bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A feasibility study of provider-level implementation strategies to improve access to colorectal cancer screening for patients with schizophrenia: ACCESS2 (N-EQUITY 2104) trial
Authors: Fujiwara Masaki , Yamada Yuto , Etoh Tsuyoshi , Shimazu Taichi , Kodama Masafumi , Yamada Norihito , Asada Takahiro , Horii Shigeo , Kobayashi Takafumi , Hayashi Teruo , Ehara Yoshitaka , Fukuda Kenji , Harada Keita , Fujimori Maiko , Odawara Miyuki , Takahashi Hirokazu , Hinotsu Shiro , Nakaya Naoki , Uchitomi Yosuke , Inagaki Masatoshi
Published: January 2024

Background

People with schizophrenia have a lower colorectal screening rate than the general population. A previous study reported an intervention using case management to encourage colorectal cancer screening for patients with schizophrenia in psychiatric outpatient settings. In this feasibility study, we developed provider-level implementation strategies and evaluated the feasibility of conducting a definitive trial in terms of the penetration of the intervention assessed at the patient level. Additionally, we examined the fidelity of strategies to implement the intervention at the provider level in a routine clinical psychiatric setting.

Methods

This was a multicenter, single-arm feasibility study with medical staff at psychiatric hospitals in Japan. The provider-level implementation strategies developed in this study included three key elements (organizing an implementation team appointed by the facility director, interactive assistance using a clear guide that outlines who in the hospital should do what, and developing accessible educational materials) to overcome major barriers to implementation of the intervention and four additional elements (progress monitoring, joint meetings and information sharing among participating sites, adaptation of encouragement methods to specific contexts, and education of on-site staff), with reference to the elements identified in the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC). The feasibility of the strategies was evaluated by the proportion of patients who were eligible for encouragement (patients with schizophrenia aged 40, 50, or 60) who received encouragement. We set the goal of providing encouragement to at least 40% of eligible patients at each site.

Results

Two public and four private psychiatric hospitals in Okayama and Shimane prefectures participated in this study. Regarding fidelity, all elements of the strategies were conducted as planned. Following the procedures in the guide, each team prepared and provided encouragement according to their own facility and region. Penetration, defined as the proportion of eligible patients who received encouragement, ranged from 33.3 to 100%; five of the six facilities achieved the target proportion.

Conclusions

The provider-level implementation strategies to implement encouragement were feasible in terms of penetration of the intervention assessed at the patient level. The results support the feasibility of proceeding with a future definitive trial of these strategies.

Trial registration

jRCT, jRCT1060220026. Registered on 06/04/2022.
Solubility enhancing lipid-based vehicles for artemether and lumefantrine destined for the possible treatment of induced malaria and inflammation: in vitro and in vivo evaluations
Authors: Ugorji Onyinyechi Lydia , Onyishi Ikechukwu Virgilius , Onwodi Julie Ngozichukwuka , Adeyeye Christiania Moji , Ukachukwu Uzochukwu Gospel , Obitte Nicholas Chinedu
Published: January 2024

Background

The lipid self-emulsifying system has been advanced as a promising delivery vehicle for improving the solubility and bioavailability of artemether and lumefantrine. However, the observed kinetic instability (propensity of lumefantrine to rapid crystallisation from nano-scale droplets) in aqueous acid has impelled some researchers to incorporate surfactants/solubilizers in the dissolution medium prior to dissolution studies. Thus, in our present work, we sought to prepare micro/large nano-scale (> 100 nm) and yet kinetically stable lumefantrine lipid self-emulsifying system (that would not require an external drug dissolution enhancing agent in the dissolution medium) and palm kernel oil-based 100 nm kinetically stable artemether lipid self-emulsifying system with rapid emulsification time. COVID-19 and Plasmodium falciparum-infected Africans with previous long exposure to malaria have manifested attenuated inflammatory cytokines more than malaria-naive patients. Therefore, the ingestion of artemether-lumefantrine with enhanced solubility may further promote blunting of cytokines. Therefore, this work was aimed at preparing (< 100 nm) stable artemether and aqueous acid-stable micro/large nano-scale (> 100 nm) lumefantrine lipid self-emulsifying system destined for improved antimalarial and anti-inflammatory activities.

Results

The droplet sizes of all the liquid artemether and lumefantrine formulations were between 8.95–39.88 and 1018–4195 nm, respectively. The loading efficiency for all the formulations was, between 72.91 ± 2.89 and 100.00 ± 0.29%. All the artemether and lumefantrine batches emulsified within the range of 3.90 ± 0.69 to 12.26 ± 0.69 s. Stable and transparent emulsions were formed on aqueous dilution to 1000 ml. The percentage drug released for artemether and lumefantrine ranged from 76.25 ± 2.98 to 99.22 ± 1.61%. The solid lipid self-emulsifying systems produced, had fair and passable flow properties. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that the solid artemether and lumefantrine lipid self-emulsifying system were amorphous. Solidification with Neusilin FH2 or surfactant replacement with Kolliphor EL and Kollidon VA 64 fine prevented micro-or large nano-scale lumefantrine lipid self-emulsifying system from crystallisation in aqueous acid (pH 1.2). Higher antimalarial activity and remarkable anti-inflammatory effects (P < 0.05) favoured the lipid self-emulsifying formulations.

Conclusion

Optimal in vitro and in vivo results (enhanced antimalarial and anti-inflammatory activities) were obtained with kinetically stable lumefantrine micro/large nano-scale droplets and kinetically stable palm kernel oil-based (< 50 nm) artemether lipid self-emulsifying system droplets.
Use of agro-industrial bio-waste for the growth and production of a previously isolated Bacillus thuringiensis strain
Authors: dos Santos Hister M. M. , de S. Varize Camila , Valença Camilla A. S. , Dossi Fábio C. A. , de Aragão Batista Marcus V. , Fernandes Roberta P. M. , Severino Patricia , Souto Eliana B. , Dolabella Silvio S. , da C. Mendonça Marcelo , Jain Sona
Published: January 2024

Background

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is a widely used biopesticide. The bioinsecticide based on Bt is obtained by fermentation, but the substrates currently used for its production constitute ingredients of high commercial value. In this context, the use of agro-industrial residues as substrates is an alternative to make the fermentation process viable on a large scale, in addition to minimizing environmental problems and contributing to the destination of these residues for biotechnological purposes.

Results

In the first part of this study, a previously isolated spore forming soil bacteria (Bv5) harboring and expressing a novel cry 8A gene was confirmed as B. thuringiensis based on its morphological characteristics, Gram staining, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and genome sequencing. Bv5 was established as a Gram-positive spore forming bacteria with ellipsoidal spores and small round toxins. Bv5 genome comprised of the 5.30 Mb chromosome and two megaplasmids of 450 kb and 261 kb, respectively, with cry 8A gene located on the smallest megaplasmid. In the second part of the study, the physiological profile of the Bv5 strain during fermentation in different agro-industrial biowastes (cassava wastewater, orange pulp wash and whey) was analyzed. The fermentation experiment was divided into two stages. In the first stage, the agro-industrial waste with or without salts with the best results for biomass, spores and proteins production was selected. In the second stage, the effect of the selected medium in original and diluted form with the C:N balance was evaluated, in two different fermentation times (72 h and 96 h). Pulp wash enriched with salts was selected as the most suitable medium for the growth of Bv5 strain in the first stage. In the second stage pulp wash (without dilution) with the addition of salts, and with nitrogen supplementation, was considered the best for cell growth, spore and toxin production by Bv5.

Conclusions

To conclude, our study provide a new alternative for bio-waste from the orange juice industry, as well as potential culture medium for the Bt commercial scale production.
Using radiomics for predicting the HPV status of oropharyngeal tumors
Authors: Sarac Kubra , Guvenis Albert
Published: January 2024

Knowing human papillomavirus (HPV) status has important consequences for treatment selection in oropharyngeal cancer. The gold standard is to perform a biopsy. The objective of this paper is to develop a new computed tomography (CT) radiomics-based non-invasive solution to HPV status determination and investigate if and how it can be a viable and accurate complementary technique. Two hundred thirty-eight patients’ CT scans were normalized and resampled. One thousand one hundred forty-two radiomics features were obtained from the segmented CT scans. The number of radiomic attributes was decreased by applying correlation coefficient analysis, backward elimination, and random forest feature importance analysis. Random over-sampling (ROSE) resampling algorithm was performed on the training set for data balancing, and as a result, 161 samples were obtained for each of the HPV classes of the training set. A random forest (RF) classification algorithm was used as a prediction model using five-fold cross-validation (CV). Model effectiveness was evaluated on the unused 20% of the imbalanced data. The applicability of the model was investigated based on previous research and error rates reported for biopsy procedures. The HPV status was determined with an accuracy of 91% (95% CI 83–99) and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.77 (95% CI 65–89) on the test data. The error rates were comparable to those encountered in biopsy. As a conclusion, radiomics has the potential to predict HPV status with accuracy levels that are comparable to biopsy. Future work is needed to improve standardization, interpretability, robustness, and reproducibility before clinical translation.
Prediction of igneous lithology and lithofacies based on ensemble learning with data optimization
Authors: Han Ruiyi , Wang Zhuwen , Zhang Zhitao , Wang Xinru , Cui Yitong , Guo Yuhuang
Published: January 2024

Igneous rocks are widely developed in various Mesozoic and Cenozoic continental and marine basins. Igneous reservoirs are the key reservoirs for current oil and gas development. Accurate prediction of lithology and lithofacies is a prerequisite for the effective exploration of igneous reservoirs. Igneous lithology and lithofacies are complex and correlated. The existing single-label igneous rock identification methods only consider the prediction of individual properties, and less consideration is given to the correlation of reservoir properties. Therefore, lithology and lithofacies prediction based on conventional logging data is regarded as a typical class-imbalanced multilabel classification problem when considering both attribute correlation in algorithms and evaluation metrics. To solve this problem, an ensemble method of data optimization combined with multigrained cascade forest (CF) is used in this study to develop a new multilabel lithology and lithofacies prediction model based on data from nine conventional logs in the eastern depressional reservoirs of the Liaohe Basin, and satisfactory results are obtained. The imbalance problem of the conventional logging data sets is first solved by using K-means and synthetic minority oversampling technique methods; then, the model is trained by scenario transformation and stripping with multigrained CF; and next, a multilabel classification evaluation index with multiple perspectives is introduced. The differences between the model and typical intelligent algorithms such as CF, adaptive boosting, random forest, and support vector machine are compared in simulated wells, and the new model is found to have obvious advantages. The model is finally applied to an actual well, and the accurate prediction results illustrate that the new model designed and trained for the class imbalance multilabel classification problem in this paper has application value in the lithology and lithofacies multilabel prediction of igneous rocks and also provides a theoretical basis for more complex multilabel reservoir evaluation using machine learning in the future.
Germline Testing in Patients With Breast Cancer: ASCO–Society of Surgical Oncology Guideline
Authors: Bedrosian Isabelle , Somerfield Mark R. , Achatz Maria Isabel , Boughey Judy C. , Curigliano Giuseppe , Friedman Sue , Kohlmann Wendy K. , Kurian Allison W. , Laronga Christine , Lynce Filipa , Norquist Barbara S. , Plichta Jennifer K. , Rodriguez Patricia , Shah Payal D. , Tischkowitz Marc , Wood Marie , Yadav Siddhartha , Yao Katherine , Robson Mark E.
Published: January 2024

PURPOSE

To develop recommendations for germline mutation testing for patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

An ASCO–Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO) panel convened to develop recommendations based on a systematic review and formal consensus process.

RESULTS

Forty-seven articles met eligibility criteria for the germline mutation testing recommendations; 18 for the genetic counseling recommendations.

RECOMMENDATIONS

BRCA1/ 2 mutation testing should be offered to all newly diagnosed patients with breast cancer ≤65 years and select patients >65 years based on personal history, family history, ancestry, or eligibility for poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor therapy. All patients with recurrent breast cancer who are candidates for PARP inhibitor therapy should be offered BRCA1/ 2 testing, regardless of family history. BRCA1/ 2 testing should be offered to women who develop a second primary cancer in the ipsilateral or contralateral breast. For patients with prior history of breast cancer and without active disease, testing should be offered to patients diagnosed ≤65 years and selectively in patients diagnosed after 65 years, if it will inform personal and family risk. Testing for high-penetrance cancer susceptibility genes beyond BRCA1/ 2 should be offered to those with supportive family histories; testing for moderate-penetrance genes may be offered if necessary to inform personal and family cancer risk. Patients should be provided enough pretest information for informed consent; those with pathogenic variants should receive individualized post-test counseling. Variants of uncertain significance should not impact management, and patients with such variants should be followed for reclassification. Referral to providers experienced in clinical cancer genetics may help facilitate patient selection and interpretation of expanded testing, and provide counseling of individuals without pathogenic germline variants but with significant family history. Additional information is available at www.asco.org/breast-cancer-guidelines .
Cardiometabolic Effects of Denosumab in Premenopausal Women With Breast Cancer Receiving Estradiol Suppression: RCT
Authors: Ramchand Sabashini K , Hoermann Rudolf , White Shane , Yeo Belinda , Francis Prudence A , Xu Cecilia L H , Zajac Jeffrey D , Seeman Ego , Grossmann Mathis
Published: January 2024

Context

Menopause is associated with changes in musculoskeletal, body composition, and metabolic parameters that may be amplified in premenopausal women receiving estradiol suppression for breast cancer. Denosumab offsets deleterious skeletal effects of estradiol suppression and has been reported to have effects on body composition and metabolic parameters in preclinical and observational studies, but evidence from double-blind randomized controlled trials is limited.

Objective

To assess the effect of denosumab on body composition and metabolic parameters.

Methods

In a prespecified secondary analysis of a 12-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 68 premenopausal women with breast cancer initiating ovarian function suppression and aromatase inhibition were randomized to denosumab 60-mg or placebo administered at baseline and 6 months. Outcome measures were total and regional fat and lean mass (DXA), body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, and lipid profile. Using a mixed model, between-group mean adjusted differences over time are reported.

Results

Over 12 months, relative to placebo, android and gynoid fat mass decreased in the denosumab group (−266 g [95% CI −453 to −79], P = .02, and −452 g [−783 to −122], P = .03, respectively). Total fat mass and waist circumference were lower in the denosumab group but not significantly (−1792 g [−3346 to −240], P = .08 and (− 3.77 cm [−6.76 to −0.79], P = .06, respectively). No significant treatment effects were detected in lean mass, BMI, hip circumference, fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, or lipid profile.

Conclusion

In premenopausal women receiving estradiol suppression, denosumab decreases some measures of fat mass with no detectable effects on other measures of body composition or metabolic parameters.
Novel Application of Microdosing Glucagon for Hypoglycemia After Total Pancreatectomy and Autologous Islet Transplant
Authors: Rafi Ebne , Lewis Claudia , Hatipoglu Betul
Published: January 2024

Total pancreatectomy and autologous islet transplantation (TPAIT) is a procedure to ameliorate dysglycemia associated with post-pancreatectomy. Patients who undergo TPAIT are at risk of developing hypoglycemia postoperatively. The current literature suggests that hypoglycemia may be due to a glucagon-deficiency state. To date, there is minimal literature available that explores treatment options to minimize hypoglycemia in these patients. In this case, a 29-year-old female patient was administered a microdosing glucagon protocol post TPAIT and experienced improvements in hypoglycemia. We describe the dosing regimen of the protocol and provide continuous glucose monitoring data to support our findings. This case adds to the limited evidence on effective treatment options for these rare patients. To our knowledge, this is the first application of a microdosing glucagon protocol to treat hypoglycemia associated with TPAIT.
Robot-Assisted Pelvic Dissection for Enlarged Lymph Nodes in Melanoma Improves Recovery with Equivalent Oncological Outcomes to Open Pelvic Dissection
Authors: Roshan Amit , Shah Bhumi , Anderson Keith D. , Murphy Suzanne , Thomas Benjamin , McPhee Arthur S. , Lamb Benjamin W. , Durrani Amer J. , Patel Animesh J. K.
Published: January 2024

Background

Robot-assisted pelvic lymph node dissection (rPLND) has been reported in heterogenous groups of patients with melanoma, including macroscopic or at-high-risk-for microscopic metastasis. With changing indications for surgery in melanoma, and availability of effective systemic therapies, pelvic dissection is now performed for clinically detected bulky lymph node metastasis followed by adjuvant drug therapy. rPLND has not been compared with open pelvic lymph node dissection (oPLND) for modern practice.

Methods

All patients undergoing pelvic node dissection for macroscopic melanoma at a single institution were reviewed as a cohort, observational study.

Results

Twenty-two pelvic lymph node dissections were identified (8 oPLND; 14 rPLND). The number of pelvic lymph nodes removed was similar (median oPLND 6.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 6.0–12.5] versus rPLND 6.0 [3.75–9.0]), with frequent matted nodes (11/22, 50.0%). Operative time (median oPLND 130 min [IQR 95.5–182] versus rPLND 126 min [IQR 97.8–160]) and complications (Clavien-Dindo scale) were similar. Length of hospital stay (median 5.34 days (IQR 3.77–6.94) versus 1.98 days (IQR 1.39–3.50) and time to postoperative adjuvant therapy (median 11.6 weeks [IQR 10.6–18.5] versus 7.71 weeks [IQR 6.29–10.4]) were shorter in the rPLND group. No differences in pelvic lymph node recurrence (p = 0.984), distant metastatic recurrence (p = 0.678), or melanoma-specific survival (p = 0.655) were seen (median follow-up 21.1 months [rPLND] and 25.7 months [oPLND]).

Conclusions

rPLND is an effective way to remove bulky pelvic lymph nodes in melanoma, with a shorter recovery and reduced interval to initiating adjuvant therapy compared with oPLND. This group of patients may especially benefit from neoadjuvant systemic approaches to management.
Deviant behavior Of Greek football spectators
Authors: Λάππας Κλεομένης
Published: January 2024

Σε πολλές ευρωπαϊκές χώρες, η βίαιη συμπεριφορά στο ποδόσφαιρο αντιμετωπίζεται στο στάδιο της πρόληψης και καταπολεμάται περισσότερο ή λιγότερο αποτελεσματικά όπου εμφανίζεται. Στην Ελλάδα η συχνότητα και η ένταση των βίαιων επεισοδίων αυξάνεται με σταθερούς ρυθμούς. Ο στόχος της διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι να διερευνήσει, πώς τα δημογραφικά χαρακτηριστικά , η κοινωνικο-οικονομική σύνθεση, τα έθιμα και τα κίνητρα των Ελλήνων φιλάθλων στο ποδόσφαιρο έχουν αλλάξει τα τελευταία χρόνια, ποιες είναι οι κύριες εκδηλώσεις βίας στα ελληνικά γήπεδα ποδοσφαίρου και ποιες είναι οι απόψεις των φιλάθλων για την βίαιη συμπεριφορά των οπαδών των ποδοσφαιρικών ομάδων, μέσα και έξω από τα γήπεδα. Στην παρούσα μελέτη, έχουν χρησιμοποιηθεί οι εξής μέθοδοι: προσωπική παρατήρηση, ερωτηματολόγια, σε βάθος συνεντεύξεις, ανάλυση Τύπου, και ανάλυση σχετικών εγγράφων. Τα αποτελέσματα εστιάζουν στα μοντέλα συμπεριφοράς των Ελλήνων φιλάθλων στο ποδόσφαιρο, τα οποία αλλάζουν με ραγδαίους ρυθμούς, κυρίως εξαιτίας των αλλαγών στα δημογραφικά χαρακτηριστικά και την κοινωνικο-οικονομική σύνθεση των φιλάθλων, τα τελευταία χρόνια. Τα αποτελέσματα δείχνουν πως το μεγαλύτερο μέρος των φιλάθλων βρίσκεται στα μεγάλα οικονομικά και διοικητικά κέντρα της Ελλάδας, ήτοι στην Αθήνα και τη Θεσσαλονίκη. Η πλειοψηφία των φιλάθλων ανήκουν στη μεσαία κοινωνικο-οικονομική τάξη. Σημαντικές αλλαγές έχουν παρατηρηθεί επίσης στα έθιμα και στα κίνητρα των Ελλήνων φιλάθλων στους αγώνες ποδοσφαίρου. Ο «χουλιγκανισμός» όπως εμφανίζεται στην Ελλάδα, αποτελεί ένα από τα σημαντικότερα προβλήματα. Προκαλεί έκπληξη το γεγονός σύμφωνα με το οποίο εκδηλώσεις ρατσιστικής και ξενοφοβικής συμπεριφοράς, δεν παρατηρούνται συχνά σε οργανωμένες ομάδες και υποομάδες φιλάθλων του ποδοσφαίρου. Τα αίτια των προαναφερθεισών αλλαγών βρίσκονται βαθιά ριζωμένα στις γενικότερες οικονομικές, κοινωνικές και πολιτικές αλλαγές που συντελέστηκαν στην Ελληνική κοινωνία τα τελευταία χρόνια, στις επιρροές που ασκούνται από ποικίλους διεθνείς και τοπικούς παράγοντες, στις μεταβολές που παρατηρούνται στα μοντέλα συμπεριφοράς οργανωμένων ομάδων και υποομάδων φιλάθλων του ποδοσφαίρου και στην επιρροή που ασκούν τα μέσα μαζικής ενημέρωσης σε θέματα που σχετίζονται άμεσα με τον αθλητισμό και κυρίως με το ποδόσφαιρο. Τέλος, γίνονται κάποιες προτάσεις που κύρια επιδίωξη έχουν την αντιμετώπιση της βίας στο χώρο του ποδοσφαίρου και κυρίως την αντιμετώπιση του «χουλιγκανισμού» στα ελληνικά ποδοσφαιρικά γήπεδα.
Quality of life among patients with chronic heart failure in Nam Dinh Province, Vietnam
Authors: Ngo Hoang Huy , Tran Ly Thi Hai , Nguyen Nguyet Thi , Mai Anh Thi Lan
Published: January 2024

Background This study aimed to assess the quality of life of patients with chronic heart failure (HF) to improve their treatment and care. Methods This study was conducted to evaluate the quality of life of 89 patients suffering from chronic heart failure and was assessed using the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). In addition, the presence of depressive symptoms and perception of social support were also assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Results Of the 89 HF patients, 53.9% were female and 46.1% were male. The mean age of 89 patients was 62.28±13.26 years old, of which 64% were 60 years old and older. The mean time that patients lived with HF was 8.49±4.59 years. The overall Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire mean score was high at 67.19±13.31 points. Regarding personal characteristics, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire scores were significantly higher in women vs men, widowed/divorced vs being married patients, and patients living alone vs living with family detailed (67.52±11.80 vs 66.80±15.02; p=0.032), (67.58±11.62 vs 65.27±20.11; p=0.000), and (73.3±14.95 vs 66.50±13.04; p=0.014), respectively. Regarding heart failure associated features, the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire scores were significantly higher in patients living with longer heart failure, in more severity of Beck Depression Inventory-II, and lower levels of social support (all p-values of 0.000). Conclusions The results of the study showed a poor quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure and raised concerns about improving the patients’ quality of life.
Facilitation of practical work in Natural Sciences: experiences and approaches of junior teachers
Authors: Sikhosana Lettah , Mogale Khutso Charles
Published: January 2024

Background This paper explored junior teachers’ experiences and approaches when facilitating practical work in Natural Sciences during teaching and learning. Grade 7 is the final year of primary school in South Africa, with students between the ages of 11 to 13. The researchers observed that there are enormous challenges encountered by junior grade 7 teachers when preparing, designing and conducting practical work in Natural Sciences teaching and learning. Methods A qualitative multiple case study design was used. Three grade 7 Natural Sciences junior level teachers were selected purposively as participants. Data was collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews and document analysis. Results The findings of this study revealed that some grade 7 junior Natural Sciences teachers were overwhelmed when facilitating practical work during teaching and learning. In addition, some of the grade 7 junior Natural Sciences teachers were unable to maintain discipline inside and outside the classroom environment when conducting practical work and demonstrations. The grade 7 junior Natural Sciences teachers had to use mechanism to cope with the demands associated with facilitation of practical work in Natural Sciences teaching and learning. Some of the approaches adopted by the grade 7 junior Natural Sciences teachers when facilitating practical work in Natural Sciences teaching and learning included group work, observations, demonstration, illustrations, projects and inquiry-based scientific investigations. Conclusion It is recommended that teachers be professionally trained on how to facilitate practical work to advance the new ways of teaching and learning as advocated by per the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statement document while empowering them with pedagogical content knowledge to enable them to achieve the aim and objectives of practical work in Natural Sciences teaching and learning.
Creation of Deep Learning Scenarios in the Network Teaching of Physical Education Technical Courses
Authors: Li Fangyu
Published: January 2024

The network teaching evaluation of sports professional technical courses has positive significance for the sustainable development of education. And how to establish an effective evaluation model is the key part. The research introduces the creation of in-depth learning scenarios (LS) into the network teaching of sports professional technical courses, and then constructs a new network teaching mode of sports professional technical courses. The Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm - Attention- Long Short-Term Memory network (PSO-Attention-LSTM) Chinese Emotion Classification Model (ECM) is constructed to classify the online evaluation text to realize the evaluation of online teaching. This model combines the improved PSO, Attention and LSTM classification models. The optimal number of hidden layer nodes for LSTM model is about 100, and the optimal data size for batch processing is 25. The overall error rate of online teaching teachers of male and female sports professional skill courses is 10.1%, and the overall error rate of online teaching teachers of general and advanced sports professional skill courses is 12.8%. The application effect of the creation of in-depth learning scene in the network teaching of physical education technical courses is shown. When the classification threshold is 0.6 and 0.8 respectively, the AUC of PSO-Attention-LSTM Chinese ECM is 0.821 and 0.809 respectively. The research institute has put forward that the online teaching platform of sports professional technical courses has extremely high practical application value and has been unanimously praised by network users.
Crop Field Boundary Detection and Classification using Machine Learning
Authors: D Bhavana , Mylapalli Jayaraju
Published: January 2024

Crop classification and detection of crop field boundaries empower farmers which helps the agricultural businesses to estimate crop field dimensions and yields accurately. Our research focuses on estimating crucial agricultural inputs such as seeds, pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers to enhance overall production. The conventional method of manually identifying field boundaries is both time-consuming with labour-intensive. In contrast, our study harnesses data from diverse satellites such as Sentinel, Landsat, and MODIS, encompassing valuable land usage information. By integrating this data with machine learning algorithms, we achieve real-time monitoring of crop fields through effective classification and boundary identification. For the classification of crop fields within our study area, we recommend employing the Classification and Regression Tree (CART) algorithm. Additionally, we leverage normalized difference indices, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), as features for classification. We compare these features with Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Random Forest (RF) algorithms. Subsequently, we utilize the Canny edge detection technique to identify boundaries within the classified crop areas. Notably, our approach utilizes the Google Earth Engine (GEE) as a primary platform for extracting features, conducting data training, and visualizing information. The proposed algorithm yields impressive results with a high level of accuracy. Notably, the CART algorithm achieves a remarkable accuracy rate of 96.1%. Furthermore, we incorporate NDWI-based Canny edge detection into our methodology. The outcomes convincingly underscore the practicality and applicability of our research in real-world scenarios.
Hybrid Architecture Strategies for the Prediction of Acute Pulmonary Embolism from Computed Tomography Images
Authors: Yadlapalli Priyanka , D Bhavana
Published: January 2024

The timely identification of pulmonary embolism is of utmost importance, as the condition has the potential to be life-threatening if not promptly addressed. The assessment of the severity of a pulmonary embolism (PE) frequently necessitates a time-consuming and potentially life-threatening estimation by a medical practitioner. The primary objective of the study was to investigate the potential utility of an artificial neural network in assisting physicians with the identification and prediction of pulmonary embolism risk in patients. Deep learning algorithms are frequently employed in medical imaging to enhance image analysis due to their ability to automatically learn representations from large datasets, as opposed to relying on pre-programmed instructions . The implementation of automated systems has the potential to decrease the level of physical effort needed and enhance the efficiency of diagnostic procedures for medical professionals. Efficient training and calculation processes are crucial for the proper execution of the implementation. The Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) developed by Google are employed to expedite the process of training., with the computational tasks being executed through Google Colab, a platform offered by Google Cloud TPUs. In order to achieve outcomes comparable to human judgment, deep learning algorithms engage in reasonable assessments of data based on a predetermined logical framework. Diagnosing pulmonary embolism (PE), a potentially lethal yet curable condition, poses challenges in early detection. A distinctive convolutional neural network (CNN) model was developed and examined for the purpose of distinguishing between pulmonary embolism (PE) and computed tomography (CT) pictures.  The proposed study yields a precision rate of 91.2%, showcasing an enhancement compared to current convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures that include limited trainable parameters. Furthermore, our model provides interpretability by the utilization of computed tomography (CT) images, specifically in the inferno and bone models. Our proposed deep learning model has the potential to predict the presence of PE and other associated features in current cases.
Intelligent Prediction of Network Security Situations based on Deep Reinforcement Learning Algorithm
Authors: Lu Yan , Kuang Yunxin , Yang Qiufen
Published: January 2024

The limitations of traditional network security assessment methods characterized by manual definitions and measurements, data overload, poor performance, and non-negligible drawbacks are addressed in this research. A novel network security system employing a deep learning algorithm is proposed to overcome these challenges. The research unfolds in three key phases. First, a deep self-encoding model is developed to distinguish various network attacks effectively. Subsequently, the creation of missing measurement weights enhances pattern detection, even when dealing with a limited number of training samples. Finally, the model assesses and computes attack issues, assigns impact scores to each attack, and determines the overall network security value. Experimental results demonstrate that the deep auto encoder-based deep neural network (DAEDNN), in conjunction with the proposed unique oversampling weighting (UOSW) algorithm, significantly outperforms traditional methods such as decision trees (DT), support vector machines (SVM), and long short-term memory (LSTM) models. The F1 score of UOSW surpasses these models by approximately 2.77, 10.5, and 5.2, respectively. The deep self-encoding model employed in the proposed system offers superior accuracy and recall rates, leading to more precise and efficient measurement results.
Design of English Informationization Teaching System Based on Positive Psychology
Authors: Chang Xiao
Published: January 2024

Early computer-aided teaching systems fully played the leading role of teachers, but ignored the embodiment of students' subjectivity. In English teaching practice, there is still a current situation of emphasizing cognition and neglecting psychology, seriously neglecting students' psychological needs such as learning interest, self-confidence, and happiness. Therefore, in order to explore the promoting role of positive psychology in English teaching, this study, guided by subjective well-being theory and self-determination theory, adopted JSP+Struts+SQL Server technology to design an English information-based teaching system. The system was based on English knowledge, with students' personalized reasoning as the premise, and teachers' teaching strategies as the key. Personalized assistance was provided to English teachers for information-based teaching. Finally, through a controlled experiment, it was found that after half a semester of English information technology teaching, the excellent final grade rate of the intervention group X students was 56.67%; the pass rate reached 90%, and only 3 students failed. There was a significant improvement compared to the performance of the control group Y students. This experiment can prove the effectiveness of the English information teaching system designed in this article. The English information teaching system is a supplement to the traditional classroom teaching mode, which can enhance students' learning interest and English oral expression ability, as well as improve the quality of teachers' education.
DaVinci SP-based simultaneous bilateral partial nephrectomy from the midline transperitoneal approach: a case report
Authors: Ko Young Hwii , Ha Jong Gyun , Jang Jae Yoon , Kim Yeung Uk
Published: January 2024

While simultaneous bilateral partial nephrectomy with a conventional multiport robot has been consistently reported since the 2010s, the introduction of the DaVinci SP system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) could provide a novel way to perform surgery on bilateral kidneys while innovatively reducing the number of incisions. In our first report worldwide, the patient with bilateral small renal mass (2.0 cm for the left and 1.5 cm for the right side) and preoperative normal renal function was placed in the lateral decubitus position on an inverted bed. After tilting the bed to be as horizontal as possible, a 4-cm incision was made in the lower part of the umbilicus for the floating trocar technique. The partial nephrectomy was performed reliably as with the conventional transperitoneal approach, and then the patient could be repositioned to the contralateral side for the same procedure, maintaining all trocars. Total operation time (skin to skin), total console time, and the left- and right-side warm ischemic times were 260, 164, 27, and 23 minutes, respectively, without applying the early declamping technique. The estimated blood loss was 200 mL. The serum creatinine right after the operation, on the first day, 3 days, and 90 days after surgery were 0.92, 0.77, 0.79, and 0.81 mg/dL, respectively. For 90 days after the procedure, no complications or radiologic recurrence were observed. Further clinical studies will reveal the advantages of using the DaVinci SP device for this procedure over traditional multiport surgery, maximizing the benefit of a single port-based approach.
The Importance of the Editor in Translation
Authors: Skotarek Dariusz Jan
Published: January 2024

This article is concerned with the significance of the editor in the translation process. The author presents the current status of editors in translation studies and calls for more attention to be paid to them. In the analytical part, the author analyses and presents selected examples of editorial changes of the first version of Yuri Slezkine’s House of Government translation into Polish. The analysis deals with passages where the editors corrected the translators’ mistakes. Particular attention is paid to fragments where the editors implemented difficult, potentially controversial corrections. This serves to show the role editors play in the translation process as well as the multitude and importance of the changes they introduce. The article stresses that the choices in the final translation that the audience, including translation scholars, reads are very often the editors’, not the translator’s, which should be taken into account while giving praise or assigning blame.
Case Article—Locating a Truck Terminal in Texas
Authors: Chau Ngan N. , Benson Gregory E.
Published: January 2024

This case study introduces students to the decision-making process of a facility location problem and requires them to apply appropriate methods to recommend a desirable terminal location for CBT, a transportation provider in the United States. In response to the increasing number of drivers in the Texas market, CBT explored different options to better serve the rising demand, including a new and second terminal in a different geographic area. Students employ multi-criteria decision-making framework and optimization modeling to support their analysis using empirical data. While students use provided data to solve the problem in the base case, they need to research various publicly available databases in the case extension. This case can be used in undergraduate courses in logistics, transportation, operations, and supply chain management to apply facility location related concepts, or in a business analytics course to illustrate optimization modeling in a real-world context.

Supplemental Material: Data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ited.2022.0042ca . The Teaching Note is available at https://www.informs.org/Publications/Subscribe/Access-Restricted-Materials .
Workplace Harassment And Perception Of Organizational Support On Turnover Intention: Job Satisfaction As A Mediation Variable
Authors: Mukaromah Diva Luthfianti , Noekent Vitradesie , Wanbing Zhou
Published: January 2024

Purpose-This study looks at job satisfaction as a mediating variable to explore the relationship between workplace harassment and perceived of organizational support on intention to leave.
Design/Methodology/Approach-Employees in the textile and textile products sector in Central Java Province made up the study's population. Purposive sampling was used to acquire the data for this study, and a total of 60 participants made up the sample. Through the use of an analytical program called Smart PLS version 3.0, the outer model and inner model analysis methods were used to analyze the data for this study.
Findings-The direct findings demonstrated that job satisfaction and turnover intention were highly impacted by workplace harassment and perceptions of organizational support. Job satisfaction did, however, have a negative and negligible effect on the intention to leave. The indirect findings indicated that there was no evidence to support the idea that job satisfaction could moderate the effects of workplace harassment on intention to leave and the perception of organizational support on intention to leave.
Research limitations/implications-These findings have policy implications for all levels of government in Central Java Province, which must prioritize reducing workplace harassment through strict enforcement of regulations. For companies, the results of this research can be used to develop perceived organizational support programs.
Originality/value-The study on employee behaviour in the textile products business is quite restricted, and no earlier studies on the influence of workplace harassment and perceived organizational support on turnover intention mediated by job satisfaction have been done. This study also calls into question the widely held belief that findings collected in one specific location may be extended to the larger phenomena at the country level.
APLICAÇÃO DO MODELO PEIR NA AVALIAÇÃO DE IMPACTOS AMBIENTAIS EM ECOSSISTEMAS ESTUARINOS
Authors: Almeida Josimar Ribeiro de , Aguiar Laís Alencar de , Barbosa Oscar Rocha , Matta Patrícia dos Santos , Gurova Tetyana , Cunha Tatiana Santos da
Published: January 2024

As regiões de Caravelas e Mucuri estão localizadas no Extremo Sul do estado da Bahia, são caracterizadas por serem regiões costeiras com ecossistemas variados que possuem grande importância no ciclo de vida de muitas espécies. São regiões que se destacam como os dois principais municípios produtores de Celulose no país. Na região de Caravelas está situado um dos principais parques marinhos da América do Sul, o Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos que possui grande importância na preservação de muitas espécies e, infelizmente vem sofrendo impactos ambientais devido ao grande crescimento do turismo e da pesca. Nos últimos anos essas duas regiões tem sido alvo de grandes atividades como monocultura de eucalipto, indústrias de papel e celulose, entre outras atividades que tem gerado emprego para os moradores locais e fonte de renda. Foi realizado um levantamento bibliográfico das duas regiões ao longo dos últimos anos com o intuito de atualizar as informações que foram previamente concedidas como por exemplo, crescimento populacional, dados de saneamento básico, entre outros, para analisar as mudanças ocorridas nas duas regiões e avaliar a intensidade dos impactos ambientais causados nas duas regiões. Através desse estudo pode ser observado que as duas regiões vêm apresentando expansão nos últimos anos e são regiões com grande viabilidade de implementação de grandes indústrias e aumento do turismo, implementação de resorts e hotéis, que tem causado mudanças em toda a paisagem e em parte gerando impactos ambientais que devem ser avaliados e estudados.
AVALIAÇÃO DE RISCOS E IMPACTOS AMBIENTAIS EM MALHA RODOVIÁRIA
Authors: Gurova Tetyana , Matta Patrícia dos Santos , Vitorio Cleber Vinicius Akita , Pereira Raphael do Couto , Ferreira Letícia Cardoso , Almeida Josimar Ribeiro de
Published: January 2024

A BR 101 é uma rodovia de grande importância para o país e vêm sofrendo obras de duplicação para diminuir o número de congestionamentos e acidentes ao longo de sua extensão. O trecho compreendido entre o km 190,3 ao km 144,2 transpassa uma Unidade de Conservação (UC) e uma Área de Proteção Ambiental (APA), áreas onde a biodiversidade deve ser preservada, tendo seu amparo legal através de Lei 6938/81, Política Nacional do Meio Ambiente. Foram identificados onze impactos ambientais do meio biótico causados por este empreendimento e avaliados através de uma matriz de interação. Os impactos foram negativos e revelam uma situação preocupante devido aos danos permanentes causados ao ecossistema adjacente, que podem afetar as populações da fauna e da flora.
MILLA AND THE CORN DOLL: SOIL AND WATER, A SOURCE OF LIFE
Authors: Lima Vilma , Pereira Raphael do Couto
Published: January 2024

O livro infantil “Milla and the corn doll: Soil and water, a source of life” é uma criação da professora Vilma Lima, da rede pública de ensino do Estado de São Paulo e do pesquisador Raphael do Couto Pereira, membro do Diretório de Cientistas da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) e da Universidade Estadual do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ).