bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Barriers to inclusive education of children with autism: Ghanaian teachers’ perspective
Authors: Senoo Eyram , Oti-Boadi Mabel , Senoo-Dogbey Efua , Bampoe Ohenewa , Laari Luke
Published: July 2024

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental condition, has become a major concern for both developed and underdeveloped countries since the condition is associated with significant caregiver, family, and financial burdens. Approaches to educating these children, especially in their preschool years, are burdensome and demanding for both parents and teachers. Although it is recommended that children with ASD receive inclusive, age-appropriate education in mainstream school settings, there are barriers in Ghana. This study explored barriers faced by preschool teachers in implementing and adhering to inclusive education for children with ASD.
Methods: The study employed an exploratory descriptive qualitative design to sample 17 participants in the Greater Accra Region using a purposive sampling technique. Data was collected through an in-depth virtual interview and analyzed using content analysis.
Results:The study identified inadequate parental cooperation, poor ASD knowledge of the teachers, socio-cultural and political issues, and a lack of collaboration with other professionals as major barriers thwarting the success of inclusive education for children with ASD in Ghana.
Conclusion: These barriers affect effective and successful adherence to inclusive education for children with ASD, and as such, we recommend orientation and special training for teachers, the provision of resources for effective child inclusion, and the creation of ASD awareness during the training of pre-school teachers.
The elicitation of early defence responses and improvement of disease resistance in oil palm by extracellular proteins from Ganoderma boninense
Authors: Hamid Sathyapriya , Abdullah Siti Nor Akmar , Ho Chai-Ling , Wong Mui-Yun
Published: July 2024

Ganoderma boninense, a basidiomycete that causes basal stem rot (BSR) disease, threatens oil palm production and causes significant economic losses. An eco-friendly alternative to chemical BSR management is needed. This study investigated the impact of the extracellular protein sample from G. boninense on early defence responses and disease resistance in oil palm using histochemical, biochemical, and molecular approaches. The extracellular protein sample caused hypersensitive response (HR)-associated cell death, leading to rapid necrosis, and induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in oil palm leaf sections at 24 h post infiltration. Cell death was confirmed by trypan blue staining, and increased superoxide anion radicals and hydrogen peroxide were detected using nitroblue tetrazolium and 3′–3′ diaminobenzidine staining, respectively. The extracellular protein sample significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and guaiacol peroxidase (GPx) in the roots. The SOD and GPx activities were greater than 100 U mg− 1 FW and 16 U mg− 1 protein, respectively, at 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours post treatment (hpt). Additionally, respiratory burst oxidase homolog B (RbohB) expression increased 2.5-fold in treated roots at 12 hpt, indicating ROS accumulation and supporting HR induction by the extracellular protein sample. In a greenhouse trial, the application of the extracellular protein sample led to a 71.43% reduction in BSR incidence in oil palm nine months after inoculation. These findings demonstrate the potential of using extracellular protein sample from G. boninense as an effective and eco-friendly BSR management tool.
Loss of Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 confers inflammation via dysregulation of Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells
Authors: McPhail Darius K. , Alzahrani Mohammad A.M. , Martin Katie R. , Calver Brian L. , Harwood Adrian J. , MacKeigan Jeffrey P. , Davies David M. , Tee Andrew R.
Published: July 2024

Background
Aberrant activation of mTORC1 is clearly defined in TSC, causing uncontrolled cell growth. While mTORC1 inhibitors show efficacy to stabilise tumour growth in TSC, they are not fully curative. Disease facets of TSC that are not restored with mTOR inhibitors might involve NF-κB. The study aimed to characterise NF-κB in the context of TSC.
Results
Enrichment of NF-κB-regulated genes was observed in TSC patient tumours, SEN/SEGAs, cortical tubers and a TSC tumour-derived cell line (621 − 101). Highlighting an inflammatory component of TSC, TSC cell models showed an elevated level of NF-κB and STAT3 activation. Herein, we report a dysregulated inflammatory phenotype of TSC2-deficient cells where NF-κB promotes autocrine signalling involving IL-6. Of importance, mTORC1 inhibition does not block this inflammatory signal to promote STAT3, while NF-κB inhibition was much more effective. Combined mTORC1 and NF-κB inhibition was potent at preventing anchorage-independent growth of TSC2-deficient cells, and unlike mTORC1 inhibition alone was sufficient to prevent colony regrowth after cessation of treatment.
Conclusion
This study reveals autocrine signalling crosstalk between NF-κB and STAT3 in TSC cell models. Furthermore, the data presented indicate that NF-κB pathway inhibitors could be a viable adjunct therapy with the current mTOR inhibitors to treat TSC.
Diagnostic value of dual-energy CT in detecting irreversible transmural intestinal necrosis in patients with acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia
Authors: Yang Jushun , Xu Zhenyu , Chen Feixiang , Wang Meirong , Fan Xiaole , He Bosheng
Published: July 2024

Background
Irreversible transmural intestinal necrosis (ITIN) is associated with high mortality rates in patients with acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia (AOMI). However, the important radiographic predictors of ITIN remain unknown. This study evaluated the diagnostic value of dual-energy CT (DECT) for ITIN in AOMI.
Methods
The cases and CT images of 102 patients with clinically diagnosed AOMI (including 48 ITIN) from January 2012 to January 2022 were retrospectively collected. The CT scans included both MDCT and DECT. Two radiologists independently completed the subjective visual assessment of CT signs related to AOMI. DECT scans the portal vein phase raw data to reconstruct a 120 kVp mixed energy image, 50 keV virtual monoenergetic imaging (VMI), and iodine map. Objective parameters, including CT values (CT 50 keV lesion, CT 50 keV normal/lesion) and iodine concentrations (IC lesion and IC normal/lesion), were quantified. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and area under the curve (AUC) values were used to evaluate the subjective/objective indicators in predicting ITIN.
Results
Regarding subjective signs, logistic regression analysis revealed reduced or absent bowel wall enhancement (odds ratio [OR] = 5.576, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.547–20.093), bowel dilation (OR = 11.613, 95% CI: 3.790–35.586), and parenchymatous organ infarction (OR = 4.727, 95% CI: 1.536–14.551) were independent risk factors for the ITIN. CT subjective signs had a high diagnostic efficacy for ITIN (AUC = 0.853). The two DECT objective parameters also exhibited excellent diagnostic value for ITIN, with an AUC of 0.79, a CT cutoff value of CT 50keV normal/lesion = 2.81, and an AUC of 0.777 with a cut-off value of IC normal/lesion = 2.39. Importantly, the Delong test showed that there was no significant difference in the efficacy of subjective CT signs and objective DECT parameters (p > 0.05), indicating that the two objective parameters could replace CT signs in predicting ITIN. Furthermore, we observed that IC normal/lesion combined with subjective signs (bowel dilation and parenchymatous organ infarction) had the highest predictive performance (AUC = 0.896), sensitivity (100%), and specificity (70.83%).
Conclusion
IC normal/lesion (DECT-based features) combined with CT signs showed favorable predictive performance for ITIN in AOMI, which may help clinicians develop timely treatment strategies.
Evaluation of Intravitreal Methotrexate As Adjuvant Treatment in Patients with Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy: A Retrospective Analysis
Authors: Li Angela S. , Ponugoti Arathi , Grewal Dilraj S. , Borkar Durga , Fekrat Sharon , Chen Xi , Jaffe Glenn J. , Vajzovic Lejla
Published: July 2024

Introduction: Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a difficult-to-treat complication of retinal detachment (RD) repair. Intravitreal methotrexate (MTX) has emerged as a promising adjuvant therapy. In the GUARD trial, patients with PVR-associated detachments who received 13 injections of investigational vitreous-compatible MTX over 16 weeks had reduced risk of re-detachment compared to historical controls. We evaluated the safety and clinical outcomes of using off-label intravitreal compounded MTX in patients with PVR-associated detachments in a real-world setting.
Methods: A chart review was conducted of patients at a tertiary academic center who received at least 8 intravitreal injections of compounded MTX (0.1mL, 0.4mg) as off-label adjuvant therapy for PVR-associated RD repair. Primary outcome was re-attachment rate without additional surgical intervention at 6 months and through duration of follow up. Secondary outcomes included change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and rates of hypotony, epiretinal membrane (ERM) formation, cystoid macular edema (CME), and corneal epitheliopathy.
Results: Nineteen eyes were included (mean 11.6 injections per eye). All remained attached at 6 months under silicone oil, and 17 eyes (89.5%) remained attached over a mean follow up interval of 35 months. Of 10 eyes (52.6%) that underwent silicone oil removal, 8 (80%) remained attached. At last follow up, BCVA improved in 13 eyes (68.4%), and there were 2 eyes (10.5%) with hypotony, 10 eyes (52.6%) with ERM, 8 eyes (42.1%) with CME, and 4 eyes (21.1%) with corneal epitheliopathy.
Conclusions: Intravitreal MTX can be a safe, adjuvant therapy following repair of recurrent PVR detachment, and is associated with high re-attachment rates even when used in the real-world as off-label compounded therapy with a variable number of injections. Further study of intravitreal MTX in the treatment and prevention of PVR is indicated.
Variations of cosmic and geophysical processes and possible impact on the development of the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Schlender Tsimafei , Krasouski Aliaksandr , Zenchanka Siarhei , Zhuchkevich Veronika , Barodka Siarhei , Yarotau Aliaksei , Romanovski Valentin
Published: July 2024

The concept of planetary boundaries defines nine areas mostly affected on Earth health. One of these areas connected with the ozone layer state is responsible for ultraviolet (UV) flow reaching Earth’s surface. There is a close relationship between solar activity and geomagnetic indices and changes in polar ozone under the influence of solar radiation. This work discusses the relationship between the geomagnetic index Ap, the total ozone content as secondary indicators of solar activity, and the incidence of COVID around the world for the period from January 1, 2020, to May 1, 2021, when there were the first and second waves of the incidence of the virus. Obtained comparative analysis of geomagnetic index Ap and TO in the last solar cycle reveals that geophysical variations can foster favorable conditions for pandemics. The 25th solar cycle's peak in 2024 aligns with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, consistent with previous research. Increased GCR and UV radiation during solar cycle minima further influence Earth's conditions. The pandemic coincided with heightened solar activity after the 24th cycle's minimum and the secular maximum of GCR. Geomagnetic disturbances and reduced TO levels in both hemispheres exacerbated the COVID-19 waves, accelerating case development.
Mortality Rate and Clinical Profiles of Patients with Spine Disorders Admitted in a Tertiary Government Hospital: A 7-year Epidemiology Study
Authors: Cocjin Hansel Gould , Chiu Jan Melburgo , Tan Gladys , Valdevieso Ma. Ella Muriel
Published: July 2024

Purpose
This study aims to have a thorough understanding of the epidemiology of patients with spine disorders in our region. Specifically, to determine the demographic profiles, level of spinal disorders, type of management, and mortality rate.
Methods
This study utilized a descriptive retrospective cohort study design. The hospital database was utilized and included all patients with spine disorders from January 1, 2016-December 31, 2022. Patient records were reviewed, and data collected according to the objectives of the study.
Results
The demographic profile of 474 patients were primarily young and older adults at 31.4% and 36.3%, respectively. Majority were males at 70.3%. Traumatic spinal disorders are more common at 66.2%. The infectious type is the most common among non-traumatic disorders at 56.9%. The cervical spine is the most affected level with traumatic etiology at 56.1%. The thoracic spine is the most affected by non-traumatic etiologies at 57.5%. Among non-traumatic categories, infectious causes have the majority number of cases followed by degenerative causes and tumors at 74.7%, 70.0%, and 25.8%, respectively. Surgical management was done mostly on the traumatic spinal disorders while non-traumatic spinal disorders underwent conservative treatment at 55.1% and 72.5%, respectively. There has been a steady decrease in mortality for spinal disorders for the past 7 years. Among non-traumatic etiologies, mortality rates have a normal distribution for tumors and infections at 29.0% and 20.9%, respectively.
Conclusion
Traumatic cases show a steady decrease in mortality rate, which may indicate an improvement in the hospital’s orthopaedic spine service.
Level of Evidence:III
Endobronchial silicone stenting through tracheostomy is a life - saving technique for advanced esophageal cancer patients who present with tracheal stenosis: An institution’s experience
Authors: Van Dang Nguyen , Tien Hung Nguyen , Trung Dung Tran , Duy Manh Pham , Thi Tien Kim
Published: July 2024

Background: Patients with advanced esophageal cancer often present with airway obstruction symptoms requiring emergency intervention. At the Vietnam National Cancer Hospital (VNCH), silicone stents, typically inserted via rigid bronchoscopy, were instead effectively placed through tracheostomy, yielding positive outcomes.
Methods: From June 2019 to December 2023, 40 esophageal cancer patients with dyspnea due to tracheal blockage received airway silicone stenting by tracheostomy at the ENT Department at the VNCH.
Results: The mean age was 57.4± 9.0 years, ranging from 36 to 79 years. All patients were male (100%). Most patients had a 2-6 cm narrowing segment (87.5%). Most patients had airway stenosis due to compression (77.5%). Approximately one-third of all patients had grade I, II, or III airway stenosis, according to the Cotton-Myers classification. Intraoperatively, only 3 patients experienced hemorrhage (7.5%), which was controlled well by using bipolar coagulation forceps. Noneof the patients had serious complications, such as pneumomediastinum, actelasia, or acute respiratory failure. The only complication that occurred was mucus plugging inthe stent (30%), which was quickly resolved by draining through the tracheostomy. Most patients (92.5%) had SpO2 lower than 95% before surgery. After the procedure, all the patients had a normal SpO2 (SpO2 ≥ 95%).
Conclusion: Silicone stenting through tracheostomy in respiratory distress patients is safe, cost-effective, and valuable for the management of airway involvement in esophageal cancer patients. Our approach could be a good option for other centers to apply, especially in countries with healthcare resource constraints.
Advantages of CT Imaging in the Evaluation and Management of Distal Radius Fractures
Authors: Zhang Xin , Xu Xiaoping , Shao Weirong , Yin Yong , Zhang Yingqi , Fan Jian
Published: July 2024

Purpose To evaluate the importance of computed tomography (CT) in the assessment of distal radius fractures.
Methods Fifty distal radius fractures were randomly included in this study. In the first part, preoperative CT images were reconstructed for all patients. After reconstructing the bony structures, 50 fracture lines were plotted on standardized bony structures of the distal radius using 3-matic software. A heat map was created based on the frequency of fracture lines to investigate the overall distribution of distal radius fractures through CT image superimposition. In the second part, all patients' imaging data, including preoperative and postoperative X-rays, were compared with preoperative and postoperative CT scans. Two independent observers analyzed the data to compare the disclosure of important details and to investigate the significance of CT for individual distal radius fractures.
Results The overall pattern of fracture lines in distal radius fractures is clearly demonstrated by CT. In the distal radial epiphyseal region, an annular band with a width of 4.52 mm is located in the area of primitive epiphyseal cartilage development below the watershed. Fractures below this annular band were rare. The distribution of volar fracture lines above the annular band was significantly less than that of dorsal fracture lines, which were more concentrated around Lister's tubercle and more frequently involved the distal radial joint. For individuals, preoperative CT and reconstruction techniques revealed 100% of the fracture details, especially in assessing articular surfaces. Postoperative CT provided a more accurate assessment of distal radius fracture repositioning and fixation, such as screw implantation and penetration, and articular surface flattening. However, overall fracture parameters (radial styloid height, radial inclination, palmar tilt) were measured more clearly by X-ray than by CT.
Conclusions CT and X-rays are essential for both preoperative and postoperative evaluations of distal radius fractures. However, CT offers a more detailed understanding of fracture characteristics and serves as a more effective guide for preoperative assessment and postoperative monitoring. Therefore, CT should be used as a routine examination.
Association between Physical Health and Academic Performance in University Students
Authors: Wang Feng , Da Yingjuan , Zhou Jilan
Published: July 2024

This study investigates the relationship between physical health and academic performance among 4374 first-year students at the China University of Petroleum. Utilizing the 'National Student Physical Fitness Standard 2014 criteria, students underwent tests measuring lung capacity, sprint, long-distance run, sit and reach, standing long jump, and sit-ups. Academic performance was assessed through GPA and specific course grades. Results indicated a significant correlation between BMI, lung capacity, and long-distance running with higher academic performance (p < 0.01). Female students demonstrated better physical health scores (mean BMI: 20.79, mean GPA: 78.98) compared to males (mean BMI: 21.83, mean GPA: 77.61). Regression analysis revealed that physical fitness scores significantly impacted GPA, with a notable linear relationship (p < 0.01). These findings suggest that key physical health indicators are closely linked to academic success, highlighting the importance of integrating physical education into university curricula to enhance student performance.
A novel algorithm developed using machine learning and a J-ACCESS database can estimate defect scores from myocardial perfusion single-photon emission tomography images
Authors: Kiso Keisuke , Nakajima Kenichi , Nimura Yukitaka , Nishimura Tsunehiko
Published: July 2024

Background
Stress myocardial perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging (MPI) has been used to diagnose and predict the prognoses of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). An ongoing multicenter collaboration established a Japanese database (J-ACCESS) in 2001 that includes a risk model and expert interpretations. The present study aimed to develop a novel algorithm using machine learning (ML) and resources from the J-ACCESS database to aid SPECT image interpretation.
Methods
We analyzed data from 1,288 patients in J-ACCESS 3 and four databases. Three-dimensional (3D) stereoscopic images of left ventricular myocardial perfusion were reconstructed with linear transformation from the original short-axis data. Segments were extracted from U-Net, then features were extracted from each segment during the ML process. We estimated segmental scores based on weighted features obtained from fully connected layers. Correlations between segment scores interpreted by nuclear cardiology experts and estimated by ML were evaluated using a 17-segment model, summed stress (SSS), summed rest (SRS), and summed difference (SDS) scores, and ratios (%) of summed different scores (%SDS).
Results
The complete concordance rate of scores assessed by the experts and estimated by ML was 79.6%. The underestimated and overestimated rates were 10.3% and 10.0%, respectively. Associations between defect scores assessed by experts and ML were close, with correlation coefficients (r) of 0.923, 0.917, 0.842 and 0.853 for SSS% SRS, SDS, SDS, respectively (p < 0.0001 for all).
Conclusions
We created a new algorithm to estimate MPI scores using ML and the J-ACCESS database. This algorithm should provide accurate MPI interpretation even in facilities without specialist nuclear cardiologists, and might facilitate therapeutic decision-making and predict prognoses.
Risk Factor Analysis for the Formation of Postoperative Lower Limb Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients with Traumatic Spinal Fracture
Authors: Yang Diao , Chen Shiwen , Zhuo Can , Chen Haidan
Published: July 2024

Objective To analyze the independent risk factors for Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT) in the lower limbs of patients after traumatic spinal fractures.
Methods The clinical data of 205 patients who underwent surgical treatment for traumatic spinal fracture due to high-energy injury in our hospital from September 2021 to February 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Included patients were treated with low molecular weight heparin and mechanical prevention of DVT. Patients underwent ultrasound examination within 1 week after surgery and were divided into DVT group and non-DVT group.
Results The overall incidence of postoperative DVT was 26.9% (55/205). Proximal thrombus occurred in 3 patients (1.5%) and distal thrombus in 52 patients (25.4%). No patients developed pulmonary embolism. Binary Logistic analysis showed that age (OR= 1.120, P<0.001), D-dimer (OR=1.347, P=0.002), bed time (OR=1.313, P<0.001), hypoproteinemia (OR=14.380, P<0.001), Blood transfusion (OR=5.707, P=0.003) was an independent risk factor for postoperative DVT in patients with traumatic spinal fractures. The value of different risk factors in the diagnosis of postoperative DVT was analyzed by ROC curve. The AUC values of age, bed time, blood transfusion and hypoproteinemia were 0.734, 0.822, 0.760 and 0.777, respectively. The diagnostic value of D-dimer (AUC value =0.884) was the highest among these risk factors. The diagnostic cut-off value of postoperative D-dimer was determined by Jorden index to be 3.185mg/L.
Conclusions Despite chemical and mechanical prevention of DVT, the incidence of postoperative DVT remains high, with D-dimer>3.185mg/l on the first day after surgery, bed time, age, blood transfusion, and hypoproteinemia being independent risk factors for postoperative DVT in patients with traumatic spinal fractures.
Hydrochemical characteristics analysis and human health assessment in the upper reaches of Zhang Wei River alluvial plain
Authors: Meng Yang , Zhang Zhaoji , Zhang Yuanjing , Liu Yaci , Jiao Mengqing , Li Yasong
Published: July 2024

Groundwater is the critical resource for agricultural, industrial, and urban-rural water supplies in arid and semi-arid regions, especially in North China Plain. In this study, 64 groundwater samples were collected to assess the potential for groundwater development and utilization in the upper reaches of the Zhang Wei river. The hydrochemical analysis revealed that the groundwater is primarily composed of HCO3-Ca and HCO3-Na·Ca. The hydrochemical type is influenced by natural water-rock interactions, including evaporite dissolution, silicate weathering, and ion exchange processes. Isotope data for hydrogen and oxygen, characterized by positive deviations from the global meteoric water line, underscore the significant impact of evaporation in the region. An entropy weight index method was employed for water quality evaluation, revealing that over 89% of the samples complied with Class II standards for household use. Furthermore, more than 85% of the area’s groundwater exhibited Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) concentrations below 1,000 mg/L, indicating a predominance of soft water. However, toxic elements such as fluorine (F), iodine (I), and chromium (Cr) were found to exceed drinking water standards, posing a health risk. Particularly, the intake level of fluorine was above the permissible value, potentially causing non-carcinogenic risks to children and infants. In conclusion, while the overall groundwater quality is favorable for the region, the presence of geochemically derived toxic substances necessitates careful consideration of its suitability for drinking purposes.
The signature of the gut bacterial and fungal flora structure in Chinese children with Down’s syndrome
Authors: Mu Qing , Yu Weidong , Li Minghui , Wang Xinjuan , Ren Shimeng , Hou Xueyu , Na Wu , Guo Jingzhu
Published: July 2024

The gut flora is thought to be critical to the development of the brain, and the role of the “gut-brain axis” in cognition has been gradually confirmed in recent years. Our previous studies have shown that there are significant differences in gut bacteria flora between children with Down syndrome (DS) and normal children. Compared with the gut bacteria flora, there are few studies on the gut fungi flora in DS. Although the abundance of fungi in the gut is relatively low, the imbalance of fungal flora also plays a very important role in the occurrence and development of diseases, changing before the appearance of early symptoms of diseases, through direct action or interaction with gut bacteria. In this study, the characterization of gut fungal and bacterial flora of children with DS from different provinces of China were simultaneously conducted via 16S and ITS sequencing. The results clearly showed dysbiosis of the gut flora in DS, andthere were differences in the gut flora related to the nervous system, such as Faecalibacterium, Prevotella, Clostridiales and Candida, which could ultimately affect cognitive function. In addition, this study further indicated changes in interactions between Candida and other gut flora in children with DS, which has proved to be a main pathogen of nerve damage in the brain. This work revealed the dysbiosis in DS gut flora and the relationship of them was analyzed, which may provide a new theoretical support for the pathogenesis of DS and other related cognitive disorders.
Design and Static and Dynamic Analysis of Floor Vibration Isolators for High-speed Train
Authors: Wan Shuaishuai , Song Leiming , Hu Xiaojun , Lin Hao , Zhang Hu
Published: July 2024

With the increasing speed of high-speed train, it is more and more difficult to reduce the vibration and noise inside the train. The floor of the train, as a carriage component in direct contact with passengers, is of great significance to improve its vibration and sound isolation performance to ensure the comfort of passengers. In this paper, a floor vibration isolator with quasi-zero stiffness is designed based on the dimensional parameters of the traditional floor vibration isolator, and the vibration isolation performance is analyzed by the finite element model of the floor vibration isolator from the static and dynamics aspects respectively. The load-displacement curves of the floor vibration isolator are obtained through static simulation calculations, and the dynamic analysis of the floor vibration isolator is carried out by simulation methods, which verifies the low-frequency vibration isolation performance of the floor vibration isolator under different working conditions, and the vibration isolator has a good prospect for development.
Genetic analysis and characterization of reproductive control genes in Belgian and Qinchuan cattle population structure
Authors: Li Xiao-peng , Zhang Lu-lu , Wang Xue-yan , Huang Fei , Niu Peng , Wang Jie-ru , Yang Chenchen , Qu Huimin , Xiang Xin , Li Linlin , Shao Junjie , Han Chun-mei , Gao Qing-hua
Published: July 2024

The objective of this study was to explore the genetic structure of Belgian and Qinchuan cattle, with a particular emphasis on identifying genes associated with reproductive functions.A total of 270 Belgian and 286 Qinchuan cattle were genotyped using the Illumina Bovine SNP 50K microarray. Data processing was conducted using PLINK and Beagle 5.1 to calculate linkage disequilibrium (LD) and effective population size (Ne).Candidate SNP loci were identified by selecting the top 5% based on the fixation index (Fst) and nucleotide diversity (PI), followed by gene annotation.The analysis revealed 160 candidate genes in Qinchuan cattle and 98 candidate genes in Belgian Red and Belgian Red and White cattle. Key genes associated with reproductive function, including NFKBIA, PTHLH, UGT2B10, TRPC4, and ALOX5AP, were identified.This study provides valuable molecular markers for the genetic improvement and selective breeding of Belgian cattle, particularly in enhancing their reproductive efficiency.
Effects of assisted tools and learning conditions on L2 vocabulary learning: A study based on large language model
Authors: Fei Long , Yinyan Hu
Published: July 2024

In this study, we investigated the effects of assisted input namely gloss and dictionary on L2 incidental vocabulary learning. Furthermore, intentional and incidental learning conditions were also compared while merely utilizing a dictionary. Additionally, the gloss material was provided by large language model (LLM) ChatGPT through prompt engineering. Besides, learning gains were measured not only from knowledge breadth (form-meaning connection) solely but more dimensions regarding knowledge depth (synonym discrimination, derivation production, collocation production). Sixty-four English learners of grade 2 from a senior high school were divided into three treatment groups and one control group. Those two kinds of comparisons were made respectively between every three groups. Results indicated that gloss provided by LLM showed efficiency in collocation retention while dictionary brought better effects in derivations and synonym discrimination. Furthermore, intentional learning may exert a good role in long-term retention of knowledge depth and enhanced synonym discrimination effectively. The results are discussed along with students’ feedback from the questionnaire.
Priority areas and implementation of ecological corridor through forest restoration to safeguard biodiversity
Authors: Beltrão Mayara , Gonçalves Camila Francisco , Brancalion Pedro H. S. , Carmignotto Ana Paula , Silveira Luis Fábio , Galetti Pedro Manoel , Galetti Mauro
Published: July 2024

Ecological Corridors (ECs) are proposed as cost-effective solutions to improve ecological connectivity in fragmented landscapes. Planning the implementation of ECs must take into account landscape features as they affect the viability of the endeavor and the ECs associated costs. A novel set of geoprocessing tools were used to analyze i) viability; ii) cost-effectiveness; and iii) to determine priority targets for ECs establishment in a highly fragmented region of Atlantic Forest. Landscape features, land use and cover, and Enhanced Vegetation Index data were obtained from remote sensing. Composition and configuration landscape metrics were estimated by geostatistical methods. Study area was represented by 35,344 forest fragments, of which 94% were composed of fragments smaller ha 10 hectares in size, leading to a landscape characterized by low connectivity. We identified 13 priority fragments for protection and propose five ecological corridors. These five ECs connect six priority fragments, with a total of 283.93 ha of area to restore, on an estimated cost of nearly US$550.000,00. Conserving the biodiversity of one of the most threatened and fragmented tropical rainforest regions could be promoted at modest costs, through the protection of key fragments and their reconnection in the landscape.
Research on Defogging Algorithm for Surveillance Video
Authors: wang guowei , wang yandi , tian qiaoyun , shi xinyue , zhang jinwei
Published: July 2024

This study presents a dehazing algorithm specifically tailored for improving the quality of surveillance images impaired by foggy weather. The core research areas encompass atmospheric light estimation and the dehazing process. First, a perfect white balance method is employed for preprocessing surveillance video frames to remove the color influence caused by fog in the images. Second, based on an in-depth analysis of surveillance scene characteristics, a depth-based atmospheric light estimation method is proposed to accurately obtain crucial atmospheric light information within fog. Subsequently, a cross Bilateral filter is introduced, carefully balancing filtering efficacy and edge preservation to effectively eliminate noise in foggy images. Finally, by subtracting the estimated atmospheric light component from surveillance video frames, clear dehazed surveillance images are obtained. The performance evaluation of the proposed algorithm on six datasets yields the following metrics: the highest Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) is 8.507, the Structural Similarity Index (SSIM) is 0.826, the Universal Image Quality Index (UQI) is 0.732, and the information entropy is 7.663. These quantified performance indicators clearly illustrate the remarkable performance of the proposed algorithm in dehazing tasks, providing solid support for its practical application in the field of surveillance image enhancement.
Corneal wavefront changes after photorefractive keratectomy surgery with aberration-free TM profile using the Schwind amaris 1050 device: 1 year follow up
Authors: khakpour Yaser , Soltani-Moghadam Reza , hajmohammadi Omid , Alizadeh Yousef , Azaripour Ebrahim
Published: July 2024

Background
One of the complications of photorefractive keratectomy surgeries is the induction of corneal aberrations. Nowadays, there are multiple devices with various ablation profiles to reduce this complication. This study aimed to investigate the level of corneal aberrations induced following the use of the Schwind Amaris 1050 device with Aberration-Free TM profile.
Methods
This prospective case series study involved preoperative evaluation using a Sirius device for 108 eyes (54 patients). Subsequently, they underwent PRK surgery with the Schwind Amaris 1050 excimer laser using the Aberration-Free TM profile. Follow-up examinations were conducted, and corneal aberrations were measured using aberrometry at 12 months post-surgery. Data regarding age, gender, refractive error, and pre- and post-operative spherical, coma, and trefoil aberrations were recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.
Results
The mean preoperative RMS for coma (0.27 ± 0.12 µm), spherical (0.24 ± 0.1 µm), total HOA (0.42 ± 0.1 µm), and trefoil (0.19 ± 0.1 µm) was recorded. The mean RMS at 12 months post-surgery for total HOA (0.59 ± 0.21 µm), spherical (0.37 ± 0.23 µm), coma (0.32 ± 0.13 µm), and trefoil (0.21 ± 0.1 µm) showed statistically significant increases in the spherical, total HOA, and coma groups (P < 0.001), but not in the trefoil group (P = 0.135).
Conclusions
Ablation with the Schwind Amaris 1050 device using the Aberration-Free TM profile following PRK surgery induces corneal aberrations over 12 months. This finding contradicts the manufacturer's claims but requires further investigation over a longer period for confirmation.
The Efficacy of Conversional One Anastomoses Gastric Bypass post Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastric Band: A Large Single Cohort Series
Authors: Lerch Aaron , Katneni Mokshitha , Martin Ian
Published: July 2024

Introduction
Conversional bariatric procedures are increasing, particularly conversional one-anastomosis gastric bypasses (cOAGB). This study reports long-term and patient-reported outcomes for cOAGB after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG).
Methods
This retrospective single-cohort review of a prospective database examined all cOAGB cases (2016-2023). Perioperative morbidity, long-term surgical or endoscopic interventions, and patient-reported outcomes were analysed.
Results
Within the largest published cohort of 261 consecutive cOAGB patients, 60.9% had prior-LAGB and 39.1% had prior-SG. Within 30 days, three severe and 13 low-grade complications occurred without mortality, with 98.9% of patients home the following day. Twenty-four longer-term surgical interventions were performed for reflux, port-site hernia, perforated ulcer or adhesions. 14 cases of anastomotic ulcer and one reflux oesophagitis were managed conservatively.
60.9% of patients responded to the survey (35.7 months post-cOAGB). 37.1% reported heartburn and 23.9% reported regurgitation. 81.8% of patients reported they were happy with the procedure, and 78% reported they would choose it again, both outcomes associated with greater percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) and lower heartburn scores. Higher satisfaction was associated with less regurgitation or prior-LAGB.
Mean BMI (41.8 months after conversion) was 31.5kg/m2 (9.7kg/m2 less than before conversion), with mean %EWL of 64.6% (significantly higher in female patients) and mean TBWL of 22.5%.
Conclusion
cOAGB was found to be safe and effective for further weight loss or persistent reflux. Although these issues may not be fully resolved, the relative improvement is reflected in the strong satisfaction scores, supporting the use of this technique in conversional surgery.
A Study on the Correlation between Preoperative and Postoperative Sleep Disorders and Postoperative Complications in Elderly Patients Undergoing Radical Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer
Authors: wang gang , pan shengjie
Published: July 2024

Objective
To investigate the association between preoperative and postoperative sleep disorders and postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 485 elderly patients who underwent gastric cancer surgery in our hospital from May 2020 to May 2023. Patients were categorized into groups based on the occurrence of postoperative complications within 30 days after surgery: no complications, mild complications, and severe complications. Clinical data of patients in different groups were compared and analyzed.
Results: A total of 485 gastric cancer patients were included in this study, among whom 325 patients had no postoperative complications, accounting for 67.01%; 139 patients had mild complications, accounting for 28.66%; and 21 patients had severe complications, accounting for 4.33%. Comparison of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores (preoperative and postoperative) among the three groups showed statistically significant differences (P < 0.05). Compared with the group with no complications, patients in the severe complications group and mild complications group had significantly higher PSQI scores (P < 0.05). Ordered logistic regression analysis revealed that preoperative and postoperative PSQI scores were factors influencing the occurrence of postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer (P < 0.05). A higher preoperative PSQI score was associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications, and similarly, a higher postoperative PSQI score was associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications. Spearman correlation analysis results showed a positive correlation between preoperative PSQI score and postoperative complication severity, as well as between postoperative PSQI score and postoperative complication severity in elderly gastric cancer patients.
Conclusion: Preoperative and postoperative sleep disorders are closely associated with postoperative complications in elderly patients undergoing radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Higher preoperative and postoperative PSQI scores indicate an increased risk of postoperative complications.
Covid‐19 Vaccine Acceptance in Pregnant Women Attending the Outpatient Clinic at Police Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan 2023
Authors: Awad Mustafa Sabir Abakar
Published: July 2024

Background:
Shortly after the COVID-19 Pandemic multiple researches were focused on manufacturing and synthesizing a vaccine to overcome the disease. Pregnant women being at increased risk of critical illness and having high rates of ICU admission especially due to respiratory prone illnesses, and Sudan being a third world country have high illiteracy rates among females, hence it was essential to determine vaccine acceptance and hesitancy attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant women.
Methodology:
A prospective cross sectional hospital based study, it was conducted at Police Hospital which is a tertiary specialized university hospital that falls under the administration of National Ribat University Faculty of Medicine. The sample size consisted of 240 pregnant women who attended the outpatient clinic during the study period. The collected data was analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) V26.
Results:
Out of all the 240 participants, 89 individuals (37%) expressed their willingness to receive the vaccination if it were advised for pregnant women. The primary reasons for denial were insufficient data about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnant individuals and concerns about potential harm to the developing fetus. There was a modest positive association observed between the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine and the number of children of school age. Pregnant women in the first trimester shown greater willingness to receive the COVID-19 vaccine compared to those in the second and third trimesters.
Conclusion:
The current study demonstrated a poor level of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination among a group of pregnant women. The primary cause of reluctance was apprehension regarding the safety of the vaccine. An important step in developing effective immunization tactics during the ongoing epidemic is to identify the attitudes prevalent among priority groups.
Challenges of Implementing Outsourcing of Primary Health Services from The Perspective of Stakeholders
Authors: Ebrahimipour Hosein , yousefi mehdi , tabatabaee Saeed , hoshmand Elahe , taghipour Ali , jamili sara
Published: July 2024

Background
The primary function of health systems is to provide high-quality and universal health services. Outsourcing, synonymous with contracting-out, has been common in many market-oriented health care reforms. But Lack of attention to the obstacles and challenges of outsourcing health services such as economic issues, responsibility and accountability, human resources challenges, structural problems and private companies, efficiency and planning challenges may lead to failure and irreparable damage to the health system. The present study aimed at identifying the challenges of Outsourcing Health Services to the Private Sector.
Method
This is a qualitative study that was conducted with the approach of Directed content analysis in 2023. The sampling method was purposeful and sampling continued until data saturation. Data analysis was done using Colaizzi’s method and MAXQAD software.
Results
After extracting the data, 3 main classes including Challenges of the contractor, Challenges of the employer (university), Manpower challenges and 14 subclasses were extracted.
Conclusion
The outcomes of this study revealed that outsourcing is one of the basic needs to advance organizational goals. Nonetheless, its current implementation method is not very appropriate. Challenges identified as obstacles to the proper implementation of the partnership plan with the private sector in the field of health are sometimes an integral part of such plans. These challenges must be resolved before the implementation of the plan and during planning by conducting studies and reviewing the project background. This will help to prevent further problems during the execution.
An Empirical Study on Factors of Influence for Single-Frame Supervised Temporal Action Detection
Authors: Jo Hyejeong , Gwon Huiwon , Jo Sunhee , Jung Chanho
Published: July 2024

Owing to the substantial time and labor demands associated with video annotation for fully-supervised temporal action detection (TAD), extensive research has been devoted to the domain of weakly-supervised TAD. However, existing weakly-supervised TAD approaches still suffer from severe localization errors due to the absence of fine-grained frame-level annotations. To tackle this issue, single-frame supervised TAD has been recently proposed as a potential method. This paper does not introduce a new approach. Instead, the aim of this paper is to conduct an empirical study on factors of influence for single-frame supervised TAD, which have not yet been studied and thus are still unclear. We go back to basics and investigate the effects of several fundamental components on the performance of single-frame supervised TAD: 1) feature extraction, 2) feature modeling, 3) temporal embedding, 4) classification head, and 5) video-level classification loss. In this investigation, we explore the potentials of traditional technical solutions in the task of single-frame supervised TAD and unveil the benefits of such solutions, which have not yet been reported to the research community. Based on the findings, we build a baseline detector, which achieves the state-of-the-art performance. It should be noted that, to make up for the limit of mAP (mean average precision), not only mAP but also VCCR (video-level classification correctness rate) is employed in the performance evaluation. Make a note of the fact that the VCCR is a supplementary metric supporting the mAP. We hope that our work can facilitate future research in this field.
A Novel Approach to produce Soy Protein Isolate: Direct Enzymatic Hydrolysis of High-Temperature Soybean Meal Using Proteinase Produced by Microbial Solid-State Fermentation
Authors: Zhu Junsong , Liu Dandan , Lu Feng , Liu Xiaoshuang , Wang Yucheng , Ma Haile
Published: July 2024

This study proposed a novel extraction method for soy protein isolate (SPI), which involved solid-state fermentation of high-temperature soybean meal. The proteinases secreted by microorganisms acted on the high-temperature soybean meal, making the SPI easier to extract. The study concludes that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum CICC 10265 could be used for solid-state fermentation of soybean meal, and the fermentation effect was good, with a yield of 41.91% for SPI. Compared to the direct extraction of SPI from high-temperature soybean meal, the yield had increased by 130.19%. Meanwhile, we also conducted research on the losses during the SPI extraction process. Through experiments, the study identified the patterns of protease activity changes and microbial colony growth during solid-state fermentation of soybean meal by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens subsp. plantarum CICC 10265. It was concluded that extracting SPI after 8 hours of fermentation is more suitable. The experimental results indicated that the total amino acid content of SPI extracted from fermented soybean meal was 2.1% higher compared to SPI extracted from low-temperature soybean meal.