bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution of intrinsic defects and ring structures on the surface of fused silica optics after CO2 laser conditioning
Authors: Yang Zican , Zhao Linjie , Chen Mingjun , Yang Dinghuai , Yin Zhaoyang , Yang Weisong , Cheng Jian , Xu Qiao , Liu Zhichao , Geng Feng , Xu Hongguang
Published: October 2023

Recently and interestingly, experiments show that the CO2 laser conditioning can significantly increase the laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of fused silica optics, but its underlying mechanism has not been clearly revealed. This Letter reports the experimental studies on the evolution of the intrinsic point defects and intrinsic ring structures on the surface of fused silica optics under the CO2 laser irradiation. The laser conditioning can effectively reduce the intrinsic defect contents in the surface layer of mechanically processed fused silica. However, the suppression effect of defects can be affected by the initial surface state. If there are micro-cracks on the component surface, the effect of the laser conditioning would be limited. The evolution of the intrinsic ring structures indicate that most of the intrinsic defects tend to recombine as short (Si–O)n ring structures during the laser healing of the micro-fractures. The observed recombination behavior and suppression of the intrinsic defects can help find out the reason for the increase of the LIDT of the fused silica optics.
High average power Q-switched Ho3+:YAG laser with a single-line emission at 2122 nm
Authors: Rupp Marius , Goth Katharina , Eichhorn Marc , Kieleck Christelle
Published: October 2023

We present an efficient Q-switched dual-crystal Ho3+:YAG laser resonator achieving an output power of 56 W at an incident pump power of 100.7 W with a slope efficiency of 64.4%. The setup was pump power limited. Notably, by carefully tuning multiple etalons placed within the cavity, we achieved a single-line spectral emission at 2122 nm. This deviates from the typical emission wavelengths of 2090 nm or 2096 nm for Ho3+:YAG at comparable output powers in Q-switched operation. The laser exhibited very good beam quality, approaching diffraction-limited performance with an excellent M2- < 1.2. At the maximum output power, a pulse FWHM of 100 ns was measured.
In vivo structural and functional imaging of human nailbed microvasculature using photoacoustic microscopy
Authors: Li Dongfang , Yao Yue , Zuo Tianxiang , Xu Jiaye , Tao Chao , Qian Xiaoqin , Liu Xiaojun
Published: October 2023

Monitoring microvascular structure and function is of great significance for the diagnosis of many diseases. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of OR-PAM to nailbed microcirculation detection as a new, to the best of our knowledge, application scenario in humans. We propose a dual-wavelength optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) with improved local-flexible coupling to image human nailbed microvasculature. Microchip lasers with 532 nm wavelength are employed as the pump sources. The 558 nm laser is generated from the 532 nm laser through the stimulated Raman scattering effect. The flowing water, circulated by a peristaltic pump, maintains the acoustic coupling between the ultrasonic transducer and the sample. These designs improve the sensitivity, practicality, and stability of the OR-PAM system for human in vivo experiments. The imaging of the mouse ear demonstrates the ability of our system to acquire structural and functional information. Then, the system is applied to image human nailbed microvasculature. The imaging results reveal that the superficial capillaries are arranged in a straight sagittal pattern, approximately parallel to the long axis of the finger. The arterial and venular limbs are distinguished according to their oxygen saturation differences. Additionally, the images successfully discover the capillary loops with single or multiple twists, the oxygen release at the end of the capillary loop, and the changes when the nailbed is abnormal.
Trapped modes in particles with a negative refractive index
Authors: Klimov V. V. , Bekirov A. R. , Luk’yanchuk B. S.
Published: October 2023

The natural oscillations of the electromagnetic field in a particle made from left-handed metamaterial, where both permittivity and permeability are negative, are considered. Based on the exact solution of the sourceless Maxwell equations, it is shown that due to the opposite directions of the phase and group velocities in the metamaterial, natural oscillations in such particles decay exponentially at infinity, that is, these natural oscillations can be considered as trapped modes with a finite energy. The manifestation of such modes in experiments with Bessel beams is also discussed.
Anchoring and electro-optic switching of liquid crystals on nano-structured surfaces fabricated by two-photon based nano-printing
Authors: Zhang Bingru , Plidschun Malte , Schmidt Markus A. , Kitzerow Heinz-S.
Published: October 2023

The alignment of liquid crystals on surfaces plays a central role in optimizing their performances. In this work, a cutting-edge nano-lithography-based method to control the local orientation of a thermotropic liquid crystal is applied to easily available commercial standard materials and evaluated. Parallel nanogrooves on a substrate, created through 3D nanoprinting in a negative-tone photoresin optimized for two-photon polymerization are used for this purpose. Azimuthal anchoring energies of the order from 10−6 J/m2 to 10−5 J/m2 are found, depending on the spacing, width and depth of the grooves. In part, these values are larger than those reported previously for another photopolymer. Both uniform alignment and spatial patterns of different alignment directions can be realized. Electro-optic studies confirm the suitability of the method for electrically addressable photonic applications and indicate strong polar anchoring.
Improving deep models of protein-coding potential with a Fourier-transform architecture and machine translation task
Authors: Valencia Joseph D. , Hendrix David A.
Published: October 2023

Ribosomes are information-processing macromolecular machines that integrate complex sequence patterns in messenger RNA (mRNA) transcripts to synthesize proteins. Studies of the sequence features that distinguish mRNAs from long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) may yield insight into the information that directs and regulates translation. Computational methods for calculating protein-coding potential are important for distinguishing mRNAs from lncRNAs during genome annotation, but most machine learning methods for this task rely on previously known rules to define features. Sequence-to-sequence (seq2seq) models, particularly ones using transformer networks, have proven capable of learning complex grammatical relationships between words to perform natural language translation. Seeking to leverage these advancements in the biological domain, we present a seq2seq formulation for predicting protein-coding potential with deep neural networks and demonstrate that simultaneously learning translation from RNA to protein improves classification performance relative to a classification-only training objective. Inspired by classical signal processing methods for gene discovery and Fourier-based image-processing neural networks, we introduce LocalFilterNet (LFNet). LFNet is a network architecture with an inductive bias for modeling the three-nucleotide periodicity apparent in coding sequences. We incorporate LFNet within an encoder-decoder framework to test whether the translation task improves the classification of transcripts and the interpretation of their sequence features. We use the resulting model to compute nucleotide-resolution importance scores, revealing sequence patterns that could assist the cellular machinery in distinguishing mRNAs and lncRNAs. Finally, we develop a novel approach for estimating mutation effects from Integrated Gradients, a backpropagation-based feature attribution, and characterize the difficulty of efficient approximations in this setting.
Digital literacy as a new determinant of health: A scoping review
Authors: Arias López Maria del Pilar , Ong Bradley A. , Borrat Frigola Xavier , Fernández Ariel L. , Hicklent Rachel S. , Obeles Arianne J. T. , Rocimo Aubrey M. , Celi Leo A.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Harnessing new digital technologies can improve access to health care but can also widen the health divide for those with poor digital literacy. This scoping review aims to assess the current situation of low digital health literacy in terms of its definition, reach, impact on health and interventions for its mitigation.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search strategy was composed by a qualified medical librarian. Literature databases [Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Scopus, and Google Scholar] were queried using appropriate natural language and controlled vocabulary terms along with hand-searching and citation chaining. We focused on recent and highly cited references published in English. Reviews were excluded. This scoping review was conducted following the methodological framework of Arksey and O’Malley.

Results

A total of 268 articles were identified (263 from the initial search and 5 more added from the references of the original papers), 53 of which were finally selected for full text analysis. Digital health literacy is the most frequently used descriptor to refer to the ability to find and use health information with the goal of addressing or solving a health problem using technology. The most utilized tool to assess digital health literacy is the eHealth literacy scale (eHEALS), a self-reported measurement tool that evaluates six core dimensions and is available in various languages. Individuals with higher digital health literacy scores have better self-management and participation in their own medical decisions, mental and psychological state and quality of life. Effective interventions addressing poor digital health literacy included education/training and social support.

Conclusions

Although there is interest in the study and impact of poor digital health literacy, there is still a long way to go to improve measurement tools and find effective interventions to reduce the digital health divide.
Digital Determinants of Health: Health data poverty amplifies existing health disparities—A scoping review
Authors: Paik Kenneth Eugene , Hicklen Rachel , Kaggwa Fred , Puyat Corinna Victoria , Nakayama Luis Filipe , Ong Bradley Ashley , Shropshire Jeremey N. I. , Villanueva Cleva
Published: October 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have an immense potential to transform healthcare as already demonstrated in various medical specialties. This scoping review focuses on the factors that influence health data poverty, by conducting a literature review, analysis, and appraisal of results. Health data poverty is often an unseen factor which leads to perpetuating or exacerbating health disparities. Improvements or failures in addressing health data poverty will directly impact the effectiveness of AI/ML systems. The potential causes are complex and may enter anywhere along the development process. The initial results highlighted studies with common themes of health disparities (72%), AL/ML bias (28%) and biases in input data (18%). To properly evaluate disparities that exist we recommend a strengthened effort to generate unbiased equitable data, improved understanding of the limitations of AI/ML tools, and rigorous regulation with continuous monitoring of the clinical outcomes of deployed tools.
Strategies and solutions to address Digital Determinants of Health (DDOH) across underinvested communities
Authors: Holmes Fee Casey , Hicklen Rachel Scarlett , Jean Sidney , Abu Hussein Nebal , Moukheiber Lama , de Lota Michelle Foronda , Moukheiber Mira , Moukheiber Dana , Anthony Celi Leo , Dankwa-Mullan Irene
Published: October 2023

Healthcare has long struggled to improve services through technology without further widening health disparities. With the significant expansion of digital health, a group of healthcare professionals and scholars from across the globe are proposing the official usage of the term “Digital Determinants of Health” (DDOH) to explicitly call out the relationship between technology, healthcare, and equity. This is the final paper in a series published in PLOS Digital Health that seeks to understand and summarize current knowledge of the strategies and solutions that help to mitigate the negative effects of DDOH for underinvested communities. Through a search of English-language Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar articles published since 2010, 345 articles were identified that discussed the application of digital health technology among underinvested communities. A group of 8 reviewers assessed 132 articles selected at random for the mention of solutions that minimize differences in DDOH. Solutions were then organized by categories of policy; design and development; implementation and adoption; and evaluation and ongoing monitoring. The data were then assessed by category and the findings summarized. The reviewers also looked for common themes across the solutions and evidence of effectiveness. From this limited scoping review, the authors found numerous solutions mentioned across the papers for addressing DDOH and many common themes emerged regardless of the specific community or digital health technology under review. There was notably less information on solutions regarding ongoing evaluation and monitoring which corresponded with a lack of research evidence regarding effectiveness. The findings directionally suggest that universal strategies and solutions can be developed to address DDOH independent of the specific community under focus. With the need for the further development of DDOH measures, we also provide a framework for DDOH assessment.
Preparing future STEM faculty through flexible teaching professional development
Authors: Goldberg Bennett B. , Bruff Derek O. , Greenler Robin McC. , Barnicle Katherine , Green Noah H. , Campbell Lauren E. P. , Laursen Sandra L. , Ford Matthew J. , Serafini Amy , Mack Claude , Carley Tamara L. , Maimone Christina , Campa Henry (Rique)
Published: October 2023

We have prepared thousands of future STEM faculty around the world to adopt evidence-based instructional practices through their participation in two massive open online courses (MOOCs) and facilitated in-person learning communities. Our novel combination of asynchronous online and coordinated, structured face-to-face learning community experiences provides flexible options for STEM graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to pursue teaching professional development. A total of 14,977 participants enrolled in seven offerings of the introductory course held 2014–2018, with 1,725 participants (11.5% of enrolled) completing the course. Our results of high levels of engagement and learning suggest that leveraging the affordances of educational technologies and the geographically clustered nature of this learner demographic in combination with online flexible learning could be a sustainable model for large scale professional development in higher education. The preparation of future STEM faculty makes an important difference in establishing high-quality instruction that meets the diverse needs of all undergraduate students, and the initiative described here can serve as a model for increasing access to such preparation.
Safety profile of inactivated COVID-19 in healthy adults aged ≥ 18 years: A passive surveillance in Indonesia
Authors: Kaswandani Nastiti , Medise Bernie Endyarni , Leonard Elcha , Satari Hindra Irawan , Sundoro Julitasari , Hadinegoro Sri Rezeki Harun , Putra Ade , Angkasa Putra Fajar
Published: October 2023

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in Indonesia has shown effectiveness in reducing the morbidity and mortality of Covid-19. The study aims to evaluate the incidence rate and severity of Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine during the first quarter of 2021 until the second quarter of 2022 in Indonesia. More than two hundred million Sinovac/CoronaVac were given from January 13th, 2021, until June 30th, 2022. Data for this study were collected manually and electronically from the national vaccine safety website managed by the National Committee (NC) of AEFI Indonesia and the Ministry of Health Indonesia. The total number of injections observed in the study was 264,311,992 doses consisting of 142,449,795 (first dose), 121,613,324 (second dose), and 248,873 (booster dose). Of the injections given, 301 subjects with Serious AEFIs (SAE) and 10.261 subjects with non-serious AEFIs (AE) reported, with a majority of SAE and AEs found in the first dose. Most of the SAEs were classified as coincidental events by the NC AEFI (IR 0.8/1 million doses on first dose injection; 0.31 on second dose injection). ISRR (immunization stress-related response) is in the second rank of SAEs reported (0.59 IR/1 million doses on the first dose; 0.14 on the second dose). The incidence rate of SAEs and AEs, both in the variable of age, sex, and symptoms per 1 million dose injections in Indonesia, was very rare according to WHO guidelines. Most SAEs were classified as coincidences or unrelated to the vaccine. The result showed that the Sinovac/CoronaVac in Indonesia is safe.
Determinants of trust in times of crises: A cross-sectional study of 3,065 German-speaking adults from the D-A-CH region
Authors: Schernhammer Eva S. , Weitzer Jakob , Han Emilie , Bertau Martin , Zenk Lukas , Caniglia Guido , Laubichler Manfred D. , Birmann Brenda M. , Steiner Gerald
Published: October 2023

Interpersonal trust declined worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic; strategies are needed to restore it. We surveyed 3,065 quota-sampled German-speaking adults residing in the D-A-CH region. Using multinomial logistic regression models and backward elimination for variable selection, we calculated multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) to appraise correlates of interpersonal trust using the Interpersonal Trust Short Scale (KUSIV3). Participants with high levels of interpersonal trust (top KUSIV3 tertile (T3)) tended to be older, male, residents of Switzerland, university degree holders, and workers with higher income and work satisfaction (all Pdiff<0.01) compared to those in the lowest KUSIV3 tertile (T1). Optimism was most strongly associated with high interpersonal trust (ORT3vsT1 = 5.75, 95%CI = 4.33–7.64). Also significantly associated with high interpersonal trust were: Having voted in the last national election (for the opposition, OR = 1.39, 95%CI = 1.02–1.89 or the governing party, OR = 1.61, 95%CI = 1.23–2.11) versus non-voters; perspective taking (ORT3vsT1 = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.11–1.91); being more extraverted (ORT3vsT1 = 1.99, 95%CI = 1.53–2.59) and more agreeable (ORT3vsT1 = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.46–2.61); and scoring higher on complexity thinking (ORT3vsT1 = 1.32, 95%CI = 1.01–1.72). Participants scoring significantly lower for interpersonal trust did not regularly participate in religious meetings (OR = 0.61, 95%CI = 0.44–0.84, versus participation at least monthly); were more conscientious (ORT3vsT1 = 0.68, 95%CI = 0.51–0.91) or current smokers (OR = 0.68; 95%CI = 0.53–0.87, versus never smoking); had sleep problems >5 times a week (OR = 0.48; 95%CI = 0.36–0.66, versus none); and scored high on conspiracy belief (ORT3vsT1 = 0.53; 95%CI = 0.41–0.69). Results differed minimally by gender and country. These findings may be helpful in devising targeted strategies to strengthen interpersonal trust and social engagement in European societies, especially during times of crises.
Changes in coercive parenting and child externalizing behavior across COVID-19 and the moderating role of parent-child attachment relationship quality
Authors: Hogye Sara I. , Lucassen Nicole , Helmerhorst Katrien O. W. , Vrolijk Paula , Keizer Renske
Published: October 2023

Research indicates increases in coercive parenting towards children and increases in child externalizing behavior during COVID-19 as compared to the pre-pandemic period. In this preregistered study, we extended previous knowledge by investigating to what extent, and under what conditions, changes in coercive parenting and child externalizing behavior are interrelated. Ninety-five mothers and fathers of children (of age 3 prior to the pandemic) reported on coercive parenting and child externalizing behavior before and during the pandemic, and trained assistants observed the quality of mother-child and father-child attachment relationship prior to the pandemic. We employed latent change score modeling to test the extent to which changes in maternal and paternal coercive parenting and changes in child externalizing behavior across the pre-pandemic period and the onset of the first COVID-19 lockdown are interrelated. Moreover, we tested whether these linkages are moderated by changes in the other parent’s coercive parenting and the quality of parent-child attachment relationship. Specifically, we tested the moderation by mother-child (father-child) attachment relationship quality in the relation between changes in mothers’ (fathers’) coercive parenting and changes in child externalizing behavior. We found that changes in mothers’, but not fathers’ coercive parenting were positively associated with changes in child externalizing behavior. We found no moderation by changes in the other parent’s parenting or by parent-child attachment relationship quality. Our findings provide support for the transactional processes underlying mothers’ and children’s behavior in the context of non-normative stressful conditions. We recommend incorporating evidence-based (parenting) support for mothers, fathers, and young children in prevention strategies and recovery tools employed during and after future lockdowns and non-normative stressful events.
Risk stratification of atrial fibrillation and stroke using single nucleotide polymorphism and circulating biomarkers
Authors: Sasano Tetsuo , Ihara Kensuke , Tanaka Toshihiro , Furukawa Tetsushi
Published: October 2023

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia, and it causes a high rate of complications such as stroke. It is known that AF begins as paroxysmal form and gradually progresses to persistent form, and sometimes it is difficult to identify paroxysmal AF (PAF) before having stroke. The aim of this study is to evaluate the risk of PAF and stroke using genetic analysis and circulating biomarkers.

Materials and methods

A total of 600 adult subjects were enrolled (300 from PAF and control groups). Peripheral blood was drawn to identify the genetic variation and biomarkers. Ten single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analyzed, and circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) was measured from plasma. Four microRNAs (miR-99a-5p, miR-192-5p, miR-214-3p, and miR-342-5p) were quantified in serum using quantitative RT-PCR.

Results

Genotyping identified 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were significantly associated with AF (rs6817105, rs3807989, rs10824026, and rs2106261), and the genetic risk score using 4 SNPs showed the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.631. Circulating miRNAs and cfDNA did not show significant differences between PAF and control groups. The concentration of cfDNA was significantly higher in patients with a history of stroke, and the AUC was 0.950 to estimate the association with stroke.

Conclusion

The risk of AF could be assessed by genetic risk score. Furthermore, the risk of stroke might be evaluated by plasma cfDNA level.
Mechanical bone strength decreases considerably after microwave ablation–Ex-vivo and in-vivo analysis in sheep long bones
Authors: Nijland Hendricus , Zhu Jinwen , Kwee Thomas C. , Hao Ding-Jun , Jutte Paul C.
Published: October 2023

Background

Bone metastases are on the rise due to longer survival of cancer patients. Local tumor control is required for pain relief. Microwave ablation (MWA) is a technique for minimally invasive local tumor treatment. Tumor tissue is destroyed by application of local hyperthermia to induce necrosis. Given the most common setting of palliative care, it is generally considered beneficial for patients to start mobilizing directly following treatment. No data on mechanical strength in long bones after MWA have been published so far.

Materials and methods

In- and ex-vivo experiments on sheep tibias were performed with MWA in various combinations of settings for time and power. During the in-vivo part sheep were sacrificed one or six weeks after ablation. Mechanical strength was examined with a three-point bending test for ablations in the diaphysis and with an indentation test for ablations in the metaphysis.

Results

MWA does not decrease mechanical strength in the diaphysis. In the metaphysis strength decreased up to 50% six weeks after ablation, which was not seen directly after ablation.

Conclusion

MWA appears to decrease mechanical strength in long bone metaphysis up to 50% after six weeks, however strength remains sufficient for direct mobilization. The time before normal strength is regained after the remodeling phase is not known.
Identifying and understanding the care pathway of patients with atrial fibrillation in Brazil and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-methods study
Authors: Goulart Alessandra C. , Varella Ana C. , Gooden Tiffany E. , Lip Gregory Y. H. , Jolly Kate , Thomas G. Neil , Lotufo Paulo A. , Greenfield Sheila , Olmos Rodrigo D. , Bensenor Isabela M. , Manaseki-Holland Semira ,   on behalf of the NIHR Global Health Research Group on Atrial Fibrillation Management
Published: October 2023

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a major risk factor for stroke. To enable improvements to AF diagnosis and follow-up care, understanding current patient pathways and barriers to optimal care are essential. We investigated the patient care pathways and their drivers, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient pathways in a middle-income country setting, Brazil.

Methods

This mixed-methods study in São Paulo, included adults (≥18y) with AF from 13 primary/secondary healthcare facilities. Surveys using baseline, follow-up (administered ≥two months after baseline) and COVID-19 questionnaires (quantitative), and three focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Minimum sample size for the quantitative component was 236 and we aimed to reach saturation with at least three FGDs for the qualitative component. Descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data and a content analysis was used for qualitative data to identify themes related to AF diagnosis and follow-up care.

Results

267 participants completed the baseline questionnaire: 25% were diagnosed in primary care, 65% in an emergency or inpatient department. At follow-up (n = 259), 31% visited more than one facility for AF care, and 7% had no follow-up. Intervals between international normalised ratio (INR) tests were increased during the pandemic, and the number of healthcare visits and availability of medication were reduced. Seventeen patients participated in three FGDs and revealed that AF diagnosis often occurred following a medical emergency and patients often delay care-seeking due to misconceptions about AF symptoms. Long waiting times, doctor/patient interactions and health system factors, such as doctor availability and the referral system, influence where participants visited for follow-up care.

Conclusions

Lack of public awareness and underdeveloped primary healthcare lead to delayed diagnosis, which impacts clinical outcomes and excess patient and healthcare system costs. Health system, care-provider, and pandemic factors disrupt timely and effective continuity of care.
Titanium nitride coating of pectus bar increases metal contamination after minimally-invasive repair of pectus excavatum
Authors: Fortmann Caroline , Göen Thomas , Wiesner Soeren , Hegermann Jan , Kiblawi Rim , Dohna Martha , Ure Benno M. , Renz Diane Miriam , Petersen Claus , Kuebler Joachim F.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Previous studies demonstrated a release of toxic metals, e.g. nickel and chromium, from stainless steel bars used for minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum (MIRPE). In the present study, we investigated the impact of titanium nitride coating on the metal release and exposure of MIRPE patients.

Material and methods

We analyzed the courses of nickel and chromium levels in blood, urine and local tissue in patients undergoing MIRPE with a titanium nitride coated pectus bar between 03/2017 and 10/2018. Sample collection was scheduled prior to MIRPE, at defined postoperative time points and at bar removal. Additionally, we evaluated irritative symptoms. Results were compared to a control group who received uncoated stainless steel bars in a previous time period (03/2015–02/2017).

Results

12 patients received coated pectus bars (mean age 15.7 years). The control group included 28 patients. After implantation of a titanium nitride coated bar, significant increase in systemic nickel and chromium levels after one, two and three years was noted. In an interim analysis one year after MIRPE, we observed patients with coated bars to have significantly elevated trace metal values compared to the control group. This elevation persisted throughout the observation period. Tissue metal values were also significantly increased. Irritative symptoms occurred significantly more often in study patients compared to controls (50.0% vs. 14.3%).

Conclusions

Coating of pectus bars with titanium nitride failed to reduce metal contamination after MIRPE. Instead, it resulted in a significant increase of trace metal levels after MIRPE, compared to patients with stainless steel bars, which may be explained by wear of the coating and inter-component mobilization processes.
A pilot exploratory study examining the potential influence of continuous positive airway pressure devices on cranial molding trajectories in preterm infants
Authors: McCarty Dana B. , Hite Ashley , Brown Anna , Blazek Kerry , Quinn Lauren , Hammond Sara , Boynton Marcella , O’Shea T. Michael
Published: October 2023

Objective

The objective of this exploratory study was to assess the potential impacts of two different continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices on preterm infant head shape and circumference.

Study design

Twenty infants born at <32 weeks gestational age requiring CPAP support were enrolled. Ten infants used the Hudson RCI Nasal Prong CPAP device and 10 infants used the Fisher-Paykel CPAP device. Infant Cranial Index (CI) and head circumference (HC) were collected weekly as well as infant gestational age at birth, and total number of days on CPAP.

Results

At baseline, average total birthweight of infants was 1021 grams (SD = 227 grams), average gestational age was 26.9 weeks (SD = 1.80), mean CI was 79.7 cm (SD = 5.95), and HC was 10.2 cm (SD = 0.92). Days on CPAP ranged from 16 to 63 days, with an average of 40.7 (SD = 13.6) days. Neither CI nor HC differed by device type; however, the Fisher-Paykel device was associated with slightly greater HC growth rate.

Conclusion

CPAP devices and the pressures they apply plausibly contribute to preterm infant cranial molding over time, with the greatest potential impact on infants who require CPAP support for longer periods; however, these findings must be validated in larger cohorts. Additionally, positioning practices should be further examined to determine how they may contribute to or prevent the development of cranial molding deformity.
Mimicry and law: Experiments in a natural setting of a law company
Authors: Kulesza Wojciech , Muniak Paweł , Dolinski Dariusz , Antoszek Tomasz , Świderska-Cieśla Agnieszka , Nowak Anna , Kowalczyk Bernadetta
Published: October 2023

This paper joins an effort to build a relational approach to law practice by testing mimicry as a vehicle for building trust in a legal context. Mimicry research indicates that this phenomenon leads to benefits, like greater trust, willingness to help, and satisfaction from interactions, which shows a potential for practical applications in, for example, a legal context. In two experiments conducted in the natural setting of a legal company, the tendency to trust the mimicker on a yet unresearched and deep level, namely putting one’s legal future and security in the hands of an attorney, was measured. Both experiments consistently showed a greater tendency to give legal representation to an attorney when she verbally (Experiment #1) as well as both verbally and nonverbally (Experiment #2) mimicked the client. This paper explores the potential of applying mimicry in a legal service environment, focusing on fostering cooperation in professional conversations. Furthermore, the study contributes to the existing literature on mimicry by examining its effect on trust. Possible dangers, future studies and limitations are also discussed.
“Dysregulated not deficit”: A qualitative study on symptomatology of ADHD in young adults
Authors: Ginapp Callie M. , Greenberg Norman R. , MacDonald-Gagnon Grace , Angarita Gustavo A. , Bold Krysten W. , Potenza Marc N.
Published: October 2023

Objective

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common condition that often persists into adulthood, although data suggest that the current diagnostic criteria may not represent how the condition presents in adults. We aimed to use qualitative methods to better understand ADHD symptomatology in young adults, especially regarding attentional and emotional dysregulation.

Methods

Nine focus groups involving young adults (aged 18–35 years; N = 43; 84% female; 86% US and Canada) with diagnoses of ADHD were conducted. Participants were asked about their perceptions of the current diagnostic criteria and how their symptoms have presented and changed over time. Data were analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological analysis framework.

Results

Most participants reported that the diagnostic criteria did not accurately capture their experiences with ADHD. They reported struggling with attention dysregulation, including hyperfocusing, and emotional dysregulation, including rejection-sensitive dysphoria. Many participants believed that their changing environments and behavioral adaptations influenced how their symptoms presented into adulthood.

Conclusion

Current diagnostic criteria for ADHD may not capture the range of symptoms present in young adults. More research is needed to characterize attentional and emotional dysregulation in this population.
Socioeconomic driving forces behind air polluting emissions in Mexico
Authors: Vega-Campa Mayra , André Francisco J. , Soliño Mario
Published: October 2023

Air pollution is one of the most severe environmental problems that Mexico is currently facing. The objective of this paper is to quantify the most relevant socioeconomic driving forces behind air polluting emissions and, more specifically, 7 local pollutants in Mexico. We do so in a multilevel version of the Stochastic Impacts by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology (STIRPAT) model that accounts for the spatial heterogeneity at the municipal level across the country. The results show that the most relevant variables to determine the emissions of atmospheric pollutants are the population, the harvested area and the number of cars, while technological development helps to mitigate such emissions. The ecological elasticities are, in all cases, smaller than one. Our purpose is to provide quantitative information about these socioeconomic driving forces of air deterioration as a basis to establish some recommendations for environmental policy decision-making.
Hamstring harvest results in significantly reduced knee muscular protection during side-step cutting two years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction
Authors: Konrath Jason M. , Killen Bryce A. , Saxby David J. , Pizzolato Claudio , Kennedy Ben A. , Vertullo Christopher J. , Barrett Rod S. , Lloyd David G.
Published: October 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of donor muscle morphology following tendon harvest in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on muscular support of the tibiofemoral joint during sidestep cutting. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure peak cross-sectional area (CSA) and volume of the semitendinosus (ST) and gracilis (GR) muscles and tendons (bilaterally) in 18 individuals following ACL reconstruction. Participants performed sidestep cutting tasks in a biomechanics laboratory during which lower-limb electromyography, ground reaction loads, whole-body motions were recorded. An EMG driven neuro-musculoskeletal model was subsequently used to determine force from 34 musculotendinous units of the lower limb and the contribution of the ST and GR to muscular support of the tibiofemoral joint based on a normal muscle-tendon model (Standard model). Then, differences in peak CSA and volume between the ipsilateral/contralateral ST and GR were used to adjust their muscle-tendon parameters in the model followed by a recalibration to determine muscle force for 34 musculotendinous units (Adjusted model). The combined contribution of the donor muscles to muscular support about the medial and lateral compartments were reduced by 52% and 42%, respectively, in the adjusted compared to standard model. While the semimembranosus (SM) increased its contribution to muscular stabilisation about the medial and lateral compartment by 23% and 30%, respectively. This computer simulation study demonstrated the muscles harvested for ACL reconstruction reduced their support of the tibiofemoral joint during sidestep cutting, while the SM may have the potential to partially offset these reductions. This suggests donor muscle impairment could be a factor that contributes to ipsilateral re-injury rates to the ACL following return to sport.
Safety and clinical impact of adenosine stress perfusion cardiac magnetic resonance in Asian patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease
Authors: Kaolawanich Yodying , Songsangjinda Thammarak , Jirataiporn Kanchalaporn , Yindeengam Ahthit , Krittayaphong Rungroj
Published: October 2023

Background

Adenosine stress cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is increasingly utilized for evaluating patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). This study aims to assess the safety and clinical impact of adenosine stress CMR in a tertiary care setting in Thailand.

Methods

A total of 3,768 consecutive patients aged 18 years and above who underwent adenosine stress CMR between 2017 and 2020 were included in the study. Patient records were reviewed to collect data on clinical characteristics, hemodynamic measurements, complications during or immediately after CMR, and the rates of clinical changes resulting from CMR.

Results

Among the included patients, the primary indications for adenosine stress CMR were risk stratification in suspected CAD (70.8%) and the assessment of myocardial ischemia/viability in patients with known CAD (26.5%). There were no reported deaths or acute myocardial infarctions during the procedure. Major complications, specifically acute pulmonary edema requiring hospital observation or admission for further management, occurred in four patients (0.11%), all of whom were elderly (ranging from 75 to 91 years) with a history of heart failure. Non-major complications were observed in 13.7% of patients, with dyspnea (9.8%) and mild chest pain (5.6%) being the most common. CMR provided a completely new diagnosis in 26.2% of patients. Overall, stress CMR resulted in a change in diagnosis or management for 48% of patients.

Conclusion

Adenosine stress CMR was found to be safe and to have a significant impact on clinical management in Asian patients with known or suspected CAD. These findings support the use of adenosine stress CMR as a valuable tool for evaluating and guiding treatment decisions in this patient population.
Mechanistic insights into the interaction between the host gut microbiome and malaria
Authors: Mandal Rabindra K. , Schmidt Nathan W.
Published: October 2023

Malaria is a devastating infectious disease and significant global health burden caused by the bite of a Plasmodium-infected female Anopheles mosquito. Gut microbiota was recently discovered as a risk factor of severe malaria. This review entails the recent advances on the impact of gut microbiota composition on malaria severity and consequence of malaria infection on gut microbiota in mammalian hosts. Additionally, this review provides mechanistic insight into interactions that might occur between gut microbiota and host immunity which in turn can modulate malaria severity. Finally, approaches to modulate gut microbiota composition are discussed. We anticipate this review will facilitate novel hypotheses to move the malaria-gut microbiome field forward.
Coverage of the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine in scientific works: Bibliometric analysis
Authors: Ostapenko Liudmyla , Vorontsova Anna , Voronenko Iryna , Makarenko Inna , Kozmenko Serhiy
Published: October 2023

The barbaric war of Russia against Ukraine is accompanied by the death of tens of thousands of people. Millions of Ukrainians were forced to leave their places of residence, hundreds of thousands had their homes completely destroyed, and a large part of the country's enterprises, energy and transport infrastructure was disabled. This war violates all international laws and, in fact, is a challenge to the entire civilized world. Its causes and consequences are discussed, analyzed, and considered by society and experts. Scientists do not ignore it either. The increase in publications on the topic of war and the uniqueness of this kind of research caused the desire to map the corresponding thematic landscape and identify the main trends. The methodological basis of analysis in the presented study was in-built Scopus instruments, Bibliometrix R package and Biblioshiny App, InfraNodus. The study includes two sections, namely, time section (compares publications for the entire period of the Russian armed aggression against Ukraine (2014–2023), as well as before and after the full-scale invasion (2020–2021 and 2022–2023), and geographical section (compares publications of international and Ukrainian scientific communities). The dynamics of publications, their structure by subject areas, countries, affiliations, authors, and sponsors were analyzed. According to the results of cluster, sentiment and narrative analysis, there is a shift in substantive emphasis after February 24, 2022 towards the interpretation of events as a full-scale war (52% of publications as a whole and 60% of publications by authors with Ukrainian affiliation), taking into account the consequences for the global energy, food, and other types of security. The identified structural gaps in the analyzed works create the basis for developing directions for overcoming the consequences of the war in various areas and post-war reconstruction of Ukraine.
How tax reforms impact unemployment: Evidence from Azerbaijan
Authors: Gazanfarli Mirvari
Published: October 2023

This study investigates the effects of tax reforms carried out by the state to maximize the economic and welfare benefits on the unemployment rate in Azerbaijan from 2000 to 2021. An Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) empirical model is developed to measure the relationship between unemployment level and major indicators characterizing tax reforms. Initial estimations consider this linkage in both the short-term and the long-run periods, however, further analysis shows that only short-run estimations are statistically significant. The empirical analysis proves that qualitative and quantitative variables that characterize tax reform significantly affect unemployment rate in the short term. Research findings suggest that higher tax burden and application of concessions (after a year) may cause increased unemployment, while implementation of numerous allowances and concessions (within the year), application of an automated tax information system, and changes in legislation can be effective in reducing unemployment in Azerbaijan.
Trust and communication in the context of leaders and employees
Authors: Kuráth Gabriella , Bányai Edit , Sipos Norbert , Venczel-Szakó Tímea , Konczos-Szombathelyi Márta
Published: October 2023

The article deals with the topic of communication and trust in leadership which affect the success of cooperation and organizational performance. The paper summarizes the theoretical basis of trust and communication and examines what leaders must do to develop them and achieve the expected results and outcomes. The study focuses on Zenger and Folkman’s model related to the two aspects of leaders’ qualities: warmth and professional competence. The empirical analysis is conducted on a dataset obtained from a Hungarian nationwide omnibus study where 999 responses were collected. The methodology is based on the application of Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Binary Logistic Regression. The research confirmed that trust and communication are significant factors of leadership success, whereas warmth is measured to have twice as much importance as professional competence in building the former two. This is the first study where the Zenger and Folkman’s model is controlled in a Central and Eastern European country in the context of leaders and employees.
Formative Threads in the Tapestry of College Credit in High School: An Early History of the Development of Concurrent Enrollment and a Case Study of the Country's Oldest Program
Authors: Grant Kathrine , Rutkauskas Carissa
Published: October 2023

While dual and concurrent enrollment (DE/CE) programs are a frequent part of a student’s secondary educational experience today, relatively little is known about how these programs came to be, what factors influenced their development, and what individual and institutional stakeholders were involved. This paper traces how DE/CE programs were created as one of many educational remedies to issues of articulation and duplication between high schools and colleges and the need for acceleration and enrichment for some students during the early and middle twentieth century. At that time, more students than ever were moving through the educational system, education attainment was increasing, and sociopolitical concerns required new ideas for the acceleration and enrichment of students. Additionally, this article also provides a historical review of the longest running CE program in the United States, the University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience Program. The historical review seeks to reflect and exemplify how the broader sociopolitical influences discussed in the first section of the paper influenced the creation of the first CE program in the country. Through understanding how one program came to be, the current landscape of DE/CE–as well as the evolution and future directions–can be better understood and contextualized.
Libraries and Digital Humanities
Authors: Nithyananda Nithyananda , G.T Kohila
Published: October 2023

Advancements in digital technologies have altered the way knowledge is captured, catalogued, indexed, accessed, and consumed in institutions across the world. Digital humanities have not only empowered the faculty members and researchers in the humanities departments, it has also entrusted with the librarians’ additional responsibilities of curating and cataloguing knowledge in their libraries and enabling humanistic researches in the field. Such curating, indexing, and consumption poses significant intellectual property right (IPR) issues that librarians have to manage. This article explores the IPR issues associated with the digital humanities that librarians should specifically address as part of their activities.