bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The experiences and perceptions of people with chronic and rare diseases during political-economic sanctions in Iran: a qualitative study
Authors: Kiani Mohammad Mehdi , Mostafavi Hakimeh , Ebrahimi Fatemeh , Majdzadeh Reza , Mohamadi Efat , Kraemer Alexander , Olyaeemanesh Alireza , Takian Amirhossein
Published: March 2024

Background

Economic sanctions aim to exert pressure on political and economic foundations. Hypothesizing that sanctions might affect various aspects of population health, this study, as a component of a broader investigation to ascertain the trend effects of sanctions on selected health outcomes in Iran, seeks to explore the experiences of Iranian citizens associated with the imposed sanctions.

Methods

This is a qualitative study. We conducted 31 semi-structured interviews with randomly selected patients diagnosed with at least one chronic and rare disease from diverse backgrounds across four provinces in Iran. We analyzed data using an inductive content analysis approach, facilitated by the MAXQDA10 software.

Results

We identified three primary themes: direct effects, side effects, and coping strategies. The immediate effects were perceived to be manifested through the restriction of healthcare service availability and affordability for citizens. The side effects included the economic hardships experienced in individuals’ lives and the perceived devastation caused by these difficulties. Some coping mechanisms adopted by patients or their families/relatives included prioritizing comorbidities, prioritizing health needs within families with multiple ill members, and readjusting health/illness requirements in light of daily living needs.

Conclusion

In addition to the inherent burden of their illness, patients faced substantial healthcare costs as a result of sanctions, restricted access to medications, and availability of low-quality medications. We advocate considering these challenges within the healthcare system resilience framework as a crucial first step for policymakers, aiming to determine actionable measures and mitigate the adverse effects of sanctions on citizens, particularly the most vulnerable groups.
Association between obtaining injury prevention information and maternal and child health services during COVID-19
Authors: Honda Chikako , Yamamoto-Takiguchi Natsuki
Published: March 2024

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 disrupted the delivery of public maternal and child health services to caregivers of preschool children, leading to decreased opportunities for injury prevention education. We aim to 1) explore the timing, content, and methods of providing injury prevention information desired by pregnant women and mothers and 2) identify mothers who experienced difficulty in obtaining injury prevention information owing to reduced maternal and child health services.

Methods

From March 24 to 29, 2022, we conducted a population-based cross-sectional study and web-based survey. Of the registered monitors of the internet research company Rakuten Insight, 675 mothers raising their first child aged 0–2 during the COVID-19 period (February 2020 to March 2022) were included in the analysis.

Results

Over half of the mothers wanted injury prevention information throughout their pregnancy. They preferred receiving information through traditional face-to-face services provided by local governments, such as antenatal classes or checkups. However, 34.1% of mothers said they did not obtain the information they needed; this was particularly true of unemployed mothers, had children aged 0–1, and had children with illnesses requiring hospital visits.

Conclusions

Mothers who could not obtain injury prevention information were originally disadvantaged mothers concerning access to information. The decrease in maternal and child health services may have widened this information gap. These findings can inform recommendations for caregivers, particularly those susceptible to information gaps during emergencies, and offer insights into future injury prevention education strategies.
Transcriptomic analysis delineates preterm prelabor rupture of membranes from preterm labor in preterm fetal membranes
Authors: Underhill Lori A. , Mennella J. M. , Tollefson G. A. , Uzun A. , Lechner B. E.
Published: March 2024

Background

Globally, preterm birth remains the leading cause of death in children younger than 5 years old. Spontaneous preterm birth is comprised of two events that may or may not occur simultaneously: preterm labor and preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM). To further explore the concept that spontaneous preterm birth can result from the initializing of two separate but overlapping pathological events, we compared fetal membrane tissue from preterm labor deliveries to fetal tissue from preterm labor with PPROM deliveries. We hypothesized that the fetal membrane tissue from preterm labor with PPROM cases will have an RNA-seq profile divergent from the fetal membrane tissue from preterm labor controls.

Methods

Chorioamnion, separated into amnion and chorion, was collected from eight gestationally age-matched cases and controls within 15 min of birth, and analyzed using RNA sequencing. Pathway enrichment analyses and functional annotations of differentially expressed genes were performed using KEGG and Gene Ontogeny Pathway enrichment analyses.

Results

A total of 1466 genes were differentially expressed in the amnion, and 484 genes were differentially expressed in the chorion (log2 fold change > 1, FDR < 0.05) in cases (preterm labor with PPROM), versus controls (preterm labor only). In the amnion, the most significantly enriched (FDR < 0.01) KEGG pathway among down-regulated genes was the extracellular matrix receptor interaction pathway. Seven of the most significantly enriched pathways were comprised of multiple genes from the COL family, including COL1A, COL3A1, COL4A4, and COL4A6. In the chorion, the most significantly enriched KEGG pathways in up-regulated genes were chemokine, NOD receptor, Toll-like receptor, and cytokine-cytokine receptor signaling pathways. Similarly, KEGG pathway enrichment analysis for up-regulated genes in the amnion included three inflammatory pathways: cytokine-cytokine interaction, TNF signaling and the CXCL family. Six genes were significantly up regulated in chorionic tissue discriminated between cases (preterm labor with PPROM) and controls (preterm labor only) including GBP5, CXCL9, ALPL, S100A8, CASP5 and MMP25.

Conclusions

In our study, transcriptome analysis of preterm fetal membranes revealed distinct differentially expressed genes for PPROM, separate from preterm labor. This study is the first to report transcriptome data that reflects the individual pathophysiology of amnion and chorion tissue from PPROM deliveries.
Nano-enabled agrochemicals: mitigating heavy metal toxicity and enhancing crop adaptability for sustainable crop production
Authors: Ghorbani Abazar , Emamverdian Abolghassem , Pehlivan Necla , Zargar Meisam , Razavi Seyed Mehdi , Chen Moxian
Published: March 2024

The primary factors that restrict agricultural productivity and jeopardize human and food safety are heavy metals (HMs), including arsenic, cadmium, lead, and aluminum, which adversely impact crop yields and quality. Plants, in their adaptability, proactively engage in a multitude of intricate processes to counteract the impacts of HM toxicity. These processes orchestrate profound transformations at biomolecular levels, showing the plant’s ability to adapt and thrive in adversity. In the past few decades, HM stress tolerance in crops has been successfully addressed through a combination of traditional breeding techniques, cutting-edge genetic engineering methods, and the strategic implementation of marker-dependent breeding approaches. Given the remarkable progress achieved in this domain, it has become imperative to adopt integrated methods that mitigate potential risks and impacts arising from environmental contamination on yields, which is crucial as we endeavor to forge ahead with the establishment of enduring agricultural systems. In this manner, nanotechnology has emerged as a viable field in agricultural sciences. The potential applications are extensive, encompassing the regulation of environmental stressors like toxic metals, improving the efficiency of nutrient consumption and alleviating climate change effects. Integrating nanotechnology and nanomaterials in agrochemicals has successfully mitigated the drawbacks associated with traditional agrochemicals, including challenges like organic solvent pollution, susceptibility to photolysis, and restricted bioavailability. Numerous studies clearly show the immense potential of nanomaterials and nanofertilizers in tackling the acute crisis of HM toxicity in crop production. This review seeks to delve into using NPs as agrochemicals to effectively mitigate HM toxicity and enhance crop resilience, thereby fostering an environmentally friendly and economically viable approach toward sustainable agricultural advancement in the foreseeable future.
Spermidine treatment: induction of autophagy but also apoptosis?
Authors: Watchon Maxinne , Wright Amanda L. , Ahel Holly I. , Robinson Katherine J. , Plenderleith Stuart K. , Kuriakose Andrea , Yuan Kristy C. , Laird Angela S.
Published: March 2024

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), also known as spinocerebellar ataxia type 3, is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes loss of balance and motor co-ordination, eventually leading to paralysis. It is caused by the autosomal dominant inheritance of a long CAG trinucleotide repeat sequence within the ATXN3 gene, encoding for an expanded polyglutamine (polyQ) repeat sequence within the ataxin-3 protein. Ataxin-3 containing an expanded polyQ repeat is known to be highly prone to intraneuronal aggregation, and previous studies have demonstrated that protein quality control pathways, such as autophagy, are impaired in MJD patients and animal models of the disease. In this study, we tested the therapeutic potential of spermidine on zebrafish and rodent models of MJD to determine its capacity to induce autophagy and improve functional output. Spermidine treatment of transgenic MJD zebrafish induced autophagy and resulted in increased distances swum by the MJD zebrafish. Interestingly, treatment of the CMVMJD135 mouse model of MJD with spermidine added to drinking water did not produce any improvement in motor behaviour assays, neurological testing or neuropathology. In fact, wild type mice treated with spermidine were found to have decreased rotarod performance when compared to control animals. Immunoblot analysis of protein lysates extracted from mouse cerebellar tissue found little differences between the groups, except for an increased level of phospho-ULK1 in spermidine treated animals, suggesting that autophagy was indeed induced. As we detected decreased motor performance in wild type mice following treatment with spermidine, we conducted follow up studies into the effects of spermidine treatment in zebrafish. Interestingly, we found that in addition to inducing autophagy, spermidine treatment also induced apoptosis, particularly in wild type zebrafish. These findings suggest that spermidine treatment may not be therapeutically beneficial for the treatment of MJD, and in fact warrants caution due to the potential negative side effects caused by induction of apoptosis.
Introduction of a penicillin allergy de-labelling program with direct oral challenge and its effects on utilization of beta-lactam antimicrobials: a multicenter retrospective parallel cohort study
Authors: Mir Adhora , Lanoue Derek , Zanichelli Veronica , van Walraven Carl , Olynych Timothy , Nott Caroline , MacFadden Derek
Published: March 2024

Background

Self-reported penicillin allergy labels are common and often inaccurate after assessment. These labels can lead to reduced use of first-line beta-lactam antibiotics and worse outcomes. We measured the impact of a previously performed inpatient proactive systematic penicillin allergy de-labelling program on subsequent antibiotic use. This prior program included assessment, risk-stratification, and low risk direct oral amoxicillin challenge.

Methods

We performed a retrospective comparison of parallel cohorts from two separate tertiary care hospital campuses in Ottawa, Canada across two penicillin de-labelling intervention periods across April 15th to April 30th, 2021, and February 15th to March 8th, 2022. Outcomes, including penicillin allergy labelling and antibiotic use, were collected for the index admission and the subsequent 6-month period. Descriptive statistics and multivariate regression analyses were performed.

Results

A total of 368 patients with penicillin allergy label were included across two campuses and study periods. 24 (13.8%) patients in the intervention groups had sustained penicillin allergy label removal at 30 days from admission vs. 3 (1.5%) in the non-intervention group (p < 0.001). In the 6-months following admission, beta-lactams were prescribed more frequently in the intervention groups vs. the non-intervention groups for all patients (28 [16.1%] vs.15 [7.7%], p = 0.04) and were prescribed more frequently amongst those who received at least one antibiotic (28/46 [60.9%] vs.15/40 [37.5%], p = 0.097). In a multivariate regression analysis, the intervention groups were found to be associated with an increased odds of beta-lactam prescribing in all patients (OR 2.49, 95%CI 1.29–5.02) and in those prescribed at least one antibiotic (OR 2.44, 95%CI 1.00–6.15). No drug-related adverse events were reported.

Conclusions

Proactive penicillin allergy de-labelling for inpatients was associated with a reduction in penicillin allergy labels and increased utilization of beta-lactams in the subsequent 6-months.
Effect of intravenous lidocaine on the ED50 of propofol induction dose in elderly patients undergoing painless gastroscopy: a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, controlled study
Authors: Tang Lili , Lv Wenhui , Sun Jingjing , Chen Lijian
Published: March 2024

Background

Intravenous lidocaine could be a potential alternative adjuvant to propofol-based sedation for gastroscopy in elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of intravenous lidocaine on the median effective dose (ED50) of propofol induction dose in elderly patients undergoing painless gastroscopy.

Methods

The study included 70 patients aged ≥ 60 years undergoing painless gastroscopy with 64 randomly assigned to either group L (2% lidocaine 1.5 mg/kg, n = 31) or group N (equal volume normal saline, n = 33). All patients received propofol induction following 0.1 μg/kg intravenous sufentanil. The Dixon “up-and-down” sequential method was used, with a 1.5 mg/kg initial induction dose of propofol followed by a 0.1 mg/kg sequential variable dose. The primary endpoint was the ED50 of the propofol induction dose. The total propofol dose, recovery time, adverse events, and local anesthetic intoxication reactions were also recorded.

Results

The ED50 of propofol induction dose was 0.670 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.216–0.827) mg/kg in group L and 1.118 (95% CI 0.803–1.232) mg/kg in group N. There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.001). The incidence of hypotension and propofol injection pain were lower in group L than in group N (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the orientation recovery time in group L was shorter compared to group N (p < 0.05). None of the participants in group L observed local anesthetic intoxication reactions after receiving lidocaine.

Conclusions

The administration of intravenous lidocaine to elderly patients undergoing painless gastroscopy resulted in a significant 40% reduction in the ED50 of propofol induction dose, which may be related to the decreased incidence of hypotension and injection pain, as well as the improved post-gastroscopy orientation recovery.

Trial registration

ChiCTR, ChiCTR2200065530. Registered on 08 November 2022.
Effectiveness of Biological Mortars with Bacterial Glycocalyx on Service Life of Concrete Structures Exposed to Salt Attack
Authors: Yoon Hyun-Sub , Yang Keun-Hyeok , Kwon Seung-Jun , Hwang Ji-Won , Lee Sang-Seob , Van Tuan Nguyen
Published: March 2024

This study investigated the effectiveness and limitations of newly developed biological mortars regarding chloride ion diffusion resistance. Through several tests on the glycocalyx production capacity and growth potentials of bacteria cells under marine environments, Bacillus licheniformis was isolated and immobilized in the expanded vermiculites together with a bacterial culture medium for producing biological mortars. The chloride ion diffusion coefficient of the mortars up to 91 days was determined through natural diffusion cell tests. Subsequently, the service life of RC structure repaired with biological mortars under chloride attack was evaluated considering multilayer theory and time-dependent diffusion. The addition of expanded vermiculites immobilizing Bacillus licheniformis significantly reduced the chloride ion diffusion coefficient. When its addition increased from 10 to 30%, the chloride ion diffusion coefficient decreased by 50–90% compared to that of mortars without bacteria. The service life of reinforced concrete structures repaired with biological mortars containing 30% expanded vermiculite concentration and thickness of 50 mm was evaluated to be six times longer than that of repaired with conventional mortar. Overall, this novel approach holds significant potential in addressing the salt-induced deterioration challenges faced by RC structures.
Optimization of fungicidal and acaricidal metabolite production by endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. SPH2
Authors: Reyes Castillo Nicolas , Díaz Carmen E. , Andres M. Fe , Imperial Juan , Valcárcel Félix , González Coloma Ana Azucena
Published: March 2024

The endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. SPH2 was isolated from the stems of the endemic plant Bethencourtia palmensis and its extracts were found to have strong fungicidal effects against Botrytis cinerea and ixodicidal effects against Hyalomma lusitanicum at different fermentation times. In this study, the fungus was grown using three different culture media and two methodologies, Microparticulate Enhancement Cultivation (MPEC) and Semi-Solid-State Fermentation (Semi-SSF), to increase the production of secondary metabolites during submerged fermentation. The addition of an inert support to the culture medium (Semi-SSF) resulted in a significant increase in the extract production. However, when talcum powder was added to different culture media, unexpected results were observed, with a decrease in the production of the biocompounds of interest. Metabolomic analyses showed that the production of aspergillic, neoaspergillic, and neohydroxyaspergillic acids peaked in the first few days of fermentation, with notable differences observed among the methodologies and culture media. Mellein production was particularly affected by the addition of an inert support to the culture medium. These results highlight the importance of surface properties and morphology of spores and mycelia during fermentation by this fungal species.

Graphical Abstract
Cross subject emotion identification from multichannel EEG sub-bands using Tsallis entropy feature and KNN classifier
Authors: Patel Pragati , Balasubramanian Sivarenjani , Annavarapu Ramesh Naidu
Published: March 2024

Human emotion recognition remains a challenging and prominent issue, situated at the convergence of diverse fields, such as brain–computer interfaces, neuroscience, and psychology. This study utilizes an EEG data set for investigating human emotion, presenting novel findings and a refined approach for EEG-based emotion detection. Tsallis entropy features, computed for q values of 2, 3, and 4, are extracted from signal bands, including theta-θ (4–7 Hz), alpha-α (8–15 Hz), beta-β (16–31 Hz), gamma-γ (32–55 Hz), and the overall frequency range (0–75 Hz). These Tsallis entropy features are employed to train and test a KNN classifier, aiming for accurate identification of two emotional states: positive and negative. In this study, the best average accuracy of 79% and an F-score of 0.81 were achieved in the gamma frequency range for the Tsallis parameter q = 3. In addition, the highest accuracy and F-score of 84% and 0.87 were observed. Notably, superior performance was noted in the anterior and left hemispheres compared to the posterior and right hemispheres in the context of emotion studies. The findings show that the proposed method exhibits enhanced performance, making it a highly competitive alternative to existing techniques. Furthermore, we identify and discuss the shortcomings of the proposed approach, offering valuable insights into potential avenues for improvements.
Correlation of ultrasound features in the TIRADS scoring system with cytological findings in the FNAC of thyroid nodules and their association with the metabolic status
Authors: Hussein Maha Assem , Elesawy Yasmine Fathy , Ghoweba Dina Esam Abd Al-Rahman , Mousa Shrook
Published: March 2024

Background

Thyroid nodules were widely encountered in the population, and the selection of thyroid nodules for fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) remains confusing. It is essential to investigate the risk factors associated with thyroid nodules.

Aim of work

This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of the American College of Radiology-Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR-TIRADS) scoring system in distinguishing malignant thyroid nodules from benign ones and its association with cytological examination of the FNAC of the thyroid nodules. Additionally, we seek to investigate any potential association between thyroid nodules and some metabolic derangements.

Patients and methods

The study included 111 Egyptian patients with euthyroid nodules whom were subjected to history taking, clinical examination, and laboratory investigations including thyroid profile, fasting blood sugar (FBS), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and lipid profile. Thyroid ultrasound and FNAC were done for all patients. Categorization of each nodule was done according to the TIRADS. Cytopathological diagnosis was done by Bethesda system cytology classification.

Results

There were 19 malignant and 92 benign nodules. There was a statistically significant difference between benign and malignant nodules regarding TIRADS classification, taller-than-wide shape, solidity, border, presence of peripheral calcifications, or punctuate echogenic foci (p < 0.05). Taller-than-wide shape had the highest specificity followed by irregular margin (94.6% and 92.6%, respectively). Sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV for ACR-TIRADS versus cytopathology were 73.7%, 57.6%, 26.4%, and 91.4% respectively with overall accuracy of 60.4%. The high sensitivity and NPV of the US-based TIRADS classification system have excellent utility for correctly classifying nodules as positive for malignant disease. As regards risks for thyroid nodules, results showed that most of the study population were obese [Body Mass Index (BMI) = 31.6 ± 6.3, Waist circumference (WC) = 107.4 ± 13.9]. TSH and hypercholesterolemia did not show a significant association with thyroid malignancy.

Conclusion

ACR-TIRADS classification is of high significant value in classifying nodules as positive for malignant disease and for predicting the absence of malignant disease, reducing unnecessary nodule FNAC. Hypercholesterolemia and TSH value were not significantly associated with malignant thyroid nodules.
Vectorial liquid-crystal holography
Authors: Wang Ze-Yu , Zhou Zhou , Zhang Han , Wei Yang , Yu Hong-Guan , Hu Wei , Chen Wei , Dai Hai-Tao , Ma Ling-Ling , Qiu Cheng-Wei , Lu Yan-Qing
Published: March 2024

Vectorial optics with fine inhomogeneous polarization control are highly desired. Metasurfaces have been captivated a promising candidate, but their static post-fabrication geometry largely limits the dynamic tunability. Liquid crystal (LC) is usually employed as an additional index-changing layer together with metasurfaces. Unfortunately, most of the reported LCs only impart a varying but uniform phase on top of that from the metasurface, which we term “scalar” LC optics. Here, we pixelate a single-layer LC to display versatile and tunable vectorial holography, in which the polarization and amplitude could be arbitrarily and independently controlled at varying spatial positions. Furthermore, the subtle and vectorial LC-holography highlights the broadband and electrically-switchable functionalities. Our vectorial LC holography reveals significant opportunities for advanced cryptography, super-resolution imaging, and many other applications.
Evaluation of microwave square ring metamaterial-based resonator for glucose detection
Authors: Mustafa Kamal Muhammad Hakimi , Qureshi Suhail Asghar , Zainal Abidin Zuhairiah , Majid Huda A. , See Chan Hwang
Published: March 2024

This study presents a biosensor working at a frequency of 3.5 GHz, which is designed as a square ring metamaterial resonator. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of blood amount on the metamaterial-based resonator sensor’s sensitivity. The structure was constructed using Rogers-RT5880 material, with an overall area of 85.71 mm × 85.71 mm2. The simulation of the design involved modelling the blood samples using Debye 1st-order equations. The empirical results observed a noticeable shift towards a lower frequency range in the response and changes in the magnitude, corresponding to an increase in the blood sample’s glucose concentration and thickness. Following this, the experiment was designed to corroborate the simulated results. The sensor achieved the highest sensitivity of 0.23 dB per 100 mg/dl change in glucose level when the thickness of blood was 0.1 mm. It was concluded from the results that the increase in the volume of blood increases the sensor’s sensitivity. However, a trade-off mark is necessary in which an optimum sensitivity is achieved with blood volume as minimum as possible so that a noninvasive biosensor can be designed.
Adaptive structure-based full-waveform inversion
Authors: Luo Laiqian , Rao Ying , Zhao Zhencong , Zhang Junqiu
Published: March 2024

In simultaneous-shot full-waveform inversion (FWI), the re-started limited-memory Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (L-BFGS) algorithm can be used to suppress crosstalk, but crosstalk cannot be completely eliminated from the inversion results. To further solve the crosstalk problem caused by the interference among individual shots in simultaneous-shot FWI, adaptive structure-based smoothing is applied to the FWI with the restarted L-BFGS algorithm. Structure-based smoothing can mitigate the crosstalk by highlighting structure boundaries. To perform structure-based smoothing, an implicit anisotropic diffusion equation is solved. We carry out a multiscale inversion strategy. Because the FWI results in the low-frequency band contain less structural information and more crosstalk, structure-based smoothing is applied to the frequency band at frequencies higher than the peak frequency to prevent negative effects from the model structure in the low-frequency band. The estimated structural information is iteratively updated during the inversion process. Furthermore, structure-based smoothing is only added to the iterations with invariant encoding to reduce oversmoothing. The invariant encoding means that the shot encoding remains unchanged between iterations. Numerical experiments with an overthrust model indicate that the proposed adaptive structure-based FWI method can effectively suppress artifacts and provide a high-resolution inversion result, even when the encoded data are contaminated with strong noise. Another advantage of the adaptive structure-based FWI method is that no seismic migration needs to be performed, which makes it more efficient for real data.
Development and External Validation of a Home-based Risk Prediction Model of Natural Onset of Menopause—Teuta
Authors: Kastrati Lum , Vidal Pedro Marques , Dhana Klodian , Bally Lia , Lambrinoudaki Irene , Groothof Dion , Bakker Stephan J L , Eisenga Michele F , Muka Taulant
Published: March 2024

Objective

To develop and externally validate a 10-year risk prediction model of natural onset of menopause using ready-to-use predictors.

Design

Population-based prospective cohort study.

Participants

Community-dwelling, premenopausal women aged 28 years and older enrolled in the Swiss (CoLaus) and Dutch (PREVEND) study.

Main outcome measure

Incidence of self-reported natural menopause.

Model development

Based on existing literature, 11 predictors were tested in this study. The CoLaus cohort was used to develop the model by applying the backward-elimination approach and Bayesian Model Averaging. Internal validation was performed by bootstrapping. External validation was performed using data from the PREVEND cohort and recalibrating the baseline survival estimate. C-statistics, calibration slopes, and expected/observed probabilities were calculated as measures of model internal and/or external performances.

Results

The final analysis included 750 and 1032 premenopausal women from the CoLaus and the PREVEND cohorts, respectively. Among them, 445 (59%) from CoLaus and 387 (38%) from PREVEND experienced menopause over a median follow-up of 10.7 and 9 years, respectively. The final model included age, alcohol consumption, smoking status, education level, and systolic blood pressure. Upon external calibration in the PREVEND cohort, the model exhibited good discrimination, with a C-statistic of 0.888 and an expected/observed probability of 0.82.

Conclusion

We present the first internally and externally validated prediction model of natural menopause onset using readily available predictors. Validation of our model to other populations is needed.
Analytical Validation of a Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase (TERT) Promoter Mutation Assay
Authors: Iyer Priyanka C , Dadu Ramona , Barque Anna , Zanelli Cleslei , Zheng Xingyu , Jiang Huimin , Walsh P Sean , Hao Yangyang , Huang Jing , Klopper Joshua P , Kloos Richard T , Cabanillas Maria
Published: March 2024

Context

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) promoter-mutated thyroid cancers are associated with a decreased rate of disease-free and disease-specific survival. High-quality analytical validation of a diagnostic test promotes confidence in the results that inform clinical decision-making.

Objective

This work aimed to demonstrate the analytical validation of the Afirma TERT promoter mutation assay.

Methods

TERT promoter C228T and C250T variant detection in genomic DNA (gDNA) was analyzed by assessing variable DNA input and the limit of detection (LOD) of variant allele frequency (VAF). The negative and positive percentage agreement (NPA and PPA) of the Afirma TERT test was examined against a reference primer pair as was the analytical specificity from potential interfering substances (RNA and blood gDNA). Further, the intrarun, interrun, and interlaboratory reproducibility of the assay were tested.

Results

The Afirma TERT test is tolerant to variation in DNA input amount (7-13 ng) and can detect expected positive TERT promoter variants down to 5% VAF LOD at 7 ng DNA input with greater than 95% sensitivity. Both NPA and PPA were 100% against the reference primer pair. The test remains accurate in the presence of 20% RNA or 80% blood gDNA for an average patient sample that typically has 30% VAF. The test also demonstrated a 100% confirmation rate when compared with an external next-generation sequencing–based reference assay executed in a non-Veracyte laboratory.

Conclusion

The analytical robustness and reproducibility of the Afirma TERT test support its routine clinical use among thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology that are Afirma Genomic Sequencing Classifier suspicious or among Bethesda V/VI nodules.
Three Tales on the Arts of Entrapment
Authors: Jiménez Alberto Corsín
Published: March 2024

This chapter lays out a path for imagining an anthropology of the natural contract. It does so by staging a conversation between Michel Serres’s writings on parasites and symbiotic ontologies and anthropological theories of exchange and by exploring the complex entrapments between the nature of gifts and the gifts of nature. Whereas Serres founded his natural contract on a metaphysics of geometrical justice, where a reason-that-judges and a reason-that-proves precariously balance their differences out, ethnographic analysis can offer other vernaculars of exchange, such as melodic contaminations or spiderweb anthropologies.
Under the Sign of Hermes
Authors: Jackson Michael
Published: March 2024

The hybrid term “limitrophe” derives from the Latin limes (“boundary”) and the Greek trophos (“feeder”) and trephein (“to nourish”). In its original meaning, limitrophus designated lands that provided food for troops defending an outpost of empire. More generally, the word connotes a porous borderland between contiguous nation states or states of consciousness where openness to the ineffable and indeterminate may prove edifying and regenerative. Michel Serres’s work exemplifies creative boundary-crossing as a way of both enhancing life and revitalizing thought. This chapter revisits several of Serres’s insights that have inspired and informed Michael Jackson’s ethnographic writing over the past thirty-five years. Drawing on Serres’ Hermes (1982), this chapter reflects on the ethical ambiguity of the trickster and trickery in the Kuranko social imaginary, and revisits Serres’s views on natural justice in The Natural Contract (1995) and the violence of asymmetrical power in Statues (1989).
Comedic Transubstantiation
Authors: Nielsen Morten
Published: March 2024

To Serres, the relationship between the singular and the universal is not stable. While a globalizing concept may reflect totalizing tendencies, Serres indicates that its realization may amount to a congenitally failing operation. This chapter explores the relationship between (global) form and (local) content in relation to one unique comedic modality, which is stand-up comedy as it is being performed by up-and-coming comics in New York City. Contemporary stand-up comedy is caught by a critical tension between form and content, that is, between the need for laughter and the need for addressing the dilemmas of social life. With Serres, the chapter considers the myth-like opposition (form::content) as a creative driver of stand-up comedy.
The Universal, the Particular, and Vernacular Resistance in Colonial Algeria
Authors: Keller Richard C.
Published: March 2024

Richard C. Keller, “The Universal, the Particular, and Vernacular Resistance in Colonial Algeria”: This chapter puts the debate over universalism and particularism in historical context by reexploring the implications of colonial psychiatry for the question of citizenship in contemporary France. The narrative is framed in a longer history of psychiatry’s struggles with universalism, racial or ethnic difference, and the contest over citizenship in the mid-twentieth century. Despite a scientific need to advance the idea of a universal subjectivity—a need dating back to the origins of the profession—French colonial psychiatrists in Algeria insisted on an ineradicable psychological difference between European settlers and the colonized. Yet a particular form of vernacular resistance emerged among a small number of ethnographically sensitive practitioners, who recognized the essential humanity of their patients while respecting the ways in which language, culture, and the politics of colonial rule marked a particular experience that challenged typical French approaches to psychiatric practice.
Introduction
Authors: Walsh Catherine E. , Mignolo Walter D. , Segato Rita
Published: March 2024

Aníbal Quijano (1928–2018) was born in Yanama, Peru, and became involved in Marxist-socialist revolutionary politics at a young age. He was an active part of the conceptualization of dependence theory in the 1960–1970s and of the shaping of Latin American critical thought. Trained as a sociologist, Quijano refused the identification of full-time academic. His intellectual interest, energy, and contribution were always militant in scope: a perspective for analyzing and re-reading the world from Latin America, from the complex weave of race and capital that is the coloniality of power. This book is the first collection in English of selected essays of this influential Latin American thinker. It not only introduces English-language readers to Quijano’s thought but also provides a fundamentally distinct lens for reading today’s world system of power from its origins in the so-called periphery, that is, from Latin America and the Global South.
Dziedzictwo geomorfologiczne Geoparku Świętokrzyskiego i jego znaczenie dla geoturystyki
Authors: Poros Michał , Urban Jan , Ludwikowska-Kędzia Małgorzata
Published: March 2024

Geopark Świętokrzyski to pierwszy Światowy Geopark UNESCO funkcjonujący w całości na terytorium Polski. Geopark położony jest w południowo-zachodniej części Gór Świętokrzyskich, na obszarze charakteryzującym się zróżnicowaną budową geologiczną, która odzwierciedla się także w specyfice rzeźby terenu. Ewolucja morfologiczna tego obszaru uwarunkowana została głównie zróżnicowaną budową litologiczną i strukturalną podłoża podczwartorzędowego oraz oddziaływaniem różnych procesów morfogenetycznych wynikających ze zmian klimatycznych zachodzących w kenozoiku. Obecne ukształtowanie terenu Geoparku stanowi wypadkową wszystkich tych uwarunkowań oraz antropopresji związanej m.in. z dawną i współczesną eksploatacją surowców mineralnych. W granicach Geoparku Świętokrzyskiego modelowym obszarem, na którym można obserwować te zależności jest Chęcińsko-Kielecki Park Krajobrazowy. Dziedzictwo geomorfologiczne rozumiane jako część dziedzictwa geologicznego związanego z formami ukształtowania terenu, decyduje o wysokim potencjale geoturystycznym tego obszaru. Praktyczne wykorzystanie tego potencjału dla zrównoważonego rozwoju społeczno-gospodarczego obszaru objętego granicami Geoparku jest przedmiotem działań realizowanych przez samorządy lokalne we współpracy z instytucjami naukowymi, organizacjami pozarządowymi oraz organami administracji publicznej.
Psychometric properties of the Maslach Burnout Inventory in healthcare professionals, Ancash Region, Peru
Authors: Yslado Méndez Rosario Margarita , Sánchez-Broncano Junior , De La Cruz-Valdiviano Carlos , Quiñones-Anaya Ivette , Reynosa Navarro Enaidy
Published: March 2024

Background Burnout syndrome (BS) among healthcare professionals in Peru demands immediate attention. Consequently, there is a need for a validated and standardized instrument to measure and address it effectively. This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) among healthcare professionals in the Ancash region of Peru. Methods Using an instrumental design, this study included 303 subjects of both sexes (77.56% women), ranging in age from 22 to 68 years (M = 44.46, SD = 12.25), selected via purposive non-probability sampling. Appropriate content validity, internal structure validity, and item internal consistency were achieved through confirmatory factor analysis, and discriminant validity for the three dimensions was obtained. Evidence of convergent validity was found for the Emotional Exhaustion (EE) and Personal Accomplishment (PA) dimensions, with reliability values (ω > .75). Results The EE and PA dimensions exhibited acceptable levels of reliability (ω and α > .80). However, the Depersonalization (DP) dimension demonstrated significantly lower reliability (α < .60 and ω < .50). Conclusions A correlated three-factor model was confirmed, with most items presenting satisfactory factor loadings and inter-item correlations. Nonetheless, convergent validity was not confirmed for the DP dimension.
Practical tips for starting a successful national postgraduate course
Authors: Sundbom Magnus
Published: March 2024

Background Few start national courses, and those that do usually do it once. The aim of this paper is to outline an approach to conduct a successful national postgraduate course. Methods The practical tips were derived from personal experience. Results The 12 tips identified are: define learning needs and curriculum, create a functioning structure, recruit a committed faculty, obtain legitimacy, promote your course, try out the concept, establish administrative support, use modern techniques and accessories, create course-related social activities, keep all on board, collect ongoing evaluation, and stay in control. Conclusion It is hoped that these tips will make it easier for others to take the decisive first step in the exciting task of starting a national course; that is: ‘to know the road ahead - ask those coming back’.
The Last Enemy: Reading Harry Potter as an Extended Grief Narrative
Authors: Coy Chloe
Published: March 2024

Abstract: J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series is renowned for its magical story about adventure, friendship, and love, drawing extensively from the school story and bildungsroman literary traditions. However, the novels are most significantly, as the author herself states, focused on death, and therefore, offer a larger narrative of profound grief. Drawing from both literary and psychological studies, this article examines Harry's emotional growth as he experiences and copes with loss. It argues that Harry's grief narrative can be a source of bibliotherapy to readers as they navigate their own real-life trauma and bereavement.
Angular uniformity improvement of diffractive waveguide display based on region geometry optimization
Authors: Li Ziyin , Gao Chen , Li Haifeng , Wu Rengmao , Liu Xu
Published: March 2024

Augmented reality (AR) near-eye displays have significantly progressed due to advances in nanostructure fabrication. However, for diffractive waveguide AR displays requiring exit pupil expansion, the angular uniformity of each exit pupil position still needs to improve. In this paper, an angular uniformity improvement method based on region geometry optimization is proposed. This optimization method essentially introduces the interaction number of the light with the grating as one of the variables to manipulate the energy distribution. This distribution is obtained by the rigorous coupled wave analysis (RCWA) method and ray tracing process and is further optimized by a multi-objective genetic algorithm. A model is built, and the feasibility of the proposed method is verified. The diffractive waveguide system has a 10mm×10mm exit pupil size at the eye relief of 25 mm and a field of view (FOV) of 21∘×12∘. After the optimization, the overall optical efficiency of the central field and the angular uniformity at the center exit pupil position increased from 0.9% and 66% to 3.1% and 80%, respectively.
Design and simulation of light field patterns for angular color variation reduction in micro-LED and mini-LED RGB arrays
Authors: Yang Shu-Mei , Chao Chia-Hsin , Chen Yu-Sheng , Wu Ming-Hsien , Fang Yen-Hsiang , Lin Chien-Chung
Published: March 2024

We propose a methodology to mitigate angular color variation in full-color micron-scale LED arrays. By simulating light field distribution for red (AlGaAs) and green/blue (GaN) light across various RGB micro-LED sizes, we can select matching light field patterns for RGB chips, reducing angular color variation from 0.0201 to 0.0030. Applying this method to full-color mini-LED assemblies achieves a reduction from 0.0128 to 0.0032 by matching light field patterns with varying substrate thicknesses. This straightforward approach aligns with current mass transfer processes, offering practical implementation.
Ultralow noise microwave synthesis via difference frequency division of a Brillouin resonator
Authors: Loh William , Gray Dodd , Irion Reed , May Owen , Belanger Connor , Plant Jason , Juodawlkis Paul W. , Yegnanarayanan Siva
Published: March 2024

Low phase noise microwave oscillators are at the center of a multitude of applications that span the gamut of photonics and electronics. Within this space, optically derived approaches to microwave frequency synthesis are particularly compelling owing to their unique combination of ultrawideband frequency access and the potential for resiliency to temperature and environmental perturbation via common-mode noise rejection. We demonstrate here an optical frequency divider that uses the 30 terahertz frequency gap between two stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) lasers as the basis for frequency division. The resulting microwave signal, centered at 10 GHz frequency, exhibits exceptionally low phase noise levels of −95dBc/Hz and −110dBc/Hz at 10 Hz and 100 Hz frequency offset, respectively. Moreover, the two SBS lasers, generated from a common fiber resonator, exhibit a high degree of correlated noise cancellation in their frequency difference. We measure 16.1 dB of noise rejection against intentionally applied vibrations, thus showcasing a promising pathway towards portable and robust ultralow noise photonic-microwave synthesis.
Der Einfluss von KI auf die Rolle von Vertriebspersonen im B2B
Authors: Markic Mihael , Knickrehm Charlotte , Ahlfeld Christian
Published: March 2024

Der technische Vertrieb im Business-to-Business (B2B) galt bislang als schwer zu automatisieren, da dieser durch komplexe und individuelle Produkte mit langen Lebenszyklen sowie durch einen hohen Beratungsbedarf und intensive Kundenbeziehungen gekennzeichnet ist. Die zunehmenden Fähigkeiten digitaler Technologien, insbesondere der künstlichen Intelligenz, werfen jedoch die Frage auf, welche Rolle der Mensch in einem immer stärker von künstlicher Intelligenz geprägten Geschäftsumfeld einnehmen wird.

Auf Basis einer qualitativen Studie mit 13 Interviews wird der Einfluss von künstlicher Intelligenz auf die Rolle von Personen im technischen B2B-Vertrieb untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Rollenveränderung aus einer operativen (Veränderung der Aufgaben und der Verantwortungen), einer kognitiven (Veränderung der Fähigkeiten) und einer psychologischen Komponente (Veränderung der Selbstwahrnehmung) besteht. Es zeigt sich aber auch, dass sich die Rolle der Vertriebspersonen durch den Einsatz von künstlicher Intelligenz zwar verändert, sie im technischen B2B-Vertrieb aber weiterhin eine zentrale bleibt, da menschliche Fähigkeiten und Eigenschaften auch zukünftig die wesentlichen Differenzierungsmerkmale im Wettbewerb darstellen.
LAP: Liability Antibody Profiler by sequence & structural mapping of natural and therapeutic antibodies
Authors: Satława Tadeusz , Tarkowski Mateusz , Wróbel Sonia , Dudzic Paweł , Gawłowski Tomasz , Klaus Tomasz , Orłowski Marek , Kostyn Anna , Kumar Sandeep , Buchanan Andrew , Krawczyk Konrad
Published: March 2024

Antibody-based therapeutics must not undergo chemical modifications that would impair their efficacy or hinder their developability. A commonly used technique to de-risk lead biotherapeutic candidates annotates chemical liability motifs on their sequence. By analyzing sequences from all major sources of data (therapeutics, patents, GenBank, literature, and next-generation sequencing outputs), we find that almost all antibodies contain an average of 3–4 such liability motifs in their paratopes, irrespective of the source dataset. This is in line with the common wisdom that liability motif annotation is over-predictive. Therefore, we have compiled three computational flags to prioritize liability motifs for removal from lead drug candidates: 1. germline, to reflect naturally occurring motifs, 2. therapeutic, reflecting chemical liability motifs found in therapeutic antibodies, and 3. surface, indicative of structural accessibility for chemical modification. We show that these flags annotate approximately 60% of liability motifs as benign, that is, the flagged liabilities have a smaller probability of undergoing degradation as benchmarked on two experimental datasets covering deamidation, isomerization, and oxidation. We combined the liability detection and flags into a tool called Liability Antibody Profiler (LAP), publicly available at lap.naturalantibody.com. We anticipate that LAP will save time and effort in de-risking therapeutic molecules.