bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Fear of Falling on Health-Related Quality of Life in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Mediating Effects of Depression and Moderated Mediating Effects of Physical Activity
Authors: Lee Eunsook , Kim Boyoung
Published: June 2024

Background
The fear of falling is a common issue among older adults that negatively affects both physical and psychological aspects of health-related quality of life, regardless of actual fall events. Interventions aimed at reducing fear of falling, independent of falls, may be effective in improving older adults’ quality of life. This study examined the moderated mediating effect of physical activity in how fear of falling affects health-related quality of life through depression in community-dwelling older adults. The specific purposes are as follows: 1) To evaluate the mediating effect of depression in the relationship between fear of falling and health-related quality of life; 2) To examine the moderating effect of physical activity on the relationship between depression and health-related quality of life. 3) To assess the moderated mediating effect of physical activity on fear of falling’s effect on health-related quality of life by mediating depression.
Methods
This study used secondary data from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2019 Community Health Survey. A total of 73,738 adults aged 65 years or older were included. Fear of Falling, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and EuroQol 5 Dimension were used as research tools. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and SPSS PROCESS macro analysis were performed. For the adjusted mediating effect, samples were re-sampled 5,000 times by the bootstrapping method, and statistical significance was determined by setting a 95% confidence interval.
Results
In the model in which fear of falling affects health-related quality of life by mediating depression, the moderated mediating effect of physical activity was statistically significant as the bootstrapping result did not include 0 in the 95% confidence interval (Index of moderated mediation [95% CI] = 0.006 [0.004–0.007], 0.008 [0.006–0.009]). Depression and health-related quality of life impairment decreased as the level of physical activity increased through inactivity, minimal activity, and health promotion activities, as the negative mediating effects decreased.
Conclusion
Physical activity reduces depression and improves health-related quality of life by influencing older adults’ fear of falling. Community-based programs are needed to encourage and support older adults in maintaining moderate physical activity to manage the depression caused by fear of falling, common among older adults, and to improve their health-related quality of life.
Improvement in renal function after switching from entecavir to tenofovir alafenamide in chronic hepatitis B patients with low estimated glomerular filtration rates
Authors: Wang Liang , Ma Shipeng , Liu Liping , Wan Xin , Zhang Yuliang , Li Xiaopeng , Ge Shanfei
Published: June 2024

Both entecavir (ETV) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) are regarded as renal-friendly nucleoside/nucleotide analogs (NAs). However, the difference between ETV and TAF in terms of renal function remains unclear. This study aims to directly compare the renal safety profiles of two antiviral treatments, and evaluate the impact on renal function when switching from ETV to TAF treatment in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with low estimated glomerular filtration rates(eGFR). The study enrolled 190 CHB patients who received ETV (n = 112) or TAF (n = 78) between the years 2019 and 2023. The effects of these NAs on renal function were assessed by measuring changes in eGFR levels from baseline to 72 weeks between the two treatment groups. Following a 1:1 propensity score matching procedure, each treatment group consisted of 76 patients. A significant disparity in the change of eGFR between the two cohorts was observed at week 36. Baseline eGFR and drug (ETV/TAF) were significant positive indicators for eGFR abnormality at week 36. In addition, 7 patients in the ETV group were switched to TAF due to eGFR abnormalities at week 48, and the eGFR changes from 48 to 72 weeks were significantly different between patients who remained on their initial treatment and those who switched from ETV to TAF. A significant difference in eGFR was observed between ETV and TAF treatments at week 36, and baseline eGFR and drug (ETV/TAF) were remarkable positive indicators for eGFR abnormality at week 36. Switching to TAF led to a substantial improvement in renal function among ETV-treated patients with eGFR abnormalities.
Evaluating the Multifaceted Impact of Induction Therapy on HbA1c, Quality of Life, Infection Risk, and TNF Levels in Acute Leukemia Patients
Authors: Chaudhary Nooreen , Karhana Sonali , Bhurani Dinesh , Khan Mohd. Ashif
Published: June 2024

Aim The cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the effect of induction chemotherapy on HbA1c levels in non-diabetic Acute leukaemia patients and its association with risk of infection and Quality of Life.Methods The study involved four groups with distinct timelines for sample collection, i.e. before induction chemotherapy, within 7 days, within 14 days, and within 30 days after treatment initiation. Participants were screened based on specific criteria, and written informed consent was obtained. Quality of life, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C), and TNF alpha levels were assessed.Results The second week following the initiation of induction therapy for acute leukemia is characterized by elevated levels of TNF alpha, and increased risk of infection. However, these parameters tend to normalize after approximately 30 days of commencing the induction therapy. No significant change in HbA1c was observed between the initiation of induction therapy and 30 days after initiation. Additionally, a weak positive correlation between HbA1c and TNF alpha was observed (r = 0.072, p > 0.05), suggesting a non-significant association between blood sugar levels and inflammation. Quality of life assessments showed that patients experienced notably improved overall health outcomes within 30 days of treatment initiation while exhibiting significantly higher global and functional scores on the EORTC QLQ C30 scale.Conclusion During the initial stages of chemotherapy for acute leukemia, it is crucial for medical professionals to consistently monitor the blood glucose levels and the presence of infections in patients and provide appropriate interventions as needed.
Efficacy of surgery in the management of multiple recurrences of retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma
Authors: Yamada Yoshiki , Wakamatsu Toru , Imura Yoshinori , Tamiya Hironari , Yagi Toshinari , Suzuki Rie , Inoue Akitomo , Takami Haruna , Nakai Sho , Outani Hidetatsu , Kakunaga Shigeki , Takenaka Satoshi
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND: Retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma is associated with a high risk of recurrence; however, treatment strategies that are more effective than surgery remain to be established. This study aimed to determine the optimal number of surgeries that would be effective in patients with recurrent disease. Furthermore, the improvement in the prognosis was evaluated according to the malignancy level.
METHODS:
The impact of each type of surgery on the prognosis of 118 patients with retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma treated at our hospital was investigated. Among these 118 patients, 103 underwent an initial surgery. Fifty-four and 30 patients underwent a second and third surgery, respectively. The overall and disease-free survival rates of each group were compared using the Kaplan–Meier method the log-rank test was used to determine statistical significance in univariate analysis. 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) was used for the assessment of malignancy. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of ≥4 and <4 was classified as high and low malignancy, respectively.
RESULTS: The first and second surgeries resulted in a significant improvement in the overall survival rate, despite the malignancy level (p <0.001); however, no significant improvement in prognosis was observed after the third surgery (p = 0.077). Low-grade malignancies were associated with a better postoperative prognosis, even in cases with recurrence; in contrast, high-grade malignancies exhibited a reduction in surgical efficacy.
CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment can prolong overall survival, even in cases with recurrence; however, it is advisable to assess the malignancy levels when determining the suitability of surgery beyond the second recurrence.
Cooccurrence of noncommunicable disease risk factors and their determinants among the Afghan population: WHO STEPS Survey 2018
Authors: Noormal Ahmad Siyar , Winkler Volker , Mokhamed Safa Marva Gulam , Noormal Ajmal Shekeb , Dambach Peter
Published: June 2024

Background
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) pose a significant public health challenge globally, contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality. This study examined the prevalence and the cooccurrence of NCD risk factors and their sociodemographic determinants among the Afghan population.
Method
The 2018 Afghanistan WHO STEPS survey was analyzed to investigate the prevalence and determinants of NCD risk factors and their cooccurrence. This was a nationally representative household-based cross-sectional study that included 3955 participants. Poisson regression was employed to explore associations between the number of cooccurring risk factors and demographic characteristics.
Results
A high prevalence of both behavioral and metabolic risk factors were observed in this study. Smoking (8.9%), sedentary behaviour (43.8%), unhealthy diet (18.2%), hypertension (12.2%), diabetes (9.6%), and obesity (16.9%) were among the prevalent risk factors identified. A significant portion of the population exhibited multiple concurrent risks. Only 9% had no risk factors, while 40% exhibited at least 3 risk factors. The regression analysis revealed associations between demographic factors and having multiple risk factors. Notably, females, older individuals, urban residents, and married individuals exhibited a higher likelihood of cooccurring risk factors.
Conclusion
Our findings revealed a high prevalence of NCD risk factors in Afghanistan and explored the complex interplay between demographics and cooccurrence of NCD risk factors. These findings contribute to the understanding of NCD epidemiology in the country and underscore the importance of specific interventions to alleviate the burden of NCDs and improve population health.
A Comparative Study of Two Deep learning Architectures for Gesture Recognition on ArSL2018 Dataset
Authors: Lahiani Houssem , Frikha Mondher
Published: June 2024

This research paper conducts a comparative analysis of two convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures to examine their performance in recognizing gestures using the ArSL2018 dataset, a significant resource comprising 54,049 images across 32 classes representing Arabic Alphabet Sign Language (ArASL). Our goal is to determine the most effective technological application for facilitating communication within the Arabic-speaking deaf community, thereby enhancing their interaction with digital platforms and everyday technology interfaces. The first architecture employs a pre-trained MobileNetV2 model as a feature extractor followed by a fully connected layer, while the second architecture builds upon the MobileNetV2 by incorporating additional convolutional and pooling layers. Through rigorous evaluation using multiple metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score, we discovered that the first architecture achieved a higher overall accuracy of 95% on the test set compared to 93.85% for the second, with per-class accuracies ranging from 82.91–99.10%. These findings suggest that simpler CNN architectures with pre-trained feature extractors are not only effective but also potentially more efficient for integrating into assistive technologies. This study underscores the potential of gesture recognition systems to improve the quality of life for the deaf and hard-of-hearing by providing more natural, intuitive ways to interact with technology. By focusing on user-centric design and ethical AI deployment, our findings contribute to the broader discourse on developing responsible, inclusive technologies that uphold human dignity and foster social inclusion.
Evaluation of Pharmacokinetic Pharmacodynamic Target Attainment and Hematological Toxicity of Linezolid in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Abouelkheir Manal , Aldawsari Maram R , Ghonem Leen , Almomen Aliyah , Alsarhani Emad , Alsubaie Sarah , Alqahtani Saeed , Kurdee Zeyad , Alsultan Abdullah
Published: June 2024

Background
Linezolid is commonly used to treat severe and/or resistant Gram-positive infections. Few studies have assessed its pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) in pediatrics.
Objective
to evaluate the percentage of pediatric patients achieving the PK/PD target of linezolid using standard dosing regimens and to assess the incidence and risk factors associated with its hematologic toxicity.
Methods
This prospective observational study included pediatric patients aged 0–14 years who received linezolid for suspected or proven Gram-positive infections. Linezolid trough concentrations were measured, and hematologic toxicity was assessed.
Results
In total, 17 pediatric patients (5 neonates and 12 older pediatrics) were included in the analysis. The median trough concentration in neonates was significantly higher than that of the older pediatrics (7.1 [6.2–11.0] vs. 3.9 [1.95–6.5] mg/L, respectively, P = 0.04). Out of all patients, 53% achieved the therapeutic trough level of 2–7 mg/L, 18% had subtherapeutic levels, and 23% had higher-than-optimal troughs. Linezolid-associated hematological toxicity was documented in 53% of cases. Identified significant risk factors include treatment duration of more than 7 days, baseline platelet counts of less than 150 x 109/L, sepsis/septic shock, and concomitant use of meropenem.
Conclusions
Linezolid's standard dosing failed to achieve its PK/PD target in approximately half of our pediatric cohort. Our findings underscore the complex interplay between the risk factors of linezolid-associated hematological toxicity and highlight the importance of its vigilant use and monitoring if it is to be initiated in pediatrics with concomitant multiple risk factors.
Value of intraoperative post-conisation human papillomavirus testing in predicting residual or recurrence after treatment with a loop electrosurgical excision procedure in women with HR-HPV positive and cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion
Authors: Xia Weiting , Dai Shenyue , Hu Yan , Yang Simeng , Chen Cheng , Li Xiaolin
Published: June 2024

Objective
To evaluate the feasibility of intraoperative human papillomavirus (IOP-HPV) testing for the prediction of postoperative treatment failure in patients with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) undergoing loop electrosurgical excisional procedure (LEEP)
Methods
A total of 114 women diagnosed with HSIL by biopsy and/or endocervical curettage who underwent LEEP were included in a prospective cohort study. IOP-HPV testing was performed immediately after the procedure. Patients were followed up for 24 months. Logistic regression was used to analyse the factors influencing the residual or recurrent lesions. Further stratified analyses were performed to investigate the differences in prognosis of IOP-HPV positivity in patients of different age and menopausal status.
Results
1. Of the 114 patients, 6 (5.26%) were pathologically upgraded to cervical cancer, and 21 (18.42%) were lost to follow-up. Recurrence or residual HSIL lesions occurred in 9.20% (8/87) of cases. Of the 8 women who developed post-treatment HSIL, 7 (26.92%) were positive for IOP-HPV, and only 1 (1.64%) was negative for IOP-HPV (<0.01).
2. Transformation zones of type 2 (P =0.0306) or type 3 (P =0.0446) , diagnosed as LSIL/negative by cervical biopsy (P=0.0396), margin involvement (P=0.0233), positive endocervical curettage after conisation (P=0.0028), intraoperative HPV (P <0.01), cytological abnormalities (P=0.0038), DNA ploidy (P =0.0172), and postoperative HPV (P <0.01) and DNA ploidy (P=0.0078) positivity at 6 months were associated with a higher risk of residual or recurrent lesions.
3. The results of the multivariate regression analysis showed that IOP-HPV positivity was the independent risk factor for residual or recurrent lesions (OR=10.69 , 95% CI:3.41, 33.51, P<0.01). IOP-HPV positivity was strongly associated with the occurrence of residual/recurrent LSIL (OR=6.42 , 95% CI:1.74, 23.70, P=0.0053) and HSIL (OR=32.08 , 95% CI:3.60, 285.64, P=0.0019).
4. Stratified analyses showed that IOP-HPV positive in patients younger than 50 years or premenopausal patients was associated with a significantly higher risk of recurrence or residual lesions (p<0.05).
Conclusions
IOP-HPV positivity is an independent risk factor for residual or recurrent HSIL lesions. In addition, IOP-HPV positivity was more associated with residual or recurrent lesions in those younger than 50 years or premenopausal. IOP-HPV testing may be of critical clinical value in providing the early and accurate prediction of residual or recurrent lesions.
MG-DIFF: A Novel Molecular Graph Diffusion Model for Molecular Generation and Optimization
Authors: Zhang Xiaochen , Wang Shuangxi , Fang Ying , Zhang Qiankun
Published: June 2024

Recent advancements in denoising diffusion models have revolutionized image, text, and video generation. Inspired by these achievements, researchers have extended denoising diffusion models to the field of molecule generation. However, existing molecular generation diffusion models are not fully optimized according to the distinct features of molecules, leading to suboptimal performance and challenges in conditional molecular optimization. In this paper, we introduce the MG-DIFF model, a novel approach tailored for molecular generation and optimization. Compared to previous methods, MG-DIFF incorporates three key improvements. Firstly, we propose a mask and replace discrete diffusion strategy, specifically designed to accommodate the complex patterns of molecular structures, thereby enhancing the quality of molecular generation. Secondly, we introduce a graph transformer model with random node initialization, which can overcome the expressiveness limitations of regular graph neural networks defined by the first-order Weisfeiler-Lehman test. Lastly, we present a graph padding strategy that enables our method to not only do conditional generation but also optimize molecules by adding certain atomic groups. In several molecular generation benchmarks, the proposed MG-DIFF model achieves state-of-the-art performance and demonstrates great potential molecular optimization.
Enhanced Balanced-Generative Adversarial Networks to Predict Pedestrian Injury Types
Authors: Somvanshi Shriyank , Antariksa Gian , Das Subasish
Published: June 2024

Pedestrians are at a significantly higher risk of suffering serious injuries or death in road traffic incidents. In 2021 alone there were 7,388 pedestrian fatalities and 60,577 injuries. Addressing this critical issue, our study introduced a novel methodology for predicting the severity of pedestrian crashes. This method leveraged advanced deep learning models such as Inception-ResNet-v2, Inception-v3, and Xception applied to synthetic data generated by Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). This study analyzed data related to pedestrian crash severity in Louisiana spanning five years (2016–2021), encompassing forty variables that include pedestrian demographics, accident location, and vehicle specifics. The severity of crashes was categorized into three categories: injury, no injury, and fatal. To combat the challenge of data imbalance, our study implemented a novel method that combined traditional sampling methods with GANs. This integrated methodology facilitated the generation of synthetic data utilizing the Conditional Tabular GAN (CTGAN) model and the attainment of balanced datasets by employing under-sampling via the Random Under Sampler (RUS) technique and over-sampling through the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE). Thereafter, the DeepInsight technique was employed to transform numerical and categorical crash data into image format, making it compatible with the deep learning models utilized. The findings reveal that the models demonstrated improved predictive capabilities when applied to the over sampled dataset, which was achieved by increasing the number of instances in the minority class to balance the distribution of classes, as evidenced by various performance metrics including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. Specifically, the Inception-ResNet-v2, Inception-v3, and Xception models recorded predictive accuracies of 82.73%, 84.75%, and 69.07% respectively, with the over sampled dataset, which was the highest among the three sampling categories of data considering all the metrics. The insights derived from this research have practical applications for urban planners, city engineers, safety professionals, transportation authorities, emergency service providers, vehicle manufacturers, and traffic management centers.
Reinforcement Learning Recommendation Algorithm Based on Environmental Information Exploration
Authors: Jia Junjie , Wang Huijuan , Wang Fen , Li Tianle , Liu Shilong
Published: June 2024

Most of the current recommendation algorithms based on reinforcement learning are biased towards the design of exploration strategies at the model level, ignoring the full use of environmental state information and the impact of action exploration (recommendation behaviour) on the user experience, which leads to closed-loop information and user turnover caused by the decline in the long-term effectiveness of the recommendation system. In order to efficiently "use" the state to "explore" the action, this paper proposes a reinforcement learning recommendation algorithm based on environmental information exploration(RLEEA). The algorithm organises the state space according to the principle of satisfying user preferences, using the preference preference strategy to improve the full use of environmental information, and guides the exploration direction of the model according to the environmental state representation and user experience by considering the integrated rewards inside and outside the environment, so that the model is more inclined to continuously learn the recommended actions in line with the users’ preferences. The experimental results show that the proposed method achieves obvious effect improvement in various indicators of recommendation performance, which verifies the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Exploration of Anomuran crabs from the intertidal zone of Kadmat and Amini Islands of the Lakshadweep Archipelago, India
Authors: NM Naseem , KJ Jayalakshmi , Nihal Davood , Kumar Akshay A
Published: June 2024

A first hand study regarding the Anomuran crabs in the intertidal zone of Kadmat and Amini islands of Lakshadweep was carried out during November 2021 to June 2022 by monthly sampling from six stations of Kadmat and Amini islands. The study recorded a total nine species of Anomuran crabs, contributed by eight species of hermit crabs belongs to three genera and two families of superfamily Paguroidea and single species of mole crab of superfamily Hippoidea. The hermit crabs namely Coenobita perlatus, C. clypeatus, Calcinus laevimanus, C. latens, C. elegans, Dardanus megistos, D. guttatus and D. deformis. The single species of mole crab is Hippa adactyla. The spatial and temporal variations with respect to abundance and distribution were assessed. The peak average abundance of Anomurans was recorded in the month of April and lowest values during December. Northern part of Kadmat Island had the highest total abundance of the Anomurans and east side of Kadmat had the lowest abundance. The most dominant species was Hippa adactyla with maximum records in the month of April. Among hermit crabs the dominant species was C. perlatus. The least abundant species among Anomuran was D. megistos. The distribution and abundance of species differed based on habitat variability. Traditionally these crabs are used by the local inhabitants of Lakshadweep as a bait for fishery rarely as food and for medicinal purposes. An interesting traditional usage of hermit crab as laxative agent to prevent theft of ‘Neera’. Nowadays unscientific coastal protection structures and other anthropogenic interventions become a serious threat to these Anomuran crabs.
Conceptualization of Digital Twin-Enabled New Product Design Framework for the Automotive Industry
Authors: Muthappan Chandrasekaran , PK Rajesh
Published: June 2024

The digital twin (DT) has created various opportunities for product development businesses to exploit data obtained from the physical model. Ideally, many companies are strengthening their use cases by incorporating obtained physical data into a virtual model. Emerging communication technologies, such as the 5th generation mobile network (5G), the Internet of Things (IoT), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors, and so on, enable the collection of data from physical products and its transmission to cloud computing, also known as big data. With the lack of standard architecture, many businesses use their own big data to develop their digital models without any roadmap. This research provides a novel DT-enabled new product design framework allowing interaction between the DT and product design environments. This system will enable data to be taken from various physical entities, stored in a centralized location, and then fed into a digital entity, which processes the data and converts it into information for decision-making. The digital entity employs various technologies to transform data into information, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) models, mathematical models, and simulation models. These models generate processed synthetic or DT data, which is then used for control/monitoring and visualization/interaction reasons. In this research, data classed as visualization and interaction is integrated with the new product design framework at all four design stages, namely concept design, detailed design, design verification, and redesign, with varied data contributions to the design. A case study that used DT data processed using the AI / ML model throughout the conceptual design phase was presented. Using synthetic data, the design concept of the medium-duty truck frame assembly was iteratively tested using ten load instances before being finished. The results are encouraging since the overall weight of the frame assembly was reduced by 9% while maintaining the frame assembly's strength and safety factor. The design iterations have come down to 3 iterations from 6 iterations, which is a 50% improvement over the traditional product development processes.
Probing the Scalar WIMP-Pion Coupling with the first LUX-ZEPLIN data
Authors: Eriksen Sam , Qie Yufan , Boxer Billy
Published: June 2024

Weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) may interact with a virtual pion that is exchanged between nucleons.
This interaction channel is important to consider in models where the spin-independent isoscalar channel is suppressed.
Using data from the first science run of the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment, containing 60 live days of data in a 5.5~tonne fiducial mass of liquid xenon, we report the results on a search for WIMP-pion interactions.
We observe no significant excess and set an upper limit of $1.5\times10^{-46}$~cm$^2$ at a 90\% confidence level for a WIMP mass of 33~GeV/c$^2$ for this interaction.
Home-made lateral flow test strip versus POC-CCA assay for detection of active schistosomiasis in Egypt
Authors: Kamel Manal , Salah Faten , Demerdash Zeinab , Maher Sara , El-Baz Hanan , Yousef Nahla , Abu-Shady Rania , Rezk Amany , Hassan Salwa , Aziz Doaa Abdel
Published: June 2024

For years, the Kato-Katz (KK) technique has been considered the gold standard for diagnosing schistosomiasis. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of our previously developed gold nanoparticle-based lateral flow test strip (AuNPs-LFTS) for diagnosing active Schistosoma mansoni with that of the commercially available point-of-care Circulating Cathodic Antigen detection (POC-CCA) kit. In this study, we collected sixty positive and twenty negative urine samples from patients in endemic hot spots in the Nile Delta, as well as from patients visiting the internal medicine clinic at Theodor Bilharz Research Institute (TBRI). We produced monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against S. mansoni soluble egg antigen (SEA) from cloned hybridoma cells (4D/1D). These MAbs were conjugated with gold and mesoporous silica nanoparticles, and used to develop the LFTS. The LFTS demonstrated a limit of detection (LoD) of 3 ng/ml. The sensitivity and specificity of the developed LFTS were found to be 96.7% and 95%, respectively, compared to 85% and 90% for the POC-CCA detection kit. The cases were divided into groups based on egg count in the stool, categorized as light, moderate, and heavy infections. The sensitivity of the LFTS in the group with light infection was higher than that of the POC-CCA. When using the KK technique (eggs per gram of stool sample [EPG]) as the reference test, the kappa value for the nano-based strips was 0.902, compared to 0.672 for the CCA strips, indicating an almost perfect agreement between KK and our developed LFTS. These results confirm the reliability and effectiveness of the LFTS compared to commercially available kits for rapid, sensitive, and early diagnosis of schistosomiasis. However, it is recommended to conduct further assessments of the developed strip on a larger scale with a broader range of cases before considering its introduction to local or international markets
The Vibrating Capsule- Safety and Tolerability in Patients with Chronic Idiopathic Constipation
Authors: Curtin Bryan F , Quigley Eamonn M.M. , Chey William D. , Lembo Anthony J. , Brenner Darren M. , Spiegel Brennan M.R. , Rao Satish S.C.
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND
Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC) remains a significant problem globally with increasing estimates for disease burden. The Vibrating Capsule was recently shown in a Phase 3 Placebo-Controlled Trial to be effective in treating CIC. The safety and tolerability of the novel Vibrating Capsule system has not been described in detail.
METHODS
We analyzed data from six trials spanning the development of the Vibrating Capsule, including safety, dose-ranging and pivotal studies. The incidence of adverse events, treatment discontinuation, tolerability and satisfaction were assessed.
RESULTS
A total of 800 patients from 6 studies were included in this analysis. The most common adverse gastrointestinal events were bloating (2.9%), abdominal pain (2.9%), nausea (2.3%) and diarrhea (1.9%). A sensation of vibration was reported in 11.7% of patients. The rates of these adverse events were low, and most were categorized by the investigators as not related to the treatment. There were no serious adverse events requiring endoscopic or surgical removal of retained capsules and no patients stopped therapy early due to adverse effects. The majority of patients (83%) found the system convenient and the overall satisfaction rate with therapy was 71%.
CONCLUSIONS
The first in class Vibrating Capsule was found to be safe and well tolerated in clinical trials involving individuals with CIC. No patients discontinued treatment early due to adverse events.
SpineWave: Harnessing Fish Spinal Kinematics in Biomimetic Robotics for Enhanced Aquatic Exploration
Authors: Li Weikun , He Qu , Dai Guangmin , Chen Hao , Liu Qimeng , Tian Xiaoqing , You Jie , Cui Weicheng , Triantafyllou Michael , Fan Dixia
Published: June 2024

Fish have endured millions of years of evolution, and their distinct rigid-flexible body structures have offered limitless inspiration for developing biomimetic robots. The current paper introduces a fish spine-like rigid-flexible transition structure and thus leads to scalable prototypes of biomimetic robotic fish. Inspired by fish anatomy, the structure incorporates expandable fishbone-like ribs with adjustable magnets to emulate the stretch and recoil of fish muscles, thus balancing the easy implementation of rigid actuators with enhanced flexibility. Notably, such a structure is capable of full-body modular packaging, allowing for rapid expansion and adaptation to different fish shapes and swimming modes. To optimize the hydrodynamics of the robot, we employed an evolutionary algorithm, resulting in a significant enhancement in free swimming performance. At last, we demonstrate the robustness of the constructed biomimetic robotic fish in a natural water environment, showing its real-world monitoring capabilities.
Comparison of hypotension between propofol and remimazolam-propofol combinations sedation for day-surgery hysteroscopy: a prospective, randomized, controlled trial
Authors: Tan Hua , Lou Aifei , Wu Jianer , Chen Xinzhong , Qian Xiaowei
Published: June 2024

Background
A combination of remimazolam and propofol could produce more stable sedation. A good medication regimen should consider not only efficacy but also safety, especially hypotension. The aim of the current study was to compare the incidence and amount of hypotension by propofol versus remimazolam-propofol combinations in day-surgery hysteroscopy.
methods
Patients were randomly assigned to receive either propofol (Group P, n = 125) or remimazolam-propofol combinations (Group RP, n = 125) at a 1:1 ratio. Intravenous injection of sufentanil 0.1ug/kg were administered before sedative medication. In group P, a bolus of 2.5 mg/kg propofol was administered. In group RP, Intravenous anesthesia was commenced with 0.125mg/kg remimazolam and 1mg/kg propofol. After loss of consciousness, propofol was maintained at 6mg/kg/h. The primary outcomes were the incidence and amount of hypotension during surgery. Hypotension was defined as a MAP less than 65mmHg for at least 1min. The amount of hypotension was assessed by time-weighted average intraoperative MAP under a threshold of 65 mmHg. The secondary outcomes were various anesthesia related parameters and some adverse events.
Results
In group P, 25 patients (20.0%) experienced hypotensive during hysteroscopy compared with 9 patients (7.2%) in group RP, for a difference of 12.8% (RR 2.778, 95%CI [1.352–5.709]). The combination of remimazolam and propofol resulted in significantly lower TWA threshold 0.14 (0.10–0.56) mmHg in group RP compared to 0.31 (0.15–0.67) mmHg in group P. The total dose of propofol was nearly double in group P compared to group RP. A significantly higher frequency of injection pain and low oxygen saturation was observed in the group P than that of the group RP. Hiccup was observed only in group RP. The incidences of body movement, bradycardia and vomit were no significant difference between groups.
Conclusion
The incidence and amount of hypotension by remimazolam-propofol combinations was significantly less than that by propofol sedation in day-surgery hysteroscopy. The optimization of medication regimen would attenuate the harm of hypotension and contribute to patients’ rapid recovery in day surgery.
Trial registration :
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2400079888 (date: 15/01/2024),
Love-C relations for elastic hybrid stars
Authors: Dong Zoey Zhiyuan , Faggert Joshua Cole , Lau Shu Yan , Yagi Kent
Published: June 2024

Neutron stars (NSs) provide a unique laboratory to study matter under extreme densities. Recent observations from gravitational and electromagnetic waves have enabled constraints on NS properties, such as tidal deformability (related to the tidal Love number) and stellar compactness. Although each of these two NS observables depends strongly on the stellar internal structure, the relation between them (called the Love-C relation) is known to be equation-of-state insensitive. In this study, we investigate the effects of a possible crystalline phase in the core of hybrid stars (HSs) on the mass-radius and Love-C relations, where HSs are a subclass of NS models with a quark matter core and a nuclear matter envelope with a sharp phase transition in between. We find that both the maximum mass and the corresponding radius increase as one increases the stiffness of the quark matter core controlled by the speed of sound, while the density discontinuity at the nuclear-quark matter transition effectively softens the equations of state. Deviations of the Love-C relation for elastic HSs from that of fluid NSs become more pronounced with a larger shear modulus, lower transition pressure, and larger density gap and can be as large as 60%. These findings suggest a potential method for testing the existence of distinct phases within HSs, though deviations are not large enough to be detected with current measurements of the tidal deformability and compactness.
Detection of vinblastine and related bioactive compounds from culture extracts of endophytic fungi of Catharanthus roseus
Authors: Khan Uzma , Gond Surendra Kumar
Published: June 2024

This study investigates the synthesis of vinblastine by endophytic fungi Alternaria alternata (CRL 17), Curvularia lunata (CRL 28), Aspergillus terrus (CRL 52), and Aspergillus clavatonanicus (CRL 22), isolated from the leaf of Catharanthus roseus. The initial screening for secretion of plant alkaloids (vinca alkaloids) by fungi was performed by utilizing biochemical tests and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) which resulted total of 10 potential endophytes. Out of these ten, only four fungal extracts showed positive results for presence of vinblastine at same retention time (10 min.) compared to reference compound on HPLC analysis. The detected concentration of vinblastine was maximum (17 µg/ml) in Aspergillus clavatonanicus (CRL 22). The presence of vinblastine was further validated through ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry (HRMS) analysis. The identification of anhydrovinblastine was validated through mass spectrometry, where molecular ions were observed at m/z 793.4185. The intermediate compounds which are involved in biosynthetic pathway of vinblastine were also identified in extract of Alternaria alternata (CRL 17). The study demonstrates that not only vinblastine but several other compounds of host origin have also been identified supporting the presence of biosynthetic pathway in endophytic fungus.
Dream Content Discovery from Social Media Using AI
Authors: Das Anubhab , Scepanovic Sanja , Aiello Luca Maria , Mallett Remington , Barrett Deirdre , Quercia Daniele
Published: June 2024

Dreaming is a fundamental but not fully understood part of human experience. Traditional dream content analysis practices, while popular and aided by over 130 unique scales and rating systems, have limitations. Often based on retrospective surveys or lab studies, and sometimes on in-home dream reports collected over some days, they struggle to be applied on a large scale or to show the importance and connections between different dream themes. To overcome these issues, we developed a new, data-driven mixed-method approach for identifying topics in free-form dream reports through natural language processing. We applied this method on 44,213 dream reports from Reddit's \rdreams subreddit, where we uncovered 217 topics, grouped into 22 larger themes: the most extensive collection of dream topics to date. We validated our topics by comparing it to the widely-used Hall and van de Castle scale. Going beyond traditional scales, our method can find unique patterns in different dream types (like nightmares or recurring dreams), understand topic importance and connections (like finding a greater predominance of indoor location settings in Reddit dreams than what was in general stipulated by previous work), and observe changes in collective dream experiences over time and around major events (like the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent Russo-Ukrainian war). We envision that the applications of our method will provide valuable insights into the complex nature of dreaming and its interplay with our waking experiences.
Predictors and Barriers to Cervical Cancer Screening and Vaccination Uptake Among Female Undergraduates in a University, South East Nigeria
Authors: Nwokorie Maureen Amaoge , Ekwueme Osaeloka C. , Ahuchaogu King-David Ikenna , Dozie Ugonma Winnie , Ezue Chinonye Uchechukwu , Ofonere Ifeanyi Ikenna
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND: The main objective was to assess the predictors and barriers to cervical cancer screening and vaccination uptake among female undergraduates of University of Nigeria Enugu Campus. Early screening and vaccination are important keys to preventing cervical cancer. Hence, the study was geared at providing insights into the factors that influence screening behaviors and vaccination uptake among the respondents.
MATERIALS & METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was adopted in this study to assess the predictors and barriers of cervical cancer screening and vaccination uptake. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The data was collected, queued in and analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23.0. Descriptive analysis was done using percentages, frequencies, and standard deviation. Pearson’s chi-square test was used to draw associations between variables. A p-value of ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: 410 respondents satisfactorily completed the survey instrument. The study found that a small percentage (2.4%) of the respondents had received the HPV vaccine, and only 6.8% indicated having had a Pap smear test. Among those not screened (93.2%), lack of awareness (47.3%) was mentioned as the main barrier. Cost and attitude of health workers were the main barriers to vaccination uptake. The major predictors of cervical cancer screening uptake were awareness of the importance of regular cervical cancer screening (90.2%), and potential risk (84.9%). For HPV vaccination uptake, awareness regarding the potential risk of cervical cancer (mean = 3.54, SD = 1.340), awareness of effectiveness of HPV vaccination in preventing cervical cancer (mean = 3.23, SD = 1.036), and cost of HPV vaccine (mean = 3.21, SD = 1.084) were major predictors. Significant association was established between ethnicity (p = 0.006), faculties (p = 0.050) and vaccination uptake.
CONCLUSION: The study revealed a low uptake of cervical cancer screening and vaccination. Factors contributing to low uptake include limited access to healthcare services, financial constraints and fear or discomfort associated with screening procedures. Targeted interventions and policies that promote accessibility, affordability, and acceptability of cervical cancer prevention services are recommended.
Investigating the Influence of Rubber Reinforcement on Mechanical and Vibration Properties in Glass and Jute Epoxy Hybrid Composite
Authors: Chavan Sahebrao , Kulkarni Nishant , Mache Ashok
Published: June 2024

In the pursuit of sustainable lightweight materials with enhanced mechanical and damping properties, the automotive industry has turned its attention towards composite materials. Among various options, natural fibers have gained significant interest due to their eco-friendly nature and potential for reinforcing composite structures. This research paper focuses on the development and characterization of a hybrid composite material incorporating jute fiber, glass fiber, and rubber, with the aim of achieving improved performance in terms of mechanical and damping properties. The hybrid composite was fabricated using an epoxy resin system (LY556) with a hardener (HY915), mixed at a ratio of 10:1. The rubber was cut into strips and distributed in the composite matrix. Rubber strips were strategically positioned at angles of 0, 30, and 45 degrees within the composite laminate to investigate the effects of fiber orientation on damping and mechanical properties. To evaluate the performance of the hybrid composite, a series of tests were conducted, including vibration testing using Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analyzer and tensile, compression, and flexural testing using a Universal Testing Machine (UTM). The hybrid composite with a 30-degree orientation of rubber strips within the glass-jute matrix showed the highest damping capacity. Furthermore, this configuration demonstrated the highest failure strain, indicating a more ductile behavior.
Leveraging on Chatgpt, an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tool to Transform Examination Writing in Higher Education
Authors: Atieku-Boateng Harry , Osei Richard Darko , Aryee Victoria , Essien Lydia , Atieku-Boateng Beatrice
Published: June 2024

Purpose
The study explored how ChatGPT could transform examination writing in higher education. The research question was: How can the AI tool ChatGPT help transform examination writing in higher education? The study interviewed the chatbot (ChatGPT) by way of "prompt engineering" to test if it has the potential to achieve the following: (1) Generate varied questions on a subject matter of the same level of difficulty, (2) Generate varied questions on a subject matter with case scenarios, (3) Generate varied questions on a subject matter that requires critical thinking, (4) Generate varied questions on a subject matter that takes into consideration the diverse needs and backgrounds of students and (5) Streamline assessment process. These objective tests were to explore the diverse ways the chatbot could assist in the examination process. Despite the academic concerns surrounding students' use of ChatGPT, the study's findings seek to stimulate discussion on the potentially significant benefits ChatGPT offers to the educational sector if it is effectively implemented.
Approach/Design/Method
Through "prompt engineering", the study interviewed ChatGPT to test it on the five (5) objectives. Subject area lecturers and exam moderators reviewed questions as well as marking schemes generated by the chatbot to ensure accuracy and appropriateness.
Findings
ChatGPT was able to generate varied questions of the same difficulty level on the same given content and generated questions with case scenarios. The questions generated also required critical thinking; ChatGPT produced questions considering students' diverse needs and backgrounds. Finally, it could streamline the assessment process as well. However, ChatGPT required specific human guidance to shape the questions. Also, the examiner or the educator needed to double-check the accuracy of the questions generated. Additionally, it was discovered that the version of ChatGPT used was limited in subject areas that required graphics and figures.
Research Limitations/Implications
The study found that ChatGPT is effective with text-like tasks but is limited in areas that require graphics and figures (for the version used), which may be needed in some fields of study. It also meant that responses only had to be in text for the Chatbot to award scores based on the assessment criteria. Notwithstanding the limitations, ChatGPT can become an excellent tool for assisting educators in assessing students, thereby transforming examination writing in higher education.
The originality of the study
Research on ChatGPT is an emerging one. The study is novel, as this area is still being explored. This paper will serve as one of the early research works that provide educators and policymakers with knowledge of leveraging ChatGPT to transform examination writing.