bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soil-transmitted helminthiasis among adolescents in Anaocha Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria: Insights and recommendations for effective control
Authors: Aribodor Ogechukwu B. , Jacob Eunice C. , Azugo Nwadiuto O. , Ngenegbo Uche C. , Obika Ifeanyi , Obikwelu Emmanuel M. , Nebe Obiageli J.
Published: January 2025

Over the past decade, Anambra State, Nigeria, has implemented mass administration of medicines (MAMs) to combat soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH), a significant public health challenge in low-income regions. Nevertheless, these efforts have predominantly focused on pre-school and school-aged children, leaving a notable gap in understanding STH infection rates and the efficacy of these campaigns among secondary school adolescents, who have been excluded from this initiative. Our study aimed to address this critical knowledge gap by assessing soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) prevalence and contextual factors hindering effective control among adolescents in Anambra State, Nigeria. We actively engaged 443 adolescents with a mean age of 14 years in a school-based cross-sectional study in selected communities within the Anaocha Local Government Area from 8 February to 7 July 2023 following informed consent and assent procedures. Employing a stratified random sampling technique, we collected demographic data and assessed STH risk factors using a structured questionnaire hosted on the Kobo Toolbox platform. For quantitative analysis of STH infections, the Kato-Katz technique was used. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, incorporating descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression, with statistical significance set at p<0.05. Of the 443 (213 males (48.0%) and 230 females (52.0%) adolescents studied, the overall prevalence of STH observed was 35.2% (156/443). Ascaris lumbricoides was the prevalent STH species (16.9%), followed by Trichuris trichiura (1.4%) and hookworm (0.5%). Only light-intensity infection was observed. Mixed infections were observed in 16.5% of adolescents, involving A. lumbricoides and hookworm (10.8%), followed by A. lumbricoides and T. trichiura (3.2%) and all three STH (2.5%). The observed overall prevalence was not statistically significant with respect to gender (OR: 0.961; 95% CI: 0.651–1.420; p > 0.05) or age (OR: 0.686; 95% CI: 0.459–1.025; p>0.05). Class (grade level) (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.25–2.45, p = 0.003), knowledge and transmission of STH infection (OR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.42–0.86, p = 0.008), parental occupation (OR = 1.90, 95% CI: 1.35–2.67, p < 0.001), parents’ literacy level (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48–0.96, p = 0.027), and the type of toilet (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.54–3.00, p < 0.001) were all significantly correlated with STH infection. These findings highlight the role of adolescents in sustaining soil-transmitted helminthiasis (STH) transmission. Coupled with school-based deworming expansion, innovative improvements in water, sanitation, hygiene, and awareness can provide a cost-effective, sustainable solution for combatting STH infections in Anambra State.
Effect of short inter-pregnancy interval on perinatal and maternal outcomes among pregnant women in SSA 2023: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Beyene Fentahun Yenealem , Wudineh Kihinetu Gelaye , Bantie Simachew Animen , Tesfu Azimeraw Arega
Published: January 2025

Background

After a live birth, the recommended interval before attempting the next pregnancy is at least 24 months (birth to pregnancy interval) in order to reduce the risk of adverse maternal, perinatal and infant outcomes. Short inter pregnancy interval associated with adverse perinatal and maternal outcomes.

Objective

The objective of this review was to determine the effect of short inter pregnancy interval on perinatal and maternal outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa 2023.

Methods

A systematic and a comprehensive literature searching mechanism were used without any restriction, through Google scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Sciences, and Grey literature databases for reporting the effect of short inter pregnancy interval. The JBI approach to critical appraisal, study selection, data extraction, and data synthesis was used for this review. All statistical analyses were done using STATA version17 software for windows, and meta-analysis was used with a random-effects method. The results are presented using texts, tables and forest plots with measures of effect and 95% confidence interval.

Results

Thirteen studies were included in this review and most of the studies level of heterogeneity across the study was considerable, mainly due to methodological variations, Statistical heterogeneity, and population and intervention variations of included studies. The effect of short inter pregnancy interval on perinatal and maternal outcome were low birth weight(RR (RR (95% CI) 1.98 (1.48, 2.47); I2:62.97%, preterm birth (RR (95% CI) 1.67 (1.31, 2.03); I2:51%, intra uterine growth retardation(RR (95% CI) 3.78 (2.07, 5.49); I2: 8.52%, low APGAR score(RR (95% CI) 3.49 (1.41, 5.57)); I2: 71.11%, premature rapture of membrane(RR (95% CI) 2.87 (1.22, 4.51)); I2: 49.22%, perinatal mortality(RR (95% CI) 2.95 (1.10, 4.81)); I2: 54.37% and maternal anemia(RR (95% CI) 3.06 (2.12, 3.99)); I2: 74.74%.

Conclusions

As per our review the main effect of short inter pregnancy interval is low birth weight, preterm birth, intra uterine growth retardation, low APGAR score, premature rapture of membrane, perinatal mortality and maternal anemia. This might be very useful for healthcare policymakers and NGOs to emphasize on it.
The continuing search for a better mouse trap: Two tests of a practical, low-cost camera trap for detecting and observing small mammals
Authors: Dueser Raymond D. , Porter John H. , Moncrief Nancy D.
Published: January 2025

The advent of digital wildlife cameras has led to a dramatic increase in the use of camera traps for mammalian biodiversity surveys, ecological studies and occupancy analyses. For cryptic mammals such as mice and shrews, whose small sizes pose many challenges for unconstrained digital photography, use of camera traps remains relatively infrequent. Here we use a practical, low-cost small mammal camera platform (the “MouseCam”) that is easy and inexpensive to fabricate and deploy and requires little maintenance beyond camera service. We tested the MouseCam in two applications: a study of small mammal species composition on two transects across a barrier island and a study of small mammal occupancy along a subtle elevation gradient in a mainland forest. The MouseCam was reasonably efficient, with over 78% of all images containing a recognizable small mammal (mouse, vole, rat or shrew). We obtained an accurate estimate of species composition on the island transects, as indicated by comparison with both concurrent and long-term trapping records for the same transects. MouseCams required a smaller expenditure of personnel and transportation resources than would be required for live trapping. They also detected subtle elevation-related differences in species occupancy in the mainland forest for the marsh rice rat, with the species occurring at lower elevations in the forest. This is consistent with the typical occurrence of the marsh rice rat in marshes and wetlands. We also tested devices (barriers, runways) designed to reduce disturbance by mesopredators (e.g., raccoons). Adding an internal barrier to the MouseCam did not reduce use by white-footed mice, whereas adding an external runway did. We believe specialized small mammal camera-based sensors may have wide applicability in field studies of small mammal distribution, abundance and biology.
A study of the impact of urban business credit environment on environmental pollution
Authors: Wu Jing , Guo Qing
Published: January 2025

Environmental pollution has become a global concern, so it is critical to find out the elements that influence it. Is the urban business credit environment influencing urban environmental conditions? The study takes the entropy method for calculating the environmental pollution index of 276 prefecture-level cities across China from 2010 to 2021, the CE1 index to describe the urban business credit environment, and a spatial Durbin model to empirically analyze the mechanism and transmission path of the urban business credit environment on environmental pollution. The findings demonstrate that: (1) there is an important positive spatial association between China’s urban pollution index and urban business credit index, and that the level of spatial clustering of the two is increasing over time. (2) the urban business credit environment and environmental pollution have an inverted "U" shape relationship and a significant spatial spillover effect, which means that once a certain threshold is reached, improving the urban business credit environment reduces environmental pollution in local and neighboring areas. (3) The influence of the urban business credit environment on environmental deterioration varies by region. The extra heterogeneity test results for the different regions show that the relationship between business credit level and environmental pollution is consistent with the overall situation in the eastern and western regions, the opposite effect was observed in the central region. (4) Changes in the urban business credit environment have an indirect impact on environmental conditions due to the amount of regional financial development and technological innovation potential. To reduce pollution in the region, prefectural-level cities must strengthen the construction of urban business credit systems, strive to create a favorable business credit environment, strengthen the spatial spillover effect, and guide the resource elements of business credit planning to flow into the central and western parts of China reasonably. The study’s findings have significant practical implications for modifying the government’s development strategy and improving the urban environment.
Fault tolerance in distributed systems using deep learning approaches
Authors: Assiri Basem , Sheneamer Abdullah
Published: January 2025

Recently, distributed systems have become the backbone of technological development. It serves as the foundation for new trends technologies such as blockchain, the internet of things and others. A distributed system provides fault tolerance and decentralization, where a fault in any component does not result in a whole system failure. In addition, deep learning model enables processing data to find patterns, which helps in classification, regression, prediction, and clustering. This work employs deep learning to handle faults within distributed systems in three scenarios. Firstly, a faulty processor may not be able to produce the right output. Therefore, deep learning model uses the inputs and outputs of other processors to find patterns and produces the proper output of the faulty processor. Secondly, if a faulty possessor corrupts its inputs as well, then the deep learning model learns from the inputs and the outputs of successful processors and produces the proper output of the faulty processor, even with corrupted inputs. Thirdly, for unrelated data, in which the patterns of the input of the faulty processors differ from the patterns of the inputs of successful ones. In this case, the model is able to discover the new pattern and to be labeled as unknown. In the experiments, we use deep learning models like VGG16, VGG19, AlexNet LSTM and ResNet34, to investigate the performance of the deep learning in the three mentioned scenarios. For unstructured datasets, the accuracy of the models is affected by the size of the faulty data. The accuracy of all models lies between 60% when the size of the faulty data is 90%, and 96%, when the size of the faulty data is 90%. The structured datasets are not significantly affected by the portion of the faulty data and the accuracy reaches 99%.
Spatio-temporal distribution and socioeconomic inequality of low birthweight rate in China from 1992 to 2021 and its predictions to 2030
Authors: Li Chengyue , Lei Lixia , Li Yingying
Published: January 2025

This paper aims to investigate the trend, spatio-temporal distribution, and socioeconomic inequality of the low birthweight rate (LBWR) in China from 1992 to 2021 and to project the LBWR to 2030. We performed a secondary analysis of data from the China Health Statistics Yearbook. LBWR refers to the ratio of the number of infants born with a birth weight less than 2,500 grams to the number of live births in a given year. We used joinpoint regression models to estimate LBWR trends from 1992 to 2021 for the whole country and from 2002 to 2021 for the three regions (eastern, central, and western regions) and each province. The slope index of inequality (SII) and relative index of inequality (RII) were calculated for each year from 2002 to 2021 based on provincial data. LBWR increased from 2.52% (1992) to 3.70% (2021), and the average annual percentage change (AAPC) (95% confidence interval [CI]) was 1.35% (0.22%, 2.49%) in China. The overall LBWR from 2002 to 2021 was greatest in the Eastern region, but LBWR had the fastest increase in the Western region, with an AAPC (95% CI) of 3.15% (2.59%, 3.12%). There were spatio-temporal differences in the LBWR and trends between provinces. The SII and RII increased linearly from -0.15 and 0.94 to 0.53 (B = 0.035%, p < 0.001) and 1.16 (B = 0.011, p < 0.01), respectively, over the past 20 years. The results of the ARIAM model showed that the National LBWR will be increasedfrom 3.70% in 2021 to 5.28% in 2030. The LBWRs in the eastern, central and western regions in 2030 will be 4.93%, 6.02% and 5.82%, respectively. National and local governments must prioritize disadvantaged groups to mitigate the rapid prevalence of LBWR, reduce regional disparities, and improve perinatal and infant health and health equity in China.
Hypermethylation at 45S rDNA promoter in cancers
Authors: Tran Trang Thi Quynh , Do Trang Hien , Pham Tung The , Luu Phương Thi Thu , Pham Oanh Minh , Nguyen Uyen Quynh , Vuong Linh Dieu , Nguyen Quang Ngoc , Mai Tuan Van , Ho Son Van , Nguyen Than Thi , Vo Lan Thi Thuong
Published: January 2025

The ribosomal genes (rDNA genes) encode 47S rRNA which accounts for up to 80% of all cellular RNA. At any given time, no more than 50% of rDNA genes are actively transcribed, and the other half is silent by forming heterochromatin structures through DNA methylation. In cancer cells, upregulation of ribosome biogenesis has been recognized as a hallmark feature, thus, the reduced methylation of rDNA promoter has been thought to support conformational changes of chromatin accessibility and the subsequent increase in rDNA transcription. However, an increase in the heterochromatin state through rDNA hypermethylation can be a protective mechanism teetering on the brink of a threshold where cancer cells rarely successfully proliferate. Hence, clarifying hypo- or hypermethylation of rDNA will unravel its additional cellular functions, including organization of genome architecture and regulation of gene expression, in response to growth signaling, cellular stressors, and carcinogenesis. Using the bisulfite-based quantitative real-time methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) method after ensuring unbiased amplification and complete bisulfite conversion of the minuscule DNA amount of 1 ng, we established that the rDNA promoter was significantly hypermethylated in 107 breast, 65 lung, and 135 colon tumour tissue samples (46.81%, 51.02% and 96.60%, respectively) as compared with their corresponding adjacent normal samples (26.84%, 38.26% and 77.52%, respectively; p < 0.0001). An excessive DNA input of 1 μg resulted in double-stranded rDNA remaining unconverted even after bisulfite conversion, hence the dramatic drop in the single-stranded DNA that strictly required for bisulfite conversion, and leading to an underestimation of rDNA promoter methylation, in other words, a faulty hypomethylation status of the rDNA promoter. Our results are in line with the hypothesis that an increase in rDNA methylation is a natural pathway protecting rDNA repeats that are extremely sensitive to DNA damage in cancer cells.
Negligible contribution of body density to in-water vertical jump performance in elite male water polo players
Authors: Balázs Bence , Sebesi Balázs , Cselkó Alexandra , Váczi Márk
Published: January 2025

The aim of this study was to investigate the associations among in-water vertical jump and various dry-land physical measures by taking the law of Archimedes into consideration, and by normalizing the dry-land measures both to body density and body mass. Seventeen elite water polo players from Hungarian first league were tested for dry-land counter movement and squat jump mechanical impulse, isometric squat force, and in-water vertical jump height. Body density was estimated by anthropometric measurements. Body density alone did not influence in-water vertical jump height. Both the impulse of counter movement jump normalized to body mass (9.42±0.86 N·s/kg) and impulse of counter movement jump normalized to body density (773.92±109.68 N·s/kg/g/cm3) correlated with the in water vertical jump height (69.37±6.12 cm) (p≤0.05), but the magnitudes of the correlation coefficients 0.49 vs. 0.50 were not statistically different (p = 0.480, z = 0.04). Neither the impulse of squat jump normalized to body mass (7.07±0.59 N·s/kg) nor impulse of squat jump normalized to body density (577.87±89.16 N·s/kg/g/cm3) correlated with the in water vertical jump height (both p>0.05). The correlation between the force of the maximum voluntary isometric contraction normalized to body density (1052.13±244.65 N/kg/g/cm3) and the in water vertical jump height only approached the level of significance (p = 0.077). We concluded that dry-land reactive strength determines the ability to jump out of water, but players’ body density does not seem to contribute to jump height.
Seismic anisotropy prediction using ML methods: A case study on an offshore carbonate oilfield
Authors: Zhao Guibin , Bouchaala Fateh , Jouini Mohamed S. , Waheed Umair Bin
Published: January 2025

Estimating seismic anisotropy parameters, such as Thomson’s parameters, is crucial for investigating fractured and finely layered geological media. However, many inversion methods rely on complex physical models with initial assumptions, leading to non-reproducible estimates and subjective fracture interpretation. To address these limitations, this study utilizes machine learning methods: support vector regression, extreme gradient boost, multi-layer perceptron, and a convolutional neural network. The abundance of seismic features leads to many feature combinations, making the training and testing of machine learning models challenging. Therefore, a workflow has been developed to systematically inspect seismic features and select the most appropriate one for anisotropy estimation with reasonable accuracy. Synthetic data were generated using an earth model and well data within a finite difference numerical program. After thoroughly investigating synthetic data, the amplitudes of direct and reflected waves in the time and frequency domains were selected as input features to train machine learning methods. Optimizing the machine learning hyperparameters allowed the training and testing procedures to be completed with high accuracy. Subsequently, the optimized machine learning methods were used to predict Thomsen’s parameters, ε and δ, of a shaley formation in the zone area. To validate the predictions, the ε and δ estimated at a well location were compared with those obtained using a physics-based model, resulting in the least relative errors ranging from 2.92% to 7.14%.
Association between self-reported and proxy informant Health Quality of life of older adults with the use of antipsychotic drugs in nursing homes. A cross-sectional study
Authors: Boucaud-Maitre Denis , Jaballah Fares , Letenneur Luc , Rinaldo Leila , Dartigues Jean-François , Dramé Moustapha , Amieva Hélène , Tabué-Teguo Maturin
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Antipsychotic prescriptions are frequent in nursing homes due to the challenging management of symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders. This study aimed to assess the association between Health-related Quality Of Life (HrQOL) and antipsychotic use in nursing homes.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study of the KASEHPAD (Karukera Study of Ageing in Nursing Homes) study conducted in six nursing homes in Guadeloupe and Martinique (French West Indies). The EuroQol 5-dimensional questionnaire (EQ-5D) was used to measure HRQoL. Clinical characteristics and use of antipsychotic drugs of 194 older adults with both self-reported and proxy informant HrQOL index were extracted. Other outcomes measures included the frequency and severity of delusions, hallucinations and agitation using the reduced Neuropsychiatric Inventory Nursing Home (NPI-R) score, Activities of Daily Living (ADL) score and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score.

Results

The mean age of participants was 81.3 years and 63.6% had major cognitive impairment (MMSE score ≤18). The prevalence of delusions (39.7%), hallucinations (27.8%) and agitation (40.7%) was high. Antipsychotic medication was prescribed to 37.1% of the participants. The self-reported HrQOL Index of older adults was higher than the proxy HrQOL Index (0.54 ± 0.43 versus 0.40 ± 0.43) with a correlation coefficient of 0.63 (p<0.001). The use of antipsychotic medication was associated with a higher self-reported HrQOL index, after controlling for the frequency (β = 0.144, p = 0.024) or severity (β = 0.159, p = 0.009) of delusions, hallucinations and agitation symptoms. Conversely, antipsychotic use was not associated with proxy HrQOL Index.

Conclusion

Despite the adverse effects of long-term use of antipsychotic drugs in older adults, it is associated with better-perceived HrQOL among nursing home residents. However, this association was not observed when HrQOL was assessed by proxy informants. This finding may explain the challenges in reducing the use of this therapeutic class in nursing homes.
The role of mitochondrial dysfunction in the cytotoxic synergistic effect of gemcitabine and arsenic on breast cancer
Authors: Maleki Farshid , Handali Somayeh , Rezaei Mohsen
Published: January 2025

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women worldwide. A common approach to cancer treatment in clinical practice is to use a combination of drugs to enhance the anticancer activity of drugs while reducing their side effects. In this regard, we evaluated the effectiveness of combined treatment with gemcitabine (GCB) and arsenic (ATO) and how they affect the cell death pathway in cancer cells. Cytotoxic activity of drugs individually or combined against MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 was performed by MTT method and isobolographic analysis was used to determine the interaction between these factors. The combination of ATO and GCB showed synergistic anti-cancer activity (CI < 1) in both cancer cell lines. The combination of ATO and GCB induced sub-G1 phase arrest, apoptosis and death rates in MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells. The apoptotic response induced by the combination of GCB and ATO was dependent on caspase 3/7. Combined treatment with mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) reduction and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production caused mitochondrial dysfunction. Co-treatment significantly reduced catalase (CAT) activity in both cancer cells compared to the control group and cells treated with each monotherapy. A significant decrease in cellular GSH was observed in cancer cells treated with ATO and GCB. In addition, migration and invasion were significantly reduced in breast cancer cells treated with the combination of ATO and GCB compared to cells treated with ATO and GCB. In conclusion, the combined treatment of ATO and GCB synergistically increased the anti-cancer activity, and these findings provide an effective approach for the treatment of breast cancer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing promising results for combination therapy with ATO and GCB in breast cancer.
Incidence rate of total knee arthroplasties in eleven European countries: Do they reach a plateau?
Authors: Le Stum Mathieu , Le Goff-Pronost Myriam , Stindel Eric , Dardenne Guillaume
Published: January 2025

Background

From several decades, the evolutions of the Incidence Rate (IR) of Primary Knee Arthroplasties are continuously increasing worldwide and have been widely studied in several countries. Some recent works have highlighted the fact that the IR is following a sigmoid curve composed of an exponential growth followed by a linear phase and finished by a plateau. Our objective is to assess the IR evolution of eleven European countries, representing thus a large proportion of this continent, regarding this sigmoid.

Methods

IRs of primary knee arthroplasties for Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom between 2005 and 2019 were retrieved from the EUROSTAT database. Several regression models were fitted to each country’s IRs: Poisson, linear, asymptotic, logistic, and Gompertz regression. For each country and each model, the RMSE (Root Mean Square Error) and R2 were calculated and used to estimate their position with respect to this sigmoid curve.

Results

The best regression models for knee arthroplasties varied following countries. Logistic and Gompertz regressions had the lowest RMSE and R2 values for Austria, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and the UK. Hungary, Italy, and Poland favored the Poisson regression model. Finland and Spain presented difficulties in determining the optimal model (linear or Poisson), while France faced challenges in choosing between logistic, Gompertz, and linear regression.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the growth dynamics of IR differ across European countries. Some countries seem to have already reached a plateau and will therefore experience slight growth in the future.
Length of stay in the pediatrics emergency department and associated factors among pediatrics patients in Eastern Ethiopia public hospital, Ethiopia 2022
Authors: Melkamu Netsanet , Faris Amelmasin , Yigezu Muluken , Hailu Mickiale , Atle Anteneh , Kasahun Manaye , Kebede Mohammed , Embiale Tsegasew , Tesfay Tsinukal , Amsalu Sewmehone , Tadese Yakob , Tesfaye Bruck , Berie Gebrehiwot
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Patient length of stay is a crucial measure of the emergency department, and it is a vital indicator of health services to evaluate its efficacy, patient care, organizational management, and health care system. Despite this, there are a few studies conducted on pediatric emergency length of stay in developing countries. Therefore, this study serves as input for evidence of pediatric emergency length of stay and associated factors in public hospitals.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among children who attended in pediatric emergency department of Eastern Ethiopia public hospital from May 01 to Jun 31, 2022. A total of 761 children were selected by systematic sampling technique and interview using structured questionnaires. After data is collected and cleaned, entered using Epi data version 4.6 and then exported to Stata version 14.1 for analysis. Finally, an AOR with a 95% CI was computed, and variables with a P-value < 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were taken as significant factors for prolonged length of stay.

Result

The prevalence of prolonged length of stay in the emergency ward was 214 (72%). Living in a rural residence ([AOR = 1.65, 95% CI (1.10–2.48)], having a duration of pain > = 12 ([AOR = 1.92, 95% CI (1.13–3.25)], waiting time > = 5 minute ([AOR = 2.24, 95% CI (1.1–4.248541)], having comorbid illness ([AOR = 1.92, 95%CI, 1.13–3.25)], and higher acuity level and absence of medication in the hospital were ([AOR = 2.26, 95%CI (1.02–2.46]) were significantly associated factors for prolonged length of stay.

Conclusion and recommendation

This study revealed that more than two-thirds of children admitted to pediatric emergency had prolonged lengths of stay. This result indicated that higher proportion of the length of stay in pediatric emergency in Eastern Ethiopian public hospitals compare to national. Hence, it is better to give priority to strengthening the focused evaluation of important variables and manage accordingly.
Text mining of practical disaster reports: Case study on Cascadia earthquake preparedness
Authors: Lensing Julia C. , Choe John Y. , Johnson Branden B. , Wang Jingwen
Published: January 2025

Many practical disaster reports are published daily worldwide in various forms, including after-action reports, response plans, impact assessments, and resiliency plans. These reports serve as vital resources, allowing future generations to learn from past events and better mitigate and prepare for future disasters. However, this extensive practical literature often has limited impact on research and practice due to challenges in synthesizing and analyzing the reports. In this study, we 1) present a corpus of practical reports for text mining and 2) introduce an approach to extract insights from the corpus using select text mining tools. We validate the approach through a case study examining practical reports on the preparedness of the U.S. Pacific Northwest for a magnitude 9 Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake, which has the potential to disrupt lifeline infrastructures for months. To explore opportunities and challenges associated with text mining of practical disaster reports, we conducted a brief survey of potential user groups. The case study illustrates the types of insights that our approach can extract from a corpus. Notably, it reveals potential differences in priorities between Washington and Oregon state-level emergency management, uncovers latent sentiments expressed within the reports, and identifies inconsistent vocabulary across the field. Survey results highlight that while simple tools may yield insights that are primarily interpretable by experienced professionals, more advanced tools utilizing large language models, such as Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT), offer more accessible insights, albeit with known risk associated with current artificial intelligence technologies. To ensure reproducibility, all supporting data and code are made publicly available (DOI: 10.17603/ds2-9s7w-9694).
A two-stage hybrid NSGA-III with BWO for path planning and task allocation in agricultural land preparation
Authors: Yang Manxian , Chen Yanhong , Li Yongke , Zhang Taihong , Wu Tianlun
Published: January 2025

Automated large-scale farmland preparation operations face significant challenges related to path planning efficiency and uniformity in resource allocation. To improve agricultural production efficiency and reduce operational costs, an enhanced method for planning land preparation paths is proposed. In the initial stage, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are employed to collect data from the field, which is then used to construct accurate farm models. For single-field operations, a path planning approach is developed that minimizes energy consumption. The approach combines the selection of optimal operational angles with the implementation of efficient turning strategies, aiming to achieve full coverage. In addressing the issue of scheduling multiple machines across multiple fields, a two-stage optimization method, referred to as the BNSGA-III algorithm, is introduced. This algorithm integrates the NSGA-III algorithm with Beluga Whale Optimization (BWO), adaptive parameter adjustment, and Adaptive Inversion Crossover (AIC). The proposed method tackles the inherent complexity of agricultural environments, balancing operational efficiency and resource allocation through multi-objective optimization. Experimental results demonstrate that, compared to random operation directions, the proposed method reduces the path length by 1.9% to 3.1%, decreases the turning frequency by 19.5% to 24.0%, and improves coverage by 1.0% to 1.4%. In the context of multi-machine scheduling, the BNSGA-III algorithm outperforms the NSGA-II, NSGA-III, and MOEA/D algorithms, achieving improvements in total travel distance (12.3% to 34.4%), path balance (60.9% to 66.2%), and workload distribution (78.7% to 92.9%). Further evaluation shows that BNSGA-III excels in key metrics such as convergence (IGD), solution quality (HV), and diversity (Spread), thereby confirming its superiority in solution quality, convergence, and diversity. The findings of this study provide strong support for the advancement of intelligent agriculture.
Neck circumference cutoff point as a predictor of metabolic syndrome in Brazilian rural workers
Authors: Libardi Manoela Cassa , Martins Cleodice Alves , Ferreira Júlia Rabelo Santos , Petarli Glenda Blaser , Cattafesta Monica , Bezerra Olívia Maria de Paula Alves , Zandonade Eliana , Siqueira Carlos Eduardo Gomes , de Abreu Luiz Carlos , Filippon Jonathan , Salaroli Luciane Bresciani
Published: January 2025

Neck circumference (NC) is a predictive measure for the diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome (MS). The aim of the present study was to establish cutoff points for NC as a predictor of the presence of MS in Brazilian rural workers, based on the MS components according to the IDF and NCEP-ATP III criteria. This is a cross-sectional study carried out with rural workers in the municipality of Santa Maria de Jetibá, in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The ROC curve was calculated and the cutoff points for predicting the risk of developing MS were stipulated from the NC, identified by the area under the curve, using different methods of criteria for determining MS. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values and Youden index were applied. The significance level adopted was 5%. The cutoff points were different for males, resulting in 39.550 cm (AUC 0.832) according to the NCEP-ATP III criterion and 39.125 cm (AUC 0.888) according to the IDF criterion. For women, the cutoffs were similar, resulting in a single cutoff of 34.725 cm (AUC 0.862 for NCEP-ATP III and 0.849 for IDF). The cutoff points defined for men and women for NC showed good sensitivity and specificity for predicting MS in the studied population. The NC measurement proved to be a simple, low-cost and accurate measure for assessing this morbidity in Brazilian rural workers.
Child welfare worker perspectives on documentation and case recording practices in Canada: A mixed-methods study protocol
Authors: Pollock Nathaniel J. , Yantha Cassandra , Tonmyr Lil , Jewers-Dailley Kimberly , Morton Ninomiya Melody E.
Published: January 2025

In health care and child welfare, clinical records and case notes serve multiple functions. When records are aggregated and processed to create administrative data, they can be analyzed and used to inform policy development and decision-making. To be useful, such data should be complete, accurate, and recorded in a standardized way. However, sources of bias and error can impact the quality of administrative data. During the development of national child welfare data in Canada, child welfare sector partners expressed concerns about the accuracy and completeness of data about children and families. This protocol describes a study that seeks to answer two questions: 1) What individual and institutional factors influence how client data is recorded by child welfare workers in Canada? 2) What data quality issues are created through documentation and case recording practices that may impact the use of clinical case management system data for public health statistics? In this protocol, we describe an exploratory mixed methods study that involves an online survey, interviews with a purposive sample of child welfare workers, and a document review of case recording guidelines. To be eligible for the study, participants must have worked at a child welfare agency or department with clinical documentation responsibilities as a part of their job. We will use descriptive statistics to analyze the survey data and thematic analysis to analyze the qualitative data. This study will help uncover strengths, limitations, and possible sources of bias created through case recording and documentation practices in child welfare. Study results will be shared through presentations to interest holders and will inform the further development of national child welfare data in Canada.
Factors associated with the delay in diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis at the patient and health system level: A study from a rural setting in India
Authors: Hassan Shoaib , Yaesoubi Reza , Magnus Ole Bjørgaas Helle , Kanthali Mala , Purohit Manju Raj , Mustafa Tehmina
Published: January 2025

Background

With the proportion of tuberculosis cases that are extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) increasing in recent years, understanding and addressing factors contributing to the prolonged time to diagnosis (TTD) of EPTB patients is vital.

Methods

We enrolled presumptive EPTB patients for a cohort study from 2018–2020 in Ujjain, India. Based on a structured questionnaire, the patients were interviewed for socio-demographic and clinical information, including previously visited health facilities (HF) for this illness. We analysed patients’ TTD, healthcare access, and referral pathways.

Findings

EPTB (54%) and non-TB (58%) patients visited dispensaries during their first visit to a formal HF. Patients visited multiple HFs, including dispensaries (54%) and regional hospitals (32%), during 1–4 visits but did not receive an appropriate diagnosis. Less than 2% of the patients accessed private HFs. Most of the adult EPTB (83%) and non-TB (76%) patients were self-referred to our study site, where they were diagnosed. Our statistical models highlighted low-middle income groups, longer distances and longer travel time to HFs, and potentially less-empowered occupations as housewives with a prolonged TTD. Patients with a longer wait, including travel time, had a shorter TTD.

Conclusion

We found individual, societal-level, and structural barriers to healthcare access and utilisation and their association with diagnostic delay among adult and paediatric EPTB patients.
Optimizing power grids: A valley-filling heuristic for energy-efficient electric vehicle charging
Authors: Souza Guilherme Gloriano de , Santos Ricardo Ribeiro dos , Godoy Ruben Barros
Published: January 2025

The expansion of electric vehicles (EVs) challenges electricity grids by increasing charging demand, thereby making Demand-Side Management (DSM) strategies essential to maintaining balance between supply and demand. Among these strategies, the Valley-Filling approach has emerged as a promising method to optimize renewable energy utilization and alleviate grid stress. This study introduces a novel heuristic, Load Conservation Valley-Filling (LCVF), which builds on the Classical and Optimistic Valley-Filling approaches by incorporating dynamic load conservation principles, enabling better alignment of EV charging with grid capacity. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the heuristic across five EV charging scenarios. In both the Original and Flexible scenarios, LCVF reduced energy demand by up to 10.65%, demonstrating its adaptability and effectiveness. Notably, in the 24-hour Availability scenario, LCVF achieved a reduction of over 20% in energy demand compared to CVF. These findings indicate that LCVF could play a crucial role in enhancing real-world EV charging infrastructure, boosting energy efficiency and grid stability. By integrating DSM strategies like LCVF, energy grids can better accommodate renewable energy sources, promoting more sustainable operations.
Development and validation of the Iranian Minimum Data Set for Epidermolysis Bullosa: A mixed method approach
Authors: Paydar Somayeh , Pahlevanynejad Shahrbanoo , Asadi Farkhondeh , Ehtesham Hamideh , Sabahi Azam
Published: January 2025

Minimum Data Set (MDS) enables integration in data collection, uniform data reporting, and data exchange across clinical and research information systems. The current study was conducted to determine a comprehensive national MDS for the Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) information management system in Iran. This cross-sectional descriptive study consists of three steps: systematic review, focus group discussion, and the Delphi technique. A systematic review was conducted using relevant databases. Then, a focus group discussion was held to determine the extracted data elements with the help of contributing multidisciplinary experts. Finally, MDSs were selected through the Delphi technique in two rounds. The collected data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019. In total, 103 data elements were included in the Delphi survey. The data elements, based on the experts’ opinions, were classified into two main categories: administrative data and clinical data. The final categories of data elements consisted of 11 administrative items and 92 clinical items. The national MDS, as the core of the EB surveillance program, is essential for enabling appropriate and informed decisions by healthcare policymakers, physicians, and healthcare providers. In this study, a MDS was developed and internally validated for EB. This research generated new knowledge to enable healthcare professionals to collect relevant and meaningful data for use. The use of this standardized approach can help benchmark clinical practice and target improvements worldwide.
Effects of the pan-caspase inhibitor Q-VD-OPh on human neutrophil lifespan and function
Authors: Khuu Lisa , Pillay Alisha , Prichard Allan , Allen Lee-Ann H.
Published: January 2025

Human neutrophils are abundant, short-lived leukocytes that turn over at a rate of approximately 1011 cells/day via a constitutive apoptosis program. Certain growth factors, inflammatory mediators and infectious agents can delay apoptosis or induce neutrophils to die by other mechanisms. Nonetheless, a large body of data demonstrates that apoptosis of untreated neutrophils typically ensues within 24 hours of cell isolation and in vitro culture. At the molecular level apoptosis is driven by executioner caspase-3, and during this process cell proinflammatory capacity and host defense functions are downregulated. We undertook the current study to determine the extent to which human neutrophil viability and function could be prolonged by treatment with the non-toxic, irreversible, pan-caspase inhibitor Q-VD-OPh. Our data demonstrate that a single 10 μM dose of this drug was sufficient to markedly prolong cell lifespan. Specifically, we show that apoptosis was prevented for at least 5 days as indicated by analysis of nuclear morphology, DNA fragmentation, and phosphatidylserine externalization together with measurements of procaspase-3 processing and caspase activity. Conversely, mitochondrial depolarization declined despite abundant Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1 (MCL-1). At the same time, glutathione levels were maintained and Q-VD-OPh prevented age-associated increases mitochondrial oxidative stress. Regarding functional capacity, we show that phagocytosis, NADPH oxidase activity, chemotaxis, and degranulation were maintained following Q-VD-OPh treatment, albeit to somewhat different extents. Thus, a single 10 μM dose of Q-VD-OPh can sustain human neutrophil viability and function for at least 5 days.
Association of varicose veins with the risk of heart failure: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Kim Dongyeop , Park Moo-Seok , Park Ju-young , Song Tae-Jin
Published: January 2025

Background

Research investigating the association between varicose veins (VV) and heart failure has been limited. Here, we examine this association within a nationwide longitudinal cohort, hypothesizing an increased risk of heart failure associated with the presence of VV.

Methods

Our study included 390,436 participants based on health screening results conducted from 2005 to 2010 in the South Korean health screening cohort database. Presence of VV was defined as having at least two claims based on International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes I830-832, I839, or I868. Propensity score matching (PSM) at a ratio of 1:5 was employed to categorize the participants into two groups based on the presence of VV. The primary outcome, heart failure incidence, was defined as two or more claims with ICD-10 code I50 during follow-up.

Results

Among the participants, presence of VV was noted in 5,008 (1.28%) individuals. Over a median follow-up period of 13.33 years (interquartile range 10.4–16.26), 55,023 cases of heart failure (14.0%) occurred. In the multivariable analysis, the group with VV consistently showed an increased incidence risk of heart failure compared to the group without VV, both before (hazard ratios [HR], 1.174; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.089–1.265) and after PSM (HR, 1.171; 95% CI, 1.070–1.283). Landmark analysis also found a consistent relationship between the presence of VV and the incidence risk of heart failure before (HR, 1.190; 95% CI, 1.103–1.285) and after PSM (HR, 1.144; 95% CI, 1.044–1.254).

Conclusions

This study revealed a significant increase in the risk of heart failure among patients with VV in the general population of South Korea. Given that the presence of VV is likely associated with an increased risk of heart failure in the general population, the potential for future heart failure should be taken into consideration when VV are present.
Evidence of avian and human influenza A virus infection in farmed Siamese crocodiles (Crocodylus siamensis) in Thailand
Authors: Thongdee Metawee , Chaiwattanarungruengpaisan Somjit , Ketchim Natthaphat , Sangkachai Nareerat , Arya Nlin , Sirimanapong Wanna , Wiriyarat Witthawat , Puthavathana Pilaipan , Paungpin Weena
Published: January 2025

Crocodilians are susceptible to a range of virus infection including influenza A virus (IAV). However, little is known about the ecology and epidemiology of IAV in crocodile species. This study aimed to investigate IAV infection in farmed Siamese crocodiles in central Thailand. We collected plasma samples and pharyngeal swab samples from Siamese crocodiles residing in 13 crocodile farms in 9 provinces of central Thailand during 2019. Additional archival plasma samples of Siamese crocodiles collected in 2012 and 2018 were also included in the study. Plasma samples were screened for influenza A antibodies by a hemagglutination inhibition (HI) assay and positive were evaluated by a cytopathic effect/hemagglutination based-microneutralization (MN) assay. Swab samples were tested for influenza viral RNA by a real-time RT-PCR assay targeting the influenza matrix (M) gene. Among 246 tested plasma samples, the overall seroprevalence of antibodies against IAV in farmed Siamese crocodiles was 17.5% (43/246). The most common hemagglutinin (HA) subtype was H2 (46.5%, 20/43) followed by H9 (39.5%, 17/43), human H1 (14%, 6/43) and H1 (7%, 3/43). Multiple HA subtypes were also detected in 7% (3/43) of infected crocodiles with combination of H1 and H2 subtypes. All 126 tested swab samples were negative for influenza viral RNA. In addition, we demonstrated the ability of wild-type IAV subtypes (H1, H2, H9 and human H1) to infect primary Siamese crocodile fibroblast cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report of serological evidences of avian and human IAV infection in Siamese crocodiles. Our findings highlighted the role of crocodile species in the ecology of IAV particularly the potential to serve as the reservoir or mixing vessel for the viruses that significantly threaten both human and animal health.