bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treasury Safety, Liquidity, and Money Premium Dynamics: Evidence from Debt Limit Impasses
Authors: CASHIN DAVID , FERRIS ERIN E. SYRON , KLEE ELIZABETH
Published: December 2022

Treasury securities enjoy a “money premium” because they are ultra‐safe and liquid. However, during debt limit impasses, the safety and liquidity of Treasury securities temporarily deteriorate, eroding the money premium. Using past impasses, we find the money premium eroded by roughly six basis points across all Treasury securities and up to 50 basis points for the shortest maturities at the greatest risk of a delayed principal payment. Safety and liquidity each accounted for about half of the erosion. The deterioration of safety and liquidity also appears to interact, consistent with theories of default‐driven liquidity risk and the information sensitivity of debt.
The effect of tremor on disability assessment in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy
Authors: van Veen R. , Pallada G. , Wieske L. , Ten Holter S. E. M. , van Rootselaar A. F. , Verhamme C. , de Bie R. M. A. , van Schaik I. N. , Merkies I. S. J. , Dijk J. M. , Eftimov Filip
Published: December 2022

Tremor in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is common, often unresponsive to treatment, and may contribute to disability. We aim to investigate whether tremor is associated with disability as measured in daily practice and clinical trials, independent of other impairments. We included 76 CIDP patients in this cross‐sectional study. We assessed tremor with the Tremor Research Group essential tremor rating assessment scale (TETRAS) and the Fahn–Tolosa–Marin clinical rating scale (FTM). Disability was measured with the inflammatory Rasch‐built overall disability scale (I‐RODS) and the adjusted Inflammatory Neuropathy Cause and Treatment disability scale (INCAT‐DS, categorized separately in arm score, or total score). Impairments including strength, sensory impairment, and fatigue were measured using specific impairment scales. We tested whether “the presence of a clinically relevant tremor” (based on TETRAS and FTM) or “tremor severity” (FTM part B sum score) was associated with disability scores (I‐RODS, INCAT‐DS total score, and INCAT‐DS arm score), independent of the impairment scores, using multivariate regression. Both “the presence of a clinically relevant tremor” and “tremor severity” were significantly associated with disability measured by the INCAT‐DS (arm score and total score), but not the I‐RODS, independent of strength, sensory impairment, and fatigue. The explained variances were low. Clinically relevant tremor can (partly) explain disability in CIDP, as measured with the INCAT‐DS, independent of muscle strength, sensory deficits, and fatigue. To assess disease activity in CIDP patients with tremor, both impairment and disability outcomes should be assessed, as disability is caused partly by tremor while the effect of immunotherapy on tremor seems limited.
Rediscovering regional science: Positioning the field's evolving location in science and society
Authors: Chen Zhenhua , Schintler Laurie A.
Published: December 2022

This study aims to provide a comprehensive examination of the evolution of regional science, a scholarly domain in the social sciences that applies analytical and quantitative approaches and methods to understand and address urban, rural, or regional problems. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of 8509 articles published in six regional science flagship journals (including the Journal of Regional Science, Annals of Regional Science, Regional Science and Urban Economics, Papers in Regional Science, Regional Science Policy and Practice, and International Regional Science Review) from 1958 to 2021. The analysis presents an objective data‐driven and unprecedented visualization of the field's intellectual, social, and conceptual structure and trends from the beginning to the present. It also provides a rich portrayal of the epistemology of regional science and illuminates matters related to regional science education and training. We find that regional science has moved well beyond its origins, shifting away from a heavy focus on theory and abstraction to modeling/simulation, empirical analysis, and policy research. We also find that there has been increasing attention to “people” in regions and the spatial characteristics of social problems, and some important shifts in the regional science community itself, particularly in terms of patterns of collaboration and the geography of scholarship. The findings of this paper provide implications for future directions of research and education for regional science.
Predictive factors of exclusive breastfeeding attrition at Week 6 post‐partum among mothers of preterm infants based on the theory of planned behaviour
Authors: Huang Rong , Wan Yue , Yao Xiao , Wang Hao , Cai Chen‐ting , Xu Yi‐ting , Jiang Hui
Published: December 2022

Breastfeeding plays an important role in the growth and development of preterm infants, and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in the first 6 weeks post‐partum is the key to continuous breastfeeding. This study was designed to explore the influencing factors that contribute to breastfeeding attrition among mothers of preterm infants at Week 6 post‐partum based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). We herein adopted a prospective observational study design in which 97 mothers who exclusively breastfed at Week 6 post‐partum at a tertiary specialised hospital in Shanghai from June 2021 to February 2022 were taken as the EBF group, and 179 mothers without EBF were assigned to the EBF attrition group. Through an extensive literature review and expert consultation, we determined the possible factors influencing EBF attrition, analysed those factors that showed statistical significance in our univariate analysis by applying binary logistic regression, and constructed a nomogram model for predicting EBF attrition. The results revealed that negative breastfeeding sentiment (odds ratio [OR] = 1.006; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.000–1.011) generated a greater risk of breastfeeding attrition. However, positive breastfeeding sentiment (OR = 0.991; 95% CI, 0.983–0.999), social and professional support (OR = 0.993; 95% CI, 0.987–0.999), breastfeeding control (OR = 0.945; 95% CI, 0.896–0.996), knowledge (OR = 0.893; 95% CI, 0.799–0.998), and intention to EBF at Week 6 post‐partum (OR = 0.522; 95% CI, 0.276–0.988) were the protective factors and facilitated the development of our nomogram model. The Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness‐of‐fit test generated a χ2 value of 11.344 (p = 0.183) and an area under the curve of 0.822 (95% CI, 0.771–0.873). The C‐index was 0.800 in the internal bootstrap validation, indicating that the nomogram model possessed favourable predictive accuracy and discrimination.
A modal‐based Kalman filtering framework for mode extraction and decomposition of damped structures
Authors: Hwang Jae‐Seung , Kwon Dae Kun , Kareem Ahsan
Published: December 2022

The mode shape is one of the important modal parameters that enables to visualize the intrinsic behavior of a structure as well as the quantity of interest by extracting or separating modal response from measurements. In this study, a new output‐only framework is proposed to extract modes using a modal‐based Kalman filter defined in the modal space and identify the mode shape by manipulating the correlation between the separated modes and the measured responses. It is also shown that the proposed framework can be extended to estimate the mode shapes of a non‐classically damped structure in state space when the state variable is constructed from the measured responses and applied to the modal‐based Kalman filter. The mode shape estimation framework proposed in this study was verified by numerical simulations and full‐scale measurements. From the verification examples and their results, it was noted that the proposed modal identification framework is not influenced by the presence of noise, and it can be applied to identify the state‐space mode shapes of non‐classically damped systems as well as systems with very closely distributed modes such as buildings equipped with tuned mass dampers.
Testing the susceptibility of larval stages of Simulium to temephos and Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis in Germany and Northern Cameroon
Authors: Kamtsap Pierre , Archile Paguem , Flore Nguemaïm , Njiokou Flobert , Renz Alfons
Published: December 2022

Assays to evaluate the susceptibility of Simulium larvae to temephos and Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (Bti) were carried out by setting‐up an in vitro laboratory test (‘bio assay’) and a semi‐natural test (‘système de goutières’) to assess the LC50/LC90 values. Larvae of Simulium species in Cameroon (S. damnosum s.l., S. hargreavesi, S. vorax and S. cervicornutum) and (S. (Odagmia) ornatum and S. latipes) in Germany were identified and tested. In the bio‐assay, 50 larvae were exposed for 10 min to concentrations from 0.01 to 10 ppm. For the Simulium from Germany, the LC50 (LC90) values after 3 and 6 h were 3.1 (27.9) and 0.14 (1.26) ppm for temephos and for Bti 7.8 (70.2) and 1.7 (15.3) ppm, respectively. For Cameroonian species, the values of LC50 (LC90) were lower, that is, 0.42 (8.04), 0.14 (2.70) and 0.073 (1.38) ppm, respectively, after 3, 6 and 12 h for temephos. In a semi natural condition, the LC50 of 10 min of application of temephos was 0.84 ppm after 3 h and a working solution (2.6 L) of Bti killed 50% after 6 h. To detect an upcoming of any resistance as it happened in Ivory Coast, a study of the occurrence resistance genes should be implemented.
Framework of humanistic care for patients in theICU: A preliminary study
Authors: Zhang Yuchen , Zhao Li , Zhang Meng , Guo Xiaojing , Xin Chen , Gai Yubiao
Published: December 2022

Background

Humanistic care involves caring, concern, paying attention to people's individuality, meeting their needs and respecting their rights, which is the core concept and central task of nursing. Effective care can enhance patients’ ability to deal with stress and promote patient recovery. Implementing humanistic care in the intensive care unit (ICU) is particularly important for health care providers.

Aim

This study aims to develop a framework of the humanistic care in theICU.

Study Design

The qualitative research followed Strauss' procedural grounded theory approach. Purposive sampling and theoretical sampling were used to select 12 nurses in the Department of Critical Medicine, 16 patients, and eight family members for semi‐structured interviews from October 2020 to April 2021. Results were summarized and analysed through three‐level coding based on grounded principles.

Results

Sixteen subcategories and six main categories were extracted after three‐level coding, and the final ICU humanistic care framework was formed with home, activity, visit, environment, nursing and safety (“HAVENS”) as the core.

Conclusions

This study provides an explanatory theory of humanistic care in the ICU that can guide nurses' practice in ICU clinical work.

Relevance to clinical practice

This theory provides guidance for nurses to implement humanistic care in critical care practice to improve the ICU stay experience of critically ill patients.
Diet‐microbiota crosstalk and immunity to helminth infection
Authors: Myhill Laura J. , Williams Andrew R.
Published: December 2022

Helminths are large multicellular parasites responsible for widespread chronic disease in humans and animals. Intestinal helminths live in close proximity with the host gut microbiota and mucosal immune network, resulting in reciprocal interactions that closely influence the course of infections. Diet composition may strongly regulate gut microbiota composition and intestinal immune function and therefore may play a key role in modulating anti‐helminth immune responses. Characterizing the multitude of interactions that exist between different dietary components (e.g., dietary fibres), immune cells, and the microbiota, may shed new light on regulation of helminth‐specific immunity. This review focuses on the current knowledge of how metabolism of dietary components shapes immune response during helminth infection, and how this information may be potentially harnessed to design new therapeutics to manage parasitic infections and associated diseases.
The Role of Personal Centrality of Ingroup Victimhood in Intergroup Relations and Political Agenda in Northern Ireland
Authors: Jeong Hu Young , Uluğ Özden Melis , Baysu Gülseli
Published: December 2022

Even though the violent conflicts during the Troubles officially ended decades ago, the memories of violence and division between Catholics and Protestants linger in Northern Ireland. We argue that the personal centrality of collective victimhood, which is formed by the memory and perception of past and ongoing victimization, may play an important role in people's attitudes in postconflict societies. The current study investigated both the antecedents and outcomes of the personal centrality of ingroup victimhood in Northern Ireland and examined the vital role it plays in the aftermath of a violent intergroup conflict among Catholics and Protestants. The results demonstrated that ongoing experiences of victimization such as personal and group‐level discrimination and memories of personal and close others' suffering are strongly related to people's personal centrality of ingroup victimhood. The centrality of ingroup victimhood, in turn, predicted various strategies for intergroup interaction and policy preferences such as collective action, support for nonviolence, and attitudes toward reunification of Ireland, which were moderated by group membership. The findings provide empirical evidence for the role of the centrality of ingroup victimhood as a link between experiences of victimization and intergroup interactions as well as policy preferences.
Violence – suicide and suicidal ideation as sequelae of trauma in substance use disorder inpatients
Authors: Bækkerud Sara Hjulstad , Sømhovd Mikael Julius , Martinussen Laila Marianne
Published: December 2022

Experience with psychological trauma is overrepresented among substance use disorder (SUD) patients. SUDs may also be a risk factor for violent behaviors, suicidal ideation and suicide. This study proposes a link between these phenomena. Based on data from the EuropASI clinical interview of 137 SUD inpatients we computed a composite variable of trauma experience from being abused. We report descriptive data and cross tabulated problems controlling violent behavior, suicidal ideation or suicide attempts variables with trauma experience. Hypothesizing an association between experienced trauma and the outcome variables. We also examined the correlation between three outcome variables in inpatients. Our data suggested high incidents of experienced psychological trauma in the sample (66.7%). Chi‐square tests suggested a significant difference in controlling violent behavior, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, dependent on trauma experience. Spearman Roh correlations suggested asscociations between suicdal ideation and suicide attempts, and suicdal ideation and problems controlling violent behavior, but not with suicide attempts. Our data suggests that past trauma is a risk factor for violent and suicidal behaviors in the SUD population. Based on our findings we propose that former trauma should be considered in risk assessments and help guide treatment interventions.
Associations of leisure‐time physical activity and active school transport with mental health outcomes: A population‐based study
Authors: Jussila Juuso J. , Pulakka Anna , Ervasti Jenni , Halonen Jaana I. , Mikkonen Santtu , Allaouat Sara , Salo Paula , Lanki Timo
Published: December 2022

Promoting physical activity can improve population health. This study aimed to examine associations of leisure‐time moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity and active school transport with mental health, that is, symptoms of depression and anxiety, among 15‐ to 16‐year‐old adolescents. We also assessed the relationships with less‐studied outcomes, such as chronic stress and visits to school psychologist. A nationwide Finnish cohort of eighth and ninth graders from the School Health Promotion study (32 829 participants; mean age 15.4 years; 53% girls) was studied. We used logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (OR), with models adjusted for major sociodemographic, health behavior, and physical activity variables. Key findings suggest that leisure‐time moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity is associated with better mental health in a dose–response manner. Even the smallest dose, 30 weekly minutes, was linked to 17% lower odds of chronic stress symptoms compared to inactivity (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71–0.96). Compared to non‐active transportation, more than 30 min of daily active school transport yielded 19% (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.07–1.31) and 33% (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.12–1.58) higher odds of depression symptoms and school psychologist visits, respectively. However, no associations were found for low‐to‐moderate daily active school transport levels (<30 min). This large‐scale study further highlights a positive association between leisure‐time physical activity and mental health among youth. Future research should explore what factors might explain the potential adverse mental health outcomes of active school transport.
Factors related to the knowledge and skills of evidence‐based practice among nurses worldwide: A scoping review
Authors: Furuki Hideaki , Sonoda Nao , Morimoto Akiko
Published: December 2022

Background

Promoting evidence‐based practice (EBP) among nurses may be a valuable component of improving health care. However, a comprehensive analysis of the factors associated with the knowledge and skill EBP in nurses has not been performed to date. This is essential for facilitating the acquisition of relevant knowledge and skills to effectively implement EBP.

Aims

The aim of the study was to determine the factors related to the knowledge and skills of EBP among nurses.

Methods

We searched various literature databases up to October 25, 2021, for relevant studies that investigated the factors associated with the knowledge and skills of EBP in nurses. The authors, year of study, country, study design, study subject information, instruments used for the assessment EBP knowledge and skills, use of multivariable analysis, and factors significantly associated with the knowledge and skills of EBP among nurses were extracted from each eligible study and collated to identify commonly reported factors.

Results

We identified 47 eligible studies conducted in a wide range of countries. Nine articles applied multivariable analyses, and 38 articles did not perform any multivariable analyses. The factors related to the knowledge and skill levels of EBP among nurses were classified into two categories: personal and work‐environment factors. In the nine articles that conducted multivariable analysis, personal factors, which included educational level, participation in EBP education, and experience conducting research, and work‐environment factors, such as resources and organizational support for EBP, were related to the knowledge and skills of EBP among nurses.

Linking Evidence to Action

Our review highlighted educational level, participation in EBP education, experience conducting research, and resources and organizational support for EBP as important factors that are associated with the knowledge and skills of EBP in nurses worldwide. Focusing on these factors may help improve nurses' understanding of EBP and facilitate the implementation of EBP.
AN OUTLINE OF ALTERNATIVE AVIATION FUELS FROM SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES
Authors: Azam Qummare , Alhaj Ahmed Mahjub , Zainol Abidin Mohd Shukur , Sulaiman Siti Zubaidah , Mazlan Nurul Musfirah
Published: December 2022

The depletion of fossil fuels and their market inequality have led to the popularity of biofuels. Biofuels are a renewable energy source which can be a promising solution to the environmental issues created by fossil fuels. The emission of greenhouse gases and fluctuating prices of fossil fuels have put pressure on developing countries and small economic nations. Thus, one of the main concerns is the production of bio jet fuel from renewable resources, with a relatively low greenhouse gas life cycle and sustainability with affordable prices. Therefore, it is imperative to introduce and produce alternative aviation fuels generated from sustainable resources, specifically biofuels. In this study, we have reviewed alternative aviation fuels and their sources. We have also outlined the selection criteria for alternative aviation fuels along with discussing the sources that can be potentially used as fuel for the aviation industry.
COST-EFFECTIVE ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS STRATEGY IN OPTIMIZATION OF PHOTOVOLTAIC FOR GRID-CONNECTED SYSTEM
Authors: Shamsuddin Noor Ilham , Md Rasid Madihah , Anuar Mohd Shafiq
Published: December 2022

Renewable Energy Source (RES) based Distributed Generation (DG) like Photovoltaic (PV) is widely integrated into the distribution network, particularly for residential. With proper planning, the installation of optimal PV in the network is capable of minimizing the dependency on the power grid generation. However, the optimum use of solar energy has been limited by the weather and the load variation. At the particular time, the generated PV output is not fully utilized during the minimum load. The excessive generation of PV power occurs and causes an increase in the cost of electricity consumption. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to optimize the PV size for the grid-connected system considering the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) and the proper Energy Management System (EMS) Strategy in order to reduce the grid power consumption. BESS is introduced to store the excess PV power generated during peak hours, while the cost-effective EMS strategy is proposed to ensure the RES is fully employed. The number of PV panels is optimized using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique. The implementation of PSO in optimising PV size can reduce the number of PV panels by 21% compared to the conventional method.
TITANIUM DIOXIDE SOL-GEL/ZINC OXIDE POWDER-COATED CLAY BEADS IN PHOTOCATALYTIC REACTOR
Authors: Krishnan Thurgadewi , Con Nie Ng , Wan Abdullah Wan Rafizah , Awang Mohamad , Wan Mansor Wan Salida
Published: December 2022

Catalyst Immobilization methods are important for providing better recovery of catalyst in photocatalytic treatment. The aim is to characterize and evaluate the photocatalytic performance of TiO2/ZnO-coated clay beads. The titanium dioxide/zinc oxide (TiO2/ZnO)-coated clay beads were prepared via the sol-gel process. Various ZnO powder ratios gave different TiO2/ZnO composites sol. Four layers of TiO2/ZnO sol were coated on clay beads and dried in the oven at 100°C for 30 min. The coated clay beads were calcined at 500°C for one hour for every two layers. Characterization of coated clay beads was done using a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The increased surface area on small agglomeration and optimum loading of ZnO (5 g) resulted in the highest degradation efficiency recorded at 86.57%. An effective catalyst immobilization achieved a good recycling performance on clay beads. Degradation rate data were presented by pseudo-first-order kinetics. It was observed that the average degradation rate for TiO2/5 g ZnO is 0.00836 min–1. The actual results in this work can be applied as a guideline for the preparation of TiO2/ZnO-coated clay beads with high photocatalytic performance.
THE EFFECT OF THERMAL STRESS AND MATERIALS TOWARDS STRAY GASSING FORMATION IN UNINHIBITED AND INHIBITED OIL
Authors: Yong Haw Jia , Mohd Yousof Mohd Fairouz , Abd Rahman Rahisham , Azis Norhafiz , Talib Mohd Aizam
Published: December 2022

Insulation oil is one of the most important components in an oil-insulated transformer. With the use of the dissolved gas analysis (DGA) tool, the condition of the transformer can be studied and predicted to prevent unwanted events from occurring. However, due to the rising of issues related to stray gassing phenomenon that causes false interpretations in the transformer condition, there is a need to find out the factors contributing to the formation of the stray gases in the transformer oil. In this research paper, thermal stress (85℃ and 120℃) on transformer oil with different transformer materials are studied to determine the effect towards the formation of stray gases in the transformer oil. The materials studied include diamond dotted paper, metal plate, coated metal plate, insulation glue and core metal. Both the uninhibited oil and inhibited oil are used for comparison. The metal plate, coated metal plate and core metal were found to be causing the generation of H2 gas at 120℃ while the cellulose ageing of insulation paper is causing the generation of CO and CO2 gases at 85℃ and above. The CH4 gas was found to be generated only at 120℃ and the insulation glue was determined to be the main cause for the C2H4 gas generation at 85℃ and above.
PREDICTION OF SOIL SETTLEMENT ON SOFT CLAY SOIL USING NORMALIZED ROTATIONAL MULTIPLE YIELD SURFACE FRAMEWORK (NRMYSF)
Authors: Abd. Hamid Hamzah , Md. Noor Mohd Jamaludin , Alias Rohaya , Alias Asmidar
Published: December 2022

Soft clays are highly compressible, high-water content, low shear strength, and have poor permeability, which result in significant settlement under long-term loads. Therefore, one of the most challenging geotechnical engineering problems is to predict the settlement from soft clay soil. Normalized Rotational Multiple Yield Surface Framework (NRMYSF) is developed from the soil stress-strain behaviour and shear strength characteristic. It is able to estimate the stress-strain curve for shear strength in triaxial tests. The consolidated drained (CD) triaxial tests and conventional 1-dimensional consolidation of oedometer has been conducted on soft clay soil. The settlement soil prediction was compared between the NRMYSF and conventional 1-dimensional consolidation under Terzaghi’s principle. The NRMYSF prediction model was smaller than the conventional oedometer by 0.1459m to 0.1431m for Sample A, and by 0.1890m to 0.1398m for Sample B. Therefore, this method has the potential to predict the settlement of soft clay soils.
EVALUATION OF DNA QUALITY FROM MODIFIED DNA EXTRACTION AND AMPLIFICATION OF ITS2 FROM Eurycoma longifolia CAPSULE HERBAL PRODUCTS
Authors: Izham Nur Hazwani , Saidon Nur Azreen , A. Samad Abdul Fattah , Wagiran Alina
Published: December 2022

Demand for herbal products has increased because of their purported health benefits and economic value. However, they are susceptible to adulteration, making accurate identification of herbal origin essential, especially for quality control. In recent decades, DNA-based methods have played a crucial role in the development of authentication tools that required good quality of DNA. The manufacturing process of herbal products involved heating, grinding or other mechanical procedures, and addition of excipients/additives caused DNA to degrade which in turn influenced DNA quality. In this study, nine different conventional methods with some modifications were evaluated to determine the best technique producing good quality DNA from capsule herbal products. Assessment was conducted using spectrophotometric measurements and agarose gel electrophoresis. To determine the quality of gDNA, amplification of ITS2 amplicon was performed by PCR. The DNA extraction finding showed that DNA quality from each method resulted in a different DNA purity and yield, hence the ITS2 amplification. Each of the modified DNA extraction methods performed has its own strengths and limitations when it comes to obtaining high quality gDNA. In addition, the study demonstrated the success of ITS2 amplification with the modified DNA extraction methods used.
C+L BAND SOA MULTI-WAVELENGTH LASER WITH THE VARIATION OF OPTICAL COUPLING RATIOS
Authors: Ibrahim F. B. M. , Ahmad Hambali N. A. M. , Wahid M. H. A. , Ali N.
Published: December 2022

This paper presents the characteristics of C+L band semiconductor optical amplifier based multi-wavelength laser with the variation of output optical coupling ratios. The configuration was tested with different coupling ratios from 10% to 90%. Meanwhile, the semiconductor optical amplifier injection currents varied from 110 mA to 340 mA in a step of 10 mA. The optimum coupling ratios were observed at 30%, 40%, 50% and 60% since it produces the maximum number of lasing lines, optical signal-to-noise ratio and average peak power. These coupling ratios also correspond to the minimum drive current of the semiconductor optical amplifier that initiates the first lasing lines. At 60% of the coupling ratio and injection current of 280 mA, the multi-wavelength laser has the capability to generate up to 42 dominant lasing lines with average peak power from -21 dBm to -35 dBm and an average optical signal-to-noise ratio from 9 dB to 11 dB. Furthermore, the minimum semiconductor optical amplifier current of 110 mA was required to initiate the first lasing at 60% of the coupling ratio. The semiconductor optical amplifier can effectively and practically act as a multi-wavelength source, especially in optical sensing and communication.
Gajah dalam Peribahasa Melayu: Analisis Rangka Rujuk Silang
Authors: Saimon Aminnudin , Roslan Muhammad Fuad
Published: December 2022

The beauty of Malay proverbs can not only be seen through the use of poetic language but can also be seen through the common sense. A beautiful proverb with a deep meaning is the result of the Malay community's high appreciation and common sense towards the environment that underlies life. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify the elephant -based domain in proverbs based on corpus data obtained through the book Malay Proverbs: A Study of Meaning and Value written by Zaitul Azma Zainon Hamzah and Ahmad Fuad Mat Hassan (2011) and www.malaycivilization.com website. This study applies the Cross-Reference Framework (RRS) from Kempson (1984). The results of the study found that the element of elephant serves as a symbol in Malay proverbs that are closely related to life of the Malay community itself. There are five main domains of elephant proverbs which are include the domains of leadership (12 proverbs), humanity (14 roverbs), life (13 proverb), thrift (3 proverbs) and knowledge (3 provrbs). Malay observations and life experiences were contributing to creative thinking in conveying the implicit message with politeness.
English Primary School Teachers' Perceptions of Green Screens in Teaching English
Authors: Zabiddin Najihah Syairah , Abu Bakar Farhana
Published: December 2022

This study explored the use of the green screen in teaching and learning in a primary school. Despite the rising research on green screens in education, limited studies have focused on teachers' perceptions. This study focused on understanding English teachers' perceptions of green screens in teaching English. It drew on a qualitative approach to explore how and why English teachers used green screens in their teaching, the challenges teachers faced while using the green screen, and how their use of green screens impacted their professional development. Participants included five English teachers in a primary school in Malaysia. Data were collected from classroom observations and Stimulated Recall Interviews (SRI). The findings showed that most teachers used green screens to make video content for English lessons. Additionally, the green screen was an effective tool, facilitating teaching and enhancing students' learning. However, the data suggested that using green screens presented challenges, for example, time-consuming, technical issues, cost, inadequate equipment and lack of training. The findings also demonstrated that teachers' professional development was positively and negatively impacted when employing green screens in teaching. Based on these results, it can be concluded that it is important to highlight English teachers’ perceptions to examine the effectiveness of green screen technology in teaching English.
Vocabulary Learning in Reading Comprehension: Learners’ Perception of the Use of Morphemic Analysis and Contextual Clues Strategies
Authors: Lai Hui Sin , Abdullah Tina , Abdul Aziz Azian , Abdul Samat Norhanim
Published: December 2022

Vocabulary knowledge plays an important role in reading as its limitation may affect comprehension. Appropriate learning strategies should be taught for vocabulary and reading comprehension development. The objective of this study was to investigate the learners’ perceptions in using Morphemic Analysis and Contextual Clues Strategies during reading comprehension. The participants comprised 34 Year 6 learners from a primary school in Johor Bahru. They were selected through purposive sampling and divided into Group A that went through six enrichment sessions on Morphemic Analysis Strategy and Group B that went through six enrichment sessions on Contextual Clues Strategy. Each session was conducted for 50 minutes twice a week. Based on a mixed method design, the instruments were questionnaire and interview. Morphemic Analysis and Contextual Clues Strategies were found to be helpful in developing reading comprehension and vocabulary learning but there were also some learners who did not find them to be useful. As such, both strategies could be implemented to help learners in developing reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge, depending on the learners’ needs and preferences in learning.
Amenable covers of right‐angled Artin groups
Authors: Li Kevin
Published: December 2022

Let  be the right‐angled Artin group associated with a finite flag complex . We show that the amenable category of  equals the virtual cohomological dimension of the right‐angled Coxeter group . In particular, right‐angled Artin groups satisfy a question of Capovilla–Löh–Moraschini proposing an inequality between the amenable category and Farber's topological complexity.
Proteomics and AQP2 regulation
Authors: Yang Chin‐Rang , Park Euijung , Chen Lihe , Datta Arnab , Chou Chung‐Lin , Knepper Mark A.
Published: December 2022

The advent of modern quantitative protein mass spectrometry techniques around the turn of the 21st century has contributed to a revolution in biology referred to as ‘systems biology’. These methods allow identification and quantification of thousands of proteins in a biological specimen, as well as detection and quantification of post‐translational protein modifications including phosphorylation. Here, we discuss these methodologies and show how they can be applied to understand the effects of the peptide hormone vasopressin to regulate the molecular water channel aquaporin‐2. The emerging picture provides a detailed framework for understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in water balance disorders.

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Pore Filled Ion-Conducting Materials Based on Track-Etched Membranes and Sulfonated Polystyrene
Authors: Golubenko D. V. , Yurova P. A. , Desyatov A. V. , Stenina I. A. , Kosarev S. A. , Yaroslavtsev A. B.
Published: December 2022

Synthesis of proton-conducting materials based on track-etched membranes from polyvinylidene fluoride and sulfonated cross-linked polystyrene is described. The synthesis has been carried out by filling the pores of the original or gamma-irradiated track-etched membrane by copolymerization of styrene/divinylbenzene followed by sulfonation of polystyrene with chlorosulfonic acid. The resulting membranes have been studied by scanning electron microscopy and ATR IR spectroscopy. Membrane ionic conductivity, hydrogen gas permeability, ion-exchange capacity, and water absorption were measured. The ionic conductivity at 30°C reaches 51.7 mS/cm, which is almost three times higher than for Nafion®212 membranes; however, the gas permeability of the obtained materials also increases simultaneously.
Erratum to: Sorption and Gas Transport Characteristics of Polyimides Based on a Mixture of Diethyl Toluene Diamine Isomers
Authors: Alentiev A. Yu. , Ryzhikh V. E. , Nikiforov R. Yu. , Bezgin D. A. , Chirkov S. V. , Belov N. A. , Orlova A. M. , Kuznetsov A. A.
Published: December 2022

An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1134/S2517751622090013
Association of HLA-C*01:02 with methazolamide-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis
Authors: Qiumei Gu , Zhengju Chen , Xuefei He , Qu Chao
Published: December 2022

We identified a Yi Chinese female patient from an ethnic minority group with methazolamide-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis. Genotyping revealed that she and her immediate family members carried the HLA-C*01:02 haplotypes, known to be associated with methazolamide-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis.
Managing type 1 diabetes in frailty
Authors: Zac-Varghese Sagen , Summerhayes Bev , Winocour Peter
Published: December 2022

Managing type 1 diabetes in frail elderly people can be logistically challenging, particularly for those living alone. District nurse visits are unpredictable and coincide poorly with meal time insulin regimes. Elderly people, particularly those with dementia, have variable oral intake and activity. For some, poor glycaemic control leads to frequent and prolonged inpatient admissions. The use of technology, such as flash glucose monitoring, and the use of analogue insulins can be helpful in this setting. Increased monitoring enables more accurate titration of insulin doses and the information can be accessed by healthcare professionals and carers remotely. Longer lasting analogue insulins allow for a greater margin of error in the timing of insulin administration.
New case of syncytial giant-cell variant of hepatocellular carcinoma in a pediatric patient withHNF1Bdeficiency: does it fit with the syndrome?
Authors: Pinon Michele , Gambella Alessandro , Giugliano Laura , Chiadò Cristina , Kalantari Silvia , Bracciamà Valeria , Deaglio Silvia , Tinti Davide , Peruzzi Licia , Cotti Roberta , Catalano Silvia , Cadamuro Massimiliano , Fabris Luca , Calvo Pier Luigi , Romagnoli Renato
Published: December 2022

Background

Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1B (HNF1B) is a member of the homeodomain-containing family of transcription factors located on 17q12.HNF1Bdeficiency is associated with a clinical syndrome (kidney and urogenital malformations, maturity-onset diabetes of the young, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency) and to an underdiagnosed liver involvement. Differently fromHNF1A, the correlation between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and germlineHNF1Bdeficiency has been poorly evaluated.

Case report

Here, we report a novel case of a syndromicHNF1B-deficient paediatric patient that developed HCC with unique histopathological features characterised by neoplastic syncytial giant cells, which was observed only in one additional case of paediatric cholestatic liver disease of unknown origin.

Conclusions

Our case highlights the influence ofHNF1Bdeficiency in liver disease progression and its putative association with a rare yet specific HCC histotype. We hypothesised that HCC could be secondary to the repressive effect ofHNF1Bvariant on theHNF1Atranscriptional activity.
Endovascular versus neurosurgical aneurysm treatment: study protocol for the development and validation of a clinical prediction tool for individualised decision making
Authors: de Winkel Jordi , Roozenbeek Bob , Dijkland Simone A , Dammers Ruben , van Doormaal Pieter-Jan , van der Jagt Mathieu , van Klaveren David , Dippel Diederik W J , Lingsma Hester F
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Treatment decisions for aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage patients should be supported by individualised predictions of the effects of aneurysm treatment. We present a study protocol and analysis plan for the development and external validation of models to predict benefit of neurosurgical versus endovascular aneurysm treatment on functional outcome and durability of treatment.

Methods and analysis

We will use data from the International Subarachnoid Aneurysm Trial for model development. The outcomes are functional outcome, measured with modified Rankin Scale at 12 months, and any retreatment or rebleed of the target aneurysm during follow-up. We will develop an ordinal logistic regression model and Cox regression model, considering age, World Federation of Neurological Surgeons grade, Fisher grade, vasospasm at presentation, aneurysm lumen size, aneurysm neck size, aneurysm location and time-to-aneurysm-treatment as predictors. We will test for interactions with treatment and with baseline risk and derive individualised predicted probabilities of treatment benefit. A benefit of ≥5% will be considered clinically relevant. Discriminative performance of the outcome predictions will be assessed with the c-statistic. Calibration will be assessed with calibration plots. Discriminative performance of the benefit predictions will be assessed with the c-for benefit. We will assess internal validity with bootstrapping and external validity with leave-one-out internal-external cross-validation.

Ethics and dissemination

The medical ethical research committee of the Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam approved the study protocol under the exemption category and waived the need for written informed consent (MEC-2020-0810). We will disseminate our results through an open-access peer-reviewed scientific publication and with a web-based clinical prediction tool.
Patient and family perceptions of the provision of medicines as part of virtual outpatient consultations for children during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Makhecha Sukeshi , Eftychiou Linda , Tsang Victoria , Vas Venessa , Christiansen Nanna , Crook Joanne , Bentley Siân
Published: December 2022

Objectives

To evaluate (1) views and perceptions of patients/parents/carers and healthcare professionals on the medicines optimisation (MO) process following virtual outpatient clinic (VOC) during the COVID-19 pandemic and (2) the processes introduced at this time, identifying areas for improvements and suggest potential solutions.

Design

A mixed-methods service evaluation using qualitative and quantitative methods of the MO pathway in children aged 0–18 years following VOC across three specialist children’s units.

Semi-structured interviews were conducted over the telephone with the participants exploring their experiences and categorised into themes.

Process mapping sessions with the multidisciplinary team identified areas for improvement and an ease impact framework developed for potential solutions.

Outcome measures included: (1) themes from interviews, (2) patients satisfaction rates, (3) process maps and (4) development of a simplified future process.

Results

One hundred and twenty-five patients’ families were contacted: 71 families consented to participate and their views were categorised into four main themes: (1) patient experience, (2) communication, (3) need for virtual video consultations for patient education by hospital pharmacists and (4) need for electronic processes to send prescriptions to local pharmacies.

Median patient satisfaction rate was 96% (range 67%–100%). The convenience of receiving medications directly to patient’s homes; access to medicines information helplines and education provided by pharmacists were regarded as valuable. Communication between care providers, development of virtual video consultations by hospital pharmacists and electronic transfer of some prescriptions directly to community pharmacies were identified as areas of improvement.

Conclusions

Participants appreciated the pharmacy processes adopted during the pandemic, however, challenges and recommendations for improvement in delivering MO VOC were identified. As digital innovations evolve within the NHS, future research should focus on integrated care and improved communication between care providers with selected medications prescribed directly to community pharmacies using electronic prescription service, with clinical screening and education provided by hospital pharmacists.
Deep learning using multilayer perception improves the diagnostic acumen of spirometry: a single-centre Canadian study
Authors: Mac Amanda , Xu Tong , Wu Joyce K Y , Belousova Natalia , Kitazawa Haruna , Vozoris Nick , Rozenberg Dmitry , Ryan Clodagh M , Valaee Shahrokh , Chow Chung-Wai
Published: December 2022

Rationale

Spirometry and plethysmography are the gold standard pulmonary function tests (PFT) for diagnosis and management of lung disease. Due to the inaccessibility of plethysmography, spirometry is often used alone but this leads to missed or misdiagnoses as spirometry cannot identify restrictive disease without plethysmography. We aimed to develop a deep learning model to improve interpretation of spirometry alone.

Methods

We built a multilayer perceptron model using full PFTs from 748 patients, interpreted according to international guidelines. Inputs included spirometry (forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 s, forced mid-expiratory flow25–75), plethysmography (total lung capacity, residual volume) and biometrics (sex, age, height). The model was developed with 2582 PFTs from 477 patients, randomly divided into training (80%), validation (10%) and test (10%) sets, and refined using 1245 previously unseen PFTs from 271 patients, split 50/50 as validation (136 patients) and test (135 patients) sets. Only one test per patient was used for each of 10 experiments conducted for each input combination. The final model was compared with interpretation of 82 spirometry tests by 6 trained pulmonologists and a decision tree.

Results

Accuracies from the first 477 patients were similar when inputs included biometrics+spirometry+plethysmography (95%±3%) vs biometrics+spirometry (90%±2%). Model refinement with the next 271 patients improved accuracies with biometrics+pirometry (95%±2%) but no change for biometrics+spirometry+plethysmography (95%±2%). The final model significantly outperformed (94.67%±2.63%, p<0.01 for both) interpretation of 82 spirometry tests by the decision tree (75.61%±0.00%) and pulmonologists (66.67%±14.63%).

Conclusions

Deep learning improves the diagnostic acumen of spirometry and classifies lung physiology better than pulmonologists with accuracies comparable to full PFTs.
Impact of smoking on one year functional outcomes after thrombectomy for young stroke patients
Authors: Peng Szu-Hsiang , Lai Yen-Jun , Lai Wei-Jen , Li Ai-Hsien , Yen Ho-Hsian , Huang Lih-Wen , Tang Chih-Wei
Published: December 2022

Background

The incidence of stroke in young patients (20–50 years old) has increased in recent decades. Unlike the use of good functional outcomes to evaluate prognosis, excellent functional outcomes are a better indicator of return to work among younger patients. The rate of return to work increases with time after stroke. This study investigated the short term (3 months) and long term (1 year) predictors of excellent functional outcomes in young patients after endovascular thrombectomy (EVT).

Methods

We included young patients who underwent EVT for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to large vessel occlusion within 6 hours after stroke onset between 2015 and 2021. Patients with intracerebral hemorrhage on pretreatment CT were excluded. The associations between clinical, imaging, and procedure variables, and excellent functional outcomes were analyzed using univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses. An excellent functional outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of ≤1.

Results

Of the 361 patients with AIS eligible for EVT, 55 young patients (aged 24–50 years) were included. Of these, 36.4% and 41.8% achieved excellent functional outcomes at 3 and 12 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that smoking was the independent negative predictor of both 3 month (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.232, 95% CI 0.058 to 0.928; p=0.039) and 12 month (aOR 0.180, 95% CI 0.044 to 0.741; p=0.018) excellent functional outcomes.

Conclusions

Current or former smoking habit was an independent negative predictor of both short term and long term excellent functional outcomes in young adults with AIS.