bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nursing home nurses' opinions on the potential evolution of their role in antibiotic stewardship: A French national cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Bridey Céline , Bocquier Aurélie , Bonnay Stéphanie , Pulcini Céline , Thilly Nathalie
Published: December 2023

Aims

To assess French nursing home nurses' opinions on the potential evolution of their antibiotic stewardship role, facilitators and barriers, and nurses' characteristics associated with their opinion toward new roles regarding antibiotic prescribing.

Design

We conducted a cross‐sectional study in French nursing homes with ≥20 beds and for which an email address was available in a national database managed by the French government between May and June 2022.

Methods

A self‐administered internet‐based questionnaire of 43 closed‐ended Likert items was sent to directors of eligible nursing homes by email asking them to forward the link to the questionnaire to the nurses and head nurses of their institution. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and χ2 tests.

Results

7215 nursing homes were sent the online questionnaire; 1090 participants completed it partially or totally and 923 fully filled in the questionnaire. A majority of nurses supported strengthening and expanding their antibiotic stewardship role. Regarding new roles, over 70% agreed that nurses could collect urine samples to perform a urine culture on their own initiative, prescribe microbiological laboratory tests, and change the drug formulation or the administration route of the antibiotic prescribed by the general practitioner.

One‐third declared that they could initiate antibiotics for some infections and/or change the empirical antibiotic treatment prescribed by the general practitioner. Nurses from public nursing homes with connection to a hospital (27.5% vs. >35% for other status) and with recent experience in nursing homes (31% for <5 years of practice vs. 41% for 10 years or more) were less likely to agree to prescribe antibiotics.

Conclusions

This quantitative questionnaire survey identified potential new nurses' roles in antibiotic stewardship that seem to be acceptable and feasible for participants. These new nurses' roles need to be explored in future experimentations before considering implementation.

Reporting Method

The study adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines and followed the STROBE reporting guidelines.

Patient or Public Contribution

A self‐administered internet‐based questionnaire was sent to directors of eligible nursing homes by email asking them to forward the link to the questionnaire to the nurses and head nurses of their institution. Nurses and head nurses who were interested and willing could complete the questionnaire online partially or fully.

Trial and Protocol Registration

This study is not a clinical trial and is not eligible for trial registration. We used another suitable study registration site, the Center for Open Science.
Benchmarking the nutrient composition and labelling practices of dry or instant cereals for older infants and young children across seven Southeast Asian countries
Authors: Bassetti Eleonora , Blankenship Jessica , White Jessica M. , Sweet Lara , Threapleton Diane , Pries Alissa M.
Published: December 2023

In Southeast Asia, the increasing availability of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF), including dry or instant cereals (CPCF cereals), has been noted, however, concerns exist around their nutrient profile and labelling practices. This 2021 study assessed the nutrient composition, labelling practices, and micronutrient content of CPCF cereals sold in the capital cities of seven Southeast Asian countries: Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), Bangkok (Thailand), Vientiane (Lao PDR), Hanoi (Vietnam), and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). The study adapted a nutrient profiling model from the WHO Regional Office for Europe to determine the proportion of products suitable for promotion for older infants and young children. Micronutrient content of fortified CPCF cereals was assessed against fortification levels specified in the Codex Alimentarius guideline for formulated complementary foods. Of the 484 products assessed, 184 (38.0%) met all nutrient composition requirements. Around one‐third of CPCF cereals contained added sugars and/or sweeteners (37.2%) and high levels of sodium (28.9%). None of the CPCF cereals met all labelling requirements, primarily due to the presence of inappropriate claims on the labels. Most fortified CPCF cereals contained adequate amounts of critical micronutrients, such as calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin A, and vitamin D. However, rates of fortification varied across the seven countries, and almost a third (30.8%) of CPCF cereals were not fortified with any micronutrients. To support the appropriate promotion of CPCF in the region, Southeast Asian countries need to strengthen and enforce national binding legal measures, including national standards for the composition, labelling, and fortification of CPCF cereals.
Hunger, homeostasis, and desire
Authors: Matthen Mohan
Published: December 2023

Hunger is a psychological state that serves physiological energy homeostasis. I argue that it is a pure underived desire to eat and examine its role in homeostasis. After scene‐setting explanations of homeostasis and desire, I argue that hunger is a close phenomenological match with underived desire. Then, I show why desire is an apt instrument for energy homeostasis. Finally, I argue that energy homeostasis is a multi‐factorial future‐regarding behavioural strategy. Hunger is a special purpose sensory state that serves only to implement the strategy. Thus, it is a sensory desire. I conclude by reflecting on the credibility of this desire.
Obesity, bone marrow adiposity, and leukemia: Time to act
Authors: Kumar Vijay , Stewart John H.
Published: December 2023

Obesity has taken the face of a pandemic with less direct concern among the general population and scientific community. However, obesity is considered a low‐grade systemic inflammation that impacts multiple organs. Chronic inflammation is also associated with different solid and blood cancers. In addition, emerging evidence demonstrates that individuals with obesity are at higher risk of developing blood cancers and have poorer clinical outcomes than individuals in a normal weight range. The bone marrow is critical for hematopoiesis, lymphopoiesis, and myelopoiesis. Therefore, it is vital to understand the mechanisms by which obesity‐associated changes in BM adiposity impact leukemia development. BM adipocytes are critical to maintain homeostasis via different means, including immune regulation. However, obesity increases BM adiposity and creates a pro‐inflammatory environment to upregulate clonal hematopoiesis and a leukemia‐supportive environment. Obesity further alters lymphopoiesis and myelopoiesis via different mechanisms, which dysregulate myeloid and lymphoid immune cell functions mentioned in the text under different sequentially discussed sections. The altered immune cell function during obesity alters hematological malignancies and leukemia susceptibility. Therefore, obesity‐induced altered BM adiposity, immune cell generation, and function impact an individual's predisposition and severity of leukemia, which should be considered a critical factor in leukemia patients.
The HLA‐B*58:01:43 allele identified in a Korean individual awaiting hematopoietic stem cell transplant
Authors: Yang John Jeongseok , Oh Heung‐Bum
Published: December 2023

HLA‐B*58:01:43 differs from HLA‐B*58:01:01:01 by one synonymous nucleotide substitution in codon 197.
A case of haemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn attributed to a novel antigen in the RHAG blood group system
Authors: Chatterjee Saion , Millard Glenda , Chiawchan Suwat , Chanthet Sarawan , Daly James , Hyland Catherine , Kitpoka Pimpin , Powley Tanya , Liew Yew‐Wah
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives

A newborn presented with jaundice in Thailand. The cord red cells tested positive by direct antiglobulin test (DAT) for an unknown maternal red cell antibody. Initial blood group sequencing suggested that the infant carried a novel variant RHAG c.140T>C, responsible for a low‐prevalence antigen in the RHAG blood group system (ISBT 030). We report here on testing of samples from the infant's parents and older sibling to define a new antigen in the RHAG system.

Materials and Methods

Massive parallel sequencing (MPS) using a custom‐designed panel was performed on all four family members. Extended serological testing was also performed to determine whether family members with the same variant as the infant showed reactivity with the antibody in the maternal plasma.

Results

We identified a novel single nucleotide variant (SNV) (RHAG c.140T>C, p.[Phe47Ser]) in samples from three of the four family members tested (the infant, the older sibling and the father). The variant was not detected in the mother's sample. Maternal plasma showed positive agglutination with all family members tested; however, when tested with routine panel cells, no reactivity was observed.

Conclusion

This case study showed that the presence of the novel variant (RHAG c.140T>C), encoding a p.(Phe47Ser) change in the RhAG glycoprotein, was the apparent cause of incompatibility between maternal plasma and that of red cells from the proband, father and older sibling of the proband. We propose this variant to be a new low‐prevalence antigen in the RHAG blood group system.
Impact of dose and adjuvant on herbicidal efficacy of birch‐based pyrolysis liquid
Authors: Hagner Marleena , Ruuttunen Pentti , Hyvönen Terho
Published: December 2023

Reduction of pesticide use to benefit the environment is a topical issue in the EU. There is a call for development and more widespread use of sustainable alternative weed control measures. Pyrolysis liquid (PL), a by‐product of charcoal and biochar production, contains numerous compounds, including organic acids, alcohols, phenols and furans. PL has shown promising results when used against several broad‐leaved weeds but its effect on grassy weeds is largely untested. To provide an alternative to synthetic herbicides, PL should be effective and applicable at field scale. In this research, we initially evaluated the potential of birch (Betula sp.) based PL to control mono‐ and dicotyledonous plants under greenhouse conditions and determined if efficacy is improved by addition of an adjuvant. Second, the efficacy of PL for controlling Elymus repens (L.) Gould was compared with glyphosate and two other synthetic herbicides in a no‐tillage system under field conditions. As expected, dicotyledonous plants were more sensitive to acid‐based herbicides than monocotyledonous plants. In contrast to our expectations, the herbicidal efficacy of PL was lower than an acetic acid‐based herbicide and addition of an adjuvant did not improve efficacy. In conclusion, when used at commercially and practically realistic doses, the efficacy of PL control on monocotyledonous weeds such as E. repens is weak. More product development is needed to improve PL quality and efficacy and to establish practical and cost‐effective application levels for weed control on the field scale.
Recuperative Wokeness: Nike and the Commodification of Potential for Social Change
Authors: Chan Eric L. , Wachs Faye Linda , Garcia Christian , Cotter Beverly Teresa , Muñoz Rojelio
Published: December 2023

Faced with the increasingly politicized nature of sport and the need for resource accumulation under neoliberal capitalism, brands employ political stances to connect with consumers and expand customer bases. The ubiquity of social media in the present moment offers a unique opportunity to analyze corporate messaging and also audience response. Seven hundred and fifty YouTube comments from three Nike ads were coded. Overall commenters responded positively to Nike acting as a “representative” for progressivism in sport while failing to acknowledge larger social movements or Nike’s own questionable business practices. Using Debord’s theory of spectacle and Fisher’s capitalist realism, we discuss “recuperative wokeness,” our term for how these narratives serve to co-opt activism, and how this works to maintain the legitimacy of neoliberal market system.
Low voltage–driven high-performance thermal switching in antiferroelectric PbZrO
3
thin films
Authors: Liu Chenhan , Si Yangyang , Zhang Hua , Wu Chao , Deng Shiqing , Dong Yongqi , Li Yijie , Zhuo Meng , Fan Ningbo , Xu Bin , Lu Ping , Zhang Lifa , Lin Xi , Liu Xingjun , Yang Juekuan , Luo Zhenlin , Das Sujit , Bellaiche Laurent , Chen Yunfei , Chen Zuhuang
Published: December 2023

Effective control of heat transfer is vital for energy saving and carbon emission reduction. In contrast to achievements in electrical conduction, active control of heat transfer is much more challenging. Ferroelectrics are promising candidates for thermal switching as a result of their tunable domain structures. However, switching ratios in ferroelectrics are low (<1.2). We report that high-quality antiferroelectric PbZrO
3
epitaxial thin films exhibit high-contrast (>2.2), fast-speed (<150 nanoseconds), and long-lifetime (>10
7
) thermal switching under a small voltage (<10 V). In situ reciprocal space mapping and atomistic modelings reveal that the field-driven antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition induces a substantial change of primitive cell size, which modulates phonon-phonon scattering phase space drastically and results in high switching ratio. These results advance the concept of thermal transport control in ferroic materials.
Florida law blocks hiring of Chinese students
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: December 2023

Top officials would have to approve job offers to research staff—and process remains opaque
Proposed FDA rule on lab tests sparks debate
Authors: Couzin-Frankel Jennifer
Published: December 2023

Scientists divided over whether increased regulation would protect patients or limit access
Metagenomic next-generation sequencing of cell-free DNA for the identification of viruses causing central nervous system infections
Authors: Lu Yuying , Zhang Ye , Lou Zheng , He Xiaomin , Zhang Qinghua , Zhang Qingxia , Zhao Shu , Chen Han , Zhu Haixia , Song Zhi , Zhang Ruxu , Ma Caiyu , Liu Ding
Published: December 2023

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) can be used to detect pathogens, but there are limited data on its role in detecting viral central nervous system (CNS) infections. This was a multi-center retrospective study of patients clinically diagnosed with suspected viral CNS infection in Hunan between January 2018 and July 2021. mNGS detection was performed on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and whole-cell DNA (wcDNA) for diagnostic comparison. A total of 195 patients with suspected viral CNS infection underwent mNGS of CSF samples, and 175 of them received a final clinical diagnosis of CNS viral infection. A total of 100 (57.1%) cases were found to be virus-positive by mNGS, including 49 VZV, 32 HSV-1, 13 EBV, 5 HSV-2, and 1 porcine HSV. Compared with wcDNA, cfDNA mNGS showed a significantly lower proportion of human DNA (
n
= 26 patients; 0.91 ± 0.1 vs 0.96 ± 0.08,
P
< 0.01). Of these 26 patients, 24 were finally diagnosed with viral infections. The sensitivity of mNGS for detecting viruses using cfDNA and wcDNA was 66.7% (16/24) and 33.3% (8/24) (
P
< 0.01), respectively. Herpesviruses dominated the spectrum of DNA viruses in patients with viral CNS infections in Hunan, China, with VZV being the most common. mNGS, especially using cfDNA, is a promising complementary diagnostic method in detecting viral CNS infections.

IMPORTANCE

This study provides significant new data on the application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) to clinical diagnostics of central nervous system (CNS) viral infections, which can have high mortality rates and severe sequelae. Conventional diagnostic procedures for identifying viruses can be inefficient and rely on preconceived assumptions about the pathogen, making mNGS an appealing alternative. However, the effectiveness of mNGS is affected by the presence of human DNA contamination, which can be minimized by using cell-free DNA (cfDNA) instead of whole-cell DNA (wcDNA). This multi-center retrospective study of patients with suspected viral CNS infection found that mNGS using cfDNA had a significantly lower proportion of human DNA and higher sensitivity for detecting viruses than mNGS using wcDNA. Herpesviruses, particularly VZV, were found to be the most common DNA viruses in these patients. Overall, mNGS using cfDNA is a promising complementary diagnostic method for detecting CNS viral infections.
Provenance shifts in bauxitic clay from Zibo, North China Craton, links tectonics and climate to environmental perturbation
Authors: Wang Ruixue , Wang Qingfei , Kirkland Christopher L. , Ramanaidou Erick , Deng Jun
Published: December 2023

In the eastern North China Craton, the Zibo bauxitic clay deposits are situated between Permian sandstones. These deposits exhibit distinct characteristics in two horizons. The lower horizon consists of disordered kaolinite with anhedral–subhedral, rounded morphologies that indicate a detrital origin. The upper horizon, however, contains ordered kaolinite. Detrital zircon grains in the lower horizon indicate a unimodal age spectrum with a mean age of ca. 290 Ma and εHf(t) values ranging from −20.8 to −6.0. These findings suggest a continental volcanic arc source on the northern margin of the North China Craton. In contrast, detrital zircon grains in the upper section exhibit a multi-modal detrital age spectrum with significant age peaks at 2500 Ma, 1850 Ma, and 310 Ma that originates from the local basement. The zircon dating establishes a maximum depositional age of ca. 280 ± 3 Ma, which indicates denudation of the source area in the northern North China Craton during the Artinskian stage. The relative abundance of detrital kaolinite indicates a warm and humid climate during the late Artinskian (ca. 283 Ma) to Early Kungurian (ca. 280 Ma), while cold and dry conditions prevailed during the mid–late Kungurian (ca. 277 Ma). The northern North China Craton, which supplied source material to the lower section of Zibo bauxitic clay, experienced rapid uplift and exhumation and underwent intense weathering under high humidity and warm temperatures during the late Artinskian to Early Kungurian. However, the source area shifted from the north to a more central region as the climate transitioned to cold and dry conditions in the mid–late Kungurian. Considering that detrital clay formation is indicative of specific climatic conditions, the Permian bauxitic clay deposits in Zibo provide a valuable record of environmental changes during the late Paleozoic ice age (LPIA; ca. 360–260 Ma).
Supplemental Material: A far-traveled basalt lava flow in north-central Oregon, USA
Authors: Pivarunas Anthony F. , et al.
Published: December 2023

Tables with field, geochemical, and geochronological data.
Supplemental Material: Postfire stream responses to spatial fire patterns in riparian and upland zones
Authors: McMahon Conor , al. et
Published: December 2023

Table S1: Multivariate model results for responses of stream variables during post-fire time series. 
Clinical characteristics and prognosis of primary small cell carcinoma of the breast: a propensity score-matched, population-based study
Authors: Yin Lei , Yin Ai-Hong , Pu Chen-Chen
Published: December 2023

Objective

The purpose of this study was to describe the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of primary small cell carcinoma of the breast (PSCCB) and compare PSCCB with breast invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC).

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Data of patients with PSCCB and breast IDC were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2004 and 2016.

Participants

Eighty-three patients with PSCCB and 410 699 patients with breast IDC were enrolled in the present cohort study.

Materials and methods

Patients with PSCCB and breast IDC were identified from the SEER database between 2004 and 2016. The clinicopathological characteristics and survival of patients with PSCCB and IDC were compared. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was performed to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics when comparing overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Moreover, OS-/CSS-specific nomograms were established to predict the prognosis of PSCCB.

Results

Compared with IDC, PSCCB was significantly correlated with older age, male, higher pathological grade, higher TNM (tumour, node, metastases) stage, a higher proportion of triple-negative breast cancer, a lower proportion of ER/PR positivity and significantly worse clinical outcome. The median OS and CSS of patients with PSCCB were 23.0 m (95%CI 13.0 to 56.0) and 28.0 m (95%CI 18.0 to 66.0), respectively. The 5-year OS and CSS rates in the PSCCB group were 36.1% and 42.4%, respectively. In the matched cohort after PSM analysis, patients with PSCCB had significantly worse OS and CSS than IDC patients. Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that T stage and administration of chemotherapy were independent prognostic factors for both OS and CSS in patients with PSCCB. The C-index for OS-/CSS-specific nomogram was 0.75 (95%CI 0.66 to 0.85)/0.79 (95%CI 0.69 to 0.89), respectively. The calibration curve in the ROC analysis indicated that the predicted value was consistent with the actual observation value. Decision curve analysis suggested that the nomogram model has a significant positive net benefit from the risk of death and are better than the traditional TNM staging system.

Conclusion

PSCCB has distinct clinicopathological characteristics, and patients with PSCCB have significantly worse clinical outcomes than those with IDC.
Ischaemic stroke in patients with diabetes requiring urgent procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea: a retrospective, nationwide, population-based cohort study using data from the National Emergency Department Information System
Authors: Park Min Jeong , Hwang Jeongeun , Ahn Jonghwa , Park Sung Joon , Song Eyun , Jang Ahreum , Choi Kyung Mook , Baik Sei Hyun , Yoo Hye Jin
Published: December 2023

Objectives

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in suboptimal care for ischaemic stroke. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), a high-risk group for stroke, had compromised routine care during the pandemic, which increases the chance of stroke. We examined influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of ischaemic stroke in patients with DM in South Korea.

Design

Retrospective, nationwide, population-based cohort study.

Setting

Data from the National Emergency Department Information System.

Participants

We analysed 11 734 patients diagnosed with acute ischaemic stroke who underwent intravenous thrombolysis or endovascular thrombectomy between 2019 (the reference year) and 2020 (the pandemic year). Among them, 1014 subjects with DM were analysed separately.

Outcome measures

The frequency of emergency department (ED) visits, time from symptom onset to ED, from ED visit to admission and in-hospital mortality were compared between two periods in the overall population and in patients with DM.

Results

During the pandemic, the incidence of ischaemic stroke requiring urgent procedures increased by 7.57% in total and by 9.03% in patients with DM. Time delay from symptom onset to ED (reference vs pandemic, total: 1.50 vs 1.55 hours; p<0.01) and from ED visit to admission (total: 3.88 vs 3.92 hours; p=0.02) occurred during the pandemic in the overall population, but not significantly in patients with DM specifically. Older patients with DM showed higher chances of intensive care unit (ICU) admission during the pandemic: 53.5% vs 62.8% in age 70―79, 60.5% vs 71.9% in age 80―89 and 20.0% vs 70.8% in age ≥90 years (all p=0.01). There was no significant difference in in-hospital mortality between two periods (total: 8.2% vs 8.4%, p=0.65; DM: 8.1% vs 6.7%, p=0.25).

Conclusions

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of ischaemic stroke requiring urgent procedures increased, and older patients with DM showed a higher ICU admission rate. However, the pandemic was not associated with an increased in-hospital stroke mortality.
Respectful community engagement in health research with diverse im/migrant communities
Authors: Machado Stefanie , Karsiem Samira , Lavergne M Ruth , Goldenberg Shira , Wiedmeyer Mei-ling
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Global migration and immigration are increasing, and migrants and immigrants (im/migrants) have specific health needs and healthcare experiences. Yet, im/migrant involvement in immigration and health research in Canada is inconsistent. Heretofore, involvement has primarily been in research planning, data collection and analysis, with little community involvement during knowledge exchange or through training and colearning opportunities. Community engagement has been especially uncommon in mixed-method and quantitative research in Canada.

Objective

This article describes lessons learnt from the Evaluating Inequities in Refugee & Immigrants’ Health Access (IRIS) project from 2018 to 2023, an ongoing mixed-method, community-based research project in British Columbia, Canada. Specifically, we share our core community engagement project structures,Commitments to Communityand ourCommunity Engagement Backbone, both collaboratively developed with im/migrant community memebers.

Participants

People with varied experiences of im/migration and connections to multiple, specific im/migrant communities participate in the project as participants, community researchers, community advisory board members, faculty members and students. Core research activities are supported in English, Farsi, Spanish and Tigrinya. We engage community members throughout the research process, from identifying research topics to knowledge exchange.

Conclusion

We found that these structures offer an accessible visual representation of the project’s commitments to community engagement, and the ways these commitments are demonstrated through values and action. Our training opportunities, colearning activities and knowledge exchange efforts also confirmed the accuracy of interpretation, prompted additional analysis to clarify or add depth to findings, and helped us identify additional research topics. We hope these learnings can be used to expand engagement with diverse im/migrant communities in health and immigration research.
A novel pipe-segment shear test apparatus: polypropylene pipe behaviour over sand beds versus element interface tests
Authors: Ge Borui , Martin Gary , Dietz Matt , Mylonakis George , Diambra Andrea
Published: December 2023

This study describes a novel laboratory test apparatus for investigating the axial interaction between pipeline and soil. Contrary to the majority of existing pipe–soil shear rigs, the proposed apparatus applies a relative pipe–soil shear displacement through driving a soil box below an axially restrained pipe segment, which is instrumented to measure the pipe settlement and the axial resistance at the pipe–soil contact surface. Through axial shear tests of polypropylene pipe segment on sand, this study explores the effect of vertical loads, soil types, and densities on the resulting axial resistance and estimates the interface stress evolution. The coefficients of axial resistance obtained from large-scale pipe–soil shear tests are compared to those obtained via planar element interface shear tests with consideration of the wedging effect. Their consistency suggests that under the low stress levels investigated in this study, the effect of both pipeline curvature and settlement on the resultant data are minor. The agreement provides validation for the novel apparatus to generate high-quality data under controlled conditions for future studies. The findings of this study will also potentially help reduce the uncertainties around subsea pipeline design when linking the interface shear behaviour at element scale to large-scale pipe–soil interaction.
Decolonizing Community-Engaged Research: Designing CER with Cultural Humility as a Foundational Value
Authors: Itchuaqiyaq Cana Uluak , Lindgren Chris A. , Kramer Corina Qaaġraq
Published: December 2023

In this article, we uptake the call for equipping researchers in practicing socially just CER in Indigenous communities through developing a framework for cultural humility in CER. Sparked by our research team's experience considering the potential of CER to transform and contribute to the needs of both tribal and academic communities, we present cultural humility as a personal precondition for socially just, decolonial CER practice. We use the Inuit cultural practice of nalukataq as a key metaphor to present our framework for cultural humility: listening to the caller, setting your feet, pulling equally, staying in sync.
Amplifying Diverse Narratives of Social Support in Online Health Design
Authors: Cameron Shanna
Published: December 2023

This article interrogates the competing narratives present in one online community for Asherman syndrome to highlight how certain stories about infertility/parenthood thrive in online discussions while others are suppressed or silenced. The author argues that employing a research stance centered on reproductive justice creates new possibilities for coalition building across differences in community-engaged research design. As reproductive justice frameworks aim to protect all reproductive freedoms, these methods eschew cohesive narratives and instead prioritize amplifying diverse patient voices. The article concludes with patient recommendations for communication design interventions to improve user experience with social support online.
Tracing the Development and Circulation of a Tool for Coalitional Change
Authors: Moore Kristen R. , Stone Erica M.
Published: December 2023

This experience report describes the origin story and use journey of a visual tool for community engagement and organizational change work. We articulate the tool (i.e., the pyramid) as a theoretical framework and demonstrate how the tool has been used to intervene in organizations, engage coalitions, and mitigate risks as we move towards a more socially just future. It is both all about community-engaged research and also not about it at all: we built it in and with communities and coalitions and we have also brought it to communities and coalitions, adopted it, adapted it, and reinvented uses for it. By tracing its development and circulation, we are both documenting its past and present use cases and offering it up as a tool for others to adopt and adapt.
Generating Daily Activities with Need Dynamics
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Ding Jingtao , Wang Huandong , Jin Depeng
Published: December 2023

Daily activity data recording individuals’ various activities in daily life are widely used in many applications such as activity scheduling, activity recommendation, and policymaking. Though with high value, its accessibility is limited due to high collection costs and potential privacy issues. Therefore, simulating human activities to produce massive high-quality data is of great importance. However, existing solutions, including rule-based methods with simplified behavior assumptions and data-driven methods directly fitting real-world data, both cannot fully qualify for matching reality. In this article, motivated by the classic psychological theory, Maslow’s need theory describing human motivation, we propose a knowledge-driven simulation framework based on generative adversarial imitation learning. Our core idea is to model the evolution of human needs as the underlying mechanism that drives activity generation in the simulation model. Specifically, a hierarchical model structure that disentangles different need levels and the use of neural stochastic differential equations successfully capture the piecewise-continuous characteristics of need dynamics. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our framework outperforms the state-of-the-art baselines regarding data fidelity and utility. We also present the insightful interpretability of the need modeling. Moreover, privacy preservation evaluations validate that the generated data does not leak individual privacy. The code is available at
https://github.com/tsinghua-fib-lab/Activity-Simulation-SAND
.
Review—Recent Advancements in Graphene-Based Electrodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Alathlawi Hussain J. , Hassan K. F.
Published: December 2023

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are highly promising energy storage devices because they provide high power output and an extended cycling lifespan, resulting in a unified and efficient system. However, the current lithium-ion batteries have limitations in providing high energy density due to the slow spread of Li+ ions and the low electrical conductivity of the anode and cathode materials. This trade-off results in a situation where the power is concentrated rather than the energy. Furthermore, the significant disparities in capacity and kinetics between the anode and cathode lead to subpar rate performance and inadequate cycling stability. Hence, the development of anode materials with high power capability and structural stability holds immense importance in the context of practical LIBs. Graphene-based materials have been extensively analyzed as cathode materials in LIBs due to their distinctive structure and exceptional electrochemical characteristics. Noteworthy progress has been achieved in this field. This article summarizes recent advances in graphene-based anodes and cathodes for lithium-ion batteries. The paper concludes by analyzing current obstacles and providing recommendations for future research.
Recording Postprandial Glucose Reactions with Potato Starch Structural Improvements
Authors: Bashir Sadaf , Farooq Zubair , Zafar Sobia , Tufail Tabussam , Ain Huma Bader Ul , Hussain Muzzamal , Al Jbawi Entessar , Saha Purabi , Kumar Roshan , Nyarko Richard Owusu
Published: December 2023

The current study is aimed at modifying the structural makeup of potato starch through the application of heat and moisture to better control the postprandial glycemic response. Heat-moisture treatment (HMT) was used to prepare potato starch using different moisture levels and temperatures. The samples were digested with pancreatin to determine the % of easily digestible, slowly digestible, and resistant starch. Subjects were given pudding made with HMT potato starch, and their postprandial glycemic response was tracked by measuring their blood glucose levels. In addition, incremental and total incremental areas under the curve (IAUC, TIAUC) were also assessed. The current findings of in vitro enzymatic digestibility of potato starch showed inconsistent results as measured at different time intervals. Adding moisture and heating the mixture to 30 and 70°C both increased the amount of rapidly digestible starch in all of the treatments from 20 to 40%. The maximum value of slowly digestible starch was 43.63% when the sample was heated to 30°C with a moisture content of 30%. The highest value (68.46%) for resistant starch was achieved at 20% moisture level and 30°C. After eating pudding, blood sugar spiked for the first 60 and 90 min before gradually dropping off over the next 240 min. As a whole, the highest IAUC and TIAUC values, as well as the glycemic index and load, were observed in potato starch heated to 70°C, which contained 40% moisture. Most parameters achieved their highest values when 40% moisture was added and the heat was applied at 70°C.
Spontaneous Hyphema during Ibrutinib Treatment in a CLL Patient
Authors: Aldecoa Kim Abbegail Tan , Macaraeg Chef Stan L. , Dadlani Akash , Yadlapalli Sri
Published: December 2023

Ibrutinib is an oral, first-line, targeted therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Commonly reported adverse events are diarrhea, fatigue, and musculoskeletal pain, but rarely it has been associated with visual disturbances. Here, we present a rare case of spontaneous hyphema in a 60-year-old patient with a known diagnosis of CLL on ibrutinib treatment.
Nutritional and Sensory Evaluation of Yoghurt Incorporated with Unripe False Horn Plantain (Musa paradisiaca var. “apentu”)
Authors: Leeward Bernadine Olivia , Alemawor Francis , Deku Godwin
Published: December 2023

Unripe plantain (Musa paradisiaca L.) is rich in nutrients including minerals, vitamin C, and carbohydrates particularly resistant starches with prebiotic properties. However, the fruit is challenged with limited utilisation, and this contributes to its high postharvest losses along the production and supply chain. Information is lacking on incorporating plantain (UPF) in functional dairy food product development. In a completely randomized design, the study evaluated the effect of unripe false horn plantain (var. “apentu”) flour (UPF) incorporation (

w
/
v

), at 0% (control), 2%, 4%, and 6%, on the composition and sensory quality of yoghurt. The results showed that higher UPF percent incorporation resulted in yoghurts having lower moisture and higher total solid values as well as enhanced nutritional values, in terms of protein, zinc, potassium, calcium, and vitamin C (

P
<
0.05

). Mean pH and total titratable acidity values of the yoghurt products were in the ranges of 3.40-3.65 and 1.00-130%, respectively. Conversely, an increase in UPF incorporation generally reduced consumer likeness scores for yoghurt sensory characteristics including appearance, texture, flavour, taste, aftertaste, and overall acceptability. The control AZ product received the highest ratings in all sensory attributes evaluated. Compared with the control AZ, the BX (2%

w
/
w

UPF) yoghurt showed better nutritional quality as well as had comparable ratings for the sensory attributes, particularly in terms of appearance, texture, and flavour. Thus, the formulation containing 2% UPF has the best potential for the production of value-added functional yoghurt, which will be acceptable. However, for high acceptability, further research is needed to improve the impact of UPF incorporation on the overall sensory quality of yoghurt. The study suggests that UPF can serve as a potential supplement for improving the value of yoghurt, and this also contributes to reducing postharvest losses of plantain as a key food security resource. Also, the study findings contribute baseline information to guide future research on functional dairy product development with unripe plantain.
Fault Detection and Isolation in Smart-Grid Networks of Intelligent Power Routers Modeled as Probabilistic Boolean Networks
Authors: Rivera Torres Pedro J. , Gershenson García Carlos , Kanaan Izquierdo Samir
Published: December 2023

A self-organizing complex-network modeling method, probabilistic Boolean networks, is presented as a model-based diagnostic system for detecting and isolating different types of faults, failures, and modes of operation in which a network of intelligent power routers is deployed over a standard power test case: the Western System Coordinating Council 9 Bus System. Such a system allows designers and engineering professionals to make educated decisions pertaining to the design of smart-grid systems endowed with intelligent power routers. There is a recurrent necessity to design reliable and fault-tolerant smart power systems, maintaining adequate operation and adherence to performance specifications, while keeping costs at the minimum. This diagnostics system will help achieve such goals: better design through thorough analysis of the conditions that lead to a fault on a smart grid, proper detection of these faults, and isolation of the respective assets.
Factors Influencing a Favorable Outcome for RFA of Huge Benign Thyroid Nodules: Preliminary Results and Short-Term Evaluation
Authors: Chiu Chun-Hua , Luo Sheng-Dean , Chiang Pi-Ling , Lin An-Ni , Wang Cheng-Kang , Chou Chen-Kai , Chi Shun-Yu , Chen Meng-Hsiang , Lin Wei-Che
Published: December 2023

Objective. This study aimed to investigate potentially favorable factors influencing the therapeutic success of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of huge benign thyroid nodules (BTNs) (volume >100 ml) and to evaluate the feasibility of RFA as an alternative treatment modality for patients unable or unwilling to undergo surgery. Methods. This retrospective study evaluated a total of 868 patients, of which 22 patients had huge BTNs who underwent ultrasound-guided moving shot RFA treatment between May 2017 and January 2022. The huge BTNs were categorized into two groups according to a post-RFA treatment volume reduction ratio (VRR) of >80% and <80% at 6 months. Factors influencing these huge BTNs were reviewed, analyzed, and correlated with treatment effectiveness between the two groups. Results. The factors influencing an effective VRR included huge BTNs located on the left side (OR 7.875, p = 0.03), predominant solid/spongiform nodules (OR 7.875, p = 0.03), and higher initial ablation rate (IAR) (p = 0.028). Multivariable logistic regression revealed predominant solid/spongiform nodule and the higher IAR were associated with the advanced VRR. Conclusion. RFA was effective at decreasing the volume of huge BTNs with an acceptable complication rate. The BTN characteristics correlated with a better VRR at the 6-month short-term follow-up were predominant solid/spongiform BTNs and those with the first time ablation treatment initial ablation rate. Nevertheless, regarding the higher regrowth rate of these groups of patients who may need to be treated more times, RFA can only be a feasible alternative treatment modality for patients unable or unwilling to undergo operation.
Constitución de Todas y Todos… a la Chilena
Authors: Saavedra Eduardo
Published: December 2023

El clamor ciudadano derivado del “estallido social” se vio reflejado en las urnas en octubre de 2020 cuando el 80% de los votantesmanifestó su deseo de cambiar la Constitución de 1980 y, posteriormente, en mayo de 2021, en la abrumadora victoria de los sectores más radicales de la izquierda chilena para escribir una nueva Constitución. Continuar leyendo...
Banco Central: siguen las oportunidades perdidas
Authors: García Carlos J.
Published: December 2023

La nueva propuesta de la nueva constitución política prácticamente dejó sin cambios los objetivos y la administración del BancoCentral de Chile. El artículo 199, inciso 1 establece que: “El Banco Central tendrá por objeto velar por la estabilidad de los precios y el normal funcionamiento de los pagos internos y externos.” (página 149). Continuar leyendo...
Modernización y eficiencia
Authors: Escobar Claudio , Ortiz Rodrigo
Published: December 2023

En un mundo cada vez más interconectado y tecnológicamente avanzado, la administración pública en Chile enfrenta el desafío de adaptarse a las nuevas realidades. El Artículo 108 de la propuesta de la nueva Constitución Política de la República de Chile nos ofrece un marco ideal para reflexionar sobre este proceso. La modernización y mejora de la eficiencia en la administración del Estado no son solo deseables, sino imprescindibles para garantizar un servicio óptimo a la sociedad. Continuar leyendo...
Probidad: Fiscalización ciudadana v/s Agencia Anticorrupción
Authors: Mercado Martinic Beatriz
Published: December 2023

El objetivo último del Estado es la protección de las personas y de sus derechos. Derechos que deben estar definidos en la normafundamental del ordenamiento jurídico de un país: la Constitución. Renombrados son los derechos asociados a la familia y las personas, pero los ciudadanos deben ser conscientes de otros derechos que, quizá a primera vista no sean tan sentidos como los antes mencionados, pero que garantizan la democracia como forma de gobierno y una adecuada convivencia social. Continuar leyendo...
Ecological attributes of aquatic invertebrates in two water turbidity scenarios in a lake of the Pantanal, Brazil
Authors: Butakka Cristina Márcia de Menezes , Loverde-Oliveira Simoni Maria
Published: December 2023

The objective of this work was to determine the taxonomic structure and Functional Feeding Groups (FFGs) of benthic invertebrates and their roles in two different water turbidity scenarios in a floodplain lake in the Pantanal wetland (Sinhá Mariana Lake, Barão de Melgaço, state of Mato Grosso). We studied the benthic invertebrate fauna at 18 sampling sites in periods of high turbidity (HT) and low turbidity (LT) during high water (HW) and low water (LW). We hypothesize that the structure of Chironomidae assemblages (species and functional feeding groups) varies between sites in Sinhá Mariana Lake, and the density and diversity attributes of species in this family and their functional feeding groups are reduced under increased turbidity. Depth, water temperature, turbidity, pH, pCO₂, water color, and organic matter content of the sediment were analyzed in each sampling site. Chironomidae presented higher density and diversity in periods of high water (HW) in sites with low turbidity water (LT). The dominance increased in periods of low water (LW). The main FFGs were represented by collector-gatherers, while the smallest groups corresponded to shredder-herbivores (50% and 9% of the total abundance, respectively). Collector-gatherers (Aedokritus sp., Chironomus strenzkei, Goeldichironomus petiolicola, G. maculatus, Beardius phytophilus), predators (Ablabesmyia gr. annulata, Labrundinia sp. and Cryptochironomus brasiliensis) and shredder-herbivores (Asheum sp., Polypedilum sp., Polypedilum gr. fallax) predominated in high water (HW) periods. A change in the community structure from the HW to LW was evidenced, characterized by the substitution of collector-gatherers for collector-filterers. Notodiaptomus deitersi (Crustacea) was dominant in LW (dominance index = 10.9) and Aedokritus sp. (Insecta) in HW (dominance index = 5.4). Water turbidity and the hydrological cycle are important factors determining spatial and temporal patterns in communities, particularly changes in FFGs. Changes in turbidity in different sites and periods alter the structure of trophic communities and lead to questions about the main drivers of communities in Pantanal wetlands as areas of high ecological relevance for maintaining biodiversity.
Passalídeos americanos
Authors: Luederwaldt Hermann
Published: December 2023

Existindo nas coleções do Departamento de Zoologia da Secretaria de Agricultura muitas espécies in litteris, determinadas por H. Luederwaldt, o Dr. Frederico Lane, Assistente da Divisão de Insecta daquele Departamento proporcionou-me os manuscritos que H. LUEDERWALDT deixara sob o título "Passalídeos de Costa Rica'' para aproveitar o que julgasse oportuno e dar à publicidade as diagnoses das espécies novas deixadas in litteris pelo infatigável Assistente de Invertebrados do Museu Paulista. Nos referidos manuscritos encontrei as descrições das espécies conservadas no Departamento, assim como as de outras cujos tipos haviam sido devolvidos aos colecionadores que lhe proporcionaram o material de estudo. Minha atuação no presente trabalho foi de simples organizador, decifrador e tradutor das anotações de H. Luederwaldt, escritas em língua alemã. Procurei conservar, no possível, o estilo do autor no que diz respeito as traduções, acrescentando de vez enquanto alguns comentários ou notas e somente em determinados e contados casos, julguei conveniente dar uma redescrição, em vista de serem muito reduzidas as diagnoses elaboradas pelo autor de saudosa memória; as meras traduções vão anotadas entre "aspas" para as distinguir das anotações intercaladas.
A tentatiye annotated bibliography ge deematobia hominis (linnaeus jr., 1.781) (diptera, cüterebridae)
Authors: Guimarães J. H. , Papavero Nelson
Published: December 2023

.