bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond Quantities: Machine Learning-based Characterization of Inequality in Infrastructure Quality Provision in Cities
Authors: Li Bo , Mostafavi Ali
Published: March 2024

The objective of this study is to characterize inequality in infrastructure quality across urban areas. While a growing of body of literature has recognized the importance of characterizing infrastructure inequality in cities and provided quantified metrics to inform urban development plans, the majority of the existing approaches focus primarily on measuring the quantity of infrastructure, assuming that more infrastructure is better. Also, the existing research focuses primarily on index-based approaches in which the status of infrastructure provision in urban areas is determined based on assumed subjective weights. The focus on infrastructure quantity and use of indices obtained from subjective weights has hindered the ability to properly examine infrastructure inequality as it pertains to urban inequality and environmental justice considerations. Recognizing this gap, this study examines inequality in infrastructure quality in which infrastructure quality is defined based on the extent to which infrastructure features shape environmental hazard exposure (i.e., air pollution and urban heat) of urban areas. We propose a machine learning-based approach in which infrastructure features that shape environmental hazard exposure are identified and we use the weights obtained by the model to calculate an infrastructure quality provision for spatial areas of cities and accordingly, quantify the extent of inequality in infrastructure quality. The implementation of the model in five metropolitan areas in the U.S. demonstrates the capability of the proposed approach in characterizing inequality in infrastructure quality and capturing city-specific differences in the weights of infrastructure features. The results also show that areas in which low-income populations reside have lower infrastructure quality provision, suggesting the lower infrastructure quality provision as a determinant of urban disparities. Accordingly, the proposed approach can be effectively used to inform integrated urban design strategies to promote infrastructure equity and environmental justice based on data-driven and machine intelligence-based insights.
RETRACTED: Comparison of Screw Fixation and Dynamic Fixation in the Treatment of Ankle Fractures with Syndesmotic Ruptures
Authors: Güngör Erdal , Güngör Zeynep Karakuzu
Published: March 2024

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Low-dose Oxytocin Protocol Makes No Difference in Quantitative Blood Loss in Elective Cesarean Sections; a Single-Center, Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Hood Courtney , Baxter Brian , Zuehl Alyssa , Patzkowski Michael
Published: March 2024

Background
The prophylactic use of oxytocin after fetal delivery has been shown to reduce maternal blood loss by 40–50%, yet there remains significant clinical deviation in how the medication is dosed. In January, 2021, the Defense Health Agency (DHA) issued Procedural Instruction 6025.35 entitled Guidance for Implementation of the Postpartum Hemorrhage Bundle. This directive established a set of processes and procedures for the risk assessment and treatment of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), including a new standardized oxytocin protocol for vaginal and cesarean deliveries.
Methods
This single-center, retrospective cohort study compared quantitative blood loss in healthy parturients undergoing elective cesarean sections that received either unmeasured, high-dose oxytocin (40 IU) or a low-dose oxytocin protocol (3 IU bolus followed by 18 IU per hour) using a multivariate linear regression model.
Results
After controlling for patient age, gestational age at time of delivery, cesarean section indication, and hemorrhagic medications given, the multivariate linear regression model found the regimen of oxytocin a patient received was not predictive of their blood loss (R2 = 0.08, adjusted R2 of -0.003, p = 0.48). Additionally, the low-dose group had less blood loss by estimated marginal means (944mL, 95% CI 724–1164, versus 769mL, 95% CI 526–1011).
Conclusions
This study suggests the low-dose oxytocin protocol released in the Defense Health Agency hemorrhage bundle is safe and effective with regards to preventing blood loss from uterine atony, and should be adopted by all military treatment facilities.
Considering Hounsfield Units in native CT- scans for diagnosing spondylodiscitis
Authors: Prost Max , Taday Roman , Matar Christian Bernard , Latz David , Beyersdorf Carl Christoph Paul , Röckner Melanie Elisabeth , Windolf Joachim , Scheyerer Max Joseph
Published: March 2024

Background
MRI being the method of choice for radiological diagnosis of spondylodiscitis is still often delayed. The significance of native CT Scans as an alternative diagnostic tool for spondylodiscitis is poor according to the current data. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate, weather spondylodiscitis leads to a significant pattern of the density distribution from the affected vertebral bodies and discs measured by Hounsfield Units (HU) in native CT Scans.
Methods
In a retrospective study we analyzed data from 136 patients, who were treated for spondylodiscitis. Patients who provided MRI- and CT- scans of the spine were included. In axial CT planes HU from the affected intervertebral disc as well as from the affected vertebral bodies and from the unaffected adjacent intervertebral discs and vertebral bodies from the level above and below as reference were measured.
Results
The average measured HU of the affected disc were 26.0% less than in the not affected adjacent discs (p < 0.001). The average measured HU of the affected vertebral bodies were 33.77% higher than in the not affected adjacent vertebral body’s (p < 0.001)). The localization of the spondylodiscitis and the degree of bony destruction according to Eysel-Peters classification had no influence on these findings.
Conclusion
Decreased HU of the affected vertebral disc of approximate 25% and / or increased HU of the affected vertebral bodies of approximate 30% compared with adjacent vertebral discs and vertebral are indicative for spondylodiscitis even in early phase without destruction and independent of the localization.
Early versus Late Onset Colorectal Cancer: Pathological Distinctions and Optimal Screening Age Determination in a Decade-Long Study
Authors: Song Jiawei , Han Tenghui , Qian Lei , Zhu Jun , Qiao Yihuan , Liu Shuai , Yu Pengfei , Chen Xiaoping , Li Jipeng
Published: March 2024

Background and Aim: The incidence of Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer (EOCRC) is increasing. However, the prognosis of EOCRC compared to Late-Onset Colorectal Cancer (LOCRC), and the ideal age for initial colorectal cancer (CRC) screening are not clear. In this study, we identified the pathological differences between the groups and determined the optimal screening age for CRC patients.
Methods: We included 10,172 patients diagnosed with CRC from January 2011 to December 2021 in this study. Survival differences were compared by plotting Kaplan-Meier survival curves and conducting landmark analysis. Additionally, the diagnostic age of CRC patients was analyzed using age cumulative curves.
Results: Compared to LOCRC patients, EOCRC patients had a higher proportion of defective mismatch repair (dMMR) and more advanced TNM staging (P < 0.05). The five-year survival of EOCRC patients was significantly better than that of LOCRC patients (P < 0.05). Laparoscopic surgery improved the long-term survival of EOCRC patients. Proficient mismatch repair (pMMR) favored the long-term survival of EOCRC patients. The survival rate of EOCRC patients at TNM stages I and II was higher than that of LOCRC patients at the same stages (P < 0.05). The age cumulative curve showed a substantial increase in the number of CRC patients at 40 years.
Conclusion: The long-term prognosis of EOCRC patients is better than that of LOCRC patients, especially among those with pMMR, stages I-II, and who undergo laparoscopic surgery. For high-risk groups, the starting age for CRC screening should be 40 years.
A lethal disease of the European bison - posthitis is conditionally determined by its genomics.
Authors: Kunvar Sazia , Czarnomska Sylwia , Pertoldi Cino , Stronen Astrid , Ruczyńska Iwona , Tokarska Małgorzata
Published: March 2024

Posthitis is an incurable lethal disease of males in the European bison (Bison bonasus), regarded as one of the major threats of the survival of the iconic species. Multiple attempts have been undertaken in the last 30 years to identify a source of infection and a primary pathogen. A genetic background for the disease was suggested after tools developed for cattle (Bos taurus) permitted the discovery of genomic regions possibly associated with the occurrence of posthitis. In this study, we applied deep coverage targeted sequencing to 74 regions on 10 of the bison’s chromosomes (1, 9, 12, 13, 15, 23, 25, 26, 29, and X) in a search for species-specific single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers that could help to explain the mechanism of the disease and be used to test for posthitis susceptibility. The association results were ranked based on p-values lower than 0.005 and odds ratios (OR) higher than 1. We obtained 30 SNP markers within these requirements, all located on chromosome 25. Major difficulties are conditional nature of posthitis and ‘false negative’ sampling. Thus we recommend complex genomic and environmental factors association assay that could eventually explain the puzzling etiology of the disease and support the species conservation.
Engineering piezoelectric efficiency in phase-separated PVDF nanocomposites using In 2 O 3 -ZnO heterostructure
Authors: Yempally Swathi , Bhapkar Abhishek R. , Prasad Rishi , Laad Meena , Bhame Shekhar , Ponnamma Deepalekshmi
Published: March 2024

The current research explores the piezoelectric output voltage efficiency of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposites containing In2O3-ZnO heterostructure fabricated by the phase separation methodology. Non-solvent induced phase separation using octanol creates uniform pores and spherulites within the polymer composites. Heterostructures of nanomaterials of ZnO quasi-spherical interface with In2O3 crystalline nucleus enhances the number of crystallites with reduced size, thereby contributing to the piezoelectric performance. Phase separation creates granular and rough surface morphology for the PVDF spherulites with advancement in the β-phase, which is the major reason for power generation. A specific circular sample of 2% PVDF/IZO with a diameter of 3cm and thickness of ~ 150 µm produced the highest output voltage of 1.32 V, almost 26 times higher than that obtained from the neat PVDF film of the same dimension. The study highlights the application of phase separation as a cost-effective self-polarization strategy to considerably increase the phase content and, thereby, sustainable energy harvesting.
Hydroclimate intensification aided Early Holocene Arctic glacier survival
Authors: Auer Andreea , Bilt Willem van der , Schomacker Anders
Published: March 2024

Accelerated Arctic warming and wetting has global impacts, as the region`s glaciers and ice caps respond to changes in temperature (melt) and precipitation (growth), driving on-going sea-level change. However, as the observations needed to calibrate models are scarce and uncertain, predictions cannot confirm if future increases in snowfall can counterbalance ice loss. To help answer this key question, we present evidence of Arctic glacier survival throughout the warmer-than-present Holocene Thermal Maximum (HTM). For this purpose, we analyzed 14 ka long sediment records from two glacial lakes – continuous recorders of past glacier change, fed by Åsgardfonna – an ice cap that survived HTM heat based on mass balance simulations, on Svalbard – a climate change hotspot characterized by the region`s highest rates of warming, sea ice loss, and precipitation change. End Member Modelling Analysis (EMMA) allows us to unmix the diluted diagnostic grain size signal of rock flour – a widely used proxy for past glacier change, and surface runoff – an indicator of hydrological intensification. These reconstructions reveal that Åsgardfonna even advanced under HTM conditions because seasonal sea-ice loss enhanced snowfall. Our findings thus suggest that the near-future retreat and sea-level contribution of Arctic glaciers and ice caps might be slower than assumed.
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and metabolic dysfunction associated steatotic liver disease
Authors: Jeon Hong Jae , Rou Woo Sun , Kim Seok Hyun , Lee Byung Seok , Kim Ha Neul , Choi Hei-Gwon , Seo Jaehee , Eun Hyuk Soo , Jung Sukyoung
Published: March 2024

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is the most common liver disease. Accumulating evidence suggests a relationship between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and MASLD development; however, this relationship has not been investigated. We aimed to determine whether SSB consumption was associated with an increased risk of MASLD in Korean adults. This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2012–2016 (n = 8,310, age 40–64 years). In the present study, soft drink consumption (> 200 mL/week) was associated with increased odds of MASLD (OR 1.40, 95%CI 1.08–1.81, P-trend = 0.01), and Korean traditional drink consumption (> 200 mL/week) was associated with decreased odds of MASLD (OR 0.65, 95%CI 0.47–0.90, P-trend = 0.01). When stratified by sex, a positive association between soft drinks and MASLD was observed in females (OR 1.60, 95%CI 1.13–2.26, P-trend = 0.001) but not in males; a suggestive inverse association between Korean traditional drinks and MASLD was observed in males (OR 0.74, 95%CI 0.51–1.08, P-trend = 0.13) but not in females. In conclusion, soft drink consumption of at least one serving (200 mL) per week was positively associated with MASLD, whereas consumption of the same amount of Korean traditional drinks was inversely associated with MASLD.
Early warning values of the kappa/lambda ratio based on serum detection for M-proteinemia diagnosis
Authors: Lu Jie , Zhu Ying , Huang Huifang , Yang Qian , Qi Songnan
Published: March 2024

Objective
To introduce the kappa/lambda ratio (K/L) to humoral immunity testing reports to improve the detection rate of M-proteinemia disease.
Method
Patient samples were accumulated from January 2021 to December 2023 in the First Affiliated People’s Hospital of Soochow University. The positive control group included 156 patients of M-proteinemia. These samples were classified according to light chain positivity. The negative group included samples from 4,722 patients with non-plasma-cell monoclonal disease and 742 healthy individuals. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to check the reliability of K/L for M-proteinemia diagnosis.
Results
For K-type M-proteinemia, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.932 when K/L was > 2.39, with a sensitivity of 87.3% and specificity of 92.3%. False positives were mainly found in samples with sicca syndrome (16.67%), mantle cell lymphoma (20.37%), and hepatitis (16.0%). For L-type M-proteinemia, when K/L < 1.44, the AUC was 0.863, the sensitivity was 72.9%, and the specificity was 88.8%. The false positives were mainly found in samples with ANCA-associated systemic vasculitis (21.88%), angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy–like T-cell lymphoma (31.25%), NK-/T-cell lymphoma (17.39%), T-cell lymphoma (11.11%), systemic lupus erythematosus (16.83%), cirrhosis (15.69%), infection (12.69%), systemic sclerosis (20.93%), and dermatomyositis (13.95%). False negatives were mainly found in AL (52.0%) and ML (36.36%) .
Conclusion
K/L > 2.39 and K/L < 1.44 should be used as warning values for M-proteinemia. The content of the heavy chain in IgA- or IgM-type M-proteinemia must be considered to improve the detection rate.
Epidemiology of Bovine Fascioliasis: Assessing Prevalence and Investigating Hemato-Biochemical Alterations in Katsinaabattoir North Western Nigeria
Authors: YUSUF BUHARI SHINKAFI , AHMAD ABDULHAMID , suleman Muhammed , KANKIYA IBRAHIM HAMZA , BALA AMINU YABO , ADAMU TUKUR
Published: March 2024

Bovine fascioliasis, caused by liver flukes Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica, significantly impacts global cattle health and production. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of bovine fascioliasis and its associated hematobiochemical changes on cattles brought for slaughter at Katsina central abattoir. Fecal and blood samples were collected from total of 134 cattles. Fecal samples were examined using sedimentation technique, revealing an infection prevalence of 3.73%. Notably, females exhibited a higher prevalence (4.55%) compared to males (2.17%), though the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). The age group 2–3 years showed the highest prevalence (25.00%), while those aged 5 and above had the lowest prevalence (1.74%). Among cattle breeds, Wadara had the highest prevalence (20.00%), while White Fulani exhibited the least (4.93%). Concerning body condition score (BCS), medium-conditioned cattle had the highest prevalence (6.67%), and good-conditioned ones showed the least (1.37%). Hematological analysis of Fasciola-infected cattle revealed significant reductions (P > 0.05) in packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), and total erythrocyte count (RBC) compared to the non-infected ones. Additionally, infected cattle demonstrated a significant decrease in white blood cell (WBC) count, mean cellular volume (MCV), and mean cellular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) compared to the uninfected. Moreover, differential leukocyte counts indicated a notable increase in neutrophils and a decrease in eosinophils, monocytes, and basophils in infected cattle compared to the uninfected, although the difference is not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Biochemical analysis unveiled significantly elevated levels of alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST), along with increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and total bilirubin (TB) in infected cattle (P < 0.05). Conversely, albumin (ALB), total protein (TP), and conjugated bilirubin (CB) levels were significantly reduced among infected than uninfected cattle (P < 0.05). Our findings, further confirmed that Bovine fascioliasis has significant impact on the health and productivity of Cattle bred in Katsina state and elsewhere. Understanding its prevalence and associated heamato-biochemical changes among infected animals is essential for implementing effective control and management strategies.
The causal impact of bioavailable testosterone levels on osteoarthritis: a bidirectional Mendelian randomized study Running Title: Causality of testosterone on OA in bidirectional MR study
Authors: Jiang Zong , Yao Xiaoling , Yang Yuzheng , Tang Fang , Ma Wukai , Yao Xueming , Lan Weiya
Published: March 2024

Background: It has been shown that low testosterone levels are associated with the development of osteoarthritis (OA). In our study, we aimed to investigate a bidirectional causal relationship between bioavailable testosterone levels and OA using Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
Methods: In our study, the datasets from publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) were adopted, including the OA-related dataset (ukb-b-14486) and the bioavailable testosterone levels-related dataset (ebi-a-GCST90012104). In total, five methods were utilized, namely MR Egger, Weighted median, Inverse variance weighted (IVW), Simple mode, and Weighted mode. Among them, IVW was the main analytical method. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis was carried out through the heterogeneity test, the horizontal pleiotropy test, and the Leave-One-Out (LOO) method.
Results: The result of forward MR analysis demonstrated that bioavailable testosterone levels were considerably relevant to OA, and were a risk factor for OA (OR = 1.009, 95% CI: 1.001-1.017, P = 0.020). However, through reverse MR analysis, we did not find a causal relationship between OA and bioavailable testosterone levels. Moreover, the results of the sensitivity analysis suggested that our results were reliable.
Conclusion: The results of our study supported a causal relationship between bioavailable testosterone levels and OA.
Uncovering Seed vigor Responsive miRNA in hybrid Wheat and its parents by Deep Sequencing
Authors: Yue Jie-ru , Liu Yong-jie , Yuan Shao-hua , Sun Hui , Lou Hong-yao , Li Yan-mei , Guo Hao-yu , Liu Zi-han , Zhang Feng-ting , Zhang Sheng-quan , Bai Jian-fang , Zhang Li-ping
Published: March 2024

Background: Two-line hybrid wheat technology system is one way to harness wheat heterosis both domestically and internationally. Seed vigor is a crucial parameter for assessing seed quality, as enhanced seed vigor can lead to yield increments of over 20% to a certain extent. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) were known to participate in the development and vigor of seed in plants, but its impact on seed vigor in two-line hybrid wheat remains poorly elucidated.
Results: The hybrid (BS1453/11GF5135) wheat exhibited superiority in seed vigor and anti-aging capacity, compared to its male parent (11GF5135, MP) and female parent (BS1453, FP). We identified four miRNAs associated with seed vigor, all of which are novel miRNAs. The majority of targets of miRNAs were related to ubiquitin ligases, kinases, sucrose synthases and hydrolases, involving in starch and sucrose metabolism, hydrolysis, catalysis, plant hormone signal transduction, and other pathways, which played crucial roles in seed development. Additionally, we also found miR531 was differentially expressed in both male parent and hybrid, and its target interact with dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase (E2) and dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase (E3). Finally, We established a presumptive interaction model to speculate the relationshipof miR531 and seed vigor.
Conclusions: This study analyzed the seed vigor of two-line hybrid wheat, and screened seed vigor-related miRNAs. Meanwhile speculated the genetic relationship of hybrid and parents, in terms of miRNAs. Consequently, the present study provides new insights into the miRNA-mediated gene and protein interaction network that regulates seed vigor. These findings hold significance for enhancing the yield and quality of two-line hybrid wheat, facilitating its future applications.
Time-dependent recovery of renal impairment in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma
Authors: Utsu Yoshikazu , Isono Yuki , Masuda Shin-ichi , Arai Hironori , Shimoji Sonoko , Matsumoto Rena , Tsushima Takafumi , Tanaka Kazusuke , Matsuo Kosuke , Kimeda Chiharu , Konno Shiho , Yano Yudai , Kuramoto Nobuhiko , Aotsuka Nobuyuki
Published: March 2024

Renal impairment is reported in 20–50% of patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and is known as a poor prognostic factor. Although several studies have demonstrated that treatment with novel antimyeloma agents improves renal impairment and myeloma itself, the time-dependent clinical course of recovery of renal function has not been extensively studied. We retrospectively collected the data of characteristics and outcomes in consecutive unselected patients diagnosed with and treated for symptomatic multiple myeloma between January 2015 and December 2022, and extracted and analyzed the cases with renal impairment. Among 234 patients with multiple myeloma, 67 (28.6%) had renal impairment (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73m2) at the time of diagnosis. The median eGFR at diagnosis was 28 ml/min/1.73m2, and the eGFR significantly improved to 41.5 ml/min/1.73m2, which corresponds to a 42.9% increase, at 3 months after the initiation of treatment for myeloma (p < 0.0001). Further improvement in renal function was not observed at 6 months (eGFR 46 ml/min/1.73m2) and 1 year (eGFR 43.5 ml/min/1.73m2) after treatment initiation. The primary treatment was a bortezomib-containing regimen in approximately 90% of patients. A post hoc analysis revealed a positive correlation between the serum calcium concentration at diagnosis and improvement in renal function. In conclusion, renal function can partially recover through the treatment of multiple myeloma, and the treatment response during the first 3 months may predict the renal function prognosis. Further accumulation of cases is needed to identify the predictive factors for renal recovery.
The Perceived Nursing Students’ Psychological Health Issues of Depression and Academic Stressors
Authors: Andargeery Shaherah Yousef
Published: March 2024

Background
Depression has been found in the literature as the most common health issue that confronts students during their education. The academic demands and pressure put nursing students at increasing risk of depression. Nursing students are the future of nursing workforce, while nursing education is the vital place to mitigate the impact of psychological health and factors that influence nursing students’ academic performance.
Aims
To (1) Examine the perceived level of depression and academic stress; (2) Determine differences in mean scores between groups of demographic variables on depression; and (3) Examine the association between depression and academic stress among nursing students in Saudi Arabia.
Design:
A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlation study.
Method
An online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data by using the depression subscale from DASS-21 to measure depression and Academic Stress Inventory (ASI) scale to measure academic stress.
Results
A total of 237 undergraduate students participated in the study. Nursing students perceived mild level of depression and moderate level of overall academic stress. Students perceived moderate levels in all ASI subscales, except time management and test stress were high. Demographics showed significant differences in the means of depressive symptoms, except GPA, place of residence, and chronic illnesses. The overall ASI scale and subscales showed statistically significant correlations with depression. The strongest correlation was between studying in group stress subscale and depression, yet the least correlation was between result stress subscale and depression.
Conclusion
Nursing students need support especially during their first year of education. Counseling sessions, continues observation, and follow-up with the intervention programs must be implemented carefully to alleviate students’ stress and control their depression.
Comparative assessment of quality of life among adolescents with sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait: evidence from Odisha, India
Authors: Bindhani Basanta Kumar , Nayak Jayanta Kumar
Published: March 2024

The present study aims to assess the quality of life (QOL) of adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) and sickle cell trait (SCT) in hard-to-reach regions in Koraput district of Odisha state. 387 adolescents with sickle cell genes (HbSS = 52, HbAS = 135, HbA = 200) were selected through their medical records from southern parts of Odisha. To assess the QOL, a validated and pretested QOL scale was modified. The questionnaires were modified by aiming to describe the proportion of adolescents who feel restricted in different domains along with measuring the extent within each domain or finding an aggregate score of QOL. Furthermore, to explore the expenditure on health, 552 households were selected randomly, of which 72 families had HbS individuals. This study found a significantly lower health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in adolescents with SCD. However, most psychosocial sub-domains, for instance, worry about the illness, frequency of angry days, feeling jealousness toward other normal adolescents, and negative feelings of sadness on some days, are similarly affected in adolescents with SCT and SCD. The overall QOL of SCD individuals is more affected (percentage of affected mean score = 60.93%), followed by SCT individuals (35.63%). Healthy adolescents' QOL is relatively unaffected (13% were affected). The yearly frequency of blood transfusion received (1.7 ± 0.4) and hospitalization (2.1 ± 0.9) was significantly higher in adolescents with SCD. The healthcare expenditure was significantly higher (3.6–81.3% of the family income) in families with HbS than in families without HbS (0.8–19.2%) (p < 0.05). The overall QOL was affected in both SCD and SCT adolescents. The focus should be given equally to both SCD and SCT individuals, in spite of only SCD individuals.
Absorption-dominant electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding cement with hollow glass microsphere (HGM) at elevated temperatures
Authors: Jang Daeik , Jang Woosuk , Bang Jinho , Park Junha , Kim Minkook , Yang Beomjoo
Published: March 2024

The rapid evolution and expansion of digital infrastructures has underscored the significance of electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding composites. However, there has been a notable dearth of efforts to explore EMI shielding performance in the context of elevated temperatures. This study introduces hollow glass microspheres (HGM) to enhance the EMI shielding performance of carbon fiber (CF)-embedded conductive cement under elevated temperatures. Experimental outcomes delineate the impact of HGM inclusion on compressive strength, electrical and thermal conductivities, and EMI shielding performance. HGM incorporation is observed to reduce thermal conductivity, consequently improving EMI shielding performance at elevated temperatures by decreasing reflection and increasing absorption properties. The investigation incorporates comprehensive analyses, including XRD, TG, MIP, and micro-CT, to systematically examine the EMI shielding test outcomes at elevated temperatures. In conclusion, the utilization of HGM has the potential to yield super lightweight EMI shielding composites with enhanced EMI shielding performance at elevated temperatures.
Crithmum maritimum restores the lipid and metabolic profiles of liver cancer cells to a normal phenotype
Authors: Gnocchi Davide , Nikolic Dragana , Paparella Rosa Rita , Sabbà Carlo , Mazzocca Antonio
Published: March 2024

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is becoming an alarming epidemiological clinical problem worldwide. Pharmacological approaches currently available do not provide adequate responses due to poor effectiveness, high toxicity, and serious side effects. We previously demonstrated that the wild edible plant Crithmum maritimum effectively slows the growth of liver cancer cells in vitro by reducing the bioenergetic and metabolic characteristics typical of transformed cells, particularly the fermentative phenotype (Warburg effect). Moreover, we found that Crithmum maritimum improves the expression of markers of differentiated hepatocytes. Here, we aimed to further characterize the effects of Crithmum maritimum on lipid accumulation and metabolism in HCC cells with different degrees of transformation. Additionally, we wanted to study markers of cellular metabolic health, such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), and Sirtuin 3 (SIRT3), as well as the insulin signaling pathway. To better model the biological spectrum of HCC, we employed HCC cell lines with varying degrees of transformation and invasiveness. Results indicate that Crithmum maritimum prevents lipid accumulation, downregulates lipid and cholesterol biosynthesis, and modulates markers of metabolic health, such as AMPK, SIRT1 and SIRT3. This effect is differentially modulated in different HCC cell lines, revealing an important functional versatility of Crithmum maritimum. These findings confirm the importance of Crithmum maritimum as a valuable nutraceutical, reinforcing its role in improving metabolic health.
Prediction of Lymph Node Metastasis in Rectal Cancer Based on Super-Resolution MRI Radiomics and Clinical Baseline
Authors: Zhang Liang , Qu Xueting , Duan Feng , Lin Jizheng , Lou Henan , Wang Guohua
Published: March 2024

Objective
To explore the clinical practical value of the super-resolution(SR) MRI radiomics model based on clinical baseline for predicting lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer before surgery.
Methods
Retrospective inclusion of 302 eligible patients with rectal cancer (109 with lymph node metastasis). Patients from one hospital were included in the training set (n = 181), while patients from other hospitals were included in the external validation set (n = 121). Super-resolution algorithm was developed to axial T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and subsequent SR-T2WI images were generated. The conventional radiomics models and SR radiomics model were built by 8 machine learning algorithms separately, and the best model was selected as the radiomics model. Using single-factor and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify clinical risk factors for building a clinical model, and combining it with the radiomics model to construct a joint model. Comparing the diagnostic efficacy of the three models using area under the curve (AUC) in ROC curves. Finally, comparing the diagnostic efficacy of the best predicted model with different experienced radiologists.
Results
After feature screening and dimension reduction, 5 and 10 radiomics features were retained for conventional images and SR images, respectively. The diagnostic performance of the SR model on the external validation set was better than that of the conventional image model. Three clinical risk factors related to lymph node metastasis were screened to develop a clinical model. By combining SR radiomics features with clinical risk factors, a joint model was constructed, and compared with the three models, the joint model demonstrated the best diagnostic performance with an AUC, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of 0.756 (95% confidence interval(CI): 0.658–0.854), 69.2%, 75.6%, and 73.6% on the external validation set, which was superior to that of a radiology expert with 36 years of experience (AUC, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 0.679 (95% CI: 0.588–0.830), 84.6%, 51.2%, and 62.0%) on the external validation set (P = 0.02), indicating high clinical utility value.
Conclusion
The SR MRI radiomics model based on clinical baseline has high clinical practical value in predicting lymph node metastasis before surgery of rectal cancer.
Exploration of approaches to locate charging stations for a private electric delivery fleet
Authors: Kunapareddy Vamsi Krishna , Batta Rajan
Published: March 2024

This paper explores approaches to find optimal locations for charging stations in the context of a private delivery company that is attempting to electrify its fleet of delivery vehicles. Although the possible total set of customers is known in advance, the organization has uncertainty in realizing the actual customers on a particular day and this ambiguity leads to uncertainty in the location of charging stations. To address this, we divide the routes based on their frequencies as frequent and infrequent. We further consider three sets of frequent routes and develop three sets of models and heuristics that determine the locations of the charging stations. The first model maximizes the number of chargers located on arcs which are common to multiple routes. The second model explores the possibility of locating chargers at the customer locations as a combinatorial problem and solves it to optimality. The last model, which considers routes with chargers on the last arcs of two or more different routes, consolidates those stations. To showcase the efficacy and efficiency of our proposed approaches, we present results obtained by applying these models to various instances. We find that, although the number of routes that can fall into the first set is comparatively less, the algorithm reduces the chargers that should be located in those routes. The total time spent on routes in the second set is reduced by almost 15 percent on average. For the last set, the important metric while evaluating the efficacy of the model is the increase in travel time, which is relatively small for the number of chargers that are being consolidated. These findings can serve as valuable insights for decision-makers planning to electrify their fleet.
Primary Sites and Clinicopathological Features of Corneal Melanoma: A SEER Population-Based Study of 29 Cases
Authors: Suh Alexander , Huang Maggie , Lian Isabelle , Tsang Preston , Ledet Elisa , Li Jian , Nguyen Andre , Dang Peyton , Dang Nguyen Duc Dinh , Tran Kenneth
Published: March 2024

Introduction
Corneal Melanoma (CM) is a rare malignancy that develops from melanocytes within the cornea, constituting a minority of all ocular tumors. In this study, we sought to investigate the clinicopathological characteristics correlated with the prognosis of CM patients.
Methods
We collected patients with CM between 1983 and 2018 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Cox proportional hazards regression was used for univariate analysis to value hazard ratio (HR) of malignant CM versus spindle cell melanoma and nodular melanoma subgroups.
Results
A total of 29 eligible patients were collected in our study. Age at diagnosis, laterality, primary site, tumor size, the extent of disease, marital status, income, residential area, and treatment showed no significant prognostic factors for CM patients (P > 0.05). However, when concerned with the primary site of malignant melanoma, spindle cell melanoma (P < 0.05) and nodular melanoma (P < 0.05) were found to show significantly poorer prognosis in CM patients.
Conclusion
Age at diagnosis, laterality, primary site, tumor size, the extent of disease, and treatment were not significant prognostic indicators for CM patients. Spindle cell melanoma and nodular melanoma were notable for showing worse survival outcomes than malignant melanoma. Although the sample size in the SEER database was limited, our findings may provide motivation for tailoring individualized treatments for patients with CM with different primary sites.
Understanding care seeking behavior for reproductive tract infections among Afghan women: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Martellucci Cecilia Acuti , Mohammady Nooria , Negin Fawzia , Mosavi Sayed Hamid , Miranda Adriana Viola , Safa Husna , Qasimi Bibi Qudsia , Mosavi Khaterah , Bek Basira , Azimi Alisina , Annabi Zahra , Noorzai Saddiqa , Rahimee Aabidullah , Balaghat Taha , Rezaie Fatema , Temory Fardına , Ramozi Mirwais , Martellucci Mosè , Bek Rahila , Noroozi Shabana , Niro Madina , Sultani Husna , Farooqi Palwasha , Shayan Ehsan , Zhwand Mohammadgul , Rezaee Qasem , Torgani Farzana , Hussaini Bibi Shakiba , Akhtiyari Shaqaiq , Qaderi Farah , Qaderi Shohra
Published: March 2024

Background
In Afghanistan, a country with limited resources, providing care for Reproductive Tract Infections (RTIs) is challenging, also due to the extreme scarcity of reliable data. To address this gap, the present study investigates symptoms, potential risk factors, knowledge, and care-seeking behavior in the largest sample of women to date.
Methods
From September 16 to November 26 2022, a structured questionnaire was administered, by trained female medical students, to women presenting at multi-specialist clinics in the major cities of Afghanistan. Signs and symptoms of RTIs were investigated, together with reproductive history, hygiene practices, and socio-demographic characteristics. Logistic regression, adjusted for selected co-variates, was used to assess predictors of delays (over one month) from symptoms onset to care-seeking, and of a history of RTI.
Results
Out of 749 women who were asked to reply to the questionnaire, 601 responses were analyzed (80.2%). Mean age was 31.3 years (SD 11.5), with 69.1% being younger than 35 years, 26.8% unmarried, and 32.5% illiterate. Respectively 77.1% and 40.8% of the women had their first marriage and their first delivery between 14 and 20 years of age. Signs and symptoms related to RTIs were reported by 79.2%, knowledge of RTIs by only 23.0%, and care-seeking delays by up to 39.5%, of which 68.2% cited reasons other than mismanagement at the previous clinic. Care-seeking delays were positively associated with abnormal vaginal discharge (OR 4.12; 95%CI 2.01–8.45), lower abdominal pain (2.62; 1.44–4.77), and fever (1.93; 1.25–2.98) and negatively associated with being sedentary (0.38; 0.22–0.64), hand-washing (0.61; 0.40–0.95), and knowledge about RTI () although borderline significant. A history of RTI (reported by 44.1%) was predicted by abnormal vaginal discharge (2.29; 1.38–3.79), fever (1.56; 1.04–2.36), irregular menstruations (1.59; 1.07–2.35), and use of sanitary pads (vs. cloth: 0.63; 0.41–0.97), but not by the husbands’ history of RTI.
Conclusions
The majority of women presenting at clinics in Afghanistan reported signs and symptoms related to RTIs, delayed care-seeking, and lack knowledge about RTI. Healthcare providers should inform the population about RTIs and their standard care pathway, while adopting a multi-dimensional approach accounting for the cultural background of the women.
Retrospective analysis of telematic glaucoma clinic as a consequence of COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Sánchez Adrian Sánchez-Fortún , Romero Pau Romera , Artigas Ricard Mellado , García Jessica Botella , Arenas Jordi Loscos , Sánchez Sandra Gómez , Llopart Antoni Sabala
Published: March 2024

PURPOSE Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the glaucoma clinic had to adapt to meet the needs of this chronic disease. New technologies allowed us to monitor some of these patients in a telematic way.
METHODS We retrospectively analyzed patients with-open angle glaucoma who were visited between September 2021 and March 2022, and compared Visual Field (VF) and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) parameters depending on whether they had telematic or only face-to-face controls. All patients were stratified in each group according to glaucoma severity.
RESULTS A total of 204 eyes from 118 patients were included in the analysis, with 100 in the group with only face-to-face controls (group 1/FTF) and 104 with some telematic control (group 2/HG). In group 2/HG, an average of 3.37 face-to-face visits and 1.27 telematic visits were made, while group 1/FTF had 4.4 face-to-face visits. There was no significant difference between the pre-pandemic and 2 years after it visits, neither in Visual Accuity, OCT and VF parameters. Regarding glaucoma severity, there were more cases of severe glaucoma in group 1/FTF and more cases of mild glaucoma in group 2/HG.
CONCLUSIONS Telematic management of the glaucoma clinic, with the use of appropriate tools, can be useful for maintaining the quality of care during periods of face-to-face consultations saturation or when face-to-face control is completely impossible.
Beyond One-Shot Explanations: A Systematic Literature Review of Dialogue-Based XAI Approaches
Authors: Mindlin Dimitry , Beer Fabian , Sieger Leonie Nora , Heindorf Stefan , Cimiano Philipp , Esposito Elena , Ngonga-Ngomo Axel-Cyrille
Published: March 2024

In the last decade, there has been increasing interest in allowing users to understand how the predictions of machine-learned models come about, thus increasing transparency and empowering users to understand and potentially contest those decisions.Dialogue-based approaches, in contrast to traditional one-shot eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) methods, facilitate interactive, in-depth exploration through multi-turn dialogues, simulating expert conversations. This paper reviews the current state of dialogue-based XAI, presenting a systematic review of 1,339 publications, narrowed down to 14 based on inclusion criteria. We explore theoretical foundations of the systems, propose key dimensions along which different solutions to dialogue-based XAI differ, and identify key use cases, target audiences, system components, and the types of supported queries and responses. Furthermore, we investigate the current paradigms by which systems are evaluated and highlight their key limitations. Key findings include identifying the main use cases, objectives, and audiences targeted by dialogue-based XAI methods, and summarize the main types of questions and information needs. Beyond discussing avenues for future work, we present a meta-architecture for these systems from existing literature and outlined prevalent theoretical frameworks.
A new global land-ocean merged surface temperature dataset since the 1850s: the CMA-GMST dataset
Authors: Chen Lifan , Xu Wenhui , Zhou Zijiang , Cao Lijuan , Yang Su , Xu Chengdong
Published: March 2024

A new global land-ocean merged surface temperature dataset, China Meteorological Administration global merged surface temperature (CMA-GMST), is developed. It is constructed from the monthly China Meteorological Administration global reconstructed land surface temperature (CMA-GLST) and sea surface temperature (CMA-SST) analyses that benefit from the improved in-situ observation coverage. Besides, the Arctic ice covered area is also reconstructed based on air temperatures and merged into CMA-GMST. This dataset provides a spatial complete and homogeneous surface temperature anomaly field in 2°×2° resolution for each month since 1850, and covers the majority of the earth’s surface: reaches 90% in the middle 1950s and exceeds 99% from the late 1970s. Assessments show that the observed global and regional (terrestrial, oceanic and hemispheric) trends of the annual average anomalies from CMA-GMST agree well with the ranges of trends computed from other published surface temperature analyses. The trends over the different latitudinal zones are also broadly in line with other published surface temperature analyses, while there are some differences in regions with limited observations among the datasets, such as the region of 90S–60ºS. Besides, evaluations by CMA-GMST show that the year 2023 was the warmest year on record and each month from July 2023 to December 2023 ranked as the globe's hottest month in recorded history, which agree well with the evaluations from other published surface temperature analyses.
Titin is a nucleolar protein in neurons
Authors: George Lynn , Cameron BreAnna , Torres-Hernandez Lauryn , Montague Virginia , Lewis Karen , Smith Heidi , Fox James , Guo Xueshui , Kalb Robert G.
Published: March 2024

Titin is the largest protein produced by living cells and its function as a molecular spring in striated muscle is well characterized (1, 2). Here we demonstrate that titin isoforms in the same size range as found in muscle are prominent neuronal proteins in both the central and peripheral nervous systems, including motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain. Within these neurons, titin localizes to the dense fibrillar component of the nucleolus, the site of ribosomal RNA biogenesis and modification, and a critical site of dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease (3-5). Additionally, we show that the levels of both titin mRNA and protein are altered in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice, a commonly used model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, indicating that titin mediated nucleolar events may in fact contribute to the pathobiology of disease.