiently reduced the nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio and induced the expression of myelomonocytic markers (CD11b, CD11c) and some ectopic markers (erythroid glycophorin A, lymphoid CD7 and CD20), as determined by PCR and flow cytometry analyses. Western blotting analysis revealed that these agents efficiently induced phosphorylation of ERK. To clarify the molecular mechanisms involved in the TCN and PD169316-induced differentiation, we performed microarray analyses using NB4 cells. Pathway analysis using DAVID software indicated that “viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor” and “cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction” were enriched with high significance. Real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that genes for components of these pathways, including chemokines like CCL1, CCL2, CCL3, CCL5, and CXCL8 as well as cytokines and receptors like CSF1, IL-10, IL-10RA, IL-10RB, IL-1β, and TNFSF10, were upregulated in NB4 and HL-60 cells during TCN and PD169316-induced differentiation.
Mortality prediction of inpatients with NSTEMI in a premier hospital in China based on stacking model
Authors: Wang Li , zhang Yu , li Feng , Li Caiyun , Xu Hongzeng
Published: December 2024

Background

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains a leading cause of hospitalization and death in China. Accurate mortality prediction of inpatient is crucial for clinical decision-making of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients.

Methods

In this study, a total of 3061 patients between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2022 diagnosed with NSTEMI were enrolled in this study. A new method based on Stacking ensemble model is proposed to predict the in-hospital mortality risk of NSTEMI using clinical data. This method mainly consists of three parts. Firstly, oversampling technique was used to alleviate the class imbalance problem. Secondly, the feature selection method of Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) was selected for effective feature selection. Finally, a unique double-layer stacking model is designed to improve the performance of the algorithm. Seven classical artificial intelligence methods of Logistic Regression (LR), Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), Adaptive Boosting (ADB), Extra Tree (ET), and Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT) were selected as candidate models for the base model of the first layer of the model, and extreme gradient enhancement (XGBOOST) was selected as the meta-model for the second layer.

Results

Patient were divided into the surviving group and the death group, and a total of 57 clinical features showed statistically significant for the two groups and finally included in the subsequent model. The results show that the Area Under Curve (AUC) of the Stacking model proposed in this paper is 0.987, which is higher than that of LR (0.934), DT (0.946), SVM (0.942), RF (0.948), ADB (0.949), ET (0.938) and GBDT (0.920). At the same time, the proposed Stacking model has higher performance than each single model in terms of Accuracy, Precision, Recall and F1 evaluation indicators.

Conclusions

The Stacking model proposed in this paper can integrate the advantages of LR, DT, SVM, RF, ADB, ET and GBDT models to achieve better prediction performance. This model can provide valuable insights for physicians to identify high-risk patients more precisely and timely, thereby maximizing the potential for early clinical interventions to reduce the mortality rate.
Modeling the supply chain sustainability imperatives in the fashion retail industry: Implications for sustainable development
Authors: Imran Md. Tariqul Islam , Karmaker Chitra Lekha , Karim Rubayet , Misbauddin S. M. , Bari A. B. M. Mainul , Raihan Asif
Published: December 2024

The resilience of established business strategies has been tested in the wake of recent global supply chain upheavals triggered by events like the COVID-19 pandemic, Russia-Ukraine combat, Hamas-Israel war, and other geopolitical conflicts. Organizations are compelled to integrate sustainable practices into their supply chains to navigate the complexities of the post-COVID-19 era and mitigate the far-reaching consequences of such disruptions. However, exploring supply chain imperatives from sustainability dimensions still remains underexplored, presenting a significant research gap, particularly in the fashion retail sector. In response, this study aims to pioneer an innovative approach by amalgamating Pareto analysis, Bayes theorem, and the Best-Worst Method to evaluate sustainability imperatives comprehensively. Focusing on emerging economies like Bangladesh and its fashion retail industry, this methodology synthesizes insights from literature reviews, expert feedback, and Pareto analysis to curate a definitive set of influential imperatives. Finally, the Bayesian Best-Worst Method is applied to examine them. The results reveal the availability of government support schemes to promote sustainability, developing strategic supply chain interventions to ameliorate the impact of disruptive events, and digitalizing the supply chain as the most monumental imperatives under economic, social, and environmental perspectives, respectively. The study’s innovative methodology and its implications for sustainable supply chain management offer valuable insights for both academic research and practical application, presenting a strategic blueprint for the fashion retail industry to navigate and thrive in the post-COVID-19 era. This work can not only advance the theoretical understanding of supply chain sustainability but also provide actionable guidance for industry leaders in developing robust, resilient, and sustainable supply chain strategies.
Developing an evaluation approach for the in-depth review of a new undergraduate medical programme as a complex system
Authors: Prozesky Detlef R. , Kebaetse Masego B. , Mogodi Mpho S. , Molwantwa Mmoloki C.
Published: December 2024

Background

A new undergraduate medical programme was instituted at the University of Botswana in 2009. In 2016, the Faculty of Medicine decided to conduct a comprehensive review of the programme. Participants at a planning workshop decided the review had to lead to an in-depth understanding of the programme. The challenge was to develop an evaluation process to achieve this aim.

Approach

Standards and theories used in other programme evaluations were investigated. A steering committee developed a ‘six-step process’ for the review of the programme as a complex system. The process used three evaluation models and various sources of evaluation standards to derive 90 evaluation questions. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using 96 different instruments, with data triangulation prominently featured. Data analysis used an interpretivist approach. The review process was validated against the Cilliers’s ten features of a complex system.

Validation

The review process was validated against Cilliers’s ten features of a complex system. We found that the ‘six-step process’ illuminated each of these features in the MBBS programme in turn, and was therefore a valid way of evaluating this programme as a complex system.

Discussion

In the process of designing and using the ‘six-step process’ to evaluate a complex medical programme important lessons were learnt: starting the process with complexity theory at the forefront; being as inclusive as possible in data collection; also applying complexity theory to the evaluation of smaller programme components as ‘mini-complex systems’; and managing one’s inevitable insider bias.

Conclusion and utility

The ‘six-step process’ as it stands or in adaptation is likely to be useful in similar situations, where evaluators perceive the object of their evaluation to be a complex system, or a component of such a system.