bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Os tribunais de contas brasileiros como instâncias de promoção da accountability diagonal por meio do exercício de suas competências contramajoritárias
Authors: Pessoa Robertonio Santos , Silva Oliveira Antônio Fábio da
Published: February 2024

Ao passo em que o debate democrático foi se aperfeiçoando, seguindo a marcha da história, alguns elementos foram sendo agregados à definição de democracia, dentre eles, a noção de accountability, que se desdobra, por sua vez, em diversas formas de manifestação, que vão, desde a expressão popular pelas vias eleitorais, até o recurso a agências contramajoritárias de controle externo. O presente trabalho busca analisar, a partir do recorte organizacional dos Tribunais de Contas brasileiros, alguns desdobramentos dessa última forma de accountability, especificamente denominada por alguns como “accountability diagonal”, que corresponderia a uma engenharia institucional, fruto de uma nova perspectiva de administração pública que privilegia a interação entre os diversos agentes do jogo democrático. Para se alcançar essa pretensão, todavia, mostra-se imprescindível a compreensão do debate teórico que circunscreve o advento da accountability como dimensão da democracia contemporânea, sobretudo, no que se refere aos seus aspectos dialógicos, que tem, hodiernamente, modulando a evolução, ainda que lentamente, das práticas da administração pública.
Exposure of Hoffa Fractures Is Improved by Posterolateral and Posteromedial Extensile Approaches
Authors: Peez Christian , Deichsel Adrian , Briese Thorben , Gueorguiev Boyko , Richards R. Geoff , Zderic Ivan , Glasbrenner Johannes , Kittl Christoph , Raschke Michael J. , Herbst Elmar
Published: February 2024

Background:

The current literature lacks recommendations regarding surgical approaches to best visualize and reduce Hoffa fractures. The aims of this study were to (1) define surgical corridors to the posterior portions of the lateral and medial femoral condyles and (2) compare the articular surface areas visible with different approaches.

Methods:

Eight fresh-frozen human cadaveric knees (6 male and 2 female donors; mean age, 68.2 ± 10.2 years) underwent dissection simulating 6 surgical approaches to the distal femur. The visible articular surface areas for each approach were marked using an electrocautery device and subsequently analyzed using image-processing software. The labeled areas of each femoral condyle were statistically compared.

Results:

At 30° of flexion, visualization of the posterior portions of the lateral and medial femoral condyles was not possible by lateral and medial parapatellar approaches, as only the anterior 29.4% ± 2.1% of the lateral femoral condyle and 25.6% ± 2.8% of the medial condyle were exposed. Visualization of the lateral femoral condyle was limited by the posterolateral ligamentous structures, hence a posterolateral approach only exposed its central (13.1% ± 1.3%) and posterior (12.4% ± 1.1%) portions. Posterolateral extension by an osteotomy of the lateral femoral epicondyle significantly improved the exposure to 53.4% ± 2.7% and, when combined with a Gerdy’s tubercle osteotomy, to 70.9% ± 4.1% (p < 0.001). For the posteromedial approach, an arthrotomy between the anteromedial retinaculum and the superficial medial collateral ligament, and one between the posterior oblique ligament and the medial gastrocnemius tendon, allowed visualization of the central (13.5% ± 2.2%) and the posterior (14.6% ± 2.3%) portions of the medial femoral condyle, while a medial femoral epicondyle osteotomy significantly improved visualization to 66.1% ± 5.5% (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Visualization of the posterior portions of the femoral condyles is limited by the specific anatomy of each surgical corridor. Extension by osteotomy of the femoral epicondyles and Gerdy’s tubercle significantly improved articular surface exposure of the femoral condyles.

Clinical Relevance:

Knowledge of the surgical approach-specific visualization of the articular surface of the femoral condyles might be helpful to properly reduce small Hoffa fragments.
Applying AHP for Assessing Zenbo Division Production Employee Performance
Authors: Prasetyo Doni , Marodiyah Inggit
Published: February 2024

This research proposes an employee assessment system utilizing the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to evaluate productivity levels. The absence of such a system poses challenges in gauging employee performance and its impact on company productivity. Through AHP, this study aims to provide decision support for performance evaluation, thereby maintaining high productivity levels. Results indicate significant shifts in employee rankings, highlighting the effectiveness of the proposed methodology in identifying and enhancing productivity. This research contributes to the discourse on employee performance assessment, offering practical implications for decision-makers aiming to optimize workforce productivity.
Highlights :

Enhanced decision-making: The utilization of AHP provides a structured approach for evaluating employee performance, facilitating informed decision-making processes.
Improved productivity rankings: Implementation of the assessment system results in notable shifts in employee rankings, indicating its effectiveness in identifying high-performing individuals.
Practical implications: Findings offer valuable insights for organizations seeking to optimize workforce productivity through systematic performance evaluation methodologies.

Keywords: Employee productivity, Assessment system, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Decision support, Workforce optimization
Testing turbidite conceptual models with the Kaikōura Earthquake co-seismic event bed, Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Maier Katherine L. , Strachan Lorna J. , Tickle Stephanie , Orpin Alan R. , Nodder Scott D. , Howarth Jamie
Published: February 2024

The 2016 Mw7.8 Kaikōura Earthquake in Aotearoa New Zealand provides an opportunity to test widely applied turbidite sedimentation models because it triggered a co-seismic turbidity current. The resultant Kaikōura event bed (KEB), interpreted as a turbidite, is sampled for ∼ 1300-km down-flow along the depositional system. Sediment core lithologies, computed tomography (CT), and particle-size data are used to test event-bed thickness, silt content, facies distribution, and stacking patterns against the foundations of the turbidite conceptual model of Bouma (1962). KEB thickness is variable to ∼ 100 km down-flow distance and attains a maximum thickness at ∼ 700 km down-flow distance before thinning distally, similar to the predicted bell-shaped proximal to distal trend. Silt content is high throughout the KEB from canyon to fan. The KEB is dominated by laminated Td facies and Te facies that evolve down-system from laminated, then graded, to homogeneous muds. CT and granulometry data are key to differentiating subtle density and textural variations in fine-grained deposits and reveal that KEB Td and Te facies in the KEB that are often not preserved or readily observed in older deposits. The KEB highlights a fine-grained sedimentary system that contrasts with more widely studied sandy turbidite basins. In particular, the KEB example reveals that Td and Te facies are ubiquitous in this fine-grained, silt-rich system. A varied conceptual model developed from the KEB may be applicable to many modern deep-sea turbidite systems and crucial for understanding present-day particulate transport to the deep sea and interpreting evidence from the stratigraphic record.
A Comparison of a Three Blade and Five Blade Wind Turbine in Terms of the Mechanical Properties Using the Q-Blade Software
Authors: Zidane Othman K. , Mahmood YaseenH. Mahmood
Published: February 2024

يمكن لتوربينات الرياح المنتشرة في مزارع الرياح على نطاق المرافق أن تدعم تلبية رغبات الطاقة المستقبلية وتقليل انبعاثات ثاني أكسيد الكربون عن طريق تقليل متطلبات الطاقة من الوقود الأحفوري. مع ارتفاع درجة حرارة الهواء على مدار اليوم، تزداد سرعة الرياح بسبب تدرجات درجة الحرارة، والتي تنتج تدرجًا في الكثافة / الضغط، مما يؤدي إلى حركة الهواء التي تواجهها توربينات الرياح. اعتمادًا على تضاريس الأرض، يمكن أن تواجه الرياح وتوجه في الوديان بين التلال وفوقها حيث تتدفق وتتبع منحنيات الأرض. تنتج هذه التضاريس زيادة في سرعة الرياح في القمم والتلال. في هذا العمل، تم تصميم شفرة دوار توربينات الرياح الأفقية الصغيرة للعمل في ظل سرعة الرياح المنخفضة، باستخدام برنامج (Q-Blade). استنادًا إلى نظرية عنصر الشفرة (BEM). مع الجنيح NACA3712. تم استخدام دوار ثلاثي الشفرات ودوار بخمس شفرات بناءً على نوع التوربين وحجم الدوار لتوليد الطاقة الميكانيكية من طاقة الرياح. تم إجراء مقارنة وتحليل قوة التوربين ومعامل القدرة ومعامل عزم الدوران عند سرعة رياح منخفضة ((1m/s-8m/s وتم الحصول على نتائج دقيقة للغاية. وجد أن أفضل أداء يمكن أن يعمل فيه دوار توربيني ثلاثي الشفرات بقدرة توربينية تبلغ  (955W) كما تم الحصول على قدرة التوربين ((582W للدوار خماسي الشفرات. وجد أن تصميم توربينة رياح أفقية صغيرة بخمس ريش أفضل من التوربين بثلاث ريش ومناسب للعمل في المناطق ذات سرعة الرياح المنخفضة وبكفاءة عالية مقارنة بحجم التوربين.
Common Fixed-Point Theorems of Generalization of Kannan, Chatterjea, and Reich Contractive on b-Metric Space with an Application
Authors: Islamiyah Nurul Ilma , Zakir Muhammad , Nurwahyu Budi
Published: February 2024

أثبت هذا البحث وجود وتفرد النقاط الثابتة المشتركة لأزواج الخرائط الذاتية من نوع كانان، ورايش، وشاترجيا في مساحة ب مترية كاملة. بالإضافة إلى ذلك، تمت مناقشة مثال وتطبيق لوجود وتفرد الحلول المشتركة لنظام المعادلات الوظيفية الناشئة في البرمجة الديناميكية باستخدام نتائجنا.
Preparing of CuCo2O4 compound by Sol-gel method and studying its structural properties
Authors: Yousef Areej , Ismail Ibrahim
Published: February 2024

تم في هذا البحث تحضير مركب كوبالتيت النحاس CuCo2O4 بطريقة الـ Sol-Gel انطلاقا من ملح كبريتات الكوبالت ونترات النحاس. تم استخدام مركب عضوي هو البكتين كعامل تثبيت أعطى استقرارعالي لجملة الهيدروكسيدات أثناء التحضير. تم حرق العينة المحضرة عند درجات حرارة مختلفة ضمن المجال (400-1000°C) لتحديد درجة الحرارة الأفضل للحصول على البلورات المطلوبة من المركّب CuCo2O4. درست الخواص التركيبية للأكسيد المحضّر باستخدام تقنية انعراج الأشعة السينية (XRD) وجهاز التحليل الحراري التفاضلي (DTA)، ومطيافية تحت الأحمر (IR)، والمجهر الالكتروني الماسح (SEM). تم تحديد درجة حرارة الاصطناع المثلى عند الدرجة 600°C. بينت دراسة مخططات انعراج الأشعة السينية أن المركب يتبلور وفق بنية بلورية مكعبية متمركزة الوجوه FCC من نمط السباينل ومجموعة تناظر فراغية S.G هي Fd3m. حُسبت ثوابت الشبكة وحجم التبلور وعدد الصيغ للمركّب المحضّر وكانت 8.044 Å ، 520.49Å3 ، 8 على الترتيب. تبين أن حجم الحبيبات للمركّب هو 17.4nm. تطابقت الحسابات التجريبية لـ d مع قيم البطاقة المرجعية بنسبة تطابق 99.5% كحد أدنى. حسبت الكثافة النظرية والتجريبية للمركّب المحضّر وكانت النتائج متقاربة. أظهرت منحنيات التحليل الحراري التفاضلي إلى وجود خمس آثار حرارية أهمها الأثر الحراري الناشر عند الدرجة 390 والأثر الحراري الماص عند الدرجة 740°C الللذان يشيران إلى بدء تشكل المركب وبدء تفككه على الترتيب. يؤكد مخطط الطيف تحت الأحمر (IR) الحصول على المركب المطلوب من خلال القمم العائدة لاهتزازات الروابط (Co-O) و (Cu-O).
The Association of Glycated Hemoglobin and Lipid Profile with Peripheral Artery Disease in Metabolic Syndrome Patients from Northwestern Algeria
Authors: Bouragba Imane , Diaf Mustapha , Souiah Sarra , Melih Asmaa , Mellali Attouya
Published: February 2024

تم إدماج الهيموجلوبين السكري (Hb1Ac) كمؤشر لخلل السكر في الدم بدلا من غلوكوز الدم الصائم (FGB)، لتصنيف المرضى بناء على حوادث الأوعية الدموية ،حيث يرتبطHb1Acارتباطا وثيقا بعوامل الأوعية الدموية مثل سرعة موجة النبض وسمك الوسائط الداخلية، نسبة الألبومين / الكرياتينين (ACR) ومع ذلك فإن العلاقة بينHb1Acونسبة الدهون في تطور أمراض الشرايين لاتزال غير مؤكدة. هدفنا الرئيسي من هذه الدراسة هو التحقيق في ارتباطHb1Acونسبة الدهون مع أمراض الأوعية الدموية الطرفية (PAD) في المرضى الذين يعانون من الاضطراب الأيضي (MetS) في شمال غرب الجزائر. أجريت دراستنا المقطعية لمدة ستة أشهر. تم حساب مؤثر كتلة الجسم كالتالي: (BMI (kg/m²)=weight(kg)/height²(m²، تم استخدام مؤشر الكاحل والعضد  (ABI) أقل من 0.9 وتصوير الأوعية لتشخيص  PADوحددنا MetS وفقا لمعاييرNECP-ATPIII. تم استعمال اختبار تحليل الارتباط (correlation test) والانحدار الخطي (linear regression) لدراسة الصلة بينHb1Ac، نسبة السكر في الدم، نسب الدهون وحدوث أمراض الشرايين الطرفية لدى الأفراد المصابين بالاضطراب الأيضي. من بين 300 مصاب الاضطراب الأيضي، 53 % تمثل الذكور. لوحظ وجود ارتباطات إيجابية بينHb1Ac،(r=0.753, p<0.001)   FGB والتري غلسيريد ((TG (r=0.288, p<0.001) وارتباط سلبي مع البروتين الدهني عالي الكثافة (HDL) (r=-0.356, p<0.001).   لم يظهرHb1Ac أي ارتباط مع الكوليسترول الكلي (TC) و البروتين الدهني منخفض الكثافة (LDL). أظهرت نسب الدهون(TG/HDL ,LDL/HDL , TC/HDL) ارتباطات ايجابية مع)Hb1Acr=0.332 r=0.232, r=0.43.(أكد اختبار الانحدار الخطي هذه النتائج. أظهر Hb1Ac ارتباطات ايجابية مع  FGB و TG   في حين أنه يرتبط سلبا بالبروتين الدهني عالي الكثافة(HDL) . و مستقل عن البروتين الدهني منخفض الكثافة (LDL) والكوليسترول الكلي (TC) و الجدير بالذكر أن نسب الدهون الثلاثة TG/HDL) LDL/HDL , TC/HDL  (أظهرت ارتباطات ايجابية معHb1Ac .
Effect of biotic and abiotic elicitors on Salvadora persica callus in vitro
Authors: Jasim Hadaia Y. Jasim , Habeeb Hadeel M.
Published: February 2024

أجري البحث لغرض دراسة تأثير تراكيز مختلفة من الجسيمات النانوية (الكيتوزان وثاني أكسيد التيتانيوم) و  Fusarium oxysporum  كمحفزات لزيادة إنتاج المركبات الفعالة من كالس نبات المسواك. اظهرت نتائج المحتوى الكلي مركبات الفلافونويد والقلويدات التي ازاد انتاجها عند اضافة  الكيتوسان بتركيز 5 ملغم / لتر، وثاني أكسيد التيتانيوم بتركيز 1 ملغم / لتر، و Fusarium oxysporum بتركيز 5 ملغم / لتر حيث اعطت 93.10 ملغم / 100 ملغم، 128.7 ملغم / 100 ملغم، و 107.61 ملغم / 100 ملغم على التوالي للفلافينودات بينما ساعدت المحفزات على انتاج  القلويدات بمعدل 2.39 %، 3.91%، و2.20% على التوالي. وأوضحت النتائج التفوق في وجود مركبات الفلافونويد في العينات مقارنة مع القلويدات.  بين تحليل HPLC( تحليل كروماتوغرافي سائل عالي الأداء) اختلافات كبيرة في زيادة إنتاج الفلافونويد (Rutin, Kaempferol, Quercetin, Catechin, Luteolin, and Apigenin) أدت إضافة الكيتوسان عند التركيز 5 ملغم / لتر إلى زيادة إنتاج Rutin ، بمقدار 39.89 ملغم/لتر. أما الكالس المستحث المعالج بثاني أكسيد التيتانيوم بتركيز 1 ملغم/لتر فقد أدى إلى زيادة Rutin بمعدل 35.89 ملغم/لتر. بينما ارتفع إنتاج Rutin إلى 30.12 ملغم/لتر عند معاملته بـ Fusarium oxysporum  بتركيز 5 ملغم/لتر.
Effect of using MgO coating with multiple coatings on the optical properties of a five-layer stack
Authors: Al-Assadi Zainab I.
Published: February 2024

تم استخدام المادة العازلة MgO ذات معامل الانكسار العالي (H) 1.737 مع أربعة مواد عازلة  BaF2 (فلوريد الباريوم) و  Al2O3 (الألومينا) و  GdF3 (فلوريد الجادولينيوم) و  LaF3 اللانثانوم فلورايد ذوات معامل انكسار واطيء (L) 1.4825 و 1.5322 و 1.59 و 1.6056 على التوالي كطلاءات بصرية لخمس طبقات وللتصميمين الأول هو  ((Glass/H/L/H/L/H والثاني (Glass/L/H/L/H/L) ، باستخدام برنامج MATLAB. تم حساب الخصائص البصرية (M، Rvis.، Rsol.، Tsol.) للطلاءات البصرية الأربعة المتكونة ، وذلك لمعرفة أي طلاء منها كفوء لتلوين زجاج الأنظمة الشمسية المستخدمة كواجهات للأبنية وأيها غير كفوء. تظهر النتائج أنه في التصميم الأول (Glass/H/L/H/L/H) للطبقات الخمس ، يوجد طلاءان فقط لهما كفاءة للتلوين ، وهما الطلاءان (MgO + BaF2) و (MgO + Al2O3) ، لأنهما يحققان القيم المطلوبة من عامل الجدارة (M) والانعكاسية المرئية Rvis. حيث ان القيم المطلوبة لقيم عامل الجدارة (M) و.Rvis والتي تجعل الطلاء كفوءاً للتلوين هي 6% و12% على التوالي ، ولهما قمة انعكاس منتظمة وحادة للتلوين في المنطقة المرئية. في التصميم الأول ، يتناسب معامل الانكسار عكسياً مع الخصائص البصرية للطلاء وبالتالي كفاءة تلوين الطلاء ، مما يعني أن طلاء (MgO + BaF2) أكثر كفاءة من طلاء (MgO + Al2O3) للتلوين. يعتبر التصميم الثاني (Glass/L/H/L/H/L) للطبقات الخمس غير كفوء للتلوين للطلاءات الأربعة ( (MgO + BaF2 ،   (MgO+ Al2O3)  ، (MgO + GdF3) ، MgO + LaF3)) لأنها لا تمتلك القيم المطلوبة من (M) و . Rvis
Espacios arquitectónicos del Parque de la Amistad y su influencia en las sensaciones de los habitantes del distrito de Santiago de Surco - Lima 2019
Authors:   , Roque Merma Brany David , Ramirez Huaman Felix Eustaquio , Gambini Valverde Letty Sheyla , Diaz Becerra Maria Fernanda , Ramos Chavez Vicente
Published: February 2024

El presente artículo tiene el objetivo principal, determinar cómo los espacios arquitectónicos del Parque de la Amistad influyen en las sensaciones percibidas por los habitantes del distrito de Santiago de Surco - Lima 2019. Las percepciones de los seres humanos son afectadas por el entorno inmediato en donde nos desenvolvemos, cada individuo es autónomo en su forma de percibir y descifrar el mensaje de sensaciones que la arquitectura pueda transmitir generando sensaciones muy distintas que los lleva a tener emociones particulares a partir de los sentidos, de esta manera inicia un vínculo con el espacio arquitectónico - humano, donde los visitantes y vecinos experimentan diversas sensaciones. El presente artículo tiene un enfoque cuantitativo y descriptivo-analítico, la herramienta empleada para identificar las sensaciones percibidas por los habitantes es la encuesta, esto ayudará a tener una idea más amplia de como los espacios arquitectónicos del Parque de la Amistad influye en las sensaciones de los visitantes. Se obtuvo que el Parque de la Amistad cumple con las necesidades del usuario que a través de la arquitectura de sus espacios estimulan el sistema sensorial del ser humano; ya que las características de cada espacio actúan directamente con el usuario por utilizar distintos elementos convirtiéndolos en espacios de estimulación sensorial que proporcionan un beneficio directo con el usuario.
Determinación de residuos de sulfamidas en canal de cuy en expendio en el Valle del Mantaro, Junín
Authors:   , Champi Cubillas María Fernanda
Published: February 2024

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar la presencia residuos de sulfamidas que sobrepasen los límites máximos de residuos en canal de cuy en expendio en el Valle del Mantaro, Junín en el año 2020. Se analizaron 433 canales de cuy, donde se evaluaron muestras de hígado, músculo y riñón. La detección de residuos de antibióticos se realizó mediante la técnica microbiológica de difusión en agar, obteniéndose resultados positivos en riñón con 62.6 ± 4.5 % (271/433), en hígado con 59.4 ± 4.6 % (257/433) y en músculo con 31.4 ± 4.3 % (136/433). De todas las muestras positivas se tomaron 82 para ser analizadas mediante un kit comercial de ELISA específico para Sulfonamidas (MaxSignal® Sulfonamide ELISA Test Kit), obteniéndose un 4.9 ± 4.6 % (4/82) de muestras con concentraciones mayores a 100 µg/kg. Los resultados demuestran la presencia de residuos de sulfonamida en concentraciones que sobrepasan los límites máximos de residuos permitidos en canal cuy en expendio en el Valle del Mantaro, Junín.
A new approach to understand the equilibrium of the voting behaviors and candidates' strategies in the election
Authors: Qi Tiange
Published: February 2024

This paper proposes a hotelling-downs style election competition model to describe the location choice in the political continuum of the political parties using the game theory. Compared to conventional models which only consider two homogeneous parities, this model allows the heterogeneous abilities between two parties and it finds that the party in advantage tends to move to the middle of the continuum while its opposite party tends to be more extreme. Then it turns to three-candidate election where the level of strategic voting depends on the quality of information-how accurate the voters know the votes of each candidate from the survey polls. The candidate in the middle of the continuum can win the election only when it is much better than the other two candidates that there are supporters of either of them strategically vote to it. Finally, the paper applies the model to analyse the elections in Taiwan. It finds that the quality of the information of the election accessible to the voters is relatively high and strategic voting is a common phenomenon since 2012. Therefore, controlling the quality of the information to voters can be a strategy to win the election in the three-candidate election.
An evaluation of Fasciola hepatica HDM-1 mRNA expression in eggs, miracidia and adult flukes and simulation of its internalization pathway
Authors: Jalousian Fateme , Malekzade Parmida , Hosseini Seyed Hossein , Shahbakhsh Mahsa , Shayan Parviz , Rismani Elham , Fathi Saeid , Moghadasi Abdorreza Naser
Published: February 2024

Fascioliasis caused by parasitic flukes of the genus Fasciola. Here, the transcription of FhHDM-1(Fasciola hepatica Helminth Defense Molecule-1) was summarized to show its presence in the developmental stages of Fasciola hepatica (F.hepatica). Structural features were identified by bioinformatics tools as a bioactive-immunomodulator molecule-based therapy. We also simulated peptide initialization by the Linux operating system using GROningen MAchine for Chemical Simulations (GROMACS) and Coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) Simulation. The final structure of the peptide was extracted from the last frame of the simulation and used as the initial structure for the simulation of protein initialization into the plasma membrane. All HDM clade sequences showed amino acid sequence identity in the sequence part of HDMs, consisting of an N-terminal signal peptide, an α-helical secondary structure, and a C-terminal amphipathic motif when compared with orthologues from other trematodes in databases. The bioinformatics analysis provided stereochemical structures and biochemical features of peptides, showing a relatively appropriate quality for protein biological expression systems. Our findings revealed the presence of FhHDM-1 mRNA in F. hepatica adult flukes and the lack of mRNA in its eggs and miracidia, indicating its central role in the evolution of the parasitic life cycle. The internalization of the peptide into the plasma membrane lipid rafts by the polar heads of lipid molecules and interaction with phospholipids, in turn, results in creating curvature, leading to endocytosis pathways. The possible presenting antigens by MHC classes I and II were identified as overlapping fragments throughout the protein sequence.
Physical Rehabilitation Program for Cardiorespiratory Health and Quality of Life among Breast Cancer Survivors in UAE: Protocol for a Randomized Control Trial.
Authors: Rashid Fatima Abdul , Anwar Wajiha , Kandakurti Praveen Kumar , HAZARI ANIMESH
Published: February 2024

Background
Cancer is a medical condition where some cells of the body reproduce uncontrollably and metastasize to other parts of the body. The burden of the disease is significantly high both at the global and national levels. In UAE, cancer was found to be the third leading cause of death. Breast cancer has been ranked first due to its prevalence, incidence, and mortality in UAE. Breast cancer survivors have significantly poor cardiovascular tolerance which affects their Quality of Life (QoL), even after the carcinoma has been treated or removed. Thus, the protocol aims to analyze the changes in cardiovascular endurance and QoL domains for breast cancer survivors in the United Arab Emirates using a long-term 2-month physical rehabilitation.
Methods
A total of 60 breast cancer survivors would be included in the study using a randomized controlled allocation of a 2-month physical rehabilitation intervention program with three months follow up. The intervention would target the cardiovascular endurance component of the participants to improve their physical well-being and Quality of life ultimately.
Discussion
The findings of the study would have high clinical significance among the breast cancer survivors in UAE. The proposed physical rehabilitation program could be beneficial in improving cardiovascular endurance and thereby reduce the risk of mortality among the breast cancer survivors. In addition, the physiological benefits of the exercise program could improve their Quality-of-Life domains including physical, mental, and social well- being. On a larger view, it could also help to reduce the economic burden on the health system due to associated complications.
Trial Registration:
Clinical trial ID: NCT06013527. Registration date: 28 August 2023.
Medical Students’ Attitude towards Artificial Intelligence in Medicine: A National Multicenter Survey
Authors: Yaynishet Yodit Abraham , Nasir Fuad Menur , Hailu Samuel Sisay , Solomon Daniel Zewdneh , Gidena Eden Kahsay , Bedewi Abdulhamid Mustefa
Published: February 2024

1.1 Objectives

The rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is leading to its integration into various fields, including medicine, which is at the forefront of this development. There are numerous perspectives on the future role of AI in medicine, with varying levels of positivity or negativity. In this study, we aimed to assess undergraduate medical students' attitudes towards integrating AI in medicine, to evaluate their need for AI training, identify misconceptions about AI, and explore its impact on their choice of specialization

1.2 Methods

To assess the attitudes of medical students towards the integration of AI in medicine, a web-based multicenter survey was conducted across both public and private medical institutes in Ethiopia over a three-month period from June to August 2022. The survey questionnaire included questions on the students’ familiarity with AI, perceptions of AI in medicine, and the need for AI training among medical students. Group comparison was tested by chi-square test for categorical responses and Mann-Whitney test for ordinal rating scale responses.

1.3 Results

Of the 1002 respondents, 68.3% were unaware of AI's role in medicine despite over two-thirds (69%) considering themselves tech-savvy; however, a significant majority recognized AI's applications in daily life, particularly through social media (77.6%) and mainstream media (44.9%). Most students (86.9%) believed AI would improve medicine, and notably, 84.9% advocated for its inclusion in medical training, reflecting a strong sentiment that AI education should be a part of the medical curriculum. Over half of the participants (56.8%) felt that AI would positively impact their choice of medical specialty, yet there was a split opinion about the emphasis on AI in developing countries like Ethiopia, with 41.7% preferring not to prioritize it. Students interested in specialties influenced by AI were more inclined to perceive AI as beneficial to medicine, suggesting a correlation between their specialty interests and their views on AI's role in healthcare.

1.4 Conclusions

The research findings indicate that while many students surveyed had limited awareness and basic understanding of medical AI, the majority recognized its significant potential in medicine. Most were not concerned about AI replacing them in the future and agreed that AI will enhance medicine and should be integrated into the medical curriculum.
Is casting of displaced paediatric distal forearm fractures non-inferior to reduction under general anaesthesia? The CASTING trial.
Study protocol for a pragmatic, randomized, controlled non-inferiority multicentre trial
Authors: Abildgaard Katrine Rønn Rønn , Buxbom Peter , Rahbek Ole , Gottliebsen Martin , Gundtoft Per Hviid , Viberg Bjarke , Brorson Stig
Published: February 2024

Background
Treatment of displaced distal forearm fractures in children have traditionally been closed reduction and pin fixation, although they might heal and remodel without surgery with no functional impairment. No randomized controlled trials have been published comparing the patient-reported functional outcome following non-surgical or surgical treatment of displaced paediatric distal forearm fractures.
Methods
A multicentre non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. Children aged 4-10 years with a displaced distal forearm fracture will be offered inclusion, if the on-duty orthopaedic surgeon finds indication for surgical intervention. They will be allocated equally to non-surgical treatment (intervention) or surgical treatment of surgeon’s choice (comparator). Follow-up will be 4 weeks, 3, 6 and 12 months. The primary outcome is the between-group difference in 12 months QuickDASH score. We will need a sample of 40 patients to show a 15-point difference with 80% power.
Discussion
The results of this trial may change our understanding of the healing potential of paediatric distal forearm fractures. If non-inferiority of non-surgical treatment is shown, the results may contribute to a reduction in future surgeries on children, who in turn can be treated without the risks and psychological burdens associated with surgery.
Trial registration
www.clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT05736068). Date of registry: 17-02-2023.
Intelligent Vehicle Restriction System Based on Bayesian Optimization
Authors: Zhu Xuguang , Zou Feifei
Published: February 2024

With the rapid development of the economy, the number of private cars has increased significantly, leading to a heightened risk of serious traffic accidents. Therefore, it is imperative to implement measures to restrict the number of vehicles. In this regard, we propose a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model based on Bayesian optimization for vehicle license plate recognition. The experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of this approach. Compared to the conventional SVM model, the Precision and Recall are improved by 15.37% and 18.5%, respectively.
The Immune Response of Boschveld Chickens to a Newcastle Disease Vaccination Program Designed for Commercial Layers
Authors: HODZI PRIDE , Masunda Blessed , MUtibvu Tonderai , Charambira Takudzwa , Mafigu Takudzwa , Nhara Rumbudzai
Published: February 2024

This study evaluated Boschveld chicken’s antibody response to a Newcastle Disease (ND) vaccination program designed for the Hyline Brown chickens. Both chicken breeds were challenged with the LaSota vaccine at days 1, 69, 111, and 195. A total of 160 sera samples were collected, 80 from each breed. The sera were tested for anti-Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) antibodies using the Haemagglutination inhibition assay. The anti-NDV antibody titers were expressed in log 2 as geometric mean ± standard deviation. Antibody titers were evaluated and compared pre-infection and 10 days post-infection (dpi). Sera positivity to anti-NDV was tested at 10 dpi. A higher percentage of negative sera (6.875) was recorded in Boschveld than in Hyline Brown chickens (3.75). Hyline Brown chicks had a higher antibody titer (4.95 ± 0.21) than Boschveld (3.21 ± 0.43) before any vaccination. There was a significant association (p < 0.05) between the number of vaccinations and antibody titers in both chicken breeds. Sera from the Boschveld reached a higher antibody titer value (13.98) than that of Hyline Brown chickens (13.85). The Boschveld had a higher immune response peak and immunological memory compared to the Hyline Brown chickens. The candidate genes from Boschveld chickens can be introgressed in highly productive chicken germplasm with less NDV response as an alternative solution to ND. The antibody titers of the Boschveld did not change significantly (p > 0.05) after the 4th vaccination time while those from Hyline Brown chickens continued to increase. The 4th ND vaccination must be ignored or delayed in Boschveld chickens.
Potential anti-HIV and antitrypanosomal components revealed in Sorindeia nitidula via LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and molecular docking
Authors: Ebede Guy Roland , Okoro Emeka Emea , Mbing Joséphine Ngo , Olofinsan Kolawole Ayodapo , Erukainure Ochuko Lucky , Betote Patrick Hervé Diboue , Pegnyemb Dieudonné Emmanuel , Choudhary Muhammad Iqbal , Siwe-Noundou Xavier , Ndongo Joseph Thierry
Published: February 2024

Sorindeia nitidula is used by traditional practitioners to treat influenza illnesses with cephalgia and febrile aches. However, the potential active ingredients for its remarkable antioxidant, anti-HIV and antitrypanosomal activities remain unexplored. The present study aims to evaluate the antioxidant, anti-HIV and antitrypanosomal activities of the ethyl acetate extract of S. nitidula (SN) in order to screen out the bioactive compounds and to analyze their possible mechanisms of action. Overall, 21 phenolic compounds were annotated, by using the MS and MS/MS information provided by the QTOF-MS. In vitro assays on the extract revealed potent antioxidant (IC50 = 0.0129 mg/mL), anti-HIV (IC50 = 1.736 mg/mL), antitrypanosomal (IC50 = 1.040 µM) activities. Furthermore, SN did not present cytotoxic effect on HeLa cancer cell lines (IC50 = 0.045 µM). Molecular docking revealed that the potential ligands exhibited strong binding ability and inhibitory activities on trypanosome. The integrated strategy based on LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS and molecular docking provided a powerful tool and a multidimensional perspective for further exploration of active ingredients in S. nitidula responsible for the antioxidant, anti-HIV and antitrypanosomal activities.
Facile synthesis of KOH and ball milling co-modified wheat straw-derived biochar for the efficient adsorption of methylene blue in aqueous solution
Authors: Li Huaiyan , Ouyang Kongyong , Weng Xinrui , Wu Lei , Li Xinshun , Shi Yanhong , Zhang Ningyuan , Zhang Yunhua , Li Hui
Published: February 2024

In this study, we developed a novel and cost-effective method for the preparation of KOH-activated pyrolyzed wheat straw biochar composite (KOH-BM-Biochar) using a two-step co-modification approach that involved KOH activation and ball milling. The characterization of KOH-BM-Biochar included assessments of particle size diameter, zeta potential, energy-dispersive secondary electron microscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller theory, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The maximum adsorption capacity of methylene blue (MB) on KOH-BM-Biochar was found to be 300.66 mg·g− 1, and an adsorption efficiency of 95.00% was achieved within 180 minutes at pH 8.0. Kinetic analysis using a pseudo-second-order model (R2 > 0.99) indicated that chemical adsorption was the predominant rate-limiting step. Experimental data fitting to the Temkin and Freundlich isotherm models demonstrated favorable, heterogeneous, and multilayer adsorption. Thermodynamic studies revealed that the adsorption of MB onto KOH-BM-Biochar was endothermic and spontaneous. The adsorption mechanism was attributed to hydrogen bonds, π-π stacking interactions, electrostatic attractions, and heterogeneous diffusion. Overall, this low-cost co-modification method holds significant promise, and KOH-BM-Biochar has emerged as an effective adsorbent for the removal of MB dye from aqueous solutions.
Liguzinediol ameliorates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity and potentiates the metabolic remodeling by activating the AMPK/SIRT3 pathway and represses Caspase-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis
Authors: Weijie Zhu , Naqi Lian , Jia Wang , Fengming Zhao , Bowen Liu , Jiaxing Sheng , Chenyan Zhang , Xuan Zhou , Wenbai Gao , Chen Xie , Haoyu Gu , Yuxin Zhang , Huimin Bian , Mianli Bian , Miao Jiang , Yu Li
Published: February 2024

Background Liguzinediol (Lig) has emerged as a promising candidate for mitigating Doxorubicin (DOX)-induced cardiotoxicity, a significant limitation in the clinical application of this widely used antineoplastic drug known for its efficacy. This study aimed to explore the effects and potential mechanisms underlying Lig's protective role against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity. Methods C57BL/6 mice were treated with DOX. Cardiac function changes were observed by echocardiography. Cardiac structure changes were observed by HE and Masson staining. Immunofluorescence was applied to visualize the cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of AMPK, SIRT3, Caspase-3 and GSDME. These experiments confirmed that Liguzinediol had a ameliorative effect on DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in mice. Results The results demonstrated that Lig effectively countered myocardial oxidative stress by modulating intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Lig reduced levels of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and ameliorated histopathological changes while improving electrocardiogram profiles in vivo. Furthermore, the study revealed that Lig activated the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) pathway, thereby enhancing mitochondrial function and attenuating myocardial cell apoptosis. In experiments with H9C2 cells treated with DOX, co-administration of the AMPK inhibitor compound C (CC) led to a significant increase in intracellular ROS levels. Lig intervention reversed these effects, along with the downregulation of gasdermin E N-terminal fragment (GSDME-N), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), suggesting a potential role of Lig in mitigating Caspase-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that Lig effectively alleviates DOX-induced cardiotoxicity through the activation of the AMPK/SIRT3 pathway, thereby presenting itself as a natural product with therapeutic potential for preventing DOX-associated cardiotoxicity. This novel approach may pave the way for the development of alternative strategies in the clinical management of DOX-induced cardiac complications.
Pulsating Electromagnetic Fields for Perineal Lacerations and Surgical Wounds Healing in the Postpartum – a Pilot Study
Authors: Carbone Ilma Floriana , Sandi Flavia , Rossi Gabriele , Gallicola Benedetta , Esposito Giovanna , Gigli Francesca Maria Paola , Romagnoli Valentina , Ferrazzi Enrico Mario
Published: February 2024

Background
In the last years, there has been a growing interest in non-invasive biophysical treatments to support surgical healing techniques beyond pharmacological therapies. Among these, the Pulsating Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs), and in particular the Therapeutic Magnetic Resonance (TMR), had been studied in orthopedics with promising results. The aim of our study was to assess the possible benefits of this technology in the treatment of spontaneous perineal lacerations and episiotomies in the postpartum.
Methods
We performed a prospective, non-pharmacologic, non-profit, monocentric interventional study on women who delivered and were admitted to our postpartum ward with a spontaneous laceration and/or an episiotomy at delivery. 172 women were eligible for this study. 52 women accepted to undergo treatment with TMR device, while 120 women underwent standard care and were followed-up according to the same protocol. Patients were visited one day post-partum, before starting the treatment; then a follow-up visit was performed at three weeks (time 1), five weeks (time 2), and three months (time 3) after delivery. The main endpoint was the time required for complete healing of the laceration and/or the episiotomy. Secondary endpoints were the prevalence of dehiscence, infections, urinary discomfort, urinary leakage, and the quality of restoration of sexual function.
Results
The REEDA score, used to assess the progression of wound healing, was significantly better both at three- and five-weeks postpartum follow-up. At three weeks and five weeks postpartum, we observed a significantly better outcome in the treatment group for all subjective complaints and perineal complications associated with lacerations and episiotomies. The percentage of patients who scored above the cutoff for sexual dysfunction (26, 5) was significantly better in the treatment group (83%) than in the control group (29%) (p < 0,001).
Conclusions
With this pilot study, we introduced low dose Pulsating Electromagnetic Fields (PEMFs) as a novel conservative and not pharmacological approach to reduce complications of perineal lesions. This technology is compatible with breastfeeding, easy to use and therefore well accepted by women. Our results demonstrated to significantly improve perineal wound healing and to ameliorate the sexual function in the post-partum.
Impact of ABO blood type on morbidity of organ dysfunction and mortality in septic patients: a single center retrospective observational study
Authors: ZHENG HongZhu , JIN HuiYong , ZHANG Qian , SONG Haijing , YI LingXian
Published: February 2024

Background
Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by dysregulated host immune response to infection. The relationship between ABO blood type and the occurrence of organ dysfunction the initial stages of sepsis and 28-day mortality has rarely been reported. This study aims to explore the potential association between ABO blood type and the incidence of organ dysfunction and 28-day mortality. This study was a single-center retrospective observational analysis, encompassing all septic patients admitted to our ICU from 2015 to 2021. Various patient characteristics were recorded.
Results
A total of 184 patients diagnosed with sepsis were enrolled in the study, with 166 meeting the specified inclusion criteria. The finding revealed a significant association between d/eOD and ABO blood type. Specifically, individuals with blood type B demonstrated the lowest incidence of d/eOD. Consequently, the septic patients were divided into two groups: blood type B and non-B blood types. Compared to non-B blood types, blood type B exhibited a lower incidence of d/eOD within 7-day (43.40% vs 26.67%, P = 0.03) and 28-day mortality (52.83% vs 26.67%, P < 0.00). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that both blood type B [HR 0.42, 95% CI (0.24–0.74), P < 0.01] and SOFA score [HR 1.14, 95% CI (1.05–1.24), P < 0.01] were associated with 28-day mortality. Additionally, blood type B was found to be an independent factor protecting against d/eOD [OR 0.48, 95% CI (0.24–0.96), P = 0.04].
Conclusion
Blood type B has been found to a protective factor in the incidence of d/eOD during early-stage sepsis and 28-day mortality for septic patients.
Comorbidities and factors associated with health-related quality of life among people living with HIV/AIDS in Gandaki Province of Nepal
Authors: Paudel Srijana , Baral Sushila , Yadav Rajesh Kumar , Baral Yadu Nath , Yadav Dipendra Kumar , Poudel Santosh , Khadka Khim Bahadur , Nagila Amar , Adhikari Bipin
Published: February 2024

Background
HIV/AIDS remains a public health concern affecting millions of people across the world. Co-morbidities had also added burden among PLHIV and affected quality of life. This study aims to assess the prevalence of co-morbidities and health related quality of life of HIV infected patients of Gandaki province.
Methods
The study was a health facility-based cross-sectional in design. This study was carried out among 337 HIV patients registered under Western Regional Hospital ART center of Gandaki province of Nepal. The hospital is located at the capital city of Gandaki province. Participants’ response was recorded into the questionnaire tool. Data was entered in Epi Data software and analysis was performed with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) V.16. Multivariate logistic regression model was carried out to identify the independent and comorbidities factors related HRQoL. The odds ratio and 95% CI was reported while computing the association between comorbidities, HRQoL and independent variables.
Results
A total of 337 people living with HIV patients participated in this study. The overall quality of life of participants was found poor with mean score of 6.25±1.87. The overall prevalence of comorbidities among HIV patients was 28.2%. Participants who had comorbidities were associated with overall health related quality of life; participants who had co-morbidities had poor quality of life. The research findings indicate that the quality of life for HIV patients was generally low, and there was a significant presence of comorbidities among individuals living with HIV. Several factors appear to influence the occurrence of these comorbidities, including marital status, family structure, educational attainment, occupation, current alcohol consumption, having a spouse who was a migrant labor worker, CD4 count, transportation expenses, the behavior of healthcare workers, and quality of life in all domains except the physical domain.
Conclusions
Comorbidities were high among people living with HIV. Community engagement to facilitate routine health check-ups and effective communication and support among these population are crucial.
CSegNet：A Crack Segmentation Network Combining CNN and Transformer
Authors: Dong Hao , Du Yinlai , Feng Dong , Hu Qingyuan , Zhou Mingzhu , Xing Jun , Zhang Long , Wang Shu , Liu Yong
Published: February 2024

Detecting cracks from images plays a crucial role in road maintenance. Road cracks exhibit significant diversity and complexity in terms of shape, size, texture, and road images may contain various noises and interferences such as lighting variations, shadows, and different appearances due to varying perspectives and scales. To address these challenges, we constructed a comprehensive dataset called the Comprehensive Road Crack Dataset (CRCrack Dataset), which encompasses various crack characteristics. In this study, we propose a road crack segmentation network called CSegNet (Crack Segmentation Network), which combines convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and Transformers. The network adopts an encoder-decoder framework, like DeepLab V3+. In the encoder, leveraging the flexibility of Transformers in modeling long-term dependencies and the ability of CNNs to capture local contextual information through local receptive fields, weight sharing, and spatial subsampling, we design a ResNeXTR (ResNeXt-Transformer) feature extraction module as the backbone network to enhance the feature extraction capability for road crack images. To reduce the computational cost in self-attention computation of transformer, we introduce an average pooling layer to downsample the dimensions of the encoded features. In the decoder, to focus on the key information of road cracks under diverse environmental conditions and interferences, we combine the Efficient Channel Attention Module (ECAM) and the Spatial Attention Module (SAM) to design an Efficient Convolutional Block Attention Module (ECBAM) attention module to further optimize feature representation. Additionally, we employ the ReLU activation function, SGD gradient descent, and a hybrid loss function of Binary Cross Entropy with Logits to accelerate convergence speed and improve segmentation accuracy. Through comparative experiments on the CRCrack dataset, the results demonstrate that our proposed method outperforms classic networks such as U-Net and DeepLab V3 + in terms of IoU, Dice, and AUROC evaluation metrics. It exhibits good adaptability to ground crack images from different sources, providing a basis for estimating the degree of road damage.