bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors for success and failure in international medical graduates: a systematic review of prognostic factor studies
Authors: Schabort Inge , Abdar Meysam , Couban Rachel , Roberts Nia , Heneghan Carl , Arora Neha , Ashoorion Vahid
Published: February 2024

Background
International Medical Graduates (IMG) are an essential part of the international physician workforce, and exploring the predictors of success and failure for IMGs could help inform international and national physician labour workforce selection and planning.
Methods
We searched 11 databases, including Medline, Embase and LILACS, from inception to February 2022 for studies that explored the predictors of success and failure in IMGs. We reported baseline probability, effect size in relative risk (RR), odds ratio (OR) or hazard ratio (HR) and absolute probability change for success and failure across six groups of outcomes, including success in qualifying and certificate exams, successful matching into residency, retention in practice, disciplinary actions, and outcomes of IMG clinical practice.
Results
Twenty-five studies (375,549 participants) reported the association of 93 predictors of success and failure for IMGs. Female sex, English proficiency, graduation recency, higher scores in USMLE step 2 and participation in a skill assessment program were associated with success in qualifying exams. Female sex, fluency in English, previous internship and results of qualifying exams were associated with success in certification exams. Retention to work in Canada was associated with several factors, including male gender, graduating within the past five years, and completing residency over fellowships. In the UK, IMGs and candidates who attempted PLAB part 1, ≥4 times vs first attempters, and candidates who attempted PLAB part 2, ≥3 times vs first attempters were more likely to be censured in future practice. Patients treated by IMGs had significantly lower mortalities than those treated by US graduates, and patients of IMGs had lower mortalities [OR: 0.82 (95% CI: 0.62, 0.99)] than patients of US citizens who trained abroad.
Conclusions
This study informed factors associated with the success and failure of IMGs and is the first systematic review on this topic, which can inform IMG selection and future studies.
Systematic review registration
PROSPERO: CRD42021252678
Photoemission Evidence of a Novel Charge Order in Kagome Metal FeGe
Authors: Jiang Juan , Zhao Zhisheng , Li Tongrui , Li Peng , Wu X. L. , Yao Jianghao , Chen Ziyuan , Yan Ya-Jun , Cui Shengtao , Sun Zhe , Yang Yichen , Jiang Zhicheng , Liu Zhengtai , Louat Alex , Kim Timur , Cacho Cephise , Wang Aifeng , Wang Yilin , Shen Dawei , Feng Donglai
Published: February 2024

A charge order has been discovered to emerge deep into the antiferromagnetic phase of the kagome metal FeGe. However, due to the existence of defects, the as-grown FeGe sample shows a nano-scale phase separation with a short range charge order behavior and this can be removed by annealing procedure where long range charge order phase will be stabilized. Thus, to study its intrinsic origin, the evolution of the low-lying electronic structure across the charge order phase transition of the annealed FeGe sample is investigated with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We do not find signatures supporting nesting mechanism between Fermi surface sections or van-Hove singularities for the charge order formation in FeGe. However, two obvious changes in the band structure have been detected, i.e., one electron-like band around the K point and another one around the A point move upward in energy position when the charge order forms. These features can be well reproduced by our density-functional theory calculations, where the charge order is primarily driven by magnetic energy saving via large dimerizations of a quarter of Ge1-sites (in the kagome plane) along the c-axis. Our results provide strong support for this novel charge order formation mechanism in FeGe, in contrast to the conventional nesting mechanism.
Deep learning algorithm for detecting obstructive coronary artery disease using fundus photographs
Authors: Zeng Yong , Ding Yaodong , zhou Sijin , Zhang Gong , Ma Tong , Ju Lie , Cheng Shengjin , Liu Xianxia , Liu Yajuan , Zhang Qihua , Chen Yuzhong , Ge Zongyuan
Published: February 2024

Previous studies validating fundus photographs to provide information about coronary artery disease (CAD) risk are limited. Deep learning further facilitates and enhances the use of fundus photography. Therefore, we aimed to design and prospectively validate a deep learning model for detecting obstructive CADin patients with suspected coronary artery disease.The algorithm was trained to predict obstructive CAD using fundus photographs of 4808 participants in validation group and 1385 patientsin external test group. The performance of the model was evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) with the cardiologist's diagnosis as the reference standard and compared to pre-test probability models. The algorithm had an AUC of 0.833 and 0.751 for detecting obstructive CAD in the validation and external test groups, respectively, which was higher than the Updated Diamond Forrester Method and the Duke Clinical Score. The proposed deep learning model has a moderate performance in diagnosing obstructive CAD. The results from this multicenter study advance the development of clinically applicable and interpretable deep learning systems for detecting obstructive CAD from fundus photographs.
Clinical predictors of treatment outcome in Melanesian adults with Tuberculous Meningitis at the Kundiawa General Hospital in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Jnr Stanley Aiwara , Aglua Izzard
Published: February 2024

Background
Tuberculous meningitis is the most severe form of extrapulmonary TB and accounted for 5% of 10 million global TB cases in the WHO 2018 report, with mortality as high as 19% in children and 30% in adults. Clinicians in resource-poor settings are often challenged by limited diagnostic and therapeutic options for optimal patient care, and often rely on clinical parameters for diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and outcome.
Aim
This study was done to identify potential clinical predictors of i) 28-day mortality and ii) length of hospitalization, amongst Melanesian adults with TB meningitis at a provincial hospital in Papua New Guinea.
Method
A retrospective observational study was conducted on 65 Melanesian adults with TB meningitis at a provincial hospital in Papua New Guinea between 2015 and 2019.
Result
High case fatality (49%) and mortality rates (2.22 per 100 000 per year) for TB Meningitis were observed in this study. Even higher case fatality of 93% observed for HIV-TBM co-infection. 28-day mortality associated with HIV-TBM co-infection (p-value=0.007, 95% CI 2.49-289.19), positive fluid balance 24-hours after admission (p-value=0.019, 95% CI 1.23-10.19) and admission GCS ≤10 (p-value=0.049, 95% CI 1.01-16.58).
Conclusion
Study showed high case fatality (49%) and mortality rates (2.22 per 100,000 per year) for TB Meningitis in Melanesian adults, with significantly high case fatality (93%) for HIV-TBM co-infection. HIV-TBM co-infection was strongly associated with 28-day mortality whilst a positive fluid balance 24-hours after admission and admission-GCS ≤10 were weakly associated with 28-day mortality.
Elucidating the biotechnological potential of the genera Parageobacillus and Saccharococcus through comparative genomic and pan-genome analysis
Authors: Mol Michael , De Maayer Pieter
Published: February 2024

Background:The genusGeobacillusand its associated taxa have been the focal point of numerous thermophilic biotechnological investigations, both at the whole cell and enzyme level. By contrast, comparatively little research has been done on its recently delineated sister genus,Parageobacillus.Here we performed phylogenomic and pan-genomic analyses on a subset of publicly availableParageobacillusgenomes to elucidate their biotechnological potential.Results:Phylogenomic analysis delineated the compared taxa intotwo distinct genera,ParageobacillusandSaccharococcus. Both genera present open pan-genomes, with the speciesP. toebiibeing characterized with the highest novel gene accrual. Diversification of the two genera is driven through the variable presence of plasmids, bacteriophages and transposable elements. Both genera present a range ofpotentially biotechnologically relevant features, including a source of novel antimicrobials, thermostable enzymes including DNA-active enzymes, carbohydrate active enzymes, proteases, lipases and carboxylesterases. Furthermore, they present a number of metabolic pathways pertinent to degradation of complex hydrocarbons and xenobiotics and for green energy production.Conclusions:Comparative genomic analyses suggest thatParageobacillusandSaccharococcuscan be delineated as two distinct genera, both of which can serve as a rich source of biotechnologically and industrially relevant secondary metabolites, thermostable enzymes and metabolic pathways that warrant further investigation.
Response Surface Methodology (RSM) Optimization for Dispersion Stability of SnO2 nanodispersions using Plackett Burman and Central Composite Design Method
Authors: Ong Chinkhai , Lee Wengnam , Ohberg Patrik , Hayashi Yasuhiko , Nishikawa Takeshi , Yap Yuenkiat
Published: February 2024

This study delves into optimizing the dispersion stability of SnO2 nanoparticles using Response Surface Methodology in two different solvents—deionized water and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone. The critical factors influencing SnO2 dispersion stability, specifically the concentration of nanoparticles, sonication time, and the addition of a surfactant, were considered. The respond surface methodology optimization process involved two stages: a Plackett Burman Design and a Central Composite Design. The Plackett Burman Design identified significant factors impacting the dispersion stability, while the Central Composite Design optimized these factors and quantified their effects. The results demonstrate that, under optimized conditions, SnO2 exhibits better dispersion stability in N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone compared to deionized water. Zeta potential measurements further support this, with SnO2 in deionized water showing − 13.5 mV (threshold of agglomeration) and SnO2 in N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone showing − 30.5 mV (moderate stability). This research not only enhances our understanding of the impact of sonication time and the addition of the surfactant in nanoparticle dispersion but also highlights the effectiveness of respond surface methodology in tailoring conditions for stability. The insights gained have broad applications in materials science, paving the way for improved optimization strategies in nanoparticle dispersion studies.
Towards person-centred maternal and newborn care in Ethiopia: a mixed method study of satisfaction and experiences of care
Authors: Eshetu Tigist , Fekadu Eshcolewyine , Abdella Ahmed , Mulushoa Adiyam , Medhin Girmay , Belina Merga , Alem Atalay , Keynejad Roxanne , Robbins Tanya , Seward Nadine , Shennan Andrew , Howard Louise M , Prince Martin , Sandall Jane , Hanlon Charlotte
Published: February 2024

Background
Person-centred maternal care is associated with positive experiences in high-income countries. Little is known about the transferability of this concept to non-Western, low-income settings. We aimed to explore women’s experiences of care and investigate satisfaction with antenatal care (ANC) in relation to person-centred care and unmet psychosocial needs in rural Ethiopia.
Methods
Design: facility-based, convergent mixed-method study. A cross-sectional survey included 2079 consecutive women attending ANC at eight health centres. Service satisfaction was measured using a 21-item validated measure. Independent variables: (1) person-centred care (1A: receipt of information; 1B: perceived adequacy of health worker responses) and (2) unmet psychosocial needs (2A: Patient Health Questionnaire for depressive symptoms; 2B: screening questionnaire for intimate partner violence (IPV)). Linear mixed effect regression assessed hypothesized associations between person-centred care/unmet psychosocial needs and service satisfaction, accounting for clustering at the health centre level. A linked qualitative study comprised eight in-depth interviews with women accessing ANC. Structured observations of ANC consultations rated health worker competencies (n = 65) and adherence to guidance promoting person-centred care (n = 53). Qualitative data were analysed thematically and triangulated with quantitative and observational data.
Results
Women reported lowest satisfaction in relation to family involvement (71.5% dissatisfied) and continuity of care (65.7% dissatisfied). As hypothesised, satisfaction increased with more information received (adjusted regression coefficient (ARC) 0.96 95%CI 0.71,1.20) but reported adequacy of help from health workers did not show a dose-response relationship (test-for-trend p = 0.157). Undetected depressive symptoms (ARC − 0.21 95%CI -0.27,-0.15) and IPV (ARC − 1.52; 95%CI -2.43,-0.61) were associated with lower service satisfaction scores. Most observed consultations scored low on most indicators of person-centred care. In qualitative interviews, women valued respectful and responsive communication from health workers, which affected their willingness to disclose psychosocial problems. Triangulation of findings indicated a mismatch between what women valued about care, their reported satisfaction with care and the actual care they were observed to receive.
Conclusions
Systems strengthening interventions to support person-centred maternal care appear contextually relevant but need to increase women’s expectations of care and agency to demand change. Prioritization of person-centred care could improve women’s experience of maternal care and better address psychosocial needs.
Temozolomide-induced glioma cytotoxicity is enhanced by inhibition of Sirt7, which is involved in growth and progression and is regulated by miR-148a-3p
Authors: Wang Jiangting , Sun Kai , Cheng Gang , Li Haima , Lv Wenying , Liang Lei , Gao Mou , Zhang Jianning
Published: February 2024

Background
Glioma is a highly malignant primary nervous system tumor. Temozolomide（TMZ） is a commonly used chemotherapy drug, but drug resistance is increasing. Therefore, finding effective biomarkers can help us to better stratify and individualize treatment. Sirt7 is the latest member of sirtuins, which mainly plays the role of NAD+-dependent histone deacetylase. In recent years, Sirt7 has been reported to be related to the proliferation and oncogenic activity of malignant tumors such as melanoma and colon cancer, but it has been less reported in glioma. This study aimed to explore the role of Sirt7 in glioma by determining its effects on glioma cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression; whether Sirt7 knockdown increases the cytotoxicity of TMZ; and the regulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) upstream of Sirt7.
Methods
We found that Sirt7 expression was significantly upregulated in glioma tissues and cells and was correlated with tumor grade and patient Survival. We constructed Sirt7 overexpression and knockdown lentivirus for the infection of U87, U251, and LN229 cells, Expression levels of Sirt7 and miR-148a-3p were evaluated by RT-qPCR and western blotting. Cell proliferation was measured using the CCK-8 assay. Cell cycle progression and apoptosis were assessed using flow cytometry. We verified the effect of changes in Sirt7 expression on the cytotoxic effects of TMZ on glioma. Dual luciferase gene reporter assays were used to investigate the targeted regulation of Sirt7 by miR-148a-3p. The effect of SIRT7 on TMZ toxicity in glioma tumorigenesis were assessed using mouse xenotransplantation.
Results
Sirt7 expression was positively correlated with the pathological grade of glioma patients and negatively correlated with patient survival. Both knockdown and overexpression of Sirt7 affected the proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle progression in glioma cells and enhanced TMZ-induced cytotoxicity. Sirt7 is a target of miR-148a-3p, and miR-148a-3p expression in glioma tissues and cells was significantly decreased. In xenograft models, knockdown of Sirt7 inhibited tumor growth and enhanced TMZ-mediated antitumor effects.
Conclusion
This study deepens our understanding of the molecular functions of Sirt7, provides evidence that Sirt7 enhances TMZ-induced cytotoxicity in glioma, and demonstrates the potential of Sirt7 as a therapeutic target.
Revealing pore size distribution in cellulose and lignin-cellulose man-made fibers – effect of draw ratio and lignin content
Authors: Bengtsson Jenny , Johnsson Erica , Ulmefors Hanna , Köhnke Tobias , Maloney Thaddeus
Published: February 2024

There are limited methods available for measurement of the porosity of cellulose fibers, even more so for obtaining a pore size distribution. Conventional pore analysis methods require dry samples, with intact pores. However, pores in cellulose fibers collapse when dried from water and thus present a challenge for sample analysis. Furthermore, the pore collapse is partially irreversible (hornification) which should be accounted for in the analysis. In this study, analysis of pore structure was carried out in the wet state with thermoporosimetry and also for critical point dried samples, analyzed with N2 sorption.
This study determines the effect of fiber lignin content and certain spinning parameters on the pore size distribution of spun fibers before and after drying. It could also be concluded that solvent exchange, drying from a non-polar solvent will result in an altered pore size distribution, with a total pore volume greater than if dried from water, however not representative of the never-dried state. It is concluded that thermoporosimetry together with the water retention value (WRV) measurement is a powerful combination to acquire insights to the pore size distribution of spun fiber.
Employing the H-type finned heat exchangers with the circular tube for energy-saving purposes of the spray dryers
Authors: Moghaddam Hossein Reza , Javaherdeh Kourosh
Published: February 2024

In this paper, two heat exchangers along with 50% recirculation of exhaust air are used to recover the exhaust heat from the spray dryers and use them to preheat the atomizing and drying air. The H-type finned heat exchangers with circular holes are used here. All of the results are extracted by two different approaches, including standard k-ε and SST k-ω models. First, the influence of different parameters on the performance of the first and second heat exchangers is evaluated. It is shown that the Nusselt number increases by increasing the Reynolds number. While the friction factor of both heat exchangers decreases. Then, the influence of adding heat exchangers on the energy consumption of the factory and spray dryer is estimated. It is shown that the suggested system can be effectively used to 23.52% decrease the energy consumption of the spray dryer.
Predicting how varying moisture conditions impact the microbiome of dust collected from the International Space Station
Authors: Nastasi Nicholas , Bope Ashleigh , Meyer Marit E. , Horack John M. , Dannemiller Karen C.
Published: February 2024

Background The commercialization of space travel will soon lead to many more people living and working in unique built environments similar to the International Space Station, which is a specialized closed environment that contains its own indoor microbiome. Unintended microbial growth can occur in this environment as in building on Earth from elevated moisture, such as from a temporary ventilation system failure. This growth can drive negative health outcomes and degrade building materials. We need a predictive approach for modeling microbial growth in these critical indoor spaces.
Results Here we demonstrate that even short exposures to varying elevated relative humidity can facilitate rapid microbial growth and microbial community composition changes in dust from spacecraft. We modeled fungal growth in dust from the International Space Station using the time-of-wetness framework with activation and deactivation limited growth occurring at 85% and 100% relative humidity, respectively. Fungal concentrations ranged from an average of 4.4 x 106 spore equivalents per mg dust in original dust with no exposure to relative humidity to up to 2.1 x 1010 when exposed to 100% relative humidity for 2-weeks. As relative humidity and time elevated increased, fungal diversity was significantly reduced for both alpha (Q < 0.05) and beta (R2 = 0.307, P = 0.001) diversity metrics. Bacteria were unable to be modeled using the time-of-wetness framework. However, bacterial communities did changes based on constant relative humidity incubations for both beta (R2 = 0.22, P = 0.001) and alpha diversity decreasing with increasing moisture starting at 85% relative humidity (Q < 0.05).
Conclusion Our results demonstrate moisture conditions can be used to develop predict changes in fungal growth and composition onboard human-occupied spacecraft. This predictive model can be expanded upon to include other spacecraft environmental factors such as microgravity, elevated carbon dioxide conditions, and radiation exposure. Understanding microbial growth in spacecraft can help better protect astronaut health, fortify spacecraft integrity, and promote planetary protection as human activity increases in low-Earth orbit, the moon, Mars, and beyond.
Risk of Glacier Collapse in the Southeast Tibetan Basin
Authors: Huai Baojuan , Ji Kaicheng , Sun Weijun , Tian Biao , Xiao Cunde , Ding Minghu
Published: February 2024

Glacier collapse is one of the serious cryospheric hazards in the Tibetan Plateau (TP), especially in the southeast of TP. Recent studies on glacier change and glacier collapse events in this region show that the risk of glacier collapse disaster in Southeast Tibet is vague and not specific. Here, we assess the risk of glacier collapse by combining machine learning method, dangerous glacier identification and vulnerability analysis in the basin. This study considers that the glacier collapse events in this area in recent years are mainly driven by temperature, precipitation and seismic activity under the background of steep terrain. A total of 946 km2 of glaciers in southeastern Tibet are potentially at hazard of collapse, with the largest area of about 320 km2 in the southeastern region; The proportion of the southern region is the highest, about 55.6%. Eight basins are at extremely high risk, including 85 residential areas, 131 roads and 52 rivers. This study directly responds to the needs of the disaster prevention and mitigation strategy to determine the key areas, and emphasizes the necessity of coping with the threat of glacier collapse in the extremely high-risk basins in Southeast Tibet.
Exploring Cannabis sativa L for Anti-Alzheimer Potential: An extensive Computational Study including Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics, and ADMET Assessments
Authors: Nour Hassan , Yamari Imane , Abchir Oussama , Mounadi Nouh , Samadi Abdelouahid , Belaidi Salah , Chtita Samir
Published: February 2024

Cholinesterase enzymes play a pivotal role in hydrolyzing acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter crucial for memory and cognition, into its components, acetic acid, and choline. A primary approach in addressing Alzheimer's disease symptoms is by inhibiting the action of these enzymes. With this context, our study embarked on a mission to pinpoint potential Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitors using a comprehensive computational methodology. A total of 49 phytoconstituents derived from Cannabis sativa L underwent in silico screening via molecular docking, pharmacokinetic and pharmacotoxicological analysis, to evaluate their ability to inhibit cholinesterase enzymes. Out of these, two specific compounds, namely tetrahydrocannabivarin and Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, belonging to cannabinoids, stood out as prospective therapeutic agents against Alzheimer's due to their potential as cholinesterase inhibitors. These candidates showcased commendable binding affinities with the cholinesterase enzymes, highlighting their interaction with essential enzymatic residues. They were predicted to exhibit greater binding affinities than Rivastigmine and Galantamine. Their ADMET assessments further classified them as viable oral pharmaceutical drugs. They are not expected to induce any mutagenic or hepatotoxic effects and cannot produce skin sensitization. In addition, these phytoconstituents are predicted to be BBB permeable and can reach the central nervous system (CNS) and exert their therapeutic effects. To delve deeper, we explored molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to examine the stability of the complex formed between the best candidate (Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) and the target proteins under simulated biological conditions. The MD study affirmed that the ligand-ChE recognition is a spontaneous reaction leading to stable complexes. Our research outcomes provide valuable insights, offering a clear direction for the pharmaceutical sector in the pursuit of effective anti-Alzheimer treatments.
Association Between Early Echocardiography Screening of Low Systemic Blood Flow and Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Preterm Infants: a Multicenter Study
Authors: Oulego-Erroz Ignacio , Terroba-Seara Sandra , Palanca-Arias Daniel , Galve Zenaida , Delgado-Nicolás Sara , Pérez-Pérez Alicia , Rodríguez-Ozcoidi Jorge , Lavilla-Oíz Ana , Bravo María Carmen , Banda-Montalvo Leticia La , Méndez-Abad Paula , ZAFRA-RODRÍGUEZ PAMELA , Rodeño-Fernández Lorena , Montero-Gato Jon , Bustamante-Hervás Carmen , Vega-Del-Val Cristina , Rodriguez-Fanjul Javier , Mayordomo-Colunga Juan , Alegría-Echauri Iosune , Pérez-Álvarez Andrea
Published: February 2024

Objective
To determine whether early screening for low systemic blood flow is associated with reduced intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants.
Study design
Prospective, observational multicenter study in nine neonatal intensive care units. Preterm infants younger than 33 weeks of gestational age were eligible. The exposure was protocolized early echocardiography screening for low systemic blood flow. Our main outcome was ≥ grade II intraventricular hemorrhage or death within the first 7 days of life. The main analysis used the inverse probability of treatment weighting based on propensity scores.
Results
332 preterm infants (131 in the intervention group and 201 in the control group) were included. Early echocardiography screening was associated with a significant reduction in ≥ grade II intraventricular hemorrhage or early death [odds ratio 0.285 (95% CI: 0.133–0.611); p = 0.001].
Conclusions
Early echocardiography screening for low systemic blood flow may reduce the incidence of intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm infants.
Implementation of an adapted perioperative ventriculoperitoneal shunting protocol in a tertiary center located in a low-to-middle-income country
Authors: Shahbandi Ataollah , Jahangiri Pedram , Meybodi Keyvan Tayebi , Nejat Farideh , Habibi Zohreh
Published: February 2024

Objective
Preventative protocols have efficaciously reduced shunt infection in developed countries. However, the generalizability of these protocols in low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs) remains unclear. Previously, shunt insertion in the authors’ center were routinely performed under institutional preventative precautions, which was updated via merging with Hydrocephalus Clinical Research Network (HCRN) protocol. This study aimed to investigate the ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) infection rates in pediatric patients following the implementation of the adapted protocol.
Methods
The adapted protocol was implemented in all first-time VPS implantations between 2011–2021. The primary outcome was six-month shunt infection. The Pearson Chi-square test was used for categorical variables and the Mann-Whitney U-test for numeric variables to evaluate the correlation with shunt infection.
Results
352 first-time VPS procedures were performed adhering to the adapted protocol. The median age was 5 months, and 189 (53.7%) were male. Overall, 37 patients (10.5%) experienced shunt infection, with 30 (8.5%) occurring within the first six months, which were lower than 13.3% infection rate of the previous series of the same center. The infection rate was slightly higher than the 5.7% and 6.0% rates reported by HCRN studies. Patients with shunt infection were significantly younger (7.5 versus 17.5 months, P < 0.001).
Conclusions
This study validates the efficacy of an adapted perioperative protocol in mitigating shunt infection in a high-volume center in a LMIC. Adhering to a step-by-step protocol, modified to suit the healthcare resources and financial constraints of LMICs, could maintain low shunt infection rates that are roughly comparable to those of centers in high-income countries.
Preparation and properties of porous silicon anode coated with nitrogen-doped carbon for lithium ion battery
Authors: Xiao Zhongliang , Xia Yubo , Wang Cheng , Zhao Tingting , Yan Qunxuan , Xiao Minzhi , Peng Xiaoxin , Song Liubin
Published: February 2024

Silicon (Si) anode is a promising anode material for lithium ion batteries as its high theoretical specific capacity. However, the commercial application of Si anode faces significant challenges, primarily stemming from its substantial volume change (> 300) and associated high costs. In this work, porous silicon was prepared by etching low-cost micron-sized aluminum-silicon alloy with hydrochloric acid. Subsequently, carbon-coating the porous silicon through the pyrolysis of phenolic resin, prepare a carbon-coated porous silicon-carbon (Si/C) anode material. This process is not only characterized by its simplicity and cost-effectiveness, but the porous Si/C anode structure relieves the mechanical stress of the material and inhibits the expansion, powdering of silicon and the erosion of the electrolyte. The results show that the Si/C anode sintered at 800°C exhibits optimal performance. Specifically, the Si/C anode material presented a first discharge specific capacity of 1394.4 mAh/g, with a capacity retention rate of 46.1% at 0.5 A/g. Nitrogen-doped silicon carbon composite material (Si/NC) was synthesized to further improve the performance of Si/C anodes. The characterizations confirm good crystallinity, uniform carbon coating on silicon surfaces, and even distribution of Si, C, and N elements. The Si/NC anode achieves a first specific capacity of 1218.3 mAh/g at 0.5 A/g, with a specific capacity of 563.7 mAh/g after 300 cycles, and the cycle retention rate still remains 42.7%, demonstrating stable cycling of the micron-sized silicon anode.
Factors influencing rural primary care physicians' intention to provide breast cancer screening services based on the theory of planned behavior：a cross-sectional study
Authors: Hu Zhiqing , Zhang Huiying , Wang Yiping , Sun Yanjun , Meng Rui , Shen Ke , Xu Kai , He Yuan
Published: February 2024

Purpose: Breast cancer has been a serious health problem all around the world. Early detection is undoubtedly effective in combating severe public health problems in developing countries. Meanwhile, primary care physicians play an important role in implementation of screening programs. The objective of our study was to evaluate the determinates of the primary care physicians’ intention to provide the Breast cancer screening services ( BCSs ) for rural women.
Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 24 towns in Jiangsu. In total, 1,101 primary care physicians entered and completed the study. The data collection tool was developed based on the theory of planned behaviour (i.e., attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) and extended components (i.e., knowledge about breast cancer screening services (BCSs), and past providing-BCSs behavior.
Results: The results of our study showed that subjective norms (β = 0.352, p < 0.001) had the greatest influence on primary care physicians’ intention to engage in breast cancer screening, followed by attitudes and perceived behavioural control. Both screening knowledge and past screening provision behavior had an indirect effect on behavioural intentions.
Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that extended TPB appears to be an efficient model in explaining primary care physicians' intention to engage in Breast cancer screening program. Meanwhile, our findings provide a reference for governments, hospitals and policies aiming to increasing primary care physicians’ intention to provide rural women with BCSs.
Young Fruits of "Okubo" Peach Recognition in Complex Environments Based on an Improved YOLOv8s
Authors: Jing Jianping , Zhang Shujuan , Sun Haixia , Cui Tianyu , Su Meng , Xin Mingming , Ren Rui
Published: February 2024

To address the challenges of high similarity in height between young fruits and leaves, small size of fruits, dense distribution, and severe occlusions, this paper proposes a lightweight YOLOv8s-P detection model for the identification of young fruits of "Okubo" peaches in complex environments. Firstly, the lightweight C2f_Faster module is designed and replaces all the C2f modules in YOLOv8s to realize the model lightweight. Secondly, the Efficient Multi-Scale Attention Module(EMA) is added inside the C2f_Faster module of the lightweight model to enhance the network's ability to extract tiny features. Finally, the MPDIoU boundary loss function based on the minimum point is used to replace the original CIoU boundary loss function of YOLOv8s to improve the positioning accuracy of the model prediction box. The results demonstrate that the YOLOv8s-P model achieves an average precision (AP@0.5) of 90.86%, F1 score of 86.70%, while only occupying 75.23% of the size of YOLOv8s. Compared to other lightweight algorithms such as YOLOv3-tiny, YOLOv4-tiny, YOLOv5s, YOLOv6s, YOLOv7-tiny, and YOLOv8s the YOLOv8s-P model achieves higher AP@0.5 by 6.26%, 6.01%, 2.05%, 2.12%, 1.87%, and 1.85% respectively. Additionally, the F1 score is higher by 3.93%, 3.42%, 1.54%, 1.52%, 0.68%, and 0.85% respectively. In conclusion, the YOLOv8s-P model has higher detection accuracy, compressed model size, and reduced hardware equipment configuration requirements, which provides a reference for the subsequent deployment and application of the "Okubo" peach fruit thinning robot hardware equipment.
Revisiting short plateau SN 2018gj
Authors: Utrobin V. P. , Chugai N. N.
Published: February 2024

We present an alternative model of unusual type IIP SN 2018gj.Despite the short plateau and early gamma-rays escape seem to favor low-mass ejecta, our hydrodynamic model requires the large ejected mass ( \(\approx\) 23\Msun).The high ejecta velocity, we find from hydrogen lines in early spectra, turns out among crucial constraints on the hydrodynamic model.We recover the wind density that rules out a notable contribution of the circumstellar interaction to the bolometric luminosity.The early radioactive gamma-rays escape is found to be due to the high velocity of \(^{56}\) Ni, whereas the asymmetry of the \Ha emission is attributed to the asymmetry of the $^{56}$Ni ejecta.The available sample of type IIP supernovae studied hydrodynamically in a uniform way indicates that the asymmetry of the $^{56}$Ni ejecta is probably their intrinsic property.Hydrogen lines in early spectra of SN 2018gi and SN 2020jfo are found to imply a clumpy structure of the outer ejecta.With two already known similar cases of SN 2008in and SN 2012A we speculate that the clumpiness of the outer ejecta is inherent to type IIP supernovae related to the red supergiant explosion.
Interplanetary Trajectory Design Using Multiple Flybys in the Sun-Planet Three-Body System
Authors: Li Zhenyu , Qiao Dong , Li Xiangyu
Published: February 2024

Planetary exploration is crucial for investigating the origin and evolution of the solar system. Despite the significant advantage in reducing launch cost offered by multiple gravity assists, numerous unique motions in the three-body system, which could provide extraordinary benefits in interplanetary transfers, are neglected due to the application of the patched-conic method and two-body problem. In this paper, a novel design method for interplanetary trajectory is proposed, leveraging the multiple flybys in the sun-planet system. First, the concept of multiple flybys in the three-body system is presented, and various types of multiple-flyby motion are found. Following the determination of trajectory patched conditions, the method for designing interplanetary trajectory is established by connecting multiple flybys in different sun-planet systems. Finally, this method is applied to design transfer trajectories for Saturn and Neptune exploration. The results indicate that, compared to multiple gravity-assist transfers based on the two-body problem, more transfer opportunities are found by the proposed method. This paper provides a new approach for planetary exploration missions in the future.
Quantitative and qualitative determination of the Staphylococcus and Cutibacterium dysbiosis of the skin microbiome in acne and its decline after isotretinoin treatment
Authors: Feidenhansl Cecilie , Lund Michael , Poehlein Anja , Lood Rolf , Lomholt Hans B. , Brüggemann Holger
Published: February 2024

Background
Acne vulgaris is a multifactorial disease of the pilosebaceous unit of human skin. Previous studies have identified an acne-associated dysbiosis of the human skin microbiome. This dysbiosis was mainly determined for Cutibacterium acnes. However, detailed analyses combining qualitative and quantitative aspects are scarce, also regarding the possible contribution of other skin bacteria and the impact of treatment.
We conducted a culture-independent study to determine differences between the healthy skin and the acne microbiome before and after long-term isotretinoin treatment. Three amplicon-based sequencing approaches and digital droplet PCR for quantification were applied to analyze the entire bacterial community, and specifically, C. acnes and staphylococcal communities.
Results
Our results revealed a 2.2-fold reduced absolute and relative abundance of C. acnes with a reduced diversity in the acne microbiome. A phylotype switch was found, which was mainly characterized by a significant relative decrease of IB, II and type III strains in the acne microbiome. In contrast, the relative abundance of staphylococci increased significantly and the quantitative ratio staphylococci to C. acnes strongly increased from 1:34 to 1:11 in the acne cohort. The diversity of staphylococci was reduced, mainly due to the decrease of Staphylococcus hominis, and the appearance and predominance of Staphylococcus aureus in some acne patients. Isotretinoin treatment drastically depleted C. acnes (37-fold) and moderately also staphylococci (3.6-fold). Regarding the staphylococcal population, isotretinoin treatment resulted in a decrease of Staphylococcus epidermidis and a significant increase of S. aureus on forehead and cheek skin. The alpha diversity drastically increased on all examined body sites.
Conclusions
The switch from a C. acnes-dominated healthy skin microbiome towards an acne microbiome that is relatively enriched in staphylococci could indicate a stronger impact of staphylococci in the pathophysiology of acne than currently acknowledged. Our data further showed that isotretinoin largely eliminated the skin microbiome and in particular C. acnes, but also S. epidermidis. Instead, more harmful bacteria such as S. aureus could expand, which suggests that post-treatment strategies should be considered to accelerate skin microbiome recovery.
First detection probability, comparative analysis of ecological disparities and population dynamics of Rana pseudodalmatina (Eiselt & Schmidtler, 1971) in the Hyrcanian forests: implications for conservation planning
Authors: Najibzadeh Masoumeh
Published: February 2024

The Hyrcanian forests have a diverse fauna and flora with many endemic species of plants and animals. Rana pseudodalmatina is one of the endemic species in this forest. The phylogenetic and morphologic analysis indicates the existence of the western and the eastern clades in R. pseudodalmatina. The life history of an organism comprises its growth, development, age, and reproduction. Differences in the life history of the same species can attributed to different habitat quality or climate. The probability of encountering a wood frog in the western half of the Hyrcanian forests of the southern shores of the Caspian Sea is much higher than in the forests of the eastern sea. This increase in the detection probability can attributed to higher precipitation levels in the west of the Caspian Sea compared to the east. We observed that the Eastern populations tend to have larger sizes. In addition, the individuals of the western branch have a lower mean age (5.29 ± 0.74 years) than the eastern ones (8.36 ± 0.08 years). According to our results, females were larger (54.64 ± 0.53 mm) and older (7.68 ± 0.24 years) than males (48.13 ± 0.39 mm; 5.89 ± 0.39 years) in both eastern and western clades. So, the difference has been attributed to the variation in precipitation between the east and west of the sea, leading to different living conditions for R. pseudodalmatina. Hence, any conservation planning to protect this native species of the Hyrcanian forests must consider inter and intra-population differences in the east and west of the Hyrcanian forests.
A One Health framework for exploring the zoonotic web: a case study
Authors: Desvars-Larrive Amélie , Vogl Anna , Puspitarani Gavrila , Yang Liuhuaying , Joachim Anja , Kaesbohrer Annemarie
Published: February 2024

The eco-epidemiology of zoonoses is often oversimplified to host-pathogen interactions while findings derived from global datasets are rarely directly transferable to smaller-scale contexts. Here, we compile and comprehensively analyse a dataset of zoonotic interactions in Austria, spanning 1975-2022. We introduce the concept of zoonotic web to describe the relationships between zoonotic agents, their hosts, vectors, food, and environmental sources. Within the network of zoonotic agent sharing, the most influential zoonotic sources are human, cattle, chicken, and some meat products. Analysis of the One Health cliques confirms the increased probability of zoonotic spillover at human-cattle and human-food interfaces. We characterise six communities of zoonotic agent sharing, which assembly patterns are likely driven by highly connected infectious agents in the zoonotic web, proximity to human, and anthropogenic activities. Additionally, we report a frequency of emerging zoonotic diseases in Austria of one every six years. Our flexible network-based approach offers valuable insights into zoonotic transmission chains, facilitating the development of locally-relevant One Health strategies against zoonoses.
Evaluation of the Clinical Application Value of Cytokine Expression Profiles in the Differential Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Chen Rongfa , Liu Linna , Chen Hui , Xing Chao , Zhang Tingting , Pang Yilin , Yang Xunjun
Published: February 2024

Background
The significance of tumor-secreted cytokines in tumor development has gained substantial attention. Nevertheless, the precise role of tumor-related inflammatory cytokines in prostate cancer (PCa) remains ambiguous.
Objectives
To gain deeper insights into the inflammatory response in the process of PCa.
Methods
A total of 141 cases were collected, including 70 cases of prostate hyperplasia and 9 cases of prostatitis as disease control, 41 cases of postoperative prostate cancer and 21 cases of prostate cancer as PCa group. Additionally, 31 patients undergoing physical examinations during the same period were collected as the healthy control. The levels of 12 inflammatory cytokines in peripheral blood samples were analyzed using flow cytometric bead array technology. The levels of total prostate-specific antigen (TPSA) and free prostate-specific antigen (FPSA) in peripheral blood samples were analyzed using electrochemiluminescence technology.
Results
Our results showed that serum IL-5, IL-6, IL-8 levels were significantly increased in PCa group compared to those in the control group (all p < 0.05). While, the level of IL-2, IL-10, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-12p70, and IFN-α were lower in PCa than in healthy control. The concentration of IL-6 decreased but the concentrations of IL-4, IL-10, TNF-α, and IL-17A increased after surgery, showing significant differences (p < 0.05). The differential upregulation of IL-6 and IL-8 in peripheral blood have diagnostic efficacy in PCa patients.
Conclusion
The peripheral blood cytokines are closely associated with the occurrence and development of prostate cancer, especially the serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 may be useful as potential predictors of PCa diagnosis.
Stereo Matching Via a Sparsity Constraint for Autonomous Driving
Authors: Liao Lyuchao , Zeng Jiemao , Lai Taotao , Ma Huankun , Wang Zihao , Zou Fumin
Published: February 2024

Stereo matching has recently achieved remarkable performance in computer vision applications, particularly in autonomous driving. A large number of studies have shown that the performance of stereo matching can be improved by fully utilizing the feature information of stereo matching image pairs to construct the cost volume. This work proposes an efficient cost volume construction method with sparsity constraint using information-theoretic principles, namely SCNet. Specifically, the features of the image pairs are first subjected to cascading calculations and correlation calculations to obtain the initial concatenation volume and the initial correlation volume. Then, information-theoretic principles are used to handle the initial correlation volume to enhance the correlation with larger-values and suppress the correlation with lower-values. Finally, the handled correlation and concatenation volumes are fused to construct the cost volume for stereo matching. The experiments show that the proposed SCNet has achieved advanced performance in stereo matching on three public datasets: KITTI2012, KITTI2015, and Scene Flow.
Interferometry and dynamics of a transmon-type qubit in front of a mirror
Authors: Liul Maksym
Published: February 2024

We theoretically describe the stationary regime and coherent dynamics of a capacitively shunted transmon-type qubit which is placed in front of a mirror. The considered qubit is irradiated by two signals: pump (dressing) and probe. By changing amplitudes and frequencies of these signals we study the system behaviour. The main tool of our theoretical analysis is solving of the Lindblad equation. We also consider Lindblad superoperators in charge and energy bases and compare the results. Theoretically obtained occupation probability is related to the experimentally measured value. This study helps to understand better the properties of qubit-mirror system and gives new insights about the underlying physical processes.