bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of malnutrition on the clinical evolution of very elderly patients undergoing emergency surgery for abdominal pathology
Authors: Villajos-Guijarro María , Ramírez-Martín Raquel , Mauleón-Ladrero Coro , González Victoria Déniz , Torres Alexander Forero , Nisa Francisca Garcia-Moreno , González-Montalvo Juan Ignacio
Published: May 2024

Purpose: Analyse the influence of nutritional status on postoperative complications, as well as on mortality and mean length of hospital stay, of very elderly patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery.
Methods: We performed a longitudinal observational study including patients older than 80 years who underwent emergency surgery by the general surgery service for abdominal pathology, who were followed by the geriatrics service between September 2018 and May 2021. Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria were used for the diagnosis of malnutrition, classifying patients as malnourished or normonourished. A comprehensive geriatric assessment was performed on the patients, and postoperative complications, mean length of hospital stay and in-hospital and 1-year mortality were recorded.
Results: Of the 131 patients included, 84 were malnourished and 47 normonourished. The average age was 86±4.7 years. Compared with normonourished patients, malnourished patients had a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation debut (22.4% vs. 4.5%, p<0.05; odds ratio [OR] 6.1 [1.33-27.6]), urinary tract infection (18.4% vs 4.5%, p<0.05; OR 4.72 [1.02-21.95]) and bacteraemia (26% vs 9.1%, p<0.05; OR 3.51 [1.14-11.1]). Surgical complications were more frequent in malnourished patients (51.2% vs 23.9%, p<0.05; OR 3.34 [1.5-7.44]). The mean length of hospital stay was 22.6 (±14.1) days in the malnourished patients compared with 15.3 (±11.9) days in the normonourished (p<0.005).
Conclusion: Malnutrition in very old patients undergoing emergency abdominal surgery is associated with a poorer clinical course; thus, it must be considered in the evaluation and follow-up of these patients.
On Indian Summer Monsoon Droughts and their Causal Mechanisms Over the Past Millennium
Authors: Sinha Ashish , Steiger Nathan , Li Hanying , Kathayat Gayatri , Tan Liangcheng , Cheng Hai
Published: May 2024

Historical documentary accounts from the Indian subcontinent document several decade-to-multidecade clusters of severe Indian summer monsoon (ISM) droughts over the past millennium. Many of these putative droughts have no counterparts in the observational period, but an objective assessment of the severity, duration, frequency, and spatial extent of these droughts and their causal mechanisms remains uncertain. Here, we use the Paleo Hydrodynamics Data Assimilation (PHYDA) product to bridge this gap. PHYDA reproduces historical intervals of increased drought frequency with high fidelity and reveals multiple instances of multi-year “black swan” droughts that are in line with historical accounts. We find that droughts, as well as extended periods of dryness, occurred under both El Niño and non-El Niño conditions, with El Niño explaining ~ 49% of all drought instances. A large portion (~40%) of non-El Niño type droughts were likely forced by cooler extratropical SST anomalies in the North Atlantic region. The remaining droughts, however, cannot be accounted for by any other modes of SST, implying a substantial role of ISM internal stochastic variability in driving droughts. While El Niño was an important driver, its association with droughts varied considerably, accounting for between 15-80% of droughts depending on the century. The millennial length perspective afforded by PHYDA supports expanding the El Niño-centric paradigm of ISM droughts into a framework that includes extratropical teleconnections.
Implementation of a nurse-delivered, community-based liver screening and assessment program for people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (LOCATE-NAFLD trial)
Authors: Allen Michelle J. , Tulleners Ruth , Brain David , O’Beirne James , Powell Elizabeth E. , Barnett Adrian , Valery Patricia C. , Kularatna Sanjeewa , Hickman Ingrid J.
Published: May 2024

Background With the high burden of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in the community, current models of care that require specialist review for disease risk stratification overwhelm hospital clinic capacity and create inefficiencies in care. The LOCal Assessment and Triage Evaluation of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (LOCATE-NAFLD) randomised trial compared usual care to a community-based nurse delivered liver risk assessment. This study evaluates the implementation strategy of LOCATE-NAFLD. Methods The evaluation used multiple methods (quantitative trial data and qualitative framework analysis of semi-structured interviews) to explore the general practitioner (GP) and patient perspectives of acceptability (Acceptability Framework), and factors associated with reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance (RE-AIM framework) of the LOCATE model of care. Results LOCATE-NAFLD was considered highly acceptable by both patients and GPs. The model of care achieved appropriate reach across the participating health services, reaching high-risk patients faster than usual care and with predominantly positive patient experiences. A notable reduction in anxiety and stress was experienced in the intervention group due to the shorter waiting times between referral and assessment. There was an overall perception of confidence in nursing staff capability to perform the community-based screening and GPs indicated confidence in managing low-risk NAFLD without the need for specialist review. Challenges to implementation, adoption and maintenance included variable prioritisation of liver disease assessment in complex cases, the need for further GP training in NAFLD assessment and treatment pathways, available funding and referral pathways for community screening, and accessibility of effective diet and exercise professional support. Conclusion Nurse delivered community-based liver screening is highly acceptable to GPs and patients and has shown to be an effective mechanism to identify high risk patients. Adoption and maintenance of the model of care faces significant challenges related to affordable access to screening, prioritisation of liver disease in complex patient cohorts, and unresolved difficulties in prescribing effective strategies for sustained lifestyle intervention in the primary care setting. Trial registration The trial was registered on 30 January 2020 and can be found via Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) – ACTRN12620000158965.
Role of 3D ultrasound in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence with polyacrylamide hydrogel (Bulkamid®) – a pilot study
Authors: Ugianskiene Aiste , Juhl Caroline Sollberger , Glavind Karin
Published: May 2024

Introduction and Hypothesis
Polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAHG) is a bulking agent used in treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women. Some women experience an improvement or cure in stress urinary incontinence (SUI) symptoms lasting only a few weeks after the injection of the bulking agent. The aim of this study was to use three-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) to describe the changes in volume, number of deposits and echogenicity of the bulking agent 3 months after PAHG injection.
Methods
Prospective cohort study of fourteen women with SUI or mixed primarily SUI, who underwent an injection of PAHG. The subjective outcome was evaluated with Patient Global Impression of Improvement questionnaire. 3DUS was performed in all patients immediately after injection of PAHG and again at 3 months follow-up.
Results
The study found a mean 36.5% loss in bulking agent volume during the study period. A total of 53 PAHG deposits were found by ultrasound immediately after injection. At 3 months follow-up 41 PAHG deposits were left. All deposits were hypoechogenic immediately after injection and only 24% of demonstrated PAHG collections had a hypoechoic echogenicity at 3 months follow-up.
Conclusions
More than 1/3 of volume of injected PAHG and 23% of deposits could not be found by 3DUS at 3 months follow-up. Only 24% of PAHG injections in our patients had hypo-echoic echogenicity at 3 months follow-up. Larger 3DUS studies with longer follow-up and focus on exact location of the PAHG injections are important future studies.
Visual Information Facilitation Scene Text Retrieval
Authors: Luo Hailong , Ibrayim Mayire , Hamdulla Askar , Deng Qilin
Published: May 2024

Given a query text and a database of images to be queried, a scene text retrieval system can output the addresses of images containing this query word, as well as the location of the query word in the images. The current state-of-the-art method matches the visual features of query embedding and text instance embedding. This approach effectively mitigates the heterogeneity differences between the two modalities, but it disrupts the visual structure of the query images. In this paper, we optimize this method. First, we directly convert the entire query text into an image, thereby maximally preserving the visual information of the original text image. Then, we devised a Coarse-Grained Feature Rectification (CGFR) module, which facilitates visual alignment. Finally, we propose Adaptive Edit Distance (AED) and improve the main loss function. With the promotion of the above scheme, our method has reached the state-of-the-art level on multiple benchmark datasets. Particularly, this method is suitable for multilingual retrieval tasks, with a 16.98% improvement in mAP score compared to the current state-of-the-art method.
Increased Risk of Genitourinary Cancer in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Large-Scale National Cohort Study and its Clinical Implications
Authors: Kim Hyunho , Chae Kyung-Hee , Choi Arum , Kim Mi-hyeong , Hong Ji Hyung , Choi Bum Soon , Kim Sukil , Ban Tae Hyun
Published: May 2024

Purpose
To investigate the risk of genitourinary (GU) cancer in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) compared to that in the general population, focusing on potential risk factors and clinical implications.
Methods
Using a national cohort of approximately 360,000 individuals, including 31,542 KTRs, we conducted a retrospective analysis of the data from 2007 to 2018. Propensity score matching was used to compare KTRs with a healthy population, adjusting for age, sex, diabetes, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia.
Results
We identified a significantly increased risk of GU cancers, particularly bladder and kidney cancers, in KTRs. Multivariate analysis revealed a higher risk of GU cancer associated with kidney transplantation (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.133, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.641–2.772) and hypercholesterolemia (HR: 1.725, 95% CI: 1.227–2.425), with older age and male sex also being significant risk factors. Conversely, no significant increase in prostate cancer risk was observed in KTRs compared to the general population.
Conclusion
This national cohort-based study indicated an increased risk of GU cancer in KTRs, underscoring the need for targeted cancer surveillance and pre- and post-transplant counseling. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of cancer surveillance programs for KTRs and highlight the necessity for further research in this field.
β-glucan primed and DYDGP microparticles treatment induces trained immunity against mycobacterium tuberculosis infected human macrophage: an in-vitro/in-vivo studies
Authors: Ahmad Firoz , Ahmad Shad , Upadhyay Tarun Kumar , Jain Parul , Saeed Mohd , Ahmad Irfan , Al-Keridis Lamya Ahmed , Khubaib Mohd , Sharma Rolee
Published: May 2024

Background
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a persistent global health challenge, prompting the exploration of innovative strategies to enhance prevention and treatment outcomes. Host-directed therapies have emerged as a promising avenue in TB management, potentially reshaping current treatment paradigms. This study investigates the efficacy of β-glucans as immune-training agents to strengthen the host's defense mechanisms against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection.
Methods
Our investigation focuses on DYDGP-treated, trained cells to elucidate the effects of β-glucans on immune training. We assessed the integrity of trained macrophage cell membranes and their enhanced phagocytic uptake compared to untrained cells. Additionally, we examined the activation of crucial cellular signalling pathways, enhanced oxidative reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and acidic vesicular organelles formation within infected and trained macrophage cells at the 24-hour mark. In-vivo and in-vitro phagocytosis uptake assays were conducted to evaluate the impact of training on phagocytic activity, while lysotracker staining data provided insights into macrophage immune responses and pathogen clearance. Furthermore, we investigated the modulatory effects of DYDGP-treated β-glucans on functional characteristics, such as enhanced mycobacterial control at 24 hours, confirmed by colony-forming unit (CFU) assays.
Results
Our findings demonstrate promising outcomes, with trained macrophage cells exhibiting intact cell membranes and enhanced phagocytic uptake compared to untrained cells. β-glucans effectively activate crucial cellular signalling pathways, leading to enhanced oxidative ROS production and acidic vesicular organelles formation within infected and trained macrophage cells at 24 hours. In vivo and in vitro assays reveal that training enhances phagocytosis of particles and induces a potent immune response, resulting in enhanced phago-lysosomal maturation and pathogen clearance within infected and trained macrophage cells at 24 hours. Additionally, DYDGP-treated β-glucans exhibit modulatory effects on functional characteristics, including enhanced mycobacterial control at 24 hours.
Conclusions
These results underscore the potential of β-glucans as adjunctive therapies in TB management. However, further research is needed to comprehensively elucidate the observed effects and optimize their therapeutic application. This study lays the groundwork for future investigations aimed at harnessing the immunomodulatory properties of β-glucans to combat TB effectively.
Identification and Validation of a Prognostic Model Based on Three TLS- Related Genes in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Sun Bincan , Gan Chengwen , Tang Yan , Xu Qian , Wang Kai , Zhu Feiya
Published: May 2024

Background: The tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) have an immunomodulatory function and have a positive impact on the survival outcomes of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, there is a lack of standard approaches for quantifying TLSs and prognostic models using TLS-related genes (TLSRGs). These limitations limit the widespread use of TLSs in clinical practice.
Methods: A convolutional neural network was used to automatically detect and quantify TLSs in HE-stained whole slide images. By employing bioinformatics and diverse statistical methods, this research created a prognostic model using TCGA cohorts, and explored the connection between this model and immune infiltration. The expression levels of three TLSRGs in clinical specimens were detected by immunohistochemistry.
Results: TLSs were found to be an independent predictor of both overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival in OSCC patients. A larger proportion of the TLSs area represented a better prognosis. After analysis, we identified 69 differentially expressed TLSRGs, and selected three pivotal TLSRGs to construct the risk score model. This model emerged as a standalone predictor for OS and exhibited close associations with CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and macrophages. Immunohistochemistry revealed high expression levels of CCR7 and CXCR5 in TLS+OSCC samples, while CD86 was highly expressed in TLS-OSCC samples.
Conclusions: This is the first prognostic model based on TLSRGs, that can effectively predict survival outcomes and contribute to individual treatment strategies for OSCC patients.
Azacytidine Treatment Affects Methylation Pattern of Genomic and Cell-Free DNA in Uveal Melanoma Cell Lines
Authors: Ferrier Sarah Tadhg , Li Mingyang , Burnier Julia V.
Published: May 2024

Background
Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular tumour in adults, and approximately 50% of patients will develop metastasis. Epigenetic changes are a major factor in cancer progression. We aimed to determine whether methylation profiles could be altered using a DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor in UM cell lines.
Methods
Four primary and metastatic UM cell lines were treated with azacytidine and analysed for cell proliferation, colony formation, and BAP1 protein expression. Genomic and cfDNA methylation were compared.
Results
In all cell lines, azacytidine treatment resulted in a dose-dependent effects on proliferation, colony formation, and radiosensitivity. Methylation profiling revealed differences in methylation between cell lines according to BAP1 expression. Matched primary and metastatic cell lines showed very similar patterns. Alterations were seen in pathways known to be important in UM progression, such as PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling, and in pathways involved in cancer progression, such as regulation of stemlike potential, cell motility, and invasion. These changes were maintained in genomic and cfDNA.
Conclusions
This data suggests that DNMT inhibitors cause changes in UM cells that are maintained in cfDNA. The results suggest that targeting methylation in UM treatment and monitoring response to treatment using cell-free DNA methylation could be a valuable tool.
Improving Learning Experience Through Implementing Standardized Team-Based Learning Process in Undergraduate Medical Education
Authors: Andrews-Dickert Rebecca , Nagaraj Ranjini , Knittig Laura , Zhao Yuan , Zhan Lilian
Published: May 2024

Introduction
Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a highly structured active learning methodology shown to have positive learning outcomes in undergraduate medical education (UME), including improved acquisition of knowledge and teamwork skills. While many medical schools have increasingly adopted TBL, there is considerable variation reported in the literature in the implementation of the standard sequence and key components of TBL. This study aims to assess the impact of implementing the standardized framework of the TBL process on student perception of the benefits of TBL.
Methods
Faculty at our institute were surveyed to determine the frequency of implementation of TBL standards, as described in the literature. Second-year osteopathic medical students (OMS II) were surveyed for their perception of the experience of TBL at the beginning of the academic year. Curricular interventions targeting the enforcement of the standard steps and key components of TBL were implemented in a particular 6-week system course. The students were re-surveyed at the end of the course. Descriptive and thematic analyses were performed on quantitative and qualitative data.
Results
Twenty four of 31 (77.4%) faculty participated in the faculty survey, 53 of 105 OMS II students (50.4%) participated in the pre-intervention survey, and 72 of 104 OMS II students (69.2%) participated in the post-intervention survey. Faculty survey results indicated inconsistent implementation of key steps and components of the TBL process. Comparisons of student pre- and post-survey means of the perceived value of various aspects of TBL showed significant improvement in multiple aspects of the TBL process, including readiness assurance tests, immediate feedback, and application activities. Both before and after the intervention, students highly rated the value of teamwork and opportunities for practical application of concepts within TBL.
Conclusion
While medical students value teamwork in UME and professional development, their perception of TBL can be less than positive if not conducted deliberatively. Assessment of the implementation of the standard TBL steps and components and development of corresponding targeted interventions may improve the TBL experience of medical students. Our process could be generalized to help educators interested in improving the quality of TBL in their home institutes.
Exploring Performance Metrics of a Microstrip Antenna for 6G Millimeter-Wave Communication
Authors: Padmasree Ramineni , Dharmapuri Yudhveer Goud , Priyanka Karne , Yogesh Vadnala
Published: May 2024

The increasing demands of sixth-generation (6G) applications necessitate wireless communication services capable of providing exceptionally high speeds and extensive capacity, essential for effective 6G technology deployment. To meet this need, we developed an Microstrip antenna operating within the 110GHz to 120GHz frequency range, meticulously evaluating its performance across various patch materials such as copper and conducting a comprehensive analysis of relevant antenna parameters. Utilizing Computer Simulation Technology (CST) Studio software, we rigorously simulated and examined the proposed microstrip antenna, specifically optimized for 6G applications in the 110-120GHz frequency spectrum. Our efforts at 110GHz resulted in impressive metrics, including a remarkable directivity of 186.7dB, a gain of 10.03dBi, a radiation efficiency of 176.7dB, a reflection coefficient of -12dB, a total efficiency of -177dB, and a voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) ranging from 1.5 to 2. Similarly, at 120GHz, our antenna demonstrated commendable performance, with a directivity of 181.5dB, a gain of 4.697dBi, a radiation efficiency of -176.9dB, a reflection coefficient ranging from − 14dB to -15dB, a total efficiency of -177dB, and a VSWR of 1.5. This study underscores the crucial importance of optimizing microstrip antenna designs for 6G millimeter-wave communication, providing valuable insights to advance future wireless communication systems.
RETRACTED: Enhanced Swarm Distributed Energy-Efficient Clustering Method for IoT Network Using Crossbreed Optimization Methods
Authors: Kumar Anuj , Agrawal Krishna Kant
Published: May 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Machine Learning Projections for Human Development Index Anticipation
Authors: Gsim Jamal , Es-sadek Mohamed Zeriab
Published: May 2024

This study utilizes a rich repository of global development data to forecast the Human Development Index (HDI) by harnessing the World Bank's World Development Indicators (WDI) database and the United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) extensive human development metrics as primary data reservoirs. Employing R as the driving force, this research unfolds through a meticulously structured four-phase methodology. The initial phase encompasses data pre-processing tasks, including web scraping, merging, cleansing, and transforming datasets. Subsequently, exploratory data analysis is conducted to unravel correlations and regression patterns among variables, culminating in the creation of refined data frames. The crux of this study revolves around machine learning, where two distinct random forest models are crafted: one for regression and another for classification purposes. Additionally, authentic development indicators are harnessed to predict the Human Development Index accurately. Beyond merely deploying machine learning techniques, this research underscores the importance of embracing a multifaceted approach to assess and tackle global development challenges. This study not only aims to predict the Human Development Index but also aims to lay a foundation for future research endeavors in this domain. It opens avenues for exploring novel methodologies and datasets for more precise and comprehensive predictions of human development indices. The findings of this research are poised to contribute significantly to understanding the dynamics of global development and devising effective strategies for fostering human well-being worldwide.
On the modeling of activation in biological transversely isotropic materials
Authors: Giantesio Giulia , Musesti Alessandro
Published: May 2024

Many biological materials exhibit the ability to activate, essentially due to the action of muscle cells. While the mathematical description of passive materials is well-established, even for large deformations, this is not the case for activation, since capturing its complexities poses significant challenges. This paper focuses on the mathematical modeling of activation of biological materials, guided by the important example of skeletal muscle tissue. We will consider an incompressible and transversely isotropic material within a hyperelastic framework. Our goal is to design constitutive relations that agree with uniaxial experimental data whenever possible. Finally, we propose a novel model based on a coercive and polyconvex elastic energy density for a fiber-reinforced material; in this model, activation occurs solely through a change in the reference configuration of the fibers, following the mixture active strain approach. This model assumes constant activation, preserving the good mathematical features of the original model while still capturing the essential aspects of activation observed in experiments.
Mathematics Subject Classification (2020) 74B20 · 74L15
Health Systems approach to the application of privacy protection for patients accessing health facilities in Ghana
Authors: Asare Lily Obenewaa , Antwi James
Published: May 2024

Aim
The study aims at examining health systems approach to the application of privacy and confidentiality of patients’ medical information by senior and junior nurses and midwives in Ghana.
Methodology.
The study employed qualitative research design utilizing researcher observations and focus group discussions from a vignette with sixty nurses and midwives selected from six hospitals across three regions in the country. The vignette was created from real life situations and provides background stories that nurses and midwives used as a scenario. The views of participants were analysed using thematic data analysis method.
Findings
The findings show that inadequate and weak health systems impede privacy and confidentiality of patients’ medical information in health facilities. The results demonstrate unclear reporting lines, nepotism and favouritism leading to breaches, non-compliance to procedures and code of practices, misplace priorities, unsafe and inappropriate practices, staff shortages and limited capacity of staff to apply protocols on privacy and confidentiality, weak coordination of patient information flow, inadequate screens and space and poor electronic records system. The weaknesses in the health systems could be seen across four of the six building blocks: leadership and governance, health workforce, health information management and service delivery.
Conclusion
Health systems play an important role in privacy protection of patients’ medical information and being adaptive and complex in nature. Operating the systems in silos does not facilitate privacy protection in health facilities. Therefore, policy and practice implications on privacy and confidentiality in relation to systems strengthening need to recognize prospective changes and its application should be holistic to ensure protection of patients’ information.
The Other Side of Variant Transthyretin Amyloidosis With Polyneuropathy: Psychosocial Experience of Members of Portuguese Families with Late Onset of the Disease
Authors: Pereira José D. , Santos Andreia , Cisneros-Barroso Eugenia , Anan Intissar , Lemos Marina S. , Paneque Milena
Published: May 2024

This study is the first to explore the psychosocial experience of members of Portuguese families with late-onset variant transthyretin amyloidosis with polyneuropathy (A-ATTRv-PN). Based on a constructivist worldview, this phenomenological investigation followed a qualitative approach by conducting eight interviews and analyzing qualitative data. The main results suggest that the psychosocial experience of the members of families interviewed is marked by: (a) a delayed awareness of the family disease (viz., in adulthood), (b) psychosocial impacts (viz., emotional and other impacts related to work, parenting, caregiving) experienced and anticipated in an adult phase of the life cycle, and (c) the use of approach strategies (e.g., seeking information about A-ATTRv-PN and seeking social support) and/or avoidance strategies (e.g., avoiding seeking information and talking to others about the condition) with a view to accommodating A-ATTRv-PN in personal and family life. These results differ from the life trajectories of members of Portuguese families with A-ATTRv-PN described previously and extend previous scientific evidence on the psychosocial experience of members of families where the disease typically appears late, contributing to further study on this topic and to the optimization of genetic counseling practices and health policies that respond to the psychosocial needs of members of Portuguese families with late onset of the condition. Future studies should continue to deepen our understanding of the psychosocial experience of this population to improve the clinical response provided to patients, families, and caregivers.
Numerical Simulation of the Composite Sand Ground ‘RHACLSMC’ Strains under the Groundwater level and Natural Condition variations
Authors: Doan THY Truc
Published: May 2024

In recent decades, research on soft soil behaviors with temperature variations has been shown particularly in many areas and countries in the world. However, the Numerical Simulation of the Composite Sand Ground “RHACLSMC” Strains under the Groundwater level and Natural Conditions variations measured behaviors of sand under displacement, and natural conditions variation. This research presents particularly for behaviors of the Soft Sand ‘RHACLSMC’ with material mixtures ‘rice husk ash’ of 4%; ‘lime’ of 8%; ‘sawdust’ of 8%; ‘mangrove charcoal’ of 4%; under Temperature Variations from 310C to 350C and the Natural Environment Conditions consideration. The research results show the decreasing of temperature and changing of the natural environment conditions (wind speed, air moisture, dew-point, cloud density, air quality, and other factors), which result in the decrease of sample volume, weight, water content, and sizes; whereas compared with the increasing of time. On the other hand, the results of the Numerical simulation presented the Mobilized Shear Strength, total Volumetric Strains, and the vertical displacement are small. So these relative research results contribute to the soft sand ‘RHACLSMC’ ground improvement technology with material mixtures for references for design, building, and construction in Geology engineering in the future. Moreover, the colors changed remarkably in the soft sand sample according to water content, temperature, weight, and time increase. These relative research results contribute to the soft sand ‘RHACLSMC’ ground improvement technology with material mixtures for references for design, building, and construction in Geology engineering in the future.
Evaluation of histological and ultrastructural changes provoked by prenatal tramadol
Authors: SAYHI MOSTAFA
Published: May 2024

Tramadol is a novel centrally acting analgesic. Despite, its implementation during pregnancy may impair neuronal survival and synaptic development in neonatal cerebella. The current investigation assessed the histological and ultrastructural alterations in postnatal cortical cerebellar neuronal development induced by prenatal tramadol. 30 offsprings were divided to control group I: fifteen pups born to mothers given saline from D10 till D21 of gestation. Tramadol-treated group II: fifteen pups born to mothers received tramadol HCL (50 mg/kg/day) from D10 till D21 of gestation. Pups were categorized into three subgroups (a, b, and c) and offered for sacrifice on the seventh, fourteenth and twenty-first post-natal days. Light microscopic examination revealed the overcrowding and signs of red degeneration affecting purkinje cell layer. Neurodegenerative signs of both purkinje and granule cell neurons were also confirmed by TEM in form of chromatin condensation, dilated Golgi channels, disrupted endoplasmic reticulum, marked infolding of the nuclear envelope and decrease in granule cell precursors. In addition, the astrocytic processes and terminal nerve axons appeared with different degrees of demyelination and decreased number of oligodendrocytes and degenerated mitochondria. Furthermore, group II exhibited an increase in P53 immune expression. The area percentage of apoptotic cells detected by TUNEL assay was significantly increased. Besides to the significant decrease of Ki67 immunoreactivity in the stem neuronal cell progenitors. Quantitative PCR results showed a significant decline in micro RNA7 gene expression in tramadol treated groups resulting in affection of multiple target genes in P53 signaling pathways, improper cortical size and defect in neuronal development.
Pandemic Persona and Digital Culture: The Role of Celebrity Politicians on Social Networks
Authors: Biti Ozren
Published: May 2024

The paper discusses a specific intersection of the politics, celebrity, and digital culture. In the last few decades, more and more people from the entertainment realm entered the world of institutional politics trying to leverage their popularity. Thanks to the media, they manage to transfer their celebrity capital, namely accumulated media visibility and recognisability (Driesens 2013) into the political sphere. In the beginning, they improve their visibility with the help of mass media that place their personas and private lives in the focus of public attention. However, with the digitalization of the media, the popular-political landscape has changed (Marshall 2020), so today they have dispositional new bases for practising personalized politics, i.e. imposing their personality instead of political party programmes. In this paper, attention is directed to former American president Donald Trump, president of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Miroslav Škoro, who was a candidate in the presidential, parliamentary, and local elections in Croatia. Although there were obvious differences between these three celebrities mentioned before entering the political arena, their later use of social networks vividly shows how they built their political/pandemic persona in the evolving mediatization of politics.
“In Bitcoin We Trust": An Anthropological Approach to Bitcoin as Algorithmic Utopia
Authors: Kulenović Nina
Published: May 2024

The aim of this paper is to contextualize briefly the emergence and development of Bitcoin as well as to offer an anthropological analysis of one such "algorithmic utopia" known as Bitcoin. Bitcoin was officially "born" in 2009. Its foundation was laid by the so-called white paper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" (2008), authored by Satoshi Nakamoto, a pseudonym for an individual or a group of individuals. In essence, the intention of its creator (or creators) was to solve the technical problem of so-called double-spending of money, aiming to avoid reliance on a third party or institution (such as a bank) and the consequent loss of privacy for its users, with the help of an algorithm called blockchain. Although Bitcoin can be viewed in continuity with movements such as crypto-anarchism and cypherpunk, whose roots trace back to the 1980s of the twentieth century, and although it is not the first cryptocurrency nor the first alternative to fiat money, Bitcoin is indeed the first cryptocurrency to have attracted broader attention in both public and academic discourse. This paper will shed light on the context in which Bitcoin was born and popularized, and will endeavor to defend the assumption that the popular imagination behind the Bitcoin currency is technoutopian. Finally, this paper will seek to demonstrate that the algorithm at the very core of Bitcoin is perceived not only as the fulfillment of an Enlightenment dream of a method itself as a non-cultural and supra-historical guarantor of objectivity (as the one) removed from politics, economy and ideology but also as a democratization method applicable to them all. Apart from the mentioned above, the paper concludes that Bitcoin is seen as the fulfillment of a modernist dream of efficient, formal, predictable, depersonalized bureaucracies in the context of the diminished legitimacy of centralized, hierarchically structured, sluggish, fallible, and abuse-prone economic and state institutions. The focus of trust shifts to technology: to an algorithm seen as self-regulating, efficient, free from ideology, subjective interests, and potential abuse, almost divinely infallible, decentralized, and democratic system that provides a group of individuals not only with the necessary tools to achieve their freedom and privacy, deprived from control and regulations, but also as a tool for reforming the political and economic system.
Heifer spay: A practical approach
Authors: Steine Michael
Published: May 2024

I learned how to spay heifers in the Kimberley region of West­ern Australia. The extensive practice of beef production, lack of fences, seasonality of access to cattle, and the need for non-pregnant cattle for live export made the practice of spaying heifers commonly used.
To the point – the basics of bovine acupuncture
Authors: Villarroel Aurora
Published: May 2024

Acupuncture is recognized these days by many institutions as an effective complementary therapeutic technique both in human and veterinary medicine. Acupuncture is only one of several treatment modalities within Traditional Chinese Vet­erinary Medicine (TCVM), but it is the one that shows the fast­est effects. Although most acupuncture treatments require a careful selection of appropriate acupoints for each individual patient, there are several acupoints with such a specific and potent effect on the body that they can be used by themselves, in conjunction with Western therapy to expedite healing. This is the case with GV14 for fever or immunostimulation, GV26 for resuscitation, CV9 for edema, Shan-gen for appetite stimulation, An-shen for sedation, and BL20 and BL21 as a pair for digestive disorders. Their location and function are explained. The in­tention of this clinical skills presentation is to provide Western practitioners with additional tools that can be used along with the customary Western therapeutic approach to help our pa­tients heal faster.
The true cost of losing employees and how to avoid them
Authors: Dicks Michael
Published: May 2024

The cost of losing a seasoned associate veterinarian can be as high as 2-3 times their annual salary, and for other staff mem­bers, it has been measured to be between 5.3% and 213% of their annual salary depending on the importance of the posi­tion and their time in that position. Reducing employee turn­over is important for the financial health of the practice, team health and the client and patient health. Eliminating those factors that have been shown to be reasons for an employee to leave are important first steps in reducing employee turnover. Recent cultural and socioeconomic changes have produced changes in the labor market that will require “mind shifts” in the hiring, mentoring and managing the work force.
A guide to antimicrobial options for common small ruminant diseases
Authors: Buckley Michelle
Published: May 2024

There are few antibiotics approved for use in small ruminant species in the United States. According to the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act (AMDUCA), extralabel drug use may only be employed under the direction of a licensed veterinar­ian in the context of a valid veterinarian-client-patient relation­ship. However, with the implementation of FDA Guidance for Industry #263, producers will no longer have access to antibiot­ics which were previously available over the counter and could have been utilized in an extralabel manner without veterinary oversight. The aim of this discussion is to provide veterinarians with a logical approach to selecting appropriate antibiotics for use in small ruminants.
Comparison of bolt penetration depth by lowcost penetrating captive-bolt devices used for cattle euthanasia on the farm
Authors: Frazer S. , Denicourt M. , DesCoteaux L. , Masseau I. , Rousseau M.
Published: May 2024

Comparative studies are lacking to guide low-cost penetrating captive-bolt device (PCB) selection for on-farm cattle euthana­sia. This study aimed to compare bolt penetration depth (BPD) of 3 such devices available in Canada. We hypothesized that the cheapest PCB would have a lower BPD than the higher cost PCBs tested.
The effect of a first occurrence of digital dermatitis in early lactation on risk of culling and time-to-pregnancy in lactating dairy cows
Authors: Shepley E. , Ordaz Puga S. , Dopfer D. , Anklam K. , Caixeta L. , Cramer G.
Published: May 2024

Digital dermatitis (DD) is one of the most prevalent types of hoof lesion reported in dairy cows. This higher prevalence in dairy herds is consequential, as DD can not only lead be painful and lead to lameness in severe instance, but DD has also been found to have a negative long-term impact on reproductive per­formance and longevity. However, the impact of a first instance of DD in cows with no previous lesion history on these negative outcomes is largely unknown, as most previous studies do not account or the impact of lesion chronicity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a first occurrence of DD in the first 60 days in milk (DIM) in cows with no previous record­ed instance of DD on risk of culling and time-to-pregnancy in the first 180 DIM in dairy cows.
Using infrared thermography to detect teat tissue changes after machine milking in dairy cows
Authors: Harper L. , DiLeo C. , Porter I. , Basran P. , Wieland M.
Published: May 2024

Mastitis is among the costliest diseases affecting dairy cows, partly due to its permanent reduction of the quantity and qual­ity of milk produced. Most mastitis cases involve pathogenic organisms entering the cow’s mammary gland through the teat canal. The teat canal has natural defenses against these patho­gens that can be disrupted during milk harvesting. Some of these disruptions of the teat tissue morphology, also known as short-term changes (STCs), can be diagnosed through visual in­spection and palpation. Infrared thermography (IRT) has previ­ously been shown to produce precise and consistent measure­ments of skin temperatures on cows’ hind teats. Our primary objective was to determine if IRT could distinguish between presence and absence of STCs to eventually create an automat­ed monitoring system. Our secondary objective was to describe the variability in the teat skin surface temperatures (SSTs) be­fore and after machine milking.
Integrated transcriptome and multi-tissue mineral analyses of healthy stocker cattle fed complexed or inorganic trace mineral supplement
Authors: Scott M. , Harvey K. , Karisch B. , Woolums A. , Russell J.
Published: May 2024

Trace mineral supplementation is common in beef cattle pro­duction, however the impact of supplementation on inflamma­tory signaling and immunity in high-risk cattle remain unclear. We employed high-throughput RNA sequencing and multi-tissue mineral analyses to identify specific genomic mecha­nisms and spatial mineral trends related to ad libitum mineral supplementation.
Effects of respiratory disease control using generic vs. pioneer tulathromycin in high-risk cattle on health, performance and carcass characteristics
Authors: Terrell S. , Johnson E. , Lukasiewicz K. , Lindberg N. , Stevens C. , Thomson D. , Lowe J. , Newberry J.
Published: May 2024

Bovine respiratory disease remains the leading cause of feedlot morbidity and mortality in North America. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of generic vs. pioneer tulathro­mycin for control of bovine respiratory disease.
Sociality in pre- and post-wean beef calves
Authors: Parsons R. , Robbins J. , Dewell R. , Dewll G. , Johnson A. , Haley D. , Millman S.
Published: May 2024

Bonding between beef cows and their calves is well established; however, social relationships between calves is less under­stood. In wild ungulates, young calf integration into the natal herd is typically facilitated by its dam based in part on her pre­existing social rank and relationships. Weaning stress occurs when calves are transitioned off milk to solid feed and are com­monly separated from their dam. Research is lacking on pref­erential relationships between calves during both the pre-wean and the post-wean periods. The objective of this study was to explore the relationships between calves during both the pre-wean and post-wean periods.
US macroeconomic determinants of Bitcoin
Authors: Tri Wahyuni Mailinda , Ridwan Endrizal , Fitrizal Salim Dwi
Published: May 2024

This study aims to determine the impact of macroeconomic variables on bitcoin prices in the United States. Bitcoin is one of the cryptocurrencies that has the highest price and the most users in the United States in recent years. This study uses monthly data on inflation, interest rates, USD/EUR rates, gold prices, and bitcoin prices. To achieve the objectives of this study, Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC) and Multivariate Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (MGARCH) were used. The results showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between the variables of inflation, interest rates, and USD/EUR rates affecting the price of Bitcoin in that period. Conversely, there is a positive and significant relationship between the price of gold and the price of Bitcoin in the United States during that period. An in-depth understanding of how macroeconomic factors such as inflation, interest rates and the USD/EUR rates affect Bitcoin price is key to making smart investment decisions in an increasingly complex crypto market. The findings of this analysis confirm that the significant relationship between macroeconomic variables and Bitcoin price provides deeper insights for investors to anticipate market movements and design adaptive investment strategies.
Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of cardiac rehabilitation among physiotherapists in Morocco
Authors: Kabbadj Kaoutar , El Haddaoui Safae , Taiek Nora , El Hangouche Abdelkader Jalil
Published: May 2024

Cardiovascular disease is a growing challenge worldwide, and Morocco is no exception. Despite its growing popularity, cardiac rehabilitation is still largely underutilized. In order to improve the provision of cardiac rehabilitation, a study of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of physiotherapists in Morocco, key players in cardiac rehabilitation, is described. This assessment highlights existing skill gaps and enables the necessary corrective measures to be identified. This cross-sectional study included Moroccan physiotherapists working in different institutions (public and private) in different regions of Morocco. A total of 145 valid questionnaires were collected (33% response rate). The results showed that 72.4% of respondents had a medium level of knowledge of cardiac rehabilitation, 93.8% had a positive attitude, and 73% of physiotherapists said they sometimes practiced cardiac rehabilitation. Subgroup analysis showed that the lower the level of education, the more negative the knowledge and practice of rehabilitation. The results also showed that physiotherapists working in education sector and private clinics had better practice than those working in hospitals.