bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vacunación en menores de cinco años
Authors: Mongua-Rodríguez Norma , Delgado-Sánchez Guadalupe , Ferreira-Guerrero Elizabeth , Ferreyra-Reyes Leticia , Martínez-Hernández Maribel , Canizales-Quintero Sergio , Téllez-Vázquez Norma Aracely , García-García Lourdes
Published: August 2024

Objetivo. Comparar la cobertura de vacunación y sus factores asociados en niñas y niños (NN) menores de cinco años en México, según datos de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición (Ensanut) Continua 2021-2023 y Ensanut 2012. Material y métodos. Se estimó la prevalencia del estado de vacunación de NN menores de cinco años a partir de datos registrados en la Cartilla Nacional de Salud, Cartilla Nacional de Vacunación o documento probatorio, obtenidos de la Ensanut Continua 2021-2023 y Ensanut 2012. Se contaron como dosis válidas para medir cobertura, las que cumplían con las recomendaciones de intervalos de tiempo entre dosis, edad mínima y máxima de aplicación dada por el Centro Nacional para la Salud de la Infancia y Adolescencia. Resultados. En 2021-2023, las coberturas de vacunación en NN menores de cinco años con BCG, hepatitis B y polio/DPT, antineumocócica, antirotavirus y triple viral fueron de 86.5, 63.7, 68.9, 86.6, 81.3 y 71.3%, respectivamente. Al primer y segundo año, 45.6 y 32.4% de NN habían recibido el esquema completo correspondiente. De 2012 a 2021-2023 disminuyeron las coberturas de vacunación con BCG, hepatitis B y polio/DPT, y aumentaron las de neumococo y rotavirus. Conclusión. En 2021-2023 no se alcanzó la meta de cobertura de vacunación (95%) para ninguna vacuna investigada.
Intoxicación por plomo en población pediátrica
Authors: Téllez-Rojo Martha María , Bautista Arreondo Luis F , Cantoral-Preciado Alejandra , Peralta Netzy , Figueroa José Luis , Trejo-Valdivia Belem
Published: August 2024

Objetivo. Documentar la situación de intoxicación por plomo en población pediátrica en México, identificar poblaciones con mayor riesgo y presentar recomendaciones de política pública para afrontar el problema. Material y métodos. Se realizó un análisis integrado de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición Continua 2022-2023. Las concentraciones de plomo se midieron en sangre capilar de 1,747 menores de 1-4 años por voltamperometría de redisolución anódica. Se estimó la prevalencia de intoxicación (PbS>5μg/dL) en estratos sociodemográficos y de vulnerabilidad social. Se identificaron poblaciones con mayor riesgo de intoxicación. Resultados. La prevalencia de intoxicación nacional fue de 17.2%, 29% en población indígena, 25% en aquélla con desnutrición crónica, 25% con mayores niveles de carencias; 20% en zonas rurales y urbanas, 12% en metropolitanas. No se encontraron diferencias por sexo. El mayor riesgo de intoxicación (52%) se presenta en población indígena, con desnutrición crónica, residente en zonas rurales y que utiliza barro vidriado; un riesgo 15 veces mayor al perfil de menor vulnerabilidad (3.5%). Conclusiones. La intoxicación por plomo es un problema de justicia ambiental. Es necesario implementar una estrategia nacional de remoción de la principal fuente de exposición; un sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica para la identificación y atención de casos y un biomonitoreo poblacional en población pediátrica y mujeres embarazadas; es imperante la vigilancia de normas vigentes.
Preparación pandémica: acciones requeridas. Conclusiones del panel multidisciplinario PUIREE, 2024
Authors: Rodríguez-Álvarez Mauricio , Ponce-de-León-Rosales Samuel , Zaidi-Jacobson Mussaret , Pérez-Cuevas Ricardo , Argüelles-Gómez Carlos , Cornejo-Juárez Patricia , Cruz-Hervert Luis Pablo , Cruz-Pacheco Gustavo , De la Concha Florencio , Díaz-Ramírez Jorge Baruch , García-García María de Lourdes , Hernández-Cárdenas Carmen Margarita , Jácome-Ramírez Rodrigo , Jiménez-Corona María Eugenia , Lazcano-Araujo Antonio , Linares-Salgado Jorge Enrique , López-Vidal Yolanda , Martínez-Cristo Néstor , Martuscelli-Quintana Jaime , Miranda-Novales María Guadalupe , Ochoa-Hein Eric , Provencio-Durazo Enrique , Santillán-Doherty Patricio , Soto-Nieto Gabriel Israel , Torres-Ruiz María Fernanda , Volkow-Fernández Patricia
Published: August 2024

Objetivo. En respuesta a la creciente amenaza de riesgos pandémicos y la reciente experiencia de la pandemia de Covid-19, la UNAM a través del PUIREE convocó a un análisis multidisciplinario para identificar y priorizar acciones esenciales para la respuesta ante pandemias en México. Material y métodos. Se utilizó el método estructurado de comunicación y análisis Delphi y se presentó a los expertos en salud y vida un cuestionario; en tres reuniones se realizaron discusiones sobre las acciones que debería contener un plan de preparación y respuesta pandémica para México. Resultados. Se identificaron áreas clave de intervención: la necesidad de una coordinación efectiva entre todos los niveles de Gobierno, instituciones de salud y sectores diversos de la población; la importancia de un sistema de comunicación transparente y eficaz, así como el fortalecimiento de la infraestructura y los recursos humanos capacitados para la atención de la salud en las instituciones públicas. También se destacó la necesidad de invertir en investigación y desarrollo para garantizar la autosuficiencia en la producción de vacunas y medicamentos, así como la implementación de medidas tempranas de distanciamiento físico y confinamiento. Conclusiones. La preparación pandémica efectiva requiere acciones inmediatas para lograr una planificación integral y multidisciplinaria, así como una colaboración y comunicación entre academias y sectores afines con el fin de minimizar el impacto y amenazas de futuras pandemias. Lo anterior fortalecerá la capacidad de respuesta de México y servirá de modelo para otros países de ingresos medios y bajos.
Vulnerabilidad y barreras de acceso a los servicios de salud
Authors: Vértiz-Ramírez José de Jesús , Ramírez-Palacios Paula , Ríos-Cázares Gabriela , Sánchez-Domínguez Mario Salvador , Ochoa-Torres María del Pilar , De Negri-Filho Armando Antonio , Saturno-Hernández Pedro Jesús
Published: August 2024

Objetivo. Identificar diferencias en las barreras de acceso a los servicios de salud entre población con y sin condiciones de vulnerabilidad a partir de resultados de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición Continua 2023 (Ensanut Continua 2023). Material y métodos. Se definieron cuatro categorías de vulnerabilidad entre la población con necesidades de salud que no buscó atención y utilizadores de los servicios de salud que acudieron a instituciones que no les correspondía. Los motivos para no solicitar atención y para solicitar atención en una institución que no les correspondía se agruparon por tipo de barrera de acceso. Se analizaron las diferencias entre las barreras reportadas según la categoría de vulnerabilidad, así como el gasto para atender necesidades de salud. Resultados. Independientemente de su situación de vulnerabilidad, una parte importante de la población debe superar barreras para buscar u obtener la atención que requiere. Las barreras más frecuentes fueron la personal y la organizacional. La población con más condiciones de vulnerabilidad reportó más barreras de tipo personal y económico. Conclusiones. Para avanzar en la satisfacción del derecho a la salud es necesario fortalecer la capacidad organizacional de los servicios de salud para mejorar su disponibilidad, accesibilidad, aceptabilidad y calidad, y disminuir las condiciones de vulnerabilidad de la población.
Sample collecting methods for bacterial community structure analysis of scalp hair: non-invasive swabbing versus invasive hair shaft cutting
Authors: Watanabe Kota , Yamada Azusa , Masuda Hao , Kashiwazaki Eri , Nakayama Shunichi , Kadokura Toshimori , Sakai Kenji , Tashiro Yukihiro
Published: August 2024

Human skin samples for microbiome analysis are traditionally collected using a non-invasive swabbing method. Here, we compared the differences in bacterial community structures on scalp hair and scalps with samples collected using non-invasive swabbing and invasive cut scalp hair shaft methods in 12 individuals. Hair-related samples, such as hair shafts and hair swabs, had significantly higher alpha diversity than scalp swab samples, whereas there were no significant differences between hair shafts and hair swabs. The relative abundances of the three major phyla and five major operational taxonomic units were not significantly different between the hair shaft and hair swab samples. The principal coordinate analysis plots based on weighted UniFrac distances were grouped into two clusters: samples from hair-related areas and scalp swabs, and there were significant differences only between samples from hair-related areas and scalp swabs. In addition, a weighted UniFrac analysis revealed that the sampling site-based category was a statistical category but not a hair sampling method-based category. These results suggest that scalp hair bacteria collected using non-invasive swab sampling were comparable to those collected using invasive hair shaft sampling.
Experimental study of shear-driven film flows in aeroengine bearing chamber
Authors: xu yu , hu jianping , lv yaguo , liu zhenxia
Published: August 2024

In the thermal analysis of the aeroengine bearing chamber, it is necessary to study the flow characteristics of the oil film and grasp the change law of the flow state based on the thickness of the oil film. Therefore, based on the motion analysis of the oil film on the inner wall of the bearing chamber, an experimental study was carried out to analyze the thickness of the shear-driven liquid film. The experiment was carried out in a rectangular channel, and the moving oil film was driven by the shear of the air flow generated in the channel by stabilizing the air source and the oil film generating device. In the experiment, a high-speed camera and a laser displacement sensor were used to obtain images of the flow of the liquid film on the metal plate and the instantaneous film thickness. The experimental conditions refer to the high-speed bearing cavity test bench, the maximum air flow Reynolds number reaches (Rea) 51000, and the liquid film Reynolds number (Ref) ranges from 430 to 2149. By observing the influence of air flow on the fluctuating structure of the liquid film surface, the flow state of the liquid film was qualitatively analyzed. Based on the experimental data and the existing liquid film flow model, the liquid film thickness was predicted by combining the interfacial shear factor. In this paper, the dimensionless analysis method is used to compare the prediction results with the previous flow model, and the results show good agreement. The instantaneous thickness signal was processed by statistical methods, and the surface fluctuation characteristics of the liquid film were analyzed and compared, including the degree of surface fluctuation and spectral analysis. In addition, the surface fluctuation structure of the liquid film is discussed, including the relationship between the bottom liquid film, the average thickness value and the maximum value. The results show that the ratio of the maximum thickness of the liquid film to the average film thickness can reach 4.5. This means that under certain operating conditions, the average liquid film thickness does not reflect the flow state of the liquid film well. When analyzing the heat transfer relationship between the oil film and the wall surface, it is necessary to select the appropriate liquid film thickness parameters to study.
Text topic modeling via representation learning non-negative matrix factorization with semantic similarity
Authors: Xu Yang , Zhang Yueyi , Hu Jing
Published: August 2024

Topic models are instrumental in text mining, revealing discriminative and coherent latent topics. Fewer words in short texts lead to insufficient contextual information and produce a highly sparse document-word matrix. So traditional topic models struggle to effectively cluster short texts. Models incorporating global word co-occurrence introduce too much information when processing long texts, resulting in a decrease in convergence speed and poorer clustering accuracy. To overcome sparsity in short texts and the impact of word co-occurrence on long texts, we propose a representation learning non-negative matrix factorization with semantic similarity topic model for texts of varying lengths, named RL-NMF-SS. The proposed method incorporates word co-occurrence and text similarity as regularization constraints and adjusts the regularization parameters to improve the adaptability to different corpora. Meanwhile, factor matrices are initialized via representation learning (RL) to bolster clustering robustness and model convergence. Extensive experiments on real-world corpora of varying text lengths, experimental results demonstrate RL-NMF-SS's superior performance in topic coherence and clustering accuracy, and RL-based initialization strategies exhibit excellent convergence.
Nearly Barrierless Four-hole Water Oxidation Catalysis on Semiconductor Photoanodes with Highly Accumulated Surface Holes
Authors: Zhang Yuchao , Liu Siqin , Dang Kun , Wu Lei , Bai Shuming , Zhao Jincai
Published: August 2024

The sluggish water oxidation reaction (WOR) is considered the kinetic bottleneck of artificial photosynthesis, due to the complicated four-electron and four-proton transfer process. Herein, we find that the WOR can be kinetically nearly barrierless on four representative photoanodes (i.e., α-Fe2O3, TiO2, WO3, and BiVO4) under the concentrated light irradiation, wherein the rate-limiting O − O bond formation step is driven by highly accumulated surface photo-generated holes that exhibit a superior fourth-order kinetics. The activation energy is quantitatively estimated by combining the population model with Eyring-like equation and is further confirmed by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The WOR rate under this condition shows more than one order of magnitude enhancement compared with that has 1st, 2nd or 3rd -order kinetics. Focusing on α-Fe2O3, the highly accumulated surface holes form adjacent FeV=O intermediates that effectively activate surface-adsorbed H2O molecules via hydrogen bonding effect as revealed by operando Raman measurements and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations. This work discloses a systematic understanding of the internal relations between activation energy and reaction orders of surface holes for future WOR study.
Prevalence of Pneumonia and Associated Factors Among Under-Five Children Visiting Outpatient Department of Public Hospitals in Jigjiga City, Somali Region, Ethiopia; 2024
Authors: Osman Ridwan Ibrahim , Ayehubizu Liyew Mekonen , Muse Abdilahi Ibrahim , Yohaness Semehal Haile
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Pneumonia is a common and severe inflammatory condition affecting children under five years old, particularly in Southern Asia and Africa. In Ethiopia, approximately 3.37 million children under five contract pneumonia each year. Pneumonia is a major health problem in Ethiopia, and studying it can help improve child health outcomes.
Objective: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of pneumonia and associated factors among under-five children visiting outpatient departments of public hospitals in Jigjiga city, Ethiopia.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted at two public hospitals in Jigjiga city from March-June, 2024. A systematic random sampling was implied to collect primary data from 341 under-five children visiting outpatient departments. The data was entered and cleaned using Epi Info version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Multivariate binary logistic regression models were employed to analyse the data.
Result: The study revealed that the prevalence of pneumonia was 33.4% and the risk factors for under-five pneumonia were identified. Children carried on their mothers back during cooking (AOR: 4.32, 95%CI: 1.67-11.1), with history of house hold ARTI (AOR: 4.39, 95%CI: 1.49-12.6), partially vaccinated (AOR: 5.33, 95%CI: 1.09-26.07), unvaccinated (AOR: 7.18, 95%CI: 1.18-44.4), had diarrhea (AOR: 3.61, 95%CI: 1.8-9.44), being female (AOR: 2.6, 95%CI: 1.18-5.77) were significantly associate with under five pneumonias.
Conclusion: This study found a very high number of young children with pneumonia. Children who weren't fully vaccinated, were exposed to cooking smoke, had respiratory infections at home, had diarrhea, or were girls all had a much higher risk. This suggests that getting kids fully vaccinated and reducing indoor air pollution are key ways to bring down pneumonia rates.
Attachment Styles and Sense of Coherence as Indicators of Treatment Adherence and Completion among Individuals with Substance Use Disorder
Authors: Kerekes Nóra , Bador Kourosh , Smedeby Carro , Hansen Linus , Lundström Sofie , Eriksson Monica
Published: August 2024

Background
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a growing public health concern in Sweden. Various treatments for SUD exist, with motivational treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relapse treatment being the nationally recommended approaches. Attachment theory and the salutogenic theory with its core concept, sense of coherence (SOC) provides valuable insights into individuals’ available personal resources and their potential for adherence to treatment. The aims of the present study were to examine attachment styles (secure, insecure-avoidant, and insecure-anxious) and levels of SOC (comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness) in individuals with SUD, explore potential correlations between the dimensions of these two frameworks, and assess the ability of these two frameworks to predict treatment completion.
Methods
The study employed a quantitative design. Clinical data were collected using validated self-report instruments (the Attachment Style Questionnaire and the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire) from individuals with SUD at a Swedish outpatient clinic for addiction. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and logistic regression.
Results
Individuals with SUD predominantly exhibited an insecure-avoidant attachment style. The four dimensions of an insecure attachment correlated negatively with overall SOC and with its dimensions, while the dimension of a secure attachment correlated positively with SOC. The strongest associations were found between the manageability dimension of SOC and all attachment styles. The insecure-anxious attachment style showed the strongest association with early dropout from treatment, while a stronger manageability was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of treatment completion.
Conclusion
The predominance of an insecure-avoidant attachment style among clients undergoing intensive, integrated treatment for SUD underscores the significance of reinforcing a secure attachment and enhancing SOC to facilitate treatment completion. This highlights the importance of comprehensive and integrated social and psychiatric care for individuals with SUD.
Clients’ Experiences and Satisfaction with an Integrated Intensive Outpatient Program for Substance Use Disorders
Authors: Johansson Catrin , Axelsson Ida , Nilsson Maja , Bador Kourosh , Kerekes Nóra
Published: August 2024

Comorbidity between substance use disorders and other mental health conditions is common, yet existing treatments often fail to address its full spectrum. Opportunities for integrated treatment are limited, and the effects of such treatment remain relatively unexplored. This study aims to describe the experiences of individuals with substance use disorders who received treatment at an integrated intensive outpatient addiction-care clinic. Utilising a survey with quantitative measures and qualitative questions with free-text responses, the experiences of 65 clients who had completed the programme between 2015 and 2021 were evaluated. The findings indicated that most clients were highly satisfied with the treatment. The analysis revealed three main categories: strong relationships and a comprehensive treatment programme; engaged and knowledgeable staff who lead with warmth; and self-development through new experiences. Overall, clients reported high levels of satisfaction with the integrated intensive outpatient programme. Despite these positive outcomes, this study highlights the need for further research on, knowledge about and competence in the development of integrated treatment interventions for individuals with substance use disorders.
Assessing the Rheological and Filtration Loss Control Potential of Selected Plant-Based Additives in Oil-Based Mud
Authors: Bassey Idara G. , Okon Anietie N. , Igbafe Anselm I. , Essien Aniel J.
Published: August 2024

In drilling operations, chemical additives pose environmental concerns during mud disposal. This study evaluated three plant-based additives, namely rice husk (RH), Detarium microcarpum (DM), and Brachystegia eurycoma (BE), in oil-based mud at low-pressure, low-temperature conditions. The mud’s rheological profile followed Herschel Bulkley’s model. With 8 g additive content, RH increased the mud apparent viscosity (AV), plastic viscosity (PV), and yield point (YP) by 62.5%, 51.25%, and 34.38%, respectively. DM showed higher increases of 200.0%, 195.0%, and 162.5%, while BE exhibited the most significant improvements of 287.5%, 272.5%, and 250.0%. The filtration tests indicated that RH reduced spurt loss and fluid loss volumes by 83.33% and 62.35%, while DM decreased by 82.41% and 47.94%, as BE had the highest reduction of 94.44% and 51.18%. Again, the filter cake thickness of RH, DM, and BE muds increased by 210.29%, 273.53%, and 79.41%, respectively, with permeabilities of 8.90\(\:\times\:\)10−3 mD, 11.87\(\:\times\:\)10−3 mD, and 7.35\(\:\times\:\)10−3 mD. Furthermore, the mud susceptibility to NaCl showed that AV decreased for RH, DM, and BE, while YP decreased significantly. The filter cake thickness and permeability increased by 62.38 and 359.55% for RH, as the DM decreased by 93.80% and 84.37% and the BE by 96.68% and 96.62%, which indicates that RH is more susceptible to NaCl than DM and BE in the mud. Also, these plant-based additives in mud exhibited fragile gel strength and commendable cake characteristics: firm, smooth, and soft/slippery, which make them potentially suitable for oil well drilling.
Visual Rating Method for Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings
Authors: Islam S. M. Muhaiminul , Bhuiyan Md. Abdur Rahman , Uddin Md. Tarek
Published: August 2024

The Visual Rating Method (VRM) offers a cost-effective and rapid means of assessing the seismic vulnerability of unreinforced masonry (URM) structures, aiding in timely decision-making for retrofitting or demolition. Its simplicity and reliance on visual observations make it accessible for initial screening, helping prioritize interventions and raise public awareness about seismic risks associated with URM buildings. This research addresses the pressing need for enhancing the seismic resilience of vulnerable buildings in earthquake prone areas, focusing on URM buildings. The study introduces a systematic visual screening method as an essential initial step in the comprehensive seismic evaluation of URM buildings. A Visual Rating (VR) approach is developed, considering the specific construction materials and practices associated with URM buildings. This method aids in establishing a priority list for identifying URM buildings that require in-depth seismic assessments. By assessing the seismic capacity of each load-bearing masonry wall at different levels within a building, a visual rating index is generated. Various critical factors, including building type, number of stories, aspect ratio, slenderness ratio of walls, opening dimensions, irregularities, pounding effect, construction age, and the physical condition of URM buildings, are meticulously considered within this developed method. To validate the efficacy of the approach, existing guidelines are considered and detailed seismic evaluations are conducted on multiple URM buildings to compare seismic index respect to visual rating index. The analytical results demonstrate that this method can serve as an efficient and pragmatic tool for expeditiously assessing a large inventory of masonry buildings in seismic-prone regions. It assists in prioritizing URM buildings for subsequent, detailed seismic evaluations while optimizing the allocation of limited resources.
Adolescent sexual life and attitudes toward contraceptive methods: a retrospective study
Authors: Iparraguirre Melva , Vadillo Beatriz Lilian Galdos , Iparraguirre Geovanna Geraldine Gutierrez , Mansilla Ivonne Rocio Poma -
Published: August 2024

Introduction: Adolescent sexuality and their attitudes towards contraceptive methods can be approached from different perspectives, on the one hand, there are those related to education in favor of the development of a positive sexuality, others in the field of the right of these people to know and explore their sexuality.
Objective: To analyze data collected on adolescent sexuality and attitudes towards the use of contraceptive methods in the last ten years at a global level.
Materials and Methods: This was quantitative research, which was developed from a descriptive and retrospective approach; this implied the search and identification of different research carried out worldwide with the purpose of locating data derived from the instruments applied in studies conducted.
Results: In Latin America and the Caribbean, research focuses on adolescent pregnancy as an indicator and its effects on the lives of adolescents; in Africa and Asia, sexual violence and cultural practices are seen as ways in which it is considered a health issue. Similarly, in Europe and Oceania the trends are preventive.
Discussion: Based on the research, the surveys that were applied and analyzed indicate that adolescents have knowledge and a favorable attitude towards the use of contraceptive methods. Conclusions: The results evidence a diversity of attitudes and behaviors among adolescents regarding the use of contraceptive methods. Although they recognize their importance, there are still challenges in the access and effective use of these methods.
Prevalence Of Cytomegalovirus Infection In Patients Attending A Tertiary Care Hospital - Single Centre Experience
Authors: Fomda Bashir Ahmad , Aman Munaza , Bashir Gulnaz , Altaf Insha , Wani Sanam , Haq Irfan ul , Imtiyaz Sheikh , Bhat Naseer
Published: August 2024

Background
Human cytomegalovirus (CMV) poses an important public health issue. Consequential illness and death in congenitally infected and immunocompromised patients has been noticed. The extent of this issue in India has not received enough attention as ELISA has been employed for detection in the majority of studies which has less sensitivity and specificity, so this research was conducted to find out CMV using real-time PCR to determine true magnitude of CMV disease.
Methods
Samples from 181 patients of suspected CMV infection were analyzed at the Virology division of Microbiology department of a tertiary care postgraduate teaching institute, for a period of four years to detect CMV DNA by real-time PCR.
Results
Among 181 samples of patients with suspected CMV infection 96 were from male and 85 from female patients. Most common clinical presentation was meningitis/meningoencephlitis followed by post renal transplant infections. Out of total samples CMV was detected in 21% samples. Most positive samples were from infants (18.2%), followed by post renal transplant cases (2.7%). Most CMV was detected in urine samples (17.1%) followed by serum (3.8%). Four out of 14 CSF samples tested for other viruses as well, were positive for EBV (n = 1, 7%); Enterovirus (n = 2, 14%) and Varicella zoster virus (n = 1, 7%).
Conclusion
Surveillance of CMV infection by PCR has significant role to detect infection at early stage to avoid irreversible sequelae of late diagnosis.
The impact of Gd on Structural, Morphology, Dielectric Behavior of BaTiO3
Authors: Ali Ahmed I. , Alrub S. Abu , Hussein R. K. , Son Jong Yeog , Basaty A. B. El
Published: August 2024

Barium titanate (GdxBa(1-x)TiO3) modified with replacing Barium (Ba) with Gadolinium (Gd) (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.625, 0.75, 0.875, and 1 Mol.%) were synthesized via the solid-state reaction method. This study elucidates the substitution mechanism of Gd3+ ions into Ba2+ ions sites, leading to the creation of Ba and oxygen vacancies to maintain charge neutrality. Structural analyses, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), FT-IR spectroscopy, FE-SEM, and Raman spectroscopy, provided insights into the compositional and structural characteristics of the composites. A structural phase transition from tetragonal to orthorhombic was observed in Gd-modified BaTiO3, with coexisting phase noted in (Gd/Ba)TiO3 samples. SEM analysis revealed reduced particle size and particle shape morphology with increasing Gd content. Photoluminescence (PL) confirmed the impact of the immersion of Gd ions on the BaTiO3. Dielectric properties were examined across varying frequencies (100 Hz to 120 MHz) and temperatures (30°C to 500°C), showing a decrease in dielectric constant with increasing Gd content and frequency. This study offers an effective modulation of electronic and dielectric properties through the controlled incorporation of gadolinium in BaTiO3 material, which offers valuable insights for the development of advanced functional materials tailored for various technological applications.
Investigation of Explainable Crop Yield Prediction: Leveraging Ensemble Learning and a Novel Blend Model Approach
Authors: S Jayanthi , K Indraneel , Vivekanandan Manojkumar , Sriniva Jagadeesan , begum Ismatha , D Tamil Priya
Published: August 2024

Background
Accurate Crop Yield Prediction (CYP) is pivotal for ensuring food security and optimizing agricultural practices. In the face of climate change and resource limitations, precise yield forecasts can help farmers make informed decisions, enhance sustainability, and effectively allocate resources.
Methods
This study affirms the superior efficacy of Ensemble Learning (EL) models in enhancing CYP accuracy and proposes a novel Blend Model that synergizes predictions from individual base learners (Random Forest, XGBoost, AdaBoost) with established ensemble techniques (Model Averaging, Stacking, Voting Regressor).
Results
Utilizing a comprehensive dataset encompassing temperature, rainfall, and pesticide usage, this approach is evaluated against established metrics such as Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), R-squared (R²), and Explained Variance. The Blend Model, designed to combine the strengths of base models, achieved an exceptional R² of 0.9899, capturing nearly 99% of the variance in crop yields with minimal errors (MSE: 72,974,685.72, MAE: 3,274.39). While AdaBoost and Stacking models demonstrated effectiveness, the Blend Model outperformed them in precision. Gradient Boosting (R²: 0.8784) and Meta-AdaBoost (R²: 0.9861) showed promise but exhibited higher errors.
Conclusion
This study, for the first time, investigates Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) techniques—SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), Local Interpretable Model-Agnostic Explanations (LIME), and Explain Like I'm 5 (ELI5)—with EL models to elucidate the critical factors influencing CYP. This research highlights the transformative potential of EL models in agricultural practices, significantly enhancing sustainability and food security. By providing detailed insights into the factors influencing CYP, this study empowers informed decision-making by farmers and policymakers, setting a new benchmark for future research in crop yield prediction.
Drought forecast model based on Artificial Neural Networks for Brazilian municipalities
Authors: de Oliveira Guilherme Garcia , Pi Nicholas Becker Pires , Guasselli Laurindo Antonio , Ruiz Luis Fernando Chimelo
Published: August 2024

The increase in the frequency of droughts, driven by climate change, implies the need to understand and mitigate these extreme events. In Brazil, there are technical-scientific gaps in relation to climate disaster warnings. The integration of an inventory of droughts that caused losses with remote sensing data, hydrometeorological and climate indexes, using artificial neural networks (ANN) can contribute to a drought forecast. In this study, we developed a monthly forecast model for droughts in Brazilian municipalities using ANN. Precipitation and temperature indexes, in addition to municipal descriptors, for example, the region of the country, the biome, and distance from the oceans and the Amazon, were used as predictor variables in the model. We used an inventory of droughts that caused losses by municipalities (2013–2022) from the Brazilian Integrated Disaster Information System. After model training, we tested the ANN for drought forecasts for lead times of 1–4 months, using seasonal forecast data from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The overall accuracy of the ANN model for drought simulation was 0.931. The forecast accuracy ranged from 0.922 for a 1-month lead time to 0.757 for 4 months. Remarkably, the model reproduced the spatial pattern of droughts, especially when the output is interpreted as a continuous index of drought risk. We conclude that the trained model is efficient and the results indicate strong potential for drought forecasting and warning, using ANN, remote sensing data, hydrometeorological and climate indexes.
Impact of advanced paternal age on implantation failure in women with ART: interactive effects with advanced maternal age and paternal smoking and alcohol drinking
Authors: Yin Jiaqian , Chen Ruoling , Churchill David , Zou Huijuan , Guo Peipei , Liang Chunmei , Peng Xiaoqing , Wang Jieyu , Zhang Zhikang , Zhou Weiju , Cao Yunxia
Published: August 2024

Background
It remains unclear whether there is an independent association of paternal age with implantation failure (IF) in couples undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatment. Little is known about the interactive effects of paternal age with maternal age and paternal smoking and alcohol drinking on IF.
Methods
The Anhui Maternal-Child Health Cohort Study interviewed 1910 infertile couples (paternal age ranged 22–57 years) for risk factors and conducted clinical investigations, measuring implantation outcome using serum β-HCG between 0–25 IU/L 14 days post-embryo transfer. Odds ratios (ORs) for IF in relation to paternal age, and its interaction with maternal age and paternal smoking and alcohol drinking were evaluated in logistic regression models.
Results
The risk of IF (n = 735) increased from paternal age of > = 35, while it remained similar among males aged 22–34. After adjusting for socioeconomic status and paternal factors including lifestyles, semen volume and morphology, the OR for IF was 1.50 (95%CI 1.16–1.93) in paternal age of 35-<40 years, 2.06 (1.34–3.16) in 40-<45 years and 3.80 (2.50–7.07) in ≥ 45 years in comparison to those aged < 35. With additional adjustment for maternal age and maternal factors including anovulation and antral follicle counting, the corresponding ORs were 1.19 (0.89–1.60), 1.31 (0.79–2.16) and 2.13 (1.06–4.29). The association remained significant in those with maternal age > 30, paternal smoking or alcohol drinking, but not in their counterparts, respectively. Significant interaction effects were observed between advanced paternal age and maternal age, as well as paternal alcohol drinking.
Conclusions
Paternal age beginning at 35 years elevates IF risk, with additional impacts from maternal age and paternal alcohol consumption. These findings highlight the need to consider paternal and maternal ages in fertility planning and suggest that abstaining from paternal smoking and alcohol drinking could reduce IF risk.
Robust identification of orthologous synteny with the Orthology Index and its applications in reconstructing the evolutionary history of plant genomes
Authors: Jia Kai-Hua , Zhang Ren-Gang , Shang Hong-Yun , Shu Heng , Ma Yongpeng
Published: August 2024

We developed a scalable and robust approach, the Orthology Index (OI), to accurately identify orthologous synteny by calculating the proportion of pre-inferred orthologs within syntenic blocks. Our evaluation of a comprehensive dataset comprising nearly 100 known cases with diverse polyploidy events revealed that the approach is highly reliable and robust in the identification of orthologous synteny. This discovery highlights OI as a potentially universal criterion for the automated identification of orthologous synteny. Additionally, we demonstrate its broad applications in reconstructing plant genome evolutionary histories, including polyploidy and reticulation inference, and phylogenomics. The index is packaged in an all-in-one toolkit (https://github.com/zhangrengang/OrthoIndex).
Unlocking the promise of virtual care in hospitals: The Smarter Hospitals Project Protocol
Authors: Harrison Reema , Mitchell Rebecca , Walsan Ramya , Sina Maryam , Clay-Williams Robyn , Cardenas Alexander , Moscova Michelle , Baumgartner Dalal , Sarwar Mashreka , Westbrook Johanna , Manias Elizabeth , Taylor Natalie , Lawton Rebecca , Sabesan Sabe , Mumford Virginia , Badgery-Parker Tim , Bhonagiri Deepak , Nelson Craig , Chua Wei , Christian Bradley , Churruca Kate , Braithwaite Jeffrey
Published: August 2024

Background Integration of virtual and in person care across health systems is a priority to create and sustain healthy nations by improving access to services, along with healthcare experiences, efficiency, and outcomes. Our collaborative project between health services, agencies, consumers, and clinicians across Australia seeks to provide the required evidence and solutions to optimise the integration of virtual care in hospital outpatient settings.Methods Our five-year project contains three sub-studies using a multi-method approach. Firstly, linked hospitalisation data will be used to describe the patterns of virtual outpatient use and the associated health service outcomes, including for priority populations. The second sub-study will use realist evaluation to determine the context, circumstances, and populations in which virtual care is used successfully, and economic impact of virtual care. We will then test the effectiveness of a co-designed Specialised Change Methodology for improving workforce change readiness and capability for integrating virtual models of care compared to current practice within health redevelopment settings. Statistical and qualitative analytic techniques will be applied.Discussion The study will generate evidence and resources to support the successful integration of virtual care in Australian health systems. Ethics approval has been obtained from the Victorian Human Research Ethics Committee (Study 1: HREC/97793/DOH-2023-383794), and Macquarie University Human Research Ethics Committee (Study 2: 520231303852269; Study 3 520231586954286). Research dissemination will be channelled through established communities of practice in Australian states to reach networks of clinicians, consumers and health managers. Further targeted outputs will be devised in collaboration with the consumer, clinician and health system partners to guide the implementation and use of virtual modalities in outpatient care, with equity as a central consideration. In addition to scientific research outputs, we will develop and disseminate evidence-based Virtual Care Design Principles, Evaluation Framework and Specialised Change Methodology for improving the integration of virtual outpatient hospital care.
Benchmarking Variational Quantum Eigensolvers for Entanglement Detection in Many-Body Hamiltonian Ground States
Authors: Drinko Alexandre , Correr Guilherme Ilário , Medina Ivan , Azado Pedro Coutinho , Canabarro Askery , Soares-Pinto Diogo Oliveira
Published: August 2024

Variational quantum algorithms (VQAs) have emerged in recent years as a promise to obtain quantum advantage. These task-oriented algorithms work in a hybrid loop combining a quantum processor and classical optimization. Using a specific class of VQA named variational quantum eigensolvers (VQEs), we choose some parameterized quantum circuits to benchmark them at entanglement witnessing and entangled ground state detection for many-body systems described by Heisenberg Hamiltonian, varying the number of qubits and shots. Quantum circuits whose structure is inspired by the Hamiltonian interactions presented better results on cost function estimation than problem-agnostic circuits.
SGSLNet: Stratified Contextual Graph Pooling for Point Cloud Segmentation with Graph Structural Learning
Authors: Zhao Xu , Wang Xiaohong , Cong Bingge
Published: August 2024

Recently, Graph Convolutional Neural Networks (GCNs) have demonstrated significant efficiency and flexibility in processing irregular data, exhibiting their considerable potential for point cloud segmentation. Because point cloud segmentation is essentially a point-wise classification task. However, current graph-based methods struggle to learn global structural outlines and local details effectively. Furthermore, the common application of Max pooling to aggregate point-wise features leads to a considerable loss of contextual information. To address these problems, we introduce a novel stratified graph structure learning network (SGSLNet). The main components of SGSLNet are adaptive structure-aware graph convolution (GAdaptive Conv) and stratified contextual graph pooling (SCGP). GAdaptive Conv is employed to learn local geometric structure dynamically, while SCGP applies to aggregate features and model global contextual structure. Our method not only learns global structural outlines and local details but also preserves substantial contextual information. We conduct extensive experiments on various datasets, including ShapeNetPart, S3DIS, and ScanNet v2. The results demonstrate that SGSLNet achieves state-of-the-art performance.
Ultrabroadband Integrated Electro-Optic Frequency Comb in Lithium Tantalate
Authors: Kippenberg Tobias , Zhang Junyin , Wang Chengli , Denney Connor , Riemensberger Johann , Lihachev Grigory , Hu Jianqi , Kao Wil , Blésin Terence , Kuznetsov Nikolai , Li Zihan , Churaev Mikhail , Santamaria-Botello Gabriel , Ou Xin
Published: August 2024

Integrated frequency comb generator based on Kerr parametric oscillation has led to chip-scale, gigahertz-spaced combs with new applications spanning hyperscale telecommunications, low-noise microwave synthesis, LiDAR and astrophysical spectrometer calibration. Recent progress in lithium niobate (LiNbO3) photonic integrated circuits (PICs) has resulted in chip-scale electro-optic (EO) frequency combs, offering precise comb-line positioning and simple operation without relying on the formation of dissipative Kerr solitons. However, current integrated EO combs face limited spectral coverage due to the large microwave power required to drive the non-resonant capacitive electrodes and the strong intrinsic birefringence of LiNbO3. Here, we overcome both challenges with an integrated triply resonant architecture, combining monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) with PICs based on the recently emerged thin-film lithium tantalate (LiTaO3). With resonantly enhanced EO interaction and reduced birefringence in LiTaO3, we achieve a four-fold comb span extension and a 16-fold power reduction compared to the conventional non-resonant microwave design. Driven by a hybrid-integrated laser diode, the comb spans over 450 nm (>60 THz) with > 2000 lines, and the generator fits within a compact 1cm2 footprint. We additionally observe that the strong EO coupling leads to an increased comb existence range approaching the full free spectral range of the optical microresonator. The ultra-broadband comb generator, combined with detuning-agnostic operation, could advance chip-scale spectrometry and ultra-low-noise millimeter wave synthesis and unlock octave-spanning EO combs. The methodology of co-designing microwave and optical resonators can be extended to a wide range of integrated electro-optics applications.
Assessing the Influence of Air Pollution on cholelithiasis Formation and Blood Lipid Levels: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study
Authors: Xu Zekang , Yang Lei , Feng Yunxiang , Wu Shuting , Deng Zhengdong , Wang Jianming
Published: August 2024

Purpose: This study used a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) method to explore the potential causal relationship between air quality, cholelithiasis and its related risk factor, blood lipids.
Patients and methods: This study used Mendelian randomization in European and East Asian groups, utilizing publicly available GWAS data. The main method was inverse variance weighting (IVW), with additional quality checks including weighted median, MR-Egger, simple, and weighted models. Cochran's Q test assessed heterogeneity. MR-Egger regression and MRPRESSO checked for gene pleiotropy, with sensitivity tests using leave-one-out analysis.
Results: No statistically significant association was observed between air pollution and cholelithiasis in both European and East Asian populations for all pollutants analyzed, including PM2.5 (European: p = 0.745, East Asian: p = 0.209), PM2.5–10 (European: p = 0.737), PM10 (European: p = 0.258, East Asian: p = 0.977), NO2 (European: p = 0.986, East Asian: p = 0.893), and NOx (European: p = 0.902, East Asian: p = 0.843). However, significant correlations between air pollution and blood lipids were identified. In European populations, PM2.5 was significantly correlated with triglycerides (Beta: 0.428; OR: 1.534; 95% CI: 1.058-2.225; p = 0.024). In East Asian populations, PM2.5 showed a significant association with LDL cholesterol (Beta: 0.050; OR: 1.051; 95% CI: 1.006-1.098; p = 0.026). Importantly, no evidence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy was detected in these associations, bolstering the credibility of our findings.
Conclusion: Our study found no clear causal link between air pollution and cholelithiasis. However, we observed significant correlations between PM2.5 and triglycerides in Europeans, and between PM2.5 and LDL cholesterol in East Asians. These results suggest that PM2.5 might affect triglyceride and LDL cholesterol metabolism differently in various populations, potentially raising the risk of cholelithiasis indirectly.
Separation of two-phase emulsions in a microchannel using wettability differences
Authors: Zamani Donya Nezhad , Kamyabi Ataallah , Derakhshan Saeed
Published: August 2024

Microchannels are widely used in various biomedical devices and microfluidic applications. Traditionally, the fabrication of microchannels has been a difficult task using conventional manufacturing technologies. However, using PMMA can simplify the process of creating microchannels without requiring a chemical process. In this study, researchers investigated the separation of water and oil in microfluidic chips in a laboratory setting. First, a microchannel was designed and made of PMMA by laser engraving. To bond the chips together, they were placed in an oven. Then, using a syringe pump, liquids were injected into the microchannels at flow rates of 0.25, 0.38, and 0.5 mL/min, with a maximum flow rate of 1.6 mL/min. The separation efficiency was then calculated. The results showed that the separation efficiency in the hydrophilic and hydrophobic channels at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min was better than that at a flow rate of 1.6 mL/min. In the hydrophilic channel, the maximum separation efficiency was 0.92, and the minimum separation efficiency was 0.34. In the hydrophobic channel, the maximum separation efficiency was 0.92, and the minimum separation efficiency was 0.38. The results also showed that the separation efficiency decreased as the volumetric flow rate increased. At low volumetric flow rates, capillary forces are stronger and more important than other forces, resulting in better separation in terms of hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity.