bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disability, poverty and health-service accessibility in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: a population-based repeated cross-sectional study in Colombia
Authors: Espitia Segura Oscar Mauricio , Pinilla-Roncancio Monica
Published: October 2024

Objectives

In Colombia, 4.3% of the population 5 years or older lives with a disability. They face higher levels of poverty and social exclusion compared with persons without disabilities. This article aims to understand the factors associated with access to preventative and curative health services for people with disabilities in Colombia. Additionally, it explores whether access to health services for people with disabilities changed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

This is a population-based repeated cross-sectional study.

Setting

This study took place in Colombia, from 2018 to 2021.

Data sources and participants

National Quality of Life Survey datasets in Colombia from 2018 to 2021, including people 5 years or older, were reviewed. People were classified into three groups: person with any disability, person with multiple disabilities and person without disabilities.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

A multinomial regression model was used to calculate the probability of access to preventative services during the previous year in four categories: general practitioner (GP) and dentist, GP only, dentist only and no consultation. A logistic model for curative consultations with and without hospitalisation in people who reported having a health problem.

Results

People with disabilities demanded more preventative health services, except for dental services, compared with people without disabilities. Similarly, they experienced more health problems and demanded more curative services than people without disabilities, except during the year 2020, when no significant differences were found between people with and without disabilities. For people with disabilities, poverty was not associated with a lower likelihood of consultation, except for preventative dental consultations, which were significantly lower for poor people with disabilities. In addition, the subsidised insurance regimen was identified as an important variable in the utilisation of healthcare in Colombia.

Conclusion

People with disabilities in Colombia demand more health services compared with people without disabilities. Despite being in a worse condition according to various socioeconomic indicators, few factors affect their demand for healthcare services. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with a significant reduction in the probability of access to outpatient treatment services during 2020 for people with disabilities. Longitudinal studies and comparison with other Latin American countries are recommended.
Addressing selection biases within electronic health record data for estimation of diabetes prevalence among New York City young adults: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Conderino Sarah , Thorpe Lorna E , Divers Jasmin , Albrecht Sandra S , Farley Shannon M , Lee David C , Anthopolos Rebecca
Published: October 2024

Introduction

There is growing interest in using electronic health records (EHRs) for chronic disease surveillance. However, these data are convenience samples of in-care individuals, which are not representative of target populations for public health surveillance, generally defined, for the relevant period, as resident populations within city, state or other jurisdictions. We focus on using EHR data for the estimation of diabetes prevalence among young adults in New York City, as the rising diabetes burden in younger ages calls for better surveillance capacity.

Methods

This article applies common non-probability sampling methods, including raking, post-stratification and multilevel regression with post-stratification, to real and simulated data for the cross-sectional estimation of diabetes prevalence among those aged 18–44 years. Within real data analyses, we externally validate city-level and neighbourhood-level EHR-based estimates to gold-standard estimates from a local health survey. Within data simulations, we probe the extent to which residual biases remain when selection into the EHR sample is non-ignorable.

Results

Within the real data analyses, these methods reduced the impact of selection biases in the citywide prevalence estimate compared with the gold standard. Residual biases remained at the neighbourhood-level, where prevalence tended to be overestimated, especially in neighbourhoods where a higher proportion of residents were captured in the sample. Simulation results demonstrated these methods may be sufficient, except when selection into the EHR is non-ignorable, depending on unmeasured factors or on diabetes status.

Conclusions

While EHRs offer the potential to innovate on chronic disease surveillance, care is needed when estimating prevalence for small geographies or when selection is non-ignorable.
Long-term mortality in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease requiring acute non-invasive ventilation with and without obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: Nguyen Benjamin HM , Menadue Collette , Yee Brendon J , McGuiness Olivia A , Wong Keith KH , Marshall Nathaniel S , Lau Edmund MT , Piper Amanda J
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) overlap syndrome (OVS) is associated with higher mortality compared with COPD alone in stable outpatients. However, the prognosis of patients hospitalised with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure (ARF) is unclear.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, 124 patients with COPD and 44 patients with OVS were treated with positive airway pressure (PAP) for ARF and followed up for a median of 20.6 months (IQR 3.80–53.4). Patients treated in the emergency or intensive care units and did not continue PAP on the wards were excluded. We compared patient characteristics and overall survival.

Results

Mean (SD) age of participants was 71 (9.7) years and 51% were males. Patients with OVS had a higher prevalence of hypertension (75% vs 50.0%, p=0.004) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (45.5% vs 19.4%, p<0.001). There was no difference in arterial pH or carbon dioxide levels at presentation. On univariate analysis, mortality was lower in OVS compared with patients with COPD alone (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.87). Median survival was 51.0 (95% CI 38.1 to 93.7) months in OVS and 27.7 (95% CI 16.9 to 35.1) months in COPD alone. Median survival in OVS prescribed home PAP therapy was significantly higher (59.0 months) compared with OVS not discharged on therapy (36.1 months), and to patients with COPD, irrespective of home therapy prescription (p=0.022). After adjusting for multiple known confounders, patients with OVS still appeared to have lower mortality; however, this was no longer statistically significant (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.24).

Discussion

We found that patients with COPD and ARF requiring non-invasive ventilation may have higher mortality rates compared with patients with OVS. Patients with OVS treated with home PAP had lower mortality compared with patients not prescribed PAP on discharge. These findings suggest that patients with COPD who present with ARF may benefit from early diagnosis of OSA and initiation of long-term PAP therapy.
It’s a battlefield! A thematic analysis of narratives shared in Cape Town emergency departments
Authors: Cunningham Charmaine , Vosloo Marietjie , Wallis Lee
Published: October 2024

Background

The Emergency Department(ED) team need to make sense of an ever-changing dynamic environment. The stories people tell about everyday occurrences are central to how sense-making occurs. These stories also contribute to organisational culture, with the frequently told narratives maintaining organisational identity and shaping behaviour. By capturing stories in the ED, valuable insights can be gained into organisational culture and identity.

Methods

Non-random purposive sampling was used to recruit doctors and nurses from EDs in five hospitals in Cape Town. Data collection took place over 8 weeks between June and August 2018. Participants were asked to tell a short descriptive narrative, provide a title for their story and create a metaphor to describe working in the ED. Data were captured using the SenseMaker Collector tool, and stories were exported into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for analysis. An inductive thematic analysis was undertaken to discover the dominant themes.

Results

Stories were collected from 89 participants. Five did not meet the inclusion criteria and were excluded. Four themes were identified. The theme‘the usual chaos’included stories about everyday challenges, clinical situations and the difficulties in managing patients with acute behavioural disturbance and those with mental health disorders in the ED. ‘There is no help’included stories about a perceived lack of support from the rest of the hospital and healthcare system, whereas ‘set up to fail’referred to characteristics of the ED, including crowding and boarders. The fourth theme demonstrated a pervasive ‘war-like mentality’shared among professional groups in the ED.

Conclusion

Considering the ED as a socially constructed verbal system, we identified stories that used war-like metaphors, and related staff feelings of being unsupported and disconnected. The findings are concerning from an organisational perspective. The next step is to facilitate a participative process to strategically shape future narratives.
ECM1 attenuates hepatic fibrosis by interfering with mediators of latent TGF-β1 activation
Authors: Link Frederik , Li Yujia , Zhao Jieling , Munker Stefan , Fan Weiguo , Nwosu Zeribe C , Yao Ye , Wang Shanshan , Huang Chenjun , Liebe Roman , Hammad Seddik , Liu Hui , Shao Chen , Gao Chunfang , Sun Bing , Török Natalie J , Ding Huiguo , Ebert Matthias PA , Weng Honglei , ten Dijke Peter , Drasdo Dirk , Dooley Steven , Wang Sai
Published: October 2024

Objective

Extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) serves as a gatekeeper of hepatic fibrosis by maintaining transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in its latent form. ECM1 knockout (KO) causes latent (L) TGF-β1 activation, resulting in hepatic fibrosis with rapid mortality. In chronic liver disease (CLD), ECM1 decreases with increasing CLD severity. We investigate the regulatory role of ECM1 in TGF-β1 bioavailability and its impact on CLD progression.

Design

RNAseq was performed to analyse hepatic gene expression. Functional assays were performed using hepatic stellate cells (HSCs),Ecm1-KO andFxr-KO mice, patient liver tissue and computer simulations.

Results

Expression of LTGF-β1 activators, including thrombospondins (TSPs), ADAMTS proteases and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), increased along with profibrotic gene expression in liver tissue ofEcm1-KO mice. In HSCs, overexpression of ECM1 prevented LTGF-β1 activation mediated by TSP-1, ADAMTS1, and MMP-2/9. In vitro interaction assays demonstrated that ECM1 inhibited LTGF-β1 activation by interacting with TSP-1 and ADAMTS1 via their respective, intrinsic KRFK or KTFR amino acid sequences and by suppressing MMP-2/9 proteolytic activity. In mice, ECM1 overexpression attenuated KRFK-induced LTGF-β1 activation while KTFR treatment reversedEcm1-KO-mediated andFxr-KO-mediated liver injury. In patients with CLD, ECM1 expression was inversely correlated with TSP-1, ADAMTS1, MMP-2/9 expression and LTGF-β1 activation. And, these results were complemented by a computational compartment model representing the key network of cellular phenotypes and predicted interactions in liver fibrogenesis.

Conclusion

Our findings underscore the hepatoprotective effect of ECM1, which interferes with mediators of LTGF-β1 activation, suggesting ECM1 or its representative peptide as potential antifibrotic therapies in CLD.
Case–control study of fatal bicycle crashes in peri-urban areas of Delhi
Authors: Paturi Rasagna , Agrawal Srishti , Bilam Sumit , Bhalla Kavi , Goel Rahul
Published: October 2024

Objectives

There is a lack of evidence on interventions to improve the safety of cycling use in low- and middle-income countries. We investigated the impact of road design and traffic characteristics on the fatality risk of bicyclists.

Methods

Our study population is the road sites in the peri-urban areas of New Delhi, India. We used a retrospective, population-based case–control study design. We identified 50 case sites (road locations) where a fatal cycle crash had occurred over a 3-year period. For control sites, we intercepted and interviewed three cyclists at each case site, mapped their route to the crash location using Google Maps and selected one random location on each of those routes as controls. We recorded traffic and road design characteristics at the case and control sites. We used a logistic regression model to estimate ORs of site characteristics.

Results

We found a strong effect of the presence of U-turns on the likelihood of a bicycle fatality, with an OR of 4.4 (95% CI 1.8, 11.5). This effect is robust against multiple sensitivity analyses. We found that the volume of cars is associated with an increased likelihood and that of motorcycles with a reduced likelihood of bicycle fatalities.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the presence of U-turns is a strong risk factor for bicycle fatalities in Delhi. Given the strong evidence of their impact on the safety of bicyclists, their construction should be discontinued in zones of high bicycle presence.
On the terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate diversity of the High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard: a revised species inventory and synopsis of the community composition
Authors: Coulson Stephen J. , Bartlett Jesamine , Boström Sven , Brittain John E. , Christoffersen Kirsten S. , Convey Peter , De Smet Willem H. , Dózsa-Farkas Klára , Ekrem Torbjørn , Fjellberg Arne , Füreder Leo , Gillespie Mark A.K. , Gustafsson Daniel , Gwiazdowicz Dariusz J. , Kaczmarek Łukasz , Kolicka Małgorzata , Laniecki Ronald , Moerman Tirza M. , Seniczak Stanisław , Seniczak Anna , Simon Jean-Christophe , Stur Elisabeth , Søli Geir E. E. , Wieczorek Karina , Zawierucha Krzysztof , Zmudczynska-Skarbek Katarzyna
Published: October 2024

Arctic terrestrial invertebrate biodiversity is generally poorly known, but the archipelago of Svalbard has one of the most up-to-date inventories of its terrestrial and freshwater faunas of any Arctic region, offering a baseline for long term monitoring of invertebrate communities in space and time. Since the most recent review of the Svalbard invertebrate fauna was produced in 2014, knowledge of this fauna has developed and this inventory is here critically revised and updated. Our aims are (1) to critically review the inventory based on current taxonomic knowledge, (2) publish the complete species inventory, including cross-referencing to the relevant publications, in an open access data archive (GBIF), and (3) highlight the particular advantages that working in Svalbard may bring for scientists working on terrestrial, freshwater, and cryospheric environments. The inventory contains a total 1091 valid species names or interim names. A gap analysis in the Barcode of Life Data Systems reveals that 50% of the species currently documented from Svalbard lack COI (Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1) barcode reference sequences in this database. Gaps in our knowledge of the Svalbard fauna and how these may be resolved are discussed.
Snow as an indicator of atmospheric transport of anthropogenic particles (microplastics and microfibers) from urban to Arctic regions
Authors: Yu Jasmine T. , Diamond Miriam L. , Ward Eric , Adams Jennifer K. , Cherian-Hall Amaya , Gamberg Mary , Obediah Tyler , Palmer Michael , Platt Andrew , Worthy Cassandra , Finkelstein Sarah A. , Jantunen Liisa M.
Published: October 2024

We report anthropogenic particles (APs) >100 µm, including microplastics and microfibers, from 70 surface snow samples collected from the urban Greater Toronto Area, remote and sparsely inhabited regions in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, and the unpopulated high Arctic. Concentrations and proportions of particles of anthropogenic origin were conservatively estimated after blank and “anthropogenic origin” corrections were performed based on visual analysis and micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (µFTIR). APs were dominated by microfibers (95%–100%), with variable concentrations across and within regions. Microfibers were distinguished as synthetic, regenerated semi-synthetic, anthropogenically modified cellulosic, and natural cellulosic or proteinaceous. Among microfibers with confirmed anthropogenic origin, most were polyester/PET (8%–22%) and semi-synthetic rayon (1%–18%), with anthropogenic cellulose comprising a small proportion (3%–7%) across all regional areas. Greater diversity of coloured nonfibrous particles (fragments, films, and foams) in settled regions (i.e., Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Carcross, Yukon) suggests direct input from local sources. Back trajectory analyses performed for days leading up to sample collection showed high-frequency transport (>10%) from population centres exceeding 200 km distance. Our findings of APs in snow from uninhabited areas support the hypothesis that APs, especially microfibers, undergo long-range atmospheric transport whereby snow can scavenge and deposit APs in remote northern regions.
Cover crop characteristics modulate amount and timing of nitrogen supply of fertilized sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) in temperate climate
Authors: Koch Heinz-Josef , Grunwald Dennis , Essich Lisa , Ruser Reiner
Published: October 2024

For temperate climate, there is little information on the effects cover crops grown in fall (CCs) on the nitrogen (N) supply for next year's sugar beet (SB). Four field trials were conducted on silty soils to establish the CC N effect (Neff) compared to bare fallow separately for the periods sowing-summer and summer-autumn harvest. Biomass characteristics of radish ( Raphanus sativus L.), spring vetch ( Vicia sativa L.), saia oat ( Avena strigosa Schreb.), and winter rye ( Secale cereale L.) CCs before winter, soil mineral nitrogen in spring (SMN), and SB N accumulation and sugar yield (SY) were measured. In the period sowing-summer, characterized by a high SB N demand, Neff of overwintering, high biomass yielding rye CC was negative up to –50 kg N ha−1 at three site/years and varied around zero for the other CCs except vetch, for which Neff was positive. At SB autumn-harvest, Neff was negative up to –100 kg N ha−1 except for vetch in one trial. SY was lowest after rye CC. Regression analyses indicated a negative impact of CC biomass, C:N ratio and the difference in SMN between fallow (high SMN) and CCs (low SMN) on Neff. To conclude, if CCs yield a high amount of biomass surviving until spring and thus remove SMN from the soil which otherwise remains available for SB, early season mineralization of CC biomass N can be too low to ensure a N supply sufficient for maximum SB yield. Choosing leguminous CCs or early termination of CCs might alleviate this constraint.
X-ray science using the ESRF—extremely brilliant source
Authors: Bruno Patrick , Biasci Jean-Claude , Detlefs Carsten , Dimper Rudolf , Krisch Michael , Martínez-Criado Gema , Mezouar Mohamed , Nevo Christian , Qin Qing , Raimondi Pantaleo , Reichert Harald , Sette Francesco , Susini Jean , Tafforeau Paul , Yildirim Can
Published: October 2024

The Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS), the first high-energy 4th-generation synchrotron radiation source, constructed at the ESRF and based upon the novel concept of a Hybrid Multi-Bend Achromat (HMBA), has started user operation on August 25th, 2020. We report here on selected recent scientific results exploiting the greatly improved performances of this novel X-ray source.
Magnetic versus inverse magnetic catalysis in hot and dense quark matter
Authors: Slepov Pavel
Published: October 2024

We consider a five-dimensional fully anisotropic holographic model supported by Einstein-dilaton-three-Maxwell action. This type of model within different warp-factors and the coupling function for the Maxwell field providing the nontrivial chemical potential can describe magnetic/inverse magnetic catalysis phenomena expected from lattice results for heavy and light quarks. To reproduce magnetic catalysis phenomena for heavy quarks, we should modify the warp factor and consider additional polynomial terms in warp factor. It is expected that the first-order phase transition will coincide with chiral phase transition and the phase between first-order phase transition line and confinement/deconfinement line can be interpreted as quarkyonic phase.
Effect of an expanding charged cloud on two-particle Bose–Einstein correlations
Authors: Mohammed Hemida H. , Csanád Máté , Mohammed Y. , Rashed N. , Kincses Dániel , Mahmoud M. A.
Published: October 2024

In high-energy physics, quantum statistical correlation measurements are very important for getting a good picture of how a particle-emitting source is structured in space and time, as well as its thermodynamic properties and inner dynamics. It is necessary to take into account the various final state effects since they have the potential to alter the observed femtoscopic correlation functions. Protons are affected mostly by the strong interaction, whereas other charged particles are mostly influenced by the Coulomb interaction. The interaction of the particles under investigation with the fireball or the expanding cloud of the other particles in the final state might also have significant consequences. This may case the trajectories of the particles to shift. This phenomenon can be viewed as an Aharonov–Bohm effect since the pair’s alternate tracks reveal a closed loop with an internal field. We investigate a numerical solution for a toy model to study the modifications of Bose–Einstien correlation function strength, which is sensitive to this effect.
Ab initio computing of light nuclei structure and nuclear reaction experiment
Authors: Tchuvil’sky Yu. M. , Rodkin D. M.
Published: October 2024

The possibilities of using modern ab initio approaches to describe various cluster and decay characteristics of light nuclei and nuclear reactions induced by their collisions, the limits of these possibilities and prospects for expanding these boundaries are discussed. The quality of the description of the spectra of nuclear energy levels, the probabilities of emission of nucleons and clusters by resonant states, the amplitudes of the reduced decay widths of these states and the asymptotic normalization coefficients of bound states are analyzed. It is demonstrated that the results of ab initio calculations of the above characteristics can in many cases be useful for describing and predicting cross-sections for resonant nuclear reactions and analyzing the results of their measurements.
Description of the low-lying collective states of even-mass Ge isotopes
Authors: Arsenyev N. N. , Mardyban E. V. , Shneidman T. M.
Published: October 2024

The structure of even-mass isotopes [Formula: see text]Ge is described in the framework of the five-dimensional Bohr collective Hamiltonian with the microscopic input from a self-consistent mean-field calculation based on the multidimensional constrained covariant density functional theory. The relativistic functionals PC-PK1 and NL3 supplemented by a finite-range pairing force are used to perform constrained mean-field calculations of potential energy surfaces and collective inertia as functions of quadrupole deformation parameters. Results of calculations manifest the spherical-oblate-prolate shape transition in neutron-rich Ge isotopes. The properties of low-lying collective states are calculated and compared with the available experimental data. In particular, for [Formula: see text]Ge isotopes excitation spectra are accurately reproduced. The results represent a significant advancement in understanding the peculiar structure of the Ge isotopes.
Photodisintegration of tensor polarized deuteron: Status of the experiment at the VEPP-3 storage ring
Authors: Shestakov Y. V. , Baranov G. N. , Bogomyagkov A. V. , Borin V. M. , Darwish E. M. , Dorokhov V. L. , Dorokhova D. V. , Fix A. I. , Gauzshtein V. V. , Ivanov V. I. , Karnaev S. E. , Karyukina K. Y. , Kovalenko A. A. , Kudryavtsev V. N. , Levchuk M. I. , Levichev E. B. , Logashenko I. B. , Loginov A. Y. , Maltsev T. V. , Mamutov R. Z. , Morozov I. A. , Nikolenko D. M. , Okunev I. N. , Piminov P. A. , Rachek I. A. , Shekhtman L. I. , Simonov E. A. , Sinyatkin S. V. , Skamarokha M. A. , Starostina E. V. , Toporkov D. K. , Yurchenko A. V. , Zevakov S. A. , Zhuravlev A. N.
Published: October 2024

The experiment on photodisintegration of tensor polarized deuteron is in progress. It is carried out at VEPP-3 storage ring using the internal polarized gas target technique. The component [Formula: see text] of the tensor analyzing power is obtained by measuring the target polarization asymmetry in the photon energy range up to 1600[Formula: see text]MeV. The energy of photons is defined by the system that tags nearly real photons developed at the Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (BINP).
Description of moments of inertia of superdeformed bands using two and three parameter models in A ≈ 60–90 mass region
Authors: Mahajan Annanya , Mittal H. M. , Sharma Honey
Published: October 2024

The Variable moment of inertia (VMI) model and its extension based on Nuclear Softness (VMINS3) concept with three parameters have been applied to comprehend the systematic of the superdeformed rotational bands (SDRB) in [Formula: see text]–90 lower mass region. The band head spin has been assigned to all superdeformed (SD) bands used in the present manuscript using VMI model and VMINS3 model. The experimental transition energies have been least square fitted to obtain parameters of the model. The variation of the experimental kinematic moment of inertia [Formula: see text] and dynamic moment of inertia [Formula: see text] against the [Formula: see text] product are examined in [Formula: see text]–90 lower mass region. In addition, the comparison between experimental and calculated [Formula: see text] is drawn out against rotational frequency [Formula: see text] and the variation of band head moment of inertia [Formula: see text] with softness parameter [Formula: see text] is also examined.
κ-FRACTIONAL DERIVATIVE OPERATOR AND SOLUTION OF FRACTIONAL KINETIC EQUATIONS INVOLVING (κ,𝔍)-SECOND APPELL HYPERGEOMETRIC MATRIX FUNCTIONS WITH THE TWO VARIABLES
Authors: QADHA MUNEERA ABDULLAH , QADHA SARAH ABDULLAH , ABDALLA MOHAMED
Published: October 2024

In this study, we present a new definition of [Formula: see text])-second Appell hypergeometric matrix functions ([Formula: see text])-SAHMFs). Then, we investigate analytical properties related to the novel matrix function such as derivative formulas and integral representations, and the [Formula: see text]-fractional derivative operators. Additionally, we obtain bilinear and linear generating relations for the [Formula: see text])-SAHMFs. This work presents novel results regarding [Formula: see text])-SAHMFs to solve the fractional kinetic equations.
Using ANN to Study the Reliability Growth of Multiple Versions of Software Systems
Authors: Gupta Priyanka , Anand Adarsh , Aggrawal Deepti , Ram Mangey
Published: October 2024

The assessment of software’s reliability via developed mathematical models is one of those areas which is studied a lot by management. With new innovations in science and industry, the applicability of artificial neural networks, i.e., ANN has been employed to assess software’s reliability paradigm. ANN is a Machine Learning algorithm which processes the information/data, as it moves through a series of interconnected neurons, which constitute a neural structure. It was observed that, with a perfect combination of assigned weights and activation function, ANN can predict fault-occurrence pattern of a software as an output at its output node. Keeping this in mind, the authors have made some alterations in its network architecture, and have developed a model which resembles the fault occurrence phenomenon of a software system having different severity of faults. Further, this concept has been extended to assess the reliability indices of multi-release of software system. The performance analysis of developed structure is showcased with the help of comparison criterions, on which it was performing better than the traditionally-acknowledged procedures of parameter estimation.
Predictive Maintenance of Industrial Assets: A Fault Detection and Diagnosis Approach with Explainable AI
Authors: Sharma Jeetesh , Mittal Murari Lal , Soni Gunjan
Published: October 2024

Predictive maintenance (PdM) helps organizations to reduce equipment downtime, optimize maintenance schedules, and enhance operational efficiency. By leveraging machine learning algorithms to predict when equipment failure will likely occur, maintenance teams can proactively schedule maintenance activities and prevent unexpected breakdowns. Fault detection and diagnosis are essential components of PdM. Fault detection involves analyzing sensor data collected from equipment to identify deviations from normal behavior. Diagnosis, however, involves identifying the root cause of a fault or failure. A dataset of an industrial asset is used to evaluate the proposed study. K-means clustering anomaly detection approach is employed. Implementing machine learning (ML)-based fault categorization approaches revealed that Random Forest had the best results. Significant progress has been made in fault detection and diagnosis using ML, but the degree of their explainability is significantly limited by the “black-box” character of some ML techniques. Less emphasis has been placed on explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) approaches in maintenance. Therefore, the XAI tools, SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) and Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations (LIME) have been used to acknowledge the extent of the variables to analyze the influence of respective features. A stability metric has been included to improve the explanation’s overall quality. The findings of this paper suggest that the utilization of XAI can offer significant contributions in terms of insights and solutions for addressing critical maintenance issues.
Human-Centered Cybersecurity Revisited: From Enemies to Partners
Authors: Zimmermann Verena , Schöni Lorin , Schaltegger Thierry , Ambuehl Benjamin , Knieps Melanie , Ebert Nico
Published: October 2024

Focusing on "enabling approaches" that treat humans as partners can add another layer of protection to our cybersecurity defenses.
MF-GSLAE: A Multi-Factor User Representation Pre-Training Framework for Dual-Target Cross-Domain Recommendation
Authors: Wang Hao , Yin Mingjia , Zhang Luankang , Zhao Sirui , Chen Enhong
Published: October 2024

Recently, the dual-target cross-domain recommendation has been an emerging research problem, which aims to improve the performances of both source and target domains by transferring the preferences of overlapping users. Most of the existing work adopted a coarse-grained manner to detach general users’ preferences and associate them with domain-specific information for enhancing user representation learning, which fails to depict the differences in users’ diverse preferences and aggregate relevant preferences with improper propagation. To this end, in this article, we propose a multi-factor user representation pre-training framework, dubbed MF-GSLAE, with a focus on fine-grained preference learning and transferring. Specifically, we first propose a fine-grained factor representation pre-training paradigm. It projects the behavior records of both domains into several subspaces and introduces a compactness regularization to generate multiple fine-grained preference factors. Furthermore, we propose a multi-factor graph structure learning method within linear complexity to efficiently construct preference connections on different scales of users, which could aggregate the intrinsic relationship of user preferences in immediate embedding spaces to capture high-order information. Following the pre-training, we subsequently design a factor selection module with the bootstrapping mechanism to adaptively choose the corresponding domain-related preferences and transfer domain-shared information through partial overlapping factors for addressing the negative transfer problem. Finally, the optimization objectives of both domains are formalized in a multi-task learning framework and derive the learned user representation in an end-to-end training manner. Extensive experimental results on several publicly available datasets have not only demonstrated the effectiveness of the learned user representations with the comparison of state-of-the-art baselines but also indicated the interpretability and robustness. The code of our work is publicly available at
https://github.com/USTC-StarTeam/MF-GSLAE
.
Study while you sleep: using targeted memory reactivation as an independent research project for undergraduates
Authors: Mar’i Joud , Zhang Robert , Mircic Stanislav , Serbe-Kamp Étienne , Meier Matthias , Leonhardt Aljoscha , Drews Michael , Del Grosso Nicholas A. , Antony James W. , Norman Kenneth A. , Marzullo Timothy C. , Gage Gregory J.
Published: October 2024

Why study when you could just sleep? We demonstrate how students can perform scalable research investigations to manipulate memory processing during sleep. It is a hands-on way to advance students’ understanding of sleep-based memory consolidation and the corresponding neural mechanisms using open-source software and do-it-yourself EEG tools.
Traumatic Ulceration of the Vestibular Mucous Membrane After Insertion of Four Mini‐Implants in the Atrophied Mandible: A Case Report
Authors: Kilić Domagoj , Peršić-Kiršić Sanja , Čelebić Asja
Published: October 2024

This clinical report describes how a decubital ulcer arose from the direct contact of the vestibular movable mucous membrane against mini‐implant balled‐type heads after the mini‐implant insertion in the edentulous atrophic mandible of a 78‐year‐old patient who was not wearing a conventional mandibular complete denture for more than 10 years. Due to severe alveolar ridge atrophy, mini‐implant insertion (2.0 mm wide) was an option without extensive surgical procedures. The patient signed the informed consent. A few days after the implant insertion, injury, inflammation, and induration of the vestibular movable mucous membrane were observed on the movable vestibular mucosa on the right side, opposing the mini‐implants. The cause of inflammation was attributed to increased perioral muscle tonus which pushed the movable mucosa onto the mini‐implant heads and caused mechanical trauma. During the period of edentulism, the perioral muscle tonus increased, directing the mucous membrane of the lips and cheeks against residual ridge to enable food comminution. To treat the persistent decubitus, a bulk of dental composite resin was placed around mini‐implant heads and light‐cured to protect the mucosa from further mechanical trauma, as the patient did not possess an old mandibular denture to cover the mini‐implant heads. Vestibuloplastic surgery (disinsertion of movable attachments and deepening of the vestibulum) was also done. After the surgery, a silicone splint, resembling an occlusal rim, was made to protect the mucous membrane, keep medicaments for faster epitalization in place, to decrease perioral muscle tonus before the new dentures’ delivery, and to prevent movable tissue relapse. The custom impression, jaw relationship determination, and try‐in of the artificial teeth setup were made with sutures still in place. After the denture delivery and implant loading, the patient was instructed to sleep with the dentures to protect the movable mucous membrane. One year later, almost no peri‐implant marginal bone loss was observed, attached and peri‐implant mucosa were healthy, and the patient was delighted.
Tumour Immunotherapy and Applications of Immunological Products: A Review of Literature
Authors: Oli Angus Nnamdi , Adejumo Samson Adedeji , Rowaiye Adekunle Babajide , Ogidigo Joyce Oloaigbe , Hampton-Marcell Jarrad , Ibeanu Gordon C.
Published: October 2024

Malignant tumors, characterized by uncontrolled cell proliferation, are a leading global health challenge, responsible for over 9.7 million deaths in 2022, with new cases expected to rise to 35 million annually by 2050. Immunotherapy is preferred to other cancer therapies, offering precise targeting of malignant cells while simultaneously strengthening the immune system’s complex responses. Advances in this novel field of science have been closely linked to a deeper knowledge of tumor biology, particularly the intricate interplay between tumor cells, the immune system, and the tumor microenvironment (TME), which are central to cancer progression and immune evasion. This review offers a comprehensive analysis of the molecular mechanisms that govern these interactions, emphasizing their critical role in the development of effective immunotherapeutic products. We critically evaluate the current immunotherapy approaches, including cancer vaccines, adoptive T cell therapies, and cytokine‐based treatments, highlighting their efficacy and safety. We also explore the latest advancements in combination therapies, which synergistically integrate multiple immunotherapeutic strategies to overcome resistance and enhance therapeutic outcomes. This review offers key insights into the future of cancer immunotherapy with a focus on advancing more effective and personalized treatment strategies.
γ‐Aminobutyric Acid Effectively Modulate Growth Performance, Physiological Response of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus Salmoides) Under Combined Stress of Flow Velocity and Density
Authors: Lin Yun-Jie , Li Xu-Nan , Chen Xiu-Mei , Chen Jian-Ming , Jin Xiao-Yan , Sun Jia-Xin , Niu Xiao-Tian , Kong Yi-Di , Li Min , Wang Gui-Qin
Published: October 2024

The circular aquaculture model of largemouth bass pond engineering has the characteristics of high yield and efficiency, but it is prone to stress caused by flow velocity and density, which affects the yield of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). γ‐Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is believed to have the effect of improving growth and stress tolerance. We divided the largemouth bass into three groups: a control group, a flow rate and density combined stress group, and a combined stress feed supplemented with GABA (0.9%) group, and conducted a 60‐day aquaculture experiment. The results showed that the final weight, weight gain rate (WGR), specific growth rate (SGR), and feed efficiency (FE) of largemouth bass significantly decreased in the combined stress group (P < 0.05). The serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT) activity, and glucose (GLU), malondialdehyde (MDA) level of largemouth bass significantly higher than the control group, and the serum lysozyme (LZM) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T‐AOC) were significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05). After adding GABA, the final weight, WGR, SGR, and FE decreased, and the serum GLU levels, AST, ALT activity, and MDA levels were downregulated, and the serum LZM activity and T‐AOC of largemouth bass were upregulated. But most of the above are still at the level of the control group. Under combined stress, the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression levels of growth hormone (GH), insulin‐like growth factor‐Ⅰ (IGF‐I), B‐cell lymphoma‐2 (Blc2), nuclear transcription factor E2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) genes were significantly reduced (P < 0.05), while the mRNA expression levels of heat stress protein 70 (HSP70), heat stress protein 90 (HSP90), nuclear factor kappa‐B (NF‐κB), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), Bax and keap1 genes were significantly increased (P < 0.05). After the exogenous addition of GABA, all the above genes have a certain degree of callback, but GH, HSP70, HSP90, IL‐1β, Bax, Nrf2, CAT, and SOD have not yet reached the level of the control group. These results indicate that adding GABA to feed can alleviate the adverse effects of combined stress of flow rate and density to a certain extent and provide insights for solving the problems in the circular aquaculture model of largemouth bass.
Mandible Reconstruction With Custom‐Made Plates in Medication‐Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw—A Case Series
Authors: Mitate Eiji , Demura Taichi , Yamauchi Youta , Sawai Yasuhisa , Hasumoto Miho , Wada Satoshi , Nakano Hiroyuki , Demura Noboru
Published: October 2024

Background: Restoration of the mandibular region after segmental resection surgery is crucial for masticatory function and facial aesthetics. The precision of three‐dimensional printers has advanced in recent years, enabling the development of fully customized reconstruction plates. In recent years, three‐dimensional printing technology has been applied in the field of dental and oral surgery. Among these, the selective laser melting method has been developed. This case report was aimed at exploring the utility in restoring mandibular morphology.

Cases: Patients diagnosed with medication‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Kanazawa Medical University Hospital who underwent mandibular disarticulation and immediate completely customized reconstruction plate (COSMOFIX) were included. Case 1 involved a female in her 70s with MRONJ on the right side of the mandible. Case 2 involved a female who received bisphosphonates for extensive metastatic breast cancer, resulting in MRONJ affecting the bilateral mandible. Case 3 involved a woman who developed MRONJ on the right side of the mandible during alendronate treatment for osteoporosis. Completely customized reconstruction plates were used for reconstruction after segmental resections.

Findings: The three patients adapted to the remaining bone. The reconstructed and preoperative mandibular morphologies were similar.

Conclusions: In conclusion, the use of completely customized reconstruction plates obviates the need for bending and other adaptations, reduces surgical time, and improves postoperative aesthetics. Of significance, preparing completely customized reconstruction plate requires about 3 weeks; thus, careful case selection and scheduling are indispensable.
Single-Cell Meta-Analysis Uncovers the Pancreatic Endothelial Cell Transcriptomic Signature and Reveals a Key Role for NKX2-3 in PLVAP Expression
Authors: Khan Safwat T. , Ahuja Neha , Taïb Sonia , Vohra Shabana , Cleaver Ondine , Nunes Sara S.
Published: October 2024

BACKGROUND:

The pancreatic vasculature displays tissue-specific physiological and functional adaptations that support rapid insulin response by β-cells. However, the digestive enzymes have made it difficult to characterize pancreatic endothelial cells (ECs), resulting in the poor understanding of pancreatic EC specialization.

METHODS:

Available single-nuclei/single-cell RNA-sequencing data sets were mined to identify pancreatic EC-enriched signature genes and to develop an integrated atlas of human pancreatic ECs. We validated the findings using independent single-nuclei/single-cell RNA-sequencing data, bulk RNA-sequencing data of isolated ECs, spatial transcriptomics data, immunofluorescence, and RNAScope of selected markers. The NK2 homeobox 3 (NKX2-3) TF (transcription factor) was expressed in HUVECs via gene transfection, and the expression of pancreatic EC-enriched signature genes was assessed via RT-qPCR.

RESULTS:

We defined a pancreatic EC-enriched gene signature conserved across species and developmental stages that included genes involved in ECM (extracellular matrix) composition (COL15A1 and COL4A1), permeability and barrier function (PLVAP, EHD4, CAVIN3, HSPG2, ROBO4, HEG1, and CLEC14A), and key signaling pathways (S1P [sphingosine-1-phosphate], TGF-β [transforming growth factor-β], RHO/RAC GTPase [guanosine triphosphatase], PI3K/AKT [phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B], and PDGF [platelet-derived growth factor]). The integrated atlas revealed the vascular hierarchy within the pancreas. We identified and validated a specialized islet capillary subpopulation characterized by genes involved in permeability (PLVAP and EHD4), immune-modulation (FABP5, HLA-C, and B2M), ECM composition (SPARC and SPARCL1), IGF (insulin-like growth factor) signaling (IGFBP7), and membrane transport (SLCO2A1, SLC2A3, and CD320). Importantly, we identified NKX2-3 as a key TF enriched in pancreatic ECs. DNA-binding motif analysis found NKX2-3 motifs in ≈40% of the signature genes. Induction of NKX2-3 in HUVECs promoted the expression of the islet capillary EC-enriched genes PLVAP and SPARCL1.

CONCLUSIONS:

We defined a validated transcriptomic signature of pancreatic ECs and uncovered their intratissue transcriptomic heterogeneity. We showed that NKX2-3 acts upstream of PLVAP and provided a single-cell online resource that can be further explored by the community:
https://vasconcelos.shinyapps.io/pancreatic_endothelial/
.
The Impact of Climate-Related Security Risks on Community Values: Insights from Zambia’s Southern Province
Authors: Tarusarira Joram , Visser-Nieraeth Anja , Kambela Lweendo , Caroli Giulia , Maviza Gracsious
Published: October 2024

This article explores the impact of climate-related security risks on community values and how that impact influences responses to the risks. Research and practice have paid little attention to how non-material and subjective conditions, especially values, mediate the climate-security nexus. We focused on the impact of land conflicts and food insecurity (as examples of climate-related security risks) on community values through a study of two rural communities in Zambia’s southern province using impact rating, focus-group discussions (FGD s), and interviews. Innovatively, we began by identifying community values and asking about the impact of climate security risks on community values instead of what ‘experts’ perceive or consider to be risks. We found that, firstly, participants from both communities perceived both land conflicts and food insecurity as having a strong to very strong influence on their values. Secondly, women perceive the impact of land conflicts and food insecurity on values to be greater than men do. Thirdly, the perception of the impact of climate-related security risks on values is prevalent among communities in Zambia’s southern province. The article concludes that values are crucial and central determinants in how communities interpret and respond to climate-related security risks, as well as how they engage with food, land, and water systems. It recommends that policymakers and practitioners integrate community values for effective and sustainable climate-related security risk policies and interventions.
Application of Election Technology in Kenya and Tanzania: a Self-Locked Knot?
Authors: Kawishe Emmanuel
Published: October 2024

The use of election technology has been considered a solution to most of the electoral challenges. The adoption of biometric voter registration and voter identification is meant to solve registration and identification challenges. Consequently, Tanzania and Kenya’s electoral processes are not exception. Despite the digitized registration and identification process on election day, voters are statutorily required to produce identification documents in order to be allowed to vote. While technology was applied in Kenya and Tanzania with the intention of resolving challenges, it turned out to be a self locked knot. This article offers an analytical discussion on the adoption and application of election technology in Kenya and Tanzania with reference to their legal frameworks.