bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imunização e cobertura vacinal de crianças menores de 5 anos durante a pandemia de covid-19: revisão integrativa da literatura
Authors: Silva Tarciso Feijó da , Pereira Willy Cristine da Silva , Faria Magda Guimarães de Araújo , Martins Elaine Lutz , Silva Delson da , Nascimento Vagner Ferreira do
Published: July 2024

Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura nacional e internacioanl que teve por objetivo identificar os fatores que contribuíram para diminuição da cobertura vacinal em menores de 5 anos durante a pandemia da Covid-19 e as ações desenvolvidas pelo enfermeiro para a garantia da adesão à vacinação na Atenção Primária à Saúde. A busca foi realizada nas bases de dados da Literatura Latino-americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online e Scientific Electronic Library Online, considerando espaço temporal de 2018 até 2022. Constatou-se que a vacina é a forma mais eficaz e segura de prevenção contra as doenças imunopreveníveis e que a queda da cobertura vacinal coloca o Brasil em alerta para o risco do retorno de doenças outrora erradicadas.  Dentre os fatores que afetam a adesão às vacinas estão a resistência, a incompatibilidade de horários, os problemas de saúde e socioeconômicos, a acessibilidade, a desinformação sobre as vacinas, e fragilidade na gestão na sala de vacinação que incorre em desabastecimento. Faz-se necessário que os profissionais da Atenção Primária à Saúde, em especial o profissional enfermeiro, promovam e fomentem ações, estratégias e planos de vacinação e comunicação para o alcance das coberturas vacinais, estabeleçam parcerias territoriais para a vacinação de recuperação e realizem monitoramento de usuários com vacinas em atraso.
Nas Prateleiras
Authors: SUSTINERE Revista
Published: July 2024

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Prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with hepatitis B: A meta-analysis
Authors: Zhang Li , Wu Hong-Di , Qian Yuan-Fang , Xu Hong-Yan
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) has increased in recent clinical practice; however, the relationship between CHB and hepatic steatosis (HS) remains controversial.

AIM

To shed light on the potential association between NAFLD and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic literature search using multiple databases, including PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase, to identify relevant studies. Predefined inclusion criteria were used to determine the eligibility of the studies for further analysis.

RESULTS

Comprehensive meta-analysis software was used for statistical analysis, which covered 20 studies. The results indicated a lower NAFLD susceptibility in HBV-infected individuals (pooled OR = 0.87; 95%CI = 0.69-1.08; I 2 = 91.1%), with diabetes (P = 0.015), body mass index (BMI; P = 0.010), and possibly age (P = 0.061) as heterogeneity sources. Of note, in four studies (6197 HBV patients), HBV-infected individuals had a reduced NAFLD risk (OR = 0.68, 95%CI = 0.51-0.89, P = 0.006). A positive link between hyperlipidemia and metabolic syndrome emerged in hepatitis B patients, along with specific biochemical indicators, including BMI, creatinine, uric acid, fasting blood glucose, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance.

CONCLUSION

HBV infection may provide protection against HS; however, the occurrence of HS in patients with HBV infection is associated with metabolic syndrome and specific biochemical parameters.
Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma involving the nasal cavity, unilateral paranasal sinuses, and intracranial invasion: A case report
Authors: Fu Li-Yuan , Yang Mi-Yang , Ye Pei-Yun , Wang Zhao-Chu , Chen Chu-Jie , Li Hui , Xu Shang-Wen
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

Sinonasal teratocarcinosarcoma (SNTCS) is a rare and highly invasive neoplasm originating from the nasal cavity and sinuses. Typically, it exhibits an invasive behavior towards adjacent structures; however, in exceptional instances, it may infiltrate the intracranial compartment. Due to the tumor's rarity and lack of distinctive features on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images, SNTCS is often misdiagnosed.

CASE SUMMARY

In this study, we present a case of SNTCS in a 56-year-old patient who exhibited unexplained cognitive impairment before admission. CT and MRI scans revealed the presence of a mass in the right nasal cavity, with lesions extending to the right ethmoid sinus and right frontal region. Subsequently, the patient underwent pathological examination for confirmation and received surgical intervention to excise the tumor. The future advancement in our understanding of this disease will significantly contribute to the precise diagnosis and treatment of SNTCS.

CONCLUSION

SNTCS is an exceptionally rare malignant tumor that originates from the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, presenting a diagnostic challenge due to its non-specific imaging findings. MRI accurately delineates the location, morphological characteristics, size, internal structure, extent of surrounding involvement, and metabolic information of the lesion. These aspects play a pivotal role in the precise localization and qualitative assessment of SNTCS. Nevertheless, a definitive diagnosis still requires a pathological biopsy.
Solitary fibrous tumor: A case report of this multifaceted tumor
Authors: Maalouf Hani , Hadeer Ribal Aby , Ghattas Souad , Tabbikha Omar , Numan Hasan , Wakim Raja
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a remarkably uncommon mesenchymal tumor. STAT6 level and a combination of clinical, pathological, and molecular features are required to arrive at a proper diagnosis.

CASE SUMMARY

In this report, we present an intriguing case involving a 43-year-old woman who initially exhibited symptoms of a bleeding retroperitoneal tumor, initially resembling a gastrointestinal stromal tumor, but later confirmed as an SFT. However, a year later, what was initially believed to be a recurrence of her SFT was instead identified as a desmoid tumor.

CONCLUSION

Distinguishing SFT from other tumors was pivotal. Correcting misdiagnoses of tumor type initially and of recurrence later was necessary for appropriate treatment of the correct desmoid type.
Severe acute pancreatitis complicated with intra-abdominal infection secondary to trauma: A case report
Authors: Zhang Yu , Cui Yun-Feng
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic trauma (PT) is rare among traumatic injuries and has a low incidence, but it can still lead to severe infectious complications, resulting in a high mortality rate. Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common complication after PT, and when combined with organ dysfunction and sepsis, it will result in a poorer prognosis.

CASE SUMMARY

We report a 25-year-old patient with multiple organ injuries, including the pancreas, due to abdominal trauma, who developed necrotising pancreatitis secondary to emergency caesarean section, combined with intra-abdominal infection (IAI). The patient underwent performed percutaneous drainage, pancreatic necrotic tissue debridement, and abdominal infection foci debridement on the patient.

CONCLUSION

We report a case of severe AP and IAI secondary to trauma. This patient was managed by a combination of conservative treatment such as antibiotic therapy and fluid support with surgery, and a better outcome was obtained.
Impact of Gut Microbiome Dynamics on Epidermal Health
Authors: Nerurkar Rutuja , Khan Sara A. , Mehrotra Nupur
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACT: The trillions of bacteria that reside on and inside the body constitute the human microbiome, which is essential to maintaining host health. The gut microbiome is one of these microbial communities that has attracted a lot of attention due to its effects on the skin and other physiological systems. An extensive synopsis of the complex connection between gut microbiota and epidermal health is given in this review. There are ways in which the gut microbiota influences the health of the epidermis. It has been demonstrated that gut microbe-produced metabolites, such as vitamins, secondary metabolites, and short-chain fatty acids, affect skin barrier function and immune response modulation. Furthermore, the complex interaction of immunological signalling pathways, which govern communication between the gut and skin, regulates the gut-skin axis. Rosacea, psoriasis, eczema and other dermatological disorders are related to dysbiosis of the gut microbiome. Gaining knowledge of mechanisms underlying this relationship could be extremely beneficial for the creation of novel treatment approaches targeted at enhancing health and treating or preventing a range of dermatological disorders. In order to maintain optimal epidermal health, future research endeavours should concentrate on clarifying the precise microbial taxa and metabolites that are essential to this complex interplay in gut-skin axis.
Strategies to Combat Drug Resistance: Innovations and Challenges: A Review
Authors: Upadhyay Riya Gajendranath , Singh Pradeep Kumar
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACT: Drug are used to treat the infection as antibiotics a low molecular weight molecule used to treat different bacterial infections. But the increasing drug resistance put danger to global healthcare and the treatment efficacy worsening the healthcare outcomes. Multidrug Resistance (MDR) by biofilm making the infection control complex. There are few prevention measures of this drug resistance but the use of technology with combination of the omics field may be used to develop the natural products faster than the already existing methods. This review focuses the golden era of antibiotics and how this era got shadow of resistance and strategy to overcome this. Also, the mechanism and future strategies which can be used to fight against this resistance threat is spotlighted. The use of technology collaboration and surveillance aspects are briefly explained.
Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles using Various Plant Extracts and Evaluation of their Antimicrobial Activities
Authors: Gohil Kinjal , Dhakhda Sureshkumar , Patel Vipul , Rathod Ajay , Singh Pradeep Kumar
Published: July 2024

ABSTRACT: A reliable and green technique for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles has been developed using plant extracts and characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM). This research presented a simple and effective approach to synthesizing silver nanoparticles and tested their antibacterial activities. Plant extracts were prepared from Azadirachta indica, Mangifera indica, Eucalyptus and Fenugreek. In the UV-visible spectra peaks found around 350-450 nm indicated successful synthesis of silver nanoparticles. The size and shape of synthesized silver nanoparticles were studied by Scanning Electron Microscopic analysis, where the size of silver nanoparticles was found around 15 to 20 nanometers and a spherical shape was observed. X-ray diffraction spectra demonstrated characteristic Bragg peaks, and confirmed the cylindrical, face-centered composition of the silver nanoparticles. Good antibacterial activity was shown against Gram-negative bacteria and moderate activity was shown in antifungal study.
Moral Inequity in Organ Donation: An Examination of Age-Based Denial
Authors: Diwan Tayyah S. , Beaman Lindsay R.
Published: July 2024

The decision to donate an organ is often the decision to save a loved one’s life. Frequently recognized as an ultimate act of altruism, a person’s choice to donate is embedded in their right to make decisions about their own body and well-being, free of coercion. To ensure donors are truly acting out of altruism, transplant professionals will not allow someone to donate if there are concerns of duress or inability to consent. Although the evaluation of potential donors is well-intentioned and necessary, stigma and assumptions about young adults can sometimes lead to their being denied the opportunity to donate based on age rather than evidence, thus infringing upon their bodily autonomy. This case examines the narrative of a young man trying to save his sister through kidney donation, and the ramifications of denying him the opportunity to do so, and how the transplant community can re-envision their role in protecting young adult donors.
Hover O’er Me With Your Wings
Authors: Nelson Randy F.
Published: July 2024

Abstract: The Summer 2024 Issue. Ploughshares is an award-winning journal of new writing. Since 1971, Ploughshares has discovered and cultivated the freshest voices in contemporary American literature, and now provides readers with thoughtful and entertaining literature in a variety of formats. Find out why the New York Times named Ploughshares “the Triton among minnows.” The Summer 2024 Issue, guest-edited by Rebecca Makkai, features prose by Dur e Aziz Amna, Ramona Ausubel, Peter Mountford, Khaddafina Mbabazi, DK Nnuro, and more.
Introduction
Authors: Makkai Rebecca
Published: July 2024

Abstract: The Summer 2024 Issue. Ploughshares is an award-winning journal of new writing. Since 1971, Ploughshares has discovered and cultivated the freshest voices in contemporary American literature, and now provides readers with thoughtful and entertaining literature in a variety of formats. Find out why the New York Times named Ploughshares “the Triton among minnows.” The Summer 2024 Issue, guest-edited by Rebecca Makkai, features prose by Dur e Aziz Amna, Ramona Ausubel, Peter Mountford, Khaddafina Mbabazi, DK Nnuro, and more.
Video Wonderland, How Can I Help You?
Authors: Cao Diana
Published: July 2024

Abstract: The Summer 2024 Issue. Ploughshares is an award-winning journal of new writing. Since 1971, Ploughshares has discovered and cultivated the freshest voices in contemporary American literature, and now provides readers with thoughtful and entertaining literature in a variety of formats. Find out why the New York Times named Ploughshares “the Triton among minnows.” The Summer 2024 Issue, guest-edited by Rebecca Makkai, features prose by Dur e Aziz Amna, Ramona Ausubel, Peter Mountford, Khaddafina Mbabazi, DK Nnuro, and more.
Bad Lessons: Policy Feedback and the Democratic Costs of Student Loan Debt
Authors: Johnston Travis , O’Brien Erin
Published: July 2024

Student loan debt is at record levels in the United States. The negative psychological and financial effects for borrowers are well-documented. This article turns to the individual-level political effects of student loan debt. Rooted in the policy feedback literature, we examine whether the rise in student loan debt is associated with negative feedback effects for democratic engagement, and how this affects participatory inequality. We find that individuals who took on debt but did not obtain an associate’s or bachelor’s degree (“stop-out”) are less interested in politics and heard less by their government. Policy design in American higher education inculcates bad lessons for democracy
Poshumanismo afectivo en la ciencia ficción colombiana: El caso de Luis Carlos Barragán Castro
Authors: Cano Luis C.
Published: July 2024

Abstract: Carlos Barragán Castro's literary works skillfully weave together discussions of natural science with a thoughtful exploration of how the science fiction genre can bring about political and social change in twenty-first-century Colombia. In contrast to the prevailing dystopian themes in Western science fiction, Barragán grounds his ideas in the concept of affective posthumanism. In this framework, individual identity becomes intertwined with a mutually beneficial relationship between species, influenced by new scientific and technological developments. His writing delves into ethical and political aspects, infusing the narratives with thought-provoking considerations of ethics, human rights, and justice in a posthuman setting.
Aping King Kong in Hernán Robleto's Una mujer en la selva
Authors: Fornoff Carolyn
Published: July 2024

Abstract: The scientific portrayal of apes at the turn of the twentieth century functioned as a rich space to probe the border between humans and the nonhuman world and to rethink the tenets of evolution. To take up these themes, Nicaraguan author Hernán Robleto (1895–1968), whose theatrical and narrative work was otherwise characterized by a costumbrista realist style, turned to the speculative genres of science fiction and fantasy in his novel Una mujer en la selva (1936). Inspired by the jungle adventure fantasies of Edgar Rice Burroughs and by the hit Hollywood film King Kong (1933), Robleto's novel offers a surprising fable about a ladina woman who falls in love with a giant ape in Nicaragua's jungled Atlantic coast. The erotic interspecies encounter is ontologically transformative; after the death of her primate lover, the protagonist becomes a legendary ape woman who haunts the social body. Allegorically, the novel deploys the giant ape as a stand-in for the marginalized Afro-descendant peoples of Nicaragua's east coast. The problematic collapse of blackness into the figure of the ape underscores how ladino writers like Robleto struggled to write about Afro-Indigenous populations in realist terms. The abstraction of blackness into the figure of the ape is a racist reification of Black animality, but at the same time, the fantastical interspecies romance in Robleto's novel tentatively advocates for a non-normative model of national coupling grounded in the Atlantic coast.
Navigating Translation: A New World's New Worlds
Authors: Gladhart Amalia
Published: July 2024

Abstract: Angélica Gorodischer began publishing in the mid-1960s, establishing a reputation as a writer of speculative and science fiction, as well as of narratives that resist neat categorization. She has also been classified as a feminist writer and as a postcolonial writer. Across genres, Gorodischer's work foregrounds a poetics of storytelling and world-building, often through tales of voyage and discovery. Gorodischer highlights the social aspect of storytelling, implicating listeners in the narrative and offering a critical perspective on the circumstances portrayed. Gorodischer's world-building includes the invented galaxies of science fiction imagination as well as quotidian minutiae of contemporary Argentina. This essay will consider the connections among storytelling, world-building, and translation, drawing on examples from a number of Gorodischer's stories and their translations, among them my own translation of her novel in stories, Trafalgar .
Three phase spectral interferometry for recording high dynamic range optical waveforms with <1  ps resolution over >2  ns records applied to closed-loop pulse shaping
Authors: Muir R. D. , Mittelberger D. E. , Heebner J. E.
Published: July 2024

We demonstrate, to our knowledge, a novel spectral interferometry
technique that simultaneously captures three spectral interferograms
of a signal waveform with a reference pulse. The measured performance
is robust to nonidealities and ambient drifts by implementing a
precisely calibrated 3×3 polarization maintaining (PM)
splitter that provides three phase shift differences nominally spaced
120° apart. The system can achieve long record length by implementing
three, high resolution, virtually imaged phase array (VIPA)
spectrometers. Here, we experimentally implement this technique and
demonstrate the measurement of waveforms with >2ns of record while maintaining <1ps resolution.
Non-reciprocal optical phase shifter based on the Sagnac effect and its implementation as an optical isolator
Authors: Kodz J. , Regelskis K. , Gavrilinas N. , Želudevičius J.
Published: July 2024

This work describes the operation of a non-reciprocal optical phase shifter (NRPS) based on the Sagnac effect and provides examples of its usage through integration into various optical circuits. The origin of the occurrence of the phase shift was discussed and experimentally validated. The scheme of a non-magnetic optical isolator with NRPS embedded in a Sagnac interferometer was experimentally demonstrated. A ratio of 110:1 in light transmittance between the forward and backward directions was obtained.
Rapid fabrication approach for active photonic devices by employing spin-on dopants
Authors: Şahin Alper , Akdeniz Onur , Kocaman Serdar
Published: July 2024

Modulation based on the plasma dispersion effect can be achieved by controlling free carriers in the optical region with the aid of pn junction diodes. The embedded diodes are commonly realized with ion implantation, which is only available in large facilities with significant costs and sparse schedules. A cost- and time-effective method is reported in this study to improve flexibility during the development phase. The suggested process is based on spin-on dopants and free of a hard mask for further simplification. Following the implementation of devices with this method, electrical and optical characterization results are presented.
Visible silica fiber laser based on Dy:BaF2 nanoparticle doping
Authors: Lee Jinho , Cahoon Mary Ann , Meehan Bailey , Ososkov Yan , Hawkins Thomas W. , Ballato John , Jackson Stuart D.
Published: July 2024

A silica fiber laser based on Dy3+-doped nanoparticles (NPs) and operating at a wavelength of ∼581.5 nm is reported. Specifically, Dy-doped BaF2 nanoparticles were synthesized, and suspension doped into an aluminosilicate preform fabricated using conventional MCVD methods. Though the precursor BaF2 reacts partially with the SiO2 host, a presumed barium rich environment and localized doping persists. Spectroscopic characterization included visible emission spectrum, fluorescence decay, and loss of spectrum measurements and, where applicable, comparisons are made to previously reported Dy3+-doped silica visible fiber lasers. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first report on a dysprosium NP-doped silica fiber and visible fiber laser made using this approach. This work paves the way for the development of visible silica fiber lasers with engineered local environments surrounding the rare earth ions.
Agent-based model predicts that layered structure and 3D movement work synergistically to reduce bacterial load in 3D in vitro models of tuberculosis granuloma
Authors: Petrucciani Alexa , Hoerter Alexis , Kotze Leigh , Du Plessis Nelita , Pienaar Elsje
Published: July 2024

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global public health threat. Understanding the dynamics of host-pathogen interactions within TB granulomas will assist in identifying what leads to the successful elimination of infection. In vitro TB models provide a controllable environment to study these granuloma dynamics. Previously we developed a biomimetic 3D spheroid granuloma model that controls bacteria better than a traditional monolayer culture counterpart. We used agent-based simulations to predict the mechanistic reason for this difference. Our calibrated simulations were able to predict heterogeneous bacterial dynamics that are consistent with experimental data. In one group of simulations, spheroids are found to have higher macrophage activation than their traditional counterparts, leading to better bacterial control. This higher macrophage activation in the spheroids was not due to higher counts of activated T cells, instead fewer activated T cells were able to activate more macrophages due to the proximity of these cells to each other within the spheroid. In a second group of simulations, spheroids again have more macrophage activation but also more T cell activation, specifically CD8+ T cells. This higher level of CD8+ T cell activation is predicted to be due to the proximity of these cells to the cells that activate them. Multiple mechanisms of control were predicted. Simulations removing individual mechanisms show that one group of simulations has a CD4+ T cell dominant response, while the other has a mixed/CD8+ T cell dominant response. Lastly, we demonstrated that in spheroids the initial structure and movement rules work synergistically to reduce bacterial load. These findings provide valuable insights into how the structural complexity of in vitro models impacts immune responses. Moreover, our study has implications for engineering more physiologically relevant in vitro models and advancing our understanding of TB pathogenesis and potential therapeutic interventions.
Non-contact detection of pyrethroids widely used in vector control by Anopheles mosquitoes
Authors: Kambou Sassan Simplice , Valente Adeline , Agnew Philip , Hien Domonbabele François de Sales , Yerbanga Rakiswendé Serge , Moiroux Nicolas , Dabire Kounbobr Roch , Pennetier Cédric , Cohuet Anna , Carrasco David
Published: July 2024

Pyrethroids are the most widely used insecticides to control vector borne diseases including malaria. Physiological resistance mechanisms to these insecticides have been well described, whereas those for behavioral resistance remain overlooked. Field data suggest the presence of spatial sensory detection by Anopheles mosquitoes of the pyrethroid molecules used in insecticide-based control tools, such as long-lasting insecticide nets or insecticide residual spraying. This opens the way to the emergence of a wide range of behavioral adaptations among malaria vectors. However, the spatial sensory detection of these molecules is controversial and needs to be demonstrated. The goal of this study was to behaviorally characterize the non-contact detection of three of the most common pyrethroids used for malaria vector control: permethrin, deltamethrin an ⍺-cypermethrin. To reach this goal, we recorded the behavior (takeoff response) of Anopheles gambiae pyrethroid-sensitive and resistant laboratory strains, as well as field collected mosquitoes from the Gambiae Complex, when exposed to the headspace of bottles containing different doses of the insecticides at 25 and 35°C, in order to represent a range of laboratory and field temperatures. We found the proportion of laboratory susceptible and resistant female mosquitoes that took off was, in all treatments, dose and the temperature dependent. Sensitive mosquitoes were significantly more prone to take off only in the presence of ⍺-cypermethrin, whereas sensitive and resistant mosquitoes showed similar responses to permethrin and deltamethrin. Field-collected mosquitoes of the Gambiae Complex were also responsive to permethrin, independently of the species identity (An. gambiae, An. coluzzii and An. arabiensis) or their genotypes for the kdr mutation, known to confer resistance to pyrethroids. The observed ability of Anopheles spp. mosquitoes to detect insecticides without contact could favor the evolution of behavioral modifications that may allow them to avoid or reduce the adverse effect of insecticides and thus, the development of behavioral resistance.
Patient knowledge in anaesthesia: Psychometric development of the RAKQ–The Rotterdam anaesthesia Knowledge questionnaire
Authors: van den Heuvel Sander F. , van Eeren Hester , Hoeks Sanne E. , Panasewicz Anna , Jonker Philip , Ismail Sohal Y. , van Busschbach Jan J. , Stolker Robert Jan , Korstanje Jan-Wiebe H.
Published: July 2024

The transition from in-person to digital preoperative patient education requires effective methods for evaluating patients’ understanding of the perioperative process, risks, and instructions to ensure informed consent. A knowledge questionnaire covering different anaesthesia techniques and instructions could fulfil this need. We constructed a set of items covering common anaesthesia techniques requiring informed consent and developed the Rotterdam Anaesthesia Knowledge Questionnaire (RAKQ) using a structured approach and Item Response Theory. A team of anaesthetists and educational experts developed the initial set of 60 multiple-choice items, ensuring content and face validity. Next, based on exploratory factor analysis, we identified seven domains: General Anaesthesia–I (regarding what to expect), General Anaesthesia–II (regarding the risks), Spinal Anaesthesia, Epidural Anaesthesia, Regional Anaesthesia, Procedural sedation and analgesia, and Generic Items. This itemset was filled out by 577 patients in the Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, and Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, the Netherlands. Based on factor loadings (≥0.25) and considering clinical relevance this initial item set was reduced to 50 items, distributed over the seven domains. Each domain was processed to produce a separate questionnaire. Through an iterative process of item selection to ensure that the questionnaires met the criteria for Item Response Theory modelling, 40 items remained in the definitive set of seven questionnaires. Finally, we developed an Item Response Theory model for each questionnaire and evaluated its reliability. 1-PL and 2-PL models were chosen based on best model fit. No item misfit (S-χ2, p<0.001 = misfit) was detected in the final models. The newly developed RAKQ allows practitioners to assess their patients’ knowledge before consultation to better address knowledge gaps during consultation. Moreover, they can decide whether the level of knowledge is sufficient to obtain digital informed consent without face-to-face education. Researchers can use the RAKQ to compare new methods of patient education with traditional methods.
Enhanced deep learning model for precise nodule localization and recurrence risk prediction following curative-intent surgery for lung cancer
Authors: Park Jihwan , Rho Mi Jung , Moon Mi Hyoung
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Radical surgery is the primary treatment for early-stage resectable lung cancer, yet recurrence after curative surgery is not uncommon. Identifying patients at high risk of recurrence using preoperative computed tomography (CT) images could enable more aggressive surgical approaches, shorter surveillance intervals, and intensified adjuvant treatments. This study aims to analyze lung cancer sites in CT images to predict potential recurrences in high-risk individuals.

Methods

We retrieved anonymized imaging and clinical data from an institutional database, focusing on patients who underwent curative pulmonary resections for non-small cell lung cancers. Our study used a deep learning model, the Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (MRCNN), to predict cancer locations and assign recurrence classification scores. To find optimized trained weighted values in the model, we developed preprocessing python codes, adjusted dynamic learning rate, and modifying hyper parameter in the model.

Results

The model training completed; we performed classifications using the validation dataset. The results, including the confusion matrix, demonstrated performance metrics: bounding box (0.390), classification (0.034), mask (0.266), Region Proposal Network (RPN) bounding box (0.341), and RPN classification (0.054). The model successfully identified lung cancer recurrence sites, which were then accurately mapped onto chest CT images to highlight areas of primary concern.

Conclusion

The trained model allows clinicians to focus on lung regions where cancer recurrence is more likely, acting as a significant aid in the detection and diagnosis of lung cancer. Serving as a clinical decision support system, it offers substantial support in managing lung cancer patients.
Employers’ requests when advertising for nurses—A national mapping of recruitment advertising for nurses in Sweden
Authors: Fröjd Camilla , Jangland Eva , Gunnarsson Anna-Karin
Published: July 2024

Introduction

There is a shortage of nurses and many are leaving the profession. Maintaining sufficient nursing staff is a major healthcare challenge for societies worldwide. Work conditions, job orientation, and career opportunities all factor into nurses’ rates of attrition, exit, and turnover. Newly graduated nurses have requested structured introductory and/or mentoring programmes to ease their transition from education to work life and develop the skills and knowledge necessary in their particular work setting. Nurses also seek opportunities to continue learning and developing professionally.

Aims

To map and describe the content of recruitment advertisements for nurses. Research questions were: ‘What qualifications do healthcare employers request when recruiting nurses?’ and ‘What sorts of professional development do healthcare employers offer nurses?

Materials and methods

A comprehensive national mapping of recruitment advertisements for nurses in Sweden where all advertisements, N = 450, on 20 of the 21 regional hospital websites were collected. A qualitative and a quantitative content analysis was performed.

Results

Personal characteristics dominated requested competence in recruitment advertisements. Employers offered general nursing opportunities with unspecific work content and focused more on recruiting newly registered, rather than experienced, nurses. In only a few advertisements, employers asked for a master’s degree. No employer requested nurses with a PhD or research experience.

Conclusion

While the World Health Organization stresses the need for a sustainable recruitment and attainment of nurses to secure health care, employers’ recruitment of mostly newly graduated nurses and offering little professional development and few career opportunities may be one explanation for the difficulties in securing safe nurse staffing.
Variation of groundwater and mineral composition of in situ leaching uranium in Bayanwula mining area, China
Authors: Li Haibo , Muhammad Akhtar Malik , Tang Zhonghua
Published: July 2024

The reaction between the lixiviant and the minerals in the aquifer of In-situ uranium leaching (ISL) will result mineral dissolution and precipitation. ISL will cause changes in the chemical composition of groundwater and the porosity and permeability of aquifer, as well as groundwater pollution. Previous studies lack three-dimension numerical simulation that includes a variety of minerals and considers changes in porosity and permeability properties simultaneously. To solve these problems, a three-dimensional reactive transport model (RTM) which considered minerals, main water components and changes in porosity and permeability properties in Bayanwula mine has been established. The results revealed that: (1) Uranium elements were mainly distributed inside the mining area and had a weak trend of migration to the outside. The strong acidity liquid is mainly in the mining area, and the acidity liquid dissolved the minerals during migrating to the outside of the mining area. The concentration front of major metal cations such as K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ is about 150m away from the boundary. (2) The main dissolved minerals include feldspar, pyrite, calcite, sodium montmorillonite and calcium montmorillonite. Calcite is the most soluble mineral and one of the sources of gypsum precipitation. Other minerals will dissolve significantly after calcite is dissolved. (3) ISL will cause changes in porosity and permeability of the mining area. Mineral dissolution raises porosity and permeability near the injection well. Mineral precipitation reduced porosity and permeability near the pumping well, which can plugging the pore throat and affect recovery efficiency negatively.
Analysis of Internet of things implementation barriers in the cold supply chain: An integrated ISM-MICMAC and DEMATEL approach
Authors: Ahmad Kazrin , Islam Md. Saiful , Jahin Md. Abrar , Mridha M. F.
Published: July 2024

Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) technology inside the cold supply chain can enhance transparency, efficiency, and quality, optimize operating procedures, and increase productivity. The integration of the IoT in this complicated setting is hindered by specific barriers that require thorough examination. Prominent barriers to IoT implementation in a cold supply chain, which is the main objective, are identified using a two–stage model. After reviewing the available literature on IoT implementation, 13 barriers were identified. The survey data were cross–validated for quality, and Cronbach’s alpha test was employed to ensure validity. This study applies the interpretative structural modeling technique in the first phase to identify the main barriers. Among these barriers, “regulatory compliance” and “cold chain networks” are the key drivers of IoT adoption strategies. MICMAC’s driving and dependence power element categorization helps evaluate barrier interactions. In the second phase of this study, a decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory methodology was employed to identify causal relationships between barriers and evaluate them according to their relative importance. Each cause is a potential drive, and if its efficiency can be enhanced, the system benefits as a whole. The findings provide industry stakeholders, governments, and organizations with significant drivers of IoT adoption to overcome these barriers and optimize the utilization of IoT technology to improve the effectiveness and reliability of the cold supply chain.
Perceptions and detection of AI use in manuscript preparation for academic journals
Authors: Chemaya Nir , Martin Daniel
Published: July 2024

The rapid advances in Generative AI tools have produced both excitement and worry about how AI will impact academic writing. However, little is known about what norms are emerging around AI use in manuscript preparation or how these norms might be enforced. We address both gaps in the literature by conducting a survey of 271 academics about whether it is necessary to report ChatGPT use in manuscript preparation and by running GPT-modified abstracts from 2,716 published papers through a leading AI detection software to see if these detectors can detect different AI uses in manuscript preparation. We find that most academics do not think that using ChatGPT to fix grammar needs to be reported, but detection software did not always draw this distinction, as abstracts for which GPT was used to fix grammar were often flagged as having a high chance of being written by AI. We also find disagreements among academics on whether more substantial use of ChatGPT to rewrite text needs to be reported, and these differences were related to perceptions of ethics, academic role, and English language background. Finally, we found little difference in their perceptions about reporting ChatGPT and research assistant help, but significant differences in reporting perceptions between these sources of assistance and paid proofreading and other AI assistant tools (Grammarly and Word). Our results suggest that there might be challenges in getting authors to report AI use in manuscript preparation because (i) there is not uniform agreement about what uses of AI should be reported and (ii) journals might have trouble enforcing nuanced reporting requirements using AI detection tools.
Incidence and determinants of low birth weight in Peninsular Malaysia: A multicentre prospective cohort study
Authors: Mansor Elliza , Ahmad Norliza , Mohd Zulkefli Nor Afiah , Lim Poh Ying
Published: July 2024

Background and objective

Pregnant mothers are at risk of many adverse pregnancy outcomes, including infants with low birth weight (LBW). The World Health Organization aimed to achieve a 30% reduction in the number of LBW infants by the year 2025. In this study, we aimed to determine the incidence and determinants of LBW infants among pregnant mothers attending government health clinics in Peninsular Malaysia.

Material and methods

A prospective cohort study “Relative Risk of Determinants of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Among Pregnant Mothers Attending Government Health Clinics, Peninsular Malaysia, PEN-MUM” was conducted from March 2022 until March 2023 at 20 government health clinics in Peninsular Malaysia that were randomly selected through a multistage sampling method. Malaysian pregnant mothers between 18 and 49 years old were recruited at 12–18 weeks of gestation and followed up at three time points: 1 (24–28 weeks of gestation), 2 (36–40 weeks of gestation), and 3 (post-delivery). Eight exposure factors of LBW were studied: gestational weight gain, dengue infection, urinary tract infection, COVID-19 infection, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, maternal anemia, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Results

Among 507 participants enrolled in the cohort, 40 were lost to follow-up. A total of 467 were included in the final analysis, giving an attrition rate of 7.9%. The incidence of LBW infants in Peninsular Malaysia was 14.3%. After adjusting for three covariates (ethnicity, employment status, and gestational age at birth), three determinants of LBW were identified. The risk of giving birth to LBW infants was higher among those with inadequate gestational weight gain (aRR = 2.86, 95% CI: 1.12, 7.37, p = 0.03), gestational hypertension (aRR = 4.12; 95% CI: 1.66, 10.43; p = 0.002), and GDM (aRR = 2.21; 95% CI: 1.18, 4.14; p = 0.013) during the second and third trimesters.

Conclusions

The incidence of LBW infants in Peninsular Malaysia can be considered high. Having inadequate gestational weight gain, gestational hypertension, and GDM in the second and third trimesters increased the risk of LBW infants by threefold, fivefold, and twofold respectively. Thus, intervention strategies should target prevention, early detection, and treatment of gestational hypertension and GDM, as well as promoting adequate weight gain during antenatal care.
Cold therapy and pain relief after hot-iron disbudding in dairy calves
Authors: Colston Kane P. J. , Ede Thomas , Mendl Michael T. , Lecorps Benjamin
Published: July 2024

Even when pain control is implemented, calves may experience pain for days after hot-iron disbudding. Whether calves seek pain relief post-disbudding offers a novel approach to assessing pain in these animals. By employing an approach-aversion paradigm, we explored the ability of cold therapy to provide immediate pain relief in disbudded calves. Calves were habituated to the manual placement of a cool or ambient pack on their forehead for a short duration simultaneous to milk reward consumption, prior to disbudding. Calves were then disbudded under local anaesthesia (procaine) and analgesia (meloxicam), and responses to the packs were observed over subsequent days. Individual calves were consistently exposed to either cool or ambient packs in different halves of a two-sided experimental pen, allowing for the testing of approach-aversion and conditioned place preference. We found calves approached milk rewards quicker and maintained contact for longer when receiving cold therapy compared to the ambient control. However, calves did not display any conditioned preference for the pen where they received the cool pack. These results add to the growing evidence of lasting pain following disbudding procedures and suggests that cold therapy provides some form of pain relief post-disbudding. Future studies should seek other ways to use cold therapy post-disbudding to reduce aversiveness and human involvement.
Study of high-frequency electrodeless mercury capillary discharge in the magnetic field
Authors: Zorina Natalja , Revalde Gita , Abola Anda , Skudra Atis , Gudermanis Rolands
Published: July 2024

We analyzed shapes of Hg 253.7 nm spectral line, emitted from a micro–size electrodeless Hg/Xe capillary lamp in a magnetic field for its usage in Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometry. Measurements for several different lamp positions were conducted. Obtained profiles were presented as a Fredholm integral equation of the first kind and separated from an instrumental function. The gas temperature, the dependence of Zeeman splitting on the intensity of the magnetic field, and the magnetic field’s exact value in the experiment were determined.
Simmel y Ortega: Una ontología relacional contra la tradición del ser como sustancia
Authors: Gutiérrez Gutiérrez Eduardo
Published: July 2024

El artículo consiste en el estudio comparado de la ontología de Georg Simmel y de José Ortega y Gasset, con dos objetivos: demostrar la influencia de Simmel en la filosofía de Ortega, y exponer su ontología «comparada» como una crítica a la tradición parmenídea del ser. Para ello planteamos dos tesis de partida. La primera tiene que ver con el carácter vitalista de la filosofía de nuestros dos autores. En segundo lugar, la tesis de la «intradición de la tradición» como mecanismo para estudiar la forma en que Simmel y Ortega recogen la tradición críticamente, a efecto de ajustarla a la «altura de su tiempo», según la terminología orteguiana. Finalmente, concluiremos con la idea de que la ontología de Simmel y Ortega es una crítica a la epistemología o a las implicaciones ontológicas de la epistemología moderna.
El krausismo como movimiento internacional de reforma universitaria
Authors: Estrella González Alejadro
Published: July 2024

Este texto pretende contribuir a arrojar claves interpretativas sobre el fenómeno del krausismo español. Tras realizar un somero recorrido por la historiografía del krausismo, propongo —apoyándome en la obra de Randall Collins— comprenderlo como parte de un movimiento internacional de reforma universitaria, que eclosionó en Europa, Estados Unidos y Japón durante la década de los años 70 del siglo XIX. El krausismo sería la variante española del idealismo filosófico convertido en ideología de la reforma universitaria de corte humbodltiano. Sostendré esta tesis mostrando: cómo los krausistas españoles compartían rasgos sociológicos con quienes protagonizaron la reforma en Alemania y en el resto de los países, cómo estos rasgos definieron un tipo filosófico particular que se distinguía en el campo de la filosofía española y, finalmente, cómo en el discurso krausista hay una defensa explícita de esa reforma de inspiración germánica.
Persistent and obscene inequality A post-apartheid policy choice
Authors: Mohamed Seeraj ,   South African Parliamentary Budget Office
Published: July 2024

How is one to understand the poor economic performance of the South African economy since the end of apartheid SEERAJ MOHAMED argues that the post-apartheid government chose to adopt neoliberal economic policies rather than taking on a developmental state role. These policies opened the way for the large dominant corporations to pursue high short-term returns through misallocating capital from productive sectors towards speculation and “lazy” rent-seeking activities. In the process they denuded, deindustrialised and financialised the economy. Still today, the South African government (supported by elites of large corporations) ignores the lessons of history and pursues damaging neoliberal economic policies that impose an unprecedented degree of suffering on the majority of South Africans.
South Africa after 30 years Still a nation of two economies
Authors: Ngam Roland ,   Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Southern Africa
Published: July 2024

The ANC is confronted with one tough question: reform or die slowly. ROLAND NGAM delves into the ANC-led attempts at creating a South Africa that works for all and examines why the Freedom Charter’s resolution – “the People Shall Share in the Country’s Wealth” – is still an aspiration three decades into Black majority rule. He posits that that many fundamental aspects of the national question, especially land and the economy, have been postponed for too long. Thirty years into the democratic dispensation, South Africa is still a country of two nations as former President Thabo Mbeki once famously described it. The dream of economic freedom post-apartheid is deferred indefinitely. The challenge of poverty remains, to borrow the famous words of the eminent African American scholar, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, “the problem of the color-line”. The rural countryside also looks and feels cast adrift. It is dominated by pervasive apartheid geography with a preponderance of informal settlements. Municipalities are struggling under the yoke of corruption and poor service delivery and because municipalities are struggling, hospitals, public transport, schools and security are struggling. A key priority of the national question, i.e. the long-promised land reform and a demand of the 1955 Congress of the People is yet to be delivered. This is fuelling a sense of betrayal among Blacks and it has become the cudgel that political parties, notably the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and rabble rousers use to beat the ANC with at every opportunity. Some anxious and sometimes mischievous voices have started saying openly that things were better for Blacks in the apartheid era.