bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thyroid nodule risk assessment based on neural network text classification method
Authors: Wen Jun , Peng li , Ji Hua
Published: November 2023

Thyroid nodules represent a prevalent endocrine disorder, and neck ultrasonography stands as a widely utilized and efficacious diagnostic modality within clinical practice. Sonographers ascertain the malignant tumor risk level by integrating various attributes of thyroid nodule features, including shape, capsule characteristics, aspect ratio, and calcification patterns.To mitigate the potential inadequacies and biases associated with manual assessments, this study introduces a text classification method grounded in deep neural networks to facilitate risk assessment for malignant thyroid nodules based on ultrasound findings. Three distinct classification models, TextCNN, bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and CNN combined with Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), were trained and evaluated using actual ultrasound data samples. Remarkably, the CNN + GRU model exhibited an evaluation accuracy exceeding 95%, underscoring the feasibility and effectiveness of employing neural network-based text classification for thyroid nodule risk assessment through segmental ultrasonography.Furthermore, the experiment's findings underscore that this approach possesses remarkable clinical applicability without reliance on word segmentation techniques or specialized dictionaries.
The 3’-UTR Polymorphisms in the NLRP3 Gene Associated with the Risk of COPD and Their Putative Effects on the microRNA Mechanism
Authors: Yan Wu Hui , Ting Huang Chu , Ling Zhang Yan , Liang Peng , Peng Li Wei
Published: November 2023

Objective Evaluating the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the 3'UTR region of the miRNAs binding site of the NLRP3 gene and the occurrence and development of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and providing information to aid in the early detection and treatment of COPD.
Methods The regulatory SNPs located in NLRP3 3'UTR region were searched by using dbSNP database and miRNA binding site prediction database. Meanwhile, samples from COPD patients and healthy controls in the same period were used for verification. The clinical baseline information of all subjects was collected, and the transcription level and protein expression level of NLRP3 and the expression level of inflammatory factors downstream of NLRP3 were detected. The effects of SNPs single nucleotide changes on the transcription and expression of inflammatory factors were analyzed. Results The study included 418 participants (249 in the COPD group and 169 in the control group). NLRP3 SNPs with miRNA binding sites include rs10754558 (G>C), rs1664774076 (ATAT>-), and rs1664775106 (C>G). Furthermore, two genotypes, GCG and GCA, were discovered to have a linkage mutation at 3'UTR 459-461. COPD susceptibility is tightly associated to the expression of the rs1664774076 -/- genotype, and the risk of COPD increased by 3.4 times (P≤0.0001). Type 459-461 GCA was substantially related with the likelihood of developing COPD at various stages (P<0.05). Except for rs10754558, all homozygous mutants increased NLRP3 mRNA and protein levels. NLRP3 had the greatest area under the ROC curve for predicting the development and diagnosis of COPD when compared to its downstream inflammatory variables (AUC= 0.9291).
Conclusions The NLRP3 rs1664774076 -/- genotype is a COPD susceptibility gene, and the GCA genotype at 459-461 can be used as an early predictor of COPD exacerbation. The NLRP3 3'UTR polymorphism may alter the loss of miRNA binding sites, leading to an increase in NLRP3 expression. In the development of COPD, NLRP3 has a better diagnostic value than traditional inflammatory factors.
Heat-treated and/or lysozyme-treated Enterococcus faecalis (FK-23) improves the progression of renal disease in a unilateral ischemia-reperfusion injury rat model
Authors: Takemura Shigekazu , Minamiyama Yukiko , Ito Norihiko , Yamamoto Atsushi , Ichikawa Hiroshi , Nakagawa Kanako , Toyokuni Shinya , Osada-Oka Mayuko , Yoshikawa Toshikazu
Published: November 2023

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing owing to elderly population. Here, we investigated the effects of heat-treated Enterococcus faecalis (FK-23) and lysozyme-treated FK-23 (LFK) on the progression of CKD in rats. A CKD model was established using male Wistar rats by subjecting them to right nephrectomy (1K), followed by ischemia and reperfusion (IR). FK-23 or LFK was fed ad libitum as a mixed diet after right nephrectomy. Animals subjected to renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) showed increased plasma creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels. Furthermore, in the kidneys, collagen accumulation and α-smooth muscle actin indicative of fibroblast activation, and fibrosis-related gene and protein expression, increased 3 weeks after IRI. FK-23 and LFK suppressed the increase in the mRNA levels of some of these genes. The increase in oxidative stress marker, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and nitrotyrosine in the kidney, as well as increased plasma uremic toxins after IRI were also ameliorated by FK-23 and LFK. Metagenomic analysis of fecal samples revealed that gut microbial alteration caused after IRI was also ameliorated by LFK treatment. These results suggest that Enterococcus faecalis ingredients may improve CKD progression by suppressing oxidative stress and correcting the balance of the intestinal microflora.
Intriguing Warming of Abyssal Waters in the Argentine Basin from January 2019 to January 2023
Authors: Campos Edmo , Rocha Cesar , Piola Alberto , Caspel Mathias van , Sato Olga , Polito Paulo , Chidichimo Maria Paz , Perez Renellys , Dong Shenfu , Bilo; Tiago
Published: November 2023

Previous studies have reported temperature increase of bottom waters in the South Atlantic Ocean at rates of about 2 moC-1. Here we present data indicating four-year warming at rates near the interior of the South Atlantic of up to 17(+/- 0.9) moC-1. The data were sampled from January 2019 to January 2023, at two previously unobserved locations, at 31.13oW and 34.50oS (Site E) and 18.82oW and 34.50oS (Site F). Each mooring was equipped with two independent temperature sensors, one placed 1 m above the seafloor and the other 50 m above. Site E was moored at a nominal depth of 4006 m, under the influence of the Antarctic Bottom Water. Site F was at 3888 m, within a layer influenced by the North Atlantic Deep Water. The data show strong seasonality and significant variability at the semi-diurnal cycle. At both sites, the trends are positive and significant, with the higher rate at the deeper location. Assuming similar surface warming at the convection regions, with the signals being advected to the sampling sites, this could be indicating that climate signals acquired near the surface around Antarctica are reaching the abyssal South Atlantic earlier than those carried by the North Atlantic Deep Water. However, the large spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability of such signals suggest that other local processes are also important in determining the observed temperature variability.
Seismicity acceleration and clustering before the Mw7.9 Gorkha earthquake, Nepal
Authors: Gardonio Blandine , Bollinger Laurent , Laporte Marine , Vergne Jérôme , Lyon-Caen Helene , Adhikari Lok Bijaya
Published: November 2023

In the last decade, several observations of peculiar seismic and geodetic phases preceding large earthquakes have been documented. Despite being a-posteriori, these observations provide a better understanding of the processes involved in the nucleation of earthquakes. In this study, we investigate the foreshocks and pre-seismic phase of the large Mw7.9 25 April 2015, Gorkha-Nepal earthquake by applying a matched-filter technique on the nucleation zone of the mainshock. We use the seismic signals of 1800 local earthquakes and the continuous signal recorded at the nearest station for the 6 years preceding the mainshock. The pre-seismic phase depicts a long-term increase of seismicity rate and several bursts of micro-earthquakes. The longest swarm occurs one month before the Gorkha earthquake, lasts one week and consists of 38 repetitive earthquakes located at the north western edge of the rupture zone. It is followed by another increase in seismicity rate which starts six days before the mainshock and includes small foreshocks that develop at less than 10 kilometers from the future earthquake hypocenter. These observations suggest that the Gorkha earthquake was preceded by a pre-seismic phase related to a potential initiation of a slow slip with fluids implicated at the northwestern boundary of the rupture zone.
Increase in PEG-asparaginase clearance as a predictor for inactivation in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Albertsen Birgitte , Dam Merete , Centanni Maddalena , Friberg Lena , Centanni Daniel , Karlsson Mats , Lynggaard Line Stensig , Johannsdottir Inga Maria , Wik Hilde , Malmros Johan , Vaitkeviciene Goda , Griskevicius Laimonas , Hallböök Helene , Jonsson Olafur , Overgaard Ulrik , Schmiegelow Kjeld , Nygaard Stefan , Heyman Mats
Published: November 2023

Asparaginase is an essential component of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy, yet its associated toxicities often lead to treatment discontinuation, increasing the risk of relapse. Hypersensitivity reactions include clinical allergies, silent inactivation, or allergy-like responses. We hypothesized that even moderate increases in asparaginase clearance are related to later inactivation. We therefore explored mandatory monitoring of asparaginase enzyme activity (AEA) in patients with ALL aged 1–45 years treated according to the ALLTogether pilot protocol in the Nordic and Baltic countries to relate mean AEA to inactivation, to build a pharmacokinetic model to better characterize the pharmacokinetics of PEG-asparaginase and assess whether an increased clearance relates to subsequent inactivation. The study analysed 1 631 real-time AEA samples from 253 patients, identifying inactivation in 18.2% of the patients. This inactivation presented as mild allergy (28.3%), severe allergy (50.0%), or silent inactivation (21.7%). A pharmacokinetic transit compartment model was used to describe AEA-time profiles, revealing that 93% of patients with inactivation exhibited prior increased clearance, whereas 86% of patients without hypersensitivity maintained stable clearance throughout asparaginase treatment. These findings enable prediction of inactivation and options for either dose increments or a shift to alternative asparaginase formulations to optimize ALL treatment strategies.
Application of AZ compound as a bio-desalination and a bio-treatment of saline wastewater
Authors: Marei Eman M.
Published: November 2023

This study aims to investigate the ability of *AZ-1 compound as a biological compound to treat saline wastewater as a new technique to bio-desalination and bio-treatment of saline wastewater. The bio-treatment experimental work of collected saline wastewater samples showed that, the percentages of removal rate were found to be 81.10% for biological oxygen demand (BOD), 83.22% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), 45.71% for ammonia nitrogen and 95.77% for phosphate due to using 1 compound. As a result of using 1 compound high bio-removal of different heavy metals were found to reach 80.7% for Al ion, 70.6% for Fe ion, 64.5% for Mn ion, 61.5% B ion, 80.4% V ion and Zn 58.1% ion was achieved after 24 hrs. Moreover, higher reduction in percentage of total dissolved solids (TDS) up to 45.00% was recorded after 24 hrs. due to application of 1 compound. * AZ compound is a biological compound, safe for the environment and economical in cost. This compound is now under international registration.
Magnetotelluric sampling theorem
Authors: Utada Hisashi , Rung-Arunwan Tawat , Siripunvaraporn Weerachai
Published: November 2023

We consider a general case of an Magnetotelluric (MT) study to reveal threedimensional (3-D) distribution of the electrical conductivity within the Earth based on measurements of electromagnetic (EM) fields by a two-dimensional (2-D) array. Such an MT array observation can be regarded as a spatially discrete sampling of the MT responses (impedances), and each observation site can be regarded as a sampling point. This means that MT array measurements must follow the Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem. This paper discusses how the sampling theorem is applied to MT array studies and what kinds of consideration is required in the application on the basis of synthetic model calculations, with special attention to spatial resolutions. With an aid of the EM scattering theory and the sampling theorem, we can show that an observation array resolves some features of the MT impedance but does not others. We call the resolvable and unresolvable features the MT signal and noise, respectively. This study introduces the spatial Fourier transform of array MT data (impedances) which helps us investigating effects of lateral heterogeneity from a different angle (in the wavenumber domain). Shallow heterogeneities cause a sharp spatial change of impedance elements near structural boundaries. High wavenumber Fourier components are required to describe such a sharp boundary, which means the site spacing has to be sufficiently short to resolve such features. Otherwise, a set of array MT data will suffer from aliasing, which is one of the typical causes of MT distortion (MT geologic noise). It is shown by synthetic modelling study why MT imaging using heavily distorted impedances is difficult. A signal due to a deep-seated conductivity anomaly will have more reduced amplitude at higher wavenumbers, which means focused imaging of such an anomaly is generally difficult. Finally, it is suggested to properly consider the sampling theorem in an observation array design so as to have best performance in resolving MT signals.
Optimal Design for Flax and Glass Fibre-Reinforced Hybrid Composites
Authors: Dong Chensong
Published: November 2023

This paper presents a study on the optimal design for the hybrid composite reinforced by random flax and woven glass fibre fabrics under flexural loading. The flexural properties are evaluated through Finite Element Analysis (FEA)-based simulation. Using the data from FEA-based simulation, regression models are developed to establish the correlation between the flexural strength and the fibre volume fractions. Subsequently, multi-objective optimisation is conducted using the developed regression models, with the primary objectives of minimising both cost and weight while adhering to the constraint of maintaining the minimum required flexural strength.
Determination of cortisol cut-off limits and steroid dynamics in ACTH stimulation (Synacthen®) test: A comparative analysis using Roche Elecsys Cortisol II immunoassay and LC-MS/MS
Authors: Okutan Sema , Jørgensen Nanna Thurmann , Pedersen Lars Engers , Borresen Stina Willemoes , Hilsted Linda , Hansen Lennart Friis , Feldt-Rasmussen Ulla , Klose Marianne
Published: November 2023

Purpose
Measurement of cortisol concentrations is method dependent. Therefore, assay-specific cut-off limits for the definition of e.g., adrenal insufficiency should be available. The study aimed to establish assay-specific cut-off limits for cortisol after adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation, comparing Roche Elecsys Cortisol II immunoassay to liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
Methods
One hundred healthy participants underwent a ACTH test (250 µg), with plasma samples analyzed using ElecsysCort I, ElecsysCort II, and LC-MS/MS. Cortisone, corticosterone, 17-OH-progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), androstenedione, and testosterone were additionally analyzed with LC-MS/MS. Reference intervals were defined as the 2.5-97.5th percentiles, while the cut-off limit for a normal cortisol response to the ACTH test was defined as: 2.5th percentile − 1.96×SE.
Results
ElecsysCort II measured cortisol concentrations 21% (95% CI: 19–22%) lower than ElecsysCort I. Cut-off limits for cortisol 30 and 60 minutes after ACTH were 426 and 485 nmol/L (ElecsysCort II) and 411 and 470 nmol/L (LC-MS/MS). The ACTH test resulted in significantly higher plasma corticosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and 17-OH-progesterone concentrations but decreased cortisone concentrations in both sexes. Testosterone decreased significantly in men (1.9 nmol/L, 95% CI: 1.3–2.5) but increased in women.
Conclusion
ElecsysCort II has high analytical performance and yields significantly lower cortisol concentrations than prior polyclonal immunoassays. This clinically relevant difference underscores the necessity to revise cut-offs for improved diagnostic precision. Recommended 30-minute cortisol cutoff limits are 411 nmol/L (LC-MS/MS) and 426 nmol/L (ElecsysCort II). Adrenocortical steroids increased upon ACTH stimulation, except for cortisone in both sexes and testosterone in men, both of which decreased.
Discovering Cure Hub Genes of Chromophobe Cell Renal Carcinoma Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and the Cure Defective Models
Authors: Ahmadian Maryam , molavi zahra , Baghestani Ahmad Reza , maboudi Ali Akbar
Published: November 2023

methods
WGCNA for gene network analysis and the 3-parameter defective Gompertz model to pinpoint therapeutic genes. Through WGCNA, we identified six key modules linked to various aspects of cancer progression and survival. Hub genes, important players in cellular interactions, were identified using network analysis. Using survival analysis, we detected genes associated with patient survival (SRGs) and genes linked to successful treatment outcomes (CSRGs) in RCC. Among the hub genes found using both survival methods, ten were commonly identified by the defective 3-parameter Gompertz and Cox models. Notably, six genes (NCAPG, TTK, DLGAP5, TOP2A, BUB1B, and BUB1) stood out with strong predictive values. Additionally, the defective Gompertz model highlighted six genes (TTK, KIF20A, DLGAP5, BUB1, AURKB, and CDC45) that significantly impacted the cure rate when their expression was at its highest. This suggests that targeting these genes might hold promise for improving RCC treatment outcomes. The hub genes identified also hold potential for predicting patient prognosis and aiding in diagnosis. Our study provides insights into RCC's molecular underpinnings and emphasizes the potential of the defective 3-parameter Gompertz model in guiding targeted therapeutic approaches.
Cardiac fibroblasts pyroptosis mediated by NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD-N pyroptotic pathway produces CXCL4 via Wnt/β-Catenin signaling and induces cardiac fibrosis
Authors: Wei Jing , Peng Ming yu , Wang Sai nan , Tan Jia jia , Lu Hongxiang
Published: November 2023

Severe myocarditis is often accompanied by cardiac fibrosis, but the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammation, closely related to apoptosis pyroptosis, participates in the development of myocarditis. Inhibiting pyroptosis mediated by NLRP3 inflammasome can reduce cardiac fibrosis, although its exact mechanism remains unknown. In this study, we induced Viral myocarditis (VMC) via infection of CVB3 to explore the relationship between pyroptosis and fibrosis. Our results showed that intraperitoneal injection of an NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 or use of NLRP3−/−mice inhibited cardiac pyroptosis mediated by NLRP3 inflammasome in VMC. CXCL4 is a chemokine that has been reported to have pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic functions. In VMC, we further found that pyroptosis of Mouse myocardial fibroblasts (MCF) promoted the secretion of CXCL4 by activating Wnt/β-Catenin signaling. Subsequently, the transcriptome sequencing data showed that CXCL4 could promote cardiac fibrosis by activating PI3K/AKT pathway. In summary, infection of CVB3 induced host oxidative stress to further activate the NLRP3 inflammasome and ultimately lead to heart pyroptosis, in which MCF secreted CXCL4 by activating Wnt/β-Catenin signaling and CXCL4 participated in cardiac fibrosis by activating PI3K/AKT pathway. Therefore, our findings revealed the role of CXCL4 in VMC and unveiled its underlying mechanism. CXCL4 appears to be a potential target for the treatment of VMC.
Dissecting the Impact of the Gut Microbiome on Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Jain Rakesh , Hadjigeorgiou Andreas , Harkos Constantinos , Mishra Aditya , Morad Golnaz , Johnson Sarah , Ajami Nadim , Wargo Jennifer , Munn Lance , Stylianopoulos Triantafyllos
Published: November 2023

The gut microbiome has emerged as a key regulator of response to cancer immunotherapy. However, there is a gap in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms by which the microbiome influences immunotherapy. To this end, we developed a mathematical model based on i) gut microbiome data derived from preclinical studies on melanomas after fecal microbiota transplant, ii) mechanistic modeling of antitumor immune response, and iii) robust association analysis of murine and human microbiome profiles with model-predicted immune profiles. Using our model, we could distill the complexity of these murine and human studies on microbiome modulation in terms of just two model parameters: the activation and killing rate constants of immune cells. We further investigated associations between specific bacterial taxonomies and antitumor immunity and immunotherapy efficacy. This model can guide the design of studies to refine and validate mechanistic links between the microbiome and immune system.
Supraphysiological glutamine as a means of depleting intracellular amino acids to enhance pancreatic cancer chemosensitivity
Authors: Muranaka Hayato , Billet Sandrine , Cruz-Hernández Carlos , Hoeve Johanna ten , Gonzales Gabrielle , Elmadbouh Omer , Zhang Le , Smith Bethany , Tighiouart Mourad , You Sungyong , Edderkaoui Mouad , Hendifar Andrew , Pandol Stephen , Gong Jun , Bhowmick Neil
Published: November 2023

Limited efficacy of systemic therapy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients contributes to high mortality. Cancer cells develop strategies to secure nutrients in nutrient-deprived conditions and chemotherapy treatment. Despite the dependency of PDAC on glutamine (Gln) for growth and survival, strategies designed to suppress Gln metabolism have limited effects. Here, we demonstrated that supraphysiological concentrations of glutamine (SPG) could produce paradoxical responses leading to tumor growth inhibition alone and in combination with chemotherapy. Integrated metabolic and transcriptomic analysis revealed that the growth inhibitory effect of SPG was the result of a decrease in intracellular amino acid and nucleotide pools. Mechanistically, disruption of the sodium gradient, plasma membrane depolarization, and competitive inhibition of amino acid transport mediated amino acid deprivation. Among standard chemotherapies given to PDAC patients, gemcitabine treatment resulted in a significant enrichment of amino acid and nucleoside pools, exposing a metabolic vulnerability to SPG-induced metabolic alterations. Further analysis highlighted a superior anticancer effect of D-glutamine, a non-metabolizable enantiomer of the L-glutamine, by suppressing both amino acid uptake and glutaminolysis, in gemcitabine-treated preclinical models with no apparent toxicity. Our study suggests supraphysiological glutamine could be a means of inhibiting amino acid uptake and nucleotide biosynthesis, potentiating gemcitabine sensitivity in PDAC.
A 16SrDNA-based study of intestinal flora in elderly hospitalized patients with chronic functional constipation
Authors: Xian Xuejiao , Liu Jinjing , Yang Hongjun , Liu Jie , He Guirong
Published: November 2023

Objective To investigate the effects of structural characteristics of intestinal flora and species variability in elderly inpatients with chronic functional constipation.
Methods Thirty elderly inpatients with chronic functional constipation and 30 elderly inpatients with non-chronic functional constipation were collected and analyzed by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology to compare the changes in the composition and diversity of intestinal flora in the stools of elderly inpatients with chronic functional constipation and controls. The results showed that the abundance and diversity of Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. in elderly patients varied greatly among individuals. The abundance of Bacillus spp., Treponema spp., Bacillus spp. and Green Bacillus spp. was significantly higher in non-chronic functional constipation groups(IT)than chronic functional constipation groups(PIT), and the abundance of Proteus spp. decreased in chronic functional constipation groups(PIT), but there was no statistical difference. At the genus level, the 2 dominant genera in IT and PITwere Bifidobacterium spp. and Enterobacter spp. In ITgroup, Lactococcus spp., Clostridium tumefaciens spp., Narrowly-nourished Aeromonas spp., Glycomonas spp., Bacillus spp., Anaerobes spp. and Sphingomonas spp. were significantly up-regulated; Pseudomonas spp. 9, Clostridium spp. and Sporobacterium spp. were significantly down-regulated.
Conclusion: The intestinal flora of the non-chronic functional constipation groups(IT) than chronic functional constipation groups(PIT) had both commonality and relative specificity, and there was a correlation between probiotic treatment and the change in the composition and structure of intestinal flora, and the change in the composition and abundance of intestinal flora may be one of the effective ways to treat chronic constipation.
Fast and lightweight automatic lithology recognition based on efficient vision transformer network
Authors: Guo Yan , Li Zhuowu , Liu Fujiang , Lin Weihua , Liu Hongchen , Shao Quansen , Zhang Dexiong , Liang Weichao , Su Junshun , Gao Qiankai
Published: November 2023

Traditional lithology classification methods require the expertise of appraisers and a variety of complex measuring instruments, are easily influenced by staff experience, and are excessively labor-intensive. In order to solve the previous problems, some studies have utilized rock images and intelligent algorithms to automatically recognize rocks. However, the models for automatic lithology recognition rely on more powerful devices and cannot be applied to most edge lightweight devices. To address this problem, we deeply extend our previous research work and, based on the previous training framework, propose an automatic lithology identification method (Rock-ConViT) based on an efficient visual converter, and design and implement the training and application flow framework of the method, which requires less than 720MB of device memory and 1.6GB of graphics memory, with an accuracy rate of 94.75%.
Nursing Professionalism in Childcare: A Scoping Review
Authors: Lesao Dibolelo Adeline , Rabie Tinda , Lubbe Welma , Scholtz Suegnet
Published: November 2023

Background
Professionalism is a concept described with various attributes that require actions in the clinical practice environments for improvement. It is anticipated that formal training of professional nurses validates their nursing professionalism attributes and their ability to render quality care to the neonates, infants and under-5 children. The mortality rates of neonates, infants and under-5 children are high in the care of professional nurses who acquired the eight nursing professionalism attributes of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, namely: knowledge, spirit of inquiry, accountability, autonomy, advocacy, innovation and visionary, collegiality and collaboration, ethics and values.
Methods
This study aimed to review the available evidence on nursing professionalism attributes that professional nurses require to provide quality care to neonates, infants and under-5 child care. A scoping literature review was conducted on Cochrane, EBSCOhost and Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest and Scopus databases. The keywords combination used was (nurse professionalism) AND (pediatric care) (nurse professionalism or nursing as a profession) AND (paediatric or pediatric or children or child or infant or young person) identify studies in the past ten years.
Results
The search yielded (n = 1732), of which seven studies were included. Three studies were conducted in Europe, two in the United States, one in Korea, and one was a narrative review. The settings were hospitals and palliative care. The five themes and respective sub-themes that emerged from the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario are knowledge, accountability, advocacy, collegiality and collaboration, ethics and values. Three themes namely: spirit of enquiry, autonomy, innovation and visionary did not emerge.
Conclusion
Seven studies were identified for the review, and five out of eight themes of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario that characterise nursing professionalism emerged. There were no studies published in the African and primary health care context on professionalism attributes of professional nurses to provide quality nursing care to neonates, infants and under-5 children. All the emerging themes emphasised the need for PNs to be trained in professionalism attributes as the foundation for providing quality nursing care to this population.
Economic Evaluation of AI-Enabled Glaucoma Screening: A Dominant Strategy for Improved Health Outcomes and Cost Savings
Authors: Felizzi Federico , Stalmans Ingeborg , Pinto Luis Abegão
Published: November 2023

Objective:
Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, necessitates early detection and appropriate management to prevent visual impairment. While previous studies examining the benefits of routine glaucoma screening have produced divergent results, this research proposes a novel approach leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to address the limitations of existing methods.
Methods:
We constructed a Markov model, explicitly accounting for bottlenecks in glaucoma specialist visits, which can impact disease progression due to prolonged waiting times. Data from a reputable glaucoma specialist clinic was used, including 10-year costs for routine tests, AI screening, and glaucoma treatment. The analysis compared the costs and health outcomes of AI-enabled glaucoma screening and monitoring to conventional case finding and follow-up.
Results:
Our results indicate a substantial difference in total costs between AI and human-driven screening and monitoring over the 10-year observation period, with AI leading to financial savings of EUR 2602. Additionally, AI adoption reduced the risk of glaucoma development by 14% and the risk of unilateral or bilateral blindness by 4.6%.
Conclusions:
AI-enabled glaucoma screening emerges as a dominant strategy, exhibiting both financial benefits for healthcare systems and improved health outcomes for patients. By overcoming the inefficiencies of conventional approaches and addressing glaucoma-related challenges, AI technology holds the potential to revolutionize glaucoma care, improving patient well-being, and reducing the burden of disease. Despite limitations in explicitly modelling glaucoma progression and combining visual impaired states, sensitivity analyses consistently demonstrated cost reduction and decreased the risk of visual impairment with AI implementation.
Numerical simulation of tailings dam failure based on the TDB_S model and application examples
Authors: Sui Jiaheng , Ren Jie , Cheng Heng , Lei Yanan , Shi Jihui , Nan Shenghao
Published: November 2023

Tailings ponds are generally highly potential risk of dam failure. At present, the numerical model of tailings dam failure is not targeted, is not accurate enough, and the research on the dam failure mechanism is insufficient. For these reasons, in this paper, the TDB_S tailings dam failure numerical model is proposed, and together with three other common dam failure models, it is applied to analyze 18 tailings dam failure cases. The study results show that, the numerical model of tailings dam failure established in this paper can be used to better predict the final breach time and final breach area in most cases, and better predict the flow rate value under the premise of guaranteeing the accuracy of the time. The sensitivity analysis results show that, the dam material erosion coefficient kd exerts a significant effect on the peak flow rate of the breach and its occurrence moment.
Impact of Different Types of Social Support on the Health of Rural Chinese Residents: Based on the data of the 2020 China Family Panel Studies
Authors: Yu Hui , Yu Si-yuan , Lin Xin-hao , Wu Dan , Pei Tong , Meng Xue-hui
Published: November 2023

Background
The correlation between residents’ health level and social support has been confirmed by most studies, most of which were conducted in elderly adults. Less attention has been paid to whether social support affects the health status of rural residents. Improving the health level of rural residents has been a research priority by the government, society, and scholars. This study aimed to explore the impact of different types of social support on the health level of rural residents in China, and provide theoretical support and practical suggestions for promoting the health level of rural residents.
Methods
Based on the data of the 2020 China Family Panel Studies, 5185 rural residents in China were selected to measure the impact of different types of social support on the health of rural residents using residents’ self-rated health status, formal and informal social support variables, and residents’ demographic-related characteristic factors.
Results
Among the 5185 rural residents, 1351 (26.06%) had formal social support, and 3834 (73.94%) did not. There were 2825 (54.48%) residents with informal social support and 2360 (45.52%) without informal social support. The unmatched results showed no significant effect on the health status of rural residents with or without formal social support (P > 0.05). The health level of rural residents with informal social support was 29.74% higher than that of rural residents without informal social support. After matching the propensity scores of demographic factors, formal social support had no significant effect on the health of rural residents (P > 0.05), and the influence of informal social support on the health of rural residents was significant (P < 0.01).
Conclusions
The health level of rural residents is affected by the presence or absence of informal social support rather than by the presence or absence of formal social support, and rural residents with informal social support have a higher level of health. When improving the health status of rural residents, the government should focus on increasing the level of informal social support of rural residents to continuously improve the health of rural residents.
Auxiliary feature extractor and dual attention based image captioning
Authors: Zhao Qian , Wu Guichang
Published: November 2023

Currently, most image caption generation models use object features output from pre-trained detectors as input for multimodal learning of images and text. However, such downscaled object features are unable to capture the global con-textual relationships of an image, leading to information loss and limitations in semantic understanding. In addition, relying on a single object feature extraction framework limits the accuracy of feature extraction, resulting in the inaccurate descriptive sentences. In order to solve the above mentioned problems, we propose the Feature-Augmented (FA) module, which forms the front-end part of the encoder architecture. This module uses a multimodal pre-trained model CLIP (Contrastive Language-Image Pre-training) as an auxiliary feature extrac-tor, which enhances the image descriptive capability by utilizing the extracted rich semantic features as a complement to the missing information such as scene and object relations, so as to better encode the information necessary for the captioning task. In addition, we add channel attention to the self-attention in the encoder structure, compressing the spatial dimensions of the feature map to allow the model to concentrate on more valuable information. We validate the effectiveness of our proposed method on datasets such as MS-COCO, analyze the components and importance of our model, and demonstrate a marked increase in performance compared to other state-of-the-art models.
ACT001 inhibits the proliferation of tumor cells and improves immune function in multiple myeloma.
Authors: Liu Zhaoyun , Zhang Yunhe , Ma Junlan , Liu Hui , Ding Kai , Song Jia , Fu Rong
Published: November 2023

Background
ACT001 has strong anti-tumour and immune checkpoint modulating properties. Due to the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, it has been widely used in glioma research and subjected to international phase 2-3 clinical trials.The possible roles and mechanisms of ACT001 in haematological malignancies, especially multiple myeloma, have not yet been determined.
Methods
We first examined the effect of ACT001 on the apoptotic proliferation of myeloma cells and also verified the associated pathway proteins. Next, CD3+ T cells and NK cells from mononuclear cell of bone marrow of healthy individuals and myeloma patients were sorted and co-cultured with myeloma cell lines in vitro. Changes in immune cell function and activity in the co-culture system were detected by drug addition.
Results
ACT001 promotes multiple myeloma cell apoptosis through the STAT3/BcL2 pathway and inhibits multiple myeloma cell proliferative activity through the NF-κB pathway. At the same time, the introduction of ACT001 into the culture system increased the cytotoxicity of immune cells and enhanced the activation of antibodies on the surface of natural killer cells, resulting in more tumour cell death
Conclusion
In this study, we found that ACT001 inhibited the activity of myeloma cells while enhancing the immune function of myeloma patients, suggesting that ACT001 is a small molecule drug with great clinical promise.
Not one but two invasions of the Atlantic Ocean from the Indo-Pacific: Genetic and morphologic study of the slug genus Vayssierea Risbec, 1928 (Mollusca, Nudibranchia)
Authors: Miralda Carla Canet , Moles Juan
Published: November 2023

Vayssierea is an understudied nudibranch genus characterized by its orange colouration and small size of up to 5 mm long. There are four described species so far, distributed in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Here, individuals of Vayssierea have been recorded for the first time in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the Canary Islands (Spain). This study aims to evaluate the systematic and taxonomy status, and distribution of the genus through a multilocus phylogenetic analysis and a morphological and radular analysis. Phylogenetic results show the monophyly of the genus, with a particularly long branch that may represent its fast evolutionary rate compared to its counterparts. The systematics of the genus are clarified, and we provide evidence that Vayssierea is included in the new subfamily Okadaiinae stat. nov. within Polyceridae. According to the species delimitation test, four different species have been sequenced from Russia to Australia in the Indo-Pacific plus our records from the Atlantic, but more information is needed to identify them. Nevertheless, our specimens from the Canary Islands correspond to two different species, one identical to the Australian species. Bearing in mind they lack a planktonic larval phase, we hypothesize that they have arrived by shipping transportation or aquarium releases, becoming an invasive species of the Atlantic Ocean.
Feasibility study of low-dose CT technology for maxillofacial bone 3D printing in skeletal class III malocclusion
Authors: Li Guan , Chen Wei , Shao Yang , Miao Qian , Wang Jinbao , Zhang Bing
Published: November 2023

Background
Skeletal class III malocclusion is one of the most common dental and maxillofacial malformations. Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has become widely applied in orthopaedics. The CT radiation dose experienced during the acquisition of data sources for 3D printing is a growing concern. This study explored the feasibility of low-dose CT technology in maxillofacial bone 3D printing and the clinical value of maxillofacial bone 3D printing in class III malocclusion.
Methods
Ninety patients with class III malocclusion who planned to undergo maxillofacial bone 3D printing and 3D-CT were prospectively enrolled and randomly divided into conventional CT dose 3D printing group (Group A, n = 28), low CT dose 3D printing group (Group B, n = 32) and 3D-CT control group (Group C, n = 30). A 4-point scale was adopted to evaluate the quality of maxillofacial bone 3D printing, and a Likert-scale questionnaire was used to assess its clinical value.
Results
No significant differences were observed in general demographic characteristics between Groups A, B and C. The radiation dose in Group B (0.3 mSv) was reduced by approximately 63% compared with that in Group A (0.8 mSv), and there were no significant differences between Groups A and B in 3D printing quality indexes (includes to clarity, integrity, accuracy or artefacts) (all P > 0.05). There were significantly higher subjective scores for the clinical value of maxillofacial bone 3D printing than for 3D-CT in diagnosing and classifying, formulating the surgical plan, simulating the surgical process and predicting postoperative recovery (all P < 0.05).
Conclusions
Low-dose CT technology can be effectively applied for maxillofacial bone 3D printing, reducing the radiation dose without affecting the 3D printing quality. Maxillofacial bone 3D printing technology is superior to 3D-CT in class III malformations.
Molecular and entomological surveillance of malaria vectors in urban and rural communities of Benguela Province, Angola
Authors: Alves Gonçalo , Troco Arlete Dina , Seixas Gonçalo , Pabst Rebecca , Francisco Alfredo , Pedro Cani , Garcia Luzala , Martins José Franco , Lopes Sérgio
Published: November 2023

Background: Malaria is a major public health problem in Angola, with Anopheles gambiae s.l. and An. funestus s.l. being the primary vectors. This study aimed to clarify the information gaps concerning the abundance, geographical dispersion, blood feeding patterns, and insecticide resistance of local Anopheles spp. populations using molecular methods to identify sibling species, the origin of blood meals, Plasmodium falciparuminfection rates, and the presence of knockdown resistance (kdr) mutations.
Methods: Adult mosquitoes were collected indoors using CDC light traps from nine randomly selected households at two sentinel sites with distinct ecological characteristics. The samples were collected from 1 February to 30 June 2022. Anopheles mosquitoes were morphologically identified and subjected to molecular identification. Unfed Anopheles females were tested for the presence of Plasmodium falciparum DNA in head and thorax, and engorged females were screened for the source of the blood-meals. Additionally, members of An. gambiae complex were genotyped for the presence of the L1014F and L1014S kdr mutations.
Results: In total, 2,226 adult mosquitoes were collected, including 733 Anopheles females. Molecular identification revealed the presence of Anopheles coluzzi, An. gambiae s.s., An. arabiensis, and An. funestus s.s. Notably, there was the first record of An. coluzzi/An. gambiae s.s. hybrid and An. vaneedeni in Benguela province. Plasmodium falciparuminfection rates for Anopheles coluzzii at the urban sentinel site and Anopheles funestus s.s. at the rural site were 23.1% and 5.7%, respectively. The L1014F kdr mutation was discovered in both resistant and susceptible An. coluzzii mosquitoes, while the L1014S mutation was detected in An. gambiae s.s. for the first time in Benguela province. No kdr mutations were found in the An. arabiensis.
Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the molecular characteristics of malaria vectors from the province of Benguela, emphasising the need for continuous surveillance of local Anophelespopulations regarding the establishment of both kdr mutations for tailoring vector control interventions.
Does Desmopressin Impact Lateralization in Bilateral Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling?
Authors: Erkan Buruc , Cil Mehmet Said , Cingoz Mehmet , Burhan Sebnem , Aksoy Seyma , Yuzkan Sabahattin , Akpinar Ebubekir , Tanriverdi Osman , Kocak Burak , Cakır Ilkay , Ciftci Sema , Ozturk Feyza Yener , Gunaldi Omur , Altuntas Yuksel , Hatipoglu Esra Suheda
Published: November 2023

Purpose
Bilateral inferior petrosal sinus sampling (BIPSS) is considered the gold standard method for localizing the source of Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)-dependent Cushing's Syndrome (CS). While Corticotropin-releasing Hormone (CRH) was initially used as the primary stimulant for this procedure, Desmopressin has become a more common alternative. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of Desmopressin stimulation in BIPSS for cases of ACTH-dependent CS in comparison to CRH stimulation.
Methods
This study included a total of 25 individuals diagnosed with ACTH-dependent CS who underwent BIPSS and subsequently confirmed the diagnosis after endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal pituitary surgery (EETPS). Of these participants, 15 were subjected to BIPSS with CRH stimulation, while the remaining 10 received Desmopressin stimulation. Comparative analysis was performed to assess the results obtained from these two groups.
Results
The overall sensitivity and specificity of Bilateral Inferior Petrosal Sinus Sampling (BIPSS) were both 100%. When utilizing CRH stimulation, the sensitivity and specificity of the procedure remained at 100%. Sensitivity with Desmopressin stimulation was also 100%; however, the specificity for the desmopressin group could not be calculated as none of the cases had a non-pituitary source. BIPSS demonstrated accurate lateralization in 74% of the cases. In contrast, the accuracy of lateralization with CRH stimulation was 58%, while it reached 100% after Desmopressin stimulation (p = 0.04).
Conclusion
The accuracy of Desmopressin and CRH stimulation in BIPSS for distinguishing ACTH-dependent CS is comparable. Furthermore, Desmopressin may enhance the precision of BIPSS lateralization.
KXH 3 (X = Ca, Sc, Ti, Ni) Hydride Perovskites: A DFT Study for Physical Properties and Hydrogen Storage Capability
Authors: Rehman Muhammad Awais , Rehman Zia ur , Usman Muhammad , Farrukh Usama , Ahmad Naushad , Ahmad Tehreem , Hamad Abu
Published: November 2023

The present study has been performed with the help of density functional theory to investigate structural, electronic, hydrogen storage, mechanical, thermal, and optical properties of KXH3 (X = Ca, Sc, Ti, & Ni) hydride perovskites. The lattice parameters are calculated by using the GGA-PBE functional and are found as 4.482 Å, 4.154 Å, 3.974 Å, and 3.686 Å for KCaH3, KScH3, KTiH3, and KNiH3, respectively. The electronic properties reveal that all the materials exhibit metallic behavior except KCaH3, which shows a semiconducting behavior. The population analysis suggests these compounds can store hydrogen due to their strong bonds and long bond lengths. The dynamic and mechanical stability predict that studied materials can be experimentally synthesized as the materials are thermodynamically and mechanically stable. The gravimetric ratio of hydrogen storage capacities has been calculated as 3.646 wt%, 3.452 wt%, 3.346 wt%, and 3.005 wt% for KCaH3, KScH3, KTiH3, and KNiH3, respectively. The calculated temperatures for hydrogen desorption are as follows: 442.40 K for KCaH3, 518.68 K for KScH3, 592.47 K for KTiH3, and 614.82 K for KNiH3, the formation energy was analyzed in the range − 57.822 to -80.358 KJ/mol.H2. These parameters suggest that all the materials are capable of hydrogen storage applications.