bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Person-centered and youth-oriented interventions to improve TB Care for adolescents and young adults
Authors: Waterous Patricia , Chingono Rudo , Mackworth-Young Constance , Nyamayaro Chipo , Kandiye Faith Rutendo , Marambire Edson , Schellenberg Joanna , Mutsvangwa Junior , Chonzi Prosper , Kavenga Fungai , Ferrand Rashida , Kranzer Katharina , Bernays Sarah
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Globally adolescents and young adults (AYA) with tuberculosis (TB) face unique challenges. Until recently they have received little attention and few tailored interventions exist. To improve TB outcomes in this population, there is a need to implement tailored interventions. However, limited research has been conducted about how to meet the needs of AYA with tuberculosis. In this paper we present the findings of a qualitative study to explore the needs of AYA with TB in Zimbabwe and to identify interventions to optimize their engagement in TB care.

Methods

We conducted two participatory workshops with 16 AYA, aged 10–24 years diagnosed with TB to explore their experiences of TB disease and treatment. Through subsequent interviews with 15 of the same AYA and with two other key stakeholder groups (health care providers n = 11 and policy makers n = 9), we sought to identify areas of convergence and divergence about what youth-orientated services and policies would be effective in Zimbabwe. Qualitative data were analyzed iteratively and thematically.

Results

The findings are presented to align with four levels of a socio-ecological framework: individual, community, health system and policy. All three stakeholder groups highlighted the unmet mental health and TB literacy needs of AYA, which are particularly acute early in their TB care journey, as well as the imperative of engendering family support and securing the continuity of educational or employment opportunities during and after receiving TB care. There was a consensus that clinical services needed to become more youth-centered by extending training for health care providers and investing in peer-delivered psychosocial support. More broadly, there was also a strong consensus that adolescent-specific TB policies require further development and implementation, accompanied by community-based TB education and awareness campaigns to emphasize the curability of TB and to reduce TB related stigma.

Conclusions

There is much to be done to improve TB care for AYA. We found that there is need for alignment on where investment is needed to support the development of context-appropriate and effective interventions. There is an opportunity to benefit from translational learning from other successful approaches, such as HIV, within the region. Implementation of evidence-based interventions and youth-friendly policies and programs are much needed to improve outcomes for AYA with TB.
MaskDGNets: Masked-attention guided dynamic graph aggregation network for event extraction
Authors: Zhang Guangwei , Xie Fei , Yu Lei
Published: November 2024

Considering that the traditional deep learning event extraction method ignores the correlation between word features and sequence information, it cannot fully explore the hidden associations between events and events and between events and primary attributes. To solve these problems, we developed a new framework for event extraction called the masked attention-guided dynamic graph aggregation network. On the one hand, to obtain effective word representation and sequence representation, an interaction and complementary relationship are established between word vectors and character vectors. At the same time, a squeeze layer is introduced in the bidirectional independent recurrent unit to model the sentence sequence from both positive and negative directions while retaining the local spatial details to the maximum extent and establishing practical long-term dependencies and rich global context representations. On the other hand, the designed masked attention mechanism can effectively balance the word vector features and sequence semantics and refine these features. The designed dynamic graph aggregation module establishes effective connections between events and events, and between events and essential attributes, strengthens the interactivity and association between them, and realizes feature transfer and aggregation on graph nodes in the neighborhood through dynamic strategies to improve the performance of event extraction. We designed a reconstructed weighted loss function to supervise and adjust each module individually to ensure the optimal feature representation. Finally, the proposed MaskDGNets framework is evaluated on two baseline datasets, DuEE and CCKS2020. It demonstrates its robustness and event extraction performance, with F1 of 81.443% and 87.382%, respectively.
Rationale and study protocol of a regional health panel in Saxony, Germany (GEPASA)
Authors: Harst Lorenz , Haase Tina , Tesch Falko , Rüthrich Lilly , Kösters Markus , Schmitt Jochen
Published: November 2024

Background

The citizens’ perspectives on health care are central to the assessment of the health care situation and to regional development. In Germany, however, strategic goals for health care delivery are planned based on population statistics and partly on regional morbidity. Saxony is a German federal state with high average age and low density of physicians which makes the population perspective on quality of health care especially intersting. No existing panel surveys cover issues related to the perceived quality of health care delivery on a regional level in Germany.

Aim

We aim to conduct a longitudinal panel study of the perceived health status and perceived quality of health care of the Saxon citizens as a basis for the systematic derivation of health care goals/measures and target group-specific, regionally suitable prevention measures.

Methods

With an anticipated 15% response rate, 15,000 potential participants have to be contacted to achieve a calculated sample size of about 2,250 participants. The questionnaire will be circulated every other year with the option for adaptations depending on insights of each panel wave. The study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of the Technische Universität Dresden, Germany (ethical approval code BO-EK-320072022) and has been registered at the German Clinical Trials Register as the German WHO primary registry (study registration number DRKS00031229).

Discussion and outlook

The results are intended to identify gaps in health care and to develop patient-centered health care goals for the region together with stakeholders in Saxon health care planning. At the same time, longitudinal data allow mapping of perceived health status and perceived health care trends.
Patient use of pulse oximetry to support management of COVID-19 in Greater Manchester: A non-randomised evaluation using a target trial approach
Authors: Rubinstein Fernando , Williams Richard , Dumville Jo , Kane Binita , Whittaker William , Bower Peter , Kontopantelis Evangelos
Published: November 2024

Introduction

The pandemic saw widespread use of home pulse oximeters to patients diagnosed with COVID-19 to support early detection of low oxygen saturation levels and appropriate care. Rapid implementation made conventional evaluation challenging, highlighting the need for rigorous non-randomised methods to support decision-making about future use of these technologies. We used routine data to explore the benefits of pulse oximetry in Greater Manchester, under the ‘COVID-19 oximetry at home’ (CO@h) programme.

Methods

We used data from the Greater Manchester Secure Data Environment and defined study parameters using a ‘target trial’ model to compare patients receiving pulse oximetry under the CO@h programme, with matched controls using various comparator groups. Primary outcomes were unplanned hospitalisation and all-cause mortality. This study is based on data from the Greater Manchester Care Record (GMCR), using anonymised, routinely collected data provided in a de-identified format for research. Informed written consent is needed for primary care patient data to be collected for service improvement and research, before data extraction to the GMCR. The study was approved under protocol GMCR RQ-048, on 12/05/2022. As indicated by the University of Manchester ethics decision tool, formal ethical approval was not required for this study.

Results

The adjusted odds ratios for an unplanned hospitalisation were higher among patients receiving pulse oximetry: OR 1.86 (95% CI 1.54–2.25) at 28 days, 1.5 (95% CI 1.3–1.74) at 90 days and 1.63 (95% CI 1.44–1.83) at 1 year. Overall odds of mortality were lower among patients receiving pulse oximetry: adjusted ORs of 0.5 (95% CI 0.25–0.98) at 28 days, 0.5 (95% CI 0.32–0.78) at 90 days and 0.58 (95% CI 0.44–0.76) at 1 year. The results were robust to different comparison groups.

Conclusion

Use of pulse oximetry at home under the CO@h programme, through the resulting prioritisation for appropriate care, was associated with a higher frequency of unplanned admissions and a reduction in the risk of mortality up to 1 year later. Therefore, it is likely effective for early detection of clinical deterioration and timely intervention among patients with COVID-19. Further research is needed to understand whether this is a cost-effective use of healthcare resources.
Exploring the spatiotemporal structure and driving mechanism of digital village construction in China based on social network analysis and Geodetector
Authors: Zhang Liping , Zhou Xiaoliang
Published: November 2024

Clarifying the spatiotemporal structure and driving mechanism of China’s digital village construction (DVC) is imperative for ameliorating regional disparities and fostering the holistic progression of DVC in China. This study assesses the index of DVC in 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2021 using the Intuitionistic Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (IFAHP) and dynamic GRA. It analyzes the spatiotemporal structure of DVC with kernel density, trend surface, and social network analysis techniques. Additionally, it employs Geodetector to elucidate the driving mechanism behind spatial differentiation in China’s digital village development network. The results indicate that: (1) Although the index of DVC in China from 2011 to 2021 has shown progressive enhancement, the average DVC index for all regions throughout the years surveyed stands at 0.457, which means that the DVC in China is still at an early stage. (2) The overall network structure analysis suggests that the number of ties in China’s DVC spatial correlation network grew slowly but still falls significantly short of the ideal number. Additionally, there is an increase in the network density of China’s DVC over the years, providing strong evidence of spatial spillover effects within the network. (3) The block roles of the central and western regions are main inflow and bidirectional spillover while the block roles of the eastern region are agent and main outflow. (4) The main driving factors of DVC in China are investment in information infrastructure and fiscal expenditure on education. Bivariate enhancement effect and nonlinear enhancement were found to exist in all interactions of indicators. These findings offer theoretical insights and practical directives for improving DVC in China and its synergistic effects.
Stem cell factor restrains endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated apoptosis through c-Kit receptor activation of JAK2/STAT3 axis in hippocampal neuronal cells
Authors: Shen Haiying , Nie Junjie , Li Guangqing , Tian Hongyan , Zhang Jun , Luo Xiaofeng , Xu Da , Sun Jie , Zhang Dongfang , Zhang Hong , Zhao Guifang , Wang Weiyao , Zheng Zhonghua , Yang Shuyan , Jin Yuji
Published: November 2024

Background

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common elderly disorder characterized by cognitive decline. Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been implicated in various neurodegenerative diseases, including AD. Stem cell factor (SCF) performs its biological functions by binding to and activating receptor tyrosine kinase c-Kit. We aimed to investigate the effects of SCF/c-Kit and JAK2/STAT3 on ER stress and apoptosis in AD.

Methods

The study employed L-glutamic acid (L-Glu)-treated HT22 cells as sporadic AD cell model and APP/PS1 mice as an animal model of familiar AD. SCF, c-Kit inhibitor ISCK03 or JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor WP1066 was treated to verify the effects of SCF/c-Kit and JAK2/STAT3 on ER stress and apoptosis of L-Glu-exposed HT22 cells. Cell viability was assessed by MTT. BrdU detected cell proliferation. Flow cytometry measured cell apoptosis. The expression levels of ER stress markers GRP78, PERK, CHOP, and apoptosis protein caspase3 were determined by western blot. The effect on the mRNA of ER stress markers GRP78, PERK, CHOP and apoptotic caspase3 were quantified by RT-qPCR in primary cultured hippocampal neurons from APP/PS1 transgenic mice.

Results

Administration of SCF significantly augmented the activity and proliferation of hippocampal neuronal cells, protecting cells against L-Glu induced ER stress-associated apoptosis. Moreover, the addition of ISCK03 (c-Kit inhibitor) or WP1066 (JAK2/STAT3 inhibitor) reversed SCF effects on ER stress and apoptosis in vitro.

Conclusion

We found that SCF inhibits L-Glu-induced ER stress-associated apoptosis via JAK2/STAT3 axis in HT22 hippocampal neuronal cells, as well as in primary hippocampal neurons from APP/PS1 mice, which provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of AD and explores novel therapeutic targets for both sporadic and familial AD.
Menstrual hygiene management and menstrual secrecy among young women in rural Lao PDR: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Ono Kanayo , Sato Yu , Kuwano Noriko , Ando Hisao , Maruyama Kana
Published: November 2024

As a fundamental right, all women should have equal access to menstrual hygiene management (MHM). However, certain sociocultural contexts foster an atmosphere of secrecy surrounding menstruation, which discourages open discussion. The present study seeks to explore the relationship between attitudes on menstrual secrecy and MHM practices among young women in rural areas of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR). In March 2023, a cross-sectional survey using semi-structured self-administered questionnaires was conducted on 80 women (age range, 15–24 years) randomly selected from eight villages in the central part of Lao PDR. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between sociodemographic and economic characteristics, MHM practices, social support, and attitudes toward secrecy regarding menstruation. Among the 70 respondents, 68 (97.1%) reported being satisfied with current MHM practices; however, 27 (38.6%) agreed that menstruation should not be discussed with others. Some women lacked access to private spaces for changing pads or washing. The results of the logistic regression analysis indicated that women with higher monthly disposable income were less likely to endorse menstruation secrecy (odds ratio: 0.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.02–0.85). No significant associations were found between MHM practices and attitudes on secrecy. Although no direct association was found between MHM practices and attitudes on menstruation secrecy, some participants remain in unfavorable MHM environments.
EDTNet: A spatial aware attention-based transformer for the pulmonary nodule segmentation
Authors: Yadav Dhirendra Prasad , Sharma Bhisham , Webber Julian L. , Mehbodniya Abolfazl , Chauhan Shivank
Published: November 2024

Accurate segmentation of lung lesions in CT-scan images is essential to diagnose lung cancer. The challenges in lung nodule diagnosis arise due to their small size and diverse nature. We designed a transformer-based model EDTNet (Encoder Decoder Transformer Network) for PNS (Pulmonary Nodule Segmentation). Traditional CNN-based encoders and decoders are hindered by their inability to capture long-range spatial dependencies, leading to suboptimal performance in complex object segmentation tasks. To address the limitation, we leverage an enhanced spatial attention-based Vision Transformer (ViT) as an encoder and decoder in the EDTNet. The EDTNet integrates two successive transformer blocks, a patch-expanding layer, down-sampling layers, and up-sampling layers to improve segmentation capabilities. In addition, ESLA (Enhanced spatial aware local attention) and EGLA (Enhanced global aware local attention) blocks are added to provide attention to the spatial features. Furthermore, skip connections are introduced to facilitate symmetrical interaction between the corresponding encoder and decoder layer, enabling the retrieval of intricate details in the output. The EDTNet performance is compared with several models on DS1 and DS2, including Unet, ResUNet++, U-NET 3+, DeepLabV3+, SegNet, Trans-Unet, and Swin-UNet, demonstrates superior quantitative and visual results. On DS1, the EDTNet achieved 96.27%, 95.81%, 96.15% precision, IoU (Intersection over Union), and DSC (Sorensen–Dice coefficient). Moreover, the model has demonstrated sensitivity, IoU and SDC of 98.84%, 96.06% and 97.85% on DS2.
Computational challenges and solutions: Prime number generation for enhanced data security
Authors: Ezz-Eldien Amal , Ezz Mohamed , Alsirhani Amjad , Mostafa Ayman Mohamed , Alomari Abdullah , Alserhani Faeiz , Alshahrani Mohammed Mujib
Published: November 2024

This paper addresses the computational methods and challenges associated with prime number generation, a critical component in encryption algorithms for ensuring data security. The generation of prime numbers efficiently is a critical challenge in various domains, including cryptography, number theory, and computer science. The quest to find more effective algorithms for prime number generation is driven by the increasing demand for secure communication and data storage and the need for efficient algorithms to solve complex mathematical problems. Our goal is to address this challenge by presenting two novel algorithms for generating prime numbers: one that generates primes up to a given limit and another that generates primes within a specified range. These innovative algorithms are founded on the formulas of odd-composed numbers, allowing them to achieve remarkable performance improvements compared to existing prime number generation algorithms. Our comprehensive experimental results reveal that our proposed algorithms outperform well-established prime number generation algorithms such as Miller-Rabin, Sieve of Atkin, Sieve of Eratosthenes, and Sieve of Sundaram regarding mean execution time. More notably, our algorithms exhibit the unique ability to provide prime numbers from range to range with a commendable performance. This substantial enhancement in performance and adaptability can significantly impact the effectiveness of various applications that depend on prime numbers, from cryptographic systems to distributed computing. By providing an efficient and flexible method for generating prime numbers, our proposed algorithms can develop more secure and reliable communication systems, enable faster computations in number theory, and support advanced computer science and mathematics research.
Syntactic analysis of SMOSS model combined with improved LSTM model: Taking English writing teaching as an example
Authors: Yan Ke
Published: November 2024

This paper explores the method of combining Sequential Matching on Sliding Window Sequences (SMOSS) model with improved Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model in English writing teaching to improve learners’ syntactic understanding and writing ability, thus effectively improving the quality of English writing teaching. Firstly, this paper analyzes the structure of SMOSS model. Secondly, this paper optimizes the traditional LSTM model by using Connectist Temporal Classification (CTC), and proposes an English text error detection model. Meanwhile, this paper combines the SMOSS model with the optimized LSTM model to form a comprehensive syntactic analysis framework, and designs and implements the structure and code of the framework. Finally, on the one hand, the semantic disambiguation performance of the model is tested by using SemCor data set. On the other hand, taking English writing teaching as an example, the proposed method is further verified by designing a comparative experiment in groups. The results show that: (1) From the experimental data of word sense disambiguation, the accuracy of the SMOSS-LSTM model proposed in this paper is the lowest when the context range is "3+3", then it rises in turn at "5+5" and "7+7", reaches the highest at "7+7", and then begins to decrease at "10+10"; (2) Compared with the control group, the accuracy of syntactic analysis in the experimental group reached 89.5%, while that in the control group was only 73.2%. (3) In the aspect of English text error detection, the detection accuracy of the proposed model in the experimental group is as high as 94.8%, which is significantly better than the traditional SMOSS-based text error detection method, and its accuracy is only 68.3%. (4) Compared with other existing researches, although it is slightly inferior to Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) in word sense disambiguation, this proposed model performs well in syntactic analysis and English text error detection, and its comprehensive performance is excellent. This paper verifies the effectiveness and practicability of applying SMOSS model and improved LSTM model to the syntactic analysis task in English writing teaching, and provides new ideas and methods for the application of syntactic analysis in English teaching.
Integrated virtual screening and MD simulation study to discover potential inhibitors of mycobacterial electron transfer flavoprotein oxidoreductase
Authors: Arshad Kaleem , Salim Jahanzab , Talat Muhammad Ali , Ashraf Asifa , Kanwal Nazia
Published: November 2024

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a major global health burden, with high incidence and mortality rates, compounded by the emergence and spread of drug-resistant strains. The limitations of current TB medications and the urgent need for new drugs targeting drug-resistant strains, particularly multidrug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) TB, underscore the pressing demand for innovative anti-TB drugs that can shorten treatment duration. This has led to a focus on targeting energy metabolism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) as a promising approach for drug discovery. This study focused on repurposing drugs against the crucial mycobacterial protein, electron transfer flavoprotein oxidoreductase (EtfD), integral to utilizing fatty acids and cholesterol as a carbon source during infection. The research adopted an integrative approach, starting with virtual screening of approved drugs from the ZINC20 database against EtfD, followed by molecular docking, and concluding with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Diacerein, levonadifloxacin, and gatifloxacin were identified as promising candidates for repurposing against TB based on their strong binding affinity, stability, and interactions with EtfD. ADMET analysis and anti-TB sensitivity predictions assessed their pharmacokinetic and therapeutic potential. Diacerein and levonadifloxacin, previously unexplored in anti-tuberculous therapy, along with gatifloxacin, known for its efficacy in drug-resistant TB, have broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties and favorable pharmacokinetic profiles, suggesting potential as alternatives to current TB treatments, especially against resistant strains. This study underscores the efficacy of computational drug repurposing, highlighting bacterial energy metabolism and lipid catabolism as fruitful targets. Further research is necessary to validate the clinical suitability and efficacy of diacerein, levonadifloxacin, and gatifloxacin, potentially enhancing the arsenal against global TB.
Comparison of outcomes between video laryngoscopy and flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy for endotracheal intubation in adults with cervical neck immobilization: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Guo Nana , Wen Xuxin , Wang Xiao , Yang Junling , Zhou Haidong , Guo Jianli , Su Yun , Zhang Tingxin
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Comparing the outcomes of video-laryngoscopy and flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy for endotracheal intubation in patients with cervical spine immobilization

Methods

All of the comparative studies published in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Medline, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases as of 8 Jan 2024 were included. All outcomes were analyzed using Review Manager 5.4. The primary outcomes were the successful first-attempt intubation rate, intubation time, heart rate after intubation, mean arterial pressure after intubation, overall intubation success rate, risk of tissue damage and sore throat.

Results

The meta-analysis included six randomized controlled studies with a total of 694 patients. The outcomes of the meta-analysis revealed that the use of video laryngoscopy was better than flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy in terms of the successful first-attempt intubation rate (P<0.05) and intubation time (P<0.05) in patients with cervical spine immobilization. However, there were no statistically significant differences in heart rate after intubation, mean arterial pressure after intubation, overall intubation success rate, risk of tissue damage, or sore throat (all P>0.05) between the video laryngoscopy and flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy groups.

Conclusions

Compared with flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy, video laryngoscopy has superior tracheal intubation performance in terms of the first-attempt success rate and intubation speed. This finding was observed in patients with cervical spine immobilization who utilized a cervical collar to simulate a difficult airway. Additionally, both types of scopes demonstrated similar complication rates. Current evidence suggests that video laryngoscopy is better suited than flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy for endotracheal intubation in patients immobilized with a cervical collar.

Trial registration

Systematic review protocol: CRD42024499868.
X-ray guided anatomy-based fitting: The validity of OTOPLAN
Authors: Alahmadi Asma , Abdelsamad Yassin , Hafez Ahmed , Hagr Abdulrahman
Published: November 2024

Background

Anatomy-based fitting (ABF) for cochlear implant users is a new era that seeks improved outcomes. Recently, different imaging modalities, such as plain X-rays, have been proposed to build the ABF as an alternative to the computed tomography (CT) scan. This study aimed to assess the feasibility and validity of OTOPLAN® software in building ABF using plain X-ray imaging.

Patients and methods

A retrospective evaluation of postoperative CT scans and plain X-ray post-op images of 54 patients was analyzed using the OTOPLAN® software. The post-op analysis was done for the angular insertion depth (AID) and center frequency of each electrode contact using both imaging modalities. Moreover, inter-rater reliability was assessed for measurements obtained from CT scans and plain X-ray images.

Results

Non-significant statistical and clinical mismatches were detected when comparing the AID and center frequency measurements assessed using CT and X-rays. The absolute difference between CT and X-ray approaches ranged from 0.0 to 4.6 degrees for AID and 0.2 to 0.5 semitone for frequency. Moreover, the AID and the frequency measurements from CT and X-ray images demonstrated almost perfect agreement between the raters. The inter-observer reliability for CT scans showed that the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) exceeded 0.97 for AID and 0.95 for the frequency across all electrode contacts.

Conclusion

Our results demonstrated the validity and reliability of using post-operative X-ray images by OTOPLAN® software to build Anatomy-based Fitting maps.
Quantitative ethnobotany of plants used for vernacular building construction in Ghana
Authors: Boakye Maxwell Kwame
Published: November 2024

Vernacular construction uses locally available materials, including plant-based materials. The sustainability of plant use raises concerns. Social evaluation using an ethnobotanical approach gives a clear overview of the sustainability of wild plant harvesting as it incorporates the views of resource users. In Ghana, plant-based materials are commonly used for vernacular housing construction, especially in rural areas. However, the cultural significance of plant species used for vernacular building construction remains unexplored. This study aimed to take an inventory of plant species and use their ethnobotanical indices to evaluate the sustainability of utilization in vernacular building construction. Ethnobotanical data on plant species used for vernacular building construction was collected from 258 respondents in the Adaklu district of the Volta region. Quantitative ethnobotanical analysis revealed that of the 26 plant species identified to be used for vernacular building construction, Bambusa vulgaris, Borassus aethiopum, Elaeis guineensis, Senna siamea, and Azadirachta indica were the most culturally significant and valuable. Bambusa vulgaris had the highest cultural importance, value, and relative importance index. Elaeis guineensis had the highest relative frequency of citations. The findings reveal a high potential for valorizing the culturally important and valuable plant species in the local construction industry. Promoting culturally significant and valuable plant species commercialization presents an opportunity for poverty alleviation at the local level, as most of the species are abundant in the natural environment and are among the commonly planted species for the afforestation program in Ghana.
EUSKARRIEN HAUTAKETA ETA ERABILERA BIOMEKANIZAZIO ERANGINKORRAGOA LORTZEKO
Authors: Santaolalla Ramirez Arrate , Gutierrez Junkal , Barona Astrid , Rojo Naiara
Published: November 2024

Prozesu mikrobiologiko kontrolatua den biomekanizazioari esker mikroegiturak sor daitezke pieza metalikoen gainazalean kalte termikorik edo mekanikorik eragin gabe. Edozein bioprozesutan bezala, biomekanizazioan ere mikroorganismoak aktibo mantentzeak garrantzi handia du, bakterioek oxidatzailea (burdina ferrikoa) birsortzen baitute, prozesuak era ziklikoan aurrera egin dezan. Zelula aktiboen dentsitatea handitzeko eta biomasaren ordezkapena errazteko asmoz, euskarrietan immobilizatu ohi dira mikroorganismoak, eta horretarako, matrize egokien gainean finkatu edo barruan sartu behar dira zelulak. Beraz, immobilizaziorako euskarri-material aproposa aukeratzea funtsezko erabakia da, biomekanizazioaren eraginkortasuna erabat alda dezakeelako. Ikerketa lan honetan, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans bakterioaren immobilizazioaren bideragarritasuna aztertu da eta horretarako hainbat material prestatu dira laborategian. Guztien artean, haren propietate bikainetan oinarrituta, zelulosa bakterianoa aukeratu da euskarri aktiboaren prestaketa-prozesuaren operazio-baldintzak optimizatzeko. Azkenik, biomasa immobilizatuaren eraginkortasuna egiaztatzeko kobrezko pieza bat biomekanizatu da biozelulosazko euskarri aktiboa erabiliz.
Entre la cognición política y la cognición social: el discurso de la memoria colectiva en Argentina
Authors: Bietti Lucas Manuel
Published: November 2024

En diciembre de 2001 Argentina experimentó la peor crisis económica de su historia. En este contexto de caos e inestabilidad las críticas esgrimidas desde la sociedad civil se centraron en denunciar las injusticias sociales que fueron impulsadas por los anteriores gobiernos democráticos. Dentro de esas políticas a criticar se encontraban las leyes del perdón que dejaron en libertad a gran parte de los perpetradores responsables del terrorismo de estado que tuvo lugar en la última dictadura militar (1976-1983). No obstante, desde el año 2003 el gobierno de Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007) se apropió de algunas de aquellas protestas cuya consigna “memoria, verdad y justicia” se convirtió en bandera oficial. Desde entonces, el papel del discurso de las víctimas del terrorismo de estado ocupó un lugar central a la hora de reabrir causas penales y volver a poner en “el banquillo de los acusados” a los militares anteriormente indultados. Este artículo examina cómo las transformaciones discursivas introducidas por el gobierno de Néstor Kirchner, en relación a la condena del terrorismo de estado, influyen en las formas privadas del mismo discurso. Para estudiar esta interfaz entre la memoria oficial y la memoria privada, escasamente explorada, trabajamos, por un lado con discursos políticos, y por otro con el discurso obtenido en grupos de discusión realizados en Buenos Aires en febrero y marzo de 2008. Nuestro trabajo se basa en un análisis semántico y pragmático de la información implícita y explícita de las implicaturas políticas surgidas por diferentes estrategias discursivo-semánticas. Las implicaturas nos serán de vital utilidad para determinar, a nivel sociocognitivo, los puntos de contacto y de tensión entre el discurso público de la memoria y el privado. Ambos componentes necesarios para la construcción de nuestra memoria colectiva del pasado.
Las preguntas y el ejercicio del poder
Authors: Wang Jinjun , Lizasoain Conejeros Andrea
Published: November 2024

En este artículo se discute que el ‘diálogo ideal’, libre de poder, es inalcanzable y poco realista, y que el poder es inherente a todos los diálogos. Se concentra en la exploración de la pregunta como un posible medio para ejercer poder tanto en la conversación informal como en el diálogo institucional. Comparativamente hablando, el poder tiende a ser manifiesto en el diálogo institucional y encubierto en la conversación informal; por otra parte, las preguntas ejercen poder de diferentes maneras en ambas formas de interacción verbal. Sobre la base de un análisis de datos, se señala que la asignación inmediata de los turnos y el control temporal de los temas conllevan la latencia de las preguntas como un medio poderoso en la conversación informal. La importancia de las preguntas como un medio para ejercer poder se centra en tres factores: la distribución evidentemente desigual de las preguntas, lo que produce la asignación desigual de los turnos; las preguntas dominantes que controlan tanto los temas locales como los globales; y las preguntas cerradas (sí/no) y abiertas (qué, cómo…) que ejercen poder en diferentes grados.
“Ni el centro ni la periferia”: La construcción del Tercer Espacio en los textos del Subcomandante Marcos
Authors: García Agustín Óscar
Published: November 2024

En 2007 el subcomandante Marcos pronuncia una serie de siete conferencias con el título “Ni el centro ni la periferia” sobre la lucha zapatista y los movimientos antisistémicos. Aunque la popularidad y la repercusión del movimiento zapatista se han reducido, Marcos realiza un esfuerzo por combinar la reflexión teórica con la experiencia práctica con el fin de promover un discurso alternativo, opuesto al sistema capitalista. En este artículo, consideramos los textos como el Tercer Espacio, esto es, un lugar de cuestionamiento del discurso dominante, mediante el rechazo de las oposiciones binarios y la articulación de la diferencia. Para crear dicho espacio, es necesario incluir distintas voces y prácticas sociales que alteren las convenciones y significaciones existentes. Por eso, la intertextualidad y la interdiscursividad son recursos empleados para constituir un texto híbrido, que incluya una pluralidad de identidades y transgreda las normas que condicionan la producción textual. Marcos combina varios géneros, como la argumentación, la narración o el diálogo para ofrecer otros enfoque sobre el discurso político y la inclusión de determinadas voces externas para potenciar un discurso colectivo.
Gran Bretaña como contenedor: metáforas sobre inmigración en la campaña electoral de 2005
Authors: Charteris-Black Jonathan , Luciani María de las Mercedes , Heredia Ailén
Published: November 2024

Este artículo analiza cómo las metáforas contribuyen a la construcción de la legitimidad en los discursos políticos de los sectores de derecha referentes a las políticas de inmigración en la campaña electoral británica de 2005. Investiga el papel jugado por las metáforas en la construcción de la legitimidad política de derecha y los diferentes usos que de ellas hacen la extrema y centro derecha. Los dos tipos principales identificados son las metáforas de “desastres naturales” –referidas predominantemente a fluidos – y metáforas del “contenedor”, relacionadas con la formación de presión dentro y fuera de un recipiente. Estos dos tipos se relacionan mediante la noción de un área delimitada que protege de peligros externos aquello que está adentro. La metáfora del contenedor es persuasiva en la comunicación política debido a que fusiona una cuarta dimensión, el tiempo, con conceptos basados en el espacio, de dos o tres dimensiones. Ésta implica que controlar la inmigración mediante el mantenimiento de la seguridad de los límites (un concepto basado en el espacio) asegurará el control del ritmo del cambio social en Gran Bretaña (un concepto basado en el tiempo). Asimismo, realza los temores asociados a la penetración en un recipiente.
El racismo y la discriminación en el lenguaje político de las elites intelectuales en Guatemala
Authors: Casaús Marta Elena
Published: November 2024

El artículo versa sobre el análisis discursivo de los lenguajes políticos de las elites intelectuales mayas y ladinas en Guatemala, con especial énfasis en las temáticas del racismo y la discriminación con el fin de conocer cuáles son las expresiones, manifestaciones y espacios desde donde se ejerce el racismo, haciendo especial énfasis en el estado como el principal reproductor del racismo. La contraposición de fragmentos de textos de las elites mayas y ladinas nos permite hacer un intento de tipificación del Estado guatemalteco.
Analisis Hubungan Kualitas Air Tambak Terhadap Laju Pertumbuhan Ikan Nila Salin (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Baihaqi Rafnandito Humam , Haeruddin Haeruddin , Prakoso Kukuh
Published: November 2024

Ikan nila salin termasuk jenis ikan dengan nilai ekonomis dan pasar yang cukup tinggi. Budidaya ikan nila salin memiliki prospek cukup bagus dalam bidang perikanan dengan hasil produksi yang optimal. Kualitas air menjadi salah satu faktor dalam keberhasilan budidaya ikan nila salin. Penelitian ini dilakukan di salah satu tambak ikan nila salin Desa Turunrejo, Kecamatan Brangsong, Kabupaten Kendal. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan pada bulan November-Desember 2023 sebanyak lima kali setiap minggu dan pada tiga stasiun berbeda, yaitu pada bagian inlet, bagian tengah, dan bagian outlet tambak. Data parameter kualitas air yang dianalisis meliputi suhu, pH, DO, salinitas, amonia dan nitrit, sedangkan data pertumbuhan ikan nila salin yaitu pertumbuhan panjang dan berat ikan. Hasil parameter kualitas air di lokasi penelitian masih berada dalam baku mutu optimal untuk budidaya tambak ikan nila salin. Hasil hubungan panjang berat ikan nila salin menunjukkan hubungan yang kuat pada ketiga stasiun. Analisis pola pertumbuhan menunjukkan hasil bahwa pertumbuhan ikan termasuk allometrik positif. Variabel kualitas air yang memiliki pengaruh secara nyata atau signifikan terhadap pertumbuhan panjang ikan adalah amonia, sedangkan variabel kualitas air yang berpengaruh secara signifikan terhadap pertumbuhan berat ikan adalah amonia dan nitrit. Hubungan paling kuat terhadap panjang dan berat ikan diperoleh pada variabel suhu dengan angka korelasi 0,718 dan 0,637, sedangkan hubungan paling rendah diperoleh pada variabel nitrit dengan angka korelasi 0,016 dan 0,206. Semakin baik dan optimal parameter kualitas air, maka semakin maksimal juga pertumbuhan ikan yang terjadi pada tambak budidaya ikan nila salin.
Platformised Affinity Spaces: Learning communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok
Authors: Vermeire Zowi , De Haan M.J. , Sefton-Green J. , Akkerman S.F.
Published: November 2024

Online, informal learning communities bring youth opportunities for learning that schools cannot offer. Yet, there are concerns about the impact of social media platforms’ control over online learning. We argue for a re-evaluation of what an ‘online informal learning community’ is by looking at such active communities on three platforms: YouTube, Twitch and TikTok. We do this by reconsidering Gee’s ‘affinity spaces’ and by asking: how can we understand online informal learning communities in the current sociotechnical context? We observed and analysed interactions of six learning communities on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok. Our results show that in today’s platformised online context, Gee’s concept of ‘affinity spaces’ should be reconsidered in three ways. First, platforms call for discussion about affinity spaces’ boundaries through the visibility regimes that play a part in access. Second, platforms challenge the affinity spaces’ grammar; to maintain a focus on their interest, platforms need to engage with interests provided by platform cultures. Third, a more fixated hierarchisation, informed by platforms’ focus on creators, impacts affinity spaces’ social structures. We introduce the concept of ‘platformised affinity space’ as a first step to specific dynamics that platforms introduce to online informal learning communities. We conclude that we only understand these communities when acknowledging how these dynamics are appropriated as well as resisted to achieve community goals.
Circulating CCRR serves as potential novel biomarker for predicting acute myocardial infarction
Authors: Xuan Lina , Luo Huishan , Wang Shu , Wang Guangze , Yang Xingmei , Chen Jun , Guo Jianjun , Duan Xiaomeng , Li Xiufang , Yang Hua , Wang Shengjie , Zhang Hailong , Zhang Qingqing , Liu Shulei , She Yongtao , Kang Kai , Sun Lihua
Published: November 2024

Objective

Cold regions exhibit a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease, particularly acute myocardial infarction (AMI), which is one of the leading causes of death associated with cardiovascular conditions. Cardiovascular disease is closely linked to the abnormal expression of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). This study investigates whether circulating levels of lncRNA cardiac conduction regulatory RNA (CCRR) could serve as a biomarker for AMI.

Materials and methods

We measured circulating CCRR from whole blood samples collected from 68 AMI patients and 69 non-AMI subjects. An AMI model was established using C57BL/6 mice. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to assess CCRR expression. Exosomes were isolated from cardiomyocytes, and their characteristics were evaluated using electron microscope and nanoparticle tracking analysis. The exosome inhibitor GW4869 was employed to examine the effect of exosomal CCRR on cardiac function using echocardiography. Protein expression was detected using Western blot and immunofluorescence staining.

Results

The circulating level of CCRR was significantly higher in AMI patients (1.93 ± 0.13) than in non-AMI subjects (1.00 ± 0.05, P < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of circulating CCRR was 0.821. Similar changes in circulating CCRR levels were consistently observed in an AMI mouse model. Exosomal CCRR derived from hypoxia-induced cardiomyocytes and cardiac tissue after AMI were increased, a change that was reversed by GW4869. Additionally, CCRR-overexpressing exosomes improved cardiac function in AMI.

Conclusion

Circulating lncRNA CCRR is a potential predictor of AMI. Exosomal CCRR plays a role in the communication between the heart and other organs through circulation.
Clinical study of a new nutritional index for predicting long-term prognosis in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease following percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Chu Xinqiu , Yuan Yuewen , Chen Jiya , Yu Yanwei , Li Yang
Published: November 2024

Background and Objective

Some patients continue to experience major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in frigid places. Indexes of inflammation and nutrition alone were shown to predict outcomes in patients with PCI. However, the clinical predictive value of mixed indicators is unclear. This study aimed to assess the predictive value of the albumin/neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on the long-term prognosis of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

A total of 608 post-PCI CHD patients were categorized into low- and high-index groups based on the optimal cut-off values for albumin and NLR. The primary outcome was a composite endpoint comprising all-cause mortality and major adverse cerebrovascular events. The secondary outcome was the comparison of the predictive efficiency of the new nutritional index, albumin/NLR, with that of albumin or NLR alone.

Results

Over the five-year follow-up period, 45 patients experienced the composite endpoint. The incidence of endpoint events was significantly higher in the low-index group (12%) compared to the high-index group (4.9%). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that the albumin/NLR index had a larger area under the curve (AUC: 0.655) than albumin (AUC: 0.621) or NLR (AUC: 0.646), indicating superior predictive efficiency. The prognostic nutritional index had an AUC of 0.644, further supporting the enhanced predictive value of the albumin/NLR index over individual nutritional and inflammatory markers.

Conclusion

The albumin/neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio is independently associated with the long-term prognosis of CHD patients post-PCI and demonstrates superior predictive efficiency compared to individual nutritional and inflammatory markers.
Characterization of glomalin proteins in soil: A potential indicator of erosion intensity
Authors: Jović Branislav , Lukić Tin , Jović Danica , Radnović Nikola , Schaetzl Randall J. , Marković Slobodan B.
Published: November 2024

In this study, in a pioneering effort, glomalin proteins were extracted and geochemically characterized from soil in Serbia. Standard chemical (dry combustion, Walkley-Black) and spectroscopic methods (fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscope (SEM)) were used to gain insight into the glomalin proteins. Samples from the City of Novi Sad (Serbia) were used for characterization and comparison. The soil contained an average of 17 mg/g of glomalin, representing ≈21% of the soil organic matter. DLS zeta potential analysis and the FTIR spectra reveal two significant differences before and after glomalin extraction, indicating a relationship between sand fractions and organic matter that affects particle aggregation and erosion potential. A comparison of SEM images and DLS results reveals that the glomalin extract consists of two particle size groups (0.08–1 and 6 µm), suggesting that the extraction process isolates only a smaller fraction of proteins and less tightly bound particles, indicating that soil aggregation is influenced by both mineralogy and the characteristics of organic matter. Hence, our research raises important questions about the role of glomalin in mitigating soil degradation processes, particularly soil erosion. Our study will enhance the overall understanding of glomalin, inspire future research, and prove beneficial for the sustainable restoration of degraded lands.