bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GLOBALIZATION AND INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE MULTIPOLAR WORLD AS REALITY OR IDEOLOGY
Authors: Tripunoski Mirko , Sibinoski Borce , Ferati Fisnik
Published: June 2023

This paper revolves around the question “Is our society really short - sight- ed to that extent to choose the road of self - destruction”. The analyses conducted for the purpose of this paper are trying to check two points of view providing different answers to this question. The first optimistic view is confident that it is possible to overcome the situation considering the capacity of the societies in the Western Bal- kans as a result of the increase of the discrepancies of the current systems and the degree of economic activity. The second, pessimistic view interprets the situation in terms of the initial insufficiency of resources that will cause reduction of the interest and motivation for changes in the society towards technological and social develop- ment. These two opposing views, two visions for the future, pose a question that we must answer if we want to understand what our future holds. Our efforts towards the answer will teach us how to create proper responses in the economic and political systems and in what manner they will influence the institutions and the population in different countries.The following questions are of essential and sophisticated nature as they focus on the way of understanding and interpreting the fast pace, world and international relations today, which as a whole represents a basis for the future growth and development of every society. How to implement the whole procedure and how to ensure overall satisfaction? How to convince the manufacturers, consumers, society in terms of finding a proper and permanent method that will enable entrance into and participation in the global economy? How to choose and create an efficient system for change of global processes, developed on the actual data bases? How to benefit from our own steps and measures taken? How to accept and how to select a strategic global economic partner?Open mindedness, public exposure, liberalization, integra- tion and cooperation are major reasons for the growing interdependence of countries that constitute the chain of global perspective or future and the open economy of the world, where increasing knowledge is invested, rather than raw material and labor - intensive efforts. Therefore, the focus of this paper is global economy, technological and IT globalization, global culture, globalization of countries and new global order.
THE ROLE OF UBUNTU IN SOUTH AFRICA’S FOREIGN POLICY
Authors: Emelianenko Ekaterina
Published: June 2023

This article focuses on the role of Ubuntu in South Africa’s foreign policy. Since independence, African intellectuals have tried to develop their own strategies and approaches to solve problems on the continent. These ideas were aimed at rescuing the African younger generation from enslavement by Western culture, to invent new approaches and to reanimate traditional concepts that would contribute not only to the revival but also to the protection of African culture. They were designed to promote traditional values both within the African continent and globally, to be the antithesis of Eurocentrism, to carve new Afrocentric ideas from their own historical experience and current conditions, socio-economic priorities, with African interests at their center. Among modern concepts aimed at protecting Africans and promoting the African position on the global arena is the traditional philosophical system of Ubuntu. It is the ideas of Ubuntu that have been adopted by South African politicians back in the late 90s and formed the basis of South Africa’s foreign and domestic policy. In 2011, the White Paper “Building a Better World: Ubuntu Diplomacy” was published, proclaiming the promotion of a multipolar, just and equitable world order and the desire for development and prosperity in Africa as one of its main theses. South Africa was the first state of the continent to base its foreign policy document on one of the main codes of African identity: Ubuntu. This gave the foreign policy document an African character.The Republic of South Africa presents a unique example of an attempt to implement into state strategy a philosophical concept that is a defining element of African identity, a significant part of the traditional culture for more than 350 million people living almost all over sub-Saharan Africa. The notion of Ubuntu is also reflected in the state documents of the Congo, the Republic of Chad, Uganda, as well as Kenya (harambei). By promoting the Ubuntu philosophy, South Africa claims the existence of African values, spreading their importance in the international space through various instruments of public diplomacy. Various magazines, radio stations and a national Ubuntu Awards have been created. All these tools are aimed at informing and sensitizing the public about South Africa’s foreign policy, promoting a multipolar world and establishing an alternative model to the Western system of individualism.
Breaking up with Elsevier
Authors: Bijsterbosch Janine , Aspaas Per Pippin
Published: June 2023

Janine Bijsterbosch, member of the editorial team of Imaging Neuroscience, informs about their recent break with publishing giant Elsevier. Collectively, the entire team of editors of Neuroimage left Elsevier to form a new journal, Imaging Neuroscience, at MIT Press. While Neuroimage already was an open access journal, it charged 3,450 dollars in Article Processing Charge (APC). At MIT Press, Imaging Neuroscience will charge 1,600 dollars in APC, with waivers for authors from low- and middle-income countries. Bijsterbosch explains why the editors collectively resigned from Neuroimage and what they hope to achieve with the move to a less costly model.

At the time when the editors left Neuroimage, they published around 1,000 peer reviewed articles per year, with an Impact Factor of 7.4. With the non-profit Imaging Neuroscience, they hope to bring authors and peer reviewers with them in their effort to build the (new) leading publishing outlet for researchers in the field. The reception has been quite positive and large amounts of manuscripts are already being submitted to the new journal.

Besides the economics and ethics of sustainability, Bijsterbosch is concerned with other aspects of open and transparent science, such as Open Code and Open Data. She sees Imaging Neuroscience as a player in this field as well, with Author’s Instructions including statements about the sharing of code and data whenever possible.
A transformers-based approach for fine and coarse-grained classification and generation of MIDI songs and soundtracks
Authors: Angioni Simone , Lincoln-DeCusatis Nathan , Ibba Andrea , Reforgiato Recupero Diego
Published: June 2023

Music is an extremely subjective art form whose commodification via the recording industry in the 20th century has led to an increasingly subdivided set of genre labels that attempt to organize musical styles into definite categories. Music psychology has been studying the processes through which music is perceived, created, responded to, and incorporated into everyday life, and, modern artificial intelligence technology can be exploited in such a direction. Music classification and generation are emerging fields that gained much attention recently, especially with the latest discoveries within deep learning technologies. Self attention networks have in fact brought huge benefits for several tasks of classification and generation in different domains where data of different types were used (text, images, videos, sounds). In this article, we want to analyze the effectiveness of Transformers for both classification and generation tasks and study the performances of classification at different granularity and of generation using different human and automatic metrics. The input data consist of MIDI sounds that we have considered from different datasets: sounds from 397 Nintendo Entertainment System video games, classical pieces, and rock songs from different composers and bands. We have performed classification tasks within each dataset to identify the types or composers of each sample (fine-grained) and classification at a higher level. In the latter, we combined the three datasets together with the goal of identifying for each sample just NES, rock, or classical (coarse-grained) pieces. The proposed transformers-based approach outperformed competitors based on deep learning and machine learning approaches. Finally, the generation task has been carried out on each dataset and the resulting samples have been evaluated using human and automatic metrics (the local alignment).
C/EBPα involvement in microglial polarization via HDAC1/STAT3 pathway aggravated sevoflurane-induced cognitive impairment in aged rats
Authors: Xu Zhao , Yao Xi , Zhao Yikang , Yao Bo
Published: June 2023

Background

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a clinically frequent postoperative complication in the elderly, which is mainly manifested by the occurrence of cognitive dysfunction after anesthetized surgery in patients. To explore the involvement of C/EBPα in microglial polarization in sevoflurane anesthesia induced cognitive impairment in aged rats.

Methods

Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were anesthetized by inhalation of 3% sevoflurane for 6 h to establish the POCD model. The histopathological structure of hippocampus was observed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Associative learning and memory function and spatial learning and memory function were assessed by conditioned fear test and water maze test. The concentrations of inflammatory factors in the hippocampus were measured by ELISA. The levels of microglial activation marker (Iba1) and microglial M1 (CD86) and M2 (CD206) polarization markers were determined by immunofluorescence staining and RT-qPCR, respectively. The transcriptional regulation of HDAC1 by C/EBPα was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay and ChIP assay.

Results

Sevoflurane-induced pathomorphological damage in the hippocampal tissue of aged rats, accompanied by elevated expression of C/EBPα. Silencing of C/EBPα alleviated hippocampal histopathological injury, inhibited M1 microglial activation and the expression of M1 marker CD86, enhanced the expression of M2 marker CD206. C/EBPα transcriptionally activated HDAC1. Knockdown of C/EBPα downregulated the expression of HDAC1 and STAT3 phosphorylated proteins, which inhibited the pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6 and TNF-α) and accelerated anti-inflammatory factors (IL-10 and TGF-β) secretion. In addition, silencing of C/EBPα caused rats to have a delayed freezing time in contextual conditioned fear, a shorter escape latency, and an increased number of platform crossings.

Conclusion

Inhibition of C/EBPα promotes the M2 polarization of microglia and reduces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines to alleviate the cognitive dysfunction of sevoflurane-induced elderly rats by HDAC1/STAT3 pathway.
Poesía testimonial del Golpe en Chile: represión, exilio e insilio
Authors: Nómez Naín
Published: June 2023

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La vida a pesar de todo
Authors: Díaz Eterovic Ramón
Published: June 2023

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Adolescencia fracturada
Authors: Huinao Graciela
Published: June 2023

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Los días extraños: un poeta que murió con su mundo
Authors: Oses Darío
Published: June 2023

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La utopía de la memoria
Authors: Ostornol A. Antonio
Published: June 2023

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El baile de otoño (poemas)
Authors: Calderón Teresa
Published: June 2023

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The Effect of Pre-Heating on Fracture Toughness in Three Distinct Composite Resin Systems at Two Different Temperatures: A Protocol for an In-vitro Study
Authors: Bhopatkar Jay , Ikhar Anuja , Nikhade Pradnya , Chandak Manoj
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Composite resins are considered the pinnacle of esthetic restorations, but they have their own disadvantages, such as polymerization shrinkage, low fracture toughness, and the formation of microcracks, all of which eventually results in failure of the restoration. Fracture toughness is an important factor for failure. Warming the same composites to certain temperatures will show drastic improvements in the abovementioned flaws, especially the fracture toughness. Need for the study: Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the fracture toughness of three different types of composite resin systems at two different pre-heating temperatures. The study aims to provide valuable information to clinicians in choosing the most appropriate restorative material for posterior composite restorations, which can ultimately improve the treatment's success rate and reduce the risk of complications such as secondary caries, postoperative sensitivity and ultimately restoration failure. Objective: In summary, this study will compare and evaluate the fracture toughness of nanohybrid, micro-hybrid, and bulkfill composite resins pre-heated at 50 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Celsius. Methodology: The methodology involves dividing 72 freshly extracted premolars with intact occlusal anatomy and fully developed apical foramina into three main groups based on three different composites and further dividing each group into two sub-groups based on two different pre-heating temperatures, with 12 teeth in each group. Each tooth will then be prepared with a Class-II Mesio-Occlusal-Distal (MOD) cavity and receive pre-heated composite restoration according to its assigned group and sub-group. The prepared samples will be tested for fracture toughness using a universal testing machine.
Study on Different Sources of Organic Manures in Comparison with RDF on Growth and Yield of Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]
Authors: Rachel F. Pastina , Alagappan S. , Joseph P. A. , Arasi J. Patricia Kalai
Published: June 2023

A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2022 at Karunya Institute of Technology and Sciences, Division of Agronomy, Coimbatore, to study the different sources of organic manures in comparison with RDF on growth and yield of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with eight treatments and replicated thrice. The treatment consisted of T1 - Absolute control, T2 - RDF 100% (Inorganic), T3 - Vermicompost 100% on N equivalent basis, T4  - Farmyard manure 100% on N equivalent basis, T5 - Farmyard manure 50% + Vermicompost 50%, T6 - RDF 50% + Farmyard manure 50%, T7 - RDF 50% + Vermicompost 50%, T8 - RDF 50% + Farmyard manure 25% + Vermicompost 25%. Therefore from this experiment the results concluded that application of RDF 100% (Inorganic) significantly recorded maximum plant height (228.76 cm), total dry matter production (13485 kg ha-1), leaf area index (LAI) (5.80), chlorophyll content (SPAD) (37.89), grain yield (3770 kg ha-1) and straw yield (6600 kg ha-1) respectively.
Glycosphingolipids in human parasites
Authors: Cummings Richard D.
Published: June 2023

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are comprised of glycans (oligosaccharides) linked to a lipid containing a sphingosine moiety. They are major membrane components in cells of most animals, and importantly, they also occur in parasitic protozoans and worms that infect people. While the endogenous functions of the GSLs in most parasites are elusive, many of these GSLs are recognized by antibodies in infected human and animal hosts, and thus, their structures, biosynthesis, and functions are of great interest. Such knowledge of GSLs could lead to new drugs and diagnostics for treating infections, as well as novel vaccine strategies. The diversity of GSLs recently identified in such infectious organisms and aspects of their immune recognition are major topics of this review. It is not intended to be exhaustive but to highlight aspects of GSL glycans in human parasites.
High Toughness Combined with High Strength in Oxide Ceramic Nanofibers
Authors: Liu Cheng , Liao Yalong , Jiao Wenling , Zhang Xiaohua , Wang Ni , Yu Jianyong , Liu Yi‐Tao , Ding Bin
Published: June 2023

Traditional oxide ceramics are inherently brittle and highly sensitive to defects, making them vulnerable to failure under external stress. As such, endowing these materials with high strength and high toughness simultaneously is crucial to improve their performance in most safety‐critical applications. Fibrillation of the ceramic materials and further refinement of the fiber diameter, as realized by electrospinning, are expected to achieve the transformation from brittleness to flexibility owing to the structural uniqueness. Currently, the synthesis of electrospun oxide ceramic nanofibers must rely on an organic polymer template to regulate the spinnability of the inorganic sol, whose thermal decomposition during ceramization will inevitably lead to pore defects, and seriously weaken the mechanical properties of the final nanofibers. Here, a self‐templated electrospinning strategy is proposed for the formation of oxide ceramic nanofibers without adding any organic polymer template. An example is given to show that individual silica nanofibers have an ideally homogeneous, dense, and defect‐free structure, with tensile strength as high as 1.41 GPa and toughness up to 34.29 MJ m−3, both of which are far superior to the counterparts prepared by polymer‐templated electrospinning. This work provides a new strategy to develop oxide ceramic materials that are strong and tough.
Mechanical Force Characterization of Living Cells based on Needle Deformation
Authors: Guo Xiangyu , Zhang Youchao , Cao Minxuan , Shu Qingyao , Knoll Alois , Jiang Huanyu , Ying Yibin , Zhou Mingchuan
Published: June 2023

The mechanical properties of cells play an important role in cell development and function. Therefore, measurement of cell mechanical properties is a fundamental and essential tool for cell research. In this article, a novel method to estimate the force exerted on a living cell is proposed based on glass needle deformation, which does not require additional physical sensors compared with other force‐sensing methods. The three‐dimensional (3D) spatial state of the needle is reconstructed, and the parameters of needle deflection are obtained based on a multi‐focus image fusion algorithm. The average reconstruction error of this algorithm is 0.94 µm. Based on the deformation of the needle, a mechanical model of needle deformation is established, and the model is calibrated using a constructed calibration system. At the range of 0–200 µN, the highest resolution is 0.002 µN and the lowest resolution is 5.3 µN. The proposed method can be used to estimate the force exerted by a needle on the surface of a living cell.
Multispectral Microscopic Multiplexed (3M) Imaging of Atomically‐Thin Crystals Using Deep Learning
Authors: Dong Xingchen , Li Hongwei , Wang Kun , Menze Bjoern , Jakobi Martin , Yetisen Ali K. , Koch Alexander W.
Published: June 2023

Ultra‐thin atomic crystals are promising for fabricating next‐generation photonic and optoelectronic devices. Wafer‐scale characterization techniques are highly desired for efficient and accurate thickness identification of these crystals and their heterostructures. Optical contrast between atomic crystals and substrates based on Fresnel theory is a key technique for the identification of thicknesses. Both RGB color information and spectroscopic information have been explored for layer number counting and implemented with machine learning algorithms based on large amounts of data for feature extraction. In this work, a multispectral microscopic method combining the hardware design and deep‐learning algorithms is developed. Multispectral image restoration during large‐area scanning caused by optical imaging modality drifts and automated layer number identification based on multispectral grayscale images are studied using deep learning models: generative adversarial network (GAN) and 3D U‐Net. These models are trained using custom‐built multispectral data sets and evaluated quantitatively with indicators (Dice coefficient, confusion matrix, structural similarity). After these models are trained and tested, they are integrated into a graphic user interface for on‐site identification use. The developed method provides a framework using multispectral images for 3D data reconstruction and segmentation and can be implemented for wafer‐scale characterization of heterostructures containing different species of ultra‐thin atomic crystals.
Quadrat misuse: Confessions of a cover crop researcher's biomass sampling journey
Authors: Brennan Eric B.
Published: June 2023

Rectangular quadrats (1 m2 or less) are commonly used in cover crop research to sample shoot biomass in fields where the cover crops are planted in narrow rows. However, in drilled cover crops, quadrats do not accurately estimate cover crop biomass unless the width dimension of the quadrat, that runs perpendicular to the rows, is a multiple of the cover crop row spacing. Illustrations are provided with correctly sized and placed quadrats for sampling drilled cover crops along with calculations to convert sampled biomass to field‐scale units. Examples with various quadrat sizes, row spacings, and quadrat placements are used to illustrate how researchers can inadvertently underestimate or overestimate biomass by up to 49% and 27%, respectively. A survey of 92 articles with cover crop biomass data published in the Agronomy Journal and Weed Technology from 2017 to 2021 found that many studies used an incorrect quadrat size, which suggests that they may have inaccurately estimated cover crop biomass. However, assumptions were made to reach this conclusion because only a few papers provided the dimensions, orientation, and shape of the quadrat used. These results (1) raise important questions about possible errors made in papers reporting cover crop biomass data and associated metrics (nitrogen uptake, weed biomass, etc.), and (2) highlight the need for describing sampling methods in greater detail to ensure that accurate data and analysis are published in the literature. Approaches to correct possible errors in published research are described along with biomass sampling suggestions for future cover crop research.
A comparative study of different sleep assessment methods for preschool children
Authors: Zhenya Chang , Ling Wang
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aimed to examine the differences between different sleep assessment methods for preschool children.

Methods

Preschool children (n = 54, mean age: 4.6 years) were recruited from kindergarten. Data were collected using an accelerometer, a sleep log, and sleep questionnaire. Furthermore, correlation analysis, Bland–Altman analysis, and repeated measures ANOVA were performed.

Results

(1) The sleep duration evaluated by different sleep assessment methods were all significantly correlated, among which the sleep log and Sadeh algorithm showed the highest correlation (r = 0.972, p < .001), while the Tudor‐Locke algorithm and the sleep questionnaire demonstrated the lowest correlation (r = 0.383, p < .01); (2) The points between different sleep assessment methods were all within 95% LoA, except for the sleep log and Tudor‐Locke algorithm; (3) In various methods of sleep assessment, significant differences were observed in sleep onset (F2(1.6,85.0) = 32.8, p < .001, η2: 0.38), while no significant differences were observed in sleep offset (F2(1.5,80.1) = 32.8, p = .05, η2: 0.05); (4) In addition, no significant difference in sleep onset was observed between the sleep questionnaire and sleep log (p > .05), and there was also no significant difference in sleep onset between the Sadeh algorithm and the Tudor‐Locke algorithm (p > .05).

Conclusions

Both the Sadeh algorithm and the Tudor‐Locke algorithm can be used as effective algorithms for sleep duration assessment of Chinese preschool children, with the latter having obvious advantages in large sample surveys. Future research should pay attention to the differences between different sleep assessment methods when using these algorithms.
Linear quadratic control for multiple time‐delayed uncertain random systems
Authors: Chen Xin , Zhu Yuanguo
Published: June 2023

This study focuses on time‐delayed linear quadratic control problems (LQCPs). Firstly, a general time‐delayed control problem for a linear time‐varying system is investigated. This problem is equivalent to an optimization problem without time delays, and corresponding recurrence equations are proposed accordingly. Furthermore, based on recurrence equations and chance theory, two different types of LQCPs are researched, where the control weighting matrices are positive definite and indefinite, respectively. Exact solutions for the optimal results of these LQCPs are provided. Finally, numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the findings.
Team optimal decentralized estimation by multiple agents with partial history sharing information structure
Authors: Liu Jingmei , Xu Juanjuan , Zhang Huanshui
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we study the team optimal decentralized estimation with partial history sharing information structure. There exist
agents that have their own observations and share partial history observations to each other. The main contributions include two aspects: One is to give the iterative equations of the common estimation, which is the conditional expectation of state with respect to the common information for all agents and the innovation of the local information for each agent; the other is to provide the structure of the team optimal decentralized estimation, that is, the linear combination of the common estimation and the innovation of the local information. The novelty lies in that the estimation can be obtained at one time by defining an augmented state. In particular, the result is reduced to the well‐known centralized estimation when all the information is sharing for all the agents.
Validated spectrofluorimetric assay of two co‐administered drug mixtures containing hydroxychloroquine with either moxifloxacin or ofloxacin as a drug regimen for hospital‐acquired pneumonia in patients with COVID‐19
Authors: El‐Sayed Asmaa , Elmansi Heba mohamed , Shalan Shereen , Eid Manal
Published: June 2023

Moxifloxacin and ofloxacin are two broad‐spectrum quinolone antibiotics. They are among the most widely used antibiotics, at this time, applied to control the COVID‐19 pandemic. Hydroxychloroquine is an FDA‐approved drug for the treatment of COVID‐19. This work describes a simple, green, selective, and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method for the assay of moxifloxacin and ofloxacin in the presence of hydroxychloroquine, two co‐administered mixtures used in the treatment of hospital‐acquired pneumonia in patients with COVID‐19. Simultaneous assay of hydroxychloroquine and moxifloxacin was carried out in methanol using a direct spectrofluorimetric method (method I) at 375 and 550 nm, respectively, after excitation at 300 nm. The direct spectrofluorimetric assay was rectilinear over concentration ranges 50.0–400.0 and 300.0–2500.0 ng/ml for hydroxychloroquine and moxifloxacin, respectively, with limits of detection (LOD) of 6.4 and 33.64 ng/ml and limits of quantitation (LOQ) of 19.4 and 102.6 ng/ml, respectively, for the two drugs. The assay for hydroxychloroquine and ofloxacin was carried out by measuring the first derivative synchronous amplitude for hydroxychloroquine at the zero crossing point of ofloxacin and vice versa at Δλ = 140 nm (method II). Hydroxychloroquine was measured at 266 nm, while ofloxacin was measured at 340 nm over the concentration range 4–40 ng/ml for hydroxychloroquine and 200–2000 ng/ml for ofloxacin with LOD of 0.467 and 25.3 ng/ml and LOQ of 1.42 and 76.6 ng/ml, respectively, for the two drugs. The two methods were validated following International Conference on Harmonization guidelines and were applied to the analysis of the two drugs in plasma with good percentage recoveries (109.73–93.17%).
Comparison of health‐related quality of life and cosmetic outcome between traditional gasless trans‐axillary endoscopic thyroidectomy and modified gasless trans‐axillary endoscopic thyroidectomy for patients with papillary thyroid microcarcinoma
Authors: Dhoomun Deenraj Kush , Cai HuiLan , Li Ning , Qiu YanHuan , Li XingRui , Hu XiaoPeng , Shen WenZhuang
Published: June 2023

Background

Gasless trans‐axillary endoscopic thyroidectomy (GTET) has been proved to provide better cosmetic results; however, it has limitations as dissection of central neck lymph nodes is difficult. We developed a modified approach (MGTET‐modified GTET) and compared it with the traditional one in terms of patients' health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) and cosmetic results in order to provide more convincing therapeutic results.

Methods

Between January 2021 and June 2021, 100 cN0 patients who had a confirmed diagnosis of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma were randomized to undergo either MGTET (n = 50) or GTET (n = 50). These two groups' baseline characteristics, intraoperative and postoperative findings, were compared. The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) was determined 6 months after surgery. Thyroid Cancer‐Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire was used to assess HRQoL at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.

Results

M‐GTET was associated with a larger number of lymph nodes dissected (p < 0.001), lower drainage volume (p < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (p < 0.001), and shorter axillary incision (p < 0.001). POSAS was more favorable in M‐GTET. HRQoL was significantly better for MGTET in terms of less problems with scar (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our study suggests that MGTET provides better therapeutic, cosmetic, and HRQoL outcomes.
Campesterol Semi‐Synthetic Derivatives as Potential Antibacterial: in vitro and in silico Evaluation
Authors: Freitas da Silva Francisco Erivaldo , das Chagas Lima Pinto Francisco , Loiola Pessoa Otília Deusdênia , Marques da Fonseca Aluísio , Martins da Costa José Galberto , Pinheiro Santiago Gilvandete Maria
Published: June 2023

In this study, twelve campesterol derivatives (2–13) were prepared by esterification reaction at the hydroxy group in C‐3 and catalytic hydrogenation at the carbon‐carbon double bond in C‐5(6). All obtained compounds were characterized by IR, 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, and MS spectra. Campesterol (1) and its derivatives (2–13) were evaluated in vitro against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), Streptococcus mutans (ATCC 0046), Escherichia coli (ATCC 10536), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 15442), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (ATCC 10031) using the microdilution method. Among tested compounds, 4, 6, 9, 11, 12, and 13 displayed the best antibacterial activity. Moreover, to support the antibacterial activity experiments, the investigation of molecular interactions of more active compounds, and also compound 1 and neomycin, used as starting material and positive control, respectively, at the binding site of the target proteins was performed using molecular docking simulations. Four compounds (7, 9, 10 and 11) are herein described for the first time.
The proactive–reactive classification of intimate partner violence offenders: A multi‐method approach to classification
Authors: Babcock Julia C. , Kini Sheetal , Pathak Neha
Published: June 2023

Background

Men who commit violence against an intimate partner differ in their motives. Classifying the proactivity of men's partner violence may reveal important differences that could be treatment targets.

Aims

To examine the differences between proactive and reactive partner violence based on coded descriptions of past violent events.

Method

Community cohabiting couples reporting intimate partner violence were recruited via advertisements. Men and women were independently interviewed about past male‐to‐female violent events. The narratives of a male perpetrator and a female victim were coded using a Proactive–Reactive coding system, yielding three categories of violence: reactive, mixed proactive/reactive and proactive. The three categories were compared for differences in personality disorder features, attachment, psychophysiological reactivity during a conflict discussion task, and a self‐ and partner report of men's proactive and reactive aggressive tendencies.

Results

The results revealed a 54% classification agreement between perpetrator and victim reports. No differences were found on personality or attachment measures between the groups regardless of gender of the reporter. Reactive violence was related to a tendency to self‐report more reactive aggression and higher heart rate reactivity during a laboratory conflict discussion compared to the group reporting both proactive and reactive violent incidents.

Conclusion

This study suggests that a coding system for intimate partner violence can be applied to community volunteers, and it is a reliable report and valid. However, there are discrepancies when the coding is based on the perpetrator or victim reports.
Sustainable Syntheses of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen from Biorenewable β‐pinene
Authors: Tibbetts Joshua D. , Hutchby Marc , Cunningham William B. , Chapman Robert S. L. , Kociok‐Köhn Gabriele , Davidson Matthew G. , Bull Steven D.
Published: June 2023

Scalable processes have been developed to convert β‐pinene into 4‐isopropenylcyclohexanone, which is then used as a feedstock for the divergent synthesis of sustainable versions of the common painkillers, paracetamol and ibuprofen. Both synthetic routes use Pd0 catalysed reactions to aromatize the cyclohexenyl rings of key intermediates to produce the benzenoid ring systems of both drugs. The potential of using bioderived 4‐hydroxyacetophenone as a drop‐in feedstock replacement to produce sustainable aromatic products is also discussed within a terpene biorefinery context.
Curriculum work and hermeneutics
Authors: Hodge Steven
Published: June 2023

The curriculum work of teachers is understood and conceptualised in different ways. A prevalent view is that teachers are an integral part of a system of transmission and their work with curriculum essentially a technical exercise. Some form of this view seems to be assumed by policymakers, parents and at least some teachers. However, when this same work is considered from the perspective of interpretation theory or ‘hermeneutics’, a contrasting picture emerges. Rather than positioning teachers as relays of explicit information, interpretation theory alerts us to the complexities and uncertainties inherent in the reading, appreciation and application of texts. On this view, meaning is not stable but transformed through interpretation, and the process itself has no definite end point. Interpretation theory thus undermines major assumptions of the technical‐transmission understanding of curriculum work. In this paper, the potential contribution of this body of theory to illuminating curriculum work is explored. Noting that hermeneutics is a vast area of study, a selection of concepts will be made that demonstrates some of these insights. The exploration will yield both critical and generative contributions to curriculum theory. The way hermeneutics undermines the transmission view of teachers' curriculum work will become clear, and at the same time, the inherent creativity of curriculum interpretation becomes an inescapable feature of teacher expertise that could be celebrated rather than neglected, denied or repressed. A hermeneutic analysis of curriculum work thus has implications for what teachers know and do and for their role in contemporary society.
Exploitation of elasto‐inertial fluid flow for the separation of nano‐sized particles: Simulating the isolation of extracellular vesicles
Authors: Pouraria Hassan , Foudazi Reza , Houston Jessica P.
Published: June 2023

High throughput and efficient separation/isolation of nanoparticles such as exosomes remain a challenge owing to their small size. Elasto‐inertial approaches have a new potential to be leveraged because of the ability to achieve fine control over the forces that act on extremely small particles. That is, the viscoelasticity of fluid that helps carry biological particles such as extracellular vesicles (EVs) and cells through microfluidic channels can be tailored to optimize how different‐sized particles move within the chip. In this contribution, we demonstrate through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations the ability to separate nanoparticles with a size comparable to exosomes from larger spheres with physical properties comparable to cells and larger EVs. Our current design makes use of an efficient flow‐focusing geometry at the inlet of the device in which two side channels deliver the sample, while the inner channel injects the sheath flow. Such flow configuration results in an efficient focusing of all the particles near the sidewalls of the channel at the inlet. By dissolving a minute amount of polymer in the sample and sheath fluid, the elastic lift force arises and the initially focused particle adjacent to the wall will gradually migrate toward the center of the channel. This results in larger particles experiencing larger elastic forces, thereby migrating faster toward the center of the channel. By adjusting the size and location of the outlets, nanoparticles comparable to the size of exosomes (30–100 nm) will be effectively separated from other particles. Furthermore, the influence of different parameters such as channel geometry, flow rate, and fluid rheology on the separation process is evaluated by computational analysis.
Harmonization of cognitive screening tools for dementia across diverse samples: A simulation study
Authors: Gavett Brandon E. , Ilango Sindana D. , Koscik Rebecca , Ma Yue , Helfand Benjamin , Eng Chloe W. , Gross Alden , Trittschuh Emily H. , Jones Richard N. , Mungas Dan
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Research focusing on cognitive aging and dementia is a global endeavor. However, cross‐national differences in cognition are embedded in other sociocultural differences, precluding direct comparisons of test scores. Such comparisons can be facilitated by co‐calibration using item response theory (IRT). The goal of this study was to explore, using simulation, the necessary conditions for accurate harmonization of cognitive data.

Method

Neuropsychological test scores from the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS) were subjected to IRT analysis to estimate item parameters and sample means and standard deviations. These estimates were used to generate simulated item response patterns under 10 scenarios that adjusted the quality and quantity of linking items used in harmonization. IRT‐derived factor scores were compared to the known population values to assess bias, efficiency, accuracy, and reliability of the harmonized data.

Results

The current configuration of HRS and MHAS data was not suitable for harmonization, as poor linking item quality led to large bias in both cohorts. Scenarios with more numerous and higher quality linking items led to less biased and more accurate harmonization.

Discussion

Linking items must possess low measurement error across the range of latent ability for co‐calibration to be successful.

HIGHLIGHTS

We developed a statistical simulation platform to evaluate the degree to which cross‐sample harmonization accuracy varies as a function of the quality and quantity of linking items.

Two large studies of aging—one in Mexico and one in the United States—use three common items to measure cognition.

These three common items have weak correspondence with the ability being measured and are all low in difficulty.

Harmonized scores derived from the three common linking items will provide biased and inaccurate estimates of cognitive ability.

Harmonization accuracy is greatest when linking items vary in difficulty and are strongly related to the ability being measured.
Simulation study of water and gas injection process into the Azadegan reservoir for enhanced oil recovery
Authors: Farahbod Farshad
Published: June 2023

It is necessary to improve oil production from reservoirs. Various methods have been proposed to increase oil extraction from reservoir. Each method has specific challenges. In this research, the effect of water and gas injection in to Azadegan reservoir has been analyzed. Azadegan oil field is located south of Iran. In this study, water, immiscible gas and water alternating gas injected to reservoir and its effect on enhanced oil recovery have been investigated. Finally, a comparison between results of methods is provided. Results show that effective method for enhanced oil recovery is immiscible gas injection with 46% oil production efficiency and water alternating gas injection with 36% oil production efficiency. This study shows that oil production efficiency can be increased if duration of gas injection is increased. This study shows, increasing viscosity of water in water alternating gas scenario did not improve the production of Azadegan reservoir.
Fractures in people with epilepsy: A nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Babunovska Marija , Jovanovski Aleksandar , Boskovski Bojan , Foteva Marta , Kuzmanovski Igor , Trencevska Gordana Kiteva , Cvetkovska Emilija
Published: June 2023

Objective

The objective of this study was to determine the age, gender, and site‐specific prevalence of fractures in people with epilepsy (PWE) and matched general population comparators in a nationwide study in North Macedonia between 2015 and 2018.

Methods

PWE and matched controls were selected through a systematic search of the electronic National Health System (eNHS). We determined the period prevalence (PP) of all site‐specific fractures. We also calculated gender and age‐specific incidence rate ratios (IRR) for various fractures. Odds ratios (ORs) and risk ratios (RR) were estimated for the number and type of ASM as well as comorbid conditions.

Results

Out of 13 818 prevalent epilepsy cases, 6383 (46.2%) were females, and 7435 (53.8%) were males. 109 PWE out of 1000 had at least one fracture during the study period and ~8 people out of 1000 in the general population. The most frequent sites in terms of PP both in PWE and controls, were fractures of the lower arm, hip and femur, and lower leg. Significant differences in PP for all fracture locations were observed between PWE and controls (P < 0.001). The noticeable differences of ∼100 times higher PP were observed for fractures of the skull and jaw in PWE. IRR of any fracture in PWE was 272.84/10 000 person‐years; higher in the older age groups and among people who received >2 ASM. Fracture risk was increased with the use of >2 ASM (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.32‐1.84 and RR: RR: 1.32). The presence of comorbidities also increased fractures risk (OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.10‐1.38).

Significance

This population‐based study depicts a higher fracture prevalence in PWE compared to the general population. A higher number of ASM and the presence of comorbidities increase the risk of fractures and targeted prevention might be needed in those subgroups of PWE.
An automatic interpretable deep learning pipeline for accurate Parkinson's disease diagnosis using quantitative susceptibility mapping and T1‐weighted images
Authors: Wang Yida , He Naying , Zhang Chunyan , Zhang Youmin , Wang Chenglong , Huang Pei , Jin Zhijia , Li Yan , Cheng Zenghui , Liu Yu , Wang Xinhui , Chen Chen , Cheng Jingliang , Liu Fangtao , Haacke Ewart Mark , Chen Shengdi , Yang Guang , Yan Fuhua
Published: June 2023

Parkinson's disease (PD) diagnosis based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is still challenging clinically. Quantitative susceptibility maps (QSM) can potentially provide underlying pathophysiological information by detecting the iron distribution in deep gray matter (DGM) nuclei. We hypothesized that deep learning (DL) could be used to automatically segment all DGM nuclei and use relevant features for a better differentiation between PD and healthy controls (HC). In this study, we proposed a DL‐based pipeline for automatic PD diagnosis based on QSM and T1‐weighted (T1W) images. This consists of (1) a convolutional neural network model integrated with multiple attention mechanisms which simultaneously segments caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen, red nucleus, and substantia nigra from QSM and T1W images, and (2) an SE‐ResNeXt50 model with an anatomical attention mechanism, which uses QSM data and the segmented nuclei to distinguish PD from HC. The mean dice values for segmentation of the five DGM nuclei are all >0.83 in the internal testing cohort, suggesting that the model could segment brain nuclei accurately. The proposed PD diagnosis model achieved area under the the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) of 0.901 and 0.845 on independent internal and external testing cohorts, respectively. Gradient‐weighted class activation mapping (Grad‐CAM) heatmaps were used to identify contributing nuclei for PD diagnosis on patient level. In conclusion, the proposed approach can potentially be used as an automatic, explainable pipeline for PD diagnosis in a clinical setting.
Estimating health care costs at scale in low‐ and middle‐income countries: Mathematical notations and frameworks for the application of cost functions
Authors: d’Elbée Marc , Terris‐Prestholt Fern , Briggs Andrew , Griffiths Ulla Kou , Larmarange Joseph , Medley Graham Francis , Gomez Gabriella Beatriz
Published: June 2023

Appropriate costing and economic modeling are major factors for the successful scale‐up of health interventions. Various cost functions are currently being used to estimate costs of health interventions at scale in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) potentially resulting in disparate cost projections. The aim of this study is to gain understanding of current methods used and provide guidance to inform the use of cost functions that is fit for purpose. We reviewed seven databases covering the economic and global health literature to identify studies reporting a quantitative analysis of costs informing the projected scale‐up of a health intervention in LMICs between 2003 and 2019. Of the 8725 articles identified, 40 met the inclusion criteria. We classified studies according to the type of cost functions applied—accounting or econometric—and described the intended use of cost projections. Based on these findings, we developed new mathematical notations and cost function frameworks for the analysis of healthcare costs at scale in LMICs setting. These notations estimate variable returns to scale in cost projection methods, which is currently ignored in most studies. The frameworks help to balance simplicity versus accuracy and increase the overall transparency in reporting of methods.
Pelvic floor ultrasound evaluation in the diagnosis of exposure of synthetic implanted materials in the lower urinary tract
Authors: Frigerio Matteo , Barba Marta , Marino Giuseppe , Volonte Silvia , Cola Alice
Published: June 2023

Objective

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of pelvic floor ultrasound (PFUS) to recognize prosthetics exposure in the bladder and/or urethra in women with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

Methods

A cross‐sectional study evaluating patients with LUTS after mesh/sling surgery. PFUS was performed with both transvaginal (TVUS) and translabial (TLUS) approaches. A distance of 1 mm or less from the bladder and/or urethra was considered highly suspect for mesh exposure. After PFUS, patients underwent diagnostic urethrocystoscopy.

Results

A total of 100 consecutive women were analyzed. According to urethrocystoscopy, the rate of tape exposure in the lower urinary tract was 3%. PFUS showed 100% sensitivity and 98%–100% specificity in detecting lower urinary tract mesh exposure. The negative predictive value was 100% and the positive predictive value ranged from 33% to 50% for urethral and 100% for bladder exposure.

Conclusions

PFUS represents an effective and reliable non‐invasive screening test to exclude prosthetics exposure in the bladder and/or urethra in women with LUTS.