bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social-psychological determinants of hormonal contraceptive use intentions among adolescent girls in the Bono East Region of Ghana
Authors: Boamah-Kaali Ellen Abrafi , Ruiter Robert A. C. , Owusu-Agyei Seth , Asante Kwaku Poku , Mevissen Fraukje E. F.
Published: August 2023

Introduction

The correct and consistent use of hormonal contraceptive (HC) methods by sexually active adolescent girls can prevent pregnancy and avert the health and social consequences of unwanted pregnancy for both the mother and her child. Despite these benefits, research shows that HC use is rather low among adolescent girls globally and especially among those in low and middle-income countries. This study was carried out to assess the social-psychological determinants of HC use intentions among adolescent girls and young women.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,203 young women aged 15–24 years from 70 communities within the Kintampo North Municipality and Kintampo South District in the Bono-East Region of Ghana from April 2021 to September 2021. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the intention to use HC among the entire sample of 1,203 respondents and among two sub-samples of young women based on HC use experience.

Results

Attitude toward personal HC use (β = 0.268; p < 0.001), self-efficacy toward access and use of HC (β = 0.341; p < 0.001), and HC use experience (β = 0.647; p < 0.001) were found to be significant and unique correlates of HC use intention among the entire sample of adolescent girls. Attitude toward personal HC use and self-efficacy toward access and use of HC were also associated with HC use intention in the two sub samples significantly (p’s < 0.001). In addition, among participants with no HC experience, being a Christian as opposed to participants that affiliate themselves with Islam, Traditional religion or being non-religious positively predicts future HC use (β = 0.230; p < 0.01).

Conclusion

Our results demonstrate that different groups of adolescent girls need different interventions, focusing on different determinants for the motivation to use HC. Comprehensive sexuality education, informing all adolescent girls about the personal benefits of HC use and enhancing their skills in accessing and using HCs, can support their HC use intentions to promote their reproductive health and general wellbeing.
The effect of educational intervention based on the PEN-3 model on breast cancer screening behaviors
Authors: Shoushtari-Moghaddam Elaheh , Shahnazi Hossein , Hassanzadeh Akbar
Published: August 2023

Background

Breast cancer is the most important malignancy and the main cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. Breast cancer screening is an effective way to reduce breast cancer deaths.

Objectives

The present study aimed to provide breast cancer screening behavior training for female teachers in Isfahan, Iran.

Materials and methods

This randomized controlled trial included 120 teachers who have randomly divided into two groups (60 in the control group and 60 in the intervention group). The data collection tool was a PEN-3 model-based questionnaire. Four 90 min training sessions were held for the intervention group to modify perception and enablers. Breast self-examination (BSE), Clinical breast exam (CBE), and mammography (MMG) were investigated in both groups before and after 6 months after the last training using SPSS20 and appropriate statistical tests.

Results

The frequency of BSE (p = 0.02), CBE (p = 0.04), and MMG (p = 0.01) in the intervention group was significantly higher than in the control group 6 months after training. The mean scores of perception and enablers were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group 3 and 6 months after training (p < 0.001). The logistic regression analysis indicated that perception factors were the strongest predictors of breast cancer screening behavior in teachers.

Conclusion

Results of the present study indicated that using the PEN-3 model in the educational intervention was effective in improving breast cancer screening behavior.
The feasibility, acceptability, cost and benefits of a “communities of practice” model for improving the quality of childcare centres: a mixed-methods study in the informal settlements in Nairobi
Authors: Nampijja Margaret , Langat Nelson , Oloo Linda , Amboka Patrick , Okelo Kenneth , Muendo Ruth , Habib Sabrina , Kiyeng Martin , Ray Anna , Abboah-Offei Mary , Kitsao-Wekulo Patricia , Kimani-Murage Elizabeth , Li Jinshuo , Elsey Helen
Published: August 2023

Background

Informal childcare centres have mushroomed in the informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya to meet the increasing demand. However, centre providers are untrained and the facilities are below standard putting children at risk of poor health and development. We aimed to co-design and test the feasibility, acceptability, cost and potential benefits of a communities of practice (CoP) model where trained community health volunteers (CHVs) provide group training sessions to build skills and improve practices in informal childcare centres.

Methods

A CoP model was co-designed with sub-county health teams, centre providers and parents with inputs from Kidogo, government nutritionists and ECD experts and implemented in 68 childcare centres by trained CHVs. Its feasibility and potential benefits were measured quantitatively and qualitatively. Centre provider (n = 68) and CHV (n = 20) knowledge and practice scores before and after the intervention were assessed and compared. Intervention benefits were examined using linear regressions adjusting for potential confounding factors. We conducted in-depth interviews with 10 parents, 10 CHVs, 10 centre providers and 20 local government officials, and two focus groups with CHVs and centre providers. Qualitative data were analysed, focusing on feasibility, acceptability, potential benefits, challenges and ideas for improvement. Cost for delivering and accessing the intervention were examined.

Results

The intervention was acceptable and feasible to deliver within existing government community health systems; 16 CHVs successfully facilitated CoP sessions to 58 centre providers grouped into 13 groups each with 5–6 centre providers, each group receiving four sessions representing the four modules. There were significant improvements in provider knowledge and practice (effect size = 0.40; p < 0.05) and quality of centre environment (effect size = 0.56; p < 0.01) following the intervention. CHVs’ scores showed no significant changes due to pre-existing high knowledge levels. Qualitative interviews also reported improvements in knowledge and practices and the desire among the different participants for the support to be continued. The total explicit costs were USD 22,598 and the total opportunity costs were USD 3,632 (IQR; USD 3,570, USD 4,049).

Conclusion

A simple model delivered by CHVs was feasible and has potential to improve the quality of informal childcare centres. Leveraging these teams and integration of the intervention into the health system is likely to enable scale-up and sustainability in Kenya and similar contexts.
Prevalence and cost of hospitalized patients with asymptomatic COVID-19 in 2020 in Spain
Authors: Álvarez-del Río Blanca , Sánchez-de Prada Laura , Álvaro-Meca Alejandro , Martín-Fernández Marta , Álvarez F. Javier , Tamayo Eduardo , Gutiérrez-Abejón Eduardo
Published: August 2023

Introduction

COVID-19 transmission has been characterized by the presence of asymptomatic patients. Additionally, most studies evaluating costs focus on symptomatic COVID-19 cases.

Objective

To describe the prevalence, characteristics, and costs of asymptomatic COVID-19 cases at admission in Spanish hospitals in 2020.

Methods

A nationwide study was performed, and data of hospitalized patients were collected of the Minimum Basic Data Set in Spain during 2020. Patients with COVID-19 codes as a primary and as a secondary diagnosis at admission were selected. Variables collected included age, sex, length of stay, in-hospital death, admission, length of stay and death in intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation and ventilatory assistance. COVID-19 related hospital costs were calculated using diagnosis-related groups from the Minimum Basic Data Set. Patients and costs were disaggregated by sex, age group, intensive care unit admission and epidemic wave (first or second) and main diagnosis.

Results

A total of 14,742 patients were admitted with asymptomatic COVID-19 in Spanish hospitals representing 6.35% of all COVID-19 admitted patients. The total cost of admissions with asymptomatic COVID-19 was €105,933,677.6 with a mean cost per patient of €7,185.8 with higher mean cost in the first wave despite only 2.7% of cases were found during that time. Based on primary diagnosis, the higher number of cases of asymptomatic COVID-19 were found in “Pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium” followed by “diseases of the circulatory system”.

Conclusions

There was a high prevalence of asymptomatic cases during screening at admission process in Spanish hospitals in 2020. The highest number of cases was found among the group of “pregnancy, childbirth, and puerperium” followed by “diseases of the circulatory system.” The higher costs might be due not only to the main pathology at admission but to the associated healthcare provisions needed in case of positive COVID-19 testing.
Multimodal quantum metrology in living systems using nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond nanocrystals
Authors: Hart Jack W. , Knowles Helena S.
Published: August 2023

Nitrogen-vacancy centres in diamond nanocrystals are among the leading candidates for realising nanoscale quantum sensing under ambient conditions. Due to their exceptional electronic spin coherence at room temperature and optical addressability, these solid state spin-based sensors can achieve a wide selection of sensing modalities, including probing temperature, external magnetic and electric field, as well as the detection of nearby electronic and nuclear spins. In this article, we discuss recent progress made utilizing nanodiamond quantum sensors in living systems and explore both opportunities for future advances and challenges that lie ahead.
Pore scale modeling of the mutual influence of roots and soil aggregation in the rhizosphere
Authors: Rötzer Maximilian , Prechtel Alexander , Ray Nadja
Published: August 2023

Investigating plant/root-soil interactions at different scales is crucial to advance the understanding of soil structure formation in the rhizosphere. To better comprehend the underlying interwoven processes an explicit, fully dynamic spatial and image-based modeling at the pore scale is a promising tool especially taking into account experimental limitations. We develop a modeling tool to investigate how soil aggregation, root growth and root exudates mutually interact with each other at the micro-scale. This allows the simultaneous simulation of the dynamic rearrangement of soil particles, the input and turnover of particulate organic matter, root growth and decay as well as the deposition, redistribution and decomposition of mucilage in the rhizosphere. The interactions are realized within a cellular automaton framework. The most stable configuration is determined by the amount and attractiveness of surface contacts between the particles, where organo-mineral associations preferably lead to the formation of soil aggregates. Their break-up can be induced by root growth or the degradation of gluing agents previously created after the decomposition of particulate organic matter and mucilage. We illustrate the capability of our model by simulating a full life cycle of a fine root in a two-dimensional, horizontal cross section through the soil. We evaluate various scenarios to identify the role of different drivers such as soil texture and mucilage. We quantify the displacement intensity of individual particles and the variations in local porosity due to the change in available pore space as influenced by the root growth and observe compaction, gap formation and a biopore evolution. The simulation results support that the deposition of mucilage is an important driver for structure formation in the rhizosphere. Although mucilage is degraded within a few days after exudation, it leads to a persistent stabilization of the aggregated structures for both textures in the vicinity of the root within a time frame of 1000 days. Local porosity changes are quantified for exudation periods of 1, 10 and 100 days and are already pronounced for short-term exudation of mucilage. This stabilization is significantly different from the structures encountered when only POM could trigger the evolution of gluing spots, and is still present after complete degradation of the root.
Science goals for a high-frequency radar and radio imaging array
Authors: Isham Brett , Bullett Terence , Gustavsson Björn , Polisensky Emil , Brum Christiano , Fallen Christopher , Belyey Vasyl , Parra-Rojas Francisco , Norouzi Leila , Stramkals Arturs , Ökten Mehmet Baran
Published: August 2023

A medium and high-frequency antenna array for radar and radio imaging of the ionosphere is planned for installation in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Science goals include the study of space weather, radio propagation, meteors, lightning, and plasma physics. Radio imaging is ideal for the study of stimulated ionospheric radio emissions, such as those induced by the Arecibo Observatory high-power HF radio transmitter, which is likely to be restored to operation in the near future. The array will be complemented by a wide variety of instruments fielded by collaborators, and will be a rich source of student projects at all levels.
Sodium dichloroisocyanurate: improving broiler health by reducing harmful microbial levels in the waterline
Authors: Zou Qiangqiang , Meng Weishuang , Wang Chunqiang , Wang Tieliang , Liu Xiao , Li Desheng
Published: August 2023

Sodium dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC) is commonly used for treating drinking water, industrial water, and wastewater. This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of NaDCC-treated waterline drinking water on the growth of AA+ broilers by reducing microbial levels in the waterline. A total of 480 healthy 1-day-old AA+ broilers (46.77 ± 0.50 g) were selected for the experiment and randomly divided into four groups with six replicates of 20 birds each. The control group received regular drinking water, while the test groups received drinking water with NaDCC concentrations of 10, 30, and 50 mg/L. The test groups consumed the treated water on specific days throughout the 42-day experimental period. Results showed that NaDCC treatment significantly reduced the levels of E. coli, Salmonella, S. aureus and Moulds in the drinking water at the waterline (p < 0.05). Drinking water with NaDCC also led to reduced broiler fecal emissions of NH3 and H2S, as well as reduced counts of E. coli, Salmonella, S. aureus and Moulds (p < 0.05), particularly at 30 mg/L and 50 mg/L concentrations. Broilers consuming NaDCC at 50 mg/L exhibited a significant increase in ADG from days 1–42 (p < 0.05). The levels of E. coli, Salmonella, S. aureus and Moulds in the drinking water at the waterline were significantly and positively correlated with the bacterial count in the feces (p < 0.05, R > 0.6). Additionally, bacterial levels in drinking water and broiler feces were negatively correlated with broiler production performance indicators, including ADG, ADFI, F/G and AWC. In conclusion, NaDCC can indirectly enhance broiler performance by reducing the levels of harmful bacteria in the waterline without affecting normal drinking water. The addition of 30 mg/L or 50 mg/L of NaDCC to the waterline in poultry production can effectively control harmful microorganisms and improve poultry health. Based on the experiment’s results, it is recommended to preferentially use 30 mg/L NaDCC in the waterline to reduce farming costs.
A Quantitative Study of Aircraft Maintenance Accidents in Commercial Air Transport
Authors: Wild Graham
Published: August 2023

Aircraft maintenance is defined by the ICAO as the tasks that need to be carried out on an aircraft to ensure its continuing airworthiness. Accidents that result from aircraft maintenance activities are a direct measurable outcome that can be used to broadly assess the effectiveness of maintenance activities. This research seeks to understand the characteristics of aircraft-maintenance-related accidents and how these have changed over time. An exploratory design was utilized, which commenced with a content analysis of 358 accidents from the Aviation Safety Network, followed by a quantitative ex post facto study. The results showed that aircraft-maintenance-related accidents were 1.7 times less fatal compared to all aviation accidents in the database. Fatalities were reduced significantly from the 1990s following major accidents with many fatalities; this was countered by several industry-wide initiatives. However, the number of accidents have continued to grow by one each year. Relative to all accidents, it was found that maintenance contributes to (2.0 ± 0.4)% of all accidents, which increased to (3.8 ± 0.7)% from 1998 to 2019, up from (1.3 ± 0.2)% from 1941 to 1997. However, the rate of maintenance accidents per kilometer flown has decreased exponentially halving every 27.7 years. The results showed that the most common age of an aircraft involved in a maintenance accident was 5 to 15 years, corresponding to the first heavy maintenance period of an aircraft (6 to 12 years). Further results for age showed no correlation to the fatalness of accidents; however, older aircraft were more likely to be written off.
Evaluating Deep Learning Techniques for Blind Image Super-Resolution within a High-Scale Multi-Domain Perspective
Authors: de Santiago Júnior Valdivino Alexandre
Published: August 2023

Despite several solutions and experiments have been conducted recently addressing image super-resolution (SR), boosted by deep learning (DL), they do not usually design evaluations with high scaling factors. Moreover, the datasets are generally benchmarks which do not truly encompass significant diversity of domains to proper evaluate the techniques. It is also interesting to remark that blind SR is attractive for real-world scenarios since it is based on the idea that the degradation process is unknown, and, hence, techniques in this context rely basically on low-resolution (LR) images. In this article, we present a high-scale (8×) experiment which evaluates five recent DL techniques tailored for blind image SR: Adaptive Pseudo Augmentation (APA), Blind Image SR with Spatially Variant Degradations (BlindSR), Deep Alternating Network (DAN), FastGAN, and Mixture of Experts Super-Resolution (MoESR). We consider 14 datasets from five different broader domains (Aerial, Fauna, Flora, Medical, and Satellite), and another remark is that some of the DL approaches were designed for single-image SR but others not. Based on two no-reference metrics, NIQE and the transformer-based MANIQA score, MoESR can be regarded as the best solution although the perceptual quality of the created high-resolution (HR) images of all the techniques still needs to improve.
Dogs Can Be Reservoirs of Escherichia coli Strains Causing Urinary Tract Infection in Human Household Contacts
Authors: Damborg Peter , Pirolo Mattia , Schøn Poulsen Laura , Frimodt-Møller Niels , Guardabassi Luca
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to investigate the role played by pets as reservoirs of Escherichia coli strains causing human urinary tract infections (UTIs) in household contacts. Among 119 patients with community-acquired E. coli UTIs, we recruited 19 patients who lived with a dog or a cat. Fecal swabs from the household pet(s) were screened by antimicrobial selective culture to detect E. coli displaying the resistance profile of the human strain causing UTI. Two dogs shed E. coli isolates indistinguishable from the UTI strain by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Ten months later, new feces from these dogs and their owners were screened selectively and quantitatively for the presence of the UTI strain, followed by core-genome phylogenetic analysis of all isolates. In one pair, the resistance phenotype of the UTI strain occurred more frequently in human (108 CFU/g) than in canine feces (104 CFU/g), and human fecal isolates were more similar (2–7 SNPs) to the UTI strain than canine isolates (83–86 SNPs). In the other pair, isolates genetically related to the UTI strain (23–40 SNPs) were only detected in canine feces (105 CFU/g). These results show that dogs can be long-term carriers of E. coli strains causing UTIs in human household contacts.
Role of Fork-Head Box Genes in Breast Cancer: From Drug Resistance to Therapeutic Targets
Authors: Sadaf  , Hazazi Ali , Alkhalil Samia S. , Alsaiari Ahad Amer , Gharib Amal F. , Alhuthali Hayaa M. , Rana Shanika , Aloliqi Abdulaziz A. , Eisa Alaa Abdulaziz , Hasan Mohammad Raghibul , Dev Kapil
Published: August 2023

Breast cancer has been acknowledged as one of the most notorious cancers, responsible for millions of deaths around the globe. Understanding the various factors, genetic mutations, comprehensive pathways, etc., that are involved in the development of breast cancer and how these affect the development of the disease is very important for improving and revitalizing the treatment of this global health issue. The forkhead-box gene family, comprising 19 subfamilies, is known to have a significant impact on the growth and progression of this cancer. The article looks into the various forkhead genes and how they play a role in different types of cancer. It also covers their impact on cancer drug resistance, interaction with microRNAs, explores their potential as targets for drug therapies, and their association with stem cells.
The Potential Role of the T2 Ribonucleases in TME-Based Cancer Therapy
Authors: Campomenosi Paola , Mortara Lorenzo , Bassani Barbara , Valli Roberto , Porta Giovanni , Bruno Antonino , Acquati Francesco
Published: August 2023

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in developing innovative anticancer therapies targeting the tumor microenvironment (TME). The TME is a complex and dynamic milieu surrounding the tumor mass, consisting of various cellular and molecular components, including those from the host organism, endowed with the ability to significantly influence cancer development and progression. Processes such as angiogenesis, immune evasion, and metastasis are crucial targets in the search for novel anticancer drugs. Thus, identifying molecules with “multi-tasking” properties that can counteract cancer cell growth at multiple levels represents a relevant but still unmet clinical need. Extensive research over the past two decades has revealed a consistent anticancer activity for several members of the T2 ribonuclease family, found in evolutionarily distant species. Initially, it was believed that T2 ribonucleases mainly acted as anticancer agents in a cell-autonomous manner. However, further investigation uncovered a complex and independent mechanism of action that operates at a non-cell-autonomous level, affecting crucial processes in TME-induced tumor growth, such as angiogenesis, evasion of immune surveillance, and immune cell polarization. Here, we review and discuss the remarkable properties of ribonucleases from the T2 family in the context of “multilevel” oncosuppression acting on the TME.
Therapeutic Potential of BMP7 in the Treatment of Osteoporosis Caused by the Interaction between Inflammation and Corticosteroids in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Smoljan Ivana , Detel Dijana , Buljevic Suncica , Erjavec Igor , Marić Ivana
Published: August 2023

Individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of bone impairment, which is a process controlled by the RANKL/RANK/OPG system, mostly due to chronic inflammation and corticosteroid treatment. Bone morphogenic protein 7 (BMP7) has a complex role in maintaining inflammation and bone remodeling but little is known about its anti-inflammatory potential in chronic colitis. We investigated the effect of systemically administered BMP7 and corticosteroids on the severity of inflammation, macrophage differentiation, and bone regeneration in a chronic IBD model. Methods: Chronic colitis was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats via weekly administration of 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid over 21 days following BMP7 or corticosteroid treatment for five days. The levels of serum and colon tissue inflammatory cytokines, RANKL/OPG system, as well as markers of macrophage polarization, were detected using RT-PCR, ELISA, or immunohistochemistry. Long bone and spine analyses were performed using microcomputed tomography (micro-CT). Results: The administration of BMP7 reduced the adverse effects of colitis and led to elevated OPG and RANK in the colon with a simultaneous decrease in TNF-α and an increase in IL-10 and TGF-β. Decreased expression of the M2 macrophage marker CD163 was found in the BMP7-treated rats compared with the colitis group, whereas the number of M1 marker iNOS-positive cells did not differ between the groups. As a result of the BMP7 treatment, morphometric parameters of trabecular bone increased, and increased trabecular separation noted in the colitis group did not appear. Conclusions: We showed that BMP7 suppressed the inflammatory response in chronic colitis, mainly by shifting the cytokine balance and by triggering alterations in the RANKL/OPG system rather than through a macrophage polarization imbalance. In addition, considering the demonstrated effect of BMP7 on bone morphology and structure, it can be suggested that BMP7 plays a role in the managing of osteoporosis in chronic colitis, and thus, its therapeutic potential in the treatment of IBD should be further evaluated.
The Pig as a Translational Animal Model for Biobehavioral and Neurotrauma Research
Authors: Netzley Alesa H. , Pelled Galit
Published: August 2023

In recent decades, the pig has attracted considerable attention as an important intermediary model animal in translational biobehavioral research due to major similarities between pig and human neuroanatomy, physiology, and behavior. As a result, there is growing interest in using pigs to model many human neurological conditions and injuries. Pigs are highly intelligent and are capable of performing a wide range of behaviors, which can provide valuable insight into the effects of various neurological disease states. One area in which the pig has emerged as a particularly relevant model species is in the realm of neurotrauma research. Indeed, the number of investigators developing injury models and assessing treatment options in pigs is ever-expanding. In this review, we examine the use of pigs for cognitive and behavioral research as well as some commonly used physiological assessment methods. We also discuss the current usage of pigs as a model for the study of traumatic brain injury. We conclude that the pig is a valuable animal species for studying cognition and the physiological effect of disease, and it has the potential to contribute to the development of new treatments and therapies for human neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Progress and Prospects of Gene Editing in Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Zhang Zhenwu , Bao Xinyu , Lin Chao-Po
Published: August 2023

Applying programmable nucleases in gene editing has greatly shaped current research in basic biology and clinical translation. Gene editing in human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), is highly relevant to clinical cell therapy and thus should be examined with particular caution. First, since all mutations in PSCs will be carried to all their progenies, off-target edits of editors will be amplified. Second, due to the hypersensitivity of PSCs to DNA damage, double-strand breaks (DSBs) made by gene editing could lead to low editing efficiency and the enrichment of cell populations with defective genomic safeguards. In this regard, DSB-independent gene editing tools, such as base editors and prime editors, are favored due to their nature to avoid these consequences. With more understanding of the microbial world, new systems, such as Cas-related nucleases, transposons, and recombinases, are also expanding the toolbox for gene editing. In this review, we discuss current applications of programmable nucleases in PSCs for gene editing, the efforts researchers have made to optimize these systems, as well as new tools that can be potentially employed for differentiation modeling and therapeutic applications.
Rare Nuclearities and Unprecedented Structural Motifs in Manganese Cluster Chemistry from the Combined Use of Di-2-Pyridyl Ketone with Selected Diols
Authors: Skordi Katerina , Alexandropoulos Dimitris I. , Fournet Adeline D. , Panagiotou Nikos , Moushi Eleni E. , Papatriantafyllopoulou Constantina , Christou George , Tasiopoulos Anastasios J.
Published: August 2023

The combined use of di-2-pyridyl ketone ((py)2CO) with various diols in Mn cluster chemistry has afforded five new compounds, namely, [Mn11O2(OH)2{(py)2CO2}5(pd)(MeCO2)3(N3)3(NO3)2(DMF)4](NO3)∙2DMF∙H2O (1∙2DMF∙H2O), [Mn11O2(OH)2{(py)2CO2}5(mpd)(MeCO2)3(N3)3(NO3)2(DMF)4](NO3) (2), [Mn12O4(OH)2{(py)2CO2}4(mpd)2(Me3CCO2)4(NO3)4(H2O)6](NO3)2∙2MeCN (3∙2MeCN), [Mn4(OMe)2{(py)2C(OMe)O}2(2-hp)2(NO3)2(DMF)2] (4), and [Mn7{(py)2CO2}4(2-hp)4(NO3)2(DMF)2](ClO4)∙DMF (5∙DMF) ((py)2CO22− and (py)2C(OMe)O− = gem-diol and hemiketal derivatives of di-2-pyridyl ketone, pdH2 = 1,3-propanediol, mpdH2 = 2-metly-1,3-propanediol, 2-hpH2 = 2-(hydroxymethyl)phenol). Complexes 1 and 2 are isostructural, possessing an asymmetric [MnIII5MnII6(μ4-O)(μ3-O)(μ3-OH)(μ-OH)(μ3-OR)2(μ-OR)10(μ-N3)]8+ core. Compound 3 is based on a multilayer [MnIII8MnII4(μ4-O)2(μ3-O)2(μ3-OH)2(μ-OR)12]10+ core, while complex 4 comprises a defective dicubane core. The crystal structure of 5 reveals that it is based on an unusual non-planar [MnIII5MnII2(μ-OR)12]7+ core with a serpentine-like topology. Direct current (dc) magnetic susceptibility studies revealed the presence of dominant antiferromagnetic exchange interactions in complex 3, while ferromagnetic coupling between the Mn ions was detected in the case of compound 5. Fitting of the magnetic data for complex 4 revealed weak antiferromagnetic interactions along the peripheral MnII∙∙∙MnIII ions (Jwb = −0.33 (1) cm−1) and ferromagnetic interactions between the central MnIII∙∙∙MnIII ions (Jbb = 6.28 (1) cm−1).
Electrochemical Biosensing Methods for Detecting Epigenetic Modifications
Authors: Huang Ziyue , Dou Yanzhi , Su Jing , Li Tie , Song Shiping
Published: August 2023

Epigenetic modifications are closely related to diseases and physiological health, mainly including DNA methylation, RNA methylation, histone acetylation, and noncoding RNA. Recently, a large amount of research has been conducted on the detection of epigenetic modifications. Electrochemical biosensors, with their low cost, high sensitivity, high compatibility, and simple operation, have been widely used in the detection of epigenetic biomarkers. This review discusses the detection of epigenetic biomarkers using different electrochemical sensing methods. Here we discuss various aspects, including free labels, signal labeling, signal amplification, nano-based electrodes, and the combined use of other methods. By summarizing the existing electrochemical detection methods for epigenetic modifications, this review also proposes future development trends and challenges for electrochemical biosensors in this field.
A Review on Non-Noble Metal Substrates for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection
Authors: Chen Ying , Hu Yuling , Li Gongke
Published: August 2023

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), a powerful spectroscopic technique owing to its abundant vibrational fingerprints, has been widely employed for the assay of analytes. It is generally considered that one of the critical factors determining the SERS performance is the property of the substrate materials. Apart from noble metal substrates, non-noble metal nanostructured materials, as emerging new substrates, have been extensively studied for SERS research by virtue of their superior biocompatibility, good chemical stability, outstanding selectivity, and unique physicochemical properties such as adjustable band structure and carrier concentration. Herein, in this review, we summarized the research on the analytical application of non-noble metal SERS substrates from three aspects. Firstly, we started with an introduction to the possible enhancement mechanism of non-noble metal substrates. Then, as a guideline for substrates design, several main types of materials, including carbon nanomaterials, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), metal oxides, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXenes), and conjugated polymers were discussed. Finally, we especially emphasized their analytical application, such as the detection of pollutants and biomarkers. Moreover, the challenges and attractive research prospects of non-noble metal SERS substrates in practical application were proposed. This work may arouse more awareness of the practical application of the non-noble metal material-based SERS substrates, especially for bioanalysis.
The Unique Role of Peer Support: Exploring the Effects of Various Sources of Social Support on the Mental Health of Unaccompanied Children in China under Residential Education
Authors: Dong Lizhang , Peng Yanan , Zhang Ran , Ju Kang , Xi Juzhe
Published: August 2023

This study investigates the impact of various sources of social support on the mental health of unaccompanied children under residential education in China. Unaccompanied children refer to those whose parents are still alive but unable to raise them due to various reasons. The study utilized self-reported questionnaires administered at two time waves, with the first wave (T1) evaluating family support, teacher support, and peer support, and the second wave (T2) evaluating depression, subjective well-being, and resilience. A total of 202 participants completed both surveys. To examine the predictive effect of different sources of social support on the mental health of these children, the study used the structural equation model with depression and subjective well-being as indicators. The results show that neither family support nor teacher support (T1) had a significant effect on the mental health (T2) of the children. However, peer support (T1) had a significant positive predictive effect on mental health (T2), indicating the unique role of peer support in promoting the mental health of unaccompanied children. The study also explored the mediating role of resilience between social support and well-being, revealing that though the direct effect of teacher support (T1) on mental health (T2) was not significant, the indirect mediating effect of resilience on the relationship between teacher support and mental health was significant. Both the direct and indirect effect of family support (T1) on mental health (T2) were not significant. These findings highlight the importance of creating a positive peer environment for unaccompanied children to promote their mental health. This study has important practical implications for the development of effective intervention programs aimed at improving the mental health of this population.
A New Experimental Design to Examine Cognitive Biases for Gastrointestinal Related Stimuli in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Bjerre-Nielsen Ellen , Kallesøe Karen Hansen , Nielsen Eva Skovslund , Gehrt Tine Bennedsen , Frostholm Lisbeth , Rask Charlotte Ulrikka
Published: August 2023

Cognitive biases toward disorder-specific stimuli are suggested as crucial to the development and maintenance of symptoms in adults with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID). Functional abdominal pain disorders (FAPD), a subtype of FGID, are common in children and adolescents, but the influence of cognitive biases is sparsely examined. This study aimed to (1) develop a new experimental design for assessing cognitive biases toward gastrointestinal stimuli in children and adolescents (aged 8 to 17 years) and (2) derive comparative data on bias toward gastrointestinal stimuli using a healthy “normative” sample. The online experimental design–BY-GIS (Bias in Youth toward GastroIntestinal-related Stimuli)—includes a word task and a picture task. Stimuli in both tasks are related to general and gastrointestinal symptoms, and the design includes three phases: (1) encoding, (2) free recall, and (3) recognition. Data were collected between April 2022 and April 2023 from 96 healthy participants (Mage = 12.32, 47.92% female). Adolescents were significantly better at recalling words than children (p = 0.03), whereas there were no significant gender or age differences with regard to recalling pictures (p > 0.05). Across age and gender, participants performed above chance level in the recognition phases of both tasks. The results support that the design is suitable within the age span.
Comparison of Three Different Multiple Organ Dysfunction Scores for Predicting Mortality after Neonatal Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Bezirganoglu Handan , Okur Nilufer , Ozdemir Fatih , Gul Ozlem , Aldudak Bedri
Published: August 2023

Infants who undergo cardiac surgery frequently have complications that may advance to multiple organ failure and result in mortality. This study aims to compare three different multiple organ dysfunction scoring systems: the Neonatal Multiple Organ Dysfunction (NEOMOD) score, the modified NEOMOD score, and the Pediatric Logistic Organ Dysfunction-2 (PELOD-2) score in predicting postoperative 30-day mortality in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. This retrospective cohort study was conducted between January 2019 and February 2021 in a single unit on neonates operated on due to congenital heart disease in the first 28 days of life. Patients who underwent off-pump surgeries were excluded from the study. The NEOMOD, modified NEOMOD, and PELOD-2 scores were calculated for each of the first 3 days following surgery. A total of 138 patients were included. All scores had satisfactory goodness-of-fit and at least good discriminative ability on each day. The modified NEOMOD score consistently demonstrated the best prediction among these three scores after the first day, reaching its peak performance on day 2 (area under curve: 0.824, CI: 0.75–0.89). Our findings suggest that NEOMOD and modified NEOMOD scores in the first 72 h could potentially serve as a predictor of mortality in this population.
Probiotics and Fecal Transplant: An Intervention in Delaying Chronic Kidney Disease Progression?
Authors: Sanekommu Harshavardhan , Taj Sobaan , Mah Noor Rida , Umair Akmal Muhammad , Akhtar Reza , Hossain Mohammad , Asif Arif
Published: August 2023

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health challenge affecting nearly 700 million people worldwide. In the United States alone, the Medicare costs for CKD management has reached nearly USD 80 billion per year. While reversing CKD may be possible in the future, current strategies aim to slow its progression. For the most part, current management strategies have focused on employing Renin Angiotensin Aldosterone (RAS) inhibitors and optimizing blood pressure and diabetes mellitus control. Emerging data are showing that a disruption of the gut–kidney axis has a significant impact on delaying CKD progression. Recent investigations have documented promising results in using microbiota-based interventions to better manage CKD. This review will summarize the current evidence and explore future possibilities on the use of probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, and fecal microbial transplant to reduce CKD progression.
Salvage Whole-Pelvic Radiation and Long-Term Androgen-Deprivation Therapy in the Management of High-Risk Prostate Cancer: Long-Term Update of the McGill 0913 Study
Authors: Elakshar Sara , Tolba Marwan , Tisseverasinghe Steven , Pruneau Laurie , Di Lalla Vanessa , Bahoric Boris , Niazi Tamim
Published: August 2023

Purpose: To report the long-term outcomes of the McGill 0913 study and the potential benefits of combining prostate-bed radiotherapy (PBRT), pelvic-lymph-node radiotherapy (PLNRT), and long term ADT (LT-ADT). Materials and Methods: From 2010 to 2016, 46 high-risk prostate cancer patients who experienced biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) were enrolled in this single-arm phase II clinical trial. The patients were eligible if they had a Gleason score > 8, locally advanced disease (≥pT3), a preoperative PSA of >20 ng/mL, or positive lymph nodes (LN). The patients were treated with a combination of 24 months of ADT, PBRT, and PLNRT. The primary outcome was biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS) and the predefined secondary endpoints included distant-metastasis-free survival (DMFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. In this update, we also report the median follow-up of 8.8 years and 10 years OS. Results: At a median follow-up of 8.8 years, 43 patients were eligible for analysis. The median pre-salvage PSA was 0.30 μg/L. Half (51%) of the patients (n = 22) had positive margins, 40% (n = 17) had Gleason scores > 8, 63% (n = 27) had extracapsular extension, 42% (n = 18) had seminal vesicle invasion, and 19% (n = 8) had LN involvement. The 10-year bPFS was 68.3 %. The 10-year DMFS was 72.9%. The 10-year OS was 97%. There were two non-cancer-related deaths. The first patient died of congestive heart failure while the other died of an unknown cause. No new toxicity was observed after the initial report. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that treatment escalation with PBRT, PLNRT, and LT-ADT improves long term outcomes. In view of the recently published SPPORT study, we conclude that this novel approach of treatment intensification in high-risk post-prostatectomy patients is safe and effective, and that it should be offered as the standard of care.
Current Challenges and Disparities in the Delivery of Equitable Breast Cancer Care in Canada
Authors: Jackson Emily B. , Simmons Christine E. , Chia Stephen K.
Published: August 2023

Recent exciting advances in the diagnosis and management of breast cancer have improved outcomes for Canadians diagnosed and living with breast cancer. However, the reach of this progress has been uneven; disparities in accessing care across Canada are increasingly being recognized and are at risk of broadening. Members of racial minority groups, economically disadvantaged individuals, or those who live in rural or remote communities have consistently been shown to experience greater challenges in accessing ‘state of the art’ cancer care. The Canadian context also presents unique challenges—vast geography and provincial jurisdiction of the delivery of cancer care and drug funding create significant interprovincial differences in the patient experience. In this commentary, we review the core concepts of health equity, barriers to equitable delivery of breast cancer care, populations at risk, and recommendations for the advancement of health equity in the Canadian cancer system.
Cancer-Related Pain Management in Suitable Intrathecal Therapy Candidates: A Spanish Multidisciplinary Expert Consensus
Authors: Pérez Concha , Quintanar Teresa , García Carmen , Cuervo Miguel Ángel , Goberna María Jesús , Monleón Manuela , González Ana I. , Lizán Luís , Comellas Marta , Álvarez María , Peña Isaac
Published: August 2023

A consensus is needed among healthcare professionals involved in easing oncological pain in patients who are suitable candidates for intrathecal therapy. A Delphi consultation was conducted, guided by a multidisciplinary scientific committee. The 18-item study questionnaire was designed based on a literature review together with a discussion group. The first-round questionnaire assessed experts’ opinion of the current general practice, as well as their recommendation and treatment feasibility in the near future (2–3-year period) using a 9-point Likert scale. Items for which consensus was not achieved were included in a second round. Consensus was defined as ≥75% agreement (1–3 or 7–9). A total of 67 panelists (response rate: 63.2%) and 62 (92.5%) answered the first and second Delphi rounds, respectively. The participants were healthcare professionals from multiple medical disciplines who had an average of 17.6 (7.8) years of professional experience. A consensus was achieved on the recommendations (100%). The actions considered feasible to implement in the short term included effective multidisciplinary coordination, improvement in communication among the parties, and an assessment of patient satisfaction. Efforts should focus on overcoming the barriers identified, eventually leading to the provision of more comprehensive care and consideration of the patient’s perspective.
Opinion Dynamics Explain Price Formation in Prediction Markets
Authors: Restocchi Valerio , McGroarty Frank , Gerding Enrico , Brede Markus
Published: August 2023

Prediction markets are heralded as powerful forecasting tools, but models that describe them often fail to capture the full complexity of the underlying mechanisms that drive price dynamics. To address this issue, we propose a model in which agents belong to a social network, have an opinion about the probability of a particular event to occur, and bet on the prediction market accordingly. Agents update their opinions about the event by interacting with their neighbours in the network, following the Deffuant model of opinion dynamics. Our results suggest that a simple market model that takes into account opinion formation dynamics is capable of replicating the empirical properties of historical prediction market time series, including volatility clustering and fat-tailed distribution of returns. Interestingly, the best results are obtained when there is the right level of variance in the opinions of agents. Moreover, this paper provides a new way to indirectly validate opinion dynamics models against real data by using historical data obtained from PredictIt, which is an exchange platform whose data have never been used before to validate models of opinion diffusion.
Acceleration Analysis of Canned Motors for SMR Coolant Pumps
Authors: Kanyolo Timothy Ngumbi , Oyando Harold Chisano , Chang Choong-koo
Published: August 2023

An SMR (small modular reactor) is expected to be able to operate flexibly in conjunction with a high renewable energy penetration grid as a result of improved safety and easy power control compared to large nuclear power plants. SMRs, such as South Korea’s System-integrated Modular Advanced ReacTor (SMART), are designed to use canned motors (CMs) for their reactor coolant pumps (RCPs) to enhance their safety. CMs passively enhance the reactor’s safety by preventing the leakage of radioactive reactor coolant. However, with motor sizes designed to be as small as possible, and the increased air gap of CMs between the stator and rotor, the starting torque may be insufficiently low compared to that of similar-sized induction motors (IMs). Thus, CMs may require variable frequency drives (VFDs) to start. This paper compares the torque characteristics of CMs with those of IMs for SMART’s RCPs. ETAP is then used to perform a motor-starting analysis for CMs activated with and without VFDs. The results are presented and analyzed to find out if VFDs can deal with the CM starting torque issue.