bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Registration of Point Sets with Large and Uneven Non-Rigid Deformation
Authors:   , Maharjan Amar Man
Published: January 2025

Non-rigid point set registration of significantly uneven deformations is a challenging problem for many applications such as pose estimation, three-dimensional object reconstruction, human movement tracking. In this dissertation, we present a novel probabilistic non-rigid registration method to align point sets with significantly uneven deformations by enforcing constraints from corresponding key points and preserving local neighborhood structures. The registration method is treated as a density estimation problem. Incorporating correspondence among key points regulates the optimization process for large, uneven deformations. In addition, by leveraging neighborhood embedding using Stochastic Neighbor Embedding (SNE) as well as an alternative means based on Locally Linear Embedding (LLE), our method penalizes the incoherent transformation and hence preserves the local structure of point sets. Also, our method detects key points in the point sets based on geodesic distance. Correspondences are established using a new cluster-based, region-aware feature descriptor. This feature descriptor encodes the association of a cluster to the left-right (symmetry) or upper-lower regions of the point sets. We conducted comparison studies using public point sets and our Human point sets. Our experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method successfully reduced the registration error by at least 42.2% in contrast to the state-of-the-art method. Especially, our method demonstrated much superior performance in the case of a large degree of deformations. Experimental results show more than 30% improvements when key point correspondence is used. Our study shows that the influence of the global constraint (key point correspondences) is greater than that of the local constraint. Our analysis of using incorrect key point correspondence reveals the sensitivity of the proposed method. Given erroneous but symmetric correspondence, our method was able to produce fairly good results. In addition, our study on time reports a competitive computational efficiency of the proposed method.
Integrating Body and Mind Awareness into the Pedagogy of Expiratory Breathing, Large Intervallic Leaps, and Altissimo Production when Performing the Alto Saxophone
Authors:   , Kelley Brandon Matthew
Published: January 2025

Specific movements within the pelvic floor, abdomen, diaphragm, ribs, and spine are show to be associated with either inspiration or expiration when playing the alto saxophone. These movements support tone production during the performance of large intervallic leaps and altissimo register notes. During expiratory breath, specific vocal-tract formations and movements are show to be adaptive with either the higher and lower registers. Anatomical areas studied include the glottis, larynx, pharynx, velum and soft palate, tongue arch, and tongue proximity to the reed. Flouroscopy and endoscopic research by Watkins, Pattnoede, and Jordheim challenge common pedagogical advice for palm-key and altissimo register notes such as using a high tongue arch, fast air and the "ee" vowel. Literature by historical and even current pedagogues do not clarify their use of the terms "larynx" or "throat." In the context of their writing those terms could ambiguously mean oropharynx, laryngopharynx, glottis, neck muscles or vertical position of larynx. Mental tension, fear, and negative inner dialogue are shown to cause reflexive and tension-based movement. These issues negatively impact the formation and direction of adaptive vocal-tract movements for large ascending intervallic leaps and altissimo-register note production. Repeated failure by a student can provoke negative self-talk as well as maladaptive emotions and beliefs about the musical challenge, potentially creating a longstanding narrative that leads to less than positive expectations for saxophone technique. Knowledge and use of adaptive vocal-tract and breathing movements can erode negative dialogue by providing evidence that it is not true. The student may begin to use positive self-talk, creating better inner dialogue and beliefs. Over time, confidence from body and mind awareness supports the formation of positive expectations. The tenets of mindfulness and inclusive awareness put forward by authors such as Dunkel, Caplan, Hall, Leaf, and Westney were shown to be complementary to the body and vocal-tract movements needed for the musical challenges discussed. Practical exercises are given to help the student increase body and mind awareness. Intentionally gaining awareness of and mindfully practicing adaptive body mapping and vocal-tract movements can support the effective production of, and lead to a healthy mindset for achieving successful performances of large intervallic leaps and altissimo-register tones.
Tuning Effect on Thermal Radiative Emission of Thermo-Mechano-Optical Gratings and Multilayers
Authors:   , Araki Ken
Published: January 2025

The recipes of optical radiative properties manipulation are their materials chemistry, nano/microscale geometry, and transport properties of quasiparticle carriers such as photons, phonons, and electrons. The important technical element in optical properties is the dielectric function of materials, which is different for metals, dielectrics, 2D materials, and phase transition materials. Graphene has a unique electrical conductivity profile which have metallic nature depending on the frequency, but also has a negative thermal expansion coefficient that makes graphene unique. Hence, graphene creates wrinkles when deposited on the substrate as temperature decreases to room temperature from high substrate temperature. We also study phase transition material, particularly vanadium dioxide that transitions from insulating to metallic phase based on temperature change; we investigate its role in far-field thermal radiation. Other transition metal oxides are studied as a thermally and electrically tunable plasmonic gratings: Transition metal oxides include vanadium dioxide, tungsten trioxide, and molybdenum trioxide. The work demonstrates plasmonic phenomena and absorptance/emittance tunability. First, surface plasmon polariton along the graphene (SPPG) when wrinkles are formed above the plasmonic grating is studied. The resonance peak shift is modeled for both magnetic polariton (MP) with inductor-capacitor (LC) circuit and SPPG with Fabry-Perot phase change model. Second, the self-adaptive radiative coating is proposed using vanadium dioxide for high turn-down in emissivity spectrum. The Si high contrast grating (HCG) is introduced on the vanadium dioxide coating to prevent solar absorption by vanadium dioxide layer which have high extinction coefficient in visible to near-infrared region. Lastly, the switching in resonances, transitioning from MP resonance at metallic state to transmission mode obtained from concept of zero contrast grating (ZCG) is described. Overall, the work is aimed to tailor the optical radiative properties of gratings and multilayers used for thermal regulating applications.
Professor Carl A. Helmecke and Nazism: A Case Study of German-American Assimilation
Authors:   , Collins Steven Morris
Published: January 2025

Carl A. Helmecke, like many German Americans marginalized by the anti-Germanism of the First World War and interwar period, believed that democracy had failed him. A professor with a doctoral degree in social philosophy, he regularly wrote newsletter columns declaring that the emphasis on individualism in the United States had allowed antidemocratic forces to corrupt the government, oppress citizens, and politicize schools and institutions for propaganda purposes. Moreover, widespread hunger and unemployment during the Great Depression added to the long list of failures attributable to democracy. What the United States needed, Helmecke thought, was political change, and he believed that the Nazi regime in his homeland, albeit flawed, had much to offer. In 1937, he went on a teaching sabbatical to Nazi Germany to study the Third Reich's education and social programs. When he returned to the United States, he began promoting Nazi ideals about education and labor camps. Although Hitler's 1939 invasion of Poland, followed by the United States entry into World War II, brought his fascist illusions for political change in the United States to an abrupt end, his belief in the correctness of an autocratic system of governance for Germany rather than that of the western democracies endured. His story helps to explain why some German American academics embraced Nazism during the interwar period and later denied the Holocaust and other Nazi atrocities.
An Investigation into the Micromechanical and Corrosion Properties of Additively Manufactured Stainless Steel 316L
Authors:   , England Jennifer
Published: January 2025

In this thesis, micro-mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) processed additive manufactured (AM) 316L stainless steel parts were investigated for different combinations of processing parameters. Various laser powers were employed for the fabrication of all AM 316L stainless steel parts. Nanoindentation, areal roughness, and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) characterization were used to characterize the surface of the AM samples prior to corrosion testing. Open circuit potential (OCP), linear polarization resistance (LPR), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and potentiodynamic polarization tests were done to compare AM L-PBF 316L stainless steels with different processing parameters. Overall, it was observed that the AM part having a 56.67 J/mm3 volumetric energy density (VED) exhibits the best micro-mechanical characteristics. This sample also had the lowest areal surface roughness and smallest grain size. Consequently, this parameter combination had better corrosion resistance compared to the other AM processed 316L parts. The results are useful in process calibration when fabricating for corrosion resistance applications and provide insights into the relationship among nano-mechanical, crystallography, and long-term corrosion performance.
Data Mining Using Direct Injection Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry, Infrared Spectroscopy, Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy, and Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Rapid Identification of Nutraceuticals and Contaminants
Authors:   , Yazici Micayla Rose Morgan
Published: January 2025

There has been a rapid surge toward "organic" products devoid of GMOs, MSGs, and other common compounds found in processed foods that continue to indicate an association with an increased risk for disease. These consumers seek nutrients and vitamins that are lacking in their diet and lifestyle in the form of nutraceuticals for disease prevention and treatment as well as overall lifestyle enhancement. However, these products generally lack clinical evidence as well as legal definition. Due to this ambiguity, nutraceuticals are neither considered a food product nor a pharmaceutical product. Furthermore, due to their alleged natural properties allowing for safe, therapeutic effects, nutraceuticals are being eagerly sought after by consumers in the place of pharmaceuticals. Additionally, since nutraceutical substances are "naturally" derived, there is a general lack of regulation regarding the manufacturing and distribution process. This mismanagement leads to lack of quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) protocols strictly implemented to define appropriate production and storage parameters. Without these critical measures, consumers are subjected to contamination of their products resulting from improper storage conditions and unmanaged production. These contaminants often include heavy metal impurities, pesticides, bacterial activity, and may also be adulterated with illicit drugs, all leading to detrimental health and environmental effects.
Community Participation for the Improvement of Educational System in Pakistan
Authors:   , Nadeem Fiaz
Published: January 2025

The purpose of this study was to investigate the current state of community participation in Pakistani schools in the capitol city of Pakistan. All national education policies developed by the government of Pakistan stress the need for community participation in the schools. School leaders are mandated to develop strategies to involve parents and community members in schools. This research focused on a single case with multiple subunits geographically situated in Islamabad, Pakistan. In the current study, participants were educational leaders at the central office, campus principals, and representatives of parents and community members in the school and college management committees. Qualitative data included one-to-one interviews, focus groups, and collection of available documents related to community participation in Pakistani schools. Findings of the study revealed four goals and outcomes of the community participation in Pakistani schools. These goals are financial support to the schools, advocacy for schools, academic support and feedback, and support in administration. Major challenges faced by community members and parents during participation in schools include lack of information and awareness, role ambiguity and lack of training, financial constraint and unwelcoming behavior of school and central office administration. Data revealed that educational leadership behaviors which impact community engagement include sociability, trustworthiness, democratic behavior in decision making, and motivational strategies adopted by school leaders. In summary, government, community members, parents and educational leaders are highly intended to work collaboratively for the improvement of education, but a gap is found between intentions and practice in Pakistani educational system.
Developing a Generalizable Two-Input Genetic AND Logic Gate in Arabidopsis thaliana for Multi-Signal Processing
Authors:   , Anderson Charles Edgar
Published: January 2025

With effective engineering using synthetic biology approaches, plant-based platforms could conceivably be designed to minimize the production costs and wastes of high-value products such as medicines, biofuels, and chemical feedstocks that would otherwise be uneconomical. Additionally, modern agricultural crops could be engineered to be more productive, resilient, or restorative in different or rapidly changing environments and climates. To achieve these complex goals, information-processing genetic devices and circuits containing multiple interacting parts that behave predictably must be developed. A genetic Boolean AND logic gate is a device that computes the presence or absence of two inputs (signals, stimuli) and produces an output (response) only if both inputs are present. Here, we optimized individual genetic components and used synthetic protein heterodimerizing domains to rationally assemble genetic AND logic gates that integrate two hormonal inputs in whole plants. These AND gates produce an output only in the presence of both abscisic acid and auxin, but not when either or neither hormone is present. Furthermore, we demonstrate the AND gate can also integrate two plant stresses, cold temperature and bacterial infection, to produce a specific response. The design principles used here are generalizable, and therefore multiple orthogonal AND gates could be assembled and rationally layered to process complex genetic information in plants. In addition to bioproduction, these layered logic gates may also be used in circuits to probe fundamental questions in plant biology such as hormonal crosstalk.
Measuring Creativity in Academic Writing
Authors:   , Nagel Janessa Helen Bower
Published: January 2025

The demand for a creative workforce has never been higher, yet schools struggle to teach and assess creativity among students predictably and efficiently. Compositions are an effective way to incorporate creativity across the curriculum; however, essays are time consuming for teachers to score for objective quality or subjective creativity. In this study, I explored a) if high creativity scores are related to high quality and sophistication in academic writing, and b) if extant text-mining tools effectively identify quality, sophistication, and creativity in academic essays. I collected 230 essays written by Grade 11 students. Four human-raters analyzed these essays for quality, sophistication, and creativity, and I used text-mining tools designed to assess creativity to analyze the same. Using correlations - including the variables semantic distance (measured against the GloVe corpus), entropy (measured with Shannon's Entropy Index), and idea density (measured with CPIDR5.1) - I assessed both human-raters' and text-mining tools' proficiency at identifying quality, sophistication, and creativity in academic essays. Quality, sophistication, and creativity were also regressed on these same text-mining variables to assess which method - human or computer – and which of the text-mining tools - best predicts these dependent variables. Human-raters' creativity scores correlated with human-raters' quality scores (r = .418) and sophistication scores (r = .321), as well as the text-mining tools MeanSim (r = -.131), OCS Originality (r = .359), Idea Density (r = .368), and Entropy (r = .388). These findings suggest text-mining tools designed for creativity can capture quality and sophistication of student essays. A comparison of human-raters' creativity scores and text-mining models revealed text-mining models can capture quality (R2 = .445) and sophistication (R2 = .373) better than human raters can capture quality (R2 = .175) and sophistication (R2 = .103).
Mujeres y travestismo en el cine español previo a la Guerra Civil (1927-1935): entre la agencia y la homosexualidad
Authors: Lomas Santiago
Published: January 2025

Durante los últimos años, los estudios queer aplicados a la historia del cine español han experimentado un notable desarrollo: aunque centrados mayoritariamente en representaciones creadas en democracia, más recientemente también han explorado el largo período del franquismo. Este artículo propone dar un paso más allá para investigar el cine español previo a la Guerra Civil y la dictadura franquista. En concreto, analiza cómo, entre 1927 y 1935, surgieron en algunas películas imágenes pioneras de mujeres travestidas. Estas imágenes entroncaron con los nuevos modelos de feminidad del primer tercio del siglo xx y las ansiedades que generaron; así mismo, amparándose en el marco discursivo de la comedia, constituyeron precursoras aproximaciones a la representación de la homosexualidad en la historia del audiovisual español. Mediante investigación histórica, se recuperan narraciones, imágenes y discursos de tres películas perdidas, Historia de un taxi (1927), Susana tiene un secreto (1933) y Amor en maniobras (1935), para analizar cómo funcionaba el potencial transgresor del travestismo en ellas. Este permite a sus protagonistas ganar poder o acceso a entornos masculinos, así como propicia, en la primera, el primer beso homosexual documentado en el cine español, o, en la tercera, la exploración del tabú de la homosexualidad en contextos militares.
Acute Q Fever after Kidney Transplantation: A Case Report
Authors: Xie Junjie , Li Gang , Lin Fenwang , Bai Zhijie , Yu Lixin , Zhang Dongjing , Zhang Bolun , Ye Junsheng , Yu Ruohan
Published: January 2025

Aims/Background Patients receiving kidney transplant experience immunosuppression, which increases the risk of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections. Q fever is a potentially fatal infectious disease that affects immunocompromised renal transplant recipients and has implications in terms of severe consequences for the donor's kidney.

Case Presentation A patient with acute Q fever infection following kidney transplantation was admitted to the Tsinghua Changgung Hospital in Beijing, China, in March 2021. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was used to diagnose Q fever in the patient. Based on the patient's blood test, we detected Rickettsia, the causative agent of Q fever and a zoonotic disease that can manifest in acute or chronic forms in humans. Comprehensive data on clinical symptoms, blood tests, chest computed tomography (CT), NGS, Immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody titer, and therapeutic efficacy associated with Q fever infection following renal transplantation in this patient were gathered.

Conclusion This is the first reported case of acute Q fever occurring in a Chinese renal transplant recipient detected using metagenomic NGS. This case underscores the need to consider acute Q fever as a possible differential diagnosis in kidney transplant recipients with fever of unknown origin.
Large area implementation of bound states in the continuum in a one-dimensional photonic crystal by an optical axis rotating approach
Authors: Chen Chen , Liu Ziyi , Wang Ying , Li Jianfei , Yao Jingfeng , Liu Jianlong , Yuan Chengxun , Vladimir Bakulev , Zhou Zhongxiang
Published: January 2025

It is generally accepted that the bound states in the continuum (BICs) are usually realized in a one-dimensional system by the TM-polarized light incident at Brewster’s angle. However, the optimal BICs can be achieved only under specific incident light and at a specific polarization incident angle, which poses challenges to its experimental implementation. Serving this purpose, we design a system composed of an anisotropic material (AM) embedded in one-dimensional photonic crystals (1D-PhCs), demonstrating that both TE and TM waves can realize BICs. Moreover, the existence of BICs does not hinge on the specific angle of the incident light. In contrast to the traditional methods of creation system symmetry to achieve symmetry-protected BICs (SP-BICs), we use the 1D-PhC to confine the TE or TM wave in different frequencies first as a form of cavity (localized) mode and rotating the optical axis of AM at a specific angle to realize the field mismatch. Besides, our system can realize Friedrich–Wintgen BICs (FW-BICs) because of the destructive interference of the radiative waves in other specific angles, which can be detected as some Fano resonance collapsing points in reflection spectra. Our results provide more flexible conditions for the realization of BICs under the TE-polarized light, making the implementation of switch Q-factor easier.
Four-dimensional imaging based on a binocular chiral metalens
Authors: Zhang Lingyun , Yang Jianing , Zhang Li , Jing Xiaoli , Liang Chao , Zhang Chi , Xiong Chengsong , Zhang Zhongshan , Ma Bo , Xing Fei , Zhao Xiaoguang
Published: January 2025

In this Letter, we present a binocular chiral metalens (BCM) device designed for four-dimensional (4D) imaging, which integrates both three-dimensional spatial perception and polarization detection. The BCM consists of two identical monocular metalenses that spatially separate left- and right-handed circularly polarized (LCP and RCP) light. When integrated with a commercial camera, the metalenses enable simultaneous measurement of the depth and polarization information. Numerical simulations and experimental results demonstrate that the BCM can achieve a circular polarization extinction ratio (CPER) of 29.2 dB and an average 3D reconstruction error of 4.09%. The proposed system paves a pathway for multi-dimensional imaging, with significant potential in applications in security, surveillance, and future advancements in more complex imaging tasks across other electromagnetic bands, including terahertz and infrared regimes.
Tail Anchored protein insertion mediated by CAML and TRC40 links to neuromuscular function in mice
Authors: Zhang Ying , He Lihong , Gundelach Justin , Ge Anjie , Edlund Helena , Norlin Stefan , Bram Richard J.
Published: January 2025

Motor neuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and progressive bulbar palsy, involve loss of muscle control resulting from death of motor neurons. Although the exact pathogenesis of these syndromes remains elusive, many are caused by genetically inherited mutations. Thus, it is valuable to identify additional genes that can impact motor neuron survival and function. In this report, we describe mice that express globally reduced levels of calcium-modulating cyclophilin ligand (CAML) protein. CAML is an essential component in the transmembrane domain recognition complex (TRC) pathway, responsible for inserting C-terminal tail anchored (TA) proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. The primary phenotype observed in these mice was rapid development of hind limb weakness and paralysis. Spinal cord sections revealed a loss of motor neuron cell bodies. Targeting CAML loss specifically to neurons using SLICK-H-Cre or synapsin-Cre transgenic mice yielded similar phenotypes, indicating that CAML plays a cell autonomous role in this process. We found that intracellular trafficking was perturbed in cells depleted of CAML, with aberrant release of procathepsin D and defective retention of CD222 within the trans-Golgi network, as well as reduced levels and mislocalization of syntaxin 5 (Stx5). Dysfunctional lysosomes and abnormal protein glycosylation were also revealed in CAML deficient cells, further indicating a defect in Golgi trafficking. In addition, we observed an identical phenotype in mice lacking ASNA1 in neurons, suggesting that CAML’s role in sustaining muscle function is related to its involvement in the TRC pathway. Together, these findings implicate motor neuron survival as a key role for the TA protein insertion machinery in mice, which may shed light on the pathogenesis of neuromuscular disease in humans.
Pooled PPIseq: Screening the SARS-CoV-2 and human interface with a scalable multiplexed protein-protein interaction assay platform
Authors: Miller Darach , Dziulko Adam , Levy Sasha
Published: January 2025

Protein-Protein Interactions (PPIs) are a key interface between virus and host, and these interactions are important to both viral reprogramming of the host and to host restriction of viral infection. In particular, viral-host PPI networks can be used to further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of tissue specificity, host range, and virulence. At higher scales, viral-host PPI screening could also be used to screen for small-molecule antivirals that interfere with essential viral-host interactions, or to explore how the PPI networks between interacting viral and host genomes co-evolve. Current high-throughput PPI assays have screened entire viral-host PPI networks. However, these studies are time consuming, often require specialized equipment, and are difficult to further scale. Here, we develop methods that make larger-scale viral-host PPI screening more accessible. This approach combines the mDHFR split-tag reporter with the iSeq2 interaction-barcoding system to permit massively-multiplexed PPI quantification by simple pooled engineering of barcoded constructs, integration of these constructs into budding yeast, and fitness measurements by pooled cell competitions and barcode-sequencing. We applied this method to screen for PPIs between SARS-CoV-2 proteins and human proteins, screening in triplicate >180,000 ORF-ORF combinations represented by >1,000,000 barcoded lineages. Our results complement previous screens by identifying 74 putative PPIs, including interactions between ORF7A with the taste receptors TAS2R41 and TAS2R7, and between NSP4 with the transmembrane KDELR2 and KDELR3. We show that this PPI screening method is highly scalable, enabling larger studies aimed at generating a broad understanding of how viral effector proteins converge on cellular targets to effect replication.
Translation, adaptation and validation of an epilepsy screening instrument in two Ghanaian languages
Authors: Darkwa Emmanuel Kwame , Asiamah Sabina , Awini Elizabeth , Sottie Cynthia , Godi Anthony , Williams John E. , Akpalu Albert , Cross J. Helen , Sander Josemir W. , Sen Arjune , Newton Charles R. , Danso-Appiah Anthony , Adjei Patrick
Published: January 2025

Introduction

The prevalence of epilepsy in sub-Saharan Africa varies considerably, and the exact estimate for Ghana remains unclear, particularly in peri-urban areas where data are scarce. More community-based studies are required to understand better the actual burden of epilepsy in these areas and the difficulties in accessing healthcare.

Objective

To adapt and validate a household survey epilepsy-screening instrument in Shai-Osudoku and Ningo-Prampram District of Greater Accra Region, Ghana.

Methods

We developed a 17-item epilepsy screening instrument by modifying previously validated English language questionnaires. We included questions that could identify convulsive and non-convulsive seizures. Language experts forward- and back-translated the questionnaires into the two languages: Asante Twi and Dangme. Cases were people with confirmed epilepsy attending healthcare facilities where these languages are used. Controls were unaffected relatives of cases or people attending the same healthcare facilities for other medical conditions. We matched cases and controls for geographical location and ethnicity. An affirmative response to one of the seventeen questions by a participant was deemed a positive screen. The questionnaires were divided into two stages. The first stage consisted of broader, more general questions aimed at identifying potential cases of epilepsy. The second stage involved a more detailed and focused set of questions administered to those who screened positive in the first stage.

Results

One hundred and forty Dangme speakers (70 cases and 70 controls) and 100 Asante Twi speakers (50 cases and 50 controls) were recruited. The sensitivity and specificity for Dangme were: Stage 1, 100% and 80%, and Stage 2, 98.6% and 85.7%. The Dangme version reliably identified epilepsy with positive predictive values of 83.3% and 87.3% at stages 1 and 2. The questionnaire excluded epilepsy with 100% and 98.4% negative predictive values. For the Asante Twi version, the sensitivity and specificity were 98% and 92% (95% at Stage 1, and for Stage 2, 96% and 94%. The Asante Twi questionnaire reliably specified epilepsy with positive predictive values of 92.5% and 94.1% at stages 1 and 2. It excluded epilepsy with negative predictive values of 97.9% and 95.9% for the two stages

Conclusions

Our questionnaire is valid for the two languages and usable for community-based epilepsy surveys in Ghana. It can also be adapted for other resource-poor settings, although translation and iterative in-country testing will be needed to ensure its validity.
Unhealthy behaviours associated with uncontrolled hypertension among adults in India- Insights from a national survey
Authors: Sai Sushma Kuppli , Kumar Shubham , Gujjarlapudi Chaitanya , Bodhi Srividya Vennam , Verma Madhur , Nagamani N. G. , Jothula Kishore Yadav , Jaswal Nidhi , Goel Sonu
Published: January 2025

Background

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are governed by a cluster of unhealthy behaviours and their determinants, like tobacco and alcohol, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, overweight and obesity, pollution (air, water, and soil), and stress. Regulation of these unhealthy behaviours plays a crucial role in blood pressure control among individuals on hypertensive treatment, especially those suffering from uncontrolled hypertension. Hence, the present study aims at identifying the unhealthy behaviours associated with uncontrolled hypertension.

Materials and methods

We did a secondary data analysis of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) -5 data (2019–2021). Among those taking prescribed medication to lower blood pressure levels, SBP ≥140 mm Hg or DBP ≥90 mm Hg were considered uncontrolled hypertension. The other socio-demographic variables and unhealthy behaviours were used as independent variables for analysis.

Results

The proportion of uncontrolled hypertension was 49·5% (95% CI: 45·5–53·4) and 36·8% (95% CI: 35.8–37.8) among males and females, respectively. Alcohol consumption, clean fuel usage, and high BMI (≥30kg/m2) were the behavioural characteristics significantly associated with uncontrolled hypertension among males. In contrast, tobacco usage, alcohol consumption, coverage by Health insurance, presence of Diabetes, heart disease, usage of clean fuel, and high BMI (≥30kg/m2) were the behavioural characteristics significantly associated with uncontrolled hypertension among females. Regression results portrayed that higher age groups (45 and above) have found higher odds for men (OR: 7.6, CI: 4.6–12.3) and women (OR: 6.08, CI: 4.0–6.0) compared with 30 years and below age groups. Similarly, higher odds were found among the wealthiest wealth quintile than the poorest wealth quintile among men and women.

Conclusion

The current study reported a high proportion of uncontrolled hypertension. Providing opportunistic health education during blood pressure monitoring, regular screening, and targeted interventions will not only help to reduce its prevalence but also reduce the risk of developing related health implications.
Economic impact and clinical benefits of clinical pharmacy interventions: A six-year multi-center study using an innovative medication management tool
Authors: Alsetohy Watheq M. , El-fass Kareem A. , El Hadidi Seif , Zaitoun Mohammad F. , Badary Osama , Ali Kareem A. , Ezz-Elden Ahmed , Ibrahim Mohamed R. , Makhlouf Bahaa S. , Hamdy Asmaa , El Baghdady Noha S. , Eldien Maha Gamal , Allama Sherif , Alashkar Amr A. , Seyam Ahmed , Adel Nanees A. , Ibrahim Ahmed R. N. , Zaki Hany V.
Published: January 2025

Background

Increasing healthcare costs, particularly in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) like Egypt, highlight the need for rational economic strategies. Clinical pharmacy interventions offer potential benefits by reducing drug therapy problems and associated costs, thereby supporting healthcare system sustainability.

Objective

This study evaluates the economic impact and clinical benefits of clinical pharmacy interventions in four tertiary hospitals in Egypt by implementing an innovative tool for medication management, focusing on cost avoidance and return on investment (ROI), while accounting for case severity and drug therapy problem (DTP) resolution.

Methods

Utilizing a digital tool, cost avoidance was assessed by considering the severity of patient cases and the effectiveness of clinical pharmacists’ interventions in resolving identified DTPs. Additionally, ROI was calculated by incorporating both full-time equivalent (FTE) and non-FTE costs to evaluate the overall economic impact of clinical pharmacy services over a six-year period across four tertiary care hospitals in Egypt.

Results

Over six years, a total of 492,612 patients were reviewed, leading to 19,240 comprehensive clinical pharmacy interventions. These interventions achieved an 88.63% resolution of DTPs, significantly reducing patient risk by preventing adverse DTP consequences, resulting in a total cost avoidance of EGP 265.32 million (USD 8.60 million) and an average ROI of 7.6 (760%). This underscores the substantial economic impact of clinical pharmacy services, particularly in LMICs and countries transitioning to universal health insurance coverage, where cost efficiency and patient safety are critical.

Conclusion

This study underscores the importance of clinical pharmacy interventions in improving healthcare outcomes and generating significant economic benefits, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. By accounting for case severity and the level of DTP consequences, along with the efficiency of clinical pharmacist-led interventions in resolving DTPs, the economic impact of these services can be more accurately evaluated. These findings are essential for informing policy decisions, highlighting the critical role of clinical pharmacy services in supporting healthcare systems facing economic constraints.
Preventive and curative dental services utilization among children aged 12 years and younger in Tehran, Iran, based on the Andersen behavioral model: A generalized structural equation modeling
Authors: Amirian Elaheh , Razeghi Samaneh , Molaei Alireza , Shamshiri Ahmad R. , Mohebbi Simin Z.
Published: January 2025

World Health Organization invites the nations to progress towards universal health care coverage. This study evaluated preventive and curative dental services utilization among children aged 12 years and younger in Tehran, Iran, based on the Andersen behavioral model using a generalized structural equation modeling. A phone-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Tehran, Iran, on 886 children in 2023. Information on curative and preventive/consultation dental service utilization and associated factors was collected by a standard questionnaire. We used a generalized structural equation model (GSEM) to build a model based on Andersen’s behavioral model. Of 886 children, 22.1% used curative dental services, and 19.9% used preventive/consultation services in the past year. Among children aged 6 years and younger, age (OR = 1.87, p-value <0.001) and parent-perceived oral health need (OR = 54.77, p-value <0.001) predicted curative services utilization and age (OR = 1.45, p-value <0.001), knowledge (OR = 1.36, p-value <0.001), dental visit before the age of one (OR = 6.05, p-value = 0.04), and socioeconomic status (OR = 1.65, p-value = 0.03) predicted preventive/consultation services utilization. Regarding children aged 7 to 12, knowledge (OR = 1.28, p-value = 0.03), dental visit before the age of one (OR = 11.12, p-value = 0.02), socioeconomic status (OR = 2.53, p-value = 0.01), dental insurance (OR = 4.17, p-value <0.001), and parent-perceived oral health need (OR = 19.48, p-value <0.001) associated with curative dental services utilization, and dental visit before the age of one (OR = 10.05, p-value = 0.02), oral health behavior (OR = 1.25, p-value = 0.04), socioeconomic status (OR = 3.74, p-value <0.001), and parent-perceived oral health need (OR = 4.62, p-value <0.001) related to preventive/consultation services utilization. The findings of this study underscore the significant influence of predisposing, enabling, and need factors on dental services utilization among children aged 12 years and younger. These results provide a valuable perspective for policymakers, highlighting the modifiable determinants that could be targeted to improve dental services utilization in this age group.
Investigating the performance of multivariate LSTM models to predict the occurrence of Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack
Authors: Kumar Prashant , Kushwaha Chitra , Sethi Dimple , Ghosh Debjani , Gupta Punit , Vidyarthi Ankit
Published: January 2025

In the current cybersecurity landscape, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks have become a prevalent form of cybercrime. These attacks are relatively easy to execute but can cause significant disruption and damage to targeted systems and networks. Generally, attackers perform it to make reprisal but sometimes this issue can be authentic also. In this paper basically conversed about some deep learning models that will hand over a descent accuracy in prediction of DDoS attacks. This study evaluates various models, including Vanilla LSTM, Stacked LSTM, Deep Neural Networks (DNN), and other machine learning models such as Random Forest, AdaBoost, and Gaussian Naive Bayes to determine the DDoS attack along with comparing these approaches as well as perceiving which one is about to give elegant outcomes in prediction. The rationale for selecting Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks for evaluation in our study is based on their proven effectiveness in modeling sequential and time-series data, which are inherent characteristics of network traffic and cybersecurity data. Here, a benchmark dataset named CICDDoS2019 is used that contains 88 features from which a handful (22) convenient features are extracted further deep learning models are applied. The result that is acquired here is significantly better than available techniques those are attainable in this context by using Machine Learning models, data mining techniques and some IOT based approaches. It’s not possible to completely avoid your server from these threats but by applying discussed techniques in the present juncture, these attacks can be prevented to an extent and it will also help to server to fulfil the genuine requests instead of sticking in the accomplishing the requests created by the unauthentic user.
Used economy market insight: Sailboat industry pricing mechanism and regional effects
Authors: Huang Zhanni , Hu Hansheng , Wu Di
Published: January 2025

With the popularity of circular economy around the world, transactions in the second-hand sailboat market are extremely active. Determining pricing strategies and exploring their regional effects is a blank area of existing research and has important practical and statistical significance. Therefore, this article uses the random forest model and XGBoost algorithm to identify core price indicators, and uses an innovative rolling NAR dynamic neural network model to simulate and predict second-hand sailboat price data. On this basis, we also constructed a regional effect multi-level model (RE-MLM) from three levels: geography, economy and country to clarify the impact of geographical areas on sailboat prices. The research results show that, first of all, the price of second-hand sailboats fluctuates greatly, and the predicted value better reflects the overall average price level. Secondly, there are significant regional differences in price levels across regions, economies and ethnic groups. Therefore, the price of second-hand sailboats is affected by many factors and has obvious regional effects. In addition, the model evaluation results show that the model constructed in this study has good accuracy, validity, portability and versatility, and can be extended to price simulation and regional analysis of different markets in different regions.
Experiences and perceptions of respectful maternity care among mothers during childbirth in health facilities of Eastern province of Rwanda: An appreciative inquiry
Authors: Muhayimana Alice , Kearns Irene Josephine , Gishoma Darius , Tengera Olive , Uhawenimana Thierry Claudien
Published: January 2025

Introduction

The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the importance of ensuring respectful and dignified childbirth experiences. However, many countries, including Rwanda, have documented negative experiences during childbirth. Identifying best practices can help uncover sustainable solutions for resource-limited settings rather than focusing solely on the challenges and negative aspects. This study aimed to explore and describe how mothers in Rwanda’s Eastern Province perceived and valued their childbirth experiences during their most recent labour and delivery.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive study. Purposive sampling targeted mothers who reported receiving respectful care during labour and childbirth. We selected 30 mothers from five hospitals in the Eastern Province of Rwanda. Data collection involved in-depth interviews (IDIs) following the first four stages of the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) 5D cycle. We employed the thematic analysis and used NVivo 12 to organize codes and develop a codebook.

Results

Three main themes, each with subthemes, emerged from the analysis. The first theme, appreciated care, included compassionate care and emotional support, autonomy and self-determination, timely care, privacy and confidentiality, and a supportive environment. The second theme perceived respectful care, addressed the meaning of respectful care and the sources of the participants’ satisfaction. The third theme, strategies for improvement, focused on increasing women’s self-control, sustaining providers’ positive behaviours, and fostering caring leadership. Participants described receiving compassionate, empathetic, and dignified care, with timely attention to their needs. They expressed satisfaction with the services provided, noting that healthcare providers were kind, polite, and dedicated, often going beyond their duties. Mothers recommended to be more involved in decision-making, maintaining an optimal environment for childbirth, and enhancing community trust and professionalism in maternity care. They also acknowledged their responsibility to ensure proper birth spacing.

Conclusion

The aspects of care the participants appreciated could be consistently maintained and promoted. There is a need to build on the progress made in delivering RMC to strengthen community trust and elevate expectations. Given the sensitive nature of RMC, we recommend conducting further studies using the Appreciative Inquiry approach.
Evaluating and upgrading the performance of a bridge network structure with Rayleigh distribution lifetimes
Authors: Nabwey Hossam A. , El-Faheem Adel A. , Denguir Mohammed Ashraf , Rashad A. M.
Published: January 2025

In this work, bridge network model with Rayleigh distribution lifetimes is used. Two main techniques are calculated to upgrade this model: reduction and redundancy techniques. In order to compare the effectiveness of the various approaches, the survival function, the mean time to failure and gamma-fractiles for the original and upgraded model are calculated. Finally, we analyze comprehensively a computer simulation example to distingue between the methods. The numerical simulations were done in Mathematica which indicated that the upgraded system performs better than the original one and the best technique is by cold duplication.
Spatial-temporal dynamics and driving factors of urban construction land in mega cross-river mountain cities: A case study of Chongqing’s central urban area, China
Authors: Wang Fu-hai , Zeng Wei , Chen Dan , He Chang-hua , Li Hui
Published: January 2025

The evolutionary model of construction land serves as a fundamental pillar in national spatial development and planning research. However, previous studies have overlooked the "climbing" mode of construction land on three-dimensional terrains. To address this issue, utilizing elevation data and land use data from 2010 to 2020, this study employs slope analysis, intensity analysis, spatio-temporal transformation, and PLUS model to elucidate the spatial expansion process and driving forces of urban construction land in Chongqing from both two-dimensional and three-dimensional perspectives. The findings indicate that: (1) From a three-dimensional topographical standpoint, between 2010 and 2012, construction land gradually expanded towards low-slope areas, whereas between 2012 and 2020, it progressively extended into high-slope regions. (2) Regarding land type conversion patterns, the shift from arable land to construction land demonstrates a systematic inclination, while other transformations exhibit absolute or relative tendencies. Conversely, the conversion from construction land to arable land also displays a systematic pattern. (3) Since 2010, the growth process of construction land has transitioned from slow-equilibrium to rapid-disequilibrium with an expanding spatial disparity. (4) Most areas maintain relatively stable spatial conditions without significant jumps or transitions observed. (5) The expansion of construction land in Chongqing is primarily influenced by terrain, river, tunnel, rail transit, and other factors. The outcomes of this study can provide scientific foundations and decision-making references for rational planning in similar cities characterized by mountainous landscapes intersected by rivers.