bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF in citizens from a disadvantaged neighborhood in Southern Sweden
Authors: Ramji Rathi , Rämgård Margareta , Kottorp Anders
Published: April 2023

Background

Citizens living in disadvantaged neighborhoods experience poorer health than the majority, and this inequality is a public health problem even in a welfare state such as Sweden. Numerous initiatives aimed at improving health and quality of life in these populations are being implemented and evaluated. Given that these populations are predominantly multicultural and multilingual, an instrument such as the WHOQOL-BREF, which is cross-culturally validated and available in multiple languages, may be appropriate. However, this cannot be ascertained since the psychometric properties of WHOQOL-BREF have never been assessed in the Swedish context. Thus, the current study aimed at assessing the psychometric properties of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire in citizens from a disadvantaged neighborhood in Southern Sweden.

Methods

The respondents in this study were 103 citizens who participated in the health promotional activities of a Health promotional program and also responded to the 26-item, WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire as a part of an evaluation to assess the impact of the activities on the health-related quality of life of citizens. A Rasch model using WINSTEP 4.5.1 was used to assess the psychometric properties in this study.

Results

Five of the 26 items, including pain and discomfort, dependence on medical substances, physical environment, social support, and negative feelings did not display acceptable goodness-of-fit to the Rasch model. On removing these items, the 21-item WHOQOL-BREF scale had an improved internal scale validity and person-separation reliability than the original 26-item version for this group of citizens from the neighborhood. When assessing the individual domains, three of the five items that were misfits on analyzing the full model also showed misfits in relation to two respective domains. When these items were removed, the internal scale validity of the domains also improved.

Conclusion

WHOQOL-BREF seemed to be psychometrically inadequate when used in the original form due to internal scale validity problems, while the modified 21-item scale seemed better at measuring the health-related quality of life of citizens living in socially disadvantaged neighborhoods in Sweden. Omission of items shall be done but with caution. Alternatively, future studies may also consider rephrasing the items with misfits and further testing the instrument with larger samples exploring the associations between subsamples and specific item misfit responses.
Anomie, irritation, and happiness in the Chilean society post-social outbreak
Authors: Moyano-Díaz Emilio , Palomo-Vélez Gonzalo , Olivos-Jara Pablo , Maya-López Yuxa
Published: April 2023

On 18 October 2019, the Chilean people witnessed an unprecedented social outbreak across most of their country. We argue that a state of anomie is a factor associated with the weakening of states, and an anomic state might negatively influence people’s well-being through an increased feeling of irritation. Convenience recruitment via social networks allowed us to form a sample of 194 Chilean participants from the center-south region of the country (M = 36.53 years old, SD = 17.48; 56.7% women). All participants completed testing instruments to measure anomie, irritation, happiness, and political beliefs. Descriptive scores suggest situating Chile in the quadrant of high anomie. Two mediation analyses were conducted. The main results showed a negative indirect effect of the breakdown of the social fabric and leadership on happiness through irritation, although the findings for the former dimension were more robust. Additionally, the breakdown of the social fabric was positively related to the belief that left and right-wing democratic governments are helpless when it comes to fighting delinquency. The breakdown of leadership, on the other hand, was negatively related to political interest. The results should be interpreted with caution due to the limitations of the sample type and the construction validity of some instruments.
Cognitive-behavioral and dietary weight loss intervention in adult kidney transplant recipients with overweight and obesity: Results of a pilot RCT study (Adi-KTx)
Authors: Barchfeld Dana Coco , Vagi Ricarda-Katharina , Lüdtke Katrin , Schieffer Elisabeth , Güler Faikah , Einecke Gunilla , Jäger Burkard , de Zwaan Martina , Nöhre Mariel
Published: April 2023

The obesity epidemic and its health consequences have not spared the population of kidney transplant (KTx) candidates and recipients. In addition, KTx recipients are susceptible to weight gain after transplantation. Overweight and obesity after KTx are strongly associated with adverse outcomes. Therefore, we designed a randomized controlled, mono-center study to specifically test the effectiveness of a primarily cognitive-behavioral approach supplemented by nutritional counseling for weight reduction following KTx as the intervention group (IG) in comparison to a brief self-guided intervention as control group (CG). The study was registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS-ID: DRKS00017226). Fifty-six KTx patients with a BMI from 27 to 40 kg/m2 were included in this study and randomized to the IG or CG. Main outcome was the number of participants achieving a 5% weight loss during the treatment phase. Additionally, participants were assessed 6 and 12 months after the end of the 6-month treatment phase. Participants significantly lost weight without group differences. 32.0% (n = 8) of the patients in the IG and 16.7% (n = 4) of the patients in the CG achieved a weight loss of 5% or more. Weight loss was largely maintained during follow-up. Retention and acceptance rate in the IG was high, with 25 (out of 28) patients completing all 12 sessions and one patient completing 11 sessions. Short-term, cognitive-behaviorally oriented weight loss treatment seems to be feasible and acceptable for patients after KTx who suffer from overweight or obesity. This clinical trial was ongoing at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic which might have influenced study conduct and results.

Clinical Trial Registration: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ DRKS-ID: DRKS00017226.
Optogenetic stimulation in the medial prefrontal cortex modulates stimulus valence from rewarding and aversive to neutral states
Authors: Yu Ying Hao , Tsai Arthur C. , Ou Chen Yin , Cheng Cai-N , Chang Fang Chih , Shyu Bai Chuang , Huang Andrew Chih Wei
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Understanding the modulations of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in the valence of the stimulus from rewarding and aversive status to neutral status is crucial for the development of novel treatments for drug addiction. This study addressed this issue and examined whether optogenetic ChR2 photostimulation in the cingulate, prelimbic, and infralimbic cortices of the mPFC regulated the valence of saccharin solution consumption from the rewarding property, the aversive property induced by morphine’s conditioning, and the neutral states via saccharin extinction processes after morphine’s conditioning.

Methods

All rats received virus infection, buried optical fiber, optical stimulation, water deprivation, and saccharin solution consumption phases. In Experiment 1, rats were given ChR2 virus infection into the cingulate cortex (Cg1), prelimbic cortex (PrL), and infralimbic cortex (IL) to influence the rewarding saccharin solution consumption under photostimulation. In Experiment 2, rats were given ChR2 or EYFP virus infection into the Cg1, PrL, and IL to alter the saccharin solution consumption in the morphine-induced aversively conditioned taste aversion (CTA) and the saccharin solution consumption in the neutral state following the extinction process under photostimulation. Later, the immunohistochemical staining with c-Fos protein was performed for the Cg1, IL, PrL, nucleus accumbens core, nucleus accumbens shell, central amygdala, basolateral amygdala, ventral tegmental area, and dentate gyrus.

Results

The results showed that optogenetic PrL stimulation decreased the rewarding valence of saccharin solution consumption and increased the morphine-induced, aversive valence of saccharin solution consumption. PrL stimulation decreased the neutral valence of saccharin solution consumption via the extinction process. Cg1 optogenetic stimulation increased the rewarding valence of saccharin solution consumption and the aversive valence of saccharin solution consumption induced by morphine in conditioning. Optogenetic IL stimulation increased the aversive valence of saccharin solution consumption induced by morphine via conditioning.

Conclusion

Altogether, optogenetic stimulation in the subareas of the mPFC modulated the reward, aversion, and neutral valences of the stimulus and altered neuronal activity in the mPFC, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and hippocampus. Notably, the change of valence was temporary alternation during light-on related to the light-off periods. However, the findings may provide insights in the development of novel treatments for addictive symptoms.
The fNIRS evaluation of frontal and temporal lobe cortical activation in Chinese first-episode medication-naïve and recurrent depression during a verbal fluency task
Authors: Yang Ting , Wang Hongyu , Dai Haiyue , Hui Juan , Zhang Jintong , Li Juan , Cui Guimei , Wang Juan , Mu Junlin , Zhang Zhaohui
Published: April 2023

Background

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) identifies neurophysiological differences between psychiatric disorders by assessing cortical hemodynamic function. Few trials have studied differences in brain functional activity between first-episode medication-naïve depression patients (FMD) and recurrent major depression (RMD). We aimed to determine the differences between FMD and RMD in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration ([oxy-Hb]), and to investigate the correlation between frontotemporal cortex activation and clinical symptoms.

Methods

We recruited 40 patients with FMD, 53 with RMD, and 38 healthy controls (HCs) from May 2021 to April 2022. Symptom severity was assessed with the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). A 52-channel fNIRS measured changes in [oxy-Hb] during VFT performance.

Results

Both patient groups performed poorly during the VFT task compared with HC (FDR p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the two patient groups. Analysis of variance showed that mean [oxy-Hb] activation was lower in both the frontal and temporal lobes in the MDD group compared with HCs (FDR p < 0.05). Additionally, patients with RMD had a significantly lower hemodynamic response in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and dorsal frontal pole cortex (DFPC) than patients with FMD (FDR p < 0.05). No significant correlation was found between changes in mean [oxy-Hb] and either medical history or clinical symptoms (FDR p < 0.05).

Conclusion

The presence of different neurofunctional activity in some of the same brain regions in FMD and RMD patients implied a link between the level of complexity activation in frontal regions and the stage of MDD. Cognitive impairment may already be present at the beginning of an MDD episode.

Clinical trial registration

www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100043432.
Business Cycle and Public Health: The Moderating Role of Health Education and Digital Economy
Authors: Zhang Xing , Xu Yingying
Published: April 2023

The cyclicality of public health in the emerging market is underexplored in existing literature. In this study, we used a fixed effect model and provincial data to document how public health varies with the business cycle in China over the period of 2010–2019. The estimated results showed that the business cycle is negatively correlated with the mortality of infectious disease, a proxy variable of public health, thus indicating that public health exhibits a countercyclical pattern in China. Furthermore, we investigated the potential moderating role of public health education and digital economy development in the relationship between business cycle and public health. Our findings suggested that public health education and digital economy development can mitigate the damage of economic conditions on public health in China. Health education helps the public obtain more professional knowledge about diseases and then induces effective preventions. Compared with traditional economic growth, digital economy development can avoid environmental pollution which affects public health. Also, it ensures that state-of-the-art medical services are available for the public through e-health. In addition, digitalization assures that remote working is practicable and reduces close contact during epidemics such as COVID-19. The conclusions stand when subjected to several endogeneity and robustness checks. Therefore, the paper implies that these improvements in public health education and digitalization can help the government in promoting public health.
The virus made me lose control: The impact of COVID-related work changes on employees’ mental health, aggression, and interpersonal conflict
Authors: Han Changlin , Zhang Ruyi , Liu Xiyao , Wang Xueling , Liu Xiaotong
Published: April 2023

Introduction

COVID-related work changes have seriously disrupted employees’ familiar routines and hampered their lives and work. Although this topic has drawn rising attention, to our knowledge, limited studies have investigated the impact of COVID-related work changes on employees’ mentality and behavior. In this paper, we developed a moderated mediation model based on ego depletion theory to test how and when COVID-related work changes impact employees’ mental health, interpersonal conflict, and aggression behavior.

Methods

We collected 536 valid participants by conducting a questionnaire survey in a large Chinese manufacturing company, and tested our proposed theoretical model and hypotheses using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus 8.1.

Results

The empirical results showed that COVID-related work changes would harm employees’ mental health and boost their interpersonal conflict and aggression via increasing their ego depletion. Moreover, trait resilience has an intervention in the relationship between COVID-related work changes and employees’ ego depletion, which weakens the indirect impact of COVID-related work changes on mental health, interpersonal conflict, and aggression.

Discussion

These findings suggest that although COVID-related work changes were inevitable, managers should take measures to improve the employees’ mental status and avoid conflicts promptly while taking steps to keep organizations on track.
Successful treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is still based on quick activation of the chain of survival
Authors: Borgstedt Laura , Schaller Stefan J. , Goudkamp Daniel , Fuest Kristina , Ulm Bernhard , Jungwirth Bettina , Blobner Manfred , Schmid Sebastian
Published: April 2023

Background and goal of study

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in prehospital care is a major reason for emergency medical service (EMS) dispatches. CPR outcome depends on various factors, such as bystander CPR and initial heart rhythm. Our aim was to investigate whether short-term outcomes such as the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and hospital admission with spontaneous circulation differ depending on the location of the out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). In addition, we assessed further aspects of CPR performance.

Materials and methods

In this monocentric retrospective study, protocols of a prehospital physician-staffed EMS located in Munich, Germany, were evaluated using the Mann–Whitney U-test, chi-square test, and a multifactor logistic regression model.

Results and discussion

Of the 12,073 cases between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2017, 723 EMS responses with OHCA were analyzed. In 393 of these cases, CPR was performed. The incidence of ROSC did not differ between public and non-public spaces (p = 0.4), but patients with OHCA in public spaces were more often admitted to the hospital with spontaneous circulation (p = 0.011). Shockable initial rhythm was not different between locations (p = 0.2), but defibrillation was performed significantly more often in public places (p < 0.001). Multivariate analyses showed that hospital admission with spontaneous circulation was more likely in patients with shockable initial heart rhythm (p < 0.001) and if CPR was started by an emergency physician (p = 0.006).

Conclusion

The location of OHCA did not seem to affect the incidence of ROSC, although patients in public spaces had a higher chance to be admitted to the hospital with spontaneous circulation. Shockable initial heart rhythm, defibrillation, and the start of resuscitative efforts by an emergency physician were associated with higher chances of hospital admission with spontaneous circulation. Bystander CPR and bystander use of automated external defibrillators were low overall, emphasizing the importance of bystander education and training in order to enhance the chain of survival.
The role of machine learning in health policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and in long COVID management
Authors: Sarmiento Varón Lindybeth , González-Puelma Jorge , Medina-Ortiz David , Aldridge Jacqueline , Alvarez-Saravia Diego , Uribe-Paredes Roberto , Navarrete Marcelo A.
Published: April 2023

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is arguably one of the most challenging health crises in modern times. The development of effective strategies to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2 were major goals for governments and policy makers. Mathematical modeling and machine learning emerged as potent tools to guide and optimize the different control measures. This review briefly summarizes the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic evolution during the first 3 years. It details the main public health challenges focusing on the contribution of mathematical modeling to design and guide government action plans and spread mitigation interventions of SARS-CoV-2. Next describes the application of machine learning methods in a series of study cases, including COVID-19 clinical diagnosis, the analysis of epidemiological variables, and drug discovery by protein engineering techniques. Lastly, it explores the use of machine learning tools for investigating long COVID, by identifying patterns and relationships of symptoms, predicting risk indicators, and enabling early evaluation of COVID-19 sequelae.
Campus outdoor environment, learning engagement, and the mental health of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: From the perspective of students in different grades
Authors: Sun Ning , Liu Wanting , Zheng Zhenhua
Published: April 2023

Introduction

During COVID-19, the mental health of Chinese university students has been a pressing concern. But the internal mechanism of perceived campus outdoor environment and learning engagement affecting college students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic has not been fully discussed.

Methods

The current study used cross-sectional data from 45 Chinese universities to explore the relationship among perceptions of campus outdoor environments, learning engagement, and college student mental health, and focused on differences among college students in different grades.

Results

Our study revealed the mental health problems of Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic were more severe. The mental health of postgraduates was generally poor, and their risk of depression was higher than that of undergraduates. More importantly, for postgraduates, the direct impact of the perceived campus outdoor environment on their mental health was stronger. For undergraduates, the indirect impact of learning engagement on the effect of the perceived campus outdoor environment on their mental health was stronger.

Conclusion

The results of the study have implications for campus planners, landscape architects, and university planners to pay particular attention to the needs of postgraduates for campus outdoor environments, which is of great significance to improve the overall mental health of students during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Computer-assisted approaches for measuring, segmenting, and analyzing functional upper extremity movement: a narrative review of the current state, limitations, and future directions
Authors: Jackson Kyle L. , Durić Zoran , Engdahl Susannah M. , Santago II Anthony C. , DeStefano Secili , Gerber Lynn H.
Published: April 2023

The analysis of functional upper extremity (UE) movement kinematics has implications across domains such as rehabilitation and evaluating job-related skills. Using movement kinematics to quantify movement quality and skill is a promising area of research but is currently not being used widely due to issues associated with cost and the need for further methodological validation. Recent developments by computationally-oriented research communities have resulted in potentially useful methods for evaluating UE function that may make kinematic analyses easier to perform, generally more accessible, and provide more objective information about movement quality, the importance of which has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This narrative review provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the current state of computer-assisted methods for analyzing UE kinematics with a specific focus on how to make kinematic analyses more accessible to domain experts. We find that a variety of methods exist to more easily measure and segment functional UE movement, with a subset of those methods being validated for specific applications. Future directions include developing more robust methods for measurement and segmentation, validating these methods in conjunction with proposed kinematic outcome measures, and studying how to integrate kinematic analyses into domain expert workflows in a way that improves outcomes.
Reconsidering the best minimally invasive approach for patients with herlyn-werner-wunderlich syndrome: Should we push the frontiers for a better outcome?
Authors: Moufawad Graziella , Ayed Amal , Sleiman Zaki
Published: April 2023

Obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis (OHVIRA) syndrome is a rare congenital defect of the Mullerian ducts characterized by uterine didelphys, unilateral obstructed hemivagina, and ipsilateral renal agenesis. It frequently presents during puberty, with complications such as pelvic pain, pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility. Surgical management is the mainstay treatment. A vaginal access for septum resection is usually used. However, it can be in difficult in several situations such as a very proximal septum with a small bulge, or in the case of virgin patients with social considerations regarding the hymenal ring integrity. Thus, a laparoscopic approach may be a beneficial alternative. In particular, laparoscopic hemi hysterectomy has recently gained remarkable interest due to its added benefit of treating the cause rather than treating only the symptoms. It removes the source of the bleeding, thus stopping the flow. However, it transforms a bicornuate uterus into a unicornuate uterus, leading to some obstetrical concerns. Should we push the frontiers further and consider laparoscopic hemi hysterectomy for better outcomes as the mainstay management of patients with OHVIRA syndrome?
Productivity and Nutritional Quality of Nitrogen-Fixing and Non-Fixing Shrub Species for Ruminant Production
Authors: Tzec-Gamboa Magnolia , Álvarez-Rivera Oscar Omar , Ramírez y Avilés Luis , Ku-Vera Juan , Solorio-Sánchez Francisco Javier
Published: April 2023

Fodder shrubs are important dry season feed sources for livestock in semi-arid environments. It has been proposed that a mixture of leguminous with non-leguminous shrubs may increase rates of N cycling and improve biomass and fodder quality. The objective of the present study was to assess the biomass productivity and fodder quality of leguminous shrubs growing a mixture with non-leguminous shrubs. Three shrub species—the legume Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) and the non-legumes Guazuma ulmifolia (Lam.) and Moringa oleifera (Lam.)—were grown as legume/non-legume mixtures and as monocultures. Total fodder production and quality were estimated over five harvests at three-month intervals. The Leucaena–Guazuma mixture had the largest fodder production (9045 kg ha−1 year−1), followed by the Leucaena monocrop (7750 kg ha−1 year−1). Total nitrogen accumulation in the foliage was also high in the Leucaena–Guazuma mixture, reaching 282 kg ha−1 year−1; the Leucaena monocrop accumulated 244 kg N, while the Moringa monocrop took up only 46 kg N ha−1. The concentration of polyphenols was high in Leucaena and Guazuma, while Moringa had the lowest value. The high survival and excellent growth rates, as well as the high foliage production observed in Leucaena and Guazuma, suggest that they have the potential to provide high-quality fodder for livestock.
Phenotypic Correlation between Guard Hair and Down Hair in Chinese Alashan Left Banner White Cashmere Goat: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Pallotti Stefano , Pediconi Dario , Valbonesi Alessandro , Renieri Carlo , Haizhou Sun , Junwen Zhou , Antonini Marco
Published: April 2023

In cashmere production studies, few trials have considered the guard hair features and their correlation with down fiber attributes. In this preliminary work, early observations on 158 one year old Chinese Alashan Left Banner White Cashmere goats were carried out. The aim was to describe the phenotypic correlation between the guard hair length and other fiber traits. The guard hair length was positively correlated with guard hair diameter and the down fiber length. Negative correlations were found between guard hair length and the coefficient of variation of guard hair diameter, between the guard hair diameter and its coefficient of variation, and between the down fiber diameter and the coefficient of variation of down fiber diameter. The body weight at first combing was not correlated with any of the other traits.
Abrupt Dietary Change and Gradual Dietary Transition Impact Diarrheal Symptoms, Fecal Fermentation Characteristics, Microbiota, and Metabolic Profile in Healthy Puppies
Authors: Liao Pinfeng , Yang Kang , Huang Hongcan , Xin Zhongquan , Jian Shiyan , Wen Chaoyu , He Shansong , Zhang Lingna , Deng Baichuan
Published: April 2023

Dietary changes are inevitable for pets, yet little is known about the impact of different dietary change methods on the gastrointestinal response. The current comparative study evaluated the effects of different dietary changes on the diarrheal symptoms, fecal fermentation characteristics, microbiota, and metabolic profile of healthy puppies. A total of 13 beagle puppies were randomly divided into two groups; puppies in the abrupt change (AC) group were given 260 g of a chicken- and duck-based extruded diet (CD)daily for the one-week transition period, whereas puppies in the gradual transition (GT) group were fed according to a gradual transition ratio of a salmon-based extruded diet (SA) and a CD diets with a difference of 40 g per day for seven consecutive days. Serum samples were collected on D7, and fecal samples were collected on D0 and D7. The results indicated that GT reduced the incidence of diarrhea in puppies throughout the trial period. Dietary change methods had no influence on serum inflammatory factors or fecal SCFAs, but isovaleric acid was significantly reduced after GT. Meanwhile, 16S rRNA sequencing showed that the fecal microbiota was changed after different dietary changes. Compared with the bacterial changes after AC, the relative abundances of beneficial bacteria (i.e., Turicibacter and Faecalibacterium) in feces were increased after GT in puppies. Additionally, both GT and AC caused changes in amino acid metabolism, while AC also altered lipid metabolism. AC increased fecal histamine and spermine concentrations, but decreased concentrations of metabolites such as 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and serotonin. Our findings indicated that GT most likely reduced the diarrhea rate in puppies by modulating the composition and metabolism of the gut microbiota.
Distribution and Prediction of Incremental Cutter Flank Wear in High-Efficiency Milling
Authors: Zhao Peiyi , Song Yufeng , Jiang Bin , Wang Bin
Published: April 2023

In the milling of titanium alloy workpieces, tool wear seriously affects the surface quality of a workpiece and its tool life. It is of great significance to study the influence of instantaneous contact stiffness on instantaneous friction variables and incremental wear, which is of great significance for the realization of control over the degree of flank wear and improving the service life of cutter teeth. In this paper, an experiment to monitor cutting with a Ti6Al4V workpiece with a high-feed milling cutter was carried out; according to the experimental results, the wear area of the flank face of the cutter tooth was determined. The feature points of the flank were selected, and an instantaneous contact stiffness calculation method for the flank was proposed. The infinitesimal method was used to characterize the distribution of the contact stiffness of the flank, and the evolution characteristics of instantaneous contact stiffness distribution under the influence of vibration were obtained. According to the calculation results, the instantaneous distribution of flank wear depth was calculated. A grey correlation degree was used to reveal the correlation between the instantaneous contact stiffness of the flank face and wear depth, and a positionable wear-prediction model based on the instantaneous contact stiffness of the flank was proposed. Based on a BPNN (back propagation neural network), a prediction model for flank wear was established. The results showed that the above model and method could accurately predict the instantaneous wear of the tool flank.
Atomic Spectroscopy-Based Analysis of Heavy Metals in Seaweed Species
Authors: Lindenmayer Randall , Lu Lucy , Eivazi Frieda , Afrasiabi Zahra
Published: April 2023

This review compiles different analytical methods reported by the researchers studying heavy metal contents in seaweed samples from a variety of natural and commercial sources. Heavy metals in seaweed affect environmental health and human health due to seaweed’s role in the aquatic food chain and human consumption. The potential for heavy metal presence in seaweed is due to industrial pollution and other human activities. There is an ongoing demand for evaluation of the presence of nutritional as well as hazardous metals in raw and processed seaweeds. This review article will look at the importance and usage of seaweed, the importance of measuring heavy metals in seaweed, seaweed’s ability to absorb heavy metals, the health risks of consuming seaweed, and reported atomic spectroscopy-based heavy metal analysis methods in research on seaweed.
Research on Head Pursuit Interception Strategy for Hypersonic Target
Authors: Li Zhihan , Nan Ying
Published: April 2023

In the wake of countries competing to develop high-efficiency offensive weapons, high-precision systems have also developed. Due to the high speed and high maneuverability of hypersonic targets, it is always difficult to meet the accuracy and rapidity requirements by using the traditional interception mode. In order to improve the accuracy of the hypersonic target interception, a head pursuit guidance strategy is developed for hypersonic target interception in this study. Firstly, a dynamic model is established by analyzing the relative motion between the interceptor and the target, which needs to place the low-speed interceptor before the high-speed target. Subsequently, a head pursuit interception guidance strategy is presented, which controls the interceptor flight trajectory by controlling its normal acceleration to achieve a successful interception target. Finally, for the maneuvering and non-maneuvering targets, the dynamic characteristics of interceptor are analyzed, respectively, and full trajectory dynamic simulations under different conditions for the hypersonic target interception are worked out to illustrate the feasibility and robustness of the proposed guidance strategy.
Fault Diagnosis for Body-in-White Welding Robot Based on Multi-Layer Belief Rule Base
Authors: Zhang Bang-Cheng , Wang Ji-Dong , Zheng Zhong , Chen Dian-Xin , Yin Xiao-Jing
Published: April 2023

Fault diagnosis for body-in-white (BIW) welding robots is important for ensuring the efficient production of the welding assembly line. As a result of the complex mechanism of the body-in-white welding robot, its strong correlation of components, and the many types of faults, it is difficult to establish a complete fault diagnosis model. Therefore, a fault diagnosis model for a BIW-welding robot based on a multi-layer belief rule base (BRB) was proposed. This model can effectively integrate monitoring data and expert knowledge to achieve an accurate fault diagnosis and facilitate traceability. First, according to the established fault tree, a fault mechanism was determined. Second, based on the multi-layer relationship of a fault tree, we established a multi-layer BRB model. Meanwhile, in order to improve the accuracy of the model parameters, the projection covariance matrix adaptive evolutionary strategy (P-CMA-ES) algorithm was used to optimize and update the parameters of the fault diagnosis model. Finally, the validity of the proposed model was verified by a simulation experiment for the BIW-welding robot.
Paratextual Negotiations: Fan Forums as Digital Epitexts of Popular Superhero Comic Books and Science Fiction Pulp Novel Series
Authors: Werber Niels , Stein Daniel
Published: April 2023

This article examines the reception of popular serial narratives. Starting from the assumption that this reception presents both a challenge (how to study the vast and heterogeneous readerly engagement with these texts?) and a chance (readers of such texts tend to comment profusely about the reception process), we identify the paratext as a privileged space of readerly communication on, and serial engagement with, popular storytelling. We develop the concept of “paratextual negotiation” as a means of understanding letter columns and fan forums as (now mostly) digital epitexts that shape the evolution of particularly popular—widely noticed, commercially successful, long-running—narratives, with a focus on the German science fiction pulp novel series Perry Rhodan (1961–) and additional thoughts on the US American comic book superhero Captain America (1941–). Taking the quantitative-empirical metrics of attention measurement and their public display seriously by identifying and close-reading the most popular forum threads and the most broadly recognized commentary about these narratives, we argue that the participatory element of popular culture can be reconstructed in the interplay between series text and serial paratext and can be described as a force in serial evolution that thrives on a combination of variation and redundancy and of selection and adaptation.
Decoherence and Transition to Classicality for Time-Dependent Stochastic Quantum Systems with a General Environment
Authors: Choi Jeong Ryeol
Published: April 2023

The emergence of classicality from a stochastic quantum system through decoherence is investigated. We consider the case where the parameters, such as mass, frequency, and the damping coefficient, vary with time. The invariant operator theory is employed in order to describe quantum evolution of the system. It is supposed that the system is in equilibrium with the environment at a finite temperature. The characteristics of decoherence, the classical correlation and the quantum coherence length are analyzed. The decoherence time is estimated in both position and momentum spaces. We verify from such analyses that the time dependence of the stochastic process affects the quantum-to-classical transition of the system. To promote the understanding of the results, we apply our development to a particular system which is the damped harmonic oscillator. Through this application, we confirm that the decoherence condition is satisfied in the limit of a sufficiently high temperature, whereas the classical correlation is not affected by the temperature.
Neuromodulation for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration: Systematic Review of Mechanisms and In Vivo Highlights
Authors: Jin Max Y. , Weaver Tristan E. , Farris Adam , Gupta Mayank , Abd-Elsayed Alaa
Published: April 2023

While denervation can occur with aging, peripheral nerve injuries are debilitating and often leads to a loss of function and neuropathic pain. Although injured peripheral nerves can regenerate and reinnervate their targets, this process is slow and directionless. There is some evidence supporting the use of neuromodulation to enhance the regeneration of peripheral nerves. This systematic review reported on the underlying mechanisms that allow neuromodulation to aid peripheral nerve regeneration and highlighted important in vivo studies that demonstrate its efficacy. Studies were identified from PubMed (inception through September 2022) and the results were synthesized qualitatively. Included studies were required to contain content related to peripheral nerve regeneration and some form of neuromodulation. Studies reporting in vivo highlights were subject to a risk of bias assessment using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. The results of 52 studies indicate that neuromodulation enhances natural peripheral nerve regeneration processes, but still requires other interventions (e.g., conduits) to control the direction of reinnervation. Additional human studies are warranted to verify the applicability of animal studies and to determine how neuromodulation can be optimized for the greatest functional restoration.
Metformin Protects Radiation-Induced Early Brain Injury by Reducing Inflammation and DNA Damage
Authors: Xiang Jiabao , Lu Yiming , Quan Cheng , Gao Yan , Zhou Gangqiao
Published: April 2023

Radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI) is one of the most common and fatal complications of cranial radiation therapy (CRT); however, no effective intervention is available currently. Metformin has been reported to have anti-RIBI activity as a first-line anti-diabetic drug. However, the mechanism of action is unclear. An RIBI mice model and an in vitro cell model under 30 and 10 Gy 60Co γ-rays exposure were established to investigate the mechanism of metformin in RIBI. The results showed that pre-treatment with metformin protects hippocampal neurogenesis in the brain of mice and improves learning and memory ability after irradiation. Further investigations revealed that metformin pretreatment reduces inflammation and decreases DNA damage in the in vitro BV2 cell line. In addition, we observed that metformin inhibits the activation of IκB and IRF-3, which are downstream components of the cGAS-STING pathway. These findings suggest that metformin might protect the brain from RIBI, at least partly, through the cGAS pathway, making it a potential therapeutic drug for RIBI.
Risk Factor Analysis and a Predictive Model of Postoperative Depressive Symptoms in Elderly Patients Undergoing Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery
Authors: Xue Dinghao , Guo Xu , Li Yanxiang , Sheng Zhuoqi , Wang Long , Liu Luyu , Cao Jiangbei , Liu Yanhong , Lou Jingsheng , Li Hao , Hao Xinyu , Zhou Zhikang , Fu Qiang
Published: April 2023

Among the elderly, depression is one of the most common mental disorders, which seriously affects their physical and mental health and quality of life, and their suicide rate is particularly high. Depression in the elderly is strongly associated with surgery. In this study, we aimed to explore the risk factors and establish a predictive model of depressive symptoms 1 month after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in elderly patients. The study participants included 272 elderly patients (age > 65 years) undergoing VATS from April 2020 to May 2021 at 1 of 18 medical centers in China. The patients were divided into a depression group and a nondepression group according to the Chinese version of the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The patients’ pre- and postoperative characteristics and questionnaires were collected and compared. Then, binary logistic regression was used to determine the risk factors that affect postoperative depressive symptoms, and the predictive model was constructed. The prediction efficiency of the model was evaluated by drawing the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the value of the predictive model. Among all of the included patients, 16.54% (45/272) suffered from depressive symptoms after VATS. The results of the univariate analysis showed that body mass index (BMI), chronic pain, leukocyte count, fibrinogen levels, prothrombin time, ASA physical status, infusion volume, anxiety, sleep quality, and postoperative pain were related to postoperative depressive symptoms (all p < 0.05). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that a high fibrinogen level (OR = 2.42), postoperative anxiety (OR = 12.05), poor sleep quality (OR = 0.61), and pain (OR = 2.85) were risk factors of postoperative depressive symptoms. A predictive model was constructed according to the regression coefficient of each variable, the ROC curve was drawn, and the AUC value was calculated to be 0.889. The prediction model may help medical personnel identify older patients at risk of developing depressive disorders associated with VATS and may be useful for clinical purposes.
Mechanism and Engineering Characteristics of Expansive Soil Reinforced by Industrial Solid Waste: A Review
Authors: Wei Jianhu , Wei Jianmeng , Huang Qijun , Zainal Abidin Sheikh Mohd Iqbal Bin S. , Zou Zhenjie
Published: April 2023

Expansive soils exhibit detrimental swelling and shrinking characteristics in response to variations in water content, posing a threat to engineering safety. Utilizing industrial solid waste for improving the engineering properties of expansive soil presents a promising solution due to its low pollution and high recoverability. This paper reviews the progress of research on various industrial solid wastes in stabilizing expansive soil. The review comprehensively discusses the microscopic characteristics and mechanism of industrial solid waste-stabilized soils, as well as their impact on the compressive strength, shear, compaction characteristics, consistency, swelling and shrinkage properties, and durability of expansive soils. The addition of appropriate curing agents or the combination with other stabilizing materials can enhance the strength of expansive soil, mitigate volume changes, and improve the durability and stability of expansive soils. The mechanisms of stabilization of expansive soils by industrial solid waste involve cation exchange, flocculation-agglomeration, pozzolanic reaction, and carbonation. Additionally, microscopic characterization analysis reveals that the formation of C-S-H and C-A-H is the primary contributor to the improvement of soil geotechnical properties.
Deep Learning Prediction Model for Patient Survival Outcomes in Palliative Care Using Actigraphy Data and Clinical Information
Authors: Huang Yaoru , Roy Nidita , Dhar Eshita , Upadhyay Umashankar , Kabir Muhammad Ashad , Uddin Mohy , Tseng Ching-Li , Syed-Abdul Shabbir
Published: April 2023

(1) Background: Predicting the survival of patients in end-of-life care is crucial, and evaluating their performance status is a key factor in determining their likelihood of survival. However, the current traditional methods for predicting survival are limited due to their subjective nature. Wearable technology that provides continuous patient monitoring is a more favorable approach for predicting survival outcomes among palliative care patients. (2) Aims and objectives: In this study, we aimed to explore the potential of using deep learning (DL) model approaches to predict the survival outcomes of end-stage cancer patients. Furthermore, we also aimed to compare the accuracy of our proposed activity monitoring and survival prediction model with traditional prognostic tools, such as the Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) and the Palliative Performance Index (PPI). (3) Method: This study recruited 78 patients from the Taipei Medical University Hospital’s palliative care unit, with 66 (39 male and 27 female) patients eventually being included in our DL model for predicting their survival outcomes. (4) Results: The KPS and PPI demonstrated an overall accuracy of 0.833 and 0.615, respectively. In comparison, the actigraphy data exhibited a higher accuracy at 0.893, while the accuracy of the wearable data combined with clinical information was even better, at 0.924. (5) Conclusion: Our study highlights the significance of incorporating clinical data alongside wearable sensors to predict prognosis. Our findings suggest that 48 h of data is sufficient for accurate predictions. The integration of wearable technology and the prediction model in palliative care has the potential to improve decision making for healthcare providers and can provide better support for patients and their families. The outcomes of this study can possibly contribute to the development of personalized and patient-centered end-of-life care plans in clinical practice.
Attributable Fraction of Cancer Related to Occupational Exposure in Italy
Authors: Collatuzzo Giulia , Turati Federica , Malvezzi Matteo , Negri Eva , La Vecchia Carlo , Boffetta Paolo
Published: April 2023

Background: Exposure to occupational carcinogens is an important and avoidable cause of cancer. We aimed to provide an evidence-based estimate of the burden of occupation-related cancers in Italy. Methods: The attributable fraction (AF) was calculated based on the counterfactual scenario of no occupational exposure to carcinogens. We included exposures classified as IARC group 1 and with reliable evidence of exposure in Italy. Relative risk estimates for selected cancers and prevalences of exposure were derived from large-scale studies. Except for mesothelioma, a 15–20-year latency period between exposure and cancer was considered. The data on cancer incidence in 2020 and mortality in 2017 in Italy were obtained from the Italian Association of Cancer Registries. Results: The most prevalent exposures were UV radiation (5.8%), diesel exhaust (4.3%), wood dust (2.3%) and silica dust (2.1%). Mesothelioma had the largest AF to occupational carcinogens (86.6%), followed by sinonasal cancer (11.8%) and lung cancer (3.8%). We estimated that 0.9% of cancer cases (N~3500) and 1.6% of cancer deaths (N~2800) were attributable to occupational carcinogens in Italy. Of these, about 60% were attributable to asbestos, 17.5% to diesel exhaust, followed by chromium and silica dust (7% and 5%). Conclusions: Our estimates provide up-to-date quantification of the low, but persistent, burden of occupational cancers in Italy.