bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Accuracy Improvement of Different Landslide Susceptibility Evaluation Models through K‐Means Clustering: A Case Study on China’s Funing County
Authors: Wu Yu-Feng , Fa-you A. , Yang Cheng , Yan Shi-qun , Kang Xiao-bo
Published: April 2023

Landslides occur in most countries. As one of the most serious geological hazards, landslides affect infrastructure construction. Thus, it is vital to prepare reliable landslide susceptibility evaluation maps to avoid landslide‐prone areas for various construction projects. In recent years, supervised machine learning algorithms have been widely used in landslide susceptibility evaluation, but many flaws remain in the selection of nonlandslide point samples for comparative analysis. It is significant to improve the authenticity of sample data and reduce the impact of noise. China’s Funing County was used as a case study in this paper, which first identified 122 landslide incidents based on historical data, fieldwork, and remote sensing images to create a landslide inventory in the research area. In addition, 12 causal factors of landslides were determined, including elevation, slope, aspect, plan curvature, profile curvature, distance to roads, distance to rivers, distance to faults, rainfall, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), lithology, and land cover. K‐means clustering was used to purify the factor data factors before data‐driven certainty factor (CF) and frequency ratio (FR) models, and machine learning models, random forest (RF) and artificial neural network (ANN), were used for a comparative study on landslide susceptibility evaluation in Funing County. The results show that the selection method of nonlandslide sample data will affect the accuracy of different evaluation models. The purified sample data improved the prediction accuracy of the four models, with significant prediction accuracy improvements observed in the ANN model. The purification of nonlandslide sample data by K‐means method is of great significance for the drawing of landslide sensitivity map.
Safety Risk Evaluation of Tourism Management System Based on PSO-BP Neural Network
Authors: Song Jingqing , Xu Han
Published: April 2023

With the recovery of the tourism industry and the development of the field of artificial intelligence, the application of intelligent neural network technology to management systems for safety risk assessment is the choice of the times and an urgent real need for relevant practitioners. In this study, the BP neural network algorithm is used as a tool for safety evaluation of the tourism management system. The three-layer structure of the BP neural network and the role of nodes in it are introduced, the weight values and thresholds of nodes in each of the three layers are calculated, and the particle swarm algorithm is added to optimize the model. In the practical stage, the tourism data of a place in Switzerland was selected as the training data. After 12,859 iterations, the model achieved the best calibration error of 0.126. After 300 iterations of learning, the BP algorithm optimized with the PSO algorithm has a faster convergence rate, which indicates that the performance of the optimized algorithm has improved significantly and has the global search capability that was not available before, which significantly outperforms the FastText and LSTM models. With the increase in the number of samples of tourism data, macroaccuracy always remains above 80%, so it proves that the optimization algorithm used in this study is an effective and reliable model.
Insights into the Oncogenic, Prognostic, and Immunological Role of BRIP1 in Pan-Cancer: A Comprehensive Data-Mining-Based Study
Authors: Liu Yongru , Wu Xi , Feng Yunlu , Jiang Qingwei , Zhang Shengyu , Wang Qiang , Yang Aiming
Published: April 2023

Background. BRCA1 interacting helicase 1 (BRIP1), an ATP-dependent DNA helicase which belongs to an Iron-Sulfur (Fe-S) helicase cluster family with a DEAH domain, plays a key role in DNA damage and repair, Fanconi anemia, and development of several cancers including breast and ovarian cancer. However, its role in pan-cancer remains largely unknown. Methods. BRIP1 expression data of tumor and normal tissues were downloaded from the Cancer Genome Atlas, Genotype-Tissue Expression, and Human Protein Atlas databases. Correlation between BRIP1 and prognosis, genomic alterations, and copy number variation (CNV) as well as methylation in pan-cancer were further analyzed. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) and gene set enrichment and variation analysis (GSEA and GSVA) were performed to identify the potential pathways and functions of BRIP1. Besides, BRIP1 correlations with tumor microenvironment (TME), immune infiltration, immune-related genes, tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and immunotherapy as well as antitumor drugs were explored in pan-cancer. Results. Differential analyses showed an increased expression of BRIP1 in 28 cancer types and its aberrant expression could be an indicator for prognosis in most cancers. Among the various mutation types of BRIP1 in pan-cancer, amplification was the most common type. BRIP1 expression had a significant correlation with CNV and DNA methylation in 23 tumor types and 16 tumor types, respectively. PPI, GSEA, and GSVA results validated the association between BRIP1 and DNA damage and repair, cell cycle, and metabolism. In addition, the expression of BRIP1 and its correlation with TME, immune-infiltrating cells, immune-related genes, TMB, and MSI as well as a variety of antitumor drugs and immunotherapy were confirmed. Conclusions. Our study indicates that BRIP1 plays an imperative role in the tumorigenesis and immunity of various tumors. It may not only serve as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker but also can be a predictor for drug sensitivity and immunoreaction during antitumor treatment in pan-cancer.
Assessment of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Females with Subclinical Hypothyroidism
Authors: Lamichhane Anit , Bista Pabitra , Pokhrel Sushant , Bolakhe Kalasha , Joshi Govardhan , Aryal Suraj , Chhusyabaga Mandira , Shakya Jyotsna , Bhatt Mahendra Prasad
Published: April 2023

Background. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a common endocrine disorder prevalent in the Nepalese female population. Dyslipidemia, a prerequisite to the development of cardiovascular disease, links the thyroid profile and cardiovascular disease risk. This study is aimed at assessing the cardiovascular disease risk in females with SCH. Methods. This laboratory-based cross-sectional study was carried out at Manmohan Memorial Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal, where 100 females with SCH and 100 euthyroid controls were included. Estimates of thyroid and lipid profiles were made, and lipid variables were used to calculate lipid indices. Results. In comparison to controls, females with SCH had significantly higher lipid profiles, thyroid profiles, and lipid indices but significantly lower HDL-C. The TSH (

p
<
0.001

), TG (

p
=
0.039

), VLDL (

p
=
0.039

), and AIP (

p
=
0.031

) were significantly associated with mild and severe SCH. AIP was significantly correlated with TSH (

r
=
0.256

,

p
=
0.010

) among SCH females. Conclusion. Our findings suggest that women with SCH are more likely to get CVD. Hence, timely monitoring of cardiovascular status among females with SCH is crucial, and it can be performed using simple lipid indices like AIP, AI, and LCI.
Relationship between Body Mass Index and Bone Turnover Markers in Girls with Idiopathic Central Precocious Puberty
Authors: Zhang Jing , Zhou Wen-jie , Zhang Yi-duo , Liu Chuan-jiao , Yu Fan , Jiang Yong-mei
Published: April 2023

Background. This study aimed to determine the effect of body mass index (BMI) on bone turnover markers in girls with idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) according to weight status at diagnosis. Methods. Two hundred and eleven girls with ICPP were divided according to their weight status at diagnosis into three groups: normal weight, overweight, and obese. The serum levels of total procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), N-terminal midfragment of osteocalcin, β-C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen, and some biochemical indicators were measured. Associations between variables were evaluated by multiple regression analysis. Results. Serum P1NP concentrations were significantly different among groups (

p
<
0.001

). No other significant differences were noted in N-terminal midfragment of osteocalcin and β-C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen. BMI was associated with estradiol (r = 0.155,

p
<
0.05

) and inversely associated with P1NP (r = −0.251,

p
<
0.01

), luteinizing hormone peak (r = −0.334,

p
<
0.01

), follicle-stimulating hormone peak (r = −0.215,

p
<
0.01

), and luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone peak (r = −0.284,

p
<
0.01

). Multiple regression analysis of factors associated with BMI showed that it was correlated with P1NP, follicle-stimulating hormone base, and luteinizing hormone peak in the overweight group and the obese group. Conclusions. Our findings showed that BMI was associated with P1NP, revealing the reduction of bone formation in overweight and obese girls with ICPP. During the diagnosis and treatment of girls with ICPP, attention should be paid to body weight and bone metabolism.
Research on Characteristics of Hydrogen Dynamic Leakage and Combustion at High Pressure
Authors: Guo Lei , Ba Qingxin , Zhang Shusheng
Published: April 2023

Hydrogen is promoted as an alternative energy given the global energy shortage and environmental pollution. A scientific basis can be provided for the safe use and emergency treatment of hydrogen based on hydrogen leakage and combustion behavior. This study examined the stagnation parameters of dynamic hydrogen leakage and flame propagation in turbulent jets under normal temperatures and high pressure. Based on van der Waals’ equation of state for gas, a theoretical model for completely predicting stagnation parameters, outlet gas velocity, and flow rate changes in the process of high-pressure hydrogen leakage could be proposed, and the calculation result of this model was compared with the experimental result, with an error within ±10%. The progression and propagation of the flame in turbulent jets after ignition were recorded using the background-oriented schlieren image technology, and the propagation speed of flame from the ignition position downward and upward was calculated. Moreover, the influence of initial pressure, nozzle diameter, and ignition position on the flame propagation process and propagation speed was analyzed.
Effect on Glycemic Control of an Early Intensive Dietary Structured Education Program for Newly Diagnosed Children with Type 1 Diabetes in Jordan
Authors: Alassaf Abeer , Gharaibeh Lobna , Ibrahim Sarah , Alkhalaileh Shatha , Odeh Rasha
Published: April 2023

Background and Aim. Early diabetes education for persons with type 1 diabetes (T1D) is important to achieve early glycemic control. We had developed a dietary structured education program (SEP) to provide patients with the required skills for optimal diabetes management. Our aim was to study the effect of our program and factors that might affect its outcomes. Methods. This is a retrospective medical chart review study at Jordan University Hospital. The glycemic control of children who were diagnosed with T1D and included in the SEP between June 2017 and December 2019, was compared with those who were exposed to the conventional diabetes education, between January 2014 and December 2016. Various factors were assessed for the possible effects on the SEP outcomes. Results. The average age at diagnosis for the 112 persons with diabetes (PwD) included in the dietary SEP was 8.30 ± 3.87 years. Glycated hemoglobin was lower in children in the SEP group at 6 months (

P

value = 0.001) and 12 months (

P
=
0.032

) but not at 24 months (

P
=
0.290

). SEP had better effect on patients older than 5 years. The possible predictors of glycemic control for the SEP group at 12 months included the mother’s educational level and the number of hospital admissions due to DKA and hyperglycemia during the first year after diagnosis. Conclusion. Our dietary SEP was associated with better glycemic control than conventional diabetes education, at 6 and 12 months after diagnosis. It had a positive effect, mainly in PwD patients who are older than 5 years and had higher maternal educational level.
Cognitive Neural Computation Modeling of Human Brain Information Storage and Extraction Based on Intelligent Computing
Authors: Wang Yao
Published: April 2023

With the development of neurological and brain science, human beings have more understanding of the memory mechanism of the brain. Therefore, using the memory mechanism of the brain to store and retrieve images is one of the most popular research fields in the world. Memory is an important part of the human cognitive system, and it is the basis for the realization of higher-level cognitive activities. Human perception and memory are closely related. If people lose the ability to perceive, then people’s memory function will not be able to display. The current storage and extraction of brain information are mostly based on mathematical principles, without considering the memory mechanism in the brain, so the correctness and effectiveness of these methods are not high. Therefore, this study adopts an intelligent algorithm based on PCNN to denoise, segment, identify, and retrieve images. On this basis, a new learning method is adopted. This method can realize online incremental learning and can realize the storage of brain image data without predetermining the size and structure of the network. And when necessary, the information is extracted or not based on the distance between the detected versus the stored data. The test shows that when the number of images is 25, the present technique has an accuracy of 100% and the time required is 2345 s. Compared with the median filtering method, the efficiency of the present technique is greater.
Tumor-Derived Small Extracellular Vesicles Inhibit the Efficacy of CAR T Cells against Solid Tumors
Authors: Zhong Wenqun , Xiao Zebin , Qin Zhiyuan , Yang Jingbo , Wen Yi , Yu Ziyan , Li Yumei , Sheppard Neil C. , Fuchs Serge Y. , Xu Xiaowei , Herlyn Meenhard , June Carl H. , Puré Ellen , Guo Wei
Published: April 2023

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has shown remarkable success in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. Unfortunately, it has limited efficacy against solid tumors, even when the targeted antigens are well expressed. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of CAR T-cell therapy resistance in solid tumors is necessary to develop strategies to improve efficacy. Here we report that solid tumors release small extracellular vesicles (sEV) that carry both targeted tumor antigens and the immune checkpoint protein PD-L1. These sEVs acted as cell-free functional units to preferentially interact with cognate CAR T cells and efficiently inhibited their proliferation, migration, and function. In syngeneic mouse tumor models, blocking tumor sEV secretion not only boosted the infiltration and antitumor activity of CAR T cells but also improved endogenous antitumor immunity. These results suggest that solid tumors use sEVs as an active defense mechanism to resist CAR T cells and implicate tumor sEVs as a potential therapeutic target to optimize CAR T-cell therapy against solid tumors.

Significance:

Small extracellular vesicles secreted by solid tumors inhibit CAR T cells, which provide a molecular explanation for CAR T-cell resistance and suggests that strategies targeting exosome secretion may enhance CAR T-cell efficacy.

See related commentary by Ortiz-Espinosa and Srivastava, p. 2637
Monogenic Causes of Low-Frequency Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss
Authors: Gan Nina Sara , Oziębło Dominika , Skarżyński Henryk , Ołdak Monika
Published: April 2023

Background: Low-frequency non-syndromic hearing loss (LFNSHL) is a rare form of hearing loss (HL). It is defined as HL at low frequencies (≤2,000 Hz) resulting in a characteristic ascending audiogram. LFNSHL is usually diagnosed postlingually and is progressive, leading to HL affecting other frequencies as well. Sometimes it occurs with tinnitus. Around half of the diagnosed prelingual HL cases have a genetic cause and it is usually inherited in an autosomal recessive mode. Postlingual HL caused by genetic changes generally has an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance and its incidence remains unknown. Summary: To date, only a handful of genes have been found as causing LFNSHL: well-established WFS1 and, reported in some cases, DIAPH1, MYO7A, TNC, and CCDC50 (respectively, responsible for DFNA6/14/38, DFNA1, DFNA11, DFNA56, and DFNA44). In this review, we set out audiological phenotypes, causative genetic changes, and molecular mechanisms leading to the development of LFNSHL. Key Messages: LFNSHL is most commonly caused by pathogenic variants in the WFS1 gene, but it is also important to consider changes in other HL genes, which may result in similar audiological phenotype.
Pleurodese durch getunnelten Pleurakatheter: Können wir den Erfolg vorhersagen?
Authors: Keymel Stefanie
Published: April 2023

Background: A well-recognized therapy to improve the symptoms of patients with malignant pleural effusion (MPE), indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) can also achieve spontaneous pleurodesis. Chemical pleurodesis is associated with a significant pro-coagulation and fibrinolytic environment. Hence, anticoagulation could theoretically interfere with this process. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate if anticoagulation can interfere with successful spontaneous pleurodesis in patients treated with IPC. Methods: This was a cohort study of all patients with MPE treated with IPC. The primary objective was to determine if anticoagulant use after IPC placement decreased the rate of spontaneous pleurodesis. The secondary objective was to identify other factors associated with spontaneous pleurodesis. We used a Fine-Gray subdistribution hazard model and a direct acyclic graph to identify variables associated with time to spontaneous pleurodesis. Results: Of the included 410 patients, 210 patients (51.2%) achieved pleurodesis and had their IPC removed. We found no association between anticoagulation and likelihood of pleurodesis. Multivariate analyses revealed that prior chemotherapy, ECOG score of 2–4 were associated with unsuccessful pleurodesis, while chemotherapy or radiotherapy after IPC placement remained associated with increased likelihood of spontaneous pleurodesis. Conclusions: We failed to demonstrate an association between anticoagulation and pleurodesis. We found that better performance status and chemotherapy or radiotherapy after IPC placement can increase the rate of pleurodesis and catheter removal.
A new species of the Triassic genus Ideliopsina (Grylloblattida: Ideliidae) from the Ominé locality (Momonoki Formation, southwest Japan)
Authors: OYAMA NOZOMU , SHINODA KENJI , TAKAHASHI HUMIO , DOI EIJI , BÉTHOUX OLIVIER
Published: April 2023

A new species of Grylloblattida, Ideliopsina aristovi sp. nov., is described from the Upper Triassic Ominé locality (Momonoki Formation, Mine Group, Japan). It belongs to a typical Triassic genus, Ideliopsina Storozhenko, 1996, which species have been previously reported from the Kyrgyz Republic and the Kazakhstan in Central Asia. The new species shows that the corresponding family, the Ideliidae ranging from the Cisuralian to the Late Triassic, remained widely distributed during the latter period, before its extinction.
Heat Transfer Enhancement Using CuO Nanofluid in a Double Pipe U-Bend Heat Exchanger
Authors: Mohamed Hozaifa A. , Alhazmy Majed , Mansour F. , Negeed El-Sayed R.
Published: April 2023

The present research aims to enhance the convective heat transfer coefficient inside the tube of the double pipe heat exchangers, this is carried out by mixing the water with copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles. In this study, the effects of nanofluid with different volume concentrations
from 0 to 0.4%, flowrates of nanofluid inside the tube, and water flow through the annulus, and inlet temperature inside the tube were examined on the Nusselt number. From the analysis, experiential data found nanoparticles have a significant enhancement of the convective heat transfer coefficient
inside the tube of the double pipe. The heat transfer coefficient inside the tube increases as the Reynolds numbers of the flow inside the tube, and water flow through the annulus increase. The convective heat transfer coefficients reached maximum values at 0.35% of the volume concentrations
of CuO nanoparticles and then decreased as the increase of the volume concentrations increases. The fiction factor increases as the volume concentrations of nanoparticles increases. Empirical correlations are presented describing the Nusselt number and the friction factor of the nanofluid
flow inside the tube of the double pipe and concealing the affecting parameters in such process.
Flow Analysis of a Micropolar Nanofluid Between Two Parallel Disks in the Presence of a Magnetic Field
Authors: Gupta Reshu , Agrawal Deepak
Published: April 2023

The present article addresses the steady and laminar magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flow of a micropolar nanofluid between two porous disks. The fluid is flowing uniformly in the inward and upward directions from both disks. The microrotation of the nanoparticles acts an important role
in the flow regime. To show its significance, a comparative study of the analytical results and numerical results is presented. Titanium dioxide is chosen as nanoparticles in the water-based fluid. An appropriate transformation is used for transforming PDEs into ODEs. These nonlinear ODEs
are computed by the differential transform method (DTM). The consequences of the Reynolds number, material parameter, and magnetic parameter on the radial velocity, axial velocity, and microrotation profile are graphically presented and discussed. The results calculated by DTM and the results
calculated numerically are compared and tabulated. This comparison shows the accuracy and validity of DTM. The coefficient of skin friction is also tabulated and compared with the numerical result. At the end of this study, it is concluded that the behavior of the radial and the axial velocities
and the microrotation profile are almost the same in the case of the Reynolds number and the magnetic field parameters.
Dynamics of Williamson Hybrid Nanofluid Over an Extending Surface with Non-Linear Convection and Shape Factors
Authors: Chandel Shikha , Sood Shilpa
Published: April 2023

Combined effects of the magnetic field, heat source/sink, and homogeneous–heterogeneous chemical reaction on the three-dimensional fluid flow over a stretching sheet have been examined in this paper. For originality and practicality, the influence of non-linear convection on hybridised
nanoparticles of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and silver (Ag) in the non-Newtonian engine oil (EO) are introduced into the governing equations, which are then dimension-free by utilizing appropriate transformations. Williamson fluid model has been employed to determine the rheological
features of the considered fluid mixture. MATLAB inbuilt bvp4c solver and Keller box method are proposed for the numerical solution of current fluid theories. Physical elaboration of the graphs is given to recognize the influence on fluid flow and heat transport mechanism in different rising
conditions. Based on results, the implication of magnetic field and Williamson parameters restrict the fluid flow for both nanofluid (TiO2/EO) and hybrid nanofluid (TiO2 + Ag/EO). Special case studies of the shape factor effect show more enhancement in heat transfer rate
for cylindrically shaped nanoparticles 25.8162% followed by brick-shaped 20.3286% and spherical-shaped 17.0583%. This study will provide better insight into applications including aircraft refrigeration, lubrication, plastic processing, engine and generator cooling, and so forth.
Influence of Parameters on Nanofluids Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics, a Review
Authors: Bibin B. S. , Benjamin Sangeetha , Srivastava Divyansh , Anurag Reddy B. , Chereches Elena Ionela , Gundabattini Edison
Published: April 2023

The article widely reviewed the variation of the heat transfer characteristics and fluid flow of various nanofluids based on physical and chemical parameters like velocity, geometry, viscosity, friction factor, and pressure drop. It also shed light on the stability of these nanofluids in various conditions. The article mainly focuses on the effects on Reynolds number and Nusselt number, thermal changes in the environment and the cooling solution used for nanofluids, and the dependency of concentration of nanoparticles in the working fluid. Apart from this, it also discusses the geometry in which the fluid is kept and the motion or forces it experiences and simulations to observe and analyse the flow of fluid and heat through these nanofluids. Also, this article presents the improvement in the pool boiling heat transfer rates through nanofluids with twisted tapes and corrugated patterns such as corrugated double-tube exchangers. This article concluded with the results obtained from experimental analysis and numerical methods. According to the study, as nanofluids get bigger, their velocity increases. When particle size is increased from 10 nm to 100 nm, the alumina-water nanofluid’s velocity rises by 22.22%. For Al2O3/water nanofluid with a particle size of 10 nm, the rate of expansion in wall shear stress when concentration is raised from 0% to 5% is 75%. The geometry of the tubes affects the properties of heat transport. When a triangular tube having a twisted tape is utilized in the system, the Nusselt number is enhanced by 34.7% and 52.5% in turbulent and laminar flow respectively.
Identifying Radiographic and Clinical Indicators to Reduce the Occurrence of Nontherapeutic Laparotomy for Blunt Bowel and Mesenteric Injury
Authors: Blackley Shem K. , Smith William C. , Lee Yann-Leei , Kinnard Christopher , Williams Ashley Y. , Butts Charles C. , Mbaka Maryann I. , Haiflich Andrew , Bright Andrew , Simmons Jon D. , Polite Nathan M.
Published: April 2023

Background

Roughly 5% of patients with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) have a blunt bowel and/or mesenteric injury (BBMI). Determining the need for operative management in these patients can be challenging when hemodynamically stable. Single center studies have proposed scoring systems based on CT findings to guide management. Our study aimed to determine the predictability of abdominopelvic CT scan (CT A/P) findings in conjunction with clinical exam to determine the necessity of operative intervention for BBMI.

Methods

Patients presenting from 2017 to 2022 to the University of South Alabama Level 1 Trauma Center after motor vehicle collision were retrospectively reviewed. Patients with CT findings suggestive of BBMI were further analyzed, noting CT findings, Glasgow coma scale (GCS), shock index, abdominal exam, operative or nonoperative management, and intraoperative intervention.

Results

1098 patients with BAT underwent CT A/P. 139 patients had ≥1 finding suggestive of BBMI. 38 patients underwent surgical exploration and 30 had surgically confirmed BBMI. 27 patients required intervention for BBMI. Univariate analysis indicated that pneumoperitoneum ( p < 0.0001), active extravasation of contrast ( p = 0.0001), hemoperitoneum without solid organ injury (SOI) ( p < 0.0001), peritonitis ( p < 0.0001), and mesenteric stranding( p < 0.05) were significantly associated with intervention.

Conclusion

In total, 30 patients had surgically confirmed BBMI. Active extravasation, pneumoperitoneum, hemoperitoneum without SOI, mesenteric stranding, and peritonitis were significant indicators of BBMI requiring intervention. CT and clinical findings cannot reliably predict the need for surgical intervention without ≥1 of these findings. Initial nonoperative management with serial clinical exams should be strongly considered to reduce incidence of nontherapeutic laparotomies.
The role of the laboratory in the diagnosis of an unusual case of Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia that lacked the common clinical features: A case report
Authors: Logue Philip , Deighan W Ian , Gidwani Sumana , Niblock Aaron
Published: April 2023

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL) is a neoplasm of small B lymphocytes, plasmacytoid lymphocytes and plasma cells usually involving the bone marrow (BM). A subset of LPL which is associated with IgM monoclonal gammopathy is called Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinaemia (WM), and usually requires therapeutic intervention when a patient becomes symptomatic (Bone Marrow failure characterised by cytopenia or hyperviscosity syndrome). Here, we report the case of an 80-year-old female with clinically unsuspected WM who initially presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with nausea and vomiting. The patients’ gastrointestinal symptoms subsequently settled and was awaiting discharge. Non-specific, borderline size significant lymph nodes on CT chest was the only substantial past medical history. The diagnosis of WM was made after the Biochemistry Biomedical Scientist (BMS) detected the presence of a Type I monoclonal cryoglobulin. A potential cryoprecipitate was suspected when repeated ‘clotting’ error flags occurred during routine laboratory analyses; the sample aspiration difficulties being attributed to the viscous nature of the sample. The investigation of inaccessible low volume lymphadenopathy in the elderly should include serum protein electrophoresis and immunoglobulins as this may have established an earlier diagnosis in this case. The application of good scientific principles informed the laboratory investigation and resulted in the identification of a large IgM monoclonal cryoglobulin that prompted further appropriate investigations resulting in the diagnosis of WM. This case also highlights the importance of good communication between the laboratory and clinical staff.
5Minutes4Myself: Development of a Wellness Program for Caregivers of Children with Autism
Authors: Larson Elizabeth A.
Published: April 2023

Background. Many caregivers of autistic children experience increased stress, and diminished health often due to the caregiving demands. Purpose. The project aim was to design a feasible and sustainable wellness program tailored to these caregivers’ lives. Methods. In this collaborative research-informed project, participants (N = 28) were mostly female, white, and well-educated. In focus groups, we delineated lifestyle issues, then designed, delivered and assessed an initial program with one cohort; and repeated this process with a second group. Findings. Focus group data were transcribed then coded qualitatively to inform following steps. Data analysis identified lifestyle issues key to program design, desired program elements, and after program delivery, affirmed elements and recommended changes. The team used meta-inferences to guide program revisions after each cohort. Implications. Caregivers viewed resulting 5Minutes4Myself program as filling a significant service gap; its hybrid design used in-person coaching and a habit-building app with mindfulness content to support lifestyle change.
It’s Not Only What You Say, But Also How You Say It: Machine Learning Approach to Estimate Trust from Conversation
Authors: Li Mengyao , Erickson Isabel M , Cross Ernest V , Lee John D
Published: April 2023

Objective

The objective of this study was to estimate trust from conversations using both lexical and acoustic data.

Background

As NASA moves to long-duration space exploration operations, the increasing need for cooperation between humans and virtual agents requires real-time trust estimation by virtual agents. Measuring trust through conversation is a novel and unintrusive approach.

Method

A 2 (reliability) × 2 (cycles) × 3 (events) within-subject study with habitat system maintenance was designed to elicit various levels of trust in a conversational agent. Participants had trust-related conversations with the conversational agent at the end of each decision-making task. To estimate trust, subjective trust ratings were predicted using machine learning models trained on three types of conversational features (i.e., lexical, acoustic, and combined). After training, model explanation was performed using variable importance and partial dependence plots.

Results

Results showed that a random forest algorithm, trained using the combined lexical and acoustic features, predicted trust in the conversational agent most accurately [Formula: see text]. The most important predictors were a combination of lexical and acoustic cues: average sentiment considering valence shifters, the mean of formants, and Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC). These conversational features were identified as partial mediators predicting people’s trust.

Conclusion

Precise trust estimation from conversation requires lexical cues and acoustic cues.

Application

These results showed the possibility of using conversational data to measure trust, and potentially other dynamic mental states, unobtrusively and dynamically.
Development-Induced Displacement in India and the Tribal Rights: A Quest for Social Justice
Authors: Arun Sapre Abhilash , Gori Saira
Published: April 2023

Human population displacement from natural environments has a variety of socio-economic consequences. Displacement induced by larger projects has resulted in a transfer of resources from the marginalized to the more privileged sections of society in India’s development paradigm. Mega Projects like dams, Infrastructure, and Industries, in particular, subject certain sections of society and make them sufferers of development, primarily tribals who never receive the benefits of this kind of economic development. It would be apt to generalize that the size of the development project is directly proportional to its impact on tribals. Development initiatives have disproportionately impacted tribal people. This article aims to delve deeper into the impact of displacement on tribal communities’ livelihoods. It will identify the most pressing issues they confront due to development-induced displacement and rehabilitation. A study by the Centre for Policy Research concerning land rights reflects that nearly 55% of people have been displaced, citing reasons for developing industrial projects and dam building since independence. A detailed literature review was done by using major database like Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.
Mapping How Teachers Become Culturally Responsive
Authors: Parkhouse Hillary , Lyn Robyn , Severson-Irby Elizabeth , Drulis Erin , Senechal Jesse , Lozada Fantasy
Published: April 2023

Research on how teachers become culturally responsive tends to focus on preservice teachers or on the professional development activities that are associated with change for inservice teachers. Little is known about how the various elements of culturally responsive teaching—including knowledge, skills, and fundamental orientations—interact with one another as teachers change. This case study followed 19 educators across four schools and over 2 years as they conducted action research to enhance their cultural responsiveness. We found four zones of development that characterized the teachers’ change: consciousness-raising, consciousness- and relationship-building, knowledge- and practice-building, and practice-refining. Within each zone, two or three elements of culturally responsive teaching appeared to change most dramatically and to mutually reinforce one another as teachers developed. Professional development experiences should attend to these different zones and to the gradual nature of this process.
Playing With Fire Compounds: The Tonal Accents of Compounds in (North) Norwegian Preschoolers’ Role-Play Register
Authors: Strand Bror-Magnus S.
Published: April 2023

Prosodic features are some of the most salient features of dialect variation in Norway. It is therefore no wonder that the switch in prosodic systems is what is first recognized by caretakers and scholars when Norwegian children code-switch to something resembling the dialect of the capital (henceforth Urban East Norwegian, UEN) in role-play. With a focus on the system of lexical tonal accents, this paper investigates the spontaneous speech of North Norwegian children engaging in peer social role-play. By investigating F0 contours extracted from a corpus of spontaneous peer play, and comparing them with elicited baseline reference contours, this paper makes the case that children fail to apply the target tonal accent consistent with UEN in compounds in role-play, although the production of tonal accents otherwise seems to be phonetically target like UEN. Put in other words, they perform in accordance with UEN phonetics, but not UEN morpho-phonology.
People’s Perceptions and Coping Strategies During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Phenomenological-Longitudinal Study in Bangladesh
Authors: Jannat Taslima , Omar Nor Asiah , Che Senik Zizah , Ayob Abu Hanifah , Al Mamun Abdullah , Arefin Md. Shamshul , Hijrah Hati Sri Rahayu
Published: April 2023

By emphasizing the Terror Management Theory, this study investigated the participants’ perceptions, psychological experiences, coping strategies, and behavioral changes during the pandemic in Bangladesh in two phases: first, after the pandemic’s immediate outbreak, and second, after 3 months of the pandemic (daily infection cases were very high). To perform the research, an empirical-phenomenological method was used. Findings indicate that at the first stage, participants’ death phobia was extremely high, and poor medical facilities, religious struggles, imprudent behavior of others, concerns for family members, and a tendency to compare the socioeconomic status with other developed countries affected participants’ emotions severely. Later on, participants’ perceptions of the disease changed significantly. This study highlights that people’s behavior varies depending on whether the thought of death is in the center or on the periphery of their attention. In both stages, religious faith and rituals played a crucial role in coping with the crisis situation.
“Whoa! Incredible!:” Language Learning Experiences in Virtual Reality
Authors: Dooly Melinda , Thrasher Tricia , Sadler Randall
Published: April 2023

Recently, immersive virtual reality (VR) environments for language learning have garnered interest from researchers and practitioners alike, based on their realistic imitations of environments where target languages might be used for “authentic-like” interactions (with other learners, bots and avatars). However, the majority of research thus far has focused on university-level students’ perceptions of VR and there is a critical need for research examining how these environments can be used effectively with kindergarten to grade 12 students. This article discusses a pilot study that aims to fill this gap in research through a three-month-long VR study conducted with 10- to 11-year-old students in Spain ( n = 24) studying English as a foreign language (EFL). VR lessons were taught using the VR language learning platform Immerse and Oculus Quest 2 VR headsets. The data corpora consist of recordings of the VR activities, comparable non-VR classroom activities and teacher-directed student output (pre-VR and post-VR activities focused on the target language). Fragments of interactions during activities in both VR and the classroom were selected and transcribed. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment Companion Volume (CEFR-CV) illustrative descriptors were then used to map the participants’ language performance to the CEFR-CV scales. Findings indicate that production of the target language is less controlled and less accurate in VR compared to face-to-face “traditional” oral activities in the classroom. However, there are more examples of spontaneous language use, more examples of mediation between the learners and even moments of higher than expected levels of production and comprehension, equivalent to English language level B1 descriptors in VR.
Electroneurophysiological responses to fabric-skin dynamic contact with different fabrics among different types of people
Authors: Ye Ting , Cui Lina , Zhang Chuyang , Qiu Yiping
Published: April 2023

Electroneurophysiology has been more and more widely used to evaluate the tactile comfort of fabrics. In our previous study, it was found that three different types of subjects exist, namely extraordinary, ordinary, and non-sensitive people, corresponding to their electroneurophysiological responses to fabric-skin contact. In the current study, 19 subjects were recruited, including one extraordinary sensitive, eight ordinary sensitive and 10 non-sensitive subjects who were tested with a smooth cotton fabric and a rough polyester fabric in a fabric-skin dynamic contact experiment. Electromyography, electroencephalography, and electrocardiography signals of the human body, paired with subjective evaluation were carried out. The results show that the rough polyester fabric, compared with the smooth cotton fabric, tended to cause higher mean amplitude and larger waveform area of the myoelectric potential, reduced energy percentage of α wave, improved pneumogastric nerve activity and heart rate variability of the ordinary sensitive subjects, indicating more discomfort in fabric-skin dynamic contact. However, for the non-sensitive subjects, no consistent pattern could be observed in all of the above indicators. Therefore, the ordinary sensitive subjects are more suitable in clothing tactile comfort evaluation using electroneurophysiological measurements. In addition, it was found that ordinary sensitive subjects are predominantly females while non-sensitive subjects are most likely males.
Barriers and Pathways to Enacting Justice-Oriented Social Studies: A Longitudinal Study of Novice Teachers in Urban Contexts
Authors: Martell Christopher C. , Martinelle Rob , Chalmers Jennifer P.
Published: April 2023

In this longitudinal interpretative case study, researchers examined the beliefs and practices of five beginning social studies teachers who identified as justice-oriented from urban teacher preparation program to their fourth year in the classroom. The researchers found that each teacher had developed different personal definitions of justice based on their backgrounds and lived experiences. While the teachers’ justice beliefs remained relatively stable, or grew stronger, through the 5 years of the study, the teachers’ school contexts and curriculum had a major influence on their ability to enact critical social studies practices. Implications for urban teacher preparation and professional development are offered.
Under-representation of low-income countries in the literature – targeting the bummock of neglected tropical diseases
Authors: Khulbe Yashita , Chandani Yash , kamaraj Balakrishnan , Agrawal Vibhor
Published: April 2023

More than 50% of the world's youth and many economies with the greatest growth rates are in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Many prevailing diseases in these areas comprise neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) – the 13 bacterial and parasitic infections that predominantly affect the poorest one-sixth of the world's population. The lack of published data, heightened by the disregard of researchers of developed countries, amounts to the ‘missing piece’ when attempting to draw a global picture of such diseases using systematic reviews or meta-analyses because of the imbalance in distribution. Defining and measuring the problem, evaluating the effectiveness and cost of interventions, and assessing cost-effectiveness are all necessary steps in determining health priorities for eradicating these NTDs.
Honeycomb breast: An appearance of fibrocystic disease
Authors: Kumar Chitresh , Jha Chandan K
Published: April 2023

Fibrocystic disease of breast is characterized by lumpiness and discomfort. Our 48-year-old perimenopausal patient had a painless progressively enlarging non-tender lump in her right breast since 1 year. On physical examination a 10 × 8 cm firm non-tender lump was observed occupying almost the whole breast, whose surface was nodular though not fixed. The operative specimen appeared like a honeycomb with multiple cavities filled with yellowish firm material typical of tuberculosis. Surprisingly, histology found neither this nor malignancy. Radical breast excision is never warranted except if the latter is confirmed.
Are We Losing Connection? Lived Experience of Online Mutual Aid Groups During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lee Daren , Antonino Raffaello
Published: April 2023

Background:

The current UK based study aimed to explore the experiences of individuals attending online mutual aid groups for alcohol use, while their face-to-face groups were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging evidence suggests that the pandemic and concomitant isolation is associated with elevated mental health problems. Furthermore, historical community-wide crises are associated with increases in alcohol consumption. Due to the paucity of qualitative research on the subjective experience of online mutual aid groups, an interpretative phenomenological analysis was undertaken to explore group members’ experiences.

Methods:

A sample of six eligible members of online alcohol mutual aid groups were recruited and completed semi-structured interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic between October 2020 and February 2021. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to identify key themes and evidenced with salient quotations.

Results:

The superordinate theme developing an understanding of the differences between face-to-face and online group proceedings was identified, which is presented and unpacked with evidential quotes.

Conclusion:

The study explicates group members’ perceived differences between online and face-to-face experiences. Some participants valued the increased control and anonymity of online groups, while others missed the profound intimate connection that face-to-face groups fostered. It is recommended that future provision is informed by service-user voice to develop an attunement with the subjectivity of mutual aid group members’ experiences.
A Multiscale Attentional Unet Model for Automatic Segmentation in Medical Ultrasound Images
Authors: Wang Rui , Zhou Haoyuan , Fu Peng , Shen Hui , Bai Yang
Published: April 2023

Ultrasonography has become an essential part of clinical diagnosis owing to its noninvasive, and real-time nature. To assist diagnosis, automatically segmenting a region of interest (ROI) in ultrasound images is becoming a vital part of computer-aided diagnosis (CAD). However, segmenting ROIs on medical images with relatively low contrast is a challenging task. To better achieve medical ROI segmentation, we propose an efficient module denoted as multiscale attentional convolution (MSAC), utilizing cascaded convolutions and a self-attention approach to concatenate features from various receptive field scales. Then, MSAC-Unet is constructed based on Unet, employing MSAC instead of the standard convolution in each encoder and decoder for segmentation. In this study, two representative types of ultrasound images, one of the thyroid nodules and the other of the brachial plexus nerves, were used to assess the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The best segmentation results from MSAC-Unet were achieved on two thyroid nodule datasets (TND-PUH3 and DDTI) and a brachial plexus nerve dataset (NSD) with Dice coefficients of 0.822, 0.792, and 0.746, respectively. The analysis of segmentation results shows that our MSAC-Unet greatly improves the segmentation accuracy with more reliable ROI edges and boundaries, decreasing the number of erroneously segmented ROIs in ultrasound images.