bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Socio-demographic, behavioural and clinical factors influencing control of diabetes and hypertension in urban Mysore, South India: a mixed-method study conducted in 2018
Authors: Dey Sudeshna , Mukherjee Aparna , Pati Manoj Kumar , Kar Arin , Ramanaik Satyanarayana , Pujar Ashwini , Malve Vidyacharan , Mohan H. L. , Jayanna Krishnamurthy , N Swaroop
Published: November 2022

Background

Inadequate control of diabetes and hypertension is a major concern in India because of rising mortality and morbidity. Few studies in India have explored factors that influence control of diabetes and hypertension. The current study aimed to improve the understanding of multifactorial influence on the control of diabetes and hypertension among patients in Primary Health Care Settings(PHC) of urban Karnataka.

Methods

We used a mixed-method study design, within a project aiming to improve non-communicable disease (NCD) continuum of care across PHC in Mysore city, India, conducted in 2018. The quantitative study was conducted among 399 patients with diabetes and/or hypertension and a logistic regression model was used to assess the factors responsible for biological control levels of diabetes and hypertension measured through Glycated Haemoglobin(HbA1c) and blood pressure. Further, in-depth interviews(IDI) were conducted among these patients and the counsellors at PHCs to understand the barriers and enablers for better control.

Result

The quantitative assessment found odds of poor control amongst diabetics’ increased with older age, longer duration of disease, additional chronic conditions, and tobacco consumption. For hypertensives, odds of poor control increased with higher body mass index(BMI), alcohol consumption, and belongingness to lower social groups. These findings were elaborated through qualitative assessment which found that the control status was affected by stress as a result of family or financial worries. Stress, poor lifestyle, and poor health-seeking behaviour interplay with other factors like diet and exercise leading to poor control of diabetes and hypertension.

Conclusion

A better understanding of determinants associated with disease control can assist in designing focused patient outreach plans, customized communication strategies, need-based care delivery plans, and specific competency-based capacity-building models for health care workers. Patient-centric care focusing on biological, social and behavioural determinants is pivotal for appropriate management of NCDs at community level in low-middle income countries.
SGOL2 is a novel prognostic marker and fosters disease progression via a MAD2-mediated pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Hu Qingqing , Liu Qiuhong , Zhao Yalei , Zhang Lingjian , Li Lanjuan
Published: November 2022

Background

Shugoshin-like protein 2 (SGOL2) is a centromeric protein that ensures the correct and orderly process of mitosis by protecting and maintaining centripetal adhesions during meiosis and mitosis. Here, we examined the potential role of SGOL2 in cancers, especially in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

One hundred ninety-nine normal adjacent tissues and 202 HCC samples were collected in this study. Human HCC cells (SK-HEP-1 and HEP-3B) were employed in the present study. Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blot, Co-Immunoprecipitation technique, and bioinformatic analysis were utilized to assess the role of SGOL2 in HCC development process.

Results

Overexpression of SGOL2 predicted an unfavorable prognosis in HCC by The Cancer Genome Atlas database (TCGA), which were further validated in our two independent cohorts. Next, 47 differentially expressed genes positively related to both SGOL2 and MAD2 were identified to be associated with the cell cycle. Subsequently, we demonstrated that SGOL2 downregulation suppressed the malignant activities of HCC in vitro and in vivo. Further investigation showed that SGOL2 promoted tumor proliferation by regulating MAD2-induced cell-cycle dysregulation, which could be reversed by the MAD2 inhibitor M2I-1. Consistently, MAD2 upregulation reversed the knockdown effects of SGOL2-shRNA in HCC. Moreover, we demonstrated that SGOL2 regulated MAD2 expression level by forming a SGOL2-MAD2 complex, which led to cell cycle dysreuglation of HCC cells.

Conclusion

SGOL2 acts as an oncogene in HCC cells by regulating MAD2 and then dysregulating the cell cycle, providing a potential therapeutic target in HCC.
Impact of differential item functioning on group score reporting in the context of large-scale assessments
Authors: Joo Sean , Ali Usama , Robin Frederic , Shin Hyo Jeong
Published: November 2022

We investigated the potential impact of differential item functioning (DIF) on group-level mean and standard deviation estimates using empirical and simulated data in the context of large-scale assessment. For the empirical investigation, PISA 2018 cognitive domains (Reading, Mathematics, and Science) data were analyzed using Jackknife sampling to explore the impact of DIF on the country scores and their standard errors. We found that the countries that have a large number of DIF items tend to increase the difference of the country scores computed with and without the DIF adjustment. In addition, standard errors of the country score differences also increased with the number of DIF items. For the simulation study, we evaluated bias and root mean squared error (RMSE) of the group mean and standard deviation estimates using the multigroup item response theory (IRT) model to explore the extent to which DIF items create a bias of the group mean scores and how effectively the DIF adjustment corrects the bias under various conditions. We found that the DIF adjustment reduced the bias by 50% on average. The implications and limitations of the study are further discussed.
High Diagnostic Accuracy of Epigenetic Imprinting Biomarkers in Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Xu Huixiong , Zhang Yifeng , Wu Hongxun , Zhou Ning , Li Xing , Pineda John P. , Zhu Yun , Fu Huijun , Ying Ming , Yang Shufang , Bao Jiandong , Yang Lulu , Zhang Bingjie , Guo Lehang , Sun Liping , Lu Feng , Wang Hanxiang , Huang Ying , Zhu Tiantong , Wang Xiaonan , Wei Qing , Sheng Chunjun , Qu Shen , Lv Zhongwei , Xu Dong , Li Qian , Dong Yongling , Qin Jianwu , Cheng Tong , Xing Mingzhao
Published: November 2022

PURPOSE

To explore the novel diagnostic value of epigenetic imprinting biomarkers in thyroid nodules.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 550 patients with fine-needle aspiration (FNA)–evaluated and histopathologically confirmed thyroid nodules were consecutively recruited from eight medical centers. Quantitative chromogenic imprinted gene in situ hybridization (QCIGISH) was used to assess the allelic expression of imprinted genes SNRPN and HM13, on the basis of which a diagnostic grading model for thyroid nodules was developed. The model was retrospectively trained on 124 postsurgical thyroid samples, optimized on 32 presurgical FNA samples, and prospectively validated on 394 presurgical FNA samples. Blinded central review–based cytopathologic and histopathologic diagnoses were used as the reference standard.

RESULTS

For thyroid malignancy, the QCIGISH test achieved an overall diagnostic sensitivity of 100% (277/277), a specificity of 91.5% (107/117; 95% CI, 86.4 to 96.5), a positive predictive value (PPV) of 96.5% (95% CI, 94.4 to 98.6), and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 100% in the prospective validation, with a diagnostic accuracy of 97.5% (384/394; 95% CI, 95.9 to 99.0). QCIGISH demonstrated a PPV of 97.8% (95% CI, 94.7 to 100) and NPV of 100%, with a diagnostic accuracy of 98.2% (111/113; 95% CI, 95.8 to 100), for indeterminate Bethesda III-V thyroid nodules. QCIGISH demonstrated a PPV of 96.6% (95% CI, 91.9 to 100) and a NPV of 100%, with a diagnostic accuracy of 97.5% (79/81; 95% CI, 94.2 to 100), for Bethesda III-IV. For Bethesda VI, QCIGISH showed a 100% (184/184) accuracy.

CONCLUSION

This imprinting biomarker-based test can effectively distinguish malignant from benign thyroid nodules. The high PPV and NPV make the test both an excellent rule-in and rule-out diagnostic tool. With such a diagnostic performance and its technical simplicity, this novel thyroid molecular test is clinically widely applicable.
Impact of a Comprehensive Financial Resource on Financial Toxicity in a National, Multiethnic Sample of Adult, Adolescent/Young Adult, and Pediatric Patients With Cancer
Authors: Ragavan Meera V. , Mora Rosa V. , Winder Kate , Incudine Andrea , Cunningham Rosie , Stivers Tom , Borno Hala T.
Published: November 2022

PURPOSE:

Financial toxicity is a well-recognized problem for patients with cancer. However, a crucial gap remains in describing and implementing mitigation strategies. We conducted a national survey of a multiethnic adolescent/pediatric and adult patient population served by Family Reach, a nonprofit organization focused on removing financial barriers to cancer care, to evaluate the impact of a comprehensive financial resource on patient-reported financial toxicity.

METHODS:

An electronic survey was administered to characterize patients' current financial health and the impact of Family Reach's resources on financial toxicity. The survey was e-mailed to all patients or caregivers who received resources from Family Reach between January 1, 2020, and June 30, 2020. Factors associated with higher financial stress and higher potential impact of resources on financial burden were evaluated through separate multivariate regression models. Qualitative responses were analyzed using manual coding and thematic analysis.

RESULTS:

Three hundred thirty socioeconomically and racially diverse respondents (overall response rate 40%; 46% non-Hispanic White; 48% with incomes below the federal poverty line) completed the survey and were included in the analysis. More than half of respondents reported high financial stress in the previous week. Hispanic ethnicity, Black race, and low annual household income were associated with higher financial toxicity. A greater amount of financial assistance was associated with a higher confidence rating that resources provided would decrease financial stress. In open-ended comments, respondents highlighted the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting job loss on financial toxicity, the importance of financial navigation, the benefits of financial assistance, and anxiety about long-term financial health.

CONCLUSION:

A comprehensive financial resource, particularly financial assistance, alleviated financial toxicity in a multiethnic national sample of patients with cancer. Ongoing work is critical to address sustainable funding sources and financial navigation to support patients during treatment and survivorship.
Efficient electron transfer in quantum dot chains controlled by a cubic detuning profile via shortcuts to adiabaticity
Authors: Rus María E. , Romero Rodolfo H. , Gomez Sergio S.
Published: November 2022

Long-distance fast and precise transfer of charge in semiconductor nanostructures is one of the goals for scalable electronic devices. We study theoretically the control of shuttling of an electron along a linear chain of semiconductor electrostatically defined quantum dots by an electric field pulse with nonlinear time-dependent profile. We show that this essential nonlinearity along with shortcuts to adiabaticity techniques speed up the electron transfer with high fidelity, while still holding great robustness under spin-flip interactions and inhomogeneities in the couplings of the chain. A given fidelity can be set experimentally by controlling the maximum sweep energy and duration of the control pulse.
A comment on lepton mixing
Authors: Metaxas Dimitrios
Published: November 2022

Since right-handed neutrinos, if added to the Standard Model, have no gauge interactions, their kinetic terms can be mixed. I examine the related rotations of the gauge eigenstates in order to derive the propagators for the kinetic and mass terms, and I comment on the resulting lepton mixing, on the possibility of not having well-defined mass eigenstates, and on the modifications to weak contributions and observables (anomalous magnetic moment, muon decay, neutrino oscillations).
Coherent states with minimum Gini uncertainty for finite quantum systems
Authors: Lei C. , Vourdas A.
Published: November 2022

Uncertainty relations

in terms of the Gini index are studied. The “Gini uncertainty constant”

is estimated numerically and compared to an upper bound

. It is shown that for large d we get

. States

with minimum Gini uncertainty and displacement transformations are used to define coherent states

(where

) with minimum Gini uncertainty

. The

resolve the identity, and therefore an arbitrary state can be expanded in terms of them. This expansion is robust in the presence of noise.
An Indigenous Congregation at the Colegio of San Gregorio: Dowries for “Indias” and the Economy of Salvation
Authors: Díaz Mónica
Published: November 2022

This essay focuses on the connective networks among Native peoples that the Jesuit Colegio of San Gregorio and the Good Death Congregation promoted. Specifically, it discusses how aspects of what the article calls the economy of salvation allowed for the strengthening of social networks among Natives in the central part of Mexico City. Through the establishing of pious works within the colegio that supported the congregation’s activities, Indigenous peoples fostered a sense of cohesiveness and bolstered their ethnic identities.
Construction and validation of a personalized nomogram of ultrasound for pretreatment prediction of breast cancer patients sensitive to neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Authors: Zhang Man-Qi , Du Yu , Zha Hai-Ling , Liu Xin-Pei , Cai Meng-Jun , Chen Zhi-Hui , Chen Rui , Wang Jue , Wang Shou-Ju , Zhang Jiu-Lou , Li Cui-Ying
Published: November 2022

Objective:

To construct a combined radiomics model based on pre-treatment ultrasound for predicting of advanced breast cancers sensitive to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Methods:

A total of 288 eligible breast cancer patients who underwent NAC before surgery were enrolled in the retrospective study cohort. Radiomics features reflecting the phenotype of the pre-NAC tumors were extracted. With features selected using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, radiomics signature (Rad-score) was established based on the pre-NAC ultrasound. Then, radiomics nomogram of ultrasound (RU) was established on the basis of the best radiomic signature incorporating independent clinical features. The performance of RU was evaluated in terms of calibration curve, area under the curve (AUC), and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results:

Nine features were selected to construct the radiomics signature in the training cohort. Combined with independent clinical characteristics, the performance of RU for identifying Grade 4–5 patients was significantly superior than the clinical model and Rad-score alone (p < 0.05, as per the Delong test), which achieved an AUC of 0.863 (95% CI, 0.814–0.963) in the training group and 0.854 (95% CI, 0.776–0.931) in the validation group. DCA showed that this model satisfactory clinical utility, suggesting its robustness as a response predictor.

Conclusion:

This study demonstrated that RU has a potential role in predicting drug-sensitive breast cancers.

Advances in knowledge:

Aiming at early detection of Grade 4–5 breast cancer patients, the radiomics nomogram based on ultrasound has been approved as a promising indicator with high clinical utility. It is the first application of ultrasound-based radiomics nomogram to distinguish drug-sensitive breast cancers.
Ανατομικές παραλλαγές και ανθρωπομετρικές παράμετροι της οσφυοϊερής μοίρας της σπονδυλικής στήλης και η σημασία τους στη Χειρουργική και την Ιατροδικαστική
Authors: Ναστούλης Ευάγγελος
Published: November 2022

Σκοπός της παρούσης διατριβής είναι η διερεύνηση των ήδη γνωστών αλλά και άγνωστων παραλλαγών της οσφυοϊερής μοίρας της σπονδυλικής στήλης και η μέτρηση σημαντικών παραμέτρων του ιερού οστού. Μελετήθηκαν 176 ιερά οστά από το (Γ’ Νεκροταφείο Αθηνών και το Εργαστήριο Ανατομίας Δ.Π.Θ) από τα οποία τα 99 αφορούν άνδρες και 77 γυναίκες. Οι μετρήσεις έγιναν με ηλεκτρονικό παχύμετρο και μετρική ταινία. Η επεξεργασία των αποτελεσμάτων έγινε με τη βοήθεια στατιστικού πακέτου IBM SPSS Statistics 26 και έγινε χρήση παραμετρικών και μη παραμετρικών δοκιμασιών. Στα αποτελέσματα στο πρώτο μέρος παρουσιάζονται οι ανατομικές παραλλαγές (μορφολογικές) που παρατηρήθηκαν στην οσφυοϊερή μοίρα της σπονδυλικής στήλης. Στο δεύτερο μέρος παρουσιάζονται τα αποτελέσματα από τις μετρήσεις στο ιερό οστό καθώς και από τον υπολογισμό των ειδικών δεικτών ταυτοποίησης φύλου με αναλυτικούς πίνακες με βάση το φύλο. Επιπλέον, κατά τη διάρκεια της παρούσας μελέτης αναγνωρίστηκε μια νέα ανατομική παραλλαγή του ιερού οστού με την παρουσία ενός υπεράριθμου ιερού τρήματος. Στη συζήτηση γίνεται σύγκριση των ευρημάτων των ανατομικών παραλλαγών και των αποτελεσμάτων των μετρήσεων με αυτά της διεθνούς βιβλιογραφίας, και γίνεται σχολιασμός για το κλινικό τους ενδιαφέρον στη Χειρουργική πρακτική (Ορθοπαιδική, Νευροχειρουργική, Γενική), στην Ακτινολογία, Μαιευτική, Ουρολογία και Ιατροδικαστική. Τέλος, παρουσιάζονται τα συμπεράσματα αυτής της μελέτης και συγκεκριμένα: Όσον αφορά τις ανατομικές παραλλαγές της οσφυοϊερής μοίρας της σπονδυλικής στήλης, το μεγαλύτερο ενδιαφέρον κλινικά και ερευνητικά εντοπίζεται στην περιοχή του πέμπτου οσφυϊκού και πρώτου ιερού σπονδύλου (παρουσία μεταβατικού οσφυοϊερού σπονδύλου- ΜΟΙΣ), καθώς και στην περιοχή του ιερού σχίσματος. Όσον αφορά τις μετρήσεις, για πρώτη φορά στη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία διενεργήθηκαν τριανταέξι (36) μετρήσεις στο ιερό οστό σε έναν πληθυσμό (ελληνικό). Έντεκα (11) από αυτές εμφάνιζαν στατιστικά σημαντική διαφορά μεταξύ των δύο φύλων. Τέλος, υπολογίστηκαν και οι έξι (6) δείκτες ταυτοποίησης φύλου που χρησιμοποιούνται στη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία με βάση το ιερό οστό και τρεις (3) από αυτούς παρουσίαζαν στατιστικά σημαντική διαφορά μεταξύ των δύο φύλων σε ελληνικό πληθυσμό.
Three essays on growth econometrics
Authors: Βουχάρας Γεώργιος
Published: November 2022

Η διατριβή αποτελείται από τρία κεφάλαια που σχετίζονται με την οικονομετρία και την οικονομική ανάπτυξη και συμβάλουν σημαντικά στην αντίστοιχη βιβιογραφία της Οικονομικής Επιστήμης. Εξερευνούμε τους μακροοικονομικούς παράγοντες που οδηγούν στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη εστιάζοντας σε τρεις σημαντικούς κλάδους: i) Χρηματοοικονομικά, ii) Τουρισμός και iii) Εξαγωγές. Σε όλα τα κεφάλαια, εφαρμόζουμε εναλλακτικές οικονομετρικές τεχνικές (οπως για παράδειγμα, panel quantile regression) και λαμβάνουμε υπόψη την ετερογένεια και την ενδογένεια. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο, διερευνούμε την επίδραση της χρηματοοικονομικής ανάπτυξης και των χρηματοπιστωτικών μεταρρυθμίσεων στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη σε διάφορα επίπεδα της οικονομικής ανάπτυξης. Χρησιμοποιούμε δεδομένα για 81 χώρες για περισσότερα από 30 χρόνια. Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν ότι οι χρηματοπιστωτικές μεταρρυθμίσεις είναι σημαντικοί καθοριστικοί παράγοντες της οικονομικής ανάπτυξης, ειδικά όταν μια χώρα αντιμετωπίζει σχετικά χαμηλά επίπεδα οικονομικής ανάπτυξης. Η χρηματοπιστωτική ανάπτυξη έχει σημασία για 2 την οικονομία, ωστόσο, το μέγεθος και η σημασία της επίδρασης ποικίλλουν. Οι οικονομικές μεταρρυθμίσεις επηρεάζουν περισσότερο την οικονομική ανάπτυξη σε σχέση με τη χρηματοπιστωτική ανάπτυξη. Αποκαλύπτουμε ότι οι συνιστώσες των χρηματοοικονομικών μεταρρυθμίσεων, που είναι πιο σημαντικές για την οικονομική ανάπτυξη, είναι η εποπτεία των τραπεζών και η ρύθμιση των αγορών κινητών αξιών. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο, εξετάζουμε το ρόλο του τουριστικού κλάδου στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη, εστιάζοντας σε 108 χώρες κατά την περίοδο 1995-2017. Εφαρμόζουμε μια μέθοδο παλινδρόμησης που μπορεί να ποσοτικοποιήσει τις επιπτώσεις του τουρισμού σε ολόκληρη την κατά συνθήκη κατανομή της οικονομικής ανάπτυξης τόσο για τις σχετικά φτωχές όσο και για τις σχετικά πλούσιες χώρες. Βρίσκουμε ότι όσο χαμηλότερος είναι ο ρυθμός ανάπτυξης που βιώνει μια χώρα τόσο πιο σημαντικός είναι ο κλάδος του τουρισμού για τις αναπτυσσόμενες και για τις ανεπτυγμένες χώρες. Το μέγεθος της επίδρασης στις ανεπτυγμένες χώρες είναι διπλάσιο από ότι στις αναπτυσσόμενες. Από την άλλη πλευρά, η επίδραση μπορεί να είναι αρνητική στις χώρες που βασίζονται αποκλειστικά στον τουρισμό. Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο, εξετάζουμε το ρόλο των εξαγωγών στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη. Εστιάζουμε σε 81 χώρες κατά την περίοδο 1980-2019. Κατηγοριοποιούμε τις συνολικές εξαγωγές σε πρωτογενείς, μεταποιητικές και εξαγωγές υπηρεσιών. Εφαρμόζοντας εναλλακτικές οικονομετρικές μεθόδους, καταγράφουμε τις ετερογενείς επιδράσεις των εξαγωγών σε διάφορα επίπεδα της κατανομής της ανάπτυξης. Τα αποτελέσματα υποδηλώνουν ότι η επίδραση των εξαγωγών μεταποίησης και υπηρεσιών ποικίλλει ανάλογα με το ρυθμό ανάπτυξης κάθε χώρας. Οι εξαγωγές της μεταποίησης είναι σημαντικοί και καθοριστικοί παράγοντες της ανάπτυξης για χώρες που αντιμετωπίζουν σχετικά χαμηλούς ρυθμούς ανάπτυξης. Οι εξαγωγές υπηρεσιών έχουν σημασία για την ανάπτυξη, ιδίως για χώρες που αντιμετωπίζουν σχετικά υψηλότερους ρυθμούς ανάπτυξης. Ο εξαγωγικός τομέας συνολικά αποτελεί σημαντικό μοχλό ανάπτυξης και τα ευρήματά ενθαρρύνουν τη διαμόρφωση πολιτικής.
Progress in the fabrication of rare earth doped optical fiber by standard and Sol-Gel derived granulated oxides
Authors: Etissa D. , Pilz S. , Ryser M. , Romano V.
Published: November 2022

We produced active optical fibers by the doped granulate silica-method. The granulates were derived from the sol-gel technology. We determined volume percentage and distribution of chemical elements in the fabricated glasses fiber by the analytical technique of Energy-Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) and the degree of crystallization by X-Ray Diffraction analysis (XRD). Furthermore we measured fluctuations of the Refractive Index Profile (RIP) and scattering losses of the fiber core. It was observed from the RIP measurement that the average index difference with respect to the undoped silica was 5.3*10-3, and thus the optical fiber has a numerical aperture of 0.12. XRD measurements and investigations with SEM showed that the manufactured optical fiber has an amorphous structure. The dopant and co-dopant elements in the core region were uniformly distributed. Although we found strong isolated scattering centers in the fabricated fiber, the loss of the fibers was determined to be 0.35- 3dB/m for selected fiber pieces. Here we present our progress of improving the optical quality of fibers produced from granulates.
Skala Współczucia dla Samego Siebie (SCS-PL)
Authors: Kocur Dagna , Flakus Maria , Fopka-Kowalczyk Małgorzata
Published: November 2022

W ostatnich dwudziestu latach widzimy znaczny wzrost zainteresowania współczuciem dla samego siebie (z ang. self-compassion) w wielu dziedzinach nauk, także w psychologii, pedagogice czy medycynie. Celem publikacji jest przedstawienie procesu polskiej adaptacji Skali Współczucia dla Samego Siebie (Self Compassion Scale) autorstwa Kristin Neff. Adaptacja przebiegła w dwóch etapach. Walidacja kulturowa skali polegała na tłumaczeniu skali na język angielski, a następnie tłumaczenia zwrotnego – z języka angielskiego na polski oraz zadbaniu o równoważność fasadową oraz funkcjonalną testu zgodnie z przyjętymi zasadami adaptacji kulturowej skal. Drugim etapem była walidacja psychometryczna skali w oparciu o przeprowadzone badania z udziałem  645 badanych z wykorzystaniem Skali Współczucia dla Samego Siebie (SCS- PL) oraz Metryczki uwzględniającej dane demograficzne badanych takie jak wiek, płeć, miejsce zamieszkania, wykształcenie oraz romantyczne związki. Przeprowadzone badania i uzyskane wyniki pozwalają stwierdzić, że polska wersja SCS jest wiarygodną i miarą samowspółczucia. SCS-PL uzyskała w badaniach zadowalające wyniki rzetelności i trafności. Skala może być stosowana do oceny współczucia wobec siebie oraz jego komponentów, zarówno w warunkach klinicznych jak i badawczych,
Środowisko działania służb specjalnych: Wybrane aspekty
Authors: Żebrowski Andrzej
Published: November 2022

The modern area of international security is asymmetric, complex and unpredictable. Progressive civilisational transformations, significant re-evaluations in social life and mentality of people, as well as the growth of civilisational threats changed essentially an approach to the concept of security. This issue concerns practically all fields: political, ideological, social, cultural, scientific, technical, informational, teleinformation, ecological, demographic, economic, business, health, food, military, as well as fight against international terrorism and organised crime of cross-border character.
The environmental impact of orthopaedic surgery: assessing strategies for change
Authors: Khatkar Harman , Kyriakides Jonathon , McNamara John
Published: November 2022

Climate change poses one of the most critical threats to humanity. Surgical care needs to be considered in relation to the impending climate emergency. Little thought appears to have been given to the role of operating departments as a high-yield target for environmental change. This article evaluates the environmental impact of orthopaedic surgery, focusing on anaesthesia, waste management and surgical hardware. Developing ‘green’ operating protocols should be the minimum expectation of orthopaedic departments. Just as the management of complex surgical pathology requires a multidisciplinary approach, mitigating the environmental impact of surgical endeavour requires collective action and buy-in.
Improving recruitment and retention
Authors: Oldman Crystal
Published: November 2022

At a time when health and social care services are being compromised by staffing challenges, ensuring that practitioners are on the correct pay band for the work they do is essential, says Crystal Oldman
Factor Structure and Dimensionality of an Instrument designed to Measure the Metacognitive Orientation of Thai Science Classroom Learning Environments
Authors: Thomas Gregory P. , Chantharanuwong Warawan
Published: November 2022

The purpose of this study was to establish the factor structure and dimensionality of the Metacognitive Orientation Learning Environment Scale – Science (MOLES-S) in the Thai context. The metacognitive orientation of a science classroom learning environment is defined as the extent to which psychosocial conditions that are known to enhance students’ metacognition are evident in a specific science classroom. This study builds on earlier work in the research areas of science education, metacognition, and learning environments. A sample of 5418 Thai science students in grades 10 to 12, from 40 schools across Thailand, completed the MOLES-S that had been translated into Thai. Exploratory factor analysis was undertaken and Rasch analysis was used to calibrate the scale and explore its dimensionality. The results suggest that the MOLES-S(T), where (T) represents Thailand, has the same factor structure as the original MOLES-S, is reliable, and can be used with confidence in research into metacognition in Thai high school science classrooms.
Psychometric Properties of Online Adolescent Anger Instrument
Authors: Ahmad Nor Shafrin , Zaharudin Rozniza , Khairani Ahmad Zamri
Published: November 2022

Anger is a topic that requires intervention from teachers, counsellors, psychologists, parents, and all communities. The expressions of anger are subjective and sometimes hard to identify. Thus, anger should be measured more objectively, while the expressions need to be examined closely. The purpose of this study is to provide valid confirmation for development of an online instrument to measure the types of anger expression among adolescents. Data were collected from 935 adolescents from nine schools in northern Malaysia and the theoretical literature search. The data were analysed to provide evidence of construct validity in terms of item factor analysis, reliability estimates, and correlation between the types of anger expressions. Findings were used to develop an online Adolescent Anger Instrument. It measures five types of anger expressions, namely, physical, verbal, intrinsic, extrinsic, and passive. The results showed that the instrument is internally consistent with high evidence of construct validity. Exploratory factor analysis, with varimax rotation, suggested the existence of five distinct types of anger as conceptualised. Meanwhile, the correlation between types of anger expressions indicates the strength of the relationship between them. Discussions on the findings are provided, while suggestions for future research are also described.
Efficient progressive algorithm for light scattering of a multilayered concentric nanoparticle
Authors: Li Rongheng , Li Ben Q.
Published: November 2022

An efficient progressive
methodology is presented for the computation of multi-scattering of
electromagnetic waves by a multilayered concentric nanoparticle.
Instead of solving a large set of system equations as reported in
other works, the proposed approach utilizes a progressive algorithm
which considers two adjacent shell layers at a time, marching
progressively from the innermost to the outmost layer, and requires
only multiplication of

4

×

4

matrices. The progressive algorithm
yields the analytical expression for the scattering parameter of the
concentric particle. Moreover, the progressive algorithm allows the
scattering coefficients of a specific internal layer to be computed
selectively, rather than having to calculate those of all layers of
the entire particle as required by other algorithms. We show that the
presented progressive method has equivalent accuracy to the well-known
recursive algorithm, but it is more attractive due to its lower
complexity in implementation. It is shown that light scattering of
both a single solid sphere and two-layered concentric shell are
special cases of the proposed methodology. Case study demonstrates
that the presented methodology is useful in assisting the design of a
multilayered core/shell structure with maximum forward scattering
feature, indicating it is applicable to the exploration of optical
phenomena of nanoparticles with numerous layers. Moreover, the present
progressive algorithm is further extended to the electromagnetic
scattering by an eccentric multilayered particle with inner cores
displaced along a line defined by the centers of the spheres, which
provides extra freedoms for the design of optical core shell spherical
particles.
Feasibility demonstration of AO pre-compensation for GEO feeder links in a relevant environment
Authors: Bonnefois Aurélie Montmerle , Velluet Marie-Thérése , Cissé Mahawa , Lim Caroline B. , Conan Jean-Marc , Petit Cyril , Sauvage Jean-François , Meimon Serge , Perrault Philippe , Montri Joseph , Védrenne Nicolas
Published: November 2022

Optical technologies are extremely competitive candidates to achieve very-high throughput links between ground and GEO satellites; however, their feasibility relies on the ability to mitigate channel impairments due to atmospheric turbulence. For that purpose, Adaptive Optics (AO) has already proved to be highly efficient on the downlink. However, for the uplink, anisoplanatism induced by point-ahead angle (PAA) compromises AO pre-compensation efficiency to an extent that depends on propagation conditions. The ability to properly assess the anisoplanatism impact in a wide variety of conditions is thus critical in designing the optical ground terminals. In this paper, we demonstrate the consistency of experimental coupled flux statistics with results coming from performance and end-to-end models, on an AO pre-compensated 13 km slant path in Tenerife. This validation is demonstrated in a wide variety of turbulence conditions, hence consolidating propagation channel models that are of critical importance for the reliability of future GEO feeder links. We then compare experimental results to theoretical on-sky performance, and discuss to what extent such slant path or horizontal path experiments can be representative of real GEO links.
Multi-color switchable visible light source generated via nonlinear frequency conversion of a random fiber laser
Authors: Wu Han , Wang Weizhe , Hu Bo , Ma Rui , Liu Jun , Liang Houkun
Published: November 2022

Nonlinear frequency conversion of random fiber lasers could provide new possibilities to realize visible and mid-infrared light with flexible wavelength and low temporal/spatial coherence. Frequency doubling of random fiber laser is reported to generate visible light with single-color output. Here, we propose a new way to generate multi-color switchable visible light source from a dual-wavelength switchable 1st-order random Raman fiber laser (RRFL) with phosphosilicate fiber. Taking advantage of the existence of the two Raman gain peaks with significant different Raman gain bandwidth at the frequency shifts of 13.2 THz (silica-related one with broad Raman gain bandwidth) and 39.9 THz (phosphorus-related one with narrow Raman gain bandwidth) in phosphosilicate fiber, a dual-wavelength switchable RRFL is developed which can emit 1120 and 1238 nm random Raman lasing individually or simultaneously with 3-watt level output power and sub-1 nm bandwidth by precisely tuning the pump wavelength to manipulate the Raman gain at two fixed Raman Stokes wavelengths. It is expected that the output power can be further increased with a shorter fiber length and more powerful pump, and the spectral bandwidth can be much narrower by adopting a narrowband point reflector in 1st-order RRFL. Based on the dual-wavelength RRFL with a flexible power ratio and a periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) crystal array containing three separate poled gratings with different periods, the second-harmonic generation of 1120 nm or 1238 nm random lasing and sum-frequency generation of 1120 nm and 1238 nm random lasing can be performed. As a result, the switchable output of green light at 560 nm, yellow light at 588 nm and red light at 619 nm can be realized with optical power of 22.2 mW, 16.9 mW and 18.5 mW, respectively. Our work demonstrates dual-wavelength RRFL could act as a new platform for generating visible light source with flexible color output which has potential applications in imaging, sensing and visible temporal ghost imaging.
Demonstration of 4096QAM THz MIMO wireless delivery employing one-bit delta-sigma modulation
Authors: Zhao Feng , Yang Xiongwei , Zhao Li , Wei Yi , Yu Jianjun
Published: November 2022

We experimentally demonstrate 2-Gbaud 4096-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (4096QAM) signal transmission over 2-m wireless distance at 370 GHz in a photonics-aided terahertz (THz)-wave communication system. By using one-bit quantized delta-sigma modulation (DSM) and photonics-aided technology, we successfully achieve the transmission of high-order QAM signals over THz multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) links. After 2 m of free space transmission, its bit error rate (BER) is below the 20% soft-decision forward error correction (20% SD-FEC) threshold of 2.4 × 10−2. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time to apply DSM technology in a THz MIMO link transmission.
Monolithic multi-wavelength lasing from multi-sized microdisk lasers
Authors: Fu Wai Yuen , Fai Cheung Yuk , Choi Hoi Wai
Published: November 2022

This paper demonstrates monolithic multi-wavelength lasing through fabrication of multi-sized microdisks on a green-emitting thin film sample. The different dimensions of the microdisks incur different extent of strain relaxation, thus changing the emission/gain spectra due to the reduction of the quantum confined Stark effect. Under room-temperature optical pumping, lasing thresholds of 15.1 mJ/cm2, 2.9 mJ/cm2, and 5.3 mJ/cm2 with Q factors of 2370, 2060, and 4308 are realized, respectively, for fabricated microdisks with diameters of 950 nm, 6

μ

m, and 10

μ

m. By exciting the microdisks with a pump laser spot diameter of 2 mm, simultaneous multi-wavelength lasing action is thus observed. The strain relaxation effect is confirmed by the shift of the E2 (high) Raman peak from 563.2 cm-1 to 561.5 cm-1 as the diameter of the fabricated microdisk reduces.
Surface plasmon resonance voltage sensor based on a liquid crystal-infiltrated hollow fiber
Authors: Islam Md. Shofiqul , Mollah Md. Aslam , Alkhateeb Abdulhameed Fouad , Zouch Wassim , Alghamdi Sami
Published: November 2022

We propose an electric field tunable nematic liquid crystal (NLC) infiltrated single-hole hollow fiber sensor for voltage measurement. Due to only an air hole, the proposed sensor got a straightforward structure, and the liquid-filling process will be uncomplicated. The addition of the gold wire successfully incorporated the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) phenomenon as a sensing methodology in the proposed sensor. Besides that, the use of metal wire instead of the metal film will reduce the complicacy associated with the acquisition of uniform film thickness. The sensor characterization and performance evaluation have been done using the finite element method (FEM) for a wide voltage range from 200V to 400V. The sensor exhibits wavelength sensitivity (WS) and linearity as high as 5 nm/V and 0.9935, respectively. In addition, maximum amplitude sensitivity (AS) and wavelength resolution (R) is attained of −353.46 RIU−1 and 0.02V, respectively. Due to its excellent performance with a wide sensing range, and a simple and compact structure, the proposed sensor can be used for voltage measurement in a sophisticated place.
Crystallization of high gyrotropy garnets with decreasing thermal processing budgets as analyzed by electron backscatter diffraction
Authors: Srinivasan Karthik , Seaton Nicholas C. A. , Peng Ruoming , Li Mo , Stadler Bethanie J. H.
Published: November 2022

Rare-earth iron garnets with large magnetic gyrotropy, made with reduced thermal budgets, are ideal magneto-optical materials for integrated isolators. However, reduced thermal budgets impact Faraday rotation by limiting crystallization, and characterization of crystallinity is limited by resolution or scannable area. Here, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) is used to measure crystallinity in cerium substituted yttrium- and terbium-iron garnets (CeYIG and CeTbIG) grown on planar Si, crystallized using one-step rapid thermal processes, leading to large Faraday rotations > −3500 °/cm at 1550 nm. Varying degrees of crystallinity are observed in planar Si and patterned Si waveguides, and specific dependences of crystallite size are attributed to the nucleation/growth processes of the garnets and the lateral dimensions of the waveguide. On the other hand, a low thermal budget alternative–exfoliated CeTbIG nanosheets–are fully crystalline and maintain high Faraday rotations of −3200 °/cm on par with monolithically integrated thin film garnets.
Creating a Diverse, Inclusive Workplace
Authors: Kwon Karen
Published: November 2022

OPN highlights companies and a research institution that have
made their work environments welcoming to all.
Brain-wide connectome inferences using functional connectivity MultiVariate Pattern Analyses (fc-MVPA)
Authors: Nieto-Castanon Alfonso
Published: November 2022

Current functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging technology is able to resolve billions of individual functional connections characterizing the human connectome. Classical statistical inferential procedures attempting to make valid inferences across this many measures from a reduced set of observations and from a limited number of subjects can be severely underpowered for any but the largest effect sizes. This manuscript discusses fc-MVPA (functional connectivity Multivariate Pattern Analysis), a novel method using multivariate pattern analysis techniques in the context of brain-wide connectome inferences. The theory behind fc-MVPA is presented, and several of its key concepts are illustrated through examples from a publicly available resting state dataset, including an analysis of gender differences across the entire functional connectome. Finally, Monte Carlo simulations are used to demonstrate the validity and sensitivity of this method. In addition to offering powerful whole-brain inferences, fc-MVPA also provides a meaningful characterization of the heterogeneity in functional connectivity across subjects.
Cervical cancer screening in a population of black South African women with high HIV prevalence: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Musonda Joyce Sikwese , Sodo Pumla Pamella , Ayo-Yusuf Olalekan , Reji Elizabeth , Musonda John , Mabuza Langalibalele Honey , Ndimande John Velaphi , Akii Jimmy , Omole Olufemi Babatunde
Published: November 2022

Cervical cancer is largely preventable through early detection, but screening uptake remains low among black women in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with cervical cancer screening in the past 10 years among black African women in primary health care (PHC) clinics, in Gauteng Province, South Africa. This was a cross-sectional study involving 672 consecutively recruited black women at cervical cancer screening programs in PHC clinics between 2017 and 2020. An interviewer-administered questionnaire covered socio-demographics, HIV status, sexual history, cervical cancer risk factors knowledge, and screening behaviours in the past 10 years. The mean age of participants was 38 years. More than half (63%) were aged 30–49 years. Most completed high school education (75%), were unemployed (61%), single (60%), and HIV positive (48%). Only 285 (42.4%) of participants reported screening for cervical cancer in the past 10 years. Of participants that reported receiving information on screening, 27.6% (n = 176) and 13.97% (n = 89) did so from healthcare facilities and community platforms respectively. Participants aged 30 years or more were more likely to report for cervical cancer screening as compared to other categories in the past 10 years. The study found low cervical cancer screening prevalence. This calls for health education campaigns and prevention strategies that would target individual patients’ contexts and stages of behavioral change. Such strategies must also consider socio-demographic and clinical correlates of cervical cancer screening and promote better integration into PHC services in South Africa.
Evaluation and prediction of land ecological security in Shenzhen based on DPSIR-TOPSIS-GM(1,1) model
Authors: Shan Yongjie , Wei Shaokang , Yuan Weili , Miao Yuan
Published: November 2022

Land ecological security is the core of regional coordinated economic development and land ecological security planning. In this paper, with Shenzhen as the research area, 28 evaluation indicators were selected from 5 dimensions based on the DPSIR model to construct an indicator system for land ecological security evaluation, so as to evaluate the land ecological security status in the research area from 2009 to 2019. Based on the TOPSIS evaluation model, regional levels were determined, and finally the GM (1,1) model was adopted to scientifically predict the land ecological security system of Shenzhen from 2020 to 2025. The results showed that: (1) from the perspective of the main influencing factors, the weight of 16 indicators of Shenzhen’s land ecological security exceeds 0.03, including the total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery (D5) and Engel coefficient (I4). These factors are the main factors that have led to the deterioration of land ecological security in Shenzhen in the past decade; (2) comprehensive situation analysis revealed that from 2009 to 2019, the level of land ecological security in Shenzhen exhibited an increasing trend overall, but the land ecological security in Shenzhen still needs to be greatly improved; (3) regarding various subsystems, from 2009 to 2019, except the pressure subsystem which was in a downward trend, other subsystems showed a fluctuating and upward trend; (4) after modeling and calculation using the GM (1,1) model, it was concluded that most of the indicator factors are in a slow growing trend with the social and economic development of Shenzhen, but severe land ecological problem still exists. The research result is expected to provide a reference for the stable and sustainable development of society and economy and regional land ecosystem protection.
The association of marital/partner status with patient-reported health outcomes following acute myocardial infarction or stroke: Protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Zhu Cenjing , Tran Phoebe M. , Leifheit Erica C. , Spatz Erica S. , Dreyer Rachel P. , Nyhan Kate , Wang Shi-Yi , Goldstein Larry B. , Lichtman Judith H.
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Marital/Partner support is associated with lower mortality and morbidity following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and stroke. Despite an increasing focus on the effect of patient-centered factors on health outcomes, little is known about the impact of marital/partner status on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

Objective

To synthesize evidence of the association between marital/partner status and PROMs after AMI and stroke and to determine whether associations differ by sex.

Methods and analysis

We will search MEDLINE (via Ovid), Web of Science Core Collection (as licensed by Yale University), Scopus, EMBASE (via Ovid), and PsycINFO (via Ovid) from inception to July 15, 2022. Two authors will independently screen titles, abstracts, and then full texts as appropriate, extract data, and assess risk of bias. Conflicts will be resolved by discussion with a third reviewer. The primary outcomes will be the associations between marital/partner status and PROMs. An outcome framework was designed to classify PROMs into four domains (health-related quality of life, functional status, symptoms, and personal recovery). Meta-analysis will be conducted if appropriate. Subgroup analysis by sex and meta-regression with a covariate for the proportion of male participants will be performed to explore differences by sex.

Ethics and dissemination

This research is exempt from ethics approval because the study will be conducted using published data. We will disseminate the results of the analysis in a related peer-reviewed journal.

Trial registration

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022295975.
Factors related to COVID-19 vaccine intention in Latino communities
Authors: Perez Adriana , Johnson Julene K. , Marquez David X. , Keiser Sahru , Martinez Paula , Guerrero Javier , Tran Thi , Portacolone Elena
Published: November 2022

Objective

To examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among Latino communities, with an emphasis on understanding barriers and facilitators to vaccine intention prior to the development of the vaccine.

Methods

Qualitative data were collected between April and June 2020 from 3 focus groups with Latino adults (n = 21) and interviews with administrators of community-based organizations serving Latino communities (n = 12) in urban (Los Angeles) and rural (Fresno) California, supplemented by Community Advisory Board input in May 2021to elucidate the findings. Data were analyzed with deductive content analysis.

Results

We have identified four main themes that are barriers to vaccinating against COVID-19: 1) concerns about accessing appropriate healthcare services, 2) financial issues and 3) immigration matters, as well as 4) misinformation.

Conclusions

Findings illustrate the pervasive role of addressable social determinants of health in the intention of rural and urban Latino communities in being vaccinated, which is a pressing public health issue. Policy implications: Findings provide evidence for a systemic shift to prioritize equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines to Latino communities.