bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation for improving upper limb function in post-stroke hemiparesis
Authors: Fawaz Shereen Ismail , Izumi Shin-Ichi , Zaki Amr Saeed , Eldiasty Shaimaa Elmetwally , Saadawy Amr , Saber Heba Gamal eldin , Gadallah May Farouk , Labib Hossam Salaheldin
Published: October 2023

Background

Stroke is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, with hand and arm weakness, affecting the patients’ daily activities and quality of life. Recently, repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) was found to enhance neuroplasticity and motor recovery post-stroke hemiparesis via its deep proprioceptive stimulation and simulation of lost voluntary movement.

Objective

To determine the therapeutic effect of rPMS on the functional improvement of upper limb in patients with hemiparesis following cerebrovascular insult and to compare the effect of therapy in subacute and chronic cases.

Results

Post-rehabilitation program both the Fugl-Meyer-Upper Extremity scale (FM-UE) and Functional Independence Measures (FIM) scale showed highly significant improvement in the active group, compared to controls. Regarding active range of motion (AROM) of the shoulder abductors, triceps, wrist extensors and supinators, significant differences were also found in the active group in comparison to controls. Modified Ashworth scale showed also significant change in the active group. When dividing our patients according to the duration post-stroke, into subacute group (6 weeks to 6 months post-stroke) and chronic group (more than 6-month post-stroke), the subacute group showed significant improvements in the FM-UE scale, and in the AROM of wrist extensors and supinators but not in the chronic group. Ultrasonographic measurements showed a significant decrease in cross sectional area of the control group.

Conclusion

rPMS is potentially effective in improving motor recovery post-stroke, especially in the subacute stage.
Dorsum Sellae as Key Landmark in ETV With Disminished Prepontine Cistern: Technical Note and Case Series
Authors: Guil-Ibáñez José Javier , Parrón-Carreño Tesifón , Gomar-Alba Mario , García-Pérez Fernando , Narro-Donate José María , Masegosa-González José
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

One of the key aspects in the surgical technique of endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is the perforation of the floor of the third ventricle because of the high risk of injuring vital structures located in that region. According to the standard technique, this perforation should be performed in the midline halfway between mammillary bodies and the infundibular recess to avoid damage to the structures. This can be performed without excessive complications when the diameter of the prepontine cistern is wide. However, in situations where the diameter is reduced (defined in the literature as having a prepontine interval [PPI] ≤1 mm), the probability of complications increases exponentially.

In this article, we propose using dorsum sellae as a key point to safely perform ETV in patients with a decreased PPI, guiding the trajectory and its marking using neuronavigation.

METHODS:

A review was conducted on the latest 100 ETV procedures performed by our team in the past 5 years. The measurement of the PPI was conducted using archived preoperative MRI imaging studies, specifically between the dorsum sellae and the basilar artery. In cases where the PPI was ≤1 mm and, therefore, the use of the dorsum sellae was applied as a reference point, the technical results and procedural functions were documented.

RESULTS:

In the cohort, 7 patients with a PPI ≤1 mm were identified. In all 7 cases, fenestration of the tuber cinereum was successfully performed without causing vascular damage or associated complications. ETV was successful in 6 patients, with only one experiencing ETV failure necessitating the placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

CONCLUSION:

The utilization of the dorsum sellae as a reference point to perform ETV in reduced PPI constitutes a safe alternative to the classical technique.
Connexin 43 mediated collective cell migration is independent of Golgi orientation
Authors: Sharma Madhav , Mukherjee Suvam , Shaw Archana Kumari , Mondal Anushka , Behera Amrutamaya , Das Jibitesh , Bose Abhishek , Sinha Bidisha , Sarma Jayasri Das
Published: October 2023

Cell migration is vital for multiple physiological functions and is involved in the metastatic dissemination of tumour cells in various cancers. For effective directional migration, cells often reorient their Golgi apparatus and, therefore, the secretory traffic towards the leading edge. However, not much is understood about the regulation of Golgi's reorientation. Herein, we address the role of gap junction protein Connexin 43 (Cx43), which connects cells, allowing the direct exchange of molecules. We utilized HeLa WT cells lacking Cx43 and HeLa 43 cells, stably expressing Cx43, and found that functional Cx43 channels affected Golgi morphology and reduced the reorientation of Golgi during cell migration. Although the migration velocity of the front was reduced in HeLa 43, the front displayed enhanced coherence in movement, implying an augmented collective nature of migration. On BFA treatment, Golgi was dispersed and the high heterogeneity in inter-regional front velocity of HeLa WT cells was reduced to resemble the HeLa 43. HeLa 43 had higher vimentin expression and stronger basal F-actin. Furthermore, non-invasive measurement of basal membrane height fluctuations revealed a lower membrane tension. We, therefore, propose that reorientation of Golgi is not the major determinant of migration in the presence of Cx43, which induces collective-like coherent migration in cells.
Altered binding affinity of SIX1-Q177R correlates with enhanced WNT5A and WNT pathway effector expression in Wilms tumor
Authors: Stevenson Matthew J. , Phanor Sabrina K. , Patel Urvi , Gisselbrecht Stephen S. , Bulyk Martha L. , O'Brien Lori L.
Published: October 2023

Wilms tumors present as an amalgam of varying proportions of tissues located within the developing kidney, one being the nephrogenic blastema comprising multipotent nephron progenitor cells (NPCs). The recurring missense mutation Q177R in NPC transcription factors SIX1 and SIX2 is most correlated with tumors of blastemal histology and is significantly associated with relapse. Yet, the transcriptional regulatory consequences of SIX1/2-Q177R that might promote tumor progression and recurrence have not been investigated extensively. Utilizing multiple Wilms tumor transcriptomic datasets, we identified upregulation of the gene encoding non-canonical WNT ligand WNT5A in addition to other WNT pathway effectors in SIX1/2-Q177R mutant tumors. SIX1 ChIP-seq datasets from Wilms tumors revealed shared binding sites for SIX1/SIX1-Q177R within a promoter of WNT5A and at putative distal cis-regulatory elements (CREs). We demonstrate colocalization of SIX1 and WNT5A in Wilms tumor tissue and utilize in vitro assays that support SIX1 and SIX1-Q177R activation of expression from the WNT5A CREs, as well as enhanced binding affinity within the WNT5A promoter that may promote the differential expression of WNT5A and other WNT pathway effectors associated with SIX1-Q177R tumors.
Acute effects of cigarette smoke on Endothelial Nitric Oxide synthase, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and aortic intima media thickness
Authors: Ardiana Meity , Santoso Anwar , Hermawan Hanestya Oky , Nugraha Ricardo Adrian , Pikir Budi Susetyo , Suryawan I. Gde Rurus
Published: October 2023

Background. Cigarette smoking could induce endothelial dysfunction and the increase of circulating markers of inflammation by activation of monocytes. This can lead to increased intima media thickness (IMT) of entire blood vessels and result in acceleration of the atherosclerosis process. However, to our knowledge, little is known about the role of cigarette smoking in this atherosclerotic inflammatory process. The aim of this study is to explore the link between cigarette smoking and its effect on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (e-NOS) and vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). Methods. An experimental study with a post-test only controlled group design was used. We used 18 Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) randomly subdivided into two groups: group K (-) were not exposed to tobacco smoke, whereas group K (+) were exposed to smoke equivalent of more than 40 cigarettes for 28 days daily. After 28 days, samples were analyzed for e-NOS, VCAM-1 and aortic IMT. Results . Our results indicate that tobacco smoke can enhance the expression of VCAM-1 on rat cardiac vascular endothelial cells, resulting in a decreased expression of e-NOS level and increase of aortic IMT. Linear regression model found that eNOS level negatively correlated wiith aortic IMT (r 2 = 0.584, β = -0.764, p < 0.001), whereas VCAM-1 expression did not correlate with aortic IMT (r 2 = 0.197, p = 0.065). Conclusion. Low e-NOS level and high VCAM-1 level observed after cigarette smoke exposure which may increase aortic IMT.
Data formats and standards for opportunistic rainfall sensors
Authors: Fencl Martin , Nebuloni Roberto , C. M. Andersson Jafet , Bares Vojtech , Blettner Nico , Cazzaniga Greta , Chwala Christian , Colli Matteo , de Vos Lotte , El Hachem Abbas , Galdies Charles , Giannetti Filippo , Graf Maximilian , Jacoby Dror , Victor Habi Hai , Musil Petr , Ostrometzky Jonatan , Roversi Giacomo , Sapienza Fabiola , Seidel Jochen , Spackova Anna , van de Beek Remco , Walraven Bas , Wilgan Karina , Zheng Xin
Published: October 2023

Opportunistic sensors are increasingly used for rainfall measurement. However, their raw data are collected by a variety of systems that are often not primarily intended for rainfall monitoring, resulting in a plethora of different data formats and a lack of common standards. This hinders the sharing of opportunistic sensing (OS) data, their automated processing, and, at the end, their practical usage and integration into standard observation systems. This paper summarises the experiences of the more than 100 members of the OpenSense Cost Action involved in the OS of rainfall. We review the current practice of collecting and storing precipitation OS data and corresponding metadata, and propose new common guidelines describing the requirements on data and metadata collection, harmonising naming conventions, and defining human-readable and machine readable file formats for data and metadata storage. We focus on three sensors identified by the OpenSense community as prominent representatives of the OS of precipitation: Commercial microwave links (CML): fixed point-to-point radio links mainly used as backhauling connections in telecommunication networks Satellite microwave links (SML): radio links between geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellites and ground user terminals. Personal weather stations (PWS): non-professional meteorological sensors owned by citizens. The conventions presented in this paper are primarily designed for storing, handling, and sharing historical time series and do not consider specific requirements for using OS data in real time for operational purposes. The conventions are already now accepted by the ever growing OpenSense community and represent an important step towards automated processing of OS raw data and community development of joint OS software packages.
Born in Bradford Age of Wonder cohort: A protocol for qualitative longitudinal research
Authors: Dogra Sufyan Abid , Lightfoot Kate , Kerr Rosslyn , Hall Jennifer , Joseph Olivia , Siddig Nasiba , Nutting Hannah , Shire Katy A. , Roberts Helen , Small Neil , McEachan Rosemary R.C. , Wright John
Published: October 2023

Bradford is multi-ethnic and one of the most deprived districts in the United Kingdom where around a quarter of children live in low-income families. Born in Bradford (BiB) has followed the lives of 13,776 children born in the district between 2007 and 2011. Children in the birth cohort are now entering adolescence, and the next phase of the research - Age of Wonder (AoW) - will be a whole city cohort capturing the experiences of 30,000 adolescents progressing into young adulthood. This protocol focuses on one component of the AoW programme: qualitative longitudinal research (QLR). The study will gather in depth and detailed accounts from a sub-sample of 100 young people across four major research priorities: personal life; social and community life; growing up with difference, and growing up in Bradford. As well as using traditional qualitative methods such as interviews, focus group discussions, and ethnography, we are adopting innovative creative methods including expressions through art, activism, online and digital content, portraits, and critical events. The process of engaging in and co-producing QLR potentially provides a route to empowering young people to shape the narrative of their own lives as well as informing intervention development.
The genome sequence of the Marbled Piercer, Cydia splendana (Hübner, 1799)
Authors: Boyes Douglas , Hammond James ,   University of Oxford and Wytham Woods Genome Acquisition Lab,   Darwin Tree of Life Barcoding collective,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Tree of Life programme,   Wellcome Sanger Institute Scientific Operations: DNA Pipelines collective,   Tree of Life Core Informatics collective,   Darwin Tree of Life Consortium
Published: October 2023

We present a genome assembly from an individual female Cydia splendana (the Marbled Piercer; Arthropoda; Insecta; Lepidoptera; Tortricidae). The genome sequence is 630.6 megabases in span. Most of the assembly is scaffolded into 28 chromosomal pseudomolecules, including the Z sex chromosome. The mitochondrial genome has also been assembled and is 16.67 kilobases in length. Gene annotation of this assembly on Ensembl identified 16,691 protein coding genes.
Fauna de Braconidae (Insecta: Hymenoptera) capturada em remanescente florestal na Amazônia ocidental brasileira
Authors: Santos Rodrigo Souza , Silva Elisandro Nascimento da
Published: October 2023

Este trabalho teve por objetivo conhecer a diversidade de Braconidae em um remanescente florestal localizado no município Rio Branco, AC utilizando armadilhas do tipo Malaise. Entre agosto a novembro de 2015 foram instaladas duas armadilhas em dois pontos, uma na borda e outra no interior do remanescente florestal. Semanalmente os frascos coletores eram recolhidos e o material triado no Laboratório de Entomologia da Embrapa Acre para separação dos braconídeos, os quais foram preservados em álcool (70%) e identificados em nível de subfamília. Foi capturado um total de 223 braconídeos, 75 na borda (33,6%) e 148 no interior da mata (66,4%). As subfamílias capturadas na borda foram Agathidinae, Braconinae, Orgilinae, Macrocentrinae, Doryctinae, Cardiochilinae, Microgastrinae, Homolobinae, Rogadinae e Cheloninae. No interior do remanescente florestal foram capturadas todas as subfamílias encontradas na borda, além de Cenocoelinae, Brachistinae, Ichneutinae, Alysiinae, Euphorinae, Pambolinae, Acamposohelconinae, Rhysipolinae, Helconinae e Opiinae. Na borda e no interior da mata, a família Rogadinae apresentou o maior número de parasitoides capturados, com 22 e 18 espécimes, respectivamente. Pelos resultados obtidos, o interior do remanescente florestal se mostrou mais favorável à ocorrência de Braconidae em relação à borda. Também foi constatado um significativo número de subfamílias capturadas em um curto período de amostragem, sugerindo que o número de Braconidae neste local pode ser ainda maior. Ademais, este trabalho contribuiu para aumentar o conhecimento sobre a fauna de Braconidae na Amazônia ocidental, especialmente no estado do Acre.
Propuesta morfotipológica de las producciones cerámicas de Valencina de la Concepción a partir de la secuencia calcolítica del gran foso del corte A. Campaña de 1975.
Authors: Ruiz Mata Diego , Mederos Martín Alfredo , Dorado Alejos Alberto
Published: October 2023

n Entre julio y diciembre de 1975 se realizaron las primeras excavaciones sistemáticas en extensión en Valencina de la Concepción (Sevilla), en cuatro sectores de La Perrera: A y B, actual calle Jacinto Benavente 17 y 19; C y D, en la calle Guadalquivir 18-23. En el sector A se abrieron 3 cortes, A1-A2-A3, de 3.50 x 3.50 m, que permitieron documentar un gran foso en una longitud de casi 13 m y unos 4 m de ancho, donde se alcanzó una profundidad máxima de -5.88 m. La secuencia principal se definió en el corte central, A2, identificándose cuatro estratos, I-IV, del Calcolítico Medio con 5.48 m de profundidad y un estrato V con campaniformes del Calcolítico Final de 0.40 m. A partir de 3428 fragmentos con forma de los tres cortes, se han medido 276 piezas en las que se podían reconstruir completa su morfometría. Así, además de presentar el conjunto y la propia intervención arqueológica, el estudio realiza una primera propuesta de la organización de las producciones cerámicas de acuerdo con seis grandes grupos tipológicos, que permiten explicar la variabilidad de formas durante el Calcolítico Medio y Final. Esta aportación supondrá un nuevo empuje a los estudios cerámicos que puedan desarrollarse en un futuro en uno de los asentamientos centrales del Bajo Guadalquivir durante la Edad del Cobre y, con ello, ser un referente de estos estudios en la zona. Palabras clave Estuario del Guadalquivir, Valencina de la Concepción, Calcolítico, Campaniforme, foso, cerámica, morfometría.
Breadth of Ownership and the Cross-Section of Corporate Bond Returns
Authors: Huang Jing-Zhi , Qin Nan , Wang Ying
Published: October 2023

Using breadth of corporate bond fund ownership to proxy for the combination of short-sale constraints and divergence of opinions in the corporate bond market, this paper investigates whether and to what extent Miller’s overpricing theory holds for corporate bonds. Consistent with the theory, we document a significant and positive relation between changes in breadth and the cross-section of future corporate bond returns. Because of the bounded upside of debt, the ability of changes in breadth to predict returns appears to be less pronounced for corporate bonds relative to stocks. Furthermore, this predictability is stronger among bonds with higher credit risk, indicating that the effect of short-sale constraints and divergence of opinions on bond mispricing tends to be larger for riskier bonds with more upside potential and, thus, more scope for overvaluation.

This paper was accepted by Lukas Schmid, finance.

Supplemental Material: The internet appendix and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4950 .
Assortment Optimization Under the Multinomial Logit Model with Utility-Based Rank Cutoffs
Authors: Bai Yicheng , Feldman Jacob , Topaloglu Huseyin , Wagner Laura
Published: October 2023

Augmenting the Modeling Power of the Multinomial Logit Model

Using choice models to capture customer choice behavior has steadily become the common practice in revenue management. Discrete choice models allow one to capture the fact that customers substitute among the offered products, so if a particular product is not offered, then a portion of the customers interested in this product will substitute into a suitable available alternative. The multinomial logit model is one of the most commonly used choice models to capture customer choice in practice. This choice model is based on the utility maximization framework. A customer associates random utilities with the products, as well as the no-purchase option, in which case, the customer purchases the product with the largest utility, as long as its utility exceeds that of the no-purchase option. In “Assortment Optimization under the Multinomial Logit Model with Utility-Based Rank Cutoffs,“ Bai, Feldman, Topaloglu, and Wagner augment the modeling flexibility of the multinomial logit model, where a customer also leaves without a purchase if she cannot find one of her top few choices. They develop algorithms to find revenue-maximizing assortments.
Probabilistic Forecasting of Bus Travel Time with a Bayesian Gaussian Mixture Model
Authors: Chen Xiaoxu , Cheng Zhanhong , Jin Jian Gang , Trépanier Martin , Sun Lijun
Published: October 2023

Accurate forecasting of bus travel time and its uncertainty is critical to service quality and operation of transit systems: it can help passengers make informed decisions on departure time, route choice, and even transport mode choice, and it also support transit operators on tasks such as crew/vehicle scheduling and timetabling. However, most existing approaches in bus travel time forecasting are based on deterministic models that provide only point estimation. To this end, we develop in this paper a Bayesian probabilistic model for forecasting bus travel time and estimated time of arrival (ETA). To characterize the strong dependencies/interactions between consecutive buses, we concatenate the link travel time vectors and the headway vector from a pair of two adjacent buses as a new augmented variable and model it with a mixture of constrained multivariate Gaussian distributions. This approach can naturally capture the interactions between adjacent buses (e.g., correlated speed and smooth variation of headway), handle missing values in data, and depict the multimodality in bus travel time distributions. Next, we assume different periods in a day share the same set of Gaussian components, and we use time-varying mixing coefficients to characterize the systematic temporal variations in bus operation. For model inference, we develop an efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm to obtain the posterior distributions of model parameters and make probabilistic forecasting. We test the proposed model using the data from two bus lines in Guangzhou, China. Results show that our approach significantly outperforms baseline models that overlook bus-to-bus interactions, in terms of both predictive means and distributions. Besides forecasting, the parameters of the proposed model contain rich information for understanding/improving the bus service, for example, analyzing link travel time and headway correlation using covariance matrices and understanding time-varying patterns of bus fleet operation from the mixing coefficients.

Funding: This research is supported in part by the Fonds de Recherche du Quebec-Societe et Culture (FRQSC) under the NSFC-FRQSC Research Program on Smart Cities and Big Data, the Canadian Statistical Sciences Institute (CANSSI) Collaborative Research Teams grants, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada. X. Chen acknowledges funding support from the China Scholarship Council (CSC).

Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/trsc.2022.0214 .
Research Roundup
Authors: McGloin Claudia
Published: October 2023

In this regular feature, aesthetic nurse Claudia McGloin presents a brief synopsis of a range of recently published articles on medical aesthetics. Research roundup aims to provide an overview, rather than a detailed summary and critique, of the papers selected. Should you wish to look at any of the papers in more detail, a full reference is provided at the end of each study summary
VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY IN HIP FRACTURE PATIENTS IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INCREASED MORTALITY RISK
Authors: Bayram J.M. , Kanesan H. , Clement N.D.
Published: October 2023

The aims were to assess whether vitamin D deficiency influenced mortality risk for patients presenting with a hip fracture.

A retrospective study was undertaken including all patients aged over 50 years that were admitted with a hip fracture to a single centre during a 24-month period. Serum vitamin D levels were assessed. Patient demographics and perioperative variables and mortality were collected. Cox regression analysis (adjusting for confounding) was utilised to determine the independent association between serum vitamin D level and patient mortality.

The cohort consisted of 2075 patients with a mean age of 80.7 years and 1471 (70.9%) were female. 1510 (72.8%) patients had a serum vitamin D level taken, of which 876 (58.0%) were deficient (<50nmol/l). The median follow up was 417 (IQR 242 to 651) days. During follow up there were 464 (30.7%) deaths. Survival at 1 year was significantly (p = 0.003) lower for patients who were vitamin D deficient (71.7%, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 68.6 to 74.9) compared to those who were not (79.0%, 95% CI 75.9 to 82.3). Vitamin D deficiency was also independently associated with an increased mortality risk at 2-years (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.17 to 1.71, p = 0.03), but not at 1-year (p = 0.08).

Hip fracture patients with vitamin D deficiency had an increased mortality risk. This risk was independent of confounders at 2 years. The role of measuring vitamin D levels in these patients is unclear. Improved public health policy about vitamin D may be required to reduce deficiency in this patient population.
PATELLOFEMORAL INSTABILITY MANAGEMENT IN A PROSPECTIVE PAEDIATRIC COHORT IN EDINBURGH
Authors: Aithie J. , Robinson P. , Butcher R. , Denton M. , Simpson A.H.R.W. , Messner J.
Published: October 2023

Patellofemoral instability (PFI) is a common cause of knee pain and disability in the paediatric population. Patella alta, lateralised tibial tubercle, medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) deficiency, genu valgum and trochlear dysplasia are well known risk factors.

A prospective database was created including patients referred through our physiotherapy pathway following first-time patella dislocation. Patella alta and lateralisation of the tibial tuberosity was treated with a Fulkerson-type tibial tubercle osteotomy(TTO). Medial patellofemoral ligament was reconstructed using quads tendon autograft pull-down technique. A modified Sheffield protocol was used postoperatively allowing weightbearing in a hinged knee brace.

Forty patients were identified with 8 patients having bilateral presentations. Male to female ratio was 12:28 with an age range of 4–17 years. Eight patients had congenital PFI, five patients acquired PFI through traumatic patella dislocation and twenty-seven patients developed PFI from recurrent dislocations. Structural abnormalities were found in 38(95%) of patients. Patella alta (Caton-Deschamps index >1.2) was identified in 19(47%) patients, genu valgum in 12(30%) patients, increased tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance(TT-TG>20mm) was present in 9(22.5%) patients and persistent femoral anteversion(> 20 deg) in 7(17%) patients.

Eight patients were treated with TTO and MPFL reconstruction, three patients with MPFL reconstruction alone and five patients had guided growth for genu valgum correction. Ten patients are awaiting surgery. No postoperative patients had recurrence of PFI at their latest follow up.

PFI is a common problem in the adolescent paediatric population with identifiable structural abnormalities. Correcting structural pathology with surgery leads to predictable and safe outcomes.
The Greening of the Others: The Destination of Alliance and Green Party Transfers in the 2023 Northern Ireland Local Government Elections
Authors: McGuinness Philip
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: Northern Ireland’s elections have always been fought over whether that polity should remain in the UK or become part of a united Ireland. Since 1970 a fluctuating proportion of the electorate have voted for such parties as the Alliance and Green parties, which are currently neutral on this constitutional issue. Previous studies of PR-STV transfers have tended to focus on overall transfers to parties; this paper analyses the transfers from these two parties in the 2023 local government elections, in count distributions where both nationalist and unionist bloc candidates were available. The analysis shows that nationalists benefited disproportionally from these transfers. It is estimated that most of Northern Ireland’s voters gave either a first preference or their highest non-Other preference to nationalist bloc candidates. Opportunities and challenges facing reunificationists and unionists are discussed in the new context of a nationalist bloc vote plurality amid increasing calls for a border poll.
pH biosensors based on hydrogel optical fiber
Authors: Bian Zhenglan , Dai Caihong , Chu Fenghong , Hu Anduo , Xue Liang , Xu Qing , Feng Yuan , Zhou Bin
Published: October 2023

This paper presents a hydrogel optical fiber fluorescence pH sensor doped with 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (5(6)-FAM). The hydrogel optical fiber was fabricated with 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone as a photoinitiator, with different concentrations of polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) for the core and cladding. A pH-sensitive fluorescence indicator 5(6)-FAM was doped into the core of the fiber. The prepared hydrogel optical fiber pH sensor showed good response within the pH range of 5.0–9.0. The linear range of the pH sensor is 6.0 to 8.0, with R2=0.9904; within this range, the sensor shows good repeatability and reversibility, and the resolution is 0.07 pH units. The pHs of pork tissues soaked in different pH buffers were detected by the hydrogel optical fiber pH sensor; the linearity is 0.9828 when the pork tissue pH is in the range of 6.0–7.5. Due to the good ion permeability and biocompatibility of the hydrogel, this hydrogel optical fiber pH sensor is expected to be used in biomedical applications.
High Q-factor Fano resonances based on a permittivity-asymmetric dielectric pea-shaped cylinder
Authors: Pang Jielong , Fang Wenjing , Guo Haoyu , Wang Tingting , Fan Xinye , Niu Huijuan , Huang Yongqing , Bai Chenglin
Published: October 2023

We numerically investigate two Fano resonances with high Q-factors based on a permittivity-asymmetric metastructure composed of two pea-shaped cylinders. By employing different materials to break the permittivity-asymmetry, the quasi-bound state of the continuum spectrum (BIC) resonance at 982.87 nm is excited, showing the Q-factor as high as 8183.7. The electromagnetic fields and vectors are analyzed by using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, and the resonance modes are identified as magnetic dipole (MD) responses and MDs by multipole decomposition in Cartesian coordinates, displaying that the light is confined within a pea-shaped cylinder to achieve localized field enhancement. In addition, the sensing performances of the metastructure are evaluated, and an optical refractive index sensor can be obtained with the sensitivity of 152 nm/RIU and maximum figure of merit (FOM) of 832.6. This proposed structure offers a new, to the best of our knowledge, way to achieve Fano resonant excitation on all-dielectric metastructures and can be used in nonlinear optics, biosensing, optical switches, and lasers.
The potential of resilience indicators to anticipate infectious disease outbreaks, a systematic review and guide
Authors: Delecroix Clara , van Nes Egbert H. , van de Leemput Ingrid A. , Rotbarth Ronny , Scheffer Marten , ten Bosch Quirine
Published: October 2023

To reduce the consequences of infectious disease outbreaks, the timely implementation of public health measures is crucial. Currently used early-warning systems are highly context-dependent and require a long phase of model building. A proposed solution to anticipate the onset or termination of an outbreak is the use of so-called resilience indicators. These indicators are based on the generic theory of critical slowing down and require only incidence time series. Here we assess the potential for this approach to contribute to outbreak anticipation. We systematically reviewed studies that used resilience indicators to predict outbreaks or terminations of epidemics. We identified 37 studies meeting the inclusion criteria: 21 using simulated data and 16 real-world data. 36 out of 37 studies detected significant signs of critical slowing down before a critical transition (i.e., the onset or end of an outbreak), with a highly variable sensitivity (i.e., the proportion of true positive outbreak warnings) ranging from 0.03 to 1 and a lead time ranging from 10 days to 68 months. Challenges include low resolution and limited length of time series, a too rapid increase in cases, and strong seasonal patterns which may hamper the sensitivity of resilience indicators. Alternative types of data, such as Google searches or social media data, have the potential to improve predictions in some cases. Resilience indicators may be useful when the risk of disease outbreaks is changing gradually. This may happen, for instance, when pathogens become increasingly adapted to an environment or evolve gradually to escape immunity. High-resolution monitoring is needed to reach sufficient sensitivity. If those conditions are met, resilience indicators could help improve the current practice of prediction, facilitating timely outbreak response. We provide a step-by-step guide on the use of resilience indicators in infectious disease epidemiology, and guidance on the relevant situations to use this approach.
Delay in healthcare seeking for young children with severe pneumonia at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Uganda: A mixed methods cross-sectional study
Authors: Ekyaruhanga Phiona , Nantanda Rebecca , Aanyu Hellen T. , Mukisa John , Ssemasaazi Judith Amutuhaire , John Mukeere , Aceng Palma , Rujumba Joseph
Published: October 2023

Background

Globally, pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of under-five mortality, and this can be reduced by prompt healthcare seeking. Data on factors associated with delays in seeking care for children with pneumonia in Uganda is scarce.

Objectives

The study aimed to determine the prevalence, factors associated with delay, barriers, and facilitators of prompt healthcare seeking for children under five years of age with severe pneumonia attending Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) Uganda.

Methods

A mixed methods cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 caregivers of children with severe pneumonia at MNRH. Quantitative data was collected using interviewer-administered structured questionnaires and qualitative data through focus group discussions with caregivers. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the prevalence of delay in care seeking. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors that were independently associated with delay in seeking healthcare. Content thematic analysis was used to analyze for barriers and facilitators of prompt healthcare seeking.

Results

The prevalence of delay in seeking healthcare was 53.6% (95% CI: 48.6–58.6). Long distance to a hospital (AOR = 1.94, 95% CI 1.22–3.01, p value = 0.003), first seeking care elsewhere (AOR = 3.33, 95% CI 1.85–6.01, p value = 0.001), and monthly income ≤100,000 UGX (28 USD) (AOR = 2.27,95% CI 1.33–3.86, p value = 0.003) were independently associated with delay in seeking healthcare. Limited knowledge of symptoms, delayed referrals, self-medication, and low level of education were barriers to prompt healthcare seeking while recognition of symptoms of severe illness in the child, support from spouses, and availability of money for transport were key facilitators of early healthcare seeking.

Conclusion

This study showed that more than half of the caregivers delayed seeking healthcare for their children with pneumonia symptoms. Caregivers who first sought care elsewhere, lived more than 5 km from the hospital, and earned less than 28 USD per month were more likely to delay seeking healthcare for their children with severe pneumonia. Limited knowledge of symptoms of pneumonia, self-medication, and delayed referral hindered prompt care-seeking. Key facilitators of prompt care-seeking were accessibility to health workers, support from spouses, and recognition of symptoms of severe illness in children. There is a need for programs that educate caregivers about pneumonia symptoms, in children less than five years.
How do public services supply, livelihood capital, and livelihood strategies affect subjective poverty?
Authors: Lu Yuanquan , Chen Li , Meng Yuan
Published: October 2023

Poverty is not only an economic problem but also a social problem, and there are certain limitations of objective poverty based on the population’s income. It does not reflect the residents’ true feelings regarding education opportunities, pension and medical security, and participation in decision-making. Researchers have studied it intensively in different objective dimensions of Chinese poverty, and little attention has been paid to subjective poverty. This study analyzes how public services supply, livelihood capital, and livelihood strategies affect subjective perceptions of poverty. The results show that public services supply, livelihood capital, and livelihood strategies significantly correlate with subjective poverty. Physical capital and social capital have the greatest effects on the occurrence of subjective poverty. The probability of subjective poverty decreases by 0.149 and 0.107 for each unit change in physical and social capital, respectively. What’s more, public services supply, physical capital, financial capital, and human capital affect the subjective poverty of urban and rural residents at different significance levels. It means that the formation of subjective poverty results from the superposition of multiple factors.
The pluriverse of the Anthropocene: One Earth, many worlds
Authors: Mahaswa Rangga Kala , Purbandani Ayom Mratita
Published: October 2023

The Anthropocene, marked by significant anthropogenic impacts on a global scale, demands a completely new paradigm regarding the human-Earth alliance. It would not manifest as a more inclusive, culturally diverse, and holistic approach to the world, but rather at a seemingly one-world scale. The singularity of one-world universalism is rooted in the principle of human exceptionalism – the notion that humanity is at the centre of everything – even down to claims of structural determination on geological timescales. Our epistemological conservative view is that lifeworld is limited to existing as an ecological living space and the Earth is fixed as a mere background of our world-dwelling. At the same time, the Earth is silently yet progressively moving towards a crisis of uncertainty. Against a grand narrative of western universal assumptions in defining the Anthropocene, this article initially restructures the metanarrative by characterizing a proposal: a multiple-realization beyond speculative hermeneutics capable of fostering pluriversalization of reality layers at the geological constellation. This proposed concept explores the intersection of the geo(pluriverse)logical Anthropocene by acknowledging the interdependence and multiplication of realities, while appreciating and preserving the existence of many worlds alongside our precious Earth. It highlights the distinction between the realization of the Anthropocene in two contexts: the world and the Earth.
Self-Efficacy And Smoking Cessation: A Mixed Method Study Among Adult Smokers In Fiji
Authors: Mohammadnezhad Masoud , Kengganpanich Mondha , Khan Sabiha , Makutu Litia , Mangum Tamara
Published: October 2023

Introduction
Smokers usually lack confidence to quit smoking due to previous unsuccessful attempts. This study aimed to assess self-efficacy and quitting smoking among current adult smokers in Suva, Fiji.

Methods
This study applied a mixed method design among current adult smokers who attended three randomly selected healthcare centers in Suva, Fiji between 1st May to 31st July 2020. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect quantitative information on smoking and smoking cessation, self-efficacy, and stage of smoking. A semi-structured, open-ended questionnaire was used to guide the interviews. Qualitative data was transcribed and thematic analysis was applied to identify the common themes.

Results
Four hundred sixty-four smokers participated in the quantitative study, with a mean age of 32.7 (SD=12.1). Only 16.6% of participants were at the stage of “Preparation” and 4.95% of them were at the stage of “Action”, according to the stage of change model. Majority of participants (43.1%) had low self-efficacy to quit smoking. Thirty-five smokers participated in in-depth interviews, with majority (48.57%) in the age group of 18-24. Two themes were identified including “Determinants of self-efficacy” and “Factors affecting quit smoking”.

Conclusions
This study showed that adult smokers had low confidence to quit smoking. Developing a tailored intervention using models such as Transtheoretical Model (TTM) and stage of change may help smokers to quit smoking in Fiji.
Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Improves Chronic Pain and Pain-Related Cytokine Levels: A Clinical Study
Authors: Anderson DPM James , Tennant MD Forest , AWHEN PETER
Published: October 2023

Periauricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (pVNS) has been proven safe and effective in reducing chronic pain and related comorbidities in numerous clinical studies. This multicenter, interventional study used a non-randomized, interrupted time-series analysis to test the efficacy of an 8-week treatment protocol using the Stivax neurostimulator device. Subjects (n=33, 15 F, 18 M, age 40-77) were recruited at 3 clinic sites in California and Colorado. All subjects had long-term chronic pain and had failed other treatments. Subjects were treated with the Stivax device 3 times (2 weeks on, 1 week off). Subjective assessments of pain (Visual Analog Scale), disability (Oswestry Disability Index), depression (PHQ-9), and activity (IPAQ-E) were collected at baseline and weekly. Objective blood levels of pain-related cytokines collected at the end of weeks 2 and 8. Most subjects reported reduced pain, disability, and depression, with increased activity levels. At the end of week 8, subjects reported an average reduction in pain by 38.5% (3 subjects reported no pain), depression by 43.6% (2 subjects reported no depression), disability by 38.6% (2 subjects reported no disability), and an average 26.1% increase in activity level (5 subjects doubled their activity level). Levels of the pain-related cytokines IL-1ꞵ, IL-2, IL-3, IL-7, IL-10, IL-15, IL-17α, IL-21, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and FLT3-ligand showed improvement at week 8. pVNS is believed to “reset” central sensitization underlying chronic pain and other central sensitization syndromes, engaging the body’s pain modulation systems. Our results indicate that pVNS can clinically significantly improve chronic pain and associated morbidities without adverse effects.
Survey of user needs and the impact of parking prices on drivers’ motivation to use parking spaces in the capital city of Prague
Authors: Navrátilová Kristýna , Lehet David , Hajčiarová Eva
Published: October 2023

The paper deals with the possibilities of implementing dynamic tariff regulation of on-street parking spaces in the capital city of Prague. Achieving optimal results is conditioned by the implementation of advanced technologies, but at the same time, the dynamic tariff regulation must follow the applicable legislation and, above all, be accepted by drivers. For this reason, the paper briefly discusses the technical and legislative possibilities of implementation, and most attention is paid to the conducted survey of user needs. The survey investigates the impact of parking prices on drivers’ motivation to park their vehicles in the area.
WH-question formation in Hnaring Lutuv
Authors: Gray Rachel , Benavides Jose
Published: October 2023

This squib describes basic WH-question formation in Hnaring Lutuv.
Perlindungan Hukum dan Hak Asasi Manusia terhadap Pekerja Kontrak di Indonesia (Implementasi Berdasarkan Undang-Undang Ketenagakerjaan)
Authors: Thooriq Faridha Ath
Published: October 2023

Hakikat hukum ketenagakerjaan adalah untuk memastikan perlindungan terhadap pekerja dari tindakan sewenang-wenang oleh pihak pengusaha. Hubungan kerja antara perusahaan dan pekerja adalah hubungan saling ketergantungan, di mana keduanya membutuhkan satu sama lain. Perusahaan tidak dapat beroperasi tanpa pekerja, dan sebaliknya, pekerja bekerja untuk mendapatkan upah. Oleh karena itu, kedua belah pihak, entitas serta pekerja mempunyai hak dan tanggung jawab yang perlu dijaga. Satu antara bentuk hak asasi pekerja dalam kesepakatan kerja merupakan hak untuk memperoleh perlindungan yang konsisten dengan prinsip-prinsip agama, kemanusiaan, nilai-nilai Pancasila, serta sasaran Negara yang disebutkan di dalamnya UUD 1945. Perlindungan ini bertujuan demi memastikan kewenangan asas pekerja, memastikan potensi yang sama, juga menghindari segala bentuk diskriminasi guna memastikan kesejahteraan pekerja beserta anggota keluarganya terwujud. Pentingnya juga mengikuti perkembangan dunia bisnis dan kepentingan para pelaku usaha tidak boleh diabaikan. Sarana hukum yang berkaitan dengan pemeliharaan kewenangan pekerja mencakup regulasi seperti UU No. 13 Tahun 2003 mengenai ketenagakerjaan juga aturan yang mengatur urusan ketenagakerjaan. Dalam penulisan ini, digunakan metode penelitian berupa analisis doktrin atau pendekatan yuridis normatif. Pendekatan ini mengeksplorasi hukum sebagai norma yang terdokumentasikan dengan sah dalam aturan regulasi.
Najnowsze opowieści z Górnego Śląska – między sagą rodzinną, herstory i renarracją mitów
Authors: Czyżak Agnieszka
Published: October 2023

The article contains considerations on contemporary everyday life in Silesia. Its main aim is the interpretation of novels written in the late 2010s, for instance Od jednego Lucypera (From the same devil) by Anna Dziewitt-Meller, Pokora by Szczepan Twardoch, Kajś. Opowieść o G.rnym Śląsku (Kajś. A Story of Upper Silesia) by Zbigniew Rokita. Those stories are genologically placed between a family saga, herstory and myth retelling, but the most important purpose for the authors was the recognition of the specific Upper Silesian culture, past and present experiences and visions of the local community.
Berlin i Niemcy w dwóch adaptacjach filmowych powieści Alfreda Döblina Berlin Alexanderplatz
Authors: Nowakowski Jacek
Published: October 2023

The subject of this paper is the image of Berlin and Germany that emerges from two film adaptations of the novel Berlin Alexanderplatz. The first one, a 1980 TV series by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, closely follows the letter and spirit of the original 1929 novel; we see a faithful recreation of the material world and the mindset of German society in the final years of the Weimar Republic. In the second one, a 2021 cinema production by Burhan Qurbani, the plot is modernised. The main context of the film is the plight of refugees and economic migrants in contemporary Germany and the problems portrayed are linked to issues of race and post-colonialism.
Relacje polsko-niemieckie piórem malarza spisane na podstawie Pamiętników Juliana Fałata (1935) i Wspomnień Wojciecha Kossaka (1913/1973)
Authors: Krauze-Pierz Justyna M.
Published: October 2023

This article is an analysis of two autobiographical texts by famous Polish painters of the turn of the century: Julian Fałat’s Pamiętniki (Diaries) from 1935 and Wojciech Kossak’s Wspomnienia (Reminiscences) from 1913. These texts constitute a source of information not only about the life of Polish artists at the imperial court in Berlin, but also a treasury of historical knowledge about the moods prevailing in the Wilhelmine era, the Polish–German relations in particular. In both texts, the most important figure is that of the German emperor, his involvement in the affairs of art and concern for the fate of outstanding Polish painters. The analysed texts allowed, above all, for showing the difficulties in Polish–German relations at the turn of the century, the ambivalence of the German emperor in relation to the Polish issue and individual Poles, and the difficulties of Polish artists in maintaining the balance between being the court painter of the German emperor and a Polish patriot.