bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Field study on ventilation rate and COVID-19 infection risks in an office building in Shenzhen, China
Authors: Gong Xiaoqiang , Bu Zengwen
Published: March 2023

The current cases and studies show that the aerosol propagation of COVID-19 is possible in the office building. Reduction of the staff’ exposure risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the office building, i.e., daily office area and conference room is of prime importance during pandemic and the normalization. In this study, the main influencing factors of the exposure risk of SARS-CoV-2, including working density, dwell time and fresh air volume per person, were field measured in three office areas and three conference rooms of an office building in Shenzhen, China. And the field monitored CO2 data were used to estimate the possibility of COVID-19 infection in offices and conference rooms. The conference room with working density of 2.84 ~ 4.86m2/per presents a more crowded environment than the office area with working density of 7.7 ~ 10.15m2/per, twice the design working density. The ventilation rate of the office building is far lower than the rate of CO2 exhaled by people, resulting in the continuous accumulation of CO2 concentration, and the fresh air volume of 30 m3/(h·per) in the office building is verified to be in line with the actual situation in the paper. The conference room with an average infection risk of 2.77 × 10 − 2 is larger than the office with an average infection risk of 1.53 × 10 − 2 when the mask is not worn, and the infection risk in the office building can be reduced by 74% when the mask is worn. The results show that the number of staff, ventilation rate and office hours are all important factors affecting the infection risk of workers in office building environment, but the existing literature rarely considers these three points at the same time. On the contrary, the paper adopts the method of assessing the infection risk from place to place, time to time and person to person in the building environment, providing early warning for office buildings and helping to control the spread of airborne diseases.
Salivary fluoride concentrations following toothbrushing with experimental toothpaste containing S-PRG filler
Authors: Hirose Mina , Murata Yukie , Fukuda Atsushi , Fujita Yusuke , Yahata Shoko , Kaji Minako , Saitog Masato
Published: March 2023

Background: Single-blind, nine case comparative studies were conducted to evaluate salivary fluoride concentrations following toothbrushing using experimental toothpastes containing Surface Pre-Reacted Glass-ionomer (S-PRG) fillers. Preliminary tests were conducted in order to determine the volume of usage as well as the concentrations (wt%) of S-PRG filler. Based on the results given these experiments, we compared the salivary fluoride concentrations following toothbrushing with 0.5 g of 4 different types of toothpastes: 5 wt % S-PRG filler, 1400 ppm F AmF (amine fluoride), 1500 ppm F NaF (sodium fluoride), and MFP (monofluorophosphate) containing toothpaste.
Methods: Of the 12 participants, 7 participated in the preliminary study and 8 participated in the main study. All participants brushed their teeth using the scrubbing method for 2 minutes. At first 1.0 and 0.5 g of 20 wt % S-PRG filler toothpastes were used to compare, then followed by 0.5 g of 0 (control), 1, and 5 wt % S-PRG toothpastes, respectively. ThepParticipants spat out once and rinsed with 15 mL of distilled water for 5 seconds. Saliva was collected for 3 minutes each at different time intervals of 0 (baseline), 5, 10, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes (min) after the rinsing. Fluoride concentrations were determined using a fluoride-electrode, and the area under the curve (AUC: ppm‧min) of each toothpaste was calculated as the salivary fluoride retention. The main study was then conducted to evaluate the salivary fluoride concentrations as well as the AUC value using 0.5 g of 5 wt % S-PRG filler toothpaste, followed by NaF, MFP, and AmF toothpaste.
Results: Since there were no statistical differences between using 1.0 g and 0.5 g of 20 wt % S-PRG toothpastes in salivary fluoride concentrations as well as the AUC value throughout the 180 min measurement, the volume was set as 0.5 g for the following studies. Concentrations of 5 and 20 wt % S-PRG toothpastes retained 0.09 ppm F or more in saliva even after 180 min. No statistical differences were seen in the salivary fluoride concentrations at any time intervals as well as the AUC value between 5 and 20 wt % S-PRG toothpastes. Based on these results, the concentration of 5 wt % S-PRG toothpaste was used for the main comparative study. MFP toothpaste resulted in by far the lowest salivary fluoride concentrations (0.06 ppm F at 180 min) and the AUC value (24.6 ppm‧min), whereas 5 wt % S-PRG toothpaste (0.15 ppm F at 180 min, 92.3 ppm‧min) displayed retention on par with AmF toothpaste which appeared to result in higher values (0.17 ppm F at 180 min, 103 ppm‧min), compared to NaF toothpaste (0.12 ppm F at 180 min, 49.3 ppm‧min).
Conclusions: The salivary fluoride concentrations following toothbrushing with 0.5 g of 5 wt % S-PRG filler containing toothpaste showed retention similar to the best performing 1400 ppm F AmF toothpaste even 180 min after toothbrushing.
Towards high-performance p-type two-dimensional field effect transistors: contact engineering, scaling, and doping
Authors: Oberoi Aaryan , Han Ying , Stepanoff Sergei , Pannone Andrew , Sun Yongwen , Lin Yu-Chuan , Chen Chen , Shallenberger Jefferey , Redwing Joan , Robinson Joshua , Wolfe Douglas , Yang Yang , Das Saptarshi
Published: March 2023

N-type field effect transistors (FETs) based on two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) like MoS2 and WS2 have come closer to meeting the requirements set forth in International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS). However, p-type 2D FETs are dramatically lagging behind in meeting performance standards. Here, we adopt a three-pronged approach that includes contact engineering, channel length (Lch) scaling, and monolayer doping to achieve high-performance p-type FETs based on synthetic WSe2. Using electrical measurements backed by atomistic imaging and rigorous analysis, Pd was identified as the favorable contact metal for Wse2 owing to better epitaxy, larger grain size, and higher compressive strain leading to lower Schottky barrier height. While the ON-state performance of Pd-contacted WSe2 FETs was improved by ~10× by aggressively scaling Lch from 1 µm down to ~ 20 nm, ultra-scaled FETs were found to be contact limited. To reduce the contact resistance, monolayer tungsten oxyselenide (WOxSey) obtained using self-limiting oxidation of bilayer WSe2 was used as p-type dopant. This led to ~ 5× improvement in the ON-state performance and ~ 9× reduction in the contact resistance. We were able to achieve a median ON-state current as high as ~ 10 µA/µm for ultra-scaled and doped p-type WSe2 FETs with Pd contacts. We also show the applicability of our monolayer doping strategy to other 2D materials, like MoS2, MoTe2, and MoSe2.
Human Lantern Ribozymes: Smallest Known Self-cleaving Ribozymes
Authors: Zhou Yaoqi , Zhang Zhe , Hong Xu , Xiong Peng , Wang Junfeng , Zhan Jian
Published: March 2023

Despite their importance in a wide range of living organisms, self-cleaving ribozymes in human genome are few and poorly studied. Here, we performed deep mutational scanning and covariance analysis of two previously proposed self-cleaving ribozymes (LINE-1 and OR4K15 ribozymes). We found that the functional regions for both ribozymes are made of two short segments, connected by a non-functional loop with a total of 46 and 47 contiguous nucleotides only. The discovery makes them the shortest known self-cleaving ribozymes. Moreover, the above functional regions of LINE-1 and OR4K15 ribozymes are circular permutated with two nearly identical catalytic internal loops, supported by two stems of different lengths. This new self-cleaving ribozyme family, named as lantern ribozyme for their shape, is similar to the catalytic core region of the twister sister ribozymes in term of sequence and secondary structure. However, the nucleotides at the cleavage sites have shown that mutational effects on lantern ribozymes are different from twister sister ribozymes. Lacking a stem loop for stabilizing the core active region and two mismatches in the internal loops may force lantern ribozymes to adopt a tertiary structure (and functional mechanisms) different from twister sister, requiring further studies. Nevertheless, the discovery of the lantern ribozymes reveals a new ribozyme family with the simplest and, perhaps, the most primitive structure needed for self-cleavage.
The effect of combined β-lactoglobulin supplementation and resistance exercise training prior to limb immobilisation on muscle protein synthesis rates in healthy young adults: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Hughes Alix , Francis Thomas , Marjoram Lindsey , Rooney Jessica , Ellison-Hughes Georgina , Pollock Ross , Curtis Michael , Cape Angela , Larsen Mads , Phillips Bethan , Smith Kenneth , Atherton Philip , Witard Oliver
Published: March 2023

Background

The decline in skeletal muscle mass experienced following a short-term period (days to weeks) of muscle disuse is mediated by impaired rates of muscle myofibrillar protein synthesis (myo-MPS). Previous RCTs of exercise or nutrition prehabilitation interventions designed to mitigate disuse-induced muscle atrophy have reported limited efficacy. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate the impact of a complex prehabilitation intervention, that combines β-lactoglobulin (a novel milk protein with a high leucine content) supplementation with resistance exercise training, on disuse-induced changes in free-living integrated rates of myo-MPS in healthy, young adults.

Methods/design:

To address this aim, we will recruit 24 healthy young (18–35 years) males and females to conduct a parallel, double-blind, 2-arm, randomised placebo-controlled trial. The intervention group will combine a 1-week structured resistance exercise training programme with thrice daily dietary supplementation with 23 g of β-lactoglobulin. The placebo group will combine the same training programme with an energy-matched carbohydrate (dextrose) control. The study protocol will last 16 days for each participant. Day 1 will be a familiarisation session and days 2–4 will be the baseline period. Days 5–11 represent the ‘prehabilitation period’ whereby participants will combine resistance training with their assigned dietary supplementation regimen. Days 12–16 represent the muscle disuse-induced ‘immobilisation period’ whereby participants will have a single leg immobilised in a brace and continue their assigned dietary supplementation regimen only (i.e., no resistance training). The primary endpoint of this study is the measurement of free-living integrated rates of myo-MPS using deuterium oxide tracer methodology. Measurements of myo-MPS will be calculated at baseline, over the 7-day prehabilitation period and over the 5 day immobilisation period separately. Secondary endpoints include measurements of muscle mass and strength that will be collected on days 4 (baseline), 11 (end of prehabilitation) and 16 (end of immobilisation).

Discussion

This novel study will establish the impact of a bimodal prehabilitation strategy, that combines ß-lactoglobulin supplementation and resistance exercise training, in modulating myo-MPS following a short-term period of muscle disuse. If successful, this complex intervention may be translated to clinical practice with application to patients scheduled to undergo, for example, hip/knee replacement or cancer surgery.
Trial Registration: NCT05496452
Protocol version: 16-12-2022 / 1
Predictive Validity on Clinical Item-Level of the HKT-R divided into Clinical Patient Classes
Authors: Frowijn Iris , Masthoff Erik , Bogaerts Stefan
Published: March 2023

Background Because of the heterogeneity of forensic groups, latent class analysis (LCA) can allow for the formation of stronger homogeneous patient classes, which can improve the predictive validity of forensic risk assessment tools, such as the Historical Clinical Future – Revised (HKT-R), which was used in this study. In particular, dynamic clinical risk and protective items are important in treatment and are obligatory assessed annually for every forensic patient with a TBS measure in the Netherlands. Therefore, this study investigated the predictive validity of the HKT-R at clinical item-level per patient class. Method A cohort of 332 forensic patients, who were discharged from highly secured Forensic Psychiatric Centers/Clinics (FPCs) in the Netherlands between 2004 and 2008, was followed. LCA was performed to cluster this group of patients based on psychopathology and criminal offenses. The predictive validity of the HKT-R clinical items by class was assessed with official reconviction data two and five years after discharge as outcome measure. Results Four classes were identified. The predictive validity of the HKT-R clinical items showed differences between and within classes on admission or discharge, and for predicting violent reoffending after two or five years after discharge. Discussion Different risk/protective factors of the HKT-R may play a role for different subgroups of patients. Therefore, this heterogeneity should be considered for any measure or intervention.
Changes in Knowledge and Compliance with Pitch Count Recommendations Among Youth Baseball Coaches Over a Decade and Its Actual Conditions of Coaching
Authors: Onishi Miyu , Kouno Chika , Kawabe Rika , Doi Naoki , Tahu Yukinobu , Nagai-Tanima Momoko , Aoyama Tomoki
Published: March 2023

Background: In Japan, pitch count recommendations were proposed to prevent throwing injuries. In our laboratory, 10 years ago, the knowledge and compliance with pitch count recommendations were assessed among coaches in Kyoto Prefecture and compared with those in the U.S. The environment surrounding youth baseball has changed over time, but there are no studies that survey changes in knowledge and compliance with pitch count recommendations among coaches, as a result of changes in the baseball environment. Although it is important for coaches to have prior knowledge of injuries in order to prevent the incidence of baseball elbow, few studies have assessed the actual experience of coaches.Methods: We conducted a paper-based survey among coaches of youth baseball teams in Kyoto Prefecture. The survey included the questions about basic information, knowledge about baseball elbow, compliance with the recommendations, and participation in seminars and workshops.Results: A total of 242 participants (84 teams) participated in this study, and data of 172 coaches were analyzed. Approximately 52.3% coaches had knowledge on pitch count recommendations, an increase from 39.8% conducted in our laboratory 10 years ago, but the compliance rate has not changed. There was a significant difference between the presence of knowledge about baseball elbow and participation in seminars and workshops regarding coaching experience.Conclusion: Knowledge retention rate increased compared to 10 years ago, but compliance rates did not change. Additionally, characteristics of the coaches were revealed regarding their coaching experience.
Liver-specific in vivo base editing of Angptl3 via AAV delivery efficiently lowers blood lipid levels in mice
Authors: Zuo Yuanbojiao , Zhang Chen , Zhou Yuan , Li Haiwen , Xiao Weidong , Herzog Roland W. , Xu Jie , Zhang Jifeng , Chen Eugene Y. , Han Renzhi
Published: March 2023

Background:
Gene editing has emerged as an exciting therapeutic development platform for numerous genetic and nongenetic diseases. Targeting lipid-modulating genes such as angiopoietin-related protein 3 (ANGPTL3) with gene editing offers hope for a permanent solution to lower cardiovascular disease risks associated with hypercholesterolemia.
Results:
In this study, we developed a liver-specific base editing therapeutic approach delivered by dual adeno-associated virus (AAV) to enable liver-specific targeting of Angptl3 to lower blood lipid levels. Systemic AAV9-mediated delivery of AncBE4max, a cytosine base editor (CBE), targeting mouse Angptl3 resulted in the installation of a premature stop codon in Angptl3 with an average efficiency of 63.3 ± 2.3% in the bulk liver tissue. A near-complete knockout of the ANGPTL3 protein in the circulation were observed within 2-4 weeks following AAV administration. Furthermore, the serum levels of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) were decreased by approximately 58% and 61%, respectively, at 4 weeks after treatment.
Conclusions:
These results highlight the promise of liver-targeted Angptl3 base editing for blood lipid control.
Relationships between self-perceived and clinical expression of pain and function differ based on the underlying pathology of the human hip
Authors: Nunley Brandon , Mulligan Edward , Chhabra Avneesh , Fey Nicholas , Wells Joel
Published: March 2023

Background
Patient-reported outcomes are commonly used to assess patient symptoms and track post-operative improvements. The effect that specific hip pathology has on the relationship between perceived and objectively measured symptoms remains unclear. The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate differences of function and pain in FAIS and DDH patients, (2) to assess the correlation between perceived and true functional ability, and (3) to determine the influence of pain on measures of function.
Methods
This prospective cross-sectional study included 73 pre-operative patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) and developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), who were diagnosed based on clinical history, physical examination, and radiographic findings. Objectively measured function (6-minute walk test [6MWT], single leg hop test [SLHT], Biodex sway test [BST], hip abduction strength test [HABST], and STAR excursion balance reach tests [STAR] in multiple directions), patient-reported function (UCLA Activity scale, Hip Outcome Score [HOS] activities of daily living [ADL] and Sport subscales, Short Form 12 [SF-12] Physical Activity subscale, and the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score [HOOS] ADL and Sport), and patient-reported pain data (HOOS Pain, visual analogue scale (VAS), and a pain location scale with eight bilateral body locations) were collected during pre-surgical clinic visits. Patient demographics were compared using independent two-sample t-tests. Between-group comparisons of patient scores were performed using Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests. Within-group relationships between pairs of outcome variable were analyzed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients. The level of significance for all statistical tests was set at α = 0.05 (two-tailed).
Results
6MWT was moderately-to-strongly correlated with nearly all patient-reported measures of function (FAIS: r = 0.34–0.62, DDH: r = 0.27–0.56). In FAIS patients, only HOOS Pain was significantly correlated with an objective measure of function, which was 6MWT (r=-0.53). However, in DDH patients, patient-reported pain scores were moderately correlated with a number of objective measures of function (r=-0.32–0.48).
Conclusion
FAIS patients reported significantly higher function and lower pain compared to DDH patients. No single patient-reported measure of function was broadly significantly correlated with objective measures of function in either patient group. Functional performance in patients with DDH appears to be influenced by self-perceived pain.
Characterization of fine particles in urban areas of Shanghai
Authors: Wang Hongqiang , Gao Xing , Chen Mingtao , Huang Jun , Zuo Yanqiu
Published: March 2023

Based on five consecutive years of measured data from January 2008 to December 2012 at representative observation sites in Shanghai, we analyzed the fine particle mass concentrations and their variation characteristics. The main conclusions drawn are as follows: the annual average mass concentrations of PM (including PM1, PM2.5 and PM10) in Shanghai city exhibited a decreasing trend. PM1 decreased from 46.7 ± 34.7 to 32.1 ± 25.4 µg/m3 (annual mean ± standard deviation), PM2.5 decreased from 53.2 ± 37.4 to 36.7 ± 26.9 µg/m3 and PM10 decreased from 70.2 ± 46.7 to 49.2 ± 34.7 µg/m3. In terms of the 5-year average mass concentrations, PM1, PM1–2.5 (particulate matter with a particle size dp of 1–2.5 µm) and PM2.5–10 (particulate matter with a dp of 2.5–10 µm) accounted for about 61.1%, 11.3% and 27.6% of PM10, respectively. The seasonal average mass concentrations of PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 from 2008 to 2012 were highest in winter, followed by autumn and lowest in summer. The average mass concentration of PM1–10 (particulate matter with a dp of 1–10 µm) was 2.2, 1.7 and 1.4 times higher in spring than in summer, autumn and winter, respectively. The proportion of PM1–10 to PM10 was 48.9%, 37.0%, 35.9% and 33.3% in spring, summer, autumn and winter. In spring, Shanghai was affected by sand and dust aerosols from northern China and more severely by PM1–10 from Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Fujian; in autumn and winter, Shanghai was more influenced by PM1–10 from Henan, Hubei and Anhui.
C-reactive protein/albumin ratio is the most significant inflammatory marker in unresectable pancreatic cancer treated with FOLFIRINOX or gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel
Authors: Shirakawa Tsuyoshi , Akitaka Makiyama , Shimokawa Mototsugu , Otsuka Taiga , Shinohara Yudai , Koga Futa , Ueda Yujiro , Nakazawa Junichi , Otsu Satoshi , Komori Azusa , Arima Shiho , Fukahori Masaru , Taguchi Hiroki , Honda Takuya , Shibuki Taro , Nio Kenta , Ide Yasushi , Ureshino Norio , Mizuta Toshihiko , Mitsugi Kenji , Akashi Koichi , Baba Eishi
Published: March 2023

There are limited absolute biomarkers for determining the prognosis before first- and second-line palliative chemotherapy in unresectable pancreatic cancer (urPC) patients. To find the best prognostic inflammatory marker, we investigated relationships between overall survival (OS) and six inflammatory markers; C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR), neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), prognostic nutrition index (PNI), platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR), Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), and prognostic index (PI). We examined 255 patients who received gemcitabine + nab-paclitaxel or FOLFIRINOX as first-line chemotherapy and 159 patients who subsequently underwent second-line chemotherapy. First-line patients with lower CAR had better OS compared to those with a higher CAR (hazard ratio 0.57; 95% confidential index 0.42–77; P < 0.01). Similarly, lower NLR (P = 0.01), higher PNI (P = 0.04), lower PLR (P = 0.03), GPS score of 0 (P < 0.01) and PI score of 0 (P < 0.01) were all associated with better OS. CAR demonstrated the best superiority for determining survival prognosis through the use of AUC of time-dependent ROC curves. Furthermore, a lower CAR before second-line therapy exhibited better OS versus higher CAR (P < 0.01). Therefore, CAR might be a useful biomarker for predicting urPC patient prognosis in both first- and second-line chemotherapy.
A case of subclinical immune checkpoint inhibitor‐associated myocarditis in non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Hu Yue , Liu Cuixia , Jin Shaojun , Yi Zihan , Wang Chao , Pan Xiaohong , Huang Huaqiong
Published: March 2023

Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been widely used in the treatment of cancer. Meanwhile, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) have become a new clinical challenge. ICI-associated myocarditis is a rare but fatal condition among diverse organ injuries, and early recognition and effective interventions are critical for patients.
Case presentation: In this report, we present the case of a healthy 60-year-old male who was diagnosed with lung squamous cell carcinomas following chemotherapy and received ICIs. The patient presented with asymptomatic cardiac biomarker elevation followed by immune-related myocarditis. Fortunately, the patient achieved a good clinical result after receiving high-dose steroids. The treatment with ICIs was discontinued because of recurrent increases in troponin T.
Conclusion: ICI-mediated associated myocarditis is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening adverse event. The current data suggest that clinicians need to be cautious about reinitiation in low-grade patients; however, further study of the diagnosis and treatment is necessary.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Readiness of Pharmacists in Iraq toward Medication Therapy Management for Patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Al-Dujaili Zahraa , Hallit Souheil , Faraj Achraf Al
Published: March 2023

Background
Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a patient-centered, collaborative service that optimizes drug therapy and improves clinical outcomes, including quality of life. Pharmacists play a critical role in MTM service and are uniquely positioned to provide comprehensive medication management for patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Aim
The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and readiness of Iraqi pharmacists regarding MTM service in general and medication management of ADHD patients.
Method
A cross-sectional study was conducted among 480 Iraqi pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Baghdad. Data were collected using a pre-validated 34-item self-administered questionnaire.
Results
Results showed that only 26.5% of pharmacists had good knowledge, 30.4% had good attitude, and 30.8% had high readiness regarding MTM service and ADHD medication management. Multivariate analyses revealed that a higher number of hours worked per week in the hospital was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of a high attitude, whereas experience with MTM, high knowledge, and high attitude were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of high readiness.
Conclusion
The findings of this study indicate that knowledge, attitudes, and readiness regarding MTM service and ADHD medication management are inadequate. Therefore, there is an urgent need for effective educational strategies to better prepare pharmacists for their potential role in the community, particularly for the provision of MTM service and ADHD care. In this way, pharmacists can better assist patients in managing their medications, improve clinical outcomes and ultimately increase the efficiency of the overall health care system.
Association between location of prenatal care services and non-consented cesarean sections in Mexico: a secondary analysis of the National Survey on the Dynamics of Household Relationships 2016
Authors: Marian Marian , Pérez Ramona
Published: March 2023

Background
Mexico has one of the world’s highest rates of cesarean section (C-section), which is part of the growing problem with obstetric violence the country faces. Little is known about Mexico’s frequency of and risk factors for non-consented C-sections, a form of obstetric violence. We examined the association between the location of prenatal care services and receiving a non-consented C-section.
Methods
We used the 2016 Mexico National Survey on the Dynamics of Household Relationships (ENDIREH 2016) to conduct secondary data analysis with a sample of 10,306 women who reported a C-section during their latest pregnancy. We conducted multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationship between location of prenatal care service and receiving a non-consented cesarean delivery between 2011 and 2016 among Mexican women of reproductive age.
Results
Of all women, 9.8% of respondents who had C-sections were not informed that it was necessary, while 9.2% did not give permission for this procedure. The odds of having a non-consented cesarean were higher for women who received prenatal services in private settings, an IMSS facility, an ISSSTE facility, or more than one type of facility, compared to a public community health center. Among participants who reported Indigenous belonging, receiving prenatal services at a private or ISSSTE facility was also associated with non-consented cesarean delivery. Additionally, when comparing all public prenatal care locations with private, we found that receiving prenatal care at a private facility or at both public and private settings, were associated with increased odds of non-consented cesarean delivery. Similar results were observed for participants not of Indigenous belonging, while only private setting was associated with increased odds of non-consented C-sections for respondents of Indigenous belonging.
Conclusions
This analysis indicates that receiving prenatal care at an ISSSTE, IMSS, private facility, or a combination of public and private services increases the risk of non-consented C-section in Mexico. These findings recommend the need to implement actions to improve the functioning of prenatal and delivery care in the different health systems to prevent mistreatment during C-section procedures. Additional research is required to further understand the factors associated with non-consented C-sections in Mexico.
A novel concentrated growth factor (CGF)-based strategy for second molar protection after impacted mandibular third molar extraction: a randomized controlled clinical study
Authors: Sun Shoufu F. , Xu Xiaodong D. , Zhang Zhongxiao X. , Zhang Ying , Wei Wenjia J. , Jiang Yunan N. , Guo K.
Published: March 2023

Background：The extraction of impacted mandibular third molars might cause large bone defects in the distal area of second molars. A new strategy was innovatively employed here combining autologous bone, Bio-Oss, concentrated growth factors (CGF) gel and CGF membrane for bone repair, and the present study aimed at exploring safety as well as short- and long-term efficacy of this new protocol clinically.
Materials and methods: A total of 66 participants were enrolled in this randomized single-blind clinical trial, and randomly allocated to control group (only blood clots), test A group (autogenous bone，Bio-Oss with oral repair membrane) and test B group (autogenous bone，Bio-Oss, CGF gel with CGF membrane). The postoperative outcomes including PoSSe scale, periodontal probing depth (PD), degree of gingival recession and computed tomography measurements were assessed at 3th, 6th, 12th month. A p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: In PoSSe scale, no significant difference was observed except a significant alleviation of early-stage pain perception in test B group (p<0.05). Also, test B group exhibited better effect on periodontal healing and gingival recession reduction after 6 months (p<0.05). Both two test groups showed more new bone formation than the control group (p<0.05). It is noteworthy that the bone repair of test B group was significantly better than that of test A at 3th and 6th month (p<0.05), yet no difference was observed at 12th month (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Both two test groups could achieve stable long-term efficacy on alveolar bone repair. The use of CGF gel and CGF membrane could accelerate early-stage bone repair, alleviate short-term pain after surgery, reduce long-term probing depth and relieve economic cost for patients. This new bone repair protocol is worthy of promoting by clinicians.
Trial registration: This study was registered with the identification number ChiCTR2300068466 on 20/02/2023 at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry. Also, it was ethically approved from the institutional ethics committee at the Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China (No:2023-010-01), and has been conducted in accordance to the guidelines of the declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants in the study.
Machining Grade 4 Titanium alloy by Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) for enhanced environmentally sustainable manufacturing.
Authors: Mathonsi Thabo Nelson , Laubscher Rudolph Frans
Published: March 2023

Machining is a widely used class of industrial manufacturing operation, wherein cutting fluids play a vital role in terms of machining accurate dimensional quality objects due to their cooling, lubricant and chip removal abilities. Although certain advanced cutting fluids have changed the manufacturing industry for the better, there are some environmental concerns associated with some of these fluids. The use and disposal of cutting fluids may be costly and subjected to stringent government laws. Hence, the ever-growing research conducted on environmentally friendly cutting fluids that may lead to enhanced sustainable manufacturing. The aim of this investigation is therefore to investigate the viability of Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) during machining of titanium alloys with specific focus on the commercially pure grades (Grade 4). A comparative study was conducted in order to establishing the effects of different modes of lubrication i.e. Dry, wet and MQL machining on titanium.
Ce-Mediated Molecular Tailoring on an Unprecedented Gigantic Polyoxometalate {Mo132} into Half-Closed Product {Ce11Mo96} for Achieving High Proton Conduction
Authors: Li Xue-Xin , Li Cai-Hong , Hou Ming-Jun , Chen Wei-Chao , Sun Chun-Yi , Yuan Ye , Qin Chao , Shao Kui-Zhan , Wang Xinlong , Su Zhong-Min
Published: March 2023

Precise synthesis of polyoxometalates (POMs) is important for the fundamental understanding of the relationship between the structure and function of each building motif. However, it is a great challenge to realize the atomic-level tailoring of specific sites in POMs without altering the major framework. Herein, we report the first case of Ce-mediated molecular tailoring on the unprecedented gigantic {Mo132}, which has a closed structural motif involving a never seen {Mo110} decamer. Such capped wheel {Mo132} undergoes a rare quasi-isomerism with known {Mo132} ball displaying different optical behaviors. Experiencing an ‘Inner-On-Outer’ binding process with the substituent of {Mo2} reactive sites in {Mo132}, the site-specific Ce ions drive the dissociation of {Mo2*} clipping sites and finally give rise to a predictable half-closed product {Ce11Mo96}. By virtue of the tailor-made open cavity, the {Ce11Mo96} achieves high proton conduction, nearly two orders of magnitude than that of {Mo132}. This work offers a significant step toward the controllable assembly of POM clusters through a Ce-mediated molecular tailoring process for desirable properties.
F-RUS-RF: A Hybrid Machine Learning Approach for Cancer Detection in Older Adults
Authors: Javeed Ashir , Dallora Ana Luiza , Saleem Muhammad Asim , Ali Liaqat , Berglund Johan Sanmartin , Anderberg Peter
Published: March 2023

Background: Globally, cancer is the second-leading cause of mortality, behind cardiovascular diseases. Although cancer affects people of all ages, most cases occur among those in their fifth or sixth decade of life; hence, the chance of developing cancer grows significantly with age. Early cancer prediction and its risk factors are crucial since it increases survival rates. Motivated by this fact, we conducted this study on a Swedish older adult sample, where the proposed model based on machine learning (ML) not only predicted cancer but also identified risk factors for cancer in older adults.
Results: The newly proposed model comprises two modules. The first module uses an F-score statistical model to rank the variables from the acquired dataset, which consists of 75 variables, and the second module serves as a classifier. For the classification job, we deployed the random forest (RF) algorithm, and the hyperparameters of the RF model were optimized by employing a genetic algorithm. The highly significant variables determined in the first module are fed into the second module for cancer prediction. It was observed during the study that classes in the dataset were highly imbalanced. To avoid the problem of bias in the ML model, we deployed a random undersampling approach to balance the classes in the dataset. The components of the proposed model are combined into a single unit that functions as a ”black box.” The newly constructed model for cancer prediction was named F-RUS-RF. The highest accuracy achieved by the F-RUS-RF model for cancer prediction while using only the top six ranked variables was 86.15%, with sensitivity and specificity of 92.25% and 85.14%, respectively.
Conclusions: The proposed F-RUS-RF model helped us predict cancer and identified the risk factors of cancer in older adults. From the total of 75 variables in the dataset, the six most significant variables were determined by the proposed F-RUS-RF model, which actually causes cancer in older adults. By taking care of these risk factors, we can reduce the risk of cancer in older adults.
Reciprocal Negative Feedback Regulation of ATF6α and PTEN Promotes Prostate Cancer Progression
Authors: Feng Tingting , Zhao Ru , Zhang Hanwen , Sun Feifei , Hu Jing , Wang Meng , Qi Mei , Liu Ling , Gao Lin , Xiao Yabo , Chen Weiwen , Wang Lin , Han Bo
Published: March 2023

Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) loss tightly correlates with prostate cancer (PCa) progression and metastasis. Inactivation of PTEN leads to abnormal activation of PI3K/AKT pathway. However, results from clinical trials with AKT inhibitors in PCa have been largely disappointing. Identification of novel regulators of PTEN in PTEN-dysfunctional PCa is urgently needed. Here we demonstrated that the expression level of PTEN was inversely correlated with the signature score of unfolded protein response (UPR) in PCa. Importantly, PTEN suppressed the activity of ATF6α, via interacting to de-phosphorylate ATF6α and consequently inhibiting its nuclear translocation. Conversely, ATF6α promoted the ubiquitination and degradation of PTEN by inducing CHIP expression. Thus, ATF6α and PTEN formed a negative feedback loop during PCa progression. Combination of ATF6α inhibitor with AKT inhibitor suppressed tumor cell proliferation and xenograft growth. Importantly, this study highlighted ATF6α as a therapeutic vulnerability in PTEN dysfunctional PCa.
Fear conditioning is preserved in very preterm-born young adults despite increased anxiety levels
Authors: Albayrak Bilge , Jablonski Lara , Felderhoff-Mueser Ursula , Huening Britta M. , Ernst Thomas M. , Timmann Dagmar , Batsikadze Giorgi
Published: March 2023

Very preterm birth is associated with an increased risk for anxiety disorders. Abnormal brain development may result in disordered fear learning processes, which may be exacerbated by environmental risk factors and persist in adulthood. We tested the hypotheses that very preterm-born young adults displayed higher levels of fear conditioning, less differentiation between threat, CS+, and safety, CS-, signals and stronger resistance to extinction relative to term-born controls. A group of 37 very preterm-born young adults and 31 age- and sex-matched term-born controls performed a differential fear conditioning paradigm on two consecutive days. Acquisition and extinction training were performed on day 1. Recall and reinstatement were tested on day 2. Preterm-born participants showed significantly higher levels of anxiety in the Depression-Anxiety-Stress-Scale-21 questionnaire. The fear conditioning outcome measures, skin conductance response amplitudes and anxiety ratings, were overall higher in the preterm-born group compared to controls. Acquisition, extinction, recall and reinstatement of differential conditioned fear responses, CS+ > CS-, however, were not significantly different between the groups. There were no significant group by stimulus type interactions. The finding of preserved associative fear learning in very preterm-born young adults was unexpected and needs to be confirmed in future studies.
Tungsten toxicity on kidney tubular epithelial cells induces renal inflammation and M1-macrophage polarization
Authors: Barrera-Chimal Jonatan , Henley Nathalie , Grant Michael , Cenatus Schrodinger , Geraldes Pedro , Pichette Vincent , Gerarduzzi Casimiro
Published: March 2023

Tungsten is widely used in medical, industrial, and military applications. The environmental exposure to tungsten has increased over the past several years and few studies have addressed its potential toxicity. In this study, we evaluated the effects of chronic oral tungsten exposure (100 ppm) on renal inflammation in mice. We found that 30- or 90-day tungsten exposure led to the accumulation of LAMP1-positive lysosomes in renal tubular epithelial cells. In addition, the kidneys of mice exposed to tungsten showed interstitial infiltration of leukocytes, myeloid cells, and macrophages together with increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines and p50/p65-NFkB subunits. In proximal tubule epithelial cells (HK-2) in vitro, tungsten induced a similar inflammatory status characterized by increased mRNA levels of CSF1, IL34, CXCL2 and CXCL10 and NFkB activation. Moreover, tungsten exposure slowed HK-2 cell proliferation and enhanced reactive oxygen species generation. Conditioned media from HK-2 cells treated with tungsten induced an M1-proinflammatory polarization of RAW macrophages as evidenced by increased levels of iNOS and interleukin-6 and decreased levels of the M2-antiinflammatory marker CD206. These effects were not observed when RAW cells were exposed to conditioned media from HK-2 cells treated with tungsten and supplemented with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC). Similarly, direct tungsten exposure induced M1-proinflammatory polarization of RAW cells that was prevented by NAC co-treatment. Altogether, our data suggest that prolonged tungsten exposure leads to oxidative injury in the kidney ultimately leading to chronic renal inflammation characterized by a proinflammatory status in kidney tubular epithelial cells and immune cell infiltration.
Critical Care Nurses Knowledge, Practice, Facilitators, and Barriers of Palliative Care: A Scoping Review
Authors: Hawari Nora Mohammed , Hteini Enas , Hani Salam Bani , Rababah Jihad , Doum Fatima , ALBashtawy Mohammed , Nashwan Abdulqadir J.
Published: March 2023

Background
Optimizing the quality of care among palliative patient cases is a prominent role of nurses since they are the largest group of health care professionals. This review highlights the available evidence on the knowledge, facilitators, barriers, and practice level of palliative care among critical care nurses.
Materials and Methods
PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane library, Google scholar, and Cumulative Index for Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL) were used to search the literature for studies published between 2017 and 2022.
Result
Eighteen articles were included in this review, which verifies that most nurses have poor knowledge regarding palliative care principles and, consequently, poor practices. However, many barriers and facilitators that affect the provision of palliative care were reached. Barriers include inadequate clinical training, time shortage, and inappropriate unit design. The main facilitators included family awareness of patient status, family and physician cooperation, and continuous education of the staff.
Conclusion
Nurses are the first-line manager in providing patient care, so it is necessary to work hard to improve their level of knowledge to meet the main palliative care needs. Continuous educational sessions and training about effective palliative care are recommended to enhance the provision of palliative care for nurses to provide the optimum quality of care.
Estimation of flow trajectories in a multi-linestransportation network
Authors: Guex Guillaume , Loup Romain , Bavaud François
Published: March 2023

Characterizing a public transportation network, such as an urban networkwith multiple lines, requires the origin-destination trip counts during a givenperiod. Yet, if automatic counting makes the embarkment (boarding) anddisembarkment (alighting) counts in vehicles known, it often happens thatpedestrian transfers between lines are harder to track, and require costly andinvasive devices (e.g., facial recognition system) to be estimated. In thiscontribution, we propose a method, based on maximum entropy andinvolving an iterative fitting procedure, which estimates the passenger flowbetween origins and destinations solely based on embarkment anddisembarkment counts. Moreover, this method is flexible enough to providean adaptable framework in case additional data is known, such as attractionpoles between certain nodes in the network, or percentages of transferringpassengers between some lines. This method is tested on toy examples, aswell as with the data of the public transportation network of the city ofLausanne provided by its Transportation Agency (tl), and gives arguablyconvincing estimations of the transportation flow.
The Italian Constitutional Court and the pendulum of regionalism
Authors: Filippetti Andrea , Rondinella Sandro , Tuzi Fabrizio
Published: March 2023

This paper explores the role of the Italian Constitutional Court through a quantitative analysis of the disputes between the central government and the regions in the context of the decentralization reforms started in the late 90s. We put forward the hypothesis of an institutionally embedded attitude of the Court. Our econometric evidence shows that during the recentralization process started in 2011 by the central governments in response to a major financial and debt crisis, the probability of a favourable outcome for the regions is significantly reduced. Our results support the perspective that the political and institutional environment affect the attitude of the Courts and provide fresh insights about the role of the Courts during major economic crisis.
JEL classification H77
Generalization in human pathfinding as a stochastic navigation process on Wikipedia
Authors: Ficzere Dániel , Hollósi Gergely , Frankó Attila , Gulyás András
Published: March 2023

Models of human navigation have been investigated in many ways on complex networks. These findings suggest that the characteristics of human navigation change during navigation from the start to the destination. Nonetheless, the degree to which navigation is influenced by the human navigator versus the graph and environment remains somewhat unclear. Our study focuses on the initial stage of human navigation, investigating the influence of the graph structure on navigation through the use of a PageRank-based random walk model. We investigate the PageRank model with the classical uniform and also power-law position based transition probabilities. Our results indicate that a significant proportion of early generalization phase navigation can be simulated with random navigation.