bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No need for fasting prior to doppler ultrasound of pediatric liver transplants: A self‐controlled study
Authors: Verhagen Martijn V. , van der Doef Hubert P. J. , Kwee Thomas C. , de Haas Robbert J.
Published: October 2023

Background

Children frequently undergo routine Doppler‐ultrasound (DUS) after liver transplantation (LT) for which they are fasted, but this may cause hunger and discomfort.

Objective

To determine if DUS measurements, with focus on the portal vein (PV), are affected by prandial changes, and if this affects distress and feasibility of the DUS.

Materials and Methods

Children were prospectively included to undergo a pre‐ and postprandial DUS on the same day at 6 months after LT. Pre‐ and anastomotic PV peak systolic velocity (PSV), and hepatic artery and hepatic vein DUS measurements were obtained. Pre‐ and postprandial measurements, and relative postprandial change of PV velocity ratio (VR) compared to PV anastomotic PSV, were compared using paired‐sample t‐tests and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Obscuration by bowel gas, difficulty of DUS, and impact of fasting were assessed using 5‐point rating scales.

Results

Twenty‐eight children (median age 3.5 years, IQR 1.6–10.8) were included; four were subsequently excluded because they were not fasted (N = 2) or withdrew consent for the second DUS (N = 2). Measurements between pre‐ and postprandial DUS, and relative postprandial change of VR compared to PV anastomotic PSV, were not significantly different (p > .05). Test consistency was good (ICC = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.29–0.67) for PV anastomotic PSV, and excellent (95% CI = 0.61–0.93) for PV VR. Obscuration by bowel gas or ease of DUS did not change after eating (p > .05). The majority (16/28, 57.2%) found fasting difficult, and several (13/28, 46.4%) got upset when fasted.

Conclusion

Children with an LT do not need to be fasted for routine DUS, which may decrease the burden of the examination.
Coping with administrative tasks: A cross‐country analysis from a street‐level perspective
Authors: Tiggelaar Maria , Groeneveld Sandra , George Bert
Published: October 2023

Administrative tasks often are an unavoidable aspect of the daily work of street‐level bureaucrats (SLBs). These burdensome tasks are job demands that can cause stress and put a strain on SLBs' working experience and performance. So far, few studies have searched for job resources that can help SLBs cope with this aspect of their daily work. This study analyzes how performing administrative tasks results in job stress. Participation in organizational decision‐making is presented as a job resource that mitigates this impact—although, we hypothesize, less so in countries with high power distance. Using a survey dataset of 113,210 teachers across 46 countries, we find that participation in organizational decision‐making indeed reduces the impact of spending time on administrative tasks on job stress. Power distance does not influence this moderation significantly but does have cross‐level interactions with both the time spent on administrative tasks and the level of participation separately.
High Throughflow StreamVane Swirl Distortion Generators: Design and Analysis
Authors: Hayden Andrew P. , Gillespie John , Hefner Cole , Untaroiu Alexandrina , Lowe K. Todd
Published: October 2023

In recent years, the StreamVane technology has developed into a mature and streamlined process that can reproduce swirl distortion for ground-test evaluation of fan and compressor performance and durability. A StreamVane device consists of complex turning vanes that accurately output a distorted secondary velocity field at a defined distance downstream. To further advance the applications and conditions in which these devices operate, a research effort was developed and completed to investigate methods to increase critical Mach numbers. The effort was split into three separate stages: (1) Perform high fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to identify peak Mach number locations within twin and quad swirl vane pack designs; (2) conduct thorough literature reviews on relevant high throughflow techniques; and (3) design and implement selected techniques to evaluate improvements using the same high-fidelity CFD methods. It was predicted that employing blade lean within high-speed vane junctions increased critical Mach numbers by 6.6%, while blade sweep resulted in a 3.5% increase. The results and conclusions from this effort are presented throughout this paper with a primary focus on comparing Mach numbers and swirl profiles between vane packs with and without high throughflow designs.
Taxonomy-Driven Graph-Theoretic Framework for Manufacturing Cybersecurity Risk Modeling and Assessment
Authors: Rahman Md Habibor , Hamedani Erfan Yazdandoost , Son Young-Jun , Shafae Mohammed
Published: October 2023

Identifying, analyzing, and evaluating cybersecurity risks are essential to devise effective decision-making strategies to secure critical manufacturing against potential cyberattacks. However, a manufacturing-specific quantitative approach is lacking to effectively model threat events and evaluate the unique cybersecurity risks in discrete manufacturing systems. In response, this paper introduces the first taxonomy-driven graph-theoretic model and framework to formally represent this unique cybersecurity threat landscape and identify vulnerable manufacturing assets requiring prioritized control. First, the proposed framework characterizes threat actors’ techniques, tactics, and procedures using taxonomical classifications of manufacturing-specific threat attributes and integrates these attributes into cybersecurity risk modeling. This facilitates the systematic generation of comprehensive and generalizable cyber-physical attack graphs for discrete manufacturing systems. Second, using the attack graph formalism, the proposed framework enables concurrent modeling and analysis of a wide variety of cybersecurity threats comprising varying attack vectors, locations, vulnerabilities, and consequences. The risk model captures the cascading attack impact of varying attack methods through different cyber and physical entities in manufacturing systems, leading to specific consequences. Then, the constructed cyber-physical attack graphs are analyzed to comprehend threat propagation through the discrete manufacturing value chain and identify potential attack paths. Third, a quantitative risk assessment approach is presented to evaluate the cybersecurity risk associated with potential attack paths. It also identifies the attack path with the maximum likelihood of success, pointing out critical manufacturing assets requiring prioritized control. Finally, the proposed risk modeling and assessment framework is demonstrated using an illustrative example.
Formation of thin films via cold-rolled/annealed nickel sputtering targets
Authors: Li Sixie , Wen Ming , Wang Chuanjun , Wang Yiqing , Shen Yue
Published: October 2023

Nickel (Ni) thin films are commonly used in the integrated circuit field. Magnetron sputtering is a common method for thin film deposition, and the sputtering target is the key raw material in the magnetron sputtering process. In this work, cold-rolled and annealed Ni targets were prepared. The microstructures and magnetic properties of the Ni targets were analyzed. Then, Ni films were prepared by direct current magnetron sputtering with the above two Ni targets. The Ni films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, grazing incidence x-ray diffraction, x-ray reflectivity, and four-probe testing. Finally, the surface morphologies of the targets were compared before and after sputtering, and the relationships between the Ni targets and the Ni films were discussed. The results show that with the same conditions, the annealed Ni target is more efficiently utilized, and the electrical properties of the Ni films are good when the film is macrostructurally smooth and microstructurally compact. This is due to the target texture, magnetic properties, etc.
Antibiotics do not induce expression of
acrAB
directly but via a RamA-dependent pathway
Authors: Ricci Vito , Kaur Jaswant , Stone Jack , Piddock Laura J. V.
Published: October 2023

The aim of this study was to determine if
acrAB
induction in
Salmonella
Typhimurium relies solely on RamA or if other transcriptional activator pathways are also involved, and to better understand the kinetics of induction of both
acrAB
and
ramA
. We evaluated the expression of
acrAB
in
S
. Typhimurium in response to a variety of compounds that are known to induce the expression of one or more of the transcriptional activators, MarA, SoxS, RamA, and Rob. We utilized green fluorescent protein (GFP) transcriptional reporter fusions to investigate the changes in the expression of
acrAB, ramA, marA,
and
soxS
following exposure to sub-inhibitory concentrations of antimicrobial compounds. Of the compounds tested, 13 induce
acrAB
expression in
S
. Typhimurium via RamA, MarA, SoxS, and Rob-dependent pathways. None of the tested antibiotics induced
acrAB
expression, and compounds that induced
acrAB
expression also induced a general stress response. The results from this study show that the majority of compounds tested induced
acrAB
via the RamA-dependent pathway. However, none of the antibiotic substrates of the AcrB efflux pump directly increased the expression of AcrAB either directly or indirectly via the induction of one of the transcriptional activators. Using a dual GFP/RFP reporter, we investigated the kinetics of the induction of
ramA
and
acrAB
simultaneously and found that
acrAB
gene expression was transient compared to
ramA
gene expression.
ramA
gene expression increased with time and would remain high or decrease slowly over the course of the experiment indicating that RamA exerts a wider global effect and is not limited to efflux regulation alone.
The cytochrome P450 reductase CprA is a rate-limiting factor for Cyp51A-mediated azole resistance in
Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Kühbacher Alexander , Merschak Petra , Haas Hubertus , Liebl Maximilian , Müller Christoph , Gsaller Fabio
Published: October 2023

Azole antifungals remain the “gold standard” therapy for invasive aspergillosis. The world-wide emergence of isolates resistant to this drug class, however, developed into a steadily increasing threat to human health over the past years. In
Aspergillus fumigatus
, major mechanisms of resistance involve increased expression of
cyp51A
encoding one of two isoenzymes targeted by azoles. Yet, the level of resistance caused by
cyp51A
upregulation
,
driven by either clinically relevant tandem repeat mutations within its promoter or the use of high expressing heterologous promoters, is limited. Cytochrome P450 enzymes such as Cyp51A rely on redox partners that provide electrons for their activity.
A. fumigatus
harbors several genes encoding putative candidate proteins including two paralogous cytochrome P450 reductases, CprA and CprB, and the cytochrome
b
5
CybE. In this work, we investigated the contribution of each
cprA
,
cprB,
and
cybE
overexpression to
cyp51A
-mediated resistance to different medical and agricultural azoles. Using the bidirectional promoter
PxylP
, we conditionally expressed these genes in combination with
cyp51A
, revealing
cprA
as the main limiting factor. Similar to this approach, we overexpressed
cprA
in an azole-resistant background strain carrying a
cyp51A
allele with TR34 in its promoter, which led to a further increase in its resistance. Employing sterol measurements, we demonstrate an enhanced eburicol turnover during upregulation of either
cprA
or
cyp51A
, which was even more pronounced during their simultaneous overexpression. In summary, our work suggests that mutations leading to increased Cyp51A activity through increased electron supply could be key factors that elevate azole resistance.
Pharmacokinetics and safety of a single dose of telavancin in pediatric subjects 2–17 years of age
Authors: Bradley John S. , Goldman Jennifer L. , James Laura P. , Kaelin Byron , Gibson Breanne H. Y. , Arrieta Antonio
Published: October 2023

Antimicrobial resistance increases infection morbidity in both adults and children, necessitating the development of new therapeutic options. Telavancin, an antibiotic approved in the United States for certain bacterial infections in adults, has not been examined in pediatric patients. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the short-term safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of a single intravenous infusion of telavancin in pediatric patients. Single-dose safety and PK of 10 mg/kg telavancin was investigated in pediatric subjects >12 months to ≤17 years of age with known or suspected bacterial infection. Plasma was collected up to 24-h post-infusion and analyzed for concentrations of telavancin and its metabolite for noncompartmental PK analysis. Safety was monitored by physical exams, vital signs, laboratory values, and adverse events following telavancin administration. Twenty-two subjects were enrolled: 14 subjects in Cohort 1 (12–17 years), 7 subjects in Cohort 2 (6–11 years), and 1 subject in Cohort 3 (2–5 years). A single dose of telavancin was well-tolerated in all pediatric age cohorts without clinically significant effects. All age groups exhibited increased clearance of telavancin and reduced exposure to telavancin compared to adults, with mean peak plasma concentrations of 58.3 µg/mL (Cohort 1), 60.1 µg/mL (Cohort 2), and 53.1 µg/mL (Cohort 3). A 10 mg/kg dose of telavancin was well tolerated in pediatric subjects. Telavancin exposure was lower in pediatric subjects compared to adult subjects. Further studies are needed to determine the dose required in phase 3 clinical trials in pediatrics.
Complete genome sequence of
Mucilaginibacter gossypii
P3, a heavy metal(loid)-resistant bacterium, isolated from a gold and copper mine
Authors: Li Yuan-Ping , Yang Xiao-Jun , Yu Yan-Shuang , Liu Guo-Hong , Feng Fajie , Ye Jiang-Hua , Christopher Rensing
Published: October 2023

Mucilaginibacter gossypii
P3, which was isolated from the sub-surface soil of the Zijin Gold and Copper Mine, displayed extremely high resistance to multiple heavy metal(loid)s and contained two novel
ars
operons. Complete genome sequencing of P3 yielded a single, closed genome of 7,187,928 bp, with GC content of 42.79%.
Isolated ACTH deficiency: an uncommon cause of hyperferritinaemia
Authors: Isoda Atsushi , Saito Akio , Matsumoto Morio , Sawamura Morio
Published: October 2023

Isolated adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency (IAD) is a rare disorder but not a known cause of hyperferritinaemia. We here report a man with IAD who presented with mild anaemia and unexpected hyperferritinaemia (serum ferritin, 1796 µg/L). He had high serum hepcidin and relatively low erythropoietin levels for his anaemia, with hepcidin and ferritin levels reducing with hydrocortisone supplementation. We speculate that low glucocorticoid levels might suppress erythropoiesis and anti-inflammatory activity, resulting in a higher hepcidin level and hyperferritinaemia. The possibility of adrenal insufficiency including IAD should be considered as a differential diagnosis in patients with unexplained hyperferritinaemia.
TIPS stent migration causing sinus of Valsalva rupture
Authors: Siddiqui Mohammed , Pillutla Priya
Published: October 2023

A man in his 40s presented with haematemesis and melaena and was found to have a massive variceal bleed. Endoscopic procedures were ineffective at controlling the bleed; thus, an emergent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) procedure was performed. There were no noted complications from the procedure and the patient was eventually discharged home. A month later, a murmur was auscultated on routine physical examination. This prompted an outpatient transthoracic echocardiogram which revealed a TIPS stent in the inferior vena cava (IVC) extending into the right atrium along with a ruptured sinus of Valsalva with left to right shunt.

The patient declined surgical intervention. He is currently being followed in the outpatient setting with serial echocardiograms and medical management.
Myoedema: a forgotten sign in acute colchicine myopathy
Authors: Le Tri Si , Nguyen Vinh Khang , Dang Tinh Quang , Umapathi Thirugnanam
Published: October 2023

Colchicine myopathy typically presents acutely to subacutely with progressive limb weakness. The patients may not be on high doses of colchicine but almost always have acute kidney injury. Dehydration from colchicine-induced diarrhoea is often a precipitating factor. The concomitant neurotoxicity may produce mild sensory complaints. This combination of acute neurological symptoms preceded by diarrhoea prompts the diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS). The absence of cranial nerve deficits, raised creatine kinase and myotonic discharges on electromyogram may help in differentiating this condition from GBS. We describe a clinical sign, myoedema — a mounding phenomenon of muscle that is elicited by percussion and resolves when the patient recovers. It aids in the bedside diagnosis of acute colchicine myopathy as well as distinguish it from other more common causes of acute flaccid paralysis. We also discuss the possible mechanism of colchicine toxicity and the mounding phenomenon.
Multiple environmental drivers across life stages influence Yukon River Chinook salmon productivity
Authors: Murdoch A. , Connors B.M. , Lapointe N.W.R. , Mills Flemming J. , Cooke S.J. , Mantyka-Pringle C.
Published: October 2023

Recent declines of Yukon River Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) populations have severely impacted people residing in the Yukon and Alaska. Evidence-based conservation strategies focused on stock recovery and adaptation are urgently needed but are limited by our understanding of what is driving declines, particularly in Canadian portions of the Yukon River basin. We examined how multiple environmental drivers may be influencing Canadian-origin Yukon River Chinook salmon productivity for eight populations over a 28-year period. We found that productivity was related to various environmental and ecosystem processes acting cumulatively over multiple life stages and across broad geographic scales. Productivity decreased in association with warmer upriver migration temperatures, wetter freshwater juvenile rearing habitats, and increasing abundances of potential marine competitors. In contrast, productivity increased in years with warmer and snowier winters and earlier spring onset. We found that different populations had similar relationships with environmental drivers, with potentially negative implications for regional fisheries stability. Our findings provide insight into how Chinook salmon are responding to rapid environmental change and can help inform salmon conservation initiatives and sustainable harvest strategies.
Detrital zircon U–Pb and Hf analyses of Silurian–Devonian sediments in the Sukhothai Terrane, northern Thailand: implications for the Mid-Paleozoic arc belt
Authors: Nie Xiaomei , Feng Qinglai , Zi Jianwei , Gan Zhengqin , Metcalfe Ian , Chonglakmani Chongpan , Monjai Denchok , Zhao Tianyu , Ren Jianye , Khanmanee Jongkonnee , Nulay Pradit
Published: October 2023

The Sukhothai Terrane in northern Thailand consists of continental basement and a Permo-Triassic magmatic arc related to the subduction of the main Palaeo-Tethys Ocean. The Donchai Group represents the oldest sedimentary sequence of the Sukhothai Terrane and consists mainly of meta-sandstone, quartzo-feldspathic schist, phyllite and silty slate. We present new detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology, Lu–Hf isotope data and geochemical data for the sedimentary rocks of the Donchai Group to elucidate the depositional age, provenance and nature of the group. The youngest detrital zircon ages (433–403 Ma) suggest that the Donchai Group accumulated between 433 and 368 Ma, revealing Silurian–Devonian arc magmatic rocks on the western margin of the Sukhothai Terrane. Sediments of the Donchai Group were sourced from both the continental basement and a Silurian–Early Devonian magmatic arc, suggesting a depositional setting on the continental slope of a back-arc basin along the western flank of the Sukhothai Terrane. The Silurian–Devonian arc belt in SW China probably extends to the Chiang Rai region to the west of the Sukhothai Terrane, northern Thailand, revealing the northwards subduction of the Proto-Tethys Ocean along the western Simao and Sukhothai margin during the mid-Paleozoic. The inferred arc and back-arc configuration of the Proto-Tethys Ocean in northern Thailand is comparable with that recently established in Yunnan, SW China.

Supplementary material:
Detrital zircon U–Pb ages and trace element analyses, zircon
in-situ
Lu–Hf isotopic compositions and whole-rock geochemical data are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.6858373
Strega
: An HTTP Server for FPGAs
Authors: Maschi Fabio , Alonso Gustavo
Published: October 2023

The computer architecture landscape is being reshaped by the new opportunities, challenges, and constraints brought by the cloud. On the one hand, high-level applications profit from specialised hardware to boost their performance and reduce deployment costs. On the other hand, cloud providers maximise the CPU time allocated to client applications by offloading infrastructure tasks to hardware accelerators. While it is well understood how to do this for, e.g., network function virtualisation and protocols such as TCP/IP, support for higher networking layers is still largely missing, limiting the potential of accelerators. In this article, we present
Strega
, an open source

1

light-weight Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server that enables crucial functionality such as FPGA-accelerated functions being called through a RESTful protocol (FPGA-as-a-Function). Our experimental analysis shows that a single
Strega
node sustains a throughput of 1.7 M HTTP requests per second with an end-to-end latency as low as 16, μs, outperforming nginx running on 32 vCPUs in both metrics, and can even be an alternative to the traditional OpenCL flow over the PCIe bus. Through this work, we pave the way for running microservices directly on FPGAs, bypassing CPU overhead and realising the full potential of FPGA acceleration in distributed cloud applications.
FDRA: A Framework for a Dynamically Reconfigurable Accelerator Supporting Multi-Level Parallelism
Authors: Qiu Yunhui , Mao Yiqing , Gao Xuchen , Chen Sichao , Li Jiangnan , Yin Wenbo , Wang Lingli
Published: October 2023

Coarse-grained reconfigurable architectures (CGRAs) have emerged as promising accelerators due to their high flexibility and energy efficiency. However, existing open source works often lack integration of CGRAs with CPU systems and corresponding toolchains. Moreover, there is rare support for the accelerator instruction pipelining to overlap data communication, computation, and configuration across multiple tasks. In this article, we propose FDRA, an open source exploration framework for a heterogeneous system-on-chip (SoC) with a RISC-V processor and a dynamically reconfigurable accelerator (DRA) supporting loop, instruction, and task levels of parallelism. FDRA encompasses parameterized SoC modeling, Verilog generation, source-to-source application code transformation using frontend and DRA compilers, SoC simulation, and FPGA prototyping. FDRA incorporates the extraction of periodic accumulative operators and multi-dimensional linear load/store operators from nested loops. The DRA enables accessing the shared L2 cache with virtual addresses and supports direct memory access with arbitrary start addresses and data lengths. Integrated into the RISC-V Rocket SoC, our DRA achieves a remarkable 55× acceleration for loop kernels and improves energy efficiency by 29×. Compared to state-of-the-art RISC-V vector units, our DRA demonstrates a 2.9× speed improvement and 3.5× greater energy efficiency. In contrast to previous CGRA+RISC-V SoCs, our SoC achieves a minimum speedup of 5.2×.
Write What You Want: Applying Text-to-Video Retrieval to Audiovisual Archives
Authors: Yang Yuchen
Published: October 2023

Audiovisual (AV) archives, as an essential reservoir of our cultural assets, are suffering from the issue of accessibility. The complex nature of the medium itself made processing and interaction an open challenge still in the field of computer vision, multimodal learning, and human-computer interaction, as well as in culture and heritage. In recent years, with the raising of video retrieval tasks, methods in retrieving video content with natural language (text-to-video retrieval) gained quite some attention and have reached a performance level where real-world application is on the horizon. Appealing as it may sound, such methods focus on retrieving videos using plain visual-focused descriptions of what has happened in the video and finding videos such as instructions. It is too early to say such methods would be the new paradigms for accessing and encoding complex video content into high-dimensional data, but they are indeed innovative attempts and foundations to build future exploratory interfaces for AV archives (e.g., allow users to write stories and retrieve related snippets in the archive, or encoding video content at high-level for visualisation). This work filled the application gap by examining such text-to-video retrieval methods from an implementation point of view and proposed and verified a classifier-enhanced workflow to allow better results when dealing with in-situ queries that might have been different from the training dataset. Such a workflow is then applied to the real-world archive from Télévision Suisse Romande (RTS) to create a demo. At last, a human-centred evaluation is conducted to understand whether the text-to-video retrieval methods improve the overall experience of accessing AV archives.
Whitefly–Plant Interactions: An Integrated Molecular Perspective
Authors: Morin Shai , Atkinson Peter W. , Walling Linda L.
Published: October 2023

The rapid advances in available transcriptomic and genomic data and our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of whitefly–plant interactions have allowed us to gain new and significant insights into the biology of whiteflies and their successful adaptation to host plants. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms that whiteflies have evolved to overcome the challenges of feeding on phloem sap. We also highlight the evolution and functions of gene families involved in host perception, evaluation, and manipulation; primary metabolism; and metabolite detoxification. We discuss the emerging themes in plant immunity to whiteflies, focusing on whitefly effectors and their sites of action in plant defense–signaling pathways. We conclude with a discussion of advances in the genetic manipulation of whiteflies and the potential that they hold for exploring the interactions between whiteflies and their host plants, as well as the development of novel strategies for the genetic control of whiteflies.
Fluid-Elastic Interactions Near Contact at Low Reynolds Number
Authors: Rallabandi Bhargav
Published: October 2023

Interactions between fluid flow and elastic structures are important in many naturally occurring and engineered systems. This review collects and organizes recent theoretical and experimental developments in understanding fluid-structure interactions at low Reynolds numbers. Particular attention is given to the motion of objects moving in close proximity to deformable soft materials and the ensuing interplay between fluid flow and elastic deformation. We discuss how this interplay can be understood in terms of forces and torques, and harnessed in applications such as microrheometry, tribology, and soft robotics. We then discuss the interaction of soft and wet objects close to contact, where intermolecular forces and surface roughness effects become important and are sources of complexity and opportunity.
Alpha-1 antitrypsin inhibits fractalkine-mediated monocyte-lung endothelial cell interactions
Authors: Mikosz Andrew , Ni Kevin , Gally Fabienne , Pratte Katherine A. , Winfree Seth , Lin Qiong , Echelman Isabelle , Wetmore Brianna , Cao Danting , Justice Matthew J. , Sandhaus Robert A. , Maier Lisa , Strange Charlie , Bowler Russell P. , Petrache Irina , Serban Karina A.
Published: October 2023

Our novel findings that AAT and other inhibitors of TACE, the sheddase that controls full-length fractalkine (CX3CL1) endothelial expression, may provide fine-tuning of the CX3CL1-CX3CR1 axis specifically involved in endothelial-monocyte cross talk and leukocyte recruitment to the alveolar space, suggests that AAT and inhibitors of sCX3CL1 signaling may be harnessed to reduce lung inflammation.
A Compact Planar Ultra-Wideband Array Antenna
Authors: Zhu Junli , Chen Mengfei , Li Ziting , Liu Jingping
Published: October 2023

Ultra-wideband (UWB) antennas have recently gained prominence in communication, radar technology, and electronic warfare domains. The quick development of these antennas is due to the wide bandwidth requirements of pulse radar, ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic compatibility, spaceborne communication systems, stealth target detection, and more. Aiming to address the defects of existing UWB antennas, which often have narrow bandwidth and low gain, a planar ultra-wideband microstrip array antenna was designed to achieve good ultra-wideband characteristics and effectively improve the gain of the antenna. The initial bandwidth of the rectangular monopole antenna was 10 GHz–20 GHz. After loading multiple steps on the monopole patch, the bandwidth was increased to between 10 and 38 GHz. Using the new ultra-wideband array method that combines series feed and angle feed and the defective ground structure (DGS), the array maintains the ultrawide bandwidth span of 10–38 GHz of the array element, and the maximum gain of the antenna in the bandwidth was increased from 5.18 dBi to 9.55 dBi. The challenge of impedance matching of antenna units in ultra-wideband is resolved by the novel array technique, which also increases the antenna’s gain within the bandwidth. The antenna simulation is consistent with the measurement results. With its extensive operating frequency band, high gain, compactness, and favorable radiation attributes, this newly designed antenna holds significant promise for application in UWB radar systems.
Analyzing the Causes and Frequency of Early Dental Implant Failure among Iranians: An Epidemiological Study
Authors: Abrishami Majid Hosseini , Shiezadeh Farid , Samieirad Sahand , Mollaei Melika , MohammadZadeh Mahrokh Farzaneh , Khosravi Farzaneh
Published: October 2023

Aim. The rate of early dental implant failure (DIF) has increased in recent years, though the risk factors associated with this primary failure remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the rate of early implant failure and identify contributing factors. It was conducted from March 2018 to 2020 in Mashhad, Iran. Method. This observational study examined the records of 983 implants from the Implant Department of Mashhad Dental School. Variables considered included age, gender, systemic diseases, smoking habits, implant type and size, and surgery-related factors. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, Mann–Whitney U, and Fisher exact tests in SPSS V22, with a p-value of 0.05 or less considered statistically significant. Result. Of the 983 implants, 42 (4.3%) experienced early failure. The study population consisted of 555 (56.5%) females and 428 (43.5%) males, with an average age of 49.34 ± 13.67 years. A significant correlation was found between surgical complications (e.g., fracture of implant fixtures and inferior alveolar nerve exposure) and implant loading time (Yes or No) with early DIF (p=0.05andp<0.01, respectively). However, no significant correlation was observed between early failure and factors such as age, gender, smoking habits, systemic diseases, implant dimensions, or manufacturer. Conclusion. Surgical complications and loading time may be the most critical factors contributing to early implant failure. Therefore, we suggest dentists pay attention to the mentioned factors in the surgical protocols and their relationship. Further prospective studies on risk factors that could affect early implant failure are needed.
Numerical Method for Stochastic Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation Driven by Multivariate Gaussian Measure: Algorithms and Applications
Authors: Xie Hongling
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we present a novel Galerkin spectral method for numerically solving the stochastic nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equation driven by multivariate Gaussian random variables, including the nonlinear term. Our approach involves deriving the tensor product of triple random orthogonal basis and random functions, which enables us to effectively handle the stochasticity and nonlinear term in the equation. We apply this newly proposed method to solve both one- and two-dimensional stochastic NLS equations, providing detailed analysis and comparing the results with Monte Carlo simulation. In addition, the proposed method is applied to the stochastic Ginzburg–Landau equation. Our method exhibits excellent performance in both spatial and random spaces, achieving spectral accuracy in the numerical solutions.
Storytelling as Innovative Method to Improve the Recognition of Teledentistry among Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Aboalshamat Khalid , Alsharif Fayyad , Alsanei Bader , Aljohani Alaa , Aljabri Saad , Salawati Rayan , Nassar Afnan
Published: October 2023

Objective. Storytelling is an educational approach that encourages learners to create imaginative conceptions and think creatively. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of storytelling on improving awareness about teledentistry among adults in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods. A single-blinded parallel group randomized controlled study with 88 adult participants from Saudi Arabia. Participants were randomized into an intervention group (IG) or a control group (CG). The IG received teledentistry information using a storytelling method, while the CG received a flyer containing the same information. The participants were questioned three times: P1 before the intervention, P2 immediately after the intervention, and P3 1 month later. Results. A total of 83 participants completed all study steps. No significant knowledge score differences between IG and CG at P1, P2, or P3 nor in mean differences across time points. However, significant increase from P1 to P2 (

p
<
0.001

) and P1 to P3 (

p
<
0.001

) via paired t-test; no change from P2 to P3 in IG (p = 0.99) or CG (p = 0.816). Storytelling was significantly more innovative and emotionally touching than conventional flyer. The study was registered with the number ISRCTN68587630. Conclusion. Storytelling was found to be a more innovative and emotionally impactful approach for promoting health compared to traditional flyers. Future studies should extend follow-up periods and explore diverse stories for external validation of this method.
The Evolving Landscape of B Cells in Cancer Metastasis
Authors: Ramos Monika J. , Lui Asona J. , Hollern Daniel P.
Published: October 2023

Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer mortality. Functional and clinical studies have documented diverse B-cell and antibody responses in cancer metastasis. The presence of B cells in tumor microenvironments and metastatic sites has been associated with diverse effects that can promote or inhibit metastasis. Specifically, B cells can contribute to the spread of cancer cells by enhancing tumor cell motility, invasion, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Moreover, they can promote metastatic colonization by triggering pathogenic immunoglobulin responses and recruiting immune suppressive cells. Contrastingly, B cells can also exhibit antimetastatic effects. For example, they aid in enhanced antigen presentation, which helps activate immune responses against cancer cells. In addition, B cells play a crucial role in preventing the dissemination of metastatic cells from the primary tumor and secrete antibodies that can aid in tumor recognition. Here, we review the complex roles of B cells in metastasis, delineating the heterogeneity of B-cell activity and subtypes by metastatic site, antibody class, antigen (if known), and molecular phenotype. These important attributes of B cells emphasize the need for a deeper understanding and characterization of B-cell phenotypes to define their effects in metastasis.
ЕВОЛЮЦІЯ ЕПІДЕМІЧНОГО ПРОЦЕСУ ЛЕПТОСПІРОЗУ В УКРАЇНІ
Authors: Олексенко О. В.
Published: October 2023

Досліджено еволюцію епідпроцесу лептоспірозу в Україні, розглянуто епізоотології цієї інфекції за значний історичний період, показана роль диких і домашніх тварин у поширенні лептоспір. Досліджено вплив антропогенної трансформації екосистем на епідемічний процес лептоспірозу в Україні та продемонстровано динаміку поширення цієї інфекції на території країни.
ПЕРЕВАГИ ТА НЕДОЛІКИ ДИСТАНЦІЙНОГО НАВЧАННЯ ДЛЯ СТУДЕНТІВ-МЕДИКІВ У ПЕРІОД НАДЗВИЧАЙНИХ СИТУАЦІЙ
Authors: Заєць Т. А. , Дзига С. В. , Бакалець О. В. , Бегош Н. Б.
Published: October 2023

РЕЗЮМЕ. Дистанційне навчання (ДН) є невід’ємною частиною навчання студентів медичних університетів у надзвичайних ситуаціях. Воно вимагає структурованого планування, добре розроблених спеціальних методик викладання. ДН забезпечує фізичний і психосоціальний захист, який може підтримувати та рятувати життя. Викладачі використовують різні програми та платформи, проводять заняття з презентаційними матеріалами та адаптують свої курси до дистанційного формату.
Мета – проаналізувати доступні в мережі Інтернет наукові дані щодо переваг та недоліків дистанційного навчання для студентів-медиків у період надзвичайних ситуацій.
Матеріали і методи. Було проаналізовано доступні в Інтернет-джерелах матеріали щодо переваг та недоліків дистанційного навчання для студентів-медиків у період надзвичайних ситуацій.
Результати. Мінімальні стандарти INEE підтверджують, що ДН спрямовано на вирішення кількох життєво важливих цілей, включаючи створення безпечного навчального середовища. Визначено ключові компоненти системи ДН, зокрема середовище ДН із необхідними засобами комунікації, базу навчальних матеріалів, засоби моніторингу та оцінювання. Morris E. та Farrell A. (2020) стверджують, що ДН пропонує переваги, які мають вирішальне значення для благополуччя дітей, молоді та педагогів. Численні дослідження показують, що перехід від очного до онлайн-навчання є дуже складним, особливо для найуразливіших студентів і тих, хто постраждав від надзвичайних ситуацій.
Висновки. Сутністю сучасного ДН у ВНЗ є забезпечення використання Інтернет-ресурсів, мультимедійних засобів навчання, інших електронних освітніх платформ. Основними недоліками ДН є доступ до цифрових ресурсів, сильне навантаження на зір; моральне навантаження викладачів, відсутність соціалізації та неможливість оволодіти практичними навиками.
ОСОБЛИВОСТІ ПСИХОЕМОЦІЙНОГО СТАНУ У ПІДЛІТКІВ ІЗ РІЗНОЮ ТЕПЛОЧУТЛИВІСТЮ
Authors: Вадзюк С. Н. , Бідзюра І. Г.
Published: October 2023

РЕЗЮМЕ. Підлітковий вік часто супроводжують стани емоційного дискомфорту – тривоги, страху, відчуття самотності, ізольованості. Тривожність негативно впливає не лише на емоційне самопочуття людини, а й у подальшому порушує функціональні можливості психіки, гальмуючи її розвиток як особистості. Так звані «хронічні тривоги» здебільшого перетворюються на патопсихологічні розлади, а значна кількість тривожних дітей мають проблеми зі здоров’ям.
Як відомо, температура довкілля має вагомий вплив на організм. Добре самопочуття та висока працездатність залежать від перепаду температури. Аномальні та швидкі зміни температури можуть негативно впливати на всіх людей. Найбільше на зміну навколишнього середовища реагують метеочутливі люди, та ті, хто мають хронічні захворювання, інваліди, люди похилого віку, жителі великих міст.
Мета роботи – визначити стан тривожності, самопочуття, активності та настрою у підлітків із різною теплочутливістю.
Було проведено тестування 160 осіб підліткового віку, яких попередньо було поділено на дві групи – із високою та низькою теплочутливістю – на основі опитувальника «Рівні теплочутливості» (авторське свідоцтво № 115529 від 01.11.2022 р.) та теплової проби. Тривожність (особистісну та ситуативну) досліджували за допомогою шкали тривоги Спілбергера – Ханіна (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory – STAI). Самопочуття, активність та настрій ми визначали із використанням тестової методики самооцінки функціонального стану «САН» (В. А. Доскіна та ін.).
Установлено нижчий рівень ситуативної та особистісної тривожності, а також краще самопочуття, активність та настрій у осіб із низькою теплочутливістю, порівняно із високою.
Виявлено залежність самопочуття, активності та настрою від рівня тривожності в осіб із різною теплочутливістю.
Вивчення дозволить прогнозувати відновлення стану здоров’я і професійну успішність в умовах підвищених стресових чинників, окреслювати шляхи адаптації осіб із високою теплочутливістю.
Висновки. Знижені самопочуття, активність та настрій спостерігаються в осіб із високою теплочутливістю, порівняно із підлітками із низькою теплочутливістю. Так, рівень самопочуття в осіб із низькою теплочутливістю становив (4,91±0,13) балів, а із високою – (3,75±0,30) балів, активності відповідно – (4,88±0,14) та (3,78±0,26) балів та настрою – (5,08±0,13) і (4,23±0,28) балів. Спостерігався вищий рівень ситуативної та особистісної тривожності в осіб із високою теплочутливістю, порівняно з підлітками із низькою теплочутливістю. Так, рівень ситуативної тривожності у осіб із низькою теплочутливістю становив (33,65±1,28) балів, а із високою – (44,77±2,68) балів, особистісної тривожності відповідно – (33,75±1,33) та (46,30±2,29) балів.
Установлено залежність самопочуття, активності та настрою від рівня тривожності в осіб із різною теплочутливістю.
ДОСВІД ПРОВЕДЕННЯ ПСИХОТЕРАПЕВТИЧНИХ ЗАХОДІВ У ПАЦІЄНТІВ В АМБУЛАТОРІЇ ДИТЯЧОЇ СТОМАТОЛОГІЇ
Authors: Гевкалюк Н. О. , Пинда М. Я.
Published: October 2023

РЕЗЮМЕ. Лікування зубів у дітей молодшого віку є не лише комплексом визначених маніпуляцій, а й психологічною проблемою.
Мета дослідження – оцінити показники медико-психологічного статусу в дітей на стоматологічному прийомі з позиції стійкості дітей до стресу, виявити психологічні особливості особистості для обґрунтування доцільності проведення психотерапевтичних заходів.
Матеріал і методи. Проведено обстеження 83 дітей віком 6–9 років, які перебували на лікуванні в відділенні дитячої стоматології. Медико-психологічне обстеження дітей проведено за методиками Ч. Д. Спілбергера (оцінка показників реактивної тривожності – РТ), рівень особистісної тривожності (ОТ) та стан емоційної лабільності визначали за опитувальником Г. Айзенка (дитячий варіант).
Результати. Встановлено, що у 9-річних дітей рівні РТ і ОТ були нижчими, ніж у дітей 6-річного віку, проте ці відмінності не були вірогідними. У дітей 6-річного віку показник ОТ відповідав високому рівню (45 і більше балів) і корелював з тривалістю захворювання (r=0,388; р<0,05). Аналіз тесту-опитувальника Г. Айзенка показав найпоширеніший психологічний тип особистості – інтравертований. Прояви екстра-інтраверсії при лікуванні хронічного ускладненого карієсу залежали від тривалості патологічного процесу та кратності загострень (r=-0,422; р<0,05), що свідчить про стрес-індуковане збільшення даного показника. В результаті проведення психокорегувальних заходів кількість дітей, в яких показники ОТ характеризувалися як високі, знизилась на 10,84 % за рахунок збільшення відсотка дітей із середнім та низьким рівнями цього показника. Прояви емоцiйної лабільностi в процесі психотерапевтичних прийомів зменшились і досягли рiвня здорових дітей (12,43±0,92).
Висновок. Психотерапевтичні заходи з урахуванням психофізіологічних реакцій маленьких пацієнтів дозволяють значною мірою покращити якість проведеного стоматологічного лікування.
МІКРОБІОЛОГІЧНА ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА СЛИЗОВОЇ ОБОЛОНКИ ПОРОЖНИНИ РОТА ХВОРИХ НА АФТОЗНІ СТОМАТИТИ
Authors: Сукманська Г. Д.
Published: October 2023

РЕЗЮМЕ. Афтозний стоматит є найпоширенішою патологією слизової оболонки ротової порожнини, а хронічний рецидивний афтозний стоматит – його найчастішим варіантом. Важливу роль у розвитку стоматитів відіграє мікробний чинник.
Мета – вивчення особливостей мікробіому слизової оболонки порожнини рота хворих на афтозний стоматит.
Матеріал і методи. В роботі наведені результати досліджень видового і кількісного складу мікрофлори слизової оболонки порожнини рота 101 хворого на афтозний стоматит. Досліджуваний матеріал висівали напівкількісним чашковим методом на агар Колумбія з 5 % баранячої крові та агар Сабуро з декстрозою (GRASO biotech, Польща). Досліджували склад мікрофлори вмісту афт у порівнянні з інтактними ділянками слизової оболонки.
Результати досліджень. Установлено, що мікробне навантаження ерозованих ділянок слизової оболонки статистично достовірно вище, ніж інтактних ділянок. Щільність колонізації дна афт була приблизно на 2 lg КУО/мл вищою, ніж неушкоджених локусів. У всіх досліджених виділені представники родів Streptococcus та Neisseria. У 34,7 % обстежених пацієнтів крім означених вище домінуючих у вмісті афт двох груп симбіонтних для порожнини рота мікроорганізмів були виявлені умовно-патогенні бактерії. Дослідження видового складу мікробіоти дна афт не дозволили встановити будь яких ознак специфічності мікробного ураження.
Висновки. Розвиток афтозних стоматитів супроводжується змінами мікробіоценозу СОПР, які виявляються, у першу чергу, в підвищенні щільності колонізації уражених локусів автохтонною мікрофлорою. Порушення якісного і кількісного складу мікробіому мають найвираженіший характер у випадках хронічного рецидивного перебігу захворювання. У близько третини випадків у пошкодженні СОПР беруть участь умовно-патогенні мікроорганізми, серед яких пріоритетне значення мають дріжджоподібні гриби роду Candida.
Rabiscos do mosaico interétnico: charges sobre o genocídio de indígenas
Authors: Silva Tédney Moreira da
Published: October 2023

Problematiza-se a dimensão social acerca do genocídio dos povos originários no Brasil, desde fins do século XIX até a atualidade, a partir de sua representação por charges de artistas visuais nacionais que retratam os conflitos interétnicos. Valendo-se de elementos que vinculam os indígenas ao seu desaparecimento gradual, os chargistas estabelecem uma crítica contundente ao avanço de interesses políticos e econômicos que são avessos à dimensão socioambiental que é atribuída aos povos originários, mas, desse modo, podem reafirmar uma noção de transitoriedade desses sujeitos, reforçando, portanto, as ideias de primitivismo. A partir da análise do discurso de charges de artistas brasileiros, pretende-se demonstrar a falibilidade da teoria de assimilação dos indígenas para situá-los no campo da resistência aos modelos hegemônicos de organização sociopolítica nacional.