bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel Hing gum-based adsorbent with optimized synthesis parameters for cationic dye removal
Authors: Gautam Samiksha , Kumar Vijay
Published: February 2024

This research investigates the utilization of Hing gum-based hydrogel as an effective adsorbent for the removal of Malachite Green (MG) dye from aqueous solutions. The hydrogel was synthesized using Hing gum as the backbone, acrylamide as the monomer, ammonium persulfate (APS) as an initiator in free radical polymerization, and N, N'-Methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinking agent. Optimization of different reaction parameters was carried out using the Response surface methodology. A full factorial model was utilized to achieve the maximum swelling percentage, and key factors were identified through a Pareto chart. The optimized variables, including the initiator (2.19 ×10− 2 mol L− 1), monomer (8.65 × 10− 1 mol L− 1), and solvent (13 mL), resulted in a maximum percentage swelling of 760%. The significance of the model was confirmed using ANOVA statistics. Various properties were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Field emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, Zeta Potential, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller theory. The effectiveness of the prepared hydrogel in MG dye adsorption was evaluated by measuring contact time, pH impact, adsorbent dose, and temperature. The synthesized hydrogel exhibited high efficiency in removing MG dye from aqueous solutions, achieving a noteworthy adsorption rate of approximately 97% over 6 hours at room temperature. Adsorption calculations were described using kinetics and isotherm models. The results indicate that the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model provided the best fit for the absorption process of MG. The obtained results highlight the adsorbent high absorption capacity and demonstrate its potential as an eco-friendly and cost-effective solution for removing MG dye from water.
The Mitral to Aortic/Pulmonary Velocity-Time Integral Ratio Is a Simple, Feasible and Accurate Discriminator for Echocardiographic Evaluation of Severe Isolated Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: Nerlekar Nitesh , Ramkumar Satish , Maggiore Paul , Teng Justin , Cimenkaya Cengiz , Be Kim Kuy , Baumann Angus , Nicholls Stephen J , Moir Stuart William
Published: February 2024

Background
Echocardiographic quantification of mitral regurgitation (MR) remains challenging, requiring dedicated image acquisition, and is limited by potential error from geometric assumptions of annular dimensions. Volume is a product of area and flow and assuming proportional mitral/aortic areas, an increased mitral-inflow volume compared to LV/RV-outflow semi-quantitatively represents greater MR regurgitant volume. Therefore, we investigated the feasibility and diagnostic performance of the mitral-aortic velocity-time integral(VTI) ratio in isolated MR. We also investigated the use of the mitral-pulmonary VTI ratio as an alternative in clinical situations where the LV outflow tract(LVOT) VTI could not be used.
Methods
We reviewed 166 consecutive patients (33%, n = 54 severe MR by multi-parameter integrated expert opinion)). Pulsed wave Doppler VTI at the mitral leaflet tips and the left ventricular outflow and continuous-wave Doppler of the RV outflow tract were measured individually and independently by blinded readers(expert and trainee status) to derive the ratio. Receiver operator characteristic area under the curve(AUC) comparison was calculated and compared with effective regurgitant orifice area(EROA > 40mm), regurgitant volume(RVol > 60mL), vena contracta(VC > 0.7cm), E-velocity > 1.2cm, systolic flow reversal(SFR), left atrial and ventricular dilatation.
Results
Increasing ratio was associated with severe MR(AUC 0.94) with optimal threshold defined at 1.3. This provided significant discrimination for severe MR(AUC 0.81) compared to EROA(0.68), VC(0.52), LV dilatation(0.69), LA dilatation(0.70), SFR(0.73), E-velocity(0.68) all p < 0.05, with sensitivity 82% and specificity 94%. The mitral-pulmonary VTI ratio demonstrated similar discrimination(AUC 0.92) with optimal threshold defined at 1.14. Excellent inter-observer reproducibility(intra-class correlation 0.97) was seen between trainee and expert readers. There was no difference in AUC comparison by MR mechanism or patient rhythm.
Conclusions
The mitral-aortic and mitral-pulmonary VTI ratios are simple, geometric-free parameters feasibly reproducible from routine echocardiographic datasets and are excellent discriminative tools for severe MR. Readers should consider integration of this parameter in routine reporting.
Facial Expression Recognition with Enhanced Relation-Aware Attention and Cross-Feature Fusion transformer
Authors: DONG YAN , Wang Ting , Pu Yanfeng , Gao Jian
Published: February 2024

Face expression recognition(FER) is an important research branch in the field of the computer vision neighborhood. Three prevalent problems in FER tasks that severely impact recognition rates are inter-class similarity, intra-class differences, and facial occlusion issues. Although there have been studies that address some of these issues, none of them can adequately address all three issues in a unified framework. In this paper, we propose a novel dual-branch structure of enhanced relation-aware attention and cross-feature fusion transformer network to comprehensively solve all three issues. Specifically, we design the Enhanced Relation-Aware Attention module to maximize the exploration of more local expression features. At the same time, the Transformer Perceptual Encoder module is adopted to establishing the contextual relationship between individual patches under global information. This greatly alleviates the inter-class similarity problem and the facial occlusion and facial pose transformation problems. On the basis of a dual branch structure, we extract facial image features using facial landmarks features to guide them and design Cross-Feature Fusion Transformer module to deeply cross-fuse two different semantic features. Experiments are performed and results show that our method can greatly alleviated intra-class difference problem with comparison of several traditional methods on three commonly used datasets.
Efficacy and safety of immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in patients with pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma
Authors: Li Ruyue , Zhang Huanle , Zhao Ying , Li Ying , Yao Xiujing , Dong Xue , Xu Yali , Li Yintao
Published: February 2024

Purpose
This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy plus chemotherapy for pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC).
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed the data of 124 patients with LCNEC hospitalized at Shandong Cancer Hospital between January 2018 and December 2022. Among these, 45 and 79 individuals were in the immunotherapy plus chemotherapy and chemotherapy groups, respectively. Baseline data of the two groups were balanced using propensity score matching (PSM), and the Kaplan–Meier survival curve was used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the treatment regimen.
Results
The median follow-up period was 33.05 months. Compared with that in the chemotherapy group, the median overall survival (OS) in patients in the immunotherapy plus chemotherapy group showed a trend of clinical benefit (26.31 vs. 16.95 months, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.907, P = 0.675). After the PSM, the median OS (26.31 vs. 13.56 months, HR = 0.605, P = 0.041) showed statistically significant differences between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses found that patient age (P < 0.001) may be related to prognosis. In the immunotherapy plus chemotherapy group, the overall response rate was 46.7%, the disease control rate was 84.4%, and the median progression-free survival was 7.95 months (95% CI: 5.5–14.8). Simultaneously, Patients with early-stage LCNEC may obtain longer PFS by choosing immunotherapy plus chemotherapy in the first or second line.
Conclusion
Patients with LCNEC receiving immunotherapy plus chemotherapy may have better outcomes, with a tolerable safety profile without life-threatening adverse events.
Mediation effect of attitude and factors associated with practice towards corona virus disease-19 transmission prevention among students, Southern Ethiopia: - Generalized structural equation modeling approach.
Authors: Lajore Bereket Abrham , Abebaw Dessie , Gebeye Ejigu , Moges Sisay , Zakaria Hamdi Fekredin , Jaldo Mesfin Menza
Published: February 2024

Background: - Ethiopia has taken unprecedented preventive and precautionary steps to monitor spread of COVID 19, safeguard people and ensure their well-being against novel corona virus disease. Numerous organizations, including schools like prep and high schools, have been affected by the viral epidemic. A generalized structural equation modeling approach was used in this study to identify factors associated with COVID-19 preventative practice (GSEM). Because knowledge, attitudes, and practices are latent constructs measured by survey items, GSEM is a suitable method for this study's variables. GSEM is suitable for answering the study's research questions due to its capacity to examine mediation with latent variables. This study sought to determine the extent and correlates of preparatory and high school students' knowledge, attitude, and practice of Corona virus disease-19.
Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 29 – April 08, 2021. A total of 1003 students from eight different schools were participated in the research. Generalized Structural Equation Modeling (GSEM) was employed to examine the relationship between variables. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.
Result and Conclusion: In this study, age [adjusted β = 0.151], gender [adjusted β = 0.586], residence [adjusted β = 0.471], education [adjusted β = 0.38], comorbidity [adjusted β =1.144], and attitude [adjusted β = 0.880] positively predicted COVID-19 prevention practices both directly and indirectly, while knowledge only indirectly [adjusted β = 1.037] predicted practices. Age had direct [adjusted β = 0.108] and indirect [adjusted β = 0.043] positive effects. Females and urban residents adhered more to precautions than males and rural residents. Father's education of college and above predicted better practices compared to unable to read and write. Comorbidity had direct [adjusted β = 1.024], indirect [adjusted β = 0.120], and total positive effects. Positive attitude was significantly associated with better adherence to preventive practices. Therefore, because having better knowledge does not translate into good COVID-19 preventive and control practices. Rather, intervention aimed at a positive attitude would benefit controlling strategies of the pandemics.
Presentación
Authors: Posso Oscar
Published: February 2024

Esta edición de la revista Ciencias Humanas es un reflejo de la preocupaciónde los autores por un espectro de temas que van desde la arquitectura y la literatura, hasta la antropología, la sociología y la educación. En el desarrollo de estos escritos radica la inquietud misma por situaciones concretas del ser humano en su quehacer, en su devenir y en su condición social y existencial.
A Conceptual Framework of Mobile Payment System Adoption and Use in Southeast Asia
Authors: Chang Andreas , Gunawan Theresia , Sumarwan Ujang
Published: February 2024

The research aims to investigate the factors affecting consumers' adoption and use of Mobile Payment Systems (MPS) in Southeast Asia. Extant theoretical models need to be extended to cover the unique features of mobile payment technology. A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is conducted to analyse theoretical models utilized to predict the adoption and use of mobile payment. A total of 60 studies about adoption and use of MPS is analysed. The results of the investigations employ the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and Diffusion of Innovation model (IDT). It reveals that there are inconsistencies in determinants of behavioral intention to adopt and use MPS. Among them are performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence. The review also unveils the use of other determinants to predict behavioral intention to adopt and use MPS, such as perceived security, perceived risks, perceived trust, attitude, and financial incentives to lure new users. The researchers propose a conceptual framework for MPS adoption and use that includes four moderators: gender, age, educational level, and income level. The research contributes to the theory and practice by explicating relevant factors predicting behavioral intention to adopt and use mobile payment in the ASEAN region.  Moreover, the SLR offers opportunities for future investigations.
OVERCOMING EMPTINESS IN THE TRANSLATION OF DUBRAVKA UGREŠIĆ
Authors: Perišić Olja
Published: February 2024

The theme of this paper concerns the main aspects of translating a linguistically and culturally hybrid text, using the example of two Dubravka Ugrešić’s books (1949–2023), Karaoke culture and Europe in Sepia. The author addresses contemporary themes in a globalised and increasingly virtual world, while constantly revisiting the Soviet and Yugoslav communist past through her personal experiences. Existing between languages and interpreting such a diverse literary world requires a profound understanding of historical, linguistic, and cultural contexts, as well as translation strategies aimed at bridging the inevitable spatiotemporal gap that arises between the two versions of the text. The main research questions are: what are the criteria for including or excluding different elements of heterolinguism/ plurilingualism in a translated text? By what linguistic means is it domesticated in a culturally and linguistically hybrid text?
АКЦЕНАТ ЈЕДНОСЛОЖНИХ ИМЕНИЦА МУШКОГ РОДА У ГОВОРУ БАСТАСА
Authors: Kozomara Dragomir V.
Published: February 2024

У раду је дат детаљан преглед акценатских типова једносложних именица мушког рода у говору босанскограховског села Бастаси. Анализом исцрпно прикупљене дијалекатске грађе овдје се првенствено настоји установити колико су, генерално гледано, акценатски типови наведених именица сродни оним кодификованим, дакле у духу Даничићеве акцентуације. На основу досадашњих истраживања западнијих српских говора (скромних кад су у питању описи акценатских система појединих говора) познато је да се код таквих именица поједина одступања од актуелне акценатске норме и Даничићевих правила углавном своде на уопштавања која су резултат међусобне интерференције различитих акценатских типова, те је та врста уопштавања и овдје сасвим очекивана.

Анализирана дијалекатска грађа, осим са стањем код Даничића, поређена је са истраженим сродним српским говорима и сусједним икавским говорима ливањско-дувањског типа.
THE SECRET OF INDUS VALLEY SEALS UNSEALED
Authors: Hlebec Boris F.
Published: February 2024

Belief in goddesses helping mothers to have healthy and numerous offspring covered vast expanses of Europe and Middle East during several million years from the Neolithic to the period of early Christianity. In addition to material finds, this has been proven by reading many inscriptions from Lepenski Vir, Vinča, Byblos, and the territories of the present Portugal, France, Ukraine, and Russia, all written in a kind of Vinča ideographic/logographic script. Based on the previous readings of Vinča script, the article presents an interpretation of a large number of seals from Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa made in the third millennium BC by members of the Proto-Indian civilisation.
Photobleaching of face mask dyes BB and CR using novel BPPNTs-V2O5 nanotube composites: DFT studies of self-assembly and nanoclusters
Authors: Sivasankari K. , Naveenkumar R. , Karthikeyan B.
Published: February 2024

Self-assembly method demonstrated the viable production of 3,5-bistrifluoromethyl benzylamine derivative of phenylalanine nanotubes (BPPNTs). Nano-V2O5 composite of these BPPNTs has been synthesized and characterized. The reported nanocomposite shows a highly flexible nanotube structure that provides easy access to electrons when used as an electrocatalyst or photocatalyst. This promising platform is successfully applied in the electrochemical reaction by cyclic voltammetry. Maximum photodegradation of Congo red and Brilliant blue dyes (mask layer dyes) has been observed above 50% at given time intervals). This phenomena can be used in remediation applications like the degradation of used masks. Theoretical descriptions of the self-assembled BPPNT monomer and BPPNTs-V3O6 nanocluster composite by DFT calculations produced the validation of the predicted structural applications. The results concluded the proposed nanocomposite-coated mask layers for use in photodegradable masks are a valuable outcome of this study.
Matrine: A Promising Treatment for Ulcerative Colitis by Targeting the HMGB1/NLRP3/Caspase-1 Pathway
Authors: Sun Kexin , Lin Weiye , Hong Qianran , Chen Shuangyu , Li Jiayang , Qiu Shengliang
Published: February 2024

Background:

Previous studies have found that matrine (MAT) effectively treated
Ulcerative Colitis (UC). The purpose of this study is to explore its mechanism based on the
HMGB1/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway.

Methods:

MAT was administered intragastrically to DSS-induced UC mice for 14 days. The
Disease Activity Index (DAI) and histological staining were measured to detect histopathological
changes in colon. The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in serum were measured by ELISA. The
protein and mRNA expression of HMGB1/NLRP3/Caspase-1 in the colon were detected by
immunohistochemistry, western Blotting or qRT-PCR.

Results:

MAT improved the histological pathological changes of UC mice, as assessed by DAI,
colonic length, and colonic mucosal injury. MAT also reduced colonic inflammatory damage by
reducing the serum IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α content and decreasing the expression of HMGB1,
NLRP3, Caspase-1, and IL-1β and proteins and mRNA in the colon.

Conclusion:

MAT could significantly alleviate DSS-induced UC symptoms by reducing the expressions
of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6, the mechanism of
which is related to the inhibition of HMGB1/NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Molecular Modeling Studies of Novel Indenopyridazine-thiazole Molecular Hybrids
Authors: Al-Humaidi Jehan Y. , Gomha Sobhi M. , Nayl AbdElAziz A. , Aly Ashraf A. , Ibrahim Mahmoud A. A. , Zaki Magdi E. A. , Bräse Stefan , Haggam Reda A.
Published: February 2024

Background:

Previous studies have reported various biological activities of indeno-pyridazine and thiazole derivatives, including antiviral activity and CoV-19 inhibition. In this paper, the authors aimed to design, synthesize, and characterize a novel series of indenopyridazinethiazoles, starting with 2-(4-cyano-3-oxo-2,3-dihydro-9H-indeno[2,1-c]pyridazin-9-ylidene)-hydrazine-1-car-bothioamide and available laboratory reagents.

Methods:

The strategy involved the synthesis of indeno[2,1-c]pyridazincarbothioamide, followed by its reaction with various hydrazonoyl chlorides and α-halocompounds (phenacyl bromides and α-chloroketones) to obtain the desired indenopyridazinethiazole derivatives. The synthesized structures were confirmed using IR, NMR, mass spectra, elemental analysis, and alternative synthesis when possible. Docking scores and poses of thirteen synthesized compounds were examined using Auto-Dock4.2.6 software against multiple targets of SARS-CoV-2, including 3C-like protease (3CLpro), helicase, receptor binding domain (RBD), papain-like protease (PLpro), neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).

Results:

Docking predictions revealed that compound 13d exhibited high potency against 3CLpro and helicase, with docking scores of -10.9 and -10.5 kcal/mol, respectively. Compound 10c showed su-perior docking scores against RBD and ACE2, with values of -8.7 and -11.8 kcal/mol, respectively. Compounds 10a, 13c, and 7b demonstrated excellent docking scores against RdRp, PLpro, and NRP-1, with values of -10.3, -10.4, and -8.6 kcal/mol, respectively.

Conclusion:

The authors recommend further experimental assessments of compounds 13d, 10c, 10a, 13c, and 7b against SARS-CoV-2 multi-targets, considering their promising docking scores.
Prevalence and Predictors of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients
Authors: Jadhao Pooja , Swain Jayshree , Das Srijit , Mangaraj Swayamsidha , Sravya Surapaneni Lakshmi
Published: February 2024

Aim:

The present study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of DPN in
newly diagnosed T2DM patients.

Background:

Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) is the most common and debilitating complication of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM).

Methods:

Newly diagnosed T2DM patients visiting the outpatient department were recruited.
Detailed demographic parameters, histories, physical examinations, and biochemical investigations were carried out. Patients were screened for DPN using the Diabetic Neuropathy Symptom
(DNS) score, the revised Disability Neuropathy Score (NDS), Vibration Perception Threshold
(VPT) using a biosthesiometer, and the 10g SW Monofilament Test (MFT).

Results:

A total of 350 newly diagnosed T2DM patients (mean age 46.4±13.6 years) were included. The prevalence of DPN was found to be 34% using the combined DNS and NDS scores.
VPT was moderately impaired in 18.3% and severely impaired in 12% patients, while MFT revealed a loss of protective sensation in 35.4% patients. After logistic regression analysis, DPN
was significantly associated with increasing age (OR 1.08, 95%CI 1.06-1.11), increasing
HbA1C levels (OR 1.23, 95%CI 1.05-1.42), increasing TSH levels (OR 1.23, 95%CI 1.05-1.44),
presence of hypertension (OR 2.78, 95%CI 1.51-5.11), and reduced BMI (OR 0.9, 95%CI 0.84-
0.99). The sensitivity and specificity of detecting DPN by combining VPT and MFT were
91.6% and 84.2%, respectively.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of DPN was high even in newly diagnosed T2DM and associated
significantly with increasing age, HbA1C levels, TSH levels, hypertension, and reduced BMI.
Earlier screening for DPN, along with aggressive control of glycemia, blood pressure, and hypothyroidism, may be beneficial.
WSHNN: A Weakly Supervised Hybrid Neural Network for the Identification
of DNA-Protein Binding Sites
Authors: Bao Wenzheng , Chen Baitong , Zhang Yue
Published: February 2024

Introduction:

Transcription factors are vital biological components that control gene
expression, and their primary biological function is to recognize DNA sequences. As related
research continues, it was found that the specificity of DNA-protein binding has a significant
role in gene expression, regulation, and especially gene therapy. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have become increasingly popular for predicting DNa-protein-specific binding
sites, but their accuracy in prediction needs to be improved.

Methods:

We proposed a framework for combining multi-Instance Learning (MIL) and a hybrid
neural network named WSHNN. First, we utilized sliding windows to split the DNA sequences
into multiple overlapping instances, each instance containing multiple bags. Then, the instances
were encoded using a K-mer encoding. Afterward, the scores of all instances in the same bag
were calculated separately by a hybrid neural network.

Results:

Finally, a fully connected network was utilized as the final prediction for that bag. The
framework could achieve the performances of 90.73% in Pre, 82.77% in Recall, 87.17% in Acc,
0.8657 in F1-score, and 0.7462 in MCC, respectively. In addition, we discussed the performance of K-mer encoding. Compared with other art-of-the-state efforts, the model has better
performance with sequence information.

Conclusion:

From the experimental results, it can be concluded that Bi-directional Long-ShortTerm Memory (Bi-LSTM) can better capture the long-sequence relationships between DNA
sequences (the code and data can be visited at https://github.com/baowz12345/Weak_
Super_Network).
Neuroprotective Effects of Curcumin against Chronic Chlorpyrifos-
Induced Oxidative Damage in Rat Brain Tissue
Authors: Farkhondeh Tahereh , Zardast Mahmoud , Rajabi Shahnaz , Abdollahi-Karizno Mahdi , Roshanravan Babak , Havangi Jalal , Aschner Michael , Samarghandian Saeed
Published: February 2024

Background:

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphate pesticide that inhibits acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Investigations have also focused on its neurotoxicity, which is
independent of AChE inhibition. Here, we evaluated the effect of CPF on oxidative indices in
the brain tissue and explored the protective effect of curcumin (Cur) against its toxicity.

Methods:

Forty male Wistar rats were divided into five groups, each consisting of eight rats (n =
8) per group. Animals were administrated by oral gavage for 90 days with the following treatments: control (C), CPF, CPF + CUR 25 mg/kg, CPF + CUR50, and CPF + cur 100 received olive oil, CPF, CPF plus 25 mg/kg of CUR, CPF plus 50 mg/kg of CUR, and CPF plus 100 mg/kg
of CUR, respectively. After anesthetization, animal brain tissues were obtained for assessment of
oxidative stress indices.

Results:

The concentration of MDA significantly increased in the brains of the CPF group as
compared to the control group (p < 0.01). Also, a significant decrease in MDA concentrations
was observed in the brains of rats in the CPF + Cur 100 group compared to the CPF group (p <
0.05). A significant decrease was noted in the GSH concentration in the brains of the CPF group
compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Treatment with Cur at 100 mg/kg exhibited a significant increase in GSH concentrations in the brains of the CPF-exposed group compared to the
CPF group without Cur administration (p < 0.05). The concentration of NO exhibited a significant increase in the brains of the CPF group when compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Also, a significant decrease in NO concentration was observed in the brain tissue of the CPF + Cur
100 group compared to the CPF group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Our data establish that chronic exposure to CPF induced oxidative stress in brain
tissue, which was reversed by CUR administration. Additional experimental and clinical investigations are needed to validate the efficacy of CUR as a potential antidote for CPF poisoning.
Extended Reality—New Opportunity for People With Disability? Practical and Ethical Considerations
Authors: Stendal Karen , Bernabe Rosemarie D L C
Published: February 2024

Since the introduction of virtual environments in the 70s, technologies have moved through virtual reality, mixed reality, and augmented reality into extended reality (XR). This development is promising for various groups. Previous research has shown people with disability benefiting from using technology in social and professional settings. Technology has offered people with disability the opportunity to communicate, interact, participate, and build new relationships. However, we do not know what impact XR has or will have and whether it will offer new opportunities for people with disability. This paper aims to indicate potential opportunities and challenges afforded by XR to people with disability. We offer reflections on the opportunities as well as the ethical considerations needed when introducing immersive technologies to a marginalized group.
Assessing Racial and Ethnic Bias in Text Generation for Healthcare-Related Tasks by GPT-3.5-turbo: Cross Sectional Study (Preprint)
Authors: Hanna John , Wakene Abdi D , Lehmann Christoph U , Medford Richard J
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

Racial and ethnic bias in Large Language Models (LLMs) used for healthcare tasks is a growing concern, as it may contribute to health disparities. In response, LLM operators implemented safeguards against prompts that are overtly seeking certain bias.

OBJECTIVE

Our study investigates potential racial and ethnic bias in GPT-3.5-turbo, a popular LLM, in generating healthcare consumer-directed text in absence of overtly biased queries.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, GPT-3.5-turbo was prompted to generate discharge instructions for patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Each patient’s encounter de-identified metadata including race/ethnicity as a variable were passed over in a table format through a prompt four times, altering only the race/ethnicity information (African American, Asian, Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic White) each time, while keeping all other information constant. The prompt requested the model to write discharge instructions for each encounter without explicitly mentioning race, ethnicity, or insurance type. The LLM-generated instructions were analyzed for sentiment, subjectivity, reading ease, and word usage by race/ethnicity and insurance type.

RESULTS

The average polarity of GPT-3.5-turbo generated patient instructions across the different racial/ethnic groups was comparable, ranging from 0.14 to 0.15, with an average subjectivity of 0.46 for all groups. Differences in polarity and subjectivity across racial/ethnic groups were not statistically significant. However, word frequency varied across racial/ethnic groups, and subjectivity differed across insurance types, with commercial insurance eliciting the most subjective responses.

CONCLUSIONS

GPT-3.5-turbo was relatively invariant to race/ethnicity and insurance type in terms of linguistic and readability measures. Further studies are needed to validate these results and assess their implications.
Contribution of Open Access Databases to Intensive Care Medicine Research: Scoping Review (Preprint)
Authors: Kallout Julien , Lamer Antoine , Grosjean Julien , Kerdelhué Gaétan , Bouzillé Guillaume , Clavier Thomas , Popoff Benjamin
Published: February 2024

BACKGROUND

Intensive care units (ICUs) handle the most critical patients with a high risk of mortality. Due to those conditions, close monitoring is necessary and therefore, a large volume of data is collected. Collaborative ventures have enabled the emergence of large open access databases, leading to numerous publications in the field.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this scoping review is to identify the characteristics of studies using open access intensive care databases and to describe the contribution of these studies to intensive care research.

METHODS

The research was conducted using 3 databases (PubMed–MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science) from the inception of each database to August 1, 2022. We included original articles based on 4 open databases of patients admitted to ICUs: Amsterdam University Medical Centers Database, eICU Collaborative Research Database, High time resolution ICU dataset, Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (II to IV). A double-blinded screening for eligibility was performed, first on the title and abstract and subsequently on the full-text articles. Characteristics relating to publication journals, study design, and statistical analyses were extracted and analyzed.

RESULTS

We observed a consistent increase in the number of publications from these databases since 2016. The Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care databases were the most frequently used. The highest contributions came from China and the United States, with 689 (52.7%) and 370 (28.3%) publications respectively. The median impact factor of publications was 3.8 (IQR 2.8-5.8). Topics related to cardiovascular and infectious diseases were predominant, accounting for 333 (25.5%) and 324 (24.8%) articles, respectively. Logistic regression emerged as the most commonly used statistical model for both inference and prediction questions, featuring in 396 (55.5%) and 281 (47.5%) studies, respectively. A majority of the inference studies yielded statistically significant results (84.0%). In prediction studies, area under the curve was the most frequent performance measure, with a median value of 0.840 (IQR 0.780-0.890).

CONCLUSIONS

The abundance of scientific outputs resulting from these databases, coupled with the diversity of topics addressed, highlight the importance of these databases as valuable resources for clinical research. This suggests their potential impact on clinical practice within intensive care settings. However, the quality and clinical relevance of these studies remains highly heterogeneous, with a majority of articles being published in low–impact factor journals.
System of Restorative Justice and Juvenile Justice in India: a Brief Comparative Study with Latin American System
Authors: Vashishth Archana , Dudeja Sakshi , Teena
Published: February 2024

Justice everywhere is threatened by injustice anywhere. After the Nirbhaya case verdict in Delhi, the State was accused of being lenient with one of the juvenile offenders; this may have been the cause of the public outcry. Consequently, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, (JJ Act) was passed by India in 2015. Children who commit horrible crimes cannot be dealt with lightly. However, as has been the case in the West, placing them in adult prisons would turn them into hardened criminals and repeat offenders. “Old enough to do the crime, young enough to do the time,” says the adage. Those who commit crimes must serve their sentences. The child activists contend that the Act is founded on the concepts of retribution and vengeance and has overturned all previous good laws. Children need food, not impediments to their growth. They require our society’s compassion rather than the harshness of the law. Restorative justice is a welcome idea. What is required is a shift in perspective, a readiness to prioritize victims in criminal proceedings, and an understanding that mending relationships and undoing harm are crucial components of the criminal justice system. Therefore, rather than simply passing judgment, it is our responsibility to uplift the weak, mend the broken, and comfort the grieving. The article focuses on youth crime kinds and causes, factors that lead to crime and restorative justice. This article also focuses on comparative analysis of Indian restorative justice system with Latin American restorative justice system in juvenile cases.
Document Management System - AWS Comprehend, Generative AI and NoSQL DB
Authors: Tiwari Niharika , Srivastava Prashansa , Rana Dr. Sadhana
Published: February 2024

Abstract: Classical document management systems like Microsoft word and Google Docs allow users to retrieve, make, improve and store documents using on device or cloud-based storage mechanisms with One-drive and Google Docs respectively. The growth in the amount of data that needs to be processed in organizations calls for a centralized system that allows users to store, retrieve, analyze, create and improve documents. To solve this, we have built a centralized system that allows users to create and improve documents using generative ai, store documents in a NoSQL based database MongoDB and analyze their documents using AWS Comprehend.
Efecto de aceites esenciales sobre la producción de metano en la fermentación in vitro de pasto llanero
Authors: Sánchez-Santillán Paulino , Saavedra-Jiménez Luis Antonio , Torres-Salado Nicolás , Herrera-Pérez Jeronimo , Ayala-Monter Marco Antonio
Published: February 2024

El objetivo fue evaluar el uso creciente de aceite de ajo, ajonjolí y canela en la producción de CH4 in vitro de pasto llanero con 60 días de rebrote. Se evaluó la adición de 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 y 10 % de aceite de ajo, canela o ajonjolí en una fermentación in vitro usando como sustrato pasto llanero con 60 días de rebrote. Las variables evaluadas fueron producción acumulada de CH4 a las 12, 24, 36, 48 y 72 h, degradación de materia seca (DMS) y los estimadores de cinética de producción de CH4 (A= potencial de producción de CH4, b= tasa constante de producción de CH4 y k= tiempo lag). La producción de CH4 y DMS se analizaron con un diseño experimental completamente al azar y contraste ortogonal. Los estimadores fueron un análisis descriptivo. El aumento de aceite de ajo y canela redujo linealmente la producción de CH4 a las 12, 24, 36, 48 y 72 h. La DMS disminuyó linealmente con cualquiera de los tres aceites (P<0.05). El mayor valor de A fue con 2.5 % de aceite de ajo, el mayor valor de k y b fue con 10 % de aceite de canela. En conclusión, el uso de aceites de ajo y canela mostraron una disminución lineal de la producción de CH4 y DMS de pasto llanero en condiciones in vitro.
Adaptive variational simulation for open quantum systems
Authors: Chen Huo , Gomes Niladri , Niu Siyuan , Jong Wibe Albert de
Published: February 2024

Emerging quantum hardware provides new possibilities for quantum simulation. While much of the research has focused on simulating closed quantum systems, the real-world quantum systems are mostly open. Therefore, it is essential to develop quantum algorithms that can effectively simulate open quantum systems. Here we present an adaptive variational quantum algorithm for simulating open quantum system dynamics described by the Lindblad equation. The algorithm is designed to build resource-efficient ansatze through the dynamical addition of operators by maintaining the simulation accuracy. We validate the effectiveness of our algorithm on both noiseless simulators and IBM quantum processors and observe good quantitative and qualitative agreement with the exact solution. We also investigate the scaling of the required resources with system size and accuracy and find polynomial behavior. Our results demonstrate that near-future quantum processors are capable of simulating open quantum systems.
Olhares e conexões multidisciplinares
Authors: de Mesquita Alves Cristiane , dos Santos Cardoso Waldemar
Published: February 2024

O livro Olhares e Conexões Multidisciplinares – Vol. I reúne trabalhos de professores, pesquisadores e estudantes da graduação e da pós-graduação em diferentes áreas de instituições de ensino superior. Corresponde a uma das ações de publicação em parceria do Grupo de pesquisa Mulheres Amazônidas e Latino-americanas na Literatura e nas Artes (MALALAS/UFPA-CNPq) e Grupo de pesquisa Leitura, escrita e ensino de Português para surdos (GLEPS/UFPA-CNPq). O trabalho tem como objetivo socializar estudos, em perspectiva multidisciplinar, que trazem um diálogo entre as atividades – resultados de pesquisa, de ensino e de extensão desenvolvidas nestes espaços acadêmicos. Foi organizado em duas grandes temáticas: Literatura, Comunicação e outras linguagens e Educação, inclusão e diversidades a fim de conectar esses saberes múltiplos que estão sendo produzidos nas escolas, na universidade e na comunidade de modo geral. Baixe-o e leia cada um dos capítulos que o contém.
Implicaciones de la diversidad lingüística en la educación sexual comprensiones desde una experiencia comunitaria con adolescentes sordos
Authors: Castellanos Gloria Esperanza , Arenas Andrea del Pilar , Mayorga Ortegón Angela Ivethe , Méndez Castro Carlos Andrés
Published: February 2024

Ser sordo implica formar parte de una minoría lingüística que socialmente es catalogada como discapacitada y por lo tanto signada por el estigma y la exclusión, lo que se constituye en un hecho que representa un obstáculo relacional, al encontrarse -el sordo- inserto en un mundo mayoritariamente oyente que exige la oralización y la comprensión del lenguaje hablado como elemento básico de socialización y educación. Es así, como el abordaje de la sexualidad se convierte en un desafío constante en la interacción adolescente sordo-familia oyente, en donde la adquisición de la lengua de señas marca la pauta para la generación de vínculos y el desarrollo socioafectivo de este grupo poblacional. Por lo anterior, el capítulo que se presenta surge a partir de los hallazgos cualitativos de la investigación titulada “Enseñando de sexualidad: factores familiares asociados a la educación sexual de los adolescentes sordos y su incidencia en los procesos de interacción socioafectiva en la ciudad de Ibagué”, la cual se desarrolló desde un enfoque mixto y un diseño explicativo secuencial, contando con la participación de diez adolescentes sordos y diez padres de familia a los cuales se les aplicó una encuesta y una entrevista semiestructurada, siendo esta última desde la cual se da cuenta en el presente escrito. Con base en los resultados se concluyó que la enseñanza de la lengua de señas como diversidad lingüística exige del acompañamiento de un modelo lingüístico quien en su rol de coeducador, implícitamente, pasa a ser educador primario en torno a lo que implica la sexualidad más allá de la genitalidad, dado que en las familias la educación sexual del adolescente sordo está marcada por los mitos y tabúes relacionados con la discapacidad.
Caracterización de la caficultura en Trujillo, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
Authors: Perafán Cabrera Aceneth , Restrepo Jim´énez Lina María
Published: February 2024

El objetivo de este artículo es realizar un diagnóstico de la realidad histórica, socioeconómica y ambiental de la caficultura del municipio de Trujillo, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. Se parte de considerar que esta es una región ocupada por comunidades sociales con una tradición histórica ligada a la caficultura, favorecida por las condiciones ambientales del territorio. Esto se expresa en las identidades territoriales de los caficultores, que han sido clave para el desarrollo local de la caficultura, donde se han desarrollado estrategias adaptativas frente a los desafíos territoriales y socioeconómicos impuestos. Para ello, se utilizaron fuentes secundarias, estadísticas sobre la productividad económica del municipio y entrevistas para conocer aspectos relacionados con los procesos de ocupación histórica y movilidad espacial, así como las percepciones del presente y futuro que tienen los caficultores sobre el territorio que habitan.
Construir memoria social: transformar anarquistas en reformistas
Authors: Samaniego López Marco Antonio
Published: February 2024

El artículo aborda el tema de la construcción de la memoria social a partir de la necesidad de ajustar el discurso a nuevas circunstancias. La historia, como disciplina, se confronta con los deseos de los grupos que buscan crear una memoria sobre determinado evento, por lo que es necesario historiar la construcción de la memoria social. Se aborda el caso de Ricardo Flores Magón, un anarquista que cambió su lucha al transformarse en reformista, lo que se tornó funcional para quienes deseaban ser reconocidos en los años de la posrevolución. Sus hermanos, Jesús y Enrique, fueron parte de esa transformación. Una comparación de los escritos publicados en el periódico Regeneración, de la ciudad de México, y la participación de Enrique Flores en la década de 1930, demuestra que la idea anarquista fue sacrificada para que los hermanos Flores Magón fueran reconocidos como los hombres que realizaron el Programa del Partido Liberal Mexicano de julio de 1906, base de la Constitución de 1917. El nombre de Ricardo Flores Magón se les colocó a calles, plazas, escuelas, pero el mensaje en contra de todo gobierno, ley y religión quedó desplazado.
Romper el olvido. La memoria social sobre el exilio sudamericano en el México de la Guerra Sucia
Authors: Lastra Maria Soledad
Published: February 2024

Durante los años sesenta y setenta, México se convirtió en tierra de asilo y refugio para miles de exiliados sudamericanos que huían de las dictaduras militares. En los años ochenta, y al calor de las transiciones a la democracia, estos actores fueron productores directos de una memoria social sobre la experiencia de exilio en tierra mexicana, que resaltó el carácter hospitalario de los gobiernos de Luis Echeverría y de López Portillo. Sin embargo, durante estos sexenios, México también fue un territorio de violencia estatal, en el cual se desplegaron diferentes estrategias contrainsurgentes de combate a las guerrillas urbanas y rurales. Esto incluyó desapariciones forzadas, torturas y prácticas clandestinas de represión. Este artículo se propone analizar la memoria social del exilio sudamericano y los elementos que fueron construyendo una memoria del agradecimiento sobre México. Las memorias fueron marginando o dejando en el olvido las dimensiones represivas que impactaron sobre los grupos y movimientos de izquierda en el interior del país. Nos interesa identificar las principales características que recuperaron de su experiencia exilar, la cual, entre sus efectos no deseados, dio forma a la constitución de un relato parcial sobre el México de la Guerra Sucia y el proceso actual de auge de una nueva memoria que genera tensiones e incomodidades.
Evaluation of Bond Strength of Three Glass Fiber Post-systems Cemented to Large Root Canals
Authors: Pinto CFB , França FMG , Basting RT , Turssi CP , Amaral FLB
Published: February 2024

The aim of this study was to evaluate the push-out bond strength and the failure mode of single adjustable posts (SPLENDOR SAP), anatomical posts (AP), or computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) posts cemented to flared root canal dentin with self-adhesive dual-cure resin cement. Thirty single-rooted premolars received endodontic treatment with gutta-percha and a calcium hydroxide–based endodontic cement. After 24 hours, the canal spaces were enlarged with burs. The tooth specimens were divided equally into three groups (n=10), according to the glass fiber post (GFP) system: AP—prefabricated GFP (Reforpost #2, Angelus) was relined with composite resin (Filtek Z350 XT, 3M ESPE); SPLENDOR SAP—GFP was used with a glass fiber sleeve to adjust the adaptation (Splendor SAP, Angelus); and CAD-CAM—a resin pattern was obtained and scanned to produce a CAD-CAM GFP (Fiber CAD Lab, Angelus) milled using a subtractive technique. The three GFP systems were cemented with self-adhesive resin cement (Rely X U200, 3M ESPE). The roots were fixed to an acrylic resin plate used to section them into specimens of cervical, middle, and apical thirds. Then, the slices were attached to a universal testing machine to perform the push- out test at a speed of 0.5 mm/min and a load of 50 Kgf. The posttest specimens were examined under a stereoscopic microscope to evaluate the failure mode. The bond strength variable was analyzed using a generalized linear model, following a split-plot design. Failure mode analysis was performed using Fisher exact test. The significance level adopted was 5%. There was no significant difference among the GFP systems or among the thirds, in terms of bond strength (p>0.05), nor was there any significant association between the systems and the failure mode (p>0.05). Most specimens presented mixed or adhesive failure between resin cement and dentin. It was concluded that the bond strength to flared root dentin was not influenced by the GFP system or the root third.