bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MYB expression by immunohistochemistry is highly specific and sensitive for detection of solid variant of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the breast among all triple‐negative breast cancers
Authors: Batra Harsh , Bose Priya S C , Ding Yang , Dai Alan , Chen Hui , Albarracin Constance T , Sun Hongxia , Sahin Aysegul A , Yang Fei , Wistuba Ignacio I , Raso Maria G
Published: July 2024

Background

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is a rare subtype of triple‐negative breast carcinoma. These low‐grade tumours, which are treated by simple mastectomy and have an excellent prognosis compared to other triple‐negative breast carcinomas. Solid‐variant adenoid cystic carcinomas have basaloid features and are difficult to distinguish morphologically from other triple‐negative breast cancers. Breast adenoid cystic carcinoma exhibits MYB protein overexpression, which can be detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Aim

We compared the IHC expression of MYB in solid‐variant adenoid cystic carcinoma with that in other triple‐negative breast cancers.

Methods

We conducted IHC staining of 210 samples of triple‐negative breast cancers, including solid‐variant adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 17), metaplastic breast carcinoma (n = 44), basaloid triple‐negative breast cancer (n = 21), and other triple‐negative invasive ductal carcinoma (n = 128). We classified nuclear staining of MYB as diffuse/strong (3+), focal moderate (2+), focal weak (1+), or none (0).

Results

All 17 solid/basaloid adenoid cystic carcinoma cases exhibited 3+ MYB expression. Of the 21 solid/basaloid triple‐negative breast cancers, one (5%) had 2+ expression, seven (33%) 1+ expression, and 13 (62%) 0 expression. Of the 44 metaplastic carcinoma cases, 39 cases (89%) had no (0) staining, and the other five cases had focal weak (1+) or moderate (2+) staining. Among the 128 triple‐negative invasive ductal carcinoma cases, 92 cases (72%) had no (0) staining, 36 cases (28%) exhibited focal weak (1+) or moderate (2+) staining.

Conclusions

Our study revealed diffuse/strong MYB staining (3+) only in solid/basaloid adenoid cystic carcinomas. Thus, we recommend routine MYB IHC staining in triple‐negative breast carcinoma with solid/basaloid morphology to improve diagnostic accuracy.
Disaster management competence, disaster preparedness belief, and disaster preparedness relationship: Nurses after the 2023 Turkey earthquake
Authors: Şermet Kaya Şenay , Erdoğan Eylül Gülnur
Published: July 2024

Aim

To examine the relationship between nurses' competency levels in disaster nursing management, their disaster preparedness and disaster preparedness beliefs.

Background

Nurses’ competency in disaster nursing management makes disaster response easier. Factors that may affect this reason should be examined.

Methods

The study was conducted between April and July 2023 with nurses working in a province in the first‐degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 207 nurses who were selected from primary, secondary, and tertiary care institutions by using the stratified sampling method. Data were collected with a personal information form, the Competencies for Disaster Nursing Management Questionnaire, the Disaster Preparedness Scale, and the General Disaster Preparedness Beliefs Scale. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests, Spearman regression coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results

There was a positive correlation between nurses' competency levels regarding duties and responsibilities and their disaster preparedness levels. Having disaster‐related training also positively affected the level of competence in duties and responsibilities. Belief in disaster preparedness and having “partial” knowledge about the disaster had no relationship with competencies.

Discussion

According to the International Council of Nurses and current studies on disaster nursing, “competence areas” are among the priority study subjects.

Conclusion

According to the study results, disaster preparedness and having disaster‐related education are effective factors in nurses' competencies related to duties and responsibilities.

Implications for nursing policy

The results of this study may increase awareness in the healthcare system about nurses' disaster management competency levels and the factors that may affect this. It is recommended that disaster preparedness and disaster‐related education factors should be taken into account in the initiatives and policies to be planned to improve the duty and responsibility competence of nurses.
Examining the Judge's role in achieving permanency for children in Foster Care: Judicial best practice‐focused performance measurement
Authors: Gatowski Sophia
Published: July 2024

This article features a set of court performance measures, the “Judicial, Court and Attorney Measures of Performance” or “JCAMP,” with a focus on JCAMP's permanency measures. The JCAMP permanency metrics are discussed in relation to court and judicial practices and the judge's role in achieving permanency for children and families. How data from the permanency measures can inform understandings of what judges are doing to promote safe and timely permanency for children and families in child welfare cases is addressed. Connections between the JCAMP permanency measures and recommendations for judicial best practices are also highlighted.
Neuropathologic findings in a patient with hemiparkinsonism and hemiatrophy syndrome
Authors: Nakamura Masataka , Tsuge Ayako , Miyake Kosuke , Kunieda Takenobu , Kusaka Hirofumi , Yakushiji Yusuke
Published: July 2024

The first postmortem neuropathological findings of a hemiparkinsonism and hemiatrophy (HPHA) patient are presented. A 50‐year‐old man developed resting tremors affecting the right hand and leg, followed by mild clumsiness of the right hand. On examination, he exhibited muscle atrophy of the right leg extremity, accompanied by right‐sided parkinsonism. Brain magnetic resonance imaging was normal. Based on the clinical and radiological findings, HPHA syndrome was diagnosed, showing a good response to L‐DOPA. He gradually developed muscular atrophy of the right distal upper extremity. Thirteen years after the onset of the disease, left‐sided parkinsonism appeared. The patient died of Trousseau's syndrome associated with a rapidly emerging pancreatic tumor. The total duration of the disease was 14 years. Neuropathologically, the substantia nigra showed markedly left‐predominant neuronal loss, along with almost symmetrical Lewy body (LB) pathology. These findings indicated that the patient originally had fewer neurons in the left substantia nigra than in the right, probably caused by congenital or childhood cerebral injury, followed by the development of unilateral parkinsonism due to the progression of LB pathology. Despite our extensive neuropathological analysis, we could not specify the etiology or anatomical substrate responsible for the development of right upper and lower extremity atrophy. Further clinicopathological studies are needed to elucidate the pathoanatomical areas causing hemiparkinsonism and hemiatrophy.
Understanding niche construction and phenotypic plasticity as causes of natural selection
Authors: Lala Kevin
Published: July 2024

For many evolutionary biologists, fitness differencescausetrait frequency changes in populations, and natural selectionexplainsthe evolution of adaptations. Treating fitness differences as a cause, however, is more scientific convention rather than decree, and analyses of the causes of natural selection potentially afford richer evolutionary explanations. Unfortunately, the historical assumptions that the complexities of development leave the origins of phenotypic variation unpredictable, and that ecological processes are idiosyncratic, have hindered detailed analysis of the developmental bases of natural selection. A poorly appreciated consequence is that explanations reliant on selection potentially mask particular causal patterns important in evolution. Here, using examples of environmental modification and regulation by organisms (‘niche construction’, a.k.a. ‘ecosystem engineering’), and developmental plastic responses to environmental conditions (‘phenotypic plasticity’), I will highlight how the development and activities of organisms create developmental biases that co‐determine the nature of the response to selection, in an often surprisingly well‐regulated manner. Niche construction biases the phenotypic variation exposed to selection, often generating axes of covariation with plastically expressed morphological traits. Taxonomically shared developmental mechanisms aggregate across populations to generate statistical regularities that are easy to miss because the developmental causes of fitness differences are not currently central to the study of evolution. Recent theory and experiments suggest that how organisms develop and what organisms do cause and strengthen the relationship between key traits and fitness, thereby part‐determining the characteristics of natural selection. The findings have implications for understanding parallel evolution, macroevolutionary trends and variation in evolvability.
Assessing seed pellet formulations to improve native plant restoration under water‐limited conditions
Authors: Munro Thomas P. , Erickson Todd E. , Nimmo Dale G. , Price Jodi N.
Published: July 2024

Water scarcity, a challenge expected to worsen with climate change, significantly hinders native plant community restoration. Enhancing seed‐based restoration requires methods to increase the water availability for seeds and seedlings. Surfactants and superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) can improve soil water‐holding capacity and infiltration, but their use in seed enhancements remains underexplored. We investigated whether pellets containing surfactants or SAPs could improve seedling emergence of two native species (Rytidosperma caespitosum and Chrysocephalum apiculatum) common in temperate grasslands in south‐eastern Australia under different watering treatments. We used a randomized block design with five watering treatments to simulate predicted changes in precipitation for south‐eastern Australia: ambient, two reducing overall water volume, and two reducing watering frequency while increasing watering volume to maintain ambient treatment water volume. We explored four enhanced pellets (two containing surfactants and two containing SAPs) and non‐pelleted seeds. Our results showed that watering events with larger volumes but reduced frequency increased seedling emergence. Under these conditions, block co‐polymer surfactants further increased seedling emergence of C. apiculatum, while synthetic SAP pellets promoted emergence of R. caespitosum. Block co‐polymer surfactants decreased R. caespitosum emergence, and both SAPs reduced C. apiculatum emergence under reduced watering frequency. A 50% reduction in overall water volume significantly reduced seedling emergence for both species, regardless of seed enhancement. These findings suggest that surfactants and SAP pellets can improve the success of seed‐based restoration under ambient conditions and when rainfall events are larger in volume but reduced in frequency, but not when the overall volume of rainfall is reduced.
Ecosystem restoration coupled with poverty alleviation in eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu‐Natal Province, South Africa
Authors: Nxele Beka J. , Pieterse Petrus J. , Larson Diane L.
Published: July 2024

Ecosystem restoration is a necessity for addressing socio‐ecological challenges by improving ecosystem resilience and alleviating poverty through local community involvement. Here, we review a community‐based, large‐scale ecosystem restoration program, Working for Ecosystems, implemented by eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa, between 2007 and 2022. For this study, we interrogated monthly and annual reports generated by the program between 2011 and 2021 to describe how the program worked to suppress invasive alien plants (IAPs) and provided employment opportunities to marginalized groups (women, youth, military veterans, and people living with disabilities). Annual budget was positively correlated with the area cleared of IAPs and effort (person‐days in the field). The program successfully incorporated marginalized groups, but military veterans and people living with disabilities remained in smaller numbers and were not well quantified. Participants were encouraged to constitute companies—Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises—that were then subcontracted to the program or could progress to other endeavors, allowing other community members to enter the program. A steady increase in the implementation budget emphasized the need for a long‐term plan to ensure accountability and sustainability of restoration and socio‐ecological systems.
Effects of smoking on clinical treatment outcomes amongst patients with chronic inflammatory diseases initiating biologics: secondary analyses of the prospective BELIEVE cohort study
Authors: Larsen Maja Graves Rosenkilde , Overgaard Silja Hvid , Petersen Sofie Ronja , Møllegaard Karen Mai , Munk Heidi Lausten , Nexøe Anders Bathum , Glerup Henning , Guldmann Tanja , Pedersen Natalia , Saboori Sanaz , Dahlerup Jens Frederik , Hvas Christian Lodberg , Andersen Karina Winther , Jawhara Mohamad , Haagen Nielsen Ole , Bergenheim Fredrik Olof , Brodersen Jacob Broder , Bygum Anette , Ellingsen Torkell , Kjeldsen Jens , Christensen Robin , Andersen Vibeke
Published: July 2024

The prevalence and disease burden of chronic inflammatory diseases (CIDs) are predicted to rise. Patients are commonly treated with biological agents, but the individual treatment responses vary, warranting further research into optimizing treatment strategies. This study aimed to compare the clinical treatment responses in patients with CIDs initiating biologic therapy based on smoking status, a notorious risk factor in CIDs. In this multicentre cohort study including 233 patients with a diagnosis of Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis or psoriasis initiating biologic therapy, we compared treatment response rates after 14 to 16 weeks and secondary outcomes between smokers and non‐smokers. We evaluated the contrast between groups using logistic regression models: (i) a “crude” model, only adjusted for the CID type, and (ii) an adjusted model (including sex and age). Among the 205 patients eligible for this study, 53 (26%) were smokers. The treatment response rate among smokers (n = 23 [43%]) was lower compared to the non‐smoking CID population (n = 92 [61%]), corresponding to a “crude” OR of 0.51 (95% CI: [0.26;1.01]) while adjusting for sex and age resulted in consistent findings: 0.51 [0.26;1.02]. The contrast was apparently most prominent among the 38 RA patients, with significantly lower treatment response rates for smokers in both the “crude” and adjusted models (adjusted OR 0.13, [0.02;0.81]). Despite a significant risk of residual confounding, patients with CIDs (rheumatoid arthritis in particular) should be informed that smoking probably lowers the odds of responding sufficiently to biological therapy. Registration: Clinical.Trials.gov NCT03173144.
PoWRKY69‐PoVQ11 module positively regulates drought tolerance by accumulating fructose in Paeonia ostii
Authors: Luan Yuting , Chen Zijie , Fang Ziwen , Meng Jiasong , Tao Jun , Zhao Daqiu
Published: July 2024

Drought is a detrimental environmental factor that restricts plant growth and threatens food security throughout the world. WRKY transcription factors play vital roles in abiotic stress response. However, the roles of IIe subgroup members from WRKY transcription factor family in soluble sugar mediated drought response are largely elusive. In this study, we identified a drought‐responsive IIe subgroup WRKY transcription factor, PoWRKY69, from Paeonia ostii. PoWRKY69 functioned as a positive regulator in response to drought stress with nucleus expression and transcriptional activation activity. Silencing of PoWRKY69 increased plants sensitivity to drought stress, whereas conversely, overexpression of PoWRKY69 enhanced drought tolerance in plants. As revealed by yeast one‐hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and luciferase reporter assays, PoWRKY69 could directly bind to the W‐box element of fructose‐1,6‐bisphosphate aldolase 5 (PoFBA5) promoter, contributing to a cascade regulatory network to activate PoFBA5 expression. Furthermore, virus‐induced gene silencing and overexpression assays demonstrated that PoFBA5 functioned positively in response to drought stress by accumulating fructose to alleviate membrane lipid peroxidation and activate antioxidant defense system, these changes resulted in reactive oxygen species scavenging. According to yeast two‐hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and firefly luciferase complementation imaging assays, valine‐glutamine 11 (PoVQ11) physically interacted with PoWRKY69 and led to an enhanced activation of PoWRKY69 on PoFBA5 promoter activity. This study broadens our understanding of WRKY69‐VQ11 module regulated fructose accumulation in response to drought stress and provides feasible molecular measures to create novel drought‐tolerant germplasm of P. ostii.
Environmental factors determining weed species distribution in organic manure and inorganic fertiliser smallholder maize (Zea mays L.) production
Authors: Mncube Temnotfo L. , Phiri Ethel E. , Mloza‐Banda Henry R. , Rugare Joyful T. , Mothapo Palesa N. , Pieterse Petrus Jacobus
Published: July 2024

Weeds are a major concern in crop production, and their environmental plasticity hinders successful control. A phytosociological study assessed weed distribution patterns in smallholder maize (Zea mays L.) production under different climatic and soil factors in the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 cropping seasons. Thirty‐six maize fields from the Highveld (Mankayane) and the Middleveld (Luve) of Eswatini, were investigated with three fertiliser regimes applied (cattle manure only, cattle manure plus inorganic fertiliser and inorganic fertiliser only). Phytosociological attributes of weed species including density were collected using a 25 m transect placed horizontally at the centre of each field. Climatic factors and soil physiochemical properties considered included altitude, rainfall, temperature, soil texture, soil pH, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc and manganese. Fifty‐six weed species belonging to 16 families were recorded. Distance‐based multivariate multiple regression (DistLM) analysis was used to determine the relationship between weed species composition as the dependent variable from the fertiliser regimes and the environmental factors as the independent variable. Eight environmental variables explained 25% variation in species distribution namely; altitude, temperature, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, copper, magnesium and percentage silt. At Luve, temperature, copper and magnesium significantly explained weed distribution in all three fertiliser regimes, while phosphorus influenced weed distribution in the manure only regime. At Mankayane, nitrogen affected weed distribution in the manure plus inorganic fertiliser and inorganic fertiliser regimes whereas altitude, phosphorus, potassium, and %silt influenced weed distribution in the manure only and manure plus inorganic fertiliser regimes. The observations suggest that some weed species coexist between fertiliser regimes and study areas while others occur in specific environments only.
Kv7/M channel dysfunction produces hyperexcitability in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells of Fmr1 knockout mice
Authors: Luque M. Angeles , Morcuende Sara , Torres Blas , Herrero Luis
Published: July 2024

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most frequent monogenic form of intellectual disability, is caused by transcriptional silencing of the FMR1 gene that could render neuronal hyperexcitability. Here we show that pyramidal cells (PCs) in the dorsal CA1 region of the hippocampus elicited a larger action potential (AP) number in response to suprathreshold stimulation in juvenile Fmr1 knockout (KO) than wild‐type (WT) mice. Because Kv7/M channels modulate CA1 PC excitability in rats, we investigated if their dysfunction produces neuronal hyperexcitability in Fmr1 KO mice. Immunohistochemical and western blot analyses showed no differences in the expression of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 channel subunits between genotypes; however, the current mediated by Kv7/M channels was reduced in Fmr1 KO mice. In both genotypes, bath application of XE991 (10 μM), a blocker of Kv7/M channels: produced an increased AP number, produced an increased input resistance, produced a decreased AP voltage threshold and shaped AP medium afterhyperpolarization by increasing mean velocities. Retigabine (10 μM), an opener of Kv7/M channels, produced opposite effects to XE991. Both XE991 and retigabine abolished differences in all these parameters found in control conditions between genotypes. Furthermore, a low concentration of retigabine (2.5 μM) normalized CA1 PC excitability of Fmr1 KO mice. Finally, ex vivo seizure‐like events evoked by 4‐aminopyiridine (200 μM) in the dorsal CA1 region were more frequent in Fmr1 KO mice, and were abolished by retigabine (5–10 μM). We conclude that CA1 PCs of Fmr1 KO mice exhibit hyperexcitability, caused by Kv7/M channel dysfunction, and increased epileptiform activity, which were abolished by retigabine.

image

Key points

Dorsal pyramidal cells of the hippocampal CA1 region of Fmr1 knockout mice exhibit hyperexcitability.

Kv7/M channel activity, but not expression, is reduced in pyramidal cells of the hippocampal CA1 region of Fmr1 knockout mice.

Kv7/M channel dysfunction causes hyperexcitability in pyramidal cells of the hippocampal CA1 region of Fmr1 knockout mice by increasing input resistance, decreasing AP voltage threshold and shaping medium afterhyperpolarization.

A Kv7/M channel opener normalizes neuronal excitability in pyramidal cells of the hippocampal CA1 region of Fmr1 knockout mice.

Ex vivo seizure‐like events evoked in the dorsal CA1 region were more frequent in Fmr1 KO mice, and such an epileptiform activity was abolished by a Kv7/M channel opener depending on drug concentration.

Kv7/M channels may represent a therapeutic target for treating symptoms associated with hippocampal alterations in fragile X syndrome.
Taxonomic notes on genus Tarsonemus (Acari: Tarsonemidae) with description of two new species from West Bengal, India
Authors: Karmakar Krishna , Bera Soumita , Kayal Sandipan
Published: July 2024

Two new species of Tarsonemus Canestrini & Fanzago, 1876—namely Tarsonemus bengalicus Karmakar & Bera sp. nov. and Tarsonemus kajuae Karmakar & Bera sp. nov.—are described and illustrated based on specimens collected on leaves of Bamboo, Bambusa vulgaris Schard. and Cashew, Anacardium occidentale L., respectively from Ramnagar, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, India. Additionally, subgeneric diagnostic characters of Tarsonemus are compiled and a key to the Indian Tarsonemus species is also provided.
Shallow sea reverberation suppression based on a range azimuth patch matrix model
Authors: Gou Wenbo , Li Hui , Liang Hong , Dai Zezhou , Jiao Shaohua
Published: July 2024

Reverberation is the main background interference for active sonar detection in shallow sea. Reverberation suppression is crucial for enhancing the performance of active sonar. In this paper, a reverberation suppression method based on low-rank sparse decomposition is proposed. First, both the sparseness property of the targets and the non-local self-correlation property of the reverberation are used to construct a range azimuth patch matrix model. The reverberation suppression problem is then transformed into an optimization problem for the recovery of a low-rank sparse matrix. The validity of the proposed method is verified by using the measured data. Results show that, compared with the reverberation pre-whitening and sparse fractional Fourier transform methods, the proposed method significantly improves the reverberation suppression performance and achieves a better detection result when the signal-to-interference ratio is below −2 dB.
How advancements in molecular biology impact education and training
Authors: Walther Rheanna E. , Hrabak Michael , Bernstein Douglas A.
Published: July 2024

Molecular biology, broadly defined as the investigation of complex biomolecules in the laboratory, is a rapidly advancing field and as such the technologies available to investigators are constantly evolving. This constant advancement has obvious advantages because it allows students and researchers to perform more complex experiments in shorter periods of time. One challenge with such a rapidly advancing field is that techniques that had been vital for students to learn how to perform are now not essential for a laboratory scientist. For example, while cloning a gene in the past could have led to a publication and form the bulk of a PhD thesis project, technology has now made this process only a step toward one of these larger goals and can, in many cases, be performed by a company or core facility. As teachers and mentors, it is imperative that we understand that the technologies we teach in the lab and classroom must also evolve to match these advancements. In this perspective, we discuss how the rapid advances in gene synthesis technologies are affecting curriculum and how our classrooms should evolve to ensure our lessons prepare students for the world in which they will do science.
My Pathway to Professional Geologist
Authors: Spiller Reginal W.
Published: July 2024

The pathway to becoming a professional geologist for an African American has many similarities to that of a typical, traditional majority geologist, which involves interest and passion in the earth sciences, spurred by quality mentorship. The differences in sustaining oneself professionally, however, involve being a part of the everyday corporate and academic discussions that often go unsaid along the way. My success story is one that documents the twists and turns in my career path over 50 years as I navigated the road to becoming one of the world’s most respected geoscientists. And an African American at that!
Design and Implementation of Chopper Control System for HIAF
Authors: Wang Pengpeng , Zhang Wei , Yuan Chao , Wang Baopeng , Ma Tao , Fang Xing
Published: July 2024

The chopper control system which is synchronized by the White Rabbit timing network is designed and implemented to meet the requirements of the chopper of ion source for the High-Intensity Heavy Ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF). The hardware system consists of timing modulation controller, waveform acquisition, parameter setting, and remote control of the chopper power supply. The software includes low-level drivers and top-level applications which are based on Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS). The combination of hardware and software completes the interaction of timing messages with the White Rabbit network, waveform acquisition, the setting of timing modulation parameters in several running modes, and remote control of the chopper power supply, etc. The test results show that the system can achieve timing modulation with a resolution of 8 ns and waveform acquisition of embedded EPICS IOC (input/output controller) at a 125 MHz sample rate. The design, implementation, and test of the chopper control system are described in this paper.
Extranodal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the uterine cervix
Authors: Ajakaiye Anu , Watson David , Abdelsalam Huyam , Alalade Aderemi
Published: July 2024

This is a case of primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma involving the uterine cervix which presented with irregular vaginal bleeding. The diagnosis was confirmed following multiple cervical biopsies. Treatment with a combination of immunotherapy, chemotherapy (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisolone (R-CHOP)) and radiotherapy produced a good response.
Unusual case of Reinke’s oedema
Authors: Pillai Raji , Sawaryn Michael , Ross Talisa , Ahmed Jahangir
Published: July 2024

This case report describes a man in his mid 40s, with a history of chronic smoking, who presented with dysphonia. He underwent microlaryngoscopy and biopsy for a suspicious lesion on the anterior right vocal cord. Mask ventilation proved difficult on induction of general anaesthesia due to a solid lesion acting as a ball valve into the glottis. This mass was LASER debulked and sent for histopathology. This demonstrated a haematoma, likely traumatic in origin, with some polypoidal features, consistent with advanced Reinke’s oedema. Reinke’s oedema is a benign condition where chronic inflammation causes fluid accumulation within the vocal cords. Long-standing inflammation leads to disarrangement of the vocal cord lamina propria, causing fluid accumulation and thereby resulting oedema of the vocal cords. This process can subsequently lead to polyp formation and can cause gravelly voice. This case report describes the potential airway sequelae of this benign condition.
Pilot and quantitative evaluation of the TARGET acne toolkit by UK pharmacy professionals working in general practice
Authors: Sonnex Kimberley , Thornley Tracey , Fleming Naomi , Lakha Alishah , Lecky Donna M , Pillay Indira , Patel Shazia , Anderson Claire , Boyd Matthew , Ashiru-Oredope Diane
Published: July 2024

Background

Acne vulgaris (acne) is a common skin condition sometimes needing topical or oral antibiotic treatment. Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians (together known as pharmacy professionals) working in general practice are well placed to ensure their appropriate use.

Objectives

The objectives of this study are to pilot an evidence-based intervention (‘How to…’ tool) to review treatments in the management of acne and evaluate the capability, opportunity, motivation and behaviour (COM-B) of pharmacy professionals working in general practice before and after the use of this tool.

Design, setting and participants

A quantitative electronic survey was developed asking UK-based pharmacy professionals working in general practice to rate their agreement with 21 predefined statements related to the COM-B model.

Intervention

Participants were sent an initial survey, given time to access and use the ‘How to…’ acne resources and then sent a follow-up survey 2 weeks later.

Outcome measures

Primary outcome was change in 5-point Likert scale responses to statements on capability, opportunity and motivation in the management of acne. Secondary outcome was the perceived usefulness of the toolkit.

Results

141 pharmacy professionals completed the initial survey; 19 completed the follow-up survey. Significant improvement in the 5-point Likert scale means that responses were observed after implementation of the acne ‘How to’ resource; capability 3.68 (SD 0.40) versus 4.11 (SD 0.29),t(189) =−5.10, p <0.001; opportunity 3.85 (SD 0.24) versus 4.07 (SD 0.29),t(94)=−2.50, p=0.007 and motivation 4.35 (SD 0.47) versus 4.51 (SD 0.32),t(113)=-2.51, p=0.007. The ‘How to’ resources were rated as being useful (4.06, SD 0.12) and supportive (4.08, SD 0.18) to help pharmacy professionals in all areas of managing acne.

Conclusion

The acne ‘How to’ resources are useful to pharmacy professionals in managing acne in general practice and may improve their capability. Further work is needed with greater numbers of participants to demonstrate generalisability of this outcome.
Intervention strategies for management of comorbid depression among individuals with hypertension: a scoping review protocol
Authors: Zou Chuan , Liu Changming , Chen Huadong , Yao Yi , Li Dongze , Liao Xiaoyang
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Hypertension and depression often coexisted, leading to poor health outcome and significant challenges in healthcare management. Since no guidelines or consensus are available for health professionals to manage this comorbidity, identifying interventions in current literature is crucial for gaining a clear picture of evidence and informing future research directions and clinical practice. This scoping review is designed to address this gap by systematically mapping the range of potential interventions for managing comorbid hypertension and depression.

Methods and analysis

Following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for scoping review, this review will comprehensively search databases including PUBMED, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane Library Databases, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure. Grey literature will be sourced from Google Scholar. A year limit of January 2004–December 2023 will be applied to retrieve the most current peer-reviewed articles in English and Chinese language only. Two reviewers will individually screen and the process will be documented in Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for scoping reviews. This review will explore a range of non-pharmacological and multicomponent interventions including psychosocial support, educational programmes, telemedicine and integrated healthcare models. Data extraction will follow the Template for Intervention Description and Replication checklist to ensure detailed and standardised reporting of intervention components. The synthesis of findings will employ both quantitative and qualitative methods to provide a comprehensive overview of the intervention landscape.

Ethics and dissemination

This scoping review, which involves secondary data analysis of publicly available sources, does not require ethical approval. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and presentations at relevant conferences.

Study registration

Open Science Framework registry (osf.io/j7gt8) in Centre for Open Science on 29 January 2024.
Quantum-inspired firefly algorithm with ant miner plus for fake news detection
Authors: Sharma Kanta Prasad , Sai Manideep A. , Kulkarni Shailesh , Gowrishankar J. , Choudhary Binod Kumar , Kaur Jatinder , Gehlot Anita
Published: July 2024

Nowadays, technology has shifted the way individuals access news from conventional media sources to social media platforms. The active engagement of people with social media platforms leads them to consume news without confirming its source or legitimacy. This facilitated the dissemination of more manipulated and false information in the form of rumors and fake news. Fake news can affect public opinion and create chaos and panic among the population. Thus, it is essential to employ an advanced methodology to identify fake news with high precision. This research work has proposed the concept of the quantum-inspired firefly algorithm with the ant miner plus algorithm (QFAMP) for more effective fake news detection. The proposed QFAMP algorithm utilizes the attributes of quantum computing (QC), the firefly algorithm (FA), and the ant miner plus algorithm (AMP). Here, the QFA approach ensures the effective exploitation of the firefly agents until the agents are able to search for the brighter firefly. Further, the AMP algorithm utilizes the best ants with higher pheromone concentrations for global exploration, which also avoids the premature convergence of the QFA agents. In addition, the AMP algorithm serves as an efficient data mining variant that is effective for the classification of fake news. The efficacy of the proposed QFAMP algorithm is evaluated for the dataset of FakeNewsNet, which is composed of two sub-categories: BuzzFeed and PolitiFact. The experimental evaluations indicate the effective performance of the proposed algorithm compared to the other techniques.
Research on the water flooding front based on dynamic and static data inversion – a case study
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhai Shangqi , Wu Hao , Wu Qiongyuan , Yan Jianli
Published: July 2024

To clarify the movement of the water flooding front in fluvial reservoirs, this research takes the BZ oilfield as an example. By considering the equivalent flow resistance theory for oil–water two-phase flow, the horizontal micro-element equivalent method and the strong heterogeneity of fluvial facies reservoir comprehensively, a calculation model for a non-piston water flooding front in a horizontal well pattern was established. First, five horizontal injection–production well groups in the BZ oilfield were taken as examples to calculate the water breakthrough time for the oil wells. The calculation results are in good agreement with the actual production performance. In detail, the advancing speed of the water flooding front in the high-permeability strip was 0.8–1.6 m/day, and the speed in the low-permeability strip was 0.12–0.35 m/day. When water is seen in the oil well, the advancing speed in the low-permeability strip is reduced, resulting in uneven displacement and the formation of non-dominant potential areas. In addition, the water flooding front advancing distance was simulated to be 300–450 m by establishing a reservoir numerical simulation model, which is close to the result of the proposed model, indicating that the calculation method is reliable. This research is of great significance for predicting the water breakthrough time of horizontal production wells, judging the weak affected area on the mainstream line, and optimizing water injection and tapping reservoir potential in good time.
MICCF: A Mutual Information Constrained Clustering Framework for Learning Clustering-Oriented Feature Representations
Authors: Li Hongyu , Zhang Lefei , Su Kehua , Yu Wei
Published: July 2024

Deep clustering is a crucial task in machine learning and data mining that focuses on acquiring feature representations conducive to clustering. Previous research relies on self-supervised representation learning for general feature representations, such features may not be optimally suited for downstream clustering tasks. In this article, we introduce MICCF, a framework designed to bridge this gap and enhance clustering performance. MICCF enhances feature representations by combining mutual information constraints at different levels and employs an auxiliary alignment mutual information module for learning clustering-oriented features. To be specific, we propose a dual mutual information constraints module, incorporating minimal mutual information constraints at the feature level and maximal mutual information constraints at the instance level. This reduction in feature redundancy encourages the neural network to extract more discriminative features, while maximization ensures more unbiased and robust representations. To obtain clustering-oriented representations, the auxiliary alignment mutual information module utilizes pseudo-labels to maximize mutual information through a multi-classifier network, aligning features with the clustering task. The main network and the auxiliary module work in synergy to jointly optimize feature representations that are well-suited for the clustering task. We validate the effectiveness of our method through extensive experiments on six benchmark datasets. The results indicate that our method performs well in most scenarios, particularly on fine-grained datasets, where our approach effectively distinguishes subtle differences between closely related categories. Notably, our approach achieved a remarkable accuracy of 96.4% on the ImageNet-10 dataset, surpassing other comparison methods. The code is available at
https://github.com/Li-Hyn/MICCF.git
.
You Don't Know Jack about Bandwidth
Authors: Collier-Brown David
Published: July 2024

Bandwidth probably isn't the problem when your employees or customers say they have terrible Internet performance. Once they have something in the range of 50 to 100 Mbps, the problem is latency, how long it takes for the ISP's routers to process their traffic. If you're an ISP and all your customers hate you, take heart. This is now a solvable problem, thanks to a dedicated band of individuals who hunted it down, killed it, and then proved out their solution in home routers.
Optimization of Large-Scale Sparse Matrix-Vector Multiplication on Multi-GPU Systems
Authors: Gao Jianhua , Ji Weixing , Wang Yizhuo
Published: July 2024

Sparse matrix-vector multiplication (SpMV) is one of the important kernels of many iterative algorithms for solving sparse linear systems. The limited storage and computational resources of individual GPUs restrict both the scale and speed of SpMV computing in problem-solving. As real-world engineering problems continue to increase in complexity, the imperative for collaborative execution of iterative solving algorithms across multiple GPUs is increasingly apparent. Although the multi-GPU-based SpMV takes less kernel execution time, it also introduces additional data transmission overhead, which diminishes the performance gains derived from parallelization across multi-GPUs. Based on the non-zero elements distribution characteristics of sparse matrices and the tradeoff between redundant computations and data transfer overhead, this article introduces a series of SpMV optimization techniques tailored for multi-GPU environments and effectively enhances the execution efficiency of iterative algorithms on multiple GPUs. First, we propose a two-level non-zero elements-based matrix partitioning method to increase the overlap of kernel execution and data transmission. Then, considering the irregular non-zero elements distribution in sparse matrices, a long-row-aware matrix partitioning method is proposed to hide more data transmissions. Finally, an optimization using redundant and inexpensive short-row execution to exchange costly data transmission is proposed. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates that, compared with the SpMV on a single GPU, the proposed method achieves an average speedup of 2.00× and 1.85× on platforms equipped with two RTX 3090 and two Tesla V100-SXM2, respectively. The average speedup of 2.65× is achieved on a platform equipped with four Tesla V100-SXM2.
Experimental Investigation on Chemical Mechanical Polishing of ZA27 Alloy Considering Galvanic Corrosion at Zn/Al Interface
Authors: Qin Changjiang , Pan Jian , Hu Zihua , Zhang Kechang , Shen Rundong , Jiang Shengqiang , Chen Xiaogao , Mao Meijiao
Published: July 2024

To improve the surface integrity of ZA27 alloy, a method of chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) considering the galvanic corrosion at the Zn/Al interface is proposed to treat the surface of ZA27 alloy. Firstly, the electrochemical experiment is carried out to study the influence of the pH, H2O2 concentration, and glycine concentration on corrosion potential between zinc and aluminum. Then the Taguchi method integrated with grey relation analysis and fuzzy inference are used to optimize the CMP parameters of ZA27 alloy. Finally, the prediction model of the MRR and surface roughness Ra is established using the mathematical regression analysis method. The experimental results showed that the minimum zinc-aluminum corrosion potential difference is 14 mV when the pH is 10, H2O2 concentration is 1 wt%, and glycine concentration is 0.4 wt%. The optimum CMP parameter is the polishing pressure of 34 kPa, the polishing plate’s rotational speed of 70 rpm, and the abrasive particle concentration of 15 wt%. After polishing with the optimum CMP parameter, the MRR is 242 nm min−1, and the surface roughness Ra is 13.91 nm. This study demonstrates that the CMP considering the galvanic corrosion at the Zn/Al interface is an effective method for treating ZA27 alloy surface.
Facile Growth of Zinc Oxysulfide Nano Thin Film-based Visible Light Photosensor by Hydrothermal Method
Authors: Gupta Ajeet , Kumar Avneesh , Surbhi  , Srivastava Mudit P. , Rana Devendra Kumar
Published: July 2024

Zinc oxysulfide (ZnOS) nano-thin film has been deposited on a p-type silicon and glass substrate via the hydrothermal deposition method at a temperature of 200 °C. The crystallographic information and morphological analysis of zinc oxysulfide (ZnOS) thin film have been done by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and field effect scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The chemical composition investigation of the ZnOS thin film was done by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Ultraviolet-visible (UV–vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy have been utilized for optical analysis. The electrical and electro-optical measurements of ZnOS thin film have been carried out by I-V characteristics in the visible light environment with a power density of 30 mW cm−2. It was found that zinc oxysulfide (ZnOS) thin film illustrates the facile responsive photodetection under visible light. The ZnOS thin film has a response time of 1.46 s and a recovery time is equal to 1.32 s. The specific detectivity of the deposited thin film was found to be 3.81 × 108 Jones. The responsivity of the deposited thin film is found 7.08 × 102 mA W−1.
Effectiveness of a Structured Disaster Management Training Program on Nurses’ Disaster Readiness for Response to Emergencies and Disasters: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Lin Chia-Huei , Tzeng Wen-Chii , Chiang Li-Chi , Lu Min-Chin , Lee Meei-Shyuan , Chiang Shang-Lin
Published: July 2024

Background. Most frontline nurses lack sufficient readiness for effective disaster response. Therefore, designing a disaster management training program (DMTP) to promote nurses’ readiness for disaster response is imperative. Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured DMTP on nurses’ readiness for response to disasters. Methods. A randomized controlled trial was conducted. One hundred eligible nurses, recruited using convenience sampling from a medical centre in northern Taiwan, were randomly assigned to either the experimental (EG, n = 50) or control (CG, n = 50) group. Both groups received regular continuous nursing education. The EG received an extra two‐day (16 h) structured DMTP delivered by transdisciplinary collaborations through multiple teaching strategies (lectures, simulations, problem‐solving lessons, demonstrations, tabletop exercises, discussions, group presentations, and reflections). Readiness for disaster response, consisting of four subscales (emergency response, clinical management, self‐protection, and personal preparation), was assessed at baseline and 12 weeks after the intervention. Generalized estimating equations were used as the primary method of data analyses to evaluate the intervention effects. Results. Ninety‐four nurses (94%) completed the study, and 100 nurses were included in the intention‐to‐treat analysis. While participants in the EG had increased readiness for disaster response after training and at the 12‐week follow‐up, those in the CG exhibited no differences between baseline and 12‐week follow‐up. When the group × time interaction was examined, the EG had a greater increase in readiness for disaster response and its four domains, including emergency response, clinical management, self‐protection, and personal preparedness after 12 weeks, than the CG. Conclusion. A two‐day structured DMTP utilizing multiple teaching strategies through transdisciplinary collaborations is recommended to enhance hospital nurses’ readiness for disaster response. Implications for Nursing Management. Nursing leaders should consider incorporating such a structured DMTP into ongoing nursing training as a critical component of professional development programs, thereby strengthening nurses’ disaster readiness in hospital settings.
Loss of Recurrent Laryngeal Papillomatosis following Postsurgical Treatment with dsRNA Interferon Inducer
Authors: Sultanova Alina , Sokolovska Liba , Cistjakovs Maksims , Lifsics Andrejs
Published: July 2024

Laryngeal papillomatosis (LP) is the most common benign laryngeal tumor in children, but it can affect both children and adults. Although benign, this condition still remains hard to treat and negatively affects patient quality of life as it can spread to the adjacent respiratory tract, recurs, and requires repeated medical intervention. As the surgical removal of papillomas with the preservation of normal mucosa is the only standard of care, there is still no standard for adjuvant therapy. In this case report, we describe the course of recurrent laryngeal papillomatosis in a Caucasian male from 2009 to 2016 and the positive response to dsRNA‐based antiviral drug treatment in the complete resolvement of the condition.