bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A systematic review of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Myanmar
Authors: Swe Myo Maung Maung , Phyo Aung Pyae , Cooper Ben S. , White Nicholas J. , Smithuis Frank , Ashley Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2023

Background

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) affect most impoverished communities in developing countries, like Myanmar in Southeast Asia. NTDs have been understudied and underreported in Myanmar.

Methods

A systematic review of published and grey literature (1900–2023) on neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Myanmar was conducted. The literature search included five international databases: PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid Global Health, and Web of Science Core Collection and one national database: the Myanmar Central Biomedical Library (locally published papers and grey literature). The selection criteria included articles with all types of study designs of current or previous infections conducted in humans, that reported NTDs, recognised by WHO, US CDC, and listed in PLoS NTDs. We included melioidosis and rickettsioses which we consider also meet the definition of an NTD.

Results

A total of 5941 records were retrieved and screened, of which, 672 (11%) met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Of the included articles, 449 (65%) were published after 2000 and 369 (55%) were from two regions (Yangon and Mandalay) of Myanmar. Of the included articles, 238 (35%) reported bacterial NTDs, 212 (32%) viral NTDs, 153 (23%) helminth NTDs, 25 (4%) protozoal NTDs and 39 (6%) reported more than one aetiology. Based on reported frequency in descending order, the bacterial NTDs were leprosy, Escherichia coli enteritis, salmonellosis, cholera, shigellosis, melioidosis, leptospirosis and rickettsioses; the viral NTDs were dengue, chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection; the protozoal NTDs were amoebiasis, giardiasis and leishmaniasis, and the helminth NTDs were ascariasis, trichuriasis, hookworm disease, filariasis and strongyloidiasis.

Conclusion

This review summarises NTDs reported in Myanmar over the past 100 years. The findings suggest that most NTDs are likely to be under reported, especially from the majority of the country which is far from academic centres. Research capacity building together with strengthening of laboratory systems would lead to better understanding of the true burden of NTDs in Myanmar.

Trial registration

PROSPERO registration ID: CRD42018092627.
Genomic and demographic processes differentially influence genetic variation across the human X chromosome
Authors: Cotter Daniel J. , Webster Timothy H. , Wilson Melissa A.
Published: November 2023

Many forces influence genetic variation across the genome including mutation, recombination, selection, and demography. Increased mutation and recombination both lead to increases in genetic diversity in a region-specific manner, while complex demographic patterns shape patterns of diversity on a more global scale. While these processes act across the entire genome, the X chromosome is particularly interesting because it contains several distinct regions that are subject to different combinations and strengths of these forces: the pseudoautosomal regions (PARs) and the X-transposed region (XTR). The X chromosome thus can serve as a unique model for studying how genetic and demographic forces act in different contexts to shape patterns of observed variation. We therefore sought to explore diversity, divergence, and linkage disequilibrium in each region of the X chromosome using genomic data from 26 human populations. Across populations, we find that both diversity and substitution rate are consistently elevated in PAR1 and the XTR compared to the rest of the X chromosome. In contrast, linkage disequilibrium is lowest in PAR1, consistent with the high recombination rate in this region, and highest in the region of the X chromosome that does not recombine in males. However, linkage disequilibrium in the XTR is intermediate between PAR1 and the autosomes, and much lower than the non-recombining X. Finally, in addition to these global patterns, we also observed variation in ratios of X versus autosomal diversity consistent with population-specific evolutionary history as well. While our results were generally consistent with previous work, two unexpected observations emerged. First, our results suggest that the XTR does not behave like the rest of the recombining X and may need to be evaluated separately in future studies. Second, the different regions of the X chromosome appear to exhibit unique patterns of linked selection across different human populations. Together, our results highlight profound regional differences across the X chromosome, simultaneously making it an ideal system for exploring the action of evolutionary forces as well as necessitating its careful consideration and treatment in genomic analyses.
A comprehensive survey and analysis of international drinking water regulations for inorganic chemicals with comparisons to the World Health Organization’s drinking-water guidelines
Authors: Mitchell Erika J. , Frisbie Seth H.
Published: November 2023

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published criteria for determining the quality of drinking water since 1958. Since 1984, these criteria were termed “guidelines” to emphasize that they are not national standards, but rather guidelines for nations to develop their own national standards, which may take into account local environmental, social, economic, and cultural conditions. When calculating guideline values (GVs), the WHO reviews the toxicological literature, calculates a health-based value (HBV), and determines whether the HBV should be adopted as a GV. The WHO also considers aesthetic aspects of drinking water quality, such as taste and the staining of plumbing fixtures, and additionally supplies aesthetic values (AVs) for certain drinking water contaminants. There is no central registry for national drinking water standards, so the degree of variation of national drinking water standards is not known.

Methods

We examined standards, guidelines, and background documents for all inorganic contaminants published by the WHO from 1958–2022. We also searched for national drinking water standards for all independent countries.

Results

We found the WHO currently has 16 GVs, six HBVs without GVs, and six AVs without HBVs or GVs for inorganic drinking water contaminants, excluding disinfection agents and their byproducts. More than half of the point of departure studies used to support these values were published in 2005 or earlier. Ninety-eight percent of the world’s population lives in jurisdictions with drinking water standards, and 14 countries directly link their national standards to the current WHO’s drinking water guidelines. Lack of transparency (standards available only through purchase) and typographical errors are common problems, especially for resource-limited countries.

Conclusions

The WHO drinking water guidelines are crucially important for drinking water safety; they are used for guidance or as official standards throughout the world. It is crucial that they be based on the best available science.
DNA metabarcoding reveals the dietary profiles of a benthic marine crustacean, Nephrops norvegicus
Authors: Shum Peter , Wäge-Recchioni Janine , Sellers Graham S. , Johnson Magnus L. , Joyce Domino A.
Published: November 2023

Norwegian lobster, Nephrops norvegicus, are a generalist scavenger and predator capable of short foraging excursions but can also suspension feed. Existing knowledge about their diet relies on a combination of methods including morphology-based stomach content analysis and stable isotopes, which often lack the resolution to distinguish prey items to species level particularly in species that thoroughly masticate their prey. DNA metabarcoding overcomes many of the challenges associated with traditional methods and it is an attractive approach to study the dietary profiles of animals. Here, we present the diet of the commercially valuable Nephrops norvegicus using DNA metabarcoding of gut contents. Despite difficulties associated with host amplification, our cytochrome oxidase I (COI) molecular assay successfully achieves higher resolution information than traditional approaches. We detected taxa that were likely consumed during different feeding strategies. Dinoflagellata, Chlorophyta and Bacillariophyta accounted for almost 50% of the prey items consumed, and are associated with suspension feeding, while fish with high fisheries discard rates were detected which are linked to active foraging. In addition, we were able to characterise biodiversity patterns by considering Nephrops as natural samplers, as well as detecting parasitic dinoflagellates (e.g., Hematodinium sp.), which are known to influence burrow related behaviour in infected individuals in over 50% of the samples. The metabarcoding data presented here greatly enhances a better understanding of a species’ ecological role and could be applied as a routine procedure in future studies for proper consideration in the management and decision-making of fisheries.
Clinical and laboratory features of COVID-19 illness and outcomes in immunocompromised individuals during the first pandemic wave in Sydney, Australia
Authors: Dharan Nila J. , Sasson Sarah C. , Ahlenstiel Golo , Andersen Christopher R. , Bloch Mark , Buckland Griselda , Hamad Nada , Han Win Min , Kelleher Anthony D. , Long Georgina V. , Matthews Gail V. , Mina Michael M. , Papot Emmanuelle , Petoumenos Kathy , Swaminathan Sanjay , Withers Barbara , Yun James , Polizzotto Mark N. ,   on behalf of the CORIA Study Group
Published: November 2023

People with immunocompromising conditions are at increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and mortality, however early in the pandemic it was challenging to collate data on this heterogenous population. We conducted a registry study of immunocompromised individuals with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection from March–October 2020 in Sydney, Australia to understand clinical and laboratory outcomes in this population prior to the emergence of the Delta variant. 27 participants were enrolled into the study including people with a haematologic oncologic conditions (n = 12), secondary immunosuppression (N = 8) and those with primary or acquired immunodeficiency (i.e. HIV; N = 7). All participants had symptomatic COVID-19 with the most common features being cough (64%), fever (52%) and headache (40%). Five patients demonstrated delayed SARS-CoV-2 clearance lasting three weeks to three months. The mortality rate in this study was 7% compared to 1.3% in the state of New South Wales Australia during the same period. This study provides data from the first eight months of the pandemic on COVID-19 outcomes in at-risk patient groups.
Exploring the impact of varying definitions of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in routinely collected electronic medical records
Authors: Whittaker Hannah , Rothnie Kieran J. , Quint Jennifer K.
Published: November 2023

Background

Validity of exposure and outcome measures in electronic medical records is vital to ensure robust, comparable study findings however, despite validation studies, definitions of variables used often differ. Using exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as an example, we investigated the impact of potential misclassification of different definitions commonly used in publications on study findings.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed. English primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum database with linked secondary care data were used to define a population of COPD patients ≥40 years old registered at a general practice. Index date was the date eligibility criteria were met and end of follow-up was 30/12/19, death or end of data collection. Exacerbations were defined using 6 algorithms based on definitions commonly used in the literature, including one validated definition. For each algorithm, the proportion of frequent exacerbators (≥2 exacerbations/year) and exacerbation rates were described. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to investigate each algorithm on the association between heart failure and risk of COPD exacerbation.

Findings

A total of 315,184 patients were included. Baseline proportion of frequent exacerbators varied from 2.7% to 15.3% depending on the algorithm. Rates of exacerbations over follow-up varied from 19.3 to 66.6 events/100 person-years. The adjusted hazard ratio for the association between heart failure and exacerbation varied from 1.45, 95% confidence intervals 1.42–1.49, to 1.01, 0.98–1.04.

Interpretation

The use of high validity definitions and standardisation of definitions in electronic medical records is crucial to generating high quality, robust evidence.
Inflammatory cytokines and two subtypes of breast cancer: A two-sample mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhou Heran , Cai Zelin , Yang Qujia , Yang Xuefei , Chen Jihao , Huang Ting
Published: November 2023

Background

Breast cancer is a common cancer type that leads to cancer-related deaths among women. HER2-positive breast cancer, in particular, is associated with poor prognosis due to its high aggressiveness, increased risk of recurrence, and metastasis potential. Previous observational studies have explored potential associations between inflammatory cytokines and the risk of two breast cancer subtypes (HER2-positive and HER2-negative), but the results have been inconsistent. To further elucidate the causal relationship between inflammatory cytokines and the two breast cancer subtypes, we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study.

Methods

We employed a two-sample bidirectional MR analysis using publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) statistics. After obtaining instrumental variables, we conducted MR analyses using five different methods to ensure the reliability of our results. Additionally, we performed tests for heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Subsequently, we conducted a reverse MR study by reversing exposure and outcome variables.

Results

Evidence from our IVW analysis revealed that genetically predicted levels of IL-5 [odds ratio (OR): 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04–1.35, P = 0.012], IL-7 (OR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.01–1.22, P = 0.037), and IL-16 (OR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.02–1.25, P = 0.025) were associated with an increased risk of HER2-positive breast cancer. Conversely, IL-10 (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03–1.26, P = 0.012) was associated with an increased risk of HER2-negative breast cancer. These results showed no evidence of heterogeneity or horizontal pleiotropy (P > 0.05). Results from the reverse MR analysis indicated no potential causal association between breast cancer and inflammatory cytokines (P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Our findings demonstrate that IL-5, IL-7, and IL-16 are risk factors for HER2-positive breast cancer, with varying degrees of increased probability of HER2-positive breast cancer associated with elevated levels of these inflammatory cytokines. Conversely, IL-10 is a risk factor for HER2-negative breast cancer. Reverse studies have confirmed that breast cancer is not a risk factor for elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines. This series of results clarifies the causal relationship between different types of inflammatory cytokines and different subtypes of breast cancer. Based on this research, potential directions for the mechanism research of different inflammatory cytokines and different subtypes of breast cancer have been provided, and potential genetic basis for identifying and treating different subtypes of breast cancer have been suggested.
A comb-brushing-type green soybean pod harvesting equipment: Design and experiment
Authors: Zhao Ying , Liu Jinyi , Yang Ranbing , Guo Ting , Zhang Jian , Li Wen , Li Linji
Published: November 2023

To solve the problem of low efficiency of manual harvesting of green soybeans and lack of adaptable harvesters, in this study, a brushing-type green soybean harvester was designed. The comb-brushing type green soybean pod harvesting equipment is composed of a front-mounted separation drum, a full-width material delivery mechanism, a negative pressure cleaning system, and a stalk-pod separation system. Based on the operation requirements of the front-mounted brushing-type detachment drum, the drum parameters, parameters of comb arrangement, and structural parameters of the comb, the force analysis in detachment was performed. By taking the pod detachment rate and damage rate as the response indexes, the rotational speed of the drum, the travel speed of the device, and teeth distance as influencing factors, a three-factor five-level orthogonal rotary combination test was carried out by the software Design-Expert. By establishing mathematical regression models for various influencing factors and evaluation indicators, conducting variance analysis and significance analysis on the response indicators of each factor, the optimal parameters were obtained at a rotational speed of teeth of 397.36 rpm/min, minimum axial teeth distance of 4.8 mm and travel speed of the device of 0.5 m/s. Field test results showed that, under the optimal parameter combination, the pod detachment rate was 94%, the damage rate was 3.04%, the harvesting efficiency was greater than 0.187 hm2/h, and impurity content was less than 7.8%, all of which met the design and usage requirements. The research results can provide a reference for the design of soybean harvesters.
MassWateR: Improving quality control, analysis, and sharing of water quality data
Authors: Beck Marcus W. , Wetherill Benjamen , Carr Jillian
Published: November 2023

The long-term protection and restoration of aquatic resources depends on robust monitoring data; data that require systematic quality control and analysis tools. The MassWateR R package facilitates quality control, analysis, and data sharing for discrete surface water quality data collected by monitoring programs of various size and technical capacity. The tools were developed to address regional needs for programs in Massachusetts, USA, but the principles and outputs can be applicable to monitoring data collected anywhere. Users can create quality control reports, perform outlier analyses, and assess trends by season, date, and site for more than 40 parameters. Users can also prepare data for submission to the United States Environmental Protection Agency Water Quality Exchange, thus sharing data to the largest water quality database in the United States. The automated and reproducible workflow offered by MassWateR is expected to increase the quantity and quality of publicly available data to support the management of aquatic resources.
Perceptions, experiences, and beliefs regarding urinary tract infections in patients with neurogenic bladder: A qualitative study
Authors: Fitzpatrick Margaret A. , Solanki Pooja , Wirth Marissa , Weaver Frances M. , Suda Katie J. , Burns Stephen P. , Safdar Nasia , Collins Eileen , Evans Charlesnika T.
Published: November 2023

Although urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common in patients with neurogenic bladder (NB), limited data exist on UTI perceptions, experiences, and beliefs in these patients. We recruited adults with NB due to spinal cord injury/disorder (SCI/D) or multiple sclerosis (MS) at three Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers to participate in 11 virtual focus groups. Audio transcripts were coded using a mixed approach with primary deductive codes linked to the Health Belief Model, and secondary inductive codes informed by grounded theory. Twenty-three Veterans (SCI/D, 78%; MS, 18.5%) participated between May 2021 and May 2022. Participants’ perspectives, experiences, and beliefs about UTI were reflected in three major themes: 1) influence of caregivers; 2) influence of the healthcare environment and provider characteristics; and 3) barriers and facilitators to care. Caregivers promoted care-seeking behavior, enabled in-home care, and enhanced participants’ self-efficacy to understand educational material. Participants had poor perceptions of providers who were not knowledgeable about NB or ineffectively communicated. Good relationships with providers who knew the participant well improved self-efficacy to follow provider recommendations. These results suggest that patient-centered interventions to improve UTI management in this population should expand caregiver involvement, enhance patient-provider communication, and target provider types and care settings that lack familiarity with NB.
Immunogenicity and safety of heterologous boost immunization with PastoCovac Plus against COVID-19 in ChAdOx1-S or BBIBP-CorV primed individuals
Authors: Eybpoosh Sana , Biglari Alireza , Sorouri Rahim , Ashrafian Fatemeh , Sadat Larijani Mona , Verez-Bencomo Vicente , Toledo-Romani Maria Eugenia , Valenzuela Silva Carmen , Salehi-Vaziri Mostafa , Dahmardeh Sarah , Doroud Delaram , Banifazl Mohammad , Mostafavi Ehsan , Bavand Anahita , Ramezani Amitis
Published: November 2023

Background

This study aimed at evaluation and comparison of PastoCovac Plus protein-subunit vaccine in parallel with ChAdOx1-S (AstraZeneca) and BBIBP-CorV (Sinopharm) in primarily vaccinated volunteers with two doses of ChAdOx1-S or BBIBP-CorV.

Materials and methods

194 volunteers enrolled the study who were previously primed with 2 doses of ChAdOx1-S or BBIBP-CorV vaccines. They were divided into two heterologous regimens receiving a third dose of PastoCovac Plus, and two parallel homologous groups receiving the third dose of BBIBP-CorV or ChAdOx1-S. Serum samples were obtained just before and 4 weeks after booster dose. Anti-spike IgG and neutralizing antibodies were quantified and the conventional live-virus neutralization titer, (cVNT50) assay was done against Omicron BA.5 variant. Moreover, the adverse events data were recorded after receiving booster doses.

Results

ChAdOx1-S/PastoCovac Plus group reached 73.0 units increase in anti-Spike IgG rise compared to the ChAdOx1-S/ ChAdOx1-S (P: 0.016). No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding neutralizing antibody rise (P: 0.256), indicating equivalency of both booster types. Adjusting for baseline titers, the BBIBP-CorV/PastoCovac Plus group showed 135.2 units increase (P<0.0001) in anti-Spike IgG, and 3.1 (P: 0.008) unit increase in mean rise of neutralizing antibodies compared to the homologous group.

Adjustment for COVID-19 history, age, underlying diseases, and baseline antibody titers increased the odds of anti-Spike IgG fourfold rise both in the ChAdOx1-S (OR: 1.9; P: 0.199) and BBIBP CorV (OR: 37.3; P< 0.0001) heterologous groups compared to their corresponding homologous arms. The odds of neutralizing antibody fourfold rise, after adjustment for the same variables, was 2.4 (P: 0.610) for the ChAdOx1-S heterologous group and 5.4 (P: 0.286) for the BBIBP CorV heterologous groups compared to their corresponding homologous groups. All the booster types had the potency to neutralize BA.5 variant with no significant difference.

The highest rate of adverse event incidence was recorded for ChAdOx1-S homologous group.

Conclusions

PastoCovac Plus booster application in primed individuals with BBIBP-CorV or ChAdOx1-S successfully increased specific antibodies’ levels without any serious adverse events. This vaccine could be administrated in the heterologous regimen to effectively boost humoral immune responses.
Asesoría de lactancia materna, un nuevo enfoque
Authors: Zamora Delmás Lucía , Nueno Mairal Berta , Gonzalo del Moral Teresa , Gallego Córdoba Sandra , Jara Villamuera Elena , Vilarrasa García Martina , Pequeño Álvarez Judith , Jové Ortega Eva
Published: November 2023

Introducción: El apoyo profesional durante la lactancia materna tiene efectos beneficiosos sobre la experiencia y duración de la misma. Sin embargo, no está exento de dificultades y se necesita más conocimiento sobre los requisitos previos para que el acompañamiento sea realmente útil y satisfactorio. El objetivo de este artículo es reflexionar sobre las dificultades y los errores en la atención profesional a la lactancia materna en los servicios sanitarios públicos, así como describir y explorar unas condiciones más favorables para que el apoyo profesional sea realmente valioso para las mujeres y sus familias.
Métodos: El diseño del artículo es de tipo discursivo. Las ideas expuestas se basan en nuestras propias experiencias y están respaldadas por la literatura y la teoría.
Resultados: La formación continuada y la atención entusiasta no son suficientes para lograr el objetivo. Además de acompañar y tratar los problemas concretos más evidentes, será imprescindible indagar cómo afectan dichas dificultades en las diferentes esferas o sistemas, valorando las necesidades principales, con especial interés en lo emocional, relacional y la interiorización de las vivencias.
Conclusiones: Es necesario un profundo cambio de paradigma que implique a todo un equipo que esté dispuesto a explorar sus propias creencias y valores, y a proporcionar una atención integral e individualizada centrada holísticamente en la díada madre-bebé y en su entorno, confiando en su capacidad para organizarse durante el proceso hasta lograr un mayor equilibrio y autonomía. El nuevo modelo deberá ser evaluado en investigaciones posteriores. Se pretende mejorar la prevención y la resolución eficaz de problemas, proporcionar mayor satisfacción y mejorar las tasas de lactancia materna, por lo que se espera un balance coste-beneficio positivo.
Tapped /r/ in RP: a corpus-based sociophonetic study across the twentieth century
Authors: Belando Delia
Published: November 2023

This paper aims to explore the use of the tap allophone [ɾ] in Received Pronunciation (RP) in word-internal and linking /r/ contexts over three decades (1940s–1960s) and considering three age cohorts (<35 years old, 35–54 years old, and ≥55 years old). A spoken corpus of formal register materials was compiled to conduct further perceptual and acoustic analysis and classify the articulation of /r/ into tap versus no tap. Results show a decreasing tendency of tap production across decades, and the initial stage of its replacement by the approximant variant. From a sociolinguistic perspective, tapped /r/ may have potentially changed its status, from an indicator to a marker. The fact that the tap allophone has become a sociolinguistic marker can encourage future research on intra-speaker variation. Women and middle-aged speakers (35–54 years old) are the ones leading this sound change, opting for the innovative approximant. This may be due to professional pressures or aspects of social identity, yet further research is needed. Furthermore, the word-internal context seems to favour the production of taps, which could be due to the general low frequency of linking /r/ and the formal register of the materials.
Influence of the ending position of controllable speed casing on a transonic compressor rotor tip leakage flow
Authors: Zhao Jiayi , Wu Wanyang , Zhong Jingjun
Published: November 2023

The controllable speed casing is a novel casing treatment approach that makes partial casing rotate at adjustable and proper speed to achieve stability expansion. Structural parameters of casing treatment are found to influence the effect of stability expansion by many studies. In this paper, the effect of the ending position of the rotatable ring in controllable speed casing on the tip leakage flow and the stability expansion was studied numerically. The results show that when the rotatable ring rotates at 30 % and 50 % rotor design speed, the controllable speed casing achieves the stability expansion of the compressor rotor no matter where the ending position is. The upstream movement of the ending position decreases the axial pressure gradient in the middle and rear of the tip passage. It pushes the shock wave downstream, which reduces blockage region at tip leading edge. The upstream movement of the ending position contributes to an approximately linear increase in the stable operating margin.
Radio-lytic degradation of reactive dyes in aqueous solution: comparative analysis using gamma/H2O2 and UV/H2O2 processes
Authors: Hussain Mazhar , Muneer Majid , Sarfraz Sadaf , Hussain Shabbir , Alzahrani Fatimah M. , Tariq Muhammad , Iqbal Muhammad , Iqbal Munawar , Nazir Arif , Hussain Amjad
Published: November 2023

In this study, gamma/H2O2 and UV/H2O2 treatment procedures were used for the degradation of five dyes including reactive red PB (R-24), reactive orange P3LN (O-13), reactive turquoise blue PG (B-21), reactive golden yellow H2R (O-12) and reactive lemon yellow C4G L (Y-15). The dye samples of 50 or 100 ppm concentration were treated with either gamma (0–10 kGy) or UV radiations in the presence/absence of H2O2. This treatment resulted in the elimination of chromophoric groups and degradation of dye molecule into low molecular weight fragments. The H2O2 treatment caused the generation of hydroxyl radicals which degraded the pollutants non-selectively by means of chain oxidation process. The treatment effectiveness was increased when H2O2, which was used in conjunction with UV or gamma radiation and the treated water quality, improved significantly. However, the gamma/H2O2 treatment was found to be the more effective and efficient method as compared to the UV/H2O2 treatment for the removal of dyes from the water.
Clinical efficacy of robotic spine surgery: an updated systematic review of 20 randomized controlled trials
Authors: Sun Wen-xi , Huang Wei-qiang , Li Hua-yang , Wang Hong-shen , Guo Sheng-li , Dong Jie , Chen Bo-lai , Lin Yong-peng
Published: November 2023

Purpose

To determine whether using robots in spine surgery results in more clinical advantages and fewer adverse consequences.

Methods

Between October 1990 and October 2022, a computer-based search was conducted through the databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biology Medicine, VIP databases, and WAN FANG. The study only included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the clinical efficacy and safety of robot-assisted surgery with those of conventional spine surgery. The review was conducted following PRISMA 2020, and AMSTAR-2 was used to evaluate the methodological quality. R version 4.2.1 was used in the meta-analysis. The Cochrane Collaboration Tool was used for evaluating the risk of bias.

Results

This study analyzed 954 participants from 20 RCTs involving cervical spondylosis, lumbar degenerative disease, scoliosis, etc. The robot-assisted group outperformed the freehand group in terms of intraoperative blood loss, number of screws in grade A position, grade A + B position, radiation dose, and hospital stay. Operation duration, visual analog scale scores of low back pain, Oswestry disability index, and radiation exposure time did not significantly differ between the two groups.

Conclusions

Although robotic spine surgery is more accurate in pedicle screw placement than conventional methods, the robot group did not demonstrate an advantage in terms of clinical efficacy. Studies of complications and cost-effectiveness are still very rare.
Changes in the physical and mechanical properties of Pinus taeda and Eucalyptus bosistoana wood modified by contact charring
Authors: Ibanez Claudia Marcela , Kartal S. Nami , Soytürk Ekim Elçin , Kurul Fatih , Şeker Sedanur , Önses M. Serdar , Çelik Nusret , Temiz Adem Berke
Published: November 2023

Physical and mechanical properties were evaluated for all-sided charred Pinus taeda and Eucalyptus bosistoana wood by hot plate contact heating system followed by treatment with linseed oil. The water absorption, volumetric swelling, wettability, hardness, modulus of rupture, and modulus of elasticity in bending strength and compression strength parallel to grain were determined. The water absorption and volumetric swell were determined after immersion in water, as measured at various intervals of water immersion up to 120 h. The results suggested that the contact charring process with the addition of a linseed oil application improved water absorption and volumetric swell properties of charred specimens compared to un-charred controls. Hardness of the charred wood decreased by 38% and 43% in P. taeda and E. bosistoana specimens, respectively, compared with their respective controls. The highest reductions were seen in modulus of elasticity and compression strength values in charred P. taeda specimens, while modulus of rupture (MOR) values decreased more in charred E. bosistoana specimens than in charred P. taeda specimens. These results suggested that charring of P. taeda and E. bosistoana wood does improve the moisture-related characteristics; however, their mechanical behavior and hardness decreased.
Modern technologies for determining body links of wrestlers
Authors:   Borys Grinchenko Kyiv University, Latyshev M. , Rybak L. ,   National Academy of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine named after Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Shtanagei D. ,   National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport, Volsky D. ,   National University of Ukraine on Physical Education and Sport, Omelchuk M. ,   Khmelnytsky National University
Published: November 2023

Purpose: to determine the effectiveness of using modern computer vision technologies to determine the body parts of wrestlers in competitive activities. Material and methods. The following methods were used in the research: analysis of scientific and methodical literature and Internet sources, analysis of video and images with the help of computer vision (Computer Vision, Machine Learning), methods of mathematical statistics. The final bout in the 65 kg weight category at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in freestyle wrestling was chosen for analysis. The total number of video fragments was 1763 images. The Yolo machine learning model was used to detect faces, and Google's MediaPipe model was used to detect body parts. For each athlete, 21 body parts were identified. Results: the accuracy of identifying athletes' body parts was obtained: all indicators were above 78 %. The results of the analysis showed that the lower limbs are better identified: hip, knee, ankle, etc. The identification accuracy is above 90%. At the same time, the identification accuracy of the upper limbs is lower. In our opinion, this is due to the fact that athletes spend a sufficient amount of time in the grip and preparing for an attack during the fight. During this time, certain parts of the upper limbs are closed for identification. Analysis of the results of the number of unidentified images showed a similar trend to the identification accuracy. Most of the unidentified body parts were associated with the upper limbs (more than 25 %). At the same time, 10 to 12 % of the body parts associated with the delicate limbs were not identified. Conclusions. The analysis of results of the use of modern technologies of computer vision for determination of links of a body of wrestlers in competitive activity is carried out. The algorithm for studying the body parts of athletes had two stages: the first stage is to determine the area of the image fragment (video) where the athletes are located and the second is to determine the body parts of each wrestler. At the first stage of the study, it was possible to identify both athletes in 79,5 % of the images. The analysis of the accuracy of the athletes' body parts identification showed that the body parts of the lower limbs are better identified than those of te right limbs. This is due to the peculiarity of competitive activity. The visual analysis of the images showed that a certain part of the identified links do not coincide with the actual location of the athletes' body links.
Features of programming of power fitness classes for boys 15-17
Authors:   National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine, Ieremenko Nataliia , Kononenko Alexandra ,   National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine, Shchur Yaroslav ,   National University of Physical Education and Sports of Ukraine
Published: November 2023

Purpose: to develop a program of strength fitness classes for young people aged 15-17. Tasks: 1. To carry out the theoretical analysis of the scientific and methodical literature on a research problem; 2. To form methodical recommendations concerning classes of power fitness of young men of 15-17 years. Material and research methods. Theoretical analysis of scientific and methodological literature sources; pedagogical experiment; anthropometric methods; physiological methods. The study involved young people aged 15-17, who were motivated to engage in strength fitness to change their own health and physical capabilities of their body. With the use of anthropometric and physiological methods, the following results were revealed: anthropometric indicators increased after using the training program, after only three months of training.
Mental Health of Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Gender Dysphoria
Authors: Kahn Nicole F. , Sequeira Gina M. , Reyes Valentino , Garrison Michelle M. , Orlich Felice , Christakis Dimitri A. , Aye Tandy , Conard Lee Ann E. , Dowshen Nadia , Kazak Anne E. , Nahata Leena , Nokoff Natalie J. , Voss Raina V. , Richardson Laura P.
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Youth with either autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or gender dysphoria (GD) alone have also been shown to be at greater risk for mental health (MH) concerns; however, very little research has considered how cooccurring ASD and GD may exacerbate MH concerns. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between ASD, GD, and MH diagnoses (anxiety, depression, eating disorder, suicidality, and self-harm) among US adolescent populations.

METHODS

This is a secondary analysis of a large administrative dataset formed by 8 pediatric health system members of the PEDSnet learning health system network. Analyses included descriptive statistics and adjusted mixed logistic regression models testing for associations between combinations of ASD and GD diagnoses and MH diagnoses as recorded in the patient’s electronic medical record.

RESULTS

Based on data from 919 898 patients aged 9 to 18 years, adjusted mixed logistic regression indicated significantly greater odds of each MH diagnosis among those with ASD alone, GD alone, and cooccurring ASD/GD diagnoses compared with those with neither diagnosis. Youth with cooccurring ASD/GD were at significantly greater risk of also having anxiety (average predicted probability, 0.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.68–0.81) or depression diagnoses (average predicted probability, 0.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.24–0.43) compared with youth with ASD alone, GD alone, or neither diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Youth with cooccurring ASD/GD are more likely to also be diagnosed with MH concerns, particularly anxiety and depression. This study highlights the need to implement developmentally appropriate, gender-affirming MH services and interventions for youth with cooccurring ASD/GD.
Spontaneous dissection of the carotid and vertebral arteries: features in the stroke subpopulation
Authors: Orlova E. V. , Berdalin A. B. , Reshetarov I. D. , Lelyuk V. G.
Published: November 2023

Aim. To identify the characteristic features of patients after ischemic stroke (IS), probably associated with spontaneous dissection of the extracranial sections of carotid and vertebral arteries, and compare such patients with persons with IS of other genesis.Material and methods. The comparison group without signs of dissection included 1326 patients who had IS. The main group of patients with signs of dissection included 122 people aged 54,46±14,68 (21-84) years, 48 (39,3%) women and 74 (60,7%) men, among whom 106 people had IS. The dissection was determined by computed tomographic angiography and/or magnetic resonance angiography and/or duplex ultrasound.Results. Patients with dissection were significantly younger than those without it (p<0,001) and had a lower body mass index (BMI) (p<0,001). There was no relationship between the dissection location and sex and age (p>0,05). In the group with the same location of the infarction and dissection, adjusted for age, vertebrobasilar system involvement were more common (p=0,033), while the proportion of men was significantly higher (p=0,021), and the patients were significantly younger (p=0,027).Conclusion. Patients with dissection of the carotid and/or vertebral arteries were significantly younger than those without it. We found that in patients with dissection, BMI was significantly lower and depended on age, while in patients without dissections, BMI did not depend on age. A number of differences were identified in the group of patients with stroke likely associated with dissection, in comparison with those with strokes of another genesis.
Analyzing ESG activities of integrated casino resorts based on text mining
Authors:   The Tourism Sciences Society Of Korea, Lee Byung-Joo , Kang Shin-Yol
Published: November 2023

In light of the growing awareness of the importance of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in the tourism sector, this study addresses the lack of a universally accepted academic definition for ESG as well as limited research on its specific facets. Instead of using ambiguous benchmarks to evaluate ESG activities, we take an exploratory approach. We collect ESG, Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR), and sustainability reports from this sector's multinational conglomerates. We identify key topics in three major domains using network cluster analysis. Within the environmental domain, there are terms such as “waste management”, “renewable energy”, “water conservation”, “climate change”, “energy efficiency”, and “local environment protection”. Critical topics in the social domain included “team development”, “education and training”, “employee welfare”, “non-discrimination”, and “human resource management”. The governance framework included “management oversight”, “responsible gaming”, “risk management”, “stakeholder management”, “data security”, and “anti-bribery measures”. This study is the first to use text data analysis in ESG research and provides an exploratory overview of prevalent ESG activities in the tourism industry. In the environmental, social, and governance realms, our findings highlight the industry's emphasis on waste management, resource conservation, and employee welfare. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining corporate ethics and improving managerial capabilities in integrated resort settings.
Türkiye’de Dijital Siyaset: Siyasal Partilerin Dijital Demokrasi Pratikleri
Authors: ŞEN A. Fulya , ŞEN Y. Furkan
Published: November 2023

Dijital siyaset, siyasetçiler için fırsatları ve riskleri birlikte içermekte ve “yeni bir siyaset” anlayışına gönderme yapmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, Türkiye'deki anaakım siyasetin iki temel aktörü olan iktidar (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi) ve ana muhalefet (Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi) partisinin dijital teknolojinin sunduğu olanakların daha demokratik bir toplum yaratılması için kullanılmasına dayanan bu “yeni siyaset” anlayışına yönelik eğilimlerini anlamak amacıyla, özellikle COVID-19 pandemisinin ilk bir yılını kapsayan Mart 2020-Nisan 2021 tarihleri arasındaki Twitter’daki etkileşim örüntüleri ve söylemlerinin merkezindeki temalar analiz edilmiştir. Dijital teknolojinin tabandan yükselen bir demokrasinin gelişmesine ne tür katkılar sağladığını tartışan bu çalışma, dijital siyasal iletişim biçimlerinin geleneksel siyasal iletişim biçimlerinden çok farklı olmadığı, diyaloğa kapalı ve tek yönlü olarak işlediği ve egemen siyaset yapma biçimlerinin eleştirel kamusal tartışmalara alan açmadığı sonucuna ulaşmıştır. Liberal demokratik bir siyasal sistemi tanımlayan ve bu sistemden doğan konuları ve sorunları kapsayan anahtar sözcükler üzerinden yapılan taramada, her iki siyasal partinin de toplumsal kriz, siyaset ve ekonomi temelli sorunları söylemlerinden dışladığı görülmüştür.
Türkiye’deki “Dijital Doğan” Gazetelerin Sürdürülebilirliklerini Sağlamalarının Yolları: Bir Alan Araştırması
Authors: DEMİR Sevtap
Published: November 2023

Bu çalışma, Türkiye’deki dijital olarak doğan gazetelerin gelir kaynaklarını, bu alanda varlıklarını sürdürebilmek için ne tür stratejiler uyguladıklarını ve geleneksel medyanın internet siteleri ile rekabet edip edemediklerini ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmada inceleme nesnesi olarak “dijital doğan” gazeteler seçilmiştir çünkü geleneksel medyanın internet siteleri çoğunlukla bilinen ve okuyucuda alışkanlık yaratmış markalar oldukları için dijital alanda da bunun avantajını kullanmakta, reklam almakta sorun yaşamamaktadır. Oysa dijital doğan gazeteler, bir marka bilinirlilikleri olmadan alana girmektedir ve dolayısıyla daha dezavantajlı konumdadır. Dolayısıyla hayatta kalmak ve sürdürülebilirliklerini sağlamak için belirli gelir kaynakları yaratmak ve çeşitli stratejiler geliştirmek zorundadırlar. Bu amaçla çalışmada dokuz “dijital doğan” gazetenin yetkilileriyle derinlemesine görüşmeler yapılmış, böylece bu gazetelerin sürdürülebilir olma yollarının neler olduğu ortaya konmaya çalışılmıştır.
The Performance of Isolated Half-Scissor Like Elements Mechanism Under Compression Axial Load
Authors:   Department of Civil Engineering, Politeknik Sultan Idris Shah, Malaysia., Teck Jung Chai , Cher Siang Tan ,   Faculty of Civil Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Malaysia, Heng Boon Koh ,   Faculty of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, Malaysia
Published: November 2023

Half-Scissor Like Elements (H-SLEs) deployable mechanism is the prefab scissor based structural mechanism consists of two bars with bolted connection to enable structure change shape. An experimental investigation on the isolated H-SLEs deployable mechanism under compression axial load was presented. A total of twelve specimens were fabricated in two series with six specimens each series were tested on their strength and stability at deployed configuration. The test specimens in series 1 mm thick C75 section were namely S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 and S6 while series 0.75 mm thick C 75 section were namely S7, S8, S9, S10, S11 and S12. The test specimens consist of C 75 and C 100 section which connected with M6, M8 and M10 bolt in grade 8.8. The compression axial load was applied at the center of 3 mm thick loading platform. The experimental results obtained indicated that four types of failure modes observed, i.e. bolt bending failure, section bearing failure, member buckling failure and instability due to horizontal displacement at mid-height of H-SLEs deployable mechanism (Bolted joint area). Among these failure modes, bolt bending failure was dominated the overall structure stability and impacts others failure modes indirectly while section thickness has impacted the buckling and bearing failure. The ultimate load capacity over BS EN 1993 design bearing resistance ratio obtained for M10 bolt was satisfactory. Besides, twisted effect observed during load applied also contributed to the failure modes identified. Thus, the H-SLEs deployable mechanism with stiffener with M10 bolt connection is necessary for future research in the application of spatial deployable structure purposes.