bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Validated RP-HPLC Method for Simultaneous Assay Determination and UV-Spectrophotometric Method for Dissolution Estimation in Film-Coated Tablets Containing Cefixime and Clavulanic Acid
Authors: Panthi Vijay Kumar
Published: January 2024

A simple and novel reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method was developed for the simultaneous assay estimation of film coated tablets incorporating clavulanic acid (CVA) and cefixime (CFX). Furthermore, the same method was also applied in order to assess the dissolution of CVA while a UV spectroscopic method was produced to examine the drug release of CFX. In this research, an analytical column used was C18 (4.6-mm × 25-cm); 5-μm. Moreover, the mobile phase was prepared by completely dissolving 3.408 gm of disodium hydrogen phosphate in 800 mL of water (HPLC grade), 200 mL methanol was added in (20:80 v/v) it and then finally pH was adjusted to 6.0 using orthophosphoric acid. In addition, flow rate, detecting wavelength, and run time were 1.0 mL/min, 220 nm, and 15 minutes, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum absorption of CFX was obtained at 288 nm thereby this wavelength was optimized for the dissolution estimation of CFX by UV spectroscopy. The validation parameters were validated according to the specifications and guidelines of the international conference on harmonization (ICH) prior to evaluating both assay and dissolution of CVA and CFX. In case of assay estimation, the findings of the linearity revealed a linear interrelation of concentration between 0.16 - 0.25 mg/mL for both CVA and CFX. Similarly, the calibration curve was linear between the concentration range of 0.03 – 0.045 mg/mL and 0.004 – 0.006 mg/mL, respectively for dissolution determination. Additionally, the value of LOD and LOQ of CVA for assay evaluation was obtained 0.011 and 0.033 μg, respectively. The accuracy of the developed method was assessed by determining recovery studies and the mean recovery of CVA and CFX obtained 99.35% and 100.50%, respectively at 100% spiked level for assay analysis. The repeatability evaluation for assay and dissolution demonstrated that the optimized method is precise within the appropriate range and the RSD% was observed lower than 2.0%. In addition, results of different validation parameters including study of solution stability were achieved within the suitable limit as well.
The position of the Nusantara Capital City from a national security perspective
Authors: Herdiawanto Heri
Published: January 2024

The relocation of the capital city to East Kalimantan is a megaproject contained in the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) for 2020-2024. Despite the pros and cons, this megaproject is targeted to be completed in the next 15 years. This research focuses on explaining the impact of the relocation of the Nusantara Capital City from a national security perspective for Indonesia in the future, considering that Indonesia is a large country in Southeast Asia and the backbone of ASEAN. To answer the question, this research uses an explorative qualitative approach, with library research as an analysis technique. This technique collects the information by collecting and analyzing the documents, journals, books, and media information related to the object of research. The theory used in this research is national security and it is found that the policy of relocating the capital city will have a positive impact on Indonesia in the future, as seen from various national security sectors such as from the economy to the environment. On the other hand, it can also pose a new threat to Indonesia from the socio-cultural sector.
Promoting the reversibility of electrolytic MnO2-Zn battery with high areal capacity by VOSO4 mediator
Authors: Xu Yong , Huang Wenjie , Liu Jun , Hu Renzong , Ouyang Liuzhang , Yang Lichun , Zhu Min
Published: January 2024

Electrolytic MnO2-Zn batteries possess high energy density due to the high reduction potential and capacity of the cathode Mn2+/MnO2. However, the low reversibility of the Mn2+/MnO2 conversion results in a limited lifespan. In this study, we propose the utilization of VOSO4 as a redox mediator in the MnO2-Zn battery to facilitate the dissolution of MnO2. Through various techniques such as electrochemical measurements, ex-situ UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopes, we validate the interaction between VO2+ and MnO2, which effectively mitigates the accumulation of MnO2. The introduction of the redox mediator results in exceptional redox reversibility and outstanding cycling stability of the MnO2/VOSO4-Zn battery at high areal capacities, with 900 cycles at 5 mAh cm-2 and 500 cycles at 10 mAh cm-2. Notably, even in the flow battery device, the battery exhibits a stable cycling performance over 300 cycles at 20 mAh cm-2. These research findings shed light on the potential large-scale application of electrolytic MnO2-Zn batteries.
Local Wisdom Tafsir Nusantara: An Analysis of Language Style in Tafsir al-Ibriz
Authors: Ghofur Abdul , Fatkhiyati Naily
Published: January 2024

The books of tafsir in regional languages in Indonesia are the result of the local mufassir's shrewdness in harmonizing the language of the Qur'an and adaptation to the surrounding social and cultural background. The existence of this, is able to produce works of interpretation that make it easier for the interpreting community to read it as well as the vernacularization of the Qur'an. One of them is the book of Tafsir al-Ibriz. This research discusses the style of language and vernacularization in Tafsir al-Ibriz by KH. Bisri Musthofa Rembang. By using the literature method, this research produces descriptive analysis data, among others: the existence of interactive language styles of interpretation such as jajal pikiren, analogies of interpretation such as umpamane mengkene, vernacularization of terms such as Ora tau rewel, ora tau ndongkrok, and Javanese proverbs such as becik ketitik ala ketara in Tafsir al-Ibriz.  This means that there is local wisdom in the treasures of the archipelago's interpretation.

 

Kitab-kitab tafsir  berbahasa daerah di Indonesia merupakan buah hasil dari kelihaian mufassir lokal dalam menyelaraskan antara bahasa al-Qur’an dan adaptasi dengan latar belakang sosial dan budaya di sekitarnya. Adanya hal tersebut, mampu menghasilkan karya tafsir yang memudahkan masyarakat tafsir dalam membacanya seperti halnya vernakularisasi al-Qur’an. Salah satu  di anataranya yaitu kitab Tafsir al-Ibriz. Penelitian ini membahas tentang gaya bahasa dan vernakularisasi dalam Tafsir al-Ibriz karya KH. Bisri Musthofa Rembang. Dengan menggunakan metode kepustakaan, penelitian ini menghasilkan data analisis deskriptif  antara lain: adanya gaya bahasa interaktif penafsiran seperti jajal pikiren, analogi penafsiran seperti umpamane mengkene, vernakularisasi istilah  seperti Ora tau rewel, ora tau ndongkrok, dan peribahasa jawa seperti becik ketitik ala ketara dalam Tafsir al-Ibriz.  Ini berarti terdapat local wisdom dalam khazanah tafsir  nusantara.
A Simple Normalized Analytical Model for Oil Production of SAGD Process and Its Applications in Athabasca Oil Sands
Authors: Wang Shengdong
Published: January 2024

Since the late 1980s, when the Alberta Oil Sands Technology and Research Authority Underground Test Facility project first demonstrated the feasibility of the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) technology, many commercial SAGD projects were brought online in Western Canada. Now, many of these projects have late-life SAGD wells approaching their ultimate SAGD recovery factors. Although these projects have demonstrated highly variable production performance, there is an opportunity to use the industry production data to find what they have in common and develop a normalized SAGD model.

For this paper, we collected oil production history from several leading SAGD projects with late-life production in the Athabasca oil sands area and confirmed the three stages in an SAGD project lifespan: chamber rising, chamber spreading, and chamber falling stages. By normalizing the field data, all SAGD projects converged to one type curve, regardless of reservoir quality and operating conditions. Based on this observation, a new simple normalized model is derived to model the bitumen production in a typical SAGD process for Athabasca oil sands.

The new model bridges the gap between the existing SAGD analytical model and conventional decline analysis and provides oil production forecasts based on the inputs for the five-component recovery factor method defined in the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook(Society of Petroleum Evaluation Engineers 2018). The model has been applied to one of the thermal projects to history match the field production. By running a Monte Carlo simulation, this model further demonstrates its capability to capture the uncertainty of the production forecast for the project at different stages of SAGD operation. In addition, by properly modifying the type curve of the analytical model, a similar workflow can be used to model cases with special reservoir quality or different operational limitations.
Intrastrand Photocrosslinking of 5-Fluoro-2’-O-Methyl-4-Thiouridine Modified Oligonucleotides and its Implication for Fluorescence-Based Detection of DNA Sequences
Authors: Nowak-Karnowska Joanna , Taras-Goślińska Katarzyna , Haider Shozeb , Skalski Bohdan
Published: January 2024

DNA photocrosslinking reactions occur widely in biological systems and are often used as a valuable tool in molecular biology. Herein we report the sequence and temperature-dependent intrastrand photocrosslinking of single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides bearing 5-fluoro-4-thiouridine (FSU). Our research findings indicate that FSU can photoreact with non-adjacent bases, specifically, it can react with distant thymine and cytosine residues in the chain forming fluorescent and non-fluorescent intrastrand crosslinks, respectively. In addition, partial photooxidation of FSU residue to 5-fluorouridine was also observed. The results of the study are significant in terms of the use of FSU-labeled oligonucleotide probes in the fluorescence-based detection of specific DNA sequences because the creation of a fluorescent intrastrand crosslink could produce a false signal. To overcome this problem, replacing thymidine with deoxyuridine in FSU-labeled oligonucleotide probe is proposed and tested.
Revolutionizing Drilling Operations: Unveiling the Power of Advanced Ultrasound Technologies for Integrity Inspection of Drilling Risers
Authors: Beltrão Bruno D'Almeida , Ferreira Carlos Alberto Martins , Antonio Marcelo Musci Musci Zaib
Published: January 2024

Ensuring the reliable operation of drilling risers in offshore oil and gas is heavily reliant on integrity inspections. This piece delves into the utilization of cutting-edge ultrasound technologies—specifically Phased Array and Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD)—to conduct these inspections. While traditional methods like visual checks, magnetic particle testing, and standard ultrasound have limitations in detecting internal defects, Phased Array and TOFD excel with superior accuracy, sensitivity, and coverage. Exploring their principles and mechanisms, the article emphasizes their advantages over conventional ultrasound for inspecting welds, corrosion, and other potential integrity issues within riser components. The difficulties linked with examining risers once they are fully assembled are addressed, offering solutions to overcome these hurdles. Case studies are presented to showcase how Phased Array and TOFD effectively identify Serious flaws like fatigue cracks and thinning of wallsThe article emphasizes the need for a comprehensive inspection strategy that combines multiple techniques to thoroughly evaluate drilling riser integrity. Additionally, it discusses integrating advanced ultrasound technologies into existing inspection programs, covering aspects like equipment selection, personnel training, and data analysis considerations. Ultimately, this article spotlights the significant strides made in drilling riser integrity inspection thanks to advanced ultrasound technologies.
A placebo-controlled, crossover trial to investigate the efficacy of Tiotropium Bromide or Placebo added to usual care in stable symptomatic post-Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) Bronchiolitis Obliterans Syndrome (BOS)
Authors: Dini Naeemeh , Khoshbin Amin Pastaki , Aliannejad Rasoul , Bakhshandeh Hooman , Najafizadeh Katayoun , Mehdizadeh Mahshid , Amini Shahideh
Published: January 2024

Background:
Despite the fundamental progress in Hematopoietic stem cell transplant, this treatment is also associated with complications. Graft versus Host Disease is a possible complication of HSCT. Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is the pulmonary form of this syndrome. Due to the high morbidity and morbidity rate of BOS, various studies have been conducted in the field of drug therapy for this syndrome, although no standard treatment has yet been proposed. According to the hypotheses about the similarities between BOS and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the idea of using tiotropium bromide as a bronchodilator has been proposed.
Method/design:
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and crossover clinical trial is being conducted to evaluate the efficacy of tiotropium in patients with BOS. A total of 20 patients with BOS, were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a once-daily inhaled capsule of either Tiotropium bromide (KP-Tiova Rotacaps 18 mcg; Cipla; India) or placebo for 1 month. Patients will receive Tiotropium Bromide or placebo Revolizer added to usual standard care. Measurements will include spirometry, six-minute walking test.
Ethics/dissemination:
This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committees of Imam Khomeini Hospital Complex, Tehran University of Medical science. Recruitment started in September 2022, with 20 patients randomized. The treatment follow-up of participants with Tiotropium is currently ongoing and is due to finish in December 2023. The authors will disseminate the findings in peer-reviewed publications, conferences and seminar presentations.
Trial registration: Iranian registry of clinical trial
IRCT registration number: IRCT20200415047080N3
Registration date: 2022-07-12, 1401/04/21
Predicting Medical Waste Generation and Associated Factors Using Machine Learning in the Kingdom of Bahrain
Authors: Al-Omran Khadija , Khan Ezzat
Published: January 2024

Effective planning and managing medical waste necessitate a crucial focus on both the public and private healthcare sectors. This study uses machine learning techniques to estimate medical waste generation and identify associated factors in a representative private and a governmental hospital in Bahrain. Monthly data spanning from 2018 to 2022 for the private hospital and from 2019 to February 2023 for the governmental hospital was utilized. The ensemble voting regressor was determined as the best model for both datasets. The model of the governmental hospital is robust and successful in explaining 90.4% of the total variance. Similarly, for the private hospital, the model variables are able to explain 91.7% of the total variance. For the governmental hospital, the significant features in predicting medical waste generation were found to be the number of inpatients, population, surgeries, and outpatients, in descending order of importance. In the case of the private hospital, the order of feature importance was the number of inpatients, deliveries, personal income, surgeries, and outpatients. These findings provide insights into the factors influencing medical waste generation in the studied hospitals and highlight the effectiveness of the ensemble voting regressor model in predicting medical waste quantities.
Glutamate Concentration of Medial Prefrontal Cortex is Inversely Associated with Addictive Behaviors: A Translational Study
Authors: Yang Yihong , Zhou Hui , Hong Tiantian , Chen Xi , Su Conghui , Teng Binyu , Xi Wan , Cadet Jean , Geng Fengji , Hu Yuzheng
Published: January 2024

In both preclinical and clinical settings, dysregulated frontostriatal circuits have been identified as the underlying neural substrates of compulsive seeking/taking behaviors manifested in substance use disorders and behavioral addictions including internet gaming disorder (IGD). However, the neurochemical substrates for these disorders remain elusive. The lack of comprehensive cognitive assessments in animal models has hampered our understanding of neural plasticity in addiction from these models. In this study, combining data from a rat model of compulsive taking/seeking and human participants with various levels of IGD severity, we investigated the relationship between regional glutamate (Glu) concentration and addictive behaviors. We found that Glu levels were significantly lower in the prelimbic cortex (PrL) of rats after 20-days of methamphetamine self-administration (SA), compared to controls. Glu concentration after a punishment phase negatively correlated with acute drug-seeking behavior. In addition, changes in Glu levels from a drug naïve state to compulsive drug taking patterns negatively correlated with drug-seeking during both acute and prolonged abstinence. The human data revealed a significant negative correlation between Glu concentration in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), the human PrL counterpart, and symptoms of IGD. Interestingly, there was a positive correlation between Glu levels in the dACC and self-control, as well as mindful awareness. Further analysis revealed that the dACC Glu concentration mediated the relationship between self-control/mindful awareness and IGD symptoms. These results provide convergent evidence for a protective role of dACC/PrL in addiction, suggesting interventions to enhance dACC glutamatergic functions as a potential strategy for addiction prevention and treatment.
Super-sorption capacity and multi-cycle recovery of urea from aqueous solutions by vesicle-like iron phosphate-based carbon nano-adsorbent
Authors: Jang Am , Nguyen Anh , Jeon Yujae , Nguyen Kim-Anh Thi
Published: January 2024

Despite the versatile potential applications of urea, its utilization is hindered by its unfavorable characteristics for conventional treatment methods.This necessitates the development of urea removal and recovery methods. Therefore, this study developed vesicle-like iron phosphate-based carbon (IP@C400) as a breakthrough urea removal and recovery adsorbent. IP@C400 exhibited an exceptional adsorption capacity (2242 mg/g) at a fast rate (within 2 h) across a wide range of pH environments, even in the presence of high concentrations of co-existing components, compared with the top 60 recent urea adsorbents. The adsorption process followed dual pseudo-kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models, indicating the involvement of both chemical and physical interactions between urea and the homogeneous monolayered adsorbent surface. The mechanisms included H-bonding and electrostatic attraction, as demonstrated by FT-IR and pH investigations. Remarkably, IP@C400 can be reused 10 times without significant loss of efficiency (90%) or recovery (95%)–a significant improvement over disposable options. The tests also showed safe leaching of iron and phosphorus, with levels below drinking water standards. IP@C400 worked effectively on real-world water samples, resulting in the complete removal and excellent recovery of urea. Thus, IP@C400 affords a sustainable, high-performance solution to the critical ultrapure water issue that industries must urgently address.
OAS Gene Family Expression is Associated with Clinical Outcomes in Human Cancers
Authors: Ahmed Bagdad , Syed Easin Uddin , Kabir Eva Rahman , Tisha Zarin Tasnim , Bakar Osama Bin Abu , Faruk Forhad Bin , Hossain M. Zulfiquer
Published: January 2024

The 2’, 5’-oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS) gene family plays an active role in antiviral immunity. Given their role in apoptosis and autoimmunity, aberrant expression of the OAS genes has been implicated in carcinogenesis. However, there has been minimal investigation of their potential role in tumorigenesis. Therefore, in this study, we used data from publicly available databases to examine the expression pattern of the OAS genes in different cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. The expression of the OAS genes was elevated in ten different cancer types. We observed significant association between the expression level of the OAS genes and overall survival (OS) in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA), lower grade glioma (LGG), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma (KIRP), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD), skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM), kidney chromophobe (KICH), kidney renal cell carcinoma (KIRC), and thymoma (THYM). We also found interesting correlations between OAS gene expression and clinicopathological features, pathway enrichment, genetic alteration, copy number variations (CNVs), CD8 + T immune cell infiltration, and tumor purity in different cancers. Collectively, our findings indicate the potential utility of using the OAS family both as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and a therapeutic target in relevant cancers and contribute valuable insights into the intersection of cancer biology and treatment strategies.
Identification of a novel alternative splicing isoform of the Hippo kinase STK3/MST2 with impaired tumor suppressor activities
Authors: Bruni-Cardoso Alexandre , Rodrigues Ana , Fiore Ana , Guardia Gabriela , Tomasin Rebeka , Teixeira André , Giordano Ricardo , Pagano Michele , Galante Pedro
Published: January 2024

Mammalian Ste-20-like Kinases 1 and 2 (MST1/2) are core serine-threonine kinases of the Hippo pathway regulating several cellular processes, including cell cycle arrest and cell death. Here, we discovered a novel alternative splicing variant of the MST2 encoding gene, STK3, in malignant cells and tumor datasets. This variant, named STK3∆7 or MST2∆7 (for mRNA or protein, respectively), resulted from the skipping of exon 7. MST2∆7 exhibited increased ubiquitylation and interaction with the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase CHIP compared to the full-length protein (MST2FL). The exon 7 in STK3 encodes a segment within the kinase domain, and its exclusion compromised interaction of MST2∆7 with MOB, a major MST1/2 substrate. Unlike MST2FL, overexpression of MST2∆7 did not lead to increased cell death and growth arrest. Strikingly, we observed exclusion of STK3 exon 7 in 3.2–15% of tumor samples from patients of several types of cancer, while STK3∆7 was seldomly found in healthy tissues that we analyzed. Our study identified a novel STK3 splicing variant with loss-of-function and potential to disturb tissue homeostasis by impacting the tumor suppressor activities of MST2 in regulation of cell death and quiescence.
Biochar amendment alters degradation of three pesticides in broccoli, pakchoi, and shifted bacterial commnuity in soil under greenhouse conditions
Authors: Sun Caixia , Liu Yuhong , Bei Ke , Zheng Weiran , Wang Qinfei , Wang Qiang
Published: January 2024

Graphical abstract
Abstract
A 28-day pesticide degradation experiment was conducted on broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Planch) and pakchoi (Brassica chinensis L.) with three pesticides (chlorantraniliprole (CAP), haloxyfop-etotyl (HPM), and indoxacarb (IXB)) to explore biochar effect on pesticides environmental fate and rhizosphere soil diversity. Rice straw biochar (RB) was applied to soil with 25 t·ha−1 dosage under greenhouse conditions, and its effects on the degradation of three pesticides and soil were investigated one by one. Overall, RB application effectively facilitated CAP and HPM degradation in broccoli by 13.5-39.4% and in broccoli soil by 23.8-74.1%. While for RB application retarted CAP, HPM and IXB degradation in pakchoi by 0-57.17% and retarted CAP degradationin in pakchoi by 37.32-43.4%. The results showed that RB application effect on pesticide degradation in crops and soil was related to biochar properities, pesticide solubility, plant growth status, and soil characteristics. Rhizosphere soil microorganisms were investigated at the same time and the result showed that biochar application may be valuable in altering the bacterial richness and diversity. The effect of biochar application on pesticide residues in crops and soil was influenced by the growth status of crops mostly, and the next was pesticides characteristics. This study suggested that biochar application in soil may be effect to reduce pesticide non-point source pollution, especially for pesticide with high solubility and may shift soil microorganisms.
First measurement of the Weyl potential evolution from the Year 3 Dark Energy Survey data: Localising the σ8 tension
Authors: Bonvin Camille , Tutusaus Isaac , Grimm Nastassia
Published: January 2024

We present the first measurement of the Weyl potential at four redshifts bins using data from the first three years of observations of the Dark Energy Survey (DES). The Weyl potential, which is the sum of the spatial and temporal distortions of the Universe's geometry, provides a direct way of testing the theory of gravity and the validity of the ΛCDM model. We find that the measured Weyl potential is 2.3σ, respectively 3.1σ, below the ΛCDM predictions in the two lowest redshift bins. We show that these low values of the Weyl potential are at the origin of the σ8 tension between Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) measurements and weak lensing measurements. Interestingly, we find that the tension remains if no information from the CMB is used. DES data on their own prefer a high value of the primordial fluctuations, followed by a slow evolution of the Weyl potential. A remarkable feature of our method is that the measurements of the Weyl potential are model-independent and can therefore be confronted with any theory of gravity, allowing efficient tests of models beyond General Relativity.
The User Analysis of Amazon Using Artificial Intelligence at Customer Churn
Authors: Alzahrani Mohammed Ali
Published: January 2024

Customer churns remains a key focus in this research, using artificial intelligence-based technique of machine learning. Research is based on the feature-based analysis four main features were used that are selected on the basis of our customer churn to deduct the meaning full analysis of the data set. Data-set is taken from the kaggle that is about the fine food review having more than half a million records in it. This research remains on feature based analysis that is further concluded using confusion matrix. In this research we are using confusion matrix to conclude the customer churn results. Such specific analysis helps e-commerce business for real time growth in their specific products focusing more sales and to analyze which product is getting outage. Moreover, after applying the techniques, Support Vector Machine and K-Nearest Neighbour perform better than the random forest in this particular scenario. Using confusion matrix for obtaining the results three things are obtained that are precision, recall and accuracy. The result explains feature-based analysis on fine food reviews, amazon at customer churn Support Vector Machine performed better as in overall comparison.
Optimising abortion care: Perspectives of care providers and community stakeholders in Melbourne, Australia
Authors: Chaouki Kate , Johnson Eleanor , Hui Lisa , Vaughan Cathy
Published: January 2024

Background In Australia, there are a range of barriers that may delay or inhibit a woman/pregnant person from accessing abortion, with these barriers disproportionately affecting marginalised populations. The northern metropolitan region of Melbourne, Australia, is home to a large population of women/gender diverse people of reproductive age, many of whom face significant socio-economic disadvantage. This study aims to understand health care provider and community stakeholder perspectives regarding barriers to, and patient experience of, abortion care in Melbourne’s north.Methods This qualitative study used individual in-depth semi-structured interviews. Twelve key informants were purposively selected based on their professional work and included abortion care providers, and representatives from local reproductive health, multicultural, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander advocacy services. Interviews were conducted via Zoom between June to August 2022. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results Informants identified a range of barriers to abortion across individual, service, and socio-political levels. Informants expressed concern that individual level barriers such as financial disadvantage meant it could be difficult for consumers to access the services they need (e.g. GP appointments and ultrasound). They highlighted that these barriers can be further amplified for consumers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, who may face language barriers, racism and difficulty navigating the health care system. The concept of patient resourcefulness and resilience emerged as a novel finding. Informants also identified key factors that impact patient experience of abortion care, including service-based factors (eg. ease of locating a service) and the provision of respectful care. Factors that create barriers to access and negatively impact patient experiences of abortion are interlinked, demonstrating the importance of considering both elements for service quality improvement.Conclusion Known barriers to abortion are exacerbated in the region due to the concentration of marginalised populations and lack of affordable abortion services. Quality improvement approaches in this space need to address barriers at the individual, service, and socio-political levels to optimise patient experience and make a meaningful impact. Further research is planned to explore local consumers’ experiences of abortion care and ideas for quality improvement using co-design.
A meta-trained generator for quantum architecture search
Authors: He Zhimin , Chen Chuangtao , Situ Haozhen , Zhang Fei , Zheng Shenggen , Li Lvzhou
Published: January 2024

Variational quantum algorithms (VQAs) have made great success in the Noisy Intermediate-Scale Quantum (NISQ) era due to their relative resilience to noise and high flexibility relative to quantum resources. Quantum architecture search (QAS) aims to enhance the performance of VQAs by refining the structure of the adopted parameterized quantum circuit (PQC). QAS is garnering increased attention owing to its automation, reduced reliance on expert experience, and its ability to achieve better performance while requiring fewer quantum gates than manually designed circuits. However, existing QAS algorithms optimize the structure from scratch for each VQA without using any prior experience, rendering the process inefficient and time-consuming. Moreover, determining the number of quantum gates, a crucial hyper-parameter in these algorithms is a challenging and time-consuming task. To mitigate these challenges, we accelerate the QAS algorithm via a meta-trained generator. The proposed algorithm directly generates high-performance circuits for a new VQA by utilizing a meta-trained variational autoencoder (VAE). The number of quantum gates required in the designed circuit is automatically determined based on meta-knowledge learned from a variety of training tasks. Furthermore, we have developed a meta-predictor to filter out circuits with suboptimal performance, thereby accelerating the algorithm. Simulation results on variational quantum compiling demonstrate that the proposed method achieves lower loss and runs 70 times faster than a state-of-the-art algorithm, namely differentiable quantum architecture search (DQAS).
Employing Post-Classification Comparison to Detect Land Use/Cover Change Patterns and Quantify Conversions in Abakaliki LGA, Ebonyi State, Nigeria Between 2000 - 2022
Authors: Onuegbu Francis , Egbu Anthony
Published: January 2024

Rapid urbanization is restructuring landscapes across sub-Saharan Africa. This study employed post-classification comparison of multi-temporal Landsat imagery to characterize land cover changes in Abakaliki Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, Nigeria between 2000 and 2022, addressing the need for empirical baselines to guide sustainable planning. Four classes were considered and images classified with > 85% accuracy. Notably, over 21,000 hectares of vegetation were lost, while built-up and bare land increased by over 7,500 and 13,700 hectares respectively. Spatial patterns revealed urban encroachment into agricultural and forested lands. This establishes the first standardized quantification of Abakaliki LGA’s shifting landscape, with results supporting compact development models while conserving ecological services under ongoing transformations. Continued monitoring employing complementary socioeconomic data presents opportunities to more robustly optimize land management across sub-Saharan Africa's urbanizing regions. The study makes a significant contribution by establishing an empirical baseline characterizing Nigeria's urbanization trajectory essential for evidence-based stewardship of regional resources and livelihoods in a period of accelerating change.
Comparative financial profitability of agroforestry and cereal monocropping practices in Northwestern Ethiopia
Authors: Tebkew Mekuanent , Asfaw Zebene , Worku Adefires , Atinkut Haimanot
Published: January 2024

Complimentary agroforestry systems play an important role in agri-food systems, ecosystem security, sustainable natural resource management, mitigates climate change, world development sustainability, and improving farmers' financial conditions worldwide. While the empirical literature on land use and agroforestry systems in Northwestern Ethiopia appears to be extensive, the literature on comparative financial analysis of agroforestry is very scanty. Thus, this study was conducted in the north-western of Ethiopia to: (1) explore the financial feasibility of farmers’ investments in three common agroforestry practices (i.e., homegarden, dogwood (Rhamnus prinoides), and coffee-shade), (2) evaluate and compare the relative financial attractiveness of the selected agroforestry practices and those of the cereal crop practices, and (3) discuss profitability constraints and identify potential solutions to farmers’ agroforestry practices. The result shows that all agroforestry practices were financially profitable (NPV ha− 1 193,932 − 296,739 ETB, r = 10%). The coffee-based was most profitable, with 34.65%, and 26.45% higher NPV ha− 1 than Dogwood and homegarden, respectively, but it has irregular cash flow patterns. Although all are profitable (positive NPV and EAI, and > Unity BCR ), agroforestry practices were financially more attractive than monoculture cereal practices (NPV ranges ETB 58,643 to 167,106) and had a crucial impact on the farmers’ income flow. Sensitivity analysis reveals more impact on returns from changes in discount rate than labour costs and revenue. Market fluctuation, disease, lack of improved fruit tree varieties, land shortage, and input shortages, particularly water pumps, were major constraints for the establishment and profitability of agroforestry practices. Government should support and subsidize different varieties of tree species, establish and develop market chains, and provide credit services and seeds and seedlings to enhance the adoption of agroforestry practices and increase the financial return of farm households. Through the positive externalities of trees, providing incentives to encourage the establishment and adoption of agroforestry practices by farmers may also benefit society. This is also in line with implementing and expanding the country's current state-led green legacy initiative.
Experimental Investigation Into Changes in the Material Surface Roughness of Underground Structures During Their Driving Into Soil
Authors: Boyarintsev Andrey , Samohina Anastasiya
Published: January 2024

The mechanical interaction between dispersive soils and the surface of underground structures is fundamental in the formation of their load-bearing capacity. The technical and economic effectiveness of piles and flexible or reinforced retaining structures mainly depends on the friction forces between the structure material and the soil. One of the main factors that significantly affect friction is the surface roughness of a material.
The installation process for certain underground structures, such as pile driving or vibratory pile driving, involves prolonged contact between the structure material and dispersive soils; some structural elements may slide dozens of meters through the soil. In view of this, changes in the material surface properties of an underground structure during this process may be quite likely. Despite a significant amount of tribological research, such experiments do not fully reflect the process of driving piles into soils and, accordingly, are not appropriate for evaluating with sufficient accuracy changes in the material surface properties of underground structures during this process.
In this research, an immersion of an underground structure in fine sand of medium size was simulated using three different materials: steel, fibreglass and fluoroplastic. The surface roughness of the materials was monitored as they moved through the sand. It was established that the roughness of each of the materials decreased as the driving depth increased. The magnitude of this change is influenced by such material properties as density, shear strength and hardness.
Fabrication and Characterization of Porous Ta/CHS/n-HA Composite Scaffolds Based on SLM Technology
Authors: Wei Shan , Xu Cheng-Tao , Zhang Ren-Gang , Wang Zheng-Yu , Tang Yue-Yue , Zhang Xin-Xin , Liu He , Li Xiang
Published: January 2024

Fabrication of porous metallic implants using additive manufacturing technology are expected to be an ideal treatment for substantial segmental bone defects. Gyroid porous tantalum (Ta) was produced by selective laser melting (SLM). Chitosan (CHS) and nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) composite sponges were prepared in the pores of porous Ta by freeze-drying. The porous Ta possesses a pore diameter of about 359 μm, porosity of 65.8%, elastic modulus of 1.69 GPa, and compressive strength of 68.59 MPa, which make it suitable for bearing loads. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the pores of porous Ta were filled with CHS/n-HA composite sponge with a pore diameter of 20–80 μm and n-HA particles embedded on the pore wall of the CHS sponge.
The composite sponge could provide an ideal affinity microenvironment for cell adhesion and growth, which could regulate cellular behaviors and promote new bone regeneration. Porous Ta/CHS/n-HA composite scaffolds fabricated by SLM exhibited the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of porous Ta, as well as the bioactivity and osteoinductivity of organic–inorganic composite biomaterials. These results indicate that porous Ta/CHS/n-HA composite scaffolds fabricated by SLM could serve as an ideal substitute for bone defect repair.
Prevalence of Menstrual Problems and associated factors among reproductive women in Mogadishu Somalia
Authors: Ali Fadumo Hassan , Fiidow Osman Abubakar , ali Abdilatif Mohmed , Mohamed Yusuf Abdirasak , Hussein Safia Khalif , Dirie Ahmed Mohamed , Moussa Ayan Aden
Published: January 2024

Background
This study investigates the prevalence and impact of menstrual problems among reproductive-aged women in Mogadishu, Somalia. Menstrual problems encompass a range of abnormal uterine bleeding patterns and associated symptoms, affecting women worldwide. The study aims to shed light on the sociodemographic factors, menstrual patterns, and psychological symptoms associated with menstrual difficulties in this specific context.
Methods and materials
The research, conducted over six months with 568 participants from Mogadishu Somali-Turkey Training and Research Hospitals, explores various factors, including age, marital status, education, occupation, and household income. The findings reveal that approximately 60% of women in Somalia report experiencing menstrual difficulties, including painful periods, heavy bleeding, irregular cycles, and premenstrual syndrome.
Limited access to healthcare services poses a significant barrier to addressing menstrual problems, particularly among refugee adolescent girls in Somalia. Sociocultural factors, fear, and cultural barriers contribute to these challenges. The study employs a cross-sectional design, utilizing a questionnaire to gather information on participants' demographics, menstrual patterns, and associated symptoms.
The results indicate no significant association between sociodemographic factors and menstrual problems. However, factors such as the average length of the menstrual cycle, premenstrual spotting, amount of flow, absenteeism from work or class, use of analgesics, abnormal vaginal bleeding, and a history of amenorrhea show statistically significant relationships with menstrual difficulties.
Furthermore, the study explores the psychological and physical symptoms associated with menstrual difficulties. Participants reported various symptoms, including depression, crying spells, anger, tension, anxiety, body aches, lower back pain, fatigue, breast tenderness, swelling, abdominal cramping, headache, insomnia, and acne.
The article concludes by emphasizing the need for comprehensive reproductive health programs in Mogadishu, addressing factors such as low contraceptive prevalence, inadequate access to reproductive health services, and the impact of menstrual problems on women's quality of life. Improving these aspects can contribute to enhanced reproductive health outcomes and overall well-being for women in Mogadishu, Somalia.
The first case report on metacarpal osteomyelitis in a horse in Ethiopia
Authors: Yadeta Waktole , Girma Sisay , Beyene Takele , Tesfaye Reta
Published: January 2024

Background: Osteomyelitis is a bone infection that can occur in horses and can affect any bone in the body, including the metacarpal bone. The metacarpal bone, located in the front leg of the horse between the knee and the fetlock joint, is commonly affected by osteomyelitis caused by bacterial infection. Horse metacarpal osteomyelitis disease has been reported in different countries. However, there are no previous case reports of this disease in Ethiopia. Therefore, this case report was conducted to describe a case of metacarpal osteomyelitis infection in a 10-year-old stallion brought to the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA), Equine Hospital of Addis Ababa University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, on November 10, 2020.
Case presentation: The horse was presented with a history of decreased work capacity, depression, swelling, and lameness in the lower left foreleg. The physical examination showed clinical signs of depression, erratic gait, poor body condition, pale mucous membranes from fever and a slightly increased heart rate with normal respiratory rates. In addition, lameness of the left foreleg, pain and hot swelling were found on the left metacarpal bone and tissue, with an abscess. Diagnostic aids and X-rays were used to identify swelling of the affected metacarpal bone, revealing soft tissue swelling around the affected bone, slight destruction of the bone tissue, and irregular bone contours. Microbiological culture of the affected tissue revealed Staphylococcus bacteria. Finally, we confirmed the case as metacarpal osteomyelitis caused by Staphylococcus bacteria.
A combination of antibiotics (penicillin) and an anti-inflammatory drug (phenylbutazone) was administered. The condition of the horse improved (with reduced swelling and lameness), and the horse recovered after 3 weeks. Unfortunately, since the horse was sold by the owner after recovery, long-term follow-up and health check-ups were not conducted.
Conclusions: In conclusion, this is the first case report of metacarpal osteomyelitis in a horse in Ethiopia, and the findings show the importance of appropriate diagnosis and medication for successful treatment of this disease.
Retrospective Cohort Study of Tumor Size and Survival in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Xie Yuping , Chen Tingting , Xu Hongyan , Zhuang Genghui , Wu Huiping , Fang Wenzheng
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Tumor size constitutes a very important staging factor among patients afflicted by solid tumors, and was closely associated with the overall survival (OS). Nonetheless, the prognostic import of tumor size in gastric cancer (GC) remains shrouded in uncertainty.
Method: A multivariable-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) along with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was computed for GC using Cox proportional hazard regression models. To assess the non-linear association between tumor size and OS, we employed a restricted cubic spline regression analysis. Additionally, a two-piece-wise Cox proportional hazard model was utilized to determine the threshold effect. The efficacy prediction of tumor size was tested by ROC curve.
Results: A cohort comprising 2,012 gastric cancer patients who had undergone gastrectomy was included in our secondary analysis, sourced from a multicenter study conducted in Korea. Also, we found a nonlinear association between tumor size and OS at the turning point as 5.7 (95%CI: 5.1, 6.8). The HR for mortality was 1.50 (95%CI: 1.38, 1.64) for tumors size <5.7, while 1.09 (95%CI: 1.05, 1.13) with size ≥ 5.7. There was still a significant non-linear relationship between OS and size after adjusting for potential confounding factors (P=0.001). In addition, Besides, a significantly higher HR was found in young GC patients(≤45: 1.33; 95%CI:1.24, 1.41; >45, 1.16; 95%CI: 1.13,1.19; P for interaction = 0.0004 ).
Conclusions: Tumor size was non-linear associated with survival for patients receiving gastrectomy. It might have the higher predictive power in young GC.
Fecal microbiota transplantation attenuates Alzheimer’s disease symptoms in APP/PS1 transgenic mice via inhibition of the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway-mediated inflammation
Authors: Li Xiang , Ding Qingyong , Wan Xinxin , Wu Qilong , Ye Shiqing , Lou Yongliang
Published: January 2024

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent and progressive neurodegenerative disorder that is the leading cause of dementia. The underlying mechanisms of AD have not yet been completely explored. Neuroinflammation, an inflammatory response mediated by certain mediators, has been exhibited to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of AD. Additionally, disruption of the gut microbiota has been found to be associated with AD, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a potential therapeutic approach. However, the precise mechanism of FMT in the treatment of AD remains elusive. In this study, FMT was performed by transplanting fecal microbiota from healthy wild-type mice into APP/PS1 mice (APPswe, PSEN1dE9) to assess the effectiveness of FMT in mitigating AD-associated inflammation and to reveal its precise mechanism of action. The results demonstrated that FMT treatment improved cognitive function and reduced the expression levels of inflammatory factors by the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in mice, which was accompanied by the restoration of gut microbial dysbiosis. These findings suggest thatFMT has the potential to ameliorate AD symptoms and delay the disease progression in APP/PS1 mice.