bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploratory Review of Takotsubo Syndrome and the Possible Role of the Psychosocial Stress Response and Inflammaging
Authors: Frank Niklas , Lauer Martin , Förster Carola
Published: December 2023

Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a cardiomyopathy that presents clinically as a transient and reversible left ventricular wall motion abnormality (LVWMA) that can recover spontaneously within hours to weeks. Studies have shown that it mainly affects older people. Postmenopausal women in particular have an increased prevalence. Physical and emotional stress are widely discussed and generally recognized trigger factors. As age also appears to play a major role in the development of TTS, this review will take a closer look at age- and gender-specific aspects. First and foremost, postmenopausal women and the associated lower oestrogen concentration should be mentioned here. Another important role is played by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the associated glucocorticoid-dependent negative feedback and the resulting immune response. Inflammaging is another term that is increasingly used in connection with TTS. In the following, these risk factors are considered in more detail and linked to the increased sympathetic activity as a possible consequence of chronic stress. Based on the imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, we venture an explorative proposal and would like to present a new possible therapeutic approach.
Temporal Distribution Patterns of Cryptic Brachionus calyciflorus (Rotifera) Species in Relation to Biogeographical Gradient Associated with Latitude
Authors: Xu Yuan , Ge Le-Le , Cheng Xin-Feng , Xiang Xian-Ling , Wen Xin-Li , Wang Yong-Jin , Fu Hao , Ge Ya-Li , Xi Yi-Long
Published: December 2023

Sympatric distribution and temporal overlap of cryptic zooplankton species pose a challenge to the framework of the niche differentiation theory and the mechanisms allowing competitor coexistence. We applied the methods of phylogenetic analysis, DNA taxonomy and statistical analysis to study the temporal distribution patterns of cryptic B. calyciflorus species, an excellent model, in three lakes, and to explore the putative mechanisms for their seasonal succession and temporal overlap. The results showed that in the warm-temperate Lake Yunlong, B. fernandoi and B. calyciflorus s.s. underwent a seasonal succession, which was largely attributed to their differential adaptation to water temperature. In the subtropical Lake Jinghu, B. fernandoi, B. calyciflorus s.s. and B. dorcas exhibited both seasonal succession and temporal overlap. Seasonal successions were largely attributed to their differential adaptation to temperature, and temporal overlap resulted from their differential responses to algal food concentration. In the tropical Lake Jinniu, B. calyciflorus s.s. persisted throughout the year, and overlapped with B. dorcas for 5 months. Temporal overlap resulted from their differential responses to copepod predation. These results indicated that the temporal distribution pattern of cryptic B. calyciforus species and the mechanism allowing competitor coexistence vary with different climate zones.
Challenges and limitations of using autonomous instrumentation for measuring in situ soil respiration in a subarctic boreal forest in Alaska, USA
Authors: Vas Dragos , Corriveau Elizabeth , Gaimaro Lindsay , Barbato Robyn
Published: December 2023

Subarctic and Arctic environments are sensitive to warming temperatures due to climate change. As soils warm, soil microorganisms break down carbon and release greenhouse gases such as methane (CH₄) and carbon dioxide (CO₂). Recent studies examining CO₂ efflux note heterogeneity of microbial activity across the landscape. To better understand carbon dynamics, our team developed a predictive model, Dynamic Representation of Terrestrial Soil Predictions of Organisms’ Response to the Environment (DRTSPORE), to estimate CO₂ efflux based on soil temperature and moisture estimates. The goal of this work was to acquire respiration rates from a boreal forest located near the town of Fairbanks, Alaska, and to provide in situ measurements for the future validation effort of the DRTSPORE model estimates of CO₂ efflux in cold climates. Results show that soil temperature and seasonal soil thaw depth had the greatest impact on soil respiration. However, the instrumentation deployed significantly altered the soil temperature, moisture, and seasonal thaw depth at the survey site and very likely the soil respiration rates. These findings are important to better understand the challenges and limitations associated with the in situ data collection used for carbon efflux modeling and for estimating soil microbial activity in cold environments.
Oxfam's Engagement with Refugee-led Organisations in West Nile (Uganda): Lessons on opportunities and challenges
Authors: Gidron Yotam , Ayikoru Lydia , Owino Geoffrey , Kjar-Levin Katja , Pettersson Marie Sophie
Published: December 2023

Since 2018, Oxfam in Uganda has been supporting South Sudanese refugee-led organizations (RLOs) with funding for a range of peacebuilding, COVID-19 and livelihood activities. Drawing on this experience, this briefing note summarizes some of the most important lessons learned in the working relationship of Oxfam and Uganda-based RLOs. Practical recommendations are also drawn that may be useful for international actors working with RLOs in various contexts, focusing on how to nurture meaningful partnerships, including with regards to funding, capacity building, representation of women and youth, advocacy, knowledge sharing and visibility.
Development of Complementary Food From Sorghum Blended With Peanut
Authors: Dol Mahamed , Mahdi Shamsedin , Mohamed Hodo
Published: December 2023

Improving the nutritional status of infants requires the optimum use of available food. The objective of this study was to develop a Product and Evaluate its Proximate Composition and Sensory Properties of Sorghum Blended with Peanut (SBP) For Nutritional Improvement of Sorghum Foods. To do this, the raw materials were cleaned and de-hulled before being milled. seven formulations of composites flours composed of 100% of sorghum flour and 0% of peanut flour, 92.5% of sorghum flour and 7.5% of peanut flour, 85% of sorghum flour and 15% of peanut flour, 77.5% of sorghum flour and 22.5% of peanut flour, and 70% of sorghum flour and 30% of peanut flour were produced. The technological properties and the nutritional characteristics of the composite flours were determined using AOAC methods. From the results, the water absorption capacity(WAC) of the present study, the composite flour varied between 128.15-133.96%. The results show that the mixture proportions of the sorghum and peanut have a strong linear significance (P≤ 0.01)effect on the water absorption capacity. The moisture content of the SBP sample flour ranged between 5.34 to 6.35%. Also, the mixture proportion of 70 grams of sorghum and 30 grams of peanut had the highest moisture contents compared to the other ratios of the mixture and these results indicated that increasing the peanut ratio increases the moisture content of the sample flours of the mixtures. the result indicates that the crude protein content of the SBP samples ranged between 12.53 to 17.38% of protein concentration. the highest protein (17.38%) content was observed from the ratio of 70 grams of sorghum and 30 grams of peanut flour which is assumed to be promising potential as a good source of plant protein. The crude fat content of sorghum and peanut flour recorded in this study was found in between the values of 4.40-15.61%. The total carbohydrate content ranged from 54.08% to 75.33% for all the formulations. According to the finding of the study sorghum with zero peanut ration indicated the highest carbohydrate contents and the lowest carbohydrate contents was seen with a peanut ration of 30 grams.The total energy content of sorghum flour and peanut flour was shown in. The total energy content of SBP sample flours varied from 388.86% to 423.80 kcal/100g. According to the average sensory assessments of the SBP product's color, scent, taste, mouth feel, and overall acceptability, the inclusion of peanut flours significantly changed the product's sensory attributes.
Variable impact of wildfire smoke on ecosystem metabolic rates in lakes
Authors: Smits Adrianne , Scordo Facundo , Tang Minmeng , Cortés Alicia , Farruggia Mary , Culpepper Joshua , Chandra Sudeep , Jin Yufang , Valbuena Sergio , Watanabe Shohei , Schladow Geoffrey , Sadro Steven
Published: December 2023

Increasingly severe wildfires release smoke plumes that cover entire continents, depositing aerosols and reducing solar radiation fluxes to millions of freshwater ecosystems, yet little is known about their impacts on inland waters. This large scale study 1) quantified annual and seasonal trends in the spatial extent of dense smoke cover in California, USA, over the last 18 years (2006–2022), and 2) assessed the impacts of dense smoke cover on daily gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (R) in 10 lakes spanning a large gradient in nutrient concentration and water clarity, during the three smokiest years in our dataset (2018, 2020, 2021). We found that the maximum spatial extent of dense smoke cover between June-October has increased to 70% of California’s area since 2006, with the greatest increases in August and September. In the three smokiest years, lakes were exposed to an average of 33 days of dense smoke between July and October, resulting in substantial reductions in shortwave radiation fluxes and 3 to 4-fold increases in atmospheric fine particulate matter concentrations (PM2.5). However, responses of lake GPP to smoke cover were extremely variable among and within lakes, as well as between years. In contrast, the response of rates of ecosystem respiration to smoke was related to lake nutrient concentrations and water temperature –respiration rates decreased during smoke cover in cold, oligotrophic lakes but not in warm, eutrophic lakes. The impacts of dense, prolonged smoke cover on inland waters are likely to be highly variable within and among regions due to mediating effects of lake attributes and seasonal timing of wildfires.
Numerical modeling of Scholte wave propagation in acoustic-elastic coupled anisotropic media
Authors: Chen Yifei , Wang Deli , Hao Qi , Li Lingxiang
Published: December 2023

Numerical modeling of Scholte wave propagation is helpful for seismic exploration in deepwater environment. Scholte waves, which are generated at seafloor, exhibit distinctly different propagation behaviors than body waves in ocean-bottom seismograms. We present a staggered-grid finite-difference method of modeling Scholte wave propagation in the interface between fluid and transversely isotropic media, where the interface does not need to consider the boundary condition. We also derive the stability condition of the proposed method. Numerical examples are used to analyze the wavefield and traveltime of Scholte waves. Numerical results show that the velocity of the Scholte wave is positively correlated with ε and negatively correlated with δ. And the curve of the arrival time of the Scholte wave as a whole is sinusoidal and has no symmetry in inclination. The velocity of the Scholte wave in azimuth is positively related to the polar angle. The energy of the Scholte wave is negatively correlated with the distance from the source to the fluid-solid interface.
Applying Formal Methods to Build a Safe Continuous-Control Architecture for an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Authors: Becker Leandro Buss , Gonçalves Fernando Silvano , Broering Elton Ferreira , Misson Henrique Amaral , Cordeiro Lucas
Published: December 2023

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are systems composed of computational and physical processes where constant interaction with the surrounding environment exists. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can be highlighted as a typical example of CPS. It contains devices that sense the surrounding environment (e.g., IMU, GPS) and provide data for the embedded continuous-control software to compute the CPS reactions. Such reactions are, in fact, actions in the physical (electro-mechanical) process, which occur using actuators (e.g., motors' speed controllers). Such a CPS is typically classified as safety-critical because a failure might have severe implications. Therefore, providing safety guarantees is of utmost importance when designing this application. This paper presents a solution for offering safety guarantees during the design of the continuous-control architecture, which is one of the most critical parts of the CPS. The present proposal applies formal verification (FV) techniques to detect software errors and verify if the architecture is suitable to cope with the real-time requirements coming from the system specification. The first verification round targets individual elements of the architecture, especially the continuous-control algorithm. Therefore, the ESBMC model checker is used; it receives the element's source code as input and can check for a set of language-specific properties, such as memory safety and concurrency vulnerabilities. After making all the individual analyses and performing subsequent corrections, another verification process is started using the UPPAAL model checker, aiming to make the schedulability analysis of the proposed architecture. Finally, we conduct a runtime monitoring analysis using our recently developed RMLib tool. This proposal was successfully used within the design process of a UAV, where different classes of design and implementation problems were detected and further corrected, as detailed in the paper.
Gene signatures derived from transcriptomic-causal networks stratified colorectal cancer patients for effective targeted therapy
Authors: Yazdani Akram , Lenz Heinz-Josef , Pillonetto Gianluigi , Mendez-Giraldez Raul , Yazdani Azam , Sanof Hanna , Hadi Reza , Samiei Esmat , Venook Alan P , Ratain Mark J , Rashid Naim , Vincent Benjamin G , Qu Xueping , Wen Yujia , Kosorok Michael , Symmans William F , Shen John Paul Y.C. , Lee Michael S , Kopetz Scott , Nixon Andrew B , Bertagnolli Monica M , Perou Charles M , Innocenti Federico
Published: December 2023

Predictive and prognostic gene signatures derived from interconnectivity among genes can tailor clinical care to patients in cancer treatment. We identified gene interconnectivity as the transcriptomic-causal network by integrating germline genotyping and tumor RNA-seq data from 1,165 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). The patients were enrolled in a clinical trial with randomized treatment, either cetuximab or bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy. We linked the network to overall survival (OS) and detected novel biomarkers by controlling for confounding genes. Our data-driven approach discerned sets of genes, each set collectively stratify patients based on OS. Two signatures under the cetuximab treatment were related to wound healing and macrophages. The signature under the bevacizumab treatment was related to cytotoxicity and we replicated its effect on OS using an external cohort. We also showed that the genes influencing OS within the signatures are downregulated in CRC tumor vs. normal tissue using another external cohort. Furthermore, the corresponding proteins encoded by the genes within the signatures interact each other and are functionally related. In conclusion, this study identified a group of genes that collectively stratified patients based on OS and uncovered promising novel prognostic biomarkers for personalized treatment of CRC using transcriptomic causal networks.
Efficacy and safety of esketamine combined with propofol for curative endoscopic resection in colorectum: A prospective, randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ma Yimei , Wang Jiali , Yang Yuying , Yao Minmin
Published: December 2023

Background Curative endoscopic resection is widely used to treat colonic polyps and early stage cancers. The anesthetic strategy commonly involves the use of propofol combined with a small dose of opioids for sedation. Adverse respiratory or cardiovascular events such as hypotension often occur when attempting to achieve the necessary level of sedation. Several studies have suggested its advantages owing to the anesthetic, analgesic, and sympathomimetic properties of esketamine. However, there are no reports on curative colorectal endoscopic resection. We designed this randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of esketamine combined with propofol for sedation in patients undergoing curative colorectal endoscopic resection. Methods A total of 166 patients who underwent curative colorectal endoscopic resection were randomly assigned to groups A (propofol + fentanyl) or E (propofol + esketamine). Ideal sedation was assessed using the MOAA/S scale and was achieved using TCI-propofol with different doses of fentanyl and esketamine. The propofol consumption and vasoactive drug dosages were recorded. Sedation-related times, adverse events, and satisfaction were recorded. Results Of the 160 patients, the total propofol consumption was significantly lower in group E (n = 81) (300 mg) than in group A (n = 79) (350 mg). Hypotension and bradycardia were significantly lower in Group E than in Group A. The groups showed no significant differences in other adverse events, induction time, recovery time, or patient or endoscopist satisfaction. Conclusion Compared to fentanyl, esketamine helps decrease propofol consumption and increases cardiovascular stability during curative colorectal endoscopic resection in American Society of Anesthesiologists Class I–III patients without affecting anesthesia, patient and endoscopist satisfaction, or other adverse events. Trial registration The study was retrospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn; registration number: ChiCTR2300069014 on 03/03/2023).
The Effect of Late Diagnosis on Hiv Related Mortality Among Adolescents in Public Hospitals of North Showa Zone Oromiya, Ethiopia; 2022: a Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Gabre Misgana Kebede , Tafesse Tadesse Bekele , Geleta Leta Adugna
Published: December 2023

Background
Late HIV diagnosis is the most prominent cause of HIV-related mortality, and also increases the risk of transmission and spread of the disease among society. Adolescents are the most vulnerable population’s age group for HIV infection in several settings but expanding access to early HIV testing remains a challenge. Consequently, a significant proportion of adolescents are still dying of HIV-related causes and the current study aimed at assessing the effect of late HIV diagnosis on HIV-related mortality among adolescents living with HIV.
Methods
Institutional based retrospective cohort study was conducted from August 21/2022-November 21/2022 at selected public hospitals in North Showa Zone of Oromiya. All newly diagnosed HIV positive adolescent, from September 1, 2012 to August 31, 2021, were included in the study. Data was entered into Epi-data version 3.1.1 and exported to Stata version 16 for further analysis. Both bi-variable and multivariable analyses were performed using Cox proportional hazard model to compare the HIV-related mortality of early diagnosed with late diagnosed adolescents using adjusted hazard ratio at 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results
A total of 341 medical records of adolescents were included in the study, contributing an overall incidence rate of 3.15 (95% CI: 2.21–4.26) deaths per 100 persons-years of observation throughout the total follow-up period of 1173.98 person-years. Adolescents with late diagnosis of HIV had three times the higher hazard of mortality (aHR = 3.00; 95% CI: 1.22–7.37) as compared to those with early diagnosis of HIV. Adolescents within the age of 15–19 years old (aHR = 3.56; 95% CI: 1.44–8.77), rural residence (aHR = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.39–5.68), poor adherence to ART (aHR = 3.17; 95% CI: 1.49–6.76) and being anemic (aHR = 3.09; 95% CI: 1.52–6.29) were other independent predictors of HIV-related mortality
Conclusion
The study found a substantial link between late HIV diagnosis and mortality among adolescents. Residence, age, ART medication adherence, and anemia status were also found to be other independent predictors of HIV-related mortality. To achieve the ultimate aim of lowering mortality among adolescents living with HIV, rigorous emphasis must be placed on early diagnosis of the diseases. In addition, counseling on adherence and prompt diagnosis and treatment of anemia are highly recommended to reduce the mortality.
Pervasive correlations between causal disease effects of proximal SNPs vary with functional annotations and implicate stabilizing selection
Authors: Zhang Martin , Price Alkes L. , Durvasula Arun , Chiang Colby , Koch Evan , Schoech Armin , Strober Benjamin , Shi Huwenbo , Barton Alison , Kim Samuel , Weissbrod Omer , Loh Po-Ru , Gazal Steven , Sunyaev Shamil
Published: December 2023

The genetic architecture of human diseases and complex traits has been extensively studied, but little is known about the relationship of causal disease effect sizes between proximal SNPs, which have largely been assumed to be independent. We introduce a new method, LD SNP-pair effect correlation regression (LDSPEC), to estimate the correlation of causal disease effect sizes of derived alleles between proximal SNPs, depending on their allele frequencies, LD, and functional annotations; LDSPEC produced robust estimates in simulations across various genetic architectures. We applied LDSPEC to 70 diseases and complex traits from the UK Biobank (average N=306K), meta-analyzing results across diseases/traits. We detected significantly nonzero effect correlations for proximal SNP pairs (e.g., −0.37±0.09 for low-frequency positive-LD 0-100bp SNP pairs) that decayed with distance (e.g., −0.07±0.01 for low-frequency positive-LD 1-10kb), varied with allele frequency (e.g., −0.15±0.04 for common positive-LD 0-100bp), and varied with LD between SNPs (e.g., +0.12±0.05 for common negative-LD 0-100bp) (because we consider derived alleles, positive-LD and negative-LD SNP pairs may yield very different results). We further determined that SNP pairs with shared functions had stronger effect correlations that spanned longer genomic distances, e.g., −0.37±0.08 for low-frequency positive-LD same-gene promoter SNP pairs (average genomic distance of 47kb (due to alternative splicing)) and −0.32±0.04 for low-frequency positive-LD H3K27ac 0-1kb SNP pairs. Consequently, SNP-heritability estimates were substantially smaller than estimates of the sum of causal effect size variances across all SNPs (ratio of 0.87±0.02 across diseases/traits), particularly for certain functional annotations (e.g., 0.78±0.01 for common Super enhancer SNPs)—even though these quantities are widely assumed to be equal. We recapitulated our findings via forward simulations with an evolutionary model involving stabilizing selection, implicating the action of linkage masking, whereby haplotypes containing linked SNPs with opposite effects on disease have reduced effects on fitness and escape negative selection.
Establishment and application of a nomogram diagram for predicting calcium oxalate stones in patients with urinary tract stones
Authors: Zhu Guanhua , Jin Lichen , Guo Yinsheng , Sun Lu , Li Shiqing , Zhou Feng
Published: December 2023

Objective This retrospective study aims to examine the correlation between calcium oxalate (CaOx) stones and common clinical tests, as well as urine ionic composition. Additionally, we aim to develop and implement a personalized column chart model to assess the accuracy and feasibility of using column charts to predict calcium oxalate stones in patients with urinary tract stones. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 960 patients who underwent surgery for urinary stones at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2022. Among these patients, 447 were selected for further analysis based on screening criteria. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was then performed to identify the best predictive features for calcium oxalate stones from the clinical data of the selected patients. A prediction model was developed using these features and presented in the form of a nomogram graph. The performance of the prediction model was assessed using the C-index, calibration curve, and decision curve, which evaluated its discriminative power, calibration, and clinical utility, respectively. Conclusion The nomogram diagram prediction model developed in this study is effective in predicting calcium oxalate stones, which is helpful in screening and early identification of high-risk patients with calcium oxalate urinary tract stones, and may be a guide for urologists in making clinical treatment decisions.
Single-procedure 8Fr Rheolytic Pharmacomechanical Thrombectomy for Treatment of Acute Iliofemoral Deep Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Xiao Nicholas , Genet Matthew , Karry Rocio Marquez , Hohlastos Elias , Karp Jennifer , Desai Kush R
Published: December 2023

Purpose
We hypothesize that single-procedure venous-specific rheolytic thrombectomy for treatment of acute iliofemoral deep venous thrombosis (DVT) will result in improved clinical symptoms as measured by the venous clinical severity score (VCSS), as well as durable venous patency, with decreased hemorrhagic risks and costs associated with conventional catheter-directed therapy and prolonged lytic exposure.
Materials and Methods
Thirty-three consecutive patients with symptomatic, unilateral, iliofemoral DVT who were treated with single-procedure therapy using the 8Fr rheolytic thrombectomy catheter were retrospectively analyzed from 2012-2021. Abstracted data included technical success (>95% clearance of acute thrombus), adverse events (AEs), and clinical and imaging outcomes at 1-month and 1-year.
Results
Technical success was achieved in all 33 patients. Mean pre-procedure VCSS was 7.5 with mean edema and pain sub-scores of 2.6 and 1.8, respectively. Post-procedural total mean VCSS at one month was significantly improved (mean post-procedure VCSS=0.3, mean reduction of 7.2, P<0.01). Clinical improvement was sustained at 1-year (mean total VCSS=0.2, P<0.01). Primary patency was achieved in all patients at 1-month and 30 (91%) patients at 1-year. Among the 3 patients in which primary patency was not achieved at 1-year, primary-assisted patency was achieved in 2 patients. Secondary patency was achieved in the remaining patient at 1-year. No hemorrhagic AEs occurred in this study.
Conclusion
This study suggests that single-procedure venous-specific rheolytic thrombectomy for treatment of acute iliofemoral DVT is safe and effective, resulting in durable clinical and radiographic results at one year, while also limiting hemorrhagic risks, mitigating costs of admission, and expediting patient discharge.
Effects of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Functional and Psychological Parameters in Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (PASC) Patients
Authors: Nasrullah Adeel , Virk Shiza , Javed Anam , Shah Aaisha , Ramanujam Deeksha , Sharma Alisha , Gutierrez Laura , Nauer Kevin , Maggio Mindy , Yin Yue , Bajwa Yousaf , Cheema Tariq , Disilvio Briana
Published: December 2023

Background
COVID-19 survivors may develop long-term symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, mental health issues, and functional limitations: a condition termed post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC). Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a recommended treatment for PASC; however, there is a lack of data regarding PR’s effect on multiple health indices and the factors that influence patient outcomes.
Methods
We extracted patient demographic, comorbidity, and outcome data from Allegheny Health Network’s electronic medical records. Functionality test results were compared before and after PR, including 6-minute walk test (6MWT), chair rise repetitions (CR reps), timed up and go test (TUG), gait speed (Rehab gait), modified medical research council scale (MMRC), shortness of breath questionnaire (SOBQ), hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT) scores. Multiple regression analysis was done to evaluate the effect of comorbidities and patient factors on patient responses to PR.
Results
The 55 patients included in this study had a mean time of 3.8 months between the initial COVID-19 diagnosis and the subsequent PASC diagnosis. Post-PR, patients signficantly improved in 6MWT, CR reps, TUG, Rehab gait, MMRC, SOBQ, HADS, and CAT scores. However, hypertension, diabetes, chronic lung diseases, being an outpatient, and receiving pharmacologic treatments (decadron, decadron + remdesivir, and decadron + remdesivir + tocilizumab) were associated with a poor response to PR.
Conclusion
Our study supports PR as an integrated model of care for PASC patients to improve several physical and mental health indices. The long-term effects of PR on patients’ functional status should be investigated in the future.
Making Big Business Everybody’s Business: Aboriginal leaders’ perspectives on the commercial determinants of Indigenous health in Victoria, Australia
Authors: CROCETTI ALESSANDRO CONNOR , Yorta) Troy Walker (Yorta , (Mununjali) Fiona Mitchell , (Wotjobaluk) Simone Sherriff , Islander) Karen Hill (Torres Strait , (Wakaya) Yin Paradies , Backholer Kathryn , Browne Jennifer
Published: December 2023

Background
The commercial determinants of health is a rapidly expanding field of research; however Indigenous perspectives remain notably underrepresented. For Indigenous peoples the intersection of globalisation, colonialism and capitalism may amplify commercially-driven health inequities. This study aimed to understand the perspectives of Aboriginal leaders in Victoria, Australia, regarding the impact of commercial entities and their practices on Aboriginal health and wellbeing.
Methods
Semi-structured interviews with 23 Aboriginal leaders from across five sectors (n = 15 urban, n = 8 rural/regional) were analysed through reflexive thematic analysis.
Results
Five overarching themes were identified, encompassing i) the adverse impacts of industries on Aboriginal peoples, ii) the intersection between colonialism and western economic paradigms, iii) tokenistic corporate engagement with Aboriginal communities, iv) supporting Aboriginal-owned businesses, and v) opportunities for self-determination through business. Participants expressed concern over aggressive marketing by the gambling industry, the exploitation of Aboriginal culture by commercial industries, the privatisation of public services, and the lack of oversignt of corporate social responsibility strategies. Simultaneously, Aboriginal-led businesses were viewed as opportunities for cultural and financial empowerment and self-determination.
Conclusion
Numerous commercial actors and practices are perceived to influence Aboriginal health and wellbeing. This study highlights the need for strong policy and regulation to mitigate harmful industry practices while incentivising the potential positive impacts of the commercial activities on Aboriginal health and wellbeing.
Mechanical Performance Comparisons of Flyash and GGBFS Concrete Proportions in Ambient Temperature with Conventional Concrete
Authors: Deshamukh satalingappa , S Manjunatha G
Published: December 2023

By reacting alkaline solution with silicon, alumina, calcium products and forms the Geopolymer concrete. A number of experiments were conducted by heat curing to find the suitable proportion of Flyash and GGBSto get the desired strength with conventional concrete. Here By conducting short-term and long-term tests, efforts to find the most suitable proportion of Flyash and GGBFS give the closest strength results to conventional concrete in ambient temperature. In this study, using GPC (geopolymer concrete) mixes of 75%:25%, 70%:30%, 65%:35%, and 60%:40% (Flyash: GGBS) and M20 grade concrete, here conducted mechanical and durability tests.
Combination therapy of fasudil hydrochloride and ozagrel sodium for treating patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: a cross-sectional study using a nationwide inpatient database
Authors: Magara Hiroshi , Tani Takuaki , Imai Shinobu , Kiyomi Anna , Fushimi Kiyohide , Sugiura Munetoshi
Published: December 2023

No definitive conclusions have been drawn yet regarding the clinical efficacy of fasudil hydrochloride and ozagrel sodium monotherapy or their combination for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Therefore, we conducted this cross-sectional study using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination data to investigate the prognostic effects of the combined administration of fasudil hydrochloride and ozagrel sodium in Japanese patients with SAH. The participants were patients who were hospitalized with subarachnoid hemorrhage and received fasudil hydrochloride or ozagrel sodium between April 1, 2016, and March 31, 2020 (n = 17,346). The participants were divided into the fasudil hydrochloride monotherapy (F group, n = 10,484), ozagrel sodium monotherapy (O group, n = 465), and fasudil hydrochloride and ozagrel sodium combination therapy (FO group, n = 6,397) groups. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and the secondary outcome was the proportion of patients with modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score ≤ 2 at discharge. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression analysis (significance level, 5%) was used for data analyses. With the F group as the reference, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for in-hospital mortality was 0.99 for the FO group (95% CI: 0.86–1.14, p = 0.883) and 2.63 for the O group (95% CI: 1.95–3.56, p < 0.001). The OR for the proportion of patients with mRS score ≤ 2 at discharge was 0.93 for the FO group (95% CI: 0.86–1.00, p = 0.037) and 0.79 for the O group (95% CI: 0.64–0.98, p = 0.035). Our results indicate that prognosis tended to be better with their combined use compared to ozagrel sodium monotherapy.
Enhancing the electromagnetic forming performance of thin-walled sheet metal via a thicker driver: Forming behavior and experimental validation
Authors: Xu Wei , Lai Zhipeng , Gong Mengyuan , Li Changxing , Hu Yang , Zhang Zixuan , Cao Quanliang , Han Xiaotao , Li Liang
Published: December 2023

This paper proposes an innovative electromagnetic forming approach for die-forming of sheet metal parts with a low thickness-to-diameter ratio (0.25%), in which an additional driver sheet was used to improve the forming behavior. Numerical simulations reveal that the conventional EMF method fails to prevent wrinkling defects in thin-walled sheet metal forming, with the severity of wrinkles increasing as the voltage rises. These wrinkles reach a maximum height of 11.3mm and result in inadequate workpiece adherence to the die. To address these challenges, a novel technique is introduced that effectively suppresses wrinkling by enhancing the interaction between the driver sheet and the workpiece. Through a comprehensive evaluation of forming efficiency and wrinkle suppression, an optimal driver sheet thickness of 3mm is determined, minimizing wrinkling to 0.67mm. Compared to the conventional EMF method, the proposed approach yields a fuller and more accurate forming results, closely conforming to the die contour. The process window is defined by analyzing two fundamental process parameters: blank holder force (FBHF) and discharge voltage (Vd). The deformation history of the driver sheet EMF is examined for a high forming quality case with Vd = 12kV and FBHF = 8 kN, resulting in 1.41mm die-fitting gaps. A comparative experimental study demonstrates the effectiveness of the driver sheet EMF technique in producing deep-cavity workpieces with superior forming accuracy. The results include a maximum die-fitting gap of 1.41mm and a maximum wrinkle height of 0.67mm. The proposed driver sheet EMF method exhibits enhanced flexibility and efficiency compared to the conventional EMF, particularly in manufacturing extremely thin-walled sheet metal parts.
Assessing the Consistency of Landslide Susceptibility Models: Frequency Ratio, Logistic Regression, Artificial Neural Network, and Random Forest
Authors: Chiang Shou-Hao , Chu Van-Trung , Lin Tang-Huang
Published: December 2023

Several models have been proposed to analyze landslide susceptibility, including physically-based models, index-based models, statistical models, and machine-learning algorithms. Previous studies focusing on model comparison mainly determined a better model based on predicting accuracies. In this study, we suggest a better model should not only produce results with higher accuracy but also be consistent in its performance. This study aims to provide a new perspective to assess the model performance, by analyzing the consistency of modeling outcomes. This requires multiple modeling trails. Specifically, four commonly used models were selected and tested, including frequency ratio (FR), logistic regression (LR), artificial neural network (ANN), and random forest (RF). The study area is the Thu Lum basin, located in the mountainous range of Lai Chau Province, Viet Nam. This study applied 13 predisposing factors, and the model training and testing procedures were randomly performed multiple times, from 5 times to 50 times for each model. Seven accuracy indexes were used to summarize and assess model consistency. We also explored the consistency of each factor’s contribution in different models. The result shows that 10 independent modeling trials are acceptable to reveal the model consistency, and among the four models, the RF model is considered the best one because it consistently produces higher accuracies. However, it also shows inconsistent importance rank of predisposing factors in different trials, which leads to higher uncertainty in explaining the landslide environment. To address this issue, we suggest finding consensus from multiple modeling outcomes could be a more reliable approach. We expect this study can be a useful reference for determining a suitable model for analyzing landslide susceptibility in a given area.
Profiles of Immunosuppressive Nonadherence and Association between Medication Adherence and Tacrolimus Intra-patient Variability Among Stable Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Zou Zhiyu , Dai LinRui , Hou Yi-bo , Yu Chen-zhen , Chen Ren-jie , Chen Song , Chang Sheng , Zhang Wei-jie
Published: December 2023

Background
Understanding the modifiable correlates and risk factors for medication non-adherence is essential to develop interventions to improve adherence and thus long-term transplantation outcomes.
Methods
This single-center cross-sectional study collected 409 validated questionnaires of renal transplant recipients followed in outpatient clinics. The incidence of nonadherence to immunosuppressive therapy (implementation phase) was calculated. Multilevel correlates associated with nonadherence were collected to analyze multilevel correlates of nonadherence in kidney transplant recipients. The relationship between nonadherence and recipient outcomes was also explore.
Results
The incidence of nonadherence to immunosuppressive drugs in renal transplant recipients was 41.6%. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that 4 variables were positively associated with immunosuppressive nonadherence, namely without steady partner (OR: 1.722; 95%CI: 1.034–2.866), post-transplant years (OR: 1.240; 95%CI: 1.134–1.356), twice-daily immunosuppressive regimen (OR: 5.522 95%CI: 2.857–10.671), Tac IPV (OR: 1.029 95%CI: 1.007–1.052). There was a significant difference in Tac IPV between the adherent and nonadherent groups. The incidence of rejection was 4.2% (10/239) in the adherent group and 12.4% (21/170) in the nonadherent group(p = 0.002). In addition, nonadherence (OR: 2.967, 95%CI: 1.248–7.058) and Tac IPV (OR: 1.030, 95%CI: 1.001–1.060) were positively correlated with episodes of rejection.
Conclusion
The higher incidence of immunosuppression nonadherence in renal transplant recipients correlates with lacking a steady domestic partner, longer time since the transplantation, higher frequency of immunosuppressive dosing, and higher Tac IPV. In addition, nonadherence and higher tacrolimus IPV were correlated with episodes of rejection. Tacrolimus IPV can be an additional instrument for identifying recipients at risk of nonadherence.
Survey of OB/GYN Residents Knowledge and Practice of Trauma Informed Care
Authors: Stokes Lauren , Burgess Adriane , Burcher Paul
Published: December 2023

Background
There is a high prevalence of a history of traumatic experiences among those seeking obstetric/gynecologic care. OB/GYN clinicians must use trauma-informed care practices to avoid re-traumatization and to provide supportive care. The objective of this study was to describe the knowledge and use of trauma-informed care practices by OB/GYN residents in the outpatient setting.
Methods
A descriptive research design was used. In February 2022, an email will a link to an electronic survey was sent to US OB/GYN residency program directors via listserv. Residency directors were asked to forward the survey to residents in their program subsequently, we were unable to calculate the response rate. The survey included closed response questions some of which were Likert scale to assess the frequency of use of certain trauma-informed care practices during the provision of pelvic examinations.
Results
Seventy US OB/GYN residents responded to the survey. Only half of residents surveyed reported that they practiced trauma-informed care and half reported either not receiving education or were not sure if they had training on the subject. Additionally, half of the respondents were not aware of the ACOG Committee Opinion 825: Care of Patients with History of Trauma.
Conclusion
There was limited use of trauma-informed care practices among OB/GYN residents in this study. Considering the high prevalence of traumatic experiences among individuals seeking gynecologic care, a framework for trauma-informed pelvic exams should be included in the residency curriculum and applied universally.
Pan-cancer analysis of the oncogenic effects of ribosomal protein L13 (MRPL13) and validation in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: CAI xin , Li Minghao , Gao Jie , Zhang Huapeng , Zhang Jiakai , Zhang shuijun , Zhang Yi
Published: December 2023

Purpose
Mitochondrial ribosomal protein 13 (MRPL13) belongs to the large family of mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, and mitochondrial ribosomal protein (MRPL) genes are involved in a variety of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle. Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of MRPL13 in tumorigenesis, but no systematic pan-cancer analysis has been performed.
Methods
The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic and immune functions of MRPL13 through bioinformatics analysis of datasets from the Cancer Genome Atlas, UALCAN, GEPIA2, cBioPortal, TIMER2, and the Human Protein Atlas. Expression of MRPL13 was correlated with prognosis, tumor mutational burden, immune cell infiltration, drug prediction, and oncogenic pathways.
Results
MRPL13 has been found to be highly expressed in various types of cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. Patients with high MRPL13 expression have higher levels of Th2 cell infiltration and may respond better to immunotherapy. In HCC, MRPL13 is highly expressed and may promote cell proliferation by regulating cell cycle progression. In conclusion, the present study suggests that MRPL13 is a reliable prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarker, and is particularly promising as a therapeutic target for HCC.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that MRPL13 is upregulated in a wide range of cancers and has reliable diagnostic and prognostic value. In addition, MRPL13 may also play an important role in the tumor immune microenvironment, as verified by the following results: overexpression of MRPL13 was associated with high immunogenicity of tumors, suggesting a possible benefit of immunotherapy. We also identified potentially effective therapeutic agents such as BI-325 and darbepoetinide for patients with high MRPL13 expression, who are more likely to be sorafenib and TACE resistant. In HCC, MRPL13 promotes cell cycle progression and proliferation in liver cancer. These findings highlight the potential significance of MRPL13 as a predictive biomarker for prognosis and response to immunotherapy in cancer patients, and in particular provide a new therapeutic target for HCC.
Mitigating Data Exfiltration Ransomware through Advanced Decoy File Strategies
Authors: Liu Shishi , Chen Xin
Published: December 2023

This study introduces an advanced decoy file strategy utilizing Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to combat data exfiltration ransomware threats. Focused on creating highly realistic decoy documents, the system embeds these across enterprise networks, engaging ransomware threats effectively. It includes real-time monitoring for abnormal interactions and proactive response mechanisms for threat containment. Rigorous testing against various ransomware samples demonstrated high engagement rates and rapid response times, confirming the system's effectiveness. Integration across diverse network types was achieved with minimal operational overhead. This study highlights the system's adaptability in the face of evolving ransomware tactics and underscores the balance between decoy realism and deployability.
Untangling the Use of Blockchain in Distributed AgriFood Supply Chains: IoT data privacy and ABAC policy smart contract
Authors: Pesanhane Hélio , Westphall Carlos
Published: December 2023

Blockchain is portrayed as a technology capable of solving problems of transparency, traceability, data tampering and accountability in the Agrifood supply chain. However, the transparency provided brings privacy issues and furthermore, this sector is characterized by the use of IoT devices for process automation, and these devices have problems of limited performance, mobility, etc, making it difficult to manage the large scale IoT environment using current security, authentication and access control solutions. To address these challenges, the work proposes an architecture for storing private data, allowing only authorized participants to have access. These data are stored by IoT devices in the participant’s cloud after its transaction has been validated by the endorsing peers and in accordance with the attribute-based access control (ABAC) policy that allows the IoT device owners configure the physical quantities, the range of values, time period, body type, that each device is allowed to measure and transmit. An user can be authorized to read IoT data under the ABAC policy contract. 50% of IoT 1 Springer Nature 2021 L A T E X template Article Title data write requests are performed and answered in less than 0.14 seconds and 2.5 seconds using solo and raft ordering service, respectively. On the other hand, data retrieval had a average latency ranging from 0.34 to 0.57 seconds and throughput from 124.8 to 9.9 Transactions Per Second (TPS) for data sizes ranging from 8 to 512 kilobytes.