bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“A History Buried Alive”: Resisting Amnesia and Reclaiming Native Palestinian Ecology in the Works of Susan Abulhawa
Authors: Nasooha M.
Published: May 2024

“A land without people for a people without land” was the Zionist slogan used to justify the Jewish settlement in historical Palestine. To prove that historical Palestine was unoccupied, Zionists have attempted to erase its native population from their land and from historical records, through the propagation of the myth that the Jews made “the desert bloom,” obliterating the agricultural practices of Palestinian Arabs. This article studies the deliberate attempts to use ecology as a means of cultural amnesia and its resistance by Palestinian writers. By examining the novels of Susan Abulhawa for remembrances that combat the strategy of forced amnesia of Palestinian ecology, this article finds that literature becomes lieux de mémoire that helps to resist erasure.
Triangular Dynamics: US Response to China’s Assertiveness in the Middle East
Authors: Shorbagy Manar
Published: May 2024

New dynamics govern today’s Middle East politics. At a time when Beijing has become a major player and the US perceives China as the sole credible threat to its global primacy, many Middle Eastern states play a triangulation game, offsetting Washington’s pressure with deepening ties with China. In response, the US now sees the region through the prism of managing its rivalry with Beijing. The Biden administration’s strategy is to identify key allies and integrate them into small networks to help protect American interests against Chinese influence. However, with such a strategy the US is setting itself up for frequent setbacks. Since those coalitions, based on the Abraham Accords, bypass the Palestinian issue, America’s Arab allies often find themselves faced with escalation in the occupied territories, thus derailing the work of such networks. Besides, many of America’s Middle East allies have no intention of getting embroiled in the US–Chinese tension.
HOW DOES MENTAL DISTRACTION INDUCED BY AN ADDITIONAL TASK AFFECT THE SEVERITY OF SIMULATOR SICKNESS SYMPTOMS IN PILOTS: A SPATIAL DISORIENTATION SIMULATOR STUDY
Authors:   Military Institute of Aviation Medicine, Warsaw, Poland, Lewkowicz Rafał , Bałaj Bibianna ,   Nicolaus Copernicus University, Fudali-Czyż Agnieszka ,   John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Stróżak Paweł ,   John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Augustynowicz Paweł ,   John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Francuz Piotr ,   John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin
Published: May 2024

Introduction: To improve the effectiveness of spatial disorientation (SD) training in a flight simulator, pilots are recommended to perform an additional task that induces a mental distraction. The presented study explored how the inclusion of an additional task that may enhance the effectiveness of SD training changes the severity of simulator sickness symptoms reported after exposure in the Gyro-IPT simulator. Methods: We compared the incidence of simulator sickness symptoms in pilots across four setups of flight scenarios (varying according to cognitive load distraction) collected during our previous studies. A total of 77 male military pilots (age 28.3±6.2) with flight experience (810.72 ±969.43 hours) were randomly assigned to one of four groups and then exposed to a 60-min long flight session (12 flight profiles, six involved an SD-conflict) with active control in the Gyro IPT simulator. In addition to the primary flying task, in three flight scenarios, pilots were asked to perform an additional visual (a change detection flicker task [CDFT]), auditory (an auditory N-back task [NBT]), or duration-discrimination task (DDT)). To measure simulator sickness symptoms, the Simulator Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) was administered pre- and post-simulator exposure. Results: The severity of simulator sickness symptoms due to visual and motion cues did not significantly change when the pilot performed a non-sickening cognitive task (additional visual or auditory task). The total SSQ score and scores for nausea, oculomotor disturbance, and disorientation in the CDFT and DDT were slightly higher than in the control condition (flight without additional task). Despite the observed differences, according to the SSQ scoring criteria, the simulator sickness symptoms reported by the pilots were negligible. Conclusions: The additional tasks (CDFT, auditory NBT, or DDT) applied to improve the effectiveness of SD training in the Gyro-IPT simulator do not significantly change unwanted effects, such as simulator sickness.
Mineral chemistry and P-T conditions of the Karakaya volcanites at Kırka-Afyon-Isparta volcanic province, Afyon, Turkey
Authors: Aksoy Irem , KİBİCİ Yaşar
Published: May 2024

The Kırka-Afyon-Isparta Volcanic Province (KAIVP) is one of the best known regions in Turkey for the origin and petrological evolution of the high potassium volcanic activity. The temporal and spatial variability of volcanic rocks in the region exerts significant control over their geochemical diversity. Alkaline and ultrapotassic volcanic rocks of the Afyon volcanism are the first products of asthenospheric origin after the orogenesis in western Anatolia. We have determined the mineralogical and petrographic properties of the Karakaya volcanites surrounding Afyon with the help of microprobe analyses. Estimated thermobarometers are calculated. The Karakaya volcanites have been grouped into four different units according to their their mineralogical, petrographic and geochemical characteristics: Seydiler ignimbirite, basaltic trachyandesite, trachyandesite, trachyte and lamproite. Most samples display hypocrystalline porphyritic texture, whereas samples of lamproite unit have a holocrystalline texture. Generally, volcanic units also exhibit some textural evidence of disequilibrium crystallisation, such as sieve texture and corrosion in plagioclase phenocrysts, zoning and inclusions in clinopyroxene phenocrysts. Mineral thermobarometric estimations in all suites were tested on clinopyroxene and feldspar compositions, considering different authors’ approaches. Values of temperatures and pressure range from 1105 to 1273ºC and 5.6 to 12.2kbar, respectively. The temperature and pressure values calculated from the mineral-melt associations in the volcanics suggest that the Afyon Volcanites were affected by magma mixing processes and crystallised at different depths during the transport of magma.
al-Ashraf ̔Umar’s Tabṣira, Chapter xxiii: Timekeeping at Night by the Moon in 13th-Century Yemen and Beyond
Authors: Mousavi Razieh S. , Schmidl Petra G.
Published: May 2024

This article explores methods for determining moonrise and moonset as evidenced within a range of pre- and early modern sources originating from Islamicate societies. The idea emerged during a workshop in July 2022 where a talk by the first author on Ibn Waḥshiyya’s moonrise-moonset text in his al-Filāḥa al-Nabaṭiyya («The book of Nabatean agriculture») and the second author’s project on the Kitāb al-Tabṣira fī ̔ilm al-nujūm («Book of enlightenment in the science of the stars») by al-Ashraf ̔Umar revealed overlaps. Given the resemblances observed in the two sources, chapter xxiii of Tabṣira has been selected as the initial reference point for tracing the technique across additional sources. It is important to note that this examination does not assert comprehensiveness, nor does it account for the reciprocal interdependencies among the examples presented. Nevertheless, the present article suggests a categorisation of the diverse methods predicated on various factors such as exactitude, complexity, state of completeness, literary formats, and audience.
How Culture Was Planned: Shanghai’s Troupe-Relocation Project in the 1950s
Authors: Su Fei
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This article examines Shanghai’s troupe-relocation project in the second half of the 1950s. I argue that this project, by its nature, represented the way of resource allocation in a “planned culture” system, in which the state sought to replace the market and dominate the allocation of cultural resources. Popular culture hence was to be transformed from a market-based business into a section of the “planned culture” system under the Party-state. In the “planned culture” system, Shanghai’s troupe-relocation project, on the one hand, was aiming at providing cultural facilities for the inland industrial cities under construction and state welfare for the working class; on the other hand, it was beneficial for balancing the supply and demand in the local theatre market. Since yueju (yue opera), a local theatrical genre performed in the Shaoxing dialect, played a significant role in the troupe-relocation project, this article focuses on the stories of two yueju troupes, Xinxin and Chunguang. Migrating from Shanghai to northwestern industrial cities during the First Five-Year Plan (1953–1957), their considerations and reactions to political mobilization, their lives in new environments, and their destiny in the post-Mao era reflected the connection between the “planned culture” and planned economy, as well as the interplay between state planning and the cultural market. Their stories expose the inherent flaws of the “planned culture” system: First, it was undeniable that the economic cost of the “planned culture” was enormous. Second, administrative orders made resource allocation inefficient and inflexible .
From Temple to Theatre: The Making of Commercial Grassroots Performance Spaces in Republican China
Authors: Wang Sisi
Published: May 2024

Abstract: This article analyzes the transformation of xiqu (traditional Chinese theatre) performance space in Republican China (1912–1949), focusing on the performances in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. It investigates the institutional and habitus differences compared to larger urban areas, and changes in admission rules, particularly the implementation of ticketed admission, which transformed temples into commercial theatres. Disputes over ticketed admission, involving local officials, residents, and Japanese, emerged due to the new admission rules, which differentiated between audience and non-audience members and regulated entry into the performance space. This monetization strategy contributed to the reorganization of the local entertainment market and was followed by the conversion of temples into commercial theatres during the 1930s. This article argues that an alternative “modernization” process and spatial politics rooted in the aspiration to build a modern state was nurtured by cultural interactions but also emerged from the local context, which profoundly influenced the local spatial understanding and local society. This process was closely linked to, yet distinct from, colonial modernization. The development of cities modernized by colonization had become one of the main driving forces behind the development of the cities within their radius .
An Inventory of Househould Goods Taken at amboy at ye Honble Josiah Hardy’s Esqe
Authors: Oppenheimer Margaret
Published: May 2024

ABSTRACT: A notebook at the Huntington Library contains a previously unknown inventory of a house occupied by Josiah Hardy, the second-to-last royal governor of New Jersey, while in office (1761–63). The document, transcribed in this article, was drawn up by builder/architect John Edward Pryor—best known as the architect of Proprietary House in Perth Amboy, New Jersey—and Jonathan Brinner, a cabinet and chair maker. The transcription is supplemented by commentary on the people and places associated with the inventory, the ways in which the household goods listed in it were used, and the lifestyles of American colonial governors.
Differential artery-vein analysis improves the OCTA classification of diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Abtahi Mansour , Le David , Ebrahimi Behrouz , Dadzie Albert K. , Rahimi Mojtaba , Hsieh Yi-Ting , Heiferman Michael J. , Lim Jennifer I. , Yao Xincheng
Published: May 2024

This study investigates the impact of differential artery-vein (AV) analysis in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) on machine learning classification of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Leveraging deep learning for arterial-venous area (AVA) segmentation, six quantitative features, including perfusion intensity density (PID), blood vessel density (BVD), vessel area flux (VAF), blood vessel caliber (BVC), blood vessel tortuosity (BVT), and vessel perimeter index (VPI) features, were derived from OCTA images before and after AV differentiation. A support vector machine (SVM) classifier was utilized to assess both binary and multiclass classifications of control, diabetic patients without DR (NoDR), mild DR, moderate DR, and severe DR groups. Initially, one-region features, i.e., quantitative features extracted from the entire OCTA, were evaluated for DR classification. Differential AV analysis improved classification accuracies from 78.86% to 87.63% and from 79.62% to 85.66% for binary and multiclass classifications, respectively. Additionally, three-region features derived from the entire image, parafovea, and perifovea, were incorporated for DR classification. Differential AV analysis further enhanced classification accuracies from 84.43% to 93.33% and from 83.40% to 89.25% for binary and multiclass classifications, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of differential AV analysis in augmenting disease diagnosis and treatment assessment using OCTA.
High-performance Ag-TiO2 nanoparticle composite catalyst synthesized by pulsed laser ablation in liquid: properties, mechanism and preparation studies
Authors: Long Xing’an , Yu Dan , Han Jinghua , Huang Zeyu , Xiao Jing , Feng Guoying , Zhu Jiao , Yang Kaixiang
Published: May 2024

Precious metal doping can effectively improves the catalytic performance of TiO2. In this study, pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) is employed to integrate preparation with doping and control composite nanoparticle products by adjusting the laser action time to synthesise Ag-TiO2 composite nanoparticles with high catalytic performance. The generation and evolution of Ag-TiO2 nanoparticles are investigated by analysing particle size, microscopic morphology, crystalline phase, and other characteristics. The generation and doped-morphology evolution of composite nanoparticles are simulated based on thermodynamics, and the optimisation of Ag-doped structure on the composite nanomaterials is investigated based on density functional theory. The effect of Ag-TiO2 structural properties on its performance is examined under different catalytic conditions to determine optimal degradation conditions. In this study, the effect of laser ablation time on the doped structure during PLAL is analysed, which is of further research significance in exploring the structural evolution law of laser and composite nanoparticles, multi-variate catalytic performance testing, reduction of photogenerated carrier complexation rate, and expansion of its spectral absorption range, thereby providing the basis for practical production.
Rotational Doppler effect of composite vortex beams with tailored OAM spectra
Authors: Liang Yutian , Li Ruijian , Zhao Jie , Lu Xingyuan , Liu Tong , Liu Zhengliang , Ren Yuan , Zhao Chengliang
Published: May 2024

There recently has been increasing interest in the research and application of the rotational Doppler effect (RDE), which paves a promising way to detect rotating objects remotely. In order to obtain more information about the rotating object from the rotational Doppler signal, composite vortex beams by coaxial superposition of orbital angular momentum (OAM) modes are often used as the probe beam. However, to the best of our knowledge, the RDE of composite vortex beams with arbitrary OAM spectra has not yet been comprehensively studied. In this paper, the correspondence between the OAM spectrum of a probe beam and the frequency spectrum of a rotational Doppler signal is theoretically analyzed. It is explicitly revealed that the RDE frequency spectrum of scattered light is related to the product of two autocorrelation functions: one from the OAM spectrum of probe beam and the other from the spiral spectrum of rotating object. On the basis of this relation, one can regulate the RDE frequency spectrum on demand via tailoring the OAM spectrum of the probe beam. As a proof of concept we design a special composite vortex beam to eliminate the broadening of the RDE spectrum induced by misalignment. These findings are of practical value in applications such as remote sensing and optical metrology.
Utilizing quantum coherence in Cs Rydberg atoms for high-sensitivity room-temperature terahertz detection: a theoretical exploration
Authors: Hou Lei , Wang Junnan , He Qihui , Chen Suguo , Yang Lei , Huang Sunchao , Shi Wei
Published: May 2024

In recent years, terahertz (THz) technology has made significant progress in numerous applications; however, the highly sensitive, room-temperature THz detectors are still rare, which is one of the bottlenecks in THz research. In this paper, we proposed a room-temperature electrometry method for THz detection by laser spectroscopy of cesium (Cs133) Rydberg atoms, and conducted a comprehensive investigation of the five-level system involving electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), electromagnetically induced absorption (EIA), and Autler–Townes (AT) splitting in Cs133 cascades. By solving the Lindblad master equation, we found that the influence of the THz electric field, probe laser, dressing laser, and Rydberg laser on the ground state atomic population as well as the coherence between the ground state and the Rydberg state, plays a crucial role in the transformation and amplitude of the EIT and EIA signals. Temperature and the atomic vapor cell’s dimensions affect the number of Cs133 atoms involved in the detection, and ultimately determine the sensitivity. We predicted the proposed quantum coherence THz detection method has a remarkable sensitivity of as low as 10−9 V m−1 Hz−1/2. This research offers a valuable theoretical basis for implementing and optimizing quantum coherence effects based on Rydberg atoms for THz wave detection with high sensitivity and room-temperature operation.
Exposure to Zika and chikungunya viruses impacts aspects of the vectorial capacity of Aedes aegypti and Culex quinquefasciatus
Authors: Crespo Mônica , Guedes Duschinka , Paiva Marcelo , Sobral Mariana , Helvecio Elisama , Alves Rafael , Tadeu George , Oliveira Claudia , Melo-Santos Maria Alice Varjal , Barbosa Rosângela , Ayres Constância
Published: May 2024

Zika (ZIKV) and chikungunya (CHIKV) are arboviruses that cause infections in humans and can cause clinical complications, representing a worldwide public health problem. Aedes aegypti is the primary vector of these pathogens and Culex quinquefasciatus may be a potential ZIKV vector. This study aimed to evaluate fecundity, fertility, survival, longevity, and blood feeding activity in Ae. aegypti after exposure to ZIKV and CHIKV and, in Cx. quinquefasciatus exposed to ZIKV. Three colonies were evaluated: AeCamp (Ae. aegypti—field), RecL (Ae. aegypti—laboratory) and CqSLab (Cx. quinquefasciatus—laboratory). Seven to 10 days-old females from these colonies were exposed to artificial blood feeding with CHIKV or ZIKV. CHIKV caused reduction in fecundity and fertility in AeCamp and reduction in survival and fertility in RecL. ZIKV impacted survival in RecL, fertility in AeCamp and, fecundity and fertility in CqSLab. Both viruses had no effect on blood feeding activity. These results show that CHIKV produces a higher biological cost in Ae. aegypti, compared to ZIKV, and ZIKV differently alters the biological performance in colonies of Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus. These results provide a better understanding over the processes of virus-vector interaction and can shed light on the complexity of arbovirus transmission.
Buried or exposed Kirschner wire for the management of hand and forearm fractures: A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression
Authors: Hidajat Nucki Nursjamsi , Magetsari R. M. Satrio Nugroho , Prasetiyo Gregorius Thomas , Respati Danendra Rakha Putra , Tjandra Kevin Christian
Published: May 2024

Background

The recommendation on whether to bury or expose the Kirschner wire (K-wire) for the management of fractures has still been controversial with inconsistent results in the published studies due to the potential issue associated with exposed K-wire is the heightened risk of infection, as it comes into direct contact with the external environment and air. This study aims to summarize the specific outcomes between buried and exposed K-wire for the management of hand and forearm fractures.

Methods

We conducted relevant literature searches on Europe PMC, Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases using specific keywords. This investigation focuses on individuals of any age diagnosed with hand or forearm fractures who underwent surgery involving Kirschner wire (K-wire) fixation. It examines the comparison between buried and exposed K-wire fixation, emphasizing primary outcome pin infection, along with secondary outcomes such as early pin removal, days to pin removal, and surgical duration. The study includes observational studies (cohort/case-control) or randomized clinical trials (RCTs). The results of continuous variables were pooled into the standardized mean difference (SMD), while dichotomous variables were pooled into odds ratio (OR) along with 95% confidence intervals using random-effect models. The quality of included studies was assessed with Cochrane Collaborations, Risk of Bias version 2 (RoB v2).

Results

A total of 11 studies were included. Our pooled analysis revealed that buried K-wire was associated with a lower risk of pin site infection [RR 0.49 (95% CI 0.36–0.67), p < 0.00001, I2 = 0%] and 33.85 days longer duration until pin removal [MD 33.85 days (95% CI 18.68–49.02), p < 0.0001, I2 = 99%] when compared with exposed K-wire. However, the duration of surgery was 9.98 minutes significantly longer in the buried K-wire [MD 6.98 minutes (95% CI 2.19–11.76), p = 0.004, I2 = 42%] with no significant difference in the early pin removal rate [RR 0.73 (95% CI 0.36–1.45), p = 0.37, I2 = 0%]. Further regression analysis revealed that sample size, age, sex, and duration of follow-up did not affect those relationships.

Conclusion

Buried K-wire may offer benefits in reducing the infection rate with a longer duration until pin removal. However, further RCTs with larger sample sizes are still needed to confirm the results of our study.
Protocol for the ‘Supporting Young Cancer Survivors who Smoke’ study (PRISM): Informing the development of a smoking cessation intervention for childhood, adolescent and young adult cancer survivors in England
Authors: Brown Morven C. , Araújo-Soares Vera , Skinner Roderick , Brown Jamie , Glaser Adam W. , Hanratty Helena , McCabe Martin G. , Amariutei Ana-Ecaterina , Mauri Sabrina , Sharp Linda
Published: May 2024

Background

Childhood, adolescent and young adult (CAYA) cancer survivors are vulnerable to adverse late-effects. For CAYA cancer survivors, tobacco smoking is the most important preventable cause of ill-health and early death. Yet, effective strategies to support smoking cessation in this group are lacking. The PRISM study aims to undertake multi-method formative research to explore the need for, and if appropriate, inform the future development of an evidence-based and theory-informed tobacco smoking cessation intervention for CAYA cancer survivors.

Materials and methods

PRISM involves three phases of: 1) an environmental scan using multiple strategies to identify and examine a) smoking cessation interventions for CAYA cancer survivors that are published in the international literature and b) current smoking cessation services in England that may be available to, or tailorable to, CAYA cancer survivors; 2) a qualitative study involving semi-structured interviews with CAYA cancer survivors (aged 16–29 years and who are current or recent ex-smokers and/or current vapers) to explore their views and experiences of smoking, smoking cessation and vaping; and 3) stakeholder workshops with survivors, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to consider the potential for a smoking cessation intervention for CAYA cancer survivors and what such an intervention would need to target and change. Findings will be disseminated to patient groups, healthcare professionals and researchers, through conference presentations, journal papers, plain English summaries and social media.

Discussion

PRISM will explore current delivery of, perceived need for, and barriers and facilitators to, smoking cessation advice and support to CAYA cancer survivors from the perspective of both survivors and healthcare professionals. A key strength of PRISM is the user involvement throughout the study and the additional exploration of survivors’ views on vaping, a behaviour which often co-occurs with smoking. PRISM is the first step in the development of a person-centred, evidence- and theory-based smoking cessation intervention for CAYA cancer survivors who smoke, which if effective, will reduce morbidity and mortality in the CAYA cancer survivor population.
Changing risk factors for developing SARS-CoV-2 infection from Delta to Omicron
Authors: Hunter Paul R. , Brainard Julii
Published: May 2024

Background

One of the few studies to estimate infection risk with SARS-CoV-2 in the general population was the UK Office of National Statistics Infection Survey. This survey provided data that allowed us to describe and interpret apparent risk factors for testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 in a period when variants and COVID-19 controls experienced large changes.

Method

The ONS published estimates of likelihood of individuals testing positive in two week monitoring periods between 21st November 2021 and 7th May 2022, relating this positivity to social and behavioural factors. We applied meta-regression to these estimates of likelihood of testing positive to determine whether the monitored potential risk factors remained constant during the pandemic.

Results

Some risk factors had consistent relationship with risk of infection (always protective or always linked to higher risk, throughout monitoring period). Other risk factors had variable relationship with risk of infection, with changes seeming to especially correlate with the emergence of Omicron BA.2 dominance. These variable factors were mask-wearing habits, history of foreign travel, household size, working status (retired or not) and contact with children or persons age over 70.

Conclusion

Relevance of some risk factors to likelihood of testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 may relate to reinfection risk, variant infectiousness and status of social distancing regulations.
Simulation study to evaluate when Plasmode simulation is superior to parametric simulation in estimating the mean squared error of the least squares estimator in linear regression
Authors: Stolte Marieke , Schreck Nicholas , Slynko Alla , Saadati Maral , Benner Axel , Rahnenführer Jörg , Bommert Andrea
Published: May 2024

Simulation is a crucial tool for the evaluation and comparison of statistical methods. How to design fair and neutral simulation studies is therefore of great interest for both researchers developing new methods and practitioners confronted with the choice of the most suitable method. The term simulation usually refers to parametric simulation, that is, computer experiments using artificial data made up of pseudo-random numbers. Plasmode simulation, that is, computer experiments using the combination of resampling feature data from a real-life dataset and generating the target variable with a known user-selected outcome-generating model, is an alternative that is often claimed to produce more realistic data. We compare parametric and Plasmode simulation for the example of estimating the mean squared error (MSE) of the least squares estimator (LSE) in linear regression. If the true underlying data-generating process (DGP) and the outcome-generating model (OGM) were known, parametric simulation would obviously be the best choice in terms of estimating the MSE well. However, in reality, both are usually unknown, so researchers have to make assumptions: in Plasmode simulation studies for the OGM, in parametric simulation for both DGP and OGM. Most likely, these assumptions do not exactly reflect the truth. Here, we aim to find out how assumptions deviating from the true DGP and the true OGM affect the performance of parametric and Plasmode simulations in the context of MSE estimation for the LSE and in which situations which simulation type is preferable. Our results suggest that the preferable simulation method depends on many factors, including the number of features, and on how and to what extent the assumptions of a parametric simulation differ from the true DGP. Also, the resampling strategy used for Plasmode influences the results. In particular, subsampling with a small sampling proportion can be recommended.
Adolescent mental health and cardiorespiratory fitness: A comparison of two cohorts 12 years apart
Authors: Birgisson Ottar , Eriksen Hege R. , Hysing Mari , Johannsson Erlingur , Gestsdottir Sunna
Published: May 2024

The aim of the study was to compare the mental health and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of adolescents in two cross-sectional cohorts, one measured in 2003 and the other in 2015, both at age 15 and across sexes. The study also sought to estimate the association between mental health and CRF in the two cohorts and examine the relationship between the level of CRF and mental health in each cohort overall and by sex. Data from 443 participants born in 1988 (228 males, 215 females) and 303 participants born in 1999 (126 males, 177 females) were analyzed. Mental health was assessed using self-reports of body image, self-esteem, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. CRF was estimated using a maximal cycle ergometer test. From 2003 to 2015, body image scores improved (p = .043), self-esteem remained stable, and CRF declined significantly (p < .001). No self-esteem differences were observed between sexes in any cohort. Males had higher CRF and body image scores than females in both cohorts (p < .001 for all comparisons). Higher CRF correlated with fewer depressive symptoms across sexes and cohorts. Specifically, higher CRF was associated with anxiety in females and improved body image in males (2003) and both sexes (2015). Increased CRF was linked to higher self-esteem in females but not in males. Overall, higher CRF levels were associated with better mental health outcomes for both sexes. These results highlight the potential of improving adolescent mental health through increased physical fitness.
Prevalence of abnormal electrocardiographic findings and associated factors among patients with epilepsy at Jimma Medical Center, Ethiopia; Hospital-based cross-sectional study
Authors: Gemechu Tadesse Dukessa , Kasahun Minase Tekabe , Abera Eyob Girma , Tukeni Kedir Negesso
Published: May 2024

Background

A person with epilepsy experiences recurrent seizures as a result of a persistent underlying disorder. About 50 million people globally are impacted by it, with 4 million of those being in Sub-Saharan Africa. One of the most frequent comorbidities that raise the mortality and morbidity rates of epileptic patients is abnormal Electrocardiographic (ECG) findings. Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of abnormal ECG findings in epileptic patients that might lead to increased risk of sudden cardiac death.

Methodology

A hospital based cross-sectional study was at Jimma Medical Center of Ethiopia on epileptic patients who were on follow-up at neurologic clinics during the data collection period. The malignant ECG characteristics and was identified using the ECG abnormality tool. To facilitate analysis, the gathered data was imported into Epidata version 3.1 and exported to the SPSS version 26. The factors of abnormal ECG and sudden death risk were examined using bivariate logistic regression.

Results

The study comprised 190 epileptic patients, with a mean age of 32 years. There were more men than women, making up 60.2%. A 43.2% (n = 80) frequency of ECG abnormalities was identified. According to the study, early repolarization abnormalities were the most common ECG abnormalities and increased with male sex and the length of time a person had seizures (AOR) of 4.751 and 95% CI (.273,.933), p = 0.029, compared to their female counterparts.

Conclusion

The frequency of malignant ECG alterations in epileptic patients on follow-up at Jimma Medical Center in Ethiopia is described in the study. According to the study, there were significant ECG alterations in epileptic individuals. Male gender and longer duration of epilepsy raise the risk of abnormal ECG findings that could result in sudden cardiac death.
The quantification of southern corn leaf blight disease using deep UV fluorescence spectroscopy and autoencoder anomaly detection techniques
Authors: Banah Hashem , Balint-Kurti Peter J. , Houdinet Gabriella , Hawkes Christine V. , Kudenov Michael
Published: May 2024

Southern leaf blight (SLB) is a foliar disease caused by the fungus Cochliobolus heterostrophus infecting maize plants in humid, warm weather conditions. SLB causes production losses to corn producers in different regions of the world such as Latin America, Europe, India, and Africa. In this paper, we demonstrate a non-destructive method to quantify the signs of fungal infection in SLB-infected corn plants using a deep UV (DUV) fluorescence spectrometer, with a 248.6 nm excitation wavelength, to acquire the emission spectra of healthy and SLB-infected corn leaves. Fluorescence emission spectra of healthy and diseased leaves were used to train an Autoencoder (AE) anomaly detection algorithm—an unsupervised machine learning model—to quantify the phenotype associated with SLB-infected leaves. For all samples, the signature of corn leaves consisted of two prominent peaks around 450 nm and 325 nm. However, SLB-infected leaves showed a higher response at 325 nm compared to healthy leaves, which was correlated to the presence of C. heterostrophus based on disease severity ratings from Visual Scores (VS). Specifically, we observed a linear inverse relationship between the AE error and the VS (R2 = 0.94 and RMSE = 0.935). With improved hardware, this method may enable improved quantification of SLB infection versus visual scoring based on e.g., fungal spore concentration per unit area and spatial localization.
Cost-effectiveness of mask mandates on subways to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the United States
Authors: Park Joohyun , Joo Heesoo , Kim Daniel , Mase Sundari , Christensen Deborah , Maskery Brian A.
Published: May 2024

Background

Community-based mask wearing has been shown to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. However, few studies have conducted an economic evaluation of mask mandates, specifically in public transportation settings. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of implementing mask mandates for subway passengers in the United States by evaluating its potential to reduce COVID-19 transmission during subway travel.

Materials and methods

We assessed the health impacts and costs of subway mask mandates compared to mask recommendations based on the number of infections that would occur during subway travel in the U.S. Using a combined box and Wells-Riley infection model, we estimated monthly infections, hospitalizations, and deaths averted under a mask mandate scenario as compared to a mask recommendation scenario. The analysis included costs of implementing mask mandates and COVID-19 treatment from a limited societal perspective. The cost-effectiveness (net cost per averted death) of mandates was estimated for three different periods based on dominant SARS-CoV-2 variants: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma (November 2020 to February 2021); Delta (July to October 2021); and early Omicron (January to March 2022).

Results

Compared with mask recommendations only, mask mandates were cost-effective across all periods, with costs per averted death less than a threshold of $11.4 million (ranging from cost-saving to $3 million per averted death). Additionally, mask mandates were more cost-effective during the early Omicron period than the other two periods and were cost saving in January 2022. Our findings showed that mandates remained cost-effective when accounting for uncertainties in input parameters (e.g., even if mandates only resulted in small increases in mask usage by subway ridership).

Conclusions

The findings highlight the economic value of mask mandates on subways, particularly during high virus transmissibility periods, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study may inform stakeholders on mask mandate decisions during future outbreaks of novel viral respiratory diseases.
Diets, stress, and disease in the Etruscan society: Isotope analysis and infantile skeletal palaeopathology from Pontecagnano (Campania, southern Italy, 730–580 BCE)
Authors: Riccomi Giulia , Simonit Rachele , Maudet Ségolène , Scott Erin , Lucas Mary , Giuffra Valentina , Roberts Patrick
Published: May 2024

Susceptibility to morbidity and mortality is increased in early life, yet proactive measures, such as breastfeeding and weaning practices, can be taken through specific investments from parents and wider society. The extent to which such biosocialcultural investment was achieved within 1st millennium BCE Etruscan society, of whom little written sources are available, is unkown. This research investigates life histories in non-adults and adults from Pontecagnano (southern Italy, 730–580 BCE) in order to track cross-sectional and longitudinal breastfeeding and weaning patterns and to characterize the diet more broadly. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of incrementally-sampled deciduous and permanent dentine (n = 15), bulk bone collagen (n = 38), and tooth enamel bioapatite (n = 21) reveal the diet was largely based on C3 staple crops with marginal contributions of animal protein. Millet was found to play a role for maternal diet and trajectories of breastfeeding and feeding for some infants and children at the site. The combination of multiple isotope systems and tissues demonstrates exclusive breastfeeding was pursued until 0.6 years, followed by progressive introduction of proteanocius supplementary foods during weaning that lasted between approximately 0.7 and 2.6 years. The combination of biochemical data with macroscopic skeletal lesions of infantile metabolic diseases and physiological stress markers showed high δ15Ndentine in the months prior to death consistent with the isotopic pattern of opposing covariance.
Spectral-like conjugate gradient methods with sufficient descent property for vector optimization
Authors: Yahaya Jamilu , Kumam Poom , Salisu Sani , Sitthithakerngkiet Kanokwan
Published: May 2024

Several conjugate gradient (CG) parameters resulted in promising methods for optimization problems. However, it turns out that some of these parameters, for example, ‘PRP,’ ‘HS,’ and ‘DL,’ do not guarantee sufficient descent of the search direction. In this work, we introduce new spectral-like CG methods that achieve sufficient descent property independently of any line search (LSE) and for arbitrary nonnegative CG parameters. We establish the global convergence of these methods for four different parameters using Wolfe LSE. Our algorithm achieves this without regular restart and assumption of convexity regarding the objective functions. The sequences generated by our algorithm identify points that satisfy the first-order necessary condition for Pareto optimality. We conduct computational experiments to showcase the implementation and effectiveness of the proposed methods. The proposed spectral-like methods, namely nonnegative SPRP, SHZ, SDL, and SHS, exhibit superior performance based on their arrangement, outperforming HZ and SP methods in terms of the number of iterations, function evaluations, and gradient evaluations.
Evaluation of a new transpalpebral tonometer for self-measuring intraocular pressure
Authors: Kobashi Hidenaga
Published: May 2024

Purpose

We developed a novel transpalpebral self-tonometer called the TapEye tonometer (TET) based on palpation of the upper eyelid. Our goal was to evaluate a method for improving the accuracy of measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) through the eyelid.

Methods

Participants underwent standardized training by technicians and were required to be able to use the TET for study inclusion. Subsequently, a noncontact tonometer and Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) were used. All participants were instructed to measure their IOPs using the three tonometers at baseline (visit 1) and at 1 month (visit 2). At visit 2, the corrected IOP value measured by the TET (c-TET) was calculated using the difference between the TET and GAT measurements obtained at visit 1.

Results

No significant correlations were found between the TET and GAT measurements at any visit, but the correlation between the c-TET and GAT measurements at visit 2 was significant. The mean difference between the c-TET and GAT measurements was 0.4 ± 3.7 mmHg in the right eye and 0.5 ± 3.4 mmHg in the left eye.

Conclusions

After correcting the IOP based on the difference between the TET and GAT measurements at the initial visit, the corrected IOP value of the TET was correlated with that of the GAT at the second visit. The TET has the potential to address an unmet need by providing a tool for minimally invasive IOP measurements.

Trial registration

Clinical trial registration number: jRCTs032220268.
The low and high doses administration of lutein improves memory and synaptic plasticity impairment through different mechanisms in a rat model of vascular dementia
Authors: Asadi nejad Hamideh , Yousefi Nejad Amirhossein , Akbari Somayeh , Naseh Maryam , Shid Moosavi Seyed Mostafa , Haghani Masoud
Published: May 2024

Background and aim

Vascular dementia (VD) is a common type of dementia. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of low and high doses of lutein administration in bilateral-carotid vessel occlusion (2VO) rats.

Experimental procedure

The rats were divided into the following groups: the control, sham-, vehicle (2VO+V) groups, and two groups after 2VO were treated with lutein 0.5 (2VO+LUT-o.5) and 5mg/kg (2VO+LUT-5). The passive-avoidance and Morris water maze were performed to examine fear and spatial memory. The field-potential recording was used to investigate the properties of basal synaptic transmission (BST), paired-pulse ratio (PPR), as an index for measurement of neurotransmitter release, and long-term potentiation (LTP). The hippocampus was removed to evaluate hippocampal cells, volume, and MDA level.

Result

Treatment with low and high doses improves spatial memory and LTP impairment in VD rats, but only the high dose restores the fear memory, hippocampal cell loss, and volume and MDA level. Interestingly, low-dose, but not high-dose, increased PPR. However, BST recovered only in the high-dose treated group.

Conclusions

Treatment with a low dose might affect neurotransmitter release probability, but a high dose affects postsynaptic processes. It seems likely that low and high doses improve memory and LTP through different mechanisms.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy as the first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma in China
Authors: He Chaoneng , Mi Xiufang , Xu Gaoqi , Xu Xinglu , Xin Wenxiu , Zhong Like , Zhu Junfeng , Shu Qi , Fang Luo , Ding Haiying
Published: May 2024

Objective

We aimed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy alone as a first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods

A partitioned survival model was developed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced or metastatic OSCC over a 10-year lifetime horizon from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system. Costs and utilities were derived from the drug procurement platform and published literature. The model outcomes comprised of costs, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to address uncertainty and ensure the robustness of the model.

Results

Tislelizumab plus chemotherapy yielded an additional 0.337 QALYs and incremental costs of $7,117.007 compared with placebo plus chemotherapy, generating an ICER of $21,116.75 per QALY, which was between 1 time ($12,674.89/QALY) and 3 times GDP ($38,024.67/QALY) per capita. In one-way sensitivity analysis, the ICER is most affected by the cost of oxaliplatin, paclitaxel and tislelizumab. In the probabilistic sensitivity analysis, when the willingness-to-pay threshold was set as 1 or 3 times GDP per capita, the probability of tislelizumab plus chemotherapy being cost-effective was 1% and 100%, respectively.

Conclusion

Tislelizumab plus chemotherapy was probably cost-effective compared with chemotherapy alone as the first-line treatment for advanced or metastatic OSCC in China.
Managerial (dis)preferences towards employees working from home: Post-pandemic experimental evidence
Authors: Kasperska Agnieszka , Matysiak Anna , Cukrowska-Torzewska Ewa
Published: May 2024

Work from home (WFH) has been a part of the professional landscape for over two decades, yet it was the COVID-19 pandemic that has substantially increased its prevalence. The impact of WFH on careers is rather ambiguous, and a question remains open about how this effect is manifested in the current times considering the recent extensive and widespread use of WFH during the pandemic. To answer these questions, this article investigates whether managerial preferences for promotion, salary increase and training allowance depend on employee engagement in WFH. We take into account the employee’s gender, parental status as well as the frequency of WFH. Furthermore, we examine whether managers’ experience with WFH and its prevalence in the team moderate the effect of WFH on careers. An online survey experiment was run on a sample of over 1,000 managers from the United Kingdom. The experiment was conducted between July and December 2022. The findings indicate that employees who WFH are less likely to be considered for promotion, salary increase and training than on-site workers. The pay and promotion penalties for WFH are particularly true for men (both fathers and non-fathers) and childless women, but not mothers. We also find that employees operating in teams with a higher prevalence of WFH do not experience negative career effects when working from home. Additionally, the more WFH experience the manager has, the lesser the career penalty for engaging in this mode of working. Our study not only provides evidence on WFH and career outcomes in the post-pandemic context but also furthers previous understanding of how WFH impacts careers by showing its effect across different groups of employees, highlighting the importance of familiarisation and social acceptance of flexible working arrangements in their impact on career outcomes.