bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of a conceptual framework to understand the stakeholder’s perspectives on needs and readiness of rural tele-practice for childhood communication disorders
Authors: Jesudass Neethi , Ramkumar Vidya , Kumar Shuba , Venkatesh Lakshmi
Published: May 2024

Background Tele-practice promotes universal and equitable access to quality health services and emerged as an alternative to overcome physical barriers to intervention access in the 90s. There has been a steady increase in adoption since then, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a surge in online modes of healthcare service delivery. Yet, tele-practice adoption and utilization in rural and remote areas are not spontaneous. Therefore, as a first step, prior to the implementation of a comprehensive tele-practice model, a baseline situational analysis was undertaken to assess the needs and readiness of parents of children with disabilities and different cadres of health care providers towards accepting tele-practice services in their settings. This paper describes the process of development of the conceptual framework that guided the baseline needs and readiness assessment (situational analysis). Methods The Bowen's feasibility framework served as the primary framework to evaluate the feasibility outcomes of the implementation. Therefore, this framework also guided the baseline situational analysis. For specificity of the framework to tele-practice, several telemedicine planning frameworks relevant for low- and middle-income countries were reviewed to identify and map suitable constructs and attributes to the Bowen’s constructs. A description of the framework selection process and a review of each of the selected telemedicine frameworks are provided. Results The constructs and attributes from this conceptual framework were used to develop the guides for focus group discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured interviews (SSIs). The guides were prepared separately for each stakeholder group. Conclusions The developed framework facilitated the assessment of needs and readiness suited to the context and among various stakeholders involved in the proposed implementation of the comprehensive model of tele-practice for childhood communication disorders in rural communities.
Sankcje za pranie pieniędzy jako źródło dochodów budżetu państwa
Authors: Trzeszczoń Dominika
Published: May 2024

Pranie pieniędzy to zjawisko, które należy rozpatrywać wieloaspektowo.Obecnie ustawodawstwo piętnuje zachowania wypełniające znamiona przestępstwa prania pieniędzy, penalizowane przez polskie prawo karne.Dodatkowo w ustawie AML wprowadzono sankcje, które obciążają określone instytucje z uwagi na fakt niewypełniania obowiązków w związku z przeciwdziałaniem praniu pieniędzy oraz finansowaniu terroryzmu.Zasadnicze znaczenie w zakresie minimalizowania oraz zwalczania badanego zjawiska mają wprowadzone sankcje karne i sankcje administracyjne wymierzane sprawcom określonych czynów.Celem badań prowadzonych przez Autorkę było porównanie sankcji karnych i sankcji administracyjnych za zachowania zmierzające do wprowadzenia do legalnego obrotu pieniędzy lub innych wartości majątkowych uzyskanych z nielegalnych źródeł bądź służących do finansowania nielegalnej działalności, które należy łączyć z tzw. praniem pieniędzy.Autorka postawiła tezę, że mimo iż sankcje te wymierzane są w przypadku innego rodzaju zachowania, penalizowanego przez odrębne akty prawne to zarówno sankcje karne jak i sankcje administracyjnie wymierzane za szeroko rozumiane pranie pieniędzy, występujące w postaci kary pieniężnej stanowią ważne, z różnych względów, źródło dochodów budżetu państwa, wpływające jednocześnie na realizację nałożonych na organy władzy publicznej obowiązków. W opracowaniu wykorzystano przede wszystkim dogmatyczno-prawną metodę badawczą, badaniami objęto ustawodawstwo, a pomocniczo także dorobek doktryny i judykatury.Ponadto w tekście użyto metody historycznej, metody statystycznej, a także dokonano analizy konstrukcji prawnej w ujęciu międzynarodowym. Przeprowadzone badania umożliwi stwierdzić, że zarówno wpływy z sankcji karnych, jak i sankcji administracyjnych pomimo występujących między nimi rozbieżności, stanowią źródło dochodów budżetu państwa.
E-administracja działająca w granicach prawa i godna zaufania. Prawo do prywatności i ochrona danych osobowych jako wyzwanie dla rozwoju e-administracji
Authors: Zielińska Kinga Sabina
Published: May 2024

The dynamic development of e-government, as well as the development of new technologies that can be used in e-government, invariably arouses interest. Citizen data generated within the administration may in future become the object of attacks by entities wishing to gain possession of specific information. Authorities also use processed data not always in the way it should be used. The need to reconcile e-government activities and the right to privacy and the protection of personal data is intrinsically difficult, although – as is clear from already well-established case law – not impossible. This article reflects on possible threats to the right to privacy and the protection of personal data. The author identifies the most significant, in her opinion, threats to these rights arising from the activities of the state and the possibilities of exploiting the dominant position in the citizen-state relationship. The weaker position of the citizen in this relationship enforces the necessity of ensuring appropriate guarantees for the protection of his/her rights and freedoms. Furthermore, the author points out the need to create systems that support e-government in a way that builds citizens’ trust in the state. The guarantor of this trust and efficient e-government, however, is the absolute observance of the principle of legalism, i.e. state authorities acting only on the basis and within the limits of the law. Any other action not only shatters trust in the state, but also opens up the possibility of challenging before international courts the way the state acts. New technologies, which open up new possibilities, may also constitute a temptation for the state to abuse its power in relation to citizens, which is why, in the author’s opinion, the authority competent in matters of personal data protection, which may in the near future also have competences related to the operation of artificial intelligence, plays such an increasingly important role. Only an independent supervisory authority can provide a guarantee for the protection of citizens’ rights and freedoms in a very sensitive area, such as privacy and the possibility of state interference with it.
Wykluczenie cyfrowe osób starszych a rozwój e-usług w administracji w Polsce
Authors: Cebera Agata
Published: May 2024

The study attempts to analyze the impact of the phenomenon of digital exclusion of older people on the development of public administration e-services, with the basic research goal being to determine the legal limits of normative regulations establishing the legal obligation to use e-administration services. The analysis is dogmatic and legal in nature, and the basic research method is the logical linguistic method, however, to the extent necessary, elements of the statistical method were also used, to update the need to confirm or deny the occurrence of certain legally relevant phenomena.
Strengthening Municipalities’ Resilience against Cyber Attacks in Ukraine
Authors: Fyshchuk Iryna
Published: May 2024

A full-scale war was preceded by cyberattacks on the websites of public authorities in Ukraine in the spring of 2022. Joint efforts between IT professionals from the public and private sectors have produced positive experience and resilience in resisting cyberattacks. Ukraine’s ongoing decentralization process created new administrative-territorial system, where municipalities acquired more functions and responsibilities. This transformational period involves a weaker governance structure that is highly vulnerable to cyberattacks. Strengthening municipalities’ resilience in Ukraine during the ongoing war refers to the ability of a community to manage itself with cyberattack challenges and to overcome change and crisis. The resilience of a municipality should be to understand, and capacity to respond against cyberattacks and describe institutional structures should be developed at the local level. Leadership is one of the key elements of municipal resilience at the local level. Furthermore, Ukraine’s accession to the Digital Europe 2027 Programme could potentially provide municipalities with better funding for cybersecurity implementation and move closer to EU standards. The Digital Europe Programme is available through other EU programs, such as Connecting Europe Facility for digital infrastructure and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, to which Ukrainian municipalities will be able to apply.
Digitalization of the Environmental Protection
Authors: Volkova Yuliia , Leheza Yuliia
Published: May 2024

This article is devoted to the problems of digitalization and regulatory and legal security of public information services in the field of environmental protection. The article focuses on establishing the essence and content of the security of public information services in the field of environmental protection, carries out a retrospective analysis of such a concept and establishes the current state of normative regulation of their use. The authors pu forward the thesis that the regulatory framework ensuring the security of public information services in the field of environmental protection is an extensive set of legislative and subordinate legal acts, the current state of which requires systematization in order to achieve an adequate level of efficiency in exercising the right to information. The article emphasizes that the digital transformation of society in modern conditions is an objective process but is not always carried out in accordance with certain rules determined by national legislation, considering international legal principles and approaches to the consolidation and implementation of human rights and freedoms. Today, the issues of transformation of the social policy in the context of the development of the digital economy are relevant. High-quality and effective social protection in the conditions of informatization should be one of the main priorities of the state.
E-formalizm procedur jurysdykcyjnych w perspektywie zasady zaufania do władzy publicznej
Authors: Grzybowski Tomasz , Jaśkiewicz Jacek
Published: May 2024

Most of the procedures functioning in the legal system are jurisdictional procedures, aimed at authoritative, unilateral determination of the legal situation of an individual. The general administrative procedure regulated by the Code is a perfect example of such a procedure. An inherent feature of the normative perspective assumed by the procedures of the above-mentioned is procedural formalism, which is also an attractive approach in the field of applying the law, due to the goals of speed, efficiency and conclusiveness of proceedings pursued in this way. The indicated goals are also implemented through the digitization of communication methods, i.e. incorporating elements related to the use of information technology into the procedures. Increased digitization of administrative procedures brings undoubted benefits in the form of improved communication, acceleration and increased certainty of the transmitted data and documents. In some situations, however, it may lead to limiting access to public authority, especially when formal conditions for examining the case by a public administration body depend on its proper use. From the citizen’s point of view, digitization can therefore be perceived as another barrier in communication with the state. In this perspective, the general principle of trust comes to the fore as a criterion for assessing the acceptable limit of formalism in the application of procedural solutions assuming electronic communication with a citizen.
Frontiers in Operations: Valuing Nursing Productivity in Emergency Departments
Authors: Ding Hao , Tushe Sokol , KC Diwas Singh , Lee Donald K. K.
Published: May 2024

Problem definition: We quantify the increase in productivity in emergency departments (EDs) from increasing nurse staff. We then estimate the associated revenue gains for the hospital and the associated welfare gains for society. The United States is over a decade into the worst nursing shortage crisis in history fueled by chronic underinvestment. To demonstrate to hospital managers and policymakers the benefits of investing in nursing, we clarify the positive downstream effects of doing so in the ED setting. Methodology/results: We use a high-resolution data set of patient visits to the ED of a major U.S. academic hospital. Time-dependent hazard estimation methods (nonparametric and parametric) are used to study how the real-time service speed of a patient varies with the state of the ED, including the time-varying workloads of the assigned nurse. A counterfactual simulation is used to estimate the gains from increasing nursing staff in the ED. We find that lightening a nurse’s workload by one patient is associated with a 14% service speedup for every patient under the nurse’s care. Simulation studies suggest that adding one more nurse to the busiest 12-hour shift of each day can shorten stays and avert $160,000 in lost patient wages per 10,000 visits. The reduction in service times also frees up capacity for treating more patients and generates $470,000 in additional net revenues for the hospital per 10,000 visits. Extensive sensitivity analyses suggest that our key message—that investing in nursing will more than pay for itself—is likely to hold across a wide range of EDs. Managerial implications: In determining whether to invest in more nursing resources, hospital managers need to look beyond whether payer reimbursements alone are sufficient to cover the up-front costs to also account for the resulting downstream benefits.

History: This paper has been accepted in the Manufacturing & Service Operations Management Frontiers in Operations Initiative.

Funding: D. K. K. Lee was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [Grant R01-HL164405].

Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2023.0039 .
CLASSIFICATION OF FREIBERG'S DISEASE: A GUIDE FOR MANAGEMENT
Authors: Nanavati N. , Davies M. , Blundell C. , Flowers M. , Chadwick C. , Davies H.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

The current treatment for Freiberg's osteochondrosis centres around either: simple debridement or debridement osteotomy. The main principle of the osteotomy is to rotate normal articular cartilage into the affected area. We recommend the use of CT scanning to delineate the amount of available, unaffected cartilage available to rotate into the affected space.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 32 CT scans of new Freiberg's diagnoses in Sheffield over a 10 year period using the PACS system. We identified the sagittal CT slice that displayed the widest portion of proximal articular margin of the proximal phalanx and measured the diseased segment of the corresponding metatarsal head as an arc (in degrees). This arc segment was divided by 360°. This gave a ratio of the affected arc in the sagittal plane.

Results

28 out of 32 cases involved the 2nd metatarsal with the remaining 4 involving the 3rd metatarsal head. Of 32 cases, 18 had fragmentation. Surgically, 20 had debridement only, 5 also had an osteotomy and 1 had a fusion. 6 of the 32 cases were managed non-operatively. 11 cases out of 32 had an arc ratio of < 0.3. Of these, only 3 had an osteotomy, 3 had no procedure and 5 had a simple debridement. Of those that had osteotomies (5/32), 3 of the 5 cases had an arc ratio of < 0.3 with the other 2 being 0.42 and 0.38.

Discussion

We hypothesise that those cases with an arc ratio of less 0.3 would be amenable to a dorsal closing wedge osteotomy and those with a ratio of more than 0.4 would be better suited to a simple debridement. For those cases between 0.3–0.4, we feel either option is viable. Further work to prove or disprove outcomes related to our classification is required.
SIMULATED WEIGHT REDUCTION WITH AN ANTI-GRAVITY TREADMILL: A PILOT STUDY TO ASSESS PAIN REDUCTION IN FOOT AND ANKLE ARTHRITIS
Authors: Morley W. , Dawe E. , Boyd R. , Creasy J. , Grice J. , Marsland D. , Taylor H.
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Osteoarthritis in the foot and ankle affects approximately 30,000 patients annually in the UK. Evidence has shown that excess weight exacerbates foot pain, with significant increases in joint forces. However, despite the current trend for Clinical Commissioning Groups to ration surgery for obese patients, studies have not yet determined the effect of weight loss in obese patients with foot and ankle arthritis.

Aim

Pilot study to investigate the effect of simulated weight loss on pain scores in obese patients with symptomatic foot and ankle arthritis.

Methods

Following ethical approval, a prospective study of 17 obese patients (mean BMI 39.2, range 31.2 – 50.3) with foot and ankle arthritis was undertaken (BOFAS funded). Under physiotherapist supervision, patients walked for one minute on an anti-gravity treadmill, which allowed simulated weight reduction. Following baseline assessment, reduced BMI was simulated, starting at 20, rising in increments of 5, until each patient's usual BMI was reached. Pain was assessed using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Repeated measures ANOVA was used to assess for significant changes in pain, comparing baseline with each simulated BMI category (significance set at p< 0.05).

Results

Simulated weight loss caused a significant reduction in pain (p=0.005, power 0.91). Mean VAS pain scores improved by 24% (p=0.003) and 17% (p=0.040) for BMI categories 20 and 25, compared with baseline. Pain scores were not significantly different comparing BMI categories of 25 and 20.

Conclusion

Simulated weight loss to normal BMI significantly decreased pain in obese patients with foot and ankle arthritis. The use of the anti-gravity treadmill to demonstrate the feeling of normal BMI has also provided motivation to several patients to lose weight. The current study could be used to power future studies to investigate the effects of weight loss in foot and ankle patients.
THE NATURAL HISTORY OF UNDISPLACED LISFRANC-TYPE INJURIES INITIALLY TREATED CONSERVATIVELY
Authors: Chen P. , Ng N. , Mackenzie S.P. , Nicholson J.A. , Amin A.K.
Published: May 2024

Background

Undisplaced Lisfranc-type injuries are subtle but potentially unstable fracture-dislocations with little known about the natural history. These injuries are often initially managed conservatively due to lack of initial displacement and uncertainty regarding subsequent instability at the tarsometatarsal joints (TMTJ). The aim of this study was to determine the secondary displacement rate and the need for delayed operative intervention in undisplaced Lisfranc injuries that were managed conservatively at initial presentation.

Methods

Over a 6-year period (2011 to 2017), we identified 24 consecutive patients presenting to a university teaching hospital with a diagnosis of an undisplaced Lisfranc-type injury that was initially managed conservatively. Pre-operative radiographs were reviewed to confirm the undisplaced nature of the injury (defined as a diastasis< 2mm at the second TMTJ). The presence of a ‘fleck’ sign (small bony avulsion of the second metatarsal) was also noted. Electronic patient records and sequential imaging (plain radiographs/CT/MRI) were scrutinized for demographics, mechanism of injury and eventual outcome.

Results

The mean age of the patients at the time of injury was 42 years (19 Female). 96% (23/24) were low energy injuries and 88% (21/24) had a positive ‘fleck sign’. The secondary displacement rate in this group of patients was 62.5% (15/24) over a median interval of 14 days (range 0 to 482 days). 12 patients underwent open reduction internal fixation after a median interval of 29 days (range 1 to 294 days) from their initial injury. One patient required TMTJ fusion at 19 months and two patients were managed non-operatively. The injury remained undisplaced in 37.5% patients (9/24) with only one patient requiring subsequent TMTJ fusion at 5 months.

Conclusion

Undisplaced Lisfranc injuries have a high rate of secondary displacement and warrant close follow-up. Early primary stabilisation of undisplaced Lisfranc injuries should be considered to prevent unnecessary delays in surgical treatment.
CASE COMPARISON STUDY OF TWO SURGICAL APPROACHES FOR FIXATION OF CALCANEAL FRACTURES
Authors: Brookes M. , Kakwani R. , Townshend D. , Murty A.
Published: May 2024

Background

Traditionally, the extended lateral approach (ELA) was the favoured approch for calcaneal fractures, but has been reported to have high incidence of wound complications. There has been a move amongst surgeons in the United Kingdom towards the sinus tarsi approach (STA) due to its minimally invasive nature, attempting to reduce such complications.

Aims

To evaluate outcomes of ELA and STA for all consecutive calcaneal fracture fixation in our institution over a 10yr period.

Method

Retrospective cohort study of all calcaneal fractures surgically treated with either approach between January 2008 and January 2018. Anatomic restoration was assessed radiologically by the change in Gissane's and Bohler's angles and calcaneal width. Post-operative complications including metalwork removal were recorded.

Results

35 calcaneal fractures were managed surgically via either approach during this period (21 STA and 14 ELA). There was a statistically significant improvement in the radiological makers when the post-operative films were compared to pre-operative ones. When the post-operative films from the 2 groups were compared against each other, there was no significant difference (p< 0.05) in any of the radiological markers. In the ELA group, 2 patients (14.3%) developed deep infections requiring metalwork removal and 1 had delayed wound healing (7.1%). No deep infections occurred with the STA; 1 patient (4.8%) had a superficial infection, treated with antibiotics. Of patients who had metalwork in situ for more than 1 year, 37.5% of the STA group required removal due to pain compared to only 16.7% with ELA.

Conclusions

We have moved from ELA to STA. Our results have shown no difference in restoration of calcaneal anatomy but with a decrease in post-operative wound complications including infection. However, we have shown an increase in metalware removal in the STA group and it is important to ascertain the cause and significance of this.
Sensory integration disorders in preschool children, symptoms, conditions, consequences
Authors: Lukasek Aleksandra , Kościk Barbara
Published: May 2024

The article is devoted to the occurrence of sensory integration disorders among preschool children. Sensory integration disorders cause difficulties in the child’s developmental spheres. Sensory processing disorders can be visible already in the first year of a child’s life, and their determinants often depend on the fetal period or perinatal factors. The undertaken research was aimed at understanding sensory integration disorders in preschool children, its symptoms, conditions and consequences. The study used the method of a diagnostic survey in a group representing a selected population, which consisted of parents of preschool children aged 3-5 years. The research partially confirmed the hypotheses.
Optimal design and analysis of a space lightweight mirror with a directionally oriented 2.5D-CVT structure
Authors: Zhang Changhao , Li Zongxuan , Tao Shuping , Li Qingya , Zhao Yu , Ren Shuhui , Li Yunfeng , Ma Bin , Yu Mingwei
Published: May 2024

Reflective mirrors are the key imaging components of space-borne telescopes, which require a high lightweight ratio integrated with excellent optical properties. In this context, a novel, to our knowledge, 2.5D centroidal Voronoi tessellation (CVT) generation methodology is proposed for designing and optimizing a lightweight mirror structure. Firstly, the initial designs are obtained combining global sensitivity factor mapping and local distribution optimization. Then, the optimal model is selected through multi-objective optimization and decision making. Subsequently, the FEA (finite element analysis) results indicate that, under the same mass, the proposed design exhibits better optomechanical performance. Finally, in practical applications, the approach presented in this paper outperforms the traditional design for each technological requirement, including a 62% reduction in RMS and a higher lightweight ratio. This method offers a kind of novel design and optimization process for space-based optomechanical lightweight structures.
Effect of boundary conditions in modeling of microsphere-assisted imaging
Authors: Maslov A. V.
Published: May 2024

Exploring the performance of label-free imaging relies heavily on adequate physical
models and accurate numerical simulations. A particularly challenging
situation is imaging through contact microspheres, which have
demonstrated resolution values exceeding the diffraction limit. Here
an ab initio modeling of
microsphere-assisted imaging is reported and its results are analyzed.
The key part of modeling is solving the light scattering problem,
which requires handling a rather large computational domain and broad
angle illumination made up of multiple mutually incoherent plane
waves. To account for plane wave incidence, two simulation approaches
are developed that differ only by boundary conditions–quasiperiodic
and absorbing. The algorithms to find images in both approaches are
discussed and the simulation results are compared for free space and
microsphere-assisted imaging. It is shown that while the
super-resolution in microsphere-assisted imaging can be demonstrated
using both approaches, the latter allows a large reduction in the
computational resources. This significantly extends the capability of
the simulations, enabling a rigorous exploration of novel imaging
regimes.
Comparing and assessing four AI chatbots’ competence in economics
Authors: Hultberg Patrik T. , Santandreu Calonge David , Kamalov Firuz , Smail Linda
Published: May 2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) chatbots have emerged as powerful tools in modern academic endeavors, presenting both opportunities and challenges in the learning landscape. They can provide content information and analysis across most academic disciplines, but significant differences exist in terms of response accuracy for conclusions and explanations, as well as word counts. This study explores four distinct AI chatbots, GPT-3.5, GPT-4, Bard, and LLaMA 2, for accuracy of conclusions and quality of explanations in the context of university-level economics. Leveraging Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive learning complexity as a guiding framework, the study confronts the four AI chatbots with a standard test for university-level understanding of economics, as well as more advanced economics problems. The null hypothesis that all AI chatbots perform equally well on prompts that explore understanding of economics is rejected. The results are that significant differences are observed across the four AI chatbots, and these differences are exacerbated as the complexity of the economics-related prompts increased. These findings are relevant to both students and educators; students can choose the most appropriate chatbots to better understand economics concepts and thought processes, while educators can design their instruction and assessment while recognizing the support and resources students have access to through AI chatbot platforms.
The adapted French version of the Academic and Athletic Identity Scale (AAIS-FR): Evidence of validity and reliability and relationships with sport well-being
Authors: Lefebvre du Grosriez Solène , Isoard-Gautheur Sandrine , Yukhymenko-Lescroart Mariya , Sarrazin Philippe
Published: May 2024

Background

Effectively managing their athletic and academic projects is a major challenge for student-athletes. The salience of the identity they develop in each of these contexts can affect their well-being and is therefore an important variable to consider. Examining these mechanisms in countries and student-athlete support systems other than the United States is also important.

Aim

This study aims to both translate and evaluate the psychometric properties of a French version of the Academic and Athletic Identity Scale, the AAIS-FR, and to examine the additive and interactive relationships of the two identities with sport burnout and engagement.

Methods

Participants were 359 French student-athletes (50.42% female) who were competing at various levels (ranging from regional to international).

Results

Results from analyses using a slightly modified version of the original scale provided evidence of construct (i.e., factor structure) and concurrent (i.e., expected relationships between both identities and several correlates identified in previous work) validity, as well as reliability (i.e., internal consistency) and invariance across gender and sport competition levels of the AAIS-FR. In addition, regression analyses revealed a favourable relationship between athletic identity and sport well-being (i.e., positive with engagement and negative with burnout), no relationship between academic identity and sport well-being, and no interaction between the two identities.

Conclusion

While further research is needed to provide additional evidence for the validity of the AAIS-FR, researchers can still use this tool to measure the salience of the two identities of French-speaking student-athletes.
Evaluation of DNAmAge in paired fresh, frozen, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded heart tissues
Authors: Pruszkowska-Przybylska Paulina , Dupont Mikkel Eriksen , Jacobsen Stine Bøttcher , Smerup Morten , Tfelt-Hansen Jacob , Morling Niels , Andersen Jeppe Dyrberg
Published: May 2024

The continued development in methylome analysis has enabled a more precise assessment of DNA methylation, but treatment of target tissue prior to analysis may affect DNA analysis. Prediction of age based on methylation levels in the genome (DNAmAge) has gained much interest in disease predisposition (biological age estimation), but also in chronological donor age estimation in crime case samples. Various epigenetic clocks were designed to predict the age. However, it remains unknown how the storage of the tissues affects the DNAmAge estimation. In this study, we investigated the storage method impact of DNAmAge by the comparing the DNAmAge of the two commonly used storage methods, freezing and formalin-fixation and paraffin-embedding (FFPE) to DNAmAge of fresh tissue. This was carried out by comparing paired heart tissue samples of fresh tissue, samples stored by freezing and FFPE to chronological age and whole blood samples from the same individuals. Illumina EPIC beadchip array was used for methylation analysis and the DNAmAge was evaluated with the following epigenetic clocks: Horvath, Hannum, Levine, Horvath skin+blood clock (Horvath2), PedBE, Wu, BLUP, EN, and TL. We observed differences in DNAmAge among the storage conditions. FFPE samples showed a lower DNAmAge compared to that of frozen and fresh samples. Additionally, the DNAmAge of the heart tissue was lower than that of the whole blood and the chronological age. This highlights caution when evaluating DNAmAge for FFPE samples as the results were underestimated compared with fresh and frozen tissue samples. Furthermore, the study also emphasizes the need for a DNAmAge model based on heart tissue samples for an accurate age estimation.
Dynamics of pax7 expression during development, muscle regeneration, and in vitro differentiation of satellite cells in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: Rallière Cécile , Jagot Sabrina , Sabin Nathalie , Gabillard Jean-Charles
Published: May 2024

Essential for muscle fiber formation and hypertrophy, muscle stem cells, also called satellite cells, reside beneath the basal lamina of the muscle fiber. Satellite cells have been commonly identified by the expression of the Paired box 7 (Pax7) due to its specificity and the availability of antibodies in tetrapods. In fish, the identification of satellite cells remains difficult due to the lack of specific antibodies in most species. Based on the development of a highly sensitive in situ hybridization (RNAScope®) for pax7, we showed that pax7+ cells were detected in the undifferentiated myogenic epithelium corresponding to the dermomyotome at day 14 post-fertilization in rainbow trout. Then, from day 24, pax7+ cells gradually migrated into the deep myotome and were localized along the muscle fibers and reach their niche in satellite position of the fibres after hatching. Our results showed that 18 days after muscle injury, a large number of pax7+ cells accumulated at the wound site compared to the uninjured area. During the in vitro differentiation of satellite cells, the percentage of pax7+ cells decreased from 44% to 18% on day 7, and some differentiated cells still expressed pax7. Taken together, these results show the dynamic expression of pax7 genes and the follow-up of these muscle stem cells during the different situations of muscle fiber formation in trout.
News and misinformation consumption: A temporal comparison across European countries
Authors: Baqir Anees , Galeazzi Alessandro , Zollo Fabiana
Published: May 2024

The Internet and social media have transformed the information landscape, democratizing content access and production. While making information easily accessible, these platforms can also act as channels for spreading misinformation, posing crucial societal challenges. To address this, understanding news consumption patterns and unraveling the complexities of the online information environment are essential. Previous studies highlight polarization and misinformation in online discussions, but many focus on specific topics or contexts, often overlooking comprehensive cross-country and cross-topic analyses. However, the dynamics of debates, misinformation prevalence, and the efficacy of countermeasures are intrinsically tied to socio-cultural contexts. This work aims to bridge this gap by exploring information consumption patterns across four European countries over three years. Analyzing the Twitter activity of news outlets in France, Germany, Italy, and the UK, this study seeks to shed light on how topics of European significance resonate across these nations and the role played by misinformation sources. The results spotlight that while reliable sources predominantly shape the information landscape, unreliable content persists across all countries and topics. Though most users favor trustworthy sources, a small percentage predominantly consumes content from questionable sources, with even fewer maintaining a mixed information diet. The cross-country comparison unravels disparities in audience overlap among news sources, the prevalence of misinformation, and the proportion of users relying on questionable sources. Such distinctions surface not only across countries but also within various topics. These insights underscore the pressing need for tailored studies, crucial in designing targeted and effective countermeasures against misinformation and extreme polarization in the digital space.
Stacking with Recursive Feature Elimination-Isolation Forest for classification of diabetes mellitus
Authors: Idris Nur Farahaina , Ismail Mohd Arfian , Jaya Mohd Izham Mohd , Ibrahim Ashraf Osman , Abulfaraj Anas W. , Binzagr Faisal
Published: May 2024

Diabetes Mellitus is one of the oldest diseases known to humankind, dating back to ancient Egypt. The disease is a chronic metabolic disorder that heavily burdens healthcare providers worldwide due to the steady increment of patients yearly. Worryingly, diabetes affects not only the aging population but also children. It is prevalent to control this problem, as diabetes can lead to many health complications. As evolution happens, humankind starts integrating computer technology with the healthcare system. The utilization of artificial intelligence assists healthcare to be more efficient in diagnosing diabetes patients, better healthcare delivery, and more patient eccentric. Among the advanced data mining techniques in artificial intelligence, stacking is among the most prominent methods applied in the diabetes domain. Hence, this study opts to investigate the potential of stacking ensembles. The aim of this study is to reduce the high complexity inherent in stacking, as this problem contributes to longer training time and reduces the outliers in the diabetes data to improve the classification performance. In addressing this concern, a novel machine learning method called the Stacking Recursive Feature Elimination-Isolation Forest was introduced for diabetes prediction. The application of stacking with Recursive Feature Elimination is to design an efficient model for diabetes diagnosis while using fewer features as resources. This method also incorporates the utilization of Isolation Forest as an outlier removal method. The study uses accuracy, precision, recall, F1 measure, training time, and standard deviation metrics to identify the classification performances. The proposed method acquired an accuracy of 79.077% for PIMA Indians Diabetes and 97.446% for the Diabetes Prediction dataset, outperforming many existing methods and demonstrating effectiveness in the diabetes domain.
Workflow for detecting biomedical articles with underlying open and restricted-access datasets
Authors: Iarkaeva Anastasiia , Nachev Vladislav , Bobrov Evgeny
Published: May 2024

To monitor the sharing of research data through repositories is increasingly of interest to institutions and funders, as well as from a meta-research perspective. Automated screening tools exist, but they are based on either narrow or vague definitions of open data. Where manual validation has been performed, it was based on a small article sample. At our biomedical research institution, we developed detailed criteria for such a screening, as well as a workflow which combines an automated and a manual step, and considers both fully open and restricted-access data. We use the results for an internal incentivization scheme, as well as for a monitoring in a dashboard. Here, we describe in detail our screening procedure and its validation, based on automated screening of 11035 biomedical research articles, of which 1381 articles with potential data sharing were subsequently screened manually. The screening results were highly reliable, as witnessed by inter-rater reliability values of ≥0.8 (Krippendorff’s alpha) in two different validation samples. We also report the results of the screening, both for our institution and an independent sample from a meta-research study. In the largest of the three samples, the 2021 institutional sample, underlying data had been openly shared for 7.8% of research articles. For an additional 1.0% of articles, restricted-access data had been shared, resulting in 8.3% of articles overall having open and/or restricted-access data. The extraction workflow is then discussed with regard to its applicability in different contexts, limitations, possible variations, and future developments. In summary, we present a comprehensive, validated, semi-automated workflow for the detection of shared research data underlying biomedical article publications.
UMobileNetV2 model for semantic segmentation of gastrointestinal tract in MRI scans
Authors: Sharma Neha , Gupta Sheifali , Gupta Deepali , Gupta Punit , Juneja Sapna , Shah Asadullah , Shaikh Asadullah
Published: May 2024

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is leading general tumour in the Gastrointestinal tract, which is fourth significant reason of tumour death in men and women. The common cure for GI cancer is radiation treatment, which contains directing a high-energy X-ray beam onto the tumor while avoiding healthy organs. To provide high dosages of X-rays, a system needs for accurately segmenting the GI tract organs. The study presents a UMobileNetV2 model for semantic segmentation of small and large intestine and stomach in MRI images of the GI tract. The model uses MobileNetV2 as an encoder in the contraction path and UNet layers as a decoder in the expansion path. The UW-Madison database, which contains MRI scans from 85 patients and 38,496 images, is used for evaluation. This automated technology has the capability to enhance the pace of cancer therapy by aiding the radio oncologist in the process of segmenting the organs of the GI tract. The UMobileNetV2 model is compared to three transfer learning models: Xception, ResNet 101, and NASNet mobile, which are used as encoders in UNet architecture. The model is analyzed using three distinct optimizers, i.e., Adam, RMS, and SGD. The UMobileNetV2 model with the combination of Adam optimizer outperforms all other transfer learning models. It obtains a dice coefficient of 0.8984, an IoU of 0.8697, and a validation loss of 0.1310, proving its ability to reliably segment the stomach and intestines in MRI images of gastrointestinal cancer patients.
Mume Fructus reduces interleukin-1 beta-induced cartilage degradation via MAPK downregulation in rat articular chondrocytes
Authors: Park Doo Ri , Choi Bo Ram , Yeo Changhwan , Yoon Jee Eun , Hong Eun Young , Baek Seung Ho , Lee Yoon Jae , Ha In-Hyuk
Published: May 2024

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent type of degenerative arthritis. It is characterized by persistent pain, joint dysfunction, and physical disability. Pain relief and inflammation control are prioritised during osteoarthritis treatment Mume Fructus (Omae), a fumigated product of the Prunus mume fruit, is used as a traditional medicine in several Asian countries. However, its therapeutic mechanism of action and effects on osteoarthritis and articular chondrocytes remain unknown. In this study, we analyzed the anti-osteoarthritis and articular regenerative effects of Mume Fructus extract on rat chondrocytes. Mume Fructus treatment reduced the interleukin-1β-induced expression of matrix metalloproteinase 3, matrix metalloproteinase 13, and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs 5. Additionally, it enhanced collagen type II alpha 1 chain and aggrecan accumulation in rat chondrocytes. Furthermore, Mume Fructus treatment regulated the inflammatory cytokine levels, mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation, and nuclear factor-kappa B activation. Overall, our results demonstrated that Mume Fructus inhibits osteoarthritis progression by inhibiting the nuclear factor-kappa B and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways to reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines and prevent cartilage degeneration. Therefore, Mume Fructus may be a potential therapeutic option for osteoarthritis.
Factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers: A systematic review
Authors: Dapari Rahmat , Mohd Fadzil Muhammad Fahmi , Hanzir Muhammad Yazid , Mohamed Jais Jamal Sham , Safarudin Nur Fatin , Albar Adila
Published: May 2024

Introduction

Workers in the construction industry frequently work in construction sites with numerous areas that can potentially accumulate water, such as tanks, wet cement surfaces, or water puddles. These water collection sites become ideal breeding grounds for mosquito infestation, which leads to a higher prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases, especially malaria and dengue among construction workers. Despite that numerous factors have been identified in controlling vector-borne diseases, the specific factors that influence mosquito control at construction sites have yet to be explored.

Aims

This systematic review aims to determine the factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers.

Methods

Primarily, articles related to factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers were collected from two different online databases (ScienceDirect and EBSCOhost). Two independent reviewers were assigned to screen the titles and abstracts of the collected data, stored in Microsoft Excel, against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Afterwards, the quality of the included articles was critically assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Of the 171 articles identified, 4 were included in the final review.

Results

Based on the thorough evaluation, mosquito-related knowledge, practical mosquito prevention measures, and Larval Source Management (LSM) were identified as vital factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers. The significant association between mosquito-related knowledge and control practices indicates higher knowledge linked to effective practices, particularly among female workers and those who were recently infected with malaria. Concurrently, there were notable challenges regarding sustainable preventive measures and larval control methods in construction settings.

Conclusion

Implementing effective mosquito control, including knowledge and practice on mosquito control together with vector control, is highly required to suppress the expanding mosquito population. It is recommended that employers provide continuous mosquito control education and training to their employees and reward them with incentives, while employees should comply with the guidelines set by their employers to ensure successful mosquito control and reduce the spread of mosquito-borne diseases in the construction industry.
Trends of Mansonia (Diptera, Culicidae, Mansoniini) in Porto Velho: Seasonal patterns and meteorological influences
Authors: Saraiva José Ferreira , Furtado Nercy Virginia Rabelo , Maitra Ahana , Carvalho Dario P. , Galardo Allan Kardec Ribeiro , Lima José Bento Pereira
Published: May 2024

Entomological research is vital for shaping strategies to control mosquito vectors. Its significance also reaches into environmental management, aiming to prevent inconveniences caused by non-vector mosquitoes like the Mansonia Blanchard, 1901 mosquito. In this study, we carried out a five-year (2019–2023) monitoring of these mosquitoes at ten sites in Porto Velho, Rondônia, using SkeeterVac SV3100 automatic traps positioned between the two hydroelectric complexes on the Madeira River. Throughout this period, we sampled 153,125 mosquitoes, of which the Mansonia genus accounted for 54% of the total, indicating its prevalence in the region. ARIMA analysis revealed seasonal patterns of Mansonia spp., highlighting periods of peak density. Notably, a significant decreasing trend in local abundance was observed from July 2021 (25th epidemiological week) until the end of the study. Wind speed was observed to be the most relevant meteorological factor influencing the abundance of Mansonia spp. especially in the Joana D’Arc settlement, although additional investigation is needed to comprehensively analyze other local events and gain a deeper understanding of the ecological patterns of this genus in the Amazon region.