bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Business Strategy Formulation of Sharia Rural Bank (SRB) in Facing Pandemic
Authors: Munir Ningky Sasanti
Published: September 2023

This study was conducted to formulate a business strategy for a sharia rural bank whose performance has decreased because the financing sector served is affected by Covid-19. This study is applied research that is qualitative and uses a single case study approach. Primary data was obtained through interviews with several members of the board of commissioners, members of the board of directors, and heads of divisions. Secondary data were obtained from internal company documents, while external sources were mostly from regulatory bodies for the sharia banking industry in Indonesia. A framework from David et al. (2020) is used to obtain a business strategy formulation. For the upcoming three years, the business strategy that should be carried out are market penetration and product development, i.e., conducting selective increase in financing in prospective sectors, conducting coaching in the micro and small sectors so that they can better cope with the impact of Covid-19, and developing products for first-time young customers.
Drug Quality Supervision Strategy Analysis under Government Rewards and Punishments: What Role does Patient Feedback Play？
Authors: Zhang Siyi , Zhu Lilong
Published: September 2023

In recent years, the frequent occurrence of drug quality and safety incidents, which seriously affect economic development, social stability and public’s health, has always been one of the hot issues that are widely concerned by all over the world. Therefore, this paper constructs a differential game model of drug quality supervision, analyses the influence of government and patients’ interaction mediated by co-regulation information platform on drug quality investment decision-making of pharmaceutical enterprises and retailers, and discusses the decision-making outcomes of pharmaceutical enterprises and retailers under government rewards and punishments. Backward Induction Method is used to solve the model, and Matlab 2021b is used for simulation analysis. The results show that, firstly, when patients give positive feedback, the reward strength of government and the quality perceived utility of patients jointly determine the external positive utility of pharmaceutical enterprises and retailers. Secondly, when patients give negative feedback, the supervision effect of punishment is affected by the market demand for the drug. Furthermore, government rewards and punishments will affect the drug’s wholesale and retail price. The decision-making of pharmaceutical enterprises is affected by the government rewards and punishments for retailers; at the same time, the retailers’ decision-making is also affected by the government rewards and punishments for pharmaceutical enterprises. Finally, this paper enriches and expands the theoretical basis of drug quality supervision, and put forwards countermeasures and suggestions for how to optimize the decision-making of the main subjects of the pharmaceutical supply chain.
The impact of clean energy demonstration province policies on carbon intensity, carbon dioxide emissions, and economic development level in Chinese counties - Verification based on the multi-phase PSM-DID method from empirical data of county-level administrative units in China
Authors: CHEN LEI , LIU CUNJING , LI ZHEZHOU , WU DIFAN
Published: September 2023

Based on China's empirical data from 2000 to 2020 of 1875 county-level administrative units, combined with the multi-period by the propensity score matching and difference-in-difference (PSM-DID) model, this paper studies the impact of clean energy demonstration province policies on the carbon intensity of pilot counties, and its further impact on carbon dioxide emissions and economic development level. The results showed that: 1. from a county-level perspective, although the economic development level of the pilot areas of clean energy demonstration provinces has improved as the carbon dioxide emissions have also increased, what’s more, the carbon intensity has also significantly improved in this process; 2. There is no time lag in the impact of policies on the carbon intensity of counties, and the impact effects gradually increase over time along with strong regional heterogeneity; 3. The clean energy demonstration policy has weakened the technological level of the county and reduced the proportion of industrial-added value to GDP, thereby increasing the carbon intensity of the county through these intermediaries.
The Impact of Combined Administration of Surfactant and Intratracheal Budesonide Compared to Surfactant Alone on Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) and Mortality Rate in Preterm Infants with Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Single-Blind Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Marzban Asghar , Mokhtari Samira , Tavakkolian Pouria , Mansouri Reza , Jafari Nahid , Maleki Azam
Published: September 2023

Background: Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is one of premature infants' most important and common disorders.
Objective:
This study aimed to compare the effect of the combination of surfactant and budesonide with surfactant alone on Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and mortality rate among premature infants with RDS.
Method: A single-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 134 premature infants with RDS who were born in Ayatollah Mousavi Hospital, Zanjan, Iran in 2021. The covariate adaptive randomization method was utilized to allocate participants into two groups (surfactant alone and a combination of surfactant and budesonide). The primary outcomes were BPD and Mortality rate from admission to hospital discharge. The data in this study were analyzed using SPSS software version 18.
Results: Overall the comparison of mortality rate and BPD between the two groups did not show a significant difference(p>0.05). The subgroup results showed that administering surfactant with budesonide to infants under 30 weeks of age significantly reduced the number of deaths compared to using surfactant alone (5 vs. 17). Similar positive effects were observed for the occurrence of Pulmonary Hemorrhage, the need for a second dose of surfactant, oxygen index, mean blood pressure and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in infants under 34 weeks of age compared to more than 34 weeks (p<0.05).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that the combination therapy of surfactant and budesonide may be beneficial, particularly in preterm infants with less than 34 weeks gestational age and 1500 birth weight. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up periods are needed to confirm these results and assess long-term outcomes.
Trial registration: The study was registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials website under the code IRCT20201222049802N1. https://en.irct.ir/user/trial/48117/view
Registration date: 28/02/2021
Public repository: Data set
This research data set link is displayed on the Zanjan-Iran Medical Sciences website: https://repository.zums.ac.ir/cgi/users/login?target=https%3A%2F%2Frepository.zums.ac.ir%2Fid%2Feprint
Comparison of the effect of three different sub-dissociative doses of ketamine on the quality of sedation in flexible fiber optic bronchoscopy
Authors: Shetabi Hamidreza , Rostami Samira
Published: September 2023

Background: Reducing the patient's anxiety and stress is necessary to facilitate fiberoptic (flexible) bronchoscopy. This study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effect of three sub anesthetic doses of ketamine on the quality of sedation in bronchoscopy.
Methods: This clinical trial study was conducted from November 2020 until May 2021 in Al-Zahra (S) and Khorshid hospitals in Isfahan, 90 patients who were candidates for flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) was randomly entered into the study in three groups of 30 people. In the first group (k1) Ketamine 0.2mg/kg, in the second group (K2) Ketamine 0.4mg/kg and in the third group (k3) Ketamine 0.5mg/kg intravenously (IV) Prescribed. In all patients, propofol was administered through a pump syringe containing 15 ml of propofol. First, a bolus dose of 0.4 mg/kg was injected, and then the infusion of propofol continued at a rate of 50-100 µg/kg/min through bronchoscopy. After reaching level 4 of sedation based on the Ramsey sedation criteria, bronchoscopy was started. The quality of sedation and its duration, the duration of bronchoscopy, the satisfaction of the patient and the bronchoscopist were evaluated and recorded. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23 software (USA, NY, Armonk, SPSS IBM) and Mann-Whitney-U tests, student t-test, chi-square and analysis of variance with repeated observations.
Results: In terms of demographic variables including age ((P=0.56)), gender ((P=0.22)) and ASA class ((P=0.69)) there were no significant differences between the three groups. The average score of sedation and duration of sedation in k3 group is more than K2 in both. It was more than k1 (P>0.001). The level of satisfaction of treating doctor (P=0.78) and patient (P=0.019) in k3 group was higher than other groups. The dose of propofol received in k3 group was lower than K2 and in both groups it was lower than k1 (P>0.001). Changes in systolic, diastolic and average blood pressure were not significantly different between the three groups (p>0.05).
Discussion: Sedation regimens using ketamine appear to be appropriate for adult FFB. Increasing the sub-anesthetic dose of ketamine from 0.2 mg/kg to 0.5 mg/kg in combination with propofol is associated with an increase in Ramsey's sedation score, an increase in patient and physician satisfaction, and a decrease in propofol consumption. For fiberoptic (flexible) bronchoscopy in adults, a dose of 0.5 mg/kg may be preferable to other doses.
The aforementioned trial has been duly registered with the Clinical Trials Registration Center of Iran under the identification number IRCT20180416039326N17, with the registration date being the 10/12/2020
The prevalent life cycle of agricultural flash droughts
Authors: Lovino Miguel , Pierrestegui M. , Müller Omar , Müller Gabriela , Berbery Ernesto
Published: September 2023

Flash droughts negatively impact agriculture and natural ecosystems worldwide. This study examines agricultural flash droughts globally. To this end, we introduce an approach to identify agricultural flash droughts based on root-zone soil moisture and hydraulic soil properties (field capacity and wilting point) to reflect the soil moisture deficit and plant water stress conditions. The highest frequencies of agricultural flash droughts predominantly occur during the critical growth periods of crops, particularly in southern China, southeastern South America, India, central-eastern Europe, southern Russia, and the central-eastern US. Similar atmospheric and surface processes drive the agricultural flash drought life cycle regardless of the location or climatic regime. We assert that the transition from energy-limited to water-limited evapotranspiration regimes is crucial in all agricultural flash drought onsets and intensification. While the precipitation deficit is the main driver for rapid soil moisture depletion, in all cases, high temperatures affect their persistence under water-limited conditions.
Prognostic Insights from Longitudinal Multicompartment Study of Host-Microbiota Interactions in Critically Ill Patients.
Authors: Kitsios Georgios , Sayed Khaled , Fitch Adam , Yang Haopu , Britton Noel , Shah Faraaz , Bain William , Evankovich John , Qin Shulin , Wang Xiaohong , Li Kelvin , Patel Asha , Zhang Yingze , Radder Josiah , Cruz Charles Dela , Okin Daniel , Huang Ching-Ying , Tyne Daria Van , Benos Panayiotis , Methe Barbara , Lai Peggy , Morris Alison , McVerry Bryan
Published: September 2023

Critical illness can disrupt the composition and function of the microbiome, yet comprehensive longitudinal studies are lacking. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of oral, lung, and gut microbiota in a large cohort of 479 mechanically ventilated patients with acute respiratory failure. Progressive dysbiosis emerged in all three body compartments, characterized by reduced alpha diversity, depletion of obligate anaerobe bacteria, and pathogen enrichment. Clinical variables, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunosuppression, and antibiotic exposure, shaped dysbiosis. Notably, of the three body compartments, unsupervised clusters of lung microbiota diversity and composition independently predicted survival, transcending clinical predictors, organ dysfunction severity, and host-response sub-phenotypes. These independent associations of lung microbiota may serve as valuable biomarkers for prognostication and treatment decisions in critically ill patients. Insights into the dynamics of the microbiome during critical illness highlight the potential for microbiota-targeted interventions in precision medicine.
Would I Lie to You? Falsification of Lateral Flow Tests in England During the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: RAY DEVASHISH , DHAMI RAENHHA , LECOUTURIER JAN , McGOWAN LAURA , MUKHERJEE ARITRA , Vlaev Ivo , Kelly Michael , Sniehotta Falko
Published: September 2023

During the COVID-19 pandemic, lateral flow tests (LFTs) were used in England to regulate access to work, education, social activities, and travel. However, falsification of home LFT results was a concern. This study estimated the prevalence of LFT falsification behaviours (FBs) in a representative sample of adults living in England (n=1577) who have previously taken an at-home LFT using direct questioning (DQ) and an indirect questioning technique, the extended crosswise model (ECWM). The prevalence of FBs using DQ was significantly lower than ECWM estimates (reporting a negative result without conducting a test: 5.7% DQ vs 18.4% ECWM; reporting a positive test as negative 4.6% DQ vs 11.0% ECWM; producing a fake positive test 1.7% DQ vs 6.4% ECWM). Moral norms, subjective norms, anticipated regret, perception of risk to self, and trust in government predicted some FBs. Home LFT testing is subject to prevalent FBs. Data about compliance with behavioural regulations derived from conventional DQ methods can considerably affect the quality of the evidence available to policymakers and public health experts in their decision making. Indirect questioning techniques can help provide more realistic and higher quality data to government and public health agencies.
Equine enteroid-derived monolayers recapitulate key features of parasitic intestinal nematode infection
Authors: Hellman Stina , Martin Frida , Tydén Eva , Sellin Mikael E. , Norman Albin , Hjertner Bernt , Svedberg Pia , Fossum Caroline
Published: September 2023

Stem cell-derived organoid cultures have emerged as attractive experimental models for infection biology research regarding various types of gastro-intestinal pathogens and host species. However, the large size of infectious nematode larvae and the closed structure of 3-dimensional organoids often hinder studies of the natural route of infection. To enable easy administration to the apical surface of the epithelium, organoids from the equine small intestine, i.e. enteroids, were in the present study used to establish epithelial monolayer cultures. These monolayers were functionally tested by stimulation with IL-4 and IL-13, and/or exposure to infectious stage larvae of the equine nematodes Parascaris univalens, cyathostominae and/or Strongylus vulgaris. Effects were recorded using transcriptional analysis combined with histochemistry, immunofluorescence-, live-cell- and scanning electron microscopy. These analyses revealed heterogeneous monolayers containing both immature and differentiated cells including tuft cells and mucus-producing goblet cells. Stimulation with IL-4/IL-13 increased tuft- and goblet cell differentiation as demonstrated by the expression of DCLK1 and MUC2. In these cytokine-primed monolayers, the expression of MUC2 was further promoted by co-culture with P. univalens. Moreover, live-cell imaging revealed morphological alterations of the epithelial cells following exposure to larvae even in the absence of cytokine stimulation. Thus, the present work describes the design, characterization and usability of an experimental model representing the equine nematode-infected small intestinal epithelium. The presence of tuft cells and goblet cells whose mucus production is affected by Th2 cytokines and/or the presence of larvae opens up for mechanistic studies of the casual interactions between nematodes and the equine intestinal mucosa.
PET/MR Based Attenuation Corrections of 18 F-FBPA PET for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy: Comparison with PET/CT-based Attenuation Correction
Authors: Lo Yi-Wen , Lin Ko-Han , Lee Chien-Ying , Li Chia-Wei , Lin Chien-Yuan , Chen Yi-Wei , Wang Ling-Wei , Wu Yuan-Hung , Huang Wen-sheng
Published: September 2023

Tumor-to-normal ratio (T/N) measurement is crucial for patient eligibility to receive boron neutron capture therapy. This study aims to compare the difference in standard uptake value ratios on brain tumors and normal brains using PET/MR ZTE and atlas-based attenuation correction with the current standard PET/CT attenuation correction. Regarding the normal brain uptake, the difference was not significant between PET/CT and PET/MR attenuation correction methods. The T/N ratio of PET/CT-AC, PET/MR ZTE-AC and PET/MR AB-AC were 2.34 ± 0.95, 2.29 ± 0.88, and 2.19 ± 0.80, respectively. The T/N ratio comparison showed no significance using PET/CT-AC and PET/MR ZTE-AC. As for the PET/MRI AB-AC, significantly lower T/N ratio was observed (-5.18 ± 9.52%; p < 0.05). The T/N difference between ZTE-AC and AB-AC was also significant (4.71 ± 5.80%; p < 0.01). Our findings suggested PET/MET imaging using ZTE-AC provided superior quantification on FBPA-PET compared to atlas-based AC. Using ZTE-AC on FBPA-PET/MRI might be crucial for BNCT pre-treatment planning.
Circadian regulation of the lactate metabolic kinetics in mice using the [ 1 H- 13 C]-NMR technique
Authors: Chen Lili , Wu Kefan , He Jingang , Hou Jiabao , Zhang Yuan , Liu Lian , Wang Jie , Xia Zhongyuan
Published: September 2023

Lactate is not only the energy substrate of neural cells, but also an important signal molecule in brain. In modern societies, disturbed circadian rhythms pose a global challenge. Therefore, exploring the influence of circadian period on lactate and its metabolic kinetics is essential for the advancement of neuroscientific research. In the present study, mice were infused [3-13C] lactate through the tail vein for a duration of two minutes. After 30 minutes lactate metabolism, the animals were sacrificed and the brain tissue was extracted and tested. And then the [1H-13C] NMR technology was employed to investigate the kinetic information of lactate metabolism in different brain regions during various time periods and acute sleep deprivation, to detect the enrichment of various neurochemicals. The results revealed fluctuating lactate concentrations in the brain throughout the day, with lower levels during light periods and higher levels during dark periods. Most metabolites displayed strong sensitivity to circadian rhythm, exhibiting significant day-night variations. Conversely, only a few metabolites showed changes after acute sleep deprivation, primarily in the temporal brain region. Interestingly, in contrast to brain lactate metabolism, liver lactate metabolism exhibited a significant increase following acute sleep deprivation. This study explored the kinetics of lactate metabolism, hinted at potential clinical implications for disorders involving circadian rhythm disturbances, and providing a new research basis for clinical exploration of brain lactate metabolism.
The burden of traveling for cervical cancer treatment in Uganda: a mixed-method study
Authors: Dau Hallie , Zhou Chuanlin , Nankya Esther , Naguti Priscilla , Basemera Miriam , Payne Beth A. , Vidler Marianne , McNair Avery , AboMoslim Maryam , Mithani Nadia , Smith Laurie , Orem Jackson , Nakisige Carolyn , Ogilvie Gina
Published: September 2023

BACKGROUND Uganda has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in the world. Many women are diagnosed and treated with advanced stages of the disease. With only one facility offering comprehensive cervical cancer care in Uganda, many women are required to travel significant distances and spend time away from their homes to receive cervical cancer care. It is important to understand the burden of time away from home while attending treatment because it can inform the expansion of cervical cancer screening programs. The aim of this mixed-methods paper is to describe how the distance to cervical cancer treatment locations impact women in Uganda.
METHODS Women were recruited from September 19, 2022, to January 17, 2023 at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) and the cancer clinic at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital (JRRF). Women were eligible for the study if they were (i) aged ≥18 years with a histopathologic diagnosis of cervical cancer; (ii) being treated at the UCI or JRRF for cervical cancer; and (iii) able to provide consent to participate in the study in English, Luganda, Lusoga, Luo, or Runyankole. All participants completed a quantitative survey and a selected group were sampled for semi-structured interviews. Data was analyzed using the convergent parallel mixed-methods approach. Descriptive statistics were reported for the quantitative data and qualitative data using an inductive-deductive thematic analysis approach.
RESULTS In all, 351 women participated in the quantitative section of the study and 24 in the qualitative. The quantitative and qualitative findings largely aligned and support one another. Women reported traveling up to 14 hours to receive treatment and 20% noted that they would spend three or more nights away from home during their current visit. Major themes of the qualitative include means of transportation, spending the night away from home, and financial factors.
CONCLUSION Our findings show that traveling to obtain cervical cancer care can be a significant burden for women in Uganda. Approaches should be considered to reduce this burden such as additional satellite cervical cancer clinics or subsidized transportation options.
“If the person dies the picture remains in my mind”. Experiences of healthcare workers in the provision of healthcare services to migrants in Botswana
Authors: Balekang Galekgatlhe Bailey , Galvin Treasa , Rakgoasi Daniel Serai
Published: September 2023

Background
In recent years, cross-border migration has received significant attention in high-level political dialogues in many countries. While there exists some literature describing the health status of migrants, and examining how migrants perceive service use in receiving countries, there seems to be little focus on the perspectives of healthcare providers and the challenges they face in providing healthcare in encounter migrant environments. This study sought to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare providers in managing care for migrants, as well as to examine the challenges and barriers faced in their practices.
Methods
This study used a descriptive qualitative. Twenty healthcare workers participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted between May 2019 and July 2019. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis.
Results
Healthcare professionals in different services experience similar difficulties when providing care to migrants. Healthcare providers reported that they experienced several challenges when dealing with migrants which include: problems related to the referral of migrant patients; lack of knowledge of the healthcare system on the part of migrants; language barriers; payment barriers; constraints on the provision of healthcare to migrants; and migrants are tricky people.
Conclusion
There is a need to provide medical staff with practical tools through training to ensure they are committed to providing quality care to vulnerable migrants groups. More attention should be paid to healthcare workers and migrant patients by providing effective strategies to enhance dialogues between the two parties for effective communication. Public health policies should be inclusive of migrant population to avoid conflicting decisions between professional integrity and policy statements.
Microstructural integrity of the locus coeruleus and its tracts reflect noradrenergic degeneration in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Lin Chen-Pei , Frigerio Irene , Bol John GJM , Bouwman Maud MA , Wesseling Alex J , Dahl Martin J , Rozemuller Annemieke JM , Werf Ysbrand D van der , Pouwels Petra JW , de Berg Wilma DJ van , Jonkman Laura E
Published: September 2023

Background Degeneration of the locus coeruleus (LC) noradrenergic system contributes to clinical symptoms in Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Diffusion MRI has potential to evaluate the integrity of the LC noradrenergic system. The aim of the current study was to determine whether diffusion MRI-measured integrity of the LC and its tract is sensitive to noradrenergic degeneration in AD and PD.Methods Post-mortem in-situ T1-weighted and multi-shell diffusion MRI were performed for 9 AD, 14 PD, and 8 control brain donors. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and Mean diffusivity (MD), were derived from the LC, and from tracts between the LC and anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), primary motor cortex (M1) and hippocampus. Brain tissue sections of the LC and cortical regions were obtained and immunostained for dopamine-beta hydroxylase (DBH) to quantify noradrenergic cell density and fiber load. Group comparisons and correlations between outcome measures were performed using linear regression and partial correlations.Results AD and PD cases showed loss of LC noradrenergic cells and fibers. In the cortex, AD cases showed increased DBH + immunoreactivity in the DLPFC compared to PD cases and controls, while PD cases showed reduced DBH + immunoreactivity in the M1 compared to controls. Higher FA within the LC was found for AD, which was correlated with loss of noradrenergic cells and fibers in the LC. Increased FA of the LC-DLPFC tract was correlated with LC noradrenergic fiber loss in the combined AD and control group, whereas the LC-M1 tract was correlated with LC noradrenergic neuronal loss in the combined PD and control group. Tract alterations were not correlated with cortical DBH + immunoreactivity.Conclusions In AD and PD, diffusion MRI may have the potential to capture noradrenergic-related alteration within the LC and its tract, driven by local noradrenergic neuronal loss within the LC, rather than noradrenergic changes in the cortex.
On Salem Numbers of Totally Positivetrace Polynomial
Authors: Hichri Hachem
Published: September 2023

We show that the subset of Salem numbers whose nonreal conjugates all have either positive part or negative real partis discrete, relatively dense, but not uniformly discrete. Moreover,for any integer d ≥ 3, we provide an explicit construction of suchnumbers of any degree 2d.
2010 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 11R06,11K16;Secondary 11Y99.
Naturally Bred Korean Silkworm Cocoon Showing Strong Green Fluorescence and Its Textile-Based Environmental Sensing Applications
Authors: Jha Rakesh Kumar , Kim Seong-Wan , Kim Sunghwan
Published: September 2023

Mulberry silkworms have provided many valuable byproducts to humans for 5,000 years. However, numerous possibilities for their utilization still exist owing to the countless varieties of silkworms. Here, we report the application of Yeonnokjam silk (pistachio silk, PS), one of the characteristic silk varieties in Korea, as a smart fabric environmental sensor. Unlike the previously reported extrinsically modified silk, this new silk textile emits fluorescence under external stimuli. PS cocoons were exposed to different concentrations of HCl vapors. Due to the large surface-to-volume ratio of the cocoon textile, a very low concentration (5 ppm) of HCl vapor can be detected by reading the decrease in the fluorescence intensity. At a lethal concentration (3000 ppm), an instantaneous fluorescence response is obtained. Additionally, the fluorescent pigment in PS can respond to temperature and can be extracted using ethanol, indicating that PS exhibits temperature and ethanol-sensing capabilities. The findings of this study prove that natural PS can be used in bio-optical applications.
Using Resynthesized Natural Data to Probe Algorithmic Bias: A Study in De-Identification Tools
Authors: Heider Paul M.
Published: September 2023

Purpose. We present a series of experiments designed to quantify the algorithmic bias inherent in six off-the-shelf de-identification systems. We frame the core measure of algorithmic bias for de-identification tools in terms of the following null hypothesis: an (unbiased) de-identification system will perform equally well regardless of the gender, race, or ethnicity of the patient.
Methods. We test this hypothesis within two frameworks. In the first condition, we inferred gender and race/ethnicity labels for two pre-existing de-identification corpora and analyzed performance on disaggregated subgroups. In the second condition, we controlled the dominant race/ethnicity bias for names used as realistic surrogates for resynthesizing one of these same corpora. We used false negative rate (FNR) and true positive rate (TPR) parity measures in addition to false negative counts and F1-score to evaluate the systems.
Results. In both conditions, we found cases of strong bias and near-zero bias. There was some evidence of gender bias across the de-identification systems while names indicative of Asian/Pacific Islander heritage had consistently high FNRs. We also found these pre-existing datasets to be relatively gender-balanced but heavily skewed towards White, non-Hispanic/Latinx names.
Conclusion. While parity value-based evaluations are key to understanding algorithmic bias, additional methods for identifying extreme parity values caused by low counts (i.e., floor effects) are also critical. Further, we hold our method of targeted resynthesis can be used not just for algorithmic bias evaluation but also for generating more diverse natural training/test samples for other natural language processing tasks.
Analytical performance validation of aPROMISE platform for prostate tumor burden, index and dominant tumor assessment with 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT. A pilot study
Authors: Garcia-Vicente Ana Maria , Lucas-Lucas Cristina , Pérez-Beteta Julián , Borrelli Pablo , Garcia-Zoghby Laura , Soriano-Castrejon Angel Maria , Amo-Salas Mariano
Published: September 2023

Aim
To validate the performance of automated Prostate Cancer Molecular Imaging Standardized Evaluation (aPROMISE) in quantifying total prostate disease burden with 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT and to evaluate the interobserver and histopathologic concordance in the establishment of dominant and index tumour.
Material and methods
Patients with a recent diagnosis of intermediate/high risk prostate cancer underwent 18F-DCFPyL-PET/CT for staging purpose.
In positive-PSMA scans, automated prostate tumor segmentation was performed using aPROMISE software and compared to an in-house semiautomatic-manual guided segmentation procedure. SUV and volume related variables were obtained with both software. A blinded evaluation of dominant tumor (DT) and index tumor (IT) location was assessed by both groups of observers.
In histopathological analysis, Gleason, International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) group, DT and IT location were obtained.
We compared all the obtained variables by both software packages using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cohen’s kappa coefficient (k) for the concordance analysis.
Results
Fifty-four patients with a positive 18F-DCFPyL PET/CT were evaluated. The ICC for the SUVmax, SUVpeak, SUVmean, metabolic tumor volume (MTV) and total lesion activity (TLA) was: 1, 0.833, 0.615, 0.494 and 0.950, respectively (p<0.001 in all cases). For DT and IT detection, a high agreement was observed between both softwares (k=0.733; p<0.001 and k=0.812; p<0.001, respectively) although the concordances with histopathology were moderate (p<0001).
Conclusions
The analytical validation of aPROMISE shows a good performance for the SUVmax, TLA, DT and IT definition in comparison to our in-house method, although the concordance was moderate with histopathology for DT and IT.
Total Electron Content Variations at a Low Latitude East African Station and Its Comparison with IRI-2016, IRI-Plas2017 and NeQuick-2 Models during Solar Cycle 24
Authors: Kayode Yusuf Olanrewaju , Okoh Daniel , Onori Eugene , Ometan Oluwafunmilayo , Ogwala Aghogho , Somoye Emmanuel , Adeniji-Adele Rasaq
Published: September 2023

Ionospheric modelling is one of the most crucial approaches to study the activities of the ionosphere particularly in regions where experimental data are not readily available. This research aims to study the variations of Total Electron Content (TEC) in a low latitude east African station (Addis Ababa) by comparing experimental values of TEC from the Global Positioning System (GPS) with predicted data from IRI-2016, IRI-Plas2017 and NeQuick-2 models during solar cycle 24 using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Error (MAE) metric analysis approach. An hourly interval profile computed on seasonal basis were used to study the behaviors of TEC. A monthly interval error profile plotted on annual basis was also used to investigate the deviations of the models from the GPS values. This study analyzed TEC data from 2011 to 2017, utilizing 84 months of available data. The results from this study showed TEC have their lowest values during the post-midnight hours (02:00UT) and highest values during the pre-noon hours (11:00UT). We also observed that Equinoxes have high value of TEC than Solstices except during the ascending and maximum phases where seasonal/winter anomalies were recorded. From our statistical analysis, MAE was observed to give error value of ~ 3 TECU (TEC units) lower than the RMSE. Also from this result, we concluded that MAE is a better statistical metric than RMSE. IRI-Plas2017 outperformed IRI-2016 and NeQuick-2 models in predicting TEC values in East Africa during solar cycle 24, with a 71.4% better performance compared to other models.
Bayesian Ananlysis of Mammalian Animals
Authors: Teklezgi Mehari Gebre
Published: September 2023

Growth curve modelling which is a polular methodological tool due to its flexibility. The presence of many wild rabbits, the Oryctolagus cuniculus, in Australia are of major concern. Researchers were interested to investigate the age of the rabbits. Different types of models, including non-linear models were used. Besides. Different types of plots and diagrams for the measures of efficinecy were ued. Results revealed that dry weight of eye lens of the rabbit has nonlinear relationship with the age of the rabbit. The different posterior summary measures shown that differences between the estimates of the models were shown.
Fault structures of the Haichenghe fault zone in Liaoning, China from high-precision location based on dense array observation
Authors: Sun Qing-Shan , Bai Lan-Shu , Wang Liang , Wang Jiu-Yang , Yang Shi-Chao , Li En-Lai
Published: September 2023

The Haichenghe strike-slip blind fault, which experienced the M 7.3 Haicheng earthquake in 1975, is one of the most active seismic zones in eastern China. To better understand the fault structures, we deployed a dense array of 23 broadband seismic stations in the area in 2022, with an average distance interval of ~ 6 km. Combining the automatic workflow LOC-FLOW with manual review, we detect 1339 events with a completeness of magnitude ~ ML -0.1 using data recorded at the dense array and the Liaoning regional Seismic Network from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31 in 2022. Of these, we relocated 877 earthquakes using Hypoinverse and HypoDD. The relocations finely delineate the NWW-striking Haichenghe fault, including the NW and SE segments, and its NE-trending conjugate fault. They also clearly feature two seismic gaps, one corresponding to the fragmentation zone generated by the M 7.3 Haicheng earthquake and the other being consistent with the low-velocity zone between NW and SE segments. Based on relocations, we further identify 10 clusters of recurrent events with a median magnitude of ML 0.8. We observed a phenomenon that several clusters are occurred right after the ML 3.7 event, the largest event during the observation. We suggest that, as a larger-magnitude earthquake, the ML 3.7 event resulted in the stress change along the fault plane and triggered the small-magnitude repeaters. Our results indicate that dense array observation in the study area could provide an abundant seismological basis for studying the Haichenghe blind fault.
Social Recommendation Based on Contrastive Learning of Hypergraph Convolution
Authors: Xue Peng , Gao Qian , Fan Jun
Published: September 2023

Recommendation systems often use social relationships to improve recommendation quality in the face of sparse data. However, in reality, user interactions can be very complex, user relationships may be high-order, and the contribution of each neighbor may be different. Therefore, traditional social relationship methods cannot fully explore user interactions. Additionally, data sparsity can lead to poor model robustness, making it susceptible to noisy data. To address these issues, this paper proposes a multi-channel hypergraph convolutional network model based on contrastive learning, aiming to enhance social recommendation through high-order user relationships and contrastive learning. The model includes an embedding layer, a propagation layer, and a contrastive learning layer. For user embedding, each channel of the propagation layer learns high-order embedding information through hypergraph convolution. For item embedding, the neighbor-aware attention coefficient is used to mine the implicit correlations of items. In addition, the contrastive learning layer adds randomly uniform noise to the embedding to perform graph augmentation at the representation level, using contrastive learning to obtain more uniformly distributed embedding representations for score prediction. Experimental results on two real datasets, Douban and Yelp, show that the proposed model improves Recall and NDCG by 1.3%-2.1% and 2.0%-2.8%, respectively.
A pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole derivative used for one- and two-component radical photoinitiators for photopolymerization under 405 nm
Authors: Liu Congcong , Xu Yuanyuan , Liu Yukun , Chen Yu , Zhang Xiaoyuan , Li Jinghan , Ma Ying , Li Yaolong , Xue Song
Published: September 2023

The new design is generally based on the improvement of existing commercial photoinitiators as well as the introduction of new building blocks aimed at improving the properties of polymerized materials. A photoinitiator named 1,4-bis(4-bromophenyl)-2,5-bis(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)-1,4-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole (PyBF) with a symmetric trifluoromethyl (-CF3) end groups was synthesized through a one-step aldehyde–ketone condensation reaction. The -CF3 groups are introduced on the 2,5-position phenyl rings of the pyrrolo[3,2-b]pyrrole core, and PyBF shows visible light photoinitiation ability that matching with light-emitting diode (LED) of 405 nm. Both acrylate prepolymer and monomer have been applied to our photopolymerization formulas using PyBF as one-component photoinitiator. The thermal stability of PyBF is compared with commercial photointiator (diphenyl(2,4,6-trimethylbenzoyl)phosphine oxide, TPO) with a comparable thermal decomposition temperature (Td) temperature above 300 oC. The SEM results show that the cured materials of PyBF/TPO/PEGDA mixture using PyBF/TPO as two-component photoinitiator system have smooth surface, instead of PyBF/PEGDA and TPO/PEGDA systems. Therefore, both the potential pyrrole-based one- and two-component photoinitiator for rational design is worth expected for visible light photopolymerization.
Linking chlorophyll fluorescence signal and vegetation indices to photosynthetic activity under nutrient deficiency, heat, and drought stresses; laboratory and field measurements in monocot and dicot crops
Authors: Mészáros Ádám , Balogh János , Bene Kristóf , de Luca Giulia , Pintér Krisztina , Nagy Zoltán , Fekete Sándor , Cserhalmi Dániel , Fóti Szilvia
Published: September 2023

Only a small amount of the light absorbed by the photosynthetic pigments including chlorophylls and carotenoids is de-excited via emission as heat or red and far-red chlorophyll fluorescence under normal physiological conditions. Most of the energy is utilized for photosynthetic quantum conversion. In contrast, photosynthetic performance decreases under numerous stress effects, which is accompanied by a rise in the steady-state levels of chlorophyll fluorescence. Field crops in Hungary are increasingly exposed to extreme weather conditions. Therefore, the main objective of our field study in wheat and sunflower crops was to investigate the effects of heat and drought stress and heterogeneous nutrient availability on the vegetation by quantifying the spatial and temporal variability of photosynthetic efficiency and fluorescence. In a parallel laboratory experiment we attempted to create a pool of plants developing under controlled environment, to meet similar appearance as under field conditions. We found that simultaneous observation of multiple spectral domains and an approach based on field and laboratory measurements were adequate to assess stress and its severity for individual plants and for vegetation canopy. Vegetation indices were good tools to separate the healthy state from the stressed state, and, further combined with fluorescence parameters, we could even draw some conclusion about stress severity. Indices linked to anthocyanin and carotenoid were found to be higher in the already damaged plants, while steady-state fluorescence was higher for leaves with still functioning tissues. Above all, individual species differences were much larger than expected.
Assessment of Forest Carbon Neutrality and Future Trajectories of Natural Forest Distribution Area: A Case Study of China
Authors: Peng Shuo , Li Chaohong , Li Hongmin
Published: September 2023

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Pathophysiological mechanisms in Long Covid: A mixed method systematic review
Authors: Bakerly Nawar Diar , Delaney Brendan , Smith Nikki , Darbyshire Julie , Kwon Joseph , Bullock Emily , Bailey Sareeta , Sivan Manoj
Published: September 2023

Introduction
Long COVID (LC) affects approximately 1.9 million people in the UK. Little is known about its pathophysiologies. Understanding links between LC pathophysiologies and symptoms could guide treatment decisions. Here we report a mixed methods review to identify potential treatment targets.
Methods
A two-stage review of LC publications was conducted using clear eligibility criteria, a structured search strategy, and quality assessment. Review 1 included review of systematic reviews published on LC symptoms and pathophysiologies until July 22; Review 2 included primary studies of LC symptoms and pathophysiologies published June 21-October 22.
Results
The quality of publications in both stages (Review 1 [19 reviews] and Review 2 [46 primary studies]), was moderate to poor. From these publications we identified links between LC symptoms and immune dysregulation (ILs 6 and 8), micro and macro vascular inflammation leading to endothelitis and microthrobitis, and humoral response affecting viral persistence. Some studies reported impaired gas transfer leading to respiratory system issues. Brain and cardiac abnormalities on imaging were also reported.
Conclusions
LC probably stems from multiple pathophysiologies with interlinked pathways. A ‘treatable trait’ approach may be appropriate. Gaps in evidence remain, including limited interventional trials in LC.
Challenging Stereotypes: Examining Patients’ Attitudes Towards Male Nurses – mixed methods systematic review
Authors: Mączyński Damian , Pawlak Natalia , Pasek Maciej , Wardak Aleksandra , Serafin Lena , Czarkowska-Pączek Bożena
Published: September 2023

Background:Despite ongoing efforts to promote gender diversity in nursing, male nurses continue confronting stereotypes and biases that may impact patients’ perceptions and care experiences.
Method: We conducted a mixed-methods review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement guidelines. We aimed to enhance the review’s utility and impact by integrating both quantitative and qualitative studies.
Results: The reviewed studies indicate that patients generally hold positive attitudes toward male nurses, often perceiving them as competent and skilled caregivers. Nevertheless, these studies reveal that gender stereotypes and traditional gender roles can influence patient perceptions and expectations. Some patients may express concerns about male nurses’ ability to provide emotional support or perform intimate care tasks.
Conclusions: A deeper understanding of patients’ attitudes and the underlying factors can inform interventions and educational initiatives to challenge stereotypes and promote inclusive healthcare environments.
Host community structure can shape pathogen outbreak dynamics
through a phylogenetic dilution effect.
Authors: Toorians Marjolein , Smallegange Isabel , Davies T
Published: September 2023

Biodiversity loss and anthropogenic alterations to species communities are impacting the frequency and magnitude of disease emergence events. These changes may be related through mechanisms in which biodiversity either increases (amplifies) or decreases (dilutes) disease prevalence. Biodiversity effects can be direct, when contacts among competent hosts are replaced by contacts with sink hosts, or indirect through regulation of host abundances. Here, we introduce a multi-host compartmental disease model, weighting host competences by their evolutionary relatedness. Using simulations, and estimating community disease outbreak potential (R0), we show how differences in phylogenetic structure can switch host communities from diluting to amplifying a disease, even when species richness is unchanged. We illustrate our model using empirical data describing the relationship between phylogenetic distances separating hosts and their likelihood of disease sharing. Our study demonstrates how host evolutionary histories can drive disease dynamics through a phylogenetic dilution effect.
Probe-Assisted ILM-Rhexis: A Novel Peeling Technique
Authors: Nourinia Ramin , Abtahi Seyed-Hossein , Nouri Hosein , Ahmadieh Hamid
Published: September 2023

Background and Objective:
To describe a novel surgical technique of removing internal limiting membrane (ILM) using a 25 G vitrectomy probe amid epiretinal membrane (ERM)/ILM double peeling operation.
Materials and Methods
After standard 3-port 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy, ERM is removed using membrane forceps and appropriate staining. When washing out the ILM-specific dye by the vitrectomy probe an incidental ILM flap may be noticed. We suggest not drawing out the vitrectomy probe but instead applying proximal and tangential aspiration force over the ILM flap, which may be extended and peeled off by gentle probe maneuvers along the retinal surface.
Results
The technique is described in three opertaed cases. Details of probe maneuvers are displayed in a video.
Conclusion
We suggest applying this technique amid surgical scenarios involving ERM/ILM double peeling and double staining where an incidental ILM flap is found after washing out of the ILM-specific dye. Advantages over using conventional forcerps include the reduced number of entries into the posterior segment, lower risk of inadvertent retinal breaks, better safety profile, and easier-to-perform elongation of ILM flaps.