bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Women’s Participation in Leadership Roles in a Single Canadian Paramedic Service
Authors: Mausz Justin , Salvis Sarah , Arseneau-Bruneau Dominique , Donnelly Elizabeth
Published: February 2023

Introduction: Like other public safety professions, paramedicine has historically been a male-dominated occupation, both in the demography of its workforce and in its organizational culture. Although women are increasingly choosing paramedicine as a career, participation in leadership roles remains limited. Drawing on data from a recent comprehensive mental health survey, we describe the proportion of women in leadership in a single, large, urban paramedic service in Ontario, Canada. Methods: We distributed an in-person, paper-based survey during the fall 2019 - winter 2020 Continuing Medical Education (CME) sessions. Participating paramedics completed a demographic questionnaire alongside a battery of mental health screening tools. We assessed the demography of the workforce and explored differences in employment classification, provider level (e.g., primary vs. advanced care), and participation in formal leadership roles along self-reported gender lines. Results: Out of 607 paramedics attending CME, we received 600 completed surveys, with 11 excluded for missing data, leaving 589 for analysis and a 97% response rate. Women comprised 40% of the active-duty paramedic workforce, with an average of 8 years of experience. Compared to men, women were more than twice as likely to have a university degree (Odds Ratio [OR] 2.02), but almost half as likely to practice at the Advanced Care Paramedic level (OR 0.61), and somewhat less likely to be employed full-time (OR 0.77). Women were nearly 70% less likely to hold a leadership role in the service compared to men (OR 0.36), occupying just 20% of leadership positions. Conclusion: Although paramedicine is witnessing an encouraging shift in the demography of its workforce with greater participation from women, there is still work to be done, particularly in leadership. Future research should focus on identifying and ameliorating barriers to career advancement among women and other historically underrepresented people.
ReUse: REgressive Unet for Carbon Storage and above Ground Biomass Estimation
Authors: Pascarella Antonio Elia , Giacco Giovanni , Rigiroli Mattia , Marrone Stefano , Sansone Carlo
Published: February 2023

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has recently established the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD+) program that requires countries to report their carbon emissions and sink estimates through national greenhouse gas inventories (NGHGI). Thus, developing automatic systems capable of estimating the carbon absorbed by forests without in-situ observation becomes essential. To support this important need, in this work we introduce ReUse, a simple but effective deep-learning approach to estimate the carbon absorbed by forest areas based on remote sensing. The novelty of the proposed method is in the use of the public above-ground biomass (AGB) data from the European Space Agency's Climate Change Initiative Biomass project as ground truth to estimate the carbon sequestration capacity of any portion of land on Earth using Sentinel-2 images and a pixel-wise Regressive UNet. The approach has been compared to two literature proposals, using a private dataset and human-engineered features. The results show a greater generalization ability of the proposed approach, with a decrease in Mean Absolute Error and Root Mean Squared Error, respectively, of 16.9 and 14.3 in the area of Vietnam and 4.7 and 5.1 in the area of Myanmar over the runner-up. Finally, as a case study, we reported an analysis made for the Astroni area, a nature reserve located near the metropolitan area of Naples in southern Italy, struck by a large fire, producing predictions consistent with values found by experts in the field. These results further support the use of such an approach for the early detection of AGB variations, both in urban and rural areas.
Computational Insights into the Allosteric Modulation of a Phthalate-Degrading Hydrolase by Distal Mutations
Authors: Xu Ran , Bao Yiqiong , Li Mengrong , Zhang Yan , Xi Lili , Guo Jingjing
Published: February 2023

Phthalate esters (PAEs) are a ubiquitous kind of environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals, causing environmental and health issues. EstJ6 is an effective phthalate-degrading hydrolase, and its mutant with a combination of three non-conservative distal mutations has an improved activity against PAEs with unknown molecular mechanisms. Herein, we attempt to fill the significant gap between distal mutations and the activity of this enzyme using computational approaches. We find mutations result in a redistribution of enzyme’s preexisting conformational states and dynamics changes of key functional regions, especially the lid over the active site. The outward motion of the lid upon mutations should make it easier for substrates or products to enter or exit. Additionally, the stronger substrate binding affinity and conformational rearrangements of catalytic reaction-associated residues in mutant, accompanied by the strengthened communication within the protein, might contribute to the elevated catalytic efficiency. Finally, an attempt has been done to improve the thermostability of EstJ6 upon introducing a distal disulfide bond between residues A23 and A29, and the simulation results are as expected. Together, our work explored the allosteric effects caused by distal mutations, which could provide insights into the rational design of esterases for industrial applications in the future.
Employing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC) for Managing Acute and Chronic Graft-versus-Host-Disease
Authors: Mendiratta Mohini , Mendiratta Meenakshi , Mohanty Sujata , Sahoo Ranjit Kumar , Prakash Hridayesh
Published: February 2023

Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) are multipotent, non-hematopoietic progenitor cells with a wide range of immune conditioning and regenerative potential which qualify them as potential component of cell based therapy for various autoimmune / chronic inflammatory ailments. Their immunomodulatory properties include the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines, the ability to suppress T-cell activation and differentiation, and the induction of regulatory T-cells. In view of this and our interest, we here discuss the significance of MSC for the management of Graft-versus-Host Disease (aGVHD), one of the autoimmune manifestation in human.. In pre-clinical models, MSCs have been shown to reduce the severity of aGVHD symptoms, including skin and gut damage, which are the most common and debilitating manifestations of this disease. While initial clinical studies of MSCs in aGVHD cases were promising, the results were variable in randomized studies. So, further studies are warranted to fully understand their potential benefits, safety profile, and optimal dosing regimens. In view of these inevitable issues, here we discuss various mechanisms, how MSCs can be employed in managing aGVHD, as a therapeutic option for this disease.
Measuring E-government Performance in the European Union With Efficiency Measurement by Means of Data Envelopment Analysis in the Context of Renewable
Authors: Krejnus Matej , Stofkova Jana , Stofkova Katarina Repkova , Binasova Vladimira
Published: February 2023

Digitalisation is one of the European Union's priorities. The European Parliament is shaping and helping to shape new legislation in this area. Digitisation should also help in the transition to a greener economy and in achieving climate neutrality. E-government is one area of digitisation that has been under way for several years in European countries. In this paper, we have focused on identifying different indices that are aimed at measuring digitalization or e-Government. The results of the analysis showed that there are several indices that focus on this area within the EU, such as EGDI, EPI, LOSI, DGI, e-Government benchmark, Eurostat - internet use, GII, DSGI, Going Digital toolkit and DESI. Subsequently, the index areas to be used in the DEA method to measure the effectiveness of e-Government related inputs and outputs within the EU were identified. As can be seen from the analysis, the DEA method has various uses. In order to be able to use the method properly it was necessary to select the most appropriate parameter and to verify their suitability by means of correlation analysis. Among the input and output indices were chosen Internet usage, DSGI, GII, e-Government benchmark, Interaction with public administration online. From the analysis 3 inputs and 3 outputs were used. After implementing the correlation, it can be said that the values between the selected sub-variables are suitable for DEA analysis. Two models were chosen for the calculation, namely CCR and BCC model. CCR model evaluated 10 states as efficient and BCC model evaluated 13 states as efficient. In addition, in the close analysis, we have taken a closer look at the CCR model's inference. Countries such as Denmark, Finland, Estonia, Malta, Portugal, etc. were efficient outliers. When comparing the regions within the EU, we can conclude that the countries of Northern Europe are the most efficient in the field of digitalization (e-Government). As many as 4 countries out of 7 are efficient. In a future study it would be useful to use the SBM model and try to measure the impact of digitalization on selected areas such as economy, society, environment, etc.
Applicability of the Hungarian Version of the Test Your Memory in General Practice for Screening Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Stage Dementia
Authors: Garbóczy Szabolcs , Mohos András , Égerházi Anikó , Szemán-Nagy Anita , Zsuffa János András , Heim Szilvia , Rekenyi Viktor , Kolozsvári László Róbert
Published: February 2023

Background: dementia is a significant health issue worldwide. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can transform into dementia over time. General practitioners may be the first to notice the cognitive deficit, so they may need a screening test in the event of suspicion, which they must be able to use under great time pressure. We examined the usability of the Hungarian Test Your Memory (TYM-Hun) self-administered dementia test in general practice, and with the results of the received tests, we tried to draw conclusions regarding the population. Methods: In the four Hungarian cities with medical universities, general practitioners filled out 368 questionnaires with their clients over 50 years of age. Results: the total scores of the test showed a significant correlation with education and the type of occupation, while a significant negative correlation with age. We found the clock drawing test and recall indicates cognitive decline the earliest. Based on the TYM-Hun results, the prevalence levels for MCI and dementia are slightly higher in Hungary than globally. Conclusion: the test can sensitively indicate MCI and early-stage dementia as a screening test, and two of its subtests can raise the possibility of cognitive impairment at an earlier age than the others.
Colostrum Management for Buffalo Calves: A Review
Authors: Lotito Daria , Pacifico Eleonora , Matuozzo Sara , Musco Nadia , Iommelli Piera , Tudisco Raffaella , Infascelli Federico , Lombardi Pietro
Published: February 2023

In this review, the effect of colostrum on immune system development in buffalo calves was examined. The neonatal period is critical for buffalo calves and is characterized by a high mortality rate (more than 40%); the intake of colostrum improves the immune system of calves, increasing their chances of survival. Mainly in intensive farms, the availability of good quality colostrum is necessary, thus, good quality colostrum is often stored to provide newborn calves which cannot be fed by their mothers. The buffalo breeding is constantly expanding in Italy, mainly thanks to the Mozzarella cheese production that represents an excellence of the “Made in Italy” and is exported worldwide. High calf mortality rates directly affects the profitability of the business. Compared with other species, researches on buffalo colostrum are scarce; nevertheless it is fundamental to improve colostrum characteristics and management to guarantee buffalo calves health and reduce their mortality rate.
POSTULATES FOR ARCHITECTURAL INVESTIGATION GUIDELINES, BASED ON A VIRTUAL RECONSTRUCTION OF DOBRA CASTLE NEAR NOWOGARD
Authors:   Zachodniopomorski Uniwersytet Technologiczny w Szczecinie. Poland Wydział Architektury, Katedra Historii i Teorii Architektury, Płotkowiak Maciej
Published: February 2023

A virtual reconstruction of a historic building is based on building its digital model based on available research data. The success of this procedure depends on the model’s level of detail, which is in turn derived from what is known about the building. Should necessary data be missing, they are ignored and the model’s value decreases; alternatively, one can use suppositions and risk crossing the boundary of academic conduct. Virtual reconstruction is a procedure during which gaps in knowledge about the reconstructed building are identified, and their list defines the scope of postulated tasks that could lead to the building’s full exploration. This procedure was applied in a virtual reconstruction of Dobra Castle.
THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON RIPARIAN TERRITORIES WITHIN CITIES
Authors:   Prydniprovs’ka State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Ukraine Department of Architectural and Urban Planning, Samoilenko Yevheniia
Published: February 2023

Cities are under threat from the effects of climate change. The consequences of climate change will primarily affect rivers in the form of increased droughts and floods. In view of global warming, protecting and restoring rivers should be a priority, along with reducing pollution. Strategic urban planning and engineering solutions, while playing an important role in climate change adaptation, will also improve forecasting and contribute to risk avoidance through planning controls.
TYPOLOGY AND ANALYSIS OF SACRAL WOODEN ARCHITECTURE IN THE LUBUSKIE VOIVODSHIP
Authors:   West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Poland Faculty of Architecture, Department of History and Theory of Architecture, Rutyna Halina
Published: February 2023

The article presents research on the architecture and construction of wooden churches in the Lubuskie voivodeship, which form a large group of historical buildings. Some of them are monuments of high rank, both in terms of age and stylistic value, design solutions and equipment. The remaining ones are characterized by the common historical value of the wooden cultural heritage, which emphasizes the role of the local building tradition and the originality of the log and half-timbered architecture. The article presents seven types of wood and characterizes each of them. All researched monuments are under conservation protection. Most of them are renovated on an ongoing basis, and a few have undergone complete conservation, revalorization and revitalization in recent years.
Trends in US State Public Health Emergency Laws, 2021–2022
Authors: Platt Elizabeth , Moran-McCabe Katie , Cook Amy , Burris Scott
Published: February 2023

Objectives. To identify and categorize US state legislation introduced between January 1, 2021, and May 20, 2022, that addresses emergency health authority.

Methods. We adapted standard policy surveillance methods to collect and code state bills and enacted laws limiting or expanding the emergency public health authority of state and local officials and agencies.

Results. State legislators introduced 1531 bills addressing public health authority; 191 of those were enacted in 43 states and the District of Columbia, including 17 expanding and 65 contracting emergency authority, 163 regulating use, and 30 preempting local use of specific measures such as mask mandates.

Conclusions. State laws setting the scope and limits of emergency authority are crucial to effective public health response. These laws are changing in ways that threaten to reduce response capacity. Tracking changes in health law infrastructure is important for evaluating changes in health authority and ensuring that stakeholders recognize these changes.

Public Health Implications. The COVID-19 pandemic called for quick, decisive action to limit infections, and when the next outbreak hits, new laws limiting health authority will make such action even more difficult. (Am J Public Health. 2023;113(3):288–296. https://doi.org/10.2105/10.2105/AJPH.2022.307214 )
La Geografía en el Máster Universitario en Profesorado en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, Formación Profesional y Enseñanza de Idiomas. Un análisis de los planes de estudio
Authors: Sillero Medina José Antonio , Espinosa Muñoz Julia , Nuevo López Abraham
Published: February 2023

En España, el Máster Universitario en Profesorado en Educación Secundaria Obligatoria y Bachillerato, Formación Profesional y Enseñanza de Idiomas resulta un requisito indispensable, tras la obtención de un título de Grado o Licenciatura, para poder impartir docencia en enseñanzas medias. En este artículo se analiza, dentro de su especialidad de Ciencias Sociales, el papel que juega la Geografía como disciplina en sus enseñanzas y en la propia formación del profesorado. Tras un análisis bibliográfico sobre las teorías más recientes en la materia, se comprueba la estructura general de la titulación y se detallan pormenorizadamente cuáles son las universidades españolas, tanto públicas como privadas, en las que se imparte esta especialidad, haciendo especial énfasis e hincapié en la verdadera presencia, o no, de la Geografía. Las conclusiones permiten comprobar que existe una verdadera disparidad en lo relativo a la impartición de la materia especialidad en las distintas universidades y cómo llega a agruparse con otras disciplinas que podrían considerarse afines.
Optimization of an Integrated Reservoir-Production System Using Polynomial Chaos Expansion and Sobol Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: Rezaeian Javad , Jahanbakhshi Saman , Shaygan Kaveh , Jamshidi Saeid
Published: February 2023

Integrated reservoir-production modeling is a collaborative multidisciplinary tool that can facilitate optimization of oil and gas production operations during the field development planning stage of exploiting subsurface resources. The critical issue with this technique is the excessive computational burden of the large integrated model with many input variables, which has not been effectively addressed to date. This study aims to reduce the computational costs and runtimes associated with the production integration and optimization process from oil fields. To do so, the reservoir and the surface network models of an Iranian oil field were coupled to create an integrated model for the optimization of field parameters to achieve the highest oil production rate. In the first step of simplification, polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) was used to establish a surrogate model from the integrated system. Next, Sobol sensitivity analysis, which is a variance-based, global, and model-free sensitivity analysis technique, was performed to reduce the number of input variables by identifying the most influential variables. Finally, the optimization was implemented using genetic algorithm (GA) on the PCE surrogate model of the integrated system with the most important variables. The results from the case study showed that the integrated model can be replaced with the PCE surrogate model while the accuracy is maintained. Moreover, performing sensitivity analysis considerably decreased the number of input variables for optimization by revealing their significance. The proposed methodology in this study can substantially improve the computational efficiency of the optimization for the integrated reservoir-production system.
Individual Variation of Transient Milk Production Loss After Vaccination in Sahiwal Cows (Bos Indicus)
Authors: Rajput Atul Singh , Bhakat M. , Mohanty T. K. , Maity Sanjit , Mondal G. , Mir A. A. , Gayathri S. L. , Rajput M. S. , Dewery R. K. , Shah N. , Baithalu R.K.
Published: February 2023

The vaccination of productive animals has been identified as a critical intervention area. The extent of milk production loss following foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), hemorrhagic septicemia and black quarter (HS + BQ), Theileriosis, and infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) vaccination needs analysis. So, the present study collected milk production data during different vaccination. A significant (p < 0.01; p < 0.05) decrease in fortnightly total milk yield/animal and average milk yield/animal/day in different parities and stages of lactation after vaccination as compared to pre-vaccination. Among the vaccinated animals, 67.5 to 85.3 percentage animals showed a decline, whereas 14.7 to 32.5 percentage animals indicated no influence on milk production after vaccination. In the case of affected cows, 33–38% of animals showed a decline up to 10%; 20–25% of animals showed a 10–20% decline; 15–24% of animals showed a 20–30% decline; 9–10% of animals showed a 30–40% decline, and 9–15% of animals showed more than 40% decline in average daily milk yield/animal/day after FMD, HS + BQ, Theileriosis, and IBR vaccination. It can conclude that the Bos indicus showed various percentages of milk production declines, and some animals showed no decrease after vaccination.
Patents and ESG Compliance in Startups
Authors: Jacob Renooj , Arcot Purna Prasad
Published: February 2023

Patents help in protecting research and development efforts in an organization. They are known to increase valuation during merger and acquisition and act as signal for investors to make investment decisions in startups. Despite the value that patents add to a firm, vast majority of patents remain unutilised across larger organizations. Environmental, Social, and Governance investing is gaining popularity and investors are increasingly using ESG analysis to make investments. In this paper, we studied startups that are funded. Further, we identified and filtered out startups that are ESG compliant. We found that startups that are ESG compliant have better patent utilization. We believe that startups that are ESG compliant will foster responsible investing and sustainable innovation.
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem of Micro and Small Enterprises: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Wube Mulugeta Chane , Atwal Heena
Published: February 2023

Bibliometric analysis is relatively a new issue in business areas like entrepreneurship and small business management. The present study shows the trends in the literature for the past 10 years in the areas of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of MSEs. Bibliometric analysis has been made using the Dimensions database based on literature documented from 2013 to 2022. In making the analysis, VOS Viewer software has been used to know the number of publications and citations together with countries and organizations that contribute a lot in producing documents in the area in the stated period. The analysis results on 266 publications in the areas show that the United Kingdom, India and the United States take the leading position in their contribution to the publications and the citations. It is implied from the study that the area is not well researched and lacks adequacy of literature. The analysis is found to be very important as it clearly shows the trends in publications and citations in the area. Hence scholars in the area are recommended to conduct research works in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of MSEs to fill the literature gaps existing.
Gender gap in Iran: An examination of unemployment duration
Authors: Zamanzadeh Akbar , Chan Professor Marc K. , Ganjali Professor Mojtaba
Published: February 2023

We examine the gender gap in unemployment duration in a large developing economy that is characterised by high gender inequality in social and economic opportunities. Due to sensitivity concerns, such data are often released by authorities in the form of contingency tables, which consist of multiple categories of count data. To overcome this limitation, we estimate a Bayesian log-linear Poisson regression model and develop the Oaxaca-Blinder (O-B) decomposition based on multi-way contingency tables. Using data from the 2019 Iranian Labour Force Survey, our findings indicate that gender gap can be narrowed most substantially if women with university educations face the same labour market opportunities as men.
Antifungal activity of bio-active cell-free metabolites and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) synthesised by endophytic fungal isolates of Garden Nasturtium
Authors: Santra Hiran Kanti , Dutta Riya , Banerjee Debdulal
Published: February 2023

The increasing resistance of fungal pathogens against available antifungal agents is a serious threat to mankind. The most suitable solutions can only be found from untapped novel natural sources and endophytic metabolites are emerging as one of the dominant contributors in this field. In the present study, Ethyl acetate (EA) extract of cell-free metabolites and volatile metabolites of endophytic fungi Colletotrichum aenigma TML3 and Curvularia lunata TML9, isolated from leaves of Tropaeolum majus, exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity against four species of Candida and nine taxa of post-harvest phyto pathogens respectively. EA extract hampered the biofilm formation, minimised haemolytic effect, and blocked the transformation of Candida cells from yeast to hyphal form with an MFC of 200–600 µg mL− 1. Central carbohydrate metabolism, ergosterol synthesis, and membrane permeability were adversely affected and caused the lethal leakage of necessary macromolecules of C. albicans. Volatile metabolites inhibited the growth of phytopathogens up to 89% with an IC50 value of 21.3–69.6 µL 50 mL− 1 and caused leakage of soluble proteins and other intracellular molecules. Citrusy sweet odor volatiles minimised the infections of Penicillium digitatum (green mold), in VOC-exposed sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis). In total twenty-one non-volatile and thirteen volatile metabolites were detected from the TML3, and TML9 endophytic fungi respectively. Citrusy sweet odor volatiles of TML9 cultured in wheat-husk minimised the infections of Penicillium digitatum (green mold), in VOC-exposed sweet oranges (Citrus sinensis). Volatile and non-volatile antifungal metabolites of these two T. majus endophytes hold agricultural and pharmaceutical interests.
An Observational Study of the Pharmacokinetics of Adductor Canal Block using Liposomal Bupivacaine and Standard Bupivacaine in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Chan Will Shing Him , Chan Timmy Chi Wing , Mak Henry Chi Yeung , Chan Manson Tak Hei , Cheung Clement Hoo Chun , Leung Susan Wai Sum , Li Steve Po Yam , Wong Stanley Sau Ching , Cheung Chi Wai
Published: February 2023

BackgroundPeriarticular local infiltration of analgesia (LIA) and regional nerve block using adductor canal block (ACB) have been effective in managing postoperative pain for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). It has been shown that combining ACB with LIA can significantly reduce pain scores and morphine consumption compared with LIA alone. However, this raises concerns about the potential risk of local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST), especially with the large doses of total local anesthetic used in both LIA and ACB. This study was to evaluate the plasma level of bupivacaine over a 72-hour period following ACB using 66.5 mg of liposomal bupivacaine (LB) in patients undergoing TKA with LIA using 300 mg ropivacaine.MethodsThis was a prospective observational study. Ten patients undergoing primary, unilateral, simple revision TKA in a tertiary hospital in Hong Kong between December 2020 to February 2022 were included in the study. The primary outcomes were the time to peak plasma concentration (Tmax) of bupivacaine and the peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of bupivacaine. The secondary outcome was the presence of LAST.ResultsTmax of bupivacaine was 48 hours while Cmax of bupivacaine was 88 mcg/L, this value was far below 2000 mcg/L, the defined toxic plasma concentration of bupivacaine.ConclusionsThere is still room for increasing the dose of LB used in ACB for TKA patients, further dose-defining studies with PK data are needed to define the optimal dose that would balance the safety and efficacy of LB.Trial registrationThe clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov with registration number NCT04916392.
Understanding the integration of artificial intelligence in health systems through the NASSS framework: A qualitative study in a leading Canadian academic centre
Authors: Alami Hassane , Lehoux Pascale , Papoutsi Chrysanthi , Shaw Sara E. , Fleet Richard , Fortin Jean-Paul
Published: February 2023

BackgroundArtificial intelligence (AI) technologies are expected to “revolutionise” healthcare. However, despite their promises, their integration within healthcare organisations and systems remains limited. The objective of this study is to explore and understand the systemic challenges and implications of their integration in a leading Canadian academic hospital.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 stakeholders concerned by the integration of a large set of AI technologies within the organisation (e.g., managers, clinicians, researchers, patients, technology providers). Data were collected and analysed using the Non-Adoption, Abandonment, Scale-up, Spread, Sustainability (NASSS) framework.ResultsAmong enabling factors and conditions, our findings highlight: the reforms aiming to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of healthcare in Quebec; a supportive organisational culture and leadership leading to a coherent organisational innovation narrative; mutual trust and transparent communication between senior management and frontline teams; the presence of champions, translators and boundary spanners for AI able to build bridges and trust; and the capacity to attract technical and clinical talents and expertise. Constraints and barriers include: contrasting definitions of the value of AI technologies and ways to measure such value; lack of real-life and context-based evidence; varying patients’ digital and health literacy capacities; misalignments between organisational dynamics, clinical and administrative processes, infrastructures, and AI technologies; lack of funding mechanisms covering the implementation, adaptation, and expertise required; challenges arising from practice change, new expertise development, and professional identities; lack of official professional, reimbursement, and insurance guidelines; lack of pre- and post-market approval legal and governance frameworks; diversity of the business and financing models for AI technologies; and misalignments between investors’ priorities and the needs and expectations of healthcareorganisations and systems.ConclusionThanks to the multidimensional NASSS framework, this study provides original insights and a detailed learning base for analysing AI technologies in healthcare from a thorough socio-technical perspective. Our findings highlight the importance of considering the complexity characterising healthcare organisations and systems in current efforts to introduce AI technologies within clinical routines. This study adds to the existing literature and can inform decision-making towards a judicious, responsible, and sustainable integration of these technologies in healthcare organisations and systems.
Coal dust affects hypothalamic pituitary testicular axis and impairs glucose homeostasis in coal mine workers
Authors: Sulatana Julekha , Banerjee Oly , Singh Siddhartha , Mukherjee Sandip , Ghosh Suvendu , Syamal Alak Kumar
Published: February 2023

Results: Coal dust exposed workers showed altered insulin and cortisol level leading to impaired glucose homeostasis as compared to non-exposed workers. Further, increased serum LH and FSH level and decreased serum testosterone level in coal exposed workers pointing out to the compromised hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular axis. Next, to delineate the possible mechanism of adverse effect of coal dust, we explored erythrocyte oxidative stress. Coal dust exposed worker presented with increased erythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation and decreased Na+-K+ ATPase activity simultaneously with decreased antioxidant and antioxidative enzyme activities. Conclusions: metabolic and reproductive health of coal miners is at risk and warrants for the adoption of control measures to reduce coal dust exposure in coal mines workplace.
Objective: Coal makes a significant economic contribution to the world as one of the most significant sources of energy. Multiple dust-producing operations are involved in the mining and processing of coal. One of the biggest causes of health risks for coal miners is coal dust. Study on the effect of coal dust on metabolic and reproductive health is still pending.
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on coal miners of two underground coal mines of West Bengal, India to assess adverse effect of coal dust on glucose homeostasis and hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular axis. Total of 124 underground coal dust exposed workers and 87 non-exposed workers were enrolled in this study. Physical and physiological parameters were measured. Blood was collected from all the study participants and glucose homeostasis parameters, reproductive hormones, inflammatory markers, erythrocyte oxidative stress were measured.
Deterministic Scheduling of Periodic Messages for Low Latency in Cloud RAN
Authors: Barth Dominique , Guiraud Maël , Strozecki Yann
Published: February 2023

Cloud-RAN (C-RAN) is an architecture for cellular networks, where processing units, previously attached to antennas, are centralized in data centers. The main challenge, to fulfill protocol time constraints, is to minimize the latency of the periodic messages sent from the antennas to their processing units and back. We show that statistical multiplexing suffers from high logical latency, due to buffering at nodes to avoid collisions. Hence, we propose to use a deterministic scheme for sending periodic messages without collision in the network, thus saving the latency incurred by buffering. We propose several algorithms to compute such schemes for star routed networks, a common topology where one link is shared by all antennas. First, we show there exist deterministic sending schemes without any buffering when the routes are short or the load is small. When the load is high, we allow buffering in processing units, and we propose the PMLS algorithm adapted from a classical scheduling method. Experimental results show that, even under full load, PMLS finds a deterministic sending scheme with no logical latency most of the time, while using statistical multiplexing adds very large latency. Moreover, PMLS runs in polynomial time and scales well to hundreds of antennas. Building on this algorithm, we also obtain very low latency periodic sending schemes that do not disrupt additional random traffic on the network. This article is an extended version of previous work presented at ICT[1].
Single-cell analysis identifies Ifi27l2a as a novel gene regulator of microglial inflammation in the context of aging and stroke.
Authors: Kim Gab Seok , Harmon Elisabeth , Gutierrez Manuel , Stephenson Jessica , Chauhan Anjali , Banerjee Anik , Wise Zachary , Doan Andrea , Wu Ting , Lee Juneyoung , Jung Joo Eun , McCullough Louise , Wythe Joshua , Marrelli Sean
Published: February 2023

Microglia are key mediators of inflammatory responses within the brain, as they regulate pro-inflammatory responses while also limiting neuroinflammation via reparative phagocytosis. Thus, identifying genes that modulate microglial function may reveal novel therapeutic interventions for promoting better outcomes in diseases featuring extensive inflammation, such as stroke. To facilitate identification of potential mediators of inflammation, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing of aged mouse brains following stroke and found that Ifi27l2a was significantly up-regulated, particularly in microglia. The increased Ifi27l2a expression was further validated in microglial culture, stroke models with microglial depletion, and human autopsy samples. Ifi27l2a is known to be induced by interferons for viral host defense, however the role of Ifi27l2a in neurodegeneration is unknown. In vitro studies in cultured microglia demonstrated that Ifi27l2a overexpression causes neuroinflammation via reactive oxygen species. Interestingly, hemizygous deletion of Ifi27l2a significantly reduced gliosis in the thalamus following stroke, while also reducing neuroinflammation, indicating Ifi27l2a gene dosage is a critical mediator of neuroinflammation in ischemic stroke. Collectively, this study demonstrates that a novel gene, Ifi27l2a, regulates microglial function and neuroinflammation in the aged brain and following stroke. These findings suggest that Ifi27l2a may be a novel target for conferring cerebral protection post-stroke.
Fluorine-Doped M-N-C Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Zheng Zhichuan , Hong Xuekun , Wu Dajun , Sun Ning , Kuang Yawei , Zhang Debao , Yao Xiaxi , Du Peng , huang Kai , Lei Ming
Published: February 2023

In recent years, transition metal-nitrogen-carbon (M-N-C) composites are expected to be an alternative to platinum group metal (PGM) among various nonprecious metal catalysts investigated. However, the major challenge comes from insufficient electrocatalytic performance and durability for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In addition to the selection of suitable central metal active sites, the electrocatalytic activity and stability of the M-N-C catalysts can be enhanced by adjusting the electronic structure of the catalysts. In this work, M-N-C/F composites were synthesized by loading transition metal phthalocyanine complexes onto pre-fluorinated carbon nanotubes through a simple pyrolysis method. Pyrroline-N(PN) and graphite-N(GN) formed after thermal treatment can act as electron acceptors to modulate their charge distribution on the M-N4 sites, and the use of pre-fluorinated nanotubes also allows for a more controlled introduction of fluoride ions that are well coordinated to transition metals, both of which can modulate and modify the electronic structure of M-N-C catalysts. The obtained manganese phthalocyanine/fluorinated carbon nanotubes at 800°C (MnPc/FCNT800) exhibits a competitive electrocatalytic ORR performance with the half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.9 V and only 12.1% decay after 20 h long-term chronoamperometry (CA) test in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte, outperforming the commercial Pt/C. Overall, this work paves the way of the electronic structure modification and design of such M-N-C composites for sustainable energy applications.
Efficacy of Netupitant/Palonosetron for Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Patients Receiving Conditioning Regimens
Authors: Zhang Hang , Zeng Qiang , Dong Tian , Chen Xinchuan , Kuang Pu , Li Jian , Wu Qiuhui , Liu Ting , Niu Ting , Liu Zhigang , Ji Jie
Published: February 2023

Background: Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) remains a serious concern for haematological patients, especially for those receiving conditioning regimens. We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of netupitant/palonosetron (NEPA) compared with 5-hydroxytryptamine-3 receptor antagonist (5HT3RA) without additional dexamethasone (DEX) in preventing CINV in patients receiving multiday conditioning regimens.
Methods: Patients undergoing haemopoietic stem cell transplantation at West China Hospital between September 2019 and September 2022 were included and divided into NEPA or 5HT3RA groups. The rates of patients with complete response (CR: no emesis and no use of rescue medication), complete control (CC: CR without significant nausea), no vomiting and no significant nausea were used to assess CINV outcomes.
Results: A total of 213 haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients were included in this study. The percentage of patients with CR was significantly higher in the NEPA group than in the 5HT3RA group during the overall phase (71.7% vs. 32.7%), acute phase (78.3% vs. 43.0%) and delayed phase (84.9% vs. 58.9%). Rates for other outcomes were significantly superior in the NEPA group than in the 5HT3RA group during all phases (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that NEPA was superior to 5HT3RA in preventing CINV during all phases in patients undergoing multiday conditioning regimens.
Haploid induction through microspore embryogenesis in Bell pepper genotypes
Authors: Mangal Manisha , Sahana K. P. , Srivast Arpita , Khar Anil , Jain Neelu , Jain P.K. , Bharti Hemlata , Harun Mohd
Published: February 2023

Classical breeding has been adopted to evaluate and breed pepper cultivars across different parts of the world. However, multiple generations are required for screening, development of lines, evaluation, recognition and crossing for getting highly homozygous lines. In vitro microspore culture is the fastest approach to produce homozygous lines within a single generation. In the present study, a successful protocol for microspore embryogenesis from pepper hybrids Orobelle and Bomby was developed. During the present study, cold pretreatment of buds at 4°C for 4 days gave early and successful embryo formation from both the genotypes. MS medium containing 4mg/L NAA and 1mg/L BAP, 0.25% activated charcoal, 2.6 g/L gelrite, 30 g/L sucrose and 15 mg/L silver nitrate gave the highest efficiency of embryo formation (1.85% and 1.46%) in Orobelle and Bomby, respectively. Half strength MS medium fortified with 2% sucrose and 0.1 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), solidified with 0.6% plant agar resulted in successful plant regeneration from embryos. Chromosomal status of the microspore derived plantlets was analyzed using flow cytometry. Haploid plants were characterized by reduced plant height, leaf length, leaf width and short internode length compared to seed derived diploid plants.
Longitudinal Changes in Tear Cytokines and Antimicrobial Proteins in Trachomatous Disease
Authors: Barton Amber , Faal Nkoyo , Ramadhani Athumani , Derrick Tamsyn , Mafuru Elias , Mtuy Tara , Massae Patrick , Malissa Aiweda , Joof Hassan , Makalo Pateh , Sillah Ansumana , Harte Anna , Pickering Harry , Bailey Robin , Mabey David CW , Burton Matthew J , Holland Martin J
Published: February 2023

Background

Trachoma is a neglected tropical disease caused by ocular infection with Chlamydia trachomatis, where repeated infections and chronic inflammation can ultimately result in scarring, trichiasis and blindness. While scarring is thought to be mediated by a dysregulated immune response, the kinetics of cytokines and antimicrobial proteins in the tear film have not yet been characterised.

Methods

Pooled tears from a Gambian cohort and Tanzanian cohort were semi-quantitatively screened using a Proteome Profiler Array to identify cytokines differentially regulated in disease. Based on this screen and previous literature, ten cytokines (CXCL1, IP10, IFN-γ, IL1β, IL8, IL10, IL12p40, IL1RA, IL1α and PDGF), lysozyme and lactoferrin were assayed in the Tanzanian cohort by multiplex cytokine assay and ELISA. Finally, CXCL1, IP10, IL8, lysozyme and lactoferrin were longitudinally profiled in the Gambian cohort by multiplex cytokine assay and ELISA.

Results

In the Tanzanian cohort, IL8 was significantly raised in those with clinically inapparent infection (p = 0.0086). Lysozyme, IL10 and chemokines CXCL1, IL8, and IP10 were raised in scarring (p = 0.016, 0.046, 0.016, 0.037 and 0.093). CXCL1, IP10, IL8, lysozyme and lactoferrin were longitudinally profiled over the course of infection in a Gambian cohort study, with evidence of an inflammatory response both before, during and after detectable infection. CXCL1, IL8 and IP10 were raised in the second infection episode relative to the first (p = 0.0012, 0.044, and 0.04).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that the ocular immune system responds prior to and continues to respond after detectable C. trachomatis infection, possibly due to a positive feedback loop inducing immune activation. Levels of CXC chemokines in successive infection episodes were increased, which may offer an explanation as to why repeated infections are a risk factor for scarring.
Tuning Absorption coefficient and refractive index changes in GaAs quantum ring Under Combined Effects of Temperature, Pressure, Rashba and Dresselhaus spin-orbit couplings
Authors: Hasanirokh K.
Published: February 2023

In the present work, we have explored how the pressure, temperature and size of a GaAs quantum ring in the presence of Rashba and Dresselhaus spin–orbit couplings (SOC) can affect the energy states, dipole transition matrix elements (DTMEs), optical absorption coefficients (OACs) and refractive index changes (RICs). In addition to the theoretical beauty of this important and exciting area of research, it represents the attractive potential applications in the growth of optoelectronics devices. The results have indicated that the ground state energy values rise with pressure and Dresselhaus coupling. Meanwhile, increasing the temperature and Rashba coupling as well as the ring’s size leads to a decrement of energy levels. Taking the transition from the ground state to the first excited state, we have found that the temperature, pressure, inner and outer radius decrease DTMEs because of a drop in wave functions overlap. Therefore, the presence of SOCs, pressure, temperature and dimensions of the quantum ring dominate the electronic behavior and consequently control the absorption as well as the refractive index of the nano structure. A significant enhancement of the OACs and RICs curves is witnessed when the pressure, ring geometric, and Rashba strength are enlarged, but Increasing Dresselhaus coefficient decreases OACs and RICs. These parameters are responsible for blue shifts in the optical absorption. These results can be suitable in the construction of spin-based devices.
Clinical Phenomenology of Fibromyalgia Syndrome in male patients - Same but Different.
Authors: Drusko Armin , Renz Malika , Schmidt Hannah , Schlömp Lea , Papaiannou Vassilios , Schmidt Norbert , Tost Heike , Treede Rolf-Detlef , Eich Wolfgang , Tesarz Jonas
Published: February 2023

Background

The majority of knowledge about fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) derives from studies of female patients. Little is known about the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of male FMS patients.

Objective

We investigated whether male FMS patients differ from female patients in terms of 1.) symptom burden, 2.) psychological characteristics, and 3.) clinical treatment response.

Methods

For this retrospective cohort study with a prospective posttreatment-follow-up, we identified 263 male (4%) out of 5,541 FMS patients completing a three-week multimodal pain-treatment program. Male FMS patients (51.3±9.1 years) were age- and time-matched (1:4) with female FMS patients (N = 1052, 51.3±9.0 years). Data on clinical characteristics, psychological comorbidities and treatment response were obtained from medical records and validated questionnaires.

Results

Levels of perceived pain, psychological comorbidity, and functional capacity were similar between genders, although male FMS patients showed a higher prevalence for alcohol abuse. Compared to female patients, male FMS patients experienced themselves less often as overly accommodating (Cohen’s d=-0.42), but more often as self-sacrificing (d = 0.26) or intrusive (d = 0.23). Regarding pain coping, male patients were less likely to utilize mental distraction, rest- and relaxation techniques, or counteractive activities (d = 0.18–0.27). Male FMS patients showed a slightly worse overall response rate than women (69% vs. 77%), although differences between individual outcome measures were small (d < 0.2).

Conclusion

Although male and female FMS patients in our cohort were similar in clinical presentation and treatment response, the gender-specific differences in interpersonal problems and pain coping suggest a consideration of these aspects in the treatment of male FMS patients.